Upon A Painted Ocean - 21
Author: Daisy Sparrow
Pairing: Jack/Will, Will/Elizabeth
Rating: PG-13 and rising
Summary:
When a mysterious plague hits Port Royal Will and Elizabeth go with Captain Jack Sparrow to find a cure. But when Will is captured by the man who unleashed the plague and infected with a strange new disease that feeds on love things start to get complicated. Slashiness!
Archive:
fanfiction.net, PotC mailing list, and some archives. OK for the others, as long as you ask me first.
Disclaimer:
Pirates of the Caribbean and all its characters are not mine. I am making no money off this. Don't sue the college kid who are already broke. But Zeke is mine, so kindly keep your paws away.... unless you ask really nicely, begging also helps. ^_^
Credit for the title goes to Coleridge's poem and P.Speare who wrote the most wonderful Weiss Kreuz fic. Also special thanks to Darkdancer for the betaing and the summary.
Warning:
Same as always, first fic ever and English not my first language. Norrington's back (I so wanted to make him into a villain, but just can't) and Jack's OOC-ness is getting out of hand! And Elizabeth, what have you done!!!
Would have updated earlier, but the stupid server won't let me log on. :( I won't have as much time to write, with school and all. I'll try to update at least once a week, usually on the weekend. And there are only about two or three chapters left I think, oh, my head hurts.
Read and Review please ^_^
" " speech
// // thoughts
*** *** memory/flashback
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
He lowered the telescope as the Black Pearl floated peacefully in the distance.
This was not good, he assessed the situation grimily.
The Dauntless was in a relatively bad shape compared to the other ship, having just returned from the rather nasty battle with the Grey Owl. If the Black Pearl decided to engage, there was little chance that the Dauntless would come out victorious.
He had followed on the trail of the Black Pearl with the Dauntless alone, and left the two smaller battle cruisers in Tortuga. It was a decision which he regretted candidly. That blasted pirate ship had somehow dodged the patrolling ship cycling these water and slipped into the perimeter of Isle de Aves undetected.
Consequentially that left the pursuing navy to deal with the Brotherhood of the Hawks. He had sank the pirate ship as fast as he could, aware that any elongation could bring the enemy reinforcement running.
The Grey Owl was surprisingly undermanned, and thus presented little challenge. Unusual for a pirate ship, even more unusual if the pirates were expecting an attack. It was as if someone had set the Grey Owl up not to be an actual defense, but rather some sort of means to delay any approaching enemies.
But to say the battle had been won effortless would be a gross understatement. The pirates had fought back fearlessly, and managed to get a couple of good shots at the Dauntless. It was probably due to the fact that there were no ways of retreating for the pirates. It was either fight to the death or be arrested and then executed. Not a lot of options left to explore, he admitted silently. He would have done the same thing if he was in their shoes.
"Commodore, what should we do?" His first officer asked beside him.
"Prepare to fire." He said concisely.
His first intuition was to blow the other ship out of the water. If he was going down, he would at least take that accursed ship down with him.
"But, what about Miss. Swann?"
He'd almost forgotten about Elizabeth. There was a great probability that she was rescued and transferred back to the Black Pearl. Elizabeth could be very resilient and resourceful for one who was so well sheltered for most of her life. That was one of the character traits that Norrington had always admired and approved about her.
"Sir! They just raised the white flag!" Gillette shouted.
"What!?"
He hastily extended his telescope and peeked through the glass hole. It was true. The Black Pearl's flashy trademark of the skull and cutlasses had been replaced by a simple white flag.
A trick, was his conclusion.
He gritted his teeth with frustration. Just what kind of fool did Jack Sparrow take him for. He twisted the metal rim, which controlled the range of the telescope, with more force than required. The thin metal squeaked beneath his squashing fingers. With a longer view, he scanned the Black Pearl more thoroughly. He could see no movement on the top deck, nor any activities on board.
A flash of ivory caught his eyes, he swayed the telescope towards it. With her arms flailing around wildly, was Elizabeth.
"Lieutenant!" He called out, "Sail closer and prepare to board the Black Pearl."
"Sir?"
