#team king

Today however she looked wild and disorderly even for her standards, Sydney judged mercilessly. Her shirt was buttoned in the wrong order, the fabric was wrinkled, indicating to Sydney's horror it wasn't a clean one, but one from the laundry pile. Same for her pants with the stains on the knees. She wasn't even wearing shoes and her hair was an unkempt mess falling loosely over her back and shoulders.

Her glare still pushing him against the back of his chair, he bit back a remark, his instinct for survival for once stronger than his fashion sense.

“Alright! I won't ask what sick plan your perverted brain hatched out this time. I won't ask what you've done with it. I give you one – one! - chance! Hand it over now!” She stretched out her hand, her fingers beckoning him to better do what she told him. Sydney raised his hands in defense, giving a helpless shrug.

“I'm sorry, honey. I'd give you whatever you want, uh, especially if you look at me like that!” His uneasy smile flickered nervously and he pushed his chair a few inches away from his desk when she took one firm step closer. “Calm down, Jo, darling! Just tell me what you want me to do, and I'll do it, I'll get it. Sweetie, I'll invent it if it makes my favorite sister happy!” And keeps me alive, he added in his mind.

“Sydney! My bra!”

“Right!” Snapping his fingers, he picked up the receiver of his telephone and pressed it against his ear. “I'll tell Lukas to order you ten and... what? Your bra?” Slowly, he let the hand holding the receiver sink until it dangled by the side of his chair. His second hand fell flat onto his desk.  

“Don't play dumb, Sonny-boy. You heard me the first time. And stop making that face, I positively feel the IQ dropping in this room when you gawk like that,” she sneered, her voice changing back from shouting to hissing. Sydney's jaws snapped shut and blinked a few times, allowing his widened eyes to shrink back to their normal size.

“Of course, darling.” He put the receiver back onto the phone and cleared his throat. Straightening his back, he moved his chair back to his desk. Mustering up a calm, disconcerted expression with his usual friendly, open smile – but still careful it couldn't be misunderstood as impish – he slightly leaned forward, placing his hands on the desk.

“Jo, my dear,” he began slowly. “I swear to everyone you want that I don't have your... bra! Honey, why should I have it?”

“What do I know, for the same reason you're prancing around like a pink toothfairy - that missed her last waxing appointment.” She raised her eyebrows when Sydney opened the first three buttons of his shirt and revealed a generous patch of his hairy chest.

“Toothfairy? Hm.” He picked up a framed photograph standing next to the phone. The picture showed an old friend from the past standing next to a younger version of himself.

A young, handsome man with an enchantingly shy smile, he appreciated his past self, remembering his early years working for the company before he had his own team with bitter-sweet nostalgia. Before he lost himself in memories, he tilted the frame until the old photograph behind the glass was overshadowed by his reflection.

Instead of the usually rich, strong pink he preferred for his every-day attire, he had chosen a softer, pastel shade of plum, which made a lovely contrast to the heart-shaped, dark pink buttons. Very becoming to his slightly tanned skin, the dark hair and blue eyes, he agreed with himself. His favorite, dark-brown leather jacked had remained in his closet today, instead he had put on one of the same cut – ending right under his chest – made of white leather. He bent his head to the side to have a better look at the fur-trimmed color. On the first glance, it appeared to be of a creamy white, but with the sun falling through the window behind him, the fine, soft hair showed a gentle, faint shimmer of pink. Perfectly beautiful, but...

“I was more heading for a fresh and subtle spring-look, appropriate for Easter. The playful Toothfairy concept rather belongs to Valentine's Day.” He put the picture back to its place and thoughtfully gazed at his sister. “Do you think I should change?”

“Since when are you going for a subtle look? Seriously, Sonny, heart-shaped buttons?” Jo shook her head. “Easter or Valentine's day, fuck that, the only thing you look appropriate for is a dance club, and... don't distract me!” She slammed her fists on the table, making the pens and pencils scattered on it jump. An askew pile of documents was shaking, and threatened to turn into an avalanche of papers falling to the floor.

