Chapter 2
The next day, after preparing for Rose to leave with him, Hakuei went back to the ship to speak with Satsuki. He knew Satsuki would've slept on that ship even if he didn't have to. When he opened the door to the captain's cabin though, he certainly didn't expect to see Satsuki curled up next to Kyo. "Well...this is an interesting development." Hakuei commented, grinning.
Kyo woke up quickly, his instinct telling him he was being observed. With a look to the right, he tried not to flinch at the figure of Hakuei standing there with a smirk on his face. "It's not what you're thinking, pervert."
"Sure it isn't." Hakuei replied teasingly as he moved to lean against Satsuki's desk. The sleeping captain had made himself comfortable half on top of Kyo, fingers clenched in the material of the cartographer's clothing.
Kyo tried his best to sit up without waking the captain, yawning quite a little bit. It was the first time in moths he had a full night of sleep. "We fought yesterday and he sang to me. But when he realized what he was doing, I was already feeling enough sleep and pain to not be able to take care of myself."
Hakuei lifted his eyebrows at that. Satsuki never sang to anyone, just Takumi. He knew the sort of trouble it could get him in to. "He sang to you?"
"He sang to kill me at first. I said some things he didn't want to hear. Then he regretted it and sang me something to fall asleep. It was hurting like hell." Kyo stretched and snatched one of Satsuki's cigarettes from the bedside table. The captain owed him at least that.
"It's not supposed to hurt really." Hakuei commented, shrugging. "I guess if he's angry maybe. His song is supposed to be irresistible. Takumi told me once that a siren's voice is the one thing that can disorient and drive a sane man to suicide just to get closer to the beauty of his voice.” It was supposed to be a secret what Satsuki was, but Satsuki had already used his song on Kyo.
"It doesn't, when he's still singing. But maybe if he stops in the middle, your fuzzy mind mess things up. I just had a fucking headache after it."
Satsuki was beginning to wake up then, groaning softly and trying burrow closer to Kyo's warm. He obviously hadn't realized who he was with yet. "Takumi..." He whispered, causing Hakuei to frown slightly. He moved over and shook Satsuki's shoulder before the captain could embarrass himself further.
Kyo just sat there, smoking his cigarette. He was still a little mad, so he wasn't very worried about Satsuki's honor.
Satsuki opened his eyes and quickly shrunk away from them as soon as he realized where he was. He glanced down at the bed and cleared his throat. "Um, well...let's get going. We have work to do."
Kyo nodded and got up, stretching lazily. "Let's find some breakfast first. Nao is not here to do it for us, you know?"
"I'm not hungry." Satsuki muttered, quickly climbing off the bed and heading out. He needed a swim desperately. Just to get away from everyone else for a while.
"Moody." Kyo lifted a eyebrow, looking at Hakuei. "So, breakfast?"
Hakuei nodded and walked off the ship with Kyo to perhaps collect the rest of the crew for breakfast. "Yeah, I guess so. I was hoping to talk to grumpy before he ran off."
Kyo yawned over and over again as they walked, feeling so relaxed he could actually sleep some more. "Oh yeah? What about?"
"I was planning on bringing someone with us." Hakuei explained, stepping into the brothel once more. He noted that the cabin boy was still passed out on the floor in the bar area.
"Lemme guess... You want to take the hot blonde babe out of here?" Kyo walked to Hirito and nudged him with his boot a few times. "Hey kid, get up, time to work."
Hiroto rolled over and made a small noise of annoyance, swatting at Kyo's boot. Hakuei picked the kid up and dropped him, making Hiroto cry out in pain and wake up. He glared at Hakuei, rubbing his back. Hakuei ignored him and turned to Kyo, nodding. "Yes, I do want to take him with us."
Kyo shrugged, walking up the stairs and banging on all the doors, calling the crew. "One more mouth to feed, but two more hands to help. I think it's okay, but you talk to Grumpy there, I never know what he's thinking." He ignored the glares he was receiving from the hungover sailors, walking back down. "But how will we take Beautiful from here? I don't think the owner will be very pleased."
"Obviously, don't talk about it. We're sneaking him out." Hakuei whispered, grabbing Kyo by his collar. "Go get Satsuki anyway. We'll need get started on his plan after breakfast."
"Me? And how do I find him? Swim after him!?" But Kyo turned and walked for the door anyway, swearing under his breath.
After swimming for a bit, Satsuki returned to shore and laid on the beach, letting his wet clothes get covered with sand. He stared up at the sky, not caring what was happening with his crew. He wished for the tide to come in and drag him out to sea where he could die peacefully and sink to the bottom of the ocean.
Kyo walked by the beach, looking at the horizon, searching for some mad man swimming in the deep part. Instead, he found Satsuki laying down on the sand and walked to him, sitting beside the wet siren. "So, your crew needs you, grumpy." He was fond of the nickname now, and nothing would make he give it up.
Satsuki glanced over at Kyo and he rolled over, getting his wet self all over Kyo. "Why is it that you're always ruining my peace?" He asked, though he didn't seem to be mad. He was practically laying on Kyo anyway.
"Because you're so stubborn you need someone pestering all the time to get things you don't want to do, done. Now get off, you're wetting my clothes." He pushed the other lightly, not really bothered by the sand and water, but more by the warm of the body right on top of him.
"Be quiet." Satsuki insisted, laying his head on Kyo's chest, hearing his heart beat. "It's already too late to save them."
Kyo sighed, just laying still beneath Satsuki. He could be stubborn too. "You have work to do. You have work to do. You have work to do. You have work to do. You have work to do."
It was annoying hearing Kyo talk. That's all Satsuki thought when he pressed his lips to Kyo's, preventing him from saying anything more.
This made Kyo react, and he used both hands to push Satsuki away by the shoulders, looking at him with wide eyes and getting up quickly. The cartographer sighed, trying to calm down and stuffing his hands on the pockets, for lack of better thing to do with them. "Don't do that..."
Satsuki got up from the beach and tried to brush of his sandy clothes, not succeeding in doing anything but getting his hands sandy as well. He made a little frustrated noise and started walking again. "All right, I'm going to change and then I'll join everyone for breakfast."
"Okay, and sit beside Hakuei, he wanted to talk to you." Kyo said his goodbyes and walked back to the brothel, being welcomed by ladies filling a big table with all kinds of tasty foods.
By the time Satsuki came to join them, they already had food on the table and the majority of the crew were stuffing their faces. Satsuki had cleaned up and changed into an elegant gown with lace and intricate detail. His hair had been set in curls upon his head and he had all of the accessories for a proper woman of that time. Needless to say, the table became almost instantly quiet when he stepped into the room.
