I've always wanted to do a five times plus one fic, and I decided to finally try it with my first rvb story. This is meant to be more of a family bond, not slash, but if you want to see it that way go ahead.
I.
"Grenade!" One of the rebel soldiers shouted and Wash had enough time to move out of the immediate blast zone but not enough to get away completely. The force of the explosion sent him flying and his helmeted head connected with a concrete pillar, hard. The world faded to black as the ex-freelancer fell unconscious.
When Wash came to the first thing he registered was the sound of gunshots, except not as loud and not as many. He must have only been out for a few minutes then. The second thing he registered was that his head hurt like hell and he felt sick, he was definitely concussed. He closed his eyes tighter and forced his breathing to become even, willing himself not to throw up in his helmet. When the threat of throwing up passed he opened his eyes slightly, though the light just caused his head to ache more. As he forced his eyes to open further he finally realized that he was being carried. Not carried with one arm slung over another's shoulders and feet dragging the ground, not over someone's shoulder like a sack of potatoes or something, and not even piggy back. No he was being carried bridal style.
Opening his eyes further he realized he was looking at an armored chest colored standard blue. He furrowed his brows, why was Caboose carrying him like this? He tried to pull his head back to look up at the other, but a hand was on the side of his helmet, keeping his head cradled against the other's chest.
"Caboose?" He questioned, and winced at how shaky and small his voice sounded. He felt the other shift and he had a feeling the younger soldier was looking down at him.
"You're awake Agent Washingtub!" He said cheerfully. Wash winced again.
"Please lower your voice Caboose."
"Oh sorry Washingtub." Caboose said in a whisper, which was still rather loud, but not painfully so.
"Its alright." He patted the other's arm slightly. He still couldn't pull his head away because of Caboose's hand but he could angle it up so that he could just barely see Caboose's visor from under the ridge of his own helmet. "Is there a reason you're carrying me like this?"
"Well I found you laying on the ground, and you wouldn't wake up." Caboose started to explain, still stage whispering. "Then the nice lady called for a retreat, and you still wouldn't wake up, so I decided to carry you." Caboose sounded kind of proud of himself, and Wash was sure he had a huge grin on his face. That hadn't really answered his question, but that was the best explanation he was going to get, so he let it go.
"Thanks Caboose."
"You're welcome Washington." A small smile slipped onto the grey and yellow armored man's face at hearing Caboose call him by his proper name. It was silent for a few minutes
"Uh Caboose... You can put me down now, I can walk." The hold on him tightened and his head was pressed more firmly into the blue armored chest.
"No." Was the short but some what firm reply.
Wash sighed. "Fine." Though he relaxed into the other's hold. He just hoped the others didn't make fun him for this. Oh well, he'd just make them run laps.
II.
Wash woke up screaming and shaking from a nightmare, breaths coming out in shallow gasps. He turned over so that he was laying flat on his back, staring up at the ceiling, but he jolted upright on reflex when he heard a shuffling outside of his door. He instinctively reached out for a gun. Only for his hand to still, fingers just brushing the cool metal as he remembered where he was, and he pulled his hand back as if he had been burned. He was in Blue base, it was safe. Well as safe it could be living with Caboose, and with Sarge on the other side of the canyon, ready to take out those 'dirty' blues. Speaking of Caboose, he caught sight of the other peeking through the crack in his door.
"Yes Caboose?" He called, voice sounding calm and even for someone who had just woken them self up with their own screaming. Caboose entered the room, looking a bit nervous as he came to stand by the cot.
"I heard you screaming. Are you hurt?" The other's blue eyes were wide and Wash could see the concern in them.
He breathed out heavily. "No, I'm fine Caboose."
The other was silent for a second before shaking his head. "I don't believe you."
"What?"
"Well people scream when they are hurt or scared, and you were screaming, in your sleep, so... You must have been having a nightmare!" Caboose explained and Wash just stared at him. "You're scared." Caboose stated staring right back, catching the other off guard.
Wash broke eye contact and stared at the blankets pooled around his waist. "...Yes..." He whispered, and his blue-grey eyes widened in surprise as the word left his mouth. He never actually meant to admit that.
"Scared of what?" Caboose asked coming to sit on the edge of the cot. Wash looked back to him, wondering if he should go ahead and tell the younger soldier. He sighed.
"Well... I had an AI in my head who destroyed himself, and I went insane. My entire team died..." He paused glancing away from the other. "...and now I have a new team, and I guess I'm scared something will happen to you guys." He bit his bottom lip as he was done talking.
Caboose watched him before reaching out and patted the ex-freelancer's shoulder. "Don't worry Washington, nothing will happen to us. We'll always be right here." He grinned.
