Thorns and Roses

Chapter 14

Kei unconsciously gulped seeing the smirk on Riku's face while eating the cherries after what he just said. He didn't even show any signs of pain from the cuts on the corner of his lips while enjoying his food.

"I would've asked Arisu, but since you're here and you said you want to help," Riku said without putting any period on his statement, waiting for Kei's answer.

"O-Oh, you... want me to help you shower?"

Riku scoffed. "I can manage myself in the shower. I just need help changing my clothes. You know..." then he looked at the other side, pointing at the iv fluid attached to him.

Kei unconsciously dropped his jaw and nodded, as if making sense of something. "Okay. Sure!"

He then waited for Riku to finish his meal to help him with his agenda. After putting aside the tray and the bed table, Riku untucked himself from his thick duvet to hang his feet on the side of the bed where Kei was standing. His bodyguard assisted him with the iv bag hanging on the metal rod so the cord won't get in their way.

Riku untangled the strap of his night gown and let the garment trail down his shoulder, exposing the bandage wrapped around his arm and shoulder. It must be the glass window giving all the sunlight access in his room that it made his skin even glow paler. Bruises were also evident on his skin, but those didn't diminish the firm muscles decorating his body. Kei subtly looked away after seeing Riku's white bare chest and tried to clear his throat without making any sound as much as he could.

"Can you help me get the sleeves out?"

This snap Kei's head back at him and that's when he realized, the night gown was already pooling halfway Riku's body around his waist, but because of the cast on his right arm and the syringed attached to him on the other side, he couldn't completely take it off him. Kei discreetly took a deep breath and almost held it in before leaning down and help Riku's right hand off the sleeve.

"Careful."

Kei's voice sounded faint and almost caught in his throat which made Riku subtly smirked; his breath almost touching Kei's cheek with their close distance while he let Kei held his injured arm and gently pulled one sleeve away. Riku needed to stand so he won't be sitting on the lower part of his night gown. So, he slowly stood which made Kei leaned straight back, matching his height.

There was an awkward pause between them, realizing how close they stood at each other and with Kei still holding a part of Riku's night gown on his hands. Seeing Kei's flustered face up close, Riku couldn't help but smile. As if a cold water was splashed at him upon seeing Riku's smile under the bright sunlight like that, Kei cleared his throat and looked away, and awkwardly transferred the linen from his left hand to another. But the moment he did, he realized he was already wrapping his arms around Riku almost hugging him, with his face so close on his bare chest.

Riku's smile grew bigger as he stood still while Kei tried to suppress the slight panic and immediately dropped his other hand and opened the last sleeve for his other hand to slide. Riku casually slid out his arm while Kei held the iv bag and finally getting the night gown out from it.

"Thanks."

The deep voice somehow made Kei shiver a little before he glanced at Riku and gave him an awkward smile in response. After putting back the iv bag on the metal rod, Kei helped him push it going to the bathroom. But for some reason, Riku's half naked body made his chest pound. It's not like he hasn't seen a body with perfectly curved abs or something. But it somehow made his cheeks feel warmer for some weird reason. They weren't talking because the tension was too heavy for either of them to speak – or at least for Kei.