Sirius belongs to beloved friend @sleepyhead-whump!! He and Mariano are just so cute in the group military au! Also Solomon my beloved belongs to @sunshiline-writes even if he's just mentioned here
TWs: blood, gore, impalement, perceived ambush, shock, accidentally shot with a crossbow, the tension between a medic and a deeply unlucky guy but they're both boys, honestly all things considered this is pretty fluffy (mostly bc Mariano is going into shock)
Prompt: Ambush
The arrow still quivered as it buried itself in Mariano's throat. He stumbled, eyes wide and hands hovering in front of himself. Nothing would hurt for another minute.
Were they under attack?
Steady hands darted to either side of Mariano's face, and suddenly Sirius was there. Had they been walking together? They probably had been. He couldn't remember anymore. Sweet, worried dark eyes caught Mariano's gaze. "Mariano--listen to me." He said, his voice swallowing all the sound. Sirius always did take up his attention, though. "Don't try to talk. I'm going to help you sit."
Sirius was a medic, he was under Solomon's guidance. Mariano knew he was capable, reliable--handsome. But he couldn't say that.
Well, he couldn't say it for reasons beyond the arrow in his throat.
Frantic voices were quickly approaching, and as Sirius looped one arm around Mariano's waist, he realized he just was not going to understand anything the men said. Sirius supported him easily though, lowering him down to the hot ground as though he didn't weigh much of anything.
It was incredible, really. Sirius was incredible. He was talking to someone and telling them to call...emergency services? That probably was the best idea, yes. He opened his mouth, some vague thought drifting forward, before one of Sirius' fingers pressed to his lips.
"No--no talking, remember? You can...you can tell me whatever it is later." Sirius said, both hands going to cradle Mariano's head again. "An ambulance is on the way. Doctor Solomon will get you fixed up."
Sirius looked like a spirit of pure benevolence. He looked beautiful. His dark hair curled and swept around his face, and even when wide with worry his eyes were almost hypnotic.
Mariano raised a hand in a thumbs up. He didn't realize he'd started trembling. He was probably going into shock.
"I didn't--oh my god I didn't mean to--it just went off--" A panicked voice broke nearby as sirens began to creep into Mariano's awareness.
"We told you to keep your finger off the trigger, stupid!" Another retorted. "Okay--god, there they are, they really did get here fast."
Sirius looked up, breaking the eye contact they'd been holding. Mariano's mouth tasted like blood. At least he could still breathe. "There's the ambulance, they'll um, they'll probably brace your neck. After they snip the arrow shaft, I mean."
Mariano pointed at Sirius, raising an eyebrow. He didn't want him to go. Sirius glanced down, looking confused for a moment. "Oh! Oh, you want me to...to go with you?"
Mariano gave him a thumbs up.
Sirius' smile wobbled, and he hurriedly wiped his eyes on his sleeve, hands never leaving Mariano's cheeks. "Okay. Okay, I can do that. They should let me, since I'm a medic, too. I'll call the Sergeant when we're on the way and tell her what happened."
Mariano smiled, even as the space shrunk down into a familiar, deeply controlled chaos. EMTs, the rattle of a stretcher, and the careful hold of Sirius. It would be okay. If Sirius was there, it would always be okay.