Prompt: Ian/Anthony or Earl/Hunter, 312
Defending their rival when they aren’t present because though tantalizing, they can’t hide the respect they hold for them. -
Ian/Anthony / Hunter/Earl
“Guy is a loser,” one of the battalion members says. Hunter doesn’t know his name, doesn’t care to know at this point. He mainly keeps to his own squad because that’s who he can trust, who he knows has his back.
Hunter follows the guy’s gaze to the foodline of the cafeteria. For a high-end military-esque Government operation you’d think they’d have a better lunch set up that was more removed from high school style, yet, there are in the huge cafeteria, with the food line, the tables, and Hunter thinks maybe shit doesn’t really ever change.
The battalion member is focused on Earl who is getting a huge scoop of green beans on his plate. Earl, a scientist at the institute, isn't one who garners a lot of respect. The man is brilliant, he’s also secretly the brother of Hunter’s Captain Clip, and if more people knew that, they definitely wouldn’t be calling Earl a loser or locking him in small spaces as some immature form of hazing.
“Franklin told me he stuffed him into a locker the other day, made the dude cry.”
This battalion member laughs along with his buddy and Hunter sighs, setting down his spoon.
“Knock it off,” Hunter snaps.
The two guys, younger than Hunter, they both look up at him suddenly, eyes wide in surprise. Hunter can be an asshole, he knows this, and he can also give Earl a hard time, but he does it in a fun way…not locking him in a locker kind of way.
“You two get your jollies by mocking someone more defenseless than you? Is that it? That why you joined the program? To make up for some high school bullying or to finally get the chance to be the bully?”
“No, Sir,” the one kid says, recognizing Hunter’s rank.
“Dr. Meyer is a genius and working his ass off in that lab with his fellow egg heads trying their best to fix whatever the fuck is breaking our world. You think that’s worthy of being stuffed in a locker?”
“N-No, we just…”
“What? Cause he ain’t an asshole like you? Cause he don’t fight back? He’s a good person unlike you two sorry sonsofbitches and if I even catch you two looking his way I will personally report you and give you a taste of your own medicine. Got it?”
The two men nod, exchanging petrified glances with one another.
“Sorry, Sir. It won’t, ah, won’t happen again,” the guy mumbles.
“Good. Now, get the fuck out of my sight,” Hunter snaps.
The men grab their lunch trays, practically springing up in an effort to follow Hunter’s orders and get the fuck away from him, somewhere amongst their own squad, where they can no doubt call Hunter an asshole behind his back.
He doesn’t mind it. It’s true, he is one. You have to be to do what he does.
“Good afternoon, Hunter,” Earl says from somewhere behind Hunter’s shoulder. “The lunch room is pretty crowded…ah…mind if I sit with you?” Earl asks nervously.
Hunter exhales harsh through his nose but he uses his foot under the table to push out the chair next to him, granting Earl a safe place to eat lunch.
“Go ahead,” Hunter adds, because sometimes Earl needs it spelled out for him.
“Thanks, Hunter…or should I address you by your last name?” Earl asks.
“Hunter is fine,” he says, “just sit down.”
Earl does, setting his tray piled full of veggies down in front of him on the table. Hunter spares him a sideways glance and he sees a strand of curly hair slipping out of the ponytail Earl has it pulled into, how the curl is twined with silvery strands of grey.
He pushes his glasses up his nose and picks up his fork.
“How’s War Ape?” Earl asks.
“Fine,” Hunter says, and then, because he feels like he should, he says, “how’s the…goo?”
“Well, it’s actually not goo,” Earl begins. Hunter groans. “Uh, I mean…the goo is good. It’s good. Good goo.”
Hunter nods, and turns his attention back to his sandwich. He wouldn’t call he and Earl friends but…he doesn’t mind the guy, and he doesn’t think the guy deserves to be mocked and shoved into lockers. This isn’t high school.
The least he can do is let Earl sit next to him at lunch and ramble on about the goo the science department is experimenting on.
