⋄ pool deck

@son youngjae ⚓︎ There's another rush of bubbles in front of Haechan's face and he can't tell where they're from; if it's because of the last of his breath racing to the surface or something else in the pool with him. At that point his brain is too foggy to do much more thinking, and his vision starts fading around the edges. He's unconsciousness by the time strong arms grab onto him and pull him to the surface.

When he comes to there's a harsh burning in his chest. Haechan twists to the left and coughs up the water in his lungs, ugly gasping sounds coming from his mouth as he struggles to breathe and finally pulls in air instead. His head is still buzzing, and he groans pathetically as he lays on the wet concrete outside of the pool. The sunshine beats down on him, too bright and making his eyes tear up. When he tries to remember how he got out of the water Haechan finds the memories don't come to him.

He blinks, distracted by the person that he finally notices next to him and looking up to find an angel. Okay, maybe not an angel, but a very gorgeous, handsome man. Who Haechan is wheezing like a fish out of water in front of. Great. Haechan wants to say something about how he's usually more put together than this - he's always been a talker - but the words won't come out of his mouth.

@lee donghyuck ⚓︎ roaches and spiders. how did they even make it into a cruise? this seemed to epitomize youngjae’s role as the cruise’s vigilant lifeguard. when he applied for the position, he might have envisioned a more action-packed tenure, but reality proved different, perhaps owing to the embellishments on the application form.

completing the task of cleaning the filtration system, he made his way to the ship’s edge to dispose of the accumulated debris into the vast expanse of the sea. with the pool now pristine, he deliberated his next course of action. should he assist his colleagues, albeit potentially inconveniencing them, or indulge in leisurely sunbathing and mocktail sipping, reveling in the leisurely pace of his lifeguard duties? after all, no drowning incidents had occurred since he commenced his tenure, and judging by the tranquil deck, it appeared likely to remain so—

but suddenly, youngjae was jolted by a shrill scream, his gaze darting across the pool deck to behold a startling scene. swiftly discerning the unfolding crisis, he sprang into action to rescue the enigmatic figure submerged in the pool's depths.

what intrigued him was the figure's apparent inability to sink to the pool's deepest recesses, suggesting a lack of swimming proficiency.

and then, the dive, the embrace of the water around his athletic frame, the of his fingers toward the target. despite the unfortunate circumstances, youngjae thrived on the surge of adrenaline coursing through his experienced swimmer's veins, a sensation long dormant.

with determination, he hoisted the inert body to safety, disregarding the gathering crowd. there was no room for hesitation in such a critical moment. with each compression against the other's chest, his own steady breath mingling with theirs in the sacred act of reviving life, youngjae's singular focus remained on resuscitating the man. he remained steadfast in his conviction that the other would pull through; there was simply no way someone could perish in a mere 5-foot pool.

[post deleted by owner]

@son youngjae ⚓︎ .
[ trigger warnings: drowning ]

Haechan is clumsy. There's plenty of compilations online that showcase his butter finger tendencies and how often he stubs his toe. So it's no surprise that he manages to slip and fall into the pool on deck. The problem is that he's fallen into the deep end and Haechan can't swim.

Like an idiot he opens his mouth to breathe and gets a lungful of water for his trouble, choking and coughing, trapped air bubbling up to the surface. He's also somehow managed to push himself away from the edge of the pool in his confusion, meaning there's nothing for Haechan to hold onto as he tries desperately to kick to the surface. For one moment he's hopeful as his hand reaches up and into the air, but the rest of him stays under the water and sinking fast. , his chest hurts and his eyes are stinging from the chlorine. His heartbeat thuds in his ears and Haechan has a sinking (ha!) feeling that he might be actually drowning right now.

pulls out the roaches from the skimmer.

takes out the skimmer net to scoop out the dirt.

brings out the hammer-head and begins to vaccuum the pool.