Archive of Our Own ^beta

The irritating, incessant beeping of an alarm clock reaches deep into the depths of Mako Mori’s subconscious, disturbing her sleep. Sighing, she opens her eyes and rolls over, propping herself up on her elbow in order to retrieve the analogue clock from her cluttered bedside table and silence the alarm. Green numbers flash upon the screen, stating it’s 6:30am. Mako frowns, wishing for once she could have a proper sleep-in, but knowing that’ll never happen. Not when you’re a Jaeger pilot. She climbs out of bed and begins to get ready for the day, yawning and rubbing at her eyes as she does so, trying to shake sleep’s fog from her mind.

Across the hall, Raleigh Becket is awake, ready and finishing off his morning routine. He blows strands of messy blonde hair out of his face as he continues to do push ups, arms straining and dog tags dangling from around his neck, the cold metal striking his bare chest every time his body is lowered to the ground. Eventually, content with his warm-up, Rayleigh stands and tugs on a dark blue long-sleeved shirt to go with his pants, fastens a belt around his waist and runs a hand through his unruly hair.

The two pilots both step out of their respective rooms into the empty, dimly lit hallway, pipes stretching across the concrete ceiling, and lock their doors before turning to face one another. Raleigh grins at the sight of Mako’s tired and slightly dishevelled appearance, folding his arms and leaning against the wall. “Good morning sunshine,” he teases, to which Mako sends him a blistering glare, already turning on her heel and walking away. Raleigh chuckles, watching her for a second before jogging after her, falling into step once they’re side-by-side. He looks down at her and smiles, nudging her in the side with his elbow. “I reckon you could use some more sleep, hm? Staying up working every night, I mean I know you’re dedicated but c’mon.”

Mako stops abruptly and faces her co-pilot, glaring up at him. “You’re one to talk. What time exactly do you wake up in order to do your little early morning workout?” Knowing she’s got a point, Raleigh just shrugs and holds his hands up in mock surrender.

“Alright, fair. Guess we’ve both got shitty sleep schedules.” Mako nods and the two continue walking once more, navigating the winding halls, heading for the mess hall. As they reach the wide entrance to the room, filled with tables of pilots and staff alike, the pair stop to scan the crowd for their team-mates. “I still look better than you in the mornings though,” Raleigh whispers, leaning down so he’s speaking directly into her ear. Mako delivers a sharp jab with her elbow into his ribs, causing the taller of the two to hiss in pain and glare at her, who’s lips are tugged up into a small smile. With that, she walks into the mess hall, leaving the grumbling pilot behind.

“There you two are, was wondering when you’d show,” Herc greets them as they set their meal trays down on the table.

“I was worried you’d gotten lost,” Chuck adds, grinning. Raleigh rolls his eyes and sits himself down across from Mako. They eat their bland breakfast and chat with the other pilots, including the Russians and Wei brothers, all of them discussing various topics. Their conversations are halted by Aleksis’ question, as he points towards the entrance to the hall, evidently confused.

“Who are they, with Pentecost?”

Everybody directs their attention towards the three people walking into the mess hall, one familiar, their director, and the other two strangers to all. The group watches with a mix of curiosity and confusion as Pentecost walks the two newcomers around the hall, pointing various things out to them, until he brings them over to the pilots’ table. Everyone straightens up at the approach of their superior, who stops and stands beside the table, surveying all the pilots with amusement at their evident interest in the two people behind him. “Good morning, good to see all of you have made it out of bed today,” here he looks pointedly at Chuck, who has a habit of sleeping in and running late. The Aussie looks up at him sheepishly, and Herc rolls his eyes at his son’s unprofessionalism. “I’d like to introduce to you our newest pilots, they’ll be joining us from hereon in.” There’s a wave of raised eyebrows, not often do new pilots get posted here, meaning they must be quite skilled.

The two strangers step forward, and the group studies them with interest. The woman, with fiery red hair and sharp green eyes, smiles tightly at the assembled crew. “I am Quinn, this is Vance,” she says, indicating towards the man beside her. “We’re pilots of Clover Fever, been defending the Irish coast for two years now.”

“And we’ve never lost a battle,” adds Vance, grinning. Quinn rolls her eyes at him and continues.

“We look forward to working with you all.” The others begin to introduce themselves in turn, shaking hands with the new pilots. When the pair gets around to Mako, she smiles politely, and shakes first Quinn then Vance’s hands, however Vance instead of shaking her hand quickly as he had done with the others, takes his time to hold her hand in his, gazing directly into her eyes. Mako raises an eyebrow as the Irish man stares at her, his emerald eyes twinkling with intrigue.

“You pilot Gipsy Danger, right?” From across the table, Raleigh watches the two with mild interest. Mako’s gaze flickers over to her co-pilot, asking for help from this awkward situation. Sensing she feels uncomfortable, Raleigh gets up and walks over to them, holding his hand out for Vance to shake. Reluctantly, Vance lets go of Mako’s hand and shakes Raleigh’s instead.

“Indeed, we do, glad you’ve heard of us,” he responds on behalf of Mako, slightly proud of their reputation. He’s excited at the possibility of other pilots knowing about Gipsy Danger and potentially admiring it. After-all, it is a wonderful Jaeger despite its age. Vance nods and pulls away, smiling good-naturedly.

“Well, it’ll be great to work with you, and hopefully get to know you as well.” As he says this, Vance appears to be looking at Mako, and not both pilots of the American Jaeger. Herc notices this and hides a small, knowing smile, already understanding the Irish man’s intentions. Raleigh however, does not, and grins back at the newcomer warmly. His co-pilot avoids eye contact with Vance and goes back to eating her meal, shaking off his obvious attempts to grab her attention, but never ceasing to feel his eyes on her.

After all the introductions are done, Pentecost bids the pilots farewell and continues acquainting the two new pilots with the Hong Kong Shatterdome. The others chatter quietly, discussing the Irish team. Herc grins and decides to make a comment addressed to specifically the Gipsy Danger crew. “That Vance seemed rather interested in Mako here, don’t you reckon?” Raleigh tilts his head in confusion, appearing puzzled, while Mako scrunches up her face in distaste.

“What do you mean? He seemed nice to both of us, pretty sure he’s just a fan,” he responds, not really believing Herc’s claim. However, when he looks over at Mako for confirmation, she’s got her head down, avoiding all eye contact and looking equally annoyed and uncomfortable. This makes Raleigh frown, uncertain as to why she’s acting this way. Vance wasn’t really hitting on her or anything, right? He was just being friendly.

“Oh, come on mate, surely you can’t be that thick,” chimes in Chuck, laughing. His father sends him a warning glare that he chooses to ignore, and the younger Aussie continues. “The man held her hand like it was the last bottle of booze on Earth.” Raleigh’s blue eyes darken fractionally as he glares at Chuck, fists clenching slightly, something Mako notices. She stands and tugs on her co-pilot’s sleeve, nodding in the direction they came from. He looks down at her, face a muddled mix of emotions.

“Training starts soon, we still need to get ready.” Nodding, Raleigh agrees. The two say their goodbyes to the others, all except Chuck who’s leaning back in his chair, picking at his nails and ignoring Herc’s evident disapproval. The older Aussie shakes his head, sighing at his son’s difficult nature and the problems he’s probably just caused for the Gipsy Danger team.

Once they’re alone in the echoing concrete halls, Raleigh’s brow is still furrowed with confusion as he thinks over Vance’s behaviour. To him, the Irish man didn’t seem overly flirty, but then again, he’s not the kind of guy to notice those sort of things unless they’re very, blatantly obvious. But Chuck and Herc’s words have got his mind churning and now he just can’t help but worry. “So, that Vance, hey?” Mako looks over at him in disbelief, scoffing at him and picking up the pace, walking faster. How immature, she thought Raleigh wasn’t so susceptible to the thoughts of others, but right now he’s obviously hooked on the Hansen’s comments.

Being taller, Raleigh can easily catch up to Mako, who’s steps are far smaller than his, and so he quickly moves to her side again. They walk in silence, but he is aching to hear her assure him there’s nothing to worry about, tell him that was just Chuck being a prick. Sensing his uneasiness, Mako eventually breaks the silence, sighing. “Let it go, Raleigh, I’ve only just met the guy. He’s only just met me. He was probably trying to make a good impression. Relax, alright?” Letting out a quiet breath of relief, the taller of the two nods and does his best to calm down and let it go. Mako is right, she always is.

With things calmer between them, the Japanese woman decides to lighten things up, wanting to see a smile upon her co-pilot’s face once more. “Or perhaps he’s trying to get in your good books by being nice to me. Maybe he’s a fanboy,” she says sarcastically, a hint of a smile playing upon her lips. Raleigh quirks an eyebrow and grins, looking down at his co-pilot with humour twinkling in his eyes.

“Don’t blame him, I’m pretty charming, hm?” As if to prove that point, he runs a hand through his hair and winks at Mako, displaying all of his pearly whites.

“I wouldn’t say that exactly,” she quips, fully smiling now, finding his little display very entertaining. Raleigh feigns hurt and the two settle back into their natural rhythm, feeling much more at ease. Eventually they reach their rooms, and part ways in order to get ready for training.

The Kwoon Combat Room is crowded with pilots and those wanting to become Rangers. Mako enters in her training gear: a black tank top and grey combat pants. She spots Raleigh and weaves through the crowd to stand beside him. He too, is in his training outfit, similar to hers apart from the white singlet he wears instead. “So, ready to be beaten today?” Mako rolls her eyes and fixes her co-pilot with a determined look, her expression clearly displaying confidence in her fighting abilities.

“Ready to end up on your ass again?” Raleigh laughs quietly, still grinning cockily at her. He holds out his hand, bending down to subtly mock her height, a common jest between them.

“May the best win, Ms Mori.”

A smile from the shorter of the two, before shaking his hand. Satisfied with their little competition being established, Raleigh straightens and joins everybody else in listening attentively to the instructor who just entered the room. “Alright listen up!” Her voice echoes around the room, that strong sense of authority ringing in everyone’s ears, causing them to involuntarily straighten up, and fix their eyes upon the woman holding a clipboard and waiting for all the chatter to die down. Once the room is entirely silent, she starts to pace over the training mats as she speaks. “Today’s training will involve one-on-one combat, a sparring session. Your pairings will be determined randomly; however, co-pilots are required to verse one another in order to prove adequate compatibility. Your objective is to fight using these training weapons until landing a potential, yet fake, blow, which will earn you a point. First to five wins. I will be recording the results so put some effort in, but do not injure each other.”

The Gipsy Danger pilots share a look, each narrowing their eyes, confident smirks on both their faces. They’ve done this before. And now it’s time for a re-match. Both feel a surge of excitement flood their bodies as names are called out and people begin sparring. It’s difficult to stand there and watch other people fight while your mind is constantly urging you to join in, your body begging for action, your skills just waiting to be put to use. Raleigh and Mako manage though, waiting restlessly until the instructor calls their names for their co-pilot spar. The two grin at one another and eagerly step into the centre of the room, bare feet making contact with the training mats.

“You know I’m not going to take it easy on you, right?” Raleigh stretches and warms up, getting himself ready.

“And I suppose you were the other times?” His co-pilot counters him quickly, glancing up at him while flipping the wooden staff-like training weapon over in her hand.

"Oh, you’re asking for it.” Mako smiles and so does Raleigh, both of them ready to spar, eyes brimming with excitement. The two love sparring together, testing each other, pushing themselves to the limit. And others have commented on how interesting it is to watch, apparently it’s a great demonstration of pilot compatibility. After all, part of being compatible for piloting a Jaeger is being able to push each other further, as well as balance one another.

The instructor motions for them to take their positions and they do so, Raleigh taking the right side and Mako the left, each in their own preferred starting stances. Mako assesses her co-pilot with a keen eye, noticing the minute details others might not, and basing what he’ll do on past sparring sessions and his usual strategies. Raleigh on the other hand, thinks less and feels more, relying on their residual connection from drifting to guide him in fighting Mako. The two meet each other’s eyes, blue on brown, and stare directly through one another. They see all that the person opposite them is, was and will be. The instructor, standing a safe distance from the pilots, announces the commencement of this sparring match. The crowd watches eagerly to see this team in action. Amongst the people gathered Chuck and Aleksis make bets on who will win this time.

