Whumpasaurus101

Sorry I will add all links later on - also high key dedicated to Castell for beating my ass over not publishing hehehe, hope you enjoy

The walk back to the cabin was quiet, morose. A heavy mood settled over Luca like a suffocating cloud his hand clutched around the photo of him and Jet, scared that if he let go, he’d lose it, and lose Jet with it. The evening air was fresh, crisp, and at least it wasn’t raining like the first time Luca trekked up this hill with Flint. He could keep up now. That was an improvement. Something else he could hold onto.

Jet was so proud of him, so excited for him.

But Luca couldn’t help but feel tired at today’s visit to the cadets’ base. His bones were heavy, and he just wanted to sleep.

Flint opened the door for him and let him walk in first. The smell of meat and vegetables hit him as they walked in the door. His stomach grumbled in response, but Luca ate so much sweet stuff only an hour ago. Still, the smell curled up his nose like an alarm to his body, which woke violently and screamed for real food to satiate him.

“Oh, good,” Flint says, “dinner’s already here. Let’s eat.”

Luca walks to the kitchen and grabs two plates down from the cupboard. They ate in relative silence. After a couple minutes of Luca being quiet, Flint sat back in his chair and let his fork rest on the plate.

“I would have thought that a visit to the cadets would liven your spirits.” Luca looks at him. “It seems to have had the opposite effect.”

“I’m fine.”

Flint stares. “No, really,” Luca tries, but even he can hear how unconvincing he sounded. He sighs and moves a piece of broccoli around his plate with his fork. “I thought that getting to say goodbye would be easier, but… even though some of it was shit, the cadets are the only place I’ve ever felt–” Safe? Normal? Real? Noticed? Loved? He couldn’t finish the sentence cause he didn’t know himself. He shakes his head. “Nevermind. Forget it.”

“I think I give the orders, cadet,” Flint says. When Luca glances up at him and sees the soft smile on Flint’s face he relaxes. He didn’t say something insulting. “I understand how hard this transition must be. The last week I’ve spent with you must have been strange. Quiet. Considering how you slept with twenty cadets in a room before.”

“Exactly!” Luca says, dropping his fork, his leg bouncing up and down under the table as he picks at his fingers. Something that attracts Flint’s gaze briefly. “And it’s not that I’m not grateful, I am, I just – I just…”

Just what? He wants to scream at himself. Why couldn’t he get the words out? Flint must think he’s an illiterate idiot now. Although if he knew Luca knew words like illiterate, he’d probably fall over himself in shock. Or have a heart attack. Luca didn’t want to give him a heart attack.

“It’s just change,” Flint supplies. “Change is different. It can be unnerving. Scary, even.”

Luca didn’t want to admit to the fear, so instead he looks down at his plate, staring at the broccoli like it was the vegetable’s fault he had all this swirling inside. He picks up his fork again, even though he isn’t really feeling hungry.

“Your friend, Second Lieutenant [Jet last name]. The chances of him remaining in the same base as you for another few weeks, nevermind months, is unlikely. Captain Daniels’ spoke very highly of him, his advancement is all but official.”

The news should have settled something in Luca’s gut, but it didn’t. Not yet anyway. He was happy for Jet, of course he was, but… Jet moving on meant transferring to another base, and the chances of getting to see him at all would dwindle down to rarely, if at all.

“Oh. That’s good,” Luca says eventually. Flint stares at him, his eyes kind but inquisitive, as if studying Luca’s face will reveal his emotions, the wounds within him so he can find the cures. Luca looks up and smiles weakly. “Really. That’s great,” and he means it. “I’m happy for him. He’s… he’s— well, he’s like a brother to me.”

Luca swallows as Flint nods in understanding. He drops his fork again and pushes his hand against the table. “I’m uh, I’m not very hungry, sir. Can I be excused please?”

Flint studies him another moment. Then he nods. “Of course. Leave the plate, I’ll clean up tonight.”

Luca nods as he stands. “Thank you, General.”

Flint watches him as Luca leaves the room and disappears out of sight. He lets out a soft breath as his gaze goes to Luca’s practically full plate. He steeps his fingers and rests his chin against his thumbs, staring at the spot where Luca sat, his mind working on solutions already to the cadets’ needs.

*****

The next morning, Flint wakes Luca like normal, and tells him to pack his bag. That they’re going to his base. That woke Luca up immediately.

“What? Your base?” The idea filled him with both excitement and dread.

Flint nods. “I think you’re a good fit for the team, and I think by your behaviour over the last week you’re ready to meet your teammates.”

Luca swallows. “We’re going now?”

“Yes. As soon as you’re packed. We will get breakfast there.”

