#norrington fanfiction
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socksracoon10 · 11 months ago
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Hi love here I come with my first spontaneous idea 🩷
Reader is the Commodore's sister but sick of the ways of society. When Jack saves Elisabeth, reader is the one who persuaded James not to kill Jack and also the one he happens to threat in order to escape. She’s somehow drawn to the Captain and later gives Will the keys to the cell to set him free. Jacks thoughts circle around her, too and they reunite when she swings last minute from the Dauntless over to the Interceptor to join the pirates making way❣️
Curious of The Seas
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A/N: Literally fell in love with your ask oh my god, couldn't stop thinking about it before I began writing!! Thank you so much for this request! Pairings: Jack Sparrow x F!Reader, Will Turner x F!Reader (Platonic), James Norrington x F!Reader (siblings)
"Don't slouch, stand straight," Commodore Norrington hissed at you. You glared at your brother, curving your lips downward. You hated how strict and loyal he was to the British Crown and how he enforced his rules onto you, despite being his "precious baby sister." 
Your brother didn't hate you, but he sure did a good job of making you hate him. He was pacing his quarters back and forth, rehearsing what he would say to Miss Elizabeth Swann upon meeting her. You rolled your eyes at the pathetic scene, realizing that if your brother were to marry Miss Swann you were next on the list for the most eligible bachelorette in Port Royal. Your body cringed at the thought and you wriggled your back to shake off the eerie feeling crawling down your spine and focused on trying to ease your brother at the moment.
"James, there is no point in stressing over something as simple as this. Tell her you are in love with-" You began but frowned when he interjected,
"Love? Don't be ridiculous!"
"So, you're not in love with her?" You inquired, raising an eyebrow.
"No, no, I very much am in love with her. But it is not proper for a man such as myself to say trivial things to the daughter of the Governor!" Your brother reasoned and you sighed in an exasperated tone, shifting your gaze out the window.
Elizabeth had stared at you with a quizzical look on her face when your brother and you had first approached her. You both shared the same expression of disdain for the situation. It was very clear to see that she was indifferent to your brother and surely was the very last man that she had any interest for. You, on the other hand, dearly loved your brother and wanted to save him from any heartache that she would cause him. You chewed your lip nervously, watching them exchange a few words of greetings before walking away. The commodore glanced over his shoulder, mouthing a few warnings to reign your behavior in for the biggest moment of his life before stalking away.
Huffing in annoyance, you picked the ends of your dress up and marched past the Governor who was just about to start a conversation with you. He awkwardly shut his mouth and watched you walk away to stand on the other corner of the pillar where your brother and Elizabeth stood. He leaned backward to get a good look at you, sending you another glare before returning his full attention to the woman in front of him with a nervous smile. You sighed, gazing out to the sea. Your brother had taken you once beyond Port Royal when you were a little girl and he swore it was something he very much regretted; all you could ever do since then was talk about sailing the seas. You desired to travel across the world, collect artifacts, and live a free life. Your brother scoffed at your desires, stating that he would rather die than see his little sister galloping around like a pirate of all creatures.
As you gazed out into the horizons with a look of yearning, you heard the loudest splash from below. Peering over the edges of the wall, you frowned at the ripples that seemed to bloom near the rocks and you instantly pulled back from your position and walked around to notice your brother screaming Elizabeth's name.
"What did you do?" You exclaimed, resting a hand on his shoulder. He pulled away from your grasp, beginning to take his coat off but you grabbed hold of him,
"The rocks, James! She's lucky that she didn't hit them on her way down! Come, we can reach her at the docks!" You urged him, yanking his arm. He seemed instilled with distraught, at a loss for words, "She must've jumped by your mere presence!"
Your brother sent you a nasty scowl and the playful smirk on your lips faded away instantaneously. You knew this was no joking matter; the poor woman could've died on her way down and she was to be betrothed to him anyway. As your brother scampered off with the rest of the guards, you found your feet rooted to the ground as you stared up at the sky. Something was amiss. The clouds darkened and circled about gravely, and the sea no longer held its silky blue blanket to comfort you. Before you could try and comprehend what must've occurred, you felt an urgent tug around your arms and you sharply turned to find yourself facing the Governor.
"Come now, my dear, you mustn't dawdle around when my daughter's life is in danger!" He exclaimed and you frowned at his words, resisting the urge to roll your eyes at him. Even if you wanted to help Elizabeth, there was surely no way you could swim into the waters with this puffy dress around you. You followed him down to the docks, pushing past the British officers to find yourself facing Elizabeth coughing up heaps of water from her lungs and then... a pirate.
With all the rifles surrounding him, you nearly thought they were aimed at your brother who stood in the way. You could only make out half his face, oblivious to the ensuing conversation that your brother was currently engaged in. You peeked around the Commodore's shoulder, carefully eyeing the strange man in your presence when his eyes flickered over to you for a sharp second before returning to your brother. Your breath hitched at the moment, taking in his disheveled and wet appearance as your brother remained as the shield between the man and you.
"He's a pirate," Your brother growled, his jaw clenching as he barked orders for his arrest. He ignored your gaping stare as he continued, "Sparrow, I assume?"
"Jack Sparrow?" You interjected, your mouth practically on the floor as you stared at him. The corner of the pirate's lips curved into a small smirk,
"It's Captain Jack Sparrow, love," He smiled with a wink. You smiled back before your brother forcefully shoved you behind him once again. He made a mental note to have a discussion with you about your behavior as soon as you returned home. He took the pirate's belongings and derided him for his lack of proper weapons, but it bothered him so deeply that you were so enchanted by the man. It irked him to think that his sister would fall foolish to a PIRATE of all people. He forcefully grabbed onto Jack's arm and began dragging him off before you cut him off,
"James! James!" You cried out, and your brother halted in his tracks and sent you a menacing scowl.
"Not another word from you, (Y/N)." He hissed, and you scoffed before pulling your skirt up ever so slightly to march up to your brother,
"This man, pirate or not, has just saved your betrothed's life! I suggest you at least show some mercy upon him!"
"One good deed is not enough to redeem a man's life of wickedness," Your brother corrected you as Jack was being handcuffed by a Redcoat.
"Though it seems enough to condemn him," Jack added, and you offered him a sympathetic look before turning to your brother with pleading eyes.
"Brother, please. I beg of you, consider an alternative for this man." You prodded him, as your eyes fell onto Elizabeth who smiled softly at your words.
"Please do so," Jack muttered, before dragging his bound hands around your neck. You gasped in response, tugging at the chains as your brother panicked.
"No one shoots!" The Commodore bellowed, holding his hands in the air, "Let go of my sister."
"Only if you return my belongings," Jack taunted with a haughty grin. He leaned closer to lowly utter into your ears, "You must be regretting your kindness, do you not?"
"I don't, but it seems that you'll regret it," You whispered, as you watched the guards hand in his belongings in a bundle. Jack nudged your back with his knee ever so lightly to grab hold of his things and you begrudgingly did so, before sharply turning around to face him.
"Now if you'll do me the pleasure... my, I don't think I know your name..." He said with a sly smirk. You frowned at him,
"It's Miss Norrington to you," You spat, placing his hat on. As you placed his sword, belt, and other personnel around him, you could feel his intense stare burning deep into you. If it was of lust or attraction, you did not know and at the moment did not necessarily care. Your mind was fixated on other things, and your brother was seething in rage as he watched Jack give him a look regarding your body against his that made him want to hurl. To think his sister was so close to a gruesome pirate! It was preposterous!
As you tied the last remaining string of his belt around him, you looked up at him with disgust. Not only was he a pirate, but this would be the talk of the town, and your brother's and your reputation would be spoiled. Your brother could easily regain his good fortune, but you were never as lucky. You hated the way the women would gossip and to think it was all spoiled over one man you decided to be too merciful with because your curiosity could not be controlled made you ready to commit arson.
"Is this how you repay me?" You hissed and the pirate smirked at your words,
"I saved your friend's life, and now you save me. Besides, you did after all wish for me to live. Now, suffer those consequences. When shall a beautiful lady such as yourself realize to never mess with a pirate?" He chuckled, before harshly turning you around with his gun aimed at your head. Your brother flinched at the sudden movement, making sure you were alright. 
"Ladies and gentlemen, you will always remember this as the day you almost caught Jack Sparrow," The pirate's voice boomed from behind you and the very next second you found yourself thrust upon your brother and Elizabeth. As Jack Sparrow hurriedly began his escape, he did not fail to include a personal message from his heart, "Thank you very much, Miss Norrington. I shall not ever forget such kindness!"
And you weren't ready to forget him, either. It would be for another reason. As the night raged on with a surge of pirates infiltrating Port Royal, you felt a growing desire to do something about it. Your brother had joined the Governor for his safety and left you at home to be tended to by the maids. Upon realizing that the front door would burst open regardless of the circumstances, you quietly slipped out the window in your nightly attire and made your way to the blacksmith's quarters where you knew for a fact that your good friend Will Smith would be. Will and you had grown as siblings; he was there for you more than your brother had been. He had anticipated your arrival anyway but found himself in jeopardy when his ears gathered the news that Elizabeth Swann had been abducted by the pirates. He was pacing around when you arrived and he quickly latched onto your shoulders,
"They've taken Elizabeth! I tried my best but-" Will began but you silenced him, bringing a hand to his mouth.
"I know what you must be going through. But there is not enough time. I heard you helped imprison Jack Sparrow." You whispered and he nodded his head, eyes wide as he tried to make the best of the situation, "Come, I have the key with me, we can both interrogate him and seek his help." Your hand fell to his own and led him towards the streets.
"Wait a minute," Will stopped you, and with a glance over your shoulder you already knew what he was about to say. He was going to prevent you from going. "(Y/N), I know you've always wished to escape Port Royal, but I cannot bring harm to you once you step foot onto the waters."
"Will," You chastised him, "I am no longer a little girl. I am very capable of handling my own matters."
"You are inexperienced, that's all I can say." Will rebuked your claim and you gasped at his words, before furrowing your brows,
"So are you!"
"Ah, but I shall be bringing Sparrow with me to help find Elizabeth."
"Oh, don't be so dull! I can help Sparrow and you as well. Do not prevent me from doing so! If it is out of fear that a pirate may do something towards a woman of my status, I assure you that no such thing will occur! If he dares to even look at me, I shall see to it that his eyes are gouged out by his blade!" You reasoned and Will took a step backwards, his lips parting in shock at your words. You had the spirit of a pirate in you that was for sure, and that was exactly what he feared.
"I cannot let you join. Your brother is... already facing loss," He replied in an awkward tone, considering how much he cared about Elizabeth, "He would be devasted to find you gone as well. Just stay put for now. I'm sure there shall be something more exciting for you in Port Royal."
You muttered a few unladylike curses under your breath and reluctantly offered him the key to the jail cell, "At least tell Sparrow that I was... delighted by his presence."
Will raised a suspicious eyebrow at your remark, unsure of how to respond. He nodded his head and then left you alone, as you brought your hands over your arms as your mind wandered towards the sea once again.
