Chapter Text
After they were dismissed by Ignis from assisting with the Paranassus wreckage, Remi gave Galo and Lio a ride back to the apartment.
They had been opening the pods for what felt like days. Galo hadn’t really given himself the chance to process everything that happened, and had instead just thrown himself into the rescue work. As exhausted as he was, the physical effort helped keep him from thinking about Kray, and helping the trapped Burnish was the least he could do to make up for all the time he had spent fighting for a murderer. Each time he opened a pod to find nothing but ashes staring back at him, he couldn’t help but feel like it was, indirectly, his fault.
Galo resolved that, going forward, he would do everything in his power to help the former Burnish live better lives- starting with his new partner in crime, Lio.
Galo had been speaking to Aina regarding Lio staying in with him, and when he had turned back, Lio’s eyes had drifted closed where he was leaning back against a piece of rubble. The broth Galo had given him was still clutched between his hands, largely untouched. Galo cursed himself internally, because Lio clearly needed some rest, and it had taken him this long to realize it.
“Lio,” he whispered, crouching next to the smaller man. He was aware of Aina’s eyes on them as she called Remi, because she insisted that Galo was in no condition to walk. Lio’s striking magenta eyes slowly pulled open, squinting at him in the brightening morning sun. Galo didn’t think he’d ever get used to the way his chest jumped when Lio’s eyes met his.
“It’s time to leave. We’re going back to my apartment.” If Galo was being honest, he didn’t want to go back to the apartment. It meant that thoughts of Kray would start creeping back into his mind, and he’d eventually have to acknowledge the emptiness left behind in him. However, it was the captain’s orders, and he could tell Lio wasn’t going to last much longer without passing out. Even Galo couldn’t deny that the thought of his bed was absolutely heavenly.
“Mmm,” Lio hummed. “Five minutes and I can go back to work.”
Galo wondered, briefly, if this is how his team felt when he threw himself into danger to help others. Normally, everyone was telling him to slow down, and it was strange to be on the opposite end of the table.
“Lio, no,” Galo said softly. “You can’t help the burnish unless you help yourself first.” Lio eyed him for a long moment in contemplation.
“An hour then.”
“We promised Gueira and Meis that you would rest. They’ve got it covered.” Another moment of intense staring, and Lio finally huffed a sigh.
“Fine,” he grumbled, and Galo noticed the quiver of his limbs as he rose to his feet. He reached out a hand to steady him as he walked over the rubble, and almost recoiled at how cold Lio’s skin was to touch without the Promare.
“Lio, you’re freezing!” Galo exclaimed. “Why did you say something?” Lio had been shirtless since their face off with Kray on the Parnassus. Galo would’ve gladly given him the shirt off his back ( if he had one), but they could’ve at least managed to find him a jacket.
“I didn’t notice,” Lio replied. Galo got the suspicion that wasn’t the entire truth, but didn’t press it further.
“Well, it’ll be nice and warm at my apartment!” he assured Lio instead. They met Remi at one of the Burning Rescue vehicles. The firefighter was leaning against the side, drinking a bottle of water. His skin was stained with dirt and grease from all the time he’d spent rescuing the former Burnish, but Galo knew it would be hours before Remi got any rest.
“Are you sure you two don’t need to go to a hospital instead of your apartment?” Remi asked when they were within earshot, pushing up on his glasses. Galo was sore and exhausted, but he knew from first hand experience what broken bones felt like. His bruising would heal. On top of how malnourished he obviously was, Lio’s skin was marred with deep cuts from the barbed wire that Kray had used to string him up to the core, and a slew of bruises were spreading across his chest from Galo’s CPR. The Promare must not have been able to heal all of his injuries before leaving, and Galo cringed knowing that he was partially responsible.
“No hospitals.” Lio’s body immediately went stiff beside him, his face pulling into an angry scowl despite his exhaustion.
“You might have a broken rib,” Remi retorted flatley. “And I am near certain the metal that caused all those cuts was not clean.” Lio crossed his arms and took a step backwards, and Galo caught the way his eyes nervously scanned the Burning Rescue vehicle.
“I can take care of myself,” Lio replied.
“I have a medical kit at my apartment!” Galo burst out before the discussion could get any further. “I can handle it.” The last thing Galo wanted was for Lio to be uncomfortable. The smaller man held Remi’s gaze, and Galo could feel the anxiety pushing off of him in waves as he awaited the response.
“Suit yourself,” Remi snorted. “Hurry up then, I’ve got work to get back to.”
Lio kept his arms wrapped protectively around himself as they climbed into the truck and sat in the back. His eyes anxiously flickered between Remi and the roads of Promepolis, as if memorizing the route they were taking. They rode in an awkward silence that made the air feel heavy, and Galo was relieved when his apartment came into view.
“Thanks Remi, I owe you one!” he called as they got out of the vehicle. Remi offered him a nod in response as Lio switched to surveying the building. It was a miracle that Galo’s apartment had survived both Lio’s fire dragon and the wreckage of the Paranassus, but this side of the city seemed relatively untouched once all things were considered.
