Dying Stars.

(PT.3; BLOOD DONOR)

[Authors Note: TW: slight gore, strong language.]

————

Zed's head rested in his hand as his mind raced with worry and confusion. He'd never seen you in a state like this; more likely, he'd never seen anyone in a state like this.

———————————

Brick and Mordecai had just returned back from the Highlands with urgency as they busted down the door to his clinic, carrying a limping body to an empty operating table while making a racket; shouting out explanations of what they found and why they needed to be treated immediately.

Thankfully he was able to get them to calm down before sending them out to wait back on base; he'd report if anything went wrong.

After they were escorted out by one of his assistants, he slipped on a pair of gloves and took a closer look at the patient. His eyes widened when he'd recognized the facial structure, your mouth slightly agape and your own eyes lidded shut as you breathed softly.
He hadn't seen you in months, eventually hearing about your unfortunate passing through Tannis and Lilith; he thought you were dead. Then why were you here?
Was Lilith lying? Was there something he didn't know?

Now, finding no time to waste and deciding to take immediate precautions, he rolled the table into a spare operating room; one much more sterilized. There he took vitals and blood tests, wanting to run them through and get more definitive answers.

————

Your condition was...stable, sort of.

There were signs of blood clots blocking proper blood flow all through your arms and legs that would need incisions.
Your pupils were severely constricted, even without natural light, and your skin was very frail; with prominent veins lining up your arms, legs and torso.
Your pulse was slow but steady, and your breathing regulated at a very low pace; not being able to keep in oxygen very well.

All of that was without even mentioning the extreme amount of Slag poisoning your body was seemingly subjected to.

When running the blood tests he found several hints of Eridium circulating through your bloodstream, almost like it was being mixed in through it.

To be completely honest, he found it strongly fascinating; how your body could withstand such a strong amount of pure Eridium without instantly killing you. It was almost like your body had grown an immunity to the element; though the side effects of this he had no clue.

In short, you should have been dying or at least dead but you weren't and he didn't know why.

——————————

The fluorescent lights buzzed overhead as he stood over the examination table, vision fixated on slicing open the incision markings he'd carefully drawn down your chest and stomach. After the tests ran back to him he thought it important to see if there were any internal issues that needed fixing or any inspection as well.

As the scalpel dragged down your chest and stomach, digging into your skin, purple burst on Eridium and blood spilled over onto your sides.
Opening the cut wider, he switched the small light attached to his headband on, shining a beam onto the exposed area.

Taking various tools and shoving his gloved hands deeper into the incision, he started the operation.

Watching as your heart pulsed inside your rib-cage, his eyes could only widen in shock as the organ seemed to illuminate the area.

Your blood wasn't just mixing with small bits and pieces of the element, your heart was making more of it. Like it was a part of your genetic code.

It spread and circulated all throughout your body, fusing with every organ to make and pump out more of it. It explained the dark, purple-ish color that came from your blood tests and why your veins showed up so bright against your flesh. It was just the element illuminating from under the skin.
Why was your blood clotting up so much? It was huge groups of Eridium buildup piling together in the bloodstream. The constriction in your pupils that gave off a purple hue? Just your heart pumping blood that carried Eridium to the brain. Why were you so pale? Well your blood wasn't exactly healthy, it didn't have enough oxygen to be making your flesh the correct color.

You weren't just infected with it, your body was infused with it, making more of it in order to keep your heart from failing or your brain from shriveling up on itself.

Of course he'd have to ask you more thorough questions when you woke up.

Taking the needle and thread he prepared to stitch up the incision, before he saw the ends of skin start to close up themselves, like it had a mind of its own. Watching in horror as your flesh slowly pulled itself back together until there was no evidence of you ever being sliced open; of course besides the blood that had leaked onto your sides from earlier.

Yeah, that was really fucking creepy. He'd never seen anything like that, how it just healed itself like nothing. He'd have to ask you about that too.

Now, finished with his work, the medic covered you with a gown and blanket before starting to pack away his bloodied supplies.

——————————-

Which left him to where he was now; head in his hands as he sat at his desk, contemplating whether or not he should call the two Vault Hunters on his ECHO-Device. Occasionally his eyes would wander back to the operation room, wondering if it would be wise to check on you even though he knew you were likely still sleeping off the effects of the anesthesia.

Your condition wasn't very good, but it baffled him how your body still seemed even functional; give or take a few problems. Was it from months of annual exposure? Did your organs just..get used to it? It utterly confused him and left him wanting to ask questions.

But even without a license, it was clear you definitely weren't going to be the same; so he'd have to take it slow, be gentle. He couldn't be able to just bombard you with questions that would only bring up bad memories all at once.

Zed didn't know exactly what Hyperion or Handsome Jack may have done to you during those months of capture..but he knew it must've scarred you, mentally and physically.

And that's the thought that terrified him most.

———————————————