Chapter Text
Viper was not big on feelings, but she couldn’t deny that she had fallen in love with Killjoy. It came slowly, unexpectedly. Over the course of the year they had known each other, all the small things the young engineer would do for her accumulated in her mind. The so-called heartless, merciless scientist hadn’t felt anything this strong in many years. Drifting through life day to day, immersing herself in work and not giving a damn about whether or not she died on the battlefield.
When Viper and Killjoy were first introduced to each other, the former was not expecting one of the smartest engineers in the world to stumble into the meeting room with a goofy, confident grin, her bright yellow jacket standing out from the cool grays that surrounded her at headquarters every day. She found Killjoy obnoxious at first. The German always seemed to be snooping around in everyone’s business, collecting data and figuring out team dynamics while having fun (and being a tad annoying while doing so). Her self-assuredness was jarring at times, but it was certainly warranted. Viper learned this first-hand on the battlefield, shocked at how useful the little gadgets really were. Killjoy was incredibly proud of her inventions, and the scientist admired the raw passion she had towards them. The smiles and cheers whenever her bots assisted her in combat, the amount of time she spent tinkering and adjusting their code, hell, the way she brought the bots everywhere with her. In comparison, Viper had very little passion for her poison- for anything, really. She got a slight rush from seeing the power it gave her, but that was about it.
“You know, Viper, you’ve got a beautiful mind,” Killjoy once said to her on the way to a mission. She had taken a snake bite from the American’s holster, inspecting it against the sunlight in the window of the Jeep, “You created something so tiny, but so deadly. Keep that genius alive today, ja?”
Of course, the scientist could do little but scoff and snatch her equipment back, but the remark meant a lot to her. Maybe she wasn’t just an evil scientist. Maybe she had more to live for than inflicting pain and misery upon her opponents. Of course, she dismissed the idea immediately.
She found herself warming up towards Killjoy more and more as the engineer wanted to learn more about her technology. It started when the German started to make short visits to Viper’s lab, observing how the poison was carefully produced and tested. She always seemed fascinated, unlike the other agents who were uneasy by the scientist’s use of venom. Killjoy then began to become friendly with Viper herself, bringing her coffee every morning and opting to bring her laptop to the lab when she needed peace and quiet. It was never awkward or unnatural having Killjoy work in her lab. It brought something warm to the cold and sterile room that she spent most of her time in.
One week, in particular, Killjoy had been very busy and spent a few days running back and forth from her dormitory to Viper’s lab. Sitting on a beanbag chair (that she brought from her own room) in the corner of the lab, she struggled to stay awake but continued typing nonetheless.
“Why exactly do you need to do this in my lab?” Viper asked, seeing the engineer nearly slip into sleep, “It would be much more convenient for you to work in your dormitory.”
Killjoy hummed as a sleepy reply, indicating she was thinking even though it was very evident that her mind was being cleared of anything smart to say. She set her laptop on the ground and pulled her jacket over half of her face, nuzzling into the beanbag chair. “I like working around you.”
Viper allowed herself to stare at her, admiring her smooth skin. Her beanie was messily tilted to the side, her glasses being crushed between the side of her face and the beanbag chair. When she was certain that Killjoy was asleep, she grabbed her lab coat and draped it over her to keep her warm. She carefully removed her glasses and set them on top of her laptop, brushing stray strands of soft hair out of the German’s face. She would never let anyone see this side of her, the soft side that even she didn’t know she possessed. I like working around you too, she thought, as she turned out the lights in the lab and quietly walked to her quarters.
This level of affection was unprecedented for Viper, but it wasn’t completely unwelcomed. For once in her life, she felt like she had something to look forward to every day. A self-assured, witty, genius German engineer that brought warmth to her cold existence. It was nice.
