"You've grown quite nicely, hm." Louis spoke up suddenly. He pushed himself off the wall he had been leaning against and moved to sit down on the sofa. He patted the cushion next to him, waiting for Elias. "Sit. I want to talk with you."
Elias could only nod, a million questions flashing through his mind. He was still a little dazed from Louis's sudden appearance and hadn't quite regained his bearings. Still, he walked over and sat on the couch opposite Louis. "...Yes?"
Louis watched as Elias sat down, his gaze sharp and intense, studying his every move- the way he sat, the way he shifted in his seat, and the way he fiddled with his fingers. He noticed every little detail. He hummed, leaning back and crossing his legs, his gaze still locked onto Elias. For now, he was silently observing. His eyes fell on a plaster covering Elias's left palm. A flare of protectiveness rose inside him.
"What happened there?" Louis asked. His voice was as smooth as before, but there was a tinge of sharpness in it now. He nodded toward the plaster on Elias's hand.
He was sure Elias had hurt himself somehow—he was the most clumsy person ever. Of course, he would hurt himself.
Louis couldn't suppress the irritation or the protectiveness that became visible on his face.
"Oh, that..." A pink blush spread across Elias's cheeks as Louis asked about the injury. 'Oh god, that's embarrassing,' he thought. He didn't want to admit how he had gotten it. Why did both of them keep asking about it...ugh. As if they cared about him or something. They shouldn't. He had hurt them.
"Just... in passing. It's a shallow injury. Don't worry about it."
Louis clicked his tongue in disapproval. He didn't like that answer.
"Just in passing, hm" he repeated thoughtfully. It could mean anything—it could mean Elias hurt himself, or worse, someone else had hurt him. Louis grumbled internally. He didn't like either option, though the first didn't fill him with the same fury as the second.
"So, someone hurt you?" Louis said, his tone deceptively calm. He tried his hardest to keep his tone neutral, but even he couldn't hide the hint of irritation that seeped in.
At that, Elias hurriedly shook his head. "No, no, that's not it. It's not like that..." He decided to come clean before Louis derived any worse conclusions. "...I got it while cooking. I don't cook often, so."
Louis nodded, taking in Elias's explanation. Of course, it was something stupid and innocent. Of course.
But he still wasn't happy. Why? He didn't know. He just didn't like that Elias had gotten hurt, that he was in pain. That there was more the mark of injury on that side, porcelain like skin.
"You should be more careful. You're really clumsy," he said bluntly, though that hint of irritation was still clear in his tone.
"Show me."
Elias looked confused by the sudden command. "Excuse me? You want me to take off the plaster to show you...?"
Louis's irritation grew at the obvious question. "Yes, Mr obvious. What if it's infected?"
Elias internally shook his head. This guy, seriously. He responded dryly, "I'd know if it was infected. It's just a small blister."
Still irritated that Elias had hurt himself, Louis grumbled like a disappointed parent, "…What would you know."
"Right. It's almost like I'm a doctor or something. Crazy, isn't it?" Elias quipped back sarcastically.
'Oh. Forgot about that,' Louis rolled his eyes inwardly in annoyance, though he didn't show it. He kept his intense expression and snapped, "...Don't be a smartass." He let out an irritated huff. He knew Elias was a doctor. He didn't need to be reminded.
"You're the dumbest doctor I know," he continued in a matter-of-factly way.
"Damn, who hurt you?" Elias scoffed.
Louis grumbled internally, taking a deep breath to keep himself calm. He really wanted to say, you, just to spite him. But he didn't. Instead, he let out an exasperated, yet amused huff. The other was stupidly cute when he acted like this. Though he didn't show his amusement, he sighed as if disappointed. "No one. I'm just irritated because you're clearly too foolish to take care of yourself."