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The first time Liam drifts, it doesn’t go well. And he’s not... he’s told them all before he’d not done it with another person before, that they should have tested it before he was in the jaeger with Louis, but there’s no time, Marshall Pentecost has a double event predicted and it’s coming soon. It’s hard not to get lost in the memories though, Louis’ childhood flashing before Liam’s eyes, four little girls that he feels so fiercely for, what he’s fighting to protect. He sees the bloke before him, tall and gangly limbs and big green eyes, spitting up blood on a rainy beach in Louis’ arms, their jaeger destroyed on the beach beside them. He relives his own memories, clear as day, of being sick as a child, memories of hospital beds and the first kaiju attack he’d seen on the news, the first he’d encountered himself when he joined up with the program. He hears the no’s as clear as day, that he’d never be able to drift because of the sickness he’d has a child, and maybe they were right, maybe they had him pegged all along.
When he finally snaps out of it, he’s nearly blown up the Shatterdome. Hot tears prickle at his eyes as he pulls off his helmet, and he can feel all the eyes on him, there he was, Liam Payne fucking things up again. He’d been stupid to listen to Louis, they weren’t drift compatible at all, just because they’d been communicating in training with just a glance, an eyebrow raise and taking down their opponents, working together as a team. He’d been wasting everyone’s time, just letting the team get him out of the armor, hands shaking as Louis tries to talk to him. It just makes things worse, didn’t he get that, soft words from a normally sharp mouth, none of that helped.
He makes it back to his room in record time, locks the door tight and makes himself small on his bed, cries his eyes out. This is what he’s wanted since he was little, since those first jaeger pilots were made out to be like rock stars. His whole life he’s wanted nothing more than to help people, to be a hero, and he can’t seem to do anything right.
--
“It’s time for training, get up.” There’s an edge in Louis’ words and Liam can only look up at him, eyes still red rimmed from the night before. He’s not slept much, just enough to feel more worn out than when he did before he’d cried himself to sleep, but he’s pretty sure he’d locked his door. But he supposes that’s to be expected of Louis, a bright mischievous air about him even when the world is falling apart. Louis tangles his fingers in Liam’s hair, rubbing at his scalp gently before yanking him up, grinning brightly when Liam yelps. And that’s the thing about Louis Tomlinson, Liam is pretty sure he’d do whatever he told him to do anyway, would follow him to the edge of the world. Maybe there was a reason he’d fought for Liam to be his copilot, maybe they were drift compatible after all.
--
Louis’ got Liam on his back on the ground, panting hard, when the alarm goes off. They’re close, too close, and Liam was half sure Louis had been on the verge of kissing him before they’d been interrupted by the flashing red light and shrill alarm alerting them to their battle stations, hearing murmurs of a double event coming as they rushed towards the control center. Pentecost gives them their orders, defend Stryker at all costs, and Liam knows what that means, that this will mean giving up their lives if need be. He follows Louis wordlessly, legs like jelly underneath him, thinking of all the things he’s had yet to say to the people he loves. He thinks of his mum and dad, his sisters, the four little girls from Louis’ memories. He thinks of all the people he’s met that he’s trying to save, and all the people he hasn’t, about how many lives depend on him and Louis having a proper connection inside their jaeger.
They’re suited up in no time, neural handshake activated and Liam can see everything in the drift, can see all the things Louis wants, can see the his own cheeks pink up at some of the images. Louis doesn’t even flinch, just facing him with that feral grin of his, all sharp canines and bright eyes.
“When we get back?” He offers and Liam only nods, because that’s the thing about the drift, Louis can read his mind just as well.
Liam braces himself as they’re helicoptered out to the water, waiting for the attack to come.
--
They’re on dry land when the kiss finally happens, rough and wet and Louis’ fingers tangled in Liam’s short hair. It lasts for ages, or only seconds, he’s got no sense of time, just loss and heartache and fatigue in his muscles, adrenaline and victory pushing him onward. He tastes the same in Louis’ mouth, that they need this, feels what this means to both of them.
They’re drift compatible after all.