Given

02. Cold Crash

Sitting on a bench, all by your lonesome self—in a park during the late evening hours, where the sun starts to set ever so slowly and casting shadows over the city—and waiting for Heiji to return, you hoped at least he does, was nothing but boredom.

You would have, after the argument with Heiji, gone back to the hotel—if it weren't for your legs still cramping—sending electrocuting waves of pain whenever you moved an inch—and aching with scorching warmth in discomforting pickling numbness.

Your legs—which had taken the most damage during your kidnapping (and any other accidents you might have encountered)—are really useless now, aren't they?

You scoffed out a laugh, hitting your hand against your thigh on purpose—ignoring the pain—wanting to feel the this permanent uselessness, which would forever remain now in your life, once again.

You had long accepted the fact, that you probably never would be able to run great distances anymore—not without putting a massive strain into your muscles and bringing up the nerve wrecking pain—nor participating actively in the many courses and club activities you do as most of them required the use of legs—like gymnastics, traditional dancing, theatrics and of course Qing Mado.

While you could live with it of not doing your other activities at all anymore—the thought of having to quit Qing Mado all together now, gave you unpleasant feelings.

Without Qing Mado you felt as if you really are nothing and useless. This particular material-arts had given your life—when you had been an angry child back then—a new perspective, brought a feeling of worthiness and confidence in you.

You blinked away your tears of self swallowing pity party—there's nothing you could do about anyways.

You thought about texting Heiji, asking him when he would possibly finish, so he could pick you up—but you didn't want to bother him any more than you already had.

~~~

You shirked loudly, flinching visibly when something cold touched your cheek. Snapping your head to the side, you looked with wide eyes at whoever it was—coming face to face with Heiji, who looks apologetic at you.

»It's just me, didn't meant to scare ya......look, I uhm....I've got ya Cola and an Ice-bag« Heiji took a seat next to you.

»Fuck off.« you frowned up at him with a glare, feeling a rise of anger. You weren't in the mood to see Heiji and neither do you want him around you at this peculiar moment—even when it meant, sitting the whole night on that bench.

After all, what right did he had to come back to you, after saying something so cruel to you—leaving you behind all by yourself as if you were nothing but some discarding toy he got bored off and then had the audacity to be here, spooking you and believing when he offers a Can of Cola you would greet him happily?

Heiji ignored your cussing at him—knowing it's deserving—doesn't give a reply back, pulling you with a swift motion onto his lap—stretching your legs on the remaining space of the bench out.

You bit onto your lower lip, holding back to cry—more like screaming—out in pain, when Heiji had done that, the sudden movement of your legs—which you hadn't moved in the last few hours, to keep the pain at bay—caused a high spiking wave of something akin to getting stabbed over and over again.

Something icy cold had being placed on your legs and while you could hold back that cry, the upcoming moan—which were so shamefully loud and you're glad no one, besides the two of you, is in the park anymore—you couldn't, not when the coldness—which swept through your skin and into your bones—felt like such a relieving bliss and begun to numb the scorching hot pain.

Taking a deep breath, you closed your eyes and out of habit you laid your head against Heiji's shoulder. Enjoying—despite you still feeling angry at Heiji and wanting nothing more but to push him down onto the ground or hitting his legs just as hard as how your legs felt—the warmth of his arms, those strong arms which always makes you feel safe and secured, around you.

»Knew it would help with ya pain« Heiji commented it so causal as if he wasn't aware, that he's the cause of your current situation of discomfort.

Heiji knew what he had said to you, wasn't something light to shrug off. He had hurt your feelings and you had every right to be mad at him.

Heiji would apologise later to you, telling you that he didn't meant what he had said to you—but now he just wants to hold you close in his arms, showing he's here and not leaving you anymore alone—then he had already done—when you needed him.

»Shouldn't you be at this crime scene and searching for a potential serial killer?« you asked, tapping the Cola Can with your fingertips before opening it and taking a few sips from it.

»I figured they don't need me and that they're very capable of doing it without me.« he tells you admittedly and because Heiji realised what massive asshole he was towards you.

»This is......nice.....just you and me, I wish to have such often.« there's a underlying sadness in your voice as you spoke in a whisper, nuzzling more into the crook of Heiji's neck—and when Heiji had taken a long sip from your Cola—after you had offered him the Can—he had tightened his hold around you.

~~~

Eventually you begun to doze off in Heiji arms. Your soft breath—besides the rustling leaves from the every so often breeze—was the only rushing sound in Heiji ears.

»I'm such a big idiot, aren' I?« the question was a whisper to himself—clenching his eyes shut when a stringing wetness started to build up.

Despite what Heiji had said to you—those cruel things of words, which he spewed in a heat of momentary small rushed childish anger and weren't meant to be true—you never were at faults for what happened to you as Heiji believes it had been his.

Because if Heiji hadn't so loudly and overconfidently proclaimed that he wouldn't leave your side and keep you safe, as promised—but did it anyways, dropping you in a heartbeat to do what he always does, going after crimes—then you wouldn't have been taken and it also wouldn't have ended in you getting hurt.

Once the wind had picked up on coldness and the sun sinking even further down, Heiji nudge you awake—out of your dozing,

»C'mon sleepy prince, let's get ya back to the hotel«

».....can't walk....«

»I'll carry ya, my prince,«