Pray for the Wicked | ATEEZ

10.

I couldn't tell how much time had passed before I finally managed to find the bravery needed to turn around and face Hongjoong at the other side of the bed, realizing that he hadn't, like he otherwise always did, been sleeping with his back to me.

I was getting increasingly nervous over how much time had passed, and I knew that it wouldn't be long until the rest of the palace awoke and my chance at getting home slipped through my fingers.

It had to be now.

But as I looked at the son of Lilith in the darkness, allowing myself to study his features for a moment, I felt oddly guilty at the thought of leaving him alone here, at leaving the bed empty and cold which, as soon as he woke up, would be more than enough for him to realize what had happened.

"I don't care for her"

"What if they hurt her?"

"Could you really live with yourself knowing that she would never be happy here?"

Their words echoed at the back of my mind, haunting me. Despite the fact that we had barely known each other for five days, he had been protecting me all of this time.

Despite the fact that he could have killed me the moment he pulled me from Heaven, he hadn't. And he was still willing to protect me.

As we lay there, face-to-face, one of us wide awake while the other slumbered peacefully, I couldn't help but marvel at the calm look on his face.

There was no crease between his brows which were usually furrowed as he regarded me with irritation or downright anger. There was no scowl tugging at the corners of his lips which were relaxed, slightly pouty, soft. There was no worry in his eyes, closed and heavy with sleep.

The son of Lilith looked beautiful.

I had thought he was handsome at first, drawn in by everything foreign and dangerous and forbidden by him; the darkness that seemed to emanate from those eyes of his.

But now, he was much more than that. His peaceful face was timeless, angelic, even if it was slightly hidden, obscured, by the cerulean blue hair which cast shadows across his features.

He was beautiful in a way that I, with a start, realized was forbidden, fatal. The realization itself, the thought alone, was dangerous, and I knew that.

I held my breath as I lifted myself slightly off the bed and reached toward the demon in front of me, shaky hands fumbling with the clasp of the necklace which he was wearing even in his sleep, my silver ring hanging loosely from the dark chain.

I knew it was greedy to want it back, foolish to risk it all just because I wanted my wings, but, still, I continued, feeling my heart hammering against my chest as my fingers grazed over the soft skin at the back of his neck, warm to the touch, almost feverishly so.

I was in way over my head. I had realized that tonight.

They wanted to close the portal, and so did I. But I had to make sure that I was on the right side of it when it finally happened and the bridge between the two worlds was forever ruined. I had to be on the other side of Odeion.

Still, despite the growing sense of urgency welling up inside of me, I couldn't get the necklace off, feeling increasingly flustered as Hongjoong's breaths ghosted over my face, bringing colour to my cheeks which, when I, at last, pulled the chain off, began to burn even fiercer as he suddenly grabbed my hand.

I froze, eyes widening as I braced myself for him to wake up, for him to realize what was happening and yell at me, scold me, but he stayed fast asleep, tightening his grip on my hand only for a moment as he released a deep breath followed by a sound of content.