The winds turned out to be against them as they approached the Opal Coast, the Calling Siren finally coming to a stop when the sun had long since set. Unlike when they had last set sail, there was no fire crackling on the sands by the docks, nor were there any people – friends or strangers – waiting for them.

A fruit sweet in his mouth, Jongin quietly helped to unload the Siren of her treasures, bringing box upon box to the top deck before taking one down to the docks. A sense of comforting familiarity washed over him as he took that first step onto the sturdy stones of what felt, somehow, like home.

He’d missed it here.

Minseok was already a little further ahead than Jongin was, with the group of fishermen they had rescued from the storm. From what Jongin could hear, the quartermaster was telling them of a place they could be fed and rested in exchange for simple work, an inn in the middle of town.

“Tell them Minseok sent you,” he told them with a gentle smile, “and they will take care of you. I’d say it’s your best option until you’re able to get home.”

The men thanked Minseok – and by extension, the rest of the crew – graciously, save for one sailor who fell back just a little bit. Jongin could feel eyes on him, a grin in his direction as he set the crate of Ruby daggers down on the ground.

“We owe you our lives, you know.” The redheaded boy didn’t make eye contact with Jongin, instead watching Jongin inspect the box for damages.

“Better live to the fullest, then. You wouldn’t want to be in such a debt for nothing, would you?” The boy’s smile was infectious, somehow, and Jongin bit his lip a little bit to try and keep a serious expression as he worked. “The Opal Coast is a nice place; I think you’ll enjoy life here until you go home, if you even want to go home after living here.”

The redhead laughed quietly. “If you tasted the food from back in Pearl, you’d never want to live anywhere else. It’s probably even better than here – definitely better than Sapphire Country.”

The world around the two of them stilled, then.

After a while, the corner of Jongin’s lips quirked just a little bit. “Can’t really say either way, I didn’t have much in the way of food back in my Sapphire days.”

“I know.” It was bold, and the boy knew it, as the moonlight brought out the twinkle in his eyes.

“Jongin?” someone called from behind Jongin, but before he could turn around, an unfamiliar name met his ears from somewhere by Minseok. Instead of facing his crewmate, he instead peered around the redheaded boy, a knowing smile creeping across his face as the cat-eyed sailor waved in their direction, calling the name again.

Similarly, the redhead kept his eyes trained on whoever it was calling Jongin’s name. It sounded like Luhan.

The boy took Jongin’s hand and shook it. A flash of teeth, a boyish laugh.

“Let’s meet again someday, when we’re both old men with amazing stories to tell.”

Jongin opened his mouth to say something, something witty, some kind of hilarious closing line that they would remember fondly until their next meeting, but words didn’t come to his mouth in time. Before he knew it, the red haired sailor was sprinting over to join his own group in thanking Minseok one last time.

The five vanished together then, into the evening bustle of the Opal Coast at twilight.

“Did you know that guy?” Luhan tapped him on the shoulder from behind, spare sails over his shoulder. The navigator gestured as subtly as he could over his shoulder, up to the deck of the Siren.

Kyungsoo was watching with interest over the side of the ship.

“Kind of.” And with a warmth in his heart he couldn’t quite explain, Jongin lifted up the crate in front of him and started walking, Luhan falling into step beside him as they began the trek down the street to Joonmyun’s home.

 

The lights were all off at Yixing’s surgery, a small sign hung on the front door politely requesting not to be disturbed. They decided to stop by in the morning, instead, and kept walking, walking down that long road to Joonmyun’s. Unloading the Siren was a lot faster this time around, with everybody helping at once save for Zitao, who hung back to protect the ship and her valuables as the others unloaded.

The ocean lapped at the docks, a chorus of gentle splashes singing welcome back to the weary pirates. There were no children on the streets at this hour, it was too late, but that didn’t bother Jongin just now. For now, all he needed was the comforting knowledge that the captain was walking right beside him, confident strides in step with Jongin as they walked. Kyungsoo held his mother’s portrait, carefully wrapped, close to his chest.

Jongin wondered if Kyungsoo felt at home on the Opal Coast, too.

It was Yifan who rang the small bell beside the wooden front door of Joonmyun’s home, Sehun choosing to hang back and hold onto the two crates, stacked one atop the other, in his arms. Jongin tapped his foot in a vague rhythm, which Yifan whistled along to after a while, as the cool autumn breeze caressed his cheeks, his neck, his arms, anywhere exposed to the wind. Apparently Joonmyun didn’t have visitors often, as even through the door they could hear the thumps of their friend stumbling inelegantly down the grand staircase in his haste.

The front door opened, and the expression of sheer delight on Joonmyun’s face when he set eyes on the crew made Jongin feel warm, somehow. Though careful of the portrait that Kyungsoo held, Joonmyun immediately threw his arms around the captain, squeezing him tight around the shoulders.

