Ethereal

Beds and Bandages

"Oliver!" cried the voice once more.

"A-Astrid.. ha, I guess I went and got myself hurt." he said, chuckling through bloody teeth.

"Oh my Gods, you'll be okay. I know you will! You can't die."

"Astrid, this isn't my first time being shot, you know." he said, laughing and lifting up his shirt. His upper torso was littered with scars from sharp objects. Astrid gasped as she saw them. She traced her finger over the scars.

"Oliver.." she said, breaking down crying.

"H-hey! I thought I was going to do a pretty decent job of making you laugh with that one! Granted, it is pretty dark humor.. I apologize for the dark attempt."

"If it were any other situation and you weren't bleeding out, I would be laughing." she said with a faint chuckle.

"Well, then let's fix me up then, so you can stop crying and I can make you laugh again." he said with a smile. She nodded. He stood up and Astrid put herself under is arm and began to help him into the house.

"Thank you." he said, immediately grabbing his side.

"Oliver? What's wrong with your side?" Astrid asked, her eyes full of concern.

He pulled his hand away from his side. It was colored dark red from the blood oozing out of the deep cut. "O-oh.. I-it appears I was hit more than I had originally thought."

"Oh my- Oliver we'll- I mean- I'll fix it." she said in a voice of panic. She leaned him against a wall and tore the bottom part of her shirt off. She tore part the bottom part of his shirt as well, exposing the open wound. Oliver gasped in pain from the sudden wind that brushed over the crevasse that was now in his side. Astrid slowly pressed the torn part of her shirt against his flesh, making him flinch and gasp.

"A-Astrid, go easy on me, will you?" he said, half joking and half blacking out.

"Oliver. I need you to listen to me." Oliver looked at her. "I am going to have to move you up the stairs of the manor. It is going to hurt. Like, a lot. I need you to make sure you don't pass put from pain. I'll focus on trying to stop the bleeding as we go up. I need you to keep talking to me though. I need to make sure you're still with me."

"Astrid, nothing is going to take me from you. I can promise that."

"Shhhhh.. don't make such promises. *Malish can hear you.. Are you ready to go?"

Oliver gave a small nod and pushed himself off the wall and stood on his own. Astrid got under his arm once more and lifted him. They slowly moved towards the stairs. Oliver held the railing and had Astrid on the opposite side. 'Crap.. I'm starting to black out..' he thought. 'No, I can't pass out on Astrid. She's already so worried about me.. Not to mention, I'm honestly not sure if I'll wake up..'

They reached the top of the steps and Oliver began to fall to the floor. "Oh no, Oliver!" Astrid gasped as she stopped him from falling.

"I'm awake, I'm awake I swear. I'll be fine." he looked at Astrid and smiled. He used his arms and pulled himself back to his feet. He stood and started walking on his own towards his room.

"O-Oliver.." Astrid watched as he hobbled down the hall. He finally made it to his room and opened the door. Astrid walked into the room and watched as Oliver finally reached his bed. He fell forward immediately.

"Astrid. I need a favor.."

"O-of course! What do you need?"

"I.. I need you to get this arrow out of my back."

"B-but don't you have people that do that?!"

"Well, you see, they.. aren't.. here.. at the moment." Oliver said as his breathing became shallow and quick. "There's some medical equipment downstairs under the cabinet in the bathroom."

"Alright.." Astrid ran down the stairs to find the medical equipment and bandages. As she went to grab the stuff, she noticed herself in the mirror. 'Gods.. there's so much blood..' She looked at her clothes one more time and them grabbed the small bag and ran.

She reached the bedroom and saw that Oliver was no longer on the bed, but rather standing near the window. 'Oliver.. I hope you'll be okay.. I would never forgive myself for this if you.. if you..' her own mind stopped the sentence from forming.

"Oliver..?" Astrid said as she approached cautiously. She set the bag she was carrying on the bed and took out a few bandages.

"Astrid.." Astrid walked to look at his face. There were tears streaming down it. "I.. I let them down.. I couldn't take care of them.."

Astrid sighed and began to wrap his torso with the bandage. "Oliver, you do more than you give yourself credit for." she said as she finished tying the wrap, earning a small grunt from Oliver.

"I wish I believed that." he said as slowly lowered his arms and gently touched his newly bandaged wound.

Astrid took his face into her hands. "Oliver.. I believe in you, can't you do the same for yourself?"

"Astrid.." Oliver placed his hands over hers. "Thank you." he said, smiling. He leaned in and kissed her gently. Astrid jumped back and blushed.

"H-hey now! N-none of that, or you'll have another arrow in you."

"Ouch! Dark humor and a pain joke? I admit defeat." he said while slightly bowing.

"Ahh, shut it. Let's get you back to the bed."

Oliver hobbled over to the bed and fell forward on it, his face hitting first.

"Okay. Oliver, I am going to get that out. Do you want me to pull the arrow out slowly or all at once?"

"Which would hurt less?" he said with a small chuckle. 'I have to stay positive and somewhat cheerful during this. I know it helps Astrid. Besides, I can't let an arrow dampen my spirits.' he thought.

"Honestly, I think I should knock you out before I do this.."

"Astrid. I promise this. I will probably most definitely pass out from pain. So I'll be asleep soon after it is removed. In the odd case that I don't pass out, I apologize in advance."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. By the way, it'll hurt me less if you pull it all out at once. So please, do try to make the pull count."

"A-alright.." Astrid took the bag she had set on the bed and opened it. She took out the bandages and cleaning items. She set the neatly on the bed next to Oliver.

"Okay, now Astrid. Listen to me. You have to do this exactly right or it'll hurt me like no other and it'll make the healing process take longer. You are going to have to hold me down somehow. I would just suggest putting your legs in the lower part of my back. You know, away from the arrow? Then, you'll have to put your hand around the spot where the arrow is and gently apply pressure while pulling the arrow out at the same time. Got it?"

"I think so.." Astrid crawled onto the bed. She took the knife that was on the bed next to her and cut the remainder of his shirt off. She put her knees into his back just like she was instructed and then prepared to grab the arrow. "Ready?"

"Gods no, but it has to be done." he said slightly laughing and then bridging into sounds of pain as she touched the arrow.

"Alright.. One.. Two.." she yanked the arrow as had as she could, removing it from his back. He screamed in response, clutching the blankets around him and pushing his face into the bed to muffle the sounds. After the arrow was removed, Oliver cried out for a few moments and then went silent.

*Malish - the god of bad luck