“How did you know about the piercings?” Did Mingyu knowing eat at him?

          Currently, at least from Mingyu’s visual inference, Minghao has six piercings on his left ear and seven on his right. They’re well decorated with tiny studs and some classy, geometric pieces that Mingyu particularly likes, “I pay attention to things.” He swallows and wipes his hands and mouth, “You got that one,” he points to Minghao’s left lobe, a little up from the one front and center. He already had the standard two piercings coming into school, “after that contest junior year. Your name was in the newspaper. And you got that one,” he points to his lowest helix on the right, “at the beginning of senior year when you and your team skipped school to play hooky in the city.” He drops his hand back into his lap, “I presume that was another contest since you guys were in the papers again.” Mingyu squints, trying to draw out his memories as well as he can and points up at his right side again, “And that one too, but I don’t actually remember when.” Another bite of pizza is taken and swallowed.

          “Wow, I’m not sure if I should be creeped out or not.”

          Mingyu has the boldness to even look smug.

          Minghao just shakes his head, “What about the rest?”

          “I don’t know about the rest, but counting the trophies in your studio, I assume that’s- what- like, eight more victories since high school.”

          “Eighteen, actually, but some of them didn’t heal right and I took out my snakebites and tongue ring after I decided they weren’t cool.” Mingyu thinks that snakebites and tongue rings look cool, “Plus having that many piercings would look pretty crazy if I filled them all. I also work with kids, so I think this amount is probably more appropriate for work.” Minghao drops his napkin into the plate, “Midway through college I decided that the sides didn’t matter, but up until that point, the right side was for solo-victories and the left was for group and team wins.”

          After Mingyu throws the plates away, washes his hands, and wrestles the dishrag away from Minghao who had started wiping the island clean, they start on stretches. Halfway through, Minghao asks if it’d be easier if he had shorts on instead of his restricting jeans. Mingyu agrees and shows him the bathroom so he can change, the latter emerges in a minute with black gym shorts and thermal wear underneath. It’s pretty chilly after all, “Are you cold?”

          “Hm?” Minghao looks up from putting his jeans into his bag, “Not really.” It was a dumb question since he had voluntarily taken off his jacket and hoodie an hour ago.

          Their stretching continues with the resistance band. Mingyu’s just guiding him through the motions. In all honesty, these are all things that Minghao could probably do at home, especially if he has a roommate to spot him and help him hold the resistance band in place. But Mingyu’s a professional who can adjust the exercise immediately after receiving feedback from his patient. He’s better for Minghao than the roommate would be.

          “How do you feel after a day of rest?” Mingyu sits back and Minghao follows suit, not crossing his legs, but sitting with them bowed out.

          “Restless.” He chuckles, “But better.”

          “Good. I was really worried that the slip yesterday might have made it worse.” Minghao’s eyes look up at him, big and round and Mingyu wonders what he said wrong.

          Before he can apologize for bringing up yesterday’s events, Minghao’s already speaking, “About yesterday.”

          “Yeah?”

          “I’m sorry you had to see that.”

          “It’s okay. I don’t think you’re any less of a dancer for messing up. Everyone messes up sometimes.”

          “Not that, well, yes that, but also about the fight with Soonyoung.” Minghao scratches behind his ear, “Um, that was just really unprofessional. And after fighting with you during our sessions and showing that kind of attitude at my own workplace… I don’t want you to think that I’m just a giant who has some quarrelsome complex.”

          It could be wishful thinking, but maybe Mingyu is right when he’s convinced that Minghao did spend a lot of time thinking about how his actions affected this PT that he hasn’t seen since high school. Maybe Mingyu’s opinion might actually matter to the dancer to some degree. Aside from being a very painful thorn in Minghao’s side ten years ago, Mingyu had figured that he didn’t mean much outside of being another NPC in Minghao’s quest to become the world’s coolest choreography expert.

          His opinions are quickly changing, “Could’ve fooled me.” He singsongs.

          It’s a joke, but Minghao’s expression snaps up at him with a serious weight that is a little concerning, “Really, really, Mingyu,” he emphasizes, “I’m not actually rash or irresponsible- I’ve grown a lot since high school. It’s just that his whole knee thing is really ing with me mentally.” Minghao holds his tongue between his teeth, handpicking words that could tone down the severity of his previous word choice. He speaks again after a deep breath, letting it linger in the air surrounded by silence, “The prospect of me enjoying what I’m doing can easily lead to me never being able to do it again… it’s really conflicting and under normal circumstances, I would listen to you, I would stop dancing even for a little bit, but-”

          “I get it, the Finals- this whole competition is super important to you and your team.” Mingyu puts a hand on his shoulder, hopefully, it comes through as support instead of him trying to stop him from rambling, “Wonwoo told me that it’s a big deal.” Minghao’s eyes spend more time on the floor than they do on Mingyu, “It’s okay. I know you- I know that you don’t mean to be so prickly. I understand, but Minghao, you have to take recovery seriously. Try your best for the next three weeks.”

