3: Company
He hadn't wanted to leave Kaoru alone at the hospital. In typical prickly fashion, the stubborn son-of-a-bitch had needled and pushed him away. "You're smothering me again," he sneered, avoiding Kojiro's eyes.
Kojiro's hackles rose. "Forgive me for thinking you might want some company."
"That's what I have CARLA for."
Right… god forbid you trust a human to help you with anything, Kojiro thought.
So when Kaoru wheeled through the restaurant doors, Kojiro's jibes covered his sheer relief.
Even more so when Kaoru, predictably, fell asleep with his head on the bar – finally feeling safe enough to let himself rest.
Author's Notes: Me my muse: ANOTHER episode 9 fic, really?
Well, the heart wants what it wants xD Plus, everything about the scene where Kaoru breaks out of the hospital to be with Kojiro and then falls asleep on the bar is incredible and I had so many ideas for ways to write this. Kojiro POV again, apparently that comes naturally to me xD I did originally set out to write it as Kaoru's but it was easier not to have to deal with his denial ;) (Maybe I'll write a corresponding Kaoru POV)
This draws on the (I think fanon) idea that Kaoru can only sleep properly/soundly with Kojiro around. I would have liked to make that a bit less on the nose, but 100 words is the deal, so 100 words it was ;)