Something Better || Chapter 7: Nightmares
Ghost x Reader x Soap
Fic is below the cut !! Please read the previous chapter here if you haven't already !!
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Word Count: 4,400+
Warnings: Suicidal thoughts, self-loathing thoughts, graphic depictions of injuries, mentions of dead bodies (not real dw), guns, gunshots
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Bullets ricocheted off the walls as you and your teammates sprinted through the hallways. The fluorescent lights buzzed overhead as you ran, mocking your panicked state. This was not supposed to happen. This was supposed to be an easy in and out mission, not a full blown battle zone. You fear your calls for backup went unheard. Your heart jumped as you spotted an exit. You motioned to your teammates the exit location.
âIâll cover you guys, move out!â You yelled. They nodded and ran by you. As they passed, you counted each member. Your chest sank as your last teammate passed you. Someone was missing. You grabbed the last soldierâs arm and held them back.Â
âWhere the hell is Parker!?â You yelled.
âHeâs not already left?â They asked, worry lacing their voice. You shook your head and wracked your brain for where Parker could be. You let go of the soldierâs arm and motioned for them to head through the exit.
âIâm going back for him, go join the others and await backup.â You said and started moving back further into the building.Â
âWait, youâre not going back alone are you!? Thatâs a death wish!â Said the soldier, grabbing your shoulder. You shrugged them off and gave them a determined look.
âI will not leave anyone behind, now move soldier!â You yelled. They hesitated for a moment, and then ran after the other team members. You raised your gun and slowly began making your way through the building. You followed the sound of distant gunfire.
You pressed yourself against the wall and shifted closer to the edge of the doorway. A stray bullet whizzed through the open door. You could hear men yelling inside. With a deep breath, you burst through the doorway and shot at the assailants inside. Within seconds, they were down, having been caught by surprise.Â
You glare at the figure that starts to slowly rise from behind a table. Storming over, you hit Lieutenant Parker upside the head.
âWhat the fuck were you thinking!? How the hell did you fall so far behind from the rest of the team!?â You yell, dragging him out from behind the table by his collar. He ducks his head staring at the floor.
â...I saw Veseli heading down this way after watching us scramble from the meeting room. I⌠I thought I could finish him off⌠That maybe this mission wouldnât have been for nothingâŚâ He says, gripping his gun tightly. You look at him, guilt welling up in your chest. You led them on this faulty mission. You shouldâve checked it out for yourself before jumping inâŚ
You huff and rest a hand on his shoulder. â...Donât worry about it. But youâre goddamn lucky someone like you is hard to replace, or else you wouldâve been left to be dog foodâŚâ Parker chuckles at that. You give him a grin. âNow come on, weâre not outta this hell hole yet. The rest of the teamâs waiting outside. Iâll cover you.â He nods and the two of you inch towards the door. Parker peeks out into the hall before slipping out, giving you the motion to continue.Â
You slip out as well, remaining as quiet as possible. You both creep down the halls, bodies of your assailants littering the floors. As you near the exit, you hear footsteps and shouts in the distance. Dammit⌠They just keep coming⌠You think to yourself.Â
âParker, make a run for the exit, Iâll cover you.â He looks at you in shock.
âL/N, you canât be serious-â You cut him off, focusing entirely on the opposite end of the hall.
âI refuse to fill out a K.I.A. form tonight, Lieutenant. Now get your ass out of here.â You feel him hesitate. âDammit, Parker, NOW!â You hear him start running down the hall. As he ran, gunmen round the corner, barely getting the chance to raise their weapons before you mowed them down.
Grunt after grunt came, but none were able to do anything against your onslaught. But they were starting to wear you down, your cartridge in your gun running low. You dropped your gun when it drew blanks and pulled out your pistol. You started back down the hall, inching towards the exit, trying to kill as many as you could. You couldnât, wouldnât, let them get to the rest of your team.Â
âL/N! Get out of there, thereâs too many!â You heard Parker yell from behind you. You whipped around, seeing him standing in the exit doorway. Fury boiled up inside of you. I told that little shit to get out of- The thought was cut off as bullets riddled your back. A gasp left you as you felt three of them enter right underneath your vest. Blinding pain erupted from your lower spine as you collapsed.Â
You couldnât feel your legs as your body met the ground. Loud ringing filled your ears as you numbly tried to sit up. Fiery, white hot pain ripped through your spine as you shifted slightly. You tried to move your legs to no avail. It felt like they were gone, like they didnât exist. You heard more gunfire, and felt a pair of arms start dragging you down the hall. Each movement was agony, it felt as though someone had ripped off your lower spine.
