#i hope there's still enough hurrt/comfort?

[baronessblixen]

Hi ! I've hurt my shoulder and it's a real pain in the ***. Do you think you could write something comforting with Mulder nursing Scully who got hurt ?

Anon, I hope your shoulder is better by now! Shoulder injuries are the worst! This story had a mind on its own but I hope you enjoy it anyway. I picture this in later season 6/early season 7.

Tagging @today-in-fic

Fine

They’re on their way to lunch, still discussing their current case, when it happens. One minute, Scully is next to him, her shoulder bumping into his every two steps, and the next, she’s on the ground, her tiny hand wrapped around her ankle.

“Scully?” One of her heels has come off and swims around in a filthy-brown puddle right next to her. 

“I slipped,” she says, sounding just as surprised as he is. She tries to get up and struggles on the slippery sidewalk. Mulder extends his hand and she takes it.

“Are you okay?” She doesn’t immediately answer and he looks at her foot, the broken shoe half hanging off it, and he knows she isn’t, no matter what she’s about to say.

“I’m fine,” she says, making him groan inwardly.

“Your ankle doesn’t look fine. Can you walk at all?”

“I said I’m fine,” she repeats. She tentatively takes a step and winces. She stands there with one leg bent, like a cute flamingo, furious with the universe.

“Let me help you.”

“Mulder.” His name is an exasperated sigh.

“Let’s go back. You need to see a doctor.”

“I am a doctor. I sprained my ankle. I don’t need to spend hours at the hospital.”

“Fine,” Mulder says. “Then let me take you home at least.”

“It’s the middle of the workday.”

“Not anymore. We’re done for today. Come on, I’ll carry you.” She hobbles away from him as best as she can on one foot. He stares at her, dumbfounded.

“You’re not carrying me.” The way she says it leaves no room for negotiation.

“Then how are you planning on getting back?”

“I’ll walk,” she says, hopping on one foot.

“Let me help you, please,” he begs her. “Just… let me make sure you don’t break your other ankle, too.”

“It’s not broken, Mulder.”

“Potato, potahto.” He puts his arm around her waist and lets out a sigh of relief when she doesn’t fight him. “Are you happy now?” He asks her as they hobble along at a snail’s pace.

“Yes,” she says. “I’m fine.”

Mulder rolls his eyes and makes sure his arm is secure around her.

It takes them three times as long to make it back to the Hoover building. She stiffens against him when they run into a group of agents he doesn’t recognize. Mulder glances at her, at the way she bites her bottom lip. She tries to hide her pain and her vulnerability. As if he could ever think less of her just because she slipped and hurt herself.

When they make it to her car, finally, she takes out her keys, stares at them, and turns back to Mulder.

“I- I don’t think I can drive,” she admits.

He nods. “I’ll take you. Hop in.”

“What about your car?” she asks.

Mulder shrugs. “Doesn’t matter now. Let’s get you home.”

He parks as close to her building as possible and helps her out of the car. “Scully, can I carry-“

“No,” she interrupts him.

“What about the stairs?”

She stops in front of them, stares at them as if she’s completely forgotten they exist.

“I can try,” she says and hops onto the first one. She stumbles and almost topples over. That’s it. Mulder grabs her and picks her up swiftly.

“Mulder, no,” she says, but her voice is full of defeat. Her cheeks are flaming red and she hides them against his shoulder.

“You’d do the same for me if the roles were reversed,” he says andhe feels her chuckle.

“You think I’d carry you? You’re a bit, um, heavier than me, Mulder.”

He nods. “I know you’re tiny, but-”

“Hey,” she warns.

“But you’re strong,” he goes on. “You’re the strongest person I know.”

She wishes he could tell her how cute she looks, but knowing how much she hates this, being helpless in his arms, he stays quiet and carries her as if she didn’t weigh a thing.

They don’t run into any of her neighbors and Scully mumbles a short ‘thanks’ when they get to her apartment. She finds her keys and unlocks the door. Before she can argue, Mulder picks her up again.

“There’s a joke in here somewhere,” he says as he carries her over the threshold. “But I’ll keep it to myself until you feel better.”

Inside, he drops her on the couch and helps her out of her coat. Together they lift her leg onto the couch and elevate it with a pillow. Her ankle is swollen and bruised, looks angry and red. Mulder touches it softly and Scully groans.

