Chapter Text
Hongjoong clutches onto the helm of the ship, his knuckles white as he feels himself hardly having any control of the vessel. The rain hits his face like needles and the mist from the ocean as the wind blows makes it seem like he is drowning. The captain watches as the crew scrambles, all trying to either keep themselves or the ship afloat. His first mate, Yunho, stood right behind Hongjoong, attempting to hold him steady as the monstrous storm ravaged on. He hears Wooyoung yell, not particularly to anyone about how they are going to "feed the fish" soon if they can't escape this storm.
"WE HAVE.... BEEN IN THIS FUCKING STORM..... FOR DAYS NOW! WHEN... WILL IT END?" Mingi yells while holding the cannon so it won't plunge into the ocean and panting for air.
"IT HAS BEEN LESS THAN AN HOUR MINGI!" Jongho yells back over the whistling wind.
The captain's eyes sting as he tries to block out everyone's words, it's all too much to focus on and he needs a clear head. All that matters now is that he protects his 6 crewmates, the ship, and himself, in that order.
He can't help but wonder if things had gone differently today, maybe they wouldn't be in this situation in the first place.
~
"Captain?" Yunho repeats for the third time, unsure if Hongjoong actually heard him.
"Aye?" Hongjoong sighs, not pulling himself away from the map laid out in front of him. Yunho glances at their navigator, Yeosang who just shrugs at him.
"Captain, I asked if it's a really good idea to take this way. Yeosang said that he can see what looks like a storm brewing in the distance and...." Yunho trails off and looks away.
"And?" Hongjoong questions, sounding bored.
"Legend has it that Sirens inhabit those waters." Yeosang says quietly, looking like even saying those words puts them in danger. Hongjoong laughs and rolls his eyes.
"Like something like a measly siren could take down The Illusion." Hongjoong says, dipping his quill in ink he circles their destination.
"And what about the storm?" Yunho asks, starting to sound ever so slightly annoyed by how non-chalant the captain is acting.
"We outrun the storm." Hongjoong says. "It's the only way we are making it to the cove before anyone else finds out about the wreck that happened there. Anything on that ship will be mine."
Yunho and Yeosang glance at each other and sigh.
"Aye Aye." Yunho and Yeosang speak in unison. Hongjoong nods triumphantly.
"Right, tell San to hoist the main sails and for Jongho to ready the cannons in case we run into any scum getting in our way." Hongjoong says getting ready to emerge from below deck. Yunho grabs his wrist as he is about to climb up the latter.
"Everything is for the crew, correct captain?" Yunho asks quietly. Hongjoong scoffs and pulls his hand away.
"How dare you think otherwise." Hongjoong hisses before climbing away. He storms across the deck towards his captain's quarters.
"Hey Captain!" San says with a smile.
"Not now." Hongjoong snaps back, causing San to frown. Wooyoung standing next to him pats his back.
"Don't bother with him, Sannie. Got a stick up his ass." Wooyoung whispers, but definitely loud enough so Hongjoong would hear. Before the captain can retaliate Wooyoung is climbing below deck with San. Hongjoong just sneers and grumbles to himself as he enters his quarters. He closes the door and locks it behind him.
Once he is finally alone he lets the facade he has had on all day fade away. He stammers over to his desk and leans over it, the pain almost too much to handle. He sits on his chair and pulls off his boot to reveal the root of the pain. Hongjoong sneers at his leg, which has now turned from his foot to below his knee a grayish blue. His veins are pulsing a dark purple, and barnacles have even appeared on his calf.
"Fuck me." Hongjoong breathes as he stares down at his destroyed leg.
On the crew's last mission they had split up to look for a supposed priceless necklace left by a princess that had once drowned at sea. The whole story behind it sounded farfetched but the crew begged Hongjoong that they go look for it because San quote "had a real good feeling about it being real." Hongjoong had found himself alone in a cave that had a small cove at the center of it. It was all almost too easy. He saw a shimmer at the bottom of the tide pool. It was the necklace and as a pirate when you see something expensive you grab it, no hesitation.
However Hongjoong really wished he had hesitated for just a moment. As soon as his hand plunged into the water he remembered the feeling of cold wash over him. He was completely underwater, the cold salt water filling his lungs. It was pitch black except for the necklace floating in front of him. The two large stones looked back at him, like two piercing blue eyes. The necklace quickly flew towards him and wrapped around his neck tightly, making it harder to breathe than it already was. He thrashed around grasping at the necklace in attempts to get it off. Just then he heard a voice ring through his skull.
