Smut towards the end~

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Hollow and eerily beautiful, the songs of an invisible choir travelled over the oceans. Like a mystical spell, they settled over the modest waves and tamed them with their haunting harmonies. They led the way down to the coast far south that few seamen had ever had the pleasure of visiting.

When the enchanting melodies had reached his ears for the first time, Hongjoong had thought they were the work of sirens. Delightful female voices that lured him and his men to the graveyard they called their home. At once, he had ordered his men to plug their ears and not to listen to the distant voices that travelled over the ocean and echoed unnaturally.

On the third night, however, he had discerned them as prayers. The full voices of both males and females mixed powerfully to create a gospel song for the higher powers they believed in. And their might led the way of the poor souls lost at sea.

They sounded exclusively at night. Hongjoong didn't understand a single word; he did not even know if they spoke any language he had mastered. Yet, he found himself on deck every night to stare out over the silvery reflection of the full moon on the water. The image glittered and gleamed as if the songs revived even the ocean, and it shone like a diamond as it listened. The trance that overcame the man at those prayers had no magical effects on him. It carried emotion—a deep sombreness, enveloped in long lost melancholy. Hongjoong did not know what the prayers reminded him of. But they woke an unfathomable yearning in his chest that pulled at him like a puppet on strings.

The crew sailed south. And after five days of blindly trusting into the mainland's blessed voices, Wooyoung spotted a coast.

"Land ahoy!"

Hongjoong rose his own telescope in the direction that their lookout pointed. The reflection of the sun on the water nearly blinded him as he scanned the shore with his eyes. Cliffs as tall as mountains rose from the waters like ancient gods. They carried the land on their backs as if to protect it from the erratic sea. The sole thing leading up the steep rocks that were jagged like the gruesome teeth of a monster was a single bay. Even from their spot far out on the sea, Hongjoong spotted the many stairs that led up to a building on top of the cliffs.

"It be a monastery, or a temple, rather." He handed the telescope to Yeosang and took the wheel from the navigator while he checked their destination. Mingi broke his impatient silence on Hongjoong's other side to speak up.

"Do they 'ave booty to loot?"

Grim, Hongjoong shook his head. His hands had yet to decide whether he dawned the fate of the gods upon his crew or if he should turn their vessel around.

"No. Them priests in these lands pride themselves on their skills to sustain a low life. The most they might offer be sanctuary an' some grub. If we behave."

"Those be both thin's we need."

Mingi was right. With a fleeting gaze at Yeosang, Hongjoong pulled the wheel in the direction of the shore. As if the ocean had just waited for him to decide on their goal, the waves instantly smoothed out. They carried them over to the coast, curious to experience the songs for themselves.

Hongjoong never took his good eyes off their destination. A mystery wrapped around the coast like a spell. If anything, he would presume they were stepping into the religious equivalent of a mushroom ring. His skin tingled when the faint wind brushed over it. The illusion that they had entered a different realm, a plane outside of what their minds usually saw, filled Hongjoong. Shivers ran down his spine and left goosebumps in their wake.

The man was not one to haggle with magic. But the rush of energy and sudden loss of any pains or aches that had plagued him had even him reconsider. If it aided, it could not be bad.

Night fell upon the crew by the time they made it to the bay. They left a few men on board and set out on two boats to reach the beach. By the time Hongjoong had planted his backside on a rough bench and started to row, he already observed the procession of people coming down from the cliff. They sang their songs without a hitch as they carried little lights down the stairs to welcome the newcomers. Through the dark of the night that watched over them only with its stars and the bright moon, Hongjoong could barely discern their dark blue robes. Only when they reached the pale beach at the same time as the sailors he could make out their silhouettes.

Hongjoong mentioned his men to stay back as he neared the group. His hands were poised on his belt, but they did not grab for his weapons, showing no signs of an ambush. With every step, his boots sunk into the sand and slowed him down. When a single priest stepped in front of him, his feet appeared to have no such issues. As if he were floating over the sand, he closed the distance between the two groups.

"Greetings, pirate captain and pirate crew. What is it that you seek from us?"

The group had fallen silent upon their meeting, but from the temple, the songs still echoed. Like the lonely songs of a whale, they resonated in Hongjoong's very heart. He was sure that his crew felt no different. Hongjoong yearned to go there and see with his own eyes just who those people were that had voices as angelic as this. They were worth far more than any chest of gold. Yet, instead of stealing one, he wanted them to heal and strengthen him.

