Heavy.
Something on him felt like that. Squishing against him with a pressure that wasn't crushing but it wasn't a feather either.
It felt warm as well.
Not steaming but warm. It radiated with heat… just enough to help him.
With the new warmth's help, MC felt his eyes squeeze tight as light hit him, stirring him to consciousness.
Squinting, MC opened his eyes to light and darkness. A large ray of white light shining at him through the darkness around him and the present warmth.
Feeling the warmth move, he tried to turn to it but stopped as he felt a pain in his neck. Through his moment of curiosity at the pain he felt something harsh in his throat, clawing it way around his neck like nails.
Lurching forward MC began to cough, hacking as he accidentally lost the warmth; he shivered. Grabbing at his throat MC remembered why it hurt, he remembered the feeling of surprise and fear as a moment of heat on his neck turned to pain.
"Mel…?!" A familiar voice called out. A pair of hands hesitated before grabbing his shoulders.
As the hands turned him he thought he could see a mixture of magenta and black clothes before he was pulled forward and the hands he remembered hurting him- wrapped around his torso to help him.
Feeling the hands wrapped around him begin to stroke his back, MC slowly stopped cough, the hacking subsiding until it was only his breathing.
Placing a hand on his neck, his heartbeat normal, he backed away as the person rubbed his back, forcing the action to stop.
Shifting away from the person, Saeran he saw was in front of him, he went to speak but coughed once more before he could say a word.
"Mel… are you alright…?" Saeran asked forcing his hands to stay by his sides.
Not wanting to go into another coughing fit, MC only nodded, his hand still massaging his neck. Seeing Saeran smile in response turned away from the snow haired man and looked to the ground. His heart monitor laid broken on the ground, perfectly describing how he felt at that moment.
"I-" Saeran stopped himself as he followed to look at the monitor. "I… can't say anything… to apologize…
Hearing him speak, MC could hear his voice shake. Opening his mouth to respond, to tell him something, he couldn't, physically couldn't as when he tried, a stinging sensation coursed through his throat. Saeran continued to talk.
"I want to say I didn't mean to do it… to hurt you but…" Saeran turned away from the brunette as he grabbed his chest "It'd feel like a lie if I said that…"
MC tried to speak again but all that came out was a hoarse sound and pain. He decided to stop trying.
"I don't want to hurt you Mel, ever but… right now" He turned back to him, his eyes holding a sad glare "I can't help but hate you"
Trying to communicate, MC mouthed Saeran's name but the action went unnoticed by the man.
"I don't hate you the same I hate… everything else I-" Saeran turned to window as he remembered what he saw out of it "I hate how you're so nice to me" He proceeded to glare how the window as he gripped his gown. "I don't understand- I can't understand why… everything I've done to you when I- in all sense of the word- kidnapped you at gunpoint"
Sitting silently behind Saeran, MC thought back to his first run in with him. He was forced to go to Mint Eye after lying to him about the lock. At that point in time, he cared more about his life than Rika's missing phone, if the missing phone even was Rika's.
"Even after that… I abused you daily- for three months!" Snapping around, Saeran stared at MC with bewildered eyes "I made my interest in you extremely clear through my words, both harassment and belittling" MC recalled some of the… remarks Saeran made during his first days at Mint Eye. He still didn't find them 'flattering'.
"I used force to get you to fear me, I hospitalized you for god's sake!" Reaching towards him, Saeran grabbed the brunette's shoulders harshly, though instantly lessened his grip "Why?!" He yelled "Why- after everything- are you nice to me?!"
After the initial scare of being grabbed again, MC didn't emote to Saeran, only being able to stare at him, that's what he continued to do.
"…" Saeran stared into MC's blue eyes, his glasses having gone elsewhere he began to shake "You… you're not afraid…?" MC shook his head "Why…? Why don't you hate me…?" Saeran felt himself stiffen as he asked. MC didn't answer, only responding with a sympathetic look.
"Wh-" Saeran choked "What…? Why? I've done everything wrong, I don't deserve to not be hated, so-" MC winced as he heard Saeran's voice and shake quietly "Why don't you fear me? Why don't you hat me?"
Staring at Saeran, MC felt his grip on his shoulder weaken more as he set a hand on the male's arm "I-" The pain in his throat cut him off "I don't…" Gritting his teeth he continued "hate you…" Silently, MC cursed his throat for having him unable to speak properly.