“I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I'm listening!” Sydney produced a white, laced handkerchief from one of the drawers. Carefully to not smear his handwriting he tried to rescue the list he had been writing from stains of spilled coffee. “The strength of your hands amazes me, darling. You should consider additional training in hand-to-hand combat.” He stuffed the blotted handkerchief away and removed his coffee mug into safety by placing it on the shelf to his left, before Jo knocked it over for good.

“And...?” she prompted, her fingertips rapping on the desk.

“And nothing.” He shrugged again. “I'm sorry, but I don't have it. Maybe it's in the laundry. I'm sure it will show up soon. Just choose another piece, darling.”

“Geez, Sonny, don't act like I'm the idiot in this team. I checked the laundry, I checked the cupboard. Hell, I even checked under my bed! Yeah sure, I COULD just use another. But that's not the point!” She smashed her hands again on the desk, this time, the pile of papers collapsed for good.

“The point is – it's mine. It was in my room. And now it's gone, and I'm sick of living with fucking jerks who steal my stuff!”

“Honey, nobody steals your stuff!” Sydney protested on behalf of the members of his team.

“No? And what was with my skirt? You know, the short one, blue with the bright flower-pattern?”

“Johanne, first off, it was navy with yellow roses and pansies. Second, Ty only wore it because it ended in his room after a mix up with the cleaned laundry. Third, you hated that thing! You've never worn it!”

“That's not the freaking point!” she repeated. “First the skirt, now my bra!”

“Maybe another mix up? Why don't you ask Ty?”

“Ty doesn't wear bras.”

“Neither do I! Jo!” Sydney pushed back his chair and jumped to his feet. He stretched to his full size, and, putting his hands on his hips and pulling back his shoulders, he took a deep breath.

“Do you see this? My chest is wide and well-build, and I assure you you'll find no trace of needless fat! I'm perfectly in shape, and still lean and slender like a greyhound! Want me to proof it?” He began to open the remaining buttons on his shirt.

“Good God NO! Keep your chest-yeti inside and close that freakingshirt! I believe you!” She turned away, shielding her eyes with her hand from the view of her undressing brother. To her relief, he – after letting out a long breath of relief himself – he buttoned up his shirt.

“Okay, okay.” With a sigh, she pulled up the visitor's chair, letting herself slump onto it. The long legs stretched out in a very un-lady-like fashion - as Sydney thought, his own legs daintily crossed – she threw her head back and stared at the ceiling.

“Let's try to be reasonable. So you don't need it for any kind of weird outfit. And it's also not your kind of playing pranks.”

“Honey, I never play pranks, I-”

“Jean buries Ty under all kinds of dresses, skirts, but the lingerie is usually more fancy. Besides, he doesn't steal,” she continued without taking notice of her brother. Sydney didn't try again to interrupt her, he only silently nodded as she spoke on.

“Toby knows he's not allowed to take stuff from his Ma without asking. I won't even think about Lukas, it's more likely that the twins mysteriously found a way to break, committed the crime and returned quietly to their cell-”

“To their quarters,” Sydney corrected gently.

“To their quarters and nobody ever noticed than Lukas even thinking of anything like that. Syd, do you think he's afraid of me? We get along well enough, but sometimes...” Her anger had calmed down as she now spoke with apparent worry when she thought of her brother's timid assistant; he had shied away from her, his eyes cast down, when she had met him in the corridor earlier.

“No offense, Jo, darling.” Sensing that the atmosphere was relaxing, Sydney dared to show an understanding smile. “Everyone shies away from you and takes cover when your temper breaks through. Sweet and lovely as you are, you can be quite the force of nature.”

“Don't provoke me, and you’ll live.” She gave a little laugh, and her frown eased into a smile. “Gonna go, and talk to Lukas later anyway. “

“I think he's the only one who hasn't made you snap so far. He, and Matthew,” Sydney added with a sly smile, chuckling when his sister's frown returned, but this time, along with a blush on her cheeks.

“Spare me that goofy grin. Compared to some people here Matt is a gentleman.”

“Matt is a man, maybe you should ask him about your missing clothes. Or maybe you've just forgotten it in his room.” He picked up a clipboard from his desk not one second too late. Shielding his face from a stapler thrown at him, he trembled with laughter.

