No own things. For Sanjana, who always makes me cry with her kindness unduly deserved.
He exhales sharply as she presses a cotton swab to the cut. Thankfully, it's not deep, but it could have been. She shudders at the mere thought.
"You need to be more careful," she scolds him gently.
"I was careful," he argues with a note of irritation.
"I don't think you understand the meaning of that word."
"Invention requires a lot of dangerous objects. My person is bound to take a small beating. Besides, it's not bad."
She sighs as she unwraps a bandaid. "It doesn't matter how bad it is, Neutron. I need you to be more careful. I can't stand the idea of you getting hurt," as soon as the words fall off her tongue, heat rushes into her cheeks. She knows he's looking at her- she can feel the weight of his gaze as an almost physical thing. She presses the bandaid to his palm where the cut is, and as her fingertips brush against the soft skin, she tries to remind herself to breathe. Then she looks up.
He's looking at her with such gentleness and longing that it knocks the breath out of her chest. "Really?"
She blinks at him. "Why does that come as a surprise? I love you. Caring about your well being comes with the territory," and even though she'd told him this several times, he looks as if someone has told him the greatest secret in the entire universe.
He reaches out with his uninjured hand and cups her cheek. "Thank you."
"For what?"
"Caring."
He pulls her into a kiss that is soft and tender. In it, she feels an unspoken promise. An oath that seals their souls together in something vast and magnificent. And love beats like a steady drummer in her heart.