#sitehound

ㅤ❝ Aha, is that so ? Well Mia Bella Signora, if you allow me to be so bold, would you accept an invitation to go get some coffee together? There are plenty of nice pasticceries around the block, it'll be my pleasure to show you aroun― ❞

Wait a second.

Who is that ugly Mammalucco and why is he standing there looking stupid for?

Talk about meddlesome! all men do is think that they are the center of the world !! Although this absolutely does not apply to Romano (of course) He would never fall so low, he is after all, in a whole different category (certainly...)

❝ hey you bastard, quit standing there like a mannequin. If it wasn't obvious enough, we are not at a clothing store, and this invitation is not extended towards you. ❞

do you have something you wanna say to me right meow @sitehound

The look that he fixes Tsugumi with is one of utter exasperation — someone with eyes and can see the state of her scorched hand. Both sides look equally injured and part of him, the part that knows what a burn feels like, can’t help but internally wince at the extent of the damage she’s sustain. Her blasé attitude is par for the course with her ( always getting hurt… but always jumping back up as if she hadn’t just sustained an injury ) but that didn’t mean that he’d ever run of breath with her and the topic of her health.

“If I came to you with a hand looking like yours, would you not be the least bit concerned?” Caio asks, turning her hand over as he continues to clean her scorched hand — alcohol pad carefully moving over scorched skin and away from any wounds. “It’s looks awful and if it doesn’t feel as bad as it looks — it’s actually worse than it looks.”

“This is a third-degree burn. You will not feel pain but the damage is severe regardless.” the man tells her, sternly “I don’t have very much of the antibiotic ointment you’ll need but I’ll use what I have here and I will give you the rest when I get it. You’ll also need bandages to keep it covered.”

Hazel eyes lift to meet Tsugumi’s gaze, his lips now tugged into a terse frown. “— And you have to replace it. Ideally, you would replace it every six to eight hours… but doing so daily is sufficient. It will get infected if you don’t take care of it, understand?”

( pretty sure this was unprompted - @sitehound )

And, like clockwork, Caio chuckles softly as she squishes her face against his back. He doesn’t exactly lean back ( on account of her face being in his back ) but there’s a certain sort of… ease that washes over him at the contact. Though she’s here to pester him — a common occurrence at this point — the surgeon doesn’t regard that at necessarily a bad thing… not with Gumi. Not when the warmth that spreads from her arms seems to just… pass to him like he’s just stepped into a heated room after being stuck outside. He offers her a one-handed squeeze and waits to get one in return, his thumb idly brushing back and forth against her arm.

“...Is work stretching you thin?” the man takes a moment to look over his shoulder at Tsugumi. “Are you okay?”

He looks forward again. “If you’re hungry, you can take a moment to rest while I make you something to eat. It shouldn’t me take me too long… you’ll just have to manage not being glued to me for a little bit.

( unprompted? prompted? - @sitehound )

Of course, Caio blinks — multiple times, at that. He’s more than a little used to Tsugumi touching him ( a little too used to it but that’s neither here nor there ) but being pulled into her lap is very new. Honestly, he doesn’t even think to react at first aside from… turning a bit to stare at her.

It takes a minute, but a very subtle flush creeps onto his features followed by a small tent of his brows. “...There are better ways to get my attention, Tsugumi.” comes his complaint, but it lacks much of the usual conviction. “A hello would suffice. Calling my name would as well.”

A kiss would also get his attention but he isn’t about to say that.

( unprompted - @sitehound )

Tsugumi sitting next to him was all but common ( given their friendship ).

Tsugumi invading his personal space was another common occurrence, this one permitted expressly because of said closeness.

Hell — even the act of her putting an arm over his shoulder as she eases into the spot next to him isn’t out of the ordinary.

What is, though, is the sudden ( but gentle ) coaxing of his head toward her own. It’s nothing more than a slight push against his jaw, but he turns his head with very little resistance. The meeting of their lips is, (surprisingly), of the same vein — not exactly cautious but...slow and careful. It doesn’t last long and she doesn’t push for more, but — at the back of his mind — he can’t help the small nag that wishes she lingered just a little bit longer. The warmth the small affection provided is just as fleeting, just as… lacking.

Even still, Caio can feel the heat of embarrassment warming his features as he stares at Tsugumi with slightly raised brows and parted lips. He doesn’t need to process that she kissed him ( that, he understood immediately ), but what he’d do in response… that was different.

Following up with another kiss is an almost thoughtless consideration… but should he? The surgeon inches forward automatically but pauses just shy of another, as if hesitating. His eyes drop to her lips and linger, not for very long but… long enough to decide to ease that much closer — to the point where his lips brush against hers when he speaks.

“...Only one?” — And paired with it is a brush of his knuckles against her outer thigh...as if asking for the things she’ll allow.

It’s a kiss shared between friends… one more would not hurt.

( unprompted - @sitehound )

“...What’s that look on your face for?”

( unprompted - @sitehound )