Chapter Text
Elliot was a medic. No doubt about it. He saved everyone’s lives time and time again by healing them up, even if his methods weren’t what was usually used on the battlefield. Though..the battlefield wasn’t normal either, so it wasn’t fair to try to hold Elliot to the same standards. Regardless, He knew that Elliot was a medic. He knew how miserable it must be for Elliot, carrying the weight of everyone’s deaths the same way medics in battle do.
Of course everyone involved felt guilt, but the medics..they watched so many people die while they were in the process of saving them, had to decide who was worth saving and who had to die a painful death because there weren’t enough beds to take care of everyone. Elliot had to make such cruel decisions because of the cooldown on his pizza, and he knew it pained the man so very much to not be able to help. He saw that pained expression each time a death happened.
Guest watched time and time again as Elliot looked so guilty as he arrived just a little too late, every time he wasn’t able to find a way to keep them alive without killing himself, which he had watched him do a couple times. Guest always gave him a gentle scolding to not to that afterwards, but Elliot never seemed like he was genuinely apologetic and was going to stop anytime soon. It wasn’t his fault, sure he was the one running in and getting killed but..he knew how guilty Elliot got, he knew he just wanted to feel more helpful even if he was one of the most important on the team. The only healer that could heal on the run.
Speaking of, it was so unfair how much Elliot got chased just because he was able to help them on the run compared to builderman who could help them when they weren’t currently in chase. In the military, it was a war crime to go after medics, and despite this not quite being a war, he couldn’t help but keep the sentiment that it was wrong to go after medics like Elliot.
So, Guest kept taking as many hits for him as he could. Most of them he managed to block, but sometimes he couldn’t and got hurt. It really didn’t matter to him, as long as Elliot was safe at least for a little longer and could keep helping everyone just like he knew he wanted, then everything would be..better. It couldn’t be perfect with the fact they were all in hell, but it could be better than if they were fighting all the time or something.
For now they rested in the cabin, Elliot was taking one of his rarer naps and everyone was very careful to not accidentally wake him up, including Guest who was currently being used as a pillow. Elliot had fallen asleep mid conversation, too tired to keep going anymore after spending whole rounds evading the targeting killers.
He notices Elliot starting to shift uncomfortably, eyebrows furrowing. Clearly something is bothering him, so he gently moves the hair out of his face and lets out a quiet sigh of relief when he settles back down and falls asleep. He shifts a little bit, getting comfortable and letting Elliot sleep fully on top of him. Once satisfied that Elliot was going to keep sleeping, he closed his eyes himself. Might as well rest for a while when it was still allowed.
Instead of taking a nap himself, he just lays there and thinks for a while, wondering if there’s any other way he could make sure Elliot was okay. He knew that logically he very likely wasn’t okay, but Elliot refused to open up about his struggles..or anything personal to be completely honest. Elliot wasn’t one to share his backstory or complain about anything, instead he was the one comforting everyone else and listening to their stories, helping everyone with their struggles, mental or physical.
He wanted to repay it. He was sure they all did, they all wanted to make sure he was okay. Why else would they be as quiet as humanly possible when they realized Elliot was taking a nap? They wanted their healer to be safe and healthy, wanted to make sure he could even help in the first place. Since Elliot obviously wasn’t going to outright say his issues, he’d need a way to make him maybe want to try to relate to what he’s going through to comfort him? How would he do that though..
While the obvious option would be to say he felt like nobody understood how he felt, that was not only the easy way out but it was way too obvious. Elliot was very observant, had to be to know how to heal them without missing pizzas, and that carried over to how people worded things. He was also stupidly good at deflecting and not letting his emotions show due to the years in customer service, and he oftentimes wished he had never worked there so he could understand him.
He opened his eyes again, hoping it would maybe somehow help him think of ways to get Elliot to open up. Speaking of Elliot, he looked down at him and noticed absentmindedly that he was still rubbing his back. He shrugged it over, glancing over at the other survivors who weren’t even paying attention to him, many weren’t in the cabin at all. Probably because they wanted to speak and just be loud, which was fair. He didn’t blame them. Sometimes he left while Elliot was sleeping too so he could train, but he’s getting off track now. How does he help Elliot?
Maybe he could start offering to help him in the kitchen, tell him stories about his family. ..his family. He misses them a lot, his perfect wife, his adorable daughter..he wants to see them again. Just once more. It hurt a lot more than he liked to admit that he was starting to forget them, after so long at war and now this hell, it was really hard to remember his family. Daisy..his love, his amazing wife who did everything right, and Charlotte, who he never got to see grow up. Probably never will see her again. Still, he hopes she’s well, that she’s still growing up strong and healthy.
