#📚 ↝ Louis Bonnet & Izzy Hands | unrely ↝ 001

[petrifiedcrange]

Louis has mixed feelings about the fact that overnight his Papa and Uncle Ed and Uncle Izzy and the whole crew came to visit and it looks like they're staying for a while this time... at least Papa, Uncle Ed and Uncle Izzy are staying because they live in their house now, as he understands it.

On one hand, he was thrilled when Alma told him the news — he missed his Papa and he missed his Uncles and to find out that they not only paid a surprise visit but were staying for an indefinite amount of time, right in the house? of course he was thrilled at the prospect of all the time he could spend with them! — before breakfast and rushed to hug his Papa with a happy little shriek when he came downstairs to join them at the table.

On the other, though, he is worried and sad because Papa told him Uncle Izzy was sick and that's why they had to stay with them for a while, because apparently he'll get better faster on land ( and Papa looked so desperately sad when he was saying it that Louis' heart began beating faster in worry — he rarely sees his Papa so unhappy these days, can't remember seeing him so sad since before Papa and Mama and Doug pretended Papa died so he could be free and go find Uncle Ed and everyone could be happy, to be honest, so Uncle Izzy must be feeling really unwell ), and Louis can say from experience that being sick is no fun, both figuratively and literally, which is part of the reason he is now standing in front of Uncle Izzy's door, clutching a fairytale book to his chest.

He didn't come to see him right away, in the morning, ( though he very much wanted to ) because he figured Uncle Izzy was probably asleep — you have to sleep a lot when you're sick to get better sooner — so Louis ran down to the harbor first and spent a few hours on the Revenge, with his Papa's side of their big family.

But now, after lunch time, Louis hopes that Uncle Izzy is awake and if he is, he thinks he might be bored — as much as he saw him during the previous visits, Uncle Izzy was always busy, always doing something, so he can only imagine how boring having to just lie around in bed all day must be for him. Which is why he brought the fairytale book with him — he can read it to Uncle Izzy like his Papa and Mama read to him whenever he was sick.

He is working up the courage to knock on the door ( because Uncle Izzy might be asleep still and he doesn't want to disturb him but he also wants to see him and Uncle Ed and he doesn't think he can wait any longer ) when he sees his Papa walk up the stairs with a tray with what looks like two cups, a teapot and a plate with some marmalade sandwiches on it.

Stede doesn't notice Louis right away because he is too focused on making sure the tea stays inside the cups ( and maybe it was a bad idea to pour it right away, maybe he should have done it once he made it to Izzy's room ). But then he raises his eyes from the tray to open the door for himself and that's when he sees his son, standing hesitantly in front of it, fumbling nervously with the well-worn cover of a fairytale book Stede remembers reading to Louis when he was sick and tucked up in bed and desperately sad because he couldn't play pirates with him and Alma or do something just as fun.

Raising his eyebrows slightly, he asks him curiously why did he bring the book with him.

❝ I’m going to read it to Uncle Izzy. So he's not bored as he gets better. ❞

His simple but considerate answer makes Stede smile and something warm unfurl in his chest, chasing away the cold fear and bone-deep exhaustion that made themselves at home there these past few days ( ever since Izzy collapsed on the deck of their ship just as they set sail, just as it seemed that they narrowly escaped danger all safe and sound and unscathed... ), and he reaches out to ruffle his son's hair affectionately.

❝ I think that's a wonderful idea, Louis, ❞ he says as he does, and oh, his voice sounds choked to his own ears — is he crying?

He isn't, not yet, but tears are welling in his eyes so he turns towards the door before he can break down in front of his five-year-old son and knocks once before turning the doorknob, willing fake cheerfulness into his voice as he asks ❝ How are we doing here? ❞ as he enters, Louis following him closely behind.

@unrely ( Izzy ) gets the promised semi-plotted starter from Louis feat. Stede because he just appeared out of nowhere bringing lunch to his beloved and who was I to deny him that?)