Kagami must have dozed off, because the room was darker when he woke up to the feel of someone carefully unbuttoning his shirt.

He started, only to realize it was only Tendou meticulously stripping him. It was still an odd occurrence and an embarrassing kind of moment though. The man above him looked down expectantly as if he had been waiting for him to get up.

"Ah! Tendou! Did you just get back?"

"The bandages need changing. Can you sit on your own?"

Kagami nodded and slowly but surely shifted into an upright position. Tendou waited patiently, not offering help even when Kagami had paused from a muscle spasm. Then, helping him to slip the pajama top off, Tendou set to work methodically removing the bandages. Kagami did his part by holding as still as possible and leaning whenever Tendou gently guided him to do so.

When the bandages had finally fallen to the bed in a tidy swirl of a heap, there was a moment of stillness. Kagami's upper torso…looked horrible. His sides were a mass of mottled purples and yellows and there were various scabs and other abrasions peppering his chest. Even Tendou had seemed to be stunned; wiping the injury in an incredibly slow, gentle fashion with a washcloth.

Kagami's stomach fluttered at the sensation. It was almost ticklish but not quite. Tendou had snapped out of his awe of the depth of Kagami's injuries and was now setting up the various items from a first aid kit he needed to reapply new bandages.

"If you're going to use your body as a tool to fight the Worm, take proper care of it." he said dryly.

Flushing, Kagami glared at Tendou at his bent form pulling out scissors and a small jar.

"Oi! It's not like I can go to the Worm and ask for a vacation! ZECT needed me!"

"Ah, so this is how well ZECT takes care of its Riders? Maybe you should think about other employment. A florist, perhaps"

Gatack's chosen sputtered, too outraged to respond properly. ZECT was the organization that had produced Tendou's own Kabuto Zector. They were the only group out there able to fight the Worm invasion! Trying to quell his anger, he tightened his fingers into fists; so hard his arms trembled a bit.

Tendou sighed.

"You'll need to relax a bit so I can do this. Don't make this more difficult for me"

Kagami deflated. It seemed they were never going to see eye-to-eye on the subject of ZECT. And even if Tendou didn't approve of his organization, he was still going out of his way to help him now. Kagami relaxed, lifting his arms to allow him access to his injuries.

As Tendou continued to move about, Kagami felt his mind turn inward towards questions he still hadn't asked. He barely even acknowledged it when Tendou wiped a clean-smelling salve on the worst of the abrasions.

Why was Tendou…being like this? What had he wanted to tell him earlier? Feeling that he needed to ask him now, while they were still alone, Kagami turned his head quickly to Tendou.

"Ten..!"

Kagami flinched backwards, startled, as he brushed noses and lips with the suddenly up close face of Tendou Souji. Apparently he had been in the process of reaching behind Kagami's back to start wrapping the bandages around his chest. Tendou, for his part, hadn't reacted in a properly embarrassed fashion at all. As usual. He was still posed, both hands now holding the bandage, and looking at Kagami expectantly.

"What is it?"

It took a few moments for Kagami to get over his embarrassment. Mentally berating himself that, if Tendou wasn't feeling awkward he shouldn't be, Kagami cleared his throat and started again.

"Why…did you help me?"

Tendou raised his brows at him like he was shocked but Kagami had impression he hadn't been actually surprised at all. He had an ominous feeling.

"Reporting a body seemed more troublesome. The sirens would have probably woken the whole neighborhood. And Jyuka had a big test the next day." And just like that, Tendou went back to concentrating on the task at hand.

"Ah, would you please be serious? Tendou!" Kagami was aching and still a bit tired. He didn't want Tendou's brand of humor. He tried not to squirm when the bandages started to tighten uncomfortably around a particularly sore spot, but Tendou seemed to notice anyway and took more care wrapping the final layer.

"Obaachan said…never look a gift horse in the mouth" Tendou murmured back, focused on tying the ends of the bandages up.

"What?" Kagami had never heard that saying before. Not that he'd ever heard any of the words Obaachan supposedly said but…was Tendou calling himself a horse?

Standing up and starting to repack things into the kit, Tendou didn't seem like he was going to answer.

"Tendou!" Kagami wanted answers, not ambiguous sayings.

Apparently hearing the depth of frustration in his voice, Tendou actually paused and looked him in the face thoughtfully. He even put a hand on Kagami's shoulder lightly.

"It means, you should not be so distrustful when you receive kindness"

Mortified at the thought he'd been acting ungrateful, Kagami was unable to do anything more than stutter out an apology.

Tendou looked at him a moment more, hand still on his arm. Then with a nod, he wished Kagami a good night and left the room carrying the dirty bandages and the first aid kit.

Kagami watched him leave, a bit miserable. How did he always manage to avoid answering him and then make Kagami feel like the bad guy for even thinking to question him? He still didn't know why Tendou was acting so strangely! They weren't even friends. Falling back slowly onto the pillows, Kagami sighed loudly and didn't think he'd be able to sleep at all.

A few minutes later, he was snoring softly.