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soupgoose · 7 months

Text

Unimaginable

Summary : Life never gets easier for them, in fact it only seems to get worse. Ever since Mark and the Captain landed the Invincible II, a hellfire of war has constantly bombarded the young colony. Having been kept inside the safe confines of the base, the Captain is ready to participate in this war, and Mark has a horrible feeling about it. Turns out he was right.

Genre: Hurt/Little Comfort, Angst, some Fluff

Word Count : 10,040 (teehee)

Paring: Captaineer (Captain/Head Engineer)

TRIGGER WARNING: This text contains the mentions of, War, gunfire, blood, knives, injury relating to gunshots and knives, and major character death!!! (Epilogue Includes mention of cremation and making things from ashes). While there is no mention of heavy gore or heavy descriptions of injuries other than the fact that they are there and ouchies; If any of this upsets you or makes you uncomfortable, read at your own discretion!!

A.N: I’ve returned back from the dead! …Again! I do apologize for not existing for a while, college has been a bitch, but hey, we’re still going! This work has been baking in my brain for quite a while so I’m glad that it’s finally out and finished! It’s definitely…long…but I just couldn’t stop myself.

There is an optional Epilogue at the end, mostly because I couldn’t let it be hurt with NO comfort, and also because I wanted to cry some more.

Anyways, I hope you enjoy!

Happy reading! -Soup

Screaming and yelling erupted from around the corner. Startled by the sudden commotion, Mark and Gunther rushed to the sound. Rounding the turn they witnessed the Captain and an assailant thrashing and writhing around. The individual was trying to push them to the ground, light reflecting off of the metal blade in one of their hands. Their only advantage for the ambush they tried to pull, was that the Captain’s back was turned. They didn’t make it very far, as the Captain managed to overpower them and throw them off.

Gunther sprung in from behind them, tackling and holding them to the ground. His gun pressed into the back of their head.

“Gunther. Don’t.”, they wheezed, gasping for air. Their left hand pressed firmly against where the attacker managed to reach. A dark red stain had begun to form from underneath it and they could feel the tinge of pain begin to spread.

Reluctantly, Gunther did as he was told, picking up the perpetrator with another security officer to carry them away to be dealt with. They screamed profanities and obscenities as they were dragged away.

“It’s all your fault! We never would have been here if it weren't for you!”

Mark rushed to their side, worriedly checking them over for any injuries.

“Holy shit, are you alright?”

The Captain shrugged him off, insisting that they were fine.

“Just a little shaken, Mark.” They gave him a pained reassuring smile before their expression soured again, an audible wince as they sucked the air in through their teeth.

Mark watched as the Captain's hand gingerly massaged the growing bruise on their shoulder where their assailant had viciously grabbed them.

“Are you sure you're alright? We can run you by the med bay just-”

“No. There's injured people that need it more than myself, especially for a small bruise.”

Mark wanted to protest, but the argument fell dead on his tongue. His eyes drifted down their arm, where he took notice of the dark spot growing larger on their sleeve.

“Crap- Cap, are you serious?! We have to get you to inferm now you-”

“Mark-” they chuckled dryly, “I’m fine, I’m fine. See?”

The Captain pulled themself away from their worried friend, trying to appear unaffected by the cut, but ultimately staggering in place before regaining their balance.

Unconvinced, Mark frowned. “Just a ‘small bruise’, huh?”

“Inferm?” They sighed

“Inferm.”

They walked slowly and apathetically, leaning up against Mark as he tried to support the Captain’s body weight. The movement in their arms when they walked caused the fabric to rub against the wound, causing them to wince with every step. The pain was beginning to become nauseating, and as the adrenaline wore off they found it more and more difficult to keep walking.

“Mark, wait for a sec. I need to sit down.”

He helped lower them to the ground, kneeling by their side as they rested the back of their helmet against the concrete wall.

He watched intently as their chest rose and fell with each breath. He could make out the vague shape of their eyes behind the tinted glass in this lighting. They looked to be closed, or at least close enough. Their eyebrows were tightly furrowed, knitted together as they tried to regain what little balance and composure they had left. Mark began to grow more worried at the significance of the injury, especially if it had the Captain tap out.

A cacophony of chaos raged outside. Yelling and banging seeped through the fortified walls, reminding them of the hell that they were trapped in.

“How is it going out there?” Their voice tense.

“Nothings changed. The barricades and walls are holding strong, but we’re still being attacked from all around us. It’s unclear how long this attack will last. I’ll give them this, their species is persistent...” he said, chuckling dryly to himself. Not really amused at his attempt at bringing some lightness into the horrid situation. But humor was still a coping mechanism, even now.

A moment of silence passed.

“Have we tried the turrets? The ADS?”

“We can’t. Too many of our own are out there, we’re guaranteed casualties if we try.”

“Damn it.”

He looked towards the horrible sounds on the other side of the wall, flinching, at a blood curdling scream.

The Captain looked at their beloved partner, observing his exhausted appearance.

Mark was horribly disheveled. His uniform, which used to be covered in grease stains, was now tattered and drenched in dirt, mud, and most likely some blood. He looked beyond stressed, heavy eye bags hung above his scratched and dusted cheeks.

The Captain’s eyes analyzed the cuts across his face, as a pang of guilt shot through their heart and sunk into their abdomen.

‘It’s your fault we’re here…’ they thought.

“Are you alright?” they asked. The Captain spoke in a gentle tone, hushed as to not startle the already jumpy engineer.

Mark looked over at them helplessly. His glossy, tired eyes almost reflected their image back at them.

“I’ll be fine.” He started, despite his eyes reflecting another answer. “We need to get you patched up first though. Do you think you can stand yet?”

They nodded weakly, “I can give it a try.”

Attempting to get up, the captain's head filled with a fog, immediately being met with an intense dizziness. They used their hand on the uninjured arm to try to push themselves up from the wall, only to quickly lose what little balance they had regained. Mark’s hands quickly moved to brace them as they began to tip forward, helping them sit back against the wall.