~ no one came to save me, their selfish desires let me sink into the sea. Yet here you are, taking what's left of me for your own greed. You will now sink into the same darkness that took me. You will never know how to be calm. You will never know peace. You will only know the ocean's curse. It will be your demise.~
In an instant he was no longer underwater but laying flat on the ground in the cave. He coughed up water and gasped for breath, trying to understand what the hell just happened. Before he can even do that he feels a shooting pain in his foot. He rips off his boot and stares in horror, his foot has turned a ghostly gray, like that of a corpse.
"Captain?!" Yunho yells at the base of the cave. Hongjoong whips his head around and sees his first mate looking for him. He quickly pulls his boot back on and tucks the necklace into his jacket, just before Yunho reaches him.
"Shit Cap, did you jump in the water for a swim?" Yunho chuckles. Hongjoong forces out a laugh.
"Fell in. I wasn't looking where I was going." Hongjoong says getting up, swallowing the pain as he walks over to Yunho.
"Wooyoung is not gonna let you live that down." Yunho says and shrugs while leaving the cave.
“Yeah…” Hongjong's voice trails off. As he followed Yunho, that's when his pain began. Every step hurt, but he didn’t show it.
Ever since that day, the curse has spread up Hongjong's leg slowly. It hurts like hell and looks like it too. He hasn't told his crew yet, as far as they know the necklace was never found and their captain is fit as a fiddle.
Hongjoong however knows he's dying, but he will make sure that curse dies with him. But first he needs to get his crew to that wrecked ship. He needs to make sure they're all well off before he hurls himself into the ocean, taking the curse and necklace with him. It pains him to lie to his crew, and while he has always been strict he has been more cruel lately, in hopes it will make them miss him less when he is gone. It hurts him, seeing the way his beloved crew looks at him when he is mean but, he feels it's going to help with their pain and perhaps even his own.
So Hongjoong is knowingly throwing them into a storm and supposedly siren infested waters. Because there is one way he can quickly and effectively break the curse on himself and the crew: dying. He knows it'll be a risk but he has trained the crew of The Illusion to be able to handle anything. Yunho will make a fantastic captain. They won't even need Hongjoong anymore.
Without realizing it, tears start to stream down Hongjong's cheeks. He quickly wipes them away and kicks his cursed foot into the ground over and over again while suppressing a scream. While he has always acted stoic, unaffected by hardships, Hongjoong has never felt sadness like this. He was born to be a pirate, to sail the seas and lead his crew towards fame and riches. He doesn’t want to say goodbye.
"STORM ON THE HORIZON! BATTON DOWN THE HATCHES!" Yeosang's voice echoes from the crow's nest. Hongjoong lets out a shaky breath, like a man waiting to be executed in the town square, and then stands up. He pulls on his boot again and makes sure his pants are tucked in and won't get loose.
"Here we go." Hongjoong whispers to himself before pushing open his door and going on to the deck. His crew is all waiting expectantly, their eyes wide with anticipation and anxiety but their faces try to look brave and serious. The rain has already begun lightly sprinkling and the sky grows darker by the second despite it still being day. The captain gestures to them to come to him.
"I believe that Sirens are a load of shit. But, if I don't have a plan for them you all will yap my ear off about how scared you are. So I made a plan. No need to thank me." Hongjoong yells over the increasing wind. He grabs a pouch from his pocket.
"This here is a pouch of cotton." Hongjoong starts. He pulls out a small piece and puts it in one of his ears. "Stuff it in your ear and you won't hear a thing. Don't take it out or I'll get to beating your arse before the siren does."
He hands the bag to Yunho and his second in command immediately follows suit and places it in one ear and holds another piece for later. As the rest of the crew takes pieces, the bag stops at Wooyoung and he clutches it tightly.
"What if it doesn't work." Wooyoung says coldly. Everyone turns and stares at the man whose arms are crossed and eyes just nearly rolling out of his head. San grabs onto Wooyoung's arm and shakes his head at him, trying to stop him.
"Are you doubting me? Your captain." Hongjoong scoffs. Wooyoung steps towards the captain, his chest puffed out.
