" we won't actually have to choose a side...right? "
[ ateez pirate au // book 1 ]
an ongoing story that shows the issues the ateez boys have to go through on their way to pirate kings. old, familial problems from their pasts become bigger issues t...
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chapter 3 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚎𝚜𝚜 ———
Hongjoong awoke with a start. Instead of feeling the harsh texture of wood underneath his fingertips, he was left with a soft, fuzzy feeling. In a daze, he tilted his head down, straining his neck in the process. His hands brushed a cotton blanket, oddly enough. Last thing he remembered was laying on the deck. Hongjoong ignored any thoughts trying to linger and pry to figure out what happened that led up to that. Maybe it was for the better right now. Being confused was one thing, but being thrown into the string of emotions? He'll pass.
Joong observed his surroundings. There was an oak table, somewhat nicely chiseled and carved, with various supplies present on it. They were thrown about, the blades facing in dangerous directions and not being secured at all. There were bandages and gauze thrown from one side of the room to another, littering the already dirty floor. A saw was also hidden under a string of gauze - he didn't even want to think about it. He sat up in a hurry, finally taking in the rest of the room. Hongjoong should've put two and two together - he was in the medical bay. Duh.
He barely made visits here, since he was rarely put in the line of battle. Most visits were for carrying injured crewmates who could barely stand on their own two feet. The bay was for the fighters - something he was not. Rarely getting hurt was a good thing, yet it left a sour taste in his mouth. He was weak; he already knew that. But it being blatantly shoved in his face? Maybe he should've taken up Maddox's countless offers of free defense training sessions.
His teeth tugged at his bottom lip as he sat in thought. Bits and fragments of memory of the past days flowed into a bunch of mush. He wasn't sure why he was forgetting what exactly happened that led up to his visit here to the medical bay, but he brushed it off for the time being. He'll get answers soon. With that in mind, he fully sat up and slid off the "bed". His back was blatantly sore from sleeping on the hard surface of the bed, only the cotton blanket being of some comfort. Strong chemicals and blood filled his nostrils, which made his head spin. He wanted to get out of there now.
Joong wondered if the ship's main surgeon, Jinki, was around. The elder could do a quick physical examination to make sure if Hongjoong could actually leave. However, he didn't care too much, considering he felt fine. He needed to get back to work anyway. He might've passed out from overworking or lack of sleep and the captain carried him back here to the bay. Yeah, that sounded about right. A smile ghosted his lips as he gripped the metal knob of the door.
That was when he noticed the bandages tightly secured on his hands and all the way up to his wrists. They were caked with dry blood and were flimsily staying wound together. Strange. His hands didn't hurt, however, so he didn't mind the simple bits of blood.
He fumbled with the knob, his heart slightly racing suddenly. He knew he was denying something. There was something that was being forced to be forgotten in his head, he just didn't know what. Sometimes he hated being confused, and this was one of those times. An annoyed growl passed his lips as he headed towards the ropes up to the Crow's Nest. Maybe relaxing up there for a bit would let him recollect somewhat.
