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key201303 · 3 years

Text

Word count: 2.8k words

Warnings: None!

Genre: Fluff, little bit of angst.

Plot: Xiaojun has been on a world tour for the past month and right when videocalls started to not be enough for you and winter was coming making you feel the loneliness without his warm embrace, he shows up in your front door as a Christmas surprise.

Pairing: Idol!Xiaojun x FemReader

A/N: Okay everyone this wasn’t supposed to be uploaded this soon in the month but I just finished writing and I’m SOBBING 🤧🤧 I want Xiaojun to be my boyfriend 🙂Anyways, hope you guys enjoy this ❤❤ Special thanks to @not-majestic-bluenicorn who made the facetime edits🙏🏼💙 everyone go check her blog and give her lot of love and suppot🙏🏼💙

Taglist -> @lovelygalaxy333 @eunsangelical (let me know if you want to be added ❤)

Just like a Japanese proverb said once, one kind word can warm three winter months. And that was exactly what happened back when Xiaojun and you started dating 3 years ago. Both of you arriving in a foreign country, knowing nobody and not speaking the language. For you it was a pretty hard process but the moment Xiaojun appeared in your life offering you a hot chocolate while you studied in a small Chinese Cafe, your winter lighted up and it wasn't cold anymore. "It's not cold because when I hold you in my arms, I can feel your warmth." Xiaojun would always tell you anytime you were out and asked him if he was cold on a winter night.

Years went by and you could slowly see how he was able to live his biggest dream. He always talked to you about how much he wanted to become a recognized singer and now, finally, he could sign a contract with one of the biggest companies in Korea.

You loved seeing him perform and you loved his group members. Whenever he was on the stage you were the first one being in the front row cheering him up. Whenever he was doing a Live streaming you were the first user to join. Whenever they uploaded a new video you were the first one watching it and liking it. Whenever they released a new album you were the first one giving all your love and support to it. You were always they’re biggest supporter. You were always his bigger supporter.

Unfortunately you knew dating a recognized idol wouldn’t be easy. Soon, hate comments started to fill your social media, going to do the groceries with Xiaojun like you did during weekends for the past 3 years started to get more and more difficult to the point that you had to end up going alone, nights without him wrapping his arms around you as you both slept started to be an habit for you and seeing your boyfriend started to be something you hardly ever did. But still, you both managed to show how much you loved each other, Xiaojun never letting you think you weren't important to him anymore. “I don’t need anything else in this world if I have you (Y/N)... You’re my everything.” He said whenever you both had a discussion about his schedules and you thought he didn’t love you anymore. You heard from many fans that they considered him an angel… He truly was.

Even though you both managed to stay together and overcome all the hate comments from fans and the impediments his company put in your relationship, there had to be a moment that you both exploded. And sadly, it was when he had to go on a world tour for an entire month. “Can (Y/N) come with us…?” Xiaojun asked his manager worried and scared. Worried because he knew they wouldn’t let you go with them and scared of this situation being the end of your relationship. He loved you, with his entire heart actually, and the thought of you leaving him made him terribly scared. “No Xiaojun, this is a business trip. Would you bring your girlfriend on a business trip if you worked for a business company?” Their manager said with a cold tone. Xiaojun remained silent, too scared of retorting his manager and getting scolded. “It’ll be okay, (Y/N) will be okay.” Kun whispered reassuring him. Even he knew you wouldn’t be okay but he couldn’t say that to his younger friend.

Xiaojun arrived at their dorms with Yangyang to find you curled up on their couch, soundless sleeping as a random TV show played on the TV placed right in front of you. “I told her to not wait for me…” Xiaojun said rolling his eyes at how stubborn you could get sometimes. “She loves you, she would never listen to you whenever you tell her to not wait for you.” Yangyang said giggling and removing his shoes to get on his slippers and go to his room to change his clothes into something more comfortable. “When will you listen to me…” Xiaojun whispered, caressing your cheek with his thumb once he kneeled next to the sofa so he could be at your same height. You slowly opened your eyes to find a smiling Xiaojun right in front of you. His eyes gleamed beautifully with the light of the TV and he looked down at you with so much admiration. Nobody has ever in your life looked at you with such admiration. “Sorry, I didn’t want to wake you up.” He softly whispered. His voice was smooth and embraced you like a warm cotton blanket. “It’s okay, I didn’t want to fall asleep.” You answered smiling widely at him and getting up so you could sit on the couch and leave some space for him to sit beside you. “You really didn’t have to wait for me awake… I know how tired you are and I come so late…” Xiaojun said, pulling you into his chest so you could rest your head on him. “This is almost the only time of the week I can see you so I will keep staying awake waiting for you.” You said, your voice almost cracking because of some tears ghosting your eyes and your teary eyes glued to the TV. You were praying for Xiaojun not noticing your sad self but it was impossible, he knew you perfectly. “Are you okay?” He said placing his fingers on your chin and lifting your head up so you could meet his eyes. “It's just… I miss you Xiaojun… I know you have always wanted this but… I miss you…” You said looking straight into his dark eyes. Hearing you say those words broke his heart, especially knowing that he still had to tell you he was going to leave for a month for a world tour and that you couldn’t go with him. “I know… And I’m sorry…” He said feeling the guiltiest person in the world for making you go through that just so he could live his dream. He felt selfish for making you live like that because of his dreams. He felt bad for not being able to be him, the one living like you so you could live your dreams. Little did he know he was your dream.

Days went by and Xiaojun was still thinking about how to tell you about the world tour. After hearing you tell him about how much you missed those days when he was just a normal teenage boy hanging around with his girlfriend without worries of someone seeing you made him extremely scared of telling you about that world tour and the thought of you telling him that you couldn't handle it anymore and that you were leaving him didn’t help at all. “Yo, you okay?” He heard Lucas standing right in front of him. “Yeah, sure.” He answered with a low voice. “Are you sure? You’ve been kinda off for the last few days.” Hendery added as he joined the conversation. “It’s just… I still haven’t said anything about the world tour to (Y/N)...” Xiaojun answered, his eyes glued to the floor. “Why? She has always been super supportive with our concerts and stuff, why are you so worried?” Lucas asked confused. “The other night she told him how much she misses having a normal boyfriend instead of an idol boyfriend and now he's scared.” Yangyang said, Xiaojun mouthing him an inaudible ‘thank you’ for explaining the situation for him. “Bro, if she really loves you, and she does, she will understand. Come on, you guys overcame absolutely everything bad that happened because you guys had each other. I don’t think she will leave you just because you go on a world tour.” Hendery said, reassuring his friend. Maybe he was right. After all, you both overcame terrible things, overcoming a world tour shouldn’t be too hard, right?

“Babe… Umm, I’m going on a world tour. No, I can’t be that direct. Babe I have something to tell you, I’ll leave for a month… No, that seems like I want to break up with her…” Xiaojun talked to himself as he walked to your apartment, determined to finally tell you about their world tour. “Come on, you got this. You love her and she loves you, nothing can go wrong, right?” He said to himself right before ringing your doorbell. As soon as you opened the door and you found him there grabbing some red roses, which he knew were your favorites, a wide smile appeared on your face. “What are you doing here?” You said hugging him tightly, a big smile drawn on your face. “I finished earlier and I thought you would like to see me.” He said tightening the hug, not wanting to let go of you. God, how much he would miss your hugs and your peach scent once he was on that tour. “Babe… Um… I- I have something to tell you…” Xiaojun said nervously while you grabbed a glass of water to put the flowers in. “That doesn’t sound good, what have you done?” You said mocking him trying to calm him down. He, seeing that you didn’t take it as a bad thing, relaxed his shoulders that have been tensed up since he rang your doorbell. “It is something about the group… A few days ago we received the news of going on a world tour for a month…” Xiaojun started to say as he grabbed your hand and drew random patrons with his thumb in the back of your hand, trying his best to stay calm and hold back his tears. “Babe that’s great! You always wanted to go on a world tour!” You said cheerfully. He was surprised at your reaction. “Wait, aren’t you mad?” He said surprised. “How could I be mad?? Xiaojun I know how much you have always wanted to go on a world tour, how could I be mad?” You said cheering him. “So you don’t mind that I leave for a month?” He asked. “It is not that I don’t mind babe. Of course I mind and of course I will miss you so much but this is your dream and as long as you’re happy I’m also happy. I just want to see you live your dream even if that means facetiming every night instead of seeing you in person.” You said reassuring him. You truly loved him and all you wanted was to see him happy and if going on that world tour could make him happy there was nothing you could do to prevent that.

Days went by and Xiaojun was already on his amazing world tour. He would send you tons of pictures of the different places he went or the different food he tried. He would call you every night when they arrived at the hotel or even when they had a little break during the rehearsals for the concerts. He didn’t want to miss any chance of seeing you and checking on you and your lovely pets.

But days started to get short, nights started to get long, bed started to get empty and their dorm that always seemed to be small started to feel bigger as you became smaller as days went by. Voice calls and facetime calls started to not be enough to fill the emptiness you felt deep inside your heart. Now, whenever you saw his name on your phone screen tears ghosted your eyes and which at first were happy tears of laughing about the funny stories he told you about the rest of the members soon started to be sad tears of loneliness.

You were on the edge of that relationship you both worked so hard to build and for you it was really sad that you had to end up like that. Yes, you could overcome terrible things but Xiaojun was by your side. Now, even though he told you every day that he was with you, you knew he wasn’t physically by your side and that was the way you needed him right now. You needed to feel his warm hugs, his soft lips against yours, his soft whispers in your ear, his soft touch in your hair or cheeks. You needed him.

Suddenly your phone screen lit up with a phone call from Xiaojun.

“Hey babe…” You said. “Hello my love. I have a little surprise for you, you should go open the door now.” Xiaojun said on the other side of the phone and hung up. You looked at your phone confused not really knowing what he meant. You, not having much more options, followed his words and went to the front door to open it.

As soon as you opened the door you found 7 boys grabbing tons of bags as luggage, their faces with visible dark circles under their eyes due to the lack of sleep and Xiaojun grabbing, just like the day he said he was leaving, a bouquet of red roses. “Surprise!” They all said. “What?! What are you guys doing here?!” You said with tears in your eyes. They were supposed to come back home the next week and you would have never expected them to appear a week before planned. “We had to cancel the concert in the last city due to bad weather so we could come back home sooner.” Xiaojun said, smiling widely seeing your happy tears flow down your cheeks like a waterfall. “Why didn’t you say anything?” You said sobbing and hugging your boyfriend tightly. “We were about to tell you but Xiaojun insisted on giving you a surprise, after all today is a special day.” Winwin said smiling at you. “What? Why is it a special day?” You asked confused as Xiaojun wiped your tears with his thumbs and placed a kiss on your forehead. “Oh come on, you really don’t know what day it is today?!” Ten said offended. You have been too busy missing Xiaojun that you didn’t even notice what day it was. “It’s Dec 24th, for God’s sake (Y/N)!” Ten said completely done with you and entered the dorms with tons of bags behind him and being followed by the rest of the boys who were laughing at his comment. “Merry Christmas babe.” Xiaojun said before softly pecking your lips. “You should keep those kisses for being under a mistletoe.” Yangyang said, teasing you both.

You had an amazing dinner with them and you couldn’t be any happier. A day exceptionally long ended up just perfectly. “I just noticed I haven’t got you any Christmas presents…” You said pouting. “It’s okay (Y/N), what better gift than being able to spend Christmas together when we weren’t supposed to?” Hendery said smiling. “Yeah, destiny is really by your side.” Lucas added referring to you being able to spend Christmas with your boyfriend even though it wasn’t supposed to happen that way in the very beginning. “And you know? Somehow, there’s a present called you that melts inside me.” Xiaojun said leaning in to peck your left cheek. “Am I the only one hating Christmas holidays because of Xiaojun getting all cheesy and poetic?” Winwin said, making everyone laugh.

