Saioma Month 2023

Stowaway

Shuichi just wants to get out of this town, maybe explore the world, maybe simply enjoy life a bit more. So when a new ship docks in bay, he sneaks aboard while the crew is out. Little does he know, it's a pirate ship he's boarded - one that belongs to a little know, but certainly interesting, pirate captain; Kokichi Oma.

Or~ Shuichi sneaks onto Kokichi's pirate ship, and gets caught as a stowaway.

Prompt : Pirates

"Kazuko - have you even done inventory?"

Immediately, Shuichi tensed up again. He wasn't sure who Kazuko was, or who anyone on this ship was, but he knew that if they were taking inventory - they'd find him for sure. Shuichi had no idea what he was thinking, honestly. He just knew that when Kaito had gotten on a ship and taken off as a stowaway, it had gone well for him. Hell, he'd gone back to the place he and Shuichi used to steal from and showed off real gold coins.

And there was an empty ship in the harbour. Yes, it was one everyone knew wasn't owned by the best people - but something had taken over Shuichi, and he needed to get out. So, while all of the crew had gone out (for some reason they didn't leave anyone behind) Shuichi had simply snuck on. Hidden in an empty barrel.

"No, I haven't done inventory. Because you didn't ask me to."

The voices sounded closer now, and Shuichi thought he could even feel one of them lean on his barrel. Even though it wouldn't make any difference, Shuichi tensed even more - just listening in. The first voice spoke again, almost child-like for someone who was giving orders, "C'mon, I toootally did."

"You don't have to lie around me, Oma," The second voice was more feminine, and even closer, "This is a safe space."

"I'm not lying!" The voice sounded more angry now, "You're so mean Kazuko! Besides," and just like that, the almost crying tone changed, "Shouldn't you listen to your supreme leader?"

"If you had given me the order, I would've done it."

"I did give you the order."

Shuichi could almost imagine this speaker, this Oma, whoever he was, was pouting. Then he continued, "Weelll, I'm giving you the order now. Take inventory Kazuko. I mean, how hard can it be?"

There was a tiny bit of movement, and then Shuichi felt something move up against his barrel - a light touch, but enough to get Shuichi's heart racing. If they just opened the lid of the barrel, they'd find him. A new tug happened again, and this time it was from above.

He could dimly register talking just above him, "I mean, I used to do inventory. It's not that hard to do inventory, right? You just open the barrel and-"

It had happened. They had seen him.

"Wooaah! Kazu - look, we've got a stowaway!"

Instinctively, Shuichi curled up that bit tighter - bunching his hands into fists, and then looking up to see who the two people were. He had maybe a second of looking, in which all he could make out was beautiful purple eyes and hair. Then the girl lunged for the barrel, suddenly tipping him over and making him fall onto the floor. In an odd way, Shuichi's brief scramble to get into some kind of position probably gave him the best look at them.

They were both wearing mainly white, with ruffle neckties that seemed to be in black and white checkerboard pattern. The girl's clothes left it at that, but Shuichi could still see they were well-made, tailored outfits. It was clear who the one in charge was.

He was currently staring at Shuichi, almost as if he was the most fascinating thing in the world - a smile on his lips. His eyes were a more smokey hue of lavender, still sparkling with traces of laughter, and his hair was a darker purple, almost splayed out on his head. Covering quite a lot of his hair was probably the most audacious pirate hat that Shuichi had ever seen. It was so overly dramatic in fact, it put off his heart lurching for a second.

Because he had just realised he was on a pirate ship. Of all the ships he could have snuck away onto, he chose the one that belonged to pirates. His white waistcoat and trousers were normal enough, aside from the brightly coloured buttons, but he then had on a large black long coat, its end neatly and sharply cut - along with being adorned in gold embroidery. A single silver buckle stood out at his collar, attaching his almost cloak together.

Frantically, Shuichi tried not to look into the captain's eyes, focusing his gaze slightly on the floor while trying to come up with the right words. What had the captain been called? Panicking, he tried, "E-excuse, captain, I am so sorry! I-I didn't know this was your ship, captain... Kazuko, I am-"

"Oops, wrong name," The captain spoke up, a smile creeping onto his face, "But I suppose it's impressive you remembered one."

"Captain... Oma?" Shuichi tried, the name this time being met with an overly large smile, "I am so sorry. I'll- I'll happily leave the ship now, if you want me too."

He tried not to wince at the thought of having to go back to land, but the idea of staying here would probably be worse. The brown-haired girl, Kazuko, looked up to the captain, almost as if asking for approval, when he suddenly laughed.

"Get off the ship?" He titled his head slightly, "I've never had a hostage who's been so eager to throw himself overboard before."

"What? No, obviously not!" The indignant words are out of Shuichi's mouth before he can think about it, and his heart pounds for a second as the girl shifts from friendly to aggressive. But then the captain laughs, and something about that genuine happiness makes Shuichi's heart sing instead.

"Not many people bad mouth the Kokichi Oma, ya know?" The captain says, finally introducing himself properly, "Unless they're a privateer, or someone I'm about to kill."

"Well, I'm not a privateer," Shuichi instinctively says, trying to reassure Kokichi.

"Oh, so then you're someone I'm about to kill?"

"That-" for some reason, Shuichi can feel his face heat up, and his cheeks flush slightly, "That is completely not what I meant, and you know it."

"Y'know, Kazu," Kokichi turns to face his subordinate, almost ignoring Shuichi, "I like his spunk. And I don't want to throw him overboard anymore, can we keep him?"

"You're the captain, why are you asking me?" But as she says it, she gives Shuichi an almost appraising glance.

"Well, I have a history of making bad decisions in the name of love, and you can be my reality check!" There was a grin on his face, "I don't want to let stowaway here onto our ship cause he's cute, only for him to stab me later in my sleep."

"I wouldn't stab you," Shuichi says, mid-way through standing up. This time, he denies the allegations for two reasons. One, because he wouldn't stab someone. And two, something in him wants this... Kokichi's approval, the same thing that's making his heart beat so fast.

"No," Kokichi thinks about what he's going to say for a second, "You seem like the kind of person who'd poison me. You have shifty eyes."

He giggles as Shuichi splutters for a second, and Shuichi thinks it's the most beautiful sound he's ever heard. It beats ocean waves lapping against the shore at midnight, or the sound of cheering from friends around him. No, the new best thing he's heard is that laugh.

"Hey - stowaway!" The harsh address snaps him out of whatever daydream he'd been about to create, "Are you daydreaming about me or something?"

Like every time, the first thing Shuichi does is deny it, "No, why? Was it-" he cuts himself off, "I... naturally blush a lot."

"Neeheehe, you're lying!" Kokichi says in a singsong voice, "But it's ok. I'll probably daydream about you too, although I normally save it for once you've gone away."

"You'll... daydream about me?" Shuichi echoes, eyes narrowing as he tries to check for a lie (ignoring the slight gag from the girl behind Kokichi).

"Well, duh," there's a full smile on his face, "You're a mysterious enigma, and you threatened me - that's toootally ideal daydream material!''