Chapter Two
Jack had ten rums to Will's five... maybe more, maybe less, Will stopped being able to actually see the mugs after his fourth one. He wasn't exactly a light weight, but he'd only really been drinking for two months. He was sure that Jack had popped into the world with a bottle of rum in his hand, so he had an unfair advantage.
'Jack... Jaack...' Will slurred as they walked along. Well, Will was trying to walk, and Jack was doing his whole drunken-swagger thing that he did even when sober... if he ever was sober... which Will doubted... oh, the sea air felt good on his skin. 'S'good, sea air, s'good,' Will decided to say aloud, just in case Jack didn't realise how truly magnificent the fresh sea air was.
''Course it is, mate,' Jack said, voice only slightly slurred. It was hard to tell the difference between drunk-Jack and sober-Jack, especially when Will could barely stay on his feet.
'Missed you, Jack,' Will mumbled before burying his face in Jack's neck... he was sure it was Jack's neck. There were thick braids of hair falling over his face, and he could feel Jack's jaw moving as he laughed at Will's inebriation. There was also the distinct smell of sweat, dirt, and rum. 'Always dirty,' Will slurred, 'don' yeh ever... bath with... water 'n stuff?'
'I don' see the need to bathe every day, William,' Jack replied. 'Wha's the point when yeh jus' gonna get dirty again, eh?'
'Aye!' Will shouted and felt Jack wince. 'Wha'?'
'Stop shoutin', lad,' Jack told him. Will felt a strong arm wrap around his waist, and stumbled as Jack tried to righten him. 'Yeh gonna regret this in the mornin', Willie,' Jack chuckled.
'Nah 'm no',' Will grumbled. He blinked his eyes open and frowned, looking around. When had they left The Grubb? 'No' gonna 'member,' he added.
Jack laughed again and Will swayed, almost tipping over and going right into the ocean. He wondered if Jack would dive in and save him, like he had with Elizabeth. Jack liked Will better, right? He'd save him.
'Yeh are gonna remember,' Jack said, ''cause I'm gonna take great joy in remindin' yeh that we got tossed out 'cause you tried to stab a pirate in the neck.'
''E touched you!' Will shouted, and Jack just smirked as he looked at him. ''E shouldna touched ya, Jack,' Will continued. He shook his head to back up his point, and then groaned when the entire world tilted.
'And why's that, young William?' Jack questioned.
Will fell silent and glanced down. Huh, they were walking on wood, that's what that sound was. He looked back up and a grin stretched over his face as he spotted the Black Pearl. She really was beautiful, Will decided, especially with the ink-black sky behind her, the stars shining bright and the moon hanging there, larger than anything Will had seen before.
Jack squeezed Will's hip and Will yelped, trying to back away. But he was too drunk to walk, let alone move gracefully, and ended up tipping over. He hit the wharf with a thud and groaned, laying his head against the cool wood. It was wet and oily and Will frowned in annoyance.
Suddenly Jack appeared and Will blinked. Jack was crouched beside him, head tilted to once side, an amused smirk stretched across his face. 'Yeh alright there, Willie?'
'Stop callin' me that,' Will grunted.
'What, only barmaids allowed to?' Jack asked.
'Hate that name,' Will muttered. 'Even... even William's b-better.' He hiccuped at the end, and then groaned again when the action made his head feel fuzzy.
'Ar'right, William,' Jack said and grabbed Will's coat. He easily dragged the younger man to his feet, and then slung one of Will's arms over his shoulders. Will felt his hand connect with something and frowned as he twisted around, trying to see what it was.
'Why've you go' my bag?' he demanded.
''Cause you're too drunk to carry it, mate,' Jack replied. 'Jus' let me get yeh aboard Pearl, eh? Then you can pass out and talk all abou' the sea air and the sodomites.'
'Sodomites?' Will questioned.
'Yeh told me tha' sodomites should be allowed to love each other if they fancy,' Jack explained. 'Said it shouldn' be punished.'
'Did I?' Will grinned. 'Damn right they shouldn't!' Jack laughed. 'Was wrong with men lovin' men, Jack?' Will then questioned. He was vaguely aware of walking up a long, heavy board of wood, but didn't pay much attention.
