captains | jikook

Chapter IV

⧞pirate's life⧞

Tortuga was loud as always, there wasn't a single empty inn, all of them were filled with pirates, whores and other sinful humans who were tired of the laws and decency. As far as Jimin was concerned he could live without Tortuga, it was a mere gathering of animals and idiots, it was a good place if you wanted to be robbed, killed, if you wanted to have a good time and maybe pick up some disease along the way.

He followed Jungkook, as much as he hated to look like his dog he had no choice, he knew many pirates saw him as weak but he wanted to avoid conflicts, he seriously wasn't in the mood. If two people fought - the entire inn fought, no one could be left out.

Sitting in the far corner of the inn was a man, a big glass of rum in front of him as he read a book. Jungkook sat in front of him but Jimin refused to sit and instead stood next to him. The man didn't bother to look up from his book and instead without a word pulled something out from his breast pocket. Jimin couldn't understand why Jungkook was given a bottle of liquid but Jungkook said he'd tell him more in Tortuga so he'd ask later. Jungkook smirked, he was glad he got what he needed before going to an island full of poisonous monsters. Taehyung sighed, nodding his head to Jimin. "Taehyung." "Jimin." "Cute. Where did you find him?" "We leave at dawn. Don't be late." Jungkook ignored his question and stood up. Jimin smiled at Taehyung who didn't seem bothered by Jungkook's order and ignorance. Maybe he got used to it. "I might be a bit late!" Jimin heard him yell.

"So, what's in the bottle?" Jungkook heard Jimin ask as he sat beside him. They were alone on the ship, the crews used their chance to get lucky and wasted. Typical pirates. "In contrary to your belief I know monsters exist. And they can kill with their look." Jimin rolled his eyes, questioning his decision about joining Jungkook. Jungkook laughed because he knew for sure Jimin was afraid. "For how long have you known Taehyung?" Jungkook didn't expect a question about Taehyung, he thought he'd have more questions about the hunt. But he answered nevertheless. "I didn't really meet him in Busan, as you think. I met him five years ago when we took over a Chinese ship with food supplies and clothes. He was a slave of the highest officer there. Seeing how they treated him my crew gave him a special treatment, they really liked him and Taehyung enjoyed their company. I guess it's nice when people treat you the way you deserve."

"He's really good looking." Jungkook felt his insides twist at Jimin's comment. His skin was burning, his knuckles turning white as he clenched his fists but he nodded to Jimin. "Everyone is good looking to me." Jimin chuckled bitterly. Jungkook turned to him, not taking a long while to understand what Jimin was saying. "What?" Jimin asked, glancing at Jungkook's surprised face. Jimin turned his back to Jungkook after the lad shamelessly stared at him. "Stop staring." "Stop lying to yourself." "About what?" "About not being good looking." "I'm not lying." "Yes you are." "Yah, don't correct me!" "I have to." "Why?" "Because you're beautiful."

Jimin's cheeks reddened, his head fell as he avoided Jungkook's eyes even more. Jungkook realized it just slipped and decided to change the subject. He cleared his throat, looking away from Jimin. "You shouldn't be worried about monsters, Jimin. I'll take care of that. You keep your eyes on the crew." "Why?" Jimin turned to look at him. "Because not everybody wants to share. I've noticed even my own members have been watching us closely, I'm sure they've been eavesdropping. We have to be careful." Jimin nodded. "Okay." The shorter boy stood up, a sigh escaping his lips as he watched the night sky above him. "It's a beautiful night." "It is." "I'll be going to sleep now. Haven't slept well in the last few days." "Sure. Go ahead." Jimin nodded and walked away but he stopped. "Where will you sleep?" "In my bed." Jungkook smirked because he knew there was nowhere else for him to sleep. Jimin's eyes widened. "Where do I sleep then?" "In my bed." Jimin's mouth opened in shock, he didn't expect of the boy to say something like that. "No, I'll sleep with the crew-" "-You can fall asleep where you want." Jungkook stood up and walked over to him, making him look up with his wide innocent eyes. Jungkook wanted to hide him away in his room.

"But I'm the one you'll wake up next to." Jimin's heart skipped a beat, his breath couldn't come out from his throat, he felt like everything around him stopped. And he could only stare into Jungkook's dark eyes that were flying all over his face. He couldn't say anything so he turned around and left Jungkook standing on the deck. Jungkook's smile couldn't fall from his face, Jimin's cuteness did that to him. He quickly shook his head, hoping no one saw him, it wouldn't end well for him if he were to show weaknesses.

