Luck and Worry

Stig Ironskin was certain of exactly three things in life - death, unenforced taxes, and Hal's stupidity.

"You know, axes aren't supposed to hit you. You're supposed to dodge."

"Very funny," Hal muttered, glaring sideways at him. "What was I supposed to do, let it hit you?"

"I had a shield," Stig reminded him, silently touched by the depths of his friend's loyalty. "I would have been fine. A little bruised, maybe, but fine."

"Call it an impulse. And speaking of -" Hal started, struggling to lever himself into a sitting position and accidentally putting pressure on the shoulder that was currently broken in two places, courtesy of the flat of an axe blade. He collapsed onto his back with a cry of pain, curling automatically around the injury.

Stig's heart lurched at the sound, moving automatically to steady Hal so the smaller boy didn't injure himself any further. "Easy. What's so important? I'll take care of it."

"I can do it," Hal insisted through gritted teeth, attempting to sit up with only one arm. Even if it was technically possible (and not even that difficult) Stig pushed him back down.

"You're bleeding - again," he said flatly, spotting the red stain spreading on the bandages around Hal's shoulder. "Stay still. You've lost enough blood as it stands," he added, glancing involuntarily at the bloody rag that used to be Hal's shirt. "You're lucky you didn't lose an arm."

Hal slumped, eyes closing in defeat. "Fine. But check on the others for me?"

"The others are fine," Stig reassured him, leaning back now that he was sure Hal wasn't going to try and run away on him.

Hal cracked one eye open to stare at him suspiciously. "Stefan's arm was bandaged."

"One of them nicked him with a sword. It's not serious."

Hal nodded. "What about you?"

Stig's mouth twisted into a faint grimace. Well, depending on your definition, "I'm fine."

"Liar."

He sighed. "My best friend just broke his shoulder and nearly bled to death taking an axe for me. How do you think I'm doing?"

Hal blinked, as if that hadn't occurred to him. Carefully, he reached for Stig with his good arm, squeezing Stig's hand reassuringly. "I'm fine," he said. "Everyone's fine."

"This time," Stig muttered. "You got lucky. Really lucky. Next time -" he cut himself off, looking away. He didn't want to think about it. "If you - I -"

Hal lurched upward suddenly, and Stig froze, taken completely by surprise at the sudden sensation of Hal's lips on his, then closed his eyes and relaxed into it. When Hal pulled back, he was left blinking in complete surprise and nursing a faint flicker of disappointment. Well...that does explain a lot.

He tilted his head, staring at Hal, who was reddening rapidly. "What was that?" he asked slowly.

"You were worrying too much," Hal replied. "I'm not going anywhere."

Stig huffed. "Trust you to be worried about me when you're the one all bashed up."

"Worrying about you is part of my job," Hal pointed out, a smile flitting across his face before it crumpled into a grimace as he bad shoulder gave out beneath the tiny amount of pressure he'd put on it. His grip on Stig's hand tightened reflexively, and Stig moved to wrap his free arm around Hal's shoulders.

"Easy," he murmured. "Keep this up, and the twins'll have to sail us back to Hallasholm."

"That's what I keep you around for," Hal said through gritted teeth.

"I thought it was my good looks and natural charm."

Hal managed a laugh. "Yeah. That too."