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portraitofadyke · 1 month

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what's been bugging me is how some people, especially steddyhands shippers, seem to ignore Stede's complete blind spot that is Ed. I've been rereading some post s1 fix-its, and it's amazing how almost every one of their reunions had Stede blaming Ed for marooning the crew and attempting to kill Lucius (same with ppl's expectation that there would be some sort of physical fight). And then he just. Doesn't.

Stede obviously cares for the crew. A lot. But the moment Ed's well being is in the picture, he becomes hyperfocused on Ed and Ed only. Obviously the crew told him about being marooned, but we don't see him mention that once in his letters. They reunite with Lucius, and yet all Stede talks about is Ed (and his poor portrayal on his wanted posters)- Lucius confesses about Ed throwing him overboard, and all Stede does is question 'why?', because he knows Ed wouldn't just randomly attempt to murder Lucius. The moment Lucius tells him Stede broke Ed, Stede is back to blaming himself, never Ed. He clearly cares about Lucius, because later in the ep, he tries to reconcile with him by giving him 'dating advice' and trying to save him from what happened to him and Ed, but Ed comes first.

We actually see it in s1 too, if only briefly, in s7 when Stede desperately tries to keep Ed abroad and becomes oblivious to the crew's concerns and problems and we get the iconic line "Eat and apple, for God's sake!" Stede cares, but Ed is at the front of his mind and it's hard for him to understand what could be more important.

In s02e03, he gets his ship and the rest of his crew back, but Ed is nowhere. Izzy is literally missing a leg and Stede just tells him to piss off.

And I've seen people questioning why Stede never questioned that, why he never bothered to ask about Izzy's missing toe or back scars or why he didn't care about the leg more. Izzy clearly lies again and tells Stede Ed shot it off because he told Ed he loves him, and yet stede just. Doesn't care.

And i mean, that question is valid. Because people see Stede as someone who's much more caring, more hero-coded. But Stede is far more a romantic hero to Ed than he is your general hero to the rest of the characters. Stede is selfish. Stede is blind-sided. Stede is willing to abandon his morals when it comes to Ed.

I think there are two reasons Stede doesn't question Izzy's Ed-inflicted-injuries, or any other, for that matter. First one is, Stede's blind spot for Ed. Yeah, Izzy got his leg shot off by Ed (not entirely true, but I digress), but there must have been a reason why. Yeah, Izzy got his toes cut off and hand-fed, but Ed had a reason. Stede knows Ed is not violent by default, so he knows something must have prompted him to do that. Is it completely justified? That's a differenr convo about people trying to portray Izzy as a victim rather than someone who kept pushing Ed over the edge until they were both too far.

The second is... Yeah, Stede just doesn't care. Especially about Izzy. Lie it's been pointed out, Stede just thinks izzy is a dick. He misnames him. He's rightuflly mad at him for selling them out to the english. He literally dreams about killing Izzy for that. Stede blames himself for abandoning Ed and everything that happened after (and yes, Ed's actions are Ed's actions, but that's how Stede sees it), but he clearly also blames Izzy for setting them up.

So, Stede sees Izzy's missing leg? Probably deserved that. Back scars, missing toe? Eh, probably deserved that, too, Ed would look absolutely lovely in a braid. Is that morally correct? No, but Stede isn't written to be a moral character. That's what makes him so real, and that's why so many other actors than Rhys would struggle making Stede sympathetic and likeable to the audiences.

That's not to say Stede doesn't see Ed's wrongs. He absolutely does. He just. Doesn't care that much in the end, because his love for all of Ed is that bright, to the point of being absolutely, utterly selfish. DJenkins said it from the beginning; this show is about Ed and Stede's relationship. Stede doesn't question Izzy's injuries bc in the end, it just doesn't matter to him when Ed is in the picture

#ofmd meta #ofmd #no hate to the person who was talking about izzy btw they're a nice person

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chuplayswithfire · 7 months

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thinking about ways i would change the pacing of events in season two to give them more room for breathing, while keeping to the same number of episodes that were available, this is probably what i'd have done:

Episode 1: Impossible Birds: add back in the missing cutscene with izzy and ed featuring ed throwing a knife past izzy, with tally marks - use that scene to explain that these tallies represent the number of raids they've gone on since the end of season 1. izzy is complaining about ed's blackbeard routine, ed snipes that he thought izzy wanted them to be pirates, well this is what pirates do. he's taking that record, putting blackbeard back on the map, isn't that what you wanted, iz? izzy acknowledges to himself that this is not what he wanted.

Episode 4: Fun and Games: right off the bat, i think they could have, instead of the crew voting Ed into a banishment that lasts a single day and which the crew are therefore pretty easily swayed on, they put him on probation in ep 4, with black pete suggesting the bell and frenchie and wee john the outfit, and stede pointing out that ed's very injured so it's not like they couldn't overpower him if something goes wrong. ed's annoyed about the whole thing and still half dead and fucked up from the gravy basket, and after hearing the terms, the crew says he has 12 hours to think about it before they're leaving this area. he takes off for shore, grumbling about it, meets the rabbit and then mary. meanwhile, stede and buttons follow to convince him otherwise and so buttons can explain the gravy basket. they still encounter anne and mary, they still do that whole thing, buttons changing is what convinces ed to do the probation, we end the episode with ed wearing the probation outfit and begrudgingly thumbing the bell. expand the scene where the crew are working on izzy's leg, just to have them talking in general a bit - oluwande is talking to jim about zheng, saying he misses her a bit.

Episode 5: Curse of the Seafaring Life: at the start of ep 5, we imply that it's been a few days to a week maybe, and ed is still on probation. he gives his corporate apology as part of his on-going efforts to show penitence and make up for what he's done, and we get a sense that he's been doing grunt work around the ship - repairing sails, fixing things that were damaged and broken - throughout. the crew's responses to the apology are pretty much the same as in the show, with some "it has been nice to have someone else doing all that shit though, right" about how he's been working. their acceptance of the apology is now equal parts because of the work he's done as well as a joke about corporate apologies working. Ed still feels frustrated about being on probation and stede has had more time to say he hasn't really felt like a captain, so he and stede have their captain voice exchange pretty much verbatim from the show. ed and lucius have been more or less avoiding each other all week, adding more nuance to ed living rent-free in lucius' mind, and ed offering to let lucius push him overboard. ed fishing with fang is part of him finally getting to meaningfully connect with another crew member again since the probation started, and is overall less about sitting with himself and more about him sitting in the moment, not just rushing to plan the next move, fishing is a great activity for having to be here, in this moment. the end credits stinger is the scene with zheng, ricky, and auntie.

Episode 6: Calypso's Birthday: finally, now on ep 6, probation has ended, we indicate that it's been a few weeks, someone mentions off-handedly that lucius and pete have been having a lot of all day marathon sex ever since they became engaged. when they head off to get party supplies, someone mentions maybe they should fetch them, and they all decide to leave the lovebirds to it. because of the added scene to episode 1, we've heard of ned low, and realize aw shit ed planted a seed of trouble back when he decided to go after that record. no other changes. meanwhile in town, olu sees signs of zheng's presence and that she's been here and laments a little about missing her, and wondering if maybe that's a good thing, if she's still pissed at him for what happened.

Episode 7: proceeds as happened in the show, that little bit strengthened by the passage of time, and also olu having actually been talking about zheng.

#ofmd #ofmd s2 spoilers #edward teach #oluwande boodhari #izzy hands #ofmd meta

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piratecaptainscaptainpirates · 3 months

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For the 1k word fics, maybe one where Ed finally talks with Lucius? The more angsty the better >:)

This prompt has lived rent-free in my head since you sent it in. I had a lot of fun with it!!

(Pretty much always taking prompts for 1k word fics! I love 'em because they're great to write when I have writer's block on other projects, so don't be shy!)

Enough was enough.

Ed had been out of his probation period for a few days now. Most of the crew seemed to be comfortable enough with him again; they came up to him with questions, they invited him to sit next to them at dinner, they talked with him and invited his input. Lucius had…stopped flipping him off every time he saw him out on deck.

Thing was, Ed was genuinely trying to leave all that awful dark scary Kraken shit in the past, and pushing Lucius overboard to the sharks? That had been the worst thing he’d ever done during all that nastiness. Lucius had only ever offered him support and friendship, and Ed had pushed him overboard for it. And now Lucius made a point of talking over Ed, shouting at him, dismissing his suggestions, insulting him, and just generally proving at every opportunity how much he hated him.

