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Daigo is waiting outside his hospital room when Shun is wheeled around the corner- nurse holding the handles of his wheelchair and determined not to let him lever himself down the hallway using the handrail after Tuesday.
Shun swears he knows the schedule of the Fuwa rescue team just from Daigos’ visits. Morning shifts on even days, night shifts on odd days and 24 hours on Friday with two days off over the weekend. He's there in the morning to see him off before PT on Mondays and always waiting outside his room by the time Shuns’ PT is over on Thursdays, meets his eyes as though he'd timed out when Shun would round the corner.
Shun would say something funny about it but then Daigo is standing, a small smile on his face that shows in his eyes when their gazes lock, and bowing slightly to the nurse when she leaves the room.
Shun is being given a perfectly peeled slice of apple before he gets a word out.
“Apples again?”
“You don't like them now?” Daigo turns to him immediately, knife pausing. There's a look in his eyes that Shun knows means he's missed the joke.
He holds his gaze for a moment before sighing gently, and sitting a little further back into the pillow propping him up. “Nah,” He breathes, smiling fondly before taking a bite to assure Daigo, “They're still my favourite.”
Daigo watches him for a moment before nodding and returning his gaze to the apple and knife in his hands.
It's nice, Shun can admit that. He's never been particularly fond of being alone, feels most comfortable around his team and friends. Plus the monotony of the hospital has him wanting to itch terribly, pent up energy and frustration only having any real outlet during his physical therapy.
His heart monitor means he can't attempt small workouts in his room either, not without catching the ire of the nurse. She'd wrongly assumed the bandages and plasters still covering about a third of his body would keep him still.
Daigo brings comfort and a break from the restless spinning in his body and mind. He also brings some kind of fruit every time he visits since a week after Shun woke up; having apparently gotten the all clear from the head nurse.
He also brings stories, which he isn't the best at telling, but it beats flipping mindlessly between TV stations.
But sometimes, not too often considering Shuns’ talkative nature, they just sit there.
It's nice.
Daigo pockets the multitool knife and sets the small plate of perfectly peeled, perfectly equal pieces of apple on the small table that hovers just a little over Shuns’ knees.
“How's your physical therapy going?” He asks.
Shun hums, glances away from the odd intensity in Daigos’ eyes- something he hasn't found himself doing since they became friends- and swallows another piece of apple he'd been chewing. “Alright.” But his face twists and Daigo tilts his head to the side, fully facing him.
Like a cat, is all Shun can think when he glances out of the corner of his eye.
He concedes, shoulders sinking and looking up at the ceiling, “I'm a little further along than they thought but I don't know… it just doesn't feel like enough.”
“Enough?”
“To get back out there!” He says a little louder than he intended, frustrated with himself. He sighs heavily before talking at a more appropriate volume, a touch dejected, “It's just… you're out there and Yuki's doing whatever she's doing; it feels like I'm being left behind. It's frustrating.”
Daigo watches him for a moment, expression inscrutable. Shun tilts his head back to face him and raises an eyebrow, definitely not pouting.
“It feels… frustrating too, without you there.” He finally says after some thought, voice soft and gaze flickering a fraction to the side. Daigos’ face is a little pinker, but it's hard to tell in the low light of the evening.
Shun smirks but feels weirdly happy all the same, “Aww, you miss me?”
“Of course I do.” Daigo says immediately, almost as though he'd been personally offended. He seems to catch himself, gaze dropping to his lap. His voice comes out far quieter next, “I was really…” He lifts a hand to his hair and twists it. Shun is the person who can read Daigo the best, even if he does find it a little harder to do so when they're not in gear and wearing masks funnily enough, but his expression now is thoughtful and complex. Shun can't make much sense of it, but when the clouds shift outside and the setting sun filters in he could've sworn he saw Daigo blinking away tears. But then his expression evens a touch, voice a little clearer, “I knew if anyone could survive that, it would be you. You're extra-ordinary. Didn't mean I wasn't worried.”
Shun… doesn't really know what to say. Which isn't a first with Daigo but it still feels like he's being unbalanced. There's something in Daigos’ voice that reminds Shun of his own thoughts every time he's looked Daigos’ way and thought him amazing- a hero. It makes something other than his current pain sit warmly in his chest.
Shun shifts, and slowly reaches out his right hand- doesn't care for the mild twinge in his shoulder and back when he sits up a little.
Daigos’ heart is beating a touch fast, Shun can feel it, as he winds his fingers around his wrist. Pulling gently until Daigo let's go of his hair and then shifts his hand a little higher until his fingers are wrapping around Daigos’ palm.
Daigo is normally the one for actions over words, Shun is the other way around; it's part of the reason he thinks they work so well together but, well, Shun was the one this time that ran into the building without saying anything- Daigo following- as his partner explained the situation instead. So if they can switch up in the field then Shun can let actions speak here, instead of getting in his head like normal.
He can extend an offer, a meal, a hand. He would always do that, for Daigo.
Daigos’ fingers spasm almost for a moment before falling down over Shuns’ hand, holding tight and fast, only letting up a fraction when he seems to remember Shun is in the hospital. Not that Shun particularly minds either way.
Daigo watches their hands for a moment, before looking to Shun, who smiles when their eyes meet. Hopes he manages to convey the same feeling to Daigo- the same understanding- the same steel.
That, of course he made it- will make it- because you were there. Because an extra-ordinary man is his partner too.
That he gets worried too.
That he cares just as much, if not more.
Daigo holds on a little tighter and Shun squeezes back with all the strength he's been working to build back.
The complex emotion in Daigos’ eyes lifts and he's left with something Shun recognises from when he'd woken up a few weeks ago with Daigo at his bedside. But lighter- brighter.
Shun smiles wider and Daigo smiles softly in a way Shun sees so rarely. It affirms the warmth in his chest, letting it settle there.
They're buddies- partners- no matter what.