Not my characters, tragically enough.
Dedication: for Sophie. The pirate-love is all her fault. :P

He loved the ship.

He loved a lot of things, really. He loved his compass. He loved being called “captain”. He loved sex. He loved girls, and women, and Elizabeth, even though it wouldn’t have worked and she’d have ended up slapping him like the others did, and he loved boys, and men, and Will, even though it wouldn’t have worked and he’d have ended up mutinying against him like the others did. And he loved rum.

He really loved rum.

But most importantly he loved the ship, because the Black Pearl was freedom, and adventure, and excitement, and life. It was his.