“I’m trusting you.” Vitaly spoke firmly, making sure Breccan locked eyes with him.
“Vitaly, you can trust me. I won’t let anything happen to them.”
“I’m serious. If they come back with anything wrong with them, I’ll have your head mounted on the wall.”
“Jeez, alright, I got it. No need to get your panties in a twist.” Breccan held out his hands defensively. “They’ll be just fine. You know Bell is okay with Nikky fighting.”
“Yes I do. Nikky’s one thing. He can handle himself. But Pavel… you better have your eye on him at all fucking times, do you hear me?”
“I hear ya.” Breccan nodded. “Pavel is almost thirteen. I was only fifteen when I started fighting myself. I watched matches down there from the time I was like ten. I was fine.”
“I don’t care. The point is that if my baby comes back with so much as a fucking scratch, you’re dead.”
“Alright, alright. Don’t wait up. We’ll be back late. Nikky’s got a big line up tonight.” Breccan grinned proudly as he thought of his nephew’s fighting record. The boy had been undefeated for the past year. He was a natural, like Breccan himself had been. But even he had not been this good. Nikky was practically a legend around these parts, with a waiting list dozens of men long, hoping for a chance to be the one to beat him. But hardly anyone bet against the Russian these days.
A half hour later and Breccan was standing beside Nikita, massaging the boy’s shoulders and giving him a pep talk as Rocinante bounced around beside them. Breccan still fought himself, but he had also taken up a position as a sort of coach for his nephew. Rigby even gave the boy tips occasionally. Pavel stood by Rigby’s side just behind them, nearly looking like a toddler beside the Southern man’s huge form, even though he was average height for his age, just above five feet tall. He was about the same height as Parker really, who also still stood nearby.
“Alright kid, you’ve got some pretty badass guys looking to challenge you tonight.”
“Who cares?” Nikita rolled his shoulders as he pulled away, turning to face Breccan and really, Rocinante who stood beside him. “So Rose, how about if I win all my matches tonight, I get a kiss when I finish?” He gave a wink to the wolf.
“Kid.” Breccan groaned softly. “Will you leave my Rosie the hell alone?” He would have told anyone else not to be so cocky, but he knew Nikita was right, he wouldn’t lose tonight.
“Of course.” Nikita nodded, a sly grin forming as he finished his statement. “If I lose. Rose, what do ya say?”
“I’ll think about it.” Rocinante couldn’t help but laugh, smiling at the younger boy. He would have said yes, of course, if it hadn’t been for Breccan.
“I guess I’ll take that. If you want some of this though, you better act fast, Rose. Everyone in this place wants a piece of this.”
Breccan rolled his eyes at the boy before lightly shoving him forward towards the ring.
“Just go fight and shut your damn mouth.”
“You got it.” Nikita gave his uncle a wink before he moved forward, casually climbing into the ring and glancing around the crowd. “Alright, who’s getting their ass handed to them tonight? Don’t be shy. Come on, step up.”
Breccan could only shake his head as he listened, knowing that one of these days the boy would get his ass beat for all the shit he talked.
Nikita faintly remembered Breccan saying he had five fights tonight, but he soon lost track, too high on the pride of winning the first three in a row.
Number four put up a fight but in the end, Nikita had knocked him out, just like the first three. He could never settle for winning on a technicality. He wanted to completely knock them out, or, even better, make them tap out.
Currently, he rested, leaning against the ring while Breccan fussed over the wounds on his face, trying to make sure he was ready for the last fight of the night. Up until number four, he hadn’t had anything other than a few bruises. The last guy though had definitely given a good fight, even though he now still laid unconscious in the ring. He’d given him a forming black eye, a bloody lip, and a broken nose. Breccan didn’t want to hear what Vitaly would have to say to him about this.
“Listen, Nikky, are you alright? Because we can have you stop for the night. This next guy looks like a fucking beast.”
“I’m fucking fine, Brec.” Nikita waved him off as he stood back upright, stretching and throwing a few practice hits into the air to make sure he still had full range of motion. Then he began searching the crowd for something.
“What are you looking for?” Breccan arched an eyebrow. “Your opponent?”
“I’ve gotta find the lucky gal or guy of the evening.” Most often, it was a girl but sometimes there was an extremely cute guy that caught his eye. He didn’t discriminate. The only rule was that they had to be dumb enough to buy his bullshit and throw themselves at him.
“Well ya might wanna hurry up with that, kid. Because your last guy is just about ready.”
