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Post by Deleted on Sept 12, 2017 22:23:00 GMT -5
It was hard, he realised. Hard to adapt to having someone willing to listen and respect him; though there had always been some degree of respect with the twins, they had answered to Sabah without even realising it. Even now, he didn't understand why she hadn't bothered to try to trick Al as she often did to people; instead, she'd gone right for the throat. It was strange. Maybe she had felt threatened, maybe she just didn't want him around. Either way, he couldn't figure it out at all.
"It's okay," he found that, despite everything, he could manage a small smile. "I'd rather you didn't apologise."
Finding different ways to tell Al the various words, he supposed, would be part of it. He didn't want sorry or please, didn't want...a fair few things. Maybe he would just be seen as impolite; that seemed like a huge possibility. That was his life now, he supposed. Years of Sabah took their toll, and now he was paying the price. It was a heavier one than he'd expected, if he was being entirely honest with himself.
"This isn't the worst Sabah has done to me," his voice became a little quieter, he averted his gaze to his hands again. Let his gaze trace over the various scars there, the bands of scarring just peeking from his bracelets, too. "I trusted her regardless, because she made such a big impact on me when I was a child," and he had been a child - that took some getting used to. "I've never had an escape before."
She had played the part of a concerned relative rather well when he had been in hospital, had managed to deceive even him into thinking she cared. In the end, she hadn't. She had been the one to inflict the damage, after all. Hadn't been the one to refer him to the psych ward, though. That had angered her.
The conversation shift wasn't entirely unwelcome - it gave him something to focus on. Gale listened to Al speak and tilted his head to the side, picking at the fabric of his jeans. Working for Al didn't seem too bad - but he faltered a little at the mention of the money.
"That's...quite a lot," he said doubtfully, brows furrowing. |
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Post by LβEΜα΄Κα΄Ι΄Ι’α΄Κ on Sept 13, 2017 14:08:49 GMT -5
Being told he didn't need to apologize for everything, for the usage of Gale's triggers - he didn't know what else to call them - would have been strange if Gale hadn't been slowly hinting him towards the words that made him uncomfortable. They're polite he reminded himself. "I see," he said, nodding slowly. Please and I'm sorry or apologies in general, he supposed. "I'll keep that in mind," he promised, intent on keeping his word to the younger man.
Even as he said those words, he wondered what had happened that had caused Gale to respond the way he did. It was... hard to imagine, worse to fathom that during his stay with Gale before he had been using those words and the younger man had not stopped him. Had not thought he would have listened. It was sad and he found himself listening even as Gale started to speak of Sabah. This isn't the worst she'd done to me. Those were harsh words, worse yet when he contemplated the scars Gale had. He never thought about where the younger man had received the scars, but now he wondered briefly and found himself frowning at the thought.
"That... That's terrible of her," he finally said, unable to apologize for what had happened to the younger man. It was the only words he could think of. To acknowledge that Gale had been a child, a mere minor when Sabah had gained his trust and abused it. It wasn't.... It wasn't right. There was no other way to respond to what he had been told, but the realization that it hadn't been right. He had in his time done terrible things, things he didn't want to speak of and talk about or repeat in his life. There had been times where he had killed a child, but more often than not he had been given no choice and the action shook him. To imagine the lack of sympathy and remorse Sabah felt when she used Gale it was... it was unfathomable. "What happened to you, it's not right."
With every mention of Sabah, he found that he despised her not only due to her cruel and violent words, but also due to her nature. She preyed on the weak, picked them off and broke them down for her own pleasure. "And if I can help in any way, tell me. I'll do my best." To hear that Gale had never had an escape - had been unable to find a way out until Sabah had abandoned him - it broke Alphonse's heart. He was not an emotional man, he had come to find, but what had happened to Gale was...
It made him sick. He'd seen lots of things in his line of work and had experienced a fair deal of bad experiences in his lifespan, but it didn't make processing what happened to Gale any easier. If anything, it made it worse. He wanted to tell Gale he would never do what Sabah had, would not hurt him the same way because he knew instinctively he didn't want to hurt the younger man anymore. He had already suffered enough.
Hearing the man voice his doubts and concerns about the money however, he raised an eyebrow. He had thought it a fair asking price to adjust up if Gale proved to be more impactful than the typical professional assassin. That wasn't considering the bonuses and extra money Gale would earn on the side. "It's a reasonable amount," he spoke, trying his best to explain to Gale that that was the price of a good assassin was worth, "And you're very talented and skilled. I have a sniper of your caliber on my payroll, he makes a fair deal more solely because he's been with me longer and works nearly exclusively for my family."
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Post by Deleted on Sept 13, 2017 14:23:30 GMT -5
He nodded slowly, didn't feel like Al was pitying him. That was what most people went for; you poor soul. The disbelief was common, too. For Al to take his words at face value, to be able to say words that didn't sound like they were just pitying...it was different. He'd known that the man had a way with words, but hadn't realised that they stretched to more personal situations. Gale swallowed, and found that he wasn't as anxious as he had been before.
"It happens," he said quietly. "That's not to excuse it, but," he made a small gesture, "some people aren't lucky."
Some of them were braver than him, too, but he didn't mention that. Instead, he exhaled slowly and managed to relax a little, glad that Al was understanding on the situation. He hadn't realised that he was relying on some sort of acceptance from him - but that was how it was, he supposed. As much as he hated to admit it, he had some sort of dependence on having people around. Al wasn't just someone to be there like Sabah or Jac or even the twins, he was...actively engaging in conversation, listening and responding.
"Just so you know," he watched the Frenchman from the corner of his eye, "it's the same for you. If there's something I can help you with, I'm here."
Easy to access, now, he supposed. Hell - was he even going to stray from Al's side for long? Probably not, now that he thought about it. He'd been compared to a dog, before, and he supposed it was true. Once his loyalty was caught, it stayed firmly to one person. Again, it had been why Sabah had managed to use him and continue to do that despite the pain. It was stupid and he knew it, but he couldn't help it. The overwhelming fear of rejection always won out.
"It's a lot to me," his laugh was quiet. "Al, I'd work for less than that. I'd rather work for less than that," he paused, squinted thoughtfully. "I'll work for you, but only if you give me less."
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Post by LβEΜα΄Κα΄Ι΄Ι’α΄Κ on Sept 13, 2017 14:44:38 GMT -5
Being told it happened by Gale had been something he had not expected. He knew fairly well that things like this happened, it happened all the time, sometimes to lesser extents sometimes to more extreme extents in which people never recovered from. And the young man had been right, it didn't excuse it at all. If anything, it just made matters like this so much more unacceptable. He had never been one to understand why people controlled people like they owned them. He relied on loyalty and emphasized the free will of his own followers, that if they wanted, at any given moment, they could leave.
"Being unlucky doesn't mean it was deserving," he finally answered. Sure, some people were short on luck, but it didn't mean what happened was what they deserved. "And you certainly didn't deserve it." His words were gentle, insistent even.
It had come as a complete and utter surprise when Gale had returned the favor, had offered his help and assistance as well. Frowning thoughtfully as he took in the words, he swallowed thickly and lowered his gaze. It was difficult to accept it, to take it for something he deserved or was worthy of having. After everything... He wasn't... emotional, but it had meant a lot to him. More than he could imagine. He knew the offer had been there with all of those he knew well, but there had been something about them knowing him far too well and knowing what happened to a personal degree that made him ashamed to look them in the eyes, much less accept their help without having to work for it.
The same didn't stand for Gale. He didn't know what happened, not truly. He only heard of what happened from Alphonse himself, and even then, the story had been sparse and not detailed. He had left out most of the terrible things he did not want to mention. Sometimes, he feared those he knew only cared because they pitied him. With Gale, he knew that wasn't the case. "Thank you," he said softly, finally looking back up at Gale. Afraid to reject the offer, but not exactly certain he was going to take up the younger man on it, he continued, "I'll keep that in mind."
Dragging his mind back onto the subject of Gale's wages, he frowned hearing the younger man say it was a lot. He supposed he should have known judging from Gale's apartment, but still. And to be rejected unless he lowered the amount he was paying Gale? That was... that was new. Chuckling softly, he shook his head. "Unbelievable" he said, voice warm with fondness, "Alright, four hundred and fifty thousand. I won't go any lower." Well, this was a new form of bartering.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 13, 2017 14:54:22 GMT -5
"I don't know," he frowned a little, shifting his weight somewhat uncomfortably. "I've done some pretty sh*tty things. I wasn't a nice person, I wasn't...I don't know. I was manipulative. Toxic. Whatever."
