Drabble and a half: 'Rite of Passage'

[dwgm]

This is unbetaed, but hopefully is OK. 150 words on the current theme at blackpearlsails  , 'Fly', and a slightly different take on it. *G*



~ Rite of Passage ~

"Breeched at four! Jack—"

"He's nearly five, and it'll be safer than havin' 'im in shortcoats on the ship. You told him he could start learnin' his trade next time he came with us."

Elizabeth pursed her lips, but there was a smile in her eyes at the sight of her little son, so proud in his new clothing.

"Please, Mama?" Jamie begged, bouncing a bit.

Irresistible.

She looked at Jack again. "He has you twisted 'round his grubby finger."

Jack grinned. "You should know, eh?" He took Jamie's hand in his. "Come on, lad. We'll go show Captain Teague and the rest."

Jamie said, "Aye! But…" He pulled at Jack's sleeve, and Jack bent to catch Jamie's whisper.

Jack chuckled and straightened. "First things first, then. I'll show you this time, but if you're old enough for breeches, you're old enough to work the buttons on 'em, savvy?"


~.~


For more information on children's clothing, here's a wikipedia article, one of the best I found on the subject when I was researching this.

Comments

[fried-flamingo.livejournal.com]

LMAO! Killer last line!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Hee! So happy to have brightened your day. *G*

I don't generally like animated icons, but that one is certainly an exception. So cute!!!

[hendercats.livejournal.com]

Just marvelous! Always a delight when you have Jack wrap himself around a child's finger. Different take, indeed. :) And thanks for including the link to the wikipedia article - most interesting.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

I think Jack would be great with kids (and wouldn't it have been fun to be a 'fly' on the wall and watch Johnny-as-Jack entertain the kids in that hospital last year?)

Glad you enjoyed the drabble, and the article -- it still seems weird to me that little boys were dressed that way back then, until recently I thought those were all little girls in the pix, lol!

I do love that icon of yours!

[equilibrium44.livejournal.com]

'Fly' as a noun! Pretty clever there.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

I also thought of the other 'Fly' as a noun, but my mind started going in some pretty awful directions. This one was cuter, and costume research is always fun. So happy you enjoyed it!

[erinya.livejournal.com]

Too cute! I love how proud Jack and Jamie both are. I didn't know about breeching, either. Thanks for the article!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

You're welcome. I'd heard of 'shortcoats', but hadn't really understood that boys were dressed pretty much like girls until they were six or seven, sometimes, until I ran across some pictures. It still seems weird to me, even now.

I love how proud Jack and Jamie both are.

Manly men, and all that. *g*

Glad you enjoyed this!

[faeriquene.livejournal.com]

Oh, that's too cute!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[salr323.livejournal.com]

LOL! Oh great twist on the prompt, very funny! And so cute. :) Awww, Jack.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

I thought about the parachute scene, or Elizabeth falling off the cliff, or several other pertinent scenes, but this seemed like more fun. Glad you liked it!

[reneeks.livejournal.com]

absolutely delightful! I can't stop grinning!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Glad to hear this brightened your day! Thank you for letting me know.

[florencia7.livejournal.com]

Wonderful drabble!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[veronica-rich.livejournal.com]

If you're allowed to post fic there, you should put this at potc_universe - I bet they'd get a kick out of it. Cute!

And what, you thought the world up until 50 years ago was made up of all girl-children? ;-)

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

No, the older boys were dressed in breeches, of course -- I just didn't realize all those little sisters weren't all sisters, lol!

Maybe I'll post it over there, link first. That was a great wikipedia article, I thought.

So happy you enjoyed this!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I love writing Jack and kids -- probably too much, lol!

Glad you found the article informative, too!

"property of sepira"?!? Nuh uh! MY pirate. *g*

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Very good reasoning! Happy birthday, whenever it was. ;)

[torn-eledhwen.livejournal.com]

Very cute. :)

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[djarum99.livejournal.com]

Sweet! A perfect response to the prompt, and a great last line :-)

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'm very happy you enjoyed it!

[jenthegypsy.livejournal.com]

*g* Delightful!

(Are we to assume that, a few years down the line, Jack will be explaining the other reason to be working the buttons on those breeches to wee Jamie?) *nudges plot bunny in your direction*

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

And if I can figure a way to do that and keep it PG-13, I may take that plot bunny and run with it. ;)

[bombazzinedoll.livejournal.com]

Oh, huzzah. That was exceptionally, disgustingly (in a good way!!) cute.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

LOL! Yes, Jack and kids are too cute.

[captaintish]

lol. That was cute! Oh no, buttons!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Hee! Glad you enjoyed!

[sharklady35.livejournal.com]

I have to echo the general opinion; Jack & Kid(s) fics are always fun. Particularly when it's Liz's son.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Yes, too much fun to resist. Glad you enjoyed this one. :))

[justawench.livejournal.com]

Yay for historical detail! :D Very cute.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I thought that was an interesting detail -- besides being pertinent to 'Fly'. *G*

[tiamary.livejournal.com]

I admit it. I'm not that fond of stories about kids. But I loved this. The child was genuinely cute because you didn't overdo the cuteness and he isn't snarky either. You captured Jack's voice so well, I could hear Johnny Depp's English accent in my head. I enjoyed the articles too... isn't it interesting that we still call those legless infant garments "gowns", and if they're white, yellow or green, they're unisex.
So things haven't entirely changed!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

I really can't stand bratty kids, but I don't think Elizabeth would put up with hers being that way, not at 4 years old, for sure. She was probably a trial to her own father, and would remember that, and would crack down on her own kid. That's usually the way it works. *G*

I have pictures of my uncles, born in 1908 and 1910, in shortcoats, so it hasn't been that long, really. But they were pretty small -- I think it's quite bizarre to keep a boy in such garments past 4 or so, but according to those articles (and paintings I've seen) they wore them until they were of "the age of reason", about 7. And so frilly, some of them.

Edit: Almost forgot to thank you for the feedback! I do appreciate it.

[kseenaa.livejournal.com]

That is so cute!!!!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thanks!!

[hereswith.livejournal.com]

LOL! Absolutely great use of the prompt and it's very sweet, it made me smile :-) I was aware that they dressed boys like that, but I didn't know much more about it and the article was interesting.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

I still think it's strange that they dressed them that way past the toddler stage. I'm so glad you enjoyed this!!

[just-a-dram.livejournal.com]

Oh my goodness. That last line was so adorable!

Yes, I imagine he would have Jack wrapped around his finger! Perfection.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Jack interacting with kids is always lots of fun to write.