“Hah…I don’t think I’ll be able to do much yet…”

“Hey, that’s alright Cap, I’ll just give Celci a call to come meet us here.”

The Captain sighed, “I really don’t want this to be a whole ordeal Mark.”

“Too late for that, Cap.”

As they waited they noticed that the sounds outside began to move further and further away. Fewer yells and screams. Gun fire became less audible as the time passed.

The two grew more confused, neither of them had heard any updates on the situation outside, though both of the comms on their wrists had become fairly unreliable.

“How far?” Mark asked hopefully, the news temporarily distracting him from the worries that previously plagued his mind.

Celci rushed in with another crew member, as if she had heard the two's confusion.

“We’re pushing them back! They’re retreating!” She called out.

“Not sure, the furthest group appears to be currently little more than a few miles away, and they’re moving fast to get out. At this rate, we should have enough time to make repairs and regroup before they decide to come back!”

The news wasn’t great, but it was still good, or at least better. Which was something everyone needed right now, no matter how small.

A brief wave of relief hit Mark and the Captain, however it was quickly replaced with a surge of determination.

A few miles bought them a few hours, depending on how interested the army was in coming back. And if the lookout was correct about the retreat, hopefully they wouldn’t be back until sometime the next afternoon. Regardless of how much time they had, no one was planning on wasting any of it.

The moment of relief was cut short when Celci saw the Captain's condition.

“Holy shit! Dr. B, get over here with that first aid kit! And someone, notify the other leads immediately!”

“So much for not making it a big deal.” they sighed.

The cut was much deeper than the Captain let on, as it definitely caused damage to their bicep. The bruise on their shoulder was less concerning medically. Celci wrapped their arm tightly with a bandage, holding in place a fresh pad of gauze covering the recently stitched wound.

However, for the leads, the dark red hand print was horrifying.

“Who managed this?” Celci asked in a hushed voice.

“Some asshole slipped in, a very angry colonist.” Gunther started, “They jumped the Captain from behind, the coward couldn’t even take them on in a fair fight. I didn't even get to take my shot-”

“Gunther, that is besides the point.” The Captain interjected, a low annoyance obviously present in their voice. “I let my guard down, there was an attempt on my life, and they were not successful. It's over. I’m fine.”

“The bastard tried to kill you! This is not “fine”!”

“We have much bigger things to worry about than some stupid attack! I would be a lot happier if everyone would stop treating my life like it's something to fuss over!” The Captain said bluntly.

“I’ll come back to checkin in a while.” Dr. B left quickly, picking up on the group's growing tension.

“What exactly do you mean by that, Captain?” Celci asked after a moment.

“What they’re trying to say is that they would much rather be outside gettin’ killed than being inside where it is safe.” Gunther snapped.

“Gunther!” Mark and Celci gasped in unison.

Their helmet kept the majority of their furious expression hidden, but everyone felt the glare that was directed at the gunner.

“You know what Gunther, looks like you’re finally right about something.”

“Captain!”

“No, you know what- I have been through just as much of this shithole as anyone else in this colony. I am not a delicate person. A cut and a bruise is the least of the colony's problems!” The captain grew more agitated, “It was voted that I stay inside the base, for my safety. How is that fair? My crew is dying under my command and there is nothing I am allowed to help with. And even if I was fine being tucked away, someone still managed to attack me today. God forbid I help with repairs, or with recon, or sitting in a look-out tower. Literally anything would be just as safe as sitting inside of this death trap!”

The 5 fell silent. Taken aback by their Captain’s rage, not one of them could think of a thoughtful response. The Captain’s eyes glanced around the leads, seeing as all of them shared a similar horrified and shocked look. Their glaze finally fell to Marks, their expression softening before they looked back at the rest of the group.

They sighed, “I… apologize for my outburst.” Their words carried a weight of guilt. “Please, everyone try to get some rest tonight. We have no idea what tomorrow has in store for us. And if you’ll allow me, I wish to meet you all in the morning to go over your plans.”

The group hesitated before beginning to leave the small gurney, looking amongst each other in silence, finally making their ways to their stations and duties.

“Gunther, if you have a moment.”

He sighed, “Of course, Cap’n”

Mark tried to linger before his Captain gestured to him to follow the others, leaving Gunther and them to talk. A little while later, Mark watched as Gunther and the Captain emerged from the infirmary a while after, before going their separate ways.

Everyone got to work quickly that evening. Burt and engineers began preparing for repairs for barricades and covers with anything they could find. Celci went with the medics, looking for the injured or dead. And Gunther took everyone else inside to regroup and organize a new plan.

The Captain stood silently, adorned with a stained gauze bandage, almost uncomfortably tight underneath their torn suit. They heard Mark approaching them from behind, jumping slightly when his boot crunched on a small gathering of rubble.

“Cap?” Mark spoke hesitantly

“You should go with Burt tomorrow.” The Captain had their back turned to him, looking out across the scene in front of them ignoring his concerned tone.

“I was actually going to stay with you.”

“That won’t be necessary, Mark. Burt will need your assistance more than I will.”

“And where are you going to go, Cap?”

They hesitated before speaking, “I’m going to walk the perimeter with Gunther’s group in the morning.”

“Woah, hold on. You know that’s dangerous Captain, I’m sorry but I can’t let you do that-”

They interrupted him, their voice serious. “Mark, I am no more important than any other crew member in our fleet. We’ve already been over this once today. Besides, I’m more than qualified in doing a perimeter check.”

They turned to face him, still wearing the chunky helmet that everyone became familiar with. He couldn’t see the details of their face with the setting sun's glare, but he knew the look they were giving him.

They sighed, “Gunther and I agreed that if he wanted to keep me safe, and I wanted to be useful, the best place is with him and the rest of the gunners as a type of body guard system… I’m not completely happy with the arrangement, but it’s something.”

“Besides, I’m not any safer in here than I am out there. I want to be more than an action figure. I want to be out there where I can do something helpful, Mark.”

“But-”

“Please. Let me at least pretend that I am some kind of help.” Their hand rested firmly against his shoulder, squeezing it in reassurance.

