21 years prior, age 10

              “Your Highness, you are getting a new personal servant.” Jonghyun looked up at his nursemaid he’s known most of his life curiously.

              “A personal servant?” He softly questioned.

              “Yes, your highness.” She smiled warmly, her grey hair falling in her face as she gestured toward the door. “He’s only to serve you, My Prince.”

              Jonghyun looked toward the door when he heard the quiet footsteps against the floor. Coming in was a young boy with messy red tinted, dark hair. His eyes were cast toward the floor as he shuffled in front of his prince and bowed. “My name is Jinki Lee, and I am pleased to be in your service, Your Highness.” His voice was soft and muffled, as if shy and timid.

              “It’s grand to meet you, Jinki Lee.” The Prince smiled before looking back up at the older woman behind him. “Can you leave us alone, Miss Cho?”

              “Of course, dear.” She curtsied before heading out, “If you need anything, Your Highness, just ring.”

              He nodded in her direction, but his eyes never left the boy in front of him. He was taller than he was, but it was obvious how nervous he was with how his eyes hadn’t lifted very high for more than a few seconds when he thought the prince wasn’t looking at him. “Do you know how to play checkers Jinki?”

              “I do, sir.”

              Jonghyun giggled, startling the servant boy. “My father is sir. You can call me Jonghyun, Jinki. I have a feeling we’re gonna get to know each other a whole lot. Come~”

              Jinki was gently smiling as he rose his head and followed his prince over to the table in the middle of the room, climbing up onto the plush seat and setting up the game. It was the first time he didn’t feel as nervous as he had nonstop since he was told he had gotten the prince as an assignment.

—–

Present

              “Do you remember when we met?” Jonghyun quietly asked, back against the stone wall, where on the other side Jinki was pressed against it too. With the break between fights being longer to prepare for the final of the season, there were fewer guards walking the halls of the individual cells.

              “Of course,” Jinki responded, there was a light laugh in his voice. “I was scared less the Prince was going to order my head to be cut off because I didn’t pour his porridge just right.”

              “Is that why I always won in checkers?”

              After a moment Jinki softly answered, “Maybe.”

              Jonghyun looked at his hands, remembering growing up with Jinki as if it was yesterday. So many vivid memories of the skinny boy with red tinted hair who turned into the love of his life. “When they told me I was getting a new servant I picture some old man telling me I was wearing my ceremonial coat wrong. Not a boy 4 months older than myself.”

              “Even after everything that happened, I’m glad they put me on Prince duty and not barn duty.”

              “You just don’t like horse poop.” Jonghyun mumbled.

              “No. I couldn’t imagine a life where I never loved you.”

              Jonghyun let out a deep breath, Jinki’s words hitting him straight in his chest, “Don’t say things like that.”

              He heard the noise, felt the jarring through the wall, and he figured Jinki had hit his head back against the wall. “There will come a time I won’t be able to say anything to you Jonghyun.”

              “Jinki-”

              “I know you wish not to do what I ask of you,” Jinki’s deep sigh could be heard, “But it’ll just be like the last thirteen years. You’ll have closure this time. You can move on.”

              “I don’t wish to move on from you. I never had.” Jonghyun bites his lower lip so hard he can taste the metallic blood against his tongue. “Ever since that day at the tournament, when your big headed self-got yourself into trouble and we kissed, I never wanted to spend a moment without you. Don’t you remember how that felt?”

              “Of course I do Jonghyun. I couldn’t forget.” Jinki laughs quietly to himself. “Believe me. I’ve tried.”

—–

17 years prior, age 14

              If Jinki had to hear the insufferable girl giggle one more time he was going to jump into the wild boar pit with a scream. The visiting Princess had spent almost every waking minute hanging onto Jonghyun’s arm and off every word he said. Jinki was tired. Tired of her voice. Tired of the way she smelled. Tired of the way her dress ruffled around as she moved. And tired of how close she was to Jonghyun. They were supposed to be watching the tournament in front of them, not gazing at each other like they had a painting plastered to their face. Before he could stop himself his feet were moving until he was between their chairs, and with a slight tilt, the wine on his tray fell all on the Princess’ dress, staining the light colored fabric a deep red.

