This is A Thing

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"Oh come on, I'm not a moron. We went and had fun. Sue us. You know, if Molly and I ever have kids, like hell are you invited to the birth. Not that I want kids. This experience has put me off," grunted the man as he easily ignored the glares he received, and disregarded Tommy's anger with a wave of his hand. Thomas of course meant a lot to him - the two had bonded, and Thomas had often come to his defence when nobody else did. However, this whole situation, that of which he felt had been blown completely out of proportion, had affected the friendship. He didn't want to fight with anyone in the family (he did too much of that in his work), especially not Thomas.

"Look, hate me, alright? Don't hate Mol," he finally mumbled, his angry tone and threatening physicality ending the moment he flopped back with a lazy grin. "Hey, we're mates, right? You know I don't hate 'ya, Tom. Hey, to make up for it, I can... take you out for food tomorrow or something. I dunno, I'm sorry-- sorry, alright?"

Noticing the latter apology was directed at him, Mikey wearily smiled through stuffing his face with the extra food - he didn't get much of it at home, with his father choosing to spend their money on electricity and heating than food. It was partly why Mikey visited so often: for the free meals. "I... guess it's fine? I wasn't really listening, it's nothing to do with me, so... I... hey, sure you don't want some of this, Tom? You make me look greedy, a-aha..."​
 
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"I'm not really hungry, I'm too stressed to be eating food," he explained, though offered Mikey a smile as he sat criss crossed on the couch. "I know you're hungry, so why wouldn't I let you pig out? You deserve it, after all, especially after that science project. I'm proud of you~!" He cooed, his mood changing quickly as he blocked the idea of the negative vibes out. After all, much like his father, he wasn't one to handle situations like this. "You can sleep over, you know..."
 
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"I mean, are you sure? I'd love to, really. It's better than my house right now, but your house is already crowded, dude. Where am I supposed to sleep? I could crash on the couch, I guess, but I don't fancy getting woken up by a screaming baby, either, a-ah.... Nah, I'll stay. We can get to work on the project early in the morning," he decided absently, setting his now crowded bowl on his crossed legs and, once assuring himself he wasn't a burden on the family (as he often worried he was), moved to lean slightly against his best friend. After all, Mikey did often rest against Thomas affectionately - he had had a crush on him since they were kids, and it hadn't fully disappeared, so if he had an opportunity to share in some platonic affection with him, he was clearly going to seize it.

"I could sleep in your bed, we always share. Though, I guess Roman would have an issue with that, huh?" Snorted Mikey as he began to play with his platinum hair. "What's he like, anyway? Is he like that guy, all big and muscular and scary?" He mumbled with a subtle nod towards a sleepy Pavor. "Because, if he is, Tom, I won't really... be able to talk to him, you know I get anxious."​
 
"He can be... He can be a bit abrasive," Tommy admitted, as he took full advantage of the affection to easily cuddle up against his friend in shared desperation. "If he decides to do anything to you, I'll fight him. Just... can we not talk about Roman? I really just want to sleep..."

As he spoke, the man instinctively moved to give Mikey's hand a tight squeeze, and a shy smile. "Seriously, why not just live here? I mean, you're practically family already."
 
"Because you know my Dad wouldn't allow that. H-Hell, I'm in college, and he still doesn't like me staying out later than 9pm. He's protective, and I'm all he has, so... so yeah. I can stay over, though! He doesn't mind me coming here, he likes your dads," continued Mikey with a small shrug, attempting to be cool purely because Vlad was sat close to him... well, as cool as he could be despite owning up to his curfew and showing a considerable lack of confidence to overrule it.

