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 Posted: Wed Feb 10, 2016 4:58 am
Felyn So, how late am I? -dies-
Sometimes life got hepatic.
Then there were months like this one; where every single last thing was going oh so wrong. It was complicated, and even though he had promised not to lie to Zoe - He also did not want to trouble her with the drama that was unfolding in Russia. Boris had returned home just after the public announcement at the Gala; however a day did not go by without a call - an update on the deteriorating health of Vladimir; who was riddling with illness and frailty. Ryan had only met him a few times, but knew his mother was being torn apart on the inside.
He was Ryan's Grandfather; Boris's father. The man who had saved his mothers life. It was that last bit that was really screwing with his mind.
Ryan looked out of his trucks window at the large trees that passed them; wondering what would happen if the current Boss passed away. Rurik Volkov was fifth in line to take over; it would not effect him too much - However for Valissa, it would change a lot. Ryan did not like the idea of his uncle controlling their family more than he already did. Not one bit.
A small part of him thought the b*****d would actually welcome his fathers passing; it would make the rich and gluttonous man even more rich and even more dangerous.
Yet; he put all that to the back of his mind.
Him and Zoe were heading out to a cabin he had booked; he had been distracted lately and he wanted to make it up to her. Jo was not staying with him anymore; and instead was renting his own apartment whilst his band played gigs around the city. At the same time Zoe was yet to move in; he wondered if she could actually want to or if she would prefer to find their own place.
They had not talked about it - but that was what this weekend was for. To sort out everything that was up in the air; away from both their families.
More so he wanted to forget about everything that was going on and focus on them for a while; a cabin in the middle of nowhere with no internet connection or technology (besides a phone for emergencies) would do just that. All they had to do was talk, drink and go for walks.
Could you think of a more romantic setting? He couldn't - however the trip so far had been anything but that.
It had been a trip full of rest stops, fast food and dead ends. What was meant to take three hours on a map had come closer to five in reality.
He had been driving down this trail for about an forty minuets; though he insisted he was not lost (he was so lost). It was a stroke of luck he actually stumbled across the luxury cabin, though when it became obvious it was a wonder they had missed it in the first place. It was huge.
This drive had been terrible; he needed that hot tub. He hit the breaks and cut the engine dead; his legs infested with pins, needles and numbness from the bumps and dips in the road.
"There. What did I tell you. Easy!" He hit the wheel in releif; the ordeal was over. He pulled a key from his pocket and held it to Zoe.
"Head inside if you want; I will carry the bags."
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Posted: Sat Feb 20, 2016 7:33 pm
For what is was worth, Zoe had managed to keep her attitude in control and had only badgered Ryan minimally during the long, ridiculous ride. It had mostly been done in jest - not just because he was normally light-hearted but because, too, she had seen some underlying worry in his eyes. Even if they hadn't been developing like a true couple might have, she thought she was beginning to get very good at recognizing the small changes in his demeanor. It was hard to say if the stress was because of their situation or something else. After all, Ryan's life had been a whirlwind of change, just as much as her own had and after everything that she had come to learn about him through his mother's intervention, she knew that there must always be something else on his mind. She was a Greek-American heiress (mostly) voluntarily doing her duty to her family - he was a pawn in the game of a Russian mobster. Similar, but so different, and all she could do was ease the transition as painlessly as possible. It was a first, for her, to put someone else's needs so closely to her own. Luckily, she hadn't quite realized she was doing it yet. "Oh yeah, super easy," she chimed with a small, playful roll of the eyes. Despite that, she smiled, resting those same fuchsia orbs on his pale face with a small measure of affection. Her fingers reached out and snagged the key from his hand as she pushed the door open with the opposite one and stretched her long, curvy legs into the open space for the first time. After being cramped up in the car for so long, it made her groan in relief. "At least you can't possibly get any more lost than that on the way home." A laugh lingered on her lips as she finally stepped out of the car, although