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“This is all my fault.” Lapis’ hands quivered as she brought the vulnerary soaked cotton swab to the ugly gash on Goldmary’s collarbone.
“How so, Lapis?” Goldmary winced, closing one eye and biting her bottom lip. Her knees jumped, toes curling in her shoes as the sting of the medicine raced through her veins, tingling to the tips of her fingers.
“I should have taught you better.” Lapis’ eyes were wide. Insistent. Her free hand on Goldmary’s knee tightened into a desperate little squeeze. “I said you were ready too soon-“
“Actually.” Goldmary tapped her index finger beneath Lapis’ chin. “You didn’t say I was ready at all.”
“…I- what?”
Studiously, Lapis continued to dab the swab at the wound, doing her best to keep her gaze on the broken skin and not the soft swell of flesh beneath it. Maybe this would convince Goldmary to stop wearing keyholes into battle.
(It wouldn’t.)
Beneath her hand, Goldmary’s knee began to bounce. “I was the one who thought I was ready. That two or so practices on the immobile bear was enough for…. Practical application.”
Were it not for Goldmary clasping Lapis’ hand in both of her own, she would have dropped the swab and the remaining vulnerary to the ground. Her knee continued to bounce, an attempt to distract herself from the ooze of pain from each beat of her pulse. A bear’s claws were not to be trifled with — but Goldmary found she wasn’t even troubled at the idea of a scar.
“It’s not your fault, Lapis.” She rubbed her fingers against the smaller knuckles. With a smile, coy, and a disarming sigh, she shook her head. “Truthfully, it isn’t even mine.”
Lapis blinked. “Wait- but-“
Turning her head, Goldmary held up one finger to silence the pinkette. Guiding her hands back to the laceration, she mused, “It was the bear’s fault.”
“The- the BEAR?”
“Of course.” Goldmary looked up at her through the fringe of brown bangs. “It got the best of me because I was thinking about you.”
“Wait-“ Lapis’ face bloomed red as her armor, as her dress.
“How proud you would be, had I felled the beast on my first try.”
“Goldmary-“
“I will earn it still… I will get my revenge on that bear-“
Lapis pushed the swab hard to Goldmary’s chest, cutting her proclamation’s off with a most unladylike gurgle. Her legs fell flat, limp noodles, hands sliding from Lapis’ to fold in her skirt and tug at the pleats.
“Goldmary. Listen to me.” Lapis withdrew her hands, clumsily dropping the first aid items beside her. She fumbled for some gauze and paper tape — it would have to do until they returned to Framme and Pandreo’s trusted care. “I’m already proud of you.”
Goldmary’s expression fell open, the walls crashing down like shatterglass. The warrior continued her ministrations, and once she was satisfied with her work, gave a little nod. “It’s a little messy…”
“It’s.” Goldmary poked at the bandage and winced at how fresh it still felt. Shame Vulneraries didn’t have the local anesthetic like Elixirs. “It’s…” her cheeks warmed. “…missing something.”
Sitting ramrod straight, hands flailing and hovering in worry, Lapis fretted. “What? What is it missing? It didn’t need stitches I thought-“
Goldmary caught her flailing hands again, her smile half hidden. Shy. Still, she looked at Lapis through eyes half lidded, resisting the urge to play with her little braid and its ribbons. She curled a lock of her own hair around her finger instead.
“It needs a kiss to make it all better.”
Goldmary didn’t know what was more surprising, after that. The words left her mouth and Lapis processed them, she turned even more red than before. Was it that bright, sunburnt without the sun red that was surprising?
Or that Lapis complied and her lips were a cool balm through the gauze?
Goldmary hid her face for a long time after.