11
Never Wander the Dark Alone
“<<I’m gonna ask Sean to marry me.>>”
Kyle didn’t pause in finishing off his second beer. When the glass was empty, he set it on the bar counter and waved at the bartender for another, flashing two fingers to cover Alexei’s next round as well.
“<<I think I lost that bet,>>” Kyle said, sounding annoyed.
Alexei stared at his brother. “<<You bet on us?>>”
Kyle gave him a look that plainly stated he thought Alexei was dumb as shit. “<<The entire team bet on when you two would get engaged.>>”
Alexei rested his elbows on the bar counter and smirked. “<<Right. What did you have down?>>”
“<<His birthday.>>”
“<<Sean’s birthday is in December. That’s too far away.>>”
“<<Yeah, but my first choice was Valentine’s Day because you’re a romantic son of a bitch, so you’ll understand why I had to make a second bet.>>”
Alexei’s smirk faded a bit, but he refused to feel sad about why Kyle had to change his bet. Things between Alexei and Sean had been a lot better since their emotional breakthrough in February. Some days, Alexei forgot Boston even happened.
“<<You still lost.>>”
Kyle lashed out cat-quick and smacked his fist against Alexei’s shoulder. “<<Shut the fuck up. You haven’t asked him yet. Do you even have a ring?>>”
Alexei winced. “<<No? That’s why I need your help.>>”
Kyle nodded his thanks at the bartender who set new glasses down in front of them and took away their empties. Alcohol was expensive, but since Kyle was paying using Jamie’s account, Alexei didn’t mind having a third or fourth round, though if their hamburgers didn’t arrive soon, he’d start making a scene. He was starving.
“<<Let me guess. You wanted to buy the gaudiest fucking ring on the market and then remembered Sean doesn’t wear any jewelry.>>”
Alexei refused to acknowledge his brother’s statement. “<<You have boring taste, and Sean likes boring.>>”
“<<If Sean liked boring, he wouldn’t be with you. Sean likes normal when it comes to his taste in clothes and any accessories that don’t count as a weapon. Your tastes are anything but normal, Lyosha.>>”
“<<My tastes are fucking fantastic, Kilyusha. I chose Sean.>>”
Kyle tipped his pint glass in Alexei’s direction. “<<One right choice doesn’t mean you have good taste.>>”
“<<Fuck you,>>” Alexei grumbled, though there wasn’t any heat to his words.
Kyle laughed at him before moving his tablet out of the way as their lunch finally arrived. Both of them had opted for a double-patty hamburger with cheese, bacon, onion rings, and the house special sauce. The hamburgers came with French fries, but they’d ordered two extra baskets of the side dish, along with a plate of hot wings. The meal would hopefully tide them over until dinner. Metahumans had fast metabolisms and eating food like this was far more enjoyable than snacking on high-calorie nutrient bars.
Alexei picked up his hamburger and took a large bite, making a happy sound as he chewed. “<<Still want your opinion,>>” he said after he finished chewing.
“<<On the ring or your taste?>>”
Alexei kicked him in the leg. “<<The ring, asshole. I want it to be perfect.>>”
“<<Sean will like whatever you get him, even if it’s the ugliest, diamond-encrusted piece of jewelry you can afford.>>”
“<<Now you’re just jealous I have better taste than you.>>”
Kyle shrugged. “<<Maybe a little. Not about your taste, just that he’ll get to wear it.>>”
Alexei paused mid-bite, staring at Kyle. “<<If me asking your opinion on the ring is bothering you—>>”
“<<It’s not,>>” Kyle assured him. “<<I’m real fucking happy for you two. If I had any reservations about Sean coming into the family, I would’ve told you last summer.>>”
Alexei didn’t press the issue, knowing that Kyle didn’t like to talk about his engagement outside of the home he shared with Jamie out of fear of somehow being found out. “<<I love him.>>”
“<<I know you do. It’s why the whole damn team bet on you two and why Mama calls me twice a week wanting to know if you’ve finally popped the fucking question.>>”
“<<She does not.>>”
Kyle arched an eyebrow before ordering his tablet to, “<<Replay saved message seventy-two.>>”
“<<You need to clean out your inbox.>>”
“<<Shut up and listen.>>”
Maria Dvorkin, Alexei’s mom and Kyle’s adopted mom, was the quintessential meddling Russian mother when it came to her children’s love lives. Alexei groaned and buried his face in one hand at the minutes-long rant his mother had left on Kyle’s account complaining about how Alexei hadn’t yet asked Sean to marry him and could Kyle please talk some sense into his brother?
