The merrymaking was in full swing by the time the captain couple arrived fashionably late. Wooyoung perched on the bar counter, one arm wrapped around the tirelessly pouring barkeep and with his legs crossed. San sat in a corner with a bottle clutched like a lifeline, watching him with smouldering eyes.
Yunho and Mingi raised their cups at the latecomers. They sat at a table with some other pirates who helped the raid and they bonded over the overflowing alcohol.
"Ahoy, buckos," Hongjoong grinned as he guided Seonghwa inside by the small of his back. Amused by Wooyoung's flirtations, Seonghwa leaned next to him while Hongjoong's tattooed lower arms came to rest on the grimy countertop. Scarred fingers tapped to the beat of the concertina someone played nearby. A woman sang the song of victory and the seas for them and the stomping of pirates in mindless dance woke the rest of the bay to join them. Yeosang was breathless, overgrown blond hair wild as he danced with the other pirates. Jongho nursed his drink on the terrace. His eyes never left their navigator.
Wooyoung and San went up and down like the tides, never bored with their games. And although Yeosang and Jongho were much more tentative about their relationship, it was good to see that Jongho considered Yeosang the brightest star, even after so many years. Yeosang guided them all with his light and so long as Jongho didn't stray off his path, everything would be fine.
"Ah, this reminds me o' past days," Seonghwa sighed into his drink once he received it. He sunk onto the stool next to Hongjoong. Despite the rowdy and boisterous pirates around them, he was the moon to their tides.
Sometimes Hongjoong wanted to scoff at how good of a prince Seonghwa would have been. A proper one, that was. In a castle with a white horse and a princess to marry. Not a prince of the seas. In a way, Seonghwa was the prince of their own little kingdom now. His joy was in the white castle atop the hill.
Though no one loved Seonghwa's dark sides more than Hongjoong.
Swaying in his chair until he found his seating, Hongjoong indulged him.
"O' a time when one cup got ye three sheets into the wind?"
"No," Seonghwa said, though he had to chuckle into his bottle. As he relaxed in the warm island air and the sunset bathed them in an orange glow, everything about him screamed attractive. Hongjoong was less tired, but if his headache weren't so bothersome he would have tugged Seonghwa away again, not yet done with him.
Happiness suited the man. Even if it came in odd shapes out at sea, Hongjoong hadn't noticed how much he missed it until Seonghwa started healing from his loss.
His smiles would be touched by a certain sadness for a long time still.
"I meant when those umbra bastards been around. We also celebrated like this, but they overshadowed our every joy."
"It been a long time. Ye do nay need to fear 'em any longer." Hongjoong's hand found Seonghwa's thigh, squeezing it through the expensive fabric of their costumes.
With an absent-minded touch at the corner of his lips, Seonghwa made a sound of agreement. They couldn't forget the vile curse. No matter how strong it made them and how easy other troubles became, they feared every day that the dark puddles at their feet would take the shape of people. Hongjoong often flinched away from nearby walls when the sun made his shadow glide alongside him.
"Ye 'ave a lot on yer mind. Let's focus on this. The Black Bay. Our triumph." Hongjoong beckoned around them, at the crowd of guffawing pirates with no care in the world.
Seonghwa drank to that.
"Ye only add to it, me love. Do nay fall sick. We need ye once the jack tar appear on the 'orizon."
YOU ARE READING
Prince of Embers
FanfictionCan you hear those voices? The world has greyed, and the tides changed. Time passed, but one of them didn't age. "Shadow-touched", they called him. Now the shadows are crawling to make him theirs. No one could take him away again. The crew would g...
