#Iz and Ed still keeping their distance

[izzysillyhandsy]

"Oh, so this is where all my candles went!"

Izzy you dramatic little unicorn 😂

(And Stede you manipulative little bastard)

[shiplessoceans]

Ed is sitting on a log in front of a makeshift fire on the beach. The last sliver of sun has just dissolved into the horizon, and he's watching Stede and his crew play a fairly simple game Frenchie invented involving a rum bottle, a coconut and a balancing act where the crew loudly count how many seconds each of them in turn can keep everything suspended on their head. From what Ed can make out, Buttons is currently in the lead and Stede is up next.

Izzy wanders over from where he's been lurking at a distance and sits beside Ed, leaving a large gap. Long gone is the comfort and familiarity between them, replaced with a tense iciness a mile wide. A lot has happened and they haven't actually talked in a while now. Their last conversation had been...

Adversarial to say the least.

Ed glances as Izzy sits, but doesn't say anything, turning back to watch Stede and smiling fondly. Izzy eventually breaks the uncomfortable silence.

"Nice day for it."

Ed doesn't answer him. Let him sit if he wants, but be buggered if he'll engage the bastard in conversation.

Izzy continues talking, picking up a random hunk of wood and begins stripping the bark off it.

"You seem good... happy."

Ed abandons silence as a tactic and his response is quick and cutting.

"No thanks to you."

Izzy flinches but doesn't seem put off. He nods in the direction of the crew and their game.

"Bonnet looks happy too."

Stede hasn't beat Buttons record but he bows anyway as the crew cheers his effort. Olu is up next.

Ed's doesn't like hearing Stede's name come out of Izzy's mouth. He lets out a grunt of assent that might also be a growl. A warning.

Izzy watches him for a moment, continuing to tear strips off the timber he's whittling down to nothing.

"So it's him, then?"

Ed turns his head slowly and gives Izzy a cold stare. Daring him to start something. His next words are low and gruff and brook no uncertainty.

"Yeah. It's him."

Izzy returns the stare calmly. Ed's surprised to note that Izzy looks...tired.

Izzy nods once and drops the stick he's holding, and runs a hand through his hair before leaning forward, resting his forearms on his knees to watch the contest, hands dangling between his legs.

Olu doesn't last as long as Stede but he contributed more to the Rum bottle's emptiness to begin with so he's having trouble balancing even without any objects on his head. Stede still leads the crew in cheering his valiant effort.

Ed is surprised when some time later, Izzy speaks again.

"I suppose as pirates go... you could do worse."

Ed can't help the surprise that crosses his face, raising his eyebrows. There's a concession he never thought he'd hear in his lifetime. Izzy is surrendering. He feels himself begin to relax.

"...don't get me wrong, he's still a knob."

Ed chuckles, quietly accepting the truce he's being offered as he responds dryly.

"Guess I have a type."

Izzy huffs out a laugh and then lowers his head, taking in a shuddering breath, steeling himself.

"For what it's worth... Edward, I'm sorry...for all of it."

Ed let's his eyes close. He feels very sad all of a sudden. Izzy has broken the dam and now he can't seem to stop apologising.

"...I can't explain myself I just... I thought I was helping you, but I know now I was just trying to...help myself I guess, fuck knows. But everything I did just made things worse and you were so...miserable for so long and I just...I didn't want to hear it and..."

Ed lifts a hand.

"Iz, mate stop. It's alright. I get it."

Izzy turns to look hard at him with eyes that seem desperate and a tiny bit afraid.

"Do you?"

Ed hears the weight in the words and nods slowly, gesturing over to where Stede is currently mediating a dispute over whether the coconut can be switched for a rounder one mid-game and if doing so would trigger a do-over.

"We were gonna run off together. Him and me. I made an escape plan, Stede was sposed to meet me and he didn't show up. I'd told him...how I felt."

Ed sniffs and shakes his head to clear it before continuing. Izzy is sitting statue still, listening intently.

"You've seen all the bad shit I've been doing lately. Hell you've copped some of the worst of it firsthand. And none of its Stede's fault, but yeah it still fucked me up. So trust me, I know how it feels."

Izzy's brow furrows.

"How what feels?"

Ed blinks.

"Lovin' someone who doesn't want you."

