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Warm arms come around your shoulders, rum on his breath against your cheek, clothes dappled with the smell of the sea. You roll your eyes before your hand drifts up to rest on his arm. “Jack.” He hums happily.
“Will you ever address me as captain?” He asks softly.
“Once you’ve earned it.” He snorts, pressing a kiss to your cheek.
“When will that be?” He asks, sipping his rum. You pause for a long moment, finally turning to face him.
“I don’t know.” You grin, his expression matching before leaning forward to kiss you. You pull back to brush a stray hair from his eyes as he grins.
“How’d you get out this time?”
“Paid off one of my father’s guards.” His fingers trail under your skirt, tracing the soft skin.
“That’s my girl, hm?” He presses a few kisses to your lips with a proud grin.
“My father would have a heart attack knowing I snuck off for a pirate.” Jack kisses you again.
“You’d be better as a pirate compared to a prissy mayor’s daughter.” You smile lightly, letting him take your hand and lead you out of the bar. You follow his stumbling form with a flurry of giggles.
“I’d be a horrible pirate!” You laugh happily, making him raise a brow as he presses you against a wall.
“Why’s that, my dearest?” He hums, softly nipping at your jaw.
“I hate getting dirty! I hate sand!” You giggle, his fingers playing with the heavy fabric of your skirt. He kisses you again, making you laugh louder, his heart fluttering at the soft sound that he cherished coming back to after voyages.
“You’d be the most beautiful pirate.” He hums, cupping your cheek. He watches you for a long moment before you speak.
“I missed you, Jack.”
“I missed you more, my love.”
𔘓
The first time he’d seen you, it was across a street as he hid from the red coats. He’d caught a glimpse of a ribbon coming loose from your dress, watching it flow to his feet in the dirt. He’d picked it up and run it between his fingers, watching as you followed after your father.
He’d learnt, after he’d been caught, that your father was the mayor. You’d stopped by to find him, kissing the man on the cheek and glancing to meet Jack’s eyes for a fleeting moment. He was utterly infatuated. The ribbon stayed tucked in his hair on his next voyage until he’d docked again.
He’d watched you from afar again until he’d found a moment alone with you. Your fabric blew in the soft sea breeze as you looked over the dock, and Jack couldn’t help but feel flushed. He’d been with women here and there, but he’d never felt like this. For once, he couldn’t look at the sea, his eyes stuck on you.
You’d turned when he cleared his throat, a gasp of fear leaving your lips at the sight of the pirate. “Don’t be afraid, love… I’ve come to return something.”
“Return something?” Your head tilts in question as he pulls the ribbon from his hair, the fabric stained with dirt and sea.
“It drifted from your dress a few weeks ago.”
“A few weeks ago? When did you break from our prison?” He gives you a wide smile.
“Broke from? Love, I just got out. Don’t dramatise it.” He purrs, reaching out to touch the fabric of your skirt. You yank it from his grip, taking steps away from him.
“You’re a pirate.”
“A captain nonetheless.” He purrs happily.
“You hurt people!”
“Not without reason.”
“How do I know you won’t hurt me?”
“I kept a ribbon from your dress for weeks, and you think I’m going to hurt you?”
“You are a pirate.”
“Captain, my love. Captain.” He watches as you push past him, starting to tread away. “Lassie!” Against your better judgment, you turn to him. “Meet me at the fountain in the middle of the square.”
“What?”
“Tonight. After sundown.”
“Why should I do that?” He smiles, reaching out to grab your hand and kiss your knuckles.
“Just an offer. I’ll wait.” He winks gently, letting you go and watching you walk away.
You’d met him that night, the thrill of sneaking from your father’s clutches too strong a pull to deny the offer. He’d met you with a wide smile, taking both your hands and taking you to the docks, showing off his ship with a gloating smile. “That’s the black pearl?” You gasp softly, squeezing his hand tightly. He can’t help but admire the way you smile, reaching out to run your fingers along the dark wood.
“That it is, lass. And she’s mine.” You’d looked over at him in wonder, making his gaze soften. He’d watched in amazement as you tore a ribbon from your dress and gently tucked it into his hair. “What’s that for?”
“So you have a reason to come back to me.” You’d whisper softly, fingers lingering against his cheek.
“Quite scandalous for the mayor’s daughter, yes?” He teases, hands finding your waist and tugging you closer. You scan his face for a long moment, admiring his features.
“You give me something, Jack… something I never get to have.” His head tilts softly.
“And what is that?”
“Freedom.”
“That’s what I often say about the sea, my love.”
𔘓
Your hips had a pleasant ache as you slowly sat up, Jack’s fingers lazily tracing patterns on your thigh. The ship swayed softly in its docking spot, lulling you into a calmer state. “Feeling alright?” He whispers against the warm skin of your leg before sitting up to decide you.
