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Life was normal. As far as Gordon's current definition of 'normal' went. He was a sole occupant of quarters in the Resistance base - perks of being renowned as godlike hero. He almost felt bad for it, though it was much easier going from his life in Black Mesa dormitories to these lovely quarters than it was to live on some watchtower, open to all winds, bullets, alien critters and other hazards. Speaking of hazards, his suit was charging at its pod now, since, even though he did like it, he liked his lab coat much better.
Wake up, suit up, shoot up some of the remaining combine forces or hostile creatures, go back to his quarters, change into lab coat, do some research that hopefully will improve human condition. It was much like his old days in Black Mesa. Same old team, Barney, Kliener, Eli and him. And Alyx, of course, being a new addition.
Life was normal. Well. There was a patch of yearning back on his mind. His… uh. Gordon didn't quite know how to call this man or how to define their relationship. Except "quite involved" as the Stranger would say.
He seldom saw the Stranger since this status quo was established. And it was a shame, though he did have a few guesses why his friend might avoid the base.
Still. Heart wants what it wants and Gordon missed him. He started to fall back into the pit of routine, which now held a stench of learned helplessness and that darkness in your eyes you get sometimes. You see everything as usual but no halogen lamp is bright enough to light your room, sun is not enough and everything looks as if you peering through a smoky glass.
He knew that relying on other person to fix your issues is generally a bad call. And he didn't want that. He loved his friends with all his heart, but... But some things about him only Stranger understood and accepted. He was happy for the most part, but ‘most’ is incomplete. Unfinished.
He was getting spaced out again, staring at the monitor, trying to find the optimum configuration for these ion thrusters. Those are hopeless, century old joke: those are like cold nuclear fusion - always 30 years away. Even though while he was absent the Earth was hit with a treasure trove of advanced tech, so apparently it's possible n-
A movement. Shuffle of shoes on the wood floor behind him. He didn't hear anyone going through the door. His sharpened fight or flight response was going to go on overdrive, but...
Gordon jarringly fast turns around in his chair and finds the Stranger, standing tall in the middle of the room. At the surprise he nearly collapsed on the floor taking the chair with him, but again, perks of being in a warzone for few months straight - you get some agility to boot.
His friend was just there, in the middle of his quarters. Posed rather odd, Gordon would expect Stranger to face him, but he awkwardly facing a bit to the side, eyes not fixing on anything in particular, stiff posture. He looked vaguely alarmed.
Another thing Gordon just noticed. He couldn't feel his friend's presence, subtle indication of his mind being nearby.
What on Earth-
-Gordon?
His voice was weak, unsure and he turned his head as if looking for him but…
Oh no.
Gordon approaches his friend.
-Hey…
Immediately, Stranger's head turns on the sound and he looks relieved.
-Oh, you're here. I was afraid i… Doesn't matter.
He had even more trouble talking than usual, but by now Gordon has surmised what was happening. Now up close, he could see Stranger’s pupils, fixed wide and not reacting to light.
-Have you gone blind?
The moment he uttered the word 'blind' Stranger's face contorted in what looked like discomfort for just a second, and his whole body visibly twitched.
He then sharply inhaled and nodded.
-It's… dark.
His voice was full of suppressed distress and Gordon just couldn't take it anymore. He took stranger's hand, and felt like his friend's seemingly perfect balance immediately unraveled, causing him to make that weird motion when you about to fall onto the floor. Granted, Gordon caught him by his trembling hands and shifted the weight onto himself. Stranger felt this, and leaned into him furter.
-There we go. I'm going to walk you to the bed now.
This is a phrase Gordon wanted to save for special occasion, and not in a way current one was. Oh well.
Stranger grasped his hands firmer and his movement was surprisingly nimble, for someone who couldn’t see his surroundings.
Stranger sits down on the bed with some guidance, and his pose strikes Gordon as very dignified, you would sit like this on a fancy dining chair, back is perfectly straight, chin is up, eyes forward, half-lidded. Hands neatly folded on the laps.
And he's staring again. He shouldn't be doing that. He should help, or at least try. He sits down next to Stranger, the bed creaks a little under his weight.