"We seek peace. We came hearing your guidance, and we are interested to learn about you. No blood shall flow, and no violence shall be permitted."

Hongjoong's voice sounded flat and unspectacular compared to the melodic drawl of the other man. While not much of his face showed underneath his hood, Hongjoong could at least detect the youthful face of a male. Soft lips barely stood out in his pale face, and dark paintings that had the colour of the night sky decorated his skin. They travelled down even to his fingers that wrapped around his glowing orb. An orb that had the same colour as the moon, as if they had poured some of its colours for themselves.

"Then, we shall greet you with respect and hospitality. We are the high Moon Priests of the temple devoted to the goddess of the moon herself. Luna may be with you." He bowed his head in an elegant gesture that Hongjoong immediately copied, albeit knowing nothing about their customs.

"Follow us," the man continued. "Your way up will enlighten you of all the answers you seek."

Floating over the sand, he turned. Hongjoong followed right behind him as he led them back to the stairs and up their endless heights. As the pirates lined up with the priests, each of them was flanked by two of them. Hongjoong accompanied the priest who had spoken first, and after him came another one before he could detect Yeosang's wild hair.

Yet, Hongjoong wasn't alarmed. He had no reason to do even as much as rest his hand on his weapon for security. This place existed outside of moral disputes and hatred. Its sublime position had even a pirate such as Hongjoong bow his head under their might.

Not an army called forth respect from Hongjoong. Peace was the utmost power one could possess and maintain.

"This is a place of healing and enlightenment. Please keep in mind that any boundaries you break are connected to harsh punishments. Do not underestimate us."

The man's voice echoed through the night, just like their prayers. Fascinated, Hongjoong nodded. He couldn't understand what it was in those people's voices that had their voices reach angelic fullness without them trying. As if it were a protective blanket, it wrapped around Hongjoong's core and filled him with serenity.

"I respect your ways. My crew and I will treat you with the appropriate esteem."

Hongjoong knew that he could trust his men. None of them was foolish enough to get caught up in trivial matters.

They reached the top of the cliff faster than Hongjoong had anticipated. Despite the number of steps, he wasn't out of breath. Again, the prayers catalysed his energy and took all strain off him.

The moon temple welcomed them without a single door or gate to pass. Smooth meadows connected to arched bridges made from stone and crossed the net of little rivers that the temple was built upon. The water shimmered in the moonlight like liquid silver. Hongjoong wanted to sink his hands in it and feel its cooling touch on his skin.

The pillars that held the roof of the temple offered open spaces everywhere. Only a few walls mapped out the larger complex, but most bridges and the rivers alongside them led to little gazebos.

Men and women alike milled the pathways with no sense of urgency. Their long garments brushed the floor as they fluttered behind them like gusts of wind. The fabric was sheer, and when a group of women clad in white veils passed them, Hongjoong politely lowered his eyes. The refreshing fragrance of wildflowers followed them.

None of the bypassers looked too busy. Some of them scooped the clear water from their rivers, and others gazed up at the full moon that hung above them in its endless wide sky of stars. No words were exchanged, and no sound disrupted the beautiful choir. The songs came from further towards the centre of the temple complex, but Hongjoong could not detect the owners of said voices.

"We will split here. Please trust yourselves entirely to our priests. They will aid your pains."

The man in front of them bowed his head politely before he stepped out of the line they had created on the right side of the path. He motioned Wooyoung to follow him with a little beckon of his hand. Once the pirate had exchanged a nod with Hongjoong, they walked off together. Wooyoung did not glance back even once as he relaxed into the presence of the holy man.

A touch to the small of Hongjoong's back had him raise his longing eyes from the source of music. The hand that settled on his shabby tunic pressed gently to guide him forwards. It was warm.

"Fear not, dear captain. Your men will be taken care of."

His rich and smooth voice was quiet and husky. It fit his reassuring words. As they walked, he didn't take his hand off Hongjoong's back. The five fingers that pushed against him tenderly were slender and long.

"What is your name?"

Underneath his dark hood, the hint of a smile appeared. When Hongjoong rose his head to look at the taller man, he could see orderly white teeth through plush lips.

"I call myself Seonghwa," he hummed melodiously. His voice blended into the prayers elegantly like a drop in the flow of a river. Hongjoong wanted to scoop it up like honey, wanted to trail it over his fingers and taste it with his tongue. Nothing but straight ambrosia, the fine dish of the gods, could compare.

