Blackbird

Burn

It's been about a week and a half since the whole closet and nothing has happened apart from work. The time in between then and now has been incredibly hectic, none of us have gotten much sleep and we are all agitated from lack of sleep. Even Rory, who is the quietest and calmest of the group is snappish as of late.

Because of this our attempt to hang out is put on hold. And so it's here that I find myself awake at 3 am on the bus making tea while everyone else is fast asleep. I'm so out of it that I don't notice how much I've filled up my cup until the hot water pours over the side scalding my hand and it's all I can do to bite my lip and put the mug down without screaming or dropping it. I'm biting my lip so hard that I taste blood and a long string of curses run though my head as lean against the counter with tears in my eyes.

"Son of a bitch." I whisper, which was a mistake as I feel blood run down my chin from the cut on my lip. I turn on the sink faucet as cold as I can get it and stick my hand under the flow.

As I quiet as I tried to be in my agony, my grumblings awoke Andrew who comes sluggishly into the kitchen area half asleep.

"What did you do this time?" He asks around a yawn still half asleep.

"I burnt myself with tea and made my lip bleed." I mutter my cheeks turning red.

He walks over to me gently examining my hand under water but I flinch at the light pressure of his hands on the tender burn. He frowns and tilts my head up towards his own so he can see the cut on my lower lip. He sighs running a hand through his messy hair and goes underneath a cabinet to find the medical kit.

"Come on." He says going to the couch and sitting down gesturing for me to sit next to him.

I turn off the water and go sit next to him tucking my legs beneath me and holding out my injured hand as he digs around in the kit for burn cream and a wrap. "You always were a klutz" he says softly chucking trying to lighten the mood.

I nod smiling softly. "Yeah, it's a talent."

He smiles and gently grabs above my wrist and turns my hand to see the worst of the burned area. "Well the good news is that you won't need to go to a hospital, the worst is that it's going to hurt a hell of a lot and it might blister a bit." He gently begins to put on the burn cream and I try not to flinch away even though the burn cream soothes the area it still hurts. When he finishes he wraps it gently before pulling out some pain tablets and handing them to me. "Here let me get some cold water for you to take those with."

He returns with a glass of cold water and I take the medicine. He's also holding a cloth which I didn't notice before.

"What's that for?"

"This my love, is for the blood from your lip." He had soaked it in some water and he sits down in front of me again moving the med kit out of the way.

He leans in extremely close and hold my face still with one hand while using the other to gently dab away at the blood on my lip and what had dropped down. The only sound is our gentle breathing mixing in the air and my heart beat which beats loudly in my ears. Once he finishes he pauses staring into my eyes before he leans back and moves the med kit and washcloth away from the couch. He comes and sits back down on the couch again before pulling me onto his lap.

"Now how did you manage to burn yourself with tea?" He asks gently petting my hair.

I flush again with color and shame "I ehm, I wasn't paying attention." I admit.

He can't help but laugh and I feel his chest move under my back "I'm sorry for laughing love but sometimes you're just very absentminded."

"Yeah I know." I sigh laughing a bit with him. And close my eyes leaning back into his chest. I missed this.

We continue to talk quietly into the early morning until we both fall asleep there in each other's arms.