the pain
.
There was an ache in his ankle again. Usually he could ignore it, and just strap his brace tighter until there was a permanent red ring circling his thigh. Usually he could just grit his teeth and get on with the task at hand. Usually he could pretend there was no pain at all.
But this time, it was something he couldn't ignore.
Archie fell to his knees, dropping his whip onto the hard surface of black bitumen. It retracted into itself and rolled away from him, out of reach. Archie couldn't even lift a finger to stop it, his ankle was so bad. He bit his lip, hard; bit it until he tasted the metallic zing of his blood. There was something shameful about the way tears pricked at his eyes, but he couldn't control them, and his shoulders shuddered as he wept a single drop, watching it splash onto the back of his shaking pale hand. His vision became blurry, then, and he fought back a moan of anguish as the ache in his ankle spiked to an all new high.
He thought he could hear someone calling his name, faintly, so faintly, but he wasn't sure who. Jay? Theresa? Or - he hardly dared to hope - Atlanta?
The pressure of a small hand on his shoulder made his turn his head sideways, trying to catch a glimpse of its owner. The world was dizzily out of focus, but even with his limited vision, Archie could distinguish a spiky mop of strawberry red hair. Atlanta.
Through a haze of hurt, Archie felt himself be lifted up to his feet by his friend. He couldn't help the gasp that escaped his lips as he stood, supported by his aching ankle. It was only for a moment, however, as Atlanta positioned herself carefully beneath his arm so she could take the full weight of Archie's throbbing foot. Together, they walked forward, Archie unable to determine where they were headed - not that he cared. All he wanted was for the pain to end.
He felt Atlanta loosen her grip, and Archie lowered himself cautiously down on the bench she had led him to. He took several deep breaths, trying to regain some of the self-control he'd lost, but immediately stiffened when he felt a hand reach up and cradle his cheek. The fingers were small and thin, the fingers of an archer, and Archie's heart thumped wildly in his chest. He was sure Atlanta could hear it. Her thumb traced his bruised cheekbone, the bruise he'd sustained from battling that stupid drakon. He closed his fluttering eyelids, able to ignore, for a single, pure moment, the escalating pain in his ankle.
Archie felt a small rush of sugary breath on his face, and then suddenly Atlanta's lips were on his, quick and smooth and sweet all at once. She broke away after a short moment, and rested her nose against the tip of Archie's crooked one. He had forgotten how to breathe.
"Dork," she murmured. "Stay here while I save your butt, then we'll sort you out."
The pressure of her hand on his face lifted, and Archie cracked open his eyes the tiniest slit. He was just able to see a red and blue blur speeding off away from him, towards the drakon. Her wrist crossbow was already cocked and aimed to fire. And though he couldn't see her face, he was sure she was smiling, just like he was.
And Archie suddenly found that the pain in his ankle was something he could easily ignore.
.
Author's Note: A fluffy drabble involving some good ol' monster butt kicking...yay! Hopefully this lived up to your expectations, as I promised a cutesy story involving these two...review? Fave? Whatever, just tell me if you liked it! (: