Chapter Text
“whaddya mean?” fuse mumbled out, kicking his legs up in front of him and leaning back in his chair so it sat back with its own legs barely scraping the floor, his eyebrows furrowed in pretend question. he knew exactly what maggie meant, but he had no intention of humoring her.
“ya know what i meant wally, you're bloody in love with them.”
walter practically choked at the statement, letting out a surprised gasp while the chair rocked under him. no longer leaning back, it slammed on the ground loudly, making maggie jump a little in her seat. “bloody hell wally!”
“i am NOT in love with-“
“fine, infatuated.” maggie dismissively grunted, her eyes narrowing at fuse’s refusal.
“infatuated is damn well overstating it.” fuse responded quickly.
“yeah, sure.” she sighed, not wanting to dwell on the topic any longer. it wouldn’t get anywhere regardless. at least, not with her friend’s adamant refusal. it was typical fuse fashion after all. despite his persistence and absolute zero shame with flirting and suggestive jokes towards bloodhound, he would never ever seriously address his feelings, least, not with maggie.
not anymore.
“how'd we even get to this anyways, aye?” fuse grunted, standing up from his seat with the visible intention of leaving as fast as possible. he did not want to face this with maggie right now. it was just damn well awkward.
“you used to tell me everything wally.” maggie frowned, standing up as her buddy did.
“yeah, well that was before you blew my bloody arm off.” fuse huffed, narrowing his eyes at his companion. there was a lot he couldn’t forgive maggie for, wouldn’t forgive her for. that wasn't to say he didn't TRY, but could you really blame him?
maggie stared blankly in response.
“i thought we were past that wally. besides, you betrayed me… betrayed us. we had a cause, we were freedom fighters!”
“betrayed you?”, he laughed, “good god maggie! how does that justify it?”
“i didnt mean to blow your arm off,” she started.
“so you intended to blow me to pieces?” fuse scorned.
“no! i didn't mean to throw the grenade!, it just happened!” maggie growled in frustration, slamming her hands on the table.
fuse looked down at her fists as they hit the table, sighing and backing away from her. he learned long ago to not turn his back to her, after she threw a grenade at him and all.
“whatever margaret, this is a bloody useless conversation.” fuse narrowed his eyes at her, leaving the lounge and exiting to the hall quickly, he didn't want to give her time to catch up.
“wally!” maggie’s voice sounded throughout the hall, but she didn’t follow him. fuse was thankful for that.
walter walked for what felt like forever, his attention elsewhere and his body on autopilot. fuse wasnt very much a dwelling man, but he could only stand to wonder with maggie. would their relationship ever really be normal? it had been years since the incident, but it only felt like days in progress of moving forward.
he had tried so hard to at least move on, but that mutual trust felt as though it would never be rebuilt. maggie wasn't his sister anymore, she was an adversary and sometimes companion. it could never feel the same, at least not in his eyes.
fuse knew all margaret wanted was to desperately mend burnt bridges, to have her best friend back, but she was the one who had ruined it in the first place, right? it hadn't been the same for a while before the incident anyways, their ideals, their values, were long differentiating.
so why did fuse feel so empty? things hadnt been the same since they were so much yonger, yet…
fuse suddenly gasped, his mind and body thrown off balance as he tripped on a ground tile jutted outwards, the halls of the dormitory had been long since outdated and coming apart yet he had been so focused in his own mind he had not quite been thinking about his steps.
fuse ended up using his hands to catch himself on the ground, although he had fallen to the floor he had thankfully prevented himself from slamming his head against it. cursing with a hiss between his teeth when he tried to sit up on his knees, he felt a pulsating pain in his ankle and groaned in frustration while trying to bring himself up.
“well- isn't it just my lucky day.” fuse murmured to himself, suddenly jumping when he felt a hand on his shoulder. fuse whipped his head around, expecting to see maggie but instead saw the much rather appreciated presence of bloodhound. well, fuse wasn't quite sure if their presence was more appreciated than maggie’s in this embarrassing situation- but he was also confused on what bloodhound was doing roaming the halls as he was.
fuse said nothing as bloodhound (noting that they were also silent) helped him sit down upright, his legs laid out in front of him.
bloodhound stared at fuse through their mask, worry on their unseen expression covered by helmet. “this is not like you, my friend.” they mumbled, lowering themself so they were level with fuse.
fuse let out a hushed “huh?”, his face flushed red as bloodhound moved closer, pushing down on random parts over his body to check for injuries before raising a hand to fuse’s forehead.
“are you ill?” bloodhound questioned, trying to feel for a temperature on instinct before quickly realizing the attempt was futile with their gloves covering their hands.
“you are red.”
fuse said nothing but let out a murmur in dazed confusion as bloodhound helped lift him up by his side, leaning on their shoulder with a groan. limping on one leg, fuse (with the help of bloodhound) made it through the hall and back into the lounge, where thankfully, maggie had disappeared.
