"Crystal!" Jason screamed, sitting up so fast he grunted. A hand flying to the wound in his stomach he looked down, expecting to see blood. Instead he saw a white bandage wrapped tightly around his stomach and he blinked, poking at it with a slight frown.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Naught." A voice told him and he looked up to see Forge standing in the doorway, his arms crossed against his chest. "Doctor Christopher spent hours stitching you back up and he wouldn't like you breaking your stitches."
"What happened?" Jason muttered, his hand moving to the edge of the bed when he started to feel light-headed. "Wait, Crystal!" He shouted and beside his bed he heard a faint groan.
"Keep it down, Naught. Crystal needs her rest as much as you do." Forge pointed out and Jason raised an eyebrow, looking at the sleeping figure of Crystal on the bed beside his. From his vantage point he could see the dark circles under her eyes and after staring at her he saw the bandage covering her left cheek and chin, a black eye already forming over her left one.
"Dredd did that?" Jason asked and Forge nodded, moving towards the beds when Jason reached up to scratch at the itch coming from his forehead. Seeing the N-Tek commander shaking his head he paused, his fingers inches from his forehead. "Why not?"
"Maybe because you have stitches there too?" Steel pointed out, the Ultralink hovering at Max's left side. "Mega Elementor likes to play rough. So does Dredd but you already knew that." He added and Jason rolled his eyes, settling back on the bed when his vision started to blur.
"Of course I know that, Ultralink." Jason muttered, resting his hands on his chest before he closed his eyes.
A full day later...
"Jason, you awake?" I whispered as I cracked open one eye to find the former THI president curled up on one of N-Tek's beds with his mouth hanging open. Stiffling a giggle I carefully sat letting out a faint yawn before I swung my legs over the edge of the bed, my feet silently touching the floor before I focused on Jason. "I guess not." I muttered, watching with a faint smile as Jason shifted his head on the pillow someone had supplied him with.
When my cheek began to itch I scratched at it, finding a rough bandage there and I sighed to myself remembering the battle. "I guess we won...sort of. Getting back in one piece qualifies as a win." I whispered, my gaze moving to the ceiling directly above me so I didn't see Jason crack open an eye.
"Good morning...or night. I don't know really know to tell you the truth." " Jason muttered and I lowered my head to see my boyfriend sitting with his hands resting on his lap.
"Your guess is as good as mine, Jason. I just woke up here." I answered, scratching at something covering my left cheek. "Face kind of hurts." I muttered and Jason snorted, climbing from the bed only to stumble his hand immediately moving to the bandage covering his midsection.
"Forge wasn't kidding when he said I had to be careful." Jason panted and I raised an eyebrow until he gave me a weak laugh. "About not breaking my stitches." He explained and I chewed my lower lip, climbing from the bed. Wrapping an arm around his shoulders I gently helped him back onto his bed taking a seat beside him when he shifted over to make room.
"Thanks. So I guess we stay here for a while." I whispered and Jason gave me a tiny nod, lying on one side of the bed. I lay in front of him, not hiding a yawn when Jason drapped an arm over my stomach. "Night...or whatever." I mumbled unaware Jason had already fallen back asleep.
After Jason stirred awake he found the experience much more pleasant, especially when he found Crystal curled up beside him one of her arms dangling over the bed they both shared. He couldn't remember Crystal joining him but after she sighed in her sleep he gave her a tiny smile, pulling her closer. She snuggled into his chest and Jason smiled to himself letting out a yawn before he started to fall back asleep.
We're safe and I got the girl so I should be grateful.
My cheek itching woke me and I sighed lifting the hand dangling off the bed to scratch at the bandage covering my cheek. While I occupied myself with my cheek I glanced down to see one of Jason's arms drapped over me so I lowered my face to stare at him. Deeply asleep I could hear his light breathing and his chest moving up and down, a black shirt covering his chest. I bent even closer until I was nearly nose to nose with him before I carefully reached for the hem of his shirt, very slowly sliding it up to reveal a white bandage covered in red splotches.
"That must be from Mega Elementor. Wish I could have protected you better, Jason. I never meant for this to happen to you." I whispered, slipping the shirt back into place. "Everything I do to try and protect you from that psycho seems to blow up in my face."
"Not your fault my creator's nuts." Jason muttered and I blinked as he cracked open one orange eye, a tiny smile curling his lips. The moment he heard a faint sniffle he sighed, pushing himself up by his elbows with some difficulty and a slight grimace. "It's going to work out, Crystal." He added, wrapping an arm around my shoulders.
"You can say that but I don't know what I'm doing." I protested and he cracked a smile, giving me a one-armed hug. "Don't even say it, Jason. I don't know what I'm doing when it comes to you and only you." I added trying to frown but it wasn't easy when he hugged me, even ignoring the pain radiating from his stomach wound and his forehead.
