Empire | ATEEZ

031

The sight ruined me, and I couldn't help myself as I whispered, "Do you want a hug?" and immediately closed the distance between us as he nodded a yes, and I brought him into a tight embrace, clenching my eyes shut as I felt him shaking against me, pressing his face into the crook of my neck as he cried.

"They're not going to hurt you," I promised, running my hand up and down his back, "You know I wouldn't let them, that I would protect you, right?"

But Jeongin just shook his head and I decided that, for now, calming him down would be enough for me.

Which was why I was thoroughly surprised when he, through tears and with a thick voice, said, "They're going to trigger an alarm."

I froze, but only for a second, before going back to caressing his back, but he didn't seem to have noticed as wrapped his arms tighter around me and hiccuped before continuing, "Chan assigned each of us to one of your members. Once the guests break up, no one will be able to figure out what's happening in the midst of all of the chaos. Except for us. All we have to do is keep an eye on one person."

I hummed, frowning at the thought, but I stayed silent as I prayed that he would keep speaking, and he did.

"I was paired with the redhead," Jeongin croaked, and I pulled away at that, "Jongho?" I asked, to which he nodded, both of us falling silent as my eyes went to the wound on his head before finding his eyes again. He broke into a smile and we both chuckled a little, "I would rather have gotten anyone else," he mumbled.

"Are you shooting to kill?" I asked although I already knew the answer. Jeongin hesitated, shaking his head a little, "Only Chan. Everyone else is just supposed to keep you apart. That doesn't mean it won't happen though. You're armed as well so, really, it's probably inevitable."

And then tears welled up in his eyes again and I found myself instinctively reaching for him, "I don't want to die," he breathed, and I felt my heart aching for him, "I don't want to kill anyone."

He wouldn't. He wouldn't have to. I was going to make sure of it. He had helped us more than enough already which was why, in an attempt to lighten the mood a little, I tilted my head slightly and mumbled, "Don't you want to give him a good hit on the head, though?"

Jeongin frowned, though realization quickly dawned in his eyes as I nudged him a little, "Just a little whack? A good bonk to make it even?"

And then he laughed and I felt relieved, truly relieved, as the sadness on his fox-like features melted away and the corners of his lips turned upwards in a smile that immediately made me happy.

I didn't mention the gala after that, deciding instead to pay him back in full with stories and secrets from my own life, telling him about everything that had happened since the night in the alleyway; all of the embarrassing mishaps, mistakes, fights, and moments of happiness.

Jeongin kept smiling, and I kept talking, wanting to keep the sadness and fear at bay after reminding myself just how scared I had been when I first stumbled into this world which had, back then, been foreign and fearful and hostile.

"Which one did you remind him of, then?" Jeongin asked from his spot across from me, now leaning comfortably against the frame of the bed, arms wrapped around his legs as he swayed a little back and forth.

I let my mind wander back to our date in the aquarium, remembering how the second-in-command had pointed out an unsightly grey fish that had paddled by us in the tunnel, "A pufferfish," I mumbled, feeling a little embarrassed to admit it.

The brunette chuckled a little, "But they're ugly," he said, repeating the exact same words I had used back then, but, still, I found myself getting defensive, knowing that Seonghwa had meant it as a compliment, "They're a little cute," I said under my breath.

"I'm disappointed in you," he said almost matter-of-factly to which I furrowed my brows a little in a silent question, "I never thought you stoop so low for a man, getting flustered over being compared to aquatic animals."

I laughed at that, hitting him on the knee as he added, "Such a charmer. He obviously gets all of the ladies with that one," and winked at me.

I was about to continue, though I wanted to skip the whole argument between the two of us and the meeting with Abyss which had been the cause of how, not to mention the very reason, Jeongin had ended up here in the first place.

But I didn't get the chance to so as the door suddenly opened and Seonghwa slipped into the room, both of us turning to him with wide eyes as we took him in.

He frowned, looking back and forth between the two of us as the room fell silent, and I realized that that only made us look guilty. The silence only made it seem like we had been doing something we weren't supposed to.

I opened my mouth, about to say something, when Jeongin broke the silence instead, beating me to it, "What are you doing here? Three hours haven't passed yet."

"How do you know that?" Seonghwa drawled, crossing his arms over his chest as he narrowed his eyes at the younger man, "Are you telling me that you've been keeping track of time by counting the seconds or your fingers or what?"

"No, but I'm right and you and I both know that. I want to have my three hours with her."

"You're really not in a position to make demands right now, kid. If it weren't for us, you would have neither food, water, nor a place to sleep, so-"

"No," Jeongin said, cutting Seonghwa off, leaving the blond with a positively flustered look on his face which quickly darkened as he took a step closer. I fought the urge to roll my eyes.

"You haven't done anything for me and neither have the others. That's all Nari. Remember that."

Seonghwa's jaw fell slack at that, arms falling to his sides as he clenched his fists and glared at the brunette who was still sitting on the bed with a now-smug look on his face. I immediately got to my feet.

"Well, time's up when I say that time's up. I'm taking my girlfriend and I'd like to see you stop me-" Seonghwa continued, struggling against my touch as I began to push him backwards toward the door, Jeongin now standing as well as the two glowered at each other.

"Nari isn't your girlfriend," the younger stated, and, as I finally managed to get the door open and began to drag the blond into the hallway beyond, he exclaimed, "She is!" almost heatedly, the tips of his ears burning just as my cheeks as the words pierced the air, "I just haven't asked her yet!"

"Okay, you two," I said, finally managing to push Seonghwa behind me as I turned back to Jeongin and said, "I'll be back later with more food, okay?" and mouthed a small "Thank you," before shutting the door and turning back to face the second-in-command only to find that he had already disappeared.

A/N:
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