Under these Stars

Chapter 11:Mason's Room

"I'm done." I lean back and inspect my stitching and patching. I pack everything back into my first aid kid and wash my hands in his bathroom.

I glance back into his room and watch him worriedly. He's still in that robotic state as he stares at nothing in particular. Heading back to his room, I crouch down and nudge him gently.

"Mason," I whisper. He barely shows any response, not even a flicker in his eyes. I intially thought he was merely lost in his mind, but that isn't just it. "Mason?" I glance at him. I can't just leave him on his bedroom floor in only his boxers.

"Mace," I nudge him once more. "I'm going to move you to your bed. Can you stand up?" I lift him up gently, but he stands by himself and sits on his bed. His blank expression scares me a bit. It's unsettling as his empty eyes look fixedly at no specific point in his room. I hesitantly lift his worn blanket and drape it over his shoulders. He doesn't seem to even feel the cold temperature as I stare at his goosebumps. I touch his fingers. As I expected, they are ice cold.

"Mace, I'm going to grab a heating bag for your fingers," I say. Noticing his thin blanket material, I add, "I'm going to bring some blankets for you." My words may be falling on deaf ears. I sigh before moving towards the window.

Hmmmm? I stop mid-step as my shirt is hooked onto something.

"Stay," Mason's voice barely catches my ears. I look at his rough, callused hand clutching my shirt tightly. His head is turned towards his wall, shielded from my view.

"You need thicker blankets and gloves." I exhale and watch the hot air from my mouth disaparate quickly. Rubbing my arms up and down, I shiver slightly from the coldness. I did not think smartly when I climbed into his room with only an oversized shirt and pajama pants. His room seems to have dropped a few degrees since I have entered.

"I'm...fine..." he exhales slowly before his body shakes with light tremors "T-there are blankets on the top shelf of my closet."

"O-okay," my teeth clatter as I head to his closet and spot the thick, wooly blankets on top of a blanket. Standing on my tip toes, I try my best to reach for them but they are too high. I huff frustratingly as I strain a few seconds more.

"Here," Mason mumbles into my ear as he comes up close behind me and reaches for it. I catch a whiff of antispectic and woodsy aftershave with an interesting hint of lilac. He leans a little closer to my body heat. Then, he opens a plaid blanket and tenderly wraps me into it. Grabbing a maroon throw blanket, he slowly puts it around himself, wincing in pain. I want to offer my help but I feel like he would only feel incapable.

He limps over to his bed and collapses, gasping softly in pain. I kneel down and examine his ankle, which is swollen twice its normal size. "Keep the ice pack on it and try not to walk." I instruct him, though I still want him to go to the hospital. Despite my urging, he refuses to go to the hospital.

"Yes ma'am," he smirks weakly and sneezes.

"Do you have more blankets?" I frown at his shivering body.

"N-no," he shudders and brings the blanket tighter to his body.

"Here," I carefully sit next to him and wrap my blanket around his shoulders. I glance at him for permission to touch him, and he nods ever so slightly. I snuggle closer and hold his hands to warm them up. If I wasn't so intent on making him comfortable and better, I would be staying clear from him and telling myself to get off his bed. "Better?"

He doesn't reply. Instead, he pulls me closer to him, cringing slightly as he slings his arm around my shoulders. "Don't move so much," I frown once more. We adjust a few more times until he is laying on his less injured area. He lays on his stomach as I sit with my legs folded to the side. He scoots a bit so he rests his arms and head on my lap.