onewhomust
For: onewhomust
Title: Of Pirate Ships and Marriage Proposals
Pairing: Kyuhyun/Zhou Mi
Category: a bit of steampunk/regency (I tried, I’m sorry), crack.
Summary: Kyuhyun, the captain of the Blue Sapphire, finds a strange man onhis ship and is a bit lost for words.
When Kyuhyun ducks into one of the spare cabins for some shut eye (because Donghae’s being an ass and playing cards in the Captain’s cabin, Jesus fucking Christ, with Hyukjae and Kyuhyun’s too tired to try kick them out), he expects an empty bed. The ship’s not taking any passengers - because pirate ships aren’t made for that - and he falls into the bed, ready to sleep away the aches and pains.
Except he falls on something lumpy and hard and he mutters a soft, “what the fuck?” before he slides to the floor and flips the thin sheet to reveal a man with a tentative smile.
“Hi,” he says, smiling, before Kyuhyun makes to scramble away, eyes wide.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” Kyuhyun asks as he tries to place as much distance between himself and the strange man in the bed he can.
The man retains his smile and Kyuhyun has to admit he is more than just a little freaked out.
“Get the fuck off my ship.” Kyuhyun points over his shoulder at the door, and the man looks up.
He starts looking sheepish, and Kyuhyun runs a hand through his hair.
“I. I- can’t do that. Leave, yet.”
“Why the fuck are you on my ship?”
The man begins to look sheepish, and drops his head.
“Um. There’s a good story to that.”
Kyuhyun snorts and turns his head.
“SUNGMIN, CAN YOU GET YOUR ASS DOWN HERE?”
Kyuhyun stares at the man in bed for a few moments as the ship creaks, rocking in the gentle waves of a calm sea, and the man tentatively offers another smile.
Sungmin comes in smiling but stops in the doorway and takes a few hesitant steps to stand behind Kyuhyun. He rests a hand on Kyuhyun’s head, but Kyuhyun shakes it off, and the man grins.
“…who is that?”
“I don’t know Sungmin, because I was in town all day getting supplies and you were in charge of the ship.”
Sungmin glances towards Kyuhyun who has a grimace across his lips, and he bites back a smile.
“Um, yeah.”
“And he wasn’t here last night, so? What happened? Why is he here?”
Sungmin swallows. “Well.”
Kyuhyun looks up at him, eyes narrowed, and the man from the bed coughs, still wearing a hesitant smile. Kyuhyun decides that no, this person, can’t be a fully grown man because who the hell smiles all the time?
“It’s not his-“ the man - boy? - gestures in the direction of Sungmin “- fault. I, um, snuck in.”
“And I’m a magician,” Kyuhyun replies, and Sungmin grins through his giggle.
“No, but I did?” The boy looks confused, his eyebrows almost meeting, and Kyuhyun resists the urge to roll his eyes.
“It’s impossible, we always have men guarding the ship, you can’t just sneak in-“
Kyuhyun stutters to a stop, then stands and faces Sungmin, who regards him innocently, blinking.
“You let him in.”
“I did no such thing, why would you accuse me of-“
“No one can get into this ship without permission from one of us. You let him in.”
Sungmin tries to hide his smile. “I did not do that, stop accusing me-“
“Sungmin.” Kyuhyun frowns, letting the displeasure show, and Sungmin lets a laugh out, louder and louder until he’s doubling over, and the boy offers a small smile.
“I’m sorry?”
Kyuhyun runs a hand through his hair again and gestures to the boy.
“Come on, get up. Might as well see what we can do.”
Kyuhyun kicks Sungmin on the way out, who clutches his side but can’t stop laughing, and Kyuhyun scowls.
Kyuhyun leads the boy down to the kitchen, where Ryeowook is playing dice with Yesung. Ryeowook grins as he rolls, and Kyuhyun knocks Yesung’s head lightly as he walks past.
“Ryeowook, do we have any leftovers?”
Yesung scowls, but Ryeowook stands, taking in the new boy.
“A new one?” he asks, scooping some stew into a bowl and getting a bread roll.
He places it on the makeshift table and gestures for the boy to take his own seat, and the boy sits hesitantly. Kyuhyun nudges Yesung, who curses, collects the dice and walks out the door, dragging Ryeowook.
The door closes with a slight click, and Kyuhyun sits down, opposite the boy.
The boy picks up the bread roll, looks at it for a moment, and his sleeve slips down to reveal his thin wrist. Kyuhyun watches it - so, so thin - as he dusts the bread roll and hesitates before tearing a piece off and dipping it into the soup delicately.
Nobleman’s son?
Kyuhyun coughs, and the boy looks up through his fringe, eyes wide open.
“So what’re you doing here?”
“I, um. Excuse me.” Zhou Mi turns to the side and finishes his mouthful, and Kyuhyun pinches the bridge of his nose. Nobleman’s son indeed.
“Well, I - uh - sort of ran away.”
Kyuhyun looks up.
“What’s your name?”
The boy blinks and glances down to rip off another piece of bread.
“Zhou Mi.”
“Zhou Mi, from the Zhou household?” Kyuhyun runs a hand over his face.
If it’s the Zhou Mi from the Zhou household, he might as well dig his grave now with all the accusations that’ll pop up and authorities getting ready to own his ass.
The boy - Zhou Mi? - nods, and Kyuhyun groans. Fucking terrific.
The Zhou family, just about the richest foreign family in all of Awesomeland, prized for their Chinese goods and generous nature, had a single heir. The only son, known for his singing abilities and seemingly hereditary kind nature, was fresh for marriage at 20, and the word around town was that he had been kidnapped by the Red Ruby - Heechul’s ship.
