pirate king (pirate!au) ➵ ateez ✔️

lies

"So... can I just say this sounds like a terrible plan?" Wooyoung asks as he glances at his captain, suiting up in his mission clothes once more. Hongjoong throws him a dirty look.

"Well, I'd like to see you come up with a better plan." Captain snaps, but there's no hostility in his tone. Instead, he sounds almost as nervous as you and Wooyoung are, turning to Seonghwa urgently. "Do you really want to do this, Seonghwa?"

The cook is dressed in mission attire as well, looking more out of place than you do in a black shirt and pants, a matching scarf hanging around his neck. When his captain addresses him, he nods, his fingers drumming furiously at his thighs, deep in thought.

He's finally going to confront his parents' murderer.

As the ones who know the town better than anyone else on board (except Seonghwa), you and Wooyoung will be accompanying Seonghwa on this little mission, assisting him by leading him to Lucio Bartholomew. The plan once you reach town is simple, trace the same way you took the last time and get to Lucio's room, somehow dodging every guard along the way.

But nerves edge at you.

"What if they increase the guard because of us the last time?" You ask a little nervously, turning to Yeosang. The navigator shrugs as he helps you secure the grappling rope around your waist.

"Fight them off and run like hell. We've got a surplus of smoke bombs and interesting surprises this time, so Wooyoung will use them if need be."

You turn to the head gunner in surprise. It's the first time you've seen him so heavily armed, pistols and muskets dangling from his body. There's even a double barreled shotgun hanging from his back, the menacing weapon looks like it could do some pretty serious damage.

From his shoulder dangles a bag full of the several 'fun' surprises that Yeosang had been working on, packed to the brim.

"I hope it won't come to that." You mumble under your breath, but Wooyoung simply chuckles, waving it off with a grin that you've missed so much.

"Aww, where's the fun in that?" He laughs and you give him a flat look, completely unamused.

"Not getting shot in the foot would be a good start."

There's a knock on the door of the cabin, and it opens a crack to let Mingi's head pop in to look at the five of you inside. "The moon's hidden behind the clouds." He tells you, face grim.

You exchange glances with each other and begin to rise to your feet. Time for you to go, you suppose.

All of you step outside onto the main deck, your soft soled boots barely making any noise against the wooden floorboards. Another invention you had to credit to Yeosang, who had stayed up all night trying to find ways to ensure the three of you wouldn't be caught up in another terrible situation.

There's a wooden rowing boat hanging over the port side of the ship, ready to be lowered into the water. The sea beneath you is calm, like a floor of glass, tiny ripples disrupting its otherwise smooth surface. You can see the town less than a mile away, the island of Nassau emitting a soft glow into the night.

"Well then, let's be off." Wooyoung stretches as he gets ready to board the boat. You get in after him, the little rowing boat rocking dangerously under your feet and you nearly fall right over the side. Wooyoung barely manages to catch you by the arm, pulling you back into the boat. "Wouldn't want you to be taking a swim so soon."

You want to smack the grin off his face.

Seonghwa steps into the boat with a lot more grace than you had, sitting down in front of you. Mingi and Hongjoong stand at the bulwarks, eyes reflecting the light of the torches like mirrors.