AN1 There was an extended break between updates because the review count was low in the last chapter (and generally just viewer engagement as a whole), so I focused on The Spy and the Soldier for a while instead.
Who Dares Wins
Chapter Seventeen: Rest & Relaxation: Part Four
Thursday, 1 November, 2007
Chuck and Sarah arrived back at the table assigned to Red Team. Gazing at each other with telling looks from everything they had done together outside the restrooms, they began to climb themselves to face each other at the table to join most of the rest of the team.
"You two were gone for a while."
Chuck and Sarah instantly glanced at Bryce to query his remarks before Sarah shifted her gaze to Chuck, and she began to tense up in a moment of embarrassment.
Luckily for both of them, however, Chuck remained calm, and he instantly deflected the topic. "Yeah. I was teaching Sarah how to sing away from you jokers."
Laughter erupted throughout Red Team's table, while Sarah suppressed a laugh, and she nodded to go along with Chuck's lie.
"Someone should probably teach Bryce the same. But seeing as though Chuck is already teaching one of the rookies, in addition to him having the best voice out of all of us, he may as well mentor the both of them," Big Dan said.
Chuck sharply began to shake his head. "No thanks! One of them is more than enough for me. I'll leave Bryce to someone else!" he joked.
Everyone present at the table shared laughter once more, in addition to Jamie Hughes and Emily, who had both heard the joke, and everyone present at the table climbed themselves deeper into it to allow the latest arrivals to take a seat with them.
O-x-O-x-O-x-O
Chuck and Sarah moved to take a seat together at the bar of the very lively pub.
On completing their repositioning, Chuck moved in close to whisper into Sarah's ear. Sarah had detected his presence, and she allowed him to do so. "I hope you know that because of our activities earlier, you won't be the one buying any more of the drinks tonight," he whispered and with his comment made, he backed away from Sarah slightly, but he remained close to her.
Sarah suppressed a laugh, and she full turned herself to look at him. Burning a deep gaze into his eyes with their faces inches apart, she said, "I know."
It was Chuck's turn to suppress a laugh, and he grinned at her. "So that's why you did it, huh? And there was me thinking you liked me," he teased.
Holding her formed stare towards him, Sarah began to move in close to him, and she whispered, "I do like you," into his ear, precisely as he had done with her just previously.
Chuck's breath instantly caught as he felt Sarah's breath connect onto his ear and the back of his neck. "You're just saying that to make me buy you those drinks. I'm onto you, Sarah," he teased as a grin lit up his features.
Sarah smirked before she moved into his proximity once more, only this time, Chuck met her halfway, as he eagerly wanted to hear what she had to say. "I'm aware of your intentions too. I think you want to get me drunk to take advantage of me in my intoxicated state," she whispered to him before she arched herself back again, and she began to bite her lower lip as she burned an ogling stare into his eyes.
"Counterpoint," Chuck started as he held her stare, and he grinned at her. "You're bluffing in an attempt to mask your real motives, which is to get me drunk, for whatever sinister purpose of yours that is still yet to be revealed."
Sarah leaned into him, and she whispered, "Guilty as charged."
Chuck suppressed a laugh. "What, you don't even want a trial? I mean, the case would be open-and-shut in seconds, but it's the right of all of us to at least have a fair trial, Sarah."
Sarah stared seductively into his eyes. "Chuck, why waste our time at a trial when we could be doing lots of other things instead?" she flirted, as her gaze briefly darted down his frame towards his groin.
"Well, that would depend on how fun those things were, Sarah," he teased back as the teammates held their intimate glance.
Sarah giggled sweetly for a long moment in joy before she moved to brush her hand down his shirt.
With their flirting at an end for the moment at least, they backed away from each other ever so slightly. But they remained within intimate proximity towards each other, and they took a large gulp from their alcoholic beverages.
O-x-O-x-O-x-O
"You're both spending a lot of time together tonight. Maybe you should get yourselves a room."
Chuck and Sarah instantly turned themselves away from the bar to face Bryce, the culprit of the comment made towards them both.
"Sure, we can mate if you'll pay for it," Chuck said, glancing at him with a straight face.
Sarah started to snort in an attempt to hold in intense laughter that threatened to erupt, and she shifted her glance between Chuck, and Bryce, who didn't know where to look due to Chuck's retaliatory remark.