“Alright, alright.” Nikita nodded, stretching once more as he decided he’d just have to look around during the fight. Maybe he’d make a show out of it. He was known to do that occasionally, pull a girl into the ring to kiss immediately after the fight. Sometimes he’d do what he’d done to Roci and find a hot girl or guy and make them agree to give him a kiss if he won. A kiss turned into many and the many turned into a whole lot more than a kiss by the end of the night. It was a foolproof plan. Anyone who had a taste of him wanted more, it was a fact. At least in his head.
He stepped forward into the ring, looking around trying to find his opponent or his company for the evening. Finally his eyes set on a girl who couldn’t be any older than nineteen, with pin-straight black hair that fell to just above the most perfect ass he’d ever seen. Beside her was an oaf of a man with his arm around her waist but Nikita hardly saw him. He wouldn’t be a problem.
When he realized his opponent wasn’t yet entering, he quickly jogged out of the ring, making his way around to stand in front of the girl, completely ignoring her boyfriend or whoever he was.
“Now I’m not sure if I just got knocked out in the ring and you’re actually a guardian angel or if someone as beautiful as you really exists right now.” He flashed a wide smile, showing all of his slightly crooked teeth. But instead of being unattractive, they somehow always made him more appealing. It made him more approachable, less perfect. “And if you’re one of those girls who hates pick-up lines, forget that and take this instead: you’re honestly the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever seen.” He reached out to take her hand then, pressing a kiss to the back of it and letting his lips linger against her pale skin.
She was smiling lightly, even as her boyfriend growled beside her.
“The pick-up line was pretty awful.” She admitted, letting her eyes trail down Nikita’s form before she was roughly tugged back by the man at her side.
“Don’t think you’re going to psych me out by flirting with my woman?” The man stepped forward so he was chest to chest with the Russian. Nikita paused for a moment, brow furrowed in confusion. And then he realized that this man was his last opponent of the evening.
“Ohhhh, shit, you’re the big oaf I’m fighting, yeah? Well I guess we better get going then.” Nikita nodded. The man was big, sure, but Nikita was not easily scared. He sidestepped to get around the man to look at the girl again. “What’s your name, beautiful?”
“Cassidy.” She informed.
“Cassidy and Nikita. That sounds pretty nice, don’t you think?” He flashed another grin. “But Cassidy, what would you think about a little bet between your man and I, huh? Whoever wins gets a kiss? How’s that sound?”
Her eyes flickered over to her boyfriend, who was nearly seething at the nerve of the Russian fighter.
“I think that sounds like a bet. And if you lose, you never come around here again.” The man growled.
“Sounds like a deal, my man. Shake on it.”
With a handshake, they sealed their bet before heading into the ring.
Nikita made sure to show off for Cassidy, occasionally shooting her smiles or winks while he had her boyfriend on the ground.
Normally, Nikita was content knocking his opponents out. But this man was different. He wanted to make him tap out, wanted to make him look weak before he had his girlfriend stolen. The match only lasted five minutes before he had his opportunity.
If his mother had taught him one thing, it was all the pressure points on the human body and what each of them did. He remembered one on the left side of the neck that caused extreme pain so as the man lay on his stomach on the floor of the ring, Nikita climbed on top of him, sitting on his back and reaching around to put him in a headlock, his index finger pressing directly into the area his mother had showed him.
The effect was immediate, the man crying out in pain. Only seconds later and he was tapping the ground furiously. The match was called and Nikita’s hand was raised in victory. And then, as his opponent still laid recovering on the floor, he made his way over to Cassidy’s side.
“Well, how are you feeling about that kiss, Cass?”
Ten minutes later and he had his hands up the girl’s shirt, groping her as they leaned against the side of a nearby building they’d snuck behind. He never got enough of this, watching girls just completely submit to him, willing to do insane things like fuck him right out in public while their boyfriend was maybe twenty feet away. It was why he was so cocky. He had to be some sort of sex god to get what he wanted so easily.
“On your knees.” He grunted softly, hands on her waist pushing downwards lightly. She obeyed and he let himself breathe as he felt delicate hands working on his zipper, then tugging his erection out of the confines of his boxer shorts and going to work. As he let her mouth work around him, he thought of how tonight would go. He was trying to decide if he’d just let her suck him off and then ditch her or if he wanted to screw her right here. He didn’t think he’d take her back to Andy’s to screw her like he sometimes did. He only had to provide a bed for the classier girls. He always liked to take the guys to bed too since they required more preparation. But Cassidy seemed completely ready to let him have his way with her right here. And he would like to get his hands on that gorgeous ass of hers. He had made up his mind as his fingers curled around a fistful of her jet black locks.
He was not paying attention to anything going on around him until the familiar voice started him out of his pleasured daze.
