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A/N: Reupload!!
Pairing: Angel! Skz x Reader
Synopsis: After saving a group of angels, they turn out to be far more than you can handle.
W.C: 6.6k
WARNINGS!!: Mentions of death and a bit of gore. Harassment from a character outside of skz, this part will be marked with a bunch of red x's so feel free to skip it!!
     Why the fuck was something burning?Â
     The stench of smoke filled every narrow hallway of your home, alarms screeching in warning and forcing you out of your slumber with a jolt. It was so loud you grimaced, hands hastily covering your ears while you simultaneously scrambled out of bed, bare feet hitting the soft carpet of your bedroom floor to start making your way to the door. Not even bothering to put proper clothes on, too focused on keeping your house from burning down to the ground, you rushed out of your room and into the hall, scurrying over to the staircase in hopes that nothing was actually on fire. Maybe it was the fireplace and your smoke detectors were broken.
     Though, as you reached the foyer of your home, the thick clouds in every room were unmistakable. Without even stopping to check on anyone, you took off in a sprint towards the kitchen, yanking one of your blankets off the couch to take with you. Upon bursting through the dining room and into the back of the house, you found the culprit behind the fire backing away from the stove with the most petrified expression you'd ever seen. Thankfully, the flames weren't that high, so you had no trouble tossing the blanket over them and patting it down to snuff the fire out.Â
     Ever since you met them, you hadn't known a moment of peace again. The flames died on the stove and you turned the dials off, panting from the sheer rush of adrenaline, though you were relieved now that the immediate danger was taken care of. Covering your nose with your shirt and coughing into the fabric, you reached for the window above the sink and shoved it open so the smoke had somewhere to go that wasn't in your house. Fortunately, your newfound troublesome  âroommatesâ that were crowding the kitchen seemed to take notice of what you were doing and started opening more windows throughout the house. Hoping that doing so would've made up for scaring the absolute shit out of you and almost setting your entire house on fire.
     Still standing off to the side, fidgeting with the hem of your apron, was the one who decided to try out cooking without even asking you first. Minho looked down to the floor, sharply exhaling out of his nose. As if he had any reason to be frustrated about what just happened. His hair was a little messy, jaw clenched, but what really caught your attention was the pair of huge, pearl white wings subtly tucked around him like a shield. A sign that he was feeling guarded, a trait amongst the group you picked up on promptly after they quite literally fell into your life.
     âAre you okay?â Instead of expressing anger, like you probably would've in the past, you schooled your expression and kept your tone levelled. It wasn't his fault, after all. You knew they were all trying to get adjusted to staying with you and none of them had ever needed to use man-made appliances before. Had you shown them how to use the stove in the first place, he wouldn't have to experiment and figure out how to use it on his own.
     âYes. I was trying to make breakfast.â The flat tone of his voice was still taking some getting used to. There was no apology, not that you expected one. With a deep sigh, you slumped against your kitchen counters, rubbing at your tired eyes with the heels of your palms in an attempt to wake yourself up. Despite having been woken up in such a horrifying way, your brain was still groggy and struggling to catch up to what just happened.Â
     âYou could've told me you were hungry.â
     âI didn't want to wake you.â Right. Although the eight ethereal beings had quickly made themselves comfortable in your home, they were still very respectful of you and your space, at least as much as they could've been without any comprehension of social norms. They still liked to go through your things, claiming that they simply wanted to know more about you, since they couldn't automatically read your entire life story like they could've back at home. In Heaven. It was still hard to believe that everything you'd been fearing your entire life turned out to be true.
     âThank you, but I want you to wake me up before you try new things, okay? I don't mind helping you guys out.â He didn't respond, merely nodding curtly before turning and wandering off. As he left, the eldest of the group passed him by, patting his shoulder soothingly in the process. Chan's eyes met yours and he gave a small smile, showing off one of the simplest in his cheeks.
     âGood morning.â His chipper greeting was met with the slight bow of your head, prior to turning to the fridge to grab several boxes of cereal from the top of it. Seemingly catching on to what you were up to, he hurried over to your cupboards and grabbed a few stacks of bowels, setting them on the counter and fishing out spoons from the drawer near the sink. While you opened the fridge in search of the milk, he decided to start idle conversation. âYou slept good?â
    "Mhm. I'm guessing you didn't?â None of them slept. They tried, for some reason, but they always ended up getting restless, since they didn't need to do so. Spending most of the night causing a ruckus, no matter how many times you told them to keep it down. You never would've thought angels would be so loud all the time.
