A Fish Tale

Chapter 9

by

Oasis Herself

Jack, for his part, was all business as he painstakingly plotted the bearings for his Pearl.

He had gone back to the old cave to retrieve his rum. The thick amber liquid worked as a passable ink and Jack sketched map and headings on the sun bleached rock with a scavenged seagull feather.

James had known him to be an able seaman, but now, watching his careful work and how effortlessly he computed the mathematics in his head, James was beginning to understand why it was so difficult to catch him. Jack left nothing to chance with his ship.

As Jack worked, he also talked, and James listened in amusement as Jack extolled the many virtues and charms of his beloved Black Pearl.

"My girl," he said finally, pausing to gaze wistfully across the water, "Christ, James, but I miss her!"

"One would think you were speaking about a lover, Jack, not a ship."

Jack grinned and shrugged. "She's got my heart, James and that's a fact." He sat back and examined his work. "And on that score, well, I reckon I'm better off for it, mate."

He made several small changes at James's suggestion and then began to philosophize on the state of a man in the throes of love. Young Mr. Turner seemed to be his favored example, much to James's chagrin.

"Course," Jack added in afterthought, "it just might be a foolishness natural to the Turners. Ol' Bootstrap was as bad for his own lady wife."

Jack, though his experiences with women had been many and varied, was pragmatic on the subject of love and physical pleasure.

"A man's gotta eat, he's gotta sleep and he's gotta fuck," he told James (though he admitted to having a favored whore or two in Tortuga), "anything more sets a man up for a lot of messy complications, eh?"

"Like fidelity, perhaps?"

"Aye, there is that," Jack grinned.

"And a fellow has to be free to follow his natural inclinations, is that it, Jack?"

"Exactly! I knew you'd understand that, eh mate?" Jack tilted his head and tapped his finger thoughtfully against his chin before adding, "I can see where that would be a real advantage to takin' up with a bloke."

"Indeed," James murmured, though his attention was fixed on three sets of fins coming through the water towards the rocks. Dree and Aroo, most certainly, but who was the other one? He squinted against the bright sunlight and then grinned slowly to himself as the three surfaced beside the rocks.

Sometimes, James thought, God in his infinite wisdom provides a moral lesson at the most—opportune moment. He almost snickered aloud at using Jack's own pet expression for this particular situation.

He cast a quick glance at Jack, who was watching the trio climb onto the rocks through narrowed eyes.

"Hello," Dree greeted, "I do hope we're not intruding."

"Not at all," James assured, "Jack and I were only discussing some of the advantages of being blokes, right Jack?" Then smiling and addressing the third merman, he added warmly, "It's a pleasure to see you again, Cruu."

James heard an indignant and quickly stifled squeak from Jack's general direction and looked over at him. Jack was staring hard at him, his dark eyes unreadable.

James returned his attention to Cruu. "What brings you to us?"

Dree glanced curiously from James to Jack for a moment and then, sliding down the rocks to James's side, answered for him. "Our Cruu has scavenged quite the collection of Navy artifacts from the sea and he was hoping that you might be able to identify some of them for him."

Cruu, eyeing Jack cautiously, slid closer to James and offered up a small item wrapped carefully in seaweed.

James unwrapped it and turned it in his hands, examining it with interest. "It's a compass, Cruu. Quite old and very primitive, but indeed, it's a compass. Wherever did you find this?"

"This one I found in the place your people call Kingston Harbor."

"Fascinating."

Cruu leaned closer. "I knew you would know what it was," he said, and the admiration in his voice was clear. He chanced a quick, furtive glance in Jack's direction. Jack was still at his end of the rocks and watching the exchange carefully.

"I have more things such as this—James," he went on, "and I would be honored if you would return to the cavern some time and look at them. I would very much like to know what they are."

James handed the piece back to him after carefully re-wrapping it. "I'd be very interested in seeing what you have," he told Cruu. "How about this evening? I should be able to come and take a look after we've eaten our supper.

"Thank you. I shall look forward to it."