Navigating by sound, his friend seeks out and takes his hand, body language drenched in deep-rooted shyness.
He should ask, shouldn't he?
-What happened?
Stranger's hand stiffens but otherwise nothing about him indicates his distress. He is silent for a little and he then repeats himself.
-It's dark.
Dark. Well blindness will do that to you.
Yeah i got that, but-
Stranger interrupts him, looking somewhat annoyed.
-No, i don't... think so. My mind is alone. Blind.
He licks his sharply dry lips.
-I can't see you. Or any other living thing. I'm alone.
Oh. Oh. Oh no. That's why he couldn't tell he was here immediately, like he would before. The door of the mind goes both ways, and now it's shut.
-Is it… is it for good?!
He sounded genuinely terrified. Seems like Stranger picked up on that. He shakes his head ever so slightly, and fixes his sleeve.
-No, no. I will… get better. In a matter of weeks. Or maybe even days. I… apologize, sounds like i frightened you. It wasn’t my intention.
Well, maybe it wasn’t but Gordon was on halfway to full-blown anxiety attack. He cups Stranger’s face to get a better look at it, trying to see what sort of damage he sustained, but he couldn’t see anything beside his obvious blindness.
Stranger takes his hands and pulls them away from the face, but doesnt let go of them. He was wearing that wistful expression on his face now.
-Your concern is charming, but way out of proportion. Calm down. Please?
Well there were three things in his life that required a colossal amount of effort, getting up early, getting a PhD and trying to say no to this man when he asks politely.
He gets his bearings, and swallows down his anxiety together with saliva, he will deal with that cocktail later.
-So you will just… walk it off.
-Essentially, yes.
-You can't just walk off whatever happened to you!
-Actually, i can. Not the first time i got... damaged. Happened… before. And much worse than this.
Gordon doesn’t know what to say. What can be worse than this?! What can be worse than losing a major chunk of the channel you perceive the world through?
-This is messed up! You can’t just wish away a major wound!
-I wouldn't say you are the one to talk… Giving your track record of walking off serious injuries.
Well. That was a fair point. But he got a better one.
- Just because i do it, doesnt mean its good!
- I never said that i consider this good. But we both agree to certain risks when we do our part. I have a… hunch of what your concern is, though. I don’t require medical attention. The damage will heal itself in some amount of time.
Well. Gordon certainly didn’t have a PhD on weird alien anatomy so he won’t be arguing with said alien about it. But…
- It's not like I'm not glad to see you, but what are you here for, then?
Stranger was not the type for casual visits, and current circumstances were extreme, so it had something to do with them.
Stranger stays silent for a while, and this time Gordon knowing his habit of pondering over an answer, patiently waits, stroking stranger's palms. He noticed that his friend craved physical contact, but always denied himself the pleasure, almost never approaching by himself. But when offered, he soaked in every moment of it, with a hunger of starving man. Gordon wishes he would ask. He can give as much as he wants.
-Im here for... you, Gordon. You are of few people on earth who would have me. And of all alternatives, im siding with you. You have shown yourself as quite trustworthy, much trustworthier than i would consider myself to be… Especially when it's regarding my safety.
It always felt good when stranger praised him for job well done, but something personal like this made his heart cords twist in that sweet knot, on the verge of being painful, but so good.
Gordon sighs and checks out the Stranger, who looked a lot less stiff now. That's good. Though…
-Wait, you said it happened before? How did you manage it then?
A pause.
-By myself.
Oh.
It's kind of ironic how stranger found many words instead of few, making it harder for him to say things. But Gordon had years of reading physics textbooks of training to read into the core of verbose passages.
I know you care about me. Thank you.
He came here because he couldn’t bear the loneliness.
-You know, i wanted you to visit for a while, but man, not like this…
Stranger turns his head and tries his hardest to make it seem like he looks Gordon in the eyes. It’s… a good effort.
-You did?
-Well, yes. I missed you, actually.
His friend now turns his unseeing gaze somewhere towards the floor.
-I… did not expect that.
He didn’t expect that Gordon would miss him. How a telepath mastermind can be so dense? Unbelievable.
-Well… you better do expect it from now on, because i sure as hell did!
