Morning slipped in the small room, bringing Siyeon to consciousness slowly. The headache greets her as she becomes more aware of her surroundings. A bottle of rum knocked over on the bedside table, what was left of its contents seeping into the wood, clothes strewn around the room, a small black haired woman laying partially exposed almost on top of her in the small bed.

Gahyeon right? That was her name. The girl from the bar. The pretty one with shimmering eyes and a bit of mischief in her smile. Gahyeon. Definitely Gahyeon.

Siyeon massaged her temples, trying to coax the throbbing in her head to go away. A bit too much rum she supposed, which happened very rarely, but still did from time to time. Yubin and Minji would kill her for falling asleep here. Concerned looks and gentle nagging would definitely be in her future. You shouldn’t trust strangers, even pretty ones. Don’t get them attached, it only hurts them more. She could already imagine it. The worst part was that they would be right.

She slid herself off the bed, trying to avoid waking the younger woman. She was late, and slipping out would be the quickest and easiest way to end her series of missteps. She gathered her clothes as quietly as she could, careful of the creaking floorboards. She is almost out when she hears a voice behind her. A deep and raspy voice that makes her stomach flip.

“Are you leaving?” Gahyeon said, her head peeking out from the pillow she was using to prop herself up.

“I have to go, I’m late already.” Siyeon said quietly, trying to seem affable, and not like she was just trying to ditch her.

“You need food.” Gahyeon threw off the thread bare sheet, her bare body lunging towards the pile of clothes at the foot of her bed. Siyeon wondered for a second how hers were so neatly folded, but then vaguely remembered the night before when Gahyeon had meticulously taken off each garment folding each one, driving Siyeon absolutely insane in the meantime. It was half of the reason she had finished so much of the rum, the teasing had made her feel small. That was certainly a first for her.

“I’ll eat on the ship.” Siyeon said, taking another step to the door, mere feet from freedom. Gahyeon continued to dress herself, certainly not one to take no for an answer. Siyeon began to panic, she needed air, her stomach was churning and her head was still throbbing. She needed Yubin to make her that special tea she made whenever any of the crew were sick. She needed out.

“Look I had a great time, maybe I’ll see you again before we leave.” Siyeon’s hand was on the door knob, all she needed to do was push.

“Take me with you…” Gahyeon stops and stares at her, her eyes filled with so much longing that she felt like she stopped breathing. She reminded her of someone. A girl who begged her to take her with her, to get her out of that stupid orphanage and away from the brutality of being discarded children. She reminded her of Minji.

.

“Oh um.. To the ship?” She said, stalling for time.

“Yeah... It’s okay if you don’t want to… I know how you pirates work… Use girls then leave.” Gahyeon deflated before her eyes, half dressed and completely devastated.

.

Something about her kept Siyeon from her normal lies about coming back next time. There was something that felt almost perilous about her, an aura of danger, but also something that intrigued her. Something very familiar,but also completely foreign. Perhaps she would come back, perhaps she would keep her word for once.

Minji was going to kill her.

“Oh babe. Of course not.” Siyeon took her hand off the door knob and crossed back to her side, taking her soft cheek in one of her hands. “Look, you are very beautiful and I would love for you to come. You can see the ship.”

“Ok I’ll be quick, just let me get dressed.”

Siyeon nodded, sighing to herself, knowing her crewmates wouldn’t approve. But at least then it was them breaking the girls heart, not her.

--

Siyeon ferried the smaller woman to the ship with very little effort. It was like second nature to her now, the water was her home. Once on board she dodged questions from crew mates, not feeling completely comfortable with bringing a stranger on board. She walked the short distance to her sister’s quarters, pulling Gahyeon along behind her. Siyeon opened the door, the only other person on the ship that had a key other than it’s occupants.

Siyeon’s eyes went straight to the empty bed, realizing at the last second that this was the wrong decision. She should have known those two would be up to no good while she was out, and though she knew about the arrangement, she would rather not see her younger sister like that.She pushed Gahyeon back a bit with her arm, hoping she didn’t see anything. She really didn’t feel like being mutinied by her younger sister today.

She wasn’t surprised to find Minji in her sister’s bed. But she was surprised that they are both fully clothed and the fact that Minji was the little spoon. Minji never let Siyeon be the big spoon. The nerve of this woman. Both girls were soundly asleep before they were awoken by her rather loud entrance.

