#mediwhumpmayday8

[sticks-and-stones-are-great]

Mediwhump May - Day 8

"Scared of Blood"

(Dark Shadows 1966)

@mediwhumpmay

Willie knew he’d made a mistake before he’d even slipped. He had been sawing a piece of wood to size to repair the floor. A hand in the wrong spot. The gulf of time between realization and the consequences. He knew he had messed up. But he could do nothing to stop it. 

The saw skipped.

White hot pain across Willie’s wrist, burning and tearing.

He froze.

Willie watched the blood bloom in the ragged wound. He let the saw drop to the floor with a clatter. He dimly heard himself panting. He couldn’t breathe. There wasn’t any air. His fingers went to his collar to loosen the buttons there but his hands were shaking too much. 

Dark spots danced at the edges of his vision. The room whirled around him. 

Blood ran down Willie’s arm from the wound, red and dark. He watched it drip onto the floor. 

No, please, no.

It couldn’t happen again. He couldn’t bear it if it happened again. 

Willie clamped a hand over the wound. He squeezed his eyes shut. That helped. A little. Not much. 

He couldn’t breathe. His heart raced and stuttered. He was dizzy and hot and cold and sweating and oh god-

Those teeth were in him again. 

He was alone in the dark. Alone with the monster. He was alone and no one was coming to save him. 

Willie scrambled backward across the floor until his back hit the wall. He pulled his knees to his chest. He held his bleeding wrist close to his chest. Covering it. Hiding it. 

Yes, hide it. If no one sees, he’s safe. No one can see it. 

Warm blood, slick against his skin, coated his hands now.

Don’t look at it. Never look at it. 

The wound throbbed and burned. 

Willie slumped down to the floor. It was dusty but cool. He was dizzy. He kept his eyes closed. He couldn’t breathe. He was dying, wasn’t he? Dying alone in the dark. Again. 

Ringing in his ears. Everything faded away. Faded to darkness.

[faofinn]

Day 8 - Broken Bones (alt prompt 4)

Part 1 | Part 2

@mediwhumpmay

The problem with telling someone not to do something, is that the phrase makes it so much more enticing to do just that. And that ended up being precisely what Fred's attempts to keep Finn from the face of business ended up doing. He let Finn treat, let him run what he could in the basement, but then Fao and Hars returned. With Fao running surgical, Finn ended up shoved out of the loop, Fao's organisation and opinions taking the lead. 

So, Finn had decided to take matters into his own hands, swiping one of the letters from his dad's desk. It gave the details of a new client, a simple job with an easy payout. He borrowed some of the men on their payroll, and the job was done. He gave them his number and told them to contact him if they needed anything. The rest was history. 

Finn continued to gain clients, by both means, and continued to work behind his father. There was always plenty of work, and he soon had more than enough people working for him, including Harrison and Steve.

Finn did his best to avoid places he knew his dad worked, and it worked, for a few years. But suddenly things changed, the meet-up was tipped off, their client too suspicious to meet on Finn’s terms. He wasn’t impressed, but he needed this one, and went with it, after adjusting his fee, of course.

He'd gone along for the ride, checking up on his assets to make sure they were still useful to him. It helped prove his strength to the buyer too, so he didn’t mind. He told Fao and the others he was busy with Jess, and got Harrison on standby, just in case; the other man was always useful to have around. 

The meet had gone well, even after the drama, and Finn had been happy with his men. But, of course, things always seemed to change when they were going right. Tithe guy he'd assumed to be the mole had appeared, somehow having gained intel from somewhere. 

Finn flipped, anger not usually seen rising to the surface. His gun was drawn, and threats made, ties and allegiances severed. 

Finn had been doing his stuff on the side for long enough now that Fao knew he was doing something, he just didn’t know what that something was. But the money was obvious enough, as was Finn’s lies and secrecy. Although Fao knew Finn was lying to him, that didn’t mean the lie wasn’t good enough. He had no idea what his little brother was doing. He just knew that he’d picked up the pieces enough times to know what he was doing was dangerous.

He was definitely suspicious when Finn made plans with Jess that evening, especially as work with Fred was becoming more and more charged with a rumoured mole amongst them. Not only that, but Hars was suspiciously quiet, hadn’t replied to any of Fao’s texts and hadn’t been around all day. That was another huge red flag, but there was nothing he could do about it. 

He was somewhat relieved to be called out by Fred, to give him something to do rather than worrying about the state his brother was going to come home in. They were chasing this mole, having got some very good intel. 

It was a rough job, quickly getting messy and more complicated than they’d initially intended. Fao was leading men and trying to keep things together, guns being fired and punches being thrown. 