On another occasion, Viper had had an incredibly rough day of work. She spilled a new batch of venom all over the floor of her lab in a tired daze, having to rush to disinfect everything before the room became more of a biohazard than it already was. She hadn’t been able to eat lunch that day due to an unexpected mission that she had to go on with four of the duelists, of all agents. On top of that, she hadn’t seen Killjoy since she dropped off coffee in her lab, saying she would have stayed longer if she didn’t need to test another new invention. Normally, after such a long day, she wanted nothing more than to be left alone so she could attempt to relax. But today, she found herself irritated and confused at just how much she missed the engineer’s presence in her lab. She wanted to see her triumphant smile as she finished whatever she was working on, she wanted to hear her mumbling along to various German songs that were playing in her earbuds, she wanted to smell the dinners they shared together on long nights.
Sitting at her desk with her hands gripping her hair in frustration and stress, she wondered if there was a god since said engineer stumbled into the lab as thoughts of her were swirling around Viper’s head. Along with the sight of a disheveled Killjoy came the unmistakable stench of booze.
“Viper~” Killjoy cooed as she clumsily made her way to the scientist’s desk, “hmm.. I love your lab, you know? So neat.”
“Where did you get alcohol?” Viper asked sternly, knowing they could both be in trouble if Brimstone found out, especially since he was her guardian and drinking on premises was strictly prohibited unless it was a planned event.
“Somewhere,” she slouched over the desk on the opposite side of where Viper sat, crossing her arms on the cool glass and dropping her head in the middle, “it’s okay, I know you won’t tell anyone.”
Viper observed the girl’s red cheeks and crooked glasses. “You’re really drunk.”
“It doesn’t take a genius to figure that one out,” she chuckled, “but you know, I’m a genius, and you’re a genius. How did we end up in the same place at the same time? Two great minds like this should be illegal.” She spouted nonsense, pressing her pointer finger against Viper’s forehead.
Viper grabbed her finger and pushed it back towards her. “Do you need something?” she asked as if she was annoyed, but it was actually entertaining to see the German in this state.
Killjoy squirmed, the hunched-over position being obviously uncomfortable. She stood up straight again, “Do I?” She looked around the lab, readjusting her glasses. After a few moments, her eyes fixated as best they could on Viper. She hummed. “Sabine~”
“Don’t call me that.”
“You’re really pretty, you know that? Like, really pretty.” She leaned over the desk and got very close to Viper’s face, cupping her warm hands around her cheeks.
Viper instinctively leaned away from it, although she found herself regretting it. She tried to calm her racing heart. “You’re drunk. Go to bed.”
“Do you like girls?” She asked suddenly, causing Viper to stare at her with a slightly shocked look. Had she really been that obvious? “Oh, I like girls, so it’s cool if you do. Not judging, not judging.”
“I don’t believe that’s any of your business.”
“I want to know, though.” She said with a more serious tone, keeping her hands firmly on Viper’s cheeks. Their faces were now only inches apart.
The scientist knew she was going to regret it. This was a horrible idea. She should not be getting involved with a colleague, especially when she wasn’t in her right mind. But she couldn’t restrain herself, seeing Killjoy’s deep brown eyes stare deeply into her own.
She closed the distance between them, tasting the bitterness of the beer on the engineer’s lips. “Does that answer your question?” By this point she was blushing, her heart beating out of her chest. She couldn’t believe she had just done that, but it felt so right.
Wordlessly, Killjoy leaned in and kissed her again, moving her hands to gently grip the back of Viper’s head. They continued gently kissing for a while longer until they pulled apart for air.
“Wow,” the German said quietly, “you’re good at that.” She was red as well.
“I’d imagine I have a lot more experience than you do,” she whispered.
Killjoy pulled herself away from the scientist with a frustrated groan. It was amusing to see her mood change so quickly. “Don’t mock me,” she crossed her arms for a few seconds before moving her hands to her own cheeks, “Is this what embarrassment feels like? Or lust?”
Viper didn’t say anything, giving Killjoy the time to think. They sat in silence for what felt like forever, but the tension was obviously rising.
