NonCanon: Snapped

[volginswaifu]

[Ivan leaned in close to the mirror, eyeballing the cut across his face. He ran a gloved finger over it with a frown, noting that it yes, it had re-closed since its re-opening from his borrowed electric powers

Comments

[musthatefrogs]

[Lazy was a matter of perception.

Volgin had much of this floor charted out... mentally. He at least knew what was behind every door of their hallway. Moving day had come and gone, and they had hardly moved at all.

Today, the giant had arrived back to the roost first, and was helping himself to the long-standing puzzle of "How The Hell Is This Place Receiving Outside Transmissions?" The content of these transmissions was another matter in itself, but still, Volgin reflexively snapped the channel from the droll Western he had been formerly digging himself into at Raikov's arrival.

And his disdain.

At this, he rose a brow, his tone flat.]

Is that all you see me as nowadays?

[volginswaifu]

Well what else do you do but laze around?

[His anger had to be taken out on someone. It wasn't even a conscious effort to take it out on Volgin; he was simply the only one left.]

I miss the Colonel! The one who would strike fear into some pathetic sap. You know...

[Ivan pauses, speaking very clearly to make an impact:] The man who I fell in love with.

[musthatefrogs]

[That brow became furrowed, as Volgin slowly rose to his feet. The commercial banter from the TV no longer existed.

He made slow strides to his mouthy lover.]

What are you implying?

[volginswiafu]

That you need to shape up. [A sort of cruel matter-of-fact tone.]

[Ivan crosses his arms, not budging as he's approached.]

[musthatefrogs]

[Ivan found himself chest-to-chest with the giant.]

Now, in what respect are you suggesting?

[His voice had dangerous barbs in it, the same ones that caused the other subordinates to mentally consider what would be left of the victim that was worth anything at all when the Colonel was through with them.

Raikov should have been familiar with it, but never, as far as Volgin recalled, had he directed it towards him.]

[volginswaifu]

[He sneered up at the larger man, eyes narrowed. Ivan was sick of pushing Volgin off the couch, and only now was how much he hated it really starting to show, even to himself.]

Any respect, who cares! Anything is an improvement over what you are now--a waste of space. You're just the shell of Colonel Volgin in a tacky sweater!

[Love would only take the selfish Soviet so far. He wanted a powerful man to feed into his megalomania. He wanted to have to be sneaky and manipulative to get what he wanted, not just be spoon-fed it. Taking candy from a baby is a novelty that quickly wears off. A struggle, no matter how slight, was much more rewarding.]

[musthatefrogs]

[Volgin curled his lip.]

What.

Are you going to educate me on something as ridiculous as being myself?

[volginswaifu]

Yes. [Ivan took a step back, then walked over to the couch.]

Different couch, the same shit! I swear if I see you sitting on this thing one more time--Arrghhh! [Ivan reached up, gripping his own hair.] I'll rip my hair out!

[musthatefrogs]

[Volgin's hand twitched. This man could never be his Ivan; who was he kidding? He had spent the last few months weathering demands of an insolent child with the occasional fucking.

He was back on his feet now.]

Don't trouble your pretty, precious scalp.

[He took a step back.]

I understand now.

You aren't him.

[With that, he turned around, and headed to the apartment door, casually adding:]

I just got back. A little before you did, actually.

[He ducked under the doorframe, and disappeared.]

[volginswaifu]

Huh--?

[Ivan stood there, rooted to the spot, completely dumbfounded as he turned to watch the other man walk out.]

Wait, hey... [His voice was much softer, but Volgin had already left the room.] Yevgeny...

[And regret quickly began to settle in, like the deep-seated itch of a mosquito bite.]

[volginswaifu]

[Finally, Ivan managed to will himself to move in a sudden rush to the door. He gripped the frame, leaning out to see Volgin not far down the hall.]

Zhenya!! Where the hell do you think you're going?! You can't leave me!!

[musthatefrogs]

[Volgin paused and narrowed his eyes. He did not look back, calling more to the end of the hall with that powerful voice of his.]

You're a fool, Raikov, if you think I am bound to you in any fashion.

[Raikov could see his chest move as he forced out an airy chuckle.]

Are you even him?

I'm not myself.

[He continued and rounded the corner.]

[volginswaifu]

What?

[The lump in his throat grew ever larger.]

Of course you are, what, do you think I just let you live with me for show?!

[He chased after him now, but still stayed a good ten feet behind.]

Stop walking and talk to me!

[Much more affirmatively, like announcing the title of a candidate and his slogan:] I'm Ivan Raidenovitch Raikov--the one and only worth your time in this shithole.

[musthatefrogs]

[Volgin again paused, but this time he turned around, if taking a moment to skim his gaze along the floor to the other man, gauging distance.]

Now, that's impressive. Such a big claim from such a loud whelp of a man.

Shame only recently I stopped being no better than your dog.

[He coolly scratched at the back of his head, momentarily curling his lip.]

I'm surprised you haven't come home with a collar. [He began to run his hand around his neck as he spoke:] With my name on it and your address.

[volginswaifu]

... [Ivan stopped where he was, glowering at the other man. There was a genuine hint of pain in his eyes, and he was doing his damnedest to hide it.]

Don't talk down to me. And I only treated you the way you let me. If you were going to roll over like a dog, then I was going to treat you like one.

I didn't like it. I hated it! It's disgusting, it's no fun, I tried to push you out of it, but you were too stupid to realize it!

[musthatefrogs]

[Volgin considered this for a time. His single eye reflected nothing, seemingly staring through the questionable incarnation of his lover.]

You would never understand where I came from, boy.

[Months in ether, between Heaven and Hell and other places that filtered along the dead, dispatched, and unwanted, free from everything but held to nothing.

It was death while being still being strapped to the back of an animal that should have been dead decades ago. Stasis, he supposed was the better word for it.]

I don't expect you to.

[He shook his head, the smirk twisting his face hardly a good one.]

I'm half a century old, and you know more than me. Truly, I am the dumb one here.

Maybe you're the Colonel and I am but a mistaken subordinate.

[His eye darkened.]

Is that right?