Sabah had only taken up the title of manipulative a**hole when he'd mellowed out. That didn't mean his past was erased, but it didn't mean he wanted to tell Al about the things he'd done. They were awful. Maybe not deserving of the sh*t he'd been put through, but damned close enough. Gale didn't like thinking back on his younger days, didn't like how clear his memory was - to the point he could remember the quiet acceptance in the man's face, the pure sadness. He swallowed and tried to push it back. The nausea was back.
The fact that Al would keep in mind that Gale was there for him - it warmed him, just a little. He wanted to be trusted, knew that he couldn't push too much but that he could try to be as supportive and helpful as he could be. If he felt this way about losing the Jackals, then Al had to feel worse about the Fournier situation. If he could help with that, then he was going to.
He wrinkled his nose in some annoyance at the minor adjustment Al made to the price.
"Three fifty," he said, deciding to push his luck. The lower he could get Al to go, the better. It felt like far too much money - he didn't care if Al thought he was skilled or not (though it did make him smile), he just wanted to be as little of an issue as possible. The lower his price, the better it was in his mind.
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Post by LβEΜα΄Κα΄Ι΄Ι’α΄Κ on Sept 13, 2017 15:21:21 GMT -5
"Who you were and what you've done doesn't mean you deserve to be treated terribly," Alphonse responded, though what Gale told him came as something of a surprise. He had many assumptions about the younger man and only knew him as he was now, to hear Gale was manipulative and toxic was... interesting to say the least. Perhaps that was why he had fallen in with Sabah in the first place, but he had gotten rid of that mindset. Had become a better man despite everything and if anything, that made what happened to him unfair if not undeserving.
He knew he didn't understand what Gale had done, didn't know the entirety of the story, but whatever it had been... it wasn't deserving of Sabah and he knew that for a fact. He didn't know how to continue that conversation, hoped that Gale understood the message however. People changed all the time, and Gale had changed for the better. If anything, that was a testimony of how he was good and though he might have not always been, he was now and that was what mattered.
Having Gale barter with him to lower his value however, had come to be a rather amusing if not slightly strange situation. They had, eventually, settled upon 400,000 euro solely. Something told him Gale was displeased with the price because it was still too high which baffled him to some degree, but if there was any complaints or any arguments, it went unsaid because there was a knock at his door. Sparing Gale an apologetic glance, he stood up and opened the door to find Maxim there. That couldn't be good.
Glancing down at his watch, he cursed internally as he looked back up to Maxim who looked slightly confused and worried. The confusion in the man's features deepened as he looked past Alphonse to see Gale. "You're uh, it's... Artem's here," the man finally settled with, unwilling - and Alphonse realized almost immediately - to say that Alphonse had been late. He was a punctual man, but his conversation with Gale and the overwhelming concern he had felt for the younger man had overshadowed the fact that he and Artem was supposed to meet today.
Smiling sheepishly, he rubbed the back of his neck as he pushed the door open entirely, "I had important matters to attend to. Is he in the living room?"
"No, the study," Maxim finally answered, considering his excuse briefly before taking it at face value. It was obvious that Maxim doubted his 'important matters' statement, but it was true. Gale had approached him in a moment of fragility, had told him the truth and had revealed his vulnerabilities to Alphonse. He found that that was much more important than meeting Artem, at least to him.
"Okay," he said, nodding as he glanced back to Gale. "I'll be there right away." Maxim seemed to contemplate his answer before nodding, leaving him to his own devices. Turning back to Gale, he looked at the younger man inquisitively. "Would you like to come along? For the conversation, and if you would like, the job," he added, in explanation.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 13, 2017 15:35:31 GMT -5
Al's words held truth, but he didn't want to acknowledge it. Instead, he ignored the topic and instead chose to focus on the bartering. Even after they settled on a slightly lower price, he didn't like it. It felt like too much for something that came naturally to him. If he was good at something, then he could do it often and for a lower price. Al's offer was exceedingly high - though perhaps it was because he was used to a smaller amount. His income, in Greece, had fluctuated. Some months it would be maybe a thousand euros, some months it would be up to three thousand. This was a promise and stable income that felt way too high.
When the door was knocked, he blinked and looked up. He listened briefly before he frowned, looking back down at his hands. Had he made Al late for something? It seemed to be that way - which just made him feel bad. Instead of voicing his concerns, though, he flicked his gaze back up once more to watch Al.
"Sure," he said softly, standing up. "I'll come along."
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Post by LβEΜα΄Κα΄Ι΄Ι’α΄Κ on Sept 13, 2017 16:46:09 GMT -5
Smiling at the younger man, he didn't know why but it comforted him to some degree that Gale wanted to come along. He had been ready for Gale to refuse or accept, but despite knowing there were two options, it still was pleasant Gale decided to follow. He wasn't sure why it mattered in the first place, he was perfectly capable of handling himself. Hell, there were probably going to be things said that would make Gale uncomfortable because Artem and Maxim didn't know about Gale's triggers. It was what it was and he hoped things would be simple enough.
The path to the study was short, and the trip quick. Even as he knocked softly on the door before entering, he found himself glancing at Gale to... he wasn't sure why. To make sure Gale was still there? To make sure he was okay? He didn't quite know. On the other side, he heard Maxim tell him to come in. Pushing the door open, he was surprised though he concealed it. There was talk of what Eight was like, of what he looked like, and his personality. It certainly didn't square up to the real man. There was word that he was small, silent and lethal while remaining unassuming. That was more befitting of Gale.
Artem, he was certain that it had to be the other man seeing as the only other people in the room was himself, Gale, and Maxim, was a large man. Taller than he was by a fair few inches, Artem was at least 6'5" and far larger than he was. The man didn't seem to be the stealthy kind with his frame that didn't seem to fit in most cramped spaces, and that was saying something because the fit was tight for Alphonse when he had to hide. The man was ruggedly handsome at the very least, with blonde hair and a matching beard and sharp blue eyes. He wasn't going to lie, but Artem was exactly his type. That was... unfortunate for the situation they were in. Business propositions didn't make for the best times to flirt. Perhaps later.
"Artem, this is Alphonse Fournier. You might know his work, he used to go by Ghost for some time. Al this is Artem Vasylyk or as you know, Eight," Maxim had said, before seeming to notice Gale behind him. If he were to be honest, he had nearly forgotten about Gale when he locked gazes with Artem and held the other man's gaze. "And uh, that there is Alphonse's associate, Gale Amari."
"Ghost," Artem's voice was deep and smooth. God he could listen to that voice for quite awhile. "Ah, I'm a fan of your work. But really, Maxim? Artem?"
Chuckling at Maxim's sheepish shrug, he stepped forward, licking his lips as he did so before lifting his head slightly to meet the other man's gaze. A fan, was he now? "Call me Al," he offered, extending his hand. The man's hand was warm and his grip firm. "I've heard nothing but praise about your own handiwork from Maxim. You've made quite the name for yourself, Artem."
"Well Al, your jobs are quite renown in the business," the other man said, smiling as he did so. Artem seemed pleased with himself and there was something in his gaze that was almost like lust. God, that was the last thing he needed right now while he tried to maintain his professionalism.
"I'm actually both amazed and terrified at how quickly you two got to like each other," he heard Maxim mutter even as he finally realized he had to let go of Artem's hand. Pulling his hand back, the man seemed surprised at the act before realizing as well and shoving his hand into his pocket. "But that kind of bedroom eyes you're making can wait for later. The job."
Coughing, Artem straightened up, backing away from him as he looked at Maxim. "Right," Artem had chuckled, warm and deep. It was a nice laugh. "The brigadier."
"His name is Dmitri Balashov. He's been securing a deal with one of our accountants, there's been news of a deficit in our balances. Nikolas believes that our accountant, Alya Mishutina, is giving the Vasilievs our money," Maxim explained, pulling out files. The pictures were slightly blurry if not badly taken, but they got the job done as he bent down to pick up one depicting Dmitri and Alya. "They're due for a meeting, the Vasilievs promised her safety from us if she defects. The job's simple enough on paper, but they're violent and they don't care if a little blood is shed."
A little? He would have chuckled at Maxim's ability for understatement, but he frowned slightly. "You said there were five boyeviks, yes?"
"Yes," Maxim seemed surprised he remembered, raising an eyebrow before nodding. "They're vicious. Our last man was shot dead in the streets by them, they identified him in minutes before he even got close."
"Hmm, you want to send the Vasilievs a message?" Artem asked, thoughtful.
"Exactly. They're scheduled to meet four days from now at a restaurant."
A restaurant, was it? "And the boyeviks will be stationed outside?"
"More than likely."