After a moment of staring at him, Saeran's eyes widened with fear, regret pooled in his mint eyes. "Your voice…" He said as quietly as MC spoke "I… hurt your voice" Sucking air, Saeran began to tremble more "We hurt you… again"
Releasing MC's shoulders Saeran fell in on himself, curling into a ball his tears flowed as he muttered apologies.
MC continued to stare at the broken man in front of him, the darkened room around them made darker only from the absence of the sun. But through the window the moon light shined upon Saeran, inquinating him as it made his tears shine like crystals.
Opening his mouth to say… anything, he paused.
He wanted to say it was alright, that his voice would heal. He wanted to say he forgave him and held nothing against him. He wanted to say it wasn't his fault, that it wasn't anyone's fault: His, Saeran's, Saeyoung or even Rika's.
He wanted to do it all.
But…
It wasn't what he needed to do.
Staying silent, MC raise both his arms and brought them to Saeran. As the white hair man continued to stumble over his words, his words not even coherent anymore, MC gently brought and place a hand on Saeran's back. The crying man immedietly silenced and stiffened under him, as though awaiting something more.
Slowly, he began to caress his back, his fingers running over Saeran's boney spine hoping to soothe him. His efforts were successful in calming Saeran as his stiff posture disappeared and he melted into his touch.
As he caressed his back, MC watched as Saeran's shaking slowed, it didn't stop, but he couldn't hear sobbing anymore.
"…"
Raising a brow, MC stared at the silent snow haired man. He could have sworn he heard him speak…
"wh.."
Still staring, MC's mouth formed a half smile. He couldn't understand whatever Saeran was… saying… but he was glad the man was speaking again.
"Why…?"
Slowly, Saeran raised his head, his now red puffy eyes staring as his blue. With a hiccup Saeran repeated his question "Why…" But before MC could even look confused, Saeran continued "… are you still nice to me?"
Raising a hand, Saeran gripped the brunette's gown, his grip weak and shaky. Pulling himself up, MC ignoring the extra weight for a moment, Saeran sat on his legs as he still held onto MC.
"I…" Saeran paused as his eyes ran over MCs neck, small bruises and nicks littered it "I hurt you… I-" Saeran stopped as he hiccupped again.
"I can't understand…" He muttered as he closed his eyes.
Feeling a hand on his chin, Saeran his eyes to see a crestfallen MC. The brunette stared at him with lidded eyes, his lips twitched downwards, but before he could speak, MC shook his head and moved his lips to speak.
"…What…?" Saeran question, not understanding his… friends… 'words'.
With a quiet, hoarse chuckle, MC repeated himself.
"I… I still don't understand…" After staring at MC for a moment longer, the hacker sighed and looked away. "But knowing you…" He started as he began to mutter "… it's probably something cheesy like- 'I don't blame you' or something…"
Glancing at the party coordinator, Saeran saw the man shrug with a small smile, his eyes shining with amusement.
Huffing, Saeran turned away from him "You're… so weird…" Glancing at the floor, Saeran stared at the abandoned heart monitor, broken as it laid on the ground in front of the bed.
"I'm sorry" Saeran said without taking his eyes off the monitor.
"I'm sorry for everything… I…" He went silent as he took in a deep breath "we… we didn't mean to hurt you…"
Feeling a tap on his cheek, he turned to MC who looked at him confused. Saeran chuckled silently. "'We… My Saviour… probably told you but…" Looking away from MC, Saeran stared at a flower as it lied on the ground broken, dying after he threw the vase at a wall.
"Ray… Ray is a better part of me. My innocence…"
He remembered the flower on the ground, it petals becoming brown, but its colour remained, a bundle of Baby's-breath.
"…and I killed him"
Silence hung in the air as both men stared at the flowers.
Slowly Saeran felt himself being pulled away from the flowers, and after a moment of surprise, forgetting MC was with him, he was brought to the window.
Staring out the window and into the parking lot, Saeran saw MC point to a car as it pulled into a spot. As it stopped he watched someone step out of it.
"What…?" Pulling himself up, Saeran pushed the blinds away and pressed himself against the window. Now walking across the lot was an all too familiar red headed hacker.
Squinting at the pacing man, Saeran jumped back as the man he knew to be Saeyoung, his brother, turned to his window. Slowly, Saeran climbed back up to look outside.
Smiling up at him was his brother, with a quick wave, Saeyoung stepped inside the hospital.
Huffing, he turned away from the window "Why did you want me to see him?" He questioned the brunette who only smiled.
Taking Saeran's spot at the window, MC drew in the thin layer of dust on the window sill.
