Altostratus
TITLE: Altostratus
PAIRING: KoyaTego, vague RyoShige
RATING: G
WORD COUNT: 3,686
SUMMARY: Koyama and Tegoshi have to get out of town. And, for the right price, Shige will take them.
NOTES: AU. This is my attempt at something steampunk-like. Emphasis on the like. This is less a serious try at it, and more me figuring out how to put it into a world and characterizations.
Down at street level, there's a ruckus going on. A few pilots and captains and ledger-writers peer casually over the side of the tower and their ships, but there's no point. The top of the Osaka Tower where ships dock is too high to see the street with any clarity. The sound itself barely makes it to the top.
The elevator doors grate together, and a moment later there's a loud chime. A short man, looking breathless and flushed, darts out and to the ledger-writer at a nearby desk.
"Which ship is leaving next?" He asks frantically.
The elevator doors close, and it starts going down the shaft to the bottom of the tower.
"These are more transport ships than passenger ships, boy."
"Please."
The ledger-writer sighs and flips a few pages. "The Nana is set to leave by half past. You might still be able to catch the captain before he sets off. Dock 13."
The man runs, eyeing the elevator doors worriedly. As it is, he barely catches the captain.
"Take me with you," the man pleads, and the captain looks confused.
"Why?"
"The mayor. He's none too happy with me, and I've got to get out of Osaka. Please, captain. I'll do whatever you want."
The captain pauses and looks the man up and down. He throws a bundle of ropes inside the cabin of the ship. "You're a bit of a petite guy, aren't you?"
Anger flashes through the man's eyes, but he holds his tongue.
"By the looks of it, you could help me with some maintenance that I haven't been able to reach."
"Whatever you want."
"If you're alright with Tokyo, cast off that line and jump on. I've got money to make."
The man slips off the last mooring rope and pulls himself up onto the ship. Slowly, the vessel lifts into the air, further and further away from the docks at the top of the tower. The elevator chimes again, and a large crowd of men spring out, looking ready for a fight. The man turns away and steps into the cabin. He moves until he's just a few feet behind the captain, who's at the helm.
"That's some fan club you've got there."
"Thank you."
They both know it's not for the sarcastic compliment.
"Once we'll out of such a high traffic area, I'll get you started on the work I need done."
The man had meant to stay on the boat only long enough to get to Tokyo. But, he doesn't know anyone in the city, and it's easier to stay with the captain and start a new life amongst the clouds. The captain offers him a job as the ship's mechanic ("It's a tight fit back with the steam engines, and my shoulders are too broad for me to fit a lot of places."), which he accepts. They clean out a small storage cabin in the back, near the engines where it's warm, for him to use a room. There's only space for a little table, bureau and a hammock strung between the walls. But, that's fine. It just means he's got more reason to sit out with the captain and watch the ship cut the clouds into new fluffy shapes.
-
"Thank you for coming on such short notice, Koyama."
"It's not a problem at all, ma'am."
An older man stands further inside the house, looking upset.
"I go through all this trouble for the boy, and this is how he repays me! Embarrassing me in front of the girl's father and locking himself in his room like a child."
"I'll see if I can't talk the young master into coming out," Koyama says, handing his coat to a maid.
"He adores you so, and you're our last hope."
Koyama smiles, his heart aching, "I'll do my best."
"They want me to marry some stupid girl," Tegoshi cries the moment after he pulls Koyama into his room. "I don't want to!"
He goes back to his bed and curls up, sniffling.
"I know, I know," Koyama murmurs, sitting next to him and rubbing circles across his back. "We both knew this day was coming. You're 19, and it's not so odd for your parents to start trying to arrange something for you."
"I wish I came from a lower station."
Koyama laughs. "It's not so great. Yes, we don't have our parents forcing things upon us, but we have to struggle everyday just to survive. You're very lucky, Tegoshi."
Slowly, Tegoshi sits up and looks Koyama right in the eyes. "I want to run away with you."
"I figured you'd say something like that."
"As long as I'm with you, I'm happy."
Koyama smiles, gently, and pulls Tegoshi closer.
-
"We need new copper piping in the back. Don't put it off any longer."
Shige frowns, but doesn't stop wiping off the inside of the windows. "Copper piping is expensive."
"Imagine this: we're on a job, puttering along happily, when suddenly, the engines cut-out. We're bobbing around in the sky -- completely helpless and with no propulsion. We're at the mercy of the winds and will probably starve to death before the helium seeps out enough for us to be spotted or land. Guess how we could avoid such a fate."
