howdy pardner

ryan gives naim a couple ice cubes to hold against his ear lobe for numbing purposes, watches the way the melting ice drips down his wrists as his mouth dries.

"alright hold still" ryan holds his ice chilled ear lobe between his fingers, and then suddenly naim's eyes look like that same kid scared of snakes and heights back in bandee. and ryan doesn't even have it in him to tease him like he used to, just falters and says "we don't even have to do this, naim."

naim squares his shoulders and tells him firmly, "no, just fucking do it. please."

so he pushes the needle through his skin, not an easy task mind you, there's some drag from the dull needle and more blood than ryan remembers. it's not much, really, but it's naim's blood and ryan's doing his hands are suddenly cursed with a tremor, his finger tips dotted with pin pricks of scarlet.

"hey," naim's voice is gentle to bring him back, sensing something off by the way ryan's face had paled. naim holds his hands between his and kisses his fingers, "ryan. its just some blood. it didn't even hurt that much."

ryan was never squeamish about blood and bodily fluids before, but he'd seen naim bruised and bloody too many times. hurt by something with his face. he cleans the drops of blood from naim's skin with a warm cloth until there's no trace of it left.