"Seonghwa," Hongjoong tried the name for himself. It brushed over his lips like the touch of a feather. A first syllable whispered with the softest promise and the second one no more than the breath of the invisible kiss that Hongjoong's lips formed at pronouncing it. A gorgeous name.

"Your name is shaped like a kiss."

The man led him down to a gazebo to their left. This one was far more private and abandoned by the meandering inhabitants of the temple. A flat surface of water shimmered under the moonlight in the ground. The pool was protected by a rood held on four fluted pillars. From here, Hongjoong could gaze out over the vast ocean and the stars at the same time. Infinity as far as his eye reached. Star-dotted infinity. From how still the ocean laid, the stars reflected in it and Hongjoong couldn't even detect the horizon.

"What is your name, brave pirate?"

"Hongjoong."

Seonghwa halted him at the edge of the pool. His heated frame appeared behind Hongjoong's as he carefully placed his hands on the man's weapon's belt.

"Your name is also shaped like a kiss. More so than mine."

The rich voice of the man so close to his ear had Hongjoong melt against him. He put up no useless resistance as the man unbuckled his belt and slowly laid it to the ground in front of one of the pillars. Safe, and in Hongjoong's reach.

Seonghwa stripped him of his clothes without another word. No shame or nervousness passed between them when Seonghwa patiently knelt to help Hongjoong step out of his breeches. He folded them neatly over his arm with the rest of his clothes.

"Please make yourself comfortable in the water. I will return in a short while." Seonghwa's fingers trailed over Hongjoong's nape when he pushed back the overgrown hair that fell over his shoulders. The touch resonated in Hongjoong's body with a shudder.

Seonghwa wandered away to the temple complex while Hongjoong slowly lowered his body into the water. It was cold but not as cold as water would usually be at the current temperatures. It surrounded him coolly in the warm night, but it did not freeze his skin.

A bench rounded the pool's interior at a comfortable height. Hongjoong sat down there and trailed his fingers through the water. Its surface shimmered and glinted through the ripples he had created, but its touch upon his flesh was gentle and caressed him with tender affection.

Hongjoong sunk against the back of the pool and closed his eyes. The choirs filled his ears and very soul with their healing essence, and all of his muscles unclenched to melt along with their spell. The blessing of the priests lifted the weight of life from his shoulder, and he floated without a physical form for a while.

Seonghwa alerted himself with the soft pad of naked feet on the stone ground. With troubles to wake up, Hongjoong blinked his eyes open and gazed upon his form.

The long dark robe that had shrouded the man in mystery had disappeared. Instead, he wore sheer dark blue veils similar to the ones of the other priests and priestesses. Their silver linings and accents were so filigree that Hongjoong nearly didn't see them if they hadn't reflected in the moonlight.

Seonghwa's veils wrapped around his shoulders but exposed most of his chest. They framed skin and muscles that looked as if carved out of marble on a man prettier than anything Hongjoong had seen before. The two pieces of fabric bowed over his collarbones to join in a silver pendant on the middle before they covered his shoulders. Long slits down his entire arms opened the sleeves, and they joined back together at his wrists.

The moon's devoted rays of light caressed his naked chest and stomach. More veils teased around his waist where a bunch of silver chains held up more sheer fabric that once more split around his thighs and flowed behind him in a skirt that dragged over the ground for several feet. Two ankle bracelets announced him with a soft jingle as he came closer.

Enraptured by his beauty, Hongjoong gazed upon his face. The man carried a large flat bowl with water from one of the rivers, and his face was concentrated on its balance.

Yet, that face held all the beauty in the world.

Soft lips bowed into a pretty mouth of which the upper lip was slightly fuller than the lower one. They were followed by a sharp jawline and a slim nose with a high bridge that basically begged Hongjoong to run his fingertips over it. His big and expressive eyes were accompanied by smooth and elegantly arched brows. His whole face was pleasing to look at, down to his silvery grey-ish hair that fell over one of his eyes more than the other.

Every inch of the dirty and muddy pirate longed to touch and explore this artwork of a man with his hands. He shone more gorgeous than any expensive gem or polished piece of gold Hongjoong had ever seen before, and the captain was sure that he was worth just as much more.

"I brought a new set of clothes for you. They should fit your size. Of course, you may receive your own clothes back as soon as you leave, but these are a present." Elegant and without spilling a single drop of water on his garments, Seonghwa knelt to put the clothes he had carried over his arm on the ground next to Hongjoong's weapons. Silky blue material shone in the bright light of the moon.