“Sonny Alfons King! Imagine, there are people in this world who prefer to sleep in their own beds!”

“Maybe he took it back as a souvenir...”

“SYDNEY!”

He put the clipboard down, wiping a tear from his eyes. His face hurt from grinning, but he pulled himself together when he saw his sister's uncomfortable expression.

“I'm sorry, Jo. You know I'm just kidding. Don't let my teasing get into your way.” He put the stapler back into its place, congratulating himself for moving his coffee out of the way earlier. This would have made a fine mess, and he hated to bother his assistant with these things.

“Like I would. I just hope you bite your tongue with those stupid jokes when Matt... the others in general... are around.”

“Of course, dear. I always respect your privacy.” He certainly would do so from now on. If some of the past remarks, meant as harmless fun and leg-pulling, had reached Jo she would have made sure he knew it. Painfully sure. It wasn't wise to push his luck in this matter, nor to upset his sister for real.

“Oh yes, I'm sure you do.” The sarcasm dripping from her words made him cringe; he would have a word with the other guys later, asking them to kindly forget any conversations they had with him about Jo in the recent past. Well, maybe begging would be more appropriate, he reconsidered, when her questioning glare seemed to drill through his eyes into his brain.

“Well, dear, is there anything I can do to help you... on your quest?” he offered along with a smile, hoping he wouldn't have to organize a search of the whole base and its surrounding, including the sewers. “If there's anything your big brother can do for you, just tell me.”

“Thanks. I'll deal with it myself. Guess I'll pay the laundry facility a visit after all.” Sighing, she stood up, shoving the chair back from where she had pulled it up. She stepped on a piece of paper. Her hair fell into her face when she bent down to pick the document up and put it back onto Sydney's desk. “Want me to help with that?” She looked over the mess scattered over the floor while tying her hair into a loose ponytail with a hairband she found in her pant's pocket.

“No need, darling. I'll ask Lukas to clean up later. In fact, if you see him, would you be so kind and tell him to come and see me?” He searched his pen between the papers, contented himself with a pencil he found under the list he wanted to complete, and started writing.

“You are aware you can easily clean this up yourself, aren't you? He's not your maid.”

“Uh, yes, I mean of course he isn't!” The tip of the pencil broke off, leaving an ugly gray mark on the paper. He dropped the pencil, not noticing it rolled off the table while he tried to explain himself with a few vague gestures of his hands. “Of course I would and can do that myself, it's just...”

“It's just that if you did everything yourself you wouldn't have an apology to keep him close all the time.” Giggling, she closed the door behind her, and Sydney slumped back into his chair, exhaling slowly.

“Touché, dear,” he called after her, giving a laugh. “But thanks to you, I'll unfortunately be so busy finding my writing utensils that somebody has to help me cleaning up.” A quick look at his watch – almost noon. Knowing his assistant's love for a regular schedule, he reached for the phone and dialed the speed calling for the cafeteria.

~ ~ ~

Tyler took a step back. His arms crossed in front of his chest, he studied his work with furrowed brows. Then he broke into a smile, giving a satisfied nod.

“Perfect.”

“Ty, is the trouble really worth it?” a low voice whispered. The tips of Lukas’ shoes were nervously tapping on the floor. His friend had asked him to stand guard at the door and to give him a signal if anyone came close to the conference room. Lukas had agreed – albeit unwillingly and only after Tyler had promised to leave his name out of the whole plan once it was discovered.

“Bullshit, it's just some fun. How 'bout not being a sissy for once? Loosen up a bit,” Tyler chuckled, giving his friend a pat on his tensed back.

“Bunny Boobs? Didn't know your complexes run that deep, Barbie.” A rough chuckle followed the snarky words, spoken by a third voice.

Giving a yelp, Tyler turned around abruptly enough to stumble over his own feet. He fell to the ground with a second outcry, this time of pain when he crashed hard on his rump. Lukas, gasping for air, shrank back and swirled around, his head between his shoulders. He made light step backwards, ready to retreat further if he had to. His hand on the gun in his holster, he glanced from Tyler to the new arrival.

