Between Sirens and Mermaids

Today's A Sunny Day

AN: I should be reading my Electrical prints book right now, but I want to be emotional and play with Team and Win. 

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He'd called the therapist Pharm had recommended during lunch that very day. He didn't want to do anything to jeopardize his future. His love for  Hia Ton meant he had to do everything he could to succeed and make it into the Thai National Swim Team. The fact that Hia had messaged him after getting out of the meeting with the  Dean and told him about the not-so-subtle reprimand that was aimed at both of them had Team scheduling the nearest appointment that he could get.

Which was why he was now sitting in his car, Hia driving them to the therapist's office. He was sure that the hand he clutched was numb with how hard he was gripping it, but Hia kept up his ambling chatter. He decided to stop focusing on the impending meeting with the therapist because after this Hia was taking them to visit his parents, which had a whole different type of nervousness pooling in his stomach. Hia's parents already knew about them but Team so rarely talked to his parents that they had no clue that Hia Win was more than just his senior in the swimming club.

"...eam," He drifted back into the present when Hia kissed the back of his hand. "Team, baby, you okay?"

"Sorry Hia, I was just thinking about the trip to my parents." Win kissed his hand again and gave him a toothy grin.

"I'm excited to meet them." Win leaned over and kissed Team's cheek, "They raised my adorable little kitten, so I want to thank them." The blush that bloomed on Team's cheeks had Win cooing at him. "Come on. We're here. With a deep breath to steel his nerves, Team opened the door and grasped the hand waiting for him. He could do this, if not for himself, for Hia Win and Hia Ton and all of his friends.

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Therapy hadn't been what he expected it to be. From the minute he walked into the office, a space full of colourful furniture and plants on every surface and hanging in random places from the ceiling. 

A bigger surprise was P'Sunny, he wasn't a stuffy-looking senior like he'd been expecting. He looked barely older than them, and nowhere close to the 50 he must be based on the year printed on his diploma. His biggest surprise was that he'd asked Team if he wanted Hia to stay with him.

The man felt comfortable, he had a calmness that made him think of P'Dean but the man's demeanour was more like P'Pruek; open and friendly, but with an aura that you could feel that made him feel like he was floating in the cool water of a pool with the sun shining down on him. He was mostly certain that P'Sunny wasn't fully human just like him, and he realised that this was probably why P'Dean picked this man for Pharm to see.

He hadn't spoken much about his past and was thankful for that, telling Hia had been so stressful; and he trusted Hia with his whole being, telling P'Sunny, a stranger, would take time and courage. It didn't change the fact that he felt more human after talking to P'Sunny about the anxiety and absolute joy he felt in the water. The nightmares, 'I'd call them night terrors, not nightmares, Team'. Team didn't think there was a difference, but P'Sunny said they were most definitely night terrors after Hia had described one for him. Using words Team didn't know but could tell were bad with the way Hia was using them.

They had spent two hours in the office, not just talking to P'Sunny but also filling out quizzes and questionnaires that Hia kept reminding him to answer truthfully. By the end of the visit, Team found himself with a small stack of papers that he needed to turn in to his Academic advisor, the head of the sports programs, his coach, and of course a set for himself. They plainly stated that Team had PTSD and mild to severe anxiety and listed the medications he was being prescribed and what side effects to look out for.