Chapter 4:  Control

 

André watched James at the helm, unable to keep from smiling slightly as he gazed at the wonderful man.  The fact that James was lacking a shirt that day only made André’s mind wander further and daydream more.  His body was so beautiful in the sunlight…in any light, really, André presumed.

It was so sad that James had allowed himself to become less than who he was; but the James that André knew was still there.  He would bring James back to Port Royal and help him escape from this hell, and from Jack’s hold over him.

Jack was obviously using his position to force James to do whatever he wanted.  André wished that he had not accused James of enjoying it—mostly because James as good as admitted that he did.

André’s eyes narrowed as Jack approached James from behind, putting a hand on the James’ hip and pulling him close.  James closed his eyes and leaned back in Jack’s embrace as the pirate whispered something in his ear and slid his hand towards James’ inner thigh.

“Disgusting,” André muttered, wincing when James turned around to kiss Jack.  He glared at the hand that had made its way to James’ buttocks and was forcing James’ body closer to Jack.

“You would think they’d keep such matters to themselves,” a nearby crewmember, who had also signed up in Tortuga, said.

“Captain Jack is in charge,” Mr. Gibbs said as he approached.  “He doesn’t mind reminding everyone of that.”

“By snogging the former Commodore by day and shagging him by night?” the other crewmember asked with a snicker.

André was suddenly aware that his hand hurt.  He then felt someone grabbing his arms and pulling him backwards.  “Get off me!” André shouted.

His brief moment of anger subsided, and he realized that he had just punched the man who had talked about James and Jack, which was why Mr. Gibbs was currently holding him back.

“What?  You want to be his pet?” the man André had struck said, holding his nose.  “Jealous of the ex-Commodore, are we?”

“Now that’s enough!” Gibbs said with difficulty as he continued to hold André back.  “Both of you!”

“Oi!  What’s happening here?”

André managed to turn his head enough to see Captain Jack approaching, with James following behind like a loyal puppy.  Damn you, Jack Sparrow, André thought angrily.  James was little more than a pet—Jack had him completely under his thumb.  André would free him.  He had to.

“It’s under control, captain,” Mr. Gibbs said.

“Really?  Then why are you holding that man, and why does that man have a bloody nose?”

Gibbs let go of André, who glared at the man with the bloody nose and almost grinned, delighted to have harmed him for insulting James.

“He’s jealous of your pet, sir,” the man said with a sneer.  “Been listening and—.”

But the man did not have a chance to finish his vulgar comment, for Captain Jack himself struck the man.  “You mangy toad—I’ll bet it’s you who listens at the door and takes matters into your own hands.”  Looking at André, Jack continued, “As for you, if he’s an ass again, you’re under orders to repeat what I just did, savvy?”  André nodded, his eyes wide with surprise.  Jack turned on his heel to face James.  “I hope you know you’re much more than my ‘pet,’ Jamie,” he said, running a hand through James’ dark hair and pulling him into a passionate kiss.

André swallowed hard as he watched the two, his heart sinking as James held Jack closer to his body and deepened the kiss.  Biting his lip, André was unable to look away.  That liar, he thought.  He knows James is under his control.  André hated seeing James being used, especially in such a cheap and disgusting manner.

He would free James and remind him of what a wonderful man he was, and how Jack did not even deserve to be James’ whore, much less master.

* * *

James opened his eyes as Jack pulled away and found himself looking into the chocolate brown eyes of André over his captain’s shoulder.  He swallowed hard, unable to look away as André glared at him unblinkingly.

“Let’s get you back to your post, Jamie,” Jack said, nodding toward the helm, which the silent Mr. Cotton had taken over.

James was finally able to look away from André’s piercing gaze as he turned away and walked back up to the helm.  Jack kissed him briefly before going to his cabin and leaving James alone at the wheel.  At least, he thought he was alone.

“By ‘much more’ he means whore, you know.”

James jumped and turned in surprise.  André was standing a few feet behind him, his arms crossed and his eyes narrowed.  James closed his eyes as he faced forward again.  “André, please…”  James’ eyes snapped open as he felt arms wrapping about his waist.  “André,” he hissed, inhaling sharply as the man nibbled at his ear.  Fighting the stirrings of arousal he was beginning to feel, James asked, “Are you trying to get yourself killed?”

“We’re pirates, aren’t we?  We can take what we want,” he said, breathing hotly on James’ neck.

 “There are rules, André,” James said, swallowing hard as one of André’s hands traced James’ tattoo and the other fingered the waistband of his pants.

“And the captain’s whore is off-limits, then?”

James shoved André back as hard as he could with his elbow, knocking the man to the deck.  André glared up at him as he rubbed his chest.  “James!”

“Stay away from me, André,” James said quietly.  “And get off this damn ship!”  André continued staring up at him in horror.  “I told you before—that life is over.”  André winced as he lifted himself up, and James suddenly found himself at André’s side and was helping him to his feet, guilt overcoming him.  “I’m so sorry, André, I didn’t mean to hurt you, really, I…I just…”  He trailed off as he saw that André’s brown eyes were glistening with tears.  “God, André…who am I?” he breathed.

“James Norrington, sir.  The man I have always respected and…and loved, sir,” André told him, his cheeks darkening as he swallowed hard.  “I’m sorry, sir.”

“Why do you keep saying that?” James asked, suddenly capturing André’s mouth with his own.  Thank God Jack is in his cabin, James thought, for he seemed completely unable to control what he was doing as his tongue dueled with André’s.

Remembering that the helm was unattended and that they could be seen at any moment, James pulled away.  André stared at him with wide eyes, speechless as James again took the helm.

“André…there is a reason for the mass recruitment in Tortuga.”  André walked up beside him and put a hand on his shoulder, but James refused to look at him.  I’ll be thrown overboard for telling him this…  “Jack needs one hundred souls to save his own.  He plans on handing you and the others over to Davy Jones.”  James turned to André when he heard the man gasp.  “You must get off this ship, André.  Please.”

“What about you?”

Can’t he concentrate on himself for one moment?  “What about me, André?”

André swallowed hard.  “But…one hundred souls?  There aren’t that many men aboard this ship, even counting the entire crew.  How do you know he won’t…”  James’ brow furrowed.  “You know, that he won’t hand you over, too?”

James inhaled deeply as he thought on this.  “I…I don’t know that he won’t.  But I am already lost either way—you still have a life to go back to. So get off this ship.”

“Not without you,” André hissed, walking away quickly as Mr. Gibbs walked up the steps toward the helm.

“Are you trying to get yourself damned?” James muttered under his breath.