DOWNWIND

Juri was sure that he was going to die. The gun in front of his face was going to be his death, yet he hadn’t even done anything in the first place which could in any way justify the action of the person in front of him. 

“Any last words?” 

In silence Juri stared at the man pulling the hammer of his gun back, holding it right towards his forehead. He wasn’t playing tough, he was dead scared, unable to voice out anything. He wasn’t even supposed to be here. Here at Port Royal, one of the deadliest pirate harbors of the Caribbean. Yet he had gotten himself into this situation through thinking he could reach an impossible goal by just jumping off a random trading ship at this harbor.

“Well then,” the man spoke again and in a last attempt Juri tried to bring out some words. Anything to make him stop, as begging for his life wouldn’t even be embarrassing to him right now. 

But right before he could find the courage to speak, his attempt to bring out words was replaced by his body jolting with a gasp leaving his lips the moment a second gun had been fired, leaving the man in front of him cursing as the bullet had gone right through his hand, forcing him to let his gun drop. With wide eyes Juri stared from one to the other until the person to his left spoke.

“You better get out of here or the next bullet will go straight to your head.”

At first the man was outraged, ready to attack, but when he turned towards the other one he made a step back. Without even getting his gun he retreated in such a hurry that Juri worried he had just stepped from one mess into the next.

“I would hurry with a thank you.”

Juri hurried to lift his gaze as he turned to the person who had shown up without any of them noticing, now his gun lifted towards Juri.

“Thank you,” Juri brought out faster this time, while his body was slightly shaking as he could have been the one getting shot a few seconds ago. When he looked up his fear changed to slight curiosity. The person in front of him was of his age, yet he didn’t look at all like a simple crew member or worker of the harbor. High black boots, an expensive looking brown embroidered long coat with a wide belt. A sword and dagger were put on that belt while his gun now also got put back into the halter on its side.

“Whatever you did, you should make sure to not repeat it.”

The other one looked up at Juri with a dangerous glare while Juri kept analyzing the other one’s features. Blond straight hair, a few strands on the right side had some blue bands tied into them. 

“I didn’t do anything,” Juri voiced out when the other one turned around and usually Juri would just leave it at this, but it was already nightfall and he just knew that he wouldn’t survive even a single night at this place. 

“Then maybe that is exactly what’s wrong with you?” The other one asked. “Weaklings like you shouldn’t be at this harbor. Whatever your business is at this place, you better end it fast.”

“I have no business at Port Royal. I am looking for a ship to bring me to my destination,” Juri spoke again, daring a step closer when the other one made an attempt to leave once more. He looked slightly annoyed by Juri’s words, yet he turned back to him once more.

“And where exactly is that destination?”

“The Republic of Pirates.”

The other one’s eyes widened on Juri’s words before he burst out laughing, making Juri slightly angry. The way the other one scanned Juri’s clothes, showed how he thought he was crazy. Who wouldn’t think that? Juri himself thought so. He was dressed like a royalty member who had been tossed out of bed too early. Which was exactly his situation in one way or the other, but right now that topic was too complicated to explain.

“Someone like you will die on arrival at that harbor.”

“I didn’t die here.”

“And who do you thank for that?” The other one asked with a charming smile, mocking Juri.

Juri dared to click his tongue, but found his calm immediately as he didn’t miss the shine in the other one’s eyes changing.   

“Can you give me a safe passage to the Republic of Pirates?”

“You do know who you are asking this, right?” 

“A pirate I assume?” Juri asked, knowing exactly that he had to take the risk or he would never make it. That was how he had ended up in the first mess. People weren’t welcoming at this place in common, but him trying to ask around for someone who was willing to let him on their ship, had pissed off the wrong people.

“Do you have money on you?” The other one asked, already seeming to know the answer.

“I can help out on your ship. It will take at least a few days so I can make myself useful over that time to repay you.”

“Careful with vague promises, the crew might see another use for you,” the other one said, but his smile was playful this time as he gave Juri another thoughtful scan before he waved his hand. “Let's find out if you’re brave or stupid. I might allow you on my ship, but whatever happens from there is fully on you.”

Juri gave the other one a grateful nod, knowing that he was taking a huge risk, yet the other one’s words had him stop and tilt his head. “Your ship?”

With another smile the other one made a hand movement down to the harbor, a beautiful three masted black galleon with the Jolly Roger visible at the main mast, raised high.

“Kyomoto Taiga, Captain of the Rogue Renegades pirates.”

Juri kept looking down at the massive ship, the crew putting new provisions onboard while they were talking, but suddenly his courage had slightly left him.

“My ship won’t easily get attacked and definitely not sunk without a fight, but while my crew can most likely give you the safest passage to your destination, you have to understand that we could also be your grave.”

Juri understood that more than well. Not many would dare to pick a fight with them and those who dared, could end up dead just through the wrong words. A reminder on how short tempered pirates were and that he had to watch his own temper. One wrong word or step could have him end up exactly the same. 

“So what will it be?” Taiga asked, ready to leave for his ship while Juri’s thoughts were racing until he remembered why he was taking all these risks in the first place. If the marine caught Taiga’s ship then that would be a problem for later. Other pirates weren’t such a threat to them, but no one would care for Juri’s life in a battle between outlaws.

“Let me join you,” Juri finally let out with more determination while his stomach was still twisting from the slight smell of blood in the air and the risky decision he had just made.

“Then welcome onboard-” Taiga said, tilting his head while stretching out his hand.

“Juri. Tanaka Juri.”

Juri hurried to shake the other one’s hand to not delay him even more and he could just hope that he had made the right decision at the right time. Taiga was a young captain, yet his ship and his crew seemed to be more than capable of making it through the Caribbean without trouble.

“Well then, Juri, let’s see how much use you can be on my ship.”

***

Whistles greeted them when Taiga boarded his ship first, Juri hurrying to follow him.

“Another stray, captain?” One of the crew members teased and immediately approached Juri, but the crew member was pretty young and his steps were playful and not threatening.

“Hands off, Reo.”

The warning coming from Taiga, had Reo pull his hand back right before he was about to touch Juri. He immediately pouted while the other crew members laughed at him.

Juri let his eyes wander over the ship, for a pirate ship it seemed extremely well taken care off. The crew also didn't look like most others he had seen so far. They were all pretty young and Juri wouldn't immediately think of them as pirates if he stumbled over one of them at any harbor.

“So is he going to stay with you captain?” Another crew member asked, his teasing obvious.

Taiga made a step back towards Juri and then pushed him towards the crew member.

“And just like this we have a volunteer. Thank you Kentaro,” Taiga said before he yelled over the ship for everyone to get ready to leave.

“You wait here,” Kentaro said as he pointed at Juri, his look anything but amused now that he had to take care of him. Kentaro hurried after Taiga who made his way up to the quarter deck. “Where to, captain?”

Taiga turned to his crew with a serious expression before he faced Juri for a brief moment. 

“The Republic of Pirates.”

His announcement had the crew silent for a moment until another crew member yelled at everyone from the quarter deck to get ready and not waste their time.

“Can you sail?” Kentaro asked Juri when everyone started moving in a hurry.

“Yes.”

That reply surprised the crew member, but his stunned expression soon changed to entertained. 

“Well then, up there is the navigator, Aran. Don't go on his nerves.”

Juri only nodded, looking at the crew member who had shouted at everyone to get ready. Now he was talking to the captain about the course. 

Slowly Juri felt calm enough to analyze them all a bit more. Most crew members were dressed a bit more simple than Taiga, but most of them also had high boots, swords and guns and long hair. It seemed to be a habit for this crew to braid things into their hair. Aran had some almost white parts in his brown hair, which was up in a half ponytail. Reo had short hair like Taiga, but in black and only with one side braided up over his ear with no visible other color. Kentaro had several colors mixed in his hair which was also not long enough to make a ponytail, but it already reached his shoulders in the back.

“I'm the second mate, so don't get on my nerves either,” Kentaro warned him strictly, before he pointed at Reo who was half hanging in one of the nets, trying to untie the sail ropes. 

“He might not look like it, but Reo is our master gunner. He's fun to be around until you piss him off. So don't.”

“So in general don't piss anyone off on this ship,” Juri said, making Kentaro laugh.

“Fast learner, like that you might survive until we arrive at our destination.”

Kentaro kept explaining everyone's positions, Juri having trouble remembering who was who, but they went under deck before he could have another look at the remaining crew members.

The quarters were actually nice, the crew not too big to have to cramp everyone under deck.

“And now you'll tell me what the hell you want in the Republic of Pirates?”

Kentaro’s tone had changed the moment they were under deck without anyone else and Juri gave him a confused look. 

“There is no way the captain would just make his way there without a reason and the only reason he could have right now is you.”

“I asked him for a safe passage and he accepted. I'm not here to cause trouble. I'll help out on the ship as best as I can and then I'll be gone as soon as we reach the harbor.”

Kentaro snorted on the other one's words before he stepped in front of him with a more threatening look. “You've no clue about the islands and harbors lying on the way to our destination and you're totally avoiding to state your reasons. Taiga might be nice enough to give you passage, because he has a weak spot for strays, but be careful. These territories are lawless and all of us will gladly throw you to the sharks if you're making this complicated.”

***

Juri had tried to get used to his surroundings as fast as possible and as promised he helped out as much as he could, better actually than most of them expected. Of course most of the crew had made fun out of him and tried to find duties he would embarrass himself with, but Juri knew how to sail a ship, even of this size. He wasn’t a newbie to the sea or rough people in the first place, but he also knew that he shouldn’t test his luck and he stayed out of trouble for the first day. 

Unfortunately he couldn’t really relax even at night as nightmares kept haunting him and after the third half swallowed scream and way too sweaty getting cotton clothes he decided to sneak on deck. 

With a deep breath he rested his elbows on the railing, looking ahead at the still dark horizon. The only bright place on the ship was the captain’s cabin and Juri wondered if Taiga was awake. 

“I would not disturb him.”

Juri had turned towards the cabin and at his first step Reo landed on the railing right next to him, startling him to such a degree that he accidently pushed Reo.

“Oh shit,” Juri yelled and tried to get a grip on Reo’s leg as he feared he would shove him off the ship, but Reo laughed as he had indeed been pushed off the railing, but came back right away as he was still holding on to a trope. A rope he had used to get down from the crow’s nest. 

“You need to learn to be on high alert in this kind of environment,” Reo said as he sat down on the railing while Juri had one hand on his chest, trying to calm his racing heart.

“Taiga would have killed me if I had thrown his master gunner overboard.”

“Oh, already on a first name basis with the captain?” Reo teased.

“What? No, of course not…how do I address him?” Juri asked as he hadn’t even thought about it yet.

“Well with the crew it’s definitely easier. You can call me Reo and I will call you Juri, because I hate calling people by their last names,” Reo said with a bright smile. “The captain on the other hand…Aran calls him by his first name, but not on official business. If anyone outside the crew is around you should make sure to call him captain.”

“I will try to remember that,” Juri said as he turned back to the captain’s cabin as the light got turned off. When he looked over his shoulder he realized that in less than an hour the sun would rise already.

“I call him Taiga too,” Reo said as he looked at the dark cabin now. “But only if he is in the right mood for it.”

“What exactly is the right mood?”

“Definitely not the one he will be in today after not getting enough sleep,” Reo said with a laugh following. 

“Why is he staying up so long?”

“Who knows.”

It was definitely not the answer Reo would give to one of the crew members, but Juri couldn’t be trusted, not yet. But he also didn’t mind. It wasn’t like he trusted them. This was the last place he had imagined himself in the first place, but right now he needed to use whatever method to get to his destination. A sudden wind gust hit the mainsail and the mast made a squeaking noise.

“Well, I guess we will get a storm,” Reo said as he looked behind him towards the west where Port Royal lay already a day behind them. 

“Hopefully a not too bad one, the next harbor is still a day away,” Juri said before Reo gave him a knowing lopsided smile, which made Juri immediately bite his lip.

“Sneaking around already, well that makes you fit in with us quite well. Just make sure that Aran is not catching you using his maps.”

Juri had not stolen it or anything, it had just been at a good place at a convenient time and luckily he could read maps easily. 

“If the storm gets bad then you can at least impress Taiga,” Reo teased before he jumped off the railing and headed down to the quarters as he had taken the night shift at the crow nest.

“Staying alive here might already be impressive enough,” Juri said to himself as he watched how the sail got another west wind push, which worried him.

***

Juri had tried to play down how tired he was over the morning hours, but soon Kentaro pulled a rope out of his hands with a click of his tongue.

“Not used to nights on ships yet,” Kentaro said as he tied the rope down where it was supposed to go minutes ago already, but Juri had spaced out.

“Sorry.”

“Wow, so polite. Well that can help you later on for sure,” Kentaro teased before he pointed at the deck. “Scrub the main deck and then take some rest. You are not of much use if you make mistakes through being tired.”

Juri just nodded as Kentaro didn’t wait for a reply and got up to the quarter deck instead where Aran was waiting for him. They both looked worriedly towards the west where they could see dark clouds now and hear thunder approaching.

Scrubbing the deck was definitely an easier task right now as trying to concentrate on complicated tasks like getting the sails adjusted to the strong wind. Still a bit too tired to concentrate much, Juri didn’t realize that someone had stopped right in front of him until he almost brushed over the other one’s boots.

When he looked up and found Taiga standing in front of him, he hurried to stand up and almost knocked the bucket with the water over. But while Taiga had definitely slept even less, he didn’t look tired to him at all.

“Were you given any other duties after this?” Taiga asked.

“No,” Juri replied as he looked over to Kentaro who only gave Taiga a small nod.

“Then follow me,” Taiga said and turned back to his quarters without looking back. Juri hurried to put everything aside and get his hands at least a bit clean before he dared to step into the captain’s quarters.

The entire ship was pretty clean already, Juri had immediately realized that, but Taiga’s quarters reminded him of those he had seen on other kinds of ships. Those kinds were someone would expect such a decorated and clean cabin.

“This ship wasn’t always owned by pirates,” Taiga clarified right away as Juri had been looking through the room with wide eyes and a stunned expression. Now he hurried to fix that and look back at the captain.

There was a dark wooden desk with a heavy chair behind it on which Taiga sat down, but there was no chair for Juri to sit on, not that he minded. There was actually a corner with two chairs and a small table where they could have both sat down, but the least Juri would do now was complain about high society problems.

“Here,” Taiga said as he pushed some clothes over the table and Juri gave them a questioning look. “Your clothes don’t fit on this ship and they stink.”

It was the small teasing smile Juri showed that got Taiga’s attention immediately so Juri hurried to show a neutral expression.

“Did I say something funny?”

“Not at all,” Juri hurried to reply.

“Then why did you laugh?”

“I did not-”

“Then why did you grin? Even if you didn’t make a sound, you were amused by my words. Let me guess, you thought such words from a pirate were amusing? Stinky pirates on their dirty ships and yet they want you to dress nicer around them and wash yourself?”

Juri was left speechless as he hadn’t seen Taiga’s harsh words coming and this time he took a moment to choose his words before answering, but Taiga’s serious expression made it easy to find the right reply.

“My apologies. I indeed just assumed what you said. My opinion about pirates was indeed not the best until here and the happenings at Port Royal didn’t help either. But your ship and your crew definitely surprised me.”

“And I didn’t?”

Juri almost rolled his eyes at the way Taiga tried to find a scolding in everything he said, but then Taiga actually showed a teasing smile and leaned back in his chair. “Relax, I’m just playing with you. It’s not like I will throw you overboard after allowing you on my ship.”

This time Juri finally relaxed a bit more, but still only nodded.

“But there is one serious question I indeed need to ask you,” Taiga said as he put his elbows on the table and rested his chin on the back of his hands. 

“You want to know why I travel to the Republic of Pirates,” Juri said, not even forming it as a question as it was obvious. 

“Well then, do you have an answer for me or will you leave me in the dark and just walk off this ship at our destination?”

“Would that be bad?” Juri asked, the seriousness in his voice surprising Taiga. 

“That depends on if your reasons for your travels could cause problems for my crew?”

“No one should know my face or my name. My presence should not be a threat.”

