Pirate King - Ateez x original female character

Chp 3: Say My Name

I don't really know how it happened. I was ready to leave, then I was ready to die at the hands of their captain, and then I was on their ship in the middle of the grand line. They were all very kind to me, and seemed happy to have me there. Well, except for the captain, he had not yet warmed up to me. It had been almost two months now. I tried to be helpful, truly. I just didn't know the first thing about being a pirate or ships.

I was in the captain's quarters, with permission of course, tidying up. I spent most of my time tidying. It was the only thing I knew how to do.

Hongjoong dropped a stack of papers in front of me, "Make yourself useful and sort those by subject."

I looked down at the papers, feeling embarrassment creep onto my face, "Hongjoong, there's a problem..."

He looked down at me, "God, just- what is it?"

"I can't read..." after my mother died, nobody had ever bothered to teach me, and I had bigger problems growing up than reading the paper.

He raised an eyebrow at me, and I felt my ears heat up with shame, "Not at all?"

"I mean, I know the alphabet kinda... but no one ever taught me really... I wasn't kidding when I said the only thing I was good at is killing..."

He took the papers back silently, I was half expecting him to make fun of me.

"I will teach you," he said softly, "or if you'd be more comfortable Seonghwa can."

I blinked stupidly at him for about thirty seconds, that was not the reaction I had been expecting, "Either is fine... but you really don't have to."

"I don't make it a habit to have idiots on my ship."

Ah. there it was.

—

I had been wandering around the ship when I ran into Jongho. He was digging through his bag.

"Shit... where is it?" I heard him mutter quietly.
"What are you looking for?" He jumped slightly, I forgot how quiet I was sometimes, "Sorry! I didn't mean to sneak up on you!"

"No, no, it's fine," The hand pressed to his chest in surprise said otherwise, but I didn't comment.

"I just can't find my whetstone..." he sighed, digging through his bag again.

"Oh!" I shrugged my bag off my shoulders, "You can use mine!" I grabbed my small whetstone out of my bag, "It's a little small... I use daggers, not swords, but it should get the job done."

The smile he gave me was so bright it made my heart squeeze, "Thank you Pepper..."

I sat next to him while he sharpened his swords, watching him quietly.

"So... how are you adjusting?" he asked, flicking his eyes up at me as he worked.

"It's certainly an adjustment..." I ran a hand through my hair, "I'm still not even sure why I'm here, like, there's no reason really..."

He shrugged, thinking before he spoke, "Does there have to be a reason? At least a reason more than we want you?"

I felt my ears heat up, "i guess not, that still begs the question why though. Like why me?"

"When I saw you out in that desert all I saw was someone that needed help, help I could provide. And now... you are still someone who needs help, but also someone who is kind, funny and strong, the kind of person that fits in with our crew," his attention had focused on me at this point.

"Not all of you want me here though..." I said softly.

"Hongjoong?"

I nodded at him, feeling a bit insecure.