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It’s going to be another busy night at Twilight Tavern which means Jongho won’t be able to sing. He hasn’t been able to sing for a couple days now, a mix of new hires being rotated to try out the role and now they’re having a surge of guests visiting because of some sort of local festivities. He didn’t even know why people were celebrating at this point, just that it meant so many people were too loud, drank too much, and left too much trash out on the streets.
The same streets that Jongho is having to clean because the tavern owner insisted that messy streets would mean people would discourage customers from coming.
Jongho left before he could comment on how the real problem was the shitty food and alcohol. He still needed a place to stay, after all.
Luckily it’s late afternoon, too early for dances and fireworks. Just merchants setting up stalls who glare at Jongho when he gets too close to them. It’s ridiculous, he’s doing them more of a favor than his own tavern.
He’s on his way to dispose of the streamers in a bin when he hears them.
Shouts, the clank of metal, swish of jewelry, and thud of sturdy boots.
Pirates.
There’s seven of them, wearing a variety of clothes ranging from full on sailor gear to well hearted attempts at regular land clothes. It’s still obvious, buttoned overcoats and creased collars don't hide the piercings and muscles from taking care of a ship. There’s an attempt though, the same can’t be said for the man who’s the farthest back.
He’s the shortest, hair dyed, and silver and gold covering his hands and ears. He’s amicable with his crew, but Jongho recognizes the fur coat and gait. That’s a pirate captain. And considering the amount of scars he sports, a successful one.
It makes sense then that he’d be the one to spot Jongho.
Seabound recognizes seabound. There are no words, just the instant connection of knowing that someone else knows the ways of the ocean and that both of you are far from it.
Luckily one of the crew members runs off, something about needing to collect more herbs and the rest get into a debate about who should get what supplies.
Jongho takes advantage of the captain being distracted to cross back across the street to Twilight. He looks back just in time to see that the captain is looking his way.
…
He’s on guard duty with Hyunjin tonight, which is usually great. Except it’s Haseul singing tonight which means Hyunjin will be too busy flexing and making funny faces at her to properly keep Jongho company on their shift.
Part of him hopes one of them will just confess to get out of this crushing stage, but the other part is worried that they’d be even worse as a couple.
That means he’s the one who has to break up the fight that breaks out. Technically on the street, but again “we don’t want anything to discourage customers from visiting”.
Hyunjin actually offers to go out instead, but Jongho knows that would result in Haseul alternating between coddling Hyunjin and rambling about how “big and strong my girl Hyunjinnie is” between her sets. So yeah, Jongho takes the street fight.
It’s two of the pirates, reeking of rum but he isn’t sure if both have consumed it or if it’s just like that from being on a ship and so close to the tavern. Goddess knows that Jongho doesn’t smell like roses.
“Yeosang-ah how could you?” The man with purple hair shouts while caging who Jongho presumes is Yeosang against the tavern wall.
The impact rattles the window frame that’s close by. Hyunjin looks through it and shoots Jongho a questioning glance. Jongho waves her off, two people even if they’re drunk will be easy for him.
“You’re blowing this out of proportion, stop,” Yeosang says, his voice surprisingly deep and steady considering the circumstances.
He’s not drunk and obviously this pirate is part of his crew, but Jongho knows that doesn’t mean anything especially if said crew member is drunk.
“Excuse me,” Jongho says, stepping closer to the two and squaring his shoulders. “We have a strict no violence policy and-”
“Oh thank Goddess you’re here,” the man with purple hair exclaims, stepping away from his crew member. “I need you to prove a point since some people are biased.”
Before Jongho realizes what’s happening, the man is dragging him towards his crew member who is still standing by the wall. He offers an exasperated smile to Jongho.
“My lover is trying to claim that he is not the most stunning creature in all of the lands and seas,” he states like it’s the most outrageous thing in the world.
“I am so sorry,” Yeosang says with a slight bow before turning towards his lover(?) and grabbing his arm. “San apologize to this poor man and then we are going to bed.”
“Going to bed?” San asks, wrapping his arm around Yeosang’s waist and nuzzling into his neck. “And do what?”
“If you keep this up, I’m going to tie you up,” he hisses, using one hand to wrench the arm off his waist and using the other to push San’s face away.
