67. “You NEED to sleep.” dealers choice on who!
"You need to sleep, Blue."
What he needed was a jam jar of moonshine and a cigarette. Nate smiled wide and carefree in rebuttal.
Brow pinching, Piper slammed a foot down in front of him, blocking his path to the door.
His smile wavered a little. "I'm fine, really." He assured her, reaching a hand out to squeeze her shoulder. Cold fingers were a little shakier than he might've liked. "I'll sleep when it's finished, okay? Scouts honor." He made a signum crusus over his chest.
She blinked, scowling. "There's two-dozen Minutemen out on watch duty tonight, and twice as many searching for the shooter. And," she inclined her head, "no reason to think you stumblin' around out there half outta your gourd is gonna make any difference in how things pan out." She pressed the point of a finger to his chest. Hard, apparently, because he felt his balance waver and the world spun wildly in response.
Nate's grip on her tightened. Vertigo stole his chance at a rebuttal.
"You know what? No. I take it back." She snarked, "You'd be a liability, Blue." Grabbing his wrist to steady him, she aligned their torsos and let her grimace melt into something softer. "Look. I get it. Neither of us is good at sitting on the bench while others go to bat for us. But trust me a little, here, ok? You're in no condition to—"
"They saw me take a bullet, Piper." Nate huffed, wincing as his stitches twinged. "I won't hide from this. My men need to know their General isn't scared. That I'll keep fighting. "
"They need to know their General isn't an idiot." She reparted. "Which means getting some damn rest. I'm surprised the Med-X Doc Anderson gave you hasn't knocked you on your ass already, actually."
He blinked.
She blinked. "You didn't take it, did you?"
"It would have —"
"Put you to sleep. Yeah. That was the point." She huffed, putting her hands on her hips. Then rubbed her brow and sighed, tapping a foot. "Jesus, Blue."
He stared at her, pensive for a moment. When her foreheard-rubbing persisted, he glanced to the side, almost boyish in his sheepishness. "If something goes wrong, an - and I'm drugged into a stupor — I can't risk that, Scribbles." The very thought pulled his chest tight and sent pain shooting through the sour wound in his side.
"Did that gunshot make you deaf, too?" She asked, looking up sharply. She snapped her fingers, "What exactly would you prove to anyone by waltzing out there and falling flat on your face?" Her tone turned mocking, "Behold the mighty General, come to save us all with his surperior stupidity and flawless fainting skills!"
"I just—"
Piper's scathing look silenced him.
Nate swallowed. His heart was pounding like a drum in his ears. Pain spiked through every thought and formulated reply. He really needed to find a chair. But that wouldn't exactly help him make his point. So instead, he fought the urge to sway, and met her gaze, and opened his mouth to argue.
He wasn't entirely sure how he ended up on the floor, after that. He'd blinked, and opened his eyes again to the ceiling above. A new pain arced up his elbow and shoulder. His insides felt like spaghetti, and nausea bubbled up in his throat.
Piper leaned over him, face awash in horror as she slapped at his cheek. "Blue! Blue!"
"Nhg..."
She sighed, cupping his jaw and putting on a brave smile. "I wasn't asking for a demonstration, y'know."
Squinting his eyes shut, Nate considered trying to move. But thought better of it. "Sorry…"
"You're bleeding again." She worried, peeling back his shirt and exposing sore skin to cold air. "I should go get the Doc."
"…Yeah."
"Blue?"
He cracked an eye open.
She lifted his hand to her lips. "You really are an idiot."
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Whump Prompt Asks
