Engineer is sitting outside, playing on his guitar and enjoying the few hours of silence before the match tomorrow will have to begin. His soft music comes to a slow halt when he by accident hits a bottle of beer with his boot. He stares at the bottle and remembers.
He had lost his grandfather after have watched his brilliant mind decay into insanity, sad thing was that Radigan still was brilliant in his last days but his mind worked so much overtime that for most people he would look like a giant scatterbrain. Dell, especially felt horrible watching his grandfather waste away like that, maybe it was for the best his body finally gave up before he completely lost himself to the insanity.
Unfortunately, the death of his mentor hadn't been the end of it but only the beginning of his hardship. The preparation for the funeral was put entirely on his shoulders, his own father wasn't allowed to come home, his job at Mann Co wouldn't let him and Dell's own wife said the pregnancy took all of his energy, so he was on his own…
Dell had no idea how he managed really, for him it was all a blur, he barely remembered the speeches, the goodbye, the people giving him their condolence. He barely recalled the days afterward, he only knew he needed to get out, do something before he truly broke down and lost his freaking mind.
He decided to leave and get a "summer job" at the oil field further west of Texas. His wife wasn't happy about it, but he was in such a gloomy state that he really did not care about what she thought.
So he left and went to work as a mechanic in the oil fields.
Did not give much money but it did keep him busy and the hard work helped Dell in dealing with his grief.
He felt kinda lonely though, sure he spoke with his fellow coworkers and could get some sweet trips to the local bar and but...well, he didn't want to insult them, but his fellow co-workers were pretty dumb. Dell was pretty sure that if not for him, then a lot of his co-workers would've been thrown in prison from all the times they did something stupid in their drunken stupor.
It was from one of those trips to the bar that he met her.
Dell does not fully recall why she, of all people, caught his eyes. Really, other than being a young woman inside a bar mostly filled with men, she hadn't really caught attention to herself.
He remembers that he at first mistook her for a male with several female features, for as he said. She hadn't been eye-catching like his wife. She was dressed like a man, hiding the small curves she had. The only thing that might have pointed out she had been a woman was the long hair but Dell has seen men with long hair, so he didn't pay it much mind.
He wasn't sure how it started, maybe he complained about a small nuisance with a machine he was fixing to his drunk co-worker. Whatever it was he said, made her speak up, revealing that although she wasn't as smart as him when it comes to machines, she still knew enough to know what he was talking about and was actually paying interest to it.
Dell remembers how relieved it was to meet a fellow mechanic— that what was he thought she was. They shared a good talk and beer. He mentioned her very unique eyes and she had said: "They are like fire." Which he fully had agreed with. She told him that she liked fire. "I like how mesmerizing its movements is, the warm touch and knowing, if not paying this beautiful thing the proper respect." She smiled very fondly as if speaking of a very close friend. "It can kill you, and yet this danger in fire is very intriguing."
Dell had chuckled at this, mostly because he wasn't exactly sure if he should be worried about how much she adored fire. But that look in those amber eyes, and he knew that she saw fire the same way he did with his work. "I see machines more or less the same way." He had told her. "A certain beauty in their bulky frames, and how I shape them with my very hands. These beauties are so useful, they make life so much easier."
"Yeah, that they have." She smiled to suddenly realize something and with only a: "Oh shit." She left rather suddenly. He was quite taken aback by that but had decided not to pay it much mind.
Engineer picks up the bottle, staring at it through the fire. He smiles weakly at the small trip from memory lane, yet he still can feel the tears pressing against his eyes. For sadly, the meeting with his closet companion… it does not have a happy ending…
He met her again by mere accident. He had been planning on returning back home but forgot all about it when he found her walking on the street with the most upset face he had ever seen in his life. He almost hadn't recognized her, she was in a very tight dress that forced out what little curves she had, the makeup has been smeared away and Dell could only guess the hair's former style since it was a mess.
Dell knew his wife wouldn't be happy that he didn't return home, but he couldn't bring himself to ignore her in such a state. He let her into his truck and took her back to the small house he fortunately still was renting.
He had asked what she would like to drink, and she had asked for a beer. Dell only hesitated a second, reminding himself that this young woman was the same he spoke and drank with a few months past. So he gave her the beer and she emptied it in less than a minute.
