#pirates!junhao

Weeks after they managed to escape, Minghao’s crew has since then taken a long pit stop on a quiet town near the coast.

Minghao would think that it’d be relaxing, not having to be the Captain of the Red Flags for a little while, but he can’t get Wen Junhui out of his head. The man’s very existence has haunted Minghao for years, and now after having met him in the flesh, it’s only made him that more desperate to find the treasure Junhui left behind.

Because the survival of his crew depends on that treasure. He's spent too many resources and too many years chasing after this for it to ー to just bust. Or even worse, for someone else to get to the treasure first and swipe it out from right underneath Minghao's nose.

Or the worst possibility yet: Junhui coming back to dig up his treasure and take it from Minghao.

And sure, the treasure is technically Junhui's, but Minghao is first and foremost a pirate. Minghao is a pirate before anything else and a pirate would never let a treasure like this get away from him.

Now that he's met the infamous man, that has to mean that he's on the right track. The treasure just has to be close by at this point. There's no doubt about it.

When it comes to how he acted, however, Minghao doesn't want to think about it. Wants to burn that memory from his mind and that of his crew's. How awful it was, how degrading. Just thinking of the way Junhui looked at him sends a shiver down his spine...a shiver of disgust, obviously. No way in hell that Minghao's actually attracted to that asshole. He definitely doesn't think that all of the night sky's stars could fit in Junhui's eyes or that every honeyed word ever spoken resides in that man's sweet, sweet mouth. Minghao isn't attracted to him and no way in hell would he ever be. Ugh!

He honestly doesn't know what possessed him to behave in such a way and he curses the fact that his seduction skills have suffered horribly to the point where he couldn't even get one word of importance out of Junhui's much too pretty mouth. But so what if his seduction skills are a little rusty? He'll have to work on bettering them at some point, it's just that for now, Minghao wants to take a breather and focus on his crew while they restock their ship before sailing off once again.

Mingyu is off in the town's pub, trying to gather intel on anything he thinks Minghao might be interested in while Chan and Seokmin guard their ship. Minghao doesn't know where Seungkwan and Hansol are at most of the time, but whenever he's seen them around, Hansol is wincing with every step he takes so Minghao can already guess what those two have gotten up to. It doesn't surprise him by a long shot either because this was a long time coming and no way in hell would Minghao ever try to make his crew unhappy.

Minghao doesn't mind if his crew want to shack up together, that's their decision after all, and he is a captain. Meaning that, if needed, Minghao can wed anyone on his deck as long as the two are willing to be with one another. He's performed four marriages so far and he has a feeling that number five isn't very far away from now.

Now if his crew happened to have sex with a captive, Minghao would have to kill them. It's one of his most fundamental core rules. No one is allowed to have relationships with their captives unless they mean to stay committed and support them in marriage. If found breaking this rule, Minghao has given all of his fleets strict orders to throw the pirate overboard bound and gagged. Minghao was raised in a brothel and he knows all too well the screams of a woman or man being taken against their will and for as long as Minghao shall live and serve as the Captain of the Red Flags, he will make sure that he'll never have to hear those heartbreaking screams again nor submit anybody to that kind of fate either.

Minghao is many, many things. A captain, a pirate, a man, a runaway whore, but he isn't evil. Nor is he cruel nor heartless. Minghao's acts of piracy are justified and if his men didn't agree with that, then they never would have voted for Minghao as their captain anyway. He knows exactly what he's doing and who he's doing it to as well and anyone who says otherwise clearly doesn't know a thing about him.

But Hansol and Seungkwan are different. Minghao knows that the two care for each other, despite their god-awful bickering and their teasing remarks, they care for one another an awful lot. He's actually been prepared to wed them for some time now, but neither men have stepped forward to ask him of it yet and so he continues to wait, glad that with each passing day, the two only continue to fall deeper and deeper in love.

Minghao wants something like that, even if the concept of love is terrifying, he wants that kind of support, trust, and affection with someone.

