Fuck Eliot hated Russia. And he would extend that to Kazakstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkministan, Tajikistan, Georgia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, and the rest of that region. No offense; just places he NEVER wanted to go again. For a variety of reasons. Even if Poland had amazing barszcz biały, white borscht at Easter. Okay, he would go back to parts of Poland.
Nope, didn't want to go back.
And then Nate had Hardison playing Scheherazade by Korsakov. One of the fucking Russians. Sophie had looked at him as he'd stormed out of the room. Parker had followed happily humming some music: Malichevsky, if he wasn't mistaken.
That old Danny Kaye song started running through his head:
"Without the least excuse
Or the slightest provocation
May I fondly introduce
For your mental delectation.
The names that always give me a concussion
The names of those composers known as Russian
There's Malichevsky, Rubinstein, Arensky, and Tschaikowsky…" Fucking ear worm.
There had been that time, in "that" safe-house. Which really hadn't been safe; but, it was a house. And it had some random CDs and a few DVDs. You could only watch Sharknado I, II, and III so many times before you went nuts; especially when they were badly dubbed into Russian. So they had spent their time listening to MandyPatinkin singing in Yiddish, & doing jazz covers, and discussing the Princess Bride. Over and over and over again. Which given there were five different disks of him singing: WHY THE FUCK DID THEY NOT HAVE THE PRINCESS BRIDE DVD? Clint ranted at length while staring out the spotting scope at how this movie was one of the best movies EVER!
And yes, it deserved capital letters, and exclamation points! And a few more exclamation points! So, Clint has spent the entire week they'd been in that house spewing quotes from Princess Bride.
"You fell victim to one of the classic blunders – The most famous of which is 'never get involved in a land war in Asia.'"
Eliot had pondered that for a moment, and didn't disagree with it. Land wars in Russia were never good.
But, about the thousandth time that the marksman had said "Inconceivable!" Eliot had reached for a knife, and wondered if he could use Clint's body in place of the drug-runner. Shaking out of his memory, Eliot grumbled about that damn song getting stuck in his head again. Maybe a fast run would get it out of his head.
After taking a quick lap around the block, and bemoaning the Boston weather, the hitter went back inside and started making dinner. White borscht full of potatoes, sausage, and the leeks he'd picked up a couple days ago. Sledz, marinated herring with hard boiled eggs and minced onions. He didn't have herring; but, he did have a nice piece of smoked salmon. Some smoked meats from the Baltic Deli in South Boston; and the babka he'd picked up. He gently put some eggs into a steamer basket over boiling water, and noted the time. Good, in fifteen minutes he'd have eggs.
Parker wandered in looking for her omnipresent box of cereal. "What's for dinner?"
"Parker off the counter." Eliot barked. ""Let Me Explain. ... No, there is too much. Let me sum up. Food. Soup."
"Cool. I like Eliot soup." She bounced off looking to … do something.
"Man, you know Princess Bride!" Hardison looked up from his monitors, truly shocked."
"Good book." Eliot grunted as he slid potatoes into the pot. And started humming under his breath "There's Glinka, Winkler, Bortniansky, Rebikoff, Ilyinsky."
"Book!?" Hardison was shocked. "It's only the BEST movie EVER! Well, maybe second. My name is Inigo Montoya, prepare to die!"
Sophie swept in, making a grand entrance, catching the quote as she closed the door. "Oh, I love that movie. Such a great love story. ""Death Cannot Stop True Love. All It Can Do Is Delay It For A While."
"What movie?" Parker asked a little mystified.
Hardison looked at her in horror, "This we must remedy." He started pushing buttons and the large screens starting flashing before the opening credits popped up.
Eliot sighed, took the eggs out of the heat; and started making popcorn. It was a good day for a movie, drizzly and cool. The soup was coming together, and all he needed to do was put together a plate with the salmon, and a tray with smoked meats.
"Movie, what movie are we watching?" Nate enjoyed the movie days, even if he did grump about them.
"Princess Bride" came the chorus as people were settling in on the couch.
"Have fun stormin' da castle." Nate added as he refilled his coffee mug and settled in on the couch. "It was a good book too."
E/N: Yes, there is a Polish Deli in South Boston: It's called the Baltic Deli.
