“Before you look - they're.. They're worse.” His voice was soft. “The lines. They are darker, bolder. I understand if..” His voice trailed off, tightening up.

“That bad!” I said, staring at him with furrowed brows. “Not like!” He opened his mouth to speak but I didn’t let him, I urged him to sit in the chair and stay seated, not caring about his clothes I used my claws and ripped them apart. My eyes widened as I saw them, thick and pulsating along his body.

“What do?” I hissed.

Nevin’s eyes slammed shut, refusing to look at me. I didn't notice the tears creeping out of them. “I'm changing, Eteri. The more I use them, the more I can use them. The less.. Human I am.” Even with his eyes closed, I could see the fear on his face.

I shook my head, the frustrating and guilt ebbing at me. “NO understand!” I placed my hands on his shoulders and felt his muscles twinge. “No care about that! Want know if Nevin hurt!”

His eyes snapped open, shocked, and locked onto mine. Slowly, so slowly, he shook his head from side to side. “N-no. Only the bruises hurt now.” In his lap, one of his hands was slowly unclenching from a fist.

“What do to fix?” I asked. I was determined to look after him, I was determined to distract myself from my own hurts and aches and fears. If I could do things that would make Nevin smile it’d make me feel better about myself, about how I was nothing more than a rotten thief who had twice now...taken his life force. So much so that I could almost feel it inside of me. “Please tell! How fix bruise?”

He reached up and touched my cheek with one hand, cupping my face. The tenderness in his eyes stung as he gave me a crooked smile. “Out in the shop, on the left side, is a locked display case with a cross on it. The key is hanging under the register. I need the light green jar. It has a cream that needs to be rubbed into the bruises.”

I nodded, reluctantly pulling away from him. Dammit...why did he have to look at me like that, like it was all ok and none of it was my fault. Nevin I can feel your life stuffs inside of me, don’t give me that look. I turned tail (quite literally) and headed into the shop.

No time for keys. I’d fix things later.

I headed straight for the cabinet and

SMASH!

Punched right through it, I grabbed the light green jar and headed back to Nevin, opening the jar and letting the lid clatter to the floor I scooped up a handful of goop and slapped it onto his back. Ignoring my own cuts and blood. “Here!” I huffed. “No move. Shutting the up. Let me do.”

“Eteri- Eteri you're bleeding, Eteri what is wrong?”

“SHUTTING THE UP!” I snapped, and he promptly fell silent. Good. I breathed a sigh of relief and continued to gently rub the goopy goo all over his back and shoulders. “Just...Just let Eteri help!”