#ma boy's having a mild freakout

[vanquishful]

closed for: @everlaesting where: medical tent when: evening

 he didn’t like to ask for help. it was not in his nature. he, on the other hand, was always ready to lend a hand. especially if those he loved and/or cared about were in need of help. however... that was not the case that unfortunate day. it is quite ironic at the same time, as it happened to be tristan’s brother’s birthday. a tiny piece of him wished it was another normal day. as cruel as that sounded, this day now caused him greater pain than it was necessary. but be as it may... you can’t choose family. not that kind of family, anyways.

 the medical tent was a few feet away and yet the wheels in his head picked up, body visibly tensing from the uncomfortable sensations he was already flooded with. there was still time. he could simply turn around and leave, take an innocent detour. he could hop in the bar, instead. as he usually did. it would be so easy. too easy, almost. he could find a bandage, first aid kit at the bar, or any other place. hell, he has one in his own apartment. however, the sudden sting of pain got his adrenaline rushing fast enough for tristan to bolt outside, with an empty mind heading straight to the medical tents almost as if... a hidden sense of safety was waiting there for him. a specific type of comfort he will not find anywhere else. it was one of a kind feeling. a feeling that followed him everywhere he went ever since he discovered it... and now that the tent was in his sight, his suppressed intuition confirmed the origins of that said deeply rooted sensation. 

if it weren’t for the sharp sting in his left palm that dragged him back to reality, tristan would’ve probably kept standing there, frozen in spot, unable to move an inch. but how could he...? knowing what he knows. knowing that... no. no, she has a day off, today. he saw it. there is a public schedule for that. she’s off duty today. but did it really bring more comfort for him...? or more pain? no. he didn’t want to go that rabbit hole. with a way too sudden shake of his head, tristan picked up the pace and finally reached the medical tent, being mindful to check if they were empty, first. there was no need barging in. not only was it rude, but it was unethical and against the rules. he should know. 

by the time he knew it, the last civilian left the tent all taken care of and even then tristan hesitated. rightfully so. as the weak voice of his intuition tried to reach him, trying to tell him something. unfortunately, to no avail. one of the nurses’ called him in as the ‘next patient’ and he really did not have a choice. one step at a time. tristan sucked in a deep sharp breath and slipped inside the tent, taking a seat, only to wait not-so-patiently for the nurse to stitch him up. meanwhile he was holding his fist tightly shut as there were a couple of pretty deep wounds cut open thanks to that freaking whiskey glass he had drank from earlier. maybe that was his karma for drinking so often. he never went overboard, thankfully, but it didn’t mean it was okay. guess not.

it only took a minute or two, but tristan found himself quite restless. in reality there was nothing to be worried about. it’s not the first time he was going to be checked, stitched up. it has been worse before. he has seen worse back in the day. so there was no reason be feel like it. it’s what he kept telling himself in his head until he started to calm down, bring his heartbeat to a slightly more acceptable rate. a small sigh left his lips right before he heard that angelic voice that forced him to open his eyes so fast he swore he developed an eye strain.it cannot be. it simply can’t. it was her day off. she shouldn’t be there. how did she get there? why? who told her he was coming? they weren’t supposed to meet in there. again. as they did most of times. as they did the first time... officially, anyways.

most likely, unbelievable to hear, but tristan was still trying to convince himself to leave. he couldn’t be such a burden on her. not again. not like this. not by appearing to beg for pity. tristan did not do that. never has. never will. that voice... he could recognize it anywhere. in a crowd of a thousand people. with a blindfold on. it probably is engraved in his brain, at this point. he was about to rise up from his seat when love’s voice broke the silence. this time, the voice was directed at him. guess it’s a bit too late to flee now. with a tiniest of reassuring nods to himself, tristan slowly tilted his head in love’s direction, slightly afraid of what he might find there... but once their eyes met, tristan couldn’t look away. it’s like their glanced locked together, stuck, for eternity. and frankly? he was more than okay with that.

❝ i- uhm... i thought it was your day off..? ❞ he sounded surprised, because he was indeed surprised at the fact that love was standing right there working, although it was her day off. was she taking extra shifts? was she in need of more ration cards? was it a penalty another officer punished her with without his knowledge? there were too many different things that could’ve gone wrong and truth be told, tristan will be the first one to find out just what had happened to put love in such a predicament.