Eight makes one crew

Faith will not serve miracles

Hongjoong sat down on the bed, putting his head in his hands. He could not really fault the younger boys for sending Mingi off to find Yunho, he had wanted to do the same the second they got out of the storm but it was too much of a risk. They could not afford to be without two of their shipmates, it was too dangerous. And not to mention that there was no telling when Mingi would be back, or if. 

"You did not have to storm off like that, naui seonjang" Seongwha slipped into the room, letting the door close behind him. 

"I would have done something I regretted if I did not leave" Hongjoong argued. Seongwha sat down beside him, resting his arm on Hongjoong's shoulder and back and then his head on his arm, looking at Hongjoong from the side. 

"They meant well" Seongwha responded, twisting a piece of Hongjoong's hair around his finger and watching it. 

"I know" Hongjoong sighed. He knew very well that there was nothing but good intentions behind this scheme. That was not the problem. 

"Mingi would have left sooner or later, with or without their help. They just sped it up a little bit" Seongwha kept talking, aware that it was distracting Hongjoong from his frustration. 

"Sometimes I hate that you are so thoughtful and wise" Hongjoong muttered, his amusement and frustration mixing together. Seongwha just smiled at him, tracing the line of his captain's jaw. 

"So, what do we do? Our quartermaster and our helmsman are both gone. We're down two men, what do we do next, jagi" Seongwha questioned, waiting for Hongjoong's command.

"There is nothing we can do. They will come back on their own time. For now, we reassign the jobs and we wait" Hongjoong decided, more confident in himself than he had been since the dreadful storm.

"And if they do not?" Seongwha added, leaning back away from Hongjoong as the Captain stood up.

"I have faith in them" Hongjoong did not want to even consider that possibility. Yunho had been like a little brother to him, almost a son, and Mingi was not that different despite Hongjoong not knowing him as long. 

"Faith does not serve miracles" Seongwha reminded him. Hongjoong turned back after several long seconds and knelt down in front of Seongwha. 

"They will survive. I know it" Hongjoong was so sure of it that Seongwha didn't have the heart to argue. Perhaps Hongjoong was going mad with the idea of losing his brothers and that was what drove him to such full belief in Yunho's strength to survive and Mingi's ability to find him. Seongwha cupped the back of Hongjoong's head, pulling the Captain to him so Hongjoong's head rested in his lap. 

"Of course they will" Seongwha choked the words out, not believing them but knowing it was better for Hongjoong if he agreed. Seongwha knew he might regret those words later when reality took hold of all of them. Hongjoong relaxed in his hold, the first time that he had relaxed in days. Seongwha allowed them both to sit there for a long time, listening to the whispers from the other four outside the room. After what had to be close to two hours, Hongjoong was asleep and Seongwha laid him on the bed, covering him up before leaving. He ran into Wooyoung, Jongho, San and Yeosang on the deck.

"Is he...?" Wooyoung ran to him. 

"He's asleep" Seongwha hugged Wooyoung quickly, knowing how much the younger would be blaming himself. 

"Do you really think that they won't come back?" Yeosang had to ask. He knew that he shouldn't but curiosity was consuming him. Seongwha took his hand, squeezing it. 

"Let's hope for a miracle" Was all that he could say. It was enough though. Dread filled the stomachs of the younger four there and painful acceptance was now etched upon their faces.

A miracle was all they could hope for but it might not be enough.