Work Text:
recently, you've been caught up in a lot of problems with your family more than usual, and the fact that your mental health wasn't doing good didn't help you or your health, physically and mentally, in any way.
you became less talkative, you lost your appetite to eat because of it. unintentionally and intentionally you rarely ate and sometimes skip meals.
as a way to cope, you would spend your time mostly inside your room and distanced yourself away from everyone, including your own lover that lived under the same roof as you.
you would finish and do your assignments, projects, quizzes, tests faster willingly, and you would even study and read books to distract yourself.
whenever xiao would try to confront you about it, you would indirectly avoid him which stung your heart a bit.
you started dating xiao now for 2 months or so after years of mutual pining since highschool. your mind was in chaos, several thoughts that your own lover would leave you for being selfish for choosing a way to cope like this.
the voices in your head telling you "you're being selfish.", "you're being too hard on him and everyone else.", "he'll leave you. he'll even hate you for being like this.", "you're acting like a child, you know?"
your pride was on the line as well, you didn't want to show him that you were mentally dying and wanted to open up, you were scared, what if you open up to him and he thinks you're being childish?
meanwhile, xiao, was worried for your well-being, he was glad that you would at least still acknowledge his existence and interact with him sometimes and would text him unlike the others that you left on seen and some people.. you never opened their chat.
he wanted to confront you about it, he knew something was weighing you down and he wanted to help.
it was xiao, he stood at the door with a tray. it seems he went back to get a plate of food for you..
"[name], you need to eat. you barely ate anything today, you're going to starve yourself to death.." he said with a frown as he slowly went towards you.
you stayed silent as you then picked up your papers, stood up and placed them to your table.
you hear him placing the plate of food on one of your bookshelf counter behind you.
"[name].. please don't give me the silent treatment, you've been like this for a week.. the others are worried about you, and so am i."
no response.
you only stayed silent as xiao watched your back facing him.
"[name].. please talk to me." he said as he turned you around to face him, you only looked down on the floor, avoiding his gaze.
tears were slowly forming, you panicked, you pushed xiao's hands away from you as you tried to wipe the soon-in coming of tears.
"[name], you're not okay, please let me try to help—" he tried to speak to you but you cut him off.
"NO! im fine, im fine, im okay, im okay, everything's fine!" you tried to reason as you feigned a smile but it only triggered your tears to form more, making you panic as you fell to a sitting position on your floor as you lowered your head and tried to stop your tears.
you gave up, you stood up with tears slowly falling, you ignored xiao and went to your bed and sat, as you were about to bring the covers over you, xiao suddenly goes over and sits in front of you.
"you're not okay, it's okay to not be okay." xiao said as he brought you in an embrace, making you freeze for a moment.
you broke down into cries as you hugged xiao tighter while trying to speak.
you both stayed like that position on your bed for a while, you on his lap as you embraced him.
you told him about your problems, how you felt during the past week while crying.
"im so fucking frustrated.. i hate myself.. i.." you sniffled as tears were still flowing.
"..it's okay.. you're enough, more than enough. you did so well my love, you gave them your best but it didn't satisfy your family, it's fine."
"your mistakes don't define you as a person, you're perfect just the way you are, don't let their views affect you."
you slowly broke the hug, "how am i so lucky to have you..?"
he only chuckled as he wiped your tears, "no way, im the lucky one to have you."
"im so sorry for being a bitch to you for a week.." you apologized as he replied, "it's fine, although it did hurt my non-existent feelings."
"god, xiao, i must look like shit right now, don't i?" you laughed while moving away from his lap and sat on your bed properly.
you rubbed your eyes as your eyes slightly puffy and your sight a bit blurred from all the crying.
"yeah, you do." he responds while looking at you with a smile which made you gasp in a dramatic way as you placed your hand at your heart, feigning an arrow hit through your heart.
"you’re supposed to say something nice!” you said as you grabbed your nearby pillow and threw it in his face.
"maybe but you love me either way.”
"i unfortunately do."
"i love you too.