She then asked him a bit strange question. "Can I borrow some of your clothing?" That had taken him quite aback but figured she really did not like her current clothing and they were more or less the same size so… "Sure, door to the right." He hadn't planned on bringing his clothing with him. Thank to his family and his own job, he was pretty loaded with money, so he could always buy clothing when he got home.
She thanked him again and went inside to change. She had appeared in some plain cowboy pants and one of his working t-shirts, and after have taken a seat again. He asked her slowly. "Why were you in those clothing?" Nodding at the dress on the floor.
She glared at the dress as if it was the most offensive object in the world. "A proper lady needs proper clothing." She spat out.
He had realized that this woman was dealing with some expectations of what it meant to be a woman, and felt sorry that she had to deal with that. "Sorry to hear that."
She took another beer and after have emptied that one as well, she picked up the dress. "I'll return your clothing." and she left his home before he could tell her he was actually leaving town.
Engineer cannot help but smile in how they built their relationship with her borrowing all kind of stuff from him, just so she would have an excuse to return back to him. He had, of course, caught on fairly quickly and not only delayed his return home (which in the end helped him realize his wife wasn't the one he wanted to spend his life with) and started to stock his house with food, giving both the excuse to stick around.
Oh, how many topics have been talked about during their weekly meetings? Engineer smile and the now empty bottle drop, reminded once again that his friend is no longer with him.
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Back out on the battlefield, Engineer watches his machine build itself up and whacks it with the wrench to make itself build faster. The battle is clearly approaching by the sound of it. With the level 1 sentry ready to shoot any RED's, he leaves to find a decent spot to put the dispenser.
Everything is going rather well, only had to deal with the enemy Soldier, but nothing his sentry cannot handle.
Then, out from seemly nowhere, fire appears, which meant that Pyro has found him.
Fear grabs him around the gut like a fox holding a rat, he did not try and bother to stay and protect his buildings. Like the rest of the mercs, he is terrified of their new pyro. Unlike the last one; who was a sadist, this Pyro is not only fearless and brutal but plain disturbing with that random behavior. One moment they will chop someone down with such force and determination that one should think that they have a vendetta on that merc. Next, they would be dancing around and be the sweetest person on the whole team, to then burn everyone- team member or rival to a crisp with that flamethrower of theirs.
No one knows this Pyro's face or what might set them off, and that is terrifying.
Pyro destroys his dispenser before pursuing him, replacing the flamethrower with an ax.
"Help!" Engineer cries out, hoping some from the team is around and is in mind to actually help him; which is most often unlikely.
Just to his luck, he runs into the RED scout and the guy grins wickedly. "Well hello." Engineer pulls out his gun but knows that he won't stand a chance, not against Pyro and Scout.
The scout fires at him and two of the bullets hits him in the chest, Engineer sneers in pain and returns fire. Scout's speed made him dodge the bullets and with him forced to reload, the Scout charges at him, lifting his spiked pipe with that crazed grin ready to bash his head in.
But then, right before the pipe makes an impact with Engineer, his own team's Pyro appears and not only set Scout on fire but tries to burn their counterpart. Didn't work though and BLU Pyro drops dead from the ax the RED Pyro launched at them.
Engineer did not waste time in thinking, he just shoots and only when the menace to RED Pyro is lying with several bullets to the chest, he realizes that his Pyro had saved him.
That was something new and no matter how much he tried, he couldn't stop thinking about this strange action the pyromania did.
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
After the fight, Engineer decided to at least say thanks to Pyro from saving his ass. He catches Pyro in the living room, trying to set a magazine on fire with a lighter. "Hey, Pyro." The firebug looks away from the magazine and up to him, whatever they are thinking is a mystery. Pyro never takes off that mask, not even outside of battle. "Thanks for the aid today." He tells them as calm as he can, having Pyro's focus on him is always a gamble as he has no idea if Pyro would be lethal or friendly. Turns out this time Pyro is on the friendly part, for the firebug gives him a thumbs up before returning back to their small task. Engineer leaves before the coin flip lands on the lethal side.
No idea why, maybe from how he has observed that they look kinda lonely, maybe curiosity on what lies behind the mask? Or maybe he's just a fool that thinks he can befriend the most unpredictable member of the team. whatever the case, Engineer decided to be a bit more friendly towards Pyro, invite them to make a small fire while he plays on the guitar. Allow Pyro to watch him work and even try and understand the words behind that muffled voice.
