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Title: How Not to Deal With Workplace Strife
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
diabolicalfiend
Rating: G
Characters: Zero, Razor and OCs.
Word Count: 1276
Disclaimer: I don't own Tin Man.
Summary: Escort duty.
The first few days had gone without incident. Though Zero had expected as much, they had yet to arrive at the 'danger zone', where the previous intercepts were reported to have found. It was the perfect ambush spot. The Forbidden Swamps to one side and a sheer cliff face to the other. Zero himself had used it several times to set up his own ambushes.
Given his knowledge of the best spots to engage on this ambush, Zero decided it would best to bed here for the night, rather than go on, as he had done for the last few nights. The reaction from his men and those they were escorting was a mixture of relief and apprehension.
The civilians were content to stay amongst themselves, by and large, only the hardier men or women were interested in the soldiers. And probably 'interested' is the word. He would have joined them, but a leader knows that his men could never truly relax with him there.
Instead he lurked. The bowl of muglug was settled in his lap with some bread and tankard of weak ale. Not as weak as during The Sorceress' Reign thankfully. It actually had some kinda flavour to it.
The most interesting dinner of the evening arrived at the table. Colin Wise. He watched as the boy quietly got his food from the chef and moved towards an empty chair. He interrupted one of Private Bradshaw's stories. "Is this seat taken?"
Zero snorted into his tankard. How polite! Bradshaw was apparently similarly amused. "Colin Wise," he grinned, a vicious shark grin. "We were holding it just for you."
"I am honoured." Honoured? Dear Gods, did his grandparents teach him nothing?!
Bradshaw stood. "The 'honour' is ours," he 'assured' him. Several others snickered as Bradshaw wiped the chair with his glove. "Please!" Wise took the offered chair. Bradshaw sat down beside him and cast a critical eye over Colin's food. "Muglug! An excellent choice."
By this time, pretty much the whole area of diners had their eyes fixed on the action. Bradshaw reached for a musty old looking bottle. "Would you care for some gramlog sauce?" he asked Colin.
At this, a few of them outright laughed, causing Colin to fix them a puzzled look. They immediately stopped.
Zero smiled, finally the boy's starting to show some awareness of the situation. He still had some way to go though. "No, thank you."
"Oh! But you must try some," Bradshaw insisted. "It brings out the flavour." With a hard tap, Bradshaw managed to empty half the bottle into the soup. That's gonna be one spicy muglug.
Colin grabbed the bottle before Bradshaw could empty it completely. "That's enough."
Bradshaw continued to grin. "Some beer to wash it down?"
Glinda, next to Bradshaw, finally burst out laughing. Colin glared at her. "Why are you laughing?" She couldn't respond.
Bradshaw kept up his 'assault'. "Or perhaps the son of our 'illustrious' second in command would prefer a more 'fitting' beverage - some wine perhaps?"
There was no more hiding of laughter. Zero smiled along with them. Spirits were high, always a good thing in camp. Colin didn't agree. "Are you mocking me?" Zero snorted. Gee, kid. Ya think?
"Now, why would I mock you, Colin Blade?"
"I am called 'Wise'," Colin glared at him.
Bradshaw glared right back. "I will 'call' you whatever I please. And you will learn to like it." Zero had to suppress his instinct to jump to the rescue. The boy had to not only survive, but become a part of this team, and being Zero's pet wasn't going to do him any favours. Colin jumped to his feet, enraged. "Does the son of the Longcoat's Finest think he's too good to eat with us?"
"No," Colin replied simply. "Have some muglug." He tossed it into Bradshaw's face. Zero had to stop himself from barking a laugh out loud. Fortunately, his struggles was covered by the rest of them. That was brilliant, though perhaps unwise.
Bradshaw was now very mad. He wiped off his face and stood up and up and up. He threw his chair aside. "I do not like your smile. I think I will cut you a new one."
Colin, trembling with some mixture of fear, rage and adrenalin, pulled out his blade. Bradshaw followed suit. Zero forgot about his dinner and looked on with interest. Bradshaw wasn't likely to kill the boy, unlike the next guy to come along.
As they circled each other, Zero realised that Colin was quicker than Bradshaw. Bradshaw wasn't to be underestimated though, as he had a grace that belied his height.
Zero had a bird's eye view in the nearby tree he'd clambered into. He was very glad that no one could see him there as he could swear he looked like some kinda blond wood nymph.
The others had surrounded the duellers in the traditional way. A few cheers, more in Bradshaw's favour than Colin's though a few had admired his spunk and others his looks, and few bets were shared between the group.
