Wild Side [h.s au]

Chapter 23

Harry

"Of course Ethan is gone when we need him the most," I mutter angrily, impatiently walking back and forth in front of his office. His nurses are already taking care of Louis and Tori, while the others wait for their turns. Surprisingly, I'm not hurt, but I want to make sure everyone is taken care of.

"Why me, God? Why?" Alex whines. "You know I hate blood, we had a deal! Other people bleed, not me."

"That looks like a paper cut," Elena tells him flatly, looking at a tiny cut on his palm. That's literally the only wound he has, plus a bruise on his jaw.

"And it's bleeding," he retorts, glancing down at it in disgust. "Ew."

"It'll heal, just don't look at it and think about bunnies, remember how you always did that when we were kids?" Elena tells him, smiling gently at him.

"It's easy for you to say, you're used to blood," Alex says. "Remember when you got your first period and it was all over--"

Elena gasps loudly, throwing herself at him and Alex stumbles backwards until his back hits the wall, Elena's hands clamping his mouth shut. "Do not speak of that day ever again. Never ever."

I let out a laugh, my shoulders shaking. I really like this girl.

Oh shit, I really like her. I've already admitted it that night we'd spent in my training room, but I never actually said the exact same words, not to her, not to anyone. I don't want to because when I feel something, I feel it strongly; whether it be happiness, sadness, fear or any other emotion, and it makes me vulnerable. I don't trust her with my feelings, not yet.

Alex pushes her away. "Okay okay! Calm down, I'm injured." He looks at his ant sized cut.

Jess takes out a crumpled flower from her pocket, handing it to him. "Here, to distract you."

Alex smiles and looks down at her, taking the flower in his hand. Great, another couple in the making. I don't have anything against it, as the matter of fact I think we lack love in these difficult times, there's either no time or people have simply become insensitive. War does that to people.

"How have you survived for this long?" I can't help but ask him, a genuine confusion in my voice.

"I've got skills, mate," he replies smugly. "But it's luck ninety percent of the time, especially since Lenny likes getting in potentially lethal situations."

"Says the guy who was ready to jump off a cliff because a rodent was hiding in the bushes," Elena says.

"It could've been a wolf or a bear or some other toothy fucker," Alex retorts quietly, a pout forming on his face.

"That was really brave," I say to Elena, gaining her attention. "Taking a risk to convince those people we're telling the truth. Also, thank you for saving my life, my lady."

She smiles widely. "You're welcome, Charming. Sometimes the prince needs saving, too."

My lips pull in a smile as well, but it quickly falters when I notice her wince. "You're hurt," I say, noticing a small cut sliced on her neck, but the cause of her pain is something else. Since I can't see any wound on her front, I circle around her, catching a patch of blood below the nape of her neck, her uniform ripped from a knife blade.

My fingers wrap around her wrist and I pull her with me, walking in one of the infirmary rooms, silently pointing to one of the beds lined in it. "Really, H, I can wait--"

"Lord, give me strength," I mutter, looking up at the ceiling. "Sit down on that bed and shut up, I can handle it."

She purses her lips but ends up obeying me. Well, that's a first. Luckily, I know my way around here and I quickly pile the supplies needed for cleaning the cuts beside her, even putting on a pair of latex gloves so I can properly take care of the cut. "Call me Doctor Styles," I comment amusedly as Elena laughs.