Chapter Text
All in all the day had been so far very, what’s the word? Engrossing? Yes, engrossing but at the same time a lot of fun as well. While the thought of traversing through an abandoned castle in the middle of a frozen wasteland seemed tedious at first, it didn’t take long for it to turn into a rewarding yet challenging time. But challenging was all part of the fun, and Vanta was thriving in this environment, along with his teammate, Zali.
What led to them being stuck, and subsequently separated, in the castle in the first place still remained a mystery to him. Initially they were debriefed about the mission back at HQ: To investigate a castle in an extremely remote and hazardous location, accompanied by two other scouts who would act as temporary guides. The information provided was vague and didn’t have much substance to it, but Vanta saw it as the perfect time to improve his recon mission skills. Skip ahead a couple of hours and as planned the scouts directed them to the deserted castle and then promptly left the two alone to get on with their mission.
However, as soon as Vanta and Zali entered the grounds something went very, very wrong. There was a commotion of some sort that caused Vanta to feel suddenly very disorientated and he swore he saw figures – human figures – approaching them before eventually losing consciousness. The next thing he awoke in a room by himself that had painted symbols and coloured lights on the stone walls – a puzzle of some sort. Memories of what had just happened and how he got there were very blurry and made no sense at all. But rather than dwell on the unknown and unanswered questions, he looked for a solution to his current predicament. Upon investigation he discovered a walkie-talkie which turned out to be his only connection to Zali, who had been placed elsewhere in the castle.
Though despite being separated and initially confused as to what to do, they were soon fully invested in their mission and took turns helping each other solve puzzles while making their way through the dilapidated structure. It was fun, and that’s what counted, thought Vanta. Regardless of it being bitterly cold and their way only dimly lit by the sparse oil-fuelled torches on the walls, their exceptional communication skills and close friendship knew no bounds even when separated.
The only thing amiss, Vanta reflected while pushing a particularly large chess piece across a giant board in an atrium-like courtyard, was their third partner, Wilson.
"He would have absolutely loved this place," he mused to himself while relaying feedback back to Zali on the other end of the walkie-talkie. But unfortunately, this mission only called for two members of Krisis to accomplish the goal – HQ’s direct orders. And besides, Wilson had just returned from a solo mission and was taking some time out to recover his energy, so it was pretty much decided that Vanta and Zali would be chosen for this one without even consulting Wilson. Which still kind of sucked as it would have been extra fun and more laughs with him in this castle as well.
Vanta firmly believed that their missions should be done as a trio. Always. They worked so well together every time and were just as successful! Krisis was perfect in his eyes, like three peas in a pod they were the ideal partners in crime, ahem, I mean heroic deeds or whatnot. From the beginning they got along like a house on fire, not just when working together professionally, but also in their downtime – whatever metaphor to emphasise their closeness, that was it. He felt like he was at home with these guys, like they were his found family, his brothers. And as time went on their friendship blossomed into something more – one where hugs and taking homie naps together came about as naturally as can be, creating an even deeper trust and respect between them.
“Fuck," he cursed under his breath, hot breath instantly condensing into a cold misty cloud. "He should be here too."
Next time, he thought as he moved another chess piece on the board. Next time all three of us will go on a mission for sure!
The walkie-talkie crackled to life.
"How’s the puzzle coming along, Vanta? Over."
"Yeah, we’re getting there. It’s fucking cold out here though. Over."
"Okay, I think there is just one more piece to go and it should work. Try moving the queen forward until it hits the other black piece. Over."
"Got it. Over."
Vanta did as he was told. He knew of the game of chess but couldn’t remember the last time he played it, let alone remember the names of the pieces and how they moved. Fortunately, he had Zali who was far more quick-witted and on the ball to understand the complexities of this puzzle. He was glad that he wasn’t the one giving the directions here as he would have failed so magnificently that it would have been embarrassing. That, and he wouldn’t have wanted Zali to be exposed to the biting cold as much as he was experiencing right now – but that was a fact he would keep to himself. He preferred not to make Zali worry too much over him than he already did.
Back to the game and as soon as Vanta placed the piece in position mechanical noises at the far end of the courtyard alerted him to the fact that the puzzle was complete.
"Oh my god. We did it! Yes!"
"You did it, Vanta! You did it! Over."
"C’mon let’s goooo!" Oh, almost forgot! “Over!"
Bolting through the newly opened doorway, relieved to be out of the freezing cold, Vanta took a moment to gather his bearings and take a few deep breathes. It was becoming increasingly difficult to maintain warmth and think clearly when it came to solving the puzzles (seriously, how long had they been in this castle? It will be getting dark soon and it’s already dangerously cold. We only brought enough food to sustain us for a day’s excursion. Surely we should be done by now?). “No. Stop it. Enough! We are heroes for crying out loud” He scolded himself. “No point getting worried over nothing.” He had to remain positive. He had to remain upbeat. He didn’t want to worry Zali, especially as he was the type of guy who was very perceptive and attentive to others and their troubles (he was a healer after all). Even over a walkie-talkie he knew Zali would pick something up.
Taking a deep breath (fuck, that cold air really burns the lungs, doesn’t it?) and pushing his negative thoughts aside he returned to the task at hand: Solving the next puzzle.
What seemed like a couple hours later, and numerous (albeit sometimes frustrating) puzzles, Vanta found himself staring down a stark, long stone tunnel lined with torches. At the end, about 100 feet (or 30 metres for Zali’s sake) away, the white snowy landscape of the outdoors briefly blinded him with its intensity.
"Oh… did we make it? Is it over?" He whispered under his breath.
"Vanta?"
His heart skipped a beat as he heard Zali’s voice. But this time his voice was not coming from the walkie-talkie, but rather he sounded as clear as day, as if he was directly behind him. He spun around, eyes wide, and found himself staring straight into his friend’s radiant face.
"Zali? How…"
Zali removed his snow goggles and looked ahead. "Oh! We made it!" he exclaimed, a smile beaming back at Vanta that instantly made him forget how cold and hungry he was. Removing his goggles as well he took in the man in front of him, a source of warmth, support and comfort amidst the frigid and bleak conditions. Without a second thought he scooped Zali up into a tight hug, his feet dangling just above the stone floor as Vanta celebrated.
"OH MY GOD WE MADE IT! Oh man, you’re the best, Zali!" Vanta couldn’t hold back his relief, planting a kiss on Zali’s cheek while spinning him around and laughing. Zali joined in, laughing and hugging the big man back just as tightly, reciprocating the kiss.
Vanta stopped his celebrating and looked at up Zali, still holding him in his arms. Vivid gold irises with hints of pink and purples that danced in the torchlight stared back at him. Soft gloved hands reached out and cupped his face, catching an unexpected stray tear that fell from his eyes. His emotions were overwhelming and he couldn’t hold it back anymore. He knew Zali had immediately picked up on this as his hands remained on his cheeks, providing comfort and security.
"I love you. You know that right?" he said smiling as a blush started to warm his face and more tears pooled at the corners of his eyes.
"I love you too." Zali quietly replied, his smile genuine and soft.
It warmed Vanta's heart to no end every time Zali returned his affections. He loved the fact that they could openly share their feelings with each other – and that included Wilson as well. They were his brothers, his homies, his found family. And he loved them unconditionally. To be honest Vanta didn’t want to let Zali go, a small part of him was afraid he’d disappear again. He didn’t think that spending so many hours away from him would affect him so much, especially when they worked so well together by providing each other support and guidance. But here they were, reunited once again and at the end of their mission.
That’s right. This had to be the end of their mission... right?