It surprises Jongho how easily Yeosang is able to manhandle San despite his smaller frame. He wonders how much of it is Yeosang’s muscles hidden away under the sailor blouse and how much of it is San possibly wanting to let Yeosang do whatever he wants with him?
Goddess, he does not want to think about that.
“Tying me up sounds like a great start for the night,” San says, voice way too giddy.
“He’s not pressuring you into anything right?” Jongho asks, needing to make sure.
“Of course not!” Yeosang quickly reassures. “He’s a brat, but my brat.”
“Yours,” San singsongs. Then looking towards Jongho he raises an eyebrow and adds, “You should see what he’s like in private, he-”
“Shut up!” Yeosang shrieks and tackles San to the ground.
They roll around for a bit, Yeosang pulling San’s hair in order to get the upper hand only for San to enjoy it too much. Except each time Yeosang tries to escape, San pulls him down and it just repeats.
Now Jongho knows that this isn’t fighting, but foreplay.
(Especially since Yeosang’s blouse slipped a bit and Jongho could see just how big his muscles are. He could easily pick San up and just go, but no, in Jongho’s valiant attempt to avoid the love fest of Hyunjin and Haseul he managed to stumble across a couple who’s worse.)
It’s causing even more of a commotion, probably due to San’s vocal enthusiasm. If this keeps up, both tavern higher ups and merchants are going to come investigate.
Which means that Hyunjin will definitely come out and he does not need to see her get any ideas from the pirate couple.
Yeosang has San pinned to the ground right now, and Jongho really doesn’t trust that so he uses the opportunity to hook his arms under Yeosang’s armpits and haul him up.
“Hey I had that handled,” Yeosang squawked, trying to twist out of Jongho’s grasp.
“And I was enjoying that,” San whines, scrambling up and throwing his arms around Yeosang completely ignoring that Jongho is right there.
He sighs, they’re basically back at square one except it looks like Jongho is part of this now. Especially since Yeosang keeps dodging San’s kisses and Jongho is behind him.
“Stop,” Jongho attempts and pushes Yeosang into San who eagerly catches him and uses the opportunity to pepper kisses all over his face.
Yeosang of course is too busy fake dodging and giggling in between each flurry.
They’re not going to get anywhere at this rate.
He’s starting to suspect that despite his protests, Yeosang actually likes an audience.
Still, it seems that Yeosang is going to be his better bet. So he moves to San who is so caught up in his own bubble he doesn’t notice Jongho until he’s halfway through slinging him over his shoulder.
“Since it seems I can’t just ask you to go back to whatever inn you’re staying at, I’m taking you there. This is nothing personal,” Jongho explains. “San you’re just too handsy and Yeosang I have more faith that you can keep it in your pants.”
He turns back to see Yeosang tomato red and he manages a mortified, “I’ll behave. So sorry, it’s just been so long since we’ve been on land.”
“Sorry,” San adds, surprisingly noncompliant about the new position. “But can you blame me, Yeosang is just so-”
“San!”
Jongho starts walking because he does not want to see whatever creative ways Yeosang has to make San keep quiet. There’s not a lot of inns in general, but there’s a couple close by that Jongho heads in that direction.
“We really are sorry, you can put him down now,” Yeosang says, running a little to catch up to them.
“Just tell me which inn.”
“Is it gold? We can give you gold,” Yeosang pleads.
“This is actually nice. Yeosang, you should start carrying me around like this.”
That almost causes Jongho to drop San right then and there. He does not want to add anymore fuel to this couple’s fire. But a quick glance down at San confirms that it was said with a smirk.
“Nice try,” Jongho says, readjusting his grip and quickening his pace. “I trust you both couldn’t have made it too far without causing a scene. Aurora Inn?”
“Yes and what do you know it’s right there. You’ve successfully escorted us, we’ve reached our destination. Thank you, we’re good to go,” Yeosang says, words rushed as he attempts to take San off Jongho’s shoulders.
“Are you sure because I meant it when I said I’d take you back,” Jongho says, enjoying the sight of Yeosang so worked up.
San is at least being a good sport about it. It’s a little bit of payback considering all that they made Jongho suffer through. Plus the closer he gets to the inn, the greater the chances of their crew members getting to see this ridiculous sight.
