Hi guys!
I'm, once again, sorry. I just found a new job, started working, I too found a new SO, so I suddenly have less time than ever (and due to that I have, like, 4 hours of free time each day (and I'm usually tired as frick)).
Well, here you go with another chapter :) Hope you like it.
The figure stood in the middle of the empty hallway, pondering, shuffling around and filling the space with soft noise of indecision.
His leather shoes whispered against the cold floor tiles again. And again, his head was filled with doubts. They were scratching againts his skull with their sharp fangs, making him shake his head a little in an attempt to drive them away. He knew they would come back if he didn't do something.
His palms were sweaty, making nearly unbearable to wear the leathered gloves he so adored. But he would never take off his gloves.
No, they should stay. And so they did.
The BLU Spy moved, each drop of his body filled with elegance, to the waiting room of Medic's office. He waltzed in there, making sure no one would see him (how could they, thay were either sleeping or playing some plebeian games as usual) and then quickly passed the distance between one door to another. He grabbed the door knob and stepped into the Medic's infirmary.
„Oh, don't bozher vit knocking, herr Spy. It'z not zhat I was buzy at all." Medic slowly took off his glasses and placed them on the with-paperwork-flooded table. He looked quite exhausted, with big dark circles under his eyes, his hair looking more like a bird's nest than anything else. And he seemed quite irritated as well. He might be working night shifts too, and get a little of the precious sleep, but he wanted to be treated with at least something similar to respect.
„Vhat do you vant?
Spy straightened up. He wanted to say something annoying, something that would make Medic more frustrated than he was now. Or maybe something utterly insulting? He wanted to have the final word again.
But… now, he needed help. And for a moment, he wanted to run away from this place and pretend he was never there.
The sharp, shooting pain in his chest made him rethink that. He looked at Medic, at first only anger and disgust reflecting in his eyes, then he eased a little bit and with slow pace, he got to a chair and slowly slipped into it.
„I must admit, Docteur, I may be in need of your… medical assistance." Spy muttered, somehow devastated that he had to say this. He never needed anyone's help. The Frenchman was always capable of taking a good care of himself. No wonder this situation was so frustrating.
Medic put on his glasses nearly immediately and left his seat. He grabbed Spy's arm and dragged him to the operating table.
„Herr Spy, take your suit off and tell me vhat troubles you, bitte," Medic smiled, more resembling a hungry predator than kind team doctor that would help his teammates in need.
„And no worries, I don't bite!" he chuckled and turned away to look for his equipment.
Spy stood there, watching Medic with suspicious look. Then he gave up and sighed. There was no other way.
„Well," Spy started while unbuttoning his suit, „I've been experiencing a lot of sharp pain in my chest recently." He stated and carefully folded his suit, then placed it next to him. He undone his tie and started to, rather unwillingly, unbuttoned his shirt.
„How long iz recently for you, herr Spy? An hour? A day? A week? Tell me, pleaze. It's vital for me to know, you see."
„Since zis afternoon, I am really not sure about ze exact time, though." Spy answered. He felt like a small child.
„Are you sure it iz not because of your smoking habit? You know, you smoke quite often and are very fond of it. Maybe," Medic's eyes shone brightly when he turned and faced Spy, who on the other hand took a careful step back, „maybe you have lung cancer! Oh Gott, zhat would be lovely! Tell me, herr Spy, are you coughing out blood?" The sudden change of approach cought Spy off-guard.
„N-no, I'm not coughing blood, nom de Dieu! Apart from ze neverending pain in my chest I 'ave to say I'm fine," growled Spy and if a look could kill, Medic would be stabbed long before he even got to Spy's field of vision. Maybe at that time when the doctor cut him open and fiddled with his intestines. That was not how he imagined „quick check-up" nor it was his vision of „ideally spent afternoon".
„But it vould be zhe perfect diagnosis, herr Spy! You are experiencing chest pain, you have a quite hoarse voice, now you only have to cough up the blood and I can start with zhe operation right away!"
„Docteur, I am not sure how to exactly explain to you zhat I do not have a lung cancer. Now, if you could just examine me so we both can enjoy ze rest of our evening." The tone of Spy's voice was cold and threatening enough that even Medic stopped with his fantasizing.
