Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The sounds of bullets and yelling filled the air. He knew it was happening all around him, and yet he didn't seem to care. With each grapple swing, blood soared through his veins. That friend that rarely visited him named... happiness embraced the flying pilot, eradicating the dark thoughts that plagued his side of the link. He could feel a smile grow on his face as he swung over a building with his grapple. He pulled out his CAR and fired a few rounds on the unsuspecting specters before rolling on the ground. The grapple main got up as quick as he fell, firing his grapple and pulling himself onto a building. He found himself laughing as his body moved on its own, jumping from wall to wall before throwing himself into the air with his grapple once more.  

His titan felt and heard it all. While he was glad that his pilot was finding joy, the way his pilot pursued it was frightening to say the least. He wasn't sure why his pilot found whatever he was doing as "fun". Sure, the Scorch hadn't been around for long, and, sure, he doesn't know much about human behavior. But, he quickly found out that the battlefield wasn't exactly a "fun" place to be. The Scorch wasn't entirely sure why the pilot was going this fast. While some of his pilot's peers assumed the titan complained since he was an ogre class, and, therefore, is much slower than the pilot, that was a part of the problem. The danger his pilot was in was... Ridiculous to say the least. If anything happened, such as, the pilot losing his momentum, the Scorch wouldn't make it on time. The idea of his pilot getting hurt and Scorch breaking protocol three during the titan's first couple of days of service was terrifying.

All the anxious titan could do was await his pilot's return. After all, the pilot had been in service longer than he. Surely, he's fully capable of taking care of himself-

"Zeta, heads up!"

"Wha-"

All the titan heard was a thump. All he could see was his pilot's body. Scorch caught the once flying man in his hand when the human's body slowly slid off his face. He opened his cockpit and allowed his pilot inside. As soon as he was situated, the pilot groaned.

"Are you alright, pilot?"

His pilot lays back on the chair. "We really need to work on that."

He wasn't sure what he meant, but Zeta didn't have time to ask. An enemy titan entered the Scorch's view. The cockpit camera showed his pilot leaning forward, staring at the threat intently. The Scorch didn't see, but his pilot's smile disappeared as quickly as it came.

"It's alright though. We can practice later," he spoke in a cool tone. "Let's tear this titan to shreds."

Zeta complied, but not without feeling conflicted. Just moments earlier, his pilot was laughing and having a good time. And now, he was back to his cool self. The Scorch felt something deep down, though he wasn't sure what it was. He had always wanted to ask about this strange occurrence, and, more importantly, he wanted to learn more about his pilot. Although, he was never sure how to approach it. Sometimes the Scorch wondered if he should ask at all. He knew that if he asked now, his question would get dismissed. Though, to be fair to the pilot, they are in the middle of combat. But, hearing the rejection had always silenced him. Even if his pilot would ask about it later, the Scorch would say it was nothing as if he was embarrassed that he even thought about asking something that had nothing to do with the mission. Perhaps, he was right to come to his conclusion. Maybe he’s actually becoming an annoyance. 

Or maybe he’s over thinking it.  

But before the titan could get his thoughts together, the enemy titan and the mission was finished. Zeta did a quick scan for any more hostiles, only to find the area secured. This is good, was the quiet statement that entered his processor. This meant that friendly reinforcements would arrive soon to pick them and the other pilots up. 

The Scorch put his weapon away, and, as if he could sense his pilot’s wishes, he opened the door to the cockpit and let the grapple main jump out. Once he closed up, he watched his pilot jog in place. Zeta tilted his head at him.

“What’s going on, Zeta?”

“Pardon me?”

Zeta was surprised to hear his pilot addressing him. Usually he waits until they get back to have a conversation. Perhaps, something was amidst? 

“What’s going on?” His grapple pilot stopped jogging and placed his hands on his hips. “I’m no genius, but I can tell when someone’s nervous.”

“What do you mean, pilot?”

“Are you serious?” 

His pilot pinched his nose before turning his back to him. Zeta fought the urge to turn away. There were many things that he did not know about human mannerisms. All he knew came from observation, and the data (in his opinion anyway) was insufficient. It had been the reason why he had been wanting to ask his pilot about anything he saw that he only knew the surface-level details of. Though, the concern is always centered upon his pilot due to protocol three, so he did not want to annoy his pilot in any way. After all, the titan was new and his pilot was not. The grapple main knew more about the battlefield and humanity more than he did. Zeta glanced back at his pilot, who seemed to have finished recollecting his thoughts as he faced the Scorch again. 