Stranger bitterly chuckles.
-The truth is, that i did… grow attached as well. But i assumed you wouldn’t want to be involved with me again, now that you are where you want to be, doing what you want to do… And since the rest of your friends are not big fans of mine, i steered clear, as not to disturb them, or you.
He is silent yet again, but not for long.
-I misjudged. I’m used to being alone.
Gordon tugs on the hands he was holding and pulls stranger into a bear hug. He knows all too well the hell pit of loneliness. He strokes the back under his hands, and feels as Stranger goes borderline limp in his embrace, no resistance or stiffness, on contrary, he leans into Gordon’s chest and slowly his thin hands find their place resting on the scientist’s shoulders.
-Well, not anymore, you’re not.
He remembers what little Stranger told him about his race, and fragments of what vortigaunts told him of Shu'ulathoi. Apparently in early stages of life they all live underground as larvae, blind and deaf, but all linked with each other mentally, never alone, never lonely. Who knew the extent of trauma such creature would endure when forced by fate to be lonely.
He can feel his friend’s breathing under his palms to even out, calm, sleepy even. While he doesn’t mind this… situation, he has something to say still.
-Even if you'll get better on your own, we still should get you checked up tomorrow. The base has a doctor. I met her, she’s a genius so i think she will figure out what happened. Okay?
Stranger is unmoving and silent, just breathing deep and evenly, and for a second Gordon thought that he fell asleep. Though, he was immediately proven wrong, when his friend just nodded slightly. Okay then. Medical checkup it is.
-Now that i think about it… What did happen? It must’ve been pretty strong to even touch you. Also, where can i find it?
Stranger starts laughing quietly.
-It was an Advisor. One of those that remained. I usually kept my distance, since they are one of the few beings on Earth that can harm me. Well. I must admit that you are a good influence. Or bad one, depending on point of view.
A pause.
-I tried to reason with it.
Well then.
-It didn’t work, i take it?
Stranger shakes his head. Obviously it didn’t but who knows, maybe this damage was just a misunderstanding. He wouldn’t keep it past his friend to talk an Advisor into seizing their shit.
-Why did you try this anyway?
A sigh. Stranger grips him a bit tighter and lays his head just above his heart.
- A certain someone was willing to give me a second chance. And well, i thought that i could do so as well. You see, they are of my kin, even if twisted and enslaved.
Gordon combs his palm through Stranger’s hair. Yeah, sometimes people let you down, even if you give them all the chances in the world. Stranger indeed came a long way with willing to be vulnerable for someone, compared to when they first met. Speaking of people letting you down…
-Where is this Advisor right now? Asking for a friend.
Another laughing fit.
-It’s dead. You didn’t think I’ve gone completely soft, did you?
Now his turn to laugh as he was stroking his friends head and back. Yeah, i totally didn’t go soft says a man as he is spooning with him right this moment. Though he shouldn’t laugh. The situation was really precarious for him to come here. He hoped that after he gets better he will continue to visit. He didn’t have to be gravely injured to get into his bed.
-Of course i didn’t. But i wouldn’t say no to putting a few rounds into it myself. Or rockets. Actually there is a lot of experimental weapons i wouldn’t mind to give a good testing cycle…
Stranger smiles voraciously.
-I’ll contact you the next time, then. I’d love to watch you work...
Ah, yes. Their mutual affinity for destruction. One of the reasons Gordon was a scientist in the first place - he liked to watch things explode and figure out how to make them explode with more oomph next time.
And well, that grin was certainly doing some highly reactive things to him. He was starting to contemplate hoisting Stranger up in a bit more… suitable position but this time he was too slow.
Stranger reluctantly lifted his head from Gordon’s heartbeat, and gripped his shoulders firmer before pulling himself a bit upwards. He then traced his palms from shoulders, to neck, to face, fingers mapping the skin. He stopped on his cheekbones, thumbs lightly pressing on the lips. Leans closer. Gordon can see every line on his face, every eyelash, nebula of blue cyan and yellow within his irises, eyes unseeing but still conveying things unspeakable.
