Your Story in that Stars

Ch. 12

"Med bay." Kyro ordered as the vessels doors closed behind us and our captive.
I nodded and headed for the brightly lit room, closing the privacy curtain only a little. Once again I met my own haunting expression in the reflection. My mouth parted slightly so I could breath, my nose throbbed like my heart beat sat inside it. It didn't look like it needed reset, but with careful fingers I pushed against the bridge of my nose to be certain.
I could taste blood in my mouth though that was something I was far used to, I worked past the taste of rust. Most of the blood was dripping from my nostrils, a small but deep cut crossed over my nose; there was already a spreading blue and purple bruise along my eye bags and eye sockets.
Everything stung as I washed it with hot water and a rag, my nose to my cheeks and my head where screaming at me, it throbbed as I applied pressure. I used q-tips to help clean inside my nose, but that didn't make breathing easier. The wet tips of my hair stuck to my cheekbones, my stupid green eyes stared back at me with challenge, and a falling defeat. I shut the water off and saw a flash of black from the corner of my eye. Kyro pulled the sheet back as he stepped into the space next to the sink and the doors edge.
"Is he contained?"
Kyro nodded.
"I think he broke it."
"I think so too."
He moved around me to the cupboard, after not finding what he was searching for he started to look in drawers.
"Does it look bad?"
Kyro turned around with a tube, gauze, tape, and scissors.
"It's not totally crooked. But just to be sure I'll tape it straight until we get back to command."
"Are we en route?"
"Killdozer is on auto and I've already contacted Redford."
I nodded and silently hopped up on the counter, Kyro stood between my legs just at eye level. He folded and cut the gauze into a then strip, he gently applied the ointment from the tube with shaky fingers.
I looked at him to keep from wincing. I looked at his wild untamed hair sticking in every opposite direction, his blue eyes like a clam ocean after hours of a storm, gaze unwavering with the confidence of a king. His lips where plump and parted as he worked, his eye brows knotted with focus, the hollow of his cheeks looking empty with his perfect tan skin.
I didn't get butterflies from him, he felt like firework- like everything amounting to one big explosion. I don't think of the small words he says, I think about every word he's ever said to me trying to define what he really meant or if I should be reading between the lines. Whenever my thoughts detail it's about Kyro. The way he walks, the way he talks, how he speaks with his low voice like thunder. His laughter. The glint in his eyes when he smiles. The way he dresses, the way he curls up to sleep, the way he says my name like no one else can.
Kyro is unpredictable, persistent, and stubborn. He was used to giving his all and asking for nothing. He helps me appreciate the things I often miss or points of facts, he is concerned for me and my well-being. Regardless of how Kyro felt I now knew how I felt, I understand the emotion past protection. Wether he knew I loved him or not I didn't care, I didn't want to face this now, not here.
"You're red."
Kyro was getting strips of tape set up.
"I'm bruised."
"You're blushing."
"Shut up and fix my nose."
"I'm tryin."
I watched his long thin fingers work as he taped the gauze down flat, then grabbed a few more pieces of tape and pressed as he set my nose in place. I tried not to mouth breath against his hand too much. By the time he was done and helped me off the counter my face was throbbing with pain again.
I inspected kyros handiwork. There was a long strip of tape from between my eyebrows down to wrap under my septum, one strip wrapped over my bridge and under my eyes, another strips wrapped over the length on my nose. Kyro tossed me a gel ice pack from the freezer.
"Go nap.I'll watch cams and nav."
"You sure?"
"It's only a few hours."
I nodded and stalked off to my room. I laid on my bed with defeat aching in my bones, my heart beating in my face. I laid the ice pack across my face and curled into a back as much as I could.
-
I jolted awake to the sound of my door sliding open with a small hiss, on the other side was Kyro. I blinked the sleep from my eyes and got up too quickly. A drop of blood fell to the floor at my feet. I quickly moved my hand to catch the rest, Kyro lead us to the door. He went back and retrieved a musseled Orvil, I opened the doors and lead us out of the vessel.
