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colormepurplex2 · 3 months

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Did It Hurt? | Sweet Kiss of Hellfire

↳ FallenAngel!Taehyung x LostSoul!f.Reader ⤜ Fallen Angel AU, Strangers to Lovers ⤜ Rating: MA 🔞 ⤜ WC: 12,706 ⚠️ Struggle with faith and beliefs, on-screen violence, allusion to murder, references to death & dying, kissing, hesitant sexual exploration, guilt over sexual desires, v. sex, creampie, damnation

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Taehyung

To say Taehyung is nervous would be a gross understatement as he walks a few feet behind you. It’s not even the idea of being welcomed into your personal bubble that has his knees knocking with every other step. It’s more the idea that, for some reason, he feels like he wants, no, needs to impress you. As if you somehow find him lacking, you’ll slip between his fingers no matter how hard he tries to hang on—and it’s not even about putting you on a path for redemption, not wholly, at least.

This is what he’s been waiting a hundred years for—his moment of being pulled back into the good graces of his Heavenly Brothers. Yet that’s the furthest thing from his mind right now as he watches your hips sway with your every step. He’s nervous because he wants you to like him. He wants a reminder of what it feels like not to be alone…maybe even more than he wants his wings back.

The further you lead Taehyung from the park, the more he realizes you’re heading toward the same place you went this morning: Ryan’s apartment. If he were a lesser man—fallen angel, really—he’d probably try to coax you into taking him to your place instead. But he doesn’t want to send you running for the hills when it already seems like he’s walking a knife’s edge with whether or not you trust him.

“The place we’re going isn’t too much further. I hope you don’t mind me including my friend. He’s kind of been my tabkeeper on everything. Plus, I still don’t know if I trust you completely or not,” you inform him, confirming his suspicions.

“That’s okay. The more information, the better.” Taehyung has to remember this isn’t just about you, no matter his thoughts from just minutes ago, but that he has a stake in this being successful, too.

So if that means suffering through mister-perfect-body-and-face-Ryan, then, by Grace, he supposes he’ll endure. Though, perhaps he can find a way to get some more one-on-one time with you just to solidify that connection he knows he needs to secure for this to work out for him in the end.

The familiar highrise comes into view as Taehyung rounds the corner after you. He watches as you breeze your way through the entrance, waving at the porter with a smile, and move on autopilot in the elevator. In a matter of minutes, Taehyung finds himself standing outside Ryan's swanky apartment with you.

It’s a nondescript door painted a plain green color. There is no welcome mat or other decoration. The only indicator that someone might occupy the space within is the small brass-colored ‘Weller P.I.” placard sitting above the 12 of the apartment number.

You knock on the door, lacing and unlacing your fingers together in front of you in an inpatient manner.

“Ging, is that you? I wasn’t expecting—” The door swings open, revealing Ryan standing there in all his blond, mossy-eyed glory, grey sweats slung low on his hips and shirtless. Even to Taehyung, Ryan looks delectable, which couldn’t rankle him more. “Who’s your friend?” Ryan asks, his brows knitting together in confusion. He leans his body against the doorframe, muscles bulging as he crosses his arms over his lean chest.

“Don’t start with that alpha male posturing. We don’t have time for it. If you want to challenge Taehyung to a dick-measuring contest, do it when I’m not around,” you huff, pushing by Ryan and stomping into his apartment.

“Taehyung?” Ryan's eyes widen, and his arms drop. “As in The Taehyung? Kim?”

“Seems you know who I am, yet I have no clue as to who you might be,” Taehyung offers, not at all feeling contrite over being a bit big-headed or intentional with his words.

Taehyung catches your eye over Ryan’s shoulder, and you roll your eyes, biting your bottom lip in what Taehyung hopes is a way to stifle your laughter at his choice of words.

Ryan frowns. “You didn’t tell him about me?” he asks you over his shoulder. It’s kind of cute, the way he’s pouting. However, that only lasts for a moment before he turns back toward Taehyung and straightens his shoulders, standing to his full height as if he could try to tower over Taehyung somehow. Yet, he only comes eye to eye with him, making Taehyung smile smugly. “I’m Ryan. Ginger’s best friend.”

“Only friend,” you call out as if that’s an important distinction. Taehyung likes to think it’s your way of saying that if you had more than one friend, you wouldn’t consider Ryan your best one.

That makes Ryan a bit red in the face, but he doesn’t comment further; he just steps back and gestures for Taehyung to come in. “Well, Ryan, only friend to Ginger; hopefully, we can all work together to make her life a little better, yeah?”

“You’re going to help?” Ryan asks, all pretenses dropping in the light of that revelation.

“That’s the plan. I know Lorren Bianchi, and I’ve promised our friend here that I might have an easier, perhaps more fulfilling, way to take him down. One that most likely won’t have a jail-time potential at the end of it.”

“Most likely?”

Taehyung gives Ryan a withering look, one he never would have dreamed of giving someone before he came to this desolate place known as the mortal realm. One hundred years can really take a toll, Divine being or not. He straightens, chest subconsciously puffing out. “Not everything is foolproof, pretty boy. Surely even you know that.”

“That alpha posturing and dick-measuring thing I mentioned? You don’t get to do it either,” you snark, waggling a finger at Taehyung from where you’re pulling beers from the fridge on the other side of the kitchen. “Even if it were entertaining to see you both strut around naked.” Then under your breath, “It would be the highlight of the last few years, I’d bet, but still not the time.” You clearly don’t mean for Taehyung or Ryan to hear you, yet your words might as well be an intimate caress against Taehyung’s ears.

Shaking himself away from the intrusive thoughts that come with your little secret fantasy, Taehyung gives you his attention. “Right, of course. Shall we?”

Ryan sighs but nods in concession. “Let’s hear this plan of yours.” He moves to the table where you’re settling with beers in hand. “Thanks,” he says, accepting one of the proffered bottles.

Taehyung sits at the table across from you and Ryan. He takes the beer you grabbed for him between his hands and considers the amber-colored glass before taking a sip. The bitter notes of the brew spark on his tongue, fading to a caramel finish as he swallows.

“Well,” Taehyung begins, taking another sip before laying it all out there for them.

🤍🤍🤍

You and Ryan take turns asking questions, clarifying details, and offering alternatives to a few of Taehyung’s ideas. But, ultimately, in the end, you have to begrudgingly admit it’s a perfect plan. It is far better than your pitiful blackmail and con artistry could accomplish in years.

Though, all your hard work isn’t for nothing. It’s agreed that you’re going to use all the juicy evidence you’ve gathered over the last two years on Bianchi against him. He’s going to be his own downfall, his own fatal stroke. And all you have to do is dress up one last time, play the part, and let all the pieces fall into place.

That might be easier said than done, though. You’re on board with not outright killing Bianchi. But your desire for blood hasn’t lessened in the last two years, to say the least. You want him to bleed, even if it’s just a little. Ryan and Taehyung have both assured you that once Bianchi is taken into FBI custody, he’ll bleed plenty. That’s not to say the FBI is going to make him bleed, but being in federal lockup and in the prison system, he has plenty of enemies.

You’ve also pointed out that he might have a lot of friends, too. To which Ryan conceded that it was a valid concern but a risk that would need to be taken. There are some doubts, but you’re trying to have some faith in your friend and your new…partner? You’re still not sure what to make of Taehyung yet.

You add a fourth empty bottle to the others at the center of the table, making the number alarming high. Ryan’s beer stash is starting to look relatively meager after the four hours the three of you have spent drinking and planning.

“I think it’s about time I call it a night,” you announce, pushing back from the table. You stand on wobbly feet, the heels you’re wearing not helping at all.

Ryan shoots to his feet beside you. “I’ll go with you. You’re in no condition to walk by yourself this late at night.”

“Nonsense. You live here. There’s no reason for you to leave just to have to come right back,” Taehyung declares. “I can walk you home,” he tells you. “You don’t live far from me anyhow.”

That pout turns Ryan’s lips down again. “But I’m her best friend,” he argues.

“Only friend,” Taehyung corrects. “For now, at least.” He winks at you, giving you a charming smile.

“Taehyung can walk me home. It’s fine, Ry. You should get some sleep. It’s late.”

“Ging, really?” Ryan throws out a hand toward Taehyung. “You’re choosing him over me?” Ryan can be cute when he’s petulant, like a child. You’re surprised he’s not stamping his foot, too.

Blinking to clear your head a bit, you give Ryan a pat on the shoulder and what you hope is a warm smile. “It’s not about choosing him over you, Ry. It just makes more sense this way. Now, to bed, go. I’ll call you in the morning.”

Ryan reluctantly disappears into his bathroom to get ready for bed, but not before pulling you into a tight hug and glaring daggers at Taehyung’s back as he waits by the door. Perhaps you should have stopped the beers much sooner, though it does make you feel good to be fought over like this. It’s the first time you’ve let yourself enjoy some freedom in a really long time.

