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Elenya had always been proud of her good reflexes. Combined with her clumsiness, they had saved her from so many injuries and broken glasses. But today this blessing was proving to be more of a curse.

It was a mild late summer morning in Portia and Elenya was in her garden, as she often was, working at her workbench. Paulie had posted an order for 3 grinding saws on the commission board and as luck would have it, she still had 3 blade blanks in stock and just needed to sharpen them. She had already finished the first two and the third just needed a final polish to give it the outstanding quality she had become known for in Portia over the last year and a half.

With an exhausted sigh, Elenya lowered herself onto the small stool at her workbench and took off her leather gloves. It was only 10 o'clock in the morning, but she would have loved nothing more than to go back to bed. She had been working almost non-stop for the past few days, finishing the pump and boiler for the new hot springs that Mayor Gale had planned. In theory, she needn't have rushed, but if she was honest with herself, she couldn't wait to relax in the hot water herself.

She had been able to install the machines yesterday, and now all that remained was for Albert to finish the building. And even though she had finally gotten enough sleep that night, the exhaustion still lingered in her bones.

But it was no use. Work never stopped in Portia.

With another sigh, she reached for the water bottle in the corner of her workbench, took a deep drink and put it back. Unfortunately, she wasn't careful enough and bumped her elbow against the nearly finished grinding blade, which immediately slipped over the edge of the workbench.

Without even thinking about it, she grabbed the blade with both hands in a flash, and while this ensured that neither the blade nor the wooden floor underneath the workbench was damaged, the blade slipped a few, but critical, millimetres through her hand, leaving deep, burning cuts in her palms.

The pain shot from her hands through her entire body, and it was only with great difficulty and a great deal of swearing that she managed not to drop the blade and throw it back onto the workbench. Blood immediately began to flow from her palms.

Quickly moving her hands away from her body to avoid bleeding all over herself, she frantically looked around for something to stop the bleeding. Her eyes, blurred by rising tears, fell on her textile machine, which had just finished sewing a fresh piece of fabric.

That would have to do.

On trembling knees, Elenya hurried to the machine and grabbed the fabric, squeezing it tightly between her palms. Another unsavoury curse escaped her as more pain shot through her body, but she gritted her teeth and didn't let go of the fabric. 

Fuck, fuck, fuck, fucking fuck!

How stupid could a person be? What was she supposed to do now?

The fabric between her hands was already turning red and through the pain she tried to grasp a clear thought.

Stop the bleeding. She had to stop the bleeding somehow. Where was her first aid kit again?

A few single tears escaped her as she stumbled uncoordinated towards her front door, but she managed to open the door and get deeper into her house.

Once in her bathroom, she managed to use her elbow to open the door of her bathroom cupboard and take out her first aid kit. She still held the piece of cloth between her hands and didn't dare let go. 

But how was she going to open the box, let alone take out the bandages?

Elenya decided to drop the box to the ground and wedge it between her knees. It took a moment, but with the help of her elbows, fingers and teeth she finally managed to tear open a pack of compresses and a bandage.

She took a deep breath. Now it was time to let go of the fabric.

Carefully, she slowly released her left hand and immediately her stomach turned and she got lightheaded. The cut was deep and blood was still flowing from it.

Normally she had no problem with blood, but when it was her own and in large quantities, her circulation could not keep up. At least she could still move her fingers, so nothing important had been cut, but she was afraid the wounds would need stitches.

Just thinking about it made her even more dizzy, and she shook her head vigorously, trying to clear the black dots from her vision. She had to pull herself together!

Elenya let go of the cloth with her right hand and laid it roughly over her lap and the floor to catch at least some of the blood that was dripping again. Then she grabbed a compress and used three fingers to press it firmly against the cut on her right hand, leaving her thumb and forefinger free.

With these two fingers, she tried as best she could to wipe the blood from the other hand, apply a compress and wrap a bandage around it. She didn't succeed very well. Her hands were half numb with pain and she couldn't muster enough strength to tighten the bandage properly.

She repeated the process on the other side and then collapsed exhausted against the wall behind her. She carefully placed her hands on her drawn knees to hold them above her heart and closed her eyes with a sigh. Pain was still pulsing through her hands and the stress of the whole situation was sapping the last of her strength.

She would have preferred to sit here forever, but the temporary bandages wouldn't last long and she needed to get up to the clinic. She waited a few more minutes for her heartbeat to calm a little and the pain to subside, but then she couldn't put off the inevitable any longer.

