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There weren’t a lot of things that Gordon did during Black Mesa that he thought was unreasonable. He did what he thought he had to, in order to protect the lives around him, which.
Well Gordon wasn’t going to say they were more important outright, but perhaps he did hold them on a higher stand than his own.
It was something he was working on. Promise.
So maybe he would put himself between the others and danger in a moment. Faer excuse was the HEV suit. It could take some damage, no one had to be hurt when Gordon was encased in metal and safe from damage in that regard.
Which lead to a good amount of... injuries that Gordon could hide. The HEV suit was good at both taking damage, and hiding the damage it did in the process of that.
Gordon’s entire body was a bruise, at this point. Honestly, he just. Felt so heavy.
But there were things to do, people to protect.
So when a zombie went for Bubby, there was no hesitation for Gordon to throw himself between the zombie and Bubby’s turned back. What sucked was the hit against faer chest, forcing the air from his lungs and-
He couldn’t breathe back in.
He.
He couldn’t breathe-
There was a gunshot near faer head, and, as loud as it was, there was the more pressing matter that Gordon couldn’t breathe.
He fell to the side, hitting the wall and sliding, ribs screaming in pain as unyielding metal didn’t let them move, didn’t let them shift at all, holding back the desperate attempts at air, Gordon’s chest barely moving as he gulped for air, panicked eyes searching, finding Bubby as xe fell next to faer, and Gordon grabbed for xem, forgetting for a moment Bubby didn’t often like the random touching, but Bubby clung on back, eyes just as panicked, as black began to encroach on Gordon’s vision, and Bubby turned his head to yell for Coomer.
And it went dark.
When Gordon woke up, his entire body felt... weirdly light, but his chest ached, a deep burning pain, and Gordon groaned softly, hands coming up to pat at his chest.
Someone else hand caught faers and Gordon almost whined. His eyes were still closed, however, and thus, Gordon forced faer eyes open .
Bubby stared down at him, face... suspiciously blank.
“I wouldn’t. The zombie broke one of your ribs, and I broke two more giving you CPR.”
Gordon blinked, uncomprehending, before the moment rushed back to him, and Gordon flew up, before groaning, wrapping his arm around his chest. Bubby half scoffed, half sobbed, shoving Gordon’s shoulder back down, and Gordon clung onto xyr wrist, staring at xem.
“Bubby-”
“Don’t you ever do that again, Gordon Freeman, do you understand me?” Bubby’s eyes were shiny with unshed tears, and, for a moment, Gordon didn’t understand why someone would cry over him like this, but the thought was shoved aside. Bubby was crying.
“I-”
“Fucking promise me, Gordon, you’re not gonna do that again.”
“Bubby, I can’t promise I won’t help you if you’re in danger-”
Despite the tears making their way down xyr face, Bubby had a pretty impressive glare. “That is not what I’m asking and you know it.”
Gordon did know it.
For a moment they sat there, staring at each other, and Gordon understood Bubby wasn’t going to let this drop.
“... Okay.”
“Do you promise me?”
“I promise, Bubby.”
Bubby nodded, the sniffled, carefully dragging Gordon up, wrapping xyr arms around Gordon’s shoulders, clinging. Gordon shifted, wrapping an arm around Bubby in return, letting xem cling onto him, pretending he couldn’t feel the tears soaking into his shirt.