There’s something about Taehyung, despite being still somewhat of a stranger, that makes you lose your inhibitions. You feel a sense of ease around him, even though you know you shouldn’t. It’s odd, yet you find yourself longing for it all the more.

The air outside is thick with noise, typical of the city. Taehyung walks beside you in companionable silence that’s a balming contrast, his arm occasionally brushing yours. You feel lighter already, knowing that everything you’ve worked for over the last two years is about to come to a head.

There is one feeling, though, deep down inside that you weren’t expecting: worry. You’ve been focused on revenge and taking down Lorren Bianchi for so long that you’re unsure what happens next. Money isn’t an issue; you’d been saving for years before this, and Ryan supplements you as needed through his FBI contact. To say the least, you’ve been handsomely compensated for all of your work, legal or not.

So, you’re not sure what comes after. What will there be for you when no one is left to take down? You haven’t really given yourself the liberty to think about that…until now. It’s scary, so daunting that it makes your hands shake.

“Are you okay?” Taehyung’s voice breaks you out of your revere.

“Hmm? Oh, yeah. I’m fine.” The lie comes easy, a natural response to a question you’re asked far more than you’d like to be.

Taehyung clears his throat. You can hear the wet sound of his tongue swiping over his lips as he licks them. “You’re not being honest with me.”

The beer must be hindering your ability to be convincing. “I will be fine once we take Bianchi down.”

“Two more days. Monday night, everything will change.” There is an underlying hint of longing in the way Taehyung says those words. They’re clearly meant to comfort you, but you can tell he’s just as passionate about accomplishing it.

You’ve been trying to piece together that for several hours now. Sure, Taehyung has expressed the desire to see Bianchi ended, but he hasn’t honestly explained why or what his personal interest is in this whole plan.

“Why do you care so much about helping me?” you ask because, clearly, the beer has also removed your brain-to-mouth filter.

Taehyung slows to a stop, and that’s when you realize you’re standing outside your apartment. He must have directed you here because you don’t remember the walk at all. He fits his hands in his pockets and meets your eyes, the silence stretching long after your inquiry.

Finally, he says, “You could say that by helping you, I’m seeking my own sort of redemption. Delivering you from a path of destruction to one of absolution will allow me to remove some of my own personal shackles and make up for wrongs from my past.” You see his shoulders twitch, a slight grimace sliding over his face. It lasted only a moment, but it was there.

“Your back,” you whisper. “What you were punished for? You think helping me will make up for whatever you did to earn those scars, is that it?”

His eyes, once so full of fire and life, close over until he’s an unreadable mask. “Something like that,” he says. “Well, I’ll let you head up. Call me on Monday before noon. We can coordinate our arrival and plans then.”

Taehyung turns and only makes it a few feet down the sidewalk before you call out to him. “Wait, please. Umm, do you—do you want to come up, maybe?” Regret instantly burns down your throat, being so forward like that. It’s apparent he’s uncomfortable and is about to reject you.

You feel like such an id— "Okay.” His response takes you by surprise. Pleasantly, though. “Maybe for just a bit.”

The thought of sex is so far removed from why you asked. Though, now that the question has been put out there, you can only imagine that’s what he’s thinking you’re asking for.

“I just, uh, well—it’s not for sex or anything like that. I just don’t want to be alone right now.” There. Now you’ve made it clear and also made a bigger fool of yourself in the process. You’re not sure what’s going on with you. Fuck. You need to get inside before you say something else.

Taehyung follows you quietly, his eyes sparkling once again with that fire and life from before. Perhaps he finds your babbling amusing. Which, weirdly, makes you feel even giddier. This guy…is something else, like an alien or something, because no human being should have this kind of effect on someone else just by being near them.

For once, since moving in, you feel like your apartment could be better. You feel like Taehyung will undoubtedly think you’re some weirdo with no personality or love for life. Not that that isn’t far from the truth for the last two years, but there’s something about inviting someone into your space when it’s so utterly devoid of anything that’s genuinely you.

“Nice place,” Taehyung compliments as you let him in. He immediately toes off his shoes, something you don’t even do in your own space but now feel the need to.

Leaving your heels by the door, you flex your toes on the hardwood floor to encourage some feeling back into them. “Thanks, it’s nothing really special. Sorry it’s so boring.”

That charming smile is once again in place as Taehyung turns toward you. “Don’t discount yourself so much. You have a lot on your plate. I understand that this,” he gestures around your apartment, “is most likely not an accurate representation of who you are as a person.”

“I can’t tell if you’re trying to simply make me feel better about myself or actually flirt with me,” you mutter, half to yourself, half uncaring if he hears. “Um, would you like something to drink? A water, perhaps, to help cut off the buzz from all those beers? I know I sure could use some.”

You move into the kitchen, grab two glasses from the cabinet, and fill them with water from the filter pitcher in the fridge. Taehyung graciously accepts a glass, tips it up, and takes a sip.

“Funnily enough, I’m not all that buzzed. The water is still nice, though, thank you.”

There were at least seven empty bottles in the center of Ryan’s table that were put there by Taehyung. Either he actually is an alien, or he’s lying about being buzzed. Ryan’s beer preference isn’t known to have a low ABV.

“How is that even possible?” you ask, moving over to sit on the couch. The leather squeaks a bit, not used to being sat on. You bought it as a means to fill up some of the space, the same as the flat-screen TV that you haven’t turned on in…well, you can’t remember how long.

Taehyung swings around the end of the couch and settles at the other, turning with one knee bent onto the cushion beside him. “I told you, I’m not from here.”

“Extraterrestrial. I knew it.”

That makes Taehyung laugh. “More like celestial.”

“Celestial?” you question. “Isn’t that the same thing?”

Taehyung looks down at his cup of water, fingers flexing on the glass. “Not celestial as in space, but celestial as in divine…holy.”

Now it’s your turn to laugh. “You’re trying to tell me you’re what, an angel?”

“Is that so hard to believe?” Taehyung asks. You continue to chuckle, but it tapers off as you realize Taehyung isn’t laughing or smiling with you. In fact, the look on his face is quite severe.

“You’re being serious?”

A pregnant pause settles between you, feeling stifling and thick. The tension snaps when Taehyung smiles and shrugs his shoulders, somehow melting the awkwardness. “Let’s pretend for a moment that I am being serious. Is that so hard to believe?”

You lick your lips, intent on telling him that you don’t believe in that kind of stuff and that angels, demons, heaven, and hell are just words to you. Yet, when you open your mouth to do just that, the words get clogged, and you find yourself genuinely thinking about it. There is so much evil in the world, evil that you’ve witnessed firsthand, that you could believe the devil or demons exist.

But, the other side of the coin? If there was such a thing as god or angels, then why aren’t there more miracles or good in the world? Why do innocent children die? Why do harmless women become victims, just another drop in the bucket of endless souls lost?

That’s a hard pill to swallow. Either there is no god, or god isn’t as all-loving as they make him seem. Maybe even god is actually the evil one. After all, what’s a more incredible deception and evil than making up some obtainable holy divinity if you just worship him when there’s only nothingness that awaits beyond life?

Before your thoughts can continue to spiral, you startle at realizing Taehyung’s sudden close proximity. He must have slid closer while you were mulling over your answer. His discarded water glass is set on the floor beside the couch, and he’s staring intently at you, his knee brushing your thigh.

“It’s not hard to believe, I don’t think.” Because it’s not, really. Maybe you wouldn’t call it the power of god or the malevolence of evil, but it’s not hard to think there might be something out there, even if you’re just humoring this odd man who makes you feel all fluttery and warm inside.

Taehyung drifts closer, and your body automatically angles toward him. You watch as his eyes flick from yours to your lips and back. “It feels good to be believed in,” he whispers, the ghost of his words puffing against your lips.

“What are you doing?” you ask, voice breathless and airy.

He shakes his head slightly, a line forming between his brows. “I don’t know. It’s been so long since I allowed myself to be this close to another being, to have someone express belief in me…it’s—” he sucks in a deep breath before jerking back from you, putting several inches between your body and his. “Forgive me. I don’t know what—”

“Don’t,” you urge, pressing your index finger against his lips and cutting off his apology. You’re not sure you can bear it if he makes whatever is happening between the two of you into something terrible.

Your lips replace your finger, the action one of panic but quickly morphs into desire. Taehyung’s mouth is hesitant, his lips tight lines under yours, at first. But, with a few plucks of your lips against his, he melts into it. You coax his lips to part with the tip of your tongue, luxuriating in the heady taste of him when he opens for you.

It feels good to get lost in someone just because you want to because you choose to do it for your own pleasure and not to advance a plot or plan. The glass of water in your hand slips, clattering to the floor beside the couch, surely spreading water across the hardwood. But you couldn’t care less. Taehyung is pliable under your touch, allowing you to angle his head and slide your fingers into his hair for leverage.

You’re not sure the last time you kissed someone like this, giving it your all and accepting all in return. Taehyung makes soft mewling noises as you gently bite his bottom lip before plunging your tongue back into his mouth. His hands land on your hips, fingers kneading gently.

