#jesse would try and tank injuries like theyre nothing and power through them to get the job done

[subjectsix]

injury (with Jesse 👀)

~disgruntledfbcagent

The Service Weapon hums idly in Jesse's hand, still now despite the fight that raged only moments ago. Chunks of concrete settle into their new places on the ground. She huffs a loose strand of hair out of her face, sending a few loose petals from the planters fluttering.

With her heart pounding, she waits for another scream of the Hiss. Revealing a hiding place, unveiling an invisible form, floating down from the crevices in the architecture above.

Nothing comes. Her heartbeat slows.

"Ma'am?" A ranger approaches her, hand outstretched. She can't get a read on their expression under the helmet and visor, but even in the adrenaline dump, she can hear the unease in their voice. Their hand moves in the direction of her side. She follows the path, looking down, pulling her suit jacket open with her free hand.

"Shoot."

It's hard to tell with all the blood still pounding in her head, but the large blooming stain on her side means something is wrong, staining her white button up. Things that bleed like that should hurt worse than this. Adrenaline can change your perception of things like this, right?

"Let's have you sit down," the ranger says, hand hovering just behind her shoulder, an invisible force guiding her to a planter that's still somewhat in-tact. The ranger team's medic is already unpacking their kit.

"Don't remember that one happening," Jesse tries to laugh, giving the ranger a wry smile. "At least it doesn't hurt as bad as it looks, right?"

Blood keeps pooling up, saturating the fabric, making it cling to her side. The concrete planter is cool to the touch, and she lowers herself carefully, letting the medic untuck her shirt and peel away the fabric.

She doesn't look, deciding to let the medic work. Control her breathing, ignore the growing sensation of pain. Instead, she turns to assess the damage around her.

She never tries to damage the House itself, but she's less worried about it. It has a wonderful habit of knitting itself back together without concrete pours or construction teams. Her attention turns to the ranger team instead-- six of them, all still accounted for. Okay. Priority one. And they're in Communications, so--

She checks the ceiling first, for any papers that might be floating down. Scans the rubble for broken desks and scattered folders.

Minimal damage to documents and equipment. Okay. Lower priority, but still good. They'll slap a bandage on whatever caught her, and they'll keep moving.

"Uh," the medic's voice wavers, gloved hands holding her skin taut.

Not a great thing to hear. She hazards a look down at her side.

It's... not pretty. She tries to breathe and laughs a little instead, swallowing down a cry of pain. Her skin is slick and red, with two jagged circles punctuating her side.

Two bullets slide out, falling clumsily from the wound. They bounce off the planter with a wet clink. In the light, she catches reflective glimmers of blue. Jesse swallows, brow knitting together.

"I didn't know you could do that," she whispers under her breath in quiet awe.

"I, uh..." The medic answers. She doesn't try to explain that she wasn't addressing him. "I didn't either. They must've not been too deep. I don't..."

He looks through his helmet at two of his team, who stare blankly back. Turning back to Jesse, he catches the confusion in her eyes.

"Sorry ma'am. I'm not sure. Usually I'd have to extract from a bullet wound. This is..." he sets to dressing it. "You should head back and get checked out. We don't want this getting any worse."

"...right."

He offers her a hand, and she takes it, slow and grimacing, trying not to clutch at it, trying to stand straight and move with confidence, like a Director should. Her ribs feel like they're burning, the pain crawling up to make a lump in her throat.

Did I imagine that? Did you do that?

Polaris spins distantly, marking the doors back to Central Executive, and the medics stationed there.

Always more questions than answers, I guess. Thank you.

one word prompts