With another deep sigh, Elenya slowly straightened up, and as soon as the black dots disappeared from her vision, she set off, holding her hands carefully to her chest.

Without really noticing, she reached the gate to the village, her body automatically following the familiar path. As soon as she turned the corner, however, she collided with something and lost her balance. Fortunately, this something, or rather someone, also had good reflexes and grabbed her shoulders to prevent her from falling. Had it not been for that, her reflex would probably have been to catch herself with her hands, and that would not have been a very good outcome for her.

But now she found herself leaning against a strong chest, her throbbing hands trapped between them, and a warm, familiar voice reached her ears.

"Oh, Elenya, sweetheart! I'm sorry, I didn't see you. Are you all right?"

Elenya's knees went weak as she realised who she had walked straight into. Arlo, her wonderful boyfriend, tightened his grip on her back as he felt her lean into him even more and she could feel his worried gaze on her.

Despite everything, her heart leapt with joy at the gesture and she couldn't help but nestle even closer to his chest. The warmth of his body filled her with a sense of peace that made her forget the stress of the last half hour for a moment. She was no longer alone with her injured hands and only now did she realise how much that fact had affected her subconsciously.

"Elenya?"

Arlo's worried voice sounded again and Elenya finally lifted her head to meet his gaze. Blue eyes rested warmly and questioningly on her face and she tried to smile reassuringly at him. Judging by his expression, she didn't succeed.

 "Hey Arlo, I, um..." She didn't really know what to say. How do you explain that you were stupid enough to catch a sharp grinding blade with your bare hands?

Before she could think any further, Arlo finally caught sight of her roughly bandaged hands and his eyes widened in shock.

"Your hands! What happened to your hands?"

He quickly took a step away from her and gently gripped her wrists so that he could see her hands better. Blood was already seeping through the bandages and the sight made Elenya dizzy again. She squeezed her eyes shut.

Oh God, what was wrong with her today? She usually had no problem with blood!

Instantly, the grip on her wrists tightened as she swayed in place and was pulled back against Arlo's chest. Exhausted, Elenya let her head sink against his shoulder.

"Woah, hey, it's all right. I've got you. Come on, I'll take you up to the clinic."

