Unseasoned Ties

“What side of the bed do you normally sleep on Jack?” you ask, not too sure which side you would prefer. ‘I love sleeping against a wall, something for support,’ you ponder. ‘But that would mean that I would be trapped between Jack and the wall. But if I slept on the outside then I’d have Jack as my wall of support, and I really do not want to be held responsible for cuddling up against him.’

Having just made yourself severely frustrated, you hear Jack say, “Usually luv, I jus’ dominate the whole thing.” You turn to Jack and fix him with a ‘just pick a damn side you insane pirate’ stare.

“Edge,” Jack huffs. He walks over to the bed and turns the covers down.

“You’re sure?” you squeak.

“Unless of course ye want me ta crawl over your supple form in the mornin’?” Jack hopefully suggests.

Not even thinking about that possibility, you promptly concede, “No…no that’s okay, I’m fine with the wall.” You sit on the edge of the bed and slightly bounce up and down, testing it for its bounciness. Deciding that the bed passes the test, you glance up to catch Jack starting to unbutton his pants.

You immediately stop bouncing.

“Hey! What are you thinking!?” you exclaim, pointing a accusatory finger at him.

Jack glances up grinning, and says, “I’m thinkin’ that ye look rather soft luv, bounce some more will ye?”

You shake your head, “Noooo, Jack not that.” Ignoring his comment on your bouncing, you add, “You can’t take those off.”

“Why’s that luv? You’re not wearin’ any, I think it’s only fair that I don’ have ta,” Jack explains, his point clearly making all kinds of sense to him.

‘He must be serious, he’s twirling his hands around again,’ you think, ‘there is no way I can fall asleep with him undressed. It was bad enough with him not wearing a shirt.’

“Jack, I will not be able to sleep knowing the very likely possibility of you shifting and something hitting me. I don’t need to be scared for my emotional well-being.”

Seeing his ‘resolve face’ or what you only assume is his resolve face, you figure that he probably won’t agree with the line of thinking you were currently portraying.

“Fine Jack, you can sleep naked, I change my mind,” you tell him. Hearing this Jack gets a sly look on his face, but before he can take his pants off you add, “I’ll just put my pants back on.” You grin as Jack swings his head up wearing a rather horrified and stunned expression.

“Wha?”

“If you insist upon sleeping nude, then I insist upon sleeping fully clothed,” you calmly tell him. You get up and walk over to where you set your neatly folded clothes.
Jack runs over and smacks your hand out of the air, “No need ta get so drastic luv. I decided to keep me clothes on.”

You smile up at him, “Are you sure Jack? I wouldn’t want to disrupt your sleeping habits.”

“Really luv, don’ worry ‘bout me, I’ll be alright,” Jack insists, while smiling charmingly.

You back away from your clothes and say, “Well... since you’re sure.” You allow Jack to pull you by the elbow and direct you back to the side of the bed. ‘He probably thinks that he just had to convince me.’

Jack plants his large hands on your shoulders to push you down onto the bed.

“Get in then luv so I can blow the candles out,” Jack orders you as he starts walking around the room, blowing each candle out. You crawl across the bed to your side and push the covers down some more so you can slide your legs underneath. The sheets are cool to the touch and you shiver while pulling them over your legs all the way. Feeling the heavy weight of all the blankets, you think to yourself, ‘For such a bad ass pirate he sure is a pansy when it comes to cold weather.’

Deciding against laying down just yet you stay sitting and glance over at Jack who has two more candles to blow out. You’ve never really understood before why some people tend to say that candlelight is the best light. Watching Jack at this moment causes it all make sense. His movements seem graceful, almost feline-like. The shadows flitting across his face gives you an urge to call him beautiful. ‘Usually guys aren’t, but Jack is definitely gorgeous,’ you think. ‘What a selfish bastard, just had to take all the beauty from the rest of this pathetic world and keep it all to himself,’ you jokingly think.

The room suddenly drops into complete darkness. You look around and can’t seem to pinpoint even one light source. Waiting for your eyes to adjust to the total darkness, you hear movement and figure that Jack is making his way over to the bed. All of a sudden you hear a slight stumble, the sound of Jack’s body hitting the ground, and a loud outcry of, “Bloody ‘ell!”

You sit up straighter and look in the direction of the shout. “You okay Jack?” you ask with a trace of worry.

You can hear Jack breathing heavily and then you feel a hard object hit you in the leg. “Why the fuck are you throwing things at me you prick?” you yell at him while realizing that it was one of your forgotten shoes that he threw at you.

“I fell over that, since it’s not mine, I can only assume it’s yours. Ye tryin’ ta kill me? I coulda died,” Jack angrily responds. With your eyes finally adjusted to the darkness, you are able to make out his form, sitting still on the cold floor.

