The bar was quiet. It wasn't uncommon this time of year; it was a small community, and outside the busy summer tourism, there wasn't much of a draw for people to come visit. So it was a bit of a surprise when the door opened and a group of spacers came in. There were only four of them, but it was far more than they normally saw. The bartender leaned forward across the counter, "What can we get you started with?"

One of them- the Canid- spoke softly. He swept the tri-corner hat off from between his pointed ears and mused his short gray and black hair, "We're looking for someone."

The bartender pursed their lips and rocked back, "Are you now? The answers might cost you…you bounty hunters?"

A dark-skinned, muscular woman shook her head, her red hair swishing, "No. We're crew of the Goddess, of the Zora nation."

The Canid nodded and procured a document validating their identities, "Now, can you give us information?"

"Depends on who you're looking for," the man behind the counter set to cleaning the already spotless surface.

"A human man who goes by Starboy."

"Ah, the renowned navigator and map expert?" He tapped his lip and then shrugged, "Never heard of him."

The two spacers blinked at him for a moment then pushed up against the counter. The two others with them scanned the room and its occupants quickly.

"Our sources all point to his last known location as this port," the Canid spoke without listening fully to what the bartender had said, and his head cocked to the side after a moment, his ears twitching as he processed. "You know him. Where is he?"

"I said it'd cost you."

The woman grimaced, "What do you want for the information?"

"Depends on what you're willing to pay," a voice from across the room called.

Everyone's attention turned to the far corner of the room and regarded the man that slouched almost as deeply as he could get in his chair. His boots were up on the table, crossed comfortably at the ankle, long black coat open to show off his tidy wide-collared shirt and deep blue pants, a tri-corner hat pulled down low over his face. He was lean, borderline unhealthily so, and he swirled a mostly empty cup of ale lazily in his hand.

They regarded him quietly and he turned his head to look at them in return, but he didn't move so they could see his face, "I know him, now what'll you pay for the information to find him?"

The red-haired woman approached the table and his free hand went to the sword on his belt as a silent warning if she tried anything, but she merely stopped a few yards away and crossed her arms over her chest, "Three thousand drabloons."

"Double it," he didn't even hesitate. She sighed but relented, "Very well."

The man leaned forward enough to set his drink down and then he watched her count out the coin. He weighed the bag in his hand for a moment before he pulled his feet off the table, stood up, stretched, and adjusted his hat.

"Starboy at your service," The human flashed a clever smirk and the group of spacers could finally see his face. A pale scar cut down his left cheek at a sharp angle, another through his right eyebrow, and his blue eyes darted over them quickly, "James Hawkins. But everyone calls me Jim."

"Captain!"

Sidon looked up from the star charts laid across his desk, "Come in."

The door opened and his quartermaster swept into the room angrily, and slammed her hands down on his desk, "I swear to the Goddess Hylia, I'm going to strangle that damn human-"

"Awe, come on sweetheart, I ain't so bad."

She let out a high-pitched squeal of annoyance and her green eyes flashed. Sidon shifted to the side to peer around the Gerudo at the human standing in the doorway with a cocky grin on his face. He jerked his chin forward and bounced his eyebrows, "So you're the big boss? What could ye possibly want with little ol' Starboy, hm?"

The Gerudo let out a groaning sigh and Sidon's eyes darted over to meet her exhausted gaze, "Head on to your family now, Timetra. I've got this from here."

She regarded him for a moment with a scrutinizing glare for a second before she stood straight and walked out of the room without another word.

The door swung shut and Sidon studied the human quietly. He was damn skinny, pale with sunken features around cold blue eyes, and dull brown hair cut so it hung just above his ears on the top while the rest was shaved close to the skin on the sides and presumably on the back of his head. The man - Starboy - gazed right back with an amused expression on his face.

"You sent your quartermaster and boatswain to bring me all the way here just to look at me?" Sidon knew the sass in his voice would drive him insane if he had to deal with it for any extended amount of time. Starboy gestured to himself with a hand and a smirk, "Well, like what you see?"

