Chapter Text
The sound of hooves on the pavement hasn’t faded yet before the man slumped down in relief, next to the unconscious body on the floor.
“The help is coming,” Treville says reassuringly. Considering that the body on his left is unable to neither reply nor be reassured, Treville mostly says it for his own comfort.
He carefully props the head on his knees and slips two fingers under tight collar to touch clammy skin and find weak and jittery heartbeat.
“And since I have such rare opportunity to say everything I think about you and your stupid decisions without you harping inane nonsense back, it would be a shame to let this opportunity slip.” The words are harsh and dismissive, yet Treville is gentle with his touch. As gentle as a hard-headed soldier can be. “You are a bloody idiot.”
Quite literally, Treville thinks absent-mindedly; his eyes keep squarely away from a deep graze on the temple.
“And if you dare to die on me, just to spite me,” Treville continues, gripping limp and thin hand tightly, “You’ll never hear the end of it, so you better not try to push your luck.”
The body next to and partially on him was unconscious and silent, yet Treville could swear on his life that he felt a weak, imperceptible squeeze back.