Disclaimer: I do not own Pirates of the Caribbean.
Advancing forward, James couldn't help the smirk that twisted his mouth. The chest quite forgotten several feet away. "Give me the key, Sparrow."
"Now why would I do that, Commodore?" Jack drawled, sword clashing against James' as he parried the attack.
Instead of answering, James lunged forward and, feinting left, managed to swipe the key from Jack's hand.
"Oi!"
James merely grinned and jumped back as Jack's sword swung precariously close to his chest. "You're getting slow in your age, Sparrow."
Unfortunately, the taunt had the opposite of the desired effect, and Jack's eyes darkened, tongue flicking out to run across his lower lip. "That so, Jamie-luv?" Another attack, another parry. "Got one word for you, mate; Tortuga."
"Please." James scoffed as he retreated from Jack's advance, pointedly ignoring how his breaches tightened at the reminder. "I'll consider that as my point proven."
A sly smile curved the pirate's mouth and he lunged. Anticipating James' move, Jack deflected the Commodore's sword and bought his fist up in well practiced move.
As planned, the blow took James' unawares and in his shock, he dropped the key, which Jack nimbly plucked from the ground before turning tail and disappearing into the foliage beyond the beach.
"Sparrow!"
Jack laughed. "Pirate." He called over his shoulder, weaving between palm trees and bushes alike. Unfortunately for Jack, James had longer legs and soon the sound of pursuit followed.
Jack spun at the last moment, sword clashing against sword, less than an arms length between them.
Green eyes flashed. "Give me the key."
Jack grinned. "No."
Thrust, parry.
Attack, block.
More often they were enemies…
The clang of metal as they locked swords, dark eyes staring intently into light ones.
"James, James, James." Jack allowed his mouth to tilt into a wicked smile. "You never were able ta' best me, mate."
One brow rose. "I have evidence that points to the contrary, Sparrow."
Jack leant forward and James mirrored him, neither sword giving an inch. "Prove it."
…but sometimes they were lovers.
As suddenly as their duel began, it ended, one hot mouth meeting the other in a frenzied kiss, their sword's quite forgotten upon the ground.
There were few words after that, only the feel of one body moving against the other in a rush that spoke of too long apart.
When Jack awoke with a throbbing head and a lump that hadn't been there earlier, the sun was lower than it had been and James was gone, the key, too.
"Curse that rapscallion, Norrington!" He leapt to his feet and picked up the rock that James had knocked him out with, not moments into the afterglow of their reunion. "That bilge rat! That - that son of a biscuit eater!" He threw the rock rather pointlessly towards the beach, chest heaving in anger.
But, as Jack thought more on his situation and how he'd come to be in such a state, the anger melted away to be replaced by helpless laughter.
He sat heavily upon the sandy grass and wiped at the tears of mirth that ran down his cheeks. "Perhaps we'll make a pirate out of you yet, Commodore." He chuckled now. "I always told meself. It's the honest ones you want to watch out for." He swept his hand forth with a flourish, bowing at the neck. "Till next time, James."
Fin.