Treasure | Ateez

| 20 |

"Tempus edax rerum"

- Time, the devourer of everything

☾ ☾ ☾

"Mother can we go out please?"

Aeris was nine years old. 

She was sitting by the mirror, the blurry figure of  her mother made its way in and out of her vision, crowding and disappearing. 

She got no reply, but the maid pulled at her hair harder than normal. She winced, reaching for the braid only to be knocked onto the floor. There was no face, there was no maid anymore. 

"Do not call me that" Mother was angry, Aeris was scared. "You do not deserve a mother," her mother - no - spat in anger, she could see it in the voice she used, she could feel the bones in her hand twist as angry hands gripped hard at her skin.

She could not cry, she could not make a sound. She was used to this, she was not allowed to make a sound, she was supposed to stay silent. 

"Pathetic" 

Aeris fell on the floor, the sharp end of the pin that had been in her hair now cut across her cheek, she felt sick. 

Her mothers skirt ruffled as she reached for the pin, ignoring her completely. 

"You should not have come back"

Seonghwa pulled out of her mind.

Each memory hit him like a sword in his chest, sharp and raw as the pain she had felt the day it had happened. He stumbled backwards, leaning against Mingi as he exhaled loosely, closed eyes opening in sorrow as his eyes gazed at the girl lying unconscious on the makeshift bed.

"Disgrace"

He knew how it felt, he knew how much it hurt. 

Wooyoung watched with furrowed eyebrows, flickering with a lack of concern for her as he saw San shake his wet clothes off, changing into a new pair and ruffling his hair to get rid of the drops that remained in his hair. 

"What is it?"  Yeosang entered with gentle footsteps, bringing with him the earthly scent of potted plants as he gently removed the strip of cotton he had placed onto her forehead with hesitant care. 

His job was to heal, his job was to save. His personal feelings did not come into the play.

Mingi watched with a fascinated expression, the stern curve of his lips ever present as his eyes glowed a fierce red. He found it tough to hate someone, it wasn't his nature. But this- this was too far.

They did not know why San had jumped after her, they didn't know why Yunho had been the one to raise their concern or Jongho to be the one who had turned a blind eye. She was not their crew, she had stabbed their captain. 

Yet, at some part they cared.

"I- I can't - shouldn't do this" Guilt rose through Seonghwa's throat, a bitter taste of rotting fruits left on his tongue as he withdrew his fingers from Aeris's temple. 

"Why" Wooyoung scoffed, crossing his arms "It's not like there's going to be something hidden down there, plus you've done it many times, it doesn't matter. We just need to kick her off here and were good"

"It's an odd fascination to see your temperament change in the span of a second," Yunho uncrossed his legs, standing straight as he chewed on an apple. "You seemed to have become her best friend in the past few days"

"Thats rich coming from the boy who finally let someone throw knives with him" Wooyoung spat, anger flashing in his eyes as he threw an accusatory glare at the unconscious figure. "She is the reason Hongjoong- he's lying close to death on his bed and you expect me to care about his murderer?"

"You lie" Jongho couldn't help it, it was his nature. "You care"

"Shut it" Wooyoung couldn't hold it in, he crossed his hands into fists, breathing deeply as he glared across the room. "Hongjoong's about to die and this-" he waved his hands across "this is what you care about? Pathetic" 

It was a taunt, it was a mockery of their morals and San knew it.

"Do you think we don't know?" San shouted, tears rounding in his eyes as he stepped closer to the stunned lilac.

"Do you think I don't know what she's done? Do you think I wouldn't have jumped behind her if there wasn't a reason? Do you think I wouldn't have done it if I knew that Hongjoong would have gone after her nonetheless?"

 "Liar" 

It was shock. 

Shock that coursed through Wooyoung's veins at Sans's words, it was impossible. 

"Wooyoung-" Seonghwa began, still feeling woozy from his time inside Aeris's memories, reaching a hand to touch the lilacs shoulders.

"No-" the lilac whispered, eyes widening. "No he wouldn't"

"She's not important"

☾ ☾ ☾

A u t h o r s  N o t e

Come on now Wooyoung -

I know I haven't updated in a while but writers block hits hard. Sorry if this chapters a little short, I promise the ahead ones will get better!

Anywho a little insight into Aeris's past and now you know what Seonghwa's powers are! It will make more sense as we progress but yeah!