Chapter Text
It was the heat of battle.
The Engineer was running back from respawn to set up a new nest. He was a little too slow on moving his sentry out of the way of the sentry-buster and got caught in the explosion.
After that, building a new nest in a different spot would be a hassle. It always was. Good thing his teleporter was still active.
As he ran back, the Engineer made a brand new nest in record time. Just as the small hoard of Robo-Scouts rounded on him, his sentry was up and blasted them all to scrap. It was satisfying to watch. The Engineer thought back to how all this happened in the first place as he idly worked on his buildings. No, not how this small team of nine was called upon to fight off robots as though they were zombies. But instead, of how all of this madness started.
He used to work for B.L.U., Builders League United, for around three years. They were the attacking team, as the Administrator called them. It was their job to push for anything and everything. From capturing control points to pushing a payload.
He worked with eight others. Together, they fought against nine look-a-likes on R.E.D., Reliable Excavation and Demolition. They fought one another for those long three years. They all grew close to one another and fought with vigour. He saw them as a family, and he was sure they felt the same (in varying degrees).
Over time, the Engineer grew close to the team Pyro, as he was the only one how saw them as a person. He even took the time to decipher their mumbles and help the others understand them as well. In the end, he did teach them all sign language for convenience’s sake, but it was well-received.
Not only that, but the Engineer was close to everyone on the team. He believed that they all might have seen him as someone to talk out their worries, and he didn’t mind. Whatever it was about him that could help his team, he would stay the same just for that. He knew that he had imprinted on all of them in some way. Even the most reclusive members, such as Sniper and Spy would open up a bit to him!
But that wasn’t the end. The Soldier had ended up becoming his best friend. The pair grew very close to one another as friends. The Soldier would watch over the Engineer when he could, and used his dispenser often. This led to small talk between the two, and later invitations to hang out after work hours.
Over time, the Engineer had grown feelings towards his co-worker. Of course, bearing the pink triangle was frowned upon at the time (and still is) so, he held his tongue. The Engineer didn’t want to lose his close friend, so he figured he would pin than lose him.
But one night, while it was just the two of them, the Soldier had revealed that he had felt the same way. The Engineer was relieved that his love was reciprocated, and confessed as well. They soon told the rest of the team, but of course, none of the others were shocked, claiming “it was obvious you two liked each other! It was a matter of time before you became a full thing”. There were multiple trips to the clinic that day.
After that, the two were nearly inseparable. They had been a couple for two years at this point. When they got the news that they had been fired from their jobs and then immediately re-hired by Mann Co. to fight off robots, it was quite shocking.
A few from each side were contacted for this offer, but it was the nine mercenaries again when added up.
Four from BLU, the Engineer, the Soldier, the Pyro and the Sniper.
Five from RED, the Scout, the Demoman, the Heavy, the Medic, and the Spy.
It was “ A fight for their jobs ” as it was described by both the Administrator and Ms. Pauling, the ever-loyal assistant to the Voice above.
When asked about the robots, the only answer that the team got was that the robots were the third Mann brothers, Grey, invention. How many brothers were there? Not only that but they were trying to do something with the different Mann Co. properties, which is what they were tasked with protecting.
Turning from BLU to RED was a hard transition, but the Engineer got used to it over time. Seeing people who look like old co-workers was odd, but everyone got used to it in the end. Of course, with the Soldier seeing his old-friend-turned-enemy-turned-back-to-friend, the RED Demoman, the start of this new job was rocky. But after talking, the two got along. Thankfully.
First, the team started at “Decoy” which was made by the Soldier as a way to trick the robots. It worked, somehow. When the robots, and Grey, had found out that it was a faulty Mann Co. property, they moved. So, the group of nine followed them.
They went from Decoy to Coaltawn, to Bigrock, and were now in Mannworks. They stayed at each location for a few months defending whatever Mann Co. property was there before moving. All in all, it’s added up to a little under two years of fighting robots. But the thing with the robots was that they weren’t just one or two different models.