Shige throws the rag at Ryo. "I get it. I'll put in the budget."
"I want them now."
"I wasn't aware that this was your boat.
"I'm the one that keeps her flying."
"I built it."
"Whatever." Ryo yawns. "It's your turn to make dinner."
-
Tegoshi comes sprinting around the corner, a small satchel bag thrown over his shoulder. Koyama opens the car door, and he dives in.
"It was a little scary climbing out the window, but it was worth it," Tegoshi says once he's settled.
Koyama smoothes down his hair and smiles. "I'm glad you think so."
-
In Shige's mind, there's only one good thing about docking: normal sleeping hours.
When they're in the sky, either he or Ryo has to be awake and ensure that they're on course. It's a little awkward, being awake at all hours of the night and having to focus enough to read the instruments and watch for bad weather. But, at the docks and towers, they can both sleep normal hours and wake with the sun. Ryo leaves in the morning to price out copper piping, and Shige checks for jobs. There's a fellow asking around, directly to the captains, about taking a shipment up to Hokkaido, but he isn't willing to pay much and it's bad weather season up north. The captains all ignore him.
Neither is much of a surprise. The Roppongi Tower is the least reputable of Tokyo's many towers, but it's docking fees are low, and that's what Shige is most concerned about.
That afternoon, Ryo comes back with the prices and dimensions of pipes scribbled on a little piece of paper and two men in tow.
"We're looking for passage to Hong Kong," the older of the two says, while the younger stares in awe at the inside of the cabin.
"Passenger vessels take off from Nihonbashi and Haneda Towers. We're a shipping and supply boat," Shige answers, not looking up from his maps.
"Ah, well, about that. We were hoping to travel discreetly, so..."
Shige sets down his pen and considers the two. "If you're going to be traveling under aliases and looking for a ship at a place like Roppongi, you two are definitely running from something."
"We just need to quietly get out of the country."
Ryo steps around the room and leans down to Shige's level. "They're willing to pay a small fortune. And think of all the great commissions we could pick up in Hong Kong."
"There's a bonus if you can get us there by next Thursday, too."
"We'd have to leave by tomorrow morning to make that."
"Could this airship even make it to Hong Kong?" The younger asks, flicking a few fingers against the inside of the hull.
"Of course, she could!" Shige snaps.
"Really? Then you won't mind showing us then, right?"
Shige frowns. "Fine. We'll take the job. We leave in the morning."
"And, our accommodations?"
"She's built for shipping, and you both look like people from the high stations. Which means you'll hate the accommodations," Shige says, and the older laughs, like he's trying to be friendly. "Take Ryo's room. It's cramped, but the two of you should fit. Though, probably not comfortably."
Later, when the pair are out getting dinner, Ryo asks, "Does this mean I get to sleep in your hammock?"
"When I'm not in it, yes."
Ryo smiles. "Your hammock is really comfy."
"You only say that because it's not yours."
Still, that night, Ryo invites himself into Shige's room and his hammock. Shige grumbles, and Ryo steals more than his fair share of the pillow.
-
As they lift off from the dock in the early morning hours, the elder drags the younger out to the main cabin.
"You've never ridden in an airship, so I can't let you miss this!"
The younger grumbles something that sounds like, "But, you're afraid of heights."
Regardless though, they both stare intently out the cabin windows as the ship slowly backs off from the tower. Shige can see the elder one trembling, like he maybe is scared of heights. Ryo brings out coffee in four mismatched mugs, and the elder uses is as a good excuse to move away from the windows.
-
"... Brothers," Shige repeats, and the older nods.
"I guess you guys look sort of alike," Ryo mumbles.
Shige sighs. "You're paying me enough that I really don't care. Just stay out of the engine room and don't get in the way up here.
"Can I go walk around the outside of the ship? I can see the railing."
"No," Shige and Ryo both snap, and the younger instinctively moves closer to the older.
"You don't have to be so mean about it."
-
Ryo is sleeping when Shige goes to his room to get a scarf. One of his legs is hanging outside of the hammock, and the blankets have been nearly all kicked to the floor. Shige clicks his tongue, annoyed, and pulls Ryo's leg back up and fixes the blanket.
"Shige, let me sleep," Ryo whines.
"I'm not waking you up. And don't catch a cold. That's the last thing I need right now."
Ryo mumbles something, and Shige goes back to the helm. He doesn't realize until he's back that he totally forgot his scarf.
-
"They are so not brothers," Ryo says, late in the morning of the fifth morning. He's sipping a cup of black coffee, but Shige knows a generous tablespoon of sugar was added before Ryo came to talk with him at the helm. "There's something weird about them, but I can't place it."
