Ouch! My Spaceship!

He shot him

Adam had shot the man he most trusted

And he just watched the lifeless body of Captain Scarlet… the body of Paul falling to the ground. 

Wasn’t it strange that there was no guilt running through his mind? Has this Spectrum’s duty and training gotten into him so much so that he has even numbed out anything that Scarlet used to mean to him? 

So much of sacrificing his own interest for the greater good of the world, even though that interest was loyal to his best friend. 

Yet, there isn’t even time for him to reminisce about the action he just committed; another order just came to his transceiver to escort the president back to the security building before other Spectrum agents came to take care of Scarlet 

So, this is goodbye then… Paul. Goodbye without even getting to glance into your eyes for the last time. The last encounter with someone that not even you before I take away your life.

Captain Blue tightened his grip on the world president before pressing the button on his hover pack and flying off to the center of London 

—

It has been almost a day since it was reported that Captain Scarlet has recovered from the injury and claimed by Doctor Fawn and all Spectrum medical personnel that he is virtually indestructible.

Destiny had already come into the operating room to assist the doctor in the first hour before he arrived at the Cloudbase. Colonel White probably visited him before the official briefing hours ago. Green, Magenta, and Ohre said they would like to see him as soon as their shift ended, as well as the rest of the angels. Amidst all the seriousness of the situation, Blue could see the delight in their eyes.

It was expected. Everyone loved Paul. 

Adam would be the first one who could confirm the fact.

But now no longer claim anything about the man. He could not even turn his head to look past the sickbay window. 

“Captain Blue, would you like to come in to visit, Captain Scarlet? It is okay now to come and talk. He would be back on duty in a few days.” The calm voice distracted the blond-haired captain from the reading pad. Doctor Fawn gave him a soft smile before sitting beside him.

“I don’t want to disturb him, doctor. He should get all the rest he can.” Blue smiled back, gave a short answer, before turning his head back on the report. 

“As I said, Captain Scarlet is okay now, and you have been sitting in front of the sickbay since the first day we got him in. I can’t see any other reason why you would do so if you are not here for him,” Fawn continued and slowly moved his hand onto Blue’s shoulder. The taller man flinched at the touch 

Why indeed should he be here if he didn’t want to see Paul? Adam asked himself the exact same question, and he had no answer.

“I’m no psychiatrist, Adam, but it would be better for both of you to talk. It doesn’t have to be about yesterday.” Despite the silence, the doctor still kept on his attempt to reach the other man.

“What could I say to him, Doctor? I was ordered to kill you, and I didn’t hesitate to pull the trigger”

Blue took a deep breath before deciding to reply 

“He was asking for you, Captain. Since he regained his consciousness, it’s only you he actually calls to see.” 

The doctor’s words hit Blue again. It should be much easier if this new Scarlet had resented him or, better yet, completely forgotten everything. Still, he acted like the same old Paul he knew. The man who, on every mission, would come back to check if Adam was okay. The man who would always stand by his bed whenever there was an accident. 

Adam moved away from the man beside him and stiffened. He rubbed his hand nervously and took another sigh. “That sounds just like Paul I knew… If you think it best, doctor. I will go to see him”

“If you are ready, Adam. I’m not in any way forcing you to do any you uncomfortable with”

The blonde officer didn’t say anything else to the medic; he just nodded and turned to the door that divided him from the man he swore to fight alongside and the ghost of his ill responsibility that came back to life 

Blue walked to the recovery ward on the other side of the operation room and touched the scanned panel 

“Please, come in”

The familiar deep voice called to him as the door slowly slid to show the tall man sat on the bed, gazing upon him with gentle blue eyes. 

“Hi, Adam. I thought you wouldn’t come”

I thought the same thing, Paul. He said silently to himself while looking back at his friend, who still covered his blushes and some strain of blood. He was difficult to look at him with the overwhelming feeling fill in his l in his chest, so instead Adam wandered his eyes to the floor.