To say that Jack Sparrow was surprised by Will's statement regarding you would be an understatement. He couldn't wrap his head around the fact that you so willingly offered him the key to his escape, considering how he had humiliated your brother and especially you in front of everyone at the docks earlier in the day. He chewed his lip, his eyes dilating at the thought of you. The way you stared at him in defiance, your temples rising and falling with the way you clenched your jaw. Of course, who could forget the sensation of your fingers pressed up against him as you fastened his belt? As much of the ladies' man that Jack was, there was something different about you. You weren't like Giselle or Scarlet, complaining about superficial things or just merely trying to get into his pants. He could tell there was this curious spirit fighting to break free when he first laid eyes on you. The way you cautiously peered over your brother's shoulder had made him... well, he certainly wouldn't say his heart skipped a beat. He wasn't a silly little boy. He was a man! A grown man, a pirate! CAPTAIN Jack Sparrow, mind you. And yet here he was, trying to justify to himself that what he felt for you was nothing more than just infatuation that would surely pass on.
But it didn't. It never did. While of course, his thoughts about stealing The Interceptor were his priority, he just couldn't stand still without his mind fleeting over to the very image of you, dressed in that regal bright blue gown and your hair all curled and pinned to form the most exquisite portrait of a woman he'd ever seen in his life. He smirked to himself at the thought of you, wondering what you must be doing at Port Royal at the moment. What if your brother had you married off to someone else? What if you were to live the rest of your life as a boring wife to an equally boring officer? He shook his head, wriggling himself free from those imaginative concoctions. He was a pirate, damn it. He had better things to think about than just a woman he had seen days ago.
"You've got to be kidding me," Your brother grumbled as he pushed past you. You had boarded The Interceptor with him, not because you had wanted to - even though you took every chance out on the sea with gratefulness - but because your brother was so worried about the possibility of your abduction that he wished you were beside him at all times. Including those incredibly still moments of him gazing out into the sea. To him, he seemed to have an air of control, all the world's burdens upon his shoulder. This was his duty. When you gazed out into the sea, however, it was a plethora of possibilities. The unmarked territories you could claim, the desire for you to seek out treasure from all corners. You could be free. And no one would stop you. Save your brother, but that was something he'd always do anyway. Your attention focused on The Dauntless a couple hundred meters away as you noticed flocks of the British crew on small boats were paddling towards the ship you were in. Your brother gazed through his telescope and snarled at the sight, hesitantly passing the device for you to see as well. From afar, you saw Will Turner and... Jack Sparrow? The pirate? Both of them were flapping their arms around trying to make use of the mast. You guffawed at the sight, laughing at them. You turned to face your brother who quickly reminded you with his gaze about your behavior and you swallowed the amusement away as fast as you could.
The two ships - The Dauntless and The Interceptor - were locked horns now and your brother ordered you to come with him to board The Dauntless and put an end to Sparrow's madness. You reluctantly agreed, your eyes scanning around to see any sight of the familiar pirate you had so longed to see. 
"Search every cabin, every hull," Your brother barked, before turning back to you, "And you stay close to me. Do not go wandering about like a fool like you always do." 
You glowered at him, electing not to anger him any further as you stood on the deck. You watched him disappear among the surge of officers onto The Dauntless. You sighed, pacing back and forth when you noticed two men swing over to The Interceptor. It was Will and Jack.
Eyes widening in surprise, you tried to call attention to the situation but your cries fell on deaf ears. You stomped your foot and watched Jack cut off the rope ties, one by one. His gaze was fixed downwards until he looked up momentarily, and there you stood. He stood there for a few more seconds, completely surprised by your presence. Deep down, as much as he hated to admit it, he feared that he would never see you again.
"What are you doing? Cut the rope!" Will cried out in confusion before he followed Jack's eyes to you. Jack looked upwards at the rope still connecting the two boats before turning back to you,
"Jump, Miss Norrington!" He instructed, and you stepped forward, holding onto a long piece of rope. Upon hearing your name, your brother rushed out of the Captain's Quarters, pushing past his men.
"(Y/N)!" He yelled, his eyes daring you to make another move. Realizing that this was the only opportunity to acquire what you had spent so long yearning for; the deep blue seas, the adventure, and the whimsical treasures, you sent him one final glance before running off the deck of The Dauntless and swinging onto The Interceptor. With the final rope now gone, and the ship sailing forward at full speed your brother looked at you as if you were dead to him.
When The Dauntless was far behind and there seemed to be no danger at the present moment, you walked towards your friend Will and the pirate beside him. Will seemed elated that you were there, and he hugged you so warmly that you nearly forgot that he was not related to you by blood. Releasing you from his arms, he sheepishly stepped aside as Jack Sparrow stepped forward.
"Miss Norrington, it is a pleasure to have you on board with us. I almost feared you might not have the guts to swing over," He teased, his hand graciously wrapping around your own as he kissed your fingers with such gentleness that it surprised you. You cracked half a smile at him, narrowing your eyes, before responding,
"You may call me (Y/N), and please, I never turn down an opportunity for adventure."
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intrepidacious · 3 months ago
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just fairer than death
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summary: One night, you pull a dying sailor from the depths of the sea.
pairing: james norrington x siren!reader
word count: 2.3k
warnings: set right after james' canon departure; slight dubcon because sirens; brief blood licking; i think this qualifies as soft dark? please note that my blog is rated 18+. minors dni. ageless/empty blogs will be blocked without warning.
a/n: crawling out of my void with this fic that absolutely no one asked for 🫶🏼 i first wrote this in may so that's how i'm doing at the moment. @brandycranby and @scrumptious-delusion thank you for actually making me finish this story, i love you both so immensely x
masterlist | read on ao3
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It was said, among your kind, that there was nothing more dangerous than a sailor; for you were destined to either love him or kill him.
That is, if he did not kill you first.
Your life had already been long, then, and you’d never even seen a human up close. You’d learned to understand how the seas would change when they had to carry a ship, how the waves would moan under its weight, and you’d taken great pains to avoid watchful eyes in the dark every single time. The odds were stacked against you, and you weren’t ready to risk your life for a notion as abstract as love.
Others, you knew, had been bolder than you. Several of your sisters liked to venture out to take a closer look at a passing vessel and its crew, and some of them had never made it back afterwards. You didn’t like to think what might have happened to them.
It was worse, though, when they did return. Blood on their gills and flesh still stuck between their sharp teeth, a mad, angry, horrified look in their eyes. See what they made me do, it seemed to say. See how they conjure violence from thin air.
Passion, you learned, was a dangerous current to get caught up in.
Night fell early that day, like the goddess herself wanted to hide what was about to happen underneath a shroud of darkness. The sea was quiet. The stars were hiding as you let yourself get carried by the waves with your face turned towards an empty sky, far enough from the cursed ship to stay out of sight. The Flying Dutchman made you shiver in your scales, no matter how many times you smelled her rotten wood from afar. There was nothing good on that ship; nothing good could ever come from it.
You never knew what strange tides carried you closer. These waters had their own sense of humour, sometimes, cruel and biting like medusa venom.
A shout cut through the night, clearly audible even from where you were floating at a distance. Normally, you would’ve taken this as your sign to leave, but for some reason, you hesitated. An icy chill went through you and stopped you from slipping away into the safety of the deep. Instead, you turned your head towards the source of the sound.
Something had plummeted into the water.
You squinted. Yes, you could see several figures, their heads just bobbing above the surface as they moved hastily away from the abominable ship.
Good, you thought. Not even humans deserved the likes of Davy Jones.
Then the wind picked up. It carried the coppery stench of blood and steel mixing with seawater, and the fine hairs covering your neck stood up in response. Every cell of your body was screaming at you to flee, and yet you were unable to move, the ocean gently pushing you closer still.
You couldn’t see anything else in this murky darkness, but a few minutes passed in tense silence before you heard a hollow, ghostly laugh followed by another splash. The sea tasted of iron, too, now; and of something else.
It was that other, undetermined thing that made you swim closer against your every instinct. You were still far enough from the Dutchman to be out of sight, the tides moving in your favour, when you saw the shape in the water.
It was drifting away from the vessel as well, but in a way much more uncoordinated than the ones you’d seen earlier, barely staying afloat for another moment before the ocean swallowed it whole.
You did not hesitate this time.
Underwater, it was much easier for your eyes to make out the shape, sinking heavily as the ship’s wake pushed it down, down towards the bottom of the ocean. A muscle strained in your tail, your gills protesting as you shot through the waters to get a proper look before it fell out of sight. You still didn’t understand why.
Goddess help you, you should’ve known.
For something as terrible as a sailor, he didn’t look all that intimidating. He only looked decidedly lifeless, his eyes closed, limbs floating loosely. Blood tinted the water around him, coming from a hole in his chest that probably wasn’t supposed to be there. Then again, what did you know about humans?
You wondered if all of them looked this beautiful.
Then, like a shockwave, you remembered that they needed air to breathe.
Before you could consciously decide on it, you had grabbed the sailor under his shoulders and dragged him back up. He was heavier than a grown reef shark, unresponsive dead weight, the ocean refusing to loosen her grip on him.
Finally, you burst through the surface again, a gasp of relief escaping you when you spotted a sandbank not that far away. The Dutchman, thankfully, was far off in the distance by now. No ghostly eye saw you taking off into the opposite direction with the lifeless sailor the ship had spat out.
You couldn’t help but glance at your charge every now and again as you struggled to keep him afloat. He had lost part of his hair to the currents, and the rest of it had another colour underneath, dark like sea weeds. You could only hope that he didn’t need the upper part.
But need it for what, exactly? This man was dead; or at least mostly so. He still smelled slightly alive, and his skin was warm against yours.
"What am I doing?" you whispered to yourself as you tightened your grasp around his shoulders.
Careful, sang the waves. Do not play with things you don’t understand.
But what a ridiculous warning that was. You knew this man was in no shape to harm you, so how could your curiosity be something terrible?
After what felt like hours, your hands touched rock and sand. With great effort, you managed to heave the sailor onto it. No matter how much you scowled at the waves, his head kept rolling back under water, until you lifted yourself up and carefully put it in your lap.
Your tail was aching with exhaustion and your uncomfortable position, but you couldn’t keep your eyes off him. Breathe, you thought, holding his face in your hands, breathe.
The sailor didn’t listen, but then again, he was mostly dead.
You could feel your heart racing as desperation started to rise. What had you done this for, then, if he refused to cling to life after all? It was as if something had possessed you, and now that you were halfway through the motions it dictated, you’d been once again left alone with your thoughts and the rush of the sea around you.
Something compelled you to push a strand of wet, dark hair away from his face. No; he didn’t look intimidating at all.
Love him or kill him.
You were a simple creature steered by fate as much as anyone, and right now, you were a helpless guppy between her fingers. You wondered what colour his eyes might be.
He was so heavy on you, like his weight was trying to remind you of the odd reality of this situation. You had no idea what to do, and so you kept staring at him.
Like small fish lured in by photophore, your fingers trailed inevitably downwards to that strange hole in his chest. Human blood smelled the same as yours, and it had the same colour, as far as you could tell; but it was warm.
Hesitantly, you pulled your hand back and licked it up.
An involuntary sigh left your lips.
Sweet. Maddeningly sweet. Even after just a few drops, you could see why your sisters would lose their minds over this. You could feel your mouth watering as you savoured the taste, your mind going blissfully blank.
This was like nothing you’d ever experienced.
Your heart was beating a frenzy as you heaved the sailor up in your lap and leaned over his chest, dipping your tongue against the hole. Each lick of blood intensified the gentle buzz in your head, a giddy lightness spreading through your limbs, your chest, your very core.