"'Talk to him'" Saeran read.
He turned back to MC "Why would I talk to him?" MC only stared back at him with knowing eyes and a smile.
"…" Grumbling he turned away, opting to close his eyes as to not focus on anything.
Without hesitating, MC shifted closer to his hacker friend, setting a hand on the mans shoulder.
After another period of silence, Saeran sighed "'If everything My Saviour said… is a lie… then Saeyoung was telling the truth'…" Opening his eyes he looked over his shoulder at MC "Is that was you're meaning to say, Mel?"
Watching MC closely, Saeran could only sigh as he saw a nervous smile appear on the brunette's face, a small redness also finding its way to his cheeks.
"…"
Darting to look away, Saeran turned to the window, his brows narrowed in confusion. Slowly, as he stared at the clouds blowing in the sky, he nodded his head oh so faintly.
Grumbling something to himself, Saeran lightly pushed MC away, the brunette allowing him to, and proceeded to lie on the bed, fluffing the pillow as he closed his eyes.
Staring at Saeran, MC shook his head at him.
He had expected him to be a little apprehensive at the suggestion, but he didn't think he would outright ignore him after it.
Moving an arm, he watched as his hand hovered over Saeran's shoulder.
He hated seeing the two brothers at each others' throats. Their reason for being upset different, but still trying to convince the other their side of the story is the correct one.
"He agrees…"
Jumping back, MC felt a glimmer of hope as he heard Saeran speak.
As slowly as he laid down, he got up. One hand at a time he brought himself up, and with a soft sigh, MC could see his reflection through the window; he was smiling, his face held a softer expression.
"He agrees… wholeheartedly…" Saeran glanced at him through the windows reflection "… he's just too afraid to tell you in person"
His smile pure, Saeran turned around, his mint eyes pulled in by MC's blue.
"Wow…" He said quietly, mesmerised by the person in front of him "I haven't seen you in person in… years…" He whispered, much to MC's confusion. Clearing his throat, Saeran's smile widened "Saeran's tired right now so… Hi… I… I'm Ray"
"I… we know we don't deserve your kindness Mel… we have a lot of work to do before we ever are…"
"But we thank you for not giving up on us… even when you had every chance and right to"
"We want to thank you for staying with us through these times"
"It will be hard… forgiving someone we've hated for years… but I will do as much as I can to help him forgive"
"Take care Prince. Don't frown. For everything you've done for us, for him… He will help you smile"
- Ray
"So many people…"
"It's so strange seeing everyone in the RFA here when I had once targeted them"
"Even my brothers fiancé is here… The man who joined after I tricked him and unintentionally left him to suffer for years…"
"I never imagined they'd end up together…"
- Saeran
"Sing 'I am your load bread' in Arabic"
Standing in front of a large metal door Yoosung knocked against it "How many patterns does your door have…?" Sighing, he turned to the red head who stood beside him.
Glancing at the door, the red head, Saeyoung, grinned "Multiply 512 by 2048~"
With a loud groan Yoosung sharply turned way from the chuckling hacker with his hands over his ears "No~! You know I hate math Saeyoung! Stop being mean!"
Saeyoung, amused by the whining blonde, continued to laugh until something landed on his head. Turning to where it had come from, he removed the jeans to see Jumin holding more clothing "Your home is a mess Saeyoung," He dropped the clothing "I am stating to consider hiring a part time maid to clean your home now that Vanderwood said he won't."
Seeing the red head slowly smile, the business man shook his head "Not for your sake" Saeyoung frowned "For Mel's, considering he is living with you now"
As Saeyoung was going to answer he was cut off as a short brunette stepped into the conversation "Mr. Han" The man in question turned to her "The wine and gifts have all arrived. But…" She turned to a set up table with many pristinely wrapped boxed sat on it "…Is showcasing all of them really necessary?"
"Hey MC" The male brunette turned to Zen "Aren't you uncomfortable with Saeyoung proposing so publicly?" The actor gestured to the room full of friends and soon to be family.
MC shook his head. "I'm a little nervous about it…" Smiling, he turned to Saeyoung, his soon to be fiancé "But I'm f-" He coughed "fine, I'm around the people I love"
"Wow~!" MC jumped as Yoosung sprung up beside him, the blonde's smaller hands propping himself up on the brunette "You're voice really is healing nicely!"
Smiling to Yoosung, he nodded.
It had been a few months since, as he told the RFA, he tripped in the hospital, his throat had been steadily recovering, now almost able to speak uninterrupted again.
