Johnny Depp: Short Stories

Jack Sparrow & Gilbert Grape (Comforting/Humor/Modern)

Y/N'S POV

The brightness of the screen made my eyes feel heavy; I would fall asleep any moment from all the staring I do at it these days.

Glancing over at the two thick booklets I'd printed out for my Math class, I let out a groan.

"Y/N, love? Are you alright?" Jack's voice suddenly piped from the doorway.

I turned. His body was a silhouette against the brightness of the hallway. "Yeah, I am, Jack, but it's just....my classes are giving me a lot of schoolwork." I shrugged.

Despite the fact that I lived with him and Gilbert in this quarantine, I really didn't want to fill their heads with my problems.

We all had enough to worry about ever since quarantine started.

Jack arched a dark eyebrow. "I know a lie when I see one, lassie. What is it?"

"Really, Jack, you don't have to-"

He flicked on the lights, and his eyes widened. "Oh- Y/N, what happened, love?"

I was wearing my pajamas, my hair was messily whipped back into a bun, and there were bags forming under my eyes from sleepiness.

"Jack, I said you don't have to worry-"

"But Y/N, you look- well, you've looked better." Jack tried to say, but his eyes betrayed him.

"JACK!" I snapped, feeling the stress from the past few days boil in me. From being the only roommate who was still in school, the only one unemployed (I'd gotten laid off before quarantine started), the stress was too much. "I said to leave it alone."

For a moment he was silent. But I knew he was the type of person who was thick-skinned. He didn't get offended easily, and if so, he laughed it off.

"I'm sorry," I sighed, "It's just, I've gotten a lot of schoolwork, and I'm really stressed."

"Y/N, you could take a break, and drink some rum with me." Jack suggested, taking a small bottle out.

A chuckle left my mouth. "Thanks, but I really should get back to-"

"No." A low voice stated.

Gilbert stood behind and next to Jack in the hallway. His eyes shone with sympathy, but he clearly wouldn't take no for an answer. "You really should take a break, Y/N. You've been working non-stop, and that's hard for me to even say."

I shut my eyes, knowing what he meant.

"Fine. But for a few minutes."

"That's my girl." Jack grinned, as we walked downstairs to the kitchen.

"We can drink rum toge- why's the rum always gone?" The pirate continued, after downing his bottle.

Gilbert rolled his eyes. "You all right?" He asked me.

I nodded, pouring a cup of mint tea for myself. He sat at the kitchen counter, occasionally checking between me and the nearly drunk Jack.

"Gilbert, could you please go to the-"

"No!"

A low, throaty laugh escaped me at their banter. Maybe this was what I needed.

Gilbert smiled. "Take it from me, Y/N, there are times where you need to think about yourself." He shrugged philosophically.

I had to admit, the atmosphere in the kitchen was happier than in my room. My mood was definitely lifting.

"Thank you, Gilbert. And Jack?"
I softly smiled.

Jack was sitting on the couch examining his sword. "Yes?" He sheathed it, turning to us.

"If I get rum, could you please drink it slowly so I'm not getting two cases a week?" I pleaded.

Seriously, he downed them like they were candy.

"And ending up crazy drunk, yet somehow haven't gotten fired from your job?" Gilbert muttered under his breath.

"I happen to operate very well when I'm a bit wobbly." Jack slurred.

He made a show of trying to walk to the counter from the couch with his bottle in hand.

But he was holding a bottle.

And he was flat out drunk.

Gilbert and I shot each other a quick look.

"Jack, no!" Gilbert cried.

CRASH!

Jumping from my spot at the counter, I looked at Jack sprawled on the floor. The dreadlocks obscured his face.

"Are you?.."

"I'm okay!" Jack assured us, holding up the intact bottle.

Gilbert reached down, and -with my help- we set Jack down on the couch. I pushed a blue pillow under his head. Gilbert tucked his feet up on the furniture.

"Go to sleep, Jack." I crooned, tucking a blanket over him. The bottle was thrown into the recycling bin.

Within a few moments, the pirate was out cold, snoozing peacefully.

I smirked at Gilbert.

"Remind me why we keep him around?" Gilbert mused.

This earned a playful slap on the arm from me. "Give him a break."

He shook his head, his lips quirked up. "How's this for a break?"

I laughed. "I will say this, it is pretty entertaining."