Pray for the Wicked | ATEEZ

06.

"But I want to go with you," I whined, placing myself in front of the door in an attempt to keep Hongjoong from leaving. He had, accidentally, it seemed, in a state of extreme sleepiness and a moment of inattention, let it slip that he was discussing things about Illenium and the portal with the others.

"But I don't care," he argued, locks of cerulean blue hair falling into his face and casting shadows across his already-dark eyes.

I clenched my teeth, feeling my jaw go taut, "Why?" I demanded.

"Because I don't trust you," Hongjoong deadpanned, frowning at me as if it had been obvious.

I scoffed, looking him up and down with a growing sense of irritation welling up within me as I crossed my arms over my chest, over the dark dress which matched his clothes perfectly; a gift from the son of Lilith who, despite what had happened yesterday, I was no longer feeling very appreciate of.

"I'll tell them you've been cooking breakfast for me every morning," I said, watching the look in his eyes change as they widened with slight panic.

"And who do you think they're going to believe, angel?"

"I know for a fact that San likes me more than you so you tell me, son of Lilith," I spat back, taking a step closer to the demon in front of me.

"He's known you for three days-" Hongjoong argued, but I cut him off before he got the chance to finish his sentence. "He likes me more."

Hongjoong scoffed, following my example as he took a step closer to me as well, the two of us sharing breath as he rolled his eyes and, at last, admitted that, "Okay, he likes you more, but he's known me for longer."

"What do you think he'll say to the others, then? How do you think it'll affect your authority in the group when they find out that you've been baking bread for me and-?"

But Hongjoong had already pushed me aside, grabbing the doorhandle with flushed cheeks as he barged out of the room and mumbled a string of incomprehensible curses under his breath as he went, leaving me alone, wide-eyed, and angry as I stared out of the door after him.

He stopped after a couple of moments, his frown deepening as he glanced to his side as if realizing that I wasn't there before turning back to me with a scowl, "Well, are you coming, then?"

〄

San and Wooyoung seemed pleasantly surprised to see me as I pushed past Hongjoong and hurried over to take a seat between the two as they made space for me, offering each a smile before settling down and taking a look around at the others.

If they were discussing the portal, planning something about Illenium, then this was the best chance I had at figuring out where in the palace theirs was located. My only chance.

I had to go home which meant that I had to play along.

And so, I mumbled a series of "Good morning"'s at the demons seated around the table, all of them heirs to the Court of Deadly Sins, the very opposite of everything I had been taught about goodness and righteousness growing up, and pretended as if they were nothing but friends, equeals.

"Did you sleep well?" San whispered, and I quickly nodded a silent response, "What about him?" he asked, glancing at Hongjoong as he took a seat at the head of the table, "He looks positively pissed but something must've happened for him to bring you along."

I simply shrugged at that, feeling my cheeks heat up as I fiddled with my hands in my lap, the feeling of the dark fabric of the dress against my skin both intriguing and mesmerizing.