Chapter Twenty-Seven

Hit Me

When a player asks for another card in Blackjack.

o

"Ow! Dammit!" Eroica grabbed his wrist, shaking his aching hand. "I should've known you'd have a hard head, Major."

Klaus was lying on the ground staring up at the other man in blank astonishment. "You hit me," he said in disbelief.

"Damn right!"

"When did you learn how to fight like a man?" Klaus asked, putting a hand to his jaw.

Eroica responded with a growl and kicked the downed man's legs. "Bastard! I am not your bloody punching bag!"

Klaus got to his feet and started circling the Earl. "When did I ever use you as a punching bag? I never hit you more than once! And you bloody well deserved it when I did!"

To the surprise of the watching subordinates, Eroica landed another good punch to the Major's jaw, but this time he did not knock him off his feet.

Eroica was felled by a blow to the face and Agent A said, "The Major's gonna beat him to a pulp." Before the Major could move in, however, the thief had swept his legs out from under him and was getting up again.

Suddenly the Alphabet and the Earl's men were exchanging bets on how long the fight would last. Everyone seemed assured that the Major would be the victor. All save Agent G, that is, who said it would end in a draw, much to the amused snickers of the others.

The fight went on seemingly in slow motion, the pair hurling insults more often than they hurled punches. After nearly half an hour, the incensed Eroica managed to get the Major down again. Then he jumped on top of him and proceeded to pummel his chest with his fists. "You shot me!"

Klaus caught hold of the other man's wrists. "I had to, you idiot. They would've killed you."

"You didn't even warn me!"

"I was trying to protect you!"

"God, I hate you!" Eroica snarled, struggling unsuccessfully to pull free. "Hate you! Do you hear me? Ich! Hasse! Dich!"

"Und ich liebe dich."

Eroica froze. "What?"

"I said I love you," Klaus repeated. "There, happy now?"

Eroica stared down at him, not quite believing what he had just heard. "Still?"

"Yes."

Before he realized what he was doing, Eroica had leaned down and was kissing Klaus on the mouth, much to the amazement of the officer and the watching subordinates.

With a satisfied smile on his face, G turned to the others and held out his hand. "Pay up."

There was a stunned silence as the others stared at him with their mouths open. "How did you know?" A finally asked.

G rolled his eyes. "You're joking?" he said as he motioned to the others. They all made a discreet exit, most grumbling about how G knew this would happen.

o

Eroica and the Major did not even notice when they were left on their own. They were still too stunned by their own actions, the Earl's in particular.

"I say," the Earl said finally, "this is rather…awkward."

Now you think that? Klaus thought. "How so?"

"I've been telling you it was all a lie. That I don't care. And now I've just kissed you."

"I noticed that," Klaus said aridly. "You're also still sitting on me. And you're not exactly a light weight."

"Sorry." Eroica climbed off the officer and sat on the ground beside him. "I didn't know Iron Klaus was a whiner."

Klaus sat up. He looked at his bruised knuckles and then shook his hand. "Don't piss me off again, Eroica, or I'll really beat the crap out of you."

"Not Eroica anymore, Major. Call me Dorian."

This took Klaus by surprise and he looked up sharply, giving the man a searching look. "Not John?"

Dorian shook his head. "I've got used to it over the years. And, as you so bluntly put it, John Marshall ceased to exist when that casket was buried." He stretched out on the ground, propping himself up on an elbow. "So, until you find the real Earl, who has also very probably got used to being called whatever name he was given, I'm Dorian."

Klaus's face darkened considerable. "Until I find the real Earl," he repeated quietly, a dark cloud passing briefly behind his eyes.

"Yes…" The smile faded from Dorian's face, his expression darkening. His voice dropped in pitch when he said, "You've found him, haven't you?"

Klaus gave him a steady look. He opened his mouth, only to have a finger pressed to it.

"No, don't tell me," Dorian said quickly. "Please, not now. Don't…spoil the moment with reality." The dark green eyes continued to stare unblinkingly at him. "I might lose it and end up hitting you again."

Klaus sighed heavily. Before he could think of anything to say, Bonham appeared. He cleared his throat and knocked on the nearest solid surface at the same time. "M'lord, Major, I've started running the bath in the guest house," he informed. "And dinner is being laid out for you."

Eroica rolled onto his back to look at him. "The guest house?"

