Jonghyun was whisked away through the stone walls, but the big men gripping each arm of his didn’t head toward his usual cell with the other three people. He didn’t question their actions as he focused on mapping out the new path before he was tossed in a smaller cell alone. The door slamming close rang through the complex, echoing as it went. Jonghyun sighed and took a seat on the small cot. At least it had some type of padding left on it. His eyes fluttered closed as he tried to calm his racing heart. There was a very small, barred, window above him. By the smell in the air, the compound was closer to the dry, desert lands than the lush woods that led into his own Kingdom.

             It was a few hours later that the noise died down in the complex. The sun had begun to set when he heard the soft call of his name. Curious, he rose from the cot and glanced either direction from his cell. “To your left Jonghyun.”

             He glanced over, backing up to the right so his back was pressed against the far wall, and it was then he could see half of Jinki’s face through their cell bars. There was a soft smile on his face, eyes gentle, and head leaning against the bars. “You remember me?”

             “Of course.”

             “I thought you were dead,” Jonghyun breathed out, “Thirteen years… I thought you were murdered.”

             “I left because I was going to be.” Jinki calmly stated. “I didn’t want to die because I was loving and sharing a bed with the Crowned Prince.”

             “You could have left a note, given me a choice.” Jonghyun hissed. “I’ve been blaming myself for your death for a decade.”

             “I’m sorry I hurt you,” Jinki gave a soft smile, “I never wanted to do that. I didn’t leave a note because I was afraid someone else would find it, figure out I was the one in the end and I … I wasn’t sure what would happen as a consequence of that.”

             “Where… where’d you go?” He hesitantly asked. For years he had wanted to know where the man was, but there was a deep fear that wherever he went ended up being so great he had completely forgotten his life with him.

             “I rode for as long as the horse I stole could take me. I met a young man who gave me a cot on a ship for my work. I was on the Sea for most of the years I was away.” Jinki’s eyes never left his face, as if he didn’t want to miss a single thing. “You’re just as beautiful as the night I slipped from your arms Jonghyun.”

             “Don’t,” Jonghyun almost whispered. “Don’t sit there telling me sweet things when I finally find out you’re alive the same moment we’re put against each other for our freedom.”

             “You’ve done so much for your people Jonghyun, changed the old laws into something great and beautiful.”

             “You’ve kept tabs on me?”

             “I’m a pirate, a damn good one at that. I’ve been back in the Kingdom of Yohal many times the last decade.” Jinki gave a little smile, “And before you say anything, yes I’ve seen you.”

             “You never… wanted to talk to me?”

             “Almost. A few times I was close to doing so.” Jinki’s eyes finally fell from his face to gaze at his own hands in his lap. He sighed, “The closest was a few years ago. You were opening a new orphanage in the middle of the city. You had been helping get things ready so your clothes were simple, you had dirt on your face and you still managed to look regal. When you went out back with a few children to fill up the bucket at the water spout, I was going to show myself, but just as I was going to your guards found you and I slipped away.”

             “I missed you so much, I-” He fell silent when the sound of boots hit the stone floor. Once the guard left and the coast was clear Jonghyun took a deep breath to lower the rising emotions in his chest, but his vision was still glossy.

             “Hey,” Jinki’s voice was warm and deep, “I cannot change the past. I regretted leaving you every single day, but I couldn’t reverse time. I can, however, change the future.”

             “What do you mean?”

             “Remember when we were children and I was supposed to be getting your books for your studies, but we instead played robbers in the big hedge maze out in the back of the castle?”

             “Yes, I could never catch you because you were always way too quick for me.” Jonghyun shook his head, confused, “But what does that have to do with us fighting each other?”

             “When we step into that ring next week you are finally going to catch me.”

             Jonghyun’s heart dropped at the words, “Jinki what-“

             Jinki interrupts him then. "I made a mistake in leaving your side without a trace once. I’ve fought my entire life, never with a true meaning. The riches I sought, the talismans I thought I needed, none of it mattered. I was fighting for no cause, but when put against you I will fight to make sure you are the victor standing there when it’s over. Even if I had to fall on my own sword.”

             “Jinki…” Jonghyun pushed off the wall behind him and stretched his arm out as far as he could toward Jinki, his fingers brush just past half the distance between the bars. It was then Jinki looked up from his hands. Slowly he stood from his cot and walked over, reaching out and curling their fingers as much as they could.

