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Izzy would normally go to his quarters when the party games started after too many drinks, but tonight Fang had somehow persuaded him to stay. So he finds himself sitting on one of the crates that have been arranged into a circle for whatever comes next.
“How about dares?” Lucius asks.
“Isn’t it truth and dare?” Wee John asks.
“Yeah but dares are more exciting, so who’s in?”
There’s a couple of groans but mostly cheers, Izzy tries to sneak off but Fang keeps a tight grip on his arm, he sits down again reluctantly.
“Fine, but no one dare Frenchie to eat peanut paste again, it wasn’t funny the first or second time.” Wee John warns.
“Okay, no peanut paste,” Lucius confirms.
Izzy’s eyes wander to Bonnet, the man’s sitting opposite him looking a little nervous about playing. Probably scared someone will dare him to be a real pirate he thinks, laughing to himself at his own joke.
Lucius starts, daring Frenchie to climb up the crows nest, which would be a tame dare if the man was sober. Izzy does think about stopping it but he knows they’ll all just get annoyed with him for ruining their fun, so he lets it happen. Luckily Frenchie climbs it successfully, albeit a bit wobbly. He stumbles a bit on the way down, landing rather ungracefully in Wee John’s arms, but unharmed.
The following dares continue to be just as tame, Archie’s dared to kiss Roach which she does happily. Olu’s dared to do a shot of who knows what that Roach made up in the kitchen, he does it albeit not so willingly. Izzy’s just glad that one wasn’t for him.
By the time it gets to Stede, the blonde is almost sweating, Izzy wonders why he’s so nervous over a game.
It’s Lucius who chooses the dare, “Stede I dare you to… kiss Izzy.” Oh god why would Lucius choose that, he must be doing it to mess with him.
“I- well I guess as it’s a dare I can’t say no.” Stede says nervously as he slowly approaches Izzy. “Unless you don’t want me to, Izzy?”
“S’fine.” Izzy grumbles. “Just get it over with.”
There’s a few whoops and cheers as Bonnet kisses him, Izzy feels so embarrassed by the whole situation he can’t wait for it to be over.
“Well that was fuckin’ awful.” Izzy whispers to Stede once they break apart.
He doesn't expect Bonnet to run off though, yes it was embarrassing but they’re all drunk they’ll forget it in five minutes.
Lucius takes a seat next to him. “You don’t even know, do you?”
“Know what?”
“How much that man fucking likes you, I basically had to orchestrate this whole thing so you two could kiss and then you say that to him.”
“You what?”
“Oops.” Lucius replies sheepishly. “Wasn’t meant to say that part, well at least now you know.”
“He actually likes me?” Izzy asks, still shocked.
“Just go talk to him, god you old men are useless.”
Izzy knocks on the door of Bonnet’s cabin, not entirely sure what he's going to say. He didn’t mean to upset him, but he’s not good at apologies.
“Go away.” Stede shouts.
He nearly does, he nearly walks off like a coward, but then he hears Stede’s sobs through the wooden door. He opens the door slowly, not sure what’s going to happen next.
“Bonnet, I’m coming in.”
Stede doesn’t answer anymore, Izzy doesn’t see the man straight away, but the curtains around his bed are closed and there’s a sniffle coming from behind them. He opens the curtains to find Bonnet sat on the bed, eyes red from crying.
“Bonnet, I-“
“Don’t, it’s fine.” Stede interrupts. “I get it, I’m the last person you’d ever want to kiss.”
Izzy sighs, running a hand through his hair as he perches on the bed. “I didn’t mean it like that, it was just awkward in front of the crew.”
“Sorry.” Stede sniffs.
“There was no need to set up a game to kiss me, you could’ve just done it.” Izzy says, shocking them both.
“What?”
Well he might as well double down now. “I said you could just kiss me.”
Even though he’s the one that said it, Izzy’s still a little surprised when Stede actually kisses him. It’s so much better than a stupid dare kiss, it’s real and soft and it’s everything Izzy didn’t even realise he was missing.
“What does this mean?” Stede asks.
“Shit I dunno, I’m not good at this.” Izzy admits. “Can’t we just kiss some more and see what happens?”
“That would be nice.” Stede replies.