"Captain! LOOK WHAT THE KING HAS ANNOUNCED!" a crew mate by the name of Jaemin announced, climbing over the side of the ship. "And it was the handsome soldier that brought it out!"

"The soldier who brought it isn't what's important," Mingi snapped, snatching a copy of the letter from the younger male with his good arm.

A Decree from your King;

In two days time, all those who wish the Captain of the Pirates dead, come to the palace.

We will discuss the situation and see what can be done.

Captain Min, I hope this message finds you in good health. Please meet me for a discussion on this topic tomorrow.

-Signed,

King of the Empire of Gwangju, Jeong Yunho

Mingi wished to ball up the piece of paper and break something.

How DARE Yunho want to kill him and then ask to meet up? Fucking foolish. He was probably going to kill the Captain once they met up and use the excuse of the people gathering to make it seem like the murder wasn't going to happen on the same day.

"Seonghwa, Hongjoong, ready all the ammunition available and load several rifles. We have a bitch to kill."

Mingi couldn't wrap his head around the fact that they had become a bit close and even joked around now, but the situation had come down to this. The fact that he had treated Yunho like the Prince he was, well the best that Mingi could do. Yet here he was becoming the target of a murder.

He would have to kill Yunho before the King would kill him. He wouldn't allow himself to be shot by some new King who hardly knew how to take care of himself. That would be such an embarrassing death.

Mingi didn't sleep that night. He figured that if he wanted to be murdered it would happen while he slept. And so he sat at the bow of the ship all night, delicately pressing around the stitches of his stab wound.

He remembered the fingers of the King that traced around the same cut, the long warm fingers that had run up and down his chest. The hands that had been placed over the Captain's pecks and the warm cheek that had been squished against his chest.

The same adorable King who wanted Mingi dead.

Anger flared into the King once again and it surprised him.

He was used to Kingdom's wanting him dead but the fact that it was Yunho who wanted him dead was unsettling. He didn't like the thought of the King trying to murder him.

And by golly was the giant adorable as fuck.

The urge to want to wrap the King in a hug was overpowering the Pirate and he kicked the side of the ship in rage. How dare he get these emotions?

"I can not be falling for the fucking King of Gwangju. The same damn King who wants me dead and who I will kill first. The stupid King with adorable cheeks and the most random remarks. FUCK!"

The Captain was frustrated, he was NOT supposed to have these emotions. He was NOT supposed to be doubting his kill.

"Sounds like you have finally found someone you like," a voice said, approaching behind Mingi.

Mingi didn't turn around, recognizing it as Hongjoong and he sighed.

"I don't think I like him. He's just adorable."

"Yeah right. What's the first thing you think of when you hear his name?"

"Fucking adorable giant whose cheeks I wanna squish."

Hongjoong laughed. That was not the response he expected but he would accept.

"Okay, so what do you want to do when you see him?"

"Wrap him in a hug and snuggle close."

"And when you think of someone else dating him?"

"Fucking slit their throat."

"Shit. You're much more taken than I thought."

Mingi groaned. He didn't like the thoughts.

"I don't like him."

"Yeah, and Seonghwa and I aren't planning to get married sometime soon."

"YOU'RE WHAT?!" Mingi asked, he didn't even know they were together. He just thought they were real close.

"I swear even the fishes knew that," Hongjoong muttered in disbelief. "Anyway, just accept that you like him much more than you think and embrace it. You're human, it's natural to feel that way. Don't throw away a possible opportunity to settle down just because you're not used to these types of feelings and you don't know how to react. Remember, even though you're coldhearted, you have us to ask for advice and even though you're coldhearted, you still turn warm at the thought of Yunho. It's all part of being human."

Mingi was touched by the wise words. Never had he heard such wisdom exit any of his crewmates mouths. Normally it was utter shit.

"I will take your words into consideration," Mingi said after a while or processing the words his first in command boatswain had said.