And at one point, he thought Mingyu might be that person, but as time wore on, Minghao realized that it was one thing for his crew to be together and another thing altogether for him to be with one of his own crew members like that. Mingyu had never been more than a good friend and amazing first mate anyway and Minghao is more than glad that he managed to save Mingyu from the grip of that tribe of cannibals a few years prior.

Seokmin, now he's the one Minghao is most concerned about sometimes. Seokmin is a bright and cheery pirate, an amazing quartermaster that's barely able to hurt a fly, and Minghao has never once forced his hand when it came down to the act of killing. Luckily, there has never been an instance where Seokmin would have to use his sword to take the life of another and Minghao would rue the day should that event ever befall them.

Seokmin is too gentle for the normal life of a pirate and Minghao knows this, but who was he to refuse when a boy covered in dirt from head to toe came to him asking for work so that he could feed his siblings? Minghao had taken one look at his too skinny wrists and his much too skinny frame and shook his head no, following Seokmin home afterward when he turned around, dejected. Minghao found the alley that Seokmin and his two younger sisters were sleeping in and watched over them that night as they slept, keeping away anyone who might have bothered them in one way or another.

The next day, Minghao returned with Mingyu and Hansol, bearing food and offering to pay for their boarding somewhere in town until Seokmin was healthy enough to get work.

Seokmin reluctantly agreed and that was how Minghao happened to meet Seungkwan as he and his small crew spent a year in a coastal town much like the one they're resting in now. Minghao had agreed to take Seokmin and Seungkwan on as the newest members of his crew and they sailed about with Seokmin's siblings for a while until Minghao's fleet really began to build. Within a few months, Minghao had enough men to make up an army and that was when the Red Flags were born.

The eldest of Seokmin's younger sisters came of age a few weeks after that and it was only a month later that Minghao was wedding her to one of his newest men. They left the life of piracy after that, taking Seokmin's baby sister with them, and while Seokmin had cried for an entire week after they had gone, he still sends them funds back to their home in Japan so that they know that he's alive and well.

They began raiding then, pillaging any towns where the Qing Imperial Navy held their posts, where towns had not sworn their allegiances to pirates. Those were the ones they hit.

Through those raids, they found Chan. Sweet wonderful Chan who refused to comply with his men's wishes when they took him captive and demanded to see the captain of the ship. His eyes were fierce and his voice betrayed nothing and when Minghao handed him a sword, Chan took it without hesitation before dropping into perfect form.

Minghao was more than impressed.

He admired the teen's nerve, his unswerving bravery, and confidence, but it was Chan's knowledge that Minghao found most valuable. All Chan had to do was take one glance at a map and he knew what Minghao was looking for.

Junhui's treasure.

Chan was quickly appointed as their new sailing master and the rest was history.

Hansol, however, had been with Minghao the longest, the one who got him out of that damned brothel he'd grown up in. Hansol was pretty, one of the prettiest boys Minghao had ever seen. He was a new customer and he'd been set up by his friends so coming to a brothel to celebrate his coming of age wasn't really something that he would have chosen to do himself, but he was there and Minghao was more than glad that he'd been able to snag him for the night.

Hansol was rich and his father was a captain in the Qing Imperial Navy so it was all too easy to steal his father's ship that night and set sail with a crew that had been lying in wait that night. Minghao had been swept into Hansol's talk of a better life, of all the riches in the world and poor Minghao was sold. Piracy was his destiny.

Minghao had taken Hansol's hand on that night and never looked back.

Seungkwan had no sob story or such, he'd simply followed Hansol back to the pub where they were scouting for new crew members and the deal had been sealed from the first moment Seungkwan's eyes caught sight of Hansol. Despite what those two may say, Minghao knows that Seungkwan would follow Hansol to the ends of the earth if he so much as asked and Hansol would do the same in return.

The life of a pirate has never been easy, but these men, his crew, they make it all worth it.

And that's why they need that treasure, to make an even bigger name for themselves, to bring honor and glory to the Red Flags. Minghao is done with bowing and scraping down for a handout. He commands over twenty thousand pirates and fifteen hundred ships.

Xu Minghao, Captain of the Red Flags, will let no one take the treasure which is rightfully his. No one.

