╔═══*.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.*═══╗
"In a fight they're lethal.
Around each other they melt."
╚═══*.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.*═══╝

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

"Quit following me, Druig."

He scoffs and says bitterly "No."

"I mean it."

"Yeah that's not gonna stop me." He shrugs

I huff and say "I don't need assistance. I'm taking a shower and then taking a long deserved rest. So goodbye." He purses his lips and says "Then I'll wait in your room because I don't feel it's necessary for Ajak and Makkari to get mad at me."

"Boo fucking hoo. I have this covered. I'm not-"

He cuts in, finishing my line "A damsel in distress and you don't need my saving. Yeah. You made that clear. Get over yourself and quit being stubborn."

I scoff and say "Says the most stubborn person ever."

He nods and says "There's only enough room for one extremely stubborn person on the team."

I enter my bedroom and slam my door shut but he sticks his foot in the doorway. Stopping the door. He pushes it open and says "I'm going to continue being just as stubborn as you Gaia."

He shuts the door behind me and I say "I can give you stubborn gaia if that's what you're saying." He scoffs and says "This isn't you being stubborn..." I drop my mission suit on the ground and cross my arms to him. He gulps and his eyes widen. His eyebrows raise and I tilt my head to him. He looks to my silk undergarments and I put my arms out to my side.

He stands there motionless and I say "I'm going to continue to take off my clothes and get in the shower. So... goodbye." He smirks and says "And you think I would pass off that offer?" I scoff and say "Wasn't an offer." He nods and says "Well, you need to accept my help. Especially since you missed a cut right here." He walks towards me and points at my side, up closer to my ribcage. I look down and mutter "Shit."

He pushes me forward and towards the bathroom. He plants me down at my vanity and walks over to the sink. He grabs the hand towel and holds it under the water. He walks over to me and says "Raise your top." I scoff and he shakes his head and says "Not like that you optimist." I laugh and say "In your dreams."

I slide my undergarment up to just cover my breasts and he walks towards me as I lean back in my chair. I extend my hand for the wash cloth but he ignores me

God he probably loves to see me vulnerable and weak like this.

He stares at the wound and says "Looks like a deviant was able to get a hit in on you." He presses the cold wash cloth to me and I gasp. He says "What? Why are you gasping?"

I slap his shoulder and say "You don't use cold water! Idiot!" He shakes his head and says "That kind of stuff doesn't even matter."

I scoff and say "It totally does."

"No it doesn't."

He applies pressure and I gasp.

"Quit being a baby." He taunts

"It's cold and you're applying too much pressure." I grit out from behind my teeth

He sighs annoyingly and I say "Don't give me attitude now. You do know that you're the one that insisted on helping me." He nods and says "Well, maybe you could be a tad bit appreciative." I laugh loudly and say "And whose fault is it that I have these wounds? hmm?"

He sighs heavily and stands back up. He tosses the wash cloth into the sink and turns the hot water on to run over the wash cloth. He leans over the sink sighing and staring down at the water running

Druig rubs his temple and I look at him confused in the mirror and he switches the water off. He rings out the towel and walks back over not even addressing my comment.

What the hell is his problem?

He grabs my side with his left hand gently and squats down to be eye level with it. He gently presses to the wound and I watch him intently clean it. He grabs the gauze and rubbing alcohol beside me.

He mutters "This may sting."

He pours a small amount of rubbing alcohol over the wound and my initial instinct is to grab ahold of his shoulder. I squeeze his shoulder and bite my tongue.

Druig meets my eyes and says "I did try to stop those soldiers."

"..What?"

He shakes his head as he patches the wound with gauze and a small amount of medical tape. "I attempted to stop the soldiers from approaching you. But Ikaris tackled me out of the way after a deviant lunged at me while we were sending the humans inside the village to safety."

He stands up and says "I didn't purposefully undermine you as much as you choose to believe that."

I swallow hard and he rinses the wash cloth off once more. He approaches me and dabs the blood off my shoulder. He rubs the blood off my shoulder and I say "I know you didn't mean to." He looks up and says "How do you know?"

"Because you were the first person to find me."

He nods and says "I had this nauseating anger wash over me and I knew something happened to you."

He wipes the blood off and I reach to grab his chin. I pull his chin up and he says "You weren't a horrible mission lead also."

I smile and say "Wow. Did you just compliment me?"

"Don't get used to it. Only a one time thing."

I nod and say "Sure. Uh huh." He leaves his hand on my shoulder with the wash cloth and I let it linger. I look to the shower and say "I should probably shower."

He nods and says "Yeah. Of course."

I stand up and we stare at each other for a long time. Tension lingering between us. I smile and I rest my hand on his shoulder. I push him backwards and he watches me. I walk him towards the door and push him through the doorframe. I release him and he irks an eyebrow.

I smile and I lean towards him and kiss his cheek. Letting my lips press to his cheek for a long moment. He leans into me, resting his head on mine as I begin to pull away "Thank you for the help. It was greatly appreciated."

Was she being sarcastic? I literally can't tell.

I quickly shut the door and slam it in his face unintentionally. I lock the door and toss my undergarments in the hamper and get into the shower.

Yeah. She most definitely was being sarcastic. Right?

Druig stares at the door eyes wide and completely flabbergasted. How did that happen? He was just looking into her violet eyes and all of the sudden he's getting a kiss on the cheek and the door slammed on his face.

It was so odd. A really, really good odd. But way too brisk and way too weird of an ending. But what a moment..

I flop onto my bed and Makkari looks to a clealy distraught Druig exit the building. She speeds into my room and stands above me as I'm attempting to sleep. She flicks my forehead and I open my eyes irritated

Kingo says "Told you she would chew him out."

Ikaris says "Wonder if she physically hurt him."

Sersi says "You all think so poorly of Gaia. She couldn't hurt anyone on the team and you all know that."

Phastos laughs and says "Even the man she argues with on the daily? Are we talking about the same guy?"

The whole team laughs and Ajak smiles to herself.

Cosmic soulmates who just don't know it yet.

Makkari slaps the side of my head and my eyes open. I glare at her and sign "Too tired. Shoo. Or lay down beside me."

"What happened with Druig?"

I groan and yank her onto my bed. We lay flat on our backs and she nudges me. Clearly wanting an answer

I sign "Nothing. He did as asked, we argued a bit and I kicked him out of my room. Simple as that."

She looks to me unconvinced and I nod trying to reassure her

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

a/n: Currently watching shang-chi while I write. Sorry for the short chapter but the next will be up in the morning, or night if you're in a different time zone from me. Pretty sure I'll be going to see the eternals again with some friends soon so that should make the story a little more detailed. I hope you liked this chapter. Debating whether I should cut to the romance or lead you guys on a bit more. Anyway, thoughts on this chapter? Hope you enjoyed it! Question down below to be answered!

Q&A: What's your favorite holiday?