“Are you okay, Adam? I shouldn’t have called you in. You just finished the mission. You should have taken some rest.”  The words almost made Adam want to walk away from the room at that instant. Even now, lying hurt from the wound of Adam’s doing, this man still had the audacity to be a gentleman and worry about him 

“It’s okay, captain. As your partner, I should be here to check on you.” Blue said quietly

“Really, just as a partner? Or unless you mean other types of partners, I would forgive you” 

The man on the patient bed widened his smile, attempting to crack a joke at his friend and expecting the blushing reaction he often received from his field partner, but the only thing that came out of Adam was the uneasy look from the tired eyes.

The silence once again filled the room 

“Adam… the conversation required two people. I called for you because I want a friend.” Scarlet shifted his body to face Blue more directly, just as his weight came down on the side wound and the raspy voice came out of his mouth.

Blue startled in alarm before hurrying over to support his friend, easing him back down to lie against the bed once more. 

“Easy, captain. You should not move.” The blond hair frowned sternly, which called a grin on Scarlet’s face 

“Well, if my pain could call your attention, then it's worth it” 

Once again, the words from another man’s mouth made Adam want to tear himself apart. Was the Mysterons program this new Scarlet to cut deep into his psyche until he lost himself completely? 

If Paul would not state the obvious, he might take the duty to himself and follow Doctor Fawn’s suggestion and break the ice between them.

“The pain caused by my hand, Captain. Don’t you pretend as if nothing has happened. You died, you lived, and now I don’t even know who you are.” Blue finally blurted out all the thoughts that had been flowing in his head since he witnessed his friend fall down from the Sky Park Tower

“I don’t blame you, Adam. You got your order. I got mine, and I failed. You did what the best officer would do. I also don’t expect you to believe I am the Paul you knew,” Scarlet said quietly under his breath.

Adam released his hold on the man lying before him and blinked slowly.

“You are just saying things now, Captain. You really need more rest.” Blue replied, then stepped away as the strong hand seized his arm and held it fast.

“You haven’t said a word to me except a bitter reply, captain.” The look from those pale blue eyes always took the better of him, making it hard for the blond-haired man to refuse.

Adam responded by merely laying his free hand over Paul's and stroking it.

“Come to see me at breakfast tomorrow. We will talk then. It’s late now, and the indestructible man still needs some sleep, I reckon.” Adam could feel the other hand letting him go. His wounded partner didn’t say anything further, just watching the man walk out of the ward door.

—

Hot Darjeeling tea with a spoon of honey. 

Paul always asked for it after their mission, when he was hurt, when he was under the weather, or when he was perfectly fine and simply just wanted to be spoiled by Adam on a lazy morning.

Adam himself was never a sweet tea man and was more into black coffee with no sugar, yet this specific morning he probably just made two for them both just to see the reaction from the other man.

So much for the guilt… somehow he has this twisted idea that if this complex feeling between both of them would continue, I might as well test the man for who he claimed to be.

Just as Blue reached the bread and jam on the side of the kitchen, the shadow of another figure appeared on the door.

“You woke up before me again. I thought this new power I get was gonna stop me from oversleeping, but it sure didn’t”

“Good morning, Captain. For a day without a scheduled mission, you did great,” Adam greeted the other man. Scarlet’s face had now been removed from all the scratches, and his body seemed to be as steady and strong as ever, as if yesterday he wasn’t just hurting himself from rolling over his own wound. 

“Not as good as you, I suppose. I thought I could come here to make some coffee for us.” Scarlet leaned against the door and looked at the two cups and a teapot awaiting them on the tray. Still, the dark-haired man inserted himself between the taller man and the counter to reach the coffee maker before making himself a cup of black coffee anyway.

