|A/N| Greetings and salutations, my beautiful readers!
Wow, an on-time update? And over the usual around 1,000 word range at that? Really, I'm surprised at myself, haha. But, this was honestly one of my favorite chapters to actually work on so far, and I wanted to wrap it up as nicely as I could manage, so...It's longer. Plus, it was the easiest to work on so far, so that's why it was on time! It would've been early, but I had to change a part last minute. Also, it'll only be fun from here on out for Emil and Leon! Upupupu~
Uhm, well, anyways...Hope you enjoy!
August 1, 2004
Beijing, China
Yao was not in a good mood.
Regarding at the man who sat across from him, he didn't even try to hide his glare. The restaurant was empty, all the employees having left just as the man came in. Yao was somewhat glad that they had left before things could get...messy. That was always an opportunity, when one of his little pawns was involved. He did not want to deal with this
"So, what does the General want from me this time?" Yao started, picking up his cup of tea from the table. "We agreed there would be no more demands until my family was safe."
The other man tapped his fingers on the table, fiddling with his scarf, "I'm sorry, my friend. Mister Winter demanded your services; our operation is in more trouble than ever." He fixed pleading eyes on Yao. Desperation was the only thing shining clearly on his face. "All we need for you to contact Chen, get us some funds. Maybe some information as well. That's all we need, and then we'll leave you all alone. Forever."
"Chen hasn't talked to me in over five years, Milen." Yao huffed, leaning back in his seat and waving a sleeve-covered hand as he spoke, "He's somewhere in Vegas. Or maybe he's back in Macau. Or, who knows, he might've finally been tracked down and killed by some gangster he cheated out of money, buried in a shallow grave or rotting in a ditch. That boy might as well be dead to the Wang family, not to mention the rest of the world."
Milen rested his elbows on the table, burying his face into his gloved hands to muffle a groan, "Mister Winter will not be happy with this, you know." He looked up again, smiling slightly with a nervous hope, "How about Romulus? You two are very close. Not to mention that I hear that he's been working on that little 'project' of his for a while, yes? If nothing else, he can help you locate that brother of yours."
"Romulus would refuse to help you. He just met his third grandson; why would he put those children, two little ones and an infant, in danger? He's much smarter than I was, he's not as desperate as everyone else who helps the General is." Yao stood, placing his hands palm-down on the table, "So I would appreciate it if you left, Milen. I have no need of you here."
A frown replaced the Bulgarian's smile, "Mister Winter is not going to be doing you more favors, then. But I will no longer attempt to change your mind." He mumbled, standing, "Well, I will take my leave. Thank you for the tea, as well as your time, Yao. I have a belief we will not be seeing each other again."
"Goodbye, Milen. Safe travels."
"Goodbye, Yao. And thank you."
"Leon. Kamon. I'm home." Yao closed the door, making sure to lock it, before stepping further into the small apartment. He could hear chairs scraping out from the dinner table, the quiet pattering of little feet rushing down the hall. Leon came into view, grinning and dragging his long sleeves behind him. Heh. Yong Soo's old clothes had never fit any of the others very well...
"Yao!" He shouted, voice squeaking, "Yao's home, Kamon! He's finally back!" The four-year-old boy pounced on him, wrapping his arms around Yao's waist.
A weak chuckle came from the doorway, "Don't hurt him, little one," Kamon softly murmured, approaching his cousins. He looked drained, eyes duller than usual, but he still retained his smile. Yao could tell they would need to talk when Leon went to bed. "Yao is not as stable as he used to be; he is an old man."
"Don't make me hit you." Yao chuckled, rolling his eyes, "I am just as powerful as I was a year ago! I'm not as ancient as you make me out to be, Kamon."
Kamon chuckled, much more heartily than a few minutes before, "I am only teasing! It is all in good fun." He smiled, bending down to gently pry Leon from Yao, "Now, come. I prepared dinner tonight. It is a recipe for fishcakes Mei sent me to try to make a few weeks back."