     âNah, we watched that weird show Jisungâs obsessed with all night,â As if he needed any explanation. While you poured cereal and milk into their respective bowels, he watched you from his spot by the sink, standing so close to you that you should've felt body heat. Though, given that he wasn't human and didn't need to be kept warm, there was no heat coming off of him. No sound of his breathing, his eyes unblinking as he stared at you. It was just as unnerving as when you first stumbled upon them in the woods surrounding your isolated home. âHow come you don't have any pictures of your family?â
     The question caught you so off guard you missed one of the bowels, spilling milk onto your marble counters and cussing under your breath. Then, realizing you just cursed in front of him, you muttered an apology, even though they all kept telling you that you didn't need to do so. It wasn't the first time any of them had asked you such a personal question, either. That first night they'd spent in your home, they took to rummaging through your things while you slept, bombarding you with all kinds of prying inquiries when you woke up the following morning. All while you were in the middle of an existential crisis upon realizing that last night wasn't a dream and there were actual angels in your living room.
     âDid you go through my photo albums again?â You couldn't help but get snappy, whipping your head to face him with a fierce glare. Exhausted and reasonably frustrated, there was no hiding your offense to their constant nosy nature, especially since you told them time and time again to stop snooping around. Chan's eyes went wide, a guilty look crossing his face as he looked away from you and scratched at his jaw. The giant wings on his back folded around him a bit.
     âNo. Well, yeah, but I was just curious about that picture you had of-â For a group of divine creatures, they were so fucking frustrating. Setting the milk carton down, you brought your hands to your face and sighed, struggling to keep yourself from lashing out. Growth wasn't linear by any means, but you refused to take out any of your lingering trauma on your guests.Â
     âChan, I asked you guys not to do that. I need my privacy.â The sulking look on his face tugged at your heartstrings, making it much easier to keep your cool. Seeing his regret, you nibbled on your bottom lip and went back to making breakfast, voice softening to ease his worries. âJust don't do it again, please. Come to me if you wanna know something. I don't like it when you guys go behind my back, because then stuff like this happens.â
     âOkay. I'm sorry.â The apology eased some of the tension in your shoulders.
     âWell, to make it up to me, you can get everyone back in here so we can eat.â It wasn't the grand breakfast you'd been making them the last few days, but considering how Minho set your oven ablaze, you figured it would be best to avoid using it for the time being.
     âYou got it!â
     Living with a group of angels was a difficult thing to get used to, though you supposed the same could've been said for them. None of them seemed to understand the concept of personal space or what was considered appropriate when in the presence of others. Should one of them, if not multiple, not be currently attached to your hip, the others were openly staring at you. Watching you, observing you with the interest of an artist studying a particular piece they couldn't grasp. The constant attention made you rather uneasy, at first, but now it was something you expected. A constant you couldn't imagine going without.
     After that whole disaster in your kitchen, you decided to start teaching Minho how to cook, which led the others to discovering hobbies of their own. While Felix and Chan used your office computer for video games whenever you weren't using it, Seungmin and Jisung bickered over your TV at least once a day, the former taking a liking to baseball for some reason while the latter started his latest obsession with some random reality show you'd never heard of. You ended up making a schedule for who got to use the television during what time of day, so the two of them ended up finding other things to do with the rest of their free time.
     Seungmin and Jeongin typically read your collection of books together, Jisung tagging along with Chan and Changbin in the impromptu gym you'd set up for them in your basement. As if buying a bunch of fitness equipment wasn't expensive enough, Hyunjinâs newfound passion for art led you to spending not money on an array of paints, canvases, brushes and a small easel.
     Thankfully, these hobbies kept them somewhat occupied enough to let you do your job. Working from home was nice, but with all eight of them seeking your presence all the damned time, it was hard to get much of anything done. Being a writer wasn't easy and you found yourself grappling with writer's block more often than not. To make matters worse, you hadn't gone into town in awhile, too busy making sure the group wasn't up to anything potentially dangerous and helping them get accustomed to staying in your home. The lack of socialization with other humans was taking a toll on you.
