“I should have known.”
“Hey, Matt.” I greeted with a smirk. Looking him up and down, it wasextremelyclear he’d been training in the army for a year.
“How was your trip?”
“Funny.” Matthew said dryly. He peered at me “you didn’t seem like a runner.”
“I’m full of surprises.” I shrugged.
“Mh” he cleared his throat “you get assigned-“
“The villages.” I nodded “you staying for border patrol?”
Matthew grimaced “unfortunately not. Our commander has uh…told me to suck it up.”
“Ouch.” I remarked “well, sucks to be you, mate.”I actually felt sorry for him.
Matthew just grunted. He continued to look at me as if I were some kind of experiment “we’re going to the pub tonight.” He said eventually “Jack wanted Stryker to come so I assume you’ll be tagging along.”
“I’m flattered by the invitation.” I smiled sweetly "though it was executed terribly."
Matthew rolled his eyes.
“Well, perhaps I should let you continue-”
“Don’t do weird stuff.” Matthew interrupted.
I frowned “what’s that supposed to mean?”
“Shotgunning.” He said, voice sounding tight “if there had been someone there it would have been reported. You can’t be...like that. In general, and especially not out here.”
I felt confused for a long moment, then what Matthew was insinuating seemed to click.
“I’m not gay.” I said defensively, deeply offended “are you? Is that what this is about, you don’t want people finding out? You shouldn’t be here if men make you-”
“I’m not-” Matthew started, then cut himself off and shook his head “whatever, Danes. Fine.”
I staggered slightly when he rammed his shoulder into mine when he jogged past me. I watched him go, then shook my head and went to finish my run, forcing him to the back of my mind. It started raining on my way back, the wind blowing while I found myself jogging through a good number of puddles; by the time I'd made it back my clothes were soaked, not just with sweat but with water too, and my shoes hadn’t prevented my socks from getting all soggy either.
Stryker snorted when I entered the room and toed off my shoes.
“You fall in the lake?”
“Started bloody raining.”
“I noticed.”
I peeled off my hoodie and shirt and headed to the shower. After thoroughly rinsing off the sweat, warming up a bit in the process, and changing into joggers and a sweatshirt, I sat on my bed and sighed, the sound of raindrops splattering against the window filling the room.
“Regretting the run?” Stryker smirked.
“Nah” I shrugged “we got invited to go drinking tonight.”
“Great.” He remarked.
I paused “does that Matthew seem gay to you?”
Stryker furrowed his brow “...why?”
