Where Futures Begin (Saeran x Reader x Saeyoung) COMPLETED

XV: Neutral Route: (Y/N)

Luciel had been acting strangely pleasant for the last four hours.

He'd wandered around the cabin with a sick smirk planted on his face, announcing something about going scouting around the Mint Eye to see if they could visually find any entrances.

You'd initially brushed your worries away, but when you walked into the kitchen to see Luciel washing your dress, you couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. "Luciel...?" Your voice was timid.

"Yes, (Y/N)? Oh," He looked down at the fabric between his hands. "I figured, since we're going out and all, that you should wear your dress. But it was a little dirty, so I washed it!" The redhead flashed you a smile, and you felt yourself step backward.

"Why are you being so..." Creepy. "Friendly to me? I thought you were upset with me?" You bit your lip, unsure of the response you'd get.

"There's no point holding on to the past, wouldn't you agree?" Luciel said, staring at the magenta satin. "Hey, why don't you shower? It's been almost a day since you've come here, so I'm sure you're dying to get clean."

Luciel ushered you out of the kitchen, saying, "Your dress will be dry when you're done, so take your time."

As you stood under the water that poured over your head, though, you couldn't help but feel suspicious. In the time you'd known him, Luciel had gone from cold and blunt at the Mint Eye, to friendly and charming up until you made out with him. He'd been passionate as he kissed you, but had depicted more anger than you'd ever seen in a person when he came charging at you afterward. Then he had grown distant, ignoring you almost as Saeran had, but now he was being friendly again?

You shuddered.

No.

Luciel wasn't being friendly.

He had the same look in his eye that people at the Mint Eye got whenever the Savior promised them something. His golden irises looked darker, no longer shining proudly like a king's crown but glistening darkly, like the diadem of the king's evil brother who was plotting something horrible from the shadows.

You tried to wash the sick feeling in your stomach away, rubbing your body all over with extra soap, trying not to wince as the flavored shampoo came into contact with the cuts that littered your body from when you fell off the ladder.

It's only been sixteen hours since then, but it feels like it's been weeks.

You frowned, staring at your white hair as you lathered shampoo into it. The artificial color was a contrast to your skin, looking unnatural as it clung to your shoulders, wet.

You closed your eyes, pretending for a moment that you were in the Mint Eye. It wasn't hard. The strawberry-scented shampoo that Luciel had thrust into your hands was the exact same type the Savior had asked you to use. The smell brought you back to the Mint Eye, where, you realized, you truly were happy.

It was the night before your second commitment. The night before your life fell apart.

Saeran was dancing with you, pulling you with him as he slowly waltzed with you across the floor.

The two of you were silent, not needing words to communicate when you could let your actions speak for you. Your head rested comfortably into the crook of Saeran's shoulder, and Saeran's loose grip around your waist was all the two of you needed to know that everything was okay.

He took a step back and raised his arm, spinning your body around and then back into him where the two of you resumed what would be your final dance together.