"So I could molotov their as-es and gun down Alya and Dmitri?" Well. That was new. The suggestion wasn't exactly the quietest of options, but it did send a message. He supposed that would work. Wear masks, molotov the boyeviks in broad daylight, kill those who still struggled, enter the restaurant and kill the informant and the brigadier. It would make for large pr, strike fear intot he Vasilievs, but it meant they had to leave the scene quickly.
Smiling slightly, he shrugged at the suggestion. He could get them away from the police, had quite some elusive techniques behind the wheel when all was said and done. "It's louder than my usual approach, but not a bad idea." It was violent compared to what he and the Fournier Family did, but this was the Alkaevs. They sent messages through dead victims with strapped notes and gouged eyeballs. They sent back shells of men and women. They were bloody. They were violent. And they used fear to conquer their enemies while maintaining respect with their allies.
He preferred underhand techniques, things that were near unnoticed by many more so than often. But this was a job for the Alkaevs. "Alright," Maxim seemed pleased. "That's a plan. I'll leave you to talk about the rest of the details and your own plans." With that the man left, pausing only to spare Gale a sympathetic glance.
"And your acquaintance?" Artem asked, sitting down only to glance up at Gale.
He turned to look at the younger man, frowning thoughtfully as he sat down himself. "He's a skilled sniper, it wouldn't be bad to have some backup."
Artem shrugged simply, "That's fine with me."
"Is that alright?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at Gale. He wasn't sure if the younger man was interested in a loud approach. But if anything, he would be situated far, able to leave at the first signs of anything going wrong and inform them of any changes. "A lookout would be quite useful."
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Post by Deleted on Sept 13, 2017 20:19:51 GMT -5
Following Al was something natural; it was easy to do.
He remained quietly beside Al when they were in the study, feeling rather...small. Both physically and otherwise. Gale watched quietly, didn't see much reason to input and so he didn't. It didn't feel like the right thing to do. Instead, he chose to absently pick at his bracelets, tried to remain still so that he seemed a little professional, at least.
A long time ago, he'd been told that he was bad with picking up emotions or with picking up on subtleties in conversation - but he didn't miss the thing Al and Artem seemed to have going on. He raised a single eyebrow, but made no remarks on it because it wasn't his place. Instead, he flicked his thoughts over to the mission.
It sounded...serious. More formal than what he was used to. With Sabah, it was a quick briefing, a whatever, and then that was it. He had been left to his own devices unless she felt like scouting with him or pestering him while he was busy. The violent suggestion, however, wasn't new. Somehow, he knew that it would be more controlled, well-masked; he had faith in Al and that meant that things would be handled well, so he didn't make any comments on it. It still wasn't his place to, and he felt even smaller at that thought - felt a little uneasy in the room, too. He kept his expression carefully neutral, however, and continued to listen.
When Maxim left, however, all he could do was blink at the other man. Pure betrayal. He refocused his attention to Artem when he realised he was being mentioned, and then shifted it towards Al again. Unlike the other two, he remained standing. Partly because he wanted to be the tallest person in the room for a few moments. Felt good.
"I can do that," he told the two quietly. He'd been a lookout for the Jackals more times than he could count, and this wouldn't be any different. He was good at it. There was plenty of utility when there was someone who could sit in one place for hours. Admittedly, he couldn't do it on a regular basis; but when he was on a job? No big deal. "That's fine with me."
Third-wheeling. That was what he was doing, right now. It was incredibly awkward for him, but he decided not to voice it. Old men were old men. Whatever.
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Post by LβEΜα΄Κα΄Ι΄Ι’α΄Κ on Sept 13, 2017 22:39:23 GMT -5
It was nice that Gale didn't mind lookout duty and the additional snipe as necessary and he offered the younger man a smile. Hopefully it wasn't too boring or terrible for him, but there was no way he would know that until the job began. "Then I suppose we're all set?" Artem's question had not come as a surprise, but still, he found himself turning to look at the other man, briefly considering his response.
"Other than our supplies and casing out the location, I believe so," he smiled, answering Artem's question easily enough. The assassin seemed to consider his answer before nodding in return, clearly satisfied. Even as he did so, he slowly stood up.
"Then I have other matters to attend to, but it was nice meeting you Alphonse," the man grinned as he said those words, holding out his hand this time. Getting to his feet, he accepted the man's handshake, releasing Artem's hand this time immediately once they were through. Artem seemed to consider his next words briefly. "I would not mind conversing with you in private."
"A pleasure meeting you as well," he answered easily, almost chuckling at the second statement Artem made. Shrugging almost hopelessly, he squinted at the other man to see how honest the statement had been. It seemed genuine enough. "That would be nice," Alphonse finally said and Artem's grin only seemed to widen at the response. Interesting. So it would seem that the interest was going both ways. It had not, however, slipped his mind that he wanted to recruit the other man, but it was what it was. The taller man was his type and even if things didn't work out, he supposed having spend the night with Artem wasn't going to be that bad. At least it would take his mind off of the pressing matters that still bothered him.
He knew full well he had not given himself enough time to heal. But it was how he functioned best, he only knew how to push himself to his breaking point in order to try to fix himself from there. It was... difficult. He would rather spend the night with Artem than try to consider what to do and how to heal from the gaping wound Clement's death and the lost of the Family had caused.
Watching as the man left, his gaze lingered briefly before he turned to Gale. Offering the younger man a sheepish smile because he had been returning Artem's flirtations with advances of his own, he hoped Gale didn't quite mind. "He's an interesting man, is he not?" Alphonse asked, attempting to ease the awkwardness of the situation. Perhaps in hindsight, he shouldn't have asked Gale to come along.
Pushing the matter to a side, he scrutinized Gale a little closer. "You don't mind being a lookout, do you? If it's a task you would prefer not to handle, I'm certain we would be fine."
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Post by Deleted on Sept 14, 2017 14:34:27 GMT -5
He watched Artem leave and then fixed Al with a quiet, judgemental stare. The sort of stare that went unblinking; sort of like a soulless child who'd just witnessed his parents do something awful - such as fishing out hidden alcohol, or making a meal in the middle of the night. Then, at Al's words, he smiled a wide smile and tilted his head to the side.
"Interesting," he repeated, "I think that your definition of interesting and mine are very, very different, Alphonse," he crossed his arms and continued to smile.
Gale's mood was certainly lightened, by now - whatever pain he'd been feeling had been pushed aside by the amusement of watching Al and Artem flirt (rather shamelessly, too), and he found great entertainment in the sheepish smile that had been given to him. He absently rocked back on his heels, glad to be free of the confines of professionalism. Now, he could move as much as he wanted - which, naturally, meant rocking back and forth on his heels, moving constantly as he always did.
"You're so weird," the young man huffed out a laugh and his smile softened, though it was no less mischievous. "Of course I don't mind being a lookout. Just warn me when you two are going to be weird old men - then I can leave the immediate vicinity and get on with my life without seeing how you attempt to attract a mate."
Definitely amused. There was some sort of childlike glee he took in poking at Al, especially now that he'd pointed out that, yes, he'd noticed exactly what Al had been doing.
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Post by LβEΜα΄Κα΄Ι΄Ι’α΄Κ on Sept 14, 2017 23:54:44 GMT -5
It was almost unnerving to be met by Gale's judgmental stare that all he could do was chuckle and shake his head. He would have it in him to feel guilty had it not been for how ridiculous the situation had been. Breaking into a smile, he lowered his head and rubbed the back of his neck, knowing full well Gale didn't mind, actually, the younger man seemed amused at the situation. "I suppose so," he finally answered, offering his winning smile. "But he is charming."
Strange that he was already defending Artem. Worse yet that he and Gale was developing a rapport similar to that he shared with his children, but it was a nice and familiar sort that he couldn't find himself to mind or tell himself to back off. It was the first time in awhile that he had felt this lighthearted. Perhaps it was the change of scenery, the new people who didn't know anything about the man he was and even more so the things he had lost. They knew him as he allowed them to, only saw what he was willing to show.
It was the first time that the burden of the past didn't hold them onto him, the same way when he fled the scene of a crime or the aftermath of a job well done, he knew that nobody saw the wreckage he had cost. There was a comfort he found in anonymity that he lacked with those he knew well. He knew it was easier to run away from the damage he had done, to escape and make anew his life without ever looking back. That would have been easier on his heart, but he knew also that he didn't have it in him to leave Seraphin.
Though he left without a word, he was bound to be back. There was an unspoken bond between them, a silent knowledge that no matter where he went, he would return. Still, now that he thought about it, he wished he had the courage in him to return to her. Pushing down the beginning of his own guilt and self doubt, he decided to bask in the current events that lightened his heart a fair amount.
