Really, was there anything uglier than helmet hair?
Uncertain, he went to the cabinet and searched for supplies to stop some of Ture’s bleeding. Gathering them together, he forced himself to think about tending wounds and not the fact that Zarya’s best friend was absolutely gorgeous. Sexy. Completely edible...
Even though Ture had been beaten and tortured, it couldn’t take away from his incredible good looks. His reddish brown hair was two shades lighter than Darling’s with highlighted tips that had grown out during his imprisonment. As had his beard. Something Maris had never found attractive on any man and yet...
Ture made it look good.
Damn good.
Worse, Maris had always been a sucker for a man in pain. It was probably why he’d fallen in love with Darling years ago. The little bugger had taken a beating for him on the first day they met in grade school. That heroic action coupled with the sight of Darling bleeding to protect him had won him over instantly.
But this was very different. Ture wasn’t a boy. He was a man full grown and totally delectable. Stupid hormones. Unlike him, they had no loyalty. And they were all standing at attention while he looked down at a man who was as gorgeous as anyone Maris had ever met.
Forcing his thoughts away from the fact that Ture’s muscles were well defined and hard, Maris set his supplies on the table next to the bed. He opened the cloth that was soaked in disinfectant then moved back to Ture. “I’m not sure what to give you in way of a painkiller so this is probably going to sting.”
“It’s fine. Pain I can take.”
Brave words. But as Maris set the cloth to the deepest wound on Ture’s cheek, he realized the man wasn’t bragging. He didn’t even flinch.
And that was sexier than hell.
As carefully as he could, Maris cleaned the blood, sweat and dirt from Ture’s face so that he could see how bad the injuries were. Yet all he really uncovered was a set of rugged features that did nothing for his sanity. And it didn’t help that he knew Ture was definitely on the menu...
His gaze burning into him, Ture reached up and covered Maris’s hand that was on Ture’s cheek with his own. “Thank you.”
Ture’s gratitude confused him. “For what?”
“Being the man Zarya said you were.”
Maris snorted at the compliment that made him deeply uncomfortable. Born and bred in a warrior culture where they had thirty-three words for honor, twenty for loyalty and not a single one for love, Maris could count on one hand the number of times someone had complimented him for anything. “Trust me, I’m more bitch than hero.”
Ture laughed then winced as if pain cut through him.
The door opened. Maris turned to see Syn coming in with his helmet off. The Ritadarion thief and assassin was almost even to his height. Syn had his dark hair pulled back into a ponytail, and the liner Syn routinely wore into battle was smudged a bit around his left eye. “How’s he doing?”
Maris stepped back to give him room. “Not a doctor.”
“Yeah well, to hear Kip tell it, most days I’m not either.”
Maris laughed while Syn started examining the cuts and bruises on Ture’s face.
Ture wasn’t sure what to make of the newcomer. Not until he reached into a drawer by the bed and pulled out a biotec tablet. “I’m Syn,” he said in an even, calm tone as he turned the tablet on and entered a medical code. “And I really am a fully licensed doctor...graduated number one in my class.” He glanced up at Ture. “I’m assuming you’re purely Caronese?”
“I am.”
Syn narrowed his gaze on him. “One hundred percent? I don’t want to give you something and have a nasty surprise over it.”
Since Ture had only gone to local doctors on his home planet, he’d never thought about how hard a job it must be should a hybrid life form come in for treatment. “Yeah. As pure-blooded as anyone can be.”
“Okay.” Syn reached down into the pocket on the left leg of his battlesuit. “I’m giving you something for pain then I’m going to start a drip. I’m sure you’re more than aware of the fact that you’re badly dehydrated and malnourished.” Once he’d injected Ture, he looked over at Maris. “What about you, bud? Is that your blood all over your uniform?”
“Unfortunately. Bastards ruined it.”
Syn ground his teeth. “I can stop the bleeding, but you know I have nothing to give you, right?”
“I wouldn’t take it even if you did. Just clean it out and I’ll heal.” Too tired to move anymore, Maris sat down in the corner chair. “How’s Zarya?”