MCYT RANDOMNESS 2

I Look After Him - pt 1

I wrote the entirety of part 2 before deciding it wasn't going to be part 1.

Also the full title is 'While He Looks After the City, I Look After Him' but it was a bit long.

Tw: mild gore being treated

PoV: Cub

Hotguy's late again.

I stand, pacing, by the front door of our home, sometimes moving something on the table of medical supplies next to me, removing or adding cushions to the sofa... Something's happened. But he'll be ok, right? I check my phone and with it, the tracker in Hotguy's suit. 100 metres away. Not far. But in an emergency? I start pacing again. 90 metres. 80. He's moving slowly, is he ok? What's happened to him? Does he need me to come get him?

I check the clock again, grabbing bandages. But will I need to clean the wound first? Will he even be hurt? Will he need professional medical help?

A knock. I drop the bandages, open the door and-

'Lock it. Now.' Scar demands as he enters, clinging to the door for support before slamming it behind him. I lock up. When I turn back, he's collapsed on the sofa, fighting free of his top. A bullet's lodged in his shoulder.

'Oh notch, who did this?'

'Those- those fish... mafia... ow- OW- S***...'

'Scar, stop moving. Now,' I get his top off, chucking it across the room. 'You're not hurting yourself more.'

'Big- Big Salmon?'

'Really? They're still after you? I said hold still, Scar!' A cloth doused in medical disinfectant in one hand, I pull out the bullet, then quickly stem the blood. Scar hides a wince of pain.

'Yep... Cornered me, beat me up... Then when I got away, one hit my- ow- shoulder...'

'Oh my gosh... how'd you get out?'

He tries and fails to shrug, whimpering and curling up more from the pain. I grab some painkillers for him, just a couple, and he relaxes somewhat.

'Holy smokes... You're lucky it's not too deep, but still... Hold that there... I'm gonna have to give you stitches.'

'Now?!'

'Once it's cleaned. There's no way I'm letting the majestic superhero HoTGuY die of blood loss in his own home.'

'You can say I died fighting a mafia boss. And that I won.'

'You said you ran away.'

'I stabbed one of them with an arrow... Would've used those fireworks too but I lost my matches.'

'Again? Scar... Seriously...'

'And I might've blown myself up too.'

'Then use one of the fake ones... I know I packed some. Scar, hold still! Did they hurt you anywhere else?'

'Few hits to the face... One had a knife, but that didn't do much damage.'

'A knife? Scar, what?! Are you alright?'

'I'll be fine! I'll be fine! Stop worrying! Look, just deal with the bullet thingy... I'm not bleeding much. Oh, and do we still have some of that cake?'

'Scar Hotguy GoodTimes, you got SHOT!'

'Cubfan Vex, I'm- ow- fine!'

I sigh, shaking my head and grabbing another damp cloth to clean up the knife-wiund.

'Where did the knife hit you?'

'Just here.' Scar shows a small (shallow) cut across his cheek to match the growing black eye and bloody nose. I gently dab at it, trying to ignore Scar's little winces and flinches away. Once it looks clean, I cover it with a plaster. 

'Dude... you're sure you're alright?'

'Cub, I'm fine. Do I have to keep holding this?'

'Just for a moment, I'll give you the stitches... We'll just need anaesthetic to numb the area then...'

'I've had stitches before, Cub. You know what you're doing. I trust you... oh notch, you're shaking. Are YOU ok?'

I swallow, and nod.

'It wasn't that bad, Cub. Seriously. I wasn't scared knowing you'd be here to help me.'

'But still...'

'Hey, Cub. I'm fine. Believe me, I'm fine.' He takes my shaking hand, squeezing it reassuringly. 'Just... give me the stitches, and I'll be fine. Ok?'

I nod, breaking free and sitting on the edge of the sofa next to him. 

'Was the rest of your mission successful?' I ask eventually.

'Yeah, I got someone arrested! I caught a group of pesky thieves next to the Permit Office, I saw Grian there too, he called the police for me while I gave the thieves a good old talking to.' I have to laugh.

'All cower at the name of HoTGuY or he'll tell you stealing is wrong!'

'Cub! I'm serious! They were going to rob the Permit Office!'

'Sounds like Grian's the real hero here...'

'No he's not!'

'Scar, hold still.' I remind him as he tries to face me. 'I'm not finished.'

'Fine...' he falls into a jokingly sullen silence. I tie off the stitches, successfully stemming the bleeding.'

'Now, Don't move that arm much over the next few days. And no HoTGuYing until it's completely better.'

'Cub...'

'I'm serious, Scar. No HoTGuYing. I'm not letting you get hurt again. Especially with Big Salmon targeting you and beating you up.'

'I could fight Big Salmon with my hands tied behind my back!' He boasts. 'Nothing's gonna stop me from-'

'Scar.'

He silences, just nodding.

'I'm not losing you, Scar. I'm not having you coming home with any more bullet wounds, or finding you lying in the streets, or hearing that you've been brought to a hospital for urgent surgery. You're my best friend. You know how much I care about you.'

'I'm sorry.'

'It's alright. Just try to remember... You're not just the invincible, infallible Hotguy who can walk off a bullet wound as a story to entertain fans with. You need some time for Scar to recover, ok? Just for me.'

'Just for us.' A fond smile on his face, Scar raises one bloody hand to wipe a strand of hair off my face. Before he winces, pain flashing through his eyes,

'Ow- ow ow...'

'Just lie down,' I insist, holding onto him for support, and helping him down onto his side. 'Have another of these to numb the pain. I'll grab some pillows and blankets. You rest here, ok?'

'Ok.'

'Yell if you need anything else.'

As I race to Scar's room, my mind scrambles with emotions. Relief that Scar's alive, worry about his injuries, but beyond both of them, rage. Fury. Scar never did anything to Big Salmon. Nothing to make them attack him with bullets and knives, leave him lying in agony on our sofa. I return to the living room with stuff, dumping it all on the ground.

'Why've you got so much?' Scar asks. 

'I need stuff too.' I reply, chucking Scar a pillow. 

'You're- ow- sleeping here too?'

'Yeah, man. You think I'm just gonna leave you in the cold here?'

Scar smiles. 

'Thanks Cub.'

'No problem, man.' I get comfortable under my blanket and pillow on the floor. 'Wake me if anything's hurting or starts bleeding, ok?'

'I will. Goodnight, Cub.'

'Goodnight Scar,' I close my eyes, and start planning how I'll get Big Salmon back.