The night went by and when it was late enough for all of you, you all decided to go to sleep. You obviously stayed with them for the night, Xiaojun not letting you go to your apartment even if you begged him to. You weren’t complaining though. Both of you missed each other so much that all you wanted to do was hug each other throughout the entire night and warm each other in the cold night. “I love how you fit my embrace so well, it is like I’m meant to hug nobody else but you.” Xiaojun said softly once you were both peacefully laying on bed. He never failed to heat up your cheeks with his cheesy comments and even though everyone agreed Winwin a few hours ago, you had to admit you loved when Xiaojun got cheesy and poetic. “I’ve noticed something during this long time…” He suddenly said. “What is that?” You asked, curious. “At the end of this long wait that seemed to have no end , you’re the one. You’re the one I want to always have by my side. You’re the only one meant to be with me.” He said with the most loving eyes you have ever seen. He was right.

Just like a japanese legend says, everyone is connected to another person by a red string that is unbreakable. No matter how much you pull it, no matter how hard you try to destroy it. Everyone has someone at the end of that red string and Xiaojun was the end of yours.

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moonchildsaurora · 3 years

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Pyx Logbook #311220

s t a t u s: over the moon

UM... firstly hello hi, I’m still alive ━ how are all you lovely angels doing?

SECONDLY 😳😳😳 WE’VE SURVIVED THIS CURSED YEAR OF 2020! And what better way for me to end on a milestone note, I’m still processing this and I don’t really have the words right now to really say a huge THANK YOU to each and every person who’s visited my ghost town of a blog, left encouraging notes, read my works, have mini convos and just have been very supporting & welcoming when I first started on here.

A few shout-outs to the few who have grown to be really precious to me during my almost 1-year stay here:

♔ @hereisleo - oh how far we’ve come my dearest Wildflower, ngl but one of the reasons why I contemplating making a proper writing blog in the first place was so I could come off anon (after how many months of chatting to you via that) hahahaha. You know this but I’ll say it again, not a day goes by as to how thankful I am for you to give me the time of your day back then just to chat and also thank you for e x i s t i n g!! Your writing has inspired me to the moon and back and reminded me how delightful it was like to get lost in fiction once more. You’ve made my world that much more colourful and safe to say I’ve found yet another soulmate of mine. . .and that’s none other than you 💜 ♚ @monbae - coming back on here just in the nick of time for me to write a sappy few words to thank you for being one of my first few writer friends whom I have a lot of love for 😁 you’ve been supporting me since the start and I’m so glad that we can talk about anything and everything other than just kpop/fic writing. Thank you for always sharing with me me insights into your little world and for reminding me how valued I am!

♔ @barsformars - though we do not talk frequently, but when we do I’ve always enjoyed our quality chats. And you are one of a few fic writers whom I look up to a lot and your writing never fails to put a smile on my face after reading it. I’ve seen your blog grow whilst being one of your annonies from before and I’m so proud of how far you’ve come as well 🥺

♚ @felixity - Kiraaaaaa my fave staytiny angel, I’m super glad we got to know each other better over the last few months especially. Chatting to you is always a joy and I love learning bout how things are like over your side of the globe. I wish you all the happiness in the new year and I’m so proud of how you’ve been tackling your studies/achievements too!! I hope one day we get to cross paths and I can thank you in person properly 💕

♔ @queen-of-himbos @daybreakx @thelargefrye @masterninjacow @not-majestic-bluenicorn - please know that whilst we don’t talk much, I look up a lot to you guys as well and have very high admiration for your writings/works. Thank you for creating such wonderful worlds for me and my one braincell to get invested in, be it to sob or drop uwus over characters/plotlines. And to those who have tagged me in fun tag games or read my works/gave encouraging support. . . .I love love love you as much as Yeosang loves chicken 💖

♚ @delphinium3000 @minginwonderland @aroacearcheralec @fairyofdusk - all of whom I remember having really wholesome convos with and thank you for the very intellectual discussions plus being wonderful moots in general. Thank you most of all for being so patient with my hermit ass and I’ll try to better my reply time in the new year. . .just be less of a ghost really hahahaha. But seriously tho, thanks for making me feel warm and fluffy!!

♔ @seiiblue - gonna make this short and sweet but I will forever remember you sending me that one message about how Hwa’s prince ASMR vid reminded you of my Prince!Seonghwa fic and it honestly made my year reading that message. Thank you for making me feel that good with the sweet words you took the time to write out and here’s to many more convos about tatts & anime in the new year 💗

♚ @yunhoiseyecandy - someone whom I’d like to interact with a lot more in the new year because you seem like a fun moot. And thank you thank you thank youuuu again for giving my Lacuna series works a lot of hype and I’m always grateful to hear your thoughts/feedback by the end of each piece 💞

here’s to Pyx being less of a ghost in 2021, writing more + better pieces and learning that no matter what so long as I feel good at my own creations and I know that I’ve got supportive friends surrounding me, that’s all that matters (and to have fun of course).

stay safe & HAPPY NEW YEAR LOVES 💙 logging off ━━━☆

#p logs #HAPPY NEW YEAR #HERE'S TO 2021 TREATING US BETTER #I'm forever grateful to all my moots and followers on here #and anyone who's ever suffered with me in ATEEZ hell hahahahaha #much love xoxo

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kpopscape · 3 years

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𝐊𝐏𝐎𝐏𝐒𝐂𝐀𝐏𝐄'𝐒 𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐌𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑𝐒: 𝐁𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇 𝟓 & 𝟔

mobile list masterlist

A-C

@adi--writes (adi) | masterlist

@adorablele (kara) | navigation

@amorajae (remi) | masterlist

@bermudas + @ponzona (eun) | masterlist

@chicksung (sophie) | masterlist

D-F

@d-nghy-ck (bronwyn) | masterlist

@flurrys-creativity (flurry) | masterlist

G-I

@haechanblr (sab) | masterlist

@hchan + @hchan-main (jackie) | masterlist + works

@heejinnien (araceli) | navigation

@hwanung (anna) | masterlist

J-L

@krabjoons (kay) | masterlist

@labelneo (ashley) | masterlist

M-O

@madseok + @kkulmeli (melissa) | masterlist

@markresonates (mel) | masterlist

@meowstea (laysa) | masterlist

@mieohmy (jae) | masterlist

@moonchildsaurora (pyx) | masterlist

@neonun-au (mads) | navigation

@nocturne-overtures + @atiny-piratequeen + @flora-jimin + @monstaxbebe (fie) | navigation

@not-majestic-bluenicorn (riza) | masterlist

P-R

@pjmsdior (isabella) | navigation

@rockwithwoo (chelle) | masterlist

S-T

@sakurasangcl + @im-sakura (sakura) | masterlist

@scriptura-delirus (lina) | navigation

@sleepylixie (elliana) | navigation

@sparklingchan (riza) | masterlist

@stargirlstories (joy) | masterlist

@sweetlyjaem (sophie) | masterlist

@thatmultifandomhoe (lindsay) | masterlist

V-X

none

Y-Z

none

#members

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kpopwritingbingo · 3 years

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2020 BTS Bingo is a Wrap!

Wow, you guys -- First of all, let me just say thank you from the bottom of my heart for making this so successful. I couldn’t have asked for more.

Final count, we had a total of 143 fics published between Twitter and Tumblr and 24 active participants.

The writing ranged from drabbles to full on multi thousands of words fics, and the pairings were as varied as they could be. It was amazing to see and I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed seeing the amazing works that came out.

I want to thank @thebtswritersclub for their work in promoting this event; I know many of you came from that and they are a great group of folks.

As I said there were so many great works. I would like to specifically point out @aroseforyoongi and @artaefact who both completed their cards with 25 stories written for the event. The next largest numbers were @thisbrokenmask , @eternalseokjin , and @honeyj00ns with double digit fic publications.

I would also like to list off @nightowls388 and @thisbrokenmask who got bingos on their card as well! Way to have fun with it.

And our other active participants in no order; @btsmosphere @chimknj @dawndrms @hobisbeautifulass @i-live-so-i-love @illneverrecover @joheun-saram @kittaebrat @kkulfm-writing @kookieskiwi @luffles424 @mingyuistall @moccahobi @not-majestic-bluenicorn @pars-ley @sujigguk @yeojaa - Thank you all for your hard work. Whether it was 1 fic or 9 -- You all did splendidly throughout this event and your works brought joy to readers.

If there are any fics of yours that I did not reblog - please let me know asap! I want to make sure everyone’s works get published and shown on the blog.

I will be returning with another bingo event in a few months! It will be on this same blog, which will be going through a slight rebranding (though nothing will be removed from this past event). Stay tuned for that! Happy writing, and again - thank you all!

#announcement

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atiny-dazzlinglight · 3 years

Note

name 3 things you love about your moots

*cracks knuckles*

Ard let’s do this. I really hope I got everyone while I write this. Also, I’m incapable of keeping anything short let alone list just three things, so I shall tweak this to just be a rant on how much I love my moots. Hope that’s okay!

@atiny-piratequeen I gotta give my props to Fie because of it wasn’t through her, I wouldn’t have met how these other lovely moots that I have here on tumblr. Unlike what most people say, Fie wasn’t intimidating to me. She really made her blog a safe space and that’s what made me interact. Fie had such a sweet and nurturing personality that can just draw you in and it’s the same with her writing because she write “liquid gold ™️”. Fie sweetie I love you.

@gettin-a-lil-hanse Chye, my sweetie Chye oh I love you. Chye really is such a nice person to be around. It’s always a joy talking to her, whether we are messing with each other or being supportive of each other or just talking about random stuff ( like when we talked about idols hairstyles and outfits over the years for like an hour when Thaila left and came back to the same convo). It’s really just easy going to talk to you and I love you and wish you nothing but good grades this semester.

@queen-of-himbos I love you so much. Whether I’m teasing you with biases or not, I love interacting with you. Your honestly someone that I look up to with how you balance your job, your writing, and managing the nets. It’s honestly impressive and admirable with how you do it all and I wish I could get to that point that you are at.

@jacksons-goddess-gaia Gaia sweetie I said it once and I’ll say it again, your literally my ray of fucking sunshine. We’ve both been through so much recently but you still manage to put a smile on my face even though we both are feeling at our worse or our lowest. You were the main reason why I was about to stay so calm during the whole incident that happened (you know what I’m referring to) and I still appreciate everything that you’ve done for me. I know everything isn’t as good as it should be for you irl, but Iknow something good should be coming your way after all the good you’ve done from me. I love you soo much, so please remember that

@kimnamshiks Tae my fucking Queen I love you so much. I love al of our conversations because it’s the serotonin that I need. Love making my headcannons with you about my ocs that’s been helping me ground myself from al the chaos in my life because those are always fun to think of with you. We can literally talk about everything and anything and it’s so nice to unapologetic be myself with you because your one of the few people in my life (also including all my baby’s in the server) that I can speak about everything to and jot worry about getting judged. I love you, Misty and Kitty Jongho so much and I really wish I could see you irl.

@angel0taiyo Angel my favorite Aussie fuck the time zones but because of my terrible sleep schedule, I get to interact with you. You bring nothing but positivity whenever we are able to talk. It’s never a dull moment with you and it’s nice hearing you give the reassurance, praise and everything in between for us when you do pop up. Just want you to know that we love you so much sweetie

@not-majestic-bluenicorn Riza I really look up to how carefully you plan your works. It’s so much dedication, so much planning and it’s so damn organized with the works you write. Plus with how busy your life is outside of writing just makes me even more impressed with how you put works out so consistently. Your also such a sweetie person to be around and your so giving to others and supportive. I just really want to take this time and say I appreciate you and love you so much.

