Reko has no idea just how long he's been running. As soon as he heard what his captain's father said, both about the deaths of his adoptive parents and his plan for Kazimir during and after Forchheim, he was filled with nothing but rage toward his captain.
Why didn't he tell Reko earlier? Why did he lie to all his officers about his past? Why did he lie to everyone about the Russian's goal in starting this war? Has he always been a liar? How many more lies has he told, and what is the truth behind them?
So now he's running through the pine forest at the western edge of the base, his emotions driving him to keep running. His system alerts him to obstacles such as tree roots, thorns, and the like as he runs, which are dodged with ease.
Eventually, the soft morning sunlight is completely blocked out from the thick canopy above the boy, and he stops running, allowing his system to cool down just a bit. His body is slightly warm- there is far from a high risk of him going berserk in this state, unlike Lunas.
Lunas. The mechanical soldier that Reko has just learned was all for nothing. Not only did he backfire and have to be killed by Felix, but his captain thought he was Reko and the Russians didn't want a mechanical soldier in the first place.
Reko heard the first gunshot. He ran as fast as he could towards the sound, worried his captain was hurt, as Thilo pulled him aside as soon as he arrived back from Basel-Landschaft to tell him that Lunas somehow left the underground workshop, despite Reko telling him to stay down there before leaving the night before last.
He then heard the second as he was making his way to the congregation of people and saw Rainier's body. The sight of his captain, cradling who he believed was Reko in his arms ,almost brought the boy to tears, as he imagined that he was in Lunas' place, shot to death by his captain. But he knew, if Felix shot Lunas, that meant he had gone berserk, and Reko's request, though not meant for Lunas, was fulfilled.
As he looks up at the black canopy, the boy now understands the pain his captain must have suffered in those minutes in which he believed he killed the mechanical soldier himself. They've made countless memories together, so for all those to vanish from Reko the moment a bullet is sent through his skull...
Then, to confess the pain and abuse he suffered under his father... Reko knows that some of those cuts on his captain's wrists aren't solely from his time in Germany, but also in Russia to be punished for something he wasn't at fault for.
The teenager looks around, wondering in which direction the base is. He's just about to ask his system for directions when a voice from behind stops him.
"Hello."
The teenager freezes and slowly turns around. Though it is still extremely dark, he can see a figure. His system recognizes this, and adjusts the brightness of his eyes so he can better see the figure's features. But they can only be so bright, therefore the only things the boy can see is the person's black frock coat and their blond hair.
His system fails to recognize the person standing in front of them, leading Reko to reveal his chef's knife from the sheath at his left hip. To this, the figure lets out a low laugh, yet the boy narrows his eyes.
"I am of no harm to you- I promise. I just wish to have a small conversation. Let's start with introductions, yes? My name is Rodion. What's yours?"
Rodion. Did his captain say that was his name in Russia? Is this person trying to impersonate his captain? Because if they are, Reko will- with no hesitation whatsoever- slash this person's throat wide open and watch as they die on the ground. It's unlikely anyone would find the body, as no one travels this deep into the forest in the first place, but he could also bury it, just for good measure.
"Are you Ko- my captain?" Reko stops himself from saying the term he usually addresses Felix by, coming to the conclusion this person might not understand what the word means.
"No, not exactly." The figure takes a few steps towards Reko, and the boy tightens his grip on his chef's knife, still wary of them.
"Are you alive? Do you exist?" Reko asks two seemingly silly questions, but he's genuinely not sure if he's hallucinating or if this is real.
"To your first question, I suppose. To the second one, sure. I'm telling you the truth, which I see is something your beloved captain can't do, no matter how much he tries." Reko is frozen in place as Rodion approaches him.
He looks down, and just as he realizes what Rodion is holding in his left hand, his chef's knife is released from his own left hand, and he crashes to the ground.
It's the same device Kazimir used to render the boy inoperable during Forchheim so he'd be an easy target to kill. Kirsi made one, just in case he had to freeze a being's operation, yet it was lost during the war twelve years ago. But why does Rodion, a person who technically shouldn't be here, possess it?