she didn't head immediately for the door. Instead she balanced herself against the car's hood as she stretched and flexed her abused body, sprawling out like a kitten that had just woken up from a nap. Despite the prolonged car ride, she was eager to get their weekend away started. It was the first time since everything had begun that she was going to get a real, honest chance to spend time with him away from the prying eyes of their parents and the lingering, idly curious paparazzi that followed them on occasion, just hoping for a good, juicy story. The last time she had been featured it had been next to Elzo Xanis - not her fiance. That had been fun to explain to her parents, although it had mostly been done on purpose, for the kicks. What good was living a high profile life if she didn't get to raise a few eyebrows? She was glad not to have to think about it for once and as she turned to look at her pale-haired fiance, she regarded him with a moment of silence. It was really going to happen. This was really the beginning of something bigger than they were. Not for the first time, she was pleased that he had wanted to do this, just the two of them. They had been paired off together for a while now but even with all the dates and lip locks, they'd yet to really find who they were as a couple. What would they be? Who would they be? After a moment, she pulled her eyes away, realizing that she had been staring at him curiously for just a fraction too long. They key flipped over a few times in her fingers out of idle nerves and she drifted away from the car to the steps of the luxury cabin, ignoring the hollow thud of her heels on the worn wood as she mounted them to the door. Just as she slid the key into the lock and turned the door knob, a lazy, fat cat bolted off of the porch swing so quickly that she stumbled and nearly fell. A quick moment of panic shot through her - was it a youma? a negaverse agent? No. She watched the black tail disappear into the woods and righted herself with the held of the door handle she had been clinging to. There was no way she could tell him, but she was pleased to also be away from the duties of a Senshi. She could relax her without worrying for his safety, or her own. "Hurry up!" She called back to him as the door swung open before her, while she took a moment, urging her heart to stop pounding so violently in her chest. Stupid cat.
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Posted: Sun Feb 21, 2016 6:11 pm
"I wouldn't Jinx it. I don't even remember how we got here."
No truer words had ever been spoken; he knew that it was going to be a nightmare getting home - but it was a nightmare that he could put off thinking about for a weekend. All he wanted to think about was Zoe in a bikini, lathered up with sunscreen and relaxing out on the deck. Everything else was just not worth the brain cells or processing power. They had been distant for a while now and he planned to remedy that. After all the bullshit he had pulled as of late, she deserved some special treatment, he needed to make things up to her.
Rose petals on the bed, home cooked meals, he would even massage her feet if she wanted (even though he hated feet, hated them so bad). He was not going to mess up anymore, from now on he was going to be 100% the perfect husband or he would hang himself. He was not going through a couple of weeks like they did when Jo arrived, he just point out refused. By the way she was caressing his car, he was pretty sure she felt the same. Damn, how did he end up lucky enough to be paired off with such a pretty girl? The circumstances were not ideal; but still, the feelings he felt for Zoe were very real, even if their relationship was a façade.
He was staring right back at her; he was sure of that - his eyed only drifting away when their eyes caught each others and she got up from his bonnet.
Ryan got out the car, limping a few steps before he cracked his ankles and hopped over to the trunk. He cursed himself for always wearing such uncomfortable shoes; he was not a practical man, his heart was in fashion but sometimes he really did want to forsake his wardrobe. After all he could feel the blisters that had formed on his heel. "What the fu-!" He saw something dart out of the cabin, and he jumped up.
Hitting his head off of the door. ******** sake. Some illegible Russian escaped his lips, clearly cursing by his tone. He knew very well his mother would have slapped him if she heard that sentence; it was vile.
He pouted and pulled the bags out the back; this was not his day, not his day at all. "Threat not my lady, I will be by your side shortly. No need to fear those dang infamous cabin cats." He forced himself to smile, slamming the car door shut before he followed her up the stairs, placing the bags down just inside the door. Cracking his knuckled he looked around; it looked so serene, perfect for what he had in mind.