Mako takes a deep breath, adjusts her stance and begins to circle Raleigh, who simultaneously does the same, the two moving counter-clockwise, bodies poised to attack, just waiting for that right moment. As if according to some invisible signal, they leap into action, Raleigh springing forward, jabbing at Mako with the staff, only to miss as she instinctively jumps backwards. A quick countermove, wood on wood as he defends himself from her sudden strike. He attempts to sweep her legs out from under her, but she jumps to the side, twirls mid-air and as her arm whips around in the last rotation of her twirl, she brings with it the training weapon, aiming for her co-pilot’s neck. Unsure of her pattern of attack due to the sudden twirling being difficult to follow, Raleigh flounders a second, struggling to pinpoint where she may land or what spot she’d be most likely to attack. Quick enough to miss if you blinked, Mako is standing diagonal to Raleigh, her weapon an inch from the exposed skin of his neck. She landed easily and with grace, and used her unpredictable movement to confuse Raleigh, who is used to her predictable fighting patterns. Aleksis lets out a loud whoop and is sent a withering glare from the instructor.

Grinning as his co-pilot is awarded the first point, Raleigh resumes his starting stance once more, determination burning in his gaze. “You’ve gotten better,” he states with a smile, genuinely glad to see such improvement. Before she used to be quite rigid and predictable, always using a combination of similar striking patterns that he could counter easily. However, she had always been immensely skilled and careful with her movements. Now she’s learnt how to adapt and improvise better. Pride glows warm within Raleigh’s chest. That’s his co-pilot. That terrifyingly precise, skilled woman. She fights with him.

They go at it again, circling and lunging at one another, feet dancing across the mats. The two jump and flip, attacking and defending. At one point, Raleigh drives his training weapon down and Mako lifts hers up, the wooden staffs clashing. Before she can do anything, he tosses his weapon to the side and grips onto her staff instead, before flipping over her, landing on his back against the mats. The momentum of his sudden action, and the fact she’s still gripping her staff, which is in his grasp, drags her over with him, and she lands atop of him. Raleigh, with his hand on her weapon, points her own staff under her chin. A point to him. Chuck grins smugly at Aleksis. Mako climbs off Raleigh and offers him a hand, hauling her partner up. “Nice move,” she admits, nodding in approval. Her co-pilot smiles, but secretly regrets the harsh landing he took from that move, his back definitely bruised. Noticing his discomfort, as they pass each other Mako whispers to him so none of the on-lookers can hear. “Looks like you’re going to medical after this training is over.” Raleigh groans, but agrees to anyway, knowing he has to take care of himself so he’s fit to pilot.

They continue on like this for a while, battling one another. Sweat glistens on their skin, clothes clinging tightly, hair plastering to foreheads. The clash of wooden staff on wooden staff reverberates throughout the room, and the crowd of onlookers finds themselves tense, waiting for the eventual outcome. Both participants have put up a great fight, but due to the overly physical nature of sparring, they begin to tire. Breaths become laboured, movements slower as muscles burn and ache. The lack of a break hurts their bodies, but nevertheless the Rangers persist. Usually, Mako and Raleigh’s fights take longer than most, so determined are they not to lose.

The two pilots of Gipsy Danger find themselves tied, both at 4 points. Next point wins. Aleksis and Chuck are both close to self-combusting, so apprehensive of the result, their bet riding on their chosen winner’s performance. As the two face off, Raleigh is struck by Mako’s beauty. With her face flushed from physical exertion, blue and brown hair messy and her expression one of fierce determination that would intimidate practically anybody, she is equally beautiful and lethal. He’s always been aware of this; it’s just sometimes it becomes more obvious than usual. She raises an eyebrow at his staring, lips twitching into a tiny sly smile. This snaps Raleigh out of his reverie, and his cheeks tint pink as the realisation he’d just been openly admiring his co-pilot hits him. However, Mako’s little smile does comfort him.

Their final battle begins, both Rangers sizing each other up, searching for the right place and the right time to strike. Raleigh moves first, using his larger stature to barrel towards the significantly shorter Mako, aiming to catch her off guard. She is surprised for a split second, before falling to her knees and using her staff, propelling herself forward in a knee-slide, straight through Raleigh’s open legs and out to the other side. Immediately the Japanese woman jumps to her feet, as Raleigh’s staff swipes the air where her feet were just a moment ago. She lunges forward, dodging a jab from him and springing into the air, curling her body into a ball and allowing the momentum to propel her over her co-pilot’s head. She lands neatly behind him, and he whirls around, swinging the staff, as she attempts to hit him from behind. They both stop, and the crowd goes dead silent.

Both pilots stand with staffs in hand, both resting inches from each other’s heads. They decided to strike at the exact same time, in the exact same place.

“That’s a tie, then,” the instructor announces, a very slight tone of pride in her voice. She trained these two, watched them improve. And now they’ve just demonstrated one of the most impressive displays of pilot compatibility she’s seen in her many years of working in the Jaeger program.

Mako and Raleigh remain in position a moment more, eyes locked together. The moment passes, they relax, and it feels as if their muscles are sighing with relief. The two set down their training weapons and return to the crowd, where Aleksis and Chuck are shaking hands amiably, content with both keeping their money and neither effectively winning nor losing the bet. Other pilots pat the tired pair on the back, and nod at them with respect evident in their gazes. Sighing, Raleigh slumps against the back wall, sliding down until he’s sitting on the ground. Mako joins him, and the two sit there, breathing heavily and allowing the cool concrete at their backs to contrast the burning heat of their skin.

“Not bad, Mori. Not bad at all,” Raleigh says quietly, still trying to suck in enough oxygen to satiate his starving lungs. The woman beside him smiles and puts a finger to her lips, silently telling him to stop talking and focus on breathing. Lapsing back into relative silence, if you don’t count their thumping hearts and heavy breaths, the co-pilots take a rare moment of calm and relaxation. They’re aware their names will be called once more, often you spar twice, with two different people. But for now, they can just sit back and watch others, giving their bodies a break.

This moment of calm is ruined for Mako by the sensation of eyes on her, and she looks about curiously, wondering who must be watching her. The answer is a set of deep green eyes, like wild forests and vibrant grass. These eyes are locked upon her, and she stares back when finding the culprit. Curly, auburn hair frames a lightly freckled face, belonging to none other than Vance. He sends her a smile and she attempts to return it, trying to be polite despite the lack of attraction she feels towards this man. She’s aware he’s trying to grab her attention, aware he’s clearly interested for some reason. But she cannot return those feelings and won’t. Especially seeing as that would jeopardise her relationship with Raleigh, which is the most important. He’s her co-pilot. He’s her closest friend. Mako blushes slightly as she adds another title to that list. He’s the one person she has ever had romantic feelings for. Not that he’ll ever be aware of that. Piloting a Jaeger together generally requires professionalism. Not to mention if they did pursue a romantic relationship, wouldn’t that bring about a whole new world of problems with drifting? Or is she just scared, and trying to blame her lack of action on other factors?

Mako looks away, glancing over at Raleigh, who’s watching the next battle intently, clearly taking note of the techniques people are using and how everyone has progressed. The sight of his brow furrowed in concentration makes his co-pilot smile to herself, finding it admittedly rather cute. Noticing from the corner of his eye Mako smiling softly as she watches him, Raleigh turns and faces her, raising an eyebrow. Quickly, the Japanese woman looks away, embarrassed and ashamed of herself for being so forward as to stare at her co-pilot like that. Grinning, Raleigh leans over and gently tucks a stray stand of dyed blue hair behind her ear, causing Mako to meet his gaze, taken aback by this. Neither say anything, just maintaining eye contact for several long seconds, before their attention is grabbed by the instructor calling out two familiar names.

“Vance and Quinn, you’re up next.”

The two Irish pilots step into the centre of the room and prepare themselves for the sparring. Everyone assembled is visibly intrigued, waiting to see how the newest Rangers fight together. Very well, it’s revealed. The two red-heads move swiftly, very agile but lethal, and evenly matched in their strength as well as skills. However, Quinn eventually wins by sweeping Vance’s feet out from under him and jabbing at his chest with the wooden staff. Instead of stopping before actually hitting him, she smirks and strikes him, not harshly but with enough force to cause a bruise. “Dáiríre? Was that really necessary?” Vance pouts like a child, to which Quinn rolls her eyes and walks away, leaving her brother to clamber up off the ground and make his way back to the crowd. Once more, his eyes wander, searching for the blue-and-brown-haired woman amongst all the Rangers and trainees. He spots her and notices with a frown she’s not even looking in his direction. Huffing, Vance moves to the back of the crowd and sits beside Quinn, who’s stretching in preparation for the second round of sparring.

Different pairings compete, Sasha kicking Aleksis’ ass, the Wei brothers as always impressing the crowd with their martial art skills, and Chuck and Herc having a good old brawl, which ended in the younger of the two glaring unhappily at his victorious father. Soon the second round of sparring begins, and still the Gipsy Danger pilots watch patiently from their spot, assessing and analysing each fight. Raleigh commentates when he grows bored, making Mako bite her lip to supress laughter at his ridiculous commentary. “You’re so childish,” she hisses, and he shrugs, smiling.

Mako watches as Raleigh spars with one of the Wei brothers, both putting up a very good fight. She makes note of her co-pilot’s performance, reminding herself to review this later on with him. As per usual, Raleigh is the winner. With everybody besides Mako the American is almost guaranteed a win. When he’s fighting her things become much more difficult and the odds are much more even than with any other competitor.

After several successive fights, Mako’s name is called once more. As she stands and begins to weave her way through the crowd in order to reach the centre of the room, Vance’s name is called in quick pursuit. Halting, she turns to look at her opponent, who is smirking, exuding confidence. The sight irritates Mako, and she resolves to beat him in front of everybody, just as Quinn had done. Whilst warming up once more, she can feel Raleigh’s gaze, but refuses to give into the magnetic pull of it, refuses to meet his eyes. She has to focus.

“What are the odds, huh?” Vance’s voice appears close by her ear, rich Irish accent sounding like syrup feels; thick and heavy and sickly. Instinctively, Mako steps away from him, fixing the man beside her with a glare that clearly expresses her dislike of him invading her personal space. Vance persists however, pressing closer, closing the distance between them. His breath fans across her face, smelling slightly of mint. “Think you have what it takes to beat me, Ms Mori?”

“Yes,” she replies coldly, staring up at him with dark, serious eyes. The Irish man chuckles, enjoying her self-confidence, before backing away. He rolls his shoulders, spins the wooden staff around in his hands and winks at the Japanese woman before him. Rolling her eyes and dismissing his attempts at flirting, Mako breathes deeply and positions herself opposite Vance, one leg outstretched behind her and the other bent slightly, her body in a half-crouch, while brandishing the training weapon. From the group Raleigh nods to himself, lips twitching into a proud smile. Vance should be very scared. Anybody facing Mako would be, especially with that look on her face, alike to heavy storm clouds, dark and dangerous. Oh yeah, that’s his girl.

The instructor announces the start of the match and immediately Vance springs forward, lithe body encountering limited resistance as he shoots through the air like an arrow, wooden staff aimed at Mako, who simply ducks and rolls to the side, her leg swiftly sweeping the floor, knocking Vance off balance as soon as he lands, sending him sprawling, training weapon knocked out of his hand. Lightning quick, the Japanese woman points her weapon at his surprised face, her expression stony.

Grinning cockily, Vance gets back to his feet and re-sets, appearing more determined and now not underestimating Mako as much. This time, Mako strikes first, aiming for his side. Vance parries her blow and enacts a fast counterattack, twisting and violently batting the staff out of her hand, pausing as his weapon is inches from her neck. He practically lights up with smugness, and he pushes curls out of his face, flashing Mako a toothy grin. “Now we’re even.”

