Kiseok can’t focus his eyes on anything. He tries to look through the smoke, to no avail. If he wants to see Jaebum, he needs to get closer.

Closer. Closer still.

With a tiny bump, their foreheads press together.

Finally, Kiseok can see. He sees Jaebum’s lips, parted as the smoke curls out of his mouth.

He watches a minute longer before closing the gap between them.

Jaebum lets out a low noise as soon as their lips meet. Kiseok shifts, the world swirling around him like oil in water. He puts his hand on Jaebum’s shoulder and holds him down. Kiseok’s lips move lazily, tongue sliding sweetly with Jaebum’s. Hardly breaking the kiss, Kiseok sits up and gets a leg around Jaebum’s hips.

He lets out another low noise, Kiseok feels his vocal cords vibrating. He tries to move, but Kiseok pushes him down onto the silk cushions.

The noise that escapes Jaebum now is that of protest. His eyes snap open and he turns his head away, depriving Kiseok of the kiss.

“What?” Kiseok asks and his own voice sounds a thousand miles away. It’s low and raspy with smoke and booze.

“You know I don’t like being restrained,” Jaebum speaks in a surprisingly pouty voice, poorly hidden with a tone of irritation.

Kiseok needs to lean in, more, more and more, until their foreheads are touching again, to be able to hear him.

“You’re always way too assertive,” Kiseok says, “It’s annoying.”

“No way,” Jaebum shoots, without any actual arguments.

“If you promise to let me lead for once, I’ll let go,” Kiseok speaks slowly, pressing kisses to the corners of Jaebum’s lips after every other word.

Jaebum hums. “Alright… Alright. I promise.”

Slowly, Kiseok removes his hand from Jaebum’s shoulders. He lays still, for now holding up to his promise.

Kiseok catches Jaebum’s bottom lip between his own, gently. He feels Jaebum’s hot breath against his skin and he pulls away, smiles.

“What would the seas say if they knew you belong to me?” Kiseok muses. He dips down, presses open mouthed kisses to the compass on Jaebum’s neck.

“I don’t belong to anyone,” Jaebum breathes.

“No one but me,” Kiseok speaks against his skin.

Jaebum doesn’t respond. Kiseok nibbles on the skin where the stars are. Jaebum’s chest rises and falls but he doesn’t speak.

Kiseok is set on changing his mind by the end of the night.

Kiseok moves his hips as if accidentally. Jaebum in a deep breath and Kiseok smiles against his skin. He softly on Jaebum’s collarbone, keeps moving his hips, slowly, way too slowly for an impatient Jaebum.

This is when he begins to breathe heavily, when his hips and fingers begin twitching. He grabs Kiseok’s biceps, gripping tightly.

Kiseok pulls away, sitting up. He is full-on grinding now, still slowly, because he enjoys feeling Jaebum getting hard underneath him. He smiles, watching with delight Jaebum’s strenuous effort to stay still, not to speak or let out a sound. Kiseok tilts his chin up and leans in, kissing him deeply. With his lips parted that way, he can’t hold back his little grunt anymore. Another, and another, and by the time Kiseoks pulls away, Jaebum is panting.

Kiseok pushes his index and middle finger past Jaebum’s pink, spit slick lips. At first he’s startled but then he begins to , pushing his tongue against the pads of Kiseok’s fingers.

Perhaps he hopes to get something if he complies. Kiseok quite enjoys seeing Jaebum that desperate.

He pulls his hand away and moves off of Jaebum’s lap. His eyes widen, watching Kiseok settle calmly next to Jaebum.

Still lying down, Kiseok takes off his belt, unties the lace of his pants and wiggles out of them.

“What are you doing?” Jaebum asks stupidly as if he can’t see Kiseok’s hand between his thighs.

“Don’t be an idiot,” Kiseok hums. “Pass me the pipe.”

Jaebum complies and Kiseok takes it with his free hand. He inhales the smoke, lets it fill his lungs and make his head fuzzy before putting the pipe away to focus on what he’s doing.

Right as he’s about to exhale, Jaebum presses his lips to Kiseok and drinks up the smoke from his mouth.

“Can I at least be assertive while you’re doing your thing?” Jaebum asks, after he exhales.

Kiseok looks up with hooded eyes. “You can kiss me, you can touch me. But do it all without being assertive, I dare you.”

