Hey all.

I decided to post a few stand-alones. They're maybe not as gripping as my longer works, but I must say, I'm kinda fond of them nonetheless, and hope one or two of you out there will enjoy them too.

Hannibal picked up the case of cigars and sent it flying across the small room into a corner. The little box hit the one wall, ricocheted and hit the other wall before it finally fell to the floor in pieces.

Face started at the sudden outburst and the violence behind Hannibal's action, but did his best to keep calm.

Hannibal drew in a deep breath. He needed to get rid of this hot fury. If he didn't, he might go and do something stupid, something counter-productive, something really bad. – Like punching his freshly promoted LT in the face until it was all bloody and swollen. Another deep breath and Hannibal felt his ability to think clearly return. "Pick them up," he ordered. His voice was still full of anger, but at least it wasn't blind rage anymore.

Face immediately dropped to his knees, happy that there was something he could do, and started picking up the discarded cigars.

"Only the cigars!" Hannibal barked, when Face picked up one of the wooden shreds. Face dropped it at once, like it was some piece of hot metal that burned his fingers. Finally he had all of the cigars in his hands. He got up and indecisively stood for a moment. "Here!" Hannibal ordered, pointing at his desktop. Face hurried to carefully put the precious cigars down in front of Hannibal. Then he quickly took two steps back, away from the Colonel, closer to the door.

Hannibal picked up one of the cigars. He held it up to his nose, breathing in the odour. Oh, yes, Face had organised some really fine cigars there. Part of him wanted to put that cigar into his mouth, bite off the one end, light the other end, and then just puff contentedly for a while. But a stronger part of him removed the cigar from his nose. He held it between thumb and forefinger.

"You think I would want this?" he asked. Face tried to say something, but he never got further than, "I-I-I...".

Hannibal snapped the cigar into two. "That's how badly I want to smoke this damn thing!" He saw Face's eyes widen as he stared in disbelief. Hannibal took the two halves and crumbled them each. That way, he proceeded with all the rest of the 22 remaining cigars. Soon he had a big pile of crumbled, fine tobacco on his desk, only one cigar was left. Hannibal held it out to Face.

"Here, I want you to destroy this one," he said. His voice was calm by now, yet he was still angry. Face hesitantly reached for the cigar, and with slightly shaky fingers started to pick it apart.

Hannibal could see the confusion and despair in his lieutenant's face, and pain too. Good, Hannibal thought. He'd better suffer. This was meant to be punishment as well as a lecture. Hannibal just hoped it taught Face what his Colonel wanted, and, more importantly, what his Colonel most definitely did not want.

Miserably Face dropped the remains of the cigar onto the pile of tobacco.

Hannibal took his waste bin and wiped the pile into it. "Dismissed," he said absently. He saw with surprise, that Face was actually saluting before he quickly left the office. Hannibal wondered for a moment if Face had wanted to mock him, but soon came to the conclusion, that Face had been clueless, and in his confusion had fallen back to military drill. Whatever, Hannibal certainly wouldn't come after Face for saluting him.

He dropped his eyes down to the tobacco in the waste bin. They must have been worth a small fortune, Hannibal thought. Thirty of the finest cigars Hannibal had ever tasted. And he had really enjoyed the first seven of them. But then... Hannibal dropped into his chair and sighed. Then he had found out about how Face had organised them. He had thrown away all dignity, pride and self-respect. Hannibal's face contorted with disgust. He didn't mind homosexuality, really. Ok, truth be said, he had never thought about it before. He knew it existed and that some men got a kick out of it. So be it, who was Hannibal to judge them? But... Face! Hannibal shook his head. No. Face was a lady's man, straight like drawn with a ruler. He always talked about girls, what he liked about them, what he disliked. He carried the picture of a girl with him, day and night. When they headed into town, he was the first to go after girls. And it wasn't just a show. Hannibal had noticed an obvious reaction on Face every now and then. Hannibal smiled sadly. Face was a bunch of hormones on legs. He more often than not thought with his crotch instead of his head. It got him into trouble regularly. But... Hannibal's smile dropped. How could Face have thought he'd like those cigars so much he wouldn't care how he got them? How could he have thought, that he, Hannibal, wouldn't mind his lieutenant screwing some smarmy Vietnamese to get him some cigars he could well do without? How could Face have thrown practically all of himself overboard, like it was just nothing?

