Planck's Variable (part 2)
(see part 1 for warnings)
3121 ish words (not including translations)
After calling the feds, this time not compromising Murray’s base, but then again it couldn't have been that compromised in the first place if he didn't bother to relocate. We head straight to starcourt, no carnival, which means Alexei lives, we’re both new variables. I spend a lot of the trip trying to figure out where we fit into the equation without messing things up, I decide on us taking out Grigori from the roof. While Murray relays something to the quarreling pair in the front I turn to Alexei,
“ты знать как ‘pew pew’?” (You know how ‘pew pew’?)I ask, making a gun motion with my hands.
“Да, ты?” (Yes, you?) He looks at me inquisitively.
“Нет, но у меня есть план,” (No, but I have a plan) I explain my idea and Murray translates,
“He says that it’s probably best if you two get in position as soon as you get there so you don't influence anything,” I nod.
“Smart, as soon as we get there we’ll grab guns and a walkie, once we’re in position Alexei can pick which gun he wants, and give me a crash course on the other, and you can translate one last thing.” God I hope this works.
“To open the vault you need to enter Planck’s constant,” Murray says.
“постоянная Планка?” (Planck’s constant?) I ask Alexei, make a writing gesture in the air, he nods and writes it down correctly.
“Planck’s what?” Jim asks cleverly.
“Plank’s constant, it's a very famous number.”
“Alright so we get the keys..and then we turn the machine off,” Joyce clarifies.
“That's what he says,” Murray replies looking down at what Alexei has written.
“So close,” I say, snapping my fingers, sending a grin his way.
“Show off.” He scoffs, rolling his eyes at me, a slight smirk playing on the corner of his lips. We turn back to Joyce and Hopper as we hear their bickering match getting more heated, Murray and I share a look, he pinches the bridge of his nose in annoyance, the novelty wearing off.
-“What are you gonna do? Ya gonna walk back to Hawkins?” Jim says, clearly amused at his own antics despite the frustration.
“I will do ANYTHING if it gets me away from you!” Joyce spits back at him.
“CHILDREN! CHILDREN! Childrennn! This interminable bickering was amusing at first, but it's getting very stale and we’ve still got a looong drive ahead of us. So. Why don't you two cut to the horseshit and get to the part where you admit your sexual feelings for one another,” Murray shouts between them.
“WOAH!” Jim yells outraged, “You are way off base buddy-” Joyce joins in.
“Ohh spare me, spare me, spare me!” Murray continues. “Yes, yes, he's a brute. I know. Probably reminds you of a bad relationship, and gosh you’d really like a nice man to settle down with, but admit it, you're real curious to know what he’s like in the sack,” He turns to Jim, “And you. HA! Well you're just a big manbaby who’d rather act tough than show his true feelings, because the last time you opened your heart, you got hurt. Owie.” He patronises.
“And now, rather than admit these feelings you’re dancing around one another with this mind-numbing, frankly boorish mating ritual. So, please, for my sake, either quit your bickering, or pull over, tear off those clothes, and GET IT OVER WITH ALREADY!” He finishes, the pair in the front stunned into silence, Murray plonks back in his seat with a sigh.
“что это было?” (What was that?) Alexei asks softly.
“я сказал им, что им следует заняться сексом,” (I said they should have sex) Murray replies.
“у них не секса было?” (They haven’t had sex?) He raises his eyebrows.
“No,” Murray says plainly. Alexei looks at me for confirmation, I shake my head with a smirk, he snickers, which Murray and I mirror, quickly turning into fits of laughter, Joyce and Hopper don't seem to find the humour in it.
“Они мудак," (They are assholes) I say between laughs, my eyes going wide. “Wait! нет! дураки! Они дураки!” (Wait! No! Fools! They are fools!) I correct myself, putting my face in my hands. The boys find my mistake hilarious, Murray throws his head back as he cracks up.
“ты знал это!”(You knew this!) Alexei says, grabbing my shoulder to steady himself, he’s laughing that hard.
“Но ты прав, он мудак,” (But you are right, he is an asshole) He chokes out, gesturing at Jim, at this point he’s doubled over, nearly sobbing into my shoulder.
“и возможно ты дурак,” (And perhaps you’re the fool) Murray teases with a smirk. I gasp in mock offence, Alexei tries to stifle his giggling.