Before Gordon can even say anything, Stranger dives in, rushes like a viper locked on its target, he licks lower lip and nibs it with teeth ever slightly, giving out uneven exhale of excitement.
He then pauses for just a moment, as if unsure. Well, Gordon was pretty damn sure, he grabs Stranger by the hair on the back of his head and presses down to get better reach. A succession of quick kisses, because his breath got so agitated he wouldn’t be able to hold it to save his life. That appeared to reassure the man in the suit, because Gordon felt immediate pressure on his chest, lost his balance and landed flat on the bed with view on the plastered ceiling, until of course, the Stranger came into his field of vision, straddling his torso and leaning in, palms pressed to his chest close to his heartbeat.
The tie, usually neatly tucked under jacket was now hanging down and being a minor irritation. Gordon reaches up and grabs the knot, pulling and unraveling it, until the offending item was loose, removed and discarded somewhere near the pillow.
Stranger looks perplexed for about a second, then pulls back from Gordon, now sitting straight. What, the tie was of critical importance to-
Oh.
He undoes the buttons on the jacket, moves the shoulders a bit and takes it off. He then throws it in Gordon’s general direction giving him a satisfied smile when he hears scientist’s fingers lock on the fabric reflexively. So it gonna be like that, huh? He can get behind this. Jacket goes next to the discarded tie.
Then came the turn for shoes, which he kicks off and puts on the floor. Well, good thing Gordon has a habit of not wearing jack shit on his feet when in his quarters. Trying to take off anything from his feet while being pinned down would be… Actually not the most unusual use of his theoretical physics expertise.
And pinned down he was, Stranger obviously enjoying his position, even though he again, was not quite sure of what he was doing, exactly. Well. They are not in a hurry. Gordon undoes the buttons on the Stranger’s cuffs, and strokes his thin, but sturdy forearms, rolling up the fabric of the bleach white shirtsleeves. He can feel the Stranger’s pulse on his wrists. Rapid and strong.
Thin, nimble fingers of his companion now served as his eyes, striding across Gordon's heaving chest, bunching the fabric of old gray t-shirt he had on. Then, a pinky finds the margin of said t-shirt, nudges under it. The feeling of whole lukewarm palm going up from his underbelly to the collarbones, with cool evening air flooding to where old gray fabric used to be, is shiver-inducing. His own hands fall by his sides, pleasure short-circuiting his muscle nerves.
Stranger wasn't going anywhere specific with this, as he just continued on scanning Gordon's skin surface with his fingertips with diligence, and visible enjoyment. Popping bubble wrap came to Gordon's mind. You don't have an objective with it, you just press on the bubbles because it feels good. Though sometimes Stranger's fingers found one of many sites of scar tissue, healed wounds, some of which he personally stitched together, he caressed those with wistful recognizement.
And Gordon was just laying there flat on his back, heaving and trembling, and very, very aroused, as his companion was popping a metaphorical bubble wrap. He just didn't have neither the heart to interrupt him nor any specific ideas himself. Well apart from the one that he could probably continue to remove clothing from the man on top of him. Why not, his hands are free.
He reaches for one of the buttons on the shirt, and does okay job on it, considering he wouldn't trust his jittery hands with any firearm right now.
Stranger took it as a hint, because he undoes the rest himself, in much more of a quick and careful manner. Instead of ditching the shirt he leaves it be though, his attention shifting to Gordon's lab coat.
-I'd say… this is in the way, don't you think?
Gordon didn't have any words for this, for Stranger's voice was now slightly coarse and this did even more things to him. Yep, his clothes are in the way, definitely.
Thankfully removing his lab coat in precarious positions was another useful skill he got in his student years. It went somewhere on the floor because this thing is designed to get dirty. And same with his t-shirt, really.
He thought for a moment and took of his glasses and slid them under the bed, which usually was the safest place to store them when he was sleeping, because of that one time he was thrashing about in his nightmare-ridden sleep and almost broke them.
