Mists of Celeste - an Ateez Fanfic

act five ➻ part 8.5

warnings: mentions of torture

...

"Knock knock."

San's eyes snap open at the sound of the intruder, book in his hands falling away to his side as he gets his bearings. The book goes forgotten — he had already fallen asleep trying to read it twice — but San does gather that he's still in the same clinic room as before, although this time it's grossly absent of one person in particular. A head of pink hair peaks in from the door frame, and it's then followed by a familiar face that bears one glimmering eye and a smattering of scars across his fair skin.

Not the person he wanted, but he doesn't have a say in the matter.

"Peekaboo, darling, miss me?" Nightingale's lips twist into a grin as he pushes further into the room. His arms are spread like a bird's wings, a fitting match for his codename, but San doesn't see the charm in his gesture. "Captain and his dearly beloved are on their way back now. We're heading back to the ship after this."

"Hm." San thinks to ask the hunter where you are but he can't stomach the idea of giving Nightingale the satisfaction of seeing him emotional again. "Any word on what they were up to? I missed the memo—" San waves a dismissive hand through the air and rolls his eyes a little "—while being kidnapped and tortured."

"Seonghwa asked to pay a visit to mommy dearest."

That has San's attention snapping forward, eyes staring hard at the bounty hunter before him, and the glare no doubt echoes how shocked he is to hear that. He pushes his tongue between his lips and wets the skin there.

"I wasn't under the impression you knew anything about that."

"What other contact would Captain and his treasure trust enough with such a sensitive job? I've had her tagged and under close watch for years. May not need to keep doing that after today though."

"Seonghwa won't kill her."

Nightingale leans forward enough to bend at the waist and stare San down.

"The Lieutenant of Death won't kill his mother?"

"Seonghwa won't."

"Oh come on, Sannie, you and I both know they're one and the same. There's no such thing as having two consciousnesses inhabiting one body, and it's certainly not happening to that guy. Are you suddenly not the infamous Shadow Walker, the Scourge's Black Dog?" Now there's a name San hasn't heard in quite some time. He'd almost forgotten its ring, maybe would rather have forgotten it if he's being honest with himself. "Is Hongjoong not the Scourge of the Black Sea? How about that Berserker — the traitor, Jongh—"

"You take his name out of your fucking mouth!" San snaps with an unexpected heat to his tone that makes the man across from him lean away once more. "I don't wanna hear you speak on him again."

"You're so sensitive, Sannie. Was it something I said?"

"Seonghwa, Lieutenant of Death or not, won't kill her. That much I know for certain."

The bounty hunter tilts his chin upwards, and a few strands of pink hair slide further back on his forehead.

"Your dearly beloved is back safely on the ship already, if you cared to ask."

San's silence doesn't go unnoticed, but it does go unanswered for a long stretch of time. For a moment, the man wonders if the bounty hunter will truly leave well enough alone and not bother anymore. Wishful thinking as always.

"Interesting choice, that one. Far different from your usual type." Nightingale moves forward to grab the chair beside San's bed, spinning it on one of its legs and keeping it level with the palm of his hand. He's always been like this — a bit insufferable and quite the show-off, which only makes San wonder why Hongjoong keeps him around.