Old Wounds
"You ever think about living any other way?" Victor said.
Arkady rolled onto his side and hummed in a questioning tone. Victor was already facing him, one leg tossed over Arkady and an arm under his head. Arkady reached out and moved closer, hugging Victor now.
"Chilling out, maybe having a family one day? Be fucking weird but who knows. Maybe we'll get bored some day." Victor said.
"That almost sounds like a proposal." Arkday said. He let his eyes drift closed again, Victor's body shieling him from the first rays of sunlight entering the window.
"Maybe it is…" Victor cleared his throat and moved one hand to Arkady's head, fussing with his hair while he spoke.
"I've had kids. I mean one was a bigot but I'm pretty sure I killed him." Victor said.
"That's not very promising." Arkady mumbled. Victor snorted.
"You ever..?"
Arkady opened his eyes with a half-laugh. Looked at Victor and soon enough their eyes met.
"Victor, how much do you know of the red room?" He said. Victor half shrugged.
"Not much. Never came up. Russian thing right?"
Arkady nodded.
"Yes...they had me for some time. I was trained alongside some of the Black Widows. I was friends with a few. Some I still am." Arkady stopped and made his thinking face for a second. Eyebrows pinched closer together and his eyes looked somewhere over Victor's shoulder. Victor smiled and moved a hand to brush Arkady's hair out of his face. Then Red continued. "The point is. I cannot have children. They make sure of that. They sterilize all of the Widows. When they had me I remember them not being all that sure what to do. But in the end the choice was made, Out of my hands of course, and I was also sterilized. So no Victor. I've never had any children." Arkady closed his eyes again and reached to pull their blanket over them more, from where it had been kicked overnight.
He felt Victor's hand move to his back. Pull him closer, a comforting pressure.
"Sorry Red. I've had people do shit to me without my permission and it's not fun." Victor said. Arkady smiled. "You killed em yet?" The smile weakened at that.
"I've never been able to find them. Some of my Widow friends who also got out, we've tried. But never been able to pin them all down. The Red Room is complicated. impossible to find or kill." Arkady said. He rolled onto his back and looked up at the ceiling. "But I try not to think about it. Only try to ensure they'll never get their hands on me again." Victor sat up on his elbow and Arkady saw him more as he leaned over him. His face was serious for once, all tough lines and stern eyes.
"They won't. Never again. I'll make sure. I won't...I won't let anybody do that shit to you ever again. Alright?" Victor said. Arkady smiled up at him.
"Thank you Victor. That is comforting." Arkady said. And then he turned and sat up with a stretch. "Ask me about my friend Yelena later. You'd love her." He said. He glanced over his shoulder and then stood. He took his time in making his way to the door, let Victor get an eyeful of him. Still naked from their, extracurricular activities last night. He heard Victor let out a loud whistle as he left the room, and it slid into a deep laugh that made Arkady grin.
Victor dropped onto his back with a laugh. He grunted and sat up to find where their clothes had gotten tossed. Of course he only bothered to put on underwear. The cold didn't bother him, Healing factor and all, and he got up to go make breakfast from whatever random canned stuff neither of them much cared about.
He smelled Arkady not long after and he felt him wrap his arms around him from behind and pull him into a hug. He made a sound and pressed his face against Victor's shoulder. Tired or sad, probably a mix of both. And sadly, now he was dressed. Well, sweatpants at least. And Victor smiled when he realized once again, those were his clothes.
"Well good morning Red. I can't help but notice you're dressed now. I hope my early morning musing about family didnt ruin the sex shack in the woods vibe." Victor said.
"It's love shack." Arkady mumbled. "I've heard that song."
"Same thing." Victor said. He put his left hand over Arkady's with a smile, laced their fingers together and pulled Red along as he moved around the kitchen. "So. I had a thought."
"That never ends well."
"Hush it ruskie. Now, you were around the Black Widows." Victor paused only for a second and Arkady chuckled. "You ever wear one of those uniforms? Like the lady with the Avengers does?" He said. And Arkady full on laughed.
"No, I don't think so Victor. I don't think I want to know why you ask.." Arkady said. Victor grinned.
"Oh you don't darlin. You really dont." He said with a growl and a smile.
"You disgust me."
"You enjoy it!"