And Ed knew he deserved all that and worse. But if he was going to leave the Kraken behind, something would have to give.

When he overheard Roach talking about something Izzy had told him at breakfast, Ed knew his game plan.

It only took Ed a few seconds to get everything he needed set up, and then he found Lucius up on deck. When someone flips you off that enthusiastically at every opportunity, you can’t really miss them.

“Hey,” he said, making a beeline up to him. “Can you come with me for a sec?”

“Absolutely fucking not,” Lucius said immediately.

Ed’s pleading desperation must have shown on his face, because Lucius made a sort of go-ahead gesture, and he let Ed lead him to a space he’d cleared out in the empty galley. He’d already set up bottles of antiseptic, gauze, and everything he’d figured he might need.

“What’s all this?” Lucius frowned at the equipment Ed had laid out, and he shouted in alarm when Ed thrust the old saw into his hands.

“Izzy said you suggested cutting my leg off,” Ed said, plopping down on the bench and stretching his bad leg up in front of him at what he figured was an ideal chopping height. “Have at it. I’d prefer this one, but, uh, dealer’s choice.”

Lucius just kept blankly looking at him.

“I expected some reluctance, but don’t worry,” he said, holding up one hand to show the length of rope he’d looped around his wrist. He put his hands behind his back, slipping his other wrist into the knot he’d prepared, then tugging at his arms to prove to Lucius he wouldn’t be able to get free. “See? Not gonna try to hit you or anything. Whenever you’re ready.”

He hoped Lucius wouldn’t be able to see how hard he was shaking, and he jumped a mile when Lucius just tossed the saw onto the table.

“You fucking idiot,” Lucius spat, “I’m not doing that!”

“It’s okay,” Ed assured him, “I know I deserve it -”

“I don’t want to chop your leg off!”

Ed just stared up at him. This had been his last hope. “Then what do you want?”

“Oh, uh, I dunno,” Lucius said, “maybe a fucking apology?”

Ed snorted disbelievingly. “That’s all you want? You just want me to say, I dunno, oh, Lucius, I’m so sorry for what I did to you, and it was the worst time of my life but that’s no excuse, I was scared and I hurt you and I’m sorry, and I think about it often, and I feel terrible, and I wish I had a way to tell you how deeply I regret hurting you, and could you please forgive me?”

“Yes,” Lucius said simply.

Ed blinked.

“Oh, Lucius,” he said softly. “I am so sorry for what I did to you. It was the worst time of my life, but that’s no excuse. I was scared and I hurt you because of it and I’m sorry. I think about it often, and I feel terrible. I wish I had a way to tell you how deeply I regret hurting you. Could you please forgive me?”

“See, that’s a fucking start,” Lucius said, crossing his arms and nodding primly. “Follow-up question. What did I do to deserve that? What did I do to you that made you do that to me?”

Lucius’ voice wobbled, a bit, and Ed looked at the floor to avoid having to meet his eyes.

“So, uh,” he started haltingly, “you remember how you listened to my lyrics? And you gave me advice and shit?”

“Mhm.”

“Izzy kinda said that he should’ve let the English kill me and I better watch my fuckin’ step -”

Lucius reeled back a bit. “Shit, did he really?”

“Yep,” Ed said, with the best shrug he could manage with his arms behind his back. “And if I had to go back to being Blackbeard, I figured you were the only one who could’ve seen through me.”

“That is fucked up,” Lucius said with a loud groan. “That is so fucked of you, that is such shit.”

“Yeah.” Ed went back to looking at the floor. “I was having a really shitty time of it, and I wasn’t thinking right. I’m sorry, man.”

“For what it’s worth,” Lucius sighed, “I was kind of having a really shitty time of it when I said the whole chopping your leg off idea. I didn’t really mean it.”

Ed let his shoulders relax. “Could you maybe untie me? This knot is really tight, I can’t feel my fingers.”

“Yeah, sure,” Lucius mumbled, grabbing the pair of medical scissors on the table.

Ed still held his breath as Lucius moved behind him, but he just cut the rope without even attempting to stab him in the back. Progress.

“We’re not good,” Lucius said when he crossed back in front of him again. “We’re nowhere close to good yet.”

“Understood,” Ed mumbled.

“But.” Lucius held out a hand. “Crewmates?”

Ed beamed, taking his hand for an enthusiastic shake. “Crewmates.”

#ofmd #our flag means death #ofmd fic #my fics

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adickaboutspoons · 7 months

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@bogeymangrandy I’m sorry - I know it’s prolly bad Tumblr etiquette to address a reply in a whole new post, but this is kind of too big an answer to address in the space a reply offers.

So the weird, shitty unchecked racist stuff isn’t JUST contained to episode 5. In episode 3, Izzy says Ed “was a wild dog, and we dealt with him like one.” It’s to set up the “doggy heaven” line, which is doing some heavy lifting in terms of conveying to Izzy exactly how much Ed trusted and confided in Stede, but referring to a MOC as a dog, especially a wild one, is still fucking gross, and, worse, it’s only part of a pattern of racist sentiments. In episode 6, Izzy tells Ed “I thought you were Roach” - that old “they all look alike to me” chestnut. Thanks, I fucking loathe it.

But episode 5 is particularly packed with troublingly racist bullshit, and carries with it connotations for the wider season.

The most straight-forward is when Stede tells Izzy that Blackbeard “credited you with a lot of his skills,” and then “you taught him everything he knows.” If it’s meant to be read as true, it’s attributing all the talent, skill, and brilliance of a MOC to some white dude. But even if it’s meant to be read as Stede flattering Izzy to get what he wants out of him (which I think it is - the whole thing with the fog in season 1 episode 4 kind of hinges on Ed having knowledge and skills that Izzy does not), it’s still not great because it means Stede thinks stroking some mediocre white guy’s ego is worth more than Ed’s reputation, which means he learned nothing from the tavern scene in season 1 episode 10 where he similarly disparages Ed’s reputation for the gratification of his white compatriots.

Similarly, consider him shouting “those fucking barbarians!” after the mostly POC (and Pete) crew rip his red coat, and compare to “You savages!” in season 1 episode 2 when Stede thinks the indigenous people who have captured him have roasted Wellington and Hornberry on a spit. But at least in season 1 Stede gets rightfully called out for being a racist. Season 2 has yet to push back.

Then, there’s the portrayal of retributive justice (the idea that, for justice to be served, a transgressor has to be punished). We start the episode with Ed in his penitence onesie and cat bell. And there is that whole Biblical connotation of sackcloth as an expression of humility, but it also calls to mind the ill-fitted and low-quality material of prison uniforms, with the cat bell as a low-tech ankle monitor, uncomfortably tight and alerting everyone to his position at all times. I’ve seen his non-pology framed as a corporate “apology” and I do think that’s mostly what they’re going for here, but there’s also an element of the preformative penitence that prisoners are forced to undergo during parole hearings. This is Ed being punished for his Kraken-era transgressions.

Now compare to how Izzy, a white dude, has been offered rehabilitative justice this season - never had to grovel, never had to debase himself, never even had to offer a single word of apology for any of the dire shit he inflicted on the crew in season 1, but was nonetheless given the unconditional support and resources he needed to transform into essentially a completely different person.

It’s not just the races of the people upon whom these different modes of justice are being implemented that is significant - it’s also the races of the aggrieved parties in how they respond to the “justice” imparted by the retributive model, because we also see two direct, individual applications of retributive justice in the episode; Ed offering Lucius to push him overboard, and Fang describing how he brutalized Ed’s body after Jim knocked him unconscious. With Lucius, we see that he experiences a momentary thrill of vengeance, but almost immediately it flares out, and he’s still just as traumatized as before, and perhaps even more obsessed with Ed. Clearly, for him, a white dude, this primitive, Hamurabian form of justice does not give him closure. With Fang, a MOC, it’s the exact opposite - Ed terrorized him, he beat Ed up, and now they’re sweet.

In isolation, this wouldn’t read as implying that white people are more “civilized” and “evolved” than POC - except all the other POC that Kraken!Ed tormented are also seemingly fine now. Jim and Archie are immediately laughing and joking about torture after the non-pology, and Frenchie is debuting a new fancy cat flag and pointing out that “at least he’s wearing the sack” when Lucius starts freaking out about Blackbeard being back. There’s also a running through-line across several episodes about the supremacy of white, colonial values and civility, but I’ll get back to that in just a moment.