Leaving one arm wrapped tightly around her shoulders, Arlo pulled away from her, planted a soft kiss on her temple and then led her along the path she had intended to walk alone until a moment ago.

~~~~~~

Elenya didn't know exactly how long it took them to get up the hill. She was completely focused on Arlo's warm, reassuring presence, blocking out everything else, including the constant throbbing of her hands. It was only when they entered the cool interior of the clinic that she became aware of her surroundings and found herself face to face with Dr. Xu.

"Oh god, Elenya! What happened?" Concerned, the doctor approached her and cautiously grabbed her hands, which she was still holding protectively to her chest. Two startled sounds rang through the room as she opened her fingers, and Elenya dared to look at her hands again.

The bandages had almost completely bled through, and a few drops of blood were already running down her hands again.

She quickly looked away before she could get lightheaded again.

Why haven't the cuts stopped bleeding? How long had it been?

Dr. Xu also seemed very concerned about the amount of blood and quickly led her over to his desk and instructed her to sit on the stool. Arlo stood close behind her so she could feel his warmth and she was incredibly grateful to him. Now that the inevitable stitches were imminent, panic began to creep back into her.

Dr. Xu quickly cleared the table, placed a flat cushion on top, threw a clean sheet over it and instructed her to put her hands down.

Elenya silently complied.

As soon as her hands touched the sheet, Dr. Xu began to remove the first bandage from her left hand. Elenya did her best not to look at her hands. She felt that if she saw the cuts again, she would faint.

It was only when a large, warm hand rested on her shoulder and a second began to soothe through her hair that she realised her whole body was shaking slightly. Almost immediately, some of her tension was released and she leaned gratefully against Arlo. He supported her like a warm stone in the surf.

Again, two startled sounds echoed through the room as the first bandage was removed, but this time she managed to suppress the reflex to look at her hands. However, she could not suppress a painful hiss as Dr. Xu presumably pressed a new compress firmly onto her wound and wrapped a new, tighter bandage around it. The hand on her shoulder squeezed reassuringly.

"This definitely needs stitches. God, Elenya, how did this happen?" Dr. Xu's voice sounded horrified and Elenya dared to look up at him. Dark, worried eyes met her gaze and she shrugged her shoulders, blushing.

She really didn't want to tell him how this situation had come about, but she could feel Arlo's gaze resting on her, tense and worried, so she gave in with a soft sigh.

"Well, I was working on some grinding saws for Paulie..." She recounted how disastrous her morning had been, hissing painfully several times as Dr. Xu tended to her right hand. When she finished, a soft sigh sounded behind her and a gentle kiss landed on her head.

Tilting her head back, Elenya looked up at Arlo and met his exasperated but loving gaze.

"Oh sweetheart, what am I going to do with you?" He stroked her cheek lovingly and she leaned into the comforting gesture, a sheepish smile forming on her lips.

"I'm sorry." For a moment, she lost herself in her boyfriend's deep blue eyes until Dr. Xu's throat clearing brought her back to reality. She quickly raised her head again and looked forwards.

"Okay, before I take care of your hands, I have a few more questions. First things first: can you still move all your fingers?" The doctor observed her attentively and she nodded. At least in that regard she was still lucky enough.

"Can you show me?" Dr. Xu turned his gaze to her hands and, without looking, Elenya carefully moved each of her fingers. Pain throbbed in her hands as she moved, but Dr. Xu quickly seemed satisfied and indicated that she could stop. Relieved, she sank a little more against Arlo's supportive body.

"That's good. At least the blade didn't hit anything important. Do you know roughly how long ago the accident happened? It's really worrying that the wounds are still bleeding so much."

"It must have been about 10 o'clock." A quick glance at the clock on the wall told her that it was now almost 11 o'clock.

Was she really still bleeding?

Without being able to stop it, she looked down at her hands and immediately regretted it. Dr. Xu had tied a new tight bandage directly over the cut on her left hand, but her right hand was exposed and her stomach instantly turned and the world spun before her eyes. Everything went black for a moment and when she came to, she was hanging slightly sideways from the stool, two strong arms wrapped around her torso and horrified exclamations met her ears.

"Elenya!" It was Arlo right next to her ear. He must have caught her. 

Had she really just fainted at the sight of blood? Shame crept up her spine and she quickly tried to sit up, but her body wouldn't obey. The arms around her upper body tightened their grip and gently lifted her up until she was sitting upright on the stool again. Exhausted, she slumped down and wished she could hide her face in her hands. 

Could this day get any more embarrassing?

Fortunately, she was able to resist the temptation and instead looked into the worried eyes of Dr. Xu, who had stood up and was now crouching in front of her.

"Does your body always react like this at the sight of blood?"

Ashamed, Elenya shook her head and Dr. Xu's gaze became thoughtful as he scrutinised her face.

She felt completely stupid. Sitting here, Arlo's arms still wrapped around her torso, his tense chest behind her - had he knelt down? - and her injured hands still outstretched on the table in front of her.

"Would you rather lie down?"

Another shake of the head. She just wanted to get this over with.

"Have you been getting enough sleep lately?"

