Thank you -- and a Drabble: 'Breakable' (Tia Dalma, Jack)

[dwgm]

A big thank you to everyone who wished me a happy birthday yesterday! It was so much fun getting so many emails, all day long!

*hugs flist madly*

And now, a drabble. I was stumped by 'Jig' last week, but I thought of this one as soon as I saw the new prompt -- 'Back'. Many thanks to hereswith for the beta read. 150 words, without the title.



~ Breakable ~


He was real young for a captain. Not a captain now, of course, not with his pretty ship lying black and broken at the bottom of the sea. Himself lying, too, quiet and shivering those first days, then just quiet, though she saw how his hands gripped hard at the blanket when she'd dress his back, gentle as she was. Wasn't the worst she'd seen, but near enough.

She wondered if it would break him, that and the brand on his wrist that burned and burned. Burned more than just his wrist, for certain. She'd seen men break. Seen too much of that.

But when he was healed more, and on his feet some, she found him at the window one day, looking out, past the river.

"What you see out there, Jack Sparrow?" she asked.

He almost gave her that smile. "The horizon, love," he said.

Then she knew.



~.~

Comments

[equilibrium44.livejournal.com]

Yes, 'jig' left my hand frozen in place also.

'...lying black and broken at the bottom of the sea.'

Nice alliteration...and picture.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[berne.livejournal.com]

A belated happy birthday to you! I love the drabble -- the last couple of lines are perfect.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you, all around! I am having a splendid birthday week, I must say, so many surprises and fun events. Disneyland, today, too. :D

And it's good to see you out and about here!

*hugs*

[komandant-krech.livejournal.com]

Awww. This was heart-breaking.

Positive way, I mean :) Beautiful writing, so much emotion expressed in very subtle way. Me likes.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you!! Loved your feminism post today, btw -- am off to Disneyland in a few, so no time to comment further, but I wanted you to know. :))

[awickedwench.livejournal.com]

This is absolutely one of your best! Am saving it to Mems. Love it!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you!! I'm so happy you liked it that much!

[fried-flamingo.livejournal.com]

Fabulous drabble. I do love seeing glimpses of Jack and Tia 'before'.

This line especially, Himself lying, too, quiet and shivering those first days, then just quiet, though she saw how his hands gripped hard at the blanket when she'd dress his back, gentle as she was, just...wow!

I definitely need a Tia Dalma icon!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

A quiet Jack Sparrow is an unhappy Jack Sparrow. But there's some truth to the saying that what doesn't kill you (in body or spirit) makes you stronger.

I, too, like glimpses of them 'before' -- intercourse (ahem) with the goddess of the sea has to have contributed a bit to that Sparrow madness.

I'm so happy you enjoyed this! Thank you for reading and commenting.

[mary684.livejournal.com]

Aww, you left Jack so totally exposed, his heart, soul, mind. Ack, I had to close one eye, he's so vulnerable. And then, my forever optimist. Yeah! You can beat the crap out of him, but he always bounces back. Tia is great in this, too!

Loved it!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you! So happy you liked it. That decision to do the right thing and release those slaves, and then enduring the grim aftermath, were no doubt pivotal events for Jack.

You can beat the crap out of him, but he always bounces back.

Which is why he's not just another pretty face, isn't it? His optimism and determination are nothing less than inspiring, and it's the reason a great many of us are here.

[soleilpirate.livejournal.com]

Aww, so heartbreaking. It's great to look at the aftermath of the scuttling and branding, but also so terrible and sad. You painted some vivid word pictures here, particularly about how quiet he is, and just so hurt. And the last lines, ohhh, that indominable spirit if is. *sighs happily*

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

His ability to bounce back after life stomps on him: that is the quality every viewer can relate to, and admire. He doesn't spend a lot of time feeling sorry for himself.

Thank you for reading, and commenting -- I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

[djarum99.livejournal.com]

He almost gave her that smile. "The horizon, love," he said.

That was beautiful, a crystal clear vignette and an intriguing look at their backstory. Brava ♥

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'm so glad you liked it!

[sharklady35.livejournal.com]

Bet he went through something similar after the mutiny.

This is indeed an apt summary of Jack Sparrow's character- he keeps pursuing dreams, sometimes with dire results, but he always recovers and tries again.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

he keeps pursuing dreams, sometimes with dire results, but he always recovers and tries again.