#dee speaks #hiatus dee 🥀#I really love you guys so so so much and I really wish y’all nothing but the best #thank you anon #anontiny

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not-majestic-bluenicorn · 2 years

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Crescent || Chapter 31

Fandom(s): ATEEZ

AU: Treasure Hunters

Genre: Action, Fantasy, Sci-Fi

Relationship: Everyone x Everyone, Established Hongjoong x Yunho

Language: English

Status: Ongoing

Chapter WC: 4,129 words

Warnings: Character Death, Stabbing, Fighting, Blood, Aliens, War, Funerals, Kidnapping, Attempted Kidnapping, Mentions of Child Abuse / Child Work, Explosions, Murder Attempt, Robbery, Homeless/Runaway Character, Torture, Mentions of Slavery more will be added.

Chapter Warnings: Murder Attempt

Summary:

Hongjoong looked at the people who had protected him on his mission to look for the treasure, and then looked at those who he could only call his soulmates now. “All aboard the Crescent, it’s time to go!”

AO3

<< Previous Chapter | Masterlist | Epilogues >>

Tagged: @angel0taiyo

There was a moment of heavy silence in the room as San made his way in with Yijoong’s hands firmly held behind his back. The Emperor’s eyes were so firmly placed on his middle son that he didn’t even realize when Hongjoong walked in until the latter cleared his throat. Emperor Kim looked slightly surprised that his plan had failed, but that surprise was quickly reigned in and hidden under a perfectly serious face.

“Emperor Kim,” Hongjoong said. His voice was ice cold, and he managed to look imposing despite the fact that he was still leaning on Yeosang for support.

“Hongjoong, my son-” The Emperor began, trying to soften his expression, but he was quickly interrupted.

“Don’t even try,” Hongjoong hissed. “Not after Yijoong chased me down in my own castle, trying to kill me.”

“Fair enough,” The Emperor’s gaze hardened. “I suppose it’s much too late to try to cover everything up.” He looked at the sword pointed at his neck with disdain.

“Why?” Hongjoong asked, limping closer to his father. “Yijoong explained but I cannot wrap my head around the fact that you’d do this to me and to Taejoong. We were your family. Did you do this to our mother as well?”

“Don’t you dare speak of her!” His father lunged forward, stopping only when he felt the sword brush against his neck. It was a reminder that he no longer had the upper hand in the situation.

“Dare? She was my mother.” Hongjoong spit out, enraged. “She loved me, something that you clearly weren’t able to do.”

“Her death is your fault, even Taejoong’s death is your fault.” The Emperor snarled, clearly uncaring about the position he was in anymore. “The Empire has fallen in disgrace and it’s all your fault.”

Hongjoong didn’t even think of it. He let go of Yeosang and swiped his father’s sword from the ground, ignoring the pain in his ankle to stride forward towards his father. The Emperor closed his eyes tightly, aware of what was coming, but the sword never quite came. As Hongjoong raised it, preparing himself to put an end to it all, he saw something on his father’s desk.

Among the mess that the Emperor’s fight with Yunho had caused, his eyes managed to find the compass Taejoong had given him. He could make out the glint of his initials carved in gold on the cover. That compass had always kept him safe during his explorations, guiding him home just like Taejoong had promised it would on his 16th birthday. Even when it wasn’t about guiding him on a physical plane, the compass had always been there to remind him to make the right decisions.

Killing his father and brother was not the right decision. He hated them quite a lot at that moment, but he couldn’t erase the years upon years that he had considered them family. Even if they had stopped considering him family long ago, he didn’t want to hold the weight of their deaths in his hands. It wasn’t worth it. They couldn’t just let them go, though.

“Hongjoong?” Yunho asked, where he was still holding his sword against the Emperor. He hadn’t stopped, even though his arms were starting to hurt.

“I won’t do it.” Hongjoong stated, lowering the sword and passing it to Yeosang, who put it away before offering him his support again. “I won’t step down to their level. Plus, I think the Resistance would like to have some fun with them.” He shrugged, trying to keep his face void of expression and as indifferent as possible. “Seonghwa, do me a favor and go look for Chan, let him know that the Emperor and Prince Yijoong have been apprehended.”

“Of course, Captain,” Seonghwa nodded, leaving the room not a moment after.

Relief flooded Hongjoong after Seonghwa’s words. Everything had changed between all of them in just a few days, but in essence, they were the same, and Seonghwa understood the importance of separating him from his royal upbringing. The Empire had finally fallen, the only thing left was to make an official declaration, but as for himself, he was no longer a Prince.

It didn’t take long for Chan to arrive with a handful of armed soldiers from the Resistance, and finally, Yunho and San could rest. The Emperor and the Second Prince were put under arrest immediately and taken away from there, and once they were gone, Hongjoong could finally let his defenses fall. His shoulders sagged and he let out a big sigh he had been holding back.

Yeosang was the first to embrace him, being the closest to him as he was offering him support, and soon enough the others had joined as well, enveloping Hongjoong into a hug he hadn’t known he needed so desperately. Chan decided to leave and give them space, knowing he’d be able to catch up with the Captain of the Crescent soon enough.

When they finally let go of each other, San put Hongjoong’s compass in his hand, returning it to its rightful owner. Hongjoong smiled, the realization that everything had ended and that he could start looking for a new place to call home finally sinking in. Though maybe, home was much closer than he had expected it to be.

“Come on, we should go back to Wooyoung and Mingi, they’re waiting for us.” Jongho reminded them, aware that the two of them were probably worried sick about them.

They all agreed that it was time to put those things behind them. Hongjoong couldn’t help but take one last look at what was left of his father’s study, before turning back to look at the people waiting on the door for him and following them outside. This was no longer his home, it probably hadn’t been for a long time, and it felt right to leave it behind now.

–

There were still a few fights going around, but most of the Empire’s army had been subdued and the war had boiled down considerably. The true victory had been apprehending the Emperor and the Prince, though, because once the leaders were captured, most followers gave up fighting, and so it was over.

Chan marched down the halls of the castle toward the balcony that extended over its front. One of his soldiers approached him with a flag portraying the Resistance’s coat of arms. It was time to announce the end of the battle on the Home Planet. He stood on the balcony and used the flare gun once again, gathering the attention of as many people as he could. With his right hand he raised the flag and with the left one he held a megaphone to his mouth.

“The Emperor and Prince Yijoong have been successfully captured!” His voice boomed through the fields that extended in front of the castle, littered with the bodies of the injured and the deceased. “Our first battle against the Empire has been successful, and we have uprooted the source of unfairness and sickness in the Empire!”

The members of the Resistance clamored in celebration, filling up the air with the roar of their victory, which could probably be heard throughout the entire planet. So many people had been preparing for this battle for months. It was the most important part of their plan, and to have succeeded despite the unexpected occurrences, meant that they had a high chance of liberating the rest of the Empire from the rule of a system that had stopped working long ago.

“We still have a long journey ahead of us, the war isn’t over until we’ve seen every planet freed from the claws of the ruling class,” Chan continued. He had thought of this speech for so long, because failing that battle had never been an option. “It will take some time, but today marks the beginning of the end of the Kim Empire! Rise up and celebrate everyone, for we have won today’s battle!”

The crowd became undone in a strident roar of celebration, and the ground trembled as people stomped their feet or jumped in excitement. History had been made, and it would continue to be made until everyone was free.

–

While the crowd celebrated their victory, what was left from the crew of the Crescent made their way back to the ship slowly. The halls of the castle were turned upside down, and a cloud of dust lingered in the air from the battle that had taken place. Hongjoong allowed himself to take it all in one last time, and though it hurt a little bit to see the place he had grown up in shattered and in ruins, he was at peace with the knowledge that he had helped put an end to the suffering his family had caused.

Furthermore, he found peace in the fact that while being away from his childhood home, he had found a new place he could call home. Knowing his job in the war was over filled him with relief. And though he didn’t want to openly admit it, it was like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. The Empire had burned down, and Hongjoong hoped the remains of it would be lost to the ashes soon enough.

The trip back to the Crescent was long, but thankfully they found the slider Jongho and Yeosang had brought with them before. Carefully, everyone got in the trunk and Yunho drove them all back to the ship. Just seeing its silhouette against the rising sun filled them all with relief and calm. The ship had survived the battle, and they could just about make the silhouettes of Wooyoung, Mingi and Handong, the only ones who had stayed back to wait for them.

They weren’t the only ones there though. Most of the soldiers that had served Hongjoong as part of the crew had also managed to make it back alive and well to the ship. As soon as they arrived they were surrounded and welcomed by the crew, who celebrated that they had managed to rescue Hongjoong and make it back alive, together. Wooyoung, especially, almost threw himself into Hongjoong’s arms.

“I’m sorry!” Wooyoung exclaimed, holding on to Hongjoong like his life depended on it.

“Woo-”

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you and that I didn’t prepare you better for what was going to happen,” he continued, not giving Hongjoong an opportunity to intervene. “I should have told you something, I’m so sorry you had to go through all that blindly-”

Hongjoong grabbed Wooyoung by the face and kissed him quiet, to everyone’s surprise, even himself. Hongjoong was bold, but he didn’t think he had it in himself to be that bold. Still, it felt nice, because Wooyoung immediately melted into the kiss, almost like he had been waiting for it forever. He probably had. Hongjoong allowed himself to linger there for just enough time, if anything, he at least wanted to convey to Wooyoung that he had been long forgiven. They separated after a moment, and Wooyoung exhaled. Hongjoong couldn’t help but dissolve in laughter as the people around them cheered.

“Is this what it takes to make you quiet?” Hongjoong teased. He was still holding Wooyoung’s face between his two palms, and found himself not wanting to let go.

“I’m sorry,” Wooyoung apologized again, to which Hongjoong pressed his face softly, causing his lips to pucker.

“If I hear one more sorry from you, I’ll be mad.” Hongjoong scoffed. “I’m not mad, Wooyoung. I’m not mad at you, at least, for what happened. You did what needed to be done to ensure things would be successful, and I don’t blame you for that.”

“But…”

“No buts,” Hongjoong shook his head, caressing Wooyoung’s cheeks softly. “However, we can talk about this later if you want, just not here, okay?”

Wooyoung nodded, pressing one hand to Hongjoong’s on his face. He had dreamed of being able to touch him, all of them, for so long, that it almost didn’t feel real. The fact that he wasn’t alone anymore didn’t feel real. He was grateful, because every sacrifice he had made along the way had been absolutely worth it.

“Excuse me, Captain Hongjoong?” An unknown voice interrupted their celebrations.

Hongjoong let go of Wooyoung as he turned around and met eyes with one of Chan’s closest allies. He vaguely remembered him from when they had been rescued and taken to the caves where the resistance had been hiding. The crew quieted down as Hongjoong nodded, letting the other man know that he had all of his attention.

“Chan would like to speak to you,” he explained, looking a bit sheepish about being surrounded by a bunch of strangers.

“Right, of course,” with the excitement of finally being reunited with his ship and his crew, Hongjoong had completely forgotten his promise for a moment. It was time he fulfilled it. “Yunho, Hwanwoong, Siyeon, should we go?” He asked, turning to them. Despite everything that had happened, they were still the people he trusted the most. They were a small part that had been left of what he had once called home.

The others looked like they were going to protest for a moment, but upon seeing Hongjoong’s tired face and his limp, they decided against it. They didn’t want to be separated anymore, but they also understood that, once everything was all said and done, they would hopefully have the rest of their lives together. That was far more valuable than following him to a meeting where they didn’t really have anything to do.

“We’ll be back in a moment,” Yunho reassured the crew, noticing the anxious movements and the exchange of whispers.

The man of the Resistance guided them through the ships still anchored there to what Hongjoong recognized to be Chan’s ship. The Resistance’s leader was standing in front of it, talking to other members of his crew, until he spotted them walking towards their ship.

“Hyunjin, you found them! Thank you.” Chan thanked the man who had guided them there, and Hyunjin simply shook his head, smiling softly at Chan before walking away to join the rest of the crew.

“Captain Chan,” Hongjoong greeted, walking towards him with Hwanwoong’s support.

