Trigger Warning

As mentioned at the end of the last chapter, this one has SA and attempted R so please do not read if this is triggering and just send me a DM if you would like to read the chapter without the scene in it.

"I honestly don't even know how you haven't managed to break yet. It's inspiring to be honest. I kind of thought you'd be dead by now."

"Well that's a reassuring thought," Seonghwa said dryly as he happily ate the piece of mandarin Jeongin fed him.

"I'm worried about you Seonghwa," Jeongin said with a sigh.

"Don't be, I'm going to be ok. You're already doing everything that you can," Seonghwa said.

"But it's been three weeks Seonghwa, you're so skinny and you're bruised everywhere. You can barely keep yourself up," Jeongin said sadly.

"I'm still alive though, that's what counts," Seonghwa said with a sigh.

"Barely. I don't think you can survive much longer," Jeongin said worriedly, pouring some water into Seonghwa's waiting mouth.

"The boys will find me, it will be ok," Seonghwa said as he took a break from drinking.

"I'm glad you have faith in them but it's been almost a month Seonghwa," Jeongin said sadly.

"I know. But you can't seriously expect them to find me quickly? Eyun came out of nowhere and were gone within minutes. I'd never actually heard about them before this which means Hongjoong probably hadn't either. They're working with practically no information so it will take time," Seonghwa said.

"Hopefully not too much time," Jeongin said with a sigh.

"I've got to go now before they get suspicious," he added.

"Go, I'll be ok," Seonghwa said, giving him a soft smile. Truthfully he felt like shit and was trying not to cry whenever he moved because even the slightest shift caused him pain. But Jeongin was doing everything he could to help him so he did not want to make it harder on him.

