Notes – For the gx_100. Set pre-GX, during Ryo and Fubuki's first year, but not really specific.

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The problem with Ryo, one of the problems with Ryo, was that he was too proud to admit to his own mistakes. For all he valued respect so much, inside him was that streak of pride he could not escape. Perhaps he'd been brought up that way, Fubuki didn't really know. But he was starting to know Ryo well enough to know when he was hiding something.

"So you're ready for class?" he asked, after walking into Ryo's dorm room.

"Of course, why wouldn't I be?" replied his friend, putting some reference books into a bag.

Looking around curiously, Fubuki went on, "Well, I heard some noise from here earlier and was wondering if you were all right."

"I'm fine," muttered Ryo stubbornly, "It was just some books that I dropped but they've been picked up now."

"Some cards too," observed Fubuki, eying a Cyber Kirin that Ryo must have missed when cleaning the mess.

"Yes, well…" Leaning down, Ryo took hold of the card and Fubuki caught sight of his hand.

"Blood?"

"It's just a paper cut," mumbled Ryo, covering the hand over before Fubuki could get a closer look, "Now we should hurry up unless you want to be late for class."

Smirking, Fubuki corrected, "You mean you don't want to be late for being early for class?"

Everyone knew that Ryo was not only one of the best students in the school but also valued the classes enough to show up ahead of time for most of them. On the days that it suited him, Fubuki would accompany Ryo, but today he felt the world wouldn't collapse if Ryo wasn't the first one in the lecture theatre.

"Let me take a look," he went on, walking over and taking hold of the offending hand before Ryo had a chance to protest.

The cut itself wasn't bad, but then it was just a paper cut. They stung more than anything else. He squeezed it slightly and a drop of blood leaked out, causing Ryo to wince.

"Just as I thought, this is most serious," Fubuki confirmed.

"It is?" Ryo raised an eyebrow, wondering if Fubuki was seeing the same injury that he was.

"It could very well be a disaster if we don't get it seen to. Imagine getting blood on that lovely white uniform of yours. White is one of the worst colours for staining Ryo, how many times do I need to tell you that?" said Fubuki solemnly.

Ryo shook his head at this. Typical Fubuki.

But when he next looked up Fubuki had managed to retrieve a bandage from somewhere in his pocket and was wrapping it around the finger.

"I really think you're going overboard about this," Ryo told him.

"Perhaps so," commented Fubuki, still engrossed in bandaging, "But if you stained your outfit that would also make you look tardy. And the Kaiser wouldn't want to appear less than perfect, hm?"

Ryo made a dismissive noise and looked away in embarrassment. That was true after all.

"Why do you even have bandages with you anyway?" he made do with asking, so he could change the subject.

"Oh, that's simple," Fubuki said, winking at him, "If I fall out of a tree I'd want some handsome man to make it all better. You've got to prepare for these things."

Which was also typically Fubuki. Sometimes Ryo had no idea what to do with him.