“I’m so glad to see you again.” Joonmyun’s voice was strained, and it wasn’t clear whether he was talking to the whole crew or just Kyungsoo. Considering their history, Jongin wouldn’t have been surprised if it were the latter. “They say the storms have been horrendous – there have been deaths out there. Come, come inside, you’re carrying quite a load there.”

“We’ll be making a few trips, Joonmyun.” Kyungsoo didn’t exactly smile, but there was a slight upward quirk at the corner of his lips. “You could say we’ve had a productive few months.”

Joonmyun continued to usher the group inside the house which, while still just as opulent, wasn’t so intimidating to Jongin now. He was in no hurry to touch anything, still, but no longer did he feel quite so crushed under the decadence of it all.

“I’m just so relieved to see you all alive and healthy. I- oh my.”

Jongin wondered for a moment why Joonmyun was looking at him like that, his eyes suddenly wide. Joonmyun lightly touching his own cheek with his fingertips reminded him, though, and though he had no words to reassure him with, he just shot Joonmyun a grin, instead.

Sehun, too, greeted Joonmyun with a nod and a small smile.

How times had changed, Jongin thought as he carried his load into the study just off the entrance hall that, as he knew by now, served as a home for newly recovered treasures until Joonmyun found a better place for them.

Kyungsoo didn’t join them in the study, instead following Joonmyun up the stairs with the portrait. Joonmyun still had a hand on his cheek as the pair made their way up the staircase, concern written all over his face. Jongin couldn’t help but feel like the older man was worried about him. It was kind of nice, actually.

The crew of the Siren spent a while to-ing and fro-ing, emptying the ship of her supplies and valuables until only the furnishings remained. It was strange, walking away from the empty ship as they made their way back to Joonmyun’s home with the last few crates and barrels. The Siren had come to be like Jongin’s home, and on the water, it was his entire world. Seeing it from the outside was a little bit jarring. He almost walked straight into Zitao’s back in his distraction.

Perhaps Joonmyun intended for it to be that way, but as soon as the last treasures were stored and sailors all piled into the ridiculously large house, it was as though they had never left. Luhan dreamily admired new paintings that adorned the walls, Zitao perched nervously on the very edge of a sofa, unsure if he was allowed to sit there, and Minseok took over the kitchen without a moment’s hesitation, rummaging through cupboards in search of something to cook.

Jongin, however, chose not to join in the rabble as the crew settled back into their usual on-land routine, and instead decided to go and explore some of the higher floors of the house. He’d never been higher than the third floor, until now, and curiosity was starting to get the better of him. And so up the stairs he went, the voices of his companions growing ever quieter, in search of nothing in particular.

It really was impressive, how pointlessly enormous the house was. Bathroom upon bathroom, endless studies, parlours for entertaining. Strange, then that Joonmyun would live in such a house all by himself, without even staff to clean the dozens of beautiful, yet neglected rooms. Aside from the Siren’s crew, he didn’t seem the type to host, either. Dust lay thick over tables, cabinets, railings, as though it were a blanket tucking the furnishings into bed, settling them down to sleep only to wake when the occasion arose.

The upper floors were eerily silent, a world away from the rowdiness of the ground floor. The dust on the stair railings was thinner than that on the furnishings, on some of the door handles. It was easy to tell which were the few rooms that Joonmyun used himself, just from looking at the doors.

He was about to set his hand on the polished silver handle of one of the bathroom doors, when the door opened of its own accord. In its place stood Joonmyun, visibly as startled as Jongin himself felt.

“Jongin? What are you doing up here?”

“Sorry!” He wasn’t sure what he was sorry for, but felt like he should apologise anyway. The upper floors were largely untouched, so he assumed they were for Joonmyun’s own use. “I was just looking around. Weren’t you downstairs?”

“That I was, but Luhan suggested we go out after dinner, so I decided to change.” Of course Joonmyun would, living on land full-time meant he had quite the dazzling array of outfits for the few occasions he chose to leave his home. What caught Jongin’s eye the most was a pair of gleaming pins, precious metals and gems, attached to the cuffs of Joonmyun’s shirt. His cut of their latest spoils, Jongin supposed, as he vaguely recalled Kyungsoo claiming them for himself as they sorted their treasures in the hold. A gift, it seemed. “Are you looking for something? I only use a few rooms up here, so there’s nothing particularly interesting to see, I’m afraid.”

“No, just…just wandering.” Jongin knew it sounded stupid, but he couldn’t quite stop his mouth from moving. “I’ve not been in many houses to begin with, let alone any like this.”

Joonmyun’s expression was soft, and a little apologetic. Jongin cringed internally as he realised the older man was probably feeling pity for him. “Well, you can explore at your leisure, of course. My home is your home, too.”

Home.

Perhaps he had tensed more obviously than he thought, as Joonmyun gave him a smile that was equal parts gentle and sad.

