He hated the sun in that moment. Squinting the migraine only intensified so Oliver turned to the other side and pulled the sheet over his head. There was insanity in his memory…and little more. He knew he greeted dawn already unmasked and lovingly fucked but the pure thought made him nauseous. It was his first one night stand and it didn't leave a good aftertaste. His cell phone rang sharply and he wanted to slam it against the wall. He truly believed one morning of peace was not a great deal to ask…yet…his family never agreed.
His legs felt wobbly as he stood and he squinted before opening his eyes. There was shimmery and feathery green, gold and white all over the room. He didn't remember the name of the hotel…or the name of his feverish lover. He looked at the message.
Please bring the cookbook to chef Petrov and walk him through some of our specialties.
He didn't need that…he didn't want to go see the Russian. A refreshing shower wasn't helpful so he took some aspirin and drank fresh tomato juice for breakfast. He took his fine while to collect his wits about him. There was a frightening thought of Petrov not being alone… Oliver didn't know if he could survive seeing Sergei with Kai Hiwatari…because Kai Hiwatari was nothing like him and it would mean the Russian could never like him. The flow of annoying self-diagnosis crammed his brain as he tried to relax… It couldn't be stretched out any longer…he needed to get going…
The red roof of Sergei's villa appeared in the distance, the Mediterranean building was three stories tall and very quaint. Little apartments with large terraces spilling like waterfalls over the side of the building made it one of the most beautiful parts of the city. During summer the Riviera was brimming with people and the street was enriched with chatter and vibrant sounds of life. Oliver pushed the main doors open and proceeded to the second floor. He felt his heartbeat skipping as he slowly walked to the big white doors. He looked at his reflection in the nearby window and sigh. He had a scarf with a reason this time. His pale knuckles grabbed the gold knocker and slammed it gently into the wood's surface.
He listened intently to shuffles behind, swallowing the tension building up in his throat. The keys skipped in the lock and the door was forcibly opened. Oliver shivered slightly as wine red eyes drank him in and sharpened in anger. Hiwatari could frighten men at a glance and the furious stare he reigned down upon the silver-eyed noble fulfilled its destined effect. Oliver took a step back. Kai's hair had been towel dried and it spiked raggedly around his face, long pale-grey bangs falling over the hawk eyebrows and a predator's stare. His firm jaw was clenched and the pale cheeks wore no trace of his once trademark face-paint. Oliver's gaze slid over a profound, narrow and sharp nose, to swollen lips. Oh, Kai Hiwatari was treacherously delectable and Kai Hiwatari was shirtless and his muscular chest rippled with inhuman perfection. The Frenchman starred because the chest was also laden with scars…so very similar to Sergei's. He heard his heartbeat in his head as he explored the purple bruises over Hiwatari's neck, trailing down over his collar bone and only hinting what came later. It all overcame him in the few second Kai stood leaning in the doorway; hands in the pockets of his broad sweatpants.
"I'm looking for Sergei Petrov." There was a sudden need to be formal…to hide the crushing sensation of betrayal?
Kai pushed himself from the doorway and retreated deeper into the room. Oliver followed silently, closing the door behind him. The large living room spilled out onto the terrace and a long counter and an archway connected to the kitchen, so light and fresh air flowed freely throughout the rooms. Oliver noticed the double doors to the bedroom were open and casually glanced inside as he stepped further into the apartment.
It was something like self-inflicting harm as his eyes tripped over the wrinkles in the sheets and up the silk white scarf tied to the iron wrought bed at one end. Hiwatari didn't speak, he watched him while taking a seat at the counter. Oliver wondered how it felt to have those crimson orbs look at one lustfully because all he felt was sharp etched anger and ice…what further unnerved him was the overbearing lack of Petrov. His shirt was thrown casually over one of the chairs and Oliver noticed his phone was on the small coffee table.
He noticed Hiwatari turn his attention to the laptop, as if his presence in the room didn't matter. It was a while before he distantly acknowledged the sound of running water. The object of his fascination was in the shower. There was a strain to deny himself thinking about it. A sharp ring made him turn back to Hiwatari, the sombre man put the miniature wireless in his ears and spoke into the tiny microphone.
