With a powerful yank on his arm, Hongjoong ripped the wheel around. The Grief pulled sharply to starboard, narrowly dodging the incoming flank of the merchant ship that had approached them. On cue, Hongjoong's men were at the ready. Ropes swung, orders passed fear-stricken throats, and the rattling of weapons filled the air. In a dissonant melody of agony and death, the pirates dawned on the weaker enemy. The few obligatory jack tar that guarded the merchant ship fell under the radical onslaught before they shot down even a single pirate. Like hyenas in their search for food, the pirates wreaked havoc.

Hongjoong remained in his place at the rudder. His gun was pointed at the dispersing merchant crew. One ear was busy listening to hints of danger so he could protect the backs of his crew if needed. The other one was keenly aware of Cabezon hammering and screaming at the locked door to the captain's quarters.

The man had not taken well to hearing the pirates were about to scuttle a ship. Despite still being weak from his violent encounter with the slave traders a few days ago, he had tried to come for Hongjoong right away once he had given the order. For all of their safety, Hongjoong had locked him up and stayed close in case he tried to break free.

Hongjoong's expert shot took down another enemy that had tried to sneak up on Mingi. He had learnt to shoot from the vice-captain of the crew he had grown up with. A powerful man, with enough wisdom to share that countless scholars would pale. Hongjoong rarely missed his goal.

Upon the other ship, the deck quickly emptied. Fallen bodies created a carpet there, most of the defenders had fled by jumping into the ocean, and the rest found themselves cornered.

The crew took care of throwing them into the sea. Not too far from here was an island, maybe they could save their lives, maybe not.

Still angry, Seonghwa's fist pounded against the door.

Yeosang took the lead over at the other ship. He commanded Jongho and Mingi to salvage anything they found in the storage area, San and Wooyoung to check the bilge for prisoners, and took off to the sickbay himself. Yunho oversaw the exchange on the deck and readied the plank between their ships.

Hongjoong put his weapon away as he watched the man. Tall and handsome, Yunho was a sight to behold. Hongjoong made no secret out of the glances that passed between them on winded days.

"Jolly work," he called out towards the man. Seonghwa stilled behind the door. His anger sept through the door and crawled up Hongjoong's legs with chilly fingers. The captain ignored it.

"Aye, ye too, Cap. With enough provisions, we will nay need to go on ashore again before we can face yer enemy."

Hongjoong wondered how well they would find it. Would the tentacled monster appear right away? Or would they have to return multiple times? He doubted they could kill the creature instantly with their small understanding of it.

"Let's hope fer that, aye."

Both of them looked out over to the other ship. Yeosang came back into their line of sight, clutching his arm and cursing under his breath. When he approached Yunho, the man's eyes clouded over with worry.

"Matey, be ye alright?"

Yeosang waved him off, blood smeared over his fingers. The scorching sun above them made it dry darkly on his skin.

"Their doctor been hidin' in the sickbay. I be jolly. Let me just patch this up first."

Hongjoong watched him as he disappeared in the sickbay. Fussing, he shut the door to keep the heat of the day out.

After a while of carrying barrels and crates from one point to the other, the crew finished. They left the ghostly vessel on the sea as they resumed their journey.

Wooyoung had found some maps as well as jewellery in the captain's quarters. He happily skipped up to Hongjoong with San in tow to introduce their captain to the newfound treasure. As Hongjoong left the space behind the wheel to San, he peeled the expensive goods from Wooyoung's arms. With the man, he stepped over to the door to his quarters.

"Wait until I ducked before ye enter."

Hongjoong slipped the key from his belt to unlock the place. Promptly as the door swung open, Seonghwa came for his head. The smooth duck of the pirate underneath the sword the man pitched at him irked his agitated nerves further.

Hongjoong dodged him to throw his new treasure on his desk. Then, he grabbed Seonghwa's wrists to wrestle him down. In all peace, Wooyoung spread out his maps and studied them.

"What be yer findings?" Hongjoong dug his fingers into Cabezon's tendons until the man was forced to drop the sword. Annoyed, he threw them around, making Hongjoong stumble.