"As long as we're not met in Hong Kong by the police, I don't care."
"They're just so odd in how they interact. I can't read them very well."
"Why are you so concerned about them?"
"Just curious. I like to know gossipy things."
-
"I hope we make it on time, and we can catch the zeppelin to Sydney," Tegoshi says quietly.
"It seems like we will. There hasn't been much turbulence at all, so I'm sure we're right on schedule."
"... Do you think it was a good idea to tell them we're brothers?"
"Oh, because the truth would have been better?"
Tegoshi laughs.
"They don't seem much interested in us, which suits our needs just fine."
"Yeah."
-
"Why did you join the captain?" The older asks Ryo when he comes by the room to grab a pair of heavy gloves.
"I had to get out of Osaka, and he was leaving. I hopped on and never hopped off."
"So, you haven't known each other long then?"
"No." Ryo smiles when he finally finds the pair he wants. "But, we spend a lot of time alone, so we probably know each other better than if we were land people. I come from a poor lot, so the opportunities I get with Shige... Well. They're beyond even the things I dreamed about as a child."
The older smiles. "I think finding our own happiness is the most important thing a person can do with their life."
-
"Did you inherit this ship?" The younger asks, peering out a porthole. "It seems kind of old."
"Some of the parts are older, but the ship is very new. I built her myself."
"A Piece Meal? Don't those end up being really expensive?"
"Yes, but I think it's worth it. This boat holds no secrets from me, but plenty from prying eyes and the authorities, if I happen to be transporting something less than legal."
"Where'd you get the money for all of it? Even the little Turtle- and Sparrow-types are beyond the means of most average people."
".... I had assets. A home, a wage, an inheritance. I spent most of it on this."
The younger steps closer to Shige. "For you to have had those things... you're from a high station."
"I was trained as a lawyer."
"Very prestigious," the younger says, a touch of awe in his voice.
Shige leans forward and taps one of the instruments. He swears and moves towards the bow window, pulling a spyglass from a shelf.
"What's wrong?"
"There's a storm brewing ahead of us," Shige mutters. "Could you go get Ryo for me?"
-
"That is going to be fucking giant," is the only thing Ryo says when he looks through the spyglass.
"And, it's right at our goddamned altitude."
Ryo steps away from the window. "Over or around?"
"Going around could take days, and that timeliness bonus they'll give us could go a long way on this boat."
"Over?" Ryo asks quietly, like he's afraid of the answer.
"Over."
"Why can't we just go through it?" The younger asks, and the older tries to shush him.
"It's too dangerous. There's no way of telling how unstable or violent the storm system is. But, going over it means it's going to be very cold. Ryo, make sure they have enough blankets."
Ryo shuffles off, looking upset and miserable.
"Will he be okay?"
Shige glances at Ryo as he heads down the corridor towards the supply closet. "He doesn't like the cold."
-
It is cold.
Very. Fucking. Cold.
Tegoshi's teeth chatter, and he snuggles closer to Koyama. "Being a little late to Hong Kong might have been preferable to this."
"Well, it's too late now. The captain said it would only be for 10 or 12 hours, so we've just got to be strong. We'll start descending soon, I'm sure of it."
Tegoshi rubs his hands together, and Koyama tucks the blankets in around them tighter.
-
All the layers and blankets aren't enough for Ryo. He shivers in Shige's hammock and rolls around trying to warm himself up, but it's not enough.
He bundles himself up and walks down the corridor, edges of blankets dragging on the floor. He can see his breath in the air, and he hates it.
Shige is awake at the helm, several blankets over his shoulders and a mug of tea in his hands.
"Why are you awake? Go back to the cabin," Shige says, his voice hoarse once Ryo comes into his field of vision.
Ryo just frowns and pushes at Shige's shoulder. The seat at the helm is really only made for one, but Ryo is thin, and they find a way to squeeze in together; one of Ryo's thighs on the seat and the other propped up in Shige's lap. He rearranges the blankets to his pleasing, and then burrows his face in Shige's shoulder.
"I hate going over storm systems," he mumbles.
Shige hands Ryo the mug. "If you had a little more meat on your bones it wouldn't be so bad. Now, get some sleep. You're going to be at the helm for the descent."
-
Hours later, after the travel over the storm is finished and Shige had taken back the helm, Ryo comes stumbling in from checking on the engines, looking slightly traumatized.
"So not brothers," is all he says as he digs around in a cabinet for a flask that he knows Shige hides there. "I'll have to burn that hammock and buy a new one in Hong Kong."