I see a man I could easily snap in half if I squeezed him in my fist.

"Name."

"James Hawkins. Call me Jim," One of the human's eyebrows rose, the one with the scar through it, and he cocked his head to one side, "Now you."

"I am Prince Sidon of Zora's Domain of the planet Hyla."

"Oh, 'scuse me, your majesty," Jim swept the tri-corner hat off his head and dipped a dramatic bow, complete with one arm swung out to the side. He stood and paced slowly toward the desk, "Now that we've got the formalities out of the way, mind telling me what you're doing looking for me so I can do whatever it is you need and I can get back to drowning myself in cheap ale?"

Sidon rocked forward in his seat and opened a drawer in the desk, pulling out the single item from it and setting it on the center of the table. It was a map, unique in design to any Sidon had seen. It was a dull brass, though years of countless finger touches across the metal had worn sections to a shine. It was a perfect cube, maybe four inches across at most, separated into four rotating columns so each side had sixteen little squares, and on each square was a different marking. Some of the squares had nothing on them at all, presumably worn down to a smooth surface from countless years of handling. The thing itself was worthless, though many generations of his family had sought what it led to and prized the map as if it were the most valuable object in the universe. He stared at it now as he waited for the human to come up with something cocky or sarcastic, since it seemed to be his nature to do so. He wasn't disappointed.

"Mighty fancy cube you got there, prince."

Sidon's eyes moved from the map to Jim's gaze in one flick and he leaned back in his chair, "I take it you know what it is. Or was I mistaken in understanding you're a map expert?"

"Oh, I'm well acquainted with pretty things like this," The smirk on Jim's face faltered for a fraction of a second. His fingers curled around the map and he started to twist the columns absently, "I'm curious, how did you get your hands on it? Maps like these are rare."

The Prince silently debated how much information to divulge. On the one hand, this human wasn't going to be joining the crew and he would never have to see him again after tonight, so there was little worry that he would have to answer any questions later that he didn't want to. On the other hand, he was a stranger and Sidon didn't divulge personal information freely with just anyone.

Those blue eyes met his gaze again as the man's fingers continued to coax the map to swivel and shift.

"Family heirloom."

"Mm. Your family must hate you."

Anger flashed in Sidon's chest and he sat up very straight in his chair, "How dare you-"

"Passing down a map that is nearly impossible to open unless you have an expert, with a steep price attached to it," Jim continued as if Sidon hadn't even spoken. His lips went into a thin line before he asked carefully, "You do know about the price, don't you?"

"Of course I do!" Sidon snapped. This impudent human; suggesting he didn't even know what his own family's belongings were!

"And you're willing to pay it?"

"I already have," He was growing tired of this man.

Just open the damn thing and be on your way!

"Mm," Jim hummed again, looking very unimpressed and dare Sidon even say…bored. A look of muted delight went over Jim's face as he held up the map and began to make another turn. Sidon gazed at it now. The markings were lined up so that once Jim made this final turn each side would display the same symbol on each of the small squares. Sidon knew in his gut that if the turn was completed it would open and his heart launched into his throat. He leaned forward in his seat. Annoyance and anger forgotten, all he could feel now was relief that it would finally, mercifully be unlocked and he could claim his birthright-

The human's hands paused just as he was about to complete the turn. Sidon's eyes met Jim's and the man smirked, quickly reshuffling all the sides so the symbols were scrambled again.

"What-" Sidon felt anger welling in his chest.

Jim set the map back in the middle of the desk and came around the table so he was on the same side as Sidon. Bold move considering you've pissed me off-

"Before I open this, let's talk about my payment."

Sidon rocked back in his seat. Oh yeah. He tapped his finger on the table before making an offer, "Five thousand drabloons-"

"Triple it."

