Archive of Our Own

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The cut above his brow stung, thankfully it wasn't a deep wound. A little pain was not going to ruin Hongjoong’s good mood any time soon. Not when he had the fabled Compass of the Seven Seas in his pants pocket. Hongjoong swam towards the rocky shore with difficulty, the fur coat weighing heavily on his shoulders. He climbed on the slippery rocks with the grace of a newborn calf, but he couldn’t care less about looking graceful. He wanted to get out of the water and admire today’s loot.

As soon as Hongjoong was out of the ocean, he shed his waterlogged coat. He basked in the warm sun rays for a few seconds before he caught a glimpse of Seonghwa's pink scales glistening under the water. The mermaid poked his head out of the water and smiled when he saw Hongjoong. But the smile faltered when he saw the cut on the Captain's face. Seonghwa pulled himself out of the water and onto the same rock as Hongjoong. His tail landed in the Captain's lap as Seonghwa pressed his torso as close as he could to Hongjoong. This was the closest they have ever been and Hongjoong didn't know what to do.

"Hurt," Seonghwa whispered as he gently traced the wound on Hongjoong’s brow.

"It’s fine."

But the mermaid didn't look like he believed Hongjoong. He kept tracing gentle shapes around the wound with a frown on his beautiful face. Hongjoong watched him, mesmerized by the other's beauty under the sun’s warm touch. Seonghwa had a glow to him whenever he was in his true form, a glow that made the captain feel almost spellbound. He was glad Seonghwa wasn’t a siren, because then Hongjoong would have willingly went to his death, he would have willingly let himself be lured into a trap. His crew wouldn’t be happy if that were to happen.

"Captain!"

Hongjoong turned towards the call, seeing Yeosang run towards them. Seonghwa pushed himself away from Hongjoong quickly, and the captain found himself already missing the mermaid's warmth. Seonghwa slid back into the water and swam away before Yeosang could reach them. He was probably going back to the camp or to the Aurora, probably thinking that Hongjoong was in good hands now that the crew’s doctor was there.

"Are you ok?" Yeosang asked, looking at the cut on Hongjoong’s brow worriedly.

"It’s just a small cut, I'll be fine."

"We should get back to the camp."

“Is everyone at the camp?” Hongjoong asked.

“Temporarily,” Yeosang said. “We thought it would be wise to go ahead and start packing up before you came back.”

“Smart, we can have dinner back on the ship.”

“You are not sailing us out of here before I get a look at that wound,” Yeosang said sternly.

“We sail at dawn, don’t worry.”

Hongjoong pushed himself up then picked up his coat, it was his favorite after all. Yeosang’s worry made the captain feel warm, it was nice to know the crew cared for him just as much as he cared for them. The trek back to camp was silent and fast, Yeosang was clearly worried about the wound on Hongjoong’s brow. It was really just a shallow cut, there was no need for all the worry, but Hongjoong kept that opinion to himself. Yeosang was scary when it came to the wellbeing of the crew. The rest of the crew didn't seem to share the same worry as Yeosang though. They ambushed Hongjoong with questions as soon as he stepped into their half packed camp.

"Did you find it?" Wooyoung asked, his voice the loudest among the crew.

"You're hurt," Jongho said, not looking that worried about his captain though.

"Where are we sailing next?" Mingi asked with a grin.

"Was there a lot of treasure in the cave?" San asked.

"Give him some space," Yeosang ordered and everyone quieted down, clearly afraid of getting on the doctor’s bad side.

Hongjoong was led to the doctor's tent before he could answer any questions, but there was no arguing with Yeosang. There was enough time for talk later, when they were all back on the Aurora safely. Hongjoong had indeed found the treasure piece they were looking for, the fabled Compass of the Seven Seas, the next and most important piece they needed in their search for Utopia.

Hongjoong had been searching for Utopia since he was sixteen and got his first job on a merchant vessel. The captain of that ship was old, so old that he was almost senile, but the whole crew loved him because he was fair and kind and paid them well. He took a liking to Hongjoong and on quiet nights when Hongjoong couldn’t sleep, the captain told him the legend of Utopia. The mysterious island full of treasures.

More than that, Utopia was a safe haven for those who didn’t have a home or a family. Those who didn’t belong anywhere would find a place there. It should have been nothing more than a legend for Hongjoong, a legend told by an almost senile captain, but fate had other plans. The old captain caught a cold while they were still a long way from a port and despite the doctor’s best attempts, he passed away.

But not before he gave Hongjoong an old, leather-bound journal. That journal would change Hongjoong’s life forever in the best ways possible. The journal was the reason he found and bought the Aurora. It guided him to his beloved crew members and showed him the path to the Enchanted Hourglass. But most importantly, it granted Hongjoong access to something, a sort of magic like power that he couldn’t exactly wield, only feel and be aware of.

And suddenly, Utopia was no longer just a legend. Not when the stories and enchanted treasures kept finding their way to Hongjoong. And so, that became the goal of his life: find Utopia. And stay out of any major trouble, protect his crew and don’t get himself or anyone else killed, of course. Hongjoong couldn’t wait to study the compass and see where it led them. The journal said that the compass was supposed to lead to a hidden port from where they could start finally sailing towards Utopia. They were literally on the last leg of their journey.

Hongjoong had been right in assuming Seonghwa was a message from the ocean itself. Without the mermaid’s help, the captain wouldn’t have been able to find the compass or decipher some of the more mysterious parts of the journal. Seonghwa’s knowledge about the sea and about magic was indispensable when it came to their journey to Utopia. Hongjoong would be forever grateful that Seonghwa had trusted him enough to remain aboard the Aurora.

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Six months ago

It had been two weeks since the crew decided to take their stowaway to those mysterious islands he claimed were home. In those two weeks, Hongjoong noticed things about the pink haired man. For one, he was very skittish if anyone from the crew got too close. The captain couldn’t really blame him though, he too would be skittish if he couldn’t understand or speak the language of the people around him. Hongjoong didn’t know where the man had been before ending up on the Aurora, but it sure was not a good place judging by how thin he was. The man was clearly malnourished. He was also full of bruises and scars from previous injuries, not a sign of someone living in a nice place.

Another thing Hongjoong noticed was the way the Aurora responded to the new person aboard. The captain knew his ship was no ordinary ship, he could almost taste the magic that had seeped into the wood, surrounding him day and night. Hongjoong himself had been touched by magic many times, leaving him with a sixth sense when it came to feeling if something was magical or not. He was no magic user, but he was also not oblivious.