Their sparring match is without a doubt one of the most intense to be seen today. The two Rangers fight aggressively, evidently applying a lot of effort, desperate not to lose to the other. Mako uses her intelligence to detect patterns in Vance’s movements and starts to predict what he’ll do next. Catching on to her strategy, Vance switches his movements, trying new and unpredictable tactics to counteract her. At one point, the two end up sprawled on the floor, Mako pinned beneath Vance’s weight. He smirks and raises an eyebrow, green eyes flashing with mischief. “Knew it wouldn’t be long till you’d be under me,” he whispers lowly, igniting a spark of white-hot anger within the Japanese woman. Fury written all over her face, Mako hooks her leg around Vance’s waist and tugs him sharply sideways, rolling and switching positions, pinning him harshly against the training mats. As he opens his mouth to make another flirtatious remark, she quickly shuts him up by pointing her staff directly between his eyes. “You’re no fun,” he whines, pouting once more. Scrunching her face up in disgust at his childishness, Mako quickly gets off the Irish man and returns to the centre of the mat.

Raleigh, who watched the whole encounter with a stinging feeling deep in his chest, narrows his eyes at Vance, fists clenching by his sides involuntarily. He’s aware that during sparring fighters have to get rather physically close at times, and it’s never bothered him before. Until now. Seeing that smug Irish man’s face at being on top of his co-pilot makes the American’s insides boil, a harsh heat threatening to spread throughout him. He replays Mako’s words from earlier, telling him to relax and not to worry. There’s nothing between them. Except maybe hatred, he muses, the look on Mako’s face indicating increasing annoyance and anger. Nothing to worry about there, besides perhaps having to prevent his co-pilot from murdering Vance. Raleigh isn’t sure he’d mind if she did, though. Still, he can’t help but acknowledge the burning anger within him in regards to the auburn-haired man. Usually he isn’t this hot-headed, getting along with most people or at least respecting them. But for some reason this guy just does something to him, works him up without even trying.

Just like when Mako and Raleigh sparred, the two find themselves at four points each, facing off for the final time, each Ranger absolutely set on winning that final point. Tension hangs heavy in the air, a thick fog. Brown and green eyes lock onto one another, searching for a hint of weakness. None can be found. Vance is every bit as stubborn and determined as Mako. For the last time they circle one another, each pilot taking their time to assess the other. As this happens, Vance decides once more to attempt to flirt with the woman opposite him, if only to irritate her. Hand on hip, he tilts his head slightly to one side, eyeing her up and down. “Never thought somebody could look so hot during a fight,” he teases, smirking. Mako grits her teeth, thoroughly done with his bullshit, and launches at him, aiming for a blow to the head. He swiftly steps aside, acting nonchalant, as if a very pissed off Japanese woman didn’t just try to decapitate him with a wooden staff. “Hey there, somebody getting worked up? Don’t tell me I’m getting to you, Banphrionsa,” he purrs, the last word practically rolling off his tongue.

Infuriated, Mako swings her arm in a wide arc, slashing through the air and narrowly missing Vance’s chest. He dodges all her attacks, purposefully angering her. Raleigh watches with bated breath, repeating the same advice over in his head, hoping perhaps somehow Mako will hear him. Calm down, focus, be strategic. His co-pilot stops, breathing heavily. As if hearing Raleigh, Mako calms herself, clearing her head and switching back to her usual logical approach. Her eyes narrow as she stares down Vance, who’s smug grin really needs to be wiped off his face.

Slowly, Mako holds out her training weapon straight in front of her, just waiting for the Irish man to make a move, knowing he’s the kind to grow impatient. Taking the bait, Vance moves forwards, light on his feet, springing at the woman before him and attempting to smash the staff out of her hand. As he swings, just before the weapons can clash, Mako whirls to the right, whipping her staff away. Vance stumbles forward, struggling to maintain his balance with the inertia acting upon him. When he finds his footing again and turns to face his opponent, the Japanese woman is waiting patiently for him. This occurs numerous times; Vance attacking and Mako dodging at the last second, occasionally sticking her foot out and tripping him up, making a fool out of him. Raleigh smiles widely, watching his co-pilot humiliate the cocky Irish man. Generally, she is quick and efficient, finishing the fight as fast as possible with no mucking around. But this man has annoyed her to the point she’s purposefully time wasting, just playing with him.

Tired, Vance takes a moment to breathe, not taking his eyes off Mako in case she decides to suddenly act. “So, you like to play, do you then? Alright, we can play princess. As long as your co-pilot Mr Becket approves of course,” he says with a sly grin. At the mention of Raleigh, Mako launches into the air, turning her body sideways and kicking Vance forcefully in the chest mid-air, knocking him back onto his ass. As the crowd murmurs and Raleigh laughs, Mako advances on the slightly dazed Irish man, shoving her wooden staff roughly under his chin, forcing him to look up at her.

"Looks like I won,” she says coldly.

The instructor announces Mako’s victory and the end of the sparring match. Without sparing Vance another minute, she turns her back to him and joins Raleigh in the crowd, who welcomes her with a wide smile. “That was very different from your norm, but hey, I’m not complaining!” Still feeling rather angry and irritated, Mako manages a tight smile in response, before muttering that she’s going to take a shower. Raleigh nods, frowning a little, usually she sticks around and they leave together. But judging by the look on his co-pilot’s face, the American can tell she’s not in the mood for company right now. “Alright, see ya later then.”

When Raleigh turns back to watch the next fight begin, he’s instead met with the view of Vance making a beeline for him. The Irish man stops right before the American, and the two stare at each other silently, Raleigh appearing irritated and Vance triumphant despite just losing. “Your co-pilot really is something, hey?” Eyes narrowing, Raleigh nods slowly.

“Yeah, she is.” There’s a tense silence as the two stare each other down, before Vance makes a move to leave, pausing just a moment before he does so.

“Do me a favour and tell princess I’ll see her around, yeah? Just in case she’s missing me already,” he says with a confident smirk, before turning on his heel and walking away, as if that entire exchange didn’t even occur. Fuming, Raleigh’s gaze bores holes into the back of the Irish man’s head and he bites his lip harshly, holding back a snarky response. Despite Mako’s obvious lack of interest in the newcomer, he’s still intent on pursuing her, it appears. And that pisses the American off. But he’ll try keep his cool, and not make a scene. Surely after Mako continues to shut the guy down he’ll get the message and move on.

Unfortunately for Raleigh, that’s not to be.

Fists slam into the thick leather of the boxing bag with a force that buckles the chains holding it up and sends it swinging to-and-fro. Raleigh continues to bash the boxing bag half to death with his bare fists, bruising his knuckles but ignoring the pain. He seethes with anger and jealousy, grinding his teeth as he thinks over the past two days. Vance was like a pest, he appeared practically everywhere. At lunches he’d sidle up beside Mako and try to coax her into conversing with him. When she eventually suggested Raleigh eat lunch elsewhere with her to avoid the Irish man’s overwhelming presence, he tracked them down and sat right between the two, proceeding to pester the Japanese woman, who was clearly fighting the urge to sucker punch him. As was her co-pilot, who had watched with growing irritation. At first, he thought Vance harmless, but now, now the man was incessant, flirting openly and obviously, despite Mako’s dismissal of his feelings. He just didn’t give up.

Try as hard as he might, Raleigh couldn’t quite ignore the uncomfortable, sizzling feeling of jealousy, acidic and corroding him from the inside out. Everyday it only grew worse. Vance followed Mako like an obsessive puppy dog, even to the point his sister had advised him he was coming on way too strong, and suggested he give the woman some space. Never one for constructive criticism, Vance refused to take Quinn’s advice. The Irish man was constantly butting in on conversations between Gipsy Danger’s pilots, forever letting slip suggestive remarks. When he wasn’t near her, Vance was always watching, those green eyes a constant sight whenever she looked up. Mako couldn’t deny it irritated her immensely, but she was resolved to ignore the man until he gave up. Hopefully soon.

However, what she didn’t notice was her co-pilot’s growing anger and the dark look in his eyes whenever the auburn-haired man crossed his line of sight. And so, frustrated beyond belief, heart aching with the dreadful worry that Mako may give in to Vance’s flirting, and the bitter sting of jealousy tearing through him, Raleigh is forced to vent his anger via boxing, giving the poor punching bag all he’s got and then some, wishing it were the smug Irish man’s face. He can just see that stupid, arrogant smirk right now. He pummels the bag with his fists, harder and harder until the pain becomes a sharp throbbing and he is forced to stop. Panting heavily, sweat dripping down his bare chest, the American examines his knuckles, dappled a dark purple and blue. Sighing, he hangs his head, standing motionless in the room, dizzy with the whirlwind of feelings tormenting him. The click of a door causes him to look up though, just in time to see his co-pilot enter the room.

“Hey Raleigh are you in he-“ Mako is cut short when she sees the man before her, his bruised knuckles clearly visible. She rushes over and gently takes his hands in hers, assessing his self-inflicted injuries. The Japanese woman looks up at her co-pilot, who’s avoiding her gaze, and fixes him with a concerned yet firm expression. “Look at me,” she whispers, and he does, blue eyes downcast and his face expressive of guilt. “Why did you do this? You have to be more careful with yourself, please Becket.” He sighs when she refers to him by his last name, something Mako never does unless its serious. At the sight of her saddened brown eyes he nods, giving her hands a light squeeze.

“I’m sorry, you’re right. I was just…worked up, is all.” Both are silent a moment, standing together clasping each other’s hands, before Mako slowly lets go.

"Come on, I’ll bandage you up. For the hundredth time.” Raleigh smiles slightly at that comment, and the two return to her room, where she instructs her co-pilot to sit down while searching for the first aid kit she keeps in her quarters. Ever since becoming partners with the American, she’s gotten into the habit of keeping the kit nearby, seeing as he frequently manages to get hurt in some way or another. She seats herself beside him and gently tends to the tender flesh, discoloured and painful to look at, applying some anti-swelling cream. Carefully, she bandages each hand, Raleigh wincing slightly during the process. Once done, she bids him farewell, and they retire to their respective rooms.

Raleigh looks down at his neatly bandaged hand and flushes in shame. He got so worked up, when Mako has never provided him with any reason to believe she’ll ever abandon him. But, ever since his brother…well it’s been hard for him to let go of those close to him, always worrying about losing them. But she cares, enough even to patch him up when he’s hurt himself. Raleigh knows he needs to control his temper, usually its not this much of a problem, but this Vance guy just has a way of getting under his skin.

Across the hall from each other, the two pilots settle down for the night, thinking of each other. But eventually sleep conquers all, even those whose minds are restless, and the Rangers slip into unconsciousness.

The whirring of an alarm jolts Mako from her slumber, and she hastily gets out of bed, rushing over to the tablet on her bedside table and answering the emergency summons. Stacker Pentecost’s face appears upon the screen, solemn and evidently tired. “Ms Mori, you and Mr Becket are requested immediately for an urgent mission. We’ve just detected a Kaiju heading for the Miracle Mile around one of Hong Kong’s prominent sea-ports. Gipsy Danger will be deployed first, while reinforcements will be rallied and deployed in suit. Report for duty ASAP.” Mako nods and hastily changes.

She exits her room and bangs on Raleigh’s door, awakening him. The American quickly flings the door wide open, wearing only sweatpants. He takes one look at Mako’s serious facial expression and hastily throws on a shirt, before the two take off running towards the Drivesuit room. Here, technicians attach the multiple layers of the pilot suits before sending them to the bridge, leading them to their conn-pod. Pentecost awaits them on the bridge, and quickly briefs the two pilots, impressing upon them the importance of stopping the Kaiju before it can destroy the port, even if the best they can do is buy time for reinforcements.

As the two hastily approach the conn-pod, clad in shiny black suits plated with sleek armour, a voice calls out from behind, halting their movement. “Banphrionsa!” Mako whirls around, greeted by the sight of Vance, still in his nightwear, running towards her. He comes to a halt before her and wraps an arm around her waist, pulling her to him. Mako tenses and Raleigh’s eye twitches as he watches, digging his nails into the palms of his hands. Vance gazes at the woman in his arms who is currently glaring daggers at him, and smiles, despite her evident hatred of their close proximity. “Be safe, come back to me,” he murmurs, attempting to be romantic. Sick of his bullshit, especially at such a crucial point where time is of the essence, Mako stomps harshly on his foot. Vance howls and lets go of the Japanese woman who briskly turns on her heel, grabs a fuming Raleigh by the hand and drags him into the conn-pod with her.

