Ain't Shady Baby, I'm Hot

28

"You know, despite my being here completely spontaneous- I can't help but feel this was planned, Cameron." I taunted standing from the wooden bench.

"Trust me. If it was, I would have brought you a cane. What the hell happened to you?" I sighed. Clearly the limp was worse than I thought.

"Had a spar. Got punched in the ribs. Might have fractured one." I admitted, sitting back down carefully.

"Wait, are you serious? Xena, that's not good." Rafe suddenly sounded very worried as he sped up to stand in front of me.

"Yeah, I know. That's why I'm here. If my Ma found out she'd break my other side." I joked. Clearly he didn't find it funny.

"Xena, I know we aren't friends, but you have to see a professional. If they're broken you might have to forfeit your next match." I narrowed my eyes at him, my facial expression easy to read as I had taken off my costume.

"How did you know about my next match?" He looked flustered but deflected the question.

"It doesn't matter. We can go to the ER urgency care just off Kildare?" He suggested. I shook my head.

"I'll have Murphy and my medical evaluation guy look at it in the morning." I yawned. "If you don't mind, I'm gonna take a nap." Rafe's eyes widened.

"Out here? Are you serious?" I nodded, hissing as I propped my feet on the bench. "No. Absolutely not. Are none of the Pogues available?" For once he didn't spit the word when he said it. I laughed which turned into a cough then a wince.

"Nope. Perfect timing right?" It was quiet.

"I figure you wouldn't be big about sleeping in my house, but we have a small condo we're working on renovating, I can set you up on the couch there for the night?" I brought a hand to my chin as I thought. My exhaustion wearing me down.

"What's the catch, Pretty boy." I looked up at him through half-lidded eyes. Gosh I was tired.

"We can talk in the morning. You need to rest." I waited a few seconds before nodding.

"Fine. Don't get any funny ideas." I mutter as I stood, my eyes looking at my bike which sat locked in a public parking spot near other cars, "please tell me you brought a car." Rafe nodded.

"I'm in a rental truck while they fix up my Jeep. Some engine issues." I nodded pointing towards my bike.

"You think my motorcycle can fit in the bed? I'd rather not leave it alone over night." Rafe chuckled at my question making me glare at him sleepily.

"Yeah. It'll fit. Come on, Sleepy."

"Fuck off, Cameron." I grumbled as I followed the blond.

"Right. You'd be Grumpy not Sleepy."

"Compare me to a dwarf again and I'll kick your ass."

"Well we'd at least be eye to eye if I fell." I huffed, going quiet as we reached his truck, a few spaces from my bike.

"Prick."

______•*•*•*•______

"Turn off the light." I groggily croaked as I squinted, my instinct to turn and burrow myself into the couch cushions failing me as there I made a fatal error.

My loud grunt of pain filled the air as my left side stretched in a very uncomfortable way.

"Fuck!" I roared as I held my side with my right hand and jerked my head back.

"What the hell?" I turned my head and saw Rafe standing in the door way, hair disheveled as his chest rose and fell.

"The fuck are- oh shit." My sentence fell short as I remembered he wasn't the villain in this venture. "Ugh." I turned back to face the ceiling.

"Can you close the blinds? Please." I added remembering I was in his family's condo.

"Yeah, I- what's wrong? I heard you yell." I snorted, gently pulling the blanket off me.

"Yeah. Just my ribs. Nothing too..." my mouth dropped into an 'o' as I lifted the baggy shirt Rafe had let me borrow. "Serious." I finished my eyes shutting as I leaned my head back. "I'm so fucked." I whispered not wanting him to hear but he still did.

"What do you mean? Is it that bad? Because last night you sai-"

"I know what I said. I'm still set on just going to Murphy and the medical trainer. It's just, it's a lot of bruising." I watched him round the couch and stand in front of me, his knee hitting the ground as he looked at me with a curious gaze.

"May I see it?" I glared at him. "Please. Xena, I already saw it last night when you couldn't get the shirt over your head." I huffed, grabbing the hem of the shirt and raising it with my right hand.

"How's it look, Doc?" I mocked as I tilted my head back to rest on the couch cushions.

"Xena. Hate me all you want, but this isn't good. We definitely need to go see a medical professional." I rose an eyebrow.

"We?"

"I'm not letting you drive your motorcycle around with that." I lifted my head and stared him down. His gaze unwavering.

"You're going to stop me?" I slid forward on the couch, my hands on the edge as I began to stand up.

"It's either I take you, or I call your mother and she can take you." I narrowed my eyes at him. "But I'm not letting you on the bike."

We rose at the same time, my head tilting to look him in the eyes as he stared down at me.

"Well damn." I took a step to the side of him. "I guess I'll have to listen to you." I slowly walked out of the room. My side actually screaming as I kept going to the kitchen where I know I left my motorcycle keys.

"Yeah, right." He scoffed following me. "Your keys aren't in there." I glared at the empty counter in front of me.

"I already have all your stuff in the truck. It's ready when you are." I turned and faced the cocky bastard.

"I need my toiletr-"

"In the bathroom still." He leaned against the doorway.

I just walked away, I was trying to be angry but he was just helping me out.

"Hey, Rafe," I shouted as I reached the bathroom door.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

I slammed the door before he could reply. My music beginning to play as I freshened up. I'm just glad I was able to shower while I still had my adrenaline pumping last night.