You see him out of the corner of your eye, and you decide that pain is the only thing that can take your mind off him.
But even though you just found a relief from your secret crush, he spots you lying, bleeding heavily, on the ground.
"Y/N!" He shouts. You smile weakly. "What happened?"
"It's... Just a scratch." You manage.
"That is not "just a scratch". That is one of the most severe injuries I've seen yet, save death."
"Unlikely." You're still trying to play your injuries down, but you're finding it increasingly difficult to find the breath even for that. And Bard's proximity is not helping.
"I've got to get you to a healer straight away." He says, desperation written all over his face.
He picks you up the way he might a baby, and carries you toward the healer's tent as quickly as he can.
Maybe it's just a spur of the moment thing, or maybe you truly are braver than you thought. Either way, what you do next shocks the both of you.
You lean forward, grimacing with pain in doing so, and kiss him.
As you pull back unwillingly, a smile creases his mouth and you know you haven't messed up this time.
"More... More later." He whispers.
Maybe he did care for you after all, but you're going to have to find out later, because you know you're about to fall unconscious in his arms.
~¤~
You wake to someone stroking your face absentmindedly. You can hear Bard's voice asking someone, probably the healer, how long it will be until you wake.
"Any minute now." Another voice, the healer, said.
You don't open your eyes for a minute and you lie there enjoying the sensation of Bard's hand upon your skin.
You reach up and take his hand, opening your eyes.
"Hey," he says, "how are you feeling?"
You groan as you sit up. "I've been worse."
"I'll leave you two alone." Says the healer, bustling hastily out of the room.
"How long have you been waiting?" You ask him.
He smiles shyly. "I've been here the whole time."
"How long was "the whole time"?"
"Three days."
"Three days?! You waited that whole time?"
"Yes," he answers, slightly confused by the question, "of course."
"Woah."
"The healer said you should be able to stand once you woke up. Do you want to try now?"
"Okay." You sit on the edge of the bed, and shakily place your feet on the floor. Slowly, ever so slowly, you put your weight onto your feet.
And immediately fall forwards into Bard's arms.
"You did that on purpose!" He says.
You laugh. "And I freely admit it." You say, placing a kiss on his lips.
The healer walks back in afterwards. "Are you done?" She asks.
"For now." You say, winking at Bard, who smirks.
"Okay. It's safe for you to walk, but you must not go far for the first week or so. The blade went quite deep into your leg. You're lucky it wasn't poisoned. Most of them seem to have been."
"It was the orc's second weapon, that's why."
"That would explain it. Any questions? No? Good, that's sorted then."
You and Bard laugh after she'd left again. "One more kiss before I go?" You ask cheekily.
He kisses you and you melt into his arms once again.
