Diamonds and Pearls
Author's Note: Thanks for the review. I hope that you all enjoy this chapter.
Chapter 6
"So where are we going to look for the brothers first?" Gai asks Kakashi as they set sail.
"The port nearest to where the incident happened would seem to be a good start." Kakashi muses and nods in agreement.
The silver haired pirate leans over the side of the ship. The ship was just beginning to take off and he knew that dolphins were known to live by this port. He quite liked dolphins. They were amusing creatures.
"Do you think they'll hang for this?" Gai asks as he pours them each a flask of hearty ale.
"If we capture them alive, I'd be surprised if they didn't. They killed a Captain in the English Fleet. Mei isn't going to let such an offense go unanswered." His friend replies.
Gai raises an eyebrow. Mei? He was on a first name basis with the Queen of England? Only Kakashi. Well he had always been able to charm women rather easily. He supposed despite having a crown, Mei was still a woman.
"So the rumors are true then?" He asks casually.
Kakashi shoves Gaiagainst the wall and wraps his hand around his friend's throat. Guy was his best friend since they were small children. Still there were just some things that he couldn't allow.
"If you ever mention that again where anyone else might over hear you, I will have to slit your throat and throw you overboard. The Queen's reputation is everything. I won't want to do it, but I will. Do you understand me?" He demands.
Gai flails against the wall. He starts to turn blue. His eyes widen and he tries his best to speak, but Kakashi's grip around his throat was too tight. So he just nods his head.
"Good." Kakashi says, releases him, and smiles in a far too cheerful fashion.
Gai shivers. Sometimes Kakashi could be really creepy. This was especially so when he smiled that way. As much as he was loathed to admit it, he knew the truth about his friend. He was quite possibly the most cutthroat pirate to have ever lived. He just usually hid it behind a cheerful mask.
"Yes, so first port then. I'm gonna go check on the crew." He says and Kakashi nods.
Gai darts off. It was hard to reconcile some days. He had known the other man since they were boys. How such a happy child had grown up to become one of the fiercest pirates that ever sailed the Seven Seas and the Queen's lover was beyond him. He figured it was probably best not to ask too many questions though.
"Do we have enough supplies?" He asks the cook.
"We have enough food to keep comfortable us for a year. Two, if we rationed." The cook replies.
"Ah well that's good then. How about ale and wine?" The bushy browed pirate asks.
"Ten years at least." The cook says with a smirk and Gai grins.
That was music to his ears. There was only one thing that pirates loved almost as much as treasure. That was liquor! This was going to be a grand adventure. He just knew it
"It's a little nippy here. Well I better get going. Got to make sure the crew is ready for this adventure! THE POWER OF YOUTH IS ON OUR SIDE!" He says and races off.
The cook blinks. He knew that Gai was a skilled pirate. No one could ever doubt that, but the man was also highly eccentric.
Kenji, the cook, just didn't understand what he meant by 'The Power of Youth.' Gai wasn't old, but he certainly wasn't young anymore. Oh well. It was none of his business.
"Guess I better get to work on these potatoes." He mutters as he begins slicing them up.
Meanwhile back on Konoha, Sasuke was checking over their supplies with Jugo. The raven haired pirate was honestly at a loss for what he was supposed to do about Naruto. Maybe he should just pretend it never happened and hope that the blonde had the courtesy to do the same?
"He actually spanked you?" Jugo asks incredulously.
"Yes. Asshole." Sasuke grumbles and tries not to look flustered at the memory.
Jugo just shakes his head at both Sasuke and Naruto's actions. He'd never seen Sasuke go out of his way to provoke someone like this before. Naruto had every right to punish Sasuke. He was disrespecting the Captain of the ship. He didn't have to punish him in such a…suggestive way though. It was rather obvious what was going on.
"It seems to me you are more interested in him than you are in Kurama's treasure." Jugo muses.
He instantly regretted it. Sasuke's eyes flashed dangerously red. Jugo had known Sasuke long enough to realize that was a very bad sign.
"I am NOT more interested in him than the treasure. He's just amusing to rile up!" Sasuke protests.
"This has gone beyond the point of an idle amusement. The fact that he chose to spank you instead of beating you or humiliating you in front of the crews, just shows that the attraction is mutual. Don't try to tell me that you don't want him. If you didn't, you never would have let him live after you smacking your arse like that." Jugo says quickly.
Sasuke scowls. He hated to admit it, but Jugo did have a point. The large man had several good points actually. The younger Uchiha normally didn't waste much time on anyone that wasn't Itachi or his crew. Sasuke was intrigued by him and there wasn't really much point in denying that. The blonde also didn't have to punish him in such erotic way either. Furthermore, he had pinned Sasuke against the wall. Plus he had definitely been excited when he did so. It was at the very least a mutual lust.