"Damn, he makes a good woman." Hiroto commented, staring. Hakuei had to admit, the kid was right. He was no Rose, but the captain was undoubtably beautiful and elegant. He was surprised that Satsuki managed all that on his own.
Rose stopped chewing on his bread, looking with a dumb expression to Satsuki. After some of the conversation began again, the blonde poked Hakuei, looking at him with questioning eyes.
Hakuei looked back at Rose and leaned over to whisper the explanation. "We came up with a plan to get the other two pieces of the map...using Satsuki's natural talent for seduction." Of course, that had everything to do with Satsuki being a siren, but Rose didn’t know that.
"Oh..." He kept quiet for a little while, taking a bite of his bread before a idea came to him. "Do you guys need help?" This way, he would at least be useful on the plan.
"Perhaps...you seem to have a talent with that too." Hakuei teased, kissing Rose's neck. Satsuki sat beside his first mate and began poking at his food, sighing to himself.
"You had to talk to me about something, Hakuei?" He asked, glancing at the other man. Hakuei nodded and took Rose's hand in his own.
"I wanted to ask if there was room on the ship for someone else.." He began, but stopped when Satsuki held up his hand.
“As long as he doesn’t get in the way, I don’t care who you bring along. If he’s a problem, I’ll toss him overboard.” Satsuki replied, coldly.
Rose looked away from Satsuki, now afraid of facing him. Maybe he should just lock himself inside the room and wait for Hakuei everyday, not bothering anyone and trying to be invisible.
On the other side of the Rose, Kyo grunted, throwing a piece of bread at Satsuki. "Stop being so damn cold, stubborn is enough. You're scaring the little flower."
"If the little flower wilts from my cold words, how will he survive being out at sea with us?" Satsuki asked, pushing his plate away from him. "There are a lot worse things to run in to out there."
Rose push his plate away too, he wasn't hungry anymore. "I'll stay out of your way, Captain." He sighed, resting his head on his hands, blowing a kiss to Hakuei.
Kyo shook his head and rolled his eyes, patting Rose on the back. "Don't worry pretty flower, I'll help taking care of you."
"I think I can take care of him just fine..." Hakuei said, sliding his arm around Rose. He couldn't help but feel a little over protective of his lover. So many important things had been taken away from him before.
"I'm leaving..." Satsuki muttered as he stared down at the table.
"You're going to do this by yourself, captain?" Hiroto questioned, frowning a bit.
Rose giggled and smiled at Kyo, already liking the other man. "Let's not decline any help my love, we never know when we will need it."
Kyo frowned too, together with most of the crew. "Wait five minutes for us captain. It's risky to do all by yourself."
"There will be more suspicion if I bring all of you. I'll only bring one." Satsuki said, while pushing his seat back and standing up.
The crew looked at each other, Nao finally asking the question everybody wanted to ask. "Who?"
"Anyone who can keep their mouth shut and use a sword." Satsuki said, already moving towards the door. He just expected someone to volunteer and come with him.
“I say we let him go alone.” Hakuei muttered. “Would anyone really miss him?”
Kyo sighed when nobody volunteered, getting up himself and grabbing the sword from Hakuei's waist. Before following the captain, he slapped the first mate's head. "Shut up sailor, he's your captain."
"I'm starting to think you have a thing for him." Hakuei commented before Kyo left. Of course, it had just been a joke, he really did believe that Kyo liked Satsuki. For whatever strange reason.
Satsuki waited outside, lifting up his skirt the slightest bit to keep it from getting dirty on the ground.
Kyo stood beside Satsuki, looking him up and down. Adjusting the sword on his waist, he sighed, offering an arm to the siren. "So, where is this beautiful lady going?"
The statement caused Satsuki to smile a bit as he took Kyo's arm. "Further into town. I'll show you the building when we get there."
Kyo nodded and started to walk on the alleys, snaking their between the huge number of people out on this streets at this early hour.
"There." Satsuki pointed out a large stone building. "It's a men's club that sometimes invites a few women to come and entertain them. Our map pieces will be found there."
Kyo looked at the building and nodded again, remembering to keep his mouth shut. He lead Satsuki to the entrance, holding the door open to him.
Satsuki stepped inside and whispered something to the guard at the entrance to the game room, where most of the young gentlemen were. He waited for Kyo to get close before he said anything. "There's two people we need to lure out." Satsuki whispered to Kyo. "First, Mr. Hara..." He pointed out a tall figure leaning against the wall, smoking. "Second, Mr. Matsumoto." He pointed out a smaller blonde
"Ok, and what's exactly your plan and what I can do to help out?" Kyo stood beside Satsuki, patting his hand gently like he would do to a lady.
"First, don't touch me." Satsuki said, smiling a bit as he stepped away from Kyo and moved over to Mr. Hara. He didn't intend for Kyo to do anything really.
Kyo gave him a fake pleasant smile and nodded, waiting by the door, near the guard.
"Mr. Hara?" Satsuki spoke once he got close enough to the young man.
Toshiya looked up, lifting a eyebrow to the pretty lady beside him. The club was finally getting better at choosing the ladies. "Yes?"
Satsuki moved closer to him, pulling out his fan as he spoke to Toshiya. "You look lonely all the way over here in the corner. Why not keep me company?"
Toshiya smiled, offering his arm to the beautiful lady beside him. "So, tell me your name, my lady." He walked them to the piano at the corner of the room, sitting down and playing a nice melody, trying to impress the girl.
"Satsuki." The captain replied, smiling a bit at the attempt to awe him with his piano skills. "You seem like a man of many talents..." He complimented, his tone hinting at a little something more.
"Satsuki... It's a beautiful name." Toshiya smiled at him with his best seductive smile, his mind telling him he would have nice, warm company for the rest of day and night. "Thank you for your kindness Satsuki."
Satsuki placed his hand on Toshiya's knee, before moving it down to rest on the other's thigh. "Would you like to show me some more of your talents?"
Toshiya smirked, finishing the music and turning to look at Satsuki. "Well, where would you like to go, so I can show you my talents, my lady?"
It was working just as planned. Satsuki smiled, taking Toshiya's hand and whispering in his ear, "I have a place in mind. Quiet and private for us."
Toshiya nodded and got up, offering his arm to Satsuki again. "Lead the way." He usually didn't do that, just following one of the girls out somewhere, but this lady was special, something drove him to her. He felt enchanted by her beauty and sweet voice, charmed by the dark eyes.
Satsuki took the arm and walked gracefully to the door with Toshiya, carefully slipping his handkerchief to Kyo as he passed. It had a message written on it which read: We’ll knock him out once we’re out of sight.
Kyo casually hid the handkerchief on his pocket and followed the couple from afar, careful to not lose them.
