Prompt : Krystal is the captain pirate of an air ship and her crew catches a wandering prince when they stopped at one of the docks.

 

🌺

 

 

The gum had reached it's tasteless point, just there more for the distraction rather than   to actually taste. Soojung spat it out, watching it fall all the way down, through clouds and blank blues. A light flutter started in her heart as she stared at their surrounding; high clouds and a milky blue- the sky was forgiving today.

And that was exactly Soojung's favourite type of sky. Simple two-toned colours and one element being at peace with the other.

"We're landing at 6 p.m. Captain." A voice interrupted her thoughts, and Soojung turned to see Amber, plainly clad in a worn shirt and brown pants. Her boots were old, and her hat was nowhere to be seen. Soojung liked to avoid landing at all costs. She liked to escape being seen, and evade seeing. "Sunyoung said she would never allow you to escape going to town this time."

"Ugh," the captain groaned, pulling the hat away from her head and leaning away from the edge of the ship. "What does she know?"

Amber didn't say anything, but the raise of her brow was enough. It wasn't just Sunyoung who knew- in fact, everyone does. The creak in every step Soojung took was indication enough. Her prosthetic leg was failing her, probably one of the cogs in that mess of bronze and copper being rusted. It's been too long anyway.

Amber bowed, and Soojung caught a flash of the spine-like metal that she knows cling onto the other's back, all the way to ther nape. She smiled, softly. "Get ready for an early dinner Amber."

The girl nodded, skipping away down to the kitchen. Soojung made her way back to her cabin, the noises and whines her leg makes annoying even her ownself. 

On their ship, almost everyone had been hurt in some way. Those who had come flawless would one day lose something as well. 

Amber had been one of them. A new recruit with the brightest smile and sunshine-filled eyes. They had crashed into another ship once, and that was the loss of one essence in Amber's heart. 

It still haunts Soojung; how the light just dimmed and suddenly Amber was a smaller, duller version of herself. The metal spine had been a lucky find by one of the men, Chanyeol. She had sighed in relief then, because she thought it would make Amber better.

It did, in some way, but Soojung didn't think Amber could ever forget the pain.

"Captain?" Soojung looked up and found Joy there, both hands in gloves. She only glanced at them briefly before nodding for the other to continue. She did, her eyes sweeping over the mess on Soojung's table. "Do you want to eat dinner here or..?"

"Here," Soojung said, but she changed her mind immediately. "No, it's okay, I take that back. I'm eating in the room today."

"Okay then," the pirate replied, before she lifted her head, eyes meeting Soojung's. "Please clean your ing mess up."

Soojung rolled her eyes. "Leave, Joy."

"I'm serious though."

"I am too."  

 

🌺

 

Dinner was chaotic. Soojung couldn't, for the life of her, figure out why she thought it would be quiet. Chanyeol and Baekhyun were bickering with Joy about how much a pair of shoes would cost if they requested sequins to be sewn all over, Amber and Sunyoung were in a heated battle about music and Seulgi was simply listening to the din, sometimes peeping her own opinion.

When Soojung came, they regarded her shortly, patting her back and grinning at her before continuing their conversations. She sat beside Sunyoung, a spoon in her hand and pouting when she realised it was just some type of gruel served today. Sunyoung probably caught her displeased expression, and she chuckled. "Our food stock is running low. Going to town will restock it, so be thankful we're going today okay?"

Soojung smiled sarcastically at her, and not for the first time, fake eyes looked back at her. One eye was dark brown, and the other was a stark icy blue. On top of that, a single side of glasses was to be perched on Sunyoung's nose at all time. "Okay mom."

"I'm not the mom of the crew," Sunyoung protested, "Can people stop saying so?"

"We're only speaking of the truth Sunyoung."

"Fine." She replied back, lamely, Soojung might add. "You have to follow me into town by the way."

"I know." Soojung huffed, scooping some bread into her gruel and wincing at the bland taste and terrible texture. "I have to fix this stupid creak I know."

"It's not painful Captain, trust me," Amber suddenly quipped, and Soojung looked at her in surprise, before her eyes softened. Amber had always held a special place in her heart, and this just proved as to why. 

"Thanks Amber, I'll be sure to brave through it." Soojung replied, smiling at the beam Amber immediately gave in return. Beside her Sunyoung sighed, quietly, and Soojung knew what she was thinking.