Just before you lost yourself entirely to this sensation, you heard a low rumbling noise. Gurgling, like stuck water. The sound faded again almost instantly.
Around you, the wind picked up, the waves rumbling menacingly, and you looked up to see the clouds darkening overhead. A storm was coming, after all.
You went to continue your meal and found that the hole had closed up.  Soft, reddened skin covered it like it had never been there in the first place. Only a small, shimmering scar remained, and you traced your fingers along it in wistful wonderment, blinking as you wiped your mouth and came to your senses again.
How strange, indeed.
Still, your appetite had been wet, now. You looked at the sailor’s face again, craving more of his sweetness. Maybe …
Slowly, you brushed your lips against his, breathing into him as you carefully nipped at his flesh. He tasted like the sea, here, salt and brine and something else entirely, something that made you press closer as you exhaled into him.
Perfect, you thought because you’d never felt anything so true, all things falling into place for the first time in your life. It sent a pleasant tingle up your spine.
A sound again; this time, it reverberated in your mouth. The sea lashed at you but you ignored it, pushing into the noise as if going to smother it, and then something moved in your lap and the mostly dead sailor grunted weakly against your lips.
You flinched backwards as he sputtered before you, his entire body convulsing as he coughed up seawater and blood. Each rattled breath ended with another fit of coughs until finally, he calmed, slumping back into his previous position in your lap.
It was then, for the first time, that he opened his eyes.
They were green, green like the deep sea on a particularly fine day, green like a palm leaf on the beach at Whitecap Bay, green like shards of smooth seaglass, polished and shimmering. Even in the darkness, they were bright, and they were looking up at you in confusion.
You were confused, too. Something very odd was happening, and so you leaned in and you did the only thing your mind could think of at that moment. You pressed your lips against his once more.
Again, you were filled with that feeling of rightness as you pressed closer, as his mouth gently moved against yours as if in an unheard question before answering you in equal. Yes, yes.
You didn’t understand but this was the way things should be, how they were always meant to go, how—
Cool hands pulled your face away and an involuntary whine escaped you. The sea green eyes had darkened, softened, and they blinked at you several times before the sailor asked, "Am I dead?"
"Not anymore," you said, making to move closer again. He didn’t let you, his hand solid against your cheek.
"I don’t—I’m not sure what happened." His voice was hoarse with the salt of the ocean. His thumb kept tracing your cheekbone like he wasn’t able to comprehend you were actually here. "I thought I was dead."
"Does it matter?" you asked. Your voice was gaining a sing-songy quality entirely of its own accord, and it made his seaglass eyes glaze over a little.
He made to sit up and even though some deep, primal instinct didn’t want him to withdraw even a little, you helped steady his shaking arms until he was upright. Still, your tail was relieved at the lifted weight, giving an involuntary spasm that splashed in the water.
The sailor barely seemed to notice, even as he looked around at his surroundings. The wind howled and dark waves kept lapping at his legs as he tried to get his bearings.
It was a long time before his eyes settled on you again.
"Who are you?" he said, and there was wonder in his voice, incredulity.
Beautiful, you thought again.
You told him your name, quickly, without even thinking about it. Your kind wasn’t usually supposed to share this information; names held power, after all. But this was different. He was different.
"What about you, sailor?" you asked softly. "What do they call you?"
"I … James," he said, his brow furrowed in concentration, like he wasn’t all that sure at all. "Admiral James Norrington of the EC … the EITC. I think."
"Don’t think," you said, putting a hand on his chest. You could feel his heartbeat in there, fast enough for it to sound as if he, like some creatures, had three of them. Unlikely, of course, but what did you know?
In time, he might spare one of them for you.
For some reason, that thought didn’t shock you.
"I should …" he said, his eyes half-shut again. You wanted to kiss away that frown. You wondered if his smile was as magnificent as you imagined, hidden somewhere beneath that stern face. "There was something … someone …"
It broke your heart, the way that worry weighed on him. You needed to take care of him. Take him somewhere safe, somewhere he could rest.
"Don’t worry, James Norrington," you said gently, slowly leaning in once more; he didn’t stop you. "It’s going to be all right."
This time, when your mouths connected, he sighed, like he was letting go of whatever burden his memory was trying to remind him of. This time, his arms came around you and wrapped tightly around your shoulders so that when you slipped into the water, he clung to you, your lips still moving in perfect tandem. He tasted divine.
Yes, you thought, maybe there was a point to these stories about sailors after all.
But this one … he was good. He was yours.
And you intended to keep him.
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madhatterbri · 9 months ago
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Loyalties | J.N.
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Summary: "You return her back to me, and you will be reinstated all your previous titles. No questions asked,"
@plentyoffandoms
James Norrington stared at the sword in his hand. His thoughts ran wild. How he missed being part of the British Royal Navy just as his father before him. He felt lost without it like a piece of him was gone. The other man spoke like he could read his mind.
"You return her back to me, and you will be reinstated with all your previous titles. No questions asked,"
The older gentleman's words immediately captured his attention. He was dumb struck. The one thing he wanted more than anything dangled in front of him. The opportunity to be a Commodore once more. All for him if he returned Y/N to her father.
"A gentleman's agreement?" James asked with little hesitation.
Y/N's father nodded. "Take the sword to show my good faith,"
🏴‍☠️
James managed to find Y/N and the crew without being caught talking to the enemy. He slipped into the room and stopped seeing her. Captain Y/N looked absolutely worried. The pirate next to her pointed towards James. Her eyes followed to meet his. A sigh of relief and a huge smile appeared on her face.
"I believe the search party for Mister Norrington is dismissed. You all may leave. We will leave the island in the morning," she announced and waved her hand to shoo them. The men grumbled at first yet were happy to be free from finding a man that hated all of them.
Once they left, she ran to him and hugged him. Her arms wrapped securely around his waist. Her head rested against his chest and listened to his heartbeat. To his embarrassment, the organ seemed to quicken at her affection.
"Captain Y/N, I pray my absence wasn't too hard on you," he spoke, trying to remain in control of his emotions. No one had ever cared so much about him. She pulled away from him.
"There has been rumors of my father and his men nearby. My men did a search, and they didn't find a trace of him. I was so worried he got you," she sighed and stared in his eyes. He stared back at hers. Doubt now filled his mind.
Where exactly does his loyalties lie?
🏴‍☠️
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hannaswritingblog · 10 months ago
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Imagine: Jack Sparrow and James Norrington getting jealous of you
Fandom: Pirates of the Caribbean
Suggested by anon [x] – I really hope that this imagine is at least close to what you had in mind and that you like it! And if you have any other suggestions, my inbox is always open. 😊
You're walking down a pier in the Port Royal harbour, trying to clear your mind. Everyone's been waiting for James Norrington to be promoted to Commodore for a while now and today, on a day of the official ceremony, the area is buzzing with excitement.
Being a part of James's immediate circle, you should feel that excitement too. Deep in your heart you certainly do. But at the same time you can't help but wonder how your life would've gone if you didn't abandon your life at sea. Your life as a pirate...
Lost in your thoughts, you don't realise you're not alone anymore until you feel a tap on your shoulder, forcing you to turn around only to see the soon-to-be Commodore next to you.
"Is something bothering you, Y/N?" Norrington says, smiling softly.
"Oh, it's... nothing, James. Nothing's bothering me. I was just thinking about... my past."
His smile immediately fades away, but he manages to keep his composure as he tells you:
"You don't have to worry about your past. Nobody around knows that you were a pirate except me, and I intend on keeping your secret safe, just as I promised."
"Thank you. But... you know who was my captain during my time as a pirate, right?"
A solemn expression crosses his face before he says:
"Yes. Yes, I know. And it doesn't change a thing."
Deep down you know it changes a lot, but neither of you is going to admit it. But even though his pride must be hurt, you appreciate that James is steady in his promise.
"I'm glad. If you could give me one more minute alone though. I'll join you soon."
"Of course."
He bows to you slightly and walks away. You wait for Norrington to be gone from your sight before reluctantly following him.
On your way out of the harbour you pass a familiar figure. It takes you a second to realise where you know the person from, but once you do, you can't help but turn around and call out:
"Jack!"
"Oh. So it really is you, Y/N," Jack Sparrow says, walking back to you. "Didn't expect to see you around, sweetie."
"As if it wasn't where you dropped me off last time we saw each other," you respond.
"Okay, so maybe I knew I'd find you here. But not in the company of an officer of the Royal Navy, for sure."
"Oh, Norrington? He's just a..." You stop for a second when you notice that Jack's usual sly smile is now gone. "Wait... are you jealous?"
"What, me? Jealous? Of some officer? Never." Only when you raise an eyebrow at him, he admits: "Okay. I might be just a little jealous. But if this is how you live now..."
"Yes. I believe it is."
"...then I won't try to change your mind."
Something in your heart stings, as if you wanted him to try. You almost ask him to, but instead you catch yourself saying:
"Thank you. I still hope you'll stick around; Norrington is promoted to Commodore today, it's a chance to have some fun."
"You should stop tempting me, Y/N. A chance to have a good time and be in your presence? I reckon I shall stick around."
Jack sends you a smile before you part ways. And that smile is how you know he's back to his usual self and besides the fun, you can definitely expect some trouble.
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imaginepirates · 2 years ago
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An Unexpected Reunion
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Essentially, this is a sort of sic-fic for an anon who wanted to see the reader look after James. After his stint in Tortuga, when he doesn't have the strength to care for himself, he ends up on the Pearl, and the reader helps him out. The two just so happen to be previously acquainted—the reader is a pirate James once had in custody. Mild angst ensues.
@emdrabbles @tesserphantom @viper-official @hellspawn-brownies @groovy-lady @ghoulishbehaviour @wordsinwinters
~3k words
~~~~~~~
If you knew one thing about former Commodore James Norrington it was this: he did not know how to take a break. 
Even now, as you watched him struggle to keep upright, he didn’t quite seem to understand the disadvantage he was at. He wavered, leaning hard on the ship’s rail before trying to stand on his own. He convulsed a little, as if he might throw up, and though you wouldn’t have been surprised, a fresh wave of pity rolled over you. 
You had feared him, once. Done your best to keep out from under his iron grasp of the law. You’d failed, too. Other than Elizabeth, you were the person aboard the Pearl who knew him best. I knew his prison cells, too, you reminded yourself. 
He looked up at you, and you made eye-contact. There was a foggy recognition in his face, and you watched the gears in his head turn as he attempted to make sense of who you were. 
“Am I that hard to remember?” You walked toward him, hoping he wouldn’t fall on you. “I’m offended,” you teased. 
Norrington looked you over with disgust, as if he were in a position to do so. “I arrested you.”
“I’m flattered you recall.”
He frowned. “You escaped.
“I hope that’s not a sore spot?”
Norrington shot you a venomous glare, though there didn’t seem to be much actual hatred behind it. Oh, it had been one for the ages. The escape had been anything but easy, you’d give him that, and most of it had been the opportunity of chance, but you were one of the few, if perhaps the only, pirate to have escaped the young officer. You’d hoped never to see him again, to boast your tale without being  caught a second time. You’d even left the Caribbean for a time to evade him. Now Jack shared your fame, though on a technicality, you knew, and here poor Norrington had to put up with you both. 
