𓇼 ⋆.˚𓆝 𝑊𝐻𝐸𝑅𝐸 𝑆𝐻𝐼𝑃𝑆 𝐶𝑂𝐿𝐿𝐼𝐷𝐸 𓇼 ⋆.˚𓆝 C.YJ
ᴘᴀɪʀɪɴɢ: ᴘɪʀᴀᴛᴇ!ʏᴇᴏɴᴊᴜɴ x ᴘʀɪɴᴄᴇꜱꜱ!ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ
ꨄ︎ ᴄᴏᴍꜰᴏʀᴛ, ᴀɴɢꜱᴛ, ꜱᴍᴜᴛ, ꜰᴀɴᴛᴀꜱʏ
ꜱʏɴᴏᴘꜱɪꜱ: As princess on an tropical island with expectations, there’s little in the world you love or that loves you, until a seafaring pirate is the one to show you how to be set free
ᴡᴀʀɴɪɴɢꜱ: mature in nature, suggestive (there are moments that allude to nudity and sex), smut (it’s not too explicit but I’ve marked this fic as smut just to safe), implied virginity loss(reader), implied creampie, implied cockwarming, implied somnophilia?, kidnapping, kinda switching perspectives, ‘princess’ used as a pet name, soobin and taehyun cameo, parental abuse (nothing explicit), misogyny based on the piracy period, reader called a ‘whore’ and ‘harlot’ (not by yeonjun), arranged marriage mentioned, pregnancy
𝑅𝑒𝑎𝑑 𝑎𝑡 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑜𝑤𝑛 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑐𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 ⚠︎
𝙆𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙮 𝙨𝙖𝙮𝙨…⋆˚࿔ help I cant stop writing fantasy it has my whole heart, although every time I write it I make them too dark I think so this is *slightly* more positive, there’s still some angst tho 𓏲ּ𝄢
The name chapter temptation has some of my favourite concept photos txt has ever done I yearn for this era with my whole heart I could talk about her forever and pirate jjun has been on my mind ever since i first saw the farewell concept pics so this is a fic a long time in the making. Btw i imagine him wearing all of his stage outfits for sugar rush ride in this so if you need a visual they are perfect hehe𓏲 ๋࣭ ࣪ ˖🎐
The ropes had dug into your wrists and made seat there, creating crescent grooves in the skin, you had given up wrestling with them a few hours ago; though, you begin to think you should have saved your energy for this present moment, a perfect moment for escape, that being the guards had left and it was seemingly still after the ruckus the ruffians had started earlier. The stench of heavy liquor still clung heavy in the air, smoke from pipes occasionally assaulting your senses. It had to be past midnight at this point you gathered, the occasional snore from the drunkards outside was the only thing to crush the silence.
With a heavy sigh, limbs already ached, you begun to rest your eyes, head uncomfortably pressed against the wooden post you are tied to. It most definitely wasn't smart to let your guard down in such a position, but you found it increasingly difficult to care with how weighted your lids felt. Despite your compromising situation, you could feel the oncoming sleep to be rather peaceful under the dimmed lantern glow below deck, and regardless of all of the above your body begged you to let itself slip under the veil of consciousness and into the dreamland of tranquility. It would have been so harmonious, if not for the sudden feeling of your restraints loosening.
Your hands pulled back to your side, trying to rub away the sores they had created against your skin, flinching away as long fingers reach out towards you.
"Well? You wanna go home or not?" A hushed whisper forced your head to snap up to see who the figure was, quickly finding yourself stunned. A man, no older than yourself stood peering down, a neutral expression graced his boyish features, eyes slender with a soft sloping nose, he looked almost too pretty to be in the place he was. The Pirate Prince, you remembered him being called out to when the other pirates had dragged you onto the ship, eyebrows furrows as he locked eyes with you. Now, those same eyes held none of the same distain, only beckoning you further with his hand closing the distance between them.
Somewhat reluctantly, you took his hand, feeling his calloused palm grip yours tightly in order to stand, leading you quietly past the holding cell that had been your home for a few hours. Guiding you through the below deck area, you pull back once his first foot hit the step to the upper deck, where you knew your captors would be. Sensing your unwillingness to move, he glanced back, bringing a finger to his lips, hushing, silently letting you know that it would be safe as long as you followed his lead. You weren't all sure whether to trust the man or not, but what choice did you really have? Stay a captive in the seedy cell, or the small chance he would really let you go. Suddenly it wasn't such a difficult choice for your feet to pad forward to meet his on the steps.
He holted at the final step, doing a take of the deck to check it was clear before further guiding you round the side of the ship, away from the glimmer of lights that meant land.
"Hey, where are you taking me, the dock is that way-" trying your best to keep your voice down but still let him know you are less than pleased, you turn back to him signalling you onto the railing of the ship. Stunned, you glance between him and where he wanted you to climb up. Oh no, there is simply no way he wanted you to go that way.
"They'll see us if we take the docks, this is the only way" his voice is unusually calm considering he is practically committing treason against his pirate crew, no less the Pirate King himself and the most feared being on the seas, his father. You wondered what kind of lunatic would actually do such a thing, you are no fool, you knew the political battle the royal family had against the pirates, the increasing laws threatening their trade and livelihoods, laws your own father was creating, and ultimately the reason why you were captured in the first place, so the question arises, why would he risk his neck to save yours?
Despite the multitude of thoughts swirling your head, you take his hand once more, carefully climbing the decking. His spare hand connected to your waist, securing you as he helped you up, the small gesture not going unnoticed in your lack of proper attire. That mattered little to you in the moment though.
"Hold on tight" he gently guides your arms over his shoulders, causing a wild bloom of fuchsia to spread across your face, turning inwards in hopes he doesn’t notice, and if he did, he didn't make it known. A curt nod was the only warning he gave before hurling his body overboard and in turn pulling you with. The cool water of the night was enough to cool your cheeks down but even after only a few moments of being submerged it felt as though the water was only warming you back up. You couldn't bring yourself to open your eyes and feel the sting of the salty water, nor untie your arms from around him, trusting him to pull the two of you upwards to break surface. A brief rush of panic floods you, he hardly looked strong enough to lift both of you through the current. All your doubts suddenly ceased as you felt the break of the water line, inhaling a deep breath, trying not to sputter too much water in his face.
Wiping the salt from your eyes, his soft gaze meets yours, raven locks clinging to his forehead, chilled breaths passing plump peach lips but they feel warm so close to your skin, suddenly you're reminded of how close you are. His slender gaze flickers up and down, checking you over. It feels too intense, too intimate, the way he looks at you. To be studied under his watchful eyes without knowing what he is thinking. Your attempt to pull away is futile, he pulls you back instinctively.
"Keep close, princess, I still gotta get you to shore" that's what they had called you when they took you, it was your status after all, you guessed they didn't know your name, supposed it didn't matter. If so, then why did the nickname sound so sweet coming from his lips.
