Black Sails fic: Jack's Calico

[meridian_rose]

Jack's Calico (3517 words) by meridian_rose
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Black Sails
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: "Calico" Jack Rackham/John Silver
Characters: John Silver, "Calico" Jack Rackham
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Pet Store, Just Add Kittens, Silver has a thing for tall men, Anne is mentioned, Vane is totally Jack's boss, Flint the human is mentioned, Flint the parrot exists, Fanfiction, Picspam, Community: 100_tales, Tumblr Prompt, silver-rackham


Summary:

Silver works in a pet store. Jack falls in love with a calico kitten. Silver falls for Jack. Inspired by an otp prompt.

For the 100_tales prompt 'colour'
Inspired by this prompt: "Once a week I go visit the pet store just to stare at the cute kittens and puppies and you’re the nice employee who always lets me hold them and wait I think I’m going to cry hold on." Source: http://onetruepairingideas.tumblr.com/post/125558325942/its-an-otp-au-prompt-list

Tumblr promo post: https://meridianrosewrites.tumblr.com/post/165362026982/meridianrose-jacks-calico-silver-works-in-a-pet
At AO3 and below the cut

Silver had just finished feeding the fish when the customer came in again. As always he was wearing that distinctive long coat, linen that was a shade somewhere between light beige and light grey, with a number of chunky decorative buttons that resembled ship’s wheels. The voluminous sleeves were folded back and secured with yet more buttons. Silver was almost as taken with the coat as he was with its owner.

As always the man went straight for the kittens. He crouched down at the side of the pen, the hem of his coat brushing the tiled floor.

"Hello my lovelies," the man cooed. "Who are such pretty cats? Yes, yes, you are."

The man had been coming in here for several days now. He never looked at any of the other pets, he never purchased anything, he just came and talked to the kittens for a while and then left.

Today Silver wandered over, putting on a charming smile. "Hello."

The man looked up. "Hello." He stood. God, he was tall. Billy had rolled his eyes when Silver had mentioned the mysterious customer and that had been the first descriptor he'd chosen. Apparently he had a thing for tall men even when, as with Billy, the attraction was not reciprocated. He and Billy were still friends but despite Billy's best efforts to talk sense into him, Silver continued to have a stormy love life that usually began "he was so tall" and ended with "it just didn't work out."

"You're interested in the kittens?" Silver gestured. "They're from the shelter a couple of miles away. They're overcrowded so we take a few at a time. I have adoption papers from them if you'd like to have one. The suggested donation is very reasonable and I'll throw in some discounted food."

The man considered. Silver bent down and picked up the tiny black kitten. He knew from experience she was the most docile and least likely to claw him. "Would you like to hold her?"

The man's phone rang and he answered it, standing back up as he did so. "In the pet shop. No. No. No, Anne. Yes I'll be along in a moment."

The response to that was loud enough for Silver to hear; "Fuck you, Jack!"

"Yes, yes, fuck me. Bye, my love." The man sighed as he put the phone into his pocket. "I have to go."

Silver watched him leave, tickling the kitten under her chin. "His name is Jack," Silver said and the kitten gave a small meow.

*

It was two days before Jack returned and went again to the kittens.

"Would you like to hold one?" Silver asked. He'd tied his hair half-back today rather the tight ponytail Flint preferred him to wear, thinking it more professional looking. Jack's hair was black and tousled, not as long as Silver's but by no means short. He had a beard and moustache combination that reminded Silver of Robert Downey Junior's Iron Man look, and long sideburns that swept down across his cheek, stopping shy of the moustache. Silver wanted to touch rather than just admire and had to stick his hands in the pockets of his figure-hugging jeans. "Jack, wasn't it?"

Jack stared at him, clearly wondering when he'd introduced himself. "Yes," he said at last and held out his hand. "Jack Rackham."

"John Silver." The handshake was firm. Silver gestured. The black kitten had been adopted yesterday and he had his eye on a ginger tom that had gorgeous green eyes. "This one's quite the character."

Jack shook his head. "That one," he said.

He was pointing to a white cat with patches of black and ginger on her body. Her head was similarly coloured, as if she had dark hair with highlights that stopped just above her blue eyes. The bridge of her nose and the area around her mouth was also reddish-brown.

"The calico," Silver said. He scooped her up from the pen and handed her to Jack. She was an adorable little thing he had to admit.

"Calico?"

"The pattern,” Silver elaborated. “Sometimes called brindle or tortoiseshell-and-white."

Jack petted the kitten who nudged at him with her head and began to purr. "I think Calico would be a lovely name."

