Disclaimer: characters by Aoki Takao, distributed by VIS Media, etc.
OOMC2! Featuring Tala Ivanov (Yuriy Balkov) and Raul Fernandez, with Kai Hiwatari and Miguel Lavalier, Spencer Petrov and Brooklyn Macefield, and Bryan Kuvnetsov. Even more characters to come :3
Warning: Some language. The action explodes in the next chapter.
------OUT OF MY CONTROL------
by destinykitty
------Part 2------
The Truth
I was hell-bent on never seeing that kid again. Anyone who made me that angry, that confused, that unaware of my surroundings when I have to survive by my wits, was clearly not good company. I avoided every place I thought he could possibly get to, never went near his neighborhood, became almost nocturnal, and got into fights as often as possible. I spent a lot of time at bars, ones with no dance floor and strict bouncers, and drank heavily. Often those bouncers ended up removing me from the premises after I picked fights with one too many patrons, got much too loud and insulting, or started a brawl.
I was a mess; anyone could see that. More than once my friends tried to make me explain my erratic behavior but I refused. I didn't know what to say, or even what was really wrong.
I think I was starting to tick everyone off pretty badly because one day I awakened to Spencer and Bryan dropping me into a bathtub full of cold water. Kai announced that we were going out shortly and turned on the shower. I did as much swearing and cursing as my hangover would allow but they left me alone, unimpressed.
Forty-five minutes later we were on the road. They hadn't let me take my bike, citing public safety laws, so we were all riding in a sleek black cruiser with Spencer at the wheel. I refused to talk to them except for random sullen comments about minding their own business, and mostly stared out the window, brooding moodily over my coffee.
When we arrived they dragged me bodily out of the car and into the building. Inside, I finally collected my wits enough to realize that there was a plan underfoot and immediately tried to bolt, only to be tackled by Bryan and Spencer. Even with several weeks of extra practice fighting in all those bars, I was no match for the two of them. Kai, who was ignoring me for a conversation on his phone, looked up at my wild demands to know what was going on. Then he turned to greet a familiar blond. With a kiss Miguel told him something about being ready.
They hauled me halfway across the damn mall and into a department store. Kai was on the phone again and seemed to be leading the posse; a few turns later I saw Spencer's redhead. He stepped aside, opening the door behind him – and Bryan and Spencer tossed me inside.
"Play nice," Miguel called as I hurled myself against the closed door, intent on breaking it down or at least giving myself a concussion trying.
"What are you talking about? You bastards, let me out of here! Hey! Come back right–"
A tiny noise behind me somehow caught my attention and I glanced around to find–
Ok, I screamed. I mean, yelled, in a manly way. I was shocked. That kid was locked in the room with me, struggling to his feet though nothing visibly held him down.
I sagged against the door behind me, furiously rubbing my aching eyes and forehead. I could not understand what was going on. Was this all bad luck? Why was he here too?
"Tala?" his soft voice ventured; I could tell he was right in front of me.
"No! Stay away from me," I hissed, still kneading my head frantically. I slid down the door in exhaustion.
"Are you ok? Kai and Brooklyn said–"
My eyes snapped open. I was sitting on the floor at this point and he had crouched down so his bright green gaze was at my eye level. I stared into those eyes for a few moments, numb, then let my eyes wander across his face. Scratches and bruises marred his tan skin as they had when we met, but as it had been over a month since I had rescued him, these were new.
My fingers met his cheek of their own accord, and though his eyes narrowed a little in discomfort, he did not pull away. "What happened?" I breathed.
He shrugged, smiling sadly. "The same thing that always happens when I try to escape from him."
"Was he the one…."
"At the bar, and when we first met? No, those are just some of the goons he has follow me around and find me when I run away."
I didn't understand. "Why?" Why would someone do this?
His eyes disappeared behind his hair again. "Because I'm his disobedient son."
This unnamed man loomed ominously behind a mask of shadows, needing to be revealed. Transfixed, I whispered, "Who…?"
His smooth cheek nuzzled against my lingering fingers. "Not now, please," he begged, and his eyes opened to reveal fright.