He hadn't even given you the chance to retort by the time he was swimming forward, your back to his man-made current unknowingly pushed you further into his arms, legs wrapping around his waist instinctively. Almost loosing his breath at the unexpected contact, he hoped it had looked like exhaustion, a shaky exhale leaving him as he felt you grip tightly to him. Not having much room to stretch, your face rests in the crook of his neck, so close he could feel the plush coolness of your lips graze him occasionally, making him shiver, but not from the chill.
As soon as his feet planted in the sand leading up the shore, he could feel your weight slip from his grasp, surprising himself when his arms landed around your waist to pull you up in his arms instead of letting you steady yourself on the ground. The approach out of the water felt harder with each step, not just carrying the weight of you but both your soaked through clothes, yet still, he only sets you down once you are fully out.
Like previously, he takes a few moments to visually check you over, and like before you pull away from his gaze, except now you are physically shielding yourself from him, arms crossing over your chest as you shook slightly from the chill of the breeze against your wet form. His brows slightly knitted until he notices the way your white nightgown clung to you, now transparent and allowing the golden glow of your skin to blossom through. Instantly it becomes obvious why you hid from him, struggling to fully cover your breasts with sleeveless arms.
He choked out a breath he didn't realise he was holding, thinking quickly as he rips the coal black dripping jacket from his shoulders and drapes it over you, turning his back to allow you the grace of adjusting it without him watching. He took the opportunity to peer around to the dock, quietly observing who had passed out along the planks, who you would have to evade in your escape.
You hadn't thought it possible to blush any more than you previously had in front of him, but the vulnerability of you being in such an indecent state in front of a man, one you didn't know no less, your skin was alight with mortification until he had draped his own jacked over to protect you. It was shocking to you that a pirate, the most fearfully revered men on the island, could be so considerate, so gentle with you. As his back was turned, you took the opportunity to peak at the mysterious boy, any thoughts of him not being strong enough bubbled away. His soaked through ivory dress shirt allowed the taunt lines of muscles of his upper back and arms visibility. The more you thought upon it, it made sense that a man of his profession had a physic as such, he would be constantly hauling and carting either the stern of the ship or cargo, not that it made the juxtaposition of his delicate features any less intriguing.
Once he was sure you had adjusted yourself accordingly, he turned back, lacing his hand once again in your own, crouching to gesture you to follow suit in order to be stealthy. Once you had passed the beach, you noted that he was taking you through the back alleys of the town, they were much quieter in the dead of moonlight as apposed to the bustling daytime, but perhaps it was simply because you had never been out this late, usually safely tucked up in the same four walls of your room. That in itself, was its own prison.
The slow ascent up the hill to the royal mansion felt longer than when you would sneak off by yourself, you had concluded that was partly due to the fact you were dripping wet, yet mostly the fact he hadn't let your hand go even slightly the whole time. You hadn't made any attempt to pull away anymore, instead gripping him tighter. It felt nice to be close to someone, after all you couldn't remember the last time anyone had even spoken to you with affection. Your own mother was not one for touches, far more concerned with duty rather than tenderness. After so many years of neglect in that sense, the feeling was all but foreign. So then why with him did it feel so natural?
That was ultimately the reason you noticed the absence of his warm digits between yours, almost stumbling into him at the abrupt stop.
"You can go the rest of the way?" A small lilt in his voice, gesturing with a nod towards the mansion. You look at him stunned, you supposed it made sense that he couldn't take you all the way, he knew there were guards patrolling 24/7, even if he had brought you around the back where the darkness of night swallowed most light.
"Wait- how do I thank you? I don't even know your name…" surely he wanted some form of compensation for his hassle of breaking you free, although it didn't seem that way with how he had turned away, starting to venture back the way you came.
"Don't need a thank you, princess" his reply is casual, flinging a hand up in a curt signal. Suddenly, he stops in his tracks, head turned to the side to speak. "It's Yeonjun" disappearing into the night as if he was never there.
You can only stand still, stunned at the strange interaction with the mysterious boy, who never did ever state just why he had helped.
"Yeonjun" repeating the name, testing the sound on your tongue. It suited him. Clutching onto the still wet jacket, you had been so flustered you hadn't the chance to give it back. The opportunity to give it back would probably never arise, you knew that much, but it didn't stop you from wondering, hoping for a chance to somehow repay him.
You were no stranger to sneaking out from the mansion, your own room had a balcony with flowing vines that aided as a ladder, albeit you found it was much harder while still riddled with sea water. Dripping straight onto the balcony and the floor of your room, that would be a problem for tomorrow, for now, all you wanted was the warm, dry comfort of your bed, where you could contemplate the days events. After all was said and done, much more interesting than usual.
Five days pass since your capture and the meeting with Yeonjun, not that your mind had let you forget any details. Even as the hand maidens tightened the lace on your overbearing corset, they noticed their lady was away in spirit, even more so than usual.
"Are you okay, miss?" The youngest of your handmaidens, perhaps a few years older than yourself had asked softly, pulling you from your thoughts.
"Yes, just... preoccupied is all" your reply is as sweet as you could muster, finally breaking gaze from the balcony doors, overlooking the whole town, even down to the port. The ship had been stationed for a few hours, it wouldn't be long before it departs for the day once more though, if your observations were correct. Whether you had noticed it subconsciously or not, the past few days had found you glancing down to the port, noting the ships absence or presence. You didn't know whether to be thankful the distance was too far to see people. The Pirates. That might make your longing to see him grow naively.
"I do hope so, miss. It has only been a few days since your kidnapping. Even your father has relieved you of your duties" she notes, the whole ordeal had shaken the royal family and the mansion staff alike. It seemed everyone but you.
"Yes, he is protecting his political security" your scoff was not unnoticed, it was well known around the mansion staff how observant and sharp eyed the princess was, your quips were a common occurrence, your royal education did little to tame your wild manner. Half were impressed, the others distained. A few of your suitors had turned you down for reasons as such, unbefitting of a lady, let alone a princess. Of course, that was all kept hush by the king himself, he would not allow it to deter future suitors, one's hopefully with more wealth and status than the last.
"Be that as it may, your father is still worried for you, miss" you could only roll your eyes, clothing finally well adjusted and ready for royal breakfast.
It was a drag, as it was every day, curt smiles and 'yes, mother' spoken over the lavish dining table, exhausting you to the core. Enough time had passed where you could excuse yourself without raising suspicion, glancing nods to the staff that passed you as you made the ascent to your chambers once more.
One good thing that had come from the incident, was that no one, not even your father objected to you wanting to spend time in your chambers, albeit two guards stationed outside your door, but otherwise unaccompanied. It gave you time to take off the suffocating over dress, stripping only to the corset and bloomers, much easier to slip out unnoticed. You glanced at the jacket you had successfully stuffed under the bed, your reputation would be all but soiled if anyone had found a man's jacket in your quarters. It was a quick decision, wrapping it over your clothes, dismantling the ladylike look you detested so. Unwrapping your hair in the same fashion, letting it flow down wild, tiny curls framing your face. Smudging some powder left on the dresser onto your cheeks, you glanced over your reflection, it was now much less obvious of your social standing, ready to chameleon into the bustle of the market.