You slide a hand from his hair down to his shoulder and further until it rests over his rapidly beating heart. His chest is firm under your palm, warm and comforting. When your hand starts to drop lower, Taehyung breaks the kiss and begins to move along your jaw to your throat.

His mouth is greedy as it dances over your pulse point and clavicle. You can feel his hot breath over your already heated skin, setting a fire that drips down your spine and settles between your thighs.

Taehyung sucks in a sharp breath through his nose when your hand makes it to his lap, his entire body going so rigid it’s alarming. His cock is so hard you can feel how it’s straining the zipper on his slacks. It lasts only a moment, the pulse of fear and panic you feel emanating from him before he’s practically crawling over the back of the couch to get away from you.

🤍🤍🤍

Taehyung

Stumbling upright as he slides over the back of the couch, he stands there wide-eyed, staring at you. “I–I think it’s b-best for me to go. I’m sorry. You’re lovely, really. As cliche as it is, it really isn’t you. It’s me. I, uh,” he glances down at his crotch and the very evident bulge there, “this…I can’t. I’m sorry.”

It’s like his body is not his own as it moves with phantom actions he hasn’t done in decades. He folds his hands under his chin, his lips muttering a bit of the Lord’s Prayer before he brings a hand to his forehead, drops it to his sternum, and then crosses to his left shoulder before ending on his right.

He instantly feels disgusted with himself. Though, whether that’s for bending to the temptations of the flesh once more or with how much his past life is coming back to control him, he’s not sure.

The look on your face is like Michael’s sword all over again. He can feel the burn lancing across his back as he takes a few shaky steps backward toward the door. Slowly, you seem to pull yourself together and plaster a placating smile on your face.

“No, I should be the sorry one. I shouldn’t have kissed you like that, not without asking first. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. I guess that’s what I get for drinking so much.”

Only Taehyung knows it wasn’t the alcohol, and he doesn’t want you to be sorry for what you did. He wants to beg you to keep going, to call him a fool and come after him, take him to the ground, and ravage him. And he has to get out of here before he asks you to do just that.

“I’ll see you Monday?” Taehyung offers from by the door. He feels like an idiot running away like this, but he can’t ruin this now. Not when he’s so close, and the idea of throwing away one hundred years should be enough to make him keep going out the door.

You stand up from the couch, adjusting your dress along your hips. “Yep. I’ll call you.” Thankfully, Taehyung had the forethought to give you his number much earlier in the evening.

“Goodnight. Sweet dreams,” Taehyung says quietly before opening the door and stepping out. He barely catches your ‘goodbye’ in reply as the door closes.

Taehyung groans, rubbing his face with the palms of his hands in frustration. “Fucking fool,” he mutters to himself. “Way to almost ruin everything.”

However, as Taehyung walks home, he can’t help but lament how conflicted he feels. Sure, he knows this is the exact kind of situation that put him here in the first place, the whole reason he’s even getting close to you. Yet, deep down, he knows he’s always been a far more carnal creature than most of his kind.

He can remember, many, many centuries ago, long before his own fall, how close he was to his Brother Yaqum. There was also Sariel and Armaros, as close to him as he once thought Michael and Raquel were. Yaqum, Sariel, and Armaros were all a part of the big fall, cast out for their salacious couplings with human women. The very crime Taehyung almost just committed for a second time.

Taehyung’s apartment is cold when he gets home, just as desolate as his soul feels currently. He reluctantly takes a shower, silently pained by washing away the lingering tingle of your touch. There are only a few more hours before the sun rises, and Taehyung wants nothing more than to lie in his useless bed and replay what transpired on your couch over and over again, regretting having washed you away so soon.

In all the years Taehyung has been in his exile, never before has a human so completely turned his existence upside down like this. Perhaps he should take it as a good sign, indicating that he’s chosen correctly for redemption. However, there is a sadness that won’t go away. It’s ebbing in around his edges, fraying them and coloring them in shadowed tones.

Rolling over to face the window beside his bed, he watches as the early morning pinks and oranges begin to bleed through the blues and indigos of twilight. If everything goes according to plan, in just forty-eight hours, he could be watching a completely different sunrise, one from a Heavenly vantage point, a sight he has longed for for so long.

Watching the sunrise was one of his favorite things to do. Heaven is a unique place, both physical and ethereal, a limbo of existence. But the sunrise was always something of the material plane, a sight that transcended the barrier between the mortal realm and the Holy one. It’s also where Taehyung met her.

Taehyung hasn’t let himself think about Hana since that day in the Divine Chamber of Justice. But he can still remember her smile, the light in her eyes, and the way they crinkled and her body shook with laughter. Little did Taehyung realize that one moment watching the sunrise together would lead to countless stolen moments and smiles.

There is nothing anywhere that expressly states Angels are not to fraternize with their flock. Though, Taehyung supposes, after what happened during the Great War of Heaven, there probably didn’t need to be something written down. There shouldn’t have to be some ‘How To Be An Angel’ guidebook.

It wasn’t enough that Taehyung was cast into exile for his actions. They had to punish Hana as well. Though, she won’t remember it. That was her punishment, her memories removed and being placed in another Angel’s flock for care. She’ll never remember the moments they shared together, never remember Taehyung. He sometimes wishes they would have taken his memories, too.

Not able to take the painful reminiscing any longer, Taehyung turns his back on the sunrise, burying his face in a pillow, hoping for more pleasing thoughts. He thinks of you, so hungry and aggressive in your pursuit of discovering what was behind his trousers. The satin pillowcase is smooth against his cheeks as they heat with that thought. He never considered the possibility that he’d find himself revisiting these kinds of sordid thoughts and experiences during his exile. Yet, here he is, willing his erection to go away once again.

Thinking about Hana didn’t help. He just can’t help himself, though, now that the image of you—his goddess—is firmly in his mind. Taehyung can picture Hana naked and begging… lying beside you on a giant bed. Both so desperate for him. Taehyung clears his throat and shakes his head, dispelling the sin-filled fantasy.

He stays like that until Monday morning, flipping between lush fantasies and chastisement. Taehyung throws back the blankets and drags himself from the bed in hopes he can take his mind off all his uncertain and worrying thoughts. There are plenty of other things that could use his attention, like preparing for the gala tonight.

Waiting for your phone call is torture. Around eleven, Taehyung starts to think maybe he permanently ruined things with you Saturday night. But, you put him out of his misery just before noon. He answers on the first ring.

“Hello?” you ask when he doesn’t say anything at first.

Relief floods through him. “Hey, hi, hello. Sorry, I’m here.”

“Oh, did I call at a bad time?”

“No, no. You’re fine. Now is great. Tell me about what you’re thinking of wearing.”

There is some shuffling on the other end, the sound of fabric swishing over the line. “Crimson silk, off the shoulder, floor length.”

Taehyung swallows around the thick knot forming in his throat. “Send me a picture? Just for color clarification purposes,” he’s quick to add.

You laugh softly, the sound growing faint as he assumes you pull the phone away from your face. A moment later, his phone buzzes. Putting it on speaker, Taehyung clicks through to his messages, and a moment later, an image of you pops onto the screen. It suddenly feels far too warm in his apartment, and his suit pants far too tight.

The silk hugs your curves, a plunging neckline accented by the dainty necklace around your neck. You’re smiling in the bathroom mirror, the shot cut off at your hips, but Taehyung doesn’t think he needs to see the whole thing to get the perfect picture of how utterly divine you look right now—every inch his goddess in truth.

“How’s that?” your voice breaks through his admiration.

“Great, perfect. I think I have just the tie to match. The gala starts at three. Shall we meet there at a quarter til?”

Your sigh whistles through the line. “Yeah, that works.”

“Hey, everything is going to be okay. I promise. We’ve got it all worked out, and we’re going to bring Lorren Bianchi to his knees.”

You hum in agreement. “Ryan says he has a surprise for us but won’t tell me any details. But, he is going to meet us around back at three-thirty to drop off what we need and give an escape once the shit hits the fan. Are you certain you can’t get him a pass in, too?”

Taehyung rolls his eyes. This was an argument that was hashed out Saturday night. “A surprise? I don’t like surprises. He better not screw any of this up. And not this late in the game, sorry. I only had an extra ticket already because I had submitted for a plus one, thinking I’d be bringing a business venture partner.” In reality, Taehyung could probably swing it where Ryan also got in with some sort of media pass. But, it’s an added risk that Taehyung isn’t sure is worth the trouble. As well as, the farther Ryan stays away from you, the better Taehyung will feel.

“Okay,” you say. “I’ll see you then. Quarter til.”

“See you then.”

Even though there are still a few hours to go, Taehyung leaves immediately after changing his tie to one that matches the color of your dress, thinking it’s better to wait for you there than to spend any more time hanging around his apartment twiddling his thumbs.

