Under The Stars

"The sea is nothing but a library of all the tears in history." Lemony Snicket

The huge boat was floating on an endless ocean. Despite its greatness, its size did not compare to the vast waters with the azure blue color.

A beautiful radiant sun shone a thousand lights in the middle of a clear sky where clouds moved gracefully, each time creating a strange form.

Taehyung's head rested on his crossed arms , observing the splendour of nature that surrounded him. He had never had the chance to find out how the world was in the middle of the ocean.

He could not count the hours he had spent standing, looking at the rays of sunshine reflecting on the water until it disappeared little by little in the horizon, leaving a pretty rose mixed with orange reigning in the sky.

His eyes laid on the horizon and he wondered how it is to travel all over the world knowing that there are no limits nor rules or protocols to stop you from doing everything you want.

He started reading books since he was a child and that was when he started dreaming about discovering every part of the world. He read books about adventures, trips, meeting new and different people and it became one of his principal goals in life, the goals he knew he could never reach because of him being a royalty.

The pirates' loud voices interrupted his thoughts. He turned around and saw the crewmen surrounding the quartermaster whose leg was surrounded by a bandage.

A small smirk appeared on his face because he was the one who hurt the arrogant pirate and thought he completely deserved it judging from the way he treated the pirates of the Three Lions.

"Enjoying the view huh?" the quartermaster walked toward him. "While I feel a bloody pain in my leg."

"You deserved it." the Prince mumbled coldly. "You deserve way more."

Jungkook froze. He was surprised because no one ever dared to talk to him in such a disrespectful way. "Playing the tough man I see..." he chuckled.

"What do you want?" Taehyung asked with an irritated tone.

Jungkook faced him and smirked, "What's your name love?"

The blond rolled his eyes, "Why would I tell you my name?"

"So I can call you." the pirate chuckled.

"I do not want you to call me." Taehyung avoided the pirate's intense stares and turned to look at the sea.

Jungkook sighed with frustration and grabbed his arm strongly and pulled the young prince toward him, "I don't like when someone keeps me waiting. Now, tell me your bloody name."

Taehyung gulped when he realized how close they were at that moment. The pirate still had his hand around his wrist and his dark brown eyes were drowning in his.

"Taehyung." he whispered.

"What?" Jungkook raised eyebrow. "I cannot hear you."

"My name is Taehyung." the Prince repeated with a louder voice.

The quartermaster smirked and cupped the young man's face with his hand, "See? It wasn't that difficult love." he said.

"Stop calling me like this." Taehyung mumbled, sending a death glare to the pirate.

"You mean love?" Jungkook laughed. "I will never stop calling you this way."

"Why?"

The pirate approached his face to the prince's. He rested his eyes on his for a long moment, until he found himself without breath. Then his lips formed a small smirk and he whispered, "You'll know it later love."

Taehyung watched the quartermaster heading back to the crewmen, limping because of his injured leg. He could not breath properly nor pronounce a single word. The young pirate succeeded to put him in all his states in only half a day.

?

The Eagle was having a hard time to deal with a drunk and sleepy Jimin after they left the tavern. The prince could not even walk straight, so he felt himself obliged to hold his waist and place an arm around his shoulders.

"I want to go baack!" Jimin whined. "I love rum..."

Yoongi couldn't help laughing. "Already a pirate?" he said, looking at the silver-haired. His eyes were half-closed and his cheeks were flushed.

The prince suddenly burst out laughing and sat on the ground crossing his legs.

"What are you doing?" the masked man joined him in the laughter and knelt before him. "Come on, it's too late. We need to go back to the ship."

Jimin shook his head and covered his face, "Not going with you." he mumbled.

"What?" the Eagle touched his hands and smiled because they were warm. He uncovered his face and asked him again, "Why not?"

The silver-haired looked at his eyes and chuckled, "Because you are ugly."

Yoongi could not stop laughing. He sat next to him until he could finally catch his breath. He found the young Prince quite funny and entertaining when he was drunk. The way his eyes shone bright and the pout his lips formed made the masked man keep looking at him with both amusement and admiration. One because his actions were clumsy and the other because he looked extremely handsome under the moonlight.

"Yoongi." Jimin said with a soft voice.

"Yes?"