"They ain't aware o' the monster lurkin' beneath, but they describe odd weather phenomena in the area. Storms an' rain, mainly." Wooyoung flicked a page. Trapped in a deathly embrace, Hongjoong and Seonghwa tumbled on the bed together. The commander's face was contorted in rage when he tried to press Hongjoong into the sheets. All too easily, Hongjoong twisted them around and gained the upper hand.

Utilising his teeth, Seonghwa tried to snap at him. But Hongjoong sat on him with spread legs in all peace. His fingers fastened the shackles on the bed to Cabezon's straining wrists.

The gaze that Hongjoong gave Wooyoung had Seonghwa growl in displeasure. The lack of attention on him drove him mad.

"An' can ye pinpoint anythin' in particular? Did they try to find a reason?"

Wooyoung shook his head. When Seonghwa tried to buck Hongjoong off, the captain clamped his thighs around the man to keep steady. Laboured breaths tumbled from Seonghwa's chest. The blush dusting his cheeks had Hongjoong's mind wander.

"Nay. They mentioned a number o' sunken ships an' skeletons washed ashore. Nothin' more," Wooyoung noticed with a frown. Finally done, Hongjoong stood from Cabezon and smoothed out his shirt. His curious eyes found the logbook in front of his companion.

Just when he was about to comment on the lack of reports and how suspicious he found it, a yell outside tore him out of his thoughts. Faster than Cabezon could blink at him, Hongjoong stormed to the door and looked out over the deck.

Yunho stood at the door to the sickbay with Yeosang in his arm. The surgeon looked so much smaller and fragile in the tall man's embrace. Even from the distance, Hongjoong detected an unnatural paleness on the man's scarred face. His lips had lost all colour.

Hongjoong didn't spare a moment to inform Wooyoung. He dangerously leapt over the railing of the upper deck and landed on the lower one. In a panic, Yunho already knelt to hold Yeosang close when he turned his head towards their approaching captain.

With a warning gesture, Hongjoong dismissed his curious men. Like a flock of seagulls, they lingered nearby to glance at Yeosang.

"Step to! Do yer work an' keep yer distance, ye scallywags!"

Murmuring, the crew dispersed. Wooyoung stood at the door to the captain's quarters with the map clutched between his hands worriedly. When San joined him to get them back sailing and reassure their mate, he eased his tension.

Hongjoong knelt next to Yunho. Fluttering and searching, Yunho's hands and eyes explored Yeosang's weakened form. Their surgeon mumbled under his breath, but he had closed his lids as if extremely exhausted. When Yunho swiftly undid the laces of his shirt to push it aside, the surgeon hit the first mate's shoulder weakly.

"'E collapsed?"

"Right into me arms, aye. Unresponsive, too." Yunho gently patted Yeosang's cheeks, getting to respond out of him. Worry pulled on the strings of Hongjoong's heart. Faint as he was, Yeosang lost all respect and intimidation that his broad body usually glowed with.

Hongjoong remembered the scrape the man had gotten earlier. Ever so gentle in his approach, he shifted Yeosang against Yunho until he could access the wound. He had to cut through a bandage that Yeosang had slapped on it haphazardly - ever so uncaring about his own injuries while his mind was with the other crew members. The wound he found beneath was a deep scratch, but it looked unlike the ones weapons usually left.

"A scratch?" Yunho muttered under his breath, just as concerned.

Hongjoong couldn't say if the injury stemmed from a nail in the wall or the claws of an animal. Yet, he was positive that it came with severe blood poisoning. The wound was swollen and oozed a yellow liquid that stunk horribly. Possibly either animal bacteria or a poisoned weapon.

"Let's get 'im into the sickbay an' tell them 'earties to keep their distance. An' wash yer 'ands, too. I will take care o' 'im." Hongjoong dug his hands beneath Yeosang's body to take him over from the other man. With utmost care, Yunho let him and helped him up through the added weight of Yeosang's sturdy body.

The surgeon's head rolled against Hongjoong's shoulder weakly. His scalp was hot through his tangled hair.