"I want all cannons trailed on her at all time. If this is an ambush, you may fire at will."
"Yes, sir."
He wouldn't put it pass Sparrow to use Elizabeth as a bait. He had more than enough reprimands from underestimating pirates.
He smoothed down hard on the bandages around his throat, the ensuring sting was followed by a warm stickiness. The pain grounded him against his warring emotions between his obligation to duty and the concern for Elizabeth.
The wounds, which he had sustained from that ill-fated raid in Tortuga, had stop oozing blood long before. But after three days, the cuts were still open, even with stitches and as fresh as if they were made mere moments ago. The injuries would burn at the slightest pressure, and the constant discomfort often accompanied him into the sleepless nights.
He really hated pirates.
When he first joined the navy, his annoyance started as a matter of loyalty. As a respected officer of the Royal Navy, it was his sworn duty to slave the evils that infested the Caribbean. His naive reveries quickly faded with age and experience. Now it was simply the principle of things, pirates are the enemy of all vessels that sailed under his majesty's blessing, and more importantly, his enemy. It was the single pillar of truth, which he had build his career and his life around without query or doubt.
He had always generalized the pirates to be without conscious, scheming, and greedy. His opinions had changed somewhat after his most unfortunate acquaintance with a certain pirate captain. Jack Sparrow was, of course, without conscious, scheming, greedy and much more. But the man was also deviously charming and a puzzling enigma. But damned if he was ever going to go easy on any of them just because of a shift of view.
He walked down the stair and toward the side of the ship. They were sailing cautiously toward the Black Pearl, and all soldiers on board had came on guard swiftly.
He frowned as his minded drifted momentarily, toward a pair of mocking grey eyes, and the supercilious curve of lips. The implacable resentment within him wired around with some other indescribable itching, grew slowly with each step. He vowed inwardly; he would personally tighten the noose around that scrawny neck, if it was the last thing he would do.
~~~*~~~
The boy was even more pigheaded than his father. His voice was nearly frayed with desperation and pain. Still Will countered each threats and arguments with childish retorts. Why wouldn't the boy just listen? Was stubbornness some kind of essential heirloom in the Turner family?
He felt as if their roles were reversed. Since when had he become the mature one? Damn it all, he didn't wanted to listen to logic. He wanted to go back to being crazy, or eccentric enough so that nothing mattered to him, but his beloved ship. Where was a nice jag of rum when he needed it?
"Ye...ye stubborn brat!"
"Yes. Yes, I am."
Why, the little....the boy even had the galls to admit it! Will obviously had learned nothing from all the time they had spent together. All those times he had drilled into that pretty little head about 'the opportune moment' must had been in vain. Why couldn't Will understand that nothing could be accomplished by recklessness and blind pertinacity?
Maybe it was because he has been learning from you, his subconscious spoke back sarcastically, sounded eerily like Elizabeth.
He promptly told that part of his brain to shove it and die. So he was being hypocritical. But he was a pirate, and everybody knew that pirates didn't have any common sense. And he was older, which therefore made him wiser.
He stepped closer, and almost brought their bodies into contact. Will's sorrowful brown eyes stared imploring into his, silently beseeching.
Will wasn't going to leave, he realized with heartrending calmness.
There was something emerging from the pit of his stomach; a sweet rapture, expanding and filling his chest with warmth and tranquillity. The sudden surge of happiness almost overwhelmed him. He sucked in a mouthful of air.
This was ridiculous. There was nothing happy about this stalemate, this butchery of reasons, that could and would get them all killed. If Will wasn't going to leave, he would just have to make the boy go, he made up his mind.
His hand moved by its own accord and grabbed the back of the Will's head, tangled his fingers between the soft, dark trusses. Surprise flickered through the hazel eyes, that were quickly came on guard and veiled with determination.
//I am sorry, Will.//
With a shallow dive of his head, he claimed those pouting lips roughly. The body inside his arms stilled and the mouth against his slacked from the sudden pressure. He closed his eyes and plunged his tongue into the warm cavern.
If this was the closest that he could get to heaven, then he would take as much as he could. The memory of those sensual lips would have to last him till the end of his days. He devoured that unresisting mouth, swiped his tongue across the back of those pearly teeth and drank in every taste.
