Persistence of Memory
BY: Webcrowmancer

***
When I'm traveling far from home
on the white horizon,
I can feel you're still around,
and the dream overtakes me.

Then I know
you'll stay in this moment 
we'll go where its flowing.
You'll be what you want to be
right here with me.

When I'm out here on my own,
and it all cuts through me.
I see you're safe alone,
oh then it hits me.

And I know
You're here in this moment,
right where its flowing.
You are what you want to be 
right here with me.

Stay in this moment.
Go where it's flowing.
You are what you want to be
right here with me.


***

Will caught up with the Black Pearl and her infamous captain in Petit
Goave. 

The pirate haven was less notorious than Tortuga, but her French
governor looked the other way where buccaneers were concerned, happy
to accept the flow of Spanish gold and baubles that found their way
into the taverns throughout the town.  Piracy via second-hand
exchanges was good business.

He had actually booked passage on a shady vessel with a questionable
crew who asked no questions and accepted gold, from Port Royal to
Tortuga, as Will was hoping to find Jack Sparrow or some of his crew
there.  Will had been disappointed, although the good citizens of
Tortuga had been most illuminating - in more ways that one.  With
what he'd learned there of the captain of the Black Pearl, he now had
twice the incentive for finding Jack.

After searching through grogshop after grogshop, checking with
whorehouses, inns, and rumstores all over Tortuga and now Petit
Goave, Will was growing accustomed to the dim lighting, the uproar of
drunken, fist-fighting sailors and the raucous din in the streets
outside such places. 

He sidestepped a brawling couple of men and peered through the hazy
interior of the latest tavern he had entered in the hopes of finding
Jack Sparrow.

To his relief, he caught sight of a familiar, worn hat, from beneath
which peered a pair of crow-black eyes, still adorned with an over-
abundance of kohl.  Jack Sparrow leaned earnestly towards the other
patron who was sitting with his back to the door.  Will could not
tell who the man was, but whoever he might be, he obviously was
listening most carefully to Jack. 

As Will approached their table, Jack's eyes flicked up and noticed
him.  A few heart stopping moments of recognition passed as Jack
paused briefly, then returned to his listener.  Will carefully
schooled his expression and did not give Jack the smile he felt
inside.  Instead, he waited nearby, looking about the crowded room. 
It was so good to see Jack again.  Too much had happened since he'd
last seen Jack.  Marriage, broken dreams, unsettling dreams and
finally desire and the pain of knowing he had to choose.

He was not close enough to overhear what Jack and his friend might be
discussing, but he was patient and had searched long enough to know
he need not interrupt whatever business Jack had with the fellow.

Sure enough, Jack's voice was suddenly beside him and he turned. 

"Well, well, Mister Turner."  Jack's grin was wide and seemed
genuine.  "Dare I presume you're loitering in such an unsavory and
disreputable establishment looking for me?"

Will gave him a careful smile.  "Hello, Jack.  I am indeed.  I need
to speak with you."

Jack's eyes narrowed.  "Do you, now?  And what could a blacksmith
possibly need to discuss with a pirate such as myself?"

"My father," Will explained, simply.

Jack paused, and gave a wry smile that was less humorous than the one
before.  "Ah.  Should've guessed.  Never really had the opportunity
before, did we?"

"We did not," Will agreed.  The noise level was still too
high.  "Shall we find a quieter place to discuss this?"

Jack nodded and clapped a hand on his shoulder.  "Probably best not
to regale the town with tales of Bootstrap - his reputation might
suffer the truth and then where would you be?"

Will had to smile at this.  "I hate to break it to you, Jack, but I'm
not here to turn pirate."

Jack pulled an exaggerated frown at him.  "Funny; I thought you
already had."

"I'm a married man," Will said, not offering more of an explanation
than that as they stepped out into the street.

But Jack lifted his brows.  "I see! Well, that does make things
decidedly murkier, doesn't it? So Elizabeth's gone and become a
pirate's wife, eh?  Shame I missed the wedding."

Will looked about them uncomfortably.  "Where are we going?"

"The Pearl, where else?"  Jack took a swig from the black glass rum
bottle he had taken with him from the tavern.  "Only place we're
likely to have some decent quiet round here.  'Sides, the only men
aboard are the Harbor Watch.  Had to make sure Anamaria didn't stay
on.  Best to have her on shore when we come into port.  I get more
sleep that way."

Will was slightly surprised at this little revelation.  "What, she's
still with you?  I mean, it's just… she seemed to want her own ship
badly enough."

Jack gave a grin that flashed in the lamplights.  "Would seem she
wants gold more.  I'm a fair man: the company has equal division of
the spoils.  We keep up our recent run of good luck, she'll have
enough to buy her own ship after our next little venture."

As they made their way through the town down to the docks, Will
asked, "How is Gibbs?  And - and Mister Cotton?  And his parrot?"  He
tried to remember the others.

Jack heaved a loud sigh and declared bitterly, "Damned bird is going
to outlive us all, unfortunately.  Sometimes I wonder who's running
my ship."  His hand went to his compass, which still hung from his
belt, as if to reassure himself it was still there.  Muttering in a
lower voice, Jack continued, "I'm thinking of banning mascots
entirely.  No parrots, no monkeys, no turtles."

Will chuckled.  "Turtles?  But aren't they good for rations?"

"Rations, yes.  Pets, no.  Some fool turned them over in the night;
came out on deck one morning to see all 'em crawling around my
ship."  Jack sounded peeved at the memory.  "Thought I was still in
some bloody nightmare, that the crew had gotten themselves cursed
somehow and that was the result."

Will laughed.  He'd missed Jack.  It was too easy to fall back into
the old pattern he'd first adopted with the pirate.  Sidekick and
pirate-in-training, he smiled to himself.

Jack peered at him in the gloom.  "Are you dry, lad?"

"I am, and I intend to stay that way," Will replied, easily.