Now, when clothing, or at least most of it, was taken care of, Stranger was free to have his way with him, which he did. He brushed over particularly sensitive, as it turns out, patch of thin skin under the ear, which send electric shivers all over scientists body. A brief stillness in movement, followed then by Stranger leaning in, and nipping on this very skin patch with his lips, which made Gordon straight out expel most of the air he still had left in his lungs in one go. Did he made a sound? Probably, because the hero of the occasion on top of him looked very pleased with himself, and true to scientific method, went on to reproduce the result a few times. Then came the turn of his collarbones, the ribs, the forearms. Stranger has made it his personal quest to find out what made him tick, and how.
This was gonna be the end of him.
Or maybe not. After all, Gordon was opposed to the idea of having all of the good times and not giving any to his companion.
Therefore, he tugs on Stranger’s hands, because he needed him closer, right now. He almost just drops down but stops himself propping his more or less whole weight on just his forearm. Not that Gordon needed to be any more wound up but the opportunities for this just keep coming. Stranger looks a bit uneven and spooked by sudden loss of balance. No, that won’t do. Gordon brushes his cheek gently with the back of the hand and then traces the sharp jawline, and the deep creases in the skin, all those imperfections he oddly adored. Although, probably the least odd thing about him really.
Stranger leans into touches like a cat, so close that Gordon can feel the wind of his lungs falling down onto his skin and blooming into goosebumps. He reaches for Stranger’s face, and takes in the moment.
-Go on… I don’t even need to read your mind to know you want to.
Oh he does, does, wants it from as deep as bone marrow. But...
-Do you want to?
Oh he can see the clear mark of impatience on his face, eerie blaze that would be scary if he didn’t know what Stranger was impatient for.
-Perhaps… - the intent press of the thigh on the jeans zipper -i should be… - the spidersilk-light touch up the ribs with just right speed - clearer, with my desires? - barely audible whisper right up his ears.
That time he most certainly made a sound, undignified whimper as his eyes flew shut.
-That was very concise, ahhh , thanks.
With closed eyes, he once again, reaches for Stranger’s face, and just… goes in. The kiss is strong, thick and slow, like mead though tasted nothing it, if anything it tasted slightly alkaline, but that's not what he was in for. Stranger was receptive, but eager, more need and initiative in each consecutive move. Gordon strokes through raven black hair of his companion, eyes closed still, with soft gentle moves, as if he wanted to pour the care from his fingertips straight to the brainstem and spine. After few seconds Stranger runs low on breath and pulls away a bit, heaving, thin lips now flushed and glossy from saliva, eyes still half-lidded, making Gordon open his own and see the sight to behold.
Stranger was catching up his breath on top of him, absentmindedly streaking lines on his skin, somewhere very close to the waistband of his jeans, and adam’s apple bobs as he swallows.
At the point when he feels the tip of the thumb pressing down on the fly he decides that’s quite enough of breath catching.
He gave every bit of restrain he got left into what he was about to say.
-It might more err… convenient if i do something first. Do you trust me?
Stranger only laughed.
-You ah, should have quite short memory to think… otherwise.
He will take it as a yes. Grabbing the Stranger by the waist, he gets him to lie down on the back underneath himself, turning out on top. Now sitting on top of Stranger’s lap he could quite clearly observe, that he wasn’t the only one who was very into this. Burning on last drops of self-restraint, he glides his hands all over Stranger’s stomach, observing how muscles twitch under his fingers, and how the man throws back the head in exhale, revealing the neck.
That about exhausted Gordon’s limits, and he puts the palm on Stranger’s knee, pressing on the inner thigh and gliding upwards, towards the rigidness ablaze, which brought out probably the most sweetly obscene noise he ever heard this man make.
It wasn’t very complicated one. Undo the button, pull down the zipper. Get all the annoying fabric out of the way, dig into blue fabric nails deep, pull it down, down, reveal the pale thin skin stretched on lean but sinewy hips. Give a teasing brush to his paramour’s length, causing him to bend up, squirm. His fingers find the way to Gordon’s jeans waistline, and tug to no purpose but to express annoyance mixed with urgent desire.
He gently takes Stranger’s hands, and guides them along to his zipper. Stranger whispers something only with his lips, something on that language unknown to humans, while taking care of the rusty zipper. Gordon didn’t even have time to ditch the jeans as he immediately felt thin, lukewarm fingers wrapping around him in almost vengeful teasing motion. He felt his arms almost giving out, because it didn't look like Stranger was about to stop, either, lengthy strokes going one after the other.