"Kamon almost burnt it earlier," Leon mumbled, puffing out his chest and putting his knuckles on his hips, "But I saved it!"
"I bet you did," Yao ruffled Leon's hair, smiling, "Now let's go eat, okay? Wouldn't want your two's hard work going to waste."
"Yeah!" Leon threw up his arms, waving them around messily before turning around and running towards the dining room. Kamon yelped out a quick, "be careful," before chasing after the little boy. Leon just giggled as the two disappeared around the corner.
Yao hung up his jacket, pulling his phone out of his jacket. "I'll catch up you two, I need to make a phone call!" He called, waiting for the chorus of "okay" that came afterwards. Slipping out the door again, Yao typed in a very familiar number. He had to do this while he still had the means to, these calls were impossibly expensive without the General's support. The thought made Yao's heart sink.
"Yao!" A familiar, jubilant voice said from the other end, "How is my favorite foreign friend today?"
"Not very well, if I am being entirely honest with you, Romulus." Yao sighed, leaning against the wall and twirling a loose strand of hair. "Anyway, I'm sure my phone bill will be suffering if I go on too long with this. I know you told me not to keep associating myself with him, but General Winter has requested assistance once again." He heard his friend take a deep breath, ready to go on one of his infamous lectures, but Yao stopped it before it could begin. "Before you start, I will inform you that I denied him any financial aid. But, Milen - you know him, correct? - was pushy. He asked me to get you to help find Chen. I denied of course, but you know the General; he won't stop until he gets what he wants.
"I would say more, but that's all the important information. Stay safe, Romulus, and keep that family of yours safe as well. Tell Feli, Lovi and Angel that uncle Yao's presents will be late this year." He smiled into the phone, wishing that he friend could see it. "If I can send them at all. I have an inkling my money situation will take a turn for the worst..."
Romulus sighed, his speaker giving a loud crackle. Yao could see him rubbing the bridge of his nose, just like he did when they were in high school and he was struggling to wrap his head around some math problem. "Well...I guess life deals us bad hands sometimes. I won't make it worse by saying 'I told you so.'"
"I appreciate that." Yao rolled his eyes, but his amusement faded quickly, "Well, I guess this is a goodbye. For now, at least. Leon and Kamon are waiting for me so we can eat."
"Of course, of course. Wouldn't want to keep those two waiting; I still remember last Christmas...I'm pretty sure I'm still recovering" He laughed, loud and booming, while Yao threw in his own quiet chuckle at the memory. "Anyways...I will talk to you again, Yao. Make sure to take care of those two, as well as Vas, if you see him. He's supposed to be in your area soon, according to my calculations; he'll stop by for a while if he is."
"I promise I will. As much as I can, at least. That boy can eat a whole family's worth in one sitting."
"Well, he needs all the energy he can. Talk to you later, Yao. Best wishes."
"Thank you. To you as well."
Yao kept the phone to his ear for a few minutes, before letting his arm rest at his side. He dragged a hand through his hair, sagging against the wall. He wasn't ready for this. He already felt the weight of worlds on his shoulders. And now, without the one person who could make him feel strong no matter what...All he wanted to do was curl up and scream.
But, Kamon and Leon were waiting. And he had to take care of them. That was his job, after all.
:
February 24, 2016
Bergen, Norway
I am going to kill that son of a bitch...
Yao gripped the steering wheel, knuckles bleaching white as he sped home. His phone laid, discarded, on the passenger seat, still open to his texts; they were from some random number, to an unknowing eye, but Yao knew it all too well. General Winter. Or, at the very least, one of his "higher-up" lackeys. Hopefully, whoever it was wasn't at his home yet, or he swore to all that was holy they wouldn't escape without less blood in their body.
Pulling up to his house, Yao narrowed his eyes at the car sticking out, almost unnoticeably, from the side of the house. It certainly wasn't one Yao remembered seeing at any point in time, and it set off alarm bells as loud as thunder when he noticed the two bikes lying on the house's front wall.