Toshiya barely looked where they were going, watching Satsuki all the time. The way the wind touched her hair and the gentle blush on her cheeks, caused by the hot weather... Everything was so stunning about her that didn't feel natural, but he couldn't care less.
Once they were to a less busy area, Satsuki pulled Toshiya down an alley way and kissed him, holding the other close. He depended on Kyo to do the dirty work while he distracted Toshiya.
Kyo groaned, not liking the sight very much. He did his job anyway, grabbing his sword and hitting Toshiya on the back of the head with the pommel, hoping it was enough to knock the taller men down.
Toshiya yelled at the impact, trying to lift a hand to his neck It was too late tough and he had barely turned to his assaulter before passing out.
Satsuki caught the body as it went slack in his arms and he carefully lowered him to the ground. "Good job, Kyo. Now all we have to do is carry him to the ship."
"He's tall..." Kyo looked at the younger man, trying to find out a way to carry him. "We're not far away though. Maybe we can drag him through the alleys and avoid the main street."
"You take his feet and I'll take his arms." Satsuki decided as he took Toshiya's arms and lifted his upper half up a little bit from the ground.
Kyo did as he was told and they walked to the ship, the few people that saw them, turning away, not wanting to get involved.
Satsuki dropped Toshiya once they were up on the deck and retrieved some extra rope to tie him up with, working on binding both his hands and feet. "I think we'll have to send someone else in for Matsumoto." Satsuki said to Kyo once he was finished. "I've heard he likes a more masculine companion."
Kyo grabbed the ropes around Toshiya's ankles and dragged him down the stairs to the cells, locking him there. He dusted his clothes and panted, trying to regain his breath. "Who do you have in mind?"
From the corner of the cells, where they kept the animals, Reita appeared, looking with interest the new prisoner.
Hearing the faint movement from Reita's direction, Satsuki looked over at the slave and smirked. Perfect. "Reita will go." He declared. The poor thing had to be stuck down here all the time anyway. He might as well get some fresh air before they set sail again.
Reita looked up with a scared expression, thinking of what they were going to do with him now. He was tired and his back pain was even worse then the previous day. Besides, with Nao out of the ship, he had nothing to eat and was feeling quite weak. The slave looked down, so his dirty bangs would cover his face, and spoke shakily. "I'm sorry, but... Where do you need me to go?"
Taking pity in the other's condition, Satsuki moved over and freed Reita from his restraints. "We're going to clean you up and feed you. Then I'll give you nicer clothes before sending you on a mission." The captain ruffled Reita's hair, smiling at him. "From now on, I consider you part of the crew. You have proved yourself worthy."
Reita looked at his freed wrists, then at Satsuki and Kyo, feeling quite confused. He just followed when the cartographer grasped his left arm and lead him to the deck, the light hurting his eyes after so many hours in the dark.
Out in the sun, Kyo studied the slave, turning him around and using a hand to lift his bangs from his face. "You need a good scrub, but I think you'll look nice after it."
"I have extra clothes that might fit him as well." Satsuki said as he followed them up and went into his cabin to get something suitable for Reita to wear.
After a good bath with a lot of warm water and Kyo scrubbing his skin, Reita stood in the middle of the cartographer's room, holding the soft fabric he used to dry himself with, around his body. Kyo was behind him, busy trying to untangle the blond hair.
Satsuki brought in some of his finest clothes, setting them out on a chair. He then started to help Kyo comb out Reita's hair. "You seemed a little jealous when I was kissing Hara." Satsuki commented, glancing over at Kyo.
Kyo blushed and groaned, letting go of the comb and reaching for the scissors. "How can you tell? You were too busy shoving your tongue down that aristocrat's throat, so shut up."
That only seemed to please the captain even more as he grinned and kissed Kyo's cheek. "Jealous..." He whispered, continuing to comb the hair. It seemed to be getting pretty smooth now.
Kyo frowned and tried to concentrate in cutting the hair to a similar sense of order, hoping to make his blush subside. "Shut up... and stop kissing me!" He pouted when he realized that even Reita, a scared kid like he was, was biting his lower lip, trying not to smile.
Seeing that Kyo was cutting the hair and had to concentrate, Satsuki left him alone for now and behaved himself so they could send Reita out. He did find that he enjoyed making Kyo embarrassed though. "Just a trim should do. I think Reita is looking better already." He said, brushing some of the slave's bangs away from his face.
Kyo finished the cut and nodded to himself, pleased with how it came out. "Ok, now for the clothes." He grabbed the outfit from the chair and started dressing Reita, careful to not wrinkle the fabric.
Once Reita was all dressed, Satsuki nodded in satisfaction. "All right, send him over to get some food and collect Matsumoto. I'll start getting the crew ready to set sail as soon as he comes back."
Kyo looked at the rag Reita used to wear around his face and how he was fidgeting without his protection, maybe some kind of security blanket. With a sigh, he walked to his dresser and cut a long stripe of his finest shirt, stretching the expensive fabric over Reita's nose. "Okay, now stop acting so nervous about everything. I'll explain the plan while you eat." He motioned for the slave to follow him to the kitchen.
While Kyo fed Reita, Satsuki went to collect his crew, knowing that the majority of them would be getting drunk again. Sometimes the captain wished to throw them overboard.
Reita nodded to all that was being said. He had to please the captain on his first mission, prove he was worthy of thrust and maybe of a bed to sleep, away from the smelly chickens.
Kyo coached some of his moves and soon they were both outside, walking to the club, Kyo two steps behind, playing the bodyguard.
The slave took a deep breath before entering the club, hoping his voice wasn't too shaky when he spoke to the guard, saying he was hired to entertain the young gentlemen with a peculiar taste. After some arguing, the guard let them both through, Reita quickly walking inside the room and leaning against a wall, looking for his prey.
Ruki was still in his chair when Kyo and Reita entered the room. He was swirling the crimson liquid in his glass around, looking at it with clear distaste as he set it down on the table beside him. It was wine fit for a beggar. Ruki didn't want to touch it.
Reita smiled to himself when he saw the short guy who was probably Matsumoto. He was still sitting on the same chair Kyo said he was when they have been here previously. With a look around, he formed a plan, stopping the waiter to get one glass of wine. Sipping on the rich liquid, he walked to the other side of the room, standing right next to his prey's chair. The slave leaned against the wall there, watching the people outside with mild interest, hoping he was noticed.
Spotting the stranger near him, Ruki looked him over, trying to figure out if he was someone he should know. Deciding that he'd never seen this man before, Ruki spoke up. "And where are you from? I don't believe we've met before."
Reita turned around slowly, sipping on his wine again. The man looked nice, but he could not forget that pleasing the captain was a lot more important now then being honest. "I'm new around here. My name is Akira, nice to meet you."
