"I'm proud of you, you know," Pete Dunne's low voice cuts into the quiet, strong and sturdy and as unexpected as it could be.
Ricochet looks up from where he's cradling Dunne's battered hand and blinks. "Pete?"
Dunne doesn't say anything right away, continues staring down at where their hands are connected. "You never complain," he says. "You just keep your head up and you continue making the most of whatever time you're given on TV. Me, I get frustrated and I want everything now. And it rarely works out well for me."
Ricochet stares at him compassionately. "Can you wiggle these...?" he wonders, lightly poking Pete's fingers.
Pete grimaces, then tries. They move, not very fast or very coordinated, but when they press back against Ricochet's fingers, the man smiles. Pete huffs, clearly in pain, and Ricochet relents, lifting his other hand up and pressing kisses to its knuckles. This Pete allows as his tired gaze shifts to the tree and the lights as they flicker and race. "Probably not the Christmas you were expecting, huh?" he grouses.
Ricochet shrugs. "There's been times you've taken care of me after an injury, and you've never minded what it interrupted. I'm sad you're hurt, but I have no problem returning the favor."
"Ridiculous man," Pete mumbles with no heat in his voice, blinking slowly.
"That's me," Ricochet says cheerfully. "Now come here." He guides Pete against his side and they settle in on the couch, Pete exhaling slowly as his exhaustion from pent up anger with no outlet for it and the steady pain in his hand that even painkillers could only touch so far sinks in and his eyes slip closed. Ricochet smiles and thinks about how attractive Pete looks under the soft glow of the Christmas lights, holding him close as he drifts.
"Ric?" he mumbles, sleepy and soft.
"Yeah, Pete?"
"Love you."
Ricochet stares down at him, smile growing as he rests his cheek against the top of Pete's head. He's not a very affectionate man, but sometimes. Sometimes he says and does things that are so sweet, they truly do Ricochet's head in. This happens to be one of those times. He sighs softly. "I love you too, Pete."