“Hello, fags. Nice weather, ain't it?” Mike grinned, and took another bite from a green apple, grinding the chunk between his teeth with as much noise as he could manage. Gabe stood next to him, his arms hanging down by his sides. While Mike leaned casually against his twin's side, one arm resting on his twin's shoulder, Gabe's body and expression were frozen. Only his fingers were twitching, his gaze glued to Lukas' hand touching the gun.

“Behave, will ye!” another voice chuckled.

“Oh, you are here, too!” A faint smile appeared on Lukas' face. He let go of his gun and offered Tyler a hand to pull him up.

Behind the twins the two chefs of the team were standing, O'Conner and Nicolai. Both carried shotguns - O'Conner letting his rest against his shoulder while he grinned at Lukas and Tyler over Mike's shoulder, winking at them with his remaining good eye. Nicolai’s face was a hard frown, and the end of his weapon pointed at Gabe's back, the gun looking small in the large hands of the 6.5' tall Russian.

“What the fuck is going on here? Why are those bastards outside?!” Tyler snapped, straightening his skirt and pulling his shirt back in place, still staring at the twins' waists. In his world, these guys either belonged locked away in their room or kept in control with Jean's long, strong tentacles wrapped around them, ready to crush some rips and organs at the smallest hint of danger.

“They aren't even in chains,” Lukas mumbled, caught between worry and astonishment.

“Oh, look, Gabe!” Mike nudged his twin's side with his elbow. “The Fag-Lord's lapdog is here, too. Ouch! Come on!” He rubbed the back of his head after a hearty smack from O'Conner's hand.

“Sydney asked us to, uh, how did he word it? Show them lads around a bit. Letting them have a sniff of spring’s fresh air!” O’Connor waved his hand in an attempt of mocking Sydney’s gestures.

“Yeah, walking us around like dumb dogs,” Mike snorted. The cook only laughed, ruffling the cussing twin's hair. Gabe watched the dark, calloused hand touching his brother from the corner of his eyes, but remained still.

“Jean is away,” Nikolai grumbled. “Doctor busy. Sydney asked us to watch their work-out. And allow them to walk around the base if peaceful.”

“And when they don't stay peaceful?” Tyler narrowed his eyes, swallowing hard when Mike flashed his teeth in a wide, humorless grin. “Syd's insane, leaving the insane bastards in the care of our cooks.”

“Careful, laddie, nobody here ain't been all life what they are now, aye?”

“We don't need Spy to protect. Right, Mikhail?” Nicolai took hold of Mike's, his fingers digging into the shoulder's flesh like a vice. Mike flinched, struggling against the urge to drop down on his knees to escape the grip.

“Calm, lad.” O'Conner stepped closer, reaching out for Gabe when the twin twisted around, his dull eyes suddenly flashing up in alarm.

“Don't touch... him, asshole!” Mike still winced when Nicolai let go of his shoulder. He gave his twin a push, shoving him away from O'Conner's hand. A clicking noise echoed through the room, and three weapons were pointed at the twins.

“Hey, hey! Don't panic, we're all cool and nice here.” Mike raised his hands, glancing at his twin while he spoke. Gabe answered with a shrug, and Mike nodded in return. Their poses relaxed. The four men stared at them for a moment longer, then Lukas put his gun back into the holster, and O'Conner leaned his weapon against his shoulder again.

“See, Tyler, we are all best friends.” O'Conner's grin returned, nothing in his docile face hinting at the hard smile baring his teeth and the fierce glow in his one, healthy eye. In that short moment, Tyler and Lukas felt like they had learned something about the blood-lusting past of their usually kind cook they weren't supposed to see. And probably didn't want to see.

“They don't behave like friends, they go to respawn.” Nicolai smiled with grim satisfaction. Tyler recollected his memories of the time he worked as a kitchen help under Nicolai's orders. He was fascinated how the giant wore the same calm and superior expression when he prepared a chicken for dinner as he showed now, when he wouldn't hesitate to kill a man if he had to. The way Michael flinched and rubbed his shoulder, Tyler suspected that Nicolai didn't need a gun to deal with a defiant twin. He shuddered when he thought of his own loose tongue, and how he had tried to escape less fun kitchen duties, only now realizing how lucky he was that his head was still on his shoulders.

