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I dont own VA just the story line...
It was strange being back inside Section after living outside in the 'real world' for a few weeks during the Kreshev mission. While he was constantly under surveillance during the mission, it was easier to forget about the ever present cameras while on the outside. It would take time to adjust to the rhythm of Section once more.
It was one hour from lights out and Dimitri started preparing for bed. He heard a knock at the door and opened it to find Ivan grinning at him holding up a bottle of Whisky.
"Hey, I heard you were back from a long mission. I'm the welcome back committee."
He couldn't help but smile slightly in response: "Thank you." He looked pointedly at the bottle Ivan was holding: "What's this?"
"You and me are going to get drunk."
"You know I don't drink that much."
"Correction, you won't allow yourself to drink. That's going to change tonight."
"What makes you think tonight will be different."
"Well I figured you wouldn't allow yourself to get drunk because too many eyes are watching. I called in a favor with my buddy down in surveillance so we can drink in peace."
When Dimitri didn't budge from his position at the doorway, Ivan put on his best wounded expression and wheedled: "Come on, Dimitri. You don't want me to drink alone do you?"
"How is that any different from normal?"
Ivan clutched his chest in mock pain and begged: "Hey this is a 10 year old Scotch. The best that Section money can buy. What's a few drinks between friends?"
Dimitri's lips twitched in amusement as he stepped back letting Ivan into the room. Ivan grinned and handed the bottle over to him as he stepped in. Ivan looked around the spartan room and frowned.
"How long have you been in Section? Your room doesn't look lived in at all."
"14 months."
"Where are the graffiti and posters of naked chicks? All my walls were papered within a month."
Dimitri just looked blankly back at Ivan. Ivan shook his head and added: "You're a hopeless case. Nothing a little Johnny Walker won't cure. Where are the glasses?"
Dimitri set the bottle down at the small table along with two glasses as Ivan plopped heavily down on one of the chair. Ivan poured two generous helping of the drink and held his glass up for a toast. "To life."
He quirked his eyebrow up at Ivan's toast, but held his glass up wordlessly before taking a sip. Ivan downed his drink in a single gulp and immediately started coughing.
"Wow that's good whisky." He pointed at Dimitri's barely touched glass and prodded: "Down the hatch, Dimitri. Light's out in an hour so you better get your drinks on."
At Ivans encouraging nods, Dimitri shrugged and drain the glass. The whisky burned a path down to his stomach, warming him instantly. Dimitri hadn't been drunk since he was at the University a lifetime ago. Truthfuly, he wanted to sink into oblivion and forget the nightmares of the last few years. He trusted that Ivan wouldn't lead him into too much trouble.
Fourty minutes and 8 tumblers full later, Dimitri was feeling more relaxed than he remember ever being. Ivan was happily singing at the tops of his lung a dirty song as he jerked uncordinately around the room. It was a good thing he didn't have much as far as decoration since Ivan kept bumping into furnitures, knocking things off to the ground.
Ivan flopped down on the chair, catching the corner and fell down on the ground instead. Dimitri couldn't help but laugh at the sight of Ivan sprawled on his back on the floor. He obligingly helped Ivan up from the ground and directed him to the chair, finding his own balance was less than optimal. At least he made his way back to his chair without tumbling to the ground.
Ivan poured them both another glass, more liquid ending up on the table instead of the glasses. Dimitri took over and carefully poured them drinks, exceedingly proud that he didn't spill more than a few drops. Ivan could barely stop giggling like a little girl as he took a sip. Dimitri found that he had a goofy smile on his face as he watched his giggling friend.
Ivan started laughing uncontrollably. He grinned over his glass at the man and asked: "What's so funny?"
"I was just remembering the last mission I was on."
"What?"
"It was the funniest thing, we went in to get this major douchebag who's been selling dirty bombs to terrorists. When we got there the guy was having an orgy with three prostitutes. We had to waste the girls and bring him in. And you know what the funniest part?"
"What?"
"We green list the ass hole and now he's out having more orgies."
"What's so funny about that?"
"Just Section and how upside down it is here. Out in the real world, the girls would be alive and the dirt bag would be rotting in jail. Here we give him a get out of jail free card."
The smile faded from his face as he solemnly looked down at the amber liquid. He poured the drink down his throat, needing the sweet oblivion the drink promises.
"What was it like?"
Dimitri looked up at Ivan's quiet question. "What was what like?"
"I heard you were on a Valentine mission and your assignment was to seduce an innocent to get to the father."
Ivan's words brought back the memory of Danila and how she looked, so innocent and in love, the last time he saw her. "Yes."
"Was it hard to pretend with her?"
"Yes."
"How do you do it then?"
Sometimes he asked himself that question as well. He replied honestly: "I try not thinking about how it will affect her and focus on the mission at hand."
"Isn't it hard to do since you have to pretend to be in love with her."
"Yes."
Ivan shook his head vehemently and gave a humorless laugh: "Section expects us to be trained robots. They don't care that they are dehumanizing us, forcing us to do things that we're not built for. They're better off recruiting sociopaths, but then they wouldn't be able to control them since they just wouldn't care."
They both downed another large drink, trying to drown out the memories. The lights went out then and Dimitri stumbled his way to turn on the lamp by his bed. Once he was in his bed, he found he didn't have the energy or coordination to get back to the table. His head was swimming from too much alcohol and he found himself hiccuping. Ivan laughed at his sorry state and passed another glass to him. After a few tries, he successfully intercepted the glass before Ivan dropped it on the floor.
Ivan started laughing again mirthlessly. "Do you how many times I'm tempted to just jump in front of a car or eat a bullet? The only thing stopping me is that Section would win."
"They win either way. They got us where they want us, doing what they're ordering to do."
Ivan frowned down at his glass: "That's a shitty thought. Have you ever dream about getting out?"
He shook his head and replied: "No. I gave up hope a long time ago. I needed to in order to survive."
"You got to tell me your trick someday. I haven't figured out how to live with myself and I've been here much longer."
"There's no trick. I'm still trying to figure it out myself."
Ivan held his glass up unsteadily for another toast: "To figuring it out."
Dimitri could only sip a little of his drink, before he realized he had reached his maximum threshold. The edge of his vision starting fading and he swayed unsteadily in his seat. Ivan caught him before he pitched forward onto the floor. Ivan gently pushed him onto the bed and pulled the covers over him after removing his shoes. The last thing he was conscious of was Ivan softly brushing back his hair and whispering: "Sleep well, hope no nightmares find you."
The door clicked softly as Ivan exited and for once since he has been in this place, he slept dreamlessly.
Hope you enjoyed the Dimitri and Ivan time Ivan always knows how to get to Dimitri...
As always dont forget to review and remember that suprise I mentioned its coming up!