Someone was speaking to you as everything around you faded to black. You closed your eyes. Opening them, you saw you were standing in a void. You looked down, and saw yourself, being dragged down the hall by Parker. Blood gushed from your lower back and torso as you laid there limply. You blinked, but you were no longer staring at yourself and ParkerâŚ
It was Soap, it was his lower back riddled with bullets, and it was Ghost dragging him down the hall. You tried to rush to help, but you were glued to the inky blackness, frozen, forced to watch as he bled out, as Ghost tried to save him.Â
âThis is just a dream, itâs just a dream, this didnât happen, itâs okay, theyâre okay!â You told yourself. Your voice echoed throughout the void. The figures of Soap and Ghost stopped, as if they were frozen in time.Â
âBut it could have happened⌠Because you hesitatedâŚâ Rang a voice from the darkness, your voice. âYou almost got them killed⌠What happened to you could have happened to them⌠Because of your carelessnessâŚâ You looked at the figures again, only this timeâŚ
The entirety of 141 were sprawled on the ground, riddled with bullets, bloodied, dead. Gaz, Laswell, Price, Soap, Ghost. All of them. Dead.Â
âItâs your fault⌠You caused thisâŚâ You shook your head, tears welling up in your eyes. The voice echoed those words, louder, louder, louder. You tried to cover your ears, close your eyes, but you could still hear it, still see their mangled bodies. You dropped to the ground, unable to bear it any longer. A scream ripped from you and then-
You jolted upwards, a gasp tearing from your throat. Your breaths were labored as you quickly took in your surroundings, sweat clinging to your skin. You were in your room, laying in bed. You exhaled and pressed the heels of your palms to your eyes, attempting to calm yourself. It was a nightmare, it wasnât real⌠You repeated to yourself. ⌠But it could have been⌠You sucked in a breath. Guilt ridden thoughts started welling up inside, the darkness of your room feeling heavy on your shoulders. You curled in on yourself, trying to breathe.
It was suffocating, the darkness, the words that clanged in your head. You had to leave. You snatched your cane as you jolted from your bed and lunged for the door, wrenching it open. As quickly as you could, you made your way through the silent, empty halls, the clacking of your cane seeming to echo throughout the base. You needed air.
You thrust open the door that led outside and took in a deep breath. The crisp, cool night air filled your lungs as you breathed, and breathed, and breathed. You plopped down on a bench next to the door and stared at the moon. From what you could tell from its position, it was probably around 3 or 4 in the morning. You sighed and leaned your head against the concrete exterior of the base. What a shitty week⌠You thought.
It had been almost a week since the last mission, you had been avoiding everyone, unable to face them. Everyday, you would send a request to Laswell for a transfer, and everyday it would be denied. You couldnât understand why she refused it, had she not seen how royally you fucked up? You froze at the worst possible time. You could have gotten the team killed if it werenât for Laswellâs quick thinking. You huffed a bitter laugh. If only the team could see me now⌠How pathetic Iâve gotten⌠Your chest burned with memories of them⌠How they looked at you with admiration. It wasnât 141 you were thinking of, it was your team⌠Task Force 441âŚ
You frowned as you remembered your last meeting with them, while you were still bedridden in the hospital. You hadnât said a single word to them the entire time. You didnât even say goodbye to them when they left. How long ago was thatâŚ? A yearâŚ? A year gone by, and youâre right back at square one⌠How pathetic of youâŚ
You heard a shuffle from the doorway. Turning your head lamely, you suddenly froze when you saw Soap standing there. He seemed to have the same reaction as you, him staring at you like a deer in headlights. His mohawk was ruffled, and he was dressed in a tank top, sweatpants, and a pair of slippers. You both stared at each other for an uncomfortable amount of time, neither of you knowing what to say.