The two hastily get in place, Raleigh on the right and Mako on the left. Their feet lock into place and the two pilots mentally prepare themselves for drifting. The spinal clamps are attached, connecting them to the Jaeger’s movement frame. The two pull their helmets on, filling with the thick yellow relay gel before it drains away. Now for the last step of the drifting process; the neural handshake. Tendo Choi’s voice can be heard inside the pilot’s helmets, speaking from his position up in the control room. He commences the initiation of the neural handshake, and Mako and Raleigh glance over at one another, meeting each other’s gaze. Their minds are slightly scrambled from the sudden wake-up, immediate stress and situation involving Vance. Nevertheless, this is their job, and the two pilots nod in agreement, silently vowing to do their best to set aside any issues or emotions that may be plaguing them that would complicate the drifting process.

Breathing deeply, the two pilots allow their minds to go blank as the neural handshake is initiated. That sharp spike of electricity, a bolt of lightning striking their brains, is quickly followed by the tidal wave of memories, emotions and thoughts flickering behind each pilot’s eyes, a slideshow of blurring scenes. The drift is a window into another’s past and present, to the dark depths of their mind.

The deadly touch of anger, jealousy and annoyance eating away at both pilots now surfaces, and it’s visible, staining the flashing images crimson. They fight to push through the negative feelings, both straining in their attempt to control their drift.

Up in the command room, Pentecost and Choi view the live feed from inside the conn-pod with evident concern. The various screens before them display warnings, issues occurring with the neural handshake. Hesitantly, Choi looks over to the stern man beside him. “Should I halt the drifting process, Sir?” Pentecost considers this, dark eyes pouring over the information on the screens, before flitting back to the image of Mako and Raleigh, fighting to control their minds, desperate to drift with one another. There’s no denying this is far different from the norm. The pilots of Gipsy Danger usually drift easily and without complications, if you don’t count their first trial run.

“No, they will drift.” Surprised as he is by the Marshal’s decision, Choi nods and adheres to the orders of his superior, the two men watching with bated breath as the pilots battle for control. “Come on Mako, reign it in,” Stacker mumbles under his breath, willing his adopted daughter on.

As if hearing her father’s words, the Japanese woman inside the conn-pod grits her teeth and squeezes her eyes shut, taking deep, steady breaths and reaching over to hold Raleigh’s hand. Surprised, he looks over at her, raising an eyebrow, but returns the gesture, gripping her hand in his. They close their eyes, force their minds to go blank. The storm of emotions fades into the distance, merely a ghost to them now. The neural handshake is successful.

Up in the control, room, Pentecost allows himself a small, relieved smile. Choi speaks to the pilots through their communication systems within the Jaeger, informing them of the drift’s success and issuing them a countdown for the drop. Barely hearing what the man speaking to them has to say, Mako and Raleigh are occupied with staring at one another, having a silent conversation with just their eyes. All of Raleigh’s anger, frustration and hidden jealousy had just a moment ago, during drifting, coursed through his co-pilot. And in return, her irritation and annoyance had been felt by him. Now their minds are one, and they have formed one consciousness, strong enough to pilot the mechanical beast they are in. But the confusion from the small fragments of information they receive, the puzzling and complex process of briefly seeing into someone’s mind but not knowing any definitive answers, it makes it so very hard to concentrate. Now both are caught up in trying to piece together a comprehensive understanding of how the other is feeling, while trying to process the strength of their combined emotions. It’s a lot, even for two of the best pilots in the program.

But for now, they have to swallow their burning questions, clear their minds of thoughts regarding their personal lives and focus solely on the task at hand. Because once you step into a Jaeger, everything besides the mission must be put behind you. You become responsible for civilians' lives and the life of the person piloting with you. There’s no room for mistakes or interruptions. So, despite the thousands of questions swarming in their minds, Mako and Raleigh are forced to put these to rest as the conn-pod begins to shake slightly, numbers steadily descending on the holographic screens before them. The Japanese woman locks eyes with her American counterpart, her expression serious yet gentle. “Later,” she murmurs. Understanding exactly what she means, Raleigh nods and gives her hand a strong squeeze before the two brace themselves for the drop. As a large 0 flickers before their eyes, the pod lurches and plunges downwards, a speedy descent that feels to the pilots like a free-fall. Their stomachs drop in that familiar, dizzying sensation of weightlessness, the rush as they make their descent prompting the release of adrenaline. Hearts begin to beat faster and stronger, as with a sudden, jarring stop, the conn-pod and its inhabitants are connected to the body of Gipsy Danger.

A monster of technology, mechanics and modern innovation, the Mark 3 Jaeger stands proud and tall in the loading dock, its faded blue paint and vibrant orange core reactor making the robot appear alive. With the head, where the pilots’ conn-pod is located, attached to the body, the American Jaeger’s full might is on display for all to see. Its impressive mass of steel, wiring and high-tech weapons serve to intimidate all who gaze upon it. As always, the pair can’t help but be proud and honoured to pilot such a magnificent, powerful beast.

Positioned on a thick slab of metal, the Jaeger is conveyed towards the water’s edge, where dark waves surge over the Shatterdome’s ramps. Gradually, Gipsy Danger is lowered into the sea, the shadowy water engulfing the mechanical giant. Mako and Raleigh watch from the conn-pod, a clear window before them providing the pilots with a view of the dark sky, heavy clouds draped over their world. The bright beams shooting from the Jaeger’s body slice through the suffocating darkness, revealing the deep turquoise sea surrounding them, frothing and heaving as winds whistle and tear across the ocean’s surface, stirring it into a tumultuous frenzy. Fighting in this weather won’t be easy. With a resounding thud that sends vibrations up the entire Jaeger, the pilots become aware that they have reached the sea floor, Gipsy Danger’s feet planted upon the solid bottom of the sea, sending up clouds of scattered sand particles, swept up by the waves. Standing waist-deep, the impressive Jaeger is still briefly, as the two Rangers survey the wide expanse of ocean before them, taking a moment to clear their heads as best they can. Glancing at one another, the pilots nod, before advancing towards the location of the approaching Kaiju, Gipsy Danger’s mass tearing aside the roiling water in its path with considerable speed. Their objective: buy as much time as possible for reinforcements to arrive and do whatever is in their power to stall or stop the Kaiju from passing the Miracle Mile.

"What exactly were you two playing at out there?” Stacker Pentecost’s expression is one of intense scorn, anger and disappointment, as he addresses the two pilots standing before him in his office. Mako Mori and Raleigh Becket stand side-by-side, hands behind their backs, facing the wrath of their superior with heads held high, having learnt to take the lectures and rants without flinching. The stern Marshal paces the room, shoes clacking against the metal floor as he fumes. Stopping directly in front of the two Rangers assembled, his eyes glow with disapproval. “I expected better from you both. Your performance today was more than concerning, it was downright unacceptable!”

Feeling the need to defend himself and his co-pilot, Raleigh clears his throat. “Sir,” he announces, bravely making eye contact with the furious Marshal. This catches the older man’s eye, and he diverts his attention to the American Ranger. “We did all that we could, sir. It was certainly not our best, but surely, we weren’t as bad as you claim.” His words only worsen the situation, and Mako swats him harshly behind her back.

Reinforced with a renewed anger at the pilot’s nerve, Pentecost strides over to the screen mounted on the wall and turns on the live-feed of their battle with the Kaiju in the early hours of the morning. “See for yourself Mr Becket. Then perhaps you’ll understand,” he demands. Reluctantly, the pilots watch the screen. Footage of them inside the conn-pod shows arguments between the two of them, both yelling at each other on what course of action to take. Footage from Crimson Typhoon’s cameras, who came in as backup approximately 25 minutes after Gipsy Danger was deployed, displays the terribly uncoordinated and ineffective attacks put forth by the team. Gipsy Danger is seen to be struggling with maintaining balance, constantly being battered by the aggressive Kaiju, and barely managing to hold the beast back. Even Mako and Raleigh can see how Pentecost’s reaction is justifiable; that performance was hardly acceptable for first-time pilots, let alone one of the top Jaeger teams in the program. Evidently cringing at their pathetic attempt of battling the Kaiju, both pilots are instilled with further gratefulness to the Wei brothers for saving their asses. If it weren’t for Crimson Typhoon’s involvement, the American Jaeger would’ve undoubtedly been bashed to bits, the pilots with it. Believing they’ve clearly gotten the message he was trying to express, Pentecost switches off the screen and turns once more to face the embarrassed and crestfallen pair.

“As a result of this poor performance I have no choice but to suspend Gipsy Danger from active participation in missions for the time being. This suspension will be lifted once I deem you both ready for action again.” Looking them over sternly, the Marshal gives a curt nod and opens the door to his office, gesturing for the two to leave. “Think over your actions and for God’s sake get your act together.” With that, the Rangers exit, the slam of the door behind them salt rubbed into their fresh wounds.

Left standing out in the empty hallway, the two pilots, dejected and ashamed of themselves, sigh together. Raleigh smiles sadly at Mako, who returns the gesture. “I don’t think I can handle going into the mess hall right now,” she admits. Understanding, her co-pilot nods as they begin to walk, not sure where exactly, but anywhere away from areas full of people. The last thing they want is to deal with Chuck’s taunts, and the sea of eyes, people staring at them, knowing of their uncharacteristic defeat. It feels as if Gipsy Danger has just experienced a fall from grace, and the impact on the pilots is evident in their gloomy expressions, dull eyes and tense bodies.

“Wanna go check out our girl then? See how she’s fairing?” Raleigh’s suggestion sounds like a good idea to the Japanese woman, and so they make their way to the hangar when Gipsy Danger is currently being repaired after the battle, having sustained sufficient damages. They climb up flights of metal stairs until reaching a small landing, high up above the ground floor. The pilots sit on the edge of the metal platform, legs dangling off. Up here, everything besides them and their Jaeger seems so insignificant. The bustling hangar is filled with staff, going about their business. Everywhere there are people walking to-and-fro, machinery being transported about on small transport buggies and the sound of whirring, chattering, all these various noises forming one cacophony. From the platform though, everyone appears to Mako and Raleigh like miniature figures, children’s toys perhaps. The only thing that really matters is the person beside them, and the towering figure of Gipsy Danger, standing right before them, docked and in the process of reparation.

They don’t speak. They don’t have to. Both Rangers just sit and admire their Jaeger. Despite the evident damages, it still remains beautiful in its unique kind of way. Raleigh glances over at the woman beside him. Even in her causal clothes she’s gorgeous. Wearing her signature blue jacket, an undershirt with the sleeves rolled up her forearms and standard military pants, Mako Mori appears to Raleigh the most breath-taking person to ever exist in his life. She doesn’t need to dress up. She could wear the same outfit everyday and still he’d find her effortlessly beautiful. Which she is. Her glossy black hair fades into the dyed blue tips, framing her face as she stares out at their Jaeger, brown eyes soft with affection for the robot that is so dear to her. It allows her to do good in this world, to bring hope and to ensure no child shall ever have to suffer as she did. Gipsy Danger is more than just a Jaeger to both pilots. For Raleigh it is his home, a place shared with the closest people in his life; Yancy and Mako. Seeing it beat up makes both pilots upset, but they are comforted by each other’s presence, aware the other feels just as deeply about Gipsy Danger as they do.

Eventually noticing his not-so-subtle staring, Mako smiles softly and turns to face her co-pilot, who blushes and looks away, feeling like he’s been caught. The Japanese woman just laughs quietly, finding his embarrassment entertaining. “It’s nice to do this again. Been a while since we were up here together,” she murmurs.

“Yeah, remember how often we used to sit here? Back when the others thought we were unstable and scary?” Raleigh laughs, poking Mako. “All your fault,” he teases.

