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Donghyuck does not have a fear of needles. He just doesn’t like the idea of sharp tiny things being poked into his body and skin. And also the pain.
Donghyuck doesn’t have a high pain tolerance.
He thinks this not-fear first emerged some time when he was younger and had gotten a really high fever. He remembers being in a hospital room surrounded by doctors trying to pin him down and stab him in the arm with a needle.
As expected, child Donghyuck did not take too well to the scenario and started bawling his eyes out and struggling to get out of all the nurses’ hands. He’d cry and hit and shout for his mother, afraid of the needle that the doctors wanted to poke into his skin.
And so, developed his not-fear of hospital settings and needles.
But Donghyuck thinks he’s fine, he’s survived his first vaccination jab, so what’s there to fear now?
Or at least that’s what he’s trying to say to convince himself to calm the fuck down.
His first jab had been taken with Renjun, who’d stood by the entrance of his booth and spoke to him conversationally as the nurse inserted the needle into his arm.
It’d hurt like shit, but Donghyuck didn’t cry — which was a success in his books. Honestly, it would have been really humiliating if he’d just started crying.
Picture this: a grown man crying because of his fear of needles.
Not very cool and attractive. His ego would take a large hit to that.
Renjun tells him his fear of needles is completely fine and normal, but Renjun is also his best friend, so that’s like his job.
Donghyuck fishes out his identification documents as he speaks to the woman in front of him, nodding along and asking questions.
Donghyuck tries his hardest to listen to them. The quelling in his stomach does not fade.
“Have you had any vaccinations, other than the first one, over the past fourteen days?”
“No.”
“Are you allergic to any food?”
“No.”
“Are you allergic to any medicine?”
“No.”
The questions are quick and wordy — Donghyuck doesn’t think he listens to the full thing before he just replies ‘no’. That’s probably a health hazard.
He would’ve dragged his time out here but also, he’s really angsty and just wants to get home and maybe binge watch a show to reward himself for surviving these two vaccinations.
Renjun should’ve been here today, to talk to him and calm him down. They’d set their vaccination dates together, but Renjun had discovered really fucking late that he had an examination around the corner and had shifted his date.
Donghyuck, had tried to do the same, but he was too late because all the slots on Renjun’s day had already been filled up.
So here he is, nervously walking up to the vaccination booths. The booths are lined up in an L shape, with curtains covering half of the entrances. The kind lady he makes eye contact with guides him to booth number 07.
He remembers the number because it’s most likely going to be the last thing he sees before he suffers tremendous embarrassment.
Pacing with short steps, he pushes the curtain aside.
And then he freezes.
The nurse that sits in the booth tilts his head and his eyes flash in recognition. The glasses he wears reflects the light like he’s some sort of anime protagonist and Donghyuck is sure a shit-eating grin stretches over his face.
A mask cannot simply hide evil grins.
Donghyuck thinks: Fuck
The man must recognise the impending doom falling over Donghyuck’s face because his eyes crinkle at the sides even more.
“Hey baby,” Mark Lee greets, gesturing to the seat in front of him. Donghyuck wants to cry.
Dear Lord, not today.
Not today!!
He almost turns and bolts but he steels his resolve, calming himself down with an exhale and sits on the white chair.
He stares at Mark.
“What?” Mark asks, humour laced into his voice.
“You didn’t tell me you worked here,” Donghyuck states. There is some horrible god out there that has caused this and he will not forgive whoever they are. Coincidences do not exist, this is a terrible fate.
“Do I have to tell you everything?” Mark retaliates, mirth still dancing in his eyes. Donghyuck shakily puts the white label the lady outside had given him on the table. Mark slides it in front of him and notes something down.
“Yeah, you’re my boyfriend.” It’s indignant and comes out as a whine. Donghyuck cannot believe he has fallen this far. It’s the nerves. It’s the fucking nerves.
But also Mark looks really fucking attractive in a white coat. The clothes underneath are the same as the clothes he usually wears, but there’s something about Mark taking on the role of his job that is incredibly hot.
Donghyuck cannot believe he is saying this.
“And?” Mark replies, clearly amused by Donghyuck’s frazzled state. “So?”
“You’re horrible,” Donghyuck grumbles. “I should leave.”