Because now we have to talk about the matter of the curse. Because, again, we’re seeing a break-down across racial lines. Team Curse is Jim, Archie, Olu, Frenchie, Roach, and token white guy Pete (the Swede having abandoned the crew for his new paramore, Buttons having transmogrified, Lucius busy being traumatized elsewhere, and Wee John just MIA). Team “Curses aren’t real” is Izzy and Stede. So this isn’t like season 1 where everyone is just kinda hilariously science illiterate and superstitious (like with the “not a mermaid” conversation) - instead, we’ve got a group of superstitious POC vs. the rational, enlightened White Dudes. And the White Dudes are unequivocally correct. Peanuts ARE a serious allergen (and a legume, not a bean). Yeast is what causes bread to rise, not fairies. Ergo curses AREN’T real, and the crew are being irrational. So when Stede relents at the end and agrees to give up his suit, it’s not him conceding that there is validity to his POC crew’s worldview - it’s a white dude condescending to the poor, simple-minded, uncivilized folk even though he’s for sure in the right. Isn’t that just SO magnanimous of him? Isn’t it awfully white of him?

And given that the White view is the Right view in episode 5, we have to start interrogating the other places where that idea shows up. In episode 1, we hear a white priest bloviating about how "The natural condition of humanity is base and vile. It is the obligation of people of standing, such as yourselves, to elevate the common human rabble through the sacred transaction of matrimony.” Normally (and at the time when I first watched it) I would clock this as CRITICAL of the tendency of predominantly white cultures to be self-congratulatory of how THEIR ceremonies are so much more CIVILIZED than those of the savage - as though they invented the concepts of commitment and monogamy, and as though those concepts are inherently better than the alternatives. But then we have Ed, a MOC, issuing an objection - not to the specific union, but to the concept of a nice, white wedding in general, followed by a raid that Jim later comments on: “Is it just me or was the wedding thing a bit over the line?”

And, consider, in season 1 episode 3, Jim drops this line on Olu when he points out that Jim killed one of Jackie’s husbands: “We live in a state of nature.” So the “natural condition” is intrinsically tied up with that hyper-violent pirate lifestyle, and if even one of the practitioners thereof is clocking it as “a bit over the line” - does it not follow that the bloviating priest was RIGHT? That the white man sure DOES have that burden to take up, doesn’t he?

Which is exactly what Ricky is proposing in his little speech in episode 6: "It's up to us fine gentlemen to stand up against this modern piracy and stay vigilant". And we KNOW that Ricky is full of shit. We KNOW that he’s backing up his racist agenda with a self-serving, revisionist narrative. But maybe it would be better if he also didn’t, maybe, have a point? I guess what I’m saying is that I really miss the days when a racist got a knife through the hand or their ship burned down and it was something to be celebrated, and that I’m not loving the idea this season that maybe the racists are kind of in the right.

#ofmd #our flag means death #ofmd s2 spoilers #ofmd s2e5 #ofmd s2e1 #ofmd s2e3 #ofmd s2e6 #my modest contribution to fandom

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thetardigrape · 2 years

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So we're agreed, right, that this is basically the moment Ed turns:

Before this, he was dealing with the breakup and starting to connect with other people. After this, he pushes Lucius overboard, cuts off Izzy's toe, and goes full emo Kraken.

And we also seem to be agreed that this is sparked because the crew shout "Hey Ed, sing us another song!" and start chanting his name, and this hearkens back to "Play something for us, Jeff." They're a fickle crowd.

But it's more than that, I think. It's not just that the crew are fickle, or that the fancy folks were fickle. At this point, everyone has been fickle.

The fancy party, yeah, those people sucked. Ed thought he was fitting in, but he discovered no, he was only the entertainment. It was a blow to Ed's ego and worldview, thinking maybe he really didn't belong with the fancy people, but he had people in his life he cared about, people who he could count on.

Then his old pal Jack showed up, and they had a great time! They drank and reminisced and did horrible things to small animals. But all of that turned out to be a lie. It was all a ruse to separate Ed from Stede. Whatever history they may have had, Jack proved he couldn't be counted on.

Then Stede. Fuck. Ed bared his soul to Stede, took a risk telling him his feelings, and for a beautiful moment he had everything he wanted. But that wasn't real either. Stede kissed him on the beach and promised to run away to China with him, and then he disappeared. Ed couldn't count on Stede.

Then Izzy. Izzy Hands, Blackbeard's first mate, his right-hand man. By Izzy's own account, when Ed made him first mate, he told him above all else was loyalty to his captain. Until that day in the cabin, Ed could believe Izzy was true. Stupid, misguided, and cruel, yes, but true, thinking he was doing right by Ed, even if he was wrong about what "right" meant. But Izzy, spitting with fury, told Ed he should have let the English kill him. Izzy isn't loyal to Ed. He's only loyal to the Blackbeard persona. Ed cannot let his guard down around Izzy. Ed can't count on Izzy.

And finally, the crew. This crew stuttered in fear when they met him. This crew couldn't stop calling him sir and hung on his every word. They believed in the reputation of Blackbeard, and they feared and respected it. And yet so quickly, when he showed softness, that fear vanished. They rushed to call him by his given name and make demands of him. They saw him vulnerable and they stopped treating him as a captain. Ed can't count on his crew.

So of course he retreats into the Kraken. Everyone he has ever known has turned out to be unreliable. The only response Ed can really count on is fear. Blackbeard isn't enough. He was Blackbeard to the crew and it didn't help. Ed has to be the monster. He has to cultivate fear in every person he meets at every moment. Ed knows fear, and he knows how to use it. Fear is reliable.

Ed is still Ed. Beneath the makeup is the man weeping while gazing at the lighthouse. But now he knows he can never show that part of himself to anyone, because everyone who has ever seen him vulnerable has turned on him.

#I HURT MYSELF WITH THIS ONE #and yes i know the crew care about him but this isn't about care #this is about constancy #this has a lot to do with the abuse he suffered as a boy #because no one is fickle like an abuser #so he's still carrying those scars #and his defense mechanisms spring into place #uuuggghhhhhh this show has wrecked me #ofmd #our flag means death #ofmd meta

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avastyetwats · 4 months

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Continued from here. @izzyeffinhands

Stede couldn't take his eyes off of Israel, nor did he want to. He looked so beautiful sitting beside him on the warm, soft sand underneath the clear night sky, the stars and moon shining so brightly above them, reflecting off of the calm ocean in front of them. It was a stunningly gorgeous sight that was currently leaving Stede in awe, though it wasn't the view in front of him that was doing that, but the man next to him. The smile he was wearing as he gazed out at the vast ocean, the calm breeze blowing through his hair, his chest puffed out as he leans back on his hands, whittling supplies on his lap, his body shining underneath the glowing moon. It's like something out of once of his many romance novels and he just can't help but adore him with his eyes. He can't help but cherish him. He looks so serene, really. Completely at ease.

And so Stede breaks the silence between them to comment on how at ease he looks. It makes him happy... to see him so content. Oh, how far he's come. How far both of them have come. From their rocky beginning and traumatic pasts to sitting here together outside of their little beach cabin, at their happiest and most comfortable with each other and, really, with life.

But suddenly it becomes tense. He hadn't expected response from Izzy and he's a little stunned into silence, his smile fading as his head quickly turns, eyes on the ocean instead of Izzy now.

"...but whenever I think about him now.. I only remember the horrible things. “

Stede frowns, the guilt from everything that had happened fills him yet again, though it had never truly left. Not completely. He'd been told that it wasn't his fault. That Lucius being pushed overboard, his crew being marooned and Izzy losing a leg wasn't Stede's fault because it was Ed that did all of that. It was Ed that made those choices. It was Ed that was responsible.

But it was Stede that broke his heart. It was Stede that left him without word, it was Stede that hurt and angered Edward so badly that he went dark and vicious, that he took all of his pain and anger out on the crew that deserved none of it. Not even Izzy, despite how mean he was to Stede. How mean he was to his crew. Stede never really knew the nature of Ed and Izzy's relationship when he first came into their lives, only that it was very complicated and Izzy didn't like him at all or the fact that he and Edward developed feelings for each other, but eventually he understood why. He understood why Izzy was so angry about it, why he was so hurt and jealous... quite honestly, Stede would feel the same. Heck, he did when Calico Jack came back into Ed's life.

