After Elias had returned from Louis' room, Raphael had made him get in his car, and his assistant drove them to Raphael's place. Why? Who knows. Raphael didn't exactly give him a choice. He said it would be easier for him to care for Elias since it's closer to his firm. After a long discussion, Elias had finally relented, and here they were.
Raphael was currently supporting him by the shoulder, one arm around his waist, helping him settle on the couch as gently and carefully as possible.
"There. Just rest for a moment. I'll be right back," he said, gently pressing Elias' shoulder to ensure he was comfortably sitting on the couch, after which he walked into the kitchen. He needed something to treat Elias' sprained ankle.
Raphael came back into the living room a few minutes later, with an ice pack and a roll of bandages in hands. He walked over to the couch and sat down beside the blonde. "Give me your leg. I'll help with your ankle."
Elias was about to protest and reassure the other he was okay, but since Raphael already got the ice pack, he guessed it wouldn't hurt. He nodded, "Fine..."
Raphael smiled as Elias agreed. He gently picked up the injured leg and laid it on his lap. His fingers almost ghosted over the injury after removing the bandage, gently feeling the swelling. It wasn't a major sprain, but it still looked painful enough to need cooling.
He grabbed the ice pack and began to gently press it against Elias' swollen ankle, trying to reduce the swelling as much as possible. His voice was stern as he looked Elias in the eye. "Now, doctor, you're going to listen to ME. You're not allowed to do anything except resting and looking cute. If you need anything, you're going to tell me."
Elias didn't really seem to listen if his half hearted nod was anything to go by.
Raphael continued in a knowing tone, "I have a feeling my words went in one ear and out the other. You know what? Repeat after me."
"'If I need anything, I will ask Raphael and not try to do it myself while injured like a dumbass,'" he enunciated each word slowly, as if talking to a child. This made Elias huff back rather childishly, despite his sullen mood from earlier.
"I'm not a child!"
"Right, right. How dare I imply that the great Dr. Kang could be anything except exceptionally elegant and intelligent. Simply preposterous," Raphael said with a purposely mocking smirk. He couldn't help it. it was Elias' fault, honestly, for having such an adorable pouting face. Like a blonde chihuahua. "Anyhow, I wasn't joking about that, Elias. We're both not moving from here unless you say it. Come on, it isn't that hard. 'If I need anything, I will ask Raphael and not try to do it myself while injured like a dumbass.' Repeat after me."
Elias rolled his eyes, and despite how stubborn he was and how much he usually hated being told what to do, he repeated the sentence nonetheless- with a slightly pouty voice and a flushed face because Raphael complimented him, albeit mockingly, and then insulted him in the same damn sentence. "...If I need anything, I will ask Raphael and not try to do it myself while injured like a dumbass," he repeated with a frown.
"Good boy," Raphael laughed. He then attempted to pat the other's head, but his hand was promptly swatted away.
Silence fell as Raphael applied the ice pack. For some time, the only sound in the quiet atmosphere was their breathing, washing a sense of calmness over both of them. It was almost like they were the only people in this whole world...just Elias, Raphael, and the sound of their quiet breathing.
Elias finally broke the silence, his voice a quiet whisper, "...You don't... have to do this, you know...?"
Raphael looked up slowly and let out a soft chuckle. He replied, "Oh, believe me, doctor. I know I don't have to do anything."
He looked up at Elias with a soft smile, gently tracing circles on the other's leg with his fingers. He spoke, his voice relaxed, though the words were anything but, "I want to do this. On purpose. I'm going to care for you, on purpose, because I want to."
A flush spread across Elias' cheeks. He let out a disbelieving chuckle, looking down, almost avoiding the other's gaze. "...But why? You.. I can take care of myself. And— Jaehyun was just saying that to play 'matchmaker' in his own delusional way. He would've helped me. You don't have to do... anything. We're not dating anymore. We're not even friends... we're not... anything."
Raphael's expression didn't change as he gently removed the ice pack from Elias' leg. He then began to carefully wrap the sprained ankle with the bandage, making sure it was snug but not too tight.
He finally replied, "You're right. We're not dating anymore. We're not even friends."
He leaned down, planting a gentle kiss onto Elias' bare foot, just below the injury.
"We're exes. With a history."