“Good morning sister and sister from another mister…” Siyeon said, plastering on a fake smile, entering the room Gahyeon walking in quietly behind her.

“That’s not what you were calling me last weee…” Minji started trying to extricate herself from the sleepy Yubin attached to her back. She stopped suddenly when she saw the smaller woman behind Siyeon. The sentence died in . Yubin stirred beside her, her eyes fluttering open staring directly at the intruders.

“You brought her here?” Yubin said, her voice groggy and raspy from sleep. She fixed her sharp gaze on the pretty barmaid. Nothing against her, but she really hated being off kilter around strangers. She sat up in her bed, wiping the sleep from her eyes, the book she had been reading to Minji falling to the ground, she immediately grabbed for it, dusted it off and hugged it to her chest before she realized what she was doing. Minji smiled at her, making her blush. Siyeon rolled her eyes.

“See I told you, she’s whipped for that friend of yours,” siyeon added. Yubin sent her a fatal looking glare as she tried to hide the blush growing on her cheeks.

“You know Yoohyeon.” Yubin asked, not liking the prospect.

“Yeah, she’s my best friend.” Gahyeon looked at her skeptically, probably not looking fondly on the fact that a beautiful woman was in her bed. Yubin’s breath caught in , she looked at Minji, alarm registering on her face. She had just met Yoohyeon, she didn’t want any gossip to get back to her already. Sure, she was not known to stay loyal, but she had never really tried before to be honest.

“Yubin read me a book…. What was it? Don…. Don… It had knights.” Minji offered, her sunshine voice cutting through Yubin’s growing panic. She sent her a grateful smile.

“You guys haven’t done that in a while, Good clean fun, just how we do here on my ship…” Siyeon added.

“Right… Well… I should be going.” Minji said getting up from the bed slowly, trying her best to untangle herself from the blanket wrapped around both of them.

 “I’ll show you to my quarters, I’ll show you around while my sisters get dressed.” Siyeon said, ushering the shorter girl out of the room, noting her younger sister staring daggers as she left. 

Once in her quarters Siyeon felt claustrophobic. She stood awkwardly as Gahyeon walked around the room, taking in the furnishings.

“Why did you become a pirate?” Gahyeon asked, looking at a portrait that Siyeon had commissioned of her little family. Yubin Minji, and Siyeon glared out of the frame, fierce looks on all three faces. Despite was it looked like, it had been a fun day, all of them laughing and joking the whole time.

“Wow. Right to the point.” Siyeon responded, still feeling uneasy.

“I like hearing people’s stories.” Gahyeon offered, her attention now on the globe on a bookshelf, her hand spinning it lazily.

“That must serve you well in your job.” 

“It does.” Gahyeon stops her perusing, locking eyes with her. The sudden feeling of ease comes over Siyeon. She feels the sudden urge to divulge her life story, which isn't like her. The only person who knows everything about her is Yubin, and She is even more tight lipped about their past than Siyeon.

“My sister and I were abandoned. We grew up in an orphanage. It was… well you’ve probably heard stories.” It wasn’t something she thought about much anymore. But the effects could still be seen in her relationships and actions. 

“I’m so sorry. You two must be incredibly close then.” Gahyeon does seem truly sorry. There's a flash of pain in her expression, perhaps a shared sense of abandonment.

“Yes. She’s everything to me” Siyeon said simply. Her eyes glued to the portrait on her wall, her sister's eyes staring back at her. “We met Minji there, at the orphanage. Her parents just left her there. She was 12.”

“That's awful.”  Gahyeon stops her surveying for a second, looking at Siyeon with such sincerity that she feels the urge to look away. It feels like too much. She doesn't deserve it. She doesn’t want it. Gahyeon continues, perhaps sensing her unease. “But how does a trio of orphans end up in the command of a great pirate ship?”

“I grew up around the water, down near Charleston. Yubin too. When I was around 17 I got an opportunity to join a crew, I didn’t know it was a pirate ship, but at that point I would have taken anything.” Siyeon kept her eyes on the other woman as she walked around the room, picking up trinkets and books and putting them back down, making her feel exposed.

“Yubin and Minji came along?” Gahyeon’s voice was deep as she asked, and Siyeon didn’t want to acknowledge the shiver that ran down her spine as she spoke.