Climbing down the vines of the balcony as you had many times before, you took no more thought to your royal life, becoming one with the townsfolk.
The market was as full of life as it ever was, trades people hollering for sales of their goods, the sizzling sound and succulent smells of grilled meats surrounded each crowded street, inhaling the scent of the booze filled taverns, you never felt more alive.
No one to recognise you, tell you what superficial duties you had to fulfil next, nobody paid any attention despite you being in the middle of the street unless it was to hustle past. Fundamentally invisible, you wouldn't have it any other way. You had paid your local stalls a visit, the ones with the decadent displays of fruits, all colours and sizes and flavours, offering small conversations to the stall owners. If only you had been more invisible.
Yeonjun had managed to slip away from the ship unnoticed during deck duty in the early hours of the morning. Now while it was true he loved his life on the open sea, it remained that he needed time away from his crew, more so the demands of his father. Time that was just his, whatever plans were up to him and only him. He'd often find himself frequenting the stalls where the freshest fruit was sold. He had come into acquaintance with the stall owner, would give him discounts not because he was the Pirate Prince, but because he would help collect the fruit on occasions. Came to discover he enjoyed escaping his title, free from responsibility.
That's why this was the last place he expected to see you.
One second your hand had reached for a ripe peach and in another your wrist was gripped tightly, the force alone pulling you along with whoever the assailant was. A wave of terror washes through you, reminiscent of when you were taken only days ago pulsing through your veins, so much it hadn't occurred to you to take note of who was guiding you down a tight, quieter alleyway.
"What the hell are you doing here, princess. You got any idea how dangerous it is?" He spits out his question, that voice is all too recognisable, the delicate graininess that only belonged to him, Yeonjun.
"Y-Yeonjun?" You ask almost timidly, gaining courage to look up at him. It shouldn't be possible for him to look any more exquisite than he did bathed in moonlight, but now you could see his features, really examine them. Brows furred made his eyes even more cat like, a small beauty mark sits just below, a kiss from whatever celestial being had created him. Lips downturned and so full they looked pillowy, a work of art.
He found himself holding up no better, he could feel his frustration faltering looking upon your confused features, big round eyes staring into his own while your plush lips trembled slightly. Why did you have to make it so difficult when you stared at him as such?
"You hear a word I just say?" His harsh words betray him, a defence mechanism to ensure you wouldn't pick up on the way he ogles at said plush lips too long, how soft they would feel against-
"I heard, I just doubt it's any of your concern" it wasn't the first time you had been addressed in such a hostile manner, it was only instinct to retaliate the energy.
"It kinda is since I risked my neck breakin' you out. My whole crews been going crazy tryna figure out how you escaped" you noticed he spoke more plainly than most people you had ever interacted with did, a slight accented tone to his words he no doubt picked up living life on the seas.
"I never asked for your help, I'm not some damsel in distress. I don't need rescuing" your whole life you had been sheltered, treated like a porcelain doll sat on the highest shelf, the last thing you needed was him treating you the same. The more he glanced down at your smaller frame below him, the less your words made sense, you practically trembled under his gaze. He figured the last thing you'd want would be to admit as such, he promptly releases your wrist that he only just realised he was holding onto the entire time.
"You're right, it's not my concern" backing up in such a small alleyway wasn't much of an option, taking his cue to turn on his heels and attempt at leaving. This time, he felt your hand wrap around his arm, halting him from going further.
"Wait I- I'm sorry. I mean, you did help me" words begin tumbling from your mouth, his head cocks to show he's listening.
"I have your jacket, thank you for lending it to me when I was- wet" you almost blush again from the memory itself. Unknowingly a smiliar flush creeps up his neck at the realisation you were wearing his jacket still, a strange feeling of pride settling somewhere deep down.
"That's okay, uh- you can keep it" Hesitating for just a second, you lift the jacket back over your shoulders.
"You have anywhere you need to be, princess?" Confused by his question, you glance to him, a small smirk finding its place upon his lips. He looked rather handsome when a frown wasn't hung on his features.
"-no, I mean I'm not suppose to be away from the mansion, I sneak out sometimes-" words keep tumbling from you in the heat of your embarrassment.
"Then follow me, princess" his smile looks softer now, holding his hand out beckoning you to follow his gesture, mirroring when you had first met.
"_" you simply state, taking up his offer, lacing your fingers around his palm. You detest your birth given name, only a representation of a long line of mothers as cold as your own, instead you'll give him a nickname gifted to you by the one person who cared enough to notice your recoil upon the utter of your name, a handmaiden of years long gone. She was discharged for the same consideration she showed to you, of course there is not a place for that in the palace of ice.
"My name, it's _, just incase 'princess' gets old" your giggle illuminates his insides, feeling the fluttering flush through his stomach.
"I happen to like 'princess'" he smirks. "_ is nice too, pretty" he presses forward to save himself the embarrassment of facing the repercussions of the compliment that he let slip. You were thankful nonetheless, his lead saved you from him seeing the deep crimson flush on your cheeks.
Like before, he led you through the crowds gathered in the square, past every single soul in sight and out onto the open fields on the hills, trudging through the long grass just before the tree line, the ones further inland from all the palm trees scattered near the coast. An array of colours flooded your eyes, decorating the tall trees were fruits you could only dream of, the juiciest and ripest looking you had ever seen. He lets go of your hand, turning back to see your concentration glued to the peaches hanging.
"I come here sometimes to collect the fruit for the old woman who runs the stall at the market, it's harder for her to get up the trees these days" he states, starting to climb the tree with practiced ease, perching himself on one of the lower branches and reaching for the lower hanging fruit.
"I thought you pirates all had sea legs, how come you've found yourself work on land?" Your question causes a laugh to escape him, stabilising himself with a hand on the trunk.
"We do, mostly. I love the open sea more than anything. Sometimes it's just nice to stay...grounded, for once" he opens up for the first time in- well, forever. He doesn't exactly have the kind of relationship with his father where they can talk about anything and everything. It's all raids and spoils and treasure, it's nice to talk about anything else.
"What's it like out there? I always look out from my balcony and imagine how the salt air feels" you plant yourself along the blades of grass under him, fingers dancing with the lace trimming of your bloomers.
"It's like... freedom. Even when the crew are barking orders at one another, it's like it's just you and the endless blue. It listens. It doesn't need to respond, ask it any questions and you'll only get the roar of the waves in response, but you don't need anything else" he pours out and you listen, really listen. Like the sea, you hadn't even responded yet and he already felt heard.
"You make it sound so beautiful" you're envious he gets to feel that freedom every day of his life.
"What's that palace like? Bet those fancy dinners are really something, huh?" he asks not out of curtesy, but because he truly cares about how you respond, sensing the tint of sadness in your tone.
"Suffocating. I mean- I know I'm beyond privileged, I have so much more than a warm bed and hot meals every day. I have decadence, everything in that place is made of silver or gold" you pause, almost unsure if you should continue and sound like the typical spoiled princess.
