"Hoseok, you're here too?"
"You can call me Hobi. I'm here to help you and Tae." Hoseok winked and beckoned for her to come look at a row of wallets, sunglasses, and scarves. She followed, inhaling a sharp breath when he took a pair of aviators from the wall.
"These would look great on you," he situated them above her nose, smiling at the result. She couldn't breathe. Wiping her hands off on her sweater, she used two fingers to take them off. Hoseok asked, "What's wrong? You don't like them?"
"Too expensive. All of this."
His lips formed a downward "U." He shrugged a few seconds later, picking a pair and putting them on his face. While Grey thought he looked stellar, she heard Taehyung from across the store.
"Try another pair."
She found the other man sifting through a rack of shirts near the back, face scrunched in concentration. Without trying, he appeared serious and so did the ball of sunshine by her side who had already picked another pair and was busy trying to slide them on her nose. She went still, careful to not let the things drop.
"I can't make a judgment when you make that face."
"What face?"
"This one," he said, puckering his lips and squinting his eyes. He shook his head at her, adding a funny noise. She laughed, gently pushing him in the chest. Staring into his deep eyes, she wished they would sparkle a bit more. They were so close, but it was like the light radiating from him was tame, subdued. Was that one of the consequences for the Fallen?
She hadn't realized she was still glued to him until he removed the glasses, and even then she realized he was staring back. Quickly finding the floor, she rubbed the back of her neck and turned to face the wallets.
"Really, Hoseok. I can't afford any of this."
"You don't need to worry about that with your new card. You have it, don't you?"
She nodded, the black card safe in her jean pocket. He returned to smiling while examining the wallet she picked up. It was pale pink, the signature logo gleaming gold over the clasp. "I'm not going to spend my first paycheck so irresponsibly."
"What if I told you that you had to?"
He crossed his arms while she raised an eyebrow. "You can't make me."
"It's my money, so I can."
"What?"
"We wanted to make sure you were secure in case something happened to you or you separated from us for some reason. So, all seven of us put money into your new account on top of your paycheck. You have more than enough for whatever you want."
To think, last week she'd been taking orders at The Parlour and relying on good tips for remembering orders and using basic manners. She was making her rent month by month, pouring everything into that manuscript saved on her laptop so that she could be the next Stephanie Meyer. Grey grabbed at the hem of her sweater, needing something to help take the edge off all the induced anxiety.
"Hoseok, please don't make me."
"It's Hobi," he countered, "and I won't listen to you until you say it."
She glared at his feigned innocence which caused him to be even more satisfied with her surrender. "Hobi. I can't."
"Then you pick what you want and I'll swipe the card. We both win."
Seeing how she wouldn't prevail, she closed her eyes and handed him the wallet. He put it under his arm and pressed his lips into a flat line. "That's it?"
"Yeah, I've been needing a new one."
He shrugged. "You'll need a black one and a white one too when you want it to match your outfit." He selected the proper colors and handed them off to a saleswoman eager to hold them behind the register.
She braced her hands on the glass. "I need those?"
"You need everything."
Taehyung came behind Hoseok, holding up something black. "I think this was made for her."
Dangling there was a black leather bomber jacket adorned with the classic Gucci dark green and red strip which wrapped around the neck and tied in a bow. Appealing, in such a dark yet sexy way. Especially if she paired it with the right pair of jeans and pumps.
She remarked, "A leather jacket?"
He nodded. "For when you're with me."
Grey didn't have time to let that register because Hoseok gasped. "Oh, Grey! I know where I want to take you. Let's hurry and buy this stuff so we can make a fair round to the rest of the places."
Taehyung stared blankly at the other angel, who grinned at them both. Maybe she'd been imagining it, but was Tae sizing him up? She dug the black card out of her back pocket and handed it to Hoseok, who ignored the younger and ushered her towards the register with a hand on the small of her back.
:::
The amount of shopping bags at her feet was criminal.
