Disclaimer: I don't own them and I don't make any money off of them.
Warnings: Male/Male sex, graphic, language, violence, abuse.
Higher Ups
Kracken
6x2
Duo strapped the ankle tight with bandages, scowling, and then rolled his fatigue pants back down. Tucking the hem into his combat boots, he thought it would pass. He wasn't about to look like a chicken by bowing out of a demo for the new recruits. The ankle would hold up. The shrapnel that had gone into his leg, had just missed the tendon, and he had been pried it out with a pair of medical tongs, that he kept for just that purpose. During missions, he always seemed to get the odd bit, imbedded, here and there, whether it was from crawling covertly through gravel, thorns, and broken buildings, or getting more direct hits from exploding objects, and it had become tiresome always going to medical to have such simple things removed. As long as the wounds were clean, he didn't see anything wrong with doing the task himself. This time, that self appointed operation, had come with a bonus. No one knew he was injured. No one was going to call him out for running a course on a bad leg.
Walking from the locker room, out into sunshine, he saw Heero and Wu Fei already on the line, the new recruits surrounding them and asking them questions. Wu Fei looked arrogant and closed off, but Heero was clearly basking in the attention,a small smile on his lips. Milliardo was standing slightly apart and looking at his wrist watch. When he glanced up, and saw Duo approaching, his expression cleared up, and he nodded in greeting.
"Sorry," Duo murmured as he joined them and began limbering up.
They were all dressed in fatigues, but Milliardo had chosen a sleeveless vest that showed his muscled arms to advantage. Duo found himself staring at them. The man could probably pick all of them up, one handed, and he was the best choice for 'bottom man'; the base of any action that required lifting and anchors. The term had Duo thinking in other avenues, though, and the hot blush to his face didn't go unnoticed.
"Are you well, Maxwell?" Milliardo asked.
Duo ducked his head, letting his bangs shield him, and replied, as he picked up his fake rifle, "I'm okay."
"Point," Heero called.
"Ropes," Duo called, but then remembered his ankle and winced. It was too late to call it back as he slung the ropes and equipment onto his shoulders.
"Cover," Wu Fei said unnecessarily. He was the lightest of the group. He wasn't going to be hauling anyone up any barriers.
"Bottom man," Milliardo called without any embarrassment, but some of the recruits were green enough to snicker.
Heero turned away from his 'fan club' and looked as if he was going to say something to Duo, stepping towards him, but Duo was already moving away and saying, "Let's get this show on the road."
The ankle was angry. It gnawed Duo with pain, but he pointedly ignored it as he fell in at the line, focusing on the first difficulty, the bramble of barbed wire. Heero passed him to take point. Milliardo fell in behind Duo, and Wu Fei was rear guard.
"Move out," Milliardo ordered.
They jogged to the bramble. Heero grabbed, expertly, between points, and lifted while Duo covered him with his 'rifle'. Duo hit the ground on his back and inched underneath, ropes dragging the dirt and digging into flesh, and rifle pointed ahead of them to cover them both. He lifted boots and pushed up, making a hole. Heero dropped his handhold and took point again, rifle up and ready to take out any enemy targets. Duo held position while Milliardo and Wu Fei crawled through. Milliardo grabbed Duo by the armpits, then, and pulled him out backward, the wire falling as Duo's feet stopped holding it up.
As Duo gained his feet, Milliardo dragging him by an elbow, and then letting him go, the ankle almost tripped him up. He stumbled, called the ankle, silently,a dozen names, and then surged ahead of Milliardo again. The balance beams over mud were simple, even with the ankle, and he took it double time. Landing was harder, at then end, but he made sure to let his good ankle take the impact.
It was every man for himself, as they went over the first, low barriers, and then through the tires, Wu Fei and Heero making sure to keep their rifles and eyes on their front and rear, but the high barrier took teamwork. Milliardo played 'bottom' and began throwing them up to the top. Duo and Heero straddled the barrier and lifted Wu Fei up. He straddled behind Duo and kept them covered ,while they lifted Milliardo's heavy weight. When everyone was safely over, they were faced with the mud pit. This was usually every green recruits waterloo. It was difficult to take the swing rope with full pack and rifle slung to one shoulder.
It was easy to work with Heero when he wasn't thinking, when he was in full 'soldier' mode, Duo thought as he waited for Heero to make the swing, covering him with his rifle.Then Heero wasn't 'that guy who overpowered him'. He was a cog in their well oiled machine, instead. A tool. A way to get, alive, from point A to point B. And it was easier to work with him, when Duo wasn't teamed up with him exclusively. Duo didn't think that he could have had enough detachment to handle that so well. With a team, he had others to think about, to rely on, to quiet that little part of his mind that never wanted to be alone with Heero Yuy again.
It wasn't until Duo was sprinting for the edge of the mud hole, that he realized that he wouldn't get enough power on the push off without both feet. It shocked him when a broad hand slammed into his lower back and shoved hard. It gave him the momentum he needed and he landed beside Heero, ropes swinging, and rifle coming up and 'ready'. Looking back, he blinked at Milliardo catching the rope on the back swing and realized who had given him that push, and what it meant. Milliardo knew that he was injured. The man had realized that he was in trouble.
"You shouldn't have run the course," Heero growled, the man not taking his eyes, or rifle, off of their forward position. He had realized it as well.
"I can make it," Duo snapped back.
"This isn't a real mission," Heero retorted. "You don't have to."
"Maybe I do!" jumped out of Duo's mouth before he could stop it and he ignored Heero's dark frown to make way for Milliardo's landing.
"In my office after this, Maxwell," Milliardo said, all business, and commander in chief.