“You know, you remind me of a young boy I met a few years ago. He was utterly lost, wide-eyed and afraid. He had nothing in the world but a few precious memories and fading hope for a future that may have held further tragedies.” Joonmyun’s tone was wistful, and he took Jongin’s arm gently. The decorative pins flashed as they caught the light. “He had never known what it was to have a house, or even a real place to call home. For a while, I couldn’t get him to leave the room he slept in, but after that, every other day he was in this room and that room, marvelling at the expanse of brick and mortar that one man called a house, which was bigger than what had previously been his whole world.”

Joonmyun was pulling lightly on Jongin’s arm now, leading him away from the bathroom and along the hall. They passed endless identical doors with dust-covered handles, turned countless corners with cobwebs long since established on the ceiling. They finally stopped at a door no different from any of the others thus far, and Joonmyun let go of Jongin’s arm to place a hand on the handle.

“I want to show you something in here, Jongin. This is my own bedroom.”

Joonmyun’s bedroom was no less opulent than the rest of the house, but in better condition. The furniture all matched, polished wood shining brightly. A plush rug practically sank beneath Jongin’s feet as they headed towards the largest piece of furniture in the room; a handsome four-poster bed that dominated the entire room.

Joonmyun was crouched by the bed now, reaching for something underneath it. Jongin could just about see folds of fabric that looked almost like the wrapping on Kyungsoo’s mother’s portrait.

Joonmyun settled to rest on his knees, producing a small wooden box from under the bed. Jongin paused.

It was the box. His box, the box he had opened so long ago in Kyungsoo’s quarters. He instinctively reached for the small wire still tied around his little finger.

But of course, the box was no longer locked, and Joonmyun opened it quietly.

“Kyungsoo has told me all about what happened, all this time you’ve been at sea.” He said in not quite a whisper, but not far off. “You’ve come so far now, a real pirate.”

Jongin was quick to protest. “Only because of the sword you gave me. I’m in your debt.”

But Joonmyun shook his head. “Any fool can swing a sword blindly and call it a fight. You’ve become so brave, so strong. I wanted to show you these to prove that to you, as a reminder of where you started.”

From the box, Joonmyun took out a handful of small, feathered daggers that sent Jongin back in time. He took one in both hands, the feather and thinking back to the hours spent in the captain’s quarters, lying in wait for a threat that may or may not have ever come. For a threat that, one day, did come.

He thought back to that day when Kyungsoo attacked the Sapphire sailor who found Jongin in those quarters. The way Kyungsoo’s eyes had narrowed dangerously, the fire in those eyes betraying his usually calm exterior. It was a long time ago now, but it still had Jongin’s pulse racing.

He handed the dagger back to Joonmyun, who placed it back in the box. As he did so, he took out something else.

Small and sparkling, a golden chain with gems of every colour studded along it in a pattern. Jongin’s throat tightened.

His necklace.

“But why is it in here?” Jongin had an idea, but he didn’t want to make any assumptions. Joonmyun just smiled softly, moving to fasten the jewellery around Jongin’s neck. The weight was comforting, familiar.

“This room is the safest place in my home. I keep the high-security treasures in here – namely, the painting of Kyungsoo’s mother, and that box.” A gentle click, and Joonmyun moved away again. They must have been a funny sight, kneeling on the floor like they were. “If someone were to break in, not that they would after the first attempt, they would have to go through me to get to these. Of every last treasure hidden in this house, these are the ones that I guard with my very life.” He placed a hand on his heart and straightened his back in a heroic pose.

“The portrait I understand, but why…”

The way Joonmyun chuckled as Jongin’s fingertips danced along the cool golden chain around his neck told Jongin all he needed to know.

“Because Kyungsoo deemed it so.”

 

Something about returning to land seemed to switch on something in Minseok’s head that sent him into a cooking frenzy. Not that the rest of the pirates could complain – dinner was, as had come to be the norm at Joonmyun’s house, incredible, and by the end of the delicious (and noisy) affair Jongin wondered if he would ever be able to stand up again. Most of the conversation at the table had centred around Jongin himself – doesn’t he look y with the scars and earrings and he was so cool in this one engagement. The only time he had to eat his food without feeling scrutinised was when the topic of conversation changed to Sehun’s new lover in the Emerald Bay (I bet he’s got a lot of people to talk to in the morning to break things off) and Captain Kyungsoo’s wound and subsequent illness. The latter had earned Kyungsoo a slap on the shoulder from Joonmyun, who said nothing but frowned at the captain in such a way it was almost worse than being scolded at length. Nobody else would dare do such a thing to Kyungsoo, but Jongin knew by now that Joonmyun was different.

Kyungsoo had barely spoken a word throughout the entire meal, instead quietly watching Jongin with eyes just the slightest bit wider than before. If anyone else had noticed the reappearance of the necklace, they didn’t make any comment, but somehow the captain’s silence spoke the loudest.

As it turned out, the plan for going out after dinner was to watch another show.