The Aurora seemed to like the stowaway, the atmosphere on the ship had been lighter since they allowed the pink haired man to roam free. It confirmed what Hongjoong already knew, that the man was a good omen, he was no danger for the crew. Hongjoong couldn’t help but wonder if the pink haired man was the missing piece he needed in his journey to Utopia. Hongjoong could only hope the man was going to learn enough for the language soon so they could talk properly.

Thankfully, the stowaway was smart. He seemed to pick up on their language pretty easily, Hongjoong made a mental note to get some books in the next port. It would sure help the man learn easier. So far, he learned by repeating what the crew members said to him and by copying what they would write on pieces of paper. It wasn’t perfect, but it would be enough for now. As long as the man could understand enough of what was being said and he could be able to give some sort of answer, Hongjoong would be happy.

They still didn’t know the man’s name. Hongjoong had tried multiple times to get a name out of the man, but no success so far. Wooyoung had tried to get his name too, but he also had no success. It would be nice to know his name, but Hongjoong could wait if it meant the man didn’t feel rushed and uncomfortable. Hongjoong had so many questions for him, but he would have to be patient to get them.

Maybe once the man could speak and understand their language, Hongjoong could convince him to stay abroad the Aurora and help them find Utopia. The captain couldn’t shake the feeling that the pink haired man was a much needed piece of the puzzle that was their journey. He would also have to convince the crew of that.

“Are you listening, captain?” Yunho asked, sounding more amused than annoyed.

“Yes, of course,” Hongjoong said.

“So, as I was saying,” Yunho smiled. “We are running low on some supplies, I suggest we adjust our course and dock soon to restock.”

“Ok, talk with Mingi and set the new course.”

“Maybe our stowaway will want to remain in the port, that way we won’t have to journey into dangerous waters,” Yunho said.

“Or maybe, we can convince him to stay with us on the Aurora,” Hongjoong mumbled.

“You want him to stay with us?” Yunho asked, clearly shocked.

“Why not?”

“He could be dangerous,” Yunho said.

“Or he could be the help we need in finding Utopia,” Hongjoong argued.

“We don’t know anything about him, he could be someone dangerous.”

“He isn’t.”

“You don’t know that, Hongjoong.”

“Yunho, you trust me, right?” Hongjoong asked. His quartermaster nodded without hesitation, of course he trusted him. “Then please trust me on this too, I know he isn’t dangerous. I feel like he will help us in our journey.”

“Well, as long as you don’t say that just because he is pretty and pouted at you,” Yunho smiled and Hongjoong glared at him. “I will make sure the crew also understands that.”

“Thank you, Yunho,” Hongjoong said.

“Anytime, captain!”

That night Hongjoong couldn’t sleep, so he stayed at the helm. He didn’t expect anyone eager to emerge from their cabin before dawn, so he was surprised to hear the stairs to the upper deck creak. It was the stowaway, smiling as he came towards the helm. The man had a paper in his hands and showed it to Hongjoong with a smile. The captain looked at what was scribbled on it and frowned. He couldn’t make sense of what was scribbled there, just some random letters that made no sense to him. The man’s writing was atrocious, maybe Hongjoong should get him a calligraphy set.

The man seemed to sense Hongjoong’s confusion because he flapped the paper around. When Hongjoong showed no reaction, the pink haired man let out a frustrated sound. The captain deducted that this must be important to the man, whatever was written there could potentially help Hongjoong and the crew know the man better. The captain felt frustrated for not being able to read the writing on that paper.

“You wrote that?” Hongjoong asked. The man just looked at him, a frown on his pretty face. “I don’t understand,” Hongjoong said softly.

The man looked as frustrated as Hongjoong felt. They were getting nowhere. The pink haired man held the paper in front of him and looked at Hongjoong with his wide, shining eyes. The captain felt at loss, he had no idea what the other wanted from him. When Hongjoong didn’t say anything, the man pointed at the paper and then at himself. And then, it dawned on Hongjoong, on the paper was the man’s name. It had to be.

“Is that your name?” Hongjoong asked, hopeful.

The man’s face lit up and he nodded enthusiastically. So Hongjoong had guessed right, it was the man’s name. He finally had a name, this was perfect. They were making progress. Now if only Hongjoong was able to understand what was written on the paper. He held out his hand to the man, hoping he would understand the unspoken message. He did, the pink haired man handed Hongjoong the piece of paper.

The captain squinted at the scrawl, trying his best to read it. He could feel the man’s gaze on him, it was a pressure he didn’t like feeling. He had to decipher the man’s handwriting, there was no other choice. Hongjoong had to know his name. It took longer than he would like to admit, but finally, the captain was able to read the pink haired man’s name.

Seonghwa

“Seonghwa,” Hongjoong said softly.

The man’s face lit up and he excitedly grabbed at Hongjoong’s hands. He nodded his head as his smile widened and the captain was struck by how beautiful the man – Seonghwa – was. There was almost an otherworldly beauty to him, furthering Hongjoong’s suspicion that Seonghwa wasn’t fully human. Not that Hongjoong cared if Seonghwa wasn’t human, as long as he wasn’t a danger to his crew.

“It’s nice to meet you, Seonghwa,” Hongjoong said.

“Hong – Hongjoong.”

The pronunciation wasn’t perfect, but it was progress and Hongjoong was more than happy with that. He smiled at Seonghwa and nodded encouragingly. Maybe Seonghwa was going to speak more, but the pink haired man let go of Hongjoong’s hands and stepped away, leaving the captain feeling a little disappointed. He was going to have to be patient with Seonghwa, he knew that, but Hongjoong was also eager to talk to him more.

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Seonghwa was finally able to tell the men on the ship his name. Not verbally at first, but by writing it down. He hoped it was accurate, it sure sounded good when they called him Seonghwa. After all he had endured, one might say that he shouldn’t have done that. Maybe he should have kept to himself until they reached the islands or until he was well enough to jump overboard. But he had a dream, a very vivid dream.

It was a dream full of signs and symbols, a dream of magic and whispers of the sea. The captain of the ship was in the dream. Most would call Seonghwa stupid for deciding to trust a group of strangers based on a dream. But Seonghwa knew better than to dismiss certain dreams, he was no magic user but he came in contact with enough magic in his life to know how traces of it felt. The ship and its captain had been touched by magic, and that told Seonghwa enough. He was to be trusted, especially since the magic surrounding him was so warm and cozy.