"Alright. I'm attracted to him, but that's all it is. It's just lust." Sasuke insists.
"You should get it out of your system. If it's just lust, then a quick roll in the bed with him should be all that you need to do. If it turns out to be more, then you landed yourself a powerful lover." Jugo points out.
Sasuke considers it. Jugo might be right. Still even if the blonde wanted him physically, that didn't mean he'd actually do something about it. It could also make things uncomfortable, if Naruto rejected him or if it didn't work out.
"I'll think about it." Sasuke mutters.
Elsewhere on Konoha, Naruto was in his Cabin. He was drinking a lot of sake and trying to will the images away. It wasn't working.
The blonde had always known that he was attracted to men. Women just didn't excite him sexually. He liked women, just not as his lovers. They were too soft and delicate for him. Well there were exceptions like Sakura of course, but he wasn't attracted to her despite her strength.
"I really should have found another way to discipline him. I don't know who I punished more. Me or him." He grumbles.
It didn't matter how many times he dealt with his "problem," it kept coming back. He really should not have bent Sasuke over a bed and smacked him like that. He had only managed to torture himself.
"Damn it. I really need to talk to him about this." Naruto practically snarls and heads off to find the feisty First Mate.
He finds him with Jugo. Damn was that big lug ever not by Sasuke's side? He really took that whole shield thing seriously, but he had to go. He wanted some damn privacy to talk with the other pirate!
"Sasuke, do you have a moment? I want to discuss the best route to the Isle of Lust." Naruto asks.
"Yeah. Alright. We were just checking on our supplies. I'll be back in a bit, Jugo." Sasuke says as he walks off with the blonde.
"Is there ever going to be a point where Jugo isn't acting like your shadow? It's getting really annoying." Naruto says as he shuts the door behind them.
Sasuke raises an eyebrow. He was pretty sure he heard some jealousy in Naruto's voice there. Good. Let him see how it feels.
"You sound like a jealous lover. Is there a reason a member of my crew shouldn't help me take stock of our supplies?" Sasuke asks.
"No. Not when you put it like that. But maybe I am jealous. You were jealous of Kiba. Kiba doesn't even like men!" Naruto exclaims.
Damn it. He figured out that he was jealous of Kiba. Well he could always deny it . Wait, Naruto had just admitted that he was also jealous. Maybe he didn't have to deny it?
"He doesn't? Good." Sasuke mutters.
Naruto glances at Sasuke. He knew he had to say something, but he just couldn't figure out what to say. How was he supposed to do this?
"I'm probably going to regret this, but I've never really been that good at sweet talking. If I was, I wouldn't be a pirate. I'd be a poet." Naruto begins.
"What are you talking about?" Sasuke asks as he looks at Naruto warily.
"This." Naruto says as he pushes Sasuke down on the bed and captures his mouth with his own.
Before Sasuke could process what was happening, he was on his back. The blonde was practically devouring his mouth. Oh yes, whatever this was there was definitely a lot of lust involved. Suddenly his body felt like it was on fire in a way that was akin to ecstasy. Idly, he knew that didn't make sense. But at the moment he didn't care.
He felt himself arch against the Captain and moan into the kiss. Sasuke tugs on those golden locks and returns the kiss with equal passion. Their tongues battled for supremacy. Neither of them was willing to concede an inch to the other.
"Fuck sweet nothings. I'd much rather have that." Sasuke murmurs once he breaks the kiss.
"Me too. So you're mine now." Naruto observes.
"You wish. I like the way you kiss. That doesn't make me yours. Besides, I don't know why you are assuming you are the one who wields the sword in this relationship. That's assuming we even have a relationship. We might kill each other anyway." Sasuke says as he rolls until he was on top of his blonde and pins Naruto's hands over his head.
"Yeah. We just might kill each other anyway. But if that kiss was any indication, it'd be a Hell of a way to go. Of course I'm the one who wields the sword. I'm the Captain!" Naruto exclaims.
"I could be a Captain if I wanted to be. I just didn't see a reason. Itachi knows what he's doing and we have a fine ship. Why abandon it?" Sasuke grumbles.
"No need to get defensive. I'll take really good care of my First Mate." Naruto says with a seductive purr and Sasuke mentally gulps, wondering what the hell he'd just gotten himself into.
The next day, Obito sighs as he begins riding back to his home. He only ventured out to check on his shipyard. He had become quite good at blacksmithing and ended up working at a shipyard in his youth. The owner of the shipyard eventually died of old age and gave it to him. Ever since then, he had become a recluse.
Of course certain pirates couldn't just let him be! He sees a familiar head of silver hair get off the ship that just docked. Damn Kakashi. He couldn't let sleeping dogs be.