He turned to Zoe and smiled at her, nudging his head and indicating towards the stairs.
"Hey. I will get us unpacked, why don't you go and run yourself a bath."
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Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2016 5:01 pm
Zoe heard the dull thud of his head on the car - but only glanced back when she heard a string of Russian that she knew, by implication alone, could only be a curse of some kind. It made her raise a brow but didn't stop her from taking a cursory tour of the house - especially after that playful mockery about cats. She could teach him a thing or too about what to fear with cats, she thought to herself. By the time he found himself just inside the door, she was returning from her little walk, having located all the essentials - kitchen, bathroom, bed. She stopped just inside of the entry and watched him carry all the bags in one trip, admiring him from afar for the effort it took. He had been so kind to her recently, as if he had something to make up for - and maybe he did, but for the first time in her life, Zoe found herself willing to share the blame for a situation that had escalated out of control. For the first time in her life, she really didn't want someone to be upset with her. The thought wasn't the first of its kind and it, as always, left her wondering. "Are you trying to get me undressed that quickly?" But there was mirth in her eyes as they narrowed on him, wondering, suddenly, if he was up to something. She shrugged out of the jacket she had worn against the late February chill and draped it over the run of the coat stand near the door. Her fingers were undoing the buckle of her belt even as she used her feet to awkwardly pull her boots off, leaving them by the bags he had so graciously offered to unpack. It was a true sign of trust that she was letting him put away her clothes - and she only did because she knew he had her same passion for fashion. She felt pretty confident that she didn't have to explain how hard it was to get wrinkles out of certain fabrics.. "But since you offered, who am I to refuse?" With a playful smile at the corner of her lips, she pushed herself up onto her tip-toes and pressed a single, lingering kiss against the soft pane of his cheek. The clatter of her belt buckle could be heard as she pulled it off and headed to the bathroom, leaving the door cracked behind her so that he could hear the sudden rush of the water as it poured into the basin.
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Posted: Sat Feb 27, 2016 9:15 am
"Come on Zoe; don't question my virtue. I am trying to be good for once~."
It was a joke; and he laughed softly as she pressed her lips against his cheek before she headed to the bathroom. Crawling in through the door came a large black figure with a wet, hanging tongue. Dice, who had been happily asleep in the trunk, had finally woke up and came over to rub her her against the hand of her owner. Rurik smiled and tickled her ears, looking around the cabin before he finally got to work putting it all in order.
Thankfully, the place was already fairly clean, it must have not been too long since the last residents had left. Still, he ran over it with a duster before he started to pack away the food in the cupboards and their clothes in the bedroom wardrobe. It was only a one bedroom cabin, he had not told Zoe, but assumed she would not mind. Afterall they had shared a bed before when he dropped her back home after one of their dates.
Dice took her place infront of the fire, the smell of cinder and the crackle of wood seeping through the rooms. It would be getting dark soon, and already the sound of the forest was coming alive. Incests, small animals, birds - it was strangely soothing to the city boy. Now settled, Rurik made his way upstairs to the bathroom, it had only been about half an hour since she had disappeared to get a bath.
"Hey Zoe, I went outback and the electricity seems to be working. Is the water alright?" He knocked on the door with the back of his hand; and waited patiently for a response.
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Posted: Sun Feb 28, 2016 4:42 pm
The door creaked open half an inch, rocking on its lazy hinges before it came to a rest. Inside, the sound of someone shifting in the water resounded in the charming, tiled bathroom and Zoe let out a very soft laugh that was almost too hard to hear. "Sorry," she called back to him softly with humor lingering in her words, "I think I may have nearly dozed off. The water is perfect." Again, Zoe spread her fingers through the gentle water and made the gentle, echoing sound of waves. Her fingers splayed through a mountain of foam from the honey bubble bath she had found in the cabin's bathroom, taking in the gentle scent. The room was calming in the afternoon sun and as she sat leaned back into the curve of the large tub, she realized how peaceful it was to simply replace the sound of a distant highway with the chatter of birds and critters. A pleased smile spread across her lips and she leaned her head back into the cradle of the rim as her eyes closed. Damp lashes brushed her cheek and she could feel the hair stuck against the nape of her neck. "I like this," she called out to him, stretching her words out to express her comfort level. Then, after a moment, "could you bring me a towel?"
