Note: Standard disclaimer apply ^_^. Anyway now that I've written this, what am I THINKING? This is an oddment of a pairing shall I say, Karl x Irvine (and later Thomas)? And I can't think of a Jap title for this one (which is usually my trademark). But I think this pairing is pathetic and cute. Read on. Sorry no lemon yet---

Damn, I wish I was your lover

By RaVen0us

Imperial Quarters-

"How in the world did we end up with all of this useless supply?" Karl Licthen Schubaltz muttered to himself. Ever since the war ended, the job of a military officer became less than thrilling. Instead of commandeering positions in the battlefield and planning military tactics, he is checking out materials and shipments going in and out in the base for the maintenance unit for the zoids used in patrolling the borders. He would like to patrol out sometime for the heck of it, but he was burdened by the responsibility of looking after their ballooning expenses and tightening budget. Indeed, they have won the battle but lost the war. All the damages incurred and losses were yet to be all answered, at this rate they are going, even His Majesty may end up having a lot of debt.

"Good morning, Karl."

With his busy schedule checking cargo, Karl was easily supplanted with irritation. There are some people who forget their military ethics, and he is getting tired of reminding them. But he was surprised to hear it does not come from Thomas. It was Irvine.

He is lying outside the warehouse, just by the next one and he was laying down a bench perched in front of it.

The sun was falling on him, and he could see that Irvine was barefoot and wore no shirt. Karl quickly averted his eyes from the tanned half-naked torso. It was all he could do to make himself respond.

"It is COLONEL Karl Schubaltz to you." He answered stiffly. He does not like it when men like Irvine always exude a smart-alecky sensuality. At least that's what he thought, although he can't think of anything he'd ever said or done that could be considered rude or indecent. It was just----he didn't have much exposure around with this kind of people, but he was certain he knew Irvine's type---dangerous. Too earthy, too unrefined. He chanced another peek at him from his cap shading his green eyes: Irvine's spiky brownish hair is too rough and was bounded by an orange bandana; hanging around messily to his face. Except now, it was fanned around his head on the planks of the bench. He was quite tall, too wide at the shoulders and broad across the chest. With an exception of one magnifying patch, both eyes were too gray.

Everything about him is too much, in Karl's opinion. Well what would he expect from the former rouge anyway? He certainly has a lot of rough edges, and a not so refined etiquette, a person who lives in his own rules. No wonder he and Thomas banter so often, the two are just opposites, and he could see it now.

"Nice day, isn't it Colonel, sir?" Irvine remarked laconically, lifting his head and shading those gray eyes to stare at him.

The ashen blonde nodded curtly and returned his attention to shipping lists, although he didn't see a single word "Mr. Irvine, it hardly seems proper for you to be out in public-----like that." Karl gestured in his general direction.

He glanced around at the backs of the headquarters, and the military storage supplies and piles of broken down zoids about to be fixed. "This isn't exactly what I'd call public. I was back here minding my own business and you came to take a look." Irvine's tone made it sound as though Karl was the one in the wrong. "Besides, I don't think you even know how to break in a new pair of rough slacks."

"I beg your pardon----" he began, flipping his gaze off the list to look at him.

"Well, if you're out there roughing it, you gotta get yourself a nice pair of heavy duty slacks. I'd expect that some soldier would have told you the best way to make them fit right. You have to put them on and go for a dunk with your zoid in a battlefield, then get yourself in a trough afterwards, then lie in the sun till they're dry."

He took another quick peek at him, just in time to see him turn over on the bench, presumably to dry the backs of the pants. The muscles in his arms and shoulders flexed with the effort.

"I should think that would be most uncomfortable." Karl replied with prim disapproval. Why he was continuing this indecent conversation, he wondered.

"Oh, it's not so bad without underwear."

A scorching heat crept up Karl's throat and continued to his scalp. With not another word, he made a hasty retreat to near the storage room. Obviously, Irvine did not take life very seriously if he could loll around, wasting time on such a trivial task. To have someone like THAT working with the GF team along with Van Flyheight----of all people.

Karl forced his thoughts back to the papers in his hand. What had he been looking for? Oh yes, there it was on the shipping list: Three boxes of mechanical parts and some computer related gadgetry. He knew the imperial head quarters didn't order it; he made a run down of the list a day ago. The military had no practical use of that item these days; they needed things and materials to keep up with the maintenance of their units. They don't have time to install some useless equipment and other gewgaws, not now, the succeeding battles that happened have already nearly crippled their budget. And having something that they didn't order is practically a waste of good money. If he haven't ordered those things---who could have---

"Lt. Thomas Schubaltz," he called. "Would you come here, immediately?"

