Chapter 2: In which introductions are made and the carpet ruined

So here I am standing frozen on the spot while Haytham Kenway eyes me up. Oh crap, I bet I look terrible. What did I put on this morning? Oh yeah, some loose quarter length harem trousers and an old plain T-shirt. What? I wasn't expecting any guests, let alone hot video game characters! While all this arguing was happening in my head, I notice Haytham carefully getting into a sitting position and taking off the wet flannel, all the time still watching me.

A slight uncomfortable silence now hangs in the air. Shut up, I'm socially awkward! I never make the first move. Just as it was about to get unbearable, Haytham clears his throat uneasily and slowly states, "Me-Haytham. I-come-in-peace. " He places his hand on his chest. "Where…" He gestures around the room. "…am I?" Then points back to himself.

Wait- what just happened? Haytham Kenway thinks I can't speak like a proper person! Well this is just insulting! Now I know exactly how Ziio felt.

"Um, you know I can speak English." I answer indignantly wanting to protect my pride.

Haytham's eyebrows shoot up then he quickly recovers to wear an apologetic smile. Asdfghjkl;! That smile! Did my ovaries just explode? "Sorry! Please forgive my error."

I nod back at him, my twinge of annoyance now gone. Oh of course, I'll forgive you! How could I not?

"My name is Haytham Kenway, and who, may I ask, am I in the presence of?" He asks very politely.

I feel like I should courtesy, he's so official. "Er, I'm Tsubame Mizushima." Well I might as well flaunt my name at him too. It is then I realise that he probably wasn't used to Asians speaking English, no wonder he - Hang on a second…doesn't Haytham have trouble pronouncing foreign names? Before he could hack at my name, I quickly add. "You can call me Suba. 'Sue-ba'"

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Suba." Haytham manages to say it right and seems grateful as he smiles again. Oh God, can he please stop messing with my ovaries! "I would be extremely thankful if you could please tell me where I am?"

Crap, okay, do I just tell him the truth…? Taking a deep breath I decide that it's best not to hide anything from him.

"Basically, you're in my house, in Boston."

Haytham looks slightly more relieved if not pleased. "Oh, thank goodness I am still in America."

"Erm, actually, Haytham…" Ouch, now how do I put it to him without upsetting him? "We're not in America. I live in Boston, Lincolnshire…in England."

It's now his turn to gawp at me and splutters feebly. "B-but, I'm…Lincolnshire…Boston, Boston n-not in Am-America?!"

I bite my lip as I stare helplessly at him. Perhaps the fever has just made his reaction a lot worse. Yup, that's got to be it, I've never seen Haytham act like this before, he's usually always so cool and composed. I better get rid of that temperature fast, before he does something stupid.

"Hey, um, Haytham." He's still blabbering to himself so I call out more loudly. "Haytham! Listen to me!"

He stops at once, startled from the assertiveness of my voice. Damn, where did that come from, I need to learn to do that more often. I speak more softly now that I've got his attention. "Look, you need to calm down. You've got a fever and it's just making you all dazed."

Haytham blinks and nods. "Yes, a thousand pardons." My inner fangirl squeals with delight. "You are correct, Suba, I am indeed not myself."

"Okay, now that's settled I'll make you a drink, alright."

"Will this elixir cure me?" he asked uncertainly.

I shrug and reply, "Well, whenever I'm ill and my mother makes it, I feel much better after drinking it. I thought you could try it and see what happens?"

"Is your mother a healer?"

A healer, seriously, aww bless! I chuckle back at him, "No, my mother a masseuse but it's my father who's a doctor."

At this, Haytham seemed to be more satisfied. He probably only got reassured by the fact that I'm a doctor's daughter. "Very well, I shall try this miraculous healing elixir."

Beaming at him, I skip into the kitchen and rifle through the cupboards. Once I found my mother's special remedy jar, I chuck a spoonful of the dry herbs into a small pot, fill it up with water and heat it on the cooker. Don't even ask me what's in it. Hello, if you didn't notice my mother is Asian, she hates using medicines, despite what my father says, and will always try to treat small ailments using home remedies. Whilst the drink was brewing away, I make myself a cup of tea, sipping on it to calm my excitable nerves. As soon as the concoction begins to bubble, I put out the flame and pour the drink into a mug that has the Batman symbol emblazed on it. Gotta love Batsy.

With a drink in each hand, I slowly make my way back into the lounge where Haytham was still sitting up but was leant against the back of the sofa with his eyes closed.

"Umm, Haytham…Your er 'elixir' is ready." I call out gently, waking him up.

He thanks me and takes the hot drink, sniffing it cautiously. I sit down opposite him and nod encouragingly. Blowing the surface of the liquid, Haytham purses his lips and take a sip.