It was nice to have his name back. When he was in that awful house he had no name, but on this ship everyone said his name in such a nice way, like they were happy he was on the ship with them. With each passing day, Seonghwa felt more comfortable among those people. They were not cruel, they fed him well and never touched him without permission. It was nice to be able to relax and let his guard down.

“Seonghwa!”

He startled at the call, but it was just Wooyoung, the ship’s cook. He had his arms full of ingredients, probably for dinner. It was clear that he needed help so Seonghwa hurried to provide it. He liked helping around the ship because he was treated just like a member of the crew. It was nice to be treated as an equal, even if it meant doing chores sometimes. At least on the ship he wasn’t hit if he made a mistake, he still got dinner if he messed up.  Seonghwa took some of the things from Wooyoung’s arms.

“Thank you,” the cook smiled.

Seonghwa followed Wooyoung down to the kitchen and ended up staying there until dinner. He helped the cook make the food, not minding the way Wooyoung kept talking and talking and talking. Seonghwa still didn’t understand much, but it was enough not to feel totally lost. Wooyoung was a little too loud, but he sounded happy. Seonghwa wished he could contribute more to the conversation.

Dinner was usually loud and messy, Seonghwa wasn’t a fan of that, but he had to get used to it. He didn’t know for how much longer he was going to be on this ship, how much longer until he could get back to his life in the water. There were times when he thought that maybe he could stay on the Aurora. The crew seemed to like him enough to keep him around, he wasn’t useless. But did he really want to stay on the ship? Did he really want to risk his life like that?

This group of men might have been harmless to him so far, but if they found out about his true nature, things might change. There might have been magic soaking every inch of the ship, but that didn’t mean that the crew would be ok with having a mermaid in their midst. It would be better, wiser for Seonghwa to make himself scarce as soon as it was safe for him. Until then, he was going to take advantage of their free language lessons and food.

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Seonghwa was determined to keep his true nature hidden from the crew of the ship until they reached the islands. He had been on the ship for only two months, they didn’t need to know what he truly was, not when he was just using them to get back home. Despite being eager to let them teach him their language, Seonghwa wasn’t about to become close to them. They weren’t his friends, they were just a bunch of men that took pity on him and agreed to take him home.

That was what he told himself daily, over and over again, even as he felt himself attached to the crew. But as usual, fate had other plans. Fate always had other plans for Seonghwa. A rival pirate crew attacked them, their cannons hitting the Aurora and tipping her to the side. More hits came and Seonghwa felt the magic of the ship flare. They would not sink, but the Aurora will need a lot of time to recover from this.

Something hit the deck and suddenly, Seonghwa and Hongjoong went overboard. Being fully submerged in water after so long felt strange. And then Seonghwa felt the familiar warmth, the tingling all over his limbs. Despite being violently thrown into the water, he felt happy. It seemed that the sea hadn’t rejected him, Seonghwa was still a child of the sea. As his legs fused together and his body changed back into his mermaid form, Seonghwa saw Hongjoong struggling to get back to the surface.

And now, Seonghwa was at a crossroads. He could just swim away, leave the captain to his fate and forget about the crew fighting above the waves. Or he could just help the captain get out of the water and then disappear, never to be seen again by the crew of the Aurora. Seonghwa couldn’t be among humans again because humans were all the same. If the crew saw his true form they would surely become cruel towards him. Still, until now they had been nice to Seonghwa, so he couldn’t let the captain die. It was the least he could do.

Seonghwa swam towards Hongjoong and pushed him towards the surface. As soon as their heads were out of the water, Seonghwa wanted to swim away, but the captain grabbed onto his arm. Panicked, Seonghwa swiped at Hongjoong, trying to free himself, but the captain’s grip was firm. He was not going to let go of Seonghwa. He knew it, he should have swam away as soon as he got his tail back. He would have been free now.

“Don’t go,” the captain wheezed, struggling to keep himself afloat and also keep Seonghwa from swimming away.

“Danger,” Seonghwa said.

“No, no danger, please!”

Seonghwa managed to free himself, but couldn’t swim away because the captain latched onto him. Seonghwa panicked, this was exactly what he was afraid of: being captured again. He refused to be a human’s slave once again. This time he wasn’t injured and weak so he was determined to get away from the captain. Seonghwa dove underwater just as a cannonball hit the ship that had attacked them. Debris fell into the water right above him and the captain and a plank of wood struck Hongjoong, getting him off Seonghwa. It was the perfect opportunity for the mermaid to swim away and be free, but something held him back.

The ocean made no mistakes, it had always guided Seonghwa to where he was supposed to be. And every fiber of his being was telling him that his place was by this captain’s side. He couldn’t explain why it felt right, it just did. Seonghwa was quick in catching up with the captain’s limp body and wrapping him in a protective embrace. He silenced the paranoid voice that told him to swim away and leave the captain to his fate.

The crew had not been cruel to Seonghwa. They were going to let him go if he asked them too, even if he was a mermaid. He dragged the captain’s body to the surface and looked for the Aurora as soon as his head was out of the water. The enemy ship was on fire and slowly sinking while their own ship was sailing towards the small island in the distance. Seonghwa was faster than the ship and made it to the island first. He made sure he and the unconscious captain were hidden from view before trying to get Hongjoong to wake up.

Seonghwa would rather have the captain know his secret first just in case the reaction was negative. It would be easier to flee from just one human then a group of them. If the captain accepted Seonghwa as he was then he would go back to the crew, they would accept him too. The crew of the Aurora was not going to hurt him, Seonghwa was almost sure of it. Still, until the captain woke up, the mermaid wasn’t sure if he was going to continue his journey alone or alongside the pirates.

Seonghwa pushed Hongjoong on the rocky shore as far away from the water as he could, but he retreated into the water. He was going to make sure there was an easy escape route for him just in case. The captain stirred and Seonghwa watched as he opened his eyes, heart beating incredibly fast in anticipation. When Hongjoong’s eyes landed on him, Seonghwa braced himself for the worst. But fate seemed to be on his side that day.