Ed no longer needs to entertain his previously held fantasy of punching the daylights out of Izzy Hands. The look on his face couldn't possibly be anymore apt to that experience than it is now.

Izzy looks horrified and then pained, quickly looking away to hide his face.

Ed turns back to watch the crew, letting the man collect himself. The crew seem to have given up on the game and are now taking impromptu (and slightly inebriated) knife throwing lessons from Jim. Izzy clears his throat and sighs.

"Guess I have a type."

Ed laughs out loud at that, Izzy joins him and they both chuckle, wheezing laughter helping deflate the remaining tension like the last gasp of air from a balloon.

Ed sighs and they both sit in a comfortable silence, the crackle of the fire, dull rumble of the waves and distant chatter of the crew providing the ambience as the stars begin to appear in the sky.

Stede pauses what he's doing to smile and wave at Ed, who waves back with a matching fond smile.

It really is a bloody great evening, all told.

[cals-sunflower]

My girl (Z.K)

You and Izzy were really close friends. She was the one that introduced you to the boys and immediately you were interested in Zion. You knew her and Edwin had a thing going on. Honestly, you loved them together because they were the exact same person. What nobody knew is that after meeting the boys about two months ago, you and Z had been messing around. Like from quick kisses to cuddling on the couch when nobody was home to secretly heading up to his room during a party to take out builded up tension. You guys weren’t dating yet but it was so close to happening. Everyone you were friends with thought that you guys were just friends.

You decided to go the Prettymuch household to visit your man. You dressed in Z’s hoodie, sweatpants and slides. You texted Z to meet you downstairs in about 20 minutes.

You: Babe I’m outside, come hug me :)

Daddy🥰: Ight I’m coming out now ma

He opened the door with a big smile on his face. You clearly saw the dimples that graced his face.

“Hey mamas”, Zion brought you into a big hug. You always loved being in his arms and having him cuddle you.

“Hi baby”, you replied. Pulling away from the hug, he grabbed your hand and closed the door. Walking up to his room with you in front of him. Once being in the room and closing the door, you guys layed down.

“Is that my hoodie?”, he asked you.

“Maybeeee”, you dragged out the e. He pulled you up on his lap while he was still laying down.

“We stealing hoodies now ma?”, he joked. You laughed at him.

“Of course I had to. Besides this is my favorite hoodie you own. I took it before you left for tour”, you explained.

“Ah I take you missed me?”, he questioned. You nodded your head.

“I missed you a lot more then you think”, you hinted. He pulled you down and kissed you. You had began to grind onto him and his hands traveled from your waist to up the hoodie. Suddenly the door opened.

“Yo bro me and Izzy are gonna eat at a restaurant. You should invite Y/n because I know you-“, Edwin finally looked up with his mouth dropped open. You and Zion pull away quickly, you guys didn’t even hear the door. You tried to get off of Zion’s lap but he tighten his hands on your waist keeping you down.

“Oh shit. My bad but do y’all wanna come with?”, Edwin asked. You started getting red in the face.

“Yeah, give us like 30 minutes?”, Zion replies.

“Yeah let me tell Iz”, he walked out of the room and closed the door right behind him. After Edwin left, you and Zion looked at each other and started laughing.

“Stop, Z that was so embarrassing”, you slapped his chest.

“I’m sorry mamas but that was funny”, Zion said. You guys got up and started fixing yourselves up. Then you get a text from Ed.

Eddy🤪: Yo Iz is here, come downstairs

“Babe, Izzy is here. Come on idiot”, you pulled Zion downstairs. He slapped your ass as you were walking in front of him.

“Zion stop it”, you whined. He stopped you really quickly to whisper in your ear.

“I’d to hear your whines for something else”, he said. You blushed and ran downstairs. Seeing Izzy and Edwin.

“Izzy!”, you exclaimed and threw your arms around her.

“You gotta tell me what’s going on with you Z”, she whispered in your ear.

“Okay fine”, you whispered back. You guys decided to go to Applebee’s but since it was a walking distance you all walked there.

“Now spill the tea”, Izzy said.

“Well after meeting the boys me and Z began to get to know each other and then things just happened”, you replied.

“Are you guys dating?”, she asked.

“Something like that. I’m too afraid to question it”, you said. You guys arrived at the restaurant and was seated in a booth. Zion put his hand on your thigh and rubbed it softly.

