Sight Unseen

Chapter Eleven: Medusa

I drop my head as Asta moves away from me. I miss her warmth already. I stiffen when she slaps him harshly. From what it sounded like, she slapped him as hard as she could. He gasped and pulled the fabric away from his eyes to look at her like a puppy scorned.

"How dare you?!" she growls at him. I stiffen at the vehemence in her voice.

"I.. I... Asta..." he stutters. "I love you!"

"No. You need to leave." she huffs in anger. "You lead the men that left me here as a sacrifice." she reminded him. She turned back to me, and placed her hands on my shoulder, which caused me to wince and pull away from her.

"I'm fine, Asta." I groan, starting to lift myself from my position on the floor. I can move better now, even though everything in my body hurts. I lift my body with the help of one of my many remaining statues, groaning as my arm lays limp at my side. I sigh softly and start making my way to the bathroom so I can clean myself up.

"You know where the entrance is. See yourself out. I'm tired." I wave them off with my good arm, disappearing into the shadows away from them. I could hear them talking in hushed voices, and Asta giving Varrian a piece of her mind. The arguing continued and I tuned it out. I sighed when I managed to get to the full bathroom.

Sitting myself on the toilet cover, I ripped the dress I'm wearing and let it hang at my side, my right breast revealed so I can check the wound. It's not a pretty wound, and it's going to leave a scar, but it's almost completely healed, thankfully. I can still see some tendons, but he barely missed bone. Good. I can heal tendons and muscle, but bones are more difficult.

I drop my head and close my eyes as I wait for the wound to finish healing so I can clean up all the blood. I'll just shower it all off when the wound is closed. Before I realize it, I've drifted off to sleep.

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I wake to Asta fussing over my arm. I reach my hand out and grip her wrist a bit harshly, not realizing that I'm not dreaming anymore.

"What are you doing?" I demand of her, the sleep fog clearing from my mind. "Why are you here?" I narrow my eyes at her, even though she can't see me. She squirms under my grasp, whimpering that it's too tight a grip.

"I made him leave. He will not be coming back unless I ask him to." She looks at me, wriggling her wrist, so I let go. "Or you ask him to..." she murmurs. I stare at her, still not sure why she's her. So I ask her again.

"Why did you stay? You were - are - able to leave of your own free will. I won't keep you here." I murmur, my voice dropping to almost a whisper. I don't expect her answer, honestly.

"I stayed because I want to, Medusa. You are not the monster that the village portrays. And... I sort of have a crush on you?" she adds the last part like she's still not sure of it herself, and I stare at her before I bust out laughing. She doesn't expect that and looks horrified.

"Was I not supposed to say that?" she asks in low horror. I shake my head, my snakes not happy about the sudden movement.

"Asta, you're free to stay as you please. I won't keep you here against your will. I meant that." I say softly, knowing she can hear me. I sigh softly, looking at my wound, which is thankfully now healed.

"Do you mind? I need to shower and clean all this blood off and make sure everything works." I ask her, trying to get her to leave. She places her hand on my forearm and smiles at me.

"I will join you and help you clean the back so you get all the blood. From what I could smell, and hear, the wound was really bad... I am so glad you are okay..." she bit her bottom lip and I couldn't hold back as I leaned forward and kissed her ever so gently. She blushed deeply and looked shocked.

"I've lived thousands of years, darling. I'll be okay. As long as I don't get beheaded, I'll survive." I tell her, in all seriousness.