pirate king (pirate!au) ➵ ateez ✔️

jump

You're standing on the forecastle deck of the ship, watching as bow slices through the waves.

The ship skims over the choppy waters smoothly, but you're so lost in thought you don't even notice how some of the boys are lingering at the forecastle deck stairs, glancing at you worriedly as they speak in hushed voices.

You haven't said a word since you woke up from unconsciousness a day ago, heading straight to Captain's cabin and begging him to let you travel to the spot the map indicated. Hongjoong hadn't hesitated to agree, but he couldn't help but be concerned at the heavy look on your face, as if there was a massive weight on your shoulders.

Confusion settles on your mind like sea fog that refuses to lift. You have so many unanswered questions that confuse you to no end.

Golems were supposed to be made out of clay, but you were made of flesh and blood. You didn't know how it was possible, perhaps the heart that the man had given you in your dreams did truly change you into a human being, but then why would he do so?

He warned you about something... How they didn't understand? Who was they? You remembered from your dreams your previous self had said something about not telling them because they wouldn't understand, but who was they and why would they not understand? Why would they think you were trapped?

What was the plan he had been talking about? Did your previous self agree to something with him? And why was he so happy that you had gotten a name? Your previous self must have had a name as well. How did he make you forget what he was? He...

Then you pause in confusion at your own train of thought.

What he is... not his name.

Why did you think such a weird thing?

"Chin Hae?"

You're startled out of your thoughts to see your master standing at your side, Yunho and Wooyoung trailing behind him like lost puppies. The air is starting to get cold, you realise, and you shiver a little. Wooyoung takes your hand and puts it in his pocket, fingers stroking soothingly along the back of your hand.

"Thanks, Wooyoung-hyung." You say. The head gunner is obviously worried, but he forces his face into a cute pout as he looks at your unbound hair flying with the wind, one hand reaching up to brush the errant strands from your forehead.

"You've stopped wearing the hairpin." He says a little sadly as his hand falls back to his side, the shackles on his wrists jingling slightly. You feel guilty for a moment, fingers brushing the hairpin where it's secured in your belt once more.

"Yeah... after that kid stole it, I'm not sure I dare to wear it in my hair. I can't afford to lose it." You tell him and he gives you an uneasy smile, torn between understanding why you want to keep it safe and wanting to see you wear it. Before he can say anything more though, Yunho glances at the expanse of sea before you.

"We're reaching soon, aren't we?" His voice is unusually grim. You can see the sky starting to darken, way too fast for it to be any sort of natural storm. The sea waves are starting to get more choppy and rough, and the deck is pitching and rolling more dangerously than what you're used to. San almost loses his balance at one violent heave of the deck but Yunho catches him with the reflexes of a cat, sharp eyes focusing on what lies ahead.

Sharp, rocky outcrops break the horizon just slightly, black shapes jutting out from the sea. You swallow nervously as you glimpse the lightning flashing above head, before the rolling thunder startles you into a jump. Wooyoung steadies you by the arms before you pitch yourself into the sea in fright, wincing himself against the volume of it. It sounds like cannonfire right next to your head and for a moment, your ears ring as if there are bells swinging back and forth in your skull.