"So, this 'Philip'-person…"
In the middle of breakfast, Will decided to tackle the question that had been bothering him since the filming started.
"Phillip. What about him?" Jack mumbled into his mug.
"How is he in person?"
"So-so…" Jack muttered evasively, shifting his eyes to another piece of bread instead of the inquisitive eyes of his partner..
"And?" Will quirked his brow in astonishment. It wasn't like Jack to leave it at that when it came to describing people.
"Nothing much more to say, really, " Jack continued with his nonchalance, smearing marmalade on his toast and taking a bite.
"You've been working with him for quite some time now, and that's all you have to say?" Will took the bull by its horns.
"Pretty much." The words were nigh incoherent through Jack's mouthful.
Suddenly it was Jack's turn to raise his brow as realization hit with a pang; "You're not jealous, are you?"
"Me? NO!" Despite all his efforts, Will couldn't help the sheen of blush raising to his ears.
"You do know what that does to me," the pride in Jack's voice was unhindered, never mind that he straightened his back and looked a lot like the cat that got away.
"I'm not jealous. I know it's only work, you sod…"
"But still…"
Will couldn't find anything funny in the situation, even though Jack looked like he was about to burst.
"Yes. Are you happy now, you git? Yes, it chafes to see you go each morning, coming home late in the evening, and all you can talk about is how your precious Philip came through the day, while I'm busting myself restoring the Pearl! Do you even care anymore?"
"That's it." Jack tossed his half-eaten toast on his plate and stood up. "You have the nerve to speak of the Pearl, when all I want is to get this over and done with to be with you and her. And it's 'Phillip'. Two 'L's"
"Poppycock."
"Excuse me?"
"Like I said. Poppycock. Nothing else matters to you except how the filming goes. You come home and that's all you talk about. Not even a word asking how we're doing, and we're doing swell, mind you, without you."
"You wound me." There was not a hint of lightheartedness in Jack's voice. The asinine words hit deep and hard. Had he really been so blind? So self centered? … Well…
"And not a word about being a pirate. You already stole my heart, so to speak. Must you prove something to yourself by stealing others´'?"
"You've got yourself convinced that there's something going on. What do you want me to say? That I love you? That should go without saying-"
"Can't know if you don't try," Will uttered almost unwittingly, his eyes widening in shock as he realized what he's said. It had been a long time. Now, to come to think of it, it was when Philip had come into the picture…
"What more do you want from me?" Jack lost his calm, knowing that any vows of love would go to deaf ears now.
"You." Will stared straight into Jack's eyes calmly, half fearing, half hoping that it would throw Jack into a fit. At least that would be something familiar.
"You have me." The sheer calm sent shivers down Will's spine. Jack's eyes did not veer, did not shift, his hands staying still as opposed to the constant fiddling so customary for the man. "From this day on… No. You've always had me. Right from the day I laid eyes on you."
"And Phillip?"
"…The who now…?"
