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Izzy pulled the scarf Frenchie lent him higher around his ears and rubbed his temples in an attempt to stave off the headache he could feel coming on. Tonight was karaoke night on the Revenge. Stede had suggested it earlier during the week as a "team building experience" and everyone had been clambering for it since. Everyone except Izzy, that is. It wasn't that he didn't enjoy spending time with the crew these days. They had come to some semblance of peace once the aftershocks of Stede's disappearance and subsequent return had settled. Edward was in a better place now, relationships with the crew were mending, and Stede...well Stede wasn't the WORST pirate Izzy had met in his lifetime anymore. The man had gone and become competent in his absence. Izzy eyed him across the ship and felt his cheeks heat up before tearing his gaze away.
It wasn't a lack of caring that had Izzy seated on the outskirts, directly across from the barrel that held a softly snoring Swede. He rocked the barrel gently with his boot and smiled faintly despite himself as the man dozed. Of all the people on the crew, the Swede was one of the most qualified for singing, yet here he was, somehow sleeping soundly through the din. Izzy briefly thought about waking him to join the others, but the poor man just seemed so tired, and really, every day was karaoke day for Swede. He groaned and buried his face in his hands as Lucius belted out a particularly loud, off key number to a tune Frenchie was strumming on his lute. He'd give anything to be sleeping through this too.
No, Izzy was hiding on the outskirts, battling a rapidly approaching headache, because not a single one of the people singing could carry a tune if their life depended on it.
As it turned out, their lives would indeed depend on just that.
While the crew was distracted by their merriment, and Izzy was distracted by the crew, another ship silently sidled up alongside them. Before anyone realized what was happening, they were being boarded. When the singing broke off into surprised cries, Izzy snapped to attention. His hand flew to his sword and he was on his feet in seconds, headache be damned. He crouched beside the Swede's barrel, so he could search for an opening without being observed himself, and he waited.
Izzy watched as Edward shifted towards the armed invaders, Stede at his elbow, positioning themselves between the newcomers and the crew. He coiled, ready to spring into action at any sign of threat to his captains.
A tall, bearded man wearing a garish purple coat stepped forward and held his hand out in a shushing motion. The Revenge crew's cries quieted and Izzy held his breath, straining to hear the inevitable demands.
"What in GOD'S NAME are you lot DOING over here?" The tall man bellowed instead. "We were just settling in for the night and we could hear you CLEAR ACROSS THE OCEAN!" he continued, voice rising in frustration. He paced for a moment. "I'll tell you what you're doing! You're BUTCHERING songs and RUINING my beauty rest and I won't stand for it!" he roared, stomping his foot petulantly to accentuate the point.
Izzy blinked in surprise, and his eyes darted to Edward and Stede. By the looks of it, his captains were feeling the same confusion he felt. They were being invaded...because of karaoke night? By god he was going to lord this over Stede if they made it out alive. He shook his head and tightened his grip on his sword, trying to clear his thoughts. They had to make it out of this alive first.
The tall man opened his mouth to speak again.
"Let's have a little fun, shall we? I'll make you a deal. I won't kill every last one of you if you can entertain me with even one decent song."
The revenge crew looked a little green around the gills at that and a cackle rang out among the invaders.
"No? Just one song. That's all I want and then we will leave you in peace. Surely ONE SONG isn't impossible." He jeered.
Izzy felt his heart pounding in his chest as he glanced at his captains again. Stede was pale, mouth opening and closing silently in despair. Edward looked around frantically and Izzy felt a pit in his stomach as he realized what Edward was looking for.
He gazed longingly down at his blade before sheathing it with a heavy sigh. Tonight called for a different weapon, one he had shelved long ago. One only a handful of people knew about. His hands trembled as he reached into the barrel to rouse the Swede.
"Wake up!" he hissed, shaking him none too gently. The Swede stared at him sleepily and he shook him again to keep him awake. "It's time for a duet."
The Swede startled at that, sitting up so fast he knocked his head on the top of his barrel. Izzy winced, but the Swede didn't seem to notice in his excitement. "You sing? We will sing together?" he asked.
Izzy clapped a hand over the Swede's mouth and his eyes widened. "Yes" Izzy whispered. "You and I are going to sing together. Lives depend on this, so we're going to get it right the first time. Got it?" he pointed towards the commotion on deck with his other hand.
The Swede nodded seriously at him and Izzy removed the hand covering his mouth. He took a deep breath to calm his nerves as he helped the Swede exit his barrel.
"Ready?" He asked. The Swede nodded and Izzy turned to address the tall man. "We will sing for you." His voice rang out across the deck. The revenge crew and the invaders turned to him as one. A few men started towards him, weapons in hand, only to be held back by their captain.
"Will you now?" he asked, amused, eyeing Izzy up and down. Another round of laughter spilled out of his men. The revenge crew looked on, confused and frightened.
Izzy didn't waver as he stared back at the enemy captain.
"We will." He said firmly. His eyes flitted towards Buttons and he held his gaze for a moment before Buttons nodded at him and whispered something in Frenchie's ear.
After a beat, Frenchie began to play a soulful tune. Izzy closed his eyes and let the music wash over him and then he opened his mouth and began to sing. The Swede followed his lead and joined in as Buttons rounded it out with pure tone. Everything else ceased to exist for a few minutes as Izzy lost himself in the sound.
He kept his eyes closed for a moment when their song came to an end, savoring the experience, before the reality of the situation crashed over him and he startled. He glanced around the ship, holding his breath in fear. Not a single dry eye met his own. A few members of the Revenge crew were crying softly and the tall man was openly sobbing. Stede was staring at him in abject wonder, and Ed's gazed fixed him with a proud smile.
Izzy felt his face flush bright red and he shifted his attention back to the invaders.
The enemy captain stepped forward and Izzy's hand shifted to the hilt of his sword instinctively, awaiting their fate. If this didn't work he wasn't going to go down without a fight. He felt the Swede catch his free hand in his own and they leaned into one another ever so slightly.
"That was the single most beautiful thing I've heard in my entire life." The tall man choked out through sobs. "You put the sirens' songs to shame." He clapped his hand on Izzy's shoulder before turning to address the crew. "We will take our leave now but NO MORE SINGING from the rest of you or we won't hesitate to blow you to smithereens." The crew nodded in unison and with that, the invaders crossed back to their ship and disappeared into the night.
Izzy watched the darkness swallow them and then turned towards his musical companions. "You three saved a lot of lives tonight. Thank you for joining me." he said softly. Frenchie smiled and dropped his gaze to his shoes and the Swede threw his arms around Izzy in a tight hug.
"You sing beautifully! We must sing together again!" he crowed, delighted. Izzy met Buttons' eyes over the Swede's shoulder and they nodded at one another in appreciation before the Swede released him.
Stede approached their little group, a look of wonder still thorougly etched across his features.
"Israel you have the voice of-" he began, but Izzy cut him off before he could finish the compliment.
"Your team building experience nearly got the team killed, Bonnet" he groused, but there was no heat behind it. All of the heat was flooding to his treacherous cheeks again.
Edward beamed and elbowed him softly before exchanging a glance with Stede and tackling Izzy between them.
"Thank you, Israel." Stede finished with a whisper in his ear, before squeezing him tightly with Edward.
Izzy relaxed into the embrace and decided maybe, just maybe, there was something to karaoke night, after all.