[CLOSED Backlog] - Reacquaintances...

[steel_mistress]

Character(s): Tenten [Light Blue] and Gaara [Red]
Date: Tenten at age 18, Gaara at age 16; Late Summer 1658
Setting: Trinidad port
Summary: Coming into port for the night, old acquaintances meet again after three years.
Warning(s): PG-13, a moment of implied sex and nudity



Breathing in deeply, practically tasting the sea-salt breeze blowing in with the west winds, her thin lips quirked up on a gentle smirk. Oh how she loved the open sea, feeling the sun beating down on her as Tenten stood in the crow's next with her eyes trained to what lay ahead. Dark eyes squinted at the glare that reflected off the water's surface, and she slid a hand just over the hood of her eyes to shield it from the hot sun blazing down on them, never remembering the Caribbean having been this humid before. But then again, the young woman had only been there only once, and during the early spring months when the weather was the least bit cooler with lingering traces of winter still nipping at its heels.

Sighting a sliver of land just on the horizon, she tapped the shoulder of the man standing next to her, another pair of eyes to help scope out the water where her eyes could not. She only glanced over the side as he slid down the mast to inform the captain and the rest of the crew before returning her gaze to the island refuge of Trinidad. They would need to stop there before continuing their trip Northwards through the gulf islands. No doubt word had already gone out about their arrival, the movements of a Pirate Lord never one to stay hidden to those who wished to make special acquaintances with someone so powerful and commanding, so she expected to be bombarded with the most disreputable characters upon entering the harbor. Nothing out of the ordinary, she supposed, but just because she was accustomed to such things did not make it easier for Tenten to bear.

Only when they had entered into more shallow water did she climb down from the crow's nest, using the netting that was strung around the mast and sails for better footing, her heavy boots hitting the wood of the deck with a thump. And it was then that Tenten felt his heavy hand clasp over her shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze, a father's touch that she had always welcomed since she was only a little girl in China. "Welcome to the Caribbean. Glad to be back?"

Brows furrowing together, she glanced up at her father for a moment before gazing out at the approaching harbor, undecided on the answer. "I guess. I didn't really have much of an opinion on it last time, but...who knows? Maybe this stay will be more memorable."

"Captain Gaara." The deep voice of a man had broken the silence of the room with a loud creek of the door opening slightly to allow him to peer inside. A glance around to find no one insight, deciding against his gut feeling to just leave the cyclical crazed, blood thirsty teen to his peace and have someone else come tell him of the ship that had just pulled into port. His heavy boots gliding him across the wooden floor with a thud with each step, steps that had carried him passed the clutter of books upon books of text and stories he had collected over the years, an array of many weapons scattered throughout the young man was hardly ever seen without many strapped to his legs in case of need. To the young masters sleeping quarters he had found himself nervously staring at the sight before him. Gaara was known on this island for bedding woman as he pleased, not caring of the sort for how any felt towards him, they were in his company to pleasure, nothing more.

It was proven as much when slender milky white legs of a nude blond woman, cradled the 16 year old boy between them. Her eyes must have been blue to match the long curly mess of golden locks that had reached far over her shoulders, tickling against Gaara's face like a shrouded blanket while his own flawless cheek plastered against her bare stomach as if to listen to her soft breathing of the aftermath. The second woman draped hers self over his naked back like a warm human blanket, her long straight dark hair hanging the side of the bed as her thin arm rested along his side and under the leg of the other woman. Not an uncommon sight for those lucky enough to witness and pleasure themselves in the thoughts of the image of having two luscious maids at once.

The husky mans devilish smirk had dropped to a nervous quivering frown of icy aquamarine eyes staring back in a glare fit for death. Drawing his hand to cover his mouth in a cough to clear his throat he spoke turning his eyes from the sight he would use later as a reference in is own self pleasure. "Ah... Captain... there a ship be approaching.... must be him. "

It took a few moments for the boy to register the information before shifting in his spot. "Very well, I will be at the docks shortly." He followed calmly, hearing the heavy pounding of the sailors boots against the floor as he left the boy to his deeds. sliding himself from the binds of the woman that held him he found himself sitting to the edge in thought and wonder.... if he truly has come back.... would she be with him?

Turning a glance over his shoulder to the woman stirring in their slumber he curled his lip in a snarling growl. "Leave, I don't want to see you here when I return."

