pirate king (pirate!au) ➵ ateez ✔️

two sons

"I just want to talk." Mingi grumbles under his breath as the three of you approach the starboard side of the ship, clearly not the least bit convinced by what Captain Kang has just said. "That's what they all say. 'Oh, I just want to talk! I totally don't want to put a bullet through your head... or poison you... or feed you worms...' Only an idiot would let him come up on board after all that he's done to us-"

"Would you call me an idiot, then?" Hongjoong smiles mildly from behind him and Mingi nearly jumps off the ship in shock, whirling around surprised only to see the three of you standing there, eyes flickering nervously between Wooyoung and his captain before his gaze settles on the head gunner. "Uhhh-"

Wooyoung cracks a tiny grin, not fully there but it's something, scuffs the toe of his boot on the deck. "I know, I know. I'm sorry for being an idiot." At Wooyoung's easy demeanor, Mingi's shoulders sag before he reaches over to punch his friend in the arm, hard.

"Ow!" Wooyoung yelps, cradling his arm to his chest dramatically, nursing the sore spot where Mingi hit him. You can see a bruise forming there already. "What was that for?" His voice rises into a whine high pitched from pain.

Mingi's eyes narrow sharply. "That's for beating up Captain." At his words, Hongjoong moves to hide his laughter behind his hand, but the only sound that escapes his mouth is a yelp as Mingi punches his captain hard in the shoulder too.

"Ow!" He complains, mimicking Wooyoung as he rubs his shoulder ruefully. "What did I do? I try to be a good captain and end up getting beat up three times in one day? I don't deserve this. Chin Hae, it hurts-" You stifle a polite snort.

"And that's for being beat up by Wooyoung, you dummy." Mingi talks over his captain, rolling his eyes before they find yours, and then he's raising his hand and you find yourself flinching back, because oh my god is he going to punch you as well-

"Thank you for looking after these two idiots for me." Mingi says softly, one large hand resting gently on your head and you stare up at him with wide eyes, there's a small curve at the side of his mouth and wow, because he's smiling at you.

"You're welcome." You reply brightly, ignoring Hongjoong's dismayed 'I am the captain, you can't just call me an idiot!' and Wooyoung's indignant cry of 'captain is the only idiot on this ship!'. Then suddenly, Mingi frowns and backpedals to an earlier part of the conversation as his hand falls back to his side. "Wait, wait, wait, Captain, did I hear you right earlier? Did you really just say you want to allow Captain Kang onto the ship again? After all he's done to us?"

There's a pregnant pause for a moment.

"Oh, right." Hongjoong pauses, scratches at his chin. Mingi shoots him an incredulous stare at him. "Maybe I am an idiot after all."

"You idiot!" Mingi exclaims, grabbing his captain by the ear and you wince sympathetically as Mingi raps his knuckles across Hongjoong's forehead like he's trying to crack a very large egg. "Did Wooyoung beat the very last dregs of your sanity out of you along with your common sense?"

"Just a second here, it's not my fault if Captain's nuts, he's always been and it's not my doing-" Wooyoung hurriedly holds up both hands and Hongjoong hollers at the unintended bashing to both his pride and forehead before wriggling out of his quartermaster's grasp. Sucking in a deep breath, he stares indignantly at the three of you, one hand adjusting his eyepatch and the other desperately flattening his ruffled hair.

"I am the captain!" Is all he manages.

The three of you burst into a fit of laughter, he looks absolutely frazzled. But your laughter is soon stifled when Seonghwa moves over to the starboard to speak to Hongjoong.