Until We Become Untethered (The Forever Pirates) #3

015

"Loneliness." I responded. 

"Anyone can t'ink w'at t'ey want about me. I've made my bed, and I'm lyin' in it." I took a breath, "T'at's not t'e only t'ing she told ye." 

"We need to protect our crew, Hongjoong. And you..." I swallowed harshly, "You need to protect them from me." 

He stayed silent, his eyebrows furrowing. 

"I don't know what the plan is, but I don't...I don't want anything happening to them. I know I don't need to ask you this, because I know you'd do it in a heart beat, but if you even catch a whiff of something happening...if you have any doubt of their safety, you fucking run and you leave me behind. She needs to ruin me...so ruin me first. "

"Ye don't do well bein' alone. Loneliness kills ye t'o... it'll-"

"She knows what it'll take. I survived being alone before, I can survive it again. And I will if I have to. Especially knowing that everyone I care about is safe. So, promise me, that if it comes to that, you'll take that ship and you'll fucking run." I pushed. 

"No." He answered simply. 

I blinked, "No? Hongjoong- what?" 

"I'm tired of people assumin' who I be. No, I would've not selfishly picked bein' loved over protectin' my crew. And I sure as fuck won't leave ye behind because t'at cunt be t'reatenin' ye. Ye are my crew, Seonghwa. I protect my crew. And t'ere's not'in t'at witch can do about it." He stalked off, uninterested in continuing our conversation and uninterested in giving me the ability to fight him on his choice. 

I clenched my jaw, watching him as he walked away. 

San  

It was the first time in a long time that Hongjoong and Seonghwa step foot on the ship, I stared at them, seeing Seonghwa's tired expression. "Where have ye two been?" I asked. 

"Not right now." Seonghwa muttered. 

I scoffed, standing up as I met him halfway across the deck. "We're in the middle of a goddamn war. What do ye mean not right now?"

"I mean...not....right...now." He said firmly, sending me a glare. 

I was so astonished, most times I would've let this go if I didn't have to see off Wooyoung for who knows how long because he was killing himself trying to fight this war, but this time? I felt so dumbfounded that I actually looked at Hongjoong to see if he was seeing the same shit I was. 

He stood there, face unreadable, not even choosing a side and I should've expected that. "Oh right...the two magical ones... ye guys don't actually have to give a flying fuck about what's going on out there. More important things." 

"There are." He pushed, anger splitting over his features. 

"Wooyoung...Wooyoung is fucking killing himself out there! Fighting a war that yer friends are in charge of! Doing it because that is the world ye showed him was possible. He's fighting a war that ye could fucking end!" 

"I've already helped!" 

"By doing what exactly?!"