"-But?" Coaxing you for more.
"-But I hate it. It's lonely. My handmaiden has shown me more affection than my mother ever has in my entire life, and she's only permitted to touch me to lace my corsets. I'm just a pawn to my father, I'm sure he'll ship me off to the first prince rich enough with the highest status soon. My whole childhood I was scolded for anything less than 'ladylike'. I'm not aloud to slouch, eat more than I'm suppose to, speak when I'm not spoken to, laugh, cry, scream. I'm nothing more than a bird in a gilded cage" the silence after is deafening, not because he is regretting asking and opening up something he cared not for, but because now he was really listening. It was true you had more than him in riches, but in spirit he wasn't so sure.
"Sorry, that was...too much, you didn't want to hear me complain about any of that" a sudden rush of embarrassment hits you, spilling your life story to a boy you had just met.
"I can be what the sea is for you" he simply says, leaving you stunned as to exactly what he meant.
"I can listen without judgment, I can be here when you're lonely. When you want to laugh, cry, scream, or be 'unladylike'. I can be your freedom" he speaks honestly, you can tell he's being authentic by the soft way his features lighten.
"If you'd like..." he adds causing a sudden giggle to spew. Pride took him over that you were already allowing him to be your escape.
"I'd like that, Yeonjun" his name had never sounded so sweet than it did coming from your lexicon, natural and warm and full of everything his orders lack.
You lay in the meadow for hours, the sun is passing its peak in the sky that signals midday has come and gone but you have barely noticed, for your attention is elsewhere, your conversations with Yeonjun flow as freely as the wind whirls, open in ways you have not been honest with anyone before in your life. Even if you were to never see him again, you could rest contented in the knowledge you were candid with someone at least once. Neither he noticed or cared for the passing time, lounging leisurely with you until he sits with sudden haste, the towing of the bell by the harbour is distant but not indistinguishable.
"Shit! That's my call, Princess. They're probably pissed I skipped duties again" he stands at once, dusting the flecks of dried grass from his trousers before reaching a hand to help you up, leaving the meadow as cordial as you found it.
The market is still buzzing, it will be for the rest of the afternoon until patrons move to the taverns to continue their commotions well into the night. You understand it's far too dangerous to get close to the docks where his ship lays in waiting, from the clearing in the stalls where Yeonjun stops, you can see the crew loading gear and weaponry on board, preparing for another venture.
"When can I see you again?" You look to him with longing, wondering when you can glance upon the cinnamon swirling his murky irises framed by his loose locks again.
"You'll see me soon, we aren't travelling far this time, should only be a few days. Why, you gonna miss me?" The smug grin he sports makes you roll your eyes, swatting him away towards the docks. "You'd like that wouldn't you, pirate" He walks away with reluctance in his step, but not before you remark the softer smile at your quip.
You watch from afar as a couple of his crewmen goad him for his absence, ruffling his hair in a bantering headlock, their bellowing snickers and similar age tell you they must be well acquainted, perhaps even friends, whatever it meant to have them. His life growing up around such violence and plunder must have been rough, from the few stories he told you and your own assumptions but the brotherhood you catch even a glimpse of, you think might just be worth it. In that way you feel envious, though when you spot him glancing back to your direction, searching for you, you might even dream to call him that. A friend.
That habit you gained of glancing to the docks from your room has come back to curse you, a pit in your stomach every day you look and his ship is nowhere in sight. The harbour is plentiful of ships coming and going in constant streams but it feels vacant without Yeonjun's vessel. With each passing day you wander further in spirit away from conversations your mother and father make, to them, your distance is fuel on the fire, forging ammunition in their minds against any and all pirates but you find you can't care less, all you know is to wait.
You awaken earlier than you usually do that morning, the amber glow of the sun spilling its rays paints the sky a pastel orange, the promise of another beautiful day on the island. You peel the covers back from your legs, walking over to your window with a yawn and stretch, your eyes must deceive you. There, lying in waiting is the largest ship in the harbour once more, appearing to be hunkering down the anchor, renewing your spirit with it. You struggle to contain your excitement of finally having worthwhile conversation while your corset is laced, it's a waste when you will be fiddling to undo it the moment your handmaiden leaves you be.
You clamber down from your tower and make your way to through the market once more, you hope to catch him where he left you last at the mouth of the harbour where dirt path turns to boardwalk, he hadn't given you a meeting spot, only the promise of return. You use his jacket to cloak yourself from prying eyes when you spot him disembarking, a bag slung from his shoulder that sways with his step, waving off the same men who he jested with and observant enough for his eyes to place you just past the dock, jogging to reach you.
"Hello, princess, so you were waiting for me" he puffs out a breath, the same beaming smile you remember. "Perhaps I was" there's little in you to care that your joking defences are laid down, perhaps what they say is true, that distance does make the heart grow fonder.
"Tell me all, where did you travel to this time?" There's wonder in your voice that makes him swell, so intrigued by his adventures and whereabouts with more rejoice in your spirit than he left you with. He's thankful that he only has tales of camp arrangements and trading to tell you off this time, you know him a pirate but to save you of the gruesome details some of his trips entail is a blessing. Perhaps he doesn't deserve what he has with you, whatever this is, if you knew some of the things he's done to get by you might run for the hills, taking the fondness you hold for him with you. He would risk it all to protect that.
Before he forgets, he slings the bag down and digs in to produce all sorts of gifts and trinkets from the neighbouring island for you, gold coins no longer in circulation but ornate in detail, a compact mirror he had traded for and bracelets made of native shells that he told you was handmade. You're giddy with gratitude, the way you accept his gifts makes him want to rip the sun and the moon down from the sky to gift you, for you are too precious to choose which one he will pluck, he'll give you both.
You spend the day strolling around the market, his venture meant fresh funds that he could spend on you, more trinkets for your collection and the meat skewers that had infiltrated your scents and rumbled your stomachs. The way you tease him by dangling the food in-front of him and pull away before his jaw can snatch it from your grasp, your laugh ringing in his ears will stamp itself in his memories.
Graced with a rest day that goes by quicker than he kept track of regrets him by the end, the setting sun is mocking of places he still wanted to take you, things he wanted to show you. He would have to steal those moments for you for the next week he'll be stationed at the port, and in turn you will steal them too from your time at the palace.
Sunlight is replaced with lantern light along the docks and people gradually vacating the market space. "Thank you for today, it was the most fun I've had in... well, ever I suppose" you chuckle, for it's not a sorrowful confession, as much as it sounds, it's enlightening, he feels pride that he can give that to you.
"I'm glad I was of service to you" he bows in imitation of the interactions you face daily, standing again to see your sorrowful fixation. At first he thinks he's triggered a regression from you, crossing the line of mocking what you have told him only makes you feel trapped, but looking into your eyes it's something else, something that looks like you don't want the day he's given you to end.