“Are you worried about me?”

Zeta cocked his head again. He had definitely not heard that word used before. Sure, he had a dictionary installed in his processor, but he felt that it would be better if his pilot would explain it to him. Not just for his own benefit, but, also, in hopes that he and his pilot could get closer. So, instead of looking the word up, he asked. “Worried?”

His pilot nods as he removes his helmet. His brown hair almost looks like he slept in it and his blue eyes adapted to the bright sky. “Yeah, like… are you troubled? Concerned? Uneasy?” he said.

Troubled? Last time the titan checked, there wasn’t really anything that bothered him that much, so that couldn’t be it. Uneasy? Scorch didn’t really know what that meant, so he moved onto the last word: concerned. That word was a word he knew. One of the pilots named Bear told him what it meant during his first day in the hanger. So, if worried was similar to concerned....

“Yes,” said Zeta. “I worry for your well being.” He paused a bit, making sure that he had his pilot’s attention. His pilot nodded and the Scorch continued. “I know that it is a part of protocol three. But, I wonder what may happen if I am unable to get to you because you move so fast. This is where I began to get worried, but at the same time. You know more than I do. And, for this reason, I trust you.”

“You do?” His pilot’s eyes widened as his mouth gaped. “You… Trust me?”

“Of course, pilot. I am a titan; therefore, I do not have the ability to lie,” said Zeta. 

The pilot crossed his arms before chuckling to himself. He glances up after a while with that bright smile on his face. “That’s good to hear, buddy. Thank you,” he said. He walked up and placed a hand on the titan’s armor. At the same time, warmth entered from his pilot’s side of the link. “I may be going fast, but I got your back too. It’s like the duo in one of the comics I showed you. You know what I mean, right?”

Ah, yes, those weird people dressed in weird clothes. Fictional heroes who are in a never-ending war against the “bad guys”. Having his pilot read the pages to him and reenact them always gave the titan some thrill and sense for adventure. Now that he thought about it, the 6-4 fights to protect the Frontier. So, they are the good guys fighting against the IMC, aka the bad guys. When Zeta thought of it that way, what his pilot said made more sense. 

“Understood.”

When they returned to base, Zeta was docked for repairs. He paid no attention to the engineers and only stared at his pilot. A pilot whom he could trust. His crime-fighting partner who will stand by him no matter what as they continue the war against the IMC.

Chapter Text

Looking down at the battlefield was something she had gotten used to. The wind blew against the dead, coarse sand and brushed against whatever structure remained from the last fight. The sky grew dark and the rain fell down on the only thing that stood tall in the combat zone. A Tone held the small pilot on her shoulder as the holo main motioned her hand out to feel the cloud's tears.

"Pilot, our allies have picked up our signal," said her Tone. It was fortunate that the engineers were kind enough to alter her titan's voice slightly, making the Tone sound a bit more human. "Evac will be arriving soon."

"... that's good, melody..."

The holo main's voice was soft and raspy. She wasn't surprised. The only time she used her voice was when she was in combat. And, when she uses it, she has to yell in order for them to hear her. Thankfully, despite how low her voice was, her titan was able to pick it up. She leaned onto the Tone's pale green body, shielding her face from the crying sky.

"Are you cold, pilot? You can embark," asked her Tone, whom she named Melody.

"... no... i'm fine... thanks..."

She cleared her throat, even though she knew that it wasn't going to improve the volume of her voice. The young pilot turned her head to look back at the ruined landscape. Despite its appearance, the rain was enough to calm her brain down. Her eyes grew heavy as sleep began to feel more and more appealing. Before the pilot’s vision could go dark, she saw something move. Her head perked up as her titan lifted her weapon. With a gentle pet, the Tone lowered her cannon slightly and let the holo pilot down.

The pilot reloaded her spitfire before slowly moving through the misshaped structures. Melody trailed closely behind, providing over watch for her holo main. The sound of the pilot’s feet hitting the ground were muted by the sound of the rain. Her ears focused more on the calming sound, hearing every drop of water kiss every surface it fell to. When she closed her eyes, she could almost see the luscious grass the holo main had grown to love. A gentle voice called out to her from beyond the darkness. A voice that was not unfamiliar to her.

