sexus mini event day 1 - back to back | Haxus/Sendak | 840 words | contains mild mention of injuries | @haxusminievent
Sendak glares up at the fightercraft ceiling, his chest searing from more lacerations than he cares to remember, his left shoulder secured in a tight brace. Itâll be two more vargas till their ship docks with the main fleet, where thereâs a proper medwing instead of two makeshift cots in the weapons bay.
âHax,â Sendak growls. He canât move much- not without dislocating another rib at least- but he lifts the arm that isnât bandaged, stretches over his shoulder to where his mate is laying behind him. He splays his fingers, knuckles bumping against Haxâs collarbone. Haxus gives an irritated click- seeing Sendak nearly perish does tend to put him in a sour mood- but he relents to a softer hiss as Sendak scratches his shoulder with a claw.
âI donât want to mess you up,â Haxus mutters, when Sendak nudges for his hand. While Haxus missed the worst of the explosion, heâd been hit with a shot of what appeared to be oil instead, the liquid seeping through his armor and causing him to scream in agony. Theyâd drenched him in a heavy field-antitoxin, but Haxâs short fur, for the most part, was still rough and sticky with black goo.
âI think I can handle it,â Sendak says gruffly. Haxus sips a breath and holds it, and Sendak has the sinking feeling that the antitoxin may not have eased the venomâs sting quite as thoroughly as Hax made out.
âItâll be a different story when Iâm pulling knots out of your fur,â Haxus snaps, cuffing his fingers into Sendakâs all the same. His shoulders slacken as he exhales.
âMmh,â Sendak shrugs, agreeing. Haxus twitches his fingers, something close to a squeeze, and Sendak turns his head so he can breathe-in his mateâs scent.
âI thought we might be spending this journey in an argument,â Haxus admits after a moment, slightly clipped. His grip tightens a little, bristling for one just in case, and Sendak huffs out a laugh.
âOh, weâll be having an argument,â he manages. âYou ignored a direct command to retreat. Iâm just-â
He swallows as a throb of pain spikes up from his shoulder, glad at least that Haxus canât see him wince.
â-saving the best for last,â Sendak says thickly, trying to joke. The ache across his chest has sharpened too, whatever adrenaline got him back to the ship must slowly be wearing off.
âI didnât hear the order. The blast knocked out my communication device,â Haxus says curtly, harsher every time his voice falters. âWhat a terrible shame I was still around to save you.â
âLooked fine when I wrenched you out of your suit,â Sendak grunts, shivers as a cold bead of sweat traces his jaw.
âYour injuries must have clouded your perception,â Haxus returns. âYouâll find the equipment log report clearly details the damage.â
Sendakâs glad Hax canât see his attempt not to smile either.
âHere,â Haxus whispers, and Sendak feels another emergency blanket being brusquely tucked over him. Sendakâs usually well-able to regulate his temperature, but the weapons bay isnât nearly as insulated as the shipâs bridge. Heâd been trying to hide his trembling for Haxâs sake, and perhaps Hax held off noticing as long as he did for his.
âMuch warmer,â Sendak murmurs. His hand feels shaky in the smaller galraâs too, but Hax firms his grasp to make up for it.
âHereâŚâ Haxus says again, and he shuffles over on his cot, crawls himself forward on his elbows and lays his head on Sendakâs good shoulder. The lack of space makes for an awkward position for Hax, but Sendak knows better than to point it out. When he closes his eyes, he can almost imagine theyâre simply curled in bed together, the prickling in his arm no more than Haxus having fallen asleep on it.
âIs it bad?â Sendak mutters under his breath. Theyâll know for sure soon, but Haxus, at least, had been conscious enough to hold him down for the brace.
âNo,â Haxus hisses, his snarl a little too quick. His features harden to a grimace, and Sendak would rather receive the wound several times over than see such an expression from his mate again. He lifts his injured hand, strokes his thumb over Haxusâs brow and ears. Sendak canât feel much in his fingertips, but Haxâs ear flicks gently forward, in the way that it does when heâs comforted. Sendak repeats the familiar gesture, Hax turns and presses his face into his palm, Sendakâs fingers splaying beneath Haxâs cheek without having to think about it.
He likes that his muscles remember this, better even than holding a blaster or a sword.
âIâm so angry you came back,â Sendak whispers after a time. âIâm so glad youâre alright.â
Hax holds him until the tic before their ship rejoins the fleet, makes a near indiscernible gesture with one hand as the medics arrive. Itâs the one they use on quiet stakeouts, or in briefings, or apparently, when theyâre both too half-dead to speak.
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