“Whoa, Nikky, she’s pretty!”
Cassidy seemed to pull back at the same time Nikita cursed, trying to hurriedly put his dick away.
“What the fuck, Pavel!” He growled softly as he stormed forward, taking the boy by the collar of his shirt and dragging him away, towards where he could see Breccan and Roci in the distance, yelling back to Cassidy that he’d take a raincheck although he paid no attention to the fact that he hadn’t given her his number. He never did. “Where’s Rigby? Who the hell was supposed to be watching you?”
“Rigby went to the bathroom.” Pavel informed, not seeming to realize he had done anything wrong. “Ouija came and picked Park up. Breccan and Roci were watching me but they were kissing and I saw you went over that way with the pretty girl so I wanted to find you.”
Nikita said nothing more to the boy, simply dragging him behind until they reached Breccan and Rocinante, standing by the car, still embracing, Roci giggling softly as Breccan nipped at his ear.
“You were supposed to watch him!” He snapped as he approached, letting Pavel go at his uncle’s feet as he grabbed Breccan by the shoulder and spun him around.
Breccan’s jaw went slack as he realized that he’d completely forgotten about his nephew he was supposed to be in charge of.
“I-I thought Park had him… I thought they took him home.” Breccan rubbed the back of his neck ashamedly.
“Well did you ever think maybe you should fucking make sure of that!?” Nikita cried. “He wandered into that fucking alleyway alone! Someone could have fucking taken him!”
“Nikky, calm down. He’s fine.” Breccan held up his hands defensively. “Right, kiddo? You’re fine.”
Pavel nodded, smiling softly, as usual.
“That’s not the fucking point!” The Russian growled, the slight accent he had picked up from his mother thicker in his anger. It was rare he got so worked up over anything but even if Pavel was a pain in his ass, the boy meant the world to him. To know that he could have been snatched up by some psycho made him sick in his stomach. “Don’t think I’m not telling mom either!”
“Oh shit, Nik, please don’t.” Breccan grimaced at the thought of facing Vitaly’s wrath. Plus, then Bellamy would be pissed at him when he got home.
“You’re not getting out of that this easily. I hope mom kicks your ass. I fucking should.” Nikita grunted as he reached down to take Pavel’s hand. “Come on. I’m driving you home. You two can stay here and make out all damn night for all I care.”
Breccan could only stare at the boy for a few moments. He had never seen him so furious over anything before.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Vitaly’s jaw was clenched tight as he stood at the airport beside his husband, eyes quickly filling with tears even as he tried to stop them. He would never be able to not cry on these days.
“I’m going to miss you.” He murmured softly.
“I’m going to miss you too, baby. Remember, only five months.”
“Five months.” Vitaly nodded, letting out a deep breath as he forced himself to calm down. He took Bellamy’s face in his hands then, capturing his lips in a deep kiss. He never wanted to break apart but after a moment he forced himself to, stepping back and letting Bellamy kneel in front of their son.
They had adopted Nikita nearly two months ago. He was four years old, nearly five. The second Bellamy had laid eyes on him, he had known this was the child he wanted to adopt. It had been a long process but it was so worth it. He just hoped Nikita felt the same way about him. So far, the Russian boy was shy and still learning English. His grasp on Russian hadn’t been very good yet either. Occasionally, Bellamy would find him curled up on his chest while he slept or he would come and lean on him in the middle of the day, but the boy hardly talked. Bellamy wanted them to be close. He was beginning to think it was a lost cause but he wasn’t going to stop trying. But after five months apart… what if Nikita forgot about him?
“Nikky… daddy’s gonna miss you, so much.” He breathed out, pressing a kiss to the blonde’s forehead.
Nikita leaned in, hiding his face in the crook of his father’s neck. He was silent for a moment, simply hugging the man. But then, Bellamy went to stand up.
Suddenly, as Bellamy looked down at his son, the boy’s nose scrunched up, his lower lip beginning to tremble as he hung his head.
“Baby, are you alright?” Bellamy was immediately kneeling back down in front of him, trying to get the boy to look him in the eye so he could see if he was alright. He finally placed a gentle hand on the boy’s chin, tilting his head up. He could practically feel his heart break then as he saw the tears welling up in the boy’s big grey eyes.
“Pwease don’t go, daddy.” The boy sniffled out softly, tiny fists coming to rub at his eyes as the tears began to fall down his chubby cheeks.
Bellamy could have doubled over right there with the pain. He knew it was one of the worst pains he’d ever felt in his life. It was the first time Nikita had called him daddy, the first time the boy had showed that he cared about him.