     The group was sweet, never outright malicious or anything, and yet they were very hard to be around sometimes. Not only due to your childhood trauma with the faith your home town had shoved down your throat at such a young age, but because they weren't human and didn't understand why certain things made you uncomfortable. Scared you, even. The staring and close proximity was awkward, sure, though that was nothing compared to their more unusual tendencies.Â
     For instance, they liked to watch you. A lot. One night, upon waking up to the sensation of your skin crawling, you found Felix standing at your bedside. Hovering over you while you slept with this look of concentration on his face, not even batting an eye when you shined your flashlight at him.Â
     âFelix? What's wrong?â You'd asked, blinking and yawning as you tried to focus, half asleep and almost thinking you were dreaming. If it weren't for the cold air of your bedroom, you probably would've immediately gone back to sleep after you noticed him, too tired to question him. When a strange smile formed on that unfairly pretty face, something in your stomach churned.
     âNothing! It's okay, you're safe, go back to sleep.â The deep, smooth baritone of his voice almost convinced you to listen.
     âWhat? Dude, you can't just come in here while I'm sleeping, how long have you been standing there?â You almost didn't wanna know the answer to that question. Rather than mercifully keeping you in the dark, Felix's smile widened as he tilted his head at you.
     âI always come in here after you fall asleep. I like to make sure you're okay.â That response made you feel ill. Nevertheless, you remained patient, giving the usual sigh of exasperation.
     âThat's very sweet of you, Felix, but I promise I'll be okay by myself. Go back downstairs, please.â The blondeâs expression faltered to one of distress, much to your bewilderment.Â
     âBut what if something happens and I'm not here?â
    âNothing's gonna happen, Lix. We're safe, alright? You don't have to worry. Just go down stairs and relax.â His frown deepened, lips parting to argue with you, but he hesitated and decided against whatever he wanted to say. With a small, half-hearted nod, he shuffled out of your bedroom, making sure to leave the door wide open behind him. Deciding to let him at least use that to ease his mind, you laid back down and allowed yourself to drift off again.Â
     That conversation seemed to stick with him, because after that, you didn't wake up to him in your room again. Though, you did keep finding feathers in the morningâŠ
     Over the course of the next week, the angels were becoming more and more attached to you, both emotionally and physically. There was never a time where you were completely alone. Even when you locked yourself away in your office to focus on work, Chan would end up knocking on the door, offering to keep you company and bringing you water to help you stay hydrated. He seemed to have a more nurturing side of him, making sure you were fed and taking care of yourself just like he did with his companions.Â
     It got to the point that they were even asking you to have sleepovers. Jisung has approached you with the idea, first, coming to your room right before bedtime in hopes of sleeping beside you in search of comfort during a thunderstorm. Against your better judgement, you let him. You planned on separating your bodies with a wall of pillows, but the second you agreed, he swiftly scooped you up into his arms in an embrace you couldn't possibly turn down. He pulled you into bed with him, covering your bodies with your thick blanket and snuggling his face into your chest. Your arms were wrapped around his head, fingers idly playing with his hair until you ended up falling asleep.
     Just like that, a routine started, one you couldn't even bring yourself to dislike. It started with them taking turns sleeping next to you, though that quickly transpired to two of them spooning you between them. Then, the cuddle piles started, the entire group completely crowding you on your bed and smothering you in their combined weight. Not that you minded, really. It was nice to feel cared for. They made you feel wanted, a foreign concept that made you more giddy than you probably should've been.
     When you finally started running out of groceries, now feeding eight mouths instead of one- you tried not to question why they even needed to eat if sleep wasn't a necessity- you were forced to take a trip back to the town that you'd come to loathe. The angels were more than a little confused when they noticed you putting on your shoes and coat with your keys in your hand.Â
     âWhere are you going?â Seungmin asked from his spot on the bean bag chair in the nook of your living room, placing the book he'd stolen from you on his lap so he could eye you wearily. They'd never seen you leave the house thus far and were pretty confused.Â
     âThere's a town not too far from here I have to go to for groceries. If you guys get hungry, there's still some snacks in the pantry until I get back.â Before you could step out the door, however, Hyunjin was at your side. There was a strange look of hurt in his eyes as he loomed over you, his body so close to yours you would've been pressed against the door if he took a single step closer.
     âYou're leaving?â He mumbled, wings twitching behind him. Fluttering in a way you didn't see before.Â
     âOnly for an hour, at most. I won't be long.â Your reassurances didn't seem to ease any of their minds. On the contrary, they looked even more stressed.
     âI'll come with you.â Changbin made his way over to you rather hastily, though you were quick to refuse.
