Realistic or Modern Spellbound

[Soliloquy]

Sympathy for the poor girl's stomach, knowing that not everyone could handle the rocky waves as well as some. "Oh, I'm sorry shchenok," she murmured, trying to offer a hand to help her as she staggered, only to be brushed aside. Willow didn't take it very personally, only watching her with careful eyes as she made her way rather hastily inside.

Turning to Theo, she nodded in agreement. "Well, I hope she gets back to normal soon," she said, before turning to the exact reason why she had come. Her excitement returned as she reached into her back pocket to pull out the concert tickets. "I just wanted to show you what I got in the mail while you were gone. An early Christmas present from my brother - tickets to see the Trans-Siberian Orchestra in a couple of weeks." She held up the tickets for him to see, having difficulty standing still as she waited for him to respond. "Will you come with me?"

 

[xrakkax]

“Oh, orchestra.” Theo murmured in wonder, taking a look at the tickets as they walked into the house. Might as well have her visit for a while. Maybe stay for dinner. “So nice of you brother to give tickets for Christmas gift.” He smiled, thinking of how well the brother must think of their relationship enough to send them a reason for another date night. After all, for as often as Willow has shared little tid-bits about her family to them, he figured it went the other way too. Which may be why he sent two instead of one. “And so nice to include one for me to go with you. After we see it, we should tell him how it went. I can say hello for first time.” Theo said as he prepared some tea for the both of them. And one special blend for Granya that smelled more like wheatgrass. Theo couldn’t handle the Jamba juice shots, but Granya just loved it. They didn't have that machine at home, but they did have tea-bags.

 

[Soliloquy]

Willow followed him as they went inside, leaning against a bare counter section while he worked on getting them cups of tea. His mention of the ticket being intended for him specifically brought a sheepish grin to her face, shrugging her shoulders. "Well, I do want you to come but I will say that I haven't told him about you. I haven't talked to him for a year actually," she admitted, hoping he wasn't going to take it too personally. "He usually sends two tickets to some show or concert now and then, but I either can't take off work or it's just not something I want to see. I've resold all the other ones and just always figured it was mom or dad putting him up to it."

His comment did bring up another thought though, one she frankly hadn't even mused for a few moments. She hadn't told her parents or even Everest about Theo and his family, or even where she was working. They were one of those out of sight, out of mind subjects to her. It dawned on her that she hadn't even included any details of just what else had come with her Christmas present that year. "Might have actually been longer than a year, honestly. I haven't even met the girl he's been seeing for awhile and apparently they're getting married next year."

 

[xrakkax]

The news that Willow hadn’t spoken to her family for probably more than a year came as a surprise. Theo listened as he handed her a cup of tea. “Life can be busy.” He said, unknowingly speaking aloud one of her inward thoughts. The following chunk of information had been a bigger surprise not to have heard about. “Oh, a wedding.” Theo pondered the thought as they headed to the table where a plate of chak-chak and pastils sat under a glass dome. “Next year?” He took one of these confectionaries to chew on while he went through the mental checklist of what he could do to arrange around that, “What is the date? Do you go alone?” For Theo it was simple enough. A family event meant family would come. No question.

 

[Soliloquy]

Taking her cup and joining him at the table, she shrugged at the question. "It's uh, October 31st, Halloween," she said after a bit of thought. Oddly enough, she knew that was also her parents diversionary, not that she was sending them cards each year or anything. "I'm not sure if I'll go, though. Like I said, I haven't met his fiance yet and we don't really talk that often. It might be weird to show up after all this time and see him. No to mention my parents will be there, so I don't know. It's just not something I was planning on doing any time soon."

 

[xrakkax]

“Did you have invite?” Theo asked. Once that was confirmed, he shrugged, “Not weird if asked to come, Da? You not meet her yet, but will if you go.” That seemed to solve that issue in his mind. After all, it would happen at some point. Why not at the wedding? There was nothing he saw that could be a real problem. Though, in mid sip, Theo wondered if it was not as simple as he first thought when she mentioned her parents like that. “Do you have bad blood?” He asked, trying to be careful not to be accusing. “. . .Is family. . .on bad foot?” Something about that idiom didn’t sound right. Did he say it wrong? Or use it in the wrong way? Whatever, Theo figured she’d understand.

 

[Soliloquy]

Well, yes she had been invited of sorts. Sure, a Save the Date usually prefaced an actual invitation, but she didn't think the first was sent out if the second wouldn't be following. He made it seem like such a simple thing, to show up to a wedding when she hadn't been in contact for quite some time. Was she really just overreacting or holding nothing against them? "I don't know if I'd say bad blood," she shrugged, pausing to sip at her tea. She didn't expect this to turn to a conversation where the less fond part of family was going to be brought up.

"They just weren't happy when I didn't come home after school. I went to UCLA for a year and was doing horrible, I felt too pressured by them so I left for Texas. I told them I wanted to act and they could only ever ask me to come work with them at their accounting firm." It was a tiny scratch at the surface beyond all the tension she felt between her parents and in particular her mother. "When I made it clear I didn't want to work behind a desk my mother seemed to have lost a lot of interest in speaking to me. She 'lost a daughter' that day were her words, all because I wasn't helping with the business her and dad suddenly can't run alone." In fairness, her own exact words before that to her mother had been that she would have rather starved than worked behind a desk, so it wasn't like only one of them was being dramatic in that conversation.

