"Williams!" He shouted close by my ear making my heart fall out of my mouth.

"You fucking idiot!" I screeched in a high pitched tone, holding onto my heart.

He started laughing.

I sat up in my bed and looked around, the sun was setting behind the thin glass windows and my room was empty.

"That's no way to talk to your Lieutenant is it?" He murmured.

He dragged a chair and sat down next to my bed, propping his feet up against the frame.

"Have you had a nice day nursing your hangover all alone in bed?" I yawned and stretched.

"Yes." I answered with a proud smile.

"That was clever, escaping all punishments, you do know you're going to well and truly make up for that tomorrow?" The smile drained from my face but only grew on his.

"Do you enjoy torturing people?" I complained.

"It's my favourite pass time." He laughed.

The door opened up and the sound of muffled laughter and voices rang through the wooden walls. Axel jumped up from his chair immediately and stood up straight. He acted like he was doing something wrong and was about to be caught out. Caitlin, Holly and Nicole walked in, took one look at Axel and then silenced themselves. 

They stood to attention.

"At ease soldiers." Axel said sternly.

His authoritative voice was back, his posture was now tense and his face fell utterly straight.

"It appears Williams here is a little under the weather. See to it that she doesn't cause any more trouble this evening." He saluted the room and left.

The girls instantly relaxed and came running over to my bed.

"Oh my god! What the fuck happened? Why are you still here?" They bombarded me with questions.

I shrugged my shoulders. "I woke up this morning at the back of the cafeteria and I told the general I fainted so he gave me a day in bed to recover." I hoped they couldn't see through my lie.

"You lucky bitch! The Lieutenant went so hard on us today. It's like he knew we were all hungover or something." Caitlin pointed out.

I just grabbed a water bottle from the floor and started drinking it to busy my lips. I couldn't help but feel overjoyed that I had a break from the horrendous bootcamp.

"Let's toast some s'mores tonight." Nicole suggested, they're giving some away in the cafeteria right now and the guys are loading up on them all to hand out later.

"Sounds nice." I muttered, climbing to my feet and gathering up my shower caddy. "I'm off for a shower." The girls laughed and shook their heads in disapproval.

I spent about an hour in total just washing and blow drying my hair. It had become my sanctuary here. It woke me up to how much I have missed the hot showers over the past couple of days.

I neatly folded Axels clothes and placed them into a bag. Then I opened the door to check nobody was around before committing to walk through the staff quarters and stopping off at Axels shed before returning to my own.

"Woah!" He shouted as I flung open the door and stepped inside.

"Sorry, I can't exactly knock and wait for you to answer." I pointed out, averting my eyes away from his almost naked body. He continued dressing only at a faster speed now I'm sure.

"Your hair looks freshly washed and blow dried." The accusatory tone in his voice actually sounded louder than his words.

"Do you want me to answer that or just accept the compliment?" He shook his head and rolled his eyes.

"Don't answer that." He cleverly settled on. 

I handed over the plastic bag and he took it, peering inside with budding curiosity. "Your clothes." I pointed out awkwardly.

He threw the bag down on the floor and sat on the end of his bed rubbing moisturiser into his hands. I bit back a smile at this hard ass, professional, mans-man taking pride in his beauty regime.

"You're going to get caught you know, sneaking here there and everywhere."

I held my hands up in defence.

"This is the last time I will come here, I promise." His lips straightened to a thin line and then he nodded quietly.

I turned to leave but before I opened the door I glanced back at him. "The recruits are toasting s'mores around a campfire this evening. Why don't you join us?" His brows knitted together and his eyes narrowed.

"Harper you're not allowed to make open fires unsupervised." He informed me abruptly.

"Oh." Was all I could muster up as a reply.

My lips made a perfect 'O' shape and only silence followed as I realised I had just messed up the camps plans.

"Then that is definitely not what we are going to do." I added, not sounding believable in the slightest.

His lips twitched, I could see him fighting a smile and he was losing. 

"I will supervise." He offered. 

"Or you could join in." I suggested.

"I will supervise." He repeated, setting his role in stone.

***

I imagined a small campfire, this was a bonfire, made in the centre of a field by a couple of arsonists. Axel had pulled out at least forty generals and private's to supervise and they all stood to attention dotted around the field.

"I can't believe he agreed to this." Caitlin pointed out, I cast my eyes over at axel who stood close by looking extremely stiff and on guard. "How did he even know?" I shrugged nonchalantly.

"Rumours travel fast." I offered as a reply.

"He's so freaking hot."

Her eyes traveled the full length of his body and she bit into her lips with the expression you would use when gazing at a chocolate cake. I laughed.

"I bet in bed he would make you call him Lieutenant, cast your eyes down, he would say you're a naughty girl and dish out all the punishments."

I laughed harder and stole another glance at him, he just didn't look comfortable in the slightest.

"What are we talking about?" Hannah joined us, licking around her s'more.

"How dominating the Lieutenant is." I replied instantaneously.

"Ooh yes, I would love him to bend me over and spank my ass." I shook my head in amusement. "I wish he was more approachable" she added.

"Well have you tried approaching him? He's totally approachable." They laughed at me, like my suggestion was completely ridiculous.

"No way, he's terrifying. I would probably get extra laps just for just saying hello." Caitlin muttered.

"Watch and learn ladies." I stood to my feet and headed towards the bonfire, making up a s'more with graham crackers, chocolate and a marshmallow. I warmed it against the bonfire until it was deliciously gooey and then I walked over to Axel, feeling my friends watching my every move.

Axel kept his eyes pointing outwards, assessing everything that was going on. As I approached him his body flinched ever so slightly but he didn't react.

"I made you a s'more." I said, my voice sounding small and unheard.

"I don't want it Williams." He spoke loudly, keeping his eyes straight ahead.

"Williams?" I questioned quietly.

He didn't react so I held the S'more under his nose and wafted it around. He kept his eyes out front and his posture stiff.

"Are you sure? It's delicious."

I could hear the distant laughter from Caitlin and Hannah. I turned to look at them, laughing too. Axel clenched his jaw in annoyance.

"Fine, your loss." I said, eating the dripping marshmallow myself.

For one second he moved only his eyes to look at me before pointing them back out front.

"I heard you." He said stiffly, like he was trying not to move his lips when he spoke. "Talking with them about... me." He spoke so quiet now, almost like a mumble. 

"Oh. Are you mad at me about that or something?" I questioned. His eyes widened a minuscule but ultimately he had no reaction.

"No." He answered. "But it's an odd choice of conversation." I laughed on impulse.

"Axel, your dick and what you do with it dominates at least 90% of our conversations. They think you're hot."

I licked more gooey marshmallow. Again his eyes moved to look at me for a split second before returning to his original post.

"And you?" My brows furrowed with perplexity.

"What?" I asked quietly.

"Do you?" He questioned again.

My lips twitched and I sucked them in to stop my growing smile.

"No, don't answer that. That was... uh... that crossed a line."

I could have answered it right there and then but now I knew he wanted to know the answer I felt like intentionally withholding it from him and letting him stew.

"Stop bothering me Williams or I'll shut this bonfire down and call for lights out." He was back to his usual shouty, authoritative voice.

"Maintaining your reputation I see." I muttered before walking away and rejoining my friends.