We Shouldn’t Be Doing This

CHAPTER 1

The first time Theo met Matthew Wells was the day he joined the army. He’d never forget that day.

Theo

The commander had been staring at me from behind his desk in his stuffy office, watching with a fake smile ever present behind his moustache, for at least a full five minutes. My father had handed my file over, and he’d been going through it for a while now, pensive.

I knew that entering the army at such a young age wasn’t ideal, but I also knew that they never turned down men if they could help it. Not if they had enough talent. Plus, my father seemed to think it would be good for me after the…incident.

“You think you have what it takes?” The commander asked.

“I do, sir.” I replied quietly, trying not to let my voice betray my nerves and keep a neutral expression on my face. The hand that my father had placed on my shoulder felt heavy and far from reassuring.

“You know the consequences of joining the army? You know what could happen?”

“I could die. Sir.”

“You could die. You could get raped. You could get tortured. You could lose those who have grown dear to you. You could suffer from endless nightmares. You could suffer injuries that will ail you throughout the rest of your life. You could go weeks without food out in the cold.”

“I am aware of that, sir.” I murmured truthfully “and I will suffer the consequences of my choice.”

The commander shrugged “very well. Your training results sufficient. I’ll talk to my office commanders and have you assigned to a unit. Then we’ll have your room arranged in the headquarters. You will be sharing with a roommate, of course.”

“Of course, sir.” I repeated.

“Have your things ready by this afternoon.”

“Of course, sir.” They appeared to be the only words I was able to conjure up.

My father had clapped me on the back and ruffled my hair with a grin as soon as we’d left the office.

My annoying twin sister, who was holding a seemingly endless grudge on me, hardly said goodbye when the time arrived for my departure, but my mum had begun sobbing in my arms. At loss, I'd had to repeatedly reassure her that I wouldn’t be dying. I don’t think she quite believed me.

The commander had assigned me to a man named Johnathan, who seemed nice enough when I met him, if a little…scary looking.

“Johnathan Zerrudo.” He introduced himself as soon as we set off to the headquarters, offering his hand.

I blinked. Johnathan…Zerrudo…? I didn’t think I’d earned being in the Johnathan Zerrudo’s unit, but hey, who was I to complain?

“Theodore Danes, sir. But…you already knew that.” I said, suddenly feeling awkward.

“Do you prefer Danes or Theodore?”

“Uh…Theo, sir.”

“Theo it is, then.” A long pause followed.

“You don’t mind sharing your room, do you?”

“No, of course not, sir.”

“Good. You’ll have a roommate or two, since we have ten men and only five rooms currently available. The others are on hold. Well, I guess eleven, now.” He added as an afterthought.

I just nodded, attempting to demonstrate that I was taking in the information.

“I’ll probably put you with one of the new lads. You’re the same age, I believe. He’s been training with me for years.”

“And he wouldn’t mind sharing a room with me, right?” I asked nervously, chewing my lip. The last thing I wanted was to be aggressively thrown out of my room on my first day.

“No. Shouldn’t mind at all.”

I looked around myself. We’d arrived at the base, which was bigger than I’d expected even though I shouldn’t have been surprised.

“Almost there.” Johnathan said.

We were approaching a set of guarded gates. Inside there were twelve blocky buildings, all boringly gray with two floors, flat roofs and square windows. At least there was a little bit of grass and old trees growing between them, giving it a little less of a depressing look.

“Here we are.” Johnathan nodded, unlocking the door in front of him and leading me into the entrance hall that continued through the entire building as a wide hallway with a few large rooms on the left, separated from each other by windowed walls.

On my right was a single door, much heavier looking than the rest, with a sign that told me it was the equipment storage.

Johnathan was heading toward a staircase further down the hallway on our right.

I hurried after him, hastily peering into the large rooms through the windows. The closest was a briefing room, with a long table and plenty of chairs around it.

I followed Johnathan up the stairs that led straight into a very large living room with a large sofa, several armchairs and a few bookcases that were used to collect dust, apparently. Black leather and polished iron ruled the decor, and there wasn't a single carpet, curtain, or flower in sight.

To the left and behind us was a kitchen, just as big with black cabinets and a very long table with chairs by the window. Not the cleanest kitchen I had ever seen, but it could have been a lot worse.

“Most of my men are training.” Johnathan said, perhaps to break the silence “so I believe the place is mostly empty, though your roommate should be back soon.”

I just nodded dumbly in response, following him past the quiet rooms.

"Here it is," Johnathan said, stopping behind the last door on the left.