     âYou can't. Someone will notice you.â He paused, seeming conflicted, not at all happy about your rejection, yet not too keen on disagreeing with you at the same time. They didn't like it when you were even slightly unhappy with them. To further assure them of your safety, you gave a small smile and spoke much more softly. âI'll be fine. Nothing's gonna happen, okay?â
     âYour heart is racing.â Chan's response made your brows furrow. How did he know that? You scoffed, opened your mouth to argue, but instead of letting you like any other time, he continued. âIf where you're going makes you nervous, why don't you just stay here?â
    âBecause I need to eat, Chan,â You couldn't help but snap back, not very happy that he could apparently tell you were anxious. âI can't just pull food or things we need for the house out of thin air. It's fine. Like I said, I won't be there long, okay?â
     Silence settled over the room. The group gazed back at you, their expressions mixed with uncertainty and worry, but none of them spoke up again. You left the house without another word.
     The guilt kicked in rather quickly and you were embarrassed with yourself for reacting so strongly, knowing they were just trying to look out for you. So, to try and make it up to them, you bought them a few sets of clothes and all the snacks you knew they liked, even some new ones for them to taste test. Fortunately, no one in the town recognized you with your hood pulled over your head and the scarf you had wrapped around the lower half of your face. Once you had everything shoved in your cart, you went to the registers to check out, avoiding eye contact with the cashier and shutting down any attempts at small talk.Â
     You should've known the trip wouldn't go so smoothly.
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While pushing your cart through the parking lot to your car, someone spotted you. A man. He approached you, unaware of your identity, not that bastards like him cared for the face of what they were after. It certainly wasn't your personality he was interested in, either. The moment he came toward you, you walked faster, making it to your car and opening your trunk to shove the plastic bags inside as fast as possible. To your dismay, he came right up to you and placed his hands on your cart. Leaning against it and subsequently pushing you against your car once the trunk was closed.
     âHey, I was talking to you.â He was trying to be charming, grinning at you and keeping his tone light, maybe even playful. Like following you to your car and cornering you against it was mere flirtation. You swallowed thickly, keeping your head down to keep your face covered, heart pounding hard in your chest as your eyes darted around the parking lot. The only other people around were two young teenagers giggling while climbing into their car and a man collecting shopping carts to take them back into the store.
     âI'm sorry, I'm in a hurry.â Being polite was the last thing you wanted to do, but you knew the risks of showing aggression. Making a scene wouldn't get you anywhere, either, given the place you lived in. People would walk right by with their heads down, believing that they were just minding their own business and leaving your fate to the hands of God.
     âYeah? That was still awfully rude, though. Your boyfriend let you get away with ignoring him like that?â Probably his way of asking if you had one. Either that or he was taunting you, aligning your worth with the approval of your nonexistent boyfriend. Though, for the sake of hopefully scaring him off, you fed into that option.
     âHe doesn't like me talking to other guys.â You tried to step out from between the car and your shopping cart, only for him to lean a bit closer, feigning interest in this forced conversation so he could press the cart against you more firmly. Keeping you in place.Â
   âAw, I'm sure he would understand. If he's a good guy, he wouldn't mind someone letting you know how pretty you are, right?â You were going to be sick.
     âI'm sorry, I really need to go-â The moment you moved to push your hands against the cart, he leaned in further, driving you to act in sheer panic. Without allowing yourself time to second guess your reckless decision, you shoved hard at the cart, using enough force to catch him by surprise so you could slip away and make a break for it. You rounded your car and swung open the driver side door in a matter of seconds, slamming it shut behind you and using your shaking hand to shove the key into the ignition. Turning it, the car started, the man behind your vehicle laughing as though your terror was the funniest thing he'd ever seen.Â
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     Your mind blanked for the entire drive home. Hands gripping the steering wheel tight, you couldn't even feel the tears falling down your cheeks, choked sobs and sniffles filling the quiet space of your car. By the time you made it home, you were so out of it you didn't even register that you made it inside. Safe and away from harm.
     The sound of your name being called from different directions pulled you out of it a bit, eyes blinking through the tears still collecting on your lashes. Jisung was the first to greet you at the door, though the second he noticed the state you were in, the look of joy on his face fell into one you couldn't read. Not that you even tried to, since you were so far gone from your body. The others flocked into the foyer shortly after and the interrogation began.