He felt the boy yielded under his persistent attacks, and pulled away quickly before that beautiful submission could drown him. Will's eyes were clouded, the pupils dilated and slipping in and out of focus. He applied a little more force with the hand still holding on Will's head, and brought their foreheads together.
He couldn't stare at the other after that sneaky practice, and for what he was about to do next. Instead he pried his eyelids open slightly and peeked at the boy under dark lashes.
"I love ye."
There, he had said it. Admitted it. Blurted out the secret of his heart tactlessly, and as he foresaw, at the worst place and time. Will was still frozen by shock. He let go of the boy and his hands fell beside him with tired resignation.
Will's breathing hitched. He braced himself against the inevitable outcome; the disgust and disappointment, which would replace the admiration and affection in those youthful features. He was no stranger to pain and heartaches. As long as Will leaves, he prayed inwardly. He would let the searing rejection incinerat its mark on his heart, and fret a irreparable channel through their friendship. As long as Will remained safe, he would endure any hardship.
"Jack."
Will's eyes were bright with unshed tears. His tightened his fists and held them rigidly at his sides; the nails dug into his palms. A few sharp stings, and something warm and sticky streamed between his fingers. He deserved it. He deserved all the scorns, revolts and sufferings.
Let him bleed. If he cut himself open wild enough, perhaps this agony would bleed out of him.
Didn't some long dead wise guy once said that, it was better to have loved and lost, then never to have loved at all. He gritted his teeth with impediment. Just what sort of bullshit was that! He was gravely mistaken to underrate this unbearable turmoil. He was deluded by his own desire and fooled by the most astute escapee from Pandora's box.
Hope.
He was fooled by hope, or was he a fool with only a fool's hope.
"Jack." Will called again.
There was a different tone in the husky voice. An ardent emotion blended with depthless yearning, and tickled mildly like some well-aged wine. He steadied himself in case the boy decided to lash out, or yell, or cry, or.... something.
Will lunged, winded both arms around his neck and kissed him.
The angle was wrong and their noses smashed awkwardly against one another. But his heart still jumped so high, that he thought it might juggle out of his chest. The boy's boldness and enthusiasm made up for his lack of skills. Will groaned at his lack of reaction, nipped his bottom lip lightly and pried his mouth open.
He moaned when that mouth clamped down on his own eagerly. He shuddered when that damp flesh burned a path down his mouth and all the way to his throat. The last grip of control was ripped away from him without much protest. He felt lightheaded, drunk, drugged, only hotter and without the nauseating side effects.
A voice growled angrily behind them.
The severity of their situation cut through the web of desire which bind them. He cursed inwardly and pulled away with great effort. Will followed him and showered his face with butterfly kisses between breathless murmuring.
"I love you, too."
He choked and almost bit his own tongue. He felt suddenly.... weak and couldn't get any air pass through the large knot that had formed in his throat.
"I love you." Will said again, louder and clearer.
His brain was still on strike, and all of his bodily functions nonexistent. He couldn't stopped the uncontrollable trembling that was wrecking through his body. Mouth opened and closed soundlessly, he continued to gap at the boy.
"Did you hear me?" Will inquired and sniffed. "I love you."
"No." He finally managed to blurt out.
"No? ....you don't believe me?" Will's eyes saddened, then sharpened with renewed determination, "I love you. I won't hide any more. I'll say it for as many times as needed. I'll say it until you believe me."
He shook his head slightly, but inside he was melting.
"I love you." Will chanted softly against his lips, "I love you. I...."
A muscular arm cycled him from behind, and pushed him backward, while a sharp backhand sent Will flying.
"Will!"
He struggled furiously against the strong hold and shouted desperately. Fear clawed its way into his heart with the coldness of sleet. The boy pushed himself back to his feet, and turned to glare behind him challengingly.
"Kill him." Vann order curtly.
"NO!"
Vann ignored him. His eyes widened at the clanking of weapons in response. Will snarled, _expression darkening and lowered his pose like a giant cat ready to strike.
"Ye gave me yer word!" He reminded his captor as a last resort.
