For the tenth time in fifteen minutes, you slam your pencil down in frustration.
“I can’t do this. I-I just don’t understand it!”
Kuroo sighs under his breath, his own annoyance getting the best of him but he tries to reel it in because he knows you struggle in this subject. But you hear it nonetheless, and it punches you in the heart. Because it’s your fault he’s frustrated, having a load of homework himself and not being able to finish it as fast as he usually does because you’re hindering him.
He looks at you with a strained smile, tapping his pencil against his textbook before speaking. “What are you having trouble with, hon?
You don’t say anything. Instead, your bottom lip juts out and quivers, and your eyes fill up with tears faster than a bowl filling with raindrops during a storm.
“Everything!” You choke out, a hard sob leaving your body.
“Okay, okay. Come here.” Kuroo has his arms open in nanoseconds, hating how overwhelmed you get. “Come here, my pretty baby.”
You sniffle and sob some more as you climb into his lap, your legs on both sides of him, and throw your arms around his neck. You hold him close as you cry into the crook of his neck, feeling like such a bother to your boyfriend, who is on his last year of college and is better off not helping a useless idiot like you.
All he has done is tutor you on this complex subject and you have yet to show that you get it. It’s been a whole hour and all you’ve been doing is complaining and stating that you don’t know how to figure out the concentration of the resulting stock solution.
“I-I’m sorry I’m such an idiot! I know you’re fru-frustrated with me!” You let out a heartbroken whimper, squeezing Kuroo tighter. “I’ve been nothing but a nuisance to you.”
Kuroo feels like complete garbage from your words. Yes, he was getting a bit annoyed by the way you seemed to wanna be spoon fed the answer. But, not once did he think you were bothersome. And, he’s truly sorry that you think you are from how he’s been treating you.
He kisses your shoulder and up the side of your neck, just peppering sugar-coated kisses there to ease your mind. “Shhh. Hush, baby. You’re not an idiot, and you certainly aren’t a nuisance. I’m sorry for making it seem like you were. I didn’t mean it. I just want you to keep trying. Use the textbook. It’ll help a lot. I promise.” He rubs your back now, wanting to further calm you down as he hears you only sniffling now. “We’ll get through this together, okay? Chemistry is a hard subject. No one fully understands it the first time, and that’s okay.”
You raise your head from the shelter of his neck, wiping your face and being assisted with his gentle fingers and a sweet smile to piece your confidence back together. “Really?”
He nods in a half of a heartbeat. “Yeah! Baby, you’re not dumb. You are far from that. Chemistry is just not your strong suit. And there is nothing wrong with that. What we just need to do is have you do some more practice problems and practice exams and refer to the textbook more. Once you do those three things, you’ll be unstoppable, really. Also, you just failed your first exam. The next one is in two weeks. You have more than plenty of time to study and polish up your skills. Okay? Now give me a kiss. My baby deserves one after working so hard this past hour.”
You giggle, smiling finally as you lean in close and give your boyfriend a sweet smooch. “Thanks, Tets.”
“No need to thank me, baby. What I say is nothing but the truth. I want you to succeed and I want to help you every step of the way. So don’t think for a second that I won’t. Understood?” He smile broadly as you nod, then patting your bum playfully. “For now, let’s take a break. You hungry? Because I sure am.”
You nod eagerly, your face brightening from the mentioning of food, always one to be easily pleased. “Food sounds great right now.”
And everything felt right again. The stones on your back are now lifted off and you feel more confident than ever. And you can’t be anymore grateful for the man who you love.