Edward Teach Died on a Beach (OFMD)

Chapter 22

Listen classes are almost over so I will definitely add the remainder of whatever I wrote and will definitely not give up after I run out of drafts to post
Stede turned back to the fore mast. In the process, he had to look past the main mast, which still laid forward off the deck. He decided to deal with that later. He ran down to the lower deck to grab some bread and orange marmalade. He grabbed a bottle of brandy as well, shoving it into his pocket before heading to the mask and beginning to climb to the top. He balanced the platter he held on his hand, trying to ignore the fact that he was climbing higher and higher with only one hand.

When he reached the top, he saw Ed sitting with his legs dangling off the railing. Ed was facing away from him, an arm hooked around the railing. He drank some rum from the bottle he held.

"Hey," Stede said gently.

Ed turned his head just slightly. "Hey."

"Here," Stede said, sliding the platter of bread and marmalade across the top to Ed.

Ed pulled away from the edge slightly, turning to face Stede. Stede crossed his legs and sat a foot or so away.

"Can I have the rum bottle?" Stede asked.

Ed narrowed his eyes. "Why?"

"I brought brandy up," Stede replied cheerfully.

Ed set the bottle of rum on the ground next to where he sat. He reached out and took a piece of bread, spreading marmalade onto it. Stede smiled slightly.

"Okay, say it," Ed said.

Stede raised a brow and frowned slightly. "What?"

"You want me to talk it out," Ed replied.

Stede smiled a little. "It'd be nice, yeah. I think I already know a bit of it."

"Yeah?" Ed asked as he bit off some bread.

"Sam said he thought you were brave for standing up to Hornigold," Stede said. "He implied that there might be a part of you that's hurt by Hornigold's words."

Ed stared at him for a moment. "That's crazy."

"Oh, is it?" Stede asked with a breathy chuckle. "He also said that he was glad you were... not Blackbeard, essentially. He told me that he'd talked to Izzy a few times."

Ed looked a little curious now. "Bout what?"

"You. He said Izzy was ranting about... you know. The parts of you he didn't like. So Sam knows more about you than you'd assume."

Ed crossed his arms and thoughtfully chewed on his bread. "What else did he say?"

"Promise me you won't kill him?" Stede replied.

Ed nodded. "Course. I promise."

"He said Blackbeard was invented as a coping mechanism by a scared kid that was wronged by society," Stede said.

Ed stared at him for a long time and then leaned forward, grabbing the bottle of brandy and opening it. He took a long sip from it.

"Which... is true, honestly," Stede said.

Ed frowned. He'd never thought of the people who heard Izzy at his angriest. He always assumed Izzy bitched to someone when he got angry, but he didn't imagine it being someone like Sam.

That was just like Sam, though. Sam liked to find the other side of someone's story, even if it meant he had to listen to Izzy talk about bullshit for however long.

He'd never really wondered how much Izzy would say. Maybe he should have. He didn't remember exactly what he'd told Izzy about his early life, but he knew he'd probably mentioned it at some point. After all, he and Izzy had been... friends? Not friends? Not friends. He knew Izzy didn't like him. Not really. Izzy got off on Blackbeard and the fear, terror, and fame that followed him.