Daisukininaru, Part 2
“Captain!” Takeru burst into the cabin, “The Dread Pirate Yamato is attacking us!” Ken felt Daisuke pull back, letting out a few obscenities in the process. Pirate? Yamato? What was going on? Ken whimpered at the loss of contact.
“Shush sweet. Everything’s fine. You just wait here and keep my place, alright?” Daisuke smiled at him before hastily leaving the room, still tucking his clothes back into place. Takeru gave Ken an ugly sneer before slamming the door shut and following after his captain.
After a few moments Ken sat up and put his own missing clothes back on. It was a good thing too, because mere seconds later, the door was thrown open again as a nameless sailor shoved a very frightened Lady Miyako inside, telling them both to lock the door and not come out.
Ken did has they had been told before sitting quietly on the bed next to Lady Miyako, neither of them feeling much like conversation. Miyako did let out a small cry as the ship began to rock with cannon fire.
“Do you think they’ll kill us?” she asked, her eyes wide.
“If Daisuke says that we are safe then we are safe,” Ken told her matter-of-factly, wrapping a comforting arm around her. After all, he thought, trying to still his conscious, he did not have anything against her; he just did not love her. They sat together like that for what seemed like hours, listening to the battle rage outside until finally, all became quiet.
It did not take long for Ken to be as fed up with the silence as he had been with battle noises before. He gently disengaged himself from Miyako, giving her a smile and telling her to lock the door behind him. She nodded her agreement
“Stay in here, no matter what. I’ll come get you later.” Ken was all too well aware of how his words echoed those of the sailor earlier. He gave her another smile before slipping quietly out into the hall. He waited by the door until he heard the click of the lock being turned and then made his way to the decks.
The scene before him made Ken’s blood boil. A second, larger ship had pulled up next to their own, obviously belonging to the Dread Pirate Yamato. All of Daisuke’s men had been tied, Daisuke included, with the exception of Takeru and Iori, who seemed to be catching up with some of their old friends.
He heard a cruel laugh from somewhere over his left shoulder. It was Yamato, all right, with Taichi right by his side. They walked casually to where Daisuke was tied, jerking him to his feet.
Daisuke . . . Ken was sure he felt his heart lurch. Yamato drew his sword, angling it menacingly down toward Daisuke’s heart. Daisuke never even flinched, but continued to stare rebelliously up at Yamato.
But something made Yamato pause. He turned, motioning for his brother to join them and handed Takeru his sword with an evil smirk. Takeru took up the sword readily, repositioning before leaning in to tell Daisuke something Ken could not hear, but he could have sworn he saw Daisuke’s lip curl. Even in the dim light he could see Takeru pull back for the thrust.
“NOOOOO!” Ken jumped out from his hiding spot. Takeru did not even finch, but rather, drove the sword deep into Daisuke. Ken watched as Daisuke crumpled back to the deck, unable to believe his eyes. He was only shaken out of his shock as Taichi grabbed his collar, jerking him closer.
“Who’s this?” Yamato asked, his eyes moving from Ken’s head, to his toes and back up to his face.
“It’s Daisuke’s whore,” Takeru replied offhandedly, walking up and offering Yamato back his now bloody sword. Taichi jerked Ken back as he did his best to launch himself at Takeru.
“I’ll kill you,” he growled.
“Now don’t be that way,” Yamato said smoothly, physically drawing back Ken’s attention with a hand on his cheek, “Motomiya had good taste.” Ken did his best to express his hate with his eyes but Yamato remained unflustered.
“Eh, if you like the scrawny type,” Taichi replied with a shrug. Takeru just rolled his eyes.
“Jealous?” Yamato smirked, giving Taichi's cheek a tweak and a pat. “Don’t worry, you can have him next.” This seemed to placate Taichi somewhat.
“Takeru!” Everyone turned to see Hikari hanging over the rail or Yamato’s ship waving at her childhood friend. He grinned back before swinging up there and giving her a deep kiss. Ken would have been sick had he been watching. Thankfully, Lady Miyako, who had apparently ignored his warning and was now sneaking around untying all of Daisuke’s sailors, drew his attention away. When she had finished, she stepped forward calmly, waving to the still kissing couple.