No, they were all replicas of each mercenary. For the Engineer, it was odd to kill something that almost sounded like his friends and his lover. He couldn’t imagine what it was like for the others, having to kill things that looked like themselves.
At least, that was until they got to Coaltown. Not that far into this whole mess, but that was the first time he saw a robot-Engineer. He knew that the others said that there was something “unnatural” and “uncanny” about them. He didn’t understand then. Hoo boy did he now.
The Engineer-bot looked so much like himself, but not, at the same time. It already hurt him to have to kill people that looked like his team before. It hurt more to kill things that impersonated them.
But this? This was worse than coming face-to-face with the RED Engineer. At least he was civil. This, thing wasn’t.
He knew there was a joke about the “uncanny valley” in the design somewhere.
As the Engineer pondered the wave had ended. Rushing back to the upgrade station, the Engineer knew that this could very well only be the beginning. But, for now, he had to keep all his builds up and running for the team. For now, the small team had to fend off many robots, and many more. It was taxing, yes, but it was all worth it in the end as the pay was good.
It was the heat of battle as the Engineer was pulled from his thoughts.
Something heavy landed close to him and his dispenser. Spinning, he aimed his shotgun, the Panic Attack, at the larger mass before realizing it was only the Soldier. Sighing, he put down his weapon and walked closer to his boyfriend.
Heh, boyfriend. The Engineer felt almost like a young boy again, dating someone and calling them their significant other.
At any rate, as he got closer he did see that Soldier was harmed. He helped him over to the dispenser and sat down next to him.
“Hello, Engie,” Soldier greeted him. He had a smile on his face, even though it looked like he was hurt.
Chuckling, Engineer scooted closer to the man he loved while greeting him in return.
Soldier put an arm behind him and pulled him into a hug while saying, “That sentry buster got you. I am sorry I couldn’t get to you in time.”
“It’s alright,” Engie reassured him, “I was too close to it anyways.”
As the dispenser healed Soldier, Engie shifted in the embrace to hug him back before he could get up to leave.
“Going so soon?” He murmured into his lover’s chest.
“Don’t worry,” the taller man assured, “I’ll be back for you before you know it.”
Standing up, Soldier bent down to plant a kiss on the top of his boyfriend’s bright yellow helmet.
“What,” the smaller man chided, “no kiss goodbye”
“I just kissed you!”
Engineer started to laugh at the remark and hummed, “Didn’t feel it,” as he stood.
His laugh was cut short as a hand softly grabbed his chin and tilted it upwards. His lips were caught in a sweet kiss from his lover, and he melted into another embrace.
It was in the middle of the heat of battle when the two lovebirds shared that brief, intimate moment.
“Feel that one?” Soldier teased when he finally broke the kiss.
It took Engineer a few moments before he could respond.
“Yeah,” He said when he gathered himself, “Yes I did.”
The Engineer heard his boyfriend laugh at his answer as he stepped away from him. Rolling his eyes behind his goggles, he playfully shoved Soldier away and back towards the battle.
“Alrighty then,” he smiled, “Get back out there and show those robots whose boss, hun.”
The Soldier grinned back at him, leant down to his ear and whispered, “And when I’m done, I might show you who’s the dominating one tonight, Dell.”
The Engineer felt flush with embarrassment as he took a step back and look to the side. He could hear Soldier roar with laughter at his reaction, and he shoved him out of the small shack where he had set up.
He didn’t complain when he felt the quick ‘good-bye’ kiss be planted on his cheek.
“I’ll see you after the battle!” Soldier yelled as he prepared to rocket-jump back towards the fight. “Love you, sweetheart!”
“I love you too, darling!” Dell called back, as he watched Jane’s rapidly disappearing figure fly to the on-slaught.
The heat of battle started to get worse as the next few rounds of robots came in.
