The players were given the break finally from the hideous game.
It was turning perilous for one team and on the contrary, was completely interesting for the opponent.
The players were making their way to the respective greenrooms.
Even the 20 minutes break wasn't enough for the 'Panthera's' to cope up their injuries.
And some of them were seriously wounded.
As even the audience was also leaving their seats for a break, Iven faced troubles cutting through the crowd to reach for Seb.
His eyes were fixed on her till then.
Seb was walking out of the field pretty normally, her face expressionless. Clearly she's been trying hard to hold back.
The last thing Iven caught was that, Seb had detached herself from the team.
She's wasn't going to their green room!
Iven forced himself out from the mass, and decidedly followed her.
Once out of sight, Seb started suddenly limping.
Her expression exposed a lot of pain.
Iven watched fro behind a pillar with disappointment.
How much far this silly girl drag herself to?
She didn't even alert the nurse or the Coach of that damn wound!!!
Does she plan to go through everything each time???
That means every time this type of thing has happened, she always did this!
That's the limit of her self-dependence?
Iven did a good job hiding and watching what she does till then!
If he wasn't around this time, was she planning to play with that???
He tried to hold back and study her next move.
That'll decide what he should actually do!
He maintained his distance safely.
Seb leaned her back on the wall behind the college building.
Stretching her limb slowly forward, she clenched her lips tightly, shut her eyes and slit down the wall to sit.
Then she grunted out soundly, clasping her teeth.
Holding her ankle, she started squatting her limb back and forth to ease the pain.
But it was surely making it even worse!!!
She then wiped her sweat and accumulated tears with her right hand, still clasping her limb.
It was torturous to look at her face!
Seb started slowly adjusting her leg slowly.
Finally she was going to expose the level of the injury.
Her breath heavily increased through her mouth as she carefully pulled the edge of the sock down.
Iven immediately turned his back at her to avoid his shocking gasp!!!
It was terrible and he didn't want to have a second look at it.
Damn Belle!!!, he scolded in his head, why is it necessary for you to get wounded in every match you play???
He had restrained himself long enough, but not anymore.
No matter if he gets yelled at, he's going to her aid in this circumstance.
if not, she might again do something stupidly impossible!!!
Seb took one look at her wound and kept on staring for few seconds.
Then she let out a huge sigh wondering what exactly she should do about it.
It was bad and ugly.
It was gross!!!
The whole area had turned blue with a weird black centre.
Except that, the spike boots had pierced the area and it was seeping pus blood.
Totally clueless, Seb hid her face among her hands and knees.
All she could do was to dry it up in the open and spring back in the game without letting any one know. She can make it till it ends....she hopes so.
A pair of shoes was infront of her eyes suddenly.
She lifted up her head and faced a frowning face staring at her.
"Iven?..", she fumbled on her words,"...why you....".
Iven didn't say a single word.
No nagging, no scolding nor any lecture.
He simply came on his knees and gently lifted Seb's wounded limb, opening her spikes.
Usually Seb would object, but this time she didn't say anything.
She willingly let Iven do what he was doing.
His expressions were stern as he took out all his emergency aid kit he borrowed from the clinic. Opening her socks, he rinsed her blood from the water bottle. He was careful not to touch it, but loosely washed it.
Then tearing a piece of cotton, he dipped it in the disinfectant and held her limb again.
Glaring at her once as a warning, he gently pressed it against the wound.
Seb was watching till the time, but suddenly she turned her head and closed her eyes without a noise.
Iven wasn't looking, but was aware of her actions pretty clear. He felt the jolt on her body.
"Hurts?", he tried to divert her mind.
"No!", Seb replied firmly.
"You dare lie to me?", he softened his voice.
"I'm not", Seb replied without facing him.
Iven hid a smile as he continued on his job. She still needs to maintain her image during the situation.
"You don't have to pretend to be strong infront of me", he assured.
Seb turned her face back at him.
He was almost done. Even the pain seemed to be at ease after his touch.
Finally he put a patch on it lightly and left it open as it is and looked up at Seb with concern.
"What are you going to do now?", he asked. He didn't imply his decision or command at once on her. Based on her behaviour, it'll trigger her surely.
"You say...", Seb said unexpectedly,...what should I do?".
"You'll actually listen if I tell you to drop out right now from the game?", Iven asked.
"No", Seb was quick.