“<<The sooner you ask Sean to marry you, the sooner Mama will stop calling me and complaining about your lazy attitude. So hell yeah I’m gonna help you pick out that ring,>>” Kyle said.
“<<Show me some designs you think I should get him then.>>”
“<<Thought you’d never ask.>>”
Kyle proceeded to pull up a file that had over two dozen links to various wedding ring designs that weren’t what Alexei would’ve chosen at all for Sean. None of them were gold, or had enough diamonds or colored gemstones. They were all so plain.
“<<I don’t—>>” he began.
Kyle stabbed a ketchup-covered fry in his direction. “<<This is not about what you would wear. It’s about what Sean would wear. He doesn’t like gold and he doesn’t like flashy. These are decent options for you to look at.>>”
Alexei sighed and took another bite of his hamburger. “<<Fine. What’s your favorite?>>”
“<<This isn’t about what I would like, Lyosha.>>”
“<<I meant what’s your favorite that you think Sean would like?>>”
Kyle shoved a couple more fries into his mouth as he flipped through the holopics projected into the air above his tablet. He finally settled on a plain platinum band, grooved and polished on the edges but smooth up top with a satin finish, and a round diamond set in the center of the ring.
He used his fingers to enlarge the three-dimensional holopic and spin it around so Alexei could see the detail better. “<<That one.>>”
Alexei bit into his hamburger and studied the ring. It was nice, with clean lines and an elegance to the design he thought Sean would appreciate. While it wasn’t a piece of jewelry Alexei would ever wear, he had to admit, Kyle was right. This was more Sean than any of the ones Alexei had previously looked at.
“<<I like it. It fits him,>>” Alexei said. “<<I’ll buy it tonight.>>”
“<<Buy it now.>>”
“<<What? You think I’ll forget?>>”
“<<Less chance of Sean figuring out what you’re doing if you do it now.>>”
Alexei rolled his eyes but did as Kyle ordered. It took several minutes to fill out the required form, taking his time to pick out the details—platinum band, highest clarity and cut of diamond he could comfortably afford, ring size—before paying for it. The price made him internally wince, but it was worth it.
Sean would always be worth it.
With the ring bought and delivery set, Alexei focused on finishing his lunch before it got too cold. On one of the televisions set up behind the bar, the news stream was recapping the state arrival ceremony welcoming Prince Samuel, Earl of Wessex, and his wife, Georgia, the Countess of Wessex, and Prince Liam, as representatives of the crown and head of state, to the White House that morning.
“<<Jamie with Liam today?>>” Alexei asked.
“<<No. He’s back on base as an excuse not to be in the same room as his father,>>” Kyle replied.
“<<Things between them are still bad?>>”
Kyle snorted. “<<When are they not? Did I tell you Jamie has an official date for the State Dinner now? The president pretty much ordered h
im to take the First Son as his plus one.>>”
Alexei reached for his beer. “<<Are you fucking kidding me?>>”
“<<Nope. Jamie is annoyed, but he can’t get out of it. Media optics, or something. They can’t really afford to turn down the president’s support right now.>>”
Alexei made a face. “<<You all right with that?>>”
Kyle shrugged. “<<It’s Jamie. I trust him.>>”
If it were any other man who held his brother’s heart, Alexei might find the need to give them a friendly reminder not to be a dick. But this was Jamie, and Alexei would always trust Jamie with his family’s safety.
