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Imagine:
"Murray, tell him that I'll take him to get a cherry one."
Murray spoke Russian to the curly headed man in front of him and they had a short exchange. Some of the words they were saying sounded like bickering.
"He said he'd like that. And that he likes your eyes."
You flashed a smile his way. "Thank you, Alexei. Does he know any English, Murray?"
"I think he can understand a bit, but can't speak it back."
"Okay. Come on, Alexei. Let's go get our slushees."
The man stood up with his handcuffs still on and almost leaped out of his skin he was so excited for the cold drink.
"Hopper, can you take his cuffs off? I don't think he's going to run off on me." You looked at hopper with puppy eyes, something he couldn't resist.
"Absolutely not, that man is staying cuffed until we can get some answers out of him."
"But pleeeeaassseeee. Hopper we just wanna get some slushees."
You waited a few moments while batting your eyelashes. He always gave in eventually.
"...Fine. I'll let him off, but you need to keep an extra eye out for him." Hopper huffed and gave into your babyish ways once again.
You led Alexei to the door and shut it behind you.
"Alright, Alexei. I'm only gonna Buy you a slushee if you cooperate with us, okay?"
The Russian man shook his head. A grin crowded his face, stretching from ear to ear.
The small gas station was thankfully empty except for the clerk who could care less what you did. You took this opportunity to down a Coca Cola and you handed one to Alexei after opening it for him.
"Do they have these where you're from?"
He shook his head. "Yes."
"I thought you couldn't speak any English?"
"No."
"Okay do you only know how to say yes and no?"
"Yes." He smiled at you like a baby that just got its first piece of candy.
"Okay well at least you have some way of communicating with us. I'll get you your slushee." You walked over to the run down machine. It was clean, it's just that it looked older than Hopper.
"Okay, here you go Alexei. I'll be right back I have to pay for them. Stay here."
The store clerk handed you your change and you turned around to see Alexei smiling sweetly, the straw still in his mouth. He looked like a cute little toddler.
