CHAPTER XIII: Little Fairy.

𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘰 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘶𝘭.... Tae thought to himself as he looked at a little girl, dressed as a fairy for Halloween, her skin as beautiful as the night sky, eyes like the starts with light, she had heterochrmia, with a pink right eye and yellow left, white pupils and black curls, falling around her face, appearing  like dark clouds. It was halloween, and she was dressed up as a little fairy, walking through the streets. Rurik would've called her a fever dream though... 

They walked through the streets of Volchya Zemlya, towards The Keiriff Beithia, a classic, popular pub of Volchya, "It's the best for holidays like Halloween.." Rurik had randomly said at 2 AM and now, here they were... 

The wine was disgusting, almost too much and as Tae took the first sip, he couldn't decide if his German or Korean blood was more offended... The wine had looked tempting at first, but looks can be very much deceiving. 

It was awful, sharp and it tasted like vinegar mixed with sugar, disgusting. 

"Your country serving this should be arrested for committing such atrocity." He didn't say it out loud, but the glare he gave to the poor bartender was enough to convey his inclinations. Clearly. 

Rurik smirked from across the table, now Tae knew why Rurik insisted him to have the first sip... The Betrayal–! 

"Don't drink it if it offends your delicate tastes Baranov..." Said Rurik, swirling his glass of wine. 

"Offense?" He asks taking another disgusting sip. "This is atrocious–!" 

"Living in Germany for so long has definitely taken you away from your Russian roots, have they not? Which part of it must do the lying. I wonder?" He asked, his smirk widening as he placed his glass on the table between them. 

Tae–Alexiei tilted his head, smiling lazily at his words "Oh wouldn't you like to know?" 

The pub was entirely empty except for a snoring man at the corner and the bartender who had long stopped pretending to work. Outside, the village was bustling with activity, the people loved celebrating Halloween in Volchya didn't they? 

They left a few minutes later. The sun had started rising up the horizon not quite long ago already. The dawn came and the leaves were shining gold as they walked through the almost empty streets, footsteps echoing on the crosswalk, the aftermath of the night quite visible with the fallen garlands and decorated homes. November was finally here... 

Rurik walked a couple steps ahead of Tae, with a kind of effortless confidence, but there was tension in his shoulders that Tae hadn't noticed before. Not fear, of course not! Rurik didn't fear, and the mere idea of him feeling so was absurd even to Tae or anyone who heard it. 

He had himself after all–earned the name Dyavol... And the devil didn't fear. Of course not. This was anticipation, suspicion.... Something was definitely going to happen. 

Tae tried to keep his pace beside him, shoulders squared as he tried to mask his inner thoughts, the prosthetic mask of Alexiei itching on his face, but he didn't flinch. 

They turned to a corner, into the narrowing road that led to their inn. The bricked stone walls dawning upon them with their impressive height. Tae was about to ask Rurik if they were on the right track or not before the first shot rang out. 

It didn't hit them, but it was definitely a warning for them, they realised it quite quickly when a decoration of a skull fell down in front of them from one of the houses. 

Tae couldn't catch a break when he was with Rurik could he? He hadn't even investigated their first attack yet! 

But now wasn't the time to dwell on that, so without wasting another second, Tae quickly took out his gun, good thing it was normal for Alexiei Sergeevich Baranov to carry a gun too. 

More shots. Two, maybe three were heard. 

"Police..." Rurik mumbled "Fucking bastards, finally decided to grow a pair."