Finn heard the second lot of gunfire, eyes quickly darting over his team. He wasn’t missing anyone, but there were too many shots for it to be who he’d left. Frustrated it was going to be a later end to it all, he ordered his team back, leading the way. 

Out of everyone he'd expected, he hadn't expected to see his brother amongst the chaos. He swore under his breath. Obviously they'd found their own info on the mole, and he'd clearly not been very good at it. Finn had more than half a mind to leave him to it; Fao was more than capable of dealing with him. But, unfortunately, he was hit with the sobering truth: if he’d spilled Fred’s name so easily, Finn’s wouldn't be far behind. Which meant Finn needed to get to him first, and get him out of Fao's reach. 

He rummaged through the bag he carried, finding the flashbang. He signalled his team to watch out, and threw it, covering his own face.

The flashbang took Fao and his men by surprise, as well as the men they were fighting. Obviously it sent everyone scattering, blinded and disoriented momentarily. Fights broke out, of course, as they always did, Fao coming in with his own counter measures, his gun drawn. He shouted for his men, making sure people were organised. The flashbang hadn’t been theirs, but their rivals seemed just as surprised, and it set Fao on edge. Someone else was here. 

As the smoke cleared and the dust settled, Fao’s eyes adjusted to the gloom again and there, with unfamiliar men around him and their target unconscious in his grip, was Finn. There was blood running down his face from a broken nose, and as he reached up to cuff it away he made eye contact with his brother. 

There was a darkness in Finn’s eyes that Fao didn’t recognise. A coldness to his face that he’d never, ever seen before. Fao’s grip tightened on his gun, though he had no intention of firing it. 

“Finn!” He shouted, his voice rough. 

His brother didn’t react, didn’t even acknowledge that he’d seen him, before he turned tail and dragged the target away, flanked by his men. 

Fao rushed forwards. There was no way he was letting him get away. Not with such an important person. But it was no good. The men stopped him, he was outnumbered and outgunned, and he was forced back after taking a couple of them out with the butt of his pistol. Chest heaving, he spat bloody saliva from a split lip in disgust, frustrated and beyond confused. 

For fucks sake. Finn hadn't stopped swearing on the way back, beyond pissed he'd been seen by Fao. Not just pissed, there was a worry curling in his stomach, a worry Fao would rat him out. That, and he was pretty sure he'd done his wrist in. 

It was already twice the size and he couldn’t make a fist. The pain was there too, the adrenaline had disappeared pretty sharpish after getting in the van. He'd be lying if he said it wasn't making him dizzy, or if he promised he wasn’t going to be sick. He texted Hars too, a heads up he'd need to be seen, along with one of his guys with a definite concussion, and another with a bullet graze. They’d be fine, he was just useless with his one hand.

Empty handed, Fao and his men bolted too. They weren’t sticking around for the fallout. Whilst the men went back in the vans, Fao’s own car offered him some fucking quiet that he needed, and he quickly called Harrison, trying to get some information before he had to face Fred at home. He listened as it rang, impatiently lighting a cigarette and breaking his own rule of not smoking in the car. 

Harrison answered, waiting for Finn. He had a few minutes to kill and appearances to uphold. "Fao, you alright? "

“No, I’m not actually. What the fuck is going on, why have I just seen Finn out in the field throwing fucking flashbangs and taking my target?” He asked, already angry. 

Fuck. "Finn? In the field? Have you hit your head, Fao? What the fuck are you on about?"

“Yes, Finn in the field. Are you fucking deaf?” Fao snapped. “I know what I saw, and I know you work with him.”

"Finn’s busy with Jess. I think you're going senile, mate."

“Don’t lie to me.” His voice was hard. “I’ve got to go back to Fred now and tell him I couldn’t do my job, and I know you’ve got something to do with it. What gives? What’s going on?”

"So you’ve missed your target and you're trying to blame it on me?" Harrison scoffed. "Don't be an arse."

“Finn was there, I saw him and he saw me. If Finn was there, you were there. So can you please tell me why the fuck I’m being undermined by my own family?!”

"Fao, mate. I'm at home. I've not left the house. Video call me, I'm not lying, I've not lied to you."

“I’m driving.” Fao snapped. “I know you’ve lied and you’re continuing to lie. Why are you lying to me? What the fuck is going on with your stupid little side business, trying to get me fucking killed?”

"Then pull over and talk to me properly." He spat. "There, look. I've shared my location. Even sent you a photo. I haven't lied once to you on this call, and I'd stake Tai's life on it."

The angrier Fao got, the faster he drove. His speedometer was nudging over 100 mph down the motorway now, and his jaw tensed. He didn’t show down. “Why was Finn in the field?” He asked. “I’ve got to go back to Fred and explain this to him, and I’m not going to be able to protect Finn. What. Is. Going. On?”

