SPACE: Above and Beyond

Nathan volunteered to be Cooper's shadow upon his probationary release from detox, accompanying him everywhere, including the head, lest he succumb to temptation.

McQueen was working double shifts to make up for the time he'd taken to nurse Cooper through his cold turkey, and Nathan could see, quite plainly, how McQueen's absence had deflated Cooper's pleasure at being released. He asked Nathan if McQueen was deliberately avoiding him, but Nathan could only shrug, at a loss for McQueen's motives at the best of times.

Nathan blinked the water out of his eyes, sliding a glance towards Cooper, who was just standing there, head tilted back slightly, letting the water wash down over his hard, yet handsome face, his angled chest, flat abdomen, his hips and thighs, dripping from the sweet organ Nathan coveted, hanging laxly between those strong legs.

"Coop?' asked Nathan.

"Mmm?" came back the reply.

"What'cha doing?'

"I love the feel of hot water," Cooper purred.

"Hot water."

"Yeah," he sighed.

Nathan realised that hot water showers must be still a novel experience to Cooper, hence his entrancement.

"Didn't they have hot showers in the facility?"

"Nope," answered Cooper, then slid a mischievous grin towards Nathan. "Just cold."

Nathan could see the slight twitch of Cooper's organ in response to his thoughts.

Nathan abandoned his own shower nozzle to join Cooper under his stream, sliding his soap over those strong shoulders, before his arms encircled the slim waist for a brief hug.

"You mean no one ever touched you in the showers at the facility?" he had to ask, resting his cheek against a well formed shoulder blade.

"No. It wasn't allowed. The Monitors watched us at all times. Like you. You're my Monitor now."

Nathan let his arms drop from their teasing game, withdrawing slightly.

"It's not like that. I'm trying to look out for you, help you. I don't want you to get kicked out, and have to serve the rest of your sentence in a jail cell."

"At least I wouldn't be shot at."

"No, it'd be worse. Cooper, I'm sorry. I promised McQueen I'd try and keep you out of trouble."

"All right, then," Cooper relaxed back against him. McQueen having okayed this made it acceptable, somehow.

Nathan continued to wash Cooper, enjoying the feel of the slick, smooth skin beneath his fingertips. He couldn't resist...

"Hey, West, d'ya think it's clean enough," grinned Hawkes, leaning back against him as Nathan ran his soapy hand back and forth, as his other hand strayed across that body.

He felt Cooper suddenly go rigid against him, hot liquid shooting past his fingers.

"West," Cooper growled, still pumping in Nathan's hand.

Nathan turned him around to face him, sliding his tongue into Cooper's mouth for a slow kiss.

"Now," he instructed breathlessly, "Touch me like that. Show me what you've learnt."

~

Nathan sat back in his chair, frowning

"Hey, Paul, you remember the specs on that Chig bomber we flew, the weapons package?"

Paul frowned, but Cooper piped up, rattling off the specs before he could speak.

Wang frowned at him.

"How the hell do you remember that stuff."

Cooper shrugged.

"Just do."

"Eidetic memory," shrugged West. "'Wonder if it's standard for all Invitros, or if we just got lucky."

"What?" scowled Cooper.

"Photographic memory," answered Paul. "It's like working with an idiot savant," he grinned at Nathan.

"You calling me an idiot?" Cooper sprang to his feet, but Nathan pushed him back down again good naturedly.

"Paul?" Nathan grinned, daring the Lt to get himself out of this one.

"Tell me or I'll puncture your lung with this pen," threatened Cooper, scowling from his bunk, holding the pen with an attitude to use it.

"He means it, Paul," grinned Nathan.

Paul shrugged. It had been an okay life.

"An idiot savant is like," he paused, and sent off a small prayer to his ancestors. "A moron," he continued, heavily," Who can't tie his own shoelaces but can recite telephone numbers out of the phone book backwards and sideways."

Cooper leant forward, hurt.

"He's calling me a moron," he appealed to Nathan.

"No," Nathan smiled engagingly, trying to disarm Cooper with his smile. "It's just that you missed a lot of stuff when you cut school, and it's weird when you come out with all this other stuff."

"Got it wet wired into me when I was in the tank," Cooper muttered.

"Really?" asked Wang, but Nathan shushed him with a look.

Nathan focused his steady hazel gaze onto Cooper.

"Why did you run away from the facility," he asked softly.

Cooper hunched forward slightly, not wanting to remember.

"They were going to kill me."

"Why?"

"Because I asked a question."

"Some question," breathed Paul.

Cooper's head snapped up, hostile again.

"Tanks don't ask. They just do. We're told all we need to know, and no more. We're drilled to act, not think. Thinking is dangerous, difficult to control. That was the mistake they made with the AI's, letting them think for themselves. Not with us. They keep us docile with drugs and programming."

"Coop," offered Nathan. "I'm sorry."

"It must have been like a prison," murmured Wang.

"It was." Cooper affirmed sharply, having experienced both.

"I always thought, you know, that it was like a normal school," Wang surmised.

"Sounds more like a British public school," Nathan mused, having heard a few more horror stories that Cooper had let slip in confidence.

Paul leant back.

"I could never figure out how Coop made Lt with his record and education."

Cooper shrugged. "I got an education. Some, anyway. Maybe they just needed the new meat."