"Hiwatari" A statement of fact, without formalities and Oliver shuddered after hearing Kai's voice for the first time. If one could imagine molten steel topple elegantly in a riverbed of ice that was what Oliver felt. The muscular dual-haired man walked onto the terrace, continuing his conversation in Russian. Oliver looked about the room, he noticed Sergei had tied his scarf to the iron twirls of the frame of an oval mirror in the corridor. Somehow that calmed him…that something of his was in the Russian's apartment.
He hadn't heard Sergei's footsteps on the marble tiled floor, obviously because the Russian was barefoot. Oliver's mouth opened when he noticed Sergei standing in the bedroom doorway hiding his privates with a wrap-around towel. Sergei's eyebrow arched, he was positively certain Oliver wasn't standing uncomfortably in his living room before he went into the shower.
"You looking for me." He stated it rather than asked, even though he would enjoy flirting with the green haired man in that precise moment he assumed the Frenchman was at wits end… He had the body language of a wet puppy…
The Russian's voice was husky and Oliver dragged his eyes over the object of his fascination painfully slowly…there were scratches…deep and demanding in his skin and…bites taken so forcefully he could notice the line of Hiwatari's teeth. He shuddered, aware he had better answer.
"It may be a bad time…" He was aware it was but Sergei answered instantly.
"It isn't. Give me a moment." The Russian raised a single finger and disappeared behind the corner. Oliver allowed himself to breathe, gazing over to Hiwatari arguing on the terrace. Oliver knew he was, what was socially considered, beautiful and that his friends drooled over every inch of him…but…how would he compete with Kai Hiwatari…world champion…multimillionaire…with a physique admired by Adonis himself… Oliver stopped thinking. He was dragging himself down and his pride wouldn't allow it. He lost a handsome chef…it wasn't the end of the world.
"Right, I'm done. What do you need?" Sergei told him smiling, dressed in his usual broad cream pants and a white button down. I need you to make Kai Hiwatari go away…and drag me, rather, to that big bed of yours…Oliver didn't voice his thoughts however and simply smiled in answer. He took a small leather bound book from his pocket and handed it to the Russian.
"Some of our most common recipes, it would be good if you knew them…of course these go under the confidentiality clause you signed." There was something liberating in being purely formal…for the first time since they met.
Sergei nodded while taking the little book from Oliver's pale fingers. The Russian didn't have any need to apologize for Hiwatari's presence…or even mention that fact. He flirted with Oliver but had absolutely nothing with the man, so he didn't even give the matter any consideration. Hiwatari broke the strange silence pulling on a shirt with a furious expression, Oliver watched as Sergei questioned him about it. The way Russian slipped of his tong was like someone was tapping the surface of the noble's skin…so very gently.
"What happened?" Hiwatari could perhaps shut the rest of the world out but for his new brothers no frown or glare could even wobble their resolve. Hiwatari knew this but he still tried glaring angrily before caving in and revealing the information.
"How can one man cause such hassle?" This was spat with such anger that Oliver's eyebrows popped up even though he didn't understand… but Sergei only laughed…it was a bright laugh that filled the apartment and softened Hiwatari's features slightly.
"What now?" Sergei leaned on the counter, watching the red eyed man gather his belongings.
"He assaulted a doctor…" Sergei laughed again at Kai's frustration.
"Show him no mercy. I trusted you with them…" What Sergei said held great weight and Kai stopped, he closed his eyes and ran a hand through his unruly hair.
"I know you did…" He wished Petrov hadn't but it was a selfish thought and he ignored it instantly. There was no mention of the night…of Hiwatari crawling to solace and balance before returning to provide a spine for the rest of the group. It was normal to offer what another of them needed; there were no claims over such a thing even though sex didn't cut under the category for the others. It was something Hiwatari needed and Petrov provided but there was little more. No words of love, no caress once dawn came and no further thought. Hiwatari had come for another reason…Oliver was the reason…A world apart that isn't good for Petrov…
On no level did Kai feel threatened he only wished to stop the absurd situation evolving, but when he saw how silver eyes nibbled and licked and ate away at his brother he knew he would allow it to play out. Sergei was strong enough. Oliver wasn't.