He nods at Izzy's comparison. Oh, he hated when others looked at Izzy a certain way, even more so when they dared to flirt with him. Which wasn't uncommon, even with Stede right there. "I'm sorry." He knows Izzy doesn't want him to apologize, but he can't help it. He blamed himself for all that had happened, and he hates that he even came between them, despite being told their troubles started long before Stede came into the picture. "When we first met, I only thought you two as Captain and First Mate, never thought there was anything more than that, but then I started to suspect, started to see it... it was obvious how much you hated me. You were determined to get rid of me." He chuckles, shaking his head. "So I... I started to enjoy Edward's attention more, because I knew you hated it. Hated me... and I was relieved when you left. But I felt horrible for it later, Izzy. For making things worse between the two of you... and for putting you and everyone else in harm's way." He pulls his knees to his chest now, sniffling. Izzy didn't deserve what happened to him and gods, it made Stede sick to think about the things Ed had done. And how stupid he was not to believe it at first, because he was so blinded by his love for him.

But Stede knew true love now. He knew it because of Izzy.

And so he manages a smile at his words, blinking away the tears. "I've never made anyone feel at ease before. Quite the opposite, actually." That's what he thought, anyway. His father, Mary, even his crew at the beginning. "But I... I'm glad you feel at ease with me now, Izzy. Because I feel the same way." He leans his side against his and wraps his arm around his middle, pressing his forehead against the side of his head. "Have you heard that saying, 'home isn't a place, but a person'?" He murmurs, nuzzling his nose against him. "You're my home, Israel."

#hope this is okay #and not too rambly or mushy #c; stede bonnet #izzyeffinhands

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khruschevshoe · 6 months

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Lucius Spriggs and Pete Hands-Spriggs

And time goes quicker

Between the two of us

But oh my love, don't forsake me

Take what the water gave me

Lay me down

Let the only sound

Be the overflow

-Florence + the Machine, What the Water Gave Me

Lucius is tired. He often is, but this was his first raid in months, since before he was spat out by the ocean, since the Spanish captured the Revenge all that time ago. He wasn't even supposed to participate, but he'd seen Jim struggling from his spot on the deck of the Revenge and he'd lurched up into trying to help. He'd fired, and thankfully hit his general target, but then he 'd dropped the crossbow, the weight pulling his fingers down, and staggered over to sit on the steps leading up to the wheel. Once there, his eyelids had dragged themselves down, heavy as anchors. If a sailor had crossed onto the Revenge, Lucius would have been a waiting duck, completely done for.

"Hey, Lucius, love," comes a familiar, much-loved voice accompanied by a gentle shake to Lucius' shoulder. He opens his eyes to find Pete crouched by his side, a gentle hand on his shoulder, coaxing him awake.

Lucius is so fucking tired of being tired, and sick, and scared. (Well, not so much scared anymore- since Jim pulled him out of that trunk, since he reunited with Pete, since Pete gave Izzy his new leg, since Lucius got to push Ed Teach overboard, Lucius hasn't been as frightened.)

Lucius was useful for a moment, but just a moment. He can't finish a sketch in the normal amount of time anymore. He can't hold his pencil in place for long enough to be a scribe.

Today, summoning the energy to help out Jim? That took a split second of insane energy, brought on by a burst of terror and protectiveness and the stubborn notion that Lucius was not going to lose a friend after surviving all of the shit they'd been put through.

And that one motion left him more useless than ever before- an accomplishment, considering how Lucius has always been the weakest member of this crew to begin with.

"Fuck this," Lucius mutters.

Pete's brow furrows with concern. "What's the problem, babe?"

"I'm so fucking tired with being tired," Lucius says, "With falling asleep so easily, with my eyes sliding shut whenever I sit down, with it taking so fucking long to recover-"

Pete's fingers clench over Lucius'. "You lived, babe," Pete says, "And that's what matters. I don't care how long it takes you to recover, to figure out how to fit into your new life, because you're still here. You're still with me." He flashes a smile over Lucius's shoulders, and Lucius turns to see Izzy standing there, using his sword as a cane. "You survived. You and Izzy both did. And I survived to come back to you both."

-aletterinthenameofsanity, if you stumble and fall (i will be where i always was, standing at your side)

I *adore* Lucius and Pete's dynamic, both in the show and in fic. There are so many thematic layers to the fact that Pete, who was obsessed with proving himself as a dread pirate, fell for the seemingly weakest member of the crew and whittled him a finger, showing a level of care that really informs him as a character. Though I loved Pete and Lucius' engagement and wedding, I was not the biggest fan of how the show handled Pete's response to Lucius' trauma in Season 2- I was so glad to see both his reaction to Lucius' trauma and his new disability handed much more delicately and supportively here.

@polikate @possumsmushroom @yuenity @bricksbloggyplace @angxlwiings

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aqueeracademic · 7 months

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wish that you were here

I’ve tried to leave it all behind me, but I woke up and there they were beside me. And I don’t believe it, but I guess it’s true: some feelings, they can travel, too. There it is again, sitting on my chest, makes it hard to catch my breath. I scramble for the light to change.

Ed remembers waking up in the middle of the night and rolling over just to come face to face with those godforsaken cake toppers. Sometimes, he would reach out to them, push them closer together or grab one and throw it across the cabin. Ed remembers thinking that if he sailed far enough, fast enough, he would eventually outrun it. The weight in his chest that had been resting there like an Incubus ever since the day he sat on that dock. But the sensation seemed to follow him as the seagulls did. He remembers gasping for air until he was forced out of bed by his own bile.

You’re always on my mind.

Stede remembers everything. He remembers the tickle of Ed’s hair on his arm. He remembers the sensation of Ed’s hand on his face, the sound of Ed’s voice and the slight lilt in it when he would get frustrated. Stede dreams of these things relentlessly.

You’re always on my mind.

Ed remembers pushing Lucius overboard. He dreams about his father. He remembers wishing he had the strength to put Izzy in the ground but forgoing it because it almost felt better to watch him suffer. Ed remembers wishing that making one man he loved hurt would fill the place in him that made him want the other one to hurt, too. It didn’t.

I never minded being on my own. Then something broke in me, and I wanted to go home to be where you are. But even closer to you, you seem so very far. And now I’m reaching out with every note I sing, and I hope it gets to you on some Pacific wind; wraps itself around you, and whispers in your ear, tells you that I miss you and I wish that you were here.

Stede remembers the days back home, with Mary and the children. He remembers wandering around empty halls, walking empty streets, and not really caring that there was no one around. Even if there were, would they be able to make him feel the way Ed did? He doubted it. And then he realized, of course, that he loved Ed, and you know this story. But did you know that Stede paddled in that rowboat for what felt like forever, only for Ed to keep getting farther away? Did you know that, like a mermaid or a siren, he sent his song across the sea? That he shoved his ardor into glass bottles and littered the ocean with them, hoping they would eventually reside in the hands of the other? I miss you, they read. I need you here.

And if I stay, I don’t know. There’ll be so much that I’ll have to let go. You’re disappearing all the time. But I still see you in the light; for you, the shadows fight. And it’s beautiful but there’s that tug inside, I must stop time traveling. You’re always on my mind.

Ed remembers that, after flicking the cake topper overboard, he felt his lungs swell as if it was a voodoo doll and he was drowning, too. He remembers wandering around the ship in the dead of night, causing the deck boards to creak over a quivering crew as he wandered to the edge and stared over into the black water, thinking, but never acting. Sometimes, in the corner of his eye, when the light was right and his hair was in his face, he thought that Stede might have been standing right beside him. He never was. It was the third trip to the edge that forced the man’s name out of his vernacular. This is who I am, he thought. I can never be anything else.

You’re always on my mind. You’re always on my mind.

Stede played host at Spanish Jackie’s for some time. Everytime he turned around at the sound of the door, his heart leapt into his throat as he thought… maybe. Maybe it would be Ed walking in. It never was. He saw him everywhere, though. His name, the fake one, often left the lips of people on the street. His face was plastered on every wall. Stede took it as a sign that he was close, that he would triumph and find Ed. Not Blackbeard. Ed.

Ed remembers realizing that shooting Izzy was the final breach of his humanity. Izzy, who stood by him no matter what, who loved him even if neither of them spoke of it. And then Izzy did speak of it, and that was the breaking point. To love and to be loved is to be abandoned. That was the threat Izzy was making. And he wasn’t ready to be alone, no matter how much he swore that being alone was safety and sanctuary. It took only a day for the crew to kill him. Longer than he thought it would. And thank God they did. Lord knows Edward didn’t have the balls to do it himself. And in that final breath, before the cannonball came down, he whispered the name of the man he had forsaken and laughed. He wondered if Stede could hear him.

