M4DN3SS R3DACT3D (a sh!t madness combat story)

[[E1GHT33N]]

Just as Deimos stepped out into the hallways, he heard heavy footsteps coming down from the same way he was headed. He paused, waiting for whoever it was to get closer, and was shortly met by Sanford with half his face wrapped up in bandages.

Both men flinched back, Deimos more or less from surprise, but Sanford had just hoped he could avoid him for at least a little bit longer so he would have time to make something up.

"Holy shit, San," Deimos lightly held Sanford's face in his hands, getting a better look at him before stepping back. "What happened?"

Sanford's hand snuck up to the back of his neck out of nervousness. "Just- some injury I got in Purgatory.. 'Doc was bein' paranoid about it. Nothin' serious,"

Deimos held onto his shoulders and stood up on his toes to look more closely at him. "It sure looks serious."

Sanford took a deep breath and stepped back slightly, attempting to keep his frustration in. It was directed more at himself, but he wouldn't want Deimos to think it was his fault instead. "Well- it's nothing. I'll get over it. Anyway, why aren't you in bed? An' where's Hank?"

Deimos was a little taken aback by the quick change in conversation, but he went with it regardless. "Hank's asleep, I'm not 'cause I- uh. I didn't know where you were. I got worried."

"What, I can't walk away from ya for two seconds? Didn't think you needed me that bad, but I see how y'are..." Sanford smirked, walking past a flustered Deimos to make it to their room.

"I just- your dumbass is always getting hurt, I don't trust ya!" Deimos quickly tried to recover, running after the taller man just as he'd reached the door. Deimos couldn't help but notice how the way Sanford carried himself overall was a little off.

He doubted himself on that until they went to their beds, and Sanford walked right into the edge- Deimos turning to face him at the loud noise it made- before regathering himself and moving to sit down.

"Are you SURE it wasn't serious?"

"M'sure."

Sanford felt himself beginning to panic internally when Deimos walked over to him, rested his arm up on his shoulder.

"You've never been a good liar, San. Y'know that?" Deimos spoke, clearly in a more joking way but Sanford knew he was still concerned.

"And you've never been good at leaving me alone," Sanford attempted to match his tone, though he felt his real frustration starting to seep through. "I'm tellin' ya, it'll be fine."

Deimos didn't seem to be convinced, but he didn't want to push him any further on it.

The room was silent once they were both in bed.

It was too silent for Deimos.

"Do you... uh... what'd you see in Purgatory?"

The question made Sanford tense up. Deimos must've seen, because he doubled back on it immediately.

"Ah- sorry, shoulda thought about that. I'm just sayin'- If y'wanna talk about it, I dunno-"

"It's okay, I don't mind."

Deimos was relieved. Good. I wonder if it was as bad as mine.

"Well, uh... it wasn't too bad. I think," Sanford replied awkwardly, not knowing how much he should be giving away. He felt Deimos's gaze burning into him, but he couldn't be bothered to turn around. "...Except for one thing."

Deimos raised an eyebrow, which Sanford didn't see, but the brief pause told him he was intrigued enough. "And that is..?"

"Well, uh. You were there-"

Sanford heard Deimos shifting around to sit up.

"What did I do?!"

"Quiet. Hank's still here. You, uh- well, we were in the middle of a fight with some agents, and- well. They killed ya."

Deimos felt a chill run up his spine, but he tried to cover up the stunned feeling;

"Oh. How nice."

"Mhmm. Except, you weren't really dead? It was strange. Your body was there, but then you were a few feet away, shooting' at me like crazy."

"San, what the fuck-"

"So I... fuck," Sanford reached up to rub his eyes, "I had to shoot ya. M'sorry. I didn't want to, I'd never, y'know that right? I-"

"Hey, hey. Calm down."

Sanford felt a smaller hand reaching over to grab his, and he finally turned to face Deimos. He hated seeing him look so sad while trying to stay level-headed — knowing he was basically the cause of that put a heavy guilty feeling in Sanford.

"S'okay, I promise." Deimos tried to be reassuring, though Sanford could tell everything he'd just told him was still setting in- he was forcing himself to stay calm.

"How's it okay, Dei? How'm I gonna-"

"'Cause I had to do the same thing."

Sanford went silent, staring up at Deimos with wide eyes.

"You.. really?"

"Mhm. Yeah. Wasn't plannin' on tellin' you, but.." he paused, thinking for a moment, "...well. Y'told me, so.."

The two sat in silence for a while, the only other sound they could hear outside of their own thoughts being Hank's deep, even breathing, reassuring them that they hadn't woken him up. Deimos didn't let go of Sanford's hand.

Sanford suddenly let out a heavy sigh, reached up to wipe away the tears welling up in his eyes.

"I can't believe they made us do that."

"Me neither," Deimos replied, laughing slightly despite how shitty he really felt. "We're here now, though. And.. we'd never do that for real. Neither of us.

...Right?"

"No, Dei." Sanford spoke softly, took one of Deimos's hands in both of his,

"Never. I promise."