And the same son’s in front of him at this moment, tearing off strips of bread and dipping them into soup, scooping up chunks of carrot and meat occasionally. Kyuhyun watches the thin fingers and wrists - so thin - and turns to the wall when Zhou Mi looks up.
“So, what’re you doing here?” he asks the wall, and Kyuhyun hears the clink as the spoon meets the bottom of the bowl.
“Um, well I ran away.” Kyuhyun snorts.
“From Heechul?”
He glances over, and he watches as Zhou Mi looks up from the bowl, blinking at him.
“Well, yeah.” Zhou Mi stares at him and Kyuhyun has the urge to check his face, make sure there’s no soot on it or anything.
“I, um, was kidnapped by Heechul.” Zhou Mi eats one last piece of carrot before he pushes it away, and Kyuhyun looks down to see about half the bowl left and half the bead left.
Zhou Mi shrugs. “He just kidnapped me and said he’d keep me until Father pays the ransom.”
Kyuhyun dips the spoon and drinks it, watching Zhou Mi. “That doesn’t explain why you’re here.” He eyes Zhou Mi, a small smile on his lips as he watches Kyuhyun.
He shrugs.
“I thought you might’ve been one of my father’s trade ships - the flag was down and your colouring is similar.”
Kyuhyun slurps up the rest of the soup and stands, beckoning to Zhou Mi to follow him.
“Come on, might as well see what you can do,” he says as he walks out the door and walks up the stairs.
“You don’t want to go back, do you?” Kyuhyun asks, voice muffled as he searches in the spare-clothes cupboard and throws some big looking shirts behind him. They must be Kangin’s.
“No?” Zhou Mi’s voice comes out small as he struggles out of his shirt (lace and all) and pulls the larger one of his head. He blushes as he turns to strip off his pants and Kyuhyun rolls his eyes.
“Okay good, we’ll just get you started on scrubbing the decks.”
A few days later, they set off and once they’re out to sea, Kyuhyun makes a motion and Donghae hoists the flag up. Their flag, and Zhou Mi sees how wrong he was to even suspect that Kyuhyun’s ship was part of his father’s fleet. Instead, he gets back on his knees and starts scrubbing the deck.
Except it takes him an age to the scrubbing and Kyuhyun tries not to grimace when he inspects it, but even Eunhyuk did it better when he first joined the crew. Back when Kyuhyun’s father had manned and captained of the Blue Sapphire.
Kyuhyun watches, amused, as Zhou Mi tries to scrub furiously at one spot but presses all too lightly, and Kyuhyun walks over. Zhou Mi pauses before looking up.
“Like this,” Kyuhyun said, and Zhou Mi watches as Kyuhyun lowers himself, takes the brush from his hands and scrubs for a few moments before the spot disappears and Kyuhyun flashes a grin.
“Right,” Zhou Mi says as Kyuhyun stands, throwing the brush into the bucket, and gestures for Zhou Mi to stand.
Zhou Mi tries to stand, but he slips and his limbs flail and he almost hits Kyuhyun on the nose, shoulder and crotch but Kyuhyun catches him, laughing as the ship rocks. He holds Zhou Mi steady and they walk below deck, to Ryeowook’s kitchen.
“Ryeowook, I brought someone for you,” Kyuhyun says and thrusts the arm attached to Zhou Mi out.
Ryeowook blinks from the pot - taller than him, what the fuck? - and steps down from the stool he’s standing on.
“Zhou Mi?” he asks uncertainly, and both Kyuhyun and Zhou Mi nod.
“You said you needed a hand, right? Well, have two.”
Kyuhyun pushes Zhou Mi forward again, wearing a hesitant smile. Ryeowook blinks at him before he smiles.
“Yeah sure. Okay Zhou Mi, if you can, just chop these?” Ryeowook waves in a vague direction and Kyuhyun knows Zhou Mi’s in safe hands as he walks out.
He sits in his cabin, poring over one of the maps, deciding where to set sail for next, when there’s a knock at the door and Yesung barges in, holding a Zhou Mi with the most kicked-puppy expression Kyuhyun’s ever seen. He’s nursing a burn on his hand, and Kyuhyun can’t resist the smile tugging.
“What happened?” he addresses Zhou Mi, and then looks to Yesung. “Are you even on kitchen duty?”
Yesung looks sheepish, but defiant. “Well, no, but-“
“Get back to work,” Kyuhyun says as he ignores Yesung and stares at Zhou Mi, and Yesung storms out, muttering.
“What happened?”
Zhou Mi looks sheepish as he nurses his left hand.
“Um, Ryeowook - is that his name? - was boiling some water and I wasn’t watching and it splashed, on me.”
Kyuhyun sighs as he beckons, and Zhou Mi holds out the hand obediently. Kyuhyun inspects it, blowing on it gently, and Zhou Mi shivers.
“It looks fine; just pour some cold water on it for a few minutes every hour.” Kyuhyun releases the hand, ignoring the flush in Zhou Mi’s cheeks, and turns back to the map.
Zhou Mi nods and takes a step back, fidgeting slightly. A few minutes pass before Kyuhyun looks up again to see Zhou Mi in the same position, staring out the window at the expanse of sea and sky.
“You okay?”
Zhou Mi snaps around at Kyuhyun’s voice and smiles guiltily, and Kyuhyun can’t help but respond in the same manner.
“Yeah, just - is there anything else I could help with?”
Kyuhyun freezes.
“Um, you could try find Sungmin and see if he needs your help.”
Zhou Mi nods and takes a hesitant step backwards before he turns and walks out. Kyuhyun stares at his retreating back, unable to rid his mind of the image of Zhou Mi’s smile before he shakes his head and returns to work.