Victor let go and spun around, planted his hands on Arkady's hips. "I'm creative." Victor said with a wide smirk and a sway of his hips.
"Absolutely disgusting, and completely immature." Arkady pressed a fast kiss to Victor's mouth.
"Wow Red. Did you read the file Shield has on me? It's very inaccurate I'll admit." Victor said. Arkady chuckled and kissed him again.
"I have actually. And it is. For one they call you, 'a very cunning enemy.' And that's just not very true." Arkady said. He let go of Victor and stepped away with a laugh. Almost dancing away before Victor could frown and swipe at him.
"Oh fine. Fine then. Next time you get arrested I'll just send you a postcard that says 'get fucked. And not in the fun way.' Then continue on with my life." Victor said. He turned back around to focus on their breakfast and he heard Arkady let out a roll of laughter, the floor creaked as he walked back to Victor's side and kissed his cheek.
"You won't."
Victor sighed, overexaggerated and loud,
"I won't."
Arkady smiled and kissed his face again, then swiped his half of breakfast and walked off with the plate in his hands. Victor watched him go, and as Arkady headed towards the back door he hurried to follow.
Victor found Arkady sitting crossed legged on the wooden steps outside, and he sat down beside him.
When Arkady spoke again it was quiet. Almost like speaking any louder would scare Victor, or ruin the peace they had.
"My time in the Red rooms is hazy. I know that trauma will do that. And the brainwashing most likely. But I remember some parts more clearly. I wasn't very young. I had been a weapon of the government for some time. I had faced Wolverine, all of that. But when the red room got their hands on me it was...different. I wasn't just a weapon anymore cat, I was their toy. They had never really gotten their hands on anyone like me before. Not just my gender, no, I was odd. I always have been." Arkady stopped but only for a second, if he lost momentum he wasn't sure he could continue to speak. "It was a different breed of dehumanizing. One I haven't recovered from. Especially what they did to me when they sterilized me. You see Victor, at the time I didn't think much of it. And afterwards I never had time to deal with it. But as time goes on I have come to realize that I very much wish I could have children. I want that. But I will never have it. It's impossible to reverse what they did to me." Arkady shook his head and went back to eating. But Victor… Victor was stunned. Slowly Victor put his plate down and moved closer to Arkady, he reached out and pulled him into a hug. And at first Arkady was stiff, unresponsive, and he almost let go. But then Arkady went boneless against him with a sigh, and he felt Red put a hand on his arm.
"S'okay Red. I meant what I said. They aren't gonna hurt ya again. I don't care how hard it is to find em. I'm gonna hunt every last fucker down and personally fuck them up." Victor said with a growl. Arkady let out a dry laugh and pressed closer to Victor.
"I would be glad to help cat. But really it's not worth the effort." Arkady sat up more and dropped his chin on Victor's shoulder. "I'm alright. I was just thinking is all."
"That never ends well." Victor mumbled, and they shared a laugh at that. A particularly chilly breeze swept by and the both of them moved a little closer to each other. At this point breakfast forgotten for being tangled up against each other and watching the woods around them.
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"Someone you've never gotten to kill but always wanted to?" Arkady said. Victor hummed, only making a sound while he thought. "Other than Wolverine." Arkady added and Victor chuckled.
They were both outside for now. More dressed at least. And Victor was restocking their firewood. While Arkady watched, well, more admired him as he worked. Arkady had never been more happy to see Victor shirtless.
"Id say Deadpool. Fuckers annoying. But naw Wade's good for a murder spree sometimes." Victor stopped to think again and the only sound was wood splitting and Victor breathing for just a moment. And then he laughed and turned to look at Arkady. "Colossus. Wanna cut him open and see if his insides turn to metal too or if it's just his skin. Could never figure that out." Victor said. Arkady nodded. That was a good question. "You?"
"I would like to murder the queen of england." He said. Arkady spoke with such confidence, just pure conviction and Victor had to stop to laugh.
"You fuckin what?" He put the head of his axe on the ground. Leaned on it with one hand to look at Arkady with a confused half smile on his face.
"I think it would be fun." Arkady said with a shrug. Victor just shook his head and turned back to his growing pile of firewood.
"You're goddamn weird red." Victor said. Arkady moved from where he sat on the back steps and leaned over to kiss Victor's cheek.