The body behind him tensed and hardened like a brick wall. He ceased the struggling, and poured as much pleading into his voice as possible, without actually getting down on his knees and beg.
"Ye gave me yer word. Will's life for mine."
Will's head swirled toward him. The boy looked incredulously at him before took a step forward. Anamarie and Gibbs rushed forward and restrained the boy in a hurry. Will winced slightly against the foreign touches, even under a layer of cloth. The discomfort did not dull the boy's resolve, as Will kicked, growled and bite out a string of curses.
Their grips were unyielding. He send a weary grin toward the two in gratitude.
He took a deep breath and spoke to the man behind him slowly. "Ye promised me the cure. Cure Will, let my crew go, and I'll stay with ye.... like ye wanted. I'll stay by yer side... always."
"And I can trust *your* words?" Vann laughed humorlessly.
"I swear it."
"Will you really?"
"....I swear on... everything that I held dear so long ago... on their graves.... on *her* grave."
Vann kept silent for a few more seconds before shouted towards one of his men. "Fetch the priest!"
The ensuring silence afterward was nerve-wrecking and stretched out almost infinitely. No one said anything. Vann kept his hold on Jack with gleeful possessiveness, and Will kept his glaring unwavering.
After what felt like hours, the priest tumbled through the bushes toward them. Cane's presence seemed to agitate Will, who had redirected his glare toward the approaching priest. Cane saw Will and did a double take. Surprise smeared around that wrinkled face. Then the priest turned toward Cane and screeched with impatience.
"What do you want?!"
Vann didn't reply. Without sparing a single glance toward the priest, the pirate calmly drew out his pistol and shot Cane with uncanny precision.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
^_^
This message is for Christy the badger and all those other people out there, who were wondering about Jack & Will, and what happened to Zeke.
First, I assure you that Jack and Will are going to be together. I mean I wrote this whole story just so the two can hook up. And I am totally not into tragic ending, I like my stories to have happy endings like "and they lived happily ever after." ^_^ So yeah, don't worry. There are just gonna be a couple more obstacles to remove and people to kill.
Also, my apologizes to those who wanted Will to...eh...cure himself. This is ff.net and I don't think I could ever write a lemon. I am not really into the graphical sexual aspect of the Slash, it's usually the emotions and the story behind it that attracts me.
As for Zeke...
Me: He's busted, that's what! Ahhhaahhhaaa!!!!!
Zeke: I sincerely hope you die.
Ok, honestly, he's not dead or anything, but will continue to stay out of commission til the end of the fic. As for his condition, I don't know how to properly describe it. But you know how sometimes people are only afraid of something after they found out it's there. There has to be some kind of psychological term for it. There is actually an old saying in chinese that once you got bitten by a snake, you will be afraid of ropes for the rest of your life. Does that make any sense? _
Anyway, Zeke spend weeks on the same ship with Will(and the ruby), but felt absolutely nothing. Ok, let's face it, he's dense, but he was only freaked after he _saw_ the gem. I am not saying that the ruby has no effect, it does, but faint. But its effect was magnified by Zeke's own mentality and paranoia, you know, with all the bad experience he had and all that. Things might not be as bad as they looked.
A group of them together, on the other hand, would be a different matter. Zeke is in a, shall we say, coma liked state, sort like when he was sealed in the ruby. But this time, he can actually break free if he wanted to since the ruby was already in pieces. (But don't tell him that. ^_~) One more thing, remembered the silver barrier thing that Jack sensed, it was conjured up by the ruby also. It didn't do much against someone like Ursella (being a upper class demon and all that....wait, fallen angel actually, but whatever), but we all saw what it did to Jack.
Zeke: I am going to kill Ramirez. This is all his fault.
Me: He's been dead for thousands of years.
Zeke: Human reincarnates.
Me: *looking innocent* You have to find him first, any idea who?
Zeke: Hell if I know! I'll just... kill anyone who looked, sounded or felt like him. I'll hit the jackpot eventually.