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Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2016 11:23 am
Rurik could not help but shake his head at her words, letting out a small laugh of his own. This was so alien to him and he was not quite sure why; he put it down to how normal is all felt. Him and Zoe had been on dates before but this was not like that, it was a first glimpse of what living together might actually be like. What was strange about it all was just how at ease he was, how natural it all felt. "Yea, sure no problem." He replied to her request for a towel, though the temptation to have her running across the hallway in her birthday suit was clearly there.
The white haired man made his way to the bedroom and wardrobe where he had stored the towels, he caught a glimpse in the mirror and paused for a moment on realising something was not quite right. Running his fingers through his hair he noted that he had about half an inch of black growth, something he usually kept up to. He had just been so distracted lately, it seemed that even his vanity was taking a back seat.
Rolling his eyes and making his way back out into the corridor he threaded his arm through into the bathroom; placing the towel on the counter without peeking in. "I'm heading downstairs. head my way when you are ready." He called into the bathroom before creaking could be heard as he walked down the staircase.
Dice was still laid out in front of the fireplace; her body moving up and down as she snored lightly. Rurik had lit some candles and scattered them across the table and windowsill and the food he had put in the oven was just about filling the room with its aroma.
He had told her; he was trying to be good, for once.
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Posted: Sun Mar 20, 2016 5:14 pm
A mischievous smile spread across her lips when he returned with the towel and set it down without cracking the door open an ounce wider than it already was. It might have been rude to tease him so much but it was easy, and it made her smile. "Alright," she called after him, though it ended with an amused chuckle as she heard his boots retreat down the hallway. Her head dipped back against the cradle of the porcelain basin for one, last perfect moment and then the sound of her rising from the water echoed through the upstairs and followed him to the kitchen. It wasn't long before she had finished investigating where he had placed everything and the soft thud of her feet on the stairs announced her arrival. Barefoot in a t-shirt dress, she seemed lulled and relaxed, and her eyes met his with a look of lazy comfort. "It smells really good in here," there was genuine surprise in her tone as she moved down from the bottom step and slipped into the room, her olive skin glimmering in the warm glow of the candle flames. One dark-nailed hand slid up through her tussled, wet hair as she looked around her, curious. He had gone so far out of his way to make sure this trip started on a good note that she had to wonder if he still felt guilty for the hiccup that started before. Her bright eyes slid from the wavering candle light to his face, searching it with a question she didn't want to ask. "You shouldn't start spoiling me so early, Ry." But despite the half-hearted protest, there was a smile on her lips.
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Posted: Fri Mar 25, 2016 9:23 am
A small hiccup she called it. He did not think so.
Rurik felt like the biggest a*****e in Destiny City and knew in his heart he hadn't done right by Zoe. He had tried his best but always seemed to fall short, deep down he wondered if normal relationships were possible for him. If he was the kind of person who could care for someone without hurting them. He did not mean to hurt Zoe, he never intended to hurt anyone. No matter what she said, he knew that he had done and the guilt was hideous.
Never the less, the fact that she seemed to be smiling brought a smile onto his own face. "I am afraid I might be spoiling you too late." It should have been like this from the start. He should have done this after they fought and not let his mother play peace keeper. He had so many opportunities but never came through, he just watched on helplessly and hoped without taking action. He needed to stop relying on Val so much.
Ryan had two glasses in his hands, deciding to forfeit the wine for some fruity cocktails. Despite being in the middle of nowhere, the fire was warm and the candles were warm and he did not want to be sweating any more than he already was. His usual cockiness had melted away into something more nervous, probably because he was not used to romantic gestures, probably because he was not used to being sincere.