âUm⌠Howâs it goinâ...?â Says Soap, slowly. He cringes internally at his words. Heâs pretty sure he knows damn well how itâs going. Not good!Â
âUm⌠Fine I guessâŚ?â You say, looking down at the gravel beneath the bench. A beat of awkward silence bounces between the two of you.Â
Soap hadnât meant to find you. He had woken up only a few minutes prior with the need for a drink and had been on his way to the break room when he saw the outside door open, a night breeze sweeping down the hall. It was just simple curiosity that led him here.
He hadnât seen you since your outburst on the blacktop. That was about a week ago. He tried to talk to you only once after it happened, but was met with icy silence. He figured you just needed time alone. He considers going back inside and leaving you be. But⌠Just looking at you, he can tell something is eating you alive. Thereâs dark circles under your eyes, and your face is soulless and blank. You probably want to be left alone⌠But something in him keeps him from turning around. Heâs seen Simon the same way. He canât let you do this aloneâŚ
Against his better judgment he fully steps outside. â...Dâye mind if I sit whit ye for a moment?â He says gently. If you said no, heâd go back inside, no questions asked.
You take in a breath, preparing to tell him to leave you alone, but⌠You stop yourself. Do you really want to be alone right now� Besides, does he really deserve to keep being pushed away like this? You sigh and wave your hand.
âBe my guest. I canât tell you where to sit.â You say. Your focus remains on the ground as you feel him sit next to you. Silence washes over the two of you, but itâs not as awkward as before. You close your eyes and rest your head on your hands. Thankfully, it seems as though your thoughts arenât as loud as earlier. Probably because youâre embarrassed someoneâs found you in this state, especially Soap, who was the last person you wanted to find you like this.
Soap observes you as you sit there with your eyes closed. You look so small right now⌠So vulnerable. He canât see any of your usual confident attitude, that sense of unwavering strength and determination. You look like a shell, a void that will swallow light whole.Â
â...How come yer out here?â He asks. He didnât know if heâd get an answer or not. It wouldnât bother him if you didnât. Heâs used to his questions going unanswered, having had that happen to him many times with Simon.
You sit there for a moment, considering. You let out a sigh. âOh⌠You know⌠Nightmares and stuff like that⌠Nothing I canât handle. Just needed to⌠To get away from it for a momentâŚâ You say, exhaustion heavy in your voice. You were tired. Not just physically, but mentally. You were tired of being ripped from sleep by memories you wanted to forget. You were tired of being in your own head.Â
Soap hums in acknowledgment. Youâre not the only one whoâs been dragged from sleep because of nightmares. Both he and Simon have had to console one another after particularly bad ones.Â
â...Dâye want tâ talk aboot it?â He asks softly. Once again, he wasnât expecting a yes or even an answer from you. It was more so a gentle offer, a reminder that you can talk to him and he would listen for as long as you needed.
You sat there, head still resting on your hands, pondering. Itâs not that you didnât trust Soap, hell, you trust the man with your life. You just⌠You didnât know if you could bear telling him. Would he look at you differently? Would he treat you with pity, or disgust when he found out about your failure? You turned slightly to look at him for the first time since he came out here. He was sitting next to you patiently, his eyes void of judgment or pity. Maybe⌠Just maybeâŚ
You let out a long sigh and sat up. You leaned against the wall of the base and crossed your arms, staring up at the moon. A minute or two of silence passed by. Soap turned his gaze from you and looked at the moon as well. Perhaps you werenât ready to talk.
âI used to be the captain of Task Force 441.â You say, eyes never leaving the sky. Soapâs eyes widen as he whirls his head to stare at you, shocked. He knew you were a part of the team, but the captain!?
You can see his shocked expression out of the corner of your eye and grin a little. âI know, I donât look the part, do I? Especially not now.â You let out a sigh and close your eyes. âI was handpicked by some of the higher ups, along with the other 6 members.â A smile graced your lips. âWe were together for years, kicking ass, scaring off baddies, we felt unstoppable.â Your smile dropped from your face. Soap didnât dare say a word, afraid youâd stop talking.
â...Do you know what our last mission was?â You asked quietly. Soap thought for a moment. Heâd heard vague rumors. Some said it was something so violent it made them all quit. Others said it was a ruse so the team could retire. None of them felt like the truth though.
âOnly heard rumors, didnae think any of them were trueâŚâ He said. You let out a bitter chuckle.
