Death of Me [Tartaglia]

chapter 27

"Ajax." 

He smiles, "I like that." 

A small blush creeps on to my cheeks. Ajax. He trusted me with his name. 

"I think you'll need to shower to get the rest of your body clean," he says. "Are you ok to do that?" 

"Yeah," I say, slightly reluctant to get off his lap. 

"Mk, I'll grab you some of my clothes so you don't have to put this stuff back on. And while you shower I can run down to the cafeteria to grab you food, you must be starving." 

"That'd be perfect," I respond, planting a shy kiss on his cheek.

I stand up, catching my, blood free, banged up face in the mirror. Ajax follows my gaze as he stands behind me. 

"You still look perfect," he says with a sheepish smile.

I can't help the grin that spreads over my face. He smiles back at me through the mirror, rubbing my head with his hand. 

He slips out of the bathroom momentarily, returning holding clothes for me to change into when I finish showering. 

"I'll be back," he says lingering in the doorway. "You're welcome to anything you want, ok?" 

"Ok," I affirm. "Thanks, for this- for everything." 

"Don't mention it," he says, before slipping out of his room. 

I look at my reflection again before undressing. I'm thinner, slightly paler, and my right side is pretty bruised up. I force my eyes away from myself, and I walk into his shower. I scrub every inch of my body with as much force to not be painful, inviting myself to his sea salt soaps. 

I put on his clothes quickly once I step out of the shower, not wanting to look at my body for longer than I have to. He'd left me a white tee, boxers, and a pair of gray training pants. Everything hung loosely on me, but it smelled like him which was mildly comforting. 

I walk out of the steamy bathroom to find Ajax sitting at his desk with enough food to feed a family of five. I grin as I walk over to him, grabbing a chicken-mushroom skewer. 

"Feel better?" Ajax asks. 

"Mhm," I say through a mouth of food. 

He grins, "Good. Once you eat you should go to the infirmary." 

I nod in agreement, drinking a bottle of imported orange fonta. I eat for another twenty minutes before following Ajax's advice and wandering upstairs to the pyro nurse. 

"I was waiting for you," she said once I entered. "I heard what they did to you." 

I let out a breathy laugh, "Can you help?" 

"Yes, yes, just sit," she says shortly. 

She gets to work quickly. Warmth from her pyro vision envelopes me as I feel lingering pain leave my body. Sweat starts to bead on her brow as she continued to heal me until, finally, she lowers her hands and the elemental energy fades. 

I smile at her, gratefully, "Thank you, so much." 

"Hm, not so sassy now are you?" she snaps. "Just go." 

"Oh, I'm sorry about last time," I mutter sheepishly, palms tightening at the memory of our last encounter. 

"Yeah, yeah, never appreciated until needed," she huffs. "I said just go." 

I give her a small bow before following her instructions and heading back to Ajax's room. I pause in the stairway, considering sending Diluc an update, before shrugging the idea off. Ajax is who I want to see right now.