He smiled. Dropping his sword, he snatched her wrist in one hand and pulled her to his chest, holding her and the blade still. "There," he murmured in a voice of weary satisfaction. "Thats what I was looking for."

She chuckles, "I know. Just didnt want to hurt you." She mutters. "Not that I'd ever have a chance."

He sighed, resting his forehead on hers. "Im sorry," he murmured, genuine regret in his voice. "I didnt mean to hurt you. But I do want you to understand. Teaching you to fight means youre going to be in even more danger, and I may be hard on you sometimes because I dont want you to lose." He released her wrist and ran his hand up to her shoulder, smoothing the hair from her neck. "Do you still want to continue?"

She nods, "Preferably."

"Tomorrow, then," he said, drawing back. "Same time. Now, lets go put something on those welts."

She nods.

Ash disappeared into the kitchen for a moment. He talked to Leanansidhe's brownies before he reappeared holding a small tan jar.

"What's that?"

He didnt say anything as he led her upstairs to the loft, sitting her down on the neatly made bed after pulling off the bear rug. Opening the jar released a sharp, herbal scent that was oddly familiar, kind of like from a similar scene in a cold, icy bedroom, with Ash shirtless and bleeding.

She stares at the jar silently.