‘You are to me Cap’ he thought, helplessly watching as they walked away to the meeting room. He knew that he wasn’t able to change their mind, despite how desperately he wanted to.

He followed shortly after them.

That night Mark and the Captain made it to their shared quarters, it wasn’t a lot but it was enough. Many people had either gotten into pairs or groups for sleeping cabins. It was important that everyone had at least one other person to get help if the moment ever arises.

A Buddy System of sorts.

The leads insisted to the Captain that they needed to have their quarters surrounded by guards. Their counter was that Mark would share the room with them as their buddy. No need for guards, no extra fuss.

The two had shared sleeping arrangements before, so this felt like a weirdly comfortable spot, at least considering what the situation was. If they ignored what was happening outside, it was almost nice to get a chance to spend a quiet moment together. They never knew when their last time would be together, so they tried to enjoy what time they did have.

Every light in the fortress had to be turned off by nightfall. No one could risk the enemy being able to see them from above ground as an illuminated target. Mark had already gotten ready for bed. He could hear them rustling around, changing in the dark nearby. A click followed by a sharp hiss signified that the Captain had removed their helmet. He could barely make out their silhouette in the dark. Their features hidden in the shadows. He didn’t need to see them, however, he knew what they looked like. In past lives he found himself staring at them whenever they were not wearing their Captain’s Helm. He loved them, the way they looked he meant…not “love-love”... To him they were the essence of perfection. Both the most handsome and the most beautiful being, all at once.

‘That’s so corny…’ he thought.

“Did you say something, Mark?” They asked suddenly, the blanket shifted as they got into bed. He inhaled sharply, wondering if he had actually spoken. “Nope,” he yawned, trying to cover for his fumble, “probably just- breathed weirdly, haha.”

“Whatever, dork.” They teased. “We’ve got an early morning…try to get some sleep.”

He hummed in response, internally scolding himself for acting awkwardly around his friend.

They shared one large bed, using separate blankets to keep a barrier of professionalism.

Neither of them would really care if they had to share one. However, it was never brought up in conversation, and neither of them wanted to make an awkward situation.

The cold was hard to ignore during the night, as Mark shivered silently to himself as he fell asleep, wishing to be able to scoot just a little closer to the other body behind him.

‘That’s a horrible idea…but it would be nice.’ That was the last thought he had before he drifted off.

In the night the Captain woke drenched in a cold sweat, gasping for a solid breath. The pain in their side felt so real… The dream itself had begun to fade, along with the imaginary injury. That was until the sudden jerk pulled at the stitches in their arm, which was actual pain. They winced, as all of their attention was moved from the fictional wound in their abdomen to the throbbing ache in their bicep. “Shit…” they muttered under their breath.

Beneath them something shifted and groaned, mumbling into itself. Looking down, their eyes focused on the sleeping form of their engineer. Their heart fluttered for a brief moment. He looked just so peaceful and happy in the low light. His arm was draped across their lap, and his head was buried into their side. He stirred slightly at the Captain's sudden alertness, propping himself up on one of his elbows. “is it time to wake up yet?” he asked groggily, obviously not fully awake.

Their gaze softened, “No, not quite, Mark.”

“why are you up then”

“Just a bad dream.”

“lay back down- I’ll keep you safe Cap’n”

They couldn’t say no to their engineer. He was so cute, cuddled up to them, yet he still was trying to be protective even though he was half asleep.

Laying back down, Mark pulled them in, tucking their head underneath his chin and resting just above his chest. His arms held them close, subconsciously careful of their injured arm.

“I’ve gotcha cap” he hushed, hugging them closer. It took them a second before they were able to calm their racing heart. But the warmth that encompassed them was hard to resist, and they snuggled closer, burying themself into the arms of their friend.

Despite the hell that surrounded them, and the nightmares that plagued their rest; The Captain fell asleep in the safest, most comfortable place in every existing universe.

When Mark woke first that following morning, with his Captain in his arms, and them buried into his chest, his brain completely malfunctioned. Not wanting to move, but also not wanting them to wake up and realize the position the two of them were in, he froze.

Their injured arm was loosely draped around him, with their other being squished between their abdomen and him. The hand grasping at a piece of his night-shirt. He felt a small swarm of butterflies travel upwards from his stomach to his chest.

The small window provided, let in a small ray of light, which cascaded over the pairs bed and lit the side of the Captains face in a beautiful golden glow.

With the majority of their face being buried in his chest, barely half of it was in a position where he could take a good look at. Still, his brain felt a lightness as their features were complemented so wonderfully by the sun, and he hesitated taking in a deep breath for the fear that he'd wake them and subsequently end the moment of bliss.

Carefully, he craned his neck backwards as much as he comfortably could, studying the way the Captain’s features were smushed against him. They wore a small expression, an odd mixture of something he wasn't fully sure of. Their eyebrows had a small crease to them, and their mouth was stuck in between a smile and a grimace, their lips parted ever so slightly for them to push out little puffs of breath.

There was a fondness that spread like a wildfire through his mind and body. Daring to acknowledge how adorable they were when easily curled into him.

‘I could totally just kiss their forehead right now.’

He blushed at the sudden thought, furious with himself for wanting something so silly. It wouldn’t be appropriate for him to do that as the Captain slept. Then again, it also probably wasn't appropriate for him to be cuddling them either…

’It’s not like they’d know what happened, and a small kiss on their forehead wouldn’t be weird since they’ve done it to me before…’

His heart got away from him as he leaned forward.

The moment was so short in retrospect, but it was perfect. He couldn't quite reach their forehead, instead opting to press the gesture closer to their hairline. He had wanted this domestic bliss for so long, it almost didn’t feel real. They hummed in response, burying their face deeper into the flustered man’s chest. Despite his overall desire to pull them in closer, he refrained. Certain that he'd be unable to let them go when they finally began to stir.

That didn't exactly stop the unconscious party from doing it themself though. Mark let out a sigh, giving in just a little more.

He adjusted himself slightly, so his chin rested atop the Captain's head. A muffled half-put-together- giggle hummed against Mark's chest as their hair lightly moved against their face. He melted more, a fond smile spreading across his face, and he pulled them in just a little closer. Every moment cataloged at the forefront of Mark's brain.

