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Spending time with Vica on a regular base came with some undeniable benefits – sheer endless amounts of cookies, a warm and clean bed with enjoyable company and having someone who was willing to put up with his bullshit. Needless to say, Lambert wouldn‘t admit that last point to anyone, not even to Vica herself. Instead, he tried to show himself grateful from time to time. Luckily, she wasn‘t a pretentious woman. A bunch of flowers, new monster stories and the occasional griffin feather were enough to make her happy.
When he came back from one particularly nasty contract involving two noonwraiths, he already had prepared an entertaining version of the events to tell Vica, including an appropriate amount of bitching about those fucking tavern-owning idiots who deemed it a great idea to torture and kill two young girls just before their wedding. Lambert still pondered if he should also tell her the part where he had killed the responsible men. But knowing the pup, she‘d ask anyway. And after all it had just been an act of justice.
He took Fides‘ bridles and tied him to a fencepost. Entering Vica‘s house, he listened closely. Strangely enough, there wasn‘t the sound of feet rushing down the stairs. Usually, Vica would await him.
Maybe out with friends.
Or, knowing her, attending an additional lecture. He headed over to the kitchen and took some wine from the cupboard. Wasting no time with civilities, he drank straight from the bottle. After he had decided almost instantly that he wouldn‘t go to Vica‘s roommate and ask her where the pup was he thought about his remaining options. The easiest one was to take the wine upstairs and just wait for Vica to come home. But who knew how long the girl would stay out? He groaned, emptied the bottle and left the house.
Damn that girl.
An hour later, his annoyance had turned into concern. He hadn‘t found her in the usual student taverns and the scholars there had told him that there hadn‘t been any additional lectures this evening due to the dean‘s birthday. Lambert had searched the Guildenstern Bridge, the Thinker‘s Park and the harbour afterwards, but Vica was nowhere to be found. Maybe he would have to take extreme measures and talk to Anneke after all. But on his way back to Vica‘s home he had another idea. Pulling at Fides‘ bridles, he led the mount to the Academy‘s animal enclosures – or "Vivarium“ as Vica liked to call it.
Unsurprisingly for that time of day, there were no people in the grounds. But looking around, Lambert saw light coming from a building next to the monkey cages. Brushing past a horde of shrieking baboons, he entered the house. A typical farm building, the smell of hay and manure filled the halls. As excited as he was to find out exactly what treasures he would find in the different rooms, the smell made him directly approach the chamber the light came from. Not wasting his time with knocking, he entered. And indeed, Vica sat at a desk, pressing a cloth against her right hand. Looking at him, her eyes grew wide
"Lambert!“
"Vica!“ he imitated her voice before he went up to her and leant against the table.
Her eyes lit up. "What are you doing here?“ She asked before she gave him a kiss.
After kissing her back and tracing the outline of her lips with his thumb, Lambert snorted. "Happy to see you as well, pup.“ He nodded outside. "Know how late it is?“
She gave him an apologetic smile. "I was busy.“
"What with? Hurting yourself?“ He pointed at her hand. "Seems you really can‘t be left to yourself.“
"It‘s nothing, really,“ she muttered. Straightening herself, she added, "I thought you wouldn‘t be back this early. Guessed you‘d have a few after that contract.“
"Guessed right. But was at yours first.“
Vica paused. "You wanted to see me first?“
"No,“ he rolled his eyes, "wanted to exchange some phrases with your roommate.“
"Anneke. Her name‘s Anneke.“
"Don‘t give a rat‘s ass,“ he grumbled. As her eyes found his, he gave her a brief smile. Looking at her hand, he frowned. "What happened?“
"I told you that-“
"You also told me that Dandelion‘s an intelligent man and that swans choose one partner for a lifetime.“ He doffed his gloves, took her hand and carefully removed the cloth.
Vica flinched a little. "But they do!“
Lambert raised an eyebrow. There was a cut crossing the palm of her hand. Not quite deep enough to damage important structures, but definitely deep and big enough to bleed and hurt like hell.
