Chapter Text
Water dripped from the worn out ceiling. The plaster peeling off like dry skin. Its dropped onto the blood-soaked ground from the previous undead hoard. Tank grimaced as the scent of blood that filled his nostrils. He was used to blood and gore. He was a soldier, who have fought brutal battles. He has watched men go into war and disappear into the battlefield and come out with horrific wounds, but even that was lucky. Some men didn't even come back. But this was something else. This looked like a genocide. A mass genocide. The American turned to his Russian friend. Nikolai had a familiar frown that has lived on his face for years, but this had more emotion behind it. Dempsey's eyes were clouded with concern. He and the Russian had grown close since the first time they met in France. He knew he was tough and intelligent (with some flaws) but he didn't believe Nikolai before. He might think he was a bear. But even bears break too. Suddenly Nikolai's eyes were filled with desire? Tank turned to his friend's direction. His eyes settled on a russet skinned Asian man with toned muscles. He was cleaning his katana with an old cloth he found from a cell. A smirk appeared on Tank's face. It wasn't a mystery that Nikolai had a huge fat crush on Takeo. Tank slowly turned to Nikolai with smug grin on his face. "I can talk to him if you want. He might say yes." Nikolai blinked for few times before his cheeks turned a deep crimson red. "No! I mean, why would I? I don't need him or anything." Dempsey rolled his bright blue eyes. "I have seen the way you look at him. It ain't a secret that you like him." Nikolai grumbled and sent Tank a scowl. "It's not a crush, Nikolai is just...admiring him." Dempsey laughed, his laughter sent echos throughout the prison. "I'll make sure to tell him that." He wiggled his eyes brows and dramatically ran towards his Asian friend. "W-wha! T-Tank!" He was going to kill him and feed him to those hell hounds! White knuckles grasped the lab table as he gazed at the kronorium. He already threw the book once, he can do it again. He had reread the pages countless times. Why did they change? Was this the other Richtofen's doing? When did the warden have a secret room? They weren't like this before! Edward sighed resting his head on his palms. He wasn't afraid of death. Maybe a little bit. But he didn't really want this way out. Not in this place. He would rather get eaten alive. (Not really). He let a sweaty hand brush through his raven hair. He was getting stressed. But he that wasn't unusual to him, he had so many burdens on his shoulders that weighed him down on like anchors. But he had to be strong, for his comrades. Even though they don't trust him. Or like him for that matter. He still has to be strong. The German lifted his head. A chirping noise? A bright blue neon bird was chirping on top of the buttons of one of the freezers. Edward wasn't sure but he swore that it was glaring at him. Anyway, how in the hell-wait! The bird suddenly grabbed the kronorium before giving the German a warning chirp before flying out of the room, leaving a blue trail of mist. Everything happened so fast that Edward didn't even get a chance to think. He cleared his puzzled mind and ran after the flying thief. He panted getting to the entrance of the lab, he looked up and watched the bluebird fly off with the only damn thing that's keeping them alive. "Scheiße" He muttered. The only thing that was racing through his mind was, how was he going to explain this to the others? Takeo's face was completely expressionless as the two soldiers were fighting in front of him like children. He was cleaning his katana when suddenly Tank came running dramatically at him and then the Russian tackled him to the ground trying to strangle him. He was surrounded by idiots. "If you are going to fight like that make sure you do it quietly." He hissed trying to get their attention. The two stopped staring at their Asian comrade. Tank chuckled scratching the back of his neck. "We were just admir-Mhf!" A hand covered the American's mouth. "We were just looking for you to find crawler!" Nikolai blurted out, his Russian accent thick with each word. Takeo suspiciously eyed the Russian. He knew he was lying to him. He wasn't stupid. "Whatever you are doing, make it quieter. We may stop the demons for a while but we can't stop that evil warden." The air grew thin. Everyone was silent. Nobody liked the warden, they never saw anything so...Evil. Tank broke the silence. "The crawler will probably die soon, so if we do encounter him. We need to be prepared and probably find Richthofen." Nikolai growled looking away. "Why can't we just leave the German behind? Or when he turns his back we could kill him." Dempsey sighed at his friend's comment. "We have talked about thi-" Takeo walked up the Nikolai until he was face to face with him. Nikolai could feel his hot breath on him. A blush crept upon his cheeks. He was too close. "We all have our doubts about Edward, but I trust him, even after my death...If we kill him, we would be no better than that devil warden." Nikolai narrowed his eyes. "Are you really comparing me to that thing? You are no better! You weren't any better when you were insulting the German after you sacrificed yourself!" Takeo crossed his arms huffing sending nasty glares. A sigh escaped the Dempsey's mouth as he watched. There was already enough bloodshed already, he didn't need two angry trained soldiers trying to kill each other. "Come on guys, can we just drop it?" The two just looked away from each other. You would never know that one has a crush on the other. "Companions!" The three turned to a very sweaty neurotic German. "We have a very serious problem."