So this is a short little one shot I've been kicking around for a while. I started it months ago and decided it was finally time to finish it. Hope you like it!
Reviews are loved!
~Pleurez
"Is he awake?"
"Seth! I—"
"Is. He. Awake." Blue eyes narrowed, his jaw clenched as he honed each word into an arrow. The poor girl couldn't manage much more than a frightened nod. He shoved his way around her, prowling over to the figure lying on the bed, torso bound in white linen.
Bleary, crimson eyes tried their hardest to focus on the priest. The ruler's brow furrowed in confusion.
"Leave us.
"But I—"
He rounded on the healer, a features contorted into an almost feral snarl. "Have I done anything to give you the impression that that was a request? There are sensitive matters I must discuss with the pharaoh, and we will have privacy."
"But he—"
"Leave."
She fled before the deadly growl died.
"Seth… Wha—"
"As for you," the priest spat, turning back to the injured ruler. "You reckless, selfish idiot!" He drew in a shallow breath, held it for a moment, and let it out in an angry hiss, as if trying to calm himself, but too furious to manage. "So help me, I swear by all the gods if—"
Red eyes snapped into focus. "Selfish? I saved your life, priest."
"Exactly!"
"Would you rather I left—"
A hostile, emphatic, "Yes" took the wind out of the pharaoh's sails. "Yes," he repeated, the affirmation raw and pained.
Atem moved to sit up, a harsh gasp escaping his lips as he aggravated his wounded side. Almost as a reflex, Seth reached out, gently pressing on his shoulder. "I fail to see," he said mulishly, "how saving your life is selfish."
"Of course not…" He absently brushed a spikey bang out of the ruler's eyes. "Think about it. I know there's a brain in there somewhere."
The pharaoh huffed, but he was too exhausted to manage a real retort.
"What would have happened if the arrow had struck just a little higher?"
"You would still be alive," the pharaoh returned stubbornly.
A growl rumbled in the priest's throat. "But you would not."
"And I would have lost my life for a worth—"
"No." It was a low, deadly snarl. "Do not finish that sentence." Intense, blue eyes locked with crimson. "Self-sacrifice is not always the right choice. Egypt is far better off losing a priest than its king."
The pharaoh's lips twisting in disdain. "I—"
"You would have spared yourself the pain of knowing you could not save me. To die is easy when the other choice is to grieve." The fire faded from his eyes, leaving weariness in its wake. "I am selfish. I would trade my life for yours in a heartbeat. I need you to be better than that."
He leaned down, lips brushing against the pharaoh's ear. "Because if you ever do something like that again, I swear by all the gods of Egypt, if the arrow does not kill you, I will make you wish it had."
A hint of mischief crossed the pharaoh's features. "You might try."
Seth rolled his eyes. "You should not be wasting your energy."
The pharaoh grimaced as a chuckle sent sharp pangs of pain shooting up his side.
A scoff.
"Idiot."
