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Medic watched, distracted for a brief moment in the heat of battle, as Soldier sailed through the air on the blasts of rockets. The man had perfect form, heels together and back straight as he soared upwards before coming screaming back down and kicking an enemy Demo's head in. It was fascinating to watch, considering how the man was outside of 'working hours'. Medic often wondered if there was some sort of internal switch to Soldier, one that flipped whenever a battle commenced that turned him into a focused killing machine of grace and death.
"You scum-suckin' maggots better get out here so I can rip your heads off and use your necks as a latrine!"
Ah, yes, there it was.
An explosion rocked Medic's world and snapped him back into focus. Oh. Heavy had just died.
"Shit." Medic muttered, soon realising that he was being fired at and scrambling behind a building into cover. Well, he supposed, that really was on himself for getting so distracted by the resident patriot. Speak of the devil…
Soldier landed in front of Medic, kicking up dust and gravel and leaving two deep bootprints in the dirt. He whirled around and Medic could catch a glimpse of the wild, battle-frenzied look in his eyes before his helmet dipped back over them again.
"You got a charge, nurse?" He asked, pointing to the fray mounting in front of them. "We are going to be heading right into the thick of it!"
Medic peered around the corner of the building, and a bullet whistled past his ear. He drew back immediately. "I hate to disappoint you, Herr Soldier, but I haven't got my Medigun equipped today. There will be no invulnerability to protect either of us if we charge headlong into that nest of death, and I don't fancy taking my sixtieth trip through respawn today."
"So what did you bring?"
"The Quick-Fix."
At this, Soldier seemed to pause a moment and think. Then, he tapped his helmet with a dull clank.
"I have a plan!" He announced with his usual bravado, grinning wide. "Hold onto my belt."
Medic stared. Now he knew the other had completely lost his mind. "I beg your pardon?"
"My belt! Overheal all the way, then when I say, grab my belt!" Soldier said as he loaded his rocket launcher. He looked up at the completely bemused expression on the German. "It'll be fine!"
"I really don't think-"
"Doc." Soldier said, tone lowering to something that edged on being calm. He held a hand out, one that was dusty and bloody. "Trust me."
Medic stared at him, then looked at his hand. Uncertainty was screaming through him, hot on the heels of his previous bout of adrenaline. Yet for all of Soldier's quirks and mannerisms, the man had never actually caused any of his teammates real harm. Minor injuries through accidents and misunderstandings, certainly. But he'd never purposefully caused them harm or suffering. He'd always kept that bloodthirsty strength on the battlefield, no matter how testy things could get off-duty. When it really came down to it… there were few others Medic really trusted on the team, especially with his own life.
(Not that it was worth much, he supposed, what with eight other souls stitched into him. He mentally shrugged at the notion. If anything, it mattered far more to him how gentle Soldier was with the likes of his darling doves, Archimedes especially. That dove in particular was fussy about who he cuddled up to, but had zero qualms about nestling down on Soldier's helmet or shoulder. That meant everything to Medic.)
So really, there was nothing stopping him when he reached his hand out and took the American's. He nodded, and Soldier smiled. Not grinned, smiled . There were no teeth, no sharp or barked words of patriotism and other American nonsense. Just a genuine smile on his rugged features.
(Medic would later deny to his knowing doves that this made his heart flip.)
"Alright." He said after swallowing his pulse back to something tolerable, "I trust you, Herr Soldier."
At that, Soldier's face broke into a mean grin. "Then let's go!"
He turned, dropping Medic's hand as he went, and hoisted his launcher onto his shoulder. He sprinted out from behind cover and Medic dutifully followed, healing beam trained on his fellow madman. He counted out the seconds to a full overheal, running behind Soldier as bulletfire rained around them without mercy.
"Now!" Soldier shouted back, firing a barrage of rockets. Medic reached out and grabbed, eyes wide as he realised that Soldier had fired the rockets behind them.
Gott im Himmel, he's going to rocket jump!
A choked yell left Medic as he was suddenly swept upwards with Soldier, an arm reaching around his waist and holding him up as they departed with the ground very swiftly. They soared upwards at an unholy velocity, Medic scrunching his eyes up and keeping an iron grip on the handle of his Quick-Fix and on Soldier's belt.
I can't believe this is how I fucking die!
Everything inside of him was screaming, the air was practically punched out of his lungs. His mind was awash with sheer panic as they just kept going up and up. He didn't even notice they'd punched straight through the low cloud layer.
