bloodline. ateez x reader

|23| eventually

The car ride was silent.

Sparkled with tension, topped with unease, swirled in with a splash of distaste... it was silent.

Your posture was better than normal, spine forgetting how to curve comfortably, in total opposition to the way Hongjoong melted into the driver's seat. The blue-haired boy stood out from your periphery. He could tell you were nervous just by sitting near you, you could bet on it.

You had said goodbye to the others earlier, while you replayed the interactions in your head, yeosang's words rang like an echoed chant. His hand landed firm on your shoulders as he spoke, "Please, Aurora, don't do anything stupid," He warned.

"Okay," You offered, but that wasn't enough for him. He looked, like, genuinely concerned. You pushed his shoulder slightly, telling him to loosen up. Seonghwa then stole your hands, kissing the knuckles softly as he peered at you with warm, doe-eyes. "Come back to us when you finish, please. We'll be waiting."

In the moment it didn't mean anything to you- he was obviously referencing your tendencies of escape, but as you left the group after your short farewells, you began to think that perhaps it was warning you about Hongjoong.

He is bipolar- it's not a well-kept secret. He has his episodes, yet stays ironically level-headed. Intelligent. Self-assured, to a point where it's unnerving. He withholds his secrets with pride.

A stolen glance in his direction, you could see the way he eyed the world with his steel gaze. radiating tame confidence with a mere look. his side profile sculpted by a god, nose perfectly straight, eyelashes thick, giving him a nearly feminine feel, jawline relaxed yet defined. He was goddamn beautiful. You wonder if he knew that.

His lips made way for a perfectly white smile, "You're staring, lady."

you muttered an apology, moving to look out the window instead. the trees shaped into cones pointing to the sky. Mingi had blindfolded you when you left the first time, Hongjoong just put you to sleep. When you woke up you were already far from the warehouse, but by the amount of gas the car already burned through you, your journey would be a long one.

The sun is lower in the sky, hiding behind the points of trees and brushing you with warm orange flickers. You heard a breathy chuckle from his side at your melancholy solemness, his hand changed position on the steering wheel.

"What's got you nervous?"

Was there a wrong answer here? You tried to think of a reply that wouldn't upset him, yet came up blank.

"Missing your mother?"

Your head whipped towards him, defensive, "No, I do not." you mentioned her once while you were tipsy and you already have regrets about the vulnerable statement. It was too revealing.

But the lie was caught in its travels, "you may say that, but grief radiates from you. Especially recently. her death is not something new. Plus, with the news of your father..."

You sigh. "I suppose now is the time to talk about that."

The warehouse always had the threat of unwelcome ears, with both Wooyoung's invasive ability and other men always around to eavesdrop. Hongjoong hadn't stolen a chance to address it since that night in the basement when your lineage was first revealed.

"why is your name not Y/n Adney?" He inquired.

It surprised you, only for a moment, that this was his first question. "It used to be, my mother changed it when I was very young. She didn't want him to have any trace back to me."

Growing up this didn't raise any questions, now, however, you feel there are more levels to this than had been let on.

"Sounds a bit excessive, doesn't it?"