There was an indistinct hum of voices before the door swung abruptly open, and loud conversation echoed through the room as a small swarm of blonde-haired, monochrome-striped Ocelots poured in, laughing, each holding onto a beret and balaclava.
"... Someone needs to keep an eye on the fucking watch next time," one of them said distinctly, shooting the man alongside him a dirty look.
"Did it look like I could whilst I was lifting weights, zalupa?" Came the scathing reply, but everyone was smiling, still in high spirits.
"Why, were you hoping I was watching?"
"Oh, shut up," one of them grumbled good-naturedly, and there was something in the way he spoke, the way the others all looked, that suggested he commanded some measure of respect. "Get your asses in the shower already, or the Major will have our balls for breakfast."
The men dispersed dutifully, still chatting, only throwing a brief look of acknowledgement at Vulich before returning to removing boots and uniform.
They were almost all identical – particularly when undressing in sync with identical grins and sweat-marked faces – apart from one, far more noticeable soldier, doing his best to be unnoticed in the far corner: dark-haired, and much older, sterner.
The others had stripped quickly, and all hurried into the showers.
"Andrusha, do a head-count now for me, will you?" The soldier that seemed to lead was saying as he scrubbed himself brusquely. "Just so mine doesn't get a bullet-hole in it?"
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"... Someone needs to keep an eye on the fucking watch next time," one of them said distinctly, shooting the man alongside him a dirty look.
"Did it look like I could whilst I was lifting weights, zalupa?" Came the scathing reply, but everyone was smiling, still in high spirits.
"Why, were you hoping I was watching?"
"Oh, shut up," one of them grumbled good-naturedly, and there was something in the way he spoke, the way the others all looked, that suggested he commanded some measure of respect. "Get your asses in the shower already, or the Major will have our balls for breakfast."
The men dispersed dutifully, still chatting, only throwing a brief look of acknowledgement at Vulich before returning to removing boots and uniform.
They were almost all identical – particularly when undressing in sync with identical grins and sweat-marked faces – apart from one, far more noticeable soldier, doing his best to be unnoticed in the far corner: dark-haired, and much older, sterner.
The others had stripped quickly, and all hurried into the showers.
"Andrusha, do a head-count now for me, will you?" The soldier that seemed to lead was saying as he scrubbed himself brusquely. "Just so mine doesn't get a bullet-hole in it?"