Where Futures Begin (Saeran x Reader x Saeyoung) COMPLETED

XVII: Saeyoung's Route (Saeyoung)

Luciel tore his gaze away from (Y/N).

I'm sorry, he wanted to say, but didn't. If he apologized now, while (Y/N) was in such a delusional state, it would only be for his personal sanity. It would be a selfish act, done out of self-preservation. The girl was too confused to do anything other than forgive him, and Luciel wasn't sure he deserved forgiveness.

"The pain will go away," Luciel whispered, but he couldn't be sure.

When Vanderwood's car had finally caught up to Saeran, the boy had struggled endlessly before he allowed the group to take (Y/N). Even then, he had insisted on coming along and refused to say a word to Luciel, ignoring the redhead completely as he rode back to the cabin on the top of Vanderwood's car, whereupon he set up camp outside the cabin so that he could be close to (Y/N) at all times but wouldn't have to tolerate the sight of Luciel.

When asked if (Y/N) would be okay, Saeran had only turned his head away, unable to answer.

"Will it, really?" (Y/N) said to Luciel, gazing at him with eyes full of hope. She didn't wait for an answer. "Thank you, Saeran. You're always here for me."

She reached a shaky hand out from her spot on the bed to rest a palm on top of Luciel's. "Lay with me on the bed," She whispered to Luciel, and he was too weak to refuse.

As he brought an arm around her, though, she had already fallen asleep in his arms, murmuring a soft, 'thank you, Saeran,' before she had drifted off completely, the quaking of her body ceased.

Luciel groaned, his stomach twisting.

He had fucked everything up.

(Y/N) was in pain. Saeran wouldn't speak to him. Vanderwood was pissed. Even V, who had a million secrets of his own, felt that Luciel had made the wrong decision in going through with the hostage exchange.

"If I could do it all over..." Luciel mused out loud, wondering.

If he could change his actions, what better course was there to take? Luciel at least had Saeran now, that was a huge step. His eyes flicked downward to (Y/N), where a light perspiration had broken out on her forehead. Was it worth it? He wondered.

"Luciel!" He heard Vanderwood shout.

The redhead darted out of bed, not wanting the elderly man to misread the situation. "What?" Luciel asked.

"It's...your brother."

Luciel's eyes widened, and then he was out of the room, heading straight for Saeran.

***

"Stay ba-" Saeran tried to shout, holding a hand up to stop Luciel from coming any closer, but couldn't complete his sentence as he began vomiting into a bush. "S-stay back!" He repeated weakly, his entire body shivering.

"Please," Luciel pled, "You need help, Saera-"

"Don't call me that!" Saeran shouted, further edged on before he continued retching on the ground. Luciel stared in shock. His brother wasn't throwing up any solids, it was all liquid - a sick, neon blue-green liquid that smelled of at least eight different chemicals.

Shit! The Elixir! Luciel thought to himself. That's what's Rika's been forcing Saeran to take? That's what (Y/N) has in her bloodstream?

The situation wasn't good. Vanderwood pressed a hand to Luciel's shoulder, holding the boy back before he could run to his brother like he wanted. "Don't, Luciel."

Luciel wanted to respond, convince Vanderwood that if he just had some time alone with his brother, he could explain—but Saeran started speaking before he could open his mouth. "Luciel?" His tone was mocking. "You didn't just abandon me, you abandoned everything. Your name. Your past. You were even going to abandon (Y/N)!" Saeran's voice rose, and he stood up, steadying himself against a birch tree. "Don't you know what they do to people in the Mint Eye?!"