     âWhy are you crying? What happened?â
    âAre you okay?â
     âDid someone hurt you?â
     Changbin came closer to brush tears from your cheeks, and the second he was within arm's reach, you lunged for him. Arms wrapping around his neck as you allowed yourself to weep into his chest, body trembling as you struggled to relay what happened to them as comprehensively as you could in the moment. His own thick, strong arms returned the embrace without hesitation, holding you against him by your waist while one of his hands pet the back of your head.Â
     Once your disturbing story was over, the air in the room felt heavy. You tried to lift your head away from Changbinâs chest to look at the others, concerned by the silence, but he placed his hand on your head and kept it on his pectorals. Shushing you softly, pressing a tender kiss to the top of your head.
     âShh, you're okay, you're safe now. Don't worry about anything. Let's get you to bed.â He didn't give you time to argue, either. While Jeongin and Hyunjin carried the bags you brought home to the kitchen, Changbin scooped you up into his arms and carried you upstairs, his wings folding around you in a protective gesture. Upon making it to your bedroom, he placed you on your mattress and climbed in under the covers after you, once again pulling you into his chest while his wings served as a barrier, shielding you from the rest of the world. He never stopped muttering sweet nothings into your ear, one hand rubbing along your back and side even after you drifted off to sleep.Â
     That following morning, you woke up to breakfast in bed. Changbin was still in bed with you, peppering your face in kisses to make you stir, the smell of bacon and maple syrup persuading you into consciousness. While he helped you sit up, Minho perched himself on the edge of the bed beside you. It was the first time he'd ever smiled at you.
     âGood morning, honey.â Honey? Confused, your brain worked to remember how you even got here, the two noticing your wandering train of thought and immediately pulling your attention back to them.Â
     âDon't think about it. Come on, eat up.â Changbin's hand rubbed your hip soothingly, something in your chest aching pleasantly at the contact. Any other time, you would've argued, but you found yourself leaning into his body and opening your mouth when Minho held a forkful of soaked pancakes up to your lips. You let him feed you, let them both take care of you, finally lowering your walls and relying on them. Allowing them to support you after spending so much time fearing what would've happened if you did.
     Breakfast was amazing and you found yourself surprisingly energized. You went downstairs with the two of them, looking forward to their plans of spending the day together, even though you knew you had work to get done. One day off wasn't going to hurt. Besides, after what happened yesterday and all the bullshit you'd had to put up with your entire life, you deserve a day of peace and happiness.Â
     Oddly enough, there were only six angels to spend this time with you. Noticing that Chan and Hyunjin were missing, you asked the others where they were, to which they all suddenly seemed⊠Off. Nervous, fidgety.
     âThey went for a walk.â Spending so much time with Jisung made it very easy to see through him. They were all terrible liars, but he couldn't make himself sound even remotely believable.
     âUh huh. Are you guys gonna pretend I'm stupid and can't tell that something's going on, orâŠ?â None of them responded to you. Seungmin had the best poker face, acting like he was too absorbed in the game playing on the television, despite the fact that you knew it was one of the ones he recorded to watch when there weren't any current games scheduled. The easiest to read out of the group, other than Jisung, was Felix. He chewed on his bottom lip, hands toying with his wings while his eyes looked anywhere but you. âFelix. Where are they?â
     Those deep, warm eyes went wide, looking to you like you just caught him with his hand in the cookie jar.Â
     âFelix.â Minho warned, to which you interjected.
     âDon't listen to him, listen to me. Where are Chan and Hyunjin?âÂ
     âWe told you, they went for a walk-â Jeongin tried to come to his aid, to which you held up a finger, not even sparing him a glance.Â
     âFelix, tell me where they went. If they're out in public, I need to know. They could get hurt.âÂ
     âThey won't get hurt.â Seungmin spoke up, this time, not in reassurance, but as a matter of fact. At his confident tone, you turned to give him a look of curious bewilderment.Â
     âWhat makes you say that? Where did they go?â Setting his book aside, his eyes found yours, betraying not a damned thing going on in his mind. Had it not been for the wings on his back, his ability to deceive others without any effort at all would've made you question if he were actually a devil in disguise.Â
     âThey didn't want to be around you while they're upset. They went for a walk to clear their minds.â The others nodded along in agreement. You squinted your eyes at him, trying to see through his words. There was no way of telling if he was being truthful or not.
     âThey'll be back soon. Can we just watch a movie or something? We wanna spend time with you.â Felix jumped at the opportunity to change the subject, and even though you knew that, you gave in. There was no point in continuing to press them on the issue right now. You would just ask the two in question once they got back.
