It's barely two weeks in when they discover the first chipped dish. It's bound to happen anyway, with how much they've been dropping and clanging the plates. They find it out the hard way when someone cuts their hand on the sharp edge. That person being Baekhyun, unfortunately.
Baekhyun doesn't notice anything at first. He pulls his hand back instinctively from the sting and promptly drops the dish with a loud crack. Thankfully, it's only an empty plate and it breaks evenly into two on the ground. The customers flinch at the initial shock but are decidedly disinterested after Baekhyun bows quickly and assures them it's nothing.
Meanwhile, Chanyeol opens the kitchen door with his hip, holding multiple drinks. The first thing he notices is Baekhyun sweeping up the broken plate right outside.
Just then, Baekhyun hisses slightly as he discovers the cut across his palm. He stares for a moment at the thin line of blood seeping from it. "I think I cut my hand," he says calmly.
"Ouch," Joonmyun winces. He quickly walks out from behind the counter. "One sec, I'll grab you a Band-Aid."
Immediately, Chanyeol hands his tray off to Jongdae ("I am not your servant, Park Chanyeol," Jongdae complains) to check on Baekhyun.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Chanyeol asks with worry.
"No. I think I'm bleeding to my death."
Chanyeol frowns and ignores Baekhyun's sarcasm. "Hey, it looks like it hurts. Is it deep?"
Without waiting for an answer, he picks up Baekhyun's injured hand as gently as possible. Baekhyun looks up, more in surprise than anything.
"Really, Chanyeol, it's nothing. You're making the customers nervous," he says lightly. He doesn't pull his hand away, though. Chanyeol turns Baekhyun's palm over to brush over his fingers for any other damage, taking care not to touch the cut. His fingers are delicate looking, pretty and slim with a definitely-not-cute little mole dotting the edge of his thumb. Baekhyun's hand is much smaller than his own, Chanyeol notes curiously, but his grip is firm when he attempts to squeeze back in reassurance.
"I take it that you play guitar?" Baekhyun says, eyebrow raised.
Chanyeol's eyes light up immediately. "Yeah, actually. How did you find out? Don't tell me you're psychic."
It's only when Baekhyun thumbs over Chanyeol's fingertip that Chanyeol realizes their hands are still touching. It's irrational that Chanyeol flushes pink at the thought of kind of, sort of holding hands while Baekhyun's still bleeding, but he does anyway. He pulls back as quickly as he can without hurting Baekhyun.
"You can think of me as psychic, if you want." Baekhyun blinks slowly up at him through dark lashes. A tiny smirk curls the edge of his mouth knowingly and Jesus Christ, Chanyeol hopes he's imagining it. His heart is nearly jumping out of his chest and he needs to take a few steps back from the absolutely criminal way Baekhyun is looking at him right now.
"But it was obvious from the feel of your fingers." Baekhyun steps back a bit too, surveying Chanyeol quietly.
"Oh," Chanyeol says, and he's not sure what else to say.
"It's not an insult," Baekhyun says quickly. "I like how rough your hands are." For once, Baekhyun looks like he's said something he didn't mean to say out loud. Chanyeol enjoys this just a little.
Baekhyun tries to explain himself. "I think it's cool that you have evidence of playing an instrument. Like, I don't know, the guitar makes a little imprint on you." He stares pleadingly at Chanyeol as if begging him to at least pretend he gets it. Baekhyun laughs at himself.
"Sorry, that was stupid."
"No, no it wasn't!" Chanyeol hurries to say. At Baekhyun's unconvinced look, he adds, "Thanks. For not being grossed out by my hands."
Just then, Joonmyun finally returns with a whole box of Band-Aids. "Sorry it took so long," he says, out of breath, "I had to dig through the whole supply closet to find them."
After a few moments of relative silence except for Joonmyun's wheezing, Joonmyun finally realizes that Chanyeol is standing unnecessarily close to Baekhyun.
He pauses. "Is there...?" he trails off questioningly.
Not meeting Joonmyun's eyes, Chanyeol quickly takes the box of bandages from him. "I'll do it. Thanks, Joonmyun," he says, probably louder than needed.
Joonmyun gives him a strange look before heading off.
Quickly, Chanyeol tapes a large bandage over the cut in Baekhyun's hand, trying to make as little skin contact as possible. "There," he declares, wincing internally at how lopsided it looks.
"I don't know how I could've survived without your care, Doctor Park," Baekhyun says dryly. Before he heads into the kitchen, though, he gives Chanyeol a real smile, warm and simple.
Chanyeol's still lost in thought, looking dumbly in the direction Baekhyun went.
He barely notices when Sehun stops next to him. "Where were you when Tao broke my toe with his nunchucks, Chanyeol? And I thought we were friends," he says in disappointment.
Chanyeol throws a rag at Sehun's head.
