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By all accounts everyone already knew that Sniper wasn’t exactly the touchy-feely type. It wasn’t a stereotype if it was true, and he had a reputation to uphold damnit. He was a professional getting a job done. Sure when there was down time it was arguable if it was necessary to be so aloof, but it was just more natural for him to be that way.
He’d never gotten on with those around him anyways. The kids back in Australia knew how to be cruel, after all, so it was never easy for him to find company.
He didn’t fit into the usual ‘Australia mold’ that the rest of the world knew, which caused enough issues for him over the years to have learned that distances was best. It felt safer to just be far away from those nearby. If he didn’t engage with them to begin with then he wouldn’t have to worry about getting hurt again.
Besides, he was used to it at this point.
It felt more awkward being around people than not being around people. That was what the camper was for. Easier to avoid said people if he didn’t even have to stay in the main base. Of course, it could cause comradery issues as Miss Pauling had once noted to him. But the real issues with comradery was having to trust a spook like Spy every damn mission. There were other issues with this RED Team he had to work with than his lack of conversation skills.
Yet, a small part of him still wanted company.
It was easier to ignore when he was alone in a roost. When he could watch the rest of his team running around below he suddenly didn’t need the touch of someone else. He just needed to be able to see where a Blu was and watch the headshot hit them.
The blood splatter that would follow made him feel calm inside. He had just done his job. He’d marked off another box on his list of hits to complete in a given day, and in that he could detach himself from the feelings inside of him.
Satisfaction would hold him in a chokehold for the entire mission, even when he would get back to base after.
It didn’t matter that Soldier wouldn’t shut the fuck up on the ride back, that Spy was grumbling on about another random grip as he was forced to sit next to him, or that Demo kept randomly shouting at nothing. In moments like that, where he could feel the gears inside of his body grinding together and it felt like he could scream, he’d just clutch his gun that little bit tighter and remind himself what he achieved on the field.
He’d been a professional.
He’d gotten the job done.
There was no other feeling of satisfaction like it.
Well, at least, except for when Scout came around.
It’s like none of the rules he’d come to understand about other people applied to Scout. Something about his wide eyed yet mischievous grin just broke through all the walls he’d had to put up growing up.
He knew how to break through all of Sniper’s barriers, and Sniper was in no place to complain.
If it had been anyone other than Scout, he might have had more grips. He might have ignored them and their advances. He knew how find out if someone was bluffing him for an alternative motive. He’d had a few run ins with the Blu Spy that technically fell into that category, but they never went anywhere before he put a piece of lead between his eyes.
That made sense to him though.
Spy had a clear goal in flirting with him.
He wanted his guard down so that he could stab him in the back or miss a shot on one of his team members. There was a tangible nature to a spys’ motives. Those motives were nonnegotiables when it came to spies. Betrayal was all they were ever going to know, and Sniper had to learn that. He had learned it.
Scout though?
He had no motives.
If anything, with how much he’d tried to get with Miss Pauling at the start, it made less sense for him to take a shine to Sniper.
He clearly had set up that he was obsessively interested in women. There was never a day where he didn’t seem to be talking about Miss Pauling when they were first working. Something about that poor woman just really captured his mind. At least, until a few months ago.
Then, out of the blue, he seemed to be clinging to Sniper. He couldn’t talk to him enough, he’d wake him up for morning runs, and he’d always find himself around his camper after dark.
It was so fucking annoying.
Sniper wanted his peace preserved, damnit, and who was Scout to disturb that?
However, Sniper changed his tune when he felt what it was like to be held by the runner.
The sensation of having Scout’s arms around his waist was too thrilling for him to ignore. The realization had come around by accident. On a mission, before he could get into the proper position, Sniper had run into a Heavy. It didn’t seem like he’d be able to get out of the range of his gun in time, but then he felt something wrap around his waist and yank him out of the way.
It had happened so quickly he wasn’t able to realize why he felt a jolt go up his spine, but then there was Scout. He was yelling at him to “get out of the freakin’ way” as he motioned for him to go in the opposite direction.
He’d just been saved from a trip to the Respawn Machine, but all he could think about was how it felt to have an arm wrapped around him.
The walls of loneliness he’d learned to take comfort him had suddenly been smashed, and Scout had no idea what he’d done.
“Stop starin’ off inta space. It’s freaky when you do it.” Scout commented. The two of them were in his camper at the moment.
Scout was laid out next to him while he was sitting up in bed. His head was tilted up towards the ceiling, but he hadn’t realized he’d zoned out until Scout said something.
“What are ya’ even thikin’ about?”
“Nothin’ you’d need to worry about.”
“Didn’t say I was worried. Just wanted to know why yur eyes were so wide.”
“Doesn’t matter.”
“Whatever, ya’ just gonna sit there are or ya’ gonna join me?” Scout opened his arms up slightly. His hands curled a tad so that he was making the grappy motion.
“Alright, alright, don’t get your panties in a twist.”
Sniper rolled his body over until his head was on Scout’s shoulder and his arms fitted themselves against the smaller man’s body. His fingers ran themselves against Scout’s back while Scout’s likewise did the same to him.
The skin to skin contact that came with this action still made goose bumps appear on his arms, but the need to recoil from the touch had started to go away. Even if there were scars that ran across his chest, but he didn't feel nervous about them with Scout. Not only had a need for the contact instead replaced the impulse to seek out solitude. His body forced itself to feel better about being this close with another human being, and he couldn’t find the energy to complain anymore.
Scout was many things, but an uncaring lover was not one of them.
Somehow, in all that dense energy inside him, he was a genuinely sweet man. He tried his best even if he knew that he wasn’t equipped enough to do everything. He knew when he was allowed to touch Sniper and when he needed to shut up and leave him be.
Sure, there were points that were more difficult than others, but they somehow had made it work up to this point. That had to count for something, right?
“I don’t wear any freakin’ panties!”
“You would if I asked.”
He just heard a few grumbles come from Scout after that dig, but it made him chuckle. His head rubbed itself against his shoulder while his body let itself relax again.
It was safe there was Scout next to him. There was no obvious danger to fight off and there was no need to run away from the person he was sharing his room with.
It was just Scout, and that was enough for him.
Scout’s fingers began to motion back and fourth against his back. The sensation rolled through his body and made him let out a deep sigh.
His bones felt so heavy in the face of the tender motion and he suddenly realized that his eyes were growing heavy.
“I’d make a dig about cha gettin’ tired too quick, but yur so cute when yur sleepy.”
“Shut up, Roo. You’re not helping anythin’ by talkin.’”
“Yeah, yeah,” Scout tilted his head so that he could place a kiss on Sniper’s temple. “You just catch some Zs. I’ll keep watch and all that, K?”
Sniper didn’t have the energy to respond again and instead let his eyes shut quietly.
There was no need to worry, after all.
He trusted Scout with more than his life at this point.
But, above all else, he knew that he was safe when Scout was nearby.
That was more than he could say at any other point in his life.
He, finally, and found the comfort he didn’t just want but needed to keep going, and it was all worth it.