Chapter Text
Izzy had been trying to teach Stede again how to correctly read a nautical chart for the last hour (No, Bonnet, it’s not more exciting to simply follow the wind, that gets you wrecked!) when Lucius came in to tell him they needed his help on deck.
“Olu and Pete were trying to fix... that thing you said, something about the rigging, right? But they’re stuck, I think,” he explained vaguely.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake!”
Izzy stormed out of the captain’s cabin, muttering curses to himself. It wasn’t such a difficult task, he had thought the crew was finally getting the grasp on their jobs, especially Oluwande, but apparently he had been wrong.
When he reached the deck, though, instead of the mess he had been expecting he found himself in front of a very smug and very happy bunch of pirates that cheered loudly at him.
“Surpriiiise!” the whole crew shouted as one.
“Wha-what?”
“Happy birthday, Izzy!” Bonnet yelled behind him and then Izzy finally noticed the decorations.
There were fewer flowers than in the last big event on the Revenge, but there were many colorful decorations everywhere, beautiful paper lanterns ready to be lit when the sun would go down and were those parcels with ribbons on a table actually presents?
“How did you know?” Izzy asked, confused.
He hadn’t said anything about his birthday, in fact he hadn’t even remembered it was that day, except for a vague thought in the morning when he had checked the logs. Birthdays weren’t important for pirates or had never been before he had set foot on that crazy ship full of madmen.
“You told me once, but you were so drunk you probably don’t remember,” Frenchie said with a wink.
“We all agreed we should do something special for our first mate’s birthday this year,” Stede said, looking as excited as a child on Christmas morning. “We have a great party ready for you, Izzy! Ready, people?”
Izzy stood awkwardly while Stede and the crew sang Happy Birthday to him, willing his body not to blush, but probably failing. A birthday party. It was ridiculous, it was a waste and it was the most heartwarming thing that had happened to him in a long time.
The crew started giving him the presents right away and soon his hands were full and he was fighting to the keep himself from tearing up.
First Roach and Fang came up from the galley with snacks and pastries and a big lemon cake.
(I know these are your favorites, little man, I’ve seen you have seconds when you thought nobody was looking.
Yes, boss, and I know you like the little lemon cakes, we used to buy them on shore leave, remember?)
Then Pete and Lucius offered him a big package and Izzy unwrapped it to find a few bottles of good rum.
(I found them in the last raid and we saved them for your birthday, Izzy.
Yes, and I helped wrapping them, you know. It was quite difficult with my wooden finger and all…
You made a lovely bow with that ribbon, babe. It looked great.
Aaaww, thank you, babe.)
Wee John and Frenchie’s present was next, a beautiful dark-blue cloak with embroidered sparrows.
(For night watches, when it gets cold. I hope I got the measures right, Izzy, if not, you let me know and I’ll fix it.
Yeah, and I sewed the sparrows, Izzy. They’re good luck birds, you know? They’ll protect you from evil witches.)
Oluwande, Archie and Jim offered him a smaller package and Izzy found a set of very good quality daggers inside.
(I chose those myself, hombrecito, that’s very good steel. You could stab a thousand men with those!
Or not! Not right now I mean. But we thought you’d like them, Izzy. Happy birthday!
Yeah, I bet you could hide the smallest one somewhere in your unicorn leg and nobody would see it coming, man!)
The presents were very thoughtful and Izzy realized he had only managed to grumble a thank-you every time, but nobody seemed to care. The crew was having fun, laughing and eating while cheering at him to open the next present and when he thought that was the last one, Stede got closer slowly with his hands behind his back.
“Here, this is my present for you, Israel. I hope you like it,” Stede said almost casually, but his face showed how nervous he really was.
Stede offered him a big sword, wrapped with a green silk ribbon and Izzy stared at it open-mouthed. It was… pretty, but it was clearly an ornamental sword, made for show and not for fighting. The blade was too thin and too long and the guard was beautifully crafted, yes, with intertwined steel vines with thorns and leaves that created a sort of cage where your hand was supposed to go. It looked like wielding that sword in a real fight would cause more damage to your hand than any attack from your opponent.
Izzy looked at Stede’s expectant face and then took a deep breath.
“It’s beautiful, Captain, thank you very much. I’ll treasure it.”
There, he thought proudly, he didn’t say he would use it so he wasn’t technically lying.
Stede beamed at him, looking incredibly proud.
“Oh, I also bought you this,” he added then as he offered him a very small package. “Yours seems to be a bit worn-out and they’re always useful.”
A pair of leather gloves, just his size.
“I know you only use one, but well, better have the pair, I thought, just in case.”
“Thank you, Stede,” Izzy said softly.
There was a silence then, but it wasn’t awkward at all. It didn’t last long, though, because soon the crew was loudly demanding cake and the party continued, with cake, drinks and songs long until the moon was up in the sky. And Izzy enjoyed every single moment of it, even if he wasn’t going to admit it out loud. Not yet, at least.