A Fish Tale 22

Rating: Sparrington Smut
Disclaimer: Not mine
Originally Posted: 1/03/07
Note: Well folks, I guess this is it. It was only supposed to be a quick 4-chapter story... now, here it is a year later and a wee bit larger than ever imagined. To all of you who have faithfully read along and offered such lovely feed-back... my most heartfelt thanks. To Porridgebird... beta and dear friend, go raibh maith agat, a charde... for all the encouragement, suggestions and hours you have devoted to this story. And to Elessil for her lovely picture 'Sea Men,' I want you to know that the last line in this Fish Tale, was written for you. (I might have added a line or two when Porridgebird wasn't looking...so any mistakes, are mine).

It was Jack who finally broke the stillness with a gentle nudge to James side and a soft, "James?"

James looked down into Jack's face, and even though it was too dark to read the pain in his eyes, James could hear it in his voice. He leaned down and kissed Jack gently before answering. "Yes. Yes, I do wonder that."

Jack curled closer and leaned his head against James's shoulder. "Woulda been somethin', eh luv? The freedom to go anywhere in all the oceans of the world, and all the time to do it in." He turned his face into James's neck and breathed deeply before adding softly, "And we'd'a had each other to do it with."

James let his imaginings run loose with the idea of spending centuries exploring the seas with Jack. And he couldn't deny that it held an almost irresistible appeal.

"That would most certainly be something," James agreed, finally. "Though I daresay I'd end up spending much of my time worrying and trying to keep you from harm's way."

He felt Jack grin against his shoulder. "That's what made ya the perfect mate fer me, luv."

He tipped his head to look down at Jack and asked curiously. "The day you first found that merman, what led you to seek me out?"

"Can't rightly say for sure," Jack mused, thoughtfully. He glanced up, and James could just make out the smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Damned glad I didn't go for the governor!"

James chuffed out a soft laugh. "I daresay you'd not be sitting here now in quite the same circumstances, if you had."

Jack grimaced in distaste. "Christ, no!" He was quiet for a moment and then snickered softly. "I expect I'd be sittin' in the cavern, and in a family way, so to speak, what with the enchantment and the mating..." Jack fluttered his hand in the air, as he searched for the word.

Jack went so still then, that James could almost hear him thinking. He finally looked up at James. "There was something about you right from the start, James. It couldn't'a been anyone but you."

James remembered his own feelings when Cruu had initially approached him. His body had responded to the urge to mate at the time, but his desire and his heart had already been firmly Jack's.

James hesitated for a moment, wanting to say more, but not sure of the wisdom of confessing such a thing now. He struggled with it for a moment until finally his heart won out over any wisdom, and he spoke quietly into the darkness. "I want you to know something, Jack..."

James looked down into Jack's face, straining to make out his features in the dim light, and then, suddenly self-conscious, broke the gaze and looked down into his lap. "I want you to know," he began haltingly, "that I have never loved another as deeply as I have loved you."

James heard Jack huff out a quick stuttered breath through his gills and then a soft, "Christ, James, what oh what am I to do without you?"

"Truth be told, James," Jack whispered against his lips when they broke apart, "I can't rightly say which scares me more... wakin' up tomorrow to find that I still love you... or wakin' up tomorrow to find that I don't!"

James lifted his head and looked down at Jack in shock as the full reality of this night's unthinkable potential came crashing down on him.

It was entirely possible, he realized, that Jack—his Jack—might not love him when the sun rose.

"I don't want to know," he cried suddenly. "Swear it to me, Jack... swear to me that you won't tell me one way or the other how you feel when the enchantment ends."

He felt Jack's fingers feather-soft against his cheek. "Aye, we'll swear an oath, luv. I'd rather not know either."

Jack pulled James's head down to rest against his shoulder, and gently petted his hair. "I just want to remember now, James... just right now."

They rested quietly then, curled together on the rocks and waiting. Jack was so still and silent, that after awhile, James thought he had fallen asleep. He gave him a little nudge, finally. "Are you sleeping?"

James smiled into his hair. "That's your name." Then he lifted his head and looked down at Jack in some confusion. "It is, isn't it?"

"'Course it is, and most times it was right and fitting for you to call me that."

Jack shrugged. "There might a been some rare—very rare times, I'll admit—when I may have inadvertently piqued your ire, and you didn't call me Jack, but in fact, called me Sparrow."

James looked down at him in genuine bafflement now. "Jack, what exactly is it that you're trying to say without actually having to say it?"

Jack gave a disinterested sniff. "Suppose all I'm really sayin' is that I've come to wonder why you've never had a soft word ya cared to call me."

James felt the corners of his mouth twitch as he watched Jack's face slip into a petulant moue. "You're spending the remaining hours of our enchantment worrying over the absence of a pet name?"

James leaned down to kiss the pout from Jack's lips. "Perhaps I've never spoken one aloud, but I can assure you, I've thought one... many times."

Jack searched his face in the dim light. "Will ya say it to me now, James?" he asked softly, "I'd like to hear it from your own lips at least once."