Arlo's arms tightened around her and Elenya had the feeling she'd better not answer that question. But her silence seemed to be enough of an answer for both men and with a sigh, the tension drained from Arlo's body behind her, and his supportive grip became more of a warm embrace.

"Oh sweetheart, what am I going to do with you?" His words rang out again and apologetically, she snuggled against him. Her tendency to forget about her own health as soon as she had a project in front of her had always given him a headache and she was sorry that he was worrying about her again.

"One day I'll get you to look after yourself first and then the town." Warm lips pressed a gentle kiss to her mop of hair and a sheepish smile crept across her lips.

She wished him good luck with that.

"Well then, I'll leave that problem to Arlo. Let's take care of your hands now, okay?" With a sigh, Dr. Xu straightened up, took a small bottle from one of his cabinets and explained: "Here, this is for the pain. Can you help her drink it, Arlo? I'll get everything else I need in the meantime."

"Of course." Arlo took the already opened bottle and then leaned over her to gently place it to her lips. Slightly ashamed that she needed this help, but grateful, Elenya drank the painkiller. 

A bitter taste followed by the sweetness of honey washed over her tongue and she had to force herself to swallow the concoction. She knew that Dr. Xu was always trying to improve his medicines, but unfortunately the taste still left a lot to be desired.

As if the latter had already known this, a glass full of water appeared in front of her shortly afterwards and Arlo took it with a soft chuckle. He also held it gently to her lips and she gulped down the water greedily to get the taste out of her mouth.

"Thank you." Elenya turned her grateful smile first to Dr. Xu, who waved her off with a simple hand gesture, and then to Arlo, who still had an arm around her back and was looking at her lovingly from the side.

"Of course. Anytime for you." A warm kiss on her forehead followed Arlo's soft words, then he positioned himself behind her again, his second arm wrapped back around her waist, and with a sigh she let herself sink back against his strong chest.

Her hands were still throbbing with pain, her stomach was churning with nausea and she still felt like she could faint again at any moment, but for a moment she could forget all that and just concentrate on the familiar warmth.

Without noticing, her eyes closed and she was only jolted back to reality when something cold - burning - suddenly flowed over her hands. With a startled hiss, she sat up abruptly, barely managing to stop herself from pulling her hands protectively towards her.

"I'm sorry, perhaps I should have warned you. But I'm afraid that wouldn't make cleaning the wounds any more pleasant." Dr. Xu looked up at her apologetically for a moment, but quickly turned his attention back to her hands, and Elenya had to do her best not to look there herself.

Gritting her teeth, she tried to bear the burning sensation, but the feel of the disinfectant flowing over her open hands felt all wrong and a new wave of nausea spread through her.

Oh God, please let this be over quickly.

"Breathe, Elenya. Come on, you can do it, sweetheart." Only when Arlo's voice suddenly appeared next to hers did she realise that she was holding her breath and that black dots were already appearing in her field of vision. Startled, she took a deep breath.

"That's good. Take a deep breath..." He inhaled behind her and she did the same. "And out again. That's it. Nice and slow." 

For the time it took Dr. Xu to clean her hands, she followed Arlo's breathing and was once again so grateful to have him by her side. 

"Okay, that's that. Fortunately, the bleeding has almost completely stopped by now. I'm going to apply an ointment now to numb the skin around the incisions so that I can put the stitches in, okay? How are you holding up?" Dr. Xu's dark eyes searched her gaze warmly and, exhausted, she could only nod.

She just wanted to go home.

In the five minutes it took for the ointment to take effect, Dr. Xu got everything ready for the stitches. Once again, Elenya tried not to look. She generally had no problem with needles, but this wasn't the first time she'd had stitches and the feeling of a thread being pulled through her skin was more than unpleasant and always made her feel nauseous.

Arlo seemed to notice her growing discomfort and positioned himself so that he was now kneeling to her left, his right arm still wrapped supportively around her back and his other hand gently cupping her cheek.

"Hey, are you all right?" He looked at her with concern and affection and she leaned gratefully into his touch.

Her voice trembled slightly as she replied, "I hate having to get stitches."

"It's going to be all right, okay? I'll be here the whole time. And it'll be over before you know it." Encouragingly, he leaned his forehead gently against hers and she instinctively breathed in his soothing scent. Some of the tension drained from her body and she gratefully pressed a brief kiss to his lips.

However, the sound of someone clearing their throat startled her and she turned back to Dr. Xu with slightly flushed cheeks. He smiled at her reassuringly and then pressed his now gloved finger to a spot next to the cut on her left hand and asked her: "Can you still feel anything?"

It felt strange. She could somehow feel the pressure, but she couldn't feel the warmth or the rubbery surface of the glove, which meant the ointment was working and Dr. Xu could start the stitches. She swallowed hard, but then shook her head.

"No. I think... you can start." At her shaky words, the arm around her shoulders tightened and she hid her face in Arlo's chest as best she could. It wasn't easy in her position, but Arlo moved slightly towards her, burying his free hand in her hair to hold her close.

