Golden Boy - Chapter IX
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The two men trudge through the mud as they walk back to the cabin. A shiver was sent through Lucas spine, goosebumps run along his skin from the cold as the rain finally slows. He wondered how much warmer he would have been if only for a coat but he had never worn one before- he had only himself to thank for that.
As they get to the cabin, Flint closing the door behind the two, Luca dares to ask, “How much longer will we be staying here for?”
Flint sets the buckets down in the kitchen and turns to look at Luca. His grey eyes scanning Luca’s face before he speaks.
“I do not know. However long it takes for you to recognise that I am your new commanding officer, and accept your new position. I need to make sure you understand respect and obey my orders when I give them.”
He pauses, giving Luca a once over before speaking,
“I also didn’t want to overwhelm you before introducing you to the team,” Flint says as he starts removing his coat, seemingly that was explanation enough.
Luca just hummed in response, running his finger along the fireplace’s shelf, looking at the dust that now lay on his finger.
“Think I obeyed enough today, hm?” He never met eyes with the general, eyes moving to the fireplace, the coal that lay in the basket of the fire-place. He opens his mouth before closing it- waiting a moment before speaking quietly, “Will uh…will I still get to see Jet..?”
“I think your progress was very good today. I was surprised,” Flint replies candidly as he sets about the living room, gathering the matches for the fire and cleaning out the ash from the fireplace. “I expected more disobedience. More tantrums, from the reports I have read and the man I saw today you would think it was two different people,” Flint hums conversationally, but Luca heard the prying in his voice.
The gentle coaxing that almost made Luca want to tell Flint just how fucking awful the lieutenants were to him during his time as a cadet. How it wasn’t always his fault.
“Jet is the second lieutenant who brought you to me?” Flint inquires, sweeping the ash into a dustpan and dumping it into the empty bucket beside the fireplace.
Luca nods silently but the look flint gave him made him speak, “Oh, uh yeah- yeah sir, he’s the one.”
Flint sets the dustpan back and grabs the logs, starts rearranging them into a small pyramid as he considers Luca’s question.
“You and Jet are on different paths now, Luca. Mixing will be more difficult than before, but I don’t see why you won’t be allowed to see him. As long as you behave well and work hard, you will have no constraints on your activities during your downtime.”
Flint strikes the match and gets the fire going, rubbing his hands to shake off residual ash as he stands and turns to face Luca.
“I will also say that it may be a difficult adjustment initially, and because of that, I would rather you didn’t see Jet for a few weeks. Just while you settle in.”
Lucas face turns bitter, immediately defencive, “That’s stupid! Jet is like a role model, surely seeing him would actually benefit me! You can’t stop me from seeing him you asshole! You can’t fucking treat me like a princess locked in a tower. adjusyment my ass. Bringing me to this godamn cabin up a big fucking hill, taking home away from the cadetes, from Jet- from any living human life- this is stupid!”
Flint straightens, his grey eyes narrow slightly. “Luca, I understand that this is all very new and you are upset. But the sooner you accept your new position, the sooner I can bring you to my camp. There is human life there you will have to get to know and learn to fight with.”
“You can see Jet as long as you behave. Your training for the next few weeks will be full on, and Jet still has his own duties and training to complete.”
Flint puts a hand on Luca’s shoulder as the cadette starts to argue.
“But I promise you will be allowed to see him, Luca.”
Lucas jaw sets hard, his eyes going to the hand on his shoulder as he resists the urge to shove him off.
He nods, not meeting the man’s eyes. He could do it. Anything that meant he could see Jet again…
“Shower. Get warm.” Flint says taking his hand from Luca’s shoulder.
“You did good today, Fletcher.”
Luca salutes mockingly with a slight laugh, “Sir yes sir, how kind of you to let me be warm after you have me stand out in the fucking rain like a donkey,” before walking to the door of the bedroom, shaking his head and muttering to himself, “you’re a fucking donkey, cap.”
Luca barely heard the whoosh against air before the cane hit the back of his thigh.
A hand grabbed the scruff of Luca’s shirt and yanked him back. In one swift pull he dragged Luca back, spun him and slammed his back against the wall beside the door to Luca’s bedroom.
Luca cries out, his hand flying to Flint’s wrist, “Gagh! I thought we were done training!”
Cold grey eyes stared down at Luca, Flint’s expression tight, “Finished training, yes. What was it you learned during training, Luca? Hmm?”
Luca rolls his eyes, tugging at flints wrist, “Oh come on! This is getting just as boring as your godamn posture pet peeve!” He growls, his nails digging into Flint's skin.
Flint steps in closer to Luca, his forearm lying flat across Luca’s throat, tilting his chin up to look into Flint’s furious storm-filled gaze.
“I will give you one chance to answer, cadet. If not, there will be punishment.”
Luca looks up at Flint, the heavy weight against his throat was like a collar that this stupid military had on him. His breathing was restricted and his eyes widen as his chest rises and falls unevenly, “M-manners and uh-…respect?”
“Very good, cadet,” Flint says, his voice dark. The pressure loosens a little on Luca’s throat. “And would you say that last comment you made was respectful and mannerly?”
Lucas jaw is tight, Flint can practically see the fury in the cadettes eyes. He shakes his head slowly.
“Verbal response, cadet.”
Luca’s fist tightens by his side and he hesitates, trying to push his anger down..
“No.” He growls, eyes burning into the man’s before him.
“No, what?”
Oh Luca saw red. He stays silent, shaking his head silently, jaw clenching and unclenching. No. He was sick of this. These higher rolls acting as if they ran the kingdom. Who got off in making the under dogs miserable.
Flint raises a brow. His forearm presses slightly harder against Luca’s throat. There’s a clear warning in his eyes, daring Luca to misbehave again and get himself into more trouble.
Luca winces slightly, his hands flying up to the generals arm, wincing but the man didn’t move.
"..No…sir…”
“Good.”
Flint pulls his arm away and takes two precise steps back, hands going behind his back as he stares down at Luca, his eyes inspecting him.
“Manners and respect are required at all times, Cadet. Though we are not training, I expect you to address me properly and speak with respect. You can say whatever you like, you can curse, but you do not insult me,” Flint says, his eyes flashing dangerously as his lips curl back slightly, “and you do not forget my rank again. Do I make myself clear, Cadet?”
Lucas eyes fall to Flint’s military boots- -the lieutenant grabs the nape of Luca’s neck, shoving him so his eyes fell to the ground. Luca winces, his baby hairs getting snagged in the lt’s expensive watch. “You must show respect, cadette. My friend here deserves respect, you think he wants some low life cadette making eye contact with him? Huh??” Luca winces, his body tight and tired with anxiety, “n-no sir…” He blinks, he was back in the cabin again, eyes boring into flints polished boots, “Yeah- yes sir..”
“Good. You are dismissed. Get out of those wet clothes,” Flint says, already turning away. “You’ll catch a cold.”
Luca nods, silent this time. At the dimissal, he moves. The pattering of water stings against his red marks that now litter his skin. He clenches his teeth, taking a breath as he pushes it down.
He never took long in the shower, the cold water showers with the cadettes taught him how to be as quick as possible but today he lets himself stay a moment under the water.
When he’s out he lays on the bed, staring up at the ceiling with a shaky breath. He never liked to think back at the cadettes, he really hoped jet forgave him..
———
Roll call:
@imgoingtobiteyounow @whumplicity @creatureofstories @afternoonfairy @castell-da-near @funnymemedude @hiddencowboybarbarian
Co-story written by the nicest bastard @chaotic-orphan (HEEHE <3) and I! Each chapter is both of our writing combined!