“Oh,” feeling rather guilty now for yelling at him. “Sorry, I guess I forgot about them. Anyways, if I was trying to kill you Jack, I wouldn’t use a plan that revolved around you falling over my shoe. Besides, you could have killed me by throwing my shoe at me. What if it had hit me in the face huh? It could have thrust the cartilage in my nose up into my brain and I could have fallen into a coma. And then the blood from my this whole mess could have choked me in my unconscious slumber. And I would die Jack. Die.”

Still not moving, Jack is just staring at you. “Okay. Really. I’m sorry. Will you please just stop staring at me like a serial killer and get your ass in bed?”

You get flustered at the fact that Jack still hasn’t moved from his sitting position. Sighing you try to think of something to say that would make him get up. Not being able to come up with anything that wouldn’t end up in a compromising situation for yourself, you just stare back at him.

Not being able to take the silence any longer, you say the first thing that pops into your head, “I can pick things up with my toes.”

The silence that follows almost causes you to explode into a fit of laughter. ‘Great, now he thinks I’m insane.’

“Like what luv?” Jack finally speaks and pulls himself up off of the floor. You sigh in joy while he climbs into his side of the bed.

“Nothing too large,” you tell him while you slide down and lay your head on your pillow. “Small stuff usually. I can pinch pretty hard too. So don’t try to mess with me Jack, I’ll pinch you with my toes, and you will scream out in pain.” You pull the covers up to your chin and stare at the ceiling.

“Tha’s intrestin’ luv, really. But I don’ need my toes ta pinch, I do very well with me fingers,” he responds while he shifts around.

Having the feeling that he’s about to prove his point you quickly say, “I don’t need proof Jack, I believe you. Do not pinch me.”

----

You don’t know how long it’s been, but the minutes have definitely started to drag. You’d guess it’s been an hour. By the sound of Jack’s heavy breathing, you could wager a guess that he’s asleep. Instead of sleeping, you’ve been alternating between staring at the ceiling and staring at the insides of your eyelids. The juries still out on which one has proved to be the most fruitful. You glance over at Jack and sneer at his sleeping form. ‘I hate him for being asleep,’ you think scornfully.

Not being able to resist, you move to stretch your arms in front of you and ‘accidentally’ jab his side with your elbow.

His only response is a murmuring and you are amazed at how he ever survived as a pirate if that didn’t wake him. ‘It would probably take his ship being blown up for him to wake up.’ You roll over on your left side, facing him, and lean in close to the side of his face.

“Jack,” you whisper in his ear, waiting for a response.

“When me eyes are closed, it’s a signal luv,” Jack murmurs, never opening his eyes.

“Did the jab wake you or the whispering?”

“Neither. Yer intoxicating smell was the culprit,” Jack mutters, a smirk making an appearance.

“I can’t sleep Jack,” you state.

“And I’m suppose’ ta do what?”

You sigh in response, “Nothing…can I ask you a question though?”

Jack sighs and rolls over onto his right side so he can face you. He lays on his elbow and holds his head up with his hand, his dark eyes seeming to analyze you. You notice a piece of hair that has managed to fall in his face, and have an extreme desire to push it back. You almost do, but then remember that you’ve made it clear that you don’t want him getting all handsy with you. So you probably shouldn’t start sending mixed signals. ‘Why do I not want him touching me again?’ you ask yourself. ‘And I swear to Gandhi that if he doesn’t move that hair out of his face I am going to go into cardiac arrest!’ Realizing that he’s still staring at you, you feel the wave of embarrassment inviting itself to join the party.

“Ye can try,“ Jack says and scratches the side of his temple. Finally he pushes the piece of hair away from his face and the inner you dances with joy.

“How did you get those scars on your chest?”

“Hmmmm,” Jack knits his eyebrows together and brings his hand up to slowly tug on the braids hanging from his chin. He looks down at his chest and then makes a show of snapping his fingers.

“If memory serves me correctly luv, it was bullets. Two of em in fact. Nasty lil buggers they are,” Jack responds. He smiles widely at you.

You role your eyes and sigh in frustration, “Nooo really? I had assumed that two rather vicious Kiwi birds attacked you, plucked at your chest for awhile, and then left you for dead. You mean to say that’s not what happened? I am stunned Jack. Now since that isn't likely to happen, obviously it was from bullets. I meant how did it happen you stubborn ass.”

“Well how am I supposed ta know what ye meant ta say luv? Ye didn’ specify,” Jack states while he flicks his hand flamboyantly out into the thin air making his point. "Sides, ye have no idea how savage those primitive lil birds can be luv. They hold grudges. Cannibals. Shame about Kiwi birds."

“Oh yeah, they’re real conniving. Besides, I thought you knew everything? Are you not the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow? I assumed you were naturally intuitive,” you taunt him while you pick at the red cloth wrapped around your right elbow.

“So ye’ve heard of me then?” Jack makes clear and points a finger in your general direction.

You growl a little bit in the back of your throat and glare, “You are infuriating Jack!”

“Thank ye luv. I try just fer you ya know,” Jack lifts his left hand from his side and slowly runs his finger down your arm.

