Guess who is back. Back Again? And probably going to dump all of the fics he wrote on ao3 on here? Yessiiirrr you already know.
Anyway, this fic was for the Felannie Fever discord's Drabble in the Dark bingo challenge. The words I had for mine will be in the end notes.
In spite of biting down on the rag he kept away in his pocket, he still lets out an undignified hiss that made both of them wince. His fingers dig into Petra's arm from the sheer pain of his body regenerating no thanks to the single vulnerary she could scrounge up, and what little healing magic she knew. The light hangs above his torso, the smaller blisters causing the most pain initially while the deeper wounds seemingly only increase in pain his body heals and rethreads itself so utterly slowly.
Even with the pain coursing through him, he endeavors with as much willpower as he can to stay conscious when he sees her grit her teeth, leaning onto her side- but ultimately starts to slowly succumb to the pain with darkness taking over his vision.
The last thing he hears is Petra telling him it will be okay in barely audible whispers.
When he wakes up again, he's in Garreg Mach's main infirmary instead of the remote infirmary outside of the battlefield. The first thing he recalls are broken memories of the attack on the monastery. He sees splashes of blood on her face, wounds on her body and his heart stops.
He winces in pain as he tries to sit up, but a hand stops him, pressing into his shoulder.
"Ashe. You are awake," she says sitting on a chair next to his bed, her voice filled with an emotion that he can't decipher.
"Petra, you're… you're okay? Oh thank goodness..." he breathes, relief not being enough to describe what he was feeling upon seeing her alive.
She smiles weakly, nods and gives him a grasp of the situation. She reassures him that she is okay, and he sinks back into his pillow, less tense than he was while listening to Petra.
"Mercedes, Marianne and Manuela… I'm sorry I was not taking you to them sooner," she apologised. "The Empire's attack was leaving many wounded and separated, and you were being one of them. I could not… would not be letting you die."
Ashe chuckled. "Isn't that what Knights are supposed to do? Protect the Princess from all manners of harm even if it means…"
"Ashe."
In a moment, gone is the kind hearted princess, giving Ashe a glimpse of the woman who would become Brigid's next monarch; a true force to be reckoned with. Her brows furrow and she glares at him so intensely in a way so uncharacteristic to the calm and collected Petra that it catches him off guard.
"You were in great danger helping me," she balls her fists. She lifts up her loose shirt to show her lower torso. "Are you seeing it?" she says looking down at the wound that turned into a scar. Ashe finds he can't take his eyes off of it.
"You were using your shirt to cover my wounds in the battle. And then, a mage appeared behind you," Petra's voice wavered. "Because I was having great carelessness, this ugly scar, though it may be fading, will be forever cursing me, taunting me that you were harmed with that great burn on your body because of me."
Ashe was utterly speechless. "Petra, I don't understand. It's not your fault..."
"Ashe." She interrupts him. "When you were waking up, you asked if I was okay first. You did not seem concerned about your own wellbeing." He blinked, surprised that even he didn't catch that.
"Don't be a knight that is protecting so others can live. Be a knight that protects so you can be living too," she says in such a deadly serious tone that he half suspected it was an order. " I was thinking about if I lost you when you protected me, and…" she trails off, her voice losing it's deeper tone as she grasps onto his hand. "...It bought me great sadness."
His heart drops upon hearing her voice crack. A light blush rises up on his face when her hand holds on to his so tightly.
"But do not be misunderstanding. I am not saying it is not good to be a knight. But I…" she pauses and clears her throat. "I am thinking that this feeling is unbecoming of me to someone who is wanting to be a knight, but I am wishing to protect you, as you protect me."
His mouth parts in surprise and his heart skips a beat.
She quickly lets go of his hand "Please be having my apologies for disturbing you with my rambles… rambling, Ashe," she stands up awkwardly. "Mercedes was telling me to be letting you rest but I was…"
She shakes her head. "It matters not. I will be taking my leave now. Please some rest, Ashe," she turns back quickly before Ashe can say a word. She stops next to the counter and finds a small mirror propped on the counter. Petra stares at it and slowly pulls up the hem of her shirt and stares at it.
"It's not a curse," Ashe blurts out. "I think your scar is beautiful, Petra," he says genuinely and he instantly regrets it in his mind for saying something so silly.
She lets out a sharp gasp and thrusts down the shirt to cover the scar again. The young woman doesn't look back in order to hide her blush. Petra always admired when someone was kind to others. Not as an obligation to repay someone else, but because they wanted to be. Ashe was the personification of that very trait she admired in her mind.
Perhaps that's why she...
"You have my gratitude, Ashe," her lip quivers ever so slightly. "Hearing your words gives me great happiness- but I am not deserving of your sincerity," she says as she walks out the door.
"You're right," Ashe responds, unaware she was still in ear shot.
"You deserve that and more, Petra."
Petra appears in the infirmary again, her flushed face on full display.
"Yes. I think you are right. I do."
Some seconds later Petra captures Ashe's lips in a kiss.
Anyway, the words I had for bingo were mirror, shirt, danger, burn, pocket.
It didn't turn out as well as I had hoped, but considering I have this other fic I'm working on that needs more attention, I'll just leave it as is.
Reviews and such are appreciated! Have a good one!