I don't mind the rain

Comment: Days of ceasefire only give Engineer too much time to think about the past and fall into melancholy. But at least Pyro will always be there to cheer him up. Inspirational song for the beginning of the story: "Rain" by Hollywood Undead. And I'm just feeling in the mood to write something warm and fluffy so I'm sorry when it's turning out freaking cheesy. Next time I'm writing different style again.

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Not even Coldfront stayed true to its name all the time. The milder days weren't appreciated by the fighting teams though because then the snowflakes were always replaced by raindrops and turned the battleground into an icy cold swamp. It wasn't muddy - for that the layers of snow were way too thick and it would have needed days of warmth and permanent rain before the ground would have been reached and earth could have mixed with the wet snow - but the uppermost layer turned into a sticky mass of half thawed snow with another layer hardened and slippery waiting underneath it.

Engineer never minded those rainy days, especially not during ceasefire. They at least reminded him less of certain days gone by. And still, with so much more free time at his hands he often couldn't help but dwell in his memories. Sitting outside in the cold on a bunch of wood, a bit of a roof over his head to protect him from becoming completely wet his only distraction so far had been Scout running outside only dressed in his underwear - very likely challenged by Demo to do so - but that was already half an hour ago and nothing else had happened since. The others preferred to stay inside on such a day.

Well, maybe not all of them. He heard footsteps and moments later Pyro sat down beside him looking in the same direction as if he wanted to find out what part of the landscape was so interesting that Engineer found it worth staring at for such a long time.

"I already wondered where you have been", he mumbled. His words were muffled as usual but over time Engineer had developed a talent for understanding what he said.

"Just been here thinkin' 'bout stuff", the Texan replied and leaned back against the wall.

He felt Pyro's wondering gaze on him. The firebug never was a man of many words and he probably also wouldn't ask anyone about their problems but still in his silent way he told Engineer that he would be there for him if he wanted to speak.

"When I was a kid pa often took me to the mountains in winter", the Texan broke the silence after a few more minutes. "We were playin' in the snow the whole day long and often came home completely drained and exhausted. Sometimes also quite wet because when he had been sitting down and not paid attention I had grabbed the collar of his coat and stuffed down snow - and he got his revenge only a bit later on." He smiled a little thinking about this. "Those are some of my most favourite childhood memories." For a while his gaze wandered over the landscape and his face slowly got the same melancholic expression as before. "He passed away just a few years ago. Didn't even get the chance to turn 60. I don't see snow often but each time I do I am reminded of pa and my childhood days. And also what a shame it is to have a landscape like this memorized as a place full of joy and laughter but then see it filled with blood and violence each day."

Shyly Pyro reached out, wanted to give Engineer's hand a comforting squeeze but then he hesitated and just placed it on the wood pile so their hands were resting side by side.

"Have you ever lost someone?" Engineer asked.

Slowly Pyro shook his head. He couldn't even remember his parents, let alone how he lost them and after that he had mostly been alone in his life. The first time he had found someone to call friends or even family was when he joined this team.

"Hope that you will never have to experience something like that."

"I rather want to experience losing someone than never have anyone at all", Pyro silently replied. "Someone to live for, maybe to love..." He stopped and stared down at their hands again.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..." Engineer said. "I wasn't thinking about that possibility. And sorry, when I have dragged you down with my lament or made you feel worried about me. I'm fine, really. Just gettin' quite nostalgic when I have too much time to think about snow, that's all. But thanks for stayin' with me and dealin' with all my crap. Should you ever need someone I'm gonna return that favour any time."

Was that last sentence a hint that he noticed Pyro had something on his mind too? Pyro lowered his gaze but remained silent. Yes, he would always be there for Engie and deal with everything that bothered him, no matter what it was. And yes, he also had something on his own mind. But he had no idea how to say it. Or if he should say anything at all. There he was sitting, feeling as usual when near Engineer - butterflies in his stomach, heat slowly spreading over his face - crushing on him like a school girl and also as frightened to admit his feelings as one. He had hinted on it once in a while, small gestures, words, touches but it seemed as if Engineer hadn't understood them. Sometimes Pyro wondered how a man of such intelligence could be so clueless. But then again it was mainly his own fault - he should just be honest about it instead of only trying to hint once in a while and hoping he would be fully understood. If only he wasn't so frightened of what he could lose when the feelings weren't mutual. No, he wanted to enjoy the times they had together, not burden anyone with this crap. He wanted to get his mind off those things.

Engineer turned his head towards him when he noticed that Pyro rose from the pile of wood and watched him walking towards the entrance of their base again. He was a bit disappointed that he already left so early since he really enjoyed the company of 'his firebug' as he often jokingly called Pyro but he could also understand it that he might already be freezing and didn't want to stay in the cold any longer.

Suddenly something icy cold dripped onto his neck and ran down under his clothes. With a yelp he spun around only to see Pyro running away from him. With a laugh he jumped off the pile and pursued him until the firebug suddenly stopped and turned around. Engineer crashed right into him and they both tumbled into the wet snow.

"Hey, what's wrong? Already out of breath? I told you that smoke ain't good for your lungs", Engineer said with a grin.

Pyro only mumbled something that sounded like a very breathless apology and stared up at him. Or at least the Texan thought he was staring at him but couldn't be sure because his eyes were as hard to make out underneath the tinted glass of the mask as most of the time. Yes, he really had already seen his eyes but only short glimpses of them, very few times and only under certain light conditions when he had been standing really close. They always seemed to have observed him. Just like he always tried to watch over Pyro as often as possible.

He suddenly realized that he was still lying on top of him, got up as quickly as possible and held out a hand to help the other man back to his feet too. Unfortunately he put a bit too much force into his pull and yet again Pyro crashed into him. This time however they kept their balance. For a moment they remained in this position. Under his hand which he had pressed against Pyro's chest to keep him from falling Engineer could feel the rapid heartbeat. This couldn't be just from their very short chase or that bit of adrenaline rush right now when they nearly fell again, or could it? Also his own heart was racing - it had done it since Pyro had sat down beside him on the wood pile, just the same way it always did whenever he was near him. It was something he would never have admitted, too afraid of his own feelings and what the reaction to it could have been. But now... They were standing closer to each other than ever before, his one hand on Pyro's chest, his other still holding Pyro's hand, yet the firebug hadn't withdrawn and instead silently leaned in to his touch. Engineer thought about all those little things and subtleties in the past. He had always waved them off as his imagination, didn't want to interpret things into something that probably hadn't even been there. Oh how blind he had been.

Pyro now shyly put a hand on Engineer's waist, pulled him a little bit closer and leaned forward so that their foreheads could touch. Meanwhile it had gotten darker and with that also colder again but since they were warming up each other they barely noticed it and neither did they mind the rain.