Not even Wen Junhui, Captain of the Black Flags, the one who escaped Davy Jones' locker. Absolutely no one will take Minghao's honor and glory from his crew.

The treasure will be his. Without a doubt.

The island isn't exactly small.

It's not big either, but it's large enough that at least Minghao won't starve so soon.

He can still see their white sail blowing in the wind as his ship sails away. He knows that the tiny speck near the top of the mast is Chan and that Mingyu is behind the steering wheel, but watching his ship sail off into the open water is beyond strange. It's almost indescribable, the swooping feeling in his gut like his stomach is about to fall right through or feeling like his heart is beating in his ears, his blood thrumming with an emotion he can't quite put his finger on.

It's strange.

He's finally on the rumored island Junhui's treasure is hidden on though and he gave his crew two weeks tops for their return. They have to restock once more after being at sea for so long again. Minghao couldn't afford for his entire crew to disembark and help him in his search so Seokmin gave him a week's worth of provisions ー food, clean water, two blankets, a shovel, one single change of clothes and enough bullets to fend off fifty attackers ー and Minghao gave the crew over to Mingyu while Seungkwan and Hansol hung off every word of Minghao's stern orders to take care of themselves while he's gone.

Chan didn't cry, but Minghao knew he wanted to, so he left Chan with his first ever compass and a kiss to the crown of his head while he hugged the rest goodbye then took the rowing boat towards the sparkling island, his blood racing as hope began to blossom in his chest.

The island is still sparkling even up close and Minghao's glad for the foliage and the coconut trees he can see from here. He intends to make a complete sweep of the island soon, but for right now, he needs to drag the boat the rest of the way onto shore, find a clean source of water, and check for any edible fruits or plants that he can resort to when his supplies begin to dwindle.

There's hope heavy in his chest, making it hard to focus on much, but there's also excitement running through his veins and it's with those feelings that Minghao finally collapses on dry sand as his ship disappears in the distance, the ocean twinkling a beautiful blue, unobstructed now.

At least until the wreckage of what Minghao presumes is a ship begins to drift in from the east. Minghao watches it, squinting as the broken pieces of the ship move away from shore, checking to make sure there isn't anything living stuck in it.

From what he can see, it's only wood and fabric and ropes, with ripped pieces of nets here and there, but no living person.

He relaxes back into the sand then, content to just watch.

Minghao smiles as the sound of the sea croons to him, the birds chirping behind him in the trees making him feel at ease. This is the life right here, the life he fought and strived for. The treasure is near-by, he can feel it.

All he has to do is dig.

A wave begins to rear up in the distance, close by the ship wreckage and Minghao watches as it makes its way towards the shore he's laid out on. He isn't concerned, not even mildly, but when the wave reaches the wreckage and it begins to shift, Minghao sits up when he realizes that he recognizes that shock of white against a plank of wood.

Before Minghao can think of what he's doing, he's pushing the rowing boat back into the water, jumping in and rowing as fast as his skinny arms can take him. The wave passes the wreckage quickly, but by the time it reaches Minghao, he easily rides it out, still moving frantically to get to the man in the water as fast as he can.

When Minghao finally reaches him, he feels as if he must be too late because he has no idea how long he's been drifting out at sea, drenched to his core in the cold saltwater, but Minghao can't think about that right now or else he'll start to hyperventilate. Right now he needs to get him into the boat and check if he's breathing ー check if he's alive.

His body weighs close to nothing as Minghao drags him into the rowing boat, laying him down on his back as he brushes the wet, white hair away from his face. He looks pale, a bluish tinge to his skin that worries Minghao as his clothes stick to his thin frame. But he isn't breathing, there's no movement in his chest, and Minghao leans forward to press his ear to his sternum, almost sobbing with relief when he hears the faintest of heartbeats.

"You're not going to die that easily," Minghao gasps out, feeling numb to the world as he presses his hands to his chest, pushing down repeatedly before pinching his nose between his fingers and blowing air into his mouth, then doing it all over again as panic begins to set in. "I won't let you."

He continues, his eyesight growing blurry with each passing second that he doesn't wake up, but Minghao won't give up. He won't let him die.

