TF2: Scatterguns Crossed *DISCONTINUED*

(8) Reverted Back

(WARNING: This chapter dives into the graphic details of treating a burn. If you're queasy, skip the paragraphs labeled with *** . You're welcome!)

(Also, let medical professionals treat burns, this is in no way instructions on how to treat burns, please don't be that person, please and thank you!) (Don't sue me ._.)

It wasn't long again before Scout was back to his usual self. It's seemed like the few days we'd been stuck he was actually acting like a decent human being, but it wasn't long at all before he returned to his egotistical, loud, and cocky self. This new truck was smaller too, so Heavy shared the back with us while Scout took the front next to Ms. Pauling. The smaller space demanded that some of us sit shoulder to shoulder, all having to listen to Scout ramble. Just brag on and on about things even Ms. Pauling knew he'd never done or would ever be brave enough to do. 

Relaxing in the back as best as I could, I stared through what I could see through the windshield, losing myself in thought again. Wondering if Scout was driven to actually be nice to me. That or just sucking up for taking care of him those days he was out cold. Though, on the contrary, he had saved me first. I would've been very dead had he not fled the fight with me. That, and it would've been safer had the raiding party not even seen me in the first place. Besides Ms. Pauling, who never took the field on a regular basis, there were no other girls. Hell, no extra mercenaries on teams. I was a rare case. But at this point, being rare could mean two things; the winning decision, or a means to start chaos on different opposing teams. That and the giant target painted on the back of my head.

The passing hours seemed to drag by, and soon the sky out the windshield grew cloudy and gray. It wasn't until I heard the gentle rain that I remembered to redress everyone's wounds. With a little help from Medic, we made enough room in the center where we could follow through with treatment. He told me that he could handle Sniper, as second degree burns were the most painful and needed careful care, in which my hands were still a bit too shaky. I could help keep Sniper still and pass him tools and supplies. Sniper carefully shuffled over and sat in between us. Once the bandages were removed, we saw the whole burn area had become two or three huge blisters that needed to be drained and carefully removed. Lots of uneasy faces filled the truck as the medic prepped his tools, also snagging a plastic bag that I'd seen him collecting earlier. He finally picked up a small pair of operating scissors and gave me a nod. I covered one of my legs with my coat and propped myself up on one knee to give Sniper a place to rest his arm. Then I gently held it there with both of my hands to keep him still. We both watched Sniper take a deep breath. 

"Zhis is going to hurt," Medic assured him. "but try not to move. Just breathe eazy..."

"I've been through worse, doc. Let's just get this over with." Sniper replied, opening and closing his hand a couple times as if to reassure himself that, yes, his hand still worked. Though I wasn't sure how much he'd want to do that after we were done.

***As much as I didn't want to look, my eyes fixated themselves on the burn. I knew we wouldn't always have access to a Medigun, so if this was the best way to gain experience, then so be it. I couldn't be a field medic if I were queasy. In turn, the medic carefully clipped small holes in the sides of each of the blisters and drained the leaking pus into the bag as best he could. I slowly exhaled, looking around me. The men were trying so hard not to look, all trying to distract themselves from the sounds of bodily fluids seeping into a plastic bag with Scout's voice. The later he realized that we were doing this, the better. Figures this was the only time anyone actually wanted to hear Scout's voice.

Continuing onto the more painful part of the procedure, the medic proceeded to cut away at the dead skin, trying hard not to touch any of his tools to the sensitive skin below, like a deadly game of Operation. One false move and Sniper could pull his arm away or jerk causing only more pain and complications. Making the whole process even more difficult was the fact that we were in a moving truck driving down an unpredictably bumpy dirt road. I held my breath, telling that Sniper was starting to feel the heat of the situation. His jaw worked and clenched, his arm tensing and relaxing under my hold. The sight of his own raw skin once the first blister had been removed only seemed to further his paranoia. It seemed he was a little too conscious of holding still, as he grew twitchy and even more tense than before. Medic had finally pulled his tools away for a second and coaxed him to relax, as his behavior was starting to make the doctor a little uneasy. Burns of this kind were never easy to deal with, and often (at least that I'd noticed) caused both the patient and the doctor to feel equal amounts of stress. The other two blisters were removed smoothly with little issue. ***

Thereon the rest of the burn was wrapped in more bandages and we had him take some painkillers to help ease the pain as much as possible. We didn't have to tell him not to move it since we happened to be stuck in that situation anyways and were going to be for a while to come. With Sniper done and over with, it was time to deal with the other one. The Boston Bigmouth. I shuffled back to the front of the truck while Medic cleaned off his tools to get Scout's attention. As I approached, I heard the continuing bits of bull crap that was spewing out of his mouth.

"So they passed her to me, yeah? ME! And I mean who else were they gonna give her to, eh? Nobody other than the fastest and the strongest on the team, that's who," he laughed at his own arrogance and continued as Ms. Pauling patiently drove along. Though I couldn't be sure if she was actually listening or not. 

"So anyways, these dumbasses don't even see this enemy pyro coming from a mile away, so I tell 'em "Ey morons! Scatter!" and they did! They listened to me because they all know who their real powerhouse is! And this dude, he runs up to me thinkin' he's all tough with this fire and all that, and I take it all on my BACK! He had NO IDEA how much this champ can take all for this girl! She don't even KNOW how much she gotta thank me for takin' a bullet for her. Heh, or two even! They don't even thank me enough for all I do for them, you know what I mean?!"

"Sorry for interrupting," I interjected, coming in behind them. Scout jerked in his seat, taking his feet of the dash as if I were about to scold him for it.

"Oh shi-, hey newbie! You shouldn't pop out of nowhere like that."

"It's time to change your bandages, Scout." I said flatly, trying to get myself past what I'd heard him saying but just not being able to. 

"Sure thing, gorgeous!" He popped up and strutted right past me into the back with the guys, flashing that grin that started to make me loathe his presence all over again. Following him into the back and taking my place behind him on the floor, Medic gave me the pleasure of treating the cuts since they were easy enough. 

It was a shame I'd accidentally rubbed sand in his wounds instead of clotting powder. 

((AUTHOR'S NOTE: YES, I know it's been a while and I'm glad to be back again! Sometimes it's hard getting back into the groove of things, especially when life things are happening and writing hasn't been my top priority! I'll get back to updating and I'll do the thing where I don't wait a year and a half or so before updating again. I would rather not finish this story when I'm in my thirties/forties and TF3 is announced (AKA; never). THANK YOU to all of my readers of both this story and my other story about Reader x Medic and all that and I wanted to also thank you for all the positive and encouraging comments! Don't think I ignored any of you as all of you were the reason why I updated this new chapter tonight!! <3 . Those comments are ALWAYS welcome! I love you all! <3                 -Soxkid33))