Chapter Text
“Happy Birthday, Star”
Shatterstar looked up at him, confusion written on his face. Well, it was more confusion, fear, and pain. Star was laying on his back in the middle of one of the Richter family’s gun warehouses, Julio’s family long gone. They stopped the illegal operations in this location, which Julio mentally placed in the pro column.
What was in the con column? Well, Star got his skull cracked open in the process, while Julio hovered over him, holding the mess of his head together. Julio was no stranger to helping Shatterstar heal from wounds that would’ve killed a normal person easily. His best friend had an uncanny ability of just being able to bounce back from any kind of bullshit thrown at him, and they had been busting up his family’s operations for almost a year. He’s seen all sorts of gnarly wounds by now, but they were usually things like digging a few bullets out of Star’s stomach, or holding a leg wound closed. This was different. This looked bad.
Julio had never seen Star’s head so misshapen. He hadn’t seen him bleed so much. Star couldn’t even form sentences. His eyes were foggy, and he looked like he wanted to fall asleep. If he fell asleep, would he stop breathing? What would Julio do then? What could he do? It took all of Julio’s strength to just keep his head together, he couldn’t carry him anywhere.
Julio was scared of losing Star. If Star died right then, that would be it for Julio too. At least they’d be together. Maybe Julio could die in this warehouse too. Would they be found? It could just look like they fell asleep together.
Julio shook his head. He had to stop thinking and focus on Star. His friend, the one that was bleeding out on the concrete. He was still breathing. If he was breathing, Julio had to stay breathing too. He read somewhere online that you had to stay awake during a concussion. Julio wasn’t sure if that was correct. But then again, he also wasn’t sure what the proper procedure for head wound care was beyond immediately calling a hospital. That was something he couldn’t do. So what he could do was try to keep Star awake and breathing.
He let out a forced laugh, “Yeah, remember? We picked the date out while we were kids in x-force.” They were still kids. Maybe they’d die as kids too. Star smiled, eyes unfocused. At least Julio knew he was paying attention.
“You didn’t have a birth date, so we decided that day would be your birthday.” Julio looked at the top of Star’s head. It was a mess, how could anyone survive that. He bet wolverine couldn’t even survive that.
No. He had to keep talking. He had one job right now, keep Star focused and hold his head closed. He wished he could hold his hand instead.
“We threw a really lame birthday party for you and watched reality tv. Then at midnight Domino took us to Denny’s and we made you try fried eggs.”
“Hate eggs…” Star mumbled, a little more focused than he was before. Julio wanted to cry.
“You’re so picky. After this, we can go somewhere and celebrate. We can go to a shitty diner and get bad breakfast again, okay? I can put nineteen candles on a stack of pancakes.”
“That is a fire hazard, Julio…” Star made a face. “We are in a drought.”
Julio laughed for real this time, “You got your head smashed open and you’re thinking about the environmental hazards of birthday candles?”
Star huffed, “You tease me but you care even more than I do and you know it.” Julio smiled wide, he couldn’t help it. He loved it when Star got like that.
“You’re so stupid, You…” Julio couldn’t finish his sentence. He was so in awe of Star’s healing factor. Star was forming sentences again, sounding tired but alive. His head was looking less misshapen, and he was alive.
He was alive. They were both alive. Julio did cry this time, tears freely falling onto Star’s face. He didn’t realize how close they had gotten. Since his hands were preoccupied, Star wiped his eyes.
Star’s hands were still so shaky.
“I am sorry I cracked my head. I ran in without thinking again, and it cost me dearly.” Star smiled, but his eyes were sad, “I know this is dirty work. You shouldn’t have to clean up my mistakes.” He gently cupped Julio’s face in his hands. They were cold.
Julio shivered, but not from the cold. He didn’t know what it was from. He needed to focus. Star’s head wasn’t bleeding anymore.
“I don’t care, okay? Like, you’re fighting my fight. So it’s only fair I help you out.” he bit his lip, “I also just want to. You’re my friend, so whatever kinda shit you get yourself into, I’m gonna help get you out of. That’s what friends do.”
Though, Julio didn’t know if what he was feeling right now was friendship, or something a little more frightening. But now wasn’t the time to analyse it. Star still looked unsure.
“You owe me a milkshake, deal? I help you with your gross head, and you buy me a milkshake.”
Star smiled a bit, gently taking Julio’s wrists, signifying that Julio could finally let go of his head. He looked almost normal again. They made it out alive, this time.
“Deal.”