Colin, predictably in his youth, made the first thrust. It was awkward, as if he was about to trip over his own feet. Bradshaw dodged it easily and blocked his swung, slamming an elbow into Colin's face, which sent the boy reeling. "Not the face!" someone moaned. Others laughed.
Colin was angered, and rushed Bradshaw. He side stepped it easily, this time delivering a nasty but superficial cut across the boys cheek. "Dammit, Bradshaw!" the same man cursed him.
Bradshaw rolled his eyes. "Had to be done, Laramie." He shrugged. Taking his eye off the ball was not a good idea. Colin wasn't finished. He pulled himself up and managed to slice a gash into Bradshaw's arms. Beautiful. Bradshaw let out a beautiful string of curses.
No one else did, but Zero spotted Razor coming towards the group. And he did not look pleased. Not pleased at all. He searched the crowed for the source of the upset, pushing his way through. In time to see Colin try for another slice.
This time, Bradshaw was ready for him. Moving himself away, he smacked the heel of his palm in to Colin's face. The boy went flying into the table, the impact stunning him.
He panted to get his breath back and tried to focus on Bradshaw who was converging on him. "Your combat training has been sadly neglected, Little One. Allow me to teach you a lesson you won't ever forget." He moved to strike but stopped.
Ah, Razor. Come on! Razor's hand pulled on Bradshaw's. The taller man tried to wrench himself free, but Razor's grip was firm. "Enough!" he growled. Bradshaw pulled again. Razor knocked him back, throwing him against a different table. Several plates and cutlery fell to the floor.
He turned to his son, who was glaring at him in a mixture of embarrassment and outrage. "You had no right to interfere!" he growled. True that, as DG would say. The others apparently agreed with him.
"You will both report to the medics immediately. After you're done, you will retire to your bunks until first watch." Colin glared at him before replacing his weapon and stalking off. "The rest of you, back to your stations! Now!" Brilliant, Razor. Irritate the entire company.
Bradshaw picked himself up off the table and fetched his own dagger. "You gonna fight the Browncoats for him too?" he asked Razor. Razor bristled but said nothing. Zero shook his head and, descending quietly from the tree, he headed back to his tent.
Now, he's definitely gonna have to have words.
Author:
diabolicalfiend Rating: G
Characters: Zero, Razor and OCs.
Word Count: 1276
Disclaimer: I don't own Tin Man.
Summary: Escort duty.
The first few days had gone without incident. Though Zero had expected as much, they had yet to arrive at the 'danger zone', where the previous intercepts were reported to have found. It was the perfect ambush spot. The Forbidden Swamps to one side and a sheer cliff face to the other. Zero himself had used it several times to set up his own ambushes.
Given his knowledge of the best spots to engage on this ambush, Zero decided it would best to bed here for the night, rather than go on, as he had done for the last few nights. The reaction from his men and those they were escorting was a mixture of relief and apprehension.
The civilians were content to stay amongst themselves, by and large, only the hardier men or women were interested in the soldiers. And probably 'interested' is the word. He would have joined them, but a leader knows that his men could never truly relax with him there.
Instead he lurked. The bowl of muglug was settled in his lap with some bread and tankard of weak ale. Not as weak as during The Sorceress' Reign thankfully. It actually had some kinda flavour to it.
The most interesting dinner of the evening arrived at the table. Colin Wise. He watched as the boy quietly got his food from the chef and moved towards an empty chair. He interrupted one of Private Bradshaw's stories. "Is this seat taken?"
Zero snorted into his tankard. How polite! Bradshaw was apparently similarly amused. "Colin Wise," he grinned, a vicious shark grin. "We were holding it just for you."
"I am honoured." Honoured? Dear Gods, did his grandparents teach him nothing?!
Bradshaw stood. "The 'honour' is ours," he 'assured' him. Several others snickered as Bradshaw wiped the chair with his glove. "Please!" Wise took the offered chair. Bradshaw sat down beside him and cast a critical eye over Colin's food. "Muglug! An excellent choice."
By this time, pretty much the whole area of diners had their eyes fixed on the action. Bradshaw reached for a musty old looking bottle. "Would you care for some gramlog sauce?" he asked Colin.
At this, a few of them outright laughed, causing Colin to fix them a puzzled look. They immediately stopped.
Zero smiled, finally the boy's starting to show some awareness of the situation. He still had some way to go though. "No, thank you."