Luca wants to groan, but represses the need and just nods, throwing his blankets off of him. Flint leaves him to pack his rucksack, and within fifteen minutes they are out of the cabin and Flint is locking the door.

A black military car waits outside, and Luca raises an eyebrow at Flint. “What? You don’t want me to walk all the way with this on?” He asks, gesturing to his bag.

Flint smiles and opens the passenger door to the car. “Nonsense. You can put the bag in the car. You’ll be running alongside it.”

Luca swivels his head to Flint. “What?!”

“We’ll go slow, don’t worry.”

Luca’s eyes narrow and he can feel his anger simmer, but when he sees the corner of Flint’s lips twitch, he instantly calms.

He scoffs. “You almost got me.”

“I had you there for a little while.”

“Not even a little.” When Luca opens the backdoor he can’t help the relief at not having to run alongside the car gods know how far. And he begrudgingly appreciated Flint’s effort at humour. Even if it did almost give him a heart attack.

The drive takes over half an hour uphill, further into the forests, the trees thickening and rising up and up, Luca watches as the city walls start to come into view followed by the spire from the Palace’s white stone spire.

The wheels crunch over leaves, twigs and branches as the morning light rises, casting everything in its rich paleness, desaturating colour from leaves and browns of the forest floor. The canopy of leaves above the open roof of the car block out most of the sky overhead, only leaving speckles of sunlight peeking through cheekily in front of them.

But Luca’s focus switches to the base that they come upon as the trail levels out and a large black gate creaks open in front of them. Flint smiles at Luca from the passenger seat.

“Cool, right? It’s electronic.” Luca wanted to laugh and call Flint a nerd for being so excited over the electric gate that opened at the push of a button on the driver’s remote, but even he couldn’t help but think it was cool.

Very cool.

Much like the cadet camp, Flint’s military base is mostly made out of stone, except for the fact that Flint’s base looks far more attractive. The mix of dark wood, porous black stone and smooth grey bricks gives the base a more homely look, rather than the rough-cut stone of the cadet’s base. Luca can’t help but feel like this place is a small palace with the sheer size of it, there’s even a tower that stretches up three stories, which probably isn’t that impressive, but it is the biggest building he’s ever seen up close.

“Holy shit,” Luca says before he can help himself and Flint chuckles. Two lanterns hang outside the front door that is set into a stone archway, red clay bricks used as design for the roof. This place must have cost a fortune to build. As Luca gets out of the truck, following Flint, he can’t help but feel nerves rupture in his stomach like black boils. What if he gets lost? He’s absolutely going to get lost in a place like this.

His head turns to the lip of a cliff, and he walks over to it, curiosity guiding his feet. Below the stretch of the hills lay in various shades of green. The yellows of rapeseed fields ready for harvest can be seen further in the distance, and on the hill closest to them Luca can see the training rings from the cadet’s base. Flint’s base was right above it.

Did Flint ever… did he see Luca training the other day, picking fights like an angry child? The thought settles thick in his gut and prickles the skin of his neck uncomfortably. Is this how he noticed Luca? From watching above?

Flint walks up beside Luca soundlessly, his boots somehow failing to crunch dirt and twigs under foot, and not for the first time Luca wonders if Flint is even human.

“Quite the view, isn’t it?” he hums.

Luca jumps slightly, spinning around to face the man before nodding,

“Y-yeah. You can really see everything...”

He hums, looking down at the military base again, the fighting rings. He can even see the cadets sleeping quarters from up here, the lake Luca used to swim in.

“You can. It’s a perfect place to see the potential of this year’s recruits and lieutenants. How some fair, how some excel, and others fall behind. They’re what we call cannon fodder.”

Luca's eyebrows furrow. “Cannon fodder?”

Flint continues to look down over the camp, his expression unreadable.

“For the front lines.” Flint turns his head and smiles at Luca. “Not everyone is as lucky as you, cadet.” He turns and walks towards the building, saying over his shoulder, “they don’t have the skills to warrant us giving them a second look.”

Luca sets his jaw, eyes not leaving the soldiers training down below.

“Not everyone is lucky enough to be saved from front line grunt work, cadet. Your attitude would have landed you right there, and it still might if you’re not careful.” The easy sentence reminds Luca that Flint isn’t his friend, he’s his general. His superior officer. He swallows as Flint’s footsteps fade away. “This way, Cadet. Let me show you your new home.”

Yeah, real lucky.

He sighs and follows Flint, fixing the strap of his bag over his shoulder as he takes in the rest of the surroundings of the base. The first thing he notes is that there is a lot of natural light that makes the place feel less gloomy than the cadets’ quarters, plus the ground was still packed dirt, not the gross gravel that grated on Luca’s ears and feet every time he walked. It’s more natural.

