And a Bottle of Rum

Ice-Puppet

Authors Note: I know, I told myself I couldn't continue this... I just didn't have ideas for it, and I might not get anymore. But it was calling to me... xD

Chapter 3 - Never trust a pirate

Near was forced to stay in a room for the next two and a half days, which was only slightly better then being locked in a cell. At least now Matt came to visit him when the Pirate captain had a moment to spare- which was not often, Near realized, as he had many things to attend to, being the leader of a band of misfits.

Mello spent time with him as well, but even he had things to do. In truth, the person that Near spent the most time with was not a person at all, but a parrot, who constantly told him it wanted a cracker.

Starved for at least a bit of attention (though not much, since he disliked people usually), Near was glad when they finally docked.

Until he realized the dock they were at was full of pirates.

“You kidnapped a Prince?” A boy with messy, dirty red hair was yelling at Matt, his face almost as red (and dirty) as his hair was. “What were you thinking!?”

“Calm down, Red,” Matt commented, placing a hand on the boy’s shoulder, earning a look from a dark haired boy who stood not far from ‘Red’. “He’s not a Prince. He’s a fiancé to a Prince.”

“Oh, like there is a difference!” Red shrieked, throwing his arms into the air, dramatically. “He’s going to be a Prince, then!”

Mello laughed from his place nearby and Near lifted a hand to twirl a lock of hair around his finger, nervously glancing around the room.

They were in a pub full of dirty men and women, all dressed in ripped clothing that hadn’t been washed in a while. And while this didn’t really bother Near, per say, he was quite used to the Palace, where everything was kept incredibly clean, and Matt’s boat, where at least the redhead’s crew bathed.

He felt the eyes of everyone in the room on him, as if judging him. ‘Red’, as he was apparently called, had made a big fuss and now everyone in the room either looked at Near in disgust or like he was some sort of meat and they were a starving wolf. He could only imagine what these people were thinking- he was either going to be their big break, since he would be evidentially ‘priceless’ to the Prince, or they wanted in his pants.

Possibly both.

“Actually, that is worse,” the dark haired boy who had glanced at Matt commented, standing up. He was the only person in the room not giving Near any sort of look- weather it be dirty or not- in fact he had a completely blank look on his face. “Because his fiancé will look for him, no doubt bringing him here.”

Red’s eyes went as wide as the incredibly large plates at the palace and Matt glared at the dark haired boy. “Get out of my town!” Red shrieked, shoving Matt backward, almost into Near.

“Thanks, Q,” Matt told the dark-haired boy.

Q nodded in response, almost as if to say, ‘You are most welcome.’

“Can’t we at least stay for the night?” Matt tried to reason with Red, looking almost desperate.

“No,” Red hissed. “Get your things and get out! We don’t want any royals here! Especially if they’re going to bring more royals!” His eyes turned to Near, glaring daggers. Near didn’t let it effect him, however, simply averting his eyes once more, as if bored.

Q, as Matt had called him, placed a hand on Red’s shoulder. “You can stay for the night,” he told Matt with a nod, completely contradicting what Red had said. Red looked to him in anger before groaning in agreement. “But, please leave in the morning.”

“That’s fine,” Mello cut in, shoving past Matt, Red, and Q. “We were planning to anyway.” He stormed over to the bar and shoved a drunken man off his stool, sitting down.

After Mello’s words had been spoken Red fell silent and Matt’s crew split up, heading off in their own directions. Some filed out of the pub while others took seats in groups.

Matt turned to Near, telling him, “Stick beside me at all times, do you hear me?” Eyes wide, Near nodded. “Good. Oh, and we’re sharing a room. If you mind you can shove it. These men will steal you in a heartbeat and there’s no way I can protect you from a different room.”

“I don’t mind,” Near informed, before his cheeks flushed slightly as he realized what his words implied.

Matt didn’t seem to notice, however, as he turned around and headed off, Near stumbling after him.

“There are only a few people in this town I trust,” Matt began to explain as they left the bar, walking down the street. The few people he passed all gave him dirty looks. “Red and Q are two of them. Most of the people here don’t like me- they fear me, simply because I am not only the best sword fighter, but I am the quickest shot around.”

Near spaced out, listening to Matt talk. Matt’s voice was like silk and Near could easily get addicted to listening to it. It was deep and husky, not like what’s-his-face’s Princely drone.

Matt continued, “We’re leaving tomorrow, heading toward the North.”

“What’s to the North?” Near asked when Matt paused.

“Someone I need to see,” was all that Matt offered by way of explanation.

They headed to the inn and Matt got them a room. Near hummed to himself quietly as they went up stairs and unlocked the door, heading inside.

There was only one bed.