Not long after, the Captain began to wake, but they were so out of it they said nothing more that a mumbled “g’d mornin” before getting up. Mark tried not to scramble away as they did so, trying to untangle the pile of limbs without drawing more attention to their previous position.

As they left his hold, Mark frowned at the lack of contact and warmth. He understood the importance of needing to get prepared for today, with that weight once again settled against his shoulders. However, his desire to pull them back, wore heavier on his heart.

Mark caught another small glimpse of the Captains face as they lowered their helmet over their head. He must have been staring, as they turned to look at him as the helm was fastened. “Need somethin’, Mark?” He quickly looked away, a small blush growing on the poor man's cheeks.

“Oh, no Cap. Just staring into space I guess.”

A small smile made its way across their lips. That and their blush thankfully hidden behind the dark glass of their helmet.

Barely after dawn, the Captain met with the leads and the other gunners, to go over the day's plans. As the sun rose from behind the hills and mountains in the distance, everyone began hurriedly working. The Captain followed Gunther and the gunner party, after some reassurance for Celci and Burt.

The Captain looked back towards Mark before their figure dipped behind the hill, waving at him.

Mark followed the other engineers, hoping to provide some help for his friends and team. Subconsciously, he’d look back at that hill, hoping that they’d pop back up the next time he’d look over.

“The bird must first fall from the nest before it may soar through the clouds.” Burt approached from behind, offering one of his confusing poems.

“What?”

He sighed, “The Captain isn’t a child, they are one of our strongest fighters, and they are the best person to be our leader.”

He sighed, “I know they are…”

“Then trust them. They know their limits, they wouldn’t put themselves at risk if they didn’t understand that.”

“But they’ve pushed those same limits too far before, I’m just-”

“Worried about them?”

“I- I just don’t want to lose them, Burt. They're my closest friend, my partner…” Marks voice wavered, “I don’t know what I’ll do if they get hurt.”

Burt gave him a sympathetic look. Mark had confided in Burt, he was one of the only people that Mark had shared these feelings with. One of the few that knew truly how close the Engineer and the Captain were.

It was well known that Mark and the Captain were close. No one quite knew how close though. Some assumed that they were married, or at the very least engaged, with how comfortable they were in each other's presence. Many felt that they were in the early stages of dating, which would explain the occasional awkward moments. Everyone else was confident that they were just really, really, good friends.

In truth, Mark also had no idea where the two of them stood. He had fallen head over heels for his Captain years before, during one of their many lifetimes together. They had spent eternities by each other's sides, in every type of way. However, neither of them ever addressed it directly, there was no time to. They were just together, no label required.

This lifetime was no different, and it went unmentioned once again. In the past, this didn’t bother him as much, so long as they had each other by their sides, the details didn’t matter.

However, he felt different this time, he wanted to know for certain where he stood with his beloved Captain.

Burt gave Mark a firm pat on the back before returning to his work, leaving Mark to watch the hill.

Around 3 hours had passed with no sign of the party, and with no new intel of the enemy’s position. Mark had finished what he could outside, now sitting at the top of one of the tall watch towers. His eyes skimmed across the grounds.

A shape came over one of the dirt hills in the distance.

“What is that…”

It gradually grew larger, then larger… and what he saw terrified him.

He called out to one of the watchmen, hoping that he was seeing things and that wasn’t really there.

The watchmen froze in place, cursing to himself before yelling to the others.

“Start the sirens and rig the exterior walls! We’ve got a wave coming from the East!”

Panic ensued, as people rushed to their positions and into buildings for cover.

“No no no, wait! The guard party hasn’t returned yet, if we shut down then they’ll get trapped out there!”

“Sir, we don’t have any choice. We’ll keep an eye out for them, but we cannot risk the fate of the rest of the colony.”

“God dammit- The Captain’s out there! Without them, there won’t be a colony!”

Mark spoke desperately at the man.

The watchman gave a horrified look before muttering, “god help them.”

Mark looked hopeless as the watchman ran off, frozen to his spot in front of the large window. His mind raced in terror, the worst-case scenario playing in his head.

Sirens blared and the scrambling of hundreds ensued within the walls, many reaching for weapons and rushing to their positions. Mark, scrambling through the crowd, raced to the comms room, which was outfitted with extensive maps and radar of the area.

‘If anything can locate them, it’ll be here.’

A few operators jumped at Mark's demands, as he accidentally shoving someone out of the way to get to the screens. He frantically searched for the parties location, desperation growing after every second.

Starting to assume the worst, he saw something.

A white dot, dangerously close to the enemy, is pinned between the base and the oncoming assault.

It sat there, unmoving.

“Come on, come on…” Mark quietly pleaded under his breath, waiting to see some sort of life from the signal.

The screen lagged, and the dot moved. Mark let out a relieved sigh, pleased to see that the party was still active, and the mark wasn’t showing casualties.

His relief was cut short.

“They’re still out there.”

He quickly thanked the crew before rushing out the door, he had to get a team out there to bring them back in.

“Celci! Where are the recovery trucks?”

“Good lord Mark, what's the rush, we’ll need those for injured soldiers-”

“The scouting team is still outside the gates, inside of the abandoned fort field.” He gasped for breath.

“They’ll have to wait out the attack then. They’ve got Gunther, he’ll keep them safe. We can't risk the colony-”

“That’s the party the Captain’s in Celci.”

The improvised medic’s face went pale. “They didn’t make it back in?”

“No. The party must have seen the attack coming, they must have known that they wouldn’t be able to make it back in through the main gate without being detected.”

“What can we do?”

Neither of them had an answer. The team needed to be retrieved, but with the proximity of the enemy, it was impossible.

“That’s risky…” She hesitated for a moment, “But we can give it a try.”

“We open the gate, just one. Have an arsenal waiting at the top of the wall and at the entrance. We have them rush in, and open fire on anything else that follows. It should be a straight shot to the gate, all they need to do is sneak behind cover. That field is covered in abandoned tents and small buildings. We could have a party distract and draw the attack to a secondary wall. They should be able to make it.” Mark announced determined.

