Thread by @OurFlagMnsSteph

#noangstnov
Day 14: Hand holding

This was it. Israel Hands' time had come. It would be a good death, noble even. To die in protection of his Captain. It was perfect really, fitting.
His sight was fading, everything going gray at the edges.

"Izzy! Hold on, we're gonna fix you!"
"Fuck, he looks bad."
There was a lot of yelling, but Izzy couldn't follow it anymore.
Pain radiated from his center, dulling everything else around him. He was getting so cold, like all his warmth was leaving his body through the hole.

"Izzy, Izzy stay with us!"
"Keep your fucking eyes open, Hands!"
The pain sharpened again when someone pressed down on the wound
Someone grabbed his hand, squeezed it hard. It was so hot, like sunshine in summer, bleeding warmth in to his numb fingers.

"Bastardo! Mantente vivo!
"Israel, we need you! That's an order!"
His other hand was grabbed, others landed on his shoulders, his legs.
Oh, he was lifting, raising up. Moving through the air like a bird. Like the swallow on his neck.

He faded, floated a bit.
And then he was crashing down again.
His body landed on something cloud soft.
All the hands left, except the ones holding his own. The pain surged again and he was out.

He came to slowly, his body a vessel of agony.
But pain was good. Pain meant he was alive, and wasn't that a shock.
"Iz...Izzy...open your fucking eyes."
He had to. His body was atuned to Ed's voice and he was forced to comply.

The light seemed so bright at first, but he adjusted and there was Ed. Sitting on his left, grasping his hand, same as before.
Ed breathed out in a rush like he'd been holding it for ages.
"Can you hear us?"

Not Ed, but a voice on his other side. He had to turn his head to see who it was. God it took so long to move that little bit to see Stede.
"Y...yea"
And hearing Izzy speak Stede practically shook and squeezed his right hand.
"Don't make him move!"

It was yelled from somewhere near his feet. Warm and rough. Roach.
"Take it easy, mate."
"Rest up, laddie"
Stede was rubbing his hand on both of his, reached down and kissed a knuckle.
Izzy was utterly perplexed.
"...Wha?"

Ed reached out and touched his face, cradled it in his warm palm.
"You worried us a lot, Iz. Thought we might lose you."
He chuckled a bit, or was it a sob?
"We all wanted to watch over you, fought over the privilege a bit. You'd have hated it. Decided we'd all do it instead."

"..th'ship?"
"Docked, dear. We're safe for now."
"And we're staying put until you're up and able to yell at us again."
"Really, Pete?"
"...I...Cap..."
Ed gave Izzy an appraising look.
"Alright, he's up and stable, everyone out, let's let him rest."

Izzy heard grumbles and well wishes in equal measure as the crew made their way out of the cabin. The Captains' cabin he was just now noticing.
"'Mmy your?"
"You're in our cabin, yes. Don't worry. Wanted you to be as comfortable as possible. And we needed the room for all of us."

When had Stede gotten so good at reading him, too?
"Izzy...why...why did you take the hit?"
Ed said it softly, his voicing breaking a bit.
"He...he's...m'Captain."
And then Ed was sobbing, curled over him, still gripping his hand."
"You...you can't...Iz...Stede?"

Stede shhh'd and tried to comfort Ed, reaching over Izzy to touch him with the hand not entwined with Izzy's. Ed calmed and Izzy just felt more confused.
Stede fixed him with a look he couldn't decipher.
"You saved my life. At what you thought would be the expense of yours."

Stede leaned in, and Izzy could see tears in his eyes.
"You will NOT do it again. You hear me?"
Izzy tried to nod.
"Yes Captain."

-End-

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