Amber really didn't deserve to be treated by life like this. Working at their ship as her last grip at survival. 

Amber deserved way better.

 

🌺

 

The town was loud. Too loud. Soojung trudged through the crowd with Soonyoung, her face clearly displeased. Land was not exactly something Soojung liked or admired. There was something about being grounded and seeing nothing but what exactly humans offered that bothered her so, so much.

She gulped it down for her legs though, letting Sunyoung drag her to the mechanic.  The mechanic tsked at the condition of her metals, grumbling something about not taking care of it enough. Sunyoung sheepishly smiled while Soojung just settled her glare, "I'm paying you, aren't I? Just do the ing job."

The man raised a brow, before his eyes trail down to her clothes and her hat that she was holding in her right hand. His face paled upon seeing that she was a pirate, and he nodded. 

Fear of pirates. That was another thing Soojung didn't understand.

It was fine. It wasn't as if she was staying here long enough to find everything out anyway.

 

🌺

 

"Don't you feel relieved that your leg is all better now?" Sunyoung asked, bundling her full skirt in front of her as she walked through the crowd. Her figure was accentuated by a corset, tightened over a loose white shirt. It had a compartment somewhere along the corset strings, hiding extra bullets. In her full skirt, would lie a gun too, and a small blade. 

"Yeah, yeah whatever," Soojung huffed, rolling her eyes as they finally escaped the crowded area and boarded the ship. "Thank you,"

And that seemed to be the only thing Sunyoung cared about, because she immediately grinned and fluttered away, skipping to Chanyeol and chatting with him instead. Soojung walked towards her cabin, but the sight of a lone female stopped her. She approached Amber, smiling at the excitement in her eyes as she stared at the town filled with people.

"Did you get anything?" She questioned, leaning onto the rail and glancing at the satchel in Amber's hand. The girl nodded, a happy flush on her cheeks as she pulled out a wrist wrapper. It was long, made of lace and the middle connected to a ring, chain of cogs all the way. Soojung took it from Amber, putting it on her wrist for her. "It's pretty Amber."

"Thank you Captain," she whispered back and opened to say something else but a shout of 'Captain!' stopped her. 

Seulgi came running up to her, eyes bright and wild as she grinned, sweat collecting above her brows. "We caught one!"

"Caught one what?" Soojung raised a brow, Amber's face just as confused as hers. 

"A treasure! A runaway prince!"

Soojung's eyes widened, and she pushed Seulgi to the side as she ran all the way to the other side of the ship, where she could see her crews crowding. She cleared . "Chanyeol, unroll the masts, we're leaving right now."

"Yes Captain," the male replied, pulling Baekhyun with him and the other crew members began to help as well- pulling in the anchor, and steering the wheel away from the dock. 
 
The prince was still in his regal coat and Soojung winced, seeing the crest on the side of his clothing. A rookie mistake. The crest was a grand one though, and Soojung recognised it well. 

"He's from the Mackanavia Kingdom," she exclaimed and both Seulgi and Joy shouted in happiness, dancing and singing at how much the prince could be worth. A small tinge of excitement was in Soojung's heart as well. Mackanavia was a prestigious place, the money she would get from threatening their prince's life would give her gold. Soojung checked his pockets, then his satchel for any weapons. None. Soojung shook her head. Another rookie mistake.

Amber sat beside her, checking his forehead. "Is he going to be one of us?"

Soojung paused, looking at Amber. The other crew members had also quietened slightly at her question, and Soojung gulped. "Not..really.."

"Why not?" Amber questioned, blinking her eyes innocently. "You let me join, why not him?"

The image of Amber's burning town flashed in Soojung's mind and she smiled strainedly. "We don't need more crew members Amber."

The female pouted, but nodded nonetheless, taking the male up in her arms. "Can he sleep in my room then?"

The heavy handcuffs that Sunyoung was holding excitedly dropped at Amber's question, but Amber was resolutely looking at Soojung. The captain sighed, eyeing the cuff that they usually lock around their prisoners, then at Amber's pleading eyes. She sighed. "Yes, he may sleep with you Amber."

The soft whine from Sunyoung turned into rage when Amber left excitedly. She stomped towards Soojung. "What the hell? Do you want to get her killed?"

"He doesn't bear weapons."

"Still?" Sunyoung demanded, grabbing Soojung's face roughly. "Buck up Captain, a softie will only bring us to our death."