“It’s not much, but it’s nicer inside than it looks!” Galo assured, leading them up the stairs. Galo unlocked the door, and Lio stalked inside without a word. The taller man watched him assess the apartment, going through the rooms wordlessly, and suddenly felt a little self conscious. His apartment wasn’t the most expensive, but Galo did a decent job of keeping it clean. It looked the same as he had left it a week ago, before Kray had imprisoned him. The thought of Kray made his heart thump, and he swallowed thickly. He made a mental note to remove everything from the apartment that had to do with Kray before Lio got the chance to see it. There was no reason to keep photos of him and Kray around anymore, anyway.
It finally clicked that Lio was mapping out all of the possible escape routes when he went on the balcony to inspect the fire escape.
“Lio,” he said. “You’re safe here." Lio turned to him from where he stood in the doorway and inhaled a deep breath.
“Old habit, I suppose,” Lio whispered. He walked back into the living room and took a seat on the couch, staring down at the carpet and fidgeting his hands in his lap like he didn’t belong in the space he was occupying.
“I told you I wouldn’t let anyone bother you, and I meant it. You can stay here as long as you want.” Lio seemed to visibly relax a little, and Galo couldn’t help the rush that went down his spine at the realization that his words alone had an impact on the other. He hoped that he could prove to Lio how badly he wanted to make up for all of the things Kray had tricked him into believing about the Burnish.
“Okay,” Lio said. “I believe you.” Galo didn’t know why, but Lio’s words filled him with relief.
“How about a shower, and then I can help you with those cuts?” Lio’s small, shirtless frame was shaking again, and it took Galo every ounce of effort not to reach over and rub warmth into his arms. At the mention of the shower, a small amount of life breathed back into Lio’s eyes.
“A shower would be wonderful.”
Galo offered him a huge grin. “Right this way!” he gestured dramatically down the hallway. “I’ll try to find some clean clothes for you and leave them outside the door. There’s towels under the sink.”
Galo tried to ignore how uncomfortable he felt looking around his room. It felt like he was stepping back into a life that was no longer his own. An entire life that he had built around Kray, his hero. A life that had been completely torn down within a week.
Even Galo’s career, which he loved more than anything, was just Kray attempting to indirectly kill him. All this time he had been trying so hard to make Kray proud, but Kray turned out to be the one that had stolen his real family from him.
Galo really was alone in the world.
He took a deep breath and roughly dragged his hands through his hair, willing himself not to cry. He was supposed to be supporting Lio right now, and even if that was all he could do, at least it was something.
Finding clothes for Lio that were an acceptable size was more of a challenge than Galo expected, but he ended up with a Burning Rescue t-shirt and old sweatpants that no longer fit him. He left the clothes outside the door and went to wait on the couch so he didn’t have to look at his room anymore.
Galo wasn’t prepared for the way that seeing Lio, damp from the shower and wearing his clothes, would cause his heart to thump for an entirely different reason. Lio’s hair was wet and clinging to his face. The oversized sweatpants hung low on his hips and Galo sucked in a deep breath at the sight.
“Uuhhm,” he tumbled over his words and begged his neurons to begin firing again. He had known all along that Lio was attractive, but now really wasn’t the time. Lio was his guest and he was supposed to be helping him.
“Galo?” Lio asked, brows scrunching together in a way that Galo shouldn’t have found adorable. From this proximity, Galo could smell the scent of his own shampoo clinging to Lio’s body.
“Right, uh, my medical kit is in the kitchen,” Galo still sounded a little awkward, but at least he could form words. He led Lio into the kitchen, and had him sit on the countertop next to the sink.
Galo made sure to thoroughly wash his hands before getting anything out from his kit, then rummaged through the box and pulled out antimicrobial ointment, burn cream, and bandages.
“What is that,” Lio hissed when Galo lifted the ointment. Galo remembered that Burnish bodies healed differently than normal humans. He had no idea how long Lio had been Burnish, or how long it had been since he’d had to suffer through human injuries.
“This is antimicrobial ointment,” he informed the other, holding out the tube for Lio to inspect.
“What does it do?”
“It prevents infections in the cuts. It’s important for proper healing, but especially with cuts caused by a dirty object or metal.” Gallo seriously doubted that Lio was up to date on his vaccines, either, but that was a different beast for a different day. Lio studied the tube for a few moments before passing it back.
“Okay,” he said, and his hands repeatedly clenched and unclenched in his lap. Galo wondered if he was thinking about the Promare.
“Lio,” Galo gently grabbed the other’s hands with his own. Lio’s fingers remained clenched. “Do you trust me?” There was a weighted pause, and Galo prepared himself for the other to say no. He wouldn’t blame Lio. After all, they had just met a week ago, and Galo had been close to Kray up until recently. Galo had a tendency to forget that not everyone was as forward as himself.
“I think so,” Lio finally breathed out after a moment. Galo got the feeling that Lio’s trust was a one time thing, and silently promised to himself that he would do anything and everything in his power not to break it.