Seonghwa came over to kneel behind Hongjoong, then. He set the bowl with water down on the ground beneath his head, and his skirt bunched around him like a soft cloud when he sunk into it.

"I will wash your hair for you. May I remove these?" Seonghwa's nimble fingers brushed against Hongjoong's scalp when they found the pearls and pieces of metal woven into Hongjoong's dirty hair. It must have come to life and grown eyes by now from how stiff and dirty the many days at sea had made it.

"Yes, please."

Hongjoong knew they were a hassle to deal with. He adored his pearls, but getting them out of there for a wash was too much work for him on most days, so he just left them in. They had knotted into the bird's nest that his hair was long ago, and he considered warning Seonghwa about it.

However, the man's hands slid through his hair as if they met no resistance at all. With deft twists of his fingers, he coaxed Hongjoong's hair to release their grip on the little accessories. One by one, he set them down on the ground next to the pool to retrieve later. Not a single zap of pain touched Hongjoong's skin all until Seonghwa was done.

Once Hongjoong's hair was free of any objects, Seonghwa slowly urged him to lean his head back more until he could sink it into the bowl he had brought. With a soap that seemed to melt all knots right out of the stubborn strands, he scrubbed Hongjoong's hair. The pirate melted into him without issues. The soft tunes of flutes and harps had joined into the choir's harmonies and filled his ears with a pleasure sweet as a lover's embrace.

Hongjoong did not know whether he dozed off or not. The music filled his ears all the while, and Seonghwa's gentle hands never stopped to massage his scalp and hair gently.

When Seonghwa rinsed his hair out one last time and had to angle his neck a bit further upwards, Hongjoong came back to his senses.

"Forgive me. You may resume to sleep while I wash your body in a moment."

The thought of Seonghwa's hands all over him to clean the grime off his disgusting skin had shyness and hesitation bubble in Hongjoong's chest. Onboard his ship, he never worried about his looks or personal hygiene, but now he felt all too exposed to it.

"Do you like doing this, Seonghwa?"

"Yes. I have been told that my hands are very practised and gentle when it comes to these things. I enjoy offering my services to people who appreciate them." Seonghwa pushed the bowl away to lower Hongjoong's smooth and clean hair onto his nape. His fingers trailed through it affectionately.

"They are, indeed. I appreciate them lots."

Chuckling, Seonghwa reached for some fragrant soaps he had brought. He began to rub it over Hongjoong's shoulders, and the smell of wildflowers wafted into Hongjoong's nose. Albeit fully relaxed, Hongjoong's mind was keenly aware of the gentle hands all over his shoulders, neck and collarbone.

Seonghwa was incredibly patient. He rubbed the oils into Hongjoong's skin until it tingled with the blood rush provided. The dexterous fingertips left smooth and relaxed muscles in their wake as he massaged all the pains out of Hongjoong's body. At times, it felt as if he reached right into Hongjoong's body to undo the tension in it, and never before had Hongjoong experienced such skilled healing abilities.

Despite the touches centring mostly around his torso, however, Hongjoong's body reacted as any young body would to the touches of a beautiful person. He barely noticed it, and if Seonghwa did, he didn't comment on it. All he did was to splay his fingers over Hongjoong's chest and gently press into his skin.

When Hongjoong's head dropped backwards again, Seonghwa adjusted his seating position until Hongjoong could lay his head down on his thighs. He feared to stain the man's pretty garment with his wet hair, but Seonghwa showed no care as he painted Hongjoong's collarbone with his fingertips.

Hongjoong relaxed fully, but this time he didn't fall asleep. When Seonghwa's hand finally made its way downward, and he leaned over Hongjoong's head to reach, the pirate was entirely aware. Those delicate fingers with the neatly trimmed nails explored his chest, his abdomen, and finally - in a touch as light as the flap of a bird's wings - they wrapped around the part of Hongjoong's body that had been begging for attention all along.

When Seonghwa met no resistance from Hongjoong's sides, he began to jerk his fist underwater loosely. His second hand trailed over Hongjoong's jaw and neck. Hongjoong's voice hitched in his throat when he spoke. Quiet and privately, the words passed between them with only the moon as their witness.

"Seonghwa... What principle does your belief ask of you?"

"It asks loyalty. And lifelong devotion." His humble answer did not stop Seonghwa from his pleasurable touches between Hongjoong's thighs. They quivered around the treatment. Hongjoong could not wrap his head around the fact that Seonghwa's gentle fingers touched him ever so lightly, and yet his body reacted like that of a kid when first approached.

