Work Text:
Goro is waiting in the car when Kitaoka finally returns through the mirror and steps back into the real world. He stops tapping his fingers on the steering wheel and straightens up in his seat, ready to get out of here.
He watches Kitaoka walk back towards the car, his head held high as if he wasn't just in the midst of a life-or-death brawl. But there's a slight limp in his step – one he's trying very hard to cover up – and the way he carries his shoulders tells Goro that he's probably got a few more hidden injuries too.
Not for the first time, Goro wishes he could fight this battle for him.
Seeing Kitaoka hurt like this… it feels like a punch to the gut every time. Goro knows he’ll feel restless until he can patch Kitaoka up properly at home.
Goro turns the key in the ignition, listening to the sound of the engine roaring to life again. Kitaoka opens the door and slides into the passenger seat with a smile. It's a genuine one – they always are when directed at Goro – but it's still plastered on Kitaoka's face like a bandage.
"Let's get going."
It's not long before they're back on the highway headed for home. Goro keeps his eyes on the road, even though he wants to turn all his focus on Kitaoka already, to study him and figure out what he needs since he knows Kitaoka isn't going to share the details of the fight.
He settles for taking one hand off the steering wheel and finding Kitaoka's. He brushes his thumb against battered knuckles, and the touch manages to ground him enough to calm his nerves.
"I'm fine, Goro-chan. You should see the other guys," Kitaoka jokes.
That does make Goro laugh quietly, if only because he's been smitten with Kitaoka's particular brand of bravado since the moment they met.
The sun is setting by the time they arrive back home, and Kitaoka is already musing on potential options for dinner. Goro, of course, will cook whatever he eventually decides on, but not before he gets a chance to tend to Kitaoka's injuries first.
"Sensei," Goro says sternly as Kitaoka tries to slip away to his office desk like he's perfectly fine after they step inside. He's pretty good at hiding his twisted ankle, but it's not good enough to fool Goro.
He grabs Kitaoka's sleeve and wrangles him towards the bedroom instead. The only place secluded enough where he feels okay to lower his guard. Where he can be Goro the boyfriend, and not just the lawyer’s secretary and assistant.
Goro grabs the first aid kit he had stashed away in the bathroom. He hasn't had to use it enough yet that it needs to be restocked, but he still pulls it out more frequently than he wants to.
When he returns, Kitaoka is lounging on the bed, jacket already tossed aside and his legs dangling over the edge as he waits. He puts on a fake pout at sight of the first aid kit, but then perks up again when Goro kneels down in front of his feet.
"Feels like I'm getting the royal treatment," he says with a flourish. "My loyal protector here tending to my every whim."
"Of course."
Goro isn't going to dispute his devotion to Kitaoka, even if he thinks the analogy is a bit silly. He does enjoy Kitaoka's fanciful moods.
Turning his attention back to the task at hand, he gently holds Kitaoka's foot while inspecting the bruising that's already started to form around his ankle. But it's not as bad as he expected, and he's reasonably sure nothing is broken. He grabs an icepack and a brace, and it doesn't take long to slip both onto Kitaoka's foot.
"How's that feel? Too loose? Too tight?"
"It seems fine," he answers, wiggling his foot a bit to test his range of motion. "Yeah, it's fine. I’m not really a fan of the cold though."
“You don’t have to keep the ice pack on very long,” Goro reminds him. “Just long enough to keep the swelling down. I’m sure you want to walk tomorrow.”
“If I say no, will you cart me around?”
“There’s a wheelbarrow in the garden I could use,” Goro points out.
“Not exactly what I had in mind,” Kitaoka laughs but doesn’t complain anymore about the icepack.
Once Goro is satisfied that there’s nothing else he can do for the ankle, Kitaoka offers a hand to help him up from the floor.
“Glad we’re all done now.” Kitaoka tries to stand, but Goro pushes him back down.
"Let me make sure there's nothing else," Goro adds, reaching to undo the buttons on Kitaoka's shirt.
He won't feel okay until he knows for sure there are no broken ribs or any other hidden injuries Kitaoka will try to ignore for the sake of his pride. If Goro can't fight his battles for him, he can at least make sure Kitaoka is in top shape to continue onwards.
"The suit absorbs most of the impact, you know," Kitaoka points out, not for the first time, but lets Goro take his shirt and tie off anyway.
He doesn't miss the wince when Kitaoka twists his left arm out of the sleeve. Goro sits down beside him and puts his hands to the bare skin of his shoulder, searching for any bumps or other contusions or signs of dislocation. But all he finds are the beginnings of another bruise and not anything more serious. He considers switching the icepack to the shoulder, but then decides the ankle is probably a bigger priority.
He can feel Kitaoka’s eyes on him as he continues running his fingers over his chest, his ribcage, his back. The intimacy of touch is almost intoxicating, and Goro has to avoid eye contact to keep from getting distracted. But the rest of his exam turns up nothing more than a few more mild bruises. Goro breathes a sigh of relief that he can put the first aid kit away without needing anything else.
"Do I pass inspection?" Kitaoka asks.
"Yes."
"Good. I think I’ve waited long enough," he replies, and then pulls Goro into a kiss.
It shouldn't surprise him – they've been together for a few months already, and he did just have his hands all over him – but Goro still feels caught off-guard every time. Like he can't believe he gets to do this with Kitaoka. It's more than he'd ever ask for.
Kitaoka pushes him to lie down on the bed, kissing him harder as Goro threads his fingers through his hair. The kisses chase away his worries. There's a muffled thunk from the icepack hitting the floor, but Goro can't focus on that right now. Really, he finds it difficult to think about anything at all while Kitaoka's hand slips under the hem of Goro's shirt.
"Thanks for... always taking care of... me," Kitaoka says in between trailing kisses down Goro's neck.
Goro pulls him closer and answers that with a kiss of his own.
They lose track of time for a while like that until Kitaoka accidentally moves his shoulder the wrong way, and they’re both reminded of the injury by his sudden hiss of pain. With the moment gone, they just end up lying next to each other on the bed, catching their breath.
“I should make dinner,” Goro says, moving to get up.
It had been a nice distraction for a while, but now he has get back to work. Once he leaves the bedroom, he’ll be back to all his usual daily tasks of preparing meals, navigating around the city, waiting for Kitaoka to return from fights, and trying not to think about how their time together continues to slowly tick away.
Kitaoka grabs his arm, like he knows that Goro has started fretting over things he can’t fix again.
“I’m going to win the fight,” he declares with the same sort of self-assured confidence that Goro has admired from the moment they met. Each word drips determination. “Don’t you start doubting me now, Goro-chan.”
"Never, Sensei."
And he really means it. How could there ever be any room for doubt when Kitaoka talks like that.