"You enjoy my company Victor. My strangeness is part of my charm." He said. Arkady stepped away to let Victor work and sat back down on his spot on the steps. He sighed after a little while and Victor slowed down to listen when he inevitably started talking. "I want to kill someone cat."
"Nobody around here. S'why we're here Red." Victor said. Arkady sort of hissed out a breath and spoke again.
"Something then! Anything. I'm bored cat."
Victor snorted and dropped his ax to turn and face arkady.
"There's animals out and around. If you can find em." He heard Arkady growl and something break. More than likely part of his back steps splintering under the russians grip.
"That's boring." He mumbled. Victor shifted his weight and Arkady had just looked back at him when Victor pounced. Claws first, onto Arkady's chest. Arkady pushed him at just the right time and they both went rolling end over end across the small backyard. For once Victor was careful with his claws, making certain he never did anything more than scratch Arkady.
Arkady was the same, instead of bone-breaking grips or choking he kept it calmer. Victor saw stars as Arkady slammed his head against the ground face-first. He tasted his own blood and reached out with a growl, dragged Arkady off balance and pounced again. Red pinned under him and lashing out with his coils. He assumed Victor would use an arm to guard his face as he whipped at it but he didn't. Victor took the blow and with a smile, and a missing eye, he clamped his jaws down on Red's coil and held on. Arkady froze when he felt Victor's claws against his throat.
With just a bit more pressure he'd bleed out in mere minutes.
Arkady smiled.
"So kill me Sabretooth." He said. Victor laughed, as best as he could around Arkady's coil in his mouth. He reached up and held tight to it so he could talk.
"It feels too easy, Omega Red." He said. Arkady smiled wider,
"It is." and Victor snarled as a sharp pain shot through his entire body. He tensed up and let go of Arkady's coils. Arkady took the chance to push Victor to the ground and pin him down. To no surprise on red's part Victor was smiling and panting, unbothered. Mostly at least.
"That turns me on more than it should." Victor flicked his tongue out to lick at the blood drying on his upper lip. "Harder-" he joked, he let out a choked growl when Arkady wrapped a coil around Victor's neck and wrist and drained him. It didn't stop him from trying to claw at Arkady.
"I know it does." Arkady tilted his head and leaned closer to watch his face as Victor shifted through expressions, anger, hints of pain. And even in pain he was his own sort of beautiful. "Just enjoy it cat." Victor snapped a hand out and dug his claws deep into Arkady's wrists.
"Make me then!" He spat, smirking. But Arkady just smiled and glanced down at the blood dripping off his hands, he licked it off and looked back down at Victor.
"You make it very hard to like you sometimes Victor. But that's okay. " And then Arkady tightened his coils and the edges of Victor's vision went dark. And darker, and darker. "Now die. I'll make lunch."
And that was the last thing Victor heard.
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Arkady threw Victor over his shoulder and dropped him on the bed inside. He intended to leave Victor to heal and put together a lunch. But instead he changed direction. First the bathroom, and then back to Victor's side. He sat softly beside him and moved Victor's head into his lap. He gently ran the wet towel in his hand over Victor's nose and upper lip to clean the dried blood off of his face. Arkady stopped after that and let his other hand drift to Victor's hair. He braided small sections and watched as Victor's face put itself back together. The bruises on his neck faded and Arkady let his finger brush along them as they disappeared.
Victor started breathing again and Arkady smiled. But he let go and left. Victor never liked to have anyone help him heal like that.
Victor woke up with a splitting headache and a cough. He wheezed for a moment and then found the energy to sit up. He scratched at his head but his fingers caught in his hair. Which he'll admit usually happens but this felt different then the normal tangles.
Braids.
Braids?
Victor pulled a chunk of hair in front of his face to look at and yes. It was. Small braids all through his hair, here or there. Victor was a little mad at first. But then he sighed and with a smile gently rolled a braid between his fingers.
He stood up with a grunt and sniffed until he caught Arkady's scent. And food. His stomach grumbled and he flicked his tongue out and followed.
Arkady sat in front of a window by the front door with a bowl in his lap. No, two.
He heard Victor coming without looking up and set one bowl on the floor for him.
Victor slid down to the floor and really didn't bother with a spoon, tilting it and slurping right out of the bowl. It was some soup from a can that was probably expired by now but probably wouldn't bother either of them.
