In Need of Assistance? (TF2)

Thirty-Three: Good Mercenaries

I take the gun, widen the sling strap, and take off my backpack. "I suppose? I didn't even hold it correctly, this thing would easily blow my shoulder off."

"Practice makes perfect?" Scout reluctantly tries to motivate me. I tilt my head in unsureness and sling the strap of the gun over my body to keep my hands free before putting my backpack back on. "Be careful out there, Accomplice."

"You, too." I sigh as I head into Engie's garage. He holds a toolbox to his chest as he talks to Spy.

"Please, only sap it if needed," he pleads. "Sappers destroy the whole darn thing instead of just deactivating 'em."

"I will attempt to. I make no promises," Spy says. having to hold his cigarette in between his fingers when talking. Is he even supposed to be smoking? Bird head and everything...

"Go on, git," Engie orders. Spy squeezes past me as I enter, Engie setting down his toolbox on a table and turning to me. "ETA of getting all of this fixed up? Can't give ya an estimate," Engie sighs and crosses his arms. "To make sure we're all caught up, here's what we need to do to break the curse--"

"Medic already told me," I stop him.

"Saves me a bit of trouble," he mumbles. "Right now, we're rounding up exit teleporters around the fort. Better to do it now rather than wait for something to pop up out of it. Accomplice, why do you have a shotgun?"

"I honestly don't know, Scout gave it to me."

"You doin' alright? I mean, with everything going on and such."

I nod. "I just get to look at cute birds all day. Including you. I used to have canaries around my neighborhood."

He screeches before chuckling. "Aw, look at ya goin' round and callin' me cute now."

"Takes one to know one," I giggle, saying it as more of a joke.

"And that's absolutely a fact," he seconds, tapping his bent index finger on my chin. It might be the friendly nature of a canary talking, but his compliment makes my face warm regardless.

"Yoo-hoo, hallo?" Medic calls, laughing as his birds do before clearing his throat. He holds a container in his hands, handing it off to me. "Heavy and Scout went to go survey the first point and report on what needs to be done. I also saw Spy sapping the teleporter in my clinic after it spawned in a bread monster."

"Dagnabbit," Engie groans obnoxiously loud. "Guess it's for the best, Telemax needs new blueprints anyway and I've been flaking on 'em. I suppose we found out what Merasmus's curse was."

"I took the liberty of shutting off any teleporters I came across on my way here. If you're silent, they don't activate."

"Oh, good work, Medic," I say, trying to give input in this interaction. "It's a small detail, but it'll be useful later." Medic stands with his fingers intertwined, tapping his thumbs as he looks at me expectantly. He flutters his fingers to reference my hands. "What... What's in this thing, Medic?" I hesitantly ask.

"Open it," he urges, he and Engie stepping closer to me. I pop the lid, placing it under the jar. It's birdseed. "Now grab a bit of it." I furrow my brows. "Mach weiter, schnapp dir was." I do as he says, holding it in my palm with close fingers. Engie chirps, ducking his head and nudging up against my hand. Opening my fingers, he dives in and pecks at the feed, gently nipping at my fingers when there's no more. Medic is next, biting a bit harder when I'm out. He cocks his head to the side. "Erm, sorry. Aviary tendencies. I should make note that birdseed is only for good mercenaries."