“Captain Hongjoong,” Chan greeted back, nodding his head once. “It’s been a long battle, I’m glad to see you got out well.”

“In part thanks to your people who fought bravely,” Hongjoong smiled. “Thank you, but I assume you didn’t ask for me just to check on me?”

“Straight to the point I see,” Chan scoffed. “We said this to Yunho before, but I think it’s important to tell you as well. You’re no longer a prince, but the significance of the status you once held is unavoidable, we would like it if you left the Empire, for good.”

Hongjoong hadn’t been expecting those words to come from Chan, but it made sense. Despite his sentence and the fact that everyone had voted in favor of his death, he didn’t doubt there would be people trying to gain his favor and convince him of being a leader to fight back the Resistance.

“Of course,” Hongjoong turned to look towards the castle before looking back at Chan. “I personally don’t wish to associate with the Empire anymore as well, so I suppose leaving would be beneficial for all of us.”

Chan’s expression softened as he nodded. He didn’t like being harsh on others, but it was often necessary in order to be taken seriously. He could almost sympathize with Hongjoong as well, understanding of the fact that they were basically stripping him of what he had once called home. However, it was a necessary step for the liberation of the people.

“I’m glad you understand.”

“As for the treasure,” Hongjoong continued. He had already chosen to commit to his promise. “We will be giving it to the Resistance, as economical support to continue with the revolution in the colonized planets.”

“We appreciate that,” Chan smiled, grateful. “Though I do think you should at least keep some of it, so you can start anew.”

Hongjoong looked at him with a little bit of surprise. To be fair, he hadn’t even thought about what they would do to earn money themselves. Chan brought a good point to the discussion, and he nodded.

“Right, of course, thank you.” Hongjoong chuckled. “That’ll certainly be helpful. We should probably start with it now, actually. You can send someone from your side, tell them to look for Seonghwa, he’s the one with the brains for money management.”

“Sure enough,” Chan laughed as well. “Seungmin!” He turned around, calling towards one of the men who were speaking behind them, in a circle. “Would you please go to the Crescent and look for a man named Seonghwa? Tell him it’s about the division of the treasure.”

“Yessir!” Seungmin, who had perked up upon being called, immediately ran off in the direction of the Crescent.

“Yunho, you should go with him, to inform Seonghwa.” Hongjoong suggested.

“Of course,” Yunho nodded. “I’ll see you there.”

“It’s been a pleasure working alongside you,” Hongjoong said, taking a step forward and extending a hand.

“Not at all, the pleasure was mine.” Chan shook his hand firmly. “Take care out there.”

“Good luck with the revolution.”

They began their walk back to the ship, slowly, when suddenly Hwanwoong stopped them and asked Siyeon if she could give them some space to talk. She looked understanding as she nodded, giving Hwanwoong an encouraging pat on the back before walking off by herself. Hongjoong looked at Hwanwoong with some confusion, but waited patiently until the other was ready to call.

“I think I’m going to join the Resistance,” Hwanwoong finally said. Hongjoong’s eyes opened wide but he waited until the other was done talking. “I love you, you’re my family, but… I think I found my call when we were fighting alongside the members of the Resistance.

“I learned so much while we were out there, about the unfairness of the regiment I was a part of, and I want to change that.” Hwanwoong smiled, sheepish. “I know your part in the war is over but, I don’t think mine is.”

“Hwanwoong…” Hongjoong muttered.

“Plus, I kinda need to find my family and try to convince them to join the cause, you know?” Hwanwoong shrugged, almost like he was trying to make excuses.

Hongjoong, with some difficulty, hugged him tightly, bringing him close. Hwanwoong and him had been together most of their lives, and he was as much of a brother to him as Taejoong and Yijoong had been. He was, in fact, the only brother he had left now. But if he understood anything in life, it was that pursuing your convictions was important. It hurt, but he wouldn’t stop him.

“I’m sorry.” Hwanwoong muttered, hugging him back.

“Don’t be,” Hongjoong smiled. “I support you. And I know we’ll see each other again.”

“Of course,” Hwanwoong laughed as well. “Neither of us is sappy enough to say goodbye.”

“You kinda are,” Hongjoong teased.

“Am not,” Hwanwoong rolled his eyes.

They hugged for a little longer, before letting each other go. Hongjoong put his hand on Hwanwoong’s shoulder and gave it a light squeeze, before gesturing with his head towards where Chan and his crew were. Hwanwoong looked at him in confusion.

“Go, now.” Hongjoong explained.

“But- your leg-”

“Is still complete and pretty functional, I’ll deal.” Hongjoong interrupted him, giving him a light push towards Chan’s ship.

“Right,” Hwanwoong let go of him slowly, nodding resolutely. “I’ll see you later, Hongjoong.”

“See you soon,” Hongjoong agreed, watching him go.

It took him a little longer to make it to the Crescent, but when he did, Chan’s people had already begun transferring the treasure, and his own crew was waiting for him. The conversation with Hwanwoong had made him realize that these people had been following him so far because of his status as a prince, but he wasn’t one anymore. He wanted to give them the chance to make their own lives.

“Everyone, listen please,” Hongjoong commanded, and the crowd quieted to hear him out. “Hwanwoong is no longer part of our crew, he’s decided to join the Resistance and help them out with what’s left. As you must know, I’m no longer a prince, and none of you owe me anything. I want you all to be able to make your own lives.

“If you wish to go, I won’t stop you, and if you wish to stay a part of the Crescent’s crew, I’ll welcome you with open arms, just… Let me know, I’ll be here.” He explained, knowing that some people would need time to make up their minds.

Siyeon and Handong were the first to approach him, which was certainly a bit unexpected. Handong immediately made him sit down as she started to clean and wrap up the injury on his ankle. Hongjoong didn’t even complain about the pain, grateful that she was helping him at all.

“We’re staying,” Siyeon said, helping support Hongjoong.

“Wait, really?” He turned to look at each of them. “You too, Handong?”

“Of course,” she scoffed. “No offense, but you’d be lost without me to treat your wounds.”

“That’s… fair,” Hongjoong laughed. “Thank you.”

Little by little, the people who had once been his soldiers approached him. To his surprise, a lot of them decided to stay a part of the crew. To the ones who didn’t, he made sure to give them their payment and even offer them a lift to other planets in case they had some specific plans in mind. By the time the treasure had been divided, everyone had made their decision, so he spoke again.

“Thank you so much to everyone who’s decided to part ways, and also to the ones staying. You served me well, but I think it’s time we start our next adventure.” He looked at the people who had protected him on his mission to look for the treasure, and then looked at those who he could only call his soulmates now. “All aboard the Crescent, it’s time to go!”

“Yes, sir!” Their voices echoed together as they began boarding the ship, ready to start anew.

–

The eight of them were huddled in the Captain’s quarters. Hongjoong had brought extra sheets and pillows to accommodate them all. It wasn’t the most comfortable arrangement, but none of them thought they could stay apart anymore, at least for the time being. It was finally all of them, together, and they would stick close until they got tired of each other.

Seonghwa was sitting with his legs crossed, Mingi’s head resting on his lap as the oldest massaged his head. Yeosang’s own head was resting on Mingi’s stomach, while San sat next to him with Hongjoong to his side. Wooyoung was on Hongjoong’s others side, and then Yunho and Jongho had sat together, a little bit separated from the rest so that they could all look at each other while they spoke.

“So you have a lot of siblings?” Yeosang asked, prompting Mingi to speak more about his hometown.

“Kind of? They’re all adopted.” Mingi hummed. “But I love them very much, I hope we can go visit them.”

“Of course, we need the family stamp of approval,” Hongjoong joked slightly, though he meant it when he said he wanted to go visit and know more about each of them.

“Sure, though I don’t know how much a bunch of kids can approve,” Mingi chuckled.

While they talked, Wooyoung was looking at all of them with a sort of daze to his eyes. Jongho was quick to catch on though, and he leaned forward slightly to get his attention.

“Are you okay?” Jongho’s question prompted everyone to grow quiet. Wooyoung looked at them with a bit of embarrassment and nodded.

“Yeah, I just… still can’t believe this is real, I guess?” Wooyoung raised his shoulders, almost trying to disappear between them.

“That we’re here together?” San asked, gently. They had never seen him be so gentle before.

“Yeah,” Wooyoung nodded. Hongjoong hummed slightly before turning to the rest of them.

“Hey everyone,” he called, making them turn towards him. “We’re staying together now, right?”

“Of course,” Seonghwa was quick to reassure, catching up on what Hongjoong was trying to do.”

“As if you could get rid of any of us,” Yunho mocked.

“We’re together now, Wooyoung,” Hongjoong reassured him, looking at him with a softened gaze. “It’s a promise.”

Wooyoung’s face broke into a smile and he nodded.

“Of course, a promise.” And he meant it, all of them did. They were a family now, and nothing would pull them apart ever again.

#kwritersworldnet #kdiarynet #kpopscape #8makes1teamnet #ateez #ateez fanfic #ateez fic #ateez fanfiction #atz #kpop #kpop fanfic #kpop fic #kpop fanfiction #crescent #bluenicorn writes

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atiny-piratequeen · 3 years

Text

Against the Tide: Tenth Voyage (Ch. 10)

Pairing : Poly Ot8

Genre: Heavy Angst, Action, Fantasy, Smut, Fluff

Rating: 18+

Tags: DemonPirate!Au, Supernatural, Eventual Poly Relationship, Violence, Blood, Elemental Powers, Past and Modern Day AU, Mythical Creatures, Character Death, Slow Burn, Happy Ending Endgame

Chapter Specific Tags: Repeated Main Character Death, Reincarnation, Emotional and Psychological Manipulation, Graphic Blood and Violence, Brief Mentions of Mental Health Concerns

Chapter WC: 10k+

A/N: There could be tags added later, especially if there’s something I write that potentially triggers my readers. The last thing I want is for that to happen, so please don’t hesitate to give me feedback if there’s something I write here you’d like me to tag.

**A/N: Thank you Riza @not-majestic-bluenicorn for helping me out with the tarot card readings, ilysm

Taglist moved to the bottom of the work. If you’d like to be added to the taglist for this or my other works, feel free to fill out the form here after reading the full post. AO3

Taglist

← Last Voyage Next Voyage →

The sound of Seonghwa’s screams from that night still haunts the crew.

They’re fortunate, Yunho thinks.

Though, he’d never say it aloud and Geb is kind enough not to call him out on the bitter, spiteful thoughts when they arise.

Anyway, the crew was fortunate.

Most of them are lucky that all they heard was the screams of their First Mate- no -their new Captain. The crewmembers below the deck and the ones unconscious didn’t have to deal with the sight of their captain, the one who held them all together, breaking down.

The fear on his face. The defeat. The pain. The terrified, yet resolute tone in his voice.

All that haunted them was the screams of the ex prince, which, coupled by an explosion of ice, creating a fortress of frost around them, was a beacon in the night for what had happened.

Yunho had to drag him out of the ocean. Nearly got stabbed doing so. It took an hour of Seonghwa diving into the depths, freezing everything around him and reaching fruitlessly before Yunho snatched him back to the surface.

He’d nearly been frozen and stabbed for his efforts and the crew watched on as Yunho pinned Seonghwa to the deck, thick vines keeping him still as he screamed and thrashed.

Just behind him, Mingi stood back with an unconscious San in his arms. Wooyoung was at his side, eyes wide as tears rolled down his cheeks while Yeosang leaned over the taffrail, emptying the contents of the dinner he’d worked hard to make into the ocean. Jongho still lay unconscious under the broken planks of wood in the hold, sea water soaking his clothes and Whiro noticeably absent from his skin for once.

“LET ME GO! LET ME GO! HONGJOONG! HONGJOONG!” Seonghwa screamed, his voice raw and cracking as he thrashed in Yunho’s arms.