“Wait. How will we be able to inform them of the plan? We've already tried to contact their comms and we couldn’t get anything through.”

Mark hadn’t considered that. He stood and thought for a while. In the corner of his eye he noticed an old damaged recovery truck in front of one of the discontinued “garage like” doors.

“I’ll go out.” He said suddenly

“Mark. Listen to yourself, thats suicide-”

“Mark no-”

“I’ll drive one of the recovery trucks, they’re reinforced, so oncoming fire won’t take it out right away. And that way, I can drive them back. There should be one of the vehicle bay doors on the eastern wall.”

“Celci, it could work! I’d keep the engine power on low so I’m not making too much noise, and that way we wouldn’t have to open the main gate. It’s a better plan!”

Celci gave Mark a desperate look, wordlessly begging him to not go through with this.

“Please let me do this. Please don’t stop me.”

Her heart broke. Mark looked so desperate to do this. The Captain meant everything to the team. They meant everything to him.

“Be careful.”

Burt walked up to the truck before the bay door opened.

They didn’t hesitate to gather a team. Celci informed a large group of colonists and had the larger half assemble a distraction on a wall away from the vehicle bay. The other group laid low near Mark’s exit, to give him cover in case the truck was spotted.

He didn’t have anything poetic to say, just a simple, “Bring them back.” and gave Mark a small smile before signaling the door controller.

Mark drove carefully. His foot just barely resting on the throttle. He tried his best to stay out of direct line of sight, knowing that if he were to be spotted this mission would be over.

It was distressing for the engineer to see so many fallen comrades and abandoned stations.

It reminded him of a much simpler time, before all of this started.

‘This isn't the time to reminisce.’

He drove for a short while, before he saw a familiar figure up ahead. It turned to face him, shocked and relieved at the rescue.

Gunther and a few others moved quickly towards the vehicle. Mark was relieved to see Gunther alive. However, he couldn’t help the feeling of dread that stewed in his gut.

“Holy shit, you’re alive you crazy S.O.B.” Mark laughed, “Seriously though, man, I’m glad to see everyones alright. Where's everyone waiting?” He said climbing out of the tall truck.

The gunner's mouth opened to say something, but no words came out before he closed it again. “Gunther…What happened out there?”

Gunther’s face didn’t reflect the normal smugness that it normally carried.

“Woah come’on man, is everything alright?”

“They got separated from the group Mark…No one knows where they went.”

Mark’s world shattered, “what?”

“We were evading the enemy. I got distracted looking for somewhere to wait it out. I didn’t notice them leaving. Their out there-”

Mark ran off, ignoring Gunther's plea for him to come back.

‘They're out there…’

They weren't sure what exactly caused this.

Bullets and some sort of alien ammunition whisked past their body as they darted from cover to cover. The Captain manages to duck behind the remnants of what appeared to be the crumbled and destroyed remains of a wall. They didn’t want to stop moving, knowing that the second they allowed their body to take a break they wouldn’t be able to get back up.

Everything was going so well…

Gashes and cuts littered their body, as dark crimson stains seeped from underneath the tattered uniform. The current of adrenaline kept them from noticing the severity of the injuries that lay hidden underneath the fabrics, but the ones that they could see were deep. As they stood behind the wall, waiting for a chance to return fire, they felt the warm trickle of blood, only some of it being their own, flowing from their forehead and down their cheek. Maybe it was the shock or that the adrenaline was more powerful than they had initially thought, but the throbbing in their body and head should have been debilitating.

Everyone was so careful. They took every precaution possible.

Keeping their breath low they heard their chance, as the cracks and bangs from behind them stalled for a moment. Peeking their head just slightly above the wall's lip they fired back towards the enemy line. Now, they couldn’t call themselves a bad shot, but they definitely needed practice. But at the moment, their current abilities would have to do.

Apparently not all space faring species could be reasoned with through words.

With a few well placed shots, the Captain took out the small resistant group of them, or at the very least caused them to retreat further back. The momentary break in immediate danger granted them a second to view the carnage that surrounded them. Scattered across the ground lay many fallen friends and foes. The lives of so many had been snuffed out like a used match. During their training they had been briefed on situations like this one, played out so many times in a simulation that they could have beaten them in their sleep. However that didn’t insinuate that they enjoyed this. The Captain had tried so desperately to avoid having to spill any unnecessary blood. Sure in a simulation winning over a fictitious enemy was easy. But taking lives, real lives, was so much harder.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Their legs hung from the end of the table, sitting as straight as they could.

“Captain, I-”

“Please don’t apologize, Gunther. We both let our emotions get the better of us. And as much as I don’t want to admit it, you had a point.”

He gave them a stunned look, “Now hold on Cap’n-”

“I do want to be out there. Not that I want to die, not purposefully if that's what you’re worrying about. I just can’t stand being cooped up in here while others are out there dying. And today just proved that it’s not any safer.” They paused. “I had some of the best combat training the academy could offer, I am experienced in a war zone.”

Gunther didn’t speak.

“But I can understand your concern. Everyone’s. I would just like to be more of a help during this fight.”

“You’ve got a spirit I’ve rarely seen Cap. I wish my team shared the same sentiment.”

They laughed. “Sounds like they need a pep-talk.”

“Definitely wouldn’t hurt Captain.”

The moment lightened both of their moods, and it faded out naturally.

“I wanted to properly apologize to you, Gunther. You’re a great leader, a great friend. And as much as I complain, I really do appreciate the concern.”

“And I truly appreciate all that you do for us Cap’n. And I also apologize, I know I can be a real ass. I just don’t want to see my friends get hurt if I can help it. ‘Seen too much death over the years, I’d hate for you to become a memory.”

“The feeling is mutual Gunner.”

“I also wanted to ask if I could attend the scouting party tomorrow afternoon. I know it's a hard ask for you, and I am well aware that the others wouldn’t approve, but I trust in both of our abilities. Before you say anything, no this is not a death wish. It’s more of a compromise, in a way. And you have full control over the conditions.”

