Prince of Blood

3. Reaching the Cliffs

"Aren't ye enjoyin' this a bit too much?" Hongjoong cutely inclined his head to stare up at Seonghwa while the man gave his best to pull the man's hair together in a high ponytail. His dexterous fingers came up to tickle at Seonghwa's sides, making the man's body lurch and nearly fall off the other pirate's lap as he giggled. However, he held on, tying the man's hair back neatly. Then, he gave another rough pull that had Hongjoong's lips drop open and eyes nearly roll back in his skull, making Seonghwa chuckle once again.

"Little minx."

The crew had reached the end of the forest after a day of a long journey. They had talked to each other without a break, taking turns in restoring the other pirates' energy whenever it became too quiet. They all owed Yunho for keeping their sanity intact now.

Despite their intense hatred for the forest they had not even spent that much time in, they had chosen wisely and stayed another night there. Now, they just finished packing up, and Seonghwa was helping Hongjoong with his hair so that they could continue their journey without him constantly being bothered by it.

"Sadly, ye won't look as jolly as Yeosang with it. Jongho can tell ye everythin' about that."

Hongjoong laughed at that remark, his eyes crinkling in the process. Seonghwa's heart felt warm watching the spectacle, and once more, he used the grip he had on the man's hair to wrench his head back. The captain made a protesting noise that sounded suspiciously close to a hastily adverted moan, his hands grabbing onto Seonghwa's narrow waist warningly.

However, playing innocent, Seonghwa merely pressed his lips to the man's forehead and let them linger there for a second before he pulled back with an audible smacking noise.

Somebody booed at them from somewhere behind Seonghwa.

Hongjoong grimaced as he finally freed his head from Seonghwa's grasp and reached up to check his new hairstyle. Some stubborn strands of his black hair refused to be in the same ponytail as the rest, so they just hung into his face, fitting well to his rogueish scars on his nose and neck.

Seonghwa looked down at him satisfied, not moving out of the other man's warm lap just yet.

"It be nice. Thanks, Hwa."

Triumphant, Seonghwa continued smirking at him and the red stain his lips had left on the man's forehead. This morning, he had woken up feeling like putting on his war paint and had had his fun painting around his eyes and over the cuts at his mouth. San had joined him somewhen and experimented a bit with the colours, too, but had not settled for anything quite yet.

Seonghwa was roughly snapped out of his thoughts when it was Hongjoong, who reached for his head this time. Instead of Seonghwa's hair, however, he wrapped his fingers around the man's neck, gently applying pressure onto his pulse points. The slight restriction in his breathing had Seonghwa weak in his knees immediately, and he sunk down against Hongjoong without further complaints.

"Ye be adorable. Will ye roll o'er an' let me take yer throat like a good matey, sugar? I want to ruin the paint on yer lips even more." Hongjoong leaned in to trace the tip of his tongue over the outer shell of Seonghwa's ear, making the taller man squirm in his lap. He still stayed put eagerly, Hongjoong not even having to hold him up at his neck, as Seonghwa leaned into the touch anyway. The noise of Hongjoong's slick tongue close to his eardrum, caressing his sensitive skin made Seonghwa's lashes flutter. His fingers clutched at Hongjoong's broad shoulders desperately.

He felt incredibly small and safe like this, with Hongjoong's hair tickling his cheek while the other man teased him with his tongue, and for a second, he forget everything. Where they were, that they were not alone, and what they were doing in this forsaken realm.