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collinrobinsonsglasses · 10 months

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Too Soft to be a Pirate

Izzy Hands x Reader (GN)

Chapter 4 of a series, but I think this one can be read by itself. <3

Summary: Blackbeard invades Stede Bonnet's ship. It follows along with the chaos of season 1 episode 4. When the reader thinks they're facing death they decide to shoot their shot with Izzy.

{Masterlist}

{Previous Chapter}

{Next Chapter}

Chapter 4: Discomfort in a Married State

Among all the pirate ships you’d encountered in your time sailing with Blackbeard, Stede Bonnet’s ship stood out as the most unique. The ship's cabins were stocked with an assortment of knick-knacks and exquisite china. The majority of your morning was devoted to wandering the ship, discovering its hidden treasures.

Stede Bonnet’s crew had been assembled on the deck, currently enduring the wrath of Izzy Hands. Recognizing that you would soon be drawn into the chaos, you took a moment to enjoy the temporary peace. You stumbled upon Fang fixated on one of the cabinets. The shelves were lined with a spectacle of intricately decorated tea cups resting on saucers.

“I like these!” Fang whispered to you as you joined him, his eyes sparkling with excitement. “Look at all the pretty little flowers painted on them”.

“I like them too,” you responded smiling, giving his arm a gentle squeeze.

Fang had an intimidating presence upon first glance. His stature was imposing, and he was a skilled fighter, capable of unleashing fierceness when he needed to. Yet, the Fang you had come to know was surprisingly gentle and sensitive. He was like a colossal teddy bear–a teddy bear with the potential to be lethal, but over the year of knowing him, you couldn’t help but grow more fond of his sensitive side.

Ivan found both you and Fang, each holding a teacup close to your faces, thoroughly examining every little detail on the delicate glass. Ivan joined you in examining the teacups for a while before letting you know that Izzy had summoned everyone to the deck. You followed behind Fang and Ivan, joining Bonnet’s crew just as one of the men remarked that he expected Blackbeard to be taller. Fang delivered a solid whack to Black Pete’s stomach, earning a swift reprimand from Blackbeard.

As Blackbeard delivered his opening speech to Bonnet’s crew, your attention was fixed on the first mate. Izzy appeared exhausted from the unfolding situation, a stark contrast to Blackbeard’s seemingly joyful mood. It didn’t take long for Izzy to grow tired of his captain’s antics, prompting him to demand that everyone return to work. You empathized with Izzy. Managing the entire crew while navigating Blackbeard’s unpredictable moods seemed like a challenge. Izzy worked hard to ensure everyone’s safety, but it seemed like no one ever really acknowledged his efforts.

Blackbeard retreated to Stede Bonnet’s cabin, and the remaining crew members from the Queen Anne’s Revenge dispersed to attend to other tasks aboard the ship. You observed Frenchie struggling to free his sleeve from a nail, realizing he inadvertently hammered his jacket to the deck. Taking a seat beside him, you grabbed the hammer and attempted to pry the nail from the wood, working to free Frenchie. Since you boarded his ship, you hadn’t had the chance to speak with him yet.

“Your part of Blackbeard's crew then? I think that is fairly badass”, Frenchie remarked, casting a curious glance in your direction. Fortunately, Frenchie didn’t seem upset that you had failed to mention that on your first encounter.

You smiled back at him, having successfully liberated his jacket from the dock.

“Do you think we’re gonna be able to live or die?” Frenchie whispered nervously.

“I think you’ll live,” you responded, contemplating your captain’s demeanor. “Blackbeard seems to be in a good mood, and he’s spending a lot of time taking care of your captain.”

You both chatted and shared laughs as you worked together to repair the dock. Frenchie pointed out his crewmates, offering a name and brief description for each of them. As you conversed with Frenchie, you failed to notice that Izzy had returned to the quarterdeck, and was shooting daggers in your direction. You finally noticed Izzy’s presence on deck as Buttons handed him a spyglass to gaze out at the sea. This led to Izzy cursing repeatedly as he headed in your direction.