“ты сволочь!” (You bastard!) I say, leaning over him to smack Murray in the chest, we look at each other and break into hysterics, he grabs my hand as the three of us cackle in each other's faces like idiots.
Once we arrive we head inside to meet the kids, just in time to see that disgusting thing come out of El’s leg, Hopper obliterates it under his foot, gross. I bring Alexei with me as I grab a handgun and one of the automatics from the fallen soldiers, leaving the remaining one for Hopper, Murray comes over to me and hands me a walkie.
“Keep it muted, I’ll contact you when it's all over, stairwells over there,” He points past me. “What’s the other thing you want me to tell him?” He asks.
“After we take out Grigori, the big evil creature will be on the roof, it falls through the glass part, we should be far enough away from it to be safe,” I wait a moment for Murray to catch up. Alexei’s eyes widen at the news but urges me to continue.
“A few minutes later it’ll climb back up and over the front of the building and be led away, but it will come back, and then a bunch of fireworks will go off. We needa lay low and wait for it to blow over, we can't interfere.” I say, hoping this won't influence Murray, Alexei needs to be prepared, we can't have any surprises. Murray finishes translating to Alexei who gives me a solemn nod.
“Okay then, I guess it's time for us to head off,” I sigh.
“Don't have all the fun,” Murray says. “Oh wouldn't dream of it,” He chuckles at me and holds out his hand. “I think we’re past that at this point,” I say, pulling him into a hug. We break apart and he turns to Alexei, putting a hand on his shoulder.
“Удачи, мой друг.” (Good luck my friend)
“ты тоже ‘товарищ’,” (And to you ‘comrade’) he smirks as the pair share a laugh.
Alexei and I make our way up to the roof and scope it out, the skylight is far enough away that we hopefully won't be crushed by a giant evil blob of death, I point at the door to the elevator room.
“Grigori идти там.”(Grigori go there) He nods and takes a breath, I hold out the handgun and auto to him, he takes the handgun, I don't know much about guns but I know its more accurate than the auto, he's gonna needa be a damn good shot to take out Grigori, but then again he's good at darts and he's a scientist so hopefully he knows what he's doing, he gestures for me to hold up the auto and goes over the parts describing it as best he can and using a lot of noises and hand movements to get his point across.
“когда я говорю,ты ‘пиу пиу’,” (when I say, you ‘pew pew’) he says making a gun noise.
“ты ‘пиу пиу’ Григорий. и ты говорить когда ты хотеть мне ‘пиу пиу’?” (You ‘pew pew’ Grigori, and then speak when you want me ‘pew pew’?) I clarify.
“Да” he nods. Not long passes and we spot Grigori, Alexei takes a deep breath.
“хорошо, давайте сделаем это.” (Okay, let’s do this) He breathes out and shoots, headshot, Grigori falls, clearly dead. Damn.
“СЕЙЧАС!” (NOW!) he says as I unload the magazine into the remaining men before they realise where we are, I barely hear Alexei’s gun going off beside me over the adrenaline, all the men are down. I get up and drag Alexei with me and run back inside the stairwell.
“гигант здесь скоро” (Monster here soon) I say, as a noise like a giant evil monster made of bodies echoes in the distance. Alexei and I share a look of mutual terror.
“монстр здесь” (The monster is here) he whispers. We wait in shaking silence as we hear the creature get closer, sitting side by side, backs pressed against the wall of the stairwell, our hands find each other as the monster goes overhead. If we gripped each other any tighter I’m sure the monster would hear the bones in our hands splinter and come and kill us, thankfully we’re a step below bone-splintering tightness, a reasonable coal-into-diamonds pressure I'd say. We hear the monster going after the kids downstairs, there's crashing and screaming and all we can do is listen and hope it goes like the first time. After waiting for what feels like a millennium, there's a crash, followed by the sound of the monster climbing up onto the roof again. We hear the creature's horrific screech, the fear cuts through me like a knife, I feel it in my bones, Alexei and I cling to each other as we wait for the nightmare to end. It hits the ground, we feel the building shake as it clambers after the kids, its footsteps fading into the distance.
“Мы хорошо,” (We’re okay) I whisper. I don't know who I'm trying to reassure, he nods into my shoulder, we stay huddled together, knowing it isn't over yet. After some time the monster returns, we hear shouting and fireworks going off. Finally, a sickening thud. It’s over, we won. Alexei and I pull back to look at each other, I nod, we’re safe.