"Weird," he huffed, repeating Gale's words. "That's new. Usually the general reception is charming, brilliant, or, I don't know, enigmatic." He laughed even as he said those words, teasing the younger man as he would have his own children had they called him weird. He supposed he was.
"But I'll give you a warning next time I decide to pursue a partner," he responded, wrinkling his nose slightly at the younger man's word of choice. Mate. How ridiculous. Fixing the man with a more paternal while maintaining his smile nonetheless. "You're absolutely terrible, as awful as one of my own."
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Post by Deleted on Sept 15, 2017 14:45:29 GMT -5
"Al and Artem sitting in a tree, doing something they shouldn't be," the little sing-song from when he was younger came easily, and his smile only became more mischievous.
Gale liked this. It was a complete distraction from everything, and being able to interact so easily was a relief. He was reminded of some of the times that had happened with his mother - when she'd teased him over one of his new crushes, or had laughed with him over some stupid sh*t he'd done. Nadya had been a good mother, even with her rare appearances. He was...glad that he was allowed to come back into her life, and he was glad that he'd found Al, too. It was like having a real father.
"You just need to do the dadcing and then you're set for life," he tilted his head and grinned.
That Al had children wasn't a surprise, and he smiled faintly at the mention of them. In a lazy motion, Gale rose his shoulders into a relaxed shrug. "Maybe I am one of your children," he huffed a quiet laugh. "Who knows? I'll see you later. I'm going out."
Though he was still sad, he also had a lot of pent-up energy, now. It was easier to go and spend that somewhere else than become cranky after a couple of days. He gave the older man a two-fingered salute before he left without checking to see if it was okay for him to go - that was just how he worked, he supposed.
It turned out that it was easy enough for him to mix with people his age. Harder for him to avoid women (he was cute enough that they approached him, nonthreatening, that sort of thing), easier for him to find men. Bar-hopping was relatively easy and to be honest, he felt even more relaxed than he had after he'd spoken to Al. He spent the rest of the day and evening both exploring the surrounding area (he found a nice sweet shop) and drinking, and to be honest, he liked it.
At some point during the night he returned to crash in his room, tired and rather content. Morning came with a hangover, and he shoved his pillow over his face to try to hide from the light that streamed through his window, the curtains having remained open. It was too early. He didn't want to move. He ached (pleasantly in some areas, not so much in his head), and he just wanted to sleep again. Hell, he was rather confident that he hadn't been asleep for very long. Whatever. He could deal. He burrowed a little more under the covers and half-opened one eye - which turned out to be a mistake.
Perhaps he'd had a little much to drink with not enough water. Then again, he couldn't complain. Getting laid? Totally worth.
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Post by LβEΜα΄Κα΄Ι΄Ι’α΄Κ on Sept 16, 2017 1:53:28 GMT -5
Having a children's rhyme sang at him the way children on the streets teased their friends was amusing and he couldn't help but crack a smile at the sheer ridiculousness of Gale's actions. It was nice, he wasn't going to lie. It was as if there was something more honest and genuine and better between them following their conversation about why Gale had behaved the way he had. Though the response had originally surprised him, if not slightly made him feel guilty, he knew now that it was something that was warranted. Gale had been penting up his own needs for so long.
He was just glad that Gale had been able to tell him about it. He knew Gale wasn't 'cured' or whatever other ridiculous notion was out there by simply talking about it. Recovering from things like what Gale had endured was a long hard path, but the young man was trying and he was beaming right now. It was heartwarming. "We haven't even done anything yet," he said, emphasizing the 'yet' with a suggestive tone and a wink for good measure. Chuckling warmly, he squinted curiously at the younger man.
He did not. Dadcing. How dare he. Giving Gale a downright filthy look, he barely contained his smile. "Oh yes, and wonderful mating call just to seal the deal, yes?" Though the response was highly sarcastic, he feared he had given the young man more of an opportunity to poke fun at him. It was nice, but he felt some semblance of relief when the younger man announced he was leaving for the night. But it was his prior statement that caught him off-guard.
Maybe I am one of your children. That, right there, was a dangerous statement. Taunt a father enough times, and he would adopt the child as one of his own offspring. He barely held back his laughter as he waved the younger man off, "Be smart. Don't do anything I wouldn't do!" Finally laughing as he said those words, he returned to his room for a mostly uneventful night.
It was the first time in which his heart wasn't heavy. Though the attempts at sleep were futile, at least he didn't find himself restlessly mulling over things he couldn't change. Though he woke up to the same nightmares, he soldiered through it like he had been taught all his life. Like he had done all those times in the past. Taking a shower, getting dressed, and looking fine was good enough and then, perhaps, if he was lucky, he would feel it too. Like yesterday. It had been nice for a change.
Knowing that Artem was arriving in about half an hour to look over the supplies Maxim had available for them to work with and then go scout the location, he headed to Gale's room after finding out that the young man was not wandering the halls or even sitting in the living room. Leaning against the younger man's door, he knocked gently awaiting a response. After receiving no answer, he knocked again, louder this time. Sighing due to the lack of response, he called through the door - not too loudly, he was mindful enough - "Gale? Are you awake in there? I'm going to come in, alright?"
When the only thing he heard in turn was silence, he pulled out his lockpick set messing with the door briefly before pushing it in gently. What he saw was both amusing and a tad bit unimpressive. There were questionable marks on him, not the kind that Alphonse could fault without being a hypocrite but before a scouting job? He raised an eyebrow. "Gale, you have to wake up," he said, voice soft but insistent even as he caught onto the scent of alcohol on the younger man. You got to be sh*tting me. Hungover before a job? That was... even worse than being laid. Running a hand over his face, he raised his hand to shake Gale before recalling no physical contact.
Shifting his hand, he knocked on Gale's headboard. "Get up, Gale. Come on now, we have to go scout out our job location and check our weapons in half an hour."
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Post by Deleted on Sept 16, 2017 3:07:31 GMT -5
Being unable to doze off again was some kind of curse, and he was too warm at one point and thus threw off some of his covers - but for the most part, he was content to lay for a little while. The light still bugged him so he kept the pillow over his face, hoping it would settle eventually. His headache wasn't particularly great, but he'd dealt with worse. Far worse.
He ignored Al's voice at the other side of the door, curled up and buried his head into the pillow again. It wasn't until he felt movement near him that he actually decided to respond, turning his head to look at the other man from the corner of his eye. He took a moment to process, but eventually sat up (glad that he'd bothered to put on a t-shirt and shorts before he'd gone to bed the previous night), running a hand through his tousled hair.
"I've been awake. I was just ignoring you," he said, pinching the bridge of his nose.
Now that he was sitting up, his head hurt a little worse - but he could deal with it. Gale scratched the back of his neck idly and crossed his leg, watched Al for a few moments before it finally sunk in how bad this probably looked. He squinted for a moment and looked away, feeling a little bad about not warning beforehand.
"Okay," his tone was softer, now, as he stood up. "I didn't realise that it was that late."
He shifted his weight a little uncomfortably. He didn't regret what he'd done - it had been a nice night and he was functioning, so there wasn't an issue. Honestly, he just felt bad that he hadn't warned Al beforehand or something, to ensure that he knew that Gale was pretty used to this sh*t. He swallowed thickly and crossed his arms. "It won't take me long to shower and change. Do you want me to meet you anywhere in particular?"
It was easier to just poke at work instead of focus on the possible disappointment - but hey, he was a pro at that. Being a disappointment to his family. In time, he supposed that Al would learn and understand that Gale was good at recovering from alcohol and drugs, but for now, it was best to stay quiet about the matter.
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Post by LβEΜα΄Κα΄Ι΄Ι’α΄Κ on Sept 19, 2017 5:42:53 GMT -5
Ignored, was it? Barely suppressing his smile, he shook his head at Gale. He wasn't sure if he was supposed to be amused or shocked at the situation they were in, but whatever it was, he felt a familiarity at the dismissive answer. Watching Gale pinch the bridge of his nose, he furrowed his brows in suspicion. He supposed the hangover was enough to bother the young man and he would let up. Backing away from the bed to give Gale some space, just in case, he couldn't contain his smile anymore and broke out into a grin, chuckling softly.
"It's alright," he finally said after Gale stated his case. "This isn't too bad, just get cleaned up. We're in the second room on the left once you go right from the living room. I'll see you in a bit." His worlds were gentle, if not a tad bit reprimanding even as he allowed warmth and amusement to seep into it. Ah, god he was a pushover. He had wanted to seem a tad bit critical on Gale's actions, but the fact that the young man had decided to go out and... he couldn't help but find some amusement in the situation.