"Fifteen thousand?!" Sidon wasn't able to stop himself in time before he exclaimed. "To open a map?! "

Jim sidled over so he leaned on the edge of the desk directly in front of him and he crossed his arms over his chest, "I'm an expert, your princeliness. It took me more than half my life to get to claim that title I'm at, and I take it very seriously. How long has your family searched for a way to open that heirloom, hm?"

Sidon scowled. He was caught and he knew it.

"Seven thousand five hundred-"

"Price is firm," Jim raised a hand to stop the Zora from attempting to haggle. His eyes went down Sidon's body and then back up and he smirked again. He propped one leg up on the edge of Sidon's chair so it braced on the outside of his knee. He then mimicked the motion with the other so his legs were spread in front of Sidon. Jim rocked his head back in a motion similar to offering his throat, "Though I might be persuaded to accept five thousand if it is in addition to...another form of payment."

The nerve of this human!

Even as Sidon gaped at him in shock, he couldn't help but study him more closely. While he hadn't seen Jim as attractive before, he realized now that he wasn't unattractive either. If he weren't so thin he might even be quite appealing-

Sidon swept Jim's legs off his chair with a hand and the man's smirk only deepened.

"Not interested," Sidon snarled and yanked another drawer on his desk open to pull out the treasury ledger and the chest of coin. While he would have preferred using Rupees, the majority of the trade in the galaxy ran on drabloons or some other silver and gold currency, and he had little say in the matter. He carefully counted out stacks of the gleaming coins.

"Five thousand deposit, non-refundable," Jim spoke as he watched. Their gazes met again and Sidon sighed in annoyance. Jim smiled, looking every inch the smug bastard he'd heard 'Starboy' to be, "Do you accept my terms?"

What choice do I have?

"I accept," Sidon offered his hand to shake, but Jim shook his head and stepped forward.

"I don't work like that. I need something a little more…intimate. Show me how much it really means to you," Jim stepped closer again and before Sidon could ask what he meant the human climbed into his lap and cupped his cheeks in his hands. Jim's eyes were a brighter blue than Sidon had thought, and his lips softer looking-

He stiffened and resisted the hands guiding his head downward, "What are you doing?"

"Sealing our deal with a kiss."

"I cannot accept your offer."

Jim studied his face for a moment before he climbed back off Sidon's lap and adjusted his coat. He reached for the hat he'd set on the desk and strode toward the door, "Then I can't help you. Good luck, prince."

Good riddance! Sidon felt his heart sinking as the man reached for the doorknob. Conflicting emotions of relief and desperation gripped at him and he stood from his chair, "Wait!"

Jim paused as he went to lower the hat onto his head and he turned enough that Sidon could see him peering over his shoulder with one eye. There was no smirk, but he had an expectant air to him and Sidon found himself fighting against his better judgment.

It had taken him more than fifty years to find anyone who could even begin to understand the map. His father had lost more than two hundred years before him. There was no saying if another map expert would ever be found if he let Jim walk out that door. If he went back through the generations, so many lifetimes very easily could have been wasted if he didn't take this opportunity now.

All he had to do was swallow his emotions and pride for one kiss.

"I accept."

Jim turned around slowly and studied him for a moment. His hand still rested on the doorknob in a silent threat that he was ready to leave.

Sidon took a deep breath, "I accept your offer."

"Come here then, big boy, and seal it," That infernal smirk went across Jim's lips.

He was around the desk and moving toward Jim before he fully registered what he was doing. A gasp came out of Jim's mouth as he caught the back of his head in one hand and supported the middle of his back with the other and bent him back so he could press their lips together.

Sidon broke it quickly and stood straight again. Guilt slammed into his chest like a boulder being dropped on him.

Jim tutted softly, trotted to the desk and collected five thousand of the coins, and then his hands were moving over the map again so quickly that Sidon couldn't even hope to track each turn. He made one final spin and the four innermost squares on one side of the map popped up.

"There you are," Jim offered the device back to Sidon on his outstretched left palm. "Hold it like this and press down on these squares."

Sidon reached for the map excitedly, his hand coming down harder than he'd meant, and he shoved the map and Jim's hand downward with the force. Shock and fear flashed across Jim's face and he yelped, "Wait!"