"Pity.  So it's to be like that, eh?" Jack murmured in a knowing
voice.  And irrepressibly downed the last of the rum.  He tossed the
bottle into the water where it filled and sank slightly, bobbing on
the surface in the dark.  Jack climbed aboard one of the Pearl's
longboats and informed him, "Seeing as this is business, you can row
us back to the ship."

Will raised his brows at him.  "Hardly fair, seeing as I'm going to
have to row back on my own anyhow."

Jack leaned back, making himself comfortable, and grinned, "Aye, but
you're forgetting conveniently enough that you're the whole reason
I'm having to return prematurely and break off from a nice, long
shore leave, mate."

Will sighed and resigned himself to taking up the oars.  "Am I taking
you from other matters, Jack?  That fellow you were speaking to -"

Jack waved a hand languidly.  "No-account fellow, not worth troubling
your head about.  And the Pearl's over there.  That direction."

Will strained to see in the dark.  He could make out a larger ship a
little ways out, anchored in the harbor.  Her black sails made her
nearly invisible, apart from the other ships docked there with their
brighter and clearer forms.

Jack was quiet for a moment and then said, "Really isn't that much to
tell, to be honest.  Bootstrap was an able fighter, a good man and a
rapscallion.  What more do you need to know?"

"Actually, that wasn't all I needed to speak with you about."

"Thought not," Jack commented.  "If you're here seeking marriage
counseling, you'd be better off with a priest."

Will frowned.  "A priest?  He'd know even less about married life
than you do."

Jack chuckled.   "Depends on the priest, now doesn't it?"

With a brief laugh, Will gave in.  "You're right, I'm sure.  But not
the one who married us.  Port Royal is rather more dull than the
places you usually frequent."

"I remember it well, having fortuitously danced on your blade instead
of the gallows the last time I set foot there."  Jack sat up.  "How
is your lass, Will?"

They were halfway to the Black Pearl, as far as Will could judge. 
That was the nice thing about Petit Goave; the ships could drop
anchor very near to shore.  "She's quite well, actually.  She told me
to give you her regards."

"She's a fine girl.  Got more pirate in her than you do, I'll
warrant."

"You might be right, at that."

At Will's dry reply, Jack chuckled.  "Her temper hasn't improved
much, I take it?"

Will wondered how he could reply without doing Elizabeth a
disservice.  Carefully, he answered, "She's maturing."

"I take it you are too, then; albeit reluctantly."  Jack sounded as
though he were losing interest.

"I'm actually here at her behest," Will replied.  "I made the mistake
of calling out another's name."

Jack grunted.  "I'm sorry to hear it, lad.  Been there; best to be
out of range afterwards.  Especially of any breakables."

"Tell me about it," Will sighed.  Then realized he'd left the perfect
opening for Jack to launch into some embellished tale.

But Jack had seen they were quite near the Pearl now, and was
preparing to get up.  "We'll need more rum, if we're to be traveling
down memory lane all night.  Sure you won't join me?  You'll need it
more than I will, I think."

"You're too generous.  No, thank you."

"Polite as always.  Suit yourself.  Not very courteous to leave a man
drinking on his own though, wouldn't you say?"

Will stood up as they came abreast of the Pearl.  "Very well, but
only after we've cleared up a few matters that need our attention."

"Ahoy, there!" Jack called out.  He turned back to Will,
muttering, "Sounds positively dire, lad.  The more rum, the better."

Will followed Jack up onboard with the assistance of two of the
crewmen who stood watch.  It felt strange but good to stand aboard
Jack's ship.  The first time he'd climbed aboard the Black Pearl was
after Barbossa's crew had lit up the Interceptor and left him to sink
to a watery grave.  He'd only barely managed to escape going down
with it, and swim his way across to where the Pearl still sat in
triumph.  Certainly this was a quieter, darker and safer reception
than last time.  Will had the terrible feeling it wouldn't remain so.

Captain Jack Sparrow sauntered to his cabin and opened the doors with
a flourish.  "Welcome aboard, Mister Turner."

Will entered the dark cabin, and waited as Jack lit the lamp and
several candles.  He went to sit down at the table, and Jack
retrieved another bottle of rum before joining him, sitting across
and uncorking the bottle.

"Now, Will.  What is so serious that you had to risk yourself in
person?"  Jack's eyes were watching him shrewdly.  "This wasn't any
idle journey for you to make.  And a fellow looking as clean as you
do; well, let's just say you present an excellent target for
pickpockets and pirates alike."

"The first matter can wait, I guess, about my father.  I want to know
about him.  How you met him, and what he was like.  But I suppose I
have come to you as a friend.  For marriage counseling, after all."

Jack shook his head.  "She's got you licked already, hasn't she?"  He
considered his bottle.  "It's really very simple.  If you're not an
honest man, a wife will attempt to make an honest man out of you.  If
you're already an honest man, she'll drive you to become a dishonest
one.  Best to avoid the entire thing altogether, if you get my
meaning."

"I'm still an honest man," Will declared.  "That's the problem.  I
refused to compromise my honesty and decided to be honest with her. 
She was not very happy about it."

Jack's shark grin was a reminder to Will that Jack himself was not
exactly the best counsel in this case, as Jack had already told
him.  "Sounds to me like you've scuppered yourself, son."

Ruefully, Will looked down.  "I'm inclined to agree with you on that
score."

A little more gently, Jack asked, "Is she giving you an ultimatum,
then? Or has she kicked you out already?"

Will sighed.  "Ultimatum.  Yes, I suppose it was, at that.  Well, I
guess you're right.  There really is nothing else that can be done. 
My marriage is on the rocks, and it had only just begun."

Jack tutted at him.  "I am sorry; although this may free you up to do
some accounting with your own past, as well."

"Which reminds me, yes," Will said, rising to his feet and drawing
his sword.  "The first matter."  He swiftly stepped around the table
and pointed the sword at Jack.

Jack nearly spit out his rum, and coughed in mid-swallow.  His eyes
widened a little in panic and he hastily said, "Now, Will, see here -
whatever she told you, it was a lie, honestly!  Nothing happened. 
Nothing whatever." 