"You may call me Ruki." The small blonde man replied. He didn't like his given name much and never used it. "Come take a seat, Akira?" He suggested, patting his lap and giving Reita a little smirk.
Reita controlled his blush the best he could, but a little embarrassed smile appeared on his face. He walked to Ruki and sat on the arm of the chair, looking down at the blonde. "I'm comfortable right here, thank you."
"Suit yourself." Ruki muttered with a little shrug. Reita was close enough to touch anyway, so Ruki slipped his arm around the other's waist and pulled him down into his lap.
Reita yelped, his first reaction to get up and yell at Ruki, but he refrained himself, remembering the mission. This time he blushed like a schoolgirl, looking away and drinking the remaining wine. With a deep breath, he looked at the short man, giggling a little bit. "I wasn't expecting this..."
"Do you mind?" Ruki asked, nipping Reita's ear lightly as his arms rested around the other's waist. He couldn't help wondering why someone so seemingly innocent was around here.
This was the perfect opportunity, Reita decided. With a embarrassed smile, he used one hand to gently push Ruki away, his free hand scratching his head. "I'm not used to public displays... But I live nearby, would you like to go there with me? Have a cup of tea and then... maybe we will be able to know each other a little better?" He smirked, running one finger along Ruki's right cheek and finishing with a feather touch to the pink lips.
Ruki smirked at the touch and he held Reita's head close as he placed a longer kiss on Reita's lips. "I'd love to..." He replied. Though he still was a bit suspicious. He was going to be on guard.
Reita smiled and got up, motioning for Ruki to follow him. Once outside, he led the blonde to the alleys Kyo told him to, aware of the cartographer presence right behind them.
Without waiting for a distraction of any kind, Kyo ran to Matsumoto and attacked him, delivering a strong blow with the flat edge of the sword, exactly like he had done with Hara.
Ruki had been a little more prepared for the attack though and he managed to catch Kyo in the stomach with a knife he had been holding on to in his pocket. He passed out right after doing the damage though, falling to the ground with the bloody object in hand.
Kyo gasped, taking some steps away from Ruki, holding his side. After the first seconds of shock, he looked at the wound, hissing.
Reita looked at the cartographer with wide eyes, starting to panic. What would he do? Just forget Ruki there and run to fetch the captain? But what if Kyo died on the meantime? And what if someone accused him of murder? "H-h-hey, you're okay?"
The brunette groaned, using his handkerchief to stop the bleeding. He yanked the noseband out of the slave's face and used it to tie the fabric over the wound. "Let's go, we need to take him to the ship." Ignoring the pain, he grabbed Ruki's legs and dragged him to the En Soi, panting.
Seeing the struggling pair bringing the body of Ruki over to the ship, Hiroto ran down to help them. He took Ruki's legs from Kyo and started dragging Ruki himself. "You ok, Kyo? You should get Satsuki to look at that." He said, glancing at the bloody handkerchief.
Kyo nodded and stumbled to the captain's cabin, knocking on the door. "Hey, I need a little help here..." Damn that blonde. The pain was sharp and it was biting on his side.
Satsuki opened the door and let Kyo in immediately, smelling the blood. "Lay down on my bed and I'll fix you up." He said calmly, going to get the medical supplies he kept with him.
Hiroto nodded, running up the stairs to tell Hakuei about the prisoners since Satsuki would be occupied with Kyo's wound.
Kyo laid down on the mattress with some difficulty, taking the handkerchief away from the wound with pained cries. The blood had dried and glued the fabric to the skin and tearing it off was a very painful process.
Satsuki sat by Kyo, beginning to clean the wound off so he could stitch it up. "I should've been there. I'm sorry."
Kyo groaned again, trying to be still. "It was my fault, don't worry your pretty head about it. I just need a night of sleep and I'll be brand new... Oh fuck! Be careful!" In reality, it stung like a bitch and he wanted to whine like a 5 year old, but being a pirate, he refrained.
"Shh..." Satsuki kissed Kyo's forehead and began singing a soft melody to Kyo to get him to calm down while he began stitching up the wound.
Kyo sighed, using a hand to massage his forehead, trying to fight sleep. He wanted to hear more of Satsuki's beautiful song, but his body was relaxing and the pain subsiding too fast.
Satsuki smiled as he was able to finish his job easily. He wrapped bandages around the wounded area just in case and he held Kyo's hand, stopping his singing.
Kyo yawned, squeezing the hand in his. "Don't stop. Sounds beautiful..." He could barely speak, stumbling on the words, but he did know he wanted to hear more of the alluring melody.
Since Kyo had gotten hurt on his orders, Satsuki continued to sing, laying his head down next to Kyo's. It was making him a little sleepy too.
Kyo almost fell asleep, but squeezed Satsuki's hand again, dragging his words even more then before. "Don't sleep, you have to give them orders and sail the ship..." After one quick shaking of the fingers on his power, he was fast asleep.
Satsuki nodded and kissed Kyo gently before leaving his cabin and calling out orders to get the ship sailing. It was leaving the little port within minutes, his crew having already started getting ready to leave.
Rose paced inside his room, looking through the window every five seconds, seeing some of the crew already outside. He played with the end of his braid, sighing and thinking about how the hell Hakuei would take him out of there.
"Rose, my love..." Hakuei said as he knocked lightly on the door. He was hiding a bag under his arm filled with a disguise for Rose.
Rose ran to the door, opening it quickly and pulling Hakuei inside. He kissed his lover, and just then noticed the bag. "What's that?"
Hakuei emptied the contents onto the floor, showing Rose the ratty clothes and the cloak with a hood. "It's a disguise."
Rose didn't wait for any order or explanation, he just took his clothes off in a hurry and dressed on the old clothes, trusting his lover's plan. The blonde walked to the dresser and tossed some clothes and accessories on his bed. After he was finished, he quickly tied the sheet around his things, making it much easier to carry them. "Okay, I'm ready. Do you think I can take some of my things with me?" He pointed to the improvised bag.
"I'll take your things and you just do your best to look unsuspicious." Hakuei said, taking the makeshift bag from Rose and tossing it over his shoulder to carry it.
Rose nodded and opened the door, leaving his room and the private part of the brothel. Nobody noticed him, everyone too busy on pleasing and entertaining the clients. Outside, the blonde smiled, already feeling the taste of freedom and just a bit sad he wasn't able to say goodbye to his friends who endured hell with him for all those years.
A certain pair of eyes followed Rose out, watching him escape into freedom. A sigh followed, Saga turning and looking at the man he was supposed to be pleasing today. At least someone got to leave this place.