"Don't worry, I'll be as careful as I can." Dr. Xu's reassuring voice reached her ears, but even his words couldn't help the uncomfortable feeling as he made the first stitch. Instantly, nausea spread through her stomach and with a soft whimper, she pressed herself even closer to Arlo. Her heart pounding, she tried to concentrate on his warmth and the hand that was gently stroking through her hair.

"Shh, it's all right. It'll be over in a minute."

And indeed, it wasn't long before her first hand was treated. Elenya felt her hand being gently washed again, the wound disinfected, and then a tight bandage tied around her hand to her wrist. She dared to take a look at it.

The bandage was pristine white, no blood in sight, and with relief she looked up into Dr. Xu's warm eyes.

"You're doing great. Ready for the second hand?" She felt like a little child at the doctor's words, but she probably wasn't behaving much differently and so she just nodded, her cheeks slightly red. The sooner she got this over with, the better.

Before the next stitch could be placed, she quickly hid her face in Arlo's chest again. His hand found its way back into her hair, though a soft laugh rumbled through his chest.

Her heart skipped a beat at the sound. Even though he was laughing because of her, it was still her favourite sound and it filled her with warmth. She could melt every time she heard it.

The left hand was finished almost faster than the right, and she wondered for a moment if the cut wasn't quite as long, but it didn't matter. The main thing was that it was over, and she no longer had to endure that horrible feeling.

While Dr. Xu bandaged her second hand, Elenya let herself sink completely against Arlo. Now that most of the stress was over, exhaustion caught up with her and she struggled to stay upright. Immediately, Arlo changed his grip on her to better support her weight.

"You okay, sweetie?" Warm and concerned, his voice rumbled through his chest, and she nodded slightly. She felt warm and safe, a light fog in her head, and she suspected that the painkiller had finally taken full effect. She only realised that Dr. Xu had finished with her hands when he gently lifted them from the table and placed them in her lap. Her muscles sighed in relief. Holding her arms out for so long had become very uncomfortable after a while.

"All right, that's it. You did great, Elenya. How do you feel? Are you still in pain?" Dr. Xu's voice rang out from behind Arlo's back, and with difficulty she managed to pull her head away from Arlo's chest and look up at the doctor with a blurred vision. She had to blink a few times, but then the gentle smile came into focus and she smiled back automatically.

Arlo's gentle laugh reached her ears and she couldn't help but turn her smile towards him at the sound. Warm, loving eyes caught her gaze and her smile widened even more.

Another laugh and Arlo said without letting go of her gaze, "I think your painkiller is working wonderfully, Xu. Am I right, sweetheart?"

Elenya nodded with an approving hum, even if she didn't know exactly what she was agreeing to. But if Arlo said something, it was bound to be right.

"Well, I'm glad." Dr. Xu also let out a laugh, but then became a little more serious. "I'd like to discuss the next steps, but it looks like I'd better do that with you, Arlo. I don't think she'll remember much later."

More words followed, but a new wave of exhaustion washed over Elenya, so she snuggled back against Arlo's chest, leaving the thinking to him. Wrapped in warmth, she let the conversation flow over her.

She caught words like 'don't get wet', 'clean daily' and 'not touch anything'.

Wait... what?

A brief rush of adrenaline gave her enough strength to completely detach herself from Arlo and look up at Dr. Xu in horror.

"You want me to do what?"

Xu met her gaze sympathetically. "For the next three days, you should touch as little as possible. Ideally, you shouldn't grab anything at all. The less the cuts are moved, the better and faster they can heal. I know that's a lot to ask, but if the wounds can't heal properly, the scars could harden and affect your range of movement.”

She was even more horrified. This could not happen! She needed her hands! She couldn't work without them!

But how was she supposed to not touch anything for three days? She wouldn't even be able to pick up a glass of water!

Desperation must have been written all over her face, because two warm, rough hands softly cupped her face and gently turned her gaze back to Arlo.

"Don't worry, darling. I'll stay with you and take care of you, okay?” Full of love and care, he held her gaze and she looked back, confused and uncertain.

"But... you have to work. That's much more important than me.”

"First of all, nothing is more important than you, alright?" She felt herself blushing. 

"And secondly, as luck would have it, I was actually on my way to you earlier to tell you that Sam and Remi have banished me to holiday for at least two days with the words 'You work too much'. I'm sure they could also manage without me for three or four days. Fortunately, it's very quiet at the moment."

A mixture of warm relief and guilt spread through Elenya.

Relief that Arlo wouldn't leave her alone, and guilt that thanks to her stupidity she was now taking up all his precious free time. Without being able to do anything about it, tears welled up in her eyes.

"I'm sorry... I didn't mean to..." A sob escaped her lips and soon she found herself pressed tightly against Arlo's chest, his strong arms holding her together.

It was all too much right now. All the stress, the pain, the exhaustion and the difficult days ahead. She felt helpless.

“Shh, it's okay. It was an accident. We'll get through this. Together." Arlo's warm words washed over her head, but they only made her cry more, and she spent the next few minutes buried in Arlo's chest, her body wracked with violent sobs.

