Where Futures Begin (Saeran x Reader x Saeyoung) COMPLETED

XVII: Saeyoung's Route (Saeyoung)

(Y/N) hadn't moved.

Arguably, she had been moving the whole time, her entire body shaking with a ferocity Luciel had never seen in a human before, but her position hadn't changed even once.

"Feel like shit, yet? Or need me to beat it into you?" Vanderwood called from behind Luciel. The brunette male hadn't said a word to him since they found Saeran and (Y/N). He was too pissed with the redhead. Luciel had consciously refrained from telling Vanderwood that their 'reconnaissance trip' was really a hostage exchange because he knew how the older man would feel about it.

Then again, older men, in general, were usually right. Lived a couple more years. Smarter. Wiser. 

Luciel now wished he had spoken to Vanderwood before following through his plans, regretting his every decision.

"You can beat it into me," Luciel offered. He did feel like shit, worse than shit, actually, but he thought he deserved pain after what he realized he was putting (Y/N) through.

Vanderwood was quiet for a moment, watching as Luciel stared at (Y/N) while she trembled on the bed. The room was dark, and for once, Luciel wasn't fiddling away on his laptop.

Luciel heard Vanderwood sigh. "You can talk to me, you know? You don't need to pretend."

Luciel ignored Vanderwood's words, staring forward as (Y/N) kept trembling. "Fine," Luciel heard Vanderwood say before walking forward. "See if you can get her to drink this water. It might help."

Without waiting for a response, Vanderwood left the room, leaving Luciel awkwardly holding the glass of water. "Uh, (Y/N)?" He murmured, awkwardly trying to get the girl's attention. He knew she was conscious; her eyes were scrunched tight, and she had groaned something incomprehensible on the way back to the cabin every time someone touched into her. But conscious doesn't mean aware, Luciel remembered dully, unsure of what to do.

He shifted himself half onto the bed and tried to pull (Y/N) into a sitting position, and the girl's eyes fluttered open for a brief second. "Drink," Luciel whispered, putting the glass to her lips. He wasn't even sure if the girl had processed what he said, but he saw her sip from the glass ever-so-slightly and sighed in relief.

"Shit, (Y/N)," He began, "I'm so sorry. Fuck. I don't know what I was thinking and-"

Luciel saw (Y/N)'s eyes open, her irises dilated to give them a glossy look. "S...Sae...." Luciel's ears perked up. (Y/N) could speak? Was she going to say his name? Does she even know that my real name is Saeyoung? Luciel thought to himself, staring intently as (Y/N) struggled to speak.

"Saeran?" She finally said, opening her eyes.

Luciel felt himself shrink inside, realizing that while the girl before him was conscious, she wasn't herself. She thinks I'm my brother, Luciel thought, trying not to let himself feel saddened by the realization.

Too temporarily stunned to speak, Luciel gazed into (Y/N)'s eyes and saw the glossy look in her pupils. She was seeing, yes, but not seeing. Aware, but not aware. (Y/N), but not (Y/N).

"Y-yeah," The redhead stuttered out, willing to play along with (Y/N)'s hallucination if it would make her feel even a little better. "It's me, (Y/N). Saeran."

(Y/N) chuckled a little, coughing as the light breaths left her throat. "I've missed you...so much."

"Yeah, I know," Luciel whispered, stroking the girl's hair tenderly. "I've...missed you, too."

"Really?" The snowy-haired girl's eyes filled with tears. "Oh, Saeran, these past few days have been horrible. I...I think I swallowed the Elixir again somehow. I don't remember anything. But everything hurts."