A while back, Kilo mentioned the idea of Soldier heading to Texas with Engie after the RED/BLU stuff. This is my take on it, and it's a one-shot, so this will probably be the only piece to it unless I decide to revise it or something later.

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"By the way Dad, I'm bringing a friend along too," the Engineer said over the pay phone. Soldier turned, arms already crossed, and skewered his 'friend' with an irritated glance. Engineer recoiled slightly, craning his neck back and raised his eye brows shamefully above his spectacles as chatter escaped from the pay phone.

"Y-yeah," Engineer replied hesitantly, guilt still washing over his face as he stared back at Soldier. "He's a nice guy, don't worry 'bout that." Engineer shifted uncomfortably to face the kiosk, his eyes darting over his features. There was more talking from the opposite end of the phone. "He, uh... He ain't got no family, Dad... yeah he's a tough one too, you'll see; he can help out." More muffled responses followed. "Alright, I'll see you at the airport. Love you too, and say hi to Mom for me. Bye." Engineer rested the black corded phone on its vertical cradle and sighed.

"Bringing a /friend/?" Soldier mocked. "And you didn't even tell them I was coming with you until /now/?"

"S-sorry..." Engineer apologized. "It's jus, you know-"

"They're your /parents/ Engie, they should know," Soldier said sternly.

"Ah... Ah know. I'll tell 'em. I promise."

---


"It's just... greener than I thought it would be," Soldier noted as he retrieved a cigarette from his shirt pocket.

"Bee Cave is a nice lil' town," Engineer said. "I reckon tomorrow we- ah hell, I told you about them!" Engineer snatched the cigarette from his companion's lips and flicked it into the grass beneath them. "I'm tellin' ya, those things ain't good for ya." Soldier closed his metallic silver lighter and returned it to his pants pocket and sighed.

"Engie, every man smokes," Soldier defended.

"Only cuz they don't know better, but you do. Trust me," Engineer assured.

Soldier sighed again. "Affirmative," he agreed. Engineer returned to his relaxed posture, leaning against the chest-high wooden fence. Soldier did the same. The two observed the half dozen horses against the morning sun.

"Anyway, s' I was sayin', tomorrow we can go into town an' get a new saddle fer Sadie," Engineer said. He turned and eyed Soldier momentarily above the lenses of his spectacles. "You look just like a local, Solly," Engineer complimented with a smile. Soldier tipped the front end of his dark ten gallon over his eyes, emulating his service helmet.

"Engie, we've been here a week and you still haven't told them," Soldier said coldly. "It doesn't matter what they think; they deserve to know."

"Yer right..." Engineer agreed quietly. "I'll tell em' tonight."

"Good," Soldier replied. Silence enveloped them uncomfortably as Engineer stared down into the grass.

"So, I don't look out of place?" Soldier asked suddenly. "Still wish I could wear my helmet..."

"You look fine, darlin," Engineer reassured him. "'sides, you'll get used to it no time. Life is pretty cozy when you ain't gotta be lookin' over yer shoulder all the time..." Engineer said, his voice trailing off.

"Yeah..." Soldier agreed absentmindedly. He couldn't remember the last time he felt safe sleeping at night. "By the way Engie," Soldier continued. "Thanks for... all of this," he said quietly. It was awkward being in the midst of the such generosity from his companion; it was even more awkward trying to react with verbal appreciation.

Engineer merely eyed him with a smirk. "Heh, 'course Solly!"

---

It was late. The antique clock hung above the stove indicated it was well after ten. The Engineer slowly sipped warm tea from a thick mug wrapped in both calloused hands.

"Thanks fer cookin' dinner dad, it was real good," Engineer said sitting at the wooden dinner table across from the kitchen counter.

"It's nice to have yer mother outta the kitchen every once an' a while," his father replied, scrubbing dishes above the sink. He was just as short as his son, albeit much more wrinkled and hair much grayer. "Why don't you go help yer friend bring in the horses to the stables?" he asked. "Seems awful rude to jus' leave him by himself." Engineer took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled, as if he were preparing to defuse a bomb with a broken bottle.

"Actually, I uh... wanted to tell you something, about Solly..." Engineer spoke. He noticed his voice was beginning to shake.

