Man Down
Redmond stepped outside into the cool evening air, getting a break from the heat of the forge. It was time to wrap up for the night, his muscles feeling worn down to the bone and his back protesting the strain. He’d done too much. Again.
As he toweled off the sweat and ash from the day, he took in the sights of the evening. The streets were coming alive, people milling about from place to place, chatter picking up. A man in skimpy attire lit up a cigarette across the street from him, wearing barely enough to shield him from the cool air. Redmond blushed and looked down, rubbing his face to remove any of the day’s grit as much as to shield his blush. Sex workers were commonplace in Goodneighbor, but he always felt like he shouldn’t be looking.
His face clean, he took a breath. Curiosity got the better of him, and he took a furtive glance to where the scantily-clad man on the corner had been a moment ago. This glance turned much longer, shock dulling his reaction as he realized that man had crumpled to the ground in the brief moment before.
“What--?” Was all Redmond got out before he found himself legging it across the street, the towel discarded unceremoniously in his wake. Carefully, he knelt and propped the stranger up, supporting his head against his arm like a child and checking for his pulse with his free hand. “H-hey, uh, you okay?”