Leaving the young man to his own devices, he headed to the room where Maxim was standing in apprehension. Upon seeing him enter, the man relaxed visibly, giving him a big grin. "I was afraid for a moment you'd forgotten again." There was a teasing tone in Maxim's voice and he knew instinctively the man was talking about the other day. Smiling sheepishly, he felt guilty at the remark but allowed it to pass off as a joke.
Shrugging helplessly, he answered in a softer tone, "No. I just had to handle some matters."
"Some matters again?" The eyebrow raise was decisive and he knew almost immediately the brigadier was speaking of Gale. Nodding in response, he allowed the conversation to end there as he leaned against the wall giving the gear laid out on the table a bored glance over. He was early, he knew, but he was known for being early. Artem, on the other hand, seemed to be a man of punctuality, arriving exactly on the mark.
As soon as the clock ticked down to their agreed upon time, Artem had pushed the door open with a large smile on his face as he gave him a nod of acknowledgement before looking to Maxim. Turning away to give the two some privacy - since they were already whispering - he idly rubbed his thumb over his knuckle, the soft leather of the glove a soothing sensation. Glancing back up when Maxim coughed, he watched as the other man smiled at him almost... was that apologetically? "I'll leave it to you two then," the younger man laughed gleefully, making a run for the door.
Raising an eyebrow at the mirth in Maxim's features, he wondered if Artem had mentioned something. And he was trying to remain professional too. Oh dear. "Hello," Artem said to him, smiling once again and leaning closer.
This was certainly not a weapons inspection, but he couldn't find it in himself to complain. Returning the smile, he tilted his head up slightly to stare Artem in the eyes. "Well, it seems to me somebody's happy to see me again," he chuckled softly, even as Artem's grin widened. Slipping away from the other man, he tipped his head towards the weapons. Gale was going to be here soon anyhow. It would be a little unbecoming if he was found passionately kissing the assassin. Just a little.
"What? Too close?" The tone of voice Artem had adopted sounded a tad bit confused even as he recovered and began to trail behind. Glancing back, he saw something akin to slight hurt at the rejection of the other man's advances.
"No," he said, clicking his tongue softly as he picked up the assault rifle laid out on the table. "I don't mix business with pleasure," he hummed, which unsurprisingly was a lie but the young man had already called him out the other day on his forward advances. "After though..." He allowed the words to linger even as his eyes flicked up to see Artem's features slowly morphing into understanding and amusement. "I don't think I'd mind you being a little closer."
"A little, huh?" Artem repeated, moving to stand next to him and inspect the weapons. "How little?" Were they really going to do this.
"Mmm, that's up to you." They were.
"So, say my hand was on your waist, and we were inches apart. Would that be close enough?"
Placing the gun down, he could feel the tension between the two of them even as he finally looked the other man in the eye. Artem was holding a shotgun, but it looked as if he was only holding it to sate Alphonse's desire to work. "I'd say closer." There. He said it. There was a certain something in Artem's eyes that looked like victory as the man seemed to accept that answer and returned to work whistling a soft and cheery tune. They maintained their own professionalism after that, looking over the weapons. In the end, they settled with the shotguns. It was a quick and unforeseen assault.
The molotov on the guards would cause them to respond accordingly. In pain. During that window of time, dispatching the bodyguards at close range with the shotgun, they would dispose of the weapons and utilize a pistol for the enemy bratva's brigadier and the traitorous accountant. That would allow them to take out the targets at any range, even if the two decided to flee. It also made for less civilian causality which didn't seem to matter to Artem, but Alphonse was a clean and surgical assassin. His work didn't involve civilian causalities. Soon after, they were prepared to scout out the area and plan their assault.
He knew one thing for certain, Artem was an intelligent man and made great conversation. His ideas and his acceptance of Alphonse's ideas were nice. He was among the better partners Alphonse had worked with when it came to a job.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 19, 2017 16:55:07 GMT -5
Feeling guilty wasn't something that Gale liked to feel - but it happened more often than he liked. Instead of maintaining eye contact with the older man, he lowered his head a little and stared at his hands. The temporary euphoria from last night had been great - but he wasn't quite sure if it was worth it. Not if he felt this bad afterwards. He swallowed and absently crossed his arms, keeping them close to him as if he'd only just become aware of the t-shirt he was wearing.
"Okay," he said quietly, but didn't move until he was confident that Al had gone. Once the Frenchman had gone, however, he looked up and took a deep breath, standing up and stretching his arms above his head. Once he heard a crack, he winced and dropped his arms slowly, moving across the room to grab his clothes before going to shower.
He was quick to shower and clean up, and felt significantly better after brushing his teeth. It was, now, barely noticeable that he had been out - maybe some faint shadows under his eyes, but he could conceal those easily. The marks on his neck were already fading, but hey, he had his scarf to cover those up. Once he was entirely done, he headed to the room Al had told him to go to.
Maybe it was a mistake to quietly enter the room, but Gale remained silent by the door and squinted thoughtfully, catching...more of the conversation between the two men than he needed to. It was like being a child walking into something he shouldn't have - but if they didn't notice, he wouldn't need to complain. Probably. Actually, no. He was 100% going to complain when he caught Al alone ago, because it was weird. Similar to when he'd been a child and his father wanted a new wife; only this time, it was less intentional ignoring, and more of Gale actively staying quiet and masking his presence, for the most part. He did, however, clear his throat after they were done with the shameless f*cking flirting.
Gale didn't say anything. Didn't particularly want to. Instead, he hovered at the door, a little more confident with bracelets on his wrists and makeup concealing some blemishes (the scars weren't concealed as easily, but he managed). In fact, he felt more like himself than he had for a long, long time. It was weird to think about that. Too weird.
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Post by LβEΜα΄Κα΄Ι΄Ι’α΄Κ on Sept 22, 2017 1:57:34 GMT -5
Neither of them had noticed Gale enter. The tension in the room had been too much for either of them to have heard the sound of the door opening quietly or closing. Hearing Gale's soft cough however, he found himself straightening up slightly. There was a strange change in Artem's behavior as well, he seemed set on being equally as professional and it amused Alphonse to some extent. He glanced at the other man from the corner of his eye, but said nothing even as he caught the other man's gaze lingering on him a little too long.
Turning to Gale, he nodded tot he younger man. He cleaned up well. He looked better and didn't seem like he had been out at all. Offering the younger man a smile that was both proud for his state of cleanliness and how well put together he seemed, he tried to shove down the slight feeling of guilt. God, he had promised the younger man he would give him a prior warning next time. Apparently that had completely slipped his mind. He had simply underestimated how quickly Gale would enter and how quickly Artem could escalate things. And that, unsurprisingly, was fast.
Artem for his part, seemed to withdraw back into silence even as they headed out as a collective whole to the location of the hit. Artem drove, Alphonse found himself settling in the passenger seat staring out the window. There was not much to see as they drove past a grove of trees, but as the city setting came into view, it became a little bit more interesting. There were people on the streets, tending to their usual activities. A man sitting and drinking a full bottle of whiskey at 9 am in the morning. That wasn't much of a surprise, but still made for an interesting sight.
They went past a few more people of note. There had been a young woman chasing after her pet dog, a street artist fleeing from beat police, and a little girl wandering alone for a minute before her father picked her up. His gaze still trailed after the child, wary, but she did not seem distressed at the man who had picked her up so he let it pass. Feeling the car come to a stop, he lifted his head to look at Artem. The man's features were tight, serious and focused. "Come on, let's go," Artem said, tone a little less playful than earlier.
Nodding, he stepped out of the vehicle waiting for Gale to come with before following. Artem took the lead. They were parked about two blocks away from the target of the hit, the location that was a full restaurant with accommodations that made it look like a moderately wealthy establishment. They spent the time walking around the general area. He took note of the cameras in the area, glancing at them discreetly from the corner of his eyes. It seemed, the older he got, the easier it was to spot them no matter how discreet.
Artem mentioned out police beats, here and there. Sometimes pointing, casually at a sign and mentioning a location in order to direct his gaze to the proper direction. The walk to the restaurant was slow, they took their time. After talking to a waiter at the restaurant, they cased the outside while waiting for it to clear so they would be seated. It would seem they agree that eating at the location allowed them to case out the inside, spot the exits and the locations of the restaurant staff. It would make it easier for a clean escape after everything and the cameras had to be located as well.
Settling into the chair, he opened the menu and order a simple meal, something cheaper than he would have went for while Art ordered his own. The man glanced up afterwards, eyes flitting between him and Gale as they settled in the corner table in the near back of the restaurant. "So," he smiled, seemingly a lot more relaxed now they weren't technically working, "How'd you two come to know each other?"
