The man looked at me for a moment, his strong gaze trying to intimidate me to leave him alone, but I returned it just as stubbornly.
"Off." I pointed at his shirt, my voice stern. Finally the man agreed and pulled off the strips of his shirt. Once again I felt my heart stop in my chest. This guy was ripped. Literally. Among his rippling abs and chest were five long scratches. "Odd. I could have sworn those were worse before." My eyes moved over the scratches.
"I told you- not necessary." I looked away from the wounds and into his eyes. His…beautiful hazel green eyes. Quickly looking away before he noticed my blushing.
"Well at any rate, we should bandage these up so they don't get infected." I opened up the first aid kit sitting on the table, pulled out an Ace bandage and started working on his wounds.
"So about what happened…" I began placing an antiseptic on the cuts. "Are you going to tell me or…?" I glanced upward cautiously at his eyes. He continued to study me with suspicion as I treated his wounds.
"Its really none of your business." Came his blunt reply. I paused for a moment and laughed softly.
"Okay. Hint taken." I returned to treating the cuts in silence. "Can I at least get a name, or is that information classified as well?" I smirked a few moments later. Oh my god. Did I seriously just flirt with this guy? I was seriously surprised at my boldness this evening.
The man said nothing for a moment, as if deciding either or not I could truly be trusted. He opened his mouth coming to a decision, but was not able to utter a word due a sudden shutter of his eyes and he turned his head.
"Hey. Hey. Come on now. Don't." I shuck him lightly fear suddenly blooming in my chest. I stood up and leaned over the man. I gingerly touched his face and pulled my hand back; his face was burning. "My goodness, you've got a fever." Standing I ran to the kitchen and frantically searching for something to bring down the fever.
Nothing. I couldn't find anything. This guy was going to die because I couldn't do anything to help him. I walked back to the couch and looked down at the man who lay there with his strong jaw…and delicate check bones. I crouched down next to him again and took his hand into my own. It was rough, but strong and yet underneath that hard, calloused surface there was a kindness.
"Please…please don't die." I held his hand tightly and kissed his knuckles. "Don't die on me." A moment passed and suddenly the man became silent as he stopped shifting. I looked up and at his face once again. Letting go of the man's hand I placed on his forehead and was relieved to find his fever had gone away. I smiled and sighed as his eyes opened slowly. "I thought I'd lost you for a moment there."
"Derek." He muttered quietly.
"Excuse me?" I asked him as I removed my hand from his forehead.
"My name." He spoke again. "My name is Derek. Derek Hale." Then he slept of his own accord and not of the fever. Well it has been an interesting day. I thought to myself. I stood and pulled the blanket out from underneath Derek's sleeping mass. My eyes paused upon his chest, surprised to find the wounds from before now faint lines of healed flesh.
"An interesting day indeed." I placed the blanket over Derek's bare chest and ran my hand over the woven fabric tenderly. Sitting down beside the couch I glanced down the hallway to where my bedroom was and pondered sleeping in my own bed. Derek's rhythmic breathing brought my attention back to him.
I smiled and laid my head down besides his body, a feeling of complete ease coming over me. Never before had I felt so safe in the presence of anyone else. Slowly my eyes began to grow heavy once again and I fell into the arms of sleep.