"Obito, don't even try to run off." The pirate calls out, mounts a horse, and gallops over to his old friend's side.
"What part of I want to live out the rest of my days in solitude was difficult for you to understand? You are supposed to be a genius, Kakashi. You should be able to understand that much with ease." Obito taunts him.
"Oh I understood it perfectly. I just don't agree with it. I miss Rin as well, but she wouldn't want you to lock yourself away for the rest of your life. However, that is not why I'm here. I'm here on official business." The masked pirate says merrily.
Obito raises an eyebrow. God only knows what Kakashi meant by that. He knew that the other man worked for the Queen of England. They were rather close. Obito wasn't certain if they were lovers or not, but his suspicion was that they were. How else would a man like Kakashi become so close to one of the most powerful rulers in Europe?
"And what does Her Majesty, desire?" Obito asks cautiously.
He didn't know what the Queen wanted, but he doubted it was anything that was proper. Mei was rather famous for her ability to test the boundaries of what was considered acceptable behavior for a Queen. She believed in expanding the influence of England and wasn't above taking big risks to do so.
"The Sharingan crew killed a Captain in the English Fleet. She wants me to avenge him. I thought that they might have docked here. This is the closest port to where the battle took place. Have you seen Itachi or Sasuke Uchiha?" Kakashi inquires pleasantly.
Kakashi truly did miss Obito. They had once been the closest of friends before the real world got in the way. He'd ended up on a ship. Obito had become an apprentice. Rin had gone missing one day and they never knew what became of her. Obito was never the same after that.
The silver haired pirate knew that his friend fancied himself in love with Rin. He didn't know if the dark haired man was actually in love with her or if it had just been a puppy love that he had never had the chance to outgrow. Either way, he mourned her "death" deeply.
"I've seen neither. I am also not in the habit of watching the comings and goings of pirates. You tend to live longer that way." Obito says with a shrug.
"Unfortunate. I am certain that you do know of them though. Where do you think that they could have gone?" He inquires.
Obito eyes Kakashi warily. He didn't know why the Queen was sending Kakashi out to do something like this. This work was really beneath him. Some random Captain got killed? He was surprised the Queen even knew about such an event, let alone cared enough to do about it. She must really be worried about looking strong for her to go to lengths like these over one Captain's death.
"Been hearing rumors that Captain Naruto Uzumaki has been asking around about Kurama's treasure and was seen talking to Itachi, not that long ago. I think that they were likely going after it. Mad as hatters, the whole lot of them. Everyone knows that it doesn't exist." The shipyard owner says with a shrug.
Kakashi nods. Of course everyone had heard that story. Almost every pirate went looking for it. It was almost a right of passage.
"And do you have any idea where they might begin their quest?" He asks.
"The Triangle of Death would be my guess. Of the three isles, I'd start with Lust first. Good luck, my friend. From what I have heard of them, you will need it." He tells him.
"I don't need luck. I have skill, but thank you. Please do consider what I said though. She wouldn't want you to waste away here." Kakashi says as he heads back towards his ship.
Back on the Isle of Lust, Itachi had decided to pass the time with Gaara productively. In this case, that meant by trying to seduce his new companion. The red head was looking less than thrilled by the idea of blindfolds.
"I don't understand what is supposed to be pleasurable about the idea. It is just asking for your lover to slit your throat." The other Captain muses.
"When you are deprived of one sense, your others grow stronger to compensate. In this case, without sight your sense of touch is heightened. It is very pleasurable." He assures the red head.
Gaara looks at Itachi like he thought the other man was mad. Make love while blindfolded? That was even more outrageous than having sex in public. It was just asking to have your throat slit or to be robbed blind.
"I'm not certain that I care for this particular game." He states.
"Perhaps it would make you feel better if I was the one who was blindfolded?" Itachi suggests.
Gaara blinks. It was hard for him to believe that had just happened. Itachi had just offered to completely submit himself to Gaara. He had no way of knowing what the Captain of Suna might do. This was a touching display of trust.
"Well I can't lie. That does sound intriguing. I'm honored that you would trust me that much." Gaara says.
"As you should be." Itachi says with a smirk.
The red head shakes his head in amusement. He places the blindfold on his most precious person and smiles. Well the red silk did flatter him. Then again, this was Itachi. Gaara was certain he could make even wearing a potato sack look alluring.
Well if Itachi was going to grant him such trust, he might as well take advantage of it. Gaara smiles and slides the other man's shirt off. The Captain of Suna was suddenly rather tempted just to burn all of Itachi's shirts or toss them overboard. It should be a crime for him to cover up.
"You're beautiful." He muses as he ghosts his fingertips over the muscular planes of Itachi's chest.
