Backstory Drabble 16: 'Before the Mirror' (Jack & Elizabeth - PG)

[dwgm]

Another longish drabble, with thanks again to hereswith for beta reading. This one is, again, 350 words for #16 in that series of drabbles I was doing for hseas_challenge...

16. Remembrance of things past - Jack’s acquisition of the beads and baubles that chronicle his history.



~ Before the Mirror ~


"This one's for that pretty, black-eyed chit in Cartagena – ripe as a peach! I was in excellent form, too, she was dead to the world when I slipped off with her emeralds.

“And this one's for the lass I gave ‘em to, to put her in funds. The Widow Granger. See how it's just a plain little thing? Like she was herself, though she livened up nicely toward the end. Learned a lot in one night; her bloody useless husband deserved to be skewered.

“And see this shark's tooth? Bill pulled the bugger up when we was fishin' off the side of the Pearl, during me first year, and it bit me and him both before we killed it. Only a few cuts for him, but I wasn't so lucky -- you've seen the scar. Every one of those stitches felt like a red hot poker goin' in. Bill stayed by me, though - or on me, really, helped hold me down. Did I tell you that butcher of a surgeon favored blue thread? Anyway, Bill tried to keep me distracted, funny stories - and songs! You wouldn't think he could be so amusing to see him now. Though he has lost the starfish, thank God fasting."

Jack gave a last tweak to his now nicely arranged elflocks, then took up his pot of kohl.

Elizabeth, who’d been watching him in the mirror as he primped, said thoughtfully, "Teague's hair is similarly laden with memorabilia -- he told me those silver crosses he wears were your mother's. You’re both surprisingly sentimental!"

Jack's eyes widened in outrage. "It ain't sentiment. It's just another way of remembering. Like a ship's log, or a diary, though a diary's too easy to lose, and what with sun and drink and bein' knocked on the head in the natural course of events, one needs these little souvenirs to remind one of things that are important."

"Important? Like lovers? And friends?"

"Aye."

"Rubbish! Why do you want to remember? It's pure sentiment!"

"Well, it's not. We want to remember so we... so we don't bloody forget!"


~.~

Comments

[artaxastra.livejournal.com]

We want to remember so we... so we don't bloody forget!"

Oh Jack! Oh Teague! They are sentimental, both of them, in their own special ways. And Elizabeth, learning something new all the time.

I love the stories, btw. You always do Jack's voice so perfectly!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

They are sentimental, both of them, in their own special ways.

Certainly that's the reason they have things tied in their hair. I believe Johnny Depp said so, and he should know.

I'm thrilled you're enjoying the stories. I'm trying to keep up with mini_nanowrimo and it's the perfect time to get some of these WIP's finished. Thank you so much for commenting -- it means a lot!

[florencia7.livejournal.com]

""Well, it's not. We want to remember so we... so we don't bloody forget!" - lol! That was perfect! ^^

The dialogue was so wonderful! It was so easy to HEAR. And Jack's monologue in front of the mirror was priceless. So many stories to remember indeed!

Fantastic drabble!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Lizzie better not tease Jack too much or she'll have to rely on Gibbs for the stories. *g* I'm so glad you enjoyed this! Thank you so much for letting me know.

[pearlseed.livejournal.com]

This so made my afternoon. I've been avoiding chores and checking in is my reward and here you are. Jack's voice, I never realize I miss it so until I read it so clear from you. And being of the sentimental tribe, well, it's almost enough to make me start my own collection in my hair.

"Jack gave a last tweak to his now nicely arranged elflocks, then took up his pot of kohl." Told you before I love to see this side, the vanity of Jack Sparrow, so wild and bizarre and yet there is a certain balance and grace that he knows is the best look for himself. Just would find it hard not to interrupt him as he does his dressing, cos he'd be so precious to me. Thank you and so love it.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

I love to see this side, the vanity of Jack Sparrow, so wild and bizarre and yet there is a certain balance and grace that he knows is the best look for himself.

