Dark Waters ||| ATEEZ AU

V||

Seonghwa wanted to skin Mingi alive when he found out what he brought to the ship. They had rules for a reason and Mingi needed a good reminder of that, by Hongjoong. The captain could be scary if the circumstances required him to be. What the older hadn't thought was that their captain knew everything and yet agreed. He felt betrayed at that moment. Betrayed that Hongjoong didn't inform or try to talk to him about it. He always did share small things and secrets no one knew, with him. Hongjoong trusted him the most and in return, Seonghwa did too.

But what they both did, made him really angry even if Mingi kept saying that it's just another harmless accessory for their collection. He chose to trust Hongjoong when he said he had the situation under control. He kept quiet to the rest even when he saw the pendant light up but he was livid. He was ready to murder someone after Hongjoong threatened him. Of all people, him. He thought it was unfair to be treated like that while he was simply worried about their safety. Something that Mingi seems to discard easily at times, like this one. All for the sake of science, of course, based on his words.

Hearing that mermaids were spotted on the horizon didn't help with the situation as well. Seonghwa wanted to spill everything, giving zero fucks about angering Hongjoong. But he still didn't. He knew how capable and trustworthy their captain is and he had promised to follow his lead, no matter where that washed them up to. Well, he didn't mean it literally. At least not when he tried to pull Mingi away from that mermaid that screamed danger, only to be pushed in the water. The place they least needed to be.

While underwater, he managed to kick free and swim to the surface for a few seconds before a pair of big hands were placed on his exposed waist, pulling him under. He caught sight of Mingi for a second while he kept trying to get free from the merman in front of him. He would be lying if he said that for a moment, Seonghwa wasn't captivated by his beauty. He had seen mermaids from afar, on one of his previous adventures before joining Hongjoong's crew that grew and formed the eight members of ATEEZ.

That's why he was more surprised when the merman kissed him. He expected to die since he had heard the stories about people encountering mermaids up close but never staying alive after that to share the experience. Here he was though with the merman's lips on his as he struggled in his grip. In an instant, he felt all the oxygen he had in his lungs dissipate and he had time to freak out only for a second before the merman passed him air. It wasn't like normal air though. It felt thick and oppressive, not leaving his lungs and spreading throughout his body as it normally would. Seonghwa thought that he was gonna die as he started to choke from the lack of oxygen when he successfully breathed. He concluded then, that everything will be fine until the merman kissed him again and he lost his consciousness.

What made him stir from his deep slumber was the commotion around him. Opening his eyes, he saw Mingi reaching out to him, only to be grabbed by the man that he recognized as the merman that kissed him. The sting of something penetrating his arm and the sudden fire he felt right after was enough to make him scream from the pain and lose every ounce of power that had in his body, falling down. Seonghwa could see Mingi running away while the screams around him were getting louder. The older didn't miss when Mingi turned around for a split second and looked at him with a guilty expression. He felt his eyelids close and his body getting heavier.

Seonghwa heard a tapping sound, making his eyes open and look up at his captor. He tried to move but he couldn't. When he completely woke up he was speechless. He was in a glass box that was filled with water. That wasn't the worst though. He kept inspecting the tail and his body as much as he could. The thought that he was dragged or he had lost his mind, was running through his head until Yeosang came and his suspicions were confirmed once Yeosang changed as well. At least he knew he was still sane. He tried to tell Yeosang to run away at first but the younger wouldn't look away from him in shock.