"Yes. I have the adoption papers at the till," Silver said. Jack would have to provide a phone number. That could be worth having.

Jack sighed. "I can't. My building doesn't allow pets."

"Oh. I'm sorry." That was awkward. Silver didn't grab for the kitten because both she and Jack seemed to be having a moment.

Eventually Jack handed her back and Silver put back in the pen. "Thank you." Jack headed for the door, pausing as he pulled at the handle. "I'll come back and see Calico tomorrow?"

"We'll look forward to it," Silver said. He whistled happily to himself as he mopped the floor that afternoon and didn't even mind when one of the canaries got lose again.

*

"I was just about to make coffee," Silver said when Jack came into the shop. It was only half a lie for he'd been planning on making more coffee all day long, waiting for Jack to show up. "Would you like a cup? We can take Calico into the staff room and you can play with her."

The staff room was a small area to the side of the stock room where tall metal shelves and plastic racks held all the pet supplies. Jack sat on the battered rug that marked the staff area from the stock, dragging and dangling the feathered cat toy for Calico to play with. He laughed as she rolled onto her back, claws clutching at the feathers while she tried to bite the cord fixing them to the plastic rod. Silver, preparing the drinks, watched them both.

"Do you enjoy working here?" Jack asked as he sipped his coffee. Calico was now sat on his lap, curled up under the coat that Silver so admired.

Silver nodded. "It wasn't my first choice," he admitted, "but I couldn't pay the rent and when my landlord Flint asked why I told him I'd lost my job. He said 'You can work in my pet shop downstairs then, any idiot can mop the floor and fill the food bowls' and so here I am. And I've come to like it."

The job involved mopping and cage cleaning, filling food bowls and water bowls, feeding live food to the reptiles, looking after the fish, trying not to let the birds escape (Silver was very bad at this part of the job), stocking the shelves, keeping inventory, and staffing the till along with keeping track of all the necessary paperwork.

At first Silver had found it dull but after a week of supervising him, Flint left Silver to run the store by himself so he could go and work on another business he owned. Silver could put on the radio and drink coffee and enjoy himself while he worked. He liked watching the rodents play in their wheels, he enjoyed seeing people happy when they took home a new pet or brought a new toy for a pampered animal companion, and he found it peaceful to watch the fish after completing inventory.

He also liked the puppies and kittens that the shelter brought to them, hoping that shoppers would see and adopt them – and Silver always made sure to try and get them to buy supplies like food, bowls, beds, toys, shampoo, and so on whenever someone took one of the animals home.

"Must be less stressful than human resources."

Silver shrugged. "Animals don't judge," he offered.

"Or say 'fuck you, Jack'," Jack lamented.

Silver almost choked on his coffee. He pointed to a perch in the corner where an old ornery parrot perched. "His name is something long and full of pedigree as if he's a racehorse but I nicknamed him Flint, after my boss, because he's mostly red feathered and is terribly rude to me."

To prove the point Silver moved over to Flint. "Hello, boy."

"Fuck off, can't you see I'm sleeping!" the parrot squawked.

"I do apologise."

"You piece of shit," the parrot said and returned to his usual half-dozing state.

Jack laughed. "My boss speaks to me like that too. As does my girlfriend. Well, partner. Well, it's complicated to be honest." His face clouded over when he checked his watch. "I have to go."

Silver forced a smile as Jack nuzzled at Calico before he handed her over. "I'd love to put her in my pocket and take her with me," Jack said. "But I don't think my boss would approve."

The door to the shop opened and closed, Silver holding the kitten close. "You heard him," he said. "He can't adopt you and he's got a girlfriend. We're both out of luck."

Calico meowed. From the corner Flint muttered, "What did you think would happen?"

*

Jack didn't visit the following day. Silver was just about to lock up for the night when Jack finally showed up, flustered.

"I'm too late? I just – it's been a horrible day and I thought if I could cuddle Calico…" Jack broke off. He looked as pitiful as any of the kittens and Silver sighed.

Grabbing the kitten from the pen, Silver thrust her at Jack before he put on the alarm and locked the door. "Come on," he said, and led Jack to the lobby at the side of the store. "My apartment's on the third floor."

Jack followed meekly, Calico burrowing under his coat. Silver thumbed the button for his floor, questioning his sanity as he did so.

There were no further words exchanged until Silver opened the door to his apartment and ushered Jack inside. "Make yourself at home."

Silver went to the kitchen and washed his hands. He rooted through the cupboards and the fridge but found nothing appealing. He filled a saucer with water and took it to the lounge, putting it on the floor for the kitten.

