The next few weeks were uneventful. Almrez was his typical self, bullying anyone he pleased. David was initially more protective of Jim. He sat closer at their desks, invited Jim to social events, anything to make sure he wasn't alone. And it worked. The guy from the showers didn't bother him again, and they could resume their lives. They studied like hell for their upcoming exams. Jim was working his way up to a third-class petty officer, while David was working toward the title of first-class. There was so much to preoccupy themselves with, that the showers incident wasn't even on their minds. Jim often found himself studying in the library with friends, which was always a nice break from the structure of their PT sessions.

The library was much quieter in the morning. Most of the slackers didn't bother getting up this early so it was easy to find a big table for the group. Jim was sitting with classmates, going over their physics assignment. "Where did they get the ideas for this stuff?" Warven closed his physics book. "I mean, I get it but its for sure some kind of madness."

Jim shook his head. "I think you might need a break."

"Well, whatever I need, it better involve some coffee."

Jim tapped his papers on the table and set them down. "Sounds good."

A clawed hand slammed onto the table. "What's good, Hawkins? Planning your hook ups?" Almrez smiled a wide, dirty toothed grin. None of them said anything. Almrez glanced around the table. "Aren't you looking for a boyfriend, Warven?" he smacked the back of the young man's head. "And Heffren I'm sure you've got room in your bed. You two are probably rolling around anyway."

"Shut up." One of Jim's friends scoffed.

"Don't you have anything better to do? We're trying to work here." Warven gestured to his books.

"Yeah, you're mother." Almrez pushed the supplies off the table, sending the papers flying.

"Instead of harassing Jim about his life, why don't you work on your own?" Heffren got up to leave. Jim and Warven were picking up the books and paper, getting ready to follow.

"Don't need to. This is more fun." Almrez sneered. He looked down at Jim and Warven, putting a booted foot on Warven's hand. He hissed and pushed Almrez's leg.

"Get off." Jim pushed too, and Almrez moved his foot.

The alien watched Jim gather his things and sit back down. Leaning toward Jim, he tsked. "Don't worry. I'm sure you'll find someone to lay under. Tiny thing like you would be sure to have some big boys looking at you. And you'd like that, wouldn't you? But maybe you've asked some of them, and now all you have is your little group of friends." Jim remained silent, so Almrez went for a soft spot he didn't know Jim had. "If none of your buddies will stoop that low, I know a couple guys who would take on your…'daddy issues.'"

Jim jumped to his feet. His nostrils flared, furious. They stood almost chest to chest. Almrez had just raised his eyebrows, looking satisfied.

"Ohh?" Almrez purred. "Gotcha."

"Walk away, Jim." Heffren warned. "Just walk away."

"Common man," Warven put a hand on Jim's shoulder. "Let's go." He got Jim to move back a bit. They all turned and walked away. Almrez was right on Jim's heels. Hissing in his ear.

"What's wrong, Jim? Seems like you're just mad that I'm right. Is that why you're such a pathetic twink? Because you need someone to soothe that Daddy shaped hole in your heart?" Almrez mocked. David turned the corner then, coming to invite them to get some food. When he saw Almrez with Jim he prepared for the worst. Seeing the alien look so smug made his blood boil. "Seems like you're running away. Did your daddy teach you to run away?" Almrez laughed. "Coward." Jim ignored him, earning a shove from the alien. "Turn around and face me, Hawkins!" Almrez continued to push Jim's shoulders trying to egg him on. "Daddy never taught you to be a man?"

"That's enough!" David snapped. Almrez immediately met his gaze. "Get out of here, Uriratha." The alien scoffed but left. "You okay, Jim?" He reached out a hand, but Jim just walked past, looking upset.

Jim didn't go back to their dorm. He wasn't on the training field or in the recreational rooms. But when David asked a friend of theirs if she'd seen Jim, she sent him to the gymnasium. He found Jim there: sparring with a punching bag. David put his hands in his pockets and stopped outside the ring. "What's up?"