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Hongjoong woke up on a rocky shore, wet and aching. He didn’t remember falling asleep. His eyes met Seonghwa’s, who was still in the water, and it all came crashing back. A rival crew attacked them, their canons managed to do some damage to the Aurora, and Hongjoong and Seonghwa had been pushed overboard by a cannonball hitting the deck. Everything after that was a little blurry, all Hongjoong could remember for sure were pink scales and a mermaid’s tail. Thankfully, neither he nor Seonghwa seemed to be injured.

But Seonghwa was still in the water and he refused to come any closer, even when Hongjoong sat up. He was looking at the captain with wide eyes, his bare shoulders drying in the harsh sun. Seonghwa had been wearing a shirt back on the ship, Hongjoong wondered what had happened to it. And suddenly, it all clicked together. The mermaid tail, the pink scales, Seonghwa’s reluctance to come closer.

“You’re a mermaid,” Hongjoong said in awe.

Seonghwa flinched and for a second Hongjoong was afraid that he would swim away. But he didn’t, he stayed where he was and kept looking at Hongjoong with fearful eyes. The captain wished he could somehow convince Seonghwa that he wasn’t going to hurt him, but Hongjoong knew better than that. People like Seonghwa had a deep engrained fear of humans. The captain didn’t blame them.

“I’m not going to hurt you, it’s ok,” Hongjoong said.

Seonghwa didn’t answer, but he seemed to relax a little bit. He swam closer, but not close enough for Hongjoong to be able to reach him. The captain relaxed, trying his best to not be perceived as a threat. It made sense now why he felt like Seonghwa belonged with his crew on the Aurora. He was part of Hongjoong’s journey to Utopia, another piece of the puzzle that the captain needed. Hongjoong was sure of that. A mermaid would surely come in handy during this quest. If said mermaid wanted to remain as part of the crew, of course.

Seonghwa swam closer and Hongjoong caught a glimpse of his beautiful tail, he couldn’t believe his eyes. Seonghwa was a mermaid, with a beautiful pink tail and shimmering skin and wide, shinning eyes. At least, he hoped Seonghwa was a mermaid and not a siren because he didn’t feel like becoming dinner just yet. Although, for such a beauty like Seonghwa the captain would willingly offer himself as prey.

“You’re a mermaid, right?” Hongjoong asked with a grin.

The captain wasn’t actually worried, he had a feeling he would have known if Seonghwa was a dangerous creature by now. The mermaid ducked behind a rock and Hongjoong smiled at him, hoping to make Seonghwa feel less on edge. He had to be patient and gentle if he wanted to strengthen the trust between him and Seonghwa.

“Will you come closer?”

Seonghwa didn’t answer, he didn’t swim closer to Hongjoong, he just stayed behind the rock and looked at Hongjoong with fearful eyes. The captain had no idea how to tell Seonghwa that he wasn’t going to hurt him, not when Hongjoong himself had been touched by magic multiple times. Seonghwa had made progress in understanding and speaking the language, but Hongjoong feared it wasn’t enough.

“It’s ok,” Hongjoong said.” “You can come closer, I won’t hurt you.” Seonghwa didn’t move. “It doesn’t matter what you are, I will still take you home,” Hongjoong said. “Or you can stay with us on the Aurora if you want.”

Seonghwa seemed to relax the more Hongjoong spoke. He must have expected Hongjoong to be scared of him, to scream at him or try to hurt him, but the captain did none of that. He had no reason to, Seonghwa wasn’t a danger to his crew. Hongjoong was sure that fate had brought Seonghwa to him to aid the captain in his search for Utopia. Now all he had to do was convince the mermaid to stay with him and his crew.

“I won’t hurt you, I promise,” Hongjoong said. “You can trust me and my crew, no one will harm you.”

Seonghwa moved from behind the rock, but it was too early to celebrate. Hongjoong stayed as still as he could, waiting for Seonghwa to come to him on his own terms. He didn’t want to startle the mermaid because if Seonghwa decided to swim away, there was no chance of Hongjoong catching up to him or finding him again. He didn’t want to lose Seonghwa, not when he felt like their journey was just beginning.

“We will take you home if that’s what you want,” Hongjoong said. “Or you can stay on Aurora and help me find Utopia.”

Seonghwa swam closer to Hongjoong and the captain’s heart started beating faster. This felt like a victory.  Seonghwa stopped next to the rock Hongjoong was on, placing his hands on the edge of it. He probably didn’t understand half of what the captain had said to him, but still he decided to come closer. It must have meant that he was no longer afraid of Hongjoong.

“Trust,” Seonghwa whispered.

“Yeah, you can trust me and my crew.”

“Safe?”

“I will keep you safe,” Hongjoong said. “Everyone will keep you safe.”

Seonghwa nodded then grabbed his pant leg and pulled gently. Hongjoong frowned down at him, not sure what that meant. When the tugging became more insistent, Hongjoong concluded that Seonghwa must have wanted him to get in the water. The mermaid could probably get them back to the Aurora. Hongjoong realized that he didn’t know if his crew and ship were ok, if they won the battle or not.

Suddenly, panic seized him and Hongjoong threw himself in the water. Seonghwa must have guessed why Hongjoong was suddenly so panicked, because he grabbed a hold of him. The captain struggled against the firm grip Seonghwa had on him, but the mermaid refused to let him go.

“Safe, safe.” Hongjoong looked at Seonghwa with a frown. “Crew … safe,” Seonghwa said.

“Are you sure?”

Seonghwa nodded and Hongjoong found himself relaxing against the mermaid. His crew was safe, that was all that mattered. Seonghwa pulled Hongjoong along as they swam around the island. Hongjoong saw the Aurora soon, the ship looked a bit roughed up but it was still floating. It was going to be tricky navigating to the next port, but they could do it. The bigger challenge was going to be convincing Seonghwa that he was still safe aboard the Aurora.

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The port they were in was too crowded for Seonghwa’s liking. He was glad to be dismissed by the captain around lunch since his skills weren’t needed for the trading tasks. He was allowed to head to the inn with Yeosang and San so they could get rooms and dinner ready for the rest of the crew. On their way they got sidetracked by the many shops of the main street. Seonghwa followed Yeosang into a shop full of books, looking around in awe. He had never seen so many books in one place.

He was left to wander between the shelves by himself, the crew now trusting Seonghwa fully. He expected the crew to either try to capture him for profit or shun him away, but to his surprise they welcomed him back on the ship with open arms. They were happy to see him alive and unharmed, the fact that he saved the captain also earned him trust and respect. No one was afraid of him, no one tried to hurt him.