Rose walked to the ship, looking back every five seconds to be sure that Hakuei was right behind him. When he could see the En soi, he stopped near the wall of the alley, hiding in the dark part of the street. "I should have said goodbye to Saga..."
"Maybe I can have one of the others go back and get him to come say good bye?" Hakuei suggested, spotting Nao near by.
Rose reached for Hakuei, having the need to touch him to feel secure. "If that's really okay, yes... please, my love, I'll miss him very much."
Hakuei gave Rose a small, reassuring kiss before calling Nao over and telling him to have Saga meet them there.
Nao nodded and ran to the brothel, walking inside the building with a frown. Several drunk men were there, already highly intoxicated already so early in the morning.
Ignoring all of them, the cook made a bee line for Saga, poking him in the back. "Hey, someone is waiting for you outside..." He arched both eyebrows, trying to make his point clear.
Saga nodded, excusing himself to walk outside with Nao. He was thankful he was distracted from having a drunk paw at him so early in the day.
Nao took Saga by the hand and ran to the ship, making a quick turn in one of the alleys, where Rose and Hakuei were waiting for them.
When Saga saw Rose, he moved over to hug him, wishing the best for his friend. Though it was a little painful to let go of one of the few friends he had there.
Rose hugged his friend close, trying to swallow a sob. "I'll never forget about you... I'll do my best to come back someday and get you." He closed his eyes, finally letting the tears run free down his face.
Saga shook his head and stepped away from Rose, wiping the other's tears away. "I can't wait for someday, Rose. I want to escape from here sooner than that."
Rose just sobbed harder and hugged Saga again, kissing his cheek and trying to convince himself that it was okay to go. "I will miss you so much... Please, be okay?"
Nao elbowed Hakuei, a frown on his face. "Didn't Satsuki tell you to take whatever you wanted?" He whispered, pulling the first mate a little away from the embracing friends.
Hakuei nodded, Nao had a point there. "So you're saying we should take Saga too?"
Nao nodded. "Well, yeah! We kill, steal and kidnap. A good action cannot hurt once in a while. Besides, the poor thing is desperate to go away too, I'm sure he will work a lot on the ship if we ask."
"And you like him." Hakuei teased before going over to Rose and Saga. "All right, both of you hop on the ship now if you want to leave this place."
"Really?" Saga asked, smiling. He grabbed Rose's hand and ran to the En Soi to board it.
Nao blushed beet red and followed both blondes to the ship, muttering curses under his breath.
Rose walked around the deck, taking Saga with him by the hand, looking carefully at every corner of the ship that would be their home from now on. "Are you ok with leaving all your things behind Saga? Even your money?"
"I don't want to go back in there and risk being caught." Saga pointed out just as Hiroto ran by to speak to Hakuei and drag him down to the cells below deck.
Rose smiled to his friend, beaming with happiness. "I know, makes sense... Now come on, let's ask Hakuei where we can stay out of everyone's way." He followed his lover down the stairs, liking the idea of always being by his side while amongst the crew, which in his opinion, where a bunch of rough, horny man waiting their prey.
Toshiya groaned loudly, stretching a hand to cup the back of his head. He had a terrible headache and opening his eyes had been proved a bad idea, even if the room was dark. He turned around, getting up on his hands and knees the best he could, slowly sitting down against the wall. When the brunette gathered enough courage, he blinked twice, finally looking around. He could see little, but the sounds were assaulting him with a obscene volume to his hurting head. He could hear the sea, the incessant chirp of chickens, footsteps on the wood above him and a lot of voices speaking at the same time.
Hiroto pointed to the prisoners when they were downstairs, showing them to Hakuei. He saw that Toshiya was already awake so he walked over and kneeled in front of his cell. "Hey there."
Toshiya moaned, trying to make the word stopping to spin, so he could focus on the image of the guy before him. "Where I am?"
Rose walked to Hakuei and grasped his wrist gently, trying to keep his cool as he looked to the confused prisoner. He knew from the beginning he would have to put up with things like that, but he was happy to have Saga there to talk. One quick squeeze of his hand and look to his co-worker was everything he did to show him his nervousness.
"You're on the ship En Soi as one of our captives. We need something that you have." Hakuei answered, then looked over at Rose and kissing his hand. "Why don't you go up and wait for me on the deck?” He asked, not really wanting Rose to see if there was any resistence from Toshiya. They tended not to be kind to misbehaving prisoners.
Rose nodded, even if he was not very comfortable around the crew yet. They would stay near the door leading down the stairs, just in case someone tried something funny.
Toshiya groaned, using a hand to massage his aching head, trying to make sense of the stranger's words. He looked around, noticing the body of another member of his club there and gasped, trying to remember everything. "What? What do you want? And how the hell did I end up here!?"
"We want a piece of a map. I have reason to believe that you're part of that map." Hakuei replied, before standing and unlocking the door to Toshiya's cell. He moved inside and grabbed Toshiya to drag him out. He knew Satsuki would want to see him before he did anything so he dragged Toshiya up the steps first.
Toshiya stumbled up the steps, moaning and covering his eyes from the sun outside, the back of his head now throbbing. He looked around, searching for some help, maybe a way out, but all he saw were mean smiling faces and the sea. The boat was slowly withdrawing from its place at the little port, and nobody was even looking at it. He kept quiet, knowing that screaming was a stupid thing to do right now, since nobody would hear him and he would probably be beaten for it.
Satsuki stepped over to them when he spotted Hakuei with Toshiya, smirking a bit at his prisoner. He was still in his dress, so he knew Toshiya would recognize him, though he had let his hair down since then. “Strip him.” The captain commanded, in a completely male voice, as he ran his hand down the middle of Toshiya chest.
Toshiya's eyes widened when he saw the beautiful lady from before standing there. Suddenly, she didn't looked all that stunning anymore, the male features much more visible then when they were at the club. He gasped, not believing that a man deceived him so easily. The brunette tried to release himself from Hakuei's hold, clutching his clothes close to him, not about to just let some filthy excuse for a human humiliate him. "How!? You're a wizard, a warlock! I'm sure you looked like a woman before!"
"Hardly." Replied Satsuki, beginning to cut Toshiya's clothes off with his knife. "Perhaps you don't like females as much as you thought." He teased, while pushing the torn pieces away from Toshiya's body. If Toshiya struggled too much, he'd get cut.
Toshiya tried to get away once more, but gave up when the cold blade bit on his skin. He hissed and looked down, speaking between his teeth. "I don't understand what you want from me..."
Turning Toshiya around, Satsuki smiled, tracing his finger along the map burned into his skin. "It's right here. All we need. I assume it's the same with the other one."