Cadence... Cadence…

"Cadence. Hostile detected."

Her titan's voice broke her relaxed state. She turned the corner and aimed down at the grunt, only to lower it slightly. The grunt tucked himself away in a corner and was on his knees. His weapon was meters away, but he did not react to her approach. The holo pilot pointed her gun towards the soil as she stared at this man. This man who appeared to be so... helpless... Almost like…

"Stand clear, and I will erase him," her titan said, raising her gun and pointing it towards the grunt, who did not react to the noise. His concealed eyes continued to stare at the damp soil. Cadence stared at the man for a bit longer before closing her eyes.

"Don't."

That was something the titan wasn't expecting. The holo pilot could tell just from the link alone. She heard a tiny shuffle and noticed that the rifleman was staring at her. His hands did not touch his weapon nor did his eyes avert from her. In response to this, Cadence allowed her hand to go limp, letting her spitfire fall onto the ground. Then, very slowly, she took steps towards the grunt.

"Pilot, I do not suggest approaching the rifleman. He could-"

 "No..." said Cadence. "... he doesn't want to fight..."

 "Pilot-"

"He is not armed, Melody... Are you going to shoot someone who's unarmed and doesn't want to fight?"

Cadence paused to hear a grinding sound, hinting that the titan was pondering hard about the question. She approached the rifleman, dropped onto her knees, and pulled the grunt into an embrace.

"... I'm so sorry... It's gonna be okay..."

The grunt was quiet, but she soon felt his arms wrap around her. The holo pilot almost missed the pressure from the rain that came from the rifleman's eyes. She closed her eyes and petted his back.

Melody observed the two as she felt sorrow within the link. While she wasn't sure why her pilot was hugging an enemy soldier, the titan didn't argue. She puts her gun away and kneels down to the two humans, providing them shelter with her hands. As soon as she did this, a small hint of happiness made its presence known to the titan through the link. The Tone glanced down at her pilot as her pilot raised her head to meet the titan's gaze.

"... thank you..."

The rain eventually slowed down and the light soon pierced through the clouds. The holo pilot released the grunt before sitting next to him. The rifleman did not object to this and brought himself to a more comfortable sitting position. Melody removed her hands and glanced up at the sky. After a bit of silence, the rifleman glanced at the pilot.

"I'm surprised you didn't let your titan kill me. I mean, we're on different sides of the battlefield and all," said the rifleman.

"... mmm..." was all the pilot said. She pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped them in her arms.

"... why... didn't you let it kill me...?"

"... we're very alike..."

"In what ways?"

Cadence was silent at first. She lowered her knees and brought her hands to her helmet. Very carefully, she removed it, revealing her dark skin and hair. She glanced at the rifleman with her own eyes.

"... we both lost something we can't get back..."

The rifleman didn't reply to her statement. He glanced back at the sky. Cadence joined him and saw the dark clouds moving away from them, revealing the light orange horizon. After some more silence, the holo pilot glanced at the rifleman.

"... my evac will arrive for my titan and I soon..."

The rifleman nods lightly, "I see"

"... I highly doubt your forces will return for you... and, I can't leave you here... so..." Cadence placed a hand on his shoulder. "... Would you be interested in joining the 6-4?"

"Is that what you're a part of?"

The holo pilot nodded. The rifleman looked down at his hands before cracking a smile. He let out a small chuckle before turning back to the pilot.

"If it means to be near an angel, then sure."

For once, the holo pilot smiled.

"... welcome to the 6-4 family, brother."    

Chapter Text

Something about the forest camo-printed, cloak uniform and the Cold War weapon in the man's hands gave the titan a sense of nostalgia. She could recall her pilot going off about how much he loved the weapon, how much he enjoyed being her partner, and how much he wanted to go out with Barker. Reviewing the old recordings made the Northstar feel… cold… She… What did the pilot call it? 

The protocol 3 warning messages appeared and brought the Northstar back to reality. She activated her thrusters to peer over the buildings, but there was no sign of who she was looking for. 

"Pilot, what is your status?" 

While the Northstar could see what the pilot was seeing, she felt safer to ask anyway. 

"I'm alright. Just in a bit of a pickle."

