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It’s been a long, draining day for Boris and Kopstev. Every time they try to catch Kirenenko and Putin, something ridiculous happens and the rabbits escape again. Boris can’t stop replaying every failure in his head.
Night is settling in. They’ve stopped chasing for now, taking a break before they burn themselves out completely.
Boris stands at the edge of a cliff, staring down below. The wind pushes against him as he smokes, trying to clear his mind, but it doesn’t work. He keeps thinking about them. About how he has been humiliated by those damned rabbits. It was supposed to be an easy job, something he could finish without trouble, yet he failed. The thought makes him feel horrible. Not sad, but angry, disappointed… or at least that’s what he tells himself so he doesn’t have to admit anything softer.
Kopstev is inside their car, leaning back with his eyes closed, actually resting. He has an easygoing smile on his face, like he’s floating through life without a single worry. Boris doesn’t understand it.
How does he look so untroubled when we’re failing at our only job? Boris thinks, flicking ash off the cliff.
Minutes pass. Kopstev eventually opens his eyes, stretching a little. He’s noticed Boris’s mood for days now, the tension, the frustration, the way Boris gets quieter after every failed chase. Kopstev knows Boris isn’t handling the failures well, and he wants to help, even if he’s not sure how.
He steps out of the car and walks over to Boris, standing beside him.
“You seem like something is bothering you,” Kopstev says gently, trying to start a conversation.
Boris doesn’t look at him. “How are you so okay with all of this?” he mutters. “We’ve been failing at our only job. Arresting those stupid rabbits shouldn’t be so hard for us… That’s what’s bothering me.”
Kopstev scratches his cheek, thinking. “Yeah, you kinda are right…” he admits, not sure what the perfect answer is. “But they’re just getting lucky. They can’t run forever.”
“It’s still not right that they keep getting away.”
“I think it’s mostly the fault of that pink rabbit… Kirenenko, right?”
“Yeah. That guy is a literal demon.”
By now they’re both smoking, the orange glow of their cigarettes mixing with the fading evening light. The view is calm, almost peaceful which is something they rarely get to enjoy.
Boris exhales slowly, then gets an idea. “Hey… maybe we should try to stop him first. Kirenenko. If we take him down, the other one will be easy, that guy is a complete dumbass. Then we capture them both.”
Kopstev smiles, nudging Boris lightly with his elbow. “You’re right. See? Instead of worrying, we should come up with solutions.”
“Yeah… you’re kinda right,” Boris says, finally looking at him. “We still need to arrest them before getting too excited.”
Kopstev chuckles. “Well… are you feeling any better now?”
Boris hesitates, then nods. “Yeah. I kinda am.”
“I’m glad,” Kopstev says, giving him a warm, genuine smile, the kind that makes Boris’s chest loosen just a little.
Boris takes one last drag from his cigarette, letting the smoke drift upward into the cooling air. The sky has shifted into deeper shades of purple and blue, the kind of colors that make everything feel quieter. He finally lets his shoulders relax a little.
Kopstev watches him, hands in his pockets. “You know,” he says, “we’re not as hopeless as you think. We’ve gotten close. Really close.”
“Close doesn’t count,” Boris mutters, but his voice has lost that sharp edge.
“Maybe not,” Kopstev replies, “but it means we’re learning. Every time they slip away, we figure out something new. And eventually, that’s gonna matter.”
Boris doesn’t answer right away. He looks out over the cliff again, the lights below flickering like tiny stars. For the first time all day, the view actually feels calming.
“You really think we can pull it off?” Boris asks quietly.
Kopstev nods. “Yeah. I do. Especially if you stop beating yourself up and start using that big brain of yours.” He nudges Boris lightly with his elbow. “You’re the one who came up with the new plan, remember?”
Boris lets out a small laugh, tired, but real. “Guess I did.”
“And hey,” Kopstev adds, “we’re partners. If you fall apart, I fall apart. So don’t go thinking you’re carrying this alone.”
The words hit Boris harder than he expects. He looks at Kopstev, really looks at him, the relaxed posture, the warm smile, the steady presence he’s always had. It makes something in Boris’s chest loosen even more.
“Thanks,” Boris says, almost under his breath. “I… needed that.”
“I know,” Kopstev replies softly.
They stand there for a while, not talking, just sharing the quiet. The night breeze picks up, carrying the smell of pine and dust. Their cigarettes burn down to the filters.
Eventually, Kopstev stretches and sighs. “Alright. Tomorrow, we try again. Smarter this time.”
Boris nods. “Yeah. Tomorrow.”
Kopstev gives him one last smile, warm, steady, reassuring. “Good. Let’s head back. You look like you’re finally breathing again.”
Boris flicks the cigarette away and follows him toward the car. “I am,” he says. “Thanks to you.”
Kopstev chuckles. “Anytime.”
And for the first time in days, Boris feels like maybe, just maybe, they’re not as hopeless as he thought.