Affinity


Prompt: Overboard

Rating: M

Title: A Gust of the Wind

Summary: Sequel to A Drop In the Ocean


The first mate watches as her pale hands appear over the side of the ship and how she pulls her petite body over the side with ease. Her pink hair is the first thing he notices.

How can he not? With there being so much of it, one would have to be blind to miss it. Then, the pirate side of him wins over as he notices all manner of silver, gold, and jewels practically dripping off of her delicate frame.

Her face is pretty, angled and severe, almost otherworldly.

Lastly, he notices her clothes, or rather her lack of.

The captain's head must not be screwed on correctly if he is letting a beautiful woman covered head to toe in loot and a simple flimsy cotton shirt run a muck on a ship full of attention starved men.

She runs past him in a blur of rose and the smell of seawater lingers as she continues to the front of the ship. Arms propping on the guardrail, she observes the figurehead of the long-haired mermaid, her wooden arms stretched out, cradling an open clam with a large pearl cushioned inside of it.

Pushing some of his sun-bleached hair away from his sky-blue eyes, he watches as a secretive smile appears on the new arrival's face, as if she knows something that nobody else does.

She leans over the bow to touch the carved, wooden tail, her bent-over form revealing far too much of her "assets" to the crew.

As the skimpy shirt rides hire up her creamy body, Naruto adverts his eyes, trying to fight the blush that burns on his face.

Just when he begins to fear one of the other crewmembers pouncing upon the delicate looking woman, Sasuke is on her, covering her small body with his coat and ushering towards his cabin.

"Who on god's green earth is that?" one of the men cry out.

"An' why does the cap'n get to keep her for 'imself," other adds with a dark chuckle.

"I'm sure the captain has a good reason," Naruto says trying to keep order on the ship.

Usually the crew is an ordered and quite docile bunch, for pirates at least, but being at sea for months with no pleasurable company, and a curse on top of it all is enough to drive anyone mad.

Naruto finds himself fingering the pulsating dark mark on his shoulder.

"I need to speak with you," he whirls around at the sound of his captain's voice.

"Aye?" Naruto responds, eyeing Sasuke's bare torso in accusation.

"You are to watch the men, keep them away from my cabin and under control,"

"Aye captain, that's all good and well," Naruto lowers his voice so only Sasuke can hear, "but the control bit might be a little difficult with a woman here, especially since she just flaunted herself about for everyone and their mother to see." The blonde notices how Sasuke's dark eyes flash in anger. "By the way, what the hell is that about? Since when do you bring woman aboard?"

"That's no woman," Sasuke responds bitingly,

"Then what the hell is she?"

"A mermaid… our mermaid."


"Full speed ahead!" Sasuke shouts as he finishes spinning the wheel. A chorus of "Aye, captain," answers back from the deck as the crew begins the necessary preparations.

"Naruto," he motions for the blond, who bounds over happily. "Get the men to search the cargo for a dress, a nice one."

"Aye, is this for that pink-haired lass?" he asks curiously.

"Yes, I can't have her sitting in my cabin naked all day," Sasuke responds causing Naruto's cheeks to burn red. It had been over a week since retrieving her, and Sakura's nudity is really starting to do him in. He has tried to keep her in a coat or shirt, but she insists on removing them.

"It's in my nature," she will always reason, "I don't usually wear clothing."

Bullshit, Sasuke thinks, knowing that siren, she's just being her usual seductive self.

"Well then," an annoyingly familiar voice says from the behind them, "it's a good thing I took the liberty of borrowing some of your clothes."

There, with surprisingly good balance for somebody new to legs, perches Sakura on the back guardrail, a hand threaded through a rope. Naruto's jaw drops and Sasuke must prevent his own from doing the same as he sees the very embodiment of every pirate's sexual fantasy. She dons a pair of his leather trousers, which are baggy on her and hang low enough to reveal sharp hipbones, and nothing but bandages wrapped around her breasts, a red bandana tying back her hair and her ever-present jewelry completes the ensemble.

"Get back in the cabin," he orders her while ignoring the urge to take her right then and there.

Completely ignoring him, she leaps onto the deck and struts over to Naruto. "Hiya… I mean, ahoy! I'm Sakura, and you are a cutie. If you have any jewels to add to my collection, I can add one to your memories." The flirtatious wink she sends the blonde sends Sasuke over the edge.

Grabbing her arm, he begins dragging her down the steps towards the cabin. "Hey! I'm just trying to meet the crew!"

Several heads turn towards them and eyes widen at the girl's scandalous attire.

"Why the hell would you do that?" Sasuke huffs out.

"If I'm going to be sailing with them for a month I need to get to know them."

"Fuck no."

"What? What the hell, Sasuke?"

"You are to remain in the cabin until we reach our destination," he says before swinging the door open, which bangs loudly with the unnecessary force.

"I'm supposed to see the world, not be confined to a stuffy room!"

"Says who?" Sasuke questions while rolling his eyes as she clings childishly to the doorframe in protest.

"The deal we made," she reminds him.