On contrary to Jungkook's 'threat' Jimin woke up alone. He thought he was alone but he saw Taehyung sitting behind Jungkook's table with the same book in his hands. "Hi." Taehyung didn't even glance up, raising his hand to slightly wave or to at least acknowledge him. Jimin cleared his throat, standing up and looking around once again. "Where's Jungkook?" "Outside." Jimin walked over to a bowl with water and washed his face, taking a towel to wipe his face. In the corner of his eyes he watched the boy who couldn't peel his eyes away from the book. "You're an educated man, Taehyung?" Jimin thought the boy didn't hear him but Taehyung answered. "Do I look like an educated man, captain Jimin?"

Jimin shrugged, walking over to him and leaning against the table and trying to see what was so special about the book. "You haven't looked anywhere but at the book." Jimin couldn't really ask him about his family, or his life before meeting Jungkook since being a slave never left anything good in people's life. "What is your opinion on slaves, captain Jimin?" Jimin's eyes widened. Taehyung didn't seem bothered by his own question but Jimin was worried about his own answer. "People without freedom." "And what is freedom?" "Rights, your own will and choices." "Do you believe we're born with our freedom?" Why was he asking him those questions? Really, Jimin wasn't that skilled with words. He was a pirate, not a philosopher or someone who read lots of books to be able to say something poetic and smart. "Yes. There are people who don't know how to use their freedom so they take it away from others. We all have our rights to believe in what we want, to want something and we all have that right to achieve something, to be better than someone who has no idea how well he is until it's taken away from him. Freedom is expensive. But when we pay the price we don't enjoy it."

Jimin seemed surprised by his own words. "Then why do we pay for it?" Taehyung's eyes stopped moving, he didn't seem to be focusing on the book anymore. "Because the thought of someone else playing with your life and rights tears us apart alone." "We sacrifice just so we don't depend on someone?" Jimin thought for a moment before nodding. "Yeah. I guess... I guess when you look at it better it's what makes us humans. Being lost in something we want." Taehyung smiled, nodding. "Indeed." Jimin expected of Taehyung to look up at him but he focused on the book again.

Realizing the man said what he had, Jimin walked out of the captain's cabin, his eyes looking for Jungkook. "Where are we going?" Jimin asked Ilhoon, his crew member. He rolled his eyes, shaking Jimin's hand off his shoulder. "Why don't you ask that lover boy up there? He's the only one on the ship who knows." Jimin was confused at the sudden attitude of his fellow member but maybe they were all nervous because of the lack of information. "Ilhoon-" The boy walked away without any attempt to listen to Jimin's explanation. Jimin frowned as he walked up the stairs to the quarterdeck, looking for Jungkook. "Hey!" He yelled when he saw him steering the helm. Jungkook didn't even glance at him, Jimin thought he didn't even notice him. "You're referring to the captain?" Jungkook smirked, looking ahead. Jimin stepped in front of him but Jungkook was a lot taller. "Haven't you noticed the crew is restless?" Jimin was whispering but he wasn't that quiet. Jungkook sighed, his smirk returning. "All of them can leave, if they wish so." Jungkook's voice was loud and everyone heard him. Jimin watched his crew members stare at Jungkook with hatred and anger. The boy felt sudden fear. Not because there was a lot of them but because he had spent too many years with them for them to betray him.

Jungkook stares at them coldly, his voice had grown more dangerous as he noticed the fear in Jimin's eyes. "Jungkook-" Jimin turned to look at him, his eyes were wide. "You're not part of my crew. The next time the two captains are treated without respect you're either left behind or under." Jimin stared at him in disbelief, he could not believe Jungkook said something like that. Jimin watched his crew make their way beneath the deck. "What have you done, Jungkook?" Jimin followed him to the fence where Jungkook stood. "Listen here, Jimin." Jimin paid close attention to Jungkook's lips. Maybe a bit too close. "I won't have disrespectful rats waiting for a moment to steal everything we collect and head to the treasure themselves." Jungkook shook his head, he noticed Jimin was staring at his lips so he purposely licked them. "The next one who dares to be rude and disrespectful will be left on an island. There's a codex and I intend to follow it. For our own wellbeing."