You watched his red suit leave the room, scared shitless. I mean, maybe you were? You weren't exactly sure how to feel. All this drama left you feeling burnt out, and you really didn't want to start anything with Spy. Why the fuck did I do that?

You tried to ground yourself before you started overthinking. You were sitting in your chair, your plan was made, and school... best not to think about that right now. You were technically starting college now that you've finished everything... you think. A sigh found its way out of your mouth. I should check on Engie.

You walked briskly, thankfully in the opposite direction of where Spy went to his room (you think). Part of you was excited to see Medic and Engie, but the other part of you still felt.. Off. You couldn't quite explain it, but it felt a little awkward after everything that happened. Maybe it was a "you problem." It probably was. After all, you both apologized and explained everything to each other. Maybe it was your run in with Spy that made you realize that you could push buttons not meant to be pushed.

You shook it off. You had other things to worry about and you were probably just overthinking. Besides, you're ready for your battle, and you really wanted Engie's approval of your plan. Once you reached the Medbay doors, you stopped. Do I ruin all of the new relationships I start? I haven't talked to my friends, my dad is repulsed by my decisions, Engie, Medic, and Demo all nearly killed each other in one way or another, and now Spy... no. That doesn't feel right to believe. Heavy and I are doing good, and so are my relationships with everyone else.

You looked up at the sky once more, kind of thinking about your church life. Yeah, you went, but you never really knew if you believed in all of it or not. Did you ruin your chances at a potential heaven by killing? Are you now a monster for being a murderer? You groaned, you head starting to feel heavy with all of those thoughts. If I go to hell for being a murderer, at least I'm going with my friends. They were my first friends as a new adult after all. It's kind of nice not being the oldest of my friend group anymore. Who is the oldest out of these guys? You absentmindedly bit your lip and kind of chuckled. I bet it's Spy or Medic. You felt a gust of air hit your face. Now to be fair, I have no clue what I'd learn about being an adult from these guys. They're mercenaries, and that's not exactly what I want to do with my life in the long run... I mean, is it? I haven't put a lot of thought into it in a while. I always just focused on doing all of the hard classes to up my GPA, and-

"Hallo? Earth to Strategist? Or whatever jou Americans say," you heard a familiar voice break you out of your thoughts. Embarrassed slightly, a chuckle escaped your lips. Your focus shifted back into position as you looked up, seeing Medic.

"Yes, Medic?" You asked innocently, not trying to reveal your inner thoughts.

"Vhat are jou zhinking about? Jou've been out here for eleven minutes."

"Oh have I? My bad, I wanted to show you and Engie the plan I came up with for battle. I was running it through in my head again." Nice save. Really don't need them to know what I said to Spy... or anything else I thought about. It was kind of the truth, anyway. Medic smiled in his usual creepy way, but you think you were used to it by this point. He placed a knuckle to his chin, thinking.

"Vell, if our battle only lasts zhat long, jou may be better at zhis zhan I thought," he smirked at you, causing you to laugh a bit.

"That's only if everything goes perfectly, but yeah. Hopefully I mean." You shrugged as he seemed to stare at you, probably lost in his own thoughts. It made you a little uneasy after a while. "A-anyway. May I come in?" A look of confusion swept over his face before he shook his head slightly and smiled.

"Ja, jou may." He turned around, his lab coat swept behind him. Opening the door for you, he ushered you in, possibly trying to avoid the embarrassment.

You thanked him and scanned the room for Engie, finding him sitting up on his bed. You saw him smile as he noticed you. It made you feel special. My older friends did that, right? They had to have. You tried to think of them on the day you first met these mercenaries, but their faces seemed blurred. You couldn't remember what Tiana looked like anymore.

"Why thank ya for visitin' me darlin'," Engie snapped you out of your thoughts. I got caught in my thoughts again...

"Oh! I mean, of course I would!" You laughed lightly. His smile widened. A heavy air dwelled near you for just a second before vanishing as if it weren't even there. Your eyes instinctively flashed over to Medic's, but there was nothing you could see off about him. He looked as though he was staring off into space. I don't need to deal with that, if that even was something.

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"Whatcha got for me?" You looked back at Engie.

"Our plan for my first battle." You held your planning device up proudly, and Engie seemed to be just as proud of you as you felt. "Well, I mean Spy helped me, because he knows the area better, but yeah."

"Well that's just a darn pleasure to hear, ain't that?" You handed the device to him. He scrolled through the plan, a little 3D hologram popped up and played like a movie, reacting to your commands. You couldn't tell if he was impressed by your plan or more so by his handiwork in making the machine. You felt Medic watching over your shoulder.