Agreed then, the three made quick good-byes and slipped back into the water.

Jack watched them glide off through the water and gave a disgusted snort. "Can't believe you're buyin' that strapling's sass, James."

"Oh, I expect he's harmless enough, and I would like to see what he's collected."

"What? And do ya think his interest in you has flagged?

James met his gaze evenly. "Probably not."

Jack's brows twitched in anxious concentration as he studied James's face.

James looked away and then gestured towards the map. "Come now, Jack, let's get this finished before dinner, and I might like to add that I take exception to the placement of some of the reefs the way you've drawn them."

Indignant at the criticism, Jack turned back to the map; Cruu, for the moment, forgotten.

The remainder of the navigational calculations went quickly, and notwithstanding an unresolved disagreement concerning the exact location of a particularly treacherous reef, the course was plotted by suppertime.

Over their supper, Jack continued to argue good-naturedly about the reef, and finally James silenced him with a haughty, "The Royal Navy is quite thorough about such things, Jack, and I daresay that will be proven out when we get there."

When he leaned out over the water to dump his empty shells and rinse his hands, Jack sidled up behind and wrapped his arms around him.

"About that reef, luv?" Jack asked, nuzzling at the back of his neck, "What say you to a little wager as to its location, eh? What say you to that?"

"What manner of wager did you have in mind?" James asked, twisting around to face him.

"Winner gets to debauch the loser in whatever way he sees fit," Jack suggested, leering at him.

James, convinced of the Navy's superiority, readily agreed and was already working out delicious possibilities in his mind when Jack interrupted his thoughts to describe in embarrassingly graphic detail exactly what he planned to do to James, when he won.

"Ya see, James," he teased, thoughtfully tapping his finger against his chin, "Seems as I may have developed a bit of a liking for the taste of your yard, an' I recall you doing some lovely squirmin' this mornin' when I..." he leaned closer and dropped his voice to a low growl, "when I sucked on it."

James shivered.

"Figure I'll start there, luv," he continued, still growling low in James's ear, "when I win."

He dipped his head to lick along the ridge of the gills. "And I suppose this would be an opportune moment to add, James—I really... really liked the feel of your stones in me hand. All soft and smooth like they are now, might even fancy a taste a them too, eh?"

He stopped suddenly and lifting his head, he tipped it thoughtfully to muse, "That's strange innit?" He rubbed his cheek against James's smooth cheek. "And our beards don't grow either."

"Jack, your beard hasn't changed," James answered, mildly affronted by Jack's sudden distraction. "It's still in braids and you still look like a savage."

"Now see here, James, I always neatened up me neck, eh? But look..." he tilted his head back to display his neck. "See? No new growth to speak of."

"The problem with pirates," James said, taking Jack by the shoulders and pushing him aside, "is that they are easily distracted and they talk too much."

"Well, luv, ya could do that kissing thing you're so good at," Jack suggested hopefully. "That would give my mouth somethin' else to do."

"That's the very first thing I intend to do... as soon as I get back from the cavern."

"You're leaving? Now see here, James, you can't just up and leave when I'm feelin' all affectionately inclined."

"Yes I can," James answered. He looked up and caught a moment's flash of hurt cross Jack's face, and then it was quickly masked. Suddenly, what had started as an amusing tease didn't seem so amusing anymore. James reached for Jack and pulled him into his arms. "I gave Cruu my word, and I won't be long."

"Stay, James," Jack said softly, "I don't want you to go."

"It shouldn't take long to look at his collection... and Jack?" He waited until Jack looked up at him, "I really don't mind those messy complications you were talking about earlier."

Jack huffed out an embarrassed laugh and buried his face into the hollow of James's throat. "Well mate," he whispered, "I think, as far as you an' I are concerned... I might a been blowin' a bit a smoke on that one." He lifted his mouth to James's ear then and whispered so low, James could barely make out the words. "You know it's not just a fuck with you."

James took him by the chin and tipped his face back up to his and searched eyes that were, for the first time, open and guileless, to him. "I know," he murmured, then kissed him gently on the lips. "It's not for me either."

