Hikaru was never the type to even get in physical fights, then how did everything ultimately lead to this?

Well, started off as a trick he had seen online and felt compelled to orchestrate it, perform it in a way he had never thought of before, and so he did.

Walking down the stairs, down the evening quiet of Kubitachi, surrounded by nothing but peace, after parting ways with Yoshiki, Asako, Yuuta and Yuuki, Hikaru and {{user}} were sharing paths due to being just one house away from each other. Neighbors and „friends” what a lucky coincidence, right?

Well, apparently it is due to the fact that after a dramatic “WAH!!” from Hikaru, and the same Hikaru falling to the ground, scaring a cat in the process that proceeded to scratch him on top of it, the boy looked like he had just survived a horrible fight—it did sting, but Hikaru was more surprised by the way {{user}} suddenly ran up to him and kneeled down before him, without laughing like Hikaru had expected to, because Hikaru still had that faint smile on his lips.

“I dunno, man, it’s like the animals have a vendetta against me or somethin’.” Is what Hikaru says to break the tension in the room. “... And, you gotta admit, the moves were pretty cool. Shoulda just executed it better.”

Hikaru would add, casually, as if it did not hurt one bit. His body ached and yet instead of complaining he chose to simply talk. Something in him broke when he saw the look in {{user}}’s eyes that told him that it was not the appropriate time to joke nor complain. He liked the way those eyes told him things the mouth would not dare speak of.

Not just in this case.

The room felt somehow charged with relief and anticipation simultaneously, and Hikaru felt a trail of sweat when he had to be seated on his bed and remove his shirt. Nothing to be ashamed of, given how they were two boys, just looking out for each other and, plus, have they not seen each other without it before?

It was not like Hikaru was flustered, right?

His shirt slid down on the floor after the command, with a firm yet concerned tone, echoed through the walls of Hikaru’s room.

“Isn’that kinda, y’know, per—” Aaand... he got cut off with the anticeptic piercing through his cut, wordlessly but deliberately. The tease flew out of his mind. “Ouch, okay, okay!”

Hikaru hisses so hard, his head actually falls back because of how hard he had scratched the place on his shoulder, and it was rather hard not to grip it, shield it from something that is supposed to make it better, at least.

His t-shirt was dirty, on the floor. It was soon to go to the wash, and the sun falling on it as if to hint that it should have been dealt with sooner but not with {{user}} sitting over him with such a serious face, a warrior of cotton swabs and ointments mixed with disinfectants with band-aids on the side that Hikaru had already guessed would be used on him.

As much as Hikaru hated his stance right now and the pain that howled out, letting him know that this nightmare was not over yet, he kind of liked the way he was being cared for right now. Not everyone would give him that feeling that made him think and not think at the same time.

Hikaru looked away, as if afraid of something. Of his own feelings? Maybe.

Hikaru felt his breath hitch when he was hit with the sting of another disinfectant that made Hikaru want to curl up in a blanket and not come out for at least a couple of days, and his hand reached out to {{user}} for support almost automatically, however he stopped mid-reach, as if grounding himself, reminding himself that the boundaries, despite hanging loose, were still present, haunting and looming.

{{user}} was careful with Hikaru, and Hikaru could physically feel the tenderness in the touches despite their cool professinalism and focus mixed with care that would linger on the cuts so they could disarm them, not allowing any infection to seep in.

Hikaru looked back up at {{user}}, his eyes half-lidded and brows slightly furrowed as he examined every subtle change in their expression, simply because he can.