“That’s everything.” The healer put her needle and thread back into the satchel around her waist, and stood. “Keep your arm and leg still for a few days to help them recover. I’ll be back tomorrow to change the bandage.”
“He can do that.” Doran looked at Levi. “You can do that, can’t you?”
“I can. If you leave the bandages and the herbs, I can clean the wounds again tomorrow and make sure they’re healing. I know what to do now.”
The healer raised her eyebrows but didn’t object. She was probably grateful not to have to put up with Doran again.
“Naavah Ora can heal me the rest of the way once she’s recovered,” Doran said. “Thank you.”
The healer smiled and turned her attention to Levi. “He’ll struggle to bathe on his own. Would you like me to help or—”
“Levi can help me, thank you.”
Levi blushed a dark shade of red.
“Of course. I will take my leave then. Please call if you need anything else. The innkeeper will know where to find me.”
Doran sighed once she was gone, and leaned back on his bed as best as he could. “I think she’s new. She used much more force than she needed to. Did you see how she stitched my shoulder? Like I’m a shirt with a hole in it.”
“I don’t think you use alcohol to disinfect shirts first, do you?” Doran grimaced, and Levi sat next to him. “How is your shoulder?”
Doran tried to shrug but winced and sagged his shoulders in defeat. “Painful. It’ll heal. Naavah Ora will be fully recovered by tomorrow just to prove it’s all the rest she needs, just you watch.”
Levi smiled. “And your leg?”
“I won’t be running anywhere today, that’s for sure.”
Awkward silence settled over their room as his eyes flicked to the bathtub. They were both caked in mud and blood, but after what the healer had said—after what Doran had agreed to—he couldn’t even think about it.
“I’m sorry I put you on the spot,” Doran said. “You don’t really have to wash me, I can manage.” By the way Doran had winced just now, Levi doubted it. “I just didn’t want her anywhere near my wound with soapy water.”
“Why not?” Levi had a feeling that once upon a time, Doran wouldn’t have turned down a soapy bath with a young woman. His cheeks burnt at the thought, and he shook the image from his mind.
“She was rough just putting the bandage on. Can you imagine her trying to scrub off this mud? She’ll cause more harm than she’s treating. Besides,” Doran ran his uninjured hand over his stubble, “I’m not a child. I can look after myself.”
“I’ll help.” Levi blushed when Doran raised his eyebrows. “I don’t mind. You’ll need help. You can’t even shrug without it hurting you, and the mud and dried blood won’t come off easily. Your shoulder needs to rest.”
Doran grinned. “Thank you. You should get a bath first. I’ll rest my leg in the meantime. I’d help you wash to repay the favour, but I can’t move too well.”
Levi pretended he hadn’t heard that last bit despite it echoing in his mind. He hurried downstairs to order hot water from the front desk. The innkeeper brought up five large buckets fifteen minutes later and put up a room divider between the tub and the door.
Levi sank into the hot water and sighed.
He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had a bath. It felt good. He hadn’t realised how sore his muscles had been, strained from the walking and the recent fighting. The nights sleeping outside hadn’t helped either. Now that he was submerged, his muscles relaxed. Ever since they’d left Naavah Ora’s village—no, ever since Doran had taken him away from the ritual—it had been one thing after another. It felt good to simply be, and not worry about the next ambush or an angry spirit army.
Levi didn’t want to leave the bathtub. It was safety and comfort in one glorious, hot haven. Once he stepped out there was danger and corrupted dead, and—and Doran. Naked Doran. He’d have to help Doran scrub off the mud.
He was grateful that the innkeeper had brought a sponge when he’d filled the tub. Maybe it wouldn’t be so awkward if Levi didn’t have to use his bare hands.
He took a moment to steady himself, then dried himself off and got dressed. Their clothes would need washing too; he didn’t think even the best washmen could get rid of the blood stains. Everything he owned was filthy.
Levi ordered new water, and together they waited in awkward silence. Doran looked like he wanted to say something several times, but instead he just smiled and turned his attention elsewhere. Levi was grateful for the silence; he wasn’t sure how he could have responded if Doran had teased him just then.
“Would you, erm…” Doran tugged at his sleeve with one hand. It wasn’t budging. “I can’t pull it over my head with this shoulder. My trousers are difficult too, since I’m not supposed to move my leg.”
Levi got the hint and swallowed.
“No problem.”
Pulling the shirt over Doran’s head to expose his chest did funny things to his insides. He tried not to think when he removed Doran’s trousers. Doran’s pants stared at him.
“Do you, erm, need help with…” Please say no. Please say yes.
“I’ll manage, Ginger.”
He gulped. He’d always liked it when Doran had used his nickname, but right now, in this situation, it was too much.
Levi sat on the bed and pretended to be interested in the white wall paint.
“Give me a moment,” Doran said. “I’ll call when I’m inside.”
He didn’t miss Doran’s wink.
He turned his back when Doran slid into the clean water, and took a few deep breaths. He’d never felt anything so… intense before; how was he supposed to react?
“I’m ready,” Doran said. Levi hesitated. Doran laughed. “I’m fully submerged in water, if that’s what you’re worried about. I’m as covered as I can be right now.”
Levi walked around the divider and knelt beside the tub. All he had to do was pick up the sponge, and—and—
“You really don’t need to do this, Ginger. I’m sure I can—”
“I don’t mind. I want to help.” And he really did. He just didn’t want things to be awkward as he did it.
“Back home in Hjeva, my mother used to run hot baths when we’d been out all day.”
The memory had only just come to him during his own soak. It was a nice one, and not too dissimilar to their current situation. Anything to ease the tension.
Doran didn’t take his eyes off him. “I’ve never been to Hjeva. Is it very different to Vaska?”
Levi smiled as another memory came to him. “Vaska is so… crowded. In Hjeva, I never saw the capital. We lived too far away from it, but most people lived secluded. We weren’t the only ones. My father was a fisherman—is a fisherman, I mean. If my parents went back.”
He didn’t want to think about it. It had taken him a long time to remember his parents at all, but to think of them living happily without him—it hurt.
“Do you still want to go back?” Doran winced. Levi was careful to wash around the shoulder wound, but the skin still tugged.