Sungmin gushes over Zhou Mi at dinner as they dine in the kitchen because Kyuhyun always forgets to eat and Sungmin believes it’s his job as his first mate to dine with and feed him.
“He’s adorable and he can’t even stand straight in the hallways or on deck but that’s fine because he has the most gorgeous smile and-“
Kyuhyun thinks he might throw up himself.
“Does he even help?”
Sungmin hesitates.
“Well, no, but he does try, that’s got to count.”
“Sungmin,” Kyuhyun says quietly, threateningly, and Sungmin toys with his dinner.
“But!”
“If he’s not earning his keep, we might as well just send him back home.”
“He can learn, he could always learn!”
Kyuhyun drums his fingers on the tabletop as Yesung and Ryeowook chat quietly behind them before they leave when Sungmin gives them a pointed glance.
“Right now, he’s just a waste of supplies.”
Sungmin has the same look Kyuhyun had seen when he asked if they could make their flag pink and blue, and Kyuhyun shudders when he considers how close he was to agreeing.
“Just give him some time.”
Kyuhyun stares at the tabletop, running his fingers along the grooves before he sits back with a sigh.
“I’ll give him another week, then we’ll see.”
Sungmin gives him a bright smile in return, but Kyuhyun has his mind set. He feels guilty as Sungmin gives him a grateful hug, but it needs to be done.
The week passes without incident, though Kyuhyun starts feeling uncomfortable when he notices Zhou Mi and he can’t help staring at Zhou Mi’s smile.
Zhou Mi also starts avoiding Kyuhyun and wears his guilty-smile when he sees Kyuhyun looking at him. Kyuhyun just scowls and looks away, and Sungmin offers a hug whenever he sees Zhou Mi’s smile dim.
Kyuhyun calls Zhou Mi into his office after the week’s over, and Sungmin tags along, looking withdrawn and able to predict the outcome.
“Zhou Mi, I’m sorry,” he says, feeling like a headmaster with a misbehaving student. “But you have to know by now-“
“I’m sorry, I know,” Zhou Mi says as his fingers twist and Sungmin puts his arm around Zhou Mi’s shoulders. “I guess I’m just not suited to sea life.”
Kyuhyun thinks his heart hurts when he agrees and tells them that they’ll sail back to town, but he dismisses it and puts it out of mind.
The trip back’s peaceful if not a bit subdued and quiet without Sungmin’s cheerfulness and Kyuhyun’s soft, biting remarks. Kangin calls to when they arrive, and Kyuhyun checks in paranoia, but Sungmin just smiles as he stows the flag away.
“Come on,” he says, and Zhou Mi follows him after farewells and hugs.
They arrive at the manor without incident, and the porter stares at Zhou Mi as he walks up the path dressed in sea-worn clothes.
“Young master?” he says softly, in awe, and Zhou Mi offers a small smile.
“Hello Jeremy,” he says, and Jeremy gasps and falls onto Zhou Mi, hugging him in desperation. Zhou Mi laughs, pats Jeremy awkwardly on the head as Kyuhyun looks on, amused, and then struggles to open the door.
“Oh young master, what a flurry the household’s been in since you le- were taken away!” Jeremy says as he opens the doors and one of the butlers look up.
“Young master…” he utters softly, and Zhou Mi smiles again. “Oh Lord, I must tell Master of this.”
The butler rings the phone and gestures to a nearby maid who stares at Zhou Mi and Kyuhyun standing in the doorway.
“Mary, can you lead them to the sunroom? I’m sure Master will want to meet them there.”
The maid catches herself and nods, before sweeping a hand out grandly to a doorway and ducking inside. Zhou Mi has a soft, reminiscing smile on as he walks while Kyuhyun can’t stop looking everywhere, at the tapestries, vases, candle and artefacts…
Mary opens a set of double doors and bows as Zhou Mi and Kyuhyun near. Zhou Mi smiles before slipping inside, and Kyuhyun follows wordlessly.
The sun streams in through the glass wall, and Kyuhyun just stares out at the green garden with the sunlight lighting it and the various gardeners. He places a hand on the glass hesitantly, and Zhou Mi watches from the couch.
“We need to talk,” Kyuhyun says to the glass, and Zhou Mi watches as he slowly turns, blushing lightly.
“Talk?”
Kyuhyun tilts his head, and though he looks almost fearful, Zhou Mi can read the determined jut of his chin and the stance of his legs, shoulder-width apart. A man used to being heard and obeyed, and Zhou Mi can see how Kyuhyun can commander such a ship at a young age.
“Yeah, about. Things,” Kyuhyun says, and he grimaces when he hears the words come out of his mouth.
“What things?”
“About what happened on the ship, and-“ Kyuhyun pauses and strides to the seat, sitting a feet or two from Zhou Mi. “-things.”
“Things,” Zhou Mi repeats, a smile tugging and Kyuhyun groans.
“Stop making this harder than it already is.”
“What’s so hard?” Zhou Mi asks, and he enjoys this. He’s in power now, in his own home, and his environment, and it’s entertaining to see Kyuhyun so frustrated and out of his depth.
“This,” Kyuhyun mutters and reaches for Zhou Mi’s face, taking it between two hands and pulling it forward until they meet in a kiss. Zhou Mi protests, slightly, before he closes his eyes and relaxes into it, sighing.
Kyuhyun pulls back, a smirk back on his lips, and they both glance as the door opens.
“Well,” a deep voice says, and Kyuhyun quickly looks to his hands to drop them.
“Zhou Mi,” the voice says, and Zhou Mi stands, smiling brightly as the tall man with greying hair nears, smiling. “Welcome home, boy.”