We all need something watching over us.

Stede remembers waking up in the middle of the night, on the floor in Spanish Jackie’s in tears, just for there to be someone there, rubbing his back, only half awake. He remembers thinking often about Lucius, smiling when remembering the support he provided. Stede thought of Ed, who he swore was looking for him, too. Imagine his surprise when he realized that Ed was no longer among the living.

Be it the falcons, the clouds or the cross.

Ed remembers the Gravy Basket. He wasn’t sure how long that lifetime was, and it wasn’t clear to him for several weeks after leaving. It could have been years for all he knew. It wasn’t. And thank God it wasn’t. He felt his hand close around something. Maybe it was the rope at his waist.

And then the sea swept in and left us all speechless.

Stede remembers being fairly certain he had never begged before in his life. Not seriously, anyway. Not in any way that implied complete hopelessness; the tragedy of Achilles and Patroclus, God and the angel Lucifer, Romeo and Juliet. But he begged over Ed’s body. He pleaded with every divine entity he could come up with in his mind, with the water on the floor, with Ed’s hands, his chest, his face. His feet were soaked through, his cheeks ached with the pain of sorrow. His heart pounded so hard he was sure it would stop. He wouldn’t have been saddened if it did.

Speechless.

Ed remembers the mermaid. He remembers the old tales of the sirens that he never believed, the ones claiming that a siren’s song could get you to jump into the freezing sea without a second thought and swim until you found it. Ed remembers the mermaid that had Stede’s face. The mermaid that he reached for, that he tried to press his lips against. He had wrestled with the rope until it came undone and vanished into the darkness of the water, and yet his hand still felt clasped around something familiar.

I never minded being on my own. Then something broke in me, and I wanted to go home to be where you are.

Stede remembers what it felt like to see Ed’s fingers move, what it felt like to take hold of him once more and swear to Heaven above and Hell below that he would never, ever let go. When Stede was a child, he enjoyed his solitude; the fear of abuse and shame was always just a footbridge across from friendship. But Stede was not a child anymore, and he never wanted to feel that ache of aloneness ever again. Stede remembers that Ed woke him the day they met with a hand on his. And now, with his hand upon Ed’s, he waits for him to come back to him. To be with him. To wake and allow him to come home.

But even closer to you, you seem so very far.

Ed remembers that when his eyes fluttered open, the first thing he realized was that his hand was gripping Stede’s. He hadn’t even realized he was reaching for him until he already had hold of him.

And now I’m reaching out with every note I sing, and I hope it gets to you on some Pacific wind; wraps itself around you, and whispers in your ear, tells you that I miss you and I wish that you were here.

Stede remembers seeing Ed’s eyes as they opened. He also remembers the pain in his face as Ed sat up too quickly, slamming the hard bone of his skull into Stede’s cheekbone. Stede, of course, knew the second Ed woke up he was going to lose him all over again. The crew had killed him once, and they would do it again. He didn’t know if it was more painful to lose the man to death or to lose him and know he was out there somewhere, waiting for him. Stede remembers deciding that Ed had to go, before even deciding to ask the crew what they wanted.

Wish that you were here.

Ed remembers realizing that the Stede cradling his face in pain was no longer a mermaid. Just a man. The man who he held to blame for every second of his life leading to that exact moment. He didn’t know if it was fair. He had blamed his father, his captain, Izzy… and now Stede. Ed remembers the pain in his body, the bruises he could feel creeping up and down his skin, the black residue of the cannonball imprinted in his flesh somewhere he could not see. Ed focused his eyes on Stede, and his first, and only, order of business was a newfound determination to get away from him. To leave the ship and, if he was lucky, never lay eyes upon him again. The sensation in his chest, the Incubus, was still there, which meant only one thing to him: he was right. This pain was not the result of love. This pain was who he was.

Wish that you were here.

Stede remembers the feeling of the couch beneath them as he was closer to Ed than he had been in a long time. Ed smelled the same, and something about that was comforting. He could have reached out, ran his fingers through Ed’s hair and made him look at him, but he didn’t. He folded his hands in his lap and waited. Stede remembers bringing Ed back to the ship and the crew descending on him, tying a collar around his neck and stripping him of his leather. Stede remembers thinking that, maybe, without the leather, Ed could be close to him again, any remnant of Blackbeard firmly forgotten.

Wish that you were here.

Ed remembers the moonlight. The wire from which a fish was hung was digging into his fingers but Stede was in front of him, flushed and glowing in the pale light, rambling about curses and priests. The ship was quiet. Ed remembers the breeze, the smell of salt on skin, the jingle of the bell around his neck. His heart was beating in his stomach as he said it. You wear fine things well. He had replayed those words in his head for weeks, in the before and after of Stede, wondering if it meant what he’d hoped it did. Ed remembers kissing him, the way he should have done the first time.

Wish that you were…

Stede remembers the moonlight. The pang of losing such a gorgeous piece of clothing still hung in his mouth, but Ed was in front of him, small and desperate in the pale light, telling him about fishing and silence. The ship was quiet. Stede remembers the rustle of the sails, the curl of the hair at Ed’s temple, the sound of the bell as he got closer. His heart pounded in his throat as he heard his own words thrown back at him, not with malice, but with care and questioning. You wear fine things well. He had chewed on those words for weeks after speaking them aloud, wondering if he had said the wrong thing, if it meant anything at all that he had gotten them out. Stede remembers the closeness of Ed as he finally pressed his lips against him. A chaste kiss that Stede refused to let go of, instead burying his hand in that hair, wrapping an arm around that waist. He had been searching for Ed for so long, he hadn’t even realized he’d caught him, but he had. Or rather, like a fish, Ed had caught him.

#is this even good writing #no one answer #i will be doing this with some #other characters #such as #izzy hands #or perhaps #ed teach #stede bonnet #blackbonnet #stede x blackbeard #ofmd #our flag means death #Spotify

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run-me-through-but-not-like-that · 2 years

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Okay I’m obsessed with your fic where the reader is presumed dead after a storm and I was wondering if you’d be interested in writing a fic where the reader is kidnapped and Izzy just loses his goddamn mind? Thank you very much

Izzy Hands Reacting to his S/O getting Kidnapped:

The crew was making a land visit, stocking up on some supplies and likely visiting the tavern once the jobs were done. Normally Izzy wouldn't like being separated from you when you were on land, over the years he had become much more secure at sea, but the captains' orders came first.

Edward had wanted Izzy to accompany him and Stede on some business while Stede had requested that you and Lucius tend to something for him. Izzy really didn't like the idea of you going off in an unfamiliar port with somebody who couldn't protect you, no matter how capable with a sword you were. Thankfully, Black Pete had thought the same about Lucius so he was accompanying both. It wasn't perfect but it was something...

You had wandered into a quiet part of town when you strayed from Lucius and Pete. They were being a little too lovey-dovey, and while you don't normally mind that, you were feeling like a third wheel.

That was when you were ambushed.

When the first man came out of the shadows with a sword in hand, you had drawn your own sword. You thought you could take him, plus Pete was only around the corner, he'd come to help you should things get out of control. However, your confidence began to dwindle when more men surrounded you, you couldn't handle them by yourself and you didn't think you and Black Pete couldn't manage it together either.

Seconds later, Black Pete and Lucius rounded the corner, pausing when they saw the scene. Pete instantly unsheathed his sword and planned on running to your defence, but Lucius stopped him.

"Babe, there's too many of them"

"But-"

"We'll find out where they're taking them and get the others"

"...okay, Babe"

Lucius truly admired his partner's enthusiasm but the two of you would be far too outnumbered. It would be a better plan to round up the rest of the crew to help you. Even though Pete wanted to help and didn't like the idea of letting people take you, he knew that Lucius was right.

So, the two men followed you and your kidnappers at a distances until they came back to the docks, seeing them push you up onto their ship.

Turns out, the men who had ambushed you were a crew of pirates, new to the life, that had seen your fine ship arrive at the docks and thought that they could get an even finer ransom for a member of the crew. Clearly, they hadn't been pirates for very long.

You were sure that you could take any of them one-on-one, but you couldn't fight them all off.

That's when they ran off to search the town for the others. Lucius in search for the captains while Black Pete searched for the rest of the crew.

In his search for his captains, Lucius bounded around a corner and ran straight into Izzy. "What the fuck?" the first hand sneered, pushing the man away from him.

"Shut up" Lucius snapped, surprising the three men. Lucius wasn't afraid of Izzy and he liked to rile him up, everyone knew that, but he never snapped at him. However, they couldn't question the scribe about it because he was already speaking, "it's Y/n, they've been kidnapped."