Jack had taken him at his word, shedding the coat and folding it neatly over the arm of the two seater sofa. He'd helped himself to a glass of whisky and was nursing the glass on one knee and Calico on the other. The kitten jumped down and ran over to the saucer.

Silver bent down and stroked her between her ears. "Do you want pizza or Chinese? I have the nearest places both on speed-dial."

Jack shrugged. "I'm not hungry."

"Suit yourself." Silver made the call, ordering Chinese for himself and throwing in some extras in case Jack changed his mind. Then he poured himself a whisky and sat in the armchair opposite Jack.

Jack took a swig of his drink. "I'm sorry to intrude."

"Don't be. What's wrong?"

Jack raised his eyes to the ceiling. "My boss yelled at me for something that wasn't my fault and when I went home I got into an argument with Anne."

"Anne. Your girlfriend."

Jack shook his head. "Sometimes. I don't know. She's got herself a girlfriend. That's why it's complicated. I still love her, and she says she still cares about me. But it's never going to be the same for us. That's – that's difficult to accept."

Silver nodded. Jack finished the whisky and Silver leaned over to take the glass and refill it.

"She said I could date other people," Jack mused. "Like I'm just going to go out and find myself another girl or a guy."

It was lucky he couldn't see Silver's face at that moment. It took all his self-control to keep his expression neutral as he turned and walked back to Jack. Their fingers brushed against each other as Jack took the whisky. Silver thought there was a spark but surely he was just imagining it.

"I'm sorry," Silver said, retaking his seat. "I can only imagine how hard that is. I've not been in a relationship long-term. The shorter the time together the less the break-up hurts."

"That's very cynical."

Silver shrugged. "I speak from experience."

The food arrived shortly afterwards and Silver pulled the coffee table away from the wall and placed it in front of the sofa, spreading out the small feast on it. Jack eyed it longingly.

"Dig in," Silver said and Jack did so.

When they were both almost full, Jack trying to finish the last prawn cracker but on the verge of admitting defeating, Silver said, "I love your coat."

"Try it on," Jack said.

"I don’t think it will fit."

"Try anyway."

Silver pulled on Jack's coat. It was more lightweight than expected and had a faint musky smell that Silver delighted in. As predicted however it was too large for Silver, for where it reached Jack's mid-calf it almost reached Silver's ankles, and the sleeves encroached on his hands.

Jack giggled and Silver joined in. He put the coat aside, poured more drinks, this time coming to sit on the sofa next to Jack. Calico padded over, batting at Silver's leg and stretching up. Before she could claw her way up he lifted onto the sofa. She snuggled between the two men, tucking her tail around her body and began to purr.

"Thank you," Jack said, eyes fixed on Calico. "I feel calmer now. Able to face life's trials and tribulations once more."

"Any time," Silver said, sneaking a look at Jack before he too returned his attention to the cat.

Half-an-hour later Silver escorted Jack back outside. There was a reluctant farewell at the door to the pet shop and then Jack hailed a cab while Silver took Calico back to the pen.

Calico protested. "It's complicated," Silver said. "He can't keep you and I can't keep him."

She turned her back on him, tail in the air, displaying her asshole. Silver sighed.

*

The next evening there was a knock on his door. Jack stood on the doorstep with a bottle of whisky in one hand and a carrier bag full of food in the other.

"You put the food out," Silver said, grabbing for his keys, "and I'll get the cat."

Just because it wouldn't last, didn't mean he couldn't enjoy it.

*

Jack made sure to get away from work next lunchtime and brought them sandwiches. They ate in the staff room. Flint hurled abuse at them until Silver covered up the cage with the cloth meant for this exact purpose.

"I never thought I liked cats," Jack said, sipping at his coffee. "But I saw her and everything changed."

"I know the feeling," Silver said and had to excuse himself to check on the gerbils before he embarrassed himself further.

*

Silver paced the store the next day. It occurred to him he should have Jack's phone number because then he could have called him. On the other hand this was a conversation that needed to be had in public.

It was almost closing time when Jack arrived, grinning. His face fell as Silver approached him, eyes downcast.

"Jack, I know you've been enjoying this," Silver began. "But the shelter worker came by today. Any kittens that aren't adopted tomorrow will be taken back to the shelter that evening."

Jack stared at him, then looked over at Calico. She was stood on her hind legs, mewling. "They can't take her."

"I'm sorry. They'll bring some new, younger kittens or puppies next week."

"But what about Calico?"

Silver swallowed. "She'll stay at the shelter for two weeks and they'll do their best to get her adopted."