His throat felt dry.
"I am not saying it will be clear sailing from now on but I am going to try and be better, more open." He nodded, passing her the drink before he continued with his rambling (he was rambling by this point he was pretty sure). "I know it must be hard to trust someone who talks in a foreign language whenever the phone rings, who does not even use his real name. I am bizarre; adding more strangeness to an already strange situation."
Ryan had been taught to lie from the day he was born; honesty didn't come naturally to him. He had gotten better now he was older, but it was a habit that would take a long time to break. It was not even like he was going out of his way to lie, sometimes he did it to try and protect others feelings, other times it just came out of his mouth before he had even thought about it.
Today, he was trying his best to be honest. "I never imagined myself with someone like you, I dare not think the world would be that kind to me. You were always out of my league, not because of your title or your money but because you have this spark that not many people have." Before Kia he had been with girls (and one or two men) and admittedly never got close to any of them, he just wanted to feel close to people and often resorted to physical affection to make that connection.
For a very long time he was totally unaware of what a real relationship was or that he could become attached to people beyond physical attraction. He could not explain what that spark was, maybe it was more of a feeling than an attribute.
"I guess what I mean to say is and I know how strange this might sound now the Gala has passed, but I would really like it if you would maybe consider being my girlfriend." Now that they were engaged, that is. "I mean I want to pull dumb s**t and touch you without feeling like a creep, you know."
He was such a creep.
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Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2016 4:09 pm
As he began to speak, she walked softly across the floor to retrieve what, she assumed, was her drink. Her hand gripped the cup and pulled it gently from his fingertips, then up to her lips. The rim paused against her bottom lip as she smiled up at him, amused that he regretted not spoiling her yet. It seemed a silly thing to her. As she took her first sip of the beverage, however, he continued. Even as the taste of the alcohol lingered on her tongue, she felt her attention drawn suddenly to the apologetic boy. He seemed guilty enough that her heart ached in her chest at the sight of it, a feeling peculiar yet, somehow, not surprising. In true Zoe fashion, she ignored it in favor of focusing on him. She took one more quick sip of her drink and leaned into the counter, letting her eyes drift as he worked through what he was saying. They found focus on the fire where it crackled behind Dice and her expression faded to a calm, serious look as she listened to his impromptu speech. Her attention snapped back to him at his peculiar request and, despite herself, she smiled up at him. It was odd, that was true, but somehow it felt.. good. They were walking a strange path together when everything was said and done and, though she couldn't speak for him, she found herself wondering how much of what she felt was because it was expected and how much of it came from something else, some actual and unexpected attraction. She remembered the first time he had kissed her and her heart ached at the memory and the words, she still remembered them, lingered unspoken just behind her lips. "Rurik," his true name, spoken gently. She looked down at the drink in her hand, took another sip, and set it on the counter she had leaned her hip into. When she straightened, she closed the distance between them until she was forced to look up at his eyes. A single hand reached out to grip his shirt, keeping him forced into the closed distance. "I'm sorry I've made you feel so guilty for things you didn't really have control of, that wasn't... what I meant to do. I just needed space because.." she paused and dropped her eyes from his, suddenly unsure of what she meant to say. Why did she need space, those weeks ago? "I just wasn't sure how to keep going just then. Everything about us is strange, from how we met to why we met in the first place and each of us has layers upon layers of family secrets and problems." She laughed as her words trailed off, amused at the stress of it all, but her bright fuchsia swept back up to stare at him through a rim of thick lashes despite it. "I needed to figure myself out, all of this is oddly new to me. That sounds strange, but it's true." The hand in his shirt tightened, pulling her forward to him a little more, until she felt the warmth of his skin just a breath from her own. A chill crawled up her spine and despite her usual collected nature, a flush spread across the curve of her bronzed cheeks. She knew none of that had to do with the agreement that had been made mostly without their consent, but that something else she had begun to notice. His question rose unbidden in her mind as she stood there, head tilted back and staring up openly into his eyes. There was a lot more to this simple question than it implied and she felt the wait of that on her tongue as she formed the words to speak. "Yes, I will," a pause, a small hesitation, and then she struggled through a clumsy, but heartfelt, repetition of words he had spoken to her so long ago, "Ya teb-ya kho-chu."