After a brief moment, Chuck changed his glance towards Sarah. "So, how about it, Sarah?" he asked.
Finding it difficult not to smirk and to keep a straight face, she said, "Yeah, why not? So long as he's paying for it for us."
Chuck grinned at Sarah before they gazed back at Bryce, who nodded at them, and he quickly departed in the direction of John Murray.
Once their teammate had departed from out of earshot, Chuck and Sarah turned to face the bar once more.
They entered in silence for a few moments until Sarah turned to face Chuck, and he reciprocated the movement as he turned towards her.
"God, that felt good. He didn't know where to look," Chuck said, grinning.
Sarah smirked. "Yeah, it did. But maybe he's right, though, Chuck. Maybe we are getting a bit too close?" she said, glancing at him for clarification and guidance.
Chuck nodded. "Yeah, maybe we are," he agreed as he wasn't in the habit of lying to a teammate, despite how attracted he was towards her.
"Should we put some distance between us?" Sarah asked, her mind in conflict due to her intoxicated state, her immense attraction towards him, and because they were teammates.
Not relenting his gaze towards her, Chuck instantly said, "Sarah, that's the last thing that I want right now."
A colossal smile erupted from Sarah. "Me too," she admitted.
They entered a brief pause as they contemplated the attempted intervention by Bryce and their growing dangerous attraction towards each other.
"I know that we're teammates. Having however many drinks that I've had tonight didn't make me lose my memory. But we're just having a good time together. I don't see anything wrong with that, and I don't want the night to end," he continued their conversation once more with a warm smile as he gazed into her alluring oceanic orbs.
Returning his stare, she said from where she sat, "Then let's make sure it doesn't," as she placed her hand onto his upper thigh, and she ran it down to his knee.
Holding their purposeful stare, he said, "So long as it's what you want, I'm fine with that."
Smiling seductively at him, she said, "It is what I want."
He nodded before he broke his gaze onto her for a brief moment, and he collected his drink. With his alcoholic beverage in hand, he returned his glance onto Sarah, and she had collected her own glass. They moved to touch them together before they took a gulp from their respective shorts.
O-x-O-x-O-x-O
"Those two are dangerously close to jumping into bed together tonight, fella," John Murray said with an approving grin to Cole while nodding over towards the pool table where Chuck and Sarah were playing together.
Nodding, Cole said, "And make sure you keep your distance from them to allow them to make their own decisions free from our judgment. We gave them enough ribbing when we first arrived. What they do is their own business off-duty, not ours."
John Murray scoffed. "I'm already doing it, and I'm one step ahead of you, fella. Why do you think I'm here with your sorry ass and not with my mate with who I came through selection together with?" he said, shaking his head over his friend's needless remarks.
Cole suppressed a laugh. "Fair point, John. You know I love you. I'm not getting on your back nor accusing you of doing anything you're not. I'm just looking out for a guy who I'd fight a whole fucking country to protect."
John Murray nodded firmly in agreement. "You and me both, fella. I was partnered with that beautiful bastard through all of our selection. You know as well as I do that you're mates for life with everyone you go through it with, and I'd join you in taking on that country with you to have his back, and he'd do the same for us."
Cole nodded multiple times. "He would. So now that I know you're on board, I'll let you in on something that Jamie, Dan, and myself are working on," he said as he leaned in close to John Murray, and he started to whisper to him, and John Murray soon chuckled approvingly.
O-x-O-x-O-x-O
Leaning over the pool table where she played with Chuck inside the lively pub, Sarah took her shot.
Glancing up at Chuck, she sported him a beaming smile.
Chuck returned her glance, and he grinned right back at her.
"If you want, I think I can help you with your cue action, Sarah," he said.
Remaining bent over the pool table, she nodded, and she held her inviting smile towards him.
With her confirmation given, Chuck approached Sarah's position at the pool table.
Sarah arched herself back to glance up at him briefly, and Chuck moved in close as he began to hug her back.
Backing herself into him, Sarah relaxed into his frame, and she returned to glance in front of her as Chuck took hold of her free arm that was not holding the cue.