Because he's important, for some reason Minghao doesn't understand. He's important and he's beautiful and he's cocky beyond belief, but there's nobody else exactly like him and despite all else ー despite what Minghao is right down to his core ー he won't let him die.

Minghao won't let Junhui die. That's a promise.

a/n: i know, i know. this update took so damn long!!! i couldn’t help it ;; i ran out of inspo and steam on this au right after i finished the first chap and i didn’t pick it back up again until last week

The water is cold and stretches for as far as the eye can see. The ocean is vast and blue, calm on this day.

Minghao stands at the helm, hands firm on the steering wheel as he gazes over his crew. After that raid he led in the Great Eastern Sea some years ago, he never thought his crew would grow to include Koreans. But there's no mistaking the men before him.

Seokmin is manning the masts, a handkerchief wrapped tight around his head, shielding his dark hair from the fiery rays of the sun as he makes sure their new white sails are being set up correctly. Sweat runs down Mingyu's arms as he lifts barrels of gunpowder down into the cargo hold and Minghao can't help but stare at the slightly older man. Seokmin and Mingyu are older than Minghao, but they've never faltered in showing their respects to him. They owe Minghao their lives and enjoy working under his rule, making sure that his strict code is enforced throughout all of Minghao's fleet which Minghao appreciates, considering how many men work for him.

Seungkwan and Hansol are bickering at the bow and Minghao rolls his eyes, debating whether or not to break up their argument. He decides against it when Chan pushes in between them and forces them back to work, the teen laden down with heavy coils of rope Minghao is surprised he can carry. Seungkwan pushes at Hansol's arm and follows after Chan, leaving Hansol to look after them, an offended look on his face. Minghao is still partially confused over whether Hansol is actually Korean or not due to his European features, but he doesn't voice it because race and ethnicity have never been important things to Minghao.

Appearances don't make up a person's worth in his opinion, it's their actions and willingness to improve that really matter to him.

Minghao watches as his small crew works to keep the ship steady and flowing easily across the bright waters. They're in the South China Sea at the moment (Chan had made a big show of his maps and markings, proclaiming their location in an excited voice once they'd passed the borders) and the water is calm.

Too calm.

Minghao doesn't know why he's so bothered by the relaxed lull of the sea around them. He's in a hurry to find what he's been searching for for years. After meeting with the captain of his northern fleet, Yixing, a month ago, Minghao had been given the last puzzle piece of the information he needed. Now he and his most trustworthy men are on their way to find the treasure.

He should be relieved about their lack of run-ins with the Qing Imperial Navy and other enemy pirates, but he just can't shake the feeling that something terrible is about to happen. It's like an itch he can't scratch and it's been bothering him ever since they set sail for the island.

Still, Minghao continues to watch over his crew, laughing to himself when Seokmin wipes his brow then flicks his sweat at Seungkwan. Seungkwan's squeals are loud and overdramatic, but the man himself has always been dramatic so it's really nothing new. Chan flicks his fingers at Seungkwan's arm and darts away when Seungkwan turns to face him, a look of irritation deforming his features. Hansol is next to strike, slapping Seungkwan's ass before he runs past Minghao and up towards the poop deck.

Minghao ignores them again, instead focusing on Seokmin folding up their old red sails and putting them away in an inconspicuous box. It'd been Minghao's idea to change their sails. Waving the red sails of the Red Flags would most definitely draw unwanted attention to their average-looking ship and though Minghao is itching for any kind of action, he also doesn't want to put the lives of his crew at unnecessary risk. Better to pretend they're a neutral ship in unfamiliar waters instead of entering with guns blazing.

Seokmin finishes putting the sails away, nodding at Mingyu when the tanned man comes forward to pick up the box. They exchange a few words that Minghao can't quite make out over the roar of the sea, humming of the ship and snapping of the new sails against the wind, but there's no mistaking the matching grins that spread across their faces once Mingyu turns to head below deck and deposit the box into their stores. Minghao's grip is as firm as ever on the steering wheel of the ship, but there's a blurb of something coming up on the horizon and Minghao's already turning to port side where Chan is scampering up the ratlines to get high enough on the masts to use his telescope.

