Title: The Plants Won’t Mind

Pairing: Minho/Onew

Chapter Rating: PG

Word Count: 558

Summary: Minho has to be home at 6:00pm to water his plants.

Sometimes Minho takes care of Jinki.

He reminds him to eat dinner and to always brush his teeth before he goes to bed and to wear green on every second Thursday of each month.

They are sitting in the car when Minho glances at the black, bulky Timex watch he has had since seventh grade. “It’s almost 6:00 pm,” he says.

And Jinki looks at him, briefly, his hands tightening on the steering wheel. “I don’t think we’ll be home by then.”

Minho can feel something building inside of him, even though he doesn’t know, exactly what it is. He begins playing with his necklace the way he does when he has to get on a rollercoaster or talk to strangers.  “We have to be home at 6:00pm.” He’s staring out the window, now, counting all the yellow cars that pass them by. So far, there’s been three.

“Can’t you water your plants at a different time?” Jinki asks as he turns on his blinker to switch lanes. “I’m sure they won’t mind.” Jinki chuckles.

Minho knows that Jinki is telling a joke because he doesn’t really understand it. Of course the plants won’t mind but Minho does.

He shakes his head and grips his necklace and he knows that Jinki knows that he can’t feed them at a different time but he reminds him just in case he has forgotten. “I have to water them at exactly 6:00 pm. If I don’t it will be a Very Bad Day, Jinki.” And Minho does not like Very Bad Days.

“I know, Minho. I know.” He sees Jinki grip the wheel so tightly his knuckles turn white.

Minho turns back towards the window, trying to focus on anything but the tick tick ticking of his black, bulky Timex watch he has had since seventh grade. He counts 5 more yellow cars, a total of 8, when the car console reads 6:00pm. and they are not yet, even remotely, close to home.

The pressure inside him is building and Minho has to cover his ears and shut his eyes. He’s screaming, because he can’t hear anything else except his own voice. He can’t hear the tick tick ticking of his black, bulky Timex watch he has had since seventh grade or the way his Very Good Day has turned into a Very Bad one and it’s comforting.

When he opens them again, the car is stopped on the side of the road, and Minho feels a little better because sometimes, afterwards, the motion makes him feel sick. He looks over at Jinki because Jinki always makes his days better, even if they are Very Bad ones.

But Jinki is in the driver’s seat, head buried in his forearms and knuckles still white on the steering wheel.

Minho pats his back because he thinks that Jinki must be crying because they didn’t make it home by 6:00pm. He doesn’t know what to say because Jinki never cries, not even when the doctor gives him a shot or when they have to draw blood or when Mom and Pop died.

“It’s okay, Jinki.” He says as he continues to pat his older brother’s back. “I’m sure the plants won’t mind.” Minho may not understand the joke but Jinki does and soon his sobs turn to laughter.

Sometimes Minho takes care of Jinki.