There is a trigger for swearing in this chapter. I am so excited for you guys to read this. Enjoy and let me know what you think.

Ch 14

"Still sick huh?" Amelia asked on the phone. Her reply was a hard coughing fit. New Year's Eve plans with Toris were definitely cancelled. "Uh do you want me to bring you soup or something?"

Shit it was still so early in the relationship, or at least that's how it felt to her. She didn't know if it was appropriate for her to insist she come over and ply him with chicken broth, tissues, and company.

"No its fine," Toris said in a hoarse voice. "Talk later."

Come to think of it he probably shouldn't have been talking either. Oops.

She'd so been looking forward to going out. But now her options were limited on such short notice.

Maddie and Raoul had headed home the day before to beat the craziness at the airport. Al was going to some sort of swanky fundraiser that cost about as much as her monthly salary to attend. Matt was hanging out with the Braginsky girls just ordering in a pizza. And her dads were even planning on going to have a nice midnight supper out on the town.

"I'm going out dammit," she mumbled determinedly as she hit another contact on her phone. "Hey Feli! Ooooh this is your voicemail. Plan C."

XX

"Welcome to the party," Feliks greeted Amelia as he opened the door. They looked one another over approvingly. They were both dressed up and looking great even for a night in.

"Any party is better than nothing," she said with a grin stepping in with a six pack of beer under her arm. "Nice to know I'm not the only one stuck without a plan tonight."

"Of course I had plan. Sit at home and eat snacks while checking out televised action at Time Square. When I find someone cute enough to be my boyfriend I am dragging his ass there on New Year's," he said shutting the door behind him. "Now that you're here you can do my hair and give me a pedicure. Roomie refuses to do such things. He needs to loosen up."

"Oh the tall one definitely needs to loosen up," Amelia agreed as she peeked into the living room where Ivan lounged on the couch.

He cracked a small smile when she waved at him. Tall, fair and handsome she thought setting her six pack on the dining room table.

"Beer. That is cute," Ivan said with a giggle as he walked past her to the freezer and pulled out a bottle of vodka.

"Russian American drinking vodka," she said rolling her eyes. "Stereotype much?"

"I drink vodka not because I am Russian, but because I am not a pussy and have good taste in booze," he replied teasingly.

"Okay but you guys at least have some juice to cut that with right?" Amelia said as the two men shook their heads and laughed.

"Girl cannot handle her hard liquor huh?" Feliks teased walking off to retrieve his collection of nail polish.

"There's hard liquor. And then there's stuff that tastes like nail polish remover," she said shaking her head as she snapped open a can of beer. "I'll stick to barley and hops."

The Russian watched as she took a long drink with her eyes closed. He liked her outfit. She wore a glittery silver top, rhinestone hair clips winking in her curling hair, and black pants that made her ass look wonderful. He could see her shimmery eyeshadow matched her shirt with lips painted red. He'd never wanted so badly to smear someone's lipstick with his mouth.

She ambled into the living room, shamelessly checking out their stuff. She hadn't really taken time to appreciate it. It was a little small but comfy, decorated mostly in neutral tones.

She recognized a hand knit throw from Katya's apartment on the back of one of the chairs and smiled. If she looked she could pick out the little touches that she guessed Ivan had added. Little warm accessories that weren't necessarily stylish or hip but cozy.

"I like your place," she admitted before taking another sip of her drink.

"Just be sure to use a coaster or Feliks will be displeased," he advised her getting comfortable with his legs sprawled out as she took a seat.

"It's okay. My papa's the same way," she replied with a nod.

"You look very nice," he added, enjoying the way she smiled in pleasure.

"Thanks. You do to," she said before realizing how silly that sounded. He wore simple dark jeans and a sweater. The guy could go around dressed in just about anything and make her pant. What no! Bad Mia! Seeing someone else, focusing on not lusting after the foxy hockey player.

"You know how to braid?" Feliks inquired sitting down in front of her.

"Not really," she confessed. "I never had much time to practice; my sister insisted on doing her own hair."

"This guy can braid like nothing else after practicing on littlest Braginsky but he will not for me," Feliks said with a pout as he looked back at his put upon roommate.

"Come on it's New Year's. Things are supposed to get wild," Amelia said waggling her eyebrows at the hockey player.

"Very well," he muttered as Feliks squealed and Amelia giggled. "But don't tell anyone. I have a reputation to uphold."

With his head next to Ivan's knees and his feet propped up on Amelia's lap Feliks was content being pampered.

"With a little more work between the two of you, you could open up decent salon," Feliks complimented them as his toe nails dried. "I would be most loyal customer."

"You do know your way around hair," Amelia admitted as she laid back on the couch checking out the pair of French braids Feliks now sported.

