Waki 21

Posted at an ungodly hour of the night. And you know why? Because I live in a screwed up part of the world where it doesn't get dark till ten and I have yet to learn how to use these spectarcular things called clocks. Seriously, the neighbours phoned to complain about the music. I thought it was like, six and got all pissy at them. NOT SO GOOD! Anyways... I know I promised to updated semi-regularilly, but that equals fail, mainly because I can't tell time worth a hill of beans. Seriously. I don't know what day it is right now, and I am too lazy to check. And, since summer is coming and I shall no longer be forced into attending the pitiful, soulsucking hell hole known as school, my concept of time is just going to get worse and worse and worse. Do not be suprised if I update twice in a day and say I waited a week. It's totally happened before.

Anyways... Just so you know. I should probably get to sleep now, so... Read onwards, my noble fans.

"Yes. Yes, I am."

The words echoed inside his head, bouncing around inside his brain. Half of him hailed it as truth, and the other denounced it as a lie. He did love Captain Jack Sparrow, to be true. But the man standing in front of him wasn't Captain Jack Sparrow any more. And yet, at the same time… he was.

Jack stared at him. He'd never seen that particular expression on the man's face before. It was stuck somewhere in between shock, disbelief, and the barest hint of pure, unadulterated joy. It was like Jack couldn't really believe that what Will had said was true. Like he wanted it to be, but somehow couldn't quite accept that it was.

Slowly, Jack came back to life. He brought his sun-baked hands up to his face, rubbing them over the leathery skin as if trying to rouse himself from the haze of sleep. Will watched those fingers pull down the loose skin around his eyes, stretching them out and making the shadow of kohl all the more obvious. The last remnant of the man who had been.

"Well then…" Jack sighed, fingers still digging in to the soft flesh under his cheekbones. "It seems we have a problem."

Will blinked. That was not really the response he'd been hoping for. Although, to be honest, he really didn't know what he'd been expecting in the first place.

"What do you mean? Why is it a problem?"

"Well, if it was just good old fashioned lust, we could have taken care of it forthwith. Unrequited love, on the other hand… That's a mite more complicated."

Will felt his heart stop. Jack didn't say it with any particular emphasis, but he couldn't miss it. Unrequited love.

The world blurred. Jack became all wiggly, like a piece of seaweed blowing in the current. He brought his own calloused hands to his mouth, forcing himself to make not a sound. He might let himself cry, but he wouldn't let himself beg.

"Now, see?" Jack groaned, making a flippant gesture in his direction. "This is exactly the kind of thing I'm talking about. If you were just a lil' lonely, we could be at it by now! Half an hour, tops, and you're strolling outta here like you're the king of the world. Jus' think about how much more fun that would be! But no, you have to go an' ruin it by bein' all romantic."

"I'm such a fool…" Will whispered into his hands, the hot tears finally pushing themselves out of his eyes and rolling down his cheeks.

He let himself sink back against the wall, then slid down, hands moving up to cover his entire weather-beaten face. Jack was watching him, he knew. Watching him cry like some heart-broken teenage girl. Normally, that might have bothered him, but at that particular moment, he really didn't care.

"I should have just stayed in Port Royal, and married Elizabeth, and had seven children and been happy. But no. I have to go chasing stupid bloody pirates." He sobbed into his hands, completely missing the confused expression suddenly dawning on the pirate's face. "I'm sorry, Jack. I shouldn't have come."

"Wait just one moment there, boy." Jack's voice was strange, a little hurried and a little hesitant at the same time. "You left Port Royal… to find me?"

Will nodded desolately, not bothering to lift his head.

"You knew me before you got on the ship?" The incredulity in Jack's voice was obvious.

Once again, a sad little nod.

"How? When? Where? I don't remember you at all. Are you sure it was me? Not some other pirate captain named Jack?" The desperation was obvious by now. Jack was grasping at straws.

Will paused. And then, quietly, smiled.

"You will always remember this as the day you almost caught Captain Jack Sparrow." He laughed quietly to himself, pulling his legs up against his chest, as if in a feeble attempt to keep the pleasant recollection from flying away. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure it was you."

If Will had been watching Jack as intently as Jack was watching Will, he would have seen it. He couldn't have missed it. The sudden sparkle, the sudden glimmer, the flash of recognition in the deep darkness that was the captain's eyes. He would have seen the captain's strangely elegant lips form a word. A single word, common enough in conversation, and yet rare, so rare in its meaning.

"You…"