Reita, who was a few steps behind Satsuki, stretched his neck so he could see the map. To him it was nothing more then a bunch of lines that said nothing. The blonde frowned and spoke anyway. "I'm sorry sir, but do you want me to call Kyo? I'm sure he would like to see this." His voice was low and he still looked down, even more when he was glared by half of the ship for speaking when not spoken to.
Satsuki shook his head and smiled at Reita. "Why don't you go get our two new guests comfortable on the ship? I'll bring him to Kyo myself." With that, he grabbed Toshiya's arm and pulled him along to his cabin, were Kyo still rested.
Reita nodded and motioned for Rose and Saga to follow him, grabbing the makeshift bag on the way. He walked them to the cabins, opening the door for the one right beside Hakuei's bedroom. He gave the key to Saga and showed Rose to the first mate's room. "I believe you will be staying here, right?"
Rose smiled, looking around the beautiful room. It was just like Saga's, but everything had a touch of his lover. "Look Saga! Isn't it perfect? You even have a good room all to yourself."
Saga shrugged as he looked around, leaning against the doorway. "Something just doesn't seem right, Rose...."
Satsuki made Toshiya kneel beside his bed, his back facing Kyo so the map could be clearly seen. He then gently shook the cartographer's shoulder to get him to wake up.
Kyo groaned and opened his eyes slowly, facing the captain with a disgusted expression. "For God's sake Satsuki, get rid of that dress... What do you want?"
Toshiya did everything that the blonde ordered without complaining, the logical side of his mind telling him that it was ridiculous to rebel inside a ship, in the middle of the sea. He would think of something , but he decided to behave right now.
"There's another part of the map." Satsuki said, standing up and reaching behind him to undo the laces on his dress. He struggled for a while to get out of it before he dropped the garment to the floor carelessly. He then stepped over to pick out something normal to wear, not at all concerned with the fact that he had worn nothing beneath the dress.
Kyo arched an eyebrow at Satsuki, running his eyes up and down the naked body, admiring the expense of milky white skin. He sighed and shook his head, finally looking to the man knelt beside the bed. The cartographer touched the burned skin, following the lines with his fingers. "That's a complicated map, captain. I need to see the part we already have and the one on Matsumoto's back." He tried to get up, but the pain in his side reminded him of his condition... Maybe he should give the wound a few days to heal. "Oh, I will need my glasses too."
"Don't move." Satsuki warned as he dressed and did the last few buttons on his shirt. "You'll open up the stitches." He said, before moving over and adjusting the pillows behind Kyo so he could sit up a little more. "I'll get Matsumoto and your glasses."
Kyo sighed, getting comfortable against the pillows and looking at the tall man kneeling on the ground. "Can I have your sword? He's behaving too well to not be plotting something." He grabbed a handful of Toshiya's hair and turned his head, so he could take a look at his face. The brunette groaned at the harsh treatment and spat on the cartographer's face.
Seeing the behavior of the two, Satsuki hit them both on the head. "Hey, the two of you behave or I'll have both of your heads." He threatened and then turned to retrieve Matsumoto from below deck.
Toshiya waited until Satsuki was out of the cabin and got up, turning to look at the wounded men in the bed. With a quick movement, he attached both of his hands to the cartographer's neck, squeezing the flesh between his fingers with all his might. Maybe he still had a chance if he could run out of the cabin and jump into the sea.
Kyo found himself unable to scream, all he could do was claw at the big hands and look at his assaulter with wide eyes. When Toshiya used a knee to press into his wound, he felt tears slipping out of his eyes, and desperately looked for something on the bedside table to hit Toshiya with.
Before Toshiya could do too much damage, the sharp end of a sword pressed into his neck, a small line of blood trickling from the tiny cut it made. “You might want to let go of him.” Satsuki said in a dangerous tone. He had waited outside to hear if there were any signs of struggling from within. He had wanted to test if Toshiya could be trusted.
Toshiya hissed in anger and did as he was told, slowly letting go of the cartographer's neck and kneeling on the floor once again. Damn all these filthy pirates, kidnaping him because of the stupid scars on his back.
Kyo turned on his side when he was released, coughing and drawing on deep breaths, one hand massaging the angry purple marks around his neck. His other hand flew to his throbbing side, crimson blood soon flowing between his fingers and staining the sheets. "D-damn! I'll kill you, you stupid rich brat! I'll rip that thing off of your back and fucking kill you!" He panted, trying to recover his breath.
Satsuki moved to Kyo's side, turning him onto his back and removing the bandages to see if he needed to close the wound again. He was very upset with Toshiya. If they didn't need him so much, he would kill him. "Calm down, Kyo..." He whispered, beginning to sing to him again.
Kyo stopped squirming, trying to relax against the mattress. Satsuki's voice was really a blessing in this kind of situation. "Don't make me sleep... I can handle a little pain. I need to be awake to study those things." He pointed to the map on Toshiya's back, who was already passed out on the floor, a weak victim to the siren's voice.
Satsuki nodded and cleaned up Kyo's bleeding wound, falling silent. He then leaned down and carefully hugged Kyo, avoiding disturbing the gash in his stomach. "I'm sorry."
Kyo frowned, running a hand through Satsuki's hair gently. The captain was acting weird after the slap episode, as if Kyo had finally been able to break his defenses. "Don't worry, it's not your fault."
"I'll be back soon..." Satsuki promised, stepping over Toshiya on his way to the door. "Yell if he wakes up and bothers you again." He then stepped out of his cabin and quickly went down the stairs to the lower deck. Ruki was starting to wake up by now, so Satsuki pulled the short blonde man out of his cell, not being the slightest bit careful with him. Ruki cried out in pain each time he was pulled up on one of the steps. He was dropped outside a room for a second and he winced at the sunlight, though he only had to endure it for a little while before he was dragged into the captain’s cabin and thrown beside Toshiya’s sleeping form.
Kyo had retrieved a quill and a piece of paper from one of Satsuki's drawers, and was currently making notes about the map burned on Toshiya's skin, squinting his eyes to see better and make sure of what he was writing. "I think...hm... I think that we are very far away from wherever this will lead us."
"Well, maybe the last part of the map will help." Satsuki said, cutting off Ruki's vest and shirt to expose his back.
"Hey, what are you doing?" Ruki asked, frowning and struggling against Satsuki. Satsuki punched him hard though, still mad about him hurting Kyo.
Kyo sighed, leaning forward a little to see better, groaning low in his throat. "Okay... First, switch their places. Now that I can see, I believe Mr. Hara is the last part of the map. And I will need that huge map I keep on my table, my instruments and the fragments I decoded before." He sighed, eyeing the drawings with a frown. "This is a very basic map, meant for someone who knew where to look. I will need a few hours. Maybe a few days."
