Hmm, the next one. Not getting them out quite as quickly as I thought :( you forgive me, right?

Not much new to say up the top here… umm, the ages are kinda screwed with, but Matt's supposed to be about 18, and so's Tai, and I still don't own anyone… enjoy!

When I emerge from his cabin, the sun is high in the sky, and I'm immediately set upon by a purple-haired girl I recognise from the little tavern.

"You would be Matt, right?" she grins. "Captain's own piece of ass? I'm Yolei, the ship's new girl. Pleased to meet you!"

"Uh… I suppose." I go to brush past her, but she won't let me.

"Hey, Matt, we should be friends. We're pretty similar, you and me."

I snort, and manage to get past her this time.

TK's bouncing around the tiny town, trying to find somewhere to spend his few coins. I eventually find him sitting by some rock pools, eating lemon drops out of a twist of wax-paper.

There's a moment when he hasn't seen me yet, and I take it to study him. My little brother is growing up right under my nose, and if I don't pay attention, I might miss it.

He's gotten taller over the last month, though he's still almost as skinny as me. He has the same beautiful face and deep, big eyes that got me into this line of work. He looks so much like me, not exactly, but very close. There's a… a quiet in him now, a calm, that wasn't there before. A very deep peace.

And then he sees me, and lights up. "Hey, Matt!"

"Hey, mon." I wander over and sit down next to him. "Spent all your money yet?"

"Yep!" He offers me the candies, and I take one. "D'ya think they'd let me bring a kitten onto the ship? Cos there was a lady that said I could have one of her kittens if I was allowed to."

I grin. "I think they'd let you do that."

Oh god, I love to see that smile! It's like the sun breaking across the sea. It's a beautiful ray of hope shining into my life.

Minutes later, we're crossing the gangplank onto the Raven, each of us hanging onto a kitten. One ginger one, one tortoiseshell. TK's already named them, as imaginative as they come… Ginger and Torty. He's totally fallen for them.

"Hey, what's this?" Joe frowns, looking up from the torn sail he's patching. "I don't think anyone gave permission for those."

"Ship's full'a rats," I retort dryly. "Eat the foodstores, spread disease."

"'Sides, every ship needs ship's cats," adds Izzy, an unexpected support. He steps over to rub Torty's ears, and the kitten purrs like crazy, making TK giggle.

Joe shrugs. "Okay then. You'll need to talk to the cook about feeding them. And make sure the rats don't eat the kittens before they grow up, huh?"

"He's just kidding," I reassure a worried TK.

We set sail at dawn the next day, stocked up for the two month journey.

Two months of pretending I'm in love with Tai. This will be hell.

The day after that, Yolei manages to hunt me down.

She pins me against the wall, giving me a terrifying, unreadable smile. "Hey, Matt," she grins. "How ya doin'?"

"Okay, I guess," I gulp.

She looks at me through her lashes. She's not very good at it, not as good as me. "You know you're the most attractive guy on this ship, Matt."

"And?" I can feel my eyes darting nervously.

"You want a try?" Oh no. She's pressing herself up against me, guiding my hands to her rear. "C'mon, don't you want something, you know… the way you'd like it?"

I pull my hands away. "That's really not necessary, Yolei, thank you very much."

"I know," she smiles. "I want to."

"I don't."

She pulls back a little, hurt.

I bow my head. "You're a nice girl and everything. But how could you possibly think that someone like me would say yes to that offer?"

A baffled look crosses the girl's crimson eyes. "Well, hey, sex is fun."

I stare.

"And, I mean, I doubt you really get to do what you want to with Mr Big'n'Strong out there. You could with me."

"Yolei… sex does absolutely nothing for me. I'd rather not go through with it unless I have to."

"But- but last night, you and him- everyone could hear you scream…"

Wincing- was I that loud? yes, yes I was- I point out, "It's all fake. God, do you think I enjoy having that done to me? I hate it. I hate having him in me. I hate it."

The purple-haired girl looks truly shocked. "Well, geez, why do you do it then?"

"I have to. I need to protect TK, and I need him to help me… even with you here, I can't make sure they leave him alone by myself." I rake a hand through my hair.

She shrugs. "Y'know, he's pretty hot too… I could take over for ya, and then we'd all be happy!"

"Thanks," I smile, "but I don't think Tai'd agree. You don't have my skills."

"Hey!"

"I've been doing this for over ten years, and- just believe me. You don't have my skills."

Very little happened for the next six weeks, so permit me to skip over them… lost four men to a sea serpent, the kittens caught their first mice, and I, hating it, convinced our dear Captain that I was in love with him.

I'm sharpening swords when I hear the cry of "Ship ahoy!"

Course we all know what that means.

Tai's roaring orders, and pirates seem to be buzzing everywhere, sleeking this tub down to an oddly fast thing. We're managing to pull closer to the other ship. We're all gathering weapons, preparing to board.

Grappling hooks fly, and the ships pull together with a grating shudder. It's a rich, pretty thing; good pickings.

We board. Men in uniforms. They fight well-

- the red mist descends upon me.

I awaken suddenly.

My blade is poised just short of a trembling dark-haired girl.

A quick glance to check there's no more warriors around, then I sheathe the dripping sword. "Hey, girl," I greet her.

She stares at me in terror.

I smile. "I don't intend you harm, little girl."

"You just swung at sword at me! You- you killed my guards!"

"I'd never hurt a child." I look her up and down. Elegant silk children's dress, small silver band in her sleek seal's hair. She's rich. Maybe a royal in her country. "You a Princess?"

She nods, her eyes still wide.

"Well, your Highness, my name's Matt."

"P- Princess Kari."

"Hi, Princess," I smile. "Nobody's going to hurt you. We're gonna ask your parents for some money, but that's all. You'll be fine."

"Okay," she says timidly.

"You'll get along just fine with my little brother until we get you home."

Review? (puppy dog eyes)