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Tharn got the call thankfully when class was over, and he was on his way to meet his brother for lunch.
Techno sounded like he was trying not to panic, frantic and breathless as he relayed what had happened. Tharn was certain he went temporarily deaf when he heard the words Type, accident and bleeding, unsure as to how he was able to catch everything Techno was blabbering next enough to ask their friend where Type was taken so he could go there immediately.
Tharn heard Type’s disgruntled voice before Techno could answer him. “ I’m fine, you shithead! I told you not to call him, didn’t I?”
“Type?” Tharn countered, wondering if he was on speaker and if Type could hear him. “Type? Are you okay? Hello?”
Techno was speaking again, and this time, he sounded even more stressed. “Oh my god, Tharn, he’s walking away! Can you believe this guy?! Oh my god, Type, you need a doctor, you’re still bleeding, what the hell -”
Type was yelling back. “It’s just a little blood!”
Techno was screeching. “Oh no, it’s a lot of blood! Fuck, where are you going? T ype!”
Tharn halted to a stop right there in the middle of the hallway, torn between running and tearing his hair out in sheer frustration. He could very well picture his boyfriend limping away from the field, his teammates staring after him in complete bewilderment.
“No! Fuck, talk to me! Where is Type?”
Techno seemed to have just remembered he was still on the phone with him, breathless when he spoke again as if he’d been running. “I’m running after your boy, what do you think? Type, you fucker, wait for me! Where the fuck are you going? Will you stop for a minute and talk to me? Tharn’s on the line and he’s worried!”
There was a momentary silence, and then it was replaced by the familiar sound of a palm hitting something hard followed by Techno’s yelp of pain.
“Owww, what the fuck did you do that for?!” Techno was complaining.
“I told you not to call him!”
“I didn’t know what to do, okay? You wouldn’t let us carry you to the nurse’s office, or even to that bench so we could treat your wound!”
“I said I’m fine!” Type insisted, the stubborn fool. Tharn didn’t know whether he should be glad that Type sounded angry and not in pain. But that part that was always worried for Type knew his boyfriend’s tendency to lash out when cornered, covering up the hurt with anger if only so they wouldn’t see how vulnerable he actually was behind it.
“No, you’re not! You’re hurt, Type, let us help you, please!”
“Fuck off, No!”
“Put me on speaker, No, so he can hear me,” he asked, rubbing his temple helplessly. He could hear Type’s ragged breathing in the background and the sound was enough for him to consider hanging up and start running instead.
“Shit, your boyfriend is a pain in the butt! Okay Tharn, you’re on,”
He breathed harshly and let it out in one go. “Type, can you hear me?” he asked, squeezing his eyes shut for a moment when his question was answered with complete silence. He asked again, slowly this time.
“Yes. What do you want?” Type grunted.
He took another deep breath and exhaled roughly. “Assurance. I need to know if the love of my life is okay,” he said, knowing he was going to be cursed for it but who cared. Not him, obviously.
“Fuck is wrong with you? I said I’m fine! Techno’s overreacting.” Type sounded gruff, but Tharn could picture him blushing just the same, especially when he heard him being extra sweet on purpose.
“I wasn’t -” Techno was complaining, but he was quick to cut him off.
“He said there’s blood,” he said, breathing slowly. “Are you saying Techno lied about that too?”
There was silence. “Type?”
The sound of a harsh breath, followed by Type’s voice, evidently softer this time around. “I may be bleeding a little, yes, but as I said, I’m fine. You don’t have to worry about me.”
He took that as a sign to continue without making it look like he was fussing. After all, it was never a good thing to show weakness in front of others especially when Type was there to witness it.
“Well, it’s a boyfriend privilege, one of the many that are listed down in the boyfriend manual I was handed over when you agreed to be with me. It says there that it’s perfectly normal to worry when you hear that your boyfriend is hurt,” he said without missing a beat.
He heard the snort coming. “You’re an idiot.”
“What, you’re saying you didn’t read it? Remind me to show it to you later, then.”
He could very well imagine Type rolling his eyes at him in answer. “ Tharn, you need to shut up now or else -”
“Awww, Type, are you blushing - owww, that hurts!”
“Type, stop hitting Techno, please,” he said, and before Type could tell him off, he quickly added, “Okay, that being said, please stay where you are. I’m coming to get you.”
“Tharn, you don’t have to -”
“I’m coming over to get you, Type. Stay put and don’t go anywhere. I’ll be there in a few.” he hung up, pocketed his phone and hitched his bag up his shoulders as he started running.
-
He only remembered to send his brother a quick message once he’d parked the car, apologizing for not being able to make it before tossing his phone aside to find Type. He caught the sight of him and Techno sitting on a bench near the sidelines, and his heart did that painful somersault the moment his gaze found his boyfriend standing up with difficulty.
He half-ran towards Type and Techno and stopped when he was close enough to put his hands on Type’s shoulders to steady him.
“Is it still bleeding?”
Type shook his head while Techno bit his lips. “It’s fine.” Type said the same thing he said on the phone earlier, and Tharn wished he could believe him.
“I think it’s not bleeding anymore but you have to clean the wound properly. I’m not sure if it needs stitches, obviously because your stubborn boyfriend wouldn’t let us check it,” Techno complained, quickly dodging Type’s fist when it went flying in his direction.