"I took great pride in making sure my sister looked nice before going to school. It was not fair to expect Katya to do it all every morning," Ivan shrugged as he stood to refill his glass. "So I learned."

"Now I know who was responsible for giving Nat such cute hair styles every time she had a dance class," she said with a warm smile as he shrugged it off bashfully.

"Reminds me of when Alfred and Matthew taught us how to play baseball and hockey. None of it really took but they needed teams when they played so we got roped in. Plus they liked the idea of both Maddie and I knowing how to use a bat or hockey stick to beat the crap out of anyone who messed with us," Amelia said thoughtfully. "I'd be walking to ballet lessons after school with my shoes hanging around my neck and a bat in my backpack."

"That is…good idea," he said thoughtfully rising to refresh his empty glass. He grabbed another beer for her on his way back into the living room. "I should teach Natalia. I must find a store that sells sticks for children."

"At the mall would probably be your best bet," she said cracking open the new can for a quick sip while Feliks started to give himself a matching manicure.

"Later," he nodded before sipping his vodka like it was a cocktail and not straight liquor. "Probably before I must return to practice. Then I will buy her something."

He had enjoyed the week of rest and merrymaking. However he was more than ready to return to his work and predictable routine.

That and he would also see Amelia more once their routines coincided. Perhaps even more so now that they were on friendly terms.

"I'm working on something to show the dance class when they get back from break," she announced suddenly, drawing his attention.

"Oh? A dance routine?" he inquired, his cheeks flushed from the alcohol as he returned to sit beside her.

"No. I made a video compilation," she admitted watching his expression turn questioning. "I wanted to show the girls that all different kinds of people can be good dancers. Tall, short, black, white, thin and fat."

"It is interesting idea," he said crossing his leg as he laid his head against the back of the sofa.

"You don't have to humor me."

"Why is the video important to you?" he inquired patiently, pressing her for more information.

"I think if I'd seen something like it when I was younger I'd have a few less issues," she said before swigging her beer. "I don't know. It might have saved me a few steps backward."

He tilted his head, watching her as she licked her lips. She wanted to tell him. Heck if some of her plans for the next few weeks were implemented then he'd know soon enough. There would be no hiding from her past.

But she didn't want to spoil the evening talking about her personal issues. She was tipsy and nice and comfortable by his side.

A small burst of cheers from the television alerted them that it was midnight. The moment was gone as they turned their attention and she was saved from trying to change the subject.

"Happy New Year!" Feliks grinned sashaying over to Amelia to kiss both of her cheeks. The Polish man settled for fist bumping his roommate. No need to make anything weird.

"Well at least I got some action tonight so it's not a total waste," Amelia laughed to herself while Ivan huffed.

"Something your boyfriend will no doubt appre-"

"He's not my boyfriend," she cut him off. "He's my…guy I'm seeing."

"It is the same thing," he stated impatiently, looking at his empty glass in annoyance.

"Uh no, it's not. There's no commitment yet. We're just having a good time."

Amelia felt a little defensive when he snorted and stood up from the couch.

"Do you even like him?" Ivan called back as he walked over to the linen closet to get some spare sheets. Like hell was he letting her walk home.

"Why the heck would I date him if I didn't?" she said angrily.

"Why are you being so defensive?" he replied with a frown.

She grabbed the sheets from him and started making up the couch herself.

"You're pissing me off."

"Because I have struck a chord," he stated watching her shoulders tense.

"No because it's really none of your business," Amelia replied standing straight up to glare at him.

"It is too my business!" Ivan said his voice rising just a little bit, but not for the reason she thought.

"How do you figure?"

"Aren't we friends?" he asked finally, his voice tinged with hurt while she bit her lip. "We are friends?"

Not by a long shot she thought. They were so much more. A tangle of so many different things.

"Yeah," she said softening a little bit as she nodded. "We are big guy."

He visibly relaxed a bit and she returned to making up the couch to distract herself.

"I am relieved to hear it."

XX

The down stuffed pillow lying under her head smelled like Ivan. Subtle but clean and masculine when she inhaled deeply. And he'd left her a glass of water on the end table near her head. It was stupid as hell the way that made her feel a strong rush of affection for him that had nothing to do with being friends.

She had a lot to think about before she was finally able to get some shut eye.

XX

The next morning Amelia woke up listening to the sound of the shower down the hall. She had a little headache but maybe some hydration would solve that problem. The cup beside her head was drained in no time. In need of a refill, she headed into their super sleek kitchen dressed in her pants and the over sized shirt Ivan let her borrow. Thank god she'd washed her face last night or she'd probably look freaking scary.

Figuring she couldn't do too much damage or set off any sprinklers she fired up the coffee maker.

She'd been trying to figure everything out for awhile now. And for the longest time she had thought it was all about deciding what to do for her livelihood. That had been part of it. And then last night the final piece of the puzzle fell into place. It had everything to do with Ivan.