A moment later, Thomas appeared by the entrance. Although twenty two, Karl's younger brother had never lost the bouncing, enthusiastic energy that he had as a boy. His eyes fell upon the boxes that Karl pointed out, and holding one metallic device in his palm.

"Oh, Karl, the orders came---isn't it great?" he grinned, delight suffusing his features. With his darker blonde hair and emerald green eyes, he had a delicate, almost feminine beauty that they both share. Karl's own coloring was more vivid, but he lacked his younger brother's luminous sparkle. As their mother once pointed out, nature had saved the best for her youngest son.

"Did you order this? I was hoping it was a mistake. You know we had a strict budget policy these days, Thomas." Karl said, putting the items back into the box. "You know we won't be able to use this."

Thomas walked into the storage room, plucked one item from the box, and unwound the length of it. Plenty of wires, Karl noticed.

"Yes we will," Thomas replied emphatically. "We can use this to upgrade and custom some---"

"Well we don't. We should prioritize maintenance first than your useless gadgets and your other gewgaws" He snapped. "I want them shipped back early evening, lieutenant. Is that understood?"

It came harsher than intended, and he can see the sudden disappointment in Thomas' eyes, and his smile slowly faded. But Karl has to do his job. "Well, whatever you say Kar---I mean, Colonel Sir."

"Make sure you do."

"I've done something wrong, haven't I?" he sighed, Thomas is always like that, he could be so insecure a lot of times and is in always need of assurances. Maybe it's the sibling complex, but whatever it is, Karl forced a small smile to try to tell him it's no big deal.

"Don't worry, you'll catch on. I know more about this matters because I spent so much time working here as an officer." As a matter of fact, he loved it there. He lived under oath of the imperial army for some quite time, that nothing matters to him now BUT to be a well-responsible officer. Even if he has to stay all day and do the stupid daily routine of checking important military cargo. He missed the thrill of fighting in the battlefield somehow---

Karl glanced at the watch on his wrist, "Goodness, its nine o'clock already. You better go open the front gates and get the other soldiers to open the other doors. I'll be out in a few minutes. I just need to finish sorting out this new stock."

With his natural and good temperament restored, Thomas smiled, made a salute and turned to follow his instructions. He stopped suddenly, and said over his shoulder, "You just wait and see, Karl. I'll bet we are going to make a lot of practical use of those 'gewgaws' you called, and the military would have to order some more!"

Karl let out a surprising laugh and shook his head. A moment later he heard Thomas open the doors, and a cool breeze filled the ware house. He leaned into another crate and plowed through the woody-smelling excelsior, searching for the receipts of the toolkit materials the army ordered. While he wondered why the small items were always annoyingly packed with tubs of Styrofoam balls, he heard a voice of a female attendant coming from the front of the warehouse. Must be one of Dr. Dee's subordinates, the colonel thought.

Suddenly he heard an ear-splitting scream that seemed to shake the very crates. It propelled Karl upright as though he have springs in his back.

What the---

Another scream rang out, followed by another shrieking and a sound of smashing crates and clanging metal. Footsteps thumped across the cemented ground. Karl ran to the doorway that separated the storage room to the warehouse, just in time to see a weird purple shape fly past his face.

The attendant was cringing in one side, staring fixedly as though turned stone. Her face had taken on a sickly gray cast, and held one hand clamped to her bosom.

The creature, which looks like a small wild zoid, perched on the counter next to small fragile boxes in the shelves of the storage area. Its movements were quick and jerky, that what Karl can assess is that it looks like a small organoid---only purple. With front paws resembling that of a small tiger cub's, it pried off open a small box, chewing the contents inside with its metal mouth, gnashing it with it's paws and teeth at everyone present.

"Bro---" Thomas gasped. His red mark was sudden very apparent on his pale ashen face. "What the hell is that thing? Is that a wild zoid? I never seen such like it----" he paused, "It might be dangerous!"

Karl couldn't say for certain. He too stared at it, his mouth open. "I'm not sure, I never seen---"

At that moment, Irvine came running through the back door, carrying a gunbelt in one hand and a revolver in the other. He shouldered the colonel out of the way and stood in front of him. Seeing Irvine, the little mischievous zoid scampered down the shelves on all fours, then leaped to another high shelf and bared metallic teeth at him. It grunted angrily, and let out a metallic shriek, it's face which resembles that of a ferocious organoid.

"I heard someone scream---What kind of wild zoid is that?" Irvine stood as dumbstruck as the others.

Thomas didn't budge; he is too surprised to answer that he could hardly find his voice. "I-I think it's a wild zoid. Never seen one like THAT before."

