A Trail of Smoke and Smugglers (Santi/PopexReader)

Prayer

[A/N: Hello my lovelies! Here is the next installment! Can you believe we're already nearing the end? Because this story was was based off a single movie, it unfortunately won't be as long as TMATS, which was inspired by a series. I promise you, you're going to want to stay with me till the end! I love you all and hope you enjoy! -K 🖤]

[🌿This chapter contains swearing, angst, and sexual insinuations and references.🌿]
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I watched silently as the final bags were situated together, all gathered from the upper portion of the mountain. Santi had allowed me to sleep for another hour, but violently shook me when I started wheezing.

From my position leaning against a jutting rock, I could finally see the ocean at the bottom of the mountain and past a valley of green foliage. Our journey wasn't finished, but we were certainly close.

"How late are we to meet the guy with the boat?" Santi suddenly questioned, his boots crunching as he neared me. He knelt and removed his gloves, immediately holding his knuckles flush against my forehead and cheeks. His jaw tightened as he realized how warm I had become, even though my skin had lost a significant amount of color.

Ben followed Santi towards me, glancing towards the body of water that seemed to ridicule us. "Five days." He confessed, crouching next to Santi and gently rubbing my knee in comfort.

"Jesus. You think he's still there?" Santi questioned, turning to Ben before shuffling around in his bag. He retrieved an extra shirt, tearing the fabric, and abruptly doused it with water from his canister. He unzipped my jacket slightly and carefully held the damp cloth against my feverish neck, softly running it over my cheeks and forehead.

I closed my eyes at the feeling of the cold material and how it cooled off my wildly heated skin. Whether it was from my previous illness or the fact that I was bleeding out, I didn't know, but I was undeniably scorching. However, I begged Santi to not remove my jacket as I continuously suffered chronic chills.

"How does that feel, sweetheart?" Santi whispered, brushing my hair away from my sweating forehead. "Is this okay?" He was awfully terrible at hiding his concerned expression, and the way he intensely searched my face only made me more nervous about my condition. I slightly nodded in affirmation, enjoying the feeling that the cold fabric was providing, and his hands that were caressing my skin.

"Pope." Ben cleared his throat and motioned for Santi to stand. Santi laid the fabric across my forehead and stood to meet Ben's gaze. They conversed in hushed voices, but I could interpret what their whispers were saying. "She doesn't look good at all."

"I know, I know. She's bleeding out faster than we can clot either wound." Santi scratched at his head frantically as he considered the different outcomes. "I've listened to her breathing and...her lung-it's close to completely collapsing."

Ben removed his hat and rubbed his face with irritation. "Pope... What if... What if she can't make it to the boat?" His lip quivered as he crushed his hat in his trembling hands. "What if we have carry two bodies-the Davis siblings-back home?"

A silent tear slipped down my cheek as I remembered that I would have to start planning a funeral when I was state-side.

If I even made it that far.

"Benny, don't say that. She's going to pull through, okay?" Santi clapped Ben on the shoulder. "She's a fighter. (Y/N) will get through this." He confirmed, also reminding himself to have faith that was easily slipping away as did my energy. Santi knelt back down to me, noticing my stray tear, and wiping it away with his thumb. "I promise you, my love, I'm getting you home." He declared with a low whisper, removing the cloth that was already drying.

He began to unzip my jacket and I started to shake my head in denial, needing the warmth of the annoyingly orange coat to satisfy my freezing limbs.

"Baby, I need to check your bandages." He returned, sliding my zipper down carefully. "Fish, you got any more gauze in your med kit?" He inquired, already knowing that Will had used most of the supplies with his own wound.