Treasures of The Damned

11. Forgotten Memories

Briar pressed herself closer to the air-conditioning unit, letting out scared noises for a few moments before she shook herself off and relaxed, trying to breathe. She was safe up here. Of course, she was safe. None of the animatronics could get up to her.

She stayed hidden, but she could hear voices underneath her and it caused her to cover her mouth with a small, gasping breath. She had to stay hidden. Especially now that her father was under the control of Hongjoong.

"Songbird~" This time, a small, panicked breath escaped her lips, and she whimpered. Peeking over the edge of the roof where she was sitting, she could see her father looking around, his eyes still a dark, glowing red.

"I need to get away..." Just as she whispered that she heard a chuckle that sounded like San's, from right underneath her.

She didn't dare peek out over the roof again, too afraid of what she'd see.

But soon, the fear because a reality when someone jumped, behind her, and she felt the impact on the roof from where she was sitting.

She looked around quickly, trying to find a better place to hide, all the while trying to wrack her brain to remember if any of the other members enjoyed jumping.

Of course...Uncle San cause there to be a jumping ban on Ateez...it might have been him...

Just as she was about to stand to try and find a new hiding place, someone grabbed her wrist harshly and dragged her out of her hiding spot, where she was face to face with a smirking San.

While she'd always loved watching his fancams because she could see his beautiful smile, his smirk scared her.

"Awe look at that." He purred softly, dropping her down not too softly back onto the roof and towering above her, making her feel like a kid once more.

When she was younger, Briar always looked up to San. He was like her superhero.

When her parents had first died, when she got to Yeosang's house with Hongjoong, he had wrapped her into a giant burrito hug, telling her it was going to be okay and she'd always have a home with him and Wooyoung.

Her memories were a little foggy, but now, she could remember this perfectly. She was watching a movie with San, curled up in his lap because of the scary parts.

San, her favorite uncle, just held her closer when she would whimper or seem like she was scared.

Focus, Briar... she thought to herself, trying to think

Wooyoung and San, talking and holding each other but arguing softly. They were always arguing. They would always find things to argue about, even if there was no reason to argue. It was their love language.

San. Her amazing uncle San. The one that would take her to get ice cream if Mingi and Logan were arguing, the one that always held her if she had nightmares after they died.

Anytime she needed to get away, if she had a nightmare, she'd call San. He'd go pick her up, no matter the time of day. Or if she wanted to get out of the house, he'd seem to always know and go to borrow her for the day. They'd go shopping, watch movies, or just stay at his house and play video games.

She also remembered watching the old concert videos, as well as music videos with him. He'd always teach her the dances, and he's usually doing happy little hops while watching her.

Dancing...jumping...come on...his love for Wooyoung...ice cream...movies...hugs...

Suddenly, without warning, she surged forward and wrapped her arms around him tightly, pulling him into a tight hug and holding him there for a few moments.

"Please, Uncle Sannie...please..."

The animatronic she was hugging was stunned but didn't say anything, just snarled, before slowly dropping his arms and hugging her back. "Let go of me, girl."

She did as told, dropping to her knees at his feet, looking up at him as her hands worked quickly. As he stared at her, he slowly blinked and seemed stunned. "What the hell was that?"

"A hug. I figured you haven't had one since you died...so I thought I'd give you one."

"I'm about to kill you and you hugged me?!"

"Yeah! It worked as a great distraction, did it not?" She chuckles softly and smirked, tilting her head innocently.

"Distraction-..." before he had a chance to finish the word, Briar had already dashed off to the other side of the roof, looking around before she shifted. The next building was too far away to jump to, and looking behind her, she could already see San struggling to stand.

She chuckles ever so softly, letting herself count that as a win. When she'd dropped to her knees, she'd quickly tied his shoelaces together, to trip him up and distract her.

She continued to look silently for a way out and away from him when all of a sudden she was pushed from behind.

All she was able to manage was a quick gasping breath of air. She was barely able to twist her body before her back slammed against the concrete under her harshly. Her head snapped back with the force of the fall, and she cried out in pain.

She looked around slowly, not eleven able to utter a word as she stared above her and saw San smirking, tilting his head tauntingly. "Now how's that for a distraction?" He purred, mimicking her voice and looking down at her before waving and disappearing from her view.

She slowly tried to roll over to stand, but everything in her body hurt, and was pretty sure she probably had a few bruised ribs. She cried out in pain, only able to turn onto her side before she just curled up there, hugging herself tightly and just wishing for everything to end already.

Soon, she tensed, before hissing when she heard footsteps nearby. She slowly forced herself to stand, shaking her head. "Come on...come on...you need to survive..." She huffed to herself.

She was able to stand, but a few mere moments later she collapsed again as the world was spinning and she passed out, falling limp on the cold ground.