Work Text:
Rarely were breaks given, but they were always appreciated. Those who had families would take the chance to visit them, and those who didn't would wander as they pleased until break ended.
This was what Medic did, if not tagging along with Engie to his place. It's surprisingly easy to get from place to place - Americans really will just pick up any stranger on the side of the road - and if he's lucky, he might even get a spare body out of it. Truly, the only thing missing during his work-free meanderings was a companion. As much as he appreciates the Engineer's company, he isn't exactly who Medic has in mind.
The post-break arrival back to the base is always eventful, a mess of chattering voices and warm bodies crammed back into the common room. Soldier is always first, there before anyone else even arrives; Ms. Pauling mentioned he never left the base, even during construction or bad weather. Medic is usually second, but Soldier is always there, waiting silently for someone to arrive in the common room.
Together, Pyro and Engie roll in like a whirlwind. To the best of his knowledge, the little pyromaniac stuck to Engineer's side like sap to a tree, so it isn't a surprise that they arrive together. Pyro immediately tackles Soldier into a hug, which turns into roughhousing on the couch, which in turn becomes wrestling on the floor. Engie just chuckles and comes to greet him, chatting between themselves. Eventually, Pyro crawls up from the floor and lingers around the Engineer's side, occasionally swatting away Soldier's attempt to get them to fight him again.
Banging on the door and a loud, whiny voice can only mean one thing: Scout has arrived. He complains about his flight from Boston, his brothers' teasing and his mother's worrying. Under it all, it's obvious how much the distance from his family is bothering him. There's bags under his eyes, and they're a bit puffy and red, as if he were crying. Pyro finally unattaches themself from Engie's side to bother the boy, which gets him back to normal - that is, loud and obnoxious.
Bursting through the door, Demo is already sloshed on the ungodly substance he calls a drink. He throws himself onto the couch, his words are slurred and exhausted, and is passed out within about half an hour. Soldier sits by him like a guard dog, growling at anyone who got too close. It would've been funny if the man wasn't so prone to biting.
It's hard to say when Sniper get there, but eventually Medic notices him hiding at the back of the room. For such a tall man, he's surprisingly sneaky, but Engie doesn't let him hide for long. Ushering him into the conversation, Sniper awkwardly stands between him and Medic, occasionally interjecting something into the conversation. From what little he says, his visit home was uneventful. Parents still alive, farm still running.
Just as is his nature, Spy slips in unnoticed. A cigarette hangs from his fingers, expression completely unreadable. He greets Medic amicably, and Engie with a hint of amusement to his tone. The engineer just glares in response. Pyro and Soldier get largely ignored, as does the still sleeping Demoman. Medic overhears him taunting Scout - "Where was I? Visiting your mozher!" - and snickers. It's likely more true than the boy knows.
Engaged in a riveting conversation with Engie about the application of circuitry in treating nerve damage, Medic doesn't notice Heavy at first. He's still deeply engrossed in their discussion when he glances over and pauses in totality. Even his breath comes in shallow and his eyes wide. Engie looks over at where he's staring, then just bursts out laughing.
Heavy looks about the same as Medic remembered - bright blue eyes, his massive frame and handsome features just as they were a month ago. His face is split into a wide grin as he and Spy speak; speaking his native tongue always seems to take years off his lined face. Something is different though, and it throws Medic for a deep curveball.
There's about two centimetres of a beard on his bärchen's face, the additional fluff allowing him to truly live up to the name. It rounds out his square jaw into something softer, more gentle than Heavy is known for being. Peppered with greys, the light brown of his beard is similar to what colour his hair would've been as a younger man.
To say Medic likes it immensely is a massive understatement.
Slowly, he gravitates towards him, leaving Engie behind; thankfully, the man doesn't seem to mind, instead laughing and trying his damnedest to get Sniper to talk to him. Heavy notices him as he approaches, and his smile is so wide it scrunches his nose a bit. Spy snickers quietly at Medic's expression, but otherwise remains politely quiet.
"Hello, Doktor!" Heavy booms, a large hand coming to clasp him on the shoulder. "Heavy was just telling Spy about visit with family. Time was good."
"Das ist gut," Medic hums, although he's less focused on what he's actually saying and more on intently staring at Heavy's face. Heavy doesn't comment on this, nor does he really seem to notice; Medic's wide-eyed staring is rather commonplace for him, after all.
Unbeknownst to him, Medic is completely lost in his own head. It takes most of his very limited self-control to not reach out and run his hands through Heavy's beard. He wonders what it would feel like to comb his fingers through the soft-looking strands, to feel it against his face during a kiss, feel it scratch against his thighs as Heavy-
"Is мой доктор feeling okay?" Heavy asks, tilting his head to look over his husband's face with a mix of curiosity and concern. "Has smile like he is about to do surgery."
Blinking rapidly, Medic lets the expression drop; he hadn't even realised he had been doing it. Apparently now that he isn't making what Scout calls his 'murder face', Spy feels confident enough to laugh outright. "I think zhe Medic is interested in your new facial hair, mein freund," he comments, as if he isn't poking fun at a man who could crush his spinal vertebrae like he were folding an accordion.
"Oh, this?" Heavy laughs, a hearty, rumbling chuckle that never fails to send shivers down Medic's spine. "Is cold in motherland. No sense to trim hair there." He rubs one large hand over his jaw, and Medic nearly weeps from the strength of his desire. "Not so much snow here, might cut-"
With all the strength he can muster, Medic yanks Heavy down by the collar so they can be face-to-face. "If you even think about cut it off I'll kill you," he hisses, eyes wide but face deathly serious. His Heavy, usually so unshakable in the face of even death, pales to a noticeable degree. He nods quickly, partially to appease the Medic and partially so the death grip on his shirt will be released - it’s starting to leave an imprint on his skin. Thankfully, it works; Medic lets go of him with a bright smile and a minimal amount of murder in his eye. “Gut. Now, Herr Spy…how attached are you to your molars?”