CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

THIRD PERSON'S POV

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Scarlett was blushing profusely at his words.

"Oh , my sweet Triantáfyllo", cupping her cheeks, he said, "I'll show you what is big", his hot breath tickling the skin on the back of her ear, " and we'll see who is a baby then."

Pressing a kiss on the corner of her mouth, he stepped back.

She froze for a second before composing herself.

She didn't like the fact that she was getting affected by him, by his touches, by his eyes. She didn't like it at all.

Deciding to change the topics, she asked

"First aid kit. Where is it?"

"Upper left cupboard in the kitchen." He answered following her along towards the kitchen.

She wanted to tell him to sit on the couch but she didn't and let him follow her.

It was in the left cupboard he said. But it's really on the top and her height wasn't a helpful attribute in this case.

She was short and she hated it. She always wanted to be tall. Her parents were both tall.

She huffed. And was going to turn around to look for a stool somewhere but as soon she turned around, she bumped into a solid, muscular chest. On looking up, she found those deep eyes staring at her.

Xander's hand was on her waist to prevent her from losing her balance.

She couldn't keep staring at him so she lowered her head and cane face to face , no , actually face to chest, with his chest.

"You are hurt. You should have stayed in the living room." She merely whispered to him.

Xander leaned closer to her face, "i thought you might need my help."

With a "told-you-so" look in his face, he nodded his head upward towards the cupboard.

"I don't need your help." Scar huffed.

"It looks like you do." He retorted back.

Sliding up against her to reach the cupboard, his body brushed with hers.

Being this close to him, her breath hitched. She tried to hold her breath in a way to create some space between them.

After retrieving the first aid box, they both went towards the living room.

Xander sat on the couch and started unbuttoning his white shirt.

Scarlett's eyes widened on seeing him. She had seen many shirtless men but none affected her the way this certain blue eyed male does.

He affected her so much. She quickly turned her back towards him.

On seeing her like this, he chuckled a bit.

"You do know that you will have to turn around to dress up my wounds."

Hearing his words, she turned around but her eyes were still closed.

Shaking his head, he stood up and went near her.

Leaning closer to her face,

"I didn't know that my wife to be had the ability to see with her eyes closed. Wow!!"

He whispered.

She immediately opened her eyes and looked straight at him.

"Aren't you in a overly happy mood for someone who's hurt?" She snapped at him.

He raised his eyebrows. A small smirk was playing on the corner of his lips.

"I am a human being. I can be happy whenever I want. This a free man's world. And you" , pointing at Scar in an overly dramatic way, he said, " you cannot tell me when to be happy Ms Williams."

She just shook her head at him.

"Just sit there still." Making him sit on the black couch, " let me do my work."

Taking out the alcohol and cotton from the box, she turned to him. Xander was surprisingly happy by teasing her. He know he'll have to take his shirt off for her to see his wounds and dress them but he wanted to hear her ask him to remove his shirt. Along with that, some naughty thoughts also invaded his mind including him and her alone, taking their clothes off. He shook his head. This was not the time to think about such things.

Scarlett patiently waited for him to get the idea that he need to take his shirt off.

But he didn't move a single inch. Is he stupid? She wondered.

"You..." She started, "take off your shirt."

Pointing towards his shirt, she said.

"Hmm...why do you want my shirt off, Triantáfyllo? What's in your sweet little mind?" He teased her again.

She gasped a little. How could he say such things? And can't he see the first aid kit in my hand? She thought internally.

"Your wounds are on your back. And sadly, I don't have any superpowers to see through thing's, like your thin white shirt." She said feigning sadness.

He just nodded and smiled at her answer. He liked when she was being like this.

Taking his shirt off , he threw it on the ground near the couch and turned around so his back would face her.

Scarlett gulped on seeing his back muscles. They flexed when he stretched them to move forward on the couch.

Dabbing the cotton ball with a little alcohol, she started lightly putting it on the cuts and scratches on his back.

Xander stiffened under her touch. It was so soft, feather like touch. It was like she was afraid of hurting him and he liked it

He liked how much she cared for him and got more angry on himself for talking so rudely to her.

This must be hurting so much. She thought as she remembered that for even a small cut in her finger, she would have the whole house for her in a moment, she remembers she won't stop crying but he, he didn't show any emotion, any pain, nothing at all.

Instead of him hissing, she hissed everytime she dabbed on his wounds. She was never the one to dress up wounds, she never did this, not for herself or anyone, she actually didn't know how to do this, she has seen her mother doing it for her and her brother.

But she really never bothered to learn, firstly because she's lazy and secondly, she couldn't look at wounds without tears welling up in her eyes. She was sensitive, would always feel the pain of others.