Shige is curious, but he thinks living without the mental image of whatever Ryo saw would be preferable.
-
"We're a day's travel out of Hong Kong," Shige says the next time he runs into the elder.
He smiles. "Right on time!"
"But, um." Shige scratches the back of his neck. "There's chatter on the radio about Hong Kong being crowded. It seems we might get rerouted to Macau."
"It's not too far, is it?"
Shige shakes his head. "No, just across the bay. There's plenty of ferries, so it shouldn't be difficult to get across to Hong Kong."
"Then, it shouldn't be any problem," the elder says, his eyes following a cloud as it floats past the ship.
-
They dock in Macau in the morning, when the fog is just starting to rise. Shige swears the whole way down, looking out for the docking and tower lights, while Ryo dashes around the cabin, checking out all the windows for clearance.
The moment the ship jolts at landing and the ropes are all tied, the younger and elder are standing by the main door with their few bags, looking ready to go.
Ryo pokes him, and Shige stands, mumbles. "I'm coming, I'm coming."
He nearly forgets to take his registration papers with him to the ledger-writer's office. Ryo has to chase him down with the little leather-bound file.
The ledger-writer is asleep at his desk, and Shige has to lean over and give him a strong shake. In half-Japanese, half-Chinese, and a few spatterings of English, they record the docking and Shige pays the landing fee, frowning and grumbling something about extortion. He gets directions to the ferry port and leaves the little office.
"It shouldn't be too far of a walk. Down the tower and directly East. The writer said there are plenty of signs, so you shouldn't get lost," Shige says to elder once they're outside.
"Ah, then it sounds like we can make it on our own." He holds out a fat envelope towards Shige, who takes it and tucks it inside his jacket. "Safe travels back."
"And to wherever you're off to."
They go their separate ways then; Shige back to his boat, and the pair towards the elevator. He stops only once to turn and look at them once last time. At the elevator, the younger is hanging all over the elder, talking closely into his ear, and the elder has a hand on the younger's lower back. Shige shakes his head and keeps walking.
Ryo isn't much better once Shige's back on the boat. He steps close and shoves his hands inside Shige's jacket, feeling around for the pocket where the captain keeps important things.
"I need my cut for a new hammock. And, I want to check out the engineering stuff in town. C'mon, Shige, hurry up. I want to beat the rush to the elevator!"
"Go make breakfast while I log this, and then you can go into town and play all day."
Ryo frowns, and looks like he might argue, but goes off towards the kitchen without a word. It works perfectly, because just as Ryo is coming back out with coffee and toast and eggs, Shige is closing his own ledgers, and there's an envelope on the table with Ryo's name written across it in Shige's scrawling print.
Ryo wolfs down his breakfast and leaves quickly, shouting over his shoulder, "I'll be back before sundown!"
-
"You get to stand by the railing this time," Koyama whispers, coming up behind Tegoshi.
"Yeah, but the airship had a better view."
"That it did." Koyama hands Tegoshi a cup of tea. "I got the travel desk to radio ahead and reserve our tickets for the zeppelin."
Tegoshi squeals and nearly spills his tea all over in an attempt to hug Koyama. "You think of everything, Kei-chan!"
-
Ryo comes back well after sundown, a little buzzed off the local rice wine.
"The Macanese engineers are so friendly! We should take more routes here!"
"And, while you were out shopping and drinking, I got a lovely little business transport back. Here to Fuzhou to Taipei to Shanghai."
"As excepted of the captain," Ryo says, smiling broadly. "... I'm still getting my new copper pipes when we get back to Japan, right?"
"We'll check out the prices in Fuzhou and Shanghai. We might be able to find something just as nice."
Ryo claps his hands together, like he can't contain the energy of his excitement. Shige thinks it should be weird -- how fired up Ryo can get about things like copper piping -- but instead, he can't help but see it as kind of endearing.
epilogue
Far above the Philippines and Indonesia, two men, one only slightly older than the other, count up all the islands they can see during the day. And, at night, they listen to soft jazz in a lounge and plan out what kind of furniture and decorations they want for their little cottage.
There's an engineer who goes the trouble of buying a new hammock and stringing it up before bed. But, he still climbs into his captain's -- like he does most nights -- complaining about the cold and asking if they can spend a day in Taipei taking in the sights.
In a wealthy neighborhood of Tokyo, in a fanciful estate, a mother sobs, growing ever more hysterical, and a father considers the awful things he might have to do to restore his family's honor, if it's even possible to do so at this point.
