Daydreams

Mathematics of a Sacrifice

"It's simple math really", Smith said, "You have one gun pointed at me".
He held up one finger.
"And I have one, two, three, four, five, six guns pointed at your boyfriend here."
He grinned, despite the gun pointed at his face, looking like the cat who got the canary.

"Let him go", I gritted out, "It's me you want".
His grin self satisfied grew impossibly wider.

"I know. That's why I won't hesitate to have my men fill him with bullets if you do anything other than lay down your gun and surrender."

And I couldn't let them kill Mika. No matter the cost, I couldn't be the reason he died.

"You'll let him go?", I asked, and Mika, who had stood silent and stoic and brave by my side, snapped his unwavering gaze onto me.

"Don't", he whispered, "Don't you dare.

Slowly, I lowered my gun. Someone came up from behind me and tore it from my hand before someone else wrestled my hands into cuffs behind my back and took my arm in a rough hold.
"Let him go", I growled.

Smith nodded to the gunmen, who lowered their weapons.

"Run along now" he shooed at Mika, but instead of fleeing, the idiot ran towards me.
The gunmen raised their guns at him.
"NO"

"The gunshot rang deafening in the air and Mika collapsed on the floor, curling in on himself, clutching his leg and moaning.
I tore and struggled against my restraints but I couldn't free myself from the man clutching my arm. I kept struggling, choking on the tears I tried to keep away from my eyes.

Smith crouched beside Mika's shaking form. He grabbed his hair and pulled his head backwards to hiss in his face.
"Only because I'm in a good mood did you not just die, but if you don't behave, that can be easily remedied"
He changed his tone to clear and sharp.
"Here's what's going to happen: one of my men is going to drop you off at the nearest hospital, and on the way, you are going to come up with a good little lie to explain how you got injured. And you are not going to tell anyone about what happened here today. If you do-" he pulled again on Mika's hair-"your boyfriend will pay for it. Understand?"
Mika nodded, as much as he could with his head pulled back.

The asshole let go of his hair and stood up. He turned to one of the men.
"Take him to a car."
The man nodded and picked Mika up like it was nothing.

I watched with a churning mix of dread and relief as he was driven away, praying to God that he'd have sense enough to stay out of trouble.

Trigger warnings: shooting: hostage situation, shooting, gunshot injury, threats (against significant other), death threats (against significant other)