And it’s that very thing that ends up coming back to bite Jongho.
“What do we have here boys?”
Jongho doesn’t know the voice but he recognizes the undercurrent of authority in it. It’s confirmed when both Yeosang and San quickly respond with “Captain?”
He quickly deposits San back to Yeosang, who doesn’t even fake complain about his lover immediately clinging to him.
The pirate captain isn’t wearing the same clothes from before. The black fur coat stayed but underneath is a black and red shirt unbuttoned all the way down to his navel. What he assumes to be the crew’s tattoo, an hourglass, is on his heart highlighted by a barrage of dangling necklaces.
He welcomes back his crew members with open arms, tussling hair and fussing over nothing as the pirate couple explain that they got a little too carried away and “the tavern boy” had to help them back.
It’s that part that the captain directly looks at Jongho, smile on his face but his eyes too knowing. He recognizes Jongho from earlier, he recognizes that Jongho isn’t exactly at home on this land.
It makes his skin crawl.
“You’ve put him through so much and didn’t even ask for his name,” the captain chastises. “Purple hair is San, long hair is Yeosang, and I’m Wonderland’s captain Hongjoong.”
“Jongho,” he says because it’s not like he can run away at this point, in the same way he can’t avoid Hongjoong’s handshake that turns into a brief hug.
He smells so much like the sea, even more so than the couple who must have changed clothes once they got to land. Jongho aches.
“Well Jongho, I would like to properly thank you for taking care of my crew members.”
“You don’t need to, just in a day’s work,” Jongho rambles, pointedly ignoring how close Hongjoong is (and the way that Yeosang and San are whispering to each other). “Which I should actually get back to. Have a good night.”
He really does try to smoothly turn around and walk away, become one with the night or have the pirate couple be so coupley that Hongjoong will be too preoccupied to pry.
But that’d be too easy.
“The Twilight tavern right? I was just about to head over there,” Hongjoong says, settling beside Jongho.
He casts a quick glance to find Yeosang enthusiastically nodding in approval and San pretending to wolf whistle. So their captain is single or at least opened to a relationship of some sorts.
Maybe that’s all this will be.
“It’s been a while since I’ve been this far inland, tell me am I dressed okay?”
Jongho isn’t sure which part is supposed to be the most targeted at him: the emphasis on how far both are from the sea or the way that Hongjoong slowly drags his finger down his chest. So much skin.
“Not exactly trying to blend in, are you?” Jongho asks, wondering if the walk to the tavern really was this long when he was with the pirate couple.
“People will know anyway, why try to hide it?”
So that’s what he’s going for then?
“Some might think it’s more than just showing off that you’re a pirate,” Jongho says, making sure to run his hand through hair. He’s seen Haseul do that around Hyunjin a lot.
“And what would they think?” Hongjoong asks, eyes tracking his every movement. “What do you think?”
The tavern is so close. Hyunjin is at the entrance, her entire demeanor changing as she catches sight of Jongho and just how close Hongjoong is walking next to him.
He has Yeosang and San to blame for this really, if only they had kept their weird mating ritual to their inn room.
“That the sea can be lonely.” He adds a light touch across Hongjoong’s coat, so incredibly soft. He hopes it hides the fact that his line was more of a confession than a pick up line. “But there’s more people here, people who definitely won’t want you to be lonely.”
“For a night?” Hongjoong asks.
He’s just humoring him, or at least that’s what Jongho tells himself as reason to give him a wink and say, “Or two.”
They’re finally at the tavern, Hyunjin coming up to them.
Hongjoong takes that as his cue to leave Jongho’s side, but they both know that this isn’t the end. He watches Hongjoong walk up to the bar as Hyunjin pulls Jongho into an empty booth.
Haseul’s swooning vocals crescendo in the background as Hyunjin smiles at Jongho.
“I send you out to break up a fight and you come back with a pirate. No wonder it took you so long.”
“It was his crew members, not fighting, just a little too caught up in their own world. That’s their captain.”
“Captain?”
“And he insisted on coming back with me to the tavern.”
He doesn’t add the part about Hongjoong wanting to pay him back, Hyunjin would have a riot with that information.