He follows Flint inside the base and isn’t too surprised to see a plush burgundy carpet lining the middle of the halls. Luca stares at it, his lungs twisting as Flint walks on it in his shoes. It seems too fine to ruin with the muck on his boots, and Luca hesitates. Flint glances over his shoulder at him. His lips tug slightly at the corners.

“Everything alright, Luca?”

Luca looks at him. He nods, shrugs, scoffs. “Yeah, me? I’m fine.” He says breezily and follows Flint onto the carpet, internally cringing and hoping he isn’t about to be scolded.

They continue straight, then turn left, into the west wing of the base, and it’s like the base transformed into a quaint little house. The carpets were nicer, the walls homelier. The walls of the base are surprisingly warm, with pictures of people smiling or standing tall and very serious faced as he follows Flint through the hall. His hand automatically goes to his pocket, wrapping his fingers around the picture of him and Jet as he walks.

“These are the living quarters of the base,” Flint explains with a warm smile as he leads Luca through, past a cosy common room with a roaring fire. Bookshelves, made of the same dark wood as outside, stacked with books take up most of the space of the common room, along with a study desk and gramophone. “It’s where the team relaxes after and before missions, where we live while we’re here. This is what will become your home too, Luca.”

Home.

The word seemed too big for him to comprehend.

An actual home. The worst part is that he could picture himself here, beside the fire, warming up after a long training session with Flint, or drying his hair after a shower. Somewhere safe.

Home has only ever been Jet, not a place. Never a place. Not in a long, long time.

He doesn’t say anything as Flint continues past it to a hallway filled with doors.

“You will get the real tour tomorrow,” Flint says as he stops before a door and grabs the handle. “For now, this is your room, Cadet.”

Luca steps in, eyes darting around the room before freezing.

“This?” he asks breathlessly. “All of it?”

He asks, eyes roaming as he looks at the shelves and the storage space. There is a wardrobe, a desk for him to sit at, a bedside locker and a bed. A bed! Not a cot, an actual bed with a mattress and all! It looked so comfortable that Luca has to restrain himself to stop himself from pouncing on it.

Flint frowns and steps in. “It is a standard room. Though it wasn’t chosen by the other team members so maybe it is on the small side,” he says more to himself than Luca.

Luca's brows furrow more. Small?!?

He perches on the edge of the bed – and yep, it is as soft as a cloud – leg bouncing as he looks around the room. This can’t be all for him, surely? It has to be some trick. He bites the inside of his cheek as he waits for Flint to change his mind. To laugh and tell him this was all some cruel trick.

“Get some rest, Cadet. You can have the day to settle in, explore a bit,” Flint says and turns to leave before pointing at a door in your room. “Oh, and there is a bathroom through that door,” he says. He leaves and closes the door behind him.

Luca sits in the room for a while. This is his room. His. He owns it.

There’s only one bed, he has to be the only one that owns it, right? And Flint called it his. He gets up gingerly, as if the floor is about to slip from under him and bring him back to reality because good things like this didn’t happen to him. He wasn’t made for good things. He looks at the door to the bathroom and walks towards it.

The door opens and reveals an ensuite. There’s only door. Luca’s door, which means he doesn’t have to share it. What is going on? He steps in and grabs the cord beside the door. The room ignites with a faint pinging noise of the light flickering on. In front of him is the sink, a mirror over it revealing his face back to him.

He stares, grimacing at the sight – his cut lip from his previous fisticuffs with Lance scarred over, healing. But the last punches from his recent encounter with Lance and pals opened up the cut over his eyebrow. Faint finger-shaped bruises peaked out from the collar of his shirt and he winced. Flint could definitely see them when they had dinner last night. Fuck. And he told him nothing happened, that he was fine. Shit.

His eyes trail down to his torso, green, blue and purple blooming like a flower from Flint’s posture training. Nothing too serious, but he remembers the pain of it. The shock of it.

He glances at the shower, the towels beside it. He locks the door – there was a lock on the door – undresses and steps into the shower before turning on the water. It hit him gently, covering his entire body with the delicious warmth. It was much warmer than the heated water they got in the main base. His bruises and cuts practically melt under it. He wants to stay in it forever, the pressure felt amazing, he never knew a shower could leave him feeling so clean.

As he steps out of the shower, he wraps the towel that hung over a hook around his waist before looking at his reflection in the mirror. He forces his eyes away, unlocking the door and walking out into his room. Nobody was there waiting for him. He walks over to his door and locks it, surprised when the lock clicks into place.

He dresses in his casual civilian clothes, wearing one of Jet’s old jumpers and a pair of black tracksuit bottoms. Just wearing the familiar sweater and having the rest of the day to himself was amazing. He unpacked his meagre belongings, hanging up his uniform so it wouldn’t wrinkle. He stocks his shirts, folding them to place them in.

