Hell and Back (EXO x Reader)

Antidote (Trial 47)

Word count: 1873

Chapter warnings: Mild language and themes

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"[Dare] 47: Create an antidote." She read out in befuddlement. Admittedly, most of the challenges were presented with little to no context, but this one's title was already concerning.

"I assume there's extra text?" Kyungsoo asked. His prediction was correct.

"Yeah, it says, 'One of the players has consumed a poison of considerable strength. The players will be given approximately one hour to create an antidote."

"Wait, who's eaten recently?" Suho asked, looking around. None of the boys said anything. "We're going to find out sooner or later." He continued impatiently. Still nothing.

"Wait, who's the limited power?" Sehun asked. Without even looking at the screen, nearly all of the other boys along with Y/N mumbled,

"Lay." It would make sense, obviously, as his healing powers would have proven more than useful for a situation like this. And without Tao, the results of the limitation could be... less than desirable.

"We can't create an antidote without a recipe. Or at the very least a knowledge of what substance was put in the food." Kyungsoo pointed out. Chanyeol was quick to mention,

"But if we don't know who ate it, we don't know exactly what was poisoned, or what was in it, or anything."

"We could try creating an antidote that would cure most general forms of poison?" Kyungsoo offered.

"Or it could react badly and make it worse." Kai pointed out.

"We could, uh..." Y/N didn't want to say it, as it hadn't turned out so well the last time. "We could ask for assistance. In the search bar."

"We haven't taken the time to think out other options, though." Suho countered.

"It's not like we have a lot of time to begin with," Kris said impatiently. "One of us is dying here, and we don't even know who."

"Just... give me a minute to think." Well, one minute turned out to be more like ten minutes as Suho paced around. Kyungsoo was also deep in some sort of logical process, no doubt convoluted beyond his own understanding at this point. Lay leaned back against the wall, sliding down as his head tilted back, eyes shut. Unsure of where else she could be of help, she chose to go talk to him.

"Hey, uh... everything all good?" She asked, sitting against the wall next to him. Audibly trying to swallow, he nodded.

"Yeah, it's just..." Before he even finished, he was staring up at the ceiling, not saying anything. She wasn't sure if he had zoned out, fallen asleep with his eyes open, or what. Touching his arm lightly, he jerked away from her, looking surprised at his own actions. She figured she'd just startled him, until his arm moved involuntarily a second time.

"S-sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"It's fine." She said without a second thought into the matter. "You were saying?"

"Huh?" He tried to think back to the question. "Oh, I'm alright, I just have this splitting headache..."

"It seems like you haven't been feeling all that great." She pointed out. Laughing weakly he shrugged.

"Yeah, well... Has anyone?"

"Fair." Before she could continue, Kris groaned from where he'd been peeling off paint from the wall.