Rebirth; A New Age || seongjoong || ATEEZ

Chapter 16 : Prodigal Son(s)

"We should go back where?"

Wooyoung's voice was a little dazed just like the rest of his body. He had recently woken up from a nap, San imprinted into his side still, but as soon as the suggestion fell from Seonghwa's lips, he seemed to wake up very quickly.

"Back home, where we used to live," Seonghwa answered, sitting down on the other side on San, pulling the cloths up further on his shivering body. "The beach house."

Wooyoung's eyebrows furrowed at the clarification, the doubt becoming ever more clear with each passing second.

"How would we even get back there?" He asked, keeping his voice low so hopefully he wouldn't wake San. "I mean even if we could find it, I'm sure it's way too far. Not to mention how cold it's getting, we would never survive that journey on foot, especially San."

Seonghwa nodded his head in understanding, knowing that Wooyoung would only be thinking about the other's wellbeing at the current moment.

"He can't even walk- much less stay awake for twenty minutes," Wooyoung's voice dropped down to a whisper when he reached his hand out and brushed his fingers over San's cheek. "I don't know if you've seen but he's bruised black and blue nearly past his shoulder- yeah sure he's able to keep food down a little better now... but he's- Seonghwa, he's not getting any better."

Seonghwa tilted his head down to look at San's pale features. Wooyoung sighed heavily like he was still exhausted and scooted closer to the shivering and wounded man.

"It's been three days since then," Seonghwa said after a while, reaching forward as well and combing his fingers through San's damp hair. "His body is probably working overtime just to keep his heart beating. But it seems the virus is gone, he would've changed by now if it was still in him... let's just focus on that for now. San wouldn't want us to be moping around now would he?"

Wooyoung shook his head with another sigh and laid his head on top of San's.

"He just won't stop shivering yet he's sweating so much at the same time. I don't know what his body actually needs," he croaked, grabbing onto Seonghwa's hand and squeezed it. "Every time he wakes up he can't stop saying how bad it's hurting him. He'll say with his eyes closed that he can tell somethings missing- it's like every time he wakes up, he's forgotten everything and I have to tell him each time that his arm is gone..."

Seonghwa clenched his jaw and looked back down at San again who's face looked like he was fighting off the pain even in his sleep.

"Next time that happens," the older said gently, rubbing his thumb over the back of Wooyoung's warm hand. "Just tell him not to look at it and focus on getting better. He's doing his best and so are you, but please make sure to eat and drink yourself. You'll be no use to him if you collapse out of exhaustion, alright?"

Wooyoung frowned a little but nodded regardless. He had dark bags under his eyes and it was easy to see the sharpness to his cheekbones that hadn't been that pronounced ever since Seonghwa found him the first time. Seonghwa knew that Wooyoung was giving his portion of their rations to San to help the older man recover, but he hadn't said anything until this point because it was clear that Wooyoung's body was being to fall apart.

"I already talked to Mingi and Yunho about it, but it was actually Yunho's idea in the first place. We talked about it when you were asleep last night because when Mingi and I went out to try and find some things it seemed that there were more zombies around than normal. It really shouldn't have been all that surprising with us being in the city but that just shows we really can't stay here. Not to mention the city is overrun with psychotic people and it will only be a matter of time before they find us here," Seonghwa pushed the topic again, knowing that any option that would have to have San moved, Wooyoung would not approve- but still he knew that this might be their only hope, and he needed all of them on board if they were to ever have a chance.