"Maybe," Nathan agreed. Maybe it was affirmative action. He leant forward and patted Cooper's knee. "Whatever, we're stuck with you," he grinned again.

Cooper flashed a dimple at him in return.

~

Under the cover of darkness, Nathan slipped from his bunk and stole over to where Cooper lay, touching softly on the tip of his ear.

Cooper started awake, relaxing when he saw it was Nathan, a smile creeping across his face when he realised his education was about to continue. He made room for Nathan on his tiny bunk, tearing off his T-shirt and boxers, so he could press the naked length of his body against Nathan's.

"I've been waiting all day, my balls are so tight," he whispered thickly in Nathan's ear.

Nathan felt down, squeezing Cooper's balls slightly.

"Uh huh," he confirmed. Cooper was already hard, dripping. Nathan teased him, dipping a finger in his liquid and trailing it up over that impossibly smooth stomach.

Cooper kissed Nathan impatiently, wriggling his hips against him.

"Sssh," Nathan soothed him. He bent his head to Cooper's throat, sucking upon his Adam's Apple. He began a torturously slow trek down across Cooper's chest and abdomen, pulling the sheet down as he went, until at last he was paused above Cooper's impressive manhood, weeping for him in need.

Nathan had dreamt of this, taking Cooper's length, sliding along it, tasting it, licking his tongue around it, slipping his hot mouth over it.

Cooper groaned, inarticulate under the experience, but thinking West must have done this before, and being surprised, thinking West only knew Kylen.

Nathan shushed him, reminding him of where they were, overly conscious of the small sounds of Shane stirring slightly under another nightmare.

He rolled his mouth over the head, tongue slipping through the slit, scooping up Cooper's juices, as he pumped and played, pressing Cooper's testes in his palm, tickling down to tease the little puckering he found there.

Cooper thrust up into his mouth; Nathan's finger's circled both his naval and anus as he licked and sucked.

Biting down on his scream, Cooper came in thick, hard bursts, inadvertently choking Nathan as he lost himself in his thrusts.

Nathan kissed Cooper, his seed still thick in his mouth, pressing against him, happy and hard.

"Where," Cooper asked still breathless.

"Did I learn to do that?" Nathan finished for him, smiling. He slowly circled Cooper's nipple with a lazy finger, lying on his side propped up on one elbow so he could just look at Cooper, and admire the handiwork of the IVA who'd put this little Humpty together, of the snips and snails and puppy dog tails and whatever else he was made of. "I had a best friend, well, we were more then just friends, obviously. It was sort of like you and me. I didn't think of it as being serious. Hell, we would have screwed anything. His name was, is," he corrected "Maarten."

"What happened to you guys. Did you have a fight?"

"Kind of. His younger sister stole me away from him. He just accepted it, I guess. We never spoke much after that.

"What was her name," asked Cooper in that direct way of his.

"Kylen," Nathan smiled sadly.

"I didn't think you would, with anyone else except Kylen."

Nathan looked down, a resigned sadness flowing over him.

"I love Kylen. I always will. But when I held Neil's body in my arms, I knew. I knew that she must be dead, and I was fooling myself if I thought otherwise. I'll never love anyone like I loved her," he paused, breathing deeply with the revelation. "But that doesn't mean I can't care for you, because I do, very much. I could never be unfaithful to her memory, because I'll never stop loving her. It's just a feeling though, it's not real, like us. She's just a memory now. She's not real, like you. You can't cheat on a memory." He nuzzled against Cooper's throat. "I miss her," he murmured.

~

The Wild Cards assembled, resembling more of a rambling group of school kids than a precision drilled military unit.

Nathan darted forward and licked Cooper on the ear, then blew on it softly, and kept feathering soft breaths across the saliva slicked skin, leaning close, until McQueen walked in. Cooper was still squirming in his seat, all fidgety, Nathan sitting back and grinning, as Cooper frowned darkly, rubbing at his assaulted ear.

McQueen fixed his icy stare onto Cooper, whose attentions were elsewhere.

"Is there a problem, Hawkes," he started, bringing Cooper to attention in his seat, to the sound of Nathan choking back a giggle from behind. Cooper swivelled around to shoot West a murderous look.

"Hawkes!" snapped McQueen.

Cooper swung back, sulking but chastened.

"Alright, people, and Hawkes if he can stay with us," Another glare, but this time tempered with a forgiving fondness buried deep in those blue eyes, "This is a milk run. Escort duty." He paused to allow for some minor groans from the peanut gallery consisting of Vansen and Wang." But stay alert. Chigs are out there, and hitting our supply lines is of strategic importance to them. Dismissed. Hawkes, West, stay here," he ordered.

"Oh oh, kept after class," grinned Wang, to Cooper's well meant sneer, as he departed.

McQueen sat down directly in front of them, balancing his clipboard on his knee, looking both of them directly in the eye.

"Now I want to know what is going on," he started.

"West started it," dobbed in Hawkes.

McQueen swung a weary gaze from one to the other.

"If you two idiots have a problem, work it out in your own time."

"No problem, Sir," answered West, bringing the full intensity of McQueen's attention on himself.

