Amanita: Poison Shot

Chapter 22: Gabi

Siegfried's confidence and determination flooded me with the force of a tsunami. His courage had transformed his face into the most attractive I had ever seen. I felt safe. No one besides my father had ever made me feel that way.

My facial expression must have changed a lot because he slightly blushed. He stopped looking me in the eye and stood up. He offered his hand to help me stand up.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, staring at my wounded hand.

My bloody hand began to tremble uncontrollably at the slightest attempt to move it, and my ribs hurt like hell as well.

My legs failed for a moment, but before I could fall his hands had already gotten hold of me by my waist. We blushed.

When he realised I could stand on my own, he let me go. He nervously chuckled and tried to wipe out the smear of my blood on his right cheek, but he only made it messier.

"Daphne, let me bandage your hand." He motioned to the locker room. "I'm sure I've got some bandages in my bag."

"Oh, don't worry. I-" I replied as I took my bloody hand in my other one with care.

"Wait here." He didn't wait for a second and soon disappeared behind the door of his team's locker room.

I felt something warm invading my whole body, like a wave. I let space for some passers-by on the aisle. Everybody was checking on their loved ones in a similar way Siegfried had been checking on me.

"Here," he said when he came back a few seconds later, "I'm sorry. I've got no bandages. I thought-" He showed me a white handkerchief. He got my bloody hand and started to bandage it with care. "I wish I could do this properly."

He caught me off guard. I let him do it and said nothing. He was standing really close to me. I sincerely hoped he didn't see me blushing.

"I will..." he started whispering as if it was hard for him to go on. "I will find them and kill them. I swear."

His eyes seemed to be aflame with ire, as if a demon had made his home behind his retinas. It left me speechless. Besides, how would he be able to find those two cops in a megalopolis like Thalis?

When he was done, he let go of my hand. I surprised myself missing the contact of his warm hands on mine.

"How are your ribs?" he asked whispering. He had regained his gentle composure.

I chuckled. "How are yours?"

"I've had worse injuries. You?"

That massive ego of his. That smug smile.

"I can stand. I can move. They still hurt, but I'll be fine."

"I can take you home on my bike if you like," he offered with a cute, deep blush.

None of us had time to say a word further when a familiar voice shattered that intimate moment.

"Dude, these idiots have just left and you're already flirting? You don't waste your time, Sigi!" the clownish guy from before, Gabi, said as he was coming to us. I recognised his voice. "Nice bloodstain you got on your cheek and hair, dude."

I turned my head to see him. He was one of Siegfried's hockey teammates, the one who had his hair in a low ponytail and had been mocking Siegfried on the court before the police intrusion. He came close to Siegfried and hit his right shoulder with naughtiness.

"Gabi, you dipstick!" Siegfried exclaimed in a bad mood, but careful that nobody could overhear him. "What was that stupid act from before?! They could've found out who you really are! And look at your arm!"