              To make matters worse, Jonghyun rushes to help pat the wine from the dress, apologizing profusely about his servant’s behavior and how he’s normally not like this, but most of the words were easily ignored with the anger rolling through Jinki’s mind as he glared at the two of them.  The Princess rushes off, embarrassed and almost crying, and Jonghyun’s gaze lands on him. He lifts his hand, curling his finger towards him to signal he wishes Jinki to come near. When he does, Jonghyun tightly asks, “Can I speak with you in my tent, Jinki?”

              “Of course, Your Highness.”

              As soon as the flap of the tent is closed Jonghyun hisses, “What in all hells was that?”

              “It slipped.”

              “It slipped my royal .”

              “I made a mistake. I’m SO sorry I ruined one of her million handcrafted dresses.”

              Jonghyun is fuming, “She’s a visiting princess, a guest in our Kingdom. You should have apologized Jinki.”

              Jinki mumbled, “She’s lucky it didn’t end up in her humongous hair.”

              “What was that Jinki?”

              “Nothing, My Prince.” Jinki quickly replies, flashing a smile as he raises his gaze to look at him.

              Jonghyun sighs, falling back into a chair and he runs a hand over his face.. His elbows are on his knees, his posture completely improper for a prince as he asks. “Jinki, be honest with me. Did you do that on purpose?”

              “There’s a high chance that it might have been done on purpose.”

              “Uh huh, and why did you spill it on purpose,” Jonghyun rested his chin on his palm, “Hypothetically of course.”

              “I didn’t like her.”

              “You didn’t like her.”

              "Yes.”

              “Why?”

              “She seemed to have negative alternative motives.”

              “Oh? And you can tell this by standing three feet behind me and over the sound of the crowd?” Jonghyun’s fingers are softly tapping on his chin as he speaks.

              “Yes, precisely.”

              “And yet, you can’t hear me call your name across an empty room.” It wasn’t a question, Jinki knew.

              “Hey, those dome ceilings mess with the sound.”

              “Jinki,” Jonghyun chided, “You just embarrassed a Princess from a very important Kingdom. I’m going to have to explain this. You’ve never been like this before. What’s gotten into you?”

              “I don’t know what you mean. I’ve always looked out for your wellbeing.” Jonghyun just stares at him, not blinking and doesn’t say a word. “What?”

              “You’re so full of your hair is turning more brown than red.” Jonghyun then leans back into his chair, tapping his fingers on the arms of the chair, and studies him, sadly. “My father, her father, are going to call me to fire you, do you understand?”

              Jinki pales, “What?”

              “I would do it if it saves the relationship between our Kingdoms.”

              “Jonghyun please-”

              “Why did you do it?” When Jinki doesn’t answer he asks again. “Give me something to work with Dammit.”

              “I love you!” Jinki blurts out, quickly covering his mouth with both his hands.

              “Excuse me?”

              But then he softens, and his voice is quiet as he looks at his boots. “I love you. I didn’t like how she was flirting with you… so I poured it.”

              “Jinki I-”

              His head was hung low, eyes closed as he says, “I understand the consequences. I’ll make my leave now your grace.”

              He places his tray on the table before turning and heading out of the tent. His fingers are grazing the tent flap when something warm curls around his wrist and pulls him back. Before he can ask what was happening, Jonghyun’s kissing him. It’s sloppy and rough, mostly teeth, but Jinki is frozen as Jonghyun withdraws. Jonghyun is scowling, serious, as he states. “I never dismissed you yet, Jinki. You can’t leave yet.”

              Jinki his lips, fumbling horribly to find any word to say. He opens his mouth and a jumble of words come out in no particular order. “Jonghyun what kiss that huh?” Then Jonghyun kisses him again, but this time it’s slow, more in control, and softer. No teeth. It seems to reboot Jinki’s mind. “Is this a new way of letting someone go because I don’t know if I could kiss the King.”

              “Jinnnnkkkki.” Jonghyun whines. Being the common occurrence as it was to hear that, Jinki grinned.

              “Does this mean I’m not fired?”

—-

Present

              “How did you become a captain, Jinki?”

              Jinki picks at the hole in his pants, just above the knee, as he contemplates his answer. “The Captain of the ship at the time, I was 19, he wanted us to kill this entire village of innocent people. Full of women and children, and I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t watch the men I had grown to have a comradery with do such a thing. Such a thing plagues your dreams. I told the Captain no. He took it as Mutiny and charged. I killed him protecting myself.”  Jinki ran his tongue over his dry lips, looking through his fringe. “The role of Captain usually falls to the First Mate then, but he was old, wanted to retire to land to die. The crew voted me to be their Captain.”

