Eight makes one crew

Wedding day

"Would you stop moving!?" Yeosang huffed, pulling on Seongwha's hair again to keep it together. 

"The more I move, the longer it takes to get ready and the longer our guys will have to show up!" Seongwha argued. Yeosang said nothing, pulling on his cousin's hair even harder than before and clipping it up. Seongwha understood what his silence meant.

"You don't think their going to show up, do you?" Seongwha guessed. He was beginning to doubt it also.  The Ateez crew had three days to get there and it had only taken Miroh a little less than four. Maybe if Seongwha tried to stall and convince his mom that the wedding should be postponed for another day, that would give Hongjoong, Yunho, Wooyoung and Jongho one more day.

"They have no reason to. Showing up would only put them in danger" Yeosang answered, braiding a little bit of Seongwha's hair back. 

"But they do have a reason. We're the reason" Seongwha turned around, looking up at his younger cousin.

"Stop kidding yourself, Hwa. It was fun while it lasted but we're home now. Get used to it" Yeosang turned to the side, then placed Seongwha's crown on his head. It was smaller than the one that he would be getting once the wedding was over and he was crowned King. Seongwha wanted to assure Yeosang that their crew was going to come for them but he wasn't sure anymore so he stayed quiet and let Yeosang doubt Jongho's love for him. Yeosang walked Seongwha down to the throne room, where the whole ceremony was taking place. They were both dressed in suits, Seongwha's was white and Yeosang's was black just like San's and Mingi's were. 

"Are you sure you don't want to turn and run out right now?" San whispered to Seongwha, leaning down.

"It's okay, Sannie. Yeosang is right, this is life now" Seongwha promised, going inside and waiting. A while later, the door opened and he turned to see his future Queen. He didn't even know her name but as his mother had pointed out, there was no need for that. Seongwha would find out the name of his soon to be wife before long. 

"She is pretty, I'll give auntie that much" Mingi whispered from behind Seongwha. He was right but Seongwha was feeling disgusted despite that. Before they got very far, the door opened again.

"Get them out of here!" The Queen stood up, pointing to the four newcomers. 

"JONGHO!" Yeosang forgot all about the wedding or Seongwha's moment and ran to Jongho, tackling him into a hug. Jongho caught him, holding Yeosang up with one arm and spinning him around. Seongwha caught Hongjoong's eye, relief flooding inside him but he turned back to his bride.

"I am very sorry, milady. It looks like the wedding is cancelled. I will have a carriage arranged for you to return home" Seongwha offered her.

"No need. My parents said if I can't get married, then I wasn't to return home at all" She shook her head. Seongwha thought for a moment but he might have the perfect solution. He asked her only two questions: 'will you take care of this kingdom?' and 'will you promise to uphold the customs, and secure the future heir so that the line does not end with me or you?' The princess said yes to both and that was all that Seongwha needed to take her arm in his and walk her up to his mother.

"I have found your heir. She will take over in my place and you will teach her how to be the perfect Queen. I trust that you will ensure she finds a King and that they are all well taken care of because I would hate to have to come back here" Seongwha warned, a silent threat in his words. If he had to come back and found the kingdom in worse shape than when he left, someone was going to pay for it. The current Queen hesitated for a moment before giving in. Seongwha turned and ran to Hongjoong, doing the same as Yeosang had. 

"It took you long enough to come" Seongwha bent his head down to talk directly to Hongjoong. The shorter man kept him there, whispering something back that no one else could hear. Seongwha turned red.

"We can't. Not yet" Seongwha shook his head. Hongjoong shrugged.

"It just seems like a shame to waste the perfect opportunity" Hongjoong pointed out. Seongwha grinned, happier than ever. 

"You'll have to ask properly first, Kim Hongjoong" Seongwha teased, way too happy to see his captain. Hongjoong wrapped both arms around his waist, swinging Seongwha around and making him laugh. Wooyoung was already by San's side, refusing to let go of him and Yunho had wrapped Mingi into a hug, as if he could not believe that he had found Mingi if he were to let go. Seongwha looked around at all of them. His friends, his crew. His family. 

"I promise you, Park Seongwha. I will never let you go again and I will keep you by my side forever. One day, I will make you mine. And I will do it properly" Hongjoong pulled Seongwha back to him.

"And I promise that one day, when it is done properly, there will be nothing holding us apart. One day, I will be yours" Seongwha responded, holding tightly to Hongjoong's hand as they faced each other.

"Those sound an awful lot like wedding vows" Wooyoung pointed out. Yeosang and Yunho looked at their cousin and Captain, already knowing what was happening.

"The Miroh guys are still in the dungeons, we should get them" Seongwha remembered. Hongjoong didn't look thrilled at the idea but he nodded, motioning towards the younger six to go get their rivals. They rushed off, leaving Captain and Prince alone. 

By the time they returned, it was clear that something had changed but no one could figure out what. Until Yunho saw the necklace around Seongwha's neck and he smiled to himself. It was bound to happen sooner or later.