You’d never expected to meet him again, and certainly not like this, brought so low. You hadn’t even known the world was capable of bringing a man like him to his knees. 
“You look like you just crawled out of a pigsty.” You frowned, hoping you weren’t right. 
Norrington smirked, an expression you’d never seen on the man, and it was not a particularly pleasant thing to see. “Sparrow employs from interesting places.”
You sighed. “At least let me help you not look like hell?”
“What would you care?” Norrington cast you a suspicious glance, though he let you wrap a stabilizing arm around his shoulders. 
“You didn’t let me look like shit when it was your ship I was on,” you mumbled, somewhat reluctantly. 
In truth, James Norrington had taken shockingly good, if not necessarily tender, care of you while you were his prisoner. It may have been humiliating at times; being ordered to wash, getting inspected by the ship’s surgeon, and having your hair shorn to prevent lice; but it had kept you healthy, and, in Norrington’s reasoning, kept you alive until your due time at the gallows. That, and rendering you incapable of getting his crew sick. Though you had cursed his name every day, you knew he hadn’t needed to go to such lengths. 
Surprise crossed the man’s face, but he said nothing. You helped him belowdecks to a rather empty store room, bracing him on the stairs to keep him upright. You left him a moment, returning with a basin of water, some cloth, and a comb, hoping that it might do something for his raggedy appearance. 
“The wig has to go.” 
James snatched it off his head, regarding the thought with reluctance. “It’s one of the last reminders of home.”
“Which is half the reason you need to get rid of it,” you said, tone softening. You took it from his hands, setting it out of sight. “It’ll only make you more miserable.” You pushed the coat off his shoulders as well; it was well overdue for a meeting with a washing board.
For a while, you stood in silence, James letting you wash his face with the cloth, trying to get mud out of his hairline. He scrubbed down his shins and forearms, rolling up tattered sleeves to expose newly tanned skin. There were scars there, too, old ones and new, and you remembered an occupation in the Navy was every bit as dangerous as piracy was. 
“You gave me one of those.” Norrington interrupted the silence, rubbing his thumb over a small scar on his left arm. “Capturing you wasn’t as easy as planned. You nearly gave me another, too, when you tried biting me.”
You laughed, taken aback. You’d forgotten about it—you lashed out at him when he made the surgeon wash and cut your hair. 
“It wasn’t funny,” he said, but he was smiling all the same. “I thought you were going to take off a finger.”
“Oh, I wanted to. I do hope you aren’t thinking of returning the favor.”
“Does this mean my hair is next?”
“It certainly does. I’m going to have to pull all manner of debris out of it, aren’t I? Maybe I should’ve grabbed gloves.”
James snorted. “I didn’t know you had a sense of humor.”
“I could say the same about you.” You moved to stand behind him where he sat on a barrel, taking the comb in your hands and gently teasing knots out of the ends of his hair. 
James’ voice sobered. “Why are you doing this?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean that you have every reason to hate me. I held you as my captive, and when you escaped, I spent months trying to hunt you down. If you hadn’t managed to evade me, I would’ve been your ticket to the gallows. I might as well have been the noose around your neck myself.”
You sucked in a breath, unprepared for the question. Not that you hadn’t expected it. Why am I helping him? “You were doing your job, I was doing mine. I’m glad you failed.”
“That still doesn’t explain—”
“Look,” you interrupted. “I’d heard all the stories. When you’re a pirate, and you get arrested, the Navy does all sorts of things to you. You beat us, you maim us, you starve and strip and use us as entertainment. As long as we’re still alive to dance the hangman’s jig at the end, you can do whatever you want to us.” You’d stopped combing, and you could tell, despite the fact that you couldn’t see his face, Norrington was listening intently. “You could have done all sorts of things to me, or let your men have their way.” Your voice grew soft again. “The worst thing you did was cut off my hair. Turns out I had lice anyway, so I probably should’ve thanked you for it.”
James turned to look at you, mouth half open to say anything, but there wasn’t anything to say. His gaze returned to his boots, and you couldn’t help but notice the tightness in his jaw. 
You changed the subject. “How long has it been since you’ve kept a meal down?”
“Too long,” he grimaced. “I’m afraid the rum has done its job.”
“Do you want me to get you something? You can wash the rest of yourself while I’m away.”
James only nodded, but you took that as a good enough sign to go in search of food. Ships didn’t carry much fresh food, but if you could find bread without weevils in it, you might be able to keep him from throwing up. 
You raided the kitchen, tapping biscuits against the wall to loose any bugs that may have burrowed into them. Before you headed back, you rested against the wall, taking a few steadying breaths. You didn’t like talking about your captivity, and you could never fully justify taking care of him. He was right: he might as well have been the hangman and the noose. 
“How’s the former Commodore?” Jack stood in front of you, teasing expression firmly in place. 
“Much better now that I’ve tossed the wig.”
Jack made a face at the mention of the wig. He’d made more than a few comments about how ‘that damned Commodore would be far more handsome without the stupid thing’. “I’m thinking about tossing him out entirely.”
“Jack.” You crossed your arms. 
“What?”
“Why did you agree to let him on, anyway?”
“I wouldn’t say I agreed, love. Agreements aren’t made at gunpoint.”
Norrington still wants him dead, then. “And yet he hasn’t gone through with it.”
Jack shrugged, as if he hadn’t given the matter much thought. You knew better, of course. He turned to leave, but not before throwing a comment over his shoulder. “He’s not a killer.”
By the time you got back to James, he had his hair mostly untangled and was struggling to find a way to keep it out of his face. You stepped in, handing him the bread and braiding his hair back with practiced fingers. There was a weight to the action, and you felt it acutely, twisting strands of long, damp hair together, surprised by its length, wondering how Norrington could’ve kept it tucked under his wig like this, and you knew he felt it too. 
“Eat,” you told him. “And try not to puke on me.”
He stuck the bread skeptically in his mouth, as if expecting it to taste like the bottom of a muddy boot. It was somewhat awkward to watch him, but you were right to keep your focus on him; it wasn’t long before he had his eyes closed against an obvious wave of nausea. You placed a hand on his back, rubbing his shoulder gently in hopes that it might distract him. 
“I must seem pathetic like this.”
“You’ve seen me pretty low, too, so I can hardly judge.” James scoffed, but didn’t pull away from your touch. 
“At least you had it in you to escape. Which,” he turned to you, eyebrows raised, “you never have explained to me.”
“Has that been bothering you all these years?” You couldn’t help but feel somewhat smug, knowing you got the best of a man who was, by all means, smarter than you, and who’d had many more resources on hand. 
“Obviously,” he drawled, though he seemed more amused than embarrassed.
“Well, it was mostly luck. You had me locked up pretty tight.” That was an understatement. Beyond the obvious fact that you’d been behind bars, thick ones at that, there were two guards posted outside the brig at all times. Not to mention the leagues between you and any sign of shore. You may have been a fairly good pirate, but those were bad odds. 
It had been the mailing ship, in the end, that had been your key to salvation. “I’ll forever be thankful that your holding cells had—and still have—one major flaw, not that I’m telling you what it is.” At James look of annoyance, you smiled. “Sorry. Old habits and all that.” Half pin-barrel hinges, you thought to yourself before continuing. “I also, through virtue of talking marines, knew the mail carrier had shown up. It gave me just the blossom of hope, and the opportunity, I needed.”
The door guards reduced from two to one as one of them headed off, presumably in the direction of mail. And why should they have worried? You hadn’t been able to cause any trouble, even when you were taken out of your cell for inspection by the ship’s surgeon. So that left you with one marine to deal with, and one iron door to pop off its hinges, which you did with the conveniently placed bench inside your cell. 
The clattering of the door got the marine running into the room, leaving the door to the brig wide open for your escape. All it took was an elbow to the gut and a knee to the face and the poor man was on the ground. You’d almost felt bad about it. Almost. But you saved your pity and ran like hell, scurrying up to one of the gun decks before anyone knew you were missing. 
“Then came the tricky part,” you mused. “I had to jump out of a gun port without anyone noticing, then scramble onto the mail carrier somehow. By all accounts it shouldn’t have worked.” But something had happened on deck which caught quite a bit of attention, and you were left to plop into the ocean below. “I’d never been so happy to be swimming in my life. I made it onto one of the lower decks of the other ship, through another gunport, and hid in a storage room until it reached St. Augustine.”
James grimaced. “You have no idea the strings I had to pull to get my men into that city.”
You shrugged. St. Augustine was a Spanish city, and you had no doubt tensions between Norrington and the city officials had run high. “I was already out by then. Seems those strings weren’t pulled fast enough.”
“No.” Your hand still sat on his back, though he’d managed to finish the bread. A light sheen of sweat dotted his forehead, a symptom you’d known to expect from an alcoholic, and you reached for the washcloth to wipe it away. “What if they had been?” His tone took on a miserable note.
You wiped the cloth across his face, your free hand gently holding the side of his head still. “Then you would have caught me, and I would be dead.”
“That doesn’t bother you?”
“Should it?” You moved to the back of his neck, where sweat had begun to run into his shirt collar. “We led lives that were diametrically opposed. We both knew what that meant. I ran that risk willingly.”
You continued with the cloth, never dropping the hand from his head, and though it may have been your imagination, he seemed to lean into the touch. You wondered how long it had been since anyone had shown him a hint of tenderness—since before his arrival in Tortuga? Longer?
James changed the subject. “Once you’re done making sure I’m not puking on myself, what do you plan to do with me?”
“Do with you?” You raised an eyebrow. “I don’t plan to do anything with you—or to you, if that’s what you’re worried about.” You didn’t miss the flush that crept up his neck at your teasing. You found it kind of sweet, if anything, that he continued to have the bashful streak Elizabeth had told you so much about. “I hope you’ll consider staying around more than a week so I can get to know you better, though.”
“You do?” He turned to you, his surprise genuine. It hurt you a little to see, but you supposed it was to be expected. If your roles were reversed, would he be saying the same?
“You’ve been given a unique opportunity, Ex-Commodore. You have the chance to start over with a group of people who don’t particularly like you, and you have the chance to make a home with them. We can be a close-knit group, you know, us pirates.” You smiled. “I’d take that chance if I were you.”
“I’m not sure I have much of a choice. The admiralty wants my head.”
“Better give them a good reason for it, then.”
James laughed at that, and some of the heaviness in the air dissipated. He looked markedly better now that he’d relaxed and some of the color had returned to his face. He could even be handsome, you supposed. You hadn’t let yourself think of it during your capture, though he had looked dashing in that uniform, and you wouldn’t be surprised if you heard multiple women had eyed him with eager interest back in Port Royal.
He’d been a different man then. You couldn’t help the serious tone that crept into your voice as you spoke. “You’ll take better care of yourself after this, yes?”
He sighed. “I don’t suppose I have much of a choice in that, either. I can’t really make things worse.”
The words did nothing to assure you. “You owe it to yourself, you know.” Your hand had fallen from his face, but you placed it there again, drawing his eyes to yours. “No matter what happens to you, no matter how low you think you’ve gotten, you still deserve your own care.”
James looked too lost for words, instead turning away shyly with no little amount of shame. 
“Hey,” you softened your voice. “You’ll learn. Here, with us. Most of the crew have spent their entire lives looking out for themselves. And we’re the lowest of the low; the poorest, the drunkest, the most battered and beaten and worn. We still take care of ourselves, even when we sometimes wash up in the brig of a Naval ship. We’ll teach you how to quit carrying shame.”