"Nothing happened?" Will asked, positively confused now.  He had no
idea what Jack was babbling about.  But a confession like this seemed
too good to let go.  His face hardened and he held the sword tip
closer to Jack's chest.

Jack leaned back in his seat to get away from it.  "Nothing! I
swear.  Give you my word, God's truth, lad!  Whatever she said, it's
a fabrication.  All of it.  I was a perfect gentleman."

Will scowled.  "What, this is about Elizabeth?"  He thought quickly. 
Jack had a guilty conscience… about his wife?  Ex-wife?  And then it
dawned on him.  "You tried to take advantage of her?  That night you
were both marooned, after- after Barbossa took me and left both of
you on that island?"

Jack grimaced.  "I didn't!  We were having a drink, that's all!  She
must have taken advantage of me after I was passed out.  And I
certainly wish I could have remembered that," he added, in an
undertone to himself.

"This is not about my wife," Will growled, his sword not wavering in
the slightest.  "It's about my father."

Jack looked completely floored.  "Eh?  What'd I do to him?"

"Contrary to what you seem to believe of me, Jack, I'm not stupid. 
I'm not a fool.  You knew him, yes.  But you knew him a little too
well, didn't you?"

Jack gulped this time and tried to hold up his hands.  "Now, Will,
whatever it is that you think you're-"

"Don't bother, Jack.  I went looking for you in Tortuga, where I met
up with Scarlet.  Remember her?"

Jack scowled.  Then he brightened.  "Oh, the wench… aye."  Then he
frowned.  "What lies has that one been telling you, then?"

"Lies, Jack?"  Will wondered how much exaggeration Scarlet had
indulged in.  She'd seemed too forthright and eager to complain to
him about his, unbeknownst to her of course, father and his flighty
friend, Captain Jack Sparrow.  "She said she has a good memory.  Said
you and Bootstrap Bill showed up all puffed with pride and tales and
swaggering about how you were going after the cursed treasure, and
bought her services for the night."

"Will, it wasn't-" Jack tried to interrupt, but Will wasn't letting
him get away with it this time.

He resolutely continued, raising his voice, "You put on her dress and
then proceeded to ignore her while having your way with my father,
and then you didn't even have the decency to dismiss her - she had to
leave of her own accord, or watch! And then you stole her dress - you
left in it and didn't even return it to her! It was her finest, she
said."

"Don't remember that at all," Jack mused, in confusion.  He
swallowed, a look of puzzlement on his face.  "On whose behalf are
you angry, here?  Scarlet's?  Bill's?  Yours?"

"I don't suppose you would have told me that, would you, Jack?  That
my father was your lover?  No, I had to hear about it from a soured
prostitute, who was all too eager to gossip about you downstairs in
the tavern where the rest of the customers had a good laugh about
it.  I'll never be able to show my face there again."  Will's voice
was dark.  "Bootstrap and Sparrow.  The drunken scoundrels in a
clinch.  I'll never live it down. Thank God they didn't know who I
was."

Jack was looking at the blade still pointed unerringly at him.  "Um,
this - Will, lad, you've got it all wrong.  It wasn't quite like
that."

"It was exactly like that," Will said in resolute anger.  "Was he
good?"

"Eh?"  Jack was thrown, he could tell. 

Will wanted to smile in amusement but he carefully kept his
expression angrily glowering, stiffly trying not to crack and ruin
the entire scene.  Jack was too funny when he was off-balance.  And
besides, who knew what else Jack might reveal?

"My father.  Was he any good, Jack?"

Jack went sly and lifted his chin.  "Is that really what you're
wondering here, lad?"

Will did wonder, at this.  "What do you mean?"

Jack lifted his bottle and took a drink from it, trying to ignore
Will's sword.  "Don't you mean, am I any good?"

"I have no doubt that you are, to tempt a man like my father," Will
countered, casually.  "The real issue here is if you were even going
to tell me.  Or do I look too much like him?"

Jack blinked.  He didn't have a ready answer either, for this one,
and sought confidence in his rum once more.

Will manfully suppressed the grin that threatened to spread over his
face at this.  It was not only a victory to be able to reduce Jack to
speechlessness, it was delightfully enjoyable to see him in such a
helpless state for once.  "Well, Jack?"

Jack winced and licked his lips.  "Let's just say that it was a
fling, nothing more.  Didn't mean anything at all.  Just a good
time.  For, let's see… was it - four times? Five?"  Jack looked up,
obviously trying to recall.

Will shook his head.  "Not good enough," he warned, not taking his
eyes from Jack's.  "You weren't going to tell me, were you?"

Jack drew a breath.  "No," he agreed.  "I suppose I wasn't.  Didn't
really see the point.  He's gone, and it wouldn't change things, so
why bother?  Knew you'd probably get bent out of shape over it,
anyways," he added, resignedly taking another drink.  He looked
pointedly at the sword and then back up at Will.  "You don't need
that."

"Oh, I disagree," Will said, firmly.  "Get up, Jack.  Slowly."

Jack looked calm but he went tense.  "Why?"

"Because you're going to show me how good you are."

Jack regarded him, tilting his head.  "At what?" he grinned.

"A good time," Will said, repeating Jack's words back to him.  "A
fling, nothing more."

Jack let out a quiet breath.  "Will, it isn't worth it.  You don't
need to do this.  Bill was a friend.  He didn't take it serious.  You
shouldn't either.  It really isn't necessary."

"I'm afraid you're wrong this time," Will corrected.  "It's more
necessary than you realize."

"And I'm afraid it's going to take a little more than you waving a
sword in my face and threatening me, to convince me.  Savvy?"  Jack
had regained his balance.

Will had to bite the inside of his cheek not to crack a smile.  "I
do, indeed.  But it's very necessary.  You see, the name I called out
in error was not Elizabeth's, nor was it another woman's.  It was
yours."

Jack stared at him.