At first Jaebum is huffy and displeased, but then his hand finds Kiseok’s waist and he begins to rub slow, lazy circles into his flushed skin.

As Kiseok begins to tremble, Jaebum shuffles closer and starts pressing kisses down Kiseok’s neck. This seems to amuse him, make him feel good even. It might be because of how he can feel the trembling of Kiseok’s vocal chords as he moans.

Jaebum rests his other hand on Kiseok’s lower stomach, continuing to kiss down his chest.

Kiseok lets out gentle moans, never feeling weak, never feeling fragile. He’s safe in Jaebum’s arms, he can be himself, he doesn’t have to hide behind intimidation.

“So you do know how to make me feel good,” he teases, opening one eye to look at Jaebum.

He straightens up, blinking. He frowns. “Did I not make you feel good before?”

Kiseok smiles and leans up to kiss him. “I’m joking.”

Jaebum’s shoulders relax and he nods a few times.

When he feels that he’s ready, Kiseok pulls out and pushes Jaebum back against the pillows.

He hastily pulls his pants down to make things faster and easier for Kiseok.

He holds onto Jaebum’s shoulders, Jaebum holds his hips in return while Kiseok slowly slides down his length. His eyes closed, lips parted, he lets out a low whine.

But Kiseok doesn’t move, not yet. He grabs Jaebum by the hair and kisses him, intensely, heatedly. Jaebum gasps does his best to kiss back, but he’s impatient. His hips twitch, his nails dig into Kiseok’s sides.

Kiseok bites onto Jaebum’s lower lip and he yelps. Usually he wouldn’t, but he’s quite sensitive now.

“Is something wrong?” Kiseok asks with a smirk.

Jaebum only whimpers. He glares at Kiseok, keeping his mouth shut.

Kiseok shrugs. He gives the tiniest drag of his hips, he feels Jaebum shifting inside of him and he moans with no restraint.

Jaebum gasps, abruptly sits up and presses his forehead to Kiseok’s shoulder.

“,” he breathes. “Move already— ! ”

Kiseok Jaebum’s hair and kisses the side of his head. “Ask me nicely.”

Jaebum doesn’t move. He shuts his eyes and takes a deep breath. “Kiseokkie… Move… Please?”

The elder nudges Jaebum off of himself and cups his cheeks to force eye contact. “That wasn’t convincing, love.”

Jaebum is frowning, biting his lip in distress. “Move please ,” he attempts to change his tone, but all it ends up being is more whiny.

Kiseok tilts his head, dragging his index finger along Jaebum’s jaw. “I like that word. Say it some more.”

Jaebum blinks. “You want me to beg.”

Kiseok kisses his cheek. “Yes.”

Jaebum takes a minute to breathe. “Please. me, please . I need--I need to feel you. Please, Kiseok,” he whispers, voice shaky.

No one along the coast, no one over the seas will ever hear this voice from first mate Park Jaebum. This voice is only for his captain and lifelong friend, Jung Kiseok.

Friend. Partner. Lover. It doesn’t matter to them. All they’ve ever known is each other. What they have, what they feel for each other they could never have with anyone else.

They know this and that’s why the word doesn’t matter.

Kiseok moves his hips at last, steadily and firmly, fast enough for Jaebum to stop complaining and for his eyes to roll back, yet slow enough for Kiseok to savour the sensation.

Jaebum curses, in a low, strained voice.

“Who do you belong to, Jaebummie?” Kiseok whispers.

“You, Jung Kiseok,” he breathes, nuzzling into the crook of Kiseok’s neck. “Only you.”

Kiseok smiles, satisfied.

They kiss, slow, with no rush. Jaebum’s breath is hot, his grip on Kiseok’s waist is tight. He wants more, but he’s doing his best to keep his promise. He gasps against Kiseok’s lips and his breath smells of opium.

The silk slides smoothly against their skin. The haziness created by the smoke, the scent of it, it’s all familiar, all theirs.

Even this, pleasing each other with clouded minds, right here in this small opium den, it’s theirs too.

Tomorrow they’ll be sailing out. They’ll spend months at sea, always keeping each other company.

But they’ll have their responsibilities and the moments they will share alone will be scarce.

Therefore, they want to fully enjoy their last hours on land.