With his grip on Sarah's arm, he moved to position Sarah's hand where he wanted it on the table, and he said, "You will get a much cleaner shot of the ball like this, and now we just need to work on your cueing."
Moving to take hold of Sarah's cue arm, he took hold of Sarah's hand, and Sarah followed his movements until the cue was placed over the white ball.
"And now, all we need to do is to shoot," he declared, as he pulled back on Sarah's hand slightly, and Sarah followed him until they stopped, and he began to push forward. Once more, Sarah followed his movement, and she played her shot.
The target ball promptly made its way to the corner pocket, and Sarah suppressed a laugh as she emitted a massive grin of joy.
"See, what did I tell you. I told you I could help you," he whispered into her ear.
Sarah shivered at the feel of his whisper into her ear, in conjunction with his body against hers. Arching herself to glance at him, she said, "I was beginning to think you were just saying it so you could touch me up."
He shook his head, and he closed his eyes with a wide grin which caused Sarah to giggle approvingly.
Opening his eyes a few seconds later, he said, "Who do you take me for?"
Suppressing laughter cutely, Sarah asked, "So you didn't do that then?"
"Of course I did," he declared, gazing down at her with a trademark grin.
Sarah giggled approvingly as she backed her hips suggestively into him. "While we're honest with each other, I only agreed to it so you could do it too," she said.
Chuck suppressed a laugh, and he shook his head as he grinned at her.
"What?" she asked playfully, returning his affectionate smile.
"You're trouble, Sarah. I could easily get court-martialed with you," he teased.
"So could I with you," she retorted in an equally playful tone.
He shook his head, still grinning at her. "Not me. I'm innocent."
Sarah scoffed as her smile developed even further. "Innocent my butt!"
"I don't want to play pool with you anymore," he said, still grinning as he let go of her arms.
"Tough, because I need to practice my newfound expertise," she giggled.
Chuck shared the laughter with her as he finally backed away from her perfect body...
O-x-O-x-O-x-O
Seated at the bar together once more, Sarah moved to pick up Chuck's glass. Staring into his eyes the entire time, she proceeded to take a mouthful of his drink.
Chuck immediately shook his head while grinning at her, and Sarah giggled at his response.
"I hope you know I'm not drinking from that now," he said.
Sarah lifted herself back. "Wow, so you'll kiss me but not drink from the same glass as me?"
"Yeah," he said as he nodded, holding his grin.
"I hate you," she declared affectionately with a loving smile.
"No, you don't," he said softly.
"Uh, huh, yes I do," she said, staring into his warm, inviting eyes.
He grinned at her before he moved to take a drink from his glass.
Sarah shook her head towards him.
"What?" he asked playfully, moving to place the glass back down.
"All of that complaining about not drinking from the glass anymore, Chuck, and then you go and do it anyway," she teased.
"Maybe I'll drink from your glass to see what you would do," he said, nodding at her glass placed on the bar.
"I would do the same as what you just did but without complaining, Chuck," she said with a straight face.
Chuck instantly called her as he moved to pick up her glass. Pausing, he gazed at her, and she was staring right at him. Moving to put Sarah's glass to his mouth, he took a sip of her drink as he returned her intimate stare.
Placing the drink back down onto the counter, he observed as Sarah instantly picked up the glass he had just placed down, and without a word, she proceeded to raise it to her mouth, and she downed the remaining contents of the drink while holding her stare towards him the entire time.
With her actions complete, she placed the glass back down on the counter of the bar, and smirking seductively towards him, she said, "Happy now?"
Shaking his head, a grin of amazement formed. "You even downed the whole lot," he said incredulously.
Sarah suppressed a laugh. "Well, I guess you have your answer."
"I guess I do," he said, grinning.
"Let's get some air," Sarah said.
Chuck nodded as they moved to stand, and they promptly departed the lively pub.
O-x-O-x-O-x-O
"Chris, now that we've caught you at a good time, can we have a word, mate?" Big Dan said to Chris as they stood at the bar together with Jamie Hughes.
Nodding, Chris said, "You can bring anything to me, Dan."
"As our team leader, what's your opinion on Chuck and Sarah?" Big Dan asked.
Chris took a moment to take a gulp of his pint of Guinness. "Provided they don't bring it to work, fair play to them. They're off-duty in civvie world, so what they do is their business. But if it gets complicated leading to them bringing any kind of handbags that carries over to their work, then I'll give them what for, and then I'll take it to the CO," he said.