             He could hear Jonghyun’s rush intake of breath, could feel the shakiness of his hand and he softly said, “I love you. I’ll always love you.”

             That’s when the sobs hit Jonghyun, racking his body as he withdrew his hand and stepped back to look at Jinki again. “Don’t make me kill you.”

             “You are worth more than me in every sense of the word.” Jinki’s lips quirked upwards. “You must return to your people. Your father was never the best King, but you will be.”

             “I won’t do it.”

             “Just as I am talented at avoiding death, I can find a way to shift the outcome of the fight in the other direction.” There was a soft laugh tumbling from Jinki’s lips then before he softened, “Rest Jonghyun. Dinner will be brought soon.”

             “How am I supposed to rest when just when I find out you’re alive you order me to kill you?”

             “I wish you were never caught.” Jinki confesses. “Not because I have to fight you, but because if you never had you wouldn’t know I was alive.”

             “When you left I was devastated. For almost 8 years you were such a big part of my life.” Jonghyun wiped his nose on the back of his hand, “To find out you’re alive all I can think about is what could have… Should have been. I would have gone with you.”

             Jinki stared at him, almost in disbelief. “You would have given up your crown… the life you had always known, to run away with me?”

             “In a heartbeat.” Jonghyun quickly answered without a second thought. “You made being a Prince worth it. You were the one thing in my life that was just mine, the one person I could be my complete self with. I was only me when we were alone together.”

             “I…” The Pirate Captain fell silent then, and it was hard for Jonghyun to read his emotions from his facial expression. Then Jinki’s head softly hit the stone wall behind him and his eyes slowly opened to almost burning through Jonghyun. It was then he noticed the silent tears falling from the man’s eyes. “When I left that night, I kissed you goodbye on top of your hair and your nose scrunched at the movement. I was so afraid you would have woken up, asked me where I was going, prevent me from leaving. I thought about turning back so many times, but none of them was as strong as the urge I felt to stay with you when I saw you sleeping. The last time I was in Yohal I went to give Teacup a proper burial. Back in the woods where we used to play all the time… Where you gave me her.”

             “You took Teacup, a fluffy cat, with you?”

             Jinki laughed warmly, “Of course. She was a great shipmate.”

             “I always wondered where she went when you went missing.”

             “I thought about leaving her with you, but I… was selfish. I wanted something to remind me of you if somehow, wherever I ended up, I started to forget.” Jinki flashed a little, almost shy smile, “I really didn’t need her though. You proved to be very hard to forget.”

             “You don’t forget the love we had easily Jinki.” Jonghyun hummed softly before confessing, “You were my first love. My only.”

             Silence fell for a moment before Jinki quietly asked, “When you get out of here, are you going to continue your engagement with Princess Hyeosung?”

             “How-”

             “I told you I get around.”

             “Well I,” Jonghyun bit his lip, “I don’t think I’ll be in a very festive mood once I return from killing the only person I’ve ever loved Jinki. So no. Don’t believe I will be marrying her. I never did have the desire to.”  Jinki shook his head as he chuckled and Jonghyun frowned deeply, “What?”

             “I really have no idea why I ever thought you fancied women.” Jinki grinned. “Remember when I poured the wine on the visiting Princess’s skirt?”

             “How could I forget?” Jonghyun’s voice lowered as he continued. “It’s the first time I kissed you.”

             “If you count knocking teeth a first kiss.”

             “Oh off.”

             “Ooo.” Jinki’s eyebrows raised. “The proper prince can get a foul mouth just like the rest of us.”

             Jonghyun grumbled, but it didn’t last long with the soft sound of Jinki’s laughter. The conversation stopped then when the thick door at the end of the hallway opened and a tray of food was slid underneath the bars. Jonghyun was quick to notice the fresh bread on Jinki’s. Once the guards left Jonghyun began to eat the little food provided. He looked up when he heard Jinki’s hand hit his cell bars. He noticed the bread being held out, offered halfway between their cells. Before he could think of refusing he heard Jinki’s muffled voice. “Take the Damn bread Jonghyun.”

             As he pulled his hand back he softly said, “Thank you.”

             Jinki smiled over his small cup of water. “You’re Welcome Jonghyun.”