A/N:Inspired by sleepyconfusedpotato's fanart of a young Valeria, Ale and Rudy.
Alejandro Vargas was furious. To say that he wasn't would be a understatement.
He had just found out that after months of hunting around in Mexico that the one and only El sin Nombre was in fact his old friend. Even worse when that "friend" was actually an old flame of yours years ago. Not to mention the fact that she had the audacity to betray him and then worm her way back into his life.
He had enough. After screaming at Graves, Ghost, Soap and Valeria himself he had stormed out of the shipping container that she was held in. He would let Graves and the others deal with her, right now he needed some space and time to himself.
I had to get out of there, before I did something I regret. He thought to himself.
His chest was still heaving slightly and his breathing was still a little ragged, he was almost delirious from it. The cramped and dark space in the container didn't help either. He needed fresh air and that was why he left.
Now he was outside in the bright afternoon sun, with the sun shining down on his face and the light breeze blowing at his hair as he walked away from the container and towards the main base. The base that he was staying in for the time being whilst he worked with Graves and Task force 141.
Approaching the entrance he walked swiftly through the doors, passing the mess hall where other soldiers were chatting loudly amongst themselves eating lunch through their canteens. Normally in other circumstances he would of happily joined them, but right now food was the last thing that was on his mind.
I need to get to my room away from everyone. I already lost it earlier in front of Graves and the others, I don't need anyone else seeing me lose my shit.
His room was on the second floor, right at the end of the coridoor away from the stairs and the main hallway.
Finally. About time I have peace and quiet. I need time to gather my thoughts and process the whole thing.
Arriving at his door, he turned the doorhandle and it unlocked in front of him. In front of him was a small apartment that was simple in nature. It had a small bathroom with a shower and toilet, and a double bed with a dresser and drawers along with white walls.
He sighed loudly to himself, as his thoughts shifted back to what had happened in the container earlier on and why he was back in his room in the first place.
"Who does she think she is, huh?"
"First of all betraying me 20 years ago, then leading me on a chase all around Mexico, now having the audacity to tell me to get my head out my ass after everything she did. Did she really think that I was going to forgive her after all that shit that she put me through"
"No. No fucking way" He chuckled bitterly as he shook his head, talking to himself
"You got to be mad to think that I would be doing that, I did that once and what did she do? Stab me in the back"
"And now... And now" He stumbled as his voice shook, full of quiet rage as he started to pace back and forth in the small flat agiteatedly, the echo of his boots hitting the cold, hard ground
"Graves wants me to work with her. So does Soap and the others. You have got to be kidding me."
"Oh sure it's not a big deal is it? Working with your ex again after she betrayed you and left you for dead over a decade ago. You might think it's not a big deal, but to me it is!" He shouted out at thin air
"Shit!" He screamed as he kicked a empty can of beer that was left on the ground. It flew across the room hitting the bottom of the drawer. A small thud was heard.
Alejandro turned around swivelling his head at that instant, as he shifted on his heel towards the direction of the noise.
"What was that?" He muttered to himself in confusion
He looked towards where the can that he had kicked had landed and that's when he noticed.
Frowning he quickly paced towards the drawers when he saw what was a small photo frame which had landed face forward.
He gingerly picked it up with his gloved hands trying to scan for the damage. There was a little crack on it where the glass had smashed from falling over at the top corner, but besides that the photo inside was pretty much ok.
He heaved a sigh of relief as he looked at the frame and realised that it was mostly alright, if not for a little damage.
He sat down gently on the bed holding the photo in his hands as he slowly and carefully took the photo out of the frame and put the damaged frame to one side back on the top of the drawers
I will sort that out later. He made a mental note to himself
His attention was now on the old and slightly worn photo that was in front of him now
The top left hand corner of it had a small tear one that was fixed with sticky tape. It had yellowed now due to age.
Alejandro traced his gloved thumb on the small tear, stroking and feeling the shape of the lines slowly
"I was so young and naive then. I always thought she would come back for me, and that it was a mistake that was made in the heat of the moment" he chuckled to himself in amusement
After that day she had left him for dead in the mountains after turning on him, Alejandro had kept the photo and carried it with him everywhere, hoping and waiting for her to come back. He would always carry it in his pocket, folding it up everywhere wherever he went for years. Until he got sick of it and realised that she was never coming back, no matter how much he had hoped.
