Wolves Part VI: Wasp

6.

Lin had two days to finish the job. The first day was enough for cleaning and programming, only the parking lot with the huge fountain would take another day. “This thing must have cost a fortune,” Major said. He tilted his head to judge it critically. “...just to ship it.”

“Probably,” Kobus nodded. “Well, it’s up now, tomorrow we will fill it with water and finish the plants around the border. It has been a good day.”

“You know how to work, yes.” Pleased, Major slapped his brother’s shoulder. “Shall we leave? Dinner at the pub. Where’s our little tattooed buddy?”

“The bee? Inside, I reckon. With that blond honeypot.”

Major laughed aloud. “Poor lad… He doesn’t know Lin well enough to see through fake warnings. What? You can’t see it either? C’mon, Kobus. Tell me, if Lin had told you to stay away from Jonne, what would have happened? You would have looked at Jonne with even more interest, wondering why. Wasp is really interested now. Without that warning to stay away, he would have seen Cooper, thinking ‘cute’ and moved on. Now he keeps looking, going back, just to find out why the hell he would have to stay away in the first place. It's how people work.”

“Mmh… Isn’t that a bit mean…?”

“You have no idea how mean our precious White Wolf can be,” Major smirked.

*

Wasp couldn’t sleep. He stared at the ceiling in the dark, lying on the comfortable mattress of the hotel room, trying to give all the impressions of that day a place in his head. Cooper. A bakery. Cooper. He needed his own apartment. And a bakery. Cooper…

He tried to control that silly feeling in his stomach by sighing deeply. He had sighed so often that evening… but it didn't work. He had… feelings.

Wasp slapped his hands against his face, and slowly dragged them down. Feelings. Fuck, he hated those. He didn’t mutilate himself to have emotions, he wanted to feel nothing… No hate, no pain, and no butterflies. Definitely not butterflies. Useless, numbing, crippling, stupid fluttering stomach fillers...

With yet another sigh, he closed his eyes. Cooper had said they were beautiful. And that he had a beautiful smile. Gods, how could he see that? He turned on his side and grabbed a pillow between his arms, remembering how he had caught the smaller man when he dropped down as if he fell from heaven. “You're so cute…”

He had slept after all, he saw when he opened his eyes. The sky was getting lighter. Time to get up, because he absolutely wanted to join the Wolves when they went to work at the museum.

“Good morning, little bee!”

Wasp snorted. “A bee only stings when aggravated, Kobus…”

“You're too cute to be as mean as a wasp,” the Canadian grinned. “Are you going with us today? Can’t stay away from the honey, eh?”

Munching on a strip of crispy bacon, Wasp tried to think of a snappy remark. He couldn’t come up with something clever. Mainly because Kobus looked so kind. “He's very cute,” he admitted instead.

“He sure is,” nodded Kobus. “You’re welcome to come with us. Please talk to Lin? That order to stay away from Cooper is bogus…”

“I wish it was…” Wasp sighed.

“It is,” Kobus insisted.

“Whatever. I’ll see what I can do. Is there anything I can help you with today?”

“You could eat some of these eggs, so Jonne and I don’t have to finish them all. Take the tea with you, will you? As for the rest, no. I’ve got it all under control and we’ll be ready in time for tomorrow.”

So he had no reason to go with him, Wasp thought as he followed to the back room in the garden. No other reason than to see Coop again. He really had to talk to Lin. It was far too obvious he was being subordinate.