Jungkook and his crew had just arrived at the Lihmir docks when thunder thrummed through the air and the heavy rain fell down on them, forcing them to hide inside the ship cabins and wait until it passed.

It had been two weeks since they had set sail and they were still a week away from their actual destination, but, by the looks of it, that time frame was about to get extended.

They had been headed to Ciryn, a city across the sea that also bordered Anahan, their home town, known for the rich fabrics sewed by the natives, with threads of silver and gold and covered in precious gems. Jungkook wasn't big on fashion nor on decoration, had no personal interest in the fabrics and no use for them, but the money he could make reselling them in distant lands was an opportunity he couldn't pass on.

When they had left Anahan it was under the scorching sun, no clouds on the light blue sky and the warm salty breeze coming from the sea inviting them to board their ship and go on a new journey. A sudden change in the weather, however, forced them to take a detour in the middle of their rout.

At least a couple of hours passed until the rain finally decided to give them some rest, and after making sure the ship was properly anchored under the canopy of old willow trees at the far end of the dock, Jungkook grabbed his hat and coin pouch and jumped down onto the docks.

He walked over the old planks, the wood creaking under his boots, worn out by the weather and by the waves constantly hitting its underside, and looked around, searching for a pub nearby.

The area right next to the docks was as busy as any coastal village ever was, with fishermen and fruit vendors scurrying around, carrying baskets filled with fresh products, ready to be shipped somewhere else or sold to the locals. Jungkook picked up his pace, careful not to bump into anyone and cause unnecessary ruckus, and got into the narrow paths that led to the inside parts of the village.

After taking a few turns he finally spotted a small place in a street lined with orange brick houses, "The Golden Jug", read the sign above the door.

As he entered the pub and sat at the bar he didn't wait to wave the bartender over, being followed close behind by Jimin and Taehyung, his most trusted men. The two sat one on each side of him, with their heavy boots tapping against the bar stools and their loud voices catching the attention of a few people on the tables behind them.

The rest of his crew seemed to have opted to play a few rounds of billiards on the table on the corner, while others took on completely different activities in other parts of the village. Jungkook didn't particularly care about what they were up to, as long as they didn't bring trouble to his name and were back at the ship in time for them to set sail again it was all fair game.

Influenced by Jimin and Taehyung's good mood he ordered the strongest liquor available, wanting to accompany them and quickly feel that familiar happy buzz in his mind, perfect to keep him distracted while waiting for the upcoming storms to pass.

While they were at sea for the past two weeks the weather had been nothing but pleasant, the heat subdued thanks to the cold ocean swaying below their ship and a light breeze helping them navigate the calm waters. So when the strong wind threatened to change the course of the ship and the sunrays got blocked off by dark grey clouds it was safe to say Jungkook had been nothing but surprised.

Jungkook was an experienced sailor and captain, the deep, dark waters had always been a mystery that caught his interest; the gentle waves that reached the shores calling for him to follow them, dive in and explore. And that's what he had started doing as soon as he was able to turn the wheel without the help of his father and properly set anchor without risking their ship drifting off while he rested.

But, even with plenty of experience, eventually the calm waters would turn into roaring waves, thunderous and merciless as they hit against the ship's hull, and the wind blowing strong against the sails would force Jungkook to hold a tighter grip on the wheel and his men to secure the ropes on the masts to prevent the ship from being sent into an unknown path.

Jungkook thought back at the few moments he had to turn the ship around towards a coastal village they had passed by earlier that morning, deeming it as too small to be worth of their time. The fast approaching rain clouds, however, quickly made him change his mind, and now here he sat, elbows resting on the bar, the bottle of liquor held lightly between two of his fingers, swaying from side to side. To his sides, Taehyung and Jimin talked animatedly about a fish bigger than their ship that they had seen the week prior and how they should travel through those waters again to try and catch it.