“Get up,” he said, seizing your arm and lifting you to stand. “You’re coming with me to find Blackbeard.” He shot a glare at Frenchie as he led you away, grumbling, “Do your own fucking work, you useless twat.”

You and Izzy commenced the search for your captain in silence, scouring the ship. With each room you explored, you could sense Izzy’s impatience and anger escalating. “You shouldn’t be conversing or helping Bonnet’s crew,” Izzy huffed, breaking the silence. “We’ve invaded them. It’s beyond me why you’d choose to engage with their bunch when you have competent people on your crew you could talk to.”

“Sorry, sir,” you replied genuinely, not wanting to further aggravate Izzy.

Entering Stede’s cabin, you found it vacant. “Edward, are you in here?” Izzy called out into the empty room.

“Why do you need to find him? What’s going on?” you inquired of Izzy.

“The Spanish are approaching, and if we don’t come up with a plan soon we’re going to die”, Izzy spat.

“Blackbeard has a plan though, right? He always has a plan,” you said with a tinge of fear in your voice.

“Yes. Blackbeard always has a plan, but whoever the fuck we’re dealing with as of late is not Blackbeard”, Izzy responded with disdain. “I don’t know who that twat is.”

Fang and Ivan quickly joined the search around the ship. Upon entering the galley, you found Bonnet’s crew enjoying a meal. Izzy was visibly displeased by this scene, and it resulted in another slap on the back of Black Pete’s head. Your three crewmates exited as quickly as they entered, and you lingered a bit longer in the galley, creating a buffer for yourself from the irate Izzy.

“Alls I know is women are bad luck on ships. Historically”, Black Pete continued their previous conversation once he had seen the men leave.

“That’s a myth!” Jim shot back, glaring at Pete.

“Jim’s right!” you chimed in. “Haven’t you heard of Anne Bonny or Mary Read?”

All eyes turned toward you in surprise as you entered the conversation.

“Two legendary pirates, and both of them were women,” you said decisively.

“I’m glad someone on this ship has some sense.” Jim exclaimed, giving you a nod of approval.

You swiftly left to catch up with Izzy as the crew’s argument continued. You didn’t want the first mate to catch you fraternizing with the others again. As you were departing, you heard Frenchie begin explaining the science behind why women attract demons.

You caught up with Izzy and the search to find Blackbeard persisted until he ultimately threw in the towel. You stood on the deck with Ivan and Fang as Bonnet’s crew carried on with their tasks on the ship. Out of the blue, Blackbeard emerged from the captain’s cabin, donned in a stylish pair of pink trousers and a billowy white shirt. Blackbeard made a dancing motion, moving the oversized sleeves of his shirt back and forth. Glancing at Ivan and Fang beside you, they appeared utterly stunned.

As you attempted to recover from the initial shock of seeing Blackbeard in fancy attire, Stede appeared wearing Blackbeard’s leather. You glanced at Izzy in that moment, observing the veins bulging on his forehead. This was an entirely new level of anger for him. You noticed Izzy engaging in a conversation with your captain, and they temporarily stepped away. You watched as Bonnet’s crew lined up to greet him. Blackbeard’s clothes looked out of place on Stede. After a while you witnessed Izzy making a beeline towards Captain Bonnet, forcefully dragging him past you and down below the deck. Ivan and Fang followed closely behind.

Blackbeard nonchalantly followed the group, then paused to flash you a cocky smile. “Hey, little mouse,” he grinned.

“Stede Bonnet suits you,” you smiled back, pointing to his new outfit.

“I agree,” he said, giving a little twirl before descending below deck.

Once Blackbeard descended the stairs, the fog began to set in, prompting Black Pete to declare your captain a genius. You sighed in relief, rolling your eyes as you realized Blackbeard had likely been causing Izzy stress for his own entertainment. Blackbeard took great delight in unveiling the plan he had orchestrated all along, and you watched him putting on a show for all the new faces on the ship. When Izzy pointed out he had the date wrong, the mood quickly shifted. Blackbeard declared death was imminent before wandering back to Stede’s cabin declaring he was going to get drunk.

