The Russian

It had been accidental, the text.

Tassian had lots of friends.

That wasn’t true. They weren’t exactly friends. They were people he met- for days, hours, minutes. He never stayed in one place for long. Tassian was very charismatic. He was funny, clever, mature.

Which was why it was stunning that his best friend was Gabriel.

Gabriel, silent, stoic, deadpan and self-destructive.

Tassian washed his hair. He cut his nails. He kept the stubble around his chin well-maintained.

Gabriel could lie on the couch in the same position for three days, go out to a pub he was too young to be at, rip someones eyes out and come back with the shit beaten out of him.

“Gabby.” Tassian sighed as he entered, once again covered in blood and bruises.

“Don’t call me that.” Gabriel walked over to the sink, splashing water on his face.

Tassain folded his arms. “What am I going to do with you?”

“You just got a text.”

Tassian blinked. His phone, on silence and in the other room, had not made a audible sound. He looked at Gabriel.

“Sometimes I forget how sensitive your ears are.” He muttered before walking into the living room and picking it up. He had, indeed, received a text.

He opened the message system, glancing down at block of texts.

-Hey. How’s Mary?

-I don’t know a Mary.

-Hm? The baby

-You’ve got the wrong number.

Tassian raised an eyebrow. Oh. Well, maybe making some virtual friends wouldn’t be a bad idea. Someone he didn’t have to lose as soon as he and Gabriel moved on.

-Figured that.

He texted back. The other didn’t reply.

-What’s your name, anyway?

There were several minutes before there was a reply.

-Walter. You?

-Tassian.

He sighed as he saw the typing symbol. -Yea, I spelled that right. Not Cassian.

-Oh. Unique.

Tassian snorted. -Thanks. Where are you, anyway?

-Germany, at the moment. Why?

-You seem awful comfortable with giving out information.

Tassian replied.

-Oh, I’m not worried. I can handle myself.

The responder replied.

-I see. No reason. I’m close, actual. We’re in Edam. Netherlands?

-Never been. Sounds beautiful.

-It is.

After a few moments of no response, Tassian pocketed his phone and headed back out to the kitchen.

Gabriel hadn’t cleaned up much, just leaning over the counter and staring at the mirror.

“Gabriel?” Tassian’s voice was soft. He came up beside him. “Come on. Let’s get you cleaned up.”

Tassian continued to text Walter of the span of the next month- honestly one of the longest times he had stayed anywhere for years.

There was something about the tiny town of Edam that seemed safe. There were very few people Gabriel had found that had been willing to fight him, for one thing.

Tassian woke one Saturday morning to another text.

-Seven hours from the German border isn’t bad. Do you like long road trips?

Tassian blinked a bit, sitting up and rubbing his eyes. He didn’t respond immediately, setting his phone down on his nightstand and walking out to the living room. Gabriel was doodling on the couch. He didn’t look up when Tasssin came in, as he could clearly hear ever step he took.

Tassain grabbed an apple off the counter and sat up on it.

“How do you feel about road trips?” He asked, picking off the sticker.

Gabriel glanced up, sighing.

“What are you planning?”

Tassian laughed. “Nothing. I’m just wondering.”

Gabriel leaned back, uncrossing his legs and resting them against the carpet. “Mhm. They’re fine.” He said, adjusting his glasses before looking back down. Tassian moved to sit next to him, taking one of his hands off his paper and brushing his finger over it.

“I was thinking we might take one.” He said.

Gabriel looked at him, then down at his hand.

“Why?”

He shrugged. “Meet some friends. I know you don’t like meeting new people but it might be a good experience.”

“For you.” He replied. “I’ll come.”

Tassian laughed. “I just don’t want to leave you behind. Besides, road trips are fun.”

“I’ll pack my butterflies.”

Of course, Gabriel was referring to the eight butterfly knives that were illegally in his possession.

“Gabriel-“

“I’m kidding.” Gabriel stood. “When are we leaving?”

“I’ll figure it out.”

He texted Walter back.

-Yeah, love ‘em. Tomorrow at noon?

-Sounds good.

The two arrived at the cafe they had designated around noon.

-I brought a friend, hope you don’t mind.

Tassian glanced down as he saw the text and smiled.

-No worries, I did the same.

He stepped inside the diner, knowing well he was at least ten minutes late.

“Bad traffic.” He started to say as he saw the two at a table near the window, but stopped.

Sitting next to who he presumed to be Walter, was a very pale, very tall( despite the slouching), Russian.

Walter had a similar reaction to the albino Gabriel by Tassian’s side.

“What are the chances?” Walter muttered under his breath. “They’re both-“

The scars were the next thing that caught Tassian off guard. Like an explosion, the entire left side of the Russian’s face was covered in a violent display. He knew better than to say anything, though, and shook his head to clear his shock, as did Walter.

“Walter.” He said, extending his hand. Tassian took it.

“Tassian. Good to finally meet you, this is Gabriel. He doesn’t talk much.”

“Oh. Yes.” Walter glanced over at Gabriel, who shot him an icy glare. Walter had also noticed Gabriel’s scars, including the one that stood out across his nose and the one splitting his eyebrow. The ones on his back and shoulder were hidden.

“This is Sergei. He doesn’t really speak anything but Russian- and don’t get him started on that.” He said. “Should we sit down?”

“Mhm.” Tassian took a seat across from Walter, but Gabriel didn’t seem to mind. His eyes had moved to Sergei.

Tassian and Walter clicked immediately. They were soon immersed in a political conversation, while Sergei just leaned slightly against Walter, trying to understand why the small one was staring at him.

“Привет.” Gabriel said in broken Russian after a few moments of staring.

Sergei perked up a bit, interested.

“Привет?” He reiterate the greeting, sounding slightly questioning.

Tassian gave them a side eyed glance, as did Walter, but they continued talking, letting the two have their privacy.

Gabriel struggled through a confusing conversation in broken Russian, casting the occasional glare at Walter.

Tassian realized what it was only about an hour into the four’s separate conversations.

Leaning over so Gabriel couldn’t hear them, Tassian whispered to Walter “Ignore the glares. He’s scared of you.”

Walter blinked a bit. “Alright.” He said. “I figured something like that. Why?”

Tassian sighed, glancing over to make sure Gabriel wasn’t paying attention.

“You just look like someone he used to know.” He replied before swiftly changing the subject.

Gabriel had began drawing on his notepad, having run out of his limited Russian and social energy. Sergei, however, seemed invested in the pictures, and stayed that way until their food came.

Tassian and Walter continued their steady conversation, but Sergei and Gabriel fell silent.

Gabriel never ate much, but especially in front of other people. Instead, he just fiddled with the cuff on his ear, not moving his eyes from Sergei, who seemed torn between not caring and being utterly confused.

“Shall we head out?” Tassian asked. “I think we’re finished here.”

Walter nodded, flagging down the waiter.

“Oh, I’ll pay.” Tassian said hurriedly.

Gabriel rolled his eyes slightly as the two engaged in a polite argument, standing up.

That was Tassian’s signal to give up.

“Alright- we’ll wait outside.” Tassian relented, standing up and setting his hand lightly at the back of Gabriel’s wrist. The two walked outside.

“Are you doing okay?”

“Mhm.” Gabriel responded, tilting his head a bit. Tassian blinked as he noticed a bored Sergei had followed them. Of course Gabriel had heard the tall Russian’s footsteps, and he hadn’t.

Speaking of which.

Sergei was far taller than he had expected.

The man had to be at least seven foot, most likely more.

He didn’t say anything, however, and refused to let emotion betray his face.

Instead, the three of them waited patiently until Walter joined them before heading to the car.