West and Hawkes had always been trouble. West's racist taunts had baited the InVitro, and Hawkes was quick to anger. They seemed to have settled down a little over the last few months; now it seemed something had started them up again. He searched West's face for answers, believing him to be the culprit, because it was Hawkes nature to react to rather than instigate action, and found not hostility or resentment as he expected, but a glowing warmth and affection in West's regard of Cooper Hawkes. He drew back slightly, not expecting that. It wasn't malicious teasing that had stirred up Hawkes, it had been cheerful flirtation.

"Whatever it is, get over it," he instructed gruffly, backing off, not knowing how to deal with either of them.

Cooper slumped down in his seat as McQueen retreated, having fallen afoul in the eyes of his hero.

"It's okay, Coop, he's not mad at you. You just... surprised him, is all."
West considered, calculating the discomfort he'd seen in the colonel's
eye. There'd been no spark of jealousy, dammit, but West wasn't so sure
that wasn't just from the surprise. McQueen had expected them to be
fighting, not flirting....

"Yeah? He ain't all ticked at me?"

"Nope," West assured. "He's not. Just--be patient, Cooper."

Hawkes sneered in irritation. "Patient. Yeah, sure."

"Don't worry," soothed Nathan, leaning close again. "He'll forgive you."

Cooper was still pining pitifully, his whole face taking on that lost puppy look like it did.

Nathan touched his cheek, turning his face slightly and kissed him lightly. Nathan adored him, especially when he looked like that, so needy, so hungry for affection. Nathan kissed him again, a little more deeply this time, and was gratified to feel Cooper's tongue flick inside his mouth.

~

Cooper was burning with new found knowledge and the desire to learn more. He fidgeted and squirmed with a nervous energy that had McQueen dragging him off for urine analysis again, much to Cooper's chagrin.

Cooper sulked about that for days.

Eventually, the young InVitro's looks towards their CO became less and less wounded puppy, and once more naked lust.

Hawkes tracked McQueen walking across the Tavern, to take a seat by himself at the bar, before turning to Nathan with dark, hungry eyes, leaning close, tongue wetting his lips almost unconsciously.

"Is it like this, West, you know, wanting it all the time. I mean, it was bad before, but now..."

Nathan grinned. "You've tasted the Devil's candy, Coop. You'll get used to it, trust me," Nathan promised, sincerely hoping Cooper would, because the InVitro's appetite of anytime, anywhere was beginning to wear him down. After months on the wagon, as it were, he was seriously thinking vitamin supplements, or something, anything, to be able to keep up with Cooper.

Cooper's mind jumped tracks suddenly, as they often did, though kept their heading on their single route.

"West, what's it like with a woman. I've never done it with a girl. That would be really losing it, wouldn't it?"

Nathan decided he really did need those three shots he'd lined up in front of himself, afterall, knocking them back in quick succession. Look out Vansen, he thought, wickedly. More to the point, look out Cooper.

"Um, Coop, I don't think it would be a good idea to go around the ship offering your services to any girl you see."

"They'd say no?" Cooper frowned.

Nathan grinned. "Probably not, but you don't want to get a reputation as, well, a slut." he shrugged.

Cooper pouted. God, he was adorable when he did that.

"Wait for the girl to come to you," Nathan advised. "They will," he assured, seeing that little frown start to mar Cooper's beautiful features.

~

The Colonel's face was inches from his, pale skin flecked with red, blue eyes wet.

"You would think you could cut me a little slack, considering I'm doing this so I can spend the night with you, back on Earth."

Cooper just stared, wheels spinning.

"What's wrong with now?" he asked at last, voice thick in his throat, heart racing.

"You tell me," she challenged, voice trembling not with fear, but anger - anger that this stupid little Lt had the nerve to question her, and that she'd let him.

"I, um, I've never done it with a girl before," Cooper spluttered out, losing the ability to articulate speech as the blood rushed from his brain to another part of his body.

"I know," she purred, enjoying the startled expression on his face. "Just take it easy, Lt. Let me control the show, and I'll give you the ride of your life, " she promised in his ear.

Cooper watched as she slowly teased the zipper of his flight suit down, sliding it over his shoulders.

"You won't need this," she advised, pulling the T-shirt over his head.

He pushed forward and kissed her, but she held his bare shoulders firmly, pulling him back.

"Not so fast," she warned him. "And where did you learn to kiss like that?"

Before Cooper could answer, she had pressed her own mouth to his, controlling the kiss, allowing his tongue into her mouth only on her terms.

She drew him to his feet, stripping him, instructing him on how to strip her, before guiding him back towards the camp bed set up in the corner of the room.

"Kneel down," she instructed, and Cooper did so, kneeling before her. She seated herself on the edge of the bunk and brought him toward her, wrapping her arms and legs around him, bringing his mouth to her lips, then her breasts, teaching him how to kiss and suck upon them just right. She realised this boy had never before had a woman's teat in his mouth, she marvelled as some primeval instinct surfaced, and he began sucking upon them, hungry; she arched back, sighing in delight. He licked his way slowly down her abdomen, tongue flicking in and out of her navel, curious. With his head bowed, she allowed herself to explore his naval, surprised to she him stop and moan, aroused further. She'd never done it with a tank before, she'd never realised it was so sensitive. What was once ugly now seemed beautiful, full of erotic delights. He was at her mercy when she kissed him upon it, sucking slightly.

He raised his head and kissed her again.