PAIRING: KoyaTego, vague RyoShige
RATING: G
WORD COUNT: 3,686
SUMMARY: Koyama and Tegoshi have to get out of town. And, for the right price, Shige will take them.
NOTES: AU. This is my attempt at something steampunk-like. Emphasis on the like. This is less a serious try at it, and more me figuring out how to put it into a world and characterizations.
Down at street level, there's a ruckus going on. A few pilots and captains and ledger-writers peer casually over the side of the tower and their ships, but there's no point. The top of the Osaka Tower where ships dock is too high to see the street with any clarity. The sound itself barely makes it to the top.
The elevator doors grate together, and a moment later there's a loud chime. A short man, looking breathless and flushed, darts out and to the ledger-writer at a nearby desk.
"Which ship is leaving next?" He asks frantically.
The elevator doors close, and it starts going down the shaft to the bottom of the tower.
"These are more transport ships than passenger ships, boy."
"Please."
The ledger-writer sighs and flips a few pages. "The Nana is set to leave by half past. You might still be able to catch the captain before he sets off. Dock 13."
The man runs, eyeing the elevator doors worriedly. As it is, he barely catches the captain.
"Take me with you," the man pleads, and the captain looks confused.
"Why?"
"The mayor. He's none too happy with me, and I've got to get out of Osaka. Please, captain. I'll do whatever you want."
The captain pauses and looks the man up and down. He throws a bundle of ropes inside the cabin of the ship. "You're a bit of a petite guy, aren't you?"
Anger flashes through the man's eyes, but he holds his tongue.
"By the looks of it, you could help me with some maintenance that I haven't been able to reach."
"Whatever you want."
"If you're alright with Tokyo, cast off that line and jump on. I've got money to make."
The man slips off the last mooring rope and pulls himself up onto the ship. Slowly, the vessel lifts into the air, further and further away from the docks at the top of the tower. The elevator chimes again, and a large crowd of men spring out, looking ready for a fight. The man turns away and steps into the cabin. He moves until he's just a few feet behind the captain, who's at the helm.
"That's some fan club you've got there."
"Thank you."
They both know it's not for the sarcastic compliment.
"Once we'll out of such a high traffic area, I'll get you started on the work I need done."
The man had meant to stay on the boat only long enough to get to Tokyo. But, he doesn't know anyone in the city, and it's easier to stay with the captain and start a new life amongst the clouds. The captain offers him a job as the ship's mechanic ("It's a tight fit back with the steam engines, and my shoulders are too broad for me to fit a lot of places."), which he accepts. They clean out a small storage cabin in the back, near the engines where it's warm, for him to use a room. There's only space for a little table, bureau and a hammock strung between the walls. But, that's fine. It just means he's got more reason to sit out with the captain and watch the ship cut the clouds into new fluffy shapes.
-
"Thank you for coming on such short notice, Koyama."
"It's not a problem at all, ma'am."
An older man stands further inside the house, looking upset.
"I go through all this trouble for the boy, and this is how he repays me! Embarrassing me in front of the girl's father and locking himself in his room like a child."
"I'll see if I can't talk the young master into coming out," Koyama says, handing his coat to a maid.
"He adores you so, and you're our last hope."
Koyama smiles, his heart aching, "I'll do my best."
"They want me to marry some stupid girl," Tegoshi cries the moment after he pulls Koyama into his room. "I don't want to!"
He goes back to his bed and curls up, sniffling.
"I know, I know," Koyama murmurs, sitting next to him and rubbing circles across his back. "We both knew this day was coming. You're 19, and it's not so odd for your parents to start trying to arrange something for you."
"I wish I came from a lower station."
Koyama laughs. "It's not so great. Yes, we don't have our parents forcing things upon us, but we have to struggle everyday just to survive. You're very lucky, Tegoshi."
Slowly, Tegoshi sits up and looks Koyama right in the eyes. "I want to run away with you."
"I figured you'd say something like that."
"As long as I'm with you, I'm happy."
Koyama smiles, gently, and pulls Tegoshi closer.
-
"We need new copper piping in the back. Don't put it off any longer."
Shige frowns, but doesn't stop wiping off the inside of the windows. "Copper piping is expensive."
"Imagine this: we're on a job, puttering along happily, when suddenly, the engines cut-out. We're bobbing around in the sky -- completely helpless and with no propulsion. We're at the mercy of the winds and will probably starve to death before the helium seeps out enough for us to be spotted or land. Guess how we could avoid such a fate."
