Work Text:
...
It started in Tuefort.
Sniper didn’t know why the little bugger kept pestering him. At first he thought that the kid was just a bit bored. Not a whole lot to do when you’re young and stuck in the middle of a New Mexican dessert. So when Scout started following him around, he tried to give him things to do. “Wanna help me clean my rifle? I’ll teach you how”, “Would you like to borrow a book, mate?” and “come here and I'll teach you how to skin a coyote." Scout wasn't to happy being put to work on the last one.
Then as the kid stayed with him while Sniper was on lookout, he thought maybe the kid was lonely. It was true that most of the team ignored him, because hell, Scout could be a headache. No harm in being the snot’s friend, yeah? It was natural to be friends with your teammates. It was professional, it helped teamwork.
When the kid started asking Sniper questions about himself, Sniper figured he was self conscious and went to Sniper for reassurance. It was kinda hard to believe. Scout, self conscious? The kid could brag and boast more than the rest of the team put together. But the more he thought about it, and the more questions the younger man asked, the more it makes sense.
“Yo, Sniper, am I ugly? Like, I ain’t ever gotten lucky in the dating area, so, like, am I ugly- or, man this is a weird question to be asking another dude.” He said with a nervous shrug. He sounded so young.
Sniper gave him something along the lines of: No Scout. You’re not ugly. When you grow up a bit you’ll be a lady killer. How much Sniper actually thought that was Scout never had to know.
Then, as the kid started started saying more personal things to Sniper, he thought that maybe Scout was looking for a father figure. He didn’t have one, Sniper knew. “The bastard left my mom with all us kids when I was still a baby. Don’t remember his face or nothin’. The folks never could track him down for child support or for an ass kicking’. When I try to picture me pa I just see my oldest bro’s face.”
Yeah, that prediction was a little off too.
...
Scout leaned against the wall and played with his dog tags. They made a metal on metal noise that Sniper wasn’t too fond of but chose to ignore. “So uh,” Scout started. “Why do do this snipen thing even after the rounds end?”
The taller man grunted. Hadn’t he explained this already? Scout had been watching him do it for nearly a week now, and Sniper found he has to repeat himself often than not. “It’s a lookout. And, ah, shooting the birds is fair practice.”
“Yeah, yeah right. That’s kinda sick, you know that? A lil’ fucked up. Not that I’m judging or anything... but, uh. Yeah. You kill animals a lot?”
Sniper growled. He was only shooting the starlings, they were invasive to New Mexico anyway. “I’m a hunter, of both of men and any big game you can think of,” he said a bit more defensively than he needed to. “Besides, you kill people with a bat for a living, Squirt. You can’t judge.”
Scout’s tone was defensive too. “It’s different , respawn always brings those guys back. And don’t call me that.” The rifle went off. Sniper grinned in a way that let Scout know he made his mark. “I’m twenty-freaking-two.”
“You talk like you're Sixteen.”
Sniper could practically hear Scout smirking behind him even though he was focusing on the birds. “Nah, nah, I’m way past legal, pal.”
If Sniper found that sentence odd, he didn’t let it show til Scout had walked away. He scoffed. Dumb kid didn’t have tasteful jokes. Sniper didn’t make any more shots that evening.
...
“Snipes!” Scout called from across the mess hall, patting the seat next to him. “Yo, Sniper I’m over here!” After being called out like that, Sniper supposed he couldn’t just take his dinner and take it to his camper to eat alone. God, this kid was getting weird. Now they had to eat together?
With a raised eyebrow Sniper made his way over to Scout’s table and sat next to him. Engie smiled at them when he passed- what was he smiling about? Did he think this is funny?
Scout took a bite of his food. His plate was already half empty. It was something Frenchy made, and Sniper admitted to himself begrudgingly that it wasn’t half bad. “So, uh, Snipes, I got this cool comic book the other day. I ordered it from Mann Co. because there's not no stores out here, and-” Sniper stopped listening and focused on his dinner. Sometimes when Scout was about to launch into a story it was best to just nod and give the occasional ‘yeah?’. But as the kid talked, the older man found himself noticing things about the kid he never noticed before. He had bucked teeth. Not too bad, hell, they were even kinda cute. They fit him well-
“Hey Snipes you listening to me? C’mon man.”
“Hmm? Sure.”
“Well, while youse was daydreaming I was trying to apologize about earlier. Shootin’ birds ain’t a crime. I mean, when I was a kid I had a slingshot and I’d shoot em right out my window. Didn’t kill em or nothing but it wasn’t real nice.”
Sniper grunted.
“Like, m’sorry.” Something in the way Scout’s face changed right then made Sniper feel funny.
“S’not worth apologizing for. Just... Think before you talk.”
“Yeah, yeah, Medic tells me that a lot. It’s not that I don’t think- I think a lot. A million thoughts a minute. You guys think its empty up here,” he pointed to his head. “But it’s not.”
Sniper wasn’t near done with his dinner and decided for the sake of conversation to say “well, what do you think about?”
The other paused- and that was new. Scout never paused. He just talked and talked and talked like he didn’t even need to breathe. “I, I dunno. Stuff, man. None of you guys ever think I have stuff to think about, but I certainly do. I kill fuckers for a living, my ma needs a twenty six hundred dollar surgery soon- and I can fund it, I just can’t be their? Ya know? I’m her boy, I ought to be there. Three of my brothers are pissed at me for it- but I can’t help it. An’ Spy has been dropping not-so subtle hints that he’s my dad, and I swear if he is the same guy who ditched my ma I’ll bash his fuckin’ brains in, and I’m chasing a guy that’s denser than a brick wall.