Glancing at Gale, he considered his own answer and wondered if the younger man would give Artem an answer. "I was in a rather dire situation with rather personal matters, he assisted me." It was a long winded manner to say 'he saved my life', but words like that garnered attention from nosy individuals quickly.
There was something like surprise in Artem's features, but he didn't voice it. Falling silent, the man accepted his drink quietly when the waiter swung by. "So where do you two hail from? From what I know, Max doesn't hire new employees. I'm from Ukraine."
"I'm an old acquaintance," he responded with amusement, even as he glanced towards Gale wondering if the younger man would amuse Artem just for courtesy's sake. "I'm from France." He added, though he supposed his name was telling of his origins, since Artem asked, he supposed he'd play along. Was this Artem trying to know both of them or utilizing questions directed towards him and Gale to learn more about Alphonse himself? That was an important question in it's own right.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 3, 2017 18:46:10 GMT -5
Though quiet amusement passed over Gale's features, he decided not to mention anything, instead keeping his little smile to himself - a knowing sort of smile, but little judgement. He'd been caught hungover, fair was fair. He remained entirely silent, however, instead choosing to settle into his position as a third wheel, staring blankly at passing scenery - lowkey memorising the things they passed. He didn't know how or if it would ever help him, but he'd always managed to memorise his route, so he supposed it would help if he was ever lost, or something.
When the car stopped, he snapped out of his thoughts and got out of the car, trailed along like a puppy. He was discreet in checking the surroundings, had learned over the year how to spot a decent rooftop.
There were none. That was what he realised. Some were domed and others simply unreachable or too obvious, nothing seemed like an ideal place. He frowned a little and focused his gaze forward again, remained entirely silent and simply observed. When they entered the restaurant and were seated at a table, he leaned back and decided to flick through his thoughts, barely paying attention to his surroundings.
Artem's line of questioning brought him back to reality, and when Al answered, he decided to remain silent, instead choosing to look at his hands. The nails were bitten down. He'd been biting them a lot, recently - hadn't even noticed until now. He picked at his nails idly but didn't bite them, not when they were in a place like this. He felt out of place and strange, but didn't voice it. Didn't need to, really - the discomfort was something he was used to and he didn't need to be catered to. Then, it seemed, Artem was curious again, though Gale highly doubted it was about him. No. It was most certainly about Al, but some sort of politeness made him answer.
"Egypt," he said softly, crossed his arms over his stomach and glanced away. Home brought too many memories, home was something that hurt more than it should've. He thought, maybe, just maybe, with Sabah gone - maybe he could've fixed his sh*t, gone back, maybe tried to see his sister or see if his old man was still alive, could see if the sh*tty little apartment he'd shared with the Jackals at one point was still around. He doubted it.
He was in pain and he knew it, and doing this - it wasn't helping. There was no closure, no nothing. He felt like he was lost and drowning himself in alcohol last night had been the best way to deal with it, and yet the idea of disappointing Al had panicked him this morning. He didn't know why. He swallowed thickly and kept his gaze away, wished he had an excuse to get out of this - but he really, really didn't. Couldn't even pretend he was scouting the rooftops because there was nothing, but he'd figure that out in his own way. He always did.
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Post by LβEΜα΄Κα΄Ι΄Ι’α΄Κ on Oct 6, 2017 6:49:37 GMT -5
Watching the employees moving around idly as he listened to Gale's answer, he didn't find it much of a surprise considering that Gale used Egyptian Arabic to speak to Sabah and the meal he had made for him on that one occasion. His silence in response to the first question was a little worrisome, and he found himself flitting his gaze towards Gale taking careful note of his posture and the way he closed himself off to further conversation. Frowning slightly, he glanced away, actions discreet in order not to tell Gale he had seen anything in the first place. Perhaps he would talk to Gale again about... well, everything. The young man seemed to be taking it all in a stride but given his last time confession it wasn't too far fetched to imagine Gale was only trying to keep himself from falling apart.
Suddenly the slight amusement that came with being with Artem was gone and he found himself worried. Was he being negligent? While Artem considered their answers, he found himself discreetly looking at the young man from time to time as he picked away at his food. Well, he supposed he'd leave it be. He couldn't truly pick at it or ask Gale how he was in the current situation. So instead, he smiled to Artem as the man raised a brow in question. Shaking his head gently, he found it nice that they were able to share a nonverbal conversation for two individuals who had never worked together before. It was a familiarity that was lacking nowadays.
Clearing his throat, Artem straightened up. "Well, I've never been to France or Egypt so I hope I'm not missing out on much." The hitman seemed amused at his own confession, chuckling as he said the words before scooping a spoonful of his food and eating it thoughtfully. "Though I hear the macaroons are to die for." There seemed to be some disconnect following that. It was clear to him Artem wanted to pick up where they had left off. He would have liked that as well if he wasn't policing his own actions for Gale's sake.
He was still slightly concerned about Gale. He was an independent young man. They enjoyed the meal together every time when they had been at Gale's apartment. The young man still did many things by his own terms and he was very secretive about his own problems. He even lied about them, doubting Al's sincerity when they were still strangers. He wasn't certain if the short and brief interaction was due to Gale's lack of desire to socialize or lack of motivation to. There was a difference between the two.
The rest of the meal was shared in mostly silence though he did indulge in telling Artem he was missing quite a lot from never having been to France. He told the other man of the food - macaroons aside - and the places to visit, the sights, and the culture. Artem had told him some things about Ukraine as well. He had personally never been there either. Russia usually had more pressing assignments and bigger business partners. The way Artem seemed to light up when he spoke about Ukraine however told him he should eventually go. Perhaps with Artem if the other man didn't mind.
His mind trailing for his original unease, he chuckled as Artem winked at him. "Perhaps you can show me the reason why Paris is called the City of Love one day," Artem suggested, voice low and full of warmth. Shaking his head in disbelief at the jibe, he sighed as he waved his hand for the check, paying for it after a brief glare down with Artem.
"Perhaps," he said crossly, choosing not to indulge the other man for Gale's sake and also to see the slight frown on Artem's face. It would seem their agreement from earlier had already slipped from Artem's mind, amusingly enough. The sexual tension they shared seemed to have went right over Art's head after dinner. It had gotten a little strange, at one point, feeling somewhat like a date with Gale just dragged along. He was starting to feel guilty about it, moreso than the first meeting. Perhaps he would have to apologize - well... he'd figure that one out.
Taking the check, he gave the restaurant one more glance over before standing up and nodding at the other two. They returned back to the streets not long after and he found himself slightly surprised by how cold it had gotten in the span of their meal. Though he wasn't one to get cold easily, he couldn't help but spare Gale a glance. His coat was warm and if the younger man was cold, he wasn't quite above braving the cold for Gale.
As they walked, Art finally spoke voice low and amused. "So, anywhere that catches your eye, Gale?" The fact that Artem was addressing Gale alone for once made him feel pleased at the shift in events as the other assassin's brown eyes flitted to glance at Gale. It was clear that he was asking if Gale had found a good vantage point. "If not, we can drive around for a bit. See if anything does."
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Post by Deleted on Oct 19, 2017 8:51:21 GMT -5
Being (or feeling like) a third wheel was not new to Gale in the slightest; he was used to it, and he hated that. Instead of complaining, however, he instead chose to remain silent - listening was easier than talking, and it took less of a toll on him. His mind wandered to what he'd left behind in Greece, and his chest felt...tight. He couldn't eat and he wouldn't pretend that he could, so he leaned back and instead looked down at his phone. It was rude and he knew it, but he had other matters to deal with.
The news that Artem hadn't been to France or Egypt - well. The France part had him surprised, but not so much the Egypt part. Though it was a popular tourist destination, he didn't hear too much about criminal organisations from the outside trying to take the turf. It was just one of those things. Maybe it had become different in recent years, though. He hadn't been home in years and god, he wished that he could go but he didn't need to go and so he didn't voice his desire to go home. Even then, it wouldn't be the same. He'd lost so much and had so much pain in his home that he wondered if he'd even be able to stand being there again. It was a curious thing to think about.
He did need to go back to Greece again - soon, hopefully. That was why he was on his phone; instead of Arabic or French or something that Sabah would've known, he chose Punjabi to text in. His mind was barely on the two men with him and instead focused on the one he was texting - the most important person in his world.
Zoning back into the conversation was a mistake, hearing the Ukrainian man's words - but he smiled distantly and flicked his gaze back up, looking between the two before he shook his head.