I stared into those emerald orbs a while longer, thumb running along the darkened skin of his chin. Then I dropped my hand, frowning as my head pulsed.
"How do you know Kai?"
Raul hesitated for a moment. "He came to find me."
"Why?"
The green gaze was on me but I ignored it for the moment. The boy sighed.
"You are worrying your friends."
I scoffed. "Tsch."
"They wanted to help. Spencer and Brooklyn–"
"That redhead?"
"Yeah. They remembered me from the bar that night. Brooklyn eventually found me."
"They should have minded their own business." I climbed to my feet, searching for a way out of the tiny room. There was a vent overhead. Perhaps….
"Are you really that upset that they made you meet with me? They hoped I could get you to calm down. You're hurting yourself."
"I'm fine, but when I get out of here, I am going to mess them up," I swore, sizing up the vent. It would be a very tight fit.
"You really don't care? You didn't want to see me?"
"No." I didn't have to look at him. I knew he would be hurt, but I was still mad at my friends for meddling in my life. I reached for the vent.
"Tala."
"Shush!"
"The door is unlocked."
I stared at him, taken aback. "How do you know?"
He stood, looking blank, dead. "This is a dressing room. It locks from the inside." Oh, duh. Then, "You can go if you wish."
"Oh." I felt kind of dumb and mean. He stepped away from the door, away from me, arms folded tightly over his chest.
In the silence between us I heard a scuffle outside and glanced toward the door. Brooklyn's voice called, "No, there's someone in there," and another, rougher voice answered, "Yeah, and I'm here to drag him home."
A split-second glance was enough to tell me that Raul knew the voice and its owner – he was rapidly retreating to the back wall of the dressing room, cheeks loosing all color to display his cuts and bruises even more sharply. In the next second, while I wondered where all my friends, who should have been on guard, had gone, I heard heavy steps reach the door. It was too late to lock it now. I whirled around to face Raul, pushing him against the back wall. To his faint protest, I said, "Shush."
As the door banged open, admitting who knows how many people – sine I was not looking I cannot tell you – I pressed my lips to Raul's, angling my body to shield him from view.
I could have counted the milliseconds crawling by. The back of my neck itched from the harsh stare I knew was directed at me. All I could do was draw Raul closer, deeper into my embrace, further from view, until finally the gruff voice grunted, "Oh. Wrong room."
"Please excuse the interruption. You'll find a lock on the doorknob, if you like," piped in Brooklyn, who I realized was posing as a salesperson. Or perhaps he was a salesperson. Whatever. The click of the door closing was the best sound I had ever heard. I relaxed, releasing Raul, who now had tears running down his cheeks.
"Raul? It's alright, he's gone, really. Raul, come on," I started chuckling from sheer relief, reaching up weakly to brush away the warm drops.
His hand struck the side of my face, slapping me with all the force he could muster, as best as I can tell. I blinked at him stupidly, completely shocked, as he shook his hand and glared at me through tears continuing to pour down his face.
"What was that for?" I finally asked. This little bugger was insane, as best as I could figure. I just saved him again, and he goes and tries to knock my face off? Not to mention my hangover was still making my brain ache.
When he tried to break for the door, I caught him and demanded, "Explain yourself, you little nut!"
"Let go!" he yelled, wriggling like a fish. A fist caught me this time, right on the ear, which really hurt.
"Ow! What the heck?" I demanded, rubbing my ear gingerly.
Instead of explaining himself, he twisted out of my grip and wrenched the door open so it clipped my shoulder as I leapt to catch him. He bolted. Cursing profusely, I followed at a dash.
Luckily he did not get far. A few yards outside the door stood Spencer with the struggling boy caught in his arms, flailing feet well above the ground. "Woah, easy there," murmured Spencer, trying to avoid being hit without dropping the boy. "Loose someone, Tala?" he joked.
"Put me down!" Raul cried.
"Where were you two minutes ago?" I demanded of Spencer.
"Coffee," he said bluntly. I glanced behind him to find Brooklyn holding two cups of coffee and wearing a bemused expression.
"What went wrong?" he asked.
"I don't know! He just started screaming and hitting me."
"You're a jerk," sobbed Raul, who was no longer trying to kick Spencer.
