Chapter Text
Hongjoong held open the door to the estate for Seonghwa. “I want to be surprised by their home, but can’t say I am.”
“Mingi definitely had a hand in it.” Seonghwa laughed softly.
They went inside, hands brushing against the other.
Seonghwa and Hongjoong went down the entry hall following the sweet scent of dinner.
Hongjoong slipped a hand on the small of Seonghwa’s back when they found the dining hall. Fondness crashed into his heart at the sight of his crew all together again.
Yunho smiled and yelled, “Our mother and father are home!”
Hongjoong rolled his eyes. “I don’t claim parental ownership of any of you.”
Wooyoung hugged him first despite just seeing each other. “Liar.”
Hongjoong held him tight, moving onto Yeosang right after. Jongho, ever the affection-avoider, clapped Hongjoong on the shoulder.
Mingi shouted, “The party can finally begin!”
Hongjoong’s heart pounded, mildly overwhelmed but still touched.
Seonghwa laughed and bowed at the dramatics, “Thank you, Mingi.”
San pulled Hongjoong into a side embrace, “You look rested for once.”
Yunho hung off Seonghwa and agreed.
Their small talk chatter continued to the table. The staff hired for the night seemed warm with Mingi and Yunho; friendly and more willing to be around than Hongjoong expected. He supposed it was because Mingi and Yunho had been in their shoes once and treated everyone with equality despite class differences. The same could not be said for most of the wealthy in Hightown.
They also probably tipped well.
Conversation overlapped. Six months worth of stories poured out over the table in excitement.
Food melted in Hongjoong’s mouth in a rich taste. He went through two glasses of wine before he cleared his throat gently.
Seonghwa gave him an encouraging nod, then said, “We have to talk business for a second.”
Mingi and Wooyoung groaned.
“It’s important. I promise,” Hongjoong said. He gathered his breath before he spoke, “We’ve hired a full restoration crew with the money we all put in for the island. We’ve got architects, masons, carpenters, gardeners all paid very generously. The island was badly overgrown after decades of abandonment. We’ve started clearing paths, dredging the harbor, reinforcing cliff sides, and restoring freshwater channels.”
“How long before we can move onto it?” Jongho asked.
“With constant labor and the amount of treasure we have, we're looking at about nine months before the main structures are ready at the latest. Six if we hurry. Full construction will be done over a year from now.” Seonghwa said.
“I’ll send word the moment the first livable buildings are finished so we all can move in gradually.” Hongjoong said.
Seonghwa added, “I’ve been scouting the island and making maps. We’re getting docks, a community hall, training grounds, gardens, lookout towers, and a lot more.”
“So what can we do to help?” San asked.
Hongjoong looked at Seonghwa then at the rest, “We have roles for you all if you’re willing to take them.”
Everyone seemed excited at the prospect.
“Hongjoong will be in charge. He’ll oversee the big picture decisions on the island.” Seonghwa said.
“Seonghwa will do our external relations. Supply routes, communication, trade contacts, negotiations with the continent and other islands.” Hongjoong dug in his back pocket for the small parchment slip they wrote the others on. “Yunho, you’ll be in charge of defense and control for beasts. Hunting, scouting, and protecting against monster threats or wild creatures.”
“You’ll be good at that. Because you’re a monster hunter.” Mingi nodded.
Yunho sputtered a laugh and so did Wooyoung.
“Mingi, you’ll be in charge of entertainment and anything that would keep spirits high on an island. Festivals. All of that.” Hongjoong said.
Mingi smirked and nodded in agreement. “Party captain.”
“Sort of,” Seonghwa smiled.
“Yeosang, we were hoping you’d be willing to ward the island and be in charge of healing and wellbeing. We’ll pay for you to get better medical training outside of your magic. I was wondering if you would get confident enough to eventually run a healing house.” Hongjoong explained.
Yeosang set his fork down next to his plate, “With better training I could get more confident. I’ll do it.”
“Thank you,” Hongjoong sighed in relief. “Jongho, you’ll be chief security. Train recruits, oversee patrols. You would handle the situations that need more discipline and muscle.”
Jongho nodded.
“San, you’ll be a liaison between the continent and the island. I understand you have government responsibility here and don’t want to pull you from it if necessary.” Hongjoong said.
A burden seemed to roll off San’s shoulders. He relaxed back in his chair.
“We won’t pull you from your position here, but we want you involved as much as possible.” Seonghwa said. “And Hongjoong doesn’t want to do administration paperwork.”