“It’s the only thing happening in the Opal Coast at this time of night, and we could use a lift in spirits.” Luhan grinned. “I suppose you won’t be attending this time either, captain?”

Kyungsoo simply shook his head, keeping to the back of the group as they walked together back down the cobbled street, into the middle of the town.

“You’ve still not been, have you, Jongin?” Minseok nudged the younger gently. “It’s a lot of fun; I think you should come along at least once.”

Jongin thought for a while. He wasn’t really eager to see what the hype was all about, but at the same time…it felt like his time on the Calling Siren was coming to an end, and he wanted to take every opportunity he had in the short time he had left.

“I think I’ll come today.”

“Great!” They stopped outside the familiar large building, where men still called out from the entrance trying to bring in an audience. The rabble of the crowds and the bright lights didn’t do much for Jongin normally, but it did seem quite exciting.

“I’ll come too.”

The pirates immediately fell silent as Kyungsoo’s voice cut through the chatter like a blade. The captain’s expression was strange. Hesitant, but with a look of grim determination.

“But you never liked the look of the shows, captain.” Sehun quirked a brow. “Why now?”

Kyungsoo shrugged, not meeting the eyes of his crew. “Perhaps today I just…feel different. We should get inside.”

Without asking any further questions, the group did just that, managing to get themselves a table close to the stage that could seat them all comfortably. Kyungsoo sat on the very end of the row of seats, with Jongin beside him. On Jongin’s other side was Joonmyun, smiling gently at the pair as they sat down.

“If you’re thinking what I think you are, then you needn’t worry about anything. Everything is perfectly tasteful, I promise you.”

And as the lights in the room dimmed, Jongin found that he really shouldn’t have worried so much after all. The girls performing were indeed beautiful, and the outfits they wore were indeed revealing, but he was relieved to find that the purpose of the show was not, as he had feared, the removal of any further clothing. Many of the girls danced, some sang, it seemed that as long as they kept the audience happy with a few winks, a pose now and then, biting their lower lips and giggling, they had some relative freedom in their performances. One woman in particular, a strongly built girl with flaming hair and dramatic eyebrows, told jokes and stories as part of her performance. Perhaps the over-acted clumsiness and faux apologetic nature were all part of the show, but she held a wicked gleam in her eyes and a sharpness in her wit that had Jongin leaning forward a little in rapt attention.

The woman flashed a smile at Jongin, and the pirate suddenly felt a possessive weight on his knee. Glancing to his side, he found that Kyungsoo was barely watching the stage, eyes somewhat unfocused and bored-looking. His hand never left Jongin’s knee, though, except to move a little further up his leg.

Jongin could feel Joonmyun watching the proceedings from his left side, and was unsure whether to be mortified or slightly proud that the captain was acting so out of character.

He was distracted from his thoughts (but not entirely from the ever-present hand that was now on his thigh) when another girl took the stage for the third or fourth time. She was tall and slender, so much so that were she to step outside in a gale she would be lost to the wind. She was a dancer, if Jongin correctly remembered which one she was, long golden hair following her every move as though it had its own choreography to perform.

She was pretty, Jongin thought, but not the most interesting thing to look at in the room. She reminded him strongly of the boy Sehun had been with in Emerald Bay, and a single look at Sehun himself was proof that he wasn’t the only one with that sentiment. The younger boy’s mouth was hanging open just a little, his eyes fixed on the girl as she danced, following the gentle swishes of her long, blonde hair.

Sehun was quickly jolted back into reality when Luhan and Minseok, either side of him, elbowed him in the ribs simultaneously with smirks plastered on both of their faces.

The room quietened somewhat after the cheers for the dancer died down, and the lights were put back on.

“Halfway through the evening, the girls walk around the room to chat to the patrons.” Joonmyun explained, not quite meeting Jongin’s eye as he instead seemed to be concentrating on Kyungsoo’s still-unmoving hand. “It’s a part of what makes this place so popular, getting to talk to the performers. They’re really quite lovely.”

A gentle squeeze on his thigh, and Jongin figured the captain wasn’t exactly in agreement.

“Well, if it isn’t my favourite sailors!” The voice that greeted them was loud, the comedian from earlier on in the show now seated on the edge of the stage with a grin on her face. From this close, Jongin could tell that she was definitely a glamorous kind of beauty. She idly fiddled with the hem of her skirt, short and sparkling. Jongin could just about see Zitao, on the far end of the row of seats, shrinking back a little shyly. “I didn’t know you knew them, Yifan, and Zitao too! And dear Joonmyun, of course! So, sailors, how goes the sailing?”

It sounded like she knew more than she let on about their…sailing.

Minseok waved to her. “It’s going well, actually. How is the performing? You’ve got some new material, I see.”

