Myungsuk stared at the card in his hands. "I've never had a train card before," he whispered, his words muffled by his mask.

"Will you be okay?" Insoo asked. Myungsuk couldn't hear him through his noise-cancelling headphones, but he read Insoo's lips and nodded.

"Yup." Myungsuk wrapped his arms around Insoo's. "Let's go."

He followed Insoo to the platforms, humming as he looked around. After rush hour and before lunch was the least busy time and while seats would still be scarce, he'd be fine with Insoo.

"Okay, you have to let go. We can only go one at a time," Insoo said.

Myungsuk pouted and stared at the machine. The gate was small and Insoo's arms were long. "Can we hold hands?"

Insoo cracked a smile and nodded. "Sure," he said, sheepishly, glancing around.

Releasing his arm, they held hands as Insoo scanned his card. With a beep, the gate swung open and Insoo walked through. Insoo leaned over on his toes, keeping them connected. Myungsuk's heart fluttered from the tiniest compensations Insoo did for him.

With an assured nod, he scanned his card, watched the green checkmark appear before sprinting through the gate and straight to Insoo's chest.

"Oof!" Insoo stumbled back before wrapping his arms around Myungsuk, kissing the top of his head."You did great."

Grinning, Myungsuk stood on his toes, tapping their noses together. "Thank you for holding my hand."

Insoo pecked the top of Myungsuk's cheek. "Of course," he whispered before pulling back. "Let's catch the train."

Myungsuk tightened his grip and ran with him, a flurry of giggles escaping his chest. They hurried down the stairs as the train pulled up to the platform and they sprinted, stumbling into the train car victoriously. 

They laughed; Myungsuk took longer to catch his breath as he stuck close to Insoo, looking around. Frowning at the lack of seats, Myungsuk looked up at Insoo.

"Why don't you hold onto me," Insoo said and held the overhead railing.

Myungsuk nodded and slipped his arms under Insoo's open button-up, nuzzling against the cotton t-shirt underneath. He nodded. "This is good," he said. The train started to move and Myungsuk stumbled, Insoo tightening his grip around him. Gulping, Myungsuk closed his eyes.

In this proximity, he could smell Insoo's pheromones. Warm and inviting. With no one else's scent to interfere, no noise and nothing to see, Myungsuk relaxed. It was just Insoo and him. As it should be.

The train stopped five times and as it slowed down for the sixth stop, Insoo patted Myungsuk's backpack. "This is us."

Myungsuk peeked up and blinked, shocked at the crowd around them. Nodding, he held Insoo's arms and squeezed his shoulders in to avoid bumping into everyone as they headed out the opened doors.

This platform was much busier with no place to run. Insoo kissed his head and Myungsuk's attention snapped up to him. "We're almost there."

Nodding, Myungsuk followed him, bouncing up the steps towards the street, across from the hospital.

The waiting room was dull and sterile. The chair wobbled underneath him and Insoo didn't seem to have much luck by his readjusting either. Myungsuk rested his chin on his bag, tapping his feet against the tiles.

He took Insoo's hands and fiddled with Insoo's long, slender fingers, tracing them with his own stubby ones. Myungsuk then pressed his palm against Insoo's and giggled. His hand was half the size of Insoo's.

Insoo wiggled his fingers and Myungsuk blinked up at him "Huh?"

"The nurse called us," Insoo said, folding their fingers together. "Let's go."

Myungsuk stared at the nurse at the desk before back at Insoo and nodded. Insoo squeezed his hand reassuringly and Myungsuk felt the sweat on the other's palm. He scrunched his nose but didn't pull away.

They followed the nurse through the double doors and led them to their room before walking away. Looking around the office, Myungsuk grinned, tingly jitters tickled his body all over.

He turned off his headphones and slowly pulled them off, the only sounds were the vents and a gentle whirring in the other room. He put them away before shoving the paper cover off the bed and sat down.

"How're you feeling?" Insoo asked, sitting beside him.

"I'm good," Myungsuk said with a firm nod. "Excited."

Insoo hummed. "I'm glad," he said and chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'm excited too."

Myungsuk watched him with a frown. Insoo didn't usually rub his neck when he was excited. "Are you really?"

He took a moment to answer. "I'm nervous. I don't like needles," he confessed.

