While Willa had opted to slip down the door to the floor once they were apart, Izzy had just remained seated on the bed. Just like his beautiful girl he saw that something had changed between them. He peered down at his hand as though it were somebody else's. He knew every single scar, the tiny tattoo there, all the lines and callouses, but somehow it seemed different to him now. Why had he taken her hand? No. No he wasn't thinking about it. Things had been strange for fucking days now and he wasn't going to let more weirdness be thrown on top. No, no, no, no, fucking no. His hands clenched into fists so tight his fingernails drew blood from his palms. The pain grounded him. Pain was good. Pain made sense. Pain was kind to him. Izzy let his head fall backward and his eyes slip shut while he breathed and drank in the soothing throb in his hands. All his worries drained away, mind stopped racing. It was almost like when he'd slept and been cradled in a comforting void grateful for it's tutelage.

Then, suddenly, the door was thrown open again and Willa stepped inside. Surely she'd not been gone longe enough to reach the galley, and judging by the fact her hands weren't laden with anything, she'd not. Izzy lifted an eyebrow as he regarded his emerald-eyed girl as all thoughts of food were tossed aside in favor of discovering what her apparent concern was about. He watched her lips part, tremble a moment then close again only to open once more and repeat; something had happened, maybe she'd been accosted in the passageways?

"… Ed and Stede want to see you on the main deck." Willa whispered.

Ah, this is it then said his brain. They were going to finish this for a second, and hopefully final, time. Would Izzy Hands be cast to the ocean or the abyss? Would the sharks be eating well tonight?

The former first mate nodded, to her or himself he didn't quite know nor care. Then he was up, yanked his shirt off of Willa and started to dress since it would be better to just get everything over with. The teenager did go pull out her old slip from under the bed just so she had something to put on, but otherwise she remained by the door and silent. Willa was as uncertain about what would happen next as Izzy himself.

Haphazardly dressed, Izzy left their cabin knowing Willa had no choice but to trail after him like a scared child. He couldn't speak, didn't want to give her or, more importantly, himself more worries. Izzy wasn't scared, not of death, not of pain and suffering, not even of being forced to leave again. No, Izzy feared seeing the captain he so loved look at him with disappointment. Edward's disappointment would sit atop his shoulder for the rest of his life.

Plunged into sunlight was Izzy when they stepped out on deck; so bright that for a moment he found himself blinded. Yet, when sight returned to him, Izzy saw how the entire crew had gathered, saw how almost all of them glared at him with asperity. They lingered by the stairs like spectators, but the two captains stood united with their backs to the mast Izzy had pinned Stede to so recently. Suddenly he knew how soldiers felt at a court martial.

The man with salt and pepper hair marched right to them uncaring about those behind him waiting with eager anticipation for him to be burned. Willa stopped little more than a step from his left side, would have plastered herself against him if she could. While Izzy was fully prepared to accept his punishment, the Prussian clearly wasn't. Izzy knew full well his captain could inflict serious punishment when the mood took him.

The silence lingered on a little too long and Willa's heart practically broke. She surged forward. "Mercy. Please be merciful to him."

Before their blond captain could get out a single utterance Izzy hopped in, voice gruff as always. "Punishment is punishment for a reason, lass."

Her mouth fluttered for a few seconds before it closed in defeat and her head lowered as she stepped back. The three men weren't idiots, they saw how her hands shook, saw her fear. Izzy wouldn't ever again doubt she loved him, not when Willa had stooped to begging for him.

Blue eyes left Willa, he couldn't look at her while this happened, so Izzy looked back to his captain and Stede. They'd all put this off long enough, best to get to it. He was ready for his comeuppance, so Izzy was beyond surprised when Edward stepped forward and, of all things, hugged him. The shorter man's entire body tensed. The act wasn't one of love, certainly not a loving embrace, nor an act of need, but rather of a man who didn't know how to hug doing his best to hug a man who didn't like to be hugged. An awkward, semi-comical display that only Stede seemed pleased with. Izzy went ramrod straight and made no attempt to return the hug. His brain may have committed suicide and a blood vessel in his temple popped from a feeling only described as what the fuck.

"I'm … sorry." The bearded man almost whispered only to step back. "I never acknowledged you're my best friend." Christ, this was awkward for everybody and clearly the blond captain had put all of these wheels in motion. "You've- you've been with me so long you're practically my brother. I've been drowning for years and never noticed you were right next to me drowning as well."

Izzy swallowed audibly while his captain glared down at the deck, not quite brave enough to make eye contact. Izzy didn't know what to say. This wasn't pirates and the hug hadn't been bad exactly just very, very strange.