              “You’ve always been meant for leadership,” Jonghyun recalls fondly, a smile on his lips. “How they ever thought you’d be a good servant is beyond me.”

              “Hey!” Jinki scoffed, insulted. “I was a damn good servant.”

              “You always ate half my breakfast before it got to me.”

              “Only the muffins.” Jinki corrected, but his voice was soft, happy, as he remembered. “You never would eat them, always waiting until the very end and being too full to eat them, so I’d take them.”

              “I never ate them because I knew you wanted them.”

              That gave Jinki pause, “I started eating them when we were twelve.”

              “I know.”

              “But.”

              “Did I just make the great Captain Speechless?” Jonghyun laughed quietly when he heard Jinki’s mumbled shut up. His expression fell as he quietly asked, “Did you ever find someone else? Is.. there someone waiting for you out there?”

              “For some time I was ually involved with my First Mate,” Jinki was staring straight at him, at least from what he could tell with half of his expression seen. “However, it was purely physical and did nothing to help me forget you.”

              “Thank you for being honest with me.” Jonghyun softly states, gaze falling to his lap.

              ​​​​​​​“I wish I never had to run away like that.” Jinki sighed. “I wish I could have stayed with you, even just for a little bit longer.”

              “That morning when I woke up, I knew something was wrong. I knew deep down you wouldn’t be coming back.”

—-

13 years ago, age 17

              Jonghyun could sense it was morning by the light falling upon his face from the window across the room. His bed felt colder, but he reached out instinctively to pull Jinki closer. His hand only grabbed freezing bedsheets. Curious, he twisted, softly running his palm over the space. It was too cold to be recently vacated and a feeling of dread descended over him. He had overheard some of the guards during sparring talking about the new bounty over the Prince’s lover’s head. He wondered if his father had figured out it was Jinki and had taken him away.

              Surely he’d have woken up if that happened, right? Jinki would have made some type of scene, wouldn’t he? When breakfast, and Jinki, never came, Jonghyun got dressed and went to check his servants quarters. Maybe he had slipped away in the middle of the night and was simply oversleeping. However, as he pushed open the door of the room was in disarray, looking like someone had ransacked it looking for something. Even Teacup was gone, missing from the small makeshift bed she usually slept in. A lump formed in his throat as his knees felt weak, buckling from under him. He wrapped his arms around himself, silent sobs racking his body as he curled into himself. Jinki was gone. Most likely killed for simply falling in love with him.

              How could he forgive himself?

—-

Present, the night before the final fight

              “Tomorrow is the big day.” Jinki softly mumbled. The sun was low, or he assumed so with the low light coming in from the small window in his cell. His back was pressed against the wall he shared with Jonghyun, knowing the man was leaning on the other side. He knew Jonghyun had heard him, because of the sharp intake of breath coming from the man’s cell. “Tomorrow you’ll earn your freedom.”

              “What is freedom carrying around your death over my head?”

              “Jonghyun.” Jinki warned, voice stern.

              “You can’t expect me to do it. I won’t. I refuse.”

              Jinki ran a hand over his face, staring at the swinging pendant held by his left hand. Slowly he pushed off the ground, walking to where the bars of the cell and the stone of the wall met. “Jonghyun.. Come to the bars. Hold out your hand.”

              Hesitantly, Jonghyun did as he was asked. His fingers brushed Jinki’s for a moment before he felt a braided thread. He grabbed it carefully before pulling his hand back. When he lifted his gaze from the pendant he had carved for Jinki all those years ago, he stumbled back, far enough to be able to see his face. “Jinki.. I-”

              “I’ve kept that with me, a connection to you all these years. I’ve always thought it’s protected me somehow from death.” Jinki took a ragged breath, tears visibly falling down his cheeks. “It’s only right that I return my heart to you before it ends. Promise me you’ll keep it.”

              “Jinki-”

              “Please.”

              Finally, Jonghyun relented tears of his own falling. “I promise.”

              “Never forget that I love you.” Jinki sniffled hard, falling apart at the seams when finally facing what awaited them when the sun rose again. “Please remember how much I love you. That everything I ever did, the mistakes I made, leaving.. I did them thinking of you, even if they were wrong.”

              “I know Jinki.” Jonghyun let a broken sob escape, quickly composing himself more. “I love you.”

              “Oh, do I.”