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“Mate. What are you doin’?”
Scout jumped about a foot in the air at the unexpected interruption, releasing a girlish shriek of fright–one that he would deny ever happened if ever asked–he spun on his heel, greeting his newly acquired audience with the cock of a hip.
Of all the possible options who could have stumbled upon his practice session, Sniper was possibly the best and the worst. The amber was more reserved than Medic, Pyro, or Demo, so his presence didn’t immediately spell catastrophe. He was also considerably more fun than Heavy or Engie so the opposite was also true, not a complete snooze-fest. And unlike Spy or Soldier, Sniper wasn’t likely to give him a ration of shit for wasting time dancing instead of training. So, the best. But also, the worst. He and Sniper were close, but he wanted to be closer. Making a fool of himself in front of the gem he can never seem to take his eyes off? Definitely the worst.
Scout forced himself to settle into a more relaxed position, swaying along to the sound of the music.
“What's it look like, pally?” He dared.
Sniper leaned a shoulder against the barn’s entry, his head tilting just so to peer over the top of ambered shades. “It looks like something I should be callin’ the Doc over for.”
Scout scoffed; as if the amber would ever deliberately call for Medic’s help. Medical emergency or not.
“Yeah, yeah, laugh it up.” He turned his back to the gem, totally succeeding at nonchalantly walking over to the table holding the CD-player. He called back behind him, “Why ya’ even here anyways? Not that I mind,” Scout was quick to add, finger’s fumbling on the player’s buttons, “just thought you were gonna spend the day up top is all.”
‘Up Top’ was Scout’s way of referring to Sniper’s home. Sniper, unlike the rest of the Crystal Gems, lived separate from the well-built, mostly maintained fortress of a home base, instead choosing to live–of all places–in a tree. A short hop, skip, and a jump from the base’s back door and then a fairly substantial vertical climb and Scout would be knock, knock, knocking at the entrance point of Sniper’s ‘nest’. It was fairly nice by Scout’s standards, though a few of the Crystal Gems held other opinions. It had electricity, running water, and best of all, a mini-fridge specifically hauled and stocked just for him. He was secretly quite chuffed every time he pulled a can of Bonk from inside.
Whenever Scout had worked up the nerve to ask exactly why the amber didn’t stay inside with the rest of them, Sniper merely answered that he liked to be on his own–though Scout could have sworn he heard the other mumble something about feeling more at home outside of stone.
Sniper pulled himself from his slouch and stepped further inside. Reaching to tick the brim of his hat up and out of the way he pressed the pads of his fingers to the gem on his forehead and pulled, a golden flash of light erupting as a bow was called to hand. Holding the weapon up as explanation he gave it a little shake. “Change of plans is all, roo. Thought I’d get in some target practice.”
Scout paused in his fiddling, throwing an incredulous look over his shoulder. “...roo? You mean… as in, kanga-?” He shook his head in a laugh, “Aw man Snipes, we really gotta stop lettin’ ya’ watch those nature shows.”
“What? Why?!” Sniper straightened in consternation, his bow flickering out of sight, “I like ‘em. And that Irwin fella’s a good bloke!”
Scout whipped around to point an accusing finger in Sniper’s direction. “Cause they’re turning ya’ into some sorta Down Unda charachur!”
“Caricature,” Sniper corrected, baring his teeth in jest.
“Whatevah– mate.” Scout shot back with a grin.
Turning back Scout selected a new track at random, closing his eyes as the first few chords began to play. “You can stick around if you’d like? I’ll just be ovah here, workin’ on my moves.”
“And what moves would those be?”
This was his chance. Spinning around with a flirtatious air, Scout took a singular step into a twist and paused, his eyes focused on a foot tapping in time with the beat. Trailing his gaze upwards, past the cape and the turtle collar of Sniper’s shirt, he took in the other gem’s head also following along.
A plan was forming.
“Now why would I waste my time performing alone when I have a perfectly good duet partner right here?”
Sniper’s foot froze, hovering for a moment before falling with a thud. “Ain’t exactly the dancin’ type.”