Hongjoong shook his head, “Nope.”
San laughed, “I’ll do it.”
“Wooyoung, you’ll be handling covert operations. We’ll build a spy network to watch out for hidden threats.” Hongjoong said.
Wooyoung finished off his wine, “I can ask The Guild for contacts since they like me again.”
Yunho smiled, “I can’t wait to hunt monsters on our own property.”
Mingi put an arm around Yunho’s shoulders, “That and I’ll be able to throw a festival every week.”
“No.” Hongjoong said.
“Month?” Mingi asked.
Hongjoong glared.
“Quarter?”
“We’ll see,” Seonghwa put a hand on Hongjoong’s knee.
“I’ll start registering the island with the continent. The Esteemed should be fine with it as long as we have the coin to back it up. Which, we do.” San’s mind seemed to already be making a mental list of what he would need to do.
They would have over a year to get their positions planned and organized.
They wrapped up dinner with full stomachs and a comfortable atmosphere. The six month separation melted away completely.
They all moved into the lounge where Mingi stood with a fresh bottle of champagne.
He stood dramatically on the side table. “To the future. Our island, our crew, and our next adventure!”
Mingi popped the champagne.
The cork rocketed across the room and embedded itself an inch deep into the wall.
Everyone went silent for a beat.
Wooyoung bursted into cackling laughter, then the rest followed.
Yunho sighed, “I mean we weren’t going to renovate for a little while, but that’s one way to start it.”
Hongjoong helped pour the champagne to make sure everyone in his crew had some. Laughter filled the room. He sat on the couch in an observing silence.
He watched them all. His family. They basked in each other’s joy. This is why he wanted the island built.
Seonghwa leaned on his shoulder, then whispered in his ear, “Do you want to head to bed?”
Hongjoong nodded wordlessly, wine tipsy and tired. He hugged everyone good night with an alcohol driven affection.
Seonghwa did the same, plastering a lazy kiss on San’s cheek for the evening with a laugh.
Laughter faded behind them as they ascended to the upper floor.
Hongjoong’s hand finds Seonghwa’s waist halfway.
The estate was silent except for the party continuing downstairs and muffled city noise.
Warm lanterns glowed across the soft bedding in their room. Glass door balconies opened, letting a beautiful breeze and sea salt air drift in.
Hongjoong looked at the dresser, noticing a few items. Mingi’s leather journal he carried with him throughout the journey; a basket of new shirts, soaps, and little luxuries chosen by Yunho and Mingi; a folded note that simply read, Welcome back.
Drawn by the balcony, Seonghwa stepped outside. Hongjoong watched him brace his hands on the stone railing. His wavy hair stirred in the wind, looking like every inch of the divine siren he was born to be.
Hongjoong took the journal and sat on the edge of the bed. He ran his thumb over the cover. Familiar yet heavier as time had passed. He opened it.
Mingi’s handwriting stroked every page. Yunho had a few monster doodles in the margins with jagged teeth and angry eyebrows. The pages read both like a map of danger and map of love. It had the gradual moment where the crew grew together and became family.
Hongjoong’s breath caught. He closed the log with gentle hands.
He set the journal back on the dresser then joined Seonghwa. Hongjoong stepped out into the cool night. A waning moon hung low over Hightown.
Seonghwa glanced back with a tender smile, hitting Hongjoong in the side. Their mate bond pulsed in comfort.
Hongjoong slipped his arms around Seonghwa from behind, pushing up to rest his chin on his shoulder.
Silence rested on them. Presence, breathing, and the weight of we did it joined with the quiet.
Seonghwa turned in his arms, leaning back against the railing. He cupped Hongjoong’s face.
They kissed. Deep. Lingering. The kind that says everything words never quite can.
Hongjoong pushed him further against the balcony rail earning a pleasurable whimper from Seonghwa.
Hongjoong pulled back before he bent him over the balcony rail and fucked him for all of Hightown to see.
He touched his forehead to his mate’s. They breathed a little harder. Hongjoong’s thumb brushed Seonghwa’s wine stained lower lip. He kissed his cheek.
“I spent my previous years thinking love was something I had to earn,” Seonghwa whispered. “But you…this crew…you all taught me it’s something we all deserve. It’s something I’m finally willing to let myself have.”
Hongjoong watched Seonghwa’s eyes shimmer in starlight. He pulled him in for another devoted kiss.
They wrapped each other in love on the balcony. Moonlight painted over their bodies.
A quiet estate.
A safe crew.
A bright future.