Healing Comes From Pain
Disclaimer: If you recognize it, then I don't own it.
A/N: For 2021 Whumptober #13 Cauterization
The blood pooled under his hand, oozing red between his fingers. The life-saving liquid leaked out like a busted pipe with no sign of stopping. He leaned his weight against the wound, ignoring the cry of agony underneath him. He only had three choices: let his brother bleed to death; or, tunicate the wound with his belt, and hope the bleeding stopped before he had to sacrifice the limb. Nick went with option three.
"Heath, I'm gonna have to cauterize the wound."
"Boy howdy," The blond cowboy groaned as he rocked his head against the ground, trying to ride out the pain. He tried to give his older brother a reassuring smile but it came out more like a grimace. "Too bad we don't still have that bottle of the good stuff. I could sure use it about now," Heath panted.
"Pain makes you chatty, little brother," Nick forced a chuckle. He didn't like the washed-out color of the, normally tan, man. The blood loss was already taking effect.
Nick pulled off his belt one-handed, as he kept pressure with the other. He had to time this just right if his plan had any hope of working. He tightened the belt around the gushing wound just tight enough to slow the blood flow but not constrict its movement in his leg. Rushing to the fire he thrust his knife into the dying flames.
Their dinner fire burned low after being neglected for so long. They had just sat around it to enjoy some old biscuits and warmed-up beans when dinner was interrupted. Their camp was surrounded before the two cowboys had time to even touch their guns. The money from the bull they had sold was quickly seized by the masked men.
Heath had recognized a distinct feature, a forehead scar, that the lead bandit shared with the foreman of the ranch they had sold to. He had called the man by name and he turned on the reflex of hearing his name. The man, knowing the jig was up, plowed into his blond captive with a yell of rage. The two pounded on each other, rolling across the ground.
It gave the Barkleys the needed upper hand as Nick used the distraction to throw a bottle of their celebratory alcohol into the fire. The burst of flames took the armed men by surprise. Nick pulled his gun, taking out bandits as Heath pummeled the man under him. He took the foreman gun and left him lying in a crumpled heap as he hurried to assist his brother, who was taking heavy fire.
The robbers had lost their window of opportunity. Their leader had been recognized and bested. Their own identities would not be hard to uncover. They had more than their job at stake. They went against the Barkley family. They had more money and power than anyone in the state of California. If they let the ranchers live then they were as good as dead. They fought to the last man.
The Barkleys took out their enemies one by one, working in tandem to watch each others' back. One brother would provide cover while the other locked in on a specific target. When the shooting ceased, they sat side by side in the still night. Waiting until they were sure all the shooters were down, they carefully crept out and stripped the dead bodies of their guns.
They headed back to secure the gang leader. Nick nudged the form, getting no response. Heath squatted down on his heel to turn the man's body over. The bandit sprang up, not quite dead, sinking his knife into Heath's leg.
"Heath!" Nick bellowed as he shot the man with the knife stained in his brother's blood. He kicked the dead body away as he pulled the crumpled form into his arms.
"Heath," he called, tapping the pale face. He was rewarded when his brother opened his pain-filled eyes. Heath nodded to his leg, trusting his older brother to do what needed to be done. It would hurt like hell to remove the knife and dress the wound, but Nick never left a job half done. He would see it done, no matter the pain it caused them both, for his brother's sake.
Nick pulled out the weapon, hurling it away into the darkness. He covered the spurting wound. The only thing that stood between his brother and death was him. He could never face Mother if he let him die. He'd be damned if he didn't save his newest brother.
"I'm not gonna lie to you, boy, this is gonna hurt like hell," Nick warned as he pulled the red hot knife from the flames. Gene or Jarad may find it ironic that Nick was using a knife to save Heath from a knife wound, but Nick just felt a sick sort of dread. He couldn't let him think too hard about what he was about to do or he would chicken out. Heath didn't need a yellow belly he needed nerves of steel. His life depended on it.
"Well, it's not the good stuff, but cheers," Nick held out a flask of rotgut taken off one of the dead bodies.
Heath took it with a shaky hand, "To my health," he quipped with a crooked little smile. He took in a few mouthfuls, dribbling a little down his chin. He laid back and gave his brother a nod before closing his eyes in anticipation of the pain to come.
Nick didn't hesitate. He tightened the belt as tight as it would go, blocking out the cry of agony it caused. Quickly, he let it go slack before he pulled it off completely. The clotting that had formed under the tight pressure of the belt had turned back into the spurting of before. He liberally poured the remaining contents of the flask over the wound. He brought the heated blade across the wound, leaning his weight against the buckling form. The bleeding ceased as Heath screamed himself hoarse. He curled into himself as soon as his brother loosened his death grip keeping him in place. His body quaked as he gasped, trying to get his breathing under control.
Nick sat back on his heel as he studied his patient. He wiped a shaking hand over his sweaty forehead as he unconsciously mimicked his brother's breathing. He tentatively reached out a hand, worried Heath would shy away from his touch after the pain he had caused him. He clasped the trembling shoulder, surprised when Heath turned into his touch.
Nick gripped Heath's shoulder tightly in reassurance as he rode out the pain, "You'll be okay now, little brother."