Simultaneously he hopes they haven’t forgotten him and that they’re moving on, he wouldn’t wish it upon them to be stuck waiting for him instead of continuing on with life and living it out. He hopes Charlotte found her hobbies, that she’s thinking of a nice career, but of course he’ll support her regardless. He’d hate to be one of those parent’s who only accept the version of their child that they made up in their head. He could never do that to the child he very slightly helped create.
Oh, now he feels so horrible about leaving Daisy all alone during most of her pregnancy. He tried his hardest to be there for her, he really did, but he knew it wasn’t enough for a pregnant woman. He was astonished by her strength, able to handle herself and even keep her love for him despite how horrible of a husband he was being.
He remembers all of those days he spent writing letters to his wife, oftentimes packing money in them. He hopes she used that money to treat herself to things like he intended, or at least for help with rent or groceries to keep herself afloat, he knows she probably couldn’t work too much while pregnant and didn’t blame her at all, pregnancy was miserable.
When he makes it back, he’ll have to be a good dad. Show her how much he still adores her and admires her strength in everything, and show how bad he feels for leaving her alone for so long.
He hopes they know how much he loves them. Even if he can’t remember them as well as he used to.
He’s getting sidetracked again.
That’s one option, or he could just keep asking, but that ran the risk of ruining his friendship with Elliot. Another option is bringing him out to train with him, talking to him about all sorts of things while they do so. Maybe he could combine the first and third option, just try to get close to Elliot until maybe one day he’ll feel comfortable enough to talk to him too.
Honestly, he doesn’t even think Elliot means to hide so much sometimes, everyone will be talking about each other and Elliot often looks confused when people always say they don’t know a whole lot about him, even Chance who he was closest with before this hell. He’s usually more open to questions then and will answer things, and he learns a lot about Elliot then. Finally learned that he actually wasn’t a huge fan of pizza that way! It was kind of funny when they all realized, almost everyone gave him confused looks because that was his whole theme. Ends up he’s just had too much pizza, which makes complete sense.
That’s one thing he’s grateful towards this hell for, it allowed him to meet Elliot. And the others of course, he never would’ve met any of them without getting trapped here, and he’s met some wonderful people that he hopes will stay in contact with him if they esca- when they escape. They’ll escape this place, he just knows it.
With a plan in mind, he opens his eyes again, not remembering when he closed them, and looks down. Elliot’s still fast asleep on his chest, and he smiles softly. Without thinking, he leans down and presses a gentle kiss to his head before starting to play with his hair.
It doesn’t click for a while.
Then.
‘Wait.’
Guest blinks rapidly as he realizes what he did, looking down at Elliot again to make sure he hadn’t been disturbed by it or something despite him remaining asleep the whole time, letting out a quiet sigh of relief when he sees he hasn’t changed. He looks up at the others, and everyone’s too busy with their own things to even realize he’s looking around.
With that out of the way, he lets his heart rate calm back down before thinking about why he even did that. He didn’t think he liked Elliot? Sure, he made sure to protect him and was trying to make sure he was okay, but that was mainly because Elliot was just vital to the team surely? Of course they were also close, but Guest tried to be friends with everyone here, and he worried about all of them. Elliot wasn’t that special in how he treated everyone right?
He hoped he wasn’t, he didn’t mean to play favorites..ugh, this was confusing. He cared for Elliot and wanted him to be okay, was letting him rest on his chest right now..would he do that for the others. Yes, right? Well, he’s not sure ab..he’s being weird about this. He’d let them rest on his chest, surely. But why the kiss? He wouldn’t kiss the other survivors.
Maybe it was because he was just thinking about his family, started subconsciously thinking Elliot was part of his family and gave him a bit of affection. Yeah, that made more sense, maybe he just saw himself as some kind of father figure for Elliot without realizing it.
I mean, Elliot didn’t really look like his family, he’s pretty sure they all had dark brown or black hair..one of the two, and it was straight. Elliot’s was blond and curly. That didn’t mean it couldn’t happen though..maybe his memory was a little worse than he remembered. No worries, he’ll surely remember it all when they escape this place.
Satisfied with the solution he made, he closes his eyes again and this time decides to actually take a nap. He has a plan for how to help Elliot now, and that’s the only reasons he was staying awake beforehand.
Here’s to hoping it will work out well.