She didn't know how much time passed, but eventually she ran out of energy and just hung limply in Arlo's arms. He didn't hesitate for long, loosening one arm from around her back and sliding it under her knees instead, carefully lifting her off the stool. With just a few steps he carried her over to one of the hospital beds and carefully laid her down on it. He placed her hands gently on her chest and then moved away from her.

She missed his warmth immediately.

"Get some rest for a moment, sweetheart. I'm just going to get some things so I can stay with you for a few days, okay? I'll be right back." A lingering, warm kiss graced her forehead, followed by a gentle caress of her cheek, and then Arlo was gone and she fell into a light sleep.

She awoke when the door to the clinic opened again, but she was in no mood to open her eyes. Instead, she listened to the sound of soft footsteps, the muffled conversation between Arlo and Dr. Xu, and the soft clinking of glass vials. She almost fell back asleep.

But then a warm hand cupped her cheek again and Arlo's voice rang out softly: "Hey sweetheart, ready to go home?"

"Mmmh." Tired, Elenya opened her eyes and was about to use her hands to sit up, but luckily Arlo quickly saw what she was trying to do and gently grabbed her wrists.

Damn, she wasn't going to be able to get used to this.

"Careful. Let me help you." Arlo helped her sit up and with a grateful look, she glanced up at him.

"Thank you," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. She felt exhausted, her body heavy with the weight of everything that had happened.

Arlo smiled at her, his hands steadying her as she shifted her legs over the side of the bed. "Of course. Can you stand?"

She nodded, feeling a little more awake now. "Yes, I think so."

With his help, she slid out of bed. Dr. Xu approached her with a small smile, holding a bag. "Here are some extra supplies for cleaning the wounds. Make sure you follow the instructions and come back in three days for a check-up, okay?"

As Arlo took the small bag and placed it in the rucksack she now noticed he was carrying, Elenya nodded with a grateful smile. "Thank you, Dr. Xu. For everything."

He waved her off with a friendly gesture. "It's my job. Take care of yourself, Elenya. And Arlo, make sure she follows the instructions."

Arlo chuckled, his arm securely around Elenya's waist. "Don't worry, I'll make sure she does."

With a final nod, Dr. Xu stepped back, allowing Arlo to guide her out of the clinic. The walk to the exit felt longer than it actually was, each step reminding her of how weak and exhausted she felt. But Arlo's steady support kept her going.

The journey back to her home was a quiet one, with Elenya concentrating on putting one foot in front of the other, while Arlo remained a steady presence at her side. When they reached the door, Arlo helped her inside and shut the door.

"Sit down for now, sweetheart. I'll just take your medicine and bandages to the bathroom, okay?" With gentle pressure on her lower back, Arlo led her to her couch, onto which she sank gratefully. She had declined Arlo's offer to carry her - her legs still worked fine after all! - but she was still glad to be able to sit down. Her exhaustion was growing, and she couldn't wait to lie down for a few hours.

With a quick, gentle kiss on her forehead, Arlo made his way to her bedroom and the adjoining bathroom. Elenya watched him go, lost in thought, and even after he was out of sight, she continued to stare at the doorway to her bedroom. She still felt so stupid and guilty. Here she was, having spent the last year and a half building impossible things and fighting all sorts of monsters, and then managing to incapacitate herself for several days because she couldn't control her clumsiness or reflexes.

But before she could indulge her thoughts any further, Arlo reappeared in the doorway. Much quicker than she had expected and his face devoid of any colour.

What had happened?

Before she could ask, he hesitantly opened his mouth. "Um... d... do you still need that piece of fabric? I don't know if we can save it..."

And suddenly she remembered how she had left the bathroom behind. The contents of her first aid kit strewn everywhere and a piece of fabric soaked in blood on top. And who knew where else she had left traces of blood.

Oh God, no wonder he looked like he'd seen a ghost.

Startled, she jumped to her feet. "Oh shit. Wait, let me..."

She didn't get any further. As soon as she stood upright, her vision went black and her legs buckled. She fell uncontrollably back onto the couch, luckily without falling on her hands, and when her vision cleared, Arlo was already leaning over her. His strong hands cupped her shoulders and gently guided her into a lying position.

"Careful. Let me do this, okay? You just stay here and rest. I just got a bit scared at the sight." He held her gaze firmly and with an annoyed sigh she let herself sink into the cushion of the couch.

She hated this whole situation already. She wasn't used to sitting around idly and certainly not when someone else had to clean up her mess. She wanted to help!

Arlo's big, warm hand cupped her right cheek and she reluctantly met his understanding gaze.

"I know you want to help, but you have to take it easy. I really don't mind looking after you. In fact, there's nothing I'd rather do. I love you and I want you to get better quickly, okay?”

Damn, how could she not melt at those words? 

"Okay... And I love you too." Her words of agreement were rewarded with a short, soft kiss and then Arlo straightened up again.

“Good, now that we've got that out of the way: What do you want to do with the fabric? Do you want me to throw it away?"

“Yes, I don't need it urgently. It wouldn't be worth the effort.” She could always make new ones.

“Okay. You rest and I'll tidy up.” Another quick kiss was planted on her forehead and then she was alone in her living room.

With another sigh, she sank deeper into the couch and, without meaning to, dozed off again.