“Oh yeah, and I like dudes too. Ain’t too fortunate. I don’t like em in a just go-out-for-a-beer kinda way but in a, a, you know.” He have a hand gesture. Scout was laughing now, short, cruel, each one sounded like it could lead into a voice crack.
Yes, he did know. Sniper’s palms itched. He wanted to go- Scout, Scout could talk the ear of a kangaroo he never talked about anything this... this personal. Sniper wet his lips and attempted to end the most uncomfortable silence he had ever heard. “I’m sorry. About your mother. That would eat at me, too. And don’t listen to Spy he just likes pushing buttons. And, uh.” Scout was looking at him funny, waiting for something and Sniper wanted to leave again. He was shit at comforting others- did Scout even need comfort? Sniper hadn’t ever seen the kid upset for more than three seconds.
Sniper cleared his throat and talked lower and quieter. “The other team's Medic and Heavy are... Funny like that too. You’re not the only one. Even on the team, you aren’t the only one, mate.”
“Not the only one on the team?” Sniper narrowed his eyes. Why did Scout sound so hopeful?
“Yeah. Between you and me, half the guys here would rut anything that walks on two legs. Me included, so, uh, don’t be bothered by that. The guys won’t judge- not even Soldier.”
“You’re not a fairy?” Scout said flatly but still with question. Where had all that emotion in his voice gone?
Fairy? Suddenly Sniper realized what scout had been searching for a along. Sniper had a bad taste in his mouth, like he’d been tricked. “I play for both teams, Squirt.”
“Do you know,” Scout started with space in between each word and one eyebrow raised way above the other. “That is was like pulling teeth tryin’ to get that outta you?” The look on his face was incredulous but happy. Giddy, even. For a third time since they started talking Sniper wanted to leave.
Scout- suddenly a lot more comfortable and confident, leaned onto one of his hands and asked with ease “Are you a catcher or a pitcher?”
Sniper’s face fell. “Come again?”
“C’mon. Are you a top or a bottom?”
“Yes, I damn well know what you’re asking I just don’t understand why you’re asking it. Here. Now. To me.”
“Well, yeah I suppose this ain’t private or nothin’. But why you? Well,” Scout smiled, showing those slightly buck, white teeth. This time the smile wasn’t so cocksure, no, this time Sniper could tell it was caused by nervousness. “There is... I dunno, Okay I just...”
It was with a sick sense that Sniper realized he liked seeing Scout nervous. Nervous about him. “I’m forty one. I could be your dad. ” Sniper said more to see Scouts reaction than tell the other what he already knew.
“Maybe, I. Maybe I kinda like that. That a crime?”
Sniper stared down at his food, no longer interested in it. He felt like smiling- maybe he was smiling. The kid was so interested? Fine, he could throw a bone. “What’re you looking for kid?”
Scout swallowed and frowned. “What am I looking for? A good time. I’m not asking you to marry me, just, just looking for some fun.”
Fun? Before today Sniper assumed the kid was a virgin. After the way Scout played him, he realized the kid might not be so innocent, but yeah. Sniper could show Scout some fun . “You want a good time?” Sniper scanned to the room to make sure they were still the only ones in it. “I can show you a good time as long as you stay quiet about it. Swing by my camper tonight- don’t pick some ungodly hour. I gotta sleep too.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
“Like, really really?”
“Really really. Question it again and I might change my mind.”
“That’s... that’s a joke right?”
“Sure, Squirt.”
The younger man made a face but smiled anyway. Yeah, the more he really looked at it, the more Sniper really liked that smile. “I told you to stop calling me that.”
“I can call you what I want, now.” Scout was good at shit-eating smirks but the one Sniper gave was even better.
He rolled his eyes. “Sure pal- whatever you think, but uh.” He was getting up to bring his dish to the sink. He grabbed Sniper’s too, even though Sniper wasn’t done with it yet. His hands were shaking and he couldn’t still them. “Like, do you wanna, I dunno, we could watch a movie together too or something. Engie has that projector set up an’ Pyro has a million science fiction tapes.”
Sniper raised an eyebrow.
“Like, yeah I’m lookin’ for a good time an’ I’m not trying to marry ya or anything serious but like, maybe we can just... Hang out together.”
“You want me to treat you to a four course meal? Hold your hand as we watch a drama?”
Scout didn’t catch Sniper’s levity. “ Fine. When you say it like that it sounds dumb-”
“No, no, I was joking Scout. We can watch a movie, alright? Whatever you want.”
“Really?”
Sniper chuckled. “Really really, mate.”
“You’re not gonna change your mind or nothing’?”
“Not as long as you stop asking these questions.”
“Fuckin’ neat, man. I-” he took a couple steps back. “I’ll see you later, alright? Like, yeah.” Sniper watched as Scout practically skipped away back to the kitchen. The only sound as he did so was the metal against metal sound of his dog tags banging together. The kid was light on his feet.
Sniper headed back to his camper. He needed to clean it up a little first- he didn’t usually have company in there. As he walked out of the mess hall there was no stopping the dopey smile on his face.