“That’s a dumb excuse and you know it,” Scout countered. “Besides! You’ve got a handsome and talented teacher right here at your disposal.”
“Oh?” Sniper replied, feigning a look around the room, “Where's he at then?”
Scout huffed a laugh in response. “Just get over here, would ya’.”
At the CD-player once more, Scout shuffled through the songs pausing on a certain title. Pressing play he bounced his way over to the gem. He grabbed Sniper’s hands with his own just as the beginning horns of ‘It's Not Unusual’ began to ring through the space.
Sniper raised a pointed brow in response.
“Shaddup! Tom Jones’ ‘It’s Not Unusual’ is the perfect song for a beginna, I’ll have you know,'' Scout insisted, pulling Sniper closer to the center of the room. “You don’t even gotta learn any steps or nothin’, just like, y’know, feel the music and– dance.”
He stepped back to show Sniper how it was done. Snapping in time with the beat, shuffling his shoulders and swinging his hips. Sniper watched Scout come alive to the rhythm of the song, a smile pulling at his lips. He could feel his own enthusiasm to dance grow. His head bobbing along as the chorus played.
“Hey, you’re gettin’ it! Here, let’s try something more like–” Scout shot forward, grabbing Sniper and pulling him closer before pushing him away again, swinging the two of them in circles, back and forth to the beat.
A laugh bubbled up from Scout's chest with every spin, Sniper matching his energy turn for turn, the both of them feeding off one another as they played across the floorboards.
As one swing led into another, Sniper pulled Scout into him, checking his hip with his own and throwing the both of them off balance. Stumbling them head first into a fit of giggles, they embraced the action, their legs tangling as they twirled. A whirl of light and color overtaking them as they lost themselves in delight.
“Ha! That was–”
“And you said you–“
“Wait… what?”
Something was wrong. That wasn’t his- Scout’s- Sniper’s- voice.
“…Snipes?” The form asked itself.
“Scout?” It responded.
“Did we… did we just… fuse?” The form blinked its eyes in bewilderment– once, twice, then a third. Its vision remained clear but doubled, half of the view cloaked under a pinkish filter. A singular pair of hands rose then rotated, gloves where there was- wasn’t- was some before.
“Woa–AH!”
A spike of panic shot across the form’s mind and it shuddered. A fracture etched slowly across its middle before, in a burst of light, the joined form was ripped asunder, tumbling across the floor back into two.
Sniper’s fall knocked his hat askew and blinked his glasses out of existence. His body lay motionless for a moment before his eyes widened in alarm. He quickly backed himself out of the open space. Scout landed with flailing limbs, catching the still playing CD-player with his side and toppling it from the table to the ground. The crash ripping the space into silence.
Disoriented but giddy, Scout rocked to his feet, his eyes lit up with stars. “We fused!! I didn’t, I didn’t even know that was something I could– HOLY CRAP!” Scout’s hands shot upwards, knocking his cap from his head as he gripped his hair tight, his smile becoming blinding. “Do you know what this means? Spy’s gonna crack a facet!”
A string of hysterical chortles nearly bent Scout in half before he twirled his way across the room over to Sniper. Wiping at his eyes with the sleeve of his jacket, Scout attempted to calm down. “Ha-hey, hey Snipes, what do you say we, ha-ha, we try that aga–...Snipes?” His voice lost all mirth, “Hey man, you alright?”
Sniper wasn’t alright. He seemed to be attempting fusion with the wall, if anything, with how tightly he was pressing himself against it. His hands were clamped onto the brim of his hat, bending it down over his eyes and out of place. Sniper was rocking, just slightly, and now that Scout was paying attention he could feel the hair on his arms standing in place. The amber didn’t normally release static electricity unless he was seriously out of sorts and Scout could float a balloon untethered in mid air with how much of it was filling the room.
Taking a tentative step closer he strained to catch the words coursing out of the side of Sniper’s trembling mouth.
“–and then we just–I just! No. No, no no no that-that didn’t happen, that couldn’t have happened. I-I can’t do that. I shouldn’t be able to–”
“Whoa whoa, hey pally! I know I was kinda freakin’ out over there but it’s really not that big of a deal, right? I mean like, Heavy and Medic fuse all the time, it’s nothing to worry about.”
