hello!! could i get some doc/lion angst (like doc dying or something?) pretty please? you will have snatched my heart entirely
doc x lion was my first ship yes pls
side note: i was not around when the outbreak event was out, so i’ll be using what i know from cutscenes/op notes and create my own little mission & details.
warnings: cursing, gore, angst
summary: the ghost of lion’s mistakes still carry a heavy weight on his shoulders
at first, olivier was displeased with his newfound partner in the outbreak considering their clashing personalities.
it started when the two collided on site.
“haven’t you anything useful to do?” the darker man spat, a hand on the blond’s chest. “i’m working.”
“as am i,” olivier retorted, face neutral. “yet your presence seems to halt my progression.”
what if he hadn’t spoken back that day?
“progression? you charge in with your little drone and endanger everyone,” doc spat. “take your time, flament. maybe then you wouldn’t get in my way.” with a final shove in the shoulder, they parted ways, attempting whatever possible to save citizens from the virus. sure enough, lion froze, licking his teeth with a smile.
“it’s gonna be a long fucking operation,” he mumbled, running a hand through his hair. despite the disagreements, something came over flament, giving him a strong desire to spit on gustave’s grave.
what if he dropped out of the mission, then and there?
that exact moment approached olivier with open arms, much to his bittersweet delight. the situation was tight, with gustave on the ground hanging on by a thread. the bomb was planted, strong enough to kill whatever shouldn’t be alive. all they had to do was secure the point and ensure it will detonate. doc’s life was on its last moments, and the only available operator was flament. he sprinted over and leaned down, ready to fix whatever needed fixing.
“i’ve got you, mon amie,” lion insisted, grabbing the doctor’s hand. surprisingly, kateb pulled his arm away, wincing.
“non!” he cried, struggling. “je peux le faire!” he tried his damnest to reach for him stim, but was too weak in the position he was in.
“you fool,” lion chuckled uneasily, firmly holding his hand once again. “don’t be ridiculous.” against his wishes, olivier hoisted gustave up, providing him cover to stim himself. his tired eyes were once again filled with life and he sprang into action, taking down anything in his path while watching for his teammates.
“take your time, kateb!” he mocked, grinning through his mask. even through the doctor’s balaclava, he could sense the frown, making him smile even more.
what if he didn’t help him?
their interactions became more frequent, to their delight or displeasure.
lion would never admit it, of course, but watching doc’s dissatisfaction with his performance only drew olivier to impress him more, sometimes out of the job. while their views may contrast, there was something to intriguing about the french men being together. ash brought it up to gustave once, rendering him a red and stuttering mess.
“maybe you’re just flustered around him,” she joked. “you lose concentration.”
“perish the thought!” he replied, trying his hardest to sound disgusted. almost everyone could see through his façade, though, and lion was always lurking during doc’s confrontations, hoping one day he’ll outright admit his crush.
“unresolved animosity?” lion scoffed, feet up on the desk and he recalls a psychological analysis. “more so sexual tension.” the darker frenchman stopped his typing to stare.
“sexual tension?” doc repeated, eyes meeting the blond. “you want to have sex with me…?” it was a rhetorical question. his tone was flat, eyebrow raised, causing lion to let out a loud laugh.
“if you’re offering,” he teased, sitting straight, unlike his sexuality. “when are you available?”
“we’re professionals, and we need to maintain that,” doc concluded, hiding his mouth with his hand. “the feeling is not mutual.”
“bull~” lion hummed quietly, finally turning to attend to his own gadgets.
what if he kept his flirting to himself?
last came the catalyst to disaster.
the outbreak was just about contained and exterminated, all that was left was to administer an airborne immunity. all the team had to do was monitor the airlift and ensure it wasn’t knocked from the sky. their seats were beside each other, and when one was staring, the other was unaware, or so doc thought.
“have i something in my teeth?” lion teased, running a hand across his chin. “or am i just that pretty?”
“you’re an enigma,” doc replied, face pink. “so full of yourself.”
