Devouring midnight

Pyro had stiffened to the point that he wouldn't have been able to move to strike her even if he'd wanted to, but again he fell for her touch, as it was taken away he felt himself sink into himself a little more and without lifting his head he stepped over to the table, seating himself down without looking at her, his bloody hand held away from everything in case it were to be knocked. His eyes remained hidden and his face dull with lack of emotion but he seemed less tense now despite Alton lingering just in case.

She unwrapped the bandage gently, lifting his hand and pushed it away. Standing she opened and drawer in the counter and rummaged around inside, pulling out a pair of tweezers, thanking God that Barnelby kept his stuff in weird places. Sitting back down in the chair, she pulled his hand onto his lap.
"This may hurt a bit." She warned him, starting to pull shards of glass out of his hand.

He was unmoving in the chair, his face still blank as he felt the sharp invaders being dragged out. It was convincing enough that he was unfeeling but as a more tricky shard was targeted he felt his whole side flinch back and a tight gasp escape him. He looked into his hand and saw that his hand was glittering with the tiny slithers, there was no way Alton could have missed them when he had looked at it a moment ago...

Pulling out the last shard of glass she laid the twezers carefully next to his hand. Turning around she rummaged back around in the drawer pullign out a length of linen. Knotting it carefully aroudnt he wound, she patted his hand lightly.
"There. You should be okay now."

He pulled his hand back and slowly began flexing his fingers, feeling the improvement already, he clenched his hand and although it still hurt there was no evidence of the glass, Sai was thorough and behind his unfeeling, he appreciated it.
"Thank you..." He said, though he couldn't say much more without his voice cracking, he didn't know whether to throw himself at her or repel her entirely, she felt too far away as it was.

Sai nodded, kissing his cheek gently.
"You're welcome." She told him, leaning back in her chair. "Hungry? I've already cooked for Alton and Barney will come up whenever he wants to eat, but I know you haven't had much in there..." She folded her arms across her chest, a light frown crossing her face.

"Hungry?" The word was familiar, but Pyro hadn't thought about it in a long time, he even pressed his hand to his stomach, there definitely wasn't anything in there but nor was there the desire to eat. He looked to Alton who had remained in the room but had not spoken a word.
Alton was impressed, Pyro may have seemed tense but at the mention of Barnelby he hadn't reacted at all, so there was improvement to be seen already, but now he felt in the way.
"...I think I'd be okay eating a little" He said, looking back to Sai though his head still remained slightly dipped, unable to look her in the eye.

Sai nodded, pushign herself off the chair and started rummaging around for ingridiants in the pantry. That cupboard was somehow always so much colder than the rest of the house, even though she had no idea how Barnelby did it. Making a mental note to ask him, she pulled out the last of what she wanted and slid it onto the side.
"You still hungry Al?"

Alton shook his head slowly, pushing off from the wall where he had anchored himself.
"Truth is I'm more tired than I am hungry right now...if you think you can manage for a little while I might go and lie down for an hour or two...maybe I could see what Barnelby's up to and point him your way" He came up beside her and slid an arm around her shoulders to pull her in a little closer.
"And if you need me at all, you know where I'll be, okay?"

"Yeah, I think I'll be okay. Thanks." She murmured. "I'll go down to see him myself if he's not up by the time I'm done cooking. Knowing him he'll forget to eat..." She smiled, turning on the heat and pressing a pan on the top of it, cutting a chunk of butter off the slab and let it melt slowly in the pan.

Alton nodded, tearing himself away from her he turned out of the kitchen, casting Pyro a warning glance, not that Pyro’s dull eyes had caught the look. Pyro was still being unresponsive toward Alton and waited until his footsteps faded away down the lab stairs before he stood and walked across the cool floor to Sai, standing close behind her, close enough to touch her, but he didn’t so much as reach out, just stood there in silence.

Sai tensed up slightly, cutting up various vegetables quickly, sliding the knife into the sink. Working quickly and quietly, she turned around after thirty minutes pressing a plate of steaming food into his hands, followed by a glass of water.
"Sit and eat." She told him, dishing up a second plate for Barnelby, prepared to trek downstairs if need be.

As she turned away from him again, Pyro made as if to walk toward her, suddenly noticing the food in his hand. He sighed and took a seat at the table, watching the heat rise fromthe food while feeling no inclination to eat it. He had just been about to open his mouth to speak;
“Sai-” When Barnelby entered, forehead wet after spending so much time near the boilers. Again Pyro sighed, though with more frustration, he’d missed another chance because of Barnelby, who he still wanted to beat.

