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“Soldier, what in tarnation has gotten into you today?” Engineer demanded.
He was just about fed up at this point. Soldier had been hounding him since the day’s battle started, getting in the way of his machines, jumping into fights he had no need to, and being completely out of position to boot. Usually he only saw Soldier on the battlefield when he dropped by to use the dispenser, or as he was bounding off to the frontlines with a wave and a call of good luck. This was completely out of the ordinary and quickly becoming a real problem.
Soldier looked uncomfortable beneath his helmet, standing rigidly with his fists clenched at his sides. Bites was in his usual place clinging to the back of his jacket, but the raccoon wouldn’t look at them either.
Engineer groaned. They didn’t have time for this kind of fooling around! BLU was already kicking their tails, and at least part of that was because the two of them weren’t doing their damn jobs. Or rather because Soldier kept preventing Engineer from doing his and wasn’t where he was needed.
“Look, I appreciate the help,” he huffed, trying a different tactic. “But I got everything under control here. You need to get to the frontline.”
“Negatory,” Soldier barked, tone as determined as ever. “I need to make sure you’re protected.”
“I can handle myself just fine,” Engineer shot back, feathers distinctly ruffled by this point. He didn’t understand why Soldier suddenly felt like he couldn’t handle himself. He was more than capable of defending himself and had proved it many times.
Soldier opened and closed his mouth for several seconds, struggling for words. In the end he just dropped his head to stare at his boots, but he still didn’t move. Engineer groaned.
Marigold buzzed softly against his cheek. She had left her hiding spot under his collar as they argued and Engineer saw Soldier and his dæmon’s attention go to her almost at once though he quickly looked away again.
“I need to protect you,” he gruffed out.
“Soldier,” Marigold piped up. “What’s really wrong?”
Soldier looked at her, slightly wide-eyed as always when she addressed him or came near him. It was something between fear and wonder and it never failed to make Engineer melt a little, even when he was annoyed with the man.
“I—” Soldier swallowed, looking away again, helmet obscuring his eyes. His hard frown was still visible. “You died. Last battle.”
“I die most battles,” Engineer reasoned. Dying was just part of the job.
“No— well, yes, but,” he lifted his head, gazing intently at the little bee as she perched on Engineer’s collar. “You died,” he practically whispered.
Oh.
Engineer had forgotten about that. The BLU Pyro had ambushed him while he was working, one of those times when Marigold was off his person checking things for him. Soldier had been right there with them chatting as he reloaded and healed up. The Pyro had been aiming for Soldier, but Marigold had been caught in the fireball they sent his way.
It had been a quick death, all things considered. She was sturdier than a normal bee, sure, but still nowhere near as tough as some of the other dæmons on their teams. To him it was just a blinding moment of pain and then he was blinking in respawn, slightly disoriented. He hadn’t considered that Soldier had watched it happen. Probably saw his dæmon turn to Dust right in front of him.
His irritation dissipated and he sighed, pushing his goggles up to his forehead. “Aw, hell, Soldier.”
Soldier stared resolutely at his feet.
Engineer came over to him, putting a hand on his free shoulder so he was forced to look at him. From this angle Engineer could see his baby blue eyes and the unshed tears prickling the corners of them.
“That wasn’t your fault,” he said gently. “No, don’t.”
He cut Soldier off as he opened his mouth to argue. He closed it again with a frown.
“It wasn’t,” he assured. “These sorts of things happen. And honestly, it could’ve been a hell of a lot worse.”
His mind went at once to Scout and Prue, that time they’d been separated by an explosion. It made both him and Marigold shudder at the memory.
“I should have protected you. Protected her,” Soldier practically whispered.
“You didn’t see it comin’ any more than I did.” Engineer shook his head, smiling faintly. “Look, I know my dæmon ain’t exactly, well, the toughest or nothin’, but I’m not some helpless damsel out here. I can look after myself and my dæmon just fine. You just worry about doin’ your own job, alright Hoss?”
Soldier took a deep breath but nodded, straightening up to show he understood. He still looked like a kicked puppy beneath his helmet despite his attempts to hide it.
Engineer patted his shoulder reassuringly. “We’ll be alright. I know you’re jus’ lookin’ out for us, an’ if I need your help I’ll ask, but we’ll be okay.”
“Understood,” he said gruffly.
Marigold buzzed against Engineer’s cheek again, this time lifting off and bobbing over to Soldier. Bites leaned forward to watch her like he always did, whiskers quivering, while Soldier held stock still as she hovered by his face. For a moment she alighted on the shell of his ear like she did so often with Engineer. Engineer shivered from the contact, that warm, electric zing going through his veins as his face warmed a few degrees. She said something to him Engineer couldn’t hear and then was gone again, crawling back into her usual spot under his collar.
Soldier looked dazed for a moment before shaking himself off and giving a snappy salute, his usual enthusiasm back and a wide grin on his face.
“Yes ma’am!” he said brightly, hoisting up his rocket launcher once more. With a wave and exuberant yell, he launched himself forward and back into the fray, scattering surprised BLUs as he landed.
“What did you say to him?” Engineer asked his dæmon suspiciously.
“Oh, not much,” she hummed. He could feel her smugness even if he couldn’t see it. “Jus’ told him how much you admire him when he’s out there showin’ off and blowin’ up mean sons of guns.”
Engineer’s cheeks reddened. He had a feeling she hadn’t used that phrasing exactly. It wasn’t like she didn’t know how attractive Engineer found Soldier when he was in his element. He didn’t need to say it aloud. She was part of him, after all.
“You’re a downright terror sometimes, you know that?” he huffed.
“Are you sayin’ I’m wrong?” she shot back teasingly.
He scoffed and shook his head, but he didn’t disagree.