Taiga slowly nodded before he pushed the clothes even more towards Juri. “Well, I guess you still have a few days to decide if you want to let me know more or not, but if your presence indeed becomes troublesome then I will have you take full responsibility.”

“As so often,” Juri whispered under his breath with a look to the ground before he gave the captain a clear nod and wanted to reach out for the clothes, but at the same time the entire ship made a harsh movement starboard, forcing Juri to make some steps to the side, while Taiga didn’t move as the furniture in the room was locked down to the ground, but the clothes fell off the table and Taiga hurried to put some small lose items into locked drawers.

“Well, I guess you can now show us how well you are trained for rough waters.”

Juri hurried back on deck together with Taiga and the crew was already getting the sails in as the wind was now starting to mix with heavy rain and the waves started moving the ship.

“Juri, get under deck. Help Reo with securing the cannons,” Taiga ordered. Juri nodded and hurried under deck while Taiga made his way to Aran who tried hard to keep the ship on course.

“Oh, didn't fall off yet?” Reo greeted the other one when Juri arrived at the place with the cannons. They were secured all the time, but they had to be extra cautious with such a storm.

“Taiga almost made me believe that I'm definitely close to getting thrown off board.”

“Still sticking to the first name basis I see,” Reo teased when Juri helped him put another rope around a cannon.

“He's doing the same so I don't see a reason to be more polite,” Juri said with a grin.

Before Reo could reply they were both thrown half through the room by a wave clashing on the side of the ship, bringing a lot of water inside through the cannon holes.

“And now it's time to get out of here. If any of those things get loose, they will crush us,” Reo said and urged Juri to get back on deck. On their arrival the deck had turned into a slippery mess with water getting thrown on and off the deck through the waves.

Juri spotted Taiga at the helm, while most of the crew was trying to keep everything secure. 

“Everyone who is not needed, get under deck,” Kentaro yelled as he made his way over the deck, trying to not get caught by another wave.

If anything got loose then they would easily get hit by it, so only a handful of people remained on deck. Aran was with Taiga and Kentaro had definitely decided to stay on deck as well while Reo told other crew members to get under deck.

“Hold tight,” Aran yelled from the quarter deck when he realized first that another wave would tilt them extremely sideways. 

Everyone was able to somehow hold on to something, but then there was a squeaking noise from the front mast and then Juri realized that one of the ropes would most likely snap on another wind gust. 

Unfortunately Kentaro hadn't realized it as he was trying to get closer to Juri and Reo, but then one strong wind gust hit the mast, ripping a bit of the sail out of it's tied up position through which the rope tied down to the deck got way too much pressure.

“Kentaro, the rope!” Juri shouted and the other one turned to the railing, but at the same time the part the rope was tied to broke off, getting thrown right into his direction together with the rope. 

There was a painful yelp from Kentaro when the sharp wood hit him right in the face before he got taken off his feet and with that another wave swept more water over the ship, taking Kentaro with him.

“Shit,” Reo yelled when he started running the same moment Juri also ran to the front intuitively. 

Kentaro hit the side of the ship with his back, but a second wave was already on its way and this time it would take him overboard.

“Kentaro, catch,” Juri shouted as he got a grip on the loose rope and threw the part with the broken wood towards Kentaro. He caught it, but the question was if he could hold on to it.

Juri tried to lock his feet at a plank on the deck to pull him from the railing before the next wave hit, but he got taken off his feet by it as well and Kentaro lost grip on the wood.

Juri was sure that Kentaro would be lost, but right when the water dragged him over the railing, Reo jumped after him with the rope in his hand. 

There was no way Juri could hold two people, but he still didn't let go of the rope and started yelling at himself when he reached the railing and put his feet on it with all his might, leaning back with the rope half around his waist, so that he wouldn't get dragged over as well.

“Hold on,” Aran was heard behind him when he grabbed Juri under the arms, locking himself in so that Juri would gain more weight. Just a few seconds later more crew members stormed on deck and they were finally able to pull Reo and Kentaro back onboard. 

“Everyone get off the deck,” Aran shouted at them, making them head under deck. 

Juri turned around to the quarter deck, but Taiga was concentrating on the course and the waves. But Juri didn't miss the way he looked down to the deck a few times.

“Juri, hurry,” Reo urged him as he pulled him down to their quarters, but then Juri made the other one halt.

“Reo, your hands.”

“They will be fine,” Reo soothed him, but he had caused himself a lot of bruising and cuts through the rope. His hands were also shaking through the force he had used to hold onto it with another person dragging him down with his weight.

“Let's see how Kentaro is doing for now.”

Juri nodded, but wanted Reo to get his hands treated as well. Luckily Juri knew that they had a medical person on board and exactly that person was already checking up on Kentaro.

It was hard to get cuts and wounds clean on a ship and unfortunately Kentaro seemed to have sustained a pretty deep cut on his temple.

“Are you okay?” Reo asked Juri while they were waiting for Kentaro's injuries to be checked up on. Not that it was easy to do so in the first place with the entire ship harshly moving forth and back.

“I think so. A bit shaken and some bruises, that's it,” Juri said as he looked at his hands which had a few bruises from the rope and his legs were hurting a bit as well.

Reo received medical support next while Juri walked up to Kentaro who had half of his face bandaged for now.

“Are you okay?” Juri asked, knowing that Kentaro had a back injury as well as he had let out a hiss when he got checked for other injuries before.

“A cut and a sore back. I'll survive it.”

“Glad to hear that,” Juri said, suddenly feeling like he was in the way. The storm had calmed down a bit, but they still had to watch out for high waves making them stumble through the ship.

“I should maybe check up on the cannon room,” Juri said as he wanted to leave. 

“Thank you,” Kentaro said before the other one could turn around. “There was absolutely no reason for you to risk so much for me or anyone here. I can't even promise that we would have rescued you if it had been you falling.”

“I didn't do it for any reward or other reasons. It was just a natural instinct to help.”

“Then I have to thank that instinct,” Kentaro said and let Juri leave as he realized that he felt weirdly uncomfortable.

The cannon room was miraculously undamaged, just a bit drowned through the high waves. 

Juri took a deep breath when he leant against a wall and closed his eyes for a moment. Like this he would be haunted by even more nightmares the next night.

“We're not stopping?” Juri asked when Aran let them know the next morning that they would not make a halt at the next harbor.

“There is no need to,” Aran explained, bur Juri gave a worried look towards Kentaro who was on deck while he should definitely rest. The damage on deck wasn't too big, but they still tried to fix as much as they could. “You want to get to your destination, right? Don't forget that the captain is choosing this course because of you.”

Juri gave the other one an understanding nod and refrained from asking more questions. They worked through half of the day and Juri went up on the quarter deck, looking over to the island they could have made a stop at. 

“We're close to Tortuga so there is no way the captain will stop at any of these harbors if not necessary,” Aran said as he stepped next to Juri. “Trust me, we're all grateful for your help and we understand your worry, but this territory is not ours.”

“So there are other pirates.”

“Not just others,” Aran said at the other one's naive words. “If it's just about pirates then there are hundreds of ships in each territory, but there are also those crews that are leading those territories.”

“Are you leading port royal?” Juri asked.

“More or less,” Aran said with a nod. “The rough renegades pirates have made their strong name with the lost diamond in Panama at first.”

“Lost diamond? Is that the name of the ship?”

“The captain chose it,” Aran explained.

“This might be a dumb question, but why do you keep addressing him as the captain in front of me? I heard from Reo that you usually call him Taiga.”

“But only in front of people who are as connected to him as I am,” Aran replied.

“Fair enough.”

“So anyway, from Panama the crew grew through the captain’s strong reputation. A clean ship, good leadership, fair payment and no unnecessary fighting.”

“Doesn't even sound that much like a pirate ship,” Juri said.

“Yet we're indeed all renegades. People not accepted or needed in society. The captain doesn't easily let anyone join the crew. The reason he offered you a passage through such dangerous waters is because he saw something in you.”

“Another renegade,” Juri said with a nod as he looked over to the now almost not visible coastline.

“But I guess you're not here to stay, right?” Aran asked, but Juri only lowered his gaze to the waves. “No need to reply. Just know that the captain wouldn't offer his help easily.”

***

It was in the early morning hours of the next day that things turned bad, very bad. With an open injury on sea it wasn't easy to keep bacteria away and even with some medical supplies, Kentaro had ended up with an extremely high fever and an infection on his cut face. 

Reo had woken them up after he had realized that Kentaro was trying to play down his condition, but this time Taiga was the one who showed up next to the medical crew member and when they removed the bandage it was painfully visible how infected the wound had become with black necrosis now all over the wound.

“What do we do?” Reo asked, but Taiga remained silent for a moment.

“How long can he keep going with this infection?” Taiga asked the crew member.

“Maybe a day or two? His blood will get poisoned like this. With the heat he might not even last until nightfall in the worst case.”

“I'm going to be fine. It's just a stupid infection,” Kentaro complained, but just speaking seemed to exhaust him as he didn't even bother opening his eyes. His entire body was slightly shaking and even without touching him, Juri was sure that he was burning up with the way he was sweating.

“We'll change course,” Taiga announced and without any question all crew members moved, but Kentaro reached out for Taiga's arm before he could walk away.

“It's not worth the risk. The only harbor on this route left before the republic of pirates is on Cuba.”

“Exactly, but it's also none of the five main harbors,” Taiga replied. “Yet the only one which could have a doctor.”

“But what if-”

“Then we take care of that problem at that time,” Taiga cut the other one before Juri even got to know what exactly they were talking about. “Juri, let Aran know about the new course. We will have to delay your arrival at the republic of pirates for a bit.”

“That's okay with me,” Juri said with a nod and gave Kentaro a worried look, but the other one let out an annoyed growl when he fell back with closed eyes. 

“Trying to pull one person out of his grave while shovelling your own.”

Juri didn't want to know what that meant and luckily Taiga made him leave to report to Aran. 

They had avoided Tortuga because of another leading pirate crew, so Juri was sure that they were avoiding Cuba as well. But with no main harbor on this side of the island, he hoped that they wouldn't run into trouble. 

***

“We're not entering the harbor?” Juri asked perplexed when Aran gave the order to let down one of the small boats when they were around one of the cliffs at the small Cuba harbor. 

“The captain doesn't want to cause uproar,” Aran explained. “These are not our territories after all. We are here to get treatment and medication, not to cause the crew even more trouble.”

Juri nodded understandingly while Taiga and Reo helped Kentaro in the boat. It took until nightfall for them to arrive and they had to wait until the morning hours to make their way to the harbor. Over that time Kentaro’s condition had worsened a lot. He had kept groaning in pain over the entire night, his fever forcing him down at some point, but now he could barely walk, half collapsing into the boat even with Reo's help.

“Are you not going with them?” Juri asked when Aran remained on board.

“I'm in charge of getting the ship out of danger if we are getting unwanted company.”

“Right,” Juri said, scanning the ocean, but right now there were no other ships visible. When he looked back at the boat he met Taiga's stare, immediately feeling like he had done something wrong or forgotten something.

“Hurry up,” Taiga said with a head movement to the boat.

“You want me to come?” Juri asked perplexed, but hurried when Aran pushed him to the rope ladder to get down.

“You showed your worth in the storm, don't disappoint him now,” Aran warned him while Juri made his way down to the boat. He has no intentions to run or cause trouble, after all he had a goal. 

Juri and Reo tried their best to make it through the dangerous waves at the harbor. It wouldn't help Kentaro if they had to swim the rest of the way. 

To Juri's surprise they made it to a doctor without much trouble. Taiga was able to pay him and that was all he needed to know.

“Reo, you stay with him,” Taiga ordered as they had left the room after some first treatment. But the doctor had to clean the wound and restitch it. After that Kentaro would need some rest and receive some medication before they could hopefully leave in the evening right away.

“Where are you heading, captain?” Reo asked while he didn't seem annoyed by the fact that he had to stay behind. Someone needed to be around just in case after all.

“We're going to get some extra provisions. I want to make sure that we have enough fresh water and food,” Taiga said, not adding that he was worried for Kentaro's condition to worsen again, but that was obviously his thought behind his sudden provision adding.

“Make sure to have a close look on your surroundings,” Reo warned Juri when Taiga had already turned and walked away.

“I will try, but I'm not sure what to look out for.”

“Mostly guns pointed to your head,” Reo teased before he urged Juri to leave.

The harbor was already lively in the early morning hours with a lot of fishermen getting their boats ready.

“Did you ever go fishing?” Taiga asked. Such an innocent question that Juri needed a moment to reply.

“Yes, a lot actually. My family lives close to a harbor. I loved to run up to the docks in the morning to help out.”

When Juri looked up at Taiga, who was walking next to him, the other one showed him a teasing smile.

“What? Is that weird?”

“No, not at all. It's just the very first private matter you were willing to share.”

Juri bit his lip as he realized that he had indeed maybe already said too much, not that it was a big secret where he lived before, but he didn't want to get too close. There was no need for private talks.

“For now let's get some food from the market and then some water before we leave,” Taiga said as he headed towards the small stalls alongside the road at the harbor where some traders got ready for the day.

Juri followed in silence, immediately falling silent again after he felt like he had shared unnecessary information, but his attention soon landed back on Taiga when he realized that no one seemed scared of him and why should they? The captain showed the market people calm smiles and talked with them like any other person on this market did. Sure he had a sword and a gun on his belt, but that wasn’t necessary where everyone’s eyes went right away, not with that beautiful smile. When Juri caught himself staring unnecessarily long, he made sure to offer to carry the first provisions they were getting. 

“You don’t have to carry it all,” Taiga said as he snatched away a small box from Juri after he had tried to balance the boxes after they got almost everything they needed. 

“I can carry more than you think,” Juri challenged, but maybe he shouldn’t have said that, because Taiga casually dropped the box back on the other ones, making it impossible for Juri to see where he was going. Before he could get hurt Taiga snatched the box away once more, right before a corner and a small alley to the side. 

“I am sure you can, but right now those provisions are more important than your pride,” Taiga teased before he walked ahead as the alley didn’t give enough space for both of them to walk next to each other. 

Juri immediately pouted and got ready for a snappy reply, but then Juri could hear someone approach from the back and he got ready to move faster so that they weren’t in someone’s way. There was another alley to the side so they could get out of the way, but before he could even ask Taiga if they should move, the situation took the most surprising and unsettling twist when Taiga stopped on the spot right at the next alley and turned around towards Juri and lifted his gun up without any hesitation.

Juri immediately stopped, but before he could even try to analyze where he had messed up, he could hear the hammer of another gun getting pulled back behind him.

“Don’t move,” Taiga said, so serious and with such a dangerous look that Juri didn’t even dare to nod. “What the hell do you two want? We are busy.”

The laughter that followed came from the side alley and another person got into sight, holding a gun right towards Taiga. Juri was sure that the captain had realized both their presences before Juri and yet he was pointing his own gun over Juri’s shoulder at the person behind him instead of at the direct threat next to him.

“No greeting?” The one closer to Taiga asked. He was a tall figure, as young as them and obviously a pirate as well. 

“Will you fuck off if I give you one?” Taiga hissed back.

“He might fuck off after you fucked him,” the one behind Juri said. 

“We both know that he only fucks the captain,” the tall one said with a laugh and to Juri’s surprise Taiga remained completely calm. 

“You shouldn’t challenge your luck a second time,” Taiga warned them. “The last time I saw the midnight shadow you ran from the marines with tucked tails.”

“And now remember whose fault that was,” the one behind Juri said as he stepped closer, but Taiga also lifted his gun with a warning look. “The captain wants his payment. You were the one to run.”

“We never had a deal that decided what kind of payment he’d receive,” Taiga reminded them, but as Juri wasn’t able to fight easily against them, there was not much they could do and the two crew members knew that as the one closer to Taiga dared to moved his gun towards Juri instead. “You want to pay with a life then? I bet the captain wouldn’t be satisfied with that, but he told us to make sure to remind you that he doesn’t like to wait.”

“As if we came to this harbor to meet the all so mighty Black Navigator pirates,” Taiga mocked, but to Juri’s surprise he lowered his gun. 

“Now it is your goal,” the one behind Juri said as he pushed Juri to the front and that so harshly that he had to drop the boxes, but Taiga only dropped the box he had still in one hand on top of the rest and made a head movement at Juri to walk with him.

