Eevie
Once we were back in Noel's dorm room, I helped Noel change his clothes. The external wounds were healing. There were no holes. Just raw skin trying to patch themselves together. But internally, his muscles, veins, any organs hit were trying to patch themselves back together and would take a little longer than the external skin.
Gingerly, I helped pull his shirt down over his head. Noel resisted, probably not liking that I was treating him like a fragile doll, but that's precisely what he was at that point. As much as Elena may have wanted to help him, it wasn't her place, yet. IT would only make Noel feel worse seeing her.
Noel and I really hadn't had a chance to interact together before, so the experience was a little awkward. He was quiet, making wincing noises if he moved too suddenly or moved a certain way that stretched the wounded area.
"You guys were being reckless," I said finally to break the silence. I sat on the bed next to him while he caught his breath before we had to get both he and Elena back to the library.
Noel's eyes found mine. "I didn't want you or Elena to get hurt," he told me honestly, and I appreciated that about him.
"So you think Elena or I want to see you get hurt?" I asked. There was no edge to my voice. I was merely curious.
"No. But better me than either of you," he replied chivalrously. I admired that about him.
"No offense kid, but Elena and I can take care of ourselves. We don't need you protecting us. Not if you won't let us protect you, too. I am older than Nori by a lot of years. I know how to handle myself. And while I appreciate that you care enough about the both of us that you are willing to get hurt, I don't appreciate you always doing the distracting. Elena and I may not be as bonded as you and Nori, but we're coming along. She's got one of the best demon trainers. She'll be fine. She knew what she was signing up for when we bonded," I told him. When he ducked his head and stared at the floor silently, guilt hit me in the chest. "All I'm saying is I know you've got our back, but I need you to know we also have yours. We're of an equal strength, and if we can work together rather than you taking all the risks, we can be quite the double duo."
"I do know you have our back," Noel finally said.
I nodded, "Good." I placed my hand on top of his own, "I know you're hurting, Noel, and not just from this wound." At that, his face reddened and tears sprang to his eyes. "But just know that Elena is just confused about her feelings right now. Give her time to figure them out, and I know that it'll work out." He nodded his head slowly. "Now switch back with Nori so we can get you and Elena back to that study room."
I can't believe you just told him that! Elena finally spoke. She had been oddly quiet since the demon had been defeated.
The poor kid is hurting. I can't stand to look at him. I sure hope you get your feelings figured out before you break the kids heart further than you already have. And that shut her up for a little longer.
He nodded, and before I knew it, Nori was sitting beside me, my hand now holding his. "Aren't you all motherly all of a sudden," Nori teased, though he also had a pained look about him. He may not have the wounds Noel did, but he shared in the pain.
I was going to pull my hand away and smack him, but his grip tightened and yanked me forward, kissing me again. "Been wanting to do that since we last kissed," he told me, and I hoped the kiss was enough to distract him from the pain, at least for a little while.
I smiled into the kiss. "So did I," I whispered.
Elena
Nori and Eevie were making out again. Like that wasn't a giant reminder of what happened the last time they did that. I was half afraid there would be a repeat of the last time. But I knew Eevie wouldn't do that to me, nor would Nori do that to Noel.
My heart hurt right now probably as badly as Noel's did. When that screamer had injured him, I thought he was going to die, and I desperately wanted to take back what had happened between us. More than normal. I regretted my decision to not be with him. I had tried to think of the last thing I had said to him, but I was drawing a blank.
Could I go back to him right now? After such a tragedy? No. He'd think I was doing it out of pity. But it was more like I had been scared back into my senses. Life was so fleeting. Shouldn't I know that better than anyone? Me, who had lost all but one member of my family too soon? I should be embracing life in the now. Not worrying about what might happen.
But I wanted to wait to say anything until after this whole debacle settled down. I didn't want Noel to think I was only going back to him because of pity or that I was scared. I wanted him to know I was sincere about my feelings and the incident just opened my eyes. And my heart.
Closing my eyes, I thought back to what Nori had told me about how he and Noel were further bonded than Eevie and I were. Was it because I wasn't trying enough? Sure I didn't know about the other world before now, but that didn't mean I wasn't serious about the training Eevie and Alistair were putting me through.
Making a mental note to practice harder and longer, I couldn't wait to get back to the library. I'd bring my books and go practice with Eevie behind the science building. If I went longer and harder going forward, would that help me catch up?
After a few sweet words between Eevie and Nori, Nori motioned to her foot to ask how it was healing. Eevie informed him that I had to do the majority of the walking as she could barely put any weight on it still. But she could move her self around with the telekinesis abilities she had.
Nori suggested I switch with Eevie so he could teleport us back to the library that way I could move around without having to worry about Eevie tripping and falling over something trying to get around. So I did, and suddenly I was back in the library. All of our stuff was sitting exactly as we had left it.
Noel switched with Nori as he sat in his chair in front of his laptop. I grabbed my bookbag and stuffed my stuff back into it. I needed some air. To be alone to think, to train, to do something other than sit in this stuffy room.
"Are you okay?" Noel asked me suddenly, breaking through my train of thought.
A strangled chuckle escaped my lips before I could reign it back in, "I should be the one asking you that."
"I'll be fine. I seem to be healing pretty well," he replied. "You look upset. Are you okay?"
"No," I answered as I zipped up the bag and slipped my arms through the straps. "You could have died out there today, Noel. And all I can think about is how weird things have been between us since yesterday. What if you had died thinking I didn't care about you?" I hadn't meant to say any of those things, but they were out of my mouth before I could say anything.
Noel was taken aback, unsure of what to say.
"I just need some fresh air. I'll talk to you later, okay?" with that, I disappeared from the room without a backwards glance. I felt bad, but I knew Nori would help him, and Yun was there, too, to keep an eye on them.
I just needed to let out some frustration. So I headed out behind the science building and did some training exercises.
