✔ || Save Me [[SEQUEL to DISTRACT ME]]

Chapter 10

Time dragged on, and Jeongguk had given up on sleeping any longer. Instead, he sat and stared at the wall, thinking through all of his feelings so that when his guards returned, he was eerily calm.

The guards didn't enter the cell when they opened the door, and Jeongguk didn't cower against the wall. He looked at them coolly, having found his resolve, and said, "They've decided?"

The female sensed his change and nodded slowly. "Come, little one."

Jeongguk followed the two angels down the familiar hall. "How long has it been?"

"A little over two days," the male responded gruffly. "Now hush."

Two days. How long have I been here in total?

As soon as they entered the courtroom, time ground to a halt. There were no angels besides Eden and the two guards she sat between. Taehyung was kneeling in the center of the room, his wrists bolted to the ground beside his knees, as if the archangels sitting in a wide semicircle at the front of the room were worried he'd go savage. And then Jeongguk's brain realized something was wrong. He hesitated, nostrils flaring, as he saw Raphael's fingertips under Taehyung's chin. The boy was quivering fearfully, but his jaw was set in a stubborn clench. Jeongguk felt a feral snarl make its way out of his body, foreign and animalistic, and he launched away from his guards before they could react and snatched Raphael's arm, hissing as the touch burned his palm. His nails dug into the archangel's glowing skin, and though his flesh was releasing worrisome steam, he didn't let go. Raphael smiled sadistically as Jeongguk fought down his anger, struggling to form words through the white-hot fury scorching his veins. Through gritted teeth, Jeongguk managed to breathe, "If I see you touch him again, you'll be left with stumps for hands."

"Jagi," Taehyung whispered, but his voice was too soft to quell Jeongguk's fire.

"Do you understand?" Jeongguk growled.

Raphael chuckled and Taehyung said a little louder, "Jeongguk."

There was enough terror in that single utterance that Jeongguk snapped out of it, releasing Raphael with a gasp as he looked down at his hand. His skin was bright red all the way up to his wrist. Jeongguk wanted to punch Raphael more than he wanted to breathe, but he had more important concerns. With a final warning look, he sunk down beside Taehyung and ran his hands through his hair, eyeing the cuffs around his wrists. He turned his attention to the row of archangels, who had been bemusedly looking on until this point. New anger filled his body, but he stomped it down so that he could speak clearly. "What is wrong with you people? You're seriously just going to let that psycho touch him?"

"Archangels may do as they please, human," Michael said calmly. Jeongguk wanted to kick his ass for the smug touch in his words, but Taehyung whimpered and the maknae turned his attention back to him.

"Are you okay, Tae?" Jeongguk murmured, checking his face and neck for anything that could be a wound.

"I'm alright, jagiya," Taehyung promised, leaning to bump his forehead against Jeongguk's. When the maknae squinted at him, he repeated, "I'm alright."

Jeongguk tugged at the bonds and looked up to eye Gabriel, who seemed to be the most clear-headed, "What's with these?"

Gabriel pursed his lips and Raphael answered for him, "He attacked me."

Jeongguk raised his eyebrows. "Was that before or after you tried to grope him?"

Raphael smiled, his eyes cold as he flew back up to his chair, and Michael snapped, "Enough! Get the human back, it is not his time to speak yet."

"Good to know I'll actually get to speak at all!" Jeongguk cried manically.

His guards grabbed him and Jeongguk met eyes with the woman. She blinked innocently at him, but he knew that she hadn't stopped him from grabbing Raphael on purpose. As she and her brother pulled him to stand beside Eden, he whispered, "Thank you."