Big Dan and Jamie nodded.
"Chris, that's fair. None of us exactly want them fawning over each other's feet at work ourselves, mate. If their heads aren't in the game, and if we see anything we don't like from them while they're clocked on, I think I speak for the whole lot of us in saying that we'll stamp that out of them. But here and now, they're doing no harm if they shack up with each other for a good time," Jamie Hughes said.
Big Dan nodded.
"Jamie, as I told you, fair play to them. If I had something against what they're both doing right now, then I'd have been down their throats an hour or two ago. We look out for our mates," the rugged team leader said.
Big Dan pointed at his team leader in approval. "Damn fucking right we do, fella. No one is getting in the way of those two tonight, and if they do, they'll get a slap," Big Dan said.
Chris and Jamie Hughes nodded.
"They're eye-fucking each other already. Anyone who does interrupt them is a snidey little rat, and they'll get a slap from all of us because it won't be the actions of a mate," Jamie said.
Big Dan and Chris both nodded.
"Dan, let Chris in on it," Jamie said.
Big Dan nodded as he leaned in close with Jamie to whisper to their team leader, and Chris soon nodded in agreement.
O-x-O-x-O-x-O
Sarah was leaning with her back against a wall just outside the entrance to the lively pub. Chuck was positioned just in front of her, and he was leaning into her with his hands placed on either side of her, and his hands were pushing into the wall.
Their faces were a few inches apart, and they were burning an intimate glance into each other's eyes as they took in some air together.
"Sarah, I've been thinking about something a lot for the past few days," Chuck said.
"Oh?" she asked, holding her yearning gaze up at him.
He nodded. "Yeah. What makes you so sure that it would be the best night of my life?" he asked, grinning.
Smirking, Sarah leaned in to seductively whisper, "Chuck, I haven't had sex in so long that I'm close to exploding. I was so focused on ensuring that I passed selection. The man that's lucky enough to get me into bed will see all of that sexual frustration explode, and he'll be ridden until the sun comes out."
Chuck immediately started to croak as the air suddenly deteriorated to dangerous levels that caused Chuck to find it hard to breathe, and he burned a wide-eyed stare into Sarah's eyes.
Giggling in great satisfaction, Sarah rested her back against the wall once more. "Do you believe me now?" she asked, smiling.
He nodded as he paused to cough. "Yeah."
"I've not seen you shy before. It's cute," Sarah declared, as she started to giggle once more, and she burnt him a loving stare.
"I always knew there was something sinister about you. You're a sex freak," he declared, shaking his head as a wide grin took shape.
"You'd better keep it a secret then if you want it," she flirted.
"Who says I want it?" he flirted right back, his loss of composure from Sarah's blockbuster revelation restored.
"Gut instinct," she declared, but she paused to glance at his pants. "And that tent that you have going on down below is a dead giveaway unless it's for Jim," she teased as she began to giggle.
Chuck suppressed a significant portion of laughter. "That's gross and has totally killed my mood," he said with a grin the size of a banana.
She continued to giggle in happiness and attraction.
"Sarah, I hope you know that I'm not sure how much longer I can keep my hands to myself. I was already finding it hard, but that comment you just made has increased my desire towards you by a million percent," he said, staring into her eyes.
Sarah, meanwhile, held his stare as they burnt a deep, longing stare that fully expressed how much desire they both felt towards each other.
"I'm not sure how much longer I can keep my hands off you either, Chuck," she said as her gaze lowered to his lips, and she pushed herself forward to connect her lips with his own.
Closing their eyes, the kiss between the two teammates and very likely soon to be lovers quickly deepened as Sarah opened her mouth, and they got lost in the touch of each other as their tongues waged war, and they tasted each other's mouths.
Sarah raised a hand up to caress his neckline while running her other hand down his shirt.
Breaking their kiss for air sometime later, Sarah pulled back from him to take up a position against the wall once more, and she emitted a loving smile straight into his orbs, and he grinned right back at her.
The transfixed glance that they held towards each other was soon broken by a noise inside the pub, as a bell soon began to sound, and it was quickly met by a loud call from Jim, the friendly landlord. "Last orders, ladies and gentlemen!"