“I wrote it all myself.” Red lipstick made her teeth seem even whiter than normal. When Jongin thought about it, the performer was a bit like Chanyeol, but far shorter and full-figured. He recalled the others telling him once that Chanyeol had always enjoyed the shows, and that one of the girls could be mistaken for a sister of his. Perhaps this was the one. “Looks like you’ve got some new faces! I’ve seen the rest of you before, but not these two here, who are these handsome young men?” She shuffled along the stage a little so she was seated directly in front of Jongin and Kyungsoo. Elbows on her knees, she leaned forward. “Just come of age?”

The others in the group all burst into laughter as Kyungsoo pointedly looked straight past the girl in front of him, as though contemplating the shade of red used for the stage curtains. Jongin could only blush and shrink back.

“No, no, that’s not it. Jongin is just very shy, you see, and on the far end there is our captain. He’s not come along before, neither of them have, but something was different today, apparently.”  Luhan was still covering his mouth from laughing, as was habit, but he was heard nonetheless.

“Ah, so this is the mysterious captain! What an honour!” Kyungsoo still didn’t look at her properly, but she didn’t seem to mind. “How are you enjoying the show so far?”

There was a pause, just for a while. “…all of the girls here are very good at what they do.” The captain replied flatly.

“Well, your captain is quite the diplomat. How about you, handsome?” She turned her attention to Jongin, and the hand on his thigh pressed down possessively once again. It took Jongin by surprise, causing him to stutter.

“Ah…y-you’ve got a real way with words, yeah. When you were talking I think the whole room was paying attention, it was really great. The others were really good, too. Very talented, I mean. And beautiful too, of course. Um.”

“Stick around and you’ll get to see me dance.” Pride glowed in the woman’s cheeks, but she remained relaxed. She seemed the confident type, as if she knew all of these compliments were perfectly true and just enjoyed hearing them from the mouths of others. “You’re not too bad yourself, you know. Earrings, some y scars, you look to be quite the heartbreaker like Sehun.”

Luhan stood up excitedly and waved the girl over. “You won’t believe what’s happened with Sehun recently! We have to tell you…”

The girl left her spot in front of Jongin and Kyungsoo with a wink, and the tension around the pair seemed to suddenly settle, as quickly as it had come. Kyungsoo visibly relaxed, as though letting out a breath he had been holding for far too long.

“Captain?”

“I think I’m going to go for a walk.” Kyungsoo muttered so only Jongin could hear. The rest of the group were too busy telling the performer all about Sehun’s recent change of heart in an excited babble. “It’s very warm in here; I think I could do with some air.”

Finally moving his hand away, Kyungsoo stood up and left the room without another word. Joonmyun watched him leave curiously.

“Getting some air.” Jongin explained, but the way Joonmyun’s lips were pressed together, he wondered if the older man wasn’t so sure.

The lights dimmed again and the second half of the show began, much like the first. The captain, however, didn’t come back. The show went on and the seat to Jongin’s right remained empty, and something in Jongin’s chest felt a little empty, too.

It was good fun, still. Jongin cheered and clapped for the red haired woman as she danced and sang, and joined in with the merciless teasing of poor Sehun every time the blonde dancer took to the stage, but there was something missing, something nagging at the back of Jongin’s mind the whole way through.

It was a strange feeling, to realise how dependent he had become on having Kyungsoo beside him.

 

It was incredibly late when the pirates filtered out of the building with the rest of the crowd. The wind was cool on their skin, but aside from the breeze the weather was still pleasantly warm, more befitting of the tail-end of summer than the opening act of autumn. The usually lively town centre had all but gone to sleep for the night, in preparation for another long day tomorrow. The crowd dispersed, leaving the group alone in the near-deserted streets.

Captain Kyungsoo had been waiting by the entrance of the building, attaching himself to the group (particularly, to the younger’s delight, Jongin’s side) the moment he saw them.

“I lost track of time.” Kyungsoo shrugged. “I was distracted browsing the stalls in the night market before they closed.”

Joonmyun shook his head. “You didn’t exactly seem to be enjoying the show anyway. Well, shall we head back?”

Murmurs of agreement, and the group started in the direction of Joonmyun’s home once more. Jongin made to follow them, but was stopped by a grip around his arm.

“Jongin.” Kyungsoo pulled him back a little bit. “I…want to talk to you about something first. Privately.”

He gave a nod rather than any verbal response, and allowed himself to be led in the opposite direction instead. Kyungsoo led him through the town centre, through the square, past houses and businesses closed up for the night, alleyways he knew were home to dozens of street kids in the day and led to empty storerooms and cellars that the children would sleep in at night. They walked and walked, through residential districts and out the other side of the town, Jongin’s heart beating hard in time with their steps as Kyungsoo never released his hold on Jongin’s arm.

They walked for what felt like forever. Where was Kyungsoo even taking him? Buildings became few and far between and the lights of the town grew fainter and fainter until the only light that led them came from above. Twinkling stars scattered across the sky and a shining full moon that guided them, round and brilliant, singing softly to the waves as though rocking the very ocean itself to sleep.

Waves.

