Chokepoint

Second Quarter: The Draft

"Cadets! Welcome to Recruitment Day! You're all here for a reason -- for some of you, it is because you survived and weren't left behind, whether as a failure or as a corpse. For some of you, it's due to your tenacity and your ability to adapt to changing situations and come through with your head above the water. And for some of you...it is simply because you are the best Sirca has to offer. Omega Himself smiles upon you, and your lesser peers will hopefully learn a little something about pushing themselves to be better as they observe those proud few who will be among the organizations' first choices."

Gabriel grinned enormously from where he leaned against the pillar where his scores were posted. Gee, what category could he belong to? Heh. Wasn't even a contest. He'd started off in Specials, didn't even have to deal with Basic. In fact, he got here by stealing some bastard's fancy car -- if that alone didn't separate him from the rest, he didn't know what did. The six quarters' worth of stellar scores and even-more-stellar social connections all but guaranteed he'd soon be debating between four or five choices of where he wanted to go. And then he'd finally be able to leave his past behind him and strike out on a future way more fitting for a badass like himself.

"The first group of recruiters should be at the facility in ten minutes or so. Make us proud, cadets."

The announcement brought a confident smirk to Gabriel's expression. Who cared about making them proud. They didn't get him here, he didn't owe them squat. He'd done this by himself, with his own two goddamn hands. He gazed down at said hands with a half-grin before a shuffle of movement next to him caught his attention. He glanced over while rubbing idly at the bandaging over his forearm.

...Okay, he hadn't done it entirely by himself.

A warm smile broke out at the sight of his battle buddy. "Dave!"

David sighed and looked back up at him, his eyes lingering on the gauze wrappings for a moment. "I...well, I guess you're not gonna get yelled at for calling me that today..."

Gabriel turned it up to a broad grin. "Heh, yo, I'm gettin' those sweet pity points for fresh combat damage! You were runnin' late, little buddy, was worried you were gonna miss the fun!"

"...Yeah. The fun," David replied in a strained voice.

Gabriel could already see the little guy tensing up as his eyes flicked furtively around the room where all the pairs of cadets were hovering near their posted scores and rankings. He chuckled softly and reached out to punch David's shoulder. "You're gonna do fine! Just stand next to me, you're guaranteed to soak up some of this all-natural Gabe goodness!" he declared with a cheerful gesture to his bare torso.

David glowered up at him before making a face. "I...I can't believe you aren't wearing a shirt, Petri..."

Gabriel huffed, almost complaining but instead biting his tongue. David was stressed enough already, and he knew it would be a losing battle to try and insist on informality with him at this moment. So he instead did what he did best and grinned down at himself. "Heh, why wouldn't I? Come on, I'm dumb but I'm not that dumb to not realize we're just slabs of meat on display for these guys today." David gave him a horrible look and he responded with a wink. "Why wouldn't I make myself look like the finest t-bone they ever wanted to sink their teeth into??"

"Because it's weird to think about people sinking their teeth into you," David mumbled with another colossal sigh. "Anyway, I was just talking to Ponselle to, um. See what she was leaning toward. I'm sure she'll get at least a few offers."

Gabriel grunted idly, poking at a fading scar on his stomach as he half-listened. "Yeah, probably -- your little girlfriend's got moves, for sure."

"She's not my girlfriend, geezus. Not every girl you hang out with is your girlfriend," David spat out.

"Uh yeah, because otherwise I'd get slapped a lot more," Gabriel retorted, his grin returning in full force.

David blinked before groaning and looking more miserable than before. "And you don't have to have sex with every girl you hang out with, either..."

"Heh. You say banana, I say banana."

"...You said it the same way both times."

"Exactly." Gabriel chuckled, then raised a finger thoughtfully. "I might have one exception -- your not-girlfriend's buddy, that Madison chick. She got issues."

David rubbed at his arm. "Yeah. Isn't she Caruthers's sis--oh."

Gabriel laughed and nudged the smaller chupa. "Man, you know you're all wound up when you sound like the dumb one. But see, there's an advantage to calling them 'Carter' and 'Madison', instead of 'Caruthers' and 'Caruthers'." He paused and stroked his chin. "Huh. That does sound like a really cool clothes store, though. Or like...a sweet hat shop. I'd get a hat from there."

"You don't wear clothes. Or hats," David muttered as he slumped against the pillar.

"Hey, I'm wearing pants right now!"

"It's an Omeswallen miracle," David deadpanned.

Gabriel only grinned again as he poked his partner a few times. "You're so worried about today, but look at you! You're witty as shit! You'll do fine, buddy, don't worry -- just make snarky comments and you'll get scooped up as my plucky sidekick!"

