The Extent of Love

11

One thousand reads! I am so happy! Thank y'all so much! Love all you beautiful people!

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The day had passed without anything really happening. Alfred woke up sprawled over Ivan and the Russian chose to laugh at him for it, which was something.

But now. Now was beautiful. The night sky beckoned him in, the moon a crescent of silver against the black.

He could point out every star in Hydra's swiveling tunnel of stars, Ursa Major and Ursa Minor. It took a few minutes for him to spot Lupus, but eventually he found it.

"Mind if I join you?" A voice said from behind him. It was Ivan, and he smelled like he had hot chocolate.

"Yep," Alfred said, looking at him as he was handed a big glass of the drink, smiling as he drank it. Ivan sat down beside him, drinking his own cup and looking up at the night sky.

"Deva..." Ivan pointed at Virgo, the stars dominating just above Lupus.

"It's Virgo in English," Alfred said, leaning on Ivan.

"Oh," Ivan mouthed, "Don't you have a religion based on stars?"

"I have a lot of religions based on stars, you have to be more specific." Alfred replied, "Zodiac's the main one. It's the religion most of my people follow, most without even realizing it's a religion."

"Can you explain it? I didn't understand what it meant." Ivan asked, looking up at the stars.

"Zodiac is a religion based on the stars, specifically, twelve constellations. Three water, three air, three earth, and three fire. It is then separated into Fire and Air, and Water and Earth. It's like the Avatar of religions. Depending on what month you're born in depends on what sign you are, and the main aspects of your personality. For example, Gemini's are two-faced, Aries are hard-headed, Leo's are proud, etc, etc."

"That sounds like something I recognize." Ivan said, his eyes painting the sky. Alfred felt a buzz against his butt, his phone going off, telling him to answer the fucking text. But he couldn't. Not right now.

"It's a modern version of Chinese Taoism, and more astronomical." Alfred chuckled, watching the sky. A plane flew above them. Owls hooted. The air got colder.

It was almost a half-hour before Ivan looked like he was ready to leave.

"You can leave baby," Alfred said, kissing his cheek, "I won't be out that much longer."

"Alright," Ivan replied, pecking him on the lips, "Don't get to cold."

"I won't!" Alfred called as Ivan took the glasses that used to be full of hot chocolate inside. After he heard the door click close, and saw the kitchen lights turn off, he stood.

Walking over to a tree, he jumped onto one of the lowest branches, before seeing his next step and jumping again. The branch below him completely cracked off the tree, landing with a thump of the ground. Alfred ended up in the heart of the tree, curled up between two branches.

Clicking open his phone, he checked his text message. A file on a man not far away. Labeled rapist and abuser.

He heard flapping, and a bird landed on a branch near him. Freedom, his bald eagle.

"Hey Free," Alfred said, holding his hand out for the bird to sniff. Freedom looked at his hand for a few seconds before using it to scratch the back of her head.

'Twinie asked me to tell you that you need to kill someone,' the eagle nodded, talking about Conner.

"Ya, I realized. You can go back home now." Alfred sighed, checking through the report. Quick money, so who really cared. Not the mans victims.