Chapter Text
Three months have passed since M’s decommission, and much has happened in N’s life. First of all, T was being nicer to him! He’d been a huge help to N and even W from time to time, with the siblings accepting T as…
Well, as if he was their brother.
T felt conflicted about it. He felt like he was intruding on N and W’s time of grief, replacing M in their dynamic. But he was welcomed in with open arms and treated like family. T started noticing and enjoying some of the weird habits N does and has. For example, when N was rambling about dogs during a mission, T decided to humor the pilot instead of scolding him.
“Did you know that golden retrievers have soft mouths and water-resistant coats?”
T stared at N unamused for a while, before nodding. “Oh, really?” T inquired. “Well, did you know the reason is because they’re used to retrieve fowl like ducks?”
“Really!?”
“Yep, golden retrievers retrieve stuff. When people shot down ducks, the retriever would swim over and bring them over. Speaking of retrieving dead ducks, I see a few sitting right there.”
Sure, the rambling was annoying most of the time, but T managed to have them return to the mission. It was fun.
However, some of the other drones were a bit caught off guard by the changes the trio was going through. Especially V and J.
“Oi V, you awake?”
V snapped out of her trance thanks to her twin, U.
“Yeah, just thinking…”
“Still hung up by M?”
V looked down. “Yeah…” Even though it was three months ago, it still stung. Her first crush, her first boyfriend… And he’s gone.
“Well, at least his looks still live on,” U joked as N entered the cafeteria. V never had an issue with N, finding the little pilot quite enduring. But N started growing his hair and the resemblance to M was starting to get uncanny. P, who always got a bad vibe from M, just outright avoided N now due to the resemblance. V didn’t really mind it, but it made her a bit uncomfortable. V didn’t exactly know why she felt that way but kept a distance.
J’s hatred of N only increased since due to T spending more time with him than her. The two’s training has been taking time away from T and J’s… Meetings … Leaving a very frustrated J. This frustration was usually taken out on N.
“You are useless and absolutely pathetic!” N felt J’s pegged foot stab into his chest. He tried to speak up, but oil spouted from his mouth as J applied more pressure. Everyone was laughing and enjoying the sight. N tried to get up but was just repeatedly stomped and kicked by J. “How about you just crawl in a hole and f###ing die, it’ll make no difference here anyway.”
N felt something bubble up, something that made him feel…
T entered the room and swiftly walked towards J. “That’s enough.”
“Oh please, he’s just a waste of space and resources.”
“J. Stop.”
“Honestly, it should have been him to go instead of M-”
[BANG.]
Everyone stopped and stared in shock.
T had backhanded J, his mistress, and the alpha’s girlfriend.
J stumbled back, allowing T to pull N up.
“Head to the yard,” T muttered to N. T looked around, noticing the attention he was getting. “What?”
Everyone slowly resumed their days, albeit a bit more hushed.
T stormed out. He was angry at J, but also himself. T shouldn’t care this much about N, but he did.
T then noticed G approaching, sparking a cold stare-off between the two.
“I heard a fight going on,” G began, “or more specifically, a beating.”
“Just N getting harassed a little.”
“And I presumed you stopped it?”
T squinted.
“You’re growing soft,” G remarked.
T rolled his eyes. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Uh-huh.” G walked over to pat T on the shoulder. “Just don’t get too close.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Your training has been boosting N’s score, but he is still the lowest-ranking drone here. Since M is gone, you’re now the only one keeping him from being… Decommissioned by the company.”
“...”
“Just keep your score up. You wouldn’t want anything to happen to him, do you?”
“...”
“Well?”
T slowly nodded his head.
“Good, now get back to work.”
“...”
“I said get back to work.”
“...Yes sir.” T walked off.
G gave one last comment, full of venom.
“Don’t forget who your alpha is, T.”
“...Yes sir.”