And, just like that, Jungkook tuned them out, having had more than enough of the duo's epic stories during their travels. They were never silent, always talking about their childhood memories from when they'd run together through the stone paths of Anahan, the marvelous places they dreamed of visiting and unimaginable monsters they wished to defeat. Also the flirting, oh the incessant flirting, Jungkook loved them like they were his real brothers, but sometimes he just wished they knew what self-awareness was.

He shook his head, hiding a fond smile, and turned around on the bar stool so he was now facing the entrance, idly observing the people coming and going.

His ears perked up at the conversation of two men on a table to his left; they had cigarettes held between their fingers, smoke coming out of their mouths and noses as they talked about a seductress in the next village over, just on the other side of the mountain that divided the island in two. They tried to seem nonchalant, like they weren't affected by said seductress themselves, but the interest in their voices was barely concealed by fake and exaggerated disdain.

The mysterious figure was said to have slender, pale legs, lips smooth and red as the prettiest of roses and an intense gaze that could freeze the toughest of men in place and bring him to his knees. Rumor had it men were led to the upper rooms of a cabaret on the promise of an unforgettable night, and unforgettable it was; the next morning they were always found tied to a bed, clothes intact, no coins left in their bags, stripped of their jewelry and with no taste of that promised sinful body.

Jungkook took a swig of his drink, his lips turning into a smirk and eyes glimmering. A seductress that used their good looks and disingenuous talk to take advantage of stupid travelers? Sounded like fun.

 

 

Hours later, with their drinks long finished, Jungkook paid for their bill and escorted his two drunk friends to the penthouse on the other side of the street.

He rang the little bell on the counter and waited for someone to come and check them in. Taehyung and Jimin had claimed the wall next to the entrance door, leaning on it and giggling at each other like fools in love.

Jungkook rolled his eyes just as a young man came in from the back door, a tired look on his face matching his equally tired voice when he said his greetings.

Jungkook paid for their accommodations, which really, was only one room. There was no point in getting two when he knew Taehyung and Jimin were going to find their way into each other's beds anyways and he wasn't playing on staying at this side of the island for the night.

He helped the duo upstairs, carrying Jimin in an arm like a puppy and dragging Taehyung with the other, holding the man's shirt tightly to keep him from using the stair's handrail as a slider.

He knew it'd be useless to tell them about his plan, their drunk minds would erase any information he gave them, so he took a pencil from one of his pockets and left a note on the little journal he found on the dresser. He'd take a quick trip to the neighboring village and would be back the next afternoon. There was no need for more information, it wasn't like they'd be awake any earlier than that to question his whereabouts.

 

 

When Jungkook returned the following day it was just past noon. Jimin and Taehyung were finishing getting dressed, eager to have a hearty meal on the small restaurant the penthouse ran downstairs.

"I left you guys with your clothes on last night, please spare me the details of what happened." Was what he said in lieu of a greeting.

"It was hot and uncomfortable, we did what we had to do to have a good night's sleep." Jimin shrugged.

"Yeah, Kookie, what else do you think we did?" Taehyung teased, the smile on his face getting too big for Jungkook's liking and the wiggle of his brows making his eyes twitch.

"But tell us, dear Jungkookie, were you looking for that seductress last night?" Jimin asked, smiling innocently and fluttering his eyelashes.

Jungkook huffed. Those two could be insufferable sometimes. Of course they had also heard the conversation those two men were having, and of course they knew their captain would try to find out more about it. "And what if I was? The stories about her caught my interest." He shrugged.

"Her? Did you find out it's a woman?" Jimin asked with a raised brow, interest piqued. "I don't remember anyone at the bar referring to them as a she, as far as we know they could be a guy that got that nickname to make it easier to fool stupid men."

"Hope you're not calling me stupid." Jungkook joked.

"Of course not, we're fully aware you wouldn't fall for a woman, but make it a pretty guy instead and things might take an interesting turn." Jimin's loud laugh filled the hallway and Jungkook rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm trying my best at being careful, don't worry. But she could be an interesting addition to our crew, don't you think? Someone smart that isn't afraid to use her charms to make disgusting men her paws…"

"Imagine how easy it'd be for her to get us all sorts of money and jewels and secret maps? She'd make us rich!" Taehyung added.