"Do you think I should have gone with the ladies?" he sighed.

Yoongi tensed and furrowed his eyebrows. "Why do you say so?"

The prince drank from the water bottle Yoongi gave him. He stayed silent for a long moment and let out a sigh because speaking.

"I am a grown up... I am the crown prince." he started.

"So...?" Yoongi pressed his lips, not liking the way his facial expression changed from smiling to almost crying.

"I will be married soon and one day I will become King of Crystal." Jimin mumbled. "But...I never touched a woman."

The masked man smiled.

"I don't know what it is like to be around a woman, to be close to her." the Prince added.

"Can I ask you a question?" Yoongi said, moving closer to him.

Jimin nodded.

"Have you ever imagined a woman in your future?"

The prince froze. He knew he could not answer his question because it was something that always confused him.

"I...I don't think so." he whispered. "The only people I ever imagined in my future are my mother and my brother." he gulped when he remembered how the Flamian pirate took Taehyung from him earlier in the morning.

Yoongi guessed what he thought about and squeezed his thigh, "We are going to find him." he said with a reassuring voice.

"I know." Jimin nodded. "I just hope they won't hurt him..."

The Eagle chuckled, "I don't think their quartermaster would let someone touch him."

The Prince raised an eyebrow, "Seriously? He almost killed me!"

"I know, but he won't hurt your brother."

"Why do you think so?" Jimin looked at him curiously.

Yoongi smiled and looked at his eyes. He hesitated about telling him what he really thought, especially when he doesn't know many things about the real world.

"The way that pirate was looking at your brother didn't show any show of hatred or vengeance." he said. "Taehyung caught his attention probably because he is the first man to ever defy him."

Jimin wanted to say something but the masked man cut him off, "I think he likes him."

The Prince smiled, "Everyone likes Taehyung."

"No." Yoongi shook his head. "Not in the same way."

"What do you mean?" Jimin furrowed.

Yoongi sighed and stood up, "Let's go back to the ship first."

?

The Burning Flame stopped in the harbour late at night. The crewmen needed their dose of rhum, tavern music and women's touch.

The captain left his cabin and smiled when he saw Taehyung laying down in the quarterdeck. "Ye'r not going out?"

"No, I am staying here."

"Watching the starts huh." Jinyoung nodded. "Such a nice view I know."

The blond sat to look at the pirate. "When am I going to see my brother?"

The captain sighed and knelt before him, "Ye have a strong bond, don't ye?"

Taehyung nodded, "I have never been separated from him. And now that sailor of yours ruined everything..." he mumbled

"Jungkook?" the pirate chuckled. "That lad looks tough but he has a good heart."

Taehyung rolled his eyes. "I can see that."

"Have to go." Jinyoung rubbed his neck. "Gotta drink until the next morning."

"You are going to meet women like the others."

"Hell no." Jinyoung shook his head. "This heart likes young lads." he winked.

The prince widened his eyes. It was the first time he would meet someone like him in real life. He always read about people getting attracted to the same sex, but he never had the chance to meet one.

He wished he could have a friend who shares the same thoughts as him in order not to be judged or to be ignored.

"You...you like men?" he whispered.

"Why are ye whispering?" the captain laughed. "I'm not ashamed of it!"

A wide smile appeared on Taehyung's face. Not only did he meet someone who will finally understand him, but also a strong one who is proud of his nature.

"Can I tell you something?" he asked. "But do not tell anyone."

"That ye like lads too?" the captain chuckled.

The Prince's eyes grew wider and his cheeks warmed up. "H-how do you know?"

"I can see." Jinyoung smiled. "Ye'r not the only one mate." he tapped his back. "Now I really gotta go."

Taehyung watched the captain leaving with a smile. He felt less nervous and scared of being in a ship full of strangers now that he found someone as gentle and kind as the captain.

He sighed and laid back on the wooden floor to observe the shining stars reigning over the dark sky.

"Sharing secrets with the captain huh." someone surprised him from behind.

He sat back and turned to find Jungkook looking at him with a smirk.

He gulped and avoided his stares, "Did you...hear?" he asked with a quiet voice.

"It wasn't my intention, but I did." the quartermaster walked to his direction and sat beside him.

Taehyung pressed his lips and mumbled, "Do not tell anyone."

