Prince of Bones

13. Roleplay

"We brought you the humans you asked for, oh great god! It's only two of them for now and they are by far not enough to still your mighty hunger but please take them as a first offer until we can bring more! I hope they will be to your tastes!"

Hongjoong watched the conversation from where he was perched on the altar as a mirror of Seonghwa. Both of them were wearing the same kind of scandalous clothing by now and lazed around on the altar all day, showing off their worth to what the robes believed was their god.

The wendigo curiously let his head sway to the right, spotting whichever poor soul they had brought in the back of the room. It then growled terrifyingly, sitting back on his haunches. Its much too long limbs kept replaying in Hongjoong's nightmares.

"No... humans. Find humans. Humans!" It lashed out in its anger, picking up another robe to bite down on their body with the horrible noise of crunching bones. Hongjoong did not even flinch but he noticed Seonghwa averting his eyes from the gory view.

"Why is nobody we find here human?! Throw them in some cell! Go out to search for more immediately." The lead robe was quick with moving back from the wendigo so he was not the next one being grabbed and Hongjoong nearly laughed at him. He did not though. Their position was still risky enough even without him mocking the robes.

They swarmed away again, getting access to and from the cave through their magic somehow but without ever opening a door for them to flee through. The wendigo turned to the two pirates again, looking them up and down with these black holes of its that functioned as its eyes.

"Seonghwa too... Wanna take him too."

Hongjoong perked up when the monster came closer a big step, extending its hands towards the baker who went very wide eyed and rigid at that. He was quick to move in between his lover and the huge wendigo, giving the monster a stern glance.

"No. I'm the only one who gets to do that. Also you are abusing your power. You won't be like this forever and I already got my plans to tie you guys against the mast as soon as we are back out at sea."

The wendigo chuckled at that but dropped its hand at least.

"But we freed you guys. Aren't you thankful for that?"

"We are. However, you already got what you asked for. Don't play with fire now.", Hongjoong growled at them lowly, grabbing Seonghwa's hand then to slide off the altar. His lover obeyed insecurely, holding onto his fingers tightly while Hongjoong pulled him through the dark tunnels.

It felt odd for Hongjoong. He was used to being trailed by this group of pirates that were armed to the teeth and nobody dared to come close too. He was used to the crowds parting for them. But this, Seonghwa who stumbled behind him and let himself be led by the hand, it made Hongjoong feel a very different sense of need to protect.

And even then he remembered that Seonghwa was not weak anymore. He was just as confused with his surroundings as Hongjoong was. Hongjoong wanted to have him out on the sea with the wind in his hair again already and let him show off to the whole crew just what he learned in those two years.

Back in their cell Hongjoong let go of Seonghwa again, stepping to their washing bowl with a sigh to go clean up his injury. It had started healing pretty fast with the strange blessings of the robes involved and the ability to feel things with that hand had by now returned to him nearly fully.

He was calmly wrapping his hand again when he heard steps outside, coming up to their cell.

"Oh, it's food. Hongjoong, are you hungry already?"

Hongjoong glanced over his shoulder to see Seonghwa step up to one of the robes through the open door of their cell, taking the food from him. He lifted a brow, shaking water off his hands when he stepped closer to them, helping Seonghwa pile the plates in his arms. The robe inclined its head politely after that, turning to leave.