Learning
Title: Learning
Author: green7silver
Claim: Heroes: HRG/Claude
Table: Do-it-yourself
Prompt: Itchy Back
Rating: PG
Summary: Noah thinks,he knows everything about being a perfect company man
Disclaimer: Heroes doesn´t belong to me
Warnings: Slash
Setting: When Noah and Claude were just made partners.
Notes: Written for 10 hurt/comforts
Learning
Noah Bennett was sick and tired of being called a rookie, and was even more tired of having Claude as a teacher. He understood the idea behind “one of us, one of them," but he didn't get why one of them was ordering him around--especially a them that was annoying, irresponsible, too casual, too risk-loving, and without any sense of organization or structure.
Claude was annoyed with his junior partner, too. Bennett really had a stick shoved up his arse. He had to be the most bureaucratic and tidy person in the whole company, but that was not the main problem (it was actually kind of cute--the rookie was just begging to be ravished). No, what made Claude really angry was his know-it-all, holier-than-thou attitude. He couldn't allow his (emphasis on) junior partner to look down his nose at him. A few months with the company and he thought he knew everything.
The target they were after this time was an old acquaintance of Claude, a woman who could emit a kind of itching powder. They needed two hours before they had her tied up, and were itching all over.
“No scratching," Claude warned. "It only makes it worse. Just rubbing in slow circles.”
“I know," Noah sneered. “I actually read her file.”
When they showered Noah was shocked to discover that Claude actually expected him to wash his back to be sure that everything was gone. He refused when the same favor was offered to him.
On the way back Noah drove, of course, control freak that he was. And he despised Claude's way of driving, too.
He was in rather a good mood. The file was successfully closed and Claude was sulking, which meant he was silent for once.
Half an hour later he made a horrible discovery: a point on his back began to itch. He couldn't get rid of it himself and if Claude found out, he would mock him about it for ages. He tried to rub his back inconspicuously against the seat, but he only inflamed the itch.
Claude spotted it immediately. So the rookie had a problem--and he had surely earned it. The easiest thing to do would have been to ask for his help, but Noah was obviously too proud and thick-headed for that. Claude decided to let him sweat for a while. He knew of course that the itching would quickly become unbearable. Of course it was fun watching how Noah tried to keep an impassive face, without success. Claude watched in clandestine amusement as he squirmed in his seat, making oh so inconspicuous, increasingly uncomfortable motions; but as soon Claude detected the first traces of real pain, he decided it was enough.
“Move forward,” he said gruffly.
“What?”
“Just do it, rookie.”
When Noah obeyed, he carefully began to rub his back. Noah made some small grateful noises deep in his throat, which Claude found incredible cute. The hard-head's biggest problem soon became to not just lean back with closed eyes and forget about the road. The touch felt heavenly, soothing both the itch and the inflammation.
When Claude removed his hand to have a look on the map, the itch returned, worse than before. When their eyes meet, Noah's quiet and fearful, Claude became aware that could easily reduce his arrogant partner to begging. But he decided that poor, tortured Noah's pride was wounded enough. He rubbed small circles into his back until they pulled into the Company's parking lot. They rescinded custody of the prisoner and went to their rooms.
“Let me look at your back.”
This time Noah obeyed immediately. Claude washed his back meticulously.
“It's gone now, but you have some raw spots, “ he remarked. “Luckily for you I have some salve. Stay still.”
“Yes," Noah readily agreed. Claude took his time massaging in the salve until Noah was so relaxed, he nearly fell asleep.
“Better now?”
“Yes.”
When Noah was dressed again, he looked to Claude uneasily.
“Thank you,” he said in a small voice.
“You are welcome. I'm not your senior partner to annoy you, but to be your safety net. Got that?”
Noah nodded, as thankful as he was ashamed. “I still have a lot to learn, huh?”
“Yeah, but it's not all bad. And I like to teach you." With that he bent down to kiss his ruffled rookie.
Fin