“You don’t KNOW THAT!” Sniper jerked up screaming, hurling the words directly into Scout’s face, causing him to stumble backwards to the floor in fright. The amber’s normally hidden eyes were red ringed and wide with tears, his arm reaching out towards Scout in remorse before dropping, defeated, to his lap.
“Sorry…,” He whispered, slumping back against the wall, “I’m sorry.”
Scout stayed put, assessing the situation safely from where he landed, hackles raised and breath ragged.
Tipping the front of his hat lower over his face, Sniper attempted to explain, “I’m sorry–I just… it’s just that, well… I didn’t know I could do that.”
Scout waited a moment longer, watching carefully for signs of another outburst, before creeping forward, scooting his butt to the right of the gem and resting his back against the wall. He fidgeted with the chain around his neck, clicking a dog-tag up and down its length in a smooth, steady pace, listening as the hitch in Sniper’s breathing eased as he followed along.
“What do you, uh, what do you mean, exactly? When you say you didn’t know?”
“I mean… well, you already know, don't you? What I am. Or I guess, what I’m… not. Spooks probably told you as a reason to keep away, or maybe you overheard it from the Doc, it’s not exactly a secret.”
Sniper shifted to the side, catching Scout’s eyes with his own. “I’m not a gem, Scout. I might have been cut and polished to look like one but,” he trailed off, eyes falling to where the bottom of his boot was scuffing against the floor, grinding dirt to dust. “At the end of the day I’m just some old tree sap the Doc dug up and gave form.”
Sniper was right, his father had mentioned the fact before. Stay away from that filthy bush-made Jeremy, who knows what germs he might spread. But Scout never put much stock into Spy’s advice, still choosing to climb into Sniper’s tree, to hang off of his words and lounge in his space. He knew Medic still treated Sniper like an experiment at times, and that Spy talked to the amber like gum stuck to his shoes, but Scout hadn’t realized the other gem was internalizing all of it, that he felt the same.
Sniper's voice broke through his musing, “Fusion, Scout… it-it shouldn’t be possible, not for me. I just… I just don’t understand how.”
Scout bumped his shoulder into the others, leaving them pressed together, “And I do? Snipes, look at me. I’m half human. I mean… I may have a real gem in comparison but I’ve got a real body too, not some freak light projection like yours, no offense. If I can fuse, where, where does it even go?”
They were silent as they mulled that over. Scout’s eyes trailed across the barn, following the sunlit paths of falling dust motes aimlessly as the seconds ticked on.
His gaze settled on the broken remains of the CD player.
“Y’know… for what it’s worth, it, uh, it felt pretty natural, to, to me. Us, uh, us fusing and all. Like, like for the few seconds we were, well… we, I felt… balanced? Like everythin’ was, and was gonna be, okay.” Scout managed, scratching at the back of his head nervously. “Ignore me, would ya’? Probably bein’ dumb or something.”
“No. Not at all actually, I, er, felt the same. It was like… like I was sorta’ grounded? Like for once in my life I had everything together.” A fond smile graced Sniper’s face at the thought, “It was nice.”
Scout rocketed up, pivoting his body to clutch at Sniper’s shoulders, startling him to alertness. “Wait, you really mean that? So, so uh, it wasn’t awful for you? Just, just surprising?”
Sniper nodded slowly, his eyes flicking away from Scout’s intense stare. “Yeah no yeah it, er, it felt incredible, mate. Just sorta’ shattered my world view for a moment there. Hard to stay together when you’re fallin’ apart, am I right?”
“Yeah, yeah you’re right.” Scout eased his grip, his face turning thoughtful, “Does that mean then that… that you uh, might be up to tryin’ it again? Fusing, I mean. With me. On purpose this time.”
Sniper was hesitant, “I mean er… yes and no, mate. I’d like to, I would but… I don’t know, what if it was a fluke? What if we sync up and everything again and nothin’ happens? Not sure I could handle that at the moment. And we–”
Scout waved the very idea of failure away. It had worked before, it would work now. “And what if it wasn’t? I mean, c’mon, what’re even the odds of that!?”