He's an artist among pirates, truly. I'm so glad you enjoyed this. Thank you very much for reading and commenting!

Praise from Willofthewisp

[(Anonymous)]

This exchange is all too easy to imagine. The mere fact that Jack is so comfortably and fondly recalling all these memories to Elizabeth is sentimental on its own. I never liked the stories where they've been together but haven't really delved into each other's lives much. Part of being together is knowing what events led the other person to where they are now. It's so great he's divulging so much, and it's icing on the cake that it's while he's primping in front of a mirror. Elizabeth is so dead-on about it being sentiment. If Jack weren't as mobile as he is and had more space, he'd probably have all his baubles and trinkets in a memory chest or something. I don't know why, but I really like that you chose "rubbish" for where it is. Very appropriate for Elizabeth's voice I suppose.

Re: Praise from Willofthewisp

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

I think Elizabeth would be fascinated by Jack's stories, he has so many to tell. He's pretty reticent in public, but I do think he'd be more open with her if they embarked on a closer relationship. I'm so glad you liked this. Thank you very much for the feedback, I really appreciate it!

[sharklady35.livejournal.com]

I've got to agree: that final like is such a classic Jackism I may have to quote it somewhere.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

It did sound like Jack to me, too. You are welcome to quote it, any time. *g*

[luvvycat.livejournal.com]

What a marvellous drabble! Love the callback to your Jack/Letty Granger story, which is one of my all-time favourites of your OFC tales, next to your Nell saga, your Molly Hatter series, and of course your ultra-fabulous Lady Harry series! (Oh, what the heck, who am I foolin' ... I love ALL your fics!). :-)

Oh, love your Jack here, preening before the mirror, gloriously vain and vainglorious! Lizzie must have the patience of a saint, listening to him wax nostalgic about his past ladyloves, and not wanting to strangle him! That must be true love!

And Jack, stubbornly refusing to admit to sentimentality. Such a "guy" thing to do!

Good thing Lizzie knows better... Jack's just an old softie at heart (at least, where the ladies are concerned). ;-)

Wonderful stuff! :-)

-- Cat

(P.S. -- As long as your muse is percolating briskly lately, and has shown a decided fondness for revisiting Jack's past, might there be a chance that the long-awaited Jack/Nell NC-17 "missing chapter" of "An Execrable Business" might surface, too? No pressure ... just asking!) ;-)

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much for the wonderful feedback. I'm so glad you though this worked.

Such a "guy" thing to do!

Very much so, but keeping up appearances is pretty important to him, so it's not surprising he'd deny being sentimental.

Not sure I can do the Jack/Nell fic at this point, I'd need a much bigger block of time, I'm afraid. That's why I only committed to 100 words a day for mini_nanowrimo -- too much homework, etc. But one of these days, when the mood and time are right...!

[sparrows-lass.livejournal.com]

*smiles lovingly*
awww - that last line made me lol!
love, love, love this backstory drabble! wonderful!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'm so happy to have made you smile!

[nanabanana75.livejournal.com]

So pleased to see a story/drabble from you when I signed on to the computer! Love your vain as a peacock Jack, and the loving Lizzie critic. Please keep writing the J/E dynamic, you do it so well!........Sincerely, Nan.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you! They are always fun to write together.

[djarum99.livejournal.com]

You wouldn't think he could be so amusing to see him now. Though he has lost the starfish, thank God fasting."

This was wonderful - I loved the callback to Jack's first year on the Pearl, the husband who deserved to be skewered and Jack's kindness to his widow, the backstory for Teague's silver crosses, and of course Jack's preening :-) Thanks so much for continuing this series, and for posting to hseas_challenge :-)

How dare Lizzie suggest that he's sentimental! ♥

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

How dare Lizzie suggest that he's sentimental! ♥

Silly girl to tease him about such a thing, too.

I'm so glad you enjoyed this. Hopefully I'll get the other drabbles in the series finished before the end of the month. I'm working on it! Thank you so much for reading and commenting.

[reneeks.livejournal.com]

This is just great.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you!