Yunho held the door open for them. Once Hongjoong had dipped beneath his arm, he brought Yeosang to the bed. The three of them had spent a fair deal of their time together onboard. Yeosang had been one of the first to join, and he had always been adamant about explaining his tricks and ointments to Hongjoong 'in case he wasn't there to help.' Hongjoong saw how it came in handy today.

With any boxes that looked even vaguely as if they had any life-saving medicals in them spread out around him on the bed, Hongjoong busied his hands at finding the right one. Yunho watched him for a moment longer as he washed his hands.

"Will ye need me 'ere?"

"Nay, take care o' the Grief fer me."

With the door handle already resting in his hand, Yunho turned again.

"What about Cabezon, Captain?"

A hint of a smile that Hongjoong barely noticed ghosted over the pirate's lips. He made a dismissive gesture.

"Let 'im cool off in me quarters. 'E will forget 'is anger if nobody feeds into it."

Hongjoong tipped his finger in a jar labelled 'cuts' and spread the sticky green mixture inside over Yeosang's scratch. Feverish, the man threw his head to the side and groaned in pain at the touch. As an apology, Hongjoong patted his good shoulder.

Yunho sped off to take care of the ship. He left the door ajar so Hongjoong could listen to him barking orders and getting them back to their original route. Soon after, everybody outside sounded to be too busy to care about their sick mate any longer.

The bandage that Hongjoong wrapped around Yeosang's arm was far less coordinated and unwavering than the ones the surgeon did. Still, it was something, and Hongjoong leaned back on the chair next to him to wash his hands. He got a cold cloth for the pirate, too, and used it to reduce his rapidly rising body heat.

Hongjoong refused to leave Yeosang's side. His need to protect his sick comrade succeeded over the wish to go back to Cabezon and tease him further. After several hours of watching over the man and exchanging his cooling cloth every ten minutes, Hongjoong dozed off on his chair. Comfortably, he sunk into his warm coat and guarded Yeosang's side to ensure that no harm would come over the man.

He only startled awake at an awkward knock on the door hours later. The room was dark, and while Hongjoong grumbled a reply for whoever to enter, he lit a lamp. Routinely, his fingers switched out the rag and dabbed the sweat from Yeosang's sweaty neck and collarbones.

Hongjoong expected anyone but Cabezon.

Yet, the man stuck his head into the room with clear hesitation written all over his features. The captain cocked a brow at him.

Seonghwa's eyes lingered on Yeosang and his poor condition before they found Hongjoong.

"Greetings, Captain. I, uh, your quartermaster told me to bring you food?"

He sounded more surprised that they had put him to work than unwilling of it. Most likely, having something to do was a better option than sitting around shackled all day. Even if it meant supporting the scourge of the seven seas.

Hongjoong's eyes dropped to the bowls that Cabezon held in his hands. With a hum, he stretched out his hands for them.

"So Yunho let ye free?"

As if waiting for his name to drop, Yunho abruptly appeared behind Seonghwa. All suspicion fell from Hongjoong when he regarded the man's shy smile. Tall and like an angelic patron, he stood behind Seonghwa. The commander didn't even flinch away from him.

"He just looked too pitiful, Capt'n. I couldn't let 'im go mad all by 'imself."

Hongjoong forgave Yunho's caring soul, he always did. The sea was harsh and life made it tough to be as warm-hearted as the man. And yet, Hongjoong absolutely needed such a person around him so he wouldn't fall into bitterness and needless cruelty.

"If ye can ensure 'is peacefulness, I will nay mind. Be good, Cabezon, aye?"

Hongjoong tilted his head with a crooked smirk. With narrow eyes, Seonghwa swallowed his anger. Back were those steely eyes and the clenched jaw.

"I won't make any troubles for now. Though I will defend myself if you or your crew threatens me."

Too busy with Yeosang to mind him much, Hongjoong just waved it off.

"Tell Wooyoung to alter our route. I feel we might need to visit a real 'ealer with 'im," he asked of Yunho instead. The first mate agreed gravely. He took Cabezon with him when he left to delay the message.

Curious, Hongjoong tried his food.

He was surprised that Cabezon hadn't spat in it.