"Yes, sir," Duo replied. Almost overwhelmed by embarrassment, his body going hot and cold as Milliardo made room for Wu Fei, Duo was only too glad to finish the course at the scaffold. That particular hurdle, took his expertise with ropes and climbing, and gave him a chance to get away from the men, Milliardo and Heero in particular, who could push all of his undesirable buttons.It was God's big joke, he was sure, to make him desire men, but also make him want to avoid them all.
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"Maxwell, if we were on a real mission, and you had covered up a wound-"
"I wouldn't do that!" Duo retorted. His stance by the closed door, facing Milliardo, who was toweling off a sweaty face next to his broad desk, told the man how nervous he was. Duo felt too on edge to do anything else, though.
Milliardo sighed and sat down, a giant settling his strong frame in a comfortable chair that protested with squeaks. "Maxwell... Duo, I'm well aware that you've never had formal training."
"Or discipline," Duo admitted and stuck hands in the back of his fatigues. He was tired, and sweating as well, but he knew that he wasn't invited to sit.
"You must endeavor to learn discipline, though, or your career is going to end up a fatal one." Milliardo said, "For you or someone under your command. Failing under fire, because you refused to put aside your pride, is not a quality any organization looks for in a leader."
Duo moved into the room, feeling more relaxed, but replacing his nervousness with anger. "You don't know what I'm capable of. I do."
Milliardo gave him a hard look with his ice blue eyes. "I did attempt to find out your capabilities, but you refused."
"In that situation," Duo countered."I'm willing to show you in any other circumstance."
Milliardo shoved a file across his desk in a pique. "I really don't understand how you could work so well with Yuy, out on the course, but then balk completely at working with him, as a two man team, on a mission."
Duo couldn't explain himself without revealing too much. "We don't work well together,as partners. We have conflicts." That was as far as he could go.
Milliardo knew a brick wall when he saw one. His lips went into a thin line and then he said, "I give you a great deal of latitude, because you're one of my best, but don't think that I won't take disciplinary measures if you compromise lives with your... rivalry."
He prodded the file again. It was thick with memory sticks and notations. "Your medical reports," he explained. "They don't show any recent visits to medical. Which facility treated you?"
Duo frowned. "You know that no one patched me up, so why ask?"
"I like to hear a man admit his mistakes," Milliardo replied. "Self treatment, and self medication, are not only foolish, but against regulations."
"I don't take drugs," Duo countered, "But I do make very neat stitches."
"I don't care if you do needlepoint well, agent," Milliardo retorted."This isn't a street gang. You will report to medical, or another medical facility, for all injuries. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, sir," Duo replied, but he couldn't help the anger in his voice.
Milliardo studied him, his tense stance, and angry, averted eyes. "You aren't alone, Duo. You need to understand that. No one is going to criticize you, or think less of you, if you require assistance, of any kind."
'Of any kind' sounded loaded and Duo couldn't help but feel uncomfortable.
"Dismissed," Milliardo told him curtly.
Duo narrowed eyes. "What about my punishment?"
"Punishment will be apparent when it presents itself," Milliardo told him, booting up his computer, as if he intended to work, even in his filthy and sweaty condition.
Duo grinned, but it was edged. "Who's swinging the brass balls now?"
Milliardo colored and looked at him sharply. "I beg your pardon?"
"You pulled your back making sure that I made it across the rope swing, didn't you?" Duo replied. "I can tell by the way you're sitting."
Milliardo raised pale eyebrows. "How am I sitting any differently than-"
"You look like you have hemorroids," Duo snickered. "Want me to help out?"
"How?" Milliardo asked cautiously.
Duo took a breath, cracked his knuckles, and then decided that Milliardo wasn't so intimidating when his face was looking that embarrassed, yet determined to stay correct and in control. It was easier than Duo thought to move around him, guide the big body sideways on the chair, and then reach around him.
"Maxwell?" Milliardo said nervously."You could injure me further. I don't think-"
"Baby," Duo chuckled. "Just let me work."
He tightened his arms just under Milliardo's ribcage, and then, slowly, lifted until he heard several, audible cracks.When he let Milliardo rest back in the chair again, he could feel the strain in his shoulders, but he didn't admit to it as he began kneading Milliardo's muscle spasms.
Milliardo groaned appreciatively. "You have strong fingers."
"Thanks," Duo grunted as he worked. "If you're anything like me, you have a universe of bad joints, torn ligaments, and muscles that never healed right."
Milliardo nodded, his long hair coming loose from it's band in thick, pale strands.His eyes were closed and he was relaxed, trusting Duo when he didn't have any reason to. Duo found himself watching the bowed head, the face showing pleasure, and enjoying the play of muscles under his hands.
It was hard to decide when enough was enough. When he pulled his hands back, Milliardo tested his back tentatively and then looked relieved."It's still sore, but it doesn't feel as if I've injured myself so badly now. Thank you."
Milliardo stood and then motioned Duo to take his seat.
"What?" Duo wondered.
"Your turn," Milliardo told him firmly."I've had some training as a field medic. I'll check your work."
Duo sat, resigned, and rolled up his pants. His skin had a rash of goose pimples as Milliardo touched him, pulling back the bandages and studying the neat stitches.
"This is good," Milliardo admitted, "But I still insist that you don't treat yourself any longer.Preventers has full medical coverage. Abuse it thoroughly, and that's an order."
"Yes, sir," Duo laughed and rolled his pants down again.
Milliardo grimaced as he pulled his sweat filled shirt away from his chest and began moving stiffly towards the door. "Dismissed, Duo, for now. I'll have to consider your punishment after a hot shower and a rest."
"Yes, sir," Duo replied as he stood, not liking that he had to wait to find out what Milliardo considered proper disciplinary action. He hoped that it didn't include being denied mission ready status.
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TBC