Finally, he takes out the picture of him and Jet from his pocket and puts it on the bedside table beside him. Two of Jet’s jumpers and the picture was all he had to take with him from Jet, but it was enough. He sits on the bed and looks at the door, his stomach grumbling.

Maybe he could risk the exploration of the base.

Maybe in a while.

But for now, he just sat and took in the size of his room, the silence and he let out a breath he has been holding ever since Jet dragged him into Captain Daniels’ office.

Home.

Yeah, we’ll see.

*****

ROLL CALL MAGGOTS! (the tag-list): @whumplicity @creatureofstories @afternoonfairy @castell-da-near @funnymemedude @hiddencowboybarbarian @hueningplushie @fallenwaltz

(let me know if you wanna be added or removed!)

Hey everyone, hanging my head in shame as I post this icl... (not that theres anything wrong with posting this- i just personally feel bad asking ppl for help LOL)

As some of my mutuals have been in the know of my previous years on here, i grew up in an awful household that no kid deserved to grow up in. I am now moved out into my other parent's and although it is not as bad, the situation is still emotionally draining and isnt the healthiest space.

I was not kept on in my winter job which absoloutely broke my heart because my ultimate plan was to move out into college accomodation. Having to financially soley rely on myself to sort out accomodation, I am reaching out to absoloutely anyone who would be willing to donate in any support. Liking, sharing, reblogging- whatever, it will 100% help because I understand everyone has their own shit to deal with <3

Through putting money towards my dog's cancer treatment and the bills, my money is declining and what college I can go to is very much on the fence due to my finances and accomodation.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this, any any any support is appreciated so much, thank you <3

ALCOHOL WITHDRAWAL WHUMP PROMPTS BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN IN THE TRENCHES </3

Whumpee insisting they’re fine while their hands won’t stop shaking.

Their hands shaking so badly they have to clutch them together just to stop the trembling from being obvious.

Whumpee hiding how bad it is because they’re ashamed anyone knows they’re withdrawing.

Trying to hold a cup of water/tea but the tremor keeps making it spill.

A glass slipping from their hands and shattering because their grip fails.

Whumpee trying to focus on something simple—reading, tying shoelaces, unlocking a door—but their hands won’t cooperate.

Caretaker gently taking something fragile out of Whumpee’s shaking hands before it drops.

Caretaker noticing the trembling before Whumpee does.

Caretaker realising something’s wrong when Whumpee can’t even sign their own name properly.

“When was the last time you drank?” “…I don’t remember.”

Happy Luca day!!! Let's just get straight into it!

Chapter One / Masterpost / Continued from here

--- Despite what had happened, he had an extra pep in his step. It had been months since Jet and Luca had been off grounds together, it brought back fond memories.

“Well at least we left early for the shuttle,” Jet says, nodding at the bus pulling into the station. “Means we weren’t late.”

As the shuttle's engine hums hums and the camp morphs into a gentle blur outside its windows, Jet and Luca settle in two seats near the centre of the shuttle. It had been a while since Luca had left the grounds, it was a privalege that most soldiers had to earn- Luca, of course had long lost that privalege along with countless of others.

The military grounds, surrounded by forestry and woodlands soon began to stretch out to trails of dirt wtch then slowly began to stretch into the classs one paved roads that indicated the stone city was approaching.

It was a beatiful town, its riches were evident but never hid the remaining evidence of the toll it had taken from the war. While most buildings had been rebuilt, the more non-salvagable ones were left almost as memoires. Multiple plaques and flowers stood proudly, celebrating and commemerating the fallen soldiers that had fallen. The remaining soldiers however also showed evidence of the war- missing limps- sometimes two at a time- battle scars some physical some mental. But it was something that brought the town together. Although the war tore down the town, it only brought the people closer and made the town stronger.

–

The door opens and whumper is already waiting with their arms crossed, eyes brimming with anger, “You’re late,” they grit out.

“No shit” whumpee responds, closing the door behind them and putting their bag down.

Silence, “Are you going to tell me why?”

Whumpee furrows their brows, “Well you didn’t phrase it as a question.”

Whumper takes a step forward and whumpee responds with a half step back, “Why the hell were you late?” Their voice was as sharp as glass and burned like a sudden cut.

“I’m back now so what does it matter,” they brush off, trying to push past whumper.

But whumper grips their arm tight, pulling them back to glare at them. Whumpee’s breath hitches slightly and they can feel their arm threatening to go limp under their grasp. They have to clear their throat before speaking again, “I just had to catch up on some work I missed. Remember all those off days you made me take? I had to make it all up.”