She rubbed the back of her neck, winding and curving it into different stretches. Being told to look several different ways at once, evaluate this or that, try something on had become so mentally taxing that she needed nothing more than just to sit and be still for a while. While the men conversed among themselves by yet another register, she laid back in the seat, deciding whether or not she had whiplash.
Soft lavender and orange painted the sky outside and for the first time today, she checked her watch to find it was just five minutes after 7:00pm. The mall devoured her entire afternoon, and she now had more than a wardrobe to show for it. In fact, since there were so many bags, Hoseok and Taehyung resorted to telling cashiers to send it to the skyscraper.
And considering both of them as her escorts, she found that she enjoyed their company. They got along rather well, some awkward moments passing between them only when they demanded her attention at the same time. Then, she was forced to choose which one to come to and in her best attempt to be friendly with both of them, she alternated.
Declaring impartiality calmed the atmosphere. Both men relaxed. Why they even cared about her choices, she didn't know. Besides, they were just looking at clothes. What was the big deal?
Sighing, she observed her ring. Sapphire and cerulean wisps danced across the surface of the gem, and though it sat there, it lived. An ocean, balanced and churning on her ring finger.
What would Amelia do if she were in this situation?
Knowing that girl, her friend would take these circumstances by the reins and ride it out for all it had. A wild spirit that finally met her match. It made Grey wonder why she was the one. What was so special about her? Maybe one day in the midst of this chaos the answer would slowly reveal itself. Until then, there was something downstairs that absolutely screamed Amelia in one of those shop windows. Mustering the strength to stand, Grey pushed herself up from the seat. Taehyung and Hoseok turned to her immediately.
"I saw something downstairs that I wanted to get for Amelia. I'll be right back."
Each of them nodded, busying themselves with the bags at her feet.
"You guys don't have to get those. I'll carry them when I get back."
Hoseok waved her away. "Go get what you need. We'll put these in the car."
She grinned, trying not to feel too bad about letting them do the heavy lifting. Grey left the shop, scanning over the balcony for which place had the right gift. When she found it, she picked up speed towards her target.
Ice pressed against her bare shoulder. She gasped, clawing at the bitter cold with her nails, and fighting less when she realized that sensation was a hand. The voice in her ear was cool and authoritative. "Find the nearest exit."
Obediently, she took a sharp left and shoved through an emergency exit. The lights in the ceiling flickered as she barreled down one flight after another. Whatever presence that'd been at her back was no longer there, and when she'd became aware of just how lonely she was her shoulders tensed. Inhaling shallow breaths, she finally reached the ground floor.
Yoongi held the final door open. "Walk with me."
She kept her head down as she passed him, feeling his cold hands latch onto her elbow as they turned onto a busy street. Shoppers and pedestrians crowded the walkway, refusing to step over as she sped walked against the flow. As she bumped shoulders, she muttered apologies and stumbled as she bowed and pressed forward. It was too slow for Yoongi. He dragged her by the elbow across a busy street, cars honking as they narrowly dodged her legs.
She glared at him. "Are you trying to kill me?"
He tugged on her arm, causing her to jog to keep up. Under his breath he snapped, "Don't be so loud. It can hear you."
Was something on their trail? She stole a peek over her shoulder, recognizing only a crowd of people on their way home from work or making errand runs. They paid her no mind as she hurried away, interested in conversation with one another or getting to their destination. She faced forward, following him as he turned down another road.
"Run down this street. When it ends, take a right. There are warehouses. Go to the first one."
What the?
The hand on her arm vanished, his body along with it. She faltered, frowning at the black mist that swirled around where he was and then disintegrated into the sky. Running a hand through where he stood, her heart sank into her stomach when she connected with nothing but air.
Yoongi was gone.
She sprinted down the sidewalk, evening sunlight burning red in a last attempt to give her light. At the end of the road, a traffic sign flashed. Concrete paths split to the left and right. She crossed the street, clambering towards the given directions.
True to his word, tall and wide buildings jutted from the ground like teeth. Covered with construction paint and broken glass, the first one's front door was locked. She yanked the handles again, rust scraping the palms of her hands. It did not budge. Grey whimpered, stepping back and looking for another way to get in.