Itachi makes a small sound of amusement at being called beautiful. He knew that that Gaara meant it as a compliment, but he had never been called that before. He had been called handsome, desirable, attractive, sexy, and seductive before, but never beautiful.
"Thank you." He says and doesn't bother to keep the mirth out of his voice.
"You're laughing at me." Gaara says accusingly.
"I am not laughing at you. I just have never been called that before and it struck me as amusing." Itachi defends himself as he leans down and fumbles around until he found Gaara's lips, which he kissed.
Gaara returns the kiss. He still wasn't pleased that Itachi had been laughing at him, in his mind. But he couldn't resist the other man's kiss.
"Mmm you had best make it up to me. I don't take kindly to being laughed at." Gaara whispers.
"I wasn't laughing at you, but I have every intention of making it up to you." Itachi informs him.
Gaara wasn't entirely certain he believed that. Before he could respond, there was a knock on their door. A rather desperate one. He quickly undoes Itachi's blindfold and tosses the other pirate Captain his shirt, before answering it.
"Gaara, a fight has broken out. It's savage." Temari informs him.
Temari and Kankuro were some of the Suna Crew members that the red head had brought with him. He wasn't going to leave his siblings behind. Besides, Itachi told him that he could bring his crew. So he had.
"How bad is it?" Itachi asks.
"Bottles are being thrown. Mind your step. They have shattered in many places. Swords are now being unsheathed. I don't know what caused it. But it's bad." The female pirate continues.
Itachi sighs. It was unfortunate that a brawl had to break out just as he was making progress with Gaara. Oh well. They couldn't stand idly by while their crews were in danger. He follows the blonde to the skirmish.
The younger Captain darts off after his almost lover and his sister. If it was bad enough for Temari to be concerned, it was bad. He blinks at the scene he found when they got there.
"DIE!' A drunken man says as he lunges at one of the Suna crew members.
The crew member easily dodged to the side and the man ended up running into a wall. Still most of the fighting was far from as comical as that incident. The sights and sounds of swords clashing was intense. Men and women were breaking bottles and brandishing the broken glass menacingly.
"This is madness." Gaara mutters.
Itachi nods his head in agreement. He briefly wonders what set off the fight. The eldest Uchiha brother quickly decides he didn't care. It didn't matter who started the fight. He would simply finish it.
He charges into the fray and swings his sword swiftly. His sword chimed with each swing. Gaara blinks. He shrugs and quickly joins Itachi in the fight.
"Just knock them out if you can. I'd rather not have to kill a man because he had too much to drink." Itachi informs him.
"Very well." He agrees and brings the blunt end of his sword harshly down on the back of the man's neck.
He didn't decapitate or stab him. Gaara simply struck at a horizontal angle. It stunned the man so much that he collapsed onto the floor. Itachi nods at him approvingly.
"Gaara! Look out behind you!" Kankuro shouts at his brother.
The red head narrowly had time to whirl around and block the sword that had been swung at his back. There was a reason why he was said to have the Ultimate Defense. It was hard to truly strike the Captain of Suna.
Itachi didn't respond well to someone attempting to stab Gaara in the back. So much for not wanting someone to lose their life over a tavern fight. The dark haired pirate quickly flits behind the would be attack and runs his sword straight through his heart.
"What happened to not killing?" Gaara asks in amusement.
"He tried to kill you. The second he did that, he forfeited his life." Itachi says and slams his elbow into another man that thought he could gain an advantage by attacking the two men who were currently engaged in conversation.
"That was terribly rude of you. We were trying to have a conversation." Itachi admonishes the drunk who was now grunting in pain.
"That should teach them some manners! Yeah?!" Deidara asks as he smashes a bottle against some unlucky man's head.
"You have very strange friends." Gaara observes.
"I know. But they are still the best crew in the Seven Seas." Itachi says with a smirk.
"The second best crew in the Seven Seas." Gaara corrects him.
The brawl lasted another hour. By the end of it, the Sharingan and Suna crews had emerged victorious, with worst injury being a broken arm on their side. The drunks were mostly laying unconscious on the floor, except for the one that Itachi had slain for attacking Gaara.
"Yes, your crew is the second best." Itachi nods in agreement and Gaara twitches.
"We are not strange!" Deidara protests.
"No. No. Captain Sabaku has a point there. The lot of you are mad as hatters." Konan says in a bored tone as she looks at her nails.
Damn it. She had broken a nail. She really should have killed that stupid drunk instead of punching. Oh well. That was just one of the job hazards of being a female pirate, your nails didn't stay perfect for long. One had to be ready to throw a punch, at all times. It didn't matter what gender you were, when you were on the Sharingan Crew.