~~~~~~

Strong arms slid under her back and knees and lifted her up, but before she could be startled, a familiar smell reached her nose. With a confused sound, she tiredly blinked her eyes open and was greeted by Arlo's neck.

"It's all right, sweetheart. I'm just taking you to bed.”

Bed? Oh right, she had fallen asleep on the couch.

She tried to lift her head to look at him, but her body felt like it was filled with lead, so she contented herself with snuggling even more against his warm chest. Unfortunately, it wasn't long before she found herself in her bedroom.

Arlo gently set her down on the edge of the bed, his hands lingering to steady her. "Let's get you into something more comfortable, shall we?"

Elenya nodded weakly, her eyelids heavy with fatigue. She felt his hands move to the buttons of her shirt, his touch gentle and careful. A wave of shame and frustration wanted to spread through her, but she was too tired for such emotions and so all that remained was gratitude to Arlo.

His strong, battle-hardened hands were always so gentle with her, so loving, and so she didn't feel the slightest discomfort as he dressed her in a soft t-shirt and warm sweatpants.

"There you go," he said gently, smoothing the fabric. "Now let's get you comfortable."

He helped her to lie on her side and carefully positioned her so that she could put her hands in front of her. He placed a soft pillow under her head and another behind her back to support her.

"How does that feel?" Eyes as warm as his voice watched her.

"It's good," she murmured, feeling the comfort of the bed and the softness of the pyjamas. "Thank you, Arlo. For everything."

Arlo smiled and leaned down to press a tender kiss to her forehead. "Anything for you, Elenya. Get some rest now. You'll feel better when you wake up."