 

[xrakkax]

Of all the reactions Theo could have had, he figured the spoff and shrug might not have been the best, but it came out fluidly without a thought. “That is all?” He cleared his throat in the same moment he realized he came off like he had trivialized the situation. “Sorry, is just surprise.” He fished around for a clearer way to express himself. “Is sound not like something to stop talking, is what I mean. Just for going to different school.” To be fair, he didn’t know much more than what Willow said in these few minutes, so Theo said, “But, I only have small part of story. Sorry, maybe there is more I not understand.”

 

[Soliloquy]

Thankfully, she couldn't take his response to heart, seeing as he was only starting to understand what had caused her to distance herself. Willow had asked him to be open about his own past when the strength was there, so it was only fair if she gave him back just what she was asking for. "Well, we're probably going to need more tea for this," she said with an deep breath, diving into the dramatic side of her family history that didn't take place in theater.

"For as long as I can remember when I was young, my parents always had the highest expectations for me. I was constantly scheduled for my entire day; practices, lessons, just everything and I never had time to myself." She went on to talk about how gradually her parents were more focused on work so it was slightly better, but it still felt like they had an idea of how her life was supposed to go before she could find out what she wanted. It had been a strain to say the least.

"Then I thought things were going to change when I went off to college. I was going to get my degree and then make it big," she mused, shaking her head and chuckling at the thought of how hopeful and naive 18-year-old Willow had been. "Of course it didn't stop. They wanted me to leave from the moment I was on campus, insisting they'd take care of everything if I went to work for them. I came to Texas to try and get some space. It was a lot easier to avoid their pressure and calls, but it also came with consequences."

Her grandmother had fallen sick and she hadn't gone home; figuring it was just a ploy from her mother to get her back in Washington state. She hadn't come home during Christmas break and Grandma Mary had passed away before she could say goodbye. It wasn't the first death in her family, but the first when she was more than a child and could fully comprehend death. Her grandfather died a few days after and although she had always felt it was almost romantic that he couldn't seem to exist without his beloved wife on the same planet, Willow certainly felt not going home had been a regret.

"So I'm not like my brother and I'm sure they resent me for it," she finished up, deciding that was enough talk for the day. "He went to work for them out of college and has made them proud, meanwhile I slunked off across the country and haven't done a thing for the family name. I'm sure they'd be shattered to hear I was a waitress, regardless of how much I love what I'm doing."

 

[xrakkax]

Theo did his best to listen without interrupting. Occasionally he asked a question, but for the most part he sipped his tea, snacked on the finger sweets, and nodded attentively. Theo offered his condolences when she brought up her grandmother. Death was never easy. Theo, here especially, reached out a hand and bowed his head in a moment of silence for the loss. In that moment he believed they had a connection he could really understand.

They had to refill their cups for the length of her retelling. Once Willow finished he smiled pleasantly, “Freedom is precious.” He commented first. “Is does sound hard to forge path when family is obstacle. But worth fight for. I understand distance with parents.” He said, trying to connect and be sympathetic; understanding.

That was about all he was going to say. And he nearly did just leave it at that. But Theo felt like he was doing it again; being ambiguous and avoidant. There was desire to be transparent though.

So before the silence could fall like it had many times before, and to prevent the same mood of disappointment from appearing on Willow’s face, Theo straightened in his chair and said, “Uh-- so-- um-- I want to tell things about past.” He reiterated to call attention to that one date. “Let me find way to say easier. . .” Theo took a moment to sift through the possibilities. Then he thought of his comment about nothing being like the Russian mob. For certain, none of it related at all to that underworld, but it was close enough. So, Theo snapped his finger as soon as the idea came to him. “Imagine it Russian mob.” He started. Perhaps replacing the setting and the names would help relay to her his past. “So, this mob called-- the--” He flicked up his eyes in thought, squinting at the ceiling for a good name. Picking one he dropped his green eyes back to Willow. “Cryptid gang.” That sounded dumb, but hey, it was off the cuff. “This gang have hold on family until I turn, eh, fourteen.” Theo seesawed his hand flat in approximation. “They demand us continue involve in crime. Granpa Lyov and Grandma Maria agree with family that we no want to commit anymore crime. So, we fight for freedom. Some family stay in crime. We don’t talk anymore. We will never go back.” Theo thought it was good enough. He felt like she understood his appreciation for freedom and how hard it would be to reconnect to family who doesn’t see eye to eye. “I think maybe if I invited to wedding back home, I probably say no too.” He condescended. Confident in his success to reach out without reliving the past that pained him, thanks to using the setting of the Russian mob as a tool, he sipped his tea in relative contentment. Although, his hands did visibly tremble.

 

[Soliloquy]

She was relieved that he seemed to agree with her on the reason to distance herself. It hadn't felt fair that they were trying to impose their own beliefs on what she should do with her life. Even if it wasn't going to be glamorous or even as easy as she was accustomed to growing up, she'd go through this rough patch if it meant happiness. So far, that happiness was present, especially now that Theo and his bizarre family had come into her life. She wouldn't have had it any other way.

Now it was her turn to listen and she did so with keen interest. His description was shaky at first, but she soon caught on to what he described they had left behind in Russia. A part of her had to imagine he was exaggerating it slightly, particularly because she couldn't imagine Lyov being anything besides a sweet and kind old man. She kept those curiosities to herself for now, only nodding in understanding. They'd both left behind pasts they hadn't wanted to be a part of, different countries and likely different levels of severity based on just how somber he was on the subject, but similar nonetheless.

It was her turn to squeeze his hand as he finished, nodding in agreement. "Thank you," she smiled, ever grateful for a chance to peer into his history even if it was brief. "But as for the wedding, I don't know. We'll see how I feel as it gets closer. Thankfully I can go home if I want to, no worries of crimes or anything as scary as Russia sounds. I'll just have to deal with my mother nagging, which to be fair probably does sound a lot like a