#tho we are gonna keep going and get to more stizzy and steddyhands again

[izzy-b-hands]

What Happens To The Heart-Ch. 2

Some folks requested a part two to my last fic, and i decided to give more a go! I'll be editing the first post to notate that there'll be more than one chapter now as well.

TW mentions of corpses, death, also road head except in a dinghy so...boat head?

---

The village is small. One dock that he ties the dinghy to before grabbing his things and heading towards the first building he sees, a small open sort of shed, with some fishing gear and rope by it.

Empty.

"Hello?" Izzy calls out along the dirt path leading further onto the island.

Silence.

He shrugs, and makes his way onwards. No one here has to interact with him if they don't want to; that's fine by him.

The market stalls he passes bear only rotting fruit and empty spaces, and he starts to fear the worst.

Sure enough, the stench of death hits in a massive wave as he reaches a number of small cabin-like houses.

One by one, he searches through them, gently stepping over rotting corpses he can barely see in the dark. Some sickness maybe, hopefully nothing he could still catch, though he doubts that.

There's nothing he needs for now though, and he makes his way past the houses into the trees.

"Mind if I crash here?" he asks a small snake that slithers past.

The snake pauses, seems to turn their head, then continues on away from him.

"I'll take that as a yes," Izzy sighs.

His things rest by the tree he's chosen as 'his', and he settles down by them.

His head rests on one of his bags, but sleep doesn't arrive. He strips off his vest to drape it over himself like a blanket, but it's no good.

"Fine then," he grumbles, and sits back up to lean against the tree. "I can sleep later."

It occurs, as he stares into the dark surrounding him, listening to the sound of night creatures milling around, exactly why he can't sleep.

He's used to saying goodnight to Ed and Bonnet. Without them here, it's a hurdle his brain won't jump to get him to sleep.

"Stupid fucking Bonnet," he sighs.

--

"Izzy's gone," Stede says. "Ed, we can catch up to him-"

"He's banished," Ed interrupts. "Roach! Get the man of the hour a drink!"

A cheer erupts from the crew as Roach passes down a bottle of rum, but Stede sets it on the table as soon as it reaches his hands.

"Ed," Stede tries again. "Seriously. He's your first ma-"

"He was," Ed cuts him off. "Wait."

He turns to Stede and stares. "Oh fuck. We left you-"

"Yeah, you all did," Stede says sharply. "You know who got me down and cleaned up?"

He's speaking louder than he realized; the entire crew is silent and listening now.

"Izzy," he continues. "Izzy came and got me down and bandaged me up. How long would you guys have left me up there if not for him?"

"Not really sure why you're mad at us," Frenchie scoffs. "He's the one that put you there in the first place."

"Maybe so, but at least he had the decency to fix what he'd done," Stede replies. "Or to do his best at that, at least."

"What happened?" Ed asks. "Don't say nothing either, because I can tell-"

"Come with me," Stede murmurs to him, and Ed swings his legs over the bench and out to follow him away from the galley.

"Stede, this is how things go," Ed says gently as they reach the main deck, bathed in moonlight. "I know it seems harsh-"

"It is," Stede interrupts. "He-"

"Stabbed you," Ed finishes. "And in doing so, he broke his blade so you won. Simple as."

"I understand that," Stede says. "But even so, rules can be bent or broken."

"Izzy likes rules, so he should be perfectly happy right now," Ed replies, but he can't seem to meet Stede's gaze.

"Ed, I don't believe you," Stede says softly. "I thought he was your friend."

"You were calling him an asshole not so long ago," Ed shoots back. "Now you can't go on without him here?"

"He kissed me," Stede says. "I mean. I kissed him. Then he kissed me back. Ed, I haven't kissed anyone other than Mary before-"

Ed's eyes snap to his, full of fire. "He did what?"

"Ed," Stede frowns. "I kissed him first-"

"So what?" Ed scoffs. "Yeah, you're right. I should go find him, so I can tell him to fuck off into the fucking sea."

"Edward!"

"Well, what else am I supposed to do?! I wanted to kiss you first, and then he-"

"You want to kiss me?"

Stede's heart pounds fast. "You really want to kiss me?"

Ed steps close, and nods.

"I'm right here," Stede continues.

Ed may be upset, but his kiss is gentle as anything.

"If you prefer Izzy," Ed starts, but Stede kisses him to cut him off.

"I don't prefer one of you over the other," Stede says. "I haven't been kissed in years, Ed. And with all respect to Mary, the kisses she and I shared weren't really what either of us wanted, I don't think. I've never enjoyed a kiss until Izzy and yourself."

Ed kisses him again, more urgently, hands running lightly over Stede's waist until Stede uses his own hands to set them firmly there.

"I don't think I want to choose," Stede says. "I don't...I can't explain it. Not right now. It's been a lot and I've got so much in my head and that's very distracting-"

One of Ed's legs is pressing against his cock, and the urge to rut against him is utterly ridiculous. Putting a sentence together feels impossible.

"I'll stop," Ed says quickly, but Stede reaches down to keep his leg there.

"No, I like it," Stede gasps. "But we need to go find Izzy too. I'm going to think of a plan, just need a moment."

Ed carefully walks them backwards to a wall, gently pressing Stede against it. "Go on."

He can't help but moan at the chance to grind against Ed's thigh. This is outside of anything he's done before, and it's electrifying. All need and want and feeling, nothing like the overthinking he did in bed with Mary.