At first, it was nerve-wracking and that's saying a lot since Engineer is used to all a week's work being destroyed in a matter of seconds by the enemy team. Pyro was like that, except this conundrum had a tendency of putting him through respawn with little to no warning.
But there did come something good from all of that work and trips through respawn: and that's he got himself a very fierce protector.
At first, it only occurred once a week, but over time, Pyro really began to stick close to him and keep his machines safe from the enemy team. Sure made his job easier and Spy's a lot harder. Engineer's not complaining though, and yeah sure he does have to endure the constant tension of not knowing when Pyro will turn around and set him on fire, but he says it's worth it.
They win this day's match and like a ritual, Engineer allows Pyro to make a bonfire while he plays on the guitar and drinks some beer.
Pyro sits at the fire, admiring it. Thanks to constant practice, Engineer is able to understand their mumbled words. "It is pretty." He agrees, mostly just to be nice to Pyro. They did a really good work today and… well, he once knew someone who liked fire just as much as Pyro does.
He notices Pyro is staring at him and first there he realizes he has stopped playing. He begins to strum his guitar. "Sorry about that." He hesitates but decides to speak his thoughts. "Thoughts about an old friend."
Pyro does not answers, their attention is once again back to the fire and his own thoughts start wandering.
He had been confused when she one day invited to some kind of party, but being her friend, he agreed to come. Oh how he regretted it, but it sure hell explained why she did not want to talk about her family.
The mansion the party found place in was nice, the people seemed nice too, although a bit snoopish in his taste. He hadn't cared much about that or the host that really tried to seems like she was someone famous and had an aura that she demanded attention and respect. What he had cared about was the sight that met him when his friend revealed what was the daily torture she possibly went through daily. She was once again in that dress and although he admits she looked nice. That smile and those eyes… it did not fit at all. It broke him watching how she replied the host like a programmed machine and had such a strong façade that she didn't really seem to notice him. She danced with him and chatted, but that wasn't the young woman he had come to care about. She was like a stranger and that really upset him, more so that he could barely snap her out from it.
The host— her mother got quite cold and malicious when he tried to turn the conversation into subjects he knew his friend enjoyed, and anger flared in him when she snapped out from that disturbing façade in an attempt to join the conversation. Only to be harshly shut down by both her parents told they would discuss her behavior after the party. She went right back into that obedient doll façade once again.
Dell couldn't take it anymore, he left the party early. He couldn't stay and pretend everything was alright, that he liked that façade of his friend better than the one he got drunk with and laughed over silly nerd jokes.
She came to him about a week after the party, he never meant to be so directly but he was too disrupted by what he saw at that party. "What the hell happened to you?"
She was silent for a painfully long time and Dell was sure that if he had tried to push her, then she would've left and never returned. "It's my way to protect myself..." She finally replied, slowly and weak. Scared of talking about it but Dell needed to know. "I cannot take the punishments anymore…!" She started to cry and he just stood there, no idea what to do. "You have no idea how hard it is to be someone I never will be…"
No… he didn't… Dell has always known what he will be and that was exactly what his parents expected of him…
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Their relationship got very strained after that, and more than once, Dell feared that she would stop coming and disappear into that nightmare she called her life. He refused to let go of her and did everything in his power to show it, he did not care that his co-workers teased him to get laid with her already, he would never do that. Not to her, not unless she wanted it.
She had at one time tried to kiss him but after she said. "That didn't feel right." He knew the bond they shared was not out of lust. Dell did not really care though, all he wanted was to see her smile and be happy…
That wish thinking slipped further away every time he saw her again.
It was getting hard to meet. His many visits to her home, constantly asking for her left a bad expression on her parents'. They had more than once refused him to see her, told her was a bad influence on their precious daughter and even went so far to put a restraining order on him in approaching her.
He still kept coming and she still tried to get away, he got arrested several times and she got thrown right back home each time she ran away.
"Been playing with Pyro again?"
Medic's voice snaps Engineer out from his thoughts, he follows the doctor's gaze and shakes his head. "Nah, that one is from before the War Games." He replies at the old burn scar he has on the left leg. He does not blame the doc from not knowing. Scars that respawn at times leaves behind does look years old even though it was received only a few hours back.
