NukEncore's words stayed with Martin longer than he expected. Warmth settled in his chest, not because the situation had become any less desperate, but because they had chosen to stand with him. They had even put into words feelings he still couldn't fully understand himself.
If we could just respawn and keep fighting, I wouldn't mind them dying and coming back. Holding the line is what matters most, but… I always thought I'd be the one to die first. I thought my job was to make sure everyone else could keep playing their game. But yeah. As long as I'm alive, everyone can come back. I need to remember that from now on.
His hands still wanted to turn him around, and every old instinct screamed at him to swim back, plant himself in front of the others, and die the way a tank was supposed to die. That had always been the easiest answer for him. Stand first. Fall first. Make sure everyone behind him had one more chance to play.
