The Call of the Siren

The soldiers quickly spotted the captain and turned to him, immediately alerting Kiyo that they were, indeed, there for him. Quickly his mind set to work trying to figure out anything that he could've missed that would alert the soldiers. The merchant that had bought his goods when he first came to the town knew who he was, of course.... but he would never tell a soul unless he wanted to lose his business... And Kiyoshi had been there himself when his former first mate dangled in a hangman's noose in the town square...

Putting on a gracious smile, the japanese captain approached the solders. "Gentlemen! To what do I owe the honor?" He said out loud, his face completely void of his conflicting emotions. Acting was something that he excelled at, thankfully.

"Ah, there you are, my friend." He heard the strong voice and immediately he spotted the telltale bright red coat that belonged to none other than the commodore. His smile widening now that he knew that he had nothing to worry about, he walked up to the tall european man and shook his hand as a way of keeping up appearances. "I had heard that your ship was getting ready to sail, so I came here to see it with my own eyes. Is it true? Are you leaving our beautiful town?"

The darkhaired man could sense the unspoken question that lingered in the air, but he paid it no mind. They were in public after all, and they had to keep up appearances. However, he could not avoid it forever and knew very well that this situation would be more complicated than he would like... That was why he had avoided going to see the commodore in the first place... "My dear commodore, as much as I have enjoyed my time here, I am afraid that it is time for me to move on. My shipment will not sell itself." He explained and the other man nodded his understanding, but the tension between the two of them remained.

"My friend, may I have a word with you in private?" The blond commodore requested then in a lower voice and quickly recieved a nod from the Captain.

"Come join me in my cabin... There we can talk without being disturbed." With that said, Kiyoshi led the way onto his ship and into his Captain’s cabin, watching in silence as the commodore closed the door. A small smile played on his lips. He had been hoping to avoid this conversation, yes, but now that it was thrust upon him he planned to make the most out of it.

“So, what can I do for you, Commodore? I am but a humble merchant, however I will do everything in my power to aid you." He said extravagantly, speaking in the same way as he had done the first time he ever met the blond man.

"Settle down, Keiji, you know me well enough by now to use my name." The man in the uniform said, and took a few steps across the room, his eyes locked on something outside the window.

"Very well, Jonathan, it shall be as you say." Putting extra emphasis on the name, Kiyoshi moved to join the other man by the window. They were very close now, their arms almost touching but not quite, and tension filled the air of the ship cabin. “So... why is it that you have asked to see me in private?"

Both men stood there staring out the window as the minutes ticked by. The question that Kiyoshi had asked was still unanswered and they both knew it. Then finally, the captain turned his head slightly towards the commodore. “Once the saltwater gets in your veins it never goes away." He said as if it explained everything.

“Indeed. No less can be expected, I suppose..." The commodore’s voice was thoughtful and a slight frown marred his otherwise smooth brow. “A man can do nothing but heed the call of the siren."

Only about a split second after the last word had left the commodore’s mouth there was a loud thump when the blond man was slammed against the wooden wall. A grunt left his lips but any other sound was silenced as the two men locked together in a rough, and almost desperate kiss.

Kiyoshi had known this was going to happen. It had been inevitable... ever since their first night together. A connection had been made, one that would be extremely difficult to break, but neither man had cared at the time. Actually, Kiyo had even grown quite fond of Jonathan Kagran, despite their differences. A slim, pale hand tangled in blond hair while it’s slightly more tanned counterparts wrapped around a strong back in a firm hold as the two kissed. The passion between them was undeniable, but it would never be allowed to go beyond that.

A low moan echoed between the walls of the small cabin and the the kiss deepened. Hands were grabbing whatever they could reach in desperation and one of the Captain’s knees prying his partner's legs apart. The last time the two men had seen eachother had been at one of the governor's balls two weeks earlier so Kiyoshi quite ready to rip the clothes off of the blond man right that second... but he didn't. Giving Kagran's lip one last nip, he pulled back slightly, beathing heavily.

The Commodore's face was flushed and his eyes closed as he slumped against the wall. After a while of silence, he opened his eyes and looked at the Japanese captain. "When are you casting off?" He asked breathlessly.

"In two hours."

"And where are you headed?"

"Up towards India, I reckon. My goods should sell well there." The lie flowed out of his mouth smoothly, completely effortless.

"Ah, I have been ordered to go on a patrol along the peninsula... Perhaps I will see you there?" There was a slightly hopeful note in the blond man's voice.

"Perhaps."

"Keiji..."

"Shh..." Kiyo hushed the other man and gave him a faint smile. "Let us not make this harder on ourselves, ne?" Leaning in, he kissed those swollen lips gently.

"Ah... of course." Straightening, the commodore smoothed out his clothes and held his head high, as if nothing had happened. Kiyo smiled at the sight but said nothing of it. Instead, he too stood up straight and then tied his hair back so that it looked presentable again.

"It was nice to see you again, Commodore Kagran. I hope our paths will cross again." With that said, Kiyo followed the blond man to the door.

"Good day, my friend. May the winds be at your back." Opening the door, the Commodore swiftly moved up the stairs to the deck, on his way to join his men.

Kiyoshi watched him go and, briefly, he was struck by a sudden urge to tell the blonde man the truth. Fortunately, it was gone before he had a chance to act on it. He could not risk putting himself or his crew in danger just because he did not have his emotions under control. No... it was better this way. Kagran would sail up to India and Kiyoshi and his crew would go in the opposite direction. They would never see eachother again.