It’s a relatively short walk, considering the amount of foot traffic crowding the sidewalk near the hub of downtown. Once there, though, time seems to drag to a standstill, minutes ticking by feeling like hours.

Taehyung rolls his shoulders as he lounges against the brick wall outside of the state building where the gala is being held. The burning itch seems to grow more persistent with every step he takes toward redemption. Thankfully, a beautiful distraction dripping in red comes along to take his mind off of it.

“Hello,” Taehyung greets you brightly as soon as you come into view from around the corner at promptly fifteen minutes until three.

You’re like a breath of fresh air in your crimson slip dress. The slit comes nearly to your hip on the right, the black pumps on your feet making it so the dress is just an inch from brushing the sidewalk. Your makeup is light, with a subtle smokiness around your eyes and a smear of gloss on your lips. Taehyung wonders if it’s flavored.

“Hi.”

“You look beautiful.” Taehyung watches as your eyes dip down and a faint smile traces your lips.

“Shall we?” you ask, flicking a hand toward where there are various bubbles of people gathered outside the doors to the building, all waiting for entrance.

Taehyung offers you his arm and delights at the feel of your hand settling into the curve of his elbow. It feels good to have you touching him, even in such an innocent manner. Almost too good, which is alarming, and Taehyung has a moment of weakness where he considers shaking your hand free and pretending he didn’t offer you his arm to begin with.

Pressing beyond the swell of confusing and contradicting thoughts, he turns his attention toward making it inside the gallery hall. The sooner he gets things rolling, the sooner he can put all this behind him and finally be whole again.

There is a small procession leading inside, photographers capturing snapshots of guests in front of a giant Bianchi Holdings backdrop just inside the atrium entrance. It rubs Taehyung the wrong way how there is so much money being flaunted here when just a few city blocks away there are homeless encampments. The rich really are a different breed of monster, all sharp fangs and poison.

“Did Ryan tell you any more about that surprise he has planned?” Taehyung asks, eyeing roving over the crowd for familiar faces.

Your hand flexes against his elbow. “I wish,” you murmur.

That’s concerning. Taehyung doesn’t like surprises. He’s still thinking about fitting his hands around Ryan’s neck and teaching him a lesson as the photographer snags a few photos, and you lead him inside.

The hall where the gala is being held is decorated in flashy opulence. Everything is gold. Shimmering fabrics cover the tables, and golden statues sit as center pieces along the drink bar. The chandelier hanging in the center of the banquet hall reflects the warm, yellow sunlight coming in from the large glass skylights overhead.

Just as Taehyung is steering you toward the drink table, he catches sight of Lorren Bianchi standing on the far side of the room, talking to none other than Roy Simmons. “Do you want to meet him?” Taehyung asks in a low whisper.

You stiffen by Taehyung’s side, your fingers digging into his arm, and he’s almost certain he can hear your molars grinding together. A few moments of silence pass, and Taehyung is about to say to forget it when you respond, “A drink first.”

With a whiskey in his hand and a flute of champagne in yours, Taehyung slowly ushers you across the room. He stops periodically, introducing you to other attendees, nameless cogs that are part of the big machine. Finally, Taehyung catches Bianchi’s eye, and with one flick of his Rolex-encircled wrist, he beckons you both over.

It’s no surprise that as soon as Bianchi’s attention is diverted from him, Roy Simmons slinks away into the shadows, eyes wide like he has seen a ghost when you come into view. It makes Taehyung want to laugh, but he bites his tongue instead.

Taehyung keeps half his focus on you, making sure you’re okay as you come face to face with the man who altered your entire world a few years ago, the man who has been your number one enemy since he stole the light from your life and the smile from your face.

“Ah, Mr. Kim, what a pleasant surprise. I wasn’t sure you were coming after I heard you canceled on Ms. Torshen.”

It takes tremendous effort for Taehyung not to grimace. It’s not such a bad thing, having canceled on his prospective business venture plus one. If things go according to plan, then Taehyung won’t even be needing that business prospect anyway.

Giving you a fond smile, Taehyung says, “Yes, well, as you can see, I’ve discovered something far more…alluring.”

He can see it, the irritation in your eyes at being referred to in such a manner, but it was discussed heavily on Saturday night that Taehyung might have to act a certain way at the gala if he was to make it believable that he’s as a typical guest.

Bianchi’s eyes sweep over you, devouring the plunging neckline and high slit of your dress. Taehyung has the sudden urge to gauge them out. Lorren Bianchi is a snake, complete with green-grey soulless eyes and too-red lips that part around a slick tongue as he licks them.

“Lorren Bianchi,” he introduces himself, offering you a be-ringed hand.

There is a mild tremble to your free hand as you slip it into his. He brings your hand up and brushes his lips over your knuckles. “Ginger. Ginger Weller.” It was agreed that tonight you would continue to be Ginger, one last performance.

“Weller? As in the old Weller Conglomerate?”

As insisted by Ryan, you nod. “Yes.”

You’d never taken on a last name for your persona, but Ryan has enough big ties to his name that it would be impressive in a place like this while not drawing too much attention. Ryan’s adoptive father retired and sold off the business for a hefty sum before filling Ryan’s bank account and running off with his mistress to Bali.

“Father?”

“Step,” you offer quickly. Taehyung can tell you’re panicking about it with this line of questioning, and now he wants all the more to throttle Ryan for this stupid idea.

“If you’ll excuse us, I need to get my donation in before I forget,” Taehyung says, interjecting into the conversation to try and steer it away from you. You’re only supposed to be his proverbial arm candy tonight, close enough to get the job done but far enough that you won’t get caught in the crossfire when things go south.

Bianchi, his gelled-back black hair glinting like a knife in the overhead light, claps Taehyung on the back. “See to it that you do. Ms. Weller, a pleasure.” He gives you an oily smile before turning and stalking away.

Taehyung sighs, steering you toward the other side of the room. “I’m going to strangle your only friend,” he mutters. “What a ridiculous idea. His surprise better be a good one, or I might just…” he trails off, shaking his head and not finishing his line of thinking. If Taehyung were to voice such dark thoughts aloud, he might just think the heat he felt along his neck was the kiss of Hellfire instead of annoyance.

“Give him a break. He was just trying to be helpful since you weren’t able to get him a pass in,” you grump beside Taehyung, but he can tell you’re not putting much effort into the chastisement, your thoughts clearly elsewhere.

It would seem suspicious if Taehyung didn’t actually stop by the donations table and at least put on the front that he’s donating. So he tugs you toward where the familiar face of Bianchi’s assistant is sitting at a table covered in a gold-crushed velvet tablecloth with a laptop in the center.

There have only been a few occasions where Taehyung has interacted with the young woman, but she doesn’t even look up from where she’s tapping away at the keys on the laptop when she says, “Mr. Kim, how much are you donating tonight? Will you be using the same method as last time?”

Taehyung clears his throat, garnering him a quick glance over the rim of her glasses. Giavona Bonetti is just as much of a snake as Bianchi is. She’s complicit in all of his devious ventures, her hands just as much covered in blood as his, except hers also gloat a tinge of green. Taehyung knows she’s tremendously jealous but also extremely greedy. Bianchi pays her for her discrepancy and infallible loyalty. When he goes down, her ship will sink, too.

“Fifty large, same method,” Taehyung says, earning a bewildered look from you. He shrugs, not sure what you expect from him in this situation, he’s trying to make it all look believable.

Giavona clicks a few things on the laptop, her eyes flicking to him once more before she gives him a saccharine smile that turns into a viper’s sneer when her eyes slide to you and says, “Done.”

“Thanks,” Taehyung murmurs, eager to get you away from the woman before she says something that would actually make him voice some very dark, choice words aloud.

“Friend of yours?” you ask, clearly amused now. Which, to Taehyung, is better than the anxiety he felt rolling off of you moments earlier.

Taehyung just gives you a pointed look that makes you laugh softly, mischief twinkling in your eyes. Taehyung decides he likes that look on you. Almost as much as he loves the dress you’re wearing, even if it is a bit distracting right now with how the fabric pulls tight every time your chest rises with your inhales.

“Come on, we should be able to make it out the back without drawing too much attention now.” Taehyung watches as the light slowly dims from your eyes, and your lips press into a thin line, bringing you back to why you’re here in the first place.

It’s easy to find a way out the back entrance. The hallways and rooms outside the banquet hall are mostly empty, with just a few service workers diligently running trays of drinks and refills on napkins. Their heads are down and ears closed, as is expected of them during events like this.

A blacked-out utility van is parked in the service alley near the dumpsters as Taehyung leads you outside. Ryan’s stoic face is barely visible through the driver's side window. He pops open the door and jumps out, complete in a full black outfit, as if he’s about to crawl through some air vents in a spy film. Taehyung rolls his eyes.

“Ready to set the world on fire?” Ryan asks you, digging in his pants pocket, his easy boy smirk rubbing Taehyung the wrong way.

You finally let go of Taehyung for the first time since you took hold of him out front. He feels bereft and suddenly far too cold for the mild weather outside. Taehyung watches as you step toward Ryan and accept the thumb drive he holds up.