"Well that's good enough for me. By the way, Jaemin says he thinks Yunho will be coming soon and he's hoping that he brings the soldier," Hongjoong chuckled.

Mingi sighed, was everyone falling in love these days? He didn't like it.

"Okay then. I expect he arrives around first light or at least before lunch."

Hongjoong nodded before heading back to the small room he shared with everyone. Mingi stayed on the bow, looking over the waters, not getting a wink of sleep and humming songs to himself.

._._.

"Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum~" Mingi sang, trying to keep himself distracted.

The first light was just coming up and as expected, Yunho was spotted rowing a little boat to the ship along with Jeno. Mingi's shoulder suddenly began throbbing and he wanted to hit himself knowing his body involuntarily recalled the memory of Yunho rubbing his warm hands over the Captain's body and was now craving it again.

Yunho spotted the Captain and a large smile broke across his face, unknowingly striking anger within the Captain.

How DARE Yunho smile at him when he was planning his murder? How DARE he have the audacity to look so cheery when he had sent a decree asking all those who wanted to kill the Captain to gather?

"I think it's best you turn back," Mingi growled, glaring at the King and crossing his arms over his bare chest.

Yunho looked small from so far down and it took Mingi all it had not to coo at how adorable he looked. He had to remind himself that was the man that wanted him dead and so he shouldn't be catching feelings for someone like the taller.

"Why?" Yunho asked, tilting his head to the side and looking like an adorable puppy.

"Don't look at me like that," the Captain snapped, sending a bit of hurt into the King. "Don't pretend like you're a nice person when you want me dead."

Yunho looked saddened and a strange feeling of... guilt? Filled the red haired male. Why was he feeling such emotions just because the King looked sad?

"But I don't want you dead, Min Min. If you're talking about the letter I sent out, you've misunderstood it. I know it probably sounds like I do but I really don't. Please, Min Min? Let me on and let me explain?"

Mingi couldn't help it. Those large begging, puppy eyes made him weak. He couldn't resist even if he tried.

The Captain sighed, uncrossing his arms and his facial features softened.

"Come on then and for the love of your life, stop calling me Min Min."

Yunho giggled. He didn't plan on stopping. All he wanted to do was hug the Captain but he held himself, simply climbing the ship and staring at the tall male with a large smile on his face.

His soldier, Jeno, just staring at them uncertainly. He knew his King had spoken to the Captain on various occasions but he still didn't know that the King had spent nearly a month aboard the ship.

A gasp exited Yunho's mouth and the soldier quickly turned to see why the King made that sound.

"Min Min! Why aren't you in bed? Your stab might open! Come on and don't you dare resist or I'll throw you overboard."

Jeno watched amused at the way the giant male grabbed the Pirates arm as if the red haired male couldn't lay a hand on him and followed behind.

"I'm not a child, Yunho. I've gotten worse injuries and I'm still alive."

Yunho ignored him, leading them down the hatch into Mingi's room and climbing on before dragging the tall body beside him and making him lay down while he sat.

Jeno wasn't sure if he was supposed to leave. Did they want privacy or would something happen if he left? Such as they start beating each other up.

"So will you tell me what the letter meant if you really won't kill me?" Mingi asked, placing his hand beside the taller as subtly as possible, wanting it to be grabbed.

As he hoped, Yunho subconsciously grabbed it as soon as he began to talk, playing with the Captain's long fingers.

"Well you see, I really don't want you dead for whatever reason even though you basically had me a prisoner for like three-ish weeks and-"

"Don't you dare accuse me fully. You were the one impersonating someone else to begin with."

"Whatever. So as I was saying before I was rudely interrupted, I realized that it would be sad if you didn't exist anymore so I made a decision."

Yunho paused, ignoring the way Jeno looked at both of them in full confusion and surprise, registering what had happened to the King during the time he was gone.

"Well don't keep me waiting," Mingi said in exasperation.

"Yeah so basically you have to come to the palace tomorrow when all those who want to kill you will be there and then you get your treasures and you get to kill all of them. That good?"

