Chapter Text
He curls his fingers and squeezes. Had his nails been any sharper, the crescents that were forming on your palm would have started to seep with blood.
Saeran’s still curled into a ball in his seat, hand still joined with yours refusing to let go even in sleep.
The seemingly permanent bags under his eyes had just started to fade with time. Laugh lines were slowly etching themselves onto his face. He had put on a little more weight as well.
Just thinking about the progress he had achieved made your heart swell with pride.
It had been two months since the grand reveal of the Prime Minister's crimes, two months since Saeran and Saeyoung’s identity had been revealed to the world. two months since Saeyoung’s disappearance.
A week since they had found him again.
The case file had been under the public eye for awhile. Numerous news anchors and journalists doing countless analysis' over every little detail. Of course, with the meticulous work ethic of V, Seven and Saeran you had no doubts about anyone finding a single mistake.
Surely enough it was quickly taken to court. The legal battle was nowhere near as vigorous as you had imagined. It was some kind of miracle, the amount of public support the RFA had been given after the entire ordeal. It was unprecedented to say the least.
Of course, that wasn’t to say everything was fine and dandy. The Prime Minister had his fair share of affiliates that had tried and tried again for an appeal.
There efforts remained fruitless, however. From the sheer amount of power from not only C&R but public protest. The appeal had been rejected.
The entire journey had been difficult. The first 10 days with Saeran. The two months that preceded it felt like a blurry haze. Constant work had been done every single day.
In that time however, you and Saeran had grown closer together than ever. The two of you had already survived for so long. At this point, you were sure you’d be able to take on anything by his side. You knew he felt the same as well.
Over the course of those months, you had memorized 10 dozen legal terms. Familiarized yourself with the Constitution and Human Rights, you knew them like the back of your hand.
Seeing Saeran working so hard, you could not sit still. You started out as one of many witnesses in the first trial. By the end of it, you had practically become Saeran’s private lawyer.
After everything those twins had been through you had had enough. You would not rest until you saw that awful man behind bars.
There was no where for the ex-Prime Minister to escape. Convicted for multiple felonies, he would be under a consecutive conviction. As he rightfully deserved.
After much interrogation, some of which you had personally attended, Saeyoung’s location had been revealed.
Now here he was, in the hospital bed before you. He had not woken up yet, fading in and out of consciousness repeatedly but Saeran was persistent.
He had to be there when his brother finally awoke. He had to be there to witness the moment Saeyoung’s eyes would flutter open.
Saeran mumbles something in sleep and slumps against your shoulder. At this angle you can count each individual eyelash, every micromovement of his face. He’s ethereal. The fairness of cheeks, the gloss of his lips, the sheen in his hair. There wasn’t a single thing you didn’t appreciate about him.
You take his hand and lace his finger with yours, and press a kiss to his knuckles. He softly sighs in his sleep.
You couldn’t even suppress the grin on your face even if you tried.
“When did that happen?” a voice mumbles groggily.
You jump in shock dropping Saeran’s hand and whipping your head to that voice. A voice all of the RFA missed, so dearly.
Saeyoung’s exhausted eyes look back at you, rubbing at them with a small smile making it’s way on his face.
“Saeyoung!!” you say a little too loud, causing Saeran to awake completely disoriented. His attention is on you at first, accessing your condition before taking a look at what had you so stunned.
“Saeran...is that...really you?” Saeyoung asks as soon as their eyes meet. Saeran’s on his feet in an instant, approaching his brother.
“Yeah..yeah Saeyoung it’s really me.” You could hear the wobble in his voice his usual calm demeanour did not usually allow.
The brothers embrace, tears in their eyes. Saeyoung is on the verge of crying, you can tell. They stay like that for a few minutes, hugging like if they were to let go of each other, the other would disappear.
It was probably the most heartwarming thing you had ever witnessed.
Pulling away, Saeyoung brushes away his tears giving Saeran a soft smile.
“God, this feels like a dream.” Saeyoung murmurs so quietly you could have missed it.
“Yeah.” Saeran replies, “I know.” though now he’s looking at you. He takes your hand again, lacing his fingers with yours as he always does, and brings you to his side.
All the while you feel Saeyoung’s eyes on the both of you. Both curious and analytical as if seizing you both up together. You can’t really gauge whether that's a positive or negative reaction, his face not showing enough emotion.
They were definitely brothers.
Saeran kisses your forehead softly and you smile, resting your head on his shoulder before facing Saeyoung.
“So when did that happen? How did you guys meet? When did you start dating? Do you guys live together?” he interrogates, one question after another. He gasps. “Oh my god...have you guys slept together?”
At that your face heats up, you refuse to look Saeran in the eye.
“MC, you never mentioned having a-” he starts trying to get out of the cot,the monitor beside him shows his heart rate going all wonky. Saeran shoots you a worried glance.
You approach his cot and gently him force back, pushing his shoulder down. “Hey, hey one question at a time. No need to rush, we’re not going anywhere. You aren’t either. For now just rest, and ask us some of the simple stuff. Don’t overthink anything just yet, you just woke up. Okay?”
Saeyoung opens his mouth once, then twice before closing and instead settling on just gaping at you.
You feel an arm snake around your waist reassuringly. “She’s right, you know. You just woke up, and we don’t really want to give you a heart attack right after that. Besides we’ve got questions of our own for you, but we can deal with that later.”
Saeyoung eyes the arm wrapped around your waist but Saeran only tightens his grip.
“Okay,” Saeyoung concedes, dropping back down in his cot properly. “Can you guys at least answer one of them? How do you guys even know each other?”
That was fair enough. From his perspective his brother was somewhere under V’s protection. How did he ever end up with the new member of the RFA?
It was pretty tricky though. Depending on how you phrased it. A tiny slip up could leave more questions than answers. Though both you and Saeran didn’t like having to keep certain secrets...it involved V and Rika and that was another mess of secrets all on it’s own. It would be better to leave that untouched.
“Well...after you went missing, V revealed your history along with Saeran’s. The RFA contacted Saeran to..get his permission to reveal all that information you and V dug up on your dad, so we could get you back as soon as possible... and…. yeah.” as you’re saying this you're making direct eye contact with Saeran trying to have a silent conversation.
After all, everything you were saying wasn’t exactly a lie...and it kind of made sense if you didn’t know everything. Saeran grimaces but nods, seemingly satisfied with your story.
Saeyoung frowns, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. You wait in bated breath for his response.
“So you’ve been dating for the entire time I was gone? Huh? How long was I gone for?” Saeyoung wonders aloud.
You hear Saeran sigh in relief, content with the change of topic. “About two months.”
“WHAT?!”