The tall one walked in front and the other one walked behind them, but when Juri finally dared to turn around, he realized that they were both extremely tall and he gave Taiga a worried look.

“Just remain silent and calm. This has nothing to do with you, so don’t give them a reason to make this about you.”

Something Juri should definitely consider. This wasn’t part of their stop on this journey and while he had so many questions, he knew that he shouldn’t ask a single one of them. His journey was his private matter and so was the one of Taiga. Pirates getting into trouble with other crews wasn’t uncommon after all and while Juri could just hope that he would get out of it alive, he didn’t want to see Taiga getting hurt or killed either. Not that he could say for sure yet who was the villain in this sudden encounter.

Minutes later they had walked through some back alleys of the harbor area and while some people were of course crossing their way, the crew members had put their guns back to their belts for now so no one would pay them much attention. Juri kept giving Taiga side glances, but it didn’t seem like he would try for a sudden escape and weirdly he also didn’t look too worried.

At a place that didn’t even look like a secret layer they stopped. It was a normal stone house, even if it was located a bit away from the busy main streets. Before they entered, the one walking in front held out his hand and while Juri only looked a bit confused, Taiga took his sword and gun to hand them to the other one.

“Are you sure you don’t have any hidden weapons?” The other one asked Juri.

“You should ask me that instead,” Taiga said as he turned to the other one and actually pulled out a dagger from his boot and handed it towards the other one blade first.

“So protective,” the crew member teased before he pushed them ahead to enter the building. 

They had obviously had this layer for a while now, not that it seemed like Taiga had been aware of it. Whatever was going on was obviously something Taiga hadn’t seen coming either.

The building had several floors and an open meeting space on the ground floor. They got greeted by whistles and whispers, some crew members only giving them hateful glares.

“You stay here,” the one behind Juri said, but to his surprise Taiga grabbed his wrist before he could touch Juri’s shoulder.

“He is not.”

“Oh, so demanding.”

And this time he really was. The obedience in Taiga’s eyes had vanished in an instant as he stepped closer to the other one.

“Know your place,” Taiga hissed at him and while the other one seemed ready to start a fight on Taiga’s words, the other crew member went between them, pushing his comrade to the back.

“Iwamoto, don’t you put a hand on him. Orders are orders.”

“Look, even Meguro gets it,” Taiga mocked, the tall crew member now turning towards him with an annoyed look, but different to Iwamoto he was indeed still a bit calmer.

Juri felt trapped in the situation as he didn’t want to stay down here with all those unknown pirates, knowing that they all seemed to have some kind of grudge against Taiga.

“Whatever,” Iwamoto hissed and urged them up the stairs.

On the next floor they were greeted by a corridor first and then they entered a room, which was unnecessarily over-decorated in Juri’s opinion, but then he spotted the person sitting on a way to over the top armchair between two huge windows and he immediately understood why the room looked as it did. That person’s outfit screamed pirate from head to toe. The wild hairstyle, with black and curly hair. The half open white shirt with a long black coat half hanging from his shoulders. The way he was sitting with one boot up on the armrest and then there was that shadow around his eyes, which Juri hoped wasn’t natural, because if it was then he would look extremely unhealthy. The rest of the room was a mess, yet kind of artistic, with random ripped curtains everywhere, but over the windows. The wide bed was also a layer of random sheets, pillows and blankets and even the floor had carpets randomly laying half over the next one.

There was no need for the crew members to announce themselves, the captain was looking straight ahead at Taiga. Iwamoto and Meguro remained at the door, but Juri didn’t dare to move away from Taiga’s side.

“What an honor,” the young man in front of them said, his voice everything but amused. “I thought my men were mocking me when they said they saw the lost diamond on the open waters.”

“And here I couldn’t spot the midnight shadow in the harbor. Seems like you finally learned how to lay low.”

Taiga’s reply was direct and cold, triggering a reaction Juri hadn’t seen coming. The other one was up on his feet without delay and then he reached out for his gun. There was something in his movements that made Juri grab Taiga by the arm and yank him to the side and that right in time before the other one shot right into the wall. 

Juri wanted to yell at Taiga for not moving. He obviously knew the other one, so he should have seen this coming and yet he hadn’t even tried to move out of the way by himself.

“Got yourself a lapdog?” The other one asked as he now moved his gun right at Juri, but the danger of him shooting again seemed to be low this time. “Or more of a fuck boy?”

“What do you want Hokuto?” Taiga let out coldly once more and this time Juri squeezed his arm warningly as he hadn’t let go of him yet. He was maybe clawing his fingers a bit too harshly into his arm, but at the moment he had to fear for both of their lives.

“What do I want?” Hokuto asked before his expression changed, first it was only a chuckle, then when he stepped back it was close to a manic laughter. “What could I possibly want?”

Taiga remained silent and this time Hokuto lost it once more, but instead of trying to shoot him again, he went for his throat, pushing him so sudden and forcefully into the wall that Juri had to let go of Taiga and before he could try to interfere, Iwamoto had pulled him aside, holding him back.

“You fucking bastard broke our deal, you left without payment and on top of that you left us without a warning. You can’t see the midnight shadow? You know why not? Because the fucking marine sank it, thanks to you.”

Taiga was seriously struggling for air by now, but once more he wasn’t really fighting back while he definitely could, not that it would make much sense as they were in the inferior position in the first place.

Luckily Hokuto backed off and let Taiga take some deep breaths mixed with some coughs before Hokuto’s eyes finally went over to Juri. 

“And who the fuck are you?”

“He is-”

“I did not ask you,” Hokuto growled at Taiga’s interference and just one look from Hokuto had Meguro stand next to Taiga, obviously already knowing that he wouldn’t like it when Hokuto approached Juri. Iwamoto backed off when Hokuto stopped in front of Juri, scanning him with an annoyed look. “So?”

“Tanaka Juri.” 

“And who the hell is Tanaka Juri?” Hokuto asked.

“I am a crew member,” Juri said while his eyes traveled forth and back between Hokuto and Taiga. “Temporarily.”

“A temporary crew member?” Hokuto asked as he looked over to Taiga once more. “In your life a lot of things seem to be temporary. Your loyalty, your trust, your interest in someone.”

“At least my patience level is steadier than yours,” Taiga let out judging.

“You are more than right with that,” Hokuto said before he turned back to Juri and gave him a harsh punch under the ribs without a warning. Taiga made an attempt to interfere, but Meguro stepped in his way. 

“What? He is only a random person on your ship, right? Why protect him?” Hokuto mocked before he grabbed Juri by the hair, forcing his head back after he had faltered a bit to the front. When he lifted his gun under his chin, Juri wasn’t that sure anymore if the other one just played games or if he was too furious to actually think straight enough to keep them alive.

“Hokuto-”

“Don’t you dare!” Hokuto hissed at Taiga when the other one addressed him casually. “One more word and I have you shut up forever.”

The warning was clear and obviously threatening enough to actually make Taiga stand back and remain silent when Hokuto turned his attention back to Juri.

“Then tell me Tanaka, why are you with a useless crew like this?”

Juri was hesitant to reply, but his attempt to look over to Taiga for help had Hokuto give a look at Meguro and Iwamoto. They hadn’t even done anything yet, but the threatening way they approached Taiga and seeing the captain back off this fast, had Juri reply.

“I am looking for someone,” Juri let out, resulting with the two crew members stopping, for now. “The captain was so nice to offer me an escort to my destination.”

When Juri didn’t explain more Hokuto raised an eyebrow before he pressed the gun even harsher up against Juri’s chin. “Go on. I will tell you when I got enough information.”

Once more Juri hesitated, but Hokuto’s patience level was indeed not the longest and he snapped his fingers, making Iwamoto immediately reach out for Taiga and while it was once more clear that the captain could fight if he wanted to, he didn’t and that even though he just got a knife put to his throat by the other one. 

“I am heading to the republic of pirates,” Juri said in a haste. 

“Mh, I feel like you cherish his life more than yours. A gun to your head doesn’t seem to concern you as much as a knife to his throat, but be careful, he might be the one putting a gun to your head next time,” Hokuto warned Juri, but right now that was not really of Juri’s concern. “So you were saying?”

“I fear that knowing about my reasons for my travels might bring trouble,” Juri replied honestly this time, but as he had unfortunately expected, trouble wasn’t something Hokuto seemed worried about. 

“So mysterious,” Hokuto said with some amusement. “Then let’s get to the point, who are you looking for?”

“The murderer of my brother,” Juri said and this time he had found a bit more courage as he hated talking about his intentions as he knew that he was acting ridiculous, but he was done sitting at home like the perfect son, behaving like the rest of his family, pretending like his oldest brother had never existed.

“And do you know who he is?” Hokuto asked, now more than excited about hearing more, while Taiga was now focused on Juri as well while the knife to his throat was still a threat.

“I have a name and I know I will find him at the Republic of Pirates.”

“Then who is that ruthless murderer?” Hokuto asked directly once more and this time Juri didn’t hesitate to reply. 

“The captain of the mouse peace pirates, Ueda Tatsuya.”

It was the first human reaction Hokuto showed when he lowered his gun on the mention of that name and he immediately looked at Taiga who was now looking directly back at him.

“Iwamoto, Meguro, out.”

“But, captain-”

“Out, now!” Hokuto said, making it impossible for both of them to argue and with a warning look Iwamoto pulled back his knife and gave Taiga and Juri both an annoyed look before he walked outside with Meguro.

There was a moment of absolute silence before Taiga let out a long sigh, almost sounding annoyed when he stretched out his arms towards the ceiling. “I thought you’d never make them leave.”

Juri looked dumbfounded through the room when Taiga walked over to Hokuto’s armchair and just sat down while Hokuto’s look was still kind of threatening, but his intention to kill them seemed gone.

“You,” Hokuto suddenly addressed Juri as he pointed at him, this time the gun in his hand luckily not pointed at him to threaten his life. “Sit down there and wait.”

Juri only nodded and made a few steps back towards the bed to sit on the side of it while he watched Hokuto walk over to Taiga. When he put his foot up right between Taiga’s legs on the chair, the older one looked up at him with a questioning look after he had made himself way too comfortable on the chair already.

“How dare you show up here unannounced?” Hokuto hissed at him as he leant to the front.

“Oh come on, how should I have known that you’re camping here? It’s not like I sunk your ship. Sorry about your precious midnight shadow by the way.”

Taiga had reached out for Hokuto’s open jacket while speaking, pulling playfully on the seam. “But aside from you trying to shoot me earlier, I am sure you missed me, right?”

For a split second Juri thought about getting up once more when Hokuto grabbed Taiga by the collar, but this time he was definitely judging the situation extremely wrong as he hurried to sit back down and look straight ahead towards the opposite wall when Hokuto pulled Taiga into a way too intimate kiss, which Juri didn’t feel comfortable looking at.

“As if you hadn’t caused me enough trouble until now, you bring a new troublemaker towards me,” Hokuto scolded when he retreated, making Juri turn his head towards them.

“Not that I invited myself here,” Taiga teased. “And unfortunately we cannot stay long. We had an emergency and we will leave before nightfall.”

“So you don’t want help?”

“Are you offering it?”

“Depends on the payment?”

Juri couldn’t quite follow the conversation, but he didn’t like the way both of them looked at him. 

“I cannot offer any payment and I also do not need any help,” Juri said. “All I need is-”

“To get to the Republic of Pirates,” Hokuto interrupted as he walked over to him and Juri hurried to stand up, but immediately backed off towards the wall when Hokuto came way too close. “And then what? You won’t last an hour there. One question about Ueda and you will be dead. One side glance at the wrong person, dead. One-”

“I get your point,” Juri hissed at him. “But my problems are my own to solve.”

“Why do you even want to take revenge? A dead person doesn’t come back through it,” Hokuto asked, but this time Juri remained silent. 

“Hokuto, you are scaring him,” Taiga teased from the back, but didn’t make a move to stand up.

“I am honest,” Hokuto replied, but kept his eyes on Juri. “You know, pirates keep to their territories most of the time, but we also like causing some uproar here and there.”

“We are talking about killing someone,” Juri said.

“And?”

The fact that the reply came from Taiga had Juri remember that the other one had indeed definitely killed someone before.

“Okay so let's get back to the point,” Hokuto said. “I might not have given you the best first impression, but with the right payment my crew can indeed be really helpful.”

“And mine isn't?” Taiga asked with a pouting expression, making Hokuto roll his eyes and walk back to Taiga and this time he handled the other one more roughly as he pulled him closer on the hair.

“You're not known to keep your promise of payment.”

Instead of feeling intimidated, Taiga pulled himself closer to the other one's face. “Wasn't it you who said that you accept three payments? I gave you one of them.”

“Be careful or I will let you pay with the last option next time.”

Hokuto shoved Taiga back against the backrest before he pointed at Juri who hadn't moved at all.

“You pay with money,” Hokuto explained as he walked closer again. “If you can't do that,” he continued while he reached out for Juri's face and the other one didn't dare to pull away when Hokuto put his hand to his cheek. “Then you pay with your body.”

Juri tried to stay calm, but he couldn't stop his body from taking a deep breath as he forced his mind to not shout at Hokuto for his inappropriate methods. 

“And if you don't want that option,” Hokuto said as he pulled back his hand, but remained close and the next second Juri jolted as he hadn't seen how Hokuto had pulled out his gun once more and held it right under his chin. “Then you can still pay with your life.”

“Thanks, but no thanks.”

Juri's reply came so fast and unexpected to both of them that Hokuto looked back at him dumbfounded before Taiga burst out laughing.

“I guess your help just got declined,” Taiga said with another laugh before he got up and pulled Hokuto away from Juri, resulting in Hokuto moving his gun right under Taiga’s chin instead. “Then why should I let you go today in the first place?”

Taiga gave the other one a challenging look on that question before he dared to touch the gun and pulled it up to his face. “Because I can still offer you payment for that nice act of yours. I have money on my ship as well, but I wonder if you'd be satisfied with it?”

“I could ask for your ship instead.”

“Never.”

“Oh declining payment after all?”

“Just that kind of payment,” Taiga teased before Hokuto pulled the gun back which had Taiga dare to reach out for the other one's collar. He made a move to touch the other one's lips with his, but then he put his head to the side, looking over Hokuto’s shoulder at Juri.

“You might want to try and get to know Iwamoto and Meguro better for a while.”

“What?” Juri asked in pure disbelief.

“You can also stay,” Hokuto said as he turned towards him, but pulled Taiga closer towards his body with his lips on the other one's cheek for a moment before he grinned back at Juri. “But then I will have you join.”

Once more Juri reacted immediately as he walked over to the door without a second thought. This wasn't an option for him. Taiga had said it, this wasn't about him and he didn't want to make it about him so if Taiga was fine with handling the situation this way then he wouldn't stop him.

Juri could hear a chuckle from both of them before he closed the door in a hurry and leant against it with a sigh. He wasn't sure anymore if this was worth all the danger or not. His life was in danger at any point, but his sanity was as well.

“Did anything happen?”

“Don’t ask, just please don’t ask,” Juri said and to his surprise Reo indeed didn’t ask a second time, which was also because Taiga left the doctors’ house together with Kentaro the next moment.

Juri had had a pretty uncomfortable day with Hokuto’s crew, not that anyone had tried to hurt him, but the fact that Taiga had easily thrown him into that situation had him angry at the captain for the rest of the day. They were still alive thanks to Taiga, yet Juri remained angry while they tried to get their provisions back in the afternoon.

Now Reo was helping Juri with carrying them, while Taiga had made sure that Kentaro was in a good enough condition to go back on their ship.

Even Taiga hadn’t said anything about the previous incident and they had all returned to the ship without anything feeling off for everyone else, at least until night time. Then Juri was suddenly stopped by Reo before he could make it to the crew’s quarter and after following the other one he found Kentaro and Aran waiting for him in the cannon room.

“What is this about?” Juri asked, but luckily no one looked threatening. Especially Kentaro should actually rest more, because while he had gotten really strong medication and the doctor had made sure to take care of the infected parts of the wound, Kentaro still looked exhausted.

“You tell us,” Reo said. “You might think everything seemed normal when you came back, but you’re not really good at poker faces.”