Shige throws the rag at Ryo. "I get it. I'll put in the budget."
"I want them now."
"I wasn't aware that this was your boat.
"I'm the one that keeps her flying."
"I built it."
"Whatever." Ryo yawns. "It's your turn to make dinner."
-
Tegoshi comes sprinting around the corner, a small satchel bag thrown over his shoulder. Koyama opens the car door, and he dives in.
"It was a little scary climbing out the window, but it was worth it," Tegoshi says once he's settled.
Koyama smoothes down his hair and smiles. "I'm glad you think so."
-
In Shige's mind, there's only one good thing about docking: normal sleeping hours.
When they're in the sky, either he or Ryo has to be awake and ensure that they're on course. It's a little awkward, being awake at all hours of the night and having to focus enough to read the instruments and watch for bad weather. But, at the docks and towers, they can both sleep normal hours and wake with the sun. Ryo leaves in the morning to price out copper piping, and Shige checks for jobs. There's a fellow asking around, directly to the captains, about taking a shipment up to Hokkaido, but he isn't willing to pay much and it's bad weather season up north. The captains all ignore him.
Neither is much of a surprise. The Roppongi Tower is the least reputable of Tokyo's many towers, but it's docking fees are low, and that's what Shige is most concerned about.
That afternoon, Ryo comes back with the prices and dimensions of pipes scribbled on a little piece of paper and two men in tow.
"We're looking for passage to Hong Kong," the older of the two says, while the younger stares in awe at the inside of the cabin.
"Passenger vessels take off from Nihonbashi and Haneda Towers. We're a shipping and supply boat," Shige answers, not looking up from his maps.
"Ah, well, about that. We were hoping to travel discreetly, so..."
Shige sets down his pen and considers the two. "If you're going to be traveling under aliases and looking for a ship at a place like Roppongi, you two are definitely running from something."
"We just need to quietly get out of the country."
Ryo steps around the room and leans down to Shige's level. "They're willing to pay a small fortune. And think of all the great commissions we could pick up in Hong Kong."
"There's a bonus if you can get us there by next Thursday, too."
"We'd have to leave by tomorrow morning to make that."
"Could this airship even make it to Hong Kong?" The younger asks, flicking a few fingers against the inside of the hull.
"Of course, she could!" Shige snaps.
"Really? Then you won't mind showing us then, right?"
Shige frowns. "Fine. We'll take the job. We leave in the morning."
"And, our accommodations?"
"She's built for shipping, and you both look like people from the high stations. Which means you'll hate the accommodations," Shige says, and the older laughs, like he's trying to be friendly. "Take Ryo's room. It's cramped, but the two of you should fit. Though, probably not comfortably."
Later, when the pair are out getting dinner, Ryo asks, "Does this mean I get to sleep in your hammock?"
"When I'm not in it, yes."
Ryo smiles. "Your hammock is really comfy."
"You only say that because it's not yours."
Still, that night, Ryo invites himself into Shige's room and his hammock. Shige grumbles, and Ryo steals more than his fair share of the pillow.
-
As they lift off from the dock in the early morning hours, the elder drags the younger out to the main cabin.
"You've never ridden in an airship, so I can't let you miss this!"
The younger grumbles something that sounds like, "But, you're afraid of heights."
Regardless though, they both stare intently out the cabin windows as the ship slowly backs off from the tower. Shige can see the elder one trembling, like he maybe is scared of heights. Ryo brings out coffee in four mismatched mugs, and the elder uses is as a good excuse to move away from the windows.
-
"... Brothers," Shige repeats, and the older nods.
"I guess you guys look sort of alike," Ryo mumbles.
Shige sighs. "You're paying me enough that I really don't care. Just stay out of the engine room and don't get in the way up here.
"Can I go walk around the outside of the ship? I can see the railing."
"No," Shige and Ryo both snap, and the younger instinctively moves closer to the older.
"You don't have to be so mean about it."
-
Ryo is sleeping when Shige goes to his room to get a scarf. One of his legs is hanging outside of the hammock, and the blankets have been nearly all kicked to the floor. Shige clicks his tongue, annoyed, and pulls Ryo's leg back up and fixes the blanket.
"Shige, let me sleep," Ryo whines.
"I'm not waking you up. And don't catch a cold. That's the last thing I need right now."
Ryo mumbles something, and Shige goes back to the helm. He doesn't realize until he's back that he totally forgot his scarf.
-
"They are so not brothers," Ryo says, late in the morning of the fifth morning. He's sipping a cup of black coffee, but Shige knows a generous tablespoon of sugar was added before Ryo came to talk with him at the helm. "There's something weird about them, but I can't place it."
