Brothers In Arms

Chapter 1

A/N if you read the oneshots then this will look familiar. If not, then our story begins...

"You are not gay. I won't allow it. You just need a new perspective. Maybe a little discipline will help you to remember what is right and decent." My father had been repeating the same things for weeks now and I was starting to wonder who he was trying to convince.

We were now standing in front of my new school, or rather prison. It was a boarding school with military roots, teaching youngsters both high school education and soldier training with an emphasis on discipline. In other words, hell.

"Whatever. Can we get this over with?" I swung my duffel bag onto my shoulder and marched up the path to the double doors. They swung open as a tall boy with a uniform and a hat came out and stared at me curiously as I went into the building.

He held the door for my father and heard him thank the kid as he trailed behind me. I stepped into the office and informed the secretary who I was and whom I had come to see. It was only a few minutes before we were shown into the inner room.

"Welcome to St. Lucian's Military Boarding School. My name is General Grent; I will be your commanding officer. You may refer to me as General, or Sir. What's your name boy?" He stood up and sat on the side of his desk as I dropped my bag and offered my hand.

"Alex Kensington, Sir. Nice to meet you." He seemed pleased that I was already polite and I kept my posture straight.

"Nice to meet you too, Alex. Now what brings you here to us?" His eyebrows raised when I opened my mouth to answer his question and my father interrupted me.

"I..."

"He's here because he is a fag. I won't have such immoral crap in my house. Teach the stupid kid how to respect his parents' wishes and stop bringing boys home." My face was red and I glared at the haughty look on my father's face.

I wanted to punch him so badly right now, my hands clenched and unclenched by my side but I held myself in check. The silence stretched on for a few minutes as no one spoke or moved. I hazarded a look at the General, who was staring without emotion at my father.

"I see. Well, here at St. Lucian's we pride ourselves on an excellent curriculum that provides guidance and support to teenagers with a focus on world issues and military training. I am certain we can help your boy here find his place in society." It was vague, but it still made my heart drop into my shoes. My father was nodding approvingly and that boded badly for me.

"Good, good. I will leave him to you then. I have to be heading out. Send any paperwork to my business and I will sign it and return it later. I am afraid I am in a bit of a hurry. You, don't cause any trouble." He turned on his heel and left us both staring after him through the wide open door.

"Sorry about that, sir." I said quietly. It was a horrible first impression but the General still turned to me with a half smile.

"No need to apologise, son. It was his bad behaviour, not yours. We believe in responsibility here. Take responsibility for your actions and you will get along just fine. Here is your dorm package. If you take it to the desk at the building to the left as you come out the door, the superintendent will show you to your assigned room and help you get settled in.

"It also has your class list, which we based off of your transcripts. If you want to make any changes you have two weeks to do it before the schedule is made permanent. Any questions?" He went back around his desk and sat down to look at me expectantly.

"No sir." I picked up my duffel bag and he motioned I was allowed to leave with a curt 'dismissed'. I went back out the way I came and hauled my stuff over to the giant building on the left. Inside the door was a tiny desk loaded with papers and a scrawny guy with big glasses sitting poring over them.

I felt badly as I added to his stack, his hands fumbling the page a little and his hip jostling the desk enough that a couple sheets fell to the floor. I bent down to grab one that had fluttered out of his reach and he thanked me with a red face.

"Dorm rules are posted in the main room. Curfew is 10 to be in your room every night and lights out at 11 at the latest. It's early classes in the morning though, so most of the guys just go to sleep at 10. You were given a single room, by your father's request.

"It is unusual for a newbie, so don't mind a bit of ribbing from the guys on your floor. Most of your hall is seniors since a single is usually earned with merit points. Um, showers are in the evening only. Watch for pranks next week, they will want to lull you into a false sense of security. I think that's everything, and this is you."

We were standing outside a door with my last name and first initial printed on a tag stuck to the middle, on the fifth floor. I nodded and took the key he held. The door opened to a small sparse room with a single bed, a desk and chair, and a bookshelf with a stand lamp.

I walked in and dropped my duffel bag, taking in the folded sheet set at the end of the mattress. Behind the door was a small closet that held about a week's worth of uniform clothes. I checked the tags to make sure they would fit.

"Thanks, I'm sorry, what was your name?" I stood in the door and the guy blushed again.

"Ah, Harold. Please don't call me Harry." He pushed his glasses up. I nodded.

"Okay. Thanks Harold. I think that's everything for now." I smiled and Harold turned to leave, swinging back to mutter:

"I'll be at my desk if you need anything." Then he took off down the hall. I closed my door and leaned against it. Throwing the envelope on my desk, I opened my bag to unpack the few possessions I had been allowed to take with me. Some casual clothes, my phone and charger, a tablet and a few framed pictures of my family.

I had bent the one of all of us so I didn't have to see my father's face staring out at me every day. I wished my mom had put up more of a fight to keep me home, but I knew my father was very stubborn when he got something in his head.

It was better for their relationship that she gave up, and I couldn't fault her because she did try to defend me. He just went ahead and stuck me in here anyways. I was hoping it wasn't going to be as bad as I feared.

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