Jim paused to look at David. "Sparing." He did a set of punches.

"Obviously."

"What do you want?" Jim stepped back from the bag.

"I wanna know, why you're here."

Jim started punching again. "I'm here- because I'm angry. And let's not dance around it. No, 'Why're you angry?' 'Why do you feel like that?' I'm angry because you made me look like an idiot."

"What?"

"When Almrez was in the library with us, I was trying to just walk away." He punched away at the bag.

David shook his head. "Almrez isn't the type to back down. He's just going to keep harassing you unless he's stopped."

"You embarrassed me. I could have ignored him, and he'd gone away on his own."

"Why would you keep putting up with it at all?"

"I'm trying to be the mature one!" he gestured to himself. "So maybe, he'll give up."

"So, I intervened. So what?" David gave Jim a look with his hands open. "You've never complained before. What is the big deal?"

"Your help isn't always the answer, and sometimes it just gives him more fuel for the fire. Every time he sees me with anyone its just more bait to dangle." Jim ran a hand over his hair to push it back. "'Oh, you're sitting with boys? That's gay! Oh, you're talking to girls? Well, isn't that a big step for you? Why don't you crawl back to where you belong?' It's just his bullshit."

"You didn't seem upset when I helped you in the locker room." David was becoming irked.

Jim took a moment to breathe and push his hair back. "I needed help then. I'd told him to back off and he didn't. Thank you, again, for that. But this time, I didn't want your help." Jim turned to start sparing again.

"Well, I'm sorry, but I heard that thing he said about your dad and I just, went off." David shook his head, becoming angry at the recollection. "You shouldn't let him talk to you like that!"

"I've got other things on my mind: I don't have time to be fighting him."

"If he's not worth your time, why are you letting him bully you? Step up to him! Or tell someone who will!" David scratched his head. "I mean- I'll do it if I have to- he pisses me off!"

"I'm not a child! You don't have to come to my rescue!" Jim shouted.

They stared at each other. Jim's chest heaved and his face was red. David looked down at his shoes, and then back up. "Look, I just-" Jim walked off the boxing floor and headed outside. David tried reaching for his arm, but Jim stepped out of the way. "Jim!" he stopped in his tracks. "I'm sorry. I didn't think of it that way. I saw him laughing and heard what he was saying, and I saw red. I know you can handle yourself I just-" David sighed. "I'm sorry."

"Okay." Jim sighed, and walked away.

David heard Jim come into the dorm later in the night. He held his breath, waiting to see if Jim would say anything. The only response was the creaking of the bunk and Jim settling in. David's heart sank. He wanted to apologize. Really apologize. He opened his mouth to speak but closed it shut again. He'd wait for Jim to cool down. Let Jim come to him when he was ready.

David did his best to pretend like nothing was wrong. They went about their normal routines, training and studying, without extensive contact with each other. Their conversations were basically nonexistent which left David seeking out Jim's friends to see how he was. Jim was quiet with basically everyone and spent his evenings boxing or running on the training field. He studied alone and was the first person to leave the dorm, and the last one coming in. He spent hours working out his anger. Boxing the punching bag til his arms were jelly and his head was swimming from exhaustion. He worked overtime on schoolwork too and often spent time with teacher during their open office times to get ahead. He and David didn't speak, Jim's pride wouldn't let him. He was angry about this too, so he boxed and ran until his head was clear. When he finally got his stuff together, he knew what he needed to do.

Then, one day, David was sitting in the dorm by himself. Just catching up on some reading when the door opened. He looked up to see Jim, covered in sweat and breathing hard. He closed the door behind him with a bit of a slam and stared at David intensely. "Can we talk?"

David nodded and closed his book. "What's up?"

Jim wiped his forehead and came to sit across from David in a folding chair. "I know I've been stubborn. I needed time; I was very angry, but I need to apologize." David said nothing, wanting Jim's words unrushed. "I should have been straightforward with you, but I just wanted to be mad about it." He rubbed his hands together. "And I'm sorry for that."