"And if I should lock you in the cabin?" he says before flaunting an iron key in front of her face.

"Then no scales for you," she whispers, feigning a look of innocence. Sasuke glares at her in challenge and they commence in a staring battle. They might have stood there all day if not for a crewmember running up to them with a box.

"Cap'n, the item you requested," the man says before handing over the package and scampering off.

"What's that?" Sakura questions as she eyes the ornate box.

"Something for you," he shoves the box in her arms before pushing her through the doorway and slamming the door shut.

"You bastard!" Sakura's muffled yell reaches him through the thick wood of the door.

"You're not seeing the world dressed like that," he shouts back. "Change and then we'll talk."

Smirking at her huff of frustration, Sasuke begins re-ascending the step to the stern, but not before barking a quick "Back to work," at his ogling crew.


"What the hell is this?"

Sasuke rolls his eyes at the angered tone that greets him when he enters the cabin. He looks up to see Sakura attempting to tie the corset of the dress he had given her. The task seems to be difficult for the sea dweller, who has never had to worry about wearing clothes before and whose ridiculously long hair and extravagant jewelry keeps getting in the way.

"It's a dress," Sasuke states blandly. "Maybe you should try removing a necklace," or ten, he thinks

"It weighs a ton! How do people manage to move in it?" Sakura exclaims as she demonstrates her lack of mobility by shaking her hips in a rather attractive way.

"Well women aren't exactly expected to do much," the captain says cockily, causing fire to dance behind emerald eyes.

"Probably because you force them into these torture instruments!" she practically spits in his face.

"That 'torture instrument' is worth more than all your jewelry combined," he mutters while watching her struggle with the ribbons some more. "Come here," he says, reaching to tie the dress up. Moving to stand behind her, he begins tightening the bodice.

She inhales tightly at his first tug. "Ouch!" she says pointedly. From his experience with corsets, Sasuke has never heard a woman complain so much about wearing one.

"That's how you wear it," he tells her, losing his patience.

"Then I'm not fucking wearing it!" she turns away from him and sits on the bed, her hair still trailing behind her.

Letting out an exhale of frustration, Sasuke settles behind her on the mattress. "At least put your hair up," he hands her a brush and some ornamental hair combs.

She stares at the materials expectantly, "I-… Idonotknowhow," she says quickly, not liking to admit her shortcoming in "land" knowledge.

Sasuke looks at her embarrassed face and silently begins pinning her hair up. It's difficult work, he must admit. Her long, thick locks seem to have a mind of their own and do not appreciate being pinned down.

"I noticed the figurehead," she pauses momentarily and Sasuke knows what is coming. "It's strange, I always thought the Sharigan had a hawk carved on the front."

Now it is his turn to be embarrassed, "Once I obtained it, I made the little alteration," he tugs on her hair playfully when she giggles. "I never in a million years thought you would see it."

That shuts her up and the silence is a bit uneasy, the mention of Sasuke leaving her lying heavily over them in a suffocating manner.

What seems like hours later, he inserts the final comb and manages to ask the question that has been on his mind since he first saw her tail disappear.

"Why did you never change for me?"

She turns to face him, her expression blank.

"I… I was worried that I would not want to change back," she says. "Too many of my kind have changed for a man only to have their hearts broken." She turns away, staring at the ocean through the large window. "If you miss the first full moon to regain your true form, you lose it forever."

She pulls back her skirts to admire the foreign appendages taking the place of her tail.

"Who gave you that ring?" Sasuke repeats his question from earlier that week, the jealousy still driving him insane.

"It shouldn't matter to you!" she snaps, the mood ruined and her attitude regained. "You betrayed me!" her hand whips out as she lands a smack across his face. "Why the hell would you do that? Whispering all those fantasies to me about if I were human then cutting off my hair and leaving me… to think I actually considered changing for you…"

"I did it because I loved you!" Sasuke yells back.

"What the hell does that mean, Sasuke?" she shouts right back as she gets in his face. "You don't show somebody you love them like that!"

"You're right," he says, "you show them like this."

Then his lips are on hers stern and commanding. Coaxing all of his feelings for the frustrating little vixen in this passionate action. And she is not one to sit there and let him do all the work.

She takes as much as he gives and gives more than he can take. Her tongue pushing past his lips, her mouth moving down his throat, her fingers slipping down his pants.

He finds himself panting just as much as her as she grasps onto him. He begins trying to undress her, only to realize that it requires untying the corset he just fought her to put on. Instead, he pushes her onto her back and lifts up the layers of skirts so that she can at least wrap her legs around his waist.

She catches on quickly and locks her ankles around his waist prompting him to grind his hips against her.

She lets out a breathy moan at the delicious pressure, and Sasuke finds himself capturing her lips once again, as he begins massaging her breasts through the decorative bodice.

Her thin little fingers begin unbuttoning his pants when the cabin door bursts open.

"Fuck off!" Sasuke yells as he pulls Sakura up to him, still pressing kisses all over her body.

"Sasuke! It's the Sound," Naruto tells him seriously.