"Some captain you've been lately. Leading us into a fucking storm are you mental?" Wooyoung spits. San grabs onto Wooyoung and yanks him back but before he can get too far Hongjoong grabs the rebellious crew member's shirt and yanks him inches from his face. The rain begins to pick up much more and the deck is now very dark.
"Yeah I'm fucking mental that's why I'm the captain of this ship. I'm guiding us to treasure you would never even begin to imagine. But if you're so worried about it there's a row boat right there. Let's see how far anyone can get without me eh?" Hongjoong hisses into Wooyoung's face. Wooyoungs cocky facade has completely slipped away as shaking pupils stare at his captains. Hongjoong looks at the rest of his crew and has to hide how much it hurts him to see them all look back in horror and disgust. He lets go of Wooyoung's collar and puts the cotton in the younger one's ears himself.
"It will work." Hongjoong says. The rest of the crew nods with their heads down. "Get into positions. The storm is here."
~
Hongjoong shakes his head and clears out all of his regrets and thoughts of the past and refocuses on the task at hand: keeping this ship from sinking until it's safe enough for him to jump ship. He knows it'll need to look like an accident.
"Captain! There's a leak below deck!" San yells, nearly slipping and falling but Jongho grabs his waist and hoists him back up.
"PATCH IT!" Hongjoong yells back. Once docked there is no doubt Yunho can fix it, it just needs to make it a little longer.
"CAPTAIN WE LOST A CANON I-I'M SORRY!" Mingi screams as he is now using his whole body to anchor three other canons.
"IT'S FINE!" Hongjoong yells back. Mingi just needs to hold out a little longer, they have to have defenses, San can only do so much with his bare hands and Mingi with his guns.
Hongjoong glances over at Wooyoung and widens his eyes in horror as he sees Yeosang hanging over the deck and Wooyoung holding on to his legs. Water crashes into the two of them and I see terror in Wooyoung's eyes as Yeosang is slipping from his grip.
"JONGHO HELP HIM!" Hongjoong yells. Jongho slides over to them and with ease grabs Yeosang and pulls him back up, holding him tightly into his chest. Yeosang looks shaken but immediately refocuses on climbing to the crows nest.
They need to be more careful. Why can't they be more careful? They need to be able to take care of themselves. What will they do without their captain? What will they do without Hongjoong?
Hongjoong realizes he cannot breathe. It's not the water but his chest seemingly caving in. His mouth is dry as he gasps for air. His knuckles are about to burst with how tightly they grip the helm. His vision is blurring and distorted as he watches his crew struggle and it's all his fault.
"Y-Yunho." Hongjoong can barely speak. Yunho doesn't hear him as he is drowned out by the whistling wind. "YUNHO."
Yunho whips his head around to face the captain, wet hair plastered to his forehead and his eyes wild with fear.
"Yunho... you... you have to promise me... promise me that you'll take care-"
"CAPTAIN I CAN'T HEAR YOU?" Yunho yells. Hongjoong slams his hand on the helm as he feels his eyes begin to sting.
"PROMISE ME YOU WILL TAKE CARE OF THEM WHEN I-"
and then it stopped. In an instant the storm just completely stopped. Everyone is knocked over to the floor as the ship is immediately steadied on calm waters. Everyone looks around cautiously, it's as if the storm was never even there.
"Captain what do you mean-"
Hongjoong shushes Yunho before running down to the main deck with the rest of his crew.
This can't be happening. His one chance of offing himself without his crew noticing is gone with the storm. All there is now is silence and a night sky. Hongjoong doesn't know if he wants to laugh or cry. His crew stammers over to him, checking on each other while all looking like dogs that had been caught in a storm. Yeosang leaves Jongho's grasp and makes his way to the top of the crows next to assess the situation.
"Is it over?" Mingi asks quietly, as if not to jinx anything. Hongjoong looks around but realizes something: it's far too quiet.
"No. Stay on alert." Hongjoong whispers and everyone immediately tenses up.
"THERES SOMETHING IN THE WATER IT LOOKS LIKE....it looks like... oh god." Yeosang says, he drops down from the crows nest with fear in his eyes. The crew ran to the side of the ship minus Hongjoong and Yunho.
"Shark?" San asks quietly. Hongjoong's eyes widened. Sharks might do nicely.
"SIRENS!" Yunho cries, running over to the crew. Hongjoong snaps out of his daze. "Cotton now!"
