*-* Wow. 17 favorites and 25 reviews! I had no idea this was going to be so popular! :D
Anyways, I went back and edited the things that some of you were kind enough to point out for me. Thanks very much, especially to Lasgalendil, whose review was the major thorn in my side until I was able to recover the original document from my old computer..*kicks old computer and mutters*...Again, this is dedicated to Nytd, and anyone who knows her should understand why. And if you don't know her, take a look at her amazing fics! :)
~ChaosandMayhem
"Hector?"
Silence.
"Hector…"
Grim, dead silence.
"HECTOR!"
The silence was snapped.
"WHAT IS IT YE WANT, YE COTTON-HEADED CUR?!" Barbossa glowered at Jack from across the table, struggling to suppress the instinct to launch himself across over the food and strangle the life out of his unwanted companion.
Jack grinned sheepishly and set down the rum bottle he'd been drinking deeply from. "I was just thinking…"
"Really?" Barbossa snorted. "I didn't realize ye had the capacity fer thought in that fuzzy head of yers."
Jack's smile lessened. "Fine. I'm not going to tell you what I was thinking, then." He turned his nose up at Barbossa and looked away, radiating hurt.
Barbossa frowned and sighed, curious despite himself. "Very well, then. Let's hear it."
Jack brightened and turned back to him. "If you insist…"
"Get on with it!"
"Are we friends?"
The question caught Barbossa off-guard and the older pirate scowled down at Jack's bottle. "What have ye been drinking?" he demanded, "Ye daft idiot, we're not friends! Do friends try to kill each other on a daily basis?"
Jack shrugged. "I don't know. M'not much in the way of keeping up relations with people other than pretty women…but it seems to me friends should have a lot in common, and we do."
"No we do not, and if ye suggest it again I'm gonna shoot ye on the spot!" Barbossa roared and slammed his fist down on the table.
"Yes we do…think about it." Jack held up his hand and began to tick off fingers: "We both died, we've both been brought back to life with help from a lovely albeit terribly frightening sea witch, we've both been captains of the Pearl, we both have hats we love dearly, we've both been cursed, we're both looking for immortality, I have an obsession with rum, you have an obsession with your tasty green apples…the list goes on and on!"
Barbossa was silent for a long time, and Jack feared he might have finally died from a long, stretching silence. Finally, Barbossa stood shakily and walked out. Jack hesitated before following him out onto the deck of the Pearl. Barbossa was standing by the helm with a pale face.
Jack crept up to him. "Oh Hector…"
"Shut up. If ye ever talk about us being friends again I will personally ensure ye die the most horrible and painful death that the Lord above has ever witnessed!" After a moment, Barbossa felt a companionable pat on his shoulder and heard Jack's footfalls fade away.
And he smiled, ever-so-slightly.
Reviews are gladly appreciated, even though I think I've got enough to last a while. :P