“So now we want you to tell us what happened,” Kentaro said.

“Why don’t you ask the captain?” Juri asked, his snappy attitude surprising the crew members as he crossed his arms to his chest.

“Well, it’s not like we can demand any explanation from him, he is the captain after all,” Aran said. “But if anything happened we would like to know.”

At least Aran was calm, yet Juri was still looking to the ground with a pouting expression, instead of replying.

“Did he tell you not to say anything?” Reo asked. “Or did anyone else tell you to?”

“We are both back without problems, isn’t that enough for you to know?”

“So something indeed happened,” Kentaro concluded and got up from one of the cannons he was leaning at and approached Juri. “We are not asking you, because we like gossip. We ask, because we know that Taiga likes to keep secrets and knowing when something bad happened to him makes it easier for the crew to adjust.”

“Almost getting shot in the head should definitely be on the list of bad happenings,” Juri finally spilled. “Not that I think it is something uncommon for pirates.”

Juri somehow expected the others to panic, maybe even to get angry, but then they all exchanged some weird looks as if Juri was throwing a fit over nothing.

“You do realize that I was sarcastic?”

“Well, it’s not that uncommon,” Reo said, shrugging his shoulders. 

“The question is who dared to put a gun to his head,” Aran asked.

“Hokuto did,” Juri said with a snort, rolling his eyes as if he already had a personal enemy with the other one.

“Hokuto?” Kentaro asked.

“As in captain of the Black Navigators?” Aran added.

“Yes…?” Juri asked, now getting worried, but then Kentaro was the first one to crack a smile and start laughing, but that movement actually made him hiss and sit back down on the cannon as he wasn’t feeling well enough.

“What the hell is so funny about what I just said?” Juri asked when Aran and Reo also chuckled at Juri's words.

“Well, let’s say you were extremely lucky and unlucky at the same time to encounter that crew,” Aran said while Reo put his arm around Juri’s shoulder.

“So, did you say yes?”

“Of course not,” Juri let out scandalized, feeling immediately embarrassed about even replying.

“Well, Taiga definitely did or you wouldn’t be back on this ship with him,” Kentaro said before he let out a kind of painful sounding sigh.

“Then we don’t have to worry about anything right now, so you can go and rest,” Aran said as he helped Kentaro up.

It was the way they casually left that had Juri speechless until Reo turned back towards him once more with a questioning look. “Aren’t you coming?”

“Do you not respect him at all or do you fear the Black Navigators that much?”

Juri’s sudden serious tone had Reo step back towards him and he had definitely understood Juri’s question the right way.

“The only one who is not respecting Taiga right now is you.”

Juri got ready to argue, but then he gasped when Reo grabbed him by the collar and pulled him closer. “Let me put you in place for once. Taiga took the risk to go to that harbor to save a crew member, other pirates wouldn’t even have rescued him in that storm in the first place. Later on they would have just thrown his dead body to the sharks, like they do with all crew members who don’t survive the rough sea.”

Once more Juri made a move to interfere, but the small movement he made to make Reo let go, had the other one pull him even closer and for the first time he actually felt a bit scared of Reo. “So guess what he could have done with you or with the crew members who dared to threaten him. He could have just killed them, let them kill you or leave you with them. Yet he offered to get us all out of the situation. Just because you don’t agree on that kind of payment between them, doesn’t mean it is something to judge him for. He did what you couldn’t do.”

Reo shoved Juri harshly to the back, forcing Juri to take a few steps before he gave Reo a pissed expression, but Reo pointed at him. “Remember, we are pirates. Usually there is not even any payment between the crews. It’s the survival of the fittest. Hokuto could have killed us all and taken our ship today. The fact that he didn’t, should make you respect him, no matter how disgusted you are by his methods.”

By now Juri didn’t have much left to argue, but he was still angry, yet when Reo made a move to leave this time, Juri let out an annoyed sigh so the other one turned back towards him once more.

“You rescued Kentaro, because it was an instinct. You said that yourself. Be happy that Taiga doesn’t run with his instincts, but with logic. You owe him more than just a thank you for getting your ass out of the situation today. Better make sure to show that gratitude.”

***

The atmosphere had turned gloomy the next day even though it was lovely weather and they would only take about two more days to their destination, but while most of the crew members didn’t even know that something hadn’t gone as planned, those who did were now on Juri’s to ignore list. He had put a ridiculous pride up to stand his ground and keep his opinion, but when it was getting dark once more, Juri felt exhausted by his own attitude. He hadn’t spoken to anyone for the entire day, except for some crew members who told him what to do. Now he looked at Taiga’s cabin as he could still see candle light in it, while everyone else was getting ready to go under deck. 

Juri spotted Aran getting down from the quarter deck as they had decided to not go with full sails through the night. The Republic of Pirates lay in dangerous waters, they could get into trouble out of different reasons if they approached it unprepared.

Aran gave Juri a small side glance, but didn’t approach him and only looked up at the crow’s nest where luckily someone else was on watch this time and not Reo. That thought had Juri let out a long sigh as he felt ridiculous once more and then he finally got up from the last rope he had just put aside and approached Taiga’s cabin.

In silence he cursed at himself before he finally dared to knock. No reply. Then he knocked again, a bit louder. Still nothing. It was Juri’s annoyance that made him open the door without permission. Here he had found the courage to thank Taiga and the other one was ignoring him. So he thought at least. When he stepped inside the cabin he was surprised to not find Taiga at his desk or anywhere else right in sight. 

Juri took a few steps inside the cabin, remembering that behind some curtains at the side of the room, Taiga’s bed was standing a bit hidden. Taiga was already asleep, so he had most likely just forgotten to blow out the candles, something Juri would now do for him, because the ship catching fire wasn’t something he wanted to happen. Juri had already blown out most candles when he went over to the desk, but then he halted, moving around it when he looked at the map on the desk. It wasn’t anything special, just a map of the islands around, but Taiga had marked dangerous territories. Names of other pirate crews, marine stations and routine controls of marine ships were all on it, but of course this close to the Republic of Pirates there were usually not many marine ships. 

While studying the map, Juri sat down, intensely reading through the notes. What Juri noticed next were red marks on the Panama harbor and Port Royal, the two harbors the rough renegades pirates were most known at. The other pirate harbors were marked as well, but there was one more mark, different to the others, it had been put with a lot of force as a small hole was right in the middle of the circle that was drawn on a place that seemed to be more of a marine territory. A smaller port called Maracaibo, just a trading spot, yet something was definitely important about it. 

Next to the map the last candle stand was lighting up a small silver broach on the table. Juri took it in his hand with a scanning look. There was nothing special about it. The pin on the back was broken and there had been a stone or diamond in the middle of it, but it had obviously fallen out. 

“For someone who doesn’t like speaking about his own life, you really like investigating others. Found anything interesting?”

Taiga’s voice had Juri jolt and jump up from the chair, dropping the broach to the front so that it fell off the table right to Taiga’s feet when he approached the desk.

“My apologies. I didn’t want to sneak around. I came to talk to you, but you were asleep. I just wanted to blow out the candles.”

Taiga picked up the broach from the floor before he put it back on the table and gave it a look in silence before he looked back up at Juri. “I believe you. You already showed me that you don’t like to get yourself into trouble. You are not good at getting yourself out again.”

Exactly the topic Juri was here for and while he had the words on his tongue already he hesitated with his reply.

“You don’t have to thank me,” Taiga said instead. “Let me guess, the crew got angry at you.”

Juri only looked up at him, opening his mouth to speak, but then remaining silent, biting his lip.

“I don’t care what you think of my or Hokuto’s methods. You are not here to understand us or be part of our world. You are here to end the life of a pirate captain, yet you don’t accept help from other pirates. You have high pride. You are naive. Extremely unworldly.”

This time Juri didn’t get angry, because Taiga was right after all. 

“On top of that you are a liar.”

This time Juri looked up at the other one with wide eyes, but Taiga was walking towards the table in the corner, sitting down on one of the chairs. “You said unfortunate business brought you to Port Royal, yet you made your way there with a pretty serious purpose and almost got yourself killed on the first day out in the wild. Are you sure you want to proceed? Tomorrow we will enter the waters of the Republic of Pirates.”

“Yes, I will not back out now,” Juri said, finally finding his voice again. 

“Fine, but don’t judge me or my crew if you die on arrival.”

“I only asked you for a safe passage, nothing more.”

Taiga let out a long breath on those words before he stood up again and this time Juri hurried to finally move away from Taiga’s desk as he shouldn’t be standing behind it in the first place. Taiga stopped in front of him with a scanning and kind of scolding look.

“You remind me of someone,” Taiga said. “Someone arrogant and stupid. Someone who couldn’t ask for help and couldn’t tell the truth, but also couldn’t lie when it was needed. You have no survival skills and he didn’t either.”

“Did he die in these waters?” 

“A part of him did,” Taiga said, making Juri look at him questioningly, but Taiga only clapped him on the shoulder before he moved over to the table, blowing out the last candles, leaving them staring at each other in the dark room.

“You should make sure as well that only the weak and useless part of yourself dies here.”

***

“EVERYONE ON DECK! EVERYONE WAKE UP!”

Shouting together with the sound of a bell on deck had Juri jolt as he had barely slept, yet he wasn’t the only one as almost all other crew members hurried to get up and dash on deck at the same time. 

“What is going o- oh shit,” Juri replied to his own question when he made it on deck and stared ahead at incoming Marine ships, now visible to them as the sun was slowly rising at the horizon. 

“Why the hell are there so many?” Reo complained and immediately shouted at everyone to get the sails ready. 

“Most likely Ueda annoyed them or they just thought let’s be suicidal and roam the waters of the Republic of Pirates,” Taiga was heard as he walked between them, taking a look at the ships. Not just one, but three massive first-rate marine ships were coming their way.

“Do we fight?” Kentaro asked, but immediately got a scolding look from Taiga as he wasn’t even supposed to be up, but still resting.

“Aran, make a plan, fast. We will run, as long as we can,” Taiga said, walking over to the quarter deck, but then stopped next to Juri. “Your destination has to wait a bit longer or do you prefer getting escorted by the marine?”

Juri looked over at the massive ships approaching fast and then shook his head. “I doubt they will offer me that luxury.”

“Then it is decided,” Taiga said as he nodded at Aran who shouted at everyone how to set the sails before Reo got some people together to ready the cannons as running was possible right now, but they wouldn’t be fast enough without the right wind and current. 

“Can you fight?” Kentaro asked after Juri had tied down the last rope, but the marine was rapidly catching up.

“I know how to use a sword,” Juri replied.

“How about a gun,” Kentaro said as he handed him one and while Juri hesitated at first, the trust Kentaro put in him, giving him such a weapon in the first place, had him take it. “And just in case, here.”

Kentaro handed him a knife as well, which Juri immediately put on his belt. 

“You are more than welcome to surrender and explain your situation to them, it’s not like we can stop you. That is if they win.”

Kentaro spoke with a teasing expression, but while Juri was sure that against one ship they definitely had a chance, three were a bit too much to take on.

“Where is he trying to head to?” Juri asked as he looked up at Aran and Taiga on the quarter deck. 

“He is going to try and shake them off between the rocks of the Bahamas.”

“What? That is suicide,” Juri said as he knew what route Taiga was trying to take. The currents between the small islands and rock formations could easily rip their ship off course and into one of the lower reefs or cliffs.

“Well, not the first time we are taking such a huge risk, better get used to it,” Kentaro said as he hurried over the deck to help out with the cannons on deck.

“Getting used to it,” Juri repeated and while he didn’t even want to feel in any way happy about Kentaro’s words, there was this tiny little bit of him that finally felt welcome somewhere, even though it was in the midst of those he should call his enemies.

“Any last words?” Reo asked Juri when he clapped him on the shoulder with a smile after they had reached the cliffs of the Bahamas. The other one’s carefree reaction had Juri stare back at him without replying. “What? Did you think I would stay angry at you? I wouldn’t be on this ship anymore if I held grudges each time I fight with someone.”

“Good to know,” Juri said instead of letting out an apology, but Reo didn’t seem to need one in the first place. “And hopefully it is still too early for last words.”

“Good mindset,” Reo said with a laugh. “Then let’s get on the ropes? This will be a tough battle against the currents.”

“But we will definitely need it,” Juri said as the marine ships were already so close after not even an hour of chasing that Juri could see the people on the ship clearly already. They had way more crew members on one ship alone, not to forget the amount of cannons they could fire at them if they made it close enough.

“Everyone get ready,” Aran shouted as they navigated right into the first current between some huge rock formations. 

“We just need to make it through, that’s it. They cannot follow us with those huge ships,” Reo said as he and Juri pulled on the same rope, now having to listen to Aran’s instructions as they had to adjust the sails as fast as possible each time a current would bring them off course.

An unwanted sound from the back had them all turn their heads at once and Juri’s eyes grew wide on the incoming cannonballs. 

“EVERYBODY DOWN,” Taiga yelled from the quarter deck, yet that position was the most dangerous one and everybody jolted when one cannonball actually hit the side of the quarter deck, leaving a lot of wooden parts flying over the ship.

“Everybody pull to portside,” Aran shouted when the marine ship was obviously reloading their cannons. Luckily the remaining two ships were too far away to be of any danger, for now.

Juri tried to concentrate back on the task as they had to fear getting their ship shattered on a reef or sharp stone structure. 

Reo shouted up at Taiga on another attack of the marine ship if they should try to attack as well, but Taiga kept their focus on the front. They just had to cross over one or two dangerous reefs and then the cannons wouldn’t be able to reach them anymore.

“One more,” Juri hissed to himself as they all had to change to starboard, but the ship had to make such a harsh turn that Juri got thrown off his feet when the wind in the sails was too much for them to hold against. Before he was back on his feet another cannonball hit the quarterdeck and this time there was more uproar, but right before Juri wanted to look at the damage, Kentaro was next to him, yelling at him to get back up and pull. 

With several people they finally managed to turn, but it had been a bit too late and the ship’s side ended up crashing into one of the rocks, but luckily it had only been a part on top, so they wouldn’t just sink through it.

“We are out of reach,” Reo shouted as they could hear another round of cannonballs, but they only hit the rocks behind them.

“But not out of danger, stay concentrated,” Kentaro shouted and gave everyone orders how to navigate the ship, but that made Juri finally turn to the quarter deck and in shock he realized that the last cannonball had hit it straight on and with the other ship being way bigger, it had hit right on top of it, most likely leaving Taiga’s cabin in chaos as well, but that wasn’t what Juri was concerned about. Aran was at the helm as he couldn’t let go of it, but while Taiga had been standing next to him, he was sitting on the ground now and while Juri didn’t have any time to see clearly what had happened he was sure that he was hurt.

“Worry for the ship first, if it sinks then we all die,” Kentaro warned him and Juri hurried to concentrate back on the course until they finally managed to come to a stop in a small bay where they could stay hidden as they were sure that the Marine wouldn’t try to chase them with their small boats in these dangerous waters.

“Secure everything,” Kentaro shouted as he dashed up to the quarter deck when they had finally made sure that the ship wasn’t too damaged. Juri intuitively followed him, but stopped on top of the stairs while Aran and Kentaro crouched down next to Taiga.

“Just a cut, nothing bad,” Taiga immediately said, but the way he held the side of his ribs it was obvious that some wood had hit him quite heavily when the cannonball had hit the ship.

“Nevertheless you will have it checked out,” Aran said and looked up at Juri. “Juri, get the doctor up here.”

Juri only nodded and hurried back down. He hadn’t expected Aran to talk in this tone with Taiga, but then again Juri had already realized that Taiga wasn’t the type to easily accept help himself or show any kind of weakness, so forcing him to actually get help was the only thing they could do.

Juri had tried to keep himself busy as he didn’t want to interfere where he wasn’t needed in the first place. Eventually he had helped cleaning up the deck and while some other crew members were looking at a way to fix the broken parts, which would eventually need to be done by getting off the ship and getting some wood supplies, Juri carefully opened the door to Taiga’s cabin, which had somehow stayed intact, different to the inside of the cabin. 

