chapter 1

Taehyung watches you cry alone in your bed after you and your long term boyfriend break up, and he’s worried.

He’s worried, but he’s been your guardian through other breakups, and he knows you’re strong.

He hovers maybe a little, but that’s all, otherwise leaves you to your own devices, and boy does that turn out to be a mistake.

“Have you checked in on your human lately?” Taehyung’s supervisor, Namjoon, asks dryly a few days later.

Taehyung jumps a bit, distracted.

“I check in on her every night,” he says, almost proudly, and Namjoon raises an eyebrow.

“Maybe you should check on her earlier in the night, before she passes out,” his supervisor calls over his shoulder, and Taehyung’s throat tighten with fear.

He knows he’s supposed to fill out paperwork to make an appearance to his human. He knows this. He’s been following you since you turned 18 and he knows all the rules.

But when he looks in on you are on your floor with some bruises on your lower back and a bottle of liquor by your head, he decides he doesn’t have time to wait the week the paperwork will take.

He waits just long enough for you to wake up, and he’s expecting the ache in his chest, that’s part of the gig, that he feels what you feel, but what he isn’t expecting is the raw anger, the way it heats his face, and when you crack open your eyes and sit up on the floor, he ends up burning a hole in your carpet with angel fire when he appears because of that very anger.

The lights flicker when he arrives, and you flinch, but only a little, blinking up at him.

“You…You didn’t leave yet?” You ask, voice hoarse, and you’re reaching for the half empty bottle before Taehyung snatches it out of your hand.

“Stop it,” he says, voice low and booming, and you blink again.

You’re pretty sure this is not the guy you took home, surely you’d remember if you’d managed to snag someone this ridiculously handsome, and surely you’d remember that voice anywhere.

Also, is your carpet…smoking? 

You thought you were still asleep when he just appeared in your bedroom, but now you’re looking around your room, wondering if you choked on your own vomit and died, and then shrugging because it doesn’t bother you much to think that might be true.

“So are you…are you like…the devil?”

He shakes his head, exhaling a frustrated breath through his nostrils. “The opposite, Y/n.”

He squares his shoulders, looking at you expectantly, and you blink again.

He’s wearing just a pair of what looks like…black leggings? And he’s shirtless, and…oh fuck he has wings.

“Holy…”

He nods, as if that clears things up, and he unceremoniously grabs you under your arms, lifting you onto the bed.

You yelp a little in surprise but you don’t protest. You’re touch starved and 4am drunken booty calls aren’t helping with that much although the other…the other at least takes your mind off your ex, takes your mind off how he didn’t think you were good enough, about how he didn’t want you, and about how maybe he was right.

His hands feel so cool on your skin and you’re surprised, given the whole burning the carpet thing. 

“So…you gonna tell me your name, or…”

“Taehyung,” he says absentmindedly, and he’s just looking at you with this almost blank expression on his face.

You rub your thighs unconsciously, look down at yourself and realize you’ve bruises this whole time, but he looks extremely bothered by it, so you don’t attempt to hide yourself.

“Is there like, a reason for this celestial visit? Just in the neighborhood?”

You try to tease him, get something out of him, maybe even a smile, but no dice.

“You’ve been bad,” he says bluntly, and you feel goosebumps break out on your skin, mouth going dry.

“Well, if it’s that type of visit,” you drawl, and you’re not usually this brazen but with the way the last few months have been going, you figure, what’s the harm?

“I’m angry with you,” the angel says, thick brows furrowed.

You pout a little. “But we just met.”

He shakes his head. “I’ve been watching you for years. Protecting you. But I never thought I’d have to protect you from yourself.”

“I don’t need this,” you whisper, tears spilling down your cheeks. “I-I know I’m not good enough. I don’t need my hot guardian angel appearing just to judge me!”

He just frowns harder, still towering over you, but then he sits on the edge of the bed, leaning toward you as you tremble with anger.

He looks at you for a long moment and then envelops you with his wings, putting his forehead to yours, and you gasp at how warm you are, suddenly, how safe you feel.

“I’m sorry. I’m not… I’m not used to talking to humans, and I just…I worry. I don’t judge you.” His voice is a low, soothing baritone, and your tears fall faster.

“I’m so alone,” you whimper.

He leans his head back to look at you, his hands on your shoulders, his touch cool on your skin, giving you goosebumps.

“You’re not alone,” his voice is fierce. “You’re never alone, little dove.”

You can’t help burying your face in his chest, sobbing out all the loneliness and heartbreak you’d been trying to avoid feeling with booze and nameless men, and he murmurs comforts in your ear.

There’s a faint whooshing sound when he folds his wings back, and it startles you a bit and you pull away, wiping at your face.

He’s just looking at you, big, soulful brown eyes seeming to peer into your soul.

“I want to help you. Tell me how to help you.”

You sniffle. “I…I don’t know. It helps to talk.”

That’s all you do, the first night, you talk and he listens, making that little hum in the back of his throat or protesting a bit when you say something self deprecating, but otherwise just nodding, watching your face.

At one point he takes your hands in his, rubbing his thumbs across your palms as you speak.

It’s nearing daylight when you tired, your head drooping as you sit quietly together. Just his presence has started to make you feel safe, and you’ve dozed off when he stands up.

You startle awake, whimpering. “Wait. Don’t. Don’t go. Not yet.”

He’s climbing back on the bed without a word and you clutch at him, lying your head on his chest and he gasps a little at your touch.

“Just stay a little while longer….just a little,” you mumble, eyes drifting shut, and when you shiver he wraps his wings around you both again to warm you.

It’s slow, how it happens, how he starts to feel real to you, starts to feel..almost human. Somehow it becomes a trend, you sleeping with your head on his chest, and you’re not even sure he sleeps because he’s always just gazing at you when you wake up.

He watches you do the simplest things with something like wonder in his eyes, and on the third morning when you sip your coffee and it’s too hot, he vaults over the counter and takes the cup from you, sitting it on the table, frowning at you.

“Tae…what are you-”

He backs you against the fridge with his body and his face is so serious. 

“You should be more careful, dove,” he says, and leans his head down to kiss you, open mouthed, and when you make a surprised squeal into his mouth he barks a little laugh and then takes a step back, covering his mouth.

He just looks so surprised, mouth open in shock, and your mouth is tingling where he’s healed you and suddenly you just can’t stop laughing.

He gives you the most bewildered smile, and then it breaks into this boxy grin and your heart feels lighter than it has in months.

He’s there almost a week, and he doesn’t mention that he should go, that he’s breaking rules by being here, but you can sense it when he goes away to talk to someone you can’t see, voice calm and low but with an underlying fierceness.

It makes your chest tight to think of him leaving, and it’s only made worse the fourth night, when you’re sitting on the floor of your living room and you’re still talking, this time about why you’d been being so reckless with men and alcohol.

He shifts a little on the floor, seeming suddenly nervous, surprising you. He’s always so calm, so reserved.

“Can I…can I ask you something?”

You nod and he lets out a long breath.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***