Changing Oneself (Entangled side story)

26, Recovery

The night passed with little results in Yenthyr's healing. Ieli and I let him soak in the herb-infused bath for two hours, and then let him dry and rest in the comfort of their bed for four hours, and then we let him soak in the bath for two hours again. We did the same thing the following night.

On that second night, the darkness in his veins hadn't significantly let up, and he hadn't woken up at all since we had come back to the castle. Ieli worried about trying to feed him. 

The only good thing I could note was that the sweaty sheen over his skin had lessened, or at least wasn't producing as much as it had the first night. It was the only progress I could cling to.

Sang checked on him regularly, changing the bandages over his burns, which healed abnormally slow, even with the aid of Ieli's magic and saliva, and Sang's burn ointment. 

I could tell that Yenthyr's prolonged sleep was hard for Ieli to deal with, but I could also see that he was trying not to let it affect how he treated others. He would stop himself if he started saying mean things, and he tried to eat real food rather than only sipping at blood. 

On the third night of tending to him, though, Yenthyr showed signs of getting better. The sweat had gone away, and his burns healed completely, although there was quite a bit of scar tissue left in place. The black in his veins around his hands, feet, and face had faded to a dark grey.

We kept up with our routine, and right now, I watched over him while he soaked in yet another bath. I had a wash rag covered in soap, and was trying my best to clean him while being as gentle as possible. I noticed how his muscles still tensed wherever I touched him, and around his chest, where the poison was most concentrated, he would make soft whining groans under his breath. 

But I managed to clean him. I washed his hair last, being careful not to get water in his nose as I poured water over his head to rinse it free of soap. When it seemed thoroughly rinsed, I sighed and settled down on the floor against the edge of the tub, resting my head on my arms that were propped on the rim. 

In silent moments like the one that followed, I couldn't help but reminisce our time together. Our conversations, both important and casual, his touches that had evolved from harsh and rough to thoughtful and caring, the way my view of him changed from hateful to admiring. There once had been a time I would take any chance to get away from him. And now, I never wanted to leave his side.

During the run-through of all those memories, I ended up dozing off without realizing it. A soft touch over my missing eye slowly woke me back up, and I blinked as I noticed a poison-laced hand in my field of view, gently brushing my bandana away from my face. I flinched in surprise and lifted my head. Yenthyr's hand was moving. I darted my gaze to his face, and saw his eyes were open. 

"Yenthyr!" I exclaimed, and he smiled a small smile as I moved closer and nuzzled the side of his head. He groaned softly at the contact, and I stopped so I wouldn't hurt him. His hand stayed raised, though, fingers trying to play with the ends of my hair. 

Ieli must've heard my shout from out in the main room, because a few seconds later he appeared in the bathroom doorway. I looked over at his arrival, and found him staring in disbelief at his partner. 

"...Hey," Yenthyr rasped, and it brought instant tears to Ieli's eyes. He squeezed them shut at the same time he squeezed his hands into fists, and for a moment I wondered if he'd react negatively. But he just shook his head and came over to crouch next to me, grasping Yenthyr's outstretched hand. Yenthyr made a sharp intake of breath, and Ieli nearly let go, his grip faltering into something barely-there, like he was holding a bird he was afraid of crushing. 

"You rat bastard," Ieli insulted, but his tone was more hurt than vicious. 

"'M sorry..." Yenthyr whispered. Ieli just shook his head again.