Burning. His arm and side burned.
Lloyd's vision swam while he processed the situation and cause of his pain, Rodyle in front of him as his friends shouted his name in concern. He stumbled back and his head hung downwards, too weak to stay up, then saw his left side and arm bleeding profusely. Lloyd feebly held his waist in a vain attempt to stop the flow of red and the roaring pain, before looking back up at his assailant. Rodyle, contained in his mutant form, sneered as his distorted voice spoke mockingly to Lloyd who failed to comprehend its content.
A movement outside the battle caught Lloyd's bleared attention and he followed it until he saw Reimi who had taken a significant step closer to the action. It still hurt to see her at the enemies' side but he couldn't tear his eyes away, not when he felt as if these were his final moments while Rodyle prepared for the final blow. She looked shocked and afraid; Lloyd couldn't begin to decipher why, Rodyle was clearly winning and her own victory secured.
Lloyd didn't turn away as he felt Rodyle's weighted steps vibrate against the floor, stampeding his way towards him. Even with his friends restrained and helpless, and his death imminent, Lloyd kept his gaze on the one person he wouldn't wish any harm upon, despite her being adamant about harming him.
Then, there was a flash and a warping sensation, before he finally fell unconscious with a soft though strong hand in his own.
Lloyd awoke to something being wrapped around his arm and struggled to pull his eyelids open, pain still overwhelmingly coursing through his left side.
He thought he was dreaming.
Reimi was sat on a stool beside the bed he was lying on, diligently bandaging his arm up with a serious, worried expression on her face. Lloyd watched her for a while, waiting to wake up – to really wake up. This Reimi looked the same, for the most part, but the long, wavy hair he was used to had been haphazardly chopped above her shoulders and her eyes now wore dark circles around them, as if deprived of regular sleep.
Realisation struck Lloyd violently and he sat up quickly, before pulling his arm away from the girl he had since not long ago thought of as a friend – no, as…
The pain brutally fought against his movements but he didn't care, he wanted to be far as away from her as possible, because the pain it caused to be close to her was far worse than any physical ailments he might suffer.
"Lloyd, stop!" Reimi shouted in alarm as he climbed out of bed, "You're critically injured."
Her voice froze him in place. He was surprised she was the first to speak; she had always been shy, he had thought at least. That was probably another lie…
Anger took away reason as Lloyd viciously replied, "Don't- Don't pretend like you care! My death is good for you, stop acting! Haven't you gotten tired of that?"
He watched cautiously as Reimi stood and gave no indication of being affected by his words, "Lloyd. Come over here. Let me finish and you can go."
Lloyd was taken aback by Reimi's seemingly detached tone and the hurt he felt swelled, "What? Why? What are you planning?"
"To secure your stitches," She answered simply.
Lloyd inspected his arm, loose bandages dangling from it, the sutures underneath showing. Had Reimi always know how to stitch wounds? Just more she had hidden from him.
"Why?" He bit out.
"…I thought it would be obvious."
"But why?"He repeated, louder with frustration.
She said nothing, but Lloyd knew she understood him and was just refusing to answer. The longer he watched her and the longer she refused to talk made Lloyd's anger slowly turn to sadness. He wanted to say something more, however, nothing seemed enough. He walked over to the door, every step striking his body painfully, and gripped the doorknob.
"Goodbye, Reimi," Was all he could think to say as he twisted the handle, however, just before he could pull the door open, arms were wrapping around his midsection keeping him still.
"D-don't go," Reimi said from behind him in a heart-breaking whisper.
Lloyd felt her forehead rest between his shoulder blades and his grip on the door tightened but he still didn't open it.
"Let…Let me fix this, please," It sounded as if she were crying and Lloyd knew he wasn't far from doing the same.
He held firm though, he couldn't let himself fall for h- it again.
"You can't," he croaked.
"I-I can, just stay, please. J-just let me heal you. I can fix this," She repeated more erratically than before.
"How can I trust you?"
"I…" She was hesitant for a moment before she rushed out her words with conviction, "I'll explain everything, I was never against you, Lloyd, how could I be? You…You're everything to me."
Lloyd would have said the same, and although neither one confessed their feelings, Lloyd felt as if he could never love another but her for all his life.
But…
"…Reimi," He uttered uncertainly.
"Please," She urged pitifully, the arm one his 'good' side tightening as she spoke.
Lloyd felt winded from the sad sound and wished he never heard Reimi speak so sadly again. He leaned his forehead against the door and sighed. He already knew where his heart lied.
Slowly, Lloyd placed his right arm over hers and held it tight, "Okay."
"Thank you," It was a relieved sigh, and the way she said it would make someone think Lloyd had given her the world.