‘Oh my,’ you think, ‘okay yeah that feels good.’ You decide to see what he’ll do next so you don’t make a move to remove his hand. After his finger reaches your elbow, he removes his hand and softly rests it on your hip. The heavy weight of his hand somehow manages to send warmth seeping through the blankets. You just don’t have the heart to swat his hand away, and you don’t really have a good reason to do it anyway, you’re finding that you rather enjoy the weight.

“You’re just no fun,” you say quickly, not knowing what else to say and remembering that he didn’t actually answer your question.

“No fun?!” Jack incredulously asks. “Captain Jack Sparrow? No fun? I have you know luv, that I am loads of fun. Barrels full of it.”

You start laughing, while picturing Jack in a barrel for no reason at all. “Okay Jack, you’re fun. You’re right. Barrels of fun. All of your fun can’t even fit in barrels. You need to store extra fun in boxes. Some of those boxes even have little pictures on them. Because I drew them for you. One has a whole underwater sea adventure. Pretty cool stuff.”

Jack smiles widely at you, “I do so enjoy those boxes luv. O’ course, there’s always more fun ta be had.” With his last word he gives your hip a squeeze.

“I hate you,” you say flatly, not really meaning it but needing to say something negative.

“Come on luv, if only ye knew how irresistible ye are when you’re all flustered like. ‘Specially when I’m the one ta do the flusterin,” Jack adds as he somehow manages to get his arm underneath you before you know what he’s doing. Soon he’s flat on his back, holding you firmly to his chest with one arm. ‘Oh crap his skin is soft. Should it be this soft? He’s a pirate. Shouldn’t it be rough?” you wonder. You can feel the hardness of muscle underneath your hands and revel at how something can be so soft, yet hard at the same time.

“Calm down Jack, I think you’re squeezing me too hard. I can feel my inner organs being smushed as I speak,” you exclaim while trying to pull away from his clutches. Feeling your resistant movement, Jack obviously decides that he isn’t going to let you get away that easily. He brings his other arm up quickly to wrap around fully and holds you tight.

“Jus’ let me love ye, stop resistin’ me,” Jack laughs. Scowling up at him, you try your best to be angry, or at least pretend to be angry. But you find that it’s just far too hard to stay mad at this man. You unwillingly smile and relax into his embrace.

“Fine Jack, I won’t move. But you think you can release me just a little? My liver will thank you and it’ll be a lot more comfortable if I’m not half pulled over you like this,” you question while wearing an impish smile.

“Comfortable fer who luv? I’m quite happy with ye over me,” Jack replies. However, despite what he says, he releases you from his left arm but still keeps his other arm wrapped around your shoulders. You sigh in gratification at your newfound freedom. Jack tucks you into the side of his body, and you find that you fit perfectly. You nestle into his warmth and lay your head back on his bare arm.

“I knew ye’d start warmin’ up ta me luv. Ye can’ resist me charms,” Jack arrogantly informs you. His fingers are tapping lightly against your arm and you can’t remember ever feeling this safe.

“You’re right Jack,” you sarcastically reply while letting your eyes slide shut, “You’re just resistless, I’m surprised that I lasted this long.” You push you hair out of your face and sigh in contentment, ‘He’s right though. I don’t know of any living woman that would be able to say no to him, including me.’

Jack trails his finger down your upper arm a ways. “How’s your elbow feelin’?” he distractedly asks.

“It’s feeling fine. Hurts a little, but only when I bump it on something or bend it too much. I should call you Nurse Sparrow,” you reply while stifling a yawn, suddenly feeling exhausted.

“Not in fron’ of tha crew then luv,” Jack softly tells you as he pulls the blankets back up around you the best he can while still trying to keep his upper body uncovered. His hand is softly stroking your arm and it causes your entire body to relax even more than it already was.

After a couple minutes of silence passes by, you open your eyes and look over at Jack, his eyes are closed and his face is relaxed. ‘He looks so innocent,’ you think. You shift your body a little bit so your lying on your left side again, facing Jack. He tightens his arm around you in response and keeps his hand curled around your upper arm. You rest your right hand on the twin bullet wounds on his chest and curl your other hand under your chin. You lean forward slightly and brush your mouth against his jaw bone, feeling the coarse hair there slide against your lips. Satisfied with the kiss goodnight, you lean back away and watch a small smile quirk up the side of his mouth. Smiling yourself, you settle back into his side and close your eyes. As you slowly start drifting off to sleep, you don’t notice that your finger has started to make small circles around Jack’s scars.
Jack makes a lulling humming sound in the back of his throat and pulls you even closer in response. He sighs softly out of his nose and mutters, "Night ye lil nymph."

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Author's Note: Sorry for the long delay. I'm finally over with Finals. No more school for a bit. Hope the update is suitable. Read and review. Reviews remind me to update. Thanks for reading. This was also done in a hurry, so please point out errors. I didn't bother going over it.