He awoke that morning, sheets had been tossed everywhere from the night before. Ivan was still asleep. He smiled to himself as he pulled himself out of bed. A small amount of pain going down his lower back. He cringed a little. He had never planned to take that role, but seeing how happy it made his lover, he was willing to oblige. That and he was curious. Now he wondered if Ivan would want him to do that again. It wasn't like it was bad, it was just different, but he guessed that Ivan was used to that.
Ivan stirred next to him. The man had a busy day. Vik would start his training today. "Remy go back to sleep." His lover yawned, trying to turn over in bed.
He sighed. "We have stuff to do today, remember."
"No…bed warm. Sleep now." Ivan said falling back asleep.
He rolled his eyes. Of course Ivan would want to sleep in today. He grabbed his pillow knocking the man in the face.
Ivan sat up almost immediately. "What was that for?"
"Oh, good you're up." He said climbing out of bed and away from his best friend now lover.
Ivan gave him a nasty look. "Why do we need to be up again?"
"Vik is going to start his training today." He started to button up his dress shirt over his mark. Ivan was still glaring at him when he turned around. "Also I kind of want some breakfast, unless you want me to.."
Ivan jumped out of bed. "No way are you allowed in my kitchen."
He smirked. "I'm glad you see things my way."
Ivan rolled his eyes at him. "Whatever." He looked away and started dressing himself.
He had just finished fastening his belt, when Ivan just started putting on his pants.
"Should I get the boy then?" He asked.
Ivan laughed. "I doubt that he's ready to get up either."
He crossed his arms. "I didn't let up on Bickslow's training. I'm not going to let you slack off with Viktor."
"Remy, the boy is 14. There is plenty of time to teach him. Bickslow is an adult, so I could understand the rush, but Vik is just learning the basics. There is no reason for me to push him as hard."
"He is going to be a member of Raven Tail and it doesn't matter who they are or how old they are. If someone wants to be in our guild, they have to work hard at it. No slacking off."
Ivan sighed. "I don't want to put too much on the kid, that's all."
"You had no problem giving Bickslow a large work load." He grabbed his jacket from a hanger as Ivan fastened his own belt.
"But Bickslow isn't a child." Ivan argued.
He really could not argue with that. "Just don't go too easy on him."
Ivan brightened a little bit. "Why don't we just let him learn at his own pace? This is all new to him anyway."
"I just want him to be prepared. We won't be around forever."
"You don't have to be a downer all of the time, you know."
He looked down at the floor. He knew the facts, both him and Ivan weren't as young as they used to be. Even though mages like Makarov were still fighting in their 90s, they were a lot different. Those mages didn't have an entire country out to kill them. They didn't have the draining kind of magic that he used either. Just one wrong move and everything would be all over. Not just for him, but for Ivan as well.
But Ivan seemed more carefree than he had in the past. Maybe it was the fact that he had a family again after all these years.
"What are you thinking about?" Ivan snapped at him. Pulling him from his thoughts.
"Nothing." He mumbled. He was almost to the door, but Ivan stopped him.
"The kids will be fine."
He sighed again. "I said it was nothing."
"I don't believe you. You got something on your mind."
"I don't want to leave them unprepared."
Ivan grabbed him, hugging him from behind. "You don't think that I think about that. I know it's going to happen someday. Heck, I know I'll be gone before my father. The old man will still be around when he has great great grandchildren. I'd be surprised if we were around for the grandkids."
He looked down at his feet. "I wonder what they will be like."
"Probably as finicky as you." Ivan chuckled in his ear.
He smirked. "Or just as annoying as you."
"So I'm annoying then? You weren't saying that last night." Ivan practical purred in his ear.
"If you're saying I'm finicky." He leaned back. "You know we just got dressed, right."
"I know, but I don't have a problem helping you take them back off."
He was going to allow this, but just as he was about to cave was a knock came to the door.
"Dad, Papa are you up?"
He chuckled. "And you thought you would be able to sleep in. The boy seems ready to go."
Ivan grumbled. He bet he was ready to go as well, but in a much different way.
"Come on, you got some breakfast to make." He pulled out of his lover's arms.
Ivan followed him, continuing to grumble as they exited their room.
Vik has moved to the table, leaning back in his chair.
"Come on kid, we're going to make breakfast." He watched as his youngest son turned red, but he didn't move. "Well what are you waiting for?"