“Here.” Gabe had bent down and picked up the half eaten apple Mike had dropped when Nicolai had been squashing his shoulder.

“Do you freaking idiot really think I still wanna eat that?!” Mike tried to shove the fruit away from him, but Gabe pressed it into his hands.

“Yes.”

Everyone around the twins had fallen silent for a moment. It was rare to hear Gabe speak, and over Mike's ability to hiss and rant until he was out of breath and his face red, most members of the team sometimes forgot Gabe was able to speak at all. Lukas and Tyler looked at both twins, then at each other, shrugging.

“Is good. Reward for being a good boy, cherish it.” With exaggerated gentleness, Nicolai slapped Mike's back.

“Mike. Behaving. Enough to get a reward. Sure.” Tyler dragged the last word until it broke off into a chortle.

“What's that supposed to mean, fuckface?”

“Actually,” O'Conner chimed in, a broad grin on his face. “Mike didn't keep his mouth still for one bloody second, trying to snatch from the cakes, and swearing like a sailor when Nicolai told him he can have some of them apples. I tossed it to Gabe, for being such a pleasant, silent lad.”

“Bullshit-story! You assholes are -”

“Mike made a big fuss,” Nicolai continued with an amused grin. “Tried to steal it from his brother. Gabe threw it at Mike's head, in the end.”

Tyler smirked, while Lukas hid an amused grin. The younger men had a vague fear that it wasn't a good idea to provoke the twins by laughing at their expenses. The two cooks didn't have any qualms to laugh loud enough to drown Mike's angry voice.

“Big children.” Nicolai grinned, glancing at Gabe, amused by the hind of content he found on the usually blank face.

“They aren't half as bad to have around, ye know.” O'Conner patted the gun he was holding. “If ye make sure they ain't going on a rampage they're bloody entertaining.”

“Go and fuck a capricorn!”

“Oh come on, like you even know what a Capricorn is.” Tyler rolled his eyes, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

“Oh yeah, right, 'cause I'm not from some fancy home like you fishfucker I of course don't know what a capricorn is. Of course only a stinky shitbait like you knows a fucking capricorn is a dumb horse with a -”

“Unicorn.”

“Eh?” Mike looked at his twin, but Gabe stared at the floor, faintly grinning to himself. The men around them chuckled.

“Fuck you all.” Mike took a disgruntled bite from his apple, chewed, and flinched. Making a face of disgust, he pulled a long, blond hair from his tongue.

“Enough!” Nicolai's growl cut off the snarky remark that the Scout's gleefully shining eyes promised before Tyler could open his mouth.

“Anyway, ye two, what's that about?” Like his friend, O'Conner had no intention to allow the situation to go out of control. If he ignored the twins' little fights and Mike's foul mouth and threats against them, humanity and earth in general, supervising the duo had turned out pleasantly well today. He and Nicolai wouldn't hesitate to use their weapons, but if they didn't have to, the better.

“That?” Tyler pointed at his masterpiece behind him and grinned. “Thought that thing needed a little improvement.”

“Big children, too.” Nicolai's chuckle didn't dampen Tyler's pride. Lukas' face reddened as he saw the chances to be kept out of Tyler's prank slimming away. Biting his tongue, he looked over his shoulder.

Behind them, in front of the conference table stood the statue of a rabbit, the pride of Sydney's decorations for Easter. Five feet tall, its artificial pelt of a pastel pink, it was holding a basket with white and yellow roses, while standing on a podest that added to its heigh.

By the team, it was considered as one of the most obnoxious things they had to look at since the foundation of Team King. Zombie invasions and twins running amok during battle sessions included.

Tyler had decided to add a personal note, turning that thing into a piece of art, at least in his eyes. Around the bunnies chest, he had attached a bra. The deep red color of the piece of sporty lingerie clashed with the pink. The cotton material was stretched thin over two bright orange clay pumpkins Tyler had found between the decoration from last Halloween.

“Geez, just 'cause you're an A minus in yar pants ya don't have to give that freaking thing a C-cup,” Mike snickered, picking a short, dark hair from the apple before he took another careful bite.