Edward backed up to Bonnet. Fucking Stede Bonnet always ruined things! Yet, before the anger could start to build deep inside him again his captain started to talk and everything in Izzy firmly focused on the taller man.

"Punishment time, Iz."

There it was, that was normal, that was supposed to happen instead of hugs and problematic words of apology. Izzy could vaguely hear the other crew start to murmur amongst themselves, they grew excited for what was to come. Izzy was prepared. No matter how much pain and blood was involved, no matter if it disfigured him for life or even killed him, he'd take his punishment.

It wasn't until Stede patted his fellow captain on the shoulder that Edward spoke again.

"… Punishment is you have to apologize to Stede for running him through and challenging him in the first place." The former first mate blinked as he tried to process exactly what had just been said. "And you'd better fucking mean it. Genuinely mean it, Izzy. I want a real one."

The former first mate's mouth fell agape, as did everybody else's. Apologize? That was meant to be a fucking punishment? Izzy didn't give a flying fuck about Bonnet having a hole in his abdomen or that he'd been the one to put it there. He'd been well within his rights to challenge the fucking sybarite to a duel. He'd done it for his captain, to rid the bearded man of someone so quietly pernicious. Besides, the only person Izzy had ever actually apologized to with any honesty was Blackbeard himself and Izzy had no intention of changing that.

However, Willa placed a hand on his upper arm and he mentally jumped having forgotten she was there. A bizarre strength somehow flowed into him. Sixteen, this Prussian girl was only sixteen, hardly out of childhood's hour, but had so much strength stored inside her and, for some reason, when she touched him he absorbed a modicum of it.

"Now, Iz." Edward said in a tone much harsher than it had been with his previous words.

Izzy could recognize and order when he heard one; seemed he was the only pirate there who could some days. He truly didn't want to obey, wanted to tell Bonnet to go fuck himself … but Izzy obeyed his captain. He hadn't when it came to the duel and it had resulted in him being kicked off the vessel. So, with gritted teeth, Izzy nodded and obeyed.

Blue eyes weary from years at sea, turned to the ponce known as Bonnet who stood there patiently waiting for his apology as though a few words would suddenly make everything all right. In a way Izzy envied Stede Bonnet, the fool had managed to spend his life in a bubble of money and frivolity; he'd never known what it was like to truly go hungry, never known the pain of watching the only person he loved die slowly before his very eyes.

Attempting to get those two little words out felt like coughing up glass, so unnatural and agonizing. He hated every second of it.

"I'm … so-" His eye twitched. "I'm … sorry." Oh thank Christ that's over, Izzy had thought the strain would kill him.

Yet, just when he'd started to feel like he'd have actually preferred keelhauling, Willa squeezed his arm comfortingly and his anger and shame faded away once again.

He'd hoped that was it, all over and done with ready for a beating or something, but Edward's harsh gaze didn't let up, the man wanted more and wouldn't let Izzy off the hook until he'd capitulated. Jesus, if his glare got any sterner Izzy might have started coughing up blood.

"Go on." Willa whispered so quietly only Izzy heard it.

"… Recently-" Oh he hated every single second of this. "I've learned I don't … do well with change and respond violently." He spoke mostly to the deck so he could pretend no one could hear him, but of course the rest of the crew could; Izzy flat-out refused to make eye contact with Stede.

Silence lingered after that, uncomfortable for some, suspense filled for others, too long for everyone. Izzy even started to think about chumming the water himself so the sharks would be good and hungry when he tossed himself in to flee the embarrassment. The former first mate couldn't get more out and the two captains recognized that.

Willa's hand fell away from his arm only for two male hands to fall on his shoulders. Stede fucking Bonnet had dared to touch him and Izzy fought the urge to behead the fucker.

"Thank you, Izzy, I forgive you." Stede cleared his throat clearly unaware of how close to death he stood. "I am sorry as well. I realize I never took your feelings into account and simply judged you on sight. I think we all need to thank Willa for opening our eyes. I speak a lot about talking things through as a crew but … I've never made any attempt to include you in that, so it is no wonder you've never felt accepted or wanted here. That is all my fault. You should be admired, Izzy." The shorter man's head snapped up with utter confusion. "You are loyal and smart. Willa is right, you are the reason this ship is still seaworthy."

This was all excruciatingly weird to Izzy so he made a sort of non-committal sound and backed out of Stede's reach. The sooner all of this ended the better. No way in hell could Stede Bonnet think Izzy to be someone worth admiring. People didn't think that way about Izzy Hands, not when he was just the violent little man doing the dirty jobs.