In response, she rolls her eyes, smiling and nudging him in the side with her elbow. “Don’t act like you were innocent!” Both pilots chuckle before lapsing back into silence, reminiscing their first experience in a conn-pod together. It was a disaster, but a life changing one. That was the moment Raleigh felt hope and connection again, for the first time since Yancy’s death. That was the moment Mako connected with someone she knew would never abandon her, and she could trust that she wouldn’t be alone any longer. “We’ve come so far, Raleigh.”

Nodding, the American Ranger agrees. “We really have.” Nostalgia grips the pilots in its clutches and their hearts ache at remembering the first time they drifted, the moment they first saw each other truly, into the deepest and darkest depths of themselves. That’s an experience not many can understand or describe, and the pair is once more reminded that despite the danger and pressure of their profession, being able to work together so intimately is a very special and unique thing, and they do really love that part of the job. And of course, the fucking huge robot. Who wouldn’t love that?

Several days go by, in which Mako and Raleigh struggle to occupy themselves while other pilots are deployed on and off, and they have to remain at the Shatterdome, feeling useless. Mostly, they train. The pair spar, revise and improve strategies, and just generally spend more time together. When they’re with the other pilots, the Gipsy Danger team is often referred to by others as the ‘problem children’. Both Mako and Raleigh make evident efforts to avoid the Irish pilots. Quinn is fine, she’s no problem. But Vance, now he has the ability to get under the skin of both Rangers and is the root cause of instability within their relationship. He invokes rage for Raleigh, and bouts of suppressed jealousy. The suppression of his negative emotions and feelings for his co-pilot unbalances their bond as partners in a Jaeger and could lead to further poor performances. As for Mako, Vance just really pisses her off and annoys her to no end. Plus, his effect on Raleigh means she starts stressing over her co-pilot’s mental state and whether they’re going to be able to function as they usually do during missions. Both decided it was definitely best to limit contact.

So, their nights are spent together in one of their rooms, listening to music and working on projects to keep their minds busy. Mako tinkers with some mechanical parts, blueprints scattered about as she assembles the various parts. Raleigh, meanwhile, skim-reads some of the books off his co-pilot’s shelf, occasionally standing up and insisting Mako dance with him to the music. The two Rangers spend their nights laughing, chatting and basking in each other’s company. Usually their lives are so fast-paced and stressful. Train, fight, repeat. It’s exhausting and leaves little free time. But now, with their current mission being establishing a stronger and more stable bond between them, something even assholes like Vance can’t shatter, the pair can actually take the time to relax, smile and live a little. Its strange but refreshing, just being able to have some sort of normality for once. Sure, they both miss their Jaeger like crazy, visiting Gipsy Danger every day, but the time together is precious and they’re intent on making the most of it.

Upon the fifth day, the two pilots walk the hallways together after breakfast, chatting amiably. Both decided to visit the labs, where they’ve been spending more time since their suspension from action. Herman and Newton are always entertaining to the Gipsy Danger pilots, and the four have become solid friends.

“Oh shit!” Mako exclaims, causing her co-pilot to raise an eyebrow, slightly concerned.

“What?”

“I left my sketchbook in my room, the one I wanted to show to the guys. I’ll be right back, meet you there!” With that, the Japanese woman turns and sprints off down the hall, back the way they came. Chuckling, Raleigh watches her go until she rounds a corner and disappears from his view. He continues onwards, weaving through the echoing halls alone.

As he passes the training room, the door swings open and out walks none other than Vance, his auburn hair messy and wild, sweat glistening upon his skin after an evidently thorough work-out. He notices Raleigh and instantly a smug grin lights upon his freckled face, as the Irish man steps into the American’s path, blocking him from going any further. Raising an eyebrow and appearing very unimpressed, Raleigh stops and folds his arms across his chest. The heat within him begins to awaken already, just at the sight of the other man. “What do you want?” His voice is harsh and no-nonsense, very different from his usually friendly tone.

"That’s no way to greet a friend Mr Becket, now, is it? I simply wanted to say hello,” Vance flashes his pearly whites, smiling although it never reaches his eyes. “Say, where abouts is your co-pilot? I was hoping to speak with her.” This catches Raleigh’s attention, and he bristles, a wave of anger crashing upon him. The American Ranger keeps reminding himself to stay in control, not let this asshole elicit a reaction from him. But that’s easier said than done.

Leaning forward, until their faces are very close, Raleigh glares coldly at the Irish man, lowering his voice. “Leave Mako alone. She isn’t interested, end of story,” he growls. Vance appears unfazed, the other’s words having no impact on him whatsoever.

“That is a shame. But she’ll come around. And you, my friend. Well, you will simply have to learn how to share, hm.” The condescending tone drives Raleigh insane, hands balling into tightly-clenched fists, teeth gnashing together, jaw locked in place as he directs all his strength towards ignoring the urge to launch at the smug man before him.

"This conversation is over, Vance.” Deciding it’d be wise to just walk away, Raleigh pushes past the smaller man before him, bumping into his shoulder, and continues along. The Ranger manages to get a few steps away before the Irish man calls out to him.

“Giving up already, Mr Becket? And here I was thinking you’d put up a fight. Who knew Mako Mori’s co-pilot thought so little of her, that he didn’t deem her worthy enough to fight for?” Raleigh freezes in place, entire body tense. Watching, Vance smirks, knowing he got to him. Deciding to push the American pilot just a little further, the Irish man prepares one final, cutting comment. “What, she not hot enough for you? Because I tell you, I’d fuck that woman any day, even if she isn’t up to your standards.”

At that, the white-hot heat bubbling away within Raleigh explodes, his patience dissolving in the burning rush of all that suppressed rage. Nobody talks about his co-pilot in such a way. Nobody. Without waiting a moment more, entirely swept up by the flood of anger drowning out all logic, common sense or caution, he whirls around and launches himself at Vance. Not expecting such an instantaneous reaction, the Irish man finds himself thrown to the ground, winded by the force. Raleigh knocked him clean off his feet in a second.

Scrambling to get up, the air rushing back into his lungs, Vance only just manages to stagger to his feet before the American man’s fist comes flying towards him, aimed straight for the face. Hastily blocking the blow, the Irish man aims a swift kick at Raleigh’s shin. Grunting in pain, he falls to one knee as his leg gives way. Seizing his momentary advantage, Vance draws his leg back then drives it forcefully forward, uppercutting Raleigh in the jaw with his knee and sending him reeling backwards.

The American Ranger’s head spins and the hallway tilts as sharp bolts of pain ricochet up into his skull. Sucking in a breath, he urges himself to ignore the ache, ignore the black spots flitting across his field of view, and get back at the other man, grinning victoriously. Still sluggish, Raleigh manages to hook his leg around Vance’s and tugs sharply, bringing the other down upon the concrete floor with a dull thud. Empowered by the memory of those poisonous words, he crawls atop the slightly startled Vance, who hit his head against the floor during his fall. Pinning the other’s arms down, Raleigh unleashes the full force of his fury upon the Irish man, raining an endless barrage of punches upon his face and body, each blow backed with enough force to cause bruises to flourish upon the other’s pale skin.

“Don’t.You.Ever.Fucking.Go.Near.Her.” Each word is accentuated by a harsh punch, causing Vance to yell and grunt, body repeatedly hammered with the mighty wrath of a man provoked. In the distance, hurried footsteps can be heard, as Mako, who upon her return heard a commotion, rushes towards the two. She harshly grabs Raleigh by the collar of his shirt, forcing him off of Vance, who’s face is a patchwork of blood and dark bruises. Still overtaken by his anger, the frenzied Ranger attempts to beat the Irish man further, stumbling towards him like a man possessed. Mako swiftly sweeps his legs, sending her co-pilot sprawling on the floor. This jolts him out of his blind rage, and he blinks rapidly, inspecting his busted hands. The Japanese woman in the meantime inspects Vance’s wounds with a look of barely supressed fury, and pulls out her device, contacting Pentecost and notifying him of the fact the Irish pilot is injured and in need of medical aid. After the stern-faced Marshal agrees to send assistance to their location, she turns to face Raleigh, who’s slumped against the wall, head hung in shame. He let his anger control him.

“WHAT THE FUCK WERE YOU THINKING?!” Mako’s voice is uncharacteristically loud, exploding from her and filling the hallway. She grabs Raleigh by the collar and tugs him towards her, until their faces are mere inches apart. If it weren’t for the fact she looks ready to punch him, Raleigh would’ve been excited by their close proximity. Alas, his co-pilot’s face mirrors that of a storm, brown eyes charged with electricity, facial features swirling with a mixture of anger, disappointment and disbelief. She never thought her partner would have such little self-restraint. She hates Vance, yes, but not so strongly that she wishes to see him beaten to a pulp, half conscious and wheezing with each breath that passes his blood-stained lips.

“I’m sorry…the things he said about you…I just couldn’t not do anything,” Raleigh whispers, voice quiet and broken. The look of horror in his co-pilot’s eyes makes his gut twist painfully, guilt replacing the anger. He honestly didn’t want it to go that far. Vance deserved it of course. But that doesn’t necessarily make it right. And he knows that. Mako knows that. And it doesn’t look like she is willing to forgive him.

"I don’t care. How could you be so reckless, Raleigh?! We’re already suspended and now…now look!” She lets go of his collar, face falling as she pulls away. He reaches a bloody hand out for her, but she shakes her head, standing and stepping away. Raleigh looks up at her with sad eyes, remorse and guilt all over his face. But that isn’t enough. “I want a break from this. And I’m going to take one. Until you can get yourself under control, its best we remain apart.”

“Mako,” a voice croaks from behind her. She turns and casts her gaze upon the pathetic sight of Vance. Her eyes narrow with fury and she leans over the Irish man, staring him directly in the eye.

"And you, you stop this idiotic pursuit. I do not want you in my life, nor will I ever. You’re as much to blame as he is.” Straightening, the Japanese woman glances at both men and scoffs. “Both of you figure things out because I am done with this childish fighting.” Having said that, she briskly turns and strides in the opposite direction, two pairs of eyes, one green and one blue, following her as she leaves. Soon after a medical team arrives, with Pentecost too, who surveys the scene with tired disapproval. Streaks of blood are smeared on the floor, both men are sporting injuries, Vance’s face looks like a pulverised meat bag and most concerning; tears are pooling in Raleigh’s eyes. He just had to watch Mako Mori, the closest person in his life, turn her back on him. The pain is indescribable, worse than that associated with his injury all those years ago.

“Alright you two, off to med bay,” Pentecost says, organising stretchers for both. He doesn’t question what happened. He already knows.

A knock sounds upon the heavy metal door and Mako shoves her head into her pillow, wishing whoever it is would go away. The knocking ceases, and the door creaks as it’s opened. Looking up, her eyes soften as Stacker enters her quarters, closing the door behind him and sitting down on the bed beside his adopted daughter. Not quite sure what to say, the Marshal’s brow furrows. He was never that great at comforting Mako, even as a little girl. His love has always been tough. Nevertheless, it’s still love. Knowing her father is trying his best to be there for her, the Japanese pilot sighs and leans her head against Pentecost’s shoulder. “Why does it have to be so difficult?”

Pentecost smiles slightly before responding. “You’re defending humanity from giant sea-monsters, and you find this to be more difficult?” Mako smiles wryly, nodding.

"He frustrates me. I know I should just forget it and move on, but those two have been at each other’s throats pretty much since Vance’s arrival, and the fight was the last straw for me.” She lets out a heavy sigh and closes her eyes, thinking. All she can see is Raleigh – her co-pilot, the smiling, charming man she’s worked with for years. Then the shift to his recent self – angry, reckless and aggressive. She wishes to see his regular self again. Raleigh Becket: the man who could work his way out of any situation and do so with an astounding amount of resilience. Opening her eyes, Mako shrugs, trying not to appear so bothered. Pentecost, however, notices her true feelings.

He puts his arm around his daughter’s shoulders and gives her a light, one-armed hug. “You’ll work through it. You two always do. For now, take some time to cool off, yes?"