James looked back up at you, nodding. He kept your hand in place with one of his, callouses from his palm brushing against your skin. You ran your fingers through his hair with your other hand, gently carding through dark tresses, and when he closed his eyes, you could feel him suppressing tears. 
He took a steadying breath, bracing himself before he could open his eyes. “Thank you. For all of this. I hope I can repay you for it, someday.”
“Given the shitty circumstances under which we tend to look after each other, let’s hope not, actually.”
He smiled wearily, and you moved to sit on a barrel across from him. The voyage ahead was long and likely not without its dangers, and having Norrington as a friend through it all didn’t seem like a terrible prospect.
As you talked on, sharing stories as sailors did, you knew he’d make it. Of course he would. A man who had the dedication to chase you across the Caribbean for months had it in him to live with you for a few weeks. You’d already survived each other once. 
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esta-elavaris · 1 month ago
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WICKED GAME FINAL CHAPTER IS UP
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8k words, most of 'em filthy xoxo
Feels so good to finally cross a project off the list!! Enjoy!!
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callmejod · 9 months ago
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Yey! I love him so much but there is so little for him! Could you do a headcanon for him falling in love again (reciprocated) post potc please- if we pretend he didn't die. Pretty please.
Hohohohohohohoho this was also on my mind for a few weeks
Had to mill it over the last few days, sorry for not responding. I also wrote this for an entire day so I hope you like it.
Kinda oc reader, foreign!reader, James being down bad for the reader , reader being too good to be true
This got really long so bare with me
I don't know if I'm even able to write short fics
So the jist is :
If he didn't die and came back to Port Royal as Admiral Norrgington - he would be happy he got his career, his honor and his purpose back.
Living on the sea has changed him. He no longer could stand this uptight, fake world that Port Royal thrives in. The cravats, the paperwork, the wigs. Fuck, he couldn't breathe most of the time, always sweaty in the thousand-layer suits, head itching from both the powder and the weigt of his hats. Having to sit through those god awful formal dinners, balls that bring nothing but superficial gossip was nothing but pure torture. Don't get me wrong - he's grateful for being able to even attend them, but the honest, freeing way of pirate life has broken him out of the cage of chaperoned conversations with ladies and standoffish men making fools out of themselves. He remembers the joyous dancing, full of fluidity and life, now having to endure stiff, distant and "civilised" english dancing.
One day, while having a conversation with one of the Ports ministers he hears about a merchant who's come from afar. He knows of your stay at Jamaica. He had a few documents regarding your long stay brought to his office to sign. Your ship suffered damage in a run-in with pirates and had a lot of repairs to do. A gorgeous vessel. He wonders if the captain is as handsome as their ship. Hopes he gets to meet you before you leave. You only arrived four days ago, and already the talk of the ton. Impressive.
The men described you as lively, wild as a tropical storm. The ministers complained about your accent, your way of dressing, your carefreeness, anything they can put a pin in, they do. James feels quite uncomfortable listening to the convesation not being able to put in anything. He then sets his mind to finding out who you are - he has grown out of judging a person by word from another mouth.
That encounter came earlier than he expected. And to be frank - saved him from a horrible stack of particularily boring paperwork. Having you barge in full-force into his office steaming mad, followed by two petrified soldiers was not something on his agenda. He noticed the few things the ministers mentioned - clothes of unusual cut and style, quite tasteful if his opinion was concerned, hair and hairstyle so different from locals that there was no mistaking you. You were the eccentric foreigner. But fawning over your beauty was for another time - now he had an angry merchant going off about something he both didn't listen to for a while and frankly, couldn't really understand due to your speed of speech.
'S-sorry could you slow down a second. I'm afraid I'm loosing some of what you're saying."
'Sir they need to make an appoin-'
'It's fine gentlemen, this must be urgent if I am needed. Please, let us speak in private.'
After the guards step out, he offers you to sit and something to drink.
'I have no need for no courtesy Admiral. I need a problem fixed. You can skip this stupid charade.'
'Oh, then it is more serious than I've thought. What is the problem?'
'Those - those'
You wave your hand in the air to make him help you find a word.
'Minosters of yours'
'Ministers?'
'Yes! Those idiots. They won't let me handle my own ship the way it needs to be. It needs to be seen by - argh!'
Your frustration runs high. He smiles.
'There's no need to stress. You mean carpenters? Is there a problem with the wood of your ship?'
'Are those who work with wood?'
'Yes, so you need to hire carpenters and the dock officials won't let you? That is strange. You have registered your stay and gave us all the documents we need.'
'But they don't!!'
You grab his forearm and try dragging him out of the office. He slows you down and explains that he will talk to them, just let him take a few things. You scoff and cross your arms.
'You English and your weird rules. Wasting time and not helping.'
He couldn't agree with you more. He smiles and starts walking out. When you two make your way to the port, he has difficulty keeping his pace with you - passersby stare at you storming off to port with their Admiral desperately trying to keep up with you. You sometimes mumble curses in languages he does not ever try to understand, but you two make your way faster than he realised was possible.
There you stomp to an official, who not seeing James trailing behond you shouts:
'Ow piss of ya cunt! I won't let you disgrace our carpenters by working on a ship that carries your kind!'
James is stunned you don't rip his head off when he sees your fists clench by your sides. Anger nips at his mind, how dare he treat you like this?! When slows his pace and asks in a flat voice:
'What do you mean "their kind"? Is that how my officials treat esteemed, foreign guests? And how dare you use such language to a person that was only looking for your help.'
The man's face whites and he starts to stutter an apology, but James stops it and sends him to get carpenters. Admiral's orders. When the official slips away to fill his duty, James turns to you and starts profusely apologising for the incompetence of his subordinates.
He's horrified when you inform him, that this is not the first - ha!, only time of being mistreated because of your looks or manner of speech. Anger boils in him when he hears that not only you, but majority of your crew had to endure this for a while now, accomodation denied not by matter of the lack of, but prejudice. Before he even thinks, he immedeately offers you a place in his home - something that brings surprise to you both. He cannot stand the thought you had to sleep on your ship when there was far grater comforts available.
He flushes red and again apologises for being inappropraite, but gets cut off by your boisterous laughter. The sound hypnotises him, seeing you smile for the first time makes his heart bang on his ribs. You laugh so hard tears come to you eyes and a shortness of breath. He cares not that many are looking at you two or the impropriatey of the situation. Time freezes for him. There's only you and him.
'Oh admiral, you are funny. I cannot leave my men to sleep on the ship when I am given all comforts of life.'
James flushes again and meekly asks:
'Then would you accept a simple dinner as an apology for your mistreatement?'
He almost doubles over when you beam at him and accept. The way you look at him so amused - he would make the biggest fool out of himself just to keep that look in your eyes. You set a date for a few weeks later and James makes sure that your your crew is not being mistreated anymore than they already have. Of course, Gilette and Groves relentlessly teased him for his obvious affection towards you. They weren't surprised though, it was hard not to even tolerate you.
Over those few weeks he started to watch you closely. Both of you were invited for a few balls, and the conversations you two had were the most fulfilling he had in a long long time. Your knowledge of the sea, of literature, politics and history had impressed him and added a new dimention to your person - not only beautiful, but wise.
He saw you many times playing with children on the street, helping people in need, play-fighting with young boys, showing them your battle scars and sometimes even your handpistol or sword.
You brought an air of freshness to the stuffy, ever "proper" society of Port Royal. You smiled often, you were polite to those who deserved it, made an effort to not be a bother. Yet, you never hesitated to get you crew in line when they were causing a ruckus.
Your manner of speech was charming, that certain twang to english and he would be a liar if he denied finding your way of trying to remember words or coming up with new ones when you couldn't was not adorable. Talking with using your hands was also a thing he found endearing. He would deny it to his grave in front of you, die of embarrasment if you knew. He heard that you got into a heated conversation with your first officer, and while talking with using your hands smacked a passing lady in the face. Apologised a lot and brought her an apology gift in form of a few yards of stunning blue silk. The dress she had comissioned to be made of it was breathtaking. But nothing could ever compare to your beauty.
All this was just pulling him into your direction. And when the awaited evening came, James was so nervous about everithing being perfect. You were perfect so your expectations were not to be let down. But, you being you, as if feeling his nervousness arrived early and instead of courtsies and stiff welcomes hugged him like a family member long missed.
As the dinner went on, your conversation flowed over many topics, never ending, never boring. You moved to the sitting room, where to James' torture you sprawled yourself over a love seat and rested. He sat, watching you strech like cat, admiring you quietly. You made eye contact with him and asked :
'James, would you like me to court you?'
He choked on his spit. In a coughing attack, he flushed so red, you jumped to your feet and held his shoulder to try and help. After a while of hacking and a visit from a concerned maid, he stopped and looked at you, not knowing what to say. He saw the unceirtainty in your eyes, even hurt.
'Do you not wish me to court you, James?'
His eyes widened. After years of endlessly chasing Elizabeth's affection, you being so open about it shocked him. He knew he harboured feelings for you but never imagined that feeling would be reciprocated. He took your hands and squeezed them.
'I was just cuaght off guard, dear don't worry. It's standard for men here to ask someone to court.'
'So I'm supposed to wait forever? You have been open with your feelings, but I am an impatient person James. I do not make games.'
'Play games?'
'Is that how you say it?"
James chuckled an held a hand to your face. That prompted you to surge forward and kiss him. For a second, he froze in surprise but leaned into you, sighing into the kiss. You threw your arms over his shoulders and he moaned.
That made you break apart from him and look into the sea green of his eyes. Your warm breath fanned his face, heating it impossibly more. You seemed lost in them and made him nervous that he did something wrong. Seeing his concern, you locked your lips again in a gentle kiss. God, he never wanted it to end. He smiled into the kiss, making you giggle. You two broke apart and looked at each other.
James then spoke :
'I would very much like you to court me, if you let me do the same.'
'Finally making some sense, James.'
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ereyies · 7 months ago
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"... Do you gamble, Commodore James Norrington? The Gambler, myself, cannot play until the second party, yourself, has consented. However, I think you'll find I am rather persuasive..."
this is so cringe,, insert shinji chair pose.
just my fav frames from my latest tik tok video
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justsomerandomfanfic · 2 years ago
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You, Me, And The Seven Seas - James Norrington X Female Reader
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Title: You, Me, And The Seven Seas
James Norrington X Female Reader
Additional Characters: Will (Mentioned), Jack (Mentioned), Elizabeth (Mentioned), Elizabeth's dad (Mentioned), Reader's family (Mentioned), James's father (Mentioned), and Barbossa (Mentioned)
WC: 2,967
Warnings: James's drunk, alcohol mentioned, awkwardness, previous engagement to Elizabeth mentioned, kidnapping mentioned, mention of killing (No killing written), anxiety, yelling, fighting (verbal), angst, friends to enemies to lovers, weapons mentioned, Reader wears obvious pirate attire, confessions, and huge fluff ending
You stood in the back corner of the Black Pearl's deck, arms crossed as you leaned against the ebony wood. You stared at James as he swayed and stumbled, standing near the edge of the ship; looking sick from all the alcohol he ingested. He looked awful. Brown hair messy and tangled, put into a ponytail on his head. Outfit in complete ruins, ripped and haggard. His skin, dirty of sweat and grime… He was no longer the Commodore he used to be. Nor was he the man you used to know. 