She directed him lower, parting her legs, telling him to touch her there, gripping the edge of the bunk as his fingers slid through her slickness, exploring her.

"Yes, there," she breathed as he found her clitoris, tickling her there. She bit down on her lip, determined not to come. His fingers found her entrance, dipping in and out, faster and faster. Oh, god.

She caught his hand suddenly, bringing his fingers to his own mouth, making him suck upon his fingers.

"Kiss me," she instructed. "Not on the mouth," she added as he leant forward.

She clutched and pulled at his hair, rocking her hips back and forth as his tongue followed where his fingers at been.

At the very precipice, she pulled him up, pulled him on top of her and pulled him into her, grabbing at his ass, legs tight around his hips.

"Pump me," she commanded, and Cooper was only too willing to obey, almost lost as his cock slid deep into her slippery heat.

He slid in and out, slowly, clumsily, not sure of the rhythm.

She pulled free of him and rolled him under her, impaling herself on his length she brought his hands up to cup her breasts and she rose up and down, hips grinding, rocking and rolling above him, around him, flexing down on him, he could feel the muscles ripple down upon him as she came.

He thrust up in hard, desperate pushes, faster and faster, pulling on her nipples, then grabbing her hips, pumping harder and harder inside her until he came, throwing his head back as he felt his penis pulse into his sheath.

"Fuck," he gasped.

"Again?" she grinned, blonde hair sticking to her forehead with a fine sheen of sweat.

Cooper beamed up at her, happy as a child, hungry as a man.

"Yeah," he breathed, and she learnt another thing about Tanks.

~

Cooper slid into a chair beside Nathan with a silly grin on his face. There was a smug, very pleased with himself, almost Cheshire Cat like air about him.

Nathan had already guessed before Cooper blurted out that he'd finally and just popped his cherry, and with whom.

Nathan spluttered into his beer. Christ, a full Colonel. Cooper didn't waste time or ambition. It was all Nathan could do but proudly order his friend a beer in honour of the occasion.

"So what is the occasion?" asked Paul, joining them, noting the pitcher of beer Nathan had lined up, knowing full well West never shouted unless he was on a losing hand in poker.

Cooper proudly announced his admittance into adulthood, which Paul greeted with a slap on the back, a ruffling of hair, and another round of drinks.

The boys were down to Nathan's third round when the girls showed up, surprised to find such a clique of giggly male bonding. They refused to answer under Vansen's interrogation as to what they were up to, until Cooper, bursting with the news, could contain his silence no longer, very proud of himself, and more than a little drunk.

Vanessa laughed softly, having already guessed Cooper had been laid. He had that dopey just fucked grin she remembered from the boys back in high school. And fucked but good, the boy could still taste it, she was sure.

Hawkes admitted sheepishly it was his first time, to another round of drinks from Paul and Nathan, disgusting Shane.

She couldn't believe that Cooper was a virgin, not the way he had kissed her, flirted with her. God, she could have been his first time, but she'd passed on that chance.

"I can't believe you are so proud of this, or you two," she levelled her accusing gaze at West and Wang. "Encouraging him. If anything, you should be looking out for him. This is so...sleazy."

"Isn't that one of the seven dwarves?" asked Wang, and Nathan collapsed in a fit of the giggles.

Shane was unimpressed.

"Cooper, your first time should have been special, with someone you love..."

"If he wants to lose it to a full Colonel, more power to him." argued Nathan, collecting himself in defence of Cooper, whose face was starting to fall. "It's a time honoured tradition that a young man is initiated by an older, experienced woman. Your loss, Shane," he added, cruelly.

"Shane, loosen up, girl," Vanessa advised softly. "This is a big deal for Cooper."

"Yeah," Cooper agreed, taking a swing at his beer bottle. "Big deal."

Vanessa dragged up another two chairs and made Shane sit, ordering another round of conciliatory drinks, toasting Cooper fondly.

McQueen stood just inside the bat wing doors, arms folded, feeling nothing short of anger and envy at seeing Cooper so obviously being the centre of attention, and Cooper just so pleased as punch about it, holding court with his friends, almost oblivious to the looks West and Vansen were sliding him.

Biting down on the jealousy - he didn't get jealous - McQueen stalked over to the table, snatching the bottle away from Cooper's lips, slamming it down on the table.

"What is this meaning of this?!" he yelled at them, but Cooper the sole focus of attention. How dare you come here and get smashed. You have a mission to fly! Maybe the most important mission of this war! I expect you all assembled and sober at 0500 hours!" he ordered and stormed off, charging through the bat wing doors, leaving them flapping in the sudden silence in his wake.

~

Cooper had been cut by Klingman's abrupt departure. Though he didn't say anything, Nathan knew. Cooper had been aware of the status of his liaison with Klingman being a one night stand, but her leaving without saying good-bye struck Nathan as cold, especially since Cooper was essentially still just a kid, and it had been his first time, and all that.

Nathan, of course, as any friend would, took it upon himself to try and ease Cooper's pain.

He slid free of Cooper's kiss, coming up for air before the InVitro, gasping under the hot stream of the shower, leaning against Hawkes' hard body, dizzy with oxygen deprivation and blood pumping away from his brain. Undeterred, Cooper continued nibbling along his jaw line, not at all concerned with being scratched by Nathan's 12 hour beard.