Everyone in the hangers stopped to watch us step out, they ogled Orvil, they stared at my bleeding nose and beaten face, they were captivated by kyros grin. A furious thing. Lex was there, next to his vessel with a hand over his mouth. He shouldn't be surprised, men have come back with worse- or not come back at all.
Kyro took care of having Orvil detained and finished out closing statements, I went to the med hall for my own problems. My doctor- after taking photos and scans of my nose- told me Kyro wrapped me up nicely, he did the same thing before sending me off with a pain prescription. I picked them up but doubted I'd use them, the blood on my uniform was crusted over but I felt sticky.
Kyro was waiting for me in the lobby, our gym bags over one shoulder. He smiled at my approach and I felt that flame ignite inside me with sparks.
"Chinese?" He asked.
I nodded and locked my arm with his free one. It was a long warm walk to the car in the corner where I left it, Kyro smoked as we walked, I breathed through my mouth like an idiot.
Kyro rolled all the windows in the car down, turned the radio up loudly and pulled out like he didn't know how to drive. He drove so fast the wind whipped my face around in my eyes, a glance to the meter told me he was going damn near 100. He accelerated with the tune of the songs, choosing when to slow down and press the gas to the floor again.
The sky was a deep red, two suns on the horizon each shone nearly white.  There where technically three suns but different times of day lead to difference in suns location. The air was warm like spiced rum, life here not nearly as exciting as in the city. I appreciated the quiet side of the planet as opposed to the hub popping from the seams with life. I like the secluded spots, the train tracks no one uses anymore, the buildings of bricks falling apart. This has history.
I reached for my seatbelt and unbuckled as the car continued at 90 mph, I stuck my hand out the window and the air whips through the gaps between my fingers. Kyro didn't slow down, I didn't ask him to.
I enjoyed the seclusion and the softer breeze as we rounded constant corners. We didn't need to turn on the heat or the air, I wished we could've pulled the top down on the car ,but as it was, my nose already hurt from the air pressure. I sat back and rolled my window up a crack as we approached streets again.
Kyro ordered Chinese from the car, on his phone, all while the radio still screamed at us. We got fried rice, wontons, eggs rolls, orange and sweetnsour chicken, chow mien, and a few bbq pork buns. It was a lot, leftovers for at least a week.
When we got home I immediately stole the shower, I let the hot water run over every hard edge on my body, washed my sticky hair, and scrubbed at my skin until it was red. When I was done I realized I hadn't brought any other clothes, I righted the towel around my hips and grabbed my pile of uniform and weapons. I opened the bathroom door and stopped. In a small folded pile outside the door were my clothes. I took them and retreated into the bathroom again. A dark blue sweater shirt, black sweatpants, and fresh underwear. I changed and quickly tossed my hair.
Kyro had made plates for the both of us, a fork on my plate since I couldn't use chopsticks. My phone vibrated in my pocket as I snuck to my room. I tossed my dirty laundry in the hamper and laid down on my bed, simply breathing in and out and enjoying the quiet.
After a minute longer I gave my phone a cautious glance. It was a message altering me of my schedule, for the next upcoming whatever. I tossed my phone to the mattress and exited the comfort of my bedroom for the comfortable living room.
We ate between talking. We shared stories once we got warmed up and distressed from the mission. Kyros stories were fun, they were free spirited and wild, much like him. My all came from a place of trauma, a set up to let rot, none of them really had any significance to me.
"I once stepped on a nail barefoot trespassing." Kyro said casually, a cigarette hanging from the tips of his veiny fingers.
"How did you end up barefoot? Trespassing??"
"I was young-13 or 14- and I went with a cousin. It was a crappy old construction site next to a parking garage. We were shitty, it was like a past time to take rusty nails and place them behind the tires. This one time we go like normal, but we couldn't leave the bottom level. The stair doors wher locked, so was the car port exit. We took the opportunity handed in front of us, started smashing cars windows and denting the doors."
"Being assholes."
"Hooligans. Yes. This made a bit of noise and we tried running despite literally being trapped. I lost my slides and didn't have socks but if you're being chased you're not just gonna stop, right. Well I slowed exponentially when I got a two once rusted nail in the arch of my foot."
I retorted in empathy pain.