There was an off tension in the air, no one on the ship spoke. Or, more importantly, no one had spoken to James since he "joined" the crew. Not Will, not Jack, and not even Elizabeth. Which you found odd. You thought out of everyone, besides yourself, that she'd speak to him. 
Well, you couldn't really say anything. Since his arrival… You hadn't said a word to him either.
You wanted to say something… Anything. James had been your friend. A long time ago. You had met as children, spending most of your time together. It wasn't all sunshine and rainbows though, when you were younger you had been kidnapped by pirates. And with some sort of luck, they didn't kill you. The Captain, Barbossa, surprisingly had mercy, and trained you. 
For the next couple of years, you were trained in the ways of becoming a pirate. You had also gone through a lot, Barbossa became a sort of father figure for you, and even for a while, you, Barbossa, and the crew were trapped under a curse. But you much preferred it to your old life of a daughter of a nobleman; trapped with teas and dresses. The only thing you missed from your old life was your friend James. You missed talking to him… You missed his smile; his laugh.
And yet, here he was. Only a few feet from you and you were too scared to go over to him. He hadn't even realized you were there no doubt. And your mind was racing as to what he might say. Would he be happy to see you? Or the opposite? Would he even remember you?
But as your mind was racing with what he could say, it was also racing with insecurity. You had heard from your times at sea, with Jack, Will, and Elizabeth… That the man in question had been engaged or betrothed to Elizabeth for some time. When you had first heard of it, you felt faint. That was when you realized you were still in love with your old best friend. 
You wondered if James loved Elizabeth the way you loved him. If he truly cared for her as Will cared truly for her. You felt foolish for hoping he could possibly return your hidden feelings. You felt foolish for wanting the attention of the man, the man you hadn't seen in years.
Swallowing hard and gaining your courage, you pushed off the wall and walked over to him. Leaning against the wooden railing of the Pearl, you stared at James as he stared down at the water below. Seemingly too drunk to realize you were right there.
You bit your lip briefly, not really knowing what to say, "James."
The man snapped his gaze up to you, his eyes widening, his eyes looking over your figure before they narrowed slightly. "You're a pirate?" He asked, spatting in hatred at the word.
You tilted your head to the side, "No hello? It's been years, James."
He scoffed, looking back at the water, "It has been years. Years since you got up and left with no goodbye or explanation." 
You pursed your lips, furrowing your eyebrows in confusion. "I didn't just get up and leave, James. I was captured by Barbossa and his men." 
He huffed, "How are you alive then? If you cared about our friendship at all, you would've come back." He lifted the rum in his hand to his lips, tilting his head back to take a large sip.
You sputtered out a breathy sigh, you knew he was drunk but this was ridiculous, "I was raised by them to become a pirate. Barbossa spared my life. So I am grateful. And you know how much I care about you and our friendship, if I could've I would've come back." You practically scolded him, as he turned to stare hard at you.
"Then why didn't you?" He asked and you opened your mouth, but closed it again, and that was all James had to see. "That's what I thought." He chugged more rum.
Growling softly, you glared at him as you grabbed the rum bottle from him abruptly, before tossing it over the side of the ship. James stared as the bottle splashed into the water, before sinking.
"Well, that's just a waste." He muttered, before swaying slightly again, almost losing his footing as the ship moved.
"Look at you," You continue to scold, "Drunk and washed out. What happened to the young boy who I used to know? What happened to you that made you so bitter hearted?"
James turned to look back at you, "You. You left and my life went on. Do you know how worried I was? I asked my father where you had gone and he never gave me an answer, telling me that you were a distraction from my education." He ranted angrily. “Good riddance.” He scoffed.
You threw your hands in the air slightly, "I couldn't help that I got captured! I was eleven, James!" He grunted and turned back to the water once more, making you cross your arms, "You're drunk. It's pointless speaking with you when you're like this. If you ever cared about our friendship at all, come find me when you're sober." 
Night fell upon the horizon, stars sprinkled the dark sky as the bright moon shines down upon you. You couldn't sleep. Not even a wink. Every time you tried to, you'd close your eyes and see James. Remembering your time with him. Running through gardens, sword fighting with sticks, watching the stars before your father called you back inside. You wished you could remember more of your childhood, but after so many years… It was becoming a blur of greens and blues. 
You almost felt guilty. You wished that you were able to see James grow up… And grow up along-side him. You wished you could've seen when he became Commodore, knowing that was a proud moment in his book. You could almost see it. Two rows of men with their swords pointed to the sky, creating a hall for him to walk through. Even though you hated the British Crown, you were proud of him nonetheless.
The moon seemed to smile down at you, but you couldn't smile back. Your hands gripped the ebony wood railing tightly as you stared at the dark waters below. Your mind ran with "what ifs" and what could've been. 
The stars, they reminded you so much of James. Possibly from all the times you stargazed together in your mother's garden, but you could almost remember, or visualize, how the stars reflected in his stormy eyes. It was foolish to think what you felt back then was love… But, you couldn't help but think it was. 
Hearing the soft creaks of the floorboards, you turned your head to find James. He stood there, almost awkwardly, as he looked anywhere but at you. It was silent, only the sound of the soft sea crashing against the ship made any noise. 
"I am sorry, Y/N." He finally spoke up, voice unsteady. You listened quietly, patiently. "What I had said to you was out of line."
You hummed, nodding. "I wish our reunion didn't start off as such." You pursed your lips as you stared up at the moon. "It wasn't what I had in mind."
"What did you have in mind?" James asked, coming to stand beside you, mimicking your stance with his hands on the railing.
"I don't know." You sighed tiredly. "I don't know what to think anymore."
It was silent once more as the two of you stared at the moon… Like you used to. There was an odd tension in the air between you too, but nonetheless it was peaceful. Almost relieving even. To know he was alive and by your side once more.
James worried on his bottom lip, side glancing at you briefly before looking back at the moon. He had missed you, there was no doubt about that, but he wished things were different. Looking over at you again, he watched as the moon's soft rays cast sweet shadows over your face, almost making your skin sparkle in its light. You were radiant; stunning. 
In his time without you, he thought of you often. He always wondered what happened to you. And he grieved for a long time before he got swept into his duties. He had always wondered, if you were alive, what you would look like. And his image of you didn't do you justice. You were an angel, a Goddess among me. If he had the chance, and you hadn't been captured, he would've married you.
He took notice of how your nose sloped, and your hair blew slightly in the soft breeze. You have changed since he lost you all those years ago. You weren't wearing those dresses -- wearing flowy trousers, a billowy blouse with puffy sleeves, and a thick corset. If anything, you screamed pirate. Something he was told to hate, track down, and capture… If not kill.
He felt terrible for what he had said to you, he felt terrible for his drunk ramblings. He was broken, hardly the man you once knew as a child. He wasn't as care-free anymore. Nor was he as caring. Growing up had changed him. Losing his rank had changed him. Becoming a pirate changed him.
Licking his lips, he opened his mouth to speak, "Remember when we used to dance, you used to stand on my feet?" He asked, voice thick and deep as he looked back at the moon.
"Yes…" You answered softly, smiling lightly at the thought. "I remember quite well."
"You had two left feet, if I remember correctly. Never knew how to dance properly." James spoke with a hint of a grin, as you giggled lightly; music to his ears. Out of everything, your laugh never changed.
"I still don't, well not really anyway. Ballroom dancing isn't really my forte." You laughed out breathily. 
James turned to you to raise an eyebrow, "You never learned?" He asked and you shook your head, turning to look at him in return.
"No time to really learn when you're out at sea." You shrugged, and James nodded slowly, pondering for a moment before he offered his hand to you. You looked at his hand, to his eyes and back. "James?"
"Dance with me. You said you never have time, why not now?" He asked, giving you a small smile as you stared at him in surprise. At your silence, he began to worry, "Just like old times?" He added, and you bit your lip, hesitantly placing your soft hand in his calloused one.
Pulling you closer to him, James placed his hand on your waist, his other holding your hand in the air beside you both. Your hand slipped over his tattered old uniform, resting on his shoulder. You looked into his eyes, seeing that he was already staring at you.
"James…" You began but he interrupted.
"Just follow my lead." He began, before giving you a small smirk, "Just don't step on my toes."
You bit your lip as you nodded your head slightly, "I'll try not to. But no promises." 
As James began to move, you stared down at your boots and his, trying to make sure not to mess up or step on his toes. Feeling his hand leave your waist, James placed his finger underneath your chin, raising your head to look at him. "Keep your eyes on me. Trust the beat."
You gulped lightly, "There is no beat. Nor any music." 
"Humor me, darling." You flushed at his endearment, as he placed his hand back on your waist. "Just look at me, and listen to the beat."
You listened, staring into his stormy eyes as you listened to the soft thumps of your boots against the wood. 
Daa da da. Daa da da. Daa da da.
You were entirely swept up in the dance, completely forgetting where you were, the world around you slipping away until it was only you and James. You had dreamed about this once. A long time ago. Dancing with the man before you, though in your head he was clean shaven and his hair and attire were not a mess. But, you didn't mind. This… This right here was far better than any dream you could possibly have.
James couldn't help but stare, letting his eyes rake over your features as you danced with him under the moonlight. He noticed the soft freckles that dotted your nose, and the way your lashes danced upon the apples of your cheeks. The nervousness you had felt and he had seen seemed to wash away, as you let yourself relax and smile. Breathtaking. He thought. Incredibly so.
You both slowed to a stop, your breathing only being slightly altered as you stared into his eyes. You felt so overwhelmed. Overwhelmed with the happiness and love you felt for James. 
"I haven't danced… I haven't danced since we were children." You confessed, voice only slightly above a whisper. 
"No one to dance with?" He asked, and you softly shook your head.
"No," You began, closing your eyes. "No… I could've had plenty of dance suitors." You felt your hand tighten in his as your hand on his shoulder fiddled with the color of his old uniform. "Only none of them were you."
James stood still, shocked by your statement; feeling his face and neck flush. You both stayed frozen in the dance stance, you feeling as embarrassed as you thought was possible, and James feeling as surprised and bewildered as he ever had been. 
"And I know I can't possibly have your heart." You muttered, shaking your head as you looked down. "I had seen the way you looked at Elizabeth and I had heard of your prior engagement."
James let out a sigh, dropping your hand which sent your heart to your stomach briefly before both of his hands cupped your cheeks, his calloused thumbs brushing across your cheeks. He stared down at you, his gaze piercing as he tried to think of what to say. And you stared back, desperately wanting something… Some sort of explanation.
"It is true. I was priorly engaged to Elizabeth. But that is in the past now. Our engagement was arranged by her father." He licked his lip, "And yes, I did have affection towards her." Your heart was barely afloat. "But she was never you." He confessed, surprising you this time as you stared up at him with wide eyes. "She never snuck off with me to a garden after tea time, she never stargazed with me past curfew, and she never had my heart. You stole it the moment I meant you.."
You sucked in a breath, heart beating rapidly in your chest. "What?" You breathed. He was silent for a short while before he smiled softly at you as he lowered his hands from your face. His fingers trailed down to your jawline, the tips of his thumbs brushing your bottom lip.
"I love you." He said, bringing his forehead close to yours. "I'm sorry for the pain and confusion I've caused you."
