Chapter Text
If it’s your choice to be alone, you’re not lonely, right?
Or, can you really choose to be alone?
If you aren’t lonely, people will come whether you choose it or not.
Then, is it really a choice?
Pyro clenches their chest through the thick fabric of their suit.
‘Choice’ makes them ache a little less.
They hate being lucid these days. What’s the point of it?
It’s not like they’re any better now than they normally are.
It’s easier to ignore things when you can’t see them, or feel them—
Laughter rings out through the walls. It’s Soldier.
…or hear them.
The oppressive sun feels a little dimmer,
but it’s just the shadow of a cloud passing by.
Engie’s got them re-painting his toolbox red. They’re grateful he asked, but they know it’s just busy work. Something to keep them out of the way while he works on important stuff. Something they can’t mess up.
They tried talking to Scout today In the locker room, after battle.
They managed to mess it up.
They laid it on too thick
and the first layer of paint got pulled off.
They tried giving him a cool rock they found, but he didn’t appreciate it, evidently.
…Did he really think they’d hit him with it?
They didn’t mean for their axe to hit him that time they were playing tag with that cherub.
Pyro sniffles.
They’ll just start over.
They strip the paint on that side and try again.
The paint job ends up uneven.
They start to strip it again but the thinner layers of paint cling on stubbornly.
In frustration, they get up and walk around front. They saw flowers there this morning.
As they make their way to the small patch of color amongst the beige desert sand, they realize they’ve been trampled. They hear a voice and look ahead.
Oh, it’s Scout. His back is facing them. He’s with Sniper, leaned back against the fence. He’s talking while Sniper aims for a can on a post with his bow.
“I swear, he’s got it out for me!”
“Uh-huh.”
Sniper seems uninterested in the topic at hand.
“I’m serious! You saw it, didn’t you? Freakin’ rock already had blood on it! Bet it was from the last guy that stole a kill from him…”
Pyro feels a little bad eavesdropping. They’ve heard it’s rude.
Though, they’ve also heard it’s rude to talk about someone when they’re not around, so maybe it cancels out the overall rudeness.
Oh, but they are around. So maybe it’s not rude. They find themself stuck pondering this for a minute before zoning back into the conversation.
“You ever figure the bloke’s just lonely?”
Sniper mumbles. He always talks like he’s got gravel stuck in his throat.
Scout scoffs, then adds a ‘puh-tshh” for good measure.
“You really think that weirdo’s out to make friends? Are you forgetting the time he cut off my freakin’ arm?”
Hey, that was an accident, they even said sorry! Though they aren’t sure Scout understood what they were saying…
Pyro looks down at their feet, and their mood shifts when they spot a nice, sharp rock. They pick it up, it’s orange-ish, it looks like a lopsided pyramid.
Sniper sighs as the tirade continues, eventually having enough when he misses the third shot in a row. He elbows Scout roughly in the arm, eliciting an “Ow ow ow!” That recaptures Pyro’s attention. They leave their position of crouching in the patch of grass to stand.
“Well I’m envious of the guy, at least he doesn’t have you to talk his bloody ear off when he’s trying to practice his…flame…thrower- stuff.”
Scout retaliates by kicking Sniper in the shin.
“Well you should be grateful, I could be spending time with— with, a…uh, very attractive lady, instead!”
Sniper exaggeratedly rolls his eyes, though his sunglasses make the action a fruitless endeavor.
“Then bugger off and go find one, I’ve had enough conversation for the week.”
Scout briefly huffs and puffs, then turns around to walk back into the building.
When he spots pyro, he makes a face and runs off.
Pyro’s left with a bad feeling in their chest. It’s an angry feeling. What’s that word Sniper used? Envious?
They stand there, glaring as the man draws the string back on his bow.
‘Choice’ adds fuel to their fire. They’ve worked so hard to try and become friends with Scout, so why Sniper? He doesn’t even act like he likes Scout! Pyro would listen to him talk, and spend time with him, and bring him gifts and have sleepovers and-
Their arm moves on its own, and the rock they were previously gripping is thrown straight into the back of Snipers head. What’s with them and rocks today?
It falls to the ground and he shouts, grabbing at the spot. It’s not bleeding, and when he turns around he hears footsteps quickly retreating. He looks down, kicks the rock, curses Scout, and gets back to his target practice.
They instinctively ran into Engie’s workshop, where he’s sat at his desk, tinkering away. He turns around when he hears Pyro’s labored breathing through their mask.
“Uh, heya pyro. Did’ja finish painting my toolbox for me?”
They stare at him, fidgeting with their gloved hands.
“…That’s alright. You need something? More paint?”
Pyro stays silent, looking behind themself briefly before looking down at their shoes.
Engie sighs, standing up from his chair and walking over to them, patting them on the arm.
“It’s alright, buddy. I’ll get you some new paint and a new brush, how’s that sound?”
They nod distantly, and once their hands are met with the supplies, they head back to the site of their previously forgotten duty.
It almost looks worse than how they left it.