What was that animalistic screaming noise? It couldn't be. He would never make so undignified a noise. Why was her heart racing? Of course she didn't care about him being in pain. Stop it, Caroline, she chastised herself. She spent so much of her time now thinking about why she as thinking about him. She gained some insight into that particular conundrum as she rounded the corner. His features were twisted in unguarded agony. He was half-kneeling on the piano stool. There was blood seeping into the velvet cushion cover as though the blood was a leaden weight. He did not notice her watching, and maybe that was better because her breathing had become so shallow she would have lost consciousness had she still needed the assistance of oxygen for ventilation.
He looked up at her; his eyes yellow and feral. Instead of baring his fangs his lips were clasped tightly together. Was he attempting to hide his pain? From her? She took several quick steps towards him and he retreated hastily, with the word "no" emerging from his lips and falling into the unheard ether. She would do this for anyone. She would help anyone like this. She pulled the first visible splinter out of his side. He roared towards the floor boards and then speed towards the door and used the door-frame for much needed support. He blood slid slowly down the door-post like a rose blooming. His breathing was laboured and he watched her with weary eyes. Her frustration bubbled over verbally, "Just let me help you."
"No," this time his denial produced actual sound waves that reached her.
She pulled them out one by one. Racing around him, with him half-heartedly attempting to avoid her nimble hands. He staggered in unco-ordinated circles. They were both dizzy now. Him from blood loss and her from having touched him so many times without his permission. He sank to the floor at her feet and rested his forehead against her shin. The intimacy of this deliberate contact filled her throat and rose out of her throat as a giggle. Soon they were both laughing, for no reason at all.