Me: You are hopeless. _
This is getting so long. Anyway I hope you enjoyed the story so far. Any comments, suggestions, random thoughts, just let me know :)
Author: Daisy Sparrow
Pairing: Jack/Will, Will/Elizabeth
Rating: PG-13 and rising
Summary:
When a mysterious plague hits Port Royal Will and Elizabeth go with Captain Jack Sparrow to find a cure. But when Will is captured by the man who unleashed the plague and infected with a strange new disease that feeds on love things start to get complicated. Slashiness!
Archive:
fanfiction.net, PotC mailing list, and some archives. OK for the others, as long as you ask me first.
Disclaimer:
Pirates of the Caribbean and all its characters are not mine. I am making no money off this. Don't sue the college kid who are already broke. But Zeke is mine, so kindly keep your paws away.... unless you ask really nicely, begging also helps. ^_^
Credit for the title goes to Coleridge's poem and P.Speare who wrote the most wonderful Weiss Kreuz fic. Also special thanks to Darkdancer for the betaing and the summary.
Warning:
Same as always, first fic ever and English not my first language. Norrington's back (I so wanted to make him into a villain, but just can't) and Jack's OOC-ness is getting out of hand! And Elizabeth, what have you done!!!
Would have updated earlier, but the stupid server won't let me log on. :( I won't have as much time to write, with school and all. I'll try to update at least once a week, usually on the weekend. And there are only about two or three chapters left I think, oh, my head hurts.
Read and Review please ^_^
" " speech
// // thoughts
*** *** memory/flashback
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
He lowered the telescope as the Black Pearl floated peacefully in the distance.
This was not good, he assessed the situation grimily.
The Dauntless was in a relatively bad shape compared to the other ship, having just returned from the rather nasty battle with the Grey Owl. If the Black Pearl decided to engage, there was little chance that the Dauntless would come out victorious.
He had followed on the trail of the Black Pearl with the Dauntless alone, and left the two smaller battle cruisers in Tortuga. It was a decision which he regretted candidly. That blasted pirate ship had somehow dodged the patrolling ship cycling these water and slipped into the perimeter of Isle de Aves undetected.
Consequentially that left the pursuing navy to deal with the Brotherhood of the Hawks. He had sank the pirate ship as fast as he could, aware that any elongation could bring the enemy reinforcement running.
The Grey Owl was surprisingly undermanned, and thus presented little challenge. Unusual for a pirate ship, even more unusual if the pirates were expecting an attack. It was as if someone had set the Grey Owl up not to be an actual defense, but rather some sort of means to delay any approaching enemies.
But to say the battle had been won effortless would be a gross understatement. The pirates had fought back fearlessly, and managed to get a couple of good shots at the Dauntless. It was probably due to the fact that there were no ways of retreating for the pirates. It was either fight to the death or be arrested and then executed. Not a lot of options left to explore, he admitted silently. He would have done the same thing if he was in their shoes.
"Commodore, what should we do?" His first officer asked beside him.
"Prepare to fire." He said concisely.
His first intuition was to blow the other ship out of the water. If he was going down, he would at least take that accursed ship down with him.
"But, what about Miss. Swann?"
He'd almost forgotten about Elizabeth. There was a great probability that she was rescued and transferred back to the Black Pearl. Elizabeth could be very resilient and resourceful for one who was so well sheltered for most of her life. That was one of the character traits that Norrington had always admired and approved about her.
"Sir! They just raised the white flag!" Gillette shouted.
"What!?"
He hastily extended his telescope and peeked through the glass hole. It was true. The Black Pearl's flashy trademark of the skull and cutlasses had been replaced by a simple white flag.
A trick, was his conclusion.
He gritted his teeth with frustration. Just what kind of fool did Jack Sparrow take him for. He twisted the metal rim, which controlled the range of the telescope, with more force than required. The thin metal squeaked beneath his squashing fingers. With a longer view, he scanned the Black Pearl more thoroughly. He could see no movement on the top deck, nor any activities on board.
A flash of ivory caught his eyes, he swayed the telescope towards it. With her arms flailing around wildly, was Elizabeth.
"Lieutenant!" He called out, "Sail closer and prepare to board the Black Pearl."
"Sir?"