“Wonderful is more like it.” You grin, kissing him gently.
“Glad I could be of service, love.”
“I need to get back to the house.” You whisper reluctantly, making him pinch a frown.
“Must you?”
“Unless you want my father to have your head on a stake– and before you tell me you’d do anything for me, I don’t want to see your head on a stake.” He laughs lightly against your lips.
“I’ll walk you back.” You nod, letting him help you up and redress you, kissing along the plain of your shoulders. “Someday you won’t have to sneak out. You’ll be sailing at my side.”
“Someday.” You hum softly, kissing him again before he leads you off the boat. He walks you slowly to the edge of the gardens before pulling you to a stop and looking down at you.
“I hate leaving you.” Your chest kicks painfully at his words, the earnestness in his voice breaking you apart.
“As do I.” The urge to argue is strong beneath his skin. He wants you to leave your prim and proper life behind. To run away with him and never come back. But he loved you too much to do such a thing.
“I love you, lass.” Your gaze softens.
“I love you most.” You whisper, leaning up to kiss him. He pulls away, watching you rip a ribbon from your dress and tucking it beneath the fabric of his bandana.
“Be safe, my dearest.”
𔘓
“Have you heard about the mayor’s daughter in Port Dion? She’s said to be wed by the end of the year.” Jack’s whole body froze as he overheard the conversation in Tortuga. The noise of the bar drowned out around him, the rum in his veins suddenly going cold. He stood slowly, glancing around to find Gibbs.
“Gibbs.” The older man looks up, smile dropping at Jack’s tone.
“Yes, Captain?”
“Gather the crew. We need to be back in Port Dion as soon as possible.” The man nods.
𔘓
“Father, please. I cannot marry him!” You cry softly, kneeling at your father's feet as he skimmed through a book.
“Stop whining! You do as I say.”
“I don’t love him!”
“When has love mattered?” He scowls.
“It’s always mattered!”
“You’re marrying him! End of story!”
𔘓
“Jack!” You cry out, finding his ship on the docks that night and rushing into his arms.
“Tell me it’s not true… please…” He whispers, cradling your head.
“I’m trying to talk him out of it…” You whimper, making Jack pull away to wipe your tears. “I don’t love the man… I don’t even know him… my heart’s already taken.” You sniffle.
“I know, my love, I know.” He soothes, hating the sound of your cries.
“Unhand her!” The click of a gun makes you freeze against you, eyes clamping shut at your father's voice and the boots approaching.
“I don’t think I will,” Jack says protectively, pulling you closer.
“You will, pirate.”
“Father, stop… please.” You move from Jack’s arms, turning to face your father, eyes swollen from tears. “Don’t hurt him.”
“Get away from him!” You shake your head. “What on Earth has gotten into you?”
“He’d the man I love!” You blurt out, making your father scoff.
“You cannot love a pirate!”
“I’ve loved him for almost a year! I sneak off to see him when he docks! You know nothing about me! I will not marry Mr Jackson!”
“You cannot be serious–! Get away from him and stop talking nonsense.” You step back, your back hitting Jack’s chest, a protective arm coming around your middle.
“I have proof!”
“How?” Your father raises a brow as you turn to Gibbs.
“Grab the ribbons, please.” You ask softly, making the man nod and move to the captain’s quarters. His boots echo across the planks, dropping the bundle of ribbons into your hands. “Each of these, father, is a ribbon I gave Jack each time I saw him. A reason to come back.”
“I cannot believe my daughter is mad.” The man scoffs.
“I’m not mad! I’m just— I’m just in love!” You cry out, making Jack’s heart sore with pride.
“You are no daughter of mine.” Your father scowls, making you frown.
“Fine.” You spit out.
“Fine?” He raises a brow.
“You’ve raised a pirate. Not a daughter.” You step closer again to Jack, feeling his smile.
“I’m proud of you, lassie.” He purrs happily, your heart soaring with a newfound freedom.
𔘓
The ocean greeted you with open arms, as did Jack. The crew was already familiar with you, leaving you be and averting their eyes. Jack was extremely protective of you, locking you away in his cabin until he’d taught you how to fight. The crew also pretended to ignore the noises of your late nights in Jack’s quarters.
You gained a hat on a stop, and Jack had shown you how to expertly steer the ship when he needed you to. He’d found Will again in Port Royal, asking him to make you a sword. Jack had also let Will teach you how to use your eyes, watching the interaction with lingering jealousy.
He’d buy you dresses, blouses, and trousers, showing you off around the various towns and ports, keeping you close as he negotiated with other pirates, never letting any harm come to you.
Gibbs had married the two of you on a calm evening at sunset, the whole crew watching with gentle smiles. Cotton’s parrot has squawked out, and I do! Before you could say it, sending you into a fit of giggles, before Jack had dipped you and kissed you deeply as the crew erupted happily, starting a long night of love and partying.