Gwynriel- Bandaging his wounds
As Azriel walked into the training room, he was shocked to see Gwyn standing at the window. Her head snapped to him.
Her eyes widened as they took him in, her mouth parting.
He cursed himself. He did not want anyone to see him. Especially like this.
“What- what happened. How-“ she took a step towards him, and his shadows danced out to meet her.
His mission today had been... violent. His wounds still healing, his skin so sensitive he had foregon a shirt.
“It’s fine.” A whisper, and he watched her mark every wound on his skin.
“I can help-” she took another step forward.
“I’ll be fine by myself- it’ll be healed by morning” a clear lie, and he winced as he lifted his arm.
“That’s not- you aren’t okay- what, how did this.. ?” Her words were fumbling as she came to stand in front of him.
“It’s fine. I’ll be fine. Stop worrying about me” his shadows swirled, and Azriel shifted under the attention of her bright eyes.
“Stop being stubborn. Let me bandage them up” he shook his head, unused to all the fussing.
As if the house was listening, a hamper of bandages and ointment appeared.
“See! Even the house thinks you need help” she grinned in victory. Azriel looked at her, seeing the stubbornness in her eyes.
He nodded his head, resigned. She smiled smugly.
“Only because the house will lock me out if I refuse”
“Whatever you say” she rolled her eyes, grinning. She grabbed a cloth and bowl of water, coming to stand right in front of him, nodding her head in the direction of the settee.
He stared blankly back. A silent challenge, to see who would fold first. He was being stubborn on principle, he knew.
“You have to sit. You’re too tall and I can’t reach” she shook her head slightly, finding his antics amusing.
“I trained you” he gave her a pointed stare. “You have better balance than almost anyone. You can tiptoe just fine”
“You’re too big for me” he smiled at the blush that formed in her cheeks, he raised his eyebrows.
“You are too TALL for me” she amended. Azriel noted the way she scanned the breadth of his shoulders, her blush deeping. He smiled wider.
“I can’t tiptoe and hold a bowl and treat you. So sit” she grabbed his arms then. Her hand barely wrapping around the front of the bicep.
Azriel tensed his muscles slightly. Liking the way her pale hand contrasted his skin, how warm the point where they touched felt.
He was awarded by her intake of breath.
Gwyn swallowed once and pushed him backwards, he relented, letting himself be moved.
Sitting down, he stared up at her as she stood in front of his widened legs.
She leaned in close, his shadows dancing out to meet her.
“Tell your shadows to stop distracting me” she laughed.
“They’re stubborn and won’t listen. Like someone else I know” a pointed glance at her. She squinted at him, but did not halt her movements.
Azriel closed his eyes as she bought the cloth to him, her other hand coming to rest gently on his shoulder. The movement soothing, and he lamented reluctantly, felt good.
“What happened” her gaze stayed on the cloth, but Azriel looked at her.
“Nothing to worry about. Nothing that requires all this fuss”
“You deserve to be fussed over. And this isn’t nothing”
She sat beside him, and began to clean and wipe the cuts and bruises on his side.
“Just a mission that went a bit wrong” he said bitterly, angry at himself. “It’s my fault”
She scoffed and shook her head
“Is something wrong?” He bristled, hating seeing her mood change from the laughter mere moments ago
She bit her lip, and tensed her jaw, but said nothing. Angry, Az realised. She was angry.
The air had shifted, tense, around them as she continued to wipe his chest.
A shadow danced out to her, dancing and wrapping around her until the corner of Gwyn’s mouth lifted.
“I think it’s ridiculous. I think you’re ridiculous. I think you set these ridiculous standards for yourself, and you almost kill yourself in the process trying to reach them”
Azriel looked at her, shocked at how much of him she had observed.
“You don’t even realise.” She carried on, but stood up “How-how much everything you do means to everyone. How much you mean to everyone”
“That’s not..” Azriel fumbled. Looking down to Gwyn’s hand on his chest, above his heart.
“You seem to think no one would care. That you’re dispensable, and that it’s okay if you die. It’s not”
Her eyes were wide, her chest heaving as she spoke, they were so close, their lips inches apart.
Azriel stood slowly, his wings coming out slightly, wrapping slightly around Gwyn’s shaking form.
“ You saved me.” Her hand still on his chest, she refused to meet his gaze. “That day, you saved me, and if you hadn’t.” She swallowed, slowly raising her chin to meet his gaze.
“You matter, Azriel. And not just then. Here in this room” she gestured around. “You help us all”
They stared at each other, Azriel, unable to to form a sentence, his mind reeling at her words. His wings still wrapped slightly around them, they both seemed content to stand there.
“So” she broke the spell at last, turning slightly to grab a salve from the basket.
“Next time you do something dangerous and reckless and almost kill yourself”
With gentle filters, she applied the salve to the cut on his chest, Azriel followed the movement with his eyes.
“Try to remember that you’re not dispensable. And at the very least, let someone bandage you up” she finshed with the salve, and grabbed a bandage, wrapping it across his chest.
“ It’s a deal” Azriel whispered into the strip of space between them, Gwyn’s head looking up to him
“The next time I almost accidentally almost kill myself” he gave a small smile, to which Gwyn returned
“ I’ll come to you, and let you bandage me up”
“Without being so stubborn” she quipped, raising an eyebrow
Azriel gave a small laugh and nodded
“Without being so stubborn” he agreed.
“Deal” she said, dropping her hand from his chest at last and turning to walk away.
“Gwyn” Azriel called out, she turned to him. “ thank you, for the fussing”
“Get used to it” she said softy, eyes bright and warm, and turned once more to leave.
Azriel watched her go, as one of his shadows trailed after her, assured when it informed him she’d reached her room.
He looked down at his chest, remembering how warm she had felt, how insistent she had been at making sure he was okay.
Odd as it may seem, Azriel kind of hoped he’d injure himself again soon.
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