Reflection

Cue a satisfied snort followed by nimble fingers flying across the display.

[ ✉ ⇢ miracle worker ] i’m sorry, i’m sorry, please come– [ ✉ ⇢ miracle worker ] i’ll go check the mirror

With two big spoonfuls Sehun finished his breakfast and dumped the bowl in the sink. He was still hungry, but when wasn’t he? Self-harm could be carried out in so many ways – not letting yourself sate one of your most basic needs was one of them. But even so his entire focus was on his animals, far too engrossed in the simple act of trimming their nails. How people weren’t required to get a license for owning a pet, much like a driving license to use a car, was beyond him. Shit was hard and lives were on the stake. It all played into the human desire to play God, and just like that he worried that he was doing the same. Playing God. Playing house. Playing with lives entirely dependent on him for survival. A quiver ran down his spine and he shook his head, hurrying over to the mirror.

The telepath tugged the blanket off and threw it atop his bed, entirely unimpressed about his own reflection staring back at him. Luckily Sanghyun appeared more or less seconds after the mirror was cleared, and Sehun took a stumbling step or two backwards to give him some space. But the worried knot was still wrung tight in his chest, and it would be until he knew that Ren had been properly cared for. The feeling of inadequacy would always stay there, nestled deep within, but it left room for the satisfaction towards a kind, helping hand. He didn’t necessarily invite people into his home, not if he had any say in it at least, but his aching love for those furry little creatures had let the veterinarian in without a second thought months prior – and since then he was a welcomed guest.

“Don’t jinx it!” he transmitted to the older male, the voice lighthearted and all in good fun. But that one innocent word reminded him about the fallen Champion, and as Sanghyun moved around him he could feel his heart drop to the ground and shatter into a million peaces – a nauseating fear settling in a slight panic. With a quick lick of his lips Sehun nodded and stepped into the living room, looking around for the clippers that he knew should be somewhere, if he could only remember where... “Yes, they’re in the cage. I managed to trim Rey and Finn’s nails, but I couldn’t get Ren to lay still.” He furrowed his brows and stopped in his tracks. He had used the clippers yesterday, where in the world could they– Oh. On the opposite side of the room, on the floor in a corner, he found them abandoned and out of place. He may or may not have thrown them across the room in a fit of frustration back then.

The older male followed the other, walking into the living room and noticing the cage almost immediately. He almost said something about the cage but then remembered it was kind of difficult and sometimes difficult to have the rabbits running around the place with next to no protection for themselves. Before going to the actual reason for the visit, Sanghyun needed to ask some questions, just for his own well being. ‘’Before all that, how much are you feeding them? How often do you let them out of the cage?’’ he questioned, looking to Sehun with nothing more than an inquisitive look on his face. He knew the other wouldn’t pose any harm to the animals, he just wanted to know. 

‘’Also, it’s very uncommon considering you live here and don’t live with any other animals, but have you recently checked for fleas? Most people don’t realize that rabbits can get them too.’’ Okay he thought to himself, he had grueled Sehun for long enough. Gesturing to the clippers in the other’s hands he waited for them to be passed over, inspecting them slightly when obtaining them. Still, it was unclear why exactly Ren couldn’t stay still. Knowing that could provide invaluable information which could be used later on. Or it could just be the rabbits having a moment - which since they were animals, might be the cause after all. 

Looking over to Sehun he thought whether or not the other could help, whether it cause hassle or not had yet to be seen. ‘’Actually..’’ he began, grabbing the small flashlight from his pocket. ‘’Hold this for me while I cut them.’’ When the flashlight was passed over he reached into the cage, grabbing Ren. Sitting on the floor he looked over to Sehun, ‘’Okay, I want you to flash the light onto the nails for me.’’ Usually this would come across quite weirdly, especially to people who didn’t know anything about rabbits. Sehun technically wasn’t in that camp but to remind him about basic techniques might prove useful. ‘’Now I don’t know if you can see it very well but there is a vein inside the nail, it’s called the Quick, obviously you don’t want to cut it.’’ Using a free finger he tried his best to point it out, though it was a little difficult to see. Using a flashlight was the best way he had found so see it and thus avoid it.

{ @thunderxph· }

She hadn’t planned on having guests over today. It was becoming commonplace, having unexpected - even unwanted - visitors in her home. Yet, there he was, his mere presence taking up the entire room. Her fingers tightened on the door handle as she moved to close it. Her heart beat an erratic tattoo against her chest as he turned to face her. Recognition bloomed within her.

Cursed. She had to be cursed.

“You seem to be doing well for yourself.” The words seemed muffled, though Eunji was sure he had spoken in a normal volume. Officer Choi Jihoon had never toned himself down to make her comfortable. It had been what had drawn her in in the first place. Before she had realized what he was, who he was.

“I’ve managed,” she mumbled, looking away. Her voice didn’t fumble for once. A small miracle in and of itself, “Would you like something to drink?”

There were always rules when it came to him. His smirk grin, a little crooked in a way that used to be endearing but now made her fingers twist on themselves. His smirk grew as he noticed. He always noticed.