"Whoops. I apologize; I suppose I got a little too ahead of myself. But now that you're in a much friendlier position, allow me to tell you the truth about your captain. I'll tell you everything he hasn't- and quite a bit more. Are you alright with that?" Rodion's tone is mocking, and Reko guesses he is well aware that the boy on the ground can't reply to him in away way- not even a nod or single sound, as both functions have been frozen.
Rodion just smiles and continues speaking. "Wonderful. Now, where shall I begin? Let's start with the day you were rescued in Finland, yes? Your captain was told to find survivors of the war and bring them into the military, where they could live a better life. He found you, and you were taught to be grateful. Yet you shouldn't have been. Your creator wished for you to live with the love and affection a child would receive from a family.
"The military is no place for any of those beliefs. And the soldiers in Switzerland knew that about you. You were nothing more than an orphan, a mechanical one, at that. They debated how long it would take until you dropped out, like most of the other children, men, and women saved from Finland. They didn't last, so what was so different with you?
"It was your captain. Your dear, beloved captain. He stopped those debates, lectured those who made jokes, and brought up any major threats towards your welfare and life with General Petra herself. You were so privileged, and you thought that was all due to your captain's kindness, yes? The reality is, it wasn't.
"You're a mechanical soldier to the military, and to everyone in it. You are made for nothing more than war. Your duty is to kill the enemy without fear and listen to orders without hesitation. Your captain told this to those who were making fun of you, and so they stopped. He made them see just how valuable you were for war and slaughter. Not a child who didn't deserve to be mocked and laughed at, as he told you countless times. That's the first lie.
"The second one is none other than Forchheim. Your captain got so very close to you, closer than he wanted to in the first place. I don't know why, and I don't want to know. I just know that was a mistake. He knew Kazimir was going to kill you. He never stopped him from talking to you. He never even argued against General Petra's decision to send all three of you to Forchheim.
"He let you wander from your post. He watched as you left, and then told Kazimir of your whereabouts. How else would he have found you so quickly? And then, to play the hero, he acted as though he saved you by killing Kazimir. What he really was doing was acting on information he received from his father at the last minute.
"Kazimir, as you now know, was going to ensure there were absolutely no survivors after the massacre and then allow Russia to take control of Switzerland. But Germany wanted that land and promised Kazimir something Russia never thought to offer him- the command of an entire platoon. It would differ vastly from being a spy, but his name and his feats would be history, and he'd receive quite a lot of money as well. So, he planned to betray Russia, and that's why your captain shot him, then lied to you about the reason.
"What occurred afterward was nothing but a dramatic show. Especially the nights in his office when he'd convince himself, over and over again, that this world would be better off without him. And he would be right. I do wish he would have worked up the courage to end his life before you barged in and made him snap out of that wondrous little fantasy world.
"He's lied ever since that day, mostly to you. The reason for the war that has just begun. The reason he calls retreats and the likes so often. Oh, do you wish to know about that? Did you know your captain is a seer? He has silver blood to prove it, though these pills he takes- the ones in the white bottle you found a week ago- change the color of his blood to crimson so no one knows he's actually a seer.
"Of course, this all because his father wants him back, but your captain has one last task that he needs to take care of before going back to Russia after he is certain Switzerland will fall: killing you. All this time, he's been giving you what you want and acting like he's been saving your life so you feel like you'd owe him a debt. Then, when the perfect time arrives, he'll shoot you right in the head and you won't even suspect a thing! Speaking of-"
Reko is yanked up into a standing position as Rodion seizes the teenager by the collar of his uniform and moves to stand behind him. He can feel the barrel of a gun against his head, and can just make out a shadow far off in the forest, their pistol also pointed at Reko.
A soft voice from the figure Reko can't see immediately tells him who it is. "Let him go, Rodion."
Is what Rodion said true? Is this the moment his captain has been waiting for? Will Reko die right here, before morning comes? Just like if Reko killed Rodion, if his captain killed the boy, he wouldn't have to bother burying the body.
No one travels this far into the forest anyway.
Except his captain.
A laugh from the addressed man. "I don't think I will. Not until you finish what your father started twelve years ago. Kill the boy, or I'll release him, and he'll kill you. I've convinced him that a world without you- a world without being lied to- is better than this hell he's in right now. I've told him about the true motives behind the rescue mission, Forchheim, the war, and even your ability as a seer. He's full of nothing but hate and rage towards you. So go ahead and shoot him before he kills you."