“Sorry,” he mumbles. “Are you sure you don’t want to get it checked out?” She nods. “How much does it hurt? And please be honest.”

“Moderate pain,” she says. “I’ll be-“

“Fine, I know. Good thing you’ve treated me often enough, huh, Scully?” He grins at her. “I’ll get you some ice for your ankle and do you want ice cream or tea? What can I do for you?” His hand is still on her leg, his thumb absent-mindedly stroking her skin in soothing circles. 

“Ibuprofen,” she says and he nods.

“I’ll make you some soup.”

“I’m not sick, Mulder,” she reminds him with a smile.

“Soup heals all kinds of ailments, Scully. You’ll see. Anything else?”

She looks at him and a soft blush creeps into her cheeks. “Can you sit with me? Just… stay here with me?”

“Why do you think I left my car back at work? You’re my ride tomorrow morning, Scully.”

She answers his grin with a smile of her own. She’ll be fine. He’ll make sure of that.

[din-skywalker]

Your Heart- Part 2

I can’t remember if I’d posted part 1 yesterday or early this morning but either way y’all are getting part 2 my dudes. I’m having so much fun writing this and it is going to be a few more parts- idk how many more, but there will be more. I hope y’all are enjoying this as much as I am ;)

Getting both Jack and Ethan to move was easier than Mark had thought. The now zombie Jack could walk- if sluggishly slow- on his own and follows Mark every step he takes, keeping his milky white eyes locked on him no matter where he moves. He was able to lift Ethan from the ground, the smaller man being an easy carry as he is smaller and much lighter, easily fitting in Mark’s arms. At first Mark had been nervous about having Jack slacking behind him, but he soon came to feel comfortable with the zombie following them. In fact, as the sun began to set, having Jack around kept other zombies back oddly enough.

Maybe they could use this docile zombie Jack.

Mark just didn’t know how he is going to introduce the new zombie to the others. Ethan was supportive with keeping him alive, but then again, he is extremely squeamish and probably glad they didn’t have to kill Jack. He does blame himself for what happened, after all.

They reach the safe house about twenty minutes later. Tons of zombies had emerged from wherever they stayed during the day, groaning softly. Ethan had become tense in Mark’s arms but each zombie that grows near to them harmlessly passes by as Jack stays close to them.

“Heart… your heart…. heart….” This is what Jack has been muttering the entire walk back and while it creeps Mark out he decides not to stop the zombie. He doesn’t know if the smallest of things, like telling him to stop “singing” could set him off or not. “Want… yourrrr heaaarrrt…”

Mark knocks on the door best he can, shifting Ethan in his hold as he drops a tad. Ethan hisses softly in pain and Mark apologizes. He must be in so much pain.

The door opens a moment later and Mark quickly steps inside, grabbing Jack and dragging him in. The zombie gives no protest aside from a surprised gasping hiss, falling silent afterwards. Amy had opened the door and as soon as she’d seen Ethan she had turned and called to Kathryn. Kathryn knew the most about almost everything including first aid. She had become kind of the doctor of the group because no one else really knows as much. Though, she had begun to teach Ethan some of the techniques.

“What happened?” Kathryn asks as Mark lays Ethan out on one of the couches. She’s already setting down a first aid kit and opening it. Mark glances back at Jack who is standing forgotten in the doorway, breathing heavily like a confused dog. Tyler and Amy were rushing to help with Ethan and so have not yet noticed the zombie standing in their safe house. “Was he bitten?”

“No, he cut himself on metal,” Mark replied, moving back to the door. “I’m going to help Jack really quick, alright?”

“Yes yes,” Kathryn replied, waving him off as she pulls out antibiotics. Ethan shifts on the couch as she applies it, hissing softly.

Mark then grabs Jack’s wrist and drags him into his room, biting down on his lip as remembers his situation. He just let a zombie into their safe house- their only literal safe place in this hellish time. Yet, he couldn’t just leave Jack behind. He cares too much about his friend.

“Yourrr… heeaarrrt…” Jack mutters once more, fumbling at the air as though reaching out to Mark.

“Jack, listen,” Mark interrupts his musing, grabbing both of his wrists. Jack pauses and looks up at his eyes, having a near lost look that all zombies have yet a form of recognition that keeps Mark hopeful. Especially because he hasn’t straight up attacked any of them in any way. “If you’re still you, you need to let me know.”

Jack tilts his head like a curious dog, whispering: “Hearrrtt…” once more.

