They loaded the ship, clearing out the small ocean city of every little thing they have to offer. He knew it wouldn't be enough, but at least he was bringing something back. Mingi finished confirming the last order before he felt a soft hand on his shoulder, and turns to see a pale woman with dark hair and pale blue eyes, "Pardon me sir," she says weakly, "Where must you be going?"

Mingi frowns, looking over her state and seeing clearly this woman isn't well. He seen the pain in her eyes, how she was shivering in the misty rain and how he can practically feel the fever radiating off of her. He seen something on the ground catch his eye and looks down to see a small boy, maybe by the age of two, staring back up at him.

His heart hurts, debating on what to do in this situation. He could take her to Utopia, where she has a chance of living as well as her small son. That is if she doesn't die on the sail there. Or he can leave them both here, where she will die anyway and her son most likely will die as well. He takes a deep breath in, looking into her sad eyes and smiling softly, "We're going home, to Utopia."

Her eyes widen, and hope fills them but she was still incredibly weak, "It's real?"

"Yes," Mingi looks down at the small boy, then looks back up at her, "You have a higher chance of healing and having a safe home for your son."

Her eyes water and she looks down at her son, smiling softly, "What do you say baby, should we go?"

He hides behind her, nodding his head shyly before looking back up at Mingi, "I go..."

Mingi smiles, squatting down to be eye level with the toddler as he hides behind his mother's dress, one eye peeking at Mingi as the pirate chuckles, "It's alright little man, I'm not going to hurt you." He peeks out a little more, grinning a little and Mingi notices for the first time the little boy has dimples, "What's your name?"

"He doesn't... have one," the woman replies, she sways slightly before falling. Luckily, Mingi caught her before she fell completely to the ground.

"Mama!" The little boy screams, reaching for her as Mingi picks her up bridal style.

"Jongho!! Mike!!" Mingi yells, seeing the two instantly comes to his aid. Before Jongho can speak, Mingi hands her to him, "Take her to Irys, she passed out."

Jongho nods, Mike instead grabs her and takes her to the ship. People make way for her and the little boy cries as he runs after her. Mingi grabs his arm, the boy screams louder as he reaches for Mike, "Mama!!"

"Mama is sick buddy," Mingi shushes him, turning him to face him, "Listen, we're going to take you to her but she needs medicine to feel better okay? We don't want you getting sick either buddy, so you need to let us take care of her."

"I wan' mommy," he sobs, rubbing his eyes and tears fall down his red cheeks.

"Come here," he picks the boy up and the boy instantly cuddles into Mingi's chest as he carries him to the ship. Jongho follows close behind him, sitting with Mingi in the captain's cabin with the boy who was trying to stop crying.

Jongho shuts the door and watches as Mingi looks over the kid. Mingi hears him chuckle a little, and looks over to Jongho. That was the first time in a long time he had heard the boy laugh. Jongho points to the kid, "This kid kind of looks like Yunho, with dimples."

Mingi turns back to the boy, and even when his eyes are bloodshot and watery he sees it as well and can't help but laugh, "He kind of does."

"Who dat?" The little boy mumbles, rubbing his eye and yawning a little.

"Yunho is my..." he looks over to Jongho and Jongho steps forward.

"Yunho is his boyfriend," Jongho answers, smiling a little at the kid, "Do you know how old you are buddy?"

"Two," he replies quietly, holding up three fingers and the boys couldn't help but laugh.

"You're two?"

He nods, blinking rapidly as he yawns again. Mingi bites his lip, looking at Jongho then looking back at the kid, "Are you sleepy?" He gets a nod and no reply, "Alright, well there's a bed over there," he points to the cot that belonged to Hongjoong and holds his hands out, "I'll tuck you in."

"Mommy," he whimpers, his lip wobbling as he looks at Mingi with tearful eyes.

Mingi sighs, this time turning to Jongho, "What do I do?"

Jongho shakes his head, "You stay with him, I'll go check on his mom."

The pirate nods, looking back to smile softly at the kid, "Come on, let's put you down for a nap eh? What do you say?"

The toddler nods, sniffling loudly and wiping his eyes once more as he clings to Mingi when picked up. Mingi carries him over to the cot, and tries to lay him down, but the toddler whines and clings to him. Mingi chuckles, "Well you can't really take a nap if you don't let go of me and lay down."

"Wif me," The toddler whines, patting the bed for Mingi to lay down with him.

Mingi hesitates, "Uh, I don't know buddy..."

"Peeeeeaaaassseeeeee!!" He begs, teaching for him and his lip wobbles, "seep wif me."

Mingi sighs, sitting on the floor and looking at the kid, "I'll sleep right here."

"Otay," the kid responds, laying down and scooting as close as he can to Mingi and closing his eyes. Mingi chuckles, brushing his hand through the dark hair on the child's head and it eventually puts the kid to sleep. He even looks like Yunho when he's sleeping. His little lips part as he sleeps, soft snores exit his mouth and he breathes deeply.