Finally, the engineer offered, “Can we take this to my room?”
As soon as they made it in the door, they were on top of each other, sloppily kissing each other’s bodies as they undressed one another. Viper’s head was spinning from how suddenly they had gotten themselves into this situation. She tried not to think of the consequences as she sucked on Killjoy’s inner thigh, eliciting a breathy moan from the drunkard. She knew it was stupid- probably the dumbest thing she’s ever done- but she couldn’t resist Killjoy’s intoxicating presence, almost feeling drunk herself. She succumbed to engaging in a night of passion with the German. It was the best night of her life, hearing the one she cared the most about calling her name. Feeling yellow-painted nails scratch at her back as she fingered her slowly. Viper drowned in the sweet feeling of her partner’s insides becoming more moist as she used her other hand to toy with her clit. Killjoy’s breaths became more uneven as she neared her orgasm, pulling the scientist close in moaning in her ear.
“Sabine…”
-
When morning came, Viper was gone.
Killjoy woke up dazed, exhausted, and hungover, but strangely feeling calm and satisfied. She retraced her steps from the day prior- testing her new invention in the training field when she saw Phoenix slinking around in the security cameras’ blind spots, questioning him about his behavior, then agreeing to stay quiet if he let her have some of the alcohol he was smuggling into HQ. The engineer groaned, gripping at her hair. What did she do that night?
A glass of water and painkillers on her bedside table caught her eye. Well, someone certainly knew of her drunken state the night prior. As she drank the water to swallow the pills, she noticed the note that was left underneath it.
I won’t tell anyone about last night if you don’t. You owe me one.
-Viper
Memories of that night flooded back into her mind, causing her to turn bright red, spilling the water all over herself. Oh god, what did she do?
The German got up from her bed and put on her glasses, walking to the bathroom to see the state she was in. She gasped as she stripped off the tee shirt and shorts she had on, blushing as she realized she was covered in hickeys. Her memories were confirmed.
But she knew that Viper took care of her. She wasn’t covered in sweat or other… fluids, she was dressed, and she could already feel her hangover fading from the pills she left out for her. She always knew there was a soft side to the scientist, but seeing her put in this level of care made her smile.
She tidied herself up, got dressed, and headed out to apologize and thank the American for taking care of her.
-
As if her little crush on Killjoy wasn’t distracting enough every other day, today Viper could not seem to focus on work at all. She would do something productive for about a minute, then stand there for minutes on end and do nothing as she thought about the night prior. She felt like she was in a dream, even though it was already over. She hoped that Killjoy would somehow overlook it and they could continue on as normal, Viper now having a pleasant memory to remember when times became especially tough.
She was snapped out of her daydreams by the sound of the lab’s code being entered, followed by the metal door behind her unlocking and opening. There was only one person this could be.
Killjoy shyly walked in, holding the usual coffees in her hands. “Um… good morning, Viper,” she laughed awkwardly as the scientist turned to face her, “I know it’s a little late for coffee, uh,” she struggled to find words, blushing, “I’m sure you can guess why.”
“Thank you for the coffee,” Viper managed to say distractedly, staring at the marks she had left on the German hours earlier. One or two were visible under her gray scarf. She took the coffee and sipped, trying to remember what she had been doing all morning.
“Thank you for yesterday,” Killjoy said quietly, “I don’t know what I would have done if I didn’t come to you.”
Viper felt her heart ache. She wanted so badly to pursue something more with the German, but her mind was filled with self-doubt and worries. “No need to thank me. I hope you enjoyed yourself.” She turned away from her so she couldn’t see her smile.
The engineer laughed, “I did… really enjoy it. I’m sorry if I pressured you into anything you didn’t want to do. It seems like I’m the only one who took any pleasure from last night,” She blushed and put her hand behind her head, “You took care of me really well.”
