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“Great practice, Kagami. See you next time.” Adrien dashed toward the locker room, a worried expression covering his features.
Probably something with his father again, she mused.
Taking a ginger step, she grimaced, pain arcing through her foot and higher. She’d twisted her ankle worse than she’d thought on that last parry.
“Great,” she muttered aloud, scanning the near empty practice yard. “Mother isn’t going to like this.”
While the locker room stood several yards away, she eyed the somewhat closer bleachers, hoping her ankle would carry her that far. If she could get that far, then she could prop it up for a time until her family’s driver arrived.
One excruciating step after another, she shuffled closer. The pain swelled with each meter she gained toward the blessed bleachers.
“Just a little bit further,” she whispered. “You can do this.”
“You can do what?” a familiar feminine voice asked behind her. “Are you alright, Kagami?”
Determined to ignore the other woman, she lifted her injured foot and gain another blissful few centimeters toward her target. Searing pain shot through her, causing her to stagger forward.
Surprisingly strong arms wrapped around her middle, keeping her upright.
“You’re hurt,” Marinette declared.
“I’ll be fine. I just need to sit,” she retorted, her face warming.
She glanced behind her to see a determined look cross Marinette’s features, her brow furrowing in thought. The look didn’t surprise Kagami as she’d witnessed it several times since her arrival at D’Argencourt’s fencing school.
“You need ice before it swells more.”
Before she could say or do anything, Marinette’s arms shifted, lifting her in a carry that should’ve been impossible. Kagami’s arms wrapped around the other woman’s neck, shock keeping her compliant. Warmth seeped in fire hot, burning Kagami’s cheeks and staining them a bright red.
Without breaking a sweat, the raven-haired beauty carried Kagami to the bleachers. She took extra care in placing her on the warm metal, using her sweater to prop the injured ankle. Satisfied, she raced toward the locker room, only to return moments later with an ice pack.
“Here, this should help.” Her voice came out whisper soft.
Not one of her past trainers had ever been so gentle or kind as Marinette when the other woman slid off her shoe and sock to expose her ankle. Her fingers did wonders against Kagami’s tender skin, settling the ice pack with equal care over the swollen area.
“Thank you, Marinette” Kagami whispered, incapable of saying anything else for fear of embarrassing herself further.
“Good thing I snuck in to watch your practice, huh?” Pink suffused her cheeks. “I know it’s not really allowed, but I couldn’t help myself. You’re really good.”
“I know.”
Marinette chuckled. “You’re not shy at all, are you? I like that about you.”
“You do?” Kagami’s eyes widened.
Marinette nodded. “I do. Maybe you could teach me sometime.”
“To not be shy?”
A giggle escaped Marinette, shaking her head. “No, silly. I meant fencing. I think I could learn a lot from you.”
The way she stared sent Kagami’s heart pounding and her stomach fluttering. Marinette might just be the death of her. But, what a way to go, she thought.
“I’d be honored to teach you,” she whispered, her voice coming out almost normal.
Marinette beamed at her.
Things were about to get a whole lot more interesting.