But Harper had taken a nasty header off the grinder obstacle course earlier that day and was under concussion protocol over at the medical center, leaving Zack alone with Cobb. They started in the gear cages of the storage bay. It didn’t matter that the numbers were unlikely to have changed from the last time they were assigned inventory—if the lieutenant said count, they said how many. And the inventory business would get more serious as they ramped up for deployment next year.
Even for training, clean gear in good repair was essential—and potentially lifesaving. Zack wouldn’t have minded the task one bit if it hadn’t been for Cobb’s presence. Sure enough, they hadn’t been in the equipment lockers for more than ten minutes when Cobb knocked over a bucket full of carabiners that Zack had just finished counting, taking out a stack of ropes in the process.
“What the hell?” Zack whirled on him. “Why’d you do that?”
“Better get to cleaning it up.” Cobb used his foot to fuck up the ropes further, making a tangled mess out of the neat coils.
“No way.” Zack was determined not to take Cobb’s shit for once. “You made the mess, you deal with it.”
Cobb gave a harsh, unforgiving laugh. “So Harper says you’re hanging out with queers lately. Sounded right freaked out.” His Georgia drawl always deepened when he was picking on Zack.
“Harper’s full of shit.” Zack’s heart beat double time.
“Oh? You’re not rooming with a fudge packer?”
“You shut up.” Zack took a step forward, jaw firm. “Some things aren’t your business.”
“Yeah, see, that’s what I told Harper. Not his business. Not like you’re queer.” Cobb’s voice was mocking now.
“You wanting a thank-you card?” Zack’s spine stiffened as he waited for whatever price Harper was about to exact. Any niceness from him always came with a price tag.
“Nope. But Harper, I know he’s your boy and all, but he’s all spooked now. Sure would upset him to know you want his ass.”
“You’re a fucker, you know that?” Zack stared Cobb down. The urge to punch the guy was strong, but he knew that somehow Cobb would turn things around and he’d be the one in deep shit. Danny had been the master of that particular trick.
“Gonna hit me, little wimp? That what you going to do?” Danny held Zack’s favorite atlas over the fireplace, just enough over the screen to make Zack’s pulse lurch.
“Come on, Danny. Put it down,” Zack whined.
“Say you’ll do trash for the next month.”
“I won’t.” Zack was so tired of Danny always getting his way.
Danny dangled the book closer to the fire. Zack balled up his fist, drew back and...hit his mother’s favorite vase, not Danny’s mean mug.
“Moooooom, Zack broke something.” Danny dropped the book into the fire. “And he almost knocked me into the fire!”
Zack’s arms still remembered two solid months of trash duty to pay back his mother’s vase. Cobb’s grin was every bit as nasty as Danny’s, and if anything, he was even more devious. But still, Zack gritted his teeth, kept his voice firm. “And what makes you think Harper’s going to believe you?”
“You’re shacking up with a cocksucker, man. What other proof do you think Harper’s going to need if I tell him he makes you sprout wood? Damn, sure am glad you haven’t tried that shit with me.”
“Like anyone would want your fat ass.”
“Shut your trap.” Cobb got right in Zack’s face. “And if you don’t want the whole team knowing you’re just as queer as your roommate, I suggest you get to cleaning.”He gestured at the mess.
Zack didn’t move to hop to, even as his pulse thrummed and his hands sweat. Then Cobb fished out his phone, a cruel smile on his face. “Guess you wouldn’t mind if I texted Harper over at medical. See how he’s doing. See how he’d feel—”
“Fuck it.” Zack knelt and started picking up the carabiners with angry movements.
“Yup. That’s what I thought.” Cobb’s laugh was so much like Danny’s as to be spooky.
He had to hear that laugh a lot as they worked the remainder of the afternoon. It was just like back home trying to do some chore with Danny making sure that Zack did the lion’s share of the work and berating him the whole time. And yeah, he knew he could report Cobb to the lieutenant or the senior chief, but a guy didn’t make it through BUD/S by being a crybaby or a snitch. The military might frown on harassment, but the real risk was from the rest of the team if Zack went above them to report Cobb. Nope, the only option, just like growing up with Danny, far as he could see, was to suck it up.
And speaking of Danny, he was finally free of Cobb and his crap and walking to his truck when his phone rang. Fuck. His mom. Again. And now she wanted him on board for Danny’s latest “intervention.” Like the first however-the-fuck-many had helped.