Thrill [BNHA]

Chapter Eleven

 Natsuo couldn't stop grinning as Nell flew off the handle in a blind fury berating him for his terrible gaming skills and blaming him for their score of 1 star on the level. He'd intentionally messed up orders to set her off and was now enjoying her adorable tirade. Her face was a bright shade of scarlet as she screamed at him. Deciding the point was not getting across by merely sitting and screaming at him, she jumped to her feet to continue her tirade but felt a pinch in her abdomen from the gunshot wound. Her face suddenly paled and she swayed unsteadily on her feet.

"Nell?" Natsuo looked at her, worried.

The controller slipped from her fingers and fell on a bed of roses at her feet. She let out a soft hiss of pain and grasped the back of the sofa to steady herself. "I'm okay." She said through gritted teeth as the pain in her abdomen increased.

"You're not." Natsuo frowned.

Nell bent down to pick up her controller, ignoring the pain, "another round?"

"I don't think that's such a good idea." Natsuo noted as he realized her hands were shaking. A horrifying thought crossed his mind, "Nell?" He paled.

"What?" She looked to him in concern, noting the sudden pallor of his skin.

"Did you go to the hospital to get that treated?!" He pointed to her gunshot wound.He'd let it go earlier because it looked expertly bandaged and he'd assumed it was only bleeding because she wasn't resting, but now he was wondering if she'd been treated at all, was the bullet still in there?!

"Of course not!" Nell snapped as if it were obvious, "you do realize if you walk into a hospital with a gunshot wound they have to report that shit to the police...you know... the people I'd very much like to avoid due to illegal vigilante activity."

"Is the bullet still in there?!" Natsuo panicked.

"No, I tore it out with some vines, it's fine." Nell shrugged but winced a little as the motion caused her wound to twinge with pain.

"Nothing about that is fine!" Natsuo snapped.

Nell smiled, it was a strained smile as she was masking her pain, "I think we need another rage room date."

Natsuo sighed, "that probably didn't help your condition." He should have thought about that, he'd seen the bandages before, he should have talked her out of it.

Nell put her hands on her hips about to return a snappy retort back at him but her vision began to blur. She threw her hands out to catch herself as she felt herself start to slip.

Natsuo moved quickly, dropping his controller onto the sofa and caught her in his arms. "Nell?"

"Okay, maybe I should rest a bit." Nell sighed.

"I knew it." Natsuo grumbled as he got to his feet, lifting her up with ease.

Nell seemed momentarily taken aback and looked at him curiously. He looked athletic but she wasn't expecting him to be so strong. He didn't seem the least bit hindered by her weight.

"What?" Natsuo blushed as he caught her staring at him.

"I just didn't realize you were so strong." Nell murmured.

"H-Huh?!" Natsuo's face reddened even more.

"N-nothing." Nell averted her gaze as she felt heat begin to spread through her own cheeks at their closeness and how tenderly he was cradling her in his arms, as if he were afraid she might break. No one had ever really treated her with such gentleness.

Natsuo hesitated unsure if he should take her to the hospital or her bedroom. He looked down at her, her pale skin was an unhealthy pale now. "Nell?"