Snank you so very much my freaky darlings. After the first of the new
addition (in the line of reviews) bounced into my inbox I started this
chapter so, Dream Weaver, Jade Stellar, I would suppose this one is for you
^^.
And Starlit hope? Dude, the man's sick, lay off. :p ( lmao Jack jelly. Nice one.) You'll find out why in a matter of moments.
At the risk of losing reviews I've changed the rating to R 'cause there's gunna be some nasty things, if not in this chapter, then in the next and we can't have the children looking upon ickyness. (So it's bye-bye kiddy reviews =( ) Well, anything to save the young-uns.
Any who, here are the goods!
@@@@@@@@@@@
Deadly Contentment
***
Will's eyes traced the room in the dawn's glum light, which seemed to hiss in a hushed tone that nothing was right with the world. He could not, for an instant, remember what exactly what was wrong with the earth which would effect the very sun itself, or for that matter where on the earth he was. Then it came to him - he was safe. And as for the other question, its answer lay on the bad opposite him, smothered by thick sheets and only his forehead, on which a film of sweat had formed, was visible. For a moment he laid his head back onto the heavy coat belonging the captain and once again soaked in the entrancing perfume before deciding to leave Jack to his rest. Getting up and heading for the door, he half wished that the invalid would wake and call him back and that he did not have to face the crew, with whom he found himself to be quite uncomfortable.
Once out of the sleeping room there were all kinds of sound and odor slopping sluggishly through the air - it was breakfast, but not as Will knew it. True enough it did not smell as bad as he had imagined but he found that he had become somewhat accustomed to the polite morning conversation, china dished and cotton table cloths. He turned back to return to the sanctuary or Jack's cabin when a noise exploded like canon fire.
"Mr. Turner!" Howled Gibbs through a mouthful of meat, " Where did you sleep lad? I waited up to see if you needed a hand lifting a bunk below deck or something but you didn't show!" He was advancing quickly and any chance of escape slid away.
" There was an armchair in Jack's cabin. Sorry I didn't come back, I fell almost straight to sleep."
" As long as you slept I'd suppose that's fair enough. Comfortable?" Will nodded. He now became aware of the slow movement of the ship beneath him and welcomed the opportunity of a change in conversation, "Is the Pearl damaged?"
"No lad. It's merely empathizing with its captain. There's a strange bond between the two," he observed, "when Jacks on form there's no ship on the ocean that could catch us. But now. I doubt we could outrun a plank of dead wood. We got no purpose anyways so we don't bother too much. Anyhow," he mentally shook himself, " I'd take it that the point in your joining us, is for breakfast." He thrust a wooden bowl as the raven-haired boy.
" I should take some down to Jack." It was the first excuse that came to his mind, and a perfectly plausible one at that.
" Jack don't eat much nowadays. Mostly oranges and water is all.. Could so with some of those though. " He signaled for the younger man to follow and for some reason Will Turner was reminded of a youth being given carrots to feed a stable pony.
He was handed the goods but still felt that there was something left unfinished between himself and the stout man - a question, but it was a mystery as to who had wanted to ask it.
He carried the tray with the fruit, the bottle and his own breakfast awkwardly down the stairs and into the now sunlit room. It appeared different in the light. There was a larger window at the back amongst the smaller ones - it was open completely and there was a bucket beneath it. A table with a lot of bottles made the focal point in the room, letting alone the bed and chair, which seemed to be the only things that he recognized in this new day. Jack was leaning on the table with his head down as if trying to work up the energy to stand. He hadn't noticed Will come it.
" Do you need help?" he asked in earnest.
" Me?" Jack turned his head but not his body," No, can't say I do." He made an effort to stand without aid while his companion laid the tray down on the bed and walked over to him. " See? No problems whatsoever." He let out a triumphant smile. But then staggered, helplessly, comically and found his balance by transferring his entire body weight onto Will.
The younger man was certain that it was not only himself who could feel his heart rate waver and speed. Jack was now regarding him through scowling eyes, which softened in an instant.
" Get my sea legs back soon enough," he said with a slow chuckle. It had occurred to Will that he still held the captain in his arms and hardly heard the words in anything but a whisper. The firm body motionless against his own until Jack flopped his head onto his support's shoulder in defeat. Will's eyes widened.