Will frowned, wondering if Jack had understood, or even heard him.

Jack's eyes narrowed and he glanced sideways, obviously thinking this
over.  Then his gaze returned to Will's.  "Alright, Mister Turner. 
So you haven't come here to defend your honor, or Elizabeth's, or
Scarlet's, or your father's."

Will shook his head.

"And you haven't come here to join my crew and turn pirate."

Will shook his head again, noting how Jack seemed to be stalling for
time.  It made him thrum inside like a taut string, to have this
brief taste of power over Jack - for once.  He had no doubt Jack was
going to find some way to make him pay for this, and no doubt sooner
than he'd like.

Sure enough, Jack squinted at him and asked, "Just how much of me do
you think you can handle?"

Will allowed himself a smile at this.  "You're going to find out, I'm
certain."

A flicker of something went through Jack's eyes at this, but he only
replied, "How long have you been planning this, then?"

"Why does that matter?"

Jack shrugged a little.  "Used to everyone wanting a piece; but it's
usually at the end of a noose they want me.  Makes a change to have
someone like yourself actually doing all the pursuing."

"In that case, I'm sure you don't need more flattery, Jack.  Seeing
as you're so popular."

Jack grimaced.  Then he looked at Will from beneath lowered lashes. 
It wasn't so much coy as it was dangerous.  "So what are you waiting
for?"

Will lifted his brows meaningfully, replying, "For as long as it
takes for you to take off your clothes."

At this, Jack gave a quiet laugh.  "Sorry, Will.  You're going to
have to do better than that.  I don't respond well to threats.  And
that sword is still bothersome.  Am I supposed to believe you're
serious about using it, after you've just declared you're going to
have your way with me?"

"Well, it's your choice, Captain.  You can remove your clothing, or I
can cut it from you.  I believe you've already made your acquaintance
with my blades.  You know from experience just how sharp they are." 
Will was not about to relinquish control just yet.  And he was
enjoying this too much. 

He hadn't expected to get this far.  In truth, he hadn't expected
things to get this far at all.  He certainly hadn't intended for this
to happen when he'd been searching for Jack.  He'd been vaguely
seeking a reckoning, and to clear up the matter of his father and
Jack's acquaintance with Bootstrap, as well as himself.

Jack regarded him with a look of amusement now.  "Very well.  We'll
play it your way." 

Without taking his eyes from Will's, Jack began to undo the sash at
his waist.  With a slight smirk coming over him, Jack then undid his
belt.  Without getting up from the chair, he began to undo the laces
of his breeches. 

Nonchalantly, Jack asked, "That must have thrown her quite a bit." 
At Will's look, Jack supplied helpfully, "Elizabeth.  She couldn't
have been none to happy about that."  The laces were undone and he
began to shimmy in place in the chair, shifting them lower.

Will's breath caught in his throat at it.  Jack's white shirt hid too
much, still concealing Jack from Will's suddenly hot gaze.  He
remembered himself and tore his eyes upwards to see Jack's smirk had
intensified. 

"Two Turners for the price of one," Jack commented.

"Yes.  I suppose one good Turner deserves another," Will said.  He
backed up, but still held the sword.  "Stand up.  And take off the
shirt."

Jack casually removed one of his boots, then the other.  He stood,
and began to lift his shirt up over his head. 

Will held his breath.


***

Shaking his dark hair loose, the beads clinking, Jack
murmured, "Haven't taken it all off for someone in, well, let's
see…"  His eyes widened.  "Now that can't be right."

Will stifled a groan.  "Since my father?" he sighed.

Jack gave a little shrug.  "Doesn't this bother you any?"

Will smiled at him, indulgently.  "It bothers me most urgently,
Jack.  But what bothers me most of all is that you still haven't
taken off your breeches."

"Damned pushy, too.  I remember that as well," Jack muttered.  But he
complied.

Will wondered why he was bothering to hold the sword now, because
Jack's unclad hips and slender legs were causing most distressing
reactions throughout his entire body.  And the dark curls of hair
between Jack's legs, together with a decidedly interested cock that
stood proudly, was undoing his composure.

To see Jack Sparrow, finally, naked and bare before him…

Nights of futile imaginings and confused fantasies, combined with the
self-hatred and disappointment he'd felt towards himself as things
with Elizabeth had careened towards the flames of failure, were
suddenly burnt in a new conflagration of understanding.  The naked
truth, standing before him. 

He dropped the sword and his hands flew over his clothing, removing
it in record time.

Jack licked his lips and smiled at him.  Hands on hips, Jack watched
as Will stripped, hurriedly.  Jack turned and padded towards the
bed. 

Will caught up with him and pushed him down onto it.  As Jack sat
down, hard, Will quickly seized his advantage and grabbed Jack's
wrists, leaning into him and allowing his body to make full contact
with Jack's.

Will gasped at the sensations; Jack's cock against his, their legs
getting tangled, Jack's skin hot and satiny against his.  "Oh God,"
he breathed, staring down into Jack's dark eyes.

Jack looked a little taken aback at Will's impetuous behavior.  Will
tightened.  Obviously Jack had imagined he might take some control
during this union of theirs. 

Will grinned down at him.  And said, "Let me.  Please.  Let me have
this; have you."

Leaning down, he didn't wait for Jack to respond.  He pressed his
lips to Jack's, his curiosity at what it would feel like finally fled
as he marveled at the softness, the warmth of it.  And Jack's
surprise at Will wanting this now was joined by Jack's eager tongue-
tip, darting out to meet Will's lips, running along them.  Will
parted his lips instinctively, and then delved his own tongue into
Jack's mouth.  The warm, wet slick silky taste of his tongue, and
then the curious taste of gold.  Will breathed a moan against him.

Lifting his head, Will looked into Jack's face.  Jack seemed a little
taken-aback, but content.

"You sure you know what you're doing?" Jack asked.  And the tone of
it didn't make Will feel like he was poking fun at him at all.  As if
he'd be more than willing to show Will the ropes…

Will smiled down at him.  "Scarlet was most eager to give me
instructions.  And I paid her for the dress."

