"My name is Captain Jeon Jungkook. I'm here to kidnap you."
The Eros is said to be the most powerful jewel of the seven seas, able to control the spirits of the water. Though many scoff at the legend, there are those who will do anything for its pow...
You had been to two ports for supplies since then. You were following the red star towards the Eros, the spirit realm eerily quiet since the day the sky split open. Jimin assured you that you were getting close, and with his prepared defenses against the spirit realm, there was no reason to be nervous.
Jungkook reluctantly allowed you to take sword lessons from Jimin in the evenings, Taehyung convincing him that the sirens could come again at any moment to take away his ticket to the Eros - you. Jungkook eventually caved, and Jimin agreed to teach you as well as some of the other men on the deck. Jungkook was adamant that you never were alone with Jimin, especially in his room.
"You're being ridiculous," you said to Jungkook, reaching up and pulling a wiry hair from his chin.
He hissed, swatting your hand away. "My ship, my rules."
"Stop being afraid of Jimin. His link to the spirits is a gift, not something to be feared."
Jungkook held his forehead in disbelief. "Fine, I admit that he has some kind of voodoo. I'm a big enough man to admit it. But I'm not going to give him the opportunity to put you in the middle of more demon ambushes."
"Why, if I didn't know any better," you said with a teasing smile, "I'd say that you cared about me, Captain."
He stepped forward, leaning down to invade your space with his. His eyes were powerful and playful as he looked down at your lips and smiled.
"I do care ..." he said. "Without you, I come back broke."
You rolled your eyes, shoving him away. You stepped past him to go help Taehyung with dinner, but Jungkook grabbed your arm before you could get out the door.
"I mean it," he said sternly. "If there's even a hint of the spirit world coming after you, you make sure to get out of there."
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His fingers dug into your skin. By the way he held his breath, you could tell that the weeks of silence from the spirit world were making him more and more on edge. You relaxed your muscles, hoping he would do the same.
"Maybe you should lean on your older brother, Captain," you said.
His eyelids fluttered, an ironic laugh breaking his lips. "That's the one thing I can't do."
He let you go, not making eye contact as he walked back to his desk. You sighed, not understanding his secrets, but understanding that they were weighing him down. If the things Jimin had said were true, Jungkook was doing these things to save his family. The responsibility of that was clear on both brothers' shoulders, even if the captain pretended to be unaffected.
But how could anyone be unaffected when it came to their mother's life?
It was like reliving your past all over again. The pain you felt for them ran deep ... even though it shouldn't have.
