Chapter Text
The locker room air was static and drawn taut. Crypto, Gibraltar, and Caustic had an easy win lined up and had still lost. Crypto had failed to detect the incoming squad, Caustic’s traps were circumvented, and Gibraltar never had a chance to lay down cover. As the three men silently hung up their gear the tension rose like pressure in a volcano. Caustic was the one who unleashed the pent up frustration.
“That was unfortunately predictable.” He growled. Crypto retaliated before Gibraltar could step in.
“What do you mean by that? If you saw this all coming, some warning would have been nice.” He snapped, already coming to his feet. Their relationship was contentious to begin with but had further deteriorated recently.
“Your focus is so narrow you cannot see what is right in front of you. Even if I informed you two imbeciles of the danger, your attempts to survive would have done little to improve our odds.” Caustic rose to meet Crypto. The two were nearly ready to get physical.
“And your traps did so much to-“
Gibraltar stepped in and cut crypto off. With strength he rarely used, he pinned the other men to opposite rows of lockers. He held them at arms length from himself and several inches off the ground. The gentle giant would not fix this one.
“Will you two stop it!“ His voice boomed in the small space. “Every time you two fight we get nothing out of it. I don’t care what your problem with each other is, but it’s not my problem.”
Gibraltar let them go. The shock of his aggression and the shirking feeling from being lifted bodily rendered them both hesitant to so much as breathe.
“I don’t want to fight my squad, and I won’t do it. Gibby’s always here if you have to work something out. Talk to me, my bruddahs.” He hung his head and let his powerful arms fall to his side. Gibraltar always valued his strength of personality over his physical power, using the latter left him drained.
“Very well. We will sort our differences at a later date.” Caustic sneered and stormed off, but Crypto stayed. He turned to Gibraltar and tapped him on the shoulder.
“You’ve got time? I have a lot to tell.” He chuckled. A second wind came over Gibraltar. The match may have been lost, but there was still more to win.