"It has been!" Yoosung and MC turned to Saeyoung "While MC couldn't talk, I tweaked the door, so he could type what he wanted to say, and the door system would speak for him. I wanted to make a system like what Mephan Bawking had, but MC protested against it…"
Rolling his eyes playfully, he nodded in agreement.
"…You don't plan to have your front door propose for you… do you?" Jaehee carefully asked.
Stepping away from the door, Saeyoung twirled around before bowing "Miss Door-Gate, where is the person I plan to spend the rest of my life with?"
"…"
The bunkers speaker system spoke "There is someone who has been seeing this whole situation unfold from a screen"
"Thank you for reading to the end"
"I hope this story has made you smile. Has made you happy"
"Thank you for staying during the breaks and waiting patiently for this chapter"
The system shut down.
With narrowed eyes, Saeyoung inspected the door "What the…? Is the gate broken?" Sighing, he turned away from the door and cheerfully ran to the couch "I'll fix it later. MC! Come here, I want to hold your hand" Saeyoung smiled as his face grew in colour closer to his hair.
"Cringing…" Zen muttered as MC passed him.
"You're still single, he's proposing. I don't think you're in a position to say that, Zen" Yoosung stuck his tounge out at the taller male.
Taking MC's hand as he sat next to him, Saeyoung turned away from his bickering friends in favour of looking at MC "I just want to be with him always. What can I do?" He whispered, not caring that Zen and Yoosung couldn't hear.
But as MC could hear him, his face too began to heat up.
"So jealous!" Zen whined.
Yoosung elbowed him to make him stop.
"I hope you both continue to take care of Saeran" Jaehee announced, glancing at the second red head who was staring at his phone "It hasn't been long since he has recovered… I mean… He had recovered, right?"
"Right, where is Saeran?" Yoosung asked, looking around.
Hearing his name multiple times, Saeran looked up from the game on his phone and blankly stared at Yoosung as he continued to try to find him. To the blonde's benefit, he was sat in the darkest corner trying to stay away from people.
Saeran turned and stared at Zen as the actor made his way over to him, long tied hair flowing behind him somehow. "What are you doing over there, dude? Come over here, it's picture time!" Slowly, Zen ushered Saeran out of his corner and towards the couch where Jaehee stood in front of it setting a camera.
"There won't be space for all of us on the sofa. I will stand" Jumin stated, rounded the couch to stand behind Saeyoung.
"Saeran, come here!" Saeyoung reached over and patted the seat next to the brunette.
As Saeran sat next to him, MC turned to him and whispered, "It's like taking a family photo" He grinned as he watched Saeran's eyes widened and a small smile appeared on his face.
"I'll stand beside Mr. Han" Jaehee announced as she rounded the couch the same way Jumin did.
As Zen, relived Jaehee took the spot next to Jumin, stood next to Jaehee and behind Saeran, Yoosung stared at the filled couch. All positions filled on and behind it.
"Aw… it's full…" Yoosung cried watching everyone.
"I can offer my lap if you want" Surprised, everyone turned to Zen.
"W.. Wh.. What…?!" Yoosung stuttered out.
"Hmm" Jumin started "What was that running 'meme' again Saeyoung? 'Does Hyun Ryu is gay?'"
"HEY!" Zen yelled "I was joking. I'm not even sitting. God. You stupid trust fund kid…" Mumbling, Zen looked away from everyone. But everyone did notice his face had flushed.
"I'll… just sit on the arm rest…" A now embarrassed Yoosung muttered as he placed himself on the couch.
"The camera will go of in 20 seconds everyone!" Jaehee announced.
"Saeran…" MC whispered to Saeran.
"Shut up Mel. We're taking a photo" Saeran responded, not taking his eyes off the camera.
"I'm so happy…" Saeyoung whispered to his brother as well "We're so happy…"
Saeran sighed "You're both a couple of idiots that's what… now quiet"
Hearing his fiancé chuckle, MC turned to him "I love you, MC" He said with a big smile.
Glancing over to Saeran, MC saw him sulk. As he held his arm he shied away from everyone. Smiling, MC chuckled.
"Saeran" The red head turned to him.
"We all love you. Saeran and Ray"
For a small moment, MC saw Saeran smile, the saddest yet happiest smile he had ever seen the man wear. And in the small moment, MC wrapped his arm around Saeran and pulled him closer to him. Saeran and his momentary happiest smile captured in the new first family photo of the RFA.