"Obviously she'd want a cut of it all," Jungkook pondered, "But we already split everything fairly, so it couldn't be that hard to convince her to join us, right? I'm gonna make her my second in command, she seems to have the brains for it."

"Hey!" Jimin chastised, slapping him in the arm playfully.

"Ouch!" Jungkook rubbed at the stinging spot, "You know that the reason I officially don't have you or Tae as my right hand man is because I can't choose between you two. But deep down in my heart both of you own that position."

"Yeah, right, I'll pretend I believe that." Jimin squinted at him. But, being the joyful person that he was, it didn't take long for him to double over in laugher at their light banter. 

"I can't believe you'd doubt our friendship like this, Jimin-ssi, after everything we've gone through together… The betrayal, I truly can't believe." Jungkook put a hand to his chest, feigning hurt with an exaggerated expression. His own cackling laughter made the scene even more ridiculous.

Jimin sniffed, whipping up a few tears that had gathered at his eyes, "Ok, but again, is it really a woman?"

Both Jimin and Taehyung stared at Jungkook, waiting for his answer.

"Well, I'm not sure? But you know what I mean. Do you think those crusty men would spare a second glance at another lad unless they were really desperate? Which honestly, they could be, who knows what kind of people travel these seas… But either way, I went through a few taverns, mixed in with the crowd a little and chatted with some locals—they all seemed very happy and eager to tell me about their village, by the way, they were all very welcoming—, but no signs of this mysterious seductress." He sighed.

Jimin ran a comforting hand through his back, "Do you think it's actually just a rumor then? Sort of like an old myth that get passed down through generations and no one knows if there's any real basis to it?" The male had his eyebrows drawn together, a full on pout on his lips, appearing incredibly disappointed—even more so than Jungkook—over a story he had only heard of the day prior.

Jungkook knew Jimin was always very empathetic, but there was absolutely no reason for such a reaction. "Oh, absolutely not, I've overheard quite a few people saying a 'Yoongi' had taken the day off to rest and prepare themselves for the Lihmir summer fair that'd be starting today. My guess is that perhaps they'll be taking the opportunity to scam some men." He finished with a smirk and wink.

A small pause followed as the other two processed the information, and then Jimin yelled a big "yes!" and Taehyung hollered, slinging his arms over Jungkook and Jimin's shoulders, embracing them on a supportive three way hug.

 

 

The next day came, the sun rose and set in hues of orange and pink and Jungkook found his way to the other side of Lihmir in the early night.

He walked into the village through the same path around the mountain he took the day before, a skinny trail made of gravel that crunched audibly under his heavy boots, with bushes and trees on its sides that partially hid the moon from his sight. At the entrance he was met with a now familiar wooden arch, with a sign above it that read "Welcome!" in carved letters, and a map of the place on the side, hung on a board also made out of wood and protected by a dusty glass pane.

The village wasn't big by any means, most of it being located around the beach area and around a small square, with few and sparse houses going up the feet of the mounting, built after dirt roads were placed amidst the dense forest that covered the area.

The fair was already in full swing, the dock and the main square fully decorated with colorful pieces of paper and lanterns that casted a warm yellow light on the whole place. Stalls of a wide variety were scattered around, Jungkook could see kids playing games in some, giggling and yelling as they tried to get the best prize, but he could also smell the delicious and inviting scent of food in the air; simmering sea food on top of blazing fires, recently brewed alcohol, tropical fruits being displayed on huge trays for anyone to feast on, he could feel his stomach protesting as he walked around.

He stopped at a stall decorated with pink and yellow boards, taking in his surroundings while a middle aged woman handled the hot grill just behind the plank that made for a makeshift counter. Her long brown hair was tied into a low ponytail and covered by a handkerchief, keeping it from getting in her way and into the food. From the front pocket of her apron she fished a variety of seasoning bottles, sprinkling them sporadically on the simmering fish sticks. Two other men also awaited their meal, standing at the right side of the stall.

