The Dancing of Bears and Flowers

Anger

Nikolai peered carefully into the pipe and, upon easily seeing Takeo huddled in the corner, rushed in to kneel before him, worried. Slowly, Nikolai lifted a hand, reaching to touch Takeo, but Takeos' voice halted him. The voice was hollow and emotionless, as it had been the first time they met in France.

"What is it, Lussian?" he asked.

"Takeo, why are you here?"

"Am I not to be here?" the voice turned to ice.

Nikolai grimaced. "Why you so confronting now, Takeo?"

"I want to know something" Takeo lifted his head and stared straight into Nikolais' soul. "Your nightmare held Death, collect?"

"I... uh..." Nikolai felt terrible as he nodded. "Da."

"This concerned you?"

"Da... Takeo, why do you ask these questions?"

Like a tiny candlelight in the dark, something crossed through Takeos' dark eyes, but it passed quickly, leaving his face monotone and devoid of hints. Nikolai felt like he was being mercilessly stabbed the more he looked at Takeo. He couldn't understand Takeo, and that was charming, but this was something nasty he did not like.

"Did I die?"

The sudden question had Nikolai looking away at the muddy water, but he gave a small nod. Takeos' mood remained the same, but something in his eyes changed. He continued to look at Nikolai, seeing him twitch with discomfort. Takeo had had similar dreams everywhere, stronger on the island, none bothering him enough to speak, but Nikolai was like Dempsey in the fact they were haunted by their visions. Takeo slowly stood, Nikolai looking up at him.

"For honesty, I wirr answer a question, Nikki."

"Why are you so mad?!"

The question was not meant to be blurted out so untactfully or with a tear, but it was and it took Takeo quite by surprise to see Nikolai openly sad. Nikolai rubbed his eye on a sleeve, keeping Takeo held in his sight. Takeo felt ashamed of his actions towards Nikolai and knelt down, he cold bitterness melting away. He didn't look at Nikolai for fear of crumbling like a dry leaf.

"You and Lichtofen..." he gulped. "Were together..."

"When?" Nikolai asked, loudly.

"Not rong ago... on the ground."

Nikolai blinked, proccesing and taking a guess. "You saw me on top of the German?"

Takeo nodded.

There was an intense silence, then Nikolais' mouth formed a grin and he laughed. Takeo whipped his head around to stare at the Russian. To further confuse Takeo, Nikolai pulled him into a tight, warm hug, petting his head, all while grinning. Takeo just stayed limp, confused and feeling empty.

"Richtofen and I are not what you are thinking, Take" Nikolai kissed Takeos' forehead. "Nikolai has only one person in heart~!"

Takeo blushed, giving a tiny, quick smile, the crushing feeling of being wrong eating at him. How could he think that of Nikolai? The man seemed incapable of subtle things like that, in any way, but still, Takeo had accused him of cheating on his heart. It was a horrible feeling. Nikolai pressed a gentle kiss to Takeos' cheek and helped him stand, ushering forgiveness and apologies, to which the other waved away.

"We make mistakes, Take!"

"No. I shourd not."

Before any more arguing could be done, a blast erupted beside them, sending them flying. Nikolai sat up, staring with bleary eyes as the Mangler climbed over a barricade, aimed to shoot again. Nikolai scrambled in muddy water for escape and his gun, hand hitting Takeos' arm. Takeo roused himself from the water, dazed by the blast, little realising Nikolai shaking him and pulling him up to his feet. He still didn't know, until an intense heat woke up his foggy mind.

He blinked, squinting into Dragon Fire, Nikolais' gun blasting shots at the advancing robot-zombie, but it continued to grin and walk, as the fire continued to blaze. They were stuck between deaths, neither enthused to die by either means. With a sudden flare, Takeo pushed Nikolai away and took up his katana, whirling around to slice the armoured zombie, driving it back. Nikolai pushed himself off the wall, unsure if he should attack too, but he risked a bullet in Takeo. His other option - standing idle - was not pleasing, either.

He grew impatient at the thought of standing idle, so he fired a few rounds at the abomination, taking both warrior and zombie by surprise. Bullets bounced off the armour, shooting off in all directions. Takeo tried watching them, deflecting one on luck, dodging the rest. Now distracted, Takeo was easily grabbed by the monster, the sickle barely missing his neck as it was grabbed and crushed.

Nikolai fired angry shots at the thing, before it aimed its' own gun-hand at Takeos' struggling self. In rage, Nikolai body charged it, knocking it into the muddy water. He crawled onto its' chest and beat at it with all his angry might. In his raged state, Nikolai took up a sharp weapon and drove it through the Manglers' face, killing it almost instantly. Nikolai stared at it, breathing heavily, as Takeo clawed himself free and crawled over to Nikolai, taking his arm.

"Nikorai!"

He looked at Takeo, eyes glazed. "Da?"

"Ogenki desu ka?"

Nikolai blinked. "English?"

Takeo sighed. "Are you hurt?"

Nikolai shook his head, slowly, clearly shocked by his own rage. In honesty, Takeo was worried by it. It was normal to be a little different in such places like these, but to be so blinded by anger... it was frightful. He helped the Russian to his feet, ensuring he was securely leaning on him, before taking up his katana from the creatures face lumbering back towards the Control Centre. Hopefully, the Doctor would be able to help Nikolai get return to normal, then, they could move onto more dangerous things.