Ethereal

Stay With Me?

"H-ha..T-three." he said.

"Oh Gods, Oliver! I thought you said you'd pass out!"

"H-honestly, I thought I would t-too." he said, his breathing quick and short. "Now, could you do me a favor and stop the bleeding? I-I can feel it trickling down my back.."

"I forgot I had to bandage you!" She quickly grabbed the bandages next to Oliver and set them on his lower back. She also grabbed the cleaners and began wetting a cloth with alcohol. "Oliver, this is going to sting really bad."

"It can't be worse than that arro-" his sentence cut short by his own screaming and the stinging feeling of alcohol in an open wound. Astrid quickly finished cleaning his wound and then dressed it.

"I'm done. It's all over with." she said as she got off of his back and then sat on the floor with more bandages, cleaning and wrapping his leg.

"Astrid.. thank you.. so much. I.. I think you quite possibly saved my life. I also owe that guard a great deal of debt as well." he said in a weak voice.

"I'm just glad you're okay.."

"Haha.."

"What's so funny?"

"Oh, nothing. It's just that a few hours ago, I was sure you'd be the one who would have shot that arrow at me yourself." he said laughing to himself.

"Well, I would have, but.. then you changed. I thought you were just rude and selfish when we met, but it appears I was wrong."

"No, I was rude when we met. I'm sorry Astrid." he said as he rolled onto his back. "I IMMEDIATELY REGRET MOVING. OH MY GODS, THIS HURTS." Astrid laughed at him and grabbed another bandage from the bag.

"Well of course it'll hurt, silly." she said as she put the last bandage on his cheek.

"Astrid.. I.. I have a request.." he said, his face red.

"Yes? What is it?" she looked at him and noticed his normally calm and collected face now looked red and flushed.

"W...Will you s-stay with me? I mean, for the night here in this room? I mean, you don't have to if you don't want to. I won't force you or anything." he said as he looked away.

Astrid stared at him and began to blush as well. "I-I mean.. I can. I-if that's what you really want.."

He looked at her and smiled. "It is."

"Alright, but first, we need to get you some new sheets. They're completely bloody."

"Alright.." he said as he began to shift in the bed. He started to pull himself up off the bed and then stopped. "I.. I might need some help." he said half chuckling, half holding back a grunt of pain. Astrid went to his side and helped him. She managed to get him to stand and lean against the wall next to the bed.

"I'll be quick, I promise. If you can, you should probably try to change your clothes." she said as she rummaged through the room until she found his clothes.

"No promises." he said as she set the clothes on the nightstand next to his bed.

"Alright, I'll be back." Astrid left the room and ran off to find the sheets.