PreChapter Author's Notes: Like I said, this chapter starts up the Jack/Will cuteness. It's not an action-packed chapter or anything, but I personally think that there is some real cuteness going on. Heh heh... I can't wait until my later chapters where the cuteness can become a bit more... wicked. ; P

~Chapter One~
*"Where's Your Shirt?"*

The crew hurried about the deck, Jack shouting orders from behind the captain's wheel. Will stood meekly next to him and a step back, watching in fascination as each man did exactly as the captain commanded. Jack turned and lifted an eyebrow at Will.
"You expectin' a free ride there, boy?" he asked in a haughty but friendly tone. "It'd be a shame for such an able-bodied young lad like yourself to be just sitting on 'is ass when there's so much work to be done, 'specially a young lad with pirate in his blood."
Will wanted to impress Jack with his abilities, but none of those included sailing. "I'd be more than happy to help, Jack, of course, but I don't know the first thing about the workings of a ship."
"Who says ye need to work the ship?" Jack replied. "Hold that thought a moment, William." Jack shouted an order to all the crew, and finally the ship was able to take to the sea once again. She glided gracefully over the water, causing all men onboard to shift the weight of their sea legs. This was more of a challenge for Will, but he was determined not to let Jack regret taking him in.
'Why do I keep thinking about impressing Jack?' Will thought to himself. 'This is about saving Elizabeth! Geez... you'd think that---"
"William!" Jack barked, snapping Will out of his thoughts. "As I was saying, not all work on a ship requires sailing." The captain motioned toward a bucket of water with a sponge floating in it. "Swab the deck around me, boy. Make 'er shine." Jack turned to grin like a madman at the unhappy Will. "I'm gonna make you sorry ye ever hopped aboard MY ship." Jack winked playfully.
Will knew that Jack was having mercy on him by having him scrub the small space around the captain's wheel, but was determined to pull it off with utmost grace. He grinned back. "Aye, CAPTAIN." Jack smiled to himself as Will set about to swab the deck.
"Good whelp."
~*~
That night, with the anchor down, Jack, Will, and the crew had all settled in a room below deck with a wooden table, a few chairs, and a small rug. Almost everyone was drinking (including, if not ESPECIALLY, Jack) and generally having a very good time playing cards or dancing around like the drunken pirates they were.
Jack sat in the biggest chair, the only one with a cushion, at the head of the table, with a half empty bottle of rum clutched lovingly in his hand. Will was pinned in the corner of the crowded room, desperately trying to make his way toward Jack, the only person he knew well enough to be comfortable around.
It wasn't difficult to follow his loud, drunken voice. He was entertaining his crew with a story about a woman he once had and her jealous husband, and illustrated every point with a flamboyant flail of his hands and a swig of his rum. Will finally made his way up to Jack just as the pirate was speaking...
"... an' I just grabbed the wench," he spotted Will and got an evil little grin on his face, "...like THIS!" He reached out for the back of Will's pants and plopped the very surprised young blacksmith into his lap, draping the arm not containing rum over his shoulder and holding him there. All the men laughed loudly and Will blushed deeper than he ever thought possible.
"Swig of rum, luv?" Jack wickedly asked the lad in his lap.
Flustered and wide-eyed, Will simply asked "Where's your shirt?!"
Jack pretended to be deep in thought for a moment. "I dunno." he finally concluded. "'Must 'ave run away, cause the poor dear's been missing for quite a while now."
Will tried to squirm out of Jack's hold, feeling extremely uncomfortable sitting on the man's lap in front of a motley crew of pirates. Jack held firm and whispered into Will's ear, "Yer not goin' anywhere, boy."
"Jack..." Will hissed, sounding more pleading than he wanted it to. "I am HIGHLY uncomfortable with this."
"I know, luv." Jack laughed. "Thass why I'm doin' it! Yer too high strung, ya know that? And you blush like a little girl. Relax. Have some grog." Jack picked up a random tin off the table and offered it to Will.
"I don't drink." Will grumbled, feebly wiggling in Jack's grasp with no effect. "What are you doing? Let me---" Will began to protest when he realized that his squirming had placed him in a rather suggestive position. He was still on Jack's lap, but he was turned slightly with the side of his face pressed against Jack's bare chest and the man's ring-bejeweled hand around the back of his neck, over his shoulder, and on his own clothed chest. He meekly looked up at Jack, who lifted an eyebrow in humor.
"Made yourself comfortable, 'ave you?" the pirate laughed, gulping an inhuman amount of rum. Will breathed in deep the smell of Jack, the smell of rum and sea air, before realizing that he had not moved. He jolted back into the original position Jack had him in, and somehow managed to deepen his hellish blush.
"Ya know, men," Jack began loudly addressing the men at the table. Will tried to look away from the odd glances they were casting him, what with him in the captain's lap and all. Jack continued. "This 'ere boy... he's a good boy, savvy? Make 'im feel at home 'ere on the 'Pearl'. Any man who dares treat 'im like the whelp he really is, I'll toss ye overboard." At this, Jack began to laugh loudly, and judging by the slur of his words, was amazingly even drunker than he had been earlier. Finally seeing an opportunity to escape the crew's eyes, he addressed the pirate silently.
