Will lay, panting and naked, in his Captain's bed. Sweat glistened over every inch of their bodies which were still curved together. Jack's eyes gleamed in the darkness. The beads in his long, black hair jangled as he leaned up over Will. "That was wonderful, luv," he told him, his gold tooth flashing. He pressed a finger to his lips in a shushing motion. "We can't tell anyone."
Will stared at him, his heart sinking. "What?" he asked. "Why not?"
"They wouldn't understand," Jack replied casually with a flourish of his ringed hand, the same hand that had worked miracles on Will's body that the former blacksmith had not even known, until then, were possible.
"So . . . " His heart thundered. "You just want to pretend like this didn't happen?"
"No," Jack answered swiftly. "No, of course not! Ye can come back in 'ere tomorrow night, once th' others are asleep."
Will stiffened beside him. He couldn't believe what he was hearing! "I'm good enough to fuck," he demanded, "but not good enough to be seen with?" Jack reached for him, but he slid out from underneath him and out of the bed where they had shared what he'd thought, at the time, to be paradise. "This was a mistake!"
Jack let his hand drop to his bedside. He'd known the boy would think that. He shouldn't have allowed this to happen. He watched as Will dressed swiftly and raced out. Jack knew he should let him go, but he heard his crew shouting and followed, knowing he'd have to protect the lad even if Will no longer wanted anything to do with him.
The Captain stopped just outside his own bedroom door. Will was surrounded by his crew, but they weren't trying to tie him up or flog him. They were clapping him on his back instead. Jack's kohl-rimmed eyes narrowed in suspicion until Gibbs smiled at him. "It's about time, boyo."
In that moment, Jack was thankful it was night until Gibbs clasped Will's shoulder and told him. "Don't let Jackie boy fool ye, lad. He's been wantin' ye since he first laid eyes on ye."
The crew laughed and ambled away, leaving Jack and Will alone. Will turned to face him. "Is that true?" he demanded.
Jack released a heavy sigh. He might as well admit the truth. His crew wasn't going to kill Will for having him. They weren't going to mutiny against him. The truth could not make matters any worse. "Aye."
Jack braced himself for the coming slap as Will strode toward him. "Then why all the secrecy?"
"I . . . wanted t' protect ye." He shrugged and watched as Will nodded slowly.
"I don't always need you to protect me, Jack." His hands moved. Jack winced, but they did not raise to slap him. Instead, they reached out and took his in their soft and warm confines. "But I want you with me."
"Will, what . . . What are ye sayin'?"
Will smiled, his chocolate brown eyes gleamed with his happiness in the light of moon as she swayed out from behind a dark cloud. "I'm saying I love you, Jack Sparrow." He kissed him, and in that moment, Jack heard all the cannons around which he'd ever been in his entire life exploding. He'd never been happier. He picked Will up, swung him around, and carried him back to their cabin, all while never lifting his lips from his.
The End
