Till the world's end|| (pirate!au) -'๑'-Ateez

Magic of the sea

Hypaxia stood in the captain's quarters, her expression serious as she confronted Hongjoong. The late hour only added to the tension in the room.

"Where is San?" she demanded, her voice firm and unwavering.

Hongjoong met her gaze, his demeanor calm but guarded.

"You'll see him tomorrow, darling. Go get some rest."

The endearment caught Hypaxia off guard, causing a faint blush to rise to her cheeks. She blinked, momentarily flustered by the unexpected term of affection from the captain.

"I'm sorry for intruding, Captain, but Wooyoung can't sleep without San. You know that, and I won't sit still if my best friend is distressed," she explained, her voice softer now but still resolute.

Hongjoong sighed softly, realizing the gravity of the situation.

"It's nothing for you to worry about, Daphne. Tell Wooyoung San'll be back by tomorrow."

Hypaxia nodded, albeit reluctantly, and turned to leave the room, her mind still filled with concern for her missing crewmate.

As Hypaxia exited the room, Seonghwa couldn't help but stifle a laugh, masking it with a fake cough to hide his amusement.

"Darling, huh?" he teased, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Hongjoong shot him a glare. "She's young i can call her that. Besides I call you sweetheart all the time."

Seonghwa raised an eyebrow. "That doesn't count, Captain. It's usually when you're threatening me."

"Sure, whatever," Hongjoong replied, his attention returning to the map spread out before him.

"If San manages to leave the ship today, he should be heading towards Rococo. According to my calculations, the waves should carry him in that direction, and he'll likely reach the shore by tomorrow morning," he explained, tracing a route on the map with his finger. "That's where we're headed now."

Seonghwa nodded in understanding. "I'll update Mingi about it right away."With a shared understanding, Seonghwa left the room to relay the information to Mingi, leaving Hongjoong to contemplate their next moves.

As Hypaxia made her way through the dimly lit corridors of the ship, her thoughts swirled with concern for San and the well-being of Wooyoung. She couldn't shake the feeling of unease that lingered in the air, fueled by the mysterious absence of their crewmate. Approaching Wooyoung's quarters, she found him sitting on his bunk, his expression crestfallen as he stared at the space beside him where San usually slept.

"Wooyoung," she called softly, stepping into the room. He looked up, his eyes tired but filled with a glimmer of hope at the sight of her.

"Daphne, have you found him?" he asked, his voice tinged with desperation. She hesitated before gently shaking her head. "Not yet, but Captain assures me that San will return by tomorrow." Wooyoung's shoulders sagged in relief, but worry remained etched on his face.

"I hope he's alright," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. Hypaxia moved to sit beside him, offering a comforting presence amid uncertainty. "He'll be back, I promise. And until then, you have us," she reassured him, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

Wooyoung managed a small smile, gratitude shining in his eyes. "Thank you. I don't know what I'd do without you."

She returned his smile, a warmth blooming in her chest at his words. "You'll never have to find out," she vowed, silently steeling herself to ensure the safety of her crewmates, no matter the cost.