Wooyoung had fallen asleep on Hongjoong.

The boy wasn't usually one to take naps in the afternoon, but the emotional distress must have worn him out. When Seonghwa emerged from his workroom half an hour after dropping Wooyoung off there, the boy had huddled against Hongjoong's chest and finally found his peace. His hot chocolate was only finished halfway, but Hongjoong sipped on it from time to time.

Seonghwa set down Wooyoung's fixed costume on a chair as he came over to the two of them. As he approached, Hongjoong whispered with his voice purposefully low as not to startle Wooyoung awake.

"He said to thank you for picking him up," he murmured with earnest eyes. With an affectionate smile, Seonghwa sat down next to the two to brush his fingers through Wooyoung's hair. The boy's rounded cheek was pressed against Hongjoong's chest and squished adorably. The entire image was so domestic and cute that Seonghwa could barely handle it. Even the mischievous demon looked soft at having become a pillow for a child to sleep on.

The hazy autumn sunlight filtered through the windows, but Hongjoong had angled his shoulder so it wouldn't fall into Wooyoung's face.

"Shall I put him to bed? You don't have to sit around here forever."

Hongjoong shook his head. When he moved his arms to hold Wooyoung closer so he wouldn't slip, he watched the boy's peaceful face with extra care.

"It's fine. He'll probably wake up and be hungry again soon. Much rather, I would like to know what his damn guardian angel was doing if he got this hurt. I get it; punching children in the face as they deserve is a no, but there was no need to leave him altogether."

Surprised, Seonghwa studied his upset face. He hadn't expected the demon to grow this emotionally attached to Wooyoung. They had become excellent playmates over the past two weeks, but Seonghwa's expectation that a weak human boy might be annoying to a supernatural being such as Hongjoong was shattered again.

"There are such things as guardian angels?"

Hongjoong nodded. Wooyoung smacked his lips against his chest in satisfaction at something in his dream. Cooing soundlessly, Seonghwa reached into his pocket to snap a picture. He made sure Hongjoong's grimace wasn't in the frame.

"Yeah. He is slacking off majorly. I mentioned to Yeosang that I needed to meet him, but he avoids me. And by extent, also Wooyoung. I'll need to report that to Yeosang later."

"Ah, the B rank you mentioned?"

Hongjoong grinned at him, proud that he remembered. In the book about demons that Yeosang had given Seonghwa, he had read that demons loved to gloat. Praise buttered them up and aided their ego, so he had to be careful with too much of it if he didn't want a prideful demon strutting around all day. Hongjoong seemed happy anyways, and his prettily bowed lips pulled into a little smile.

"You've been paying attention, mortal. That's good. But yeah, the B rank. Yeosang is responsible for anything regarding my stay here, and he will have to report to the upper court if I get in the way of the angels' work. But yours is doing well so far... He merely doesn't show his face around here much."

In passing, Seonghwa had joked before that Yunho might be his guardian angel. Now that Hongjoong confirmed their actual existence, Seonghwa's heart jumped in his chest. Could it be...?

"We could meet up with Yeosang later if you want. I have little knowledge about what angels are supposed to do and what Wooyoung's is missing out on, but if he does protect Wooyoung indeed, then I don't mind."

"Yeah, that's a good idea." Hongjoong grinned cheerfully. Then, his face returned to its serious mask.

"How was your meeting with your friend? You know, I can't drive, but if you want me to, I can pick up Wooyoung sometimes when you are busy. I don't mind. We could take the bus or walk the way."

Hongjoong was full of surprises. But again, his contract required him to help out. It was natural that he took over some of the parenting duties, too.

"It went well, yeah. We got everything done. But Hongjoong... I'm sorry to say this, but are you sure I can trust you with a child? I'm not saying that you are bad for him but your uh your evilness, does it conform with actually taking care of him?"

The worried parent stare was heavy on Hongjoong's skin, but he didn't mind it. Instead, he nodded reassuringly.