Reko feels the grip around the back of his uniform lessen, and shortly after, a gunshot. His world goes black, and he is unable to feel or see anything.
Yet a moment later, he finds he can move. Wait... He can move! The boy's eyes snap open and he jumps up, frantically looking around for two things: Rodion and his captain.
He finds Rodion first, lying on the ground, a bullet put right in between his eyes. He slowly turns to face the figure still standing in the darkness, and neither of them say a single word. He wonders what emotions his captain is feeling and what thoughts are running through his head. Are those emotions grief, guilt and regret for what he's shared with the boy? Are those thoughts mainly concerning him and worried for his well-being?
Finally, Reko breaks the silence with a question he's never received an answer to, because he thought he knew the answer. But after Rodion's words, even if what he said himself were all lies, the boy doesn't know anymore. "Do you love me?"
Yet his captain does not answer. Reko feels tears begin to form in his eyes and fall down his cheeks. "Tell me you see me as a human. Tell me I'm more than just a tool you can use for wars. Am I nothing but a mechanical soldier to you? Am I nothing but a disposable person that Kirsi can just build another of when I'm dead and gone? Do I hold a place in your heart? Because...because. . .." Reko's voice trails off and he squeezes his eyes shut and forces the words out of his mouth.
"I love you."
The boy can't hold back the sobs that escape his throat and fill the silent darkness of the forest. The silhouette of his captain wavers in his fragile eyes, yet he can see him move. It's a familiar gesture.
He kneels down and extends his arms up and out. Without a moment of hesitation, Reko runs forward, collides with his captain, and is pulled into a tight embrace. And as the boy continues to cry, he can hear the young man's voice trying to soothe him, yet it soon turns into softer words and shaky intakes of breath. Not long after, he's crying with Reko, and the boy only buries his face deeper into his captain's uniform.
Remaining in place for a minute more, Reko finally gains enough strength to pull away only slightly, so his and his captain's arms still remain around one another but they are free to speak and hear one another clearly. And though the boy wants to speak first, his captain is faster.
"I'm sorry for everything Rodion has said to you. But I want you to know none of it's true. Yes, I took you into the military because it was part of the mission, but I never saw you as just another tool for war. I saw you as a human child, determined to prove to others that you could stand beside them despite all the hardships you've endured.
"I dispelled those rumors and stopped those bets because I knew you felt hurt by them. And I smiled, and waved, and talked with you at every chance I could because I knew what it was like to be all alone and I didn't want you to feel like I did.
"I had no idea about Kazimir regardless of my father's involvement. I hate him, and I hate my father so much because of how much harm they've caused you and me. But know that I am willing to do anything to stop him from hurting you in any way. Even if that means. . .." Felix's voice trails off, and Reko picks his sentence right back up.
"Don't surrender to Russia. Please tell me you won't. I can't live in a world without you- that itself would be hell." Reko's arms move to his captain's shoulders, and Felix manages a nod and small smile.
"I could never dream of a world in which you aren't by my side, Reko. I won't surrender; you have my word." The boy moves his arms back around his captain and nuzzles into his neck, closing his eyes and praying that this war will end soon.
He does not want his captain to suffer. He himself doesn't want to suffer. But he'll risk his life to protect that of his captain and stand by his side whenever needed. Reko will die with a smile on his face if he knows his captain will survive this war.
Another question comes to the boy's mind. He lifts his head and looks once more at his captain. Reko likes his blue eyes. They remind him of the days when the skies were blue in Finland. And when the lake would reflect the clouds when he would go to the park with his adoptive parents.
"Komentaja, are you proud of yourself?" He watches as his captain closes his eyes, and releases Reko, to which the boy frowns and moves so his head rests against his captain's chest.
"I still have a lot of room for improvement, considering I'm rather young. I know I can never be perfect, but if I can strive to get as close to perfection as possible, I'll try. Why do you ask?" His captain's answer is as inspiring as Reko believed it would be, and he can't help but smile.
"I just thought of it. I like listening to your voice, too." Reko closes his eyes and hears his captain softly laugh before drawing his fingers through the boy's hair.