David only responded with a moody scowl as he crossed his arms and shifted his weight before glancing away.

Gabriel couldn't say he was shocked. His combat buddy wasn't exactly the greatest asset when it came to any kind of social event. Or anything that involved being judged and rated. Or really anything that threatened interaction with other living, breathing things. But...dammit, the scrawny fella had grown on him. He hadn't thrown him into the pool once since they'd returned from their mission in Twin City. Hell, he'd even stopped Carter from putting a snake in his bed a few days ago, which was ridiculous because it would have been hilarious.

David was like...that friend you had, who was smaller and weaker and sometimes annoying but still your friend. And even if he maybe made you look like a loser, even if you got mocked for being partnered up with him, you still wanted to stand up for him. It was your job to tease him and toughen him up, not everyone else's. You were the one who dealt with him for six quarters -- only fair, right?

He studied David for a moment while brushing his claws over his chest fur. That was the thing, wasn't it? They had spent six quarters together, practically chained at the wrist...except during free time, of course. Maybe that was why they always still felt like they were from two different worlds until Twin City, when they had only each other to spend time with. When they'd actually talked. Or...yelled and cursed, yeah, but still. They shared more in that crappy motel room than they had almost the whole time they'd been partnered up.

Gabriel hadn't been just booze-friendly, he'd meant it when he called David his friend. Not only because they had weird drunken dick-exploration with each other, either -- for all the awkwardness and quarters of barely communicating on a personal level, they'd still come to work fairly well together. They butted heads so often, sure, but what kind of partners didn't. He wasn't sure he'd consider David to be some incredible friend he could count on to come to him in his hour of need, but...well, he also wasn't just that dork he was stuck with, anymore, either. You didn't go through what the two of them had without forming some kind of bond.

And hell, he was kinda proud of the guy, too. He still remembered the day they met -- David surely wasn't a powerhouse now, but lord was he skinny back then. Arms thin enough to be mistaken for twigs, eyes sunken and hollow, always looking like he was just a few minutes away from crying. He'd worked hard since then. He took all the physical training seriously, and yeah...he wasn't about to go win any bodybuilding awards, but his buddy wasn't just a flimsy wet tissue in the wind anymore, either. He'd taken his share of blows, bruises and cuts, and he never complained. Even when he was outmatched in every way, David was stubborn. And pretty damn wily, too -- Gabriel would never give up his rippling bulk, but goddamn if he couldn't see some of the advantages of being small and nimble after quarters of working with his partner.

Not even a dumb jock like him failed to recognize when someone persevered against the harshest teasing and hazing, against the physical and emotional challenges of Specials that were all but fixed to be disadvantageous for someone without the natural prowess and ability of your Gabriels and Carters. David had done just that. He hadn't just survived, he'd pushed back and fought tooth and claw to prove there was more to him than the shrimpy wuss he'd been when he arrived.

It was actually pretty cool, and Gabriel had been there to see the whole thing. Heh, who's to say he didn't play a part, either? Even if they never spent rec time together, he still felt confident saying that his buddy -- his friend -- was better off for having been able to work with him. So maybe they weren't best friends, but hell, they were still pals who could trust each other to have their backs covered, right?

David glanced up at him just as he opened his maw to offer a bit more encouragement, only to be interrupted as the doors in the massive hall opened and a small crowd of chupas wearing various uniforms and impeccable suits bustled in. Gabriel's eyes widened and he turned his head toward them with a winning grin. Bah, David would be fine, he was with the coolest guy in here! It was time to shine, now, get them both hooked up with a sweet gig somewhere. That's what friends did, after all!

"And the knife was buried?"

Gabriel lifted his muzzle proudly, his lexicon suddenly as smooth as his motions. "It sure was! Almost to the hilt." He pointed to the bandaging as the HADES agents both leaned in a bit closer. "It was kind of a surprise attack and I didn't have anything else at my disposal, so I did what I needed to do to handle the situation," he explained with a casual grin before he brightened. "I was actually protecting my battle buddy, the guy right over the--"

"Mmm, but you still incapacitated the threat? Surely the pain must have been overwhelming -- the mission sheet says you weren't administered any enhancements prior to engagement, nor that any trace of substance beyond alcohol was found in the post-mission examination," the well-dressed recruiter probed, peering at a small sheaf of papers before studying Gabriel. "It would appear you mustered the will to fight through the pain and complete the mission successfully."

"Absolutely!" Gabriel declared, once more flashing his teeth. "I -- I mean -- we got top marks even with the unexpected resistance!"

