#ndtech2025

Tech started off fine. He felt fine. At least that’s what he told himself. It was fine that Wrecker messed up his tool organization system again. It was fine that Crosshair and Hunter were in another screaming match. It was fine that Echo cut him off mid sentence. It was fine. He was fine.

Except he wasn’t.

He picked at the skin around his nails while his head swam. He wished it didn’t bother him so much. His fingers started to bleed the more he picked. His legs bounced uncontrollably the more he sat with his thoughts. Why did it bother him so much when he knew it shouldn’t? Why couldn’t he just be normal.

That word. Normal. It was like something flipped in his mind. All those times that the regs had called him a freak. Every time they did something to purposefully set him off.

All his life people called him “unique” but that was just code for weird. He felt like a failed personality experiment. And in his mind, he was.

As his thoughts spiraled, so did his picking. Only now it wasn’t picking, now his nails dug into his arms hard, nearly breaking the skin. And oh force did it hurt. Not his nails in his skin, but the weight on him. The weight that this was who he was. That he will never be normal.

He was angry. Angry that he could never look people in the eyes, angry that he was ‘too direct’, angry that no matter what he did, he couldn’t seem to fit in. Tech wanted to break something. To scream. To release all that pent up frustration. Tech didn’t even notice he was crying, or that he suddenly couldn’t breathe anymore.

Tech’s chest felt tight, as if someone was squeezing his lungs. He released his iron grip on his arms, his thumbs rubbing over the red crescents left there before moving to pull at his hair. “It’s okay.” He repeated in a futile attempt to slow his breathing and calm down.

Once back from yet another mission -one that involved talking with people pretty much nonstop- Cid decided that now would be the perfect time to show off her errand boys to potential clients.

The noises of the parlor faded into the background as Tech watched the bubbles of his drink rise and burst with an almost inaudible pop. “Goggles! Goggles, are you listening?” Cid was snapping her fingers in his face.

His gaze was blank as he set the drink aside and walked off.

“What’s his deal?” Cid scoffs. Hunter glares at her. “It’s been a long week. We’re all tired.” He replies, leaving to follow his brother.

Tech lay face down, his goggles on their hook above his bed and his ear buds in playing soft music.

“I’m alright, Hunter.” He states upon hearing Hunter’s heavy boots on the floor. “There are simply too many people for my liking right now. Please send Cid my apologies.”