Iven gazed for a second and laughed shortly,"Then why even bother asking?"
"If you can suggest something which I'll actually listen", Seb pulled her knees closer to her chest.
"With such a wound, I should take you to the hospital", Iven said," It looks really serious".
Seb was staring with blank eyes at him.
Iven tried again,"Please for once, listen to me", he pleaded.
"I promise I'll go after the game", Seb said judging by his sincere concern," But for now, I can't leave midway when it's such a crisis situation".
Iven could understand her.
They indeed faced unfair insults. And leaving it on their own will only harm the ones who takes the game seriously later on.
Also, it's totally not Seb if she doesn't pay back for her unjust treatment.
She can't tolerate and not let them go who harmed her and her teammates.
He sighed once and kept looking in her eyes with lost hopes. He has no ideas whatsoever.
Time was running out, and they had to do something so that Seb can be in her form in the next half time.
All they were doing were engaging themselves in a staring contest.
Finally Seb sighed out in hopelessness and looked away from him.
Her eyes fell on the bandage roll which Iven had brought.
That's when a totally absurd idea struck her mind.
she looked at the roll once and looked back at Iven with bulgy eyes.
"What?", Iven didn't catch any of her intention.
Of course he was a sane man and such things can never cross his head.
Seb tsked her tongue and said,"Pass that bandage roll".
"Why? You can't play with that on. It'll be obvious through your sock and you'll be thrown out instantly", he said.
"That depends on your strength and how tight it is", she caught the bandage from his hand.
Iven still took twice of minutes to catch up to her.
He even tried studying the unusual smirk on her lips which was a exact stimulation of her unusual ideas and gave Iven the chills.
Finally when he understood, his eyes were completely popped out and a wide open mouth.
He violently shook his head and disapproved of the idea.
"You're completely crazy!!! Insane!!!", he shoot away from her.
"It's the best idea", Seb said softened,"It can buy me time without feeling anything".
"You can't even predict the aftermath Belle!", Iven was not ready to give in at all,"It'll be worse that it is now".
"I told you I'll go to the hospital with you, please", she was getting patience less.
"You sound totally nonsense Belle", Iven was losing his barrier to her,"How long can you manage to pull!".
"Till the game gets over and those 'Meteors' taste sand", she said,"Iven please?"
Iven threw a defeated and worried look at her.
He finally had to give in to her.
Those puppy eyes have the capacity to hypnotize him.
He started unbinding the roll as Seb smiled.
"Don't smile you maniac!!", Iven burst out even though he gave in,"I hope you can play up to 45 minutes more till your leg gets totally fractured".
"You'll there to carry me then", Seb tried sweet talking because she already got what she wanted.
"You'll be lucky if I don't throw you away", Iven said with fake anger,"This is going to get rather painful, brace your lips. You still sure this is the only way?".
Seb nodded once and looked away.
Iven then placed the bandage on her wound and wrapped it around.
Then came the most difficult part.
Without any second thought, Iven tightly wrapped a round over the wound, then another...and another....tighter...even tighter so that the blood isn't exposed through the socks!
Seb quivered occasionally, Iven breathed harder!!!
He put all his strength to tighten the wrap more and tied the knot below the wound on her calf.
Seb finally led out her breath.
Iven too fell on his bottoms.
They both were panting.
"That sure hurt a lot", Seb said with a exquisite smile on her face as she tried to get up.
Iven immediately was on his feet and took her palm to help her up.
"I hope you pass out in the middle you psycho woman!", he cursed.
He smiled at her stupidity and intense will power.
That spirit of hers and the foolish attitude really makes her one hell of a sportsman!
Her painful expression had changed into a vicious one.
Pain and unjust treatment was her stimulation to victory.
"They want wild, I'll show them wild", she said breaking her laze of shoulders,"Now, I shall prey upon you! Just you wait". Her eyes indeed of a predator's.
Iven's spine ran a shiver through it,"Sometimes you scare me", he said.
But it'll be interesting to watch how Seb will revenge upon them. No one ever dared to treat her such. They're yet to face a huge calamity upcoming.
He wrapped his hand around her waist out of the blue and pulled her closer,"Be careful", he whispered,"Don't push it too far".
Seb didn't resist.
She looked at him with a warm smile,"They pushed it far already, I'll just bring it back. Don't worry".
And there was last 5 minutes left...