Ghosts Broken Mask

17 - 'The arms of lonely'

"Your name?" You asked after 15 or so minutes. "Henry" he said with a smile, his eyes focused. He took a look at your wound, and you tried not to flinch or move away. You nodded at his reply, "Rook" you said, it wasn't your name, but everyone seemed to call you that. He nodded back as the cold metal tools pressed against your warm thigh.

You looked about at Soap, Price and presumably Ghost asleep. Soft snores and grunts here and there. "Did you have anything on your thigh?" Henry asked. You nodded slowly, recalling that you'd attached a thigh belt for a knife if you needed. You told him this and he pursed his lips.

"There are some small fragments of metal within that I'm going to have to retrieve" he said slowly. You nodded understanding, the knife must've broken the adjustment clasp on impact and now you had the material pieces in your thigh. Henry injected you again, assuming to numb you up.

He had a glass over his eye and a small light as he leaned forwards with tweezers. You watched, slightly disgusted, slightly intrigued. You watched as he struggled to hold the fabric back tweezing at your numb leg.

You shifted slightly at the small nips, feeling only very tiny tings of pain. Henry grabbed some scissors cutting at your pants. "Why'd you do that?" You frowned. He looked over at you "It's just best we're not getting fabric into your wound, even a tiny bit can infect the wound especially if I stitch it up. You're a soldier who was just on a mission, so your pants aren't cleaned" He explained. 

"I'll take em off" You offered, hooking your fingers around the waistband, unbuckling your belt. He glanced at you but didn't protest. You struggled to shimmy them off, Henry assisted you as they slid over your wound. You tugged them over your boots exposing grazes over your legs hidden by the pants.

You looked over them, seeing Henry do the same. Dabbing some alcohol-soaked cotton pads onto the weeping cuts. You winced, areas not numb as the alcohol stung your open flesh. You laid back down slowly, feeling sleepy as you quietly conversated with Henry.

Keeping your thoughts at bay. You learnt he was a trained medic as well as pilot in training. You felt at ease with his work now as you grew sleepy. He noticed this and told you it was okay to sleep. You nodded apologizing in advance if you moved or squirmed in your sleep. You continued to chat through your yawns, trying to keep still.

You closed your eyes, mumbling soft replies before you slipped back into darkness.

———————

You awoke next to the helicopter still, having landed. Everyone had left the helicopter as others moved things. You were left asleep, a blanket over you as your body came back to life. You'd slept the whole way? You blocked the rising sun from your eyes as the sound of business surrounded you.

It was comforting in a way, you seen the team standing in a circle with the previous people from your last visit. Your leg felt immensely better, surprising from the injury. The team was discussing something that you couldn't quiet hear.

They stood straight, arms folded as they shifted their stance from time to time. You sat up, rubbing your head. Your headache had subsided, but it was still faintly there. There was a very mild wind that was warm as it brushed across surfaces lightly. You looked down at your thigh. twelve neat and straight stitches holding it together, it was very nice work.

You rubbed the sleep from your eyes as you swung your legs off the seat. You grabbed the handle above the door, testing that you could hold yourself. Once you confirmed you could, you stepped from the helicopter making your way to the team, slowly but steadily. Your limp wasn't that noticeable if you stood up straight.

Your thigh felt fine to bend but you knew you shouldn't stretch it too much. As you reached hearing range you picked up the current conversation. "No actually their asleep at this moment" Soap was saying as he pointed his thumb over his shoulder towards the helicopter. You watched as the General peered around Soap towards the helicopter before his eyes landed on you.