That recovering, and trying again thing is something we can all relate to and admire. He's not just a pretty face.

So happy you enjoyed it! Thank you for letting me know.

[breathless-dawn.livejournal.com]

This has a bit of a haunting feel to it, but is absolutely beautiful. Brava.

And happy belated birthday!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you, for the feedback and the birthday wishes, both!

[florencia7.livejournal.com]

Beautiful drabble! I loved this: "He almost gave her that smile. "The horizon, love," he said." Wonderfully written!

*saves to memories* :)

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you! So happy you found it good enough to save!

[erinya.livejournal.com]

She'd seen men break. Seen too much of that.

I love this reference to an all-to-human past for Calypso that we know too little of. (And maybe to Davy?) And I love the way this piece flows, and how you've evoked Tia Dalma's speech patterns without resorting to typing out dialect, and the way it ends. Beautiful work.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much. I think Calypso can't have had an easy time of it after she'd been "bound", and that she and Jack are there for each other, and influence each other in many ways. It's a very interesting dynamic.

[p0wdermonkey.livejournal.com]

Lovely. So many hints there about both Jack and Tia. Love your Jack here - broken, yes, but mending. And "almost" is perfect.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you! It's that unquenchable hope that we love about Jack. He's not just a pretty face. ;)

[jenthegypsy.livejournal.com]

It's always a pleasure to read your offerings. So very lovely in presentation, so melancholy, yet with a glimmer of light at the end.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you! You know how I love happy (or at least hopeful) endings. :))

[virgo-79.livejournal.com]

This is lovely, Geekmama.

I love this passage:
But when he was healed more, and on his feet some, she found him at the window one day, looking out, past the river.

Not even entirely healed, Jack's already looking for space and freedom and open water. And the final lines of this are perfect.

Wonderful!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Jack's awfully shiny, but the best thing about him, the thing we can all admire and relate to, is that he doesn't spend a lot of time feeling afraid, or discouraged, or sorry for himself (even though he feels all of those things at times, through the course of the trilogy), but picks himself up and tries again.

[virgo-79.livejournal.com]

Oops! Almost forgot: Happy Mother's Day!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you!!

[e-piphanie.livejournal.com]

Transcendent. Story and writing of ineffable beauty. This makes me wish I could fling myself bodily through the portal of the page, into that world, never to return to this one.

This particular quality that you're working with, painful knowledge tempered with compassion, is exactly what makes Jack so powerful to me.
If he were "just" all the other Jack qualities, as fun and wonderful as they are, but without this one, he would be dangerously close to comic book.

To stand at the abyss, comprehend the horror, and yet, go on. Fully aware, yet unbroken. That is power.

Shivers. Its size means I'm able to keep it with me and re-read as needed. Which is good since I haven't been able to find that particular portal. Thank you.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

To stand at the abyss, comprehend the horror, and yet, go on. Fully aware, yet unbroken. That is power.

So true, and it's a quality every one of us can admire.

I'm so happy you enjoyed this drabble, and find it worthy of saving to reread. Thank you for letting me know!

[wicked-plum7.livejournal.com]

The greatest 150 words I think I've ever read. Just beautiful insight into these characters, and you highlight what we all love so much about Jack. He's not a caricature, but a look at the depth of humanity, our angst and our absurdity.

I love little peeks into Jack's past, as well as wounded!Jack (who is just love) and not to mention Tia/Jack which will always be my OTP.

You are a very gifted writer, and I will also be saving this fic for another rainy day to enjoy again.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

*is mesmerized by your icon*

ahem.

Thank you so much for making my evening. :)) I am so thrilled you liked this one.

Tia/Jack which will always be my OTP

Jack goes so nicely with practically anyone, including the Pearl, but I have to agree that the hints of Tia/Jack in DMC and AWE are very tantalizing.

[wicked-plum7.livejournal.com]

I totally pretend that icon is a younger Jack, sans affects. Its just better that way.;)

I liked this drabble so much I'm going back and reading all of your fic, so expect forthcoming comments!

There's something mystical about Tia/Jack, in a way that they can understand eachother. I agree that Jack/The Pearl come first, his love for that ship is like Sweeney's love for his razors...only slightly more sensual? That's hot.XD