#bleeding thru the bandages
Last Whumptober fic for 2021!
https://archiveofourown.org/works/34862950
Fic Summary:
Mista and Narancia attempt to re-enact the Black Knight scene from “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” during a day off. It goes about as well as one might expect.
“Keep moving.” Luigi growled at his sister. His arm was snaked across her waist and her arm was across his shoulder. He was barely keeping her upright. They came across an abandoned building. “Pavi, check if the place is clear.”
Pavi nodded and ran in; gun held before him.
Luigi could barely hold his sister up. He wondered if it was fatigue from running so long or if his sister was putting more and more weight on him.
Pavi ran out of the building and nodded. “It’s-a clear.”
Luigi followed him in and found a large empty room with no windows and a single door. “This should be secure enough.” He laid his sister on the ground.
Amber curled into herself and moaned.
“Let me see.”
Amber was bleeding from a bullet wound in her gut. Luigi removed his jacket and pressed it on tightly. His vision went white for a second. He shook it off. Adrenaline was quickly sapping out; leaving a cold fear in his stomach.
Two men had ran inside Amber’s office and shot her. Maybe they hadn’t realized he and Pavi were there. He wondered if there had been similar assassins sent to their offices as well. He managed to shoot the two rebels but it became clear that GeneCo was being overwhelmed. The GeneCops had been sent to quell a riot at the other end of town. It was a trap. They had no choice. He grabbed Amber and they escaped GeneCo. A hidden escape route that led them to the outskirts of town. Maybe it was a good thing Rotti was a paranoid bastard. Gunshots had surrounded them. He hadn’t had a chance to check if Pavi was shot either. But he was on his feet. Amber was the one in need of help.
Pavi ran up to him. When did he leave? “There isn’t-a anything in the building. Just a first aid kit but-a nothing we can-a use to stop the bleeding.” Pavi’s voice was low and serious.
Luigi pressed against the wound harder. Amber cried out in pain. “We don’t have a choice. Just bandage the wound tightly.”
Pavi did what he was told. He forced himself to ignore his sister’s cries of pain.
Luigi released the jacket and stood. He rubbed his temples as he felt a migraine come on. Fuck. Not now.
Pavi tightened and taped the bandage. “It should-a hold for now.”
Luigi nodded. He couldn’t think. The migraine was pounding in his head. He felt his vision flash in and out. The adrenaline crash plus lack of sleep must have aggravated it. “We can’t do anything but wait. We should take turns resting. Pavi, take the first watch. Keep an eye out for the rebels.”
“Si, fratello.”
Luigi laid on the ground. He gripped his head. It was getting worse. His vision kept flashing in and out. He shut his eyes tight. Why now? Why now when he needed to find a way out of this situation?
“How are you feeling, sorella?” He focused on the sounds of his brother and sister talking; trying to ignore the nausea the migraine was giving him.
“Better. It’s…it’s cold.”
“I know. Here.” There was a short period of silence, “Better?”
“Yes.” His sister sounded so weak. Fuck. What could they do? If the riots were a trap, how long would the GeneCops be distracted for? Would they have planned a bomb or explosion to take them out? Then how many men would be left? When they came back to GeneCo, would they be able to take it back? They couldn’t stay here for long.
“Just take a rest-a, sorella. Everything will-a be fine.”
***
Pavi watched his sister as her eyes drifted close and her breathing evened out. He lifted his jacket to see the bandages slowly soaking red. Fuck. He stood quietly, so he wouldn’t disturb his sister. He approached his brother who was gripping his head tightly. “Migraine?”
Luigi just grunted.
“There’s-a aspirin in the first aid kit. But-a seeing how long this place has-a been abandoned for, it’s-a likely gone bad.”
“It’s fine.” Luigi said shortly. He paused for a moment. “Are you injured?”
“No.”
Luigi blearily opened his eyes and looked at him.
“It’s just-a my shoulder. It’s-a not bleeding. I’m-a fine.”
Luigi shut his eyes again.
“She’s-a going to bleed out. The bandages aren’t-a doing anything.”
“What do you propose we do?”
“She needs a doctor or-a someone who can-a stitch her up.”
“GeneCo is overrun.”
“Maybe not-a GeneCo. The underground clinics.”
Luigi paused. “They hate us. If they’re part of the rebellion, what’s stopping them from killing us?”
Pavi looked at his sister shivering on the ground. “We may not-a have a choice.”
“It’s too risky. It’s better to wait…” Luigi grimaced, “Wait for the GeneCops.”
“She’s-a going to bleed out.”
“She’s not…going into shock yet. We can wait…till morning… See…if the GeneCops…managed to take back…GeneCo.”
“She needs-a help now!”
“I’m…tired…Paviche.” Luigi turned to his side, facing his back towards him.
“This conversation is-a not over, fratello. You-” Pavi paused. Luigi’s hair was strange wet. It hadn’t been raining has it? No, Pavi was dry. Pavi reached forward to touch it. It was thick and sticky. Pavi pulled back his hand to see it covered with blood. His heart sank. “Fratello?” Pavi pressed his hand against Luigi’s head and he felt the open wound. Blood seeped through his fingers. “Fratello?” When was his brother injured? Why didn’t he say anything?
He pulled his brother onto his back; ignoring the strain in his shoulder. “Fratello.”
Luigi’s eyes just stared upwards. Shallow gasps escaped his lips.
“Fratello, look at me. Fratello, look at me, please.”
But Luigi just stared upwards, unresponsive; the shallow gasps the only indication he was still alive.
“Fratello, you bastard-”
“Pavi? Brother, what’s wrong?”
