Ateez Imagines

Savior~Hongjoong

Ever since I was a little girl the sea called me. Being raised in a town by the water, my mother always warned me of the creatures that lurked beneath and the pirates on the surface. She thought she was scaring me but she was just peaking my interest even more. I wanted to sail around the world, and visit new places, maybe even meet the Pirate King. Every sunset I was at the shore, watching the waves. The salty sea air helping me relax, the breeze blowing my hair back, I sat where I could feel the sand leave underneath my feet every time the water pulled back. 

    Just like any other day I woke up and made my way to the shore to hunt for shells so mum could make jewelry for her shop, that she wanted to hand down when the time comes. But I had other plans, yeah the shop was great but the sea called my name. "Y/N, y/n, hey are you listening to me?" Mum was waving her hand in my face "yeah mum I'm listening, along with the other hundreds of times you've talked to me about how to make the jewelry and collect herbs." I rolled my eyes, everyday it was the same thing, teaching me how to care for the shop. After the fifth time of her teachings I just started staring out the window at the ocean. But today there was something different about the view, a ship rested on the surface making its way to port. "Mum, do you see that or am I losing it?" I asked, pointing at the scenery, "y/n I know you don't want to hear it anymore but playing tricks isn't going to get you out of it." I scoffed and grabbed her chin forcing her to look out the window "It's a ship y/n, it's nothing new, we see them everyday. We're a trade route for ships." "What if their pirates" I respond with excitement coating my voice "Y/n we've discussed this, pirates no longer come to our port. Ever since the brothel burned down they no longer come." "I still want to be one though" I mumbled, but she had heard me " Y/N L/N, you will never be a pirate, they are filthy and run away from things they don't want." I was so done with her always acting this way, I stood up as the bench I sat on fell causing a loud bang. " You mean like how my father left you? I don't blame him, you're a wench who only cares about herself, and doesn't care about other people's dreams except for her own," I responded with venom lacing my voice "all my life I've heard the same things leave your mouth. How I should be grateful for you because you give me a roof over my head and food to eat. And how I owe you because of it. Or how I shouldn't feel sad or upset because you do everything for me. You've spent the last nineteen years trying to tear my dreams apart at the seams, but I've sewn them back together. You're supposed to support your children and their dreams, not trying to make them scared. I want to sail the sea, whether or not there are beasts and pirates. Hell maybe even find my father that you chased away." My mother was shocked hearing what had just left my mouth. I smirked at her and walked out the shop heading down to the docks.  
      I looked behind me to see my mum standing at the door of the shop staring at me. I turned my head and watched as a rowboat left the ship making its way to the dock. i watched as two boys arrived, and helped them tie off the boat so it didn't drift away, "Thank you for the help miss" said the shorter boy with a slight bow "you're very welcome sir, I am here to help if you need" I bowed my head. "You wouldn't by any chance know where we can find a storyteller and or bard?" The taller one spat and for looking very friendly, his voice was the opposite "I know of one person who can help but I'm not sure if you'd want her help" "Well show us where he is and we'll see" "she" "excuse me?" "The person is a she" the shorter one looked at me with a smile as his crew mate and I just stared each other down, when he spoke it caught me off guard. "Sorry about him, he's not good with people. Would you by any chance be willing to show us where she is?" I smiled at him "I'm right here. I have many stories." "Are you good with children?" I looked up at the other one again "if you count reading for the children at the orphanage, then yes I am." The two boys looked at me then at each other, "you're hired when are you available to leave?" "whenever you plan on leaving next." The short boy smiled "I'm Hongjoong, I'll be your captain aboard the ship, this is Seonghwa he's the cook. You'll meet the rest when we get to the ship later." I nodded "before that we have to stock up on some herbs, and get a few maps" I smiled "follow me," I lead the way for them through town, saving the herbs for last, I wasn't planning on talking to mum, but sadly I had to.