Techno grinned in answer to Type’s scowl and at other times, Tharn would find the situation entirely hilarious if not for the fact that Type was hurt and he was having trouble standing upright as it was.
“Did you get hurt by accident or am I going to have to punch someone for hurting you on purpose?” he asked, narrowing his eyes at Techno in particular.
Type snarled and punched him not-so-lightly on the ribs. “No punching anyone on my behalf, okay? And before you asked again, yes, it was an accident. Now, can we please go? I’m hungry.”
He gave Type a look and sighed, hands drifting from Type’s shoulders to his waist. “You sure you don’t need to have it checked? I mean -”
“No, I’m sure it’s fine. We just need to clean it up and put a bandage on it afterward. I can do that with my eyes closed too, you know? Just take me home.”
He met Techno’s eyes above Type’s shoulder and nodded at Techno mouthing, “Take care of him,” as he wrapped his arms around Type.
“Fine, let’s go home then.”
-
The drive back to their shared condo was a quick one, the trip up to their room would have been the same if only the elevator moved faster than it did when they boarded it. Type gave him a look that spoke volumes when he mentioned the sentiment out loud, and then shaking his head but allowing himself to be guided out of it without saying anything.
Once in the privacy of their room, Tharn made sure Type was comfortable sitting on the couch before he left him, going straight to the bathroom in search of their first-aid kit box. He remembered Type’s injury and winced at the memory of seeing it the moment he jumped out of the car and found Type waiting for him with Techno by his side.
There weren’t many words spoken while they were driving back to the condo, just Type being himself but at least allowing Tharn the luxury to hold Type’s hand throughout the entire fifteen minute drive.
Once he found the box, he walked back outside to find Type inspecting his wounded knee, wincing quietly and then straightening up when he realized he wasn’t alone anymore.
Tharn kneeled on the carpeted floor without another word, avoiding looking at Type’s face entirely as he started pulling things out from the box faster than his brain could figure out what they are as he piled them on the floor next to Type’s feet.
When he looked up, he realized Type was frowning at him, his mouth curled with curiosity. Tharn ignored that in favor of leaning in closer to check the wound on Type’s knee, one hand closing around Type’s ankle to keep Type’s leg in place.
“Does it hurt?” he whispered, just loud enough for Type to hear. He could hear his own heart pounding hard through his ribcage, could feel the way his fingers shook on their grip around Type’s leg as he stared Type over. He had to resist the urge to rub his face against Type’s uninjured leg just to stay closer to Type, swallowing past the emotion that lodged itself in his throat when Type’s hand found its way to his cheek and held on.
Type shook his head and smiled. “No, not anymore, Tharn.” and Tharn wanted to believe him, wanted to say he did but words don’t come when he needed them most. He bit his lips and very discreetly looked down to hide the way his frustration and worries were breaking him, chin quivering in his attempt to hide his tears from Type.
It was amusing, somehow, that Type was the one bleeding but he was acting as if he was the one in pain.
Type’s fingers drifted to his chin and lifted his face on cue. “Why are you crying?” Type asked, clearly seeing right through him even when he tried to hide it. He shook his head, not because he had no idea what to say but because he knew exactly what he was feeling.
Frustration. Fear. Anger. For not being able to be there when Type got hurt, for not being able to save Type from everything that would hurt him despite his promises that he would.
All of it reminded him of the pain Type went through in the past, that phantom rage resurfacing yet again as he sat there looking Type over.
“I..” he said, or at least started to, words trailing as Type sighed heavily and leaned down until he was resting their foreheads together. The position wasn’t so comfortable but Tharn learned to take it all in stride when Type was looking at him like this, his expression soft and he was smiling like he couldn’t decide whether to be fond or exasperated or both.
“I’m not sure if you’re acting like this because you read it in the boyfriend manual but I’ll tell you anyway,” Type whispered, stroking his cheek and making his breath hitch. “I know you feel like it’s your duty to save me from everything and everyone that might hurt me, but we both know that that’s not how things work in the real world, Tharn. And you have to let that fear and that rage go already, even if it’s hard. I’m trying too, you know? I’m trying to put the past behind me because the last thing I want is to have you look at me as if I’m something vulnerable that you need to be careful with everytime. You of all people should know that I hate that, so please stop. Just stop, Tharn.”
“Oh, Type,” he surged forward without missing a beat, holding Type’s face in his hands and pressing an apologetic kiss to his lips. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to make you feel that way, love. I’m sorry, please forgive me.”
Type kissed back, fingers catching his wrist and holding on. “I know. I know you meant well, Tharn, but you need to trust me too, alright? I have to be strong on my own, because we both know you can’t always be there to save me. I know you want to, but it’s wrong, Tharn. You understand?”
He nodded, and nodded again, pressing a soft kiss to Type’s cheek, his closed eyes, his temple.
“Yes, love. I understand.”
Type heaved a breath and turned to nuzzle his cheek. “Okay,” he breathed, pulling away just far enough to look at him. “Okay. Can you fix me now, please?”
He wished he could say all the other things he wanted to tell Type, everything he did and was willing to go through just to keep him safe but he held himself. Type was right, after all. There were things he needed to do by himself, things he needed to accomplish on his own. Tharn could just stay beside him cheering him on, watching him and just be there for him.
He could do that much, at least.
“Of course, Type,” he murmured, pressing a soft kiss to the side of Type’s lips. “I love you. Now sit back and let me. I’ll take care of you, I promise.”
And he would. Now and always.