“So what’s going on with you two?”, Edwin questioned. You looked to Zion because you didn’t know the answer.

“This is my girl. I thought it was obvious”, Zion laughed. You blushed deeply and Izzy gave you a look smiling.

After eating dinner Izzy and Edwin wanted to be alone, so they left you and Z. You guys decided to just go back to the house for some well deserved cuddles.

“I’m your girl now?”, you looked at up him.

“Come on don’t play. You’ve been my girl the moment we started talking”, he smiled. You gave him a hug and kiss on the cheek.

“Does this make you my boyfriend?”, you asked.

“Yeah of course, sorry for not making that clear mamas”, he said. You slung a leg around his and cuddled up to him. You guys heard Simba run and jump on the bed wanting cuddles too.

“You wanted cuddles with us too, huh?”, Z rubbed his fur.

“I love this”, you laughed.

“Me too mama. Me too”, Zion kissed your head then leaned down and kissed Simba’s head too.

[blackflcgs]

When his back meets the floor Edward spreads his thighs. Open and slick, the slide of Izzy's cock is smooth and still Edward feels stretched full. He trembles, aching with the need for movement. "Iz, please-"

Izzy starts to fuck him and Ed whines with relief. "Yes," he answers, yes, it's what he wants— Izzy to look into his eyes and hold his face and fuck him on the floor slow and deep the way Ed likes. He moves with him, hips rocking and back arching for more. Izzy feels so fucking good with his perfect fucking prick.

But it's intense. Izzy staring into his soul, touching him like they're together. The least Iz could do is degrade him; call him names or say some shit that would hurt his feelings, but here he is, fucking him like he still loves him.

Ed reaches up to get his arm around Izzy's shoulders, using it to pull him down and into a kiss. He's always liked making out with Izzy inside him. It's easy to fall into the rhythm of it, kissing each other like they never stopped, but then sex was almost never one of their issues, was it? The only fucking thing they never struggled with in their relationship.

He's getting all caught up in his head. There's that tight feeling rising up in Edward's chest again and suddenly he needs to get some distance between them before whatever the hell it is he's feeling gets the better of him.

"Want you from behind," is what he breathes against Izzy's open mouth, because Ed doesn't want to stop and it's the least pathetic way he can think to communicate 'I'm gonna fucking cry if I keep looking at you'.

He doesn't give Izzy much time to respond, hands pushing back on his hips signaling to let him up. As soon as Izzy slips out Ed is rolling onto his stomach, chest against the floor with his ass shifted up to offer easier access to his cunt.

"You wanna cum in me or not?" Ed means for it to sound demanding, but with his face buried in his arms the way it is, he probably just sounds desperate. Whatever. "Come on, I'm close."

@avastyetwats

Edward has always been a proper little minx. A powerful seductress. Since the beginning, really. And still, to this day, even in the midst of their separation he was and Izzy always fell right back into it. Right back into him. It was hard not to because even with all of their arguments, even with their reasons for separating, Israel still loved him. He loved him so fucking much that sometimes he wondered why they were going through with this divorce, but then something would remind him... whether another argument or someone closer to Edward's age flirting with him, or his love for drinking, drugs and partying - which was the biggest thing that drove them apart-... but still Izzy hated it because he fucking loved him still.

Loved the feel of him, loved the taste of him, loved him. And when he showed up wearing those shorts and that fucking crop top, god, how could Izzy resist? How could he ignore the flirtatious remarks and the way Edward smiled at him? He couldn't So that's how they ended up here, with Izzy fully clothed while Edward rode his face until his orgasm washed over him and Izzy drank down every single drop. not daring to waste even one. No. He wanted the taste of him to remain on his tongue for hours and hours because who knew when they'd be together again next. This could even be their last time... it needed to be if they were truly to go through with this divorce. If he were truly to give him the life Izzy thinks Ed really wanted and needed. One without him.