"Vait. Stop it zhere," Medic ordered, seeming a little... was it surprised or frightened? Engie seemed to see it, a little frown forming on his lips.

"What's wrong?" You asked, genuinely confused. I thought Spy and I had this plan to be practically foolproof, and they seemed to like it until... oh. It was the part where you jump out as bait and respawn.

"Vhat's wrong is zhat jou respawn, Strategist." He was talking to you as if it was new, scary information. In all honesty it made you a little annoyed. So what? I'm going to have to eventually.

"Why's that a problem..?" You were more hesitant in your question.

"Ah don't like it. Surely someone else can be the bait here," Engie spoke in a tone you didn't like. Does he really think I can't do it? I mean, why else would he ask that? Surely it's not because-

"Remember zhe day ve all showed jou zhe battleground? How tense and upset everyone vas?" Medic spoke a bit more softly. It made you a little more annoyed. You didn't like being talked to as if you didn't understand something. It made you feel stupid.

"Your point being?" You caught yourself from snapping.

"Vell, I don't know how to say zhis, bu-"

"We don't wantcha to die, darlin'. It don't sit right with any of us," Engie cleared it up for you, looking very troubled. You kept yourself from scoffing.

"I mean, isn't that going to happen eventually?" You apparently asked nobody, because neither of them answered. You tightened our jaw a bit on instinct. "I really don't want to change the plan."

"Well ya have to. Ah won't go along with it." Engie roughly handed the device back to you. You looked at the hologram, your body dressed up as a medic. The perfect target, right?

"No, you have to. I'm the Strategist. It's my plan." You could feel yourself about to get into an argument with him. Medic possibly felt that, too, because he placed a hand on your shoulder. You knew you had to back off. You forced a sigh and proceeded to speak more calmly. "What would you do instead?" Engie spoke without taking the time to think.

"Ah don't know, just somethin' different. Use me as the bait. Ah don't care. Just anyone but you." He lightly threw a hand up into the air as he said it, showing his exasperation.

"That's not how this works, Engie. I need everybody, especially you, to do something more important than me at this part of the plan. It's during the major choke point!"

"Ah. Won't. Do it." You ran a hand through your hair, feeling a squeeze on your shoulder. It reminded you of the last time a certain doctor did that. A part of you felt awkward that it happened, but a bigger part of you felt better that you were past that. Still, the past was still there. Maybe it was for the best? Whatever.

"If that's how you feel, I can't force you. I'll get with Spy again or something and come up with other options..." You absentmindedly squeezed Medic's hand waiting for an answer. Part of you didn't want to look up to see his reaction, however, fearing that it was one of... you didn't know. Just something that would feel off to you. Thankfully, you were relieved to find a small smile of relief on Engie's face.

"Thank ya, darlin'. Ah greatly appreciate that. You'll probably come up with somethin' even better." The small effort of reassurance was nice, but now you had a problem. You scared away your best plan-making buddy. You forced a smile in return and gently lowered Medic's hand to his side, finding yourself wanting to hold it just a bit longer. The reassurance from him was something you never usually received. You didn't want to let it go... but it would be hella awkward to hold his hand. I mean, is it awkward if we're both comfortable with it? I guess I never asked him if he was or not, but he put his hand on my shoulder first, so... What's the answer here? What should I do? Am I reliant on him now? No, that's silly. I'm silly. Wait, no-

"Er, hallo?" You saw a hand wave in front of your face. Startled, you jumped a little. You snapped back into reality and came face to face with an uncomfortable looking German. Well shit. "May I haff mein hand back?"

"Oh. Oh! I am so sorry about that. I zoned out and-"

"About what?" Engie chuckled.

"A-about, uh," you gently let go of Medic's hand as fast as you could, but it wouldn't save you from the embarrassment. "My ideas for the whole... bait thing?" You tried to laugh to calm the room, but Medic's expression left it as plain as day to you: You should absolutely positively NOT have done that. I shittly frickity-frack fucked myself. "I don't know how to phrase it, I'm sorry." This is so awkward, I gotta go.

"That's alright. Why don'tcha go and figure that out? Doc here says Ah need to get mah strength up anyhow." Thank you so much Engie.

Grateful for the out, you agreed and left the room, very uncomfortably aware of a certain man's gaze following you. Awkwardness aside, you had more important things to worry about. How am I going to talk to Spy again?