Before he had even pulled the blanket over her and tucked her in, she was drifting off into an exhausted sleep.

~~~~~~

When she woke up again, the sun was a lot lower and she felt anything but better. Nausea churned in her stomach, cold sweat covered her body, her head ached and her hands throbbed and itched terribly. Everything felt off.

With a soft groan, she opened her eyes and was surprised to see Arlo sitting in an armchair next to the bed, intently reading a book. She looked at him for a moment, transfixed, admiring the way the late evening sun made his red hair glow and the way his lips moved silently as he read, as they always did.

But then the terrible itching in her hands picked up again, and with a croaked "Arlo." she drew his attention to herself. His head immediately shot in her direction and he put his book aside to kneel down beside the bed at the level of her head.

"Hey, darling. How are you doing? Feeling any better?" His eyes rested warmly and attentively on her face, but she could only answer with a pained expression and a shake of her head.

His eyebrows furrowed in concern. "Oh no, what's wrong? Are you in pain?" 

"Yes, that too, but... I don't feel well. Everything hurts and my hands itch like crazy."

Worried, Arlo pressed his hand gently to her forehead, his eyes filling with even more concern. "I think you have a slight fever. That's not good at all. I hope the cuts haven't gotten infected. What exactly hurts?"

Fever? That would at least explain why everything felt so wrong.

"Everything hurts. My hands are throbbing, my limbs are aching and my head is burning. But the worst part is the itching. Can we please take the bandages off? I can hardly stand it."

It took all her willpower not to scratch.

"Technically, we shouldn't change the bandages until tomorrow morning, but I think it would be better if we checked right away to see if anything is infected. Then we can clean your hands and hopefully reduce the itching a little. Come on, I'll help you up."

With practised movements, Arlo helped her to sit up. The world spun before her eyes as soon as she was upright, and with an unconscious whimper she buried her face in his stomach. The nausea intensified, but Arlo's soothing scent and his hand gently stroking her hair quickly brought relief and she felt well enough to stand.

With Arlo's arm around her back, they took cautious steps into the bathroom where he carefully lowered her onto the toilet seat. He got everything he needed from the bathroom cupboard, filled a small bowl with warm water and then knelt in front of her.

"Let me have a look. I'll be very careful, I promise." He gently reached for her left hand. He cradled it oh so gently in his, her palm facing up, and she couldn't help but marvel once again at how much bigger his hands were compared to hers. Bigger, rougher and yet so tender.

With deft fingers, he began to remove the bandage from her hand. Unconsciously, she followed his movements, her mind focused on the warmth of his palm. It flowed up her arm, filling her heart with calm and easing part of her headache and nausea.

When he pulled the cloth off, he winced at the sight of the cuts, but he quickly composed himself. Unfortunately, she couldn't. Her nausea intensified at the sight of her reddened, stitched-up skin and she quickly turned her gaze to Arlo's face.

He was examining her wound intently, his eyebrows knitted in concern. "Hm, the wound's a bit red, but I don't think it's infected. That's good." His warm blue eyes met hers, his gaze reassuring. "The fever is probably your body's reaction to all the stress from this morning. Hopefully it'll be gone by tomorrow. Let's get you cleaned up anyway. I hope that helps with the itching."

He gave her a gentle smile, then dipped a cloth into the warm water and began to clean the wounds, his touch so gentle it barely caused her any discomfort. Elenya watched him work, her heart swelling with gratitude and love for his care.

After cleaning the wounds with antiseptic, he applied fresh bandages with a tenderness that belied the strength of his hands. He repeated the process on her right hand and then pressed a feather-light kiss on each of her injured palms, making her heart melt at the sweet gesture.

"Thank you," Elenya whispered, her voice full of gratitude and awe at his tenderness.

He answered her gratitude with a gentle kiss, his lips warm and soft on hers, and she automatically followed him as he pulled away. Her movement earned her an affectionate chuckle and another brief kiss, but then he really pulled away from her, reaching instead for one of the small vials he must have gotten from Dr. Xu.

"Here, according to Dr. Xu's instructions, you are allowed to take some painkillers again. It should also help with the nausea and, with any luck, the fever." He uncorked the bottle and held it carefully to her lips.

She could tell from the taste that it wasn't the same mixture as before, but that didn't make it any better. But to her surprise, her nausea didn't get any worse, as she had expected.

As soon as the vial was empty, Arlo set it aside and started to put away everything he had used. As Elenya watched him again, she suddenly began to shiver, and before she could even say anything, Arlo took off his grey sweater and pulled it over her head instead. She was instantly enveloped in his familiar scent and warmth, and with a happy sigh, she buried her nose in the soft collar.

Oh, how much she loved this sweater.

As soon as he had finished tidying up, Arlo turned back to her. "You should eat something, even if it's just a little. It'll help your body recover."

Elenya grimaced. "I still feel nauseous. I don't think I can eat much."

Arlo insisted gently. "Just a little, for me? How about some crepes with fruit sauce? I'll make them just the way you like them."

Damn, he just knew her too well.

She agreed, and he helped her into the kitchen, where he sat her down at the small dining table. She watched as he moved around the kitchen, preparing her favourite crepes with practised ease.

The kitchen filled with the comforting aroma of baking crepes. Arlo's movements were efficient and confident, the result of the countless times he had prepared this dish for her. He whisked the batter, heated the pan and expertly flipped the crepes, always keeping an eye on her to make sure she was comfortable.

He brought her the finished crepes, pulled one of the chairs close to her, and picked up a piece of crepe with a fork, holding it out to her. Full of frustration and shame, she glared at the fork as she realised he was trying to feed her.

She had been wrong earlier. Her day could get even more embarrassing.

She almost snapped at Arlo that she was no longer a child and could eat on her own, but luckily the logical part of her brain was able to intervene before that.

Because firstly, no, she couldn't eat alone right now, no matter how much she wanted to.

And secondly, Arlo was not at all to blame for her shitty situation. It was all her fault.

On the contrary. Without him, she would have been completely screwed and the last thing he deserved was to be snapped at by her.

Arlo still held the fork in front of her face, his gaze patient and full of understanding love, and her brain finally gave in. For it was Arlo sitting next to her. Arlo who loved her and whom she trusted with her life. There was no need to be ashamed in front of him.

So she let him feed her, and despite her initial reluctance, the crepes tasted wonderful and comforting. Each bite gave her a little strength, and the sweetness of the fruit sauce was a soothing balm for her frayed nerves.

After dinner, they moved to the couch where Arlo wrapped his arms around her and she snuggled up against him. He picked up the book he had been reading and began to read to her, his voice a balm to her weary soul.

The warmth of his body against hers, the familiar hum of his voice and the captivating story created a cocoon of safety and love around her. She closed her eyes and let the rhythm of his voice carry her out of her discomfort and into the world of the story.

When it was time for bed, Arlo helped her into the bedroom. She lay back down on her side and he climbed into bed behind her. He gently slipped his left arm under her head and wrapped the other around her waist, pulling her tightly against his chest.

"Good night, Elenya," he whispered, kissing her forehead. "I love you."

"Good night, Arlo," she murmured back, feeling his love and warmth surrounding her. "I love you too."

With Arlo's steady presence by her side, Elenya finally drifted off to a more restful sleep, knowing that no matter how hard things got, they would always face them together.