The men pushed eagerly past him, still careful to jostle him as little as possible. Jack gave her a mocking bow before sauntering over to the bar himself to keep his crew in check.
Corrine turned back towards the door to see the second pirate still standing there. He was cleaner looking than Jack, his hair tied neatly at the nape of his neck and falling barely past his shoulders.
"You'll have to excuse Jack," he began, "He's a bit eccentric."
She nodded in reply. "We've seen stranger people."
"Hey, Bootstrap!" Jack cheerfully hailed them from the bar. "Come get a drink. You can't flirt all night, you know."
The other pirate quickly looked down and away, and Corrine turned to glance curiously over her shoulder at Jack, who had a rum bottle in one hand and his hat in the other.
He leered. "But she is a pretty one."
"Are you drunk already?" slipped out of her mouth before she could stop it.
"Pretty and snappy," he replied. Bill gently took Jack by the shoulders and steered him away. "Come on, Jack."
"Captain Jack."
"Fine, come on, Captain Jack."
"Captain Jack Sparrow."
"Jack." There was a sigh.
"What's wrong with havin' a bit of fun, Bill?" When he got no response, Corrine heard him sigh himself, exasperatedly. "You can be such a stick sometimes."
"Oy, Jack!" There was a loud startled cry from the crew of pirates crowded amongst the tables. "That's my hat you're sitting on."
"Ah," she heard the pirate captain's drunken voice slur. "So it is. Here you go, Barbossa."
"Corrine," her father whispered to her from the bar. She gave him a questioning look and went over to him. "Don't get too close to them, okay? I don't trust them."
"They're pirates, father. No one trusts them."
They both watched as one pirate thumped another heartily on the back, knocking out a false eyeball. The second pirate dove for the rolling ball, amid laughter from his companions who did nothing to help him. Corrine turned away in disgust and her father sighed.
"It's times like these where I think your mother was right. A tavern full of pirates is no place for a maid."
"Ah, but it is," a drunk pirate burbled as he slammed unsteadily into the bar. He reached for her, but her father slammed the thick end of a short wooden staff down on his hand. "Hey."
"Out," her father said shortly, gesturing towards the door with the staff.
"Wha?" the pirate squinted at the bat.
"Get out."
Understanding grew on the man's face, which passed quickly to indignation. "Hey, Jack! This guy's – "
"Captain, Captain Jack," slurred the pirate. Corrine watched as he started towards the other man, only to collapse before he made it two yards. Another pirate, the one addressed as Barbossa, caught him under the arms and dragged him to an empty chair.
Corrine's father raised an eyebrow at the pirate still leaning against the bar. "Out."
"You can't kick me out," the man snarled, the effect somewhat ruined by the loud hiccup that followed. "I'm a pirate."
"Yes," her father smiled and Corrine felt a wry smile appear on her face, while she unsuccessfully fought to hide it. "But I'm the one with the stick."