“what is wrong, my mate?” bloodhound asked with a voice of curiosity and worry.
fuse chuckled at bloodhound’s use of language, he had always appreciated their attempts to make fuse feel comfortable and respected by learning the man’s strange tongue and lingo.
“just wasn't paying attention houndy- reminiscing a little.” fuse forged a smile, trying to stand up but bloodhound only pushed him back onto his seat.
“you are injured, walter fitzroy.” bloodhound started, a sigh escaping their helmet. “please stay.”
fuse nodded, tossing his head back and glancing at the ceiling. there was no escaping this. that wasn't to say fuse didn’t absolutely love spending time with bloodhound, because he truly did love them, like a lot. which was what maggie (and admittedly fuse) was so worried about. he didn't need to question his feelings and thoughts more, he had done just enough dwelling tonight.
“well what were you doing out there then houndy?” fuse questioned, leaning forward and catching eyes with bloodhound in curiosity.
“i suppose reminiscing like you, walter.”
“oh?” fuse inquired, smiling a bit. “about what?”
bloodhound shook their head, glancing down at the ground with a sigh. “boone.”
oh.
oh.
fuse felt a low drop in his stomach, he had heard about boone a few times from bloodhound, but never in deep detail. from what fuse knew, boone was a past, fallen lover. bloodhound was sure the two would meet in valhalla in times far away, and fuse wasnt quite so sure how he felt about that.
it wasn't any of his business either way, and he wasnt sure why he cared, but he did. he felt sympathy for bloodhound, and he flashed bloodhound a gentle, soft smile.
“im sorry mate, didnt mean to press ya on it.” fuse spoke softly, a gentle and sympathetic tone in his voice.
bloodhound shook their head, giggling softly. “you have done nothing wrong, walter fitzroy.” they paused for a moment, looking back up at fuse before continuing. “although, i cant help but feel as if….” they trailed off, not continuing.
fuse raised an eyebrow.
“as if??….”
“nothing, please ignore that i spoke.”
fuse frowned, leaning forward once more.
“cmon houndy, you can tell old fusey-“
“it is not important, fitzroy.”
fuse blinked blankly at their insistent tone, and sighed before leaning back in his seat. “apologies mate. its none of my business.”
bloodhound nodded, acknowledging fuse’s remark but saying nothing.
they sat in silence for a few moments, neither of the two having anything left to say. fuse tapped his uninjured foot on the ground for a few moments, desperately trying to think of another topic of conversation to avoid the silence.
that wasn't to say fuse didn't enjoy the comforting moments of silence with bloodhound, in fact, he often looked forward to short but quiet and comforting moments on the dropship with bloodhound where they spoke little to each other, but both wished one another luck with small and gentle smiles. well, fuse was pretty sure bloodhound was smiling back at him. either way, it was comforting.
but this was different, it wasn't a comforting silence, but rather uncomfortable and awkward. a silence that fuse had long since almost never felt with the hunter.
“i can see you are struggling to speak, walter.” bloodhound started to say, “i did not mean to make you feel awkward.” they sighed, leaning back in their chair ever slightly but still keeping their focus on fuse from beneath their helmet.
“it is just…you remind me so much of him…. and i cannot help but feel sorrow for boone when i reminisce on our times together, as he was my one true love. we hunted together for a very, very long time. yet without him the joy and honor of the hunt feels so… different. it is not what it used to be, fitzroy. there is no joy or happiness like it was with him.” bloodhound’s voice was soft and pained, their head hanging low as they thought of boone, recalling the times they spent together.
fuse gently smiled, leaning forward in his chair once more. he rested his hands on his own legs, a comforting expression on his face.
“i know what ya mean houndy, i mean.. a little bit.” he spoke. “but hes not gone, he hasnt left you, or your spirit. hes still in ya heart houndy, and hopefully there’s room for more…” fuse spoke without thinking, immediately going quiet after speaking the last of his sentence.
what was he saying? god he was an idiot, he was just trying to help bloodhound, to make them feel better. but instead he had to run his big mouth, had to say something ridiculous like-
“i suppose you are right, walter fitzroy.” bloodhound chuckled, a sweet but hushed tone to their voice as they responded to fuse. there was no offense in their voice or awkwardness in response to what fuse had said, but rather an amused happinesses.
fuse smiled back at them, turning his insanely red face away from bloodhound and back towards the hallway. he looked like one massive tomato.
bloodhound went to reach out a hand towards fuse, as if to rest it on the side of his face but they suddenly stopped in their tracks- taking a moment in frozen solitude before standing up.
bloodhound cleared their voice quickly, turning away from fuse awkwardly.
“i- um. sorry, i must go now.” before fuse could respond, bloodhound quickly left towards the hallway and did not turn back even at fuse’s shouts and protests.
fuse awkwardly tried to pull himself up from his chair, cursing loudly.
“ah- bloody hell! what did i do now?”