I Miss My Brother

I Miss my Brother

Featuring: Wrecker's internal monologue

I made a post some time again that explained Crosshair has to be a mathlete due to his sharp-shooter skills. Then recently, I came up with the idea that Tech always has Crosshair double check his downtime math. But since Crosshair isn't there, Tech's one wrong answer away from losing his shit. Also- another headcanon: Wrecker is very good with emotions, not his own, but others. He's good at comforting and can read someone's mood real quick.

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There are very few things that'll wake up Wrecker in an instant. A crashing ship, Crosshair's laugh, and Echo's cold metal feet against his not metal and not cold body. Oh, and of course, a cry. Yes, those are the four things that will get Wrecker up in a second. Which is why, when he heard a whimper, his eyes shot open. He sat up quietly, 'When they're upset, be slow and quiet, it'll keep them from giving into their stubborn instincts to shove everything down-'

Wrecker scanned the room and found Tech sitting at their fold out table, with several papers spread before him and the fast clicking of a calculator. 'Shit. He's doing math.' Wrecker would never understand how Tech stays on the ship to do math. 'Crosshair does that too but he just takes out all his snipers and giggles like a creep' Wrecker narrowed his eyes and shook his head, not the point. "Uh, Tech?" Wrecker asked.

"I thought I broke my calculator, but it just died." Tech looked up slowly, Tech's goggles had been pushed up, "Then I realized, I cannot use it while it's charging so I fixed that."

"Did you shock yourself or something?" Wrecker asked as he got up and sat across from Tech, who ran his hand through his hair, letting out a sigh.

"No, I've done this problem six times," He looked down and wrote something frantically, "Seven times." He corrected himself. He sounded exhausted, "I can't get passed this problem." Wrecker frowned, 'Tech's not wearing his glasses. Yeah, cause he's gonna cry, why do you think you woke up?!'

"Uh, why?" Wrecker asked as Tech rested his head on the table as he started the problem again. He picked up a piece of paper Tech had covered in the same problem, "I don't see what's wrong, you have plenty of formulas, and those you just plug things into."

"I don't either, Crosshair always checked my math and I know I am correct but I am feeling a great amount of discomfort without his reassurance." Tech whined as he erased his work and started to do the same problem again, for the eighth time, "Also... I'm not correct this time, I have gotten a different answer every time and I cannot figure out why."

Wrecker bit his check, sadness settling in as he watched Tech work frantically, he was stressing himself out, and when Tech stresses out, 'he'll psyche himself out which'll stress him out more. Tech: needs a solution as comfort, hugs won't comfort him, so don't hug him unless he hugs you!' Wrecker nodded to the voice in his head. 'Other solution bud!'

"You're stressed, you should take a quick break." Wrecker suggested.

"No, no I don't need a break, I need to figure out what I am doing wrong." Tech shook his head. Wrecker nodded, he could tell by the look of pure dismay on Tech's face, he was one more wrong answer away from a breakdown. Wrecker continued to watch Tech and tilted his head as Tech snapped his pencil, he grabbed his glasses and slammed them down, they hit the table and bounced to the floor, "I need Crosshair!" He cried, burying his head in his hands, 'I'm not as good as he is.'

"But he's not here-"

"Don't you think I know that?!" Tech hissed, looking up, Wrecker's mouth opened slightly, he hated seeing Tech so unhappy. It didn't even matter that Tech had yelled at him, 'He's in pain, and I'm not the brother he needs. What would the others do?,'

Wrecker begun to think, 'Echo: he'd sit there, pat him on the back, try to learn it and do it for Tech. No no, that wouldn't work, even if Echo solved it correctly, Tech wants to solve it himself and Echo won't remember what he did. So no on Echo, got it! Hunter: He'd make Tech take a break, he needs it, he's literally crying Wrecker! I know, Wrecker but that'll just postpone the solving of this problem and that stresses him out. So no on Hunter too, I guess? Okay, what about Omega? Omega? Wrecker, do you really wanna make her worry? Kid's don't solve grown-up problems, especially emotionally ones, we're all doing pretty shitty in that department so let's not make her think she has any other job besides being our child. Wait- was that Hunter's voice, what's he doing here?-'

Wrecker looked around, Hunter wasn't here, it was just him and Tech. Wait- he knew Hunter wouldn't be back for a while. Wait, not the point, Wrecker! He looked to his brother, 'Aw man, he's really not okay. Hurry up! Okay, okay, uh, us? Us?! Well, okay leeme think, Wrecker: Good at hugs, not as smart as Tech so I couldn't learn it on my own, I don't wanna postpone Tech's stress 'cause he's probably dehydrated and hungry. Not to mention he's been finding excusing not to sleep because without- oh! I know!'

"Oh! I know!" Wrecker looked up with a wide grin, "Teach it to me!" 'I won't understand shit but you'll slow down 'cause you know that makes it easier for me to follow. Hey! We're only talking about you here.' Wrecker made a face, one that disappeared when he saw Tech's face.

"What?" His voice was barely audible, he'd never felt this pathetic. Oh, and his face, it was forever embedded in Wrecker's mind, all the pain Tech easily stowed was so present, all the pain from Crosshair's abscene too. Wrecker had never felt more useless.

"...Uh, yeah, Walk me through the problem, you know how to do it,so by walking me through it, you'll catch whatever's wrong." Wrecker mumbled out, his voice was quiet, partly due to shock, but mainly fear. He didn't have another solution, 'We do actually, it's to pull him into a hug and just let him cry. He needs it, but the last time Tech cried-'

"That's... actually a good idea." Tech said slowly. In that moment, all of Wrecker's growing worry that his brother had finally broke, vanished. Tech slumped his shoulders as he stared at his crumpled papers and snapped pencil. "... It's a good idea, really, it is, but I just can't do this anymore." Tech sighed, standing up.

'Uh... What? That is NOT Tech talking, Wrecker you broke him, you broke our little brother, you big slug, you-' Wrecker's mind then truly stopped working as Tech hugged him. 'NOW THIS REALLY DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE-'

"I'm gonna take a nap instead." Tech mumbled, closing his eyes as he hugged his brother, "I need a very long nap that is actually classified as sleeping." Wrecker slowly nodded, as he wrapped his arms around Tech.

"...Yeah, we can do that." Wrecker said slowly as he walked them to a bed. "We can take a nap, that's an awesome idea Tech." Wrecker yawned, leaning back. "You're super cool and smart and occasionally funny and-" Wrecker had rambled but as they dozed to sleep, all he could say was, "..and I love you."

"I love you, too."

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