'Nothin' wrong with it, lad,' the pirate replied. 'Just didn' think yeh'd go fer that, what with Miss Elizabeth and all.'
'Don' love 'er,' Will mumbled. 'Thought I did, but I didn'.'
Jack's eyebrows climbed at that, but he decided to question Will more when he had him lying down. A drunk Will Turner was a danger to all, Jack had discovered. The boy didn't know how to keep his opinions to himself after a few mugs of rum.
'Here we go, Will, we'll get yeh into a nice warm bed, eh?' Jack said as he finally got Will onto the Black Pearl's deck.
He loosened his hold on Will now that there wasn't a danger of him falling into the water, and Will swayed a bit before looking around. 'A ship!' he shouted and grinned at Jack.
Jack chuckled, but smiled warmly as he said, 'Yeh, William, a ship.' Jack had to admit that Will was kind of adorable when he was excited about something. And he just knew that the younger man would blush all shades of red and huff in indignation if Jack said it aloud. Which was why Jack planned to do so as soon as possible. 'Black Pearl, yeh remember her?' he said.
'Pearl,' Will grinned drunkenly and stumbled over to the side. Jack hurried after him; blasted boy didn't know when to stay still. ''Ello, love,' Will said as he stroked the Pearl's railing. Jack was the only person who ever did that, as he was the only person who could hear- or so he claimed- Pearl speak.
But there Will was, stroking the wood like it was a wench- or man, Jack's mind supplied- and grinning at her.
'You're beautiful, aren't ya?' Will hummed. ''ave you been takin' care of Jack, Pearl? 'Cause I'd be upset if you weren't...'
'She's been takin' good care o' me, Will,' Jack chimed in. The blacksmith blinked at the railing, then at Jack, then at the railing again.
'Good,' he finally smiled and patted Pearl fondly. 'S'good, Jack.'
'Good,' Jack echoed. He swayed over to Will and tugged on the sleeve of his coat. 'Now come on, lad, let's get yeh into bed.'
'What bed?' Will mumbled as he was pulled along. 'S'long as it's a bed 'n not a floor, m'happy.'
Jack frowned and unlocked his personal quarters, pushing Will in before he stepped in himself. 'You been sleepin' on many floors, William?' he questioned.
It took Will a while to answer, what with him meandering about the cabin, picking up objects, going through Jack's clothes, and even licking an apple that was sitting on the desk in the corner. 'Floors!' he suddenly huffed and tossed the apple aside. 'Floors are uncom... uncomf... uncomfir-itable,' he slurred.
'Yeah,' Jack just hummed.
'Sleepin' in the... the smithy,' Will mumbled. Jack turned from where he'd been lighting an oil lamp, and chuckled when he saw that Will was sitting on the trunk at the end of his bed, trying to tug a boot off. 'An' The Grubb an' even an alley, once,' Will admitted. 'I was drunk.' Suddenly he laughed, his boot landing on the floor. 'Like now!' he declared proudly.
'Yeah, like now,' Jack smiled in amusement. 'Never thought I'd see William Turner drunk.'
'I like rum,' Will said and flopped onto the bed. He groaned and rolled onto his front, rubbing his face against Jack's pillows. 'Rum reminds me o' you,' he admitted, sounding sleepy. 'Smells like you.'
Jack's eyebrows jumped and he wandered over to the bed, dropping to sit beside the younger man. 'Does it?' he asked, even though he knew the answer; he always smelled like rum.
'Mm,' Will hummed into the pillows. 'Like the way you smell.'
Jack barked out a laugh and shook his head. 'Oh, William,' he sighed in amusement, 'you're gonna regret all this in the mornin', luv.'
'Not,' Will muttered stubbornly.
'Yeh will,' Jack said. He knew that if Will remembered any of this- and Jack would make sure that the lad did- then he'd blush red, stutter his way through an explanation, and try to hide somewhere. Too bad for him that Jack knew the Pearl better than the back of his own hand. 'Just sleep, mate,' Jack finally said and patted Will on the arse- just 'cause he could. Will laughed and wiggled his hips, and Jack had to stifle a groan. Gods, this boy was gonna be the death of him. ''Ere, let me help yeh,' Jack said.