“It’s all here?”

“Everything.” Ryan nods, confirming.

Taehyung steps up beside you, eyes focusing on the small stick of plastic pinched between your thumb and forefinger. “What’s the surprise you have?” he asks Ryan without taking his eyes off the flash drive.

Ryan claps his hands, rubbing them together. “I was worried that the local PD might not make it here on time to arrest Bianchi before he could slip away into the shadows, so I let on with my FBI contact that something big would be going down tonight. I sent him a copy of everything on the flash drive, and he’s ready for the show to go down before he makes a move.”

Taehyung begrudgingly has to admit that’s a good idea, a pleasant surprise. Yet, he doesn’t want to give Ryan the satisfaction of saying so, so he just grunts in response. But you, you throw your arms around Ryan and give him a hug like one Taehyung wishes you would afford him.

It’s as endearing as it is irritating, watching you have a moment of vulnerability and tenderness with Ryan. Taehyung might not care for how close Ryan is to you, but he’s glad you’ll have someone to lean on and move on with once he’s gone. It’s not that long now. Taehyung can feel it; his redemption draws closer with every step he steers you away from the path of vengeance and toward one of justice instead.

The fact that he’ll get to one day watch over you, guard you through the rest of your life, is what keeps him moving forward. It’s what helps take the sting away from realizing he’ll have to let you, this goddess that brought him so much vigor and light in such a short amount of time after a hundred years of bleak desolation, go.

“Thanks, Ry,” you say, finally pulling away from the embrace. “Are you ready?” you ask, turning your big, bright eyes on Taehyung. You’re full of life once more, ready to take on the world—or, more so, take on Lorren Bianchi. Taehyung wonders what you must be thinking, knowing everything you worked so hard for the last two years is about to pay off. He can taste the adrenaline pumping just beneath your skin. The excitement twinged with mild dollops of trepidation like lemons and cream on the back of Taehyung’s tongue.

“Ready,” Taehyung affirms, offering you his arm once more.

🤍🤍🤍

You hope Taehyung can’t tell how nervous you are. The rush of blood in your ears and the pounding of your heart have become just background noise to you at this point. You can feel the electric tingle of adrenaline under your skin. It’s what’s keeping you going.

The flash drive is cupped under your fingers, resting in the crook of Taehyung’s elbow as he leads you back inside. Ryan has the back door of the van open, waiting to take you and Taehyung away once you’ve delivered the crushing blow, toppling Bianchi’s empire.

It wasn’t easy, agreeing to follow the path Taehyung offered you instead of pursuing your original desire just to murder the bastard. You want him to suffer, just as you’re certain Danika did. Yet, you were always struggling with the fact that death was less than he deserved. You just weren’t sure how else to go about giving him an eternity of misery.

All you have to do is fit this little piece of technology into the projector that’s set up in the media room and let it play out. Roy Simmons provided everything you asked him to. Which, if you’re being honest, surprised you.

You spent the entire day yesterday pouring over everything you’ve collected over the last two years, the stuff Simmons gave you included. It was horrific, digging through all the memories and the disgusting piles of evidence. But, in the end, you know it’s going to be worth it. The evidence is irrefutable. Ryan said with all the additional information he’s been feeding the FBI over the last two years, Bianchi is dead to rights.

The added bonus that Ryan’s FBI friend is hanging out somewhere in the crowd is comforting. That was something you weren’t sure about with Taehyung’s plan. There was no guarantee that releasing all this evidence and proof of Bianchi’s foul deeds would see him suffer the way Taehyung promised he would. Now, though, you can see it all playing out perfectly.

“The speeches will be starting soon,” Taehyung says, nodding toward the stage where you can see Bianchi’s assistant setting up. There is one of those giant fake checks sitting on a rack behind her, the amount box blank for now.

“Did you really give up fifty large tonight?”

Taehyung flashes you a smile as he leads you back through the main entrance of the banquet hall. The media room is accessed from the staircase in the central lobby of the state building.

“Worth it.” He shrugs. “As dangerous and depraved as Bianchi is, most of the money is actually going to be donated to The Children’s Fund. There are mediators here that will see to that as long as the FBI doesn’t put a freeze on the accounts…which, well, is possible. I guess I’ll just have to make another donation myself.”

A thoughtful yet dark expression crosses Taehyung’s face for a moment, but it’s gone before you can think more about it. He’s still, for all intents and purposes, a stranger to you, yet he feels like a lifelong friend already. There is just something enigmatic about him, something you can’t quite put your finger on but find yourself hungering for.

When you started your journey for revenge, you never thought you’d get a life beyond the final act. You were ready to go down swinging against Bianchi, ready to take that fall, knowing you did right by Danika for the mistake you made all those years ago. Yet now, you can almost taste the freedom that will come after—the life you hadn’t thought was possible.

You’re about to make a remark, something about the FBI tying up the donations, but it dies on the tip of your tongue as Taehyung stops in front of a closed door. The placard above the door reads ‘Media Station Ballroom 1 & 2’.

Trying the handle, it rattles in place. “Locked,” you state, suddenly feeling very stupid for not thinking ahead about this potential.

“Not to worry,” Taehyung assures you. He steps away from you, letting your other hand drop to your side, where you clutch your fingers around the flash drive. The sudden urge to wrap your hand back around Taehyung, to touch him in some way, overwhelms you and nearly takes you to your knees. But, you force the feeling down, steeling your shoulders and holding your place,

Pulling his wallet from his back pocket, Taehyung produces a small set of tools from inside the folds of leather. “A lock pick?” you ask. He’s just full of surprises.

“It comes in handy sometimes,” Taehyung says, giving you another one of those winning smiles. “Here we are.” There is a soft popping sound and then the door swings open, revealing the darkened interior. Whoever set up the audio for the event is long gone.

Taehyung reaches for your hand and you let him take it. The feel of his slender fingers cupping around yours is even better than holding onto his elbow. It feels right, like his hand was created to fit around yours perfectly. What you wouldn’t give to step into this room with him, close and lock the door behind you, and stay there forever. No more blackmailing, no more Bianchi, nothing else would matter.

Your brow pinches together as you snap out of the fleeting fantasy. It’s not possible to just close the curtains and fade into the background. You’re not even sure where these thoughts are coming from. Focusing back on the task at hand, you point out the large panel display on the far side of the small space.

“Do you want to stay and watch the show for a bit before we disappear?” you ask, voice barely above a whisper. You’re scared to speak too loud, not for being overheard and caught, but because it feels like if you talk too loud, you’ll break the spell of what is about to happen.

Warm brown eyes, made to look more greenish with the blue glow from the electrical panel, meet yours, and the warmth you find there is comforting. For once, everything doesn’t feel so heavy anymore, like this is the true path you’re supposed to be on instead of the one from before Taehyung walked into your life.

“Maybe for just a little bit,” Taehyung says just before he helps guide your hand toward one of the USB ports on the control panel.

The flash drive slides in, clicking into place. There is a view window that spans the width of the room over the panel. It’s one-way glass that looks out over the banquet hall. From this far up, Lorren Bianchi looks like a gangster figurine from a kid’s toy set; almost harmless, but you know better. He’s accepting a mic from Giavona.

Audio filters in through a small monitoring display showing volume levels and mixer channels. The column for microphone one lights up green, the bars jumping as Bianchi’s voice reaches your ears.

“Thank you, everyone, for joining us at this year’s annual Bianchi Holdings Charity Gala. We are honored for each and every one of your donations. They will be going to a wonderful cause.” Applause fills the silence following his greeting. As it tapers off, Bianchi gestures with a hand to the blank projector screen behind him. “We have prepared a short presentation to highlight the goals we are setting this year, and so you can get a glimpse into what you may look forward to from your generous donations.”

Giavona points a slender remote at the small hub beneath the screen, and the whole thing illuminates with the beginnings of the presentation the marketing team under Bianchi put together. There is a murmur of appreciation as information scrolls across the screen, introducing the list of city-wide planned projects.

Little do these people know that Ryan spliced the presentation, one of the many things Simmons provided, so it initially appears to be just as it should be. Slowly, there are subtle changes: images that were once smiling and laughing children playing in the new Bianchi Park, to ones of emaciated children locked in cages.

You watch—poised beside Taehyung, his hand still firmly around yours—as realization bubbles through the gathered masses. You can’t hear the words he’s saying, but you can see Bianchi yelling at Giavona, his face red and his hands flying through the air as he gestures wildly at the screen.

Giavona holds up the remote, and you can see her thumb jamming away at the keys, to no avail. The program Ryan encrypted on the flash drive is designed to take over full control. The only way someone can shut down the now very incriminating presentation is with the passcode Ryan set himself, which even you and Taehyung don’t know.

The screen flashes, changing from the slide-show style to a shaky phone recording. This is the moment you were dreading the most, what you weren’t sure you could stomach seeing. Yet, you hesitate to turn away, feeling like you owe it to Danika to witness this.

