𝐼'𝓋𝑒 𝑔𝑜𝓉 𝓎𝑜𝓊 [ Adopted by Elizabeth Olsen ]

Chapter 49: "Spilt knuckles"

⚠️TW:⚠️ Injury, slight panic attack, mention of self-harm

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"Do you want me to drive you?" I asked. "It's okay, I'll take the tube."

"Are you sure?" She nodded. "Remember, I've lived for a couple years off the tube, no one has ever driven me anywhere, I'll be fine." "I know, I just get overprotective I guess, I don't want anything happening to you in public", I explained.

"That makes sense and I appreciate the concern, but I'll be just fine", Nova smiled before going upstairs to change. She came back in gym attire which covered both her legs and back. I had never noticed that she never wore anything that revealed her legs or back.

I had always thought that if people hurt themselves, the wrists are the logical place to check. I had seen her arms before when she had worn a t-shirt, so I had just kind of assumed that there wasn't anything wrong in that area.

Oh how wrong I was. I should have noticed.

Anyway, she also had a bag with her barn clothes in as she was doing both the gym and the barn in one go. "I'll see you in a few hours okay, text me if you need anything or if you feel unsafe in any way okay? I love you!"

"Love you too, don't have too much fun without me", Nova joked before closing the door behind her.

Okayyyy... What to do now?

I'm home, alone.

I decided on doing some gardening to pass the time. Some things were ripe and others were in much need of a trimming. My garden is one of my passions, so time flew by, and before I knew it, Nova was back.

I was just vibing, in the zone, when Nova decided to scare the absolute shit out of me. I was just picking some blueberries for a snack, when I decided to turn around and found Nova with her phone in hand, recording me.

I swear, my soul just left me for a second. I jumped like a cat when they see a cucumber (if you haven't seen those videos, they're hilarious, search cat VS cucumber on YouTube). "Oh my god, Nova, you scared the shit out of me", I groaned, trying to calm down.

"Sorry, you just looked too much in the zone to disturb", Nova laughed. "So, you like gardening?" I smiled. "I do. It's an escape from the world for me. I can just relax and focus on the task. All my anxiety seems to leave me when I'm in my garden", I tried to explain.

"I can see myself in that. That's how I feel at the barn."

"Looks like we both have a passion we use as an escape."

"We do."

"Anyway, I have to go and wash these blueberries, how was the gym? Did you get some emotions out?" I asked. "I did. Maybe a bit too much...", Nova mumbled. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I may or may not have split one of my knuckles open...", Nova said quietly. "You WHAT?"

Nova's pov:

I just watched her completely freak out. Like, she acts totally chill about me CUTTING MYSELF with a fucking razor blade, but if I slightly hurt my knuckles, she freaks out? This doesn't make sense...

"Are you okay Nova? Does it hurt? Hold on, I'll go and grab the first aid kit, you stay right here. DON'T MOVE." She was going full mum mode. "Lizzie, I'm fine, it's just a scratch", I tried.

Regardless, she practically placed me down on a chair like a child before shooting me a warning glare and running off. She reappeared a couple moments later with the first aid kit, the blueberries long forgotten. "Let me see it, we have to clean the wound", she told me frantically.

I took her hands in mine and turned them so that her palms were facing up. "Before we do that, we're going to calm down okay? I'm totally fine, I'm not hurt, it's just a scratch okay?" I spoke calmly, trying to get her to relax.

She was fighting to see my hand, her eyes were darting all over the place and her breathing was uneven. I had never seen her this stressed out, and I felt guilty to be the cause of it.

She was strong, but I was stronger, and I held her hands in place. "Look at me Lizzie", I told her. Her frantic gaze met my relaxed one, and I saw her eyes glaze over. "I'm completely fine Lizzie, take some deep breaths. You can clean the wound once you've calmed down okay?"

She nodded. "I-I just don't w-want you to be hurt more than you already are", she whispered, her voice cracking. "I'm okay. You know why? Because you are here. You took a chance on me, took me in, helped me. I feel safe with you, I feel loved. So thank you", I smiled.

"I-", Lizzie tried to speak, but her voice failed her. "It's okay, you don't have to speak." She leaned into me, wrapping her arms around my torso. I reciprocated her embrace like she would always do with me.

"Thank you for taking care of me", I mumbled into the embrace. "I-I love you", was all Lizzie managed to say. "Love you too."

We stayed there for a while until Lizzie had calmed down. As guilty as I felt for being the cause of this, it felt kind of nice to be able to comfort someone, to be there for someone.

"C-Can I have a look now?" Lizzie asked. "Yeah sure." She took my hand and inspected my knuckles. It wasn't a huge wound, my skin had just split open at one point. The rest were a bit red, but otherwise fine.

"What about the other hand?" Lizzie asked and I showed it to her. "It's fine, just the one side." "How did this happen?" Lizzie asked while putting some antiseptic solution on a cotton pad. "I must have wrapped my hands wrong on one hand. I wasn't in a great space of mind and I wasn't really paying attention either", I explained.

"You need to be careful, I don't like seeing you hurt." I clenched my jaw when Lizzie started gently cleaning the wound. "I'm sorry, it's almost done", Lizzie coaxed me through it. "Aaaaand done", she stated, finishing up the bandage.

A band-aid wouldn't be great as it would just fall of, so Lizzie had bandaged my hand. "Thanks", I smiled. "Of course hun, be careful next time okay? And I want to come with you next time, I'd like to see you box", she added.

"Sure. What are you planning? Sparring?" I joked. "Oh god no, based on your knuckles, you have a nasty punch, I wouldn't like to be on the receiving end of that", Lizzie was quick to state. "You sure? All of that Marvel training must have given you some sort of fighting experience."

"Or are your wiggly woos everything you can bring to the table?" I asked jokingly, wiggling my fingers around comically.

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And hellooooooooooooooo :)

How are we feeling today?

I'm writing this while at school, so imma have to be quick

Thank you so much for reading, it means a lot. Make sure you take care of yourselves yeah?

Love, Frida xx