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[bigbrained]

[Being core members of the Voltron coalition meant that sometimes the team had to spread their forces thin in order to take care of everything that required their attention. Sure, they had other allies who could hold their own -the Blade of Mamora for example- but it had a little more impact if the paladins themselves saved a colony or planet, as opposed to more Galra.

In other words: politics.]

I mean, I understand what Coran was saying but I still think it's kinda dumb, right Keith? [Undeterred by Keith's noncommital 'uh huh's and 'yeah's, Hunk continues on as he follows Keith's lead and slows down his approach. They're going to have to try and sneak up on this installation or risk the Galra retaliating against the captured techs for calling for help.] They've been around way longer than we have, and fighting for way longer too! It kinda feels like we're shoving them out of the way to get all the glory. Not that that's what we're doing, but it sure feels like that's what we're doing. I guess in the end it doesn't really matter who gets the job done so long as the people are saved, but it still leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Right? Do you have a bad taste in your mouth too, Keith?

Comments

[bigbrained]

[It takes a second for his eyes to adjust, but once they do-]

Keith, [Hunk gasps, and reaches. He can only just barely reach those stretched-out fingertips so Hunk ignores the burning in his side and the throbbing his head, wedges himself between the edges of Yellow's jaws and grunts as he pushes with all his might. Painstakingly slowly, the jaws open, and once Hunk has enough room he reaches in for Keith's hand, stretching to grab the edge of that metal slab to try and heave it off of his friend.]

[whatsacactus]

[Relief wells up in him seeing Hunk there, for real. He reaches his closer hand out to him trying to just feel that he's there.

But once Keith sees Hunk reaching for the metal, he gets both hands on it and shoves with him. It's less pressure on his chest - still hurts like hell trying to breathe and shove - but they get it off, his breath catching in his throat when he feels something hard pull out of his leg like a pressure being released.

...God Hunk is keeping the jaws open, what the hell. That alone is incentive enough for Keith to crawl to him, anything so the guy can get out of there and rest.]

[bigbrained]

[Somewhere in the back of his mind Hunk realizes that Keith is moving too awkwardly, crawling too slowly, that something must be very wrong but he's too preoccupied trying to keep these things open and not crushing them both. Once Keith's within reach Hunk grabs him, pulls him along and out of Yellow's mouth with him as he jumps out of the way. The jaws snap back closed again and break a piece of the metal slab off, which honestly h-hahahha that was terrifying. That could've been them.

He really should get up and check on Keith, see what's wrong with him but it's okay for him to lay here a second and hold his side and try not to die, right? Right. Not-dying is good. At least he can manage to wheeze into the dirt,] Why do we always get the hard missions...?

[whatsacactus]

[Once he's out, Keith lays on the ground. Not moving is the best idea he's had all day, which, considering his last plan, isn't that hard to pull off. He'll ignore the throbbing everything for a few minutes to just breathe.]

I dunno. But- [Wheeze, he looks over at Hunk, gets a little half smirk.]

Y'did good, Big Guy. Knew you would.

[bigbrained]

[Looks over at Keith too, and man, he looks rough. Maybe it's the concussion robbing him of his tact, but all these compliments, all this encouragement...it's no secret that Keith is struggling with his role as semi-leader in the group, and Hunk doesn't have a doubt in his mind that he's probably blaming himself for at least part of this.] If we didn't go in through the middle like you said, you would've got caught in the middle of that. And me too, come to think of it. We'd be totally, completely, utterly dead.

[whatsacactus]

Looks like we both had something to with it. [That's about as much fight as he has in him right now. Joint effort, like in the Weblum, like he wanted. Just not the results he wanted.

Now that he's gotten still and the adrenaline is fading fast, the pain is rushing in, the exhaustion pulling at his bones.]

Looks like you came out better than me.

[bigbrained]

Probably because I was the one in the cushy pilot seat, [Hunk groans, mustering the will to move at the weak wobble of Keith's voice. He rolls back onto his knees and tries to ignore how horrible an idea that was before crawling over to Keith's side. ...shit, there's blood.] I gotta get you back inside, [Hunk mutters. The lions don't have much by way of medial suites, but each of them have a med kit that he can at least do something with. Shiro had been insistent that they all learn how to use the supplies, and they'd all had first aid crash courses in the academy anyway.

Hunk slides his arms under Keith to pick him up, left side throbbing too badly for him to pick him up far, but this'll be enough to get him over to the bay doors.]