It was too late.

He felt the raised squares press flush to the rest under his palm and heard the click as they slotted back into place. The next thing he knew, Jim let out an anguished cry and staggered backward with his right hand grasping his left forearm. The map melted and disappeared into a deep, clean wound on Jim's palm. The human let out a desperate gasp and clutched his chest with both hands. His head fell forward and Sidon couldn't see his face behind his bangs, and he breathed heavily for a moment before standing straight and running a weary hand through his hair.

"Fucking dammit."

Jim glared darkly up at Sidon. It was the most emotion he had seen out of the human the entire time they'd negotiated, and it was almost a relief even though it was burning anger. It was quickly replaced by heavy resignation, though that too was only fleeting, and Jim offered his emotionless, cocky smile, "Looks like we'll need to renegotiate that deal."

"What happened to the map?" It was Sidon's turn to be angry now.

Jim tapped his chest, "It's bonded to me."

What?

He must have recognized the confusion Sidon felt by reading his expression, because he motioned absently, "I thought you said you knew what your family heirloom was."

"I…thought I did," Sidon couldn't decide if he still wanted to be angry or if he was willing to allow himself to just be confused.

"It's a Bonder Map. It literally gets bonded to whoever finishes opening it," Jim sighed and studied the cut on his palm, "And the unlucky bastard who finished opening this one was me. So thanks, I guess."

He rolled his shoulders and he repeated his earlier statement, "We're going to need to renegotiate our deal."

Sidon still didn't get what was going on, "Wait, what do you mean it's bonded to you? Why do we have to renegotiate?"

"It's attached to me. It's part of me now. You want it back, you've got two options," Jim planted his hands on his hips and a scowl went over his mouth, "Either you kill me and you get it back that way and good luck finding another map expert, or-" he raised a hand as if to stop Sidon from drawing his weapon and immediately running him through "I go with you and get…whatever it is that the map leads to."

Sidon wasn't a fan of either option, if he was being honest with himself. He wasn't pleased that the map had bonded to Jim, but he wasn't so heartless as to kill the man over his own clumsy mistake, and he wasn't so upset that he would kill him over having him stay on the ship to reach his birthright. He pursed his lips, "How do we find where it leads?"

Jim tapped the side of his head, "It's part of me. I literally have the route in my head."

Before Sidon could interrupt he continued, "But it's not as clear as if you were to look at a map. I know which direction to go, but not the end destination or what we might have to do in between here and there. I can see the path the way you would follow a light in the distance through a thick fog; only what's closest to me is visible."

Sidon leaned heavily on the edge of his desk and crossed his arms over his chest, "Then it looks like you will be coming with us."

Jim gave a tired smile, "It sure does. Whelp, I'll be back-"

"Where are you going?!" Sidon bristled instantly as the human turned back for the door.

"To get my shit. Why, you think I'm just going to take off?" Jim swung the door open and spun a half circle to face Sidon as he slipped out of the room. A look crossed his face as if he thought Sidon was stupid for even thinking it could be a possibility that he would just leave with the map and try to claim Sidon's birthright as his own, "I have no desire to pay the price the map requires to get your treasure or whatever the hell it leads to. Chill, man, I'll be back, just give me an hour."

Sidon followed him onto the deck of the Goddess at a brisk pace and nodded to his boatswain, Askeladd Ellery, "Follow him and make sure he doesn't try to leave. He is to come straight back to the ship when he has collected his belongings."

The Canid jumped to attention and followed with his triangular ears trained on the human. Jim waved a hand, "Oh, I hope you don't have a navigator, cuz I'm taking over. Alright, Morphy, looks like we're taking a bit of a detour."

He tickled the brim of his hat now. It giggled and darted off his head, turning into a small pinkish blob-like creature.

Sidon watched Jim and Askeladd disappear into the night and he leaned heavily on the railing with his elbows, "What mess have I gotten myself into now?"