Anya pushed open the door to her own hut and set to stoking the dying fire within.
"Put your gear over there by the table."
Killick complied and utilized her good hand to undo her weapons belt which hit the floor with a clatter. She hadn't noticed how heavy it was.
Next went the clasp that kept her shoulder guards in place. Once unhooked she shrugged her arms free and let the piece join the other on the floor.
Once satisfied with the heat radiating from the fire the blonde stuck the blade of her dagger into the white hot coals.
Anya had set to moving her maps and books from the table and under her bed, making room for the leather pouch and unrolled it; needle, thread, clean bandages, a bowl of warm water, and cloth. She set the bottle of alcohol she pilfered down alongside the rest.
Her attention turned to the wounded Flokru who had finally shed her patched leather jacket. The jacket had a long rip going up the back from the hip.
"Turn around." Anya didn't wait for an answer as she entered the redhead's personal space, hand on her shoulder to turn her around.
"I knew it, you're putting me out of my misery." Killick hung her head.
"Shush. You're cut, idiot." Anya would have smacked the girl if she were in better shape. Her hand travelled from Killick's shoulder and down her back.
Killick could feel heat rising over her cheeks and was glad to be facing away from the hard woman. "Is it bad?"
The redhead's shirt was wet and sticky. Blood. It seemed like she was covered in the stuff. It was splattered over her clothes, her weapons and was dried into her hair and over her face. This was fresh.
"It's still bleeding, a wonder you haven't died yet, damn my luck. I won't know how bad it is until you take this off." She tugged at the blue eyed woman's shirt, pulling it up her torso carefully lifting it over her head. "It wouldn't be half as bad if you just let Nyko or Lincoln look at you. Stubborn fool."
Anya tried to remain focused as she let Killick's shirt fall to the floor. She wouldn't admit it aloud but the woman was stunning. Red hair settled over her back, a tanned hand coming up to move it over her shoulder and out of the way in an effort to help.
It didn't. oh Gods…
A neat row a kill marks dotted the skin at the top of her back, embedded in the blue of the tattoo that swirled up either arm from the wrist; starting as thin lines, growing thicker as they moved up the arm, meeting at the cap of the shoulder as one solid blue form before breaking off at the neck, where three lines moved upwards to the shaved side of her head and swirled together to form the Flokru symbol. The rest of her back was dotted with white scars, not unlike any other warrior.
Anya swallowed thickly. 'The work is beautiful'
'This is torture. This is how I die.' Killick's mind was racing as she tried not to focus on the slender fingers that skimmed her back and shoulders. There are worse ways to go I suppose.
Dark eyes traced the same path as their owners fingers as they moved down over a tanned and toned back, made hard from years of training and working on the harsh sea, until they settled on the slash.
It began around elbow height and continued several inches upwards, ending at the wrappings that bound the woman's breasts. It was deep, but not fatal.
Killick finally released the breath she had been holding when Anya's fingers retreated from her back. "So, Oh Mighty Healer, will I live?"
The redhead's voice jolted Anya back to earth. " Unfortunately. Luna will be heartbroken that she's still stuck with you. The good news is that I get to repay you for almost beheading me." Anya's hand returned and examined the skin around the wound, checking for evidence of poison.
"Lucky her, I get better with age." Killick laughed, the sound reverberating through Anya's hand.
"Not the word I would use. Now sit, the knife should be almost ready." The blonde pulled a chair from the table for the redhead to sit.
Killick complied, sitting with her chest pressed to the back of the chair while Anya sat herself across from her.
The blonde lifted Killick's left hand and examined the severed finger.
"The wounds too wide and jagged to close with stitches. That's why I'm using the knife to burn it closed." Anya's gaze caught dark blue eyes looking at her.
"Too bad we ran out of rum. Sounds like this could take a while" Deep blue eyes never left brown.
