Chapter Text
Italics — additional internal voice of Cope
‘Get the fuck up, get the fuck up. Moove!’
The voice of Staff Sgt. McKinnon took me by surprise as I was cleaning my boots. Why was I still behaving like a scared baby deer? It was getting old real quick. Especially when every day, Sgt. Knox acted like a crazy motherfucker towards Ray and everyone else.
‘This is Sergeant Sullivan.’
McKinnon continued as I stood still and strung myself as tight as I could. Watching the new, hot man in Boot Camp. Honestly, they should have at least one ugly person here, just to soothe my nerves…
‘He is your new drill instructor.’
Of course, he fucking is, Cameron — what did you think? This piece of ass will hunt you down, hard. My inner voice teased me without mercy in the slutty little voice I had never heard before. Sullivan sounds hot, too. So many muscles… wet dream on legs.
I needed to stop the madness in my head and focus on the present, because the new DI's stare creepy at Ray. If he could, he probably would give him a heart attack.
‘Some of you won't make it! Some of you came here to fail…’
He paused dramatically, looking at each and every man in the room with mild displeasure showing in the eyes.
‘And I'll make certain that you will!’
The deep voice, confident, commanding, hit me somewhere low in the gut. I yearned for that sound before I even understood why.
‘Take your rifles and hold them at a ninety-degree angle!’
When nobody moved fast enough, Mr. Hot One screamed: ‘NOW!!!’
The rasp of his voice will be my new kind of torture. Ten minutes and thirty-five seconds later, I was slowly dying, trying to convey all my sorrows with eyes to Ray standing on the other side.
‘Change to forth-degree!’
He wasn't faring much better, but he was still outperforming my poor form. Maybe I should work on my strength more?
‘What is your name, recruit?’
The cold timbre cut through the air, interrupting the silent staring contest with my best friend, zeroing in on my face. Too close.
I could detect the way he smells of… Rain? Earth? Something wild but contained.
Is this how I'll die?
Please don't be a diva, not right now!
It’s difficult not to be. He's as handsome, but it’s appears that he's also insane as any other DI in this godforsaken place… possibly more.
I felt Sullivan’s stare imprint itself on my body and mind. But I stand proud, head high.
‘Sir, this recruit’s name is Cope, sir.’
I said, trying to convey a bit of strength I didn’t feel, but needed to present at the moment.
Unfortunately, just one more look at this new man in front of me was enough to understand that my attempt was a weak one.
He knew.
He saw through me?
I looked past him and saw blood drain from Ray’s face, mirroring my horror. But Sullivan didn’t give me a chance to freak out more, because his presence was powerful enough to pull me in.
I was a fly ready to burn in his light.
Baby-blue eyes told a story full of pity and anger toward me (?)… Or every one at boot camp.
He was hard to read, but I could feel it in the way he looked me up and down, one brown raised a little higher under the ridiculous DI hat.
He had some problem with me.
I just didn't know yet what will come of that.
Scared to death, I took a deep breath, synchronizing with the man.
One, two, three...
Cameron, I feel the tension. My unruly brain picture full on romantic comedy that will never be, but surprisingly the vivid dream kept my fear in check.
Is it getting hot in here?
‘I can’t!’
The weakest voice of all platoons said, shattering the tension between us.
I watched as a pissed-off Sullivan, along with Sgt. Howitt, strode toward Ochoa, drilling instruction after instruction until the poor guy stopped crying.
Relief and guilt twisted together in my chest. Thanks to Ochoa’s meltdown, maybe I will live another day.
Or maybe Mr. Handsome Man wouldn’t report me for being who I am… He could have called me out right now, but didn't.
After an hour or so, I lost count, the new DI finally had his sip of sweet torment and shouted to us:
‘At ease, recruits! Wake-up call at 5 a.m.!’
When nobody moved, too afraid too. ‘You heard the man, go to sleep, shitheads!’ added Howitt.
Itching to go to Ray with my misery, I stopped short in my tracks.
Caught by one hard stare from Sullivan.
His jaw tight, eyes drilling into my…
Fuck.
I need to get out of here.
Sooner rather than later.
With that, I backed up to the bunk and crashed onto the bed, brain full of thoughts I couldn’t even untangle.