With the declaration at an end, Chuck and Sarah returned their gaze towards each other.
"Last orders, huh? It looks like somebody is looking down on us," Chuck joked.
Sarah suppressed a laugh, and she nodded.
Feeling unwilling to enter back inside just yet, Sarah moved to take hold of his shirt once more, and she moved right back into his proximity because she had a sudden yearning desire to kiss his face off again.
Chuck was only happy to oblige, only this time, he lowered his hands from resting against the wall, and he took hold of Sarah as he pushed her into him, and he deepened the kiss with her as his hands continued to lower, and he took firm hold of both sides of her butt.
Sarah instantly moaned into his mouth at the contact, and breaking from their latest kiss a short time later, they let go of the grip they had on each other before Sarah took hold of Chuck's hand, and they moved to head inside the entrance hall hand in hand.
Pausing just inches from the final door, they glanced at each other a final time before they reluctantly let go of each other's hand, and they entered inside to link up with their teammates to place their last order.
O-x-O-x-O-x-O
Red Team departed the pub with its doors now closed for the evening. Six of the teammates were now in the drunken states that they had all set out to achieve at the beginning of the night, while Cole and Jamie Hughes, as the designated drivers, were sober due to being able to consume just two pints of lager. The team had an incredible night in each other's company, and for some of them, they didn't want the night to end.
"Guys, it's still early, and we have the whole weekend off. I have plenty of alcohol back at my place, and we could always stop for more on the way. Who fancies it?" Chuck asked, glancing around all of his teammates.
Smiling and in complete agreement with Chuck's proposal, Sarah encouraged, "I'm in. Chuck's right, it's still early, and we do have the weekend off. It will be fun!"
Meeting Sarah's gaze, he grinned at her as he nodded before he began to glance around the rest of his teammates.
"Dan?" Chuck asked, glancing at a great friend of his.
Big Dan shook his head. "Nah, fella. I'm slaughtered. My missus will kill me if I drink any more than I have," he protested.
Chuck frowned, as he had seen one of his best friends in much worse states than this one, but he was too intoxicated to query it any further.
"John? You're single, so you have no excuse," Sarah said, gazing at John Murray as she suppressed laughter.
"You bitch!" John Murray said, shaking his head which caused laughter amongst the team. "It's a no from me too. Most of us are heading for a curry, and then I'm going to head off to do something with Jamie afterwards, isn't that right, fella?"
Jamie sharply nodded his head multiple times. "He's right, Sarah. We've already made our plans, sorry mate," he said.
Sarah nodded as her lips creased in sadness.
"Cole, mate?" Chuck then asked, glancing at his best friend.
Cole shook his head with a sympathetic smile. "I'm heading back to Sophie while it's still relatively early. A good night's sleep will do me good before Sunday, Chuck," he said.
"Chris?" Sarah asked, glancing expectantly at her team leader.
"I'm heading back to a shit marriage, so it's a no from me too," Chris said.
The entire team instantly started to groan.
"Chris, for fuck sake, mate. You need to stop the same story time after time, fella," Big Dan protested.
Red Team sharply voiced their agreement with their teammate.
"Come on, fellas! They're right! It's still early! Let's go back to Chuck's and all get pissed!" Bryce encouraged as he had drunk himself into much worse states than the one he was in now.
Chuck and Sarah sharply voiced their agreements, feeling glad that at least one of their teammates wanted to continue the night.
However, the rest of Red Team instantly all started to groan, and they furiously began to shake their heads while Big Dan proceeded to slap Bryce sharply across his head.
"Fuck off, you pillock!" Big Dan whispered aggressively to him as Chris, Jamie, John, and Cole started to glare with hostility at Bryce.
"What did I do?" Bryce laughed, feeling clueless as to what he had done.
Chuck and Sarah started to frown at the actions of their teammates, but they quickly cancelled it out, as they were too happy and far too intoxicated to query the suspicious behaviour on display by their teammates right now.
"I guess that's that then. I'll drive you both to Chuck's," Jamie said.
"I'm not sure. It wouldn't feel right just us two having a good time while all of you are pissing off," Sarah said.
Chuck nodded.
