Ombra

Part XVIII

I've got thick skin and an elastic heart

But your blade it might be too sharp

I'm like a rubber band until you pull too hard

And I may snap and I move fast

Some foreshadowing in the lyrics ;)

***

"Do you come here often?" Niccolo asked as we entered the tiny apartment.

The living room consisted of a small kitchen, a worn out sofa and a table. The apartment also had a bedroom, and a small bathroom, which were as everything else old and covered in dust.

Niccolo stayed put at the threshold as I started into the room, "Is that your best pick up line? Are you trying to flirt with me?".

The look Niccolo gave me, priceless.

"I have better ones, and if I were flirting with you, you would know" he answered, his face a mask.

"I used to. Come here often, I mean. I practically lived here when I was younger." Pulling out the first aid kit I always carried with me, I sat everything up.

"I'm pretty sure that stitching yourself up here is anything but sanitary" Niccolo said, taking in the state of the apartment.

Pulling out the sterile needle and surgery thread. The burning from the alcohol I had poured over the wound was spreading through my arm, and I had to take a deep breath to ignore the pain before I placed the needle by the wound.

"Let me do that" Niccolo said, taking a seat at the table in front of me.

" I don't want your sloppy stitches on my arm. I'm a doctor, I know what I'm doing" I answered briskly, keeping my attention at the work at hand. Niccolo let out a sigh before he continued to stare at me. I could feel his eyes on me, and it was making me nervous.

You do not get nervous, especially by annoying men who can't make up their minds.

Taking a deep breath yet again, I did my best to ignore the feeling of Niccolo's stare. I had forgotten how hard stitching up your own arm could get, and I was having trouble stitching up the entrance wound which was located at the back of my biceps. The feeling of Niccolo's eyes on me was more intense now than before, and I was getting annoyed at his staring and my troubles. I let out a frustrated growl before throwing myself back into the sofa, being careful not to touch anything with my arm.

"Stop being stubborn, and let me do it" Niccolo said before he placed himself besides me and grabbed my arm forcefully, but not hard enough to hurt me. He was quick to grab the needle, and before I could protest he had already started.

"I've done it before, and I could have done it again if you'd given me some more time" I said, frustrated. Niccolo only hummed in agreement, too focused on the work to even pay attention to what I was saying.

"There you. As good as new" he said, as he dried off the wound.

" I could've done it myself" I muttered before making my way over to one of my bags. I had brought two bags along; one with clothes and one with all the toys I could possibly grab from Victor. I knew that as soon as he got hold of me he would be more than pissed at the fact that I "borrowed" some of his weapons.

If he is patient he will get them back, eventually.

As soon as Niccolo had given me the detail, I had pulled up a map of the area. Putting away all of the first aid kit, I placed my plan on the table.