"As long as we're not met in Hong Kong by the police, I don't care."
"They're just so odd in how they interact. I can't read them very well."
"Why are you so concerned about them?"
"Just curious. I like to know gossipy things."
-
"I hope we make it on time, and we can catch the zeppelin to Sydney," Tegoshi says quietly.
"It seems like we will. There hasn't been much turbulence at all, so I'm sure we're right on schedule."
"... Do you think it was a good idea to tell them we're brothers?"
"Oh, because the truth would have been better?"
Tegoshi laughs.
"They don't seem much interested in us, which suits our needs just fine."
"Yeah."
-
"Why did you join the captain?" The older asks Ryo when he comes by the room to grab a pair of heavy gloves.
"I had to get out of Osaka, and he was leaving. I hopped on and never hopped off."
"So, you haven't known each other long then?"
"No." Ryo smiles when he finally finds the pair he wants. "But, we spend a lot of time alone, so we probably know each other better than if we were land people. I come from a poor lot, so the opportunities I get with Shige... Well. They're beyond even the things I dreamed about as a child."
The older smiles. "I think finding our own happiness is the most important thing a person can do with their life."
-
"Did you inherit this ship?" The younger asks, peering out a porthole. "It seems kind of old."
"Some of the parts are older, but the ship is very new. I built her myself."
"A Piece Meal? Don't those end up being really expensive?"
"Yes, but I think it's worth it. This boat holds no secrets from me, but plenty from prying eyes and the authorities, if I happen to be transporting something less than legal."
"Where'd you get the money for all of it? Even the little Turtle- and Sparrow-types are beyond the means of most average people."
".... I had assets. A home, a wage, an inheritance. I spent most of it on this."
The younger steps closer to Shige. "For you to have had those things... you're from a high station."
"I was trained as a lawyer."
"Very prestigious," the younger says, a touch of awe in his voice.
Shige leans forward and taps one of the instruments. He swears and moves towards the bow window, pulling a spyglass from a shelf.
"What's wrong?"
"There's a storm brewing ahead of us," Shige mutters. "Could you go get Ryo for me?"
-
"That is going to be fucking giant," is the only thing Ryo says when he looks through the spyglass.
"And, it's right at our goddamned altitude."
Ryo steps away from the window. "Over or around?"
"Going around could take days, and that timeliness bonus they'll give us could go a long way on this boat."
"Over?" Ryo asks quietly, like he's afraid of the answer.
"Over."
"Why can't we just go through it?" The younger asks, and the older tries to shush him.
"It's too dangerous. There's no way of telling how unstable or violent the storm system is. But, going over it means it's going to be very cold. Ryo, make sure they have enough blankets."
Ryo shuffles off, looking upset and miserable.
"Will he be okay?"
Shige glances at Ryo as he heads down the corridor towards the supply closet. "He doesn't like the cold."
-
It is cold.
Very. Fucking. Cold.
Tegoshi's teeth chatter, and he snuggles closer to Koyama. "Being a little late to Hong Kong might have been preferable to this."
"Well, it's too late now. The captain said it would only be for 10 or 12 hours, so we've just got to be strong. We'll start descending soon, I'm sure of it."
Tegoshi rubs his hands together, and Koyama tucks the blankets in around them tighter.
-
All the layers and blankets aren't enough for Ryo. He shivers in Shige's hammock and rolls around trying to warm himself up, but it's not enough.
He bundles himself up and walks down the corridor, edges of blankets dragging on the floor. He can see his breath in the air, and he hates it.
Shige is awake at the helm, several blankets over his shoulders and a mug of tea in his hands.
"Why are you awake? Go back to the cabin," Shige says, his voice hoarse once Ryo comes into his field of vision.
Ryo just frowns and pushes at Shige's shoulder. The seat at the helm is really only made for one, but Ryo is thin, and they find a way to squeeze in together; one of Ryo's thighs on the seat and the other propped up in Shige's lap. He rearranges the blankets to his pleasing, and then burrows his face in Shige's shoulder.
"I hate going over storm systems," he mumbles.
Shige hands Ryo the mug. "If you had a little more meat on your bones it wouldn't be so bad. Now, get some sleep. You're going to be at the helm for the descent."
-
Hours later, after the travel over the storm is finished and Shige had taken back the helm, Ryo comes stumbling in from checking on the engines, looking slightly traumatized.
"So not brothers," is all he says as he digs around in a cabinet for a flask that he knows Shige hides there. "I'll have to burn that hammock and buy a new one in Hong Kong."