Killjoy was definitely not the only one who took any pleasure from the ordeal, as Viper had to relieve herself of her own sexual desires once she left that night. The memory was delectable. Of course, she’d never let her know that.
“Which is why,” the German continued suddenly, “I would like to repay you somehow. Perhaps in the same manner as last night?”
Viper’s eyes widened as she turned back around to face Killjoy. “You want to have sex with me again?”
Killjoy blushed at how blunt the proposal was, “If you want to, I’d really like that…”
And so began their sexual relationship. They had become somewhat of friends with benefits, treating each other normally other than a few nights a week, when they would hook up and create new memories for Viper to cherish. This was the closest she would get to what she really wanted, but she was more than willing to take it. Every time, she could feel the love for her growing, and she would sneak away before morning came for fear that she would become too bold or too obvious. She had never feared rejection before, but rejection from Killjoy terrified her.
She noticed that recently, however, Killjoy had been spending an increasing amount of time at her own lab tinkering with her bots. The engineer wasn’t really spending any less time in Viper’s lab, but she was always in either one. Curiosity got the best of her, and Viper decided to come by Killjoy’s lab to see what she had been working so hard on.
She knocked on the door, holding a clipboard since she was on her way to a meeting. Killjoy opened the door, looking shocked to see her.
“Viper! Wow! This is the first time you’ve ever come to my lab!” She beamed, “Sorry it’s a bit of a mess right now, Raze and I are working on something.” The engineer opened the door wider, motioning for Viper to come in. Sure enough, Raze was sitting on the floor, shaking a can of spray paint and trying to figure out why it wasn’t spraying.
“Hey, Viper!” The Brazillian said with a smile after glancing up at the scientist.
“Hi,” Viper noticed that the otherwise clean and orderly lab, illuminated with purple and blue LEDs and monitors everywhere, had splatters of spray paint in several places. There was machinery and different parts all over. Raze flinched in surprise as she finally got the spray paint to work, spraying a bit of neon green on the floor in front of her. She and Killjoy exchanged a surprised look, then both erupted in genuine laughter.
Viper had never seen Killjoy laugh so freely. She could tell they were having fun in the lab, which tugged at her heartstrings. She knew she would never be able to make her laugh like that.
“Anyways, what did you need? It’s unusual for you to come to me first,” The engineer questioned, throwing Raze a rag to wipe up as much paint as possible before it stained the room more than it already was.
“I’m missing a few things from my lab,” she lied, coming up with a fake excuse for why she stopped by, “I was wondering if you had anything to do with that.”
Viper couldn’t help but notice how cozy Raze had become in Killjoy’s lab. Her eyes twitched seeing small dots of paint on some of the equipment that the engineer had worked so hard on, but it was obvious that the latter didn’t mind. Who was she to deface the genius’s inventions like that?
“Shit, you caught me red-handed, huh?” Killjoy jokingly put her hands in the air defensively, “Sorry for taking them without asking, I was just seriously curious as to how they worked.”
The scientist tried not to look surprised that she had actually stolen things from her lab. Maybe she needed to pay more attention. The German dropped several canisters of poison into Viper’s hands, looking slightly disappointed.
“You’ve got to teach me how they work soon. Even I couldn’t figure it out.” She confessed sheepishly.
She couldn’t figure it out because Viper developed the technology herself so that she was the only one able to control the toxic concoctions. They could cause serious trouble in the wrong hands, especially curious German genius hands.
“I’m flattered,” The scientist intentionally sounded sarcastic, but there was a bit of truth to her words, “That’s all I needed.” She turned to walk away.
“I’ll see you tonight?” Killjoy whispered, even though it was obvious by this point that Raze was distracted by the music blaring in her headphones.
“...Sure.” She closed the door behind her.
-
That night, as promised, Viper showed up in Killjoy’s dormitory, which had become their preferred location. Her hair was wet from having just showered. Killjoy patted the bed, inviting the scientist to sit down next to her.