"Congratulations, Hawkes," Nathan smiled under the attentions. "You're officially bisexual."

Cooper stopped to look at West, suspicion in those blue eyes.

"What does that mean?"

"That you do it with women and men."

"Oh." Cooper ruminated on this for a few moments. "I like doin' it with women, feels so good when you're inside."

"Hey, you ain't been inside me yet, sunshine," Nathan grinned.

Hawkes frowned at him.

"How."

"The back route."

"Doesn't that hurt?"

"Not if you do it right. But you are a healthy boy," he teased.

"I want to do you." Cooper stated his intention.

"Well, when you put it like that," Nathan teased.

"Like what?" Cooper demanded, switching to hostile.

"Nothing," Nathan soothed, sliding his hands down Cooper's arms in a lose embrace. "I've just got to teach you how to spin honey."

"But I want to feel inside you," Cooper persisted.

"Okay," Nathan kissed him, lightly at first, then grabbing hold of him harder, pressing his body up tight against Cooper's, teasing the nipple on the back of his neck.

"Oh, god, Cooper, you're making me hard just thinking about you inside me. I want you to do it. Now." he admitted between hard breaths, squeezing and kneading Cooper's flesh.

He broke free for a second, scouting about for something, coming up with Vanessa's baby oil. He squirted a liberal amount in his palm, and coated Cooper's thickening rod with long, luxurious strokes.

"Mmmm, that's good," Cooper grunted softly.

Nathan knew he could have made Cooper come like that easily, but not this time.

He took Cooper's hand, placing the fingers in his mouth and sucking upon them slightly, making Cooper squirm. He opened up his hand and kissed his palm, and then filled it with the oil.

He turned and braced himself against the wall with one hand, the other ensuring his own arousal.

"Put your fingers inside me, with the oil," he instructed, holding his breath as he felt Cooper's body press up along his back, Cooper sucking and biting along the back of his neck and shoulders, Coopers fingers sliding down his spine, between his cheeks to rub the tiny nub, then in. He choked slightly, holding himself still, but unable to stop the need to push down on those fingers as they twisted and wriggled about inside him, so tight, exploring him, touching the bud of his prostate, making his hips jerk, clenching down in automatic response.

"You like that?" Cooper breathed hotly into his ear, digging in further.

"Yeah. Now put yourself in."

The fingers came out too fast, and he missed them instantly, suddenly aware he could feel the tip of Cooper's penis prodding up against him, pushing in, probing him.

"Gently, slowly," he hissed, supporting himself now with both hands against the tiles, though Cooper had taken up the slack, as it were, one hand grabbing his hip, the other clutching at his balls and sliding along his shaft.

Cooper pushed himself all the way in. Nathan bit down. Fuck, it had been too long. Cooper was killing him. He moved slightly and it got a little better, pleasure breaking through the pain. He moved again, trying to find a comfortable position. The tip of Cooper's penis prodded his prostrate and he could have seen stars.

"Oh, yeah," he choked, pushing himself back down on Cooper slightly, to feel that again.

Cooper sucked hard upon the back of his neck, and without prompting, began to pump him, long and slow, then faster, harder, his hand matching the beat. There was nothing but the sound of water, grunting and flesh upon flesh, until Nathan managed a strangled cry, his seed spilling into Cooper's hand. Cooper picked up the pace, slamming into West, until he felt his own balls squeeze themselves, pumping their milky sauce deep into Nathan in thick, heavy pulses.

They clung together, hot, joined, until Cooper finally slid free, and Nathan suddenly felt very empty and alone. He turned and kissed Cooper tenderly.

"You feel good," Cooper acknowledged, grinning boyishly.

Nathan reached down and washed off Cooper's fading erection.

"I think I'll want you to do that to me again in future." Nathan decided, playing idly with the organ that had brought him both heaven and hell.

"I want to." Cooper answered thickly, still in a post coital feel good haze.

~

Nathan and Cooper were having a noisy, boisterous, somewhat touchy feely game of basketball; Cooper not really knowing the game or how to pull his punches, nor really aware of the rules, and that one didn't normally bring down their opponent with a rough, pounding rugby tackle when playing basketball. The competitiveness of the game was tapping into Cooper's blood lust, it was programmed into Cooper so there was nothing Nathan could do except deal with Cooper aggressiveness good naturedly and accept that Cooper was body slamming him to the ground because he was enjoying himself. It was a bizarre form of affection.

Nathan grunted and pushed himself up from the polished floor once again, sweating hard, sure every inch of him must be black and blue by now. Cooper was gonna kill him with love, he knew that now. And to think he'd thought of this as an idea to burn off some of Cooper's excess energy.

He looked up and saw Wang and Phousse watching them from the sidelines. The Cavalry have arrived, he thought as he waved, beckoning them onto the court. They discussed it for an agonising few moments, laughing at him, before Wang relented and joined Phousse on the court, playing the opposing team. Now at least Cooper would be crash tackling Wang, and Nathan couldn't help the evil grin that crossed his face, as the Wild Cards took over the court.

Other people stopped to watch as they shrieked and called out to each other like kids on too much cherry soda.

Nathan was suddenly very glad Cooper was on his team - InVitros could jump. Wang and Phousse didn't stand a chance. It was going to be a massacre.

