Treasure | Ateez

| 26 |

"Semper Fidelis"

- Always faithful

☾ ☾ ☾

Aeris could not bring herself to understand what was worse. 

Her face burned red under the heat of the sun and the constant running she was engaging herself in as Yunho threw her a bucket, the rag following soon after. 

"Her Royal highness" she huffed, sitting against the ground and moving the rag with her foot to wipe the dirty floor. "Wiping the floors of a pirate ship. Oh why did I decide to leave?" 

"What was that?" Seonghwa popped in from behind, one hand wrapped around a bucket of water and the other swiping his long hair across his forehead. 

"huh? Um- nothing" Aeris stuttered. 

"First time?" he knelt next to her, tightening the laces of his shoes and holding out his hand with the raise of his eyebrows- looking straight at the rag in her hand. "Pass it, you're doing it wrong"

"How do you clean a floor wrong?" Her voice came out incredulous, hand crossed as her legs collapsed on the ground, blowing out a breath to remove the stray strands of hair that fell over her eyes and glaring at the amused boy who moved his hand across the ground in straight movements. "It works anyhow you do it."

"You're making it even dirtier by crouching right in the part you just cleaned" Seonghwa deadpointed, pointing to the part that had footprints all over as Aeris groaned in realisation. "You've really never done this have you?" 

"Is it obvious?"

☾ ☾ ☾

The meeting was held in the lower rooms of the ship. 

A faint smell of fruits and alcohol rose in the air as feet shuffled across the small area, leaning against the walls or sitting on the floor while Hongjoong stood on top of a small box, tapping his foot in annoyance and biting into the apple in his hand. 

"What is it this time?" Yunho grumbled lowly, flicking the knife onto the wood next to Mingi's head- causing the red haired boy to stiffen slightly before relaxing, pulling it out and handing it back to its owner with a nod.

"Whatever it is I didn't do it" woo young grumbled exasperated, crossing his arms and nodding exasperatedly, "I have a witness too"

"I'm not your witness" Jongho grumbled, before wincing as the silver haired boy poked his sides. "I-"

"Guys can we just listen" San laughed slightly at the captains expression, seonghwa smirked behind his back as Aeris mocked the thin lipped boys face- crossing her eyebrows and turning her eyes into narrow slits. 

Before hastily recovering to a normal expression when Hongjoong turned- eyes widening to prove innocence.

Wooyoung couldn't stop his laugh.

"Someone's getting comfortable" Seonghwa chortled below his breath, leaning down to the doe eyed girl and exhaling softly. "What if he bites?"

"The only thing she can do then is bite back" Yunho cuts in- making Aeris shut her opened mouth with a hmph.

"Or run" San added, "running works too"

"You should know" Mingi snickered slightly.

Their group had huddled itself away from the captain - loud laughs distracting him from his usual rant of his crews disobedience to the ceiling before guttering it down to mild confusion that sling gave way to anger at the disregard.

His hand flicked to the bucket lying a hands length away from the crew, eyebrows furrowing as a grin formed on his face.

Three, two, one.

"You- AH!" Wooyoung's dolphin screech tore through the room, hand reaching to cup his face as the water collapsed on top of the unsuspecting nine. 

Loud shrieks and exclamations rang through Aeris's ears as she gasped at the cold water they splashed down her clothes while Mingi stumbled across the dirties floor before clutching onto Yeosang who couldn't help but swear as his knees buckled onto a surprised Jongho three steps away.

"Now that you are all alert" Hongjoong's eyes sparkled in mischief, crinkling slightly as he tossed a rakish smile to Aeris as she glared at him. "May I continue?"

"Captain" Seonghwa ceded, clapping his hands together before stepping back from the fray and towards the disgruntled crew who threw nasty looks which soon turned to blank expressions as Hongjoong looked at them. 

"I will be getting straight to the point," The Captain stood taller, running a hand through his hair. "We are approaching Distral, currently we are around 134 nautical miles out currently, and Yunho-" 

The boy in question placed the map onto the floor, stepping backwards with his tools as the red line that crossed their path in a curved line now approached closer to the edge. 

Aeris frowned- she had heard of Distral, one of the last human marked islands lying closer to the Aurora. No one travelled this direction, no one ever wanted to. Everything ahead of the places marked on the map was uncharted water, stories of monsters and disappearing ships ran across the harbour like a plague. The captains and merchants shivered at the thought of those waters, a few who tried to conquer it were never seen again. 

"Ris, what's the problem?" San shrugged her shoulder, confused at the blank expression that rose on the girls face as she stepped backwards slowly. 

So what were they doing?

"Where are we headed?" the others didn't seem too surprised to see their course, a few words were exchanged to decide who brought supplies and who stayed on board. 

"What?" Seonghwa asked, confused at the new turn to her voice. 

"Where exactly are we going?" Aeris's fingers curled slightly. "That course leads towards Ditral- and then Matz. There is nothing ahead of that, do you plan on stopping in Matz?" 

Aeris knew they would not.

"Aeris-" Yeosang cut in, getting back on his feet and pushing past Wooyoung and placing a hand on her shoulders. 

The tension in the room rose, her eyes cutting through the surprised audience who gazed at their captain for answers- he was supposed to have told her, that had been their deal, that had been Yeosang's deal.

"Or are you planning on going to Aurora?"

☾ ☾ ☾

Author's note

Oooh cliffhanger 😬
Happy new year to everyone whose reading this book! I am so happy to have your support and hope you are enjoying this book!

also, who's watching my demon?