Chapter Text
Scout loves to run. Well, love is an understatement. He needs to run. Running is his life blood, the moon to his sea, and it was his escape. His bread and butter depended on him being faster than the competition and the only person who rivals his stamina is himself in a red tee shirt.
Not that it was an issue; having a clone of yourself is kind of cool. It was like looking in a mirror, but every time he looked it got more and more distorted. Different experiences make different folks. After years they are barely the same guy anymore. But, none of that mattered when he was running. He didn’t think or feel when he was running. Grass grows, birds fly, sun shines, and Scout runs.
That said, he was now on one of his nightly jogs. In the mornings before work, he has a race with the RED Scout. At first he thought others might care, but he found the opposite true: No one cared about the ‘war’ after hours. They weren’t getting paid so it wasn’t their business.
So that is why he doesn’t even flinch when he catches a speck of something red walking towards the base. Probably the Pyro, that guy was friendly as all hell, he assumes. But when the shape got closer and closer, walking ever so slowly he realized it wasn’t Pyro.
“EY!” He smiles to the other Sniper, “TA WEIRD OLD MAN CONVENTION IS THE OTHER WAY.” Nice.
The Sniper stops for a fraction of a second before cupping his hands around his mouth and yelling back.
“WIV YOU HOPPIN ABOUT LOKE THAT OYE THOUGHT YOU WERE A BLOODY JACK RABBIT FOR A HOT MINUTE, MATE.”
Scout chuckles and jogs over to meet with Sniper. He had to admit he likes this Sniper. He is far more confident than the BLU one, and a bit snarkier. It makes work interesting to say the least. With the way they bantered on the field, Scout considers Sniper a friend. In secret, no one else has to know. Or needs to. He doesn’t want to have to kill Sniper for real.
“So, Snipes. Didn’t get enough ass kicking today and came for seconds?” Super nice.
Sniper’s half smile widens, “I think we both know who got their ass kicked today, pally .” He mimics Scout’s accent with the last bit and his lips hook into a smirk.
“Wanna go, Snipes?” Scout raises his fists a bit, and grins.
“Yes, uh, actually. I do want to go.” Sniper chuckles, “But not in that way.”
Scout lowers his hands and emptily stares at Sniper. “What is that even supposed ta mean.”
It was Snipers turn to blankly stare. “You know. Go out. You know?”
Scout did know. In fact he did know so much that he has to step back and crane his head to look behind Sniper. There wasn’t a hidden camera near him, or a mic planted on him. This had to be a prank.
“I’m gonna need you to spell it out. What do you mean go.” It wasn’t a question.
Sniper tilts his hat down just a bit, “Well, uh. Go out. Fer an, outing. Together.” He twiddles his thumbs, and Scout had to believe he was dead or dying.
“Urm.” He was at a loss for words. Was this a date? Was Sniper asking him out? Is that allowed? Does Sniper like him?
“I, uh, just… We’re… er… friends. Yeah? I… thought maybe. We could? Do something. Outside… of work. Where we don’t have to. Kill each other. You know?”
“Uh.” Scout needs to say something. He has to right? That’s what he does. He says something. He says everything really, but he can’t say anything.
“And… um. Someone urm. Earlier today… Helped me figure out that perhaps I fancied you… A bit. Maybe. So if. You’re interested.” Sniper is looking at his feet now, finding the dirt rather interesting while Scout just looks at him. He couldn’t think.
Is Sniper gay? Is Scout? Why doesn’t he just say no and forget about it? Does he want to? He doesn’t have to say yes. He doesn’t need to say yes. But maybe, just maybe he wants to. It isn’t like he hasn’t thought about getting closer to that Sniper. But he always thought it was a fever dream, nothing that would be pursued or even brought up into the waking light. But here it was, Sniper mumbling some poor attempt at asking him out.
“So, um. Scout, if you’d… like to go. With me. To uh, do a thing. Or something. It would be an honor.”
Scout blinks for the first time in an eon. His mouth and his mind aren’t communicating so his body does for him. He nods his head slowly, and finally spits out a thought.
“I’mfreethisweekend.” Scout can feel the heat in his cheeks. It was burning a hole into his soul. “Bye.”
He ran. Maybe for the first time ever, that wasn’t the right thing to do.
But still, he ran.