A Pirate's Life: PotC Shorts
Category: The Pirates of the Caribbean
Genre: Romance/Humor
Rating: G
Characters: Jack Sparrow, Will Turner, Elizabeth Swann, Bootstrap Bill Turner
Summary: Short ficlets and dribbles of 100 or 200 words long mainly focusing on the aspects of Will, Jack, and Elizabeth's lives, and the friendship that lies between them.
Disclaimer: I don't own any pirates, or the movie.
(A/N: These ficlets are anything from 100 words to 200 words exactly. My friend got me into it by taking part in a LotR message board, so she gave me a new challenge, and a new topic. I accepted. Please enjoy!)
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:: Thick as Thieves ::
"Nowadays the hours just fly by, don't they?" said the pirate, squinting upwards at the sun, feeling the cool breeze on his face and the smell of salt in the air. The waves below crashed against the ship, the fabled Black Pearl.
"What day is it today, then?" Jack asked.
"Tuesday. 18th. Unless my dates aren't correct."
"Bloody hell," Jack sighed. "You still manage to keep up with all that? I suppose that's what you have to live with, mate, giving your life to a duty like this." He smiled and turned the helm to the left. "You never know how long this place becomes your real home, do you, until you come out with stuff like that."
"I suppose not," the pirate laughed, stepping over to Jack's shoulder. He peered, frowning. "Do you even know exactly where you're going?"
"Course not, that's the point. Rely on instinct, you see."
A smile was offered to him. "And we never fail on your instincts, do we? I've always noticed."
Jack grinned secretly. "Aye, that we do, mate. But you best get below now, Bootstrap, and get back to chores, instead of your cloud spotting, mind."
Bill took his word. "Aye, Captain."
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:: Of Rum and Friendship ::
"But, Jack..." Will started, staring at the bottle in his hand.
"Go on, lad," Jack smirked. "It's just only looking back up at you, saying: 'Drink me, drink me!', you know you want to."
Will looked unset. "But how will I know what it will do to me?" he asked. "I've heard that you don't remember a thing the following morning."
"Hey, William – Will, that's the whole surprise!" Jack said, tilting his way.
Will seemed disgruntled, watching Jack's tottering moves. "That's what I'm afraid of."
The pirate backed off, as if horrified. "What? You're telling me, a man such as yourself has never had a bottle of scrummy...yummy, good-for-your-tummy rum before?"
"Well...no," Will admitted. "I've never really thought about that."
"Oh, gor - " Jack spluttered in frustration. "Well, every pirate drinks rum, boy!"
"They do? Or is that just part of the so-called code?"
"It's part of every code!" Jack countered, and pressed Will further. "Go on, down the hatch – straight down!"
Still hesitant, Will lifted his head back and took a swill. The taste was bitter, very strong, and remained stung on his taste buds.
"Have – get used, to it," he gasped.
Jack clapped him on the shoulder.
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:: Spoken Future ::
It was a peaceful day in the courtyard. Young Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann walked side-by-side, taking in the sunshine and enjoying each other's company. They had been friends for some time now, spending most days talking.
"I'm going to marry you, someday," said Will, suddenly. His words caught Elizabeth by surprise, they had appeared out of nowhere.
She laughed. "You don't know who you're going to marry, Will."
"Yes, I do! And it's you. I'm going to marry you, one day."
Elizabeth was startled. He seemed so certain. "You might meet someone else."
"But you're my best friend," he insisted. "I can't think of marrying someone other than you. I feel that we should always be together."
He bent low to the ground and picked a tiny flower, a silken blossom of cream with pink edges. He offered it out to her, his humble smile never straying from his face.
"Please," he said. "Let us always be friends. Even when we're older, and I have to work away from you...I always want us to talk. I always want to be your friend."
Elizabeth looked into his brown eyes and smiled, accepting the flower.
"Always, Will," she said, softly. "Always."
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:: A Pirate's Life ::
Jack had heard the news not two days ago. Will had proposed to Elizabeth.
They were to be married. He was happy for them, after all – they were his friends, and Will had become completely, and helplessly – he had to add, in love with her before he had even begun to realise.
And now this opened up new opportunities and windows for Jack. Was a pirate's life always about being alone? About travelling...searching for goods?
"Something to think about, Jack-lad," he mused, stepping along the sand.
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(A/N: The following one was based of an AU idea by my friend Caitlin.)
:: Names ::
The sleeping baby was placed into Elizabeth's tired arms. She had just given birth to her first child, and the long hours were finally over. Now the child had settled, from before whence it had been crying. She smiled up at her husband, her ardour and labour revealed in her face.
"A son, Will," she said. "Our little boy."
Will was altogether enchanted. The baby had his brown eyes, and Elizabeth's profound and beautiful features. "He's perfect," he announced.
"What should his name be?"
Will thought hard, then laughed. "As long as he doesn't become another William. Others will think we have no imagination."
"I agree," said Elizabeth. "It has to be something different. Something that suits him – that stands out."
They thought long and hard. Will wondered if his wife was thinking of her own father's name, or something that travelled back into her ancestry? All the while he kept glancing down at his newborn son. What would be the right one for his tiny baby?
"I know," Elizabeth said, after a quiet time. "Jack."
Will grinned. "Why Jack?"
"I've always liked that name."
Having to admit it, Will laughed. "So have I."
He kissed his wife, gently.
{END}
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(A/N: Well, what did you think? This is my first PotC fic, so I hoped you liked!)