And now he had to leave for nearly half a year. His baby was begging him not to go and he had no choice.
“Nikita… you know I want to stay so bad. Daddy has to go though, alright? You know how your mom goes to work every day? I just go to work far away for a few months at a time. I’ll call you whenever I can and I’ll write you as soon as I land.”
Before Nikita could respond, someone cleared their throat from behind Bellamy. He turned to see his best friend, still with his head resting on Eustass’s shoulder.
“Bell… ten minutes, okay?” Thatcher knew how hard it must be. All his friend had ever talked about was having a kid to take care of and love to pieces and now he had to leave it. He wanted to give Bellamy all the time he wanted, he was just giving him a heads up that their plane was leaving soon.
“Right.” Bellamy sighed, dragging a hand through his hair as he felt his own eyes threaten to well up with tears. “Okay, baby. I have to go now.”
Nikita’s small face completely crumpled up then as he began to truly bawl, his cheeks a bright shade of red.
“Oh please don’t cry precious. Please, please, please don’t cry.” Bellamy’s hands were trembling as he brought the boy into his chest, trying to rock him gently to soothe him.
Vitaly was watching with his chest aching. Finally, he leaned down to scoop the boy up into his own arms. Nikita sniffled but curled into his mother’s chest, hiding his face. Vitaly was never the one who had been good with kids. But he wanted them. Bellamy was just better at actually being a parent. Truly, Vitaly was terrified of having to do this on his own for five months. But he was determined to make it alright. He could do this.
He pressed Nikita’s face into his chest and looked at Bellamy over the boy’s shoulder.
“Go.” He mouthed. Yes, he wanted one last goodbye kiss. But he knew he had to sacrifice that. The only way Bellamy was going to get out of here without Nikita wailing and making a scene was to sneak away.
“I love you.” Bellamy gave a smile in response, doing his best to put on a happy face. God, he didn’t want to go. Nikita needed him… But with a nudge from Thatcher, he picked up his bags and attempted to quickly make his way towards the boarding area. He felt awful. This wasn’t fair to Vitaly. The boy was struggling, unsure if he was fit to be a mother. And now Bellamy was leaving him to fend for himself for five months. And now he would have to deal with Nikita crying and begging for his daddy to come home. Bellamy knew it wasn’t fair. But he couldn’t think of any way out of it.
To make matters worse, he was halfway across the lobby when Nikita realized he had left.
“Daddy!” The boy wailed, reaching out for him.
Bellamy turned around, aching to run back to the boy. But Thatcher took him by the elbow and urged him forward.
“He’s going to be okay.” He reassured and Bellamy knew he was right. But that didn’t make it any easier to wave goodbye to the boy and watch Vitaly carry him out of the airport still wailing loudly.
And that was the last time Nikita Odair cried.
Or at least the last time he’d ever let anyone see him.
He still had his nights. Normally the nights when his father left again and he’d lock himself in his room and cry by himself as he wrote the man a letter, already complaining of missing him. Although of course he’d never let the man truly know just how much he hated when he was gone. No one could know how much of a pussy he was when it came to that. He wasn’t ashamed of loving his family like he did, but he was a bit ashamed of how he cried every time his dad left. He had learned to keep it together at the airport though. At least that was something.
Vitaly had told him that day, once they’d gotten back home, that by crying like that, he had hurt his daddy. He had made Bellamy sad and he had probably made him sad for his entire flight. “He’s probably worried sick about you now.” Vitaly had scolded him gently. So Nikita listened and he had learned. Crying hurt people he loved. He wouldn’t do that anymore. He would only cry in the privacy of his own room so no one had to know, no one had to hurt.
When he had fallen and sprained his ankle? No tears in front of daddy.
When his father missed his sixth birthday? No tears.
When he’d overheard his parents talking about trying for a new child, one that was actually theirs? No tears until he was alone in his bed, hiding under the covers.
Christmas when he was sixteen, when Bellamy had promised he’d be home in time but then couldn’t make it? No tears. Well, at least not in front of family.
He could still remember that Christmas well. He remembered plastering on a smile as he picked up the phone, telling his dad it was fine, of course he understood, of course they could celebrate Christmas a few weeks late. He had listened to his mother tell him and Pavel that they could still have a perfectly fine Christmas with everyone else at Jesse’s place.
But Christmas morning, he had ducked off and went over to Eustass’s place. He could feel himself getting choked up before the redhead even opened the front door.