“Just tell me if you want to eat… if you want to eat brains,” Mark says softly, keeping his eyes meeting with Jack’s.

The zombie shuts his mouth for a moment, recoiling as though disgusted after Mark asked this. His lips turn down on a sneer and his blood covered teeth once more show. “N- nooo…” Jack replied as though it were obvious, even for an undead zombie. “I-... I’d n- neverrrr eat yourrrr braaainnsssss…” his eyes drift down to Mark’s chest and he lays a hand on his chest lightly and an emotion Mark can’t read fills his eyes. “Onlyyy waant… heaarrtt…”

A bit nervously Mark grabs Jack’s hand and moves it away slowly. What Jack had said in answer before has filled Mark with hope for this situation; it shows that Jack can understand and remember words. It shows he even possibly remembers Mark from before he died.

“So you won’t hurt us?” Mark asked for clarification, hope filling his chest and pumping through his veins.

Jack grunts, head jolting up and down in answer. “Neverrrr… hurrt you…” he answers with a small grin and Mark let’s out a breath he’d been holding for what felt like hours now. He releases Jack’s hands and still can’t believe any of this. He can’t believe that Jack had been infected; can’t believe Jack had turned; can’t believe that now as a zombie Jack remembers everything and can still speak. He’s grateful for that last thing. He’d seriously rather not kill. He’d seriously rather no one here kill Jack. Besides, based off of what he’d seen earlier, having Jack in the general vicinity kept other, more dangerous zombies away. They could use that. “Waannnt… onlyyy.. Yourrr hearrrt…”

Now Mark just has to think of a way he’s going to show the others Jack’s current state.

Mark turns- this sudden and sharp movement cutting off the raising of Jack’s hand which had once more been reaching for his chest- and steps outside. As he guessed, Jack follows close behind like a large dog, hissing and grunting softly as he walks after Mark. The commotion from the other room of fixing Ethan had died down and so he slowly steps into the main room, telling Jack to wait on the other side of the door. The zombie stops in his tracks, swaying ever so slightly and Mark is afraid for a moment that he is going to fall. But, he steps into the main room anyway, gaining the attention of Amy, Kathryn and Ethan. Tyler must be elsewhere currently.

“Hey, Mark,” Amy greets, smiling as her lover comes into her view. Their relationship did not let the outbreak of the zombie virus get in the way. In fact, their love and commitment to one another had only grown stronger as the apocalypse continued on. Amy still loves Mark and Mark still loves Amy. She frowns a moment later, though, eyebrows scrunching slightly. “Where’s Jack?”

Kathryn nods in agreement. “We haven’t seen him the entire time since ya’ll got back,” she points out and Ethan makes a small, pained noise from the other couch. She looks over to him. “You okay, Ethan?” He doesn’t answer, keeping a knowing and questioning look on Mark who draws in a deep breath. He really hasn’t thought this through but he’s going to just go for it anyway.

“That’s actually something I need to talk to you guys about,” Mark answers, rubbing his hands together and he clears his throat. Kathryn, noticing his behavior, gains a worried expression and sits up straighter to listen. Ethan frowns deeper, watching in fear. “Jack… Jack was infected.”

There’s a moment of shocked silence before Amy shakes her head in what appears to be denial. “No no, that.. that can’t of happened…”

“Did…” Kathryn sounds horrified as well, mouth agape as she speaks. “Did you… did you kill him?”

Mark clenches his teeth and Ethan sobs softly, looking away from the group. Mark looks to the doorway and shakes his head. “No, I didn’t,” he replied softly, ashamed of himself yet also not regretting his decision.

“Wait… what?” Kathryn asked and she sounds terrified now, popping to her feet with a look of disbelief. “Then what the hell-!”

“I couldn’t kill him,” Mark said, grabbing Jack by his wrist, pulling him into the room. Both Amy and Kathryn gasp, Amy covering her mouth with her hands while Kathryn takes a step back. Jack looks from Amy to Kathryn to Ethan, growling softly and he tries to step forward. Mark doesn’t let him and the zombie looks back at him, omg empire muttering about his heart before grappling at Mark’s shoulders and chest. “And, look, he’s… he’s not gone! He’s still Jack!”

At first neither Amy or Kathryn says anything. Amy is in a horrified silence as she stares at Jack, eyes impossibly wide and filling with tears, hands covering her mouth. Kathryn is shaking slightly and she’s taken another step back.