"We'll go find him when the sun is up," Ed murmurs, eyes fluttering shut as Stede moves.

"You didn't want him to go, did you?"

Ed shakes his head. "He's my friend."

Stede twines his hands in Ed's hair, pulling him close for another kiss.

Morning then. That's soon enough, and surely he can't have gone far.

--

Izzy wakes to a backache.

"Stupid fucking tree," he groans as he stands, only to smash his foot into a large rock.

"Stupid fucking rock!"

He whips around to go the other way, and a vine on the ground trips him.

"Stupid fucking island," Izzy spits. "Stupid fucking Bonnet, Ed-"

He pauses. He doesn't mean that. Not about them.

He drops back down by the tree, and lets himself snuggle up against it, knees pulled up to his chest.

At least here, he can cry in peace.

--

"Olu, you're in charge," Stede declares. "That means whatever he says goes!"

"What if he tells us to mutiny against you?" The Swede asks.

Stede frowns. "I'd hope you wouldn't. Would really prefer you not, actually."

"Why would you want to mutiny?" Ed asks sharply.

"No one is going to mutiny," Olu interjects. "We'll be fine. Not like we're going anywhere until you two are back anyway."

"Do you promise no mutiny plans?" Stede asks. "Because you guys did already nearly do that once to me, so. Fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice-"

"Just go get him," Olu sighs. "I promise. No mutiny plans, nothing except chores and fucking around doing whatever."

Ed nods. "I think that works. Stede?"

"Sounds good," Stede says. "Shall we?"

The dinghy is heavy with them, their supplies, and extra things Izzy might need as well in it.

It isn't anything much, but Stede fears being unprepared. A thick sweater in case he's cold or sick, new trousers (actually an old black velvet pair of breeches Stede never really liked on himself), extra food, bandages, water.

"You're sure he went this way?" Ed asks as he rows. "I don't see anything in the distance."

"Well, we kept going after he left," Stede replies. "So we've got a ways to go, most likely. Let me know when you want me to take the oars for a bit."

"I'm good," Ed grunts, fighting against the waves. His bare bicep flexes, and Stede can't look away.

"Can I try something?"

Ed looks at him. "What is it?"

Stede can't kneel in the dinghy, but the wooden plank seats are close enough for him to gently reach over and feel Ed's bicep.

Ed blushes and grins. "Thanks. That's what a fuck ton of rowing like this will get you, eventually."

"How long do you think it'll take for me?" Stede asks.

"Dunno," Ed replies. "I mean, your arms are nice already. Not that more muscle is a bad thing, and you'll look good with it. Really fucking good."

Ed pulls the oars in for a moment, and leans in to kiss Stede hard. "Sorry. Couldn't hold that back."

Stede sighs happily. Who knew kissing and the littlest touches could feel this good. "Please, don't hold back."

"Greedy," Ed teases.

"I am," Stede says, with an excited giggle. "Could I try something else?"

"Should I keep rowing?" Ed asks.

"I think you could," Stede replies, and traces over the buttons of the fall-front of Ed's trousers. "Now, I've never done this but I've had it done to me, so I don't think I can fuck it up too badly-"

He undoes the buttons to free Ed's already half hard cock, and awkwardly leans down further to take him into his mouth.

"Fucking-" Ed gasps and Stede hears an oar clatter into the boat. "I thought your hand maybe, I didn't expect-"

Stede tries to dig in his mind for what Mary used to do for him, then it clicks.

What would he want done if it was him on the receiving end?

It seems to be what Ed wants as well, his free hand moving to rest over Stede's as it grips his thigh.

"Rowing," Ed gasps a moment later. "Right, fuck. I can do that."

Stede hums happily around Ed's cock, and Ed lets out a whimpering whine.

But he does start to row again as Stede sucks him off, though the extra motion makes it more interesting to manage his mouth and hands all at once.

If his technique is missing anything, Ed doesn't seem to care. He rows on, occasionally whining and pausing to toss an oar back in the boat before twining his fingers in Stede's hair.

Ed taps his shoulder rapidly after another few moments.

He could stop. But he also recalls how good it felt when Mary would keep going as he came, and even if he can't swallow, maybe Ed won't mind.

The other oar clatters into the dinghy on his other side, and Ed's hips jerk up off his seat.

Swallowing isn't in the cards, at least not now, so Stede lets Ed's come fall from his mouth so he can keep sucking.

"Okay," Ed pants. "Fuck, too much, Stede-"

Stede pops back up and winces. "Next time should maybe do this elsewhere. Don't think my back liked that much, but it was worth it. Did I do alright?"

Ed leans forward to rest his head against Stede's shoulder, his hand busy tucking himself away and doing up his trousers.

"Is that a yes?" Stede chuckles at Ed's breath on his neck, the almost inaudible whines he presses into Stede's skin with kisses.

"Yeah," Ed sighs finally. "You did good. Fucking hell, you did very good."

"Really? I know I'll need more practice," Stede says.

"Enthusiasm can make up for more than you'd expect," Ed says. "Okay. Hate to ask, but I'm still all jelly-feeling. Could you row?"

"Absolutely," Stede replies. "You want to stay there?"

"For another minute at least. You're comfy."

Stede smiles and gently rests his head against Ed's. "You are too."

In the distance, he can barely make out a strip of sand and trees.