Chapter Text
“See the alleyway, over there by the theatre?”
“Yeah?”
“I was walking down there the first time I got stabbed.”
Hound whipped around to look up at the taller man, an indignant expression on his face. The sudden movement jostled the large desk he leaned on, sending a few pens rolling to the floor.
“By who?!”
“Nobody important. Just some thug who happened to recognise me. Didn’t like me much, it seems.” Mole chuckled deeply, despite Hound’s clear shock. The shorter man looked back out through the window, unfocused on the view. He worried about Mole, sometimes.
He worried about Norton.
He fondly remembered the first time Mole told him his real name. A gesture of his trust, friendship. Something more, Hound hoped. He was not a man who fell easily, nor one who had highschool-esque crushes. His past hardened him, wore him down, along with his trust. Hound hadn’t felt the way he did around Mole for a very long time.
He shook himself out of his thoughts abruptly. It was dangerous for him to think that way, about Norton- Mole. He was his boss, the man he was paid to protect, who he had happened to become friends with. Nothing more. He distantly realised Mole had been talking for a while as he spaced out.
“Hound?”
“Huh? Oh, yeah. Sorry, I missed that.”
“Are you alright?”
Hound looked at him from the corner of his eye. He didn’t usually ask such direct questions.
“Yeah. Just thinking.”
“About what?”
He grumbled quietly. He would never admit his thoughts about Mole to his face. He couldn’t.
“Nothing. Don’t worry about it.” Hound mumbled, averting his gaze. Mole did not heed his words, and definitely noticed the blush spreading across his face. He leaned down, grinning smugly. Bastard.
“Oh, well now I’m curious,” He teased, lightly grabbing Hound’s chin with his golden claws and turning his head towards him. “What’s got you all flustered?”
Hound wanted to die.
Mole was infamous for this. The flirtatious banter, not to mention the teasing. It drove Hound crazy. His face was inches from Mole’s, as were his lips. Hound flicked his eyes down at them before realising his mistake much too late, as Mole quirked a brow and released his chin ever so slightly. Hound took this chance to escape from his clutches, quickly brushing it off. He cleared his throat loudly and pulled up his hood a little further. There was a moment of silence before Hound spoke up.
“I worry about you, idiot.”
If Norton wasn’t standing so close he might not have heard it, with how softly Hound had spoken. He stood there, mouth agape at his words. The sudden change in mood made Mole frown in concern. Had he overstepped this time? He may tease, but he truly did respect the other man’s boundaries.
“Well, yeah, I would hope so. You are my bodyguard.” Norton said weakly, the comment lacking the sarcasm he had aimed for. He wilted when Hound- no, Naib- only seemed to curl in on himself further.
“You told me you got stabbed as if you were talking about the weather. It may not seem like a big deal to you, but…” Naib inhaled shakily. “I don’t want to see you hurt, Norton. Ever. I don’t even want to think about it.”
Norton’s heart leapt at the sound of Naib using his real name. He didn’t call him that often. Without really thinking it through, he took a large step towards the smaller man, and clasped one of his hands in his own. He brought it to his lips, ever so gently, and planted a barely-there kiss on his knuckles. Naib looked like he had just seen a ghost.
“I’m okay, Naib. I always am. It’s part of the job description, I’m used to it,” Norton explained softly. He smiled sadly. “Maybe I’ll have to try harder to stay out of trouble for you, though.”
Naib almost cried then and there. A part of him lit up with hope at the taller man’s words, that maybe he wasn’t alone in his feelings. He looked into Norton’s eyes and all he saw was what could only be described as fondness, though it was mixed with worry and fear. Fear for the mercenary, for the way he knows that Naib would sacrifice everything for him. It was his job, as his bodyguard, but it wasn’t only that. Naib cared far too much for Norton to see him hurt, no matter if he was being paid or not. He tightened his hand around Norton’s wordlessly.
Naib turned back to the window of the office, looking out at the alleyway Norton had mentioned before. He swore to himself that he would be there, next time. He would be there to protect Norton, to save him from the attacker, to take the pain away from him. He had to be there, next time.
He couldn’t let the man he loved get hurt.