-H.. Ah- Hold on…
Stranger immediately froze on his tracks, looking confused. Much needed pause. Not that he didn't enjoy this man going ham on him, but he had something more mutually pleasant in mind.
Gordon stands up to banish his jeans to the dirty laundry pile where they belong, but now he can see borderline fear on his paramour's face, and then tendinous hand reaches for him.
Oh. Oh, you.
He caresses Stranger's face to calm him down.
-It's okay, I'm not going anywhere.
Stranger sighs and lets go.
Away with blasted clothing, he comes back and straddles pale hips once again, giving a trial attempt to grinding into Stranger's desire with his own. Ah, yes , it feels even better than he imagined it to be, complete with straight-up moan it elicited from thin lips of his companion.
But it could use some improvement, and he had in mind just the thing. He licks his palm, half-regretful, half-glad that Stranger couldn't see this, and wraps it around both their lengths in a firm, but careful grip, and gives his hips another thrust.
Heaving, Stranger reaches for his hand around them, and intertwines the fingers into it, and bucks his hips upwards, letting out happy sigh.
And again, and again. The amplitude of Stranger's tries is erratic, with no pursue of actual rhythm, so Gordon leans in, putting in all the weight fixing them in place, and makes a few repetitive strides with their intertwined hands.
It's all a matter of constant, consistent amplitude, pressure and friction.
Not a hard concept to grasp, so soon he can feel Stranger's input too, falling into comfortable cycle, oscillation that shot sparks of wild delight through their nerves.
He can feel Stranger's spare hand on his back, grabbing onto him with desperation of a drowning man, and he can see and hear his attempts to say something though nothing but shards of words mixed with breathy vocalizations came out, luckily Gordon had a hunch what he was trying to say. He leans down, kisses up the jugular, up to the ear.
-Go on, i know you want to.
Stranger's body under him went into frenzied convulsions and trembles like unloaded spring, nails drew deep lines on his back, shards of words crumbling further into thin dust of incomprehensible moans, while Gordon worked him through it, but one word he managed to make out, and that was his name.
His name in this unspeakable tone, sharp burn of scratches on his back, and feeling drops of white stickiness on his fingers did him in, the tight knot in his underbelly violently unraveled, blood is boiling from pleasure and his whole body went haywire, his hand went limp, but Stranger kept on going, drawing it out until he was completely spent.
Gordon's eyes are watery, he noticed as he was resting on Stranger's shoulder, catching his breath. It was… intense. He looks up to check on how Stranger was doing.
-Hey… you good?
Stranger closes his eyes and his smile is very soft, vulnerable.
-I am. Can i… ask you of something?
-Yes?
-Can you stay with me... a bit?
Oh you .
-I can stay with you for however long you want. Though i need to go fetch a towel to clean up this mess. Believe me, you don't want it to dry. Is it okay?
Stranger nods.
He returns with wet towel and carefully cleans away the mess from Stranger's stomach, who was shivering a bit from the cold of the water on his heated up skin.
When done, he tosses the towel into the same pile of dirty clothes and lies down next to the Stranger again, who worms up close to him, clearly a little chilly. Gordon pulls the blanket from the end of the bed and covers them both, holding other man closer and petting him on the back. He reaches Stranger’s forehead with his lips to give a quick kiss, feeling familiar scent of old computer dust from his hair.
Well. He certainly could say now that occasion was special in this way also.
He can hear the rain starting outside. Under its quiet tapping on the rooftop, they fall asleep.
---
Waves of gray-blue light seeping under his eyelids and white noise-like tapping outside. Through morning haze, just waking up, Gordon could feel lukewarm presence next to him. He opens his eyes. Lighting of the rainy day suited the Stranger, blue-gray reflecting in his hair and skin.
He was pleasantly surprised, he half-expected it all to be a dream, an apparition, something Gordon just crafted out of fabric of his delusions. Or Stranger just disappearing in the morning. But here he is, still in bed, as real as he was yesterday. Eyes closed, and chest swaying calmly up and down with his breathing.