With that he removed himself from the room to the next, hauling on discarded cloths from just a while before, back on. He had stopped to the book shelf behind his desk a moment, his finger dragging along the spines of books of old and new, stopping at one, the brown leather that had protected the pages for years had begun to change in color, the pages yellow and torn from use and he placed his finger on it plucking it from the row with a light smirk. " Le Morte D'Arthur"

It had been years since she had thought of this place, having left three years ago without ever believing that they would come back. The trip was far and the travel was long, deadly for those who dared to make it. For the past few years, the Flying Dagger had only sailed as far as the Indian shores, and occasionally to the Eastern coasts of Africa if the treasure was interesting enough to pursue. There were dangers as what came with every endeavor they had decided to track down, but it did not come without some benefits. Tenten had managed to make a few allies and even some friends along the way, forging a bond that stretched beyond ruling nations. Not everyone was welcomed among the native countries that they were forced to come across, and so she took pride in that feat. After all, food was needed and supplies short lasting, and even a Pirate Lord like Shirou, the Dragon of the East, needed help every now and then.

The last time she was here, she had only stayed in port long enough to descend off of one boat and on to another, into the hands of a stranger and living with only his word to her father that she would be unharmed while under the merchant's care. She scowled at the thought, never have liked the fact that she had practically been sent away like some precious doll to a safer place while her father had searched for some deadly trinket with an unknown pirate. It was times like those that she believed Shirou was sometimes too trusting for his own good. But the expression melted away as quickly as it appeared while her thoughts turned to other things.

He had only been away for a few weeks, and in that time, Tenten had managed to come across one of the most interesting of characters she would ever meet in her lifetime. Gaara Sabaku. Even now she remembered his name, for his story was forever imprinted in her mind. Not many people could forget the horrible beatings that he had received while she was aboard their ship. And she held responsibility for causing them, directly or indirectly. And no one could ever forget their last moments, when she had handed him that vial of healing salve made from the venom of a poisonous snake of the far East.

She had never let herself wonder about what decision he had made in the end, knowing that it would only drive her mad with all the questions and possibilities. But now that she was standing there as they pulled into the harbor, the men tossing out the lines to tie the ship to the dock so that she would not float away with the ocean's current, she thought about it. Had he ended his suffering like Tenten had hoped? Or did his suffering finally become his end? Shaking her mind free of that, she searched for something else to concentrate all her energy on. She had done well with remaining in the dark about the matter, she would not cave in now. "Will you be going ashore?"

"No. I think I'll stay here and help keep an eye on the ship." The young woman flashed her father a rare smile, one that was only reserved for her father, as she reached out a hand and began closing down the sails and tying up the rigging.

Unlike his farther, Gaara had not need an entire pack of sailors trailing behind him like he was some kind of master to dogs, he was a king on this Island now that his father had passed granting the opportunity of a lifetime. The easy slice across a demons throat in the flesh had left the boy thirst for even more of what this new pirate life had to offer. The mutiny against the merchant had taken place one night as Gaara was, once again, being taught a hefty lesson from the merchant in his usual drunken rage. The poison the that young woman had given on her departure years ago would aid in his suffering, watching The captain's life line fail him. The final day was when he had drawn is last breath on this earth, with only the image of the crazed satisfied look in the eyes of his young son. Finally... judgment day had come, and Gaara was set free from the clutches of the devil to pursue the life he had always dreamt of. Piracy.

His short legs taking long stalking steps to where the ship had docked in plain view, he had changed much in the way he had dressed from the last time he had seen the pirate lord. He was far more presentable almost dressed too well for a mere pirate captain of the Caribbean seas. The royal blue coat, trimmed in gold trailed behind him in his brisk stride, complimenting the boldness of the fire color of the boys hair, the mark upon his forehead held high with no means for hiding any longer what branded him to what he had become. a mark that imprinted everything belonging to the young captain from Cargo crates of his bootlegged rum, to the frosted glass of the liquor itself to the tavern to the center of his ever growing kingdom to the very ships he had sailed.

He turned his attention upward to the plank resting to the docks connecting as a platform between vessel and land. His Icy narrow stare fell on the taller figure of a man familiar to his past, meeting the man only twice in his last visit when he was a mere ship rat. but now, things had grown different as the time had passed on, now it was Gaara who was in charge. "Welcome." He stated in a flat mild tone.

The sun slowly made its way over to the western horizon where it would sleep and slumber, giving time for Mother Moon to make her appearance. Even at dusk, the air was still think with heat, though it was a reprieve from the unforgiving rays that were present at midday. With nothing but her hand and the shade provided by the lip of the crow's nest as shelter, she had found the conditions nearly unbearable. But she had one of the sharpest eyes on the crew and was accustomed to the endurance it took to handle the job. Tying up the ship and putting away the rigging was hardly a hassle compared to her duties as a scout and lookout. The long hours she had spent up there when the other men were too tired to continue on with their shift or when she was enjoying he peace too much to call in another man to take her place when her time was up had given Tenten's skin a soft glow of color, almost an alabaster tone instead of the normal brown that the natives of the Caribbean showed.