So he makes a quick decision, gathering your cheeks in his palms and pressing a tender kiss to your lips, one long enough to feel his heart kick against his chest and to give you something to long for when he parts. Your eyes are dazed when he looks at you once more, stroking your cheek briefly as he pulls away with a smile "meet me this time tomorrow, there's something I want you to see"
He thinks the sight of you stood there, fingers brushing over your lips where his just were might be the most alluring sight he's ever been blessed with, and he's been witness to to jewels and riches of all degrees, locations you can only dream up. You're radiant, if he could see only one sight at deaths door, he'd choose you every time. It burns to stop staring, but eventually he must, ensuring you haven't bewitched his feet straight through the floorboard and into the cold rush of sea water. Thankfully most of the crew would be in the tavern in town this time of night, a straight path should lead him right to his cabin. It's never so easy for peace and quiet on the ship though.
"And who would that fair maiden be then, Yeonjun?" His heart drops to the soul of his feet, ceasing in his tracks like a man accused. Spinning on his heels, preparing to lie his heart out, his breath exhales relieved to see Soobin lounging on his bed and Taehyun reading through papers on his desk. His brother's not by blood but by a bond stronger than that, his closest confidants.
"You scared the shit outta me!" Yeonjun hisses, pushing his door shut in an instant, now his worry is to eliminate anyone overhearing the conversation he knows is inevitable, not a chance they'd let this go.
"You'd better start talking" there's a mischievous glint to Soobin as he tauntingly kicks his legs up behind his sprawled out body like school girl mockery, stomach to the bed. Taehyun is quieter, leaned against his desk yet he can tell he is just as curious.
"What do you want me to say?" Yeonjun flings his hand up in defeat, willing the ship to swallow him whole and drag him under the riptide, anything to avoid this.
"Hmm, I don't know, how about you start with telling us about the girl we saw you locking lips with there? That'd be a good start" Soobin sardonically answers, sitting up properly now his point is across, purely curious. "Really, Jun, it's like you wanted to be caught" Taehyun adds unhelpfully.
Yeonjun can only whine, burying his face in his hands, much to the two boys dismay. He throws himself on the bed next to Soobin and prays to a higher power he won't have to admit this to them.
"She's...she's... yeah..." they don't feel the need to verbally push more, this is more serious than they originally thought. Like a lovesick boy he's struggling to articulate his feelings and it's a look they've never seen on him before. Almost sickeningly sweet.
"She's amazing. She's like this little ball of light and she's better than me in every way" all the words he wants to describe you with escape him and become rudimentary, yet everything he could say has already been picked up by the observant boys. These are not the words of a boy fooling around, they're the words of a man in love.
"And ravishing" Soobin adds with a giggle, earning himself an elbow from Yeonjun for his crudeness and audacity. "Calm, I'm only fooling"
"She sounds good for you. It's about time you found a life for yourself that's yours and not your fathers" Taehyun, ever the voice of reason offers insight Yeonjun already knew in his heart, but put in words turns everything a little more grounded. For once something was only his, what should make him vulnerable only makes him soar. Perhaps that's why the next words spew from his throat before he can stop them.
"She's the princess" instant regret upon witnessing the wide stares of his friends, choked up in pure shock.
"Oh you're in some deep shit!" Soobin stutters a laugh in disbelief. "I sincerely hope you know what you're doing" Taehyun can only puff, crossing his arms with imperious attitude.
"I know. But I'm in too deep now" the thought of never seeing your face at the end of those docks waiting for him sickens him to places unimaginable, agony stricken the thought of never having the chance to kiss you once more. They both see it, there's no use in talking him out of it, lord knows he wouldn't listen if they tried.
"Just be smart, you know we're behind you as much as we can be, but there are things not even we can save you from" Taehyun's words echo as they both take their leave, saying all they can and leaving Yeonjun with all those thoughts ruminating. Somehow, you push through all that doubt in his mind and embrace him in his minds eye as you lull him to sleep.
Like Rapunzel climbing her tower, you reach your balcony with the finesse only gained from experience, although you don't find it dark as you had left it or expected it, instead, your handmaiden sits on your bed with a worried expression, oil lamp in hand and standing to attention as soon as she spots you.
"Miss! Where on earth have you been? I've been worried sick, I almost alerted parents to call on a search party for you!" She proclaims in haste, too loudly for your liking to draw in any more unnecessary attention. You hush her instantly.
"There's no need for that, I'm perfectly fine!"
"Honestly, Miss, you look a mess, your hair is tattered and-wait, is this a man's overcoat?" Curse your choice to throw this over your undergarments, now it's gotten you somewhere difficult to dig up from.
"It is- but you mustn't say a word, promise me you won't!" You attempt to subdue, pleading with her as she tries to pat down your appearance like it absolves you.
"I really shouldn't keep secrets like this-" she begins, though unsure as you appeal to her better nature. "-then don't even think of it as a secret, think of it as helping me, that's your duty as my hand maiden, correct? You understand how suffocating this place is, he's just a friend who helps me escape that for a little while. Please"
Somehow that manages to quell her, reluctantly agreeable with how distraught the whole situation seems to make you. You count all your lucky stars that nothing more comes from this, managing to settle her enough for her to take leave for the night and promising to be careful. When your head hits the pillow, you can't help but feel those trinkets Yeonjun had brought for you acted as talismans of protection, stuffed deep in the pockets of his coat, you fall asleep with dreams of him.
You meet with him again under the cover of night and he leads you to the place he promised, along the jagged rock line of where the coast bridges the mountainous landscape, lays a cavernous rock pool bathed in moonlight, the waves only crashing enough to sweep through the entrance to the ocean. He leads you with lamplight, carefully placing his steps so you can follow safely. At the opening, he sets the lamp down, jumping only a short distance to the sand-bedded ground, but for a stature of yours, he's not willing to risk injury, securing his hands to your waist as he lifts you down. All it takes is one wrong footing and you stumble forward further into his arms with force that almost knocks you both backwards. He watches the way the moon kisses your skin at this angle, bouncing off and crowning your hair iridescent. Jewel tones emanate off you, a pearl the ocean has bestowed upon him.
Your hands grip his upper bicep, firm muscles in support as you feel them ripple under your touch, ever reactive to you. You both hold your positions a moment too long, too caught up in the feel of each other to care for little else. It's too taxing to let go of you completely, now he knows the warmth of you under his palm he'll chase it until his last breath, so even as he guides you through the cave an arm is still stuck to your side. Eventually you reach an optimal opening to lay together on the cream grains of sand, nothing exists here but the whoosh of whisking waves greeting the shore. He lays above you peering down, propped up on an elbow and brushing each singular strand of your hair like a mantra. You need not say it in words, but something was born here, something so all consuming and rapturous hells fire would snuff before this. When your lips meet again in sensual cadence, exploring the taste of honey liquor on his tongue, you know love true.
