Kassian listened to Isaev's explanation patiently, but soon it became clear.
"Ah," he said, nodding. He understood.
He had been in the military since he was a very young man. He'd not considered such things before that, what happened between comrades in the dark, so while it had been a surprise at first, he'd easily accepted it as being normal, since he'd known nothing else.
Throughout his career, Kassian had not remained celibate, Vitya notwithstanding.
He'd told Isaev that he didn't engage comrades lightly, and it was true.
At times, awkward, yes. Infrequent, certainly.
But there had been occasions when he just needed, had to ground himself in the reality of bare flesh against his.
He hadn't sought out partners. Especially after Vitya. But if it happened, it happened, and he tried not to dwell on it later.
The idea of it meaning something, becoming personal, just hurt too much.
Isaev was different, though, damn him, Kassian thought, almost fondly. He'd pushed and pushed and made Kassian his friend.
His mouth quirked as he glanced at Isaev.
"I understand," he said. It did not surprise him. There were no women here, no nearby villages. Only hot-blooded young men surrounded by snow and concrete walls.
It was a fine of a tradition as any, though he was just as glad he didn't have to go through it.
Officially, that was.
Not really such a dark secret then, in spite of what official regulations said. Though some senior officers in more civilized posts were strict in their enforcement, most, he'd found, understood the reality of what happened between soldiers who risked their lives daily and just needed some release.
His gaze flicked in Charushkin's direction. "You think he won't do it?" he murmured in question, watching the way Charushkin leaned against the other young Ocelot. He hadn't bothered to learn the junior lieutenant's name at roll but he'd been so earnest about his crocodile bite.
Kassian wondered, idly, if he'd killed the crocodile, or merely run away.
Perhaps Charushkin and he were good friends.
He shrugged. He wasn't bothered by it.
To Kassian, there was not only no shame in fucking a comrade, there was also no shame in loving him, either.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2006-10-02 09:07 pm (UTC)"Ah," he said, nodding. He understood.
He had been in the military since he was a very young man. He'd not considered such things before that, what happened between comrades in the dark, so while it had been a surprise at first, he'd easily accepted it as being normal, since he'd known nothing else.
Throughout his career, Kassian had not remained celibate, Vitya notwithstanding.
He'd told Isaev that he didn't engage comrades lightly, and it was true.
At times, awkward, yes. Infrequent, certainly.
But there had been occasions when he just needed, had to ground himself in the reality of bare flesh against his.
He hadn't sought out partners. Especially after Vitya. But if it happened, it happened, and he tried not to dwell on it later.
The idea of it meaning something, becoming personal, just hurt too much.
Isaev was different, though, damn him, Kassian thought, almost fondly. He'd pushed and pushed and made Kassian his friend.
His mouth quirked as he glanced at Isaev.
"I understand," he said. It did not surprise him. There were no women here, no nearby villages. Only hot-blooded young men surrounded by snow and concrete walls.
It was a fine of a tradition as any, though he was just as glad he didn't have to go through it.
Officially, that was.
Not really such a dark secret then, in spite of what official regulations said. Though some senior officers in more civilized posts were strict in their enforcement, most, he'd found, understood the reality of what happened between soldiers who risked their lives daily and just needed some release.
His gaze flicked in Charushkin's direction. "You think he won't do it?" he murmured in question, watching the way Charushkin leaned against the other young Ocelot. He hadn't bothered to learn the junior lieutenant's name at roll but he'd been so earnest about his crocodile bite.
Kassian wondered, idly, if he'd killed the crocodile, or merely run away.
Perhaps Charushkin and he were good friends.
He shrugged. He wasn't bothered by it.
To Kassian, there was not only no shame in fucking a comrade, there was also no shame in loving him, either.