Izzy wakes up at the crack of dawn to find Eds leg resting against his, and Stedes hand under his shirt.
Both men had worn one of Stedes nightgowns to bed, while Izzy had preferred his usual outfit - his normal shirt and no pants, because leather at night was a horrible idea.
Eds gown had ridden up, so now his legs were bare and pressed against Izzy's legs.
On his other side, stede has both rolled halfway over Izzy and snuck his hand into his shirt, holding his breast, squeezing it in his sleep.
"Oh my god." Izzy whispers, but doesn't move away.
It's because.. uh.. the captains need their sleep.
It's *not* because Izzy likes the way he's almost completely covered by them, or all the places they're touching.
That would be ridiculous, and untrue. Because that's not the reason.
Izzy closes his eyes again and dozes for a while,
whatever restlessness that usually presses him out of the bed sated by being held down like this.
Eventually, though, all good things must end and Stede wakes up with a yawn and a stretch, which wakes up Edward as well.
"Good morning, my loves!"
Stede is the first one to get out, mostly because he's the closest to the edge.
"Shall I call for breakfast?"
"Mmmm yeah Roach should bring us those little filled bread thingies, they're so good, Izzy you have to try them!" Ed is the next to get up,
throwing his very naked leg over Izzy's hip.
Izzy doesn't stare at the shadow between Eds legs, nope. He says "some tea might be nice" because every other word would just explode in his mouth.
"Oh and tea, yes yes!" Nodding, Stede walks around the cabin.
"Now, where is your change of clothing?"
"On the Anne." Izzy sits up, watches as Ed disappears into the washroom. He's not staring, no.
"Oh. Then what have you been wearing, all this time?" Confused, Stede pokes at Izzy's leather pants.
When Izzy doesn't answer, Stede grimaces.
"Well! Why didn't you say something? We'll get you sorted right away." Stede riffles through his clothing. "I'm sure I have something that will fit you."
"My normal kit is fine." It's been fine for weeks.
"Nonsense! Youre our first mate-"
Izzy, to be completely honest, doesn't hear anything else Stede say for the next few minutes.
He let's himself be walked to the 'secret' closet and dressed, all while "our" repeats in his head.
Our our our-
He's theirs, in whatever small ways. Theirs. Stedes and Eds. Theirs. Ours.
By the time his brain is working again, Stede has presented him with a dark gray pair of linen pants and a flowy dark green shirt.
"I know it's no leather,
but I do think that it'll look stunning on you!" Stede is nodding to himself while fiddling with the cuff of his own shirt.
"Sure." Izzy would do anything to hear Stede(or even Ed) say it again.
So he takes the clothing and puts it down,
while Stede turns around for "modesty".
It's a bit big on him, but it.. it smells like Stede and Ed, and that is.. normal. Good. Totally normal.
"Oh." When Izzy walks out, Ed stares at him.
"What?"
"Nothing, it just.. suits you. The color, I mean."
Blushing, Izzy breaks their eye contact.
"Yes, I couldn't agree more!" Behind him, Stede claps his hands and then directs Izzy to sit at the table. "Our Izzy looks quite stunning in green, wouldn't you say?"
Izzy misses half the breakfast, but the bread things are good.
When Izzy had been much younger, he had heard a myth about soulmates.
According to the story he has been told by his quartermaster on the navy ship he has been sailing on, humans used to have four arms and legs, and two heads.
Jealous of their perfection, the gods ripped them apart, separating each human into two halves.
Those halves were desperate to reunite and be whole again.
Back then, Izzy had scoffed at the story and gone back to scrubbing the deck, but now that he's older, he can see what the guy had been on about.
This must either be heaven, or hell, Izzy can't quite decide.
He's sandwiched between the captains, Stede on his left and Ed on his right(who gave up his usual spot in bed incredibly easily). If he'd dare to close his eyes, Izzy could almost Imagine himself -
No. He can't. This is just because he's sick, nothing else.
Stedes hand grazes Izzy's, and the touch burns.
It's like a revelation, feeling Stedes skin against his own, no leather or cloth separating them anymore.
Izzy can barely think, barely keep himself from moving his hand so he's fully touching Stede.
It doesn't take Izzy that long to feel better again, helped by the extremely soft bed, good food and being pampered by two captains desperate for.. something.
Izzy isn't sure what they're getting out of this, but what he is sure of is that laying around for that long has made him a worse sword fighter.
It must have, because that is the only reason how Stede could beat him in a fair fight. The only reason. Yes.
Maybe it could have something to do with his foot, and how he's never quite managed to get his balance back, but that doesn't explain why he's staring up at the sky, sword on the other side of the deck while Stede fusses over him.
Fang is a fucking gossip because the news of "Izzy allowed a hug" travels around the ship far too quickly.
First it's Roach, who brings Izzy some new food while also checking his temperature.
And yeah, maybe Izzy didn't fight this hug, not even a little bit. Roach smells like cigarettes and onions, and squeezes surprisingly firm. It's an.. acceptable hug.
Next is Lucius, who rolls his eyes at Stede narrating some bullshit and maybe that hug is nice too. Just the right amount of pressure, not too long, not too short. Whatever, nothing big.
By the afternoon, half the crew has made excuses to visit Izzy,