He's hard as fuck right now, dying for a release of his own, but he shouldn't. Not like this. They shouldn't. So when Ed moves back, he tries to each for him. "Eddie, don't. We shou--" But then he's on top of his clothed cock, eliciting a loud moan from Izzy's lips while grinding himself up against him, unable to hold himself back because he felt way too fucking good on him right then. His arousal and cum soaking through Izzy's trousers and god, he wants to feel him bare now. So all logic and resistance goes out the window when Ed frees him, grasping him immediately and he nearly chokes on a moan, fucking up into his hand, only to be completely swallowed by his cunt not even a second after. It takes Izzy by surprise how quick he does it, but oh god, is he happy. He's so hot, tight and wet around him and he's missed this. He's fucking missed this. His hands are gripping his hips as he starts to rock himself on Izzy's cock, but it's when he breaks the silence that Izzy snaps out of his daze. No. Not like this.

He gives no warning. Izzy is suddenly flipping them. He sits up, wraps one arm around Edward and then lays him on his back, now on top of him and looking down into his eyes. "No. Look at me, Edward." He demands with a growl, still sheathed inside of him, though not fully. Until he makes it so with a hard thrust, now buried completely inside of him. "I want to fuck you properly." He leaves no room for argument as he pulls back and then thrusts again. "That's what you want too, isn't it? For me to take you just like this. Fill you with my cock and make you cum a second time before filling you with my own... just like I used to." He growls, his left arm braced next to his hard flexing while his right hand holds his face, fucking into him hard, slow and deep. "Just like I still want to." He shouldn't, but gods, he did.

[izzysillyhandsy]

Some Too many thoughts about episodes 4 and 5 and "Moving On"

This got wayyyy too long and rambly... but I had to write this down because it's been bugging me since last Thursday.

I have some issues with the last two episodes, episode 4 and 5, regarding, of course, my favourite character Izzy Hands and his relationship with Ed in particular.

Don't get me wrong - there was so much great stuff. I love Izzy finally being able show his feelings without having to pretend everything's alright - all it took was fucking things up so spectacularly that even Izzy didn't care what everyone thought of him. One could argue that the Kraken phase was necessary to "burn it all down" so to speak - Izzy and Ed needed this cathartic event to get out of their mutually harmful relationship.

But still... there is this underlying unfairness of it all, the disproportionate hate and aggression, the destruction of Izzy's whole life, sense of self and reality. What even are you?

Was this really necessary? Or, in other words, did Izzy have it coming? Did it serve him right?

And now that Izzy has decided to keep on living and has to deal with the trauma of being literally taken apart by the love of his life - is the only option available to him to completely distance himself from everything that happened (blow your brains out or move on)?

What happened in the first 3 episodes wasn't just Ed lashing out in anger, a payback for Izzy's betrayal. It wasn't just Ed going off the rails as a reaction to his most trusted friend pushing him towards violence at the lowest point of their lives. This wasn't "just" cutting a toe off in a moment of desperation and emotional breakdown.

No, Ed kept on going with destroying everyone and everything around him (and it was Ed, not whatever "Blackbeard" is supposed to be - Ed can clearly switch between the two and it is a concious decision to put on the Blackbeard mask to distance himself from his own cruelty).

And the person who he targeted almost exclusively was the person he was closest to, the person with obvious love for him (and of course Ed knows this), the person who kept falling apart before his very eyes and still tried to be there for him and, in his way, keep him safe.

I'm still not over the fact that Ed kept kicking Izzy who was already down, and just didn't stop until he was literally on his deathbed. And even then it wasn't over, there was one more act of cruelty left. Izzy killing himself felt natural and logical (and isn't that absolutely horrible?), almost a relief - "quick and clean" as Izzy'd put it.

Only the most ardent Izzy haters would still insist that Izzy deserved this (fucking hell, nobody deserves this, ever). Also, the show absolutely didn't frame it that way, Taika and Con (and the rest of the crew) didn't portray it that way - in my opinion, what Blackbeard did to Izzy was supposed to be seen as unforgivable (as opposed to other instances of casual violence depicted in the show).

So, as happy as I am with Izzy moving on to discover who he actually wants to be without Ed, episodes 4 and 5 left me confused and a bit frustrated. After all that happened in episodes 1 and 2, Ed can just go off be soft with Stede? He immediately comes back to the ship after being banished and gives the most half-arsed apology in history, then has fun showing off to everyone how nice he is now?

