Chapter 401: No Perks.

Chapter 401: Chapter 401: No Perks.

Khobi glances over, indifferent to the commotion but for the small smirk playing around his mouth. "I know."

​(He’s not an idiot. He sees. It’s why he did it in the first place. He’s had to give his body a couple days’ rest and now that Rogard’s miracle cure’s had some time to do it’s job, he’s in the mood to get Loac riled up.)

​" Asshole ," Loac declares thinly as the soldiers all start whistling right on cue.

​" –Have we established that there’s to be no fucking during drills?" Gandy interrupts, raising a hand to get the attention of the group.

​"I thought that went without saying," Mural points out as Loac shrugs loose of Rogard and Binny and brushes past Khobi to snatch Montrel’s freshly filled waterskin clean out of his hands.

​" Clearly not ."

​" –Hey, Loac!

​"...You’re gonna pay for that later," Loac murmurs into the back of Khobi’s neck, ignoring Montrel’s complaints and knocking back a mouthful.

The sidelong look that Khobi shoots him is positively searing.

​"... That a promise ?"

​Loac slowly peels the waterskin away from him mouth; eyes darkening as he swallows.

​"You flirtin’ with me, Khobi?" he hums, dipping his nose into the crook of his neck and dragging to the space below his ear; not quite touching but close enough that Khobi can feel his breath on his skin.

Khobi makes a noncommital noise and raises an eyebrow innocently, like he has no idea what he’s talking about. " Tease ."

​(Oh how fondly Gandy remembers the days when whatever Loac and Khobi had between them was hidden behind closed doors. Those were such peaceful times.)

​"...Binny?" he grinds out, because it is way too hot this shit. Bless him, Binny’s way ahead of him, and no sooner has the thought entered his head than a bucket of water is upended right over Khobi’s.

​He reacts about as well as anyone would after being doused in cold water. That is to say, not hugely well.

​" What the fuck Binny –" he squawks, whipping around and spraying water every which way.

But Binny’s slippery even without the sweat he’s worked up training with them today, and he ducks neatly out of Khobi’s grasp before he even gets anywhere near him, waggling a finger at him amidst a chorus of snickers.

It’d usually be more rambunctious but today it’s just too hot for that level of energy.

​" Cool it , you two," Gandy drawls with a long-suffering scowl, fanning his face with one hand and using his shirt to wipe some of the sweat off his chest.

​Unfortunately, Binny’s timely intervention has not had the desired effect. Quite the opposite, in fact, because now Khobi is completely drenched and dripping, and the burly lines of his body stretch taut all over as he scrubs an irritated hand back through his wet hair.

The sudden, intrigued shift in Loac’s expression from playful to...something else as he shamelessly rakes his gaze up Khobi’s biceps then down his torso has Binny’s eyes widening with horror.

​" What have I done ?" he whispers grimly, staring down at his hands like he can’t believe the ruin he’s brought down upon them all.

Chewing on the corner of his lip, Loac slings a sweaty arm around Binny’s shoulders and ruffles his hair in gratitude as he admires the view.

​" Great plan, guys."

​The next bucket of water is for him. "What the fuck Rogard !"

​"We are going to get in trouble ," Rogard chides, unrepentant in the face of Loac drawing up to his full height, and too late, they realise that Drogger is no longer standing where he used to be.

​"... Why am I not surprised?"

​See , Rogard’s glare says, and when they slowly turn they find Drogger standing there with his arms folding and one hand pressed to his brow like he honestly cannot believe that they’re at it again.

​"Well? What are you waiting for?" he inquires flatly. Montrel and Gandy the traitors have notably already hopped the fence and are doing a pretty convincing job at looking busy.

​" –But master, Loac started it –"

​It’s a nice, but ultimately useless effort; Drogger never cares who started it. Khobi gives Gandy a withering look –trust him to use the commotion to make his escape –and gets a shit-eating grin and a wave back as he grudgingly wheels towards the usual track and sets off jogging.

After a beat –and with Loac making sure to tangle up Rogard so that he gets nice and soaked too, the pair of them follow after him.

Drogger doesn’t move. Instead, he just settles Binny with a reproachful look.

"You too, Binny."

​"I uh –what?" The confusion is somewhat justified. Being a servant and all, Binny gets away with a lot more than the soldiers ever would.

He never has to run laps, for one. Until now, apparently, because Drogger does not appear to be joking.

​"You heard me," he states, in that even, no-nonsense Second Captain Drogger Noog voice that somehow demands respect while also evoking a deep-seated fear of what might happen should he have to repeat himself.

Binny gulps, and wipes a line of sweat off his forehead. "Yes, Captain."

​It takes almost an entire lap, because naturally everything is a competition with these idiots, but eventually he catches up to them.

All three of them are now covered in dirt as well as sweat, and Binny makes a mental note to watch his flank and not get in their way.

​That being said, the urge to ankle tap Rogard is just a little too strong to ignore.

​Down he goes with a wail, tumbling flat on his face, and despite the steadily building weight in his lungs Binny can’t help but let out a bark of laughter.

​" Get back here –" Rogard hollers hotly, scrambling back to his feet and shooting off after him, a fresh new stripe of mud congealing on his face where the fresh dose of dirt has mingled with sweat.

Even speeding up he doesn’t get far before Rogard tackles him clean off his feet, and Binny quickly winds up just as muddy and disgruntled as the rest of them.

​"...Isn’t dating the Captain meant to come with perks?" someone remarks to Rogard as they briefly drop into step with a few of the unfortunate souls who made the unfortunate decision to complain about the heat within Drogger’s hearing.

Rogard just makes a resigned sigh and spits out a clod of dirt.

​" You would think ."