"I'll see you later," Jeongin whispered, kissing the top of Seonghwa's head lightly before hurrying from the room. Seonghwa let out a breath and dropped his head onto his hands. Jeongin has been his lifeline since he was taken but the younger boy is putting himself at a big risk and it worries Seonghwa. Seonghwa sniffled and let the tears finally fall down his face as he let the pain wash over him. The past few weeks he had been punched, whipped, water boarded, beaten with a stick and a handful of other things. His entire torso was bruised but he had gotten used to the pain by now. All he could do was just sit there and wait for them to take him out again.

~~~~~

Seonghwa groaned as he was shoved onto his knees on the deck, gritting his teeth in pain.

"Come on Seonghwa, how much longer can you keep this up huh? It's really simple. You just tell me what I want to know and all of this unnecessary pain will stop," Jonghoon said, clicking his tongue to the roof of his mouth.

"Wooyoung is my brother," Seonghwa panted.

"No, he's not. Wooyoung is an only child, he has no siblings," Jonghoon said.

"Yeah well sometimes the closest family doesn't require blood. They are my family in every way and I'm not going to betray them, so you can do your worst," Seonghwa said with a chuckle. That earnt him a boot to the face and he groaned, feeling blood pool in his mouth but he didn't cry out. Instead he turned his head to the side and spat out the blood onto the deck.

"You're getting blood on my ship," Jonghoon said with a frown.

"Oops, my bad," Seonghwa said with a grin.

"You know I'm getting sick of your attitude. I've been housing you on my ship for weeks, feeding you and keeping you alive and I have received nothing in return. I think it's about time I get something in return, don't you think," Jonghoon said with a grin.

"I've already told you, I'm not giving you anything," Seonghwa said, shaking his head.

"Maybe not willingly," Jonghoon said.

"Nothing. I am giving you nothing. I will not betray them and I certainly won't be giving you any information," Seonghwa spat.

"Oh, you're mistaken. I'm not talking about information. Take him to my quarters and get him prepped," Jonghoon said. Seonghwa's eyes widened at his words and his stomach dropped.

"Wait, what," he rushed out. He didn't get a chance to further protest before a piece of cloth was wrapped around his mouth and tied at the back of his head. He was dragged up and over to the Captain's quarters where he was promptly thrown onto the bed. He gasped and tried to get up but three men pinned him down and before long his hands were tied up to the bedposts and he was left alone. He whimpered and struggled, trying to get his hands free but they were tied to tightly. He was powerless for whatever Jonghoon was wanting from him. His heart pounded and he looked around the room, trying to find something that he could try to use to defend himself but there was nothing. The door opened once again and his eyes snapped up to see Jonghoon walking inside with a grin.

"I see my boys did exactly as I asked," he said as he shut the door behind himself. He walked over and ripped the cloth from his mouth.

"What're you doing," Seonghwa asked as he pulled himself up on the bed slightly.

"I'm getting what I deserve. You've denied me enough already," Jonghoon said as he started to unbutton his shirt. Seonghwa's heart started racing, panic setting in as it was confirmed just exactly what Jonghoon was going to do.

"P-Please don't," he stuttered out as he watched Jonghoon's shirt fall to the floor.

"Aw, sweet. You think begging will help you? I could be persuaded to stop, should you give me something else I want. Either way, I'm going to get something I want, you just get to choose which of those it is," Jonghoon said. Two choices. So either he puts his family in danger or he goes through something that will haunt him forever.

"I won't let you hurt him," he whispered.

"Then you've made your choice," Jonghoon said with a shrug. He undid his pants before pulling them off, leaving him only in boxers and Seonghwa whimpered, looking away quickly as he tried to figure out a way to avoid it. Jonghoon climbed onto the bed, his hands landing on Seonghwa's bare thigh as his pants now only covered up to his knees. He struck out with his foot immediately, catching Jonghoon in the chest and throwing him off the bed.

"You little shit," Jonghoon yelled. He got up and was back on the bed, sitting down on Seonghwa's legs to hold them down before Seonghwa could even react. Seonghwa tried to jerk him off but Jonghoon punched him in the face before wrapping his hands around his neck. Seonghwa was completely pinned down, his arms tied, his neck pinned to the bed by Jonghoon's hand and his lower body pinned by Jonghoon's body, rendering him completely powerless.

"Now I've been nice enough as it is, letting you live here, keeping you alive. I could have killed you right away but I've kept you alive despite you not giving me anything. This is my reward for being so patient with you," Jonghoon said. Seonghwa's face started going red as he struggled to breathe, the hands cutting off his air. Just before he felt like he was going to pass out, Jonghoon's hands left his throat.

"I've earnt this, you owe me this," Jonghoon said before leaning down. Seonghwa was too busy coughing and panting to be able to react as Jonghoon kissed him. He gasped and tried to push him away but there was no way for him to do that. Jonghoon's lips were rough and disgusting, nothing like Hongjoong's that were soft and delicate. Seonghwa gasped again before biting down hard, making Jonghoon cry out and pull back. Jonghoon brought his hand to his lips, pulling it back to find blood before he backhanded Seonghwa in the face, making him cry out.

"Stupid whore," he growled. He leaned back and grabbed the bottom of Seonghwa's shirt that they had given him and yanked it up, tearing it slightly in his haste to get it up over Seonghwa's chest. Seonghwa cried out and tried to buck him off again but Jonghoon was too much bigger than him. He just pinned him back down and punched him yet again. Seonghwa could feel blood in his mouth, as well as the blood that was trailing down his face from his nose. He let out a sob, the tears flowing quickly, both from the pain and from the fear.

"Yeah, there we go, keep crying. I love it when a bitch cries," Jonghoon said with a grin.

"Stop it, please stop it," Seonghwa begged, the tears mixing in with the blood and creating small trails of blood down his neck. Jonghoon only chuckled evilly, his hands running up and down Seonghwa's now naked torso.