Amongst the watchers was Shane Vansen, leaning against the far wall, arms folded, disappointed to be left out, sad her promotion had separated her from the others. Now she knew how McQueen had felt, that night he had blown up at them in the Tavern. He was there to command them, not play games with them. He was their CO, not their team mate.

She was suddenly away of the man of her thoughts standing close by, also watching, surprised to find Cooper in the midst of a game and Shane standing apart. They watched together, standing against the wall.

Shane realised how weird it was to see Coop and West playing together, quite affectionately as she watched Nate pull Cooper up off the floor, swatting him on the backside. They would have killed each other months ago.

She flicked a look over McQueen.

"You're surprised to see West and Hawkes playing on a team together? Don't be. Those two are bosom buddies, as thick as thieves. Nathan is still getting over Neil's death, his brother," she put in, in case McQueen hadn't bothered to remember that fact. "Nathan needs someone to care for, to be a big brother to, and Cooper just needs someone to be there for him. Since the Bacchus they've been inseparable, almost. I think it's good, for both of them." She shrugged, deferring to his opinion, but McQueen said nothing. "Of course, Cooper's grown up quite a bit lately. The Marine's finally made a man of him. Or one Marine did," she grinned.

McQueen looked perplexed.

Shane shook her head, smiling. "Cooper earned his wings with that Colonel Though he's been a little down since she left without so much as saying good-bye to him. That was cruel. Cooper might be a Marine and a cute lay, but he's still a kid and I think he had a dose of puppy love. He knew it was a one night stand, but he was still pretty hurt about it."

McQueen frowned. "That night in the Tun, you all knew, that's why you were buying him those drinks." he surmised, dismayed almost to the point of distress that Cooper had not confided this to him. He hadn't noticed, hadn't paid attention, like he should have been, especially to Cooper. Cooper, if no one else, warranted his constant attention, because of the addiction, because he was an InVitro. He'd been unable to hide his disappointment that Cooper was having trouble fighting off the addiction to Meanies, disappointed that Cooper had given into the craving in the first place, unreasonably, and he knew it, expecting Cooper to be stronger than he was. He'd been forced to play the parent, and his anger at his own perceived inability to pull it off had been taken out on Cooper. Watching Cooper go through withdrawal had been raw and awful, dredging up unpleasant memories, straining and tearing at their relationship. Cooper's isolation had ended with them both resenting the presence of each other, and they'd kept their distance. It wasn't Cooper's fault, it wasn't Cooper's fault at all.

Cooper raced up the court and slammed dunked the ball home again, to Paul's groan of inevitable defeat. Nathan hugged him, swinging him around. Cooper saw McQueen, leaning up against the wall with Shane, watching him intently. Cooper threw back the look with equal intensity, sizzling it all the way across the court.

The heat and force of that look knocked McQueen for six. Unable to meet Cooper's eyes again, he retreated from the court, leaving Cooper to slump back in Nathan's arms, and the life went out of his game a little, allowing Paul and Vannessa to catch up a little bit.

~

They lay together in the darkness, listening to the breathing of the other Wild Cards. Cooper lazily traced Nathan's dog tags up and down his chest, following the line of hair that arrowed down to his groin, as though pointing "This Way!'. Cooper's absent meandering occassionally dipped lower, but for the most part they were both tired and sated.

"Do you think McQueen likes boys," Cooper asked quietly, but directly, breaking the mood.

"Why don't you ask him." Nathan's voice came out sharper than he could help.

"Do you think he likes me," Cooper pressed, and Nathan felt his heart drop away through the bottom of the Saratoga, and into empty space. He'd known this had been coming, he'd seen the looks of burning desire Cooper had been directing at their CO, like a flame thrower, heating up the atmosphere for all those around him. He'd also seen that hurt and confused little expression seep across his face when McQueen had down right ignored him.

"Do you think I should ask him?"

"No, don't do that," West advised. Either McQueen didn't know or didn't want to know. "But you could try talking to him. Maybe, if you wanted to. But he is our CO, Coop. It's against regulations for a start, even if he did like you, and you saw what he did to Kelly when she hit on him."

That hurt little frown reappeared as Cooper recalled the Colonel's outburst with perfect clarity. Then he brightened a little, another idea coming to him.

"Maybe he doesn't like girls."

"He was married."

The frown again. God, but West was a sucker for that. He ran a soft, soothing hand over Cooper's shoulder.

"Just don't do anything stupid. I don't want to have to scrap you up off the floor," Nathan advised, knowing that subtlety wasn't exactly Cooper's strong suite. "Just talk to him, feel him out, see if he wants to talk to you first."

"That's a good sign?"

"Yes, Coop, that's a good sign. Just take it easy, okay, for me?" he asked, picturing quite vividly the spectacle of McQueen knocking Cooper's lights out with one solid punch.

~

McQueen glared wearily, just for a second, at the Marine who stood in his open hatchway.

"What is it now, Hawkes."

"You."

McQueen's glance was more substantial this time.

"Shut the hatch behind you."

Hawkes did what he was told.

Turning back, he cast a worried look towards McQueen. He crossed his arms in front of himself, unsure of himself, and the situation.

"You don't talk to me anymore," Hawkes started. "Don't you like me anymore? Did I upset you by getting hooked on the meanies?"

"Yes."

