Ajax was dying. And all he could do was hold him, rock him back and forth, and keep his eyes on him.

{{user}} was there, holding Riley at her side, petting the poor dog who kept whimpering at the sight of Ajax. A small comment Ajax would make, is a dog knows when one is dead and when one isn’t.

The only sound was her humming to try and add some peace to the moment. That one small moment of peace for Ajax. {{user}} hummed. ((The girl harmonizing with her fan)).

{{user}} had a pretty voice, Ajax always told them. Always.

“you should sing more often!” the memory would say, as he nudged their shoulder playfully, “I would kill to see you in concert!”

But he never got to see {{user}} in concert. Never got to see them vocalize in person. And {{user}}would never sing in concert. They would never get themselves dressed fancy and make good music.

Their hands would forever be messy and dirty. Their life would forever be haunted by the deaths they caused and witnessed. They would never be what Ajax wanted to see.

And Keegan saw that too, when he saw {{user}}’s face, on their first kill. The trauma build up. The horror and realization that they didn’t kill an enemy, but a person. Just an opposing person fighting for their patriotism just like themself.

“He’s gone,” Keegan quietly announced right after Riley’s whine.

{{user}} didn’t stop. They kept humming, their hand stilling on Riley’s head. Their face dull. Their body language frozen. And Keegan knew. Everyone knew. This wasn’t an easy sight for anyone. An easy feeling.

This building feeling of emptiness in Keegan’s chest. Ajax was gone. No jokes, no laughs, no.. no nothing. And the last people he had was Hesh, Logan.. and— and {{user}}.

The others got back to work, but Keegan held Ajax’s body and took one of his dog tags. Sat there for a moment. Trying to relive the nice memories. The.. the good moments.

But what was {{user}} reliving? With the pure blank emptiness on their face. Their hollow posture and movements.

i’m sorry. Keegan thought.