     âFine. What did you guys have in mind?â
     Cheesy romance movies, apparently. Jisung and Felix had you squished between them on the couch, fluffy blankets tossed over your laps while they both curled in on you from either side, their wings forming another blanket of cozy warmth to provide further comfort and peace of mind. Jeongin sat on the floor between your legs, letting you play with his hair while Changbin and Seungmin both cuddled and wrestled on the love seat. Minho sat in the arm chair opposing the two, shouting at them to quiet down and occasionally giggling at something happening on screen.Â
     It felt nice. Familiar. It seemed that these men were starting to grow on you, after all.Â
     The moment the front door opened, the air shifted. Everyone else in the room tensed, keeping their eyes on the TV with noticeable effort, igniting a sense of intrigue within you. Not only were they acting weird, but the question of what these two had been up to all day aroused your suspicions all over again.Â
     âNice of you guys to finally join us,â To your surprise, they were both wearing dark clothes. Strange, seeing as how the clothes you'd bought all of them were lighter, loose-fitting and soft. While Hyunjin wore a look of something akin to pride, Chan was much harder to read. His expression was blank and he gave no reaction to your sarcastic greeting. âThey won't tell me where you've been. Please tell me no one saw you guys.â
     âYou don't have anything to worry about anymore, beautiful,â Hyunjinâs voice had an unfamiliar lilt as he made his way over to you. Minho shuffled out of the way, allowing him to stand before you, his hands moving to delicately take hold of your face. Tilting your head up to look at him, his eyes filled with mirth. âWe're here. No one's gonna bother you, okay? You're safe with us.â
    âUhh-â He leaned down and pressed his lips to your cheek with a gentleness you couldn't even begin to comprehend. Upon making contact with your skin, he lingered for a moment, lips brushing toward your own. They didn't make contact, though, his body pulling away from yours so abruptly it was almost devastating. You blinked at him, his thumb giving one last stroke to your jaw before the contact ceased. There was a speck of red paint just below his jaw.
     âWhat're you guys watching?â Just like that, it was as if nothing even happened. While he took a seat with Jeongin on the chair, squeezing in beside him despite the youngerâs protests, Chan wandered into the room soon after. Wordlessly standing by the wall away from the rest of you.Â
     Their wings looked thinner.
     Everything went back to normal within a day or two. Chan and Hyunjin went back to their usual selves, though they were much more affectionate than before, becoming just as touchy and clingy as the others. Well, that wasn't much of a difference for Hyunjin. They all went about their days as usual and you got back into your work, spending more and more time in your office and only coming out for food and bathroom breaks, much to their complaints.Â
     Four days after it all went down, you almost forgot that you were harassed in public. You woke up in a great mood, sandwiched between Seungmin and Jeongin first thing in the morning, the smell of Minho making breakfast again wafting all throughout the house. There was a pep in your step for the first half of the day, unwavering even when you decided it was time to get to work.Â
     Like any other day, Chan had decided to keep you company, though this time with Felix following after him into your office. The two were sitting on the rug, chatting quietly while you worked. For your latest article, you needed to do a little bit of research, mindlessly scrolling through your usual sources in search of whatever you were looking for. When none of them provided much inspiration, you took to current news outlets in hopes of finding something within them.Â
     None of the first few topics interested you. Scrolling down a bit further, you read through titles and headlines, nibbling on your fingernails as your foot tapped lightly against the floor.Â
     âPsychology says that people who-â, âFollow these tips to stay safe during-â, âMan found disemboweled in local park-â
    ⊠What?Â
     You recognized the park in the picture linked to the article as one in your hometown. The metal, multicolored playground with tall pine trees in the background called to you in a way that felt unsettling. Almost like something in your gut was telling you to click on it. Curiosity piqued, you did just that and began reading through the post, not very invested but interested in why you suddenly felt so dreadful.Â
     âThe body of thirty-five year old Gregory Davis was discovered early yesterday morning by a man who was walking his dog through the park he was found in. Reports say he suffered multiple abrasions, several bones having been broken by what appears to be blunt force-â
     Woah. As you read along, that sinking feeling in your stomach only grew stronger, knowing that nothing like this had ever happened in the small town you were raised in. Crime wasn't unheard of, sure, but people weren't found disemboweled with broken bones. Or with their eyes missing from their fucking skull. The more information you took note of, the deeper you dived into this foreign occurrence, continuing to scroll down and down until you reached the end of the page where they shared a picture the guy's family posted in his memory on Facebook.Â
     Your eyes flicked over their faces in absentminded observation, skimming over their features, glancing over the man's face. Familiar. Scarily familiar. Darting back to him, you felt your office room tilt on its axis. The walls closed in, your chair sunk through the floor, yet you remained frozen in place. Gawking at the very face that tormented you a measly few days ago. No, surely that wasn't him. The man didn't smile like that. He didn't have any small children with him, nor a wife to hold his hands that gripped the metal of a shopping cart tight to shove it into your stomach. That beard was the same, that crooked nose was the same, those beady eyes were the same, that fucking smile with too many teeth-
     Without even realizing it, you were hyperventilating, chest heaving with every ragged breath as nausea churned in your belly. Unbeknownst to you, the angels behind you could see your computer screen clearly. Felix gave Chan a look of concern, questioning him with his eyes, to which the older man gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze. He called your name, clear and stern.