"Have you heard what Yoongi did this time?" Jungkook overheard as one of them laughed.

"Yoongi? I thought he took the day off yesterday?"

"Oh, it wasn't yesterday," He continued, still in between huffs of laugher, "It was just earlier today. He fooled this guy that had arrived in town right after the sunrise—apparently he had traveled here for the fair. Yoongi came up with this story of him being a guide of some sorts, made the guy think he'd show him around and that he'd get to go to bed with him before their little tour. But as soon as the guy agreed to the deal Yoongi pulled a knife to his throat and got every single penny the poor fellow had."

"When will these idiots learn, there's rumors going around but they always want to see it for themselves, think they're just that good and can make Yoongi fall for them." The other shook his head, clearly unimpressed at how stupid and gullible some people could be when faced with a nice piece of and an easy smile.

"And the man was mad! So he chased Yoongi out of the room they had gone to, but obviously Yoongi's more than used to this game by now and quickly pulled a gun hidden under his skirt and pointed it right at the man's head. I've never seen someone run down the stairs that fast, I thought he'd start rolling from up there till the door. I had quite a laugh sitting there at the bar, the owner even gave a free round of booze to everyone after that."

"Man, why am I always missing the fun stuff that goes down in this city…"

Before the men could continue their conversation, Jungkook approached them, tapping them on their shoulders and smiling amicably.

"Hello, gentleman! I'm sorry to interrupt, but do you know where I can find this person you call Yoongi?"

The men exchanged a look, incredulous at how another idiot was about to fall for the seductress' trap.

"Listen, mate, you just heard everything I said, are you sure you want to meet him?"

"Absolutely sure." Jungkook's smile grew.

"Well," The man scratched his head, "They say there are some really weird people in this world and I don't doubt it. You can go to the Big Shark inn, Yoongi said he'd spend some time there tonight." He said, pointing towards where Jungkook had just come from.

"Thank you, hope you have a great night!" Jungkook gave them a small nod of his head, tipping his black hat, and started walking to the other side of the main square. "Ah!" He shouted from over his shoulder, "You can have my fish sticks as a thanks for the information, they should be done soon."

The men shrugged, accepting the plate the woman had just put in front of them without complaints.

 

 

When Jungkook entered the Big Shark the place was buzzing with music coming from an old record in the corner, placed on top of a stool near the stairs. Drinks and platters of food were being passed around to the groups sat on the farthest tables and a couple of drunk patrons were singing along to the melody that filled the air. It was an old and eerie song about losing yourself in the sea, fooled by the promise of chests of gold that were secured by sirens. Jungkook snorted at how fitting it seemed given what he was about to get himself into.

On his way to the bar a few people bowed to him, undoubtedly curious about his hat, wondering if he was a dangerous pirate or an important captain and at least three of them asked if he wanted to sit at their table, get something to drink or maybe get a share of their meal, to which he politely declined. He wasn't here to take advantage of the locals, more like letting himself get taken advantage of by a local, he snorted to himself.

He sat on one of the wood stools, removing his hat and carefully putting it next to him on the counter. He looked around, taking in the place for a second time. It was relatively crowded, lots of people occupying the tables, drinking and laughing over huge plates of food, while others stood, just talking and swaying to the music.

Jungkook nodded his head in approval. No one seemed to be paying attention to him anymore and he appreciated that. He didn't feel like attracting curious eyes while he got a drink and tried to put his plan into action.

He turned to look at the inside of the bar and his eyes landed on the colorful liquor bottles displayed on the many shelves in front of him. In a matter of seconds the bartender was in his line of vision, cleaning up a glass with a piece of cloth and ready to take his order. "Good night, captain! What can I get you on this fine evening?"

"Just a shot of whiskey for now, thanks."

The bartender turned around to get started on the drink, but Jungkook called him again, "Hey, do you know where I can find a Yoongi?"

The bartender smiled, sleek, and pointed to the end of the bar with a small movement of his head.