“I can’t treat your injuries unless you’re sure you’re okay with it.” Galo wasn’t sure what he would do if Lio said no, because they really needed treatment, but he had been working as a rescuer long enough to know that he couldn’t force help onto anyone. People had to accept his help. Galo didn’t know everything that had happened to Lio in the past, but it was easy to grasp why the Burnish wouldn’t trust anyone from Promepolis with their bodies.
“Go ahead,” the reply was barely audible. Galo offered another smile and rubbed small circles into the tops of Lio’s hands until he released his fists. He noted that Lio's palms were raw from the hours they had spent opening the pods together, and vaguely considered that his were probably the same. He had Lio remove his shirt (despite the fact that it looked unreasonably good on him) so he could have better access to the injuries.
Lio watched with suspicion as Galo squeezed the first amount of ointment from the tube. He used his other hand to gently move the other’s arm into a better position, inadvertently pulling Lio’s body closer. Galo did his best to ignore the way it sent butterflies to the pit of his stomach. His fingers delicately traced the ointment over the first cut, keeping his touch feather light. Lio’s muscles were rigid beneath him, and at the first moment of contact he flinched backwards with a sharp inhale, as if he was expecting pain.
“I’m not going to hurt you,” Galo whispered, pausing all of his movements to meet Lio’s widened eyes and clenched jaw.
Galo wasn’t the best in social situations, but if there was anything he understood, it was rescue and first aid. Galo had calmed and began treatment on many fire victims in the past. He kept his voice soft and steady, and his movements slow. He made sure Lio could see his hands at all times and anticipate each movement before it happened.
As Galo passed on from the second cut to the third, and the third to the fourth, Lio’s body gradually relaxed beneath his touch. Galo’s fingers tingled where they hovered over Lio’s skin and his stomach had upgraded from butterflies to backflips, but he reminded himself that he couldn’t show any signs of nervousness. Touching Lio felt strangely more intimate than touching a stranger, but if Lio got any indication that something was wrong, Galo knew he would pull away.
Galo slowly moved up Lio’s arm, and when he reached his shoulder, the other made a small groan. Galo wasn’t sure if it was from the amount of time he’d spent stretched outward inside the Parnassus core, or if it was from the fact that his arms had nearly disintegrated from the shoulders down, but he could tell Lio was in pain. From his close position, Galo caught the way Lio held his breath and gritted his teeth in an attempt to stifle any other visible reaction.
“I’m almost done with this arm,” he promised softly.
“Take your time,” Lio replied, but his voice was a little uneven. Galo noticed the way his breathing gradually evened out when he switched over to the other arm. Finally, Lio closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the wall behind him. Galo’s heart skipped a beat at the unexpected display of trust. By the time he was finished with the cuts on Lio’s body, he was nearly sleeping again. Galo couldn’t resist staring at the gentle lines of his face and the softness of his pale eyelashes against his skin. He felt bad asking him to move so he could wrap the bandages around Lio’s shoulders, and the soft strands of his drying hair tickled Galo’s shoulder when he leaned forward.
Lio leaned back against the wall again with a heavy sigh when he was finished, and watched Galo with half lidded eyes.
“I’m going to put some burn cream on your hands.” Galo showed it to Lio, then steadied the other’s hand within his own so he could trace his fingers across the raw, open blisters on Lio’s palms. Lio gasped at the sensation, and Galo’s eyes were drawn to the part of his lips.
“Feels okay?” he asked. Galo was (unfortunately) very familiar with the relief that came from putting cream on a burn.
“It’s good,” Lio replied, and Galo caught himself smiling into the soft, sleepy expression on Lio’s face. For the last step, he wrapped Lio’s hands.
“Okay, you’re all set,” Galo spoke over the lump that was forming in his throat. He took a step back and immediately missed the warmth of Lio’s body near his.
"Mm, wait," Lio mumbled, his eyelids heavy with exhaustion. "Yours."
"What?" Galo asked. But Lio had already grabbed the antimicrobial ointment, and was reaching his hand towards Galo's face.
"Oh."
Galo felt his cheeks heating red as Lio's shaking finger traced over a cut he didn't even know was on his forehead. Galo watched Lio's bottom lip press between his teeth as he focused, and his breath caught. Cute .
"Thank you," Galo whispered when Lio was done.
“I couldn’t let you do all the work by yourself.” Lio offered him a small smile, and a jolt ran through Galo’s body. He decided he wanted to see more of Lio’s smiles- as many as possible, even.
Despite his best efforts, Lio blatantly refused to ingest any pain medication for his ribs. Galo didn't even attempt to offer him ice, because he was an idiot, but not that much of an idiot. He relented that he had done everything he could for the time being, and showed Lio the pull out couch.
“I’m sorry it’s only a pull out couch,” he nervously ran his hand through his hair. “But I got you all the extra blankets I had in my closet.”
“Galo, this is more than enough. Seriously, thank you.”
“Anytime.” Galo beamed. “I’m going to take a shower. If you need anything, you know where to find me.”