"Yeah?" his father asked casually, in spite of his son's quickly deteriorating humor. Engineer couldn't believe he was about to admit this; it wasn't ever like this back at BLU. He hadn't even started saying it and his chest was already turning itself inside out.

"Well, it's actually about, me and Solly..." Engineer continued, the panic in his voice rising audibly. He stared down at the dark fluid in his mug, gazing so intently the container might shatter should he look away. "We're... he's not just my friend, dad..."

Engineer slowly pried his eyes away from his half-empty mug of tea and looked up at his father staring right back at him, his eyes wide with confusion and his mouth slightly agape.

"Me an' Solly, we're /together/, Dad..." Engineer finally admitted, and returned his gaze to his ever-cooling tea. He was shocked at how still his hands were, considering he felt as though the unbearable friction inside him would cause his entire body to catch fire at any second. He was still in disbelief he had confessed such a thing to his father.

In the vocal silence that followed, Engineer heard slow footsteps on top of the wooden flooring, growing louder in his direction away from the kitchen counter.

"Yer queer?" Engineer's father asked, in a voice that the Engineer imagined could only replicated by inquiring a police officer delivering tragic news of his untimely death. Engineer felt ashamed to bring that kind of tone how his own father.

"Yeah, dad, I am," he affirmed to his tea, so quietly he could barely hear it himself. The footsteps stopped. Engineer heard a loud, defeated sigh come from his father.

"An' this Solly fella..." his father started. "Yer tellin' me he's queer too?"

"Yeah, dad... he is," Engineer confirmed quietly. He almost laughed at the prospect of Soldier being identified as something like 'homosexual' or 'queer.' Engineer would have laughed, if he wasn't so afraid that any sudden movements might force him to spontaneously combust. Then again, perhaps that would be the easy way out. Engineer heard another sigh.

"What the hell happened to you out there?" the Engineer's father asked, a sad tone in his voice. The Engineer finally broke eye contact up from his tea and looked at his father.

"Nothing happened, Dad, BLU ain't got nothin' to do with it," Engineer defended.

"Then you sure this ain't some, /phase/ or somethin' yer goin' through?" his father desperately asked.

"No Dad..." Engineer sighed. "It ain't a phase... I just am." He shamefully looked back down into his tea. It was so much easier than staring forward. Neither of them said anything. The utter silence was so thick Engineer was afraid he might suffocate from it.

"I'm sorry, dad," Engineer apologized solemnly. He heard chair legs scraping over the floor across from him. The Engineer peered forward to see his father sitting in front of him.

"Son, I'd trust you more 'an anyone else to know what's right for 'em," his father said. "I know yer more 'an smart enough, 'an if yer sure that... this Solly fella's fer you, then you ain't got no reason to apologize."

Engineer reacted with eyes widened, unsure of what to think. "You... yer not mad?"

"Well," Engineer's father started. "I can't say I ain't... confused a little, 'specially that uhvall the men you coulda been knockin' boots with, you somehow managed to snag the toughest lookin' son of a bitch I ever seen. Jus' that I never thought someone like that Solly fella would be queer..." Engineer was quiet, unsure of how to respond. Perhaps with gratitude? He didn't have any solid idea about how his father would react to this.

Standing up, his father walked towards the stairs to the second story of the house, rubbing the back of his neck. "I reckon there ain't no use in him usin' the spare room now is there?" Engineer's father asked, turning back to face his son. Engineer couldn't help but smile a bit.

"No, I reckon not," he admitted.

"Well then, you best help Solly with the horses then, ya hear?" his father ordered.

"Yes sir," Engineer agreed, still smiling.

---

"You thought of anywhere you wanna go, Solly?" Engineer asked. "I reckon 'tween the two of us, the money we made from BLU oughtta be more an' enough to settle down where ever we want."

"Hmm..." Soldier pondered, watching the scenery pass by from within the passenger side window of the truck. The ride was made noticeably jarring and spastic upon the uneven gravel road. "I was thinking maybe we could just travel... overseas. Russia, Germany, Australia, Scotland, maybe even France..."

Engineer let out a chuckle. "Heh, of course, I dun see why not."

Soldier smiled softly staring out the window as the series of Texan buildings reeled in closer. "You know, your mother talked to me this morning," Soldier said.

"She did? What'd she say?" Engineer asked, worried.

"She said she was hoping to have had this conversation fifteen years ago, and with a broad instead."