"Open your eyes, Doc." Soldier said to him, voice calm and even as the rush of wind subsided. "Open your eyes, straighten your legs, and walk."
Medic opened his eyes. Brilliant rays of sun cascaded across fluffy white clouds, bathing each of them with a warm, golden glow. He gasped as he could feel the sun on his face, but not in his eyes, and a gentle breeze caress black hair. His coat fluttered out behind him as he slowly straightened his legs from where he'd reflexively curled up, doing as Soldier said and walking. It really did feel as though they were treading air, side by side and miles above the chaos below.
It was like their own little world up here. Time stretched out forever as they walked.
It didn't occur to him that soon they might be falling, too swept up in the moment as he was held fast to Soldier's side. It was a sight he never thought he'd see.
"Ready for the charge, Doc?" It was a question, not a request, that came from Soldier. Medic looked over at him, completely breathless. Soldier just grinned at him. "We're about to fall, be ready to hit it before we hit the ground!"
Medic blinked, slowly coming back to himself before realising Soldier was right. They were falling now, and his stomach dropped in a manner most unpleasant. They sank back down through the clouds and a part of Medic mourned at the loss of such a beautiful view. Then he was met with the problem of reality. The ground was screaming towards them, coming up fast, and he fumbled for the switch on his Quick-Fix. It was close as he activated it, Soldier laughing beside him as he let go of the German. The American, being heavier and without a long coat to act as a drag, picked up speed faster than Medic and soon was falling ahead of him. He fired rounds from his launcher rapidly, laughing maniacally as the unsuspecting enemies fell apart into giblets before their eyes.
Medic watched, breathless still, despite the fact he was falling. He knew, distantly, that he should be very afraid. There was every chance the fall impact would kill him instantly. But he was mesmerized by Soldier. To watch the man work and feel a part of his specialised line of work was a privilege , one he may never get to experience the likes of again.
Then he watched Soldier land, hard, on the enemy Sniper. His boots crushed the man's face instantly, sending him swiftly on to respawn. That was when it dawned on Medic that he was falling only a few seconds behind, and promptly let out a yell of fright as the entire situation bore down on him at last. Soldier looked up, whipped around and, without hesitation, held his arms out.
Against all odds, against all known and unknown laws of physics that Medic bothered to somewhat care about, Soldier caught him .
It was by no means graceful, compared to the rest of Soldier's form when fighting. Medic collided with him and Soldier wrapped his arms around him, taking the brunt of the impact. When Medic's forwards momentum just kept going, they ended up falling backwards and kicked up a spray of grey-matter in the process from the long-dead Sniper. Soldier grunted as he hit the wooden deck of the building, Medic yelping as he landed on top of him. Both rocket launcher and Quick-Fix lay forgotten beside them.
Silence ensued, both men panting from their skyward endeavour. Then, Soldier started laughing. Medic stared at him with his glasses askew.
"Take it you never rocket-jumped before, huh, nurse?" Soldier grinned, lopsided and full of adrenaline. Medic shook his head.
"Nein! My feet have always stayed firmly on the ground!" He gasped, eyes blown wide. "That- that was- that was completely and utterly unglaublich! You do that all the time??"
"Oh yeah." Soldier laughed as Medic haphazardly disentangled himself and stood up. Soldier followed, steadying the taller man as he almost slipped on the Sniper's blood.
"That was amazing!" Medic was windswept, adrenaline coursing through him like a drug. He stared up at the sky in wonder, before looking at Soldier. "Can we do that again???"
Once more, Soldier laughed, loud and strong. He scooped up his rocket launcher and inspected it. "Might have to be another time, sweetheart, I'm all outta ammo and-"
"Victory!"
Medic looked up in surprise. Soldier smiled and saluted.
"-we just won this match. Nice work, Doc. See you back in the locker room."
Soldier turned and marched off in the direction of their respawn and locker room. Medic simply stared. He had been treated to an experience so unique, so special, with a man who was all that and more it seemed, and he was now expected to just return to doing post-battle paperwork?? Medic wanted to cry at the unfairness of it. To have touched something so wonderful, in both sky and flesh and mind of a man whose war-torn remains were held together by barbed wire and an unhealthy escape into desperate patriotism…
Medic set his shoulders, clenched his fists in nothing shy of determination, and possibly a hint of infatuation. There would be another time, he would make sure of it.