Irvine lifted his revolver and trained it on the zoid who was now investigating the scattered crates, throwing everything to the wall and to the floor like a two year old with a tantrum. Crates shattered, materials are scattered and broken and other import goods that were supposedly the supply for the WHOLE month. Clouding the air with dust. Suddenly the wild zoid let out a long annoying screech that beat any noise that Karl have ever heard at his long career as an officer in the battlefield.

"Irvine, for Zi's sake, put that gun away!" Karl demanded, "You'll just be careless enough to shoot one of us!"

Irvine cocked the revolver and extended it, his hand steady, his jaw set. "Colonel Sir, I'm a better shot than that. How do you know that thing might kill any of you?"

Both brothers green eyes widened.

Hearing his words, the female attendant collapsed to the floor in a dead faint, and Thomas caught her in his arms, and began lightly slapping the attendant's face. The only calm one in the room is Irvine. He took an aim with his revolver.

"I've got you know you little piece of horsesh---"

"Hold your fire, Irvine!" A cultured voice thundered through the warehouse.

Karl turned around; Irvine lowered the weapon. All eyes turned to a small balding man with white long hair. His sudden appearance was as astounding as the wild zoid.

"Dr. Dee?"

"Esmeralda!" he commanded as he stepped forward, his pale eyes burning with fire. The wild zoid suddenly stopped and dropped everything else,

Irvine turned his head, "ESMERALDA?" he asked, lifting his eyebrows.

The zoid, no longer defiant, skittered down from its perch. Her master held out both arms, and she scrambled to his shoulder, gripping his shirt collar. Her long metallic tail hung down his arm like a snake.

"Esmeralda, I'm disappointed! You have been exceedingly naughty. You are a bad girl."

The small zoid showed no signs of contrition. It simply chewed on a piece of wood that she grabbed from one of the broken crates.

Dr. Dee could see the upset reaction from the colonel, and immediately offered his reply. "Allow me to apologize for Esmeralda. As you can see she is a wild zoid. My search team found her among the ruins and took her at the lab for study. It seems she is a different breed of a young organoid. She seems to be pretty lively and I think she finds the warehouse as a nice playground."

There was something annoying about the Doctor apologizing for the zoid as though it were a child. But Karl's upbringing, trained to keep his emotion in check, would not allow him to say anything rash and impolite.

"Well, Dr Dee I want to congratulate you for your new discovery, BUT this isn't a playground." The colonel replied stiffly, quite upset of the losses. "All those stocks are not yet used, and they are reserves good for one month---."

"Doctor," Irvine, who apparently had no such reticence, said, "I assume you're planning to make good on the damages that 'discovery' of yours caused."

"Doctor Dee." Karl admonished in a harsh whisper. He gave Irvine a severe look before turning to help Thomas with the fainted attendant. The colonel didn't appreciate being championed by the shirtless, barefooted man in wet slacks. Yet, he had to admit that a significant amount of damage had been done. It would take most of the morning to clean things up, and more than just the merchandise was lost. Who would pay to replace the glass shield replacements for the patrolling zoids?

Dr. Dee rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "Colonel, Irvine here makes a valid point. Certainly, you shall be recompensed for all damages. You have only to give me a figure." He withdrew a slim pouch from his over coat, and drew out some folds of bank check slips.

Karl glanced up and pushed the strands of hair that had worked loose from his cap. "Well, if you insist---"

"Now, now, it would be fine with me Col. Schubaltz. I insist on reimbursing you for Esmeralda's prank." Dr. Dee took out a slip and a pen, ready to write the figure and looked at him expectantly.

The colonel leaned back to sit on a chair and sighed, considered the litter of the broken stock. "I suppose---10,000 imperial dollars would be alright?"

"30,000 imperial dollars is more realistic." Irvine puts in, keeping a wary un-patched eye on 'Esmeralda'. He still gripped at his revolver, although it hung at his side.

Karl's lowered his brows at him. Why didn't he just go back to drying his slacks and let him handle this? For a man of reportedly few words, he certainly didn't hesitate to offer his opinion. This was especially galling because he knew he was right. Well this smart-aleck rouge wouldn't tell him what to do.

"10,000 will be fine, Dr. Dee." The colonel glared at Irvine, feeling as defiant as Esmeralda. Irvine gave Karl one final look, then shrugged and walked out taking his gun with him.

*****

Irvine padded up stairs to his sparse second floor living quarters to change from his damp slacks. He rummaged through the clothes hanging on the brooks behind the door, looking for a clean pair of pants.