Gunther visibly looked conflicted, but he held his tongue. “Now you know I don’t think that’s a great idea.” He struggled to find his words, “I-” he sighed. “It would not be a long trip, not over a few hours. It’d be like a walk around the perimeter, and I’d want you and the rest of the party to be armed in case of an attack.”

“Of course. All of that sounds reasonable.” The Captain was surprised at his willingness, trying not to show their eagerness.

They watched as Gunther thought, seeing how hard of a decision this was for the normally erratic gunner.

“While we are outside the wall, I ask that you follow my exact command. I don’t want you straying from the group, and if something starts while we’re out there, I want you to fully listen to me. I will not have you dying out there because you’re stubborn. Understood?”

They saluted the man, “A hundred percent, boss.”

He sighed, “The others are not going to like this Cap, we’re taking a huge chance that could cost a life.”

“Every mission does. Let me talk to them.”

The two approached the exit of the small med-bay. Before they left the Captain turned to him,

“Thank you for making me feel like I can be of some help Gunther.”

He only nodded before walking away.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They hadn’t realized how far behind they had become. The dust from the attack had made it so difficult to see much of anything. The group that they had fought off hadn’t returned, and the area around them fell into an uneasy peacefulness.

Their whole body froze. In their disorientation, they had stumbled into the original landing site.

Memories came flooding in from that day. So much relief, pure joy and pride that they had finally made it to their new home.

After everything. Eternities. Life times.

They finally made it.

‘oh’ a realization dawned on them.

‘this is it…’

At once they understood why he was so afraid to lose them.

They wouldn’t come back if they died here. There shouldn’t be another try once things fade to black.

An unfamiliar emotion flooded their mind, as a tear rolled down their face.

The world looked dark through their visors. The tinted glass normally went unnoticed, that’s just how things looked. They had forgotten that there was a world that looked different from what they were used to seeing. A crack slipped down the front of their helmet, negating the pressurizing properties.

It slipped off of their head with ease, showing their horribly disheveled hair and face.

Their helmet hung limply in one hand, with their pistol in the other.

‘No more hiding then.’

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mark ran through the barren field, hoping to catch a glance of their uniform.

He left the truck with Gunther and his team so they could take the wounded back to base. He would then come find Mark with the other leads and a medical team.

He stopped hoping that they were alive, the mere thought of anything else crushed him.

He wasn’t sure why he was running this way, but something inside of him knew that he had to.

He approached the old landing zone.

When they first abandoned it, he became emotional. Too many memories associated here. Too many feelings he didn’t fully understand.

Re-entering it now he felt nothing, other than the desperation to find them.

He halted abruptly. Their uniform stood out, their whole presence seemingly glowing. His mouth went dry, and his eyes welled with relief.

There they were.

His chest rose and fell, trying to catch his breath. Their hair was a mess. Their uniform was tattered with tears and scrapes. And their face was covered in dust, sweat, and blood.

But never had he loved them more.

He called out to them, catching their attention before running to them.

Their shocked smile was brilliant, making the destroyed scene around them fade away.

He hadn’t even made it halfway to them.

A loud bang ricocheted around the open area, the sound bouncing off the walls and rubble. He hadn’t been able to move fast enough, he hadn’t seen what had happened, nor the assailant a few yards behind them.

Their body froze in place. Their face now a ghostly pale, and they wore a blank expression.

His scream must have shocked some life back into them, as their eyes drifted between Mark and the dark red wound in their abdomen. Their hand touched it gingerly, pulling back to see their stained glove.

Looking back up at him, they felt their body give out from under them as they fell to their knees. Their helmet crashed against the ground, the crack growing and shattering upon the impact.

Mark’s knees skidded against the ground as he crashed into the ground next to them.

“No no no nono, you can’t do this- this isn’t happening.”

They reached for him before they collapsed further.

“M-ark-” they said breathlessly. "Yo-u came ba-ck". They spoke with a pained smile, tears streaming from their eyes.

His arms wrapped around them, holding them upright in a determined embrace.

“You’re going to be fine Cap- You’re gonna make it out of this. You've survived way worse.”

The Captain gasped under him, not fully able to catch their breath. They had begun to go into shock as the pain in their body slowly went numb.

“I’m not sure I can”

“Do not say that- I forbid you from saying that. Everythings going to be fine and we’re going to make it through this- You are not going to die out here.”

“Mark, it’s okay-”

“I can carry you back to base, there's still time-”

He scrambled to press on the wound, hoping that the pressure would halt the bleeding.

“Mark- I understand now–”

“Stop Captain, just breathe.”

“Mark, s-stop. Let me say this. I understand why you were so scared, I get it now.”

“No you don’t, just stop- please Cap.”

“You’ve always been an- amazing- friend. And I would never trade everything we’ve been through if it meant losing you.”

“And I’m so sorry I didn’t understand it sooner.”

Mark's tears fell from his face onto the Captain’s, combining with their own.

He sobbed.

“Please stop-”

“You’re my partner, my best friend. And I’ve never held what happened against you. I never blamed the warp core on you, I couldn’t. Despite all of the pain and heartache we went through, I know that I never would have gotten to meet the person you are.”

Their mind began to slip away from them as they paused, their breathing became less labored.

"I'm so happy that I got all of those eternities with you, I wish I was able to love you for a little while longer.”

“Don’t” he said, “please don’t say that.”

“I love you, Mark.” their vision began to go dark in the corners. “I always will. And I think I always have. Remember that for me, okay?”

It hurt him so much to watch them die in his arms. But no matter how much it did, he wasn’t going to miss his last chance to tell them.

He couldn’t respond. Couldn’t confess while they lay dying in his arms. He so desperately wanted to. But he couldn’t.

”Promise-" he choked back a sob, "to wait for me, okay?”

“I will.”

They weakly reached their arm up to touch his face, forcing their body to move up slightly.

Their eyes looked deeply into his, swirling pools of color and memories reflecting admiration and love that words could never describe.