„Very vell, as you vish," was the only thing the German said before he grabbed his stethoscope and started examining Spy.
They did many examinations, and in the end, Medic was more than puzzled.
„I am not sure how to tell you zhis, herr Spy."
„Tell me what?"
„Zhat you are completely fine."
„I can assure you, Docteur, I am not f-" Spy couldn't finish the sentence because he was cut out by Medic.
„Please don't get me vrong my friend. I examined you in every way possible, your heart is fine, so are your lungs, unfortunately. But I was not able to identify zhe source of your problems."
„So… you don't know what's ze problem?"
„I have no idea. But, I can give you some muscle relaxants? Maybe you are just overvorked. It happens a lot." Medic quickly crossed the distance between him and his cabinet, where he stored most of his medicaments. He searched for a bit and then, with a victorious „Ah-aaah!" grabbed a small bottle. The he came back to Spy and gave it to him.
„Those are the pills. Try to take one before you go to sleep. It should help to ease your pain, it iz zhe most I can do at zhe moment."
„Thank you, Docteur, I appreciate it."
„I could still try to open you, if you vould like. I think it vould solve zhe problem in a moment."
„No."
He had to argue about the operation for a while, but after that, he finally found himself standing in the hallway. Again with the hallway. Spy was tired, exhausted he would say, but somehow he didn't want to go to sleep. Spy was never scared, he wasn't scared of anything. Of anything physical. Now he was, and Spy had to think about it for a while, mildly concerned. He was not scared, but he wasn't never wrong with his sixth sense. And now his intuition was telling him not to go to bed so early.
Very well, he might as well do something amusing instead of standing in the middle of this cold hallway.
Maybe jumpscare Scout. With elegance, of course.
Or stalk Sniper.
Or cloak and contribute to Soldier's increasing paranoia.
Or he could just go and wake up Engineer and have a small talk. Hmmm…
A jumpscare and couple of photos of Sniper showering later, Spy stopped in front of the door to Engineer's workshop. Why he was in need of the tinkerers help, he didn't know. But somehow he knew that he needed it as much as he needed the air to live.
He raised his hand in front of the doors and wanted to knock, but a voice from behind stopped him from doing so.
„Hey, Spah. What're ya doin' here?" Engineer approached Spy and from the pocket pulled out an impressive bundle of keys.
„Well, I just came to visit you. I was worried you will be asleep, but I've been pleasantly suprised."
„Oh, right, well, I guess… I mean, come on in, make yaself comfortable," the Texan stuttered and unlocked the doors. Engineer seemed a bit puzzled by Spy's nice attitude. An hour or two ago, Spy was something which you could call a pain in the ass. Now he was behaving himself. And Engineer knew there was a reason behind all of this.
Meanwhile, Spy let himself into the workshop and made himself as comfortable as possible on one of the most uncomfortable chairs he ever encountered. Well, not completely behaving himself, are we? Engineer thought to himself and shut the door behind them.
„Well, how come ya came to visit me in my lil' kingdom? I thought this place was a big taboo for ya." Engineer smiled and sat on the hard floor, wrench in hand, and started making… things, as usual.
„No particular reason, tinkerer, I just came to… chat, for a while. I will not bozher you for long, I promise." Spy sighed. „But I 'ave to admit, I feel like shit today."
Engineer raised his head and even took off his glasses, examining Spy with his critical look.
„Spah, that's a language I haven't heard from you in weeks. Is something wrong with ya?" The Texan stood up and started for a small fridge.
„Would you like something to drink? Or ya don't and ya won't even talk about anything?" he turned to Spy, two cans of beer already in hand.
„You know I do not fancy something that wicked and low as a canned beer." He watched Engineer in front of him slump a little, and the bald man turned back to the fridge.
„But… tonight, I might make an exception, as it seems you don't 'ave anything else to drink." There was a hint of a soft smile in Spy's voice, and Engineer turned again, with a grin on his face.
„Ya're makin' me dizzy, Spah," he chuckled and offered the Frenchman one of the cans. Spy gladly accepted it. He needed something to relax, to calm down, and mostly, to ease the increasing pain in his chest. Neverending, that's how he would describe it.
„So," Engineer started, then opened his can and took a big gulp. „how's your day?"
Spy had to think about that question for a while, but smiled after all.
