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"Jesus God, Booster! Buddy, stay with me! Come on, Booster!"
Gloved hands are touching Booster's face and neck, checking for signs of life as he starts coming around. He registers a headache from Hell and pain everywhere, blurring his vision as he opens eyes. Beetle is hovering over him, worried eyes softening with relief.
"Gi... d-do..lo..roj..." he struggles to say, brain working on autopilot so his thoughts default to his native Esperanto. It doesn't help that there is a cacophony of voices in one ear as the team bickers in communication.
"English, Boost," Beetle chides gently as his hands move deftly over Booster, searching for damage that would require immediate first aid. "I haven't been keeping up with my vocab practice."
Booster groans, in frustration as much as in pain. It takes a sudden collision from Captain Atom with a nearby storefront, debris from the impact raining down on them, for Booster to become a little more alert.
"It hurts," his brain manages to finally filter.
"I would think so," Beetle says with a cringe, finding something possibly broken. "You hit that building hard enough to knock it askew on it's foundation. The people are safe, though. I just gotta get you outta here before you get pancaked."
When Booster moves to sit up, Beetle pushes him back down. "Might be better if you worked that flight ring of yours. At least just enough that I can carry you, if you can."
Booster is able to spare enough concentration for the ring and Beetle gets his arms under Booster to lift him, though it's a bit awkward with Booster's height.
"You know, I think you're just a little too tall for this damsel in distress deal," Beetle huffs, trying not to jostle Booster out of his arms as he shifts him.
Putting his arms around Beetle's neck, Booster leans his head against Beetle's shoulder and tries not to cringe in pain. "Good thing I'm conscious, or I could be a little too heavy, too."
They barely make it five steps before Beetle is diving down, trying to huddle over Booster for protection as Guy comes flying through the sixth story of a building. Booster's vision is swimming from pain at being jolted so roughly, but he manages to put up his force field around them to block the rain of building chunks and office desks. The Lantern doesn't even bother to worry about bystanders as he constructs a huge green fist to plow back through the building, following behind it.
Beetle's yelling into his communicator at Guy, giving Booster a bizarre stereo effect with his own earpiece. The sounds are grounding him, at least, as his vision grays along the edges. But he's losing the control he has and the force field's faint gold aura shimmers and fades away.
It grabs Beetle's attention and he's turning back to Booster, moving to scoop him up, hold him close. "No, no, Boost. Please don't black out on me now."
Booster smiles, his lip splitting, as he tries to tell him, No, just graying. But Beetle frowns and Booster realizes that was in Esperanto again.
"It's okay, buddy," Beetle says quickly. "I'll just take it as a compliment. Now just get that ring working and I'll get you to the perimeter."
It takes a few deep breaths to pull himself out of the grogginess, but Booster manages to get the concentration he needs to get his flight ring to respond. Beetle lifts him then, cradling Booster tight to him as he navigates the destruction in the street. The sound of more toppling rubble nearby and more yelling from teammates through the earpiece has Booster attempting to split his attention to put up his force field around them. It's a slight struggle but it earns him a smile from Beetle.
"I'd have to say, you're the best damsel I've had to un-distress. Kinda nice to have my bacon saved while I'm saving the day."
"First for... everything," Booster tries, and makes it in English this time. "Never had... a knight... in... pastel blue spandex..."
Beetle chuckles. "So, I'm not in white shining armor. Whatever. But you're pretty enough to be the damsel, so that should count for something."
That comment takes Booster by surprise and diverts his attention away from the force field and flight ring, dragging Beetle down to his knees.
"Now's not the time to be swooning on me!" Beetle panics. "This is so much easier when we're actually fighting together. Did you have to hit your head?"
Booster struggles to get his concentration back together and in a moment Beetle is back on his feet with Booster in his arms.
"You so owe me," Beetle mutters, as he dodges around a crash-landing car.
"Don't... dam..sel's reward... their knights...?" Booster groans with the swift movement, fighting against going fuzzy again. "Pay your... tab at the... bar..."
Ducking under yellow hazard tape, Beetle maneuvers them through the small crowd to the medical personnel and climbs into the nearest unoccupied ambulance. Gently, Beetle rests Booster on a gurney as a few paramedics rush to them.
"His suit probably saved him from most damage, but he hit his head really damn hard," Beetle tells a medic at the ambulance doors as he works at getting Booster's cowl and goggles off. "Do what you can for him, but civilians come first." There is talk between the paramedics and walkie-talkies as they communicate for assistance.
The pain is a bit too much and Booster is losing his hold on consciousness. He's grateful when Beetle deactivates his earpiece and the shouts of We need you out here now, Beetle! It let's him hear Beetle's whisper as he just about gives in to the black out.
"Knights usually take payment in kisses."
Gloved hands push back the hair from Booster's forehead and warm lips touch just above his left eyebrow.
"You'll be okay, buddy," is the last thing Booster hears. He's pretty sure he's smiling as he finally passes out.