You cannot bare to part with each other that night, so you lead him up the ivy to your tower. Like a thorn among the roses in your room, hair and clothes as black as obsidian and simple in creation, he contradicts the soft, muted colours that paint your walls, baroque design missing not a singular detail. He looks as though he's here to ruin you; strip you of every shred of dignity and purity and do it with a maniacal grin but theres devotion in his fox eyes that spills tenfold at the holy sight of you slipping your garments to a pool by your feet, the only witness is him and the moon. You'll shred yourself of that purity before he would ever feel the guilt of it, that virtue was already lost to you years before you ever met, when the mother who told you blood is thicker than water let that blood rot and curdle, lost when you accepted that, for the water runs deeper and cleaner. You'd let him ruin you every time.
His fingers touch you like that thought never enters his mind, only to devote himself to you is his wish, gracing your skin with the slight of his hand. Exploration of every inch of your body and his leaves you privy to the scars that litter across him like constellations, he's reminded of the pain of each one, purified in the process as you trace them over. Nothing is left untouched by his lips, filtering between unbridled passion and pliable worship, your thighs are the gates his hips find home in, reaching depths inside you undiscovered before him, body and soul, threading his fingers through yours. He’s present; it grounds you to know that he is only a breath away.
Lean muscles constrict and contort chasing that pleasure, pulling you closer so that you lay chest to chest with each other, close enough you can see his eyes roll but never lost far enough to forget you. His focus is back to you with every little sound you make, learning what makes your body reactive to him. You think it’s the sensation of everything, holding him so close, having him buried so deeply you don’t know where you end and he begins - but he can see the tiny inflictions, the way he stutters his hips just slow enough to make you chase him. The lips he presses under your jaw, messily leaving his mark as you leave yours across his back, nails scratching to combat the intensity of his searing touch. Panting, he’s desperately devoted to you.
He hushes your own whines to soft whimpers, he's not willing to risk being caught and having you ripped from him, instead he plummets further inside you resistant to leave, remaining right there as he reaches the peak of his ecstasy and even long into the early hours of morning.
He never allows himself to fall asleep, as much as his spent body begs him for the rest, you had given him sensations that simultaneously wore him down to the his last tether and that he now had an unquenchable thirst for. Watching you breathe softly with your legs tangled in his, he would give all the treasures in the world to remain this way with you. Eventually your eyes flutter open to his, bangs falling in place as his head rested on the pillow like an angel had placed him there just for you. You can still feel him everywhere, where his hands rest on the small of your back and still inside you. You both know you have to part before the sun has fully pushed its way above the oceans distant horizon, before the palace is alive with activity, so he'll bask in your warmth for as long as he can.
"One day I'll gift you freedom as the seas once did for me. Now my heart only feels complete with you" he murmurs into your hair while placing a hundred tiny kisses, breathing in the salt whipped strands. You wonder what he means, had he not already given that to you? Surrendering himself over to you had proven that freedom lies beyond your four gilded walls. You wondered if he meant to break you free of your cage, let your spirit run untamed as it's meant to, like his does, and you know you'd allow it in a heartbeat.
Eventually, when you tether away from each other and watch him disembark to his ship, his words feel like an oath.
Days turn to weeks and weeks to months of more stolen moments between lovers, your back hitting bed springs at least a dozen more times, enough to subdue his insatiable desire to have you underneath him. Strolls through meadows and costal swimming in the blazing afternoon sun. Bare feet stagger across the rocks like scorched needles jabbing you as you explore the shallow rock pools and the life below the surface. Yeonjun delicately peels starfish from the sea bed of every vibrant hue your eyes can capture for you to see, fingers dipping into cool water to provide you with ornate shells. They serve as mementos while he's sea bound, passing the time by stringing them up into beautiful necklaces to then adorn around his neck with glee when he returns to you.
You spend lifetimes strolling hand in hand and yearning to see his ship in the cove again. Even as waves of sickness float through you, leaving you incapable of leaving your room, your mind is elsewhere, in dreams with him. There you and him are both free to do as you please, fill each other with love to your hearts content. Enough for the lack of time you can spend with one another in waking life. It might just be enough to pull you through another day unable to reunite.
"It's too tight! I feel like I can't breathe" you exclaim, the constriction of the corset like a vice, erupting a wave a sickness to bubble up to your throat. Thankfully, the maid halts her movement, immediately loosening the material to place it on the side.
"Miss, may I?" The handmaiden gestures to your undergarments vaguely and somewhat cautiously, earning a confused nod of acceptance. Carefully she lifts the lace of the dress over your thighs, uncovering more of your skin. Eventually, she exposes the entirety of your stomach, using the pads of her fingers to prod and feel, earning a hiss to click past your teeth. When you flinch at the intimate contact your maid makes, the hands probing your lower belly quickly retreated, a shocked expression plastered on her face.
"Miss, how have you been feeling, any sickness?" The sudden concern was nothing new, in fact it was part of her job to ensure the Princess was in healthy condition, but something felt off with the way her eyes went wide shot.
"A little, nothing overly concerning" you confirm to the immediate stunned face of your maid.
"Miss, y-you're with child!" the response is quick, aghast. You can only choke, stumble over any words trying to form in your throat, coaxing her to continue.
"I thought something might be wrong when I noticed that you hadn't bled through your sheets the past two months, but it can happen without copulation. But now I can't fit you into your regular corset, you're starting to show, miss!"
All thoughts collide and crash inside your mind, little makes sense and somehow... everything does all at once. Something bloomed, here inside the very room where flowers on the window sills wilt and dreaming comes to die. Something that's only yours that can never belong to the claws of the vultures inside this palace.
"You cannot speak a word of this, not to any other staff, my mother or father, promise me!" That you are certain of.
"The father...it's the boy you have been sneaking off to see?" Ignorant of your plea and prodding "No one can know, do you understand me?" It's unnerving to you that she hasn't conceded your command.
After a pause filled with something not too dissimilar to distain, she answers "This boy will not be able to provide for you and your child, miss, and your father will certainly not approve, let me take care of it, if we tell them together we can-"
"You will do no such thing, not a word of this will leave you" patience wares thin and you spit your words, the venom of it clearly injects her, sprinting toward the door and with a slam shes running through the halls. You never did have much faith in her. She kept your promise of sneaking out for a brief while but that was mostly due to your adept skills of never allowing her to see when you had slipped out. Just another body in this prison you could not rely on.
Past everything, you don't want to be present to see the explosion once the palace is aware of your escapades, at least delay it a little while so hastily you tear your balcony door open. You are only a few feet away from escape when gangly fingers grip your arm and pull you back with enough force to bruise.
"Where do you think you are going, little madam?" Your mother, spiteful and vindictive as ever spews in your face in outrage, her frenzy is unmatched as she continues her verbal assault on you. Every malicious word in her lexicon is ammunition against you, uncaring for anything past the family name that you have now soiled. This hate is nothing new to you, you've never been able to reach your mother's unattainable expectations, even when you tried with all your might. Eventually, you let slip how apathetic you felt towards your duties, and you caught the backlash tenfold, more lessons and more studies and it never corrected your mind where it mattered. It only made you distain it more.