A small smile twitched at the corner of Wash's lips. "I know. You guys always come back. It was annoying at first, but I appreciate it now." Caboose just blinked at him. "Well you should probably go back to bed Caboose." The younger soldier shook his head.
"No, I'm staying here to protect you from the nightmares." Wash just raised an eyebrow, but sighed and got up. He got an extra pillow and blanket and put them on the floor next to his cot. Caboose instantly curled up under the blanket.
"Goodnight Washington."
"Goodnight Caboose." He responded as he laid back down on his cot. He heard the sound of soft snoring, Caboose already having fallen asleep. Wash smiled a little, and a few minutes later he too was asleep.
III.
Caboose looked up from the picture he was coloring, and he looked around the room. He noticed Tucker on the makeshift couch reading a magazine or something, but Washington was no where to be found. He got up, intent on finding the blue and yellow armored man. He looked through the rooms of the base and outside of it too. He returned to the living room, and decided to see if Tucker knew where their CO had gone.
"Tucker. Hey Tucker." He called to get the other blue soldier's attention, leaning over the back of the couch.
"What is it Caboose?" Tucker asked in annoyance, not even looking away from the magazine. Caboose thought that that was rude.
"Do you know where Agent Washingtub is?"
"Hell if I know." Tucker responded. He glanced up at the taller soldier. "Did you check the roof yet?"
"No... But I shall look there." Caboose bounded off for the ladder to the top of the base. Tucker huffed before returning to the magazine in hand. When Caboose got to the top of the base he did indeed find Washington up there. The other was sprawled out on his back, staring up at the sky. He was in full armor, but his helmet was removed, and the wind blew through his spiked blond hair.
"What are you doing Washingtub?" Caboose asked leaning over the other's head. Wash jumped at the sudden question, having not noticed Caboose was there, as he had been zoned out.
"Nothing. Did you need something Caboose?" He asked, tilting his head back to look up at the other.
"No. I was just trying to find you."
"Oh. Well you found me."
"I know." Caboose grinned but it disappeared. "Why are you out here all alone?"
"It's quiet." Wash answered, but the look on the younger's face told him that his answer had not registered and Caboose was coming up with his own conclusion.
"You're lonely." The blond announced, looking proud of his assessment.
Wash sighed. "Fine, sure, you could say that." He answered half-heartedly, he didn't feel like talking to anyone at the moment, let alone trying to talk Caboose out of whatever ideas he had.
Caboose was silent in thought for a couple of minutes before announcing he'd be right back and dashing off. Wash sighed again, and looked back up the sky. Barely two minutes later Caboose was leaning over him again.
"Here I made this for you." He held out the piece of paper with the picture he had been coloring earlier. Wash took it and stared at the picture of the cat, who was light blue with yellow stripes. In shaky large handwriting with many misspellings it read "To Agent Washingtub. From Caboose." He smiled at the picture, before looking up at the other once more.
"Its great, thanks Caboose."
"You're welcome." And with that Caboose was gone again. Muttering something about making more pictures of cats to give to the reds, and maybe even to stupid Tucker. Wash laughed softly before placing the picture down and left his hand over it, to ensure it didn't blow away. He would hang it up in his room later. He settled back down, staring up at the sky again, contented smile still on his face.
IV.
Wash woke up before the sun even rose that day, nightmares having plagued his sleep the entire night. Luckily he had managed not to wake up Tucker or Caboose. He slipped out of the base, and headed up to the very top of the wreckage of the ship. He sat down near the edge and placed his gun and helmet beside him.
He hated today, hated it a lot, as it was today that many years ago Epsilon killed himself in Wash's head. That action causing the, at the time, Freelancer to go insane, and now well now he just wanted to be left alone.
It was hours later that he watched as Tucker and Caboose exited the base. Much later than usual without Wash there to wake them up and run drills. The two sim troopers seemed to be talking for a little bit before they split up and started walking around the canyon. It wasn't until Wash heard Tucker try to call him on his radio did he realize that they were looking for him. He knew he should respond to reassure them that he was alright and still there, but he just couldn't bring himself to speak. He watched as they continued searching, and eventually even the reds were searching after Tucker had gone over to their base. Huh, he hadn't thought they all cared so much. By this point Tucker was cursing him through the radio, and Wash knew he was going to have to do major damage control tomorrow.
He heard footsteps coming from behind him, and without turning around he had a feeling it was the regulation blue soldier. "Washingtub?" Caboose asked coming to a stop. Confirming Wash's suspicions, but he didn't even turn to look at the younger soldier.
"Yes?" He finally managed to respond, voice completely devoid of emotions and sounding detached, even to himself.
Caboose remained silent for a few seconds. "You want to be alone?"
"Yes."