“Yes, thank you,” she murmurs, bowing her head as a sign of respect. The Marshal returns the motion, pats her on the shoulder and exits her room. Mako stares at the desk in the corner, where a drawing Raleigh made rests, face-up. She crosses the small room, picks up the slightly crumpled paper and flops back on her bed, gazing at the picture. A careful yet seemingly effortless sketch of Gipsy Danger, mid-battle, filled in with water-colours he’d stolen from a supply closet. Despite her warring emotions, the Japanese woman can’t help but smile softly. She curls up with the picture in hand, and eventually drifts off to sleep.

Outside of his co-pilot’s door, Raleigh hesitates, debating whether to knock or not. He raises his hand but drops it, fearing Mako’s wrath should he interrupt her at a bad time or wake her up. She needs more sleep anyway. “Tomorrow, then,” he whispers to himself, retreating into his own quarters. His hands ache dully, the bandages don’t feel right, they weren’t put in place by Mako, and that fact seems to destroy the comfort they’re intended to bring him. A large bruise covers the vast majority of his lower leg and shin, which is very tender and causes him to hiss as he lowers himself into bed. At least Vance has it worse. The overwhelming emotions felt today hit him fully, and the American Ranger stews over his stupid actions, regret flooding his entire being. The only comfort he clings to is that tomorrow he’ll get the chance to apologise to his co-pilot and try fix things. Still, it takes him over an hour to fall asleep, despite the exhaustion from fighting mentally and physically. When he does, it is a shallow, unsatisfying sleep, riddled with nightmares and discomfort.

Despite his best efforts to talk to Mako, Raleigh can’t manage to get in even a single word. He woke up early and tried to walk to the mess hall with her, as they usually do, but she just ignored him and quickened her pace, until eventually he gave up. All throughout the day he’s attempted again and again to discuss the fight with her, to apologise, but each time she either walks off, ignores him, or busies herself with another task. Now it’s afternoon and the two Rangers haven’t held a single conversation. Raleigh frowns as he walks through the empty halls, his solitary steps echoing off the walls, a constant reminder of the fact he’s alone, unaccompanied by the secondary footsteps he’s so used to hearing. It feels eerie and wrong without Mako, as if she’s faded, become a ghost, reduced to a flash of narrowed brown eyes and a receding back, dashing around a corner. “She can’t avoid me forever, we’re co-pilots! At some point or another she’ll have to speak to me,” he mutters under his breath. Knowing he has to be patient isn’t helpful. Patience isn’t one of Raleigh’s qualities.

By evening however, the American pilot is bored and alone without his favourite person around, so he decides to visit Hercules Hansen. The Aussie’s always been good company, even if his son is a total dick. After knocking on the older Ranger’s door and asking to have a chat, Raleigh finds himself seated at one of the tables in the mess hall, sharing a drink with Herc. They exchange small talk for a while, but the Aussie knows there’s an underlying reason for him being here. His sharp blue eyes bore holes into Raleigh, who has just downed yet another drink, gasping sharply as the liquid burns his throat on the way down. “So, kiddo, what did you really wanna talk about?”

“What, can’t I just want to spend time with an old friend?” Herc rolls his eyes, shaking his head.

"First, don't call me that, I ain't that old. Second, I assume this is about you and Mako?”

At that, Raleigh sighs, setting his drink down and nodding slowly. “Yeah…I fucked up. I mean we argue a fair bit, but she’s never gotten this pissed. I don’t know what to do, she won’t even let me apologise,” his voice carries both sadness and frustration. While the man across from him does feel sympathy for the poor bugger, he also knows Raleigh, like Chuck, is a hot-head, and can be prone to doing reckless or stupid shit. He’s also used to being pissed off at his son for similar things, just like Mako is right now.

"Look,” he begins, face serious. “You screwed up big time. She obviously doesn’t want to hear your excuses or your apologies right now.”

"Don’t think she wants to hear anything from me at all,” mutters the dejected American pilot, eyes downcast. He folds his arms, placing them on the metal table and resting his chin upon them. Herc can’t help but think how much Raleigh looks like a sad puppy right now. Poor fellah, he’s suffering from Mako Mori withdrawals.

"That may be so, but it’ll pass. Just give her time to cool off, when she’s ready she’ll forgive you.” He shrugs and goes to take a sip from his drink, before pausing briefly with the cup to his lips. “That’s if she doesn’t hunt you down and kick your sorry ass first.”

Raleigh laughs and shakes his head, a small spark of happiness restored to him. “At this point Herc, I almost want that.” The two men chuckle and continue their conversation for almost an hour more, drinking and relaxing. Eventually, they stumble back to their respective quarters, bidding each other farewell with a loud slap on the back and slurred ‘goodbyes’. The alcohol leaves a residual warm buzz inside their guts, and the American pilot, senses dulled and sadness temporarily abolished, decides to visit his co-pilot directly.

He knocks gingerly upon her door, causing the Japanese woman to look up from her work. She had previously been sitting cross-legged in bed, pouring over documents. At the sound of knocking, she moves over to the door, peering through the small peephole in the centre. Her eyes widen as she beholds none other than Raleigh, leaning against her door and knocking eagerly. His cheeks are ruddy, gaze slightly distant and movement sluggish. Perhaps he had one too many drinks. “Makooooo,” he whispers, although his voice still bounces off the dingy hallway. She winces at the thought of others hearing him. In her head, Mako can perfectly picture another brawl between Chuck and Raleigh, should the Aussie be awoken. “Hey, can I come in? I wanna talk. Just, just let me say sorry.” He sounds so pathetic it almost makes her let him in and listen to him explain himself. Almost. There’s a haunting silence as the two stand still on either side of the door. Eventually, the tipsy man slumps down onto the ground, back pressed against the uncomfortable metal door. Mako frowns as he slips from her sight, hesitating, unsure of what to do.

“I’m sorry Mako,” Raleigh whispers, properly this time. His voice reaches only her. The Japanese Ranger feels her heart twinge and she sighs, pressing her forehead softly against the cold steel. What a strange situation they’re in. The two remain there, time slowing right down. It’s just them, trapped in this unusual little moment, separated by a door and an ocean of unspoken words. Something shifts after a while, and Mako begrudgingly opens the door, its hinges creaking as it swings forth, although it reaches resistance halfway. Poking her head around, she discovers Raleigh slumped against the half-open door, head tilted to the side and face partially hidden by scruffy blonde hair. Quietly and carefully, the pilot steps out into the hallway and lowers herself to her knees before him. She gently sweeps the hair out of his face and stops a moment, gazing fondly at his closed eyes, slightly parted lips and pink cheeks. He appears so peaceful, so unburdened in slumber. Realising he must have exhausted himself, her lips quirk into a small smile, and she shakes her head slightly.

“You idiot,” she murmurs softly, although her eyes are full of barely concealed adoration. No matter how mad he makes her, Mako knows she’ll never manage to stay that way for long. No, Raleigh Becket has the key to her heart. And despite fights, arguments and disagreements, that will never change. The Japanese woman crosses the hall, unlocks her co-pilot’s door (they trust each other enough to share their rooms’ access codes) and tugs the blanket off his bed. Under her arm she stuffs a pillow, before carrying the items back out into the hall, kicking the door shut behind her. The noise of this causes the American pilot to stir, shifting slightly and mumbling incoherently under his breath, before lapsing back into stillness and silence. Slowly, taking care not to wake him, Mako moves the unconscious man to the right, until his back is against the wall instead of her door. She places the pillow behind his head and wraps the blanket around him. “There, at least you won’t freeze,” she says, knowing he can’t hear her. Lingering a moment, she presses a soft kiss to his forehead before hastily standing and retreating to her quarters.

Mako Mori’s heart pounds as she sits upon her bed, gazing at the wall blankly, her mind spinning. What the hell Mako?! Why did I do that? She presses her palms into her head, squeezing her eyes shut as the conflicting emotions flit throughout her mind, causing chaos. She’s well aware she’s currently upset with him. She’s well aware they’ve only ever been co-pilots. Then why does she feel such excitement, fear and yearning whenever she’s around him? It's so difficult to keep ignoring him the way she is, but this is the only way she knows how to deal with conflict. Cold, unapproachable Mako Mori, raised by a military Marshal. A woman who decided to limit emotional connections after the loss of her family. How foolishly she has fallen for this man, how dangerous it is. Becoming attached to people leaves you vulnerable, should anything go wrong you will suffer. She knows this, she's felt this. Never again.

Deciding it’s all too much to handle right now, the confused Ranger quickly clears away her work for the night and burrows under the covers of her bed, hoping to lose herself in sleep. Despite her best efforts though, Raleigh dominates her thoughts, his face all that appears when her eyes close. Frustrated and utterly conflicted, Mako lets out a groan and rolls over, placing the pillow over her head, attempting to block out her intrusive thoughts. Looks like tonight will be another sleepless night.

Out in the hallway, Raleigh Becket has become the centre of attention for all who pass by. Several staff, Rangers and trainees pause to laugh and point at the man slumped against the wall, drool dangling from his lip as he snores lightly. Eventually, Chuck, on his way to the mess hall for breakfast, comes across the sleeping pilot. Grinning nastily, he draws his leg back before kicking Raleigh in the ribs, not hard enough to break anything, just to leave a decent bruise. Eyes instantly open, lurching forward, Raleigh hastily scans the hallway for danger, believing in his half-asleep state that he’s under attack. Which he technically is. After blinking several times, he finally looks up at the Australian pilot, standing before him and stifling a laugh. “Sorry to wake you, sleeping beauty,” Chuck says in a mockingly sweet voice. Groaning, Raleigh flips him off, mumbling curses under his breath, and stretches. With his mission completed, Chuck leaves the American man be and continues on his way to the mess hall. It takes Raleigh several minutes to completely wake himself up, yawning and massaging stiff joints. The way he slept was entirely uncomfortable and, coupled with the Aussie’s lovely little morning gift, he’s already aching despite only just waking up.

With a heavy sigh, Raleigh drags himself to his feet and runs a hand through his unruly blonde hair, before gazing at Mako’s door. Is she still asleep? Should he knock? Slightly embarrassed he fell asleep in front of her door, the Ranger decides it’s best to pretend this never happened. Its unlikely Mako even saw him, right? So, Raleigh goes about bundling up his blanket and retrieving the pillow, not bothering to question how they even got out there in the hallway, so intent is he on shutting himself away in his room. Just as he reaches his door, the sound of creaking hinges echoing throughout the hallway halts his movement. Looking over his shoulder with tired eyes, the American spots none other than his co-pilot, attempting to tip toe out of her quarters. She glances at the spot where he’d been resting just a short while ago, and he quirks an eyebrow in surprise. So, she was aware of him sleeping there? His cheeks tint a light pink, and he tries to hurry into his room as quick as possible, but fumbles with the latch. This catches Mako’s attention, and she diverts her gaze towards her co-pilot. She pauses, unsure of what to do. Haunted internally by her secret display of affection last night, but aching to discuss their situation with Raleigh, the Japanese Ranger is torn. Eventually, the American man manages to open his door, the tips of his ears red now due to the knowledge Mako is watching him making a fool of himself like this. He rushes in and swiftly closes the door behind him, before Mako can utter a word. On one side of the door he sighs in relief, on the other she sighs with disappointment.

The day goes by much the same as yesterday, although this time both pilots are actively avoiding one another. Raleigh is embarrassed due to his behaviour, especially being so pathetic as to spend the entire night by his co-pilot’s door like a dejected puppy. The fact he can’t remember exactly what he said to her through that door or how much she heard deepens his internal mortification. On the other hand, Mako is conflicted and worried that if she has a conversation with her co-pilot, it’ll either end up in an argument or a confession that could ruin everything for her. She can’t afford to destabilise or complicate their relationship as Jaeger pilots with unnecessary feelings. With their current predicament, much time is spent apart; Raleigh training and drawing when bored, Mako researching Kaiju with Herman and Newton, as well as absent-mindedly tending to her projects, however her attention is diluted significantly. On this particular day the Shatterdome is more empty than usual, with the Australian and Russian teams deployed at various locations. Lately Kaiju attacks are increasing drastically, something that has the two eccentric researchers in the lab all worked up. Those two spend more time arguing over their theories on the subject than actually producing evidence. The Wei brothers are still in recovery from their last mission, where Jin was severely injured, and Hu suffered a moderate concussion. The brothers were ordered to rest and refrain from attending missions in the meantime. The three of them have been in and out of the medical bay and testing rooms, being monitored by staff to ensure their recovery is on track. It’s obvious to all that the Wei brothers are eager to go out in the field again, but Pentecost has ordered them to wait until cleared by the Shatterdome’s medical team. So, that leaves only the Clover Fever pilots available should another attack occur.

