Black Wolf • Boyxboy | Arrow

4

POOL BAR IN MOSCOW, SOVIET RUSSIA

Dimitri and Sasha had gone out for celebratory drinks at their favorite bar. They both sat in their usual table as Dimitri's pals accompanied them cheering Sasha on in their uniforms still. These men were patriots, pure Soviet blood and would've done anything for their country.

Dimitri stood up from the table holding his shot of vodka up in the air, and everyone around raised it along with him. "Cheers to Agent 10. Without you, I don't know what the world would be like and I hope to never find out." Dimitri made the toast to his son and Dimitri was right about that. Without Sasha, without the Black Wolves, The USSR on Earth-2 would be doomed like Earth-1's.

Sasha stared at his Papa with pride as Dimitri never stopped showing him the unconditional love they both shared. "Cheers." Sasha responded and they all took shots together. Dimitri sat back down patting his adopted son in the back and they all continued to converse with each other. Sasha stayed out of the conversation as he was at the bar for work and not drinks. The celebration was something on the side, he wanted to knock out two birds with one stone and he did.

Across the room, there was the hunky American CIA Agent playing pool at a table with Soviet civilians. The entire night, the American had been making a fool of himself by losing to the civilians. The American was attempting to disguise himself as a Ukrainian in Moscow for vacation. His Russian was sloppy, and nobody could tell except Sasha. It was the very small things that the American said in Russian that nobody would catch.

"I'll be back." Sasha whispered to Dimitri and Dimitri nodded, excusing him from the table. Sasha got up from the table taking two shots of vodka from a server's plate and walked towards the 'Ukrainian Tourist' playing pool.

Sasha quickly switched his gloomy personality to something more light and naive. He had been observing the American since he had arrived and Sasha could already tell what kind of personality the American would be into. The training never failed him.

Sasha stood nearby the pool table watching the Russian men play with the pretend Ukrainian. The pretend Ukrainian shoots the white ball but misses his shot to hit another ball and they all laugh at him. Sasha laughs and the CIA Agent turns around staring at him confused.

"You came here to watch me fail?" The American said in fluent Russian and this time Sasha didn't catch the sloppy accent. Sasha smiles at the Agent and shakes his head.

"I came to offer you a drink." Sasha responded and handed the shot of vodka to the American. The American takes the glass shot and they both take the shot, but it burns the American's throat and he makes it obvious. Sasha and the Russian men notice it as it's strange. Soviets were known to handle their liquor, some of them were even accidentally bottle fed with vodka in their milk.

"Thanks." He responded as the Russian men take their turns and make all the shots into the holes. It was then the Agent's turn, and he grabbed on to the stick getting ready to shoot.

"Here, let me show you." Sasha grabbed on to the pool stick being dominant as many people liked that about someone. Dominance was always the key in the art of seduction for women and men. The submissive type was a key for older men, as they preferred to show power over Sasha.

Sasha began shooting the balls into their holes like a master, and he was impressive. Sasha ended up shooting all of the balls he needed to shoot into their holes and the Russian men groaned calling The American Agent a cheater.

"You're a pro at that!?" The Agent said loudly and Sasha gave him a charming smile. Sasha shrugged with a chuckle and the Agent laughed.

"It's one of my hidden talents." Sasha smiled as the Russian men walked away from the pool table as they've lost.

"What other talents do you have?" The American asked curiously and Sasha's plan was working as usual.

"Maybe you can find that out for yourself." Sasha winked and then walked away from the American. Sasha headed towards the bar counter and sat down ordering a cocktail. The American Agent was impressed by the approachable mystery blonde and followed him to the bar.

"One more." The Agent asked the bartender and then delivered their drinks at the same time to them. They both sat next to each other and Sasha swirled the straw in his drink playing with the ice. "What's your name?"

"Victor. You?" Sasha responded taking a sip from the cocktail.

"Alexei. Are you from Moscow?" The Agent responded and Sasha turned his body slowly towards him giving the idea of Sasha's full attention and interest.

"Born and raised." Sasha responded to him with a smile telling apart of the truth. Sasha wasn't born in Russia, not even in any of the USSR states. Sasha was a child born on American land in Starling City, but he never got to experience that life. "What about you?"

"I'm from Ukraine. You know any good tourist spots?" The Agent asked distracting Sasha from asking more questions about his identity. Sasha made the conversation seem normal and it went smoothly.

"Let me think..." Sasha looked up and then brushed his hair pretending to be frustrated. "Have you been to the Kremlin? It is quite the sight." Sasha responded and the Agent nodded.

"I'll take note of that." The Agent responded then took his phone out writing it down on his notes. Sasha spots the phone and pulls his out as well opening it up. He pretends to checks a notification while he actually begins to prepare the pairing to the Agent's phone to bug him. The Agent gives Sasha a weird look wondering why he has shut off but Sasha plays it off.

"Sorry, my friend is going through a crazy break up." Sasha puts his phone down next to the Agent's as the pairing program begins to set itself up.

"Aw that sucks. How long have they been together?"

"Years. I feel almost bad for them." Sasha responded without any empathy showing bits of his true self to buy him some time for the pairing to continue. He only needed a couple of minutes.

"Almost?" The Agent looked at Sasha confused and Sasha looked away stirring his drink.

"Well some things just aren't meant to work out." Sasha replied and took a sip of his drink, taking it all at once without feeling any of the kickback taste.

"You're the hopeless romantic type aren't you." The agent chuckles and takes a sip of his drink and Sasha chuckles lightly.

"No, I have realistic expectations." Sasha says playing with the agent as he knows the agent is interested in him.

"You just need to find the special woman." The Agent takes a sip of his drink and Sasha stares at him.

"Yes, but the special man doesn't exist." Sasha replied with a low tone and the Agent turned towards him confused by his bold statement of his sexuality. Acts of homosexuality is strictly forbidden in all of the states, even an accusation of being homosexual could lead to death. Sasha gave the agent a brave smirk and then grabbed back his phone as the pairing was complete. "Perhaps in another life." Sasha got off the stool and walked away making The Agent want to know more.

It wasn't part of the mission, but it impressed him that someone like Victor existed that opposed the political rule. Someone who finally opposed the oppressor's vision. The American agent watched the Russian walk out of the bar, then continued with his drinking. He spent the rest of the night reliving the conversation, remembering each movement, the tone of Sasha's voice, the way he said things and nothing became of it. His worry of being compromised simply faded.