It was the opposite actually, the crew seemed eager to talk to him and ask questions. Seonghwa still struggled with the language so talking about his true self was a little hard, but the crew was patient and understanding. Everyone seemed to be in awe of him, especially when in his true form. It was a little flattering. Now, Seonghwa was a fully-fledged member of the Aurora crew.

And as a member of the crew, Seonghwa could afford to buy things when they docked in ports. Today’s purchase was a grammar book for young children with a few exercises included. Seonghwa used some of the coins he had earned to pay for it and made his way back to the inn with a huge smile on his face. He was giddy with excitement, this book was going to help him better learn the language. He was going to be able to communicate with the crew even better.

When they reached the inn Seonghwa waited until they finished getting rooms to show his purchase. He hurried to the table San and Yeosang were sitting at and shoved the book in their faces with a wide smile. San laughed as Yeosang grabbed the book before it could smack one of them in the face. Seonghwa was a little too excited, he knew, but he didn’t care. He had something that could help him speak better. Maybe this way he could share more about his people and culture with the crew.

“A grammar book?” Yeosang asked.

“Will help,” Seonghwa said.

It will help,” Yeosang confirmed.

“Soon you will be fluent,” San said with a grin.

Seonghwa smiled and for the rest of the night his focus was mostly on the book. He had proudly shown it to the captain when he arrived at the inn, and was rewarded by one of his beautiful smiles. It made Seonghwa feel all warm and fuzzy. Hongjoong even spent half an hour after dinner helping Seonghwa learn some new words and phrases. Never in his life did the mermaid imagine that he would feel so safe and at home with a group of pirates.

It wasn’t unheard of for mermaids or sirens to prefer life on land, not everyone was fond of the ocean and its whims. Seonghwa had always been curious about the land, even visited a few times, but he never imagined that he would prefer to be above the water. He always thought that his destiny was under the waves. But fate had other plans for him it seemed. Seonghwa couldn’t complain.

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The rocks beneath his feet were slippery. Hongjoong had to be careful where he stepped if he didn’t want to end up bashing his head against the stones. The sound of the waves crashing against the cave walls lured Hongjoong into a false sense of safety. But those caves were anything but safe. Thankfully, Seonghwa was swimming along the rocky ledge, ready to help Hongjoong in the case of an accident.

“How long?” Seonghwa asked in a hushed tone, but Hongjoong heard him clearly due to the echo of the cave.

“We should be close,” Hongjoong said.

And close they were indeed. A few meters ahead the cave opened up into a lagoon. There was a rock in the middle, illuminated by the bright sunrays. There was a rather large crack in the stone somewhere to the right of the cave and Hongjoong wondered if they could scale the wall easily. He didn’t bring any climbing equipment with him and now he regretted it a little.

“Treasure!” Seonghwa exclaimed as he swam towards the center of the lagoon.

Hongjoong hurried to catch up with him, a wide smile on his face. On the rock were a few wooden chests, one of which had to contain the Compass of the Seven Seas. Hopefully this trip wasn’t a wild goose chase, because Hongjoong had paid a lot of coin for the map and information that led them here. He was going to be very mad if he had to return to the Aurora empty-handed. Seonghwa was already at the rock, pushing himself up with a wide smile. Hongjoong found it extremely endearing how excited Seonghwa was about this whole journey. It was adorable.

Hongjoong had to get into the water if he wanted to reach the rock in the middle too. He wasn’t too pleased about that, but it had to be done. The water was cold, Hongjoong cursed. He gritted his teeth as he swam to the rock, this temporary discomfort was worth it. Hongjoong struggled to pull himself up on the rock. When he finally managed to get out of the freezing water, he went straight to searching for the compass.

Seonghwa was admiring strings of pearls and sparkling precious gems, clearly he had been distracted by them. Hongjoong smiled fondly at the mermaid, not minding the fact that he wasn’t going to be of much help. The captain dug through the rooting wood and the piles of jewelry, heartbeat quickening every time he felt something round the same size of the compass. He was getting more and more impatient with each passing second.

“Pretty stone, look!” Seonghwa exclaimed.

Hongjoong looked at the emerald the mermaid was holding and smiled. “You can keep it.”

“I will!”

Seonghwa placed the emerald to the side then went back to rummaging through a pile of jewelry. Hongjoong admired the mermaid for a while before going back to search for the compass. They spend hours like that, working mostly in silence. By the time it was almost too dark to see in the cave, Hongjoong was ready to rip his hair out or commit murder. There was no sight of the compass. He had carefully combed through almost all the things in the rotting chests and no luck. The compass wasn’t here. Hongjoong had paid a small fortune for nothing.

“I will kill that bastard,” the captain muttered darkly.

“No kill,” Seonghwa said as he slid back into the water.

“Maim then.”

Hongjoong rose and stretched, his body protesting at being stuck pretty much in the same position for so long. First, Hongjoong had to focus on getting back to the Aurora and his crew safely, then he was going to plan his revenge and the nest steps. He was going to find the Compass of the Seven Seas no matter what. Nothing was going to stand between him and finding Utopia.

Getting back into the water and swimming to the rocky ledge proved to be a challenge when Hongjoong hadn’t eaten all day. Thankfully Seonghwa was there to help him. The walk back to the entrance of the cave was another challenge for Hongjoong. The rocks seemed ten times more slippery when his body felt so weak. Hongjoong had travelled all the way to this remote island, full of dangerous caves, only to find no compass. And on top of that, he slipped on the wet stones. Hongjoong let out a startled scream as his arm scrapped against the rocks. The water seemed much colder than earlier.

Hongjoong was submerged into water for only a few seconds before arms wrapped around him and he was pulled up. He took a deep breath, grateful for having the mermaid by his side. Seonghwa tried to push him back on the rocks, but Hongjoong’s body didn’t want to cooperate. His arm hurt.

“Blood? Hurt!” Seonghwa touched his arm gently and Hongjoong grunted.

“It’s fine,” Hongjoong said.

But it wasn’t fine. There was quite a lot of blood seeping through his sleeve, he must have scrapped the skin really good then. The day just got better. Seonghwa tried to pull up the sleeve, but when Hongjoong let out a pained hiss he stopped. The mermaid was clearly panicking and the captain didn’t have the energy to reassure him. He just wanted to get back to the Aurora.

