Let Me Hold You For Now

Quit Bossing Me Around

"This place isn't bad..."

"It's temporary. Very temporary. Won't be long before someone finds the body."

"What did you do with it?"

"Threw it out in the trash." He shrugged.

"Oh..." She looked unimpressed by his problem-solving ability, as usual. "So... What did you need my help with?"

"Oh, yeah. Need you to play doctor again."

"Are you still hurt?" She immediately jumped up in concern. "Show me!"

"Hey. Don't get too excited. I don't need you to sew me up again or anything. There's just some annoying shit in my back that I can't get out."

"Okay. I'll do it. Do you have medical supplies?"

"Uh yeah. There's some shit in the bathroom."

"Alright. Take off your shirt and lay down."

"T-take off my- Why do I have to do that? Can't you just lift it up like last time?"

"We can try... It'll be easier if you just take it off though. You don't have to be embarrassed. It's nothing I haven't seen before." But that wasn't right, was it? Although his face was covered, he hadn't bothered putting the other bandages back on since there was still so much glass left in his skin. "Besides, they didn't let you wear bandages in prison, right?" She called to him from the bathroom.

She wasn't wrong... But still... How many people had made comments about how he was even scarier without the bandages? He looked every bit the monster they thought he was.

"You still have your shirt on." She stared at him expectantly as he awkwardly stood in the kitchen, contemplating how comfortable he was willing to get around her. She dragged a chair across the floor and turned it around, beckoning him to sit down. He did so, taking a little comfort in not having to see her face while she pulled up the back of his shirt. "You think that this is annoying?" She sighed and ran her fingers over a few of the inflamed cuts in his skin. "Why don't you at least try to take better care of yourself? What would you have done if this got infected? Walked into a hospital?"

"Oh come on. It's not that bad."

"You're not the one looking at it."

"Whatever. How are your feet?"

"Fine. You aren't worming your way out of this. I need both my hands for this. Shirt off."

He hesitated.

"Zack."

"Fuck. Fine." He whipped off his shirt angrily and threw it across the room. "Bossy little brat."

"See? That wasn't so bad."

"You're such a freak, Ray. Seriously, how does this shit not bother you?"

"It does bother me. I don't like seeing you hurt."

She swiped some disinfectant over his cuts and he hissed.

"Could have fooled me. A little warning or something would be nice. I told you, I'm not a damn shirt!"

"I'd throw out a shirt if it had this many holes in it."

Was that? Did she just make another fucking joke? He turned to look over his shoulder. She had the hint of a smile playing at the corners of her mouth. Oh so she was enjoying herself, was she?

"You're a sadist. Aren't you, Ray?"

"I don't like seeing you hurt. Though it is kind of funny to see you complaining."