For a moment, the entire crew froze on deck, confusion painted on their faces. You observed as each crew member slowly dispersed, heading toward what they wanted to do or who they wanted to spend their last moments with. Seeking solace, you went and sat on the stairs leading up to the quarterdeck, pondering various thoughts in your head.

Fang found you there and joined you, sipping from a teacup. Ivan quickly followed, leaning against the banister. It wasn’t surprising that Fang and Ivan would want to spend their last moments together. Their deep connection and care for each other was clear since the moment you first met them.

“What are you drinking, Fang?” you asked, smiling at his cup of choice.

“Rum!” Fang giggled. “It tastes even better from this cup.”

“Very fancy!” you replied in a playful tone.

Your attention shifted to Izzy, leaving the deck and returning with the rum bottle you had given him. He slowly paced towards the bow of the ship, looking defeated, and then disappeared. Fang watched you as you observed Izzy.

“You should let that little angry man know how you feel,” Fang suggested gently.

You shot Fang a look, but did not respond. That suggestion was so ridiculous it didn’t deserve a response.

Ivan tapped his foot against yours to get your attention before speaking. “He’s right, you know. What do you have to lose?”

“My life, Ivan,” you replied, looking at both men with wide eyes. “I fully believe if I tried to talk about my feelings with Izzy he would stab me.”

Fang rested his hand on your knee and squeezed lovingly. “If you don’t tell him now, you might never get to. The likelihood of death is high either way,” Fang teased softly.

“Come on!” Ivan exclaimed, grabbing your hand and lifting you from your seated position. “We want what’s best for you, pip-squeak. It’s obvious you want to talk to him.”

You stopped to look at both men for a second. Your heart swelled in your chest, and you kissed them both on the cheek. “Thank you for always looking after me,” you whispered before heading toward the bow.

You discovered Izzy seated against the wall, his feet stretched out as he gazed at the ocean.

“Hey, Izzy,” you said quietly, feeling your heart pound against your chest. “Can I join you?”

Izzy didn’t verbally reply but shifted over, leaving enough space for you to sit on the floor next to him. There wasn’t much room on the bow’s deck, but you weren’t complaining. You settled down beside him, feeling one of your legs firmly press against his in the confined space. He glanced at you for a moment before offering the bottle of rum he was holding.

“You got me this, so it’s only fair for me to share,” he said gruffly.

Taking a sip, you felt the alcohol burn as it traveled from your throat to your stomach, warming you up inside and providing a momentary distraction.

“I can’t believe I’m going to die on a ship with a fucking unicorn as it’s figurehead,” Izzy uttered in disbelief.

“I like that it’s a unicorn”, you replied sweetly.

“Why? Because it’s pretty?” Izzy replied, his tone condescending.

Disregarding his comment, you continued speaking. “It was just my mom and me growing up, and she always told me stories about unicorns,” you said, your gaze fixed on the figurehead. “There’s a legend that their horns can purify poisoned water. I like the idea that even something that’s been poisoned can undergo transformation with the touch of the right creature.” You paused for a second, anticipating a sarcastic comment from the first mate. However, when he remained silent, you continued.

“They’re often described in myths as proud, fiercely independent, and powerful creatures,” you smiled, recognizing that you were also describing the man sitting next to you. “I used to tell my mom that one day I was going to catch one. But, I’ve come to realize that maybe creatures like that are meant to be admired from afar. Being able to witness their beauty is enough.”

You turned toward Izzy to discover him gazing at you, as if attempting to unravel a mystery. Taking one final sip from the bottle of rum, you handed it back to him. “Unicorns are also really pretty,” you said as you offered a teasing smile. Izzy returned your smile, the warmth in his eyes devoid of any smugness, as if sharing a genuine moment of connection.