The words were a hiss, and Soojung stared helplessly at the wooden floor. 

Suddenly the gold didn't sound so appealing anymore.

 

🌺

 

 

When the prince woke up, Amber came bounding to Soojung's room, panicked. The captain immediately ran to Amber's room, expecting a prince that had gone wild, but rather the prince was tucked in the corner of the bed, eyes wide and wary and shoulders trembling. His voice was shaky when he finally opened his mouth. "Who are you?"

The captain walked in calmly, sitting down at an edge of the bed, near to the prince, but still distant enough. "Name?"

"Who wants to know?"

In any other case, Seulgi or Joy would have a torture tool ready, but this time around, it was not allowed; more for Amber's innocence than anything else.

"The captain." She replied instead, steadily looking into the captured's eyes. "I can just throw you off the ship, you know?"

The fear disappeared for a second from the prince's eyes, and for a moment Soojung was convinced he was going to retaliate. Then terror was back as soon as it disappeared, and the prince stuttered out a name. Jongin.

Amber edged closer, hesitant and shy. "I found this in your backpack." In her hand was a sketchbook of some sorts. Soojung watched, fascinated as an excited glimmer shone in Amber's eyes as she ruffled through her drawer. She took out a flower, a real flower. None of that cog-etched plants. Soojung  gaped. "Where did you get that?"

Amber blushed, "I managed to keep it from that time we went to land."

"Yesterday?"

"No, the one before. When I got...my spine."

Soojung blinked, and Amber handed the flower to Jongin, smiling happily as the prince looked at the flower in awe as well. "They're called a lily, the doctor told me so."

Jongin grinned, taking his book and flipping to the page where he drew similar shaped flowers. "Tiger lilies." 

"Captain we need you to steer to Kalba," Chanyeol's voice called, and the three glanced at the male before Soojung finally stood from the small bed, glaring at the prince. "Don't try anything funny,"

Amber grinned, "I'll make sure he won't do anything Captain."

Soojung grunted, leaving them both in favour of taking the goggles that Chanyeol offered. "Call Sunyoung as well."

The crew member nodded and ran off to find the other girl. Putting on the goggles, Soojung twisted the stopper by the side. The goggle lens switched, filtered with a mystical film and suddenly the clouds were not just clouds, and the blue sky was not simply empty. 

A thin female bird flew past her, and Soojung grinned at the sky, watching the bird fly back up and went beside tigers, lions, and even fishes. They stream along a line, spinning across clouds. 

Sunyoung knocked Soojung on her head, grinning up at her as her eyes were now both  an icy blue, steam leaving at every word. "Not the time to be fascinated, time to fly for real."

"Off to Kalba?"

"Yes, Kalba." The woman continued, holding Soojung's hand and leading her towards the control room where the steering wheel is. "Stock up, before we head to Mackanavia."

Soojung walked to the steering wheel, fixing the goggles a bit till the numbers were clear in her eyes. "35 North," she called out, and Sunyoung grabbed her compass, fixing it to 35 North. With it, the ship would sail in that exact direction, and any other change would be with the steering wheel.

Sunyoung looked at Soojung, the compass only hovering the clockwork. "Setting sail in 3, 2, 1."

 

 

🌺

 

 

Midnight , and Sunyoung offers to take over steering, letting Soojung to finally go and wander around the ship or even nap a bit. She took off the goggles, letting it dangle in her hand. 

Kalba was a secret city, not known to many, but it held the biggest trade point for pirates and other mystical creatures. Soojung untied her hair, letting it flow easily as she heaved a sigh. Her muscles were cramped, but it wasn't anything a stretch couldn't solve.

Her eyes caught on a lone figure as she was about to head down to the kitchenette below. It was the prince, Soojung realised, brows furrowing at the prospect of the male wandering around without a chain around his ankle or something.

"Jongin?" The called looked her way, eyes filling with panic when he saw who it was. "Where's Amber?"

Jongin fiddled with his thumbs, anxious as he tucked a stray hair away from his face. "She went to get some food for me."

"You're a prisoner." Soojung said softly, a tiny bit of anger at how everything didn't seem like it should. "You're not even supposed to walk around."

Jongin swallowed, shaking his head as he looked down. "I guess not, but.."

"Oh Captain," Amber came bundling with two bowls of the cream soup that Chanyeol had cooked in her hands. "Have you eaten?"

