Work Text:
The dim flicker of emergency lights cast long shadows across the deserted tiles of the abandoned subway car. The air smelled of dust and the faint metallic tang of blood, a familiar scent after a mission. The fight had been brutal, a special-grade cursed spirit tough enough to give Maki and Yuta a little trouble. Luckily, most of the battle had been contained in these abandoned tunnels and a domain, and as always, Yuta and Maki had come out on top.
Maki exhaled as she slumped onto one of the torn seats, placing her sword onto the seat next to her with reverence. Her arms ached, and she felt a handful of new bruises and shallow cuts pockmarking her skin as she breathed. She wasn't about to complain; she barely felt any pain, and she was used to far worse.
Yuta slid into the seat beside her, his white jacket torn at the shoulder, a shallow cut, but still dribbling blood sluggishly down him, leaving a red stain on his jacket. He could have healed it in an instant, being blessed with reverse-cursed technique, but he didn't. Instead, he reached into a first aid kit that the pair had found earlier and pulled out a roll of antiseptic wipes. He raised his eyebrow and pulled out a wipe, moving towards Maki. She smiled and rolled her eyes.
"I don't need that"
"I know", Yuta said with a warm smile, "I want to anyway"
Maki felt her cheeks pink slightly. Despite their years together, Yuta was always capable of making her blush with his small gestures. Maki held out her arm, showing the remaining minor cuts to Yuta. Her heavenly restriction would have healed them within a few minutes, but she liked the attention.
Yuta took her arm gently, fingers brushing over her calloused skin as he began cleaning her wounds. Maki watched him work, taking in the careful way his hands moved and the quiet concentration in his eyes. She loved every second of it. After a few moments, she reached for the antiseptic and took his hand.
"Your turn." She whispered.
Yuta smiled and nodded, angling himself so Maki had access to the wound on his shoulder. Her fingers pressed gently against the torn fabric of Yuta's jacket, peeling it back to get a better look at the wound. The cut wasn't life-threatening, but it was deeper than she expected, enough that a normal sorcerer would have needed time with Shoko.
"Idiot." She thought, though her touch remained careful as she wiped away the blood with an antiseptic wipe.
"This is deep enough that you should've just healed yourself," she muttered, her voice laced with concern.
Yuta chuckled, ignoring the sting of the antiseptic.
"Maybe," he admitted, watching her work, "but then I wouldn't get this."
Maki paused, looking up at him with a raised brow.
"Get what?"
"The fuss," he said, grinning.
Maki chuckled, the corners of her mouth upturning into a grin.
"You're ridiculous."
"Yeah, I guess I am," he shot back, "But you like the fuss too"
Maki didn't deny it. Instead, she finished cleaning the wound, gently pressing a bandage over it.
"There, now you don't have an excuse to bleed over your jacket", she said, patting him on the head.
"Thanks, Maki," Yuta responded with a grin, "Now it's your turn."
He retook her arm, turning it over to inspect the fading cuts along it. His fingers traced lightly over them, though he knew they would be gone in mere moments, her body mending far faster than that of any normal human; he still unrolled a strip of bandage anyway. He began by placing one bandage with care around a cut on Maki's arm, then continued.
Maki let him work, enjoying the quiet intimacy of the moment. She exhaled softly through her nose, a contented sound, as Yuta smoothed a bandage over a nearly closed cut on her forearm.
"Done!" Yuta declared, except-
Maki narrowed her eyes as she caught the mischievous glint in his expression.
"What are you?"
Too late. Yuta peeled the backing off a brightly coloured kids' band-aid, covered in grinning characters from Crayon Shin Chan, and pressed it firmly onto a tiny scratch high on her cheek.
Maki blinked, then she snorted.
"Really?"
"It suits you," Yuta said, beaming.
He quickly kissed her cheek, and Maki reached up to touch the spot he had just kissed. A warmth spread through her chest, her brain tingling pleasantly at Yuta's playful affection. Her cheeks heated up further.
"Thanks," Maki muttered, suddenly shy.
Yuta grinned wider, settling back into the seat beside her. Without hesitation, he leaned in, pressing his lips to hers in a gentle, lingering kiss. Maki exhaled against his mouth, her fingers curling into the fabric of his jacket for just a second before she pulled back, only to let her head drop onto his shoulder with a quiet sigh. Yuta chuckled, pinching her cheek lightly.
"So cute," he murmured, pressing another kiss to her forehead.
"Shh", Maki huffed, no annoyance behind it.
A comfortable silence settled between them, the distant hum of the tunnels the only sound. After a moment, Maki shifted slightly, her voice quieter now.
"... Can we stay like this for a while?"
"Yeah," Yuta replied, resting his head against hers, "We've got time."
And so they waited, shoulder to shoulder, fingers loosely intertwined. The mission was over, but this? This is what really mattered.