“You-who! Hikari! Remember me? It’s Miyako! We met at the Stevenson’s Christmas dinner last year,” she did her best to interrupt them. If it had not been for Daisuke, Ken might have found her humorous. Wait a minute . . . Where had Daisuke gone? He could still clearly see where he had fallen, but he was no longer there. Ken did his best not to allow his hope to show on his face.
“Who’s that?” Yamato asked again. He never received an answer as Taichi was a clueless as he was, Takeru was still distracted and Ken would not even give him the benefit of a glance. Yamato turned on one of his men with a snarl.
“Next time I ask if the ship has been cleared—and you say yes—you had better make sure it actu—” Yamato never got to finish his reprimand as one of Daisuke’s loyal sailors placed their rapier oh so casually across his shoulder, removing Yamato’s in the process and tossing it over board. He then motioned for Taichi to do the same, which he quickly did, rather than see Yamato get hurt. For a moment it seemed as if Yamato’s men wanted a fight but at a word from Yamato they all laid down their weapons. After all, they were completely surrounded.
Ken watched as each man was forced off the ship before going to look for Daisuke. Ken began getting really worried, the hope he had felt a moment before being replaced with despair. Just as he was coming back up to search the upper decks again, he came face to face with Takeru.
“Hello, Ken.” Takeru’s voice was cold and the eyes that Ken had always seen as so very friendly and open seemed distant and hard. Ken was surprised at how quickly his rage returned, blocking out all other thoughts. He punched Takeru hard, sending him to the floor.
“Takeru! How could you do this to Daisuke? You’re supposed to be his friend,” he spat out, standing over Takeru menacingly. He scrambled back to his feet, meeting Ken look for look.
“Shut up Ken! Just shut up. You don’t know anything. Daisuke shouldn’t be captain of this ship. It was suppose to be me.” Ken just looked at him as if he were loony for a moment before voicing those very same sentiments.
“You’re crazy. And if you’ve killed Daisuke, I’m going to kill you,” the whole thing was said with a stealth and power Ken had not felt since his days as the Kaiser. He turned to leave, only wanting to continue his search for Daisuke, but Takeru’s hand snaked out, grabbing his arm and jerking him back around.
“I may be crazy, but you’re nothing but a whore and a slut and you have no right even being on the same ship as me.” Takeru’s tone was very low and very caustic. He reached back to throw his own punch, but never made it. From behind him, Daisuke held his wrist, his face a storm of fury.
“Daisuke!” Ken could not even describe the relief he felt seeing Daisuke standing there, a little bloody, but otherwise alive.
“Daisuke,” Takeru echoed, albeit with an entirely different tone.
“Your brother’s looking for you Takeru,” Daisuke said with a false smile, “See that he finds him,” he told some men standing behind him. They immediately came and began to drag Takeru away.
“Are you alright?” Daisuke asked Ken when they were alone. Ken nodded.
“Yes, I’m fine. Daisuke?” Daisuke was looking a little unsteady on his feet. Ken quickly moved so that Daisuke could use his body for support.
“Thanks,” he mumbled, then, “Come with me. There’s still work to be done.” Ken just nodded again, doing his best to help Daisuke in every way he could. Hikari caught sight of them from where she still stood on Yamato’s ship. She began to wave excitedly, calling out Daisuke’s name.
“Daisuke, you’re alive! I’m so glad! I’ve come all this way to tell you that I love you and that I do want to marry you!” Daisuke winced as he remembered all the times she had shot him down so coldly. Well he did not need her anymore. He had someone who really loved him.
“No thanks, Hikari. You’re not really my type,” Daisuke told her, still leaning on Ken’s shoulder. In fact, Ken was beginning to worry about just how much Daisuke seemed to need his support.
“Oh, and I would jump,” Daisuke continued after a moment.
“Huh?”
