Author's note: omg, finals are finally over -_- somehow managed to get my financial aid suspended when I passed all my classes, so someone fucked up somewhere, as is the ever turning wheel of life it seems. Anyway, with finals over and Christmas done with, maybe I can finally get back to writing my fics. . I apologize for any mis translations, I don't speak Russian (would like to learn at some point though) so forgive any wrong translations / phrases / words.
Awkward Attempts at Friendship
Vladimir awoke to the sound of something hitting against a wall, followed by a crash and a yell from a very pissed off Bertha. The Russian clenched his eyes tightly and rolled over, pulling the pillow cover his ears, it was too early for a fight to break out….or was it. The surveillance expert cracked an eye open to see the red numbers on the clock blinking 6:30 am, making the Russian agree with his first thought of, it was too early for a fight.
"You pervert! I kill you, I gut you and feed your chopped up pieces to Spectre as a pie!" A loud crash would follow Bertha's outburst and loud footsteps would draw closer to the Russian's room, followed by a thud of something hitting the wall. Spectre lifts his head up as Beltway more or less fell into his room and slammed the door shut, looking around frantically before running into the bathroom and closing the door. The Russian was…very very confused as to what just happened and why the man had run into his bathroom and more over, why he'd even come into his room to begin with.
The Russian just blinked and laid his head back down on the soft pillow before his door burst open again, revealing a very angry German medic covered in only a towel and her shoulder length blonde hair dripping wet. Spectre didn't even bother sitting up, looking lifted his head up and gave the woman a confused look before laying his head back down, he didn't know what the hell was going on but he wanted to stay out of it. Bertha half stormed half walked over to the Russian's bed, her blue eyes alight with rage.
"Where is Beltway, I saw him come in here," Bertha's voice would be tight with rage and Spectre momentarily imagined that she would start to breath fire like a mother dragon scorned. The Russian nodded to the bathroom door before rolling over on his side, getting comfortable again, or trying to.
"He…ran in there," Spectre half grumbled out, not even looking up as Bertha stormed over and flung the door open, followed by a yell of pain and several curses in German. Spectre did his best to hide his smile in his blanket, German was his second language, and he recognized each of the curses, all of them very un-lady like. Beltway would have attempted to put up a fight against the medic as she literally dragged him out by the wrist, but her fingers were pressed hard into sensitive nerve endings, causing any struggle to cause him a great deal of pain.
Spectre sighed contently as Bertha dragged Beltway out of his room, followed by a yell of pain from the other man. The Russian closed his eyes, smiling to himself even wider as he heard Bertha yell again, followed by another yell of pain from Beltway.
"I will teach you to spy on me, when I am taking bath!" Spectre grinned to himself, so that was what happened, Beltway was peeping on the medic and got caught, not surprising really given the man was like an elephant standing in an open field; you'd have to be blind to miss him. The Russian allowed sleep to take him again while listening to more curses from Bertha and more yells from Beltway.
Vladimir lifted his head up at the sound of a knock, looking at the clock it read 8:30 am, the Russian rolled over so his back was to the door before replying to the annoying raps at his door. The Russian's white hair poked out here and there and was the only visible thing showing from under his blanket.
"Входить," spectre thought a second before cursing to himself in frustration, "enter." The door opened and Beltway walked in wearing only jeans and a white tee-shirt. Spectre poked his head out from under the blanked and raised a white brow at the other man, who seemed to have suffered less injury then he would have thought. Beltway had some light bruising around his neck and face, though barely visible with his tanned skin, the Russian thought perhaps a black eye as well, but other than that the man seemed mostly unharmed; it seemed the man's hide was as thick as his head was.
"Ya know when a man hides in your bathroom, its normal not to tell his pursuer where he is." Beltway spits out as he makes his way into the room, his metal leg making a slightly louder thump on the floor then his normal leg. The Russian merely closed his eyes and got comfortable again.
