It was one of those absurd situations that could only happen in the Foxes room. Nicky, fascinated by a new self-defense gadget he’d bought, decided to check how it works. He hadn't expected a stream of thick, orange gel to shoot out with such force, hitting Neil right in the eyes just as he was walking into the living room. Neil let out a choked cry and instantly doubled over, clutching his face. The burning was immediate and overwhelming, as if someone had pressed red-hot coals against his eyes. "Oh my god! Neil! I’m so sorry, I didn’t know... I thought the safety was on!" Nicky shrieked in a panic, waving his hands around and nearly dropping the canister. Andrew stormed into the room a second later, drawn by the noise. His gaze instantly locked onto Neil, who was choking back a groan of pain, and then shifted to Nicky. Andrew’s face hardened, turning into a mask of pure, icy fury. "What did you do?" Andrew growled, taking a single, predatory step toward them. "I... I just wanted to see how it worked! Andrew, I didn't know it would spray like that!" Nicky was close to tears."You are a complete idiot" Andrew cut him off. He grabbed Neil by the arm and began guiding him toward the couch. Neil was completely blind, his eyelids clamped shut as tears mixed with the orange substance streamed down his face. "Sit. Don't touch your eyes, Neil. You'll only make it worse." Andrew pushed Neil back against the cushions and bolted into the kitchen. The clatter of bowls and the sound of running water echoed from the room. "Neil, I am so, so sorry!" Nicky was kneeling on the floor next to the couch, shaking. "If you want, I’ll spray myself right in the eyes, just please don't hate me! Seriously, I'll do it!" Neil, gritting his teeth against the pain, managed to wheeze out through a tight throat: "Nicky... shut up. And get out. Just get out." Andrew returned with a bowl of lukewarm water and a clean towel. He shot Nicky a look that promised a slow death. "Call Abby. Now." Nicky scrambled out of the room, practically tripping over his own feet. Andrew immediately knelt between Neil's legs. He soaked the corner of the towel and very gently pressed it against Neil's eyelid, wiping away the excess gel. Neil flinched violently and hissed, trying to pull his head back. "Stay still," Andrew muttered, his voice still rough but stripped of that murderous edge. "I know it hurts. Stop thrashing." Neil was breathing rapidly. "What the hell was that? " - "Pepper spray. Calm down, Josten. I got hit in the face with it once myself. I survived, and so will you," Andrew said quietly, wiping around Neil's eyes. "We just need to flush it out." After a few minutes, Andrew set the bowl aside. Neil’s eyes were still tightly shut, his skin flushed and irritated. Andrew rested his hands on Neil’s knees. "Neil," he murmured. "Yes or no?" Neil took a deeper breath. "It's always yes with you." Andrew leaned in and gently pressed a brief, soothing kiss against Neil's lips. It was a rare gesture, almost impossible under these circumstances, but it worked better than any cold compress. Neil slowly began to relax. (...)
