The sky will be bedecked with tiny shimmering jewels bringing to mind the treasures they abandoned in the Gold Hoarder’s catacombs by the time they reach the sandy beaches of the Shores of Gold, chests heaving and legs trembling. They both draw relieved breaths and flop down onto the sand. 

There will not be much relief to be found for there is nothing left waiting for them here.

They have seen their crewmates ripped apart by traps and vengeful skeletons in their quest to reach the rumoured treasures of the Gold Hoarder. The wreck of the Bloody Fate is forever lost at the bottom of the sea. 

(After all, how does one go about defeating a ghost ship?)

Curious how the tales were true but no longer inspires the same thrill.

The waves lap at their feet as Yixing picks up the hat by his side and, after a moment of remembering the man who wore it proudly in his last hours, puts it on his head. The gash in his gut is deep and will not stop bleeding, but still he smiles wryly and says to Jongdae, to the treacherous sea as if in defiance, “Guess I’m captain now.”

The journey here will be difficult and fraught with challenges and grief that none of them can foresee, but they make it. No other crew can boast of such daring or prowess. No other crew can say they solved the riddles of the fabled Shores of Gold. 

Jongdae at his bruised lip and looks askance at Yixing. “What now, Captain?”

“Now?” Yixing looks up at the sky. A smile still graces his handsome face, but it has turned wistful. The ragged quality to his voice betrays his fatigue as he whispers, “Now, we have ahead of us a brand-new journey.”

Jongdae will reach for Yixing’s bloodied hand. He will grasp it tightly between his own, knowing no natural heat can stave off the chill clinging to Yixing's bones, and he will say, “Give us until daylight.”

And Yixing will close his eyes and concede, “Until daylight.”

☠🏴‍

Befriending the group of sailors was easy; cheating them off their coins was almost easier. Jongdae rolled the dice to the rambunctious cheers of his new friends and laughed when they groaned at the results.

(The pathetic stump that remained of his left ring finger served as a harsh reminder of what would happen should anyone ever catch him with his hands in another’s pockets again.)

The sailors were talking brashly about their voyages at sea when the appointed card dealer (because they lost a few too many a die to drunk flailing) hushed them with a raised hand. “I heard Captain Ajita docked early this mornin’.”

Jongdae had heard only whispers of this captain and his crew, so his interest was instantly piqued. “That someone I oughta know?”

“Oi, lad,” one of the men slurred and sloppily raised his tankard towards Jongdae in a toast. “Captain’s fearsome, aye, with a rowdy crew and a damn fine vessel. Bloody Fate, a sight fer sore eyes, the envy of his enemies at sea. Captain’s always dressed in finest silks and speak like one of ‘em silver-tongued lords from the mainland.”

“Nay,” another declared loudly, “one ye should watch out fer is their powder master. Hideous lass, but she’ll blow yer brains out and drink to whatever remains.”

“Navigator’s insane. Rumour has it she owns a compass that always points towards the Kraken,” another said in a hushed whisper.

An unanimous shudder went through the gathered men, except the card dealer who was staring at Jongdae with a grim look.

“No,” he murmured, “the most dangerous of ‘em is the quartermaster. They say he's cunning as a fox and fickle like one o’ them mermaids; a skilled swordsman and a hella good shot to boot. Wouldn't wanna mess with ‘im.”

Jongdae listened with rapt attention, but eventually the talks drifted towards other topics and Jongdae took his cue to bid the sailors adieu. His pockets were full, but Jongdae felt not a shred of remorse.

Here it was every man for himself, after all.

Hence, when someone seized his wrist just as he crossed the threshold, hard-earned reflexes kicked in. He was rewarded with a spinning head as the stranger twisted his arm onto his back and firmly pinned him front-first against the doorframe.

“Easy there, Thief,” a smooth voice murmured into his ear. “Some gall you’ve got. Wouldn’t try that again if I were you.”

“Dunno what you’re on about,” Jongdae bit out as he tried to catch a glimpse of his captor. He saw only two hooded eyes and a sly grin before he was brusquely dragged sideways and released.

“Ah, but I think you do,” the man crooned as Jongdae hastily turned around to face him (back to the enemy was begging for the knife). He wasn’t entirely pleased to find himself trapped between the man’s arms (but whoah, toned) with his back to the wall, but it had little to do with the man and more to do with his need for personal space. “They suspected you of nothing in there.”

“Who are you?” Jongdae demanded, eyes inertly drawn to the jagged scar that ran across the man’s right eye. He figured there was no reason to bother with decorum at this point.

The man considered the question as he studied Jongdae intensely. Jongdae was all-too-aware of the heat in his groin at the flash of something dark and lustful in the man’s gaze, so fleeting he thought for a second he had imagined it (and wouldn’t that have been pathetic). 

Seemingly pleased with what he saw, the man’s eyes positively twinkled when he said, “Yixing, at your service. Quartermaster of the Bloody Fate.” He scooted closer, close enough for Jongdae to feel his breath fan across his lips, and as if sharing a secret, Yixing said, “Care to join me for a drink?”

Screw the pathetic stump of his left ring finger; he’d gladly offer up the entire hand for a taste of those smirking lips.

☠🏴‍

They met one hot summer eve; a few days short of an entire year later, Jongdae boards the Bloody Fate as a member of her proud crew.

Yixing, the Bloody Fate’s beautiful, dangerous, quartermaster, stands next to him at the railings as the waves lash mercilessly at the bottom of the ship.

Yixing is smiling gently at him, and under his breath he sings so fervently, “Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate’s life for me…”

This is the beginning.

This round's challenge: Out of Order. Writers were to create a story in which the narrative/scenes was/were, well, out of order. On top of that it was Jongdae's birthday, so to celebrate it the fic had to include Jongdae. 

I was heavily inspired by Sea of Thieves for this one. The song at the end is actually a song I wrote with my co-writer/beta/friend for another story, Sing to Me a Song of Waves, which... is currently unfinished 'cause life is busy for her ):   One day, perhaps, it will be written.

Lastly, I urge you to go have a look at Tiny Sparks on Twitter! The mods are so dedicated to what they do and it's such a fun challenge to participate in. This challenge alone resulted in 40+ fics. It was a blast!

Thanks for reading!