Work Text:
But if there’s one thing Sniper’s good at, it’s watching.
And god, did he watch.
It was near constant, Sniper’s piercing gaze always affixed to Spy, from the little tremors in his hands, up to the shifts in his expression, all the way down to the way he bounced his knee when he was idle for long enough.
And, eventually, just watching became observing.
Sniper spent long hours, pretending to be distracted or asleep, just observing Spy.
Observing the way he flinched, when the mop bucket Soldier was carrying down to the infirmary tipped over, clattering to the ground as soapy water splashed onto the floor.
Observing the way his eyebrows raised and his mouth twitched into an almost-smile when Scout told jokes, or showed off his baseball card collection.
Observing the way Spy always stalled, for the briefest little moment, when the kitchen sink started running while Medic was on dish duty.
Observing the way Spy always glanced twice at Pyro when they came in, even when he hadn’t been burned in the last match.
Observing the way Spy attempted to smile a little more when Engie gave him playful pats on the shoulder, even if he flinched at the initial contact.
Observing the way he’d bring blankets over to Demo when he passed out anywhere outside his bed, glancing around to make sure nobody was watching as he tucked in his teammate.
And somehow never really seeing how sweetly Spy treated him.
Of course, it’s not as if he wasn’t looking. He was always looking, even when he didn’t have to. More-so he never processed the little quirks Spy seemed to pick up around him.
To everyone else, it was the most obvious thing in the world, but Sniper himself never seemed to notice how Spy would bring coffee up to his nest, or linger there on slow days to watch his back.
After the fourth day in a row of Spy quite pointedly bringing Sniper coffee far enough in the afternoon that he had no business drinking it, Spy comes to realize it really is that obvious.
After the fourth day in a row of Sniper drinking the thermos of coffee Spy's brought him, he realizes he doesn't mind obvious. As long as he can have this.