"Ummm." Vik slid down in his seat.
He started laughing. "I think that my inaptness in the kitchen may have been inherited."
The boy sunk even lower.
Ivan turned red. "I didn't think that could be passed on."
"Well maybe it can. Just go make us some breakfast. We don't want the house on fire." He joked.
Ivan grumbled again, going back into his kitchen. Leaving him alone with Viktor.
"I'm sorry. I.."
"Don't worry about it. I can't cook either. If your father caught me in there he would probably have a heart attack or something."
The boy's face brightened up a bit. "So I don't have to touch that room then."
"No, I think that having a home is better option. We can just send your father to do the cooking."
Viktor was laughing when Ivan returned with some coffee, he didn't even think as he took a sip.
"Is it made the way you like your highness." Ivan scoffed.
He smirked up at him. "I don't know. It could be a little blacker." He teased.
"You know what they say, don't mess with the person that cooks your food." Ivan grimaced.
He continued to smirk. "Well, I guess that is just a chance I'm will to take."
Ivan stalked back into the kitchen just as the front door opened. Bickslow and Lisanna came in and he could tell that they had something to tell them.
"What brings you over so early?" He noted the nervous look on his elder son's face.
"It will have to wait till Ivan's done cooking. We want everyone out here for this." Bickslow stated.
He cocked an eyebrow up. "Look, I'm way too young to be a grandfather…"
"No, no." Lisanna held up her hands in defense. "That's not it." She looked deeply embarrassed that he had jumped to that conclusion.
Now he really was confused, if it wasn't that then what was this news? "You're really going to make me wait till Ivan is done aren't you?"
Bickslow just leaned back in his chair. "Well it involves him, so yeah. I think he needs be here."
News that involved Ivan. Now he was really interested. What news could his son have that would include his lover?
Ivan came out with some pancakes, he still looked grumpy from earlier.
"Bickslow, Lisanna, do you need any breakfast?" Ivan asked ignoring him.
"No, Lisanna made breakfast." Bickslow stated. "Come on, old man take a seat."
Ivan gave him a confused look. "What are you...?" He looked between both Lisanna and Bickslow. "You know it's way too early for you two to be.."
"That's not it." Lisanna groaned. "Why does everyone think that that's the news?"
"So no babies" Ivan said with a hint of relief in his voice.
"No, but it has to do with one of your children." Bickslow hinted.
He turned to Vik, seeing the boy didn't have a clue what was going on, and then back to Bickslow, but he wasn't talking about himself.
"Son, are you talking about Laxus?" Ivan asked. Oh that son, the one Ivan had with Kaya. The one that resented him.
"What if I told you that our little misunderstanding has been cleared up?"
"When? How?" He couldn't help but say.
Lisanna blushed. "I wanted to see my brother's wedding. It was last night, we kind of just hid in the shadows and watched."
"You went to that wedding, knowing that they hate you." Ivan said turning to Bickslow.
"But they don't hate me. It's kind of hard to explain. I noticed a new face while I was there." His eyes turned to Viktor. "Do you know a girl with blonde hair and dark skin?"
That got Viks attention fast. "32. She's at the Fairy Tail guild?"
"I believe so. Laxus figured out what really happened that night pretty fast. After he did, he went to the King. He spun a story and basically he is trying to get the man's trust. If you wanted an informant you have one."
"He's putting himself in the line of fire." Ivan paled. "Doesn't he realize that that snake will eat him alive?"
"Laxus will be fine. Makarov will make sure of that." He turned to his lover.
"But he's going in blind."
He chuckled. "Ivan, it's not that different from the stuff we used to do."
"But that was us. That's my kid." He watched as Ivan stared down at his plate. Not saying a word. "The kid I never gave the time of day to."
"Because we couldn't bring him here. You already know this." He tried to explain.
"He should hate me. I wasn't there for him as a child. I left his mother. Basically I dumped him on my father."
Suddenly he felt angry. Where was this coming from? Ivan never voiced regret over leaving Kaya, so why now. "Look, it wouldn't have mattered anyway. You were already a man with a target on your back. It would have just put him in the line of fire."
"Like he isn't now."
"But he's an adult. He's fully capable of making his own decisions. You should be happy. He's not resenting you. He just wants to get some answers. It works in our favor."
Apparently that wasn't that Ivan wanted to hear. "Our favor? What if he gets killed?!"