Jack wound his arms around James's neck, and murmured whisper-soft against his mouth, "Christ, James, I wish there was some way...."

"Shh, hush, Jack...I know." He buried his face into Jack's neck and breathed deeply, willing himself to memorize the sweet scent of his mate.

They floundered in the water, nearly drowning, and struggled to the surface, gasping and choking out seawater. They made their way to the beach and collapsed in a tangle of unfamiliar limbs, and lay shivering on the cold, wet sand.

James lifted his head finally and looked down into Jack's face. "Are you all right?"

The moment hung there as they searched each others faces, each wondering what the other felt, but both agreed never to say.

Jack reached out at last to touch tentative, careful fingers to James's cheek. "This is the only chance we'll ever have, James," he said wistfully. "Finish what ya started before the real world catches up to us again."

James considered for only a moment before he nodded slowly and then leaned down to kiss Jack.

It felt awkward trying to breathe through a nose while kissing. James had forgotten about that. And Jack tasted different to him now. Not bad, he realized, just... different.

He cautiously explored the interior of Jack's mouth, learning this new Jack and finding that it was still the same soft, full lips... still the same teasing tongue.

He broke the kiss finally and nuzzled along Jack's jaw and then down to the sweet skin of his neck. The absence of gills threw him for a moment and he lifted his head to look down into Jack's face.

There was only starlight to see by, but even with that dim light, he could see the worry lines between Jack's brow.

James twisted up onto his side and inched close enough to press his stiffening cock against Jack's hip.

James levered himself up onto an elbow. "Apparently," he murmured as he ran a curious hand down Jack's torso.

His exploring fingers came to a line of downy hair that ran from Jack's navel to his groin. James followed that path to tease at the nest of soft curls he found there. He felt the head of Jack's erect cock bump against his knuckles and he swallowed down a keen sense of loss. "No pouch," he whispered thickly.

Jack remained quiet and passively allowed James to continue his curious exploration.

He slid his hand farther down Jack's body to run his palm along a well-muscled thigh. Jack's legs, he marveled to himself as he let his hand trail down to a slim ankle and a high arched foot.

He leaned over suddenly and kissed Jack's knee. "You're the one with the skinny legs," he teased gently.

He drew his hand back up the calf and found new scar tissue there. His fingers played over it for a moment before he asked, "Does it still hurt?"

Jack flexed his foot and James felt the muscles of his calf tighten and bunch beneath his hand. "There's a bit of an ache to it yet." Jack pushed himself up onto his elbows. "The scar'll serve as memory for me."

James resumed his exploring path up Jack's leg until he came to the soft crease of skin between body and thigh. He paused for a moment and then slid his hand under to cup the testicles. They were scantly dusted now in a fine soft hair, like a lad just coming into manhood... but the size and weight of them in James's palm were clearly that of a man.

James rolled them gently in his fingers. Jack dropped back on the sand and let his legs fall open with a soft breathless, "James."

"Aye," he moaned softly, "You've got... Christ, James, you've still got a fine, gentle touch."

He delicately rolled the stones in his hand one final time, just to hear Jack whimper again, and then moved on to explore the hard prick arching above them.

Jack's cock wasn't as thick now, and the absence of the knot at the base felt strange to James. He circled the slim shaft with his hand, testing the feel of it against his palm, and then teased the foreskin back from the crown to circle the head with his thumb.

Jack moaned low in his throat and thrust into his hand and James repeated the motion again and again—fascinated with the novelty of working Jack up this way.

"James..." Jack finally warned, softly. James could hear the strain in his voice now, and pressed close against him, grinding his cock into Jack's hip and giving way to his own mounting desire. He gave another firm stroke to Jack's shaft.

Jack's hips arched up off the sand and he gave a harsh, strangled cry. "James!" He lurched up and clutched at James's hand on his shaft, and squeezed hard. "Christ, mate," he gasped.

James scooted up in the sand, still firmly holding Jack's prick, and whispered into his ear. "No control, Sparrow." he teased.

"What say I try me hand on your own fine self?" Jack panted through clenched teeth.

Jack turned his head and caught James's mouth in a bruising kiss, and then he was suddenly twisting up and driving James back against the sand.

Jack held James's hands against the sand above his head, and then with a knee, pushed James's legs wide to kneel between them. Jack leaned over him then, still panting hard, and tipped his hips down until James could feel his cock sliding wetly against his own.

He gasped and struggled against Jack's hold on his wrists, tried to rise up and catch Jack's mouth in another searing kiss. Jack tipped his face away to bury it into James's neck. He worried the soft skin there with licks and sharp nips, and all the while he never let the slick heated length of his own prick lose contact with James's.

Jack was determined in his heated, erotic assault on James... and apparently determined to make this last night a memorable one.

Jack pressed James's wrists firmly against the sand, finally, and hissed into his ear. "Don't move your hands."

Jack's hands seemed to be everywhere then... learning James's body now with teasing, coaxing touches, and building James's arousal until he didn't think he could bear it another moment. He finally wrapped a leg around Jack's waist and tugged him down against him,

He felt Jack's cock pressed against his belly, and his own prick had slipped down to nestle into the crease of Jack's arse.