Jack frowned. "And what happens after two weeks?"

Silver shook his head. Jack turned away, leaned his head on the door.

"I'm sorry," Silver said again, blinking hard. It was all going to be over and there was nothing he could do about it.

Jack straightened up, turned back to face him. "You have to adopt her."

Silver blinked for an entirely different reason. "What?"

Jack grabbed his shoulders, gazed intently into his eyes. "I can't adopt her, my building doesn’t allow pets. But yours does; the pet shop is in the building, for God's sake."

"I – I don't want a cat," Silver protested. Calico gave a pitiful yowl that pricked his conscience.

"She'll be my cat," Jack said, taken with his idea. "She'll just live with you."

"No!"

"Come on," Jack said, and he all but dragged Silver over to the counter. "Where are those adoption papers?"

"If I adopt her and she lives in my house then she's my cat," Silver said.

"We'll share her," Jack said. "Look I'll pay for everything. Food bowl, litter tray, anything in this store you need, I'll buy it right now. I just got a raise."

"What?"

"Don't ask and don’t change the subject." Jack beamed at him. "Come on, vet bills, vaccinations, whatever she needs. We'll take care of her together, like we have been."

"Jack, stop! You can't ask me to adopt a cat with you! I can't just let people into my life like that." He realised too late he'd said "people" but Jack didn't seem to notice and so he kept going. "I don't even know how long they live! I know people say they have nine lives but I don't think that's actually a thing."

Jack looked at him askance. "You work in a pet shop and you don't know how long cats live?"

"They're not stock," Silver said in his defence. "I read up on all the animals we keep here but the kittens are from the shelter."

Jack rubbed at his chin. "Well it varies. I think about fifteen years. Maybe longer. My aunt's lived until it was twenty. Used to pee on my shoes whenever I visited. The cat, not my aunt doing the peeing. He was a horrible creature, quite put me off cats until I laid eyes on Calico."

Silver did not allow himself to be amused, focussed on his righteous indignation. "Fifteen years? That's more of a commitment than I've ever had for anything or anyone! We haven't even been on a proper date!" Silver felt uncharacteristically out of control of the situation. He didn't like it. He was also worried about the part of him that wanted to keep both cat and man in his life.

"A date? You want to go on a date?" Jack fell silent. Silver was glad because maybe now he could think for a moment. He also gained a tiny appreciation for how Flint his boss felt when Silver did not shut up. Flint the parrot however could suck it.

"I thought," Silver said, choosing his words with care, "maybe there was more to this than you liking the cat."

Jack tipped his head. "Well, yes. I mean. My life is complicated. But I'll take you on a date. Pick a place. We'll see a movie. You choose."

"Jack."

"No," Jack said, defiant at the refusal in Silver's tone. "I want to take you on a date. It's just…I didn't know you felt that way. I thought it might be about the cat. Or that you were taking pity on me. Pathetic human resources manager whose partner shoehorned another woman into his home without even asking him. And I want her to be happy. But I want to be happy too. And I'm not sure I knew how until I saw our cat. And you let me sit in your lounge and let me talk without judgement. That made me happy too."

Silver sighed. "You're not pathetic. But you're asking such a lot of me."

"If it doesn't work out we'll find her another owner," Jack said. "I promise."

Silver threw his hands in the air. "Fine. I'll adopt her. Fuck, I don't even have your phone number."

Jack laughed. "You do. I wrote it on the shopping list the other night. The magnetic writing pad on your fridge?"

"Oh." Silver refused to be embarrassed. "I haven't been shopping yet."

"At least I know Calico will be well fed, since all you have to do is grab her some food from work," Jack said with a sigh. "You on the other hand, are going to take more looking after."

"Is that so?"

Jack nodded solemnly. "Starting with me taking you out for a proper meal," he said. He reached out and stroked his knuckles across Silver's chin. "I've clearly been neglecting you and I'm sorry."

He bent down and Silver lost all conscious thought for a long moment.

"Well," Silver said breathlessly, still stunned by the kiss. "I suppose that settles it. Let me make it official."

"Excuse me?"

"The adoption papers," Silver said. He reached behind the counter and grabbed the paperwork.

"Piece of shit," Flint the parrot commented from the back room.

"Fuck you, Flint," Jack called.

"Fuck you, Jack," the parrot screamed back.

Silver snickered. "I think he's taken a liking to you to learn your name so quickly." He paused, pen in hand. "So is Calico taking my last name or yours?"

Jack smiled. "Double-barrelled of course. Silver-Rackham."

Silver couldn't help but smile.