Your eyes widened, tears pooling at the corners. He loves me? He loves me?! You thought, blinking hard as you tried to fight back your feelings, but you were unsuccessful. "You love me..?" You whispered, as he closed his eyes and leaned forward, his warm lips meeting yours.
As you kissed back, it was like nothing you'd ever experienced. It was like fire. Like fireworks. Like the wind blowing through the trees as they danced with each other, their leaves rustling in the night sky as they twirled around each other and disappeared among the stars. He wrapped his arms around your waist tightly, pulling you closer to him as you moved your free hand up to stroke his bread-covered cheek. You were dizzy. You were intoxicated.
The kiss broke and you pulled apart, gasping slightly for air as you continued to stare into his blue eyes. He smiled at you, as your hand wandered his cheeks, stroking his beard gently; it tickled against your palm. His arms tightened around you and you lost yourself in the blissful euphoria of the moment. There was no more pain or sorrow between you. Just joy and adoration.
"I love you, adore you, darling," James whispered, leaning forwards to press his forehead against yours again, closing his eyes as he sighed happily. "More than words can express."
A tear fell from your eye as you buried your face into his chest. His arms wrapped securely around you as he rocked you gently, his hand stroking your back soothingly. "I love you too." You whispered quietly as you closed your eyes.
The warmth radiating off of his body brought you comfort and peace. You wanted to stay there forever; with him, in his arms. He rested his head on top of yours, listening to your soft breathing as he pulled you tighter to him, his nose pressing against your head, as you smiled to yourself. You would never let go. Never again.
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dance-in-the-morning-glow · 15 days ago
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Writing a sailor and a nightingale truly feels like I’m kicking a puppy — and that puppy just so happens to be James Norrington
Anyway, Chapter 5 is up!
James Norrington x OFC, post-DMC, fake dating (-courting *cough*), secret society shenanigans, crack treated seriously
“After you disappeared,” Gillette began slowly, his gaze returning briefly to the map before meeting James’s eyes again, “after all that supernatural business with the Black Pearl... certain men – not just soldiers, but also townsfolk, influential men like Hastings – began to think it prudent to take precautions.”
James arched an eyebrow. Not quite the answer he had expected. Anything hedonistic, licentious, or otherwise immoral had crossed his mind. Not this.
“Precautions? Against what?”
“They’re afraid of... things,” Gillette continued, looking somewhat embarrassed now. A faint flush crept up his neck, but he kept his gaze steady. “Rather from, well, whatever lurks in these waters. You know as well as I do, sir, that the seas have changed. Stories abound of curses and creatures that defy reason. Sailors have always been a superstitious lot, but now?” He shook his head, a wry smile tugging at his lips. “Now they believe anything is possible.”
James’s gaze drifted to the knife on the table, its blade catching a sliver of light.
Anything is possible.
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ellena-asg · 5 months ago
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hello, any sparrington fics reccommendations?
Hello, dear ♥️ And sorry for late reply!
Sparrington fics? Oh of course! There you go ☺️ (if you can't see any story cause f.e. you're not on ao3, let me know)
• What it takes by NaomiLeyers (PotC movies + books, our beloved pirate husbands meeting asshole Teague + sassy bamf James proving he's the best husband material)
• Clandestine meeting by Yakkorat (okay, there's James and Will talking but truly sparrington is there in the air cause James CARES, Jack is mentioned, it's all about Jack and how James feels about him, James needs Will's help and Will needs James' help, James knows Will cares too, he knows well Jack and Will are besties and pirate brothers to the core, James and his piratey vibes)
• Over the crest again by kayliemalinza (Will is sparrington shipper no 1, Will is a helpful bro, Will is hilarious little devil, James and Jack are hilarious here too, what a comedy, what a joy, James lives AU)
• All this by apex-editor (oh, Jack loves his best friends, Will and Lizzie, very dearly and he respects them but he's also So Much In Love With James and this makes him super happy and super proud and super "Jamie is the best")
• Why me, Sparrow? by ashortdropandasuddenstop (can we count this piece of beauty as fanfic? James lives and captain of his heart is there with him, always there and always for him, right in the feels)
• Star gaze by Chubbiestcow (ayy, sparrington and stars, James being Jack's star and whole sky, Very Romantic Sparrington Moment, tissues please)
• A good advise by Czarna Pantera (Jack and James together on Pearl. Having a talk. Having The Moments)
• Asphuxia by Cherusha (an "oh!" fic, I can't spoil, just know it's very "oh" and "aww")
• The tragic irony of Commodore James Norrington by Ari_the_Arotistic (James in the Locker, James lives AU, feelings so much, a man with dying soul and his saviour, a Very Important Sparrington Moment)
• Cartography by lyryk (Very Romantic Sparrington Drabble)
• Pirate ghost story: Learn to see by blacklipstick (ghost!James on Pearl, Calypso having good and sparrington friendly but also humorous heart, an adorable and funny story with two endings: sad one and happy one)
• To live by oneFishtwoFish (AWE AU, fix it, Jack is always there, I can't spoil I'm sorry)
• Whispers by lyryk (they can't live without each other, they're each other's air, they're a poetry, they're an art, they're everything, better have some tissues)
• Before the world was made by the_dala (again: tissues, sparrington makes people cry, sparrington makes people "aww", Jack being serious, Jack being romantic, James learning from Jack, them being too beautiful for this world)
• Through greeted teeth by dametokillfor (sparrington is heart-touching, beautiful etc but we know they're also dorks, here they are, dorks being dorks)
• James loves everything about Jack's face by Ississ (yeah, Jack loves his beautiful Mr Sarcasmness but James loves Jack sooo much too and he sees his beauty)
• You ruined my life by Skullsz_Writes ("You ruined my life", says James to Jack. Jack laughs cause he knows it's not true. Another nice Sparrington Moment)
• Resolution by Black_Crystal_Dragon (OST AU, James lives, Hector & Co are still there but James is there more, OST version for sparringtoners, touching, warm, HOT)
• Dreams by cjk1701 (Jamie and the one he chases across the seven seas, James' dreams and feelings)
• Honest by savageseraph (James and feelings realization, Jack vs Lizzie, James is an honest man)
• Wasted days by txorakeriak (the truth about sparrington)
• Chances by txorakeriak (CotBP, James visits Jack in prison, they have one of The Talks, so many feelings there)
• The wanting comes in waves by Stained Blue (James lives AU, very magical AU, Calypso helps James but this time it's a dark version and she wants James for herself, James and amnesia, Jack loving his Jamie so much that it hurts, tissues are needed)
• The mercy series by Webcrowmancer (CotBP AU, Jack "kidnaps" James, lots of talks, important talks, lots of thoughts, lots of confessions, exchange of views, so many feelings, many Sparrington Moments: serious, funny, warm, cute, sad, super hot, everything what you want, James learning from Jack, Jack learning from James, them learning about love, them being lovebirds, sparrington endgame)
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itsadmiralactually · 3 months ago
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For those of the Norrington-fandom, here's some information about Britain's Jamaican station, including officers/admirals who were active then. These sailors, no doubt, played an integral part in building our James' naval career; and given his father's influence, he probably served on one or more of their ships as a midshipman or lieutenant.
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intrepidacious · 1 month ago
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when reality sets back in
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summary: You used to dream of marrying James when you were younger. Today, he's come to offer his congratulations.
pairing: james norrington x f!reader
word count: 1.2k
warnings: angst and mutual pining; arranged marriage (but not between reader and james) please note that my blog is rated 18+. minors dni. ageless/empty blogs will be blocked without warning.
prompt: 42. a kiss to celebrate an engagement
a/n: before tumblr ate all of ren's asks i remember her sending in this prompt and requesting that it hurt. i don't remember which character it was supposed to be for but i think i accomplished that.
masterlist | read on ao3
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As soon as you stepped outside and the noise of the banquet hall faded into the background, you felt like you could breathe again.
It was a lovely evening, pleasantly warm for London at this time of year. A soothing breeze caught in the fabric of your skirts and made them billow. You stepped away from the terrace doors, moving into the shadows closer to the balustrade, out of sight of anyone just wandering past.
Leaning against the cool stone, you let out a long sigh.
Ignoring the city’s usual stench, the city was quite beautiful in the light of the setting sun.  The river sparkled in the low light, and lanterns were being lit in the streets below, making them flicker with a warm orangey glow.
"I don’t recall the last time I’ve seen you quite this satisfied."
You’d have flinched had it been any other voice behind you. With this one, though, you smiled. "James."
He looked taken aback for a second when you turned to face him, meeting your eyes for just a moment before lowering his head. "Milady."
Your heart fluttered a little when you laughed, an old familiar reaction. "Really? After all this time, Commodore?"
It was almost hidden in the shadows around his face, but you knew him well enough to tell he was hiding a smile of his own. "It’s only proper we start at some point, don’t you think?"
You hummed noncommittally, taking your time looking at him. It had been so long since you saw him last, and yet you felt like it had been mere moments. "I didn’t know you were back in the country."
"Well, I couldn’t have missed your engagement, now, could I?"
Of course. That was the entire reason for the elaborate feast tonight, after all; you’d finally agreed to the match your parents had been gently pushing you to make for ages.
It wasn’t that your future husband wasn’t a good man. He was gentler than most, tall and handsome, and willing to let you keep a good portion of your independence even in marriage as long as you honoured his name and reputation in public. In time, you were sure you’d grow to love him, even.
You’d live out the rest of your days comfortable and reasonably happy.
Still, your hand wanted to reach towards the man you’d always secretly hoped would ask for it first. Wanted to trace the frown line between his brows, the stubble on his chin he missed while shaving, the sharp line of his jaw. He met your gaze with something unspoken in his eyes, like he could see exactly what it was you were craving.
But James Norrington had never once crossed a line with you like that, and you weren’t about to embarrass yourself with an action as improper as that. You clutched your hands in front of you and turned towards the view once more.
"I suppose not," you said quietly, your smile frozen in place now.
He cleared his throat as he stepped up besides you. "Besides, I’m being summoned to Court."
"Nothing bad, I hope?"
"Don’t worry about me." There was a weary quality to his voice you were unfamiliar with. Perhaps, you thought, it had been too long after all.
"You know me," you said with forced lightness, because for the first time, you thought he might not. "I always do."
James lowered his head again, and you weren’t sure what thoughts clouded his mind too much to register the open concern on your face. For a while, you kept quiet, debating with yourself as to how to take up the conversation again.
In the end, you resigned. "How are things overseas?"
"Interesting."
"I bet," you said, words continuing to fall out of your mouth. "Everything’s always the same here. You must have the most fantastical stories."
"Perhaps." If possible, he seemed even more distant than before.
Look at me, you begged silently, even though you’d long since forsaken any right to his attention.
"Did you bring your fiancée?" you made a desperate last attempt. "You must introduce us."
You’d never met Elizabeth Swann yourself, but all of London’s society was agreed that she was both beautiful and intelligent. Someone with the right qualities, the right social standing for someone like James; someone he’d want to look at constantly.
"Ah," he said, not quite a scoff; a last ebb of emotion. "No fiancée, I’m afraid."
"What happened?"
At last, he turned towards you, looking at you as though he was letting himself see you for the first time. "It emerged that our hearts weren’t quite aligned."
Something panged painfully in your chest at those words, the ring on your finger very sharp and heavy all of a sudden. "I’m terribly sorry."