“Three hours worth?”

Something inside whumpee whipped around in frustration, maybe it was the exhaustion, but they heard themselves saying: “A lot more actually. And tomorrow I’ll have to get in early to finish the rest of it. You see in the real world, the one outside of these fucking walls, shit like that has consequences-“

A slap rang out in the room. Whumpee’s cheek burned as tears stung their eyes and throat, the one still tracing the words they had pent up in their mind, caught up in itself yet nowhere at all from the surprise of the blow. And before they could think their hand clutched into a fist and their knuckles collided with whumper’s face.

It was a wide swing and it hurt like hell, but as they watched whumper groan, shuffling on their heel to hold their face, they knew they weren't the only one in pain.

A few silent seconds past. The air seemed to still around whumpee and strangle their heart, like a frozen painting in real time. Just enough time between the strokes for the situation to settle in their mind. They weren't taking it back. Even if they did it's not like it would change anything.

The look in whumper’s eyes told them that. They glared at them from above their fingers, a vein flickering on the side of their head like a warning. And whumpee just stood like a deer in headlights.

The next few moments blurred in a mix of anger and swings. Whumper ended up with a purplish bruise on their face and a bloody nose. And whumpee, like usual, ended up on the floor, curling over their stomach as Whumper kicked them again.

They groaned, a cry slipping past their lips as they grimaced in pain. Whumpee flinched as whumper’s foot lifted again, their shoulder blades hitting the door with a thud, the arms around their stomach coming up to shield their head instead.

But no kick came. Whumper hauled them off the ground by their shirt and whumpee’s feet shuffled to follow the motion. Their vision blurred as they were spun around and their face was suddenly shoved against the door, “You wanna rethink your earlier statement?” whumper grit in their ear, making them flinch again.

Whumpee was panting. Tears painted the portrait now, their sternum ached from suddenly being stretched upright and they were unable to take in a full breath. They clawed at the hands pinning them, they couldn't speak past the lump in their throat.

Whumpee’s arm was twisted and pinned behind their back. They let out a cry as whumper continued to push their wrist up, going further with each passing second until whumpee didn't have a choice, “O-okay! M’ sorry I'm sorry, stop!”

With a shove whumper let them collapse to the ground. They quickly pulled their arm to cradle it, hissing through their teeth. They sighed as they watched whumper walk away, muscles pinching with the action, only for that breath to catch in their chest at what whumper said next:

“Call your boss, you won't be going to work tomorrow.”

Read part one // Masterpost // Continued from Here

For the first time in like... a month (sorry) HAPPY FRICKEN LUCA DAY!!!

*****

“I knew it would be you causing trouble,” a warm voice says behind Luca.

Jet.

Luca’s eyes widen as he turns his head to face the Second Lieutenant, barely hearing the retreating footsteps of Lance and his group of cowards. He wants to cry with relief at the sound of his voice. Even though it was only a few days since he last saw Jet, it felt so much longer.

He gets to his feet. “Gods, I’m so relieved to see you,” he beams, the pain suddenly forgotten as he grabs Jet’s shoulder and pulls him in. Jet returns the hug, squeezing Luca tight.

“You little shit,” Jet says fondly, breathing out a sigh of relief, like he couldn’t believe he was seeing Luca again either.

“I’m just glad you’re okay,” Jet says then laughs. “I mean, as okay as you can be.” He pulls away and puts his hands on Luca’s shoulders looking him over to make sure he was actually okay before nodding to himself.

Luca lets out a laugh. “Thanks for that,” he says, turning his head to where Lance and his friends were. “Jealous pricks don’t want me here.” He laughs, biting his cheek as he tries to hide his guilt. “I told Flint that I was friends with the other cadettes.”

Jet hooks his arm around Luca’s shoulders and steers him towards the Lieutenants’ mess hall.

“Oh Yeah, Mr Popular over here. All those friendship fights, and fun fists to the face and best friend beatings. They don’t know you got promoted to Flint’s team. Nobody does. Flint’s quite… secretive about things like that. I was told to keep it quiet, so don’t you go running your mouth about it while you’re here, or I’ll give you some friendship fists to the face, got it?”

“Gods, I feel like his mistress with all the secrets.” Jet laughs and swats Luca, rolling his eyes.

“Why is it so secretive though?” Luca asks, relief flooding him at being brought to the lieutenants’ mess hall for lunch instead of the cadets one. It didn’t matter now though. He wasn’t a cadet here anymore, at least, not in the normal sense.  

They grab trays for food and get in line. “I don’t know,” Jet replies. “He’s not like other generals. He’s… different. I’ve only heard vague stories about him, but his achievements of him and his team are well known. He makes sure that news gets around.”

