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The hum of the base’s ventilation system was the only consistent sound in the common area.
Most of the team had turned in hours ago, their gear stowed, armor off, and lights dimmed. But Duke remained, slouched in the far corner of the rec room with his legs stretched out.
Empty bottles littered the floor around him like fallen soldiers, silent witnesses to his slow descent into whatever pit had opened inside him tonight.
He hadn’t spoken much during or after the mission.
Hadn’t even looked anyone in the eye.
He entered the room silently, scanning the mess and frowning. “Duke?” he said softly.
No answer.
“Duke, it’s late. Come on, you’ve had enough.”
Still no response.
Duke just tilted his head back against the wall and closed his eyes, a faint grunt escaping him.
Peanut took a few more steps in, “Hey,” he said more firmly, crouching down beside him.
“You can’t sleep down here, and you’re gonna break your spine if you keep leaning like that. Let’s get you to bed, alrig-”
CRACK.
Peanut never finished the sentence.
Duke had whipped around and swung his arm out and right into Peanut’s face.
There was a sickening yelp that could make a Brute wince.
But Duke didn’t register the sounds.
Not through the haze of grief and alcohol and whatever ghosts he’d been wrestling all night.
He moved too fast for someone so drunk, his instinct overriding his sluggishness.
Peanut was on all fours, shaking as he held a hand to his face, blood dripping past his fingers and down his arm.
Duke stood unsteadily, swaying, his breathing ragged. “Don’t sneak up on me…” he growled, voice thick with venom and…..fear?
Peanut bit his lip to keep himself from sobbing.
“I called your name-” he hissed through gritted teeth. “I was trying to help you.”
That’s when it hit Duke.
The room stopped spinning just long enough for him to see what he’d done.
His face went pale beneath the grime and stubble, and his shoulders sagged like the weight of his armor was back on.
“Shit… Peanut,” he muttered, taking a shaky step forward. “I- I didn’t- I thought- hell, I don’t know what I thought.”
Peanut stayed on the floor, still cradling his face, blood still dripping to the floor.
“S-Stop- I- Its ok- Ill be ok-” Peanut said even as his face throbbed.
Duke sank to his knees, sitting beside him, like a soldier at a fallen comrade’s grave. “I didn’t mean to hurt you. I swear to God, Peanut. You’re… you’re the only one who ever checks on me. I
didn’t mean to...”
Duke was rambling, not a good sign.
“I know you didn’t,” Peanut said softly.
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AN HOUR LATER
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“What happened out there?” Peanut asked, las he cleaned up the blood from his face
“You’ve been quiet since the mission.”
Duke ran a hand through his hair, then dragged it down his face like he wanted to rip his skin off just to feel something.
“While we were over at the abandoned city looking for scrap I found a recording of a civvies that used to live there... She looked like my sister. Same damn eyes. She even had the same laugh.”
Peanut said nothing.
He just listened.
“And it just reminded me about how she didn’t make it,” Duke whispered. “I kept thinking—I should’ve moved faster. Shot straighter. Done something . Instead, I froze. And now she’s dead.”
Peanut’s voice was quiet. “That’s not your fault. You can’t save everyone, Duke. No one can.”
“I know,” Duke whispered, head dropping forward. “But that doesn’t make it hurt less.”
There was another beat of silence, broken only by the low hum of the base.