Okay, on to today's flash. This week my flash was inspired by 3 words, fingertips, skin, and relationship. You can see how those come into play in this week's update. I hope you enjoy!
Lost Inside Ch. 21
“Benny?”
He
jerked out of the light doze—all he could manage in the busy hospital. “Hey.”
Benny cleared his throat. “You’re awake.”
“What
happened?” Yuri asked.
Benny’s
heart sank. “We were attacked.” Was Yuri’s memory screwed up again? At least he
was talking.
“Can
I come over there?”
The
beds were narrow, but Benny wasn’t going to turn down a chance to hold his
mate. “I don’t think you should get up on your own, and the doctors want to
check you out. Why don’t we call a nurse, first?”
“I’m
okay.” Yuri swayed as he sat up. “Maybe not.” He slumped sideways against the
pillow, grabbing for the railing. An alarm blared.
“Yuri?
Yuri!”
Benny
ignored the pain and shot out of bed. “Can you lay down?” He helped Yuri onto
his back. His mate clutched at his head. “What hurts?”
“The
alarm!”
A
nurse came bustling into the room. “Here, now… what’s with waking the whole
unit in the middle of the night?” She pushed some buttons on Yuri’s bed. “Good,
you’re awake. Still, you could’ve used the call button.”
“Sorry.”
Benny used one hand to push the hair out of Yuri’s face. His mate clung to his
other hand.
“And
you shouldn’t be out of bed either.” She clucked when she walked behind him. “You’ve
popped your stitches! Would you get back in bed, please?”
Benny
nudged Yuri. He began to scoot over.
“I
meant in your own bed!” the nurse snapped when Benny climbed in next to his
mate.
“No.”
Benny sighed when he got comfortable on his stomach. His back stung, but he could
smell Yuri, and feel him all along his side. His mate curled next to him.
“Your
back...”
“It’s
fine,” Benny grunted.
“It
most certainly is not fine. You’re
bleeding again.” The nurse bustled away, muttering under her breath. They ignored
her.
“Everything’s
fuzzy,” Yuri said.
“I’m
not surprised.” Benny studied Yuri. His ears were slanted and his pupils were
blown wide. “You either have a serious head injury, or they have you on the
really good stuff. Maybe both. I let you get hurt again. I’m so sorry.”
Yuri
shook his head, and then groaned. “You didn’t. You didn’t let anything happen
to me. I remember some stuff, like not running away when you told me to. I
couldn’t do it, I couldn’t leave you.” His voice started to slur, and he
blinked.
“Hey,
stay awake. The doctors will be here soon.”
The
doctor came in after a few minutes. Benny refused to move, so his bandages and
stitches on the mostly healing cuts on his back were removed while he held Yuri’s
hand as his mate struggled to answer the doctor’s questions.
“We’d
like to get some tests tomorrow, but as far as we can tell, there doesn’t
appear to be more damage—other than to the shunt, which we had to take out.”
“So
what’s the verdict?”
Yuri’s
doctor set down his chart. He shook his head. “Your back will be fine soon. It’s
healer faster than I’ve ever seen. Yuri’s recent procedure makes it hard to
judge his mental status. What is due to the venom, versus complications from
the blow to his head, is hard to tell. I’d like for you to stay so his primary
doctor can test him in the morning.”
Benny
sighed. He wanted to take Yuri out of the hospital. It stank, it was loud, and
it didn’t help his mate.
But
he had to be patient.
“Fine,”
Yuri said. “We’ll wait. Can you go now?”
The
doctor frowned, but Benny was smiling. Yuri sounded grumpier than he was. He
really liked seeing him reacting—even if it was a pissy reaction. Plus it wasn’t
aimed at him.
Finally,
they were alone again. Benny watched Yuri, who stared back at him. “Was I
really that bad?” he asked softly.
“What
do you mean?”
“I
remember being scared and screaming. There was a face. It’s a Tiger, but I can’t
quite remember who he is. I think it’s a memory, but I couldn’t figure out what’s
a memory and what’s real.”
“Why
didn’t you tell the doctor that?”
Yuri
shrugged. “They’ll think I’m nuts. I’m not nuts.”
“No,
you’re not. You went through a lot, and Dr. Vancould said your brain activity
was off the charts after you got the venom and Bashta chanted over you.” Benny
kept his tone firm, so Yuri would know he was serious.
“Okay.”
Benny
smiled. Yuri hadn’t changed that much. He was still so ready to trust, now that
he’d come out of whatever they’d done to him with the venom. “I’m so glad you’re
back,” Benny whispered.
“Me
too.” Yuri ran his fingers up Benny’s arm. “You have so many muscles. And your
skin is so soft back here.” It tickled when he stroked the back of Benny’s arm.
“I’ve
been working out a lot.”
“I
can tell.”
Yuri
licked his lips. “I can touch you like this, right?”
“Yes.
We’re mates. That means we’re in a relationship.” Benny watched in confusion as
Yuri’s eyes got watery. “What? What is it?”
“Are
you sure?”
Benny
wiped away a tear trickling down Yuri’s cheek. “Yes. No matter what anyone else
says, we’re mates. I’m yours, and your mine. You claimed me in front of our
families, and we both changed.” Benny placed a hand on Yuri’s heart. “I can
feel you, here. I know you’re my mate.”
“B-but
I hurt you.”
“No.”
Benny shook his head. “No. It wasn’t your fault. You never hurt me, not on
purpose. Has that been bothering you?”
Yuri
shrugged. “Mates can’t hurt each other. If we’re really mates, I couldn’t have
done that.”
“That’s
not really how it works. It’s not that you can’t physically hurt me. It’s that
you don’t want to. Mates care about each other, and all your worry? That just
proves how much you love me.”
TBC
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I just love the interaction between Yuri and Benny. They are just so sweet together. As for this other tiger, just cause he wants something doesn't make it so.
ReplyDeleteKeep up the good work, Cia, and congrats of finishing the other story, Can't wait to read it.
Yuri is so sweet, you just have to love him. I hope, when he regains his memories, he doesn't lose the person he has become. He and Benny are a great couple, just like all the other couples in this series.
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