From The Flames Is Rebirth (The Forever Pirates) #4

002

Hongjoong 

The storm didn't stop or let up, and I only remembered another storm similar to this, but nothing in magnitude, and it was the day MM changed into a witch. 

They were making another one, Aviana was making another one. The power that was involved was enough to flood the entire world. I knew, deep in my heart, what was happening, I could feel it. And I knew who it was happening to. 

The chaos on the ship didn't die down. In fact, it only increased daily. Because yes, the ship could not be destroyed, but everyone on it possibly could. There was no safe space in the world where this storm wouldn't reach, I was sure of it. But keeping the weight of our survival on Yeosang's shoulders was beyond unfair. It was torture. 

The pirates became unsettled, impossible to keep calm. I couldn't calm myself over the one missing person that ruined every waking thought. The stress caused Mingi to isolate himself extensively because his hallucinations only worsened. And San...well...

"It's him." He glared at me. "I'm not fucking crazy!" 

"Okay." I nodded, "Okay. I believe ye, but right now...t'ere's not'in we can do 'bout it. We need t' survive t'is before we worry about t'at." 

He looked like I just told him to abandon his soulmate, and I suppose I had. 

"I need ye wit' me. I promise ye I will come back here, and I promise we will figure it out, but right now...we need t' survive. I'm not askin' any more from ye t'at I ain't willin' t' do." I said.

He let go of a pained filled sigh but agreed, because he knew I was telling the truth. I had to ignore the pounding of my heart, and deal with the fact that Seonghwa was missing along with MM and well, it wasn't such a coincidence with what was happening in the world. I had to ignore what was happening to him right now, so I could save our crew. I could survive this, but I wasn't sure they could. 

"Jongho!" I called, turning away from San. 

"Where to?" He asked as he climbed the steps to the ship wheel. 

"T'e siren caves." I replied. 

Instead of being met with question, he nodded and turned the wheel. 

***

It wasn't until months during our journey that Mingi actually asked why we were going to the siren caves. I glanced at him while he was cleaning his guns, he did that...constantly. Every single time he needed to fidget or soothe himself, he went to his guns. When I first found him, he had nothing. He'd rip his skin apart to get rid of his anxiety from what I now knew were his hallucinations. I'd find him bleeding with scratches along his arms and hands, he'd chew off the skin around his nails, his nails were practically bare, and he had wild eyes. 

I gave him the guns he cleaned now, I told him to go to them whenever he was anxious. To take care of them and they would never let him down. It was one of his only sources of comfort when he didn't want to burden Yunho with his anxiety. 

It dawned on me how I had taken away those guns from him for eight years. 

I cleared my throat, "T'e siren caves be protected from Aviana's magic. A cave might be t'e only safe place t' take shelter durin' t'is storm. And well, a cave wit' a dragon in it, ain't a safe place." 

"Sirens are better?" He mused, his eyes meeting my gaze. 

"Sirens can be killed. And I suppose I can bring t'em food." His face crinkled when I said that. "W'at?" 

"Seonghwa kept a bunch of officers in t'e brig t' feed t' sirens wit'." He replied. 

"Right...and I'm t'e crazy one?" I muttered but shrugged it off. "No, I'll bring fish and t'ey'll just have t' get over it if t'ey want t' eat. I don't just have people t' get eaten on standby like he did." 

His face fell a little, "W'at happened t' Seonghwa?"

I gritted my teeth. "I don't know, Mingi. He'll be fine t'ough...it be Seonghwa. He survives anyt'in."

He nodded worriedly and went right back to his guns, busying himself from his stress. I sat next to him on the floor, watching as he tried to ignore what I was doing, but I noticed the small stalls in his movements.

"Ye know why I let ye and yer husband be on me crew?" I asked casually.

He mumbled something under his breath, and despite hearing it, I couldn't peace together the jumbled noises that he intended as a sentence.

"Because I saw potential in ye. A scared little kid, but I saw w'at Yunho saw. And he was so fearless and so determined t' take ye wit' him, no matter t'e consequences. And no matter how much ye shook behind him...I saw how special ye were, Mingi. Ye didn't need t' try, ye just were. Ye aren't t'at scared little kid anymore, even if it feels like it sometimes. Ye've become one of my greatest friends. Even after everyt'in I fucked up on. I was hurt when I found out about yer struggles, hurt t'at ye wouldn't confide in me about t'em. But I did t'e same t' ye all. I'm sorry."

"Outside of Yunho, ye've been my family t'e longest. I know w'at ye did, but ye've also done so much more. I would not have a home, or a family, or a purpose...or a husband...wit'out ye. Yunho be my everyt'in, but ye helped me never lose him. Even t'at night, ye might've been out of yer mind, but ye knew enough t' keep us toget'er. Ye didn't want any of us t' be alone."

"Do ye have enough medicine for a while?" I asked.

"Aye. And if not, I'll just do w'at I always do." He turned his attention back to his guns, giving me enough of an answer.

"Ye've done amazin' keepin' up wit' yer guns. Nobody does t'at better t'an ye. I'm proud of ye." His movements had stopped as he stared at the intricate work of his pistols.

He let go of a sigh, like he was ridding some weight from his shoulders. I smiled at him and stayed with him to keep him company.