Aaron returned right before dusk, he had found enough food to last another week.

He stole a glance at his bed.

Like he suspected, Aphmau was sound asleep. Impact meandered over to her and poked her hand before tucking his head under her arm.

He chuckled, Impact loved her, he had never seen Impact sleep so soundly.

He noticed that her leg was in a strange position.

Aaron went up to the bed and tried to straighten it without waking her, he failed.

With a sigh, he picked her up out of the bed. (Scaring Impact) and set her back down in a more comfortable position.

She moved a bit, but she didn't wake up.

He grinned, she looked peaceful when she slept.

Then something caught his eye.

There were bruises around her wrists, they were faint, but noticeable.

She winced when he prodded them with the butt of his dagger.

Slightly perturbed, he bent down slightly more to get a better look at them.

He recognized them almost instantly. They were  the marks of handcuffs that were on too tight.

But considering that police were out of the question. The implications of her being handcuffed worried him.

He grabbed something out of his bag, it was some kind of ointment. He put some on his fingers and started rubbing her wrists with it.

He was gentle, as to not to wake her up. And he went very slowly.

Impact laid back down with her, snoring loudly.

Aaron leaned back after he was finished. Pleased with himself.

He had found the ointment while he was out. It was to lessen pain around an external area.

He had no need for it, he barely felt anything when it came to bruises and the like. His skin was too tough for that.

He flopped on his armchair, expecting to fall asleep instantly. Instead his mind wandered back to Aphmau's bruises.

That night It plagued his mind like a virus. Eating his soul and his brain from the inside.

He didn't sleep a wink....

Aphmau however felt totally well rested the next morning. She wanted to run around and actually be productive, but her leg, and scolding from Aaron forbade her to do so.

"Your leg ain't fully healed, if you try anything it could be to much for it." He had said.

It was strange to her really, he acted like he didn't care, but she knew he did.

He didn't have to take her in, but he did!
He didn't have to let her stay, but he did!
He didn't have to deal with her, but he has!

Instead, Aaron was outside pumping water, and she was inside being a waste of everyone's time.

"Here, its pretty hot, you're gonna need this." He handed her a cup full of lukewarm water.

He glanced at her bandaged leg and let out a tired sigh.

"Looks like I'm gonna have ta rebind that leg, it's gettin' pretty lose."

She huffed, she didn't like the bandages, they were too tight and they itched. But she knew that it wasn't the worst thing in the world. And it needed to be done so she could heal.

"Yeah...." she replied drily.

He looked up at her and chuckled.

"Well you look enthused." He said, a sarcastic grin on his face.

"Would you be if you had a pound of itchy bandages hanging off you?" She replied in the same tone of sarcasm.

He looked at her slyly and chuckled.

"I suppose not." He took her wrist but she instantly pulled back, wincing.

"Huh, what's wrong?" He asked like he didn't know, he did admit that he didn't grab them on purpose. He was going for her arm.

"Sorry, my wrists are a little tender." She replied, holding them gingerly.

He didn't know what he was thinking, or if he had even thought at all. But he grabbed her hand and laced his fingers with hers.

They both blushed, but not in view of each other. Aaron still had his mask and Aphmau turned away.

"That's fine, Come on." He pulled her slightly and they entered the station.

He sat her down and started unwrapping the bandages. Focusing completely on that, he straightened out the bandages and started rewrapping them.

"You're fidgeting." He said, trying to line up a bandage.

"S-sorry." She tried to make herself stay still. And it worked, for about a minute and a half.

She just couldn't stop thinking of the electric shock that went up her arm when he grabbed her hand.

But Aaron managed to rewrap the bandages in A semi-organized way. And plopped down in his armchair.

"We could probably get rid of them for good in a day or two." He said, actually feeling disappointed at the thought of her leaving.

"Oh, then I guess I'll be out of you're hair then." She replied, you could hear the sadness in her voice.

"Yeah...." he was thinking that, maybe if he could get her to stay a little bit longer...

No, He thought to himself, Friends are the first people to stab you in the back.

He knew, he even had the scar to prove it.