Was this "it"?
"Aye. S'pose I do need help. To the bed Turner."
Obviously it was not.
" Nothings ever made me feel so old."
" You are not old. You're ill."
Once over to the bed he reluctantly released the man, who was far steadier then last night, from his grasp. Jack positioned himself cross-legged against the headboard, setting the bottle of water on the bedside table and choosing the best of the oranges to start with, his ebony hair whipping over the red bandana and trinkets. Will sat at the opposite end in, near enough, the same position - leaving breakfast still on the tray, observing and wondering whether or not the speak.
"What were you doing in Tortuga? " he asked simply. The sorrow in his eyes must surly have been mistaken for sympathy, either that or the fact that Will almost knew the answer, for Jack now looked alert and almost defiant.
" No Turner. Don't you dare look at me like that. I went there to get rid of the piteous looks the crew kept givin' me. Seems that rumors spread just as fast on sea as on land - same looks, just a different place with more people, most probably for an exaggerated reason too." he sighed, waving a half-peeled orange wildly, " I'm warning you. Take that look off your face - been living with that woman too long."
" Then what is it? The rumor."
Jack composed himself in the fashion of any pirate who was about to tell a war story, but he could not look as grand as usually he did, and it was not wholly because he was an invalid.
" That commodore of yours - Norrington, seems that he couldn't let that whole business rest. The humiliation of losing a pirate bound for the noose, the fact that I was this close to him," he gestured with his thumb and index finger, "must've bent his nose out of shape. Soon as we pulled in to dock on some random island, there were posters scattered about the godforsaken place with my face on them- well a crudely drawn likeness. Thinking nothing of it," he leaned forward, waving his free hand smoothly, "I went into a tavern with a couple of the crew, well some bastard must run over to the force 'cause they were there when we got out, rifles and all. Chased every day we were there, quite enjoyable for a while, caught a couple of times as well - nothing dire you understand, just the local cells, not terribly secure.. With the right leverage, " he grinned. " Anyway, we survived that all right - got the supplies we needed, couldn't pillage and plunder as much as we'd have liked, everything had to keep it quiet. Got back on the ship, sailing quite the thing for a few months, bound for nowhere in particular and when we reached "nowhere in particular" we tied up the Pearl next to this other ship - I say "ship" but really it was more of a boat - full crew take a well deserved kip in the shadows. Now, we'd reckoned that boat was just some fishermen or . something. So we take no notice, well what would you think happened in the night? Blighters start boarding. Bounty hunters! They were bloody proud - like they'd planned it or something. Bloody great lumps of men, armed like they'd robbed the navy. Soldiers are one thing, prissy little things hiding behind guns and usually too polite to stop whatever business you're looking to do, but these bounty hunters get on your ship slit the throats of the crew and take what they need - dead of alive. Obviously I was worth more to the gallows alive, so they strike up a bargain - having nothing to gain from killing the crew and hardly enough room in the cells to accommodate me as it was. They take me - no struggles, nothing - and the crew just sail off one man short and all the better for it. "Fine" say I, looking at their basic ship thinking I'd get back later and have a crew in tact - besides they all but had me by the soft and valuables. Soon as they clapped me in a lot of irons." he picked up another orange, "and ropes, we get on the ship and into the cells, not very hospitable, but there've been worse. After a few days I realize I've not been fed even once, and the water I was given had things growing in it I'd say, the bars weren't of the lifting free variety and there wasn't any escaping it," Jack's voice was softening quickly and his head was hanging in despair. It was as if he had started off telling a story of escape and only now remembered the torture he went through to be free. " Then they decided that I didn't really need to be untouched for them to collect, even that it might look too easy if I wasn't a bit maimed. The days were hell and the nights. the same - Full of glass encrusted whips," his head now flew up as he remembered the instrument, "rapiers, ropes ... hooked swords . branding irons..." The captain's eyes seemed to mist over and his breath hitched in his throat. " Made a game of trying to make me scream." Will was shaking as he tried to hold himself together. It was clear that he wasn't being given any detail as to the horror, but he knew. " Crew came and got me after a couple of months." He concluded shortly with a wavering, manic smile.
They sat in an uncomfortable silence for several moments that lasted a lifetime.