The red haired male froze. What kind of deal was that? Did he really gather all the people that wanted to kill him just so that he could kill them first?

Fucking beautiful. He loved it.

"Well this is better than expected. I accept," Mingi agreed in content.

Yunho clapped in glee, excited that the Captain was agreeing to his phenomenal plan.

He couldn't pinpoint the exact reason why he wanted it to happen but all he could tell was that he felt as if it was a good choice. If he hadn't done it, mayhaps one of the villagers would really kill the Captain next time. But hopefully, there wouldn't be a next time.

Yunho leaned down to where Mingi lay and wrapped his arms to the best of his abilities on the strong frame, resting his face on the pecs that his hands had rested on just hours prior on the previous day.

He loved it. The feeling of his face on bare skin was amazing.

Jeno awkwardly backed out of the room and closed the door behind him, giving them some privacy.

He trudged up the stairs, accidentally bumping into a figure and he felt his breath freeze. This was the most beautiful person he had ever seen.

"Fuck off," the person hissed, lifting a fist to smack Jeno but was stopped by a taller person grabbing his arm.

"Oh, hello you must have come with Yunho, right?" the new person asked, squinting at him. "Sorry about Renjun, he's not a very people person."

Jeno felt his throat constrict. Two beautiful people in front of him? A miracle come true.

"Oh it's- it's alright and yes I came with the King," Jeno replied, clearing his throat a bit.

Jeno bowed, quickly walking away. How had he never seen both of them during the times he had come to drop off letters? It was unfair. He had been deprived of beauty and the ship would be sailing off by the next day at the latest and so he wouldn't be able to see them anymore.

Jeno stood by the ship's deck, looking into the water and there he stood waiting until the King was done with the Captain. The entire time being watched by both males who could both admit the soldier was stunning as hell.

Jaemin and Renjun sighed, both knowing they would never see the handsome soldier after the next day. Their Captain, Mingi, would simply not allow that.

"He's so handsome," Jaemin whispered, Renjun nodding in agreement. "Too bad he's a soldier."

And that was all they could do, stare in longing at the person they could never have. It was sad but reality. In a world where many wished but could never have unless done by force but in this situation, the two Pirates couldn't take the soldier by force for many reasons.

The main one being that their Captain might kill them for taking the King's people. Of course, on other situations, their Captain wouldn't have cared but they weren't completely stupid to not realize that the red haired male had taken a liking to the King and it wasn't just a small liking.

"I'll be seeing you tomorrow morning at the palace, right?" The King said, his voice getting close.

Moments later, he emerged from the hatch with his hands on the Captain's bare waist while he walked.

"And make sure you rest and clean your stab because I don't like the way you're living. Y'know, acting as if it can't open and make you bleed to death," Yunho scolded.

Mingi was exasperated. The King had been saying the same things over and over but who was he to tell the adorable giant to shut up? He would listen to the nagging voice over and over again if it bought him more time to be close.

"And I'll throw you into the sea if I find out you aren't resting. By tomorrow you should have enough energy to run up a mountain, got it?"

Mingi sighed, nodding in understanding.

"I understand, Your Majesty."

The crewmates all watched in shock. Their Captain never listened to anyone yet here he was agreeing to the adorable King who had arrived into their lives a mere month prior. Such a life changer.

Yunho climbed down the ship, Jeno following behind, and waved with a large grin on his face. Seonghwa and Hongjoong simply smirked at each other when they saw their Captain displayed a small smile and waved back.

"I'm glad you're allowing yourself to be comfortable with him," Seonghwa commented, an arm wrapped around Hongjoong. "Don't try to push your feelings away and just embrace them."

Mingi rolled his eyes, heading to his bed to rest. He planned on obeying the King and so there he was, following the instructions of someone else. Something he hadn't done in around a decade.

It was strange but he was willing to do anything to make the King happy and besides, taking a little bit of rest never hurt anyone.