"I have." Her tone was steely, and if Amber caught on to it, she said nothing. "Are you going to feed it to the prisoner?"

Amber looked at Jongin briefly before nodding, a hesitant smile quirking. "Yeah, uh..he was hungry and the biscuits they gave him weren't enough so-"

"We're landing on Kalba at approximately noon tomorrow." Soojung cut in, forehead veins ticking at the empathy Amber still had. It wasn't right. This life was not for Amber. "Hide the prince from them, unless you want them to take him away."

"Yes Captain." Amber beamed, her hand on her forehead in that cliche salute manner. "Thank you."

"For?"

"Baekhyun told me how you guys usually treat prisoners. Thank you for not treating Jongin like that." 

Soojung's eyes widened, before it set straight again, her heart hardening. She glanced at Jongin, and wondered what tricks the man was exactly up to. " There will never be a repetition of this. "

Amber bit her lips, nodding slowly, even slightly scared. "Yes, Captain."

 

🌺

 

Her eyes were emerald, sharp as they come and definitely feline. She took the pouch of coins from Soojung happily, her smile snarky and cunning. Her voice was like a purr, but curled around words that made sense. "Nice to do business with you Captain." 

There were a lot of upsides to Kalba. Easy trade, cheap food and even entertainment. However the downside to it is that their security was thick, always alert and not even one crew left on the ship when a security check was to be ensued. 

Which was a problem this time around, because Jongin was on the ship. 

"Just one day this time Captain?" the cat-lady asked, batting her lashes as her canines glinted. Her dress was puffy enough to hide the body beneath but Soojung could guess that her tail was probably curled beneath the fabric. 

"Yes Anita, maybe next time I'll stay longer."

The cat-lady hummed, smiling sleepily as she finally let all of them pass, her voice airy as she cried, "Have a good day Captain!"

Soojung simply waved back, her crew members following behind. She had quite a name in the city, known to bring the best trades and rare items up for the black market. 

They headed for the bed and breakfast in the heart of the city- cat hybrid owned. Soojung entered the place with her head high. There were animal people all over the place, but all the workers were hybrids. It was more for the comfort of her crew members than anything else. 

"Sehun," the clerk looked up, raising a brow. Upon seeing Soojung, he raised himself, still with a bored face. "Rooms for the afternoon please?"

"Overnight?"

"Nah, maybe next time."

Sehun nodded, taking three keys from behind him and handing them to her, "Don't mess the room up like you did last time okay?" He said, glancing at her and Sunyoung, his eyes searching for one more member, but coming up short. "Where's Yixing?"

The air suddenly tightened, and Soojung swallowed harshly just as Sunyoung whimpered. The captain ruffled Sehun's hair, quickly laughing, the sound fake and strained. "See you Sehun!"

There were questioning glances but both Sunyoung and her kept silent, retreating to their rooms. Sunyoung went with Joy and Seulgi, so Soojung took in Amber and the prince. The bed creaked under her weight when she sat down, and she sighed into the ceiling. A weight rested beside her, "Are you okay Captain?"

Soojung glanced to see Amber and Jongin looking curiously, and surprisingly, with concern as well. Amber was predictable, but Jongin? The worry in his eyes didn't sit well with Soojung. "I'm okay."

"Were you, Sunyoung and that man together?" Jongin asked this time. 

Soojung flamed red, shaking her head as she laughed, but it was obvious that her voice was way too high-pitched. Jongin patted her shoulder and she jumped. The male sheepishly smiled, looking at Amber unsurely. "It's okay to let it out. You don't always have to hold it in for the crew."

The moment melted, and Soojung's jaw dropped slightly. Her eyes were tearing up, but she simply smiled. Jongin had only been here a day, but he had realised more than anyone else had. Suddenly Soojung felt so, so tired but she stood. "Tell the others we're staying overnight after all." Amber and Jongin looked delightedly at each other and Soojung wondered just how close they've gotten exactly. "And Jongin, change into one of Amber's clothes or something. People will find you suspicious if you keep that hood on, and your clothes are way too fancy for a pirate."

Jongin looked down at himself before beaming. "Yes Captain."

Soojung paused, walking out the door as she replied. "I'm not your captain."

 

 

🌺

 

At night, through her crew members' mess of  drunken stupors and heightened lust at the hybrids, Soojung escaped, leaving the building and breathing easier when she was outside. 