“Considering all that you’ve done tonight, I think you deserve a break. Why don’t you go to the bar to talk more with your captain?”
“I’m sitting down with you right now, that’s a break,” Jongho tries.
“Haseul’s going on break soon, scram.”
“So this is what it’s really about. Tossing aside your friend of so many years just so you can once again spend another night with your crush and do absolutely nothing about it.”
He fully expects Hyunjin to rebuttal with her usual line of how you can’t rush romance, but instead she levels him with a gaze that’s a little too serious and says, “You deserve to be happy.”
“You of all people should know that a man isn’t going to magically make everything better,” Jongho says, a half hearted attempt at stopping this conversation.
Unfortunately she doesn’t rise to the bait.
“Fuck him or not, I don’t care. But I know you miss the ocean,” Hyunjin says and reaches out to poke on the ring that even after all this time Jongho hasn’t had the heart to take off. It’s a little pathetic if he’s being honest. “And you aren’t meant to stay here.”
“Neither are you,” Jongho quickly adds.
They made a promise to each other, about how they would both get out of this tavern. Jongho knows she’s been saving to eventually move to the countryside, and he’s been a little obvious with his ring and in the way he constantly keeps an ear out for news about the sea.
Hyunjin’s been kind enough to not ask why he hasn’t visited it. Sometimes Jongho thinks she knows.
“Go talk to him then,” Hyunjin says with a kick to Jongho’s shin.
As he makes his way across the room, he reminds himself that this was inevitable ever since he made eye contact with Hongjoong earlier today. One way or another they were going to talk. Now it’s up to Jongho to figure out how much the pirate captain knows and how much he can get away with.
“Drink’s on me,” Hongjoong says as Jongho takes the seat next to him.
His cup is empty, but he has the orange slice in hand as he nods for Jongho to say his order. It’s Vivi bartending tonight which means that she’ll definitely be telling Haseul all about this who will of course tell Hyunjin.
“Your usual?” Vivi asks with a faux grin.
Jongho nods, accepting defeat.
“Good alcohol you have here,” Hongjoong says as he turns to face Jongho.
He’s removed his coat at this point, the garment settled over his lap. The whole purpose of those captain coats is to make you seem bigger than you actually are. But even without it, Hongjoong seems larger than life.
“Must have had limited options on your ship for this to seem good,” he finally replies, having the unfortunate timing of saying it right as Vivi approaches with his drink.
Hongjoong laughs at first which soon turns into a cough when Vivi turns her steely gaze on him.
“After all the hard work I’ve done to mix your drink and this is how you repay me?” Vivi scolds but sets the drink in front of Jongho all the same.
“I was the one who brought in the casks, if anything it’s on me. Probably got some wood or dirt in them.”
He saves himself by quickly gulping the beer, so used to the taste of it that he doesn’t even scrunch his nose in disgust anymore. He’s flashing Vivi a thumbs up to show how good it is when he feels a hand on his shoulder.
Nails sharp, the faint brush of intricate metal, and a touch that’s determined in what it wants.
Vivi cackles as he nearly chokes on his drink.
“You two have fun,” she says as she walks to the other end of the bar to help tend to the patrons there.
Hongjoong’s hand moves from his shoulder to his back, helping him catch his breath again.
“Down the wrong pipe?” Hongjoong blissfully asks once Jongho steadies himself.
He still doesn’t move his hand, his touch so undeniably hot against Jongho even with his shirt on still.
“Something like that,” Jongho goes with, trying to find a balance in this game of flirting and careful truths and lies.
(There’s a question of how much of the flirting is a lie, how much is him trying to protect his identity and how much of him wants. He knows he wants the ocean and the man before him is the closest thing Jongho can get to the embodiment of it this far inland.)
“Well you must be strong to take care of all those casks, from the port all the way to here?” Hongjoong asks, fake nonchalance and suggestive tone that sounds with little too much earnesty coating each word.
It’s impressive how well he pulls it off.
“No, there’s a carriage that brings the supplies closer to the tavern. I haven’t been to the ports in a long time.”
Years, it’s been years.
“Have you ever been?”
“Do you like asking questions you know the answer to, captain?” Jongho snaps.