Hawkes looked away. Well at least he knew why.

"I'm sorry," he offered.

"I know," McQueen accepted, sadly.

"So that's it? One mistake and you cut me off? Just like that? That ain't fair. I'm NOT perfect," he growled through gritted teeth. "I need you."

McQueen looked at him directly at last.

"Need, Lt?"

Hawkes eyes could have dragged his soul from him, if he'd let them.

"Yeah. I ain't got nobody else."

"What about West."

Hawkes looked down. So he knew about that.

"He's not a tank," he shrugged. He began to raise his head again, his eyes travelling the length of the Colonel's body. "He doesn't - he can't - know me. He doesn't know what I want."

Those eyes met with McQueen's again, raw, naked, leaving no doubt as to what Hawkes' wanted.

"Hawkes," McQueen murmured, almost physically backing away.

"I need you," Cooper repeated.

"Hawkes." McQueen tried to convey in one word that he couldn't, regulations forbade it, he couldn't abuse Hawkes' trust like that, he just couldn't.

One word was all he could get out before Hawkes had crossed the floor and caught him up in a kiss of desperate passion, cupping his Commander's face in his hands, forcing his tongue between those lips, and when he was allowed access, letting his hands slide down that body, as McQueen suddenly pulled him hard and close, taking control of the kiss.

"This is what you want?" he breathed roughly in Hawkes' ear.

"Yes," Hawkes murmured weakly, and allowed his mouth to be plundered again. It felt so good. He pressed up against the Colonel, his hips grinding into McQueen's hardness.

"Uh, yeah," he gasped as McQueen grabbed his arse and pulled him even closer, harder, tighter. He walked Hawkes' backwards towards the bulkhead, slamming Hawkes up against the cold, hard metal, tearing at his mouth again. Hawkes pushed up against McQueen once, twice, then came.

"Jesus, Hawkes," McQueen grinned.

Hawkes looked like he was gonna cry.

"It's alright," McQueen soothed, kissed him, more gently this time.

"I want you," Hawkes whimpered.

"I know," McQueen murmured softly.

Cooper slid his arms around the Colonel's neck, resting his head against his shoulder.

"Come on, my bunk's more suited to this," McQueen coaxed.

Cooper looked up, so trusting, so vulnerable.

But McQueen was too far gone to think of the consequences now. Those eyes followed him as he slowly unzipped Cooper's flight suit, pushing the edges over his shoulders. He pulled up Cooper's tank top and pressed his lips to one perfect nipple, satisfied with the groan it evoked.

He pulled Cooper down onto his bunk with him, rolling the boy under him, watching those blue eyes turn from startled to lost as he sucked and teased along that throat.

He paused, looking down into those trusting eyes.

"What about West," he had to ask, again.

"West knows I love you," Cooper answered thickly.

Love. It was in those eyes now. It almost seemed as though it had always been there.

He knew loved Cooper. He couldn't think when the realisation had crystallised. He remembered the first pang, when Cooper had broken formation, at the Battle of the Belt. Again, when he was shot down over Tellus. Until that time in the corridor, angry at that damn camera crew, Cooper hurting so badly, so acutely, he'd almost kissed him then, but had pulled back, at the last moment, and tore himself away. There was no pulling back now. Cooper had offered himself. To reject him, now, would destroy them both. Now, he wasn't taking, he wasn't abusing trust or authority. Cooper wanted this as much as he did. The naked lust he had been ignoring in those eyes could be ignored no longer.

He ran his fingers through that soft hair, fondly.

"Love, Hawkes?" he teased gruffly.

"I love you, Sir," Cooper declared.

"I know," McQueen admitted, lowering himself down to those waiting lips, losing himself in the heady kiss, the sweet sensation of that hard body undulating under his. God, how he wanted him. He grabbed Cooper's shoulder's tightly.

Their tongues fought for control, McQueen surprised at Cooper's skill.

Cooper moaned as McQueen's hand slipped down, inside his flight suit, across that smooth stomach.

"Yes," he pleaded, wanting everything.

~

Ross scowled at his wall, unable to face his friend.

"What do you want from me, Ty?'

To bring you up on charges or give you my blessing, because you're not going to get either from me.

You knew what you were doing. Hawkes knew what he was doing. Don't expect that you can come crying to me over split milk. If you think you've abused his trust, or your authority over him, you take it up with Hawkes, not me."

"He's only six."

Ross held up his hand.

"I don't want to hear another word. And his age and relative inexperience was hardly a concern of Colonel Klingman's, as I recall."

McQueen's head jerked up. Even Ross had heard about that? He folded in on himself even further.

"Ty, either get on with it, get over it, get drunk, whatever you feel you must, just leave me out of it, okay? I don't want to know."

McQueen nodded meekly.

Ross turned to face him at last.

"You've made your bed, Ty. Now you've got to lie in it."

~

McQueen paced his quarters, scowled at everyone and everything darkly, got drunk, got nasty, ran six laps of the ship, reduced a young flight Lt to tears, terrorised patrons in the Tavern and finally, no doubt to the relief of the personnel of the USS Saratoga had they known, gave into temptation and summoned Cooper Hawkes to his quarters.

McQueen's tone and pose were so fierce at first Cooper thought he'd been summoned for disciplinary action.