„Well, you could say I was rather busy. And I encountered ze RED Sniper again. Ze bushman is starting to get on my nerves."
„Ya're enemies after all, I would be suprised if ya two adored each other." He sported a sharp, stabbing look from Spy. „Eh, apologies," Engineer muttered.
„'e always finds a way to kill me. 'e is one sly bastard," hissed Spy and too took a swing from the can. „Moreover, ze bushman managed to kill me two times today. And as you can imagine, it were not a pleasant ways to go."
„Just a two times a day? I thought you two were like two mad dogs, always tryin' to get to each other's throat."
„I meant the more 'ideous ways today, often when we were fighting at close distance. 'e managed to thrust that knife of 'is through my chest. And then shot my 'ead off."
„Well, ain't sayin' it's a pleasant way to die, it truly ain't. Ya should pay him a visit tomorrow, maybe ya could explain to him that's not a way he should treat ya, Spah." Engineer chuckled darkly. „But I know ya know yar way around. So fingers crossed, I guess."
„Yes, I do know my way around. And I will certainly explain things to 'im in as much detail as possible." Spy's lips curled a bit. Just the thought of seeing that Aussie suffering, coughing blood underneath his shoes made Spy determined. He wanted to see the RED in agony. He wanted revenge. Bloody, agonizing and slow revenge.
And he was going to get it.
Sudden sharp pain in his chest shook with his whole body, making him wide awake from his fantasizing. He gasped and instinctively grabbed his suit in order to try and stop the pain. It hurt him all the time, but this was different. This sudden increase in pain… he never experienced that.
„Hey, pardner, are ya alright?" Engineer jumped on his feet and grabbed his shoulders in firm grasp. „What's the matter? Ya wanna go to Medic's?"
„N-no." Wheezed Spy, sounding much more tired. „I visited Medic not so long ago. 'e said there was nothing he could do because I'm completely fine."
„And do you really feel that fine yaself?"
„Do I look like the perfect example of fine?" Spy hissed, frustrated and annoyed of this meaningles conversation. „I got some pills I should take, and I 'ope that will work."
„Well… could ya tell me where it hurts? Maybe it's not as much as medical problem as ya would think," Engineer's sight hardened, as if he was thinking hard about something.
„It's in my chest. It 'urts from the moment I got impaled by that nasty bushman's knife." Spy raised his head and immediately squinted his eyes in suspicion. „Do you possibly know something I do not?"
„I can't say I do. But maybe your chip is damaged." Engineer muttered, looking away.
„My… chip."
„Yea."
„No one ever mind to mention that I do 'ave an electronic chip in my body." That sounded dangerously calm, thought Engie.
„Yar right, Spah."
„Would you be so kind and explain to my why I 'ave a CHIP in MY BODY, NOM DE DIEU?!" That wasn't so calm after all.
„It's quite simple, really, calm down, heavens. The chip is connectin' ya to the Respawn. Meanin' ya can't die when ya have the chip. From lookin' at ya, and what did ya described to me, I'm guessin' ya have a minor chip damage. Nothin' I couldn't handle, really." Engineer quickly explained, feeling that if he wasn't guick with words, Spy could be quick with his butterfly knife.
„So if I understand it correctly, I carry a chip inside of me, that connects me to ze Respawn and now is damaged a bit." Spy summed up and thought about it for a while.
„Can you, fix it, Smart one?" He asked finally, brushing his palm against the sore spot on his chest.
„Of course I can. But not now. I'm exhausted, and this is not the first beer I've had tonight. Feelin' bit tipsy, I have to admit. Wouldn't have the guts to mess with your chip while I'm at this state, sorry." Engineer slumped a bit. „Ya will have to stand it until the mornin', then I could make ya feel alright again."
„If you really are able to 'elp me, tinkerer, I will wait. Maybe those pills will ease the pain a little bit. Or so I 'ope."
„Yeah, I wouldn't count on that Spah, but ya can try it." Engineer shrugged and finished his can. So did Spy.
„Very well," Spy stood up and nodded in Engineer's way. „I will wait until morning. I look forward to it, I must admit I really do."
„Can't blame ya, I wouldn't like to run around with the pain like yours all day, not even a minute."