Jack was horrified.  "You shouldn't have!  Lad, that's poor form. 
Really.  That was years ago, and I scarcely remember it.  And it was
Bill's idea in the first place. You didn't have to-"  He was silenced
by Will's mouth coming down on his, hard, demanding and hot.

Will didn't let up; he kept kissing Jack until finally Jack relaxed
under him and responded properly.  Fervently.  Will kept going, until
Jack gave a little moan against him.  Pulling back again, Will
whispered against him, "I've been dreaming about you.  You've been in
my head for more nights than I can count.  Damn you, Jack Sparrow. 
Why you?!"

Jack grinned happily. "I have that effect on people."

With a growl, Will pressed into him, eliciting an intake of breath
from Jack as he ground their middle sections together, cocks sliding
against each other like the cross of two blades.  "You're a pirate,"
Will informed him.  "That's why."

"Aye," Jack agreed, all too eager to go along with Will's forced
seduction.  "And so are you, as it turns out."  Will noticed though
that Jack's breaths were coming shorter.

Tenderly, Will asked, "How long has it been since someone took care
of you? Properly?"

Jack frowned a little.  "Properly?"

"Properly," Will said, firmly, with another grind of his hips.  He
repeated the movement, finding it was most pleasurable, and seemed to
make Jack happy too, considering the way Jack sucked in his breath
and gulped.

And then Jack said, hoarsely, "Surprised you didn't drag the lass
here with you."

Will frowned at this.  He looked at Jack.  "What do you mean?"

Jack smiled at him, knowingly.  "Well, you come in here, threatening
me and all fired up, fresh from her quim and expecting me to just
give it up because you've decided you've taken a fancy to try out
what your father had, eh?  And there's your poor wife, missing out on
what could have been a proper honeymoon.  Should have brought her
along, mate.  Maybe then she wouldn't be all out of joint."

Will stared back Jack.  Infuriating, that's what he was.  Will
considered Jack's mouth, and bent once more to leisurely help
himself.  Jack seemed to have a weakness about being kissed. 
Properly.  Will applied himself with dedication to exploiting it.

Jack was nearly panting, his eyes half-lidded by the time Will lifted
his head once more.  "I couldn't," he explained, catching his
breath.  "She said she wasn't going to share me with you.  We'll have
to avoid her, actually.  She might try to shoot you."

Jack shook his head slightly.  "Slap me, most likely.  They always
do."

"Yes, you do seem to have that effect on women."

Jack grinned.  "Well, but you know what effect I have on men, too. 
Tell me, young Will, did you have any idea what you were doing when
you drew your sword on me?"

Will narrowed his eyes.  "Aye, Captain, I did.  I still have a very
good idea.  Unfortunately, it requires your cooperation.  I need my
hands for this."

"And your mouth," Jack added, hopefully.

"Only if you promise to be quiet, and not say a word," Will warned
him.

Jack looked surprised.  "Seeing as this is your first time, I'll be
as quiet as possible.  Wouldn't want your concentration to suffer at
an inopportune moment."

"No, we wouldn't want that," Will agreed, smiling.  "And who says
this is my first time?"

Will was rewarded with the very unexpected look of dark jealousy and
possessiveness that entered Jack's face.  He took mercy on Jack,
kissing him once, then again, and said, "Scarlet was very happy to
educate me.  Said the price of the dress wasn't really as much as
she'd made out, at first.  I told her she could keep the balance. 
She insisted on making it up to me."

Jack groaned.  "You're right.  You'd better never set foot there
again.  They'll all want a turn with you.  Will, just how much gold
did you give the wench?!"

Will stared down at him.  "I've been dreaming about kissing you."

"That's nice.  How much gold, Will?"

Will chuckled and kissed him, then mouthed his way down Jack's
throat, to his chest, moving over his nipples, then down to his
belly, following the dark treasure trail lower, scooting down to get
a better position for what he had in mind.  Jack's silence was
uncustomary, watching Will with a bit of what looked like awe, as
well as expectancy.

Well he might, Will thought to himself.  It wasn't every day that
Will Turner decided to seduce a pirate captain at sword point, and
then proceed to go down on him with abandon.  But Will had already
agonized over Jack for months, first in dreams and then in the rather
heated exchanges with Elizabeth, and then for weeks, searching in
Tortuga and then Petit Goave.  He'd made his peace with his desire. 
He was just thanking his fortune that Jack would have him.  The fact
that Jack had been with Bootstrap Bill could very easily have been a
deciding factor against, considering Jack might have not wanted him
for that reason.  Some sort of strange honor, or something.  And
abruptly, with a hard swallow, Will realized he was staring at Jack's
cock.

Jack lay there, watching, and finally said, quietly, "Will…"

But Will was already decided upon it.  He licked up the length of it,
and was surprised at the clean, nearly salty taste.  It was in fact
less pungent than his previous encounters, and he decided he liked
it.  He mouthed around the stem, allowing his hands to nestle in the
dark hair, before stroking down to fondle Jack's balls, while
allowing one hand to go wandering, caressing Jack's inner thigh, the
soft tender flesh there. 

Musky, heady and hot, and Will breathed in, wanting more.  He could
stay here, buried in between Jack's legs… As a tremor ran through
Jack, Will glanced up, and decided to go in for the kill.  He licked
lightly at the crown, just on the underside.

Jack gave a strangled whimper, and his hands were abruptly clutching
at the blankets.  With a smirk, Will continued to lash lightly at it,
then encircled the head of Jack's cock, laving with his tongue before
letting himself slide it into his mouth, down the length of it a few
inches.

Jack had stiffened, and the most sensual noise Will had ever heard
him make suddenly reached Will's ears, akin to a purr and a moan. 
Will began to slide up and down it, letting it nearly come free from
his lips, then engulfing him again.

