Volunteer Chapter 3
Will looked up in alarm as Bootstrap stepped through the entranceway, then relaxed in recognition. "Here" Bill handed him a couple of hanks of the cleanest cloth he'd been able to 'borrow'; both dripping. "It's water, mostly fresh. Better than nothing anyway" Will nodded gratefully, as he began wringing the liquid into a cupped hand. He'd managed to get his shirt off, Bill noted, which wouldn't have been fun. Ironically it was the cleanest thing around though. He hooked it over, stripping off as much material as possible and patching the back, using an also 'borrowed' sail-mending kit. It might look ridiculous but wearing it was the only way he could think of for Will to keep any kind of dressing on under his jerkin. Especially while on deck-he knew Jones' 'generosity' wouldn't extend to a free ride for the boy.
He looked up to see Will watching him and made a show of examining and opening his final 'prize'. Rum, best quality, he'd checked as soon as he'd left Jones' quarters. At least it had been worth the visit. And it helped to postpone a conversation he had no idea how to start, equally sure he couldn't cause Will any more pain with things unspoken between them.
"Medical purposes" he said, offering it. "Helps treat damn near anything on board". Will ignored it. "So tell me father, will this 'treatment plan' of yours work as well as your last plan?" Sarcasm not masking anger or the clear demand for an answer in his eyes.
"Gods I'm sorry Will" The words spoken without thinking. "I wanted to spare y-I never thought it would go bad like that. If I hadn't pushed Jones he mightn't have…I'm sorry". He made himself meet Will's eyes, unable to offer anything more than honesty.
Will looked at him for a long moment, made to shrug then thought better of it, wincing. "I guess if this one works out we'll call it even" He managed a half smile "You did what you could".
Bootstrap nodded slowly, swallowing some suspiciously non-piratical emotions and seizing on the task at hand as a welcome distraction. "Keep the bottle. I'll get it as I need to".