“Can you swim us both to the ship?” Hongjoong asked.

“You hurt,” Seonghwa said.

“I am, but Yeosang will fix it when we get back to the Aurora.”

Seonghwa nodded and readjusted his hold on Hongjoong before starting the swim back to the ship. It took a while to get back because Seonghwa swam slower while also carrying Hongjoong, but they managed to get to the ship before it got too dark to see properly. Yeosang scolded Hongjoong the whole time he bandaged his arm, although the injury wasn’t that bad. The captain tuned him out for most of the tirade, his thoughts already focused on the next steps of the journey.

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Seonghwa should have been in his cabin, sleeping peacefully. But he just couldn’t sleep, not when all he could see when he closed his eyes was the wound on the captain’s arm. Yeosang had already treated it before dinner so it was clearly not life-threatening, still Seonghwa couldn’t help but be worried. He had been next to the captain down in that cave so it felt like his fault that Hongjoong got hurt. He should have done a better job of protecting his captain.

And it was that guilt that had Seonghwa poking his head through the open door of the captain’s quarters. Hongjoong was at his desk, hunched over his maps and journals. Seonghwa knocked on the open door, not wanting to startle the captain in case he was too focused on his task. Hongjoong looked up and smiled when he saw Seonghwa. He looked tired and Seonghwa felt even guiltier now.

“Come in,” the captain beckoned him inside the cabin.

Seonghwa always felt nervous inside the captain’s quarters, so he hurried to cross the room and be done with his mission for the night. He wanted to be back inside the safety of his cabin as soon as possible. Hongjoong was back to looking at the map on the desk, and was startled when Seonghwa dropped the pearl necklace on the desk.

“What is this?”

The captain frowned at Seonghwa, who just stood there not knowing how exactly to explain himself. He was still lacking when it came to understanding and speaking the crew’s language and he didn’t want to be misunderstood. Seonghwa was glad that everyone was so patient with him while he learned the language, because it was a real struggle.

Hongjoong picked up the necklace and Seonghwa felt his heartbeat quicken. He hoped the captain liked the necklace and he understood it was an apology from Seonghwa for letting him get hurt. Seonghwa reached out to touch the small bandage he knew was under Hongjoong’s shirt sleeve, and managed to once again startle the captain.

“Sorry,” Seonghwa mumbled.

“Ah … Oh, no, it’s ok.”

Hongjoong got up quickly and tried to hand the necklace back to Seonghwa, who shook his head and stepped away from the desk. He would have hurried out of the room if it wasn’t for the captain taking a hold of his elbow, almost as if he anticipated Seonghwa wanting to flee. It was a gentle grip and Seonghwa found that he didn’t mind it if it was Hongjoong touching him.

“Sorry,” Seonghwa said again.

“Sorry? Sorry for what?” Hongjoong asked, clearly confused by Seonghwa’s behavior.

“Sorry,” Seonghwa said again as he gestured to the captain’s arm.

Hongjoong touched his own arm and his eyes widened in realization. Seonghwa felt victorious, he managed to get his message across with relative ease this time. Hongjoong let go of Seonghwa’s arm then sat back down with a sigh. He offered the necklace back to Seonghwa, who shook his head again. He was not going to take back the necklace, no matter what the captain said.

“Keep.”

“It’s ok Seonghwa, I don’t need this as an apology,” Hongjoong said with a smile.

“No protecting you,” Seonghwa pushed the captain’s hand back. “Keep.”

And Seonghwa rushed out of the room, ignoring the call of his name. He almost collided with Jongho on the deck, thankfully the boatswain wasn’t in a chatty mood and Seonghwa was able to get back to his room quickly. He curled under the blankets, but he couldn’t fall asleep. All he could see when he closed his eyes was the bloody arm of the captain. Seonghwa was not going to fall asleep if he stayed in his own bed.

He didn’t understand why he had the sudden urge to go climb into the same bed as Hongjoong, but decided not to think too hard about it. Hongjoong felt safe, he was not going to hurt Seonghwa and so the mermaid followed his instincts. He gave into the urge and quietly made his way to the captain’s cabin.

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Hongjoong was in that limbo between being awake and being asleep when the mattress dipped. His first instinct was to kick whoever was on his bed then grab the dagger under his pillow to neutralize the threat. But there was no threat, not without the Aurora warning him well before anything happening. Through barely open eyes Hongjoong saw a flash of pink before someone plopped on top of him.

“Hurt,” Seonghwa whispered.

Hongjoong had expected Wooyoung to be the one to climb into his bed, the cook being the most likely to do such a thing. He never expected Seonghwa to do such a thing, not when he was still quite skittish around the crew. He must have felt extremely guilty and that didn’t sit well with Hongjoong. It wasn’t Seonghwa’s fault that he got hurt. It was his own fault for being foolish and not eating, Seonghwa had done his best to help Hongjoong. There was no need for feeling guilty.

“Mhm, I told you, I am ok.”

“Stay with you,” Seonghwa said firmly.

Hongjoong was a weak man, so he let Seonghwa get comfortable on top of him. He couldn’t help but be surprised though, Hongjoong had never expected Seonghwa to ever crawl into his bed in the middle of the night. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that the mermaid didn’t have a nice time on land. Hongjoong was almost sure that Seonghwa had been forced into one of the brothels in the city.

The horror he must have endured there, it made Hongjoong feel angry enough to go back there and burn every brothel in that wretched port. But that wouldn’t help Seonghwa. What was going to help the mermaid was kindness and patience, being given space and autonomy, a chance to enforce his boundaries and a voice to speak his mind. Hongjoong was going to make sure Seonghwa felt safe on the Aurora.

The captain felt both grateful for the trust Seonghwa had in him and nervous about doing something to lose that trust. He was going to work hard to build the trust between them. Hongjoong relaxed under Seonghwa, not wanting to make the mermaid feel on edge. It seemed to be the right choice, because soon after, Seonghwa’s breath evened out. Hongjoong stayed awake long after, overthinking his every breath.

Hongjoong was on the verge of falling asleep when Seonghwa shifted, startling him awake. He hated himself for being so on edge, but he couldn’t help it. He didn’t want to make the mermaid uncomfortable. But Seonghwa seemed anything but uncomfortable, he snuggled closer to Hongjoong. His arms wrapped around the captain loosely.