"Jack... you're very drunk." he said, standing slowly as he had realized that Jack was no longer holding him in place. He pulled the man to his feet by his arm. "Let's get you back to your cabin, you looney."
Jack went to protest, but just nodded and yanked his arm out of Will's grasp. He nearly fell in his drunken state, but with a bit of help from Will he managed to make it to the deck where they were finally alone.
"Will... whassa matter with ya? Yer not drunk at all, boy. Where's the fun in THAT?" Jack slurred, wobbling unsteadily. Will rolled his eyes.
"Look what being drunk does to a man." he replied, his long-standing flushed cheeks decreasing in redness a bit. "You're completely out of your mind."
"I'm never out of my mind, boy. I always know essactly wuhs goin' on *hiccup*. 'Scuse me." Jack replied. Taking in a deep breath and closing his eyes, he seemed to sober only slightly. "Yer on a pirate ship, mate. You need to loosen up a bit. I meant ye know harm, so quite blushing before I start addressing you as 'woman'. Ah, great, now yer blushing more. What's wrong with you?" Jack laughed, proud at how uncomfortable he had made Will.
"I am NOT blushing." Will insisted. "I'm tired, though. Surely you're not going to make me sleep down with the crew...?" William trailed off and looked hopefully at Jack. He didn't want to be stuffed down there with them.
Jack looked at Will oddly. "I was GOING to, but if ya really got somethin' against it, you can share my cabin." he replied, than quickly added, "And yer not kicking me out of me own bed."
Will sighed with relief. The captain's cabin was very nice and furnished beautifully, and he would be all alone except for him and Jack... wait a minute. He would be all alone... with Jack. He suddenly felt nervousness flutter into his stomach and hoped desperately that he hadn't reddened more. Will shook the thought out of his head. "I'd like that." he simply replied.
Jack gave a nod and motioned for Will to follow him as he headed toward his cabin. When they entered, Will shut the door behind him once the pirate had lit a few candles. There was a bed to the side of the room, a desk and chair, a trunk, a liquor cabinet, and a large cushioned chair. Will watched Jack intently as the shirtless pirate removed his boots and belt and tossed them onto the chair.
Will slipped off his own boots and set them next to the door. "Where do ya plan on sleepin'?" Jack asked. Will thought a moment.
"There doesn't seem like anywhere to sleep but the floor." he concluded. Jack shrugged as if he didn't agree, but pulled the top blanket and a pillow off his bed and tossed them to Will. The blanket landed draped over his head so he couldn't see and the pillow hit him right in the face. "AUGH!"
Jack chuckled and Will snorted indignantly as he managed to escape the blanket, but then he smiled slightly and laughed, too. He tossed the pillow next to Jack's bed and sat in front of it with the blanket curled up in his lap. Jack practically stepped over him as he strode up to his desk.
Bending over it, the pirate dipped his quill in some ink and began to scribble something into a leather-bound book. Will watched with interest as Jack put the pen away and slipped the book into a drawer. Will turned away quickly as Jack walked back in attempt to hide the fact that he had been watching the captain.
Jack plopped onto his bed, his arm dangling off the side and purposefully placing his open hand directly on Will's face. The boy made a muffled noise and Jack grinned and removed it. There was a comfortable silence for a bit.
"What are we going to do when we reach the island?" Will asked, not sure why he had whispered. Jack made a low breathy noise, than allowed his arm to dangle off the bed once more, this time bending his arm so as not to disturb William.
"I'm not sure." the pirate admitted. "I'm thinking something along the lines of hiding our ship, you and me goin' into the caves with the crew sneaking up the rear, and when we verify your lass's safety ambush whatever fool dares to think he might pull one over the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow." Will could nearly feel the smirk that was surely on the captain's lips as he said that last line.
"Sounds good." Will agreed silently. There was another silence, this one less comfortable.
Jack could sense the cause for the boy's quietness. "She'll be alright, Will." he said, speaking in a comforting tone that Will had never heard before. "Everything will be fine. I promise you upon pain of death."
Will felt his body relax at Jack's words. If Jack said so, he'd believe it. He was amazed at the comforting power the crude man possessed. He was also amazed to realize that, until just moments ago, he hadn't thought about Elizabeth once. He was too focused on Jack Sparrow. He again pushed the thought back. "I believe you." he finally said softly. He sighed and reached up to lightly let his fingers touch Jack's palm. "Thank you."
Jack gave the boy's fingers a gentle squeeze before pulling his arm back into his bed. "G'night, William." he said with a bit of a yawn and a hiccup.
Will took a moment to listen to Jack's steadying breathing before replying in a voice so soft and hushed that only he could here it. "Good night... Captain Jack Sparrow." Will rolled onto his side, facing away from Jack's bed, and closed his eyes.

PostChapter Author's Notes: Like I said, just basically some drunken Will- centered antics from Jack and confused Jack-centered musings from Will. Seriously, though... picture Will all snuggled into Jack's chest as they were in this chapter. CUTENESS! ^_^
=+=