That gets a hearty laugh out of Hongjoong who throws his body into Jongho’s. It’s too much and not enough, and Jongho has to physically remind himself to breathe until Hongjoong gets done with his fit of laughter.
“Oh I like you Jongho.” And there’s a weight to those words that despite everything that’s happened tonight Jongho finds himself crumbling a little under it. “Not everyday that I see a fellow sea dweller this far inland.”
“I imagine that’s because you’re usually not this far from the ocean,” Jongho manages to get out.
“You of all people probably understand why. It’s hard being away for too long.”
He nods, not entirely trusting himself to speak in fear that he’ll spill his whole life story out for the captain to see and dissect.
“My crew will be here for a fortnight. When I want to find you again, can I expect you to be at the guard position again?”
When, he said when and not if.
This he can answer, at least.
“I do a little bit of everything. There’s no exact schedule, most of the time it’s first come first serve. Guarding, waiting, cooking.” Well, Hongjoong already knows so much and he’s already gotten this far tonight, might as well. “On less busy nights, I sing.”
“I’ll make sure to stop by on one of those nights, then,” he says, then taking one of his many rings off he places it in front of Jongho. “Until then, something to remember me by.”
It’s an old practice but Jongho recognizes it. A pirate’s way of showing a claim before they can give their official tattoo. Sometimes it’s simply meant for recruiting potential crew mates, a way to show how valuable a person might be due to the amount of jewelry they can wrack up from various captains. But he’s also seen it in possession, that a creature is a property of a ship and no other hunters should even think of touching them. And even rarer, he’s seen it when a pirate hopes to court someone.
He slips Hongjoong’s ring on his finger before he has a chance to overthink it.
…
The rest of Wonderland’s crew visits Jongho throughout the week. He meets the first mates (yes they’re both Hongjoong’s first mates), Seonghwa and Yunho who are sweet. Next are Mingi and Wooyoung, a duo whose table Jongho solely avoids because he can’t tell if the moans coming from them are from them enjoying their food or something else. Then Yeosang and San stop by, much calmer this time (aka Yeosang keeping San on a tighter leash) and they even treat Jongho to dinner.
Hongjoong hasn’t come yet, and all of his crew members have mastered the art of talking about him without saying anything about him. Even Yeosang and San don’t tease Jongho about him all that much.
After a week passed, Hyunjin offers to track him down and “have a talk with him”. He declines that, but goes to the market with her. He doesn’t complain when she buys the extra fine coffee grounds for him, buying her excuse of it being a late birthday present.
Luckily the local festival has started to wind down, less and less travelers coming in.
The night after the market run is Heejin’s turn to sing. Her sets of jazz and upbeat songs bring a nice mood to the tavern as Jongho waits tables. He finds Yunho by himself tonight. He hasn’t seen any of the crew members by themselves since Hongjoong visited Jongho.
It’s easy to grab two cups of ale and make his way towards Yunho’s table.
“There was some extra,” he says as he sets the cup in front of Yunho and takes the seat across from him.
“Ah, thank you.”
His words are sincere, and the rate that he drains the cup makes Jongho think he might have actually needed it.
It’s easy to talk to Yunho, his presence reminds Jongho of a crackling fire. He tells the story of how Wonderland came to be, how it was just him and Hongjoong for the longest time until they stumbled across one of Yunho’s childhood friends Mingi. Seonghwa and San were both country kids who dreamed of being pirates, and last there were Wooyoung and Yeosang who were apparently nobles.
While shocked at first, he isn’t as surprised to hear that Wooyoung stole his and Yeosang’s shares and offered it to Hongjoong as long as they got safe passage on the ship.
It seems like they’re open to a decent amount of walks of life.
“Are you looking for any more members?” Jongho asks, fiddling with the ring that Hongjoong gave him.
The action draws Yunho’s attention to the piece of jewelry who lets out a low whistle at the sight of it. He also realizes that it isn’t the only ring that Jongho’s wearing.
Like Hongjoong, he recognizes it too.
“It’s been a while since anyone’s joined, we’re a smaller crew. But I guess you’d be familiar with that- among other pirate things- considering your Halazia ring.”
Halazia, the last known ship to sail with the sirens instead of sink because of them.
