Work Text:
…..
The general pushed the curtain open gently.
Gently.
If Scott hadn’t been looking at his face,which had a complex expression of worry and slight frustration he wouldn’t understand his mood as his body language didn’t expose him.He pushed that curtain open so gently but with such frustration that the atmosphere in the space changed ever so slightly.
The brunette sat there quietly.Back straightened,legs pressed together and hands on his knees,patiently waiting.Looking up at the other with eyes that sparkled from the reflection of the nearby candles as the general entered the tent.He examined the taller man’s face,avoiding his eyes at all cost,but even without that he realized that something in him had shifted.That this wouldn’t go as happily as Scott had hoped it would.
They stared at each other for a few silent seconds.
“What are you doing here?” Bagration finally spoke. A harsh tone.
The grenadier visible from the corner of Scott’s eye standing at the entrance who had accompanied the general retreated very quietly as far away as he could from the tent,not wanting to disturb whatever was about to go down.
“I thought it would be nice to pay you a visit.”Scott smiled at him softly,painfully ignorant of the others mood.But who could blame him,he had never been able to read people.There was a moment of silence,for a mere second,so short that the brunette was barely able to take half a breath in before the others voice was heard again.
“Why would you come here.” Harsher.
Now it was more obvious,and Scott instantly felt the air shift and become heavy.He would suffocate from this if things didn’t switch up soon enough.He swallowed,as quietly as he could before finding the courage to speak up again.
“6 months alone nearly drove me crazy.I wanted to talk to you again.”He stood up from the small seating area smiling at the other in a gentler manner than before,not trying to provoke anything or misread the room.
He wasn’t afraid of him.No.
If anything he had put his full trust into the other.They had spent several months together,getting closer and closer and the fact that Bagration could become a danger to him never crossed his mind,not even once.However,they hadn’t quarreled like this before.If anything the small disagreements and “fights” were about very minor things that could be laughed at the following days and never left anyone hurt.This quarrel felt like it could step into uncharted territory none of them have or would want to cross.
“This is an active battlefield,it is not safe here.”He towered over the other,while keeping the respectful distance.Bagration’s tone was more serious than ever.He knew that Scott would be okay as he had visited a camp during a campaign before but only when the Russian army had the upper hand and it was safe enough,this was too much though.French forces were actively pushing them back and defeat was evident at any moment.The whole imperial army was on edge.
“I’m sure i’ll be alright.Ive been here before i can definitely handle myself-“
“A man like you should not be here,you should have never come to see me!”
He spoke with fear not anger.
But what difference does that make to someone who doesn’t understand the tone of voice.Both are negative emotions,both can be hurtful.
Bagration moved to the side of the tent,his hands slightly fidgety and eyes glued to the ground.His bushy eyebrows furrowed together closely in frustration as he glanced towards the smaller man.No hate was in those eyes,but the other couldn’t see that,he couldn’t look at them.
The tension still lingered.
“I’m very capable to taking care of myself.”Now Scott’s tone was serious,more pushy,more aggressive.He wanted to express his feelings aswell,he had every right to.The other simply listened,waiting for his turn to speak.
“I spent all those months alone and i lived!”He threw his arms to the side expressively,as if wanting to prove something to the general.
“You were in a house in warmth and comfort!”Now he had yelled.”You had no worry of death!”He snapped once more and turned to face the floor.
Bagration’s already dark eyes darkened more and suddenly every emotion was brightly exposed to Scott.It hit him in the face like a bullet and snapped him right back into reality.He really was in the middle of a war zone and this was no joke.
The older man sighed and looked back up at the other,slowly,as if he was prey whom he did not wish to scare away.Eyes still full of what was now exposed as concern and worry.The air changed once more,now into something more breathable.
“I did not travel all those days for nothing so now you will have to deal with me being right here.”He stepped forward,closing the space between them and pointed right into the generals face,frustration plastered all over his own.He gritted his teeth as he spoke letting more emotion flow through the sentence before turning his body 180° and walking towards the what would be considered the door in the tent.
Silence.
A slight giggle was heard behind Scott’s back,and he slowly turned to face it.
Bagration’s complex expression was now fully gone and the only thing that remained in place was a smiling man struggling to control himself.He tried to cover his mouth with the back of his hand,in attempt of hiding his laughter but ultimately failed to succeed.He leaned on a nearby chest trying to keep himself stable and not tumble over.
Scott stared at him,slightly confused about the origin of his amusement but undoubtedly accepted the positive turnout, frustration still slightly boiling in his blood.
“I will-“ giggle “-do so very happily.” The taller man struggled to say,but eventually was able to calm down.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before speaking again.
“You must excuse my outburst.I have not seen you in such a state before.”He was sincere now,words flowing out gently and brushing right past the younger man’s ears.The truth was nothing had ever escalated to this point and Bagration found himself to be rather proud of the other for expressing himself confidently.
He straightened himself up again properly (as much as he could) before stepping closer towards the other and gently pulling him towards himself.Scott let him,but stiffened as soon as he felt the tips of Bagration’s fingers brush past him.
Bagration’s warmth mixed into the other,and the younger man would be lying if he said he didn’t find this extremely comforting but unexpected.The general was large enough to have his arms wrapped around Scott’s shoulders fully making the hug more comfortable.He let himself relax.
Scott wiggled his head out from the slightly tight grip of the general,enough to be able to breathe again normally and sighed loudly,catching the attention of the other who quickly let him go.
Bagration once again positioned himself properly,now slightly more relaxed than before and smiled down gently at the brunette.His eyes were shining now, no longer that endless pit of darkness which consumed you over time but were now welcoming and kind.
“Seriously,you will have to deal with me being right here,i don’t know where else to sleep.”