âSuperiors mustâve kept the reason under wraps thenâŚâ You say. You look at the moon once more. âSeveral of our missions prior had been to take down operations from this criminal organization in southern Europe. Illegal weapon trades and all that. The leader, Bedarin Veseli, didnât like that for obvious reasons.â You shut your eyes. âHe managed to find out who we were, who we worked with. He⌠He went straight for our intelligence officer⌠My friendâŚâ You clenched your fists. âHe offered her a massive amount of money to lead us on a false mission so he could eradicate us⌠Apparently the offer was too good to refuse in her eyesâŚâ You sighed.
âSo, she cooked up a mission for us. She said sheâd gotten word that Veseli had a group of hostages locked up in an abandoned base⌠The same base where Graves was hiding in earlier this week.â Soapâs eyes widened at that. So thatâs why they were acting so strange⌠âWe, of course, accepted it. I⌠I didnât think to check out the facts myselfâŚâ Your eyes glazed over, lost in the memories of that night. âWe went in, expecting it to be an easy in and out. Weâve rescued hostages dozens of times before, how difficult could this one be?â You chuckled. âHow foolish we were⌠How foolish I was⌠We had gotten to the meeting room where the âhostagesâ were supposedly being held. What we found instead were dozens of armed lackeys with big fucking guns.â
âHonestly, Iâm surprised none of us were injured in the initial onslaught. We barely managed to get away.â You smiled. âVeseli may have had the manpower, but he still underestimated our skill. Sure, he caught us off guard, but everyone managed to escape.â Your smile slipped. â...Well⌠Not fully intact, I supposeâŚâ You rested a hand on your right leg. â...I had managed to get everyone out, except for my second in command, Lieutenant Parker. I went back for him, ordered my team to remain outside and await backup.âÂ
âI found him and dragged his ass to the exit, but not before more of Veseliâs men found us. I managed to mow down most of them, told Parker to run for it as I covered him.â You turned your attention back to the night sky. â...I got distracted and then boom. Shot in the back. Three of the bullets managed to hit right under my vest⌠Next thing I know, Iâm in the hospital, being relieved of duty and told Iâll never walk normally for the rest of my life. I dream of that night every time I try to sleep.â Your words ring in the night air. Soap sits there next to you. He doesnât know what to say.
The two of you are silent for a few minutes. Soap watches your face. Itâs utterly blank, devoid of any emotion as you stare silently at the moon. He feels like he should say something, offer condolences, offer anything. He opens his mouth.
âI sometimes wish I had died that night.â You say quietly. Soap freezes, cold washing through him. You continue.
âThose months after the mission, I had hoped, begged, prayed to anything out there to let me die. I thought that dying was better than to lose my purpose in life, to face my failure⌠My failure as a leader, as a team member⌠as a soldierâŚâ You looked down at your hands, taking in the details of your palms, your calluses, proof of the work you had put in to get where you are today. âI thought that death was better than the humiliation of defeat. Better than the knowledge that my enemy had gotten the better of me, that he had turned my friend against me, that he had crippled me for lifeâŚâÂ
â...I thought that I had overcome that. I thought I had found a new purpose⌠But after the last mission⌠After I froze up and almost got you guys killedâŚâ You grinned, but there was no amusement behind it. âAm I any better than I was then?â You gritted your teeth, your clenched fists trembling. âI let my emotions overcome me, let them blind me as they blinded me then. I knew there was something weird about the mission⌠I knew that there were holes in the story⌠But I⌠I didnât question it⌠I didnât look into it myself⌠Blindly trusting it because she was my friend⌠Like a lamb to slaughterâŚâ You let out a broken laugh and pressed your hands to your face.
âRather pathetic, huh?â Your voice cracked as you spoke. Your eyes burned behind your hands, throat bobbing. The dam of emotions inside you was wearing thin.
Soapâs brows furrowed as he watched you attempt to ground yourself, as you tried to brush off what you had just revealed. You were broken. You had been shattered, betrayed, and had shoddily picked up the pieces. You had laid all your soul bare to him, and were still trying to keep a brave face.
He gently laid a hand on your shoulder. â...Ye really think itâs yer faultâŚ?â He asked. Hands still pressed to your face, you nod, body trembling. He removes his hand from your shoulder and crosses his arms, letting out a huff. â...Well thatâs the biggest load oâ shite Iâve ever heard in me life.â You slowly process his words, your hands lowering from your face as you turn to him.