Myungsuk's eyebrows shot up and he placed his hands over Insoo's. He hadn't expected that. "That's okay. You can hold my hand." Myungsuk bit back his smile, giggling at Insoo's exaggerated pout.

"Promise?" Insoo asked, leaning in.

"I promise," Myungsuk purred, nuzzling their noses together.

The knock on the door made them both snap away and the doctor walked in. "Hello, I'm Dr. Seojin. Are you two Cheung Insoo and Park Myungsuk?" She asked, taking a seat on her stool in front of the computer.

They nodded.

"And I understand you're both here regarding your heat," she said to Myungsuk.

"Yes. I want to share my heat with Insoo," he said and opened his backpack. He took out a pink folder and pulled out the last bundle of papers. "We gave the nurse our latest blood and physical results. Anything from the last six months is valid, correct?"

Dr. Seojin nodded. "That's correct."

Myungsuk nodded. "The nurse said to give the heat contract to you directly," he said, holding the papers out to her.

"You're very prepared," she said, taking the contract from him and flipping through it.

"I wanted to take the least amount of train rides possible," Myungsuk said, grinned at Insoo's amused look.

"And the least amount of needles," Insoo added and Myungsuk giggled.

"Well, you two certainly make my job easier," she said, humming approvingly as she set the contract down and turned to her computer, opening up copies of their results. "Now, from what I gather, you two know quite a bit about what you're getting yourselves into. But, a discussion is still necessary."

"Of course, doctor," Insoo said, sitting up.

"I notice that your witness is not a family member. At your age, I do find that a point of concern. Is there a reason why that is the case?"

Myungsuk and Insoo shared a look, squeezing each other's hands. "Um, my father travels often, so finding the time to explain the situation to him would've been tough," Insoo explained, filtering the situation as best he could.

"And my parents are in Shanghai," Myungsuk added. "And my brothers like Insoo, but they would've teased me too much." That needed no filtering. Myungsuk scrunched his nose at the thought of both of them knowing.

"I see," Dr. Seojin stayed silent for a moment, but when neither of them filled the silence, she moved on. "And where do you plan on having your heat? At a heat centre?"

Myungsuk shook his head. "My parents still have their old apartment. It's empty but my room is still intact."

Dr. Seojin nodded. "And safety measures. Myungsuk, have you gotten yourself a collar? It must be one of the approved medical collars. All of this is to prevent accidental bonding, after all," she said, holding up the contract.

"I have one. I wrote down the model on the third page," he pointed out.

Dr. Seojin glanced down at the contract and nodded. "Alright." She placed her hands on her lap, turning to Myungsuk. "And you are doing this out of love?"

Myungsuk blinked. "Am I doing this out of love?" Myungsuk nodded. "Yup." 

He turned to Insoo with a cheerful smile and paused. He tilted his head at his wide-eyed expression. "What?"

"n-Nothing." Insoo cleared his throat as he blushed.

Dr. Seojin nodded. "Good." Well, since you two are perfectly healthy and prepared. I will get your birth control ready," she said and stood up, taking the contract with her.

Insoo sighed heavily as soon as the door closed. "I was really worried she'd question us forever."

Myungsuk furrowed his brows. "Really? Why?"

Insoo shrugged. "Like she said. We're young."

"So?" Myungsuk nuzzled his cheek. "There's no one else I'd rather share my heat with. And I don't see the point in waiting just for some arbitrary age where people think it's more appropriate." Myungsuk pulled back. "Understand?"

Insoo's shoulders relaxed and he broke into a wide grin. "Understood."

Dr. Seojin returned with a small basket. "Alright, who is going first."

Myungsuk felt Insoo tense up and raised his hand. "I will."

She nodded and prepared one of the injections, filling it with a clear liquid and changing the needle to one the length of his pinky. "This will be going in your lower abdomen. So, I'll need you to lower your pants and lift your top."

Nodding, Myungsuk stood up and tugged his pants down to his hips and held his sweater up with his free hand, his other one still in Insoo's shaky grip. "Should I stand or sit?"

"Standing is good," Dr. Seojin said, rolling her stool over. Myungsuk cringed at the cold alcohol swab. "Okay, I need you to take a deep breath and relax."

"Okay, doctor," he said. He watched as she lined up the needle and slowly pierce the skin. Needles were never painful enough to surpass Myungsuk's threshold, but especially now when there was something far more distracting.