"I want all cannons trailed on her at all time. If this is an ambush, you may fire at will."
"Yes, sir."
He wouldn't put it pass Sparrow to use Elizabeth as a bait. He had more than enough reprimands from underestimating pirates.
He smoothed down hard on the bandages around his throat, the ensuring sting was followed by a warm stickiness. The pain grounded him against his warring emotions between his obligation to duty and the concern for Elizabeth.
The wounds, which he had sustained from that ill-fated raid in Tortuga, had stop oozing blood long before. But after three days, the cuts were still open, even with stitches and as fresh as if they were made mere moments ago. The injuries would burn at the slightest pressure, and the constant discomfort often accompanied him into the sleepless nights.
He really hated pirates.
When he first joined the navy, his annoyance started as a matter of loyalty. As a respected officer of the Royal Navy, it was his sworn duty to slave the evils that infested the Caribbean. His naive reveries quickly faded with age and experience. Now it was simply the principle of things, pirates are the enemy of all vessels that sailed under his majesty's blessing, and more importantly, his enemy. It was the single pillar of truth, which he had build his career and his life around without query or doubt.
He had always generalized the pirates to be without conscious, scheming, and greedy. His opinions had changed somewhat after his most unfortunate acquaintance with a certain pirate captain. Jack Sparrow was, of course, without conscious, scheming, greedy and much more. But the man was also deviously charming and a puzzling enigma. But damned if he was ever going to go easy on any of them just because of a shift of view.
He walked down the stair and toward the side of the ship. They were sailing cautiously toward the Black Pearl, and all soldiers on board had came on guard swiftly.
He frowned as his minded drifted momentarily, toward a pair of mocking grey eyes, and the supercilious curve of lips. The implacable resentment within him wired around with some other indescribable itching, grew slowly with each step. He vowed inwardly; he would personally tighten the noose around that scrawny neck, if it was the last thing he would do.
~~~*~~~
The boy was even more pigheaded than his father. His voice was nearly frayed with desperation and pain. Still Will countered each threats and arguments with childish retorts. Why wouldn't the boy just listen? Was stubbornness some kind of essential heirloom in the Turner family?
He felt as if their roles were reversed. Since when had he become the mature one? Damn it all, he didn't wanted to listen to logic. He wanted to go back to being crazy, or eccentric enough so that nothing mattered to him, but his beloved ship. Where was a nice jag of rum when he needed it?
"Ye...ye stubborn brat!"
"Yes. Yes, I am."
Why, the little....the boy even had the galls to admit it! Will obviously had learned nothing from all the time they had spent together. All those times he had drilled into that pretty little head about 'the opportune moment' must had been in vain. Why couldn't Will understand that nothing could be accomplished by recklessness and blind pertinacity?
Maybe it was because he has been learning from you, his subconscious spoke back sarcastically, sounded eerily like Elizabeth.
He promptly told that part of his brain to shove it and die. So he was being hypocritical. But he was a pirate, and everybody knew that pirates didn't have any common sense. And he was older, which therefore made him wiser.
He stepped closer, and almost brought their bodies into contact. Will's sorrowful brown eyes stared imploring into his, silently beseeching.
Will wasn't going to leave, he realized with heartrending calmness.
There was something emerging from the pit of his stomach; a sweet rapture, expanding and filling his chest with warmth and tranquillity. The sudden surge of happiness almost overwhelmed him. He sucked in a mouthful of air.
This was ridiculous. There was nothing happy about this stalemate, this butchery of reasons, that could and would get them all killed. If Will wasn't going to leave, he would just have to make the boy go, he made up his mind.
His hand moved by its own accord and grabbed the back of the Will's head, tangled his fingers between the soft, dark trusses. Surprise flickered through the hazel eyes, that were quickly came on guard and veiled with determination.
//I am sorry, Will.//
With a shallow dive of his head, he claimed those pouting lips roughly. The body inside his arms stilled and the mouth against his slacked from the sudden pressure. He closed his eyes and plunged his tongue into the warm cavern.
If this was the closest that he could get to heaven, then he would take as much as he could. The memory of those sensual lips would have to last him till the end of his days. He devoured that unresisting mouth, swiped his tongue across the back of those pearly teeth and drank in every taste.
