Mists of Celeste - an Ateez Fanfic

act four ➻ part four

Silence is like an old friend: always present and there for you even when everyone and everything else left you. You find comfort in the quiet, and as such, you normally wouldn't find yourself so bothered by the absence of sound. Yet here you are, standing a few feet from Jongho's bed in a room that is all too cold and all too quiet. Truly, there isn't much to say, but that doesn't keep you from wanting to speak up and offer some sort of weak attempt to get him to stay. Before you can, however, San beats you to it. You aren't sure whether to be grateful or not because the lingering goodbye just hovers on your tongue now.

"Are you truly going to do this, Jongho?"

The Berserker hesitates where he stands near the bed, hands clasped around a small bundle of clothes. For a moment, you think he's going to ignore San's question and continue to pack in silence. Then, he offers a shrug.

"Hongjoong didn't stop me, did he?" You shake your head with a certain fervor to your movements.

"There's no way he wants you to leave," you counter. Perhaps it is merely an attempt to cling to that hope, but the Hongjoong you saw in his quarters was a version of him you've never seen before. Jongho shifts to look at you, eyes a bit melancholy as he drags his gaze over your face.

"Obviously information is far more important than I am." He says the words with a bit of a laugh to his tone, though all three of you know that there's no humor to be found in this situation. Your lips fold into a delicate frown.

"Why is this even an issue? Is there a reason why Hongjoong is so adamant about bringing Mingi to the arena? Why can't he just stay on the ship while the rest of us go on the mission?" You shake your head a bit as you ask the questions and drop your gaze to the floor. There is no reasonable explanation as to why Hongjoong would behave this way in your mind, no matter how many excuses you try to give in his defense.

"Because Vladimir plays dirty," San says through a sigh. "He knows that Mingi is on this crew, and he's been after Mingi for years. Offered countless deals and bargains for Mingi's head, trying to get Hongjoong to give him up. Hongjoong has always turned down the offers without a second thought, but that doesn't keep Vladimir from trying time and time again. He wants Mingi. And he is a man who is used to getting what he wants."

"Do you think that what he's after?" You inquire, blinking over to where San stands with arms folded neatly over his chest.

"If he has agreed to meet Hongjoong, then yeah. That means he, in the very least, has eyes on the ship. So if he sees every member of the crew leave the ship except for Mingi, his men will ambush and take Mingi by any means necessary. Even if someone stays behind with Mingi, the risk is still there. Thus... Hongjoong would rather risk Mingi having an episode in the arena or take the easy way out and wipe his brain."

"But why?" It still doesn't make sense to you, but at this rate, it's seeming less and less likely that it will ever make sense. "That seems too pricy a cost for such a small risk, along with the assumption that Mingi can't protect himself."

"It isn't about cost," Jongho cuts in. "Nor is it a failure to believe in Mingi's capabilities. It's... deeper than that. Hongjoong always worries about something happening to Mingi when he isn't there. He thinks it's risky enough to send Mingi with San and me, but he can't bring him to Vladimir. That would be the worst of all shitty ass ideas. Do I see the logic in bringing Mingi to the arena? Of course, I do. Having him be off to the side and in one of the wings – that would make it easier to keep him out of Vladimir's sights. It would help him blend in with the crowd, hide from whatever guards Vladimir will have, more space to run if the need arises. You can't do that on a ship with only a few exits. Hongjoong is thinking, and he's thinking hard, yes, but at the same time, he's being a complete dumbass."