"I would not know….I have never had….another man run into ….my bathroom before," Spectre tried to ignore the other man as he heard him walk closer, cracking an eye open when he feels the foot of his mattress sink down. Beltway had made himself comfortable at the end of Spectre's bed, and was watching the Russia…in a very creepy way, Spectre thought.
"Why are you still in bed anyway? Everyone else is up and doing something or another, except Vector who is…god knows where doing god knows what." The demolition expert didn't like the Recon man; he seemed to have an attitude that said he was better then everyone here. Vladimir rolled over and reached out for the bottle of vodka, popping the cap off and downing a large gulp, not even flinching when the fiery liquid burned down his throat.
"Better question….why are you…in here?" Spectre gave the liquor a moment to burn down into his gut before taking a second drink from the bottle. Beltway watched the other man gulp down the drink before looking at the open door of Spectre's bedroom, not giving the Russian a glance as he hears the other man get out of bed and heads into the bathroom. Beltway notices the Russian takes the vodka with him and raises a brow before speaking through the door to the bathroom.
"Well it's me and you considering Vector won't show himself unless really needed. I figured we'd do something like male bonding….or something like that, since all the women are grouped up and doing shit together." Beltway tilts his head a bit as he hears a snort come from behind the bathroom door followed a good ten seconds later by the toilet flushing and door opening up. The Russian still only had his boxers on and held the bottle in his hand, walking over to the nightstand and capping the bottle he sets it down by his book.
"I would not….know how to …bond." Spectre said plainly as he began to dress, pulling on his cargo pants, combat boots, and a sleeveless black shirt with a semi-high collar. Beltway tilted his body as he watched the Russian dress, he had caught the sight of something red and gold on his backside, around his lower back, half hidden under the top of his boxers and covered in what could have been pale colored make-up. Beltway sat up straight as the Russian turned towards him as he pulled the shirt down and set his combat knife around his upper thigh.
"Well…we could go shoot shit…preferably Vector…or maybe we can go for a ride somewhere or go out and do –something-….anything." Beltway would, in most cases, just tell someone to go do something with him but he wanted to watch himself around the Russian. Physically he was taller and thicker then Spectre, obviously more powerful were strength was concerned and could likely, very easily overpower the smaller man and force him to do something. It had come to Beltway's mind to actually do just that after the Russian had sold him out to Bertha earlier but something about the smaller man un-nerved him. While he could undoubtedly overpower Spectre and there seemed to be nothing out of the ordinary about the other man, he was a veteran of the Cold War and an ex-KGB agent, neither of which you became for just being 'ordinary'.
"I do not think…Lupo would appreciate us….shooting at Vector." Spectre walked over to a window and pulled it open, letting a warm breeze in before sitting on the window seal. Beltway watched the other man pensively, his dark eyes wondering over the Russian's pale skin before settling on his lean chest, watching the slow fall and rise of the other man's chest.
"Then we can…." Beltway stops midsentence as Spectre gets off the window seal and walks by him to the door, looking back at the bigger man.
"Come…I saw stable…when I was dropped off." Spectre turns back around and leaves the room. Beltway blinks and gets up, following the Russian out of the room and falling into step behind him.
"Stable? Like a horse stable?" Beltway asked as he followed the man downstairs and to the front door. The Russian doesn't even turn to look at him as he opens the door and walks out to the front yard.
"Da, you wanted…to do something…so we ride." Spectre walks across the suspiciously perfect lawn, a perfect shade of dark green grass, cut low and just seeming to ideal for Beltway's liking. Beltway had ridden a few horses in his time and it was rarely a pleasurable thing to experience what with all the bouncing and jerking.
"I'm not fond of riding, all the bouncing makes my balls ache," Beltway grumbled out as he watched the Russian disappear into what was indeed a small stable. The larger man frowned to himself as he heard the other man moving things around inside the stable coming out sometime later with two horses, fully tacked, one brown with a white strip down his nose and the other black with a blonde mane. The Russian handed the reins of the brown one to Beltway and he frowned deeply before forcing himself around to climb up on the saddle.