Jongin could hear the waves again. He hadn’t heard them since they left the harbourside streets on their way into the town centre hours ago.

There wasn’t a building in sight by now, only trees and large rocks that Kyungsoo hesitantly let go of Jongin to climb over. Save for the sound of the waves, the world around them was strangely silent.

Jongin clambered over one last, enormous rock, following Kyungsoo with an inelegant landing onto soft sand. The captain offered Jongin a hand to help him stand, and their eyes met for just a moment.

It was so silent around them, only the waves, light breaths, Jongin’s heartbeat a muffled staccato beneath it all. It was as though they were the only two people in the world.

“We’re here.” Kyungsoo’s first words in a while were whispered, but still loud enough in the near silence that surrounded them. Jongin’s gaze followed Kyungsoo’s hand as he gestured outwards and he gasped quietly.

It was a beach, not completely unlike the other expanses of sand and sea to be found along the Opal Coast, but it was completely serene, almost entirely untouched. No litter sullied the soft, even sand glowing silver under the moonlight, no footprints, no haphazardly made sandcastles to be swallowed by the sea.

A squeeze on Jongin’s hand. “When I first came to the coast, I found this place. Nobody else ever seems to come here, so I would retreat here often to think, to reflect, to make my plans.” He smiled nervously, sending Jongin’s pulse pounding again. “I wanted to share this with you.”

They moved closer to the water then, watching as the weak remnants of once-powerful waves splashed gently on the sand. Jongin took off his boots, putting them a safe distance from the water, and allowed a wave to lap over his foot. It was cool, but not too cold, a blessing of the end of summer.

“I never much liked being in water, myself.” Kyungsoo watched Jongin curiously; a serene smile on the younger’s face as the water made its last, feeble attack on man. A tiny splash around Jongin’s ankles. “On a ship, yes, but not in the water proper.”

“It’s calming. A little strange at first, but you get used to the feeling.”

Kyungsoo hesitated. “I’m not so sure. All I ever think about is the strangeness.”

“Then you just have to embrace it. Just relax, and let it wash over you.”

Jongin wasn’t sure if they were really talking about the water anymore, but Kyungsoo took off his boots and joined Jongin in taking a few steps into the water, and that was all he really needed. Once they were close together again, Kyungsoo once again took Jongin’s hand, then the other, too. It was as if he couldn’t go more than a minute without holding onto him.

Not that Jongin had a problem with that.

“It’s much better now.” And with no warning, he pressed his lips to Jongin’s soundly; squeezing the younger’s hands tightly as he did so.

Jongin kissed him back for a while, before resting his forehead against Kyungsoo’s, eyes closed.

“We must look dreadful, like the most embarrassing pair of young lovers.” He chuckled.

“Well, isn’t that what we are?” Jongin’s heart skipped a beat, but when he opened his eyes to see the captain smiling at him so earnestly, he could have melted on the spot. Dissolved into foam and lost on the waves that still splashed around their ankles.

“Captain…what did you want to talk to me about?”

Kyungsoo looked away for a moment, but still pressed close. Jongin followed his gaze out to sea, the stars glittering all the way out to the horizon. “Can we…can we get to that in a while? When I tell you, we’ll end up walking home right after, and I’d rather spend some time with you, first.” He looked back at Jongin then, expression so soft, so genuine. “After all, being confined to my quarters on the Siren must get suffocating.”

The water lapped insistently at their feet, splashing a little way up their legs, and the two left the water, hand in hand. Kyungsoo started to his coat, the same long coat he always wore, though the bloodstains from before were less visible now. Shrugging it off his shoulders, he lay the coat down on the dry sand, far from the waves.

“Um?” Jongin watched the captain as he did all of this. Kyungsoo moved the coat a little bit, before sitting down on it.

“Sit with me, Jongin.” He didn’t need to be asked more than once, taking a seat beside Kyungsoo. The sand beneath the coat sank a little bit, soft and comfortable. Kyungsoo leaned in, resting on Jongin’s shoulder, and the two watched the waves quietly for a while.

It really was quite a view, no land in sight as the night sky met the ocean in an inky black line on the horizon. With the stars shimmering above them and the moonlight caught in every ripple of the waves, it felt like they were seeing more than just the water and the sky. It was as though they were gazing into infinity, shining lights of hope gleaming from the darkness, the depths of the unknown. Jongin could see everything in that sea, that sky; he saw hope, he saw promise.

“Beautiful.” Kyungsoo breathed. When Jongin glanced down at him, however, the captain wasn’t looking at the view, but instead at Jongin himself.

It was cliché to the point of being embarrassing, but Jongin loved it so much. He loved Kyungsoo so much.

“I love you.” It fell from his lips without even thinking, soft, like the waves before them, spilling gently onto the sand, onto Kyungsoo’s own lips.

“I love you too.” Kyungsoo’s voice another wave, they met in another kiss.