Shige is curious, but he thinks living without the mental image of whatever Ryo saw would be preferable.
-
"We're a day's travel out of Hong Kong," Shige says the next time he runs into the elder.
He smiles. "Right on time!"
"But, um." Shige scratches the back of his neck. "There's chatter on the radio about Hong Kong being crowded. It seems we might get rerouted to Macau."
"It's not too far, is it?"
Shige shakes his head. "No, just across the bay. There's plenty of ferries, so it shouldn't be difficult to get across to Hong Kong."
"Then, it shouldn't be any problem," the elder says, his eyes following a cloud as it floats past the ship.
-
They dock in Macau in the morning, when the fog is just starting to rise. Shige swears the whole way down, looking out for the docking and tower lights, while Ryo dashes around the cabin, checking out all the windows for clearance.
The moment the ship jolts at landing and the ropes are all tied, the younger and elder are standing by the main door with their few bags, looking ready to go.
Ryo pokes him, and Shige stands, mumbles. "I'm coming, I'm coming."
He nearly forgets to take his registration papers with him to the ledger-writer's office. Ryo has to chase him down with the little leather-bound file.
The ledger-writer is asleep at his desk, and Shige has to lean over and give him a strong shake. In half-Japanese, half-Chinese, and a few spatterings of English, they record the docking and Shige pays the landing fee, frowning and grumbling something about extortion. He gets directions to the ferry port and leaves the little office.
"It shouldn't be too far of a walk. Down the tower and directly East. The writer said there are plenty of signs, so you shouldn't get lost," Shige says to elder once they're outside.
"Ah, then it sounds like we can make it on our own." He holds out a fat envelope towards Shige, who takes it and tucks it inside his jacket. "Safe travels back."
"And to wherever you're off to."
They go their separate ways then; Shige back to his boat, and the pair towards the elevator. He stops only once to turn and look at them once last time. At the elevator, the younger is hanging all over the elder, talking closely into his ear, and the elder has a hand on the younger's lower back. Shige shakes his head and keeps walking.
Ryo isn't much better once Shige's back on the boat. He steps close and shoves his hands inside Shige's jacket, feeling around for the pocket where the captain keeps important things.
"I need my cut for a new hammock. And, I want to check out the engineering stuff in town. C'mon, Shige, hurry up. I want to beat the rush to the elevator!"
"Go make breakfast while I log this, and then you can go into town and play all day."
Ryo frowns, and looks like he might argue, but goes off towards the kitchen without a word. It works perfectly, because just as Ryo is coming back out with coffee and toast and eggs, Shige is closing his own ledgers, and there's an envelope on the table with Ryo's name written across it in Shige's scrawling print.
Ryo wolfs down his breakfast and leaves quickly, shouting over his shoulder, "I'll be back before sundown!"
-
"You get to stand by the railing this time," Koyama whispers, coming up behind Tegoshi.
"Yeah, but the airship had a better view."
"That it did." Koyama hands Tegoshi a cup of tea. "I got the travel desk to radio ahead and reserve our tickets for the zeppelin."
Tegoshi squeals and nearly spills his tea all over in an attempt to hug Koyama. "You think of everything, Kei-chan!"
-
Ryo comes back well after sundown, a little buzzed off the local rice wine.
"The Macanese engineers are so friendly! We should take more routes here!"
"And, while you were out shopping and drinking, I got a lovely little business transport back. Here to Fuzhou to Taipei to Shanghai."
"As excepted of the captain," Ryo says, smiling broadly. "... I'm still getting my new copper pipes when we get back to Japan, right?"
"We'll check out the prices in Fuzhou and Shanghai. We might be able to find something just as nice."
Ryo claps his hands together, like he can't contain the energy of his excitement. Shige thinks it should be weird -- how fired up Ryo can get about things like copper piping -- but instead, he can't help but see it as kind of endearing.
epilogue
Far above the Philippines and Indonesia, two men, one only slightly older than the other, count up all the islands they can see during the day. And, at night, they listen to soft jazz in a lounge and plan out what kind of furniture and decorations they want for their little cottage.
There's an engineer who goes the trouble of buying a new hammock and stringing it up before bed. But, he still climbs into his captain's -- like he does most nights -- complaining about the cold and asking if they can spend a day in Taipei taking in the sights.
In a wealthy neighborhood of Tokyo, in a fanciful estate, a mother sobs, growing ever more hysterical, and a father considers the awful things he might have to do to restore his family's honor, if it's even possible to do so at this point.