Far to her right, a low growl ripped through the empty street. She froze, slowly taking in the shadowy figure prowling in her direction with four lean paws. A long snout sniffed, leather lips pulling back to reveal two rows of sharp teeth. Midnight blue hair frizzed around its neck like a mane, black spikes protruding from its back to mirror a razor-sharp spine sticking from the body.
It's reptilian eyes narrowed onto hers. Her mind went blank, the quaking of her body too apparent to get her to move. She was terrified, and in that fear her systems shut down. As though knowing this, the demon dog howled to the dark clouds.
Two howls in the distance answered the call.
Reality slammed into her. She needed to act, and needed to act now. Grey rushed back against the door, pulling at the handles with all of her might. Chains clattered from the opposite side, and when she realized she was really locked out, the dog pounced into a run.
She scoped the rest of the bottom floor, gritting her teeth when she found a dusty window. Snatching one of the large rocks from the ground, she grunted and threw it at the glass. Shards rained down on the street, a gaping hole showing her the way through. She leapt in, her eyes barely adjusting to the darkened space.
Hanging lights flickered to life, illuminating a barren room with a high ceiling and concrete walls. Broken wooden crates were strewn about the floor, scraps of metal and glass littered by the door. In the shadows beyond, she found Yoongi by the light switch. He sauntered into vision, using one free hand to hold a finger before his lips and using the other to draw a lengthy silver dagger from his back. She hadn't even noticed the black harness crossed against his chest.
Thousands of questions remained unspoken, and just when she found the courage to try one, he melted into smoke again.
Glass shattered on both sides of Grey. She startled, tripping and falling to the floor. A piece of glass cut the skin below her thumb. She hissed, ignoring the cut to confront the hounds that shook the debris from their manes. Even when they snarled they resembled lions more than dogs. Snapping jaws clapped together, both rows of teeth spewing saliva where they tread.
She pushed onto all fours, creeping back as they slunk forward. "Good doggies," she said.
A shrill bark made her clap her hands over her ears. The first demon reared and leapt, claws soaring for her cheeks. She threw her arms up and braced for impact. The canine hybrid yelped as Yoongi appeared from a stream of of onyx smoke, sending one elbow into the side of it's head. The beast flew a few feet away and fell on its side.
The second hybrid lunged at Yoongi and landed on air. The angel appeared behind him, silver dagger glinting in the light as it plunged into the beast's neck. When it didn't stop fighting, he manifested on the other side of it and tried again. It's gargling howl shook the warehouse, heavy body crumpling to the floor with a thud.
Yoongi watched it fall, murderous rage contorting his normally apathetic face.
Grey blinked in awe, gasping when the first hybrid rose onto its paws and charged the angel. "Incoming!"
As though it were moving too slow, Yoongi casually glanced up and performed another disappearing act just as it's teeth would have dug into his neck. Before the demon could turn around, Yoongi lodged his dagger in its ribcage. The thing shuddered, eyes rolling into the back of its head and joining its comrade.
Adrenaline, sickness, and relief crashed into Grey. She did her best not to examine the dead husks, but didn't need to try too hard--as her gaze remained heavily on Yoongi, who used their fur coats to wipe the blood from his blade. He fell into apathy again, muttering curse words and things she couldn't understand under his breath.
"You're staring at me," he said.
Her voice wavered, the shock of his abilities still thrilling her. "You, the black mist, the... you were over there and then..."
A plume of black smoke consumed him. He was no longer in front of her.
Where is he now?
His nonchalant voice fluttered into her ear. "Behind you."
His breath on the back of her neck cast a shiver down her spine. She whirled on him, finding nothing there. "How are you doing that?"
"Does it scare you?" She found his voice near the front entrance. He leaned on the rusty doors, arms crossed. "That I can be everywhere and nowhere."
