Chapter Text
Saeran sat at the kitchen table with his head in his hands. He could hear the other RFA members in the front room, but even if it didn't seem like a reality lightyears away, he wasn't really in a condition to join anyway. He took a shaky breath and sighed, as his head throbbed. He hadn't looked in a mirror yet, but he could already feel his face was puffy. How long had be been sitting here?
Just as he was wondering if it had been hours or minutes, he heard a few shuffling footsteps.
"Saeran? Are you alright?" he heard MC ask.
Being an introvert, she had only hung out with the others for maybe an hour before retreating to her room, so she must've came out of hiding for a snack or something.
Realizing he couldn't hide how he looked but unwilling to admit what had happened just yet, he answered with his face still hidden,
"Mhm. Yep. So good..." He groaned into his hands.
"Do you need an asprin or something?"
"..."
After a little shuffling, he heard her shake a bottle in front of his face. Saeran sighed for the millionth time, ran his hands through his red hair, and held out his hand while finally looking MC in the eye. Almost a dare for her to ask why his eyes were red and why his eyeliner had run almost completely off.
She stared back though, asking
"2 or 3?"
"...Probably 3. If I'm lucky, maybe I'll be able to move again without my head feeling like it's going to burst into flames"
"Do you want some tea? I'm going to make some. Do you have a preference?" she asked shuffling in her slippers over to the next cabinet.
"Uhh....dealer's choice?"
"Alrighty!" she replied brightly. "Aren't you cold? You're only in that damn tank top"
"You know I run hot. Over-heating is worse than death"
"Dramatic ass" MC joked as she stuck out her tongue.
Amazing how she always seemed like these occurances never bothered her. Even when MC first started living with Saeran and Saeyoung after feeling too weird to keep living at Rika's place, anytime she came across something anyone else would have considered strange, (whether it be Saeyoung's pranks or Saeran's occasional odd behavior) she just ran with it. She was a unique person, something he had observed as "Unknown", but it was still a lot different actually being around her. Saeran put his head down on the table reflecting on all of this as she went about happily tea-making. Out of all the RFA members, he was definitely closest and most comfortable with her, and VERY relieved she wasn't freaked out by him *lightly* stalking her for Mint Eye after they had officially met.
"Here ya go!" MC energetically placed a mug in front of him.
"And here I thought you were in your room sleeping. There's no way with all that energy" Saeran responded, pulling the cup to him and sniffing it.
"What am I drinking?"
"Of course I wasn't sleeping. My social battery was just dead...and frankly I was getting a little sick of Zen's flirting quicker than usual tonight. He's always worse when he's drinking. And it's chai with milk and honey! My fav"
"Hmm" He took a sip.
"Sweet, spicy...yeah I like it." Saeran slumped into his chair sipping the tea and already feeling tons better. "He didn't bug you too much, did he? My brother at least kept him in check?"
"Yeah, Saeyoung is the master of distraction so I was able to slip out without too much notice. Jaehee winked and waved goodnight, but that was it".
"Good. I really hate that narsissitic piece of-"
"Saeran!"
"Sorry! Sorry. I guess it just turns out there's ONE person on this planet who doesn't worship the dude" he snarked.
"Exhausted, but you can still throw shade. Love it." Mc smirked back.
After a few minutes of silent tea sipping, she finally said,
"So......are you going to tell me what this is about?"
He stared into his mug before answering, "I have no idea what you're talking about".
"Saeran...there's a RFA gathering. Normally you'd dip in for a second to grab a handful of cookies, and then dip out to go for a walk or hide by yourself or with me. I haven't seen you all night, and you obviously have been crying. What's going on?"
He looked up at her before pushing his mug to the side to pick at his nails while muttering, "I...how can I talk about it? Even with you and Saeyoung, I feel so alone. Like even you two will judge me. No one could ever...care about...love every dirty little part of me.." Saeran tried to continue, but trailed off.
Mc paused with a look that looked like her heart was breaking for him; she opened her mouth just as Zen walked in, and they both looked over at him.
"AhA! I knew you w-were still heeeree MC" Zen slurred, ignoring Saeran.
"Nah, I think you're imagining things." She turned to Saeran with a knowing look on her face-
"Hey you were cold right? You can borrow my hoodie" She said slipping it off and handing it to him. He took it gratefully. She knew with his anxiety, the more layers, the more comfortable he felt around people he didn't know well. He'd risk over-heating a million times over-and by his standards, DYING a million times over- rather than feel vulnerable in front of other people.
Saeran pulled it on, zipped it all the way up, and pulled the sleeves over his hands.
"Thanks MC" he said with a smile, pulling his legs up to sit cross legged on the chair.
"Hmm, cossstume change heh? Looks good on you babe" Zen said looking at MC who was now just in her cami and shorts.
"Zen..." MC backed up a few steps and tugged on her ponytail unhappily.
"Pretty boy, why don't you back off, grab your beer, and go back out front to talk about how great you are" Saeran muttered through his teeth while standing and pulling MC behind him.
"Sure sure...sorry babe, Saeran" Zen grinned, walking to the fridge and picking up another six pack.
"MC, when you're done in here" eyes flicking to Saeran, "you should come back out...have some fun..."
Saeran glared at Zen's back as he left and growled, "Hey, if you want me to knock his lights out I can. Anytime you want".
"No violence"
"He was harassing you!"
"We'll deal with that later...come on. No more distractions. You're going to talk." With that she grabbed his arm and pulled him along into her room.