The team of nine mercenaries kept them from moving the bomb to the hatch. But, the longer they went on, the closer the robots got. Every single time, this happened. It got a little worse every day, as it had for the past almost two years. But every time, the small group of nine somehow managed to keep their heads above the water and pushed back the robots again and again. Day after day, week after week. It was repetitive, yes, but it seemed like there was something new every day.
That was enough of a change for Dell, even if it meant none of them could predict the robots.
Today was especially hard, it seemed. As it turned out, the small shack that Dell chose for his new sentry nest wasn’t the ideal location anymore.
He was being overrun by the robots.
His teleporter was already gone, so he couldn’t use the two-way upgrade he got to escape. His sentry was running low on bullets, and for some reason, he didn’t think to use his Rescue Ranger today. Good one, Dell. To top it off, he had also lost his glove at some point getting there.
All the Engineer had going for him was his dispenser at his side, as he wildly shot at the robots. He was hit a few times and was already bleeding, but the dispenser was healing him oh-so-slightly faster than he could bleed out. He knew it wouldn’t be enough. He sure as hell didn’t want to go back through respawn, but when it came to, running was out of the question (lest he wanted to make a mad dash through the robots that most certainly would kill him), and the shack only had the one opening. He had managed to bring most of his stuff inside the shed, and he was starting to curse himself for that.
Looking around wildly, and keeping the gun aimed at the door, Dell tried to think of a way out. When nothing proved itself without getting him killed, he screamed for help. Every time the robots, he wasn’t sure which ones, knocked down the sentry, forcing him to move forwards and smack it with his wrench, he called out again. And again. And again.
He had no clue how long he was trapped in that shed, with his dispenser keeping him alive, and the sentry blocking the door, but he still called.
That was, until he just heard over the gunfire and explosions, “Heads up, Engineer! A Sentry Buster has entered the area!”
Great. Just what he needed. Another buster to take him down. At least he’ll respawn and be able to get out of this jam.
He could hear the stomping of the Buster’s feet as they approached him. Time seemed to slow as they got closer. Now, after working for Mann Co. for almost five years has taught him to not fear death. He had respawn, and so long as he and the others stayed within its reach, they were safe.
But that didn’t mean dying wasn’t scary. For Dell, time always seemed too slow as death approached him. It was poetic, in a scene, to try and find the danger, or maybe think about something.
The only thing racing through his head now, though, was a very sarcastic, “This is gonna be fun”
A hole got blasted into the side of the shed, right next to him. Yelping, Dell tried to peer out of it, only to be met by a Robo-Scout’s scattergun. Thinking quickly, he aimed his gun and shot first, giving him a small hole to try and escape. It was better than nothing, at least.
Clambering on top of his dispenser, Dell managed to get out and round the corner.
Only to see the Sentry Buster at the door.
Being given very little reaction time, Dell dived back behind the shed, trying to escape the explosion.
One moment, Dell was leaping for cover. The next he was flying sky-high from the blast of the explosion. It knocked off his safety helmet, and when he landed, he smacked his head.
Somehow he was alive.
Trying to move to a hidden spot, Dell crawled behind a boulder. He wasn’t sure where he was, and he could feel himself losing consciousness. He dimly heard the gunfire at this point and the yells of humans and robots alike.
It was all so far away, but Dell still tried to keep his eyes open, at least someone found him. He weakly called out for the Medic and prayed someone heard him. The feeling of death loomed ever closer, and sleep closer still. Dell was losing the battle, but he wanted to be found.
He propped himself up on the boulder, and after calling out one more time, he slipped into the world of unconsciousness.
The wave was over.
The team of mercenaries cheered as the Administrator called out the final kill. Catching their breath, the team congratulated each other on another hard-earned victory.
That was until Scout’s voice pipped up and asked, “Hey, uh, where Engie?”
Soldier stopped dead in his tracks and looked around for that bright yellow hard-hat. Everyone else did as well when no Texan voice remarked back towards Scout. Soldier instead, spotted the hat a few feet away from a broken shed, severely damaged and missing its owner.