It had been easy, forgetting why exactly Sunyoung was so much closer to her than anyone else, forgetting why she had avoided the land so much. She took off her hat, crouching and placing it on the floor beside her, her prosthetic leg didn't make a sound as the cogs spun to accommodate this new position. Kalba does remind her of Yixing a lot. It was his favourite place after all. Soojung smiled fondly at the thought , and when tears came, she blinked rapidly, trying to get the tears to stay in.

"Oh! There you are," Soojung wiped at her eyes, looking back to find Jongin. His steps were slow as he approached, the smile on his face careful. "Hey, you okay?"

"What are you doing here?"

"I didn't see you at the table so I got worried."

"Where are  the others?" 

"Bed." Jongin bit his lip, sheepishly tugging at the hem of his sleeves. "Amber too."

Soojung nodded, looking down. "Why were you even worried? I'm your captor. Are you bribing me in some way?"

Jongin laughed, crouching next to Soojung. "In some way, yes? But ultimately it might be my own naivety."

"You were from Mackanavia, weren't you?" Soojung asked and Jongin nodded in reply. She tilted her head. "Why did you run then? You had a great future ahead of you."

"I was trapped in the castle most of the time." Jongin said, smiling slightly. It wasn't one that had any feeling behind it though. It was more like he was just smiling because what else could he do? "It got pretty boring, and I didn't exactly want the prince life."

"So you ran? To land, especially?"

"What's wrong with the land?" Jongin asked, surprise etched in his face. "I find it spectacular. The sky is their hope, and they always look up with happiness. People like us..we have nothing to look up to. Space isn't enough for us to look at with hope, not to me at least."

Soojung blinked, leaning against the wall behind her and finally getting comfortable. "You're wrong. We don't have to look up at something for happiness. Sometimes it's right in front of us."

Jongin frowned. "I don't see anything worth looking at in the sky."

Soojung smiled, "I'll show you someday."

Jongin hummed, the tone of disbelief still in his voice. "You haven't replied to me."

"About?"

"Are you okay?" Jongin questioned again, looking at Soojung still with those concerned eyes. She could feel the first well of tears. "If you're hesitant to tell your crew, I don't think it's too bad to tell me since you're going to throw me back to my country anyway."

"Why would you do that?"

"I travelled so I could meet people and learn more things. It intrigues me- people, animals, hybrids." Jongin clutched her wrist, thumbing at it nervously. "It's okay to let it out sometimes you know?"

She sighed, hesitating, but Jongin did have a point. It only took one more comforting swipe at her wrist for Soojung to open up. "Sunyoung and I loved the same man. We didn't see each other as more than friends but to Yixing; he was our lover. And he loved us back equally as much. He was a notorious pirate before he joined my ship though- cruel, and a killer. He repented and stopped doing what he did and yet the village people-" Soojung's voice cracked here, and Jongin's hand found hers, tightly twining. "They recognised him, and before we knew what was happening, they killed him."

The air was silent. Soojung could guess Jongin's reaction- shock, horror- but what she didn't expect was to be fiercely hugged, his hands smoothing over her hair and down her back. "I'm so sorry they did that to him."

Soojung didn't plan on letting her tears out. She's survived it for five years, but somehow the dam broke, and her tears fell, endless and pitching. "I miss him so much."

Jongin took it all in stride, taking out his napkin and helping Soojung blow her nose. And when she settled down and stopped crying did she realise Jongin had tears of his own. "Why are you crying?"

Jongin rubbed at his own eyes, laughing slightly. "I can't look at people crying, I'd want to cry too."

Soojung shook her head, lips quirking amusedly. Jongin really was naive.

 

🌺

 

 

"Captain, what will we do when we reach Mackanavia?" Seulgi asked when they had set sail again the next day. Soojung kept silent, looking at each of her crew members' faces. Jongin was at the corner of the table, Amber beside him. His face was scared, and the squirm in his shoulders was obvious. 

Soojung sighed. "What if we don't send Jongin back?"

The crew gaped, Amber in delight, but the others in mild horror or in Sunyoung's part, anger. "Are you serious? We can't even trust this guy Soojung!"

"We couldn't trust Amber but we took her in anyway, didn't we?"

"Amber was not part of any royal family, Soojung. There's a huge difference there already."