"Captain!"

Chan is waving his hands around, pointing at the blurb that's getting closer by the second and Minghao doesn't know whether to be alarmed by the black sails or not.

"Captain! Incoming ship!" Chan yells again, this time gaining the attention of everyone on board.

Mingyu rushes up onto the main deck, a little breathless and immediately spots the ship. Minghao frowns at the approaching black sails but makes no move to alter their course. They have nothing to worry about, not when Minghao has both his swords, his guns and a couple of knives up his sleeve.

He can easily handle whatever's heading their way.

At least, he hopes he can.

The ship continues to approach, curving subtly to the side so that it'll end up on Minghao's ship's port side. Minghao squints against the sun and tries to pinpoint any moving bodies on the ship, but so far, he can't make out much. Mingyu is suddenly at Minghao's elbow, worry and nerves radiating off him like body heat, but Minghao is used to this kind of behavior whenever they happen across something unknown. It's why Mingyu is his first mate, after all, something that has made Mingyu a bit of a laughing stock since first mates aren’t meant for pirates.

“Captain, they’re requesting to come aboard,” Chan says from his perch, telescope permanently attached to his eye.

Minghao nods. “Let them aboard.”

“Captain, I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Mingyu murmurs beside him.

“Don’t worry. We’re pretending to be a neutral ship, remember? Just let me talk,” Minghao mutters, stepping forward until he’s able to look at all of his crew members. “No one speaks unless I give the signal. Got it?”

“Yes, Captain!” They all respond, eyes glued to the oncoming ship.

Minghao gulps when he catches sight of the black sails coming closer. They stick out, especially when the ship drops it’s anchor and comes to a stop beside their own white sails.

Black and white.

Yin and Yang.

Minghao steps down onto the main deck with Mingyu hot on his heels, making sure Chan has come down from the rat rails before Seokmin and Mingyu rush forward to catch the wide plank the ship beside them is sliding forward. There aren’t that many men on the other ship, seven in total and only three of them walk across the plank to board Minghao’s ship.

A built man with large, doe eyes far too big for his face and equally large ears takes the rear of their tiny party, doing his best to look standoffish. Beside him is a slimmer man who radiates calm, a strange curl to his mouth that Minghao isn’t sure if he likes or not yet. In the forefront though, that’s where all of Minghao’s attention is being diverted to.

Because in the front, leading the three is the most beautiful man Minghao has ever seen. His skin is a gorgeous hue of brown, making him look like honey. His hair a stark white-ish color that Minghao has never seen before. Tall and thin, but not thin like Minghao, Minghao who’s grown accustomed to their sea rations and one meal a day rule. His brows are straight and lie heavy over his eyes.

And his eyes.

Minghao feels lost in them. There’s a sparkle in them that he can see from where he stands and the man smirks at him, knowingly, as if he can read Minghao’s mind.

Or maybe Minghao’s gaping mouth is a big clue enough.

Minghao feels his mouth clamp together with a sharp snap, eyes screwing up in distaste at his own response. Even Mingyu is a little entranced by the man in front, but Minghao doesn’t let that reassure him. Mingyu is his first mate and all, but he isn’t the smartest when it comes to other people if Minghao’s being totally and completely honest.

Hansol steps up to welcome them, stunned when the man in front nods at the slimmer one on his left and the slim man asks Hansol something in a language Minghao doesn’t recognize. Hansol answers back after his eyes have returned to their normal size and it isn’t in Minghao’s imagination when Seungkwan steps forward to shadow Hansol.

Hansol then shakes his head and points at Minghao, his pleading gaze drawing Minghao closer with Mingyu only a step behind him. Hansol says something else and the slim man says something to the man in front, in Korean this time before the man in front steps forward and holds his hand out to Minghao.

“Captain Wen Junhui of the Black Flags. Jisoo here says you’re Captain Xu Minghao of the Red Flags. But I don’t see any Red Flags. Either way, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” the beautiful man says.