"Yes, your evaluation was exemplary in spite of the unknown elements," the agent noted before he leaned over to his companion to mutter something. The other representative nodded and pulled out a small notebook to jot a few things down, tearing the sheet out and holding it out to Gabriel. "HADES would benefit greatly from someone of your caliber, Petri. Consider our offer seriously."

Gabriel glanced at the paper before grinning cheerfully. "For sure! Hey! Is it true you guys have armor with, uh. Air-conditioning?"

The second representative snorted, then smirked. "Sign up with us, son, and you'll find out."

"Sweet." Gabriel tucked the paper into his pocket and then nodded politely. "Thank you!" He felt a burst of pride as they turned to move on, all the hard work finally paying off. It was his third offer already, and it felt damn good. He wiggled his shoulders briefly, then looked over at his buddy again.

David was standing next to the column, his eyes sullen and his tail limp. Gabriel swore he saw someone talking to him earlier, there was no way he hadn't had at least one team stop by yet, even if just running into him after giving Gabriel an offer. And besides...looking so sad and miserable wasn't going to help his chances! "Hey, little buddy, you just gotta ch--"

"Mr. Petri, is it?"

Gabriel spun around to find a pair of recruiters wearing the Sircan Special Forces logo and he immediately grinned. "Uh...oh, yeah, that's me! And just because everyone keeps asking, no, I've never used even a single growth enhancer!" He stole another quick look at David before the recruiter before him spoke again, tearing his attention away.

"Apologies for not meeting with you sooner, Mr. Petri -- we saw you talking with our...associates and didn't want to interrupt. But we certainly wanted to meet you and hope you haven't made any commitments yet," one of them said eagerly.

"Please, call me Gabriel! And I haven't agreed to anything yet...you don't marry the first girl you kiss, after all, right??" He grinned winningly and the two representatives chuckled as the rigid aura melted effortlessly.

"Very good, Gabriel. We're glad to hear that -- and if you're a man of varied tastes, we think the Sircan Special Forces is where you belong! Our organization operates in countless applications across the entire ring...you'll never do the same thing twice in our ranks!"

Gabriel offered a friendly wink as he leaned forward slightly. "Ah, but does your armor have air conditioning?"

The second agent blinked before smirking and leaning in as well. "We don't rely on such outdated technology," he explained as he rolled up his sleeve to reveal an exceptionally slim pockcom. He pressed a smooth button and a holographic display of Gabriel's stats and scores floated a few inches above the device in a pale-green light.

Gabriel whistled softly. "Hot damn, that is impressive, alright, alright." He paused, then cursed himself mentally. David, right! "Uh...but you know what, my buddy, he loves that stuff, and he was just telling me the other day how much he'd love to be with the SSF."

The two recruiters leaned over slightly to squint at David, the first representative snorting while tilting his head dismissively. "I'm sure. Now listen, Gabriel. Our assignments don't have room for mediocrity. We have expendable infantry just like any other organization, but we're not here for that. We're here to recruit for our elite echelon, for those who get the job done when the others cannot." He gave a cool smile and produced a business card that appeared to be inlaid with thin sheets of metal. "Contact us when you're ready to make the best choice. We'll be waiting."

Gabriel widened his eyes as his fingers touched the card. "Wooow...uh, oh yeah!" He found his casual grin again. "You got it!" He continued to play with the card for a few seconds as the two agents smirked at one another and then wandered toward another duo. "David, dude, you gotta check out this cool business card --" He glanced over at his companion, whose dull stare was locked onto some invisible spot across the room. Gabriel cleared his throat sheepishly before lifting his eyes to see Connie approaching them. He brightened at this -- she could at least usually cheer the poor guy up! "Oh, 'sup, Co--"

"Holy cow, now ain't you a magnificent piece'a work!" a voice interrupted, making Gabriel perk and spin around once more to see two more recruiters, this time wearing matching caps with the Hexagon logo. "Son, I'm ready to offer you the second-tier salary right off the bat if ya sign your contract today!"

David made a face and turned away from his partner. Yeah, he was a piece of work, alright. But his deep scowl lifted somewhat as his childhood friend approached. "Hey, C...I-I mean--Pons--"

"Relax, David, it's Recruitment Day -- they aren't gonna chew you out for that today," she interrupted with a small smile. Her eyes roved over him and he tried not to glance away, but failed. "How...how are you doing?"

He sighed and attempted to keep his aura of disillusioned apathy intact. He failed again. "Shitty," he muttered, crossing his arms and grimacing as Gabriel let out a broad chuckle while the two Hexagon representatives did their best to convince the huge recruit to sign up on the spot. "You know, that asshole said I'd be fine, because I'm his partner, because I'd look good next to him," he continued in a low voice as his shoulders hunched together. "The only thing he's doing is casting a fucking shadow over me..."

