Birthday gift - Skirmish
I wrote this for geekmama's birthday, so it should have been posted yesterday, but I wanted her to read it first and that pesky time difference complicated things. Here it is, though, and hugs for geekmama to go along with it!
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Title: Skirmish
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Disney's. I don't own it. No infringement is intended and no profit is made.
Summary: Another one of those vaguely post-AWE pieces. Together they might, at this point, almost be considered a 'verse.
Author's note: With thanks to jenthegypsy for looking it over.
Skirmish
by Hereswith
She pushes across the deck, past the crew, sheathing her sword and skirting the dead, thankful so few of them are hers. When she sees him, the wobble in his step, breath rushes out of her.
“Jack!” She halts right in front of him. “Are you hurt?”
“Had you worried, eh?” His smile is quick as a blade, sharper still, but before she can speak, he cedes the truth, giving a shake of the head. “No need for fretting, love. Strained me leg, ‘tis all.”
“I’m not fretting,” she snaps, part anger and part the concern she protests. “I told you. When you are on my ship, you follow my rules.”
Jack waves at the Empress, secured abreast of the boarded vessel. “Your ship.” Then he indicates the planks beneath them. “Not your ship.” Finally, he raises a pointed finger. “Ergo, said rules don’t apply.” She snorts, about to turn from him when he adds, “Wait.”
She sighs, but does as he bids her, responding to the shift in his tone. “What?”
“You are. Hurt, that is.” His hand flickers up to her temple and comes away stained with red. “You’re bleeding.”
It surprises her that she hasn’t realised, or noticed the pain, and she tenses. There are too many matters to attend to before she can even think about resting. “How bad is it?”
He produces a handkerchief from his coat pocket, using it to dab near the wound, and now it stings, making her wince, but he assures her, “It’ll hold.”
Relieved, she eyes him. “Why did you come? You didn’t have to.”
He stills, then withdraws his hand, and when he answers, his voice is light, so light, but she can feel his gaze on her. “Why not?”
~~~
Title: Skirmish
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Disney's. I don't own it. No infringement is intended and no profit is made.
Summary: Another one of those vaguely post-AWE pieces. Together they might, at this point, almost be considered a 'verse.
Author's note: With thanks to jenthegypsy for looking it over.
Skirmish
by Hereswith
She pushes across the deck, past the crew, sheathing her sword and skirting the dead, thankful so few of them are hers. When she sees him, the wobble in his step, breath rushes out of her.
“Jack!” She halts right in front of him. “Are you hurt?”
“Had you worried, eh?” His smile is quick as a blade, sharper still, but before she can speak, he cedes the truth, giving a shake of the head. “No need for fretting, love. Strained me leg, ‘tis all.”
“I’m not fretting,” she snaps, part anger and part the concern she protests. “I told you. When you are on my ship, you follow my rules.”
Jack waves at the Empress, secured abreast of the boarded vessel. “Your ship.” Then he indicates the planks beneath them. “Not your ship.” Finally, he raises a pointed finger. “Ergo, said rules don’t apply.” She snorts, about to turn from him when he adds, “Wait.”
She sighs, but does as he bids her, responding to the shift in his tone. “What?”
“You are. Hurt, that is.” His hand flickers up to her temple and comes away stained with red. “You’re bleeding.”
It surprises her that she hasn’t realised, or noticed the pain, and she tenses. There are too many matters to attend to before she can even think about resting. “How bad is it?”
He produces a handkerchief from his coat pocket, using it to dab near the wound, and now it stings, making her wince, but he assures her, “It’ll hold.”
Relieved, she eyes him. “Why did you come? You didn’t have to.”
He stills, then withdraws his hand, and when he answers, his voice is light, so light, but she can feel his gaze on her. “Why not?”