The breeze swept through Jongin’s hair as they kissed, a feather light touch like that of Kyungsoo’s fingertips ghosting over the scars on Jongin’s cheek. A quiet murmur, and lips followed hands, kissing lightly over the faded red lines down Jongin’s face. The captain kissed down to his neck, a small shiver coursing through Jongin that definitely wasn’t from the autumn wind.

Kyungsoo moved the neckline of Jongin’s shirt a little bit to press his lips to the scar on the younger’s shoulder, and Jongin let him, tilting his head to the side to make it a little easier and slipping his fingers through Kyungsoo’s hair. It was getting long, he thought; they’d been at sea for months. But Jongin liked it, the way it blew in the wind, tickling the exposed skin on his neck, on his shoulder.

The scar on Jongin’s shoulder was long, mostly concealed by the thin fabric of his shirt despite Kyungsoo’s best efforts. Kyungsoo’s hands moved to the buttons of Jongin’s shirt, and he looked up at him questioningly. Rather than reply, Jongin just ran his fingers through the captain’s hair again, hoping it would give Kyungsoo the answer he needed.

It did, and Kyungsoo set about undoing the buttons. Jongin didn’t watch him, instead tipping his head back a little and closing his eyes, sighing gently. Tiny gusts of wind whipped under the fabric as the buttons came loose, leaving a cool kiss on Jongin’s skin that was shortly followed by the similarly light kisses from Kyungsoo’s lips. The shirt slipped from his shoulders, placed on the sand by the edges of Kyungsoo’s coat, giving them a little more room. Jongin continued to run his fingers through Kyungsoo’s hair gently, a rhythm in time with the tiny kisses peppered across his chest, his shoulders, around the curve of his waist, over every last scar on his torso.

“I look a mess,” he mumbled, not bothering to open his eyes.

“You’re perfect.” A reply murmured against his hipbone, over a scar earned by stumbling over rough wooden boxes in the hold of an enemy ship. The scar continued lower, but Kyungsoo paused, fingertips drawing circles on Jongin’s stomach to get his attention.

Their eyes met, another silent question, but this time Jongin had no idea how to answer. His chest tightened, he could barely swallow, let alone speak. The tension in the air was thick, laying over them like a blanket. Jongin had the choice of hiding under that blanket, or throwing it aside.

“Let me.” He started, not really sure what he was asking Kyungsoo to let him do, but the captain complied anyway, moving back up to kiss Jongin softly, slowly. Jongin’s hands left the other’s hair and slipped down over Kyungsoo’s shoulders, his chest, to the buttons on the captain’s own shirt that were undone as quickly as Jongin could manage with fumbling fingers.

Jongin didn’t know exactly how or when he had come to love this man so deeply, so completely, but he knew that he loved him, so much so that it was a part of his very being. From those eyes, wide and a deep black in the darkness, shimmering with the same insecurities Jongin himself felt; to the scars that covered- no adorned – the captain’s body. There were many, from small nicks to long, jagged lines. Jongin used them as a guide, fingertips dancing on the smaller marks as he left trails of kisses along the lines. They were everywhere, Jongin’s hands running over scars on Kyungsoo’s back, down his arms, over his thighs, a map showing him where to go as layers of fabric were shed, spread around them to protect them from the sand.

Most of all, he was drawn to the scar running over Kyungsoo’s chest, kissed over and over as though he could send his love directly to the captain’s heart. Kyungsoo’s hand on his cheek tickled a little bit, and he paused.

“Look at all of these…” Kyungsoo whispered. The waves splashed. “All of these marks that you’ve got on you, because of me.”

“Everything for you.” Jongin whispered back, feeling the tightness in his chest again, the tension as the wind swirled around them, lone figures on the sand. Their lips met again.

Everything for you.

I love you. I love you.

He was nervous, still, and Kyungsoo was too. He could feel it, their chests pressed together, two pulses racing, pounding in time. And yet somehow everything simply fell into place naturally, tender kisses, fingertips running over skin like water running down a stream, through a river before finally meeting the ocean. The waves whispered quietly, the two whispered even more so. Okay? Yes. Are you sure? Yes. Always yes. Always yes.

They had space now, clothing scattered around them as a barrier from the sand. Soft sand that sank beneath them like a cushion, like a cloud. “Captain,” Jongin gasped softly. Kyungsoo silenced him with another kiss, trailing a hand over Jongin’s necklace – now the only thing he wore. The metal was cold against his skin, which was so warm, so warm.

“Kyungsoo. If only for now, call me Kyungsoo.”

“Kyungsoo.”

Jongin felt like he was falling, falling into the infinity he’d seen before, glittering stars, ripples on the ocean, silver sand beneath him, a small glass bottle that once contained sweet oils, taken from Kyungsoo’s coat pocket, glinting in the moonlight, since spent of its contents. Kyungsoo was, in Jongin’s opinion, completely gorgeous, pale skin illuminated by the light of the moon, silver like the sand. He looked almost ethereal, and Jongin wanted so much to tell him, but he was running out of breath, and words escaped him completely.

