Truths, Lies, and Legends: The Return of the Flying Dutchman

[p0wdermonkey]

A shoreline ceremony leads to several returns from the dead.
Can be read on its own or as a late sequel to my Truths and Lies stories.

Characters: Will (narrating at last!), Jack, Bootstrap, Elizabeth, Teague
Rating: PG-13
Author: p0wdermonkey 
Disclaimer: Not mine. I do not profit. Quite the opposite.
Beta reading and expert comma logistics: viva_gloria

For those who’ve

Comments

[fandomfan]

I'm so happy to see more of this series! It has so much potential, and its achy, nuanced backstory is just the kind of heartbreaker I love to wallow in.

And Will's POV is nicely, rightly done. Straightforward and honest, but with an added sense of maturity (as evidenced by pragmatic lines like Luckily, blushing doesn’t really work without a heartbeat) that I think only makes sense after all that's happened over the course of the three movies, not to mention, over the course of this story arc.

A man who can go to sea with Jack Sparrow and still talk of coming home?
I'm particularly taken with the acknowledgment and acceptance in this line that what his father and Jack had was something substantive and alluring, even though it meant Bill not being around as an active father.

But I'm not ashamed to admit that Jack (as ever, and as I'm sure is his express intent) steals the show. Yes, with Jackly antic dialogue like putrid scrap of goat-hide, I’m better in silk than satin [...] More clingy. Sets off a man’s muscles, and (a goddess whose flexible approach to paperwork, by the way, I heartily condone and commend). But mostly with those not-so-hidden, only-just-sub-text moments where his heart bleeds up to the surface.

The conceit of having Will as narrator, who by definition can't share the direct interaction with us readers, makes each of those little scraps speak that much louder. And they're lovely scraps that speak volumes.

--“Ah,” said Jack, and went very still.
--It looked almost like fear.
--“Sawright, William,” came Jack’s voice, very soft (Full name... soft, scared little voice... *creeeeak*)
--I’d swear he was holding back tears *criiiiiiick*
--“You are going to give it to him… aren’t you?”
“He’s my son, Jack.” *CRACK*

Yes, my heart has creaked and cricked and then you've cracked it open completely. Because NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bill! Jack! Second chance! Aaaargh!!

The case is not helped by the fact that I could care less about Elizabeth as a character (is true from the movies, not your writing) and don't much care if she gets what she wants. But Jaaaaaack!! I want good things for Jack and his Bill.

The next story-from Jack’s point of view-follows shortly.
Yay!

I want an insider's perspective on this. (She says with totally innocent intent. Not salacious. Honest. Not at all.)

Who am I kidding, I'm desperately hoping the rating goes higher for the next chapter of this.

PS--I completely ADORE in a strange, depth-distorted way!!

PPS--This Teague moment cracked me up, too: "I don’t know you, boy, but I always suspected you were none of mine [...]” Turning away with Jack-like flourish that rather undermined his point, Teague lurched away up the dunes.

[p0wdermonkey]

Thank you for the wonderful feedback! See! I do write stories without Hector in them. I do!

I'm particularly taken with the acknowledgment and acceptance in this line that what his father and Jack had was something substantive and alluring, even though it meant Bill not being around as an active father.
Yup, I think Will's well aware of Jack's allure. Who isn't? But then he found out about Jack and Bill. Eeek!

Jack wouldn't be Jack if he didn't steal the show. (His telling of the story will be a whole lot LONGER too.) I happen to like Elizabeth, but it was fun to do the whole How-true-is-true-enough?-thing and bypass her completely for a change.

I want an insider's perspective on this. (She says with totally innocent intent. Not salacious. Honest. Not at all.)

I promise Part 2 will get Right Inside. *Looks innocent*

I'd apologise for the heartbreak, but there's a lot more angst-wallowing to come.

[fandomfan]

I promise Part 2 will get Right Inside. *Looks innocent*
HEE!!! I don't care how angsty it gets or how abbreviated it may be; Bill/Jack lovin' is a MAJOR emotionally cathartic pay-off in the Truths and Lies universe.

I'd apologise for the heartbreak, but there's a lot more angst-wallowing to come.
Nah. That's what makes it delicious. Painfully delicious. Really, there's something sick about all of us wanting to torment these characters so, and then lapping up all that torment greedily. Oh well. I look forward to the lapping.

[p0wdermonkey]

I told viva_gloria I was writing Hot Bill Action. She giggled.

[fandomfan]

Heh. As she would.

As I may have made vaguely, nebulously clear before now, I CANNOT WAIT.

And to think that (as veronica_rich said below) Bill and Jack might be able to have the occasional seafaring rendez-vous... sigh.

Of course, you could come along and wallop that idea out of existence in some cruel and no-doubt well-written way.