The young Will Turner grappled with his emotion and body, desperate to move forward and wrap his numb arms around Jack, who no longer moved or made any eye contact. He would have, if he had possessed the courage. It always seemed to him that he ^would^, but never did. Spineless in his love. A fool to his logic and fear.
He gathered the tray still full with food, which now churned his stomach, " I'll come back later." With that he left. All Jack could do was watch him leave. and feel like a fool.
The door shut with a satisfying click. Will walked a little way until he was sure he was out of hearing distance, dropped the tray, leaned on the wall and slid down to the floor, pulling his knees up to his chest. He wrapped his arms round his knees - tightening them as he thought of where they belonged. Tears trickled painfully down his features as they twisted in raw despair. He shouldn't have gone. Not like that, not leaving Jack alone after dragging up such a memory.
Throwing back his head against the wall in order to breathe, he found a forlorn looking figure standing above him, her hand thrown out to him. As he placed his hand in hers and stood he noticed how much their emotions reflected.
" He can't have told you the truth. Not all of it. " Will regarded her with uncertain curiosity. " I know what he'll have said. He was captured, but he went without the intention of coming back. He didn't ^try^ to get out." Disbelieving eyes stared back at Anna Maria. " Has the impossible ever stopped Jack Sparrow?!.. When we found him - it wasn't him, it was just a man beaten until he was almost broken. They carved things onto him. "Dead Man" and scores. Damn it Turner, he never told us what they were for - I never want to know - ever."
" He didn't try."
"Jack always lived for the journey or the fight for adventure. After killing Barbossa what else did he have to live for? There was nothing new to excite him. Being content is always deadly." He surrounded her in a comforting embrace until they had both calmed, at that point the parted without another word.
He returned to the cabin with words playing on the tip of his tongue, only to find the man asleep. Will sat on the edge of the bed, watching Jack's emotionless face.
" Jack? "
For the lack of response he put one arm on the other side of the pirate for support and kissed him, as gently as a whisper, on the side of his mouth.
" Goodnight Jack."
He retreated to the armchair, where watched the lithe frame of Captain Sparrow sleep 'til dawns golden light took watch.
(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)
Yeah. .
I dunno, my freaky little darlings, maybe I'll make it all better later. Until then I hope this'll do.
Please review, even if it's to tell me how to make this better.
Tata.
And Starlit hope? Dude, the man's sick, lay off. :p ( lmao Jack jelly. Nice one.) You'll find out why in a matter of moments.
At the risk of losing reviews I've changed the rating to R 'cause there's gunna be some nasty things, if not in this chapter, then in the next and we can't have the children looking upon ickyness. (So it's bye-bye kiddy reviews =( ) Well, anything to save the young-uns.
Any who, here are the goods!
@@@@@@@@@@@
Deadly Contentment
***
Will's eyes traced the room in the dawn's glum light, which seemed to hiss in a hushed tone that nothing was right with the world. He could not, for an instant, remember what exactly what was wrong with the earth which would effect the very sun itself, or for that matter where on the earth he was. Then it came to him - he was safe. And as for the other question, its answer lay on the bad opposite him, smothered by thick sheets and only his forehead, on which a film of sweat had formed, was visible. For a moment he laid his head back onto the heavy coat belonging the captain and once again soaked in the entrancing perfume before deciding to leave Jack to his rest. Getting up and heading for the door, he half wished that the invalid would wake and call him back and that he did not have to face the crew, with whom he found himself to be quite uncomfortable.
Once out of the sleeping room there were all kinds of sound and odor slopping sluggishly through the air - it was breakfast, but not as Will knew it. True enough it did not smell as bad as he had imagined but he found that he had become somewhat accustomed to the polite morning conversation, china dished and cotton table cloths. He turned back to return to the sanctuary or Jack's cabin when a noise exploded like canon fire.
"Mr. Turner!" Howled Gibbs through a mouthful of meat, " Where did you sleep lad? I waited up to see if you needed a hand lifting a bunk below deck or something but you didn't show!" He was advancing quickly and any chance of escape slid away.
" There was an armchair in Jack's cabin. Sorry I didn't come back, I fell almost straight to sleep."
" As long as you slept I'd suppose that's fair enough. Comfortable?" Will nodded. He now became aware of the slow movement of the ship beneath him and welcomed the opportunity of a change in conversation, "Is the Pearl damaged?"