He was a pirate first and foremost, so he did cop a bit of a feel of both Will's rather pert arse and his junk when he helped Will from first his boots, then his trousers and shirt. He left the boy in his drawers, only so that young Will didn't have a heart attack when he woke up to find himself naked in Jack's bed.
At the end of the ordeal, Will was asleep, Jack was hard, and the pirate knew for certain that Will wasn't a eunuch.
'Me and you are gonna get well acquainted, luv,' Jack told Will's lower half before covering it. The boy just huffed in his sleep and mumbled Jack's name. Jack grinned and stumbled to his feet, going over to the other side of the cabin to find another bottle of rum. He'd finish it off before dropping into bed beside Will; telling the crew about the boy could wait until tomorrow.
{oOo}
The first thing Will was aware of upon waking was the absolute throbbing in his head. He felt like his brain was trying to escape through his ears, and perhaps his nose, too. Secondly was the disgusting taste in his mouth. Third was the fact that he was in a bed, the floor beneath him was rocking, and Captain Jack Sparrow was sprawled out beside him.
'Jack!' he yelped and scrambled from the bed, only to tumble onto the cold wooden floor, the blankets twisted around his legs. He groaned as his head gave a hearty throb and clutched his temples. There was a snort from the bed, and Will carefully cracked his eyes open.
'What're yeh doin' on the floor, luv?' Jack mumbled sleepily.
'Fell,' Will grunted and rubbed his eyes. 'My head hurts.'
''Course it does, yeh drank five mugs o' rum,' Jack yawned. 'Get back in bed, crew won't be up an' alive for a few hours yet.'
'Bed,' Will mumbled before sitting straight. 'Why was I in your bed?'
'Yeh passed out las' night,' Jack told him. He flopped back onto the bed and closed his eyes, clearly intending to fall back asleep. 'Figured it were easier to let yeh sleep it off in here then try an' drag yeh below deck.'
'Right...' Will said slowly and looked down at himself. 'And I'm naked because...?'
'Almost naked, lad,' Jack corrected. He twisted to look at the younger man, not bothering to hide the fact that he was leering. Will wanted to pull the blankets over his chest, but knew that Jack would just tease him, so he blushed and stayed still instead. 'Made yeh comfortable, I did,' Jack grinned brightly. 'Yeh can think me later.'
'Yeah, right,' Will muttered and rubbed his eyes again. 'How do you make the headache go away?' he demanded.
Jack sighed and looked at him. 'Haven't come across a hangover since arrivin' in Tortuga?'
Shaking his head, Will said, 'Not really. I only drink enough to help me sleep.'
'Tha' should go away, now that yer on a ship,' Jack told him. 'I can never sleep on land. Too solid.'
Will just nodded. He knew what Jack meant; he'd barely been sleeping since he'd stepped off the boat that had brought him to Tortuga. He glanced around, finally taking in his surroundings. 'Where am I?' he questioned.
'Aboard the Black Pearl,' Jack said. He was sitting up now, apparently realising that Will wasn't going back to sleep. 'Captain's quarters.'
Will blushed as Jack wandered across the cabin and towards the dresser against the other wall. Jack was only wearing trousers, which was the least amount of clothing Will had ever seen on the older man. He spied a few tattoos and scars on Jack's back and arms before the captain pulled on a shirt, what looked like a scarf, and a dark leather band that he used to cover the "P" that had been branded onto his arm.
He tugged some stockings on before going for his boots, and said, 'Might as well get some breakfast, now that yer up. We got some bread and chicken aboard tha's not too bad, if yeh don' wanna go ashore.'
'Uh... n-no, we'll go ashore,' Will swallowed thickly, having finally looked away. 'If that's okay with you?' he added.
Jack frowned. 'Why wouldn' it be okay with me?'
'Well... you're my captain, right?' Will asked. 'Shouldn't I ask you for permission?'
Jack stared at him for a good minute before grinning. He clapped Will on the back, and Will blushed as he said, 'Yer gonna be an infamous pirate, Will me lad. Now get dressed and let's get some food.'
