I barricade myself inthe bathroom, leaning against the door and swiping a single tear from the corner of my eye. I am never crying over that asshole again. It’s over now. He’s alive. Completely unappreciative of my efforts but alive. Now, things can go back to normal.
I’m flooded by a sharp sheen of shame for how I’d tried to comfort him. I’d almost kissed him. The daemon surges out of me, shattering a vial of soap on the tub.Shit. I tread forward to pick up the broken shards of glass. Of course, he wouldn’t want that… I drop the shards in the bin and peel at my dress, intending to take a bath to settle after the night of hell. I’m just tossing my dress on the floor and lifting at the hem of my slip when the door comes barreling open, and Sitri sweeps in like a violent storm.
I freeze, fingers still fisting around the hem of my slip at my waist.
“Apologies,” he says abruptly, raising his arms.
His hands settle across my shoulders, and he shakes his head. “Just wait—fuck—sorry, le—leave that on for a second,” he demands.
I drop the hem of my slip and yelp as his magic suddenly lifts me off my feet. He plops me down on the counter, and I glower as he continues to give me that same wide-eyed look. “I…am…confused,” he says, slowly enunciating each syllable.
“Well,” I say with a click of my tongue. “Believe it or not, I can read, and I can follow directions. Noughts are capable of that, you know,” I say acrimoniously.
His gaze travels down to my bandaged fingers, and I slip them behind my back. “Not quite as easy for me to adjust the flames as you do-- might’ve ruined another blanket in the process.” The words spill out of me in one breath.
“And…I wasn’t entirely sure that I’d done everything right, so I did it three times, but they all turned out exactly the same. I assumed I’d either done it correctly or did them all wrong.” I continue rambling as he blinks at me. Hopefully, he hasn’t acquired some sort of brain damage.
“You slept for so long I was really starting to think the latter—“
“Pet,” he says hoarsely, shaking his head. “That doesn’t make any sense.”
“Would you stop looking at me like that and just tell me if I’ve done it right or if you’re liable…to…” Emotion creeps into my voice, and I force a swallow. “…keel over at any moment.” He only frowns. “Sitri!” I start to shove at his chest and freeze midway. I don’t want to aggravate his injury. He catches my hands before they drop back to my lap. He grips my wrists and we both watch as his fingers smooth up my arms, up over my shoulders.
He tugs me to him, and I stiffen in surprise for a single beat before I crumple into his chest. He wraps his arms around me, and I curl into him, turning my head to listen to the steady thumping of his heart.
He’s okay.
My chest swells with emotion. I try to fight it down with another swallow, but it keeps rising until a sob wracks out of me and another and another.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” he says, smoothing his hands over my back and my hair. Carefully, so as not to aggravate his wound, I curl my hands around his shoulders to tug him closer, and he settles between my knees.
His arms wrap tighter around me, and the sobs keep bubbling up and out. So much for not crying for this asshole anymore. Slowly, they work out of me, and I breathe him in, one breath after another, loosening all the ragged edges of my nerves. The wave finally descends, and a different wave rolls in, peaks, and bowls over as his hands curl around my neck, and he presses his lips to the top of my forehead. “I’m sorry,” I mutter, pulling my face back to wipe at it and his chest.
He pushes me back slightly to look down at me, his own expression somewhere between concern and shell shock. “How…?”
I sigh, looking down as I drop my hands back to my lap. “Why do you assume I’m so incapable? I’m notthatstupid, you know, despite what you might think--“
He releases a disgruntled laugh. “Pandora, I know you’re not stupid, but brewing requires magic.”
I stare up at him in surprise.
“Many Magi would find that potion difficult to brew…to say the least.”
I still, brow furrowing. “Well…I just followed the directions.”
“You…followed the directions,” he repeats slowly.
“Yes, I…” I trail off, feeling a little foolish. “I followed the directions.” He lets out a hoarse snort. “Anyway, are you saying I did it right?”
“I wouldn’t be standing here if you hadn’t done it right.”
“Really?”
He nods, and pride surges in my chest. I grin up at him. He looks even more dumbfounded and I wonder again if maybe his brain has been affected. “I might’ve sewed you up, too,” I admit, biting at my lip. I give a slight tug to his bandages to pull him forward. “Let me take a look.”
“It’s alright. I can do it.”
“Come here,” I say sternly. His lips part to object. I yank on his bandages again, and he grants a soft resigned grunt as he settles between my knees. He’s silent as I begin unraveling the bandages. “What happened to you?”
