Aqua Oneshot Competion

#3 ~ Selfish

Prompt ~ 2. The character who knows they've been shot, but waits until the rest of their crew is out of sight to put their hand against the slowly spreading stain of blood on their shirt, then trying to steady their breathing so they can follow without letting on how injured they are / 4. A is on a victory high and doesn't realize until they turn and see B covered in blood. (Kind of my own take on both of these combined.)

Wordcount ~ 1253

fandombeforeblood0 :)

~~~

History truly repeats itself.

Although several movements have been made in an attempt to create worldwide equality, the world was in the middle of another. The world was at war. A war not of countries, but of morals. On one side of the war were those who believed everybody - no matter their skin color, sexuality, gender, religion, or body type - deserved to be respected and treated equally. On the other side of the war were those who disagreed. No, this fight wasn't about opinions; it was a war of right and wrong.

All around the earth, those who believed in equality for all were banding together to fight against the militaries and police forces of states and countries whose governments disagreed. Groups of believers ranged from a dozen families all hiding out in large bases to just a few individuals roughing it on their own.

Peter, Melissa, Heather, Jordan, and Marcus were a group of five believers. They shared resources with a nearby base and went off on expeditions quite often. They could be considered the runners of the base, or the gatherers. They were quick, young, and courageous - a deadly combination during the war.

The five had just finished up one of their most dangerous tasks. They had been sent to unarm and bring back a group of wily police officers for interrogation. It was highly likely that one of the believers would get harmed, but they powered through. After ten minutes of shooting, yelling, and dodging, the ten officers were all unarmed and restrained, their wrists cuffed and their eyes blindfolded.

Melissa wiped her hand across her sweaty face. "Awesome work, everyone," she said, trying to keep spirits up.

Jordan nodded his brunette head and tucked his gun into his cargo pants. "Yeah, that was successful. We ready to take these guys back to base?"

"Um," Peter said, his voice tight, "you guys go ahead. I'm going to use the bathroom really quickly. I'll catch up, though."

Marcus frowned. "You sure you're all set?"

"Yeah, don't worry about me."

While Marcus nodded and began guiding the officers with Heather and Jordan, Melissa hesitated. Peter was her boyfriend and through the past few months, the two of them had really gotten close. She knew him well and could tell something was wrong.

"I'll stay back," she announced.

Once her three comrades were out of hearing distance, Melissa scanned Peter's body, looking for something wrong. His uniform - a grey pair of cargo pants and a grey aviator jacket over a white shirt - was roughed up and dirty. His pale face was streaked with mud and the corner of his mouth was bleeding. His jet black hair was ruffled and matted and the life was sucked out of his crystal blue eyes. Melissa trailed her eyes down his musclular arms and saw that his hands were pressed over his abdomen.

She squinted. "Move your hands," she ordered.

Peter shook his head. "I'm fine, Mel."

"Yeah?" She stalked over to stand directly in front of him. "Then why are you covering your stomach?"

He coughed. "I have to use the bathroom," he muttered. The tone of his voice was a dead give away to his lie.

Melissa curled her fingers around his wrists and pulled his hands off of his stomach. Immediately, she gasped. A waterfall of blood flowed from a bullet wound in his lower abdomen. 

She put her hands on his shoulders and forced him to sit. "You were shot?" she exclaimed.

Peter smirked half-heartedly. "No, babe, I wasn't."

Glaring at him through tears, she pushed his jacket off his shoulders and tore his shirt off. "Why didn't you tell anyone? Heather left with the medkit and we'll never catch up to them with you in this shape."

He shrugged, focusing on her eyes. "I...didn't want to compromise the mission."

Melissa blinked hard. Pushing away her emotions, she tried to remember the first aid course she had taken almost a year ago. Balling up Peter's shirt, she used it to sop up some of the blood and apply pressure to the wound. She held it there for less than thirty seconds before red liquid blossomed through the fabric and got onto her dark skin.

Curling her lips into her mouth, she discarded that shirt and tore off her own. She repeated the process, trying to stop the blood from flowing out of her boyfriend's stomach. It just wouldn't.

The whole time, she could feel Peter staring at her. She refused to make eye contact. She was already crying but needed to stay strong. If she looked at him, if she looked into the eyes of the man she loved, she would lose control.

After Peter's wound bled through both of their shirts and jackets, Melissa crumbled. She tossed away the soiled clothes and tossed her arms around her boyfriend's shoulders.

"You're so selfless," she wept. "I could never do what you did."

His large hands softly rubbed her lower back. "I didn't do anything, Melissa."

She sat up and gave him an incredulous look. "You risked your life for your beliefs and would rather the mission gets completed than be treated."

He gave her a pained smile. "I'm lying here, during my last moments, with the love of my life. That was my wish - to die in the arms of the girl I loved. I'm not selfless; I'm selfish."

Melissa straddled his lap and cupped his cheeks in her hands, her dark skin contrasting against his pale face. "I love you so much, Peter. Please, don't die. Hold on. Hold on for me, Pete."

He brought up his own hand and held one of hers. "Will you fulfill my last wish?" he murmured, rubbing his thumb against her knuckles.

She sobbed. "I'll do anything for you, Peter."

"Marry me?"

The tears streamed faster. Not once did Melissa imagine her proposal would take place in the middle of a barren wasteland - a battle zone - on the lap of her dying boyfriend. Nevertheless, she couldn't help but smile.

"Yes, Peter, of course I'll marry you."

He grinned, showing off the smile she fell for almost a year ago. "I love you, Melissa, with my whole heart." He pressed his forehead against hers and stared into her glossy brown eyes. "I take you to be my wife, to have and to hold, for better, for worse, to love and to cherish, till death do us part."

"I take you to be my husband, to h-have and to hold, for better, for worse, to love and to cherish, till...till death do us part," she choked out.

A lone tear fell from the corner of Peter's eye and Melissa brushed it away. "With the power vested in me by true love and passion for the most incredible woman I've ever met, I pronounce us husband and wife." He let out a cheeky smile, despite the tear streak on his cheek. "May I now kiss the bride?"

Melissa leaned in a pressed her lips against his.  They kissed for what felt like an eternity. They kissed through the tears and sadness. They sealed their marriage and Peter's final wish with an act of pure love and affection.

Slowly, they pulled apart. They stared into each other's eyes - into each other's souls - for a long moment. Eventually, Peter had to lay down. Melissa continued to hold him, refusing to leave his side.

"I love you, Melissa, don't you ever forget it."

His eyes flickered shut.