"Does it also ask abstinence?"

"No. I am free to do whatever I please."

Hongjoong licked his lips nervously. His eyes opened to look at Seonghwa and his pretty features when he mustered up the courage to speak.

"Then would you like to join me in the water?"

Without an answer, Seonghwa retreated his hand. Hongjoong rose his head to move freely when he slowly sunk his legs into the water next to Hongjoong. The moon gave his skin a milky white glow that matched the water perfectly.

Hongjoong turned to help him down. Neither of them cared about how wet Seonghwa's veils got when Hongjoong lifted him in by grabbing onto the thighs of his long legs. Firm thighs, but they were soft to the touch.

The pirate positioned the priest directly on his lap. A few thin veils were everything that separated the two of them, and even through those, Hongjoong could feel the first interested twitches of Seonghwa's lower areas. His fingers trailed over Seonghwa's sides, and the length of his legs as the man laid his hands on Hongjoong's shoulders for balance. His dainty fingers ever so gently settled on his skin.

"Are you comfortable?"

A little smile adorned Seonghwa's lips as he tilted his head. Appreciation shone in his eyes that reflected the stars. Or maybe they actually had stars in them. Hongjoong would not know. Gone for Seonghwa's god-like features, he could only marvel at the man.

Seonghwa's fingers snuck between their bodies to grasp Hongjoong once more. The muscles in his arm and shoulder shifted to the melody of his body as he lured sweet gasps and sighs out of Hongjoong's lips.

"Allow me to get even more comfortable," Seonghwa leant forward to breathe the words directly against Hongjoong's mouth. The pirate chased his promising lips, but they moved out of reach fast. The priest giggled at him.

Before Hongjoong could even do so much but smile at his flirtatious antics, Seonghwa readjusted his legs next to Hongjoong's hips on the bench. His fingers guided his veils aside as he lined up Hongjoong's length with his body. Without preparation or lubricant of sorts, Hongjoong was just about to reach out his hands to stop the man he so dearly desired. However, when Seonghwa sunk on him, his body opened up and welcomed the intrusion as if he had been made to fit Hongjoong. The slide was smooth, and Hongjoong bottomed out in a warm heat that wrapped around him like a glove.

"Ah-" The little noise was the only slip in composure Seonghwa showed. Then, his regal faced returned, and his lidded eyes gazed upon Hongjoong as he throned on him like a king. And a king, he was. A king that deserved every prayer and worship Hongjoong had to offer.

The pirate's hands explored Seonghwa's body. They skimmed down over the clothes he still wore to trail over the elegant curve of his waist and the shape of his hips. When he rose his wet fingers to cradle Seonghwa's jaw, the man leaned into the touch with a serene smile.

"Are you in pain, pretty one?"

Seonghwa stabilised his weight once more on Hongjoong's shoulders. His heated insides throbbed in tandem with Hoongjoong's pulse. The moonlight danced over their joined bodies.

"I'm not. I- ah," Seonghwa languidly rolled his hips down on Hongjoong. "I merely enjoy you in me very much, captain."

The word of power that Hongjoong had heard so often before usually had no spectacular effects on him. As Seonghwa's lips formed it to breathe into the night air auspiciously, however, heat coiled in his stomach. Seonghwa's every act wrapped Hongjoong tighter around his angelic fingers.

After a lot of waiting, Hongjoong finally guided Seonghwa's chin forward. Their lips met in a brush so faint and subtle that it could have been mistaken as no kiss at all. Only once Seonghwa dipped his head to unite them fully, Hongjoong got a taste of him.

And oh, he tasted sweet. Sweeter than any honey, more mysterious than the ocean, and more divine than any human being ever could. Hongjoong didn't doubt that the spirit of the moon herself had dawned upon him to receive him in the embrace of a breathtaking man.

Seonghwa's lips were soft, oh so soft under Hongjoong's. The pirate wanted to praise them, wanted to feed them the tastiest berries and feel their touch all over his skin. Like pillowy clouds, they cushioned their touches.

For once, Hongjoong was in no hurry at all. Sexual pleasure mostly meant feverish movements and hectic orgasms for him, but not with Seonghwa. Hongjoong would probably have kissed him until all eternity if Seonghwa had not ground his hips down on Hongjoong.

Hongjoong's tongue caressed Seonghwa's hotly as the priest's veils floated ghostly on the water surface. Their every gentle move caused some of the water to swap over the edge of the pool. It trailed over the stone pathway to reunite with the grass and the rivers where it had come from.

