Admire (DJ x Commander)

Chapter 10 : COMMANDER

The world crumbled below Commander's feet, his life flashing before his eyes. It was sudden, and jolted him to his core. 

He gripped what he could, and held on for dear life, but it just wasn't enough. 

He couldn't talk. 

He couldn't cry for help.

He could only drift into the abyss for what felt like hours. 

There was nothing he could do.

Finally, the ground existed again. He hit the floor, his sunglasses falling off his face and cracking. He was winded and could barely breathe.

This- wasn't really floor though, was it? It was more like an invisible barrier that had stopped him from falling further.

A figure walked towards him from the shadows. 

Commander could speak again. He coughed and yelled out, "Hello?!"

The figure came closer, revealing that it was DJ. He wasn't bruised or injured at all.

"What the- DJ?" 

DJ did not speak.

"Hello? Please-- talk to me-!" 

"You disappointed us, Commander." 

"What- I-" Tears welled up in his eyes.

"Our lives could have been fine,"

"Please!- Understand-"

"I wouldn't have gotten hurt." 

Scout, Ranger, and Medic appeared on both sides of DJ.

"Why?" They all said in unison.

They stared on in silence as Commander hunched down and sobbed.

"COMMANDER, COMMANDER, COME IN, COMMANDER"

A voice shouted followed by loud banging.

Commander shot up out bed sweating. 

Right. He went back to his "dorm" after dropping off food at Medic's. So it wasn't real. It's fine. Everything is fine.

"YEAH?" He yelled back groggily. 

"OH CRAP DID I WAKE YOU UP SORRY-" 

Tsk, classic DJ. 

Commander got out of bed and quickly put on a shirt. He opened the door to see DJ with his crutches and his face re-bandaged up. 

"Oh god, you're not looking too good. Did something happen?" 

"Oh-" Commander rubbed his face. "Bad dream, I guess." 

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No- I mean- It's not that I don't want to talk to you- I just- You-" Commander facepalmed. "This is embarrassing. Sorry." 

"Oh! No, no, it's okay! If you don't want to talk about it you don't have to! I won't force you." 

"Okay-"

"Anyway, we're making breakfast and I thought I'd let you know." 

"Okay, I'll be there in a minute or two."

DJ waved goodbye and left as Commander shut the door.

"Holy sh!t." 

Commander slid down the door and hugged his knees to his chest. 

Today was going to be one hell of a day. 

--

"Commander! You finally made it!" DJ said happily, waving to him. "I wasn't sure what you wanted so I grabbed you this- hashbrown thingy. Hope it's okay." 

"Better than nothing. Thank you." Commander grabbed it from DJ's hands and pulled up a chair, sitting with the group.

Scout and Ranger gave him a few small glances, but he could tell they were a little uncomfortable.

Commander let a pained expression show on his face. "Uh- actually, I'll eat somewhere else. Got to guard this place just as good as- our last location.." He stared at the ground. "Sorry. I'll take my leave."

DJ reached his hand out and opened his mouth like he was going to say something, but he made no noise. 

Commander sighed and walked off. 

"Hah, always working, that one...." Commander heard Demoman's voice trail off as he left.

He reached the docks and decided to sit there. The last rays of sun were escaping the horizon as it climbed up the sky. 

For some reason, a memory suddenly popped into Commander's head. A fond one, at that.

It was years ago. Their first successful simulation. 

Before the general.

Before the peak of the apocalypse.

Before all of this. 

"We did it?" DJ's voice resonated within Commander's mind. "Oh my god, WE DID IT!" DJ laughed and gave Commander a massive hug. He then excitedly ran off to celebrate with the others.

A smile cracked across Commander's face. 

The massive "TRIUMPH" sign hovered above them. 

"Yeah, I guess we did." Commander laughed quietly. "Bring it in guys!" 

The team huddled around Commander as he cleared his throat.

"What we did today? Amazing. I honestly can't believe it. You guys have just proven the impossible. We don't have to be like those other- stupid troops. With their drills and uniforms and everything. We can be us. We can enjoy ourselves while still being great." Commander paused "So you know what, we make mistakes. As long as you are able to learn from them, we can keep this up, okay? One day, we'll surpass everyone else. We'll be the best." 

Cheers rang out throughout the simulator as the holographic walls fell and the "TRIUMPH" sign dissapeared. 

And for a moment, everyone was happy. 

Not like now. Not like how Commander had failed his team and let them down.

Tears fell in the water below Commander's feet. He put his hands on his ears, trying to drown the memories. 

"Uhh- you okay- uh- man?" An oddly familiar voice called out to Commander.

"What-" Commander turned his head quickly to be met with a person holding a baseball bat covered in barbed wire. "I assume you're- Slugger?" 

"That's me." 

"Ah. Okay."

"You never answered my question." 

"I'm okay." Commander wiped his face with his sleeve.

"Sure." Slugger walked onto the docks, but jumped off onto the gravely beach below. 

"No, seriously." 

"Mhm, sure." Slugger picked up a small dented tin can and hit it with his baseball bat, sending it into the water.

"You seem really familiar- do I know you-" 

"I don't know, do you?" Slugger sent another piece of metal soaring through the air.

"Wait-" A switch seemed to flick on in Commander's head. Slugger's form was extremely familiar.

"...Gladiator?"

----

I have nothing to say this time

I feel full of shame

I am sorry

Enjoy?