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“Is that blood?”
“Yes, but that doesn’t matter right now, what does matter is—”
“You are bleeding.”
Of course he is bleeding. Of course he would be bleeding after a duel against the former champion of the Court of Hoof and Claw.
Rue should not have come to Captain Hob's tent, and yet they did—filled with concern and that indescribable pull they feel whenever their thoughts wander into dangerous territory.
They're still wearing their military garb in support of Wuvvy. It seems almost cruel to stand before Captain Hob while dressed like this.
"A soldier bleeds all the time, it is of no consequence", Captain Hob insists, his face closed off and distant.
Rue's heart is hurting.
"Let me see", they say quietly and take a step closer towards the Captain who glances at them shortly before averting his gaze again.
"Yet again I find myself in the position to apologize to you, Mistrex of the Bloom", Captain Hob says, his posture stiff and his eyes pinned against the tent walls. Rue wishes he would look at them but they understand why he wouldn't after what just transpired.
Their fingers shake a little as they reach for Hob's shoulder where the pristine uniform was cut open by Wuvvy's great-sword. The red blood contrasts heavily against Rue's turquoise skin as they carefully, ever so gently, touch the cut.
An unmistakable shiver goes through Hob's whole body as Rue whispers a few words, causing glowing, blue magic spread over the wound to heal the broken skin and stop the bleeding.
Rue doesn't dare to breathe. They place their fingers on the healed wound for a few seconds, as if it was necessary, as if they didn't simply want this connection to last just a little bit longer.
"Why would you apologize to me, Captain Hob? It seems fairly obvious that the exact opposite should be the case here", Rue answers as they pull their hand back, their hands tainted with blood and shaking.
A surprisingly gentle clawed hand catches Rue's wrist and Rue looks up at Captain Hob, their eyes wide and their lips slightly parted in surprise.
"I must have hurt you even more deeply than I thought, if the Mistress Wuvvy deemed it necessary to duel me. And even though I do not know what offense it is that I caused you, I wish to express my deepest regret over hurting you. It was not my intention."
Rue's heart feels like a clump of metal in their chest—heavy and painful. Their eyes flicker down to look at the claws wrapped around their wrist and Captain Hob's gaze follows theirs, as he slowly raises a handkerchief and starts wiping the blood from Rue's fingers.
It is absurd, of course.
One flick of the wrist and the blood would be gone. It is a minor spell, one that Rue has known for centuries.
And yet.
Their eyes follow the movement of Captain Hob's fingers, surprisingly gentle despite the dangerous looking claws. Much like the Captain himself, Rue find themself thinking.
"I assure you, it has nothing to do with you, my dear Captain, and everything to do with me. I made a grave mistake and I should not have let my—I should not have allowed myself to cause such harm to both you and Wuvvy. Please believe me when I say that your regrets are unfounded and entirely unnecessary. I give you my word."
Hob's fur tickles the space between Rue's fingers as he pulls his hand with the now bloody handkerchief away to look down at Rue.
"If you are quite sure—"
"I absolutely am, my dear Captain."
"I see."
The silence that follows is heavy and charged and Rue can't seem to pull their eyes away from Hob's. They wish there was more blood on their fingers, more wounds to be healed, just so they could touch him again. The thought almost makes them laugh with how ridiculous it is.
"Well, then. I—uh. I must attend to—"
"Thank you", Hob interrupts and Rue blinks at him.
"For what?"
"For—your kindness. Your sincerity. For the way you regard me as—I do not wish to presume, but... as an equal."
Rue smiles.
"But of course we are equals, Captain Hob. I told you that I see a lot of myself in you and I meant every word of it."
Hob fidgets with his claws and shuffles from one foot to another.
"That is a great honor. But! I have held you up for too long! Duty never sleeps and I am sure you have more important matters to attend to."
Rue wants to say that they don't. But instead they nod slightly and turn around, their chest filled with a million nervous butterflies as they step outside, their fingers still tingling with the touches they shared.