mostlytolerable
Ketch had the disinfecting pad in between his fingers and hovering over Mick’s neck.
“Davies, stop talking for one damn second. I need to clean your wound.” Ketch adviced pleadingly. He lifted up his free hand and cupped Mick’s face without a warning.
“Please, stop talking..” Ketch carefully steadied Mick with one hand while the other dabbed on his wound. There were dried blood around the edges and on the stitches; Which Arthur skillfully and delicately wiped off.
They were both in a very risky position. What with Ketch leaning so close to Mick’s face, knees touching and hands placed awkwardly if anybody walked in on them it wouldn’t look very appropriate.
Ketch’s breath hitches when he thought the wipes grazed too hard on the surface of the gash.
Shit.
He looked up to see Mick’s reaction and went back to finishing up.
He could feel the heat off of the man in close proximity and he was slightly.. bothered. He shifted his legs subtly so they weren’t touching because he was painfully aware of the contact, but his leg just got stuck inbetween Mick’s.
“You ought to stop being concerned about me. I’m perfectly fine.” Ketch whispered meekly, averting his eyes and finishing up on cleaning. He lets go of Mick’s face and he puts the used pads in a small bag.
He really didn’t like the way Mick treated him like he was a normal person. Out of everyone, Mick should know better than to worry about someone who would rather die of sleep deprivation than get them both killed for not being thourough.
Ketch sat back for a moment, memorizing Mick’s face for what seemed like forever and only towed away when he finally registered how close he leaned in. It was ‘feel-your-breath-on-my-face’ close.
Great. Now he DEFINITELY thinks you’re a creep.
Ketch frowned at that thought.
“That’s done. I’ll go make some tea,perhaps you should tag along… I’m not very sure what you like to drink.” Ketch stood up from the couch and offered his hand to Mick.
Of course that was a lie. Ketch knew exactly what Mick preferred. None of the interns would be getting it right if Ketch didn’t correct them everyday after he found out they’ve been serving the man that most disgustingly brewed cup of coffee.
“Aside from what? Vodka, is it?” He chuckled.
Feeling like a scorned child, Mick finally shut his mouth and let Ketch take care of the wound. It was just slightly painful, but that was to be expected, with just how deep the gash was in the first place. Mick wondered if he’d still be alive if that fall to the ground took him half a second longer. Probably not.
It was quite bizzare, with The Great British Bake Off playing in the background and Ketch breathing down his neck, Mick suddenly felt his throat going a little dry. -- Should have had more water when he had a chance, huh.
And then the other man pushed into the wound with too much force, and it made Mick squirm under his hands, a cold shiver running down his spine. Okay, fuck, it hurt. But the small sound that escaped him, that he failed to swallow, suggested that it might not have been so unpleasant.
Okay, that was AWKWARD. Fifty shades of awkward.
“Of course I’m gonna be concerned,” he breathed out, shoulders relaxing now, that Ketch let go of his face. “As much as you have that bloody killing machine vibe going on, you’re human, like the rest of us miserable fuckers. And you need rest, and you need sleep to, you know, function properly.”
Sure, he was rambling now. Maybe because the other man just sat there, still way in Mick’s personal space, and stared daggers at him. The air in between them turned so thick, you could cut it with a knife.
“Yeah, right,” Mick ran a hand through his hair and stood up quickly, not even seeing the offered hand, because for some reason he was running out of breath. Toni once said -- ‘You know, when he looks at me a certain way, I can’t be sure if he wants to murder me or fuck me. I am not complaining, though, it’s kinda hot.’
WHY was he thinking about that now.
“ -- Of course you wouldn’t know, we’ve only drank tea around each other for years,” he sighed and followed the other man into the kitchen. “No sugar, a dash of milk. -- Will I get an honest answer if I ask how did you get your hands on this building?”
Leaning his back against the kitchen counter, Mick crossed his arms over his chest and smiled at the other man ever so slightly. Of course Ketch wasn’t going to tell him anything except what was necessary for them to get out of this alive. Mick knew this, always knew how closed up the other was, but he never seemed to give up on poking and testing these walls in one way or another.








