Playing for Keeps[Kingx#1] [COMPLETED]

Chapter 43

"I KNEW IT. See? It's still bruising. You should have let me tend it that night"

Ellie traced the area around Archer's bruised jaw before he gently rubs the ointment over the bruise. They were sitting on his bed. Ellie went over his house while her parents were both at work.

"It's fine"

"It's been awhile I tend someone" Ella smiled to herself.

"You miss it, don't you?" he studied her. Her eyes widen at what she had said. But, she isn't going to tell him 'no'. So, she remain silent.

When Ellie pulled back, she saw the loose button on Archer's shirt, hang by a thread.

"Oh" she said touching it, "It's going to fall off"

She heard Archer sighed, "I'll just throw the shirt later"

"What?" she shrieked and looked up at him it him, "You are going to throw a shirt away because of a loose button?"

"I always do" he said in a defensive tone.

"Always?" her voice grew louder.

"Since I was a kid" he shrugged

"But you can stitch it back" She can't believe they were having conversation about buttons.

"I don't know how to stitch them" he grunts. Ellie doesn't know whether she should laugh or lecture him about wasting all those poor shirts. Then, she suddenly realized what he just told him. Since he was a kid? She links the information with the pieces of what Kane had told her.

"But...your mom must've done it for you?"

Archer stills and stared at one spot.

"Archer, you okay" she studied him. He didn't respond her so she shook him a bit, "Archer?"

"Hmm" he says as he snaps out of whatever trances he was in.

She stood up and Archer grabbed her wrist, he seemed to panick for a moment.

"I have to get needle and thread from my room"

He blinks, "Why?" Ellie was surprised by his question.

"I'll fix it for you"

He still didn't let her waist go "You don't have to"

"I want to" she said seriously. Archer sighs and approached his window.

"Wait, where are you going?"

"It'll be faster if I use the window and get it since you would use the door"

Ellie grins, "I see. You'll find it in the second drawer of my desk"

He comes back later with it and sat in front of Ellie again on the bed.

Ellie took it from him and leaned in close, pulling the button off before stitching it back.

Archer blinked down at her as she stitched it for him. She was humming some tone as she concentrated on the small button. He knew that it'd be much easier if he just threw it. But, if stitching it is so important to Ellie. He'll let her do as she pleased. All day long.

The sight of seeing someone stitching or fiddling with the small button was pretty new or weird to Archer. It was the first time he had seen it. It was weirder as someone is actually for HIM. No one had ever done something for him. For as long as he remembers anyway. He feeds and bath all by himself even as a little kid. He learned it all in his own. Even when he hurt himself, he washed it clean and never made a big deal out of it.