James arched hard against Jack and then finally moved his hands. There was a confused moment of sensory loss as he slid his hands down Jack's back... and then a brief, irrational anger at recognizing it was the dorsal fin that was missing. But then he was gripping Jack's arse, and there was only the flex and play of hard muscle beneath his hand, and the sweet, tight pressure in his stones, demanding release.

Jack arched his hips away and pulled back with a strangled groan. "Here's the question for ya," he panted into James's ear. "Who's to be doin' the takin', mate... hmm?"

James twisted in Jack's grasp and cried a breathless, "It doesn't matter, Jack! Christ... just so someone is taking someone... soon!"

James could hear the catch in Jack's stuttered exhalation, and looking up, he caught the furrowed brow and the quick look of uncertainty.

Jack eased off then, and pressed his face into James's neck, panting raggedly and giving them both a chance to cool. Finally, he raised his head and whispered softly, "I'd like to feel ya inside me, James. I fancy knowin' what that's like."

A sudden terrible thought came to James then and he couldn't help but chuff out a soft, breathless laugh before whispering, "We've no lamp oil."

Jack grinned down at him for a moment and then licked him wetly across his cheek. "Reckon we might have other options."

James's cock leaped at the implication Jack's wet tongue suggested, but before he could agree or not, Jack was sliding down his body and sucking him into his mouth.

Jack apparently had no intention of lingering, but even so, when he finally made to crawl his way back up James's body, James grabbed him roughly by the shoulders and hauled him up until they were side by side and face to face.

James fumbled clumsily for the entrance to Jack's body and eased his way through the tight ring of muscle. He wanted to go slow, tried to go slow... but when he felt the tight, velvety heat engulfing his cock, he sank deeply into Jack with a desperate whimper.

Christ, he was so close. It was all James could do to hold back, and he shook with the effort to keep himself still.

James eased gently out of Jack, still fighting for control, and tried again with a careful shallow thrust. Jack moaned long and low in his throat and James felt Jack's hand steal up to tangle in his hair.

"Oh sweet Jesus," Jack breathed softly, rocking gently against James's prick. "It's... there's somethin'—inside," he whispered in breathless surprise, "like when we were still mermen." Jack clenched strong muscle around James's shaft. "Oh, Christ, James, it's good, it's still good."

James caught Jack's mouth in a quick, desperate kiss. There was no holding back now. There was only the hard press of Jack's shaft sliding between their bellies and the smooth glide of James's own prick as he pounded into Jack.

He finally felt Jack's fingers tighten in his hair, and then the irresistible heat at the base of his cock. They balanced there for a heartbeat, caught up in the purity of that breathless moment, and then fell together, shuddering and helpless.

And as James poured himself into Jack's willing body, there was only one word, whispering over and over in his thoughts: "Beloved... beloved."

Tucked in James's arms was a small chest, and when they parted, neither looked back.

It was some weeks later, and James was walking on the beach when Jack stepped out of the shadows.

"Just been thinking about our time together in the ocean, is all. Wanted to see for myself that you were fit and hale."

Both men stood awkwardly for several moments then James cleared his throat. "I suppose I should get back to my duties," he murmured.

James turned to leave and had only taken a few steps when he heard Jack calling after him. He paused but did not turn around. "Yes?"

Jack came up behind him then and leaned close to his ear to whisper, "Do you ever think about what we did.... together?"

James turned to face him and Jack studied his face for a heartbeat before shrugging and looking down. "I thought ya might still have a lingerin' softness for me, as well. Mayhap I was wrong on that."

James reached out and cupped Jack's face in the palm of his hand and stroked his thumb lightly along the sharp cheekbone. "Jack Sparrow," he whispered, "you are still so deeply embedded in my heart that I fear I shall never root you out."

They stood silently, searching each other's faces and reading the longing in the other's eyes.

Jack finally looked away and said softly, "I'd best be on my way then, before I do something we'll regret."

James looked out over the ocean and nodded. When he felt Jack step away from him, he looked up quickly and whispered, "If you should ever find another merman..."

Jack fingered a tiny limpet shell dangling from his hair and gave him a slow, sad, smile. "I'll know right where to find you, Commodore."

Then he turned away and James watched him as he made his swaying way down the beach.

A far-off cry came ghosting across the surface of the water, an oddly mournful sound, lower in pitch but not unlike the hiss of water slapping water as breakers folded in on themselves.

He listened for a while and his heart ached in a fashion that he was loath to examine too closely.

When silence finally returned to the night he stood and headed off to his own home.

From their position, they could see the Pirate Hunter walking slowly up the beach and then further down, at the other end of the beach, they could see Jack Sparrow climbing into a small jollyboat.

"As will I," Aroo answered, kissing him gently. He was silent for a moment before adding, "I suspect though, that you may have forgotten to mention one rather key element of their enchantment."

"I believe I might have," Dree murmured thoughtfully. "Why, yes... yes, I did forget."

Dree curled close and sighed in deep contentment. "But won't it be nice to see them again each year when they return to us for a month?"

A Fish Tale

Chapter 22