How Did You Get Here? - [RED!Engineer x F!Reader]

Chapter 7

[A/N]: Yup, this story shall continue on and go strong! This was kinda a shorter chapter because it's the lead up to some exciting stuff. Thank you to those who've stuck around despite the long hiatus. I appreciate ya. <3

Waking up at 3am was bad enough, despite its lead up to one of the best experiences of my life, but getting out of bed at 3pm? Now that was something else.

Neither Dell nor I wanted to get out of our comfy snuggled up positions. Falling asleep after love-making and big decisions lends itself to one not wanting to let go of their lover. However, there came a point where both of our backs were crying for salvation, forcing us to contort ourselves out of our romantic huddled position and out of bed. We were both in need of another shower, and while taking one together was enticing, the surface area of the shower was less than the size of an elementary student's desk. Letting my fictional half take the shower first, I made my way to the kitchen to make something for us. During which time I contemplated making it lunch or dinner or being bold enough to use the term "linner".

During my preparation, I wasn't prepared for the surprise attack from Dell. Wrapping his arms around my waist while burrowing his head into my neck and shoulder.

"Boy, you're awfully cuddly now." I remarked, after the moment of surprise and breath catching.

"Ya've flipped a switch in me darlin', can't be helped." He replied, kissing my cheek whilst I rolled my eyes. One would call this switch "touch-starvation", but I chose to think of it as him going from merciless mercenary, to southern gentlemen, to [F/N]'s personal teddy bear. One doesn't have to think too hard about which one I preferred. Removing myself from his embrace, I placed the knife I was using to cut potatoes with down on the cutting board.

"Alright, it's my turn to get clean. If you'd like you can wait for me or help finish cutting the veggies for our – linner." I let out a snort, regretting letting such a word leave my mouth. Dell snickered at the word and took my place at the cutting board. "What's the plan for, linner?"

Shrugging absentmindly, though having another giggle fit from the way he said the accursed word, I started making my way to the bathroom and hollered "Whatever you want it to be! I only just started peeling potatoes."

Closing the door behind me, I let out a contented sigh while hoping int the shower. I was already naked as I hadn't bothered to slap fabric onto my flesh after the adventure from the previous night, and supposed that clothes would merely deny me of precious body heat that emanated so lovingly from Dell's own form.

Letting the warm water dribble down my skin, my mind wandered all over the place. It finally hit me properly that I had made such a bold decision the night before, and that my dream could very well become a reality. I knew Dell wouldn't let anything horrendous happen to me though, and surely Miss Pauling and the Administrator could be reasoned with if I was caught, surely. I did my best to not think about the comic in which Helen hired a director to interview the mercs, only for her to have Miss Pauling off him in the end.

"Why did Valve have to write such sexy, scary women?" I grumbled into the water.

Diverting my thinking onto other matters, I wondered what the other mercenaries were like. Would they be fun to be around? Intimidating? Would I finally get to see what lies under Pyro's mask? These were the thoughts I should've been dreaming about. I was eager to see what the team was like. Considering Dell was exactly what I had expected – for the most part – surely the rest of the team would be too. Having had a minor phase of lusting after Sniper, I was most curious about him. Though I knew I wouldn't be thirsty like I once was, I had my handsome engineer by my side. This didn't stop me from shuttering at the painful realization that Mr. Mundy likely reeked of piss.