Minghao startles when he realizes that he spoke in Mandarin and that he knows who Minghao is. Hansol blinks innocently at him and Minghao scowls before shaking Junhui’s hand.

The sharp sound of swords being drawn are all that he registers when Junhui tugs him forward so that they stand pressed chest-to-chest. Minghao gulps at the proximity but doesn’t let any other emotions apart from irritation flicker across his face.

“Let go,” Minghao spits out through his teeth, a glare leveled at Junhui, his irritation only building when he realizes he has to look up to meet his gaze.

Junhui laughs and steps back, hand still holding onto Minghao’s. “No need for the weapons. Tell your men to stand down.”

Minghao looks between their joined hands and the sparkle in Junhui’s eyes before he sighs and barks over his shoulder, “Stand down.”

Chan is the last to put his sword away, his gaze wary as he watches the three newcomers. Minghao can’t say that he blames them when Junhui still won’t let go of his hand, even after Minghao tries to shake him off. Junhui merely gives him a smile that could outshine the sun and Minghao feels something strange curl in his chest.

“So, you know who I am. I know who are you. The question is, what is the Captain of the Red Flags doing all the way out here?” Junhui murmurs.

Minghao feels his face twist with anger now, but he stomps it down and forces himself to remain civil. “I could ask the Captain of the Black Flags the same thing.”

Junhui only smiles. “Oh, you know. The usual.”

“Same here,” Minghao murmurs in response, still trying in vain to make Junhui let go of his hand.

And then a thought strikes him, his most brilliant plan to date if you ask him.

Minghao takes a deep breath and looks up through his lashes at Junhui, drawing his other hand forward to let it rest over their joined hands. Junhui’s eyes widen at the sudden change, but he says nothing as Minghao takes a step forward.

“Since we both seem to be doing something we shouldn’t, why don’t we do it together?” Minghao asks, fluttering his lashes for good measure.

It’s demeaning to be flirting in front of his crew, Minghao is all too aware of that, no matter how willingly forced it is, but desperate times call for desperate measures. Minghao thinks he might have Junhui anyway if the drop in the volume of his voice is any indication, plus fluttering his lashes is Minghao’s best trick.

“And if we did, what would I get out of this? Wouldn’t you rather submit to me now instead, aye, pretty one?” Junhui mutters.

It takes everything in Minghao not to draw his hand back, curl it into a fist and launch it into Junhui’s face right now. Granted, Minghao’s smile does come out forced now, but he’s saved from answering when Chan’s voice bursts their bubble.

“Captain! The Imperial Navy!”

Minghao jumps into action then, pushing Junhui away with all his might. “Go, you idiot! Go!”

Junhui stumbles back, being caught by the built man on his right who tugs him backward on the plank onto their own ship. Seokmin kicks the plank off their main deck once the three are safely off it and Hansol lifts the anchor while Mingyu unfurls the rest of their sails. Minghao runs back to the steering wheel, eyes glued to the three ships quickly approaching them, relieved when the black sails begin to move as well.

Minghao can see Junhui at the steering wheel of his ship now too, his white hair sticking out like a sore thumb and it isn’t in Minghao’s imagination when Junhui meets his gaze and winks.

What theー Minghao begins to think until the thought is interrupted by the loud sound of cannons firing.

Chan is waving frantically at him, hands pointing in the direction they need to take and Minghao spins the wheel, relieved when the sails catch on the wind and they begin to speed along. Seungkwan is pulling Hansol along the main deck, trying to check what direction everyone is going and it’s only when Mingyu and Seokmin run into the cargo hold does Minghao realize they’re readying their own cannons to fire back.

Minghao glances a look back and finds that Junhui’s ship is still anchored where they left them and he frowns, visibly put off.

Idiot, Minghao thinks before Junhui’s cannons fire off and Minghao realizes the Black Flags Captain is giving them an easy escape route by bringing all the attention of the Qing Imperial Navy upon them instead.

Minghao focuses on getting his crew safely out of harm’s way then, forcing himself more than once not to look back again.

a/n: if you can guess who minghao's character is based off, then kudos to you, you've gained +54 points in my book