Taiga had been brought under deck for now, so the cabin was empty and while Juri was sure that he would get into trouble once more, he stepped inside. The cannonball had hit the cabin from above, but luckily also went out through the side, so the floor of the cabin was still intact. The desk had miraculously also survived, but one shelf had been completely ripped to pieces, leaving wood, books and other things scattered all over the room.

At first Juri just started cleaning everything off the floor, making sure that all the sharp wooden pieces and glass parts from the window were all gathered at the same corner. When he put some books from the floor on the desk, he realized that the candle holder had fallen down as well and then he remembered the broach, but he couldn’t spot it.

In a hurry he scanned the floor around the desk, but as he couldn’t spot it anywhere he opened the drawers of the desk, stopping at the third drawer as a gun was placed in it and then he stepped back, realizing what he was doing. The broach shouldn’t even concern him, but looking through Taiga’s desk like this was something he would definitely get scolded for once again so he hurried to just place everything somehow back into order and leave the cabin.

“You like getting yourself into trouble,” Taiga greeted him the moment he had opened the door and instead of apologizing, he stepped back in, Taiga stepping inside the cabin as well instead of letting Juri leave.

“I- I wanted to make sure that the damage wasn’t too severe,” Juri said while he watched how Taiga walked through the room, looking at the damage himself.

“And?”

“And what?” Juri asked in confusion.

“Do you think it’s too severe?” 

“I mean- the furniture is mostly still okay and some planks can fix the walls…” Juri said, but then stopped and looked up at Taiga once more, the other one tilting his head at Juri’s sudden silence. 

“How are your wounds captain?” Juri finally asked as he should have asked that the moment Taiga had showed up in front of him randomly as if he hadn’t just gotten hurt.

“Fine,” Taiga said, walking up to his desk and nothing even showed that he had just gotten injured. “We need to get to a nearby town to get some material to fix the ship.”

“We?” Juri asked in confusion.” Captain, you should-”

“Rest?” Taiga asked as he grinned at Juri who cursed himself for his concern. Why did he even care? “So that we can depart faster, right? You have a destination after all.”

“That’s not what I meant,” Juri said, feeling immediately triggered by Taiga’s words, not that he wasn’t right.

“Then what do you mean?”

“The Bahamas have a Marine base.”

“I am aware of that,” Taiga replied before he reached out for the drawer with the gun, a movement that finally showed some pain on his face when he bent to the front. “That’s why we have to hurry. Those ships will definitely report back to their base at the port. If they are faster than us, then we won’t be able to sail out on either side of the reefs and will get stuck.”

Taiga put the gun on his belt and was about to leave the cabin again, but then Juri turned around to him once more.

“Is it okay for me to join?”

“Oh? You want to put yourself into danger again? There might be other pirates as well and the marine might not even listen to your story if they catch us.”

“If that happens then that is on me,” Juri replied, but immediately looked away when he realized that he was acting way too snappy.

Instead of getting angry though, Taiga gave him a lopsided smile before he aimed for the door. “Suit yourself.”

It was the provocative attitude that had Juri pouting before he indeed followed.

This time they had to go with a lot of people, because they needed to carry quite some equipment back. They had spare planks and tools on board, but while most parts of the ship could also be repaired later, the impact on one of the rocks had the hull a bit damaged after all and Taiga wanted to make sure they could get out of their hiding place without any trouble awaiting them on the open ocean.

Juri remained silent and in the back as there were about a dozen crew members with them, this time Aran was with them as well as there was no way they could get their ship out of its current location without a repair in the first place.

“Today you’re coming with me,” Aran said as he walked next to Juri.

“We’re splitting up?” Juri asked.

“Do you really think on an island with a Marine base it is a good idea to walk the streets with so many people?” Aran asked and Juri only nodded as it would indeed be too obvious. For the same reason they were also all laying low on weapons. Guns and knives were hidden under coats, but none of them had brought swords or any too obvious clothes, not that they looked less suspicious, they still screamed pirates to Juri.

“Is it really okay for Taiga to already walk such a distance?” Juri asked as the captain was walking in the front.

“You should know him well enough by now to understand that he is not, but he doesn’t care,” Aran replied honestly to Juri’s obvious surprise. “But don’t worry, Reo and Kentaro will stay with him.”

Again Juri shouldn’t even care, but he indeed felt relieved hearing that the crew members cared. 

It took them almost two hours through a thick rainforest until they reached the first town, away from the harbor in the middle of the island, but through that the ships and Marine port were also not directly connected to this location.

“Everyone be quick,” Taiga warned them all before they split up.

Juri kept a worried expression through most of their walk through the town. It was bigger than Juri had expected, but through that they luckily seemed to find everything they were looking for. 

“You are looking as if you have seen a ghost,” Aran said after he had gotten some equipment for the repair and had handed the store owner some coins. 

“More like a happening I am still not used to.”

“Which is?”

“Pirates paying for something.”

Aran blinked at him in confusion before he bursted out laughing as they walked down one of the bigger main streets. 

“Well I guess I can’t judge you for that, but I bet Taiga also paid for the provisions before?”

He had indeed and at that time Juri had already struggled with his opinion about pirates, not that he didn’t question where that money came from in the first place.

“For someone who hates pirates, you surely are having a weird destination,” Aran said.

“I don’t hate pirates,” Juri blurred out, immediately biting his lip. “I mean not all of them.”

“Oh, I guess you got to like us then? Or only the captain?”

Now Juri looked away when they kept walking, but Aran only chuckled, not trying to get more information from Juri. After all, Taiga had not told the crew about the reasons for his travel to the Republic of Pirates.

“Oh look, great timing,” Aran said when he pointed ahead and soon Juri spotted the people he pointed at. There was something like a market ahead and Kentaro was at one of the stands, while Reo was struggling with way too many provisions at once.

Juri slightly panicked when he couldn’t spot Taiga right away, but then he saw him a bit to the back, leaning against the wall of a house with his eyes closed. 

“Overdoing it after all,” Juri whispered, but then he realized that Aran had heard him so he immediately pretended as if he hadn’t said anything in the first place.

Juri was determined to head straight to Taiga, but then Aran suddenly stopped and pulled him back on his arm. With a confused look Juri turned towards him, but before he could even ask what was going on, Aran stepped towards a side alley, pulling Juri with him. 

“What is going on?” Juri asked.

“Marines.”

That was the one word Juri didn’t want to hear right now and he carefully looked back around the corner, seeing about six marines walking over the market place. Reo and Kentaro had seen them as soon as Aran, so Reo had just somehow vanished behind everything he was carrying, pretending to be part of one of the market stands, while Kentaro was more than skilled in fitting in with the people around him, not seeming at all suspicious to them. 

“Come on, just leave,” Aran hissed as they were heading to the other side of the market, but then one of them unfortunately stopped as he looked over right at Taiga who hadn’t even moved or given them any reason to feel threatened.

The member who had stopped called the others back, talking to them while he made a head movement towards Taiga. 

“They know him,” Aran realized, letting out a curse as he reached for the gun on his belt. Juri saw how Kentaro also had his hand in his coat, while he was still carrying a smile as he kept chatting with the person at one of the stands as if nothing was going on at all.

“Out of all the pirates, they have to remember his face,” Juri said, but Aran shook his head.

“It’s not like Taiga is just any face amongst pirates. Together with Hokuto and the captain of the mouse piece pirates, he has one of the highest bounties on his head. And well he is not really laying low with his looks.”

Why was Juri even shocked? He shouldn’t be surprised at all, but maybe he was disappointed? He was delusional that was for sure. Taiga was the same as all the other pirate captains after all. Sure maybe some things had surprised him, but that didn’t mean that he wasn’t exactly that, a pirate.

“Oh that’s not good,” Aran said when the marine members suddenly had two people hurry away from the marketplace, which meant they most likely had backup somewhere. Now the other four scanned the market place, luckily not directly approaching Taiga, but now it was difficult for them to get away unnoticed.

“I wonder if he realized?” Juri asked as Taiga hadn’t even once opened his eyes.

“I bet he did, but right now he knows that he can’t outrun them, so he is staying put.”

“Do you think everyone is ready to leave?” Juri asked, not that Aran could know for sure.

“Hopefully. I bet most crew members have already realized about the marine members.”

“I can give you a distraction.”

“What?” Aran’s stunned face had Juri almost laugh and he wondered why he had once more spoken before thinking. He could just leave. Right now he could just pretend to be someone else, not involved at all.

“Just wait for me at the ship. Well, if you want to of course. It’s not like you have to.”

This time Aran chuckled again while shaking his head, but didn’t make any move to stop the other one. “You just offered something suicidal and think we would leave you behind, again fair enough. We are not that trustworthy to strangers.”

“Not that I would count myself a stranger anymore,” Juri said, missing the way Aran cracked an even brighter smile.

“Well then, I won’t stop you, but are you sure that whatever you are planning will work?”

“Definitely, you just have to make sure to pretend that you don’t know me, no matter what is going to happen.”

“I love that confidence,” Aran said. “Maybe you would make a really good crew member after all.”

Juri didn’t reply on that as he took another deep breath and only nodded at Aran while he walked down to the marketplace. As much as he wanted to look at the others, he knew that he had to pretend like he didn’t know anyone at all. So he also had to trust in them realizing that this was their only chance to get away.

Juri approached the marine members without any hesitation and then he got their full attention through just a few sentences of explanation. Words the members of the crew were never allowed to hear or he wouldn’t be able to make it back on board, maybe he wouldn’t even make it off this island alive.

After a moment of talking, Juri had successfully taken their focus off Taiga, but of course not completely. Luckily Kentaro and Reo had just played along and after a moment one of the marine members started cursing as he took some steps away from them towards the building Taiga had been standing at, but he was gone now.

Luck was with Juri when the remaining members just told him to wait and they hurried to look for Taiga, but Juri was sure that the others had made sure to find a good escape route and they definitely needed one, because not even a few minutes later a whole troop of marines went over the marketplace, leaving the citizens in slight uproar. 

This was the moment Juri tried to find his own escape route as he had only spoken to them to give the others an opening. 

“Hey you!”

It was the familiar voice that had Juri freeze. With a sigh he closed his eyes and stopped. Now his oh so well thought through plan would be good for nothing. Slowly he turned around towards the marine officer walking towards him. It had been not too long ago that he had seen him, yet he was anything but pleased to see the all so mighty Kamenashi Kazuya walking up to him.

“Tanaka, what the hell are you doing here?”

“Is it now a crime to be on another island of the Caribbean?” Juri asked without even giving a polite greeting, because why should he? Kamenashi was at fault for his brother’s death.

“If you were a marine or a trader then no, but the last time I checked you were studying on the west side of the Caribbean with no intention of following in your brother’s footsteps.”

“As if I’d ever become involved with someone like you,” Juri hissed back and then he made the biggest mistake when he let his eyes wander over the marketplace for just a split second.

“I see,” Kamenashi said, his expression interrogating and stern. “Seize him.”

“What?” Juri let out in disbelief as two marines immediately reached out for him. “You can’t do this.”

“And who is going to stop me?”

“I didn’t do anything.”

“If that is the case then I will let you go, but for now you will stay put until I have time to ask you some questions,” Kamenashi said and ordered the marines to take Juri to the base for now, while they kept looking for Taiga’s crew.

Juri kept cursing to himself after he got put into one of the cells at the marine base, but as he couldn’t do anything for now he just sat down with a sigh. The worst thing that could happen was Kamenashi ordering to bring him on a ship to send him back home. Not that he would stay put there. He would just try to make his way to the Republic of Pirates again. Yet that thought had him put his head down on his knees with another sigh. He had been more than lucky with the rough renegades pirates. If he tried his luck again maybe he would indeed get killed at Port Royal this time.

Kamenashi made it back to the marine base in the evening hours, but Juri only had an annoyed expression ready for him when he entered the cell. 

“And what now?” Kamenashi asked, making Juri laugh while he remained on the ground.

“You ask me that? After throwing me into a cell without any reason?”

“Are you sure there is no reason?”

“Go ahead, tell me the reason then. I am looking forward to your conspiracy theory.”

Kamenashi rolled his eyes, but remained calm when he leaned against the bars of the cell. “This is about your brother isn’t it?”

“Oh, why would you think so? Because he got killed by pirates? Or because he got killed while he was in your troop? Oh, or maybe because you ordered your fleet to run with tucked tails while half of your men were still fighting on the enemy’s ships, which you attacked in the first place?”

It was the first time Juri had actually said it out loud. All the anger and spite piling up with each word he spoke and he finally got up, tears of rage in his eyes now. “How does it feel being this egoistic and letting other people die to rescue your own ass?”

“That is not-”

“THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED,” Juri lost his calm and pushed Kamenashi to the back when he tried to make a step towards him. “I was there, remember? On that routine mission, which was supposed to be so safe that my brother invited me on board, because what pirate could be dangerous to a four first rate marine ship fleet, right?”

This time Kamenashi made a step to the back, his eyes wandering to the floor. He was a great officer, Juri had always admired him, especially because his brother had talked extremely highly of him, yet his actions on that day would never be forgiven by him, even if he hadn't been the one to kill his brother.

“Stop bothering with me. My family is not of your concern. I go wherever I want, out of whatever reasons I want and no one will stop me, not even you,” Juri hissed, his voice a bit husky now from his outburst while he tried to keep his voice from shaking. 

“I understand your anger, but I will not let you go on any further,” Kamenashi let out sternly. “I am more than impressed that you even made it this far and I don't even want to know where you got the gun and knife from, but it is time for you to leave the past behind and live your own life.”

“A life I do not want,” Juri almost yelled once more, turning away from the other one for a moment with another curse. “A proud marine, yet my family always pretended like my brother was the failure of the family. Two other brothers with high education, a family, a home and a lot of land. That was what they were always proud of. The kind of cage they wanted to put me into as well. I will not live by their rules anymore.”

“So you want to die out here by your own rules?” Kamenashi asked.

“If that is going to be my fate,” Juri said dead serious when he turned back to the older one, but Kamenashi shook his head and aimed for the door before he looked up at Juri once more.

“I might not be able to stop you once more if you want to choose this path so desperately, but right now I will not let you go on.”

Juri hurried over to the door, the moment Kamenashi stepped out and locked it. Instead of getting even angrier, Juri just stared at the other one with a calmer attitude this time. “Hypocrite.”

That was the only word Juri had left for him and without engaging into a conversation again, Kamenashi left him in the cell for the night.

With a curse Juri kicked the bars before he slid to the ground, fisting his hair with a mix of sobs and accusations. Like this Kamenashi would put him on a ship back home, exactly the outcome Juri feared for the most.

For the night he couldn’t get any sleep. He kept sitting at the wall with his eyes closed, but the only thing he could try was getting away on the way to the ship or maybe even on the ship itself, not that jumping overboard was something he would do if not absolutely necessary.

The fact that they didn’t escort him the next day, but actually had him wait two more days had Juri ready to freak, but eventually they finally escorted him to one of their ships in the morning hours. 

Juri almost had to laugh when he realized that Kamenashi’s fleet had been the one chasing the lost diamond before. He could have easily killed another brother of the Tanaka family and this time it would have been his doing for good.

“We still have business in these waters so I will have one ship escort you as they need to report to the main base anyway,” Kamenashi said as they had reached the ship and unfortunately Juri hadn’t been able to get away with all the marines around him. 

“I will make you regret this,” Juri hissed at the other one, but Kamenashi only stepped back so that the ship could depart. With not many options, Juri obeyed when the marines brought him under deck where they made him stay put. He could try and escape if he wanted to, but that would indeed mean to jump and in these waters that would be more than suicidal.

“At least they got away,” Juri whispered when he was left alone. After all, Kamenashi’s ships in the harbor meant that they hadn’t spotted the lost diamond and Juri hadn’t heard any uproar in the marine base, so he was sure that the crew got away.

At some point Juri had fallen asleep as he hadn’t gotten much sleep over the last few days, but then shouting on deck woke him up. It was still bright outside, so he had only slept for a few hours. The next sound had him immediately awake when he could hear cannons getting fired, but not from their ship. Nothing hit them, but the ship that was aiming at them was definitely close. In a hurry Juri made it on deck, finding the crew in preparations to fire back. 

“Idiots,” Juri hissed as he saw the lost diamond chasing their ship.