â...HuhâŚ?âÂ
âI said thatâs the biggest load oâ shite Iâve ever heard in me life! Ye did nothinâ wrong! Ye were jusâ followinâ orders! How cuid ye have known âat she had betrayed ye? Especially if she were yer friend!â He sighed. âYer real smart⌠But honestly yer actinâ like a right roaster right aboot now!â You furrow your brows. RoasterâŚ? The fuck does that meanâŚ?
He placed a hand on your shoulder again. âIt wasnât yer fault. Ye did whit any solider wuidâve done. The only way âat bastard gets the better of ye is if ye let yerself fall into a hole ye cannae get out of.â You look at Soap, stunned. He glances away and rubs the back of his neck. â... Yer an incredible intelligence officer, one oâ the most skilled Iâve ever seen. Sure, ye froze up, but shite happens. None oâ us fault ye for it⌠Itâd be a shame ifnâye quit on us⌠We all⌠We all really like havinâ ye on the teamâŚâ He pulls his hand away. âWeâve all been through hell. âAts the life of a soldier. But, we have each other⌠At the end oâ the day, weâre all surrounded by people who get it, get us⌠So, donât think yer alone in thisâŚâ You let his words sink in.
You reflected on the past few months. Ever since joining 141, you had started to feel like yourself again. The joking, the banter, the conversations, every moment made you feel alive again. You had felt like you were alone, that you couldnât talk to anyone about this. But you werenât alone. Soap had reached out to you, so had Gaz, Price, Laswell, hell, even Ghost.
A smile creeped onto your face, and you turned to Soap. â...Thanks, SoapâŚâ He gave you a grin.
â...Ye can call me Johnny, ifnâye want to, âat isâŚâ He said, face flushing slightly. You chuckled.
âAlright, thank you, Johnny, for listening to my tragic tale.â You say sarcastically. He huffed a laugh at that. The two of you sat in a comfortable quiet for the first time that night.
âDâye miss yer old task force?â Johnny asked. You let out a hum as you thought.
â...I do. They were like family to me. Iâm not⌠Iâm not as upset about my leg anymore⌠I mean, look at where I am now, Iâd never have gotten here without it happening I suppose.â You turned and grinned at Johnny, nudging his shoulder. âBesides, if it hadn't happened, I wouldnât have met you guys!â He smiled and waved you off.
âAhh, yer jusâ sayinâ thatâŚâ
You scoff. âAm not! Iâm really happy to have met you guys! Besides, if we hadnât met, who would listen to my rants about true crime tv shows?â Johnny places his face in his hands.
âCannae believe ye out-rank meâŚâ He mumbled. You barked out a laugh and patted his shoulder.
âI out-rank you either way, buster. No matter where you go, Iâm still your superior.â He groaned as you chuckled.
You let out a sigh and stand up, grabbing your cane and stretching your stiff legs. You yawn. âWell, itâs late and Iâve barely slept. Iâm gonna try to catch a few more winks before sunrise.â
Johnny looks up at you as you stretch. âSo⌠Are things gonna go back tâ normal, then? Yer gonna go back tâ work whit Laswell?â You stop your stretches and look down at him.
â...Yeah⌠I guess soâŚâ You rub the back of your neck and look sheepishly at the ground. â...Sorry if I worried you guys⌠I guess thatâs really unprofessional of meâŚâ Johnny waves his hand.
âAh, donâ worry aboot it! Everyone goes through a rough patch every now anâ then!â He lowers his hand. â...Maybe next time though, donâ disappear for days straightâŚ? Ye had Price and Gaz worried somethinâ fierce, even Ghost was gettinâ ready tâ knock yer door doon.â Your face flushes bright red with embarrassment.
â...Iâll keep that in mindâŚâ You start to head inside, but pause and look at Johnny once more. â...Thank you, again. For listening to me⌠It⌠It really meant a lot.â He gives you a gentle smile.
âAye, thas whit friends are for.��� You smiled at him.
âGoodnight, Johnny. Iâll see you tomorrow.â He bids you goodnight as well and you walk inside.
