AN: I hope you're all still enjoying the story even though I cannot upload more than once a week.
"Mom! Mom!" her son came running up the porch and she quickly opened the door to let him in.
Ylva had made sure she was home around 4 o' clock to be there for Liekos when he came back from school.
"I made it, I made it!" Liekos cried out as he ran inside "I made it on the math team, look at my score! I scored the highest of all!".
Ylva took the paper from him and smiled widely "Ooooh sweetie I'm so proud of you!" she replied as she hugged him tightly "I knew you could do it! You little genius you".
"Mister Creed!" the boy called out when he saw his newest friend "I won! I scored best and I'm on the team now!".
"Good job buddy" Victor said as he patted the boys back.
"Sweetie" Ylva interrupted to draw his attentoin away from Creed "I'm gonna make your favorite food tonight because you're a winner".
"Spare ribs, yes!" Liekos cried out "Mister Creed, you wanna play a game with me?".
"Sure, lead the way".
The rest of the afternoon, Ylva watched as Victor and Liekos played in the garden with wooden swords. They were actually arms fighting and it amused her. Although at the same time, jealousy pained her. She used to do these sort of things with her son. She quickly erased those thoughts since it was ridiculous to be jealous of the father of your child. Obviously, Liekos liked having another guy to play with. She had kept him all to herself for ten years… sharing wasn't really her thing. But this was his dad.
She started the preparations for the dinner and thought about all the different ways to tell her son that this man was his father. She had no doubt Liekos would welcome Victor into his life. But she was afraid of his reaction towards her. What would she tell him when he asked why Victor wasn't there the first 10 years of his life? Or how they met? Now that would be something. And what if her biggest fear would come true? What if he would grow an attachment to his father and then Victor decided to leave once he'd had his fun? Surely she couldn't trust a man like this to stick around. Then what would she tell Liekos? He would be heartbroken.
She stared through the kitchen window at the two. Liekos managed to poke his wooden sword into Victor's stomach, who pretended to be severely wounded and lost the battle. Her son proudly waved at her and she smiled and waved back, giving him a thumbs up. Victor's eyes caught her gaze and he winked, then made a provocative gesture with his lips. She flushed and quickly turned around. God, this was going to be hell.
"Let me tell him okay?" she asked Victor with her eyes still focused on her son. Liekos was sitting in the living room, playing with his Marvel action figures.
"Sure" Victor shrugged "Any idea how?".
"No. Just after dinner. We can go to the living room and I'll tell him".
The dinner was good, Liekos was ecstatic and Victor let him talk about every little detail from the math test as he was all ears. But Ylva was tense and it was obvious to Victor. Not to her son thank goodness. She and Victor had decided to tell Liekos when the dinner was finished and she would be the one to drop the bomb. And then it was up to Liekos and how he would react to it all.
She looked over her son and smiled. He was doing it again. Every night the same ritual. Hoping he wouldn't have to eat his vegetables.
He played with last items on his plate instead of eating them "Mom, I'm full, can I leave the table?".
She smiled, mischief twinkling in her eyes "You've not finished your broccoli honey".
"But I'm full, honestly mom I really am".
"Hmmm, so you're too full for desert then?".
"Noooooo, desert goes into my other stomach. My vegetable stomach is full you see".
"Ooooh but of course! Your other stomach…" She smirked and glared at him "Eat your broccoli baby. Or no desert".
He considered the deal for a second "What's for desert?".
"Well, I made you something special for tonight because I knew you would win the math competition" Ylva said mysteriously.
"Is it cheesecake?! Tell me it's cheesecake!" Liekos cried out.
She smiled "It's cheesecake. Vanilla with chocolate. But first-" she leaned forward, pointing at the vegetables "Finish the broccoli".
He crossed his little arms "Mister Creed doesn't eat veggies!".
She looked at Victor and he smirked, greatly entertained by the routine they obviously did every night "Well, mister Creed is a grown up and not my son. So he does not have to do as I say".
Victor cocked his head, an amused grin showing his fangs "I ate loads of veggies when I was your age. It's the reason I'm so big".
"See" she pointed out to her son "So now you know what to do if you wanna be big and strong like mister Creed".
She nodded at Victor and his meaningful look made her blush.
"We'll eat them together" Victor said, and then looking at Ylva: "If your mum's okay with that".
Ylva smiled and nodded, actually thanking Victor for saving her from this battle she had to fight every bloody night. Liekos only liked lettuce when it came to vegetables and Ylva told him that since he wasn't a rabbit, he couldn't live on lettuce. Variety and vegetables were crucial.
"You sure you wanna do this?" she asked him as she cleaned up the remains of the dinner.
Victor looked over at Liekos who was playing in the living room, waiting for the cheesecake.