(Disclaimer: I love Ed, I love all the Ed/Stede scenes, that's not the point)

Where are the fucking consequences, show? That can't be it surely? Ed almost gets rewarded for just being Ed - contrast this with how the narrative (and parts of the fandom) kept on punishing and condemning poor Izzy for much, much lesser transgressions.

And it's apparently got to Izzy too, because now he blames himself as well:

Don't know what you're talkin' about. A shark did this. Dangling my legs over the side of the ship. Served me right, too.

NO IT DIDN'T, IZ. You thought you knew this man.

It actually makes sense that he'd see it this way, though.

Izzy's last conversations with Ed were his "I have love for you" (Come on) and Ed's "I dreamt that you killed me" (It was good for me - It wasn't even like that) where Izzy realized that nothing is/was as he thought it was.

Up to the end of S1, I believe this is what Izzy's whole life was built on:

a. Ed and Izzy are a team, captain and first mate, relying on one another. They've been together for a lifetime, they love and care for each other - not in so many words, not romantically (at least not for the last years or so, if ever) - but Izzy knows he would do anything for Ed (and I'm sure he has, many times), and Ed would probably do anything for Izzy (I'm not sure if Izzy's belief here is based on concrete events in the past, but I very much hope so).

b. It is Izzy's job to see that Ed is content and, above all, safe. Ed wouldn't trust anyone else with this.

c. Izzy talking back and challenging Ed's decisions is not only tolerated but expected.

d. They trust each other above everyone else, they know each other better than anyone has ever known them, noone can really come between them.

Now, it seems like:

a. Ed has/had no use for Izzy's love and concern.

b. Izzy has failed his job, and noone else could have failed as spectacularly.

c. it is Izzy's fault Ed lost his mind and will to live because Izzy dangled his legs over the side of the ship.

d. Ed's kept Izzy around because he's useful and convenient, but he's not irreplacable ("the hands that kill" if you excuse my pun, even used one last time to kill their master), and it only took a few weeks with fuckin' Stede Bonnet to make Izzy redundant.

In Izzy's mind, his whole life was a lie - he was never loved, appreciated, or even safe. And it was his own fault too.

DJ said in an interview that Izzy shooting Ed was him finally breaking up with him, and I agree (very generous of me, I know).

Izzy goes through the breakup phase alone - at first, he thinks Ed is dead, then he believes he has nothing else to say to Ed and Ed's said everything there was to say as well, no apology needed or expected. It's done.

BUT.

We know this isn't true, right? What kind of conclusion would that be to the most important relationship in the series (apart from that other guy, I forgot his name)? After all of this, all the implied backstory, all of Con's and Taika's brilliant acting choices - there must be something more satisfying coming then Yeah... well... Not movin' on is worse.

I hope I'm worried for nothing and the next 3 episodes will address this (but there's so little time! And there is so much else going on!).

Also, I'm fully aware that in episode 4 and 5 Ed was 100% in his arc with Stede (we had the Ed/Izzy arc in episodes 1 and 2 after all). Ed and Izzy didn't interact at all in both episodes (excepting the one look during the apology). While Izzy was shouting at headless unicorns, himself and an indifferent universe with his hair attractively in his face, Ed wasn't even on the ship. Izzy moved on without any confrontation, apology, without any contact to Ed at all. To keep on living, he had to distance himself from all the trauma and throw himself at Stede.

I just felt a bit drained after episodes 4 and 5 - for me, Ed and Izzy are the central relationship of the show, Ed and Stede are like an added bonus. And after the first 3 episodes, I felt the showrunners kinda went in that direction as well (not as completely as I did obviously). And then they put Izzy on a different path and decided not to waste time with Ed actually thinking about poor Iz at all.

I really, really hope they don't drop this fascinating dynamic just to make Izzy accept that life is great without Ed and Stede and Ed running off into the sunset. Izzy (and us) have invested too much energy and love into that relationship. I want them to come to an understanding, an acknowledgement of what they were to each other, and what they are now.

Some healing stuff, or whatever. To quote Hornigold, of all people: You gotta move on, ya know? Or... you blow your brains out. Or, we could just make some soup.

(Also, Ed has to suffer because of (losing) Iz. It's only fair.)

