Ficlet for the 'Clean' Theme - "Crying Wolf" (J/E -- PG-13)

[dwgm]

The drabble theme at blackpearlsails this week is 'clean'. Many thanks to my dear hereswith for staying up late to edit. Borrowing somewhat from artaxastra, again. Pirate.



~ Crying Wolf ~

Heart thudding, Elizabeth left Jamie in the common room, with Kate to watch him, and quickly ascended to her chambers, abandoning calm as she went, and fairly running up the last short staircase. She threw open the door, then froze upon the threshold. "Jack!"

An eyelid lifted, and he frowned. "Close the door, will you? I'll catch me death!"

He was soaking in her newly acquired, very ornately enameled bathtub, which was placed comfortably before the cheerful fire. Wisps of steam rose from the surface of the water, from the spout of a kettle that simmered on the hob, and from a tankard that sat close at hand, full of some warm (and presumably spirited) libation.

Elizabeth felt like tearing her hair. "They told me you'd been wounded!"

"I was! Helpin' the lads with a broken pump and barked me shin right smartly." Jack set a shapely ankle on the edge of the tub, and wiggled his toes at her. "See?"

Fuming, she shut the door, set the bolt, and stalked over. There was a nasty-looking bruise, but it was far from life-threatening.

He assumed a pitiful mien. "Hurt like the devil. Feels a bit better now, though," he assured her.

"Hmmmph." She narrowed her eyes. "Ragetti and Pintel implied you were practically at death's door. I wonder what can have given them that impression?"

"Well..." He put his leg back in the warm water. "Might've been something I said. Got you up here quick, didn't it?"

"You...!" She briefly ground her teeth. "Haven't you ever heard the story of the Boy Who Cried Wolf?"

"Can't say as I have. Why don't you come in and tell me about it?"

She gaped, briefly. "Jamie--"

"Kate's got him, right?"

"I was in the middle of--"

"It can wait, can't it?"

"I don't think--"

"I missed you." He peered up at her from under his absurdly long lashes, looking pitiful again. "Didn't you miss me?"

She threw up her hands. "What am I going to do with you?"

"Scrub me back? And tell me the story of the Boy and the Wolf?"

She shook her head, not smiling. But she pulled loose the ties on her shirt and said, unsteadily, "The story of the Knave and the King, more like."


~.~

Comments

[hlmiwait.livejournal.com]

LOL - amazing work as usual! Perfect voice for both Jack and Elizabeth. Lovely.

[faeriquene.livejournal.com]

Aw, cute. Obnoxious Jack...who knows exactly how to get what he wants from Lizzie. :-)

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you! So happy you enjoyed it. :)

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Yes, yes he does. Sometimes.

Glad you enjoyed!

[reneeks.livejournal.com]

Hehehe....Jack will always be Jack, won't he? No matter how insignificant a matter, he will find the way to embellish!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

It's all part of his charm.

So happy you enjoyed it!

[ladymouse2.livejournal.com]

Awwww! Fun! Cozy bit of fluffy so nice for the season.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

All that steam warms you right up, doesn't it? So happy you enjoyed it!

[hendercats.livejournal.com]

Lovely little peek. Am glad Lizzie relented - it would be beyond belief for a woman (even the pirate king) to be able to resist Jack in a tub! ;)

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

I'm quite sure she had no intension of passing up Jack-in-a-tub. She just likes to put him in his place first. *g*

Glad you enjoyed!

[tanith75.livejournal.com]

Love the idea of this - Lizzie fuming at Jack in the tub while he plays innocent and she tries to play annoyed.
After all who could stay mad at a wet Jack ;)

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

who could stay mad at a wet Jack ;)

Too true! And she was just worried about him, after all.

So happy you enjoyed it!

[writing-samsara.livejournal.com]

Oh, what a wonderful treat! I enjoyed this immensely, and will reread it many times, I know. *bookmarks*

Beautiful, flawless writing, as always, and your Jack and Lizzie are so spot-on. I saw everything play out before me - wasn't like reading at all. :)

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

I saw everything play out before me - wasn't like reading at all.

What a lovely compliment! Thank you so much.

I, too, think the picture of Jack in the tub bears revisiting. ;)

[captaintish]

Cute!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thanks!!

[dharma-slut.livejournal.com]

Ooh, I adore that shapely ankle! And so does Lizzie, and of course Jack knows that... With any luck, he'll get her to act out the story with him. Remember, the boy cried for help three times-- and someone came each time. (they can re-write the ending)

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

LOL! You're right! I hadn't thought of that -- but I'm sure Jack would have. *G*

So happy you enjoyed!

[komandant-krech.livejournal.com]

Sweet! Especially appreciated first thing in a cold, bleak, grey winter morning ;)

*needs a hot bath herself*

"Shapely ankle" and all -- yum. Bathing Jack is always such a treat!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

So happy to have provided a little steaminess on a cold morning! Happy bathing! ;)

[ditte3.livejournal.com]

Ha-ha.Great story.

[torn-eledhwen.livejournal.com]

Lovely, lovely - Jack in particular. :)

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Glad you liked it. :))

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Jack is mostly always lovely. Glad you enjoyed it!

[woolymonkey.livejournal.com]

Hee! Jack's so good at getting attention when he wants it!

[glinda4thegood.livejournal.com]

Here's a picture to warm the cockles! Wounded (bruised) Jack/tub/steam . . . and bonus -- wiggling toes!

Lovely extended drabble!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

He's pretty hard to resist, in any circumstances. Glad you enjoyed!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you -- I'm so happy you liked it!

[artaxastra.livejournal.com]

Nice clean Jack! Oh he's such a menace! I love this!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

He is the sort that demands to be noticed -- when he wants to be. So happy you enjoyed it!

[rose-freckles.livejournal.com]

Fantastic, perfect thing to cheer me up after walking home on a freezing evening...picturing Jack in a bathtub lol

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

It's an entertaining picture, I must agree. Glad to have steamed up your evening!

[lady-di75.livejournal.com]

He assumed a pitiful mien. "Hurt like the devil. Feels a bit better now, though," he assured her.

... even Jack is, after all, only a man, isn't he? LOL... this was so adorable.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

So happy you enjoyed it!

[sunshine304]

Awww, that was really sweet! And funny! Jack and his puppy eyes. Even Elizbeth cannot resist them. *g* Poor Jack, indeed, nearly at Death's door and all!:D

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

He's pretty irresistible, all right. *G* Very happy you enjoyed this!

[felaine.livejournal.com]

Adorable, and so Jack.
Favorite line:
Elizabeth felt like tearing her hair. "They told me you'd been wounded!"
I suspect she feels like that a lot, around Jack.

COS: Thanks for the Christmas card; it's beautiful.
Felaine

[soleilpirate.livejournal.com]

Oh YUM! I LOVE bathing Jack! The whole thiing was just lovely. So cute of Jack to fake being injured to get attention. *snerk* I adore those wiggling toes, if I were Elizabeth I'd be strongly tempted to tickle him.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

You got the card! So happy you liked it. I couldn't decide which picture I liked best, so I used a bunch of them. *g*

Glad you enjoyed the little fic, too -- it was a fun one to write.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

I think Jack's playfulness would be just the thing to keep Elizabeth feeling young and on her toes. Very happy you enjoyed this! Thanks for letting me know!

[kseenaa.livejournal.com]

*smirk* He would be doing that, wouldn't he? :-P

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

I'm sure he would. *G* Glad you enjoyed it!

[skybound2]

Hehe! That last line is just perfect :-)

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it!

[misschelseadepp.livejournal.com]

im looking forward to more =]