“You… you let him in here?” Kathryn finally demands softly after a few seconds, voice shaking with every word. But then her face twists and she becomes angry, raising her voice. This sudden change causes Jack to flinch and growl at her once more. Mark holds tight to him and he looks back at his chest, seeming to smile fondly at the sight as he leans forward, pressing an ear right over his quickly beating heart. “You idiot! You could have gotten us all killed!”

“Mark get him off,” Amy orders in a tight whisper, her wide eyes locked on the zombie now quite literally leaning against Mark’s chest, humming and muttering softly. “H- he’s gonna-.”

“Yourrrr heeaaarrrtt,” Jack sings softly once more, eyelids fluttering as he listens to Mark’s heartbeating quickly.

“He’s fine!” Mark shouts in return but even he sound a bit questioning. “He hasn’t tried attacking me or Ethan and he still talks! No other zombie has ever done that!”

Kathryn grabs at her hair and turns her back on him, letting out a noise of frustration as Amy shakes her head. “Mark, get away from him!” Amy yells, tears sliding from her eyes and he understands. Who wouldn’t freak out with their boyfriend in this seemingly dangerous situation. Ethan curls further in on himself, continuously shaking his head.

“It’s okay, Amy, Kathryn,” Mark insists and pushes Jack back a little to step closer to them. Amy shoots to her feet, stumbling back a little as the zombie gets closer to her. Kathryn turns back around, glaring at Mark just as Tyler walks in.

“What the hell is going on in here?” Tyler asked. His eyes land on Jack a moment later and he grabs his favorite weapon- a nailed baseball bat, raising it from the ground. “What the hell is going on in here?!”

“Everything is fine everyone needs to calm down!” Mark yells as Jack shakes his head at the loudness of everyone’s voices. He pushes Jack back behind him as Tyler holds the bat up further, glaring dangerously at the zombie now behind his friend.

“How the fuck can we calm down, Mark?!” Kathryn demands, throwing her hands from her now short hair- they have been running low on hair products for a long time and so Kathryn and Amy had opted to cutting their hair shorter. It had also gotten in the way of many things and so everyone having shorter hair was far easier. “You brought a fucking zombie in-!”

“Because it’s Jack!” Mark points out, jabbing a finger at said zombie. Jack is watching in confusion, head tilted and eyes wide as he tries to listen. He’s hissing softly, hand rising once more towards Mark’s back now, fingernails lightly dragging along the skin beneath his shirt and jacket. “We can’t kill Jack!”

“But that’s not Jack anymore, idiot!” Tyler yells, stepping closer. “Now move so I can put him out of his misery.”

Mark pushes Jack back further, glaring at the taller man in return. Tyler growls softly, “Move, Mark, you’re being an idiot.”

“Stop!” Ethan screams suddenly and everyone freezes, slowly looking towards him as he let’s out a small sob, eyes wide and popping from his sockets in the slightest. Jack looks to Ethan, frowning as a silence falls over the group.

“Eee-... Et’aaannnn…” Jack grunts, shakily stepping forward and gently pushing past Mark who is blocking Tyler’s way to the zombie. Amy gasps as Jack draws near and she moves to Ethan, trying to move him as the zombie draws nearer. “What… whaaatt issss wrrrong?”

Silence once more falls over the group as the zombie finishes speaking, sloppy concern clearly in his voice. Ethan sobs once more and pushes from the couch, forcing his way past both Amy and Kathryn so he can throw his arms around Jack’s shoulders. Amy gasps loudly once more and Tyler is smacks past Mark now, heart pounding in his throat as he can clearly see the zombie opening his jaws far too wide for any real human to snap them around Ethan’s neck and shoulder.

But, then, Jack wraps his arms around Ethan’s back lightly despite how slow his movements are. “It’ssss…. Okaayyyy…” he mutters and Ethan let’s out another cry, burying his face in the spot where Jack’s neck and shoulder meets, entire body quivering in the zombie’s light hold.

Mark pushes back to his feet, letting out a breath of relief at the sight. Neither Amy nor Kathryn seem able to move and Tyler looks so shocked that he probably can’t as well. Mark does, however, walking to the two embracing and wraps his arms around both of them. Jack hums softly and shifts his head a little, making it where his ear pressed against Mark’s chest.

Ethan’s soft sobs are the only noise throughout the safe house, only broken by the random growls of zombies from outside.