He cocked a suspicious brow at Ylva "Yeah, why?".
"Because you've just had a glimpse of what it's really like. It's not all fun and games Victor, raising a kid. I get to do that fucking vegetable routine every night unless I make a salad. When it's lettuce, he'll eat it. If it's not, he will give me a hard time about it. Every goddamn night. So I'm just saying that it's not all sunshine and butterflies, and if you're planning on running for the door when the going gets tough… then don't bother telling him at all".
He was suddenly behind her, locking her between the kitchen counter and his rock hard body. She turned around and stared at him wide eyed. He was angry.
"You think I don't know that? I raised Jimmy remember?" he growled dangerously "And I never run for the door when things get tough. As I recall-" he clucked his tongue while playing with a strand of her hair "That – was – you " he slowly whispered.
She ducked away from him "Fine. I just wanted to make sure you know what you're getting into".
Truth was, she wanted to give him one last escape and prayed he would take it. But she knew he would not. And he didn't.
He grabbed her wrist and whispered too close to her ear "I know exactly what I'm getting myself into Ylva. I knew ten years ago, and I know now. But it's very sweet of you to worry for me. Now why don't you get that cheesecake out and we will join our son in the living room for some family time hm? Because if I remember correctly, you once promised to make me one of those cheesecake things".
She frowned "You remember too much details Victor Creed".
"Hm" he mused "I remember every little detail of our time together, don't you worry. Question is… do you? Or does your mind need some refreshing?".
He pulled her close to make his case, his mutton chops caressing her forehead.
But she quickly turned her blushing face "No… it does not, thank you".
"Honey, I want to tell you something really important. So… I need you to listen carefully, okay?".
"Okay" Liekos nodded.
She was sitting in one of the big chairs. Liekos was sitting on the couch and just finished his piece of cheesecake. Victor was sitting next to him on the other end of the couch.
"You know when you have a basketball game and I come to watch and cheer for you?".
"Yes".
"And other parents also come to the game to cheer for their sons".
"Hm hm" Liekos nodded.
"Some of those parents are the fathers of the boys on your team, right?".
"Yup".
"So, I was wondering, does it ever make you feel sad that they have a dad and you only have a mom?".
"Hmmm" Liekos thought about it as he made a funny and thoughtful face "I guess I never thought about it in that way. But it doesn't make me sad because you are always there".
Ylva smiled. At least this was a good start of the conversation. And Victor was waiting patiently instead of interrupting for her to get to the point already. He just leaned back and waited for her to tell their son about him.
"But do you ever wonder… why it's just you and me living in this house? Without a father?".
He bit his lip "Sometimes" he reluctantly admitted.
"Because you see" she was starting to get nervous now "All children have a father and a mother. You were born as a baby, just like everyone else. And in order to make a baby… you need a mommy and a daddy. Ten years ago, I met your father and we lost contact because I left him and-".
"It's mister Creed isn't it?" Liekos interrupted her. "You are going to tell me that my dad is mister Creed right? That's why he's here, right?".
Ylva blinked several times. She had hoped this conversation could've gone a little slower… but her son was too bloody smart and old enough to understand.
"Yes" she finally said "Mister Creed is indeed your father".
"Wow" Liekos gasped as he looked over at Victor, and his mom again and back at Victor "I knew it! It's so weird! But I felt it last night when I met you!".
Victor chuckled at him, not sure what to say to that. He had felt it too, instantly. Of course he had sort of a head start since he could smell the blood relation.
"So how do you feel about this sweetie?" Ylva asked carefully.
"I like it! Now I can have a dad like the other kids. We can do stuff together! Like real men stuff which only men can do!" he said to Victor "Because… you are staying right? You're not leaving?".
"I plan on sticking around and spend time with you, like other dad's do with their cubs… I mean kids. So we can get to know each other. We probably have a lot to catch up on buddy".
He turned to his mom "So Victor will live here with us now? Like, forever?!".
Well that escalated quickly.
She inhaled sharply and Victor grinned at her. Was this all some joke to him? Of course he wouldn't just move in like that. But in Liekos eyes, it was simple as that. However, in her grown up world things were not that easy and hell would freeze over before Victor would move in with her. Just for her son to get attached to him so he can leave when things got tough.
"No honey, he will stay here for a little while but eventually he will find his own place".
"What?! But why? You can't send him away mom! He's my dad! He belongs with us, here! Don't you want him to be here?".
"Honey, it's not that simple. Victor and I…" she gave Victor a pleading look, waiting for a moment that he'd step in and help her out "We are not those kind of parents. We are not married like some other parents and we are not 'together' either".
Best to just get that out of his head immediately. Victor kept a straight face but begged to differ. Ylva wondered if there had even been a 'together' in the first place. They spent one week in each other's presence and at the end of it, they had brilliant sex. Okay and then there was the matter of him marking her and all.