When they went outside, however, he realised his mistake in assuming that Russia wouldn't be cold. He couldn't stand the cold but goddamnit, he hadn't thought to bring anything warm with him - so he grimaced and decided to accept that this was his fate, now, to be cold until they got back into warmth. His phone stayed in one hand and, when he was addressed, he blinked owlishly and seemed to take a moment to process, as if he couldn't quite believe that Artem was speaking directly to him. Instead of responding immediately, he moved his gaze upwards to look around again, eyes narrowing.
"Abandoned apartment," he said, after a few moments, "it'll be fine to sit in, no security cameras near it. It's just a matter of dealing with the boarded-up window, but that's fine," he shrugged lightly. It wasn't ideal, but it was the best he was going to get with a sight on the restaurant, and thus the most useful place. After a moment's pause, he slowed a little. "I need to call someone."
His words left no room for argument, as he'd already fallen out of step with the two men, and he already had his phone to his ear. This was more important, to him - he didn't care if they looked down on him. Hell, he doubted that Al would.
She picked up after the third ring, which was far too long but, to be fair, she hadn't been replying to his texts.
"Mother said you were arrested," her voice was hushed, quiet. She was probably somewhere in public - one of the few places she could escape Sabah and the other Jackals. "Are you calling from prison?"
"What? No," his brows furrowed a little, and his spoken Punjabi was rusty from disuse but otherwise fine, "no, Nanu, I'm not. I was arrested. I'm fine now."
Nanu stayed silent for a moment, humming lowly as she considered this. Then, she laughed - a pleasant sound that relaxed his shoulders as he flicked his gaze to the men in front of him. He was...so far away from her, but it had been a split-second decision. So many bad things had happened that he hadn't really considered his actions.
"I'm as safe as I'll ever be," he explained to her, "but I need you to make a decision. It's...an important one, and I understand if you need to take time on it. Do you want to stay with Sabah in Greece, or do you want to stay with me? In Greece, you can continue your education and have more opportunities opened to you. With me, there's no guarantee of school - you can be homeschooled, but...well. I appear to be involved with some things, and it's likely that you'll be surrounded by crime."
She stayed silent again, then snorted.
"This might come as a huge surprise to you, but I want to stay with you. Since you p*ssed off mother, yeah, I know it's dangerous - but I'd rather be with you. Just tell me how to get there."
"I'd rather come and get you," he admitted softly, "to make sure you're safe."
"Alright," she sounded like she was smiling. Gale didn't smile - he kept a neutral expression. He could...he could tell Al later, right? He didn't want to talk about it with Artem around. "When?"
"I don't know. I have a mission. After then."
"I'll be waiting," Nanu laughed, "but I have to go. Love you, Dadi."
"Love you too," he hung up and shoved his phone in his pocket, and fell silent once again. He remained a little behind Al and Artem, choosing to observe the streets rather than pay them too much attention, for now.
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Post by LβEΜα΄Κα΄Ι΄Ι’α΄Κ on Oct 22, 2017 21:43:45 GMT -5
Though he had already moved to offer Gale his coat seeing as Gale seemed cold which hadn't come as much of a surprise considering he was from Egypt and had been bidding his days away in Greece, the younger man had excused himself before either Art or he could acknowledge the location he had pointed out. Lifting his head to follow the direction of the apartment Gale mentioned, he spotted it and mulled over it. It wasn't the best place, it just didn't have as much distance and cover from civilians as it could, but it did have a direct line of sight towards the restaurant.
Glancing back towards Gale, he could see the man was already in his call, so as to give the younger man some privacy he and Artem walked slowly down the road towards the direction of the car. It gave Gale enough time to catch up once his phone call was over while also giving him privacy without them being there. Artem seemed to contemplate what had just occurred, pursing his lips in thought. "Seemed urgent," Art finally said after awhile, eyes flicking meaningfully back towards Gale.
Shrugging, he offered Artem a small smile. "It's probably something important to him," he answered almost dismissively. He knew that in this line of business, caution was a natural trait that went hand in hand with curiosity. For all the talk, as much as Artem was interested in him, he was also concerned about protecting his own skin if it turned out he and Gale turned on the Alkaevs. It wasn't like something like that never occurred, and though there was the possibility Gale could do just that he highly doubted it. The assassin seemed to accept his words at face value, nodding and falling silent once again, only sparing Gale one last glance.
Alphonse didn't look back. He knew how it would look to Artem if even he doubted his own words. Gale would perhaps tell him later or not at all. The matter didn't concern him much, considering the younger man had his own life and it would be rude to intrude onto that. He could only hope it was someone important and not Sabah. The woman had been a bad influence for Gale and she had hurt him terribly. Something in him seemed to have switched off after leaving Sabah's side as well. The pretense of being fine. It was as if for the first time, now that he was away from all his suffering and agony, he realized the extent of the damage it had caused.
"So he saved you?" Artem spoke after a long silence, causing Alphonse to glance up sharply in surprise at the intrusion into his thoughts.
Furrowing his brows, he tilted his head as he watched Artem searching his face for anything more than just curiosity. Satisfied that there was nothing else, no judgment and certainly no doubt, he smiled. "Yes," he said, the aching in his side of the still healing wound a good reminder. "Twice, actually."
"You get yourself into a lot of trouble?" Had the words been said by anyone else, it would have been with a sneer and obvious belittlement, but from Artem it came as a friendly jest. The man grinned widely, not understanding the implications of the words. Frowning in turn, he watched as the smile fell from Art's face. "Hey," Artem's words were soft, "You don't have to answer if you don't want to." He supposed he did get himself into a lot of trouble. Generally it had been the other way around.
Those around him got into trouble and he got them out of trouble. He was always there when they needed him to fix their problems, but every time he f*cked up somebody paid the price it seemed. Clement's death, the death of his soldiers and picciottos and capos and associates, and even what happened to Gale. And that was only the most recent failures. Forcing himself to give a grim smile, he shrugged helplessly. "Something like that." Sighing gently, he turned his head away, fixating his gaze on nothing in particular as he searched for his cigarette case. Pulling it out, he plucked out a cigarette and offered it to Artem who contemplated it briefly before accepting one. Lighting Artem's cigarette and his own, he took a slow drag, watching the cherry red tip slowly burn away. "So," he knew he was changing the subject, but he couldn't quite care about how obvious he was being about his discomfort, "How'd you come to know Maxim?"
"Guy like Maxim has a lot of charm, it's not hard to fall in with the Alkaevs," Artem said as if in a rush to smooth out the awkwardness that was now ironed into their conversation. He smiled softly at the words and it was understandable given the way he spoke about Maxim. The man was many things, charming was debatable due to his bluntness. There was one thing that came with certainty when it involved Maxim Alkaev. He spoke his mind, he made people know what he thought and his opinions on a certain matter. He was also a surprisingly kind soul for a merciless and brutal man. "I'd fallen out with my original crew. Uhh," the assassin seemed to contemplate how to tell his story without giving too much away and Alphonse could not help but smile. "I didn't like them. The original guys I worked for too me as a dog, you know, loyal and obedient? Like I didn't have a mind of my own?"
Artem chuckled softly, the sound dark and hollow unlike his usual laugh, "I got away from them. Killed the ones that tried to hunt me down and became an independent assassin, and the Alkaevs? They got to me first. All the interested parties, and it was some small dark haired f*cker with these haunting blue eyes that gets to me. Maxim finds me alone, I have a gun to his head and he brought nothing. No weapons, no back up, nothing. You'd think he had a death wish or something."
"But no. Maxim had a proposition. He said I lived a life on the run. The ones I had left behind wanted me dead and those who couldn't make me their own associate found me a danger to their business. He said, and you know, I don't remember many things word for word but this I don't think I could forget. 'You want to be free, that's why you keep running from the ones who had stolen that from you. You deny everyone who attempts to hire you because you're afraid you'll sign your soul away. But are you free? I don't ask for your devotion or your loyalty. I want you skills and if you don't like it, you can leave, but how will you know if you don't like it if you don't try?'" Artem laughed at the words, An honest laugh this time. "He came with a monologue practiced and prepared or something and the thing was... it got to me. I thought about it really hard and I decided what the hell is there to lose?"
"So I joined the Alkaevs, but you know, maybe one day I'll leave. But until I have a reason to, this place isn't that bad." It was strange to hear the story from Artem. Maxim told it differently. It came as no surprise that Maxim would be able to talk to a man like Artem and convince him of joining the Alkaevs. But also, now it made more sense why a man like Artem could possibly ever want to follow Alphonse. He stayed because there was some kind of loyalty he had for the Alkaevs, but mostly because they were safe and interesting. He highly doubted that man would hurt the Alkaevs, even if he no longer worked for them. "What about you?"