Medic does not ask further questions, well aware that people here do not like to talk about their past. Engineer doesn't mind talking about his grandfather or the bitch to his wife. They cannot hurt his grandfather anymore and Engineer must admit he has a wish thinking that maybe one from the team might go out and murder his wife. He would've done it himself but he can't without scarring his son's mind for life and that's the last thing he wants.
The only thing he does not and never will talk about: comes to his past is about her. It's just too darn painful.
He glances down to the old scar, the only reminder of her and what they did in an attempt to make her get away from her abusive life.
He had found her on the street again, bruises and from how thin she had gotten. Dell was very certain her parents haven't given her much food as punishment. Although he had a restraining order of not approaching her, he refused to turn a blind eye and let her suffer alone. He took her home and made her favorite meal and after she has wolfed it down. She told him. "I can't do this anymore. I am losing myself to this stupid façade."
And he simply asks her. "What do you want to do?"
Her face is hard and eyes have a gleam of anger and determination. "I want to burn everything down."
He nods, figured she wanted to destroy the place that has caused her so much torment. "After that… I don't know where I will go. Anything is better than that hellhole."
That had been the cue to an idea he long had been thinking about. "You could come with me. I would need a partner for my future company."
She eyed him surprised, then smiled. "I would very much like that, but first." This hard determination returned back to her face and burning eyes. "I need to make sure no one knows who I am. I want to have a clean slate. Nothing to hold me back to discover who I truly am."
He simply nodded.
She had wanted to do the 'clean up' on her own and was very keen on he wouldn't come and drag her out from it. He assured her he wouldn't, but he wanted to stay close in case something went wrong. She was okay with that.
Dell stood near the mansion, watching the fire inside spread rapidly like a hoard of hungry grasshoppers. He heard a woman's scream, first out of anger, then it turned into true horror. From the sound of it, the mother was inside and would truly see what her oppression had created inside her own daughter. The scream hadn't lasted long, probably the fire burned up her throat. Knowing his friend, who has both feared and hated her mother; she would not let that bitch die slowly.
He wouldn't have gone inside the house, he knew his friend had the knowledge to fire that would allow her to leave it without much harm. But not even she would've predicted that part of the roof collapsed and he dreaded she got trapped by the debris. He ran inside to get her out, begging to every god that she was still alive. He found her inside that big hall where those many parties occurred, holding a burning corpse into the flames that were eating the dining table. Her own right arm was on fire and yet she did not remove it, no care that she soon would be joining her own mother.
He refused to let that happen and pulled her away from the fire, she stared at him at first angry that she was denied death. Then realized who stood before him and she hugged him in gratitude he stopped her. He returned it back but did have to cut it short when one of the flames decided to lick his left leg.
She kicked the burning wood away and told him. "Let's get out from here." Together they left the burning house, she almost looked happy when they did, as if knowing that she never could return to those dreaded walls now they were being consumed by the fire.
He liked to think that as well.
When the police arrived along with her father and that idiot to a man demanded the police to arrest him, for surely his daughter would never do something like this.
She had argued, but her still lingering fear towards her father made her clam down when he harshly told her to. The police arrested him for setting the fire and later the murder of the mother.
He wasn't in prison for long though, someone persuaded the judge to give him only a year of prison instead of the decade long one. Dell was understandably confused by this unlike rescue and allowed the man to explain that his employee needed his many PhDs in hard science to solve a conundrum from a machine his grandfather built.
even though he wanted more than ever to find his friend. He knew declining this offer would end up with him ending back in prison where the keys would be thrown away. So he followed the man to fix one of his grandfather's machines. That was how he met Blutach Mann.
A sudden pain snaps Engineer out from his thoughts, he glances to Medic who is currently taking a flesh sample from his back. "What's that for doc?" He has gotten used to the doctor doing all kind of weird experiments, several of them are morally wrong but Engineer is more interested in the science than the experiment itself. Medic is the only one he can have a scientific conversation with.
Medic puts the flesh piece into a container, revealing that this flesh is burned. Oh right, Engineer forgot that Pyro torched his back with the new flaregun of theirs. "I have long wanted to attempt to make skin fireproof. Spy won't help me out, so I had to take my second best choice."