Will scrambled to his feet and back into his clothing, deciding that his trousers and shirt weren't too greasy to re-wear. Jack was still covered in dirt, and Will's clothing looked pristine compared to the pirate's.
Hmm, Will thought as he tucked his shirt in, I suppose I can't think like that anymore. I'm a pirate, too.
'Come on!' Jack huffed impatiently from the doorway. Will hadn't even realised that Jack had opened the door, letting sunlight spill into the cabin.
'I'm coming,' Will growled and tugged his boots on before walking out onto the deck.
He thought he heard Jack mutter, 'You will be,' but the other man just smiled brightly at him when he looked back. Jack led Will across the Pearl, and Will slid his fingers along the wood before following Jack down the gangplank and onto the dock.
The bright light made his head ache, but Will was able to forgot it in favour of watching Jack. He couldn't believe that the pirate was here, in Tortuga, with Will. And, if he remembered correctly, Jack had told him that there was a spot on the Pearl for the blacksmith. He remembered grinning and hugging Jack again, and then there was rum, and some type of food Jack talked him into eating, and more rum, and...
Will frowned. He vaguely remembered something about holding a dagger to some pirate's throat, and a conversation about sea air, but other than that the night was hazy, and in most cases just completely dark.
Will bit his lip as he followed Jack up into the streets of Tortuga. He hoped he hadn't embarrassed himself. Passing out, drunk, in the captain's bed was bad enough.
Tortuga was a lot quieter in the light of day; only a few places were open, and even fewer people wandered about the streets. There were still men drinking in various corners, and Will spied more than one prostitute pleasuring men- and even women- in alleys.
Jack seemed to know where he was going, and eventually they walked into a pub that was open. There were a few people eating what looked like fruit- actual fruit!- and Will's mouth watered as Jack led him up to the counter.
'Missy!' the captain shouted, twisting this way and that. 'Oi, Missy, where the 'ell are ya?!'
'Stop shoutin', you bastard!' came a female voice. A small woman, older than Will and Jack, wandered out from the back of the shop. She grinned when she saw Jack. 'Jack Sparrow, what the hell are you doin' in my shop?'
'Lookin' for some fine cuisine,' Jack grinned cheekily.
'Get off,' the woman- Missy, Will assumed- laughed. She then looked at Will himself, who smiled weakly. 'And who's this pretty young thing?' Missy asked, grinning at him.
Will scowled. 'I'm not pretty,' he denied, but Jack talked over him.
'This 'ere is William Turner, me new cabin boy,' Jack said. He tugged Will closer, and Will could do nothing but sigh as he was presented for Missy's inspection.
'Yeah, alright, I see how you'd like this one,' Missy finally nodded. 'Got a bit of fire in him, eh? Not just a pretty face.'
'I'm not pretty!' Will snapped again, but Missy and Jack just laughed.
'Sure you ain't, luv,' Jack grinned at him.
'Ooh, already callin' him luv, eh?' Missy snickered. 'You're in trouble, Jack Sparrow.'
'Don't I know it,' Jack replied, turning a warm smile on Will.
Will had no idea what was going on. Jack had suggested that he could be a cabin boy last night, but Will had no idea what a cabin boy was. Was it like a first mate? Or just odd jobs? Or... Will felt warmth pool in his stomach. Maybe cabin boy was a term for something that involved less clothes.
Well... Will definitely wouldn't dislike that. As long as he could be a blacksmith, too. And as long as it only involved him and Jack naked.
Will had been so lost in thought that he didn't realise Jack had ordered food for them until the captain made him sit at a small table in the back. He blinked back to himself and looked around. 'Uh...'
'Gettin' us some fresh fruit and some eggs, Willie,' Jack told him. ''aven't had any eggs for months.'
'Don't call me that,' Will scowled.
Jack took his hat off and pressed it to his chest. 'Sorry, William, didn' mean to upset yerself. My humblest apologies.'
Will couldn't help but laugh, and Jack winked, bowed, and slapped his hat back on.
'We need to get yeh a hat,' Jack said suddenly, eyes roaming over Will's hair and face. 'An' maybe do somethin' with yer hair.'