"Aw, David...you'll be fine," Connie reassured while squeezing one of his shoulders. "They're still just on their first or second trips around the room. And there are like forty or fifty pairs, so...you know." She smiled down at him. "Just give it time."

"Yeah, just what I need. More time to sit around and stress," he mumbled as he rubbed silently over his bicep. "What...what are you and, uh. Madison thinking?"

"Ugh, I hate that name almost as much as she does, which is the only reason I love saying it," Connie grumbled before she shrugged and offered another small smile. "Don't worry about us, David -- just focus on you. No one's gonna wanna talk to you if you're sitting here all scrunched up and grouchy."

"No one's gonna want to talk to me regardless," he retorted snippily. He glanced up at her again, noticing the way she shifted her weight. "Aw...you've...someone's already talked to you, haven't they?"

She sighed and then gave him a look while smiling faintly. "Wouldn't kill you to try to pretend you were happy to hear it."

"It might," he sulked before giving his own sigh and trying to find a vaguely realistic smile. "I'm sorry. I am glad, though. And I'm not surprised, either. You're good, Connie. You always have been, even back when you were the one kid who stood up for me. You deserve to go wherever you want to."

Her smile grew a bit even as she gripped his shoulder gently again. "Thanks. I've had two offers." David felt the pit in his stomach grow even as he forced the faint smile to stay in place. "I'm leaning toward Freelancer, though. The guy was pretty convincing...kinda scary how well he read me, but he did say they specialized in focusing the individual talents of each of their agents, so. Yeah. Feels kinda fitting for me."

"It sounds great for you," he replied, more glumly than he intended.

She gave him a look, but stayed quiet. That only made him feel worse, however -- she knew him well enough to know when he was upset enough to avoid making him feel worse. "Well, don't be too excited, anyway," she added mildly. "Madison and Carter are apparently both also looking at Freelancer."

"They've...all been...ugh. Yeah, I'm not surprised," David murmured. Well that was great. His one friend was going to be in the same organization as two of his least favorite recruits. "I don't think I'll have to worry about being stuck with you guys at this rate, anyway."

"Hey, look..." She nudged his shin lightly with a paw. "You know, just because your individual scores aren't the greatest doesn't mean much -- remember, there's a reason they do this whole...buddy-system thing, right? You and Gabe have some really impressive team scores, you realize. Way better than mine and Madison's."

He shrugged and kept rubbing his arm self-consciously. "I...I guess, but it doesn't seem to make any difference to these people. The one person who stopped to talk to me was just asking where the bathroom was..." He sighed and then gave a lame smile. "But it's fine. It's like you said, there's still time, so. Yeah. Don't let me bring you down, Connie."

She scoffed and punched his arm firmly, making him wince and pout up at her. "Quit being such a pushover, David. I know you don't want to believe it, but you really aren't that same scared little kid who threw up daily his first few days at basic. And no matter what happens today, you need to believe that or you're just gonna wind up back where you started."

He shifted his weight but then nodded. As always, she was right. "I...yeah. I know. Just doesn't feel like it."

"Give it time. And I mean..." She looked up at Gabriel as he traded an easy joke with the Hexagon associates. "Maybe you don't think the team stuff matters, but I'm sure some of these recruiters do. And so if they see how well your team scores are with Gabe, despite how different you two are, that might go a long way." She prodded the end of his muzzle lightly. "And it wouldn't hurt to maybe trust in him a little. You used to complain about him almost every week to me, and...I haven't heard you bitch about him for at least three weeks, now. So either you forgot how to bitch -- which, you know, sure, okay, I believe you -- or you two are getting along better." She eyed him and he knew she could read him like a book. He should have been complaining more.

"Look, I...yeah. Fine, I guess...he hasn't been as bad," he admitted before glaring at Gabriel's shirtless back while he gestured grandly with both arms in the middle of recalling some story to the Hexagon guys. "But just look at him. He doesn't care about me. It's all about him today, which...fine. He's...he's worked hard."

"You both have," she reminded him sternly as she dropped her hands onto her hips. "And don't sell yourself short. Even if you are."

"Ha. Ha."

"Seriously, though," she said around the playful smile, her expression softening. "You've come a long way, David. And he was kind of gifted with that body, while you..."

"Were cursed, instead," he interjected morbidly.

"Don't be an ass. But it makes the fact that you're here, in one piece, that much more impressive," she concluded with another light prod against his shin. "Whether or not your big hunky friend tosses you a bone."

"Ugh, don't word it like that, as if my self-esteem isn't fucked up enough," he mumbled.