"H-Hey, he'll probably make me live with him until I get a boyfriend, y'know? Not that I will anytime soon. Guys at college are dickheads to us. You're lucky you have Roman, some cool guy who could protect you if you needed it-- I'm being really depressing, huh? Today's a happy day! Sorry," he quickly apologised, sitting with the bowl of Chinese food on his lap and, after unzipping his casual jacket, offered everyone an apologetic smile. It was practically in his DNA to apologise over nothing and make the situation more awkward than it needed to be.​
 
Easily taking the jacket from his friend, Tommy folded it easily before setting it to the side, his cat-like ears making an appearance for the first time the whole day. After all, he genuinely cared for his best friend, and the mention of the man's father always made him a bit... wary. It was natural to be defensive, though, right?

"Look, you're always welcome here. We all love you, seriously. I'm sure Roman won't mind you sleeping with me... Plus, sleeping over is fun!"
 
"...I'm definitely happy to sleep over, I've been doing it since I was, like, four, Tom. I dunno, I just feel awkward now you have a boyfriend and-- god, it sounds so jealous, but things are just different, you know? I'll sleep over, don't worry about that, but I can't sleep in your bedroom with you and your boyfriend, dude. I'll... crash on the couch or something, really. Maybe I'll just go sleep at Ingrid's house. It's literally across the road, and she's bound to have a spare room I could sleep in..." He pondered quietly, trying not to make it a whole new issue, but it was rather difficult to say anything without hurriedly explaining himself in hopes of avoiding confrontation - one of his many quirks and anxieties.

"We're 19, so it's not like this wasn't going to happen. Granted, I didn't think you'd get a boyfriend w-who was a Russian mobster, but... still, I knew that there'd come a point where our friendship had to alter to accommodate a romantic partner, s-so... oh gosh, I sound dumb, huh?"​
 
"Look, do what you want, but I don't want you to feel awkward just because I have a boyfriend. I mean, he seems to barely be around anyway, I'm pretty sure he won't wander in and scold you for sleeping over when he chose to leave and do work... apparently. I love you, and I want you to feel comfortable with me and my family..."

As the man spoke, he awkwardly fiddled with Mikey's hands before smiling wide, , his eyes nervously watching for his friend's reaction.
 
"I am comfortable around your family! I-I've been around them since I was a kid, and my Mom died, so it's not like I'm suddenly conscious around them. It's just... different? It'd be weird if I suddenly had a boyfriend, right? Not weird, that's the wrong word, but... something new to deal with, I s'pose," he babbled inbetween anxious grins, attempting to try and cover up what he thought could be taken as insulting (even if it really wasn't) by holding his hands tightly and offering the odd sweet grin.

"I'll sleep in your bed, if that's what you want. Hey, maybe Roman will like me and shrug it off, realse we're best buds and it's all completely platonic, h-haha..."​
 
"Just, relax will you? It's sad that I have to say that to you, and I'm the one whose been admitted to the hospital more than I can count. If anything - anything - happens, you can personally kill me. It won't, though, because Roman won't be home, most likely. See, its pretty surprising, but the Russian mafia is surprisingly unpredictable..." He teased, before grabbing the empty bowls to toss into the dishwasher, where is father would immediately tend to
 
"His father's pissed at him," mumbled Pavor from the side drunkenly, having decided to just lounge out with a few beers rested nearby. He wasn't in the best of places after being deliberately left out of the birth, and then having a huge argument with Molly about it. Her not even returning home the same time as him was also a little kick to his mood, meaning he was snapping at people he cared deeply about... namely Tommy who, aside from Roman, was his dearest friend. "I mean, that's the only explanation I can think of for him having skipped out on spending time here. His Dad's in fucking Russia, but the guy's a control freak. Can't let me and Roman work it out on our own. I'm not gonna, like, give you the details of the businesses we run, but we're fucking good at it. I imagine Roman's getting yelled at by a few of his father's associates here in Canada. Sucks, really, but I s'pose he's used to it. Golden boy over there can't do a thing wrong though," he continued with a quiet nod towards Aleksei. The man had dropped out of the family business when meeting Megan again and dating her, deciding that he didn't want any part in anything that could ruin his happiness-- and he didn't have the personality for it, either. He was too kind-hearted to be forcefully cruel and stern.