That pinched-up Colonel Karl Schubaltz could put any person in a sour mood, he thought. Talking to him was like trying to free the trigger on a pistol that had been rusting in the weather: when you finally have the damned thing loose, you still had a rusty gun.

He supposed if he wanted to lose money just to have his own way, he shouldn't care. After the last few years, Irvine had been glad to find this quiet corner of the world, thanks to Van Flyheight. But he didn't expect that the young lieutenant and the blonde zoidian will marry right after the fall of Hiltz. Now he was left in the mercy of the rigid imperial colonel who he see checking cargos each and every other day.

Oh, he was all right to look at, he'd give him that. With his whiskey-blond crown of hair often hidden by an officer cap, and eyes that are wide and purest of green jade, sometimes it would turn to emerald, depending on the mood he is in. He wasn't a soft and engaging man, like his pretty lil' brother---the Lieutenant Thomas Schubaltz. Now HE was a man Irvine have considered knowing much better. He smiled smugly in memory that how he and Thomas often so banter in small useless arguments, that in one moment, just to silence him, he gave him one deep kiss. It came to a shock at first, but the lieutenant kissed him back softly. They have been 'good' friends ever since, and there are torrid encounters---most often a result from a heated debate. Maybe fighting and arguing endlessly became something like a strange fascinating turn ON for them. He recalled a strange incident how Thomas would get turned on when he takes him down roughly, the blonde always shouts in German at the height of passion. At one time he moaned, 'Ja, ja---du starker gaul!' which Irvine later learned means, 'yes, yes--- ride me dark stallion.'

But Karl is also interesting in his own strong silent way, until he opened his mouth. Irvine shook his head, picturing the astringent colonel with nothing but only his Iron Kong MK II for his companion for the rest of his life. The almost mechanic pair would be perfect for each other. Noticing he is getting already a raging hard on just thinking about Thomas and his rock of a brother, Karl, Irvine stripped off the damp slacks and laid them over a chair. He would have liked it dry completely, but he couldn't loaf around any longer, he had work to do. He'd lost enough time day dreaming and dealing with the crazy so-called freakish organoid Dr. Dee have discovered.

Irvine paused for a moment and looked at his open right hand, then closed it into a fist. When he pointed the revolver at that zoid, he hadn't hesitated for a second. His aim had been steady, and if the doctor hadn't come in when he did, Irvine knew he would have squeezed the trigger.

But shooting an organoid wasn't the same as killing a man.

****

Doctor Dee agreed to Karl's price with obvious reluctance. Karl knew he had been silly to insist that he pay him only 10,000 dollars, but he could hardly renege. Without the other soldiers around, and mostly are either in patrol and security, He and Thomas are the one left to spend the rest of the morning sweeping and mopping--- some backbreaking work he haven't done for sometime now. The air is heavy, fogged with shredded wood dust.

"Kar--- I mean Colonel Sir, do you think the organoid has something to do with tomorrow being the summer solstice?" Thomas posed, "You know, funny things seem to happen around here in Midsummer's Eve. Last year, I saw Raven's geno breaker by the country side and he is walking in the midnight festival. AND he is carrying his and Ryss' baby."

Karl lifted an eyebrow, and reached under the lower ledge of a shelf to grab a big rolling metal ball bearing. "How can you even be sure that those two will even have a BABY?"

"It got Raven's hair and Ryss' eyes. But it is strange because it resembles Van. Maybe it is true that you can make the baby look like someone if you're thoroughly obsessed with a person."

Karl frowned, "Maybe you are just seeing them. Strange things don't happen ALWAYS in midsummer's eve."

"I suppose you are right Karl---" he mumbled, "But---hey, don't you think its gallant of Irvine to come and come to our rescue this morning?"

Karl could see faint color staining Thomas cheeks, he KNOWS what is going on between his little brother and Irvine, but he hardly speaks about it. But now is too much already. Irvine appeared in Karl's mind as he'd seen him this morning: stretched out on that bench, bone and hard-sculpted muscle in that----naked display. He thumped the dustpan in front of Thomas, to shake him off the reverie.

"Bosh! You are saying that Thomas because Irvine pumped you with a good dose of sunshine!" He rubbed his nose, and then he realized that it probably left a streak of dusting powder on it. Thomas is now looking at him strangely, then realization hits him, and his face grew to an intense fiery red, unable to meet his emerald gaze.

"Y-you knew?"

"Don't get any ideas about him, Thomas. His not the kind of man a nice guy like you should get mixed up with."

I mean---he seems like a gentle man, way back there if you get to know him well." Thomas amended hastily, "Why, don't you like him?"

Why indeed? Karl thought, dumping the rest of the trash in a bucket. How could one resist a man who has too much of everything?

-continued-