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It was the middle of the night, and the mercenaries, who had gathered around the fire a couple of hours before, had already begun to disperse. The engineer stared at the burning fire and slowly plucked the strings of his guitar. Not far from him, Pyro sat looking back and forth between the flames and the movements of the engineer's hands.
Above them stretched the night sky. It was pitch black, without a single star. Clouds slowly drifted across it, illuminated by the waning moon, taking with them the last remnants of the arduous day after which the team had had such a pleasant and relaxing time.
Medic was the last to enter the van in which the guys had come to rest, and before closing the door, he turned and looked in the direction of the Engineer and Pyro, who remained by the fire.
"How much longer do ve have to vait for y'all?"
Dell glanced at the Lighter. He mumbled something through his gas mask.
"You don't have to wait, buddy. We'll be here for a while."
The Medic shrugged.
"vhatever you say. Guten nacht." he said and closed the door behind him.
Pyro stared at his comrade-in-arms for a few seconds, but then he turned his gaze back to the fire.
They sat together for a while longer. Pyro swayed from side to side to the beat of the music and hummed something, but even the Engineer couldn't understand what it was. Though he was the only one who heard more than a mooing in the sounds from under the gas mask.
Dell's guitar was covered with brightly colored stickers with unicorns, flowers, and other rainbow attributes. And there was a child's Band-Aid over the crack that had formed from careless transportation. Pyro loved the Engineer's guitar, loved the music he played on it. He thought it was very cool and unusual to be able to create such ear-pleasing sounds from a piece of varnished wood.
And Dell loved spending time with Pyro. He was like a little brother to him, who looks at the world with a child's eye, who can enjoy little joys, and who should be protected from thoughtless (or not-so-thoughtful) actions. On the battlefield, too, Pyro always tried to stay close to Conagher and help him by guarding sentry guns and other buildings from Spies.
Suddenly, Lighter stood up and walked over to the van. Dell was about to wave goodbye to him, but Pyro suddenly picked up his fire axe and headed back. The match looked confidently at Dell's hands as he interrupted to play his guitar.
"Mhm mfh... Mfhm mhhm? (Can you... Play more?)" he asked.
"Аh... Of course, mate" Engineer paused for a second, but almost immediately smiled broadly and continued playing as if nothing had happened.
Pyro watched his movements carefully, took his axe in his left hand, positioned it so that the blade and shank were to his right, and began to repeat after Dell, imitating playing the guitar. He laughed.
"I see you like it, boy" Pyro mumbled happily, and the Engineer began to play more vigorously.
The Matchstick paced and swayed from side to side as he continued to strum imaginary strings with his hands more and more vividly and confidently. Dell stomped his foot to the beat, shaking his head.
Pyro, for his part, whether he'd seen it on magazine covers and tapes before or made it up himself, suddenly jumped up and played the guitar solo that rockers sometimes do, mimicking the sound of a guitar. The engineer, putting the guitar in his lap, applauded.
"Well done!"
Pyro clapped his hands, too, in his manner. But suddenly, the van door opened and Spy appeared in the doorway.
"Que diable are you making noise here? Everyone went to bed long ago." he hissed through his teeth.
"Come on, we're just enjoying some good music. Have you even heard Pyro's guitar? It's awesome." Dell answered, pointing his thumb at Pyro. He chuckled.
"Oh, God..." Spy rubbed the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. "Anyway, this can all be postponed until the morning, if you would be so kind as to pack up and not disturb me any more with your rattling and shouting under the window." Without waiting for an answer, he slammed the door.
Conagher walked over to the Pyro and patted him on the shoulder.
"Frenchie's right, I think we ought to get ready. Hope to hear your guitar again real soon." He smiled and went back to the fire to put it out.
"Mph mhpm! (You will!)" Engie could hear Pyro smiling back. Dell, in turn, picked up his guitar and headed for the van. The Pyro followed him.
"Good night." The Texan said before the two parted ways at the entrance. Pyro nodded back.
After that, the Lighter repeated these motions very often. Before the round began, while he and the Engineer stood waiting for the turret to be erected, after defeating his opponent, whenever time allowed. He felt cool and unsurpassed, playing his "guitar" over and over again. And of course, when he could, Dell played along with him on his instrument, hearing the genuine joy in his teammate's voice. And what else does one need to be happy except the joy of one's neighbor, an entire sentry gun, and a bottle of beer at one's fingertips?