Eros. (Benimaru Shinmon)

三 ❀

Year 195

Someone once told me that: Fire is the most beautiful weapon of them all. It shines with all its glory; maybe that's why I'm so attracted to it? The warmth along with the welcoming feel it gives but as you slowly approach it snarls and bites. Everything you love could be gone in minutes, due to a single nip. That's why you're like fire. So warm, so beautiful, so welcoming. The human embodiment of fire.

So why does it burn?

I sat in a chair at the table with burn ointment and bandages spread out in front of me as I inspected the bruises on the hekishi peacekeeper. Even sitting his hand on the table for a short, short period of time could result in a very painful injury. To make matters worse it was on the outside of his dominant hand. Awkward for bandaging.

He winced as my fingers grazed his burn. The ointment was cool, but the pressure of applying it hurt. From what I was told, the hikeshi was attacked by an infernal unannounced.

And by looking at his wound, I knew that it was going to blister.

"Will it be okay?" the guy asked.

I looked up at him and heard a small gasp come from him and soon that familiar tint of pink that I often seen from Konro on his face. I smiled and looked back towards his wound.

"It will be fine, it is a hybrid between a first-degree burn and a second-degree burn," I answered while cleaning the wound site.

"Okay," he answered, "Even though this hurts like hell, y-you're really gentle, Inori,"

"In this world, you must handle everything as if it is fragile," I answered back.

"Not those damn infernals!" another hekishi soldier chimed in, "They need to stop with this rampage and maybe then we wouldn't be in this mess!"

"Yeah!" The men cheered.

"But it wasn't as if they asked for this," I thought to myself.

"Enough everyone!" Konro yelled out, "Say, Inori, when you are done treating Kai here, can you come check on Benimaru."

"Why...he hates me besides he never gets himself hurt," I thought in detest while cringing at the thought of seeing him. But I would never let Konro see that side of me.

"Um, sure," I replied as I returned my focus on the wound in front of me and proceeded to wrap the bandage around it.

I swallowed thickly. I know this was selfish of me but I didn't want to heal Benimaru. I felt... intimidated by him. But I when I do heal him... it would be best to say nothing. He didn't really look someone who wanted to talk anyway so maybe It would be a quick process.

I sighed and smiled.

"There, you are all healed up," I responded, "Make sure to change the bandages three times a week. Check the blister that will form so that it doesn't become infected."

"Sure will, thanks Inori," the guy said as he smiled.

I rose from the chair and smiled at the men and waved at as they all look as if they were in awe. I left the room and noticed Konro leaning against the wall looking up while lost in thought. I wonder what he was thinking. I mean Konro was kind of given the responsibilities of the Peacekeepers once his and Benimaru's late master passed; I wonder he was contemplating on that...

"Something on your mind?" I asked looking at him.

He jumped from my voice and turned his head towards me. His blush was always so evident when he looked at me. It was too cute to ignore.

"U-um yeah, sorry," he answered, "Follow me, Beni is a bit short tempered but please bear with him but he has a wound on his back from the infernal attacking from behind."

"Sure," I replied, "And, I will do what I can."

I followed him down the hall and to a separate room. Once he slid the doors, there was Benimaru attempting to treat his own wounds. The bloody remnants of his back injury was plain to see.

"Beni, would you stop being so stubborn,"

"I can do it myself, I don't need her help," Benimaru replied.

"Typical..."

"Stop i-" Konro started until I walked in and sat behind him and smacked his hand away.

"What the-" Benimaru started.

"Be quiet," I replied, "I much rather be called here once to help you than multiple times because of your improper way of dressing a wound."

"I don't need your help-"

"This is going to hurt," I mumbled in his ear.

"What are you going-AH!" he yelled out.

I pressed down on the gnarly wounds. Benimaru went rigid beneath my touch, and I felt every ounce of him twitching as he resisted the urge to scream more louder than he wanted to. He started trembling beneath me hands, his slightly bruised face streaked with sweat and blood. He groaned, breathing so heavily that I was sure it hurt.

If it weren't for me coming in here to dress his wound rather than him doing it himself, he would have passed out a long time ago. If it weren't for his carelessness, he never would have this bruise, downed and defeated by the pain and shock. I had seen many burn wounds in my lifetime, but none as bad as the one he had. The partial thickness of blisters - indicating a second-degree burn - but the wound looked may be swollen and painful. It almost looked as though the fire had erupted from himself; the possibility seemed unlikely.

I brought the rag up to his face and gently wiped of the blood. I rubbed an special herbal ointment on his back injuries and smiled when I saw them already healing given that he was a pyrokinetic.

Benimaru flinched, though it stayed for a brief second. He allowed me to rub ointment on his body and wrap some of his minor injuries; one reaching from his left shoulder to his right hip, all the way across his chest.

Once I finished, I took a few steps away from him to see my work. I smiled pleasantly, he was going to make a good recovery. As I got up, I felt his gaze on me, probably reflecting his matching sullen look-annoyance.

I packed my stuff up and bowed at Konro and headed out without saying another word.

"Wait, Inori!" Konro yelled out, "Why don't you stay for dinner and one of us could walk you back to your home?"

"Thank you, but no thank you," I replied with a smile, "You of all people should know that Benimaru wouldn't be pleased to have me here."

"I-I know Beni can be a bit much, but it would mean a lot for the rest of us if you stayed," Konro pleaded.

"As much as I respect your men and you, Konro, I will have to decline," I smiled, "Maybe some other time."