Before I can ask him what he thinks of it, Haytham spits it out, spilling the remedy down his front.

"Hey! Now look what you've done now!" I snap in annoyance. "You've just ruined your clothes!"

Real great, now I was going to have to clean them! What am I? His maid or something?

Haytham pulls a disgusted face and shoves the drink back into my hand, exclaiming, "That is the vilest thing I have ever tasted!"

"Well, what did you expect?! These homemade cures don't tend to taste like sugary rainbows. Just stop acting like a child and drink it up already! It'll do you some good!"

'Sugary rainbows'? Really, Suba, am I losing my touch?

Taking Haytham's arm, I try to get him to hold the mug when suddenly…

SHHIINNKK!

Out juts the hidden blade from underneath his sleeve. And where does it happen to go? Well, me of course! It has to be that one person who has a slow reaction time. It neatly slits across my wrist drawing blood and causes me to drop the mug, spilling the contents all over the floor.

"Oh shit! The carpet! Mum's going to furious!" Yanking some tissues out of its box on the table, I kneel down, attempting to dab dry the spilt drink. This isn't really working as my bleeding arm is now dripping down onto my mother's prized carpet.

Whilst I swear wildly, I didn't notice Haytham crouch down beside me and I am caught by surprise when he grabs my hands, thankfully now his hidden blade sheathed.

"Stop, Suba. You're wounded and you care only for your mother's carpet?" He spoke calmly not once breaking eye contact with me. "Have you no sense of self-preservation?!"

My cheeks blush in embarrassment and the fact that Haytham Kenway was actually holding my hands. Is that my stomach doing backflips? Then he let go, aww I was enjoying that, and began to unknot his now stained neck scarf. Wait, is he actually going to do that chivalrous thing and- oh my god!

Wrapping it tightly around the gash, I hold my breath, watching his hands working, revelling at this moment. If only I met people like this in real life?

"There, that should prevent it from bleeding anymore."

I mumble, "T-thanks. You didn't have to do that you know. I could've just got a bandage…"

Haytham shrugs, stands and stretches. Ohh, I wish his shirt wasn't tucked in so tightly. "No, I owe that much to you. You were merely trying to help me, but instead I have maimed you."

"Um, I'll just get you some paracetamol, then."

Frowning Haytham warily says, "Oh please do not waste your efforts on me! We wouldn't want any more spills now, would we?" Sure glad the sarcasms back now. "I'm sure this temperature shall pass soon."

I feel guilty about Haytham taking the blame so I gently insist on getting him some painkillers. "Really, it's alright. I swear this time it won't taste of anything and it'll be gone in one gulp!"

Before Haytham could answer, I am gone in a flash. Ok, so I could be quick when I wanted too, but that rarely happens, only in emergencies. Reaching the medicine cabinet in the upstairs bathroom, I grab a box of paracetamol and thunder back to the kitchen. Yes, I know I'm not the most graceful person when doing anything vigorous. I fill a glass with water, catching time to regain my breath, and then speed walk back to my feverish guest.

"There you go!" I pass Haytham the glass and motion him to open his hand. When he reluctantly does, I pop out two small pills onto his palm and grin at him.

"I don't like that smirk on your face, Suba." He states drily.

Furrowing my brows, I scowl. "I'm not smirking!"

"Well, now you're not." That sass. Sighing he looks at me thoughtfully then rolls his eyes. "What will you have me do?"

Umnngg! He actually said it. I should have recorded that so I could listen to the sexiness of his voice for an infinite number of times…

"Hmm, what?! Oh yes!" I shake away the voices in my head. "Uh, you just swallow those pills. And you might want to drink the water afterwards, to help push them down."

Shrugging Haytham exhales deeply and throws back his head dropping the painkillers down his throat. He scrunches up his face as he gulps down the water.

"See, not so bad right?" I proclaim optimistically, trying to lift up his mood.

"I suppose not." He wryly replies.

"You should probably get some rest now." Then I remember his predicament. "Oh, shall I soak your flannel again?"

"Ah, yes, that would be most kind of you." Passing the no longer cold flannel to me, I leave him to lie back down.

When I return with his wet flannel, I find him snoring gently on the sofa. Smiling, I lightly place it onto his forehead. Aww, I should take a photo-Wait! What the hell are you thinking, Suba! Are you a freaking stalker? No wonder you have so few friends… Scolding the musings of my mind silently, I distract myself by tidying up the mess left by Haytham and me.

Oh man! I need to clean up the exploded beanie bag, as well! But most importantly, how the crap am I going to explain to my mum about the stains on her precious carpet? Oh yeah, by the way, mother, a character from a game just passed through our living room, but he was sick so I made him some of your special drink which he spat out, then he accidently cut me with his hidden blade. As if anybody would believe that?!