"What?" Izzy's voice lowered dangerously.

"They were attacked and dragged away-"

"And you didn't fucking do anything?" fury raged in his eyes, fiercer than Lucius had ever seen and he had been on the wrong end of Izzy's temper many times.

"Pete couldn't take them all! But we followed them, we know where they took them" Lucius explained, just wanting to get them moving before it was too late.

"Why didn't you, fuck, just show me where" Izzy shook his head. Now wasn't the time for questioning him, he would throw him overboard for not preventing it later, right now he just needed to get to you.

Lucius nodded before hurrying off the way he came from, his captains and the first hand following closely and urgently behind.

By the time they reached the docks, the rest of the crew was already there, seeing that the ship you had been forced on was already sailing away in the distance.

"They're...they're on that ship" Lucius told them, out of breath and with a feeling of dread.

When the crew realised the four men had joined them, they all looked at Izzy. They have seen him angry before, many times, but never like this.

"Don't worry, mate, we'll get them back" Edward assured him, but didn't move closer to him, knowing he was unstable in that moment.

"He's right, we'll set sail straight away" Stede made the mistake of placing a hand on his shoulder, even if it had been a friendly and reassuring gesture.

"Don't fucking touch me" Izzy snarled, turning sharply to face the man, "if your crew had any fucking competence, this wouldn't have happened."

"Izzy-" Stede frowned but Izzy pushed past him before he could say anything else, storming towards their ship.

"Stede, mate, I think we should just let him go through this is own way this time" Ed advised and Stede nodded in agreement.

"Fucking move!" Izzy called back to the stunned crew, "get this fucking ship back out to sea, and follow that fucking boat."

The crew immediately jumped to attention, more concerned about your wellbeing than to please Izzy, all of them hurrying towards the ship with determination. Normally Ed and Stede would remind Izzy that he wasn't the one in charge but they didn't think this was the time for that argument.

Once the Revenge was back at sea, they caught up to the other ship relatively easily since their vessel was significantly inferior to theirs. For once, Izzy was grateful for Stede's stupid fucking boat.

Any members of the crew that could fight joined the raid. Obviously, the only person worried about you wasn't Izzy, the whole crew wanted you back safe and sound.

The crew had seen Izzy fight before, they knew he was a skilled and experienced swordsman, they wouldn't deny that, but they had never seen him fight like this before. They were suddenly reminded why Izzy Hands had been Blackbeard's first mate for so long.

He fought like a force of nature. Striking with precision, moving like the wind. It was impressive, though a little...frightening. The crew wondered if Izzy even needed their help or if he could take on the whole ship by himself and still carry you out of the wreckage.

Izzy fought his way across the deck like a storm until he could get down into the ship. Once out of the fight, he checked every door he passed, looking for where they might be keeping you. It wasn't a very big ship, there were only a handful of rooms, only so many placed to hide away a hostage.

When he came to a locked door, he just knew that had to be where you were.

It took a few hits to break down the door, and he knew it had damaged his shoulder doing it but he couldn't even think about that yet. The door swung open and you could chastise him about his shoulder later.

"Get the fuck away from me" you seethed from the corner you sat in, unable to see who had barged into the room. "Do you have any idea who I work for? You're dead already!" you threated.

For a moment, Izzy just stood there, letting his mind catch up. You were alive and it didn't seem like you had come to too much harm. In fact, he wore more blood than you. But you were blindfolded with your hands bound behind your back and your feet bound together.

"It's alright. It's me, Love" Izzy's voice was hoarse from fighting but it was obviously him, you would recognise his voice anywhere.

"...Izzy?" your tone changed instantly, relief evident.

"It's me" he reiterated, kneeling down in front of you, seeing your body visibly relax.

He reached up, removing the blindfold and tossing it to the side.

"Izzy" you breathed out, more than relieved to see him. Nobody had ever sounded or looked so relieved to see him...

"Lucius and Pete, are they okay?" you asked. You knew why they hadn't come to your rescue, sure that Lucius had gone to get the rest of the crew instead, but you hoped they hadn't been caught following them.

"They're fine, but nearly killed them myself for letting this happen to you" he confessed as he cut the rope that bound your feet.

"They went and got you though, right?" you remined him.

"...suppose" Izzy conceded as he cut the ropes around your wrists, frowning when he noticed how the rope had rubbed against your skin. "I'll kill anyone who hurt you, who lay a fucking hand on you" he promised, glaring at the angry marks on your wrists.

"Iz, it's okay, I'm alright" you cooed, cupping his face in your hands and making him meet your gaze. "They roughed me up a little but I'm alright, you got here in time" you assured him, "you came and got me."

"Of course I did, Love" Izzy sighed. As soon as he found out that you were in trouble, getting you back to safety was all Izzy could think about. "Let's get you out of here" he helped you to your feet before guiding you back through the ship, his hand clasping yours and the other clutching his sword.

The two of you emerged on the deck, finding that the crew had subdued what remained of the enemy crew. You knew that you would see a lot of the crew that had taken you wounded or dead, just from the amount of blood splattered over Izzy.

"Y/n, thank god you're alright" Stede smiled upon seeing you, not as bothered by the scene on the ship as he might have been once.

"See, told you we'd get them back" Edward reminded Izzy.

"Let's get you back to the ship" Stede just wanted to get you taken care of now that they knew you were alright.

"Uh, captain, what do you want us to do with the rest of them?" Black Pete asked.

"Torch the fucking ship" Izzy answered before either captain could respond.

Nobody had any time to argue with him either. He had already sheathed his sword, tightened his grip on your hand, and was leading you back to the Revenge.

You didn't get a chance to be welcomed back by the crew that had remained behind before you were dragged down to Izzy's cabin. Before you knew it, you were back in the familiar room, being sat down on his cot as Izzy started checking over your injuries. Thankfully, they were nothing serious.

"Izzy, please relax. I'm alright" you promised him. Sure, you were sore, you had felt better, but in the grand scheme of things you were perfectly fine. "I knew you would come for me, didn't doubt it for a second" you told him, and you meant it. When Pete didn't come to your aid, you knew they had gone to find the others, and you knew that as soon as Izzy heard about what happened, he would come and get you.

"When Spriggs said you had been taken...when I saw that ship sailing away, I thought the worst" Izzy confessed, coming down from the adrenaline of the raid and not knowing the condition he would find you in, "I don't...I don't know what I would do if something happened to you, if I lost you."

"I'm not going anywhere, not ever, I promise" you cupped his face in your hands, stroking your thumbs against his cheeks, as you leant in to give him a tender kiss.

"The next time we're on land, I am not letting you out of my sight. I knew I should have insisted on going with you" he vowed, his gaze wandering to the red marks wrapping around your wrists. You wholeheartedly believed him. You just knew that he would be attached to your hip for as long as he deemed necessary.

"Iz, Love, look at me" you cooed, bringing his gaze back to yours. Your injuries weren't emergencies and you didn't want him to linger on them for too long, knowing that he'll only blame himself for them, "I'm here and I'm okay. Yes, I'm a little bloody and bruised but it's nothing that won't heal."

"Let's get you cleaned up" Izzy reluctantly agreed with a sigh, seeming to calm down a little.

"Only if you get washed up too" you compromised, earning a tired nod from the man in front of you.

Izzy helped you to your feet again, whether you needed it or not, and guided you back out of his cabin. Only to find Stede and Edward approaching, having been coming to check in on you both once everything else was dealt with.

"We're setting sail again, just wanted to check in" Stede informed you both, assuming you mustn't have been too badly hurt considering Izzy was letting you walk around.

"I'm fine, really. Just want to clean up" you assured the captains.

"You're welcome to use my bathroom, help yourself to anything in there" Stede offered, figuring a bath would be far more welcoming for you, he imagined you must have ached all over.

"Thanks, Stede" you smiled, appreciating his generosity, especially in times like this.

It took a few tugs to Izzy's sleeve to get him to follow you to the captain's cabin, the man was too damn stubborn to accept anything from Stede Bonnet. Though, this time, he supposed that this was for your sake and you deserved a nice bath with those soaps and oils and lotions that Stede owned.

#izzy hands x reader #izzy hands #ofmd izzy #ofmd #our flag means death

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ellayuki · 2 years

Text

17062022 - Our Flag Means Death

“You didn’t really kill Lucius, did you?” Stede asks, the tips of his fingers dancing lightly on the tattoos of Ed’s back.