"Well, are you proud of yourself?" Eyes still closed, the mechanical being thinks about the question posed right back at him.
He would say no. He still has updates to undergo from Kirsi, and may never be a fully complete mechanical being, even if a half-soldier, half-child can never hope to be just one or the other. He failed to save Reyes, though he's beyond grateful Berlyn and Elena came to help him. Stealing from his captain's office isn't one of his proudest moments either- sometimes Reko can still hear his captain's voice that day in his ears in the middle of the night.
But he protected Basel-Landschaft. He's living to see days he never thought he would four years ago. And his captain is still alive. He's proud of all those things. So, finally, after a couple of minutes, Reko gives a one-word reply. "Yeah."
All his captain does is hum, and Reko can feel his lips softly press against the boy's head. Yet that gesture makes Reko think about the question Reyes posed to him before the former excused himself rather suddenly. "Komentaja, if I love someone, what should I do to show them? Do I have to tell them?"
He hears his captain laugh again, still combing his fingers through the boy's hair as he replies. "You don't have to say the words 'I love you'. Thilo's gesture was taking me to see the cornflowers, because he knows that's my favorite flower- I'm sure you've seen the vase of them on my office's desk. You could also give them a gift, and though I wouldn't consider it a gesture of love, Thilo gave me my navy uniform as a birthday gift. I do have to get another one, though. . .. Anyway, that's beside the point. Did I answer your question?"
Thilo loved the boy's captain? He feels as though he shouldn't be surprised, but he instead notices another emotion well up within him.
Jealousy.
He doesn't know why, but the thought of his captain with the outgoing man annoys him. Sure, Thilo's not the possessive type, and Reko thinks it's very unlike him to ever become such, but it is the teenager's job to look out for his captain, and that also means silently criticizing who loves him. At least Thilo is nice and sane...at the moment. But if he ever makes one wrong move, Reko will not hesitate to slit his throat without prior warning.
"So, if I love someone, I could give them a gift? What if I don't know what they like?" Reko wonders what Reyes would appreciate, as "vengeance for the death of his parents" is far out of the mechanical being's reach. Would that even be a gift?
"You could always ask. If I may inquire, who's this person?" The boy moves his head momentarily to look up at the young man, then returns to closing his eyes and resting against his captain's chest.
"Reyes. I accidentally let it slip, and when he asked me if I really did love him, I panicked and left him alone. I feel really bad about it, and I want to get him a gift, but I have no idea what he likes, and I don't think he's expressed any interests." Reko explains, and his captain hums again.
"Why don't you ask Terenizo to make some Danish pastries, and give those to him? I'm sure a reminder of home will lead him to forgive you, or at least hate you a little less." The young man suggests, and Reko nods in agreement.
"I'll do it later... I like it here. I could fall asleep. . .." Reko feels his captain move just slightly, and then hears another short laugh.
"It's 7:30 in the morning, Reko. I hate to break it to you, but I may end up sending you back to Basel-Landschaft just in case any emergencies arise. With the war officially underway-" Reko shoots up as soon as he hears the last three words his captain speaks.
"The war has already begun? I thought we had a week and a half left!?" The boy takes off through the forest, and his captain is beside him in a moment, neither slowing down until their feet make contact with the gravel ground of the base.
"That's what I thought too. I'm going to move into my formal office and begin asking for some officers to come in as I need to reassign cantons since some officers have. . .." The boy averts his gaze as his captain's voice trails off, but he clears his throat and continues nonetheless. "Well, do you want to continue commanding Basel-Landschaft, or would you rather stay with me in Bern?"
Reko doesn't have to think about his reply at all. "I'm staying with you."
His answer earns him a ruffle of his hair and a soft smile from the young man. "Somehow I knew you'd say that, but I just wanted to make sure I was right. Now, go ahead and travel wherever Reyes is staying and give him some pastries. Terenizo won't be in the kitchen for much longer. I'll be here when you get back."
Reko nods before turning and beginning to walk towards the mess hall. Yet his captain calls out to him. "Reko."
The boy turns around and sees the young man, his figure seemingly shimmering in the morning sunlight. In a soft voice, akin to that of an angel, Reko hears the four words that he's always wanted to hear from his captain while feeling a comforting warmth within his chest.
"I love you, too."