Servant's Pride

8. Red Hair

Hongjoong hummed. His bottle was half empty and his heart sunk at the idea that it might not last through the entire conversation. Did Yunho stash another one nearby?

"Right an' wrong. I been a pirate back then, but I been nay a capt'n an' I had nay a poster."

More confusion befuddled Cabezon's face. That amusingly dumb look in his doe eyes was back. When puzzled, he lost all sharpness from his features. He looked exposed and vulnerable.

"Did I know your name back then?"

Hongjoong shook his head.

"I doubt it. It had nay been me who ye been after."

"So you claim that I... Did a dreadful thing to someone you knew back then before you became a pirate... Which was years ago. Did I have your past lover hanged, by any chance?"

The chuckle that escaped from Hongjoong's throat was barely audible over the rushing of the waves and the deafening roll of thunder every few seconds. When he shook his head, Cabezon deflated some more. He looked uncomfortable in his grimy uniform that forced his body to remain stiff and uptight at any moment. Perhaps, Hongjoong should peel that corset off him before it grew to his skin.

"But given that you seduced a guard in the Royal Prison to break out of there, you must have been there. Which made you important. Before you were nefarious, though?" Questions stood written all over the commander's face. He found no answer to that.

It would be so easy for Hongjoong to tell him. So easy to make him remember by just looking up at him from below. But seeing the man wrack his brain for an answer was too much fun.

"I 'old me grudges fer a long time. An' ye met me at a bad time back then. I 'ad lost a lot a few days prior an' ye made that time e'en 'arder on me. I suppose what ye did seemed just to ye, or at least nay like anythin' too bad fer a pirate and prisoner." With a dull thud, Hongjoong put the bottle down on the tabletop. It was empty.

When he rose to stride over to the door, Seonghwa remained quiet. Lightning flashed through the room and brightened it for a moment as Hongjoong opened the door.

Rain hit his face cold and heavy.

"Ahoy, me 'earties. 'Ow be the weather?"

San and Wooyoung stood at the wheel together. At his question, the navigator rose his eyes to the sky.

"It be calmin'. We should be safe in another 'our. Ye can go to sleep, capt'n. If we need ye, we will get ye to show a leg."

Hongjoong wished them the best of luck before he went back in. Cabezon still stared at him quizzically. Without the hatred and disgust spoiling his beautiful features, he returned to being a handsome fellow to look at. At least Hongjoong got a handsome face to glare at.

Hongjoong kicked his boots off at the end of his bed and crawled under the covers. Barely minding him, Cabezon merely shifted further to the side to keep his distance on the spacious sheets. Soft and comfortable, the furs and blankets on Hongjoong's bed urged him to fall right asleep. He barely even noted to throw the rest of his clothes off.

"Think about it. Maybe ye will find an answer until the mornin'."

-

Cabezon did not find an answer.

When the next day dawned, Hongjoong found him just as he had left him the night prior. Huddled in the bed's corner sitting upright. His chin had sunken to his chest in his sleep, but the moment Hongjoong stirred, he also jerked awake. Promptly, he adverted his stormy eyes when Hongjoong rose to get dressed.