Disclaimer: See first story.
"Damn!"
Ledah dropped the book he had been reading with a short curse hissed through clenched teeth. He instinctively brought his stinging index finger to his mouth. Bright crimson was seeping through a tiny slit at the side. The wound wasn't even an inch long, let alone deep, but that fact didn't stop it from hurting like hell.
It was truly amazing, Ledah thought, how something so small could cause so much pain.
"Ledah?"
The blond turned his head to see six year old Ein peering at him over the top of his own book. It was the sort with more pictures that words. On these chilly afternoons spent in the safe warmth of the library, Ein generally preferred it when Ledah read to him from 'the big books', but the older boy doubted he would be interested in the mundane history book, now spine up on the floor, that he was studying.
Ledah brought his hand down. "Don't worry, Ein. It's just a little paper cut." He showed the child is finger to confirm. Then, as if suddenly overcome with a sense of responsibility, he added, "And don't say what I just said. That's a..."
Ein gaped at him, clearly not paying attention to the lecture on language. "You're bleeding!" he exclaimed, wide eyed. In the child's mind, if there was blood present, the wound was automatically a whole new level of severe.
"It's all ri--" Before Ledah could get the calm reassurance out of his mouth, Ein leaned over the table and grabbed his hand. He examined the still sluggishly bleeding paper cut and then Ledah felt tiny lips, still sticky with strawberry jam from lunch, graze the minor injury for a second. Ein glanced up at Ledah with big, questioning eyes.
"Issat better?" he fretted.
Ledah looked down at his finger and smiled. "Much." Ein beamed and Ledah reached over to ruffle his young friend's soft, bluish-brown hair. "Thank you."
Ein scrambled down from his chair and picked up the book Ledah had dropped. He held it out. "Can you read to me?"
Ledah didn't know if he should; he still had studying to do...
"Pretty please?"
...but that could wait.
He took the book from Ein and set it on the table for now; he could always study more at home. In its place, he picked up the Ragnarok novel they'd been reading for the past couple of weeks.
"Of course."
Ledah got up and tucked the book under one arm and took Ein's hand, leading him to the cushioned 'Story Area' where they usually sat.
---
The black winged angel unearthed that old history book while cleaning eight years later.
Ledah glanced out the window, seeing Ein out with his new, and first, 'girlfriend'. As with a fair amount of fourteen year olds new to the dating game, the relationship consisted of more blushing and awkwardness than anything. It was still quite cute, nonetheless, and Ledah knew he would be ashamed if he tried to identify the reason his mood blackened at the sight.
He looked back down at the book in his hands and flipped through the pages, frowning as he noticed a tiny smear of brownish red near the top of one of the pages.
He smiled ruefully and gazed out the window again.
Amazing indeed.