Aurora's Child - ATEEZ Pirate AU

Chapter XIII: Storm

A/N: Surprise update, I guess? I couldn't help myself.

//TW: Mentions of blood, murder, descriptions of trauma responses.

_____________________

          Pounding of feet and pumping blood; the loudest sounds in the chase. The populated street fell victim to being rammed by a robber in the midst of pursuit. The chasers did not bother telling the robber to stop, for they knew for certain that the chase wouldn't last long. Confident --or ignorant--, the robber turned a corner, ran straight into an ally way and waited. Waited.

          Pounding of feet ran past the entrance but the pumping of his own blood drowned the sound of his panting. A few moments later, gasping for air, the robber chuckled as he inspected his grab.

          "Finally," the robber exclaimed as he pulled out a glowing object from beneath his clothes. A dim blue light encompassed the area.

          "Stupid bastards," he said as he inspected the magical object in his hand. A Cromer. 

          Such an amazing sight. Such precious cargo he bared. In the grasp of this person, was an object of immense value; mere mortals couldn't begin to comprehend the immense weight the robber carried within his hands. It looked like a simple hourglass, to the unsuspecting eye. Oh, such miserable ignorance.

          A bewildered laugh fell from his lips as he celebrated too soon. He was already trapped.

          A strange figure hidden in the shadows emerged holding a glinting dagger. A swift slash and the robber started bleeding out on the ground before he could even notice he was caught.

          Bloody hands picked up the Cromer from the hands of the dying lad. The killer not minding the convulsing body on the ground, simply inspected the object from any blemishes or cracks and walked away from the scene. Not noticing the hand reaching out to stop them in a last attempt of taking back what had been stolen.

          The hand went limp.

_____

          "Now, let's try this again. I want you to close your eyes and lay back. Try to relax a little," Juno's gentle voice instructs.

          Hongjoong's training had finally begun two days ago. Lots of meditating, taking a dip at the beach and more meditating ensued. Everything was going fine, he had already mastered the art of meditating while three stooges tried anything in their power to distract him. Taking a dip sounded nice in the end! Wrong. Oh so wrong.

          Upon the nape of his neck touching the surface of the water, memories from the night of the shipwreck resurfaced. He wasn't aware of how deep that trauma actually was. It doesn't make any sense! He had hopped onto several ships through the course of several months and no issues whatsoever, but dipping his toes in water suddenly unlocks some fear of water?! Are you fucking serious?!

          This is the fifth try in the span of two days. Anytime Hongjoong tried to float on the water, even with company, his mind could only replay that image of him almost drowning. He still doesn't know how to tell Juno the reason why he jumps like a fish in land when he touches water, ironically enough. Just another beautiful sunny day in Hongjoong's comedic life. He decided to try one more time just for Juno's sake.

          Leaning back into water, letting it soak his body, and as soon as he closed his eyes he saw it. The storm right above him, flashes of lighting and violent waves trying to drag him under. He was almost certain someone grabbed him by his hair and pulled him in the present.