Mingi rubs his back, laying his head on the mattress and soon falling asleep with the kid's arm cuddling Mingi's arm.

Unfortunately during the night, the woman didn't make it. When Mingi awoke, it was to knocks on his door and he quickly stands after removing himself from the little boy, finding Irys standing before him with a solemn expression. He frowns, "What is it?"

"It's.... the woman she...." Irys sighs, shaking her head.

Mingi's heart falls and he runs a hand through his hair, "What am I gonna tell the kid?"

Irys shakes her head, "I don't know Mingi... maybe explain the best you can?"

Mingi snorts, "Thanks," he winces, knowing that sounded harsher than intended. Irys pats his shoulder, walking back to the sick bay to rid the body before the kid notices.

Mingi walks back into the captain's cabin, freezing when he sees the little boy sitting up in the bed sniffling and whimpering. Mingi walks over to him, "Hey buddy, how did you sleep?"

"I wan' my mommy," he whimpers, shying away from Mingi as the pirate squats by the bed by him.

The door opens and Jongho steps in, sighing in relief when he sees Mingi with the child, "Mingi... they wanted to know if the boy wanted to see his mother-"

"Mommy!" The boy perks up, wiping his eyes with his tiny fist, "I wan' my mommy."

Jongho hisses through his teeth, sitting down on the bed and holding a hand out to the boy. The kid looks at Jongho before looking to Mingi, then crawling over to Jongho and sitting in his lap. Jongho looks to Mingi, when the pirate nods Jongho sighs, "Alright buddy, when we go see your mommy.... she's..... sleeping."

"Mommy seeping?" He asks cutely, tilting his head.

"Yeah, she's sleeping and they said she wasn't going to wake up," Jongho sighs, looking to Mingi for support.

The pirate remembered this conversation with his father when his mother died. Only instead of explaining the child friendly version of his mother dying, his father simply said she was dead and they threw her body over board wrapped in her contaminated sheets. They were going to do that with her, but Mingi didn't want to until he explained to the kid that his mommy wasn't waking up. He sits on the bed, the child in between Jongho and him as he looks down at the child, "Listen... buddy... when we go see your mommy, she's going to be sleeping. And.... there's a good chance she won't ever wake back up."

"Why?" The boy asks softly, looking at Mingi with wide dark eyes.

"Well," Mingi pursues his lips, thinking of a story quickly and nods, "Mommy was really sick, and she couldn't stay awake anymore. So mommy fell asleep, and never woke up."

"Otay," The boy frowns, still not understanding and Mingi hated doing this. He hated having to explain to a child that his mother had passed on.

"We're going to go watch mommy swim with the fishies alright?" Jongho asks the boy, "And when she goes, we are going to take you to Utopia so someone can take care of you."

The boy frowns and looks at Jongho, "Mommy go too?"

"N-No buddy..." Mingi swallows, "Mommy can't go."

"Why?"

"Because she'll be having fun and swimming with the fishies!" Jongho tried to lighten the mood, knowing this was hard on Mingi. It was like the pirate was reliving his childhood.

"I go too!" The kid smiles, "I swim wif fishes!"

"Not today buddy," Mingi smiles sadly, needing to change the subject quickly, "How about we go find you something to eat? Hm? Are you hungry?"

Seeming to forget his mother, the kid nods and allows Mingi to take him in his arms and Mingi carries him to the kitchen, not before looking at Jongho over his shoulder, "Throw her over, now."

Mingi made sure the kid ate well as they took care of his mother, the kid mumbling inaudible words as he chews and hums. Mingi studies the kid and he can't help but grow attached. They had a bond, both of their mothers died when they were young. Both were sick, both were on a ship, and both of their bodies were thrown overboard when they were cold.

The boy looks at Mingi and chews his food, "You name?"

"My name?" Mingi asks, making sure that's what he said. The boy nods, his large eyes watching as Mingi clears his throat, "I'm Mingi."

"Mini?" The kid repeats.

Mingi chuckles, that is the same name Aurora calls him so might as well be his for this kid, "Yeah, Mini." He studies the kid, squinting his eyes as he thinks of a name, "You don't have a name do you?"

He nods his head, patting his chest, "Baby."

Mingi's heart breaks again as he bites his lip, "I need a name to call you, how about I call you something else?" The boy nods and eats as Mingi hums, "Hmmmm... how about.... Milo?"

The kid copies Mingi, "Hmmmm... yeah."

"Yeah?" Mingi laughs, "You like the name Milo?"

"Yeah!" He smiles, patting his chest, "I Miwo!"

~~~~

Written by @jinjin0309

Enjoy baby Milo up at the top of the page which is actually baby Yunho 🥰