Once Hongjoong was confident enough in the own slow movements of his crotch against Seonghwa's, his lips went on a journey. With the mellow moans and breaths of the priest close to his ear, Hongjoong explored his skin. His mouth found an unmarked neck to nibble and kiss on. Dusty pink nipples responded and hardened under his touch. A chest adorned by silver smoothly pressed against his tongue.

Hongjoong's hands guided the ancient dance of their bodies against each other. They stilled not even once, and despite them being strangers, their rhythm was perfect and without any hitches. Seonghwa's fingers dug into Hongjoong's arms and brushed through his hair as Hongjoong filled him to the brim over and over again.

He wanted to melt into Seonghwa, to have their essences mix and create a shining soul under the blessing of the moon. Whatever magic it was that had taken over Hongjoong's senses, it solely existed for the purpose of serving the beautiful man above him.

Seonghwa's inner brows had risen over his clouded eyes, and he never stopped to regard Hongjoong even as their speed gradually picked up. Like rose petals in full bloom, his lips parted around the dearest noises that tumbled from him. They were meant only for Hongjoong. No one else could hear them over the sacred songs.

Hongjoong could not rest his touches upon the other man. His little caresses had Seonghwa arch his back in the most wonderful manner, and every move of his allowed Hongjoong to reach even further inside his body. Willing and open for him, Seonghwa took everything he had to give and soon threw his head back when pleasure took all majestic might from him.

The wind of the ocean brushed over Hongjoong's hand before he sunk it into the water and wrapped his fingers around Seonghwa. The man's sensual thrusts alternated between aiming at his hand or down towards Hongjoong's part that was joined with him.

Hongjoong could not help himself. His restraint slipped at every second he spent with Seonghwa in his arms, and soon enough, he grasped Seonghwa's hips hard as shudders wracked his body. Even when his hands left imprints on the man's hips, he feared for him to disappear suddenly.

Their unity under the stars burned in Hongjoong's heart like a blessing. It lightened his soul and extracted all sense of physical restraint from him. Anything outside of him and Seonghwa's body in his arms slipped his conscious.

Seonghwa reached his peak minutes after him. His body stretched against Hongjoong's like the curve of the moon, and his hair hung into the water behind him as he blindly trusted the pirate to hold him. Little gasps or murmurs of each other's names passed them.

Once the throes of passion had released them from its burning grip, they sat in the water together for eternity. No matter how long they waited, the sun did not breach the ocean and the night prolonged with their time. Seonghwa washed Hongjoong with all the patience in the world, and they found each other's embrace again once they had climbed out of the pool.

Seonghwa's skin glowed like a star when Hongjoong unified their bodies on the grass right beneath the sky. The holy prayers and the rich scent of the flowers wove their magic around the pair and connected them forever.

Once Hongjoong had dressed again, and Seonghwa's garments had dried, the priest offered him to show him to his room. Their hands were interwoven with each other as they withdrew, but nobody threw them curious glances. The radiance of the pair was every explanation they needed, and nobody minded much.

Seonghwa led Hongjoong down a staircase and into a room. It was modest and humble and featured a single bed and a little nightstand. His clothes had been washed and dried on there, and on them laid a single blue rose that was speckled with silver sparkles to look like the night sky.

"This is a moon rose. It's a present for you." Seonghwa took the flower to tuck it behind Hongjoong's ear. Never before, Hongjoong had felt this pretty.

"You already gave me such wonderful presents. How could I ever show my gratitude?"

Seonghwa had kissed him gently and left his taste of ambrosia on Hongjoong's lips. Even after hours, Hongjoong did not grow tired of the man. He barely restraint himself to pull the man to bed once more.

"Remember the moon goddess and us. Her grace will shine your way on lonely nights."

With an elegant smile, Seonghwa had pulled back from him and wished him a good night. Then, he had disappeared through the door.

Hongjoong fell asleep, carried by the godly voices of the never-ending choir. He floated on their songs weightless and feeling throughout fulfilled and enlighted.

When Hongjoong awoke after the best night of sleep he had ever had; everything had disappeared. The temple, the stairs, the bed under his body. As if they had only existed within that one night, they had moved on with the break of day.

The only thing that remained for Hongjoong was the blue rose in his hair. And once he returned to his ship with his men, he preserved the blue rose in melted wax under a glass dome. It would forever remain his most precious memory.