After they collect their lunch, they find a table alone towards the back of the room. Once they settle, Jet continues. “Flint is like a bold child – apparently – during meetings with high command. He demands things, like normal things, like better conditions and equipment for troops, and not just his team either, but he’s not afraid to speak his mind and I think that’s why a lot of people respect him. Then of course there’s the noble born generals that despise him because what he demands costs more of their family’s money,” Jet says, digging into the food.

Luca watches him, taking it in with a hum, “Well, shit. Yeah, he seems - interesting.” He glances around casually, making sure a certain lieutenant wasn’t around before looking back at Jet.

“Has he…” Jet begins but stops himself and tries again. “Has he been okay with you? He’s not like… mistreating you or anything?”

Luca smiles, “ah come on now, J, don’t be getting all soft on me now.” Jet laughs but Luca can sense the tension in him still. “He’s been good,” Luca adds, “we went on a fatherly run this morning.”

Jet kicks Luca under the table at the comment and smirks at him as he bites into his bread. “A fatherly run?” Jet repeats slowly, raising his brows. “He’s like a dad?” Jet blinks and sits back, confusion clear on his face. “What?”

“It was a joke dude, Gods, don’t tell me the lieutenants have made you lose your humour.”

 “You just think you’re all high and mighty now that you got into Flint’s team,” Jet teases good naturedly. “I don’t know what I’m gonna do around here. It’s been so quiet without a dark-haired little shit running around.”

Luca laughs, trying to push down the stinging in his chest. He smirks as he stabs his food with a fork. “Yeah, and I don’t know what I’ll do without some jackass ruining all my fun.”

Jet chuckles lightly. It fades as he looks up at Luca, his features sobering up to something too big that Luca didn’t want to acknowledge. “I’ll always be here for you Luca,” he says, his voice soft yet firm. “You know that. You’re like an annoying little brother to me, and I love you like one. And y’know… we’ll still get to see each other on family day. Or my mother will kill me,” he says with a wry grin as his black eyes meet Luca’s. “Just… I’m happy for you. I hope your new position will be good for you. I know it will. But yeah… just so you know…” Jet looks away and coughs, drumming his fingers on the table nervously.

Luca wants to make fun of him, try and laugh and make some joke to lighten the mood but he doesn’t find the words. He stabs his food, moving around his tray as his dying hunger. He clears his throat. “Thank you… for everything. I-I’m sorry for you know,” he pauses and a slow smirk spread across his face, green eyes glimmering, “giving you grey hair with stress.”

Jet’s head snaps to Luca and he slams his hands on the table before pointing a finger at the cadet. “I don’t have grey hair you little shit!”

Luca bursts out laughing. “Alright, tell your roots that, dude, not me.”

Jet kicks him under the table again. “I should have left you with the wolves,” he growls. “Tell your roots that,” Jet mocks in a high-pitched voice before scoffing and folding his arms across his chest. “My roots are picture perfect. Beautiful. Stunning. Gorgeous, how dare you. You little fuck.”

Luca laughs. “Oi, knock it off, gonna get god damn shin splints because of you!”

“Well then stop being a splint in my shin!” Jet yells back. Then he pauses. Considers what he said. “Wait, hold on, I meant—” Luca’s already laughing and Jet groans. He kicks him again. “Stop being an annoying little shit, that’s what I meant. Oh, you are just the worst. Y’know what, I would get grey hair with you. You’re like a toddler.”

Luca shakes his head with a laugh as he takes a bite of his food. “You know who I won’t miss? Lance, the prick.”

“Lance, god.” Jet says with a groan, running his hand down his face. “He’s been throwing his dick around since you’ve left, saying you were holding them all back and now they can actually get things done. Idiot.”

Jet goes for his water and pauses as he looks over Luca’s shoulder. “Huh. Speaking of pricks. Wonder what that’s about.”

Luca follows Jet’s gaze until his eyes settle on First Lieutenant Riley walking with Captain Daniels.

“Fuuuuck.” Luca winces, his back hunching as he tries to make himself discreet.

“Hey, it’s fine, they’ve already passed us, they won’t see you,” Jet tells him. His voice is so plain and certain that Luca can’t help but trust him. “What is it?” Jet asks when Luca turns back to face him. “Do you know what that’s about?”

But he’s not fine. It could be anything. Flint was meeting with Daniels today. What if he was meeting with him to investigate all the behavioural reports on Luca? Get the facts from the source of the accusers rather than reading them? Fuck. Why would Flint even do that? To see what he was working with? Was Flint having second thoughts in taking Luca? He can’t drop him now, surely. He couldn’t put him back in the cadets now?!

“Hey, Fletcher!” Jet says, suddenly beside Luca, his hand a reassuring weight on his shoulder. Luca’s eyes snap to his. “Why don’t we do something? Go somewhere off base.”