“How is it even possible that a retarded dumbass like you knows 'bout cup sizes, but doesn't know the freaking difference between a Capricorn and a unicorn?” Tyler snarled back.

“You...!”

“Where did ye even get this thing?” O'Conner interrupted Mike and Tyler, nipping another of the seemingly endless number of bickerings between them in the bud. “Is it one of yours or did you steal it from...”

“TYLER ROBERTO DONATELLI!” The door at the other side of the room was smashed open. A pair of dark blue eyes in a red, angry face pierced through Tyler.

“Ooooh fuck... Lukas!” His face the color of the wall, Tyler turned at Lukas, pleading for help. But his friend only shrugged, his cheeks glowing crimson against the otherwise pale skin.

“Guess ya better run, bunny-boy.” Chuckling at first, Mike broke out into laughter when Tyler turned on his heel, dodging a raging Jo who lunged towards him, her fingernails scratching over his shirt. But he was too quick, she couldn't grab him.

“YOU! AGAIN! THIS time I ain't gonna let ya get away with it! Underwear-thief!”

“Hey, Jozilla, why don't you eat Mike first, he's fatter and juicier!” In spite of himself Tyler couldn't help laughing as he circled around the twins and their guards, evading Jo's grip a second time.

“You fucking... HA!” Mike laughed out in triumph when Tyler ran past them and tripped, almost falling over with a shrill yelp. With the most serene expression, Gabe mustered the table and chairs arranged behind the rabbit statue, pulling his stretched out leg back before anyone but Mike noticed.

“You dumb, retarded...” Tyler hissed at Gabe, unbending himself.

“Oh no, Jozilla's still on the loose!” Mike exclaimed in faked horror, grinning, when Tyler shrieked, the angry woman this time taking hold of his arm.

The Scout wiggled himself out of her grip and sprinted away and through the door, the cursing Jo right on his heels.

“Wonder what the lad will say when he doesn't get any dessert tonight.” O'Conner gave Nicolai a nudge.

“If Jo is done, he can only drink soup,” the Russian chuckled.

“I'm sorry, but I'm sure Tyler didn't mean to be a thief, it was just a prank, a bit of fun... Of course it was not okay to take Jo's, uh, things...” Lukas rubbed the back of his neck, glancing back at the statue. It was more difficult than he had expected to come to Tyler's defense when he looked at the monstrous thing, that looked all the more hideous after Tyler's “improvements”. How he should justify stealing from Jo was beyond him, but he also didn't want to fail as a friend.

“Nay, laddie, this is nothing of our business,” O'Conner stopped him with a wave of his hand.

“Sydney's order. Reward the boys if they are good. Punish them or Tyler if they provoke each other,” Nicolai finished. Suddenly, he chuckled again, poking Mike's back with the gun. “Had been bad, had been good, had been bad again, and good. No idea what to do with them.”

“Can't believe I'm saying that shit one day, but how 'bout bringing us back into our cage?” Mike groaned, tossing the remains of his apple over his shoulder, missing – to his dismay - the tall cook's head by an inch. “Where we're safe from all this crazy bullshit?”

“Wish granted.” The Russian grinned, grabbing the squirming twin by the shoulder where he suspected a dark bruise of the shape of his fingers from before under Mike's shirt.

“Go!” Pushing Mike forward, Nicolai steered him towards the door. Gabe and O'Conner followed.

“Oh yeah, before me forgets! Sydney called earlier, he wants to talk to ye 'bout something somebody lost! Better run and see him!” O'Conner called over his shoulder, waving at Lukas.

Lukas nodded, but waited until the cooks along with the twins had left the conference room. He took another look at the rabbit and its new accessory. He took a step towards it, reaching for the bunny's back. Tyler had refused to listen to him when he warned him about stealing Jo's belongings, especially such a delicate piece. Maybe he could calm her down if he returned it to her. Although… confronting her right now was the last thing he wanted to do. He could also return it to her room, hoping she wouldn't come back for him and ask him about how it ended up there. Which would mean somebody had entered her room without her submission. Weighing the consequences of her seeing him holding her bra or figuring out he had entered her room, he decided to do what he had yearned to do from the beginning – staying out of this matter.