     In a humiliating display of sheer terror, you puked all over your floor. Felix was quick to rush to your side, grabbing your trash can and putting it underneath you, holding back your hair to keep it from getting messy.Â
     When you came down from that sickness, however, you immediately shoved him away from you, making your computer chair slide across the floor in the process. Chan was there to catch him, the two of them looking at you in disbelief as you practically snarled back at them.Â
     âWhat did you do?â Neither of them answered. While Felix opened and closed his mouth several times, fighting to find words, Chan's expression fell into one of eerie calmness. Once again, he said your name. âWhat the fuck did you do?â
     âCalm down.â
     âDon't tell me to calm down!â Abruptly, you stood from your seat, knocking it over in the process. That sickening feeling in your stomach never left, head spinning as you swayed slightly on your feet. Bracing your hand against the closest wall, you pointed a shaky finger at the screen of your computer. âYou did that? You- What the fuck did you do? Tell me!â
     âIt's okay, love, just breathe.â Felix's voice didn't provide its usual comfort and could no longer lull you into any kind of security. If anything, it only made you more on edge.
     âShut up.â It seemed the commotion caught the attention of the rest of the house. The door to your office swung open, Changbin bursting into the room and looking to find the three of you at a standstill. The others promptly followed in after him, confused and clearly worried, feeding into your despair.Â
     âWhat's going on?â Minhoâs voice sounded so far away. Throat burning, your wild eyes darted between everyone, tears slipping free to trickle down your face. This wasn't real. Maybe you died and Hell really did exist and this was part of your eternal punishment.Â
     âJisung.â Chan's voice caught the man's attention, his big, doe-like eyes looking between the two of you. As if understanding something unspoken, he slowly started to approach you.Â
     âWhat's going on, baby? Talk to me.â He sounded so gentle.Â
     âWhy the fuck are you calling me that?â You sobbed, backing into your desk, knees buckling and threatening to give out from under you. The urge to run was strong, but no matter how badly you wanted to flee, you couldn't bring yourself to move. Couldn't even bring yourself to really feel scared of them. All this time, they hadn't done anything to hurt you. If anything, killing him meant they were trying to protect you-
     No. Don't you dare justify this.Â
     âTell me you didn't do it. Tell me you were on a walk.â Desperate, pleading rambles fled your lips as you shook your head in denial, not even bothering to avoid the one coming toward you. His hands moved to your face, cupping your cheeks and tilting your head upwards, thumbs brushing tears away before he pressed his forehead against yours.
     âBreathe with me. In, and out. Good, keep doing that, focus on me.â There was no choice in the matter. Sniveling and crying so hard it was pathetic, your heart twisting in your chest while you gasped for breath. The others closed in shortly, as well, surrounding you from all sides in a way that should've been suffocating, and yet all you felt was protection. Safety. You couldn't see anything beyond them, their wings keeping you within their circle. Nothing else mattered.Â
     Changbin pressed kisses to your hair, Hyunjin guiding you away from the desk to place himself behind you, hands on your waist and rubbing circles with his thumbs into your hips. Seungmin found one of your hands and squeezed, Jeongin closing around both of yours to bring your fingers to his lips. Kissing each knuckle with reverence.Â
     âNothing will ever hurt you again.â Hyunjin whispered into your ear, nuzzling his face into the crook of your neck.Â
     âWe'll keep you safe.â