The relative silence is disrupted when an emergency summons is announced over the Shatterdome’s communication system, demanding Vance and Quinn prepare for immediate departure. At approximately 5pm the Irish Pilots are deployed due to an unnaturally large Kaiju reportedly approaching the Hong Kong Shatterdome. Word of this travels quickly about the place and upon hearing, Mako and Raleigh rush up to the Control Room where there’s a buzz of chaos and barely masked fear filling the crowded room. Displayed upon the large holographic map, a steadily approaching red dot marks the Kaiju. Shoving their way to the front, the two pilots stand beside Pentecost and Choi, eyes widening as they struggle to comprehend the information presented. “It’s heading right for us…” Raleigh shakes his head in disbelief. “I’ve never seen this before. Kaiju have never directly attempted to attack a Shatterdome.” The figure of Clover Fever appears, currently being lowered into the water. A live feed from the inside of the Irish team’s conn-pod is being shown on a separate screen, alternative angles displaying the pilots in their tight-fitting, emerald green suits, the view out of the window and their control panel within the Jaeger.

“Their neural drift is strong and stable,” Tendo Choi mentions, attempting to ease some of the choking tension. Pentecost only frowns, tightly grasping the back of Choi’s chair and watching intently as the deployed team crosses the Miracle Mile, their Jaeger churning water as it charges forward, intent on meeting the Kaiju head-on. Eventually, the Kaiju comes into view, a massive beast of thick, dark scales and sharp horns. Its eyes glow amber and when it unhinges its maw to unleash an ear-splitting shriek, the vibrant, neon Kaiju Blue is visible to all. Everyone in the stuffy room falls silent, watching with apprehension as the Jaeger begins battling the intimidating Kaiju. They appear relatively evenly matched, however already Clover Fever is sustaining damage, minimal for now, but the likelihood of it worsening as the fight progresses is almost certain. Glancing at one another, all awkwardness forgotten in the face of such a blatant threat, Mako and Raleigh exchange a worried look. They are both thinking the same thing; there’s no other available teams to provide backup, and this mission would have disastrous consequences if it fails.

"Sir,” Mako begins, stepping forward and looking the Marshal in the eye. Already knowing exactly what his adopted daughter is about to say, the stern man immediately shuts her down, shaking his head.

“No. You and Mr Becket aren’t ready to be returned to active service. Clover Fever will handle this, they’re perfectly capable.” But even as he says this, a flicker of doubt is visible in his dark eyes. Pentecost is well aware of the risks, the importance of this mission. Should the Irish pilots fail, the Shatterdome will likely be destroyed by the Kaiju, an indescribably immense set-back for the Jaeger program. His hands clench into fists as the fight continues, metal clashing with claws, sparks flying and roars tearing through the air. Inside the conn-pod, Vance and Quinn are evidently struggling to maintain the upper hand, despite their intense concentration. During the midst of the battle, a second red dot suddenly appears upon the holographic map with a ping, eliciting shocked and horrified gasps from the audience of staff members. Choi shakes his head, mouth agape.

“This can’t…we ran the diagnostics, there was no evidence of a double attack!” The smartly dressed LOCCENT officer hastily pulls up more holographic projections, showing the predictions and calculations they’d done prior to Clover Fever being deployed. He scans the information frantically, but everything appears accurate. This is a surprise attack. Panic takes ahold of the Control Room and Stacker Pentecost grits his teeth, formulating a plan as quickly as he can. The Kaiju mustn’t reach the Shatterdome.

"Marshal,” Raleigh chimes in, face serious. Pentecost nods, glancing at the Gipsy Danger team.

“Go, prepare to be deployed immediately,” he orders gruffly. No time to waste, the pair rushes out of the Control Room, staff parting to let them through. The Marshal closes his eyes, takes a deep breath and steadies himself. Although his emotions are screaming at him not to let his daughter enter a battle when her team is potentially unprepared, he forces logic to block this out. Gipsy Danger is the only available Jaeger, and those two are the most compatible pilots in this Shatterdome, even if they are at odds currently. He’s seen them improvise mid-battle, conjuring unique and life-saving strategies when all structure and planning is thrown out the window. He’s seen them problem solve in even the most stressful of situations. If anybody should be sent in as reinforcements, it should be Mako Mori and Raleigh Becket.

The two pilots find themselves sprinting across the bridge towards the head of Gipsy Danger, the door to the conn-pod already open, inviting them in. Unfortunately, there’s no time to bask in the warm feeling of being reunited with their Jaeger once more. Right now, they have to focus. Locking themselves in place, the two Rangers listen to Choi’s rushed instructions, briefing them on the mission with lightening speed. Pentecost’s voice replaces Choi’s over the Jaeger’s communication system. “Remember; the number one priority is to prevent those Kaiju from reaching this Shatterdome. We have no more available reinforcements, so its up to you both. Set aside your disagreements and focus on doing what you do best.” Raleigh tilts his head to the side slightly and raises an eyebrow, confused.

“And what may that be, Sir?”

“Piloting Gipsy Danger,” Stacker replies. Seldom does he give such forward praise, and the two Rangers glow with pride at the acknowledgement of their skills when it comes to piloting this Jaeger. After assuring the Marshal they will do everything in their power to defeat the Kaiju, Mako and Raleigh look at one another, both determined.

“Let’s do this,” the American says with a small smile. Mako returns it, clasping his hand in hers as they prepare to drift for the first time in a week. The two Rangers are finally back where they belong; side-by-side in Gipsy Danger’s conn-pod.

The American Jaeger lands on the ocean floor with a loud, resounding thud, sending water flying up into the air. The sun’s fading rays glint off Gipsy Danger’s metal frame as it strides forward, each step sending up plumes of sand to be tossed about by the azure sea. A strong wind resists the Jaeger’s movement, throwing the force of turbulent air against Gipsy Danger, although this does nothing to halt its progress. Desperate to reach Clover Fever in time, Mako and Raleigh drive their Jaeger forward with fervour, forming waves all around them. As the Irish Jaeger comes into sight, the situation appears worse than when they left the Shatterdome. Clover Fever is severely damaged, battered by the aggressive Kaiju’s repeated attacks. Claw marks have left deep slashes across the Jaeger’s torso, tearing into layers of thick metal and complex wiring. Quinn’s side has suffered a significant blow, with the left arm dangling limply, sparks of electricity crackling and flying from the ruptured wires. Several plates of metal hold the arm in place, although it appears unstable and could be torn clean off at any time. Vance’s side isn’t fairing much better. A splatter of Kaiju Blue coats the right leg, corroding the mechanical limb and steadily weakening it. At this point, Clover Fever is close to defeat, operating with only one functional arm and leg. Noticing the dire circumstances, Gipsy Danger charges straight into the battle, catching the Kaiju by surprise as it body slams the aggressive alien, sending both machine and monster into the water.

The Irish siblings share a surprised look, shocked but overwhelmingly relieved at the American Jaeger’s sudden appearance. They watch on rather helplessly as the faded blue Jaeger grapples with the scaly Kaiju, belching Kaiju Blue and roaring angrily. Inside the conn-pod, Mako and Raleigh coordinate their movements, communicating effectively. Despite their break from piloting, the two are just as compatible as ever, melting into one consciousness successfully. If anything, their suspension has only built a hunger for fighting, a desire to feel that rush again. Eager and fired up, the two Rangers manage to pin the Kaiju beneath Gipsy Danger’s weight, forcing its back against the sea floor. A flurry of strategically-placed punches follows, heavy metal fists slamming into the shrieking Kaiju as it struggles to free itself. Desperately, the Kaiju snaps its head forward, the horn forcefully rammed into Gipsy Danger’s thick metal plating, gouging a ragged hole. Reeling back, the Jaeger, motivated by a combination of Mako’s strategy and Raleigh’s combat knowledge, changes tactic. Instead, the metal giant equips the plasma canon on its right arm, firing a shot directly at the Kaiju, which is only just rising up once again.

Struck by the powerful blow, the monster shrieks gutturally and reels back instinctively. Whilst this happens, the jagged chain sword is unsheathed, revealing the wickedly sharp blade. Before the Kaiju can recover, both pilots urge their Jaeger forward with a loud, synchronised cry, driving the sword into the monster’s gut. Neon blue blood spills from the sweeping, deep cut, a waterfall of the sickly substance cascading into the sea as the alien creature roars in agony. Grabbing the Kaiju by its singular horn, Gipsy Danger demonstrates its strength by hauling the injured sea monster up into the air with one hand. The other, brandishing the blue-coated chain sword, quickly rushes forwards, the blade singing as it slices through first the evening air and then the scaly flesh of the wailing monster. Raleigh and Mako pant heavily as they inspect the limp body of the Kaiju, sword buried in its throat down to the hilt. “Reckon its dead?” Raleigh looks over at his co-pilot, who rolls her eyes and drops the lifeless creature into the sea, Kaiju blood mingling with the water as it sinks into the depths.

“I don’t know, what do you think?” Her voice is dripping with sarcasm, and the American Ranger can’t help but chuckle, glad to be talking with her again, even if she’s indirectly insulting his judgement, he doesn’t care one bit. In all honesty, Raleigh’s missed their banter terribly.

“Fair point. Now, lets get these two out of here before the second one arrives,” Raleigh says, turning around to look at the beat up Clover Fever. He can’t help but smile at the thought of Vance, sitting in his conn-pod having to watch the Gipsy Danger team take down a Kaiju he couldn’t. Just imagining his frustrated face makes the American man beam, and he waves to the other Jaeger before flipping them off. Mako scoffs but she’s smiling too.

Together, they signal the helicopters, and help attach cables to Clover Fever’s fragile form. The damaged Jaeger is airlifted out of the ocean, and both pilots watch as the other team is carried back to safety. The Japanese Ranger turns to her co-pilot, eyes flashing with that steely determination he so loves to see. “Just us now, Raleigh.”

“Just the way I like it,” he responds with a grin, winking at her. She shakes her head and laughs, the two of them already right back in sync. They’ve found their flow, found their equilibrium. Although neither has mentioned it, both saw and felt the other’s side during the drift. Raleigh saw Mako kissing him, as well as her fear of compromising their relationship as pilots, and Mako saw Raleigh’s conversation with Herc, where he openly displayed just how much he missed her. Both pilots have reached a clearer understanding of how the other is feeling, and without saying a thing have resolved their conflict. All it took was them drifting once more.

Their conversation is interrupted by the frothing of water as the second Kaiju surfaces, emerging from the sea with a mighty howl, shattering the brief peace. Water falls in torrents off its mighty form, and sharp, jagged teeth jut out from its cavernous maw. Instantly locking eyes with Gipsy Danger, the Kaiju bares its teeth, almost appearing to grin in a menacing manner. The time to fight having come once again, Raleigh and Mako take a deep breath, nod at one another and ready themselves, taking on a fighting stance, Gipsy Danger positioned like a boxer; one fist guarding the face and the other just waiting to strike. Machine and monster stand-off, facing one another, still. Waiting.

“Let’s get this over with!” The blonde-haired pilot glances at the beautiful woman beside him, and she instantly understands him. The two brandish the plasma canon and aim it at the Kaiju, going for a direct hit to hopefully disorientate the monster and provide them with the upper-hand. However, intelligence burns in this Kaiju’s gaze, and it launches itself to the side, narrowly avoiding the shot. Wasting no time, this Kaiju charges straight for the Jaeger, its tail whipping around and bashing into the side of the mechanical giant, sending it tumbling backwards into the sea. After taking that hit, the two pilots decide to fire another shot with the canon, this one striking the Kaiju as it bears down upon them. Despite the shot causing the monster to screech in pain, it continues to slam the Jaeger with its full weight, driving down until Gipsy Danger is pressed roughly against the sea floor.