“My mother’s,” Jongho supplies. It’s true, she did give it to him. The last thing he has to remember her by. “But I also am… familiar with the sea. It’s just been a long time.”
Yunho doesn’t press for details, just reaches out to squeeze Jongho’s hand.
“Then you’ll understand that a crew is always willing to take in another capable pirate. Especially Hongjoong, he doesn’t do something unless he means it.”
Jongho bites back a laugh. So it turns out Hongjoong hasn’t shared everything with his first mates yet, or maybe he really did manage to fool the captain.
He doubts it, but still he settles with his own partial truth. “You tell me that but it’s been eight days since he’s last seen me, he sure knows how to make a man feel wanted.”
Realization flashes across Yunho’s face and he takes a look at the ring again.
“Still say your captain’s a man of his word?”
It’s a little dirty, but it makes this angle seem more believable.
(And maybe Jongho is genuinely curious. Maybe he wants.)
“He better be,” Yunho says, which actually makes Jongho laugh this time. “I’m sure he’s planning something, but I can leave some hints that he should hurry up.”
“I’d appreciate that, thank you.”
“Have a good night, Jongho.”
…
The next morning Jongho is too busy taking care of Hyunjin to worry about whether or not Hongjoong will come back tonight.
It’s a fever and a bad cough. Hyunjin doesn’t even let him enter her room until he slips a cloth over his face, and even then she glares daggers in his vague direction whenever he gets close to her bed.
She really doesn’t have to worry about him catching anything.
“Just because I’m bedridden doesn’t mean I can’t beat your ass,” Hyunjin threatens as Jongho wets a cloth and places it on her forehead.
Her strength actually does scare Jongho. But he can’t just say that, so instead he goes with, “You’re barely letting me take care of you, what makes you think you could land a punch with you so sick?”
And that’s how he learns that while she does not want to make contact with him, Hyunjin does keep an assortment of pillows on the side of her bed that she is not afraid to throw at Jongho.
He uses the assortment of pillows, piling them up so he can comfortably lie on the ground. Periodically he changes out Hyunjin’s cloth for a cooler one and mixes some herbs, using “his secret ingredient”. Her fever will break by tomorrow morning, but for now Jongho focuses on getting her to eat as much broth that she can stomach and telling her funny stories.
“Thanks for keeping me company,” Hyunjin says as the sun starts to set. “Do you think you’ll sing tonight?”
“Kicking me out so Haseul can take care of you?”
She had approached Jongho about that, willing to trade shifts with him so Jongho wouldn’t be taking care of Hyunjin both day and night.
“Don’t be like that, you know I like it when you sing.”
She knew Jongho was adamant about not performing on busy nights, so she decided that she would make up for it by showering him with compliments herself.
The reminder of her kindness sends a twist of guilt in his stomach.
“I think the pirates are going to give me a proposition, and if it’s good I think I’ll take it,” he confesses.
He’s thought long and hard about what someone like him joining a pirate crew could mean, and even though he hasn’t known Wonderland for too long he thinks they’ll take him in.
Hongjoong with the confirmation about his Halazia Yunho surely sent his way, must suspect at the very least. Well scratch that, he knows that Hongjoong has been curious since they both felt the seabound connection. And still he followed Jongho to the tavern, still he let his crew visit him. All that’s left is him coming back.
“That’s great!” Hyunjin whisper-screams, clearly enthusiastic but her voice still weak.
She sits up to properly look at Jongho who is too busy fidgeting with Hongjoong’s ring.
“You’ll make sure it’s a good deal, though? Have Vivi and Heejin nearby, they can step in if anyone tries to screw you over. And if any of them try to hurt you, know that this stupid cough won’t be enough to stop me from sending them back to the Goddess herself.”
“I know, I know,” Jongho reassures, not wanting Hyunjin to work herself up too much.
She’s right too, no matter how much he misses the ocean and how much he wants to trust Wonderland he’s not leaving the tavern until he gets confirmation that he’ll be okay. Hyunjin, Haseul, Vivi, and Heejin all like him enough that they’ll cover for him; the tavern owner can’t fire all five of them at once.