He took a deep breath, turning off the ignition and sliding out of the car. If the boys had been harmed, he wouldn't forgive himself; his promise to, not just his parents, would be broken if Leon was injured, but also his vow to Romulus. He ran to the door, ignoring the slickness of the ice beneath his feet. The door was unlocked, so he crashed right through, "Leon? Emil? Are you two in here?" He called out, dropping his stuff. His hands were shaking.
The thumping of footsteps came from the stairs. He felt overwhelming relief wash over him as Leon and Emil showed up, standing at the top of the stairs. "Yeah, we're here, Teach." Leon said, eyebrows furrowed and frown tilting his lips down, "What's wrong? You look like you just had a heart attack."
"I wouldn't be surprised..." Yao mumbled, taking the steps two at a time and scooping the two teenagers into his arms, hugging them tightly. "You two don't know how relieved I am you're okay..."
Leon squirmed in the hug, pouting, "What are you, like, talking about?" When Yao released the hug, he tilted his head, "Didn't you know Kamon was, like, here? He said you were getting fish for dinner." At his side, Emil nodded, looking half worried and half alarmed.
Yao bit his lip. Okay, he had keep as calm and quiet as possible; he didn't want to send the two into panic. He took a deep breath, sending a look towards the doorway leading to the kitchen. It was probably it there...That's what he had been told, at least. "Whatever is in here with us is not Kamon. Not entirely, at least. It's hard to explain this, boys, but I need you to get out of this house and run to Emil's. Tell Lukas and Vladimir that something has happened."
"Wh-What?" Leon stammered, eyes widening, "Not...Kamon? What are you talking about, Teach?" He almost yelled the question, making Yao flinch.
Yao pressed a finger to his lips, "Shhh, I said be quiet." He hissed. But the damage was already done. Footsteps came from behind them, making Yao look at the two seriously, "Please, don't fight me on this. Just believe me. I'll buy you some time to escape. That thing will probably come after you, but I'm sure Lukas and Vladimir will protect you more than I did. If you can, grab the map from my car; it's unlocked. It'll show you where you need to go."
Leon still seemed hesitant, but Emil grabbed his wrist, nodding, "We will, Yao."
"Good." Yao smiled at them, walking down the stairs, the two boys following behind him. As soon as he got to the bottom of the steps, he turned back to them, "Whatever happens, whatever you see in the corner of your eye, don't turn back. I can't stress that enough. You're not safe if you hesitate for longer than you need to." The grin didn't slip off his face, "We may see each other again; I can see this isn't the end of the line. Oh, and Emil?"
"Yeah, Yao?" The Icelandic boy murmured, biting his lip.
"Please, protect Leon for me. He'll need it."
A twinge of fear struck Emil in the chest; Yao's words stung in a way he didn't quite get. He'll...need it? Three simple words ignited a wildfire of questions: What was that even supposed to mean? Was Leon in some sort of danger? And, most of all, Why him? Yao could've said anyone else! But, nonetheless, he started to drag Leon towards the door, bursting out into the chill of Winter just as they heard Kamon's voice. "Ah, so you finally decided to show up, Yao! You know, the Dragons have missed you..."
The...Dragons? Emil didn't know what that was supposed to mean, but he committed the name to memory. The best he could, at least, with the flurry of thoughts and emotions rushing through his head and pounding against his skull.
Grab the map, go to my house, don't get caught, protect Leon. Grab the map, go to my house, don't get caught, protect Leon. Grab the map, go to my house, don't get caught, protect Leon.
Taking a deep breath, Emil squeezed Leon's wrist. "He'll be fine." He murmured, like he was trying not to shatter the air, "Yao is as tough as nails, Leon. And, if he isn't, then we'll just have to do as he wished us to." He looked at his friend, watching him bob his head. Emil forced a smile, going to Yao's car and opening the passenger door. "Alright then, let's find that map!"
Grab the map, go to my house, don't get caught, protect Leon. Grab the map, go to my house, don't get caught, protect Leon. Grab the map, go to my house, don't get caught, protect Leon.
Fulfill Yao's wishes.