"Okay. I'll go tell the others that I found you and that you are alright. Also that you want to be left alone." Caboose said, and Wash sighed warily, nodding his head. It fell silent, but Caboose still hadn't left. He was about to ask Caboose to leave when arms circled around him. Caboose having come to stand directly behind the other soldier and bent over to hug him from behind.
"Why can't you tell us whats wrong now though?" Caboose asked, slight whine in his voice.
"I just can't... Not right now anyway." His voice sounded so tired. "I'll tell all of you tomorrow. I promise. Just not right now." The last part came out in a whisper. Caboose seemed to understand as he let go of Wash and started to walk away.
"See you tomorrow Washingtub." Caboose called over his shoulder. Wash remained silent, still looking out at the canyon. He watched as Caboose met with all the others and seemed to be explaining what had happened, wild hand gestures included. He wasn't sure if the others understood though as he saw a lot of head shaking, but they started to return to Red base, Tucker and Caboose even going with them. He wasn't entirely sure he knew what Caboose had said, but whatever it was had gotten him half of the canyon to himself for the rest of the day.
After everyone disappeared from sight Wash laid back staring up the sky. He shut his eyes and listened to the silence around him, mind blessedly blank of all A.I. related horrors.
V.
Caboose didn't understand a lot of things, but one thing he did understand was people and how they were feeling, well mostly. Right now he could tell that Washington was stressed, probably overly so. The ex-freelancer was practically in charge of both Blue and Red team, they were crashed in a canyon with no rescue so far, he was trying to fix the radio tower, and they were running out of food and water. Yeah, way too much stress. There was also Tucker, who argued anything and everything with their CO. Caboose was sure that stupid Tucker didn't even seem to notice the unneeded stress he was placing on their leader.
Like now for instance. All three soldiers were standing in the main room of their base, dressed in their armor, but had their helmets removed. Tucker had his hands on his hips, helmet tucked under one arm, scowl on his face. He was obviously about to start an argument about training, as Wash had just ordered him to run three laps around the canyon. Caboose looked towards Wash, noticing the way his shoulders were already tensed, and his hand had subconsciously curled into a fist at his side. He had a feeling that if another argument was started then it might actually degrade into a fist fight, and Caboose really didn't want to see his team fight like that, ever. He also didn't think Wash should have to deal with Tucker's complaining today, as it was early and the ex-freelancer looked like he'd already had enough of that day.
So as Tucker opened his mouth, undoubtedly to start the argument, Caboose waved his hands frantically from his place behind Washington. Mouthing "no" to Tucker, trying to convey to the aqua soldier to let it go for the day. Tucker noticed him and looked confused for a few seconds. Though a look of realization crossed his face, and the aqua soldier looked towards the ground.
"Fine." He huffed and slowly turned around and walked out of the base to go do the laps. It was silent for a few seconds before Wash broke it, without even turning to look at Caboose.
"I saw that."
"Saw what?"
"You signaling Tucker not to start a fight." Caboose's eyes widened. How had Wash seen that? Was this some sort of Freelancer superpower? Wash seemed to understand Caboose's confusion as he chuckled a little and explained further. "I could see your reflection in Tucker's visor."
"Oh. Well I just thought that you were already stressed so Tucker shouldn't argue with you." Caboose explained, and Wash hummed in response. He finally turned to look at the younger soldier with a raised eyebrow.
"Shouldn't you be taking... Freckles... on a walk?"
"Oh yes! I need to do that." So Caboose ran off to take his pet on a walk, and Wash left the base to go see where Tucker was in his laps, and probably go yell at him to run faster.
VI. Caboose
It had been a few days since Carolina and Church had left after they had crash landed on whatever this planet was. Now Washington wasn't angry at Church for leaving, not really, no he was angry at Church for leaving without saying goodbye. As now Caboose was depressed and Tucker was extremely pissed. At the moment Wash isn't entirely sure where Tucker had gone, but Caboose was sitting dejectedly in a corner. He approached the sim trooper a bit nervously, since he still hadn't been around them for very long, and he still wasn't entirely sure where he stands with them. He comes to a stop before Caboose, unsure of what to say, luckily the other broke the silence for him.
"I miss Church." Caboose said sadly, still not looking up at his CO.
"I know." Wash responded.
"He didn't even say goodbye." Caboose continued. "That was mean."
"...Yeah it was." Wash fell silent, trying to come up with some way to distract the regulation blue soldier, at least for awhile. "Oh hey Caboose. Why don't we go and explore this canyon some more." He suggested, forcing enthusiasm into his voice. "I'm sure there will be some cool stuff to find."
Caboose finally looked up at him. "Okay Agent Washingtub." He sounded happier then before and he got up to follow the blue and yellow soldier. Not quite as enthusiastic as he usually was, but to Wash its a start.