Pavi froze. He forced his voice steady. “Nothing, sorella. Fratello’s just-a being stubborn. Go to sleep, sorella. Please.” His voice cracked and his hoped his sister didn’t hear it. He waited and listened until his sister’s breath evened out once more. He turned back to his brother. “Fratello,” He tried to keep his voice down. “Don’t-a you dare do this. Don’t-a you dare make me deal with this on my own.”
His hand was still cupped under Luigi’s head and he felt the blood pool. Pressure wasn’t going to help. Underground clinics weren’t going to help. They needed GeneCo. They needed GeneCo. “Fratello please. Just-a look at me. Just-a say something please.”
No response. No flicker of recognition. What could he do? He couldn’t carry Luigi out like this even if his shoulder wasn’t injured. And even if he could, where could they go? Back to GeneCo? They’d be shot dead. What could he do? What the fuck could he do?
Pavi couldn’t move. He couldn’t do anything but sit there just holding his brother. He couldn’t do anything but quietly beg his brother to move; to reply him; something. But Luigi did nothing but gasp quietly in his arms. Pavi could do nothing but just watch.
***
Pavi awoke with a start. He was still in the same position he was before. Luigi was cradled in his arms, his right hand cupped around his brother’s head. He was supposed to keep watch. He was careless. The blood on his right hand was crusted. It wasn’t wet. Luigi was still staring blankly upwards but the gasps were no longer escaping his lips. “Fra…fratello?” Shaky fingers reached for his brother’s face. He was cold and stiff. “Fra..fratello… No… No… Don’t do this. Fratello, don’t do this…”
“Pavi?” Amber. Fuck. She couldn’t find out. She couldn’t know.
“Give…give me a minute, sorella.” He forced his voice to steady. He forced his eyes to remain dry. He pulled his right hand back and shook at the blood that coated it. He scrubbed the blood off desperately. He had to pretend everything was alright. She didn’t need to know. Not now. Not while she was so weak.
He stood and his knees refused to support him. He had to remain calm. Amber would find out. He had to remain calm. He approached his sister. “Sorella?” His voice was tight.
“Pavi…is…something…wrong?”
“No, sorella. Everything’s-a fine. How-a are you feeling?”
She stared at him and blinked. “I..I’m thirsty.”
“We don’t-a have water, sorella.” He placed a hand on hers and froze. Her hand was cold and clammy. She was going into shock. “Sorella, I need to get-a you to a doctor. If I hold-a you up, can-a you walk?”
Amber stared at him. She blinked twice and slowly nodded. “Rebels…in…town…”
“I know. But we don’t-a have a choice” Pavi lifted his jacket and the bandages were soaked through. “You’re losing too much-a blood. We have to stop-a the bleeding.”
“It’s…cold…”
“You’re going into shock. We need-a to get you help before you collapse.”
“Rebels…”
“We have to risk it.” He placed his hands below his arms and pulled her up. Pavi bit back a curse as his shoulder protested.
Amber was on her feet but swayed.
He placed his arm around Amber’s waist. “Just-a lean on me.”
She leaned heavily on him.
“That’s-a it, sorella. I just-a need you to stay on your feet.”
“I feel dizzy.”
“Just-a lean on me. Everything’s going to be fine.” They headed out of the room.
“What…about…Luigi?”
Something tight clenched in Pavi’s chest. He forgot how to breathe for a second. “He…He wants to coordinate taking back GeneCo with the GeneCops. He will-a find us once it’s safe to get back to GeneCo.”
Amber’s brow furrowed, but she didn’t say anything.
By the time they reached town, Pavi was practically dragging his sister. “Just a bit more, sorella, please.” Pavi panted. His shoulder ached and protested but he couldn’t stop now.
“Rebels.” Amber muttered weakly.
Pavi’s eyes widened as he spotted them too. He pulled his sister into the alleyway.
Amber slumped further and further downwards. Her legs gave up and she sank to the ground. Pavi caught her and tried to pull her up. “Sorella, please. We’re already here. Just a bit more.”
“I…I can’t…hold…my….self…up.” Her words were beginning to slur. She leaned deeper into him.
Pavi caught her before she ended up on the ground. She lay against him, breathing heavily. He cradled her to him. “Sorella, please. It’s-a just a bit more. We’re just-a there.”
“I…I don’t…think…I…can…ke…keep…my…eyes…open.” Amber shivered in his arms. “It…it’s so…cold.”
“Please, sorella. Just-a hold on. Just a bit more. Please. Please, don’t-a leave me alone.”
“A…lone?”
Fuck. It slipped out. He hadn’t meant.
“Bro…brother…wh…what do you mean…alone?”
“Sorella, I…”
“Wh…what do you mean?”
“Fratello, he… he was-a shot. He didn’t… He’s dead.” Pavi shook as the words escaped his mouth.
“You…you said…”
“I didn’t-a want to upset you.”
“No.”
“I’m sorry, sorella.”
“No… He…he’s…not…dead.”
“Sorella, he’s gone.”
Amber raised a weak hand. “He…he’s ri…right th…there…”
Pavi grabbed her hand. She was so cold. “There’s-a no one there, sorella.”
“Pa…Pavi…” Deep gasps escaped Amber’s lips.
“Sorella, please.” He held her as she grew colder in his arms.
Her gasps grew weaker and more uneven.
“Sorella, please. Don’t-a do this.” Tear streamed down Pavi’s face.
Her gasps grew quiet as she shuddered and fell still.
Pavi held her tighter to him. Sobs wrecked his body. He couldn’t move. He refused to move. He just sat there cradling his sister’s body.
Footsteps approached him. Pavi still held his sister to him, tears long since dried. He just stared forward. He heard a gun cock. He looked up to see 3 rebels standing before him, gun pointed at his head.
“Do it.” He said hoarsely. He shut his eyes and waited.
Bang!
Note: In my defense, only Amber was meant to get hurt and everyone was meant to have survived. I… don’t know what happened.