"No lad. It's merely empathizing with its captain. There's a strange bond between the two," he observed, "when Jacks on form there's no ship on the ocean that could catch us. But now. I doubt we could outrun a plank of dead wood. We got no purpose anyways so we don't bother too much. Anyhow," he mentally shook himself, " I'd take it that the point in your joining us, is for breakfast." He thrust a wooden bowl as the raven-haired boy.
" I should take some down to Jack." It was the first excuse that came to his mind, and a perfectly plausible one at that.
" Jack don't eat much nowadays. Mostly oranges and water is all.. Could so with some of those though. " He signaled for the younger man to follow and for some reason Will Turner was reminded of a youth being given carrots to feed a stable pony.
He was handed the goods but still felt that there was something left unfinished between himself and the stout man - a question, but it was a mystery as to who had wanted to ask it.
He carried the tray with the fruit, the bottle and his own breakfast awkwardly down the stairs and into the now sunlit room. It appeared different in the light. There was a larger window at the back amongst the smaller ones - it was open completely and there was a bucket beneath it. A table with a lot of bottles made the focal point in the room, letting alone the bed and chair, which seemed to be the only things that he recognized in this new day. Jack was leaning on the table with his head down as if trying to work up the energy to stand. He hadn't noticed Will come it.
" Do you need help?" he asked in earnest.
" Me?" Jack turned his head but not his body," No, can't say I do." He made an effort to stand without aid while his companion laid the tray down on the bed and walked over to him. " See? No problems whatsoever." He let out a triumphant smile. But then staggered, helplessly, comically and found his balance by transferring his entire body weight onto Will.
The younger man was certain that it was not only himself who could feel his heart rate waver and speed. Jack was now regarding him through scowling eyes, which softened in an instant.
" Get my sea legs back soon enough," he said with a slow chuckle. It had occurred to Will that he still held the captain in his arms and hardly heard the words in anything but a whisper. The firm body motionless against his own until Jack flopped his head onto his support's shoulder in defeat. Will's eyes widened.
Was this "it"?
"Aye. S'pose I do need help. To the bed Turner."
Obviously it was not.
" Nothings ever made me feel so old."
" You are not old. You're ill."
Once over to the bed he reluctantly released the man, who was far steadier then last night, from his grasp. Jack positioned himself cross-legged against the headboard, setting the bottle of water on the bedside table and choosing the best of the oranges to start with, his ebony hair whipping over the red bandana and trinkets. Will sat at the opposite end in, near enough, the same position - leaving breakfast still on the tray, observing and wondering whether or not the speak.
"What were you doing in Tortuga? " he asked simply. The sorrow in his eyes must surly have been mistaken for sympathy, either that or the fact that Will almost knew the answer, for Jack now looked alert and almost defiant.
" No Turner. Don't you dare look at me like that. I went there to get rid of the piteous looks the crew kept givin' me. Seems that rumors spread just as fast on sea as on land - same looks, just a different place with more people, most probably for an exaggerated reason too." he sighed, waving a half-peeled orange wildly, " I'm warning you. Take that look off your face - been living with that woman too long."
" Then what is it? The rumor."
Jack composed himself in the fashion of any pirate who was about to tell a war story, but he could not look as grand as usually he did, and it was not wholly because he was an invalid.
