Two's Company Part 3 of 3

[p0wdermonkey]

Concluding the nineteenth-century adventures of two immortal pirate lords, one ex-commodore, and an undead monkey.

See Part 1 for header info.

Warning: reckless deviation from recognised pairings and historical events. NC-17.

Hector Barbossa, Self Portrait in a Fairly Big Hat

Comments

[dharma_slut]

Aaaahhhhhhh.... *happy, happy sigh*
Gods, but you're good with the throwaway lines! Both of these;

“Aye! Line up the narwhal with the mermaid’s middle titty an’…”

Norrington wasn't sure Jack could share a bag of sweets without provoking several scandals

nearly got me in trouble at werk.

[p0wdermonkey]

Thank you! I sometimes think I write just to stitch those throwaways together. And I *love* the AWE map. Glad you enjoyed.

[lilfluffykitten]

Earlier this evening I'd have said this was an acquired OT3 (and then some) to be sure, but I confess you've convinced me. (Although to be fair, you had me at Sparrow tucking money into Norrington's waistband. I realise that's possibly an example of the bad bad thoughts - but they keep me happy nonetheless). That was an amazing tale! In so many ways...

Mad painter Barbossa. Seductive and still (even after all these years) piratical Sparrow. Wary and back-footed Norrington. And as for the actual ahem Sparringtossa? Yeah, that worked too... ;)

More confusing still, Norrington suspected his own heart was once again disobeying orders, or at least refusing to listen to common sense.

Ahhhh, lovely.

This was a brilliantly inspired idea that I thoroughly enjoyed - good show!

[p0wdermonkey]

Thanks for the comment! It's not a pairing that had ever occurred to me until I got a fic exchange request. (And I'm still not sure if the slashes between the names were *slashes*, if you know what I mean). Anyway, it grabbed me so hard, I ended up writing both the exchange fic (sparrington rather than sparringtossa, but Hector's around) and these three. It's a shame Norrington and Barbossa never meet in canon--think of the snark!

[lilfluffykitten]

It's a shame Norrington and Barbossa never meet in canon--think of the snark!

For some reason I keep forgetting that they never actually meet. Still, now you've mentioned it - oh God yes!
Commodore in the king's navy: the price of a mid-range commission and romancing the governor's daughter.
Undead pirate: a chest of cursed gold and years of looting and pillaging.

The snark that could occur? Priceless...

[geekmama]

I'm afraid sure this threesome will stay etched upon my brain for years to come. *g* Hector is just too vividly on-the-edge-of-insanity in this. Well, so is Jack, except he's prettier and not so violent. As for James, he's just perfect. He needs a little immortality and pretty pirate to cheer him up, and you've done him a service here.

"I'm James," he said. "Just James, Jack."

Kind of like starting all over again.

Just amazing, as is all your work. Many thanks for this!

[p0wdermonkey]

Apologies for the brain etching. I feel a bit the same. Once the idea'd been put into my head, it wouldn't go away.
I'm glad the ending comes across as a new beginning. That's what I was going for. James had such a raw deal in AWE, I thought it would be nice to give him a fresh start with a pretty pirate.
Thanks for sticking with me and leaving comments.

[geekmama]

James had such a raw deal in AWE, I thought it would be nice to give him a fresh start with a pretty pirate.

That was exactly why I wrote that short fic, Second Chances, and from the comments I got it seems the vast majority of fans feel very much the same.

One day soon I need to do a recs post, and this will certainly be on it. I still can't get over the idea of Barbossa being Van Gogh. And Jack with his gleefully illicit printshop and his funny pseudonym. And James, baffled and honorable. He deserves some happiness, and the end of the story is just the beginning.

Fabulous work, as always.

[p0wdermonkey]

Thank you again. I love being recced.

[pearlseed]

The bestest part of this story begins, "Norrington blinks...." and lord only knows where you'll choose to finally end it! Good gracious--I love the many levels, artists, sailing, the BET (damn, I always miss the real fun...), Norrington, the terminally sweet, intelligent little brother whose first choice isn't to think like a pirate, yet ever so drawn to Jack's perpetual motions

[p0wdermonkey]

Thank you! There should so be more narwhals in fanfic. It's funny how Norrington *can* think like a pirate when he's trying to outwit one--he just won't let himself think that way for himself. Luckily, there's rum...

[djarum99]

“Quick hop to Florida to take the waters, and back through, um… possibly via World's End and the place with the talking jellyfish.” (Barbossa nodded as though this made perfect sense. Norrington reminded himself that Barbossa was mad.) “Never my favourite, that, but from there we could turn the rings to cross back near the Azores…”

“Rings?”

“Aye! Line up the narwhal with the mermaid’s middle titty an’…”

Norrington had never seen Sparrow taken aback in mid flow before. It was rather sweet.

I'm in love with that, and this fic.

Jack's understanding of Barbossa ("..he needs to win...") is perfection, as is Norrington's stoic bemusement throughout the course of the story. There's nothing better than Jack in his finest moments of artful dodging, and he's spot on amazing here.

"Eternity's a long time, mate. I 'xpect I'll tire of you now an' again. Love Jack being honest, and I suspect Norrington will opt for immortality - he'd never, ever, be bored

[p0wdermonkey]

Like you, I have a soft spot for artfully dodging Jack, so I'm proud to have conjured him up for you here.

I don't plan to continue (though you never know), but I'm hoping to twist fandomfan's arm and get her to write some of the things she thought were going to be in Part 3, but they weren't. You could help me twist...

Thanks again for reading and commenting.