"You leaving at once?" There was no emotion behind the question, Kai answering either way was good enough for Petrov.
"I have to." There was no need for more words between them, Sergei understood it meant the others needed him and so he would go. Kai grabbed the small sports bag and looked at Petrov who had now turned sombre. The furious red eyes flashed at Oliver for a short moment before closing the short distance between him and Sergei. It wasn't a kiss, in Oliver's eyes, it was absolute surrender.
Oliver waited, feeling his inside tensing and heat spilling over his abdomen until Sergei finally locked the door behind Hiwatari.
"I'm so sorry. I didn't realize you wouldn't be alone." He blurted as soon as Sergei turned his attention back to him but the Russian merely chuckled. Liar…The little voice in Oliver's head accused him.
"Don't worry about Hiwatari. That's just sex." To Sergei there was noting special about that sentence. It was a statement of facts and little more could be said. He scanned the colourful range of emotions that played on Oliver's face in answer tough and found it infinitely amusing.
"He flew in from Russia for sex? That doesn't sound like just sex to me." Oliver arched an eyebrow, he was aware he might be overstepping boundaries. Sergei chuckled putting the water to boil.
"That's because you've never had sex with me." There was smugness in the sentence that made butterflies in Oliver's stomach.
"Are you saying men usually travel across Europe to bed you?" Oliver smirked playfully, accepting the challenge.
"You would have to try to understand." Factually Sergei answered looking over to the elegant man sitting on the bar chair on the other side of the tall counter. Oliver's mouth remained gapping and the tall Russian merely arched an eyebrow. He has no idea what that lustful expression makes me want to do to him...
"Is that an offer?" Oliver couldn't believe the question that rolled over his lips and he noticed he was gripping to the counter for dear life. He's smirking…that BASTARD…he's doing this on purpose…Oh God…
Sergei was smirking, finishing the coffee on the stove."Sugar or cream?"
Oliver bit down on his lower lip…it took all his smug and confidence to give Sergei his answer. "Both, I like it sticky and sweet."
Sergei needed to pause, resting his hands on the counter and chuckling to himself. Little rich bastard…
"Would you like me to blow on it for you as well?" He added smirking when he passed the cup to the Frenchman. The green haired man barely stopped a giggle.
"Hot will be fine thank you." He gazed down at the cup to avoid cerulean eyes.
"Are you certain…we wouldn't want to damage that connoisseur tong of yours?" Sergei took a sip of his own plain black liquid.
"You can always kiss to make it better again-" Oliver stopped himself after he became aware what he blurted out. OhMyGodOhMyGod…He couldn't remember when last he prayed as vigorously as in the last week.
Sergei arched an eyebrow, a small smirk playing on his features. "One kiss from me and you would break." Shatter…so very finely…into little crystals of sugar…and glittering dust…He found the thought funny.
There was something like disappointment on Oliver's face, his fingers trailing the rim of his cup. "Hiwatari didn't seem to break."
Petrov noticed his comment may have inadvertently ruined the mood. "Hiwatari is already broken."
Oliver was silent for a long while and they sipped their coffee in silence. Sergei flipped through the leather bound book in interest, murmuring opinions to himself. Silver eyes watched the man leaning on the counter... I can't stop watching him…even though he belongs to Kai…I still want him…and just sex…I could do just sex…maybe…
"What if I wouldn't mind being broken by you?" It was a faint question that broke the afternoon silence with the grace of a lover sneaking out of bed before morning. It was heard and it had the same effects as waking up alone…hurt but knowing it was better that way…
"I hope you never learn what it means to break…don't say such things." Sergei answered sombrely, whispering in the same hushed manner. He like playing with Oliver but that was all it could be…right?