Hunter

XI

Aric hurried and grabbed some supplies.
He got the first aid kit from the cabinet and rummaged through one of the bags he got from the hideout.
He pulled out a small vial of ointment.
His mom had made the recipe.
It worked better than any store-bought ointment and healed any cut at least 3 times as fast.
Aric squeezed the vial gently, trying to ignore the pain in his chest.
He hurried back to Jade, who was squeezing her hands together in pain.
"Oh, thank God. You were gone forever!"
Aric sat across from her leg, setting the supplies down next to him.
"Ok, do you want to pull up your pant leg? Or do you want me to do it?"
Jade tried to pull it up, but she cried out in pain and winced.
She shook her head and looked at Aric. "You do it."
He gently peeled her bloody jeans up above the bottom half of her thigh, so he could see the cut.
It was ugly, pus and blood caked on the sides of a deep cut. Purple bruises discolored her skin, making it hard to touch her without her wincing.
He first cleaned it, patting on some rubbing alcohol and water.
Jade shrieked and wrung her hands.
Aric put some cloth squares over the cut, pressing on it to stop any more bleeding.
Jade whimpered and he glanced at her.
"I'm sorry. This is painful, but it'll help you."
Jade managed a laugh. "Painful? Please, I've been worse."
Aric raised an eyebrow at her. "Really?"
She shrugged. "It helped a little."
Aric removes the cloth, opening the vial of ointment.
Jade coughed into her elbow. "You know, I just don't get you. First, you were all cocky, now you're playing nurse."
Aric grinned. "Maybe I'm trying to impress you."
Jade rolled her eyes, snorting. "Mmhmmm. Yeah, sure."
Aric started dabbing the ointment in her cut, and Jade flinched.
"Whoa, what is that?" Jade eyed the vial warily.
He held up the ointment. "Just some ointment. It'll help loads, trust me."
She squints at him. "How are you sure?"
"I use it all the time." He starts dabbing some onto the cut. "Plus my mom made it."
Jade relaxed a bit. "Oh. Are your parents Hunters, too?"
Aric looked down at the cut, his eyes stinging.
"Yeah, they were."
It took a moment for Jade to process what he said.
"When did they die?" She asked quietly.
Aric wrapped gauze around her leg, gently picking it up.
"When I was 7. It was a car accident." His voice was low and husky.
Jade stayed silent, thinking.
Aric noticed her expression, rolling down her jeans.
His gaze softened and he put a hand on her arm.
"It's fine. I'm fine. It's been a few years anyway."
She nodded slowly and Aric stood up.
He held out a hand and she took it. He pulled her up, steadying her on her feet.
His stomach rumbled loudly and he put a hand on his stomach.
"I'm starved. You?"
Jade nodded and limps out the door.
She turned around, grinning. "C'mon slowpoke, or you're not getting any sandwiches."
She hurried off.
Aric smiled and followed her.