It took a while for Hongjoong to fall asleep, but when he did it was the best sleep he had in a long while. There were no nightmares to wake him up in a cold sweat, only a pleasant warmth and a feeling of safety. When Hongjoong woke up, he was alone in the bed. Selfishly, he missed the warmth of Seonghwa’s body. But he was grateful for the trust Seonghwa had shown and he was not going to take it for granted.

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Seonghwa had never been above the water during storms. When he was younger he used to watch storms from deep within the sea. Now, Seonghwa was on a ship that was sailing right through the middle of a violent storm. In the many months that he had been on the Aurora, Seonghwa had never been sick. Until now that was. He was feeling very, very sick. And a little afraid.

Unable to stay in his cabin any longer, Seonghwa went up to the deck. The wind was stronger than he expected and he was nearly toppled over by it. The rain was unforgivingly cold, drenching him almost instantly. It came down with enough force to hurt as it made contact with Seonghwa’s body. The ship lurched to the side, waves washing over the deck and Seonghwa should have not been out. He should have stayed inside his cabin.

There was no one on the deck, no one steering the ship. And, not for the first time, Seonghwa thought that the Aurora was special like that. Sometimes he swore he could feel a very powerful, ancient magic within the wood of the ship. He didn’t know much about steering or running a ship, but he was pretty sure that someone should have been out there at the helm despite the violent storm. Someone should have watched the sails too.

The ship lurched again and Seonghwa almost lost his footing. He managed to stay upright, but it didn’t last long. A large wave crashed into the Aurora, sending water all over the deck and hitting Seonghwa’s legs with enough force to make him fall. He let out a scream that was swallowed by the raging storm. Seonghwa slid over the deck and for a second he was afraid that he would be pushed overboard.

Thankfully, he hit the wall of the captain’s cabin instead. He wasn’t sure if that was the Aurora itself, protecting him with its supposed magic, or if he was just lucky. Seonghwa struggled to get up, but the wind picked up and wave after wave hit the ship, making it hard for him to find his footing. Seonghwa couldn’t let himself be swept be overboard, if he did then he would lose sight of the Aurora and never see its crew again.

The door to the captain’s quarters opened suddenly, startling Seonghwa. The captain looked horrified to see him lying on the deck. For a few seconds, they just started at each other. Another wave swept over the deck and Seonghwa was finally able to find his footing and get up. Hongjoong moved quick then, he grabbed Seonghwa and pulled him inside the cabin, slamming the door shut behind them.

“What were you doing out there?” the captain asked.

There were many reasons that Seonghwa was out there, braving the storm. He was worried about the safety of the crew and ship. He was scared. He was feeling sick. He couldn’t sleep properly with the way the ship was rocking. But he wasn’t sure he could convey all that to the captain. His vocabulary was still limited. He understood enough of the language now as not to feel so lost, but speaking was hard. Finding the right words seemed impossible at times.

“No matter, come,” Hongjoong led him further into the cabin. “I’ll give you some dry clothes.”

“Sick,” Seonghwa said.

The captain stopped and looked at Seonghwa strangely. “Yeah, you will get sick if you stay in those wet clothes,” Hongjoong said with a frown.

Seonghwa shook his head. “Now, sick.”

“You feel sick now?” Hongjoong asked.

Seonghwa nodded. The captain’s face softened, it seemed he understood Seonghwa. Hongjoong went to the chest at the foot of the bed and pulled out dry clothes. He placed them on the bed and gestured for Seonghwa to come closer. He did, hesitantly. Was the captain going to watch him undress? He wasn’t sure he could go through that. He had slept in the same bed as the captain once, sure, but he was not ready to be seen naked by the man.

But Seonghwa should have known better than to doubt Hongjoong. The captain smiled when Seonghwa was close enough to the bed, and then he stepped away. His back was facing Seonghwa and the bed. “Let me know when you are done,” he said softly.

Seonghwa changed facing the captain’s back, just to be sure. However, Hongjoong didn’t turn around until Seonghwa told him to. His wet clothes were placed on a spare chair and he was left to do as he pleased. Hongjoong sat back down at his desk and it dawned on Seonghwa that the ship’s lurching didn’t feel as bad here as it did everywhere else.

The worst movement was up on the deck, for sure, but the crew cabins sure seemed to move more than the captain’s quarters. Seonghwa wondered if that was because of the Aurora’s mysterious aura or because captain Hongjoong had been touched by magic in some way. Seonghwa had his suspicions regarding that, but no concrete proof.

“Make yourself comfortable,” Hongjoong said. “We’ll be here a while.”

Seonghwa looked around the cabin awkwardly, not knowing what to do with himself. The bed caught his attention since it was the only place he could sit that was not the floor or an uncomfortable chair. The captain wouldn’t mind if Seonghwa sat on the bed, right? Seonghwa decided to risk the wrath of his captain since he felt sick and wanted to sleep soon. Hongjoong didn’t pay any attention to him and Seonghwa felt himself relax as he hopped on the bed and made himself comfortable.

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Seonghwa was in his cabin, on his bed actually, dressed in his clothes. The maps Hongjoong was studying had been long forgotten in favor of watching Seonghwa shuffle through the small chest of jewelry Hongjoong had on his nightstand. Seonghwa’s eyes sparkled, they actually sparkled, as he inspected all sorts of jewelry pieces. How could someone’s eyes shine like that in the dim light of the cabin? Hongjoong didn’t know, but he sure was mesmerized by it.

The Aurora lurcheed to the side and Hongjoong knew that it must have been quite a big and rough wave for it to be felt in here. He opened the compass and lets out a sigh, they should be out of the storm soon. He would check on the crew then, and maybe stay at the helm for the rest of the night. Or maybe he could ask someone else to do that, Mingi maybe since the navigator could also set the desired course that way.

Would Seonghwa go back to his cabin when they got out of the storm? Or would he still stay with Hongjoong for the night? He said he was sick, but it made no sense for him to be on the deck instead of in the infirmary with Yeosang. Maybe he just wanted some fresh air, it made sense. Hongjoong was glad that he found him before he could be swept overboard. He couldn’t bear the thought of losing the mermaid.

“Look!”

Seonghwa was gesturing for him to come closer. Hongjoong smiled as got up and walked to the bed, endeared by the mermaid. He stopped next to the bed, but Seonghwa gestured him to come even closer. To do that, Hongjoong would have to sit down on the bed too and he didn’t want to make Seonghwa feel uncomfortable. He knew Seonghwa’s life before sneaking on the Aurora must have been rough, and Hongjoong didn’t want to ever remind him of it by making him feel unsafe.