"Mackanavia is a rich and rising country." Soojung replied, changing the course of her defense. "The gold we get from the ransom would only be accompanied by at least thousands of men in our trail and the loss of more crew members."

Sunyoung faltered, her eyes wet. Soojung looked down, gulping the tears before excusing herself, leaving the table to prepare for the sail instead. There was a chest filled with maps in the room, and she took one out now. It had been a present from her grandfather; her lineage had always been of pirates, and when Sunyoung suggested finding the treasures together once they had enough money to buy themselves a small air-ship, Soojung wasn't one to deny.

The door clicked, signaling a presence but Soojung paid it no mind, taking a look at the Angel's Music Score map, seeing how convenient it was to get there. 

"Hey," Soojung closed her eyes, exhaling when a pair of arms wrapped around her waist. Sunyoung. "I'm sorry. I just don't know how I feel about Jongin yet. He was a prince, you know? They're not always as they seem."

"I know." Soojung breathed, turning around in the other's arms, smiling down at Sunyoung's frightened face. "Can't we try though?"

"If you trust him then I say let's go for it." Sunyoung whispered, looking into Soojung's eyes. "But only if you're really sure."

"Just one chance." 

Sunyoung nodded. "The moment he betrays us, he's off the ship. If you won't kill him then know that I will ."

"Of course Sunyoung."

"Are you okay by the way?" The girl suddenly asked again and the warmth of her one brown eye made Soojung melt slightly in her embrace. "It's been five years, huh?"

Soojung grinned. "Yeah, how are you holding up?"

"I miss him sometimes," Sunyoung whispered. "It suffocates me at night."

"My bed is always open for you, you know." Soojung replied, but at Sunyoung's raise of brow, she added with a flustered note. "I meant, if you need some cuddles of comfort or something. Get your mind out of the gutter."

Sunyoung giggled, hugging Soojung tighter. "Of course babe, I'll keep that in mind."

She parted then, looking at the map. "Angel's Music Score?"

Soojung nodded, grabbing her goggles and putting it on, before setting the lens by twisting the stopper. Sunyoung does the same with her right eye, taking out the contact lens in her brown eye then reaching behind her neck to press the button that would set her eyesight going again. Steam began to escape her lips, and Soojung could finally see the secret creatures that actually float around the sky without being seen by the eye.

"Setting sail, in 3, 2, 1." Sunyoung called, clasping the compass in the clockwork and letting the ship fly through clouds again.

 

 

🌺

 

 

The crew celebrated Jongin's official membership with rum that night. Chanyeol made his special Chocolate Tart and took out his ukulele, playing it with ease and a lilting tune that kept itself jovial. Halfway through clapping to the tune Chanyeol was piping out, Soojung realised Jongin had disappeared.

She rose from the table, the others- even Amber- were too drunk to question her, and she left the light of the kitchen. Taking the stairs to the main floor of the ship, she found Jongin at the side, leaning on the rail, sad-faced. 

"Are you okay?" The man jumped, and he turned but only smiled when he saw Soojung. 

"I'm fine Captain." He replied. Soojung nudged his shoulder at the term, and he tilted his head. "What? You are my captain now, aren't you?"

"Is that why you're so sad?" Soojung asked amusedly. Jongin shook his head, laughing but the sound was low, somber.

"I told you this before, vaguely." Jongin said, looking back into the sky. "I don't like this. A wide expanse of nothing. I hate it."

Soojung smirked, shaking her head. "Sometimes the things that you see aren't always what it is you know."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah." Soojung took the goggles out from the pocket, lightly tugging Jongin closer to her and putting the goggles on for him. He had his eyes shut tight, almost as if he was afraid, and she smiled. How cute. "You can open your eyes idiot."

Jongin opened one eye, then quickly the other. His eyes were wide as he stared behind Soojung, before looking at the wide landscape with a gasp. "H-how?"

"It's called a mystical film." Soojung said, watching amusedly as Jongin looked around. "It's made with clockwork and some black magic. Every crew member has a pair, well except Sunyoung."

"You mean, I'll get to have it too?" Jongin asked excitedly, his eyes shining with something for the first time. Soojung nodded and her heart filled with something akin to happiness when Jongin yelped joyfully, hugging her quickly. "Thank you Soojung."