"Don't worry about us, Sarah, mate. We're right boring fucks when we want to be. You both won us the wager with Blue Team, so in a way, it's kind of fitting that you both continue the night if neither of you has had enough. There's always the next time for the rest of us," Big Dan said.
Chuck pointed at all of his team. "You'd better be willing the next time 'cause I'm feeling a bit ditched by all of you right now," he said.
John Murray and Cole moved to put Chuck under their arms. "We will be, I can assure you, fella. It's just not our night, mate," John Murray said.
"Right then, let's get you two dropped off," Jamie said.
"Yeah, while the rest of us let's head for that curry. I'm starving," Big Dan said.
The team all nodded before they split up and departed their separate ways.
O-x-O-x-O-x-O
Jamie pulled his car to a stop outside Chuck's home. Turning himself to glance at Chuck and Sarah, seated in the rear of his car, he grinned at them. "I'll walk you to the door, and then I'll be off 'cause John will be waiting for me."
Chuck and Sarah nodded as they departed Jamie's car, and they walked up the pathway to Chuck's home.
Arriving at the entrance to his home, they turned to face each other. "Thanks for the lift," Sarah said.
Jamie suppressed a laugh. "Don't mention it. Chuck's given me one often enough, and you'll be the designated driver yourself eventually, mate," he said.
Chuck and Sarah laughed together.
Jamie then glanced at Chuck. "Thanks for setting me up with Emily, by the way, mate. She's lovely," he said.
Chuck grinned, and he nodded. "Don't worry about it, mate. We look out for each other. That's just the way things are here," he said.
Jamie nodded as he shifted his glance between Chuck and Sarah before finishing back at Chuck. "Couldn't agree more. You'll Never Walk Alone, as they say in our neck of the woods, mate. I'd best be off. Enjoy your night, both of you. If I don't see you before work, have yourselves a good weekend."
Chuck and Sarah smiled fondly towards their teammate.
"Cheers, mate," Chuck said, and he moved to shake Jamie's hand.
"Thank you. I hope you do too, Jamie," Sarah said as she did the same.
Jamie nodded at them both before he turned, and he walked back towards his car. Climbing inside his car, he watched as Chuck and Sarah entered the property. He waved his hand at them for a long moment in admiration before he fired the ignition, and he swiftly departed the street.
A short while later
Jamie pulled his car to a stop outside Jim's pub. Taking his keys out of the car, he exited it, and he proceeded to lock his car. With his actions complete, he paced the short distance towards an Indian takeaway restaurant where his comrades were gathered outside.
Arriving in their vicinity, they all gazed towards their comrade before suddenly, massive grins, soon followed by rapturous laughter erupted throughout the whole team, except for Bryce, as he had no idea what his teammates were laughing about.
"So, how long do you reckon it will be before those two are taking each other's clothes off then?" Big Dan asked his teammates, glancing primarily at Jamie.
"From the looks they were giving each other in the car, and when I dropped them both off, I'd say they have already done so. I even walked them to the door to make sure they went in together!" Jamie Hughes said as he snorted to hold in immense laughter that threatened to erupt.
The five teammates all suddenly burst into thunderous laughter once more, except for Bryce, whose gaze hit the floor.
"Look at his face!" Big Dan laughed, pointing at Bryce.
The laughter extended between the five teammates.
"So that's why you didn't want me to go back to Chuck's. You set them both up," Bryce said, glancing at Big Dan.
Big Dan nodded.
"Did you all know about this?" Bryce asked, glancing around the team.
Jamie, Cole, John Murray all proceeded to nod, while Chris hadn't paid much attention to the question due to his intoxicated state.
"When did you set it up?" Bryce asked
"Hours ago, mate. Just after those two weirdos got kicked out," Big Dan said.
"We didn't let you in on it because we knew that you wouldn't keep your mouth shut," Cole said.
Big Dan, Jamie, John, and Chris all nodded in agreement.
"Were you in on it too, Chris?" Bryce asked, glancing at his team leader.
"What do you mean by that, you bastard?" Chris asked, glaring at Bryce.
"Well, you're team leader, and they're teammates," Bryce said.
All of Red Team started to shake their heads in disgust.
"And?" Big Dan asked.
"What if it compromises the team?" Bryce said.