Their son's face was plain with disappointment "So… you're like divorced parents then? And mister Creed can't stay here? But then… why did you tell me this when you're just gonna send him away again?".
"Look, buddy" Victor cut in "It's not like that. We're telling you, because I want to spend time together with you. As a father son thing ya know? Would you like that?".
"Yes!" Liekos instantly answered, not a moment of doubt crossed his mind. He wanted this more than anything "But I don't understand why you can't stay with us. Do you have a girlfriend?".
His father chuckled "No, I don't have a girlfriend" .
"Well, mom doesn't have one either! There's nothing stopping you from being real parents and getting back together. You could get married and stuff!".
"Honey" Ylva sighed indistinctively "That is not going to happen".
She spoke with such determination, it made Victor wanna scratch her face since she just scratched his heart. But he held back. His son on the other hand, did not.
"That's because you won't let him live here! You cannot send him away mom! He is my father! It's your fault that I only just met him and now you want to send him away again!" the tears were shining brightly in the little boys eyes as he turned around and stormed off to his room "I hate you mom!".
She was shocked. Not so much by the harsh words of her son but the harsh truth he had spoken without even knowing it. She had chosen to leave Victor, partly because of Jason but… No. There would've been options for that. Besides, no matter what, she should've never kept their son a secret from Victor. And this conversation made her realize how she had not just wronged Victor, that could've been justified since he was not the best husband material, but she had wronged her son. By depriving him of a father.
"Well that went well" she finally said.
"Should we follow him?" Victor asked, not really sure how to handle these kinds of situations.
"Perhaps you should. I'm the last person he wants to speak to right now".
Victor got up "I'll talk to him"
He didn't know why he did it, but he slowly stroked her head before turning towards the living room doors to follow his cub.
"Hey buddy".
Liekos turned around and smiled slowly at his old man. "Hi mister Creed".
"What ya doing?".
He was sitting on "Reading a comic book".
"What's it about?" Victor asked.
Liekos threw the book away pulled his knees up, wrapping his arms around them "It's about an evil queen who kept her son separated from his dad".
Victor chuckled and sat next to him on the bed "Sounds like a good story".
"Yeah, well, it's not".
Victor looked at the cover of the comic book that was now lying on the ground. Liekos had actually been reading about Iron Man.
He wasn't quite sure what to do next. He awkwardly reached for the little boy and placed his huge hand on his small back. His hand covered almost half of his son's back and it felt strange. More than strange. The same claws which had always been his tool for slaughtering, pillaging and cold blooded murder, were now offering comfort to the small creature sitting next to him. His little boy. Made from his own DNA.
"You know, it's not your mom's fault".
"Yes it is" Liekos hissed.
"Trust me buddy, it's not. You see, I was not… a very nice man ten years ago" he left out the fact that he was still the same person, with the same job but with a different employer "And your mom was really good to me. But I wasn't very good to her even though I really liked her" this was the only way he could explain their relationship back then to a 10 year old "So she left and at that time, she didn't know that she was pregnant with you. She moved to Vienna and that's where you were born".
"Yes" Liekos nodded.
"I was still living in America and you two were in Vienna. So we just… lost contact and couldn't find each other. I searched for her and she searched for me but we failed to find each other".
Half of what he'd said was a lie but it didn't matter. The truth would be too much for this little boy to comprehend. And perhaps he didn't want Ylva taking the blame for this.
"But… she left you" Liekos stammered in confusion.
"Because she had to take care of your uncle Jason and she didn't know you would be born".
"Oh" Liekos said "I thought she just left because you had a fight or something".
Well, the kid wasn't wrong. Victor rubbed the little boy's back, another thing he was unfamiliar with but his instincts were guiding him quite correctly.
"Nah, she did not just leave. But it's all in the past now" he quickly changed topic "I'm here now and I wanna spend time with you".
Liekos smiled "But, what about mom?".
Victor cocked his head "What about her?".
"Well, why can't you two be like real parents? Married parents and all?".
Victor inhaled sharply and considered telling his son the truth. That he was wondering the exact same thing and that she should just get over herself. He even considered telling his son that soon they would be like real parents.
"Well, your mom… is just a little overwhelmed by all of this. Sometimes, in grownups lives, things change a little too fast. After 10 years I'm suddenly back here and I think that scared her. So we need to take it slow. Frist you and I will get to know each other, and then we shall see what we can do about your mom and me, okay buddy?".
Liekos' eyes changed to a mischievous glare "So you like her? We just need to get her to like you too!".
"Wow wow, buddy, settle down. One thing at a time okay?".
Liekos agreed but had already made up his mind. Parent trapping it would be.
AN: tell me what you think please :-D