"You wanted…to do something…so we do this." Spectre had climbed around on his horse with little effort, seeming to have done this many times before. The Russian gives the horse a small nudge in the side and it complies with a slow walk. Beltway frowned and nudged his horse to followed Spectre, gripping onto the saddle horn when the horse jerks forward a bit, causing him to curse under his breath.
"I wanted to do something that wouldn't have me walking bow-legged for a week after abusing my balls against a hard leather seat." Beltway bites out as the horse falls into step behind Spectre's. Beltway threw the other man a heated look, watching the way he seemed to just move with the horse effortlessly, rocking his lean body in time with the horse's steps; he'd defiantly ridden before.
"If you ride like that….it is no wonder…you hurt." Spectre said after looking back at the other man, "You are too stiff…move with horse…not against it." The Russian turned his head back to tug the reigns to the side, guiding the horse around a large oak tree that sat on the property. Beltway grumbled to himself and tried to mimic Spectre's body, finding it a bit harder with his tense muscles.
"How long have you been fucking riding these things for?" Beltway snapped as the horse brushed against the trunk of the tree, bumping Beltway's leg against the bark, only irritating the man further. The Russian looked up at the clear sky as his horse lazily walked across the open law effortlessly carrying his rider.
"Since I was child…I owned horse before….falling into work with Umbrella. Where I lived…during winter…it was only way to travel sometimes….unless you enjoy hip high snow." Spectre thought for a moment, it hadn't sounded quite right, but he was sure Beltway would get most of what he had tried to say. Beltway for his part had gotten the idea of what his companion was saying or was trying to say. The larger man continued to try to mimic his smaller companion, when Spectre did something with the reigns he would try to mimic the action to get his horse to respond as Spectre's did.
"Speakin' of winter…is it true what ya told us, bout eating a guy?" Beltway had pondered over the question since last night and it bothered and fascinated him; the thought of eating another person disgusted him but a part of him wondered how one could stomach doing such a thing.
"Da," Spectre didn't give anything more than the simple word, which Beltway had put together as likely being yes in Russian. Beltway waited for more from his companion and when Spectre remained silent Beltway urged his horse a bit closer to Spectre's before speaking.
"What was it like, eating someone else, did it make you sick or did it haunt you?" Beltway likely knew he should have felt like he was intruding but such a thing made him curious and likely was the cause for him wanting to 'bond' with the Russian a bit.
"It was survival…it was eat or die…" Spectre's steely blue-grey eyes met with Beltway's green ones and Beltway saw no pity, empathy, or regret from the discussion. Beltway felt a shiver go down his spine, he knew that look all too well, a killer's stare. "I would fight to live…by any means…so I shot him…gutted him…and ate him." Spectre turned his head to look across the large, expansive of land the mansion sat on, framed by a small forest.
"Would you eat one of us, if you had to?" Beltway was sure the Russian wouldn't do such a thing unless absolutely necessary, but he just wanted to make sure. Spectre pulled back on the reins, making the horse shake his head up and down with a snort as he came to a stop. Beltway followed suite, sitting next to Spectre as their horses stood next to each other.
"Why? Do you fear….that I will eat you…in the middle of the night?" Spectre was a master of going un-noticed, controlling himself around others but he couldn't stop the ever so slight hint of amusement in his voice. This man…his supposed team mate, was afraid he'd eat him and the thought of such a thing was highly amusing to the Russian.
"I just like to know if I'm in danger of being gutted and eaten on a sandwich like a slice of ham," Beltway wasn't sure but he thought he caught a bit of amusement in Spectre's voice. The demolition's expert nudged the horse forward to continue its walk as Spectre had began to walk his horse again.
"You do not…have to worry...I would be afraid to eat you…all that American food…so much grease and fat…it might kill me to eat you." Spectre hide a forming smile as he heard Beltway grunt in indignation and heard a low stream of curses come from the larger man.