Anya leaned forward, hand reaching to the table behind Killick, grasping the bottle of amber liquid before leaning back. "Next best thing. Not as good as the rum, but it'll do." She offered the bottle to the redhead who took a generous mouthful and handed the bottle back. Bottle was exchanged for the cloth that sat in the basin of warm water and Anya started wiping away dirt, grime and blood from the woman's hand and finger.
"Mochof."
"I wouldn't thank me just yet." Anya didn't wait to see the confused look in the girls eyes before dumping some of the alcohol onto the severed finger, gripping Killick's wrist tightly in her other hand.
Killick clenched her jaw but said nothing as the liquid burned her exposed nerves.
"Here we go." Anya set the bottle down and took the dagger from the embers of the fire, its tip glowing orange. Keeping a firm hand Killick's wrist she pressed the flat of the glowing blade to the open wound.
There's a rumble from Killick's throat when the blade hits skin and flesh begins to sizzle. Anya moves the blade away once its job is done, her eyes flick up to assess how Killick is doing and finds dark blue eyes boring into hers. "Fucking hells that's not pleasant."
"Hard parts done." Anya whispers softly, brown searches blue.
" So, we're even?"
"I still have to do your back."
"Fucking hell." Was mumbled in reply as good hand reached for the bottle of alcohol that lay nearby. "I am sorry, you know."
Anya raises an eyebrow as she unfurls the roll of bandages and begins wrapping what's left of the tender appendage.
"For the spear thing. And for this." Killick's hand reaches out and tugs on the severed braid, still in Anya's hair.
"It's fine, I'm sure your plan wasn't to kill me." Anya breaks Killick's gaze, getting up to replace the water in the wash basin.
"I don't usually make it a habit to go attempting to kill beautiful women" Fuck! I'm as good as dead. You just meet a week ago. But she's pretty. Fuck. Killick let her forehead fall into the back of the chair with a soft thump.
Anya's hands fumbled with the water basin, sloshing water onto the floor, as the words registered in her mind. She has to pause, setting the basin down before refilling it. 'Relax. It's a compliment. You just met, and she's an idiot. An idiot with gorgeous eyes…NO! Regain composure.'
There was an awkward pause before Anya returns with clean water, setting it on the table. Killick's head was still down on the back of her chair. Moving her own chair Anya settles in behind the clearly embarrassed redhead and rings water out of her cloth from the basin.
Soft fingertips settle on Killick's shoulder as Anya holds her still and washes the blood from her back.
'Gods above that's nice.'
"This has to go too." Anya tapped the chest wrapping. A nod was all she got in response as a tanned hand let the fastener loose and tugged the fabric from her body, letting it pool on the floor.
Goosebumps trail over the redheads shoulders and up her neck, disappearing under her hairline.
Those were her doing. Her mind was flooded with images of her own lips carving a path over that muscled back. Up the curve of her neck…
'BEHAVE!'
Time passes with relative silence as Anya continues working to get the dried blood off her patients back. The bleeding had long stopped, but the area around was tender and pink. It would still need stitching. Anya pressed the cloth as gently as she could to the younger woman's back, dipping into the wound.
The muscles in Killick's back tensed as the warm cloth touched the tender wound.
"I'm sorry, I have to." Anya whispers.
"It's alright, I'm owed it right." Killick's voice was muffled by hair and the fact that her head was still down.
"We're even. I don't take enjoyment in causing you pain." The blonde dropped the cloth into the now red water. "Do you want to move around before I start stitching?"
Red hair shook back and forth. No.
"At least have another drink before I use the rest to sterilize your back." Anya held the bottle low so the redhead could see it, giving it a little wiggle.
"Alright, who am I to say no to a pretty girl." Killick sat up straight, taking the bottle and a gulp before handing it back. Graves already dug, may as well get comfy before I'm buried.
Anya followed suit and emptied the contents over the redheads back.
Killick hissed in response.
"I know." Was all Anya could say, lowering the bottle and threading the needle.
She tried to work as fast as she could while keeping the stitching clean. It didn't take long once she fell into a rhythm.
