Title: The Root of All Marital Problems
Author: Queen of the Castle
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Will Turner/James Norrington
Summary: Commodore James Norrington has conceded his future with Elizabeth Swann to Will Turner. He has given up his time to support Will Turner through the rocky stages of marriage. He's not sure he has anything more to relinquish.
Disclaimer: Pirates of the Caribbean and its characters belong to Disney, and Jerry Bruckheimer and other rich people and corporations. If you take a look at my bank balance, you'll see that I'm not numbered among that group. So don't sue me. You won't get much anyway.
Feedback: would be loved and cherished and taken home to live with me.
James was shocked to find Will Turner on his doorstep. The other man looked haunted. Though James himself had never truly felt the emotion – despite losing his potential future wife to the exact man standing before him – he was sure the look must have been one of heartbreak. Nothing else could randomly draw one into the company of men with whom one barely even had contact anymore.
There had been a time, not long after James had willingly stepped aside so that Turner could pursue Elizabeth, that the two of them had talked often. James might have even tentatively claimed that they had been friends. Certainly, he had been Will's confidante.
Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann had been married only three weeks when the two men had first conversed privately. At first, the sight of Will had been almost too much to bear. It reminded James that the woman he had tried so hard to court, had embarrassed himself over, was now Elizabeth Turner. Itwas somewhat agonizing. However, he had been willing to listen to Will regardless. That open face, smothered in the look of a man who seemed completely out of his depth, was alluring. James Norrington had suffered the pain of hearing another man speak of his Elizabeth, asking for his views on how to deal with marriage, until the point at which the hurt had finally faded to a barely-there ache.
In its place, a strange urgency to act had begun to grow. For the life of him, James couldn't figure out exactly what he should be acting on. There was nothing out of place in his life at that time. Jack Sparrow, of course had not yet been caught, but that surely couldn't be the matter at hand. Sparrow, while a criminal, was not exactly a high-risk problem. James had felt it safe to simply relegate the pirate to his to-do list, and his fellows had readily agreed with his ruling on that matter.
So James did not act on whatever the feeling was. Nothing bad seemed to happen as a result. Eventually the exigency faded, replaced by the vague feeling that something, some opportunity, had slipped by him without him knowing.
It had been at about that point in time that Will Turner had abruptly stopped visiting James. A brusque note had informed him that Turner was no longer in need of his assistance, and thank you very much for offering it in the first place. Turner had not spoken directly to him even once since he'd received that note, not even to explain his actions in person. The most James had even seen of the boy was fleeting glimpses occasionally when they were both in the governor's presence.
Rumour had it that Will Turner had soon after fled the town; probably off in alliance with Sparrow. James didn't doubt it somehow – past experience had taught him that Will could be very much the pirating type, albeit a little more polite than was usual among their kind – and so he didn't bother to verify that story. The clenching pressure in his chest whenever he gave the issue his attention seemed reason enough to stay away from any thoughts involving the young and intriguing William Turner.
Until that exact moment, James hadn't even known that Turner was back in the area, back from his sabbatical or whatever it had been. Yet there he was, standing right there in the entranceway, staring at James. Looking as though he expected to be invited in, even after all that had happened between the two of them.
And damn, but James couldn't help but step aside and wave him in.
"Mr Turner," he greeted formally. "What might I do for you? Did you need to speak once again of your marital problems?"
Turner looked uncertain; James hadn't used that tone since the first of their meetings, and it seemed to make the younger man disorientated.
"Oh … well … yes, in a way. But more than that, as well," Will blurted out inelegantly. "Only if you're willing to listen, though, of course. I mean –"
"Sit down, Mr Turner," James interrupted not quite impatiently.
"All right then," Turner murmured, drawing in a sigh that sounded like a cross between resignation and nervousness.
"You are having marital problems with your wife?" James prompted once again as he sat across from his guest in his sizeable sitting room.
Will bit his lip endearingly. James frowned at himself for associating that word with Turner, even in the security of his own mind. If they ever found out, people would think … the governor would think … well, James himself didn't know what to think about the whole thing.
It wasn't a new feeling for him. It was only the fact that the boy was so closely connected with the man who controlled James' job that made James bite his lip uneasily at the thought of it.
"Not really. We haven't argued or been at odds in any way. It's all in my head, I think."
James said nothing in the hopes that Will would just continue on his own steam, would get it out of his system without James himself having to contribute. He really didn't feel like expending any more effort to help Will Turner stabilise his relationship with his wife. Not that he wouldn't if Turner truly needed it. But what did that woman have that he …
No, he wasn't letting his brain go there. He wasn't entirely sure where those odd thoughts were coming from, but he had to put a stop to them immediately before they had a chance to really take hold within his consciousness. He had trouble concentrating on expelling them from his mind.
Will seemed to be having similar problems.
