Last Hope [VERSION I]

|18|

--Edited (4/4/16)--

"If I had a flower for every time you made me smile and laugh, I'd have a garden to walk in forever."

||Thana||

"Thanks, Ace." I thanked my friend as he wrapped a bandage around my hand. Swordsmanship was clearly not right for me, despite when Ace tried to help. Clumsy me, accidentally slicing a part of my palm. And forearm. And my pinky. Not quite sure how that one happened—or any of them, for that matter.

A smile that made my heart do jumping jacks appeared on Ace's face. "No problem, Thana. I wasn't that good either when I tried. I also tried making a lightening sword one time... it was a mess."

Oh god, what was wrong with my heart? Stop it Thana.

I chuckled. "Oh."

"Yeah." He laughed too, finally finishing the bandage around my palm. "Now time for your pinky."

He gently touched my pinky and my back slightly arched as I felt a spark. It wasn't an electrical shock, in fact, I didn't know what it was.

Ace looked up at me with his golden eyes. "Are you alright?"

I held my breath and nodded my head. He turned back down and wrapped it twice over before ripping the majority of the cloth from my finger. My pinky was being choked by the bandage, but the blood was suppressed, so that was good.

"Last but not least, the forearm."

I turned around, revealing a disgusting bloody scar on the back of my arm. I held my breath once more as he touched it. I felt his breath on my back, and as much as I wanted to scream and run away, I kept calm.

Ruby knocked on the bathroom door, despite the fact that it was already open. "Having fun in here?" She giggled in her bubbly voice that instantly made the mood more comfortable for me. "Ace! Are you touching her inappropriately?!"

Ace made a silent gasping sound. "Its her forearm!"

Ruby rolled her eyes and looked at me. "If he touches you anywhere, wrap the bandage so tight that it hurts, or just makes you overall uncomfortable, call me and I'll beat him to a pulp." Ruby winked. I doubt she could actually do that, but the thought was nice. Besides, I doubt Ace would actually do anything bad to me.

Ace stood there in shock as Ruby giggled and walked away, probably rushing to bed, as it was getting late.

"I swear... that girl..." Ace sighed and proceeded to wrap my arm. The breathing on my back returned, and I nearly squealed. To close. Really close.

"There, good as new." I heard a rip, and the remainder of the cloth was separated and in his hand. The bandage was to tight, like what Ruby said before, and I could barely move it, but I silently thanked him.

"Thank you." I said and half smiled. God, his eyes were so.... gold.

Well, I failed to compliment him in my mind.

"Any time, Thana." He placed the bandage cloth on the bathroom shelf. "Its getting late, don't you think? Nico is probably asleep right now, I can practically hear his snores. And Ruby probably went to bed too. We should get some rest."

Agreeing, I slowly made for the room all four of us shared, Ace trailing behind me. It wasn't until we were in the room did I realize we weren't in our nightclothes. In fact—Ruby failed to leave me a nightgown on the table—and I could disturb her during her sleep... she just looked to peaceful. I looked around the room for one frantically, but as quietly as possible. It was like they all disappeared, because none were in sight. Looks like I would be stuck in these dirty clothes for the night.

As I slipped into bed, Ace tossed me a long, raggedy tan shirt. I looked up at him, confused. He was already, oh heavens, shirtless, slipping a green shirt over his head. "That should do for the night. You can borrow it, I don't mind."

I stuttered. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah. I'm not gonna let you sleep in an all black dirty clothes, am I?" I looked down at my black dress that I recently purchased with the help of Ruby and the shops around village square. It was stained, in fact, with blood from earlier and food crumbs and stains from meals. I chuckled with embarrassment and left the room, clutching his shirt in my hands.

I dashed for the bathroom once more. I shut the narrow door quickly and turned around. I slowly undressed myself (with great struggle, thank you tight clothes and buttons on the back.) and put on nothing but Ace's shirt. I was an average height so I didn't think it would be that long on me, but somehow it made it a little bit above my knees. Damn.

I sucked it up and left the bathroom, making it back to the bedroom.

Creak.

What was that...?

Creak.

I quickened my pace for the bedroom door and shut it behind me, trying not to disrupt the people sleeping in there.

Though, it was hard to wake them up so easily when Nico's snores sounded like a dying animal. I sighed in relief, yet tempted to step on Nico's face just like what Ace does every morning to wake him up. I made my way to the side next to Ruby, who rested in a peaceful slumber. A pink sleep eye mask, the one she bought while we purchase my black dress covered her eyes. I tucked myself in the bed and turned to the other side, only to find Ace looking at me.

Kind of creepy, but my face heated up in embarrassment anyway.

"I thought you would be asleep by now."

"Oh.. oh crap, I'm sorry." Ace seemed embarrassed himself. "I just wanted to make sure you got into bed ok and that it was a good fit, turns out it is. Didn't seem that creepy to me until just now."

"It's fine" I said to the now embarrassed boy.

He put his hand over his face, and sighed. "Alright." He then removed his hand, making eye contact with me once more. "Good night Thana."

"Night, see you in the morning." I smiled as he turned to the other side, breaking eye contact with me, and eventually fell asleep.