"Yes, sir. We all thought you'd like a bit of privacy," Bonham said with a smile before turning on his heel and vanishing.

oOoOoOo

"Cooke's been busy," Dorian remarked as he took in the meal laid out on the long dining table in the guest house.

"He's had a lot of mouths to feed these past few days," Klaus replied as he also took in the feast that had been prepared for them. He shook his head. "Looks like he expects us to be ravenous."

Dorian looked down at his soiled and torn clothing. "God, I really am a mess," he moaned.

Klaus nodded. Fist fights on greasy concrete had a tendency to do that. He looked up as Bonham exited the master bedroom.

"It'll be a few more minutes. I'll see about getting some icepacks sent over," Bonham said as he headed for the door.

"Does Cooke really expect us to eat all this?" Dorian called after him.

Bonham turned as he opened the front door, a grin on his face. "We figured you'd both worked up an appetite," he said as he left.

Dorian turned to Klaus and cocked his head to one side. "Well? Bath first? Or dinner?"

"Dinner. I'm starving," Klaus replied. And if we bathe together, I'm afraid this food will be very cold by the time we get back to it. He did not say this, however, knowing that the Earl's jaw would very likely hit the floor if he did.

"I think we should at least wash our hands," Dorian suggested, holding up his grimy hands and wiggling his fingers.

A few minutes later, they were back at the table looking at the food laid out buffet-style for them. Klaus went to the wine bottle that was chilling at one end and opened it. "I'll let that breathe," he said, putting down the bottle and picking up a plate. The pair filled their plates in silence and sat. Just as Klaus was pouring the wine, Bonham returned with a large bucket of ice, some empty icepacks, and a large first aid kit. He vanished into the master bathroom where he turned off the water filling a large hot tub. He made a few adjustments on the controls to maintain the water's temperature and turned on the whirlpool. Then he returned to the dining area and asked, "Will you gentlemen be needing anything else?"

"No, thank you, Bonham." Dorian grinned and shook his head. "You still make an excellent man servant."

Bonham smiled broadly. "Thank you, m'lord," he said, giving his best butler's bow before he turned on his heel and left.

Klaus waited until the front door closed before he growled, "If a fucking strolling violinist turns up, I may have to kill someone."

Dorian chuckled. He looked expectantly towards the door for ten seconds. "No violinist." He turned back to Klaus and sighed. "Not enough time to get one, I expect. Oh well, alone at last…"

Klaus's eyes narrowed. "Do you mean that, or are you just being…?"

Dorian put a hand to his mouth, having completely overlooked how this remark could be taken. Dammit, why can't I stop doing that? "I didn't… I meant… Oh, shit. I'm sorry. I wasn't making fun of you." He closed his eyes and cursed. "You're trying to be civil, and I keep putting my foot in it."

"Force of habit," Klaus replied knowingly.

Dorian threw a pointed look in the direction of the master bedroom. "Perhaps I should take my bath now and let you eat in peace."

Klaus shook his head. "That won't solve anything." He waved a hand. "Eat."

"Yes, Major," Dorian said demurely as he picked up his knife and fork.

Klaus sat back in his chair. "Not Major. Klaus."

Dorian looked up sharply, dropping his silverware at the same time. "Pardon?"

"I said, not Major, Klaus. You want me to call you Dorian. Well…?"

Now it was Dorian's turn to sit back in his chair. He studied the officer's set expression. "That's going to be difficult, you realize?"

"No more difficult than my calling you Dorian."

Dorian gave a snort in reply. "At least you know it's a name that won't be taken away from you."

Klaus closed his eyes and put a hand to his head. He could feel another fight, or headache, coming on. "Dorian…"

"It's true, isn't it?"

Klaus opened his eyes, giving him a steady look. "Make up your mind," he said sharply. "Do you want me to tell you or don't you?"

Dorian opened his mouth, only to close it again, shaking his head. "No, I don't want to know. Not right now. What you've told me already is bad enough."

"Okay, fine. Then here are the ground rules. No talk of what may or may not happen tomorrow. What I may or may not have learned. No dwelling on the past. It's just you, me, and nothing else. Agreed?"

Dorian sat thoughtfully a moment. That was a tall order under the circumstances. "Agreed," he said finally, and picked up his wine glass. "Drink on it?"

oOoOoOo

NEXT: Chapter Twenty-Eight - On The Come -- You think I could pass up that term?