"Oh! But you must try some," Bradshaw insisted. "It brings out the flavour." With a hard tap, Bradshaw managed to empty half the bottle into the soup. That's gonna be one spicy muglug.
Colin grabbed the bottle before Bradshaw could empty it completely. "That's enough."
Bradshaw continued to grin. "Some beer to wash it down?"
Glinda, next to Bradshaw, finally burst out laughing. Colin glared at her. "Why are you laughing?" She couldn't respond.
Bradshaw kept up his 'assault'. "Or perhaps the son of our 'illustrious' second in command would prefer a more 'fitting' beverage - some wine perhaps?"
There was no more hiding of laughter. Zero smiled along with them. Spirits were high, always a good thing in camp. Colin didn't agree. "Are you mocking me?" Zero snorted. Gee, kid. Ya think?
"Now, why would I mock you, Colin Blade?"
"I am called 'Wise'," Colin glared at him.
Bradshaw glared right back. "I will 'call' you whatever I please. And you will learn to like it." Zero had to suppress his instinct to jump to the rescue. The boy had to not only survive, but become a part of this team, and being Zero's pet wasn't going to do him any favours. Colin jumped to his feet, enraged. "Does the son of the Longcoat's Finest think he's too good to eat with us?"
"No," Colin replied simply. "Have some muglug." He tossed it into Bradshaw's face. Zero had to stop himself from barking a laugh out loud. Fortunately, his struggles was covered by the rest of them. That was brilliant, though perhaps unwise.
Bradshaw was now very mad. He wiped off his face and stood up and up and up. He threw his chair aside. "I do not like your smile. I think I will cut you a new one."
Colin, trembling with some mixture of fear, rage and adrenalin, pulled out his blade. Bradshaw followed suit. Zero forgot about his dinner and looked on with interest. Bradshaw wasn't likely to kill the boy, unlike the next guy to come along.
As they circled each other, Zero realised that Colin was quicker than Bradshaw. Bradshaw wasn't to be underestimated though, as he had a grace that belied his height.
Zero had a bird's eye view in the nearby tree he'd clambered into. He was very glad that no one could see him there as he could swear he looked like some kinda blond wood nymph.
The others had surrounded the duellers in the traditional way. A few cheers, more in Bradshaw's favour than Colin's though a few had admired his spunk and others his looks, and few bets were shared between the group.
Colin, predictably in his youth, made the first thrust. It was awkward, as if he was about to trip over his own feet. Bradshaw dodged it easily and blocked his swung, slamming an elbow into Colin's face, which sent the boy reeling. "Not the face!" someone moaned. Others laughed.
Colin was angered, and rushed Bradshaw. He side stepped it easily, this time delivering a nasty but superficial cut across the boys cheek. "Dammit, Bradshaw!" the same man cursed him.
Bradshaw rolled his eyes. "Had to be done, Laramie." He shrugged. Taking his eye off the ball was not a good idea. Colin wasn't finished. He pulled himself up and managed to slice a gash into Bradshaw's arms. Beautiful. Bradshaw let out a beautiful string of curses.
No one else did, but Zero spotted Razor coming towards the group. And he did not look pleased. Not pleased at all. He searched the crowed for the source of the upset, pushing his way through. In time to see Colin try for another slice.
This time, Bradshaw was ready for him. Moving himself away, he smacked the heel of his palm in to Colin's face. The boy went flying into the table, the impact stunning him.
He panted to get his breath back and tried to focus on Bradshaw who was converging on him. "Your combat training has been sadly neglected, Little One. Allow me to teach you a lesson you won't ever forget." He moved to strike but stopped.
Ah, Razor. Come on! Razor's hand pulled on Bradshaw's. The taller man tried to wrench himself free, but Razor's grip was firm. "Enough!" he growled. Bradshaw pulled again. Razor knocked him back, throwing him against a different table. Several plates and cutlery fell to the floor.
He turned to his son, who was glaring at him in a mixture of embarrassment and outrage. "You had no right to interfere!" he growled. True that, as DG would say. The others apparently agreed with him.
"You will both report to the medics immediately. After you're done, you will retire to your bunks until first watch." Colin glared at him before replacing his weapon and stalking off. "The rest of you, back to your stations! Now!" Brilliant, Razor. Irritate the entire company.
Bradshaw picked himself up off the table and fetched his own dagger. "You gonna fight the Browncoats for him too?" he asked Razor. Razor bristled but said nothing. Zero shook his head and, descending quietly from the tree, he headed back to his tent.
Now, he's definitely gonna have to have words.