"Take the time you need, we'll be sailing around to keep anyone who would be following off our tails." Satsuki said, sitting beside Kyo on the bed as he looked over the two prisoners. "What should we do with them? Lock them up in your room?"
"Let's go to my room now, I'll copy the maps. Then you can do whatever you want with them, you're the captain. Just make sure they stay alive, I may need the original map again."
Toshiya eyed the other prisoner, recognizing him from the club. He wanted to talk, to ask him what was going on, but the pirates didn't seem to be in a good mood right now.
"I don't think I should move you." Satsuki said, looking down at Kyo. "Perhaps I should just bring everything here for you. It is also easier if we only have one in here at a time to watch over."
Kyo nodded. "That's fine with me. I'm just worried about staying in your room all this time. I didn't think you would be comfortable with someone here."
"I used to share with Takumi." Satsuki pointed out. "It got a little lonely anyway." He smiled at Kyo before getting up to pick up the maps and Kyo's notes, bringing them to the bed. "So will you need to examine Matsumoto first?" He asked, since Ruki was the next part of the map.
"Yeah, step closer please, Mr. Matsumoto." He grabbed a blank paper and his glasses, ready to start. "Let's copy this thing off of your back."
Ruki didn't move, glaring over his shoulder at Kyo. Satsuki frowned and grabbed him, pushing him close to the bed and tying his hands to the frame so that he couldn't do anything. "I'll bring Hara back down to be locked up. When you're ready to see him, we can switch them."
Kyo just nodded, already busy copying the first few lines of the map. "Congratulate Reita if you see him, he did a good job. Maybe give him a bed? I bet he's tired of sleeping with the animals."
"I'll give him yours." Satsuki teased as he kicked Toshiya to wake him up from his song induced sleep.
Toshiya groaned, trying to get away from the kicks, using his arms to protect his sides. "What did you do to me?"
Kyo laughed, this time looking at the captain. "Well, that might get him killed by the others, who sleep in bunks, all cramped in a small space. But I'm fine with it, as long as I can stay here. Your room is much better anyway."
"Nothing. Now get up." Satsuki ordered, pulling on Toshiya's arm. He still smiled though, at the thought of keeping Kyo in his room. Perhaps he liked that idea more than he should have.
Toshiya had to try a few times before being able to get up, stumbling forward. He gasped at the sight of tied up Ruki, panic starting to rise inside him. "Please, what's going on? These things are just scars, it's no map! You are all out of your mind!"
"We won't hurt you if you behave." Satsuki promised, pulling Toshiya out onto the main deck again and to the stairs. He felt no need to explain any more to Toshiya.
Nao sighed at the mess the crew was making at the table. Most of them had no manners at all! He grabbed a big tray with two meals and walked to the captain's cabin, leaving both plates on the table in the corner of the room. The cook made a mental note to feed the prisoner as soon as they let go of him. He selected three more meals and walked to the big corridor that held his own room, knocking on Hakuei's door. "Sir, I brought you dinner."
As Hakuei took the meals for himself and Rose, Saga paced in his own room and waited for Nao to come to his door. He wanted to invite the cook in and have dinner with him. He had to admit that he'd grown fond of Nao and wanted to keep him close.
Nao waited until Hakuei had closed the door to run a hand through his hair, making sure it was looking good. He looked down and cursed, quickly untying his stained apron and disposing of it in his room. With a deep breath, he knocked on Saga's door. "Saga, dinner time!"
Saga waited a moment before answering the door, smiling at Nao. "Hey Nao...could you join me for dinner?" He asked, pushing the door open a little wider for Nao to come in.
Nao blushed a little, thinking about the offer. He really wanted to go in and talk to Saga while he ate, really wanted to spend some time with this beautiful and intriguing person. But he needed to feed Reita and the prisoner, clean the table, wash the dishes...
He sighed, shaking his head to himself. That all could wait for 10 or 15 minutes. "I would love to, Saga." The cook walked in, placing the plate on the table and sitting himself in the other chair. "So, how's the sea treating you? Are you liking life on the ship?"
"I can't complain about much, though I will have to get new clothes for myself." Saga said, sitting down next to Nao and scooting closer. "What's it like being the cook?" He asked as he began to eat the dinner Nao had prepared for him.
Nao laughed, throwing his head back. "It's a lot of work. I have to get up and make dinner thinking about what I can make for lunch. Then I eat faster then everyone else and start on lunch when they're still eating. When they're done, I have to wash everything, to set on table again for the next meal. The only time I really have free is the afternoon and the night, after I'm finished with washing everything used for dinner..." Nao made a disgusted face, thinking about his next task. "They act like pigs at the table, so it takes a long time, even when Reita and Hiroto help me."
"Maybe I could help you too?" Saga suggested. He didn't mind helping out a little bit. It would give him something to do while stuck on this boring ship.
Nao smiled, nodding to Saga. "Yeah, that would be good if it's okay with you. At least will give you something to do around here and you will gain the crew's respect... They don't mess with people who deal with their food." He laughed a little, shyly reaching with a finger to stroke the blond's left wrist. "Let's talk to Satsuki tomorrow. You will need a payment, since you lost all of your stuff."
Saga caught the finger and slid his hand into Nao's. "And I would get to spend time with you..." He added, leaning over to kiss Nao's cheek.
Nao blushed and laughed, squeezing the hand in his own. "Yeah, well... You will probably get tired of me. I can be pretty bossy when I step in the kitchen."
Saga laughed and ate a bit more, wanting to start helping out quickly so he could spend some time with Nao before sleeping. "I can't imagine that."
Nao played with their hands, using both of his to gently massage Saga's. "You will see..."
Saga finished up his meal and picked up his plate, standing up. "All right, cook, show me the way to the kitchen. I want to see you being bossy."
Nao shook his head, getting up as well. "Come on, this way." They walked into the room where the crew was still finishing their meal, and into the adjacent kitchen. "This is my kingdom." He walked to the several cakes lined up on th counter, grabbing two of them. "Help me here, ok?"
Saga grabbed a few of the cakes and balanced them perfectly in his arms. "They look great, Nao."
"Thank you. It's good to have the supplies to make them. After a few weeks on the sea, we will be lucky if we still have some crackers and chicken." He walked back to the table, serving the dessert quickly. After they were done, he motioned for Saga to follow him back. "I need to feed the prisoner and Reita now... Are you sure you want to come with me? Sometimes it can be a nasty sight."
Saga nodded and smirked at Nao. "With my job, I saw nasty things everyday." He said, while picking up a couple of the plates for Nao.