She had filled out well, or so many had told her (though it gained them no favor save for an extra few seconds of life before she plunged the knife into their throats). The years had been good in maturing her body to that of a young woman. And she had used that to her every advantage, like a true piratess of the seven seas. It had taken a lot to finally convince Shirou that, an act defiance that lead to a host of regrets on his part. But Tenten felt no regret, no remorse for the last shred of her innocence being lost to a faceless man who was now sleeping at the bottom of Davy Jones' locker after she had gotten the information out of him. Why feel such things for something she had never held any value in? After all, the world of piracy centered its importance on what was valuable. And to her, being able to command a legion of men with a simple look to bend them to her will was of much more value than her own virginity.

Lifting an arm, she wiped the back of her hand across the sweat of her brows, clearing away a bit of the grime that had collected that day before glancing around to see if there was anything else she could do before she would be left to her own devices. And it was then that she had heard it. His voice, though it was more cold and less expressive (not that Gaara was at all expressive in the first place). His tone was different, but the force behind it was the same. She only allowed her self to glance over her shoulder, just far enough to catch the blaze of his hair to confirm what she already knew. "...Gaara."

Shirou made no move to indicate he had heard his daughter's whispered breath, but took note of it all the same, turning all attention to the young boy of which he had only seen twice before. The last time, he had been covered with bruises and cuts, no doubt a result of his father's show of 'love'. Neither she nor Gaara needed to tell him anything, though the had seemed well intent on hiding that simple truth, and that troubled him just a bit.

Set in a place of power, he had a steady stream of information about what was happening around the pirating world. There had been rumors about a young captain in the Caribbean, doing well in making a name for himself with nothing but a simple mark to strike fear in the hearts of all those who knew of his reputation. There was no doubt that this boy...this young man was the one they spoke of. He gave a nod to Gaara's greeting and added a slight bow in return. "Thank you. It is a bit of an honor to have you greet me upon arriving...Gaara Sabaku, if I remember correctly?"

He had heard her soft tone in the distance, this had at least proven for fact that the girl was still living and still under the protective wing of her father. It would be interesting to see her again after all this time, to show her the man he had grown into after the death of his demon, allowing the boy to finally spread his wings and be who he was meant to be. He himself had gotten taller to what he was, over coming that runt timid looking boy she had once knew to a man to be feared, slowing making that clear throughout the seven seas. His looks remained that of a child, his porcelain like flawless complication had looked as though it had never been touched in such a brutal way, leaving the boy much to be desired by men and woman alike. Even his first time, a woman of noble blood from one of the first raids they had taken part in, it deemed a complete success in destroying much in the young mans wake taking riches and blunder as the crew saw fit. A woman taken aboard, possible twice the age of Gaara was offered to him for her freedom she had given herself to the man in charge if only her life was spared. Her life had ended when Gaara had seen her useless after having her once, intensify the flavor in his mouth he had for woman of all kinds, it was easy to find woman who would offer the prize between their legs just for one chance to have to bed him.

"Yes, I am surprised you remembered me." He stated in a usual flat monotone almost board voice. "I tend to make it appoint to greet a man such as yourself in person to I know and remember the faces or our world." This wasn't entirely true in a sense, for since the young man had a taste for bloodshed since first offering that hand to his own flesh and blood he had made it in his rite to study men who were a threat to his power now, to study the face of a possible next victim if it was the road so chosen by him. But this man was the only man in the young boys life to show kindness to him in the presents of his father, he had not feared the man the rest of the crew had, he was a true pirate to strike a note to even have the devil himself cower with his tail between h legs. Not this time will Gaara hide from who he is, he will NOT cower any longer like his father as proven much when his hard Icy eyes had not wavered from the Pirate captain.

"They say you are here for the night, feel free to go as you please the Island is your home for the brief time you are here." It was then, his gaze had fell past the taller man to the deep shade of honey orbs staring back at him. His hard look had softened at the sight of her, his lips parted as if to speak a word of something to greet the woman who had once challenged him on ever angle, her beauty even in her younger years was a force to be told and the sweet sound of her voice reciting the lines of The Iliad. Words could not began to form what he needed to express the timeless enchanting beautiful woman she had blossomed into over the years, those earthy brown eyes, flawless lips just begging to be grasped between his own, that body more full and filled out than that of the 15 year old he had once knew for a brief moment in time. And now, like then, she had managed to take the breath of even the coldest killer in the form of an innocent looking boy.