Luca startles slightly at the sudden presence. “Y-yeah, that sounds good,” he smiles, wishing Jet could just take him, protect him from the firsts, the cadets, the captains. Protect him if Flint really did change his mind.

“A couple of people are going to the lake, so that’s out,” Jet says, taking Luca’s reputation into account. “But we could head into town? Get that hot chocolate you love? It can be like a y’know…” like a proper goodbye goes unsaid as Jet pinches the back of his neck.

Luca smiles brightly, a sour taste in his mouth, eyes glistening. “Sounds good. I’d really like that.”

 “Good.” He starts messing up Luca’s hair until Luca slaps his hands away with a grin. “Alright,” he says, grabbing his tray to put away. “Come on.”

Luca grabs his tray and they both throw it in the pile of trays that built up by the food counter. As they step out, Luca’s eyes scan the perimeter, checking for Lance or one of the firsts. Jet walks beside Luca, seemingly oblivious to the threats that surround Luca here. “We can get one of the shuttles,” Jet says, slipping down one of the shortcuts towards the gates of camps.

“Oh, actually, I needed to stop by the bookstore too,” Jet says, “one of the captains recommended a book by—”

“Maybe you should do less reading and more working,” someone says, cutting Jet off mid-sentence. “Or maybe, less sucking up to the captains.”

The voice came from in front of Jet blocking the exit from the alley and he stops, his jaw ticking as he stares at the owner.

“Grant. Great. Nice to see ya pal, if you’ll excuse us.”

“Not so fast.” A hand clamps down on Luca’s shoulder, fingers digging into his collarbone. Luca glances behind him and sees another of Lieutenant Riley’s friends. He’s tall and broad, maybe the size of Luca and Jet standing side by side.

Luca’s eyes widen and he growls, instantly trying to pull the grip off of him, but he freezes as he sees the man. For fuck’s sake. “Leave us alone.” Luca growls, looking to Jet to see if he was okay.

“We just wanna ask some questions, Fletcher,” the brute says. Luca couldn’t remember his name. Thomas? Robert? Thombert? Something like that. He shoved Luca against the wall with his massive hand, almost knocking the breath from Luca’s lungs. Jet turns back and grabs the brute’s arm, trying to push him off but the brute didn’t move an inch. “Get off him! He’s just a fucking kid, what does he know?”

An arm snakes over Jet’s torso and Jet huffs out a snarl, pushing back against his attacker. “Calm down, Jetty-boo, we just wanna talk to the lad.”

“Fuck off! What do you wanna know anyways? You don’t have to hurt him to ask him a fucking question.”

“But he’s so pretty when he’s covered in cuts and bruises,” Grant coos.

Luca feels sick as he looks at Grant, trying to catch his breath. He tries to shove the brute off of him with a grunt, “Get off of me, prick!”

“You know what’s funny, Second Lieutenant?” Grant asks, holding Jet to his chest as he struggles. “Riley gets called to the Captain’s quarters the day this little waste of space appears in camp again. Ain’t that a coincidence, Albrecht?”

“Doesn’t seem like a coincidence to me,” the brute replies, flattening his hand on Luca’s chest and pushing against his ribs. Albrecht. That was his name. Luca knew it was something stupid.

“Look we have somewhere to be,” Jet growls. “So, if you’d just get to the fucking point so we can all move on, that’d be great.”

Luca wanted nothing more than to run to Jet, let him protect him and get him out of this. But at the same time, he wanted to be the hero, to knock Albrecht off of him and save Jet and himself the trouble. He wanted to be the strong one, for once.

He continues to fight against Albrecht, teeth bared.

“Let go! I swear to god I’ll kill you!”

Albrecht puts his free hand on Luca’s throat and picks him off the ground like he weighs nothing. Luca gasps and kicks his legs, trying to get the brute in the balls but he was standing too far away for Luca to reach. “For fuck’s sake just ask what you want!” Jet yells, throwing an elbow back at Grant and sweeping his legs from under him. Before he could reach Luca though another person slammed into Jet, tackling him at the hips and Jet went down. “He can’t—” Jet yelled between struggles of trying not to get his hands pinned. “—fucking answer if you’re- FUCK! Let him go!”

The other guy managed to pin Jet to the ground, putting his knees on Jet’s biceps and his hands on his wrists to keep him down. Grant steps over Jet and walks to Luca whose face is purple at this point and nods at Albrecht to let him down. Albrecht drops Luca but grabs him by the scruff of his shirt to keep him up, slamming him against the wall, knuckles digging into his collar bones.

“Why did Daniels want to talk to Riley all of a sudden, Fletcher?”