"It had the most meat. I thought it'd help." Arkady said and then he smiled at Victor in that wide and dimpled and far too cute way of his.
"Yeah prolly." Was all Victor said before he got back to slurping. It did help, he almost laughed at the situation. Arkady killing him and then making him food to help him heal. Victor dropped his bowl on the floor and turned to the side. One hand holding his head up and smirk splitting his face.
The sunlight in the window made Arkady's hair look like a frizzy halo around him. He watched as Arkady tucked some of that hair behind his ear while he ate. Using silverware like a normal person. Victor mapped out all the wrinkles and scars and poorly hid cybernetics of Arkady's face, his hands, the sharp color of his eyes, and Arkady let him.
Arkady set his bowl on the floor, out of the way a good distance Victor noticed, and spun to face Victor.
Neither said a word for a good few minutes.
Victor spoke first, barely a word in when Arkady spoke as well.
"I l-"
Arkady cut him off with,
"If I like having sex with you am I a furry?"
Victor fucking cackled and closed his eyes.
"Red, the hell?" He said. Arkady just shrugged.
"Just a thought." He said with a chuckle. He got up and scooped up their dishes on his way to the kitchen.
"How do you know what a furry is!?" Victor yelled after him. Arkady glanced over his shoulder.
"I may have been texting Wade. Just off and on." He said. Victor laughed. He turned back to the window to look out while he waited for Arkady to return.
"He sent you porn didn't he?" Victor said.
"Yes." Arkady paused. "Often."
When Arkady sat down again it was closer than before, they were almost touching in fact.
"They're going to find this place Victor."
Victor nodded.
"Why did you help me?"
Victor turned his head and let it drop against Arkady's shoulder for just a second. Like a cat. He'll never admit it.
"Because I like you." Was all he said. Arkady opened his mouth to speak but just closed it and shook his head.
"Okay." He said.
They went silent again.
It was tense, but really everything was tense with them involved. The possibilities, some good some bad, hanging in the air between them.
Arkady chose a choice that was, a little bit of both.
"Do you remember your family?" He said. Victor was startled, and he sat up straighter. Almost moving away.
"What?"
"I'm just curious Victor. I told you about me. Eye for an eye?" Arkady said. Victor took a second to think about it but he nodded eventually and spoke.
"Not much. Sometimes I remember my mother's face, she always seems scared or tired. Or my father, but all I get from him is flashes of pain that piss me off more than anything." Victor pressed the tip of his tongue against one of his fangs as he thought. Digging up old memories half forgotten. A drop of blood beads on the tip of his tongue. Arkady stares at it. "They didn't like me. Locked me in the basement when my mutation kicked in. And I was young when it did. Just a cub still." Victor nodded, confident he got it right and waited for Arkady to respond.
Victor didn't seem upset, even though that was a concerning thing to have happen, but Arkady was pretty sure it was a long long time ago. Either way he scooted closer and turned to look out the window. .
"That isn't good." He said. Victor snorted.
" Yeah no. It wasn't." Victor tossed an arm across Arkady's shoulders. "I killed em though so it's alright." He said with a chuckle. Arkady nodded.
And then they heard the unmistakable sound of a ringing phone.
"Victor.." Arkady said. But Victor just stood. waved his hand at Arkady to wait, just wait for a second. He tilted his head, followed his ears, and there it was. Shoved under the bed off to the side and smelling like alcohol when he got it closer to his face. Victor frowned and wandered back to the main room where Arkady sat on the floor still. He stood when he saw Victor again.
"It's nothin. Me being stupid s'all. Musta left one of my burners last time I was here." Victor said. The phone went off again and he glared at it. "Bitch." And then he actually read who was calling and he recognized the number. He picked it up, on speaker so he wouldn't have to play telephone for Arkady, and dropped it on the windowsill.
"There's a boat in Alaska if you want it. I sent the coordinates already and you've got three days. I'm only doing this because I owe you a favor. We're even now got it?" Mystique said, Victor laughed.
"Thank you Raven." He purred. She sighed through the phone and Victor heard it being set down somewhere and switched to speaker on her end.
"Damn right, thank you. Do you know how many burner phones I had to call through until you picked up?" She said, Victor shrugged with a chuckle. Raven continued.
"Yes it's hilarious, now get your ass to my boat. Victor will know which one." She hung up before either of them could respond.