"At least you realize it is," she scoffed before grimacing over a shoulder. "I better go back to make sure that tall whore doesn't lie her bitch-ass off about me again. I'll see you after all this, alright? You'll be fine and we'll be laughing about this in a couple weeks."

"While I'm sending you letters stuck here for another six quarters." This earned him a squint and another firm punch to the shoulder before she smiled and turned to head back to her partner. David sighed but did his best to try and bolster himself, clutching into all the kind words she'd said and reminding him that, yes, while Connie was his friend, she also wasn't the type to just lie to him to make him feel better. If she said he'd come a long way, then...well. He must have.

...If only anyone else seemed to notice. Or care.

He looked over at Gabriel to see him grinning while politely pushing back on a clipboard one of the Hexagon representatives was offering him. "Guys, guys, it's so tempting! But I gotta review all my options, you know how it goes! Don't worry, I'm sure I'll have made up my mind by tonight, so at least you won't have to wait long!"

The two agents glanced at once another before the clipboard was tucked away again as they both chuckled and tipped the brims of their caps. "We hope you'll consider our offer carefully, Petri -- no doubt you'd be a group leader in no time," one of them stated before they nodded and stepped away. David caught one of their eyes, but the representative only frowned and then continued past as they chatted between themselves.

David slumped again, idly toying with the sleeves of his shirt. What was the fucking point. It didn't matter how many passes they made around the room. He was the loser, the handicap. The anchor.

"Damn...sorry, buddy, they just kept coming!" Gabriel exclaimed as he turned back toward his companion and beamed down at him. "How are you and Connie doing?"

"How do you think?" David replied drolly before sighing and shrugging his shoulders. "Connie's gotten a couple offers. And I bet you can guess how many I've gotten." He crossed his arms and glanced away. "Thanks for all the assists like you spent all day talking about."

Gabriel blinked and then huffed and crossed his arms as well. "Look, man, I've been trying, honest! I mentioned you plenty!"

He wrinkled his muzzle and rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I'm sure," he snapped. Gabriel frowned and then shifted his weight uncomfortably. David immediately wilted, looking guilty and rubbing over his bicep yet again. "Sorry. It's not your job to carry me. I appreciate you trying. It's...just a lost cause."

He winced out of instinct when Gabriel stepped closer, but when a massive hand simply dropped onto his shoulder, he hesitantly looked up. Gabriel stood there for a few seconds and squeezed his shoulder while gazing down at him. There was no goofy grin or bad joke. Just a moment or two of silence. And then...

"Dave...you aren't a lost cause." David wanted to look away, but his wary curiosity kept his gaze on his battle buddy. "I know it doesn't seem--no. I know it isn't fair for guys like you. They're looking for..."

"For guys like you," David supplied quietly. "Don't worry about it, Gabriel. None of these guys care about our team scores."

Gabriel drew in a deep breath, his face scrunching up slightly. "Well. That's stupid of them, because we're the best goddamn team they've ever seen. Gabe and Dave, man, we rock!" He offered a smile and shook David's shoulder a few times before peering across the room. "You know, those Hexagon guys were saying something about groups. I'm gonna go tell them you're perfect for that!"

"G-Gabriel, no, please don--"

"No, for real! They were all over my jock, I bet they'll listen!" David somehow doubted they'd listen any more than Gabriel was as he tried to protest again, only for Gabriel to beam down at him and wave off his pleas. "I'll be back, little buddy! You just hang tight!"

He slapped his arm again, then jogged away to leave David with a heavy sigh and an even worse posture than before. Goddammit. This was such a mess, such a pointless exercise in futility. A parade of talent, and David was the fucking shitty guy at the back with the broom, sweeping up all the confetti from the dazzling floats up front.

David contemplated leaving. No one seemed to care he was there now, so what was the point of staying? Hoping someone would come take pity on him on their fifth pass of the room? He might not have been a bastion of self-respect, but he wasn't devoid of it.

As he straightened his spine and squared his shoulders to head for the door, a calm voice came from behind him. "Mr. Nowak. You weren't leaving yet, I hope?"

David frowned and slowly turned his head to look over his shoulder in confusion. A single chupa stood next to the joint scores for both Gabriel and David, his hands clasped behind his back as he gazed at the confused recruit. He sported a loose-knit sweater and had a clipboard tucked beneath one arm. David realized after a moment the small logo on his sweater was that of Freelancer Division. He warily shifted to face what he assumed was a recruiter, though he appeared to be by himself, unlike most of the other representatives prowling the hall. "Uh...I...was," he replied with a confused expression. "Why?"

