#sstp

Sirens blaring, the docking station is bathed in red lights as all the pilots clamber into their mechas.

Another day, another kaiju attack.

Ricochet quickly suited up, connected to his mecha, and deployed with the rest of his unit.

Well. Most of them.

He vicously pushed that thought down, sprinting towards the battle, shooting down the nearest small kaijus as they came into range.

He fought alongside his brothers fellow pilots for hours, staving off the latest invasion. Lately, each wave has been getting more and more difficult and losing an entire mech has made training new pilots even harder.

Disconnecting from his mecha wasn't funny anymore was feeling more tedious, the side effects making it harder to get back to his room fast enough.

He turned down every invitation to hang out or celebrate their victory, and while it was, admittably, harsh, he was never as good with people as him didn't have the energy to pretend.

Ricochet stumbled his way down the halls, trying to avoid people like he taught him as much as possible, locking his door as he finally closed it behind him.

Whole body trembling, he only made it a step into their his room before he collapsed into a heap on the floor.

It was quiet it should never be quiet enough that his shallow, quick breaths seemed to echo in the empty it shouldn't be this empty space.

The tears running down his face burned, his vision blurring.

He wrapped his arms around himself, squeezing tightly to try to physically hold himself together it's not enough it's never enough-

He sobbed, ribs constricting his lungs, keeping him from pulling in a deep breath.

He can't get enough air, can't see enough to know where he is, can't think enough to move, can't feel enough to live- there isn't enough, it's not enough it's not enough it's not enough it's not enough it's noT ENOUGH-

How was anything ever supposed to be enough again, when every battle had one less mech, when every room had one less person, one less smile, one less laugh, one less voice, one less-

How was Ricochet ever supposed to have enough, be enough, again, when every time he reached out he only ever met open air, when every time he tried to sing there was no melody to match, when every time he had to fight there was no one at his back?

How was he supposed to live without his brother, his guide, his protecter, his comfort, his partner, his other half-

But he had to anyway. Because if Jazz were here instead of Ricochet, he would keep going.

Failure is not a mother fucking option.

He's heard Jazz say it before, seen him live by it, over and over and over again.

And Ricochet can do it too.

He won't let Jazz down.

The day Ricochet meets Jazz again will be the day he is welcomed home after a bloody battle, after taking as many kaiju down with him as he can.

Wait for me, Jazz. I'll make you proud before I join you.

Alright! Sorry it's a bit rough, I'm a little rusty and honestly exhausted, but I knew I'd never get the other fic written if I didn't write this, so yeah. Took the line 'failure is not a motherfucking option' from @sightseertrespasser's Odds of Survival fic because when I read it I just loved it so much, it just felt so much like Jazz. I hope you don't mind 😅