"There is nothing wrong with American food, it's cheap, delicious, and abundant year round," Beltway retorted back, actually a bit hungry at the thought of a stack of pancakes covered in blueberry syrup and butter with a side of eggs and bacon. Spectre didn't even look back at Beltway as he replied in a dead even tone.
"They fry everything…soak it in grease…then they eat excessively when….they are not even hungry…they waste food…then complain about how….fat they are." Spectre looks back at Beltway now, "If I remember hearing right….they even fry snacks now…to make fattening foods….even worse." Beltway raised a brow, drooling a bit at the thought of a deep fried Twinkie or maybe some fried pickles. The Russian turns his head to watch where the horse was stepping.
"You know it would do ya skinny ass some good to eat some fattening food, you look like a plank of wood from the side…a crooked plank of wood, but a plank of wood none the less." Beltway had taken notice that when fully geared, Spectre seemed to hunch over a bit, as if he was supporting a great weight, though he seemed to have no issues moving what so ever. Beltway wondered since the first night if that computer he carried on his back had really been heavy enough to cause that or if his gear in general was just heavier then he was used to.
Spectre led the horse around in silence, moving from a slow walk to a trot and to a canter. Beltway hadn't stopped spitting out curses since hitting the trot, the larger man bouncing up and down on the saddle like rabid pogo stick, moving around the saddle in discomfort and then grabbing onto the saddle horn when the horse hit a canter, looking like he might fall off. Spectre suspected that the man had little, if any riding experience. Beltway watched with a frown as Spectre's body moved with the horses so seamlessly, rocking on the saddle in time with the horse's gait. Bertha watched the two from a the living room window, only half listening to Lupo and Four-Eye's as they talked about what brought them into Umbrella. The Medic watched with interest as their surveillance expert went from a canter on the horse to full gallop; he seemed to enjoy riding to some degree. Beltway, she noticed, did not seem to like the horse let alone riding it. Once Spectre took off at a gallop, the larger man had pulled up on the reins of his horse, called after Spectre, and turned to the horse around to head back to where they came from.
Bertha enjoyed pain, she enjoyed giving it, causing her victims to writhe in so much pain they would spill their deepest secrets to her, just to end the torture she brought them with her medical knowledge and tools, but nothing quite satisfied her recently more than watching Beltway walk past the living room some time later with a limp and a hand rubbing between his legs; spitting curses out that would make a sailor blush. Bertha watched at the window for some time before Spectre galloped back past her view, the horse's fur wet with sweat as it slowed back to a light trot, likely heading back to the stable at the bid of its rider. The medic smirked a bit before turning to join in the conversation of the other two women which had shifted to what they thought of their male team mates.
"Vector, can't say much about him, I never really see him. Beltway seems nice enough, a little frag happy and a dirty mouth, but he's decent enough. Spectre, I can't say much about either, he seems to take Vector's side and doesn't come out all that much." Four-Eyes says to Lupo, taking a sip of wine, "Though I suppose having a conversation with him would be rather awkward, he seems the silent type."
"Vector will have to come out sometime, if we are to get to know him, even if it is a little, as for Beltway he will be useful, he was from the Army Corp of Engineers, he is smarter then he lets on. Spectre, I am not too sure about, he is quite and seems to keep to himself unless urged to act otherwise." Lupo responded, taking a sip of her own wine.
"Bertha likes the Russian, he is like a book; hard to judge and full of surprises." Bertha looked to the other two women with a devious little grin, "Bertha wonders…what he is hiding from us." Bertha moved her eyes to catch Vladimir walk up the stairs from the living room entry way, noting he had no visual limp or soreness when he walked and listening hard enough, the thought she heard him hum something. The medic grinned widely to herself, not letting her companion's see; she would find out what that sneaky Russian was hiding, when he fell asleep tonight. Beltway may have attempted to befriend him, but she would not waste time on such a trivial thing; no she would do things quick and simple.