And no one knows this about her. They knew she doesn't like looking at cuts or blood but didn't know the reason behind it. They all thought it's one of her things as an individual person.

She was an optimistic person, everyone knew that. She never let anybody see her cry or show emotions like sadness, sorrow and grief. Yes, she does cry but only in front of her family.

She doesn't know how to do first aid but it didn't mean she doesn't even know the basics, she knows , at least she hoped she knew those correctly.

And she has helped Sean in dressing his wounds he got during a fight with one of his classmates.

She was not good at it but she wasn't bad either.

After bandaging the cuts and putting the ointment on minimal scratches, she got up and without saying anything to him, took the first aid kit and went towards the kitchen. She knew where the kitchen was. It was a big house, sure, but she remembered it somehow.

She wiped away her tears with the back of her hands. Her eyes welled up on seeing his back. He didn't even flinch but she was hissing every minute doing that.

Xander turned around to see her going towards the kitchen. Without putting her shirt on, he stroded towards her. He was just a step away from her when he saw her wiping away her tears.

Is she crying? Why would she be crying? Is she still upset about what I said to her? Or did something else happen?

He thought rubbing his hands on his face.

He silently approached her.

Scar felt him behind her and turned her away so he won't see her in such a condition. But it was too late cause he had already turned her around.

"What happened?" He softly asked.

"Nothing" she whispered.

He didn't look convinced by her answer but he also didn't want to put pressure on her for this.

Decided to divert his attention, Scar asked, "How come you were there at the store? I thought you had a very important meeting."

He nodded, "I did."

She gestured him to continue.

"But then I thought I shouldn't leave you alone as I knew you were mad at me." His words sounded genuine but his eyes had a mischievous glint in them.

Scar was confused, still she nodded at him. And she also felt good and warm inside at how he cared about her and didn't think to leave her alone. She was glad until he next opened his mouth.

"And you being mad was not safe for the town." He said it with such a serious face, one might think he was actually serious.

Her jaw dropped. She didn't know what to say to him. But soon, her eyes filled with annoyance. How can he say that? Stupid. She huffed.

He gave her a toothy grin on seeing her face.

She raised her eyebrows at him.

"Oh, so you were the superhero, saving the town from me, right?"

He clicked his tongue on this.

Moving closer to her, "nope."

Coming close to her ear, he whispered, his voice husky and deep,

"I'm your superhero."

Scarlett felt a current run through her body.

She looked at him in questioning manner.

But soon realised he was talking about the incident in the bookstore.

"Whatever. I need to go back to my apartment. I'll...." She was going to say "see you tomorrow" but she didn't know that when she'll see him again.

"No, don't go." He said, more like ordered her.

Scar frowned upon this.

"I mean," He couldn't think of something reasonable to say.

"I'm hurt." He went with that and made a face as if he was in deep pain.

Xander didn't want her to go. He wanted her that be there with him, care for him, he wanted to hear her sweet voice and look at her beautiful smile.

"You'll be alright. You are not a baby."

"No, I won't be alright. What if I need something? Who is going to help me then?"

"Call one of your friends. I'm sure they'll be happy to help you." She didn't want to stay there with him. His presence makes her feel things she never wanted to feel.

He feigned sadness.

"Okay fine." She sighed.

"I'll stay here for one more hour. Not more than that."

Xander was glad but he didn't let it show on his face.

They sat in an awkward silence for a few minutes as both didn't know what to say now.

"Let's watch a movie." He suggested.

Scar nodded along.

After sometime, they both were comfortably sitting on blankets laid down below the couch watching a romcom. They were both cozily snuggled with each other. Scar had her head on his shoulder and he had his arm around her.

She noticed that Xander was getting comfortable with her since a few days, he was changing, he wasn't being his rude self all the time. Okay , maybe, that rudeness was still there but she knew it was fading eventually, at least with her.

And she was glad for this.

She felt good knowing he's not a bad person.

Soon it was three hours of them being together and she was getting late to go home.

"I'll get going now. Take care." Giving him a small smile, she walked away closing the car door.

Xander didn't want her to go alone back home so he insisted he'll drop her off.

She argued initially but then eventually gave in to his persistence.

After reaching home, she changed into a loose t - shirt and pants and went to sleep.

Kat was still not home. She was working late today.

Scar realized how less time they are spending together these days.

And she wants to plan a picnic kinda thing for her friends. She's been too occupied in her life that she didn't give any time and attention.

She decided she'll do this after her engagement.

Which reminds her, what about the rings? They didn't purchase the rings? And they don't have much time now to buy them.

She doesn't has an idea how the engagement is going to happen? Without the rings? Or maybe Maria will buy them

Shrugging, she decided not to think about it anymore and closed her eyes.

Soon, sleep engulfed her.