treasure (pirate!au) ➵ ateez

for you (k. hj)

Steering the ship had always been second nature for Hongjoong.

It was such a contrast to when he was in battle, hand gripped tight around the handle of his cutlass and the other around his musket. No, steering the ship required a more fine and delicate touch, one that most warriors didn't possess.

His hands seemed to be be made for it, delicate when it came to feeling for the ship. He could sense the power of the sea as it rushed against the rudder of the Treasure, every tiny shift in the wind, the beginning of a storm when the sky was still clear and devoid of clouds. The Treasure and its crew were his pride and joy, and he would never tire of this life he had built for himself with his own two hands.

But he had to admit steering the ship was sometimes mind blowingly numb work.

From the quarterdeck, one could almost see everything there was to see; which wasn't much. In front of him were the three masts and the main deck, where Wooyoung or San or basically any crew member of his would be doing something stupid, but he'd long learned not to look down there in case he lost his sanity watching them go at it.

Jongho occasionally sang, which brightened Hongjoong's mood up greatly, but he usually got interrupted by Seonghwa calling him to help move some things in the cargo hold below or just by Wooyoung or Yunho teasing him.

Hongjoong sighed as he gazed at the expanse of blue before him. His head tilted up.

Blue sky.

He looked down.

Blue sea.

"I really need to find something to do." The poor captain muttered to himself as he glanced at the water clock.

There were still three hours till Mingi took over him.

He let out an almighty groan and smacked his head against the wheel.

"You alright, captain?" Hongjoong turned to see his navigator walking up the stairs with a plate in hand. The captain almost cried in joy upon seeing his dinner and grabbed for his food.

"Just the usual." He answered grimly as he shoved the bread roll into his mouth. "And call me Hongjoong."

"Yes, captain." Yeosang nodded absentmindedly as he peered down onto deck. "Ah, it's the stowaway. He made your breakfast, you know."

Hongjoong gave him a disgruntled look as he continued chewing on his bread. "And...?"

He knew what Yeosang was trying to get at. The navigator blinked at him innocently, his puppy dog eyes almost worthy to match Wooyoung's in combat. Then Hongjoong sighed. It was futile to try and turn down Yeosang, everyone on the ship knew as much. The navigator never did throw a temper tantrum or get angry, but he would mope and sulk around for days and that was terrible for crew morale.

"I mean... It must be pretty boring standing here watching nothing." Yeosang said slowly, as if he was asking a drunk how many fingers he was holding up. "It'll be a nice change to have something to do..."

Hongjoong eyed him, completely unimpressed by his subtlety, or rather, lack thereof. But his navigator didn't leave. Instead, he simply kept smiling that same, expectant smile at his captain, and Hongjoong finally caved with a sigh.

"Alright! I'll think about it." Hongjoong had known that the battle had been lost from the start. He regretted it almost instantly from the way a little self satisfied grin bloomed across Yeosang's face. "Now get going before I change my mind."

"Yes, captain!" His navigator hummed cheerily, turning to walk down the steps with a little spring in his step. Hongjoong groaned. Did nobody on this ship respect him any more?