David had a gentle smile on his face. "Well, now that we've both apologized," he laughed. "Can we hang out again?" Jim smiled.

"Yeah." He rubbed the back of his neck. "That'd be great." They clasped hands, and David slapped Jim's shoulder.

"Common then!" He pulled Jim to his feet. "Show me what all that boxing practice got you." They walked to the gymnasium together, talking and teasing each other. "So lemme see there," David squeezed Jim's upper arm. "Any muscle here?"

Jim laughed. "Stop it."

"No, wait, I think we've got something there!" David smiled and folded Jim's arm into a curl, feigning a flex. "Look at that! Now if you actually flexed-" Jim did so. "Oh! Look at that! The man's got muscle!" Jim pulled away and punched David playfully. "Common man, show me your pushups." They pulled mats out to the floor.

Almrez was in one of the boxing rings sparring with a friend when he saw them come in. He paused to watch and drink water.

"Alright," David and Jim did planks on their mats, prepared to do pushups. "First to a hundred gets-" he shook his head – unable to think of anything. "Whatever." He laughed. "Go."

Almrez walked out of his ring and approached them. He crossed his arms, content to watch their technique. David took Jim's lead this time, prepared to ignore the alien. "Look at you two. David's got good form." He walked around them. "Jim that doesn't look bad at all!" He crouched on his knees, just out of the way of Jim's elbows. "Keep this up and you'll be deep-throating in no time." Jim focused on his breathing and form. "Ya know," he tsked. "I think there's a sign up to start your own charity in the library. Maybe we can find someone you can practice on."

"Almrez?" Jim held a plank and looked him dead in the eye. "If I were you, I'd be getting ready for exams tomorrow. If you wanna be with the rest of the Petty Officers, you should probably get some rest." There was no hint of a threat, but Uriratha took the bait. He got up and left. Jim resumed his push-ups.

"I can't believe that worked." David looked at Jim.

"I did a bit of both strategies. Don't start a fight but don't ignore him." He smiled. "Seems like it worked." David got up from the floor and rolled his shoulder.

"Let's head back. You've got an exam tomorrow."

"But you've got thirty on me." Jim looked up from his set. David just shrugged and gave him a smile.

"I've got a lot more than that on you." David winked and turned to go. Jim just shook his head and did the remaining thirty before heading back to the dorm. On his way he walked past the guy that cornered him the other day, but the guy didn't give Jim a second glance. Jim looked over his shoulder and watched the guy calmly walk away. He made it to his dorm and opened went inside. Someone was in the shower already, but it was David. David was sitting in his sweatpants on his bunk. Jim pulled his shirt over his head and went to bed. David got to the ground and leaned against their bunks. "No shower?"

"Nah." Jim pulled his blanket over his head. "I'm beat."

"Alright. Good luck tomorrow."

Jim heard the bathroom door open and peeked over his blanket. He saw David's retreating back, and blushed. His friend was just starting to pull the sweatpants down past his hip bones when he pushed the door closed. His sporty roommate, Vinny, caught him looking.

"Watcha lookin at, Jim?" he laughed. This made Jim's blush even darker.

"Nothing." He turned onto his side to face the wall.

"Uh huh…" Vinny didn't sound convinced. Jim didn't have more time to think about it as he quickly fell into a dreamless sleep.

…

"First Class Petty Officer Hawkins," the commander of their class shook Jim's hand. "Congratulations." Jim nodded politely.

"Thank you, Sir." He walked off the stage and into the line of his fellow graduates. When the ceremony was over, they clapped each other's backs in congratulations. Jim was beaming from ear to ear. He looked out into the crowd of his fellow soldiers and saw David clapping with the rest of the crowd. Some were cheering, some were doing war cries, and some were scowling. One of those scowlers was Almrez, who would leave the room with no honors, no certificate of appointment and no new rank.