"Whatever you say, Crystal." Jason whispered, brushing a kiss against my forehead. Being held by my boyfriend left me feeling a little better though that still didn't stop the tears. Reaching up with his other hand Jason stroked my hair, whispering to me until the tears stopped flowing.
"I just hope Dredd's not going to try and take you from me again. I don't think I can fight him in this state." I told Jason who just smiled at me. "You don't look very worried...for once."
"It's strange that I'm not." Jason answered and I blinked at the silly grin on his face. "Not sure why."
"That would be the painkillers running through your system." Berto answered stepping through the doorway as Jason lay back on the bed. "You two should be resting." He added, giving me a smile when Jason rolled his eyes towards the ceiling.
"Like I take orders from you." Jason muttered with his arms crossed against his chest. "Wow...these painkillers are great." He commented, still staring up at the ceiling and I giggled the look oddly endearing.
"What sort of painkillers are those?" I asked, stretching my legs and Berto just laughed at Jason who had his eyes closed and had started humming.
"N-Tek grade ones of course. Though judging from how Jason's acting they might need to be adjusted." Berto replied and Jason opened an eye slowly shaking his head. When he closed his eye again I leant in, giving him a brief kiss on his forehead getting a low hum in response. Hearing his breathing slow I smiled finding he was sound asleep again.
"Maybe later. In the meantime what did we miss?" I asked and after getting a brief summary I lay back. "So N-Tek did capture Dredd? That's a relief...still it would have been nice not to keep winding up here." I told Berto who just shrugged.
"At least now you're both safe." Berto replied and I nodded, glancing back at Jason when he started mumbling in his sleep. "Truthfully I wasn't sure if those painkillers would have an effect on an android but...there's your proof." He added and I giggled when I noticed my boyfriend had his mouth half open.
"That's a good look." I muttered, clamping a hand over my mouth after Jason started snoring. Even Berto cracked a grin at the usually straight-faced android lying there snoring with his mouth hanging open. When I yawned loudly Berto gave me a tiny smile and with a wave he excused himself. "Guess I could use another nap. Or maybe several." I sighed as I curled up beside Jason who unconsciously snuggled against me. Wrapping an arm around his waist I stared at him with a tiny smile.
"Crystal, are you awake?" Jason asked, opening his eyes to find his girlfriend curled up beside him. He reached over and even after he lightly toused her hair she didn't respond, sighing in her sleep. "Well this is a problem. I don't want to wake you but I really need to use the bathroom." He whispered, grasping her shoulder. After two attempts she screwed up her face and he was about to try again when she groaned.
"Jason, what's the matter?" I groaned and he sighed, giving me a weak smile when I sat up.
"I didn't want to wake up but..." Jason trailed off when I gave him a sleepy grin, releasing my grip on him.
"You need to use the bathroom right? Believe me it's a pain but what can you do?" I replied, giggling softly when his cheeks reddened. "Oh calm down." I added giving his shoulder a playful pat with my hand.
"Hmph. Make fun why don't you." Jason replied though I did see the hint of a smile before he climbed off the bed. "Which way do I go again?" He asked me and I giggled, climbing down before I grabbed his hand.
A few minutes later we were walking hand in hand down the hallway and at my side Jason kept giving me a blank stare. After a few more minutes of silence he cleared his throat and I looked up to see him staring at me. "I really don't need you to walk me to the bathroom, Crystal." He whispered to me and I rolled my eyes not even fazed by the odd looks we were getting from multiple N-Tek agents. "Okay everyone keeps looking at us." He pointed out and I grinned, giving his hand a squeeze.
"Maybe because you're so tall and I look so tiny compared to you." I explained as we reached the bathrooms. "Here we are. Do you want me to wait for you? Or can I just head to the Medical Bay again?" I suggested, breaking into a huge smile when he blushed again.
He shot into the mens room and I giggled, turning around before I headed back to the Medical Bay. Once there I moved to the nearest bed finding that even a short walk left my legs shaking.
Taking a few deep breaths I climbed back onto the bed and once I lay back I sighed, curling up as I waited for Jason to return.
"I can't believe that Dredd's been captured and we can finally be safe. Maybe now we can spend some time resting and getting to know each other a little better. Being in constant danger does test a relationship." I muttered to myself. The next thing I knew I felt someone touching the top of my head and I slowly opened my eyes to find Jason standing over me.
"Hey. How are you?" He asked, settling beside me once I shifted over. Giving him a tiny nod he grinned at me. "That good huh?"
"Yeah a little tired and my cheek itches. But those are minor things considering..." I lost my train of thought when he leant in giving me a kiss that left me speechless.
"We're safe now so quit complaining." Jason chuckled as my cheeks reddened. "That's actualy a nice look for you." He teased and I rolled my eyes not hiding the smile that crossed my lips.