DISCLAIMER: I own nothing pertaining to Pirates of the Caribbean except the Playstation 2 game, both movies, a costume, and a poster. But I can still daydream that I do own PotC and switch things around!
A/N: Thank you for the reviews! Seeing your reactions to the story fuels me and gosh, I love you guys!
Laughter erupted in the dancing house, one of many taverns overflowing with men and their desires. An uproar of joy burst about through every window and door of Tortuga but none seemed louder than the one a certain pirate king resided at for the moment. Past the endless throngs of lustful couples, around the crowded tables and over the flowing rum and empty bottles, hidden from view in a corner table was none other than Captain Jack Sparrow, the Scourge of the Seven Seas.
And said scourge was doing as nature intended him to: drink himself to merry death.
And yet his passion for alcohol would not be his fatal flaw, which Jack was quite grateful for, seeing as he loved the liquor past the point of obsession. And so to this, Jack drank to his heart's desire, sloshing down the rum as the world pranced about him.
"Cap'n!" A voice called or rather laughed all of a sudden, causing eyes that hid behind kohl blotched eyelids to allow themselves sight and perspective to the man who had called upon him. Jack Sparrow, half way to Drunk Land or not, knew before he saw that his mate, Gibbs, had been the one to ask for him. And by the looks of it, Gibbs was living in Drunk Land as he came stumbling over to Jack's table, two mugs full to the brim with rum in each hand.
Noting the mugs, Jack leaned against the table, placing aside his empty tumbler and grinned at the giggling Gibbs. "Ah, Gibbs. This is exactly why you're my second mate, mate." At that, the elder man turned red as would a virgin who stumbled upon the handsome Sparrow and not wanting to lose any more dignity as a man, Gibbs took a swing at his mug, washing down the liquid quite greedily.
A little more than his usual tipsy self, Jack grabbed the other mug and placed it to his lips, drinking as his eyes wandered about the insanity that was the tavern. Skirts fluttered about as rum spilled over countertops and wooden tables, and the music – played by drunk musicians – created what Jack called " a bloody paradise for any man."
He leaned back in his chair, tilting it to stand on its hind legs and daring it to let him fall back but it never did as the chair supported itself against a wall.
Ah, this was the life.
The men needed to set foot on land that was not just sand and deserted but full of life; and what place was more livelier than Tortuga Port?
"Jack," Gibbs's voice appeared again, Sparrow looking to his drunk mate who seemed to finally have a steady gaze set on his captain. Jack only wondered just how long Gibbs would be able to hold that stare without his eyes crossing over right after…
"'Ey?"
"….Have ye seen Lady Malabar yet? She's been upstairs waitin' for ye, y'know."
Were Gibbs not so consumed by the effects of Rum, he would have noticed the wince Jack suffered from hearing the name of a mistress. Lady Malabar…Mala, as Jack had nicknamed her one night. And it was only one night! Yet that one night seemed enough to condemn him to a predicament he could not fix.
"Er….haven't seen her as of yet, Gibbs," came his muttered reply, Jack taking another shot of rum to quench the burning necessity for said liquor. In truth, it was also to smother that sudden dreadful feeling of having to deal with Mala. Rather be set on fire than see her again…
The redhead fury that the whole of Tortuga knew as Lady Malabar had been the grudge between all of his relationships. Scarlet hated him for being with Mala, Giselle loathed him for being with both Scarlet and Mala, and Mala simply didn't care who hated her – she had been in the arms of the infamous Cap'n of the Black Pearl and that was all that mattered.
And all that made Jack fear Malabar.
It was one bloody night, a single night and the woman thinks she owns me soul, thought the slightly sour man, setting down his mug once he felt it empty.
"But y'know Jack….she's quite the peach, if ye know what I mean." Gibbs smirked, a toothy smile that bordered between devious and dumb, and Jack could only look back to the crowd in the tavern and mutter to himself, "Aye, a peach that I've taken a bite out of and has been more than I can chew."
There was no question as to why Lady Malabar awaited Jack's appearance upstairs. She never did quite understand the meaning of words that denied her access to what she wanted and unfortunately for the pirate, it was he whom the woman craved for. He had merely wanted company that night and just a bit of good ol' pirate fun. And with much irony placed in the situation, the harlot believed to have found love in Jack. Or rather….a deep lust for the man who avoided the woman like the plague itself and alas,whatever higher power that ruled the universe was, it seemed to delight much in making Jack Sparrow its comedic puppet.
"God I love rum…Bless rum, God, bless it with all yer blessing powers…" Gibbs drowned himself in the intoxicant, Jack looking at him with a glint in his eyes that could not be described as anything normal. It was not mischievous nor industrious, neither curious or spiteful. It was just….Jack Sparrow-ish.
Finding it to be quite the advantage that the man was dousing in rum and beyond the ability to comprehend correctly, Jack got up and lifted up his mug to take with him. He raised the rim of the tumbler once again to his mouth and waited for the cascade of rum to fill him but it didn't come, as expected. He pulled it away to look into the container, brows furrowing at the sight. "Why is the rum always gone….Ah well, off to find some more." He said it loud enough so Gibbs would understand it and as predicted, out of the corner of his eye, Jack saw his fellow companion nod to Jack's decision and continued with his activity. With that said and done, Jack began his journey towards the bar...or so it seemed.
He moved about with his eminent swagger, cattily avoiding bumping into anyone and anything. He was, of course, unable to keep it all intact and slammed into the counter of the bar with some force, having lost his footing in the midst of the journey. "Sorry, sorry," he excused himself, placing the mug down and rummaged his money pouch to pull out the amount needed to cover the cost of staying at such a…lovely tavern. Jack's dancing eyes met with the current bartender's and watched him smile at the captain. "Not a problem, cap'n. Ye come back here more often, ye hear?"
"Aye, a wonderful rendezvous this tavern be. Wonderful, wonderful." Jack was far more concerned at the moment, with the feat of leaving said wonderful place rather than the overly happy bartender to whose cheerful mood was because of Jack's silly mistake of paying more than what was required.
But he brushed off the very incident of talking to the bartender and went on his way, the exiting doors but a few yards to his right. Maybe he'd explore a new pub, meet new friends there, be far away as possible from ---
"Jack Sparrow!"
He froze. Everyone froze. Time froze.
Dark eyes closed in silent defeat as he kept his back turned, praying to the sea and her beautiful depths to let him become invisible and escape the oncoming plague.
Oh bugger…
End Note:
Another chapter to this silly story of mine! I do hope you liked it! I was going to continue the chapter but decided to leave it at that, cliffhangers are so much fun! Review if you can please, it drives my little brain crazy with joy lol! Till next time!