He feels… divine, actually, if he does say so himself. They’re reunion, after clearing up all misunderstandings between them, had been pleasant to say the least, and Stede looks forward to the rest of his life being like this - him and Ed and the Revenge and the open seas.

He does need his second in command, though, if only to stop Black Pete from throwing himself overboard (weighed down with cannonballs) again. Honestly now.

Ed sighs. Nuzzles into the skin of Stede’s chest. “Tried. Pushed the fucker off board.”

Stede gasps. “Ed!”

He only gets a hand waved lazily in his face for his outrage. “He thinks I don’t know he’s hiding in one of your many secret passages. But I do.”

And oh. Oh, even at his lowest, at his most hurt, and lashing out over it, Ed still cares. He might not acknowledge it, Stede thinks, might not let himself believe it is what it is, but he does care. “I do love you, you know.”

There’s a fleeting, gentle kiss pressed just under his collarbone, and a soft, grumbled, “’m beginning to think that you do, yeah.” And then, quieter, more hesitant than anything Stede’s ever heard from Ed, “Fuckin’ love you, too, don’t I?”

(“We should tell him he can come out now, though.”

“...he can fucking stay there a few more days.”

“Ed!”)

#our flag means death #ofmd #edward teach #stede bonnet #blackbonnet #lucius spriggs #by moi #fic #my fic #2022 fic #ofmdfic

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marriedtobigfoot · 1 year

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Partly inspired by This Post, but here is my vision for the start of OFMD season 2.

We open with Stede trying to sqeeze the crew of the revenge onto his tiny little rowboat, our first title card spelled out in rocks on the shore of the tiny island they were marooned on They make their way to try and find the revenge, while the crew fill Stede in on Eds descent into heartbroken madness. Meanwhile, back on the revenge, Izzy has managed to convince Ed that they should find the toughest pirate ship around and wage war. He needs to assert dominance and reclaim his place as the most fearsome pirate out there. Jim and Frenchie are forced to watch and assist as they plan what is surely a suicide mission. The rest of the episode is a comedy of errors, where the crew finally reach the revenge in the middle of a grand battle. People reunite, some hilarious battles go down, and yet Stede and Ed keep barely missing eachother, never quite coming face to face.

At the height of the battle, the mast of the revenge has been hit by canon-fire and is going down. Just before it crashes to the deck, right onto Ed, Stede pushes him out of the way. They made eye contact as they’re sprawled on the deck, chaos around them, and we cut to credits.*

Then, episode 2 opens with Ed and Stede together in bed. Discarded clothes are all around the captains cabin, and they’re clearly very naked and very satisfied. Izzy opens the door only to back away slowly when he catches sight of him. The titlecard is spelled out on Stedes discarded robe.

The rest of the episode is told in a backwards format, showing the reuinion between Ed and Stede, as well as the crew of the revenge trying to fix the mast of the ship so that they can sail again. The ship can’t sail without a working mast, and the crew can’t function without captains who are happy together again. During this time we watch Izzy losing himself to his rage, and Jim finding Lucius who had locked himself in the same trunk that Jim locked him in before. Ed and Stede talk, finally admitting their feelings fully and explaining what happened while the other was gone. There’s bumps in the road, of course. Stede isn’t happy that Ed threw Lucius overboard and marooned his crew. Ed is still reeling from beliveing he had been abandoned. Luckily Lucius is able to provide some group therapy.

The final scene shows that the mast has been repaired, and this whole backwards story has been Lucius relaying the events to Frenchie, who was knocked unconcious when the mast fell. When asked why the story is out of order Lucius says he mixed up the pages, but “I prefer the drama of telling it backwards, so I just left them like that.”

We see our co-captains, happily watching the crew while they sit around the new mast. It's a little messy, kinda lopsided, but it works again. Doesn't have to be perfect to sail the ship. Stede has his head leaned on Ed's shoulder but then he pauses. "Oh, wait. There's one more thing I think we have to talk about." "And what would that be mate?" "The way you decided to throw out perfectly beautiful fabric like this. I'm a little mad to be honest. Furious even." Except despite claiming anger, he's smiling at Ed when he pulls out the red cloth. "You found it." "Blew right in my face while I was trying to find you. Might have some blood on it now but it blends right in, can't even see it." And he puts it back into his pocket. Then Ed gives him a sly littke grin. "Waste of time. You're just gonna pull it out again when you tear my clothes off." "I will NOT I gave you those clothes!" And they walk inside together, bickering about clothes, feeling at peace for the first time in a very long time.

The final shot of the episode is the red cloth, now flying alongside the flag of the revenge.

*My partner @raspberryjerry is of the opinion that in this moment, when they lock eyes, the song that should be playing is Brandy (You’re A Fine Girl) by Looking Glass. So please feel free to envision that song specifically with this scene

#our flag means death #Ofmd #ofmd season 2 #stede bonnet #Blackbeard #Edward Teach #lucius spriggs #blackbonnet #jim jimenez #izzy hands

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chocolatepot · 7 months

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202!

We've all been dreaming about that scene, Stede!

Ahh the first look at the cake topper in context! Wait, WHAT?! Immediately pushed overboard?! :(

Well, at least Buttons is happy.

"We're tender as hell"

LUCIUS!!!!!!!!!!!!

lmao they really got us with the "no more drugs, no more booze, no more Stede Bonnet" really being "no more Izzy"

have to laugh at myself, I thought "Lucius mainly blames Stede" was going to be fanon

Yesssss I love smart!Ed

Oh shit, it's going to be Jim and Archie fighting to the death?! (Can't believe it's Izzy living in the walls ...)

Aw, Olu is the himbo Chris Hemsworth secretary!

Ruibo is definitely going to be a new fan fave

Ewan's delivery of "you don't know ... if you picked up ... smoking?"

Lucius being mean to Stede is so good (well done, Nathan) and making me so eager for the reconciliation

"spicy little rat boy" lmao what

this scene with Izzy and the gun is so fucking good, they are so toxic, I love it (score one for fandom for the "Ed wants someone to kill him" trope) "I loved you ... best I could"??? Epic

Ahhhhhh Stede flipping it around to give Lucius advice!!! I love to see it!!

I desperately want to know how much of the "I had to catch the rats with my teeth" speech was improv

"Maybe the time he spent with you is the best it's ever gonna get for him ... Some people are just broken, no matter what you do" damn, Lucius

Damn, that was A SCENE

#ofmd #ofmd s2 spoilers

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dollsome-does-tumblr · 7 months

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and now it's time to play that ancient game of mine -- moments in my fanfic scribblings that wound up kinda mirroring canon!!

(this is totally just for my own amusement. don't mind me!)

ofmd 204 & 205 spoilers!

this was my fix-it fic that i wrote in a deranged haze the day after 1.09 & 1.10 aired, and then never posted because there were a few small transition scenes in between all the meaty emotional stuff that i was just too lazy to ever finish up. upon rereading, i actually kinda like it and wish i'd finished it though!!! maybe i will one day, and just post it as a historical relic from march '22.

*****

(Ed and Stede meet at last!)

“What’ve you been up to?”

“You haven’t heard?”

“I’ve heard a bit. But I’d rather hear it from you.”

“Oh, you know. Plundering, pillaging, being the punishment this sorry world deserves. That sort of thing.”

“Very neat. And what’s with the–” Stede gestures awkwardly to his own chin.

Ed touches his kohl-painted face. “Wasn’t going to wait for it to grow back in before I got back out there. I’d wasted enough time.”

“Right, yes.” Stede lets out a wistful, slight laugh. “I was starting to get used to your bare face.”

“Really? That’s not what scared you away?”

“I wasn’t scared away.”

“Oh, so you just decided to abandon me for some other reason. That’s great. It feels great, knowing that. Life’s so much better now than it was ten seconds ago. Wait. Fuck.” Ed stands abruptly, shaking the table. “I swore I wasn’t going to do this. I’m fucking Blackbeard, I’m the kraken, I’m hell on waves, I eat babies for breakfast.”

“Oh, Edward.” Stede stares up at him, aghast. “Please tell me you haven’t had a breakfast baby.”

“Obviously I didn’t really,” Ed says impatiently. “It’s just an alliteration thing. It’s the vibes.”

Stede puts a hand to his heart and exhales. “Thank God.”

(okay, with this one i mostly just wanted the breakfast baby joke to finally see the light of day. but there's a slight overlap!)

*****

(Ed and Stede make up very quickly, and then try to make the crew feel cool about that!)

