Aurora - You are my light (Ateez x reader)

SEVEN

When I opened my eyes again, I didn't know what time of day it was or how long I had been asleep. Slowly blinking, I came to my senses and looked into a face I hadn't seen from such close proximity before. Damn.

If this kept up, I would die of an early heart attack, as my little heart couldn't process so many beautiful faces at once. Paralyzed, I stared at the man who now looked at me with concern, dabbing the cold sweat from my forehead with a damp cloth.

If Seonghwa was beautiful, then this man was out of this world. It was incomprehensible to me that a person could possess such genes. I must still be high from the pain-relieving drink, because he was too beautiful to be real. Suddenly, an uncontrollable urge came over me to touch him, just to confirm that he was real and I wasn't in a fever dream.

Instinctively, I raised my hand, intending to touch his face, but then my brain somewhat resumed its function, and I halted my movement. For God's sake, Aurora, can't you think before you act for once?

He chuckled softly. "Sometimes the heart must be allowed to take the lead," he said, and I almost choked on my own saliva. Did I just say that out loud?

Comfortably, he brushed the strands of hair clinging to my forehead from sweat away from my face. "Nice to see you awake again. You're living up to your name, sleeping so much."

He smiled gently. "You've been asleep for about two days. How are you feeling now?"

I tried to sit up, but my body was still too weak, and I immediately slumped back down. He supported my back with one hand and gently laid me back down.

"I'm still a bit weak, but I think I'm feeling better," I murmured, and at that moment, my stomach unmistakably growled.

He grinned. "I'll get you something to eat. You need to regain your strength." With that, he left the room and returned shortly with a bowl.

"It would be nice if you could keep the food down this time," he chuckled, and I couldn't help but do the same. Whether he meant my spitting incident with San or with Seonghwa, I couldn't say, but it seemed to have made the rounds among them.

"What were you trying to achieve with that, anyway?" he looked at me questioningly and amused at the same time. So, he meant the spitting incident with San.

"Um, well, I was planning to go on a hunger strike," I smiled awkwardly, now that I voiced my plan out loud, and quickly added, "For some reason, you guys seem to need me alive, and I thought I had something against you if I refused to eat, so you'd untie me in return."

He nodded understandingly. "First, drink this," he brought a cup of water to my lips, which I drank to the last drop.

"By the way, I'm Yeosang," he said, placing the cup on a small table next to my bed and taking the bowl in hand. Yeosang.

"I hope you like mashed potatoes?" he looked at me questioningly. I just nodded. He began to feed me, although I was no longer bound and could surely manage it on my own, but I just let it happen.

And this time, neither the food ended up on a face nor on my head, and I enjoyed the feeling of finally having something in my stomach again. When the bowl was empty, I sat up again with Yeosang's help. This time it worked, and I sat upright in bed.

If I looked as I felt through the past few days, my appearance must have been terrible. I looked down at myself and recognized various stains on my dress. Some were from the day of the abduction, when I was in the stable with Dreamcatcher, as well as from the soup incident. Dreamcatcher.

Amidst the nerve-wracking days I've been through, I could hardly spare a thought for him. The more my heart clenched now as I thought of him. My best friend. I lowered my gaze, and a tear dripped into my lap. Yeosang was there in an instant, gently placing a hand on my back. "Hey, everything okay? Can I help?"