Johnny listens to your fading footsteps and clacking of your cane, the sounds slowly being overtaken by crickets chirping. He leans back and rests his head against the wall. He never imagined tonight would have gone like this. He never imagined how hurt you were. He thought back to how you looked earlier, hands pressed to your face, voice trembling. He knew you had gone through hell but damn. He never thought it was that bad.
âŚMaybe thatâs why Simon had tried to comfort you that day. Maybe he could sense you were broken too. Speakinâ of Simon, heâs probably wonderinâ where the hell I am⌠Johnny lets loose a sigh and stands, stretching his limbs. How long had the two of you been sitting there? Mustâve been an hour or more. He headed back inside, making his way down the hall.
Hopefully, after tonight, youâd be more comfortable sharing your thoughts. Hopefully, you wouldnât feel the need to bury them inside until they burst. He reached the door to his room, and looked down the hall. A small smile tugged at his lips as he thought about your laughter earlier.
He hoped you slept well tonight.
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Heyyyyy..... So sorry that I haven't updated this fic in awhile.... I fell out of the COD fandom after my hyperfixation ended lol... But!! I'm not going to give up on this fic!! I think I have a good story and I wanna tell it!! But, updates will probably be slow tbh since I'm in school so.... We'll see how long it will take. But rest assured, this fic will be completed one way or another!! Ciao !!
XOXOXOXOXOX <3
tagged people:
@sucka2me @deltottoro @zyonsay
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House Call
Harvey x Farmer!Reader
Fic is below the cut! Please enjoy!
Summary: Harvey gets calls from people in Pelican Town who are concerned for the new farmer's health. Harvey goes and pays the new farmer a visit.
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Word Count: 2100+
Warnings: Wounds, bruises, burns
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Harvey walked past the bus stop, medical bag in hand, enjoying the warm breeze. It was late spring, the days getting warmer and longer as summer attempted to take over. He was on his way to the old farm that had been taken over by a newcomer a couple months ago. The new farmer, named Y/N, had already gained the reputation of being incredibly friendly. They would come into town frequently to get tasks from the help board, buy supplies, donate items to the museum, or just to chat with the townsfolk. Harvey personally didnât talk to them much, not that he avoided them of course, he just tended to stay inside his clinic, oftentimes missing their visits into town.Â
He was on his way to the farm because he had gotten a series of calls from his fellow townspeople concerned for Y/Nâs health. Apparently, they had gone to the saloon late last night appearing battered and bruised after an adventure to the mines. Harvey was fairly certain that they were fine as heâd heard they frequented the mines quite often, but being a doctor, he couldnât say theyâd be fine if he didnât at least check on them.Â
Harvey entered the farm and looked around in slight awe. The last time he saw the old farm it was overgrown with gnarled trees, weeds, and stones. Now it was nothing but a clear field (with the occasional large stones and logs) with plots of crops growing happily in the soil. Something was off though as he stepped closer. He was no farmer by any means, but the plots didnât appear to be watered yet. He looked to his left. The mailbox still had its flag up, meaning the mail hadnât been checked. He furrowed his brow and checked his watch. It was about 15 minutes past 9.
Odd⌠I thought they were usually up and about by this time. He thought as he climbed the steps to the porch. Their house was quite small, looking more like a cabin than a house. It seemed as though they had attempted to repair some of the cracks and holes on the outside themself. He knocked on the door.Â
From inside he heard shuffling and a quiet groan, then a muffled coming. As he heard footsteps approaching the door, he quickly gave himself a once over, smoothing his coat and readjusting his collar. The door swung open and a tired (slightly annoyed) Y/N clad in pajamas greeted him. They stared at him blearily before recognition flashed in their eyes. They quickly straightened and cleared their throat.
âUh, Dr. Harvey. What a surprise, I didnât expect to see you.â They said, fixing him with a slightly strained polite smile. Harvey quickly glanced them over, trying to see any injuries. They were wearing a loose long-sleeve shirt and baggy pajama pants with slippers. He didnât notice any physical ailments.
âPlease, just call me Harvey. I came today because Iâve received several phone calls from people in town concerned about your well being.â He said. He watched as their face flushed slightly. They brought a hand to the back of their neck and glanced at the floor, shuffling slightly.
â...Ah, I see⌠Well, Iâm doing fine, just a lilâ worn out from last night. Nothing some rest canât fix, yâknow?â They said sheepishly. Harvey raised a brow at them, causing them to shrink slightly.