Gordon reaches his hand and brushes uneven, but soft surface of Stranger’s jaw. He slowly opens his eyes, looking slightly disappointed right after.
-Good morning. Still nothing?
Stranger nods, and cuddles up closer, nuzzling into Gordon’s neck. Well, he didn’t expect Stranger to get better just overnight, but he had to ask.
They spend solid half an hour just like this in bed, neither of them feeling like getting out.
But it should be about nine in the morning by now. They had a medical checkup to attend to, and the faster, the better.
Gordon reluctantly slides out the bed, and helps the Stranger up. Looked like he wasn’t an early bird, and on that the scientist couldn't agree with him more.
For Stranger getting dressed wasn’t a hard endeavor for the most part, both trousers and shirt required only minor fixing and doing the buttons. He blindly started searching the bed for his jacket and a tie, Gordon handing him the jacket, which gets immediately put on, but not the tie. Giving the tie a contemplative look, he loops it under Stranger’s collar, and look, he still remembers how to do the knot correctly. Black Mesa dress code did require those, after all.
Fancy shoes, the proper name of which Gordon forgot, have been lying on the floor. He picks up each and puts them near the bed together. A wild idea sparks him, and he kneels before the Stranger, and puts a palm on his ankle, asking to lift it a bit. The man in the suit does so, and Gordon slides the shoe to its proper place. Same with the on the other one.
Now was time to address his own butt-ass naked state. He retrieves his glasses from under the bed, puts them on, and retrieves spare clean clothes from the drawer. He puts them on quick, being used to do so since uni, and faces the Stranger, who was just standing there quietly.
-Ready?
The man in a suit looks confused. Definitely not a morning bird.
-For what?
-We’re going to the doctor, remember?
-Lead the way.
---
They navigated the hallways of early morning base, nobody seeming to notice the two. Gordon suspected that Stranger had some stuff up his sleeve even wounded like this. Amazing. He was supporting his friend by the forearm, looking out for uneven surfaces and ledges. Stranger walked with such confidence as if he could actually see, trusting his guide wholeheartedly.
Eventually they hit the infirmary.
-We’re here.
Gordon guides the man in the suit inside, where they immediately greeted by the the overlord, or perhaps, overlady of this place - Dr. Donna Evans. Cheerful, steadfast and the opposite of squeamish.
-Oh, look who’s here, the King of Weirdo Samples! What can i do for you, Doc?
-I’m here to cash in a favor.
The woman, ever-chipper responded:
-Oh, anything for a friend. You and Alyx bring me the nicest things, priceless, even. What do you need?
Gordon looks back on the Stranger, who stood silently with arms crossed. How is he supposed to explain this one.
-My friend here, he is wounded. I need you to examine him.
Pleasepleaseplease-
- Really? You expect me to believe you decided that the errands i’ve sent you on worth an ordinary patch-up? Are you telling me the whole story?
-No, he doesn’t - his friend suddenly decided to interrupt what he was about to say.
- I’m not… not your typical patient, Dr. Evans.
- How so?
Is he really going to do it?
-Well, perhaps you heard from your vortigaunt friends of Shu'ulathoi.
A glint of greedy curiosity and disbelief sparkled in Donna’s eyes.
-Advisors? Are you…
-No. - Stranger quick to interrupt her with a flash of bitter anger on his face. - Just the same roots, so to speak. And i have been damaged by one.
Evans smiled and looked at Gordon, who was sort of dumbstruck by what was going on.
-Gordon, you bring me the nicest things! I’ll examine your friend, and i will keep a lid on it. You are in luck, because Alyx recently hauled a databank here with all the medicine that Combine use, and medicine for Advisors should work for your friend. Theoretically.
Last part didn’t feel Gordon with confidence, but it’s better than nothing.
---
After series of tests and scans they left the infirmary with a prognosis on recovery, since indeed, Stranger seemed to heal with exceptional rate. And also, a bottle of freshly synthesized and pressed pills, containing the chemical, the name of which the man in the suit recognized and requested. It was supposed to cut the recovery time from few weeks to few days. Gordon certainly hoped so.