“Мы хорошо,” (We’re okay) I say and let out a shaky laugh that he echos, pulling me back into a hug.
It takes a while to stop shaking, eventually we walk back downstairs, the feds have arrived and start leading us outside to waiting ambulances, I keep a hold of Alexei’s hand, not wanting to lose him in the crowd. We make our way over to the kids, they’re all alive, thank god, now we just need Murray, Joyce and Jim to pull through. I hear Nancy telling someone to get Dustin and Erica. Oh my god! The walkie! I fumble to grab it. “он в порядке!” (He’s okay!) Alexei shouts, tugging my hand, I look up to see our friends flanked by feds. They’re alive, oh thank fuck! Hop and Joyce run to their kids and we run to Murray, hand in hand, something I'm getting awfully used to doing, at this point we might as well be cuffed together again. Murray spots us just in time to steady himself before we barrel him over with a hug. “Gee Y/N I didn't survive all that just to be killed by you two,” he says exasperated, “Fuck!” I yell into his shirt, “The feds better give me a damn good therapist!” He chuckles, “что они сказала?” (What’d they say?) Alexei asks, Murray tells him and the three of us break into delirious laughter, leaning on each other to not fall over, adrenaline is one hell of a drug. We calm down after a bit and a paramedic comes over to check us out, she drapes a shock blanket over Alexei and I, Murray leaves his folded beside him, saying something about adrenaline highs. Freak. We sit in comfortable silence off the back of one of the ambulances, Alexei to my right as usual. I turn to Murray.
“You look good in uniform,” I tease, pulling one of his lapels.
“Pretty good eh?” He smirks, looking past me to speak to Alexei, “они думает что я сексуальный.” (They think I’m sexy)
“я не!” (I do not!) I say smacking him, “Я сказал, что он..видеть хорошее.” (I said that he see good) Alexei laughs.
“Кто научил вас говорить по-русски? ты знаешь как сказать ‘постоянная Планка’ но ты не знаешь как сказать ‘выглядит’?” (Who taught you Russian? You know how to say ‘Planck’s constant’ but you don’t know how to say looks?)
“они явно сумасшедшая,” Murray chuckles. (They’re obviously crazy)
“и я твой подруга,” (And I’m your girl friend)I say pointing at each of them, “так ты сумасшедший!” (So you’re crazy!) The pair share a mischievous look, “подруга huh?” (Girlfriend huh?) Murray says, winding me up, Alexei lets out a low whistle. Those jerks. I know that can just mean friend. Jim comes over before I can schmack some sense into them.
“Am I interrupting?” He asks.
“Oh not at all Jim,” Murray says, innocently. I send him a glare.
“Shaken up but we're all in one piece.” He says, looking over at his family with a weary smile. “El and I are gonna stay with Joyce for a while since the cabin was destroyed,” Murray and I share a look. “Plus Joyce thinks it’ll be good to keep the kids together.” He runs a hand through his hair. “How are you lot holding up?.”
“Oh nothing major, a few bumps, a few bruises, debilitating lifelong trauma, nothing we can't handle,” Murray jokes. Jim breathes through his nose amused.
“I spoke to Owens, he’s gonna get papers sorted for Y/N and Alexei, but it could take a while.”
“It’s fine they’re staying with me,” he says.
“Save me Jim!” I say, “он котят мы идти Murray’s дом!” (He want us go Murray's house!I dramatically cry to Alexei.
“не твой любовник! он сумасшедший!” (Not your boyfriend! He’s crazy!) He says, making Murray laugh, earning an elbow to the ribs from me.
“Finally wore me down until I agreed,” Murray sighs.
Jim actually smiles at our antics, probably because we’re bullying Murray. “The feds wanna ask some questions and then they’ll organise someone to take you home.”
“Feds asking questions? What's next? Lying politicians?” Murray chuckles. Joyce comes over and stands next to Jim. “Hey, they’re getting ready to take us home,” She tells him. “Oh and these are yours,” She hands Murray his keys.
“Right,” Hop says, “We better be heading off.” Murray stands to shake his hand.
“Stay outta trouble.”
“We’ll try but you know what we’re like,” Murray says with a smirk.
Joyce gives me a hug. “I know what it's like living with two boys, don’t let them drive you crazy.” She smiles at me sympathetically.
“Too late, she even knows how to say it in Russian,” Murray says, moving to give her a hug.