Hongjoong decided to sit down on the edge of the bed, leaving enough space between them so the mermaid didn’t feel trapped. Seonghwa seemed to have no problem with Hongjoong doing that, he just smiled widely and scooted a little closer to him. It made the captain feel warm. It meant Seonghwa trusted him enough to let him be close.

“Pearls,” Seonghwa said with a smile, holding out a pearl necklace.

“Yes, pearls.”

“I like pearls,” Seonghwa said.

“Then you can have the necklace.” Hongjoong was not really that fond of pearls and he had enough necklaces laying around. He could do without one.

“Really?”

“Yeah,” Hongjoong smiled.

Seonghwa looked down at the pearl necklace with a confused frown instead of the smile Hongjoong expected. The captain wondered what the matter was, what was bothering the mermaid. Should he have not given the pearls to him? Had he done something to offend Seonghwa? Hongjoong didn’t know anything about merpeople’s customs so maybe offering pearls wasn’t a good thing. But then again, Seonghwa had offered him pearls as an apology.

“The pearls I gave?” Seonghwa asked.

“I put them in my treasure chest,” Hongjoong said.

“Are treasure?”

“Yes, they are treasure.”

Seonghwa smiled and Hongjoong felt himself relax. So that was the problem, Seonghwa thought that Hongjoong had discarded the necklace he gave him. The mermaid placed the pearls back on the nightstand then laid down on the bed. Hongjoong took that as a sign to get back to the desk and maybe actually do something productive. He still had to plan a safe route to the island rumored to have a map that led to the Compass of the Seven Seas.

“No sleep?” Seonghwa asked.

“I’ll sleep after the storm is over,” Hongjoong said.

“Need sleep.”

“I know, I will sleep later,” Hongjoong said. “I promise.”

Seonghwa looked at him and when he didn’t say anything else, Hongjoong sat back down at the desk. He went back to studying the maps and journals as Seonghwa made himself comfortable in his bed. By now the storm seemed to be slowing down, soon Hongjoong would be able to go out and check on the rest of the crew. Until then, he tried his best to focus on his job and not on the mermaid in his bed.

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The island was small; it was easy for Seonghwa to find a small cave with deep enough water for him to swim in. He struggled to drag himself and the captain’s prone body up on the stones and far away from the water. He leaned over Hongjoong, worried about him. He was only human, touched by magic or not, it didn’t matter, he was still fragile. Thankfully, the captain was still breathing.

Seonghwa was no healer, no doctor like Yeosang so he had no idea what to do. He didn’t know how to wake up the captain or how to check if he had swallowed too much water. Seonghwa could only hope Hongjoong didn’t die. Fate seemed to be on his side though, because the captain stirred. And then he was blinking his eyes open and Seonghwa let out a relieved breath. Hongjoong turned to look at him with unfocused eyes and the mermaid leaned closer to him, trying to smile reassuringly.

“Ok?” Seonghwa asked.

Hongjoong hummed as he brought his hand to his forehead, clearly still out of it. Seonghwa shuffled closer to him, pressing himself against the captain and trying to get his attention. He needed to make sure Hongjoong was ok, he had to get him back to the ship quickly if he continued to be like this. Seonghwa had no idea what to do.

Hongjoong struggled to sit up and Seonghwa hurried to help him. He blinked and looked around confused, clearly trying to make sense of where he was and why he was here. That was not good. Did the captain suffer from memory loss? Seonghwa didn’t remember seeing Hongjoong hitting his head when the boat flipped over.

“What …,” Hongjoong was interrupted by a coughing fit, making Seonghwa panic a little.

“Fell from boat,” Seonghwa said when Hongjoong stopped coughing, hoping to jog the captain’s memory.

“Shit.”

Hongjoong sat up, but his eyes looked a little cloudy and he was clearly feeling dizzy. Seonghwa gripped at the sleeve of his blouse to keep the captain from walking away without him. He couldn’t let Hongjoong out of his sight when he was clearly not feeling well. Thankfully the captain sat back down, leaning against Seonghwa with a sigh.

“I just need a minute,” he said.

Seonghwa was going to give him as much time as he needed as long as it helped. They weren’t really in a hurry. It was still a long way to sunset and in a pinch Seonghwa could go look for the map on his own. He wasn’t that useless, he could find the map if the captain still felt unwell. If the map was here, of course, and it wasn’t the same as last time when they found nothing.

“Can you look around the cave and see if there’s anything here?” Hongjoong asked.

Seonghwa was reluctant to leave the captain’s side, but him searching for the map while Hongjoong focused on recovering was a good idea. It was going to save them time. Seonghwa slipped into the water and swam around the cave, looking for any places where a map could be hidden safely. There were a few nooks, but all empty.

“Nothing,” Seonghwa called back to the captain.

“Then let’s go, we should check some other places on the island,” Hongjoong said.

Seonghwa didn’t want that, he wanted to get the captain back to the Aurora. But he knew how much Hongjoong wanted to find that map, so he just swam back to where he was. It was a bit of a struggle for Seonghwa to get Hongjoong in the water and swim out of the cave, but they managed. The next cave was just as empty as the first one, however the captain was starting to feel better.

After another two empty caves, Hongjoong suggests going up the small river and further inland. Seonghwa wanted to argue, he didn’t feel comfortable lingering too long on this island. He didn’t know why he felt that, he couldn’t explain it. It was this strange feeling telling him to get back to the Aurora as soon as possible. But Seonghwa didn’t say anything and just followed Hongjoong’s orders. The sooner they were done here, the better.

Thankfully, fate seemed to be on their side. Halfway upstream was a tree, its long branches caressing the water and blooming red flowers. It would have been a tree just like any other tree if it wasn’t for the wooden chest buried between its roots. Seonghwa felt hope bloom in his chest. Hongjoong was the first one to get to the tree and by the time Seonghwa managed to drag himself up the muddy bank of the river, the captain had the chest open.

“It’s here!” He exclaimed. “The map is here!”

Seonghwa smiled at the captain, happy for him. They could now get back to the ship and the crew, the sooner the better. They had the map and they were going to find the Compass of the Seven Seas easily now. Seonghwa was happy for Hongjoong, and for himself too. Maybe Utopia would be the place he finally felt at peace in.

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