Her face fills the screen, with dark bruises under her eyes and her hair hanging in greasy blond clumps around her face. Bianchi moves into the frame, shrugging out of his suit jacket and letting it fall to the floor beside where Danika kneels. Her hands are in her lap, her chin angled down, a slight tremor rattling her shoulders.

You refused to watch this when Ryan was putting together the flash drive on Saturday as you worked together, compiling all the information you needed to take Bianchi down. He offered to let you watch it at your own pace to prepare yourself for eventually seeing it. Yet, you couldn’t bring yourself to do it. Maybe you were trying to punish yourself, but you wanted to watch it at the same time as Taehyung, at the same time as everyone else in the gathering below. You wanted to feel that searing heat and pain of devastation, a reminder that even after everything, you’re still human inside.

Taehyung’s hand tightens around yours as you both watch on, bile slowly trying to work its way up your throat. Bianchi is trying to rip down the screen now, but even as the sheet ripples, you can plainly see him walk up behind her and strip his belt off. He’s talking to the person recording, but the audio isn’t clear, just the scratching sound of fabric.

You know Roy Simmons is the man behind the camera, his phone tucked into the breast pocket of his jacket. When you caught wind that there was a video out there somewhere, being passed around the inner circle as a laugh, you knew that was your ticket. That was what you needed to put the last nail in Bianchi’s coffin. Roy Simmons was a fool looking for his own source of blackmail and just so happened to end up on your list because of it.

By this time, Bianchi has abandoned the screen, trying to make his way through the crowd towards an exit, but a group of men in black suits block his path. It plays out just how you imagined it in your head, Bianchi meeting his downfall as Danika struggles for breath on the screen, belt firmly wrapped around her throat.

You gasp, jerking around, unable to watch any longer. Taehyung gathers you into his arms, pressing your face into his chest. “It’s over now,” he coos. “Shh, it’s okay.” You don’t realize you’re crying until now, heavy full-body sobs. “Come on.”

It doesn’t bother you, being swept up into Taehyung’s arms. If anything, you burrow further into his chest and cling to him as he carries you, bridal style, down the stairs and through a service hallway to one of the back entrances.

Lorren Bianchi isn’t the only one getting what’s coming to him today. The list you’ve been checking off for the last two years was sent to Ryan’s FBI friend, along with everything else you collected. There are easily two dozen people inside that will be leaving the building in restraints.

Police sirens are blaring in the distance, angry yells echoing from inside. But all you can seem to focus on is the warm body supporting yours. Everything is a blur. You don’t remember getting in the van or the drive to your apartment. You’re only vaguely aware of the semi-argument that Ryan and Taehyung have about who should take you up to your place, but it seems Taehyung wins out because minutes later, he’s settling you on your bed.

“Please don’t go,” you rasp when he steps towards the door.

Taehyung stops and slowly turns back to face you. “You should get some rest.”

“I don’t want to be alone right now,” you say. You’ve spent the last few years seeking solitude, worried that if you let someone get too close, you’d hurt them when you ultimately found yourself paying for your revenge—a price you’ve never thought twice about paying. Only now, that price tag is a bit different, things are different, thanks to the man standing there with his hands in his pockets and an unreadable expression on his angelic face.

He gives you a slow nod before moving back over to the bed and giving you a gentle nudge. “For a little bit.” Taehyung smiles, helping you move over so he can sit with his back against the headboard. He guides you back down and seems surprised when you rest your head in his lap, but he doesn’t insist you move.

It could be minutes or hours later, but there is no longer sunlight peeking around the heavy drapes covering your windows, and you feel thoroughly wrung out. Your emotions sit heavy on your chest, a constant pulse that waxes between numb and aching.

Taehyung has been silent. You’d think he had fallen asleep if it wasn’t for the way his thumb periodically traces soothing circles over your shoulder. Even though his presence is definitely what’s keeping you from falling apart right now, you need a distraction...a way to feel something other than that pulse sitting in the middle of your chest.

Maybe you’ll look back on this moment and chalk it up to a moment of weakness, but right now, you don’t care. You just need…something, anything. Taehyung startles as you move, pushing up onto your knees. “Taehyung,” you whisper his name like an evocation of prayer.

“What is it?” he asks, eyes searching your face.

“I need,” you begin, wringing your hands to try and keep them to yourself. It doesn’t work, your fingers capture in the lapels on his jacket. You use them as leverage to fit yourself into his lap, the slit of your dress parting over your right thigh to let you press your knees to either side of his hips. “Please.” You’re so close you can feel his accelerating breath puffing against your parted lips.

You watch as Taehyung’s throat works. His entire body is tense under yours, like he’s fighting against the urge to toss you aside and run away. Which, maybe, he is. Your thoughts flicker to how he reacted when you were touching him on the couch two nights ago, how quick he was to get away from you.

“I–I don’t…you haven’t even told me your real name,” he says, a line forming between his brows as he fists his hands into the duvet to either side of your knees.

A light laugh escapes you, and it feels good. “That’s easy,” you say, pressing yourself closer until your mouth is right beside his ear. You whisper your name before capturing his earlobe between your teeth and eliciting a moan from deep in his chest.

“Fitting for a goddess,” he murmurs. “But, I…there’s something…this isn’t—”

You lean back, smoothing your hands over his crumpled jacket, luxuriating in the feel of his lean chest under your palms as you do so. “Please, Taehyung. Make me feel something else, remind me that it was all worth it.”

Taehyung mutters something under his breath, sounding strangely prayerlike. He wraps his arms around you and anchors you against him. Conflicting emotions are dancing in his eyes, and he’s shaking his head, but his mouth meets yours in permission and acquiescence.

Opening to him comes easy, unbidden desires flaring to the surface to take over your lips and tongue. The dress slides smoothly over your head, leaving you completely bare to his gaze. Whether removed by your hands or his, clothes begin to disappear. You both pull and tear, fighting to remove all the barriers between your bodies.

You settle back on his lap, shuddering at the feel of his hard cock pressing along the slit of your pussy. Warmth kisses your skin wherever Taehyung touches. Deft fingers skate over every revealed inch, lingering to knead and savor. Heat envelopes your nipples, one after the other, as he wraps his lips around them and sucks.

“You’re so beautiful.” Taehyung emphasizes his words with vigorous sweeps of his hands over your ass and nipping bites down the valley between your breasts. “Heaven is Hell compared to you.”

You moan, enthralled by his words. Shifting your hips, you begin to rock against him, the head of his cock catching on your clit with every fervent motion. “I need you,” you gasp as he flexes his hips under you as you continue to move.

“I’ve, uh, it’s just that I haven’t—” Taehyung chokes out when you stick a hand between your thighs and grip the base of his cock, intent on sinking down onto his length.

It all makes sense now. Though, how Taehyung has managed to go his entire life remaining a virgin is a wild thought you’ll have to think on later. “Do you want to?” you ask, poised over him. You won’t do anything he doesn’t want to, no matter how much you might want it.

Taehyung pulls his bottom lip between his teeth, a storm brewing in his eyes. You’re certain he’s about to turn you down—gently, of course—but when he opens his mouth, it’s a pleasant surprise, “Yes.” His mouth hangs open, tongue poking out over his bottom teeth as he works a hand down alongside yours, helping you fit him against your entrance. “I do,” he grunts as he slides into your tight confines.

The swell of him inside you is the perfect mix of pain and pleasure. He’s almost too big, stretching you full, but as you begin to rise and fall over him, it turns into nothing but a swirl of hedonistic euphoria.

His exhale becomes your inhale, the breath shared between you tastes of lust and desire in ways you’ve never felt before. You’ve heard good sex described as a godly experience, but you thought it was simply an exaggeration. But the way Taehyung makes you feel, the way his body moves with yours in perfect sync, seems to transcend all your previous experiences, a level worthy of epic stories and star-bound fantasies.

You move over him, undulating your hips in a way that has you both letting out soft moans. His cock is stroking so deep you’re certain he’s connecting with your soul, washing away all of your misgivings and sins with each stroke.

“I’m going to cum,” you whimper, wrapping your arms around him in an effort to pull him in even deeper. Your fingers graze over the sharp ridges and bumps on his back, and his entire form shudders against you. The puckered skin is blazing, emanating a heat you’ve never felt before. Taehyung buries his face in your neck and groans, his fingers dimpling the flesh of your ass as he drags you up and down his cock even faster.

It feels like reaching the pinnacle of your existence, a frozen moment in time full of stilted breaths laced with ether as you both shatter in shared rapture. Taehyung cries out, the pulse of his cock accompanying a flood of warmth between your thighs. It builds, starting at your fingertips and toes and rippling inward, feeling like nothing you’ve ever felt before. Your body contracts, clamping down around him as if it’s been starved of his essence, and the only way to satiate it is to take as much of him in as possible.