"I don't know what you think you saw, but Finn was with Jess. I don’t really want to know what the pair of them have been up to." He managed a laugh. "Just tell Fred your target wasn't there. He'll turn up again and you can get him there. You know, when you're not seeing Finn everywhere."

“I know what I saw, Harrison!”

"Alright, alright. Just maybe you need a day or two off, get Steve to do you a sick note, yeah?"

“Don’t start. I’ll ask you once more. What was Finn doing in the field and why is he working against me? I know you’re working with him. You always are.”

"As if your brother would be working against you." That did make Harrison laugh. "Do you hear how stupid you sound? Finn thinks the sun shines out of your arse, and we all know that's not true. Finn and I have worked by each other for years, you know that. He helps out with the stuff behind the scenes for Sanctuary and the caf. Fred doesn't like him in the field, so he doesn't tend to go out much at all."

“Why are you lying to me?” He asked, exasperated. 110 mph, now. “I swear to fucking god I saw Finn tonight and I just need to know what the fuck is going on so I don’t shoot him in the head next time I’m in the fucking field.”

"Nothing I've said has been a lie. You're getting more paranoid, Fao. What's brought all this on? Do you, like, need someone to talk to?"

“Harrison.” Fao growled. 115 mph. “Tell Finn if he’s got the mole that he’s much more dangerous than we originally thought.”

"Who's more dangerous? Finn?" Harrison asked. "You're not making sense, mate."

“I can’t fucking trust you, can I? Thought as much.”

He had to admit that stung. "Fao, it’s me. Of course you can."

“Yeah, right.”

"You know what? Fuck you too, then. If you’re going to call me out of the fucking blue and be a cunt, then don't bother. You'll just call me a liar and a piece of shit regardless. Don't crash the car, I won’t be there to pick the pieces up again."

“Well, if the shoe fits, eh?” 

"I've not fucking lied to you once. But whatever. I'm done. Oh, might as well tell you now, we won’t be over for a takeaway on Saturday. Something's just come up."

Fao scoffed. “Shame.”

"Anything else to yell at me for?" He asked, sickly sweet. "Go ahead, I've got nothing better to do." 

The irony of his sentence was lost on him, the crunch of tyres on gravel meaning Finn was finally home. Jess passed him in the hallway, heading out to meet them.

Fao had been about to answer Harrison, but his witty remark died on his tongue, hearing the slamming of doors in the background of Harrison’s call. A voice; distinctly Jess’, calling a name. Finn. There was more fuss, muffled but very much there, and a groan that could only be Finn’s. Fao’s teeth sunk into his bottom lip and he flicked ash from his trousers. It hurt, knowing Harrison had withheld information. 

“Say hi to Finn for me, Hars. And tell him if he’s not careful showing up on my jobs, he’s going to get shot. Remind him I rarely miss.”

"Yeah, yeah, uh, I've gotta go." He said, distracted by the fuss and apparently forgetting he was on the phone with Fao. And that he'd been mad at him. "Bye."

The line went dead, and Fao swore, thumping the steering wheel. He was just approaching his exit, the road deserted, and he’d yet to slow down. 

He didn’t miss the flash of the speed camera as he drove past, and it was just the icing on the cake. Fred was going to be pissed when that ticket showed up in the post. Stupid mistake. He made it home, and then it was straight to Fred’s office without time to even speak to Ely, who had been lingering by the door looking pale as ever. 

Fao was soon the least of Harrison’s worries, Finn taking priority. He'd stumbled over the threshold, the adrenaline having almost evaporated as he stepped inside. The dizziness had hit him, more than he'd expected, and he'd naturally reached for Jess. Of course, it had been with his bad wrist, and the wave of pain was enough to send him to the floor. 

While it didn't completely knock him out, it sent the world spinning, everyone's voice muffled in his ears.

It took a few minutes, pressed against Jess' side, but slowly and surely, things returned to normal. Asde, of course, from the pain in his wrist. He finally answered Harrison, or at least tried to before he interrupted. 

"It's just dislocated, right? You can just ket and manipulate, yeah? Just that?"

Harrison gently took Finn’s wirst in his fingers, and hissed quietly. "Shit, Finn. I'm not sure it's going to be as simple as that."

"Oh. More sedation?"

He shook his head, reaching for Finn’s other hand. "Here, feel this. It's fucked, mate. You've broken it."

"Oh."

"Let me check here,too." He murmured, skimming down his arm. "Ah, I think you've got a break here too, just on the ulnar. I can feel it under my fingers, Finn. You’re gonna need casting, minimum."