Disclaimer: Not mine. Wish they were.
A/N: Found this going through some of my old disks. Don't know whether I'll continue or not, but I sure am tired of all the Hamayi/Mutio fic out there. Here's something to change it up a little.
Dead lifeboats
In the sun
And come undone
Pleasantly caving in
I come undone.
Heaven smiles above me
What a gift here below
No one knows.
Gift that you give to me
No one knows
QUEENS OF THE STONEAGE.
Kino grimaced, flinching at the sound of another hiss from Hayami. For the fourth time since she'd been directed to aid the on-board medic in cleansing and treating his less serious injuries, she found herself nearly dropping the antiseptic-soaked gauze held daintily in her fingertips. Retracting the makeshift sponge from a series of gashes that dotted his badly bruised torso, she nibbled her lip uneasily before letting out a shaky sigh, chancing a quick look up at his face, the remorse she felt painfully evident upon her youthful countenance.
"I'm sorry," she muttered softly, averting her gaze from his swollen eyes and bloodied nose after only a few seconds, leaning forward in her chair to take a deep breath. She didn't know why she'd offered to help, knowing that the sight of blood made her nauseous.
"Stop saying that."
His voice was harsh, grating, raw from disuse and strained from the effort it was taking him not to breath too deeply. The medic has informed him the moment she'd examined the discoloration over his ribcage that he likely had sustained a few fractures, and that too much movement might cause a collapsed lung—a condition that the Blue's medical facilities were not equipped to handle.
"Hayami, no talking. We can't do anything about the internal damage until we reach base—" The medic was dismissed with an aggravated wave from Hayami, who managed to narrow at least one of his eyes in her direction before letting them fall closed once more. The woman, older than Kino, but not by much, smiled mischievously down on her as she finished examining the damage done to Hayami's left side. Kino summoned her own polite smile in return, though she felt as though it came out a little wobbly, before turning back to her task at hand, once again gnawing on her lip nervously.
"I have to go to the medical supply closet to fetch some supplies—mainly something to help keep those ribs steady until we dock," the medic announced idly as she buzzed about the two of them in the already confined area of the sick bay. She paused in the doorway long enough to send a wink to Hayami, her hand resting lightly on the jamb, errant ebony strands falling from the loose ponytail at her nape, and Kino couldn't help the frown the sight evoked; was she flirting with him? "I'll be sure to pick up some healthy pain killers while I'm at it." She ducked out of sight, only to pop back in a moment later to give a nod to Kino. "Oh, um, why don't you work on cleaning up his face while I'm gone. I'll be working on his nose as well."
She fought the urge the mumble mockeries the moment the woman had left, grudgingly pushing herself to her feet and glaring at the empty doorway before turning her attentions back on Hayami, surprised to find that he was watching her, one corner of his bloodied mouth lifted in a wry smirk. She blinked, still not used to the vision he presented, so beaten and sullied that he was barely recognizable. She didn't know whether it was worth the effort to rid his face and chin of the blood that had begun to cake and darken in some areas. With all the bruising and swelling, he'd still look like hell.
Again, she sighed, raising a shaky hand to dab lightly at the mess on his chin, leaning in closer to observe her progress, her brows lowered in concentration. "What's that look for?" she mumbled absently, narrowed gaze flickering towards his briefly. She became less hesitant as she worked, discovering no new cuts beneath the drying layer of blood, applying a little more pressure so that she wouldn't have to be forced to look upon the sorry sight that he presented for longer than necessary.
She noticed one shoulder lift awkwardly, a futile attempt at a shrug on his part, before his lips parted, his mouth at eye level. "Jealous?" he ventured, his voice reduced to a cautious whisper, though a hint of amusement could be detected nonetheless.
Kino scowled, resisting the sudden urge to give him a good shove, and instead applying a little more pressure than needed with the final swipe along his chin, forcing his head to tilt back slightly. He only smiled wider in response as she straightened, one arm akimbo as she tossed the used gauze aside. "You're incorrigible," she reprimanded, though her voice lacked its usual vigor when engaged in back-and-forth with him. He noted this with a lift of his brows and an attempt at a chuckle, which only resulted in a tidal wave of new pain that sent him clutching his midsection and bending forward so as to catch his breath.
"You idiot!" Kino hissed, immediately reaching out, her hands resting upon his trembling shoulders. "Can't you be more careful? You're only going to make things worse…"
Her voice trailed off as he raised his head, that cocky grin still firmly in place, contagious in spite of the splash of crimson just above it. She snorted, shaking her head as she stepped back from him, moving around the examining table on which he sat to fetch another roll of gauze and a bottle of alcohol. Several moments passed, in which she was certain he was still doing his best to keep from laughing at her, and she would've have been a little more severe towards him had it not been for the diversion that had suddenly decided to pop into her tired mind. She began to giggle in spite of herself, biting back on the laughter that was bubbling up, glancing once at him over her shoulder. She gave up on the battle, laughing out loud as she returned to her task, blotting the blood on his upper lip, ignoring the curious look he was giving her even as the laughter subsided to the occasional chuckle, until all that was left was a sparkle in her eye and a small smile.
He moved to speak, taking a careful breath as hip lips parted, but she held a finger over his mouth, shaking her head in silent warning. "None of that," she reminded him, and the look he gave her could only be described as a pout, his shoulders falling slightly, mouth turning down in a subtle frown, appearing as a subdued child having been dealt the wrath of his mother. In spite of her earlier resolve to let him stew, she had pity on him, divulging the source of her entertainment as she finished dabbing and swiping.
"You…" she paused, another giggle interrupting, before she took a breath to continue, "You've lost a tooth…" She brushed a finger lightly over his upper lip before backing away, sobering quickly as she began to bustle about the room, gathering up random scrap and utensils in an effort to avoid eye contact.
He seemed unaware of the sudden change in her behavior, his frown deepening as he probed tentatively behind his upper lip, his less swollen eye widening slightly when finding a small gap. He managed a muffled curse, taking advantage of the opportunity presented by her lack of attention to venture a sentence. "I must be a beautiful sight right about now, huh?"
Kino stood perfectly still, her back to him as her hands fumbled with a roll of tape. She could hear rapidly approaching footfalls echoing in the hallway outside and assumed it was the medic returning with the necessary supplies. Gathering her courage, she put down the tape and turned to appraise him over her shoulder. A long moment passed in which she held his gaze, unwavering, her elven features unreadable. The mirth slowly melted from his countenance, until his expression mirrored her own, doing his best to conceal his apprehension. Finally, just as the medic made her reappearance, Kino broke the silence, her voice soft but profound as she continued to meet his stare.
"Yeah. You are."
Hayami wasn't given a chance to respond before she slipped out of the room, jaw lax, lips parted in silent surprise. The medic merely cocked an inquisitive brow, standing awkwardly by the doorway with an armful bandages and medication, staring at length at the empty space that Kino had moments earlier occupied before turning her focus on the wounded man who seemed to have been leveled by the departed girl's last words. Sighing wearily, she moved to a nearby workspace, dumping the supplies and beginning to prepare some of the bandages for use.
"Damn," she murmured in the heavy silence, "what did I miss?"