A smile that wasn't quite friendly but wasn't quite unsettling slid into place on the stranger's muzzle. "I would consider it most unfortunate if we missed an opportunity to talk. I wish to ask if you've contemplated any particular destinations today, first and foremost."

David blinked and then crossed his arms sheepishly. "I...I haven't, really. I haven't had any offers, so..."

"That's a shame, but not entirely a surprise," the Freelancer representative noted with the same unreadable smile, his eyes drilling into David's. "Their organizations are considerably one-dimensional when it comes to obtaining new talent. Whereas ours, on the other hand, seeks a greater variety."

David was tempted to ask why he and his clipboard hadn't made it a point to stop by earlier, then. He bit his tongue...only to be shocked a few seconds later when his thoughts were apparently made audible.

"Ah, a fair question I'm sure you have in mind. I was observing you, Mr. Nowak. Not simply appraising your physical stature. You see, we do not recruit solely on printed statistics and presence. At Freelancer, we foster a different atmosphere and encourage growth in all directions. We consider your relationships to be as vital as your abilities, you see. It would appear you have a rather fascinating relationship with your peers...something which is considerably sought after in our organization. We are not about the individual." He gave another neutral smile and then shifted the clipboard to one hand as he glanced down at it for a moment. "We value the complex dynamics of an entire team. And despite your mediocre individual statistics, the results of your partnership with such a vastly different recruit speak for themselves."

David stared mutely as the well-composed chupa produced a slip of paper from the clipboard, folded neatly into thirds. "I believe it is worth taking a gamble on you. Freelancer Division would benefit from your unique tenacity and perspective, I'm quite sure." The representative nodded briefly while offering the folded paper. David took it with trembling fingers, his eyes wide. "I hope you'll consider it, regardless of what other avenues present themselves to you."

David didn't want to seem desperate but he highly doubted any other 'avenues' would come close to presenting themselves. He clutched the paper in both hands and stared at it for a moment before swallowing and looking back up at the recruiter. "Th...thank you, uh. Y-yeah. I'll. I'll consider it..."

With another polite nod, the representative excused himself to move briskly to another area of the hall. David was left to marvel at the paper between his fingers, his jaw partially agape. It didn't even matter what his preference was. This was a real offer. He wasn't even sure if he cared whether or not it was out of pity. Someone had recognized him, even if it was as half of a pair. It didn't matter. It was something.

He almost had the letter memorized by now. It was legitimate...but it wasn't helping much.

David sat on his bunk, hunched over the paper he still had clutched in his hands. The room was dark and empty, save for him. Anyone who had been made an offer was out partying, and those few who hadn't were already either packed up and gone, or simply didn't care enough to not join their companions in their reveling. David supposed he should have been grateful he at least had an offer...but the more he read it, the more annoyed he felt.

Please note this is a generic letter of acceptance.

He wondered if Gabriel's had been personalized. They'd probably been fed his information for weeks prior to Recruitment Day. His was probably tailor-made, making note of his exceptional stamina, dedication to the job and blinding charm.

While you were not part of Freelancer's primary selection, our staff is still convinced you may yet provide a valuable addition to our ranks.

He wondered if Connie was part of their 'primary selection'. She'd been making waves with her rapid progress of learning to wield a sword, and her steadfast honesty and integrity automatically made her a solid choice in any operation. She had long ago learned to balance her personal motives with the safety of her team, all while maintaining a steady hand on the mission objectives, whatever they were.

We believe everyone has their part to play in this world, and we consider it a welcome challenge to accept those who are outliers, and help them become more than they once were.

"'More than they once were'...yeah, I guess," David mumbled to himself. That was the whole reason he'd joined Connie at boot camp, and then at Specials, wasn't it? To make something more of himself, to be better than what he was at the orphanage. But now...now it just felt like he was back to being carried. He wasn't here because of what he accomplished, he was here because Gabriel. Just like Connie had always been the one to defend him from the bullies, now Gabriel was the one to haul him up out of his own middling nothingness to have a shot at...

He glanced at the letter again.

We don't promise you greatness, but we will assure you purpose.

At having a purpose.

He wasn't ungrateful. He just wished he had more of a choice, more of the feeling that he was actively steering his life rather than drifting toward a fork that led to either 'generic purpose' or 'independent oblivion'.

A drunken laugh at the doorway tore his attention away and he craned his neck to see Gabriel stumbling into the barracks with a giggle. He half-expected to see some girl on his arm, but no. Just him. "Yeah, yeah, I'll be right back, think I got some cash, y'all just...y'all just get the order together!" he called into the hallway before chortling and making his way toward their shared bunk.

