Reverse of Arcadia [Yusei x Oc]

15. We Met Again, For Real This Time

"Mmm..." Yusei mumbled as he began to stir.

The raven's eyes slowly slid open, pushing himself to sit up. However, after letting out a tired yawn and rubbing his eyes, Yusei glanced over. His eyes suddenly widened when Rai was nowhere to be seen. Where was she? Was everything just a dream and she wasn't really there? Is Rai still missing? Yusei began to panic, however, after throwing the sheets from his body and pouncing to his feet, he paused. There, fast asleep right next to the doorway, was Rai herself, but something was different. Yusei slowly approached her sleeping form, only to gasp softly when he saw her clothes were dirtied and she was covered in small cuts, but the worst one was on her left arm. The blood had dried by this point, but it had trailed from the large wound onto her glove, staining it red.

"Rai...what happened to you?" He asked aloud.

"Nnn...!" Rai suddenly flinched, Yusei tensing up.

Slowly, Rai's eyes slid open, only for them to meet that of a concerned cerulean blue. "Yu...sei? Is that...you?"

He gave a small nod in response. "Yeah, but...what happened to you, Rai? You're hurt and all covered in blood and dirt."

"Sorry, but...I had to deal with something." She replied, wincing when she shifted her sore body around.

"What do you mean?" Yusei then asked.

"Last night, I woke up to a strange feeling I had... I can't really explain it, but something in my gut just told me I had to find the source of this feeling, so...I went out to find it."

"Why didn't you wake me?"

"Because...it was my turn to try and protect you, Yusei." She replied.

"But look at you... You're all beat up, and what if you never came back?"

"I wasn't going to let that happen. I was going to come back to you, no matter what..." Rai said, determination brimming her voice. "I won't leave you, Yusei, not again."

"I know, but..." Yusei trailed off.

Rai then grinned weakly. "It's alright, Yusei... You see? I'm still here aren't I? Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere this time, I promise..."

Yusei merely sighed, smiling softly in response. "Alright, I trust you."

Rai grinned again, until she suddenly cringed. "Nugh...!?" She winced, quickly gripping onto her throbbing arm.

"Rai, we have to bandage your arm." Yusei told her.

She nodded. "Yeah... Do you think I could borrow some clothes until these ones are cleaned, especially since my glove is kinda covered in my own blood?"

"Yeah, I'll see what I can find. For now, let's go take a look at that wound."

"Alright." She replied, Yusei helping the redhead onto her feet, though she cringed in pain again.

My body, it's hurts all over... Rai noted. Last night seriously took it out of me, especially with all that damage becoming real... But I'll just have to grin and bare it, I suppose...

Once Yusei sat Rai down on the bed, he went to go retrieve a first aid kit. He soon returned a couple minutes later with the kit and a bowl with warm water, a wash cloth draped over the edge of the bowl. Yusei crouched down in front of the redhead, setting the items down before removing Rai's glove from her arm so he could get a better look at her wound. He examined the relatively large cut for a moment before grabbing the wash cloth and dipping it into the warm water. After ringing the excess water out, Yusei gently dabbed the cloth against Rai's wound. She immediately flinched at the sudden pain, but clenched her fist and bit her tongue, trying to fight through the pain.