Eight makes one crew

Good enough

Seongwha was surprised to find Wooyoung, Yunho, and Jongho all sitting on his bed when he walked into the Captain's quarters.

"Hello" Seongwha knew they were looking for something and they were going to tell him eventually.

"You know we love you right?" Wooyoung started. Seongwha took a seat, having a feeling he would need to for the conversation ahead.

"Um, yeah. Thank you" Seongwha nodded.

"And we love having you here and we would never do anything to mess up the way things have gone" Wooyoung added. Seongwha just nodded again, confused as to where this was going.

"Did you three do something and you want me to talk to Hongjoong about letting it go?" Seongwha guessed.

"No!" Wooyoung answered far too quickly.

"Just get to the point!" Jongho snapped. Yunho smacked him over the head.

"We're all very protective of Hongjoong. He saved us when we couldn't save ourselves and he's been like a brother to us, almost a dad too. So we're just a little hesitant about you and him" Yunho explained. Seongwha understood now.

"Is this about what happened at the palace?" Seongwha was sure that he was right.

"Yeah" Yunho nodded. Seongwha moved to the bed, sitting in between Jongho and Yunho.

"Come here, Wooyoung" Seongwha was somewhat surprised when Wooyoung plopped down on his lap. He shouldn't have been surprised but he was.

"Are you two getting married?" Jongho wondered.

"We did talk about it. The palace was the first time it was mentioned but we talked about it a few days later also" Seongwha nodded. It has been almost two weeks since the original four had gotten Seongwha, Yeosang, San and Mingi back.

"And? What did you talk about?" Wooyoung was curious, looking back at Seongwha.

"Someday, we would like to get married but we've only known each other for less than a year and it's a big commitment to make. We decided to wait" Seongwha assured the younger three.

"But someday, you will....?" Yunho guessed, still not sure how much he liked that idea.

"Yes, most likely we will. But not anytime soon so you have nothing to worry about" Seongwha repeated, setting Wooyoung down on the floor. He felt somewhat like he was talking to children worried about their dad remarrying. Although, to a point, that was exactly what was happening. Hongjoong had been raising these three boys for the past seven or eight years. He was the only family they had left. 

Meanwhile, on the main deck, a very similar conversation was also taking place.

"Will you ever hurt him?" San demanded to know.

"No! I would never dream of it" Hongjoong looked between the three princes, caught off guard by their determination. They were scaring him a little though he was trying not to show it.

"Have you ever been in a relationship before?" Mingi wondered.

"Seriously? I ran away from my home at eleven years old and I've been a little too busy being captain and brother to worry about relationships" Hongjoong pointed out.

"So, you're saying you're too busy for Seongwha?" Yeosang accused, moving closer to Hongjoong.

"What? No! Look guys, I love Seongwha so what is this about? Stop playing around and just tell me what's wrong" Hongjoong ordered.

"Do you want to marry him?" Yeosang wondered. Hongjoong let his frustrations slip away.

"Someday" He answered. The three boys went to argue but he stopped them. "Someday in the very far future, when you guys don't need us anymore and we are both completely ready. I think I speak for both him and I when I say that our priority is you six. If you don't believe me, you can ask him but I don't appreciate being interrogated as if I'm some criminal just for loving someone" Hongjoong scolded.

"Sorry, Captain. We just had to make sure" San straightened up, satisfied with Hongjoong's answers.

"And?" The older waited. Yeosang, San and Mingi looked at each other, having a silent conversation with their eyes before all three nodded and turned back to Hongjoong.

"You have our blessing. But if you hurt him, we kill you" San threatened. Hongjoong didn't doubt that was true. He could see it in their faces that they were being serious.

Later that night, Seongwha climbed into bed with Hongjoong, laying his head on the captain's shoulder.

"Did they talk to you?" Seongwha wondered.

"They did a little more than talk. They threatened me if I hurt you" Hongjoong chuckled.

"Oh, I am so sorry" Seongwha groaned. That was the last thing he needed; his brother and cousins chasing off Hongjoong.

"It's okay. They're protective, I get it. You guys are family, just like me, Yunho, Wooyoung and Jongho are family" Hongjoong responded, patting Seongwha's arm.

"Are you sure about this?" Seongwha worried that maybe Hongjoong was just messing with him, like so many other people had before.

"I'm sure. Someday, no one could keep us apart. But not now" Hongjoong answered. Seongwha was content knowing that and so he relaxed and went to sleep. Yes, someday they would be together and they would be happy, knowing their adopted family was happy and that everything was okay. Even if things weren't okay, they would get through it together.