“So no Darjeeling tea, them.” The blond in blue pajamas mumbled 

“I could if you want me to.” Scarlet stopped, then looked back into another man’s eyes. “I just find myself too fancy for a cup of coffee now, and you probably do yourself”

“But you never,” Blue replied in a stern voice 

His first test was completed. This man knew Paul enough to recall their routines and his preference, yet was a different man enough to refuse. It should make it clear to him that there is no pretense for them, but it also scared Adam to the core that the new Scarlet just came in and changed the thing he thought he knew about his best friend, even the most subtle things such as the choice of morning drink…

“Doesn’t mean I didn't want to try it today.” Scarlet grabbed a cup for the brewing coffee that was slowly coming off of the machine as he gave a mischievous smile to the man beside him. “Also, doesn’t mean I won’t drink your Darjeeling tea ever again”

He then put the teacup up and took a big sip from it. “That is not a spoonful of honey, Adam. And too much lemon.” Scarlet immediately reacted to the taste of the drink, pulling a disapproving face, wrinkling his nose at the cup 

“And you still drink all of it.” Blue rolled his eyes at the criticism 

“I’m not going to waste a good cup of tea made with heart just because I happen to fancy a cup of coffee today,” Scarlet said as he drank the rest until the cup was empty. 

“Hm, Adam, look at the arrangement.” He took a short glance at the bottom of the cup before showing it to the man in front of him 

“What do you mean?” Blue answered, feeling puzzled by whatever the other man tried to convey

“Tasseography- what do you see”

“Tea leaves and the empty cup from a man who said the tea wasn’t to his liking,” The blonde sarcastically commented.

“You don’t even entertain me with a snarky answer, captain.” Scarlet lightly shuckled. Not a playful laugh Blue expected from the man he knew, but it reminded him enough of his Paul that he knew that he wasn’t dealing with a complete stranger.

“What do you want me to see then?”

“The two leaves that entwined… One is notched, and the other fills the gap.” Scarlet lifted his head to meet with Blue. “The broken leaf is not completely ripped, but he still needs the other one to hold on to him”

He can see that Adam went quiet after hearing that sentence for a long second.

“That's..." The taller man finally said, "That's a lot of meaning from one wet leaf, captain."

“I’m a person with a lot of vision then” 

“Of course you are; now go sit down. The bread would not toast itself." Adam brushed past the other man to resume his business with the bread, pretending not to see the little smile that hadn’t left his partner’s face 

He shot him

Adam had shot the man he most trusted

And he just watched the lifeless body of Captain Scarlet… the body of Paul falling to the ground. 

Wasn’t it strange that there was no guilt running through his mind? Has this Spectrum’s duty and training gotten into him so much so that he has even numbed out anything that Scarlet used to mean to him? 

So much of sacrificing his own interest for the greater good of the world, even though that interest was loyal to his best friend. 

Yet, there isn’t even time for him to reminisce about the action he just committed; another order just came to his transceiver to escort the president back to the security building before other Spectrum agents came to take care of Scarlet 

So, this is goodbye then… Paul. Goodbye without even getting to glance into your eyes for the last time. The last encounter with someone that not even you before I take away your life.

Captain Blue tightened his grip on the world president before pressing the button on his hover pack and flying off to the center of London 

—

It has been almost a day since it was reported that Captain Scarlet has recovered from the injury and claimed by Doctor Fawn and all Spectrum medical personnel that he is virtually indestructible.

Destiny had already come into the operating room to assist the doctor in the first hour before he arrived at the Cloudbase. Colonel White probably visited him before the official briefing hours ago. Green, Magenta, and Ohre said they would like to see him as soon as their shift ended, as well as the rest of the angels. Amidst all the seriousness of the situation, Blue could see the delight in their eyes.

It was expected. Everyone loved Paul. 

Adam would be the first one who could confirm the fact.

But now no longer claim anything about the man. He could not even turn his head to look past the sickbay window. 

“Captain Blue, would you like to come in to visit, Captain Scarlet? It is okay now to come and talk. He would be back on duty in a few days.” The calm voice distracted the blond-haired captain from the reading pad. Doctor Fawn gave him a soft smile before sitting beside him.

“I don’t want to disturb him, doctor. He should get all the rest he can.” Blue smiled back, gave a short answer, before turning his head back on the report. 