"Who was that? Fucking baboons?“
She shook her head. "No. This afternoon, I went to Atropa, it was time for her bi-weekly examination.“
"Great,“ he snorted. "Not only too stupid to climb down a tree but also biting the hand that feeds her.“
"Makes two of you.“
Irritated from her strident tone, he looked up. "Say what?“
"You can be abrasive as well.“ The girl bit her lip. "Besides, this wasn‘t Atropa‘s fault.“
"Of course not. Guess you jumped right onto her and the cute kitty didn‘t have the slightest chance to pull her paw away.“
"No,“ Vica sighed. "After her examination, we cuddled. And I underestimated how strong she‘s become. So I trembled and fell. And as I wanted to get up, I used a pole for help. Unfortunately, there was a nail sticking out. That‘s what cut my hand.“
Lambert stared at her. "A nail. You cut your hand on a nail.“
She nodded.
He threw back his head and laughed. "You‘re really one of a kind, pup. Taming big cats and whatnot for predators but dashing against a fucking nail.“
"Glad you find this so funny.“ She pulled her hand away. "Still have to clear up here. Do you wanna wait or go home already?“
Lambert put his hand on her arm. "Pup, looking at that mess of your hand you‘ll do none of that sort. You need stitches.“
"I know,“ she sighed. "I wanted to try but I‘m right handed and...“ she shrugged.
"Good thing I‘m there, then. You have needle and stitch?“
Vica hesitated.
"What is it? This university has a medical faculty, you won‘t tell me that there‘s no material to stitch somebody up.“
"There is.“ She took a strand of hair between the fingers of her uninjured hand and twisted it. "I just don‘t want you to laugh even more about me.“
Fuck.
"Pup, I...“, he cleared his throat, searching for something decent to respond. But when you fucked up, there was only so much you could do about it. "I won‘t laugh,“ he murmured after an awkward silence.
Vica looked him in the eye. Finally, she bent to the side, opened a drawer and pulled out a small package. She gave it to Lambert. "Promised?“
He took the package. "Promised.“ As he prepared the material, Vica took a dark glass bottle from the desk, opened it and put the cloth on its opening.
"What‘s that?“
"Alcohol. Disinfection seems like a good idea,“ she smiled as she tilted the bottle. She pressed the now moist cloth against the wound and creased her face.
Lambert smirked. "But not a very enjoyable one.“ He took the cloth and put in on the table. "But wait, you wanna tell me you sat here for some hours without telling anyone? Bet somebody else would have helped you.“
"Bet somebody would have.“ Vica looked him straight in the eye. "With equally polite reactions as yours.“
He raised a brow. "Quite hostile today.“
"No, I...just don‘t always want to be the clumsy girl,“ she blushed.
"You‘re much more than that.“ As he saw her glance he shook his head. "This will hurt now.“
***
Several minutes later, he looked at his work and nodded. "Good as new. And now with a personal signature from me.“
Vica laughed. "Will increase the value if I‘ll ever sell it.“
"Definitely. But I like it where it is.“
"Me too.“ Her smile cracked for a moment when she bent her fingers.
"Pain will ease in a few days I guess.“
Vica nodded. "As always." Suddenly, her smile grew wider. "But you know, there‘s a way how it‘ll get better really fast.“
"You mean alcohol? You‘ve got lectures tomorrow.“
"And you sound like a stern grandfather,“ she giggled. "Besides, I don‘t mean alcohol.“
"Fuck you, pup,“ he smirked. "What is this mysterious way, then?“
"Kiss it.“
Lambert frowned. "What?“
"You plant a kiss on the hurt location so it‘ll heal easier.“
"Sounds like some fairytale bullshit.“
"Maybe,“ she winked. "But if you do it, I could perhaps allow you to kiss other parts of me tonight.“
"Little beast.“ He took her injured hand and planted a soft kiss on the stitches.
"Learned from the best,“ she gave him another wink before she put her hand on the back of his neck and pulled him into a kiss.