The man enfolds Zhou Mi into a hug, and Zhou Mi smiles into the man’s shoulder - Kyuhyun guesses it to be his father - and he steps back to take a look at Zhou Mi.
“How’re you?” he asks softly, and Zhou Mi shrugs.
“It was okay, when I sneaked out of Heechul’s ship and got onto Kyuhyun’s.” Zhou Mi points to Kyuhyun, and he sits up.
“Kyuhyun?” the man - Zhou Mi’s father - asks, and Kyuhyun nods automatically. “Stand,” he says, and Kyuhyun finds himself standing. He looks down at himself, scowl deepening, and the man laughs.
“You saved Zhou Mi?”
Zhou Mi shakes his head just slightly, mouthing words that Kyuhyun can’t lip read for the life of him. He shrugs instead.
“Sort of?”
The man laughs, a great booming laugh, and Kyuhyun can see where Zhou Mi got his cheerfulness from as he finds himself smiling.
“Sort of? I have to thank you for returning my son - I know he has a habit of disappearing, but no one thought anything of it until the ransom demand arrived.”
Zhou Mi’s father beckons Kyuhyun forward, and he walks automatically to him, trying to keep a scowl from his face. Zhou Mi’s father inspects him - Kyuhyun feels like a horse - and steps back, studying him.
“Well I have to thank you. I was going to offer you wealth-“
“That’s fine,” Kyuhyun cuts off the man, and Zhou Mi’s father raises an eyebrow.
“Wealth? Oh you can have as much of that as you wish,” he says, and Kyuhyun tries to ignore the looks Zhou Mi sends him.
They’re filled with sadness and disappointment, and Kyuhyun doesn’t think he can live with it if that’s the last thing he remembers of Zhou Mi.
“But I was going to offer you my son’s hand in marriage instead, if you wish,” he says, and Kyuhyun’s thoughts pause.
‘You don’t want to marry me, I see how it is,’ he’s suddenly able to read from Zhou Mi’s lips, and he pauses before Zhou Mi rounds on his father.
“Wait - my hand in marriage?”
His father shrugs.
“Don’t you want an heir? Or at least more after me? Wait, you - you knew I’m gay?”
His father shrugs again, and Zhou Mi groans, frustrated.
“Son, I’ve always suspected - it’s not difficult - but I still would’ve liked to hear it from you.”
Zhou Mi stands awkwardly in front of him. “Well, Father, I have something to tell you.”
Kyuhyun can tell from the smile on Zhou Mi’s father’s lips that he’s enjoying this.
“Yes son?” he prompts.
“And I wanted you to hear it first from me,” Zhou Mi says, and Kyuhyun thinks that Zhou Mi’s father has the biggest shit eating grin on ever. The man nods, and Zhou Mi blushes, lightly. “I’m - well I’m gay.”
“Well, it’s good to know.” He turns away from Zhou Mi to face Kyuhyun, who blinks at the change. “Regarding heirs, I’m sure neither of you will disappoint in trying to produce some, but I wouldn’t worry. Zhou Mi, there’s always your cousin, Cui Ying, in China who’s already pregnant, and your Aunt Yi Hua already knows how to handle business, so I have no problem handing this over to them.”
Zhou Mi nods, thoughtfully, and Zhou Mi’s father turns to Kyuhyun.
“So? Would you like to?”
Kyuhyun looks around him - since the man is taller than Zhou Mi and impossible to see over - to see Zhou Mi’s pleading face, and he swallows.
“I, um, guess.”
The man smiles, grasps Kyuhyun’s hands in his own, and pumps them.
“Well then, welcome to the family.
OMAKE: it didn’t fit anywhere else?
Sungmin sits on the desk in his cabin, swinging his legs and sucking on some sugar.
“Wait, so what now?”
“I’m marrying Zhou Mi on Saturday, and after that, I’m head of the fleet of cargo ships to and from China.”
Kyuhyun scribbles something on to a list frantically, and Sungmin laughs.
“Poor thing, look what the idea of marriage is doing to you already.”
Kyuhyun sends him a glare, but Sungmin laughs again.
“Don’t worry, I think it’s cute, in a tall, gangly sort of way like Zhou Mi.” He pauses in his quest to finish the sugar and wrinkles his nose. “Wait, so we’re legal now?”
“Yes. Hah, as if you’re ever legal though,” Kyuhyun says as he checks the recently acquired maps.
Sungmin considers the statement.
“I think that’s a compliment, as in a you’re-too-hot-to-be-legal sort of hot, so thank you Kyuhyun. I’ll get out of your way so your husband-to-be can distract you.”
Kyuhyun looks up as Sungmin waves goodbye and Zhou Mi peers around the doorway.
“I’m, um, sorry about that.”
Kyuhyun sighs and puts away his pen. “Sorry about what?”
“About my father, doing all that.”
Kyuhyun grins.
“It’s okay, he was nice and I can see where you got your…” Kyuhyun pauses and sort of gestures to Zhou Mi’s whole body. “From.”
“My?” Zhou Mi asks, puzzled as he nears and Kyuhyun swallows because Zhou Mi’s eyes are dark but confused and he has a small smirk he must’ve learnt from somewhere - maybe Sungmin, or Heechul for the time he had been there. Yeah, Heechul.
“Your-“
Zhou Mi kisses him, their second one and this one is hot and slick and wet, and Kyuhyun’s the one moaning into Zhou Mi’s mouth, fisting Zhou Mi’s shirt, regardless if it’s silk or not, and Zhou Mi draws back, smirking.
“I’ll see you later Kyuhyun,” Zhou Mi says, cheery as he bounces out, and Sungmin grins from the doorway.
“That was hot.”
Kyuhyun throws a ball of paper at him.
