Love is Always Write Anthology Volume 3

you! And anyway, I'm not the one who lunged at an armed gunman and got myself shot. Don't they train you not to do reckless shit like that at cop school?"
    Niko pursed his lips, somehow managing to look like a petulant teenager while also looking completely and utterly fuckable. The bastard. "It was a tactical maneuver."
    "Tactical my ass! You could have been killed. A bit higher to the left and he would have hit your femoral artery," Charlie scolded as he tore a few strips of cloth off the bottom of his work shirt with trembling hands. He could get a new one if he managed to live through this. The first aid kit Twitchy had fetched had been of little use, containing only a few band-aids, a small tube of antiseptic cream, and a single sterile pad. Charlie was fairly certain it violated some sort of office safety code, but he supposed it was better than nothing.
    Using small cups of water from the cooler, Charlie cleaned the entry and exit wounds as best as he could. When most of the blood was cleared away, he cut the the sterile pad, laid each half to the still-oozing wounds, and pressed hard, wincing at Niko's sharp intake of breath. He murmured a quiet “sorry” as he reached for the strips of his shirt.
    Charlie worked in silence for the most part, using the methodic act of wrapping Niko's leg to calm himself. When he felt steady enough, he spoke again. "So, why'd you do it?"
    "Do what?"
    Charlie looked up and arched a brow at Niko to show that he was aware Niko knew what he was talking about, but he elaborated all the same. "Jump on Twitchy like that. We both know it wasn't the smartest thing to do."
    If he hadn't been staring at Niko, Charlie would have missed the hint of color that rose in his cheeks as he ducked his head and shrugged. "Instinct, I guess. I didn't like him grabbing at you."
    The admission made something in Charlie's gut leap and he paused in his wrapping to stare at him. Niko looked up and their eyes met for a moment before Charlie looked away and got back to work, his own blush rising inexplicably.
    "There," he said as he tied off the ends of the makeshift bandage. "That should hold you for now. I'll check it in a little while to make sure you don't need a new one." Niko nodded as Charlie moved to sit beside him. "Sorry I don't have anything to give you for the pain."
    "Don't worry about it. I've had worse."
    Charlie frowned, not liking the idea that Niko had had worse than a gunshot wound before. That being said, he didn't really have the right to worry about Niko since he'd met him less than an hour ago. Rather than voicing his misplaced concern, Charlie let himself lean into Niko's side until their arms touched. He sighed softly, taking some comfort in that small point of contact.
    "So, you're a doctor?" Niko asked, breaking the silence.
    "Heh, not really. I mean, I finished my pre-med and all, but then my mom got sick and I had to drop out of med school to take care of her. When she died, I don't know. I just… never went back."
    Charlie started when Niko's hand wrapped around his and squeezed. "I'm so sorry to hear that. It must have been really rough."
    Swallowing past the sudden tightness in his throat, Charlie looked up, forced a smile, and gave a tiny shrug. "It did, but, I mean, that's life, right? Bad things happen. We learn to deal with them. I mean, take this for example. Being a hostage in a bank robbery is pretty crappy."
    Niko's lips quirked into a small smile. "It's not all bad."
    "Says the man who got shot," Charlie teased quietly, trying to distract himself from the flutter of butterflies in his stomach. This was hardly the time to be feeling like a giddy school-girl with a crush, trapped in a tiny office with an armed guard blocking their only means of escape. Outside, he could hear Boss talking to someone on the telephone and outlining demands to be met. Clearing his throat, Charlie shot a look over at Twitchy, who had inched out the door to remind the Boss of a few items for the demand list, and back again. "What's happening, do you think?"
    "Don't worry," Niko murmured, pressing closer against Charlie's side, solid and soothing. "If they have them making demands, they're right on schedule. With the ringleader distracted, they'll be mobilizing SWAT. The team should be here any time now."
    As if summoned by Niko's words, the sound of glass breaking and a chorus of organized shouts cut through the air, demanding surrender.
    "Fuck!" Twitchy cried as a SWAT member came into