Chapter Text
Keeler strode down the cold corridor, tablet hugged to his chest, cheerfully humming a small tune to himself as Encke walked beside him in companionable silence. It was late, well past lights out and they had just finished the day’s paperwork, finally headed back to quarters for some welcome rest. He amused himself with matching his little improvised tune to the tempo of their footfalls, occasionally changing his step to add interest, the only other sound in the quiet corridor. It was a silly game but it made him happy and Encke didn’t seem to mind. He looked up to give his fighter a pleased little smile when there suddenly came a muffled shout from the room to his right.
Keeler halted and checked the door number on his tablet. “That’s Reliant’s room,” he said with a frown. “Do you suppose everything’s all right?”
“I’m sure it’s fine,” Encke told him.
“But Cain-”
“Kid’s all bark and no bite,” Encke said smoothly. “I’ll talk to him in the morning if you want.”
Keeler peered at the door as if trying to see through it, but decided that Encke was probably right. He usually was when it came to such things. He nodded and started down the corridor again, only to hear a loud thud and a rough curse and froze, giving Encke a worried look.
“That doesn’t sound fine,” he said and reached toward the lock console.
“Look, I said I’ll take care of it,” Encke sighed.
“I’m opening it up.”
“I really don’t think you want to do that.”
Keeler started to key in the emergency override code. “It’s natural you want to protect your fighters, but Abel is my responsibility and it won’t do to allow him to be pushed around by that-”
The door whooshed open and Cain and Abel hit the floor of the corridor, Cain on top with his pants around his thighs and Abel naked from the waist down. Keeler stared down in shocked silence as the two men stared up, red-faced and gawping. He opened his mouth to say something but found he’d lost all ability to speak.
Cain grinned wolfishly as Abel buried his face in his shoulder. “Evening, Lieutenant.”
Keeler cleared his throat. “Is, uh…everything all right here, soldier?” he managed and felt his own face flush.
“Right as rain, sir,” the fighter replied.
“Abel?”
The navigator nodded his head quickly, face still concealed by Cain’s shoulder.
Keeler looked over to Encke, who was very visibly having trouble maintaining his composure. He couldn’t tell if the man wanted to laugh or start yelling and, truth be told, he wasn’t exactly sure what he felt like doing, either. He decided to go with a third option.
“As you were,” he murmured and turned on his heel down the corridor once again. After a few faltering steps Encke caught up to him, but it wasn’t until they were safely in their own room that his fighter burst out laughing. Keeler glanced at him, blushing furiously and wishing the man wasn’t usually right about everything and vowed that one of these days he would start listening to him.