belladonna | alejandro vargas ✓

【Chapter 7】

"Still nothing?"

Alejandro snapped his head up and blinked rapidly, trying to get the fatigue off his body and mind. In the past few days, he barely managed to get any sleep, always ready to burst inside and catch Sin Nombre. Or just waiting for a sign from Belladonna.

Beadie, he remembered. It was such an odd nickname for such a beautiful name. But both of them suited her perfectly.

"No," Alejandro cleared his throat and his dark eyes involuntarily wandered back to the monitor and radio station before him.

Rodolfo let out a defeated sigh and placed a cup of warm coffee in front of his Colonel. Alejandro sent a grateful look to Rudy as he reached for the cup, his tired eyes unfocused as he brought it to his lips.

"You should slow down," Rudy took a seat at the other side of the table, looking over him with a worrisome expression. He rarely saw Alejandro so invested in something that he just forgot to take care of himself.

Just as Rudy said that, Alejandro winced and let out a series of curses, the coffee burning his tongue. Just great, he thought. No sleep, and now no coffee for him.

"I told you," the man across from him sent him a half-smile. Rudy only got a disapproving grunt in response. "But I didn't just mean the coffee, Colonel. When was the last time you ate? Did you even went home since we started this mission?"

He didn't remember and no. Those were Alejandro's answers but he knew better than to say those out loud. Rudy was a great friend and an impeccable second-in-command, but he was very protective, too. Which, in this case, would just come and bite him in the ass.

"I'm fine," Alejandro leaned back in his chair and dragged a hand over his face. His shoulders slumped forward a little and he felt like he could fall asleep in this very chair, but then his eyes went to look at the radio again. "I'm just waiting."

"Soap will be here soon to take it over."

Alejandro opened his mouth to argue like he usually did, but after a second thought, he closed it. They had the same conversation the day before and that time Rudy let it go and let him be, just sitting beside the radio and waiting for any signal from the blonde woman. But from the serious look on Rodolfo's face and solid tone, he knew he wouldn't let it happen again.

And even though he wouldn't admit it for the world, Alejandro was exhausted. He needed a little break.

"Fine," Alejandro agreed, but his tone held the stubbornness that was ready to argue again. Rudy decided to ignore it as he took a careful sip from his own coffee, feeling satisfied with the response.

A few minutes of silence settled between them, Alejandro lacking the spare energy for small talk this late (this early?), and Rudy just didn't feel the need to fill up the silence. They had this beautiful relationship that was comfortable with the silence and sometimes it even felt good. The Vaqueros were usually loud, always chatting, joking, or just blasting music in their free time.

Alejandro wished his biggest problem right now was that the Vaqueros held another party at the base.

"How are you feeling, really?" Rodolfo asked softly, taking a second to analyze his friend. The dark circles under his eyes and the stubble that started to grow into a beard spoke loudly enough.

"Fine," Alejandro adjusted in his seat, trying to relax. He supported his head with his hand propped against the table, suddenly feeling the tiredness catching up with him. He forced a small smile on his lips. "Don't worry about me, Rudy."

"Somebody has to."

Maybe he was right, maybe not. But Alejandro didn't have the time to think his answer through as the office door burst open, revealing a yawning John MacTavish. His hair was a little messed up, missing its usual neatness and his jeans hung low on his hips, the belt he usually wore missing as well. Alejandro couldn't help but smile.