“I’m glad you got to see my lab today,” She tried making small talk as she peeled off her tee-shirt, “I’ve been meaning to invite you. You’re welcome at any time.”
Viper refrained from staring at Killjoy’s breasts, the tops of which were peeking out from the black lace bra she was wearing. No matter how many times they hooked up, she always became so excited seeing the engineer undress. She pulled her own black tank top off and discarded it on the ground.
Killjoy glanced over and did a double-take, exclaiming, “No bra? You really wanted to get into this quickly, didn’t you?” She took off her glasses and climbed on top of the American.
Viper placed her hands on the German’s hips and smirked, “You seem like the anxious one.”
Killjoy hummed at the touch, “Maybe you’re right.”
They leaned into each other, kissing slowly. Viper undid Killjoy’s bra, tossing it on the floor next to the bed. The scientist’s nails raked against her skin as she moved her hand up to cup her breast. The German smiled, leaning into her.
And suddenly, Viper was on top of her, shoving her backward onto the bed.
“No fair,” Killjoy whined, looking up at her disappointedly, “I was going to try to top you…”
The American very rarely laughed, but she could not hold back a snarky chuckle at the unexpected statement. “I don’t think you’re in a position to be complaining,” she trailed her hands back down from her torso to her hips, pulling her panties off slowly. She moved her body slowly down in between her legs. “Someone’s excited,” she noted, causing Killjoy to blush.
She moved her face further between her legs, prompting the German to open them further. Viper blew a gust of air onto her clit, causing her to groan in anticipation. But she did nothing else for a few more moments, savoring the sight in front of her as she observed Killjoy becoming more and more anxious and frustrated.
“Why?” she sighed impatiently.
“Why what?”
“Why aren’t you…” the engineer averted her gaze, not wanting to say anything more.
Viper pulled her head away teasingly. “I don’t know what you mean. Can you please be more clear?”
“You do know, you’re just teasing me...” she put her hands over her face to hide her blush, “Why aren’t you… licking… there… yet?” she managed to stammer out.
Viper smirked. “This is far more entertaining. Is that what you want?”
Killjoy whined impatiently. Without warning, she grabbed Viper’s head and pulled it back in between her legs. “Yes. Please.”
The scientist’s heart skipped a beat and she couldn’t help but turn bright red at the sudden show of desire. She couldn’t find any more words, instead opting to lick the German’s slit slowly. The latter shuttered and arched her back, holding back a moan as Viper began to pay more attention to her clit. The American slipped a digit inside her, causing every noise that had previously been restrained to slip out. If Viper couldn’t express her feelings towards her, she was at least going to make her feel amazing. She picked up the pace and inserted another finger, the German now harshly gripping her hair as she was stimulated simultaneously.
Killjoy’s moans grew louder and louder, her gut clenching as she neared her orgasm. “Oh Gott- Sabine-”
Right before her release, Viper pulled away. The German nearly screamed out of frustration. She started moving her hands down to relieve herself, but the scientist swatted them away.
“Please, Sabine...” She cried, still craving more. She groaned when the American stood up and walked away from the bed, leaving her alone and exposed for a few moments. The engineer watched impatiently as Viper walked around the room, pulling drawers open and looking under the bed.
Before Killjoy could ask what she was doing, the scientist whistled from across the room. “I knew you had something like this somewhere,” She turned back around to face the German, slipping her own pants and underwear off before climbing back on top of her.
Killjoy’s face exploded in heat when she realized that Viper had found her vibrator. She could do nothing but hide her face in her hands in embarrassment, feeling so exposed. She flinched when she heard a low hum, indicating that the scientist had turned it on.
Viper slid the toy up Killjoy’s slit-the latter creating a low moan as she felt her orgasm rising again- before holding it down on her most sensitive part. She then changed her position so her hips were straddling the engineer’s, hovering her own womanhood on top of the toy. Killjoy arched her back and uncovered her face when she felt a strong pressure on her clit, realizing that the American was grinding down on top of her with the vibrator in between them. She shivered at the lewd image, gut clenching at the quickly increasing pleasure.