A moment of silence lingered before you spoke again. “If I ask you a question, Izzy, do you promise not to stab me?”

“Depends on the question. Ask at your own risk.” Izzy responded with a wry smile.

“Why are you still sailing with Blackbeard? I know he’s a legend, but it seems like he takes great pleasure in tormenting you,” you asked hesitantly.

You observed Izzy take a deep breath before responding. “Edward and I built a legacy together. He’s brilliant and one of the best sailors I’ve ever met. It’s my duty as first mate to watch out for him. I owe him that. That’s why I’ve stayed by his side for so long, despite his recent descent into insanity.”

“It’s just that you’re always looking out for Blackbeard and the rest of the crew, but who’s looking out for you?” you said, peering into his eyes.

He locked eyes with you and whispered, “I don’t need anyone taking care of me.”

"I think you do." you said leaning in closer, your voice gentle yet firm.

Izzy fixed his gaze on you, as if deep in contemplation.

A strand of hair danced across your face with the wind. Izzy delicately used his fingers to tuck it behind your ear, resting his thumb against your face. You leaned into his touch, and as you did, you noticed his eyes look down towards your lips. He refocused his gaze on yours, and you inched closer, your eyes now dropping to his lips. In an instant, Izzy’s lips met yours.

Izzy’s kiss was slow and tender. His lips, soft and tasting of the lingering rum you both had shared. Time seemed to pause as you lost yourself in the moment, feeling the warmth of his touch. The kiss deepened, evolving into a desperate exchange, as if you both had been waiting an eternity to be enveloped in each other’s embrace. Izzy, with an urgency, pulled you onto his lap, your knees resting on either side of his extended legs. His hands firmly grabbing your waist, drawing you in even closer. Your arms found their way around his neck, and your hands rested entangled in Izzy’s hair.

“Izzy! Where are you?” Blackbeard’s voice echoed across the ship. “We need to be a lighthouse!” he yelled.

Izzy abruptly halted the kiss upon hearing his captain’s voice. “Fuck,” he mumbled to himself, leaning his head against the wall and closing his eyes briefly. With a reluctant sigh, he gently moved you off his lap and stood up, the weight of responsibility settling back onto his shoulders. As he walked back towards the deck a mixture of frustration and resignation played across his features.

“Fuck!” you whispered, frustration echoing in your voice as you laid back on the deck where Izzy had left you. With a sigh, you covered your face with your hands, trying to process the abrupt interruption. The cool wood beneath you provided a stark contrast to the warmth that still lingered from your stolen moment with the first mate.

Upon returning to the deck, Izzy was nowhere to be found, and a mirror was being hoisted onto the top of the mast. The rest of the crew stood towards the edge of the ship, staring out into the ocean. You squeezed your way in between Ivan and Fang, purposefully avoiding eye contact with them. You zoned out for a while, but the world snapped back into focus as you were enveloped in a hug by Fang and Ivan. “It worked,” Ivan whispered with excitement.

As the chaos gradually died down, you decided to look for Izzy and guessed he was hiding in his cabin.

⚓⚓⚓⚓⚓⚓⚓

In his cabin, Izzy moved with a sense of urgency, hastily stuffing his belongings into bags. The decision was made - he couldn’t stay on this ship any longer. He had given Blackbeard his resignation along with his two middle fingers and called him a twat. If he had a choice on who to spend his last night on earth with, Izzy would have undoubtedly chosen Ed. However, Edward had opted for Stede Fucking Bonnet, adding an extra layer of frustration to the already complex emotions Izzy was grappling with. He loved Edward, but he hated whoever this man was, posing as him.

The kiss Izzy shared with you weighed heavily on his conscience. It was a moment of weakness, a brief escape from the looming threat of death. He had allowed himself something soft and nice that he didn’t deserve. Deep down, Izzy felt undeserving of any affection from you. In his eyes, no one on this ship deserved you, especially not a group of pirates. He hated that you were a pirate. You were too pure for that. You had a sweetness like no one else he had ever met. He wanted to taste it when he thought there would be no consequences. The fact that life would continue complicated things.