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Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2016 5:44 pm
She grabbed hold of his shirt and demanded his attention, so he remained still and he listened to her every word.
Zoe was being very serious and even though he did digest what she was relaying to him, he thought it would be best to turn the conversation towards more light hearted topics. He did not want to ruin the good mood they had both arrived in. This was not about dwelling on the past but moving forward - he just wanted to make things clear, once and for all. Know where they were at and admit he had done wrong. He had truthfully not expected her to react how she did, it was thrilling.
"Christ Zoe, your Russian is terrible."
Not that his Greek was at all pleasing on the ears; the only words he knew were off a menu, though he had ordered some DVD's to help him. It would be no good if their families could not understand each other and he was sure there would be some in hers, like there was in his, that could not speak a lick of English.
He looked down at her as she slowly crept closer to him, her demands melting to something more... seductive? Was he reading that wrong? Rurik was not too sure but he could feel the heat on her face and the way she said his name, if she was just being a tease she was doing a damn good job of it. He could feel electricity running through his skin and with that he rested a hand casually on her waist, his touch like a ghosts.
He planted a kiss on her forehead and then rested his own on the spot. "Ya tozhe tebya khochu, Zoui." He repeated to her almost sweetly. He took in a deep breathe like the world had been lifted from his shoulders and paused for a moment.
Then in one swoop brought an arm behind her knees and swept her off her feet like she was a featherweight, bouncing her slightly so he could get a good comfortable hold on her - not at all caring where their drinks ended up. "Just to be 100% clear though, you have just invited me to your bed. You knew that, right?" He asked her, with a smug grin plastered across his face.
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Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2016 7:53 pm
Despite herself, she laughed. As his lips brushed almost sweetly against her forehead, she cast her eyes down and stared at her hand where it was curled so possessively in his shirt. She didn't know what he was saying but she could feel the emotion in the words. Her Russian might be terrible, but his was entrancing every time she heard it. She saw his arm move from the corner of her eyes and braced herself, flowing with the motion gracefully so that she didn't jostle herself and wack a limb - or worse. Once she was settled in his arms she leaned into him, letting her arm slide under his, and clinging so tightly that she could feel his heart drumming against her own ribs. "No," she admitted, smiling despite the heat she could feel in her cheeks, "but I had been hoping it was something like that." She laughed again, staring up at his eyes in a way she could only describe as enamored. It felt weird to care about another human being so much, but he was her human being, no matter the circumstance. As she looked up at his eyes, she remembered the way he had looked at her just after her father had announced their engagement at the gala. She'd known, then. She shifted her gaze from his at last, as she remembered the way that moment had felt. As her eyes looked back out at the kitchen that she had forgotten until that moment, she was reminded of the candles and the smell of food. "But you worked so hard on dinner.."
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Posted: Mon Mar 28, 2016 5:21 pm
"Now, that is a dilemma." Rurik pretended to be concerned, though he was sure Zoe would be able to detect the thick sarcasm in his voice. The only problem with being bilingual was that it was sometimes hard to drop the accent when he reverted back to English. He cleared his throat before his eyes drifted back to her and a smirk came over his lips. Zoe had most certainly started something.
Besides, Dice was used to eating up his burnt cooking. The candles could burn the cabin down - but that was something he was willing to risk. I mean, the dog would warn them? Maybe. "Though that can always be reheated." He added on the end, raising an eyebrow and tilting his head in a playful manor. Food was really the last thing on his mind right now, he did not give the faintest of ********.
Starting to walk towards the stairs he leaned down closer to her, his voice becoming quieter. "I am hungry for something else."
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