Saiko shuffled down the hall, his footsteps light as he clutched a clipboard to his chest, mentally rehearsing the welcome speech he'd practiced so many times before. There was a new patient today, and that always made his heart race a little faster. New faces meant new excitement, and Saiko couldn't wait to meet them.
Reaching the room, he peeked in, eyes widening at the sight of a young man with a wild look, black hair streaked with neon purple, and piercing purple eyes that practically glowed. Loki was lounging casually on the hospital bed, his posture relaxed, though Saiko noticed faint cuts and bruises marking his arms and face.
"Ah! Uh... hello... new friend!" Saiko chirped, giving a small bow and a big grin. "Me Saiko! Help you, yes? Any hurt, I fix!"
Loki's eyes flicked to Saiko, and a smirk pulled at his lips. "Nice to meet ya, nurse?" he replied smoothly, his tone light and sarcastic, though he gave Saiko a once-over, eyes glinting with mischief. "I don't think I'm in too bad shape, but... sure, you can check me over if you like."
Just as Saiko stepped closer to assess Loki's injuries, the door burst open, and Kisumi strolled in with a bored expression on his face, his wolf tail flicking back and forth in irritation.
"Oh, great, another nuisance," Kisumi muttered, crossing his arms as he gave Loki a once-over. "What are you, some kind of half-assed alley cat?"
Loki's grin widened. "Aww, look at that! The hospital's got an emotional support animal." His gaze lingered on Kisumi's twitching ears and tail. "I thought they only had those in airports. Guess they're getting popular."
Kisumi's ears flattened, his tail lashing furiously. "Watch it, mittens. You don't wanna start something you can't handle." His growl was low, but Saiko could see a flicker of insecurity beneath Kisumi's bravado.
"Handle?" Loki tilted his head, pretending to consider. "I dunno, pup, looks like I'm the one who might need to handle you. I mean, I could toss you a chew toy if that'd help."
Kisumi's face reddened as his growl deepened, and his tail fluffed out in irritation. "I'm not a mutt, and I'm definitely not some plaything for a mangy stray like you!"
"Oh, 'mangy stray,' I like that. Very original." Loki's voice dripped sarcasm, and he leaned back on his bed with a relaxed smile, clearly enjoying riling Kisumi up. "What's next, calling me a good little kitty? Real scary stuff, puppy."
Kisumi snarled, his hands clenched into fists. "Listen, you—"
But Saiko jumped in between them, throwing his hands up in an attempt to mediate. "No fight, no fight! We all friends, yes?" He looked desperately between the two boys, his broken English and wide eyes making him look like a lost puppy.
Kisumi huffed, folding his arms and looking away, though his tail still swished in irritation. "Friends? With this guy? Yeah, right."
Loki just chuckled, his tail flicking lazily behind him as he shot Saiko an amused look. "Hey, don't worry, little nurse. I'm all about peace." He winked. "Besides, it's kinda fun watching this 'big, bad wolf' pretend he's not just a glorified guard dog."
Kisumi's face went redder, and he shot a glare at Loki that could melt steel. "I am not some dog, and my name is Kisumi, got it? Use it, or I'll—"
"Ohhh, so he's got a name. My bad, I thought you were just 'hospital mascot.' My mistake." Loki's grin was almost painfully cheerful, and the taunting glint in his eye was obvious.
Kisumi growled, his tail bristling, and Saiko noticed his ears flattening in genuine irritation. Saiko blinked between them, his face scrunched up in confusion, but he decided to try and settle things again.
