Drabblish: 'Silent Assent'

[dwgm]

Another in the on-going series of gap-fillers set in artaxastra's post-AWE universe. This one is also an entry for last week's 'Truth' prompt at Black Pearl Sails. Many thanks to hereswith for editing and suggestions.



~ Silent Assent ~


The first night he'd slept like a dead thing (discounting the sort of dead things that frequent the Locker, of course, which don't sleep at all, really), but the second night something wakes him in the black before dawn. The details don't stick, he's been too far gone to remember what he's dreamed (and how long since he's been able to say that, eh?), but he lies blinking, sightless, brushed by the wings of nameless dread for a moment, until full realization of his current whereabouts returns in a rush and steadies him. Shipwreck Cove. Elizabeth's room. Elizabeth's bed. Elizabeth...

There's a faint movement under his arm, the baby exploring, and Elizabeth stirs drowsily against him, restless, catching his hand in hers.

"All right?" she murmurs, barely conscious.

He says nothing, just presses his face against the silk of her hair and breathes. He feels her smiling as she settles to sleep again.

She is warm and soft, and very much alive, and she trusts him, and it all feels like a kind of peace. She's still holding his hand, and it might as well be his heart, just as it's always been.

He won't tell her that, just as he hasn't told her so many other things. He won't tell her, but he's afraid she knows anyway, and maybe that's enough, for now.


~.~

Comments

[cymbeline.livejournal.com]

What a bittersweet image this creates. Lovely!

[compassrose7577.livejournal.com]

Love the title--love the images!

He keeps so much from everyone around him--and from himself. Perhaps, he's finally able to at least be honest--and truthful--with himself.

A definite warm and fuzzy!!

Wonderful...but then, how could I ever be surprised? It's from you. :)

Kerry

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Bittersweet is definitely the word. Very happy you liked it!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much, Kerry. I'm so happy you enjoyed it!

[salr323.livejournal.com]

This was lovely. This line, especially, brought a flutter:

She's still holding his hand, and it might as well be his heart, just as it's always been.

*sigh* :)

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

That heart in hand thing is a risky business. Hopefully the reality will turn out to be in the good way.

Thank you so much for reading and commenting. I really appreciate it!

[nelliedances.livejournal.com]

That was very sweet. I love the imagine Jack waking up from a nightmare to find the baby and Elizabeth in his arms.

[ditte3.livejournal.com]

Oh love it1s so beautiful and heart breaking at the same time.I absolutely love it(as all your stories.)

[sparrows-swann.livejournal.com]

Aww sweet! artaxastra told me you were writing fillers to her fic too! So many sweet moments that can be pulled out of the story! I've been a sucker for the baby and Elizabeth-with-child fics lately. I like the thought of the movement of the baby calming Jack down from his nightmares.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Glad you liked it. :)

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

What a wonderful compliment! Thank you so much. I'm so happy you enjoyed this one.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

artaxastra's created such a wonderful universe, and yes, so many moments that can be expanded upon, it's irresistible. I'm very happy you enjoyed this one. Thank you for letting me know!

[torn-eledhwen.livejournal.com]

Gorgeous as ever.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you!! Very happy you enjoyed it.

[woolymonkey.livejournal.com]

That was lovely.
Especially the beginning and end. (And the middle was good too.)

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[captaintish]

Lovely!

She's still holding his hand, and it might as well be his heart, just as it's always been. -- Beautiful line. Sort of mirrors the situation with Will's heart.

I just got filled in on the third and fourth stories of artaxastra's saga, so I'm pretty much caught up. I do hope though, that in your universe, you leave out Jack's, er, relationship with Beckett. I know a lot of people have speculated on Jack and his relationship with Beckett, but I just don't really see him that way. I prefer him the way you've always written him (like in your Harry stories).

And I hope also to see more than just gap-fillers for artaxastra's stories -- some more set in your own post-AWE universe, perhaps. She and I agree that the whole scenario of Elizabeth being Pirate King, living at Shipwreck Cove, etc., is sort of fanon now, since it's a conclusion so many have ariven at independently. (Is ariven a word -- suddenly it sounds very strange to me)

Anyway, enough rambling from me. Have a good day, and I hope to see more writing from you soon! :)

[evilkath.livejournal.com]

That was amazing! I loved it.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Sorry my reply to this was so long in coming. I'm gad you enjoyed this short, sweet (or really, bittersweet) moment.