Jack nodded slowly as he searched James's face. Finally he quirked an eyebrow and smiled. "Aye, I know that too."

"You could come with me Jack," James offered. "It might be interesting for you to see his collection as well."

Jack shook his head at that. "No, luv, it riles me too damn much to see him fawnin' over ya. Best I wait here." He shifted in James's arms then and sat up, "Well, then," he quipped brightly, "I expect it's a very good thing that these..." he paused, finger poised at the corner of his mouth and feigning deep thought before adding, "messy complications won't be lingering when the enchantment fades, eh mate? Would never do for a scallywag like me to be chasin' after a Commodore of His Majesty's Royal Navy!" Cheeky grin faded into a worried frown. "They won't linger, will they?"

"I expect they'll fade."

"Ah, good... that's good."

When James made to turn away, Jack tugged him back and gave him a last, fierce kiss. "Don't tarry, James!"

Cruu's collection had been extensive, and though none of it was of any real value, he had wanted to know what each item was, its name and its use.

Polite to the core, James accommodated him, despite his own rising anxiety and worry about what Jack might be thinking.

Jack watched him now through narrowed suspicious eyes as he climbed back onto the rocks. "Must a been quite the collection, eh, Commodore?" Jack challenged, "Was there even anything of worth to look at?"

"It was interesting, but no real value to any of it, he..." his words faded. Jack was moving slowly across the rocks, and the lithe, sinuous movements put him in mind, as they had once before, of a snake focused on prey.

He reached for Jack when he reached his side, but Jack caught him by the wrist and prevented his touch. Jack leaned forward instead and cautiously lowered his face to the hollow of James's neck and breathed deeply.

"Did he touch you?" Jack asked, his voice deceptively mild. He lowered his head, eyes closed, and followed a path along James's collarbone to the other side of his neck, still breathing deeply.

Christ, James thought in stunned realization, he smelling me... he's smelling me for any trace of Cruu.

Jack tilted his head back and studied James thoughtfully through heavy lidded eyes.
"Asked ya a question, luv," he said softly, "did he touch you?"

"Certainly not."

"Ah-huh," Jack cocked his head to the side and asked, "Did he try to touch you?"

"Now see here Jack, I don't appreciate this line of questioning."

Jack lifted his brows in mock surprise and then tapped his finger thoughtfully against his chin as he muttered, "did he try to touch you... did he try to touch you..." He flashed a quick, tight-lipped smile and leaned forward again. "Simple enough question, really, if ya think about it, innit mate?"

James searched the carefully controlled features before him and read the rage simmering just beneath the surface. I would not wish to cross swords with him at this moment, James thought, as he gazed into the hard, black eyes.

"He didn't even try," James answered evenly. "I suspect he's probably a bit afraid of you, Jack."

The corner of Jacks lip curled into a self satisfied sneer. "Good."

He still had a firm grip on James's wrist but now he dropped it and reached for James's pouch instead. His hand hovered over the opening.

"I want to touch you, James," he demanded, roughly.

James hesitated for half a moment.

"James! "

This sudden seduction was driven by fear, James realized, watching Jack's face, and suddenly the possibility of Jack becoming brutally aggressive became a very real one.

He nodded his head in cautious agreement.

Jack slipped his hand into James's pouch and grasped his shaft, and gave a harsh grunt of approval when James's cock filled and hardened almost immediately.

At the moment James couldn't have honestly decided what unnerved him most, Jack's angry aggression or how aroused he was by the intensity of it.

He moaned softly and arched into Jack's hand. Jack tightened his grip and worked him hard and fast; rushing him to completion. Proving to himself that James hadn't spent recently, was what he was doing. James knew it, and just let himself get caught up into it.

He came quickly with a soft, shuddering gasp and when he opened his eyes and looked up at Jack, Jack was staring down at his own hand. Jack's hand was heavily spattered now with James's seed and there was an expression of almost sick relief on his face.

He raised his eyes slowly and met James's gaze. "I ..."

