Pink Rose [1]

"No Witnesses and a Few Minor Bruises"

Quest Objective: Do NOT fall in love with your enemy. 

Side Quest: Burn all the headbands. 

Anduin kept glancing up at me from his deck of Hearthstone cards. His range of motion was limited, so the past few days were spent playing board games and "sharing" him between Wrathion and the late arriving Sunwalker Dezco. There were guards stationed to watch over Andy, but they were usually drunk from the bar downstairs.

I caught his gaze. "Hi."

"Hi." His eyes peeked at me over his assortment of cards.

"You have another winning move, I suppose?" I mused. Anduin's dark side showed when he played Hearthstone; he was ruthless, and on a winning streak. I didn't really care about winning. I just like watching the soft light from the board illuminate every inch of Andy's face, like he was some celestial being.

"Of course I do. But you have this adorable look on your face when you're thinking, it's very distracting," He admitted. A soft pink glow resonated in his cheeks.

I tucked my bangs behind my ear and avoided his gaze. "Um, thanks. I also think that your face is great."

It wasn't the best-worded compliment, but it made Anduin laugh and blush harder. I placed another card on the deck, watching it morph into a naga.

"How do you feel?" I eyed him critically. He had winced three times in the last ten minutes. I had been counting all night, every time he made a face.

"Like a winner," He answered as he placed a corehound on the deck.

I glared at him. "That's not what I meant."

He was still in pain. Who wouldn't be? All of those bones, broken by Garrosh's hand...

What if Garrosh went after him because of me? What if he knew, at the night of the Vale ceremony...what if I was the reason Anduin was suffering?

Hellscream's eyes are upon you.

Andy shrugged, but his jaw was clamped tight by the movement. "I'm managing."

I doubted him, but I held my tongue. I didn't want to argue. If he was in pain, starting a shouting match in the middle of the night wouldn't help.

I heard his hoarse inhale before he spoke again, "Eona, may I ask you something?"

"What's something?"

"A favor."

"Anything." The reply didn't require a single thought.

Anduin hesitated. "I appreciate the time you have spent with me, enclosed by these four walls. But if you're getting bored...perhaps we could get some fresh air. As long as we bypass the guards—"

My head snapped up. My eyes widened with realization of what he was really asking. "I am not helping you sneak outside!"

"Eon," Andy pleaded in a soft tone that wouldn't alert the guards at the bottom of the stairs, "what happened to being adventurous? Isn't it healthy for me to have a change in scenery? And as a healer, I know that exercising during and after recovering from wounds is crucial."

I don't want to say no to him! But the last time I let Andy out of my sight, he was in critical condition! And I don't want the healing process to be disrupted, especially by my own hand. I can't do that to him.

I started to protest, "Yeah, but—"

"You're taking me." Anduin insisted.

I squinted at him. Boldness wasn't his style. Was this Wrathion's influence?