[whatsacactus]

[Hands reach under him suddenly, and Keith can feel the wobble of how uneasy Hunk is.]

Hunk-- Hey.

[He gets an arm around his shoulder, tries to maneuver them and that's a bad idea, but so is Hunk trying to carry him back with whatever's wrong with him.]

Where-- Where're we going, just help me walk.

[bigbrained]

On what, that bloody leg? Don't think so. [Maybe if his head didn't feel like it was stuffed with cotton and if his stomach wasn't empty, he'd be a lot less okay with that blood, but he's handling it fine. Even though it's Keith's. Even though Keith is bleeding because Hunk didn't take two seconds to drop the bay doors and let him ohhhhhkay okay, the not-okay part is back.

Hunk just swallows and looks away from the wound as he mostly-carries Keith over to the bay doors, wedges them open just a bit more (and thankfully these stay open) before settling him down on the wall inside as he goes in search of the first aid kit. Judging by the sticky feeling in his hair, they're gonna both need it.]

[whatsacactus]

[He wants to argue that but.. Well! It's hard to argue sometimes, when his head is swimming and they just got tossed half-way across a planet by some weird beam.

... OH crap. Oh crap with Yellow down, they don't have a way to contact the others. It's a realization that hits Keith as Hunk sets him down, leaving him reaching for Hunk still.

No nononono this is bad, even as he watches him disappear to look for probably some kind of med kit or something but crap crapcrap.]

I think... [Some cursory attempts proves him right, and he rests his head back against the wall. Floor. Whatever's behind him.] We're out of range of the others.

[bigbrained]

[Yeah the thought has occurred to Hunk and he is trying REAL HARD not to freak out, even though he thinks he might be in the 'numb' stage of freaking out, where he gets stuff done but then becomes useless later. He'd like to at least get Keith bandaged up before becoming useless, like, that's ideal.

So Hunk just...HAHAHAHA just ignores that as he drags over the Altean medkit and starts rummaging around before pumping up the blue lights on their suits to better see Keith's leg.] Okay...okayokay, I don't think it got the artery. That's good. [That wound is deep though, and Keith is so stoic about that sort of thing that it could've hit bone and all he'd say is 'ow.' Right. Okay. Disinfectant first, gonna just pour that over the wound, generously.]

[whatsacactus]

[That pain and the anxiety of not having contact goes to his head, making Keith flighty and fidgety, lightheaded enough that he doesn't fully notice Hunk coming back with the kit. Or that he's about to dump a whole lot of pain on top of his leg.

He hisses in through gritted teeth, a hand clutching to whatever of Hunk's armor is within his reach. He's used to doing this himself with disinfectant, but Altean version? Hurts like shit. It pours into the wound and it's like a fire lit through every muscle and blood vessel from his leg to his stomach.]

Hunk - Save some of that for yourself, we still have to check you over. [Yeah, he's still not thinking much of himself in this.]

[bigbrained]

Oh- right, right, [Caps it and hopefully!!! Hopefully there's enough for his head wound. Oh man, that looks like it burns...] Sorry Keith! Sorry, are- are you okay? Oh man, [is it supposed to fizz blue like that??? Hunk's hands hover over Keith's leg, though he's too scared to touch him. He should get over that since he'll need to bind that wound up but HEY, seeing Keith writhing in pain is kind of traumatic!!!! Who knew!!]

[whatsacactus]

[Okay, okay he just needs a couple more seconds and he can power through this and help Hunk. Focus on that, getting through to help Hunk. His breath is shaky and honestly worrying, but he manages to focus his eyes on his friend now.]

Ohkay. Got that. Good stuff, hurts a lot. [And then he's shoving himself up to his feet; Keith got himself hyperfocused on where he currently is and the end goal he forgot the middle step of bandage the leg.]

[bigbrained]

Okay, good, now we'RE WHAT ARE YOU DOING! Keith! [Wants to yank him back down to the ground but WHAT IF HE HURTS HIM, omfg Keith, Hunk is going to push himself up and try to gently wrestle him back to the ground] We're not done, get back down!

[whatsacactus]

You don't have to yell! [He's right here, gosh!!! 'Not done' gets his attention, and Keith doesn't immediately get it until he looks down and... Right, his leg is still in bad condition.

They should probably bandage that.

...Oh.