Jungkook pondered on the overall stance of the bartender, it gave him a feeling similar to the shared look between those two men earlier. Why did everyone in this village seemed to think Jungkook was about to be Yoongi's next victim? He shook his head, smiling bitterly. It was such a foolish thought.

He turned his neck, as nonchalantly as possible—he didn't want to add to the bartender's growing smirk—, until he finally saw him.

Sitting with his legs crossed, alone and unbothered with a cocktail in his hands and jewelry draped all over his body, the most beautiful man Jungkook had ever seen in all the seven seas.

His off the shoulder white linen shirt exposed the entirety of his shoulders, pale skin unblemished and adorned with countless golden necklaces and ruby pendants. Under the counter Jungkook could see that the burgundy skirt Yoongi was wearing, made from thin asymmetric fabric layered on top of each other, was barely enough to cover his pretty and delicate legs.

It was a sight to behold and Jungkook gulped, feeling his throat dry.

The bartender brought him his drink, snorting after he immediately took the whole thing in one go. "Easy there, mate. Yoongi tends to have this effect on people, but you get used to it eventually."

"Not sure if that'll be true for me…"

The bartender snorted again, collected the empty glass Jungkook left on top of the counter and went to tend to another patron that was calling for him, leaving Jungkook to suffer by himself.

And he must have spent a long time staring, because when he came back to his senses Yoongi's eyes were fixed on his, intense and unwavering.

Jungkook quickly ducked his head, embarrassed for being caught, and when he dared taking another look in the man's direction he saw Yoongi getting up from his previous spot, his movements filled with the confidence and elegance only someone with his kind of power possessed.

Yoongi walked slowly, sensually, the bracelets around his ankles clinking against each other to the rhythm of his perfectly calculated steps.

He approached Jungkook like a predator to his prey, sat on the stool closest to him, their legs touching.

Jungkook gulped for what felt like the millionth time that night. He was prepared for the enthralling aura Yoongi for certain exuded, but, when faced with the real thing, it was undoubtedly still a lot.

All his senses were on fire, it just seemed so easy to fall for the other's charms, let himself be guided to a dimmed room far from prying eyes… But he needed to be strong and hold himself back, that wasn't what he was here for.

"Hey, gorgeous," he managed to greet, feeling sweat gather at the back of his neck. He hoped the other wouldn't notice how nervous he truly was. Yoongi raised an eyebrow, tilted his head slightly to the side, and Jungkook couldn't tell if it was in confusion for being met with (feign) confidence or in amusement, for being met with obvious feign confidence. "I heard many stories about you."

Yoongi gave him a light chuckle, tucked a strand of hair behind his ear and crossed his legs, purposefully dragging his foot up Jungkook's leg, "I hope they were good stories."

"Only the best ones." Jungkook felt a sudden wave of confidence and risked a wink at Yoongi; maybe he could speed things up a little.

"Yeah?" Yoongi humored him, "Would you like me to tell you a few others? We can go up to my room and I'll tell you all about my adventures, down to every little spicy detail."

Jungkook smiled, joining Yoongi on his game, and started to stand up, "I'd like that."

Yoongi held Jungkook's gaze, feline eyes hungry at the sight of a potential prey. He bit his bottom lip before leaving a hefty amount of silver coins on the counter, enough to pay for his drinks, as well as Jungkook's, and for a room upstairs. He took a hold of one of Jungkook's hand and led him up the stairs to the second floor.

When they reached the room Yoongi was quick to turn around and wind his arms around Jungkook's neck. He kicked the door closed behind them with a loud bang, their eyes locked on each other while he started to lead them towards the bed.

Unable to see where he was going, Jungkook let out a surprised gasp when the back of his knees collided with the bedframe, causing him to lose balance and fall onto the mattress.

Yoongi wasted no time and immediately climbed on top of him, knees on each side of his thighs, and started ing his own shirt, carefully analyzing Jungkook's reaction as a way to determine what his next move should be.

Between falling onto the bed and trying to recover himself and support his weight using his elbows to see what Yoongi was doing, Jungkook barely had time to process what was happening. Yoongi was a force to be reckoned with, intense and straight to the point. He didn't let his victims breath, didn't allow them time to take notice of the trap they had fallen into.

