Arria was slowly coming to his senses, even though he didn’t really want to. His body hurt and another soft whimper escaped him, “C-Carter…” He lifted his head just a little, just to know that it was his love, that he was safe and that they both were safe.
Carter’s heart broke a little at Arria’s whimper, “Yes love? We’re okay now, Yuri is- he’s gone.” Carter swam a little faster when he could see their cave. “We’re home, love. Safe and sound.”
Arria blinked once, “H-He’s… gone?” He spoke so quietly you’d miss it if you weren’t paying attention. He couldn’t quite believe it, the prince was finally not an issue for the both of them.
“Yes,” Carter said shakily, as he swam into their cave’s entrance. He looked down as he added quietly, “I’m- I’m sorry.” His voice wavered slightly. Carter was still shaken from what he’d done.
Arria seemed to get a little bit more energy, "C-Carter… you did what you had to…" He reached up and wrapped an arm around his neck, "Y-You're nothing like him… I love you… I always will…"
Those words hit Carter with a wave of relief and comfort, and a soft smile creeped onto his face. “I love you too,” He softly touched his forehead to Arria’s, just holding him for a few seconds. “I love you.”
Carter slowly broke the water’s surface in their cave and swam over to the shore so they could both rest for just a few more moments in each other’s arms before Carter went to get bandages and maybe salves or healing tonics.
Arria sucked in a small breath, the cold air of the cave hitting the exposed wounds and making them sting uncomfortably. He curled more into Carter, hiding away in his arms and never wanting to leave.
“It’ll be okay,” Carter whispered softly, “But we need to get those bandaged up, love.” Carter glanced at Arria’s tail, biting his lip. He wasn’t experienced in medicine at all, but he remembered when Arria had first saved him—he had put kelp on the spot the sting ray stung him. Carter supposed kelp would be better than nothing. “Will you be okay if I set you down in the sand for a few minutes while I get some kelp or something?”
Arria whimpered softly but nodded. He knew he wasn’t letting on how bad the injuries actually were and the quickly they got them fixed up the better. Even though he didn’t want Carter to go, he knew he had to, “Y-Yeah, I-I’ll be fine.”
Carter swam closer to a shallow spot and slowly set Arria down, but he lingered. He placed a soft, gentle kiss on his love’s forehead before forcing himself to swim down and out of their cave to grab some kelp from nearby. He grabbed extra than what he thought he needed, and just as he was swimming back his tail shimmered and changed to legs.
He panicked for a second but quickly got a hold of himself when his head broke the water’s surface on the inside of their cave. It was bound to happen sometime, he was glad he changed at home instead of in Yuri’s palace.
Arria looked up from where he was staring at his tail when he saw Carter’s head pop up. His eyes widened a little when he saw the tail gone but he was glad he’d been close to home when the change happened, “Y-You okay?”
“Yeah, I’m all good.” Carter responded as he swam up to sit next to Arria. “I’m more worried about you,” He said softly and picked out a strip of kelp from his bundle, “Can I see your wrists?”
Arria bit his bottom lip, slowly holding out his wrists for the other to see. There were bright red, raw marks around each, small burns and shock marks traveling a little further up his arms.
Carter stared at his love’s wrists for a few moments, barely breathing. “Arria…” He must’ve been in so much pain… Carter gently started wrapping one wrist with the kelp, slowly working it up his arm.
Arria bit down harder on his lower lip, trying to stop it from trembling. It stung, badly but he tried not to let it show, Carter seemed worried enough and he didn't want to make it worse, especially since this was his fault in the first place. He kept his gaze lowered, trying to keep a hold of himself.
Carter finished wrapping Arria’s arm, oblivious to Arria’s pain, then he slowly moved on to the next one. He tried to focus on what he was doing, but the more he looking at the remnants of what had been done to the love of his life… His hands paused their work as he looked at Arria’s face and said softly, “I’m sorry I didn’t stop this sooner.”
Arria lifted his gaze to Carter, opening his mouth for a moment before closing it and looking down at his lap, taking a few, deep breaths, "It wasn't your f-fault, Carter," He silently cursed his voice for stuttering from the pain, "Y-You don't have to be s-sorry."
Carter froze. “Arria?” He quickly set aside the kelp he hadn’t used yet, “How badly are you hurt?” He whispered, biting his lip. He raked through his brain for a solution, something that could help but all he knew was human medicine, and he didn’t have access to that—there wasn’t a chance he’d leave Arria.
Arria was silent, refusing to look up at Carter. He knew he should tell him the truth but he also knew Carter was worrying enough, "I-I'm fine. I-It's really, it's not that bad Carter…" An obvious lie and he knew it.
“Arria, it is that bad,” Carter was about to grab his love’s hand but decided against it, in case it would Arria, “Where can I take you to help you? Is there some kind of hospital or medicine shop or-“ Carter bit his lip, trying to stay calm. He didn’t even have a tail, and he didn’t see any potions… “What can I do to help you?”
Arria tried to flex his fingers as he thought, only to regret it a moment later. He bit his lip, trying to stop it from trembling too much, "Th-There's a shop," He started quietly, "I-In the city… i-it's next to a hospital b-but they do medicines th-that help… I-I've had them before."
At least there was somewhere. Now Carter just needed to get Arria there. “Do you know if there’s anymore potions around here?” Carter asked as he bit his lip, wobbling slightly as he stood to survey the cave.
Right in the corner of the cave was Arria's bag. Peaking out, was half of a potion that should last them long enough to get the medicine and come back. Arria nodded towards his bag, biting his lip hard enough to draw blood.
Thank goodness. Carter hopped over to Arria’s bag, grabbing a potion and rushing back to Arria’s side before drinking it. His legs shimmered to become his half-tail, and he gently lifted his hand to touch Arria’s cheek. “You’re going to be okay, love. I promise.” He kissed his love on the forehead, before adding, “Do you want me to try to put the kelp on your other arm and tail, or would you rather just swim directly to the shop?”
Arria nuzzled into Carter's hand, sniffling a little and blushing at the kiss. At the question, Arria bit his lip and shrugged a shoulder, "I… I-It might be useless to p-put the other kelp on… w-we might as well j-just g-go…"