However, when he stole a glance at Willa she had one of those soft smiles on her face and looked far more relaxed than she had been ten minutes ago; similar expressions were on Stede's and Edward's faces when he looked at them as well. Back in the cabin he'd taken Willa's hand, was this another of those situations? For the first time in a very long time Izzy thought about the days when he'd not been the violent little man doing the dirty jobs, when he'd smiled and sung to his sister just to see her bright eyes fill with joy. He'd told himself he didn't miss those days for so long that he'd convinced himself. Maybe Willa had been right and he would get washed away in that storm if he clung to the legend of Blackbeard forever. Izzy had lost his entire world once before, he'd lost it again when he'd been banished from the ship, but for Willa sake Blackbeard- no, Edward had hauled him back.

Suddenly Ed clapped his hands together loudly which drew everybody's attention like an alarm bell.

"Okay, punishment over. Banishment over too."

Izzy was dumbfounded. Banishments weren't just ended after a few days, they were serious, I-never-want-to-see-you-again things, that was why they called it fucking banishment instead of a nice vacation.

Stede rounded the man with salt and pepper hair then so he could address the rest of the crew with a big smile. The crew meanwhile stared with as much confusion as Izzy.

"Guys, we're going to try something a little different with the ship from now on. It's unprecedented and a little unusual, I'll admit." Wasn't everything involving Bonnet? "Ed and I decided we'd … co-captain the Revenge. We're both going to run the ship. I mean, we sort of already have been so why not make it official?"

Jim raised a hand, an act totally unlike them but the puzzling situation called for it.

"Jim, yes?"

"How can we have two captains?" They asked. "Isn't that like, you know, going to cause problems?"

"Hasn't seemed to do so far-"

"That wanker started a duel and nearly killed you." Lucius cut in as he thrust his wooden finger out at Izzy. "I'd call that a problem."

"Yes, yes, but we can hammer any further issues out along the way." There went Stede, ever the optimist. "Although, if we're co-captaining the ship, it means we're in need of a great first mate all the more."

What is happening?! Had Izzy stumbled into an alternate dimension where the sea was made of ale and penguins could fly? Had Frenchie been correct all along and witches existed? Was Willa one of them? Perhaps she'd cast a strange spell to magically get her way. In a logical world Izzy had expected to have Olu replace him as first mate, he was intelligent and good with people, he could motivate the crew. But, while Izzy's mind suffered a little meltdown, Edward clapped him on the back. The moment of pain grounded him and shifted the descending mist.

"First Mate Hands, the crew is idling."

Everybody, everybody, paused at that, stared at Izzy like the rabid dog he'd proven himself to be. They'd probably assumed Olu as his replacement as well.

Izzy looked up at his beloved captain. They actually wanted him with them. They actually wanted him to be a part of the crew.

It was when Ed lifted an eyebrow that Izzy nodded and took up his rank again. He'd only ever known Blackbeard, even when they were teenagers, but maybe he'd like Edward Teach once he got to know him.

"Aye, Captain." He straightened and spun around on the spot with more flare than anyone had ever seen from him. "You heard your captain! Back to work, you twats!"

None of the crew moved save for Willa who casually slipped her hand into Izzy's own. Stede glanced to Ed who glanced right back at Stede questioningly before the blond spoke.

"Guys, kindly don't undermine your first mate. You might not understand this or even agree with it right now, but our Mister Hands is first mate for a reason … and it is the decision of your captains."

That seemed to jolt them all out of their stillness and the small crowd quickly dispersed. Some tried to look busy while others, mostly Lucius, decidedly didn't.

Bonnet grinned happily to himself as though he'd succeeded, but finally let a hand slip to where Izzy had plunged his sword through him. The blond needed to sit down.

"Lovely. Now we're all perfectly perfect-y. Tea?"

Ed beamed. "Ooh that sounds fantastic, it's chilly today."

With that they just wandered off in search of their fucking tea. Izzy stood with the green-eyed angel by his side unknowing what he was meant to do. Should he had just returned to his first mate duties like nothing had ever happened? Could he actually do that? And what sort of punishment was an apology anyway? Sure Izzy hadn't wanted to do it but the act hadn't actually hurt him … physically at least. Punishments were floggings, beatings and more lashes than his back could handle.

Fang entered Izzy's line of vision with an expression somewhere between happy and utterly mystified.

"Em, orders, Mister Hands?"

To Izzy it was the voice he'd needed to snap him out of his thoughts, but Willa saw it for what it was; Fang being a brave and kind person.

"Have the fucking deck swabbed, I want to see myself in it."

Fang nodded and with that, Izzy slipped away with Willa to mentally process what the actual fuck had just happened today in Happy Stede Land.