None of them had ever seen the level headed ex prince fall apart like this. He bore his teeth at him, trying to wrestle his way free, freezing parts of his body to try and get Yunho to let him go. The sight of the raven-haired immortal coming apart at the seams broke everyone��s heart and Geb gently whispered into Yunho’s ear so he could settle Seonghwa down the hard way.

They weren’t getting anywhere like this.

So Yunho sighed and created a small flower near Seonghwa’s head, tears slipping down his cheeks. Seonghwa looked up at him, eyes bloodshot from crying.

“H-Hong-”

“I know. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

Small spores wafted out of the flower and slowly Seonghwa’s thrashing slowed down. He felt his body grow heavy as Yunho put his head in his lap, crying quietly as Seonghwa’s pitch black hair slowly went back to it’s natural blonde color.

“N...o...Hongjoong...putois…”

Yunho wished all that haunted him was the screams, and not the guilt of not being strong or fast enough to keep him from disappearing. That Hongjoong’s quivering, terrified voice didn’t knock around his head as much as the anguished howls of Seonghwa.

Unfortunately, that was all it was. Wishful thinking.

-x-

- I finally get what you've been saying

Now that we're knee deep side by side

The storm clouds are circling above us

As we struggle against the tide-

-x-

There are intricacies that come with warfare, the king knew these well.

Though, even he may admit that this was an... unfortunate miscalculation.

Getting to a point in Hongjoong’s mind where he was distracted enough for him to actually affect his powers was leagues more difficult than he’d ever let anyone know. For as much as he antagonized the pirate, the dragon inside would admit he had much more mental fortitude than he originally gave him credit for.

Stupid mortals and their useless sense of ‘love’.

Though, technically, he wasn’t a mortal anymore.

Whatever.

Regardless of what the little captain was classified as, the fight with the one called ‘Priscilla’ had left him in such a panic that the dragon was able to break through, tap into the core of their-no, his -powers, and snatch it from under him while he was fighting for everyone’s lives.

Disgusting.

He figured he’d distract the foolish captain long enough for him to kill him mentally and rid himself of the beast.

Oh, and sink that damned ship and rip it’s crew to pieces. For fun.

He’d never expected a curse to be placed on him because of his intervention. Not only did the she beast strip the captain of all of his knowledge of who he was and his crew, she had inadvertently banished the dragon to the farthest recesses of the captain’s mind.

As the king stood, he couldn’t see light in either direction.

He had to get back to the front so he could take control. He had to break out before the captain remembered and broke the curse. He could handle Pricilla later.

With a scoff, he turned into his dragon form and snorted.

A minor misstep. He could outsmart some stupid immortal wannabes and that grotesque bastard child.

Then, he’d create havoc.

For fun.

And revenge.

But mostly fun.

-x-

-I feel your grip firm on my shoulder,

But this fear in my head won’t subside,

They patiently circle around us,

As we hold out… -

-x-

“Do you see those men there? They hold your entire fate in their hands.”

Hongjoong panted, blood running into his eyes as his hair was pulled back roughly. On the other side of a clear glass bubble, he could see seven men in a room. There was a tall blonde man pacing. Every time his boot touched the floor, it would freeze before the ice melted.

There was a taller man holding onto two smaller men who were crying.

Something was said and the blonde turned suddenly, his body rigid. A buffer man stood between him and the group, reaching for something on his person. The blonde man crossed the room and took his hand, the tips of his fingers frosting around the man’s wrist as he glared at him, saying something.

Hongjoong couldn’t hear a word either of them were saying, nor did he care. He pivoted on his heel, elbowing the monstrous woman behind him in the face before he broke off into a run.

He didn’t know where he was going, but he figured if he ran far enough, screamed loud enough-

Something hard slammed into his back, knocking him forward. He rolled, his clothing soaked by the water as he wheezed, trying to catch his breath. When he looked up, a rabid dog was staring him down.

He screamed in terror and backed away, eyes wide.

Who was she? Why was she doing this to him? Where even was he?

Fangs sunk into his thigh before he was dragged back towards the woman, kicking and screaming.

A dark smile came to her face.

“Get real comfortable, little pirate. With how your sorry crew looks, you’ll be stuck here with me forever and ever~ You’re here because of them, at the very least, you should know that they’re the reason you’re here.”

-x-

- Oh, father why have they forsaken me?

You warned me that they would,

The curse is passing down the bloodline,

Misspoken and misunderstood.-

-x-

“Seonghwa, all I’m saying is we can try it out-”

“We’re not calling that woman!”

Jongho pursed his lips, annoyed at the older immortal raising his voice at him, while Wooyoung flinched and whined behind him, sitting with Yeosang in Yunho’s arms as the two of them cried.

“What else are we going to do? How else do we start? We don’t even know what happened to Hongjoong fully or where that witch took him!” the Maori man snapped back.

Seonghwa paced like a caged animal, but eventually scoffed, admitting temporary defeat.

“Fine. Call her.” He hissed. Jongho eyed him for a moment before reaching for the feather dangling from his hip. Whiro curiously shifted along his skin, but Jongho focused on the feather, holding it out in front of him.

“Hyuna!”

Seonghwa and the others stood and waited.

And waited.

And waited….

And...waited….

“Why...isn't she coming?”

Seonghwa’s nostrils flared in anger before he barked out a laugh.

“Oh, look at that. She’s not coming . You wait around for her and we’ll never find Hongjoong. Right now, we can start by finding out who fucking stole that fucking staff.” He hissed.

The temperature in the room drastically lowered as ice cold grey eyes scanned over everyone in the group.

They lingered on some more than others.

“It wasn’t me. Don’t stare at me like that.” Mingi’s voice was hurt as he looked down at the floor. Seonghwa’s jaw ticked.

“I didn’t say it was you.” He stiffly informed him.

“You didn’t have to. I was raised around Bella Rose, I know an accusatory look when I see it. It wasn’t me.” He muttered, his voice quieter. San noticed the clench of his fists and the tears welling up in the boatswain’s eyes and moved to place a hand on his back. Seonghwa clicked his tongue, keeping his eyes on the duo. Yeosang began to hiccup through his sobs in Yunho’s arms, so the man stood, catching Seonghwa’s attention.

“I don’t...think that should be our top priority. Not right now.”

“I disagree. One of you stole the staff, and Hongjoong is gone now. That seems pretty damn important. Which one of you did it?” He spat, malice dripping from his voice. Even Jongho flinched back, his brows pulled together. Whiro shifted along his skin and tutted before lifting upwards.

Jongho moved to reel him in, but he was met with more than the usual amount of resistance and Whiro’s voice in his head.

‘For once, trust me, kid.’

Jongho pursed his lips and let Whiro form into a mirror image of himself aside from the blonde hair, red eyes, and ta moko. He rolled his shoulders and looked at Seonghwa, who looked unimpressed and fed up before anything even left the fragmented god’s mouth.

“If you’re going to talk shit, save-”

“Nah, you’ve said enough the past few days. Shut up and listen for once, prince.”

Seonghwa snarled, but Whiro ignored him, keeping his thick arms crossed as he spoke. Even Jongho looked on curiously as Whiro continued.

“What exactly are you gonna do with that information? Hm? Hurt one of them? Kick them out? Is that what the old captain would have wanted?”

Seonghwa looked taken aback-and he wasn’t the only one.

Seven pairs of eyes watched Whiro in shock.

“Whoever stole it doesn’t matter right now. What matters right now is whether you like it or not, you’re the captain now. From what I understand after Jongho and I got knocked the fuck out, you were told to protect this ship and it’s crew. Last time I checked, this temper tantrum you’re throwing isn’t protecting shit, not even yourself.”

“Am I not allowed my hurt? My anger? Hongjoong was...Hongjoong was my first love, he saved my life-”

Whiro rolled his eyes.

“Listen, I’m stuck here in this body for all of eternity and I feel what he feels,” He jabbed his thumb in the direction of a shocked Jongho before he kept talking. “Get your shit together. Stop your sniveling, and start being the leader the shortstack knows you can be. The kid is strong. He may have lost this, but at one point, he had eight spirits inside of him and didn’t fall completely to ruin. Instead of doing the exact opposite of what he said to do and tear this crew apart, wipe your nose, wash your face for fuck’s sake, and go find the shortstack. He needs you, all of you. It’s been a week and we’re still in Greece. I’ll give you a day or so longer to get those tears out before I expect all fucking seven of you to quit bitchin’ and start searchin’. Do I make myself clear?”

Seonghwa blinked before he ran a hand through his hair.

“Gods, is it that bad that the literal God of Evil is trying to help?”

“Yes, actually.” Whiro responded without missing a beat, drawing an involuntary laugh out of some of them.

“I’m stuck to Jongho for all of eternity. I’d rather not to deal with all of these stupid ass gushy ass emotions normally, but since I have no choice now, I’d rather we pull ourselves together. Oh, and when I get my hands on that serpentine bitch, you can all step aside. I’ll take care of her myself.”

Seonghwa rolled his eyes, but turned to the group, sighing as he bowed himself down.

“I...I’m sorry.” There was more sitting on his tongue, but that was all he said for the time being, turning to leave. Once the sound of his boots on the wood retreated down the hall and out of earshot, everyone let out a relieved sigh, turning to look over at Whiro.

“Holy shit. You helped us.” San muttered.

Whiro cocked a brow.

“Helped you? Please. I’m just tired of the back and forth and even ol’ Jongie boy here is getting affected by all this more than I’d like, for us to share a body. I helped myself, nothing more.” It was a lie, and all of them knew that much, but no one called him on it. Before he disappeared into Jongho’s skin, however, he did have something else to add.

“Though, my words will only light the fire under his ass and distract him for so long. You all seem content not knowing who took it, and that’s strange to me, but whatever. I suggest you all find the pipsqueak captain before blondie starts getting in his own head again. I can’t assure you all I can step out of Jongho every time Seonghwa becomes overwhelmed with anguish. I put these emotions in the world, I know their power. You don’t want the ice prince coming after you because most of you won’t be able to stop the rage that kid has inside from this. So find him. And quit feelin’ so damn sorry for yourselves.” With that, Whiro settled back onto the skin of Jongho’s arms.

Everyone glanced at each other before standing to go to their own respective rooms except Yunho, since they had gathered in his room.

As one of them left, his shoulders slumped lower than the others, his heart thundering in his chest.

‘I’m sorry I took it...I’m so sorry, I didn’t know...I didn’t know it would be this way, please forgive me, I just-’

-x-

-We're losing light

And strength of will

The darkened depths beckoning still

And we hold on

Against the tide-

-x-

Dawn pursed his lips.

“The pirates called for you. Should we get going?”

Hyuna lifted her head from the tub of water she was mostly submerged in.

“Can’t. They’re in Greece. If I stepped foot in Greco-Roman territory again, Zeus would surely come down from Olympus himself to strike me down. He’s still bitter I didn’t just accept my role as the harbinger of evil to mankind and then die off like the toy he created me to be. Whatever the boys need me for, I’ll just apologize next time they call on me. I’m sure it’s nothing. Besides, the last time they called me, I got my ass kicked. They’ll live if I just take a rain check this once.” Hyuna pouted from the tub before sinking back into the water, her inky hair making the water seem like it was pitch black.

Dawn watched her for a moment before humming and turning to sharpen his sickles.

Maybe she had a point.

-x-

-Beneath the storm and left to fight alone

Remember son, you're reaping what you've sown

Under the waves and sinking like a stone

I'm sorry son, you're reaping what you've sown-

-x-

When Lloyd answered the door that one cold night in January, he wasn’t expecting his son on the other side of the door. His lips parted in surprise.

“Jesus it's cold, Lloyd, why is the door op-YUNHO!”

Yunho laughed through his tears as Robin shot out from behind Lloyd, nearly knocking him down as he hugged him tight. His dreads, though graying, were much longer than the last time Yunho saw him, and he couldn’t help the big smile that crossed his face as the sound of thundering footsteps followed by excited screams pierced through the night air.

