Mors Per Mare (ATEEZ FF)

18

The sun was just coming up over the horizon, and Yunho was leaning casually against the mainmast with a smile on his face as you approached. "Miss Y/N." He greeted.

Had you been in your own time, you would have fainted at the sight of the charming man. But you knew well enough by now that Yunho would only smile if he had reason to. "Yunho." You answered, matching his tone beat for beat.

"Captain tells me you want to learn the sword?" Yunho said, the smile growing on his face.

"Captain would be correct." You nodded, brushing your hair back behind your ear as the wind picked up.

"Good. First rule of the sword," He murmured, suddenly the giant sword he carried before was in his hands. He swung it in its sheath so fast that you didn't have any time to dodge the blow. "Always be ready for the enemy at any moment."

You doubled over, a cough shaking you to your very core. "Yunho! A little warning!" You muttered angrily, still a little out of breath.

"Your opponent won't give you any warning, why should I?" He called.

"Good lord, what was that for? I didn't know we were starting, I don't even have a weapon!" You argued, feeling as though he was being unjust.

"That was for being late today. The next will be for disobeying me when I told you to stay in the navigation room. Don't let it hit you, again." He warned. The excitement you'd had about learning how to use a sword just moments before blew away with the breeze that was now gusting across the ship. What Yunho was teaching you now was a means of survival, and he intended to teach it to you that way. You were quiet as he leaned back against the mast, setting the sword down once more. When the wind quieted again, he spoke, "What characteristics do you believe a good swordsman should have, Y/N?"

"I don't know... they should be agile?" You murmured, trying to think hard of every medieval movie you'd ever watched. "And aware." You said, more confidently now.

"Good." He said. "But you're missing the most important characteristic of the swordsman."

"Um... confident?" You asked, trying hard to come up with the answer.

"Fearful." Yunho corrected. "A swordsman must be constantly afraid of the enemy. It sharpens the senses."

You nodded slowly, letting the unspoken true meaning behind Yunho's words sink in. "If a swordsman isn't afraid, he's dead."

You took a sharp inhale, trying to process everything.

"Not to worry, Y/N, the fear comes with time and experience. For now, lets work on the other two. What do you think is most important between agility and awareness?"

"Awareness?"

"Why?"

"Because even if you can't dodge it, if you're aware you can still stop it." You answered instinctively.

Yunho smiled, something about it this time seemed different from the last smile. In a good way. "Good answer, now close your eyes." You did as he said. "Tell me what you feel."

"The wind." You answered.

"Beyond that." He scolded.