Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the situations all characters end up in. Everything else belongs to someone else, and that's the way of it. Thanks for reading and please review!
Hiding Things
Barsad supposed he should be grateful for Bane's Pet, giving him something to think about other than Kei and Simic. More specifically what he'd like to do to both men in question, starting with gutting the latter like the bastard deserved. And he might still get the chance to do depending on what Bane decided where the other alpha was concerned. Or if there was anything left of the Serb once Bane was done with him. He'd have said that Simic had been wise to not lay a finger on Bane's Pet, but quite frankly Barsad was fairly confident in thinking that the alpha would have, if Blake hadn't taken him down so quickly and with such ferocity.
So now here he was, watching from a short distance while Blake pressed the icepack Barsad had gotten for him to Kei's cheek instead. The beta hadn't once complained about the pain in his hands, which had to hurt like a bitch at this point, and was fussing over Kei like he was the mother he'd acted like earlier. Protecting and babying his injured young.
Which was a weird comparison to make, Barsad knew, but it was what fit.
Many, including Bane, would disagree with him, but in Barsad's own experience there were few men and women more dangerous than a loving parent protecting their offspring. One had only to look at omegas to see it was true. They were the least violent and most subservient of the designations, it was built into their DNA to be so, but when their young or mates were threatened Barsad had seen them show incredible strength and a willingness to kill that matched or even surpassed some alphas. Their bonds with their loved ones so strong they overcame their very nature in order to protect.
It was weird to make the comparison in his mind, but in some was Bane's new pet reminded him more of an omega then a beta. But then there were always those who straddled the designation line, Barsad reminded himself. A beta almost, but not quite, as strong or dominant as an alpha. A beta who was soft enough that you'd think he or she was an omega. It happened.
Both the men in the room with him were prime examples of that.
Blake, both fierce and oddly maternal, Kei, not fierce and with absolutely no ego or outward aggression to speak of. The alpha wasn't ashamed in the least to have someone else fight his battles for him. Or baby him. Or be ordered around by someone who was of lower standing. Hell, nothing yet had seemed to faze Kei in the slightest as far as Barsad could tell. Literally the only thing the boy seemed to care about was his adopted father, Blake, and music. Everyone else was just…there, and Kei acknowledged them when he needed to and ignored them when he didn't.
Of course thinking about Kei rationally wasn't easy to do when the alpha was shirtless and wet.
Earlier Kei had taken his bloodstained shirt off to rinse it out in the bathroom sink, and had hung it up to dry afterwards rather than put it back on again. Borrowing something from either of the room's occupants was also out of the question, so the boy was now sitting around without a shirt, his chest wet from where he'd used a washcloth to clean off the blood on his skin. It was annoyingly distracting, not to mention embarrassing since Barsad was pretty sure Bane's Pet was having a silent laugh at his expense over it. So it was actually somewhat of a relief when Kei stated that he was going use the bathroom and would be right back.
Watching him go Barsad was very much aware of the cop's eyes on him, and turned to meet the other man's gaze squarely, silently daring him to say whatever it was the younger man wanted to say to him about Kei.
It was a bit of a staring contest, actually, before Blake apparently decided to just get it over with.
"What are your intentions? Towards Kei if that's not clear."
"I have no intentions." Or at least none he intended to share with him.
"Then keep your hands off him. No more kissing." The man actually wagged a finger in his direction. "Or anything else."
"And you think you have the right to tell me what I can and can't do, Pet?"
Though he didn't look intimidated in the slightest, Blake put his hands up in a placating manner. "I'm actually saying this for your own good. You don't know him as well as I do. Just be very, very blunt with him if you are going to try something with him. Unbelievably blunt. And keep in mind that I can do even more damage to a man when I have time to plan things out."
Hurt him and I will hurt, if not kill, you. Blake eyes said bluntly.
"You're tougher than I expected from a Gotham cop."
"Well I've never had a thing against a bit of fisticuffs when the need arises."
"Fisticuffs?"
Blake just grinned at him.
"What are you talking about?" Kei wanted to know as he came back into the room.
"He was about to explain what fisticuffs is."
"Oh."
Silence
Annoyed, Barsad asked the alpha if he knew what that word meant. And if so, to explain.
"Fighting bare knuckle. It's an English term, I guess. We heard it on 'Foyle's War'. Which is this British show that took place during and just after the Second World War that Father Reilly really loves. We had to watch it." Kei's face scrunched up.
Barsad looked in Blake's direction. "You couldn't have just said you're not adverse to fighting?"
The way Blake smirked at him said that no, no he couldn't.