"Don’t be. It was a nice dream. Besides, today is a day of celebration, isn’t it?" he gave you a tired smile that didn’t reach his eyes.
You’d always loved James Norrington’s eyes. When you were younger, you wanted to drown in them every second of every day for the rest of your life. That had been a nice dream, too. But in real life, women like you had to make a strategic match, and your parents would never have let you leave England.
The invisible thing between you seemed to whir as he looked at you, but neither of you dared to speak it into existence, even now. It was too precious to be bound into words.
A chill went through you.
"You’re cold," James remarked, blinking. "I should leave you to return to your betrothed."
The air seemed to grow even colder. "Already?"
"I was only going to call upon you for a short while." He hesitated, then reached out for your hand. "My sincerest congratulations, Mrs Hamilton."
He pressed his lips to your knuckles reverently, holding your gaze while still keeping that damn respectful distance between your bodies. You were frozen to the spot, lost to the depth of his eyes and the things left unsaid.
"Thank you," you whispered when he finally lowered your hand once again, his thumb ghosting across your fingers before he let go and the ice returned to your bones. The chatter returned to the background.
Life went on.
You pressed your lips together as he turned to take his leave, but your heart was still pounding wildly, making you follow him, "James!"
He stopped, and you realised you’d grabbed the sleeve of his jacket, holding onto the thick brocade like you could spin it around your fingers and keep him tethered to you. Your voice was shaking. "Will I see you again?"
For a moment, you dared to hope; to dream again, for a beautiful couple of seconds.
He swallowed, his hands clenching into fists once before letting go.
"Of course, darling."
James Norrington had never lied to you before, and maybe it was because of that you knew he wasn’t telling you the truth this time; only what you desperately wanted to hear.
You let him leave, and that dream of yours cracked more and more with each step he took away from you, leaving reality covered in broken pieces.
He did not turn back.
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thank you for reading!! if you want to see more of my writing, check out my masterlist or follow @intrepidacious-fics for update notifications 💛
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madhatterbri · 6 months ago
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Cold | J.N.
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Summary: Captain Y/N wakes up to the ex-Commodore's coat on her.
James Norrington stood over Captain Y/N. Her sleeping body rested on the top deck. She must have passed out from exhaustion. Ever since the night before, she was running around the ship to ensure they were ready to fight her father. He was coming after her.
He dropped to one knee and ran his fingers through her hair. She stirred yet never opened her eyes. The poor woman would be out for hours. James ran his fingers down her cheeks and arms. Her skin was cold.
Y/N was never one for cold. She dealt with harsh winters in England and swore to never deal with them again. Many times, she remarked on her hatred of the cold. Yet now her skin was feeling a chilly night mixed with ocean breeze.
James removed his old Commodore coat and placed it on her. She sighed contently in her sleep. He could have sworn the captain snuggled into it. When he ensured her comfort, he went back to the deck below and fell asleep.
Y/N woke up to the feel of hard wood below her. She groaned as her body ached from the hard surface. The weary captain sat up and noticed James' coat on her. She didn't remember falling asleep with it.
"Interesting place for a nap, captain," James greeted as he steered the ship. He had a cocky smile to him. Y/N stood up with his coat in hand. She dusted some of the dirt off. Her arm reached out to give it back to him.
"I wanted to thank you for allowing me your coat," Captain Y/N spoke. He grabbed the coat from her. She didn't want any of the other pirates to see them interact. Her first mate already gave her a hard time about their nonexistent relationship.
He smiled and took the last piece of clothing he had from his old life. "I saw my captain was in need and I provided. No need to thank me,"
Y/N leaned in and kissed his cheek softly. He smiled and watched her leave. James placed his stern face once more and continued his tasks.
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thecompassneverlies · 6 months ago
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“I’ll marry you,” Elizabeth shouts and James freezes in shock and that gives Elizabeth the chance to catch up, to get into James’ space far too close for propriety.
“I’ll marry you if you can honestly tell me I’m the one you want. That you love me,” Elizabeth says softly, just for his ears and her deep brown eyes flick to Jack behind them watching them with his own dark eyes.
James’s whole body stiffens even further, colour exploding in his cheeks and then draining away as he stares back into Elizabeth’s unblinking, straightforward gaze.
“I…I….Elizabeth , please”
But he doesn’t say it.
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justafairytailofinnocence · 2 years ago
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Hii!! Could you pls write a James Norrington x Swann!reader where the reader is Elizabeth’s older sister who loves/fancies James Norrington but he doesn’t know that she loves him so the reader pretends to pass out but he catches her and carries her to her bedroom and waits for her to wake up and the he finally tells her that he loves her too and they get married at the end. (You can add what you like) thank you 😊 :)
Hello dear💖, thanks for your request.
James Norrington x Swann reader⚔🦢
A reconsidered proposal👰
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On this day was the ceremonial promotion of James Norrington, a man who served in the naval army for a long time. He served the Swann family. James was always by their side, he viewed us like family although—there was but one inharmonious part—the day the commodore had planned to propose to Elizabeth Swann. The commodore had always been close to Elizabeth although, before Elizabeth was born there was another, a girl who was bright and bold who had grown up with Norrington since they were younger. Y/n Swann. A fine woman who protected her sister from the beginning since the tragedy of their mother’s passing. The two sisters were opposites: one fantasying about pirates and the other fantasying of marriage. Y/n sided with her father and the commodore; she was set to be a lady. Though, since y/n was younger she had known the commodore more than Elizabeth. She had been their during his downfalls, worries and woes while spending her time making him fall high in laughter and joy. The commodore protected the family with honour and respect, the soon to be admiral will choose a betrothal to a fine woman.
Governor Swann had bid Elizabeth farewell to accept the commodores proposal. He turned to y/n wearing a gown with a fine layer of skirtings. She placed her hands together in a ladylike manner approaching her father. “Tis be quite a tremendous day y/n, Elizabeth will accept the commodores proposal and she will wed” Y/n’s father smiled.
“Indeed, though I can’t help but feel—rather—” y/n muttered although her father ended the sentence for her. “Happy for your sister’s occasion” he concluded.
The truth is, y/n didn’t exactly feel tremendous joy for her sister. It was hard to explain but, she had hoped the commodore would betroth her to his hand in marriage.
The Governor accompanied his daughter inside the manor, her heels clicked as she headed up the stairs into her bedroom. Only, at the door there was a knock. The servant opened the door to greet a commoner, he was smaller in height and his clothes weren’t of riches. His brown hair was tied back as his eyes were soft in expression. “Have you seen Elizabeth” the man asked. It was Will, the blacksmith. “No, Miss Swann had just left Sir, I suggest you leave your request with Governor Swann if you insist to visit her” the servant informed Will.
Y/n called out to Will “Blacksmith, I assume your work is going well?”.
Will turned his head up the stairs to see a woman in a dashing, fine silk gown. “Miss y/n, yes, indeed, I thought I would’ve caught Mrs Swann just in time”.
“Please Will, you know how many times Elizabeth told you to call her by her first name” y/n smiled kindly.
“Uh, yes but, perhaps there is a way you can pass my regards to Elizabeth for me” Will requested. “Certainly, Sir William” y/n politely curtsied.
Will was more acquainted with Elizabeth then y/n, the two had known each other since childhood. The blacksmiths past is rather a mystery, no one knew who or where he came from. The boy was caught adrift in a sea wreckage, he was taken in by a rather older gent who knew about the works of swords. Will had been accustomed to the family, every day he would pass by just to see Elizabeth. Their meetings were always rather short but, y/n knew, the blacksmith had feelings for her sister, even more, her sister had grown closer to the blacksmith. The commodore didn’t know, Liz always dismissed it. Will was a rather humble and kind gent, more than any other man y/n knew.
“I shall inform her once I see her, Sir William” y/n promised.
In the distance a carriage pulled up rather earlier than expected, out of the entry door, Elizabeth and the commodore climbed out. Y/n quickly rushed down the stairs, grabbing her skirtings to see what happened. “Elizabeth, dear God, what happened”. Elizabeth was dripping with water as her hair was soaking, the commodore accompanied her inside. “Get her warmed up and keep an eye on her” the commodore ordered the maid. “Yes sir” the maid helped Elizabeth to warm her up in any way she could. “Commodore, what happened, is Elizabeth alright” the Governor rushed out to find his daughter soaking wet.
“Indeed, we’ve just encountered a scoundrel, a pirate” the commodore informed y/n’s father.
“A pirate?” he questioned.
“Yes Sir, a no-good buccaneer of the seas, we gave chase and the pirate shall be set to hang” the commodore said proudly.
A pirate? A pirate? here in port royal? Oh no this is terrible news, if it weren’t for the navy, who knew what kinds of terrible things would’ve happened to poor Elizabeth. “I-I thank you commodore for saving my dear sister” y/n shyly showed her gratitude. “Fret not lady y/n, your sister is safe, we shall purge that pirate for his no-good deeds” the commodore stated.
Y/n fancied him, she always has, it was only a matter of time before she could tell him. “Commodore, I-“ y/n stuttered. James turned with curiosity, his face, holding a stern expression.
“I, I, I” y/n began to close her eyes as her body collapsed. James coming into action took y/n in his arms. “Y/n” the Governor had noticed his eldest daughter had fainted. The commodore informed her father that he will bring her up to her bedroom, even if it was inappropriate, he felt the need to protect the woman who had been there for him, for all those years. The commodore carried the woman’s body up the stairs into what looked like a white, elegant room. James placed y/n in her bed, he felt her forehead to make sure she wasn’t burning up whilst watching her chest move up and down. Now, it might’ve been selfish but, y/n hadn’t intended to use this action, rather, it was to gain the commodores attention. The bed was soft; the sheets made of cotton and silk; feathers filled the pillow. The commodore intently watched as y/n flickered her eyes open.
“Commodore, oh, forgive me” y/n muttered out.
“Lady y/n don’t burden your forgiveness on something you had no control of doing” James furrowed his brows. “I’m just glad your well” he addressed.
Y/n grabbed his hand, she wanted to tell him, all these years of growing together, spending time, and enjoying each other’s company. The commodore had always been protective of her and her sister. “I want to inform you of something—you see my mind was set on Elizabeth’s betrothal that, that I never knew” he paused.
“I had been paying my affections toward the wrong person” he looked into y/n’s eyes.
“Elizabeth is a fine woman but” James smiled. “You are, such a remarkable lady”.
“I must re-consider my proposal; would you wed me” James asked.
Y/n smiled as her eyes were full of happiness “Oh, James of course I will”.
Norrington smiled with genuine emotion, something he had only done when around her family. Y/n leaned forward from her bed, not caring if her hair was messy from the pillow. She leaned forward and embraced James in a kiss. He was caught off guard but leaned into it.
The commodore had potentially nearly made a mistake that caused him misery, he was engaged to y/n, a woman who had known him far longer. He had informed Governor Swann that his proposal was to be reconsidered, Mr Swann was rather hesitant thinking Elizabeth would be heart broken. However, she granted her blessings as she had fancied William.
On the middle hour, on the day of June, the commodore had awaited at the arch as many gathered. Y/n had said her vows as James spoke his and the rest you can say was history.
On this day, Y/n Swann was known as Y/n Norrington. The Commodores wife.
anyways that's all I have for now:
Ta Ta ✨
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