"Oi, Snipes."

I opened my eyes and everything was dark. I felt someone prod at my boots and I let out a tiny unhappy groan as I titled my hat back up. Light invaded my vision and I was momentarily blinded. I folded my arms back behind my head and groggily gazed at the figure in front of me.

"What do ya want, ya drongo?" Scout took a seat on one of my crates up in my nest, bobbing his leg rapidly. "Can't ya tell 'm tryna nap?"

"Man, you're always up here sleepin' an' shit." He sighed and scratched his head. "Engineer told me to come grab ya; said he fixed yer Razorback. The battles gonna start i-"

"MISSION BEGINS IN TEN MINUTES."

"Always wait till the last second, huh?" I sighed and slowly got my feet, cracking my back.


The sun was beating down on me from my perch and somehow the wind was hotter than the pure rays. This battle was dragging on, but it was almost over by my estimation. I wiped sweat from my brow and quickly took out the BLU Heavy; the Medic following shortly after. I sat up from my hunched position and stretched.

My name is Harper and I'm the current Sniper working for Reliable Excavation and Demolition. After the woman's rights movement revved up, a couple women, myself included, were asked to join Mann Co. to fill certain positions. Aside from me, our Demo is a female and on the BLU team, their Scout, and Heavy are as well. Everything runs pretty smoothly; we don't get much shit from the boys because we don't tolerate it.

Suddenly I felt a blade on my throat and I froze. I let my guard down.

"Easily distracted today, non?" I frowned upon hearing the BLU Spy's voice. I held my breath and quickly thrust my head back, knocking him the face. His blade nicked my throat as I stood and spun around. He grunted and grabbed at his nose. He glowered up at me from his hunched position, his eyes showing frustration. I grabbed my kukri blade and tossed it from one hand to the other.

"Where's ya A-game, spook?" I taunted, haughtily. I wiped my throat with the back of my hand and saw the red smear in my peripherals. It stung like a nasty paper cut, but I could tell it wasn't anything serious. I quickly sidestepped towards him and slashed close to his face. He quickly jumped to the right, only allowing me to slit his upper arm. We circled each other slowly, eyes locked, until he was standing in front of the window I was previously shooting from. Something seemed different about him today. He looked tired; not as collected as he normally was during our exchanges.

I watched him take a tentative step backwards and I grabbed at my sub. His fingers brushed against the window pane and his eyes flicked backwards for a moment. I took that chance to fire a swift shot to his chest. He toppled back and fell from the two story building as I jumped to the edge of the opening. I saw no body down on the ground, only a minute trail of blood going in the opposite direction. I frowned and fixed my hat as I heard the Administrator call the end of the game. Bloody Spies…


I pushed my mashed potatoes around my plate lazily. The mess hall was bustling with my teammates and I halfheartedly listened to Scout run his mouth. Demo was sitting near him, almost finished with her bottle of Scrumpy, and Pyro was on the other side, seemingly enthralled with the tale.

"Not ta brag or anything," he continued, flapping his gums "but it was pretty killer." I watched him shovel a couple spoonfuls of food into his pie-hole and struggle to swallow it all. I stood from my seat and washed my plate in the kitchen sink, ultimately making my way back to my nest.

The wooden stairs creaked in the old building as I ascended to my perch. As I neared, I caught the familiar scent of cigarettes. Automatically on guard, I gripped the handle of my kukri and peaked my head into the room. I was surprised to see the enemy Spy delicately placed on one of my crates, taking a long drag on his cancer stick. His jacket was nowhere to be found and the sleeves of his dress shirt were pushed up to his elbows. This was the most unprofessional I'd ever seen the spunk; he looked rather approachable, but I kept my guard up despite the current ceasefire.

"Do not worry, manquer," his head turned towards me, smoke pouring out of his mouth. "I am not here to fight." I took a cautious step forward as he held out a cigarette to me. I snatched it quickly, but kept my distance. He eyed me warily until I put my blade away. I placed the cigarette in my mouth and patted my vest in search of matches, to no avail. "Here, ma cher." His arm was outstretched towards me, a lit matched in his long fingers. I leant forward and allowed him to light it for me.

"Wot are ya doin' up here, ya mug?" I decided to take a seat on the furthest crate. He seemed to be contemplating my question, looking almost unsure.

"I needed some time for myself, I suppoze," he muttered after a long pause. "I didn't think you would appear." His shoulders were slumped and he looked exhausted. Leaning back and taking in a long drag, I pushed my hat up.

"I would offer ta leave, but you're the one in my nest." He gave me a tired look as I laughed to myself. "Sorry, mate, what's on ya mind?" I noticed an empty bottle of booze abandoned on the floor and just then realized that the room had a faint scent of liquor hanging in the air. The smoke covered most of it. I watched him shake his head at me and lean back. "Ah, ya don't have to yabber to me; I undastand." He turned his head and gazed out the window. I shut my eyes.


My eyes flicked open when I heard someone coming up the stairs. We had been sitting in silence for a half hour or so. Spy and I shared a look and I watched him cloak himself.

"Ya up there, Sniper?" I heard the voice of Engineer invade the room, his head poking through the doorway. I nodded at him when our gazes met, his goggles hanging loosely around his neck.

"What's up, Engie?"

"The boys are fixin' to play some poker," he began, leaning against the door frame. "Came to see if you wanted to join in, darlin'. We all know how you love to clean out that Scout of ours." I smiled at the Texan, but shook my head.

"Thanks, but no thanks, mate. I need some peace an' quiet tanight." He nodded and disappeared. Once the footsteps faded, Spy rematerialized.

"Still not up fer a chat, I'm guessin'?" I stretched my arms above my head and crossed one foot over the other. He rubbed the back of his neck and sighed heavily. "It might make ya feel better."

"Listen," he began. "You are not to discuss zis with anyone." I held my hands up in defense and nodded curtly. He heaved a deep sigh and paused before starting. "I received a letter today from a… family member back in my hometown. It was dated from a couple months ago and had been opened." That wasn't unusual; Mann Co. usually checked through our mail before delivering it to us. "They informed me zat…" He heavily signed again and I observed him swallowing hard. "My mother. She passed away." Our eyes met again and I could see his were glassy. Please don't cry, please don't cry, I prayed in my head. "I was invited to the funeral, but the date had long passed by the time the letter arrived."

"Ah, that'd be right, mate…" I stood and took a seat on a crate nearer to him. "That's bloody awful; I'm sorry." I placed a hand on his shoulder and noted how he tensed and flinched away, so I removed it quickly.

"Sorry," he whispered, laughing dryly. "Force of habit, I imagine." I waited a few moments for him to continue, but it appeared that he was done talking. Completely clammed up.

"Hear me out, spook," I said to him, replacing my hand on his shoulder. "I lost my father… yonks ago. Ta sickness." I patted him on the back lightly. "If yer wantin' a chat, I undastand. I'll be around if you need me." With that I stood and retreated to my camper.