Hannibal picked up the waste-bin and went to empty it. He couldn't stand the intriguing smell of the tobacco anymore.

Well, it had never been much of a secret that Face's methods of requisitioning were... unorthodox, to say the least. It was also known that his methods weren't strictly legal most of the times. Sometimes, they were outright illegal, but Hannibal didn't mind as long he didn't violate any laws of moral and dignity. But... to go that far for just a box of lousy cigars... ok, ok, they hadn't been lousy at all, they had been first class, but still. It had been a box of cigars, not more. Hannibal felt like throwing up. Had Face really thought, that he'd enjoy even one more drag, when he found out, how they had been paid for? Hannibal stopped a young Private. "Here, empty this and then get it back to my office," he asked and handed the man his bin. Rank did have its advantages. Then Hannibal went in search for Face.

Face sat at the furthest still save corner of the base. He was toying around with a vine, losing himself in self-pity and anger at Hannibal. How could Hannibal destroy those cigars, when he knew how costly they had been, when he knew how hard Face had worked to get them. How could he trample on this gift like that?

"Lieutenant!" Hannibal's voice snapped behind him.

Face considered ignoring him for a moment, but then his anger welled up, and Face jumped to his feet. "What?!" he snapped back.

"I want to talk to you," Hannibal said in his normal, calm voice.

"About what?" Face crossed his arms in front of himself.

"I just... I wonder if you understand at all, why I did what I did."

Face dropped his head. "I guess you just didn't like them anymore."

"Damn right! To think you paid for them with your body... It makes me sick!"

Face shrugged. "Honestly, it hasn't been much of a sweat," he said.

Hannibal walked up to Face, until they were so close, they could feel each others' breath on their faces. "Are you gay?" he asked softly.

"Wh-what?" Face looked up with bewilderment.

"You heard me perfectly well, Lieutenant. Does being with another man give you satisfaction?"

"Sex always does," Face answered.

"I mean beyond just physical, Lieutenant, and you know it, so stop trying to mess with me."

Face didn't know what to say anymore. He didn't like lying to the Colonel, but he knew the truth wouldn't appeal to him. "I... yes," he answered, and it wasn't a lie, not really. Because he had got satisfaction out of it. He had known, that when it was over, he would get those cigars for Hannibal. That was a satisfaction of sorts. No, he had not lied.

"I... I see." Hannibal obviously had a hard time believing it.

"I like girls," Face said softly. "But sometimes..." Since he didn't finish the sentence, it was no lie. If in his mind Hannibal finished the sentence along the line of, "... sometimes I like men as well", it was Hannibal's problem, not his. No, he had not lied.

"Ok, if that's what you want..." Hannibal cleared his throat. "But Face, don't do it as payment. Don't do it, to get us things. If being... with... men is what you desire, so do it. But do it for pleasure, not business. If I hear anything like that ever again, you'll be court marshalled faster'n you can think. Have I made myself clear?"

"Yes, perfectly clear."

Face watched Hannibal leave, then just sat down again, his legs crossed, going back to toying around with the vine. So, that's what it all had been about. Hannibal didn't like queers. He disliked them so much, that he couldn't even overlook it in favour to his gift. Very well, Face would have to be more cautious in future. But he couldn't give up Linh, he was just too good a contact to cut off. Face only had to take care that he wasn't seen with him any more. He had to be careful not to overdo it. He had to make sure he went to him for only the important things, things, Hannibal needed for missions. Hannibal wouldn't bother to ask how he'd gotten hold of the items, he hadn't so far. He just accept them showing up like being pulled from a magic hat.

Face ripped the vine off. What double standards! Face got up and walked back to the centre of the base. If it was for the war, whatever he did, was ok. If it was for a friend's personal enjoyment, it was not.

Face wiped his hands clean on his pants. He hated war.

END