Izzy was well aware that the kiss meant nothing to you. He understood that people sought comfort in moments of impending death, trying to ease the overwhelming fear of the end.

Izzy’s thoughts were abruptly halted by the sound of a knock on his cabin door.

“Izzy?” your voice called out, causing an unexpected tightness in his chest. “Can we talk?”

Izzy wordlessly swung the door open to welcome you in, but deliberately avoided meeting your eyes. He remained focused on the task of packing his belongings.

“Where are you going, Izzy?” you inquired, your voice carrying a quiet concern that echoed in the confined space of the cabin.

“I’m leaving tomorrow morning. There are things I did and said tonight that I regret,” Izzy confessed, his words hanging in the air.

Had Izzy been observing you, he would have noticed the profound pain etched across your features in response to those words.

“I’m not going to tell anyone about what happened between us, Izzy,” you assured, your voice carrying a tone of sincerity.

“It’s more than just about you,” Izzy responded.

“Why did you kiss me?” you asked, seeking some answers from Izzy.

“Oh, fuck off. It’s the same reason you kissed me back. A distraction. Nothing more,” Izzy retorted, dismissing the question.

“Got it,” you replied in a hushed tone, walking away from his cabin.

When Izzy finally looked up, he realized you were no longer there.

⚓⚓⚓⚓⚓⚓⚓

You briskly walked away from the first mate’s cabin, making your way to the familiar spot on the stairs. It was there that the first tear escaped, followed by a cascade of emotions that manifested in silent sobs. Hastily, you brushed the tears away, determined not to attract any unwanted attention. You settled into a quiet moment, resting your head on your knees, listening to the rhythmic sound of waves caressing the side of the ship.

“Hey, friend,” a gentle voice reached out to you as a hand softly nuzzled your hair.

You glanced up to discover fang standing before you, with a sheepish look on his face.

“Wanna talk about it?” he inquired.

You responded with a subtle shake of your head, maintaining silence. Returning your forehead to your knees, you sense Fang settling on the stair beside you, his hand gently rubbing your back in a soothing rhythm. He stayed next to you for quite a while.

A large part of you dreaded Izzy’s departure, but a small part of you wondered if distance would be the best thing for him. You had a feeling Edward wasn't finished with Stede Bonnet yet, and you knew Izzy would likely continue getting hurt.

As your thoughts continued to race, you knew you wouldn’t be able to sleep, so you decided to just stay on deck watching the waves. With the first rays of dawn, you witnessed Izzy assembling his dinghy, ready to part ways. Edward hopped down from the mast, engaging in a conversation with his first mate. You were too far away to hear what they were saying.

The exchange concluded with Izzy calling out to Edward, a fond smile gracing his face. “You still got it,” he remarked, loud enough for you to catch.

"I know.", Edward replied before turning towards you. In that fleeting moment, you detected a subtle change in his demeanor - a fleeting hardness in his eyes as he thought he was unobserved. His attention, however, quickly shifted to you as he approached.

"He's staying around, little mouse. Don't you worry.", Edward assured, giving your shoulder a reassuring squeeze as he ascended the stairs towards the ship’s helm.

Forcing a smile in response, you felt a pang of sadness within you. Edward, consumed by his own thoughts, didn’t register your expression. The familiar look on Izzy’s face as he watched Blackbeard walk away told a story you knew too well. He was always going to choose Edward. While you couldn’t blame Izzy for succumbing once again to Edward’s persuasive nature, it didn’t make the situation any less heartbreaking. The legendary Blackbeard was a force that you, with all your sincerity and affection, could never rival. Edward would remain an anchor for Izzy, his heart forever tethered to him.

{Next Chapter}

#izzy hands x reader #ofmd #ofmd x reader #izzy hands #ofmd fanfic #our flag means death #too soft to be a pirate

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