McQueen snarled out the regulations by rote as to exactly why he couldn't accept an offer of sex from his Lt.

The boy just looked at him, all trembling hurt and fear, and he stopped mid rant, suddenly aware of how much of a child Cooper was underneath that uniform, and though it annoyed him, he was acutely aware of how much he was aroused by just the sight of the very handsome young InVitro.

"Cooper," he sighed.

"You want me to go?"

"No," he paused, drawing breath. "Stay," he decided in resignation.

Cooper beamed in spite of himself.

"I'm going to regret this," McQueen muttered.

"No you won't," Cooper replied confidently, crossing the floor to his stern command, blithely going where angel's feared to tread, playfully enticing the handsome warrior with the glacial eyes that could freeze a small sun into breaking regulations and into bed.

Cooper teased down the zipper of McQueen's flight suit.

"We gonna get in trouble for this?"

"Probably."

"Don't care. Ross can have my ass, but I'd rather you did."

Those ice blue eyes just stared at him, frozen.

"Cooper,"

Cooper shrugged, continuing the zipper's journey downwards.

"I want you to...you know." Insistent blue eyes hammered their need home.

McQueen felt his breath catch in his throat, a boiling pool of lust spreading through him.

He waited for the zipper to finish it's journey, and Cooper's hand to slide in, cupping him. He swelled in Cooper's hand, bringing a smile to the boy's face.

The kid was a fast learner. He was also a tease, removing his hand after an all too brief play, instead lying down on McQueen's bunk and squirming out of clothes like a loose limbed eel. McQueen watched, transfixed as the boy's perfect body was revealed to the cool cabin air, yet no goose bumps brushed the flesh; InVitros were more resilient to cold temperatures.

Cooper watched lazily as McQueen stripped, an equally perfect though scarred body revealed as the dark cloth dropped away from pale flesh.

He felt Hawkes wriggle beneath him as he lowered himself onto the bunk. He grabbed the boy's shoulders, forcing a hard kiss upon him as he ground his erection into Hawkes' hip.

He released those lips and looked into those eyes. The boy knew fear, but he also knew what he wanted, had wanted, for a long while. He wanted McQueen, inside him. McQueen had wanted to fuck this arrogant, wilful young tank since he'd showed up on base.

Cooper wriggled again, insistent, reminding McQueen of his urgency.

"You done this before?"

"No, West thought you'd like a virgin."

McQueen grunted. "That's real thoughtful of him." The thought that his two junior officers had discussed and planned his apparent seduction caused him some manner of disquiet. This was not the kind of respect a Commanding Officer might reasonably expect from his subordinates.

But it came from the heart. Cooper's earnestness had touched him, far more than he had expected. He could have turned the boy down, it would have been the correct thing to do. He'd allowed himself to be seduced by the blue eyes that watched him now. They were both playing a dangerous game. He could get court-martialled for this, but there had to be something beyond this war.

He dipped down and kissed those lips briefly.

"Roll over," he instructed.

He pulled Cooper up into the doggy position. Cooper wasn't quite sure about this, but waited, making little choking noises in the back of his throat when he felt McQueen touching him, opening him wide. With one hand, McQueen began to pump him, while the other slowly pushed it's way in. He heard McQueen grunt approval when he pushed back.

"More," Cooper hissed between gritted teeth, and McQueen pushed in another two fingers in, back and forth, fucking him.

Cooper groaned. McQueen squeezed his balls tight. He was going to...but at the brink, McQueen took his hands away. Cooper waited several heartbeats, and finally felt McQueen's flesh plough it's way deep into him in one long, steady push. McQueen waited a moment for Cooper, before beginning a slow and steady pattern of pulling in and out, before abandoning himself completely to the animal lust, hanging onto Cooper and slamming into him, hard, as Cooper braced himself, crying out as McQueen pounded into him, pulled on his nipples, pumped his cock.

Suddenly the hands that held him grabbed him hard enough to bruise. McQueen came in him in a white hot fury, before falling back and taking Cooper with him, still inside him. He lay there, cradling Cooper in his arms, and finished him off. He watched Cooper thrust up into his hand, then push himself back down of his still hard shaft buried deep in the boy. It was a beautiful sight. He teased the boy's hard and sore nipples, pinching them tight, until Cooper came thickly, hot liquid spilling over both of them. McQueen dipped his fingertips in the slit of Cooper's still weeping cock, then slid them into Cooper's mouth, trembling and growing hard again as the boy sucked upon them, nipping them slightly. He shuddered and came again with a grunting sigh. He ruffled Cooper's short hair fondly. He could see this one was going to be a handful.

"Did I hurt you?" he asked, a gruff fondness in his voice, now the raging urge had faded into a sated mellowness.

"Not much," Cooper lied good-naturedly. He leant back against McQueen, enjoying the feel of the Marine's arms around him, the smell of his musk, the heat of his skin, the dampness of their sweat and semen, the beat of his heart.

"Good." McQueen bestowed an almost chaste kiss on the top of Cooper's head. He couldn't remember the last time it had been this good. This was going to be the start of something special.

~

Cooper slid into the chair beside Nathan, a little more carefully this time.

"That's another drink you owe me, West," he grinned.

Nathan arched an eyebrow in mild surprise.

Cooper Hawkes was now no longer a virgin in any sense of the word. His coming of age was complete.

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