She laughed, watching his face still filled with wonder even after the initial shock. Jongin's face had a really sharp jawline, Soojung realised for the first time, his eyes almond shaped but still rounded at the edges. He had a regal demeanour, but twanged with a softness that was uniquely him. His lips were adorably shaped to an 'o' now, but the shape had always been nice, plush and slightly thick. His two front teeth were visible with the gape that he was still sporting. 

Soojung smiled fondly as her heartbeats heightened. She recognised the feeling well, and she winced. This was not exactly ideal.

 

🌺

 

Amber hugged her the next morning, thanking her profusely for accepting her friend as a crew member. Soojung was only happy that Amber could find that slight innocence with Jongin around, so she simply ruffled her hair. "Any time, Amber."

 

🌺

 

When a week later, Soojung gave the goggles she finally got for Jongin, the male hugged her again, and the heartbeats happened again. She groaned in her head, shaking her head at the feelings she was developing. It was not the right time.

And Jongin seemed to have something against her as he comes up to her every night, his sketchbook in hand, filled with the creatures of the sky.

Sometimes, it was the wailing women and men, drafting souls that still mourn over their past life. Sometimes it was the clockwork birds, that flew past the holographic ones, twirling next to each other and headed towards the moon. And sometimes, it was the school of golden fishes, flying all around the ship and creating a beautiful shimmer of golden stars. 

Jongin's expression was always puppy-like, as if he had to have Soojung's approval, even after he had gotten all the others'.

Sunyoung nudges her whenever Jongin came along, and Soojung hissed at her. She didn't think she was that obvious, but by the leers and stares she receives from her crew, she's guessing that she might as well have it written across her forehead.

She was in her cabin that night, top off and only her binder left on her torso- she found it easier to move around and work on the ship when her s were forced to stay in one place. She was about to unclasp the pin behind but the door suddenly opened, an excited Jongin fumbling through. He was about to say something but his eyes caught Soojung's figure, and he paused, his mouth opened to release nothing. A dark red formed on his cheeks.

The captain quickly grabbed a towel, covering her stomach and chest area, trying to act normally even when a blush had started to form on her neck, crawling up to her face. "What is it Jongin?"

That seemed to wake Jongin up, and he pulled Soojung, grabbing her shirt and goggles as an afterthought. "Here, put these on and hurry."

Soojung did just that, jogging clumsily behind the male. When she finally put on her goggles, she gasped. 

There, right beside the ship was a magnificent whale, it's body followed by a smattering of multi-coloured stars. Soojung could barely breathe right, too fascinated and amazed at the large creature who seemed so peaceful in the night sky, as if it weren't the most beautiful creature Soojung has ever seen. 

"This is beautiful," she whispered, turning to look at Jongin. The other was already looking at her, a fond smile on his face. Upon having eye contact though, he looked away, a flush on his cheeks as he looked back at the whale. "It is isn't it?"

Soojung took it back. The whale might be magnificent, but right now, with Jongin's glimmering eyes reflecting the multi-coloured dots and awe in his every twitch; Jongin was the most beautiful creature Soojung has ever seen.

She leaned in without realising and when Jongin glanced at her, he blinked, surprised. That didn't deter him from leaning as well though, and their lips touched lightly. Soojung felt electric, and her fingertips wanted more, so it floated above Jongin's jawline, touches light and airy. 

Soojung grinned, and Jongin returned it, looking back at the whale with a sigh.

As Soojung rested her head on Jongin's shoulder, she sighed too, hands intertwining with Jongin's.

"I really like you, by the way, Captain."

Soojung laughed, glancing a the timid male and tickling his chin. "I really like you too, Jongin." She whispered, eyes focused kn the whale. "But to see how faithful you are, you'll have to try and have with me. This prosthetic leg gets so noisy sometimes."

Jongin giggled, reaching for Soojung's thigh. "If I kiss it, will it get better?"

Soojung looked at the other cheekily, pulling his head down towards her fake leg. "Why don't you try it now then? We'll see how well that works."

"Captain!" Jongin rasped out at the sudden tug and movement but he still pecked a small one on her thigh. "Is that good enough?"

Soojung shook her head amusedly, leaning in to kiss Jongin instead. His lips really were as soft and plush as Soojung predicted. She felt her heart warm up and her fingers clench at the back of Jongin's shirt. The male's flushed face made Soojung's ego heightened and she grinned.

"Yup, now I'm definitely much better." 

 

 

🌺 

-nuha