Meet the Mailman

Mailman Meets Pyro

So far things were going pretty smoothly. For a while, you kept a change of clothes in the mail truck so you could change into something red at the end of your route, but you soon discovered your boss really didn't care. So, you wore red all the way around; just a tanktop and shorts to handle the New Mexico heat. You much rather the waves and greetings over the gunfire and curses.

You had some interesting encounters, and given the simple enough names and easy to see behaviors, you remembered who was who. But due to the interesting encounters mentioned, it was a lot easier to do this route last still.

You got out of the truck, pulling up to the mailbox, easily enough not having to worry about the hassle you had previously. Sometimes Pyro liked to wait for you by the mailbox; they would just sit there and look up at you as you pulled up, like this was the highlight of their day.

"Hey, Pyro." You waved, to which they reacted the same as they always do, wave and speak in happy muffles.

That was normally the extent of your conversations with them. You were starting to understand what they were saying from bits and pieces of listening to certain ways they said "Hello," "Hi," or even the occasional, "Nice to see you again." You spoke with them a little more one time when you asked how their day was going...but honestly, it sounded like they were listing out things from their own little lala-land instead of talking about a normal day. You kinda wondered about them...

Well, you wondered about all of them.

"Got a package today..." You said and took out a medium-sized box.

Pyro immediately jumped up, and it actually took you by surprise. Other times you had a box, they would tilt their head and try to figure out who it was for, which it normally ended up as Engineer or Medic's.

"Are you expecting something?" You asked them with a small chuckle. Pyro nodded their head up and down and just snatched the box from your hands before you could even see who it was addressed to.

"Hey-!" You really hoped it wasn't something for someone else now, especially not for Medic- You didn't like to think about what happened the last time a box for him was delivered and it had a small bump-

Pyro took out- wait was that a whole axe?! Your heart dropped, but no way were you about to lose some fingers stopping them. They brought the axe down on the box about halfway and then took it out and put the axe back from where it came.

You were tense, expecting the sound of breaking glass or something, but that never came. Instead there was a rustle of a plastic bag covering as Pyro pulled out a large bag of lollipops. "...they're lollipops..?" You muttered more or less to yourself.

Pyro jumped and clapped, cheering like this was an accomplishment. They opened the bag quickly and pulled one out. They were multi-colored, swirled big ones that you would normally see in fairs. "Oh, neat...!" You said smiling, waiting for them to take it out of your face.

Instead Pyro nodded and said what sounded like, 'take it!' You looked over at them to make sure that is what he said and then you nodded. "Okay! Thanks, Pyro." You said taking the lollipop.

Did you need this unnecessary amount of sugar in your system all at once? No. But were you probably going to do it anyway? Yep. Not right away of course, you held onto it and smiled at them. They must have gotten that big a pack to share with everyone...or just have themselves, it was hard to tell. You weren't too sure why they wanted to let you have one, but it was a kind gesture, and who were you to deny it?

Pyro watched you; looking at you and looking at the lollipop. "...You want me to have it now?"

They nodded quickly, wanting you to try it right in front of them. Now you were starting to wonder if this was a trick...if it would be sour or something...

"..." You looked at them a bit unsure, but your hands got to unwrapping it. You brought it up to your lips and gave one more glance from the multicolored candy to the eager looking pyromaniac.

"...Strawberry?" You asked, tilting your head. Pyro nodded and then started speaking, it was mumbled, but you could tell they were pointing at the different colors and listing different flavors.

"Oooh, it's all different flavors.." You said to which Pyro nodded, clapped once and pointed at you. "Well, thanks, I really apprecia-"

They interrupted you and grabbed your hand quickly, exclaiming, 'follow me!' through their mask as they lead you inside.

"Wha- whoa, hang on, but I-" It wasn't like you had anymore stops, so you quickly fell silent, but where were they taking you and how long was this going to be?

"Aye, good luck.." A familiar Scottish, drunken voice said from the worn, and out of place looking couch in the mess of a base.

What was that supposed to mean?!

As you were dragged around the place, you got a few glances from some of the others, but they didn't stop you or Pyro and more or less just stared. You still wanted to know what was going on-

Pyro released your hand as the two of you made it to a door...that looked burnt and had duct tape all over from what you suspected to be axe-damage. They opened the door and stood to the side and you heard the 'ta-da!' they gave you from the presentation.

You knew they wanted you to stick your head in so you did...slowly. The room looked neat enough, compared to everything else in the base - everything had its respective place and things seemed color coded with the rainbow. Your eyes caught a glimpse of the back wall: it was lollipops.

You had never seen this many lollipops in one place- and they were all different from each other. There were swirled ones, square ones, triangle...multicolor, flat color...no color; even transparent ones with scorpions and worms inside-

"Whoa...there's so many of them.." You stated the obvious. Pyro nodded enthusiastically and patted your back until you were nudged inside.

They ran over to the stuffed animals, picking one unicorn up and then a large lollipop twice the size of your face up. Pyro put the two of them together and then pointed to the side with stuffed animals and the side with lollipops.

It was like for every stuffed animal they had, they had a lollipop for...? "You collect them?" You said, not wanting to guess with your gut, so the obvious it was. Again.

Pyro nodded and started going on about it. You translated it in your head to the best of your ability: it was indeed a large collection that they kept adding to over the years. It was a way for them to bring their dreams to reality. They bought the stuffed animals and then lollipops to match their souls, but they would only keep one lollipop out of the whole bag that they deemed "most special."

It seemed a little childish, but it was actually kind of sweet. It was their passion, and they wanted to share it with you...but why you?

'It's incredible, Pyro! Thank you for letting me have one, too." You said, thanking them again.

You kind of wanted to ask why they showed you all of this, but you were guessing maybe they wanted another friend? Afterall, they seemed to be living around the same men day in, day out, and worked with them too in...whatever their job entailed. You were pretty sure it was illegal.

At this point you were just a rough acquaintance that waved to them...maybe this was step one in them trying to get to know you. It seems sweet enough, like a younger kid...but also, they are probably a full grown adult or something like everyone else there and not a child. (Well, you weren't sure if you could consider Scout a "full grown adult" considering how he was.)

Either way, it was a way of expression, and it was something enough to make you smile.