A year as a Narnian || 365 Narnia one shots (Part two)

212: Is that blood?

July 31st - Prompt: Red

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"Ed?"

Edmunds eyes flickered open, and he found himself staring at his older brother, causing him to swallow hard and shift uncomfortably.

Peter took a deep breath. "Sorry to wake you." He mumbled somewhat awkwardly.

Edmund sighed and shook his head. "I wasn't really asleep anyway." He muttered, pushing himself to slowly and carefully sit up.

Peter frowned. "But you're tired..." He murmured.

Edmund snorted. "Too right." He breathed. "But after the nightmare you just woke me up from, I struggled to go back to sleep."

Peter bit his lip, before nodding slowly. "I was just gonna say, lunch is nearly ready and you should probably get washed and changed." He said quietly.

Edmund gave him a gratful look. "Thanks." He whispered.

Peter nodded to the back of the tent. "Behind the curtain is a bath." He told him. "You look like you could do with one."

"You trying to tell me I smell?" Edmund said, forcing a smirk to try and ease the tension.

Peter got the idea and smiled gently. "A little yeah." He murmured.

"I suppose I have gone days without a bath." Edmund said slowly. "I feel horrible."

Peter looked a little upset, but tried to hide it. "The water's nice as warm, I made sure of that." He told him. "Take your time, wash yourself and your hair, it's full of dirt."

Edmund nodded. "Yeah I know." He breathed, carefully standing. "Thanks."

Peter nodded a little. "I'll wait here for you." He said somewhat firmly. "Call me if you need anything, clothes and stuff are all back there too."

Edmund stared at him as he sat down on his own hammock, sighing a little. "Okay." He murmured, before disappearing behind the curtain.

Peter sat there, just waiting for his brother to finish.

Every now and then he heard his brother gasp and hiss in pain, especially at the beginning when Peter guessed he was undressing, and he had to bite his lip to stop himself from asking if he was okay and probably eventually annoying him.

He sat there in silence for half an hour, before he heard Edmund getting changed.

"Let me know when you're dressed Ed." Peter breathed, standing.

Silence followed.

"Ed?" Peter murmured. "You okay?"

A few more moments of silence. "Yeah I'm coming." Edmund murmured eventually.

"Are you dressed?" Peter asked, walking over to the curtain.

"I haven't got my shirt on hang on." Edmund replied quickly, making Peter frown.

He waited another few minutes, in which he heard Edmund hiss multiple times, before he stepped out from behind the curtain.

He clearly hadn't expected Peter to be standing there, because he jumped slightly before sighing. "Better?" He asked, running a hand through his wet hair.

Peter nodded. "Yeah." He breathed. "You feel better?"

Edmund breathed out heavily. "Definitely." He replied.

Peter smiled a tiny bit, before sighing. "I'll drain the water and then we'll head for lunch." He said, going to step forward.

But Edmund quickly stepped to the side to block his path, eyes slightly wider.

Peter frowned. "Ed?" He asked. "What?"

Edmund hesitated. "Let's just go for lunch." He said quickly.

"I need to drain the water." Peter told him, placing a hand on his shoulder and stepping quickly around him, despite Edmunds worried look.

Peter stopped dead though when he spotted the water in the bath.

He swallowed hard, taking a deep breath. "Ed..." He murmured.

Edmund sighed and turned to look at the slightly murky, slightly red, bath water.

Peter turned slowly to his brother. "Is that blood?" He choked out.

Edmund glanced down at the floor and nodded hesitantly, sighing.

Peter took a deep breath, unsure of what to do, before he placed a hand on Edmunds back and steered him towards his hammock.

Edmund bit his lip and tried not to flinch, before sitting slowly down.

Peter knelt in front of him, still seeming awkward, but less so than he was when he'd woken his brother up. "How badly are you injured Edmund?" He asked quietly.

Edmund shrugged.

"How can you not know?" Peter said, "Please answer me, that blood has to of come from somewhere, and if you're injured I need to know, the injuries could get infected."

Edmund swallowed hard. "Badly." He eventually choked.

Peter bit his lip. "I'm gonna go and find a healer and see if they have any medicine or something I can clean them with." He said. "And don't argue with me, the last thing we need is you passing out and getting sick."

Edmund nodded a little, staring at the ground and not at Peter. "I'm sorry." He whispered. "I - I don't wanna cause anymore trouble."

Peter's heart ached a little, and he shook his head. "You're not." He said firmly. "Wait here okay?"

Edmund only nodded again, sighing.

Peter stood slowly, walking to the tent flaps before stopping and turning slowly back. "You - You know I do still care for you, right?" He whispered.

Edmund glanced up at him, slowly nodding. "I know." He choked. "Thank you."

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Verion 23,908 of "What happened between when they were reunited and lunch" 😂