“I’m blowing up your ship.” He enunciated everything as if he were talking to a very small child. She looked at him like he was crazy and did not seem as if she was going to move.
“Are the cannons loaded?” he asked the nearest sailor how nodded in the affirmative.
“One more chance Hikari,” Daisuke called back up, paused a moment more before continuing, “Ready . . . Aim . . .“
“Wait!” she finally began to move, “I’m going!” Miyako began to giggle inanely as Hikari flew over the edge and into the waiting water. Daisuke waited until she surfaced, motioning her further away from the ship.
“I never liked her anyway,” she whispered, stepping up to Ken.
“Fire!” The ship was reduced to splinters under the barrage of cannon fire. “Now let’s get out of here.” Daisuke’s ship began to cut through the early morning waters, continuing on to the Americas with Daisuke still leaning against Ken as he watched his men move about the ship.
“Hey,” Daisuke finally said softly, “I thought I told you to stay in the room.” Ken smiled at what he believed to be a joking tone, but his smile quickly faded from his face when he saw how pale Daisuke was, his eyes screwed shut and fine beads of perspiration lining his brow.
“Daisuke . . . Miyako! Get some help!” Ken gently helped Daisuke slide down to where he could lay on the deck. Miyako was back with Jyou before hardly any time had passed.
“Ken, Ken. Come on, Ken.” He knew that Miyako was trying to get him to leave Daisuke so that Jyou could get to work, but he just did not want to.
“Ken!” she was being very persistent, pulling at his arm, trying to draw him away. And then . . . Daisuke was gone. In fact everyone was except for Miyako, smiling down on him.
“Come on sleepy head. Everyone’s going to be here soon.” She picked up the novel resting on his chest, looking it over, before smiling at him again. Ken could feel his cheeks getting warm.
“I knew you were a closet romantic,” she teased before heading out to answer the first knock at the door.
@>~`~,~~ ~~,~`~<@ Ken heard yet another knock on their door. He knew he had better hurry up and get out there or Miyako would come to find out why he had not. Not that he did not want to have to explain to his wife that he was having rather loving dreams about his long time best friend. Yeah. He had hoped that those would disappear with adolescence.
He stood with a sigh, smoothing out is outfit and making his way towards the voices just beyond his room.
“Oh! There you are.” Miyako said cheerfully, obviously making her way to force him from seclusion. He gave her his best smile, placing her hand in the crook of his arm with a flourish.
“My lady.” Was it his imagination or did Miyako actually blush? When they entered the main room he looked around for Daisuke, but he had not yet arrived. Ken buried the irrational worry that tried to rear its ugly head. Stupid dream. Stupid, stupid dream. It was a dream.
Still he could not help the dirty look he sent Takeru’s way. Thankfully, no one noticed. Another knock came and Ken told Miyako he’d get it, as she was deep in conversation with Mimi and Hikari.
Jyou and Koushiro came in, shaking the snow off their coats in the process. Ken had just about closed the door when he heard a “Hey!” He opened it again as Daisuke came jogging in with a grin.
Ken was taken over by an incredibly strong urge to hold Daisuke close and make sure he really was real and alive. The only way he was able to resist was to hold him self perfectly strait and hope that whatever chemical seemed to be flooding his better senses would stop soon.
“Man! It’s nasty out there,” Daisuke informed Ken as he handed him his coat, “So who’s all here?”
“Pretty much everyone,” Ken replied, hanging up Daisuke’s coat and looking down the hall to the party, thankful for the distraction. He turned back just in time to catch Daisuke raking a hand through his hair in an attempt to dislodge the already melting snowflakes.
For a moment, Ken was not sure if he would ever remember how to breathe. Daisuke stood before dressed exactly has he had been in his dream, the only exception being that he had exchanged his buckskin pants for some shiny black leather ones, still every bit as tight. The ties on the puffy white shirt hung loose and open, tempting Ken to see if Daisuke’s skin was every bit as warm as he thought it was.
“Like?” Daisuke broke into Ken’s daydreams, giving him a slow wink.
Ken just wished he could swoon.