"I guess I loved her. More than she loved me" He mumured to himself, sadly.
"We were all so young then. Even Rudy. Those were the happy days" He sighed
A sudden memory flashed by his eyes as he was taken back to a warm summer evening, 20 years ago
They had just come back from their first deployment in the slums of Las Almas when they were laughing and joking whilst walking back towards base
"Let's take a photo" Alejandro suggested out of the blue
Valeria looked at him raising her eyebrows "A photo. Why?"
Alejandro cleared his throat looking back at her. "So we can look back at it when we're grey and old one day, and to see how far we've come. Three best friends who grew up together in the slums of Mexico, travelling the world and making a life for themselves. Our future selves would be proud of us I'm sure. Besides it's a great occassion and milestone. We have a beautiful sunset behind us too. Perfect photo opportunity"
"I agree" Rudy added as they all looked at him in awe
"Today is a happy occassion, it's the perfect day for a photo" He nodded looking towards Alejandro for approval
"Right um ok then" Valeria laughed nervously
"I guess we're doing it so who's taking it and where do we stand?"
Alejandro grinned "We use my phone. We can prop it up against one of the crates and then set the timer. We can just stand where we are. I want to be in the middle so I can be close to both of my best friends"
"Sure I like that idea" Valeria nodded in approval
"Good. Because I was starting to worry that you wouldn't like it" Alejandro grinned teasingly
"Shut up. I just said I was fine with it. Right Rudy?" Valeria rolled her eyes as she nudged Rudy in the ribs with her elbows gently
"Yeah sure. Whatever you say, Val" He shrugged
Tutting in mock annoyance, Alejandro walked up to the crates that was in front of them and positoned his phone in the right position to take the photo.
Once that was done he returned back to Valeria and Rudy who was waiting for him as he quickly moved to the middle wrapping his arms around the pair of them both
"Say Cheese!" Ale said loudly as the shutter was about to click
"CHEESE!" Valeria shouted loudly in a booming voice while Rudy let out a light chuckle and mumured "Cheese" quietly
"All done" Alejandro grinned looking at the pair of them before he broke out of the embrace to get his phone
"So what now?" He piped turning to the pair of them before placing his phone back in his pocket
"We go for dinner. I'm hungry" Valeria declared
Alejandro let out a light chuckle. "Sounds good. You in Rudy?"
"I'm in" Rudy nodded
"Come on. Let's go. Whoever gets to dinner last will have to clean the toilet for the rest of the week!" Valeria smirked before she took off leaving both boys behind
Alejandro and Rudy looked at each other in horror
"Oh hell no" Rudy shook his head
"There's no way I'm cleaning the toilets for a week. I'm getting my ass to the canteen"
"Same here" Alejandro nodded
"Right behind you brother"
And with that the pair of them took off into the sunset, chasing Valeria from behind.
Back in the present day, Alejandro continued to stare at the photo in front of him holding it in his gloved hand and fingers as his thoughts continued to roam deeper
Would we be married now? If she hadn't had done that? Or would we have broken up long ago? She was always a fiesty and tempermental one if things didn't go her way. I had to learn that the hard way. I don't regret anything we did, I just. I just wish that things didn't turn the way it did you know sometimes. But there's no going back now.
Sighing to himself, he got up.
"I'm wasting time here. Valeria won't change no matter what. That Valeria is gone. She isn't my Val anymore, as much as it hurts I have to accept that. She's El sin Nombre. Valeria is long gone and dead. It's El sin Nombre now, and I got to remember that"
He took one last look at the photo mumuring to himself "Oh Valeria. If only you stayed with us, how different things could of been"
Placing it back down on top of the drawer, he turned walking towards the door with big, determined strides before stopping temporaily
"Right now I have a mission. No matter my history between me and Valeria, Graves is counting and waiting for me. I must get back to the others. I have a mission to do. Mexico is counting on me and there is no time to waste"
With that he swung open the door, closing it behind him.
A/N:Ignore the timeline inconsistences I know there wasn't smartphones that could take timer selfies 20 years ago but I have a headcanon that the photo was taken selfie style with a timer so... I also have a headcanon that Rudy is the more quiet and shy member of the group, hence why Valeria and Ale were so shocked that he spoke up because he's normally so quiet. I just see him as the quiet kid lol.