"Kinda had to be," Baird replied casually. "Where I'm from, had genocidal monsters literally popping outta the ground. An Emergence Hole could open any second."
His casual tone made no hint of his own memories; the smell of dirt and blood and gun-oil nearly managed to overtake the steam. The steps he took tentatively, just in case the ground would fall from under him. He took a deep breath and just concentrated on the heat permeating his rock-hard flesh.
"'Course, if it were up to me, I'd just build shit. But my fuckstain father forced me into the army. And then the Locust came and it was fight-or-die."
His jaded timbre echoed off the tiles and sliced through the sound of the pummelling water.
He looked down at his imposingly-built chest; chunks of it had been torn up and replaced with smooth scar tissue. "Guess it is kinda weird, the smart guy being my size..." he chuckled darkly, "funnily enough, I'm the smallest guy in my squad."