Black and blue
This was my reply to a challenge which I translated into English. The prompt was the following:
black and blue
Mystery
Call of Duty
John Soap Mactavish
Simon Ghost Riley
Roach has a secret und MacTavish doesn't like it at all. He searches for answers, but what he finds is not exactly what he had expected.
MacTavish didn't like secrets. Especially not when Roach was having them. For one thing, the sergeant just couldn't hide anything. He had known something was up before he even saw the bruises. For another thing, he thought Roach trusted him und if he didn't that didn't bode well.
At first he attempted the direct approach. He waited patiently until they lay in bed together und Roach was half asleep beside him. The drunk and the sleeping supposedly didn't lie.
"Gary…"
"Hmm…" With closed eyes Roach borrowed deeper into the pillows. The blanket only covered him up to the hip und the spots in all shades between purple and light green contrasted sharply to the pale skin und and even paler sheets.
"How come you look like you've been beaten up? Can't remember you having one of your mishaps lately."
Immediately Roach was as wide awake as if MacTavish had poured ice water down his boxers. He sat up and gave his Captain-Slash-Lover an alarmed look. Who was already expecting an excuse to come.
"Er… you know. Training. Ghost overdid it when we were training." He stared at the covers while quickly and jerkily forming these sentences. MacTavish frowned. Roach tried to laugh away the awkward silence and failed miserably.
"Hm." In the sure knowledge that Roach would not come out with the truth even though it was painfully obvious that he was hiding it, MacTavish leaned back and pulled Roach towards him. The sergeant sighed and relaxed.
"Then I should talk to Ghost. Can't have my men too tired to work after training."
MacTavish clearly sensed Roach tense up and felt the sting of jealousy. Something was up between Ghost and Roach, and he didn't like it at all.
Like the professional he was, MacTavish let a few days pass until he spoke to Ghost. If he wanted to catch them red-handed, he had to give them a sense of safety. And while he waited for his chance, he observed them. Almost every evening Roach would disappear for a few hours and once he returned, new bruises would color his skin. MacTavish tried to imagine what he was doing that it blemished him so much and had to be kept a secret from him. He never held onto these thoughts for very long.
Finally he couldn't take it any longer. Ghost and he were sitting in their shared office to finish overdue reports. They always procrastinated as long as they could only to do it all in one go. And if one of them couldn't remember what happened at this or that mission, the other usually did. If he didn't – well, they were both great storytellers.
"Heard you are driving the boys rather hard lately.", MacTavish mentioned casually while staring at the report he had been working on for the last half hour. He didn't even try to see behind Ghosts mask but continued to type, more to have an alibi than to get any work done.
"Is that so? And I thought I am always driving them hard.", the lieutenant answered easily.
"Don't overdo it, Riley. Nobody gains anything if the men are too worn to do their work. Roach is …"
"So that's what this is about. Your loverboy came complaining and now daddy sorts it all out."
"… completely covered in bruises and he gets new ones every day. What the hell have you been doing?!", MacTavish finished his lecture, unimpressed. "And Roach didn't complain to me.", he added.
"Then what is your problem? Unless you didn't notice, Soap: Roach is a grown man and if he doesn't approve of my training method, he can tell me himself."
"I'm serious, Ghost. Give them a break." MacTavish stared sternly at his lieutenant with his light blue eyes for a while and then turned back to his report. After a glance at it he deleted the last half hours work and started from the beginning.
Despite his clear orders Roach still came back from training black and blue and still didn't tell the truth. And MacTavish was beginning to get really angry, which was never a good thing. So he went on to plan C.
Following Ghost would be as successful as trying to catch a fly, but Roach was quite another thing. Everyone on the team knew he was as good at sneaking as an elephant would be at bartending. He would never ever notice a pursuer.
So MacTavish followed him to one of the older building of the military complex. The only reason those were still standing was because they hadn't collapsed on their own yet. He shook his head at Roach, who wasn't even nervous. It was about time he told him one or two things about being alert. The sergeant was relaxed as he entered one of the storehouses. MacTavish positioned himself nearby and lit a cigarette. He was starting to become nervous.
After he finished smoking, he took a deep breath and prayed to whatever god that Ghost and Roach weren't doing what he feared they were doing. Because then he would have to kill at least one of them. How should he explain to Shepard that he needed a new lieutenant? And Roach … he didn't know what he would do.
In front of the door he stopped and listened for suspicious noises. When there was a loud groaning and moaning, he couldn't restrain himself any longer. He tore open the door so hard that it hit the next wall with a deafening bang. He recognized Roach und Ghost at first sight.
Both were fully clothed which was a relief. While Roach was just getting onto his feet again, Ghost was leisurely leaning against a wall and watching him. The biggest part of the hall was taken up by an obstacle course. While his lover was shocked into silence and just gawking at him, Ghost's body language remained relaxed. He didn't seem particularly surprised at his superiors entrance.
" hell. is this?". MacTavish asked very calmly. He felt deceived and ridiculed and he disliked that as much as secrets. Roach still staring at him with huge eyes and ducked as if he was expecting a beating.
"I can explain this.", he began which made both MacTavish and Ghost snort.
"I should hope so."
"It's not what you think." Unfortunately, Roach didn't realize until it was too late that this sentence hadn't been the smartest reply. "I mean … uhm … we were training. I mean I was training and Ghost helped me."
"And for what damn reason did you have to hide this from me?! That's is stupid, Sanderson!"
"You can't understand, John. You don't fall over your own feet every two steps and compromise the mission!"
Abruptly MacTavish saw daylight. "You were embarrassed because you didn't make one or two jumps?", he asked incredulously. Roach stubbornly looked at the floor.
"One or two?! That was more than just one or two!"
"Roach…"
"See? And that's why I didn't say anything! You don't take me serious."
MacTavish drew breath for an acerbic reply, saw Roachs face and blew the air out in a sigh. He closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose while he pondered how he would avoid this relationship crisis. That's what came from getting too close to your subordinates.
"Roach…", he started again. "I am taking this serious. But all this training will be useless if you don't start trusting in your abilities."
Roach didn't say anything but MacTavish could see him looking up hopefully. Just say the right thing one more time now…
"Gary, you are a good soldier and when you finally realize that you won't make these mistakes any longer." When Roach grimaced, he quickly added. "But if want more training, we can arrange that."
Roach smiled and MacTavish returned the gesture while silently thanking god.
Later they lay in bed together and discussed Roachs training schedule. The sergeant had comfortably bedded his head on the chest of his captain who was enjoying the last cigarette for the day.
"Anyway, how did you get Ghost to keep this a secret? He usually doesn't interfere with our business."
"I told him it would only lead to an argument. And when we are fighting, he usually gets the worst of your bad mood."
"Pff!", said MacTavish. "Muppet."
END
This is just a little exercise in translating and of course a test whether the readers from like my short stories, too. I'd be glad if you took the time to tell me if you liked it or if I wasted my time translating this.