Sapphire Stones

Everyone knows that if you kiss a booboo, it immediately goes away!!

One week. It's been one full week since I've spoken a single word to anyone but Newt, Minho, Chuck, and Ben. 

Not Frypan. 

Not Winston.

And especially not Gally.

No one. 

Winston, Frypan, Alby, Clint, and Jeff have all tried to get me to talk. None of them succeeded. Gally tried to pull me aside a couple times during the first and second day, but gave up after I kneed him where the sun doesn't shine the second day.

"Did I tell you what Bark did earlier?" Ben asks, watching me as I write. I shake my head, keeping my eyes trained on my paper. "It was so freaking cute. He came up to me earlier with this big grin on his face and was nudging my leg with his nose so that I'd give him attention! It was adorable!"

I give a small smile, but don't reply. I've barely talked at all these past few days.

"Oh, c'mon, Venus. It's been days! Talk to me!" He pleads. I shake my head, tearing out the piece of notebook paper and crumpling it up. "Why'd you do that?!"

"It sucked." I reply shortly.

"I highly doubt that. Anything that you write is good."

"Not true." I scoff, starting a new poem. A silence passes between Ben and I. I can feel his eyes on me, but I don't lift my head.

"Do you love him?" He asks suddenly, causing me to look up with a confused look on my face. "Gally. Do you love him?"

"I don't... know what love feels like." I mutter, letting out a shaky breath and closing my eyes. I open my eyes after a few seconds, inhaling deeply and standing up. "I have to go. Lunch is over."

---

I've just finished bandaging one of the Slicer's forearms when the door to the Medjack hut swings open. I look over, immediately looking back with a scowl on my face as my eyes meet his.

"Alright, you're all set. Take it easy, Nick, okay?" I say, patting the boy's shoulder. He nods, his face turning bright pink as he stands up and walks out, leaving Gally and I alone. "How bad?" I snap.

"Awful." He replies, walking over to me and taking a seat on the cot across from me. He holds out his hand and I snatch it in mine, inspecting it quickly.

"I don't see anything." I say, snapping again.

"It's right there." He says, pointing at the small trickle of blood on the pad of his index finger. I look up at him with a glare, meeting his blue eyes.

"You needed medical attention for this?" I deadpan, letting go of his hand and letting it fall into his lap.

"I'm practically bleeding out over here, so yeah. I'd say this requires some serious attention." He replies, a twinkle in his eyes. I sigh loudly, standing up and walking over to one of the cabinets to get the band aids and disinfectant.

"Fucking ridiculous." I mutter, setting the supplies down and taking his hand again. I pour the disinfectant over his 'wound', making sure to allow it time to burn. Gally doesn't flinch, but his eyes show a slight sign of pain.

Good. I think. He deserves it.

I bandage it tighter than normal, making sure that the band aid is tight around his finger.

"A little looser please? You're cutting off circulation." He asks, rubbing his hand slightly.

"Sorry. Any looser and it might fall off." I snap, still holding onto his hand. I study it, the veins running up and down the skin, his long fingers, every callous and scar etched into the skin.

I don't know why I do it, but before I can stop myself, I'm leaning forward and planting a soft kiss on the band aid, then the softest part of his hand.

I look up slowly to find Gally staring down at me, his eyes wide and his breathing heavy. I snap out of my daze, practically throwing his hand away from me.

"Sorry." I mutter, rubbing my forearm.

"Why'd you do that?" He whispers, his voice low and raspy.

"Impulse." I reply shortly. "Chuck told me that if you kiss the spot with the injury, it'll help it heal. He used the word booboo, but y'know." I ramble, avoiding eye contact with the Builder sat across from me.

I can feel his gaze on me. I can see his eyes studying my face. I can see the smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

"What?" I snap, my head turning quickly towards Gally.

"Nunya." He replies with a  grin. Gally then stands up. "Thanks for the help today. I would've bled out if it weren't for you, so thank you." 

He turns towards the door, but I stop him by calling out, "I don't believe either of you."

Gally stops in his tracks, turning slowly back towards me. "You what?" He whispers.

"I don't believe him about what he said about you, but it's hard not to even believe that a little bit of it was true. I'm the only girl here surrounded by fourty some horny boys. I'm not saying that you're one of them, but I can't just pretend like everything is okay between us when it's not." I say quickly, speeding through my words.

"So you're saying that you don't believe Morgan, but you don't believe me either?" He asks, furrowing his eyebrows.

"Yes." I reply shortly. He scoffs before walking out, leaving me alone in the Medjack hut with my thoughts