They were so, so close. Kyungsoo was so, so perfect. Jongin moved his hands, shaking, to Kyungsoo’s face.

“Beautiful,” was all he was able to get out. Kyungsoo pressed their foreheads together, equally breathless.

“You are.” And he captured Jongin’s mouth.

I love you so much.

You’re my everything.

The waves crashed in time as the wind whistled a love song. Jongin could hardly breathe, suffocating under the weight of so much love. So, so much love. It was all he could do to hold onto Kyungsoo tightly, repeating his name over and over in choked whispers. Kyungsoo Kyungsoo Kyungsoo Kyungsoo. As if the world had fallen silent around him, all Jongin could hear was Kyungsoo’s own mantra, his own name tumbling from the captain’s lips not like a wave hitting the sand, but purely what it was – love. Only love.

Stay by my side.

Yes. Always yes.

Always yes.

 

Although it had felt that way, the earth had in fact, not moved. The stars hadn’t burst, nor had they been shaken from the sky and sent falling into the sea below. The earth remained as it was, the two of them remained as they were, breathless young men on a pile of mismatched clothes, and everything was perfect.

They stayed where they were for a while, laying side by side and gazing up at the stars, catching their breath and kissing with their palms.

A quiet splashing of waves, the low whistle in the breeze.

“Is…” Jongin started, eyes focused on the smallest star he could see. “Is this what you wanted to talk to me about?”

Kyungsoo laughed weakly, squeezing Jongin’s hand. “Not really, no, that wasn’t in the plan.” The glass bottle, snugly set in the sand nearby, seemed to imply otherwise. Jongin had seen them on a market stall on the way into town. Perhaps it hadn’t been in the plan just yet, anyway, but he couldn’t say he regretted the way things had gone. “I did want to tell you something, but perhaps it’s now been…overshadowed.”

“Tell me anyway.” Another squeeze.

A soft sigh from beside him, and Kyungsoo cleared his throat. “Well…now that we have the name of the Titania, it really feels rather…final, doesn’t it? Once we find it, there will be no reason to aimlessly sail the Jewel Seas anymore. I’m sure you’ve heard the rest of the crew making their plans?” Jongin only gave a noncommittal mumble, to show he had heard. “Well…I’ve been thinking about mine. But first I need to know – what are you going to do?”

“Nothing,” was all Jongin could really say. “I haven’t a home to go back to; I haven’t a trade to take up here on the coast. I’m just…Jongin. The boy who took to the sea because the land didn’t want him.” He kept his gaze on the stars and swallowed hard.

“Ah…” Kyungsoo was quiet for a while. “Well…I told you that my mother came from the Onyx Isles, didn’t I? She always told me how beautiful they were, but I’ve never actually seen them myself.”

Jongin sat up then.

“You haven’t?”

“Not even once.” Kyungsoo didn’t sit up, but he did smile gently at Jongin, gently the younger’s wrist with his thumb. “It was her plan, you know, to one day return to the Onyx Isles once her thirst for adventure was quenched. She wanted to go back to her homeland and settle down, set down roots, but she never got to.”

Jongin’s mouth was dry, so he could only nod.

“It’s my new dream. Once we find Titania and I take back what was stolen from me, I want to do what my mother couldn’t. I want to return to the Onyx Isles and…set down roots, perhaps.” His smile turned shy, the on Jongin’s wrist a little more insistent. In the bright light of the moon, Jongin could just about tell that Kyungsoo’s cheeks were flushed. “I…I want you to come with me, Jongin.”

He’d had a hunch, but hearing it from Kyungsoo’s mouth made time stop, just for a moment.

“With you? To the Onyx Isles?”

“Only if you want to, I mean.” He squeezed Jongin’s hand again. “Only if you want to, but I’d like that a lot.”

Of course, even after all that had happened, Kyungsoo was still giving Jongin the chance to say no. He would probably do that forever.

Jongin liked the sound of that. Forever. With Kyungsoo.

Always yes. He didn’t actually say anything, but pushing Kyungsoo down into the coat-covered sand and kissing him hard probably counted as a yes, anyway.

 

It was a while later that they were clothed again, protected from the cool midnight breeze and brushing the sand away. It was strange, after what had just happened, that they pointedly looked away from one another as they changed, glancing over only occasionally and sharing tiny, embarrassed smiles.

“We’ll have to be quiet when we get back to the house.” Kyungsoo mused as Jongin finished putting his boots on. “Are you ready?”

Jongin looked at him for a moment, completely dishevelled and smiling earnestly. He would never have believed that such a Kyungsoo could exist, nor how completely, utterly gorgeous he was. And his heart belonged to Jongin, and Jongin only.

Picking up the little glass bottle from the sand and pocketing it as a keepsake, Jongin took Kyungsoo’s hand, ready for the long walk home.