Loud scoffs now erupted through all five teammates as they continued unfriendly glances towards Bryce.
"So it's ok for you to want to shag her, but when it's Chuck that wants to, you start getting bitchy about it," Big Dan said, as he continued to shake his head towards him.
"I'm not bitching, I'm just saying," Bryce argued.
"As for your question, provided they don't bring it to work, I have no problems with it, and good luck to them!" Chris said.
"Amen!" Big Dan, Jamie, John, and Cole all declared.
"Don't worry about it, Speedy Gonzales. If you're feeling lonely, you can always teach Morgan GBB," John Murray said.
"Fuck off!" Bryce protested, glaring at John Murray, as Bryce's five teammates erupted with laughter.
The laughter continued for a long moment until they stopped when Jim exited the Indian restaurant armed with multiple bags.
"Did they go for it?" Jim asked, glancing around the team.
All of Red Team except Bryce nodded as they erupted with approving laughter once more, and Jim joined them in motion.
"What, even Jim was in on it?" Bryce asked, shaking his head.
"Of course he was, fella. That's why we're heading back to the pub for a lock-in!" Big Dan said as the laughter transcended into howling laughter for the next minute.
Bryce continued his head shaking for the next minute. "You lying, deceiving bastards! None of you had any intentions of ending the night! You all just faked it to get them both into bed together!"
"Of course, we had no intentions to end the night, you pillock! We look out for our mates, Bryce. And you'll need to learn that if you intend to last with us," Cole said.
"Damn right we do, fella. Chuck and Sarah get what they want, and so do we, because our mates are happy, and that's all that matters to us, and you should be feeling the exact same fucking way right now, fella," Big Dan said pointing at Bryce.
Red Team all nodded in immense agreement.
Bryce started to laugh for the first time. "Let's get fucking pissed!" he declared in excitement, glancing around the team.
Joyful laughter erupted through the whole team as they put their arms around each other.
"Thank you very much, Mr. Roboto, for doing the jobs that nobody wants to!" Big Dan started to sing as Red Team continued to share laughter
"And thank you very much, Mr. Roboto, for helping me escape just when I needed to!" Cole continued the song as the laughter continued.
"Thank you-thank you, thank you, I want to thank you, please, thank you!" Jamie continued as roaring laughter continued through the team, and they all proceeded to perform robot dances.
"The time has come at last!" Bryce started, but he paused to laugh as all of Red Team now had cramps from laughing so much. "to throw away this mask! So everyone can see! My true identity!"
"I'm Kilroy!" John Murray shouted suddenly as Red Team continued to cry with laughter.
"Kilroy!" Chris continued, along with John Murray.
When they were joined by the entire team, "KILROY! KILROY!"
Their lively rendition of Mr Roboto ended, and the camaraderie between the teammates and incredibly close friends climaxed at an all-time high as the whole team bent over in stitches. They proceeded to howl with joyful laughter the remaining distance until they arrived at Jim's pub.
"Bryce, mate, with your singing just now, that's your initiation done. Welcome to Red Team," Jamie Hughes said with a grin to his teammate.
Bryce nodded as he shared a warm gaze with his team, and they proceeded to laugh a final time before the unit entered Jim's pub with the landlord for a lock-in that they intended to participate in until they passed out in each other's company.
End of Chapter
AN2 A "lock-in" is when a pub owner allows patrons to continue drinking in the pub after the legal closing time, on the theory that once the doors are locked, it becomes a private party rather than a pub. With this knowledge in mind, I guess we can say: happy partying Red Team, you conniving, sneaky, sneaky little devils! As a Charah shipper, I heartily approve of Red Team's actions this whole chapter! Well, except maybe for Bryce. Have one on me, Red Team!
AN3 The next chapter will either pick up on Chuck and Sarah's night exactly where Jamie Hughes left them, or it will be the morning after. This will all depend on what kind of review count that this chapter receives. I'll be frank: the review count was low last chapter, and if it's similar this time, it may even be a while before the next chapter, regardless of what the next chapter will be. Nobody is forced to interact and leave feedback with my story, and I won't force anybody to. But I will say this: limited expressed interest in my story causes me to feel like not many people wish to share it with me. This leads to me losing the motivation and drive to continue the chapters coming.