"My parents weren't happy with the medical bill." He laughs.
"I had a blanket as a baby and a toddler, it was my favorite thing, I took it everywhere. It got torn up by the nails in the flooring. One of the ladies in the house, in her manic episode, she would stitch it back together. When I was 7 they threw it out while I was sleeping. Maybe that's why I hold onto everything, all the trinkets and things."
"Maybe. Or maybe you like seeing things to represent the good memories."
"Maybe." I agreed.
Kyro ashes his smoke, "what kind of blanket was it?"
"It was quilted cotton, with fluff in the middle. Pastel purple with a tiny pink bow in the center square."
He nodded and seemed satisfied with the answer. We watched the sky change colors as we often did. The sky a dark purple as stars scattered in.
"You know," Kyro tossed his smoke to the ground, " we could move to a better place, now that you've got a paycheck."
"You don't like this?"
"Don't get me wrong, I love this shit hole. However I love living somewhere with a little more security."
I thought about this for a second. There wouldn't be anything with more security out this far.
"I'm not living in the capital."
"I didn't say that."
"Okay. We'll look."
He smiled and stepped inside, he closed the glass door behind him and flipped the latch. He extended his hand, I thought he was asking for his soda but he slapped my hand away from the table. I took his hand.
Kyro pulled my up, his other hand pulled my waist closer, he looked deep into my eyes with his stormy orbs. He looked at my lips then back to my eyes, my ear were hot as he grabbed my face gently, he leaned close to my ear and whispered lowly.
"You'll get hurt around me." He whispered in rough Russian.
"I don't mind." I said back, "You patch me up well enough."
He kissed me softly so as not to hurt my face bruising. But I felt more that he tried to put effort into learning my dead language.
"You need to work on your pronunciation a bit." I said as I wrapped my arms around his strong shoulders.
"You'll have to teach me. Maybe a physical demonstration of that tongue technique."
"Mmm, maybe." I agreed.
He kissed me again sweetly and softly; I melted for his touches.
-
I woke with my mouth cottoned and my throat dry, it was scratchy as I swallowed. My blanket was kicked down my legs at my feet. I was covered in a sheen of sticky sweat, my teeth where clattering but I felt like I was on fire. My shaky hands reached for my phone under my pillow, trembling as I dialed for Kyro.
"Mmm?"
"I feel like I'm dying."
My voice scratched like rough metal scraps. The phone line went dead, I heard from down the hall his door open and close. A moment later the sink in the kitchen cut on, I winced as I sat up. Kyro came in and handed me a glass of water, water dripped over the edge as the glass shook in my hands. Kyro prompted me to open my mouth for a thermometer, while it rode he covered me with my sheer blanket, my head was empty but I lacked focus.
"103.6" he said as the thing beeped.
"Can you take the tape off?"
He nodded, leaning over in his baggy tee and slowly peeled all the tapes back, pulling the gauze off and tossing it in the trash bin next to my desk.
"I'll have to go out for meds, are you fine here?"
"I can come.."
I tried to stand up only to realize my limbs were jelly before crumpling to the floor. Kyro picked me up by my elbow and eased me into the bed.
"Stay, I'll be back."
Kyro but back a yawn as he left. I scoot my sore muscles back until I hit the wall. There was a soft light filtering through the window curtains , shining on my shelf of trinkets. Some things sparkles, some are black and suck up all the light. My phone buzzed with a message from Trace, as excited as I was I couldn't find the spoons to search for my phone and answer it. My body ached like it was tired, like every limb started pulsating with numb ache. I pulled a pillow up into my lap and listened to the sounds of a dying planet.
The cars on the street floors below outside, the wind wisps in the crack of the window as it rushes past, a few birds chirping like little peeps.
I coughed to clear my throat, that was a mistake, this set my throat on fire. I reached for the cup but bending in half made everything come up. I tried to get up and run to the bathroom but I got tangled in my blanket and ended up throwing my body on the ground. The impact knocked the air out of me but a second later I vomited on the floor in front of me.
"fuck-" I spit out.