"I don't think I will. I mean, I've never had someone with quite your physique. You've got quite small hips. Does your lover hold your hips? I'm sure he grips them all the time, his hands constantly on you," Jonghoon taunted as he gripped Seonghwa's hips firmly.

"H-He will kill you. Hongjoong will kill you for t-touching me," Seonghwa choked out.

"Oh, boo hoo," Jonghoon said before cackling. His hands slipped down, this time slipping past the hem of his pants.

"Stop. Stop it," Seonghwa screamed trying to kick him off. He'd never been with anyone other than Hongjoong. Their first time was sweet, Hongjoong making sure he was comfortable and safe, taking care of him and checking in and since then he had done nothing different. He was always so caring, making him feel loved. At least after this, Seonghwa wouldn't be able to associate the two as his feelings were so very different.

"Stop resisting, you're only going to make it hurt more," Jonghoon said as he struggled to tug down the pants. Seonghwa sobbed and tried to resist but Jonghoon pulled them down before reaching for his underwear. Seonghwa felt his fight leave his body as Jonghoon tugged them down, preparing himself for what was to come.

"Wait, Jonghoon don't. STOP." Both Jonghoon and Seonghwa froze as the door was slammed open.

"Jungwoo this better be important because you're ruining my fun," Jonghoon said. Seonghwa's tear-filled eyes met the boys in the doorway, small sobs escaping his lips.

"It's going to hurt when you do it, it will make him scream. Over time he will just get over it, the pain will dull. Even just once will get him more accustomed to it. You should wait, have the first time be in front of the Pirate King. Let him watch you defile his little wife. Something like that might also make Wooyoung come to you, use it to your advantage," he said quickly.

"I, see your point," Jonghoon said slowly.

"I would love to see the precious Pirate King fall apart when I defile his little toy," Jonghoon said with a nod.

"You would be so powerful Captain. You'd reduce the feared Pirate King to nothing and everyone would fear you more."

"Right, Jungwoo, you've convinced me. This is why I have you by my side, because you're smart and ruthless. Clean this pathetic whore up while I go get myself a drink," Jonghoon said, getting up and leaving the room with a chuckle.

"Seonghwa. Seonghwa, oh my god I am so sorry. I didn't, I was below deck. I d-didn't know," Jeongin gasped out as he rushed to the bed. Seonghwa let out a sob, shaking his head as he tried curling in on himself.

"W-Wait, I'll help," Jeongin said quickly. He pulled out a knife and hurriedly cut the ropes binding Seonghwa's hands. Seonghwa instantly reached down and pulled up his underwear and pants before tugging down his shirt as he let out sobs.

"S-Seonghwa, can I, can I touch you," Jeongin asked gently. Seonghwa's body was still shaking with fear as he curled in on himself but he nodded, needing the comfort now more than ever. He didn't know how he would react to the touch, whether he would think it was still Jonghoon but he needed it, god did he need it. Jeongin tentatively moved closer, holding out his arms for Seonghwa. He paused, just shy of properly touching him and Seonghwa realised Jeongin was letting him go at his own place, letting him initiate the touch. Seonghwa sobbed once again, dropping his body to the side and into Jeongin's arms where the younger boy held him tightly.

"I'm sorry. I am so sorry," he whispered as he allowed Seonghwa to cry into his arms. Seonghwa sobbed continuously, the fear running through his veins as his mind ran through what almost happened.

"You're safe Seonghwa. Or at least, as safe as you can be right now. Jonghoon won't touch you like that, and. And I'm going to find a way to get you out of here, to get you somewhere safe. I promise," Jeongin said. Seonghwa shook his head immediately at that.

"No, you c-can't. You are safe now, d-don't do anything to ch-change that," Seonghwa said shakily.

"It's ok, we'll figure something out. I won't put either of us in danger," Jeongin said firmly.

"Promise," Seonghwa whispered.

"Yeah, I promise. I'll figure something out without putting us in more danger," Jeongin said with a nod.

"For now I need to get you downstairs ok. I know you still feel like shit and are really rattled from what just happened and I wish I could comfort you more but we won't be alone for long," Jeongin said sadly. Seonghwa sniffled but nodded, holding out his hands. Jeongin sighed and pulled some rope from his pocket, gently tying it around Seonghwa's wrist, not too tight but enough for it to look tight if anyone was to look at it. He heaved Seonghwa off the bed, making sure to still be gentle and pausing in front of the door.

"You're ok," he whispered one last time before opening the door and dragging him through it. Seonghwa stumbled along but his heart felt lighter, he felt safe being dragged along with Jeongin despite the circumstances.

"I'm sorry I have to tie you up again," Jeongin said, as he lifted Seonghwa's arms and hooked the rope back into place.

"It's ok," Seonghwa said softly.

"I'll be back tonight, I promise," Jeongin said firmly.

"It's ok Innie, just whenever you can is fine," Seonghwa said quietly.

"You hang in there ok. Try not to get locked in with your thoughts down here," Jeongin said gently and Seonghwa flashed him a weak smile.

"JUNGWOO." Jeongin glanced back one last time before leaving the room. Seonghwa was once again left alone and just like always, he let the tears fall more once. He curled himself in a ball as tightly as he could, trying to gain some form of warmth and comfort despite the cold and the darkness. He could still feel Jonghoon's touch on his body, still feel his lips covering his own and it disgusted him. He felt dirty, like he had betrayed his lover, he had betrayed Hongjoong. He wanted Hongjoong. More than anything, he just wanted to have Hongjoong's arms wrapped around him, to have him tell him everything was going to be ok. Seonghwa continued to sob harshly, each one coming from deep within his chest as all the pain, all the fear that had built up over the past few weeks came out.

"J-Joongie," he whimpered.

"Joongie I miss you, I need you," he cried out desperately, dropping his head down and sobbing more into his arms. He had never felt more alone than he did now, not even in the three years he was first kidnapped and isolated. Now he had been shown what it was like to have a really family, to be loved and cared for unconditionally, he missed it so much more.

"I love you and I know you're coming. I will wait for you, I will stay alive for you," he whispered sadly.