Title: Of Pirate Ships and Marriage Proposals
Pairing: Kyuhyun/Zhou Mi
Category: a bit of steampunk/regency (I tried, I’m sorry), crack.
Summary: Kyuhyun, the captain of the Blue Sapphire, finds a strange man onhis ship and is a bit lost for words.
When Kyuhyun ducks into one of the spare cabins for some shut eye (because Donghae’s being an ass and playing cards in the Captain’s cabin, Jesus fucking Christ, with Hyukjae and Kyuhyun’s too tired to try kick them out), he expects an empty bed. The ship’s not taking any passengers - because pirate ships aren’t made for that - and he falls into the bed, ready to sleep away the aches and pains.
Except he falls on something lumpy and hard and he mutters a soft, “what the fuck?” before he slides to the floor and flips the thin sheet to reveal a man with a tentative smile.
“Hi,” he says, smiling, before Kyuhyun makes to scramble away, eyes wide.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” Kyuhyun asks as he tries to place as much distance between himself and the strange man in the bed he can.
The man retains his smile and Kyuhyun has to admit he is more than just a little freaked out.
“Get the fuck off my ship.” Kyuhyun points over his shoulder at the door, and the man looks up.
He starts looking sheepish, and Kyuhyun runs a hand through his hair.
“I. I- can’t do that. Leave, yet.”
“Why the fuck are you on my ship?”
The man begins to look sheepish, and drops his head.
“Um. There’s a good story to that.”
Kyuhyun snorts and turns his head.
“SUNGMIN, CAN YOU GET YOUR ASS DOWN HERE?”
Kyuhyun stares at the man in bed for a few moments as the ship creaks, rocking in the gentle waves of a calm sea, and the man tentatively offers another smile.
Sungmin comes in smiling but stops in the doorway and takes a few hesitant steps to stand behind Kyuhyun. He rests a hand on Kyuhyun’s head, but Kyuhyun shakes it off, and the man grins.
“…who is that?”
“I don’t know Sungmin, because I was in town all day getting supplies and you were in charge of the ship.”
Sungmin glances towards Kyuhyun who has a grimace across his lips, and he bites back a smile.
“Um, yeah.”
“And he wasn’t here last night, so? What happened? Why is he here?”
Sungmin swallows. “Well.”
Kyuhyun looks up at him, eyes narrowed, and the man from the bed coughs, still wearing a hesitant smile. Kyuhyun decides that no, this person, can’t be a fully grown man because who the hell smiles all the time?
“It’s not his-“ the man - boy? - gestures in the direction of Sungmin “- fault. I, um, snuck in.”
“And I’m a magician,” Kyuhyun replies, and Sungmin grins through his giggle.
“No, but I did?” The boy looks confused, his eyebrows almost meeting, and Kyuhyun resists the urge to roll his eyes.
“It’s impossible, we always have men guarding the ship, you can’t just sneak in-“
Kyuhyun stutters to a stop, then stands and faces Sungmin, who regards him innocently, blinking.
“You let him in.”
“I did no such thing, why would you accuse me of-“
“No one can get into this ship without permission from one of us. You let him in.”
Sungmin tries to hide his smile. “I did not do that, stop accusing me-“
“Sungmin.” Kyuhyun frowns, letting the displeasure show, and Sungmin lets a laugh out, louder and louder until he’s doubling over, and the boy offers a small smile.
“I’m sorry?”
Kyuhyun runs a hand through his hair again and gestures to the boy.
“Come on, get up. Might as well see what we can do.”
Kyuhyun kicks Sungmin on the way out, who clutches his side but can’t stop laughing, and Kyuhyun scowls.
Kyuhyun leads the boy down to the kitchen, where Ryeowook is playing dice with Yesung. Ryeowook grins as he rolls, and Kyuhyun knocks Yesung’s head lightly as he walks past.
“Ryeowook, do we have any leftovers?”
Yesung scowls, but Ryeowook stands, taking in the new boy.
“A new one?” he asks, scooping some stew into a bowl and getting a bread roll.
He places it on the makeshift table and gestures for the boy to take his own seat, and the boy sits hesitantly. Kyuhyun nudges Yesung, who curses, collects the dice and walks out the door, dragging Ryeowook.
The door closes with a slight click, and Kyuhyun sits down, opposite the boy.
The boy picks up the bread roll, looks at it for a moment, and his sleeve slips down to reveal his thin wrist. Kyuhyun watches it - so, so thin - as he dusts the bread roll and hesitates before tearing a piece off and dipping it into the soup delicately.
Nobleman’s son?
Kyuhyun coughs, and the boy looks up through his fringe, eyes wide open.
“So what’re you doing here?”
“I, um. Excuse me.” Zhou Mi turns to the side and finishes his mouthful, and Kyuhyun pinches the bridge of his nose. Nobleman’s son indeed.
“Well, I - uh - sort of ran away.”
Kyuhyun looks up.
“What’s your name?”
The boy blinks and glances down to rip off another piece of bread.
“Zhou Mi.”
“Zhou Mi, from the Zhou household?” Kyuhyun runs a hand over his face.
If it’s the Zhou Mi from the Zhou household, he might as well dig his grave now with all the accusations that’ll pop up and authorities getting ready to own his ass.
The boy - Zhou Mi? - nods, and Kyuhyun groans. Fucking terrific.
The Zhou family, just about the richest foreign family in all of Awesomeland, prized for their Chinese goods and generous nature, had a single heir. The only son, known for his singing abilities and seemingly hereditary kind nature, was fresh for marriage at 20, and the word around town was that he had been kidnapped by the Red Ruby - Heechul’s ship.