"I …" he began, only to trail off, as if speechless. "James …"
The use of his given name was slightly shocking to James. Very few people had been given permission to use it, and even fewer exercised that right. Will Turner had never been among them, though James found that the sound of it on Will's tongue was not entirely objectionable, his own lack of acquiescence not withstanding.
Will shook his head almost imperceptibly, as if to clear it. "My marital problems, as you put it … well, isn't the one thing the root of all serious marital problems? I am the same as any man. I have needs, James."
Will's eyes begged his companion to understand so that he would not need to say it aloud. James suddenly did, his own eyes widening.
"Your eyes have strayed?" he suggested.
Will nodded guiltily. "Yes. Just my eyes, but I think that that's enough. I don't know what's wrong with me. I've looked at none but Elizabeth since meeting her, but not a year after we've finally wed I'm considering …
"I don't know what to do."
Nor did James. He was in no position to be making recommendations for the future betterment of Will's relationship, not when he was feeling so inexplicably drawn to suggest that Will should give up his marriage. What then, though? Would James try to sweep Will off his feet while he was still recovering from his heartbreak? Not likely. Especially not with some unknown third party whom had caught Will's eye still prancing about.
"Do I know this person?" was all James could think to say.
Will nodded miserably. "I would dare say so."
Their eyes met properly for the first time. There was such pain in both, but while James' was confined to the point that it could easily be missed, Will's hurt was plain and obvious right on the surface.
"What would you say," Will finally whispered after a long period of silence, "if I was to tell you that I think I am in love with another man? Would you tell me that it is common practice among sailors and other travellers to become confused in that way? Or perhaps that I am an abomination upon nature?"
"I would tell you," James choked out, "that a certain Captain Sparrow, if it is him of whom you speak, is probably very well acquainted with that kind of advance."
"It's not him," Will whispered. James found that hard to believe, for whom else could it be? Perhaps Will was in denial.
"I would also tell you that I am not the person to whom you should be talking. You are confused, you are right about that much. You should talk to Elizabeth."
"And say what?" Will begged. "How does one tell their wife that they don't love her anymore and that they've instead fallen for her prior suitor?"
James shook his head slowly. It couldn't be.
Comprehension had a bitter taste.
"You don't mean that," he said, but it all made perfect sense. Will Turner had fled from his presence when the feelings first developed, so that James himself would not somehow find out, and so that Will could attempt to discard the stirrings of want that he must have been feeling. He'd fled the town when their paths continued to cross accidentally. James had been the one to whom he had come despite their utter lack of communication over the last six months.
Finally, the feeling of urgency he himself had felt was telling for an entirely different reason. He had subconsciously sensed Will slipping from his grasp, had felt the need to stop it. He had not acted upon it because he hadn't really recognised it at the time.
He still couldn't act upon it. There was more at stake than his own feelings.
"It cannot be," James stated simply. "It is a dream you've had, and nothing more. You should go home to your wife. The feeling will pass in time."
That look James had mistaken for heartache – it must have been merely uncertainty – at that moment morphed into the true version of the stronger emotion, this time completely unmistakable.
"It hasn't died off yet," Will persisted. "It won't ever. I know it won't. I'll long for you until the day that I die, during which I will be alone and miserable if you turn me away. You must realise that."
There were lips on his then, and a leg between his. It was so nice, but it was also wrong in so many ways. James took longer than he should have to push Will away and extract himself from an almost crushing embrace of desperation.
James looked upon Will, with his slightly reddened lips and lidded eyes, with a fascinated kind of horror, as if the young man was a sinking ship in the process. It couldn't be, but the knowledge was more painful than any slice of a sword could ever be.
"Do you feel for me at all, James?" Will asked once James had retreated swiftly to the doorway of the room.
Yes, a million times, yes. He did.
"My name is Commodore Norrington, Mr Turner," James replied instead, his voice once again crisp, "and you should remember that before you attempt to throw yourself at me again. The governor, the father of your wife, could order me to be expelled from my position if he heard I was assisting you in dishonouring his daughter. Thus, your question is completely irrelevant. It does not matter."
Will looked completely devastated. "It matters to me. James …"
"Commodore," James reminded him. Before Will could continue with whatever it was he wanted to say, James quickly added, "Besides, if we were to indulge in this sudden whim of yours, what is to say that the novelty will not have worn off in a few weeks time, like it obviously has with Elizabeth. You want what you cannot have, Mr Turner, only until you can actually lay your hands on it. You managed to ensnare your wife, against all odds. Do try to hold onto her instead of throwing away the rest of your life, and mine."
In a manner reminiscent of the initial invitation into the house, James stood slightly aside in the doorway and motioned past his body toward the front door of the house. Will could not ignore the clear dismissal. He could not argue with it. There was nothing more for it.
"I wish I could give you what you need," James whispered at Will's back as soon as he was sure the other man was out of earshot. "But I know I can't."
Fin