Oh, was this supposed to hurt him? Shove him back and bring him down? Was it supposed to make him think twice about his intentions, his hopes, his goddamn wishes? That's funny, because Tucker had been mocked way worse over the course of his military career. He had been doubted, dismissed, had earned it.

Just like he earned the respect he was getting now. A little. Kind of. Well, not exactly here but back home. Whatever.

And the first person who fucking believed in him was on the other side, so yeah. Yeah, say what you want Byerly, because this was nothing to him.

"One of the last plans I had involved cutting through ice with my sword to get into a base, then hid inside snowmen to hide from guards. Pretty sure that I don't have a shortage of ideas when it comes to crap like saving my friends." It was, in fairness, a shitty fucking plan, but all of theirs were. That's what made them work.

"What the fuck is your plan to keep your friends safe, huh? Sit here and be a dick to everyone? Because I'm thinking that's not helping anything, dude."