We finally reached the shop and walked in. My mum was just standing there looking out the window as if she had seen a ghost "mum they need some herbs." "we're sold out, better luck next time" I looked at her dumbfound "you really want to be that way to your daughter who's leaving" "I don't have a daughter, she died earlier today" I looked at the boys, they had sad expressions on their faces "wow, ok. Let's go guys I know a different place" I walked out the door grabbing Hongjoong's hand to get them away from the circus. "I'm sorry you guys had to see that" I let go and stopped walking when we got to my old house "Can I ask a question?" I looked behind me and made eye contact with Hongjoong "sure" "Why did she say that?" "My mum and I got in an argument earlier and I let everything out about the issues she's been causing me. I guess she couldn't handle the truth and decided I was dead to her." I looked at both of them "you guys can come in, we have herbs in the kitchen and the bathroom." "So split up and grab the herbs then go?" Seonghwa suggested "sure in the bathroom the herbs are in little jars on the counter. I'll handle the kitchen." "I'll go with y/n" Hongjoong uttered making Seonghwa smirk "of course you will" he mumbled. I didn't hear what Seonghwa said but judging how red Hongjoong was, he knew. I just ignored the two as I walked into the house illuminating it with the fireplace. "Bathroom is straight ahead first door on the left, kitchen is this way" I walked ahead of the boys letting Seonghwa find his way to the bathroom, leading Hongjoong into the kitchen to find the other herbs. "Hongjoong can you check on that cabinet over there?There should be some over there too." Hongjoong walked over to where I mentioned, "Hey y/n where's your father?" I stopped what I was doing and looked over at Hongjoong "he ran off when I was born, mum never talked about it. She always just said he joined the pirate's life. She tried so hard to make me hate him, but honestly I just wanted to meet him. She used to tell me stories he told her. Like how the Kraken lived at the bottom of the sea waiting for the pirate king to call for his assistance. At least she did when days were different. When she started losing customers at the shop she changed. Started saying that I was just like him, and not in a good way. Once it got so bad she took a fire poker that was sitting in the coals and slapped me with it, I blocked with my arm," I pulled up my sleeve showing the scars. "Of course the towns people never found out, my mother being the herbalist she is helped the healing process quicken and kept my arm bandaged. She had told everyone I was playing with the fire and burned myself."
   At this point tears were brimming in my eyes and my voice was breaking, "that's the first time I told anybody that. I've always been alone." I looked back at Hongjoong to see such a sad expression on his face, a soft yellow light flickering shadows onto his face. Such a gentle face shouldn't be sad like that. "You have me now, you can tell me anything and I will listen to you," he looked so gentle. Hongjoong made his way to my side and wiped the tears that escaped away "I will protect you, both as a captain and a friend" I leaned into his hand "thank you captain." He smiled at me as his hand still caressed my cheek slowly rubbing his thumb on my cheekbone. "Am I interrupting something?" Came a low voice from the doorway. Hongjoong and I separated "did you find the herbs you needed" I questioned. The only reply I got was a nod from Seonghwa. He looked between Hongjoong and I and gently smiled. Holy cow he can smile. I was genuinely surprised, well till he talked "let's go lovebirds, we need to get to the ship before Wooyoung sinks it." I was so lost, lovebirds? Wooyoung sink the ship? How can one man sink a ship. As if reading my mind Hongjoong just looked at me "you'll see when we get there. Wooyoung is our head gunner and is the one who drinks the most, He's also the loudest." I just nodded my head and followed the boys out the door and to the docks.