And the same son’s in front of him at this moment, tearing off strips of bread and dipping them into soup, scooping up chunks of carrot and meat occasionally. Kyuhyun watches the thin fingers and wrists - so thin - and turns to the wall when Zhou Mi looks up.
“So, what’re you doing here?” he asks the wall, and Kyuhyun hears the clink as the spoon meets the bottom of the bowl.
“Um, well I ran away.” Kyuhyun snorts.
“From Heechul?”
He glances over, and he watches as Zhou Mi looks up from the bowl, blinking at him.
“Well, yeah.” Zhou Mi stares at him and Kyuhyun has the urge to check his face, make sure there’s no soot on it or anything.
“I, um, was kidnapped by Heechul.” Zhou Mi eats one last piece of carrot before he pushes it away, and Kyuhyun looks down to see about half the bowl left and half the bead left.
Zhou Mi shrugs. “He just kidnapped me and said he’d keep me until Father pays the ransom.”
Kyuhyun dips the spoon and drinks it, watching Zhou Mi. “That doesn’t explain why you’re here.” He eyes Zhou Mi, a small smile on his lips as he watches Kyuhyun.
He shrugs.
“I thought you might’ve been one of my father’s trade ships - the flag was down and your colouring is similar.”
Kyuhyun slurps up the rest of the soup and stands, beckoning to Zhou Mi to follow him.
“Come on, might as well see what you can do,” he says as he walks out the door and walks up the stairs.
“You don’t want to go back, do you?” Kyuhyun asks, voice muffled as he searches in the spare-clothes cupboard and throws some big looking shirts behind him. They must be Kangin’s.
“No?” Zhou Mi’s voice comes out small as he struggles out of his shirt (lace and all) and pulls the larger one of his head. He blushes as he turns to strip off his pants and Kyuhyun rolls his eyes.
“Okay good, we’ll just get you started on scrubbing the decks.”
A few days later, they set off and once they’re out to sea, Kyuhyun makes a motion and Donghae hoists the flag up. Their flag, and Zhou Mi sees how wrong he was to even suspect that Kyuhyun’s ship was part of his father’s fleet. Instead, he gets back on his knees and starts scrubbing the deck.
Except it takes him an age to the scrubbing and Kyuhyun tries not to grimace when he inspects it, but even Eunhyuk did it better when he first joined the crew. Back when Kyuhyun’s father had manned and captained of the Blue Sapphire.
Kyuhyun watches, amused, as Zhou Mi tries to scrub furiously at one spot but presses all too lightly, and Kyuhyun walks over. Zhou Mi pauses before looking up.
“Like this,” Kyuhyun said, and Zhou Mi watches as Kyuhyun lowers himself, takes the brush from his hands and scrubs for a few moments before the spot disappears and Kyuhyun flashes a grin.
“Right,” Zhou Mi says as Kyuhyun stands, throwing the brush into the bucket, and gestures for Zhou Mi to stand.
Zhou Mi tries to stand, but he slips and his limbs flail and he almost hits Kyuhyun on the nose, shoulder and crotch but Kyuhyun catches him, laughing as the ship rocks. He holds Zhou Mi steady and they walk below deck, to Ryeowook’s kitchen.
“Ryeowook, I brought someone for you,” Kyuhyun says and thrusts the arm attached to Zhou Mi out.
Ryeowook blinks from the pot - taller than him, what the fuck? - and steps down from the stool he’s standing on.
“Zhou Mi?” he asks uncertainly, and both Kyuhyun and Zhou Mi nod.
“You said you needed a hand, right? Well, have two.”
Kyuhyun pushes Zhou Mi forward again, wearing a hesitant smile. Ryeowook blinks at him before he smiles.
“Yeah sure. Okay Zhou Mi, if you can, just chop these?” Ryeowook waves in a vague direction and Kyuhyun knows Zhou Mi’s in safe hands as he walks out.
He sits in his cabin, poring over one of the maps, deciding where to set sail for next, when there’s a knock at the door and Yesung barges in, holding a Zhou Mi with the most kicked-puppy expression Kyuhyun’s ever seen. He’s nursing a burn on his hand, and Kyuhyun can’t resist the smile tugging.
“What happened?” he addresses Zhou Mi, and then looks to Yesung. “Are you even on kitchen duty?”
Yesung looks sheepish, but defiant. “Well, no, but-“
“Get back to work,” Kyuhyun says as he ignores Yesung and stares at Zhou Mi, and Yesung storms out, muttering.
“What happened?”
Zhou Mi looks sheepish as he nurses his left hand.
“Um, Ryeowook - is that his name? - was boiling some water and I wasn’t watching and it splashed, on me.”
Kyuhyun sighs as he beckons, and Zhou Mi holds out the hand obediently. Kyuhyun inspects it, blowing on it gently, and Zhou Mi shivers.
“It looks fine; just pour some cold water on it for a few minutes every hour.” Kyuhyun releases the hand, ignoring the flush in Zhou Mi’s cheeks, and turns back to the map.
Zhou Mi nods and takes a step back, fidgeting slightly. A few minutes pass before Kyuhyun looks up again to see Zhou Mi in the same position, staring out the window at the expanse of sea and sky.
“You okay?”
Zhou Mi snaps around at Kyuhyun’s voice and smiles guiltily, and Kyuhyun can’t help but respond in the same manner.
“Yeah, just - is there anything else I could help with?”
Kyuhyun freezes.
“Um, you could try find Sungmin and see if he needs your help.”
Zhou Mi nods and takes a hesitant step backwards before he turns and walks out. Kyuhyun stares at his retreating back, unable to rid his mind of the image of Zhou Mi’s smile before he shakes his head and returns to work.
