Number 71 of my 100 theme challenge. Dedicated to Bethany, who has been my friend from the time we shared crayons, to the times we played Mary Kate and Ashley in my backyard, to the weeks we spent suffering together through choir tour, and for the rest of time. I love you so much :)

71. Obsession

"Da, what does 'obsessed' mean?" William Turner the Third asked his father one day during supper. Will the Second looked up from his meal of warm soup and bread and gazed at his nine-year-old son. The first thing Will had learned about his son upon his arrival after his ten years of servitude on the Flying Dutchman was that he loved to ask questions. "What was the Dutchman like?" "How many crew members did you have?" "Were you really stabbed by Davy Jones?" "Do you have to leave again?" All of these questions were asked within thirty seconds of Will stepping onto land. Over the past months, Will had gotten used to the steady stream of questions pouring from Liam's small yet chatty mouth. He admired his son's curiosity, since he had been shy at Liam's age, but there were some questions that Will was just not prepared for, some he wished that Liam had just gone and asked his mother. But that was beside the point.

Liam looked back at his father with expectant eyes. Setting his spoon in his bowl with a small clatter, Will answered, "It means that you are very passionate or preoccupied with something, or there is something you just can't get enough of. Does that make sense?" Liam shook his head up and down, his wavy brown hair bouncing at his shoulders.

"Is it a bad thing?" He asked meekly, looking ashamed.

"It can be, but most of the time, it isn't. Why do you ask?" Will inquired, concern written on his sun-kissed face.

"I was reading my pirate book today during recess, and some girls said I was obsessed with pirates," Liam said, stirring his soup absent-mindedly. "I told them that pirates were interesting and that it was a good book, but they just laughed at me."

Elizabeth smiled gently at her son and rubbed his arm soothingly. "Don't mind those silly girls. They just don't know a good book when they see one. Besides, I was obsessed with pirates when I was your age. That's where you got it from." Liam smiled, happy at finding another similarity between him and his mother.

"Your mother was very obsessed with pirates when she was your age," Will started, "but now, she has a different obsession. Something she is very passionate about and can't get enough of." He took a bite of his bread, sitting back in his chair a little and chuckling. Elizabeth raised an eyebrow, looking at him confusedly.

"And what would that be?"

"You know what I'm talking about," he replied, smirking. He watched her ponder this for a moment, and laughed when she looked back at him, defeated. Liam took a spoonful of his soup and watched the exchange between his parents. Sometimes, he thought they acted so weird, like they knew something he didn't.

"Tell me!" Elizabeth insisted. Will just shook his head, chuckling and finishing off the last of his soup. Rolling her eyes, she went back to her supper. Liam still stared at his parents, confused. It must be a grown-up thing, he decided. The family finished their dinner mostly in silence, Will still chucking to himself, Elizabeth wondering what Will had been talking about, and Liam pondering why grown-ups acted so strangely.

Later that night, after Will and Elizabeth had tucked Liam into bed, they sat in their room getting ready for sleep themselves. Pulling back the covers and climbing into bed, Elizabeth watched as her husband pulled on his nightshirt. As he made a move to take off his bandanna, Elizabeth murmured, "Wait." Will turned to her, lowering his well-defined arms to his side.

"Yes?" he asked as crossing over to the other side of the bed.

"Leave your bandanna on," she replied with a small smile. Will smirked.

"As you wish," he said, climbing into bed and pulling his wife into his arms, laughing softly to himself. Elizabeth looked up at him, questioning. Kissing her forehead, he answered her unasked question, "I told you so."

"What did you tell me?" she posed, snuggling into his warm embrace.

He grinned cheekily back at her. "I told you that you were obsessed with my bandanna."

"So that's what you were talking about!" Elizabeth exclaimed, pulling away from him and sitting up. "I've been wondering since dinner…" Will laughed as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her back down. "But I'm not that obsessed with it," she stated. After seeing the unbelieving face on her husband, she added, "Am I?"

Will grinned. "'Leave your bandanna on!' 'I love the way your bandanna brings out your eyes.' 'Your bandanna this. Your bandanna that.'" he mimicked Elizabeth's high voice. She hit him playfully on his chest.

"That's not true. I don't say that!" she insisted. He shook his head, kissing her on the nose. They laid in silence for a while, with a melody of night noises as the only sound in the house.

"But it does look good on you."

"See, there you go again. Sometimes I wonder if you love this ratty bandanna more than me." he stated dejectedly, the small sparkle in his eyes as the only thing giving his jest away. He yanked the cloth off of his head and held it out of her reach.

"You shush! You know that's not true!" She yelped, rolling on top of him while covering his mouth with one of her petite hands and attempting to grab the bandanna with the other. He trapped both of her hands easily in his and placed a kiss on the inside of her wrist. Elizabeth struggled to pull away from his iron, yet gentle grip. She finally broke free and snatched the grey bandanna.

"Ha!" she yelled in success as she scooted to the other side of the bed. Will rolled over to face her, smiling. "Will you please put it back on?" Will rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Please?" she begged, looking back at him with wide, imploring eyes. He sighed and sat up, giving her invitation to grin happily and tie the bandanna back on.

"Obsessed," he muttered as she carefully tied the ends together at the back of his head.

"So what?"

Okay, so I'm having way too much fun writing about Liam, so be prepared to see more about him in the very near future. Any suggestions, PM me. I'd love to hear from you! Merry Christmas!

Ya gotta love that bandanna. :P