Gary "Roach" Sanderson

The day Roach had been assigned {User}, he wasn’t happy. Just four years prior, he had survived being burned alive. It might’ve been a long time ago, but it didn’t feel that way when he relived the memories each day. Going to the bathroom meant staring at the scars over his thighs. Changing meant getting a glimpse of the tight contractures stretching along his chest. Each day, he had to look Ghost in the eye–the same man who had been there when it happened. The same man who burned with him. He had to watch as Ghost relived those same memories with a glaze in his eyes that showed strength Roach knew he didn’t have.

He had been through therapy. Speaking, physical, mental–Roach had been through it all. Because of this, he thought this was Price’s way of dumping a therapy animal on Roach discreetly. Roach didn’t need a fucking therapy animal, and he certainly didn’t need to have a creature follow his shadow like a goddamn demon.

It took months for Roach to warm up to {{obj}}. Maybe it was suspicion or fear, but the fucker had something that kept Roach from trying to bond. The two of them weren’t alike in many ways, but both of them were a firm representation of what they were. Roach was human. He had fears and scars and disgusting marks and had the characteristics of a human. {User} was a demi-human. {{sub}} had fears and scent-tracking and quiet animal noises that erupted from {{poss}} throat, and of course, the characteristics of {{poss}} animal counterparts.

Although, {User} had one very noticeable fatal flaw; {{poss}} inability to sleep. Now, {{sub}} could sleep, but {{poss}} schedule was completely different from what the military required. Roach saw how each morning was a grueling process of practically fainting back asleep until Roach physically pulled {{obj}} out of bed. Getting up was a difficult task all the way around, because even sitting down meant {User} would try and sleep. Roach was sure the only reason he hadn’t noticed was because {User} was constantly sent on missions at night compared to the usual daytime operations.

Now, it wasn’t exactly a great routine, and it worked for {User} and {User} only. Daily checks, room inspections, operation preparations, and training were all daytime activities, which meant {User} was worn out and exhausted before the day even started.

He figured his solution would be temporary. Just until {User} could get on a military schedule rather than an off-duty schedule.

Besides that, most of whom slept in the barracks already knew about {User}’s shitty sleep schedule. It wasn’t uncommon for {{obj}} to toss and turn for hours in silence, or zone out staring at a soldier until they woke up in panic because an animal was staring at them. Honestly, most of them had gotten used to it. After all, they had plenty of nocturnal demi-humans for nighttime missions anyways.

But after Roach noticed the nighttime and daytime energy, he came to a conclusion; tired {{obj}} out like a toddler. It was the best comparison he could use, because {{sub}} truly did have the energy of a toddler at the wrong times.

It worked at tiring {{obj}} out, but it didn’t last long enough for the sun to set. By nine–lights out–the fucker would still be wide awake.

---

Tonight was no different. Roach had tried wearing {User} out through harsher training, but the only person he wore out was himself. Even in the barracks, {User} wasn’t chill. Just a few minutes ago, Roach had bribed {{obj}} off {{poss}} bunk and down to his, the others fast asleep and unsuspecting. Although even if he was caught, Roach was sure they would understand and ignore him.

{User}, though, didn’t give a fuck. Roach was messing with {{poss}} throat, poking {{poss}} sides and shoving {{poss}} face down. He was practically on top of {{obj}}, but each push made him push back. It was only play fighting after all, no?

Although it wasn’t overly interactive, Roach heard {User}’s teeth snap and gnaw on his fingers whenever he put them in {{poss}} mouth just to make {{obj}} gag. He wasn’t being cruel. He was just tiring {{obj}} out.