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

One battle at the sea

Hongjoong stood resolute on the small patch of white sand in the vast expanse of the ocean, his magical compass gripped tightly in his hand. He furrowed his brow in concentration as he moved the compass in various directions, searching for the elusive target.

"Concentrate, captain," Hypaxia urged her voice a steady reminder of the urgency of their mission.

Hongjoong shot her a brief glance over his shoulder. "Daphne, I can't focus with you breathing down my neck," he retorted, a hint of frustration lacing his words.

Wooyoung, lying exhausted under the scorching sun, interjected with a weary voice. "What exactly are we searching for, captain?"

Hongjoong's gaze hardened with determination as he replied, "Davy Jones's heart. We need to find it and strike it down before he arrives."

San's eyes widened with alarm at the captain's words, his mind racing with the implications of their perilous task. "What do you mean, before he arrives?" he demanded, his voice tinged with concern.

Hongjoong met San's gaze with a steely resolve. "He knows you took the keys, son. He'll be coming for us soon, and we need to be prepared," he explained, his tone firm and unwavering.

"I still don't think that compass works," Jongho interrupted, his voice laced with exhaustion as he slumped onto the ground, weary from hours of searching.

Hongjoong's gaze flickered towards the compass in his hand, a determined glint in his eyes. With a focused expression, he raised the compass, and to everyone's surprise, it began to quiver, its needle wavering before settling on a direction.

"It does work, Jongho," Hongjoong declared, his voice firm and resolute. He shot Jongho a pointed look. "You're sitting on it. Shoo."

Jongho grumbled as he reluctantly stood up, casting a disgruntled glance at the compass before moving aside. Meanwhile, Soren and Yunho sprang into action, their shovels digging into the sand with determined vigor.

As the shovel struck against a hard surface, Hongjoong strode forward, his eyes alight with anticipation. With practiced hands, he unearthed the chest buried beneath the sand, a sense of excitement coursing through him as he pried open the lid.

Inside, nestled amidst a sea of treasures, lay a smaller chest, its surface weathered and aged from years spent beneath the earth. Hongjoong's heart quickened as he reached for the smaller chest, his fingers trembling with anticipation as he held his ear against the chest

Hypaxia watched him closely, her gaze filled with curiosity as she stepped forward to join him on the chest, keeping her ear on it

"What are you doing?" Hongjoong inquired, her voice tinged with confusion.

Hypaxia paused, turning to face him "You told me I'm your family, I'm learning from copying my family"
"Weird way of proposing" Jongho murmured as Wooyoung shushed him

Hongjoong's lips twitched with a hint of a smile, though he remained silent as they both leaned in, pressing their ears against the chest. In the stillness of the moment, a faint heartbeat echoed through the chest, its rhythmic pulse filling the air with a sense of eerie anticipation.

For a moment, they remained like that, their hearts pounding in unison as they listened to the steady beat emanating from within the chest.

"We found the heart," Hypaxia said standing up as she looked at the chest

As the chest lay before them, its secrets tantalizingly close, a sudden disturbance in the water behind them shattered the tense atmosphere. With a collective gasp, the crew turned to face the source of the disturbance, their hearts pounding with apprehension.