“<<Yeah,>>” Alexei agreed.
“<<So you have the ring. Put any thought into how you’re going to propose?>>” Kyle oh-so-casually asked, changing the subject.
Alexei picked up a hot wing and dunked it in the blue cheese dressing. “<<Did the team bet on that as well?>>”
Kyle grinned. “<<You bet your fucking ass we did. Now give me the insider information.>>”
Alexei barked out a laugh, shaking his head. He’d be more shocked if the team hadn’t bet on his love life. “<<What did you put your money on?>>”
“<<Over the top, of course.>>”
“<<Sounds about right,>>” Alexei admitted, before he called the bartender over for another round and told his brother how he planned to propose to the love of his life.
They hung around the bar for a little while longer, nursing the last dregs of their beer. They were arguing about staying or going when loud cheering from the back of the bar where the pool table and dartboards were set up interrupted their conversation.
Alexei looked over Kyle’s shoulder at the group of men that had taken over the dartboards. He pegged them as preppy tech workers, the kind he’d grown up seeing in Boston who never remembered their manners when in public.
Kyle turned to take in the scene with a single glance before grinning sharply at Alexei. “<<Shark darts?>>”
Alexei smirked, waving the bartender over again for one last round of drinks. “<<Shark darts.>>”
He couldn’t remember the last time they’d suckered someone out of their money, but Alexei figured now was as good a time as any to fix that.
Sean ran a hand through his damp hair as he mentally took stock of the food in the kitchen. He opened the refrigerator door right as a soft chime sounded through the apartment. Sean looked over his shoulder as the front door slid open and Alexei arrived home.
“Hey,” Sean called out. “How was your day with Kyle?”
Alexei activated the security protocols on the control panel before heading to the kitchen. “Was good. Nice to see Kilyusha and spend time with.”
Sean pulled out the air-sealed package containing two marinated steaks from the refrigerator and set it on the counter. “What did you guys end up doing?”
“Lunch. Drinks. Shark darts.”
Sean paused in pulling out the makings for a salad and looked at where Alexei lounged against the kitchen island, very obviously eyeing his ass. “Shark darts?”
Alexei waved his hand, the smirk on his face giving him a rakish air. “Shark darts. Is when pretend can’t hit target and have assholes think they better than you. Then kill at game.”
Sean laughed at the absurd idea of anyone being a better shot than Kyle, drinks or no drinks. Alexei was a close second, but if Kyle was in the mix, everyone else was taking second place. “Did you guys get kicked out of the bar? Start any fights?”
“No,” Alexei said smugly. “Win money though.”
“I bet you did,” Sean drawled. He straightened up with the food in his arms and moved to set it on the kitchen counter. “I’m making steaks for dinner. You hungry now or want to wait?”
Warm hands fit over his hips, pulling him back against Alexei’s body. Hot lips touched the side of his neck, sucking lightly on the skin there. He drew in a sharp breath, hands curling into fists against the counter.
“Eat whenever,” Alexei told him, nibbling at his throat.
Sean rolled his eyes. “That’s not helpful.”
“Make food, I eat it.”
“How about you help? Go set the table while I get things started.”
Alexei grumbled in Russian before reluctantly letting go of him. “Fine, fine. Will set table. Could just eat from pan.”
“You do, and I’ll tell your mother.”
Alexei raised his hands in mock surrender. “No, is good. You cook. We eat at table.”
Sean fought not to smile, but it was impossible when Alexei was like this—handsy and happy. Sean turned his attention back to the food spread out on the counter, realized he was missing the potatoes and other root vegetables, and started digging through the pantry for them.
Sean got to work chopping carrots, potatoes, shallots, squash, and brussels sprouts. The steaks wouldn’t take long on the grill pan he’d pulled out earlier, but he still needed to take them out of their packaging. He seasoned the vegetables in the pan before grabbing the bottle of cooking oil and drizzling it over the entire dish. Mixing it all together, he set the pan aside and went to preheat the oven.