âI was told you looked like you had gotten into a fight with a bear last night.âÂ
â...Oh⌠well⌠yeahâŚâ They stared at their feet.
âHave you treated your wounds at least?â He asked.
âUm⌠yeahâŚ?â They said, sounding unsure.
âMay I check?â Harvey asked. He saw them hesitate to answer. âIt wonât take long, I just want to make sure your wounds donât get infected.â He clarified, giving them a small smile. He watched them consider his offer. After a moment, they sighed and stepped to the side.
âAlright, you make a good point. Come in, Iâll make some coffee.â With that, they walked inside letting Harvey follow. He closed the door behind him and looked around. It was fairly small, but cozy. Their bed was pressed into a corner, the sheets a mess. There was a fireplace against the far wall and a box tv sitting next to it with a pillow in front of it to act as a chair. Against the right wall was a small kitchenette, a table with two chairs, and a door which he assumed led to the bathroom.Â
Y/N gestured towards the table. âGo ahead and have a seat, make yourself at home.â Harvey walked to the table and set his bag down. He sat and observed them as they rummaged around to find coffee grounds. A slight frown settled on his face as he noticed their movements. If they moved too fast, theyâd wince and slow down. There was the slightest limp to their steps as they went to the sink to fill the coffee machine. They sat down in the other chair, moving slowly as if going faster would hurt too much.
They watched Harvey as he shrugged off his coat and opened his bag, pulling out a thermometer. He turned to them.Â
âAlright, to start Iâm going to take your temperature.â He leans close and places the thermometer against their forehead. âHave you been experiencing any headaches, tiredness, or nausea?â He asks. He doesnât notice how Y/N begins to flush.Â
âUm⌠no, not that I know ofâŚ? Iâm just kinda⌠sore.â They say, letting out a breath as Harvey leans back and checks the thermometer. Their temperatures normal. Thatâs good, it doesn't seem as though they have an infection. He glances at them. Iâd better still check where theyâve been injured though. He places the thermometer back in his bag and rolls up his sleeves.
âYour temperature is normal. Where have you been feeling sore?â He asks. They rest their head in their hand, drumming their fingers, appearing uncomfortable.Â
âUm, mostly my back and legs. My arms are pretty sore too.â Harvey nods.
âSo, what exactly happened last night?â He asks.
They look at the table, appearing embarrassed. âWell⌠I went mining and uh, mightâve gotten a bit in over my head⌠There were a lot more monsters than last time and⌠I think you can guess the restâŚâ They traced patterns in the wood of the table. Harvey grimaced. He knew the mines were full of dangerous creatures. Slimes, bats, rock crabs, huge flies, shadow people and more.
âMay I see?â They stare at him for a moment.
â...See what?â
â...Your injuriesâŚ?â He says, raising a brow. Y/N flushed, eyes widening.
âUm, theyâre not that bad! Donât worry about them, Iâm fine! Probably just need some pain pills to be honestâŚâ They say quickly, tugging on their sleeve. Harvey had a feeling that they didnât want him to see their wounds. Either because they were embarrassed, or they were that bad.
âI just want to make sure youâve properly dressed them.â They looked down at the table. âIâll leave as soon as I see youâre okay. Thatâs the only reason Iâm here.â Harvey said. They nervously tapped their fingers on the table and then let out a sigh.
â...AlrightâŚâ With that, they began to lift their shirt off. He sees them wince slightly as they raise the shirt off their torso. He grimaces as he sees black and yellow bruises adorning their sides and stomach. They had shoddily wrapped a bandage around their middle and upper right arm, dried blood having bloomed to the surface.Â
âMay I remove the bandage?â He asked. Y/N nodded slightly, looking to the side, embarrassed. Harvey stood and gently began to remove the bandage from their arm. He stopped when they winced, and then proceeded even slower.Â
Harvey winced himself when he fully removed the bandage. There was a large burn on their upper arm, it appeared to be an acid burn. Y/N glanced at him and cleared their throat, looking sheepish.
âYeah⌠A slime got me when I wasnât paying attention. Couldâve been worse, my shirt took most of the hit⌠Bastard ruined a good shirtâŚâ They trailed off.Â
â...I see. And you know how to treat burns like this?â He asked, opening his bag. He pulled out a fresh bandage and some petroleum jelly and a sterile cloth. They tapped their fingers nervously on the table.
