Atlantic Rim // One-on-One // Closed

She rolled onto her side to watch him, worry etched into her face. After a moment, she stood, hesitantly making her way over to crouch next to his bed.

"They didn't send the camera drones out until we called mayday," he said softy. On the screen was two Kaiju, one short and stocky, like a gorilla if a gorilla also had bee wings and a stinger, and a long, serpent-like shape snaking in the water. A single Jaeger fought them off, a ball and chain flying through the air with deadly intention. Just as the Jaeger had knocked down the gorilla-bee, the serpent reared its head up and shot a glowing liquid all over the Jaeger. Duncan's face scrunched up in a cringe, like he felt the acid on his skin as it ate through the robot's iron skin.

Though her eyes flickered to the screen, that wasn't where Cassie's focus was. Her eyes were mostly on Duncan, as she desperately wished there was more she could do to comfort him. Acid had to be worse than punches, cuts, and broken bones, that was for sure.

The Jaeger whipped around to face the serpent, and that's when the other smashed a fist into the head of Hardhat, crushing half of the cockpit in. Duncan winced heavily, his hands gripping the side of the tablet so hard his knuckles turned white.
"We got too zoned in," he growled. "It could've been avoided."

(Boopies)

Cassie flinched as the Jaeger's cockpit was mostly destroyed, eyes focusing on the screen. "It could have been." She agreed quietly, fists clenched tightly.

The robot continued fighting, but it was clear something was wrong. The movements were no longer fluid and graceful as it once was. No, every punch, every swing, and every swipe was now sudden and herky-jerky.
"It was difficult to keep fighting," he admitted. "It was more for her than me. At that moment, I wouldn't have cared if I would've died or not."

Extremely gently, she reached out, turning the tablet off. Something told her it wasn't the first time he'd watched that video. "O lisoús, Duncan." She breathed, biting her lip as she looked up at him.

"Seems like to the whole world it was just another fight," he said bitterly, setting the tablet aside. "Just another name on the list of casualties. But now I can't get her fucking face outta my head. It's been three years, and I still can't get over it."

(I'm gonna make a really messed up meme, hang on)

(Oh, god, I feel no shame in this)

((NO. WHAT HAVE YOU DONE))

"Duncan, you-you shouldn't have to." She said softly, wanting to reach out and take his hand, to try and offer some form of comfort. "You were close, you can't just…get over that."

"Yet every other person I blinked away without a single tear. I don't even remember half of their names." He let his head hang, his breathing becoming heavier by the second.

She stood, perching on the edge of his bed to reach out a hand, placing it on his shoulder. "Because you weren't just a match, cap. You two were closer than that."

Duncan ran a hand through his hair, taking a deep breath inward. "I wish I could forget her," he admitted with a heavy voice. "Save me a shitload of heartbreak."

"No, you don't." Cassie shook her head, giving his shoulder a gentle squeeze. "Forgettin' her won't fix it. You'll just have a bigger hole t' deal with."

"A hole can be filled," he responded. "But a person can't come back."

"Not this kinda hole." She smiled sadly, leaning against the bed. "Would she really want ya t' forget her? Just like that?"

"It's easier that way," he mumbled, staring down at his feet. "No broken heart if there's no reason for it to be broken, right?"

She shook her head, moving her hands to cup his face and tilt his head to make him look at her. "Broken hearts never quite heal, cap. But they get better, if ya let 'em."

He said nothing, refusing to meet her eyes. He had nothing left to say, nor to do. For the first time, his strong, sarcasm filled personality was thrown into the wind, revealing the broken man he truly was. Duncan was only 25, but at that moment he could've passed for 50.

Cassie sighed, letting go of his face and letting her hands drop. "I didn' know her, Duncan." She said quietly, resting her arms on her knees. "But you did. And from what you've told me, I get the feelin' she'd want you t' heal. You've got t' be willin' to though."

"But how?" he asked. "It's been three years. Three years. 3 other co-pilots. Three other deaths I had to watch, yet she's still sittin' there."

"You're askin' the person who turned t' drugs instead o' grievin'." She said, shrugging a shoulder. "Best I found though, what got me clean? I accepted there was nothin' I could do t' turn back time, and I…let it go. It takes time, but…who knows."

"I don't think anyone does," he mumbled, laying down on his back on the bed. They sat there in silence for almost 15 minutes until there were frantic knocks on their door. The lead mechanic for Alabama 11 poked his small, flushed face through the door and said, "You need to see this."

Cassie looked up from her hands, where she'd been studying her nail beds and wondering if it was possible to find anything close to a manicure. "Wha's goin' on?" She asked, already off the bed and stretching her arms up above her head.

"We're fuckin' ninth on the board!" he said, looking really excited. "C'mon!"
Duncan raised his eyebrows as he stood too, choosing to avoid the stretching. "Must've been that last fight," he said, shooting a grin to Cassie to show he was alright now.