14

The flight to America was long as usual, but once I was back in my auntie's house it all seemed worth it. My hair was pulled back and I was in a black sweater and sweats staring at Aunt Alicia's face as she sips her tea. She's just told me about her fight with Adonis about her relationship with Ivan Drago. He's definitely not happy with her. I wasn't either at a time, but her anxiety attack reminded me that there more important things in life then the past.

"I'm sure he will come around." I said, gently and she sighed some.

"Maybe. I pray this does not get in the way of his training. Lord knows he needs to focus." she explained. Her hair was let down and wild, as she was in a night gown and robe. I looked down at the island I leaned over before looking at her.

"Do your regret telling him?" I asked. I know I would have. She looked up in thought before shaking her head.

"No. Your father had secrets and I have learned it's better to say them then bury them." she explained softly. I nodded wishing none of this had happened. She tilted her head some to me.

"You've been over in the Ukraine for longer than you normally stay for a project." she noted, and I shrugged.

"Sometimes I have artist's block and need to relax some." I said, and she raised her head some as she eyed me.

"This wouldn't have anything to do with that mystery man does it?" she asked slyly and I shook my head.

"No. It has nothing to do with anyone. Maybe I want to stay in the Ukraine and live there." I said. Her eyes flexed with shocked.

"Live there? Why?" she asked.

"Is that a problem?" I questioned. She shook her head.

"Of course not. I just thought you'd move into a nice place here in Los Angeles close to your brother and niece." she said with a smile. I grinned thinking I would definitely have to go visit Bianca while I was here.

"A girl." I said happily and she grinned.

"A girl. Speaking of, when are you going to have children?" she teased, and I shrugged.

"Maybe I won't. Maybe I just want to enjoy the company of the man I'm with." I said.

"So there IS a man." she said and I patted the island and pushed off it.

"Later, auntie." I said and left to go visit my brother. Bianca was at a rehearsal leaving me with just Adonis. I looked around their new digs.

"Very nice, very nice indeed." I said smiling at him. He pushed a smile, but I could tell it wasn't all there.

"You talk to auntie?" he asked and I nodded.

"Yeah." I replied and he tucked his hands in his jogging pants and shrugged.

"So? How do you feel about all this?" he asked. I could tell in his tone he was upset and hurt and wanted me to be upset as well. I sighed and shook my head.

"I didn't like it of course. I snapped at her. But I realize, she has been in our corner every step of the way. She never said our ideas were stupid or our questions were dumb. She didn't have to do anything for us, but she did." I said and he looked down with a soft frown and I moved over to him wrapping my arms around him embracing his warm. "I understand you're angry but know you and I have done stupid shit in our past and no it does not compare to the things she has done, but still she forgave us every single time."

I pulled back and held his cheeks in my hand and he sighed heavily before nodding.

"I feel ya." he said. I smiled and gave his cheek a firm smack.

"Good. Now let's hit the gym, I want to see what you have prepared to take on Viktor Drago with." I replied. We spent most of the day working out and when Bianca came home, we went to dinner. It was nice. The warmth of L.A. almost made me miss it. But I missed Viktor more. Due to different time zones, I told Viktor my plane information on when I would be returning so at least he knew when we could make plans to see each other again. It was nice getting to see them again.

"So when are you done with your photo project?" Adonis asked as we moved back to his apartment. I shrugged.

"Soon I guess. Why?" I asked. He's never been really interested in my work, but I was never too invested in his boxing career either.

"You know you being over there by yourself. I get worried for my baby sister." he said, and I smiled.

"I'll be alright. Nothing to worry about." I reassured. The days seemed to blend together like the different colors of my colored pencils in my old sketch books.

As I looked out the window of the plane, I could see we were starting to land. Snow caked the ground below, and I wondered what would happen if we ever tried to land on ice. It was a quiet exit off and into the terminal that led everyone into the airport. I was looking around for the terminal that would lead me to the garage where my car was. As I managed to move past the busy people speeding around the ground, I noticed someone familiar standing in front of the terminal. I paused as a smile slowly spread across my face. There he was, looking around with his natural curious young eyes. People past him and he moved back and forward to get out the way, nodding politely at people passing by. He was waiting for me. I wasn't expecting that at all.

Finally, his head turns and he sees me. Immediately, a wide smile spreads across his face as we approach each other. In a matter of seconds, we're standing right in front of each other, me looking up and him looking down.

"What are you doing here?" I asked with surprise in my tone. He shrugged, his soft smile remaining on his face.

"I come to surprise you. Figure you can see a happy face on your arrival back." he explained. That's right, we are in an actual relationship. We weren't a secret here like my aunt and his father were years ago. No one truly knew us, so no one really cared. I placed my hands on his thick arms and stood up on my tip toes leaning in to taste his lips. Oh how I have missed them. Viktor's arms slowly wrapped around me hugging me close to his body.

Our time together was like a montage or at least that's how I envisioned it. When he was not engrossed in hard training, he was with me. We would sit on the floor of my living room and draw or even color. It soothed him, he told me. He liked the simplicity of our silence and our drawings. He was not at sketching. Sometimes, he and I would run around the neighborhood. He was definitely faster than me and I was totally out of shape.

I would slow down and hunch over, resting my palms on my knees and he'd come back jogging in front of me attempting to encourage me to push on. I would try and then already slow down again. One day he moved up to me and squatted in front of me.

"Get on." he said and I didn't even hesitate jumping on his back. His arms held my thighs tight as he pushed forward, my finger pointing out to an unknown destination. But our romantic times were slowly coming to an end with his fight against my brother.

It was in a week, their fight, and Viktor had been training harder than he ever has. I knew this could be the last day I see him until I see him in the ring. We had just finished making love and we were curled into one another, his arm wrapped around my head allowing his fingers to entangle into my hair. We were both silent not wanting to break the beauty of the quiet in the room after it was once filled with hot and passionate moans and grunts.

"Whatever happens tomorrow just know, it is all for sport." Viktor says lowly. I closed my eyes at his words.

"It's just a fight. Nothing more nothing less." I replied quietly.

"Drago vs. Creed." he mentioned and I nodded.

"Yeah thanks for the reminder." I replied lifting my head up to look up at him. My worry was still there in my eyes and I would not try and hide it. It was too strong a feeling. Viktor saw this and placed his forehead against mine, his eyes staring at me intently.

"Trust me." he said softly and his eyes were so innocent almost. I couldn't help but trust him. I nodded gently.

"I trust you." I replied before leaning in and kissing him passionately. But nothing in the world could prepare me for what happened at that fight.