" That commodore of yours - Norrington, seems that he couldn't let that whole business rest. The humiliation of losing a pirate bound for the noose, the fact that I was this close to him," he gestured with his thumb and index finger, "must've bent his nose out of shape. Soon as we pulled in to dock on some random island, there were posters scattered about the godforsaken place with my face on them- well a crudely drawn likeness. Thinking nothing of it," he leaned forward, waving his free hand smoothly, "I went into a tavern with a couple of the crew, well some bastard must run over to the force 'cause they were there when we got out, rifles and all. Chased every day we were there, quite enjoyable for a while, caught a couple of times as well - nothing dire you understand, just the local cells, not terribly secure.. With the right leverage, " he grinned. " Anyway, we survived that all right - got the supplies we needed, couldn't pillage and plunder as much as we'd have liked, everything had to keep it quiet. Got back on the ship, sailing quite the thing for a few months, bound for nowhere in particular and when we reached "nowhere in particular" we tied up the Pearl next to this other ship - I say "ship" but really it was more of a boat - full crew take a well deserved kip in the shadows. Now, we'd reckoned that boat was just some fishermen or . something. So we take no notice, well what would you think happened in the night? Blighters start boarding. Bounty hunters! They were bloody proud - like they'd planned it or something. Bloody great lumps of men, armed like they'd robbed the navy. Soldiers are one thing, prissy little things hiding behind guns and usually too polite to stop whatever business you're looking to do, but these bounty hunters get on your ship slit the throats of the crew and take what they need - dead of alive. Obviously I was worth more to the gallows alive, so they strike up a bargain - having nothing to gain from killing the crew and hardly enough room in the cells to accommodate me as it was. They take me - no struggles, nothing - and the crew just sail off one man short and all the better for it. "Fine" say I, looking at their basic ship thinking I'd get back later and have a crew in tact - besides they all but had me by the soft and valuables. Soon as they clapped me in a lot of irons." he picked up another orange, "and ropes, we get on the ship and into the cells, not very hospitable, but there've been worse. After a few days I realize I've not been fed even once, and the water I was given had things growing in it I'd say, the bars weren't of the lifting free variety and there wasn't any escaping it," Jack's voice was softening quickly and his head was hanging in despair. It was as if he had started off telling a story of escape and only now remembered the torture he went through to be free. " Then they decided that I didn't really need to be untouched for them to collect, even that it might look too easy if I wasn't a bit maimed. The days were hell and the nights. the same - Full of glass encrusted whips," his head now flew up as he remembered the instrument, "rapiers, ropes ... hooked swords . branding irons..." The captain's eyes seemed to mist over and his breath hitched in his throat. " Made a game of trying to make me scream." Will was shaking as he tried to hold himself together. It was clear that he wasn't being given any detail as to the horror, but he knew. " Crew came and got me after a couple of months." He concluded shortly with a wavering, manic smile.
They sat in an uncomfortable silence for several moments that lasted a lifetime.
The young Will Turner grappled with his emotion and body, desperate to move forward and wrap his numb arms around Jack, who no longer moved or made any eye contact. He would have, if he had possessed the courage. It always seemed to him that he ^would^, but never did. Spineless in his love. A fool to his logic and fear.
He gathered the tray still full with food, which now churned his stomach, " I'll come back later." With that he left. All Jack could do was watch him leave. and feel like a fool.
The door shut with a satisfying click. Will walked a little way until he was sure he was out of hearing distance, dropped the tray, leaned on the wall and slid down to the floor, pulling his knees up to his chest. He wrapped his arms round his knees - tightening them as he thought of where they belonged. Tears trickled painfully down his features as they twisted in raw despair. He shouldn't have gone. Not like that, not leaving Jack alone after dragging up such a memory.
Throwing back his head against the wall in order to breathe, he found a forlorn looking figure standing above him, her hand thrown out to him. As he placed his hand in hers and stood he noticed how much their emotions reflected.
" He can't have told you the truth. Not all of it. " Will regarded her with uncertain curiosity. " I know what he'll have said. He was captured, but he went without the intention of coming back. He didn't ^try^ to get out." Disbelieving eyes stared back at Anna Maria. " Has the impossible ever stopped Jack Sparrow?!.. When we found him - it wasn't him, it was just a man beaten until he was almost broken. They carved things onto him. "Dead Man" and scores. Damn it Turner, he never told us what they were for - I never want to know - ever."
" He didn't try."
"Jack always lived for the journey or the fight for adventure. After killing Barbossa what else did he have to live for? There was nothing new to excite him. Being content is always deadly." He surrounded her in a comforting embrace until they had both calmed, at that point the parted without another word.
He returned to the cabin with words playing on the tip of his tongue, only to find the man asleep. Will sat on the edge of the bed, watching Jack's emotionless face.
" Jack? "
For the lack of response he put one arm on the other side of the pirate for support and kissed him, as gently as a whisper, on the side of his mouth.
" Goodnight Jack."
He retreated to the armchair, where watched the lithe frame of Captain Sparrow sleep 'til dawns golden light took watch.
(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)
Yeah. .
I dunno, my freaky little darlings, maybe I'll make it all better later. Until then I hope this'll do.
Please review, even if it's to tell me how to make this better.
Tata.