“nonsense,” olivier quipped. “our relationship is strictly professional, according to you.”
a loud crash interrupted the conversation, shaking the helicopter and nearly sending everyone’s gear out the side.
“we’ve got a problem,” jäger announced, strained. “dropped one of the canisters.”
“someone’s going to have to retrieve it manually,” doc observed. “i can do it.”
“no!” lion protested, putting a hand on his partner’s shoulder. “i’ve seen you on the field alone, you’re a support.”
“i can do it,” lion begged. “i’ve got the equipment, nothing can sneak up on me!”
“i’m more than just a doctor,” gustave fought back. “we can’t go together, someone’s gotta help lift the canister into the helicopter. i can bring myself back up if i come down. please.”
lion tried to read doc’s eyes, which were darting between his. his pleading gaze hit a soft spot in his heart, and he sighed.
“don’t get yourself killed out there.”
what if he volunteered to go anyway?
“merci,” gustave concluded, ready to jump from the copter. as jäger lowered to the ground, doc took a deep breath and hoisted himself onto the ground, weapon by his side. lion watched him walk into the hazy red air, snarling in the distance.
“he’ll be okay,” marius reassured, looking back to the worried blond. “doc sticks to his word, he’ll be back.”
“something’s wrong,” olivier nervously stated, looking down to the ground. “let me down.”
“no can do,” marius replied. “just give him time, we never saw where the canister landed.”
“if you’re not going to let me down, then give me a damn parachute!” his throat tightened as he desperately pleaded. the pilot groaned, finally lowering the vehicle enough for lion to hop out.
“if it gets bad…” streicher began. “use the flare. i’ll be over as soon as i can.”
as his boots made contact with the floor, an overwhelming sickening feeling brewed in his stomach. it was too quiet, and not a single gunshot rang out from the time his friend left.
“kateb?” he called out, watching his step. his cry echoed into the air, making him feel sicker than before.the echo of his footsteps over the bodies was unnerving, and finally, he kicked something that had still been moving.
sure enough, beside his foot, was the man he’d grown to adore. his armor was ripped to shreds and any skin exposed was pouring out blood. disregarding the flare or any other precautions, lion dropped everything and knelt to doc’s side.his breathing was thin, almost inaudible unless he was against his face. tears pricked at his eyes as he watched doc’s dark irises lose the energy they once had. the situation was dangerous, sure, but time seemed to stop once olivier knew the extent of the damage.
“you’ll be okay,” he begged, trying to find a decent spot to lift gustave up. every attempt left him in a groaning, painful mess, yet olivier denied any type of inevitable consequence. “stay with me, please.”
doc laughed, sending a splatter of blood from his throat.
“where does it hurt the most?” lion asked, tears already slipping down his cheeks. “tell me what to do, i–i’m not a medic.”
weakly, doc responded with a gesture, moving a hand to his stomach, which seemed totally split open. there’s no coming back from that.
“you can come back from that,” lion exhaled with a panicked smile. “you come back from anything!” doc shook his head. olivier finally gave in to lifting up the doctor and placed his hands on his cheeks, wiping the blood from around his jaw.
what if he could save him?
gustave’s eyes continued to move despite the absence of breathing for a few moments, and lion placed his ear on doc’s chest to hear his heart slow to a stop. no matter how hard he pressed against him, the heartbeat was now entirely gone, just as his face paled and movements stopped.
flament reached for the flare gun he discarded and shot once into the air, now hearing an approaching helicopter above.as the wind from the blades weaved through their hair, lion now had gustave cradled in his grasp, his body heavier than it was when he was alive. marius sprinted from the vehicle and joined his partner’s side, removing his helmet and staring on in shock.
“i’m sorry,” he whispered, placing a hand on his shoulder. lion never once looked up, instead studying doc’s still features. tears landed onto his pale cheeks, slipping down without a single muscle reaction.
“what if i was there for him?”
“there’s nothing you could’ve done.”
“but what if i was there for him?” lion repeated, voice filled with venom.
“why couldn’t it have been me?”
stormborns
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