Improvising, Mako uses the chain sword in the left arm to swipe at the nearest leg of the Kaiju, slashing and drawing blue blood. The beast howls and stumbles backwards slightly, providing Raleigh with the time to activate the right arm’s elbow rocket, following Mako’s example and smashing the other front leg. In response the Kaiju wails and falls back, both front legs wounded. Ocean water swirls with the alien blood, reducing water clarity. Given a brief period of freedom from the Kaiju’s crushing tactic, Gipsy Danger hurriedly pushes off from the ocean floor, wobbling to its feet. The Jaeger’s torso took some damage, the welded steel folded in on itself, paint chipped and cracks forming a spiderweb of potential danger around the area. Nevertheless, its not like they didn’t do some damage as well. The Kaiju roars in fury as it faces off with the Jaeger, still bleeding into the sea.

Suddenly, the beast opens its mouth and spits a ton of Kaiju Blue straight towards the unsteady robot. The acidic substance lands upon the right leg and Gipsy Danger buckles, wobbling slightly but managing to stay upright. The two pilots exchange worried looks, knowing that they have to finish fast before the acidic substance renders them immobile. Angered, the shorter Ranger grits her teeth and yells an insult at the Kaiju in Japanese, brandishing her chain sword. She swings it above the Jaeger’s head in tight circles, gaining momentum, before flicking it forward, acting as a whip. She strikes the Kaiju directly in the face, causing it to reel back with an angry snarl. She repeats this movement, steadily driving the Kaiju backwards. Raleigh stares at his partner in awe. She’s the most aggressive, lethal and gorgeous woman he’s ever had the pleasure to know.

Quickly getting his head back in the game, Raleigh readies his plasma canon, while Mako continues to whip the Kaiju with fury. When the monster roars after a particularly sharp lash to its already injured front leg, the American pilot charges forwards, shoving the plasma canon in the Kaiju’s open mouth as it wails, firing a shot directly into its throat. The beast unleashes a feral shriek, full of pain and ringing with defeat. Deciding to put an end to the monster’s misery, Mako delivers a swift kick to the creature’s skull, sending it crashing below the waves.

There’s that unbelievable silence that always arrives after killing a Kaiju. The two pilots, tired after fighting two Kaiju with little time to recover, stand still, just enjoying not having to move, to fight, to fear for their lives and the lives of all those in the Shatterdome who they’ve sworn to protect. The breath fills their lungs again and finally, Raleigh allows a laugh to burst forth from his lips. Instead of questioning why on Earth he’s laughing, Mako simply joins in. The two of them beam at each other, so happy to be united together again, in their Jaeger. The feeling of success floods them, and they allow their bodies to relax finally. “Fuck yeah!” Raleigh holds out his hand for Mako to high-five and she chuckles softly, doing so. In this moment, so caught up in their positive emotions, in the high of victory, the American man can’t help but say what he feels, honestly. His blue eyes bore into Mako’s deep brown ones, staring into every part of her. “Mako, I fucking love you!” His voice comes out as something bordering between a yell and a whisper, both silent and loud. Cheeks immediately colouring, the Japanese woman has the breath knocked out of her by those words, something she never thought she’d ever hear coming from Raleigh Becket. But shit, it feels so good, so right.

A giant smile lights upon Mako’s face and she looks up at Raleigh with such pure, raw emotion it makes him shiver. “I love you t-“ Her words are stolen from her, replaced by a scream, filled with agony. Metal shrieks as parts of the conn-pod are smashed, falling in chunks around them. The moment shatters into a thousand shards, love dispersed by the overwhelming presence of pain, in its purest form. Raleigh stares in horror as his co-pilot, his best friend, his love, crumples to the floor of the conn-pod, a torrent of pain flowing from her mouth, staining the air with suffering. A damaged panel of the pod, left hanging by mere wires, gives in to gravity's pull, crashing down, landing upon one of Mako's legs. Another scream. A sickening crack. Blood. Shocked beyond all belief, the American pilot stares, bewildered, at the claw of the barely conscious Kaiju, pierced through the head of the Jaeger. Upon breaching the conn-pod, it slashed Mako's abdomen, luckily not impaling her but leaving a deep, bloody gash nevertheless. And now she's wounded severely in two places. Raleigh aches to abandon the mission and rush to her aid, but if he doesn't assuredly kill the Kaiju first, they may not make it out of here alive.

Overcome by fury and scorching rage, Raleigh screams at the top of his lungs, loading the plasma canon and firing directly into the Kaiju’s skull multiple times, until its head is nothing more than a shredded, exploded mess of scales and vibrant blue blood. The Kaiju’s lifeless body sinks, swallowed up by the sea. He pants heavily, dropping to his knees and pulling Mako into his lap, wrapping his arms around her protectively. “PENTECOST!” He yells loudly, knowing those in the Control Room can hear, and are likely watching their live feed right now. “GET US OUT OF HERE! MAKO NEEDS HELP! PLEASE!! Please….” His voice breaks, a sob torn from his hunched frame as he hugs the woman he loves tightly to his chest, clinging to her with all he has. “Please Mako, please just hang in there. You’ll be fine, we’ll get you help. Please don’t leave, I love you. I love you!” She doesn’t respond. The level of pain was too much, she passed out. Raleigh does his best to apply pressure to the largest wound, on her abdomen, knowing he can't even reach her leg, trapped as it is under the hunk of heavy metal. He uses his hands in an attempt to limit the blood leaving her body, but it spills through his fingers, tracking crimson paths down his arms. The blood of Mako Mori drips from the hands of her co-pilot, and all he can do is wait for aid. Hoping she will make it that long.

“Mr Becket.”

Raleigh is startled by the sudden voice, jolted awake. At the sight of the nurse before him he jumps right out of the chair he fell asleep in, immediately on his feet. His clothes are crumpled, hair a mess, eyes swollen and red from crying. He looks like shit, but that doesn’t matter one bit because all he can think about at any given moment is Mako, who’s been inside the Medical Bay for six hours now. He appears almost frantic, staring at the nurse with desperation. His sad blue eyes beg for good news, his lip quivers, his stomach churns despite being empty. Oh god what if its bad news? What if she’s gone? What if I lose her like I lost my brother? Tears form a film over his vision, blurring everything. The nurse notices and places a hand on his shoulder, comforting him. “Mr Becket, I came to let you know that she’s going to be okay. Ms Mori has come out of surgery and her wounds have been dealt with. The doctors say you can come see her now, although the anaesthetic hasn’t worn off yet, so it’ll be an hour or so more until she wakes up.”

Oxygen once more fills Raleigh’s lungs and for the first time since his co-pilot got injured, relief is introduced to him once more. Hope and relief. The tension in his body evaporates at that news, and he’s so happy that he hugs the nurse, thanking him again and again, tears running freely down his face. The American Ranger hurries into the white, sterile room and takes a seat beside Mako’s hospital bed, taking her hand in his and kissing it gently. “Oh, Mako,” he murmurs sadly.

Lying there, the Japanese woman looks significantly paler, and smaller. Machines beep rhythmically, monitoring her vitals. Tubes seem to be sprouting from her body, and it hurts Raleigh to see such a strong woman like this, looking so fragile. Across her torso is a thick bandage, covering the nasty gash from the Kaiju claw, and her left leg is in a plaster cast. It’s likely several of her bones were broken in the leg, probably why the surgery took so, painfully long. But none of that matters, as long as she’s okay. He rests his head against her bed, still clasping her hand, and waits patiently for her to wake up. He’d wait a thousand years if he had to. At some point, Pentecost comes in and joins him. The Marshal, a man usually so well put-together, almost to the point he seems emotionless, now sits there with tears in his eyes as his daughter rests there, unaware of the two people worried sick about her. Him and Raleigh say nothing, merely sit and wait.

An hour and a half passes before finally, Mako Mori emerges from the fog of unconsciousness, surfacing and blinking sluggishly at the glaring hospital lights. Raleigh notices first, tapping Pentecost on the shoulder. Both men snap to attention, eagerly leaning over the bed, each holding one of Mako’s hands. The Japanese woman appears overly confused for a little, but eventually she comes to her senses, and tears pool in her eyes as well, at the sight of those two. Pentecost hugs his daughter tightly, and she apologises to him. “Gomen,” she says softly, but he simply shakes his head.

“No need, you were wonderful. You did so well. I’m…I’m very proud to call you my daughter.” The two embrace and Raleigh watches on, smiling softly. In an attempt to compose himself Pentecost quickly excuses himself to go talk to the doctor about her recovery, dabbing at his eyes before exiting the room. At that point, Mako turns to look at Raleigh, who still holds her hand tightly. Now that they’re alone, the Japanese pilot pulls him into a hug, burying her head in his shoulder. Raleigh holds Mako tight, afraid to let her go.

“I thought I was going to lose you Mako. Don't ever fucking do that to me again, please,” he says, voice muffled slightly. She pulls back and cups his cheek with her hand, brushing the tears from his face. Mako is well aware how frightening this whole ordeal must have been for her co-pilot, given he lost his brother similarly.

“You’ll never lose me. Never,” she insists, gripping his hand in hers. “Not if I get hurt, or if someone like Vance comes into our lives,” she says softly, looking up at the blonde-haired man. He bites his lip and nods.

“I’m sorry Mako. The way I reacted was terrible. I was just, I just didn’t want to lose you. Especially not to him. Or anyone.” He stares directly at Mako, and she does the same. Raleigh takes a deep breath. Exhales. “I want to be with you. I have ever since we drifted. You are the perfect person for me. And I really want to be the perfect person for you.” He grows nervous and looks down at his hands, afraid of what her response may be. This is something he’s wanted to say for literal years, yet never known how. But losing her, that thought is so utterly terrifying that he’s realised there’s no time to waste, there’s no point hiding secrets. Who knows when their lives may be cut short? He just couldn’t live the rest of his life without knowing he told her how he feels.

Mako just stares, taken aback by his honesty, and warmed to her very core at his words. She places a finger under his chin and tilts his head up so they’re locking eyes once more. “You have been, are, and always will be the perfect person for me. Please know that, Raleigh. I didn’t get to tell you because well, the Kaiju and all but-“ She fiddles with her fingers nervously but forces herself to finish the sentence. Its time she told the truth. “I love you too.”

Both Rangers sit in stunned silence at their own confessions. Slowly, smiles break out, and the two go from disbelief to utter ecstasy, beaming brighter than the sun could ever shine. With their truths spilt, the weights are lifted, and their hearts are free to soar, birds finally uncaged. Overwhelmed by happiness, warmth flooding his very being, Raleigh leans in and tucks some of Mako’s dark hair behind her ear, hesitating slightly, looking at her with a question burning in his clear blue eyes. A smile playing upon her lips, Mako gently guides Raleigh in, their lips meeting in a soft and sweet kiss. The fact that after all these years, they’re finally actually kissing one another, it just makes everything so much better. The feeling is indescribable. They completed their mission. They made it out alive. The Shatterdome is safe. Both pilots are finally open and honest. Finally, they are together.

Some say that when you drift with someone, that’s the closest you’ll ever be to another person. For Mako and Raleigh, the drift brought them each someone to trust, understand, cherish and love. They’ve been friends, co-pilots and more. Their lives are messy, complicated and dangerous. But its worth it, every day, every hour, every second, fighting side-by-side. Because when you have a connection that strong, nothing can break it. Not flirtatious assholes or giant sea monsters. No matter how much they’re tested by all the shit life may throw at them, they’ll prove time and time again that nobody else could ever be as compatible as they are for each other. That nobody else is more fit to be their co-pilot. That the Gipsy Danger team are by far the most resilient, coordinated and determined team in the entire Jaeger program.

Mako Mori and Raleigh Becket are connected, mind, heart and soul, through the mesh of wiring and steel. Their bond surpasses machinery, adversary and science. They are the connection between two souls. They are the drift.