"What did he do?" Brooklyn ventured kindly.
"He kissed me." More tears.
I was still flabbergasted. "Isn't that a good thing!"
"What did you say beforehand?" Brooklyn asked pointedly. I realized that he had probably overheard the whole conversation from outside the door, but… "I don't know what I said!"
Brooklyn rolled his eyes, Spencer looked amused. A new voice called, "How's it going?" as Kai and Miguel meandered up, arm-in-arm. As they looked us over, the blond continued, "Not well, I take it."
"What's the matter, Raul?" asked Kai softly.
"Does everyone have to try to run my life?" I complained.
"Yes, as you are not capable." Kai said icily. "Raul?"
Hiccupping pathetically, Raul explained, "He said he doesn't want me, and then he kissed me."
"Tala was protecting him," explained Brooklyn.
"Tala, why did you do this?"
"What? I – I don't know, I was angry at you guys."
"So you hurt him. And then?"
Kai was too crisp, too sharp. He didn't understand. "He makes me crazy," I protested weakly.
"Yes, we've noticed." Kai's voice was still sharp and cold. "So why did you kiss him?"
"It was all I could think of to protect him from that goon, no thanks to you guys!" I exclaimed indignantly.
"It was all you could think of…" prompted Kai.
"Yeah." Something clicked.
"Oh just kiss him already, or we'll lock you back in the closet," Bryan's mocking voice demanded.
"Hey! Shut up, I'm trying to figure this out on my own."
"Well you suck at that."
I was about to protest further when I saw Raul say something to Spencer, and the tall blond lower him to the ground. "Raul, wait!"
Raul, dwarfed by Spencer's big hands resting gently on his shoulders, seemed to deflate. "I can't wait anymore, Tala," he said softly. His voice was wistful, brittle, with no evidence of tears to be heard. "I have to go. If I'm late again, Boris will kill me. He said he would."
I froze. "He's… your father? The mob boss?"
Raul looked away, rubbing his arm uncomfortably. "He took me in." He sniffed and continued, "I have to go. I… probably won't see you again."
"No! Don't leave," I pleaded, closing the distance between us and taking his small hands in my own. "Stay, please."
"Tala…" he hesitated weakly. "Don't make this any harder for me."
"Raul, I'm serious. Come home with us. I don't want to have to worry about you, not knowing where you are. I can't live like that anymore. It would drive me out of my mind. I–" I hesitated, burningly aware once again of all the eyes glued to me. With an uncomfortable twitch, I leaned in close to Raul's ear. "I think I know why you make me so crazy – I do care about you, a lot. I think that… I love you."
Raul didn't move. I couldn't hear him breathing. I drew back to figure out what was wrong. Was he going to start crying again?
"Raul? Are you ok?" I asked, concerned. I crouched down, trying to see his face. Then I heard something, a funny little off noise among all the sounds of mall shopper bustle. "Kai!"
In the space of a blink my friends assumed fighting stances around Brooklyn, Miguel, Raul and me. There were more to protect than protecting this way, so I quickly turned to Raul. "Raul, I–"
"Tala!" His face was almost white, between purple bruises and red scratch-marks, and stricken with fear. "I have to tell you–"
"Repeat, confirmation of sighting. Request backup. Moving in," a crisp voice broke the peaceful atmosphere, and instantly over a dozen bodies were in action. I saw several men target Kai, probably because he is the smallest of us, and saw Miguel jump in to help. Someone struck at Miguel and Kai growled, flooring the man.
I pushed Raul toward the dressing room. "Raul, lock yourself in that room and stay there. Brooklyn, go with him! Stay safe!"
Brooklyn nodded reluctantly but Raul cried, "Tala, wait!"
Catching the hand he held out to me, I kissed his fingers quickly. "I'll be right here. I will protect you," I swore with absolute conviction.
Dropping his fingers, I jumped into the fray.
------
Ooh long chapters. Long for me anyway. Chapters 3 and 4 are in progress. I expect this to be a four-shot but if 4 runs long, there may be a fifth. It would mostly be wrap-up though so we'll see.
Please review! There's a big nasty brawl up next! (Yes I am an evil authoress, why?)
VVVVV
