A/N: Yes, twas a giant delay. I'm sorry, but my Internet has been cut off for god knows how long and now I can only use to computers at college. The thing is, I can only get to them on a Friday during my break. I didn't have time to correct this so my apologies again.
Chapter Thirty-One
"The business is officially ruined. Thanks a lot, Tala," Ian's face was a picture of perfect brooding as he sat inside the games room witnessing yet another pool game between the Wing's current champion, Jermaine, and another so and so. He was sat alongside his fellow Russians. Only today, he didn't particularly feel up to expressing his usual smug reputation. This was highly unusual, but his present company purposely failed to acknowledge this. It had to be one of the first times they'd seen Ian admit defeat. It was almost amusing. Tala couldn't help but snigger.
"You're welcome," He responded.
"Kevin was generally the brains of your whole operation anyway," Came Bryan's passive remark.
"So why's he the one down the block then?" Ian glared. He folded his arm childishly.
"He was obviously set up," Tala remarked, one leg folded over the other in his seat. His boyfriend's arm was draped casually around the rim of his chair. "If you get rid of the leader, the whole operation will fall."
"He'll be back,"
"You give him way too much credit, Bryan" The redhead smirked.
"Perhaps," Was the reply.
Tala side-glanced Bryan and narrowed his eyes at him.
"What are you thinking?"
There was a mild silence in which was broken by the Rastafarian potting his third ball. Bryan's facial features remained as flaccid as ever, even as he spoke.
"Kevin may be as annoying as Ian is," He began as Ian's face contorted. "But he started up the trade even before Ian intervened. He's hardly like those do-gooder friends of his."
A pause for thought.
"Maybe you're right," Tala responded. "He was never useful to us anyway."
"That because you don't trust anyone," Ian murmured and shifted in his seat.
Tala heard him perfectly of course, but chose to ignore him. In general, there was some truth to it. They were all like that in some way. Their upbringing had taught them to be cautious and untrusting – except to one another, but there were even sometimes when neither of them could be trusted as well.
Ian slumped his head into his hands and half-heartedly watched as Jermaine potted yet another ball. He'd never really cared for pool or snooker for that matter. Ian was more of a card player. It was much easier to cheat. He found his eyes wondering over the pool table and around the room however. Masses of inmates had gathered after lunch to watch and hopefully participate. Even Tyson was present with his blond counterpart, who were heatedly making out in the corner. It seemed that ever since they'd gotten into each other's good books again, they couldn't keep their hands off one another. It was sickening really. At least Tala and Bryan were discreet about it.
His eyes travelled again and landed on a few other inmates who were huddled around a chessboard – another non-cheatable game. The day seemed completely hopeless and he felt it too. The cogs in his mind had long since started working and even toying with Bryan seemed to be loosing his touch.
"Cheer up, Ian," Tala's voice, though as level as it always was, managed to cut through the noise of the games room and reach his ears. Ian looked up momentarily. "Isn't that what you're always telling me?"
He was greeted with Tala ever befitting smirk. Ian only ever told Tala to cheer up knowing it would piss him off, so it was natural that the redhead intentions were far from the actual meaning. Like Tala however, whenever he was moody, the best cheer up was to take it out on someone else. Little did the short Russian know that his current frame of mind was about to look up.
There was a roar of cheers coming from the crowd surrounding the pool table. Bryan's eyes picked up on something of interest and his voice was nothing more than a whisper to Tala's ears. The redhead followed his lover's gaze and his blue eyes seemed to sizzle with anticipation. Ian's eyebrows furrowed, but he too followed their gaze, which was directed towards the entrance of the room. It seemed that two new characters had made themselves present.
-
"We hardly ever come in here, so why start now?" Oliver fixed a piece of his hair and moved it out of his line of vision.
"The halls are quiet and there's no one to talk to," Enrique replied.
Oliver cocked his head to the side and slid both hands along the collar of the Italian's shirt and began fiddling with the top buttons. He bit his lip.
"We could keep each other company,"
Enrique couldn't help but smile at that remark and placed his hands confidently on Oliver's waistline. His boyfriend certainly had a way with words. "Even with the security as tight as it is?"
The Frenchman's face dropped.
"Now Enrique. When have you been one to worry about the security?" He gave the other a knowing look and then jerked his head in the direction of the corner. "Tyson and Max seem to have the right idea."
Enrique looked over his shoulder briefly to confirm that indeed to recently reunited couple were wrapped around each other heatedly. Even more so, no one was really paying attention.
He turned his attention back to his lover and drew him in closer so that both their bodies touched. He couldn't' see how he could deny such a pretty face anyway.
"I hope we're not ruining anything," A voice drew both Europeans out of their state of affection, Oliver's face turning whiter than usual at the sound of the voice.
"What do you want, Tala?" Enrique rolled his eyes.
"They were probably planning on making an exhibition of themselves right here anyway," Came the second snide remark.
Ian's natural demeanour was as present as always – it seemed that his biting spirit had returned.
"Why don't you come with us?" Tala's was a statement rather than a request, as Bryan's burly form stepped forward and broke them apart by slinging an arm tightly around both their necks. He forced them out of the room. Oliver's form became rigid although it was Enrique who attempted to fight back. Bryan's arm tightened as he fought.