Nao grabbed a tray with another plate and a big jar of water. He walked outside and downstairs, almost slipping on the steps twice. "Careful, it's slippery down here." He avoided the water on the ground with ease, walking right past the cells and ignoring the prisoners for now. The cook turned a corner, crouching near a pile of straw. "Reita, wake up. Here, I brought food."
The thin blonde opened his eyes, sitting up and groaning at the pain in his whole body. At least he wasn't chained to the wall this time. "Thank you Nao... It's been a while since I had two meals in the same day, feels like Christmas." He smiled weakly, feeling sad for not being remembered after luring Matsumoto to the ship.
Saga felt bad for the poor blonde sleeping in the hay. It didn't look very comfortable. "Take my room." He said automatically. "I insist. You look like you need a good night's rest." He didn't think about where he would sleep at that moment.
Reita stopped in the middle of lifting the fork to his mouth, noticing Saga there for the first time. He shook his head, smiling shyly. "No sir, it's okay, really. I'm used to it. It's not my place to take you out of your room."
Nao frowned, looking up at Saga. "You can sleep in my room, right?"
Saga nodded, smiling at that idea. What a perfect excuse to get to hold Nao throughout the night again. "Yes, that would be perfect."
Reita was going to protest, but Nao gave him a look and a raised eyebrow. "Ok, if you both insist. But nobody can see me." He happily ate his meal then, excited about having a room to himself for one night.
Nao smiled to Saga, walking to the cell, where the prisoners were speaking in hushed tones. "Dinner!" He slid the plate through the bars, waiting to see if they would come to get it.
Saga watched Nao, leaning against him for a moment as he watched the prisoners. He felt bad for them too, but there was nothing he could do about it. "Shall we start cleaning up?" Saga whispered in Nao's ear as he saw one of the prisoners creep over to taste the food.
Nao motioned for Reita to follow, even if he wanted to stay alone with Saga. They would finish faster that way. "Yes, between the three of us, we should take just an hour." He leaned back a little, kissing the blonde's cheek quickly and leading him up the stairs by the hand. "Come on."
The little kiss on his cheek made his heart rejoice as he followed Nao up the stairs and back to clean up the mess the rest of the crew left. Saga hummed and threw happy glances at Nao the whole time though, not minding the work in the least.
They finished everything in a little more then a hour, the room finally clean. Nao sighed and leaned against the counter, grabbing an apple to eat. "Just give me a minute and we can get going."
Saga was tired, but in good spirits. He moved over to the cook and decided to give him incentive to go back to his room. He wrapped his arms around Nao and rubbed the cook's back, while taking a bite from the other side of the apple.
Nao tried to contain a laugh, but failed, quickly lifting a hand to catch the fruit before it fell. He munched on the piece he had on his mouth with a shy smile, offering another bite to Saga. Reita just turned away, watching the sea movements by the little window.
Saga took another bite and then glanced towards Reita, noticing how lonely he looked. "Hey, Nao..." Saga whispered, laying his head on the cook's shoulder. "What's the deal with Reita?"
Nao's smile died, a sad expression forming on his face. "He was taken from another ship, turned into a slave. Everyone else was killed, but he was making us lose too much time. They let him live."
"He looks lonely." Saga stated, knowing it was rather obvious fact. "Probably feels like an outsider."
"The crew doesn't like him very much. He only has me and Hiroto, really. Kyo is always too busy, and the captain barely remembers he exists. It's sad... You can be sure you're making a friend for the rest of your life tonight." Nao finished the apple and sighed, grasping Saga's hand. "Let's go."
Saga nodded and left the kitchen with Nao, smiling a bit now that he would get to spend the night with the other again. He couldn't help an idea from forming in his head though about other matters, though he didn't voice them yet.
Reita followed them, hesitating when he faced the bedroom door. "Is...Is this really okay, sir?" He looked troubled, as if he didn't know how to react to such kindness.
"Of course." Saga replied, patting Reita on the back. "You can invite someone in with you for all I care. Just have a good night."
Nao liked Saga even more now, happy to see that someone else cared about Reita. He closed the door and walked to his bed, slowly taking his boots off.
Saga moved into Nao's room and started undressing to get comfortable. He hoped Nao didn't mind, but he always slept in the nude.
Nao looked up, choking on his own saliva and blushing at the sight of Saga undressing so casually.
"Are you ok?" Saga questioned, glancing over at Nao as he folded his clothes into a little pile. "I hope you don't mind, by the way. It's a habit."
Nao walked to his dresser, using a hand to cover his eyes. He grabbed a simple, long nightgown and handed it to Saga, his face beet red. There was no way he could sleep with that sexy, naked body beside him. "P-please..." He quickly selected a shirt and pants for himself and disappeared into the adjacent room, drawing in a deep breath to try to calm himself and his friend down there.
Saga shrugged to himself as he slipped on the nightgown, though not liking it as much as being completely free. Whatever made Nao comfortable enough to let him stay with him, he'd do.
After a few deep breaths and some very unsexy thoughts, Nao decided it was safe to come back to the room. He could still feel a little residual blush on his face, but the very eager part of his body had been taken care of. He walked to the bed and sat down, playing with the buttons on his shirt. "Sorry, I freaked out."
Saga smiled at the adorable man and shook his head, moving over to the bed and sitting next to him. He pulled Nao closer to him and laid a sweet kiss on his lips. "You know it's ok, Nao. I just want you to feel more comfortable around me."
Nao sighed and backed away, still not comfortable with the situation. "You make me feel weird. Good weird, but weird anyway." He got up and blew the lanterns out. It was easier to speak when he could not see more than a faint outline of the beautiful man. "I don't want you to do this just because I took you out of the brothel. You don't owe me anything."
Saga felt a little insulted by that, but he stayed silent and just nodded in the darkness. He had been making advancements towards Nao not out of duty or a feeling of obligation or even gratitude. He did it because he was quickly forming feelings for Nao. But maybe Nao would never see him as more than a whore.
Nao laid down, pulling the covers to his neck and sighing. The silence was not a comfortable one, making him squirm, thinking about what he could say. "I'm sorry..." He wasn't sure why he was apologizing, but it seemed to be the right thing to say right now.
"I'm going to take a walk." Saga said, softly, getting up from the bed and leaving the room. He decided to take a little walk around the top deck. Only a few people were up at this time of night anyway.
Nao groaned when he heard the door close, punching the mattress a few times. "What did I said wrong? Damn, damn..." He decided to stay awake until Saga was back, at least to be sure he was safe, and talk to him in the morning.
Once Saga was up on the deck, he leaned against the railing and looked out over the water, sighing as he moon shone upon the surface of the water. A hand came over his face, holding a cloth to it suddenly and he couldn't get a chance to see his attacker before he lost consciousness.