The response was a little too cheerful for her liking. She was expecting a lower tone to give a clear response to her question. She was hoping for that small set of visual details to give her an idea of where he might be despite the fact that the titan already knew where he was. She wanted to hear those subtle jokes that the lower voice littered here and then, treating it like a small "video game easter egg" (in his words, not hers) so that the titan could discover them-

Focus. Concentrate. 

Charlie is not Klein. 

"Do not lie, pilot. I can detect change in blood flow. Are you bleeding perhaps?" Asked the titan, deciding to be a little more direct. 

"... Yeah."

She heaved a sigh. It was the third time this week. She wasn't sure the pilot was searching for danger or of danger was finding him. Regardless, she wasn't expecting the pilot to get hurt or slow down at all. As soon as she was dropped onto the battlefield, she was ready to bear witness to the speed, the grace, and the power of her pilot. His quick thinking and strategies was always a joy to observe. Feeling the pilot's thrills was a part of the fun-

Charlie is not Klein.

"Come towards me. I will provide cover," said the Northstar. 

"Alright. I'm coming over. I'll try to be quick," said her pilot, Charlie. "Want me to lay down a pulse blade?"

"You may want to hold onto it pilot. It may be your only chance of survival," said the Northstar. She really, really didn't want to talk about the boy's aim with the Kraber. She knew the poor thing was trying, but his arms would often shake when on the move. Was it nervousness? Fear? The titan wasn't too sure. 

After all, he wasn't Klein.

Once a pulse blade pilot came into view, the Northstar raised her Plasma Railgun and fired a cluster missile. The missile went over his head and landed in front of the door he came out of. One by one, she was picking the grunts off with her sniper rifle, clearing a path for her injured pilot. When Charlie got close enough, the titan scooped the pilot with ease and placed him in the cockpit. She broke into a sprint as soon as Charlie got himself situated.

"Hang in there, pilot," said the Northstar. "Our forces are reassembling. There will definitely be a medic when we arrive. There is also a first aid kit if you would like to get started."

"I'll be fine. I can do this," said Charlie. 

In her cockpit cam, the titan observed the young pilot react for the medical kit beside the seat. This gesture didn't surprise her anymore. Charlie was always so insistent on handling his own injuries, even though the medical team would definitely do a lot better. It was definitely not the same as before when her pilot would at least get started so that the medics wouldn't have to spend all of their time on him. He would joke about how he went to school to get a medical degree and never graduated for a reason. The titan had trouble recalling when was the last time he got hurt as it was a rare. Perhaps it was his quick witted, calm, and charismatic nature that kept him alive. This made sense.

After all, Charlie wasn't Klein. 

She didn't argue with the boy. She kept moving towards their destination. When they were about a few miles away, the Northstar heard her pilot. 

"Sorry that you had to save my ass again, Polaris," said Charlie, adding a small chuckle at the end of his sentence. "You must be getting annoyed by it." 

Hearing that nickname gave off a warm sensation within their link. She could recall Charlie talking about that star. The star that guided Earthlings to their freedom. A part of her began to wonder why Klein didn't give her a nickname, but she soon shot it down. 

Charlie. Isn't. Klein.

Why is she always thinking about him?

"Protocol 3, pilot, it is my duty to keep you safe," said the Northstar, who was given the name Polaris. "I am pretty sure it is impossible for me to get annoyed with a function." 

"Oh," Charlie laid against his seat, holding the messy wrappings against his bleeding leg. Polaris could detect a lot of negativity within Charlie's side of the link. The titan couldn't figure out what it was; however, she was certain the dark thoughts were directed towards her. Polaris wanted to speak about it, but she decided to give her pilot some space. 

After all, he wasn't Klein. 

"Are we almost there, Polaris?" Asked her injured pilot.

"Yes," said Polaris. "We are within a couple of meters. The medics would probably want to check on you."

There was silence.

"Pilot."

"Yeah. They'll want to check on me," he said, though it nearly went unnoticed. Polaris thought about asking, but she decided against it. She didn't know Charlie.

She knew Klein.

While the medics were attending to her pilot, the Northstar reviewed old recordings of her pilot. There was one he stumbled across. Pilot Droz was sitting against the railing and Davis was patting his back in a comforting manner. When she asked her pilot what was wrong, Klein said that Droz was feeling homesick. Out of curiosity, Polaris looked up the definition of homesick.

Homesick:

Acutely longing for one's family or home.  

Knowing that one definition wasn't going to satisfy her curiosity, the titan looked up the definition of longing. 

