SEVENTEEN | SICKFICS - HURTFICS I

Woozi | Nightmare Part III

After a while, Woozi's cries began to soften, but the tremors still racked his body. Seungcheol didn't pull away, just kept holding him, whispering comforting words when he could. The silence between them wasn't uncomfortable-it was just filled with the unspoken understanding that there was no rush. Woozi needed time, and Seungcheol would give him that.

"I'm sorry," Woozi finally murmured, his voice barely audible as he pulled away just a little, his tear-streaked face still full of fear. "I didn't mean to... to break down like this. I don't know what's wrong with me." His hands trembled as he wiped at his eyes.

Seungcheol shook his head, his expression soft but firm. "There's nothing wrong with you, Woozi. You've been carrying so much, and it's okay to let it out. You don't have to apologize. You're not weak for needing help. You're not weak for feeling scared."

Woozi looked down, his gaze wavering as he tried to gather himself. "I'm just so tired, hyung. I don't know how much longer I can keep pretending I'm okay. I'm scared... all the time. And the nightmares... they just don't stop."

Seungcheol's heart broke once more as he looked at his friend, his eyes filled with a sadness that matched Woozi's. He didn't have all the answers. He didn't know how to fix everything or take away Woozi's pain, but he did know one thing. Woozi didn't have to carry this alone anymore.

"You don't have to pretend, Woozi," Seungcheol said softly, his hand brushing gently through Woozi's hair. "Not with me. You're not alone in this. I'll help you through it. We'll figure it out, together."

Woozi's eyes searched Seungcheol's face, and for the first time in what felt like forever, there was a flicker of something else in his gaze. Not hope, exactly, but a quiet understanding that maybe-just maybe-there was someone who cared enough to help him through it.

"Thank you hyung," Woozi whispered, his voice soft and shaky, but there was a sense of relief in the words, a sense of finally allowing someone to see him for all he was-vulnerable, scared, and hurting.

Seungcheol simply nodded, offering him a small but sincere smile, before holding him a little tighter. "You don't have to thank me. I'm here, Woozi. Always."

And for the first time in what felt like a long while, Woozi felt like maybe, just maybe, he could let go of some of the weight he'd been carrying. It wasn't going to be easy, but at least now he didn't have to face it alone.

Seungcheol watched as Woozi's expression shifted, a mix of apprehension and hesitation flickering across his face. The tears had mostly subsided, but the anxiety still lingered in his eyes. He knew that Woozi wasn't used to asking for help, let alone sharing something so personal with others, especially when it came to something as vulnerable as his mental health. It had always been easier for Woozi to keep his struggles hidden, to mask his fears behind the façade of the ever-dedicated, hardworking producer and member of Seventeen.

But tonight had shown Seungcheol something that couldn't be ignored: Woozi was suffering, and it had been going on for far too long.

"Woozi..." Seungcheol began softly, making sure to keep his tone gentle and reassuring, "I really think it would be good for you to see a doctor. They might be able to help you with what's been going on-these nightmares, the sleep paralysis. It's not something you should have to deal with on your own."

Woozi's eyes flickered away, his gaze darting to the corner of the room as he bit his lip, clearly deep in thought. Seungcheol knew that Woozi was scared-scared of being judged, of being vulnerable in front of the people who looked up to him. He had always been the one who took care of others, never the one to ask for help. But Seungcheol wasn't going to back down on this. He couldn't, not when Woozi was clearly in so much pain.