After a few seconds of getting adjusted to the new position, Viper sharply increased the setting on the toy. Killjoy moaned loudly, all of the withheld pleasure from that night quickly culminating in her as she ground her hips to meet Viper’s. The scientist groaned herself, savoring the sight of the German’s eyes going hazy as she released quickening sounds. Their thrusts synced together, sending them both into a frenzy of bliss.
“S-Sabine!” she clenched her eyes shut, harshly gripping at the sheets beside her head, “I’m- I’m close!”
Viper increased the setting again, quickening the pace of her thrusts as well. She pressed down on her stomach. “Cum for me, Killjoy.” She whispered in a low voice.
Killjoy’s toes curled, releasing a few muffled screams as she bit down on her lip, finally reaching her release. Viper moaned aloud from seeing how much pleasure she had brought the German, quickly reaching an orgasm herself.
The room was soon only filled with the sound of heavy, exhausted, satisfied breathing as Viper shut off the toy and collapsed next to the engineer.
“That was,” Killjoy sighed breathily, smiling, “amazing.”
“Was it? You looked so upset when I teased you.” The scientist was secretly elated that she had made her crush feel so good. She figured it was the only way she could make her happy, to be the one that stood out from the rest.
“It was worth it,” she laid her arm over her eyes, her breathing slowing, “...I’m so tired.”
“Go to sleep then,” although she was also exhausted, she pulled herself up and away from the bed.
Killjoy grabbed her wrist, “You can sleep in here if you want. I don’t mind.”
“I don’t want to,” she lied, “I would feel as if I’m overstepping the bounds of our relationship.”
“You did all that , and you’re worried about overstepping boundaries?” She laughed sleepily, “If that’s what makes you comfortable… just remember you’re always welcome to sleep in here or come work with me in my lab, or anything else.” It was obvious that sleep was taking her over.
Viper got dressed quietly, looking back at Killjoy’s naked, sweaty, tired body curled up on the bed, a satisfied grin tugging on the sides of her soft lips. The American allowed herself to smile for a brief moment. She yearned to lay down with her, to pull her close and spend the night in her arms. But she couldn’t bring herself to stay.
“Rest well. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
-
Viper felt her feelings towards Killjoy become almost unbearable in the following weeks. Her heart skipped a beat every time she saw her, her hands becoming clammy and her cheeks flushing. She caught herself staring at her whenever they were at meetings or working alongside each other. She thought about simple school girl things, like holding hands with her, cuddling on the couch together, cooking meals for each other, doing each others’ makeup…
These thoughts drove her insane. She was a world-renowned scientist known for her brutal methods of poisoning her victims. She had had her home ripped away from her, she had seen the worst parts of the world and walked through them like they were nothing. She had been through hell and back, so why was she so caught up with stupid thoughts like this?
As Viper lamented in her mind day after day, she noticed a change in Killjoy. Gradually, she noticed the engineer spending time away from her lab, opting to spend time at the training grounds or in Raze’s workshop. It got to the point where she was spending every moment she wasn’t with Viper with Raze.
It was normal, she thought, that Killjoy would spend so much time with her best friend. They got along so well, balancing each other out. As they were both engineers, it was natural that they would want to spend time together. But the German started mentioning Raze in almost every conversation she had with anyone. She always seemed to be considering what the Brazillian wanted, often taking losses for herself to make her happy.
Out of curiosity one day, Viper casually asked, “You talk a lot about your little friend. What exactly is so great about Raze?”
