23: Marr-I-age

4.3K 170 29
                                    

The next day you were practically inseparable. You and James had conversations to answer questions about anything. That's something you enjoyed of him, you could ask him anything and chances were he knew the answer. If not, you would make up theories for a potential reason.

You had reached the topic of wind and sails when you saw Jack approaching Elizabeth on the stairs. She had said she wanted some time to think so you gave it to her. You gave James a knowing smile and you both eavesdropped.

"My tremendous intuitive sense of the female creature informs me that you are troubled," began Jack.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes and replied, "I just thought I'd be married by now. I'm so ready to be married."

Jack offered her a bottle of rum. "You know..Lizzie, I am captain of a ship. And being captain of a ship I could in fact perform a 'marri-I-age'... Right here, right on this deck. Right now."

You and James nearly bursted out laughing. You covered his mouth and he covered yours to try and not make a sound.

"No thank you." replied an annoyed Elizabeth. She got up.

"Why not?" Jack followed her.

"What about Y/N?"

Jack was a little flustered with that but quickly returned, "She has Norrington to charm her now, hasn't looked at me since yesterday.. Anyway, We are very much alike, you and I. I and you. Us."

"Oh, except for a sense of honor and decency and a moral center."

At this point you couldn't contain the laugh. Jack flirting with Elizabeth and her rebuttals were funny in themselves but having James there made it funnier. Like when your best friend can make you laugh at something just by making eye contact. You walked over to them and managed to say, "And personal hygiene."

Jack squinted at you. "Trifles." He looked at James and then back to Elizabeth. "You will come over to my side. I know it."

"Hardly," mumbled James.

"You seem very certain," replied Elizabeth.

Jack leaned towards her. "One word, love. Curiosity." Very fair point. "You long for freedom. You long to do whatever you want because you want it. To act on selfish impulse. You want to see what it's like. Y/N here has accomplished that, and one day you won't be able to resist."

"Why doesn't your compass work?" asked Elizabeth. Once again, he was taken back.

"My compass works fine," he replied.

"Because you and I are alike. And there will come a moment when you'll have a chance to show it. To do the right thing."

"I love those moments," he said.

"He loves to wave at them as they pass by," you added. James failed at stifling a laugh behind you and tried covering it with a cough.

Elizabeth continued, "you'll have a chance to do something... something courageous. And when you do you'll discover something."

"That you're maybe good man," you finished. Jack turned to you with a smile.

"All evidence to the contrary,'' he said.

"Want to know how I know?" you asked.

"Do tell, dearie."

You refrained from laughing, leaned into his face and said, "Curiosity. You're going to want it. A chance to be admired and gain the rewards that follow. You won't be able to resist." He looked at your lips. "You're going to want to know what it tastes like."

"I do know what it tastes like and," he pulled you very close. "And I want more." Then he looked at his hand. You looked at it as well and watched the black spot appear. He looked at you in fear.

"Land, ho!" called out Mr. Gibbs.

"It's going to be fine Jack," you whispered.

He nodded, closed his hand into fist and kissed you.

"Go get your jar of dirt," you said and he laughed. He walked away and took your hand but Elizabeth held you back.

"What was that?" Elizabeth asked.

"It's called the black spo-"

"Not that."

"A game." You walked away with a rattled James who asked you the same questions. Jack would never take you seriously, he was meant to be an eternal bachelor.

Pirates Of The Caribbean: What if you were there?Where stories live. Discover now