After a while, she shook her head. Having him sneak up on her was more than alarming, but if he's always able to see her, always able to handle danger like that... She wasn't sure if she was antsy in front of him because he saved her life or because he looked at her like she was full of possibilities. Almost like he waited for her to impress him--and that small amount of faith and respect inspired her to show him something.
The iron doors he leaned on broke apart. Yoongi fell forward as a third hybrid stormed Grey. She turned and ran, realizing in a few steps that she was running out of warehouse. Scooping up a jagged wooden plank, she turned on the animal--and flinched as Yoongi winnowed in front of her, tackling the hybrid to the floor.
The angel and the canine rolled back and forth, a duo of fangs and limbs and growling. Yoongi was on top for a second, fighting against unyielding paws. He cried in pain as claws slashed against his chest. That was all it took for the hybrid to switch places. It pinned the angel's arms with two crushing stomps and opened it's jaws for a killing blow.
CLUNK.
Grey caught herself, stifling the momentum behind her swing. The dog reeled from the wooden plank's hit, giving Yoongi enough time to slip from its grasp. In a blur, he'd unsheathed his dagger and plunged it in the hybrid's heart. Black blood pooled around the wound, dripping onto the hilt of the weapon, into the angel's hand. The third beast collapsed.
"Son of a bitch," Yoongi jerked his blade out and sat on the floor. "Cut my favorite sweater."
Grey rushed to him, kneeling at his side. "You're bleeding!"
He grimaced, gently holding a hand up so she wouldn't touch him. "It's nothing. Just a scratch."
"Let me see it." She didn't notice his gesture, so she pressed a hand against the opposite side of his chest anyway. He was right, the wound wasn't severe. "Is there anything I can do?"
"You can stop touching me." He rolled away from her, standing on his own two feet. He swore at the sight of so many threads hanging from the sweater, but the slight tint of rose in his cheeks convinced Grey he wasn't that upset. "We need to get home."
"But Tae and Hoseok--,"
"Will be there waiting. Also, try to find something better than a wooden plank next time."
She scoffed. "In case you can't tell, this place needs more variety in weapons."
"Whatever. At least you know how to fight."
Her? Knowing how to fight? She blinked incredulously, wondering what could have possibly made him think that.
He sheathed his dagger again and added, "You look like the type that freezes. Maybe I'm wrong." The angel cracked his knuckles and moved towards her. "I'll take you back the fast way. Grab onto me."
Nodding, Grey snaked her arms around his waist and rested her head in the crook of his neck. Not only did she fit perfectly, but she was oddly unbothered by his cold skin against the side of her face. "Is this okay?"
Yoongi was stiff as a board, but he nodded. His arms awkwardly hugged her back. She wondered when the last time he'd touched someone was. He sounded strained, cautious. "Hold tight."
When she squeezed his body, her own pulled apart into a thousand pieces. Air ravaged her lungs, swift and freezing, while blackness engulfed the world. She no longer felt her body, but only knew of her existence by the panic shouting through her brain to let go and make this stop. Except with all she had, she clung to him, burrowing her face deeper into his solid frame.
The floor became steady beneath her feet a few seconds later, warmth from a familiar mantle melting through her skin. She dared to open a single eye. The Great Hall was unoccupied save for Hoseok and Taehyung who spoke in hushed voices near the fireplace. Grey peered up at Yoongi, breath catching when they held gazes. Maybe it was the influx of heat, but his rose blush remained.
She caught her breath, but it took longer than anticipated. There was no denying that traveling like that awakened her, sent a burst through her veins.
"What's going on there?" Hoseok smirked, one eyebrow raising.
Yoongi pushed her arms off of him. "Nothing. Shut up."
Hoseok laughed as the older angel disappeared into a black cloud.
:::
(A/N) Cool reader,
Sorry for the longer chapter, just know I will never surpass 3500 words (Edit 7/9/18 - LOL. I LIED). I can't sacrifice plot/romance for shorter length. So while I do apologize for sitting you through all of this, please understand all of this is necessary and I work hard to ensure that you guys get an overall experience.
With love,
M