Tala shot a meaningful look at Ian who nodded mischievously. A sharp object was pointed directly at Enrique's back and the Italian stopped in his conquest for dominance. His air passage tightened and his face became an uncomfortable rouge.
A loud cheer acted as a contrast to the situation as everyone else attention seemed to be diverted elsewhere.
"You'll only…get yourselves…in trouble," He attempted to speak.
"Just keep walking," Even Bryan couldn't help but grin at the pointless attempt to free himself.
Ian's retracted the unknown sharp object as they led the pair along the corridors until they came upon the hall where the vast majority of officers were. A couple stared at them suspiciously. Enrique's mouth opened a few times to speak, but the looks he was receiving from Bryan told him otherwise. He was nothing compared to the size of the arctic Russian and he knew that if he wanted, he could snap Enrique in half.
Within minutes, they found themselves walking directly passed the laundry room and on course to the showers. Tala waltzed in first and Bryan forced the pair inside with a simple push.
There were a few people present already, though most of them sensed the danger and filed out by themselves. Of those that didn't, Tala gave them a simple command.
"Out!"
"Why?" One barked in return. "It's a free country." He was completely bare save for the towel wrapped around his waist.
Ian who had grabbed one of the spare towels and curled it tightly around itself appeared from behind the redhead. He pulled it tightly and lashed it directly at the challenger who swore very loudly upon contact.
"You heard him,"
"Alright already," The stranger looked completely alarmed as he began collecting his items. He stared at each and every one of them with a quizzical look upon his face.
Ian grew annoyed and lashed the towel out a second time.
"Fuck sake!" The stranger yelled again. By now a large red mark became eminent on his skin, but he quickened in his pace and left, but not tripping on the way out.
Ian sniggered and flung the towel on one of the shower-stool doors
"It's been well over a year and still we haven't had the chance to pay you back for humiliating us," Tala's blue eyes gleamed nastily. It was something about those eyes that continued to make Olive speechless.
He backed up against his lover, who placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
"I doubt you remember correctly Tala, but it was only Ian who was targeted," Enrique retaliated. The youngest Russian glowered, moving his eyes from the Italian to the Frenchman and back again.
"Think of us like a team," Tala continued breaking off into a slow yet menacing pacing. "If you attack one of us, then you attack all of us and anyway," His tone became acidic. "I never really liked you two anyway."
Oliver finally found his voice again. "D…d…don't you think this has gone on for way too long now?"
"Are you saying we should forgive and forget?" Ian snickered.
Oliver's mouth tightened. His lavish skin continued to pale. He'd half hoped that this day wouldn't have come. Usually, he was a rather carefree sort, but the past few months had made him extremely uneasy even though they had regained their social place on the Wing. His breathing was uneven.
"We hardly expect you to forget," A small sigh escaped Enrique lips.
"…Or forgive,"
"Listen," Enrique stepped before his quivering boyfriend. "You've already put Oliver through enough pain, so whatever you're going to do, just leave him out of it."
There was a low chuckle, which ended into a bitter snigger on Tala's part.
"Chivalry died a long time ago, Enrique," Came the response. "Ever since you entered this place." A pause. "But if it's pain you want?"
Bryan didn't need to be told this time. He boldly stepped forward and wrapped his hand around the neck of the Italian, gripping it harshly. Oliver could only watch in horror as that familiar reddish colour adopted Enrique's face and the Italians hands futilely endeavoured to pry the hand away from his neck. Bryan's hand only tightened more.
"Leave him alone!" Oliver suddenly pleaded. "It's not his fault!"
Bryan's grip didn't budge.
"You'll kill him! Is that what you want!"
"He'll live," Ian spoke. "Even Bryan can restrain himself…sometimes."
"I have to wonder what you ever saw in him, Ian," Tala voiced.
"I often ask myself the same question,"
He could hear Enrique struggling, see him out of the corner of his eye and it was tearing him apart. A tear slipped out of the corner of his eye and he closed his eyes tightly as if trying to will back the tears. He wanted to do something; wished he was just as strong as Bryan, but he knew it would be no use, not with two of them watching him carefully and yet they were taunting him; taunting them both. They had absolutely no shame.
"It's because you were easy," Oliver's face reddened. "Stupid. All I needed was someone to pin them on and you were perfect. New. Naïve to think that a guy like you would ever have a chance with someone like me."
A hand smacked across the side of his face relaying Ian's fury on the end of it and he reeled back and sent another blow flying. It had to be the first time that any of them had seen Ian react this way as the Russian was naturally calm and generally smug. If Ian had a sore spot, it had just revealed itself.
"Calm down, Ian," Tala's cool collected voice rang out. "Or you'll scar his pretty face."
Another snicker, as the creak of the entrance suddenly revealed itself. Tala didn't turn around, but simply said. "We're busy. Come back later."
There was a patter of footsteps on the floor and the door closed back, but there was no indication that the person had retreated.
Ian turned to see who the stranger was and his current angry demeanour vanished.
"Drop him!" Came the command.
Tala turned his head to see that standing in the doorway was the one and only Kai Hiwatari dressed completely in a grey tracksuit. He looked rundown, but resilient.
TBC