„Yes. Well, I did. Now, goodnight, friend. See you tomorrow."
„Yes. Right. See ya, Spah. G'night."
Spy left the workshop and closed the door behind him. He sighed. Tomorrow morning was so close, yet so far away. So far away. It seemed that this would be the longest night he ever experienced. The night of his life.
Oh mon Dieu, how he hated being sentimental.
He went down the hallway and stopped in the entrance of the base. Slowly, and quietly, he opened the doors and slipped out of the building.
The night was calm and quiet, as if everything living held their breaths in his presence. The sky was clear, maybe the clearest he'd ever witnessed. But then again, he never stargazed so much. Tonight, the stars shone brightly, flickering in the darkness that was embracing them.
He found himself lost in their beauty, standing still as not to disturb the silence that was embracing him.
„A beautiful night we have here, right, mate?" Sounded somewhere next to him.
„Bushman." Spy answered, the tone of his voice flat. „Aren't you supposed to be in that smelly van of yours?"
„Roight, sorry for interrupting ya Spook. I was just being polite, 's all." The BLU Sniper finally revealed himself from the shadows and took a few steps towards Spy. Then he stopped, unsure of what to say. The first to talk was the Frenchmen, beginning with a heavy sigh.
„I… am sorry for my behavior, Bushman. I've been rather busy today and I'm really, really tired."
„No harm done, mate. Whatcha doin' here anyways?" Sniper asked, genuinely curious, measuring Spy with a questioning look on his face. „Admiring them stars?"
„You could say that I am, in fact, doing exactly that. I just came here for a fresh air. The stars are… a bonus." Muttered the Frenchman and leaned against the wall next to the door. He reached into inner pocket of his suit and took out a cigarette case. He whipped his blue lighter and in a second, inhaled the calming smoke.
„Would you have a one for a friend, mate? I left mine in my camper," Sniper asked quietly, and then pulled out a cigarette, as Spy just galantly offered him the opened case. „Thanks."
„You are welcome, Bushman."
Spy hid his case in the suit and smoked in quiet and peace, but he had to wonder. He gave Sniper a short look. He was still surprised, how similar the Snipers looked. He could swear they were twins. Maybe the BLU was a bit smarter than the RED kangaroo, but otherwise he was still as amused as the first time he saw them kicking each others asses. It was like watching your good side battle the bad one.
It was amusing, but quite irritating, too. The truth was, and Spy had a hard time to finally admitting it to himself, that he was quite fond of Sniper. The BLU one of course. He had his standards. And even though they seemed like the biggest enemies on the whole base, Spy knew. He didn't love the bushman, but he liked him enough to call him a friend.
The problem was, he couldn't help himself but hate the Aussie at the same time because of his nervewrecking resemblance to his counterpart. It was a like-hate relationship.
„Say, Spook, I was wondering."
„I think I'm dreaming, bushman. You finally figured out 'ow the brain works."
„Ha. Ha. So funny Frenchie. Say," Sniper shuffled his feet in the dust and sand. „I was wondering, if ya, well, if ya'd want to hang out sometimes. I know a nice place, good for those leather shoes, too. So?"
„Do you want to take me on a date, Sniper?" Spy grinned, amused, taking it as a best joke he ever said.
„Well, yes."
Spy nearly choked on his cigarette.
When he finally stopped coughing, Sniper never looked more embarassed in his lifetime.
„You want to go on a date with me."
„Well- I- I mean- I thought you- We- I thought you were interested. I figured that we understand each other, somehow. I thought I would give it a try-"
„Sniper." Spy cut in the middle of Sniper's stuttering and turned to face him. His look was cold, but after a while, it eased and melted.
„Sniper, I know you mean well. But-"
„Yeah, yeah I get it Spook, you're not interested, are ya. Well, I- uh, I just- don't tell anybody. Please."
„I will not. This is just between me and you. I'm sorry, Sniper. I like you, but- I guess not so much as you would wish me to."
„Yeah…"
They stood there for a while, in complete silence, watching the stars and feeling broken and ashamed. It was after a long time Spy realized that he was standing there alone.
I like the ending. Do you like the ending? I do.
Next chapter: Things'll finally start to happen! Oh boy, how I look forward to that.
Review anyone? It could boost my productivity, really.
Cheers!