“They took on Minji as a cook, and Yubin was supposed to stay, she was only 15 and we were going to work until we had enough money to rent a place for her. But stowed away instead.” Siyeon continued, she walked over to her large wooden table, deciding that just hovering in the doorway was not portraying a strong presence. 

“That’s either brilliant or complete lunacy,” Gahyeon sounded impressed. 

“Aggressive stubbornness, runs in the family I suppose.” Siyeon offered, a little smile playing at the corners of her lips. She remembered the look on her first captain’s face when he found the scrawny fifteen year old Yubin hiding in an empty barrel. He luckily immediately liked her and let her stay as long as she was useful. Which Yubin excelled at.  

“We never looked back. We’ve been on the water ever since.”

“That sounds so dangerous.” Gahyeon added her voice almost seductive, her eyes back to roaming her quarters. She felt like she was laid bare in front of her. Her stare was almost like Yubin’s, intense, observant, like she was seeing what lay beneath. It made her slightly uncomfortable.

“It was. But we had each other.” She paused momentarily, trying to think of the right words before continuing. “I don’t normally tell people all of this.”

“Your secrets are safe with me.” Gahyeon said, a coy smile playing at her lips. Gahyeon didn't seem untrustworthy, but she did seem cunning. That feeling of danger returned, and she couldn’t tell if it was just paranoia or something else.

“It’s nice here.” Gahyeon said, her eyes catching on Siyeon’s for a split second before moving towards a large closet. She picked up a heavy jacket hung on the knob, feeling the heavy velvet and gold buttons in her fingers before slipping her arms into the armholes. She looked back over at Siyeon, her eyes filled with mischief. Siyeon tried to remember how to breath.

“You look beautiful like that. Like it was made for you.” Siyeon said, her eyes trailing down the intricate fabric, catching momentarily at her bodice. Someone so beautiful truly deserved to be dressed in the finest fabrics, not the faded blue dress she was currently wearing.

“I think it looks better on you.” Gahyeon said with a smile and a wink. Siyeon felt weak at the gesture.

Gahyeon wandered to the large window, her fingers trailing on the wooden panels on the wall. Every step closer felt like a seduction. Siyeon had never felt so out of control, like she was the prey and not the predator. Gahyeon reached her, her hands going to her chest, her body pressed tight against her. Siyeon had no choice but kiss her, at least that is what she would tell Minji and Yubin later on. As soon as their lips met the smaller woman pushed her tightly against the wall, hungrily exploring her body as she kissed. Siyeon moaned into the kiss, her hands finding the jacket, her jacket, and ripping it off of her. 

“Will you take me with you?” Gahyeon said, tearing away from her lips for a second, her breath ragged. It was important to her that she wasn’t just like the others, that she was special. She certainly wasn’t ordinary but Siyeon couldn’t promise anything.

“Yes” she lied, knowing she didn’t have to make the final say. It would be up to Yubin to tell her no. Cowardly, yes. But a beautiful woman was her biggest vice.

“What if you can’t? What if the others say no.” Gahyeon seemed to read her mind

“I’ll come back for you.” The lies kept coming, her brain once again unable to say no. Her lips were on hers again, before she moved down to her neck, nibbling there making Siyeon moan with reckless abandon. She felt her pulling on her leather belt, feeling powerless to stop the wave of lust crashing down on her. The door to her quarters opened abruptly, stopping them in their tracks.

“Oh… sorry. I’ll come back.” Minji said from the doorway, her voice more high pitched than usual.

“No, Minji we have to plan. We’re behind schedule.” Yubin said behind her, a scowl on her face. She pushed the reluctant Minji into the room, rolling her eyes seeing Siyeon backed into the wall, the smaller woman’s hands at her unbuckled belt.

“Right. We have to plan” Siyeon said, trying to gather herself, putting on a smile before gesturing towards the door, “Gahyeon, give us a moment please, Yubin maybe you could show her the deck”

“Fine.” Yubin gave her a look that she would pay for this later, but Siyeon knew she could make it up to her. She just needed to be free of the weird hold Gahyeon had over her.

 --

On the deck, Yubin unenthusiastically showed the smaller woman around. She doesn’t like babysitting, especially someone who she didn’t particularly like. She was about to show her back to the canons (maybe even put her in one) when she felt a pain in her head, like something was trying to bore into her skull. This ing island was the worst. First the weird humming, then the strange tingling sensation with Yoohyeon, now this. She turned to see Gahyeon staring at her, her eyes intense but puzzled.