~~~~~

"Seonghwa, get up. Seonghwa you need to get up." Seonghwa woke up with a jolt as he felt hands shaking him. His eyes snapped open to see Jeongin kneeling in front of him.

"Is it time again," Seonghwa asked with a sigh. It's been a couple of days since Jonghoon took him to his quarters and after that, the beatings have been harsher. Seonghwa could barely even hold himself up, his whole body in pain and scarred, his legs so bruised that he could barely walk.

"I'll explain later but we need to go, right now," Jeongin said quickly. Seonghwa frowned in confusion at his words.

"What are you talking about," he asked quietly as Jeongin hurriedly cut the bindings of his hands.

"We made port this morning. I was left to guard the ship with a handful of the other crew. I tried to get here quicker but I couldn't so we only have a couple of hours before anyone realises something is wrong. That's barely enough time but we can make it," Jeongin said as he threw Seonghwa's arm over his shoulder and dragged him from the room.

"Wait, what. What are you talking about," Seonghwa asked in confusion as Jeongin helped him up the stairs to above deck. It was only as they got into the light that Seonghwa noticed the blood all over Jeongin's clothes.

"Jeongin, what did you do," he asked slowly.

"What I had to in order to protect you," Jeongin replied. Seonghwa gasped as he saw three bodies laid out across deck.

"Jeongin," he said.

"Come on, we need to go. I have a friend who lives near here and if I can get you to them, then we can hide you but we need to hurry," Jeongin said as he rushed them over to the side of the ship.

"I need you to hold yourself up for a minute so I can tie you up and bring you to land," Jeongin said.

"Jeongin, you're putting yourself in danger," Seonghwa said.

"I don't give a shit. I went undercover to gather intel for Chan but in no way will I stand by and let everything be stripped away from you. I thought I could just let it go, that you would be able to get through it but after what Jonghoon tried to do to you-. No, I will not stand by and let you go through this any longer. Now this isn't just a spur of the moment decision, I had it planned out when you were first taken as a precaution because I knew we were coming here. I have to do this Seonghwa, not just to protect you but also to protect Wooyoung," Jeongin said quickly.

"Youngie? What is his obsession with Wooyoung," Seonghwa asked with a frown.

"Apparently he knows Wooyoung's father. They've offered a large reward if Jonghoon can bring Wooyoung back to his family," Jeongin said, making Seonghwa frown. What the hell? Why would Wooyoung's family suddenly be looking for him after all these years?

"Wooyoung hates his father, and his mother," Seonghwa said.

"I don't know what the issue is but that's not the point. The point is, we need to go right now," Jeongin said. Seonghwa nodded and grabbed onto the side of the ship, allowing Jeongin to wrap the rope around his body in a harness.

