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"Dislike then... hate is a rather strong word. I messed royally with her life. But that is beside the point. I probably should have waited, my own life is rather messed up as well right now. It was sort of a pot calling the kettle black situation, I fear, but the opportunity showed itself and well... sometimes one needs to take a leap of faith." says Ai softly.

"Did someone call my name?" asks Bez walking into the living room with a puzzled frown, drying his hands on a towel.

Ai looks up at Bez and smiles. "Naw... just making a statement about doing something by the seat of my pants... you know a leap of faith sort of thing."

Bez goes to sit on the hearth step by Ai's chair and nods. "Sometimes that is what you have to do. If you believe strongly about it... do it."

"Easy for you to say..." grumbles the bard testily.

Ai gives Hopian a puzzled look, then glances over at Bez who is sitting on the flagstones, staring at his feet. Sighing inwardly, kicking himself mentally in the rear, he reaches down and rests a hand on his shoulder. "No... no it wasn't. Ye... going to be alright?" he asks carefully running his fingertips over the bandages that appeared to need changing. "Want me to redress that fer ye?"

"Could ye get me some hot water to soak the old dressing with?" Ai asks Hopian as he uses the tip of a claw to slice away the gauze which was holding the dressing in place. and he sucks inward through his teeth when he views it. Extending a touch of healing magic into his touch, he begins to dab at the dressing with a damp rag, easing it away, swearing to himself as he does so.

Bez flinches slightly as it finally comes away, revealing an injury that is ugly and inflamed, hardly healed at all,

"Why did you tell me it was hurting you this much?" he demands, but it isn't Bez he's angry with. All of his wrath is directed inward at the one who had inflicted the bite in the first place. Sighing he tosses the old dressing on the fire.

"I... I need some of Ma's ointment. Hope, she left me a smallish amount in the medicine kit. It's in a small stoppered jar, tied with a red cord. Smells like cinnamon and green growing stuff when ye open it. It will fight the infection. I just hope it is enough."

Bez waves him over with a grumble. "Anything... if it will only heal. Do your worse."

Bez slowly peels his fingers off of Ai's hand and sighs. "I've always been slow to heal but this time it kept getting worse. All the bones in one piece?" he asks Ai who is examining his hand for damage.

"Wouldn't tell ye even if they weren't, but yeah... ye just managed to squeeze the living daylights out of it... no lasting damage. I'll live to play another day. Don't think I want to try any fancy fingering just yet." He wiggles his fingers experimentally and sighs. "Nope, definitely don't want that."

Ai smiles at him and scratches his ears with his free hand. "Thank you, Taro. It feels much better now. All he did was rearrange things in it for a tiny bit, I think. As such it will take a day or two to finally be put to right... nothing serious. His shoulder now..." he falters and shakes his head. "That will take far longer I fear."

Bez takes the injured hand and kisses the palm, closing the fingers afterwards, as though to have Ai hold the gentle caress. "Remember, iffin you believe you are right, then you must do what needs doing. You thought you were in the right... We are merely messengers, not deities. The future is not ours to see. We may get warnings... indications... but never cold hard fact. You thought I was going to hurt one you had embraced in your heart, Ai. It mattered not what form of love you felt for him, you loved him all the same. Remember that and not the act. "

Ai nods slowly and looks down at his hand, which is slowly sprouting white hairs on it's back. "Here we go again... Why can't I seem to control it?"

Bez chuckles. "You want an honest answer or one which has been watered down for your ears?"