The smell of sapodilla and of Barbados lilies flooded his nose with the smell of cerasee clinging to Robin’s clothes.

Before he knew it, he was crying, relieved to see all four of his parents in good health.

Lloyd observed them with a small smile on his face, before he noticed the men standing just off behind him.

“I don’t believe we’ve met. I’m Lloyd, one of Yunho’s fathers. My partners will introduce themselves once they’re finished hugging the daylights out of our poor son...though...there seems to be more of you than last time, and I don’t see the captain…?”

Yunho tensed immediately, and it didn’t go unnoticed by his parents. Mei pulled away first, noticing the wobble of Yunho’s lip and Valeria cupped his cheeks.

“Ay, lad...what’s wrong baby?”

“I’m...I’m the captain now.” Seonghwa spoke, though he didn’t meet any of their eyes. Robin pulled away, as well, and Yunho sighed, rubbing his arm.

“I...I came home because we need some help.” He murmured.

All four of them exchanged a look before Lloyd stepped aside.

“Come inside from the cold, boys. Mei will brew some tea, and you can explain what happened.”

-20 years Later-

Mingi sat in silence as he sat in a cathedral. He had taken some time away from Yunho’s island to visit another, picking up a few books to read from a shop on curses and the like. Was it the most ideal place to be reading something like this? Most likely not, but he had to do what he needed to.

The crew had stayed near the Caribbean Islands, doing their absolute best to find somewhere, anywhere to start.

It was stifling, with tensions so high. Some members from the original crew had either moved on or passed away trying to help Seonghwa and the others locate Hongjoong, and the blonde captain had been adamant about not bringing new members in.

There...was no love lost between the seven of them, Mingi liked to think, but he’d be lying if he said Seonghha hadn’t put up a wall between all of them and himself. After Whiro put him in his place, he seemed to mask his true anguish and hurt, and they all could tell it was taking a toll on him, though he always put on and front when he was around them.

He was the leader. The captain. He had to keep himself together, lest they all fall apart. Hongjoong trusted him to do this much. To protect them. If that meant suppressing his own emotions for the betterment of the crew, so be it. It wasn’t like it was something he didn’t know how to do already.

He was raised as royalty, next up for the throne and title of a king. Kings couldn’t show any cowardice and weakness. Seonghwa could hide away his emotions well enough.

Though, that was a lie. They could all see it. The chips in his icy exterior. The tremble in his lips when he kissed them. The slight, barely there crack in his voice when he went to reassure them. Seonghwa was falling apart and masking it with layers of ice, but none of them had the heart to call him out.

Not when they were falling apart too.

An air of failure and guilt clung to them and no amount of sweet words from Yunho’s parents could hold it back for too long.

Speaking of parents...

Mingi’s fingers trembled on the page. Right. He had to return to the island soon. Lloyd had passed away of natural causes from his old age and they would be having a celebration of life for him tonight.

The four of them all but put a pause on their work to help out with locating Hongjoong, studying everything from mythology, to curses themselves.

For two decades, they tirelessly helped them, and Mingi was forever grateful. Honestly, it was all four of them that kept the boys from completely losing hope. From the Irish, foul-mouthed tongue lashings they (lovingly) got from Valeria, to Robin taking their mind off of it with teaching them capoeira, to Mei gently telling them Korean folktales over cups of tea when the stress was too high, and finally, old Lloyd teaching all of them the way of herbal medicine and always lending an ear when they needed to vent.

The four of them had all but become the in-laws to the group, and Mingi was forever grateful.

“You look troubled.”

Mingi jolted, closing his book as a nun walked up to him. Mingi scooted over as she sat beside him, placing her hands on her lap as she looked forward past the pews to stare at the beautiful organ at the forefront of the hall.

He subtly hid the book behind his thigh, clearing his throat.

“I’m sorry, I just needed somewhere quiet to read and-”

“You’ve been staring at that page for half an hour. Either that passage is really good, or you’re troubled.” She laughed lightly. Mingi stared at the side of her face. His brow furrowed.

Why did she seem so familiar…?

“Would you like someone to lend an ear? We have a confessional, or I could just listen.” She offered, kind brown eyes staring into his own. He lowered his gaze to his hands and sighed.

“I’m just...looking for someone close to me. They were taken away and I don’t know if I can find them or where to start.” he muttered. The nun tilted her head before crossing her feet at the ankle, sitting up straighter.

Mingi expected her to mention God, they were in a place of worship, after all.

“I think you should take time to clear your heart and your mind. You’re very troubled and you won’t be able to focus on your objective when you are so conflicted. Life...throws lots of hurdles at you. Take time to catch your breath and don’t be afraid to ask for help. You can be surprised how asking different people for advice will steer you in the right direction. Sometimes you need to take a step back and look at it from a different angle. Remember that, and I hope you find your friend.” She smiled and stood up, waving to Mingi as she turned to leave.

“Wait!”

She paused.

“Hm?”

“I’m sorry if this is...a weird question, but what is your name, Sister?” He inquired. She blinked in surprise before sending him a kind name.

“Mine? My name is Sister Gracie.”

-x-

Seonghwa stood in front of a mirror, looking at his reflection. His jaw was clenched tight as he wiped his eyes. He had to pull himself together. Two decades and they haven’t found him yet.

He looked into his own grey eyes, his voice tense.

“I’m not giving up on you. I’ll never give up on you. I’ll find you, mon petit putois.” he muttered, adjusting the buttons to his shirt.

What he couldn’t tell, in a plane beyond the one he was standing in, was Hongjoong was looking back at him.

Panicked fists slammed against the invisible aquatic wall that separated the two of them.

“Hey! Hey!! I’m screaming at you, please!” Hongjoong looked behind him, finding something slithering in the depths of water behind him. Bubbles erupted from his mouth as he screamed louder, his voice getting raw as he reached desperately for the vision of the blonde man. He pressed his palm to the man’s image, tears in his eyes.

“ Please! I’m screaming, I’m begging! Why, why can’t you hear me?! Help me!”

A thick tentacle wrapped around his waist, pulling him roughly. Hongjoong scrambled, pressing both hands to the barrier. A laugh echoed from behind him before he was snatched back, away from the image of the blonde man.

In the guest room, Seonghwa placed a palm on the cool mirror, eyes downcast.

“I’ll find you. No matter how far you are, Hongjoong.”

-x-

-Beneath the storm and left to fight alone

Remember son, you're reaping what you've sown

Under the waves and sinking like a stone

I'm sorry son, you're reaping what you've sown-

-x-

He can feel it. Every time he dies. Every time he’s reborn and has a different name.

~1668, the first death after the curse was placed on him, he’s trampled by a horse.

1690, he can feel his throat closing after a fatal allergic reaction.

1712, an accident while trying to help create the first working steam engine.~

Hongjoong feels it all. It doesn’t help, the she-beast likes to toy with him. Sometimes she lets him roam free, in the vast expanse of...wherever he was trapped in. He had no concept of the passage of time anymore while he was in here. Everything felt...stalled and floaty. The woman told him he had been there for almost a century, in her clutches, but he paid it no mind.

That was absurd.

~1734, flash, then it’s gone with a lightning strike.

1756, huddled up for warmth, only to die by the morning from exposure getting lost in the mountains.

1778, blood loss from a carpenter accident. He was a careless man in this particular life.~

Sometimes she leaves him alone. For very long periods of time. He doesn’t know if he prefers that or not. On one hand, her torture was agonizing, between the way she’d wound him, leaving him on the brink of what surely should have been death, but unlike his selves on the outside, he couldn’t die in here.

No, he had to slowly power through the pain, slowly heal in this god forsaken place, and then she’d come back, and start all over.

He envied the other ‘hims’ on the outside. They got to live lives, all of which unfulfilling and mostly in poverty, but they still got to live them, and then they all died on November 7th, only for the piece of his soul to be cast away to another part of the world, into a newborn and reborn once again.

Then the cycle continued. He watched it all from this space. His lives, his deaths, over and over again.

The woman never called him anything other than cruel names and ‘Captain’, though he had no idea of what anymore.

Hell, he was pretty sure he’d forgotten his own name while trapped in here.

~1800, a casualty in the Quasi War.

1822, a fall from a moving locomotive.

1844, a fatal encounter with a wild boar.

1866, a mine shaft collapse.~

When he’s alone for decades at a time, he feels a bit of his sanity slip. Like he’ll never get out of this place. Like he’ll be here for all of eternity. Sometimes, he lays on his back, with his eyes closed for as long as he can, and waits.

Nothing ever happens, but sometimes it's easier to just...exist. Rest his eyes and his tired body. He hasn’t given up. Not yet, anyway, but sometimes it's better for him to just... be.

He’ll never admit to that woman that sometimes he looks forward to her arrival when she comes back from leaving him for so long, just because her presence grounds him into reality.

Or, rather, whatever hellish reality he’s found himself in at her hands.

At her hands, and as he looks out at the bubble she forces him to look at, finding those same seven men. Or, rather, two of them, this time.

They’re in Paris, the one with the dimples has an arm around the other one’s waist, muttering something into his ear. He nudges him before a tender smile comes to his lips and the two share a kiss before disappearing into a hotel room.

The brunette looked away, not sure why he was made to follow these people along though his time here. She always sneered in his ear that they were to blame, that they were the key to getting him out, that they were all happier without him and had forgotten him at this point.

She never showed him the seven of them tirelessly searching for him. He didn’t even know how hard they were working. She carefully picked out the rare moments they took time to themselves to catch their breaths and try and stabilize themselves, painting them as people who didn’t have any sense of urgency or care in the world.

The cook who made large meals with a big smile on his face. The inseparable duo, always attached at the hip, in each other’s space, bringing love and comfort to one another. The tall man with his nose in the books, glasses perched on his nose as he spent days engrossed in his books. The other tall one, filling out his notebooks with whatever hasty, nearly illegible sprawlings came to him as he sat amongst plants. The rugged one with the curious markings on his arms and legs that sometimes shifted and formed some dark being. Hongjoong would be surprised, but he had an aquatic beast breathing down his neck with tentacles for legs and rabid dog heads extending from her waist, so he would be lying if he said he was truly surprised.

The only one that never looked like he was relaxed was the blonde. Pricilla didn’t show him for long, but whenever he was in the background of those visions she’d hand picked for him, he looked like his heart had been ripped out of his chest. An air of guilt and anguish always settled underneath whatever expression he happened to have on his face, and it always made Hongjoong tilt his head and gave him a small flicker of hope.

~1888, a fall during the construction of a new building.

1910, a stage accident during the production of a play.

1932, burned alive saving a child from a fire.

1954, starvation.

1976, a hostage, taken out in an unsuccessful negotiation.~

He’s exhausted. He wonders if Pricilla is too. Doesn’t it get exhausting to do this to someone? Was what happened that led him to this point really that bad?

He watched his soul go into another body, sitting down and watching this one grow up. Quite the rebellious one, this version of himself. From his mullet, to the dark makeup around his eyes and the piercings littering his ears.

The trapped man watched him, grateful Pricilla had chosen to leave him alone for the time being.

He looked at a calendar on the wall behind the other him as he walked by one day, spotting the ‘1997’ on the wall.

Ah, only a year left until he’d die and another incarnation of him would come.

One day, as the other him is looking in the mirror, the trapped soul stands and stares at him. He knows he looks like hell, though he’s grateful Pricilla never showed him what he looked like. Hell, at this point, he wasn’t sure if these versions of ‘himself’ were really him, or if it was all just an elaborate lie.

“I’m right here. I’ve been right here. You’re lucky, living on the outside. You don’t even know I’m here, do you? You can’t see me, they never can.” He muttered bitterly.

The man on the other end paused the application of his makeup, his cut brow twitching.

“I can hear you. I liked it better when you were just some weird, fucked up version of myself in my dreams, though. I have enough on my plate without worrying about if I need to see a shrink for voices in my head.”

He froze.

“You can hear me?! You can hear me, really?!”