No one was paying Juri any attention when he made it up to the quarter deck. They were in the inferior position as they could easily get hit, but Taiga’s ship could only be aimed at with some cannons on the back. 

Without even thinking about it, Juri hurried down to the cannon room and tried to be as unsuspicious as possible as he tried to sabotage as many of the cannons as he could. The crew’s attention was on the back cannons for now so Juri had enough time to get a lot of the other cannons, including the ones on deck, to not function when they were needed. 

The next thing he did was manipulating the sails, once more not getting noticed and soon the lost diamond caught up to them and as if Taiga knew what Juri was doing, he made sure to get out of the back cannons reach and make it closer from the side.

The uproar on Juri’s ship started when the crew realized that the cannons weren’t working, but Juri was busy cutting a rope loose from the main mast and then he waited on the quarter deck for the lost diamond to get closer. 

There was a moment of hesitation when he saw that Taiga’s crew had their cannons ready as well of course, but then he spotted Taiga on the quarter deck, looking up at him with crossed arms and a calm expression.

Taiga wasn’t going for a fight. He wouldn’t aim to sink the ship or kill the crew. Maybe if Juri hadn’t made it on deck by himself, just maybe then he would have actually invaded the ship, but right now he didn’t have a reason for it.

The lost diamond was fixed to a degree that it could sail, but it was obvious that they had hurried a lot and someone had definitely risked a lot, because otherwise they wouldn’t have known where Juri was.

A whistle from Reo got everyone’s attention when the lost diamond made it right next to the marine ship. “Hey there. Want a ride?”

It took the crew a moment to realize that he was talking to Juri and immediately some marines shouted at him to get down from the quarter deck, but Juri was faster and he took a few steps back before he took a hold on the rope and jumped off. 

The lost diamond was smaller than the ship he was on, so he tried to get lower on the rope as fast as he could, but he had to let go at the right timing to not miss the ship. Unfortunately that timing came when he was still quite high up and with a squeal he let go of the rope.

Kentaro and Reo reached out for him at the same time, but the force was too much and all three of them landed flat on the ground, Juri on top of them.

“Sorry.”

“Rough greeting,” Kentaro complained when he sat back up and rubbed his head, but then they immediately had to duck down when the marines opened fire at them with guns and rifles. 

Aran immediately shouted for a course change and Taiga drew his own gun, aiming for some of the ropes at the marine ship, bringing their sails even more out of balance. That gave them the opening they needed to get away from them, sailing out right into the waters of the Republic of Pirates.

“Welcome back,” Reo said as he held out a hand towards Juri and he let himself get dragged up into a standing position.

“Why did you come to get me? How did you even know where I was?”

“Should we have just left you?” Kentaro asked. “It’s not like we didn’t discuss it, you know? We voted.”

“And getting you out was the higher vote,” Reo said with a bright smile, but then his expression turned a bit gloomier when he looked up to the quarter deck where Aran and Taiga were still busy keeping the right course to not have the marine chase them. “Yet you should get ready for a harsh scolding.”

Juri looked up at Taiga and while he thought the captain would remain at the helm, he left it to Aran and walked down towards them. Already getting ready to voice out a lot of apologies Juri waited for him, but something was different this time and he made a step back when Taiga stepped on the main deck. Instead of saying anything Taiga only aimed for his cabin, but when Juri didn’t immediately move he looked back over his shoulder. Kentaro hurried to give Juri a push, making Juri look at him and Reo with a worried expression.

“Just be honest. He deserves that much,” Kentaro said.

Juri only nodded as he hurried to follow Taiga as the captain had left the door to his cabin open. Taiga was leaning with his legs against his desk when Juri stepped inside and closed the door, now silence falling between them.

“I am-” Juri started, not knowing if he should explain first or apologize first.

“A fucking marine.”

“What?” Juri asked with wide eyes. “No, why do you-”

“How do you think we knew where to find you? I had Reo spy on the marine base and if I had known who you really were, trust me I would have never let him take on such a dangerous mission just for you.”

“Just for me…” Juri repeated and suddenly his urge to apologize was gone. “Then why did you even bother coming back?”

“Because the crew wanted to.”

“And you didn’t?” Juri’s words had Taiga also more than angry, but Juri wouldn’t let him come to word. “I protected you with my actions. I went to talk to them, because you were in trouble.”

“Right,” Taiga said with a mocking chuckle, but that reaction had Juri so furious that he approached Taiga with fast steps and while the other one didn’t seem to feel that threatened he actually pushed himself away from the desk, but Juri had already lunged out. Not for a really harsh punch, but the contact he made with Taiga’s left ribs had the captain jolt and step to the side, but Juri didn’t leave it at that as he grabbed the captains shirt as he didn’t have his coat on at the moment and he pulled it up, revealing not just a sewed cut over his ribs, but also a violet bruise that was going all the way down to his hips. Taiga immediately slapped the other one’s hand away and stepped back with a murderous look. 

“So the high and mighty captain of the rogue renegades pirates would have of course fought his way through all those marines, especially the troop arriving right after I created an opening for you to leave.”

“An opening you were able to create because you are one of them.”

“I am not,” Juri hissed at Taiga, making another threatening step towards him. “You let me on your ship without knowing anything about me. I boarded your ship without knowing anything about you! If you want to know the truth about my connection to the marine then why don’t you ask for it? Reo might have gotten some information together, but jumping to conclusions like this while still coming to get me off a marine ship I should be happy to be on in your opinion, is a cheap judgment even for you.”

“Be happy that my hate against the marine didn’t cloud my judgment enough to leave you behind,” Taiga argued when he moved back, bringing more distance between them, while Juri was still full of confrontal energy and tried to approach Taiga again. 

“Oh I am so grateful, fearful pirate captain,” Juri almost yelled this time as he lost his patience to a degree that he got ready to actually punch Taiga in the face, yet the captain’s next action had him jolt and freeze on the spot when Taiga had pulled out his gun and shot right next to Juri’s head into the wall without a warning.

“Maybe you should indeed fear me,” Taiga growled, keeping the gun right in front of Juri’s face. “Do not forget who I am.”

“Then who are you?” Juri asked, weirdly finding the calm to speak, even though he was indeed scared. It was the fact that he didn’t know Taiga well enough to calculate if he would really shoot him or not that made him speak. “If my identity is such a threat to you, then why does it not feel that way the other way around? I don’t know anything about you, yet I boarded your ship twice. Maybe I am the one who should get an apology this time.”

The irritation on Taiga’s face reached its peak, but instead of threatening to shoot the other one again he pushed the gun against Juri’s chest, the other one catching it before it could fall. “You’re getting too close.”

It was a weird thing to say, especially because the fact that Taiga had come to get him off that ship meant that he wanted him close. No matter if his crew had voted or not, if Taiga didn’t want Juri on this ship then he wouldn’t have bothered risking so much. His words were twisted, his anger not directed at Juri the way he had thought at first. There was something else behind that outraged facade and Taiga tried hard to hide it, but now it started crumbling.

“Get off at the Republic of Pirates for your revenge. That port will be our farewell. You don’t belong in these waters. If you survive then take your glorious story of how you survived amongst pirates back to your former life.”

Taiga shoved Juri out of the way when he headed to the door, but then he turned back to him once more and this time his anger was so raw, his eyes telling of so much deeper pain than he was allowing himself to show. “If you fear these waters too much, if you fear us too much, then that gun can also be your way out. Don’t pretend like you are a part of this world. You will never understand us.”

When Taiga slammed the door shut behind him, Juri took a moment to look at the gun, but his anger hadn’t vanished. Taiga was pushing him this much not because he didn’t want to listen to his story, but because he feared his own story would surface in the process. With a determined expression Juri lifted the gun up and shot into the ceiling.

It didn’t even take a few seconds. Taiga hadn’t left the deck and with wide eyes he pushed the door open, looking back at Juri with a mix of astonishment, shock and anger.

“Aren’t you the one who is getting too close?” Juri said as he was feeling overwhelmed by the captain actually showing this reaction and this time Taiga just looked back at him with all his emotions surfacing. A scene he had definitely experienced before had unfolded in front of him and the responsibility he would have had to shoulder if Juri’s aim had been different would have crushed him. 

“I think it is time for a talk,” Juri said as he put the gun down on the table. “Not a talk between a marine and a pirate, but between two people who don’t know each other yet.”

The city Maracaibo was a calm place, but steadily growing thanks to their trading port. 

Taiga loved watching the huge trading ships enter their port, but his mother always scolded him for being in the way. With only ten years of age he wasn’t of much help, but as his father was a trader and was gone for months sometimes he couldn’t stay away from the port long. Each day he could come back, bringing new stories and items from far away ports and lands.

But on this fateful day everything was about to change. Taiga could already see the trading ship on the horizon, waiting impatiently for the white sails to come closer, but they never did. Instead they burst into flames on arrival of two other ships. 

When they came closer to the port after their trading ship had been sunk, panic arose at the port and people started fleeing the city. Taiga watched in horror as the two ships carrying the jolly roger made it into their port, but his mother shouted out for him, dragging him away from the port in a hurry.

But those who had arrived were pirates, cruel ones as they slaughtered and burned their way through the city, taking not just money, but also lives. As they had just taken the life of Taiga’s father on that trading ship. Next they also took the life of his mother and while Taiga had tried to stay by her side, ready to die with her, they wouldn’t let him die. 

In a last attempt to stay at his mother’s side, Taiga had clawed his hands into the woman’s dress, ripping off the broach with a beautiful pink sapphire in it, which she had gotten from Taiga’s father.

Taiga wasn’t the only boy the pirates took back on their ships. They remained at the port for days, Taiga hoping for the marine to show up and rescue them and what was left of their city, but no ship ever arrived.

Eventually he and the other boys were taken on the ships, out on sea. Like slaves they were forced to take care of the ships. Some of them didn’t even make it for a month. Illness and punishments through disobedience had cost their lives, one after the other.

Yet Taiga wanted to wait, wanted to hope. One day the marine would rescue him. They were the ones to protect and rescue people, that was what his father had told him. But when the day of a marine encounter finally came a whole year had already passed and Taiga was one of the few survivors and this one fateful encounter made him the last one.

In horror Taiga watched how their second ship was taken down by cannons of the marines and while Taiga hoped that the boys who were on that ship got a chance to be rescued, they didn’t. It was the most cruel act Taiga had ever witnessed when the marines shot down into the water with their guns, killing the remaining crew members, not even looking at the age of the boys or hearing their desperate screams for help.

Just moments later Taiga could have ended up the same way when the marine fired at their ship as well and then made it on their ship, leaving Taiga hiding under deck, but the moment a marine made it down there, his trust was gone. The gun in the man’s hand was too threatening for Taiga to believe that he would let him speak and with that his trust had turned into disappointment and anger. It was the last day he showed fear and he left his entire life behind when he dashed up to the other one when he had his back turned towards him to sink a knife into the man’s back.

-

“When you told me about the weak part of someone dying you meant yourself,” Juri spoke after a moment of silence between them. 

Juri had clarified his side of the story and to his surprise Taiga had been extremely honest on his side as well. There was way more to his story of how he became a captain and how many dark sides of the Caribbean he had seen until that day, but Juri did not want to ask too much. 

“Becoming a pirate is not always about being a ruthless murderer and plunderer,” Taiga said as he crossed his legs as they were sitting at the small table in Taiga’s cabin.

“Does the crew know?”

“Most of them do,” Taiga replied honestly. “Reo, Kentaro and Aran were the first members on my ship or more like we were the four to steal this ship.”

There was a nostalgic smile on Taiga’s lips and Juri would love to hear more about the adventurous days of his journey. 

“You were right,” Taiga continued with a serious expression this time. “I started getting too close. Too involved. The day I saw you at Port Royal I could see myself in you. Unworldly, too trusting, too naive. Unable to see past good and bad, marine versus pirates. But that was also because I was interested in your story.”

“And thinking I was a marine made you insecure as you feared I could become your enemy,” Juri said, now understanding Taiga’s extreme reaction.

“I owe you an apology,” Taiga said, making Juri’s eyes widen as he shook his head. After all, he had to apologize as well. They had tiptoed around each other, both actually trying to help while their own worldviews made the situation escalate. “And I am sorry about your brother. This coming from a pirate might not help that much, but your hate against Kamenashi is something I can understand and your wish to take revenge on Ueda as well. Yet I have to ask you again. Is this really your goal? Is this really why you made your way out here?”

“It was my reason to leave everything behind,” Juri replied honestly, twiddling his fingers nervously on the table. “As you said I only saw black and white. My rage against the marine and also the mouse piece pirates still remains, yet I have to face the truth as well. Ueda wasn’t the one attacking the marine. It was the other way around, so Ueda did what they should have expected from a pirate captain with a fleet and not just one single small ship. They attacked instead of running. It was a risk the marine took and they all paid with their lives.”

“Yet it was also Ueda’s call to attack instead of run. He lost crew members in those battles as well. As much as I want to show you that there are pirates who are not all about battles, Ueda is different and that is exactly why I want you to reconsider your destination.”

It wasn’t even a stupid thing to say, because Juri wasn’t even sure anymore what path he was aiming for. Revenge had given him the push to escape his own life, but maybe he should consider what Hokuto had said before, because his brother won’t come back through this and if he lost his own life then eventually the only one who won in this hide and seek was Ueda.

“Give it a thought,” Taiga said as he got up. “Now we are already here, so let me introduce you to the real world of pirates.”

***

“The Republic of Pirates,” Reo announced when they were close to the port the next morning. 

Juri had luckily found his calm once more after his talk with the captain and the others had waited for him, Kentaro handing Aran and Reo money because he had bet that Taiga wouldn’t let him live. Juri had pouted about that ridiculous bet for a while, but luckily the remaining day had been calm. Even calmer than the days before. Somehow he felt more welcome with the cards out on the table.

“Not what you expected?” Kentaro asked when Juri let his eyes wander over the port. A city was behind the port, but it seemed calm. Other ships were in the harbor and of course there were pirate ships too, also in the open waters close to them, but no one seemed to be up for a fight.

“This place is rumored to be deadly so that we have our peace here,” Taiga said as he stepped casually next to them, not seeming to find Juri’s company annoying right now, which made Juri relax. “Everyone knows that if any crew starts a huge uproar here then the mouse peace pirates will get to know about it. They are stationed at their own port westwards, but they are often in the city. So if you run into Ueda right away then you have to decide what you want to do.”

The way Taiga held out his gun towards him had Juri hesitate and eventually he pushed it back towards the other one. “I will take your advice and give it a thought. My temper might cause me to make a bad decision if you hand me a weapon now.”

“Fast learner,” Taiga praised him. 

“Captain, are we heading for the port?” Aran asked from the quarter deck and to their surprise Taiga indeed made them head straight for the port. 

“Let’s cause some uproar, shall we?” Taiga said with a teasing smile and the crew members cheered and whistled when they got ready to dock.

The harbor had a marketplace and also some fishermen, so at first sight it wasn’t in any way different to Port Royal, but Juri had learned the hard way that the wrong places had the wrong people so when they got off their ship, leaving some crew members in charge of it, he made sure to stay with the crew.

Some people gave them side glances, but while they stood out, it was definitely for the best this time. Taiga’s name was known here and he had his coat on and all his weapons on him, even his hat he had put on this time, which was a rare sight, but Juri actually liked him in that full outfit a lot.

“Juri, are you okay with drinking?” Aran asked him and Juri slowly nodded. 

“I don’t really drink often, but if it’s just a bit I should be fine.”

Kentaro laughed after hearing that, hitting Reo with his elbow, the younger one giving him a knowing look. “You won’t get away with a bit here.”

Juri didn’t like the sound of that, but he still followed them as they entered a tavern. For now it was just the five of them, as Taiga had given some crew members tasks to get supplies and others were trying to get information together on who was on the island at the moment. If they were lucky then Ueda’s crew was on open waters.

The tavern was big and luckily crowded enough to not have too much attention on them when they arrived. Juri immediately felt way too overwhelmed with the girls of the tavern being a bit too friendly and touchy when they showed them their table.

“Don’t worry, the moment they realize that you have no money they will leave you alone,” Kentaro teased, as he sat down next to Juri on one of the wooden chairs.