Sasuke breaks away from her skin, ignoring the sound of displeasure that escapes her throat. "I'll be there in a minute," he says much more calmly.

When a slight click signals the door being closed, Sasuke sets Sakura back on the mattress. "I have to go."

He kisses her lightly on the lips and she tries to deepen it, but he regretfully pulls away.

"Stay here," he whispers as an order before putting on all of his effects.

Once he buckles the last holster, she pulls his arm back so that he is forced to walk back towards the bed. "Don't think for a second that I'm not going out there with you. If there's action happening, I want in."

He gives her a blank expression, dark fringe falling in front of his eyes, before kissing her again. This time it is deep and dizzying and Sakura finds herself being lost in it, so much so that she doesn't notice Sasuke, tying a scarf to secure her wrists to the bed.

He completes the intricate knot before darting out the door and turning the lock. He knows a simple scarf is no match against Sakura, but it serves its purpose and allows him to secure her in the cabin. Like hell he is going to let her on deck if Orochimaru decides to board them.

Sasuke has no doubt that it will take all of a minute for Orochimaru to figure out what Sakura is, and worse, what Sasuke is trying to accomplish.

He climbs up the wooden steps and takes hold of the wheel. "All hands!" he yells causing the crew to snap to attention, "Prepare to broadside!"

With that the men are in action, loading cannons, gathering rifles, and drawing swords. Now it is only a matter of Sound making its first move.


Sakura paces around the small cabin that has been her home as well as prison the past few days.

Damn that Uchiha! Thinking me defenseless. I've had more than enough experience with pirates to know what I'm dealing with.

She searches around the room for things to arm herself with and finds an intricate dagger on Sasuke's desk.

The hilt looks as if it has been carved from ivory and depicts petals blowing away from a flower. A bit girly for Sasuke, he probably won't miss it.

She stuffs it in the top of her garters and begins examining the rest of the contents on the desk. A map lays there, a picture of what she recognizes as the island she stays near circled in black ink along with some more destinations. A list sits next to the map with varying items jotted down in Sasuke's slanted handwriting.

She only makes out the words "mermaid scales" and "python venom" before a tremendous force shakes the ship. The desk flips over and the items it holds roll onto the floor.

She rushes over to the door realizing the necessity of escape. She pounds on it, but the sound of gun and cannon fire cover up any noise she makes. Through the warped glass, she can only make out the dark movements of figures rushing past.

Realizing that her attempt with the door is useless, she runs to the back of the cabin where multiple windows look out to the sea. She opens one and peers out of it, just barely able to make out the back of another ship.

Looking around the outside of the boat, she notices that the wood is just wide enough for her to climb, that is unless a cannonball decides to toss her off.

Swinging back into the cabin she begins cutting off the bottom half of her dress. Climbing in a corset will prove difficult enough; she does not need the extra length dragging her down.

She only gets through the very outer layer, the dress proving to be too much of a job for her small dagger, when the sound of hissing reaches her ears.

What the hell?

Slowly, she turns around to see a large, white snake double the width of her body outside of the window.

She does not get the chance to question the peculiarity of an enormous snake in the middle of the ocean when it bursts though the window, its size breaking part of the ship.

Luckily, she is able to conceal the dagger back in its spot under her skirts before its massive jaws shut around her legs.

She cannot help but scream as she feels the sharp teeth bite into her legs and the world tilts as she is dragged out through the window and into the fresh air.

She cries out for Sasuke when she sees his back to her, his hands secured on the wheel.

He whirls around and dark eyes widen as they see her suspended in the air by the gigantic pearl colored serpent.

"Get me down from here!" she yells at him.

He is in motion the second after she shouts, his arms grabbing a rifle from a nearby crewman.

He takes aim and it appears as if he is going to shoot her. Then, as if in slow motion, she watches as his finger pulls the trigger.

The bullet flies through the air, narrowly missing her arm as it finds its home in the snake's eye.

The beast hisses in displeasure and then she is falling.

She watches the boat pass by her vision, hears a sickening slap followed by a stinging sensation throughout her whole body as she hits the ocean. Salt water fills her mouth, which is open from screaming so much, and she finds herself experiencing something she never thought possible.

Drowning.

Her body continues sinking further and further from the surface and darkness clouds her vision. She tries kicking, but her thin legs prove useless, nothing like her powerful tail that could cut through the water with ease.

The annoying dress that Sasuke forced her to wear only proves to drag her down even faster and her hair, which had fallen out when the snake was tossing her around, surrounds and prevents her from seeing which way is up and which way is down.

She surrenders herself to the ocean, finding comfort in it being the reason for her death. She was born in the ocean, and now she will die in the ocean, it's blue depths cradling her.

The last thing she thinks before passing out is, Ironic, a mermaid dying from drowning.


A/N: Sorry for the absence everybody, I was traveling to the states to figure out my future… ugh.

On the plus side, I finally broke down and sold my soul to Tumblr, so you can follow me on there. Ravenandwritingdesks is my username and there is a link on my profile. :)
Thanks for sticking with me.