She reminds you of all of it now, how your harlot ways would be the death of everything your bloodline had strived so hard for, and when your father finally learned of the disturbance you had it retorted right back. While his words were not so audibly deafening they were painful in ways your mothers could not. He spoke of plans non negotiable that would be enacted on the morrow, trust the diplomat to already have a suitor waiting for you. He was not the richest nor the most affluential candidate in their roster but he was the last resort for you now, the last saving grace for your wretched soul, as your father's words echo. You would marry this unknown suitor as soon as your father's words caught wind and his ships convoy arrived, as early as tomorrow. Then, you would be another's man's property to do as he pleased.
Now your prison was literal, after your mother and father's loathing finally ran dry, they locked all doors and windows in your room, you would sit and think upon your sins before your repentance. You won't let your tears spill and have them the satisfaction of knowing your turmoil, they would misinterpret it anyway- because instead of atonement you think only of Yeonjun, how his essence alone could calm the raging storm inside you and it's the only thing your body craves, especially now with a piece of him nestled inside you.
You bide your time, waiting until theres all but silence outside your door, picking up one of the rocks you had collected along the shore and smash your way through the glass balcony doors. The shards cut at your feet as you climb over the balcony and down the vines you use as ladders, but the grass under your toes is a bandage. You don't even think, your body takes you the distance to the docks, to where you spot him on the way back to his ship.
"Yeonjun?" You wearily call out, observing the way he glances back with shock in his features, fear rising where his senses lock onto you and the look of absolute devastation that wracks you.
"Princess? You can't be here, it's dangerous!" You knew that much, knew that he was the one to empty the barrels for his ship daily, though not too far behind him would be the rest of his crew. None of that mattered.
"I need you, Yeonjun" fresh hot tears stream down your face, breaking every string in his heart. Instinctively pulling you into him, holding tightly to his chest, his arms supported under your thighs to lift you with ease. You felt so frail, so broken he was surprised your legs had managed to bring you to him. Shuffling onto the cool sand just below the empty dock and away from prying eyes, resting you on the slope so he could crouch in front of you, eyes searching to find you.
"Tell me what's wrong" the anticipation of every second passing killing him more.
"Marry me, Yeonjun" he almost sputters at your request. It was something you had both dreamed up before, when tensions had been high, caught up in the heat of intimacy. But the topic had never come to fruition as anything more than that. A dream. Despite his primal urge to make you his by name in holy matrimony, he knew what it meant for you to give up, the only life you have ever known, for his. A life cruel and dangerous, one that something as pure as you should never touch. He couldn't let his selfishness ruin you.
"Where is this coming from?" Against every fibre of being begging him to oblige, take your hand and run in that very moment, he questions further.
"You don't want to marry me?" You sound as though you believed the answer as no, the thought leaving a nasty taste in his mouth as he vehemently disagrees.
"Princess, there's nothing in this godforsaken life I want more than to make you my wife, I'm already yours heart and soul. But when you come around cryin' like this I know it ain't just cause you're proposing to me" fingertips gently stroke away the tears tracks, cupping your cheek you could see it was no lie, he was holding his world in his hands.
"My father and mother, they're- making me marry tomorrow. I can't marry him, I can't be auctioned off like a piece of meat to that man. I'd sooner drown myself than be tied to him for the rest of my life, to any man that isn't you-" your words fall flat in the comforting embrace of his lips as he kisses you, despite the softness, it feels all encompassing, the hand that had snaked into your hair helped gravitate you together. The way he parts from your lips is slow, dedicating every ounce of his attention to boring his stare into your eyes before closing them to speak.
"You'll never see your mother or father again. By pirate law you'd be my wife, but I don't doubt that your father will know someway to annul it if you ever went back. You'll be leaving the only life you've ever known behind. You'd be giving up being a princess, you'll be seen as nothing more than a pirate's wife. I'm no more than a criminal in your fathers eyes and that's what you'll be" a shaky sigh leaves him as he rests his forehead to yours, he can't muster the courage to open his eyes and see the possibility of disgust in your glance and voice.
"I don't care for that, I don't care for any of it, I just need to be your wife" if he didn't know any better he would think that you hadn't thought this through with how quickly you respond, but he did, knew you like the lines on his palm.
"Okay. I'll pull some strings, i know a vicar who can do it. I can have us married by dawn. I need you to go back to the palace, play along and let 'em think you'll marry him, we can't raise suspicion otherwise it'll go to shit and-" his plan is solid and well thought out, perhaps his previous daydreams of you becoming his wife had prepared him for this very moment, but it all sounded impossible to you.
"Yeonjun, I can't go back there, please don't make me go back, please-!" More hot tears spill but this time into the fabric of his shirt where he pulled you tightly to his chest at the outburst.
"Shhh, you're okay. You're gonna be okay. Listen to me carefully, be their perfect princess for one more night. Let them believe you're compliant, let their guards down. By tomorrow, you'll be with me. That man will never own you. I will kill before I let any man own you, so much as touch you. Your body, your soul are mine, as I am yours. Soon, my name will be yours too, but until then, I need you to pretend, can you do that for me?" His request is so gentle, so patient while his thumb strokes comforting circles into your palms.
A deep sigh runs from your mouth, a slight hiccup as you prepare to bare everything.
"I'm with child, Yeonjun" for a moment the words fall flat into the open space around you. It feels like he's been winded, like an actual punch in the gut from shock alone. "I was coming to tell you when mother caught me sneaking out. One of my hand maidens had noticed that I hadn't bled the past two months. When she couldn't fit me into my corset she saw that I was showing, I didn't think she would tell mother so soon, i-I had no idea what to do, that's why I was coming here, to you" despite the storm of thoughts circling his head, he listens intently to every word.
"She called me every name there is, a harlot, whore, but the thing that hurt most was when she said that I was carrying the devils spawn. How can that be true when you gave this to me?" You could see his jaw clenching, becoming restless the more you spoke, probably debating whether to march to the mansion himself and unleash his wrath. But the glossy look in your eyes brings him right back.
"By the time father knew he had already arranged the wedding. Said that this was the only way to save me, the family reputation would never recover if people knew. He said that it would be the only choice if I want it plausible for the child to be his...that I had no choice, a pirate would never care for me or the child, you'd never be able to provide for us, that you would discard us like the trash we are" it's impossible for you to stop the tears flowing, like stating it out loud somehow makes your fathers words echo true. But when Yeonjuns face nuzzles deep into your stomach, arms wrapped so tightly around you the words are the last thing you can think of.
"They speak venomous words to you because they know nothing of me, they think me as cruel as they are. Discard you? You're the only thing in this goddamn world worth protecting. You...and now our child" his palm rests above where a piece of him lays beneath, a surge of fealty courses through his bones to shelter you "Come here" he's all so tender, pulling your head to his shoulder where you let a final wave of tears erupt. In a few short words, he's shown you more love than you knew existed in the universe, something so raw no other soul had ever given you. So you let those tears grieve for the child who feared she would walk alone until the day she died, reborn from them into a woman liberated from those shackles.
