There was a bang, to Christian "Toad" Williams, it sounded like an Intervention. Then he saw he mentor, Ian "Archer" Richards, freeze, drop his rifle, and fall. Toad's breath caught in his throat when he saw the blood staining the chest of his guile suit crimson red.
"No, no, no, shit, no, Archer!" he said in a panicked voice as he ran the few steps and knelt at the injured man's side.
Pulling back the hood of the guile suit and lowering the half-mask down Toad lifted Archer up a little bit. The older sniper simply gave a small grin, a thick line of blood streaming from the left corner of his mouth.
"My shooting… is gonna be shite… after this one…" the Brit said quietly, almost choking on the blood rising up in his throat.
"Archer, don't you do this to me man! You said you'd be there! You promised we'd both see the end of the war!" Toad shouted, urging his partner to stay awake.
"Think… I just saw it… Ch-Chris…" Archer struggled, his light blue eyes sharp with pain, "And… We're together… I kept to my word…" Archer coughed lightly, blood spurting and speckled his face and that of his lover's, "Now… keep to yours… for me?"
Toad felt tears brimming in his eyes, "Please, Archer, don't leave me… You can't just…" he choked.
"Take… the shot… mate…" Archer near whispered as he stopped breathing and his head lolled to the side lightly.
"No! Ian! Wake up! Please, wake up!" Toad shouted, breaking down, crying, sobbing over his partner's lifeless body, "Please…" he said one more time before pressing his lips against Archer's.
They were cold, lifeless, but Toad didn't care as he cried, holding the contact. He didn't hear or feel the bullet penetrate his skull and, would it not have been his last second, been glad that he hadn't had to feel the pain that his lover had.