I had counted five doors on the left side, facing the big windows on the right, and a sixth at the very end of the hallway. ‘Showers’, said the sign on it.

Johnathan opened the door and stepped in, me following.

The room was surprisingly big. And clean.

Still no carpets or curtains, but there were two beds against the opposite walls with desks next to them, a large couch under the windows, a small dining table and large wardrobes on both sides of the front door.

There was another door on my left, ajar, revealing a bathroom.

"Here," Johnathan put my bags next to the unoccupied bed on the right. "This'll be your bed. So? What do you think?"

"It's really nice, sir," I said honestly. "Not at all what I expected."

"A small, dusty room with a bunk bed and a worn-down closet? Something like that?"

"Pretty much," I admitted, turning my attention back to him.

"Hm. The army is willing to spend a little extra to keep the morale high," he explained.

Just as I was about to reply, a presence appeared behind us.

A teen, seeming indeed my age, strikingly good looking, his expression calculating and intimidating. He was wearing sweatpants and had his shirt in his hand. It was clear he worked out. He glanced at me, approaching like a hunter cornering his pray.

My gaze flickered to Johnathan, searching for a helping hand in the situation.

“John?” The teen said uncertainly “what is this?”

“Perfect timing, Stryker. Where have you been?”

“Medical appointment” Stryker replied in a mutter. He nodded at me “who…?”

“This is your new roommate.”

He looked at me again, dark eyes scanning me from head to toe, his expression not changing except the slight wrinkle of his nose.

“Mh” he cleared his throat “sure, whatever.”

I glanced at Johnathan once more, uncertainly. He was a hard one to read.

“He’s fine.” The commander promised.

“How was it?” The question was directed at Stryker this time.

“Infected.”

“How long are you out for?”

“I’m not out.” He muttered “I’m fine.”

“St-“

“I’m good for training.”

Johnathan let out a breath “you have a fever?”

“I’m okay.” He said softly, gaze returning to me, observing the way I was hovering awkwardly, shifting my weight from one foot to another. Perhaps he took pity on me, because he smiled- a tiny one, but a smile nonetheless- and stated “Stryker Aisen, by the way.” He held out his hand.

Stryker Aisen? As in, the prince…

I hastily shook it. If it had taken him that long to offer it, leaving him hanging wouldn't do me any favours, I figured. “Theo Danes.”

“Let me take a look.” Johnathan said, completely disregarding me. Stryker scoffed “it’s fine, John. Quit it.”

I blinked. John. I was pretty sure the commander was to be addressed as 'sir' at all times.

Johnathan just raised his eyebrows expectantly. Stryker sighed and held out his arm, and I was surprised to see a deep gash, oozing blood and the skin around it red.

How did I not notice that when I shook his hand just now?

“It’s not gonna hinder my performance.” Stryker said softly “just need to disinfect it and take some antibiotics. Promise.”

“Fine." The commander replied after a brief pause, "you know where the others are?”

“Training? Dean was out on a run.”

“Okay. I’ll leave you two to get to know each other then.”

Stryker gave Johnathan a small wave, then turned to fold up his shirt.

“New then?” He asked to break the silence.

I startled “uh…yeah. You too…?”

“Been here a month. You came just in time to meet the Zeltron lot.”

“Yeah?”

“We’ll be setting off with them soon. Army missions, y’know?”

“Uh…yeah, sure.”

Stryker turned to face me, tilting his head as if sizing me up.

“You uh…are the prince, aren’t you?” I asked after a moment.

“Oh.” Stryker chuckled “yeah, that’s me. Don’t worry, I don’t bite.”

“No, you look like you do worse.”

Stryker grinned at that.

“How did you do that to your arm?”

“Ah, nothing. Little incident. Dean’s…his aim was a little off.”

I grunted “lovely.” I remarked. That would be just my luck, too.

Stryker hummed. “Well, hope you don’t have the same fortune-"

I internally snorted.

"Good fighter?”

“Nowhere near as good as you.” I felt a little stupid as I said it, but it had gushed out unbidden.

Stryker snorted “wasn’t the question.”

Right.

“I’m…good enough.” I replied carefully.

“We’ll see.” Stryker grinned, eyes sparkling “come, I'll show you around.”

After a busy afternoon of tours, meeting more people than I’d spoken to in all my years of life, and some kind of welcoming ceremony for the Zeltron soldiers, I attended nightfall and retreated outside to walk around and have a smoke.

I was sat facing the pond, immersed in my own thoughts, when a voice spoke from behind me.

“Is that a joint?”