Fixated with those curious eyes, he offered a small smile. He could see the car from here, but he supposed they had enough time. "The Maxim you know and the one I know are two different people," he said with a chuckle. "He had come to France looking to expand the Alkaev business, but he had gotten in with the wrong criminal organization. They wanted the weapons and they wanted the Alkaevs out of France. So Maxim found himself on trial."
"Did those bast-rds die?" The way Artem furrowed his brows in anger was telling and he grinned.
"Horribly and quite slowly," he hummed before continuing on. "The Alkaevs needed a lawyer, but they didn't have many connections in France. At the time, the Fournier Family was still growing so I took the job. I got Maxim out without any charges and the Alkaev Bratva and my family became allies. They supply us with weapons and we supply them with information."
There was a pause as Artem digested the information. "I thought your name sounded familiar," he said after awhile, words slow and amused. "Fournier," he repeated the word before chuckling. "Got tired of being just an assassin?"
"That's a story for another time," he answered, offering Artem a small smile as he tipped his head towards the car. They had arrived at their destination and he supposed he'd said enough about himself.
Artem seemed to consider the words before nodding. "Alright then, some other time." Unlocking the car, Artem slid into the driver seat and Alphonse entered the passenger seat. Turning his head back, he could see that Gale had been trailing behind them after finishing his phone call. Once they were all in, Artem started the engine and drove back to Maxim. Dropping the duo off, he waved farewell to Alphonse before heading off.
Turning to his companion, he watched Gale with slight interest. "Is everything alright?" He asked, allowing Gale to choose to answer if he wanted to or remain silent about whatever it was that had occurred. Whatever it was, he hoped it wasn't something terrible. He'd had enough bad luck for a lifetime, he'd like to think.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 23, 2017 4:33:46 GMT -5
He felt bad. Worse than he had for a long, long time - and while he didn't want Nanu to see him like this, he didn't want her to have to stay alone in Greece for too long. She was capable, she knew how to handle Sabah and most importantly, she knew how to hide, but that wasn't the issue. He trusted her to stay safe - he didn't want to be a mess when she saw him, because she was so damn sensitive to emotions that he had no doubt that she'd pick it up. She was everything he couldn't be and more; he hadn't wanted to drag her into the criminal life, but she'd been born into it and that was just something that happened. After all - he'd been born into it, too (partially), and he was here, now, as a criminal.
Nanu deserved a chance, at least, and Sabah would never give that to her.
Everything in his life had seemed fine until Al had waltzed in and pointed out, in subtle ways, that it wasn't fine. Or - perhaps it had been the sight of someone else so broken beyond recognition that he'd recognised his own issues. He hadn't been entirely blind to them; he'd known what he'd been going through, had known that he should've left ten years ago at the very latest, but he'd been dragged in and had been given so much attention that he hadn't been able to leave. There were always the what ifs sitting at the back of his mind - what if I get ignored? What if I'm forgotten? - and they were not pleasant in the slightest.
But it wasn't as if everything was just fixed now that he was in a different place. He didn't have enough work to occupy him, the place was a hellhole for snipers with very little places in good locations, and he felt more lost than he ever had. Al was a good man and his presence was enjoyable - but even then, Gale felt lonely.
He didn't like it at all.
Gale remained silent on the car journey back, and remained silent until Al spoke up once they were back at Maxim's. He blinked owlishly, as if pulled out of his own thoughts, and tilted his head to look up at the older man. He considered it carefully - narrowed his eyes as he seemed to weight the pros and cons of telling Al. Eventually, he gave a quiet sigh and looked away. It was tempting to omit details, to lie - but he wasn't being punished here and he needed to remember that. It was just...hard. Adapting to all of this; it was harder than he'd ever imagined it would be, and he wasn't sure if he was strong enough to go through with it but goddamn it, he'd try his best.
"I have," he frowned, didn't like that his chest tightened up. "A daughter. Her name's Nanu - she's sixteen. She usually lives with Sabah, sometimes with Jacques. We had some sort of agreement that she was only allowed to stay at mine on the weekends, or something," he absently scratched at his wrist, and he didn't look at Al. "I don't want her to stay with the Jackals for too long; it's not dangerous for he, she knows how to take care of herself - but I want her to have some sort of chance at a...non-criminal life, I guess. I don't want her to make the same mistakes that I did."
It was strange, talking about her out loud.
"Technically, I don't have custody - but technicalities can be ignored when the kid has false IDs," too many false ones, it unnerved him. She had almost as many as him, which meant he'd be hypocritical to tell her off - a fact she pointed out often.
He exhaled slowly and glanced to Al from the corner of his eye. "After your mission is done, I sort-of need to go and pick her up before she ends up in more trouble."
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Post by LβEΜα΄Κα΄Ι΄Ι’α΄Κ on Oct 24, 2017 18:13:46 GMT -5
Though it had been simple enough to identify something had been bothering Gale, what it was was something that he had no anticipated. Having heard Gale mention that he had a daughter, one that hadn't been with him since Alphonse and Gale had first met had sounded bad. Hearing Gale elaborate on as to why he had yet to meet Gale's daughter, Nanu, things fell into place. She was no longer in his custody. Tilting his head curiously at the other man, he wasn't sure what was an appropriate thing to say. He couldn't say that this was a good decision without being a hypocrite after what had happened, but all things considered Nanu being with Gale was better than her being with Sabah.
Gale, he had no doubt about it, cared about his daughter. Perhaps that had been one of the many things plaguing his mind and bothering him. It was strange it had taken this long to remember the situation Nanu had been in, but given what had happened to the younger man, Alphonse could not find it in himself to fault him. Slowly nodding at the statement - it was no request, and he would not argue with it - he turned to look at Gale.
"Of course," he agreed. Part of him feared he would come to regret this. His own family had scattered in the wind. Not the Family that had collapsed in blood and ruins. A fair number of his own children were under the radar, laying it low as the remains of the Fournier's control was picked apart. He remembered clearly Adrien's parting words, as his elder brother moved from their small family home to Austria to get away from the mess of the fallout. The loss of his job had fallen on Alphonse's head, and he couldn't blame him. But still, no matter how many flaws he could see in this decision he couldn't imagine allowing a sixteen year old to fend for herself on the streets or be with Sabah of all people.
She was safer here with them than anyone else. The pieces were clicking together slowly, too. The fact that Gale didn't have custody, but Nanu stayed with Sabah... He didn't want to guess the implications of what he had deciphered. "We'll wrap things up in three days and head over. Depending on the circumstances, we may have to return here or we'll go to Hong Kong next," he added so Gale could have some idea of the plan so far. Once the job was done, he would have to discuss matters with Artem. If Art accepted the arrangements, they could head directly to Hong Kong. If he had no opportunity to speak to the man or Art needed time to think it over, he would have to come back to Russia to discuss matters with the man or exchange contacts. He wasn't sure yet, but that would wait until later on. Right now, the pressing matter was Gale's daughter.
It still came as a surprise to him. Gale's gentle mannerisms and quiet competence was that of a professional, but he never would have pegged the man for the fatherly type. It was a nice change of pace, something he could respect. But, all-in-all, Gale was a much better father than he was and that was a fact. The younger man didn't want Nanu involved in the life he was in. Alphonse taught and trained his children on how to survive and he funded their education, but left them to their own devices. They had been free to join the family or toil away and live a normal life.
Most of them had wanted to work with him. He wondered how many of them thought they owed him it. The thought left him slightly nauseous and he swallowed thickly. "Also, the technicalities of custody shouldn't be a problem as long as we aren't caught," he offered Gale a reassuring smile. "When is her birthday?" He added, continuing the line of inquiry. when she turned 18 she was technically an adult in France and Greece for that matter. Then custody wouldn't even be a problem.
He searched Gale's features for any sign of understanding or relief. Pressing on, he decided to continue just... just in case. The younger man had him worried. He was quiet, he was isolated, and he was hurting. Alphonse wanted to be there for him, but it was... difficult. He was a man on a mission and splitting his only resource - himself - in multiple directions was already taxing as it was. As charming as Artem's presence in his life was, it was just a brief pause from the harsh reality of it. A pocket of air in an ocean of blue.
He feared the consequences of exerting himself too much. He wasn't sure he could pick up the pieces again. "Is there anything else bothering you? I promise we'll get to Nanu as soon as possible, but if there's anything else on your mind I'd like to know unless you would rather not tell me." The silence during the meal had been something of a uncomfortable event that left him worried about Gale. If it was just Nanu's situation, that would have been easy. But after everything that had happened to Gale... he highly doubted it.
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