Heartbeats

Chapter 21: Change of heart

"I can't wait to see you back in action. Now that I've moved back to the base, maybe we could do stuff together again." Commander Gavril happily exclaimed.

Borian returned the idea with a grin. He too was pretty excited.

"Lunch? Maybe we could even train together?" Borian started to imagine it, "Or even midnight snacks if ever you stay up late. It'll be like old times but with more paperwork! And I can't wait to see your new office. I bet it'll be the most expensive office in the base."

"With more paperwork..." Gavril repeated while laughing, "that is so true."

"Hopefully we could eat with Sasha and Daniel again...like the old times." Borian added.

Just when Gavril was starting to smile again, the smile vanished. Gavril's chin lowered a bit while his eyes stared at a distance, slowly he remembered what happened with August inside his car.

Gavril was not proud of it at all. He acted like that due to jealousy. Sure, he could say that he was just worried about Sasha and her future and all that stuff; but could he really lie to himself that much? He had been lying to himself all this time, but now that he had unveiled to August too much of what he had been hiding, Gavril decided to finally face it.

"Borian." Gavril suddenly went serious, "I don't think I could wait anymore. I think it's about time."

Borian looked at Gavril. There was no shock written in his face. He was expecting it the first time August started to become closer with Sasha.

"Gav you just suspended her and did not stop what happened to my squad that almost got her brother killed. She kinda hates you right now."

"I know." Gavril was apologetic.

"Also, you two are years apart and you are now the Commander of the recon ops. No matter how much she's matured she's still younger compared to you and me." Borian reminded him.

Gavril sunk lower, "I know."

"But I've been telling you to stop this feeling for years already. I steered you away and I constantly reminded you of your responsibilities with her. But, you never stopped loving her. Even if you told me before that you're over it, even if you sleep with other women... I know that you still wanted to be by her side more than anyone else's. You never stopped."

"I know."

Borian looked at the door, outside, the woman she loved sat quietly; her eyes fixed on the monitor and her fingers moved across the keyboard with grace and finesse that you would think she was playing music rather than working. Borian could imagine what she looked like even beyond the barrier that separated her from him.

"Even if you knew very well why I was doing all that, you didn't do as I say." Borian looked back at Gavril, "and I don't think you ever will."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. That weird persistence of yours is the reason why you're you. So what other choice do I have... I have to give up don't I?"

Gavril was utterly shocked, "Where did that change of heart come from? Is this some sort of side effect from all that antivirus?"

"Shut up." Borian said with a large laugh. "Don't make me regret what I just said."

"Then why? You were so adamant about it."

Borian looked back at the wall again, but this time Gavril followed his gaze. He had noticed that Borian was looking back and forth from him to that side of the room, but Gavril was not really bothered about it until now. Gavril thought about it for a bit and realized that it was not the wall nor the small framed picture that he was looking at.