No more denial, or trying to get over him with another guy. The direct approach was the only way she was going to get him out of her system.

Maybe it was something about the way he'd looked last night. Vulnerable in asking her to confirm that they were friends. It went straight to her heart. She cared so much about the big lug.

In order to move on she had to let him know. It could make things awkward, and painful given how new and tender this freshly formed friendship was but she had no choice. She was an all or nothing person most of the time.

She thought about Toris. Sweet guy, nice guy. Not the guy she wanted to be with even if they did have fun. She knew it would hurt to have to break that to him. There was no spark, no energy, just two people who went out for dinner and talked a little.

So after the poor guy felt better she'd have to do it. Cut things off so Toris wasn't getting jerked around anymore. The whole dating tryout hadn't been for nothing. It had been kind of fun. Nice to know what her options were but in the long run it wasn't going anywhere.

With her game plan set she sighed and leaned against the sink. Wordlessly Ivan walked in dressed casually as he reached into cupboard for a mug.

"There is no pussyfooting around this," she thought to herself in a stern voice; a voice that oddly enough usually sounded like her dad in her head.

"I am sorry about yesterday," he said evenly, pouring some of the freshly brewed coffee for himself.

"It's not a big deal," she shrugged, feeling queasy as she turned to look at him. "You headed out anytime soon?"

"I thought about taking a morning jog after we have breakfast," he admitted. "What would you like me to make?"

"Oh you don't have to," she said before adding quickly when he looked resigned. "Not that I'm letting you off the hook. I still want that much anticipated meal you promised me. It's just right now I need to talk to you about something."

"Alright," he said leaning his hip against the counter top as he waited expectantly and she chewed on her bottom lip. "Mia you do not have to talk if for once words are failing you."

"No I've got this. Okay so it's kind of a funny story. Which would take way too long and make me dance around the issue. In conclusion, I'm breaking up with Toris and then there's this one other thing.

"Complicated," Ivan murmured, his brow knit as he hung on her every word. Mostly the bits where she was breaking up with Toris.

"I have such a huge crush on you Ivan."

His eyes widened as he watched her carefully, his mind racing and chest tight.

"Sorry. I had to get that off my chest. I'm really not good with secrets. The ones I keep about myself I mean. I don't share shit people tell me in confidence because what kind of asshole would that make me?" she babbled when he said nothing, tapping her short nails on the counter top.

It was quiet for a minute, she avoided looking at him and it took him a minute to find his voice

"It might have been a long time before I told you that I have feelings for you too," he told her at last.

"Just so we are clear. These feelings they go beyond platonic. They are an addition to the comradery we have."

"Wow curveball," Amelia whispered, her pulse jumping like a jackrabbit. "I'm floored and I never expected this from you big guy."

His hand moved to his neck, fiddling with the collar of his t-shirt in place of his absent scarf. She stared down at the floorboards, blown away and processing everything. She looked at him and smiled shyly, making him relax.

"I need to break up with Toris. And that's going to have to be after he's not stuck in bed nursing chicken soup drowning in a pile of used tissues. It would be pretty shitty of me to get involved with someone before all of that happens."

"Curse your fair moral judgment," Ivan joked making her laugh.

"I like the guy. Not the way I like you but it's going to hurt to nip this in the bud," Amelia admitted. "So there's going to be a period of needing time to process that. Annnd I have this big project coming up that I'm taking part in."

He looked at her curiously and she sighed.

"I wish I could tell you but it's…." She said breaking off. "I can't. It's not bad or good. You'll know when it happens. Just a project I'm undertaking that means a lot to me. It's going to take a lot of my energy up. You might look at me differently when you see the end result."

"I doubt it. We both know that we are far from perfect people And yet here we are," he replied shaking his head. "So we will for the time being remain friends da?"

"Friends," she agreed meeting his eyes. "Who are very into eachother."

He sobered and looked down at the tabletop with a wistful smile.

"I will call you sometime this week if that is alright?"

"Yeah I'd really like that," she admitted. "I'll just get the bedding together and head out."

"Leave them to me," he insisted standing up when she stepped towards him.

"Before I go. I think I'd really love a hug from you," she said staring up at him like a hopeful puppy.

"Come here solnyshko," he murmured as she wrapped her arms around his waist and he rested a hand on the small of her back, the other wrapped around her shoulders.

She used to be annoyed by his height. The way he was always taller and seemed to be smirking down at her. But now it was such a good thing.

He was solid and warm as she let herself sink against him. She could feel every lift of his chest as he breathed and he seemed to enjoy the way she used the palm of her hand to rub circles on his back.

"I like you. I like you," she repeated, as he gently squeezed her and to himself.

XX

Sooo that finally happened. I hope you guys like it. I was pretty pleased with how this turned out.