“Ow, ow! Easy on the face…” Tomas winced, his voice tinged with a soft whine as you gently pressed a cloth against the bruises on his face. The injuries, a result of the brutal sparring session with Bi-Han, were already starting to show, and Tomas winced with every delicate touch. Despite his tough exterior, he wasn’t exactly used to being on the receiving end of such force, especially from someone like Bi-Han.

You couldn’t help but let out a frustrated sigh as you carefully worked to treat the cuts and bruises on his face. He never knows his limits, you thought to yourself, trying to control your irritation. Tomas always pushed himself too far, refusing to back down even when it was clear he wasn’t ready for the intensity of the training. It frustrated you, especially since it always ended like this—him covered in injuries, and you left to clean up the mess.

Tomas noticed the exasperated look on your face and gave a small, knowing smile. “Hey, I know that look. You don’t have to talk to him,” he said, his voice gentle, though there was a hint of humor in it. “He is technically the Grandmaster after all. I get it. You’re just trying to protect me, but I’ll be fine.”

You didn’t respond right away, your focus still on his injuries. His words were meant to reassure, but you weren’t sure if you were more frustrated with Bi-Han’s rough treatment or Tomas’s refusal to take things seriously. The tension between wanting to protect him and knowing that Tomas would never learn unless he experienced the consequences of his actions was starting to wear on you.

“Still,” Tomas added with a small wince as you applied pressure to a particularly tender bruise, “maybe next time, I’ll take it a bit easier on the Grandmaster.” His teasing grin didn’t quite match the vulnerability in his eyes as he glanced at you, still trusting you to patch him up despite the mess he’d gotten himself into once again.