Sniper continued as if Scout had never cut him off, “–probably shouldn’t test anything at all till we get you checked over by the Doc first, much as I’m not wild ‘bout the idea. What you brought up before is right, and worrisome. We don’t know what fusion does to you and it's probably not safe to experiment without the Doc’s hypothetical approval.”
“Come on,” Scout groaned, hanging his head in the space between them, “Look, we formed and split so fast we didn’t even really get a feel for it- us- them? We didn’t even get to, uh, get to really meet them before we fell apart, y’know?”
Scout paused, considering, before lifting his head and shooting a look straight into the amber’s eyes, “I want to meet them, Sniper. I want to meet us.”
Sniper quickly dropped his gaze, letting out an audible swallow, the finger’s of his gloved hand beginning to tap against his sides.
Taking in Sniper’s anxious ticks, Scout blanched. He didn’t mean to come across so forceful. Didn’t mean to try and–and manipulate the other gem into something he didn't want.
“I-I was just thinking that it would be nice, is all. There is absolutely no pressure to agree with me man, I mean–”
Sniper nodded with finality, his fingers quieting. “Awrighty then.”
“–and we’d only do it if-if that would be something you’d– what?” Scout blinked in surprise.
Sniper tugged his hat back into place, shooting the other gem a lopsided grin, “I said fine, mate. I mean, you’re right– wasn’t very polite of me to form ‘em and not wait around for a proper introduction, was it?”
“Yeah. Yeah, it wasn’t!” Scout grinned, throwing a quip in return, “And-and that’s one of your weird rules, isn’t it? Be polite?”
“That it is,” Sniper replied, hauling himself to his feet and brushing at the dirt stuck to his pants. Fixing Scout with a beseeching look he held a hand down in invitation. “Well then, care for a dance, roo?”
Scout leaned up to place his hand in the offered palm, letting Sniper pull him to his feet and into his arms. Scout considered the other gem for a moment before conceding an unspoken point with a pout. “I’ve gotta admit, the whole kanga- thing, it’s grown on me.”
“Good,” Sniper said simply, reaching up to summon back his signature shades, hiding his still slightly red eyes from view. “Would’ve been a struggle to think up a new term of endearment on such short notice.”
“Is it?”
“Is it what?”
“A term of endearment?” Scout clarified, a hopeful flush creeping across his cheeks as he gazed up into ambered glass.
Sniper merely smiled, answering in a purr, “You tell me, roo.”
Scout blushed deeper, his gaze snapping away though his body stepped closer. Sniper guided a hand to his shoulder, the other around his waist, before slipping his own hands into place. The CD-player still laid shattered on the floor so they hummed the bars of the prior song, shuffling in place. It was awkward at first, they had stumbled-quite literally–into their initial fusion and that ease was missing in their current attempted two-step.
“Think I must’a formed with two left feet, mate.” Sniper sheepishly chuckled after stepping on Scout’s foot for the third time in a row.
“We just got to loosen up a little, that's all. Here, why don’t we–” Scout attempted to pull Sniper into a dip but ultimately ended with them just barely managing to catch themselves before crashing to the floor.
“Look, mate, this ain’t it.” Sniper stepped back, slouching a bit as one hand rubbed at the back of his neck. “Maybe we got too up in our heads about it or something. Why don’t you run to base and give it a try with Demo or someone instead.”
“NO!” Scout shouted, surging closer and locking his limbs around Sniper’s midsection. “No. I-I want to fuse with you. Stay, please.”
“Woah, awright! Awright.” Sniper returned the embrace, rocking in place in hopes of supplying comfort. “Just thought I’d give you an out with some easier options that’s all, but okay. I’ll stay. I want to fuse with you too.”
Scout buried his head deeper into Sniper’s chest mumbling his response into the folds of his shirt, “You just don’t get it do ya’, pally? You are the easier option.”
