“You got a death wish or something?” Reno snarls. “The hell were you thinking!?” He kneels beside you, his movements jerky and frustrated as he checks the makeshift bandage wrapped around your shoulder. It’s not bleeding quite so heavy anymore, which is almost enough to cause his shoulders to relax. “…I’m supposed to keep you safe, not the other way around.”

The words hang in the air, raw and unguarded, and for a moment, the only sound is your shallow breathing and his heart pounding against his chest. Reno’s hands still, hovering over you, and when he finally meets your gaze again, the anger has faded into something almost broken. “I’m serious. Don’t do crap like this again,” he says, quieter now. “I—” He stops himself, looking away quickly, as if afraid he’s already said too much.