“You just need your pirate boy to actually come tonight. Once he hears you sing, he won’t be able to deny you passage on his ship and you’ll finally be out of his place,” Hyunjin says with a smile on her face.
“I’d be leaving,” Jongho says more to himself than to Hyunjin.
“You can always send letters, and your captain will surely let you visit- make sure you get visiting rights. You’re not getting rid of me that easily.”
It sounds so simple when Hyunjin phrased it that way.
“I’ll sing tonight,” Jongho says, full of resolve. “And I’ll drag Hongjoong’s ass out of Aurora Inn itself if he doesn’t show up.”
“Attaboy!”
…
Jongho doesn’t have to make any inn visits, because Hongjoong isn’t only here he’s sitting right by the stage.
The makeshift band is still preparing their instruments so Jongho walks over to his table. He didn’t see it from a distance, but now as he’s sitting down he notices an ornate dagger on the table.
Well, this will certainly be an interesting night one way or another.
“I’ve already had to tell Yeosang and San, violence is prohibited at Twilight Tavern.”
“Hello to you too, Jongho,” Hongjoong says, posture relaxed and a smile on his face.
That could mean anything coming from pirates though.
Sensing his tension, Hongjoong straightens up and slides the dagger towards Jongho. “It’s for you.”
Jongho’s breath catches in his throat as he inspects the weapon. It’s very fine, well sharpened and with jewels decorating the hilt. It would also explain why he hadn’t been able to come to the tavern in the past week, something like this took time. And from the engraving he can tell that it was handmade, surely with help from the local blacksmith Yeojin, but impressive nevertheless.
“As an extension of your offer or a courting gift?”
Because that’s what it has to be at this point, there’s no way that Hongjoong would be giving him a weapon like this if he truly saw Jongho as a threat. He likes to think it’ll stay that way too.
“Happy to see you remembered the ring tradition, other pirates like to call me old fashioned for it.”
“Just an offer then?”
“It can be both.”
The words ignite something in Jongho’s chest. It feels good, especially as Hongjoong looks him over and there’s something about his eyes that scream hunger that no amount of questionable meat and sides could satisfy.
“Good, but there’s a few things that we need to settle first.”
“Of course,” Hongjoong says, his attempt of serious captain mode being ruined by the dazed smile he’s had even since Jongho said good.
“I get visiting rights and the opportunity to send letters to my friends here. Hyunjin, the other bodyguard is upstairs, and she said she’ll fight you if you don’t grant this. And no offense, but she could easily beat you.”
“Oh I bet she could,” Hongjoong says, smile even bigger. That’s good, Jongho always appreciates when someone doesn’t scoff at Hyunjin. Too many people underestimate her. “All my crew members have letter and visiting rights. I also cover any living necessities along with splitting all of our loot.”
It’s a good deal, especially since the tavern doesn’t even cover his necessities. His room and board comes out of his paycheck.
“And if I decide to no longer accept your courting at one point, will I get to keep my job?”
“As long as you respect and don’t harm myself or my crew, the offer will remain,” Hongjoong reassures. “But you accept it for now?”
He wants to say yes, but it wouldn’t be fair to him or Hongjoong if he did so right now. Not with the job offer on the line too.
“Let me sing for you first, then we’ll see if you still want me.”
“My own courting gift, you continue to surprise me, Jongho.”
It’s nice of Hongjoong to think of it that way.
The band is finished setting up, and since he’s only ever done the same set ever since he’s started singing at the tavern they don’t bother asking him and start the first song.
The ballads are the same ones that Jongho’s mom used to sing him to sleep every night. No matter how foul his mood was, as soon as she sang he instantly felt at ease.
Her gift as a siren, a voice so compelling that it could bend the waves.
The same gift she gave Jongho.
On land, Jongho always feels slightly off. It’s gotten better over time, his body’s yearning for the sea slowly wearing off as it got more and more used to being without it.
And singing has always helped soothe the itch.
It’s a little addicting, having everyone’s focus on him watching how enthralled they get. For a while, Jongho convinced himself that this was the closest he could ever get to being loved.
The Halazia had just been attacked, pirates were trying to kill or claim sirens left and right. And his mom had done what she knew was Jongho’s best chance at survival: separate him from the sea and have him live as a human by himself.