"Come on, I'll lower you down," Jeongin said, securing the rope and helping Seonghwa over the edge. Jeongin braced his foot on the edge of the ship, slowly lowering Seonghwa down. He was trying not to rush but he was worried about them possibly getting caught. Once he felt that Seonghwa got to the ground, he rushed to the side and grabbed two cloaks before climbing the ladder down.

"Come on, we need to put these on so we can stay hidden, just in case," Jeongin said. He helped Seonghwa up and helped him get changed before Seonghwa's threw his arm back around his shoulder.

"So how far away is this friend," Seonghwa asked, wincing as he jostled his ribs that were also very bruised.

"On the other side of town so a little far. I can get you there though and once we make it, I can almost guarantee you'll be safe," Jeongin promised. Seonghwa sighed but nodded. It wasn't the greatest plan, but it beats what's been happening. Maybe then they would be able to find a way to get word to Hongjoong and the rest of ATEEZ.

"Let's go," he said quietly. Jeongin nodded and started walking, trying to go quickly but knowing he couldn't move to fast with Seonghwa. They kept their hoods over their heads to hide.

"We've got two options, go straight through town and risk being caught but it's quicker or go around the outskirts for more safety but it's going to take longer," Jeongin explained.

"The outskirts. I can handle it being longer but I definitely can't help much if we get caught," Seonghwa said.

"Alright, let's go," Jeongin said, gently tugging Seonghwa towards the outskirts. Seonghwa was doing his best to walk at a quick pace with Jeongin but it was hard for him to move. His vision was going in and out, the lack of food and water getting to him and hitting him hard. They were walking for about 15 minutes before Seonghwa stumbled and his knees buckled.

"Shit," Jeongin gasped, tightening his grip on Seonghwa so he wouldn't land hard.

"S-Sorry," Seonghwa muttered.

"No, it's fine. You've been through a lot, I know this walk is going to be hard for you," Jeongin said, pulling him up once again.

"Come on, lean more weight on me," he said gently. Seonghwa nodded and put more of his weight on Jeongin, not that he could do much to stop that as he could barely hold himself up. They walked slowly but steadily around the outskirts of the town, Seonghwa only focusing on following Jeongin. He didn't have the strength to focus on anything else.

"Shit, duck down," Jeongin whispered yelled, dragging Seonghwa behind some drums, seating them both on the ground.

"What is it," Seonghwa asked quietly.

"Couple of guys from the crew. They didn't see us but we'll wait for them to walk past," Jeongin said. Seonghwa sighed but nodded, letting his head drop down onto Jeongin's shoulder. Seonghwa noticed how tired he was getting and wrapped his arm around his shoulders, rubbing them gently.

"You ready to go," Jeongin asked him after a couple of minutes. Seonghwa drew in a deep breath before nodding and the two of them managed to stand up. They continued along down the pathways, trying to keep to the very edge to avoid running into people. They made it another 10 minutes before Seonghwa's vision started to fade and stumbled again.

"No, no, hey. Hey Seonghwa, we're almost there. Just a little longer, we're almost there," Jeongin said.

"Y-Yeah," Seonghwa muttered, his legs slowing down.

