Page 119 of Beyond The Maples
Before I can jump from the last rung, hands grip my hips firmly, as he lowers me to the ground. I turn to thank him, and my breath hitches a little as my eyes roam over his arm.
"We should go to the infirmary. You need stitches." I motion to the slash on his arm that I could barely make out earlier.
"No. I have some supplies in my room," he responds, and for a moment I hesitate, but he glances back at me, motioning for me to follow.
His room is slightly bigger than ours, and he has it to himself. There's a small kitchenette to the left and a bed in the far-right corner. "You have a med kit?"
Using his good arm, he opens up a cupboard and pulls out a bag.
"You don'thave to help me, I…"
I put up my hand to cut him off. "Go wash up," I demand.
His eyes widen slightly, but they don't meet mine and my heart sinks a little.
He comes back out of the bathroom ten minutes later in clean clothes, soft cotton pants and a grey shirt, his arms and face washed. It's the most casual he's ever looked, and it somehow conflicts with the harshness emanating off him. His inky hair is wet from the shower.
I motion for him to sit on the stool in front of me. To my surprise, he listens. I grab his hands gently, examining them to see where I should start. I draw in a deep breath when I see the gash on his arm, now that all the grime and blood is washed away.
I pour some rubbing alcohol onto a clean cloth, and start gently dabbing at the larger cuts on his knuckles. He hisses, scowling at me.
"Oh, hush... big baby, it just stings for a few seconds." I give him a cheeky look, and I finally see the hint of a smirk dance across his full lips.
"This one’s going to sting a little more," I warn, before dripping some of the liquid into the wound. He curses, trying to pull away, but I hold him in place. Bending, I blow on the cut gently, trying to take away some of the bite. I look up when I feel Tane's burning gaze. His eyes are almost black as he watches me, and I feel heat wash over my body, settling just below my belly button.
I grab the needle and thread I found in the bag, and start to stitch up the torn flesh as best I can. Tane doesn't even flinch at this, his breathing relaxed and even. Once that's done, I use tape to pull together the smaller cuts.
"Want to tell me what happened?" I ask quietly.
"Not really."
The hollow look on his face threatens to pull me under. I can't take it, so I start to ramble, mostly to myself.
"Do you ever feel like everything you do takes away a piece of you? Slivers of who you are are cut away for others, until you're not even sure what you're left with? It's almost easy to justify in the moment, but... later on," my voice fades away as I study his face. There's something there now— a spark of recognition.Regret. Understanding.
I look over my work on his arms with satisfaction then look at Tane’s face again. He has another cut above his left eyebrow.
"Can I...?" I ask, pointing to his forehead.
His eyes meet mine, and he nods slowly, pain still pinching his features. Somehow, I doubt it's from the cuts.
I step between his legs, willing myself to focus and not get lost in his nearness. He leans into me so that our bodies are nearly touching everywhere. Grabbing the cloth, I dab the cut. This time he doesn't hiss or grumble. His eyes just stay locked on me, his breathing uneven.
"You’re good at this," he whispers.
"I've been fixing burns and bumps since I was a little..." I trail off, thinking of my dad. "My dad used to fight in the rings," I offer, pulling back to look at him. "I used to patch him up."
I wait for a moment, as Tane's eyes bore into mine. He offers me nothing, so I finally say. "I saw a man at the underground Games once; a fighter, like my dad. He had tattoos like these." My finger taps at the dark ink peeking up from underneath the collar of his t-shirt.
I search his face for something. Slowly, he nods. Understanding floating between us.
"You did?"
"I did."
"And you didn't use that information..." He trails off, like the idea that I didn't extort him is unfathomable.
"You didn't tell Kethler what really happened with that extraction, either."