)
After arranging for Simic to be taken care of, he'd deal with him later after he'd gotten more information from Kei, Bane had gone to the infirmary as planned to get looked over. He felt fine now, in no more pain than he ever was, but that was how these brief moments of weakness went. Seeing the doctor to get checked out was just a part of that routine, however much he hated to be poked, prodded, and questioned.
As per usual there were no obvious after affects, and the doctor gave him the usual spiel about taking it easy for the next few days and to let him know if he had another attack.
Agreeing to do so, as per their routine, Bane would have normally gotten out of there as quickly as possible lest the man come up with some new test or question to ask. Only this time he sensed there was something the doctor was not telling him. It was there in the man's eyes and in the slight jerkiness of his movements as he put things away with his back to Bane, which the beta almost never did. It was never wise to turn your back on a predator after all, and the doctor was no fool.
"What is it you aren't telling me?"
"Sir?" Turning around the doctor briefly met his gaze before looking down.
"There's something you now you should be telling me. What is it?"
"I don't know if it's worth mentioning." It was stated hesitantly, after a telling silence. "That's why I didn't…I didn't want to accuse the boy of something unjustly. I've been mulling over bringing it up." A brief glance up. "Yesterday a young alpha was brought in here. The one assigned to guard your new Pet. He was being given a tour of the base and…he was paying a lot of attention. Perhaps too much attention, when he was here."
As the boy didn't seem to pay much attention to anything aside from music, Bane found that highly suspicious. And wasn't the least surprised that the boy had failed utterly at being subtle in his interest.
"Anything in particular?"
"The door. And the cabinet where I keep base ingredients."
"I see."
Bane took a couple minutes to mull that over before giving his orders. "Mention this to no one, and report to me immediately if anything from here goes missing." Bane doubted the boy could manage it, but looks could be deceiving. His Pet's earlier actions certainly proved that.
"Understood."
Considering that settled, his orders were always obeyed, Bane left the room and began considering the various reasons the boy might have for looking over the infirmary with the intent to break into it.
The most obvious and likely reason was that Kei hoped to steal something that could be used to drug or kill Bane and his top men. It wouldn't be enough just to kill him, after all, and Bane was willing to believe that the boy was at least intelligent enough to realize that. The boy using the drug to kill himself in a more humane way than at the hands of Bane or his men was another possibility, especially since Hitachi was hanging onto life by his fingernails at this point. A possible third option was that the boy had an addiction that needed to be fed. But he knew addiction. Knew the faces and ways of it. So…the first two options were the most likely.
It also went without saying that his own Pet would help Kei in any way he needed.
He hated that. Actually hated that and the idea that another alpha meant so much to his Pet. Meant more to the man than him. Which was beyond foolish and incomprehensible, but that was what Bane was feeling. And he hated that. Almost as much as he hated the idea, much less the memory of his Pet stroking the head and fussing over another man right in front of him. Not that he wanted to be stroked or fussed over. Of course not.
And he had more important things to think about.
A simple trap would be best. He'd pretend that he was doing a night security check. With him 'occupied', and the two of them alone together in Bane's rooms, it would be the ideal time for them to make their move. He'd make sure they believed that. Then he'd just sit back and see what they did.
That he hoped he wouldn't have to kill the boy…well there were reasons for that.
Barsad seemed oddly interested in him too.
And, Bane soon learned, could be persuaded to do things his second would normally never do because of that. Like sit on the floor with Bane's Pet and the boy, practicing the cup song with them.
At least his second was showing better hand eye coordination than Kei. And wasn't singing either. That was something at least. Not to mention the fact that it said something that the two betas in the room were immediately aware of his presence as soon as Bane opened the door, while Kei still seemed engrossed in his cup and singing the song to himself. Kei really was the worst alpha Bane had ever come across. He wasn't even beta material.
His Pet spoke first. "Is he dead?"
"I believe it's considered rather incriminating, admitting to a cop that you've committed murder."
Blake smirked at him. "Good thing for you we're not in Gotham, then. This isn't my jurisdiction."
Rather than answer his Pet's question Bane ordered the boy to his feet, Kei at least having the sense to do so without complaint or hesitation.
"Do you believe Simic meant to rape you?"
Blinking once, Kei showed some actual common sense by not replying immediately, instead mulling the question over and giving it the thought it deserved. "No. I don't think so. You kill people for that and everyone knows it. I think he was just going to kiss and grope me whether I liked it or not. Not rape. Though technically that is still sexual assault. Right?"
Kei looked questioningly at Blake, who nodded.
"Then no, I won't be killing him. Though his suffering is far from over."
"Okay."
Not quite sure how to take that, Bane asked Kei if he wished to punish the alpha himself.
"No." Was the alpha's nonchalant response.
"You do realize that if not for your scent and size, no one would believe you were an alpha?"
