Ilsa's advice

Misunderstandings

Ethan and Benji were having a heated discussion about their latest mission while laying low in a run-down safehouse in the outskirts of London.

While that was nothing new, this time Benji was particular upset about the way Ethan had deliberately been giving him the least dangerous part although the blonde wanted to take more responsibility for the team, as he had told him before. Ethan wasn't hearing anything of it though. While the mission was structured in a way which would have made it possible for Benji to become more actively involved, he had been sitting in a van most of the time. Not surprisingly, Ethan had been in the centre of action, collecting more than a few nasty looking bruises and marks.

"Maybe, if I would have been there beside you, you wouldn't look so battered now," Benji remarked pointedly, watching Ethan suffering silently with a grim but stoic expression while he patched up his wounds. Benji had helped him with the worst ones and was now settling down with the tea he made earlier.

"It's not so bad, Benji. Look, I have barely a few scratches, you know as well as I do that this is nothing."

"That's not the point, Ethan! The point is, you are deliberately keeping me away from the action." Benji scolded heatedly and took a big gulp of his tea to calm himself. Sadly, it was already lukewarm and tasting bitter so he nearly spitted it out. So much for calming down. Grimacing, he listened to Ethan's answer.

"Come on, that's not true. You've had plenty of dangerous jobs during our missions. It just wasn't necessary for you to join me in the building. I needed you on the comms!"

"So, you're saying that next time, there will be more to do for me?"

Ethan shook his head, looking slightly annoyed now. "That depends."

"Oh? Depends on what? Whether you think I can handle it or whether you're feeling like the need of someone actually helping you fight the bad guys is bigger than your fucking need to protect everyone, me especially? I'm not your little baby brother, Ethan! I'm a full member of the team and I would just like to feel like it now and then."

Ethan opened his mouth and closed it again, clearly feeling unnerved by Benji's objections.

"I'm not viewing you as my baby brother, Benji," he finally said in a strained voice, but keeping his eyes firmly fixed on the band-aid he was about to apply.

Benji crinkled his eyebrows in doubt, how could he belief someone who wasn't even looking him in the eye while speaking? Ethan's reaction was just showing him that he didn't thought him to be as tough as the others and fully able to take care of himself. Disappointed, he took the last pitiful gulp of his nearly cold tea before standing up.

"Fine. You know what, I'm going out for dinner. Maybe you will take the time to really think about it then," he added ill-humouredly, before grabbing his jacket and vigorously putting it on.

"Wait, what?! You can't go out now, you know the rules! I forbid it!" Ethan was really angry now, using his position as Benji's boss to try and make him stay. Benji wasn't having any of it, though. Not after been humiliated like that.

"Fuck you," Benji screamed, slamming the door behind him.

He never saw Ethan desperately taking his head in his hands after he was gone.