Broken Bones and Full Hearts

"So? Was it a fight? Did you beat someone up bad? Man, if they broke your arm, I can only imagine what you did to them." He smiled at his friend, who gave a half-hearted smile back. His attempt to cheer him up by joking around was working.

Noel shook his head. "No, it wasn't anything like that. You know I don't get into fights, and, if I did, I would walk away with way more than a broken arm." Both laughed softly. "It was... Okay, before I tell you, do you promise not to laugh or make fun of me or anything?" Mischa nodded solemnly and held out his hand, curling it into a fist before sticking out his pinky.

"Pinky promise."

Their pinkies hooked together. Noel tried not to notice how warm the other man's hand felt. He nodded with a small grin. "Pinky promise," he affirmed.

Mischa drew back first, leaning forward in his chair with both arms resting on his thighs. Another, much shorter silence came upon them until he decided to break it again. "Well? How did it break?"

---

In which Noel Gruber has a broken arm and he goes to Mischa Bachinski for comfort.