He felt the boy yielded under his persistent attacks, and pulled away quickly before that beautiful submission could drown him. Will's eyes were clouded, the pupils dilated and slipping in and out of focus. He applied a little more force with the hand still holding on Will's head, and brought their foreheads together.
He couldn't stare at the other after that sneaky practice, and for what he was about to do next. Instead he pried his eyelids open slightly and peeked at the boy under dark lashes.
"I love ye."
There, he had said it. Admitted it. Blurted out the secret of his heart tactlessly, and as he foresaw, at the worst place and time. Will was still frozen by shock. He let go of the boy and his hands fell beside him with tired resignation.
Will's breathing hitched. He braced himself against the inevitable outcome; the disgust and disappointment, which would replace the admiration and affection in those youthful features. He was no stranger to pain and heartaches. As long as Will leaves, he prayed inwardly. He would let the searing rejection incinerat its mark on his heart, and fret a irreparable channel through their friendship. As long as Will remained safe, he would endure any hardship.
"Jack."
Will's eyes were bright with unshed tears. His tightened his fists and held them rigidly at his sides; the nails dug into his palms. A few sharp stings, and something warm and sticky streamed between his fingers. He deserved it. He deserved all the scorns, revolts and sufferings.
Let him bleed. If he cut himself open wild enough, perhaps this agony would bleed out of him.
Didn't some long dead wise guy once said that, it was better to have loved and lost, then never to have loved at all. He gritted his teeth with impediment. Just what sort of bullshit was that! He was gravely mistaken to underrate this unbearable turmoil. He was deluded by his own desire and fooled by the most astute escapee from Pandora's box.
Hope.
He was fooled by hope, or was he a fool with only a fool's hope.
"Jack." Will called again.
There was a different tone in the husky voice. An ardent emotion blended with depthless yearning, and tickled mildly like some well-aged wine. He steadied himself in case the boy decided to lash out, or yell, or cry, or.... something.
Will lunged, winded both arms around his neck and kissed him.
The angle was wrong and their noses smashed awkwardly against one another. But his heart still jumped so high, that he thought it might juggle out of his chest. The boy's boldness and enthusiasm made up for his lack of skills. Will groaned at his lack of reaction, nipped his bottom lip lightly and pried his mouth open.
He moaned when that mouth clamped down on his own eagerly. He shuddered when that damp flesh burned a path down his mouth and all the way to his throat. The last grip of control was ripped away from him without much protest. He felt lightheaded, drunk, drugged, only hotter and without the nauseating side effects.
A voice growled angrily behind them.
The severity of their situation cut through the web of desire which bind them. He cursed inwardly and pulled away with great effort. Will followed him and showered his face with butterfly kisses between breathless murmuring.
"I love you, too."
He choked and almost bit his own tongue. He felt suddenly.... weak and couldn't get any air pass through the large knot that had formed in his throat.
"I love you." Will said again, louder and clearer.
His brain was still on strike, and all of his bodily functions nonexistent. He couldn't stopped the uncontrollable trembling that was wrecking through his body. Mouth opened and closed soundlessly, he continued to gap at the boy.
"Did you hear me?" Will inquired and sniffed. "I love you."
"No." He finally managed to blurt out.
"No? ....you don't believe me?" Will's eyes saddened, then sharpened with renewed determination, "I love you. I won't hide any more. I'll say it for as many times as needed. I'll say it until you believe me."
He shook his head slightly, but inside he was melting.
"I love you." Will chanted softly against his lips, "I love you. I...."
A muscular arm cycled him from behind, and pushed him backward, while a sharp backhand sent Will flying.
"Will!"
He struggled furiously against the strong hold and shouted desperately. Fear clawed its way into his heart with the coldness of sleet. The boy pushed himself back to his feet, and turned to glare behind him challengingly.
"Kill him." Vann order curtly.
"NO!"
Vann ignored him. His eyes widened at the clanking of weapons in response. Will snarled, _expression darkening and lowered his pose like a giant cat ready to strike.
"Ye gave me yer word!" He reminded his captor as a last resort.
