Work Text:
“Sorry.” Elena apologized as she smoothed out the last bandage over Rude’s knuckles, “It’s all I have on me.” Instead of his usual leather gloves, Rude’s hands were now adorned with an assortment of cutesy bandages. Some were glittery, others had rainbows, multicolored, little hearts, some were even shaped like hearts, stars, and flowers. They’d get Rude some proper bandages once they got back. This would be good enough for now.
It had been an ambush, their target had leapt from the shadows, brandishing a long knife. The weapon had cut the leather of Rude’s gloves to ribbons, inflicting a number of small gashes across Rude’s hands and arms. That was hardly enough to properly disarm Rude, however, his fists were just as deadly, with or without his gloves. And, Elena had a very pretty gun that looked especially stunning when the rhinestones glimmered with the muzzle flash.
“Do you feel okay?” Elena asked and Rude nodded. The cuts weren’t deep enough to cause any serious damage. The mission was over, it was time for them to return to home base. Just before Rude could turn to exit the side street they had taken shelter on, he found himself held in place by Elena’s arms. She was hugging him, and, rather tightly at that. She was pressed up against him in such a way that Rude couldn’t see her face. Rude returned the gesture, held her close. They stayed like that for a short while before they pulled away from each other. Elena noticed a slight quirk to one of Rude’s brows, and, understood that he was undeniably curious as to what had caused the spontaneous hug.
“I just-.” Elena suddenly looked very self conscious, “It wasn’t really a close call. But, sometimes I think about how there might be a day where I can’t do it. That I’d regret not taking the opportunity-.” An unreadable expression flashed over Elena’s face, and, she looked down towards the asphalt, “Sorry, that’s morbid.”
“Don’t be.” Rude assured her, “It’s a normal thing to think about.” It was Rude’s turn to have an expression that was hard to define. For just a second, it broke the normally stoic face he held, “We never know if we’re coming back alive.”
“Hold still, I missed a spot.” Elena’s eyes caught a small gash on Rude’s cheek, just under the rim of his sunglasses. Elena rummaged though her pockets and pulled out a pink, glittery, heart-shaped bandage. She pressed it gently against the cut, careful not to irritate the wound, “There we go.” Elena said, pulling back to survey her handiwork. Seeing no more missed cuts, Elena gave Rude a smile. Rude returned a small smile of his own. for now.