Page 75 of Painless
MARIPOSA
“This is fucking humiliating,” Jandro moaned.
“You want me to get a wheelbarrow?” Shadow huffed, bouncing Jandro higher in the piggyback position he carried him in.
“No, that’s even worse! Mari, why won’t you let me walk?”
"'Cause I shot you up with local anesthesia everywhere, and I don't know the extent of your nerve damage," I explained, not for the first time. "If you stumble and fall, you could end up worse for wear."
"I'd much rather stumble around like aborracho. Shadow sucks as a ride."
"I'm happy to drop you on your ass if Mariposa says I can."
"No," I huffed. "Your fucking ego is not giving me extra work to do tonight."
"But youlovetaking care of me," Jandro goaded.
I ground my teeth, still fighting the residual anger at his stupid act of bravery. "Don't push your luck."
I pushed open his front door and held it open for Shadow to follow through. The large man carefully lowered his friend to the couch. Freyja had already jumped up beside Jandro, waiting for him to settle so she could find a place to curl.
"Stop!" I yelled, letting the front door close. "Don't move."
Jandro froze, propped on his forearm as he was about to lie down. "What now?"
"Lie on your stomach, not your back." I gestured for him to roll over. "Nothing should press on your burn, aside from the bandages. Plus, it's gonna hurt like a bitch when the anesthesia wears off."
He flopped onto his stomach with a heavy groan. "How long do I gotta lay like this? I'm not a stomach sleeper."
"Until you're mostly healed. At least a few weeks."
"A fewweeks?! What if I suffocate when I'm facedown?"
"Figure out hownotto!" I pinched my forehead, turning to Shadow. "You see what I have to deal with?"
He actually cracked a smirk. "Welcome to my world."
"Want to trade places?"
After such a long, awful night, on top of Jandro going from human shield to whiny baby, I couldn't resist some lighthearted banter. Imagine my pleasant surprise to find Shadow receptive to it, not a twitch of discomfort on his face.
"Sorry, medic," he returned. "He's all yours."
I released a dramatic, disappointed sigh. "Well then, maybe you can help me dispose of his body, if it comes to that."
Shadow's mouth twitched as if fighting laughter. I wished he would just let it out. I would've loved to hear that sound, just a single moment of uncontrolled joy from him.
"That, I can probably help with," he played along.
"I'm hurt," Jandro moaned, watching our exchange. "My roommate and my woman, plotting against me before my very eyes!"
"So do what your medic says without bitching." I sat down next to him, leaning over to kiss his least-damaged shoulder. "And we won't have a problem," I added in a sweet voice.
He let out a wordless moan into the couch cushions, while I peppered his face and shoulders with kisses to let him know I was kidding.
"Hey." He lifted his head abruptly. "Has anyone told Andrea what happened?"
Something tight and uncomfortable squeezed around my heart. "I've been fixing you up all day."