Ah, that makes sense. "Figures that's easier than to teach Pyro what not to set on fire." He jokes lightly, Medic laughs weakly but clearly uncomfortable about the mention of Pyro. No judging here, Pyro has that strange habit of zooming in on the doctor like a seeking missile. "At least you have Heavy to help you out." Big guy and Medic have been teaming up a lot lately, which has proved a very good tactic. Unfortunately, the RED's did the same and Engineer is more than miffed in how many times that duo have destroyed his sentry nest.
Medic merely hums as his reply to Engineer's comment, he stores the flesh sample and returns to close the wound with stitches. "I could say the same about you and Pyro."
"Yeah..." Engineer replies softly. He has gotten quite close to Pyro but never really expect their relationship to be more than the firebug keeping guard over him and his buildings and he keeping them company.
Pyro's mind does not seem to comprehend the more nuanced traits to a proper relationship.
"Out of curiosity, how did you get that burn?" Medic suddenly asks.
Engineer hesitates but come to the conclusion that there's not much harm in revealing a small part of his past. "I got it when I ran into a burning house to save a friend."
"Did you succeed?"
Engineer puts on his boots and leaves with a simple: "No."
He didn't succeed in saving his friend.
When he found her father. The bastard told him that she had been transferred to a mental hospital where she died.
Her father had been his first true kill, and where most people would either feel a deep regret or throw up in disgust. He felt oddly at peace when he beat that man's face in, knowing that his friend had been avenged.
The only thing he regrets from all of that was the fact he hadn't been able to save her.
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
On of the few days of ceasefire, Engineer decided to build something not for the battlefield. Whistling a happy tune, he heads to his locker to grab his glove, only to find it empty. Annoyed, Engineer turns around and about to call out to the base of which idiot thought it was fun to take his working glove. Before he does though, he spots the thief, using his glove as a hat. "Pyro!" He calls just as the laughing firebug runs off. He chases after them, which ends up with him running after them for more than an hour. For one who has a very limited awareness, Engineer must admit that Pyro is really good at hiding.
He does catch the rascal and reclaims his glove, not that it's of much use to him. Pyro's game of putting it on their head has destroyed the rubber so it would keep sliding off his hand if taking it on. Letting out a long exasperated groan. He returns the destroyed glove back to Pyro. "You keep it." Which is rather annoying as new gloves will only arrive in a week.
Pyro stares at him with a titled head, if they are aware of their mistake or just confused about his behavior, he has no idea.
Pyro looks down at the destroyed glove, at him and then back to the glove. Engineer would've found it amusing if he wasn't so annoyed that he won't be able to work without that protective fabric.
Then, much to his utter surprise. Pyro pulls off their right glove and hands it to him.
That choice of action really took him off guard, not only is it the first time Pyro showed any sense of awareness about his needs but also revealed what lies underneath that rubber suit. And seeing that shocks him to the core.
Pyro's hand is deeply scarred, the oldest are from burns and the newest looks to have come from a knife. He stares at the hand, finding himself both scared and excited of the thought that strikes him.
He carefully reaches out for their head and to his utter shock, Pyro allows him to puts his hands on their mask and even pull it off. That is the ultimate sign of trust, one he is truly honored about and will respect whatever he sees behind that mask.
What little air he held, leaves his throat when the face comes into view.
She's alive.
The brief joy gets snuffed out when he realizes that she has that look, the façade is up, mixed with an innocent smile of oblivious. "Keahi?" He calls, not her birth name but one he gave her out from her love of fire. Her gaze turns to him, the now short messy hair no longer able to cover her amber eyes but there is no recognition in them. "Don't you recognize me? It's me, your friend, Dell." But there is no sign she is aware that he's right before her.
She blinks once, gently reclaims her mask and puts it on, covering her face once again.
Engineer is glad he has his goggles on, so he can hide the tears of this dreadful discovery.
His friend has been rendered to a shadow of her former self, stuck in a world of her own making and completely unaware of the world outside of it.
He hugs her and she instinctively returns it. At this moment, Dell promises himself that he will take care of what remains of his friend, no matter how much it hurt knowing she never will be the same again.
took me forever to write this. I had a lot of trouble creating a story I would be satisfied with, I would've loved to get into further details about the past Dell shared with Keahi, but these one-shots are only meant to give a window into their lives.
for my headcanon, I think Pyro is a woman and my choice for that is purely because I think it's funny of the other mercs being scared of a woman.