Sai glanced over to Barnelby, pushing the plate towards him along with a knife and fork.
"Don't care if you're not hungry, while I'm here you're gunna eat. Though I understand if you don't want to stay up here..." She mumbled, putting the dirty dishes into the large sink. It was a few more minutes before she turned around to face Pyro. "What were you going to say?"

Pyro's eyes had darkened when Barnelby sat across from him without a word of protest, staring at the food quite blankly.
"Nothing..." He answered, prodding his food with his cuttlery as if it mightjump up at him if he wasn't careful.
"I have nothing to say while this little freak is here." He shoved a forkful of food into his mouth ad swallowed without chewing, planning his next remark when the sound of metal upon metal scraped in his ear. Barnelby had picked up his own fork in his new hand and was bending it between his fingers. His jaw was set and it looked like Pyro's statement had sunk in. The sound began to intesify and before it reached any form of climax, it stopped, and the mangled remains of a fork were tossed across the table top to land on Pyro's plate.
Pyro merely stared, imagining his arm in the same position, which made him cringed.

Sai dithered at the sink, torn between leaving the almost unbearable tense atmosphere or staying and making sure Pyro didn't get another knock on the head. Filling up the sink with heated water (Another luxury she didn't want to have to leave behind but would have to eventually) she turned her back on the two, slowly cleaning the dirty pans.

There was silence between the males. Pyro no longer felt hungry and had his attention stolen by the fork. He sent Barnelby a glare but was surprised to see him stand, leaving the kitchen with his food, lacking one fork. He breathed a secret sigh of relief, and sat back in the chair.
"Sai....I am sorry..." He said,only just managing to say it out loud. He wanted to say more but before he thought about it, he found himself behind her again, and again he didn't touch her.

Sai tensed, taking her hands out of the water and turned around to face him, not caring that the water that clung to her arms was now dripping to the ground.
"Don't. Just...don't. I know you are and I forgive you just...I don't want to think about it any more..." She finally murmured, turning back around and dipping her hands back into the water, pulling out the clean saucepan.

He stood with an awkward feeling that he was intruding upon her. He didn't want to leave, didn't want to eat and he certainly couldn't sleep. He'd heard her forgive him, but it wasn't enough. He touched her shoulder lightly, his hand sliding halfway down her arm where it paused to allow for him to move his other arm, which took a different route, around her waist. He didn't want to hurt her, and his touches were ridiculously delicate.
"Don't...think about it then,if you don't, I won't either"

Leaning back into the touch she sighed lightly.
"Not as simple as that." Sai replied quietly, stroking his arm with a finger. "If it was it would already be forgotten..." She leaned forwards again, not moving out of his arms but continuing to wash the last dish.

When she didn't pull away he gained the confidence to hold her more firmly, resting his head lightly against her shoulder. He mentally searched for every part of her he'd hurt, and found himself slowly caressing them with his fingers.
"Nothing's simple...but I won't do it again...I promise...I swear"

Pulling the pan out of the water, she drained the sink and left it on the side.
"I know you won't. I think Alton would actually kill you..." She shook her head. "You have no idea how pissed he was." Flinching as his fingers touched a particularly deep bruise, holding back the gasp of pain.

"I don't care" He mumbled, looping his arms around her to hold her as close as he dared.
"It's not for him that I won't...it's for you......I don't care how angry Alton was...or Barnelby...I just wish you were more angry at me...for what I did.." He hugged her for a full minute before tearing himself away.
"I won't do it again because I love you..."

Gripping his arm, Sai pulled him back, kissing him lightly.
"No point in being angry, I would've forgiven you anyway. So I might as well not be angry, it's just easier." She leant against him quietly. "Love you too..." SHe murmured, ignoring the back door banging open, the tall form walking through the wide smirk on his face.
"Seen Barnelby?" Master demanded, ignoring the bloodstain covering his legs and splattered across his face. "She still won't break..." He babbled to himself, wringing his hands. He reached over, poking Sai to make sure she was listening.
"Where's Barne-?" He started, staring at her for a moment. "PREGNANT!!" He shouted pointing at her.

Pyro remained still, clinging to the moment, refusing to let it go, he'd waited long enough to have Sai so close.
Pregnant?
He pulled his attention to Master, only abe to repeat the word.
"Pregnant?..." He looked to Sai, she didn't look any different, wasn't any bigger so how could she be...
"Sai's notpregnant!" He shrieked, looking to her for help. "You aren't...are you?" The question was stupid, and he knew it, there wasn't a chance in hell that aster could be wrong about something so...trivial.
"Oh god...you are"