“As I said, Captain Scarlet is okay now, and you have been sitting in front of the sickbay since the first day we got him in. I can’t see any other reason why you would do so if you are not here for him,” Fawn continued and slowly moved his hand onto Blue’s shoulder. The taller man flinched at the touch 

Why indeed should he be here if he didn’t want to see Paul? Adam asked himself the exact same question, and he had no answer.

“I’m no psychiatrist, Adam, but it would be better for both of you to talk. It doesn’t have to be about yesterday.” Despite the silence, the doctor still kept on his attempt to reach the other man.

“What could I say to him, Doctor? I was ordered to kill you, and I didn’t hesitate to pull the trigger”

Blue took a deep breath before deciding to reply 

“He was asking for you, Captain. Since he regained his consciousness, it’s only you he actually calls to see.” 

The doctor’s words hit Blue again. It should be much easier if this new Scarlet had resented him or, better yet, completely forgotten everything. Still, he acted like the same old Paul he knew. The man who, on every mission, would come back to check if Adam was okay. The man who would always stand by his bed whenever there was an accident. 

Adam moved away from the man beside him and stiffened. He rubbed his hand nervously and took another sigh. “That sounds just like Paul I knew… If you think it best, doctor. I will go to see him”

“If you are ready, Adam. I’m not in any way forcing you to do any you uncomfortable with”

The blonde officer didn’t say anything else to the medic; he just nodded and turned to the door that divided him from the man he swore to fight alongside and the ghost of his ill responsibility that came back to life 

Blue walked to the recovery ward on the other side of the operation room and touched the scanned panel 

“Please, come in”

The familiar deep voice called to him as the door slowly slid to show the tall man sat on the bed, gazing upon him with gentle blue eyes. 

“Hi, Adam. I thought you wouldn’t come”

I thought the same thing, Paul. He said silently to himself while looking back at his friend, who still covered his blushes and some strain of blood. He was difficult to look at him with the overwhelming feeling fill in his l in his chest, so instead Adam wandered his eyes to the floor.

“Are you okay, Adam? I shouldn’t have called you in. You just finished the mission. You should have taken some rest.”  The words almost made Adam want to walk away from the room at that instant. Even now, lying hurt from the wound of Adam’s doing, this man still had the audacity to be a gentleman and worry about him 

“It’s okay, captain. As your partner, I should be here to check on you.” Blue said quietly

“Really, just as a partner? Or unless you mean other types of partners, I would forgive you” 

The man on the patient bed widened his smile, attempting to crack a joke at his friend and expecting the blushing reaction he often received from his field partner, but the only thing that came out of Adam was the uneasy look from the tired eyes.

The silence once again filled the room 

“Adam… the conversation required two people. I called for you because I want a friend.” Scarlet shifted his body to face Blue more directly, just as his weight came down on the side wound and the raspy voice came out of his mouth.

Blue startled in alarm before hurrying over to support his friend, easing him back down to lie against the bed once more. 

“Easy, captain. You should not move.” The blond hair frowned sternly, which called a grin on Scarlet’s face 

“Well, if my pain could call your attention, then it's worth it” 

Once again, the words from another man’s mouth made Adam want to tear himself apart. Was the Mysterons program this new Scarlet to cut deep into his psyche until he lost himself completely? 

If Paul would not state the obvious, he might take the duty to himself and follow Doctor Fawn’s suggestion and break the ice between them.

“The pain caused by my hand, Captain. Don’t you pretend as if nothing has happened. You died, you lived, and now I don’t even know who you are.” Blue finally blurted out all the thoughts that had been flowing in his head since he witnessed his friend fall down from the Sky Park Tower

“I don’t blame you, Adam. You got your order. I got mine, and I failed. You did what the best officer would do. I also don’t expect you to believe I am the Paul you knew,” Scarlet said quietly under his breath.

Adam released his hold on the man lying before him and blinked slowly.

“You are just saying things now, Captain. You really need more rest.” Blue replied, then stepped away as the strong hand seized his arm and held it fast.

“You haven’t said a word to me except a bitter reply, captain.” The look from those pale blue eyes always took the better of him, making it hard for the blond-haired man to refuse.