“I’ll sleep on the floor,” Matt informed, taking off his jacket.

Near shook his head. “No. Matt should take the bed.”

The look Matt gave him was almost priceless. “Royalty, offering a bed to a pirate?”

The albino frowned slightly. Did Matt still think of him like that…? As just royalty? He had hoped the redhead thought better of him, or at least thought of him as more then just a hostage.

“Matt and I can share the bed,” Near informed.

Green eyes stared at him as if he were insane. “Shouldn’t you be afraid I will molest you while you sleep?”

“If Matt was going to molest me, Matt would have done so already,” Near reminded. “And besides… I trust Matt.”

A frown crossed the redhead’s face and in one quick motion he had suddenly jerked Near forward and pushed him onto the bed, climbing on top of him and pinning him down. Near’s eyes went wide as Matt’s face came inches from his own, close enough that he could feel the other’s hot breath on his suddenly cold lips. “Never,” Matt hissed, his eyes dangerous. “Trust a pirate.”

Climbing off of Near, Matt removed his shoes and walked around to the other side of the bed, pulling the blankets back. Near squeaked quietly and sat up, his eyes downcast. He removed his own jacket and shoes before slipping under the blankets next to the redhead, curling up around himself.

--

Linda lifted her head from the side of the ship where she had been staring down at the water for the past half an hour, trying not to lose her lunch.

“Are you feeling any better?” Misa asked her, rubbing her back gently.

“I never thought the sea could make me so sick,” Linda groaned in response, hanging her head once more. She then sighed and glanced up at Misa. “Where could they have taken Near, Misa?”

Misa shook her head. “Misa doesn’t know how Light is tracking them- she doesn’t know much about tracking people at all. She just trusts that he will find Near soon.”

“Poor Near…” Linda commented, her head dropping a third time. “He must be so scared…”

--

A knock rose Near from his sleep the next morning. He glanced toward the door to see Matt peak out for a moment before saying, “Oh, its just you, Kenji.” He opened it to reveal a girl with dark hair and blonde bangs, who stepped in side, sparing Near a quick glance.

“I’ve come to request to join you,” Kenji, as Matt had called her, said. “Or, rather, to finally take you up on your offer to let me join you.”

Matt grinned. “Great.”

“Where are you headed next?” Kenji asked.

“Sea side,” Matt replied. “To see my mother.”

Kenji nodded in response before glancing toward Near once more. “That Princess boy? The one marrying Prince James?”

“I wanted to get that shit back for all the crap he caused me,” Matt explained. “Destroying my ship, killing part of my crew… what better way to cause him pain then to steal his most precious item?”

“Good plan,” Kenji agreed with a nod.

Near, however, did not agree. Although he knew Matt’s intentions from the beginning, hearing the redhead re-confirm them fueled the pain that the thought caused. He pushed the blankets back and shoved his shoes onto his feet, not bothering to lace them as he stormed past Matt and Kenji, through the door.

“Near!” Matt yelped, storming after the albino.

Near managed to make it halfway down the hall before Matt grabbed hold of his arm and turned him around.

“Where do you think you’re going!?” Matt snapped.

“Away from Matt!” Near raised his voice in response, barely a yell but enough that Matt’s eyes narrowed.

“No,” Matt informed, jerking him forward so their bodies were practically pressed together. “You aren’t going anywhere. In case you’ve forgotten, you are my prisoner. So unless you want to be locked back in that cell on my ship, I suggest you adjust your attitude.”

Near huffed in response, turning his head away. “I thought Matt was different,” he informed. “But I am just a tool to Matt.”

“Yes, you are,” Matt confirmed, eyes narrowing at Near looked at him once more, in horror. “And don’t ever think otherwise.”

Near’s eyes went wide before filling with hurt. His face then turned cold as he dipped his head slowly, eyes downcast. After a moment he jerked his arm out of Matt’s hold, pushed past the redhead, and stormed back into their shared room, slamming the door behind himself.

“That’s not like you,” Kenji commented idly. “Treating someone like they’re not even human.”

Matt just sighed in response.

--

“Captain Light, sir!” A solider said, saluting Light as he walked up. “We have received word from the shores! We know where the Pirates are headed next!”

“Where to, then, my good man?” Light asked, shooing Misa, who had been hanging on his arm, off. She smiled and rushed off to tell Linda the good news.

“Apparently the Pirates are headed to seaside, sir,” the solider replied, obviously a bit confused by his own words. Seaside was a small town with nothing more then houses and shops. What could a Pirate want there?

Dismissing the soldier, Light muttered to himself, “So, going to visit mom, are you, little brother…?”

--

Authors note: I'm sorry, I know Matt acted a bit like Mello in this part, but... he has his reasons.