David wished he'd taken the letter somewhere else. Maybe Gabriel wouldn't notice. He looked pretty wasted and his eyes were unfocused as he wandered toward the stacked beds. David held his breath and kept still as he hugged his legs silently to his chest. The giant recruit didn't seem to notice him even when he stumbled right up to the bunk and dropped to his knees with a grunt to start searching through his things. "C'mon, c'mon...swear hadda coupla twennies..." he mumbled, tossing a few dirty shirts over a shoulder. "Wonder if m'little buddy's got...naaaaah, don' do that, s'fucked up, Gabe..."

David withheld his sigh. At this point he wouldn't have cared if Gabriel took his money. He just wanted to be alone. And a few moments later, there was a noise of triumph, followed by a dull thud that shook the upper bed. "Ooow shit! Fuckin'...bunkbeds, who...who designed these, buncha. Buncha assholes who don't get laid, tha's who, can't get freaky in a damn bunkbed..." The drunken rambling continued as Gabriel leaned back with a fistful of crumpled bills. "Don' need this uniform money, heh...no more shirts, never again," he added to himself as he stood up straight...and then promptly stared up at David, who stared back with a wince. "W-whoa! Li'l buddy!"

The sigh escaped. David shifted his eyes away as his tail curled around his legs. "Hi, Gabriel. You'd better get back to your friends. I think I've got some cash in my wallet if you need more."

Gabriel snorted and put his hands on his hips while swaying a bit. "Hey, lissen, ya jerk -- I'm not askin' you for money, I'm askin' why you're still hidin' in here! C'mon, everyone's out back together! We got pizza 'n beer, just ordered another keg...even Connie's out there, c'mon!"

"No...no, I'm okay," David mumbled as he turned away and glanced down at his letter again. "Just...just go ahead, Gabriel, seriously, don't worry about me."

"Well...I'm gunna worry 'bout you, 'cause you're my buddy and that's what buddies do," Gabriel retorted. "What're you lookin' so sad for, Dave? You got an offer, right??"

"Yeah. One whole pity offer," David spat out before he could contain himself. He shifted his weight and felt stupid even before the words finished leaving his muzzle. "Sorry, I...I'm just..." He sighed and could hear Gabriel still standing behind him, staring up at his back. "I don't want to ruin your night, Gabriel. Please, go have fun. You...you earned it."

"You did too, little buddy."

David scrunched up his maw and then sighed again and ran his fingers over the now-wrinkled offer. "I only got this for our team scores. Not for...anything I did, not for making anyone care about me."

He heard a quiet grunt and the sound of shuffling around. Good, hopefully Gabriel was going to go back to ignoring him and going on his way to--

David suddenly flinched as a thick arm was flung past him to clutch to the other side of the mattress. He twisted around to stare stupidly as Gabriel huffed and struggled to climb onto the upper bunk, hanging off the side as his legs kicked at the air. "Geezus, Gabriel, what...what are you...dammit, it's gonna..." David flailed as the beds swayed precariously backward and he quickly reached over to grab the only thing he could -- Gabriel's waistband -- to wheeze and struggle hauling his companion over the mattress.

Gabriel eventually settled for simply flopping over the top bunk, his arms and legs hanging down either side as he peered drunkenly up at his partner. "'Sup, dude?"

David rubbed the back of his neck before mumbling quietly: "I don't think there's supposed to be this much weight up here..."

"Prob'ly not, that's why you always bone in the lower bunk," Gabriel replied wisely, giving a crooked grin as David sighed yet again. "Hey, listen, dude..." He grunted as he held up his other hand, where he gripped all his offer letters. "You see all these?"

David glanced at them and then looked away with a shrug. "Yeah. Great."

Gabriel huffed and then squinted at them for a moment. "Hold up...think I need freakin'...glasses, uh..." Eventually his massive fingers managed to pluck out the Freelancer letter and he waved it around. "All these letters talk about how awesome I am, what a great individual I am, how I'm jus' the perfect guy for what they want."

David shifted again and felt his hands clutching into fists. "I...I don't understand how this is supposed to--"

"This is the only one that talked 'bout...bein' a good teammate," Gabriel interrupted as he shook the Freelancer letter again. "Yeah, sure, 's all kinda stuff in there 'bout how awesome I am, too, but it was th' only one that also said I was a team player, that I showed fuckin'..." He paused to screw his eyes up again while staring at the letter in the darkness. "Showed...'exemplary concern and camaraderie even with a mismatched partner'. Only one that talked 'bout that."

David trembled a bit. He knew Gabriel was trying to make some point but it felt like it was just emphasizing what a weakling he was again. "So...so what? So even they call me a fucking...pitiful failure, and say you're that much better for doing well even though you were stuck with me."

