NOAH POV
"Close your eyes," she waits, one of the huge bottles of antiseptic poised in her hand ready to douse me with. But I can't. My eyes won't close.
"I'm not going to do anything to you," she chuckles holding her other hand up like she's all innocent. "We have to get those injuries cleaned out, that dude was... manky. Who knows what the hell's the matter with him."
"I guess we could always start his list with, I dunno... a missing ear," I lean back against my car carefully. One hand holding my shirt, adding blood to its wetness from mopping up my shoulder and back. I'm starting to feel the fight now. Stiffness tugs at every fibre.
"Or his missing tooth," she quips back with a raised eyebrow. "Or broken leg."
"Not the same, Thornie." I respond trying hard not to pull her against me. She hates the thought of his blood, not of seeing it but of it touching us. Us. My eyes roam over her for the millionth time since we ran from the fight. More savage and brave than the costume she's wearing. That feeling comes over me again, stronger than anything I have ever felt. Stronger that the black cold rage that rules me in those fights. Stronger than my fathers words.
Then I think what it means and the feeling paralyses me more than anything else can because I now know for sure, what the fear of her getting hurt turns me into, more than a monster. When I'm a monster I can't see anything but hate, rage and blame but when it's about her... I can. All I can see is her. I've never been more dangerous in my life. That tear I held like a diamond on my finger tip... ripped me apart. Set me loose. Burned my monster so much that it retreated like never before. It was all me. Me. No one to blame but... me.
I raise my eyes to her beautiful blue ones, hoping she'll see that now and push me away. Save herself but instead she shrugs. "I'm getting used to cutting human flesh and it was the only way I could think of that we could get out of that place. I mean everyone there must have had the same thoughts I did about his blood. They sure liked seeing it from a distance but not right up close enough to be shoved in their faces."
"You have a crazy mind, who knew an ear would part an angry crowd?" I shake my head at her remembering the crowd suddenly turning from being on our side to hostile due to the betting situation.
"Just imagine if I wore the zombie costume," Avalon laments suddenly like she missed the most amazing chance in the world. "It would have been pandemonium."
"He's always got the other one," I tap her on the nose, loving her smile.
She giggles. "Imagine the dentist's face if Aho-big- mama wants to try and get a replacement tooth. He should just get a shark tooth and shove it in the hole. If Daryl saw him he'd be convinced he's a cannibal. He has this thing about certain meats being cooked certain ways and their affects on you if you consume something not properly cooked."
"Certain meats? Like he has talked about eating and cooking human flesh?" The conversation topics I now talk about.
"He has talked about eating it," I raise my eyebrows and she laughs again. I love that sound. "From watching National Geographic stuff though, not experience. But I'm sure just biting it out of someone wouldn't be on his approved list."
My eyes twist to find the gash in my shoulder. "Manky," I agree with her.
"Yes, it is boof. So shut your eyes and get ready. I bought six bottles so hold your breath. This is gonna hurt."
My eyes again refuse to shut and they find hers. She meets my gaze, my whole body wants hers against it.
She suddenly frowns and tilts her head to the side, causing one of her long plait to sway. "Are you worried that I ... I don't like you now or something."