All the crew quickly stuff the cotton in their ears and Hongjoong follows suit. As he shoves the fluffy white stuff in his ears he is met with only silence and the sound of his beating heart. He looks at his crew and counts each of their heads to make sure they all are here and ears plugged. San grabs on to Wooyoungs and Jongho and holds them tight. Yunho looks like he is saying something to himself as his shaky pupils look into the water. Jongho points at something and says something that makes Mingi pull him away from the side of the ship. Hongjoong pulls all of his crew back towards the center of the ship and they huddle together. Hongjoong lines them up and then stands across from them and looks at his crew. They all look back, their eyes alarmed but still brave. Hongjoong feels a tightness in his chest as he looks back at them, as he looks at his family. His hands shake as his eyes go across all six of the crew mates. He knows if the cotton is working in their ears they can't hear a thing just as he can't right now.
Hongjoong brings his hand into a fist and presses it against his heart. Without hesitation the crew returns the gesture, on the Illusion this is their signal to one another, a sign of loyalty. Hongjoong mouth almost tugs at a smile but when it does he sees concern brew on Yunho's face.
"Listen to Yunho. I'm sorry." Hongjoong says quietly. No one heard him, and Hongjoong liked that. Hongjoong pulled the cotton out of his ears and everything afterwards seemed to happen in a matter of seconds.
The crew gasped and yelled in attempts to stop the captain or distract him from whatever he may be hearing but it was too late.
He had already heard the Sirens song.
A quiet yet all consuming hum. Deep and rich in tone. The voice feels like warmth, it tastes like desire, and it sounds like silk. A song so beautiful that Hongjoong wishes to never hear any sound ever again.
Hongjong's eyes glazed over immediately, a pale blue film over them. His mouth was open ever so slightly as if trying to taste the song he heard. He stumbles towards the edge of the ship and the song grows louder the closer to the water he gets. Hongjoong hoists himself up onto the edge of the ship and overlooks the ocean.
Mingi runs over to Hongjoong and grabs onto his waist, pulling him back to the ship.
"Captain, stop!" Mingi cries. Hongjoong, still in this hypnotic daze, immediately pulls out his dagger and points it at Mingi. Yunho yanks Mingi off of Hongjoong and holds his crying friend back. Hongjoong points the knife at all the members as one last warning before once again standing on the edge of the ship. He looks down in the water and sees a glimmering silver, beckoning him. All he wants to do is be with the beautiful comforting music.
⋆°•☁︎⋆.ೃ࿔⛈ ݁ ˖*༄
His feet step off of the wood of the ship and he plummets into the water. The cold ocean water would normally sting but he feels warm. He feels at peace.
Then movement. A long silver tail wraps around him like a serpent. The song now resounds in Hongjong's skull where it belongs. Long fingers crawl up Hongjong's back and glide over his shoulder onto his chest. Across from him a statuesque face stares back. Their mouth moves, proving that he is the source of the song.
The water is dark but Hongjoong can see glowing golden skin, long black hair, large eyes that seem endless, and of course a long and beautiful silver fish tail on his lower half. The Sirens hand moves up his chest and clutches his neck, their long nails poking into his skin. While they keep singing Hongjoong hears a speaking voice in his head.
"any... final.... words?" a breathy whisper rings through his mind. Hongjoong reaches his hand out towards the siren, his finger tips touching their skin, that shimmers like gold.
"I never thought something so beautiful would end my suffering." Hongjoong thinks. The siren's eyes widened wildly. A mixture of confusion and rage in the stare. Their grasp around Hongjong's neck grows tighter, their nails piercing deeper into his skin, and breaking it, causing small ribbons of blood to cascade out of his neck. Hongjoong smiles, staring at the beautiful creature, and the creature snarls back. The creature's tongue exits his mouth and presses against Hongjong's neck. His long tongue drags across his skin, tasting the blood that is escaping.
Hongjoong wraps his hands around the creature's head, threading his fingers through their long back hair, soft and silky. He presses the siren closer, yearning for that bite that will finally finish him off. His vision grows darker with every passing seconds, between the blood darkening the water and the lack of oxygen.
Just as he feels teeth brush against his neck he laughs lightly.
“Thank you.” He thinks to himself just as he loses his consciousness.
“Cursed…blood.” He hears a whisper in his mind before he is gone, the last feeling being pulled upwards towards the surface before he passes out completely.