the anatomy of love [BxB] COMPLETED

29

Sunlight filters through the blinds, shining on dust that floats over the desk. Jackson sighs when his name is said, again. A third time.

"Yes, sorry," Jackson says, rubbing a hand over his eyes. He's tired for no reason, and it makes him upset that a solid eight hours of sleep has left him so exhausted.

Delilah smiles with no anger and no forgiveness.

"You seem distracted. Is there something you would like to talk about?"

Jackson sighs, because he had been thinking about Wes. Daydreaming, really, and it was about everything and nothing, it was about the way he said I'm sorry but maybe more about why he didn't say I'm protecting myself. "No, no it's okay. It's nothing."

"You are an excellent liar, Jackson. But I'm sure you already know that."

Jackson looks at Delilah, startled. Could therapists call you liars, like, legally?

"I―pardon?"

Delilah just smiles, knowing and yet indifferent, a combination that continues to support Jackson's belief that his therapist is also a psychic.

"Do you want me to repeat myself?"

"No." Jackson sighs, again. And that's the sound of all these weeks culminated into a moment. A pathetic sigh. "It's nothing...traumatic is what I meant. It's not sad. Actually, it's the best thing in my life right now. That's why I don't need to talk about it."

"Well, personally I prefer to talk about the good things, but if you don't like talking about good things, then we can go right ahead and skip to the bad things."

Jackson tries to hide his frustration with her clearly mocking tone. "But talking about good things doesn't help."

Delilah raises her eyebrows. "Oh? I wasn't aware of this. Thank you for enlightening me, Jackson. You always did have a keen eye for how the world works."

"Okay, fine." Jackson crosses his arms, feeling like a child for getting pissed off, and even more so for feeling justified in his rebellion. "I met someone. And I like him, a lot. But we absolutely can't be public about it. And we can't date, either. And he's usually an asshole, but not like really an asshole, but he can be a little insensitive. He's so cold and efficient until we, you know, and then it's like a fire. I want to be with him all the time because he's the only one who can handle me, and doesn't misunderstand."

"For someone who doesn't want to talk about good things, you sure had a lot to say," Delilah says, taking the victory with ease, and Jackson lets her, if only because finally admitting his affair with his boss has unlocked something inside, like he can finally breathe.

"I haven't really told anyone except you," Jackson confesses. It's then he realizes how messed up his life has been that the only person who he can talk to about his sex life is an elderly therapist that's probably a psychic.

"You said you couldn't date him. Or be public about it. Why is that?"

"Let's just say I would compromise his position if people knew we were...seeing each other."

"Oh, I see. But just answer one question." Delilah narrows her eyes, and Jackson knows she's onto something. "Why can you not date him?"

"I already said, because of his―"

"Position, yes. But that's the reason why you cannot be publicly with him. Not why you cannot date him. The distinction is important," Delilah says, because she read right through Jackson from the first day she met him, just like Mr. Sawyer.