The other him narrowed his eyes.

“Jesus, you’re loud. Yes, I can hear you.”

He stared wide eyed at himself and for the first time in centuries, he had a flicker of hope. He wasn’t sure what changed, but for once, he got the fire in his whole body to get up and fight with his whole body once more.

-x-

-You're reaping what you've sown

You're reaping what you've sown

You're reaping what you've sown-

-x-

“You still haven’t forgotten the pirate from Delphi?”

Grey-ish blue eyes opened slowly and looked up at a pair that were identical.

“I could have done something, Tem.”

A small hum came from her lips as she crossed her legs and stared at him. She reached over, smoothing down his blonde hair before she pulled him into a hug.

“Why do you cling onto that immortal? He was only with you for but so long.”

“He made an impression. The way he spoke of his family and his crew, it was honestly the most genuine and pure emotions I’ve seen in centuries, and still, I haven’t quite seen anything like it.” he muttered.

He was met with a small hum.

“So, centuries later, several incarnations of him later, and you still want to step in and help? Is it because of Hyacinthus?”

He pursed his lips, looking down at her collar, biting his lip.

“I-”

“He’s gone, Apollo. But I see this means a lot to you. Father and Uncle have their hands tied with their...ugh...escapades, so I doubt you’d find much resistance. I can...I can try and help you. I hate to see my brother like this.”

Blue eyes widened and he pulled back.

“Artemis-”

“I said I can try . You and I, there is only but so much that we can do. This may even require you to step out from Olympus, out from our domain, and into the domain of other deities. Some of them may not be too privy to actually help out. Our father hasn’t left the greatest of impressions on the other sky deities and they tend to run the show. But, I will try for you.” She kissed the top of his head and sat back.

“We should get started. We should look into this curse a bit more. If it was our...darling cousin that put the curse on the man, I wouldn’t be surprised if she put in some hidden stipulations.”

He stood, eyes determined.

“Right, then. Let’s get to work.”

Artemis smiled and led him out of the room.

“Let's start by talking to the Fates. Maybe they can tell us where we can start.”

-x-

-We're slowly losing ground

And hope is harder to maintain

When all the prayers we've prayed

Feel lost like tears in the rain-

-x-

The king snarled, exhaustion pulling at his form.

Really, how fucking long had he been there? Was he even going in the right direction? Which way was up or down?

The heavens themselves wouldn’t save that damn beast of a woman when he got to the front of the pathetic pirate’s mind. He swore it on his own pride and honor, he would revel in breaking her in half.

Then those incompetent ass pirates. He was certain if they had gotten to the kid sooner and broke whatever curse was inflicted, he would’ve already been at the forefront of the captain’s mind once more.

Instead, he was here, swimming in the inky blackness of this idiot’s mind, unsure if he was even-

“-member me?”

He blinked, hearing an echo. His scaled head snapped up, pausing momentarily.

Was that…?

“I have dreams, yes. Of past ‘mes’, I guess. You’re really kind of persistent.”

“I’m sorry, I just...I need you to remember fully who you are, who we are. You’re the first one of me that can see and hear me. I think maybe...Maybe we can break the curse?”

“Sounds like a lot of work.”

The king’s fangs glinted as he looked towards the sound of the voices.

“F i n a l l y.”

-x-

-The waters pulling down

The moon's eclipsing the sun

The ending that we knew would come

Has finally begun-

-x-

Joong wasn’t much.

He lived his life poor and disinterested in life. His only friend was a fortune-telling, self proclaimed sun witch, and his only real interest in life was his motorcycle.

Nothing more, nothing less.

The dreams that plagued him since he was a child, of past lives and their subsequent deaths, none of it interested him.

They, like this persistent voice in his head for the past year, harping on a ‘curse’ or whatever, were just an inconvenience. He hadn’t heard from the ‘other him’ in a while, so maybe it was just an illusion from staying up late too many nights or something.

Either way, all this talk of mythical creatures and curses was truly a bother.

“Ah, you’re here. I was wondering when you’d show up.”

He ducked under the beaded curtain of the fortune telling shop, sitting across from a gorgeous woman with feline eyes.

“I told you I’d come, Siyeon. It is your birthday.”

Siyeon smiled softly and reached for his hands, gently rubbing her thumbs along the back of them.

“Yeah, but you never let me read your cards.”

Joong shrugged a shoulder, running a hand through his sandy brown mullet.

“Yeah, well. Happy birthday, how do you want me to do this?” He inquired. She laughed and pulled out a beautiful deck of tarot cards.

“You can shuffle the cards. Pull three of them and place them in a triangle formation and flip them one by one for me, okay?” the witch seemed excited about him participating, so he sent her a small, kind smile. He didn’t quite believe in any of this, but Siyeon was someone incredibly important to him, so just this once, he would go along with it.

He shuffled the cards, humming a birthday song to Siyeon while he did so before he followed her instructions and plucked three of the cards from three different sections of the deck, placing them in front of him in the shape of a triangle.

“Okay, flip them.”

Joong nodded and flipped the cards one by one.

Siyeon’s smile immediately fell.

A Reversed Emperor, The Tower, and the Three of Swords.

“Well that doesn’t look pleasant.” Joong tried to tease, but Siyeon’s expression didn’t crack. She looked up at him, brows pinched together. Joong shifted in his chair, the chains attached to his leather pants jingling from the move.

“Well? You gonna tell me what my fortune is, Si?”

“Right...right. Um...First is the Reversed Emperor. This is normally a symbol of power and being the king of kings, of sorts but um...reversed, there seems to be a lot of turmoil within you. You don’t have as much control as you’d like to believe you do, and it’s left you with a fake sense of safety and security.” She stared at the card before looking towards the second one.

“The Tower...there is chaos brewing for you, Joong. Chaos and destruction, and soon, something will happen that will absolutely turn your whole world upside down. The last, the Three of Swords, means heartbreak of some form is coming. It can be interpreted as something to do with the relationships you have, but it also can be in reference to some kind of terrible pain and suffering.”

“Well, that sounds welcoming.” Joong hummed, shrugging a shoulder. Siyeon looked at him, her face conflicted.

“I-”

“Hey, it's alright. Maybe your cards just don’t like me today.” He teased. Siyeon opened her mouth to tell him that wasn’t how it worked, but he put a hand over hers, sending her a disarming smile.

“Hey, it’s your birthday. Don’t worry so much about this stuff right now. I finally let you read my cards, so let’s go out to eat or something.” He offered. Siyeon resisted the urge to scold him and tell him to take what she had read more seriously, to caution himself, but instead, she only nodded and stood from her table.

“You’re taking me to the Latin place down the street, right?”

“Only the best for my best witch. See what I did there?”

“Because I’m a witch, hardy harr, let’s go nerd.”

-x-

“What do you mean there was a curse placed on him?! How long was it gonna take before you found me?!”

“We tried days after it happened! You didn’t respond!”

Hyuna paused, staring at Yeosang in surprise before she squinted.

“Wait...in Greece…?”

“Yes!”

“HE’S BEEN GONE FOR THAT-” a hand covered her mouth and she nearly bit San, eyes narrowing at him. He sent her a dirty look, wiping his hand off on his jeans before he looked at Dawn.

He was the calmer of the two of them, so they’d get answers from him.

“Hyuna can’t step foot in the Greco-Roman territories. Zeus would skin her alive. Since you all were in Greece when you called on her, she didn’t come for her own safety. And I imagine because of her not responding that time, none of you called on us again until right now?” the weasel spirit inquired.

Wooyoung, San, and Mingi shook their heads. The three of them had stuck together this time.

Somewhere at the turn of the 20th century, Seonghwa had suggested they start splitting up to try and find Hongjoong, since all seven of them looking in the same spot in such a vast and ever changing world was...impractical, at best. Downright idiotic at worst.

It made sense, but all of them knew that was the kindest way Seonghwa could tell them he couldn’t stand looking at some of them as much as he could anymore. They had begun to see the cracks once more. The barely concealed tick of his jaw when he thought no one was looking. The way he sometimes scanned their group when they were together, silently hoping whoever took it would come forward.

At the very least, he needed to know who did it. Whiro be damned.

Speaking of, he and Jongho had become exceptional trackers, which came as no surprise to the group. After all, Jongho had tracked down Hongjoong with the minimal information and tech that he had from before, so this was progressively getting easier.

He just needed to be faster. He’d found Hongjoong once, the last time, but by time he got to the city he felt Hongjoong was in, he could only stand by in wide-eyed shock as the sound of a gunshot rang out into the night.

He didn’t tell the others that part. He and Whiro would bear that one alone.

Regardless of their failures, they often grouped up on the 22nd year, to try to fruitlessly put together the pieces they needed to find him this time before his birthday passed and they inevitably lost their opportunity once more.

It was 1998 now. The 22nd year. He’s birthday was in a week and he’d die once more if they didn’t find him.

Hyuna frowned and looked at her box on her hip.

“I don’t have any spirits for searching, but I can find some. For...y’know, the next time.” She cringed. The boys did as well before hearing the door to the loft they were temporarily staying in open.

Seonghwa must have come home.

Hyuna gauged the looks on their faces and cringed.

“Right, then. I imagine this won’t be a good look for me to be here if that’s how all of you are looking at me. Dawn and I will go and I’ll get back to you as soon as I find a dog spirit suited for the job. I’m...I’m sorry.” She bowed her head down and the two of them disappeared as soon as the door opened.

Seonghwa stared at the trio for a moment before pointing behind him, his voice having lost nearly all of it’s usual sass and coyness.

“Come, I brought food.”

The three of them exchanged a look before trudging out of the room.

-x-

“Apollo, you really are impressive.”

Alistair, or rather, Apollo, wiped sweat from his brow and looked up from his spot on the floor before Hera, blood running down his temple as he tossed the head of some beast at her feet.

“Will you help me?”

“I haven’t seen you so determined to do anything since Hyacinthus’ death. And even Kaliopel is helping out-”

“I spoke with the Fates, I’ve spoken to Aunt Persephone and convinced Uncle Hades to offer up assistance in locating where the soul goes...even Nana Styx offered to pacify my father. I just need your help this once.”

Hera arched a perfectly curved brow.

“And if I say no?”

“I assure you, I can find someone else who will help me in my plight. This could be your chance to get rid of me, but if not-”

“I’m listening.”

Apollo exhaled, looking at the sun disk charm in his palm. He had retrieved it from the sea shortly after Hongjoong disappeared into the depths all those moons ago.

“I offer up half of my godhood for your assistance. All I ask is your assistance in distracting my father and for your aid in my wife and I finding him. It’s too late this time for us to intervene, but I think a soul toiling around in this cycle without the acceptance of the gods is already means enough for someone to step in. If he is out of our domain, I shall go to him. I just ask that you help me, this once. You’ll never see me again afterwards.”

Hera looked at him in genuine surprise.

“All this running, and it’s not for another consort?”

“No. It’s to break the curse no one authorized my cousin to make. Even Uncle Poisiden doesn’t seem to recall giving Scylla permission to do such a thing. It has caused conflict between him and Uncle Hades.”

Hera stared at him for a long while, looking at the offering he’d so graciously tossed at her feet. She tutted and stood, her sandaled feet being the only sound in the room as she descended the stairs to her throne. She plucked a peacock feather from her robe and pressed it to Apollo’s forehead.

“Get up off of your knees. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but your words and determination have appealed to me. I shall take part of your godhood in exchange for my assistance, but it shall be restored in full if you can complete your task. I will only help you once. If he dies again, you’re on your own.” She warned him before humming.

“I’ll even see about getting you some extra assistance.”

Apollo perked.

“Extra?”

“Don’t get too excited. It won’t be easy. We’ll see how determined you are. Go speak to Mnemosyne and her daughter Klio and refresh yourself with what you have missed. Then go.”

Apollo nodded and stood, a resolute look on his face.

“Thank you, Hera.”