His mind shook from the thoughts, knowing full well her father was monitoring his every move and action. Gaara was pirate now after all, and who could trust a pirate. It was proved much from the dark sunken sockets that had laced the boys features, even as a child the demon had haunted him causing extreme cases of an insomniac. Even after the murder of his father his body had been trained to stay awake for long periods of time, perhaps a good thing in some cases finding some of the newer pirates assembled to his crew had found a brave notion to attempt to steal from under the boys nose. Their mistake in judging the boy weak because of his young age and size, he hand show them the wrath to be held in his smaller palm with their lives. Drawing his attention back to her father as he watched him step down to study the pit sized pirate boy.

"Where is your father boy?" He asked.

"Captain." He rebutted back sharply, that narrow glare returning as his head tilted upward to greet the mans gaze.

"Captain, where be your father?"

"Dead." It was a plain as simple answer, as the tickle of the event played over and over in the boys mind enjoying the look of horror in his dieing breath to watch his own son hold the blade that had sliced his throat from ear to ear. "His judgment day had come and gone, now it is me that is left. Does it disappoint you?" He asked with a slight grin tugging his mouth into an amused smile to the images passing through his thoughts.

"No...surprisingly it does not." Shirou kept his expressions hard and even while discussing the fate of the old merchant captain. There was still some bitterness towards the subject, knowing the unknown danger he had placed his own daughter in by letting her stay with such a man. "Though I had once called him friend, I was more than glad to be rid of his services after leaving port all those years ago after the things I have heard..." Deep and dark eyes shifted to the side as if to look back at the young girl standing behind her, knowing Tenten was there listening to the entire conversation in sympathetic silence. She knew how sore Shirou had been about the matter, how he had regretted ever putting his one and only daughter, his last link to the woman he had cared for most in the world, in such a situation. So young and still beautiful for her age back then, she had become more so now with the passing years. It had always been the comment of men that she would grow up to be a beauty among the thorns of thieves and cutthroats that followed his lead. And there was no doubt in the Pirate Lord's mind that men would take advantage of that rare gift from the gods and goddesses.

But to his dread she had learned, or rather Tenten had known instinctively how to use that to her advantage, bending men to her will with just a smile look so as to help the crew gain the knowledge that had once been barred from them. The first time she had done so, however, had been a dark day for him. Not long after they had left the port of Trinidad and were on their way back to the Eastern Seas, they had stopped in a port city in Africa, and had discovered that there had been a man with a map to one of India's greatest treasures. But he an elusive and paranoid beast, trusting no one save himself and refusing to speak with no one safe for the men of his crew...and a well endowed woman who was willing to give him some attention apparently.

By the time the crew had finally told him of her plans to seduce the man, it had been too late. She was found walking through the streets that night, blood covering the front of her tunic and the map rolled up in her hand. Tenten had shown no remorse or regret that night, but Shirou had felt her loss even if she could not. And so her spells had continued, men falling at her feet everywhere they went with a simple word, a look that would forever bind them to her enchantment.

And still she was weaving her incantations now, unable to stop the hunger that men had for her exotic features and intense eyes. Always the eyes drew them to her, deep brown pools of the richest chocolate, filled with a sweetness that men dreamed of tasting. There was no missing the look this young Captain had given her, though brief as it was, and though there was no way of knowing. seeing her reaction in return, the Pirate Lord knew his daughter had returned the sentiment to some extent. Something had passed between them those long days out at sea when they were too young to know or understand the wiles of men and women, enough to form an understanding about keeping the secrets of the young boy's life just that, despite the visual evidence that said otherwise. Tenten had never lied to him, and to this day, she still did not. But she had kept something from him that day as they were making to leave port. And that had unnnerved him as well. "But you, my boy, seem to be making a name for yourself. Good."

Still standing loyally behind her father, Tenten watched curiously and a bit skeptically as the older man clapped a hand around the boy's shoulder in congratulations and approval. It was true that many who had the pleasure of meeting her father were compelled to align themselves with a man with his greatness, but she had known her father for far too long. Something was off about his behavior towards...Gaara.

Gaara. He had turned out better than she could ever have thought, the bruises and cuts from the last time they had seen each other having healed long ago. And it was in reference to his father's death that she listened intently, though gaining little detail on the matter. Had he used the healing salve that she had given him to slowly poison his father? Or had he dealt with the vile man on his own terms? There was no way of knowing or finding that out with her father standing so near, to have him find out that she may have played a part in the merchant's demise.