He leaned down to meet them where they were, their foreheads pressed against each other.

The kiss they shared wasn’t anything amazing, it wasn’t earth shattering or magical like in fairy tales. It was short, and weak. The Captain had so little left, and they wanted to give all of it to him.

When their eyes closed, they didn’t open again. That moment had been the last thing they were going to do in their life. As their body relaxed and a final breath slipped from their lips, a smile was present on their face as they let go.

When the rescue team finally reached the two, it was far too late. No technology they had could fix them. Gunther had returned with the group, only to find Mark cradling the Captain in his arms. Celci and the medics rushed over, only to discover there was nothing more that they could do.

“they’re gone.” he mumbled quietly.

No one could believe it. Celci crashed into Burt, sobbing violently into his chest. Gunther had stumbled backwards, and the two medics caught him before he fell.

Mark hadn’t looked away from them. They didn’t look dead, they looked peaceful and like they had just fallen asleep in his lap. Their face was still pressed to his chest as it had been that morning.

His body refused to react to what was happening around him. Not to the CC’s cries, or Gunther mumbling to himself, or to the cheers of victory in the distance.

Burt and Gunther approached Mark after a while.

Burt spoke softly to the broken man. “We have to move them. They deserve a proper send off, Mark.”

“I don’t want to let go.”

They knew it wasn’t going to be easy for him. It wasn’t going to be for anyone. But they needed to get back to base.

Gunther kneeled down on the other side of the Captain, “then let me help you carry them.”

Mark sat silently for a second, before nodding. Gunther carried most of the Captains weight, as Mark wasn’t mentally strong enough at the time to support them. Despite how difficult it was to carry them while having to account for the weight while Mark was still there, he didn’t rush him. It wouldn’t be fair to.

Once they made it to the back of the truck, they rested the Captain’s body on the makeshift gurney that was set up. Mark sat the closest, still holding their hand as they laid dead.

Celci had to ride up front with the other medics, as she couldn’t hold herself together when she saw them. No one could blame her.

Burt and Gunther climbed in the back with Mark. As Burt sat down, he placed their helmet to the side of them.

The ride back was almost silent. What could anyone say in this situation? Mark was so fragile, their reality had not fully hit him. He knew, and at the same time he didn’t.

Gunther wanted to apologize, for letting them leave with the party, for giving in to their idea. However, before he could, Mark finally spoke.

“They were happy. They smiled as they..." He looked up at the other two, his brown eyes, red and glazed. “They're happy.”

Epilogue:

*Contains mentions of cremation and ashes and things made from them. If this makes you uncomfortable, continue at your own discretion. This is not crucial to the story*

A week later the colony held a ceremony, partly to celebrate the end of their war with the species, and to celebrate the life of the Captain and all who also fell during the attacks.

The aliens, or the group that was left of them, announced their surrender. One of their members had spoken out against the rest of the arsenal days before the final attacks, as they saw how there was no point to the incessant fighting as it was just out of rage, and believed that it would just result in their extinction in the end. They were not alone in their belief, and they gathered a large following of those who believed that they could no longer afford the battle and refused to continue. The rest that still wanted to fight, did so until there was no one left.

Mark didn’t speak for days. He rarely left his quarters.

The Captain’s body had been cremated, as there was no place to properly bury them. There was a final viewing, one for the colonists, and a separate one for those closest to them.

The leads had to gently coerce Mark to join them, not wanting him to regret not seeing them in the future.

He would come to appreciate it years later.

Each of the leads had been given a trinket or piece of jewelry made from their ashes, a project set up by Burt and some of the other engineers. A few colonists had been jewelers during their lives on earth and offered to help out.

Celci received a necklace with a small star as its charm, made from the compressed ashes. She rarely removed it even years later.

Gunther was given a fake bullet with some of the ashes contained inside and the nickname they had given him engraved on the side. He kept it at his residence, inside of a memory box with pictures of the group and a few other trinkets.

Burt asked for a simple container charm which he kept in a small box along with other things that the Captain had given him or reminded him of them.

Mark’s piece was the largest. A matching ring set and a similar necklace to CC’s, just with two stars instead of one. He was also given the rights to the remainder of the ashes, seeing as he was the next in command and their closest friend, so that he may choose what happens to them.

He held onto them for a few years before he decided to spread them outside of the newly built capital building. He also spread some at the park which was built in the original landing site.

Lastly, he kept the small amount that was left. Placed in a small urn shaped like a helmet. He kept it by his front door so he could always greet them and say goodbye before he left. A small portrait hung above it. It wasn’t anything professionally done, as the professional photos taken by the academy was of a much younger Captain. Instead, it was a picture of them and the other 3. It was slightly blurry, and CC and Mark were glaring at each other while the Captain and Gunther were laughing at them. It was taken the first day the team had met.

While Mark was going through their files he found a picture of just himself and them. It was after the conference where they had been assigned to captain the Invincible II. It was an impromptu selfie taken on their personal phone after they had met at a bar to discuss more details. He remembered it being so awkward until they realized that they were both dorks and dropped the whole professional act. They both looked so excited for the upcoming mission.

He found hundreds of pictures, some of themself, some of him, mostly of things that were going on. He was surprised to find pictures from loops that had happened during the warp core incident. When he brought it up to the lady from the USA she was equally shocked, but thankfully didn’t ask that Mark delete them. Very few remembered all that had happened, and she decided that no harm could happen so long as the pictures didn't get out.

Mark trained the next generation of Captain’s and Crew leads. And when they were ready he was excited to pass on the torch.

“Captain Mark-”

“That’s never been my title kid, try again.” he teased.

They sighed, “Head Engineer…”

“What’s going on kid?”

“I’m nervous.”

They stood behind a curtain on a stage in front of the colony.

“I’m nervous that I’m not going to live up to them, that I won’t be enough.”

“Believe in yourself. There’s no instruction manual to do things perfectly. You just have to believe that you can do it.” He looked at the young Captain, “Because I believe that you can. I see so much of them in you, it's shocking at times.” He said, chuckling lightly.