“But when Hopper drives you crazy, you two could share a padded cell.” Joyce scoffs at him and goes to hug Alexei.
“Goodluck with him,” He says, nodding at Murray. I laugh.
“I can hear you, you know?”
“I know,” Hop smirks. He moves to shake Alexei’s hand.
“Я недооценил тебя. Ты лучше худого Рэмбо.” (I underestimated you. You're better than thin Rambo) Alexei smirks.
“What’d he say?”
“He says he underestimated you. You're better than thin Rambo,” Murray translates with amusement. Jim laughs.
“You're not bad Smirnoff.”
We watch them drive off as the feds come over to question us. After answering the bare minimum amount of questions, Murray decides we have had enough.
“My clients and I have been through a traumatic event, you have asked enough questions, you can send the rest over later.” He pinches the bridge of his nose, he manages to talk the feds into letting us go home. Home sounds great right now.
It’s a long drive back to Illinois, Alexei and I fall asleep almost immediately, leaning against one another, Murray is a bit more wary, but eventually I feel his head drop to my shoulder. Murray shakes us awake as the car stops, we wait for him to unlock the door, our shock blanket still around us. We’re all a little too shaken to sleep right now, and we are also pretty filthy. Once inside Murray gets us some clothes to borrow and insists I take the first shower. I finish quickly, dry my hair, and pull on the plaid pajama pants, t-shirt and sweater he leant me, it's cosy, and it smells good, it smells like him I realise. I sit on the lounge and wait for the boys to finish. I’m half asleep when I feel the lounge dip, and a familiar grin comes into view as Alexei sits beside me, his curls are wet and messy, it's very endearing. He holds his arms out and I cuddle into him, putting my legs over his lap. Not long after, Murray emerges from the shower in his signature robe, vodka bottle in hand along with three glasses. He sits down beside Alexei, pours out three glasses, and hands them to us.
“To not dying,” He says, translating for Alexei, we cheers our glasses and drink, alas it does not erase the memory of today.
“я не хотеть идти.. Sleep,” I say.
“Спать?” (Sleep?) Alexei asks, staring down into his glass. Murray nods. “Я не хочу быть одна.”(I don't want to be alone)
“Я тоже,” (Me either) Murray replies. “He doesn't want to be alone, and honestly nor do I.”
“How big is your bed?” I say half joking.
“Big enough.” He smirks at Alexei, “они хочет разделить кровать.”(They want to share the bed)
“Oh god what are you saying about me?”
“конечно они делает, они наша подруга помни?” (Of course they want to share the bed, they’re our girlfriend remember?) Alexei chuckles sleepily.
“I told him you want to share the bed, he said of course you do, you're our girlfriend remember,” He teases. I sigh, dragging a hand down my face.
“Хорошо, you win tonight, I’m too tired to fight you, let’s go to sleep, I’ll beat you tomorrow.”
“они говорит, что мы выиграли,” (They said we won) Murray says to Alexei, “Давайте уложим их спать” (Let’s put them to bed)
We make our way up to Murrays room, his bed is huge and looks so cosy and inviting. Alexei flops down in the middle of the bed and falls asleep almost instantly, I lay down on his left and take his glasses off him, smoothing the hair from his face. Murray pulls the covers over us and gets in on the other side.
“Damn you know how to pick a mattress, no wonder Alexei passed out so fast. You know you're never getting the bed to yourself again right?” Murray sighs dramatically as he turns off the light, leaving only a dim glow from the sign in the kitchen.
“I suppose it’s the burden I must bear,” He says.
“You better not be calling us a burden,” I tease, “We’ll kick you out of our bed.”
“Oh so it's ‘our’ bed now?” Murray scoffs
“Yep, you’ll have to fight us for it.”
“Well lucky for you I’m too tired to fight you, otherwise I would. I do karate, you know?” I hum in amusement. Alexei snuggles up to me in his sleep, tangling his legs with mine. I don’t know how he manages to take up so much room, it’s hard to tell if he wants to have contact with us both or push everyone out and have the bed to himself. Despite the leggy scientist taking up all the room, it's warm and safe. Murray murmurs ‘goodnight’ into Alexei’s shoulder as he shifts closer to the middle, and I fall asleep to the sound of their breathing. I could get used to this.
(3121 words, started 16th? finished 18th, edited and uploaded 19/5/'25)
