Drabble: 'Inflamed' (Jack/Elizabeth - PG13)

[dwgm]

Catching up a bit, after several days of learning curve: had severe gadget envy and went out and acquired an iPad last Sunday. Wrote my first drabble on it this evening, exactly a hundred words of needy!Jack h/c for my dear pearlseed who recently celebrated her natal day. Many happy returns, my dear.




~ Inflamed ~

Elizabeth stared, horrified, yet fascinated. The skin stretched tight over swollen, curving flesh that was such a deep red she could almost see it shimmer with heat. Jack looked both agonized and imploring. and when she touched it lightly he hissed, teeth clenched, and failed to stifle a groan.

She winced. "Oh, dear."

"Bloody hell! Elizabeth--"

"Jack, you've left it too long."

"Haven't! You can--"

"I don't have that kind of skill."

He closed his eyes for a moment.

She kissed him. "The doctor will be gentle with your ankle."

He sniffed. "Bring him, then. And rum. Lots of rum."


~.~

Comments

[pearlseed.livejournal.com]

I love it--thank you for remembering my very birthday. Poor poor Jack, no telling what is is exactly that he's gotten himself into. Pirates and booboos, inevitable seems to me. I know when I sailed, the boat would frequently slap the living hell outta me. Poor Jack, he'll need the rum desperately. And poor Elisabeth becos she's going to have to put up with him while he heals. lol

Thank you for making magic for my happy day. I had a lovely and intend to indulge myself to the best of my ability for the rest of the month. Your story was a beloved surprize becos I love to read what you write. On my birthday morning I went swimming at my friend's house. The planets, Jupiter and Venus along with that tiny sliver of moon were all lined up together so very very close. All in all, life's good, made richer by cyber penpals. You are so generous with people, making each of us special in our own ways. Nothing in this world like that gift.

[aletheiafelinea.livejournal.com]

Belated Happy Birthday and many pirate hugs! :)

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad you enjoyed this one, and am glad to hear you're having a happy birthday month! I have to agree, boats tend to bite when one isn't looking. Jack is so fit and acrobatic in nature that I think he'd rarely find himself incapacitated like this. A difficult patient indeed. Thank you so much for commenting!

[sharklady35.livejournal.com]

And this is just the beginning- I'll bet Jack is a really cranky invalid.

Most happy belated birthday to you, pearlseed!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

I believe you may be right, about the crankiness and being only the beginning! Thank you so much for commenting,

[aletheiafelinea.livejournal.com]

"The doctor will be gentle with your ankle."
"...or I won't be gentle with the doctor," I'll bet.

I'm sure Jack will be the best nursed pirate in the Caribbean. And the most sermonized one. ;>

Good to see you with wind in your sails again.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

I believe you may be correct, Lizzie would certainly try to keep him in line, having him at such a disadvantage. Thank you very much for commenting!

[pearlseed.livejournal.com]

or I won't be gentle with the doctor," I'll bet.

Now that's just funny, donchaknow? She'd have her hands full with the doctor and Jack. I just love the interactions with the world and our crew--how they seem to keep an eye out for each other.

[florencia7.livejournal.com]

Aw haha At least the rum isn't gone! (hopefully?? lol) Wonderful drabble! :)

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

All will be well with rum and Lizzie. ;-)

Thank you so much for commenting!

[hereswith.livejournal.com]

Oh, poor Jack, but hopefully the combination of the doctor, Lizzie and the rum will make it better :-) And I'm totally with aletheiafelinea on the "...or I won't be gentle with the doctor", I imagine that's exactly what she's thinking. Lovely, as always, my dear!

[luvvycat.livejournal.com]

The skin stretched tight over swollen, curving flesh that was such a deep red she could almost see it shimmer with heat. Jack looked both agonized and imploring. and when she touched it lightly he hissed, teeth clenched, and failed to stifle a groan.

Ouch! I really felt Jack's pain here! (And I mean that in its most literal sense! Calls perfectly to mind a serious lower-leg infection I had about ten years back that went, literally overnight, from a light "prickly-heat" rash to exactly what you describe above! It had me laid up in hospital on strong antibiotics for a week, and recuperating at home for another six! :-(

Believe you me, Jack's going to need that rum! (Fortunately, I had the option of prescription painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs to get me through the worst of it! But even with those, for the first three weeks home the leg was so excruciatingly painful to move that I actually had to use a walker simply to navigate myself twenty feet to the bathroom!) ;-)

Love the J/E dynamic here: Jack's stubbornness in wanting to ignore his injury and tough it out on his own (typical male reaction! They can be such big babies, especially when it comes to having to see the doctor!), Elizabeth's nurturing and gentle "tough love" in insisting the injury be treated properly (and softening her insistence with a kiss). Though I don't envy her having to be Jack's nursemaid during his recuperation! ;-)

Lovely drabble! So much Sparrabeth goodness packed into so few words! Great job! :-)

-- Cat