Page 23 of Right on Time

His arms went under her and picked her up, bringing her side to his chest. It was instinctual. He could not allow any more harm to come to Loe.

She went silent, wide eyes trained on his face. Which was now two feathers away from hers.

Nitiel averted his gaze, before he fell under the spell of her green eyes yet again. “You’re safe now. Let’s see your foot.”

She barely hesitated before nodding.

Nitiel sat on the slightly elevated entrance to the shower dome, Loe sideways on his lap. He gritted his teeth: he must not allow the intimate position, or Loe’s bare skin in his hands to affect him as much as it had on the way to the station. He. Must. Not.

She shifted one leg to show Nitiel her sole. “Can you see it? It’s below my pinkie toe.”

“I see it.” It was stuck deep into Loe’s soft little foot.

“What is it?”

“A munchjie’s claw.”

“A claw?! But those things had no arms!”

“It’s a foot claw, really miniscule. Munchjies have very tiny feet hidden in their fur, which they use for moving when they can’t bounce.”

“No more details, please. Just get it out.”

Nitiel risked a look at Loe’s pretty face. She looked pale – paler than usual – and had her eyes squeezed shut.

“It will be alright, Loe,” he spoke softly, like he would approach a distressed cibiri. “Stay immobile for me now.”

She nodded, squeezing her eyes even tighter.

He unsheathed the claws of his free hand and captured the sharp offender between them. He pulled it out with a quick move, to cause as little pain to Loe as possible.

She stayed put, just as instructed. “Is it out?”

“Yes. Does it hurt?”

She relaxed in his arms with a deep exhale, forehead resting on his shoulder. “Barely. But fudge the pain, just the thought of a claw stuck in my foot… Yuck. Should I get a special shot? To prevent infection?”

“I don’t think so. But I will call the medical bay, to ask just in case.”

Loe’s hand rested on his chest, so gentle and warm. “Can we wait, just for a moment? I want to take a breather before it turns out I’ll need a huge injection. I’m terrified of needles.”

She shuddered in his arms, and Nitiel pulled her closer against him. “I won’t let any needle near you. The doctor will find another way.”

Loe lifted her head from his shoulder, and he felt her eyes on his face. He didn’t dare turn to look at her, however, for fear of how close her kissable lips were. “You’d stop the doctor for me?”

“Of course.” He’d stop anyone from laying a finger on Loe.

“Thank you, Nitiel. You’re a sweetheart.”

That caught him by surprise. Him? Sweet? No. He had known no sweetness in his life. Until her. “I cannot be a sweetheart, Loe.”

“Yes, you can–”

“Because I have two hearts.”

Loe gaped. Then laughed. “Okay, I stay corrected: you’re a sweethearts.”

Her bubbly laughter brought a smile to his face. He had succeeded in distracting her.