Theo
The door banged open, raised voices following. I lifted my head from where I’d been dozing on the sofa, dutifully talking to Matthew, who was scribbling something on a piece of parchment, as little as possible.
What had happened earlier had been…something.
First, he’d told me he hated arguing with people.
I’d had to stop myself from scoffing. I was ‘arguing’ with people all the time. With my parents, with my sister, with random dudes at the pub. I’d been working as a bartender before the army and had been hired for the main purpose of getting in between drunkies’ fights, for Christ’s sake. I was an angry person. Half of the reason I was in the army was so I could take that anger out onsomeone,be that during training or in actual battle. I didn’t know how tostoparguing with people, orsolvethings with people. I hadn’t even had a problem with him in the first place, apart from the fact he’d fucked me and I’d liked it and Ishouldn’thave. Honestly, I’d been winding the poor guy up for the fun of it, and in that moment I’d began to feel a little guilty for it because he’d looked genuinely dejected about it- so I’d told him we were cool.
And thrown myself at him.
I could only justify that one by saying that it was one of the three ways I handled my emotions- shouting, breaking things, and having sex.
But it was a shit justification, because I’d liked itagain;horror, mortification and fear had slammed into my chest all at onceand Matthew had been soniceabout it, tidying up and making sure I was okay and…now I was ignoring him. Way to go, Theo.
Stryker and Nick entered to room; Nick was shouting, waving his arms around, a thunderous expression on his face whilst Stryker listened with his arms crossed and mild interest on his.
I got the distinct impression that it wasn’t him he was angry at.
Nick fell silent when he realised they had an audience. The darker skinned lad paused in the doorway and offered an awkward little wave “your knee good, Theo?”
“Yeah.” I replied, stretching it out as I spoke. It had been the reason I’d left practise early in the first place- my knee acted up sometimes due to the past three injuries and I hadn’t wanted to push it enough to make it worse, something that I’d done before and regretted. “All okay. Are you?”
Nick scoffed, muttering something under his breath before replying “hm. You wouldn’tbelievesome things that happen around here.” Before turning and promptly leaving the room.
Stryker hovered for a moment more, then shook his head and sighed “Jesus.”
“He alright?” Matthew asked, putting the piece of parchment down and giving Stryker his full attention. The latter shrugged stiffly “got three extra shifts at border patrol because he missed practise today. Overslept.”
“Ah.” I frowned “that’s a thing? Getting punished for oversleeping?”
“To be fair.” The corner of Stryker’s mouth quirked upwards “he was on his fifth warning.”
Matthew chuckled lowly. His eyes rested on the door and he paused “Jack?” He asked.
“Finishing some drills.” Stryker murmured “you're on border patrol with Alex tonight, Theo.”
I groaned, dread washing over me. In the short time I’d been here, Alexwas the one person I truly despised. He wasn’t eventhat bad, he was just way too cheerful for his own good and never stoppedtalking.
Matthew seemed to recognise the name too, because he snorted and pointed at me “thisgrumpy dude withAlex?”
“He’ll keep your morale up.” Stryker tried.
I gaped at him in disbelief “morale up?He makes me want to cut my bleeding ears off!”
“Don’t be a dick.” He said scornfully “we need more people as light hearted as him, y’know.”
“Speak for yourself.” I grumbled.
Stryker kicked my foot “count yourself lucky. You’re leaving at 7 and coming back at 10.I’mleaving at 1 and coming back at 4.”
“Are you getting punished too?” I sniggered. Stryker rolled his eyes.
“Hey.” Matthew spoke up “has there been any talk of making a move against Stadal?”
He was reading another piece of parchment, eyes narrowed attentively.
“They want to try for a peace treaty. If we can’t get to an agreement then… yeah.” Stryker shuddered. That probably wasn’t a good sign.
