"Come on, sweetheart, it looks like Declan can take care of Kari."
Avery shook his head back and forth. " I want to stay with her," Avery cried. "She needs me."
Warrick cradled Avery's head to his chest. "She will be okay, love. Declan brought a snack for Kari. We will see her after lunch."
"Avery, I heard Warrick brought lunch for you. Go enjoy it so you can tell me about it later."
Avery sniffled and wiped his nose on a shirt. "Are you sure?"
"Yes, I am fine. I'm feeling better already."
Avery wiggled until Warrick put him down. He walked over and kissed her forehead. "You can't leave me. No one can ever leave me again." His tears dripped onto her cheek, and she felt her own eyes began to fill.
"No matter what, you will always have me," Kari promised.
Avery took one deep breath and kissed her forehead again. "I'll hold you to that." Warrick took his hand and they left.
"All right, Warrick is not so bad," Kari admitted begrudgingly.
"He does care, and he is very gentle with him. I told you he was in good hands," Declan insisted.
She looked over at the healer. "Doc, is my arm broken?"
"Yes, in two places. I wrapped it tight, though; if you feed, you should be healed in an hour."
Declan began to purr in his chair. The Doc rolled his eyes and looked at Declan. "You're cleared for extracurricular activity." He turned to Kari. "You, however need to take it easy. No extracurricular activity for you. The back of your skull was crushed. It was so soft, I was afraid your brains were going to leak out. So, just to be clear, don't let him pound you into the mattress."
Kari smirked. "So just not on my back then."
The doctor threw his hands up in the air. "Fine! Fuck your brains out, literally. Don't come crying to me when you're dead." He crossed the room and opened the door. He was about to shut it behind him when he looked over his shoulder and winked.
"He is an odd little man." He looked over her and sighed. "So still no extracurricular activity."
She shook her head. "No, he just said you could not fuck me on my back where my head could be bounced around on the mattress."
Declan tapped her nose. "Behave. I am not having sex with you for the first time in infirmary bed while you have a broken arm and cracked skull." He took out a knife and began peeling an apple.
Kari's mouth began to water as she sniffed the air. "Is that what you went to get? I have never smelled anything like it."
He smiled and kept peeling. "It's a hybrid apple." He began to turn the apple in his hand slowly. It was dark red which faded to a light pink and then into a golden yellow and finally into a bright green.
Declan ate the peel; his eyes closed as he hummed his satisfaction. "It's called Forbidden Fruit. Some say it's the world's first apple."
Unlike every other apple she had ever peeled for herself, instead of cutting from top to bottom he cut it around the apple making a ring. He ate the first ring, almost testing it to make sure it was good before he peeled another ring and then handed it to her. She looked at it and took a bite. "Oh my gods! It is so juicy and sweet!"
He nodded "Take another bite," he encouraged.
She took another bite. This time there was a hint of sweet before a crisp tart flavor exploded across her taste buds. "It is sour, just like a Granny Smith. This has to be the most perfect apple I have ever tasted.
He chewed then swallowed. "I can't get enough of them and the pies! Gods, the pies you make with them," he sighed happily. "There's a vendor on Level Six that knows she can get me to promise just about anything for a few pies."
Kari stared at him. "Anything?" she asked.
Declan paused popping another piece of apple in his mouth "Well, almost anything," he winked cheekily at her.
She smiled and leaned back against the pillows. Together, they ate the apples he had collected. There was silence between them, but it wasn't awkward, and she didn't feel like she had to speak to fill it.
He lazily cut and peeled apple after apple for her, as if doing so made him the happiest man in the world. As they ate together, they shared hundreds of glances and brief touches. It had to be one of the most comfortable yet intimate afternoons she'd ever spent.