ALEA IACTA EST | MINSUNG ✔️

FINAL

tw: contains descriptions/mentions of death / being hanged, blood, violence

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After the radiant sun had risen and fallen three times, Minho prepared himself for Seungmin's entrance. The bearded guard came noisily, as usual, but his heavy footsteps against the stone path sounded like the tolling of funeral bells today. Minho supposed they were one and the same.

Seungmin didn't let anything slip when he opened the door. Despite knowing what came next, the blatant holding back of the truth made it all more painful.

Captain Minho had accepted his death.

He'd had time to prepare. Even out on the seas was a risky business, and he always knew there was a chance of him not waking up to see the sunrise ever again. But the second he got into jail, he knew that it was over. So every day, he tried to accept his fate a bit more, because walking to the rope would be easier with resignation. Fighting would only make this ordeal more painful.

Except, when he ended up in jail, it never crossed his mind that he'd find someone. Certainly not someone who was too pretty for the dank halls, and especially not a prison guard. And yet, here he was. His mind and soul dedicated to the wellbeing of this person, because if he couldn't be happy, then at least Jisung could.

At least he'd gotten what he desired when he entered this cursed place. A night of pleasure with a pretty person.

When Seungmin led him into the room of his death, it was empty. Minho avoided looking at the rope and bucket that he knew would be there, instead gazing at the rows of chairs set out for people to watch his misery. He wondered if well-behaving prisoners were allowed to come, to laugh at his expense and giggle when his neck snapped, knowing they could never best him when he was alive. He'd take them any day over seeing Jisung in one of those chairs.

Seungmin attached his handcuffs to a pole. Minho felt like a dog, tied up outside because of his misbehaviors. It was dehumanizing, especially when Seungmin brought out a book to read and discarded the human next to him.

"I didn't peg you as a book person," Minho spoke, desperately trying to take his mind off the frayed rope hanging just a dozen feet away. He wanted conversation, wanted that rush he got whenever him and Jisung bickered.

"I'm not," Seungmin answered, his words gruff and muffled by his tangled beard. "My wife said I had to read this before I could interact with her."

"What did you do to offend her to deserve such a horrible punishment?"

"Why do you want to know?" Seungmin's gaze had left the yellowed pages of his book, and honed in on Minho sharply.

"I'm bored," the captain shrugged shrugged. "I just want to talk to someone to pass the time before I'm executed."

Seungmin studied him, his thick brows contorting as he tried to interpret Minho's obscure notions. "Alright, then. I guess it can't hurt."

Minho shrugged again. Vagueness was his specialty.

"My wife called me illiterate, said I needed to get smarter or I'd just be another child to take care of in the house. She said even if we meet up I'm not allowed to touch her at all until I can give a summary of the first chapter."

Minho wished that he'd talked to Seungmin sooner. It would be nice to have someone to talk to when Jisung wasn't around, even if no one could match the feisty guard's wit.

"How long til it happens?" Minho asked quietly, the lighthearted conversation from before forgotten.

"Give it an hour or two. It depends."