He placed his hand on their shoulder before making his way out to the podium, “You’re going to do great, Captain.”

The crowd cheered at Mark’s appearance. Quite a few had remembered what he had done for the colony on a first hand account, many others had only heard stories. Celic, Burt, and Gunther were sitting behind him on stage, after announcing the young successors who would take their title. As he began to speak, the stadium went deadly quiet. He rarely did speeches, and all wanted to know what their “Head Engineer/Co-Captain” was going to say.

“I’ve previously shared how I feel about this new generation, how I am ready to see what they’ll do and how they will lead. I’m excited for this colony. This is a new chapter, a new beginning. We’ve grown so much these last few decades. And we’ve lost a lot as well.

There is no beginning without an end. There can never be growth if we do not fall at times. Change is inevitable, and it is scary, but it should be welcomed. As I pass on my standing as head engineer, and pass on the title of Captain, I can’t help but grow a little emotional. My Captain was…the best person I could ever have asked for. They were remarkable, kind and intelligent in every situation. However, I look forward to seeing what our new Captain will bring. They have a fire comparable to my dear friend. They have a drive so powerful and determined, and a compassion that makes me sentimental. And I am certain that they'll do amazing things.

So, it is my honor, and privilege to introduce them to you all.”

The young engineer stood waiting at the other end of the stage waiting for her partner to be announced on stage.

Mark gave her a look as the new Captain crossed the stage to speak. The two shook hands before Mark went to join his successor.

As they spoke, Mark whispered, “You two have a connection. Never let that go, but also remember to not let it get in the way of things. I made that mistake.”

“Of course Sir.”

He chuckled, “I tell you this because I see a lot of myself in you, try not to give them too hard of a time alright? But also, be an absolute ass, trust me it’s incredibly fun.”

Cheers shaked the stadium, and Mark couldn't stop the pride growing in his chest, even if he wanted to.

She laughed, “Oh absolutely. Thank you Mark.”

“Good luck, Head Engineer.”

More time had passed, and Mark was now retired, living out his remaining days recounting stories of the past. Books had been written about their journey, about the Captain. He was happy that their story was being told.

Few of the original crew remained, although Mark was the last of the crew leads. Celci and Gunther visited from time to time until they passed. Himself and Burt enjoyed the end of their engineering career before Burt had died.

And when it was his turn, he was no longer afraid. Dying over and over again desensitized it to him a long while ago. Years passed, and Mark never took off the ring, as he wore the other one around his neck hanging from the simple chain. It still hurt that the Captain was no longer there. That they couldn’t see what the colony they loved was becoming. But as time came and went, he began to accept his reality. And as he grew old, he hoped that he wouldn’t wake back up in his cryo pod. He was content with where this lifetime had taken him. He was happy.

Besides, someone was waiting for him on the other side. He held their helmet between his hands as he began to drift, ready for whatever was going to happen next.

He awoke surrounded by a white mist. An initial worry echoed through him that they hadn’t been successful in the destruction of the Warp Core; he began to expect the worst.

Thankfully, this wasn't his cryo pod. However, he wasn't really sure where he was at all. Looking down at his hands he noticed that they were no longer wrinkled and worn. His beard had returned to its original dark brown.

“Took you long enough huh, asshat?”

Mark whipped around. Before him an uninjured friend stood expectantly. Their uniform was pristine, and their face was everything he had remembered. They held their arms out wide. He stood frozen for a moment, finding it impossible to believe that they were really there.

“Come on slowpoke,” they joked, “I’ve waited this long, I don’t want to have to wait any longer.”

Their laugh filled his chest with a long forgotten fondness.

Crashing into their arms, he couldn’t stop the flow of tears that poured from his eyes.

With his head buried into the nape of their neck he could feel the flow of their voice against his ear.

“Don’t worry, Mark.” They shushed, “I’m not going anywhere.”

They stood together like that for an undetermined amount of time, until he was certain that they wouldn’t disappear if he let go. He still didn’t, and he probably would never let go of them again, but he did take a small step back. Enough to look them in the eyes, a small tearful glaze enhancing their vibrant color. Never had they looked more alive than right now.

"I love you too, Captain." he said after a while, “I wanted to say it then, but I couldn’t find the words.” The confession pulled more tears to the corners, bubbling emotions finding their way to the surface.

They smiled at him. The captain’s hand reached up to hold Mark’s cheek, brushing the tears that were streaming down Mark's face away with their thumb.

“I know.” they confessed. “I knew then too.”

“I wish you would have said something sooner you ass.” He jabbed.

They brought his head down to their lips, so they could plant a soft kiss to his forehead, before bringing theirs down enough to press their own forehead against his.

“I knew long before, I think. I was just afraid I was going to lose you again.”

They pushed themself away before dramatically gasping, “The nerve! And I thought we were having a sweet moment!”

Neither of them were able to keep a straight face for long, laughing at their own stupidity as they pulled each other back in. Their toresos fit seamlessly together as though they belonged there. Mark's hands held the backs of the Captain's arms, as their hands rested along the front of his uniform. After a moment, they pulled themselves the rest of the way in.

The movement was slow, but it was nowhere near hesitant. They both understood that they had all the time they needed. Nothing had to be rushed. No one was going anywhere this time.

Though not spoken aloud, they shared one thought.

“This was worth the wait.”

Either of them could have said it, but they didn’t need to.

The kiss shared between them made that clear.

When the two separated, their faces didn’t stray far from each other. Simply pressing their foreheads back together. There was no war to fight. No colony to command. No wormholes. Just each other.

And, for the first time in years,

They were happy.

A.N: Thank you for reading! This was definitely labor of love, and I will still probably want to add and change thing, but I'm posting it as it is for now. I hope you've enjoyed! Don't worry, I have some other ideas cooking up so I shouldn't disappear again for a while.

Till next time! -Soup

#in space with markiplier #iswm #markiplier #head engineer mark #iswm captain #captaineer #fluff #major character injury #major character death #hurt/comfort #hurt/little comfort #angst #angst with a happy ending (Epilogue)#no i am not sorry #yes I did cry #soup stories

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