With every quiver of your body, you feel Taehyung’s cock throb in tandem. It’s overwhelming, the rush of adrenaline and dopamine makes your head fuzzy. Suddenly, you feel like you’re floating, arms and legs numb but weightless.

“My beautiful goddess,” Taehyung’s voice is faint like he’s talking to you from underwater or at the end of a long tunnel. You try desperately to hang on to that rough baritone whispering sweet words, but your consciousness narrows to a point before winking out, and darkness sweeps in.

🤍🤍🤍

Taehyung

Staying isn’t a good idea. As much as it pains him to move, Taehyung knows he has to get out of here before he does something stupid like fuck you again. Squeezing his eyes shut to dispel the erotic images of you writhing in the throws of ecstasy above him, he gently untangles your body from his and retreats with his clothes into your living room.

He’s messed up. Again. Taehyung can feel the burn of gluttony and lust coating his skin. Skin that is still sticky from your sweat and cum. There is a distinct knot in his chest, a thrumming point of awareness that tells him despite his fuck up, he’s still succeeded in his mission. You’re on the right path. He’s brought you to absolution. Perhaps, if he could leave quickly enough, none of his brothers would have noticed his latest transgression.

Dressing quickly, Taehyung takes stock of everything else he feels. There is a very prominent burning ache where his wings once were, your touch still lingering on the scarred flesh. He hates to leave you like this, especially after what the both of you just shared, but it’s for the best. At least you’ll still retain your memories of him, and you have a bright future ahead of you, or else all this was for nothing.

Taehyung shoves his feet into the shoes he left by the door and then pulls it open. The hallway is empty, the elevator beckoning him on. The first step into the hallway is easy, but the second feels like he’s trudging through mud. He can’t even take a third.

“You just can’t seem to quit, can you?”

Fear lances through Taehyung as that voice registers to him. It’s a voice he hasn’t heard in one hundred years. A flash of fiery light at the end of the hall reveals Gabriel in all his Divine and Angelic glory, a face like lightning and eyes that blaze with flaming power.

“Brother Gabriel,” Taehyung chokes on his brother’s name, shame thickening his tongue.

“I knew we were far too lax in your punishment, Taehyung. One hundred years and yet you still couldn’t keep it in your pants. You’re a disgrace,” Gabriel spits, eyes flashing with rage.

“Brother, please—” Taehyung tries.

“You are no brother of ours!” Gabriel cuts in, lashing a hand through the air.

With a sad look in his eyes, Raquel steps out from around Gabriel. Taehyung catches a glimpse of the Divine Chamber of Justice behind them. “You are no longer welcomed within our Sacred Groves or Holy Lands, Taehyung. Heaven casts you out. We, the Council of Grace and Purity, cast you out. May your soul rot for all eternity in the Fiery Pits of Hell for your sins and folly.”

In the next instant, Taehyung is falling, cartwheeling through a cloud of brimstone and smoke. He hits hard, the impact cratering the dry, pocked dirt beneath him. The air is so hot it sears his lungs with his first ragged breath. Something twitches under him. Agony blares through his body as he realizes his wings, once again where they should be, broke his fall.

Only now, they are not the snow white of before but a black so deep it seems to suck up the feeble light around him. They are splattered with red, crumpled feathers and shattered tips. They droop pitifully down his back and over the dusty ground as he sits up, fighting back the urge to scream from the pain.

Taehyung is whole once again, yet more broken than ever before. Despair rages through him, but not at his own loss but for the thought that maybe his brothers are now punishing you, too. It’s torture to think of them removing the memory of him from your mind. Taehyung lets out a heart-wrenching scream, the sound echoing far and wide in the emptiness around him.

“Peace, Brother.” The voice infiltrates his mind, cutting off his ragged scream.

“Who’s there?” Taehyung asks, voice raw with emotion.

The most beautiful creature materializes a few feet away. Lithe body, hair the color of bottled ink, and eyes darker than any pit. Dark wings flare out, casting dappled starlight over Taehyung that kisses his pain away.

“Your salvation.”

“Samael?” Taehyung whispers in awe as his once brother steps closer.

There is a coy smile on Samael’s face. “I’m surprised you recognize me, Brother. It’s been quite some time since I last saw your handsome face.”

“What are you doing here?”

Samael throws his head back in a full-body laugh. “Oh, dear sweet Taehyung, you get cast down into my realm and need to ask me why I’m here?”

Taehyung looks around, but there is nothing else here, just an endless stretch of the same gritty, ashy dirt. He slowly climbs to his feet, swaying only slightly as his body adjusts to the weight of his wings on his back once more.

“This is the 9th Circle?” he asks hesitantly.

“Holy Hells, no,” Samael chuckles, much more subdued this time. “This is Limbo, Purgatory, whatever you may want to call it. It’s an in-between place. A place where new souls come before I decide where they go. Those pompous white-fuzzed peacocks in Heaven think they get to choose where in Hell beings go, but they are sorely mistaken. No one makes that decision but those of us who rule this Hellspace.”

Taehyung swallows thickly, ready to accept his fate. “I’m ready. Send me to my fate, then, Brother.” It feels right, to bequeath Samael his proper title of Brother. He may not have seen Samael in that light for a long while, but Taehyung is part of this faction now…he’s as fallen as Samael and the others.

Samael claps his hands together, the stone-colored robes he’s wearing swish as he strides closer to Taehyung. “So eager to burn in Hell? All for some pussy. I always knew you were one of us, Brother. A breaker of the rules, someone crafted to go against the grain.”

“It’s not—it wasn’t,” Taehyung wants to protest what Samael is saying, but even he knows the truth and can’t bring himself to lie anymore. “It was worth it.” That truth sits better on his tongue. Because, even though he’s now facing an eternity of torment for it, seeing you smile and get lost in him will be the memory that sees him through to his end.

“Given the chance, would you do it all over again, just the same?” Samael asks, a thoughtful expression on his face.

Taehyung doesn’t have to think too hard about that. Sure, there are a few things he’d do differently, like sock Ryan in his perfect mouth for insisting you use his last name at the Gala for one, but everything with you? The only thing Taehyung would do is introduce himself to you sooner.

“More or less,” he finally says.

“Just what I wanted to hear.” Samael points a slender finger at Taehyung’s chest. “Your potential would be wasted in Hell. So, I have something else to offer you.”

Taehyung listens to Samael with rapt attention, his eyes growing wider and the hunger in his heart increasing with every word. It’s simple to accept the offer, Taehyung doesn’t hesitate. Moments later, deal signed, he finds himself standing back in front of your apartment door.

Creeping back into your place, Taehyung leaves a trail of his clothes as he makes his way back into your bedroom. He’s not sure how much actual time has passed, but you’re still soundly asleep, the sun nowhere to be seen outside your curtains.

It feels good to slide beneath the sheets. Even asleep, you reach for him, cuddling close with a contented sigh. Your memories haven’t been tampered with, Samael assured him of as much.

The phantom feel of his wings tickles along his spine. It’ll take some getting used to, having them back but shrouded the way they are. It’s part of Samael’s deal, keeping his wings. He’s now one of the Fallen, a guardian of the outcasts, the beloved beings that don’t always fit into the mold set forth by Heaven.

And the best part? He gets to keep you, too. Which, in the end, makes falling not hurt all that much. No, it doesn’t hurt at all.

⇽Previous Chapter ◅ Back to series masterlist

#kim taehyung #taehyung x reader #taehyung smut #taehyung angst #taehyung fluff #taehyung fanfic #taehyung imagines #taehyung fanfiction #bts taehyung #fallenangeltaehyung #bts smut #bts fanfic #bts angst #bangtanwhq #btscreaturecoven

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ABC NEWS LAUNCHES ABC NEWS STUDIOS WITH 100+ PROGRAMMING HOURS

Three Feature Documentaries and 15 Series in Production Across ABC, Hulu, Disney+, National Geographic

ABC News Studios’ Feature Documentaries Will be Housed Under ABC News Films Banner

Irene Taylor, Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, Stanley Nelson and Dawn Porter Among Initial Roster of Filmmakers and Directors

*ABC News

ABC News announced today the launch of ABC News Studios, a premium, narrative non-fiction originals producer and commissioner of feature documentary films, series and specials on topics spanning true-crime, investigations, pop culture and news-adjacent stories. ABC News Studios will deliver more than 100 hours of programming across ABC, Hulu, Disney+ and National Geographic in 2022.

ABC News Studios, inspired by ABC News’ trusted reporting, produces and commissions best-in-class narrative non-fiction originals that entertain, inform and inspire, championing untold, authentic and diverse stories that drive the cultural zeitgeist.

Three feature documentaries and 15 series and specials are currently in production. ABC News Studios’ initial slate of feature documentaries taps Dawn Porter, Irene Taylor, Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, and Stanley Nelson.

Reena Mehta is senior vice president of streaming and digital content, and Mike Kelley is the vice president and lead of ABC News Studios. Mehta has an extensive background in content strategy and planning from HBOMax and Nickelodeon. Kelley has experience in global partnerships and distribution from ITV Studios and strategy and programming at PBS and will oversee the creative and business direction for ABC News Studios.

