The End

Clay curled over Brice's mug in the trainer's lounge. He stopped reading the names and gifts of the recruits. His eyes skidded to the window. Rain pelted the glass, and he reconsidered his schedule for the day's activities. He might have to change a few things due to the budding storm. Rain could turn to snow.

Around him, Ponce, the Deans, and Essie chatted about the fact that Nancy left HQ with the woman from Custodial Services.

"The Polish woman from Custodial Services is named Hanna, I think." New-Dean tossed out as the conversation wrapped up, and he started to rise.

"Do you think they're going to be okay?" Ponce asked. "I don't even know where they went."

"Them?" Essie sputtered. "It's us I'm worried about."

"Why?" Dallas-Dean asked.

"Because that Polish woman knew how to make toilet paper. That's why she was in Custodial Services. What are we all going to do without toilet paper?" Essie asked.

Sipping on his mug, Clay went back to his documents. The group continued their thoughts on toilet paper, Nancy, and the Polish.

"Trainer Wicks." Brice's voice was a snap of sound. The head trainer appeared in the lounge's doorway, looking handsome, muscular, and... furious.

"What can I do for you, Head Instructor Brice?" Clay hid his smile. Even when Brice was angry, the man still had the power to put a smile on Clay's face.

"You said you would do the dishes if I took the girls to the schoolroom this morning." His eyes swept the other men and then landed back on Clay. "And is that my mug?"

"I'm just borrowing your mug." Clay leaned back in his chair and yawned. "I know. Sorry about the dishes. I'll do them tonight."

"You can't keep leaving this shit for me to do all the time," Brice snapped.

One of the Deans snickered.

"Trouble in paradise?" Ponce laughed under his breath. Clay ignored the spectators.

"I'm not trying to leave all the cleaning in the apartment for you to do." Clay gave a glance to the men. Each one was grinning like they were enjoying watching Clay get his ass chewed. "But if you will remember, I said I'd do them, and then do you recall what you did next?" Clay smirked. He waited to see if Brice would say the specific sex act out loud.

"I..." Brice's brow wrinkled. Clay knew the second Brice recalled the blowjob in front of the pile of dirty dishes.

"If you can't remember," Clay licked his lips. "I can give you a full breakdown of why the task wasn't completed."

"No," Brice said quickly. "That's not necessary."

His no was so forceful that Ponce and Essie laughed.

"Anyway, I came to talk to you because you told Recruit Niche that he could use his gift at the track. Do you see this storm? We discussed this in the last meeting. You cannot just ignore my rules. The recruits need to finish basic skills training before they start working with their individual gifts."

"I agree with the rules." Clay stood, washed Brice's mug, and then hung the handle on the hook. "But Niche's skin was peeling off. I mean peeling off in chunks. He had to use some of his ability to get it out of his system."

"I saw that." Ponce rose as well and eyed the storm. "I sent you a full report about it. He bled all over the training ring. We had to call Luna."

"Oh..." Brice frowned. "Was that info in the brown folder?"

"Yes." Clay grinned. That particular folder slipped from Brice's hands when Clay had him bent over the couch.

"Yes." Ponce leaned against the counter. "That's the one."

"I can tell you why that miscommunication happened," Clay smirked. "Would you like me to review the details?"

"A on your memory," Brice groaned. "But you can skip the recap."

"If that's everything you want to yell about...." Clay headed toward the hall exit. "I have to go. And I promise I'll make sure you're in the loop if I have another recruit with a gift side effect. I take full responsibility for not sharing that with you. I'll do better next time, and I'll do the dishes. It's no biggie." Clay glanced over his shoulder. "I'll be home later."

"Wait," Brice's voice was a rushed whoosh. "Clay."

"Someone's still in trouble," Ponce snickered.

"Want to bet on it?" Essie asked.

"What?" Clay spun around and leaned in the exit.

Brice shoved his hands in his pockets and then looked at Essie and Ponce. He then glared at the Deans. He rocked back on his heels and sighed. His hands came out of his pockets, and he scrubbed his face.

"Don't you all have somewhere to be?" Brice turned to face the men.

"No." Essie leaned back in his chair.

"We're good." New-Dean drank from a bottle of water. "Zoey lost rock-paper-scissors."

"I have to go. Can we talk about whatever your problem is later?" Clay straightened from the doorway.

"No." Brice turned his back on the watching crowd. "I just need to gather some intel."

"What intel?" Clay inhaled.

"I need to talk to you about... something."

"If this is creating a dishwashing schedule for the apartment, I'm going to walk away. I know you love a good schedule, and sure, I don't mind them, but I have recruits to see."

"Well... I..." Brice cleared his throat. "If I were to ask you to marry me, would you say yes?"

Clay's eyes went wide. Brice was going to marry him. He knew it. The question shouldn't have surprised him, but damn, did his heart pound. For a second, his mouth went dry. His grader was really going to do this.

"You're asking him like this?" Essie shook his head back and forth. "This is not romantic, mi amigo."

"Get down on one knee," Ponce suggested. "I think it's a rule you have to do it that way."

"I think you're supposed to have a ring," Dallas-Dean whispered. "Or a present. Maybe give him a new gun."

"I'm not asking him to marry me." Brice turned to the four trainers at the table. "I'm seeing if he would say yes. I am aware this is not romantic. But you should never endeavor to start a mission without all the information. I'm gathering intel." Brice shook his head at the trainers like they were all idiots. He then turned back to Clay.

"So... what are you asking me then?" Clay grinned. He loved that Brice just used his proposal to school the trainers.

"If I were to ask you to marry me, I simply want to know if you would say yes. If I perhaps asked you on the top floor of HQ where we met, would you feel inclined to agree? And if I were to ask, I promise it would be romantic with wine and food, and the girls would be with Luna and Gears, so we would have all night to celebrate. I'm not asking, but if I did all that...."

"Celebrate?" New-Dean scoffed. "Is that what you two call it."

"I would do that if I thought Clay would say yes." Brice glared at New-Dean, "And I don't need your input."

New-Dean threw up his hands and stepped away from the table.

Brice turned away from the men again and shook his head a second time. He crossed his arms over his chest as if they were in an argument. Clay only barely held in his grin.

"So?" Brice asked, "would you say yes to that or not?"

Clay tipped his head as if pretending to think about the question very hard. Brice's scowl got more and more stormy. After a minute, he uncrossed his arms and rubbed his face. His skin paled, making his scar darker.

"If you asked me on the top floor and we had wine and mutual blowjobs, I'd say yes." Clay grinned. "I'm not saying yes right now, but if that happened, probably."

"You two need a room." New-Dean grabbed Dallas-Dean's elbow. "Let's go. I think they might kiss or something."

The two men left, leaving Ponce and Essie. They whispered back and forth, and money exchanged hands.

"That's helpful data." Brice turned and snapped at Essie. "I need both of you to rearrange your schedule. I have some tasks that I need for you to complete quickly."

"See?" Essie rose. "I told you we would be cleaning the top floor of HQ in about ten seconds." He brushed past Clay as he headed out the door. "I'll set up the top floor."

"I'll find wine." Ponce followed him out.

Clay leaned in the doorway again. "Am I picking up the girls, or are they staying with Luna and Gears tonight?"

"You don't need to get the girls." Brice shrugged. "We have a mission this evening."