"I get that a lot."
His Pet snickered, the beta putting a hand over his mouth when Bane looked his way. Which only served to draw Bane's attention to Blake's knuckles, which were looking slightly bruised and torn up, though not nearly as bad as they should have been given the way his Pet had gone at Simic. His Pet's hands were as tough as he was, it seemed.
But still…Bane did not like to see them damaged.
He'd see they were taken care of before he left again.
)
It would be a simple matter to arrange for Bane's room to be bugged the next day. As he'd discussed with Barsad earlier, he'd pretend to inform his second within the hearing of his Pet and Kei that he intended to test the compound's defenses in two days' time, shutting down all electronic security in order to insure that the men hadn't become too reliant on technology to do their jobs for them. Then he'd threatened both his targets with severe punishment if they left his rooms at that time, and see what happened.
Barsad hadn't commented except to ask necessary questions, and yet Bane had gotten the feeling that his second didn't think this would end well. Which he was most likely right about.
But one did what one must.
Opening the door that led into his bedroom, Bane stepped inside and immediately swept his gaze over the room for signs of threat and to locate his Pet. The room was dark save for the light coming from the bedside lamp his Pet had left on, and it was the sight of the man himself that had Bane coming to a surprised halt.
It was late, so Bane had entertained the idea that his Pet might already be asleep or at least in bed. But he had not been expecting to find the other man on his bed with the single bedsheet wrapped around him from head to toe. Not an inch of Blake showed, the way the sheet was pulled taunt in places making it clear that getting his Pet unwrapped would take effort on his part.
Why?
This was not how his Pet slept. Blake tended to wrap himself up in whatever he could find to keep warm, yes. He was weak and got cold easily. But always had he been visible. There. Waiting for him. Now he was closed off. Hidden from him.
Crossing his arms in front of him Bane mentally reviewed the events of the day, searching for something he might have done to cause his Pet to behave this way.
Kei had been hurt, but that had not been Bane's fault and the boy was fine. The man responsible punished, though perhaps not to the degree his bloodthirsty Pet had wanted. But Blake had not complained about that. And after questioning Kei and ordering his Pet to take care of his hands Bane had left this room and hadn't seen the other man for the rest of the afternoon and evening. He'd had things to take care of. Had something happened when his Pet wasn't within his sights? Barsad and the others he'd hired to guard the entrance to his rooms had reported no troubles.
Frowning, Bane studied the rise and fall of the shape before him. It seemed his Pet was asleep and not faking it, but still…
Unsettled and annoyed Bane turned his attention to remove his clothing, stripping down while he tried to come up with some answer to the puzzle he faced.
It couldn't be that the room was unexpectedly cold, Bane reasoned, as it was warmer in here than it had been in the tents at night. And while he…hmm. Perhaps this was his Pet's way of indicating he wasn't interested in doing anything sexual with him? Since their first night together he'd been welcomed, so to speak, but perhaps this was his Pet's way of saying he was too tired for sex?
Or that he was tired of having sex with Bane, period. Oh.
He'd shown weakness earlier. Had let his Pet see him weak. That he wasn't always the strong, powerful alpha he presented to the world. And while his Pet hadn't seemed to judge him for that earlier…perhaps that was no longer the case.
Schooling his features not to reveal how he felt about that, though there was no need since his Pet saw nothing at the moment, Bane slipped into a single-minded focus on what he was doing, allowing no thoughts of his Pet or the coming days enter his mind.
So he felt nothing as he focused on putting away his clothing and footwear, walking naked to the bathroom to go through his usual nightly routine before turning in. And when that was done Bane headed back into the bedroom and sat down on his side of the bed, reaching over to turn off the light before stretching out on the mattress on his back while resolutely ignoring the man beside him.
Closing his eyes Bane waited for sleep to come as he kept his mind blank and quiet.
Right up until a hand suddenly slapped against his arm. Then started feeling around and up his biceps testingly.
And then there was the sound of mumbling and the sheet rustling, the mattress dipping a little as his Pet's slight weight shifted it.
Holding himself still Bane eyes opened as Blake clumsily climbed on top of him, the other man sprawling out on his chest like he had every right to do so with the sheet now haphazardly covering them both. Blake's breath ghosted over Bane's skin as the other man leaned in to nuzzle his face against Bane's chest, staying there for a minute before mumbling intelligible as he squirmed a little, very obviously more asleep than awake.
And then Blake shifted up a little to rest his head on Bane's shoulder, his Pet's face pressing against his throat and inhaling deeply.
A sound of pleasure as Blake snuggled in.
And then words that were hardly more than a happy sigh, but that Bane heard clearly in the quiet of the room.
"My mate."
