Disclaimer: Disney's
A/N: Written as a response to a Drabble/Ficlet Meme challenge (title: Pockets; pairing: Jack/James; line of dialogue: "Don't bite your nails." Exactly 500 words, according to MS Word, including the title.
Pockets
"Don't bite your nails."
Norrington, who had merely been nibbling surreptitiously at the edge of one thumb, gave an involuntary start at the severity in Jack's voice, then gave the pirate a glare. Colouring slightly, James stuffed his hands into the capacious pockets of the bottle green coat he wore and leaned against the grate of the cell door.
Jack grinned. "Got after you for that when you were a lad, eh?"
Norrington managed to restrain a grimace. "You might say so."
"Poor Jamie," Jack clucked. The pirate slid fluidly down the smooth stone wall and to sit cross-legged on the straw-covered floor. He laid his wrists on his knees, quite at ease. "No worries, mate. All will be well. You'll see."
James gave a derisive snort and an eye-roll worthy of Jack himself. Hands still in his pockets, he turned away, trying to decipher some of what the Spanish guards were saying as they lounged, unseen but far from unheard, by the gaolhouse door. But then his fingers encountered something in the left pocket of his coat. The Commodore's expression shifted from surprise to remembrance and melancholy.
"What?" demanded Jack.
"It's…well, this." James drew his hands from his pockets again, displaying the something in the left. There was a flash of dull gold and sapphire: a ring.
Jack sat up, alert as James brought the shiny object over and squatted next to him to show him. James let him take it, smiling at the pirate's glee. "Oooh, for me? What's the occasion?"
"I just thought you might like it. It belonged to my Great Uncle Laurence. It's too small for me, but I…well, I know you like such things." James gave a slight smile as Jack looked at him again. "I certainly hadn't foreseen presenting it to you under these circumstances."
"Don't suppose you did at that," Jack murmured, and put the beautiful ring on one of his few unadorned fingers. It fit just as it should, and he held up his hand to admire it. "Ol' Laurie had a good eye. That's a very fine jewel."
"And you are undoubtedly qualified to judge such matters."
"Oh, indisputably." Jack looked at the Commodore. "Thank you, James," he said, unfeigned sincerity in his voice, then had to grin at the war of partially subdued embarrassment and pleasure that marched over his friend's countenance. James made as if to rise, but Jack put a hand on his arm and gave him a coy look. "I've something in me pocket for you as well, Jamie-lad."
James cleared his throat. "Do you indeed?"
"Aye. I was going to wait a bit to show you, but p'raps it'd go better now. Assuage your justifiable but quite unnecessary concerns, an' all."
James raised a brow.
Jack reached into his pocket and drew out a metal ring with two keys on it: the keys to the cell. "Better close your mouth, love, or ye'll be catchin' flies," he smirked. "As I said before: no worries!"