David Sloan will serve as senior executive producer and creative lead of ABC News Studios. Jacqueline Glover is head of documentary for Onyx Collective and oversaw the initial slate of feature documentary films for ABC News Films.

“ABC News Studios is a testament to our strategic investment in and commitment to meet the audience’s demand for bold storytelling and straightforward journalism whenever, wherever and on whatever device,” said Kim Godwin, ABC News president. “I’m excited to leverage the power and integrity of the No. 1 news network in America to create premium and distinctive content for all communities.”

ABC News Studios soft-launched in 2021 and early 2022 with successful projects across ABC and Hulu, from documentary films like “Aftershock,” “Jacinta” and “Leave No Trace” to series including “City of Angels | City of Death,” “The Fatal Flaw: A Special Edition of 20/20,” “Keeper of the Ashes: The Oklahoma Girl Scout Murders,” “Let The World See,” “Mormon No More” and “Wild Crime” to specials like “The Housewife and the Hustler,” “The Ivana Trump Story: The First Wife,” “The Kardashians” and “Truth and Lies: The Last Gangster,” as well as George Stephanopoulos Productions’ “Alec Baldwin Unscripted,” “The Informant: Fear and Faith in the Heartland,” and “Out of the Shadows: The Man Behind The Steele Dossier.”

“We’re laser-focused on ABC News Studios contributing premier non-fiction content to linear and streaming subscriber growth and engagement for ABC and the Disney company at large,” said Reena Mehta, ABC News senior vice president of streaming and digital content. “Our wide range of captivating original programming draws on the legacy of ABC News with best-in-class storytelling.”

“ABC News Studios, and its subsidiary ABC News Films, debut slate of 100+ hours of programming this year is a tremendous achievement,” said Mike Kelley, vice president and ABC News Studios lead. “We plan to premiere at least one new title from ABC News Studios each month only on Hulu and continue to launch hits on the network. I’m energized by the creativity from the teams inside ABC News and our third-party production partners to build out further an expansive content pipeline.”

The following docu-series are in production or preparing for launch (in alphabetical order):

“The Age of Influence” (Hulu): “The Age of Influence” is a six-part documentary series that breaks open the facade and reveals the truth behind influencer culture through intimate, first-person accounts of some the biggest social media stories of our time.

“Cinderella” (ABC): 2022 marks the 25th anniversary of ABC airing Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “Cinderella” (1997), a revolutionary TV musical that embraced racial diversity in casting and has impacted generations over the years, starring an all-star cast led by Brandy Norwood as Cinderella and Whitney Houston as her fairy godmother. ABC News is producing a news special dedicated to the legacy of this film, reflecting how the idea of a princess has evolved and what makes the film still relevant today.

“The Con” (season 2) (ABC): “The Con” explores the troubling tales of people deceived by false claims, broken promises and greed. Each episode reveals how the victims were fooled and the cost of that trust — emotional and financial. Award-winning moderator of “The View” Whoopi Goldberg returns to narrate with commentary from podcaster Laci Mosely (“Scam Goddess”). This series of tales that continue to stun will premiere in July 2022.

“Death in the Dorms” (Hulu): These are the stories of the kind of danger that no college student is ever prepared for: a life cut short just when it was getting started, not by accident but by foul play. Each procedural episode of “Death in the Dorms” will examine a different murder of a college student in the U.S.

“Demons and Saviors” (Hulu): A three-part limited true-crime series details the fascination with Christina Boyer. Boyer became a household name for her telekinesis as a teenager and the alleged murder of her own infant daughter in Boyer’s early 20s, a crime she maintains she did not commit. The series details the unlikely band of amateur sleuths obsessed with setting her free.

“Explorer” (National Geographic): National Geographic’s long-running, iconic “Explorer” franchise searches for answers to some of the world’s greatest mysteries of history, science and adventure. Pushing beyond the frontier of the known, “Explorer” will cover timely topics, often accompanied by a feature story in National Geographic magazine, further deepening viewers’ understanding of the world through provocative storytelling.

“Grails” (Hulu): “Grails” goes behind the scenes of the $60 billion sneaker industry with up-and-coming entrepreneurs Earl Cooper and Olajuwon Ajanaku, two Morehouse College golf champ grads who created the lifestyle brand Eastside Golf to promote diversity and authenticity on the golf course. After landing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, they’re now making history by becoming the first to ever collaborate with the iconic Jordan Brand in designing a series of golf sneakers and streetwear apparel for the golf industry.

“IMPACT x Nightline” (Hulu): A weekly news magazine offering hard-hitting investigative reports, deep dives on stories in the news cycle, profiles of newsmakers, and celebrity interviews. It’s the stories you’re talking about and the ones you soon will be. The show never takes place in a studio; it’s instead always out in the world.

“Murder U” (working title) (Hulu): Investigative psychologist and ex-FBI profiler Bryanna Fox and her class of next-gen criminal mind hunters examine cases of convicted serial murders that have troubling unanswered questions. Why did this killer do what he did? How did he select his victims? Are there other victims he killed who have never been identified?

“The Murders Before the Marathon” (Hulu): Journalist Susan Zalkind investigates the triple murder that took her friend’s life, the national tragedy that shook her city, and the haunting question that connects the two events: if the murders had been solved, could the Boston Marathon bombing could have been prevented? “The Murders Before The Marathon” is a three-part documentary series directed by Jesse Sweet and executive produced by Story Syndicate, the production house founded by Oscar®and Emmy® Award-winning filmmakers Dan Cogan and Liz Garbus, Anonymous Content, and Matt Cook.

“Superstar” (ABC): From the producers of ABC News’ No. 1-rated “20/20” and “Truth and Lies,” “Superstar” features rare footage and intimate details about the mavericks who shaped American culture. The series travels deep inside the lives of icons and features interviews with friends and family who reveal the meteoric highs and the devastating costs of fame.

Untitled George Stephanopoulos Project (Hulu): This political docu-series will chronicle the upcoming midterm election. It will look at the important races, pivotal issues and evolving landscape of this consequential election.

Untitled Scott Johnson Project (Hulu): In 1988, the body of Scott Johnson, a 27-year-old gay American doctoral student, was found sprawled below a cliff on a rugged beach in Sydney, Australia. This new multipart series delves into what really happened to Scott and explores the dark history of homophobia in Sydney.

“Web of Death” (Hulu): Relentless and ingenious web sleuths crack America’s most uncrackable murder cases using the internet and social media. These are tales of colossal viral man hunts, decades-long obsessions and unparalleled global collaboration.

“Wild Crime” (season 2) (Hulu): The second season premiering this fall will follow one of the ISB’s most notable and complex investigations that unfolded over 40 years across two generations of investigators after human remains were found in 1983 in Summit Meadow at Yosemite National Park. The victim’s identity and the serial killer responsible will only now both be revealed.

The following documentaries are in production or preparing for launch (in alphabetical order):

“The Lady Bird Diaries” (working title) (Hulu): From award-winning filmmaker Dawn Porter, Trilogy Films, and Industrial Media comes a groundbreaking documentary film that uses Lady Bird’s own White House tapes to tell the story of one of the most influential and least understood first ladies in history. The film is based, in part, on the ABC News podcast “In Plain Sight: Lady Bird Johnson,” hosted by author and historian Julia Sweig.

Untitled Iwájú Documentary (Disney+): From the team behind the hit Disney+ series “Into the Unknown: Making Frozen 2” comes a documentary about the first-of-its-kind collaboration between Pan-African comic book company Kugali and the century-old Walt Disney Animation Studios as they create the upcoming animated series “Iwájú.”

“Sound of the Police” (Hulu): Directed by Oscar-nominated Stanley Nelson, “Sound of the Police” digs deep into America’s long and painful history of police brutality and misconduct in Black communities.

ABC News Studios is pleased to produce a significant portion of the slate and to work with partners like Part 2, IPC, Latchkey Films, Brainstormin’ Productions, Lonewolf Media, Story Syndicate, and Show of Force.

For more information, follow ABC News Studios on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn

ABOUT ABC NEWS STUDIOS

ABC News Studios, inspired by ABC News’ trusted reporting, is a premium, narrative non-fiction original production house and commissioning partner of series and specials. ABC News Studios champions untold and authentic stories driving the cultural zeitgeist spanning true-crime, investigations, pop culture, and news-adjacent stories. Its subsidiary, ABC News Films, acquires and produces feature documentary films.

*COPYRIGHT ©2022 American Broadcasting Companies, Inc. All photography is copyrighted material and is for editorial use only. Images are not to be archived, altered, duplicated, resold, retransmitted or used for any other purposes without written permission of ABC. Images are distributed to the press in order to publicize current programming. Any other usage must be licensed. Photos posted for Web use must be at the low resolution of 72dpi, no larger than 2x3 in size.

For more information, follow ABC News PR on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

-- ABC --

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