Aurora - You are my light (Ateez x reader)

TEN

WOOYOUNG

What was the deal with her? She seemed too ordinary to pose any threat to us. Yet the order was crystal clear: do not untie her under any circumstances and keep a constant eye on her. Her danger was deemed unpredictable. So why did our employers believe she had what it took to outsmart an entire pirate crew and thus jeopardize the entire endeavor?

However, seeing her in such poor condition, we collectively decided that this girl couldn't harm a fly, except maybe by spitting soup on some of us or throwing around some flippant remarks. And so, we let her roam the ship without restraints. Whether that was a good idea, I dared to doubt.

There were some dissenting voices among us, questioning the necessity of treating her like a guest even here. Mine was one of them, but Yeosang and Seonghwa had advocated for her, and so Hongjoong eventually relented. As if he could ever refuse Seonghwa a favor.

Yet no one on board could truly gauge her, which posed some risks. Not even Jongho, who had tried to read her aura and only babbled something about butterflies in her stomach, could say more about her intentions. What if she attacked us in the middle of the night and seized the ship? The thought made me smirk. That was rather absurd. After all, we were pirates for a reason, rarely having to fend off an attack since no one dared to challenge us. That was the smarter choice.

The early morning sun wasn't yet high in the sky, but it already scorched my skin. I slid a few inches to the right on the crate where I sat on deck, seeking shelter from it in the pleasant shade of the mast. Last night, Seonghwa had finally redeemed his gambling debts and taken over my kitchen duty and thus the preparations for the next day.

So, I quickly prepared breakfast for the crew and could spend the morning on deck without any work, letting my soul unwind. I noticed movements above my head and lifted it to watch Yeosang descending gracefully from his lookout point, high up in the nets. He must have finished his night watch and greeted me with a tired smile. "Can you let Hongjoong know that I'm taking a short break? The view is clear; there shouldn't be any problems out there."

I nodded to my close and longtime friend, wishing him a restful sleep. He had kept watch all night for enemies, storms, or obstacles. He must be dead tired.

Shortly after, San appeared on deck and silently settled next to me on the crate. My best friend polished his revolvers, which already gleamed flawlessly. He had been more withdrawn in the past few days. More precisely, since he had located Aurora, we had set course for Seraphil, and we had kidnapped her.

And even though we spent every free moment together, I missed him and his outgoing nature. Something wasn't right. As his best friend, I thought he might confide in me and explain what was bothering him, but even the space I gave him in the past few days didn't lead to any revelation on his part.

"Did you sleep well?" I tried cautiously to initiate contact with him. He only grunted in agreement, his gaze still fixed on the revolvers in his lap, which he continued to polish eagerly.

"Now stop scrubbing those old things; you haven't had to use them in ages!" I tried with a bit more emphasis in my voice, stopping his hands from cleaning his weapons by placing mine on top of them. Only then did he look up from his revolvers, studying me intently with a mix of contemplation and darkness. If he weren't my best friend right now, I'd be looking for an escape route.

"San," I gently stroked his hand, "why don't you finally talk to someone? Like me, for example?" I grinned at him crookedly, trying to coax him out of his shell.

"About what?" His voice was still rough and hoarse from sleep, and I felt a pleasant tingling inside me. That voice reminded me of the days when we shared a bed at night, so as not to succumb to loneliness on board. I shook off the thought internally. Now was about something more important.

"We both know you have something on your mind; you don't need to pretend with me. If you need more time, I'll give it to you, but I want to make it clear that I'm always here for you, no matter what torments you."

The pressure of his thumb, which had now rested on my hand, intensified as he looked out over the railing at the horizon. When he turned his head back to me, he took a deep breath and started to speak, but stopped abruptly as my body tensed reflexively when I caught sight of a person in my peripheral vision, whom I now more than ever would have liked to shoot to the moon.

Aurora hesitantly emerged onto the deck, seeming to search for something or someone. She gazed out at the vast sea and the rising sun, visibly inhaling the salty air. The white blouse and matching skirt, borrowed from Seonghwa, fluttered around her slender frame in the wind. As her brown locks obscured her vision and she struggled to push them back, I almost forgot that I didn't want her here.

She scanned the deck, her expression darkening when she finally spotted us. Before anyone could utter a word, she turned on her heel and vanished below deck as swiftly as she had appeared. Clearly, she had no intention of speaking to us. Fine by me, I thought, inwardly sighing.

Hopefully, I had made my stance clear to her yesterday. I kept her under watch, unable to gauge her and thus posing a danger to all of us. Especially since San had become so closed off shortly before her arrival, she had become a personal thorn in my side.

I glanced back at him, hoping he would regain the words he had intended for me. But he only stared more intensely at the spot where Aurora had last been seen.

"Perhaps later, Wooyo," he said, rising to his feet without sparing me another glance. With practiced skill, he twirled both revolvers in his hands, deftly holstering them at his left and right hips. Since when had he been wearing those again? Did he know something we didn't? Then he made his way below deck, following the path Aurora had just taken, disappearing from my sight. Now I was left alone with my ignorance and numerous unanswered questions.

- Hello there :) So, what do you think of this chapter from Wooyoung's perspective? And what's your take on switching narrative perspectives in general? I think it offers a whole new way to get to know the characters and see things from a different angle. It also offers new information for the reader in my opinion. See you soon! :) -