He had felt the hefty pat to his back, one whom no one dared touch for fear of loosing that specific limb without a second thought. The only touch he preferred were the woman in his bed giving him pleasure as he seen fit, disposing them as fast as they had come in a barking order from his sight. With an unconscious reaction to the mans touch the boy shrug his shoulder making the lords hand slide from it and raising his own hand to bush him away like some filth the sea had just washed up on his sore, uncaring if the acting might intend to insult, things of such nature had not bothered Gaara by this point. Of course the foreign captain was right in his tone of suspension of the young lad upon hearing of the merchants death, again uncaring as to what others may think of the innocents that was stolen from childhood, given back in a life of blissful bloodshed and death.

"Ah, yes well." The Captain responded shifting uncomfortably from the rude gesture from his young host. "We will remain on ship, after we stock up than we shall be out of your way in the early hours of the morning." He grazed over his shoulder to the young woman eves dropping as with many of the foreign Eastern sailors, as if to give her an unspoken order, or what could she really be too sure? Hopefully she would have gotten his untold message to steer clear of the boy, he was not quite right, not the quiet soul he had met years ago. But knowing his daughters lust for excitement and rebellious nature, perhaps an interest had sparked in her young counterpart from years before.

"I will have crates brought to you for your journey, the rum is the best in the Caribbean as most of my clients who choose work with pirates that is." The boy gave a light smirk at his achievements in taking over his fathers business making much more in riches than that buffoon of a man could ever dream of. With that he had turned making his way back over the docks to the town reading themselves for the night of brawls, drinking and woman that lay ahead. His pale eyes casting a glance between the pirate lord than to his daughter with a flat stare, he had wished to say something to her, anything but the boy was not good at expressing things of such beauty that lay speechless as a woman should be in the presents of men. "My tavern is in the heart of town, feel free to come and enjoy yourselves." His statement was more directed at Shirou yet his gaze did not waver from his daughter, a delicious eastern treat so she had become.

A thin brow quirked up at the attitude Gaara presented towards her father's kind, although questionable gesture, not a trace of respect that he had seemingly held at one point for the great Pirate Lord from the East three years ago. But then again, three years could do well to change a man, and a woman for that matter. Where once she had been an obedient daughter, respectful of her father's wishes, Tenten had learned that not all his decisions were for her benefit. The same principle applied to Gaara. The arrogance was still there from what she could tell, and more so of it now that he had been allowed to roam the land in freedom. For how long, she wondered. Perhaps she would have to find that out on her own, without the watchful eye of her father looming over them to hinder their words. Only then could she find out the truth of the merchant's death and so much more that seemed to lay hidden underneath Gaara's stone gaze.

When it was clear that Gaara had been far out of range to hear his order, Shirou turned to young daughter. Her eyes still lingered a moment longer on the figure of the young man as he continued to walk down the road towards his tavern before raising them to meet her father's, finding him in a deep frown. She in response, tilted her head to the side a fraction, posing her unspoken question to him. His reply was one of skepticism and warning. "...I know that look in your eyes. You've always been more curious for your own good."

A faint smile spread out across her lips, dark figures of men ghosting in and out of the background of her vision. Always keep an eye on your surroundings, know where you are and where everything else is. That had been one of the first lessons he had taught her and one of many that would remain with her long after the man had been gone from the world. But despite all that she had learned, all that he had been willing to teach, there was still more that she needed to know. There were things that a father simply could not teach to his child because of a gripping fear that all parents seemed to have. And it was partially because of those reasons that she had been forced to find other means of learning, defying his word in order to gather what she needed to survive. "If I am curious, it is your own fault for making this world so interesting."

"He is not the same boy you met three years ago." Another movement of her head posed another wordless question for him, knowing that he would be able to read her body language after all of these years. She had already known what he would say, but still played the part just to give him a false sense of security. Everyone held their coveted secrets after all, she was no different. "...You are not to see him Tenten, is that understood?"

"...Yes, father...I understand." It was not often that she would rebel against Shirou, and it was not her intention to hurt him in any way by it. But she would no longer be caged by anyone, not even her beloved father Shirou who had meant more to her than any single soul in the world that still lived. Already her thoughts rolled the possible plans in her head, how she would sneak off the boat, past the crew, and make her way through the maze of streets of Trinidad. Whether it was because of the days that they had spent together those three years ago, or if his presence now had some effect on her, Tenten felt a pull towards Gaara as if he were calling to her. And she would not leave it unanswered.