Pirates of the Caribbean Oneshots

Warming A Cold Night

"Mother, please may I have some extra dinner on a clean plate, covered to keep it warm?"

Orlaith O'Reilly looked up in surprise at her son's request. "Whatever for, Cormac? You'll be getting supper before bed, surely you won't need to eat between now and then."

"It's not for me. It's for my friend on the street. She left home and she's hungry and it's cold out tonight. It's not fair that I'm in here, warm and fed, with extra dinner on the stove, when she's outside cold and hungry. I want her to have something warm in her belly too."

Toying with her silver fork, she considered for a moment, then gave a slight nod. "Very well."

"Thank you. May I be excused?"

At his mother's nod, Cormac rose from the table and went to change. Returning to the dining room, he found his request had been sorted and took it with him as he left the house.

The full moon brightened the late autumn night considerably but did nothing to soften the cold bite of the air. Cormac kept the covered dish close to his body, trying to keep it warm as he made his way to the edge of town, then up to hill to the looming structure of Teague manor.

Gravel crunched underfoot when he slipped through the gates, keeping to the shadows at the edge of the gardens. "C'mon, where the hell are you?" he muttered, hugging the dish of dinner closer.

After several minutes, a figure appeared from somewhere round the back of the house.

"About time!" he hissed.

"Shut up. It's hard to get out when Mum's home," Edward Teague retorted, eyes flickering to the shape of the dish at Cormac's side. "What have ye got?"

Starting to walk, he answered the question as they were passing through the gates.

The streets were quiet, only the odd person about at this time of night. Light spilled from open tavern doors and house windows, illuminating spots on the cobbled road below, while laughter and conversations floated in the air occasionally.

"Where do you think she is?" Cormac asked, tucking his hands close to the dish to try and keep them warm, while Edward drew his coat closer, hands deep in his pockets, a bundle pressed against his side.

The breeze sent strands of his hair into his eyes as he considered the question. "Probably somewhere sheltered cause it was raining earlier. Market Square, maybe?"

"Was going to suggest the old tailors, on my side of town."

Edward nodded and they set off swiftly, passing the grander houses and upmarket shopfronts with Cormac leading, his shoulders slightly hunched against the rain despite the protection his fine coat offered from the weather.

The tailor shop was empty, having been abandoned by the owner for a bigger premises on another street and as of yet, it hadn't been sold or repurposed. Somebody had shattered the glass in the front window, the street littered with shards.

"You in here?" Edward called as he stepped through the empty window frame, into the dusty, damp shop interior. Cormac followed carefully, mindful of the plate he carried. A call answered a moment later. "Here. In the back."

Through an open door was a storeroom, where dusty bolts of fabric hung forgotten on shelves and spiders were busy making themselves at home in the many available corners.

Feet had disturbed the carpet of dust on the stone floor, small prints of worn shoes leading to a space behind two shelves, curtained by a length of calico fabric. Following the prints, Edward twitched the calico aside.

In the shadows behind it, a figure uncurled slowly. "Eddie, Cormac." Emerald green eyes flickered over them both before fixing on Cormac's dish. "Food?"

"Hot food at that," Cormac said with a smile as he passed the dish over.

Edward settled atop a small table pushed against the wall, running a hand through his long dark hair. Light glinted on the gold hoop in his left earlobe, a recent spur of the moment addition to his appearance, which his mother was furious about.

He set his bundle on the floor between his feet.

"Mum's home, so I can't offer you a bed tonight. I'm sorry Soracha," he said regretfully after a moment.

She shrugged, her mouth full. "It's alright. I'm comfortable here. And it's relatively warm. Warmer than outside anyway."

"I've got something to make it a little warmer," Edward said as he lifted the bundle and tossed it to her lightly. Soracha finished the plate of food before turning her attention to it.

She bestowed a soft, grateful smile on her two friends as she unbundled the blankets, their friendship and kindness warming her more than the food and blankets they had arrived bearing.

JasonMurray29 Pure fluff, just for you. Happy Christmas!