The pirate frowned and looked at him, "Why?" he asked with a cold tone. "Is it a bad thing to love men?"

The prince was surprised to see the anger and disappointment in his eyes.

"The captain and I love men and we're conquering the world!" he added. "Nothing can stop us from doing it."

"You too?" Taehyung chuckled. "It did not seem like it."

Jungkook raised an eyebrow, "Didn't seem like it? Do you think a handsome fellow like me would fall for those filthy whores I meet at nights?" he shook his head. "Don't worry about that love! I have a preference for handsome men...just like you." he smirked and pointed his finger to the young prince."

Taehyung froze and avoided his stare.

He turned his head and cleared his throat, "Are you not going out with the others?"

"I wanted to, but I can't leave this ship because of someone." the pirate mumbled, pointing to his injured leg.

The blond laughed, "You are stuck with me then."

Jungkook furrowed and kept looking at the young man. He laughed and talked casually to him without fear of regretting it.

Usually, men and women would die just by breathing the same air as him. They would not look at his eyes and stutter when they talk.

It was not Taehyung's case.

"I am love, I am." Jungkook nodded, his eyes stuck on his handsome face.

They were silent for a moment, their eyes focusing on the sky but their minds occupied elsewhere.

Taehyung turned to look at the young man. He did not look like the pirates he always imagined while reading books. He did not look like the rest of the crewmen either. His posture was different, his words, his manners...

"Say...why don't you talk like the others?" he asked.

"What do you mean?" Jungkook raised an eyebrow.

"You do not speak the 'pirate language'." the prince chuckled.

Jungkook pressed his lips and mumbled, "I have my reasons."

Taehyung saw the way his face changed so he decided not to persist.

"How about you love ?" the pirate looked at him. "Are you really a traveler?"

The blond cleared his throat and looked away. "I cannot tell you." he said.

Both sighed and laid down. They did not add a word, knowing that each one had an untold story that is not ready to leave the heart and the mind.

?

Yoongi hurried to lay down when they arrived on deck.

Helping the prince walk in his drunken state was an exhausting task.

He took a breath and watched him lay his back against the wood.

"So, are you going to tell me?" he heard him mumble.

He chuckled. The young male had a good memory despite having drunk a few jars of rum.

He sat in front of him and pushed the silver locks that were hiding his eyes gently with his fingers.

"What are you doing?"

"I need to look at the eyes when I talk to someone."

Jimin scoffed, "Says the one who hides his entire body."

Yoongi smiled, "I have a good reason."

"And what is it?" The prince finally opened his eyes because he was curious to know.

"We're not here to talk about me." he flicked his forehead. "Let's get back to where we were."

Jimin simple hummed and closed his eyes again.

The Eagle took a moment to organize his thoughts before talking to the prince. He did not want to surprised him, so his words needed to be simple.

"When I said that the pirate must like your brother, I didn't mean it in the same way you or other people feel." he started.

The blond raised an eyebrow, confused with his words.

"You know how a man can be attracted to a woman?" he asked.

Jimin nodded.

"Well, the pirate must be attracted to Taehyung in the same way."

The prince frowned, "Are you saying that my brother is a woman?" he spoke with a cold tone.

Yoongi couldn't help but laugh loud. "No! Please...I know he is a man."

"So?"

The Eagle smiled and continued, "Love, attraction and desire isn't just between a man or a woman. It is also between two males or two females..."

Jimin widened his eyes and looked at the masked man with a surprised expression, like he just saw a ghost. "This is a joke...right?"

Yoongi shook his head. "Trust me, I have never been this serious before."

"But-"

"I know you must be confused." the Eagle continued. "I felt the same before when I knew I liked men."

"You what?" the prince's jaw fell to the ground.

"I think you do too." Yoongi smirked. "You just don't know it yet."

"It cannot be..." Jimin shook his head. "This is an insanity."

Yoongi looked at him and got closer. He placed his hand gently on his chest and moved it slowly to rest on his heart, "Are you sure?" he whispered.

Jimin gulped. He felt his heart beat incredibly fast inside his chest. His cheeks flushed and his eyes looked away. "Stop..." he whispered with a breathless voice.

The Eagle smirked and lifted his chin, "See?"