Will frowned and tugged on the few strands he could see. He'd been keeping his hair tied back, like he usually did. It had grown a bit longer since he'd left Port Royal, but it was nowhere near Jack's length.
'What's wrong with my hair?' he demanded.
'Nothin', luv,' Jack said, and the second word made Will's heart skip a bit. 'Just reckon yeh could do with a few braids, maybe some beads...' he nodded to himself, 'yeh, you'd be able to pull off that look.'
'Not all of us are as... flamboyant as you, Jack,' Will told him. 'I really don't think I'd look good with... braids.'
Jack pouted. 'Yeh you would, William! I have excellent taste an' if I say it works, it works.'
'I think you're still drunk,' Will retorted.
'I'm always drunk, mate,' Jack smirked at him, 'yeh'll get used to it after a couple months on the Pearl.'
'Trust me, I always assume that you're drunk,' Will said. 'It's safer that way.'
Jack laughed and slouched back in his seat, legs spread wide and one arm flung over the back. Will gulped as he let his eyes wander over Jack's shirt- it was split open from his neck to halfway down his chest- as well as his groin, his legs, and back up again. Jack was staring out the windows, so Will let himself indulge until he saw Jack turn back to him.
'So...' Will cleared his throat, and Jack raised his eyebrows, 'where are we going after we shove off?'
'Dunno,' Jack shrugged. 'Most o' the crew probably spent their booty las' night. Got expensive tastes, my lads. Heard somethin' about a merchant ship headin' out of a port a few days' sail from 'ere, we'll probably sail up that way and 'ave a look. Then there's always the odd navy ship that I like sinking,' Jack said, giving Will a weird look.
'What?' Will asked.
Jack sighed and shifted until he was sitting straight, and then rested his arms on the table. 'Look, William, I know yeh can hold yer own in a fight,' Jack said, 'but bein' a pirate is different to what we did when we went after Barbossa.'
'I know that,' Will said.
'Do ya?' Jack questioned. ''Cause aboard my ship, we attack other pirates and merchant vessels and any navy ship we come across. If yer not willin' to spill some blood, maybe yer not ready to be a pirate.'
Will chewed on his bottom lip, looking down as he answered. 'I'm prepared to do that, Jack,' he answered honestly. 'As long as I don't have to kill anyone that doesn't deserve it. I know that any navy ship we attack will fight back. And I'll fight and kill to protect myself and the crew.' He looked up, holding Jack's dark eyes with his own. 'You have my word, Captain, that I won't fail to help protect the Pearl.'
They stared at each other for at least two minutes before Jack nodded.
'Good,' he said. 'I don' spill blood unnecessarily, lad, but when it needs to be done, I get it done.'
'I know,' Will said. 'Believe me, I know.' He sighed and leaned back, eyes roaming over the other patrons. 'In Port Royal,' he said softly, and felt Jack's eyes on him, 'everyone knew that I'd run off with a pirate. Norrington pardoned me, but they still knew. People stared at me in the street, mothers told their children not to come with me, and everyone called me a filthy pirate behind my back.' He smiled slightly, eyes drifting back to the captain. 'I'm already a pirate, Jack,' he told the man, 'it won't be difficult for me to do what you ask.'
Jack continued to stare at him, even after he'd nodded, accepting Will's word. Missy brought out two plates of food- fruit and eggs, like Jack had promised- as well as water for Will and rum for Jack.
Will groaned at the smell of alcohol and Jack grinned widely as he took a large gulp.
'Get some food into yeh, Will,' Jack told him. 'It helps, promise.'
'I'm supposed to take the word of a pirate?' Will questioned, a smile on his lips.
'Take the word of yeh captain, then,' Jack shrugged.
'Aye, aye, Captain,' Will immediately saluted and spooned eggs into his mouth.
Jack grinned. 'I'm gonna like havin' you aboard, William.'
{oOo}
Will's head had finally stopped throbbing by the time he and Jack left the tavern. It was later than Will had thought, and the sun was already hanging high overhead; he and Jack had slept the morning away.
He blushed when he remembered that he'd passed out in Jack's bed. Jack hadn't said anything about it, but Will just knew that he would, in time. Jack wasn't the kind of man to let that go, especially if it meant he could embarrass Will and make him blush even more; Will had learnt that from the short time they'd sailed together.