She left so they wouldn’t be able to track him down as easily, and that was probably the worst day in his life. Losing the sea and his mom all at once.
He had been insistent on singing each night he could, no matter how many customers there were.
Ballads as an homage and calling to his mom. But rumors about the boy with the golden voice spread, bringing too much attention. Several authorities stopped by and it reminded Jongho of how it was those same people who helped the pirates capture sirens (“as long as it means they don’t cause problems on the land”). He faked having a sore throat that night.
Jongho stopped singing for a long time, until Hyunjin joined the tavern and asked him to do a duet performance with him.
It was hard, but he found a balance with singing while existing at the tavern. And he found different kinds of love again.
That’s the beauty of a siren's song, the way it provokes emotions.
He sings for Hyunjin who’s waiting upstairs with Haseul, he sings for Vivi and Heejin who have always had his back, he sings for his mom and all the fallen sirens who just wanted to swim, and he sings for Hongjoong. He sings in hopes of Hongjoong understanding, accepting of himself and all the things Jongho wants to give to the captain.
But most of all, he sings for himself. For the half siren boy who was ripped away from the sea too soon and had to learn how to manage his instincts and dampen his desires.
It’s one of the best performances he’s ever done.
He feels lighter than he has in a long time by the time he makes his way back to Hongjoong’s table, the same one he had purposefully been avoiding ever since he got on that stage.
“Do you still want me?” Jongho asks, letting his slight canines show this time. They tended to come out when he sang, and he’s so used to covering them up immediately. It’s a relief to let them out naturally, even in the worst case scenario he’ll have to actually use them.
“Jongho-yah,” Hongjoong murmurs, reaching his hand out to cup his cheeks and force them to make eye contact. He can see everything from the red tint in his eyes to his canines, and still Hongjoong holds him. “Your voice is almost as beautiful as you are.”
That breaks Jongho. Even with his siren blood, he’s always been called handsome, manly, dapper. People see him for his strength, for his voice. And it’s too early to say that Hongjoong fully sees Jongho, but Goddess is he looking.
“We can’t do this out here, come on.”
He grabs hold of Hongjoong and drags him outside of the tavern. He vaguely registers Vivi and Heejin shouting congratulations at him and Hongjoong’s at the commentary.
Finally getting out of the threshold, Jongho presses Hongjoong against the wall.
It’s the most natural thing in the world, falling forward and meeting Hongjoong’s lips. Jongho knows he’s clumsy, too eager in his movements and using too much teeth. But Hongjoong moves like water, guiding Jongho to a more comfortable position and making him feel at ease.
They get lost in each other’s touch, Hongjoong pulling noises out of Jongho that he didn’t know he was capable of.
After one particularly intense one, Jongho hears a window open up.
He and Hongjoong break apart as Hyunjin looks down at them and calls out, “We have a strict no violence policy at Twilight Tavern.”
“Those are hickies, not bruises,” Hongjoong says with his hands up.
“You’re leaving marks on Jongho?”
Great, now Haseul’s involved. Although maybe this will inspire her to finally make a move on Hyunjin.
“Haseul you’re supposed to be making sure Hyunjin is resting in bed!”
There’s more grumbling and lots of laughter, and it results with Hongjoong promising to have a talk with Jongho’s tavern mates in the morning.
“You know I flirted with you because I was scared you knew about my siren heritage, thought I could distract you,” Jongho says once Haseul finally wrestles Hyunjin away from the windowsill.
Hongjoong snorts as he reaches out to smooth down some of Jongho’s hair.
“That’s a first. You still like me though?”
“No, I just let random people give maul my neck all the time,” Jongho deadpans.
“Wasn’t sure if your siren healing kept all of your escapades a secret.”
“Please, do you think Hyunjin would have reacted like that if this was a regular Tuesday thing?”
He raises his eyebrow and he realizes that he can’t quite blame Hongjoong. Hyunjin probably would do that regardless.
“You really don’t care about me being a half siren?” Jongho asks, needing to make sure.
“Baby, I care more about whether you want to come back with me tonight.”
Oh.
Oh.
“Yeah, I’d like that.”
They have a lot more to talk about, a lot more they can discover about themselves and each other, but Jongho finds himself looking forward to this new beginning.