Gabriel was silent for a few seconds, letting his arms and legs hang loose again as the bunk creaked quietly beneath their combined weight. "Dave...David...man, you...you don't get it."

"I guess I don't," David replied coldly before flinching when Gabriel suddenly twisted his head around to peer up at him.

"I...I know I been a real ass to you, an' I know it was all about me today, but...fuck, man, all I ever wanted was t'be part of somethin', part of a team, part of somethin' where I mattered. And it was partnered up with you where that happened. You din' care how great I was, how amazing I was, you still tried, you still worked your ass off with me an' it din' matter if I coulda carried us all the way. You didn't let me." David rubbed at his arm and met Gabriel's gaze for a moment -- yeah, he was inebriated, but those stupid green eyes looked so honest it hurt. "So...fukkit. I know what I wanna do, man."

David blinked in confusion as Gabriel stuck the Freelancer letter in his jaws, then proceeded to grab the rest of the offers in both hands and quickly shred them. David gawked and reached out to try and stop him, but the larger chupa huffed around the paper in his maw, easily keeping his long arms out of his partner's reach as tiny strips of paper fluttered down to the floor. He grunted as he threw the last pile into the air and David watched in disbelief as the countless pieces drifted down like a tiny blizzard meant just for them.

"G-Gabriel...goddammit, Gabriel, what...what are you doing..." David whispered, once again clutching his single letter close to his chest as he stared in confusion at his companion. "That was stupid...you could go anywhere you want..."

Gabriel grumbled and took a moment to fight his way completely onto the mattress, his drunken stupor not exactly helping. He eventually managed to get a paw onto the edge of the bunk and he flung his other leg up before sitting heavily as his legs hung over the other side and the frame gave a cry of warning beneath them. "I could," he admitted before that dumb grin showed itself. "Well, I probably coulda before I tore all them letters up," he added.

David shook his head a few times, his eyes full of the same bewilderment as he studied his companion. "I don't understand..."

Gabriel smiled down at him before throwing an arm around his shoulders and holding up the Freelancer letter. "I'm stickin' with you, li'l buddy. Sorry if you were hopin' to get away from me, but...nah. You 'n me, we make a good team! And these jerks were the only ones who saw that. An' you know what? Who gives a fuck what they said in your letter." He shook David gently, who winced at the continued contact but didn't try to pull away. "You still did this. You said it wasn't my job to carry you, an' I didn't. Just 'cause I maybe made you look good doesn't mean you weren't still pullin' the shit outta your own weight, buddy. An' trust me, I was there, I know you did. You pulled your weight an' then some, 'cause you still don't have much meat on your skinny bones," he drawled through his beer-infused haze.

...It didn't make David feel better about the fact he was just the pity selection. But he'd be a goddamn liar if he denied that he was grateful. He wasn't afraid of being alone...yet. Then again. He really hadn't been looking forward to it, either. And he was moved more than he expected to be by Gabriel's stupid decision. What probably bothered him more than anything is that even after the guy sobered up, he probably wouldn't regret what he'd done, even if he'd made his decision in a drunken attempt to cheer up his...his friend.

He looked silently at his letter for a few more moments before he set it aside and exhaled. "Gabriel..."

Gabriel swayed slowly at his side, gazing down at him with the same goofy smile. "You gonna confess your undying love to me or what?"

David huffed and elbowed his companion firmly, before widening his eyes as it was apparently enough to topple the drunken asshole backward. He tried to grab at his arm, but wasn't quick enough to prevent Gabriel giving a half-whoop, half-yelp as he tumbled off the bunk to crash loudly down onto his back, his legs flopped awkwardly over himself. His Freelancer offer floated slowly down and landed neatly on his stunned features as a long, pained groan slid out from beneath it.

"Christ, G-Gabriel!! Are...are you okay?" David called down with a wince.

Gabriel grumbled but sluggishly lifted his arm and gave a thumbs up before letting it drop back to the floor. "All good, dude. All good."

David sighed softly but gave a small smile as he folded up his own letter and tucked it under his pillow. "Um...thanks. I didn't mean to take you away from your party or. Drop you on your head."

"Bro. It's all gravy." A few moments went by before Gabriel blew the letter off his face with a puff of air while giving a dumb, dazed grin up from the floor. "Hey. Hey, Dave. Dave. Guess what?"

David arched an eyebrow as he gazed back down curiously. "What?"

"We're gonna be motherfuckin' Freelancers."

One more sigh that was paired with a tiny but honest smile. "I guess we are, Gabe. I guess we are."

Red vs Blue © Rooster Teeth. Halo © 343 Industries. Concept by Myshu, assisted by The Department of Chupapology.