“Who the fuck is it-ya?” Eustass was growling before he noticed who it was, his features immediately softening. He was irritable at not being with his lover for Christmas, being all alone. But he had a soft spot for Nikita and knew the boy was going through the same thing. “Come on in.” He ushered the boy inside with an arm around his shoulders. Nikita told Eustass things he didn’t even talk to his father about. The alpha knew of his vow not to cry in front of anyone, even though he didn’t encourage the boy to bottle everything up so much. “Need to be alone?”
“Maybe.” Nikita grunted softly, moving to hug the alpha lightly. “This fucking sucks.”
“Tell me about it kid.”
So instead of staying home and wallowing in his sadness about his father’s absence, he spent Christmas with Eustass. They dug out some old Christmas decorations from the attic and went to work around the home, trying to make it a bit more festive.
“Thatcher is normally in charge of this shit.” Eustass had grunted softly as he held the ladder outside of the home while Nikita climbed to hang lights. “He was going to decorate with me when he got home.”
“Yeah, same with dad. He usually does most of that shit. But mom took over this year. I helped him and Pav decorate a few weeks back.” He had been depressed just at the fact that his father was not home then to help put up the tree. But he had calmed down when he reminded himself that at least the man would be back for the actual holiday.
So much for that.
After they had finished, they settled on the couch with mugs of hot chocolate. Eustass had never thought he’d get this soft. But it was Thatcher who’d done it. He was the damn reason he had hot chocolate and Christmas decorations and stupid stockings hung above the fireplace. Thatcher had even hung mistletoe right inside the front door so he could steal a kiss every time one of them came home. Eustass had never really done much for Christmas before. He couldn’t remember the last Christmas he’d enjoyed before Thatcher came along.
The only thing they’d really done together before Thatcher left was the Christmas tree. They’d put it up before Thatcher left, even though it had only been September then. Thatcher had insisted on it.
It looked rather lonely now though, with just the several presents which would go unopened for God only knows how long sitting under it.
Then, Eustass’s phone rang. He didn’t recognize the number but he answered immediately, knowing it could be Thatcher calling from wherever he was stationed.
“What’s up, Grinch? How’s sucking all the joy out of Christmas going this year?” Thatcher’s voice was teasing as Eustass answered and the alpha could have nearly cried just at hearing the man’s voice. He didn’t answer for a second, wanting to make sure his voice didn’t crack. “What? Do you prefer Scrooge?” Thatcher chuckled softly, able to tell his lover was there by the sound of his breathing.
“If you must know, I’d prefer Grinch.” Eustass breathed out finally, his smile forming within seconds. “Merry Christmas, soldier.”
“Merry Christmas, alpha man. Now quick, go and get my laptop from upstairs. It’s under my bed. I can video chat you but I’ve only got a half an hour, then I’m passing it over to Bell.”
“Alright, give me one minute, then call.” Eustass was hanging up then, already jogging to get the laptop and returning to Nikita’s side, setting it up.
A moment later and he accepted the incoming call, grinning widely as Thatcher’s face popped onto the screen. He looked different, more rugged somehow. He had a full beard instead of his usual stubble, but Eustass didn’t mind. God, he just wanted to hold him.
Nikita watched as the two men conversed. He was aching to ask if his dad was there. But he knew he couldn’t interrupt Eustass’s time with his lover. He would just have to wait.
“I’m sorry you’ve got to be all alone over there.” Thatcher spoke after a while.
“Don’t worry about it. Nik came over to keep me company.” Eustass nodded, tilting the screen so Nikita could wave at his lover, smiling lightly.
“Nik’s over there?” Bellamy’s voice could be heard and then he was popping onto the screen, hovering over Thatcher’s shoulder.
“Hey dad.” Nikita smiled brightly at his dad, though trying to be casual. He always wanted to make his dad think he was tough, that he was the man of the house when he was gone. He couldn’t be crying like a child who missed his daddy.
The conversation went on and the half hour was over far too quickly for both of them. Nikita was tempted to go home if his father was calling over there but he knew his mother and Pavel would want to see the man. So he simply bid the man goodbye, watching as Eustass did the same to Thatcher. And then the screen was black and it hurt just as terribly as before for the both of them.
There was a long silence between them while they silently mourned their lovers overseas. It was Eustass who finally sighed and tried to put it aside for now. He’d gotten used to dealing with the loneliness over the years. At least he had Nikita here for now.
“Want to go grab something to eat?” He spoke finally.
“Maybe in a little.” Nikita spoke quietly and Eustass glanced over as he heard the crack in the boy’s voice.
“Aw shit, come here. Bring it in, kid.” Eustass was not at all good at the typical comforting thing. But Nikita didn’t want him to talk. Nikita just needed someone to hold him while he cried into his chest.
He could handle that.
