Hopeless Romantic - Dempsey x Richtofen

Chapter One

Richtofen sat at a desk he had pulled into the power room, writing down notes from his memory of what maxis had told him. The German looked out the window, seeing a drops of snowflakes shower onto the ground, the window freezing up at its corners.

Richtofen let out a low sigh, spining himself around in the chair. He stopped himself after hearing the hard steps of the Russian solider. Nikolai appeared into his dizzy sight, walking right past him to look at the notes. "How about you rest now German, Nikolai can keep watch, if, that is what you are doing?"

"Ja Nikolai, Ich keeping watch for any more trouble, and writing down some notes." Richtofen scooted his chair closer to his desk, "Don't v'worry about me Nikolai-"

"Oh, you think I am worried about you? Nikolai is more worried that you will disappear again and come back with more bullshit." Nikolai bluffed, pulling Richtofens chair back to try read the notes.

"Nein Nikolai, ich promise you, ich will not do such things this time around." Richtofen reassured, getting up from his chair.

"What are these notes German? I hope a way out of here." Nikolai traced his finger under the sentences, remembering the symbols that displayed before him.

"Just gibberish ich remember Maxis telling me, Ich am trying to retract the next step after taking Tanks soul." Richtofen grabbing the paper, folding it neatly and placing it into his chest pocket.

Nikolai stepped back, "We will be downstairs, Takeo is trying to get the stove going."

Richtofen watched as the Russian light jogged down the stairs, leaving him to debate rather to follow or keep to himself. The three soliders had lost all trust with him after he had left, being around them always resulted into a argument. Takeo was quite calm about the situation, Nikolai was bold and loud about his feelings, Dempsey,... Richtofen wasn't able to read how he felt.

Richtofen packed up his stuff and made his way to where he could hear laughter in the halls. He walked around the corner, the soldiers coming into view. Richtofen quietly came into the room, feeling Dempsey's daggers stare him down.

He took a seat, waving to Takeo, who just nodded in respect and continued to make his tea.

Nikolai continued with his jokes to the American, "So the man stood and asked me, what stinks like shit? I couldn't smell whatever this bastard smelt, so Nikolai tells him, It must be your upper lip!" The Russian bursted into laughter, as the American just lightly chuckled.

"Great story Nik, did he fight you right after?"

"Eh, he tried, but I just put my hand on his head and shoved him to ground like ant." Nikolai turned to look at Takeo, "Why no laughter from you?"

"Because I am making tea, and perhaps, it was you that smelt like shit." Takeo giggled, leaving the Russian feeling cheesed.

Richtofen just stared at the group, all giggling and laughing, he had nothing to really say, or even to begin a conversation with.

"So, Richtofen, what's your plan?" Dempsey started the conversation back up again, looking at the German.

"V'ell, ich am still figuring out zhe next step -"

"You are still figuring it out?" Dempsey sighed in disbelief, standing up and walking close to the German. "So was taking a soul even part of the plan? Or are you just fucking winging it?"

"Nein Dempsey, zhat was in ze' steps, Ich am figuring out coordinates to tell us where to next. So sit v'our ass down." Richtofen hissed, watching Dempsey just walk right past him.

"Dempsey come back! Nikolai was just going to tell you about Russian women!" Nikolai yelled, shaking his head at Richtofen. "You chose wrong words to use German, now I must choose right words to get back his company."

"Not wrong words, he chose the wrong way to start conversation," Takeo but in, handing the Russian a mug of tea. The Asian man handed Richtofen a cup of tea as well, taking a seat on the ground with his.

Richtofen thanked him for the tea and his understanding, as Nikolai tried to copy Takeo by, sitting on the floor to drink his tea.

Takeo rolled his eyes, watching the Russian struggle to sit cris-crossed and keep his back straight, "Dempsey is going through something we all will have to, taking life is one thing, but taking your own is another."

Richtofen sipped his tea, looking towards the direction Dempsey had stormed to, "Ich just hope he'll recover soon, ich will need his help these next few months. Same goes for the two of you of course."

Takeo nodded, standing up to place his cup on the table he had set earlier. Takeo took Nikolais empty cup as well, placing it next to his.

"Thank you Takeo, don't you get cold?" Nikolai asked, standing up to follow him around like a lost puppy.

Richtofen smiled lightly, making his way back upstairs to his 'office' with his cup. He sat back down in his chair, writing into his journal of his encounter today.

The room stayed quiet, the light from the candles shining brighter as night came more into view.

Richtofen was practically sleeping, his head resting on his arm, then suddenly the harsh hands of someone pulling him off the chair.

The German grew wide awake, kicking the zombie off him. He crawling towards his gun, being pulled back. Richtofen continued to struggle with kicking off the zombie, reaching to his heel for his knife but failing.

Just as he was ready to accept his fate, a knife stabbed right through the zombies head. Richtofen eyes focused to the sharp tip of the blade, watching it be pulled back and the zombie being tossed to the side.

Richtofen took deep breaths, taking the hand of his new hero, only to see Dempsey's hard face. "Mein Gott, Thank you, v'ou practically saved mein life," Richtofen spoke in between deep breaths, looking at Dempsey's eyes.

"You can say I saved your life again, for the third time.." Dempsey walked past him, looking around each corner for anymore zombies.

Richtofen tried to remember what he had meant, then the memories flooding into his head of the times he was talking about.

"Ich remember now, but, thank you Dempsey. How did v'ou know ich was in trouble this time?"

"I didn't, I was coming up here to get away from Takeos sheer wisdom. And to check if you had disappeared again." The American grunted, looking at Richtofen journal.

Richtofen noticed the Americans curiosity and quickly pulled it away, "Nein, ich already reassured Nikolai Ich am not going anywhere-."

"I was kinda hoping you would," Dempsey laughed, looking at the Germans notes of a portal.

Richtofen bite his tongue on arguing with him, wanting to argue about how he was important but, then remembering what Takeo had said.

"But, I was hoping you'd also help me with something.

"Like?"

"You'll see." Dempsey motioned for the German to follow him downstairs, Richtofen's curiosity growing stronger.