Adam responded by merely laying his free hand over Paul's and stroking it.

“Come to see me at breakfast tomorrow. We will talk then. It’s late now, and the indestructible man still needs some sleep, I reckon.” Adam could feel the other hand letting him go. His wounded partner didn’t say anything further, just watching the man walk out of the ward door.

—

Hot Darjeeling tea with a spoon of honey. 

Paul always asked for it after their mission, when he was hurt, when he was under the weather, or when he was perfectly fine and simply just wanted to be spoiled by Adam on a lazy morning.

Adam himself was never a sweet tea man and was more into black coffee with no sugar, yet this specific morning he probably just made two for them both just to see the reaction from the other man.

So much for the guilt… somehow he has this twisted idea that if this complex feeling between both of them would continue, I might as well test the man for who he claimed to be.

Just as Blue reached the bread and jam on the side of the kitchen, the shadow of another figure appeared on the door.

“You woke up before me again. I thought this new power I get was gonna stop me from oversleeping, but it sure didn’t”

“Good morning, Captain. For a day without a scheduled mission, you did great,” Adam greeted the other man. Scarlet’s face had now been removed from all the scratches, and his body seemed to be as steady and strong as ever, as if yesterday he wasn’t just hurting himself from rolling over his own wound. 

“Not as good as you, I suppose. I thought I could come here to make some coffee for us.” Scarlet leaned against the door and looked at the two cups and a teapot awaiting them on the tray. Still, the dark-haired man inserted himself between the taller man and the counter to reach the coffee maker before making himself a cup of black coffee anyway.

“So no Darjeeling tea, them.” The blond in blue pajamas mumbled 

“I could if you want me to.” Scarlet stopped, then looked back into another man’s eyes. “I just find myself too fancy for a cup of coffee now, and you probably do yourself”

“But you never,” Blue replied in a stern voice 

His first test was completed. This man knew Paul enough to recall their routines and his preference, yet was a different man enough to refuse. It should make it clear to him that there is no pretense for them, but it also scared Adam to the core that the new Scarlet just came in and changed the thing he thought he knew about his best friend, even the most subtle things such as the choice of morning drink…

“Doesn’t mean I didn't want to try it today.” Scarlet grabbed a cup for the brewing coffee that was slowly coming off of the machine as he gave a mischievous smile to the man beside him. “Also, doesn’t mean I won’t drink your Darjeeling tea ever again”

He then put the teacup up and took a big sip from it. “That is not a spoonful of honey, Adam. And too much lemon.” Scarlet immediately reacted to the taste of the drink, pulling a disapproving face, wrinkling his nose at the cup 

“And you still drink all of it.” Blue rolled his eyes at the criticism 

“I’m not going to waste a good cup of tea made with heart just because I happen to fancy a cup of coffee today,” Scarlet said as he drank the rest until the cup was empty. 

“Hm, Adam, look at the arrangement.” He took a short glance at the bottom of the cup before showing it to the man in front of him 

“What do you mean?” Blue answered, feeling puzzled by whatever the other man tried to convey

“Tasseography- what do you see”

“Tea leaves and the empty cup from a man who said the tea wasn’t to his liking,” The blonde sarcastically commented.

“You don’t even entertain me with a snarky answer, captain.” Scarlet lightly shuckled. Not a playful laugh Blue expected from the man he knew, but it reminded him enough of his Paul that he knew that he wasn’t dealing with a complete stranger.

“What do you want me to see then?”

“The two leaves that entwined… One is notched, and the other fills the gap.” Scarlet lifted his head to meet with Blue. “The broken leaf is not completely ripped, but he still needs the other one to hold on to him”

He can see that Adam went quiet after hearing that sentence for a long second.

“That's..." The taller man finally said, "That's a lot of meaning from one wet leaf, captain."

“I’m a person with a lot of vision then” 

“Of course you are; now go sit down. The bread would not toast itself." Adam brushed past the other man to resume his business with the bread, pretending not to see the little smile that hadn’t left his partner’s face