“Nope, you’re not going anywhere.” Mark says simply. Donghyuck sits.
And stares.
“Anything you’re allergic to?” Mark asks.
“You,” Donghyuck retorts. Mark turns to raise any eyebrow at him. Donghyuck shrinks. “Nothing.”
“Were you sick in the last fourteen days?”
“Sick of you,” Donghyuck grumbles underneath his breath. Mark looks at him, thoroughly amused. “I wasn’t sick, you know this.”
“It's an important procedure, at least pretend to be nice about it.” Mark retaliates, humming as he starts typing into the computer.
“This is so creepy,” Donghyuck says. “My boyfriend has my entire medical records opened in front of him.”
“In what way is that creepy?” Mark asks as he reaches below his chair to get a sealed bag. Donghyuck gulps. It’s the needle.
“Very private information, you know.” Donghyuck says lamely and his eyes widen when Mark tears open the injection needle. It is unnecessarily long, and very, very intimidating.
Donghyuck looks away quickly.
“Nervous?” Mark asks, his voice a little softer now. There are hands that tug his sleeve up to his shoulder.
“No,” Donghyuck lies. He knows Mark can tell he’s lying, but he’s not about to admit to his fear of needles in broad daylight.
“It won’t hurt much,” Mark says as he starts to disinfect the part he’s going to jab with an alcohol wipe.
Donghyuck tenses up uncomfortably.
“It’s a needle,” Donghyuck points out. Mark laughs. “And you’re doing the injection — I think it’s only fair to be a little scared.”
Mark laughs. “Does Hyuckie have a fear of needles?”
Donghyuck flushes.
“Shut up,” Donghyuck grumbles.
“Relax, bub.” Mark hums, a hand moving to massage into Donghyuck’s left shoulder. “It’ll hurt more if you’re tense like this.”
Donghyuck squeezes his eyes shut and exhales shakily, relaxing his arm.
“Want me to count down or should I just do it?” Mark asks, his voice soothing.
“Count,” Donghyuck says.
“Okay, baby.” Mark hums. Donghyuck hopes Mark isn’t like this to any of the other people who come in here for vaccination jabs. At least with the pet names.
He hopes Mark isn’t calling his patients ‘baby’. That’s a rather horrifying thought.
“One, two,” Mark pauses. Donghyuck wants to scream at him. “Three.”
Donghyuck relaxes, tries to think of Mark voice and his hands around him — even though he’s the one currently putting him through this torture.
The pain is sharp, stinging in his arm. It hurts more than the first — he’ll admit that. But the tears do not well up in his eyes.
“We’re done, c’mon.” Mark whispers comfortingly. Donghyuck opens his eyes and turns just in time to see Mark put a plaster over his wound. “Wasn’t that bad right?”
“Hurt like fuck,” Donghyuck retorts, but relief is already flooding his entire body at the prospect of no longer needing to go through this ever again.
Or maybe he might have to — who knows what the future holds.
“You’re giving me kisses when we get home,” Donghyuck demands. Mark’s eyebrows shoot up.
“Why would I?” He asks.
“You administered this pain onto me, you should pay for the consequences.” Donghyuck reasons unreasonably.
“You would’ve had to go through this no matter what,” Mark defends.
“Why’re you so against giving me kisses?” Donghyuck whines. Mark snorts, reaching over to brush Donghyuck’s cheeks with his knuckles.
“You’re annoyingly persistent,” Mark hums as he retracts his hand. “Now get out of my booth.”
“You’re horrible,” Donghyuck wrinkles his nose.
“Just for you,” Mark throws right back at him. Donghyuck wants to bury himself.
Note to self: Mark gets confidence spikes when he’s in his element.
“Oh yeah, and,” Donghyuck adds, just as he’s about to head out. “You’re stupidly attractive in your stupid outfit or whatever.”
Donghyuck turns his back after his words, not even needing to look to know that there is a smug grin sitting underneath Mark’s mask.
A worker nearby leads Donghyuck to a seat for the obligatory thirty minute observation. It’s only when he sits down that his limbs properly give up on him.
Fucking Mark Lee.
He pulls out his phone and sends exactly three texts to Mark.
you’re stupid
remember my kisses
and the last, begrudgingly;
thank you, i love you