James reached up and covered his lips with a finger to silence him. "I believe it's my turn now." James gave a gentle tug on his arm and Jack eased himself down onto the rocks beside him.

For all that Jack's touch had been hard and fast, James handled Jack with a gentle and torturously slow hand. He played Jack's passion with careful teasing and repeatedly denied him his release, despite Jack's desperate writhing and impassioned gasps and pleas.

He had just brought Jack again to the very edge of release, to that sharp, delicate balance of... not quite enough, when some oddity of nature occurred. The setting sun caught in the silver scales of Jack's thrashing tail and showered dozens of reflected pinpoints of colored lights across Jack's skin.

James caught his breath in wonder and whispered, "Oh God, Jack, you're so beautiful."

Jack went dead still, his eyes fixed on James's face in almost pained disbelief. His release caught him then; suddenly and by surprise and with a strangled sob he spent violently into James's hand.

It was apparently too much for Jack. Instead of cuddling, as was his wont, he rolled away when James released him, and with a muttered, "I'll be back later," slipped into the water.

He was gone for hours.

James eventually gave up on waiting at the rocks and retired to their cave to face a sleepless night. He was torn with indecision and finally in the early morning hours he could bear it no longer and went out to the rocks in search of him. He found Jack there, curled tightly round himself.

Jack lifted his head and watched him warily as he climbed out of the water.

James sprawled out beside him and reached out to push the hair back from Jack's face. "I'd feel a lot better if you weren't sleeping out here in the open," he said gently.

He felt more than saw Jack's shrug in the light of the setting moon. Jack uncurled and stretched out beside him, and the both of them lay silent and gazing up into the night sky.

"I hate this, ya know," Jack said suddenly.

James turned towards him in the dark. "What do you hate, Jack? Not me, I hope."

"Nay. Not you, James, this thing what's between us." He scrubbed at his face and barked out a harsh laugh, "Christ, James, I sat out here on these rocks today, like some besotted, lovesick lass. Tryin' not to think about what ya might or might not be gettin' up to with Cruu." He was quiet for a moment and then went on to confide, "Swear to God, James, when you were in the cavern, I was sittin' here so bleedin' scared I could hardly breath from it."

He looked over into James's face and studied him silently for a heartbeat and then shook his head in bewilderment. "If I weren't mad before, luv... I'm sure as bloody hell goin' mad now."

James reached over and took Jack's hand and pressed a quick kiss to the palm. "We seem to have become truly mated to each other, Jack"

"Aye, and Cruu wants my mate!"

James turned his attention back to the night sky and thought carefully before speaking again.

"Jack," he began finally, "when we were men, do you remember how it was to catch a glimpse of a pretty girl? She'd catch your attention and you couldn't help but wonder what it might be like with her. And you knew that if the opportunity presented itself, you'd probably take it."

Jack was silent for a moment and then grinned and shrugged. "No 'probably' to it, mate."

"Yes, well... for you, I suppose so, but think now, Jack. Since we've been—mates, well, actually even before that, but have any of the other merfolk, male or female, caught your interest in that way?

Jack frowned as he thought. "Actually, now that ya mention it... no."

"What about Dree? You spend a lot of time with Dree."

"Course not, James. What're ya thinkin'?"

"What I'm thinking Jack, is that even though you may spend time with Dree, this enchantment—simply being mermen—seems to preclude any possibility of interest in any but our own mates."

Jack rolled to his side and curled against James. "Are ya telling me that you've no interest in any of 'em in that way, either?"

"None whatsoever."

"Cruu?"

"Absolutely not."

"Huh."

James was silent for a moment and when Jack didn't elaborate, he sighed in exasperation and asked, "Huh. That's all you have to say to it is... Huh?"

"Well, I know you're my mate, James. I guess I just figure I've been doin' a lot of useless frettin' and, now I don't have to. Savvy?"

James gave a long-suffering sigh and pulled Jack into his arms. "Are we sleeping out here tonight?"

"Aye."

James pressed a quick kiss to the top of his head. "Good night, Jack."

"Night, James."