Incomplete in Chapters

Steps of Strong and Quiet

It happened only once. Scout and the others were eating dinner, chatting it up like always, when the phone connected to the RED Base rang. When nobody spoke up to claim the phone, Scout was the first get up and answer it himself, "Hello?"

"You're not busy, right?"

It was his ma. But she sounded so done, like, tired. But not tired as in exhausted. Tired as in irritated. She'd only ever talk to him and his brothers like that if they did something wrong, but he'd been sending letters monthly so he didn't understand-

"No-?" He doesn't get the chance to ask why.

"You're adopted," his ma cuts in unapologetically. "As of yesterday, though, I've disowned you. Don't come back, if you ever planned to."

And then the line ends.

Just like that.

Nothing more, nothing less.

You're adopted. I've disowned you.

Scout couldn't process everything correctly, so he went over to pick up his tray and told the others, "I'm kickin' it in early today, guys."

"Who was it?" Medic asked.

Scout can't answer immediately. What can he say? It was his mother? No, it wasn't. It was...how does he answer now?

"It was," the hesitation is obvious and he hates himself for it, "...nobody important. Night." Several of his teammates echo the bidding, but he doesn't turn around to see who didn't return the call as he dumps his tray and speed-walks out of there.

He cries that night.

Not even-ugly cries-he just cries into his pillow, silently. Part of him doesn't want to accept it. Adopted? How? Why didn't he know until today? What the fuck? Who were his real parents? Why did they abandon him? Why did his recent family abandon him?

WhyWhyWhy?

The next day comes, and it's a somewhat peaceful awakening. Scout, contrary to last night, feels light and unbothered. Which is odd because he never wakes up at this hour willingly. It's always Soldier who wakes everyone up at the crack of dawn, and then everyone's taking showers and eating breakfast together. It's nice, now that he thinks about it.

Back at home? Well, where he used to live...?

It was always so stiff and oppressive. Things felt like if you made one wrong move, you'd have the fury of demons on you. Which is funny cuz Scout's family-not family, old family-are Catholic. Yeah, well, fuck that. Scout isn't part of their family anymore, so he isn't Catholic anymore.

Whatever. Scout gets his towel ready and heads for the communal showers. It's odd.

The halls are quiet, since it's so early, and it looks like the showers are empty too.

Scout is quick to shower, relishing in the warm water, before he's done and starts heading back to his room. He turns down the hallway his room is in just in time to see Soldier banging on his door.

"UP AND AT 'EM SCOUT! THE ENEMY AIN'T GONNA WAIT FOR YOUR TOOTY FRUITY LEGS TO GET READY FOR WAR!"

"Solly."

"SCOUT CAN YOU HEAR ME THROUGH THE THIN WOODEN DOOR OR HAVE YA GONE AS DEAF AS YOUR DENSELY FORMED BRAIN?! GET UP SCOUT!"

"Sol..."

"DON'T MAKE ME BREAK THIS DOOR DOWN, PRIVATE, OR SO HELP ME-!"

"DUDE, SOLDIER, I'M RIGHT BEHIND YA, YA FUCKIN' NUT JOB!!"

Soldier whirls around, helmet lifting up for a split second so Scout can see the surprise in Soldier's eyes.

"The gods have blessed us today, you're up early, Scout!" Soldier clapped him on his bare shoulder, "And you're showered, too! What's the occasion? Nightmares? Ghouls? NAZIS?!"

"Nah, man, I just woke up early," Scout brushes the rowdy man's hand off. "Now buzz off already. I'm gonna get dressed."

"Right! I still have to wake the others!" And like that, Soldier's gone.