Though, his father accepted it and gave the bulk of the business in Canada to Roman... only to constantly remind the boy that he was 'second best' and not the first choice. Pavor was always witness to the treatment, having been in that family since he was a boy, so he predicted that Roman's current absence would definitely have something to do with the father.

Now, he and Roman were in a bad place, too. He bickered and argued with him, and the two had drifted apart since splitting up and going their separate ways with other relationships. However, Pavor was the first to jump up when spotting Roman wander through into the living room only ten minutes later, sporting a dark bruise, several bloody cuts and a deep stab wound through the palm of his hand-- one he was desperately trying to help by holding several tissues against. If Molly had been witness to the scene, she probably would have had tears prickling her eyes emotionally, for Pavor's reaction was easily akin to a concerned lover, the large man growing from panic to fury in seconds.

"Those fucking jerks, I'll kill them," he growled after a muttered conversation in Russian, tilting up Roman's head to examine the bruised lip, while the smaller of the two groaned in annoyance.

"It's nothing I can't handle. They simply intended to scare me a little, not kill me," he responded, watching Pavor bandage his hand with a faint, paled grimace. "I at least got my tattoo, it's nice, huh? Like yours," pointed out Roman, gesturing absently to the neck tattoo that Pavor, and the other members, all sported. "You like it, right Tom? I mean, I didn't want it done, but Father would have completely lost it if I hadn't. I had to send him a photo-- look, I'm fine, don't look at me like that, Tom. I'm tough. I fought 'em back too. You should see how they look right now, haha..."​
 
Once hearing the familiar voice, Tommy nearly immediately dropped everything to bolt by his lover's side with his own burst of panic.... That of which only increased when seeing Roman just as badly beaten as he was. Forcing back the urge to tackle Roman in a loving embrace, he instead stayed behind with a wary frown.

"The.... The tattoo? Oh, looks great- makes you look really tough, a-aha..." He awkwardly laughed, while forcing a supportive smile. He eventually moved closer once Pavor backed off, and he took no time to waste inbetween that and a gentle kiss on the other's forehead. "I know I shouldn't be asking, but... What happened? Are you sure you're safe? Like, I know you probably don't want me to get involved with this whole thing, but I think it's natural for me to want to know why the hell my boyfriend is coming home covered in cuts and bruises..."
 
"Like I said, it's nothing, honestly. Besides, I meant it when I said I wanted to keep my work and my personal life separate. I'm not Pavor. I'm not going to discuss with you everything that goes on, because you'll hate it, hate me and it'll ruin us," he admitted calmly, wincing painfully when Pavor tugged the rest of the bandage off with a swift apology for his hard tactics-- though at least he had cleanly wrapped the stabbed hand up and ceased the heavy bleeding.

"It was just... something I messed up on. I haven't opened the bar in a few days, I've lost money and... I refused to sell drugs. My father wants me to try and reinvigorate the drug business we had set up, it earned us a fair fortune, but... apparently my refusal to continue it in Canada caused considerable anger back home. He had a few of his friends 'teach me a lesson'. They're supposed to be lending me advice, not beating the crap out of me, but that's tough love I suppose," he finally caved in, unable to continue distracting from the topic when Pavor seemed just as eager to know what had gone on. He could ignore Tommy and Pavor individually, but not at the same time.