“Are you okay?” She asked, her sympathetic smile not quite reaching her eyes.

“Fine. Just a migraine.” Yubin said pinching the bridge of her nose, her eyesight going blurry for a second. Gahyeon’s expression settles into something less intimidating and Yubin feels the headache subside to more of a dull ache. She has something to say, and looks a bit nervous to say it.

“Yoohyeon is a nice girl, if you aren’t nice, you should stay away.” Gahyeon’s eyes are hard, her expression stony. She is a bold little woman, taking on a seasoned pirate like it was nothing.

“I-I can be nice…” Yubin felt a bit out of sorts, she wasn’t used to small women challenging her, or how much it bothered her in this context. She wasn’t really nice; she wasn’t sure if she ever had been or if the world she grew up in crushed that part of her. She wasn’t sure if she deserved someone like Yoohyeon. Gahyeon watched her with something akin to sympathy in her eyes. It infuriated Yubin.

“She can’t leave this place unless you mean it.” Gahyeon said cryptically.

“Wait what…?” Yubin stops for a second, trying to replay what the other woman said in her mind. It still didn’t make sense.

“Nothing… Just don’t play with her. She’s sweet and she’ll trust you. Don’t take advantage of that.” Gahyeon went to keep walking, trying to move on to the port side, but Yubin grabbed her wrist, turning her back towards her.

“We just met and you’re her best friend, so I get you are protective, but I don’t like these assumptions you have about me. Just because I’m a pirate, doesn’t mean I don’t care about others.” Yubin took a step forward, trying her best to not lose her temper, she didn’t like being questioned, especially by such a foolish girl.

“She’s special is all I’m trying to say.” Gahyeon wrenched her hand away, and Yubin could almost the heat from the rage in her eyes.

“She is…” Yubin felt the anger wane for a moment, her expression softening. She didn’t understand why a fleeting thought of the silver haired woman could turn her into mush.

“Alright. But I will hurt you if you break her heart.” Gahyeon’s tone is calm, but the threat is clear. Yubin almost laughs at her. A little bar maid taking on a seasoned pirate. 

“Threaten me one more time and I will throw you off this ship myself little girl.” Yubin bristled at the smaller woman. She could handle an overprotective friend, but a threat was a threat. Something about the nosy woman was off, and she would be glad when Siyeon moved on to the next one.

“Binnie, Hey, Siyeon was looking for you, she wants to go over your notes and she needs some of your tea for her hangover.” Minji said, appearing next to Yubin suddenly putting a calming hand on her shoulder.

“Sure. Fine.” Yubin grumbled, anger receding as she decided to head to the captain’s quarters, Minji could handle the little pirate chaser.

“Gahyeon, right?” Minji’s voice was sweet and flowery. Like a field of daisies. Very different from her crew mates deep and raspy voices.

“Yes, Where’s Siyeon?” Gahyeon asked, looking over her shoulder at the doors to the captain's quarters. She watched as Yubin opened the doors and pulled it tightly closed behind her.

“In her quarters, we have some work to do… She wanted me to make sure that you made it off the ship safely.” Minji lied. Siyeon had not said so in such terms, she had mostly just ordered her to get rid of her, but that sweet girl didn’t need to know that.

“Is that because of what I said to Yubin? I didn’t mean to get her so mad… I just worry about my friend; she is really naïve.” Gahyeon seemed panicked, and it was clear she was falling for Siyeon already. Not advisable.

“No honey, Yubin can get a bit touchy, but she’s really the best of us, thoughtful, responsible, passionate. Your friend is in good hands with her.” Minji cautiously reached for her hand to comfort her. Gahyeon took it, looking less worried.

“Can I say goodbye to Siyeon? I really want her to know how much last night meant to me.”

“She knows sweetie, she sends her regrets, but we really have to begin preparing for our next mission. I will you to the boats and my most trusted crewmate will you back to town.”

“Okay… Will I see her again?”

“I don’t know, now I really do have to join my crew.” Minji felt for her. Falling for an idea of a person was easy to do, especially when young. But Siyeon was not her savior. She was many wonderful things, but in her core she was emotionally unavailable and a liar.

She watched as Gahyeon was escorted down to the boats, her eyes never leaving the girl until she was safely off the ship. She her heel, hoping for Gahyeon’s sake that she could move on quickly and find someone willing to accept her affections. No pirates preferably.