AN/ Also updated, hope it's better.

NATALIA ENTERED the coffee shop as she usually did: menacingly. Her high-heels clacked on the floor, and her pretty face was scowling. Some of the other customers winced as she passed their table, Natalia didn't notice. She didn't bother herself with people she didn't have business with. And there was only one person in the building she had anything to do with.

"Why must we keep meeting in wretched places like this?" Natalia sat down at a small table, her glare softening only slightly when she looked at the woman across from her.

The woman was humble looking, but big-busted. She smiled, "Oh Sister, it's fine! Have a cup of cocoa and relax."

"No, Kateryna! I'm not a child!" She pouted slightly, "You always treat me like one, Big Sister!"

The elder sibling chuckled, and thanked the waiter as he brought her coffee. He looked at Natalia, "Can I get you anything, señorita?" He asked with an accent and a smile.

Natalia shook her head and waved him off. Kateryna smirked, "He's handsome..."

"Oh, shut up!" She snapped, "I listened to you, got a boyfriend, and he dumped me. Are you ever happy?"

Kateryna reached for her sister's hand, "I know, sister. But you can't just sit and dwell on it."

Natalia shook her head, "I can't believe you… Just butt out." She looked out the window, barely able to make eye contact with Kateryna. It wasn't uncommon for them. Natalia had been listening to her sister's advice since she was a teenager. While she loved Kateryna, Natalia could find her simply insufferable.

Kateryna looked hurt, "Alright, fine. I'll let it be… But do stay and talk to me Sister. Please?"

Natalia sighed and unbuttoned her jacket, "How's Big Brother?"

Kateryna shrugged and looked into her coffee, "Off on another one of his vacations."

Natalia folded her arms on the table, and glanced at the floor. Her brother was gone quite often. She couldn't help but read into it, "Did he even come home at all? He didn't even call…"

The other took a drink, "Mmm… I'm not sure. He was…" She glanced at the other, seeing her put out look, "Oh, Sister… You aren't… Ivan travels for his health. You know that! Don't start blaming yourself for everything again, please. I hate seeing you like that."

Natalia huffed, "I'm not! Stop worrying, Big Sister."

Kateryna was quiet, studying her sister and reading her expressions. She sighed, "How're your friends, Sister? Lilli and Elizaveta?"

Natalia's face grew darker, she watched her sister examine her nails awkwardly, "Um, Sister is there something you want to tell me?"

The woman put her hands in her lap, "No, I'm fine." Her face went blank, neutral. She withdrew herself from the conversation.

Kateryna's face pulled into a worried expression. She'd just begun, "Natalia, please. Tell me what's wrong."

The younger woman shook her head, and stood, putting her jacket back on, "I have to go, Big Sister."

Kateryna didn't respond, just stared. Natalia took a second to stare back. She leaned down and kissed her sister on the cheek, "Goodbye, I'll call you later." Natalia left the cafe, less menacing than when she entered. Kateryna watched her go, a sickening feeling in her stomach.


Emil held his camera to his chest as he hurried down the street. Soon he was at the city docks. He slowed, taking the time to listen to seagulls and water lapping at the sides of boats. A small smile came to Emil's lips as the familiar sea calmed him.

Emil stopped in front of a sailboat. A man lied in it, reading a small, red, title-less book. He was blonde, part of his bangs pinned back. He flicked his indigo gaze up to Emil at the sound of a camera clicking.

The man snapped his book closed, "Take that damn cigarette out of your mouth." He spoke in a quiet voice, frustration skewing it into a growl.

Emil shrugged, and took another picture, "I've already smoked most of it, Lukas. Just let me finish." He lifted his cheeks into a sarcastic smile, "Please?"

Lukas grabbed a brown leather flat cap from next to him and pulled it onto his head with a deep breath. He climbed out of the boat and snatched the cigarette from between Emil's teeth, "Next time I catch you smoking I'll make you eat the cigarette. No little brother of mine is going to die of lung cancer." He snuffed the butt on a wooden post of the dock and handed it back to Emil, "And I better not see you just dump it anywhere."

Emil rolled his eyes, "Yes'm, of course."

Lukas slapped his little brother on the side of the head, making him yip in surprise. The elder brother turned and walked away, "Come on."

Emil stuck out his tongue at his brother's retreating back and just in spite tossed the cigarette remains in the dark waters. He hurried after Lukas, stopping to take a couple of pictures of his retreating back, and fell into pace a few steps behind him, "Do I need to go home for any reason?"

Lukas sighed, "No, and you can stop asking. Just stay at Berwald and Tino's they don't mind."

Another slight smile brightened Emil's face, "Okay."

Lukas tugged the brim of his hat down a little farther and sped up his already brisk pace, ignoring Emil's complaints.