"I knew it'd be your father, I said that. He's an interfering prick, Tom-- but hey, if you have to set it back up, I'll totally help out. I'll do the darker stuff, the more risky affairs, alright? You do the backroom planning and accounts or whatever, the less noticeable," promised Pavor, happy to put his safety on the line. He was used to having that role now - the person who, if the police investigated a scheme, would be the first to be questioned and the first seen. Selling drugs on street corners was risky, but he was glad to do it, while Roman handled the bigger drug deals with rivals and associates. "Tom, really. Drugs aren't even that bad, compared to the other shit we make money from, so you ought to be happy, really, that we're not, like, forced to do something morally incomprehensible."​
 
"I... don't know how I feel about this all," he admitted, his eyes still hard locked on the tattoo. "I don't want you all getting hurt, especially not over drugs- what sort of drugs would you even be selling? Just... Why is it so important for your dad that you stay in the business? I mean, wouldn't you rather just be able to have a simple job and be able to relax? Though, I guess I don't really know much about the whole mafia and stuff. My dad used to be into stuff like this, before he and my pa met, and they're living sort of regular lives, right?"
 
"Your father couldn't handle a day of what we do. I know he was doing dodgy stuff, Tom, but it was relatively small in comparison, so... look, like Pavor said, I suppose my father is at least insistent on something that isn't too dangerous and commanding. I'd like to have a normal life, of course, but... he wouldn't allow that. He only allowed Aleksei because he loves him more than he does me-- besides, if I quit, he wouldn't have anyone to pass it onto, or rely as heavily on to deal with it in Canada. At least, nobody the man trusted as much as his son, at least.

"I can protect him, you know," muttered Pavor, already nudging Thomas out the way again to inspect Roman's bruised face. "I am his fucking best friend-- I won't let him get hurt, Tom, jeez."​
 
Scowling from the push, he warily eyed the two before turning away, his eyes rolling. Putting his hands up, he simply walked off a tad.

"Let me just turn my emotions off, then, huh? Let me just stop caring about my boyfriend when he comes home beat up- I wish you guys would realize that I'm not some... some weak nerd. I can defend you too, you know?"
 
"Pavor's just being a jerk because he's worried. Though there's no reason to be. I find it equally as annoying that you don't seem to think I can handle what my father tells me to do. So he had a few cronies to beat me up, big deal. It's got me to listen, at least. And... with the money I make, I'll definitely be able to get you a decent ring soon. I know I'm already wealthy, but... I'd like to buy you something from the money I make," babbled Roman, the effects of the pain leaving him speaking quickly and faintly, though he gathered enough strength to shove off the worried faces around him and trail meekly after Thomas. "Let's go take a bath, huh? I... I can talk to you about whatever you want to know, if that helps you trust me a little more. I-I'll tell you everything that goes on-- though I do think it's best you be kept in the dark. You'd only hate me, really, if you realised what stuff I do."​
 
"Roman, I could never hate you, you know that, right? I can certainly be annoyed at you, but I could never hate you. Hopefully you feel the same?" He whispered softly, his hardened expression softening almost instantly at Roman's stuttering . With a smile, he offered another careful kiss to his lover's cheek before shooting Pavor a glance.

"Let's take that bath, huh? You need to relax, okay? Clean up some of that blood... plus, I want to talk in private."
 
"And what do you want to talk about? My job? The ins and outs of the business? My impending proposal? The latter's supposed to be a secret, Tom. I'm not telling you anything about that," mumbled Roman as he obediently headed for the stairs, keeping his arm tucked up around his chest to avoid using his injured hand too much. It may have been bandaged, but that didn't mean it didn't still hurt like hell.

"Pavor's just trying to help, y'know? Don't push him away, he's still the only person who I think cares for me in the family, aside from you. My brother couldn't care less, I imagine, now he has his own little family," he scornfully remarked, him being light-headed meaning he didn't have a full grasp on what words left his mouth. If ever there was a time to interrogate him, it was probably now, when the truth left him easily.​
 
Leading him to the bathroom, he carefully helpedthe Russian to sit on the toilet as he started the water, all the while trying to hide his growing curiosity and anxiety. After all, he knew he'd probably never hear about the whole debocle again. So, with a soft smile, he waved the other while using his free hand to unbutton his own shirt.

"Do... you want to talk about it? My pa said communication is the most important thing for a relationship, you know?"
 
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