Sort of mirrors the situation with Will's heart.

You caught that! Yay!

Glad artaxastra gave you a synopsis of those chapters you hadn't read. There is so much more to Cradle Tales than just Jack's relationship with Beckett, though that's what makes it NC-17 (though I'd rate it R myself, there's no graphic smut, just reference to the m/m relationship and Jack telling "Flipper" what happened between them in the violent aftermath of his release of the slaves -- It's a terrible story for a little man, but you won't remember it anyhow, ten days old).

I will undoubtedly write more post-AWE stuff. One reason I'm doing these gap-fillers is that my ideas about Elizabeth, Jack and Will are very closely aligned with artaxastra's thoughts, so far, at least. I will be continuing Devil's Own Luck soon, and I still have that Harry & the Pirate story I want to write, too. One must follow the Muse though, wherever she leads. *G*

Thank you again for reading and commenting!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[tanith75.livejournal.com]

Oh my God, the imagery. The beautiful, beautiful imagery that you've painted for us. Truly amazing.

"He won't tell her that, just as he hasn't told her so many other things. He won't tell her, but he's afraid she knows anyway, and maybe that's enough, for now." -- Made me a little weepy :)

[captaintish]

artaxastra's stories are extremely well-written, and I'm really enjoying your gap-fillers (which I have added to my post-AWE recs page, by the way, hope you don't mind).

One reason I'm doing these gap-fillers is that my ideas about Elizabeth, Jack and Will are very closely aligned with artaxastra's thoughts, so far, at least.

Well, great minds think alike, you know! ;) But seriously, I think we've all gone to the same place with the idea of Elizabeth living at Shipwreck Cove, being Pirate King and Jack being a part of her life. I've read a lot of fics along these lines, so I think we can all agree that those elements don't really belong to any one author, they are just general fanon. But, artaxastra does have specific plot points that I can see you're using, so I guess it's only proper to give credit where credit is due!

Speaking of people's plot ideas vs. general fanon, were you the one to come up with the idea that Jack was a cartographer's apprentice? Because I have the feeling that I've read that a lot, but I'm not sure where it came from! It's stuck in my head now, and if I ever use it in a story, I want to be sure to give proper credit!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Speaking of people's plot ideas vs. general fanon, were you the one to come up with the idea that Jack was a cartographer's apprentice?

No, that was the writers' idea. I don't know if it was in the original script, or what, but it's been considered almost canon since CotBP came out. But I think I'll ask at potc_discussion because I need to know for that CJS essay I'm supposed to write.

Thank you again for including my little fics on your recs page -- I really appreciate it! I'll have to go read some of the stories on the list that I haven't read yet.

[captaintish]

No, that was the writers' idea. I don't know if it was in the original script, or what, but it's been considered almost canon since CotBP came out.

Hmmm, maybe it was in the writer's commentary? That's the one special feature on the Curse of the Black Pearl that I haven't yet watched. I watched the directors and actor commentaries. (I love the one with Jack Davenport and Kiera Knightley. They are a hoot.)

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

The writers' commentary on CotBP is really interesting, and valuable to writers of fanfic, too. Yes, the Jack Dav/KK one is hilarious!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much! Forgive me for taking so long to reply -- RL has been crazy. I am very happy you enjoyed this, even with the angsty overtones.

[choose2live.livejournal.com]

I'm enjoying this little ficlet series so much... this moment is particularly lovely. It's hard to believe that I've missed all of this - but I was up to my eyes in Potterverse when this was written, I suspect, and I haven't really left. LOL It's so nice to come back and find so many wonderful 'new' things to read!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'm so glad to know you're enjoying these, and I hope you've read (or will read) artaxastra's Outlaws and Inlaws series, which was the inspiration for this series of ficlets. It's just superb!

[choose2live.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, I haven't missed any of those, except the very latest one (that she wrote for you)! And I shall reread. I'm a bit sad there's not more. But I'm especially looking forward to catching up on the American Revolutions series, of which there are a couple of new (for me) entries. I recently spent some time in Norfolk, VA and Washington DC which made me think a lot about early America, and her stories were foremost in my mind!

[just-a-dram.livejournal.com]

This. Is. Beautiful.