"What about your other two children then?!" He yelled back. "Bickslow is a Raven Tail member, do you think he's just going to be sitting around and doing nothing. Or what about Vik here." He pointed at their youngest. "He wants to be trained to fight back as well. It's not just your eldest son who's life in on the line!" He really wanted to punch Ivan in the face.
"But I know them. I've never had a chance to know Laxus, I don't know his motivations. Heck, I don't even know his personality!"
"He's a lot like Master Makarov." Lisanna piped in. "But he can be arrogant at times and hot headed. But he never gives up, he is a Fairy Tail wizard after all."
Ivan still didn't look convinced.
He felt himself growl. "Ivan come with me for a second."
Ivan looked at him annoyed but nodded. He just wanted to talk. He didn't understand where this was coming from.
Ivan gave him an annoyed look after they shut the door behind them. "What did you want?"
He glared at his lover. "You're acting like our family doesn't matter. You've been with me all this time. Are you saying that you wish you never came back with me?"
"I didn't say that." Ivan said flatly.
"No, but you implied it." He said just as dead.
"What do you want me to say? I left them behind so I could help you."
"NO, you left because it was too dangerous! You understand why we had to hide all of these years."
"I didn't have to hide. I could have just stayed home."
"So that is your home now? Not the home we have created."
"You're twisting my words!"
"I don't have to twist them if that's what you mean. Did you ever really like being here? Am I just a replacement for Kaya? Or maybe I'm just a warm body to you?"
SMACK! "How dare you! I take care of you and this is how you repay me!"
"Oh please, you take care of me! Don't make me laugh!"
"If I wasn't around you would starve to death!"
"What about you! If I wasn't around who would do your laundry or clean this sty up!"
"I can do that myself without destroying the house, you can't even cook up some oatmeal! You have to have someone looking after you."
He was so angry, he wasn't thinking straight. "Well if that's how you feel than fine. I'll do everything myself. I don't need you!"
"Well I don't need you either! You over dress for everything. So what was our relationship to you huh! I was just a fling then!" Ivan growled.
"No, you're not just a fling. You're an idiot if you think that!"
"Oh what a shock, you calling me an idiot." Ivan snapped.
"You know what? If you want to act this way, I'll just get out. I can get my shit and leave!" Remy said angrily.
Ivan just backed up, shocked. "You would really leave me?"
The room went quiet. He knew he went too far. "Ivan.." He reached out and the other pulled out of his range. Not even giving him an inch. "Do you want me to get my things then?"
"I…" Ivan looked down. "I don't know."
He walked over to the closet, opening it. He turned back to watch his former friend…how dirty that sounded to him. This was really his worst nightmare realized. "Maybe I should have never involved you, I should have left you alone in Magnolia."
"I would have killed myself…" Ivan said finally turning back to him.
He sighed. "No you wouldn't, Kaya would have told you she was pregnant. You would have stayed after that." He looked back at the closet pulling out a bag. "If I had just left you alone, you would have been with your father and your son. You would have never left Kaya and you would have had a happy life."
"Remy…"
"I should have just moved on. I could have done that. Ran off into Absolon. Never coming back into Fiore."
"Stop it." Ivan rushed over and pinned him against the closet. "Just stop it!" He looked like he wanted to cry. "I left with you because I wanted to! I love you, how can you even think for a second that I would hate you!"
It was strange, these feelings came at him out of nowhere. "I don't know." His breath caught as Ivan leaned down and kissed him.
"Promise me, you won't leave me." He turned back around.
"I can't leave you. Whatever happens I can't do that, unless you want me to."
Ivan finally smiled back at him. "I guess we woke up on the wrong foot this morning."
"Yeah, I guess I got a little jealous."
Ivan looked at him confused. "Jealous?"
He sighed. "The way you were talking about your son with Kaya. I got jealous. It sounded like you missed her."
"I cared for her at one time, she's dead, gone. But even if she was still alive I would never be able to back to her."
He arched an eyebrow in confusion. "Why?"
"Because I have you." Ivan came up and kissed him again.
A small shout came down the hall, startling them. "Dad, Pops, I'm taking Vik out for his training!" Bickslow said.
Ivan smirked at the surprised look on his face. "So it looks like I will get to undress you after all."
To Be Continued….
Author's Note
I felt like writing something different for this chapter. So there wasn't really any plot progression. Also next chapter we are going to get a lot of Bickslow training Vik and some plot progression lol.