"There, you're done." Anya returned the needle and remaining thread to the leather supply pouch. When she turned back around Killick was stretching her shoulders and back. Anya was captivated and had to tear her eyes away when she caught the swell of a full breast as the woman turned and reached for her chest wrappings.
"Those are filthy. Hang on, I might have a spare." Anya tossed the wrappings into the growing pile of Killick's clothes and moved to rummage through a chest at the foot of her bed. "Here, should fit." Anya handed her a black shirt, soft from years of wear.
"Mochof." Killick took the shirt and stood to pull it over her head, giving Anya a generous view of sculpted abs and ample breasts. "You're actually pretty kind you know "
Kind was not a word used to describe Anya. She was hard, stern. A younger Indra if anything. The compliment made the blondes chest warm.
'It's the rum.' Gods be damned if she didn't want to run her fingers over the warriors stomach and then some. Sadly the view was obscured as the redhead tugged the hem of the shirt down. It was loose but it was a sight that Anya enjoyed seeing.
"Don't tell anyone that, I have a reputation to uphold."
Killick passed a finger over the left side of her chest. "Cross my heart."
"I'm holding you to that." Anya pointed a slender finger at the other warrior as she made her way over to replace the dirty water. "Sit back down, your face is a mess."
Killick's eyes rolled in their sockets before settling back down.
Anya pulled her chair back over and sat. Lifting a hand to the woman's chin she moved her face so she could better see the dirt and the bruise that was now an angry black.
"Pull your hair back so I can see better?"
The redhead complied and tugged the mess of braids from her face.
"I'm sure it's fine."
"Shush. You're like a child." Anya set back in, wiping her cloth over the warriors face until it came back clean. By the time she was done Anya could make out the freckles that dotted the woman's nose and cheeks. "Now I'm done."
She hadn't realized how close she had been sitting until she felt the redheads breath on her face making her scoot back on her chair, blush invading her cheeks. Thank god Killick's eyes had been closed.
Anya turned away quickly to hide her face, busying herself with returning the remaining supplies to the pouch.
Killick didn't see the blonde move away, but she certainly felt it. She had lost herself in the smell of the other woman's hair and gentle touch. Done for…
"Mochof." The redhead stood up, doing her best to help clean up the mess she was the cause of.
When Anya turned back, Killick had stacked her gear neatly by the fire and was passing her fingers over the tear on her coat with a frown on her face.
"We have a skilled seamstress, your coat will be fine."
"You're village is full of surprises" blue eyes tore away from the coat and raked over Anya.
"Evidently" the woman's eyes were like a fire spreading over Anya
"I should go, I've taken up enough of your time." The red head makes for the door and pauses. "You didn't happen to catch were I would be staying did you?"
"Useless." Is Anya's only reply.
"Injured"
Anya's eyes roll in their sockets. "Come on, I'll show you." She reaches for her jacket when Killick stops her.
"It's fine, I can make it. You've done enough as it is." Killick gives Anya a soft smile, not full of snark or sarcasm like her usual go to. It was rather endearing, even with the black eye.
"Indra has your people set up by the training grounds. She made sure to mark the door with a strip of blue cloth. I'll drop your gear off to be repaired." Anya walks the woman to the door. "Try not sleep on your back, I'd have to kill you if pull the stiches."
Anya finds herself face to face with the slightly inebriated Killick, face just mere inches from her own. Blue eyes, impossibly dark, roam over Anya's face, and down to her lips before moving forward and settling against the blonde's ear. "You keep threatening to kill me, and yet here I am."
One final smile as she steps out the door and into the cold winter night. "Good night Anya. Mochof." With that she closes the door, leaving Anya alone with her thoughts and the warmth that had pooled in the base of her spine, working its way around her stomach.
Thoughts that Anya didn't know how to handle.
Slumping onto her bed Anya decided to handle it the only way she knew how; bury them so far inside herself and make sure they stay there. She brings her hands up to cover her face, groaning in defeat.
She wasn't sure if she wanted to.