Sungmin gushes over Zhou Mi at dinner as they dine in the kitchen because Kyuhyun always forgets to eat and Sungmin believes it’s his job as his first mate to dine with and feed him.
“He’s adorable and he can’t even stand straight in the hallways or on deck but that’s fine because he has the most gorgeous smile and-“
Kyuhyun thinks he might throw up himself.
“Does he even help?”
Sungmin hesitates.
“Well, no, but he does try, that’s got to count.”
“Sungmin,” Kyuhyun says quietly, threateningly, and Sungmin toys with his dinner.
“But!”
“If he’s not earning his keep, we might as well just send him back home.”
“He can learn, he could always learn!”
Kyuhyun drums his fingers on the tabletop as Yesung and Ryeowook chat quietly behind them before they leave when Sungmin gives them a pointed glance.
“Right now, he’s just a waste of supplies.”
Sungmin has the same look Kyuhyun had seen when he asked if they could make their flag pink and blue, and Kyuhyun shudders when he considers how close he was to agreeing.
“Just give him some time.”
Kyuhyun stares at the tabletop, running his fingers along the grooves before he sits back with a sigh.
“I’ll give him another week, then we’ll see.”
Sungmin gives him a bright smile in return, but Kyuhyun has his mind set. He feels guilty as Sungmin gives him a grateful hug, but it needs to be done.
The week passes without incident, though Kyuhyun starts feeling uncomfortable when he notices Zhou Mi and he can’t help staring at Zhou Mi’s smile.
Zhou Mi also starts avoiding Kyuhyun and wears his guilty-smile when he sees Kyuhyun looking at him. Kyuhyun just scowls and looks away, and Sungmin offers a hug whenever he sees Zhou Mi’s smile dim.
Kyuhyun calls Zhou Mi into his office after the week’s over, and Sungmin tags along, looking withdrawn and able to predict the outcome.
“Zhou Mi, I’m sorry,” he says, feeling like a headmaster with a misbehaving student. “But you have to know by now-“
“I’m sorry, I know,” Zhou Mi says as his fingers twist and Sungmin puts his arm around Zhou Mi’s shoulders. “I guess I’m just not suited to sea life.”
Kyuhyun thinks his heart hurts when he agrees and tells them that they’ll sail back to town, but he dismisses it and puts it out of mind.
The trip back’s peaceful if not a bit subdued and quiet without Sungmin’s cheerfulness and Kyuhyun’s soft, biting remarks. Kangin calls to when they arrive, and Kyuhyun checks in paranoia, but Sungmin just smiles as he stows the flag away.
“Come on,” he says, and Zhou Mi follows him after farewells and hugs.
They arrive at the manor without incident, and the porter stares at Zhou Mi as he walks up the path dressed in sea-worn clothes.
“Young master?” he says softly, in awe, and Zhou Mi offers a small smile.
“Hello Jeremy,” he says, and Jeremy gasps and falls onto Zhou Mi, hugging him in desperation. Zhou Mi laughs, pats Jeremy awkwardly on the head as Kyuhyun looks on, amused, and then struggles to open the door.
“Oh young master, what a flurry the household’s been in since you le- were taken away!” Jeremy says as he opens the doors and one of the butlers look up.
“Young master…” he utters softly, and Zhou Mi smiles again. “Oh Lord, I must tell Master of this.”
The butler rings the phone and gestures to a nearby maid who stares at Zhou Mi and Kyuhyun standing in the doorway.
“Mary, can you lead them to the sunroom? I’m sure Master will want to meet them there.”
The maid catches herself and nods, before sweeping a hand out grandly to a doorway and ducking inside. Zhou Mi has a soft, reminiscing smile on as he walks while Kyuhyun can’t stop looking everywhere, at the tapestries, vases, candle and artefacts…
Mary opens a set of double doors and bows as Zhou Mi and Kyuhyun near. Zhou Mi smiles before slipping inside, and Kyuhyun follows wordlessly.
The sun streams in through the glass wall, and Kyuhyun just stares out at the green garden with the sunlight lighting it and the various gardeners. He places a hand on the glass hesitantly, and Zhou Mi watches from the couch.
“We need to talk,” Kyuhyun says to the glass, and Zhou Mi watches as he slowly turns, blushing lightly.
“Talk?”
Kyuhyun tilts his head, and though he looks almost fearful, Zhou Mi can read the determined jut of his chin and the stance of his legs, shoulder-width apart. A man used to being heard and obeyed, and Zhou Mi can see how Kyuhyun can commander such a ship at a young age.
“Yeah, about. Things,” Kyuhyun says, and he grimaces when he hears the words come out of his mouth.
“What things?”
“About what happened on the ship, and-“ Kyuhyun pauses and strides to the seat, sitting a feet or two from Zhou Mi. “-things.”
“Things,” Zhou Mi repeats, a smile tugging and Kyuhyun groans.
“Stop making this harder than it already is.”
“What’s so hard?” Zhou Mi asks, and he enjoys this. He’s in power now, in his own home, and his environment, and it’s entertaining to see Kyuhyun so frustrated and out of his depth.
“This,” Kyuhyun mutters and reaches for Zhou Mi’s face, taking it between two hands and pulling it forward until they meet in a kiss. Zhou Mi protests, slightly, before he closes his eyes and relaxes into it, sighing.
Kyuhyun pulls back, a smirk back on his lips, and they both glance as the door opens.
“Well,” a deep voice says, and Kyuhyun quickly looks to his hands to drop them.
“Zhou Mi,” the voice says, and Zhou Mi stands, smiling brightly as the tall man with greying hair nears, smiling. “Welcome home, boy.”
