Chapter Text
When Martin was six years old he told his father about his biggest dream; wanting to be a aeroplane. His father had responded by laughing so hard he almost fell off his chair and then told Martin to forget his stupid dream.
The first time someone hit Martin was when he was eight years old. He was running around the house pretending to be a plane and accidentally knocked over a flower vase. Martin, who was clumsy by nature, told his mother what he had done and she slapped him square across the face and yelled at him for being such a useless child.
At the age of fifteen Martin was a so afraid of being beaten for his mistakes he didn’t dare speak to anyone, and the few times he did he was often stuttering some kind of apology.At home he made sure to do everything his parent asked for as quickly and thoroughly as possible but there was always something wrong, something worth being punished for. As the years past by he started believing in the words told to him. Useless, failure, worthless.
So it didn’t really come as a surprise when Douglas one day snapped and slapped him across the face.
***
The silence on the flight deck was deafening. Douglas couldn't believe what had just happened.
He had slapped the on of the kindest and most hardworking persons he knew, and for what? A silly little fight that had got a bit out of proportion. Sure Martin could be an annoying little prick sometimes, rambling on and on about how Douglas didn’t follow this and that rule and so on and so on, but he wasn’t a person worth hitting. And Douglas certainly wasn’t a violent man.
“Oh, god Martin. I’m so sorr-”
“Oh it’s fine Douglas”
“No, it’s not Martin. I shouldn't have hit you-”
“No, no,no. It’s fine. All fine. Really, doesn’t matter. All fine.”
Douglas watched as Martin sucked in a trembling breath and walked away, shoulders stiff and gait fast.
Well, wasn’t he stuck in a shitload of crap right now. How was he supposed to earn the Captain's trust after this. Douglas rubbed his face and let out a deep sigh. He supposed he could go easy on the teasing for a few days, and allow Martin to win a few word games.
***
When Douglas thought back on their argument later that evening there was something that hit him. When he had slapped Martin, the captain hadn’t looked surprised, or shocked or any of the other expected expressions. Instead Martin had looked like he had expected it, and then he had waved it off as nothing before Douglas could get an apology out.
Douglas stomach twisted at the thought so he quickly pushed the memory in to the back of his mind. No Martin was fine, he had told him so. There was nothing to worry about.