"Hello?" Emil stepped inside the large home, smiling around at the familiar place. Warm colors filled the house wall to wall and the lights were a nice yellow hue. Delicious smells drifted from the kitchen, along with laughter. It was a place full of love and, the brother's couldn't help but relax from the fast, cold walk there.

"Emil?" A blond head poked itself out of the kitchen, "What are you doing? You should be in school!"

Emil groaned, "Oh come on, give me a break!"

"A break?! You—... Lukas! He's your brother!" The man stepped into the hallway, an almost indiscernible look on his face. Lukas thought it was between a flustered, a worried, and a fed-up look.

He shook his head and stepped past him into the kitchen, "Tino, I've tried. Your turn."

Tino shot a small, disappointed glare at the man taking a beer out of his fridge. His naturally big, brown eyes lessened the effect significantly. He looked back at Emil, who had moseyed into the living room, suddenly absorbed by his phone. "Emil, will you please, you know, make an effort to graduate!"

He grunted and fell onto the couch, "I've got a whole 'nother year to catch up!"

Tino muttered something in Finnish and grabbed himself a beer, "That is all you Lukas. 'Mr. Procrastination.' "

"I was an amazing student, beg your pardon." Lukas defended.

Tino sat at the kitchen table next to Lukas, "Yeah, I bet. Why didn't that carry into adulthood. You're always putting things off and ignoring calls."

"I was." Lukas muttered.

"I'm a good student!" Emil called.

Tino chuckled sarcastically, "Yeah, just as good as you are at driving."

"Excuse me? I am an excellent driver!"

"Yeah, if you have a death wish."

Lukas smiled and examined his beer bottle, slightly tuning out of the lively conversation. His phone vibrated in his pocket, and he checked it, glancing at Tino.

"Last time I recall driving with you, you hit a cat and a parked car."

"It jumped in front of my way, and they looked like douchebags anyways!"

Lukas looked down at his phone, and smiled as he read the message from his girlfriend: Hey you ;)

He shook his head in amusement, the woman never ceased to impress him with her insistent flirting. Even he, who was certainly considered a 'womanizer', could feel slightly uneasy at his girlfriend's confidence. Lukas figured it was good for him. Too much confidence could kill a man.

But it wasn't anything like Natalia.

He frowned slightly. Both saddened and confused by the thought of his recent ex. Lukas had been seeing his current girlfriend for a while now. His sadness slowly faded to shame, 'Longer than we've been broken up…' He thought guiltily.

"Who're you texting? Have I been talking to myself this whole time?"

Lukas looked up at Tino, indigo orbs never betraying his inner turmoil, "Hmm?"

Tino rolled his eyes, and got up and left to the living room. Lukas followed, ignoring the text he had received.


"The ass didn't text me back!" Brigitte pouted playfully, "He does that though I guess. He's so quiet!" She put her phone aside and replaced it with a martini, looking around at her friends and tossing blonde hair from her eyes, "It's so sexy." She purred.

The others giggled. Another blonde, petite and innocent looking, blushed, "Brigitte, maybe we should take your phone. You don't want to drunk-text him now, do you?"

She laughed, "Lilli, it only matters if I text other guys. And besides he can handle it. It's not like he's an ex or anything. Or in a relationship… still!" They all giggled again.

Natalia didn't, smiling to keep the attention away from her. She was screaming inside though, 'I thought it was sexy first, pig! And he was in a relationship with me, bitch!' Her mind was running fast with as many insults towards her 'friend' as she could muster. The mad snickering the girls made was driving her insane.

Another woman sat on a chair next to Natalia. Her hair was long and brown, and she twirled a stand of it around her finger, "Did you ever meet his girlfriend? You know… did she catch you two?"

Brigitte shook her head, "That's the thing, Liz. She was never there to catch us. Lukas said she 'pushed him away' a lot and that they hadn't seen much of each other lately. I tell ya, it made him twice as affectionate if you know what I mean."

More giggles. This time Natalia couldn't bring herself to even smile. She looked into her vodka and cranberry. True, she had kept him at arm's length, but that wasn't the whole problem… The girls' giggles got louder, causing Natalia to look up and out of her thoughts.

She stood, "I've got to go."

Brigitte frowned, "Aww, Natalia!"

The woman closed her eyes, flustered, "I-I know. I forgot to lock my apartment and I won't be able to… I just have to go before I forget again." She set down her drink and gathered up her coat.

The petite blinked in worry, "You never forget things Natalia. Are you alright?"

"Yes, Lilli. I'm fine. I just slipped up once, no worries." She left the apartment in a blur and only slowed down after she was a block away.

Tears came then. Leaving thin, hot, wet trails down her cheeks. She stopped in her tracks – thankful she was alone – and let out a sob. Heavy breath clouding in the air. Natalia pulled the phone from her pocket and shakily dialed. She held it to her ear, biting back more sobs.

"Big Sister?"