    The moon was full tonight and it looked so beautiful, how it lit up the sea's surface. The mystery that lurked beneath showed more at night. The bioluminescence gave off a blueish-green glow, I dipped my finger in the water, the feeling of the cold liquid flowing through my fingers gave me a welcoming feeling. As I was so entranced with the glowing of the water, I hadn't realized the pirate captain staring at me with a smile. It didn't take long till we were boarding the ship. Once we boarded the ship I was greeted with many new and intimidating faces, I hid behind Hongjoong. "Boys this is y/n, she'll be our new bard" I waved to all of them, looking from behind Hongjoong "hello" I said in a slight whisper. Hongjoong looked over his shoulder and smiled, he reached behind him and grabbed my hand pulling me forward gently "it's ok y/n they're not mean, their basically kids." I nodded squeezing Hongjoong's hand tighter feeling nervous in front of all the new faces. I looked from left to right, they all looked so gentle except for one that kinda reminded me of a fox? "Hi miss y/n, I'm Yunho the happy virus and boatswain," said a tall boy that looked like a puppy "hi Yunho" I smiled. "I'm Yeosang, navigator" wow he didn't say much, I cocked my head at him and smiled. Looking at the next boy with red hair and doe like eyes " Hi I'm Jongho, the youngest and singer" "well maybe, y/n how old are you?" I looked at Hongjoong "I'm 19," the boy with a mole on his left cheekbone started jumping up and down yelling "we have a new baby on the ship" I was so confused and looked over to my captain "you're the youngest now." I nodded not really sure how to respond, I looked back at the boys "the excited one is Wooyoung, the one we told you about. The one next to him with the pink hair is San, he's our medic. The other tall one that looks like he's tired is Mingi, he's our Quartermaster." I looked at them all, it didn't take a genius to realize they were drunk. Singing and dancing around the ship, they all seemed so happy and kind. "You ok y/n, are you tired? You've had a long day," I looked at Hongjoong and nodded. Our hands were still connected with one another's, I felt so comfortable with him yet I had only just met him today. We were walking up the steps of the ship towards where the helm was "Here you can sleep in the captain's quarters tonight, I'll sleep in the hold with the crew." I looked at him "you sure? I don't want to take your room from you" "'yeah of course, you're fine, don't worry, we'll figure out a sleeping place for you when the sun is up. He led me into the room to the hammock, "sleep well y/n" "thank you Hongjoong" he turned and looked at me "for what?" "for rescuing me" I said with a soft voice as I fell asleep, the exhaustion of today hitting me like a rock, before my eyes closed I saw a smile on Hongjoong's face.
      A year has passed since the day they came to my little town. It turns out Pirates are nothing like my mother had told me. The Pirate King was respectful and loved by his crew mates, and I had the opportunity to be his lover. Hongjoong and I got together a few months after I joined the crew. Seonghwa wasn't surprised he said we had perfect chemistry or something like that. What I didn't expect was how the crew called us the parents of the ship. It was funny how Hongjoong always blushed when they mentioned it, I just giggled.
    The sun was rising as the ship sailed through the water, the pinkish glow of the sky made me happy "darling why are you awake so early?" Hongjoong hugged me from the back his morning voice soothing "I couldn't sleep, did I wake you when I got up?" "No, the cold space by me woke me. Did you have a nightmare again?" "No, when you're by my side there is no such thing as nightmares, knowing my king is there." I looked over my shoulder, his blonde hair was covering his eyes, I turned in his arms moving his hair from his eyes. "There I can see you again" I smiled at him "you can always see me love" butterflies erupted in my stomach causing me to blush. I smiled at him, pecking his cheeks and the tip of his nose. It was his turn to blush, he let go of my waist and stood next to me taking my hand as we stared off at the sunrise, the salty sea air making me relax, the breeze blowing my hair back. "It's so beautiful love" I stated as dolphins swam in the distance, "not as beautiful as you y/n." I looked at him and scrunched my nose with a look of disgust "that was cheesy" he giggled "I know but it's the truth." He looked at me with such love in his eyes, he changed my life forever and I couldn't be more grateful than I am right now. Hongjoong had scooted closer to me and started to lean in, me being the stubborn person I was I looked away causing him to kiss my cheek. When I looked back over he was pouting which caused me to giggle "I love you my king" I told him and he just closed his eyes and looked away. I smirked at his action, sneaking next to him and kissing his lips. When I pulled back he was finally looking at me but with a slight blush on his cheeks. I walked over to the edge of the ship again, "I love you more my queen" I smiled at his words as I felt his arms at my waist again. I looked back at him again, he connected our lips once again. I never wanted this moment to end.