"You know that he is my utmost priority, and I wouldn't be able to harm him. Aside from that, I know my way around this world, and it's not as if demons had no children."

That made sense. His little knowledge of Hongjoong's kin certainly made it difficult for Seonghwa to calculate his experience in the field. But Hongjoong was right. He hadn't been a bad influence on Wooyoung so far, and the boy was happy around him.

"How's this. Later, once Woo is up, we will contact Yeosang and his guardian angel. With him around and extra cautious of me, I think you can trust that Wooyoung is safe. It's not an issue for me to take care of him. He's a sweetheart." Fond, Hongjoong glanced down at the boy. The fatherly glow on his face had Seonghwa reconsider.

Ultimately, he agreed.

"Then let's ask those two first, yeah. I also would like to meet that guardian angel of his."

The deal was made. Hongjoong decided to watch another nature documentary until Wooyoung woke up, and Seonghwa returned to his work for now. He finally finished the pretty potholder for Yunho, too, and decided to give it to him one of these days. While taking his break, he asked Yunho via text message when he had time to come over to eat with them, and Yunho replied that he would join them on Friday after his shift ended. That day, he would bring Wooyoung with him, and they could cook together.

Seonghwa would figure out what to do with Hongjoong later. He didn't exactly want both Yunho and Hongjoong in the same house to spare them all of the awkwardness. Maybe he should explain to Yunho somehow just who Hongjoong was and what odd coincidence had brought him upon them, but not this Friday. Hongjoong would probably be fine talking a walk or exploring the city with Yeosang.

Several hours passed before Seonghwa heard from Hongjoong again. When the man came by to knock on his door to fetch Seonghwa, Yeosang already sat in the living room. Wooyoung was awake by now, too, and he happily drew his pictures at the table while the adults talked.

"When did you last see the rank B?" Yeosang shifted through his papers that he seemingly didn't leave the house without. His grey suit looked impeccable on his form, and Seonghwa felt under-dressed in his sweater and jeans.

"Not within the past week. I don't know if he's just a shy little thing or trying to slack off. But maybe Wooyoung wouldn't have been so sad today if he had been around."

Wooyoung gave Hongjoong a stern glance.

"I wasn't sad. Yunho gave me a gummy bear, so it was okay."

A fleeting smile graced all of their faces. Seonghwa ruffled Wooyoung's hair.

"Yeah, he took good care of you. What are you drawing?"

Distracted, Wooyoung showed Seonghwa his picture. It was Yeosang, probably, in a comically formed suit and his blond locks that looked like ramen in Wooyoung's perception. Additionally, the man had a pair of wings behind his back, though. Wings that were feathery and white as snow from what Seonghwa could guess.

He couldn't see any wings on Yeosang.

With a last pat on Wooyoung's head and murmured praise, Seonghwa returned to the conversation.

"Let me see. This is Seonghwa's angel; how is he doing?"

Hongjoong shrugged.

"Fine, I think. No complaints there. I suppose he is at least around outside of the house, or else he would remove all my evil traps."

The mixed-up spices, probably.

Yeosang jotted some notes down on a notepad.

"It's not unusual that B Ranks avoid the territory a demon calls theirs. After all, you also have a protective function here. And well, the media don't lie. Those two groups aren't the best of friends." After a wink at Seonghwa, Yeosang produced a single sheet of paper. He laid it down neatly on the table in their midst and out of reach from Wooyoung's fingers that were colourfully dirty from his wax crayons.

"This is Wooyoung's assigned guardian angel."

Seonghwa leaned over what seemed to be a curriculum vitae. As he studied the picture in the top right corner, a weird familiarity crept down his spine. A man with dark curly hair and a bright smile grinned at him. When Seonghwa's eyes skimmed his name, the pieces fell together.

Bang Yongguk.

"If you may give me a second, I can give him a call."