â...Wrap itâŚ?â Harvey smiled slightly and went to the sink and ran water over the cloth.Â
âYes, but youâre supposed to rinse off the burn first with water to clear any harmful residue. Then you wrap it loosely. You wrapped yours too tight. Wrapping it too tightly could cause it to swell.â He sat back down and began to gently wipe the burn. He frowned, the burn had already begun to swell slightly.Â
â...OhâŚâ Y/Nâs face was flushed as they stared at the floor. The two of them sat in silence for a few minutes as Harvey treated the burn, wiping it down and then spreading petroleum jelly on it.
â...You didnât think to call me?â He asked quietly, wrapping the burn loosely with the fresh bandage. He waited for a response, not fully expecting one.
â...I didnât want to bother youâŚâ They said softly. Harvey halted at that. He looked at them incredulously.
âYou didnât want to bother me, a doctor, whoâs whole job is to treat people?â Their face blazed red.
âI donât know! It was late, the clinic was already closed! And I⌠I thought I could deal with it myselfâŚâ They trailed off, brows furrowed.
Harvey sighed and finished wrapping the bandage. He began to unwrap the bandage around their middle, taking care to go slow.Â
âY/N, I am your doctor. Even when the clinic is closed, you can always call me and Iâll take care of you. Itâs my job, and Iâm happy to do it.â He finished unwrapping the bandage and assessed the wound. It was a decently sized gash. He retrieved some rubbing alcohol from his bag and began cleaning it. Y/N was silent.
â...I know I donât know you very well, but you can come to me for anything. Doesnât matter if itâs because youâre sick, or if youâre just in need of some company, Iâm here for you, alright? My doorâs always open.â He paused. âWell, at least tilâ 3, then youâll need to call me so I can let you in.â Y/N chuckled at that, making him smile. He finished cleaning the gash and put some petroleum jelly on it as well, then wrapped it in new bandages.Â
âThere, good as new!â He said, leaning back. âYour cut on your side was shallow enough to not need stitches. Your burn should heal in a couple weeks, as well as the cut.â He pulled out some pain medicine from his bag and handed the bottle to Y/N. âTake this once every 4 hours for your soreness. It should help.âÂ
â...Thanks, Harvey. For checking on me and everything.â They said, a soft smile on their face. Harvey returned the smile.
âOf course. What kind of doctor would I be if I let a member of the town go without treatment?â At that, the coffee machine beeped, making the two of them turn their heads.
âOh, coffeeâs done.â Y/N stood and put their shirt back on. They grabbed two mugs from the cabinet. âAre you able to stay for a cup? I know you still have to run the clinic and everything, but it wouldnât be long if youâd like to stay.â They asked. Harvey mulled it over in his head. He probably should be getting back by now⌠But Maru was working today, and he left a note behind explaining where he was. Besides, one cup wouldnât hurt, right?
He smiled. âThat sounds lovely.â Y/N returned his smile and poured him and them a cup as he packed away his supplies and set his bag on the ground. They set his mug in front of him and sat down. He picked it up and took a sip, savoring the warmth and roast.
âSoâŚâ He said, catching Y/Nâs attention. âWhatâs it like in the mines?â A grin spread across their face, their eyes lighting up.
âWell, itâs pretty awesome! The caves are beautiful! And thereâs tons of ores and minerals, oh! And if you like fighting, thatâs the place to go!â They kept talking, Harvey listening, taking occasional sips of his coffee.
One mug, turned into two, then three. And eventually the pot was empty, but they both kept sitting there, talking about any and everything. Eventually, Harvey had to bid them goodbye and head back to the clinic.Â
As he walked past the bus stop, enjoying the breeze, he thought back to their smile and laughter as they told him about their adventures to the mines. He smiled to himself. He couldnât wait to see them again.
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Hello hello hellooooo !!! it's been awhile since I last wrote a fic huh?? This is my first time writing a Stardew fic too !! Hope yall liked it !! Ciao !!!
xoxoxoxo
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tagged people:
@dokoni-mo @minnieplier-blog @takashi747 @justsomedirt @kieropal @marvelluvv @0bs1d1ankn1ght @punkghost141
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