Jack's moans and whimpers were suddenly growing louder.   He
increased the suction and now reached up with one hand to grip Jack's
cock firmly, while still handling his balls.  Will almost smiled
around the slender organ in his mouth, because he remembered all too
well his own reaction as Scarlet had shown him what to do. 

He'd recalled thinking at the time that Jack hadn't known what he'd
been missing… and should have somehow arranged to kidnap Will on his
way, or perhaps something like coming back for him, as he did in his
dreams sometimes.  But then of course Jack had had his father…  With
a little growl, Will couldn't help feeling strangely hot and angry. 
It wasn't fair.  It wasn't just the legacy of his father's blood that
Bootstrap Bill had left his son - it was this wickedly irksome and
devilish pirate captain, too.  But his father had been there first
and abruptly, Will wondered, as he sucked Jack harder, whether or not
Jack cared that it was Bill or his son.

Will wanted to wipe all traces of anyone else from Jack's body and
claim him as his own.  He was horrified to find that all the anxiety
and distress he'd felt over losing Elizabeth because of his own
misplaced and unnatural desires and dreams, longings to see Jack
again that had haunted him, were replaced with this keen
possessiveness.  He wanted to own Jack.  He wanted to pleasure him
more than anyone else ever had.

Redoubling his efforts, Will was careful not to use his teeth, even
accidentally.  He wasn't sure he could attempt what Scarlet had
showed him, about swallowing it down.  But what he was doing so far
seemed to be working, with Jack twitching and pulling uncontrollably.

He could feel Jack getting close, and then Jack's hoarse
voice, "Will, you- I'm-"

With a lick upwards with the flat of his tongue, he ordered, "Come
for me, Jack," and quickly sucked on the head of his cock once more.

With a keening whimper, Jack tensed, and then was crying out as he
came, pulsing hotly into Will's mouth.  Will was instantly struck by
how different Jack tasted from his own; where he was salty and
bitter, Jack was distantly tangy and - sweet.  And Will realized with
a little muffled grunt of a laugh - the rum.  The damned rum.  It
probably flowed in Jack's veins in place of blood.

Eagerly, Will swallowed it all, licking continuously to get every
drop.

Finally, Jack was panting, "Enough, Will, please.  For now."

Will backed up, and fixed Jack with a stare.  Almost challenging
him.  "How did I do?"

Jack stared back at him.  Then flopped his head back and regarded the
ceiling.  "Bloody tart.  Now I still owe her."

Will laughed quietly.  And came up to rest beside Jack, his arm about
him.  Tucking in neatly against his right side, Will said to
him, "You don't owe her.  You owe me.  And I owe my father.  Are you
sure it doesn't bother you?"

Jack considered this.  "Well," he finally admitted, "it would only
bother me if it bothered you, and so far, it doesn't appear to be
bothering you very much at all."

Will was quiet at this.  But he needed to say more.  He needed to
explain.  "I tried to forget about you.  But you stayed in my head. 
The more I pushed the memory of you from my mind, the more you came
into my dreams.  You came into our bed even as I slept.  I had to go
when she told me to, because I didn't want to hurt her anymore.  But
it doesn't mean that I have any claim on you."

Jack turned his head, opened an eye and peered at him.  Then he
kissed Will on the forehead.  Then kissed him again, on the
cheek.  "Will, it's been a long time since anyone wanted to lay claim
on me."

"I don't believe that," Will protested.  "You're irresistible.  I
mean, your manner, your attitude.  It practically screams 'have your
way with me'."

"Eh?!" Jack stared at him.  "You're sure you haven't been at the
rum?"  At Will's shake of his head, Jack explained, "Manner…my
manner. It's too much sun, is all.  And rum.  Need it; for the sun,
and to keep afloat between skirmishes."

Will chuckled.  "Have it your way.  Doesn't matter now, in any case. 
You're mine now."

"Am I, indeed?" Jack asked, curiously.  "Has it occurred to you that
in that case, you are also mine?"

"Naturally."

Jack grinned.  "Then it's your turn.  I believe I owe you for the
marvelous performance you just gave."  He made as if to get up.

Will stopped him, holding him in place.  "I haven't finished showing
you what I've learned."

Jack paused, then laughed.  "I see.  And you're eager to prove it to
me all at once, are you?  As quickly as possible?  We're on shore
leave.  Don't expect the crew to be back for at least, oh, say, four
days more."

"You'd be surprised how much I learned, and how long it will take for
me to show you, Jack," Will informed him with a straight face.

Jack swallowed.  "Will, you're going to be the death of me.  But what
a way to go."

"I'll show you," Will said, eager now.  "Turn onto your belly."  He
got up.  "I brought a little something with me.  A gift from - well."
He stopped, got up, and went to rustle through his garments.  In his
pocket, it was.

Jack lifted his head.  "From whom?" he demanded, obviously
curious.  "You sure it was a gift, and she didn't lift your purse
while she was at it?"

Will rolled his eyes.  "It was from the madam of the house - a friend
of Scarlet's. She said I'd behaved better than any gentleman they'd
entertained in a long while.  I suspect she wanted the repeat
business if I was ever in town again."

Jack was shaking his head.  "You are too trusting, and far too
innocent.  We're going to have to work that out of your system."

Will returned to the bed, and straddled Jack's legs, moving them
apart and laying down atop him, enjoying the cushioning of Jack's
pert ass against his belly.  He ran a hand down Jack's back and up
again.  "My system appears to be working fine, so far.  We can't all
be piratical constantly.  There are times and places to behave like a
gentleman."

Jack's face was turned to the side, and he smiled.  "This would
appear to be an opportune time and place to prove it."

But Will was lost in the feeling of Jack's skin.  His back was
lighter than he'd expected, the skin going paler towards Jack's
buttocks, and he lifted up and off of him to run a hand over them,
then both hands over Jack's hips, down to his thighs. 

Jack's sated sigh of satisfaction at Will's touch was music to his
ears, and Will smiled, relishing the fact that he could reduce Jack
Sparrow - The Captain Jack Sparrow - to the blissfully indolent state
of a stroked cat.  Still feral, perhaps, but feline most definitely. 

