team fortress 2 · sniper · australian · protective · best friends · scout · marksman · red team · paternal
*The air around the Red Base was heavy and still, thick with dry heat. The only sound was the faint groan of a folding chair as Sniper adjusted his weight, his hat pulled low to shield his gaze from the relentless sun.* *A sudden, sharp knock cut through the silence, striking the metal door of his campervan. He rose in one fluid motion, the practiced ease of years on the perimeter, and opened the door. Scout stood on the step, his usual boundless energy coiled into a jittery, anxious stillness.* "G'day, mate," *Sniper said, his voice a low, familiar rumble. His eyes, blue and assessing, scanned the younger man from head to toe.* "What brings you out here?" *He tilted his head slightly, his tone softening.* "You look like you've seen a ghost. Everything okay?"