Yeosang fished an outdated flip phone from his pocket and tapped away on it. The dangling key chain had a chicken leg made from clay dangling from it. Classic accessory.

"Hello, this is Kang Yeosang from the Department for Demon Contracts, DDP in short. I'm calling because of your assigned human."

Seonghwa and Hongjoong exchanged a glance. Wooyoung marvelled at whatever he saw with the innocent eyes of a child while Yeosang had their back turned to them.

"Yes, please, we are having a meeting in the living room right now. We would appreciate you joining us." Yeosang's voice sounded goofily grave on the phone. Yet, he walked up and down the room like someone who experienced anxiety with phone calls.

He ended the call a few seconds later and exhaled audibly. Seonghwa had pity with the people-oriented character of his job that he clearly disliked.

Then, the doorbell rang before any of them could even speak up. Rising from his seat, Seonghwa chuckled at Wooyoung's lost expression. He wasn't used to having so many people at home at the same time.

"Why are you guys all so fast?" Hurrying to the door, Seonghwa didn't even need to hear the answer to know that it was because of their wings. He wished he had wings, too.

When he opened the entrance, the man from the resume faced him. A tall man, about as tall as Seonghwa himself, but with a distinct self-made smallness to him that came across from his oversized clothing and defensive stance. When he recognised Seonghwa, however, his tense shoulders relaxed a bit.

"O-Oh. Hey, Seonghwa." With a shy smile, he scratched the back of his head. Oddly enough, he felt like family even though Seonghwa had never seen him in person before. Wooyoung had told him a lot about this man's antics and his favourite kind of ice cream.

"Come in. Don't worry about Hongjoong; Yeosang and I are both here."

With a meek nod, the man kicked his shoes off and followed Seonghwa inside. Of course, he knew the house as if it was his home, so him leaning against the wall at a safe distance from Hongjoong didn't feel odd.

"Yonggukkie!" Wooyoung exclaimed, thrilled. He ran over to hug the man's waist and cuddle up to him as if he was his best friend. The sight softened Seonghwa's worried frown. Wooyoung just loved everybody he met.

"Hey, little dragon. You good?"

They exchanged smiled and greetings while Hongjoong defiantly stared at them across the room. When he finally spoke up, none of them was surprised.

"Hey, you are the guy who was there when I first got summoned. Wooyoung was talking to you."

"Yeah."

Odd tension enveloped the two of them. Hongjoong wasn't this awkward around Yeosang, but it seemed as if guardian angels made his neck itch.

"What were you speaking about at that time? You must have remembered, knowing that it would be the thing that bound me."

Yongguk sighed. Yeosang offered him to sit down, but he preferred his little corner.

"He was explaining his pictures to me. He talked while he drew and his babbling about his favourite colours was still ongoing when he finished the last line that led to you. I'm sorry, hellspawn. But you can't make anything out of him explaining to me that the colour yellow reminded him of a movie he watched long ago. There is no wish for you to fulfil."

With a quick nod, Yeosang made his notes. Hongjoong also looked as if he had expected that, so Seonghwa was the only one whose heart sank. He had learnt to accept Hongjoong's presence here, but would he really have to keep him around for another twelve years? And feed him eggs now and then? He wasn't ready for that commitment.

"I see."

Hongjoong spaced out as he lost himself to his wandering thoughts. Yeosang was the one to keep the conversation going about Yongguk having to accept his duties and not letting himself be warded off by Hongjoong's energy. All the while, Seonghwa just wondered how it could be that children saw their guardian angels but adults didn't. Were children just more perceptive, or did the angels hide from the adults in particular? He could imagine the dysphoria if every human were aware of their resident angels.

Yeosang nagged Yongguk about his duties, but they left together to have a drink anyway. Hongjoong and Seonghwa didn't talk about the issue with the contract, but when he laid in bed at night with Wooyoung by his side, the scratching on the walls of Hongjoong's sleeping chamber sounded again.