I moved away from the mess so as not to puke again. I wiped my lips and reached for the water, drinking slow sips until the acid taste in my mouth was gone. After I caught my breathe I got up and moved to lay across the futon in the living room, I had opened the balcony door for fresh air. Everything hurt again, though maybe it never stopped.
I picked at lint on my blanket to keep me from dosing off, focused on the wind and the sound of distant driving. A small digital clock besides the tv said the time was 3:36 am, a small plant besides the tv begged for water. Kyro came back shortly and gave me a weird look for having moved.
"There's a mess.. I couldn't make it to the bathroom, I fell." My voice cracked in and out like lost reception.
"That's fine. Drink your tea."
Kyro shoved a warm cup into my hands, the liquid was too hot to drink so o watched as he walked away in the direction of my room. He came back with the empty cup, leaving again with paper towels and a trash bag.
It was still partially dark outside, a few little stars still filtered in and out mimicking a blinking light. I was thankful the IGSS gave me a spot as an agent- even more now that I've been promoted- but before then I remember being so caught with the exponential possibilities in the vast expanding galaxies. The unknown felt familiar even back then as a child, I would stare up and long to know what's beating what I can see. And now my job is to travel those galaxies, the learn more about what once was unknown. I used to spend hours just wondering, and now the answers lay in my lap ready at the flick of a finger.
It was surreal to compare my two vastly different lives. The one I lived now was successful and comfortable, I even had a few friends for being as introverted as I am. My other life was full of wanting to ex's cape the trauma, my other life was pain from over a thousand years ago, no one can feel that pain anymore except me.
I heard distance talking through the wall, I knew kyros voice immediately but I didn't hear anyone else. When he was finished he tossed the bag next to the front door and quickly mopped the spot.
"I'm sorry." I said when he finally rejoined me.
"Don't be. I won't make you clean up a mess when you can barely stand."
"That's not true. I made it out here."
He gave me a look, "I'm so proud."
He pulled a bag from the floor and set a few things in the couch besides me.
"NyQuil, something anti fever I don't know. In the kitchen there's orange juices and crackers, I wasn't sure what to get. I also got an ice pack for your face. How's your tea?"
I shrugged, "Hot. I'm sorry if I woke you."
He waved his hand in dismissal. Then moved outside to the balcony and snagged his pack of cigarettes off the table. He took his time to light the smoke and make sure it was lit, quietly looking off the edge of the balcony with a stone edge face.
"I've talked to Cheif. Think you'll be able to get to the car in the next two days, he asked for a doctors note. I offered to show him the vomit in the floor but he declined. His loss."
"Ha!" I laughed softly, "His loss. I'll be fine, I'll just sleep it off."
"I've never seen you this sick though. You get sniffles, not full on flu. You think you ate something bad?"
"Food poisoning doesn't give you a fever and I don't have to shit, thanks."
He held a hand up, "just asking."
He said as he brought the stick to his lips. The plump of his lips curved around the filter, faced unchanging as he inhaled. His cheek hollowed as he pulled the smoke back into his lungs, exhaling slowly as if to savor the time. The smoke rolling off his lips, around his profile and spilling around him in the air, the red dark light tinting his skin.
"You're beautiful."
It wasn't supposed to be allowed but I said it anyway. He turned to find my eyes, the tea now Luke warm in my palms.
"And you're bruising looks like a butterfly."
I sighed and set the cup on the ground next to my feet.
"How'd you let him punch you anyway?"
I shrugged, "he's bigger."
"That's a poor excuse."
"It's a good thing I didn't ask for your opinion."
This bickering was like common language; it was our way of saying what we want to say without being a Dick. We just bounce the attitude back and forth, joking and pulling each others chain. It's was light fooling around, as much as we had patience for,light hearted.
"How long does it take bruises to fade?"
"Two to three weeks. Can you breathe through your nose yet?"
I nodded.
"You'll be fine. The cut might scar though."
"Oh joy. That's just what I need, another reason to shy away from the mirror." I muttered to myself.
"You'll look hot with a scar. Don't worry."
I rolled my eyes but appreciated his comment, it eased the knot in my stomach a little. I was shaking and felt like I was on fire, but I was okay.