“Tell anyone I was kind to you and I’ll find a way to kill you myself. Now go.”

Without another word, the Sun God turned on his heel and left, looking at the sun disk in his palm.

There was a lot of work to be done.

-x-

-You're reaping what you've sown

It's finally begun

You're reaping what you've sown

I'm sorry son, you're reaping what you've sown

You're reaping what you've sown

You're reaping what you've sown-

-x-

“JOONG! JOONG HOLD ON, PLEASE!”

The biker looked towards the sky, his body growing numb as he felt Siyeon’s hands shakily cup his face. Somewhere off to the side, his motorcycle lay in pieces.

So this was it? A car collision?

Ugh.

“Joong! Joong please!”

He knows Siyeon is yelling, but all he can hear is static. Above her head, he can see the sad reflection of himself, looking down at him.

Oh, so that’s where he was.

He stared at it for a long time before blinking slowly, letting out a terse laugh.

“Don’t have such a horrible look on your face. It’s only another life, right? You looked so hopeful. Find yourself again.”

Siyeon’s brows pinched together in confusion, but the other him’s eyes grew.

‘Find yourself again.’

In the depths of the eighth sea, between the planes of this world and the next, the captain grits his teeth and nods, swimming away from his dying form.

He couldn’t give up. It was a slow time coming, but he couldn’t give up. He wouldn’t let her win. Hell, he had even made a breakthrough with himself, something he couldn’t fathom happening before.

He was close. He was close to doing... something .

The king was also getting closer.

‘Pricilla’ had chosen to leave him alone for the first few years of his next life, it was nothing extraordinary. He was an orphan, lonely just like he had been for all sixteen of his lives before this one.

Everything changed in 2008.

“Melody, look!”

He swam to the edge, peering out.

What is this? Someone noticed him in the orphanage?

No one ever noticed him before.

“Hey there, buddy. Do you wanna come home with us? You and your siblings?”

The child frowned and looked at his feet, a small beret hiding most of his hair.

“I don’t have siblings.”

The massive man sent him a smile, tucking his hair behind his ear and as the spirit watched on, he could see he had lots of tattoos.

“You do now. If you’d like to come with us, Hongjoong.” He offered. The ten year old blinked.

“My name..isn’t…”

“George is a bit boring, don’t you think? I like Hongjoong better. It means you’re the center of the whole world, y’know.”

Hongjoong looked up at him, then the woman standing behind him who sent him a gentle smile as three other children clung to her dress, staring at him in anticipation. They looked desperate to get out of the orphanage and have a family.

A happy family.

Hongjoong smiled shyly and walked up to the grey-ish blue eyed man, gently squeezing the little harbor seal plushie he kept with him at all times. He stepped in front of the man, shifting from foot to foot.

“You won’t...you won’t throw me away, will you, mister? Not me and my friend Angel, will you?” He inquired, hugging the seal tighter. The man shook his head.

“I wouldn’t dream of it, Hongjoong. Do you accept? Will you come with us?”

Hongjoong paused for only a second longer before he nodded, all but jumping into his arms with a wide smile.

The tall man’s arms closed around him and he smiled, picking him up before picking up one of the other children.

She stared at Hongjoong with wide eyes before smiling softly, her hair up in a ponytail.

“My name is Suzuka. I guess you’re my little brother now?”

Hongjoong nodded eagerly.

“Yes! My name is George-ah no...d-dad said my name is Hongjoong!”

The spirit of the captain watched on with tears in his eyes and disbelief.

Even he didn’t remember his name anymore, but somehow, when this man appeared, he felt a familiar sense of home and warmth when he uttered the name to the child.

The captain watched the child and his family (that word felt so new to him. Family. He hadn’t had a family in ages) grow together. He expected the worst. Expected the tattooed man and his wife to be demons. That had to be it, there was no way he’d have a happy life when the sixteen leading up to this point were so miserable.

They...never treated the four of them with anything other than the purest form of respect and love the captain can remember. He watched on, as the mother sang lullabies and told them stories before bed. As their father taught them how to play music, tattooed fingers working over a guitar, or the keys to a piano.

This...was honestly such a happy and energetic life.

He had friends and family. He smiled every day, got to perform on stages.

Hongjoong...was happy. For the first time in centuries, he was truly happy.

Years later, Pricilla returned, wrapping her limbs around him.

No, no, no, he couldn’t let it end. He couldn’t let the best version of himself die again.

So he turned and fought with all his might. He clawed and scratched and bit down on whatever he could.

No more, he was tired. He wanted to live, he just wanted to live!

“Captain! What’s gotten into you, hm? I haven’t seen such fight in your eyes in a while~”

He’d fight. Harder than ever before. He couldn’t let her win.

Hongjoong thrashes, slamming his fists against the wall. He can see himself, just beyond the water, blissfully unaware.

He’s laughing with his friends, celebrating new years as the calendar rolls over from 2019 to 2020. The captain feels his throat close slightly. This was the 22nd year. He was going to lose again, wasn’t he? He was going to lose his life again if the curse wouldn’t be broken.

Sometimes he screams at his own reflection, hoping somehow he can hear himself. The last one, the biker named Joong, heard his voice. So maybe if he could get through to this one…

He needs to know, he has to find out who he is.

“Hello!? Can you hear me?! Hello!” He screams out to the college student.

“Remember them, remember yourself!” He shouts. It's almost funny in a tragic way. He in spirit can’t even remember the names of the men that held his fate in his hands. The seven men from before. He needed them to help unlock his memories. They were the key as much as he was, he thinks.

Golden eyes watch him, impressed. A clawed hand snakes around his body and squeezes his face so hard it hurts. He glares at the woman, his lips curled up into a scowl. She tuts at him, shaking her head.

“You’ve been fighting for so long, Captain. Wouldn’t it be easier to give up? They look close to calling it quits. How could they not? Centuries without their precious leader, their precious lover-” She spits the word out like a curse, but Hongjoong only pushes past her, swimming to the opposite side of the vast space. He can see the men, six instead of seven this time.

“You want to give up on him?!” Seonghwa snarled. Mingi’s nostrils flared in anger as he stood nearly chest to chest with the ex prince.

“I didn’t say that! I’m saying you need to slow the fuck down and breathe for a bit. None of us have gotten anywhere like this. We’re tearing ourselves apart like this!” He hissed. Seonghwa grit his teeth, ice frosting over his fingers as he glared at him.

“None of this would even be happening if-” He stopped himself short, clenching his fists. Mingi glared at him.

“If what? If someone didn’t steal the staff? You keep bringing it up, you keep looking at me different than the others. You still think it’s me!”

Seonghwa lowered his gaze, but didn’t deny the accusation. Mingi clenched his fists so hard it hurt, before he raised his voice.

“I didn’t do it! How many times do I have to tell you I didn’t steal it?! Even if I did, do you think I wouldn’t have come clean by now?!”

“I never said you did steal it!” Seonghwa barked.

“You didn’t have to!”

The two of them began to argue and Jongho stood, letting out a sigh.

“Fuck this, we’re going for a walk.” He grumbled, sliding on a leather jacket. Yeosang watched him in concern before standing to retreat into the kitchen, five fox tails swaying behind him as he began cooking. Yunho sighed and laid on the floor out of the way. He was too tired for this today. Geb rumbled in silent agreement while Wooyoung shook in San’s grip.

“Cheese, c’mon boy.” Jongho beckoned and a black and tan Jindo ran up to him, nuzzling his thigh and letting him put a harness on before he walked out, slamming the door with a bit of force behind him.

Whiro rumbled in his head.

“You got the cloth for the dog, right?”

“Never leave home without it.” Jongho held out a small cloth, dangling it under Cheese’s nose. The dog was given to them by Hyuna as a search dog for Hongjoong. He was still young, but with a bit more training, Jongho was sure he’d be a good supernatural sniffing dog.

At least, he hoped he could sniff Hongjoong out before November. They were running out of time.

Seonghwa and Mingi continued arguing and the captain screamed from beyond the invisible walls, pounding on the wall desperately.

“What are you doing?! Stop it! Stop arguing!! Please!!!! Find him! Find me!” He screams, watching Seonghwa and Mingi argue. San and Wooyoung are holding each other, eyes downcast. Yeosang is busying himself in the kitchen, distracting himself from the argument. Yunho is curled up on the floor, an arm over his eyes as he keeps himself from intervening.

Hongjoong felt his heart sink, biting his lip as he watched the men. The hand comes back, fingers wrapping around his ankle as she pulls him down like she’d done time and time before.

Deeper, deeper into the eighth sea, the sea of time itself.

Deeper, deeper into the abyss.

Hongjoong reaches out at the wall, tears rolling out of his eyes and washing away with the salt water.

“Please, don’t give up on me.”

-x-

-This sorrow weighs down on my shoulders

This fear is getting harder to hide

You’ll leave me alone in this darkness

Left to hold out

Against the tide-

-x-

Jongho sighs as he bundles up. It was March, so the chill of winter still clung to the air in South Korea. Whiro stretched across his skin under his jacket, providing an extra layer of insulation that none of the locals could see.

Amazing how close the two of them had become.

Cheese tugged at the leash, barking once before pulling him forward. Jongho blinked before jolting in surprise at how persistent the dog was.

“Cheese, what the hell-”

Cheese ignored his protests and pulled the Maori man into a crowd of people. He was about to scold him when he heard a voice.

His heart stopped.

“People want it

People dream about it

It can be different to every individual

It can complete us

Or it can destroy us

And it can change the world

People call it 'treasure'”

Jongho’s lips parted in surprise as he watched a man walk forward on a stage, his hair a sandy brown color in a mullet. He held a microphone to his lips as a few other people and even some kids moved around behind him. It seemed to be a street performance of some kind.

Jongho had his eyes focused on the small brunette the whole time.

“The sound of wind blowing from the horizon

The warmth of the sun hitting the ocean waves

The vibration of sand beating like the hearts of youth

We're at the starting point of this long journey”

“Holy fucking shit, kid.” Whiro’s voice snapped him back into focus as he tugged at his hand. “Get the phone, Jongho! Close your mouth and get the phone!”

Jongho shakily plucked his phone from his pocket and held it up, eyes wide as he recorded, nearly dropping it.

On the stage, the brunette dressed in modern clothing that was clearly supposed to resemble pirate attire, walked around the stage, smiling at some of the kids and some of the other five adults on stage.

“The freezing winds may make us shiver

The heat of the sun may make us thirsty

The vibrations of the sand may swallow us

But we'll never stop.”

The group grew closer to him, and Jongho watched a woman with feline features raise her microphone next, posing prettily.

“Gold~”

A man with piercings through his eyebrow and bottom lip put an arm on her shoulder, speaking into his own microphone.

“Eternal life~”

A blonde man with a distinct accent put an arm around the brunette’s shoulder, grinning at him before he winked at the crowd, sending them a smile that made his eyes crinkle.

“Honor~”

A slightly shorter man with a deeper voice wiggled under the blonde’s arm and grabbed his mic, his accent matching his as he chimed out his own line in a deep baritone.

“Love~”

A person with pink hair with yellow and blue chalk highlights eagerly bounded up behind them, all but throwing themselves onto the brunette’s back in the center, their long legs stretching outward.

“Fame!”

The six of them laughed before the brunette in the center held his microphone up to his lips.

“It doesn't matter what you dream for,

So let me ask you

What.is.your.treasure?” he extended a hand out and for the first time in centuries, as the sound of people clapping around him echoed through his ears, tears slipped down his cheeks.

“Hong...joong…?”

“Will you join us?”

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#fie writes #against the tide #kwritersworldnet #kdiarynet #kpopuniversenet #atzinc #kconnet #AtT Ch.10 #ateez fic #ateez fanfic #kpop fanfic #ateez fanfiction #ot8 #ateez ot8 #member x member #ateez ot8 fic #polyteez #hey look i posted and its not 3am look at that pls reblog if you like it thx ily

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