Bleeding crown (NCT X STRAYKIDS)

Ch.11

Ji-won pov:

The deck is empty at this time of the night and only the moon lights our path. The water around the ships reflect a light just bright enough for us to see eachothers figure. I pull out my sword and anchor my feet but Changbin kicks it out of my hands and it slide across the hard wood.

"You're good with a sword. Hand to hand combat is your weakness. If you cling to the blade that's all you'll ever be good at"

I scoff at him and get into a fighting stance ready to show him exactly how wrong he is. I didn't train hard hours with Jaemin just to be bested by a pirate. He doesn't take any stance as he starts to circle me no doubt looking for a crack in my armor. I try to keep him in my sight but as I try to follow him my stance loosens until eventually I'd turned my back to him. I couldn't process what had happened as my body connected with the cold wet surface of the deck. I jump back onto my feet not ready to give up and try to take him by surprise with a spinning kick to the chest and he doesn't even flinch as if he was expecting it. His hard calloused hand wraps around my ankle and shoe and he once again slings me to the floor. I feel my anger rising as I grit my teeth and shoot back up again. This time he makes the first move although sloppy he follows it up quickly making it hard to dodge. I stay light on my feet but I was quickly loosing stamina as I weave in and out of his throws. My movements became slow and before I could catch his fist he landed a hard blow to my jaw. I was now finding it hard to balance as some waves shook the ship but his legs never wavered.

He didn't even look the least bit tired as he threw more hits at my vitals. He wasn't playing nice but what did I expect from him? I finally land one left hook to his temple but he doesn't stop. If anything he becomes more aggressive and determined. A sharp kick sends me head first into the post behind me and I could feel the splinters tearing my skin through my shirt. I slump to the floor wiping the blood off of my lips and he squats in front of me to examine my wounds hovering his thumb under my newly black eye. I swat away his hands away with a sneer.

"What the hell was that?? I said train me not obliterate me!"

He stands back up and offers his hand which I take and he hoists me to my feet. I lean on him as he supports most of my weight considering I had lost all of my energy. He scoops me up into his arms and starts to walk back to his room unfazed by my death glares directed at him.

"I'm not one of your brothers. I'm not going to take it easy on you to spare your feelings, especially when you leave yourself open like that"

Wait my brothers weren't actually doing that right? They wouldn't hold me back from my full potential just because I'm a girl? I don't let the thoughts linger as he places me down on his desk and pulls the chair out to sit between my legs. My face heats up at his light touch on my thigh as he examines the gash on my forehead from my fall. I try not to focus on the position we're in and let him clean up my injuries. He dabs a damp rag on my brow and I flinch back. He places a gentle hand in my hair to steady my head for him to continue. I squeeze my eye closed and focus on calming my racing heart. He put away his materials and escorts me to the door. He looks down at me while leaning on the doorframe contemplating on what to say.

"Same time tomorrow. Try not to fall next time"

I roll my eyes. Never a sincere moment with him. I carefully sneak back into the room and climb onto my bunk trying not to alert my brothers. The last thing I need for them to find out I was asking someone else for extra training. I remembered what Changbin had said and started to question if my brothers were actually teaching me at all. Was Yang loosing on purpose?? Was Jeno taking it easy on me? I decide that trusting them is better than thinking they'd device me. My brothers had left their lives and kingdom to be here with me on this dangerous quest to erase our brother from human existence. Now isn't the time to start doubting them. I slowly crawl onto the top bunk being careful not to step on jisung even though he limbs were spread to every part of the small bed. I wrap myself in the blanket and close my eyes thinking I had gotten away with it.

"Next time you want to sneak out to meet with a boy; I'd suggest not being so loud"

I sigh. I've never been able to sneak anything past chenle.

"It's not what you think"

He pulls his eyes away from his book and looks me up and down studying my appearance. I could already tell he was going to have questions about the bandage on my face and the blood soaking through my shirt. To my surprise he doesn't say a word and places his attention back to his reading. I was completely shocked seeing as he was never one to drop something so easily. Thats when I realized the other set of eyes focused on me from below Chenles bed. Damn it.

"You know you're terrible at lying so don't even try it. Did you have sex with him?"

I look at him incredulously. You can't be serious. Sex??? With Changbin!? I mean he isn't terrible all of the time. And sure he'd be attractive if he wasn't a raging asshole. My mind flashes back to his room with him between my thighs while he caresses my hair. And then to his shirtless chest while he had answered the door in only boxers. That stupid smirk and his dark hooded eyes. His long shaggy hair and thick defined muscles.

"Absolutely not. Who do you think I am?? You know me better than that!! Why would you think.."

I realized I had been blabbing and it wasn't helping my case at all. Even though nothing actually happened with him I couldn't help but think that it could have. Or that maybe he wanted to. Or maybe I wanted to. Ten focused his glare at me proving he wasn't at all impressed with answer.

"Look I don't care what you do with the prince but that would kind of defeat the whole point of us trying to save you. Also he if he hurts you I'll throw him overboard."

He turns over in his bed signaling the end of the conversation while I try to wrap my head around what he just said. Prince? What prince? He doesn't think I'm.... with CHAN???