[isrighthand]

𝐄𝐃𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐃​

@isrighthand​ said: [  HEAT  ]:     while engaged in a passionate argument with one another, sender, in the heat of the moment, blurts out “i love you!” to the receiver. ( think of like, that glorious trope where people have a huge argument and then suddenly sb drops the mic with “because i’m in love with you!” and silences the other person. u know the trope! )    this except izzy will immediately start crying after djdvdn for ed 👀

“𝙄  𝙇𝙊𝙑𝙀  𝙔𝙊𝙐”  𝙋𝙍𝙊𝙈𝙋𝙏𝙎    /    ACCEPTING ↷

It is hard to pull Ed out of his anger, hard to bring him down from the fire of it when it happens, and generally, if it does happen, he comes out of it in turmoil, even in tears.

Because I love you!

Ed has  never seen Izzy cry.  Not ever. It  ⸺  it deflates all of the anger out of him.

& he stares, brow knitting,  heart breaking.

Fucking do something, he tells himself. He’s not good at this, he doesn’t know how to… what to… What he should do is say it back, but he’s never thought about what he feels in those specific words, not really ever put it into any words. But how could he not love Izzy? Of course he does; it’s such a given it’s never needed saying, even privately, in his own head. Izzy is an anchor to him, at times keeping him tethered to the world, to life, at other times pulling him under, drowning him; regardless, always there, and a constant like that, in both the good and the bad, it’s safe, it’s… home. It’s love, yeah. But he’s never put it like that, and he’s too shocked, and the words are way, way too alien.

❝ Hey… ❞    Ed says in a soft, low voice. He closes the distance between them, angles himself to stand between Izzy and the door out of the captain’s quarters; the worst thing right now would be to let him run away. No, Ed doesn’t think he could handle that; he will physically stop him if necessary.

He rests a hesitant hand on Izzy’s forearm, lightly first, then gains confidence and turns the touch into a grip. It’s a fucking marvel, the sight of Israel Hands  crying.  Much as it breaks Ed’s heart, he can’t help but be fascinated by the expression of something so vulnerable; it feels like a privilege to see Iz like this. Has anyone else, ever, witnessed this? It’s not that Ed wants him to cry, but⸺

He cups Izzy’s face gently in his free hand, thumbs away a tear. Doesn’t force Izzy to look up at him, just keeps stroking his cheek with a thumb, slowly, his own heart pounding loudly in his ears.

Because I love you!

It bursts out of him, spills past his steadily cracking facade - all this armor he's built up over the year has been slowly worn, Ed's been working away at him with a hammer and chisel, until he's broken through to Israel's interior - a swimming mess of emotion - an angry sea, saltwater spilling out.

“ It was all for you! ���   He cries, one last explanation, a hail mary, an apology, anything it can be - whatever will make it hurt the least.

A tear slips down his cheek as soon as the words leave his mouth. Izzy's hands come to his face, pushing at his eyes as if he could force it back in, or to hide himself, to apply pressure to the wound. His hands would be shaking if they were not held still against his face, and the first breath he takes is shaking too, desperately trying not to sob.

Because I love you.

It's the reason for everything he does, and the reason for all of his pain as of late. He's buried in it, in everything that's been happening since the last time he'd cried - quite a while before Edward had started with his boredom nonsense, not long before they'd meant Stede Bonnet. All of that, and he hadn't cried at all.

“ I -- “

He needs to be strong, he thinks. Needs to pull himself together. Blackbeard needs him. Does he? Is he needed at all anymore?

He tucks his head lower so he doesn't have to look up at risk seeing Blackbeard looking at him with any sort of disappointment, shifting his hands to tangle in his hair. When Izzy cries, it seems, he breaks - it's like watching a castle crumble into rubble -- the way the man of such pride and anger has shifted to an insecure little thing, curled into himself, shaking, trying not to collapse under the weight of all it carries.

For a moment, Izzy's breath had been getting stable, sharp and short, yes, but steady, he had almost handled it, almost stood under the weight of how much he loves / suffers for his captain.

Edward's touch is like a feather on the castle of cards. 

A sob is wretched free from his throat. He can't -- he can't.

He crumples like his strings have been cut  -- he falls towards Edward as he goes. Manages not to hit his knee, because he loves him enough to care not to. On his knees, leaning his weight against Blackbeard's legs, his face tilted into Ed's thigh, tears running down well-worn leather. He doesn't have the words. He'd offered the very last he has to give.