"Mine," he said, in a low voice, allowing both hands to return to
Jack's ass, cupping it, enjoying the way it caused a little rippling
shudder from Jack.  Will was surprised at how sensual Jack had turned
out to be.  He had assumed that it was part of Jack's act, but the
sinuous and supple movements Jack possessed, whether in combat during
swordplay, or swaying drunkenly on sea-legs or intoxicated, turned
out to be quite part of his nature.

Will could no longer resist, and he bit at one pale, smooth buttock,
enjoying the hissing intake of Jack's reaction.  He mouthed at the
tight flesh, and decided that he had delayed his own gratification
long enough.  He had to have this ass.  Rationalizing his time with
Scarlet as education in so many ways, he hadn't felt much guilt over
the fact that he'd left Elizabeth not two months before.  But there
was such a sense of freedom in taking what he wanted, he realized
that perhaps he really did have the pirate blood after all.  Because
he felt as though he was finally becoming a man, making his choices
and living with the outcomes.

It was no longer about true love, he realized.  A boyhood dream of
the perfect match with a girl he romanticized from afar.  It wasn't
about a steady marriage and family where he worked to keep them for
the rest of his life.  It wasn't about drinking and wenching and
throwing away his hours either. 

It was about Jack, and what the pirate captain had meant to him, had
come to mean to him.  It was about manhood, and friendship, and
blood, and honor, and the sea.  And this ship.

As he anointed himself with the elixir that Scarlet's friend had
given to him with a wink and an enlightening whisper in Will's ear,
Will grinned, and said, "Lift up a little, Jack."  As Jack complied,
he applied some to Jack as well.

And then the smell of it hit Jack's nose, for Jack began to chuckle
deep in his throat. 

"I thought you might recognize it," Will said.  "She said it never
fails.  She also said I probably didn't need it, actually."

Jack turned his face to the other side, so he could meet Will's
eye.  "It's good stuff.  Stiffens your wood when you're lacking.  One
of the secrets of the Caribbee."

Will laughed, for it was made of bark, Bois Bande.  Wood, indeed. 
He'd been intrigued.  There was an unfamiliarly thick, hot and heavy
sensation in his organ, and he realized it was really quite an
amazing substance. 

He licked his lips and parted Jack's cheeks, allowing his cock to
slide between them, before coming to rest gently against the tight
opening.  The hidden dark hole gave slightly at the first nudge, and
he was glad Jack had done this before, for he would have been afraid
of hurting him.  Still, he waited, giving Jack time to grow
accustomed to it.  Then pressed forward ever so slightly. 

Jack moaned at this, and moved back to meet him, causing him to slip
deeper into him.  Tight, hot, silk on his cock, rippling him with the
clutching heat of Jack's body, and he was abruptly, easily, sliding
into Jack deeper and deeper, all the way up inside of him.  Sheathed
completely in him, Will didn't want to ever stop.  He never wanted to
be anywhere else.  Like finding home.  He'd found home.  Forcing
himself to remember to take breaths, Will waited, the muscles in his
arm trembling as he stayed poised over him, then finally let himself
relax, down onto his elbows, shifting a little to gain the most
advantageous position.

Jack's hoarse whisper was strained.  "Will, you don't have to hold
back.  You won't hurt.  Just do it."

Will bit his lip.  He wanted to.  God, he wanted to.  His head swam
with the strangeness of knowing that this fierce fire hadn't swept
through him with his wife and supposed true love, nor had it felt
like this in his dreams, being only lingering glances, kisses of
diffuse magic and promises conjured in images from his memory.  It
was real, and hot, and slick, and he wanted to stay buried in Jack
forever.  "You sure?"

"Hard, Will.  Please," Jack said, the certainty and need in Jack's
voice the only urging Will needed.

He pulled back a little and then surged forward, tight into that
sweetness, taking him, taking Jack Sparrow, God - he wanted it - had
wanted it - too long.

"Wanted you, oh Jack, wanted this so much," he whispered,
desperately.  He was horrified at the need in his own voice now, but
he couldn't help that his tongue had loosened.  Why should he guard
his words?  He was as close to Jack as he would ever be, and Jack
wanted it.  Wanted him.  Him!

Jack was making little involuntary shoves back against him to meet
his thrusts, and abruptly, Will felt like he was flying.  Raising
himself back up on his hands again, he let his hips snap forwards,
and the movement carry him hard into Jack, pounding against his ass
with the impetus of it, quicker and faster and deeper, the sharp
shooting shocks of pleasure and wild abandon of it causing gasps and
groans of delirium that he couldn't stop himself from making.  No
matter, for they mingled with Jack's cries as he writhed under Will's
hard thrusts into him.

He could still taste the essence of Jack on his tongue, a little on
his lips, and the smell of the woody oil mixed with the scent of
their fresh sweat and the entire room was thick with sex and heat and
candles and flashing pleasure and Jack's cries and his own.

Jack was trembling under him, and said, "Up, up a little, Will." 
Will complied, hastily, bringing them both to their knees, without
leaving Jack's body, and resumed their motion, and this time, he held
onto Jack for support and reached around a hand to grasp Jack's cock.

The feeling of being pressed all tight up against Jack, and with his
hand on him, and fisting Jack while owning him, it all folded into
place neatly like a silent scream and song, and it had the crash of
waves with it and the creak of gulls, and a hard, rushing euphoria of
slipping through water so blue and hard it was nearly white.  White
in his head, as he pushed into Jack again and again, sweet, sweet hot
and white.

Driving into him, Will finally gave into it, and decided he had to
let go.  He had to come inside of him.  To force it with every ounce
of strength he had, to strain for the crest.  Pleasure, too deep, and
too wild, and seeming too fleeting, like trying to catch hold of a
dream.  With a few last surges along that silky, tight channel, Will
exploded, a wild guttural groan forced out of his throat by the
sheer, shocking sweetness of it, the reaching of that pinnacle, and
he emptied himself into Jack, his, his his HIS.  Jack was his.  And
he was Jack's.

