Treasure | Ateez

| 24 |

"Radix malorum est cupiditas"

- The root of all evils is desire

☾ ☾ ☾ 

"Should I be scared?" 

Aeris whispered to the youngest who had clambered to the eagles eyes with his spyglass, eyes trained to the ship that cut through the waters. Mini figures already readying their canons and hoisting flags as they waved their swords towards them. 

"It is your first time" 

Jongho shrugged, raising the ropes tangled in the small space as Wooyoung flashed him a grateful smile and a wink to which the youngest shuddered. 

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" 

Aeris couldn't wrap her head around the stark difference in everyone behaviour, it was so sudden yet it was so comforting. She felt herself relax a little, the constant facade and pretence she had created for herself during the last three days slowly crumbling back to the old behaviour and bickering she had had with the rest of the crew before the incident. 

Then again, was this so common that it was forgotten once the person in the down decided to forgive? Should she be worried?

" I mean no one aspires to be here so," 

"Jongho" Aeris was exasperated "that is not what I meant"

"Oh" He nodded, casting a glance around the deck and towards Seonghwa he smiled before turning to her "Right now its a good thing, they won't catch us" 

"Are you sure?" 

Aeris felt the feeling gnaw at her insides like an ant that had made its way onto her skin, invisible yet extremely irritating. The voices whispered their lies and Aeris's head pounded as the they made their way across the narrow channel between two valleys, the enemy ship following close behind. The crystal waters gave no clear idea of the depth they were above, the fish blissfully unaware of the dangers above them as they made their way in schools below the ship and around the empty spaces. 

"Aeris! Here!" 

She gave a grin to the boy and handed him the spyglass back, walking towards the harrowed boy and grabbing the rope from his open hands and tying it up the mast. 

"Tie it the hull and then jump below"

"Did you just say jump?" Aeris's eyes widened as Wooyung nodded, securing another rope around the wood and tying a loop around his waist. "What do you mean 'jump'?" she demanded, heart racing from her climb upwards.

"Jump" Wooyoung shrugged, tipping his head as he fell off the small platform with a shout as Aeris screamed in shock, watching the boy whoop in delight before sleeping dangerously close to the ground and untying himself and nodding encouragely to her.  

"I am not doing that" 

"You don't have a choice!" He yelled back up, waving his hands impatiently "San's busy!"

"So you just jump off?" she yelled back, grimacing at his nod. 

"Don't worry I'll catch you" He winked, Seonghwa grimaced as he crossed the two and heading ahead. Hongjoong turned at the words, noticing the girl high up and smirking before turning his attention back to the whirlpool that threatened to swallow the ship behind them. 

I will die

I am jumping 

You did this once before its the same, except with less safety precautions.