“I can lend you some,” Taiga let out so direct that everyone looked at him dumbfounded for a moment before even Taiga couldn’t keep a straight face and started laughing together with everyone except Juri.

“Not interested?” Aran asked as he was sitting on his left. The question hadn’t been heard by the others as Kentaro had shouted an order of drinks through the room and Reo hadn’t even sat down yet as he had stormed off towards the piano in the corner where no one was playing at the moment.

“Not for money at least,” Juri said, but then he caught himself looking up at Taiga next and with that Aran leaned back with a knowing hum, making Juri look at him with wide eyes. 

Before he could even discuss the topic with Aran, Kentaro had put down a full cup of beer in front of him, making everyone take their cups, but before Juri could drink he could hear music from the piano.

“Showing off as always,” Kentaro laughed and when Juri followed his look he realized that Reo was playing it and that impressively well.

“You should really get one on the ship, you know he will love you for it,” Aran said towards Taiga who was already drinking his beer before he leant back in his chair and gave Reo a calm smile. 

“He would, but the rest of you would throw him overboard together with it after one week,” Taiga said, making Kentaro laugh as he was definitely right about that. 

“Come on, drink up,” Kentaro said as he held out his cup towards Juri and he finally lifted his cup and pushed it against the other one’s cup before drinking. It was the unfamiliar bitter taste that had Juri form a grimace when he put the cup back down.

The laugh that followed came from Taiga and this time it was such an honest laugh that Juri caught himself staring once more. Since Taiga had opened up to him he seemed to have changed so much, like he didn’t have to keep on that mask in front of Juri.

Their day passed without any trouble and while they had explored a bit of the city and Juri had taken on some supply runs as well, they had to decide now if they wanted to stay on their ship over the night or in one of the taverns. 

“I will stay on the ship just in case,” Aran said and most of the crew members had made the same choice, except for a few, which had asked Taiga for permission to stay on the island and of course he had given it.

“What do you want to do?” Taiga asked.  

“I will stay where I am safe,” Juri said, feeling a bit embarrassed about sounding this weak all of a sudden, after all he had come here with a pretty deadly intention at first.

“That doesn’t answer the question,” Taiga said. “Come on, I bet you’d like to have a cozy bed for once in a while?”

Juri looked back at the city where the taverns were louder now at the evening hours. “It is indeed tempting.”

“We cou-” Reo tried to offer to stay with him on the island, but Aran had put his hand over his mouth pulling him back while giving Kentaro a warning look and luckily the other one got the hint and remained silent.

“Well then, Aran you will be in charge of the ship,” Taiga said as he started walking down the dock to Juri’s confusion. He looked back at the remaining crew members who now waved at him to follow Taiga.

“He is not easily offering something like this, so take the invitation,” Kentaro said with a teasing smile.

“Or is paying for a room also on your no interest list?” Aran asked with a knowing smile.

His words had Juri pout for a moment, but then he hurried after Taiga before the other crew members could make fun of him as well. 

They chose a different tavern this time, smaller and a bit quieter. But again they of course had some female staff, but to Juri’s surprise Taiga’s attitude made them keep their distance. It was fascinating how he could switch so easily between opening up and looking like the pirate with a bounty on his head, which he indeed was.

“Here,” Taiga said as he put a cup of wine in front of Juri this time, while he had gotten himself rum as it seemed. “I feel like that might be more of your liking.”

“Because a family of my class only drinks wine and champagne,” Juri let out with a darker look this time, but Taiga hit him on the shoulder before he sat down opposite of him. 

“No, because you didn’t seem happy with the bitter taste earlier so I assumed you’d be happier with something sweeter.”

Juri appreciated the way Taiga made it about Juri as a person and not about his family. “So how were your studies? Were you better at them than your brothers?”

Taiga’s innocent question had Juri smile as he put his cup down and the wine indeed tasted way better than the beer. “In some I was indeed better, but I hated it to sit in classes for hours. Not that I was a good student at fencing or gun training, but I still enjoyed it more to be outside and with people. I loved sharing my thoughts and opinions.”

“A dangerous hobby in such a society,” Taiga said as he had emptied his cup already, but he had brought the entire bottle with him so he could refill his drink. “Not that I grew up in one, but of course I heard stories and also met my fair share of stuck up people, not that any of them made it as far as you did.”

“Which means they all died,” Juri said, making Taiga growl in annoyance as he brought the bottle down on the table.  

“Don’t always see everything in the worst light, would you? By now you should have realized that not everyone dies out here just because they met pirates and by the way I am trying to brighten up your mood and not bring it down, so try to think of something positive for once?”

Juri nodded, feeling bad for always bringing the topic back to the dark parts of the Caribbean, but then he chuckled, making Taiga raise an eyebrow at him.

“Sorry, I just remembered a stupid conversation I had with one of my older brothers before and it ended in a quite hilarious disaster.”

“Here we go,” Taiga said and whistled at one of the girls to bring the wine bottle and Taiga filled up Juri’s cup while it hadn’t even been empty yet. “Then tell me about that hilarious day of yours.”

***

Too many hours and definitely too many drinks later Juri had to search Taiga's pockets for the money to pay for the drinks and their rooms. Yet unfortunately he also had to help Taiga up into his room, because he has fallen asleep in the tavern two times already.

“Come on, you're definitely used to drinking way more than me,” Juri said as Taiga didn't seem to even make an effort to get up the stairs to the second floor while Juri had the other one's arm over his shoulder. But the weight Taiga put on him was ridiculous and soon Taiga started laughing, walking a bit more on his own, as he was indeed not in a state where he couldn't walk anymore.

“At least you had some fun drinking as well,” Taiga teased when they made it to the second floor. Juri couldn't even deny that as he hadn't talked with someone so openly in a long time. Even Taiga had given some more details about his story and the crew members’ stories, but there was still so much more to hear.

That thought had Juri's look darkened a bit once more after he had opened Taiga's room door for him and helped him on his bed. 

With a satisfied sounding sigh, Taiga lay down with his eyes closed while Juri looked at him with a brief smile.

“It's okay to feel lost,” Taiga said without even opening his eyes and Juri immediately turned away. “Goals change with every single new path we take in life.”

“Was there a time when you wanted to stop being a pirate?” Juri asked, not knowing if he should bother Taiga with such questions this late at night.

“No,” Taiga said honestly and this time he sat back up with a groan, making Juri turn back to him.

“You should sleep. We can have another talk tomorrow,” Juri said before he aimed for the door.

“Who says that we will meet tomorrow?”

Taiga's words had Juri stop after one step, but he didn't dare to turn back to the other one.

“We escorted you. I promised to show you the republic of pirates. What stops me from boarding my ship tomorrow morning and leaving you to your destiny? You have a goal here, right?”

Unable to find the right reply, Juri clenched his fists and looked at the ground while taking a deep breath. 

“Or did your path change? One word and I will let you back on my ship, but only under one condition.”

Juri knew what Taiga would say next and he heard how the other one got back up and walked up to him, but Juri couldn't think clearly. This wasn't the best moment to make life changing decisions. 

“This time you need to stay,” Taiga said as he stood right behind Juri, the younger one flinching a bit when he could feel the air hitting the back of his neck when Taiga spoke. “I escorted you, now you need to leave. If you want to stay then you only have to say so.”

The thought of waking up the next morning with the rogue renegades pirates gone, with Taiga gone for good, had Juri make a decision on the spot. Revenge had indeed been the trigger for him to leave everything behind, but now he had found a path worth living for, as weird as it might sound to everyone who only knew pirates from all their dark stories.

Prepared for his new path Juri turned around, ready to give Taiga the reply he was waiting for, but his words didn't leave his mouth when Taiga was standing right behind him when he turned around and pushed him into the door. The gasp Juri let out got swallowed by Taiga moving in for a sudden kiss, leaving Juri in a complete petrified state until Taiga backed off again.

“Well, I guess I need to find a position for you in my crew then,” Taiga said with a satisfied grin, but Juri only put his hand up to his lips and fumbled for the doorknob behind him.

Without saying anything he hurried outside and closed the door, putting his forehead against the closed door with a sigh. What he was feeling wasn't just the effect from the alcohol, but he wasn't sure how it was for the captain. 

It wasn't rejection Juri was feeling, but the anger that he didn't want to be treated exactly like that kind of person Hokuto had accused him of being. If Taiga was serious then Juri was more than ready to board the lost diamond as a real crew member this time, but if Taiga was only playing with him then the next day would have him lost about his path once more.

“I won't be gone tomorrow morning,” Taiga was heard on the other side of the door and those simple words had Juri calm down a bit.

“Good night captain,” Juri let out, unable to say anything else and he heard the other one chuckle before he hurried to his own room.

The moment a cup was put in front of him on the table, Juri looked up at Taiga as if he had seen a ghost. But Taiga had said he would be there the next morning and while Juri had gotten up earlier and had sat alone for a while, Taiga was now joining him.

“It’s only water,” Taiga said as he drank from his own cup, weirdly not looking as if he was overhang from all the drinks the night before, which made Juri realize that he was definitely well aware of what he had done in the evening.

“Thank you,” Juri said as he drank in silence, but after a moment he looked up at the other one, finding Taiga once more with a calm expression as he was looking over to one of the windows, showing some sun rays making their way in as they had perfect blue sky on this day. It was actually that moment when he wondered what he was so afraid of. He had given it a lot of thoughts the night before, leaving him with not much sleep. But he hadn’t been as shocked as he had pretended. Eventually he had even fallen asleep, smiling into his pillow. There was no need for him to build up a wall, he himself had tried to break it down.

“Capt-...” The moment Juri stopped himself from continuing, Taiga looked at him with a raised eyebrow, but this time Juri wouldn’t feel embarrassed. He looked up at the other one with a more determined expression when he kept speaking. “Taiga, I would like to board your ship as a permanent crew member.”

The smile Taiga showed was the most innocent one Juri had ever seen on the other one. With a nod Taiga got up and held out his hand towards the other one. “Your first extremely well thought through decision on this journey.”

Juri got ready to pout on the other one’s teasing words, but then he just smiled and took the other one’s hand, letting himself get pulled up from the chair. “Just make sure to find a fitting position in your crew for me and I mean one that won’t have the others tease me the entire time.”

Taiga laughed at his words, but with the rough renegades pirates Juri was sure that he wouldn’t get judged or made fun of for his change of mind. They were all renegades after all and had been lost on their journey at least once.

Juri was looking forward to telling the crew about his decision as he left the tavern with Taiga, but then he got reminded of where exactly they were and why they had come to this place. There was uproar close to the docks as another pirate ship had arrived in the morning hours, but it was a smaller ship, Taiga’s reaction also not that much concerned, which meant that those pirates were most likely not well known, but unfortunately that also meant that they were trying to make a name for themselves, in a bad way.

There had been another pirate ship in the harbor since the day before, but that crew had laid low on Taiga’s arrival. Yet they were arguing with the new arrivals and it didn’t take long until the first fights were breaking loose.

“Should we get to our ship?” Juri asked and to his surprise Taiga smiled at him, making Juri wonder if he had said something weird.

“Our ship indeed,” Taiga said with a proud teasing undertone. If there wasn’t a dangerous situation right ahead of them, Juri would have scolded Taiga for the teasing behavior he was now showing way too much, but then they could hear shots and Taiga immediately grabbed Juri by the arm and pulled him down the street away from the harbor.

“The crew knows how to stay out of trouble, so they won’t engage except if they are trying to pick a fight directly, which means we can stay away for a while until they are done fighting out their differences.”

Juri was about to say that he wasn’t too sure about Kentaro and Reo, as he imagined them jumping into a fight quite quickly if provoked, but as they were still not that far away from the fight at the harbor, he ducked when more shots were heard and while he had reacted this way because he had realized that a bullet had hit a window close to them, he was confused for a moment when he went back down after trying to stand up.

It took him a moment to realize that a bullet had grazed his leg and he stood up with a hiss, touching his thigh.

“Oh, your first real wound,” Taiga said, not even at all worried when he touched Juri’s wound, receiving a scolding look from Juri, but this time he was taken completely off guard when Taiga shoved him into the next wall exactly the same time more shots fell.

“But let’s not get too used to getting injured,” Taiga said while he was standing way too close as he was putting his forearm on the wall over Juri’s head and this time Juri felt an extreme heat crawling up his cheeks. 

“Let me show you more of the island in the meanwhile,” Taiga casually said as he pushed himself off the wall and walked off into a backstreet where they were safe from the chaos at the harbor.

Juri needed a moment to follow and caught himself staring to the ground for a while as Taiga lead the way away from the harbor town, up a small path to a mountain area and a while later they came out on a higher area from where Juri could spot the ocean and see some ships on the open waters, luckily no marine ships.

“When was the last time you came here?” Juri asked when he felt uncomfortable with the silence between them.

“Quite a while ago I think. A few years have passed since then. I met Hokuto here for the first time,” Taiga replied as he kept walking up the hill with slow steps.

“Is your relationship to the black navigator pirates of a good or bad kind?” Juri asked curiously.

“Do I hear some jealousy?”

The question threw Juri off way more than it should, because he hadn’t even thought about it that way, but now he avoided Taiga’s look over his shoulder and kept looking towards the ocean until Taiga stopped and looked ahead at the ocean as well.

“As you have definitely realized, it is complicated.”

“Definitely an understatement,” Juri added.

“We were the worst enemies actually,” Taiga said, but he showed a nostalgic smile. “Two young boys, trying to find their place amongst other pirates in the Caribbean. Back at that time Ueda had claimed the Republic of Pirates as his territory. It was a chaotic and dangerous time. Eventually I owe Hokuto a lot, because without him the rogue renegades pirates wouldn’t even exist anymore.”

“Sounds like a really long story,” Juri said and Taiga nodded.

“I can tell you in all the glorious and not so glorious details, but maybe another time.”

Of course it was a too long story to tell on such a walk, so Juri only nodded, but Taiga’s look had changed when he had said those words as he was now looking up the path and soon Juri realized that a young man was looking their way. 

Blonde hair, the same length as Taiga’s hair, but he didn’t look dangerous. At least not to Juri. He was definitely younger than them and he showed them an entertained smile while he dared to get closer to them.

“And here I was only on my way to see what the uproar down in the harbor was about,” the boy spoke as he stopped in front of them and looked at Juri with a questioning look. “New crew member? Well it has been quite some time, I guess that shouldn’t surprise me.”

“I am actually surprised to see you,” Taiga said, luckily calmly, which made Juri relax a bit, but not completely. 

“Thought I would have died by now? I definitely entered a rough crew that is for sure, but believe it or not, I am Ueda’s first mate now.”

“Ueda…” Juri repeated, his eyes widening now.

“Oh how rude of me,” the boy said as he nodded towards Juri. “Matsushima Sou, first mate of the mouse peace pirates.”

Juri only looked at Taiga, but the captain’s look over to him made him calm down once more, even though he was screaming inside. Right now he didn’t even want to meet the mouse peace pirates. Would he be able to stay calm? After all, the fact that Ueda’s crew had murdered his brother still stood. 

“We’re going to leave today,” Taiga brought the attention back to him. “There are two crews in the harbor making a ruckus right now, but I doubt there is any need for you to interfere.”

“Oh so you are not going to say hi?” Sou asked, pouting on Taiga’s words.

“We both know that Ueda doesn’t like unnecessary talks.”

“But he likes fights,” Sou said, making Taiga chuckle.

“Even worse, because like this my crew will definitely get into a fight with him.”

“Nothing new,” Sou said, sounding entertained instead of annoyed. “It is quite calm around here recently, so he would appreciate some chaos.”

“Then tell him to watch out for the marine. We encountered a fleet of three first rate marine ships near Cuba, they might be up to something.”

“Oh, thank you for the information. I will make sure to let him know,” Sou said before he once more looked at Juri. “Do I get an introduction before I leave?”

Juri only looked at Taiga, unable to give the other one his name. It wasn’t the boy’s fault, he had most likely not even been in this crew when Juri had encountered them years ago.

“He is my first mate, Juri.”

Juri was more than grateful for Taiga to not give the other one his full name, not that he thought Ueda or any crew member would even know any names of marine members they killed.

“Well, nice to meet you, Juri. I guess you didn’t get that position without getting shot at least once,” Sou said with a laugh and while Juri felt more than tense he actually caught himself giving Taiga a mix of a scolding and teasing look, because Sou wasn’t wrong.

