The Pirate and The King [Seongjoong || ATEEZ]

Aurora

☾⛥⛥⛥☽

The week passed like a fresh breeze. The tasks were being done, the clothes appeared washed in the morning, the table was set right at lunchtime, the fish was being fished when it had to be... It all was perfect.

Well, for everyone except the Prince. For him, this was literal hell. And his body won't be able to keep this up for much longer. He felt that if he did this for 2 more days, his entire self would shatter.

He-of course-had not been doing it in three glasses of water as the Captain had ordered. Instead, when he was cooking with Wooyoung, he took some food from here and there. Like the hard bread or the rotten fruit that they stole from his ship, occasionally being able to take some real food.

That's what he was doing right now, he was hiding in his "room" trying to eat as quiet as possible, extremely scared of waking any of them up.

This week, he had learnt a few things about the guys in this boat:
Yeosang tried to kill him at any chance he got. Wooyoung talked a lot and had this weird obsession with roaches. Jongho ignored him, as if he wasn't even there, only casually stepping on his feet. Mingi was a curious man who had asked him various times about life in the palace and a thousand things more. Yunho was actually a sweet guy, along with San. And Hongjoong... Well, he was... Peculiar?

Some mornings, when he woke up before anyone else, he opened his door and let him out. They even talked some. They didn't treat him like a complete slave, but instead, he had gained the nicknames of Landlubber and Powder Monkey-which he had learnt weren't good things. But when the rest of the crew was there, Hongjoong talked to him like a landlord would talk to his slaves. Calling him every pirate-y insult he didn't know the meaning of. At least he couldn't get offended.

"Fuck, this life sucks... Father, when will you come? Well, is not as if I was as important... I'm not even your firstborn. If one of your sons got lost in battle, you wouldn't care, right?" Seonghwa said to himself, trying to pinch some of that old bread's crumb.

"Wait you're right... If everyone in the ship got murdered then they'll think you're dead right? They wouldn't want to rescue a corpse right?"

Seonghwa shouted and immediately covered his mouth. When had Wooyoung opened the door and sat there looking at him? He then remembered the bread he had, quickly trying to hide it in a failed attempt.

"W-what are you doing here? Since when are you here?" Seonghwa said in panic.

"I couldn't sleep, and I wanted to talk with someone... You look as dead as bilge water¹ landlubber, want a hardtack²?" The young man offered. Seonghwa was reluctant, not sure if he should take the food given to him or if it was a trick.

"I've seen you take awful food from the kitchen, I've let you have it. Hongjoong can be a little harsh sometimes. Since this ship ain't just his, I'll give you some of my delicious food." Wooyoung said placing the food on Seonghwa's lap.
"Also, did you think I was blind? I'm a nice man but if Yeosang or Jongho saw you, you'd be harp up in a clinch with no knife to cut the seizing's..."

"I'd be what?"

"In trouble, you'd be in serious trouble matey..." The batboy said biting on the biscuit.

"You let me have the food?" Seonghwa asked, a pinch of thankfulness in his voice.

"Yeah, I want you alive. I need the biggest prize for you, pretty boy."

"I'm sure I'm older than you..." The tall man said a little offended by this insult he could understand.

"I'm 18, you?"