‘’Jung Eunji.’’ he spoke simply, watching as the mirror before him transformed into the thing he was very much used to. He could clearly see the other, doing nothing out of the ordinary as of yet. Everything seemed normal, which Thunder was glad at. Being able to look at others became such a useful tool for him, the only downside was that he couldn’t hear what the other was saying, or anyone else for that matter. He had made an attempt to start reading lips but that had only gotten so far. 

It wasn’t until a bit later and he was across the room that he noticed that she wasn’t alone anymore. It was a shame that he couldn’t hear anything that was happening on the other side, it seemed it would be important to him. ‘’Who are you?’’ he spoke gently, tracing the others movements with his eyes. One thing he also didn’t really know was what it looked like on the other side. He didn’t exactly know if his other ability worked both ways, meaning could the other person see him as well. If that was the case, no one else had said anything to him regarding the matter.

 @thunderxph

Owning a pet isn’t a stagnant, linear experience – much to Sehun’s surprise. Admittedly he had never known much about animals, never owned one nor cared for one, but it still surprised him what a roller coaster of emotions it turned out to be. Because one day he would walk through his house with the silliest of grins plastered across his lips courtesy of his well-behaved, ever sweet rabbits. The next he would pull his hair out in a violent mental breakdown over his four-legged spawns of Satan. How people could do this and remain sane was beyond him.

Yesterday had been literal hell as far as he was concerned. He had tried to trim their nails, whereas Rey and Finn had lulled him into a false sense of accomplishment by being model pets. But when Ren was next in line Sehun was reminded of how everything just kind of sucked. He couldn’t get the animal to lay relaxed in his lap like the two prior had, nor would the black rabbit let him take his paws either. With a plethora of faint claw marks on his hands, tears streaming down his cheeks and several pleads for Ren to chill just this one time, he had to call it a night. These were the times that he, in a bout of panic, convinced himself that he was the worst pet owner in the entire world and that he would never, ever be able to figure it out. But what scared him the most was his impulse to wrangle the poor creature’s neck out of pure desperation, and that’s when he locked himself inside his bedroom and refused to come out for the rest of the night.

The guilt, exhaustion and complete sense of inadequacy was still eating away at him where he sat by the dining table the following morning, somberly looking over at the animals happily eating breakfast in their shared cage. He had to admit defeat on the daily, and now was no different. The champion let the spoon kind of linger in his mouth as both hands reached for the phone and opened his texts. 

[ ✉ ⇢ miracle worker ] mayday, mayday [ ✉ ⇢ miracle worker ] !!! [ ✉ ⇢ miracle worker ] ren won’t let me trim his nails, can you help me?? [ ✉ ⇢ miracle worker ] he’s giving me [ ✉ ⇢ miracle worker ] grey hares [ ✉ ⇢ miracle worker ] badum-tssss!!1

What did drive him up the wall was the fact that it had been nearly thirty minutes and his scheduled appointment had not yet arrived. Typical. Put yourself out there with reasonable hours and people take you for granted. It’s all for the animals he would remind himself, grimacing as he thought it. Didn’t help that Sanghyun was the only one left at the clinic at this point, everyone else running home as soon as they could. Even if he wanted to leave, he couldn’t exactly do so. The minute he would walk away, the minute the women would come in screaming that her dog has the flea’s. Not what he pictured when first starting this job all those years ago.

Hearing his phone vibrate in his coat pocket was like music to his ears, at least something to do. Retrieving it from his pocket, he opened up his messages. Sehun, he should of known. Ever since he had helped the other a couple of times, the messages had been somewhat constant. It was obvious that he was something of a worrier, always thinking that they might be doing something wrong. To Sanghyun, at least the other cared for their animals. If it were the other way around, he would have some issues then.

[TEXT ⇢ Worrywort] I should say no for that pun.

[TEXT ⇢ Worrywort] But considering it sounds like you might start to pull out your own hair,

[TEXT ⇢ Worrywort] I’ll be there as soon as I can.

[TEXT ⇢ Worrywort] Make sure that blanket is off the mirror, otherwise I’ll have to walk and not after the day I’ve had.

Eyeing the clock for what seemed like the nth time, Sanghyun finally decided to call it quits. If the women came here, then she’ll have to be very disappointed, not with Sanghyun but with her time management skills. Luckily for him they kept a stash of rabbit feed at the clinic, grabbing them and a small flashlight he made his way to the mirror.

amaryllis: tell you favorite season and why.

begonia: what are you wary of?

crocus: what makes you happy?

daisy: tell a secret you’ve never shared.

forsythia: what do you look forward to?

gladiolus: when do you feel frustrated?

hyacinth: what makes you get jealous?

iris: tell a story of a close friend.

jonquil: your first time in love?

larkspur: something that will change your mind about a person?

mistletoe: a challenge you have overcome?

narcissus: name one of your best and worst qualities.

orange blossom: your hopes for the future?

peony: tell a time when you were ashamed of yourself.

rose: tell a story of someone you’ll always remember.

snapdragon: a lie you told.

tulip: what makes a perfect lover?

violet: a chance you took, and how it ended.