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Jaemin was fidgeting with the drawstrings of his sweatshirt, the pale yellow color hoarding his vision as the hum of elevator music distracted the business beside him. Another two dings and the businessman stepped off, giving a weird glance to the teen who had been looking at his feet for the past 2 minutes.
Jaemin let out a breath when he finally reached the 8th floor, stepping onto the ugly carpeted floor and following the arrows on the wall to Ms. Wen's office. He entered, his fidgeting fingers now moving to run over the scar on his chest, the uneven skin adding texture to his sweatshirt.
"Na Jaemin?"
"Yes."
The man at the reception desk smiled warmly at the boy. "Follow me, please." Jaemin nodded and stood. He was led into a small, homey office where a lady –no older than 35– sat, her black hair falling in waves down her back to her hips.
She smiled and bowed. "Hello Na Jaemin, I'm Ling Wen. It's very nice to meet you."
[IF YOU KNOW HER I LOVE YOU]
"I-it's nice to meet you as well, Ms. Wen."
"Please," Ling Wen gestured to a sofa on the other side of the wall, facing her. "Have a seat." She waited for Jaemin to make himself comfortable and pulled out a notepad.
"Jaemin, I know this must be scary, but think of this first meeting as an introduction. Just getting acquainted, okay?"
"Ah- okay." He smiled at her softly and she returned it. "Well, I'm finishing my first year at college. I'm uh– studying early childhood development, hoping to be a teacher." He smiled at his hands, his thumbs and pinkies poking each other without him making them.
"Jaemin?"
"Huh?" the boy looked up at Ling Wen curiously. He was like a young kid, curious and scared, but also excited.
"Tell me, are you nervous."
"Uhm...sort of?" he glanced to the side. "Not of this, just of what my roommate will say when I tell him that I came here."
"Why?"
"Well, he cares about me a lot and I don't want him to think I'm here because I'm in a bad spot."
Ling Wen nodded and wrote something down on her pad, the yellow paper blending into the old yellow of the walls behind her. "You know what therapy is, of course, don't you?"
"Yes. I'm taking psychology as another class, so I'm aware of the basics."
"I'm sure your roommate will understand," Ling Wen scribbled something else and Jaemin laughed nervously. "Tell me Jaemin, your hands, do you have a tremor?"
Jaemin looked at his hands, turning them over as if witnessing them for the first time. "I– I don't believe so. I mean, I have habits and stuff. Why?"
"I notice you've been twiddling and fidgeting with them, do you perhaps feel an emptiness?"
"In my hands?"
Ling Wen nodded. "Yes, such as..." She hums and looks at the ceiling. "Something like a certain way you spin your pen, or maybe only holding your phone in your left hand?"
Jaemin frowns and looks back at his hands. "I....I never thought about it. I just feel safer with things in my left hand so my right hand can be ready for..."
"For...?"
Jaemin frowns. "I'm...not sure."
Ling Wen nodded again, her face revealing nothing but that same warm smile. Her eyes crinkled in the corners and there was a glimmer of gold in her pupils. "Tell me Jaemin, do you have any other habits you think might be like this?"
"Is there something wrong with me if I do?"
"No. I just want to make sure that you're perfectly fine."
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Jaemin did not feel perfectly fine when he entered his apartment. The rooms were quiet, give for the light snores and loud purrs coming from his and Jeno's bedroom.
Jaemin sighed and made his way towards the bedroom, gently taking Seol off of Jeno's chest and replacing it with a notebook full of psychology notes and a drawing of the brain. He sits down against the pillows, propping up his back and hips. In his hand in a pen, spinning around his fingers like a pinwheel as he reviewed his notes from classes earlier. He wasn't sure how long he was sitting on the bed, his notes sprawled out around him, but eventually, he turned to the window and saw that it was already dusk outside.
"Mmm, we can order dinner later," he hums to himself, looking back at his notebook and computer. Jaemin fights the urge to close his eyes, muttering to himself that he only has two more questions to go before he can rest.
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Jeno awakens to a weight on his chest and a piece of paper in his hand. He tries his best to look at what's laying on him, sighing fondly at the sight of a sleeping Jaemin. The boy's hair was messy and unruly, his shirt crinkled and lifting around his stomach, the tan and muscular skin showing through.
"Jaem?" He shakes the boy gently, eliciting a groan and a sleepy swat of his hand. Jeno sighs again, less fondly this time. "Come on Jaem, get up. It's time to–"
"Shut up and let me sleep," Jaemin mumbles, cracking an eye open at the boy he was currently on top of. "Oh, shit wait what time is it?"
"Uh..." Jeno reaches over to his pillow and opens his phone. "Like eight."
Jaemin frowns and moves around, resting his chin on Jeno's stomach, his legs crisscrossed beneath him. "We should order dinner, shouldn't we?"
"Probably."
"And we should check on the cats, right?"
"Yup."
"Don't wanna. You do it."
Jeno rolls his eyes and lifts Jaemin's face off his stomach. "Fine but clean up your supplies please."
"Mmm, fine."
Jeno smiles, thanking him and moving to the rest of the apartment. He sees the cats laying down leisurely on the couch, both purring in the warmth of the heater in the corner. He ruffles Nal's ears, making the animal meow and shake his head, eyes opening tiredly.
"Come on little one, food time. You too Seol." He goes to grab both cats, and brings them to the kitchen, the sound of Jaemin bustling around the bedroom putting a calm atmosphere over the whole apartment.
"Hey, Jeno?"
"Mm?"
"Can I talk to you about something?" Jaemin asks, coming into the kitchen, putting his backpack on the floor gently. He sits at the counter, watching Jeno feed their cats with care.
"Yeah," Jeno stands and turns to be in front of him. "What's up?"
"Well, I– Uh– I went to a therapist today," he said quietly, watching Jeno's reaction. The boy only smiled and nodded, gesturing for him to continue. "And– and she said I have something called OCD."
"Ah, I see." Jeno sits down at the barstool, and Jaemin watches him anxiously.
"Do...No nevermind."
"Do I find it weird?" Jeno finishes for him, placing his chin in his hand, blinking. "No, I don't. There are things in this world that we can't control, and I get that. I get you, Jaemin."
"W-what about me going to therapy?"
Jeno chuckles and stands back up, lacing an arm around Jaemin's waist. "Are you worried I might be overly concerned? Act as if you're a fragile doll?"
"Well. maybe."
The blonde-haired boy shakes his head, giving Jaemin's hip a small squeeze. "Don't be silly. It's healthy that you're getting help. I'm proud of you."
Jaemin looks up at him, his big doe eyes shining with curiosity. "Proud?"
"Very proud." Jeno plants a small kiss on the middle of Jaemin's forehead, smiling afterward and rubbing circles into the boy's sides. "You're turning your life around, how couldn't I be proud?"
"I– I don't know." Jaemin glances to the side, unconsciously leaning more towards Jeno's chest, just to hear his heartbeat.
"You're very strong Jaem, and this will make you stronger," he plants another kiss on the boy's nose, then his cheek, gently peppering his face in light kisses. "Okay?" He whispers against the boy's lips, waiting for a nod.
Jaemin complies and gives Jeno a soft peck on the lips, which Jeno returns gratefully, smiling into it.
"You're perfect," He whispers, eyes closed. And Jaemin only kisses him harder.
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∆OMG GIRLIE HIIIII how are youuuuuuu???? I'm sorry it's been so longggggg :(((( But I'm here again with another updated ! I hope you all are doing well and have been spending the holidays in a safe and happy environment. Let's hope this new year brings us lots more love! I love you guysss <3333∆