The kitchen was almost dark.
The only sources of light were two flickering stubs of candles and the softly-glowing embers in the fireplace.

At a cluttered table, two men sat opposite each other, each with a steaming mug in hand.

"What's your secret?" the younger of the two asked suddenly.

"Secret to what?"
The older man's voice was gravelly and slightly Irish-accented.

"Staying married."

There was a low, throaty laugh, then two more candles were lit, throwing light over the features of the two men.

"Jack Sparrow, did you really just ask me that?"

The elder man had greying black dreadlocks, held back by a dark green bandana. His features were weathered by age and years at sea.
Dark eyes, heavily outlined with kohl, held wisdom gained by being alive for six decades.

"I did," Jack replied, raising his mug to his lips.
"If the great Captain Teague can't answer the secret of relationships, what hope does anyone else have?"

"Don't be so fucking sarcastic," Teague said, stretching his legs out, the slight crack of his knees reminding him of his age.

He pulled a pipe out of his waistcoat pocket, taking his time filling it.
Only when it was lit did he return his attention to his son.

"If you're askin' why I'm still married to your mum, the answers simple."

"Go on," said Jack, waving a hand, his rings flashing in the candlelight.

"We happen to love each other. We stay together. An' she puts up with me, which I know mustn't be easy."

"Nothing to do with the bedroom?" Jack asked, smirking.

"Well..." Teague trailed off and Jack smirked again.
"Go on Dad. Say it."

Teague rolled his eyes, taking a pull from the pipe and exhaling smoke.
"Oh alright. The fact she can fuck me senseless helps too."

Jack paused for a moment, studying a stain on the table.
"What do you think she'd say if I asked her this?"

"The fact I never tied her down. An' the fact I respect her independence. I'd say the fact we're both hot-headed and stubborn probably helps too, because we read each other so well."

"Would you say your physical affection helps?"

"Definitely," said Teague with a nod.
"We can't keep our hands off each other and I think that keeps us very much in love. And I don't just mean in bed. I mean the casual holding hands, arms around each other, the kisses on jaws and temples and foreheads. The linked arms when walking. That kind of thing."

Jack bit his lip, twisting a ring around his finger awkwardly.
"I know Mum thinks I'll never settle down, but that's not entirely true."

Teague raised an eyebrow.
"Have you found a lass, Jackie?"

Slowly, his son nodded.

"What's her name?"

"Storm. I saved her from the gallows and she joined my crew."

"A woman aboard the Pearl?" Teague said in disbelief.

"You serve under a woman. In more ways than one. The current Pirate King is a woman, thanks to you. Why so shocked?"

"You've never had a woman aboard your ship before. Ever."

"First time for everything," Jack said casually.

Teague narrowed his eyes.
"If ye give me a grandchild out of wedlock, I'll cut your jewels off. Savvy?"

"I haven't bedded her yet."

"Really?" Teague asked, raising an eyebrow again.

"Yes. We sleep together but not like that. She refused a hammock, refused to put me out of my bed and I'm not letting her sleep with the crew, for obvious reasons. So we share my berth. And I like it. It's nice sharing a bed without making love."

His father laughed again.
"That's married life for you Jackie."

"You and Mum still have fun."

"Yeah, but we're the only couple our age I know who still do."

Jack chuckled.
"I'm concerned that you discuss your sex lives with other people."

"I'm sure you've never told a whole tavern how good the thighs were on the last whore you slept with," retorted Teague with a grin.

Jack went to slap the back of his head but broad fingers closed around his wrist with all the strength of an iron shackle, squeezing until he begged for release.

Teague slowly cracked his knuckles.
"Don't try that again."

"Are you sure you're sixty-something?" Jack asked, rubbing his wrist.

"Positive. I'm going grey to prove it," replied Teague, running a hand through his dreadlocks.

Jack smirked.
"And Mum's only a year younger than you and hasn't got a grey hair on her head."

"Which she won't let me forget," said his father with a wry smile.
"Then again, my mum was going grey at fifty five, so I'm not too badly off."

"I better not get Teague genes as far as hair goes," joked Jack.

His father grinned. "You got the Sparrow colour. Let's hope you get to retain it."

"Sparrow hair, Sparrow hands and Mum's lovely cheekbones," he said with a smile.
"Your eyes. Though gran's were hazel, weren't they?"

Teague nodded. "They were. I'm the only one of my siblings with dark eyes."

He took a slow pull from his pipe. Smoke momentarily obscuring his face before it cleared.

His gaze flickered to the dog curled up by what was left of the fire.
"Let her out there, will you?"

Jack whistled softly as he crossed the kitchen to the door, letting his father's Irish terrier out into the night.

He resumed his seat, hands wrapping around his mug.

"How long is it since you were home?" he asked.

"To Ireland?" Teague took a thoughtful sip of tea. "Two or three years I think. Padaí's living at home with five wains from different women. Aine's still there too."

"Is she still a bitch?" Jack asked.

"Aye. Pointed out that I was going grey and asked about "that English whore." I punched her for that."

"You punched a woman?"

"I lost me temper. Nobody calls my wife a whore," said Teague, twisting a silver skull ring around his finger.

"Do you you think you'll ever go back to Ireland?"

"Permanently? Aye, once I retire I'm going to stay there. I want to die an' be buried there," answered Teague.

"You're planning on retirement?" Jack said with a snort.

"Eventually I'll retire and you'll take my place. I'm not planning it for anytime soon."

"Good."

Teague smiled slightly. He glanced at the ring he was still twisting around his finger.

"The Keeper's ring," Jack muttered, glancing at it too.

His father slipped it off his finger with difficulty, easing it over joints swollen with age.

"Here. Try it on."
He held it out towards his son, who took it after a moment.

"Doesn't fit."

"Too big for your Sparrow fingers," said Teague with a smile, taking the ring back.
"I'll get it adjusted before I pass it on."

"Are you sure I'm worthy of taking your place?" Jack asked softly.

Teague nodded, looking steadily into Jack's eyes.
"You're my only son Jackie. And, starting tomorrow evening, you'll receive training on how to be Code Keeper."

"I'm not staying. This was only a stop for supplies and advice on women."

Teague snorted.
"You're stayin'. I'll keep ye a month an' call ye back again until ye know the Code and your duties. So the more you co-operate while here, the less you'll have to be here, savvy?"

Jack sighed.
"Does Mum know?"

"Aye. I'm technically doing this under her orders," said Teague with a wry smile.

"Is she blackmailing you again?"

His father nodded as he stood up, draining his mug of tea.

"I have work to do. I'll see you sometime after midday tomorrow."

Jack nodded, used to his father's sleeping habits. He sat there in the half-light, watching the candles burn down as he thought of the woman that was the subject of the conversation they'd been having.

He let the dog back in before blowing out the candles and going up to his bedroom in the attic.

Deciding to sleep to process his father's advice and think over the conversation.

A/N
So I hate the ending but figured it was about time I published something here this year.
Hope I still have readers...
Storm Xx