The man enfolds Zhou Mi into a hug, and Zhou Mi smiles into the man’s shoulder - Kyuhyun guesses it to be his father - and he steps back to take a look at Zhou Mi.
“How’re you?” he asks softly, and Zhou Mi shrugs.
“It was okay, when I sneaked out of Heechul’s ship and got onto Kyuhyun’s.” Zhou Mi points to Kyuhyun, and he sits up.
“Kyuhyun?” the man - Zhou Mi’s father - asks, and Kyuhyun nods automatically. “Stand,” he says, and Kyuhyun finds himself standing. He looks down at himself, scowl deepening, and the man laughs.
“You saved Zhou Mi?”
Zhou Mi shakes his head just slightly, mouthing words that Kyuhyun can’t lip read for the life of him. He shrugs instead.
“Sort of?”
The man laughs, a great booming laugh, and Kyuhyun can see where Zhou Mi got his cheerfulness from as he finds himself smiling.
“Sort of? I have to thank you for returning my son - I know he has a habit of disappearing, but no one thought anything of it until the ransom demand arrived.”
Zhou Mi’s father beckons Kyuhyun forward, and he walks automatically to him, trying to keep a scowl from his face. Zhou Mi’s father inspects him - Kyuhyun feels like a horse - and steps back, studying him.
“Well I have to thank you. I was going to offer you wealth-“
“That’s fine,” Kyuhyun cuts off the man, and Zhou Mi’s father raises an eyebrow.
“Wealth? Oh you can have as much of that as you wish,” he says, and Kyuhyun tries to ignore the looks Zhou Mi sends him.
They’re filled with sadness and disappointment, and Kyuhyun doesn’t think he can live with it if that’s the last thing he remembers of Zhou Mi.
“But I was going to offer you my son’s hand in marriage instead, if you wish,” he says, and Kyuhyun’s thoughts pause.
‘You don’t want to marry me, I see how it is,’ he’s suddenly able to read from Zhou Mi’s lips, and he pauses before Zhou Mi rounds on his father.
“Wait - my hand in marriage?”
His father shrugs.
“Don’t you want an heir? Or at least more after me? Wait, you - you knew I’m gay?”
His father shrugs again, and Zhou Mi groans, frustrated.
“Son, I’ve always suspected - it’s not difficult - but I still would’ve liked to hear it from you.”
Zhou Mi stands awkwardly in front of him. “Well, Father, I have something to tell you.”
Kyuhyun can tell from the smile on Zhou Mi’s father’s lips that he’s enjoying this.
“Yes son?” he prompts.
“And I wanted you to hear it first from me,” Zhou Mi says, and Kyuhyun thinks that Zhou Mi’s father has the biggest shit eating grin on ever. The man nods, and Zhou Mi blushes, lightly. “I’m - well I’m gay.”
“Well, it’s good to know.” He turns away from Zhou Mi to face Kyuhyun, who blinks at the change. “Regarding heirs, I’m sure neither of you will disappoint in trying to produce some, but I wouldn’t worry. Zhou Mi, there’s always your cousin, Cui Ying, in China who’s already pregnant, and your Aunt Yi Hua already knows how to handle business, so I have no problem handing this over to them.”
Zhou Mi nods, thoughtfully, and Zhou Mi’s father turns to Kyuhyun.
“So? Would you like to?”
Kyuhyun looks around him - since the man is taller than Zhou Mi and impossible to see over - to see Zhou Mi’s pleading face, and he swallows.
“I, um, guess.”
The man smiles, grasps Kyuhyun’s hands in his own, and pumps them.
“Well then, welcome to the family.
OMAKE: it didn’t fit anywhere else?
Sungmin sits on the desk in his cabin, swinging his legs and sucking on some sugar.
“Wait, so what now?”
“I’m marrying Zhou Mi on Saturday, and after that, I’m head of the fleet of cargo ships to and from China.”
Kyuhyun scribbles something on to a list frantically, and Sungmin laughs.
“Poor thing, look what the idea of marriage is doing to you already.”
Kyuhyun sends him a glare, but Sungmin laughs again.
“Don’t worry, I think it’s cute, in a tall, gangly sort of way like Zhou Mi.” He pauses in his quest to finish the sugar and wrinkles his nose. “Wait, so we’re legal now?”
“Yes. Hah, as if you’re ever legal though,” Kyuhyun says as he checks the recently acquired maps.
Sungmin considers the statement.
“I think that’s a compliment, as in a you’re-too-hot-to-be-legal sort of hot, so thank you Kyuhyun. I’ll get out of your way so your husband-to-be can distract you.”
Kyuhyun looks up as Sungmin waves goodbye and Zhou Mi peers around the doorway.
“I’m, um, sorry about that.”
Kyuhyun sighs and puts away his pen. “Sorry about what?”
“About my father, doing all that.”
Kyuhyun grins.
“It’s okay, he was nice and I can see where you got your…” Kyuhyun pauses and sort of gestures to Zhou Mi’s whole body. “From.”
“My?” Zhou Mi asks, puzzled as he nears and Kyuhyun swallows because Zhou Mi’s eyes are dark but confused and he has a small smirk he must’ve learnt from somewhere - maybe Sungmin, or Heechul for the time he had been there. Yeah, Heechul.
“Your-“
Zhou Mi kisses him, their second one and this one is hot and slick and wet, and Kyuhyun’s the one moaning into Zhou Mi’s mouth, fisting Zhou Mi’s shirt, regardless if it’s silk or not, and Zhou Mi draws back, smirking.
“I’ll see you later Kyuhyun,” Zhou Mi says, cheery as he bounces out, and Sungmin grins from the doorway.
“That was hot.”
Kyuhyun throws a ball of paper at him.