Need to get the ring, he thought.
Barring a national emergency—which was a distinct possibility, considering their jobs—nothing was getting in the way of Sean proposing tonight. It’s why he’d opted to prepare dinner rather than make a reservation at their favorite steakhouse. He wasn’t risking dinner and his proposal getting ruined how breakfast had last week.
“Can you open a bottle of wine?” Sean asked on his way out of the kitchen. “I need to grab something.”
Alexei didn’t look up from where he was meticulously setting the rectangular table near the floor-to-ceiling plas-glass window wall. It offered up a nice view of more than just an adjacent building, but also some of the city skyline. No one could see in thanks to the integrated building security, but anyone in the apartment could see out.
“Da. Will open red one,” Alexei said.
He pulled it out and held it in his hand, feeling his heart beat a little quicker. It felt heavier than it should have, but the possibilities he held, wrapped up inside a thin band of gold and diamonds, were extraordinary. Sean never thought he’d get this—that he deserved a future like this—after living a lie for so many years. Deep cover was impossible to form and keep a relationship in, and Sean had honestly thought he’d be alone until he retired.
Then Belfast had happened, and his undercover work shifted into the MDF’s purview. Falling into Alexei’s orbit still felt like winning the lottery some days, a luck of the draw that Sean honestly thought he’d already won when he didn’t die from the Splice bomb in Belfast.
All that was left for him to do was ask a single question.
Sean tucked the ring box into his front pocket and headed back to the kitchen, where he put the vegetables into the oven and set the timer. Alexei had chosen a bottle of wine and poured out two glasses. He offered one to Sean on his way by, and he took it, taking a deep swallow.
“Good choice?” Alexei asked.
“Yes.”
The wine selection had been curated by Jamie when Sean had asked for suggestions. There wasn’t a bad bottle in the entire temperature-controlled case.
He set his glass on the kitchen island to free up his hands. He peeled open the plastic-wrapped steaks, setting them near the stove. The vegetables would take about twenty minutes while the steaks would take a couple minutes each, if that. Alexei liked his steak rare, and his was always the last to be cooked
.
“Watch game with dinner?” Alexei asked, already turning on the television.
“If you want.”
“Not sound happy. Can turn off if want.”
“My team is losing,” Sean grumbled as he started making the salad.
Alexei laughed. “Pick better bracket.”
“Like you’re doing any better.”
“Better than you,” was Alexei’s smug answer.
Sean gave up on the salad in favor of going over to Alexei and kissing the smirk off his mouth. The rich flavor of the wine was on both their tongues, and Sean kissed him with a single-minded determination that had Alexei rocking back a step.
“Spill wine if not careful,” Alexei murmured against his lips.
“I don’t care about the wine.”
Alexei arched an eyebrow and leaned a little to the side so he could set his glass on the dining room table. “Not make mess before dinner.”
Sean hooked the fingers of his right hand into Alexei’s front pocket, keeping him from moving too far away. “Hey. Lyosha.”
“Hmm?”
“Are you happy?”
Alexei went still, his gray eyes never leaving Sean’s face. “Where this come from, hmm, Senya?”
“I just…need to know. If you’re happy. With us. With me.”
Alexie framed his face with both hands, kissing him slow and deep, as if he were drinking the taste of wine from Sean’s lips.
“Always happy with you, Senya,” Alexei said roughly when they parted.
“Marry me?”
The words tumbled from Sean’s mouth before he could stop himself, but they weren’t ones he wanted to take back. Alexei went still, his hands unmoving on Sean’s face as he stared at him in shocked silence.
Then he threw back his head and laughed.
That wasn’t what Sean was expecting.
“You think it’s a joke?” Sean asked flatly, feeling heat rush into his cheeks that wasn’t from Alexei’s touch.
“Nyet. Nyet!” Alexei got out, hands settling onto Sean’s shoulders as he leaned in to kiss him quick and hard. “Tell Kilyusha at lunch want to marry you. Buy you ring during lunch, Senichka.”