“Hey, Blackbeard.”

“Hey, Black Pete.”

“Oh, it’s just Pete now.”

“Cool, cool. I guess it’s just Ed now, too.”

“Welcome back, Ed. If I could just, uh, say one thing?”

“Sure, mate, what’s up?”

“VENGEANCE!!!” Pete screams, and pushes Ed overboard.

The crew bursts into cheers.

Stede can’t really fault them, all things considered.

“That was just a bit of vengeance for you, babe,” Pete tells Lucius.

“Thanks, babe.”

*****

Once a sopping-wet Ed’s been recovered, there’s the general consensus from all non-Stede crew members that he’s going in the brig.

“We’re really happy for you, Captain,” says Frenchie, “but he’s been a menace.”

“Obviously acting out of deep-rooted pain and some unprocessed childhood trauma,” says Lucius magnanimously. “But all the same, he’s been a massive bitch.”

“I think everyone should get a turn punching him in the face,” says Jim.

“Nobody’s punching anybody!” Stede says, in his clipped captain’s orders! tone. “But you’re right. I’m sorry, Ed; the people have spoken, and the brig it is.”

“No, I get it.” Ed holds up his hands in surrender. “Super fair. And hey, Jim, you can go ahead and punch me if you like.”

“They won’t punch you, they’ve just got hurt feelings–”

Stede is cut off by Jim punching Ed right in the stomach.

Wow. They really don’t waste any time.

“Sucker punch,” breathes Ed through what must be a dizzying amount of pain. “See, I was expecting the face, ‘cause you said the face–”

“Surprise,” says Jim.

****

and this is from a fic i actually posted! [x]

Stede decides to risk getting shot, and puts a hand on his arm. They stand still together. “I wish I’d gotten it right the first time. But this, right now, it’s the next best thing we’ve got. I’ll keep fighting if you want to fight, and I’m pretty sure my crew and I will win our ship back from you and your sorry lot within the week–”

“Pfft.”

“--but while we’re fighting, Ed, just know that I lo–”

But before he can say the words, Ed interrupts. “Nope. Don’t.”

“But I–”

“No.” Ed meets his eyes. “I mean it, mate.”

Stede listens. He lifts his hand from Ed’s arm. “That’s all right. You must know what I mean, if you don’t want me to say it that badly.”

“Of course I want you to say it,” Ed mutters. “That’s the problem.”

“Ah, right. Terrible.”

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piratecaptainscaptainpirates · 4 months

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Saw your post about Ed not needing a redemption arc and I just have a couple questions. You say Ed knew what he was doing was wrong, do you have any proof for that? And where do you get that the crew feel guilty? It's fine to have headcanons obv but.

Hey there. I'm going to assume this is in good faith because I'm fine with discussing it, but I based all of this on what I think is a pretty surface-level read of the show.

I get the idea Ed knew his behavior at the start of the season was wrong because we've never seen him act like that outside of his depressive spiral, and he says things with his mouth in s2e5 like "I want to make amends." In s1 he's consistently depicted as a good captian who cares about his crew. He's chill, easy to get along with, and does things like invite crew members to parties and tell them ghost stories. That's why his behavior in s2, working them so hard and generally being visibly super depressed, is making everyone feel tortured.

And I know he knew it was wrong because of how hard he tries to make things right. Ed let the crew put him in a sackcloth, the literal most well-known symbol of atonement, I don't think it's very subtle. He also volunteers to let Lucius push him overboard and gives Fang a very genuine, immediate apology when they're talking and Fang tells Ed about a way Ed hurt him in the past. It's not the behavior of someone who thinks he has nothing to apologize for. (And yeah, Ed does have something to apologize for! I don't think it's fair to look at his actions at the start of the season without a lot of sympathy, he was miserable and he wouldn't have been acting like that of his own volition if he hadn't gotten that last push to make him think he was unsafe if he wasn't performing as a caricature of himself in s1e10, but him being suicidal is an explanation, not an excuse.)

As for the crew feeling guilty - I dunno, I think the scene where they're scrubbing at blood only they can see in the spot where they beat Ed to death kinda sells that one? I'm not sure how else to interpret that, honestly. Ed's their friend; they accept him back super quick after he gets back...they like him, of course they feel bad about beating him to death, especially once everyone has had time to process and for emotions to settle down.

I think Ed's season 2 arc works so well because he was in such a terrible place and convinced he was unlovable, willing to burn down the relationships he had with the people left in his life just to get them to kill him, and over the course of the season he gets to realize that he was surrounded by people who care about him and love him all along. I think cheapening his arc into one of redemption rather than recovery does it a great disservice.

#ofmd #our flag means death

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our-flag-means-love · 11 months

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alright, so i made this playlist with the target audience of Specifically Me, but if anyone else loves both ofmd and the killers as much as i do, may i present:

Ed x Stede, as told by The Killers

15 songs, 59 minutes in total.

(also on youtube, if you don't use spotify or aren't able to listen in order, which i highly recommend)

i wanted to challenge myself to tell the story of their relationship (throughout s1 + a bit of hopeful speculation) using only songs by the band that's been rotting my brain for the past year, and i think i was able to do it surprisingly cohesively.

a brief explanation and lyric highlight for each choice can be found under the cut.

(all lyrics are taken from genius, in case some don't match what you hear or don't match what spotify says)

1. boy

this could really be read as either a stede childhood song or an ed childhood song. both? both is good.

these streets / weren't meant to house / jet-fueled engine dreams

2. When You Were Young

hoo boy, if there was ever a song about ed having religious trauma.

he doesn't look a thing like jesus / but he talks like a gentleman / like you imagined when you were young

3. I Can't Stay

sorry to go straight from one of their best songs to one of their... not best songs. but yes, stede leaving mary.

in the dark, for a while now / i can't stay, very far / i can't stay much longer / riding my decision home

4. The Man

the man, the myth, the legend, Blackbeard™, with a head made of smoke and all that.

i got skin in the game / i got a household name / i got news for you baby, you're looking at the man

5. Flesh And Bone

except, oops, he's actually a person, too. and his relationship with his near-mythical persona is a complicated one.

what are you afraid of? / and what are you made of? / flesh and bone / and i'm running out of time

6. Tidal Wave

they're falling in love, your honor.

you say this life has given you nothing / you got another thing coming

7. Andy, You're A Star

uh oh, ed's prioritizing love and happiness over his career and his fame! izzy sure isn't happy about that.

in a car with a girl / promise me she's not your world / 'cause andy, you're a star

8. Mr. Brightside

yeah, i'm sorry, i know this song is overplayed, but i had to. here comes calico jack, my beloved dumpster fire, to separate our boys.

jealousy / turning saints into the sea / swimming through sick lullabies / choking on your alibis

9. Neon Tiger

ah, here they come, that good ol' english navy looking for stede.

run neon tiger, there's a price on your head / they'll hunt you down and gut you / i'll never let 'em touch you

10. Leave The Bourbon On The Shelf

ed's time away from stede is pretty dang miserable. and for this song's eerie ending, picture his smile right before he pushes lucius overboard.

before you say goodbye / leave the bourbon on the shelf / and i'll drink it by myself / and i love you endlessly

11. Everything Will Be Alright

stede, my sweet optimistic boy, you have no idea what you're returning to.

and you don't need to compromise / i'm dreaming 'bout those dreamy eyes / i never knew, i never knew / but it's alright

12. The Rising Tide

angry! ed! breakup! song!

before life and the dream collide / 'cause the truth's gonna come and cut me open wide / and you can't escape the rising of the tide

13. Have All The Songs Been Written?

stede's apology.

i just need one more to get through to you / i can't take back what i've done wrong / i just need one more

14. All These Things That I've Done

ed coming to terms with his past, his present, and his future.

these changes ain't changing me / the cold-hearted boy i used to be

15. Bones

they've reunited for good, and now they fuck. (seriously, the following are probably my favorite lines but they don't nearly do justice to how horny this song is.)

there's someone calling / an angel whispers my name / but the message relayed is the same: / "wait 'til tomorow, you'll be fine"

if you've read this far, thank you so much for indulging this intersection of my two biggest brainrots of 2022. for making it to the end, i'll reward you with the opportunity to Behold the kiss again:

#my brain is full of worms who are all riding on a sam's town record as it rotates and i'm making it everyone's problem #ofmd #our flag means death #ofmd playlist #stede bonnet #edward teach #blackbeard #gentlebeard #blackbonnet #ed x stede

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