          Minghao nods and nods and nods; not eagerly or in detest, but just like he’s processing something and is taking some time to compute an answer befitting of something that Mingyu wants to hear.

          But Mingyu beats him to the punch, “I really was worried when you fought with Soonyoung.”

          “Yeah, I was too. We both have martial arts training, so if those punches were dealt with intent, we might have ended up in a walk-in.” Minghao the inside of his top lip, “My tooth actually cut into it.” He tilts his head up so Mingyu can see the red sore. If Mingyu hadn’t seen the wound, he might have thought more about those lips.

          It looks like it probably hurt for a while and is still tender, “Ouch.” He sympathizes. Eating delicious pizza with a wound in your mouth probably makes it slightly less enjoyable, “Do you guys fight a lot?”

          Minghao sits up, “Actually, I wanted to say something about that, too.” Mingyu gives him his attention, “Yes. We do fight, but it’s usually in private over text or something like that. Soonyoung’s one of my best friends and I completely understand his position in all of this mess- Look, punching each other in the face was probably not a work-appropriate way to handle things, but between us, it’s not as serious as you might think it to be.” His wording is awkward, like he’s writing out a speech or paper on the spot, “Um, yeah, we had a little talk afterwards and cleared things up. He’s really a good person, really- I just don’t want you to think poorly of him.”

          Mingyu smiles with as much earnest intent as he can muster, “No, I believe you.” He’s still not convinced that punching your friend in the face is just a casual thing you can do, but to each their own, “I met Soonyoung once before the studio and I’m also co-workers with Wonwoo, so, yeah. I’m going to assume that Wonwoo isn’t dating a psychopath.”

          Minghao nods and offers a shy grin, “Good. I don’t know what kind of tall tales Wonwoo and Soonyoung have told about me, but I trust they aren’t too bad considering…” What, that you’re here right now and that I’m helping you? That thought makes Mingyu a little warm inside.

          They wrap up the session with silence, maybe a couple coughs and chuckles to clear up the air, but something has changed now that Mingyu knows that he’s not the only one concerned about the opinions of the other party.

          “You’re chipper today.”

          That’s really the only thing Mingyu remembers hearing at work. He doesn’t even remember who said it, if it was a patient or a friend. But he is. He’s very chipper and in the mood to do some good. Mingyu leaves work to buy lunch for the homeless man who spends his days begging on the corner of Cherry and Hassleforth and bakes cookies for the single-mother family of four that lives above him. He writes a check for a generous donation to the local no-kill animal shelter, a hefty chunk of this month’s paycheck, and he pets every single dog in that animal shelter. Mingyu whistles when he walks and skips every crack in the sidewalk. He waters all his plants and even sings while doing it.

          And Mingyu never sings.

          ‘Are you coming over today? Same time?’

          ‘What do you want to eat?’ Mingyu lays down on his couch, propping his too-long legs up on the armrest. He doesn’t really care what Minghao feeds him.

          ‘Anything is fine :)’

          ‘Anything?’

          Minghao comes over a little after 6. He apologizes for being late, but the restaurant messed up the order. He is less stiff today and Mingyu remembers to step aside and let him in instead of staring at him. Today’s outfit is a little more casual, just a black jacket over a white shirt and the same shorts and thermal combo, but Minghao’s clothes always have these tiny details; a ring here, a chain here, a useless zipper here—Mingyu’s not sure if they’re DIY or if he bought them like that, but it makes him look fashionable and cool.

          He brings butter curry and naan today.

          Their session goes well, without any arguing aside from Minghao commenting on how Mingyu’s apartment smells more like a grandma than it does normal-people candles. Mingyu’s not sure what that constitutes, but the next session Minghao brings him a cup-sized blue candle labeled ‘Nights By The Lake’ in addition to falafel and pita sandwiches. He’s doing a great job so far of picking exceptional food from around town. They clearly share a similar taste.

          “I don’t know what you like, so I’m just going to keep bringing different things until you tell me.”

          And Mingyu’s just fine with that.