Myungsuk looked over at Insoo whose face was turned away, and eyes squeezed shut. Myungsuk pouted. Myungsuk was the one getting the shot. Did Insoo really hate needles that much?

"And done," Dr. Seojin said, pulling out the needle and patching it up with a single bandaid. "You can readjust your clothes," she said and disposed of his needle and started to prepare the other.

Myungsuk buttoned his jeans and sat back down. Insoo's face paled, eyes wide as he stared at Dr. Seojin filling the other syringe. Frowning, Myungsuk covered Insoo's eyes. "Don't look."

Insoo took a deep breath and nodded. "Sorry. I just..."

"Nervous?"

He nodded.

"I'm here. You can squeeze my hand as hard as you want," he insisted, lacing their fingers together.

"Insoo, can you lift your shirt? This will also go into your abdomen."

Gulping, Insoo stood up and pushed his trousers down to his hips, facing Myungsuk. "Is this okay, doctor?"

"Yes, it's fine."

Myungsuk smiled reassuringly and squeezed his hand. Insoo's meek smile dropped when he flinched.

"It's only the alcohol swab," Dr. Seojin said. "Try to relax. We don't want the needle to break."

"Ah, sorry," Insoo muttered. His face was as white as a sheet and he took a slow, shaky breath, as the needle pierced his skin.

"I got you," Myungsuk said, nuzzling Insoo's cheek, letting out his scent, hints of it enough to get through the scent neutralizers circulating in the hospital vents.

Insoo's tight grip relaxed. The growing warmth in Myungsuk's chest grew whenever he could give back to Insoo. Insoo does so much for him, big and small. And Insoo was the first person Myungsuk felt the instinctual urge to protect and care for.

"And done." Dr. Seojin pulled out the needle and promptly patched him up. "Now, that wasn't so bad, was it?" she asked as she cleaned up.

Insoo opened his eyes, meeting Myungsuk's gaze. "Yeah," he breathed out. Myungsuk bit his lip as Insoo leaned in, whispering. "Thank you. That helped me a lot."

Myungsuk's heart hammered under Insoo's warm gaze and he pecked Insoo's cheek. He'd do anything for Insoo. Big and small.

The appointment ended with them getting a copy of the heat contract with Dr. Seojin's signature and their other documents back. Myungsuk neatly tucked it back into their folder before swinging his bag onto his back, skipping out of the hospital with Insoo.

Insoo halted outside and spun around to face Myungsuk. He knitted his brows together and hung his head, rubbing the back of his neck.

Myungsuk pouted and tugged his hand. "Insoo? What is it?"

Insoo shuffled his feet. "Did you mean it?"

"Mean what?" Myungsuk tilted his head.

"What you said back there," Insoo added, glanced up. "That you love me."

"Oh, when Dr. Seojin asked if I'm going this out of love?" Myungsuk nodded. "Yeah, of course."

"That's not what I'm asking," Insoo whispered. He straightened up and took both of Myungsuk's hands. "Do you love me?"

Myungsuk blinked up at Insoo and pursed his lips. What a silly question.

"Why else would I ask you to share my heat with me?" Myungsuk cracked a smile. "Why are you asking like you didn't know?"

"Well, because"–Insoo shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck–"you've never said it out loud."

"Oh." Myungsuk tugged his sleeves; He thought it was a given. Although, by the way Insoo fidgeted, maybe he hadn't been clear at all.

Myungsuk stepped closer and squeezed Insoo's hands. "I love you."

Insoo's scent burst with a warmth that tingled the depth of Myungsuk's belly. "I love you too," Insoo whispered back.

Giggling, Myungsuk nuzzled his shoulder, absorbing his scent. "If you smell this good when I say it, I'll say it more."

"I'd actually like that," Insoo said and they both continued walking, gently swinging their arms. "I don't know. I like hearing it. I don't have to guess then." Insoo chuckled and shrugged, his shoulders drooping.

Myungsuk nodded and leaned into him. "Noted." He didn't want his Insoo guessing about their relationship. He wanted Insoo to be as secure in them as Myungsuk was. Myungsuk tugged Insoo's hand.

"Hm?" Insoo paused. Myungsuk gestured to him to lean down. Insoo furrowed his brows and ducked his head.

Giggling, Myungsuk pushed up on his toes, leaning close to his ear and whispered. "I love you."