Longing:

1. A strong persistent yearning or desire, especially one that cannot be fulfilled.

A soft whirring sound emitted from the titan. Perhaps Charlie may be…

"Polaris?"

As if the world had heard her thoughts, Charlie's voice entered through the radio. Polaris perked up and turned to her pilot, who was laying down. The medics must have finished with him and moved on to the next person. Hopefully, this meant that they were leaving soon. 

"Yes, my pilot," said Polaris. Her whole attention was on him. 

"Are you okay? You were kinda staring off into space," said Charlie. 

Another small whirr was made before Polaris squinted at him. "Pilot, we have not taken off yet…" 

"No, no, I mean- um-" Charlie chuckled nervously while scratching the back of his head. "I mean, you're deep in thought and you forget what's happening around you. That's what it means." 

"I see," Polaris knelt down to get a closer look at her pilot. "I wanted to ask a question," she said, quickly diverting the subject. 

"Oh," Charlie shuffled a little so he could sit up some and look at Polaris better. "What is it?" 

"Are you homesick?" 

That question seemed to have caught Charlie off guard. He managed to cross his legs over each other before glancing at the ground. He took a deep breath before answering. 

"Yes… and No."

Polaris squinted again while the soft whir reentered the atmosphere. "I do not understand. Please elaborate." 

"It's like… I miss them, but I don't? I want to go home, but I know I shouldn't? Like, I haven't really done anything of value, so going home feels kinda dirty, you know?" Charlie's hand lightly quakes. The negativity within his side of the link seemed to have worsened. "Are you homesick, Polaris? I mean, I know you're a titan but…"

She knew that he just wanted to stop talking about himself. And while she should have made a stand, she didn't. She pondered a bit, reviewing the definition of homesick. 

Homesick:

Acutely longing for one's family or home.  

"I am incapable of having a family as it involves biological reproduction, and I do 

not have a "home", so, no, I am not homesick," said Polaris.

"You don't have to be related to someone to call them family, Polaris," said Charlie. "I… heard some stories about your old pilot. He sounds like a wonderful guy."

"... He was."

"Well…" Charlie paused. "Gates told me that he always saw you as family…" 

Klein saw her as… family? Surely, a biological being would be more suited as a family member than her. She operated as a mechanized unit for war, not to be a part of one's personal life. Klein wouldn't see her in that light, right…? 

It was then she remembered something. 

It was back during the mission before Klein met his unfortunate end. Polaris had asked him about his life before becoming a pilot and a member of the 6-4. He had always made jokes about his biological parents, but never really talked about them. It was then Klein admitted that the two had died before he became a pilot, so he was all alone when he became a pilot. It didn't really matter to Lieutenant Gates. She brought him right in, and he admitted that her habit of making everyone in the 6-4 her family became his habit too. There was one thing that Polaris never forgot from that exchange. 

"I'm sure when Gates said everyone was her family, she meant the titans too. And even if I'm wrong, it's true for me."

He really thought of her that way. 

"Polaris, you okay?" Charlie's concerned voice entered her processor. Polaris nodded and gently picked him up.

"I have a better answer now," said Polaris. Charlie nodded and leaned in close. "When we met, I was expecting my old pilot to be there as usual. Instead, you were there in his place. You hold the Kraber as he once did, but I expect you to hold it the entire time like he would. When you moved, I was waiting for a cool trick. He always did those just to show off." She paused, watching Charlie carefully. He didn't move from where he was. "I feel like he should be here with me, but he's not. It feels wrong… I want him here."

"You miss him a lot, do you?" Charlie's voice was quiet. He watched Polaris nod before he managed to get on his feet and place a hand near her optic. He laid his head against her chassis. "I'm sorry, Polaris. I'm sure he misses you too…" 

"Do you think he is homesick right now?" When Polaris asked this, she, for once, said like a small little girl. Charlie sighed, feeling his heart getting crushed by whatever was in Polaris's side of the link. 

"Yeah. But, don't worry, he's in a better place…"

Charlie was soon placed in the bed and Polaris was sent to the hanger to get her needed repairs. Polaris's thoughts went off into space once again. Her optic staring blankly at the wall. She and her new pilot were informed that the mission was a close success, and they would be heading home. But, it didn't feel right. Nothing did. Klein wasn't here.

And, home isn't home without him.