Luca splutters, coughing and wheezing as his words aimlessly flail. Oxygen floods into his lungs, making him dizzier and his hand wraps around the wrist of the hand holding him to steady himself. Breaths heavy and forced.

“Don’t… know…” he pants

“No?” Grant asks, grabbing Luca’s chin and tilting his head up to look Grant in the eyes, a pout on his lips. “You can’t think of any reason?”

Jet growls and struggles to get free. “Ugh! He said he doesn’t know and he doesn’t!”

Luca grits his teeth, breath still heavy. “I don’t f-ff’ckn’ know!” He growls, digging his nails into the skin of the man who held him. He doesn’t dare to look at Jet.

“Alright.” Grant says and lets go of Luca, strolling casually over to Jet.

“Fuck off Grant,” Jet growls, struggling to pulls his arms free of the other guy on him. Luca couldn’t see the other Lieutenant’s face from this angle.

“Hey…” Luca says, his voice cracking. “Hey. Lea-leave Jet alone. I don’t know! I don’t know why he’s talking to Riley I swear.”

Grant grins at Luca while he lifts the tip of his boot over Jet’s neck, hovering, the threat clear. “No? You can’t think of anything?”

Luca’s thrashing picks up. “I’m getting discharged!” He growls, hoping the lie sits so Jet won’t be hurt. “Okay?? Flint has to sign off on my discharge papers, that’s it! We just wanted to spend our last day together you prick!”

Grant pauses, and all eyes go to Luca. "What?"

Luca shoves against Albrecht's hand. "They're kicking me out, because of you lot, and fucking Riley's reports on me, so get the fuck off of me and let us go."

"It's the last time you'll ever see me, alright?!" he pants, his voice filling the alley. His eyes go to Jet’s for a moment, the look they share is quiet, but it says everything. Luca forces his eyes away, looking at grant, “let us go.”

Grant looks at Jet, before looking at Albrecht and nodding. Albrecht lets go of Luca and Luca jerks himself out of his grip. He gets to the guy on top of Jet and yanks him off with a huff. Grant puts his hand up to stop the other from attacking Luca.

"Let them go," he says as Luca helps Jet up. "You can happily wave him off. The last time we ever have to beat up the little shit."

Luca doesn’t move until Jet does and they walk away swiftly. Luca’s heartbeat thrummed in his ears as his footsteps matches Jet’s. Jet doesn't speak until they are clear of the gates and waiting at the stop for the shuttles into town.

"Luca, I'm sorry. I tried to get him off you," he says, his voice filled with guilt.

“Huh? Why are you apologizing?” He laughs lightly but he can still feel the grip around his neck. He thought he was going to die in the hands of that monster.

Before Jet can answer though, Luca pats him lightly on the back. “C’mon, let’s not let those bastards ruin our day.”

Jet tries for a smile, running a hand through his hair before he grins genuinely. "Yeah. You're right," he says with a sigh. "Fucking arseholes. You really saved my ass back there," he says, beaming at Luca. he messes up his hair again with a laugh. "For once."

Luca laughs with him but can't help leaning into the touch. “Yeah yeah, don’t say I never did anything for ya."

*****

To Be Continued

ROLL CALL MAGGOTS! (aka the tag-list): @imgoingtobiteyounow @whumplicity @creatureofstories @afternoonfairy @castell-da-near @funnymemedude @hiddencowboybarbarian @hueningplushie @fallenwaltz

HELLO HELLO!!! I AM SO SORRY FOR THE DELAY, IT WAS MY FAULT, I was not in the headspace for uploading stuff in February and then @whumpasaurus101 beat me within an inch of my life and I have been healing in hospital ever since (/j) but seriously, February was just crazy but I AM BACK NOW and this series will go back to its regularly scheduled Friday uploads. :)

Co-story written by me and @whumpasaurus101

Hey everyone, hanging my head in shame as I post this icl... (not that theres anything wrong with posting this- i just personally feel bad asking ppl for help LOL)

As some of my mutuals have been in the know of my previous years on here, i grew up in an awful household that no kid deserved to grow up in. I am now moved out into my other parent's and although it is not as bad, the situation is still emotionally draining and isnt the healthiest space.

I was not kept on in my winter job which absoloutely broke my heart because my ultimate plan was to move out into college accomodation. Having to financially soley rely on myself to sort out accomodation, I am reaching out to absoloutely anyone who would be willing to donate in any support. Liking, sharing, reblogging- whatever, it will 100% help because I understand everyone has their own shit to deal with <3

Through putting money towards my dog's cancer treatment and the bills, my money is declining and what college I can go to is very much on the fence due to my finances and accomodation.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this, any any any support is appreciated so much, thank you <3