"I-I don't, I-I'm tired," Seonghwa whispered, losing all of the strength in his body. He heard Jeongin say something back to him but he couldn't understand it as he was already out.

~~~~~

"He should be ok. I've done my best with his injuries but there's a lot of them. There's nothing life-threatening though, he just needs rest right now." Seonghwa frowned slightly as he heard the unfamiliar voice, a women's voice.

"Thank god. Hongjoong would be pissed if I let his husband die." Not that's Jeongin. So perhaps they made it to where they were heading.

"Innie," he mumbled, shifting slightly and finally slipping his eyes open. There was some movement and then Jeongin's face finally came into view.

"Hey Seonghwa. You don't need to worry right now, we're safe," Jeongin assured him.

"Where are we," Seonghwa asked.

"You're in my hut." Seonghwa glanced behind Jeongin to see a girl standing behind him. She was short, probably in her late 30's and had pretty cute hair.

"We match," Seonghwa mumbled.

"Uh, oh yeah. With our hair, we do," she said with a nod as she walked closer.

"I'm Melanie by the way, it's a pleasure to meet you when you're conscious. Jeongin here has been telling me all about you," she said with a small smile.

"Hi. I'm sorry, I don't know much about you," Seonghwa said quietly.

"No, that's ok. I actually used to babysit Jeongin when he was a child. He was a pain in my ass but we kept in contact when he left to go be a pirate," she said with a chuckle.

"Hey, I wasn't that bad," Jeongin grumbled.

"Mel is a nurse, she's dressed your injuries and made sure you're in a stable condition," Jeongin informed Seonghwa. Seonghwa sent Melanie a smile of appreciation before turning back to Jeongin.

"How long was I out for," he asked quietly.

"An hour or two. I got you back here and Mel checked you out," Jeongin said.

"Do you uh, do you think they know we're gone," Seonghwa asked.

"Do who know? The people that did this," Melanie asked. Seonghwa winced at that, wondering if Jeongin had kept that information from her.

"Yeah, the crew I mentioned I was undercover with," Jeongin said with a nod.

"Right. There would be no way to know. Do you think that they'll leave without you though," she asked.

"I highly doubt it. They need Seonghwa so they'll go looking for him but the town is quite big. It will take a while for them to search and even then it's unlikely they will find him here. Right now ATEEZ is going to be searching for him, the Pirate King will not stop until his husband is found. I have no doubt that they've been catching up ground," Jeongin said.

"You think they're still coming," Seonghwa whispered, making Jeongin spin to him.

"Of course they are Seonghwa. They won't stop until they find you, we know that, you know that," Jeongin said, bending down to brush Seonghwa's hair back.

"Yeah, I do. Hongjoong won't stop looking but neither will the others," Seonghwa said with a small smile.

"You guys are staying here by the way. Just in case you thought it was just a check up and then go on the run. I've got some spare rooms and there's a hidden room under one of the beds that you can use, just in case someone does come looking," Melanie said.

"Thank you, I really appreciate it," Seonghwa said softly.

"Of course. A friend of Jeongin is a friend of mine. If he's willing to risk his life to protect you, then you're worth protecting," she said.

"Thank you. Both of you," Seonghwa said.

"Of course. Now I've just got to duck out to get some more supplies, you two just stay inside," Melanie said, waving before leaving the room.

"How're you feeling," Jeongin asked quietly.

"Like shit, but we're safe right now so better," Seonghwa replied honestly.

"You've been through a lot Seonghwa, it's perfectly reasonable if you're not fine," Jeongin said.

"I will be fine," Seonghwa said with a sigh, fiddling with his hands. Jeongin glanced down before perking up slightly.

"Oh, hey, I've got a present for you," he said. Seonghwa frowned in confusion before slowly sitting himself up on the bed he was laying on.

"What is it," he asked, not knowing what Jeongin could possibly have to give him.

"Um, Jonghoon took this off you the day you were taken and tossed it away on the deck. I grabbed it and kept it safe for you. I thought you might want it back," Jeongin said, pulling something out of his pocket and holding it out. Seonghwa's eyes landed on it and they immediately teared up as he begun to sob.

"What. Hey, hey, I didn't mean to make you cry," Jeongin said quickly.

"N-No. Th-Thank you. I thought it was g-gone," Seonghwa cried, holding out his hand. Jeongin smiled softly and slipped the ring onto his finger. Seonghwa immediately cradled his hand to his chest, lifting it up and kissing the ring softly as he cried. He had been devastated when Jonghoon took it from him, looking at his bare hand every day in sadness. It was like something was taken from him, like a part of him was gone. He lunged forward and wrapped his arms around Jeongin tightly despite the pain he still felt.

"Thank you. Thank you," he cried out. Jeongin sighed softly before wrapping his arms around him and pressing a kiss to the top of his head.

"I'm going to keep you safe Seonghwa, you're going to be ok now," he whispered into his hair. 

A/N

Here is Chapter 12 everyone, thank you for reading

This was quite a sad chapter for most of it and though I would love to tell you the next chapter will be super happy, that would be lying but at least everyone is still alive I guess :). Don't worry, once we get past all the angst, there will be lots of fluff

Let me know your thoughts on this chapters, what parts you found slightly less depressing