Again, Killjoy was sitting on the beanbag chair across the lab, typing on her laptop. Normally, she would be able to hold a conversation while she was working, typing and talking at the same time. However, she stopped typing, staring at her hands hovering over the keyboard. Her cheeks flushed, and she smiled an unfamiliar nervous and shy smile. “I can’t put my finger on it,” she tapped her foot on the ground, “Strangely, I don’t know. It’s puzzling to me how much she drives me crazy, yet,” she sighed wistfully, “I just put up with it. And I’m happy to do so. I guess everything about her is great.”
Viper felt her blood run cold. She felt the start of a small anger in her, which was abnormal whenever she was around Killjoy. Her heart pounded in her chest, but it was different than the normal butterflies she would get. It felt horrible. Something she couldn’t place- she didn’t know why she felt such an impending sense of rage and doom, but she did. She dropped the topic, returning to her work with trembling fingers.
Days later, the two were seated outside the training area. Killjoy had brought coffee to Viper’s lab as normal, but she suggested they bring their work outside since it was such a nice morning. They sat across from each other at a metal picnic table on top of a small hill overlooking the training range. From there, they could see Sova using the shooting practice dummies to train his archery skills. Jett was flying through the different areas, running on top of various buildings and floating down from high structures. Sage overlooked, smiling, as she threw slow orbs for the Korean to dodge. Skye could be seen playing fetch with her Tasmanian tiger trinket.
Viper watched Killjoy’s hair flutter in the gentle warm wind, noting that spring had finally come after the long winter that made doing anything outside tough. The German absentmindedly sipped her coffee, then made a twisted face, stating how it was still too hot as she continued tinkering with her turret that seemed to have broken somehow. The scientist longed for a day when there would be no more fighting, and she would be able to watch the engineer surrounded by the growing spring flora in peace. She looked like an angel to her.
Viper’s train of thought was abruptly cut off by a blast pack hurling their way, sticking to the bench next to Killjoy and knocking her off of her seat. Instead of being annoyed, the engineer laughed heartily, laying in the grass, covered in small splatterings of paint. She looked so pure, giggling like a child at the sudden invasion to the peaceful morning.
The scientist’s eyes twitched as she looked down the hill to see the source of the interruption. Raze was also laughing, looking up at Killjoy with a green and yellow backpack slung over her shoulder. She noticed Viper’s annoyed glare, and yelled up the hill, “Sorry if that hit you, Viper! I was trying to hit the smartass!”
“Hey!” Killjoy pulled herself up from the grass, fixing her glasses and her beanie, “I have the right to be a smartass!” She recalled her turret and started to make her way down the hill, “I’ll see you later, Viper!” She turned around apologetically, leaving her alone at the table. The engineer reached Raze and walked closely beside her to the training grounds.
Viper watched on as Raze set the backpack on the ground and pulled out a new invention, proudly showing it off to Killjoy, who affectionately patted her on the back. The Brazillian sent the makeshift robot on wheels down by the training dummies, making sure to avoid Sova. The robot locked onto one of them, increasing in speed, then leaped into the air and exploded. The dummy was obliterated. Raze and Killjoy shared a moment of celebration, excitedly high-fiving and rushing to pick up the pieces of the broken robot. They shared the same passion at that moment, enthusing over robotics and explosions and battle tactics.
Hot jealousy filled Viper’s veins as she watched Killjoy sling an arm over Raze’s shoulders, blushing and smiling. She watched on hopelessly as the engineers met each others’ eyes for a moment before they both sheepishly looked away and continued laughing and experimenting. The dots slowly started to connect in her mind. She felt her hands twitch and her body fill with rage and self-hatred as she realized the truth. She had missed her chance. Killjoy was in love with Raze.
Her black coffee tasted a little more bitter than usual.
-
The scientist floated through the next few days lost in thought, hating herself for not being more forward. She considered coming forward about her feelings, but she knew it was too late. Her only chance she had with the German was gone, and all because she couldn’t bring herself to do something as simple as sharing her feelings for once. She felt so pathetic. She found herself getting little sleep, her anxious mind running wild with thoughts of what could have been.