“Well then, have safe travels,” Sou said as he casually walked off towards town to have a look at the harbor, but now Taiga didn’t proceed ahead. Of course Ueda’s layer was on this island, but while Taiga was definitely aware of it, he hadn’t calculated to run into one of the crew members this easily.

“Time to leave your thoughts of revenge at this place,” Taiga said seriously and Juri had to make sure to indeed get a new start or he wouldn't find peace on his new journey.

After staying at the hill for a while they decided to head down as well, but then Juri found the calm to put his worries about the mouse peace pirates aside as he walked next to Taiga.

“First mate?”

“You don’t want the position?” Taiga asked.

“Oh, I’d be honored to get it, but I thought maybe it was just an emergency lie?”

“I can also make you the cabin boy…”

“Don’t you dare,” Juri let out, making Taiga laugh and finally Juri was able to smile as well. 

The crew would definitely tease him later when they announced that Juri would stay, so having a higher position on the ship would definitely help him getting away from too much teasing.

***

Kentaro and Reo already waited with a bright grin at their ship when Taiga and Juri returned in the afternoon hours after the uproar in the harbor had calmed down and one of the smaller crews had already set sail.

“Not dead yet?” Kentaro teased.

“I can’t die this easily anymore,” Juri replied with the same teasing attitude. “Because right now I am in a hard to replace position.”

His words had Kentaro look at Taiga a bit scolding, not that he wasn’t happy about Juri boarding their ship again.

“First mate, really?” Kentaro scolded the captain.

“Would you prefer switching with him?”

“As if you would let me if not over his dead body,” Kentaro complained. 

“Careful with what you wish for,” Aran scolded him when he welcomed them back on board. “I guess we are ready to leave then?”

Juri looked back towards the mountains on the island. He had left his wish for revenge on that mountain path, not daring his way to meet the captain who could give him answers, but could also end his life. 

With a more confident look he turned back towards everyone and nodded. “Nothing left to do here.”

“Then where to captain?” Reo asked while Taiga walked up towards the quarter deck, giving them all a proud smile.

“Set sail back towards Port Royal!”

***

“Look at that smile,” Reo teased when he jumped next to Juri who was leaning on the railing on their second day out on sea.

“Shut up,” Juri replied playfully.

“You better don’t tease him too much, who knows what Taiga will do to you if you do,” Kentaro entered the conversation, jumping on the railing to Juri’s left, sitting down.

“He will do nothing at all,” Juri complained.

“That is until you move to his cabin,” Reo teased once more.

“Why would I do that?”

“Oh come on, we are not blind and we know Taiga, his look towards you has changed a lot,” Kentaro said. “So don’t worry about loosening up around us, we won’t bite.”

“Says the one who threatened to throw me overboard the day I boarded this ship,” Juri replied, making Kentaro roll his eyes.

“You can give him payback for that,” Taiga said as he joined the conversation while stopping next to Kentaro.

“No need for that,” Juri said, which actually made Kentaro laugh.

“Travelling all through the Caribbean for revenge and then not wanting a small harmless revenge on me?”

“Who said it would be harmless?” Taiga asked and his challenging smile made Kentaro’s eyes grow wide, but it was already too late as Taiga pushed Kentaro on the shoulder, making the other one fall overboard with a squeal.

Juri hurried to look over the railing in panic, while Reo started laughing as he looked down at Kentaro who was back on the surface and in no distress as the ocean was calm.

“Revenge executed,” Taiga said before he turned towards the quarter deck, Aran giving him a scolding look. “Give him a moment longer of cursing and then turn.”

Aran only shook his head while he didn’t make a move yet to turn the ship around, while the remaining crew was now in uproar as well, but most of them were laughing, whistling and pointing at Kentaro.

“Come on, you would have loved to do it yourself, be honest?” Taiga teased while Juri tried to decide if he wanted to be offended now or accept the fact that he indeed felt kind of amused by what had just happened.

Kentaro kept pouting for the remaining day until they finally pulled him back on deck, but the mood on the ship wasn’t in any way gloomy and Juri found himself enjoying his time on the ship for the first time. Now it wasn’t just a place to travel on anymore, it was a place to stay. A new home.

“Not all days will be this peaceful,” Taiga said as he stepped next to Juri on the quarter deck, leaning with his arms on the railing. 

“This might be the first peaceful day on this ship I had,” Juri countered. “Not that I’d call it peaceful in the first place, you caused uproar after all.”

“True,” Taiga said with a teasing smile. “Maybe I should cause some more?”

The way Taiga's eyes suddenly narrowed had Juri immediately try to make a step to the side, but Taiga had moved one hand to the railing on the opposite side, trapping Juri at the railing.

“I'm a good swimmer, but I don't want to go overboard today,” Juri complained.

“Either you're really bad at reading the atmosphere or extremely good at pretending that you don't know what I'm about to do.”

“What if I'm just faster than you?” Juri asked, making Taiga blink at him in confusion. Exactly the moment of distraction Juri used to put his hands to Taiga's neck and pull him into a kiss.

Exactly the move Taiga wanted to surprise Juri with, but Taiga had been right, Juri had been good at pretending. Better than he thought he would be, because his own bolt move made him slightly feel embarrassed, but Taiga had already moved his hands away from the railing to Juri's shirt.

It was obvious that Taiga wouldn't mind to take it even further, but a whistle from the main deck had Taiga pull back with an annoyed look.

“Sorry to disturb your honeymoon,” Kentaro yelled up towards them still in completely drenched clothes.

“You're risking another swim right now,” Taiga hissed down towards him, while he didn't let go of Juri, but closed his arms around him instead, resting his chin on the other one’s shoulder so that he could look down at the main deck.

“Better than us risking to get caught up in that,” Aran entered the conversation as he pointed at a storm approaching from the east. “Shall we aim for Cuba or one of the small islands of the Bahamas.”

“Ask my first mate,” Taiga said as he backed off just to turn Juri around towards everyone, but he still didn't let go of him and closed his arms around his hip, putting his chin back on his shoulder. “Where should we go?”

“Isn't that a decision the navigator should make?” Juri asked, looking at Aran, but the other one waved his hand.

“If the captain wants you to decide then we await your orders.”

“Best way to show your worth or fuck up right away,” Reo teased him, while Juri looked up at the incoming storm clouds.

“If we try to reach any of the Bahama islands we will sail towards the storm, giving us less time. If we head towards Cuba, we can get more wind in the sails through the approaching storm, yet we need to find a harbor with an eastern cliff or the waves will crush us into the harbor.”

“Wisely spoken,” Taiga praised him with his lips unnecessarily brushing over his ear before he stepped back a bit.

“Set course towards Cuba. We should be able to arrive a few hours before the storm and find a fitting spot to stay safe from the high waves,” Taiga announced and everyone got ready to move the sails. When Juri also wanted to get down and help, Taiga stopped him once more on his hips.

“I like your strategic thinking, let me reward you with something tonight.”

Juri wanted to argue that everyone on the sea should be able to make such a decision, but the way Taiga bit his own lip on his promise of a reward, had Juri stare after him instead. The small bit of courage he had built up before was now crumbling once more.

When he had reached the main deck, Reo threw one arm around his shoulder immediately. “Don't worry, we'll make sure you're going to be way more relaxed for tonight.”

“Now you scare me,” Juri said, but of course Kentaro was next to them immediately as well, with a challenging expression.

“Don't worry we're not going to prepare you with a relaxed swim in the ocean, not yet at least.”

***

Drinks is what the crew had under deck for the evening until they kicked Juri out of the quarters. 

“Don't you expect me to go up to the crows nest now.”

“Too afraid of falling down?” Reo teased.

“Reo made his way up there with a bottle of rum still in his hand,” Kentaro said with a nostalgic expression. “Even I was impressed by that.”

“It's not hard to impress you. One swim in the ocean and you've already turned tame towards me,” Juri said, but still stepped back when Kentaro made a threatening step to the front. 

“Well, your easygoing mood is exactly what you'll need now, so off you go,” Kentaro said as he pushed the other one towards the stairs.

“I'm not going to stay guard after you made me drink this much, do it yourself.”

“Careful, he'll do it himself if you challenge himself too much,” Reo teased when he put his arm on Juri's shoulder. “Or should I say do you instead.”

The excited shine in Reo's eyes had Juri finally catch up to the situation, not that he hadn't known from the start what was going on, but he still tried to talk himself out of it.

“It's already way too late to even bother him right now,” Juri tried again, making Kentaro laugh.

“You're the one who realized right away that the captain is awake almost half of the night all the time so that is no excuse,” Kentaro argued before he turned Juri around and actually dared to kick him in the back. “If you come back down here, I'll punch you.”

“I'd say thank you for being so supportive, but with your attitude I think that would only make you mock me later.”

“Indeed, so would you finally get going? Some people down here want to sleep,” Kentaro complained as he threatened to kick Juri once more, but he was up a few steps of the stairs immediately.

“As if you'd just go to bed now,” Juri teased, but to his surprise Aran showed up behind Kentaro and put his arm around him with a half empty bottle of wine in his hand. 

“Who said that he would sleep alone?”

Kentaro showed a challenging expression on the other one's words, but Juri immediately turned around and waved his hand. “Not my business for now.”

He could hear the others laugh while he made it on deck. Even with the alcohol he felt embarrassed when they easily addressed that topic between each other. 

Juri wasn't surprised to see the light still on in Taiga's cabin and with a sigh he slowly walked over towards the door. There was no way he would go back under deck tonight. Out of several reasons.

It took Juri a moment longer before he found the courage to knock, but there was no reply and even after the second knock Taiga didn't allow him to get inside. 

“Again asleep and ready to set the ship on fire,” Juri teased before he carefully opened the door, yet he was proven wrong when he spotted Taiga at his desk, while moving his mother's broach through his hands. The same broach Juri had seen on Taiga's desk before. The only thing the captain had left to remind him of his family.

Juri hurried to knock on the wood on the door and this time Taiga finally looked up, a bit too fast, a bit too startled. 

“Bad timing?” Juri asked, but Taiga shook his head and waved him in while putting down the broach. 

“As if I'd throw you out after I was the one to invite you,” Taiga teased and he tried hard to overplay the gloomy mood he had been in. 

Juri watched him when he approached and put one hand to his face, tracing his chin line and then his neck. “Seems like they actually let you go without touching you first.”

This time Juri was the one to let out a snort, a reaction that had Taiga give him a playful smile. 

“I'm not sure if I'm that open.”

“Well, you weren't with Hokuto, so I doubt you'll easily join the others.”

The mention of Hokuto had Juri a bit annoyed. “Did you join them before?” 

“What do you think?”

The second question had his first one passively replied to already and while he somehow wanted to feel angry, everyone's open behavior gave Juri a push to feel even more challenged and try to be more open minded as well. This was a pirate ship after all. He couldn't demand certain things that seemed normal to him in his strict daily life and maybe he also didn't want those rules and norms in the first place.

“I guess the next time you have to pay Hokuto for something, I might be able to return the favor.”

“Wow, that was a bold thing to say. You know that I will definitely have you remember those words, right?” Taiga asked while he had his hand still on Juri's neck, playing with the collar of his shirt now. “And I'd say you have to prove yourself first before I let you touch Hokuto.”

“Afraid that I could satisfy him more than you?”

“No, afraid that he'll kill both of us if you can't keep your word.”

The way they smiled at each other had Juri finally move first as he leaned in for a messy kiss, while Taiga had both hands immediately on Juri's shirt.

Juri was sure that he'd wake up the next morning more than embarrassed about his words and behavior, but right now everything about this situation felt just right.

“Then maybe I should prove myself tonight?” Juri asked, his heart beating already way too fast on the way Taiga bit his lip before he walked backwards towards his bed.

“Then let me be your judge tonight.”

Juri made his way over to Taiga, but now he hesitated a bit. Taiga leaving the lead to him even though he was way more experienced, made Juri's courage fade a bit. Luckily Taiga didn't plan on leaving him completely unguided and he pulled Juri down on the collar of his shirt while sitting down on the bed, resulting with Juri having no other choice but sitting half over Taiga's lap. 

“What happens in this room, stays in this room. So do not worry that I will gossip to my crew about this.”

“Not even if it's a really satisfying night?” Juri dared to say, trying to find his confidence once more.

“Well, in that case I might ask for permission to brag, but be careful, they might want to prove that I'm not lying.”

“They have to prove to me first that they are worth my attention.”

Taiga chuckled on the way Juri tried to delay everything by talking, it was obvious. Juri couldn't even deny it.

“For tonight you only have to prove that to me,” Taiga said and started unbuttoning Juri's shirt while the younger one just watched him until Taiga pulled the shirt down his back, making his nails move roughly over the skin so that Juri bit his lip to not already let out a moan.

“Your turn,” Taiga whispered when he threw the shirt to the ground while leaning right against Juri's lips.

With a calm touch Juri put his hands on Taiga's shirt, but while he feared he'd annoy Taiga with his slow pace, the captain enjoyed the way Juri scanned every part of skin he exposed.

“You're allowed to touch, you know,” Taiga teased as he pulled his own shirt down his shoulders and crawled more on the bed to give Juri some space to join him. 

Juri took the invitation and stroke his hand over Taiga's collarbone down over the side of his body and lower to his hips, of course making sure to not put pressure on Taiga's still freshly sewn wound. But while Taiga had obviously thought that Juri would stop there, he found a moment of confidence once more when he pulled himself closer to Taiga with both his hands vanishing into the back of the other one's pants.

Taiga let out a surprised gasp against Juri's lips before he chuckled and moved to take Juri's bottom lip between his teeth.

The way he dared his tongue against Juri's lips next, made the younger one dare to pull a bit to free his lip, just to immediately engage the other one in a greedy kiss. 

To not end up hesitating too much again, Juri pulled his hands up to the seam of Taiga's pants and the other one moved without breaking the kiss. A few skilled movements were needed to get rid of their remaining clothes and eventually they had to break the kiss after all, both of them chuckling on the way they had tried to turn it into a challenge not to break the kiss.

Juri got stuck for a moment, not knowing how to move on to the next step without feeling like he was rushing things, but Taiga didn't seem to mind in the slightest as he pulled his arms around Juri's neck, pulling him down on top of him.

“No hesitation needed with me,” Taiga clarified. 

“Is it okay if I still want to play nice?” Juri asked, making Taiga chuckle once more, but this time his look changed a bit. He indeed wasn't that okay with it. A side of Taiga, Juri needed to explore from now on. He liked the fast pace, the rough way. He was indeed a pirate captain after all. Half of his life had been out on the sea, between a lot of different and dangerous kinds of people. But in between all those people Juri also wanted to dare Taiga to step away from that strong behavior that protected him out of this cabin.

Juri put one hand up to Taiga's hair and stroked the long colorful strands of hair behind the other one's ear before he placed a soft kiss on Taiga's forehead, leaving Taiga slightly speechless.

“I don't mind either way, but with me you do not have to pretend anything in the first place,” Juri said when he moved his hand back towards Taiga's chin line and their next kiss was softer, Taiga's movements slower and more vulnerable.

Juri took it slow after all and instead of getting restless, Taiga actually melted under the other one's touch. The way Juri's lips explored the other one's skin, the slow way Juri took his time to prepare Taiga and finally Taiga let his guard down a bit more as he dared to let out a few low moans. 

Juri enjoyed the other one's soft yet desperate expression, a side of Taiga he was sure not even Hokuto had seen yet. Their extraordinary relationship seemed more of the physical type after all. Convenient and fast going.

“I want you to see me as your safe harbor,” Juri whispered when he finally changed positions and made sure Taiga was looking directly back at him before he made any move. “Because you gave me a new place to stay. Now I want to add a new place to your life as well. A safe place.”

Maybe Taiga would have laughed at the sweet talk if it had been anyone else, but with Juri he finally dared to show the side of him he was always locking up inside this cabin. The Kyomoto Taiga he could have become if he hadn't become a pirate.

Without any reply Taiga just lifted his hand to the other one's face and the smile he showed wasn't teasing, it was honest and grateful. Taiga's silent thank you to him for daring to stay in such a dangerous world.