"I'm going to take you somewhere safe while I gather what we need, can you stand?" He stands and although he asked, he ignores his own words and assists you vertical anyways, palm never leaving yours as he steers you towards the tavern. Your fingers twitch against his, feeling your resistance not from him but the nature of the establishment you were about to enter. Reinforcing the bond your hands hold, you grip him tighter with faith. "Keep close and your head down"
It's nowhere close to being ideal, if he could keep you free from this place it would already be done, yet the safety that lies beyond the bed of thorns to get there is the only option. You do as he says, you dare not look anyone in the eye as you slip past drunkards and into the backend of the tavern to the lodging, hastily knocking on one of the doors before entering, shielding you in the process.
"Are you with me now as we have always said?" Yeonjun asks out to Soobin and Taehyun who occupy the table centre of the room, cards in hand and clearly unassuming.
"You know we are, what's going on, yeonjun?" They can see the silhouette of you stood behind him, yet to see you in entirety until he tugs you to his side. In other circumstance you're sure you would not cower so from the only other people Yeonjun keeps close, though now you use him as your shield from any other potential threat.
"I need you to keep her safe until I can gather funds and a ship. We are leaving by the morning and we won't be returning" it feels bittersweet, to ask one final request of his closest brethren to part for the rest of their days, the dispiriting feeling only lasts until Taehyun speaks up. "Fool. You'll need us if you want that ship to even sail. We're leaving with you" a spark in his souls ignition, revived optimism lining the curt nod he gives, grateful in ways he might not ever be able to repay.
He turns to you, leaning down to gather the base of your head with his hands in attention, he needs you to see the commitment that he will return "trust no others but them, I will be back to you before you know" he cannot leave before he's observed the confirmation in your features, so once you gift him that he places a fond kiss to your lips, a brief farewell.
As soon as the door is shut and you are alone in the company of Soobin and Taehyun, they tend to you with immediacy, letting you sit with nothing to offer you but alcohol and company and you are beyond grateful for just that alone. You sense why Yeonjun holds them so dear, even from the stories he's told you of their adventures and escapades they are nothing short of brothers in arms, they keep you and your mind occupied with conversation and pleasantries, more than you expect from the rest of the pirate crew just outside the lodging doors.
Hours pass while you all await on Yeonjun, Taehyun had offered his bed when your replies shortened and eyelids grew heavy, only allowing yourself to rest with the promise of his return at the forefront of your mind. And he does, once the clock passes midnight he's walking through the threshold once more, eyes only searching for you. He finds you at the edge of the bed, the sheets haphazardly laid over you no doubt by one of the boys, your body is scrunched in a position that cannot be all too comfortable but on your face is only content. Your body must be so exhausted that he'll leave you sleeping just a little longer while he runs through the plan with Soobin and Taehyun, but eventually comes the time to wake you.
"Wake up, darlin', I'm about to finally make you my wife" you awaken with fingers combing through your hair and his voice soothing you, taking no time to force yourself up to embrace him, that sea salt scent wrapped up in something inexplicably him enveloping you.
Escaping the tavern is easier at this hour, though not fully emptied, the only patrons left are those far too intoxicated to care or even notice, the boys whisk you out with ease. You expect to be led to the deck where Soobin and Taehyun branch off towards a ship humbler than the grandiose of theirs yet lacks no beauty, the sails are of ivory and pearl and not yet sun bleached with wear, refracting sapphire and moon bathed. Instead, there's a rowboat waiting for you beneath the boardwalk, structural posts of oak mimic the trees they once were to hide you. It's darker under here apart from a singular oil lamp centre of the boat when Yeonjun bares his hand for you to take.
"Climb on, love" he's yet to explicitly tell you this is the last time you will ever set eyes upon your birth land, at least from this close. There's a chance in your future to pass by and be witness to the rolling hills and sloping rock pools you once played in, but never to observe the ugliness up close. Never to see that damned palace of wickedness and false dignity. You take his hand with the feeling of absolute in your heart, for this alone is the freedom he once promised.
Pushing the boat along the sand, it rudders until it meets the still of water beneath, climbing up with grace. The sea appears to be on your side, mellow waves rock the boat with steadiness, aiding Yeonjun as he rows just past the risk of ragged rocks of the coast. There's nothing compelling you to glance over your shoulder, a corner of the world you are leaving behind, your eyes hold his, his smile your driving force.
You row for a little while on the bobbing current, passing a few islands of small until a house on stilts appears, tide-worn and weathered but charming all the same. Yeonjun ties the boat alongside a similar one to the post, lifting you upon the walkway and up the railing to the building. He knocks thrice sharply, an older man of small stature, hair streaked white answers after you heard the shuffling on floorboards behind the door. It's apparent the man had not expected visitors, a grumble in his voice that's quickly dissipated once Yeonjun produces a small velvet purse, rattling with coin. He feels the weight in palm, enough to satisfy as the ramshackle door opens for you both.
It's a church not of grandiosity but stark austere, no stained glass like the one you left behind and certainly no gold wear scattered around so frequent it bleeds it. In fact, the only treasure you see is the golden chalice at heart of the altar, so stunningly set it gleams in candlelight. The pews are worn down and sparse, you suppose not many frequent this church and you are the lucky few.
Trained your whole life for a wedding of ostentatious design, meticulously crafted and structured so that not a hair on your head would be allowed out of place; you stand here now, not in a majestic gown but the loose garments that fit under corset and dress, irony for the wicked that its milk white in colour like the one you would have worn. You allow yourself the breath you would not have been permitted, it's not the wedding you envisioned yourself in and you could not be more thankful for that. With Yeonjun facing you, devotion overflows as he pulls the rings from his trouser pocket, they're neither heirlooms for either of you, a scarce amount of love in your bloodlines ensured that. Instead they are hand forged with amity and your own initials, commissioned by him only a few weeks prior by a distant lands blacksmith. The legacy you two have created like the life inside you.
Exchanging words of oath and vow, your names and life are tied as one under wooden roof and moon. He kisses you as deeply as the first time, under the same promise to love you until he is nothing but dust in the ground.
The vicar retreats into a back room once your ceremony is complete. There's no rush anymore, time on your side like the wind in your sails, all worries of a life past flotsam in the undercurrent. You hear the anchor of a vessel cast down just outside, the very ship you had seen in the harbour now stationed and manned by all of two men awaiting on your embarkment, Soobin and Taehyun. Yeonjun doesn't seem to care much for the signal, so you too will reserve your haste.
"My wife. My love. My life. You and our child will know only how abundantly I cherish you both. That, I promise you" He rests his forehead to yours, eyes closed and content enough in holding you as a new dawn spills through the church glass windows, with the knowledge that this is not the end of hardships for you both, there will be times to bend and snap you into different form. He will labour gruelling with Taehyun and Soobin to acquire and trade a whole crews worth to provide enough for your new family, starting from scratch upon familiar and undiscovered tides, a conclusion he would reach every time.
Because if he has nothing but a small ship and a bag of coin to his name, he had you and his child beneath his palm, clung to him like the stars in the night sky.
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