She had become increasingly irritated, to the point where she stopped talking in meetings. When Brimstone asked her if she had anything to add, she flashed him a hostile glare. She drowned herself in her work, creating new batches of poison until early in the morning when she would finally collapse in her bed for a few hours. She had stopped meeting the engineer for coffee in the morning, opting to stay tucked under the covers in her dorm as the German knocked on the door to her lab, confused. Viper didn’t want a stupid coffee. She wanted Killjoy.
Eventually, Killjoy came to meet her in her lab when she knew she was in. Viper heard her come in but stayed facing the wall, her back to the engineer.
“It’s been a while, huh?”
Viper didn’t respond.
“I don’t know why you’ve been acting so weird lately… are you feeling okay?” She walked towards the scientist worriedly.
“I’m perfectly fine,” she lied, trying to make herself sound intimidating so the German wouldn’t see how upset she was. “What brings you here?”
“Well, I wanted to check on you. And…” she looked at her feet awkwardly, “I have to ask that we stop meeting each other for sex.”
Viper saw it coming, she knew it was a possibility. It didn’t phase her as much as she had expected it to. “Well it won’t work if only one of us wants in on it, so if you don’t want to partake, we won’t hook up anymore.”
“I did really enjoy it while it lasted, but I can’t anymore. I, uh,” she blushed, and Viper could hear the smile in her voice, “Raze and I are going to start dating.”
Viper’s hands started to slightly tremble hearing it from the German herself. The words pierced into her like daggers, and she felt her heart twist. “Good for you. I’m happy that you’re happy.” She turned around to face Killjoy, using everything in her to fake a smile.
The engineer smiled back, “I’m glad you understand. This is just… really exciting for me. You’re the first person to know.”
The American turned back around and continued working on sorting her vials of various toxins. “Thank you for telling me. If you don’t mind, I have quite a lot of work to do… by myself.”
“Oh, sorry! I didn’t mean to interrupt your work,” she backed away slowly, “Good night, Sabine. I’ll see you around!”
When Viper was silent, Killjoy left the lab, the heavy door slamming behind her.
The scientist fought back the lump in her throat. Why did she have to be so excited to tell her? Her fist slammed down on the counter out of self-frustration. She was not going to cry over this, she was not going to cry after so many years of staying strong. She was not going to cry over a stupid crush. She was not going to cry over the perfect, happy, witty, gorgeous, genius engineer that suddenly fell into her life and gave her a reason to get up in the morning.
She let out a strangled sob and felt a hot tear run down her cheek. She was so stupid.
-
Viper quickly reverted back to the cold, emotionless being she was before Killjoy appeared. It was ridiculous that she was letting this get to her. Killjoy never belonged to her to begin with- why did it matter if she was with Raze now? Over the next few weeks, she caught the couple together a few times. Holding hands, cuddling under a tree, flirting with each other from across the facility. They were inseparable, and Killjoy hadn’t stopped by Viper’s lab to work since they started dating. She felt so rejected.
There wasn’t really a reason to go to work if she wasn’t going to see the engineer. She spent more and more time in her bedroom, staring at the wall. Along with her feelings, she had been becoming increasingly frustrated with the Valorant protocol altogether. She didn’t want to be responsible for the future of the world. She didn’t deserve it. The endless piles of work were obviously starting to get to her.
She no longer wanted to be Viper.
Without letting anyone know, she packed a few essentials and created an escape plan. She stopped by the dining hall one last time, taking in the image of Killjoy happily bopping her head to her music while eating across from her girlfriend. The engineer looked up at the American and waved, smiling. She smiled sadly back, knowing that would be the last time she would see her. The scientist exited the facility, quietly blending into the shadows as she said goodbye to her home of several years. The full moon illuminated her tired face, her short black hair blowing in the harsh wind. A storm was brewing. She had finally left the premises.
Sabine disappeared into the night.