Jungkook felt a fire in his gut, his admiration for Yoongi growing tenfold. The man used his beauty and captivating eyes to his advantage, he was slick and smart. Dangerous. And Jungkook couldn't wait to have him by his side.

Jungkook felt a pair of hands start to fiddle with his belt as his vision was completely taken over by the smooth expanse of Yoongi's collarbones, and, despite being momentarily stunned by it, that's when he took control of the situation back. He flipped them over, pinning Yoongi under him and in between his arms.

Yoongi's dark hair framed his head like a halo, like a deceiving demon playing innocent. But his wide eyes made it obvious how surprised he actually was. It was clear he wasn't expecting this turn of events, he wasn't used to men being able to escape from his seductive charms.

But Jungkook wasn't like the others, he didn't get into this for an attempt at a one night stand. He wanted Yoongi to go on board with him, be a part of his crew, and, maybe somewhere down the line, he'd let their relationship develop further.

"I thought you didn't actually sleep with your victims." Their faces were so close he was sure Yoongi could feel the uneven puffs of breath leaving his mouth.

Yoongi let out a shaky scoff and tried to mask his surprise by taunting him, "Why, are you jealous, captain? Not used to sharing your earnings?"

Jungkook rolled his eyes and suppressed a laugh. "Jealous? I barely know you."

"But would you like to? I can make an exception for you."

"Or maybe this is what you say to everyone you trick. But you did just imply that I won you over, so where do you think we can go from here?"

And now it was Jungkook's turn to smirk, white teeth on full display when he saw light pink cover Yoongi's cheeks.

As they stared at each other, no more words spoken, Jungkook decided it was time to break the act. He rolled off of Yoongi and laid by his side on the creaky mattress.

They remained silent, staring at the mold stains in the ceiling, just the distant rumble of the people in the bar downstairs reaching their ears. A gentle breeze steadily coming through the open window, swinging the open curtains and caressing their skin.

Jungkook turned his head to the side, taking in Yoongi's profile. "What do you say about joining me? Being a part of my crew?"

Yoongi huffed, as if annoyed by the offer, and closed his eyes. He took a while to answer, which only made Jungkook more impatient for what he was going to say.

"And what's in it for me?" He countered instead.

Jungkook lied sideways, staring at Yoongi with big sparkling eyes and an even bigger smile. "Well, you'll get part of the money and treasures we get a hold of in our trips, a nice bed in a private cabin and you'll also get some of this if you ever so wish." He finished gesturing to his whole body, head to toe, and at that point his smile seemed even more blinding.

Yoongi only stared at him and made a face of disgust, forehead and nose scrunched up and an unsatisfied pout on his lip. But he couldn't keep his façade for too long and it soon crumbled down and he let out a loud giggle.

"Well, in this case I hope those muscles of yours aren't just for show."

"Oh, so you're really in it for my body and not for the gold? I knew it! I'm really that irresistible."

Yoongi blushed and shoved an elbow into Jungkook's ribs, almost making the man fall out of the bed. " I barely joined you and you're already getting on my nerves."

"Wait, is that a 'yes', then? Did you really just accept my invitation?" Jungkook jumped on Yoongi, getting on top of him and trapping him in between his arms once again.

Yoongi's eyes were wide and sparkling, lips slightly parted as he let out soft breaths. A light blush still covered his cheeks.

Jungkook gulped, completely dazed, and didn't think twice before leaning down to place a kiss on his lips.

The kiss didn't last long, just a soft touch of lips, but enough for Jungkook to feel the shiver that ran through Yoongi's body when they touched each other.

After they separated Yoongi carded his fingers through Jungkook's hair, ever so gently, just to get the strands out of the way, and smiled, pretty and soft, "I thought we'd wait a bit for this to happen, but I guess I don't really mind it."

Yoongi raised himself on his elbows, leaning up for another kiss, and Jungkook met him halfway.