The docks were already busy, and there were more people bustling about as Will and Jack made their way back to the Pearl. A few crew members were aboard the black ship, and they threw Will some looks, but didn't say anything as they got about their work.
'Right, time to give yeh the tour, eh?' Jack said as he and Will stood on the deck. He clapped his hands together and grinned like a small child, making Will smile in return. 'So, yeh already know where the Captain's cabin is,' Jack said, grinning slyly at him.
Will blushed. 'Yes, about that,' he mumbled and cleared his throat. 'I'm sorry about passing out in your bed, Jack. You could have just kicked me out, I'd have been happy on the floor.'
Jack snorted. 'I know, mate. Yeh told me all about your adventures in floor-sleeping.'
'I-I did?' Will stuttered, his cheeks heating up.
'Oh, yeah,' the captain grinned. 'And about how mighty fine the sea air is, and how much yeh missed me.'
'Oh,' Will practically squeaked. He stared at the deck beneath them, suddenly finding it fascinating, and Jack laughed.
'Don' worry, lad, I've been told by plenty o' people that I'm a fascinatin' man. I'm always missed.'
'Right,' Will just nodded, not wanting to linger on the matter. 'Did I, uh... say anything else?' he asked, hoping the answer was no.
'Nah,' Jack said, and Will breathed a sigh of relief, 'jus' about how sexy yeh found me.'
'What?!' Will half-shouted, drawing the attention of the few crewmen around them. He blushed furiously while Jack laughed. 'Jack!' he hissed.
'Just kiddin', mate, just kiddin',' Jack said. Will sighed again. ''Course,' Jack whispered, leaning closer. Will's breath caught in his throat. 'If yeh ever do wanna tell me how appealin' I am, I'm all ears.' Jack winked and then shouted, 'Down below, William!' and dragged Will below deck.
{oOo}
'Can yeh set up shop here?' Jack asked, waving wildly at the room around them.
Will nodded. It was almost as big as the crew's quarters, and Will could already imagine fixing up weapons, and even making his own, when he'd got it outfitted with what he needed. He'd have to be careful, of course, to make sure that he didn't set the Black Pearl on fire. But he'd been a blacksmith since he was a kid, and he was confident in his skills.
'This is great, Jack, thank you,' Will beamed. Jack smiled back at him. 'So, uh... I suppose I should get my things and find a bunk?' Will said. He missed the way Jack's face fell at the suggestion, and when he looked up Jack was all smiles again.
'Yeah,' the captain just nodded, 'a'right. Gotta introduce yeh to the crew, first. Most of 'em should be makin' their way back now.'
Will nodded and followed his new captain back through the ship. The Pearl creaked around them, filling Will with a sense of... home. There was no other word for it. Will finally felt like he belonged, like he was in the right place. He had never felt this comfortable with Elizabeth, or even in Brown's smithy. Everything was finally alright.
Will looked up at Jack as they walked, and had to bite back a smile. Everything would be perfect if he could find a permanent place in Jack's bed. He was certain that there had been times, both the previous night and today, when Jack had been... flirting with him. But Will didn't want to make a move until he was positive. For now he'd focus on becoming part of the crew, and he'd make sure to show Jack that he was open to certain things- but only with the captain.
'Jack,' Will said, reaching out to stop the older man before they could go above deck.
Jack turned to him, eyebrows raised.
'Thank you,' Will said. 'You have no idea how much this means to me.'
Jack smiled. 'Don' worry about it, Will. Believe me, I'm glad yer back.'
Will nodded and squeezed Jack's arm before letting go. He was still smiling when he followed Jack up onto the deck.
Author's Note: Well, you wanted more, so I wrote more. Thank you so much for all the lovely comments I got on the previous story; I can't believe that people still want to read about Jack and Will :)
The next chapter should be up soon, I already know what's gonna happen. Hope you liked it :) Also, please note the rating change. There will be explicit slash and graphic violence in later chapters, but I'll be putting warnings in at the beginning of each chapter if you wish to avoid that stuff.
Cheers,
{Dreamer}
