Chapter Text
"Stede?"
"Yes love, in here!"
Izzy follows his voice into the auxiliary closet. He smiles fondly at the sight that awaits him. Stede's on the floor with the book he's been reading all week while their baby wiggles happily on a pile of soft fabrics.
"Hi boys," he says. Slowly, carefully, Izzy lowers himself to sit with his family. Stede immediately is grabbing for his hand.
"I missed you! I thought you were staying in with me this morning."
Izzy chuckles, shaking his head. "I had a few things to get done before breakfast." He gently brushes his fingers across the baby's head. "I thought Jim was watching him?"
"Well they were, until I got bored. Nearly had to fight them just to spend some time with my own son!" Stede grins, his eyes soft.
Between them, baby Samuel grins back, the big gummy smile that melts everyone's hearts. His wispy blonde hair and big hazel eyes are such a perfect blend of the two of them. Yet another representation of their love.
Stede loves finding new ways to represent it. When they visited Barbados so that Izzy could meet Mary, Stede commissioned her to paint them together. On a long hike, Stede gathered up flowers to give Izzy. For his birthday, Izzy was surprised with a party and a new sword, Stede slyly admitting that he'd had it made a few months back.
Their cabin has become a mix of their things, Izzy's clothes in the closet, his books in the library.
Their life together is so wonderful. And now they get to share it with another lovely gift. Their Samuel.
Stede coos at him, and Izzy leans down to press a kiss to his soft hair.
---
Izzy was on late watch, giving the crew a well deserved break after the busy day of looting they'd had.
He was giving Stede a little break as well, wearing Samuel in a fancy wrap that Frenchie had come up with. They'd argued about it of course, Stede insisting he would be fine with the baby. He probably wouldve been, but why should Stede have a bad sleep when Izzy would be awake anyway?
"Don't be difficult, Bonnet," Izzy had grumbled, already grabbing the wrap. "You're exhausted." He'd stepped closer and kissed his partner. "Sleep."
And Stede had relented, knowing a lost cause when he saw one. He'd kissed Samuel, then Izzy goodnight and went off to slip into his sleepwear.
Pleased, Izzy had left to patrol the deck.
In the present, Izzy could feel the front of his shirt growing more wet by the second. He pullled a face, looking down where Samuel is drooling all over Izzy in his sleep. "Yuck," he whispers.
But when he looks away, he's smiling again, unable to hold back the burst of fondness.
---
The day before Samuel's second birthday, the Revenge is boarded by pirates who were posing as a merchant vessel.
Stede was asleep when it happened, still not a fan of being woken early. Izzy, always an early riser, was awake, trying to read a book. Between them, Samuel was snuggled against their sides, tucked into the blankets.
When the first clash of swords ring out, the baby startles awake and begins to cry.
"Shit," Izzy mutters, suddenly on high alert. He tosses the book to the side and picked up Samuel, tucking him into his chest. "Shh little one. It'll be okay."
On his way out of the bed, Izzy elbows Stede in the side. "Wake up!" He hisses. "Stede!"
"What?" Stede says around a yawn. "What's happening?"
Izzy puts down the baby for a moment so that he can strap on his leg. Samuel's cries get louder. "Get up! We're under attack!"
Luckily that gets Stede moving. He scoops up Samuel and heads toward the auxiliary wardrobe, where Izzy had added a locking mechanism in case of this very scenario.
"Papa," Samuel sobs, his chubby little hands reaching for Izzy as Stede carries him away. "Want Papa!"
Izzy frowns. He hates that there's no time to comfort his son, hates that this is happening. Of course, how could they have planned for this?
"Papa will be right back," he says quickly, giving Stede a look.
Stede nods. "Go. We'll be okay."
"No!" Samuel whines, big tears sliding down his chubby cheeks. Izzy's heart aches for him.
With another once over of his family, Izzy notices something. He huffs. "Take a sword at least," he says.
Stede rolls his eyes, grabs the nearest sword, and Izzy takes the cue to leave.
In the end, the boarding pirates are mostly handled by the time Izzy joins the fray. The deck is slippery with blood. It doesn't appear that any of their crew are hurt, and Izzy only has to take out one guy before the rest are dispatched.
"Is everyone okay?" Izzy yells, once he's pretty sure they're safe.
The crew replies positively and Izzy finally feels himself relax with relief. They're safe.
---
A few weeks after that, Stede and Izzy are having a leisurely afternoon picnic up in the crow's nest. Somewhere on the ship, Lucius is attempting to teach Samuel how to paint. From somewhere else, the soft sounds of music are floating up to the couple.
Stede rests his head on Izzy's shoulder with a sigh.
"Hmm?" Izzy says.
Stede sighs again, this time more dramatically. Izzy snorts.
"What's on your mind, babe?"
"Just thinking about our life."
No matter how many times he hears it, and even says it himself, Izzy loves to think of it as theirs. And it is, really. They've shared everything with each other since that wonderful, fateful day nearly three years ago, when a heated night led to so much more.
"Anything in particular about it?" Izzy asks, amused. Stede always needed prompting for explanations but Izzy didn't mind much.
"Thinking about how lucky I am to have you, and Samuel of course but... these past few years have been the best years of my life." Stede sounds a little teary-eyed now. Izzy wraps his arm tighter around Stede, pulling him in closer.
"I'm the lucky one," Izzy replies. "Can't imagine where I'd be without you."
Stede sniffs. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you."
Oh. /Oh./
Izzy's eyes go wide. "And I, you," he answers slowly.
"Izzy," Stede says, scooting around until he can see Izzy's face.
"Stede."
"I know we've really never talked about it, but would you do me the honor of-"
"Yes. Yes!" Izzy feels breathless.
Stede pouts. "But I didn't finish asking!"
Izzy rolls his eyes, laughs. Caresses his cheek with his hand. "Go on then."
Stede blushes. "Would you do me the honor of marrying me?"
"Yes," Izzy says again, and this time when they kiss, it comes with the promise of thousands more.