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The evening sun illuminated the world below as Minho and Gally strolled home, their shadows stretched across the ground.
“I’m telling you, there was a ghost!” Minho groaned.
Gally rolled his eyes, “And I’m telling you it was just a fox!”
The boys glared at each other before breaking out into laughter.
“Okay but-“ Minho’s comeback was cut off by the ear piercing sound of tires screeching. Both of them staggered into each other and stared at the road.
A car that hadn’t been there moments earlier was spiralling and smoking madly. The world seemed to slow and Gally froze.
Minho didn’t.
In a blur, he shoved Gally hard, “Get down!”
Gally didn’t have a choice as he lost his footing and was sent toppling backwards.
Minho moved towards him but he was too slow. The vehicle smashed into a lamppost a few metres away, sending scraps of metal flying everywhere.
A piece of the crumpled car- jagged and shining- shot towards them.
Striking Minho across the head with a sickening crunch.
By some divine stroke of luck, an ambulance was patrolling down the road and shot over immediately, paramedics flooding the scene. Gally was already on his knees beside Minho.
“Minho? Minho!”
Minho groaned, his eyes watering, but he saw Gally hovering over him and grinned foolishly, “Is this heaven?”
Gally bit back a retort and just stared.
“Are you, still with us?” Gally exhaled and moved backwards slightly. Minho sat up the best he could, “I…I think so.”
Blood was already streaming down the side of his face and Gally reached out to apply pressure to the gash but Minho waved him away, “I’m fine.”
“Don’t be an idiot.” Gally snapped, gripping his arm instead.
“I’m serious, for once,” Minho huffed amusedly, “let’s just get home.”
Gally frowned as Minho got to his feet casually and stretched, “Okay…”
***
They made it to their shared apartment, Minho managing to trek up three sets of stairs due to the lift being out of order, and Gally had a watchful eye on him.
They had barely made it inside when Minho swayed, resting heavily against the wall. Gally noticed after kicking his shoes off, “You feeling alright-“
Minho’s legs buckled.
Gally dived, catching the boy as he crumpled in his arms, “Whoa, whoa, hey- Minho!”
Minho blinked up at him, smiling as if he was drunk, “Oh, Gally…hey. You’ve got like, three heads. Cool party trick.”
“Shut up.” Gally clenched his jaw and hoisted Minho to his feet. He left no room for argument and dragged the shorter boy to the bathroom.
After sitting him down on the closed toilet lid, Gally crouched and pinched Minho’s chin, checking his face intently.
Blood was still trickling down Minho’s head from the cut on his temple. “Damn it..” Gally hissed and turned, ripping a cloth off of the side, dampening it and then pressing it to Minho’s temple.
Minho just kept smiling at him the whole time, watching as his face flickered between concern and irritation.
Gally wouldn’t look at Minho’s face, focused sternly on the problem at hand. He knew that Minho was watching him, and he didn’t like the fact it sent a chill down his spine.
“You always get so intense when you’re mad.” Minho titled his head slightly. Gally straightened Minho’s head back, “I’m not mad-“
“It’s cute.”
Gally stopped analysing the gash and closed his eyes, “Shut up.” He repeated, this time much harsher. Still, he couldn’t help his heart beating faster.
Minho smiled wider, knowing he was pressing all of Gally’s buttons. They could read each other too well. When Gally reopened his eyes, he made the mistake of letting his eyes stray.
His breathing hitched as they locked eyes, the temperature in the room seemed to increase by ten degrees, it was tense. It was never tense between them, what had changed?
Minho, fighting through the haze of pain from blood loss, caught on to the subtle shift in Gally’s demeanour and his smile faltered.
He chewed the inside of his cheek, his eyes flicking over Gally’s face. His expression melted into something softer, something real.
“Stop looking at me like that.” Gally cut through the moment.
“Like what?” Minho feigned innocence.
“Like you know what you’re doing.”
Minho blinked, then his usual smirk danced on his lips, “Maybe I do know what I’m doing.”
Gally didn’t have the strength to argue anymore and pulled away from where his hand had been frozen, hovering near Minho’s cheek.
“Go get changed.” Gally hummed, staring down at the blood soaked cloth in his hand. Minho didn’t move. Neither did Gally.
The blonde glanced up at Minho curiously, “Has that cut taken away your ability to hear or something? Get moving.”
He stood slowly and patted Minho’s arm, leaving the room. Minho watched him go and gently touched the side of his head.
The fresh blood had been mopped up and only a dull ache remained. Shakily, he got up and peered into the mirror.
There was already bruising and Minho knew it was going to scar though. However, he didn’t mind. The moment he had just shared with Gally made it worthwhile.