“How so?” Sniper questioned, turning them slowly about the floor, humming a soft, nonsense melody under his breath. A dull glow of gold begins to light up the rafters above them. A pale pink casts a shine across the floor. Neither of the two gave the developments much notice.
Scout pulled back just enough to speak, “Cause… ‘cause we’re the same.”
Sniper guided them to a stop. The brilliance of the colors around them growing in intensity.
“No gem is quite like you and no person is anything like me. We’re both not like anybody… And it sucks, yeah but, I’ve got you. And you’ve got me!”
Sniper paused his humming, listening intently now to the words, and the sentiment, falling from Scout’s lips. The whole barn was awash with light.
“That’s why we work, that’s why we fused– ‘cause no one else gets us the same way we do.” A hand reached up and grasped onto Sniper’s arm, squeezing the point home as Scout peeked up through his lashes.
Sniper’s gaze traced over the soft angles of Scout’s face; down the ridge of his nose, across the pout of his lips, getting lost in the multitude of freckles decorating his cheeks. He could count every single speck if he wanted, with how close they were right now. His hand slides down from around Scout’s waist to his hip, a finger tracing along the edge of where warm skin met cool faceting. His other hand gripped gently onto Scout’s chin, tilting his face up to meet his own. For a moment, everything in the world narrowed to just them.
A pulse. A catch of a breath.
“Well, who am I to question the most handsome and talented teacher here?”
A flash. A skipped beat.
A soft smile slipped its way onto Scout’s face. “Exactly,” he breathed.
A blaze of light outward and then–
Suddenly… New.
When four eyes fluttered open this time it- He was ready. Wobbling his way out of the barn on two legs he tripped over to a nearby water outflow, peering over the sides of the encampment to get a better look.
Scout’s clothes seemed to mostly sit on top of his own, the signature baseball jacket draped like a cape over his shoulders, the ball chain of the dog-tags fused through the lapels– ensuring its staying power as he moved. Two sets of eyes peered back in the reflection, blue ones on top shining bright with curiosity while the bottom pair hid from view under reddish-pink shades. His complexion was a light olive green, and his hair– slicked back with a bit of a curl –a deeper shade of the same, and as he leaned forward closer to the water he could just make out the splatter-paint of pinkish-red freckles, moles, and scars scattered across his skin.
“Well, what do you- I- we think?”
He tried for a smile, angling his head to ogle at the mix of Sniper’s pointed canines and Scout’s bucked teeth peeking through. Out of the corner of his eye he caught a glimpse at the gem on his forehead and its mottled new look shifted his attention swiftly, “Oh, that’s new.”
Lifting a hand upwards he thumbed at the gem, calling forth Sniper’s bow from inside. Clasping it in one hand he contorted his body to pull Scout’s weapon from the gem at his hip, the baseball bat dwarfed in his hold. With each in a hand he braced himself, eyes closing to a squint, and pushed them together. Feeling something solidifying, he slowly opened his eyes to take in the detail.
A… a stick?
He swung the weapon around a few times, taking in the diamond shaped top and the strings hanging from its sides. An epiphany struck.
Oh! A slingshot.
Planting the tail end of the stick firmly to the ground he pulled back the elastic, a ball of electricity swirling into place as he aimed for the sky. Flicking his fingers he released the shot up into space, vanishing the weapon as he straightened to watch the ensuing light show. As the shot reached the lower atmosphere it broke apart, exploding in a flare of sparks before falling back to Earth still crackling with energy.
A name, his name, popped into his head as he followed the last of the glimmers to the ground.
“Unakite.” He murmured. Looking back down into the water he folded himself into a bow. “Scout, Sniper,” nodding toward each gem. “It’s wonderful to properly get to meet ya’.” He reached up to grab at his head only to come up with air, bringing his hand down in confusion.
“What’s wrong?” A ripple of worry echoed.
“Nothing. Just… just feel like I’m missin’ a hat is all.” Worry gave way to humored understanding, the fusion’s form settling once more. Giving his reflection another glance he sent himself, and the relationship that formed him, a cheeky wink with a lopsided grin.
“Guess that’s just something I’ll have to fix for next time, huh?”