“Engie?”
No one else spoke. Soldier walked over to the helmet hoping, prayin g , that it was fake. He bent down to scoop it up, and it followed.
“Dell?!” came the sudden fear-stricken cry.
The mercs, frozen in their places started to move when Soldier called out. It was enough time after the battle that anyone who had died would’ve respawned. And yet, Dell wasn’t there.
Demo spoke up, though, and said, “There’s a bloody Spy-bot up there!”
Everyone turned as one to where the accusing finger was pointing, and sure enough, a lone Spy-bot was standing next to a boulder close to a ledge. It seemed to hear the others, though, as it turned its head around to face the eight people below them.
As it turned, it revealed that it was holding something.
Or rather, someone.
It was too far to make out and significant features, but the glint of a metal hand was give-away enough.
The Spy-bot bolted towards the robot’s base.
The mercs gave chase.
Everything was a blur as everyone tried to do multiple things at once. Demo fired his last two stickies in an attempt to block the Spy-bot’s retreat. The damn thing just skirted around them expertly.
Soldier prepared a rocket jump to try and get in its way, but a bullet to the leg sent him to the ground. Looking to where the damn thing came from, he watches as Sniper planted a bullet of his own into a tree next to a fleeing Sniper-bot.
As the real Sniper tried to get a shot in the Spy-bot’s head, he realized he had run out of ammo. Soldier only knew this because he heard him cuss himself as he tried to look for another one. He got up with the help of Medic’s medi-beam on him.
The Spy-bot had started to run for the entrance of where all the robots came in. However, Scout had somehow managed to climb up there before it and block its path.
A sickening crack could be heard as a Scout-bot hit its flesh counter-part in the head with a bat, sending him tumbling back down. The Spy and Scout-bots looked at one another and ran into the opening of a cave together.
Soldier managed to rocket jump and follow them in. Pyro had also made it that far and ran in after their best friend, and Soldier’s boyfriend, providing them both some light.
Soldier heard someone yelling for them to stop. He didn’t listen. Instead, he kept running, dropping his rocket launcher as it only slowed him down, and pulled out his shotgun.
He could hear the sound of metal footsteps racing just ahead of him. Running faster, and seeing Pyro try to keep up, Soldier’s feet pounded into the floor of the tunnel as he tried to catch up. Soon, there was a rectangle of light ahead of him, and he could just make out a figure in front of it.
Sprinting at top speed, Soldier raced out the tunnels, only to be hit in the stomach of a waiting Scout-bot’s bat. Crumpling, Soldier looked up as the Scout-bot raised the bat to kill him.
But for some reason, it stopped when the Spy-bot called out to it. Instead, it rushed for the Spy-bot, leaving Soldier behind. Soldier tried to stand up, only to fall back down. A pair of rubber-covered hands helped him back up, though, and as he stood, he watched as the two robots crossed over a quickly retreated bridge over a large ravine. Soldier had no clue anything like that existed there.
He could dimly hear Pyro trying to talk to him, and the footsteps of the other mercs racing after the two of them.
But all he could focus on was Dell.
He watched his body draped over the shoulder of the Spy-bot sway to and fro from the momentum. But, if he looked closer, Jane could’ve sworn that Dell raised his head to look back at him. He could see blood on his head, and his goggles were askew.
But Jane looked on in horrified fear as Dell raised his hand towards him. An attempt to reach out, and say “please, help me.” only to fall limp once more.
The rest of the team gathered around him, coming from either the tunnel or from navigating their way on top. He couldn’t see nor hear them. He couldn’t feel their presence behind or beside him.
All Jane could focus on was Dell’s small figure being rushed into the robot’s base and taken out of sight.
The group of eight stood on the cliff-face of the ravine and watched as a member of their team, their family was kidnapped and taken so easily.
Dell Conagher was gone, long after the heat of battle ended.