The body behind him tensed and hardened like a brick wall. He ceased the struggling, and poured as much pleading into his voice as possible, without actually getting down on his knees and beg.
"Ye gave me yer word. Will's life for mine."
Will's head swirled toward him. The boy looked incredulously at him before took a step forward. Anamarie and Gibbs rushed forward and restrained the boy in a hurry. Will winced slightly against the foreign touches, even under a layer of cloth. The discomfort did not dull the boy's resolve, as Will kicked, growled and bite out a string of curses.
Their grips were unyielding. He send a weary grin toward the two in gratitude.
He took a deep breath and spoke to the man behind him slowly. "Ye promised me the cure. Cure Will, let my crew go, and I'll stay with ye.... like ye wanted. I'll stay by yer side... always."
"And I can trust *your* words?" Vann laughed humorlessly.
"I swear it."
"Will you really?"
"....I swear on... everything that I held dear so long ago... on their graves.... on *her* grave."
Vann kept silent for a few more seconds before shouted towards one of his men. "Fetch the priest!"
The ensuring silence afterward was nerve-wrecking and stretched out almost infinitely. No one said anything. Vann kept his hold on Jack with gleeful possessiveness, and Will kept his glaring unwavering.
After what felt like hours, the priest tumbled through the bushes toward them. Cane's presence seemed to agitate Will, who had redirected his glare toward the approaching priest. Cane saw Will and did a double take. Surprise smeared around that wrinkled face. Then the priest turned toward Cane and screeched with impatience.
"What do you want?!"
Vann didn't reply. Without sparing a single glance toward the priest, the pirate calmly drew out his pistol and shot Cane with uncanny precision.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
^_^
This message is for Christy the badger and all those other people out there, who were wondering about Jack & Will, and what happened to Zeke.
First, I assure you that Jack and Will are going to be together. I mean I wrote this whole story just so the two can hook up. And I am totally not into tragic ending, I like my stories to have happy endings like "and they lived happily ever after." ^_^ So yeah, don't worry. There are just gonna be a couple more obstacles to remove and people to kill.
Also, my apologizes to those who wanted Will to...eh...cure himself. This is ff.net and I don't think I could ever write a lemon. I am not really into the graphical sexual aspect of the Slash, it's usually the emotions and the story behind it that attracts me.
As for Zeke...
Me: He's busted, that's what! Ahhhaahhhaaa!!!!!
Zeke: I sincerely hope you die.
Ok, honestly, he's not dead or anything, but will continue to stay out of commission til the end of the fic. As for his condition, I don't know how to properly describe it. But you know how sometimes people are only afraid of something after they found out it's there. There has to be some kind of psychological term for it. There is actually an old saying in chinese that once you got bitten by a snake, you will be afraid of ropes for the rest of your life. Does that make any sense? _
Anyway, Zeke spend weeks on the same ship with Will(and the ruby), but felt absolutely nothing. Ok, let's face it, he's dense, but he was only freaked after he _saw_ the gem. I am not saying that the ruby has no effect, it does, but faint. But its effect was magnified by Zeke's own mentality and paranoia, you know, with all the bad experience he had and all that. Things might not be as bad as they looked.
A group of them together, on the other hand, would be a different matter. Zeke is in a, shall we say, coma liked state, sort like when he was sealed in the ruby. But this time, he can actually break free if he wanted to since the ruby was already in pieces. (But don't tell him that. ^_~) One more thing, remembered the silver barrier thing that Jack sensed, it was conjured up by the ruby also. It didn't do much against someone like Ursella (being a upper class demon and all that....wait, fallen angel actually, but whatever), but we all saw what it did to Jack.
Zeke: I am going to kill Ramirez. This is all his fault.
Me: He's been dead for thousands of years.
Zeke: Human reincarnates.
Me: *looking innocent* You have to find him first, any idea who?
Zeke: Hell if I know! I'll just... kill anyone who looked, sounded or felt like him. I'll hit the jackpot eventually.
Me: You are hopeless. _
This is getting so long. Anyway I hope you enjoyed the story so far. Any comments, suggestions, random thoughts, just let me know :)