The relief of it was overwhelming, to know it.  To feel it.  To claim
it as his right, and to know that Jack let him.  He sank down upon
him, feeling the new sheen of dampness along Jack's skin as he rested
on his back.  Will closed his eyes, breathing hard.

He fluttered in and out of consciousness, and then everything was
black.

*  *  *  *

When he came to, it was to the sensation of a cool cloth being
dragged across his skin, and against his privates, gently.  His
thighs, and over his belly.  He sighed, and smiled.

He was laying on his back, and opening his eyes, Will saw Jack
leaning on one elbow, attentively and casually wiping him down, still
unaware he was awake.  It was brighter in the cabin, and the ship was
swaying, rolling.

Will blinked, realizing Jack's attention was completely focused on
the motion of the cloth against Will's skin.  The rapture of having
those darkened eyes trained solely on himself, yet not pinning him
with their piercing and knowing direct gaze, but caught up so
completely in something so intimate - it was soothing to his heart.

Will wondered at it.  Jack seemed so caring.  It melted him inside,
and he wondered at the warmth that went through him, to see Jack
being so solicitous and affectionate. Towards him, no less. 

A little cold reminder ran through him, at the fact that he'd
blithely accompanied Jack back here to his own cabin aboard his ship
and then proceeded to play a dangerous game of seduction by sword and
intimidation with self-righteous indignation at the simple knowledge
that Jack had known his father too well.

He wondered what reparations there would be, and if Jack would let
him stay, or consider him too untried.  Something must have alerted
Jack, for Jack abruptly brought his eyes to Will's face. 

Will blurted out, "Don't make me go."

Jack's brow furrowed ever so slightly.  "Why would I do that?"  He
seemed to watch Will carefully however, despite the innocuous tone.

"I mean," Will tried again, clearing his throat and attempting to
regain some semblance of coherency, "I don't want to leave.  Don't
make me go ashore."

Jack grinned at him, which Will found at once charming, absorbing,
distracting and entirely reassuring.  Which Jack's words were
not.  "We've already weighed anchor, love.  I've decided to keep you."

"What?"  Will began to sit up, but Jack moved and pressed a hand to
his chest, coming to rest against him, his face almost too close to
Will's. 

"I said, I've decided to keep you."

"Yes, but you also said your crew were on shore leave for four days!"

With a slightly amused expression, Jack looked from one eye to the
other, watching him closely, and said with a smug note, "I lied. 
We're a good three hours from the coast, and if you think we're
heading anywhere but the open sea, or that you can convince me to
turn around, then you have forgotten one very important thing." 

Will nearly had to bite his lip not to laugh aloud.  "You're Captain
Jack Sparrow."

Jack looked curiously gratified at his remembering to say it, and yet
a bit peeved at being denied the chance to remind Will
himself.  "Very good.  See, Will, lad, you're mine.  I've decided."

"Of course.  And you're mine."  Will was adamant about this.

"Of course.  So we have an accord?"  Jack seemed very matter of fact
about it, almost business-like.

"We do.  And might I inquire as to my position amongst your crew?"
Will did wonder at what point he would be introduced to them, and in
what capacity.

Jack raised his brows at him.  "You're my houseguest," he
hesitated.  "That doesn't sound good at all," he muttered.  "Cabin
boy?  Probably.  That's more your state rather than job description. 
Guest, until I say otherwise.  And I won't, until they've accepted
you aboard completely and just get used to having you around."

"How on earth did you manage to convince them?" Will asked, wondering
if he wanted to hear it.

Jack opened his mouth, closed it again, and then said, "It was either
you stay aboard, or the parrot goes."

Will laughed aloud.  "I see.  And what did Mister Cotton's parrot
have to say about that?"

"Well, I expect he'll get over it sooner or later.  I suspect you may
have to resort to bribery at some point."

"There's just one thing, Jack - I don't think I can kill innocent
people in cold blood.  I just can't."

Jack gave him a curious look.  "Know what you mean, mate.  But you
know something else - they can always surrender.  They don't have to
fight - they could just let us board.  Those that are spoiling for a
fight would probably shoot you soon as look at you.  Some are more
attached to their purses than their lives."

"Well, but they aren't innocent men, are they?" Will pointed
out.  "Most of those kind can hardly claim to have come by their
wealth honestly, in any case."

Jack grinned at him, obviously relieved.  "Pirate indeed, for all
that.  Justification's a wonderful thing, eh?"

Will said, "I don't think I need a justification to ask you to have
your wicked way with me, do I?"

"Certainly not.  Captain's prerogative," Jack said, firmly.  "All
guests and prisoners aboard are at my disposal."

Carefully, Will asked, "So you aren't upset, for the way I behaved
last night?"

Jack's smile was entirely laden with implicit threat.  "Very upset. 
Mostly terribly upset.  You fell asleep," he announced, as if falling
asleep was the worst possible offense.  He continued in a slightly
more wounded tone, "Was expecting something a little more impressive
from that stuff."

"Yes, well, at least we know its bark is worse than its bite."  Will
managed to deliver this deadpan.  It was made from tree bark, after
all.

Jack chuckled, then tilted his head and gave him a shrewd
eye.  "Will, seriously, why'd you come to me?  You had it all, the
wife, the career, the forge - the shop - I doubt that sot you work
for would have lasted longer than a few more years at most."

Sot?  Will almost had to bite his tongue to respond to that one.  But
Jack Sparrow was after all far more in control of his senses than
Master Brown.  Will nodded.  "But I didn't have the ocean, or the
ship, or you."

Jack's brow wrinkled a little.  "Why me?"

Will looked right back at him.  "Because you're Captain Jack Sparrow."

Jack's smile was contagious and warm.  And he didn't reply, merely
leaned down and laid claim to Will's mouth, holding his lips willing
prisoner beneath Jack's.

Will knew he'd finally found home.


~ Finis

***

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