With some help, he eases himself back down, eyes pointedly not looking at Hunk now.]

Right.

[bigbrained]

Yeah. Right. ...oh my god there's blood everywhere, okay.

[GIVE HIM A SECOND, okay. Where's that sealing tape? Hunk shakily unwinds a strip (remembers Allura going pale and calling Earth medicine 'barbaric' when he'd described stitches to her) and turns back to Keith's bloody, bloody leg.] Okay, uh...um, can you put your hands on- on your leg and push, like...the thing together. [The wound, Hunk. C'mon man]

[whatsacactus]

... Right.

[Yeah, he'll get right on that. He swallows nervously and. Okay first, he gets his knife because no, they're doing this right. He takes the pants where they tore and starts cutting carefully to make the hole bigger. Easier so they don't get fabric mixed into all this. When he's sure it's enough (and god it looks worse without the paladin black against it), he takes a deep breath.]

Okay.

[And gently, wincing the whole time, starts pressing the wound together.]

[bigbrained]

...ohmygod, I'm gonna be sick, [TURNS AWAY, clapping a hand over his mouth. Do not be sick again, Hunk, c'mon you gotta help Keith! C'mon already!!!]

[whatsacactus]

[Keith stops when he hears that, watches Hunk. It's all concern now, and exhaustion but he holds out one hand to him, open and palm up.]

Do you need me to do it?

[It's an honest question, with no judgement or snide tone to it. If Hunk can't, then he can't, he'd rather not Hunk be uncomfortable with something like this if he doesn't have to be.]

[bigbrained]

[OH MY GOD, KEITH. Hunk is one part incredulous and one part envious with a response like that. "Do you need me to bandage up my own gored leg for the sake of your own comfort?" Who made you, is it those Texas genes you insane motherfucker?

Hunk swallows hard (again) and shakes his head, taking a few breaths to calm himself down.] No, no, you gotta- just uh, just hold it together. It'll work better this way. [And Hunk unwinds a strip of tape long enough to cover the wound. ...Probably gonna use several but lets get that in place first.]

[whatsacactus]

Okay.

[Hunk says he'll do it, so Keith trusts him to. Honestly? He's kind of glad it's the two of them and not Lance or Pidge. Pidge doesn't have much experience with this sort of thing, and Lance would be making this a lot worse. But if Hunk puts his mind to it, he'll make short work of it.

So Keith takes another deep breath and pushes the skin together again.]

Let's go.

[bigbrained]

Just like taping up some construction paper, [Hunk mutters to himself, and his hands tremble only a little bit as he carefully, carefully lines up the tape with the edges of the wound and presses just enough to make sure the adhesive soaks up the blood to stick to the skin. This stuff is useful, damn useful, because can you imagine him trying to give Keith stitches? Ha! No. Keith would probably have to do that himself, too.

Once the entire length is taped down, Hunk goes back over the wound with perpendicular strips of tape, just to make sure it won't reopen with all the moving Keith undoubtedly will do. He gets some blood on his gloves, not even half as much as Keith has on his, and maybe his hands are majorly shaking by the time they're done but Keith's are as steady as ever and Hunk's always admired that about him. Something like this wouldn't rattle Keith; he's always so damn brave.

The tape goes back in the kit and Hunk bends forward to breathe deep, but this time he pushes himself back up to get the gauze to wrap around Keith's leg right after instead of letting himself freak out.] ...'kay. That...should be good. [Fixes the end of the gauze with clips.]

[whatsacactus]

[He's watching Hunk's hands, ready to do whatever if Hunk needs him to but... He doesn't. Hunk gets it done, like Keith knew he would. Even though he can see the shaking and Hunk shouldn't be doing this. He should be resting or getting a look at his Lion or something, not half-carrying him around and being his medic. Hunk's always doing that. Putting people first. Why the yellow Lion chose him, after all. He shouldn't be surprised.

Hunk gets it all done, and Keith just. Can't help that tired little smile.]

Thanks. What about you?

[bigbrained]

Oh man, I could sleep for a week. [...but there's stuff that needs doing.] Uh, I think I'm good- oh, wait. [Aren't they supposed to clean their hands between touching wounds? Oh well, just taking his gloves off will have to do, and after that he unties his headband and feels around until he finds the bump with a wince. No fresh blood comes off though.] I don't think I'm bleeding anymore...maybe just...leave it alone?

[Hunk you gotta disinfect it, don't be a baby]