No Fear

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Third Person Pov:

Red wears a red half face mask with a black Red Army symbol on the front as he follows Scott down the hall, he's just heard the news about General Winston getting the virus and Scott is bringing him to go see his coldhearted boss.

Red doesn't know how to feel with General Winston being ill, he has very mixed emotions. Part of him is happy that he won't be getting any punishments any time soon or never again if he's lucky, but the other part of him sees his dying boss as a father figure- even though he's so incredibly harsh to the poor boy.

Red and Scott arrive at General Winston's bedroom and they slowly open the door, they can see General Winston with blood on the neck of his grey t-shirt and his hands are completely covered in dried blood, he's dead sleep.

There's also one of the very skilled nurses that came from the common Red Army base standing next to his bed with a high quality mask since she's the one around him the most, she's currently staying at the private Red Army residence for as long as General Winston's sick.. she's also the only medic to know Red's identity since everyone that comes to the house must learn the truth about Red if they like it or not, and if they spill the information to just one single person then they could be killed.

Red looks at General Winston with a calm look as he remains silent, only taking a single step forward before standing still. The nurse looks to them after cleaning the General's blood chin with a disinfectant wipe and says, "We put him on heavy drugs to keep him asleep, it helps stop him from coughing and making himself more infectious."

"Will he be awake at some point?" Scott asks the nurse as Red continues to stare at his boss.

"He's been asleep for a while now so I wouldn't be surprised if he woke up at any mo-"

Suddenly General Winston coughs himself awake, he slowly opens his eyes and his eyes quickly land on Red, he tiredly smiles which makes both Red and Scott flinch since he almost never smiles and he especially never smiles at Red.

General Winston then weakly says to Red, "Come over here Red.." which surprised Red even more since he always calls him by his whole title, Red is starting to think the virus is affecting his brain even though it's not a symptom that he heard the virus gives.

Red walks over to his boss's side and bends down to meet his eyes, his boss continues to give him a smile as Red remains silent. General Winston lifts his hand to Red's head and pats the top of his clothed head, he begins to tiredly say, "Just this once, I want you to whisper when I speak to you."

Red almost nods but stops and whispers, "Yes Sir."

"I do care about you Red," General Winston begins as he comfortingly rubs his underling's head. "I'm only hard on you because I want to keep you safe, my punishments don't mean I hate you whatsoever."

"You want me safe? From what?" Red asks his boss in a very quiet whisper as he looks at him with a confused face.

"The world," General Winston places a hand on Red's shoulder, which Red looks at General Winston's hand for a good second before looking back at the General. "The world hates you Red, the whole world does,"

Red flinches from surprise, the whole world? Well there's no way Tom could hate him- "even your little lover has a place in his mind that knows he hates you, but only because of your political beliefs and the fact you follow orders," Tom couldn't possibly hate him...

"The only people who truly love and care about you.." Red looks at him intensely. "is the people in the Red Army.. because they look up to you as a hero," Red slowly looks down, the only people who love him are the ones who look up to him? But is that even love? "which that includes me," Red lifts his head up to his boss again with a unsure look.

"You love me?" Red quietly asks in surprise.

General Winston chuckles and pats Red's shoulder before saying, "I've always loved you," Red feels like crying from the approval he didn't know he needed until now, but he holds them back, he doesn't want to show them in front of General Winston."That's why I need you to do something very important for me."

"What is it?" Red asks in a hushed voice as a confused expression takes over his face.

"I might not be alive soon," General Winston says and Red's breath hitches in surprise as his eyes slightly widen. "and I'm not able to work in the condition I'm in," Red listens intensely. "That's why I need you to take my position as the main leader of the Red Army,"

Red can't help but gasp as he covers his mouth, he can't take this position! Tom would hate him for life and there's no doubt he'd dump him! And there's no way his shy personality could ever initiate attacks on other people, all he can do is kill a single person within three months and cry about it afterwards. He can only take orders, there's no way he could give them.. For crying out loud, he isn't even sure if he's a bloody communist in the first place...

"I.. I can't do that..." Red says almost silently as tears fill the corners of his eyes and he looks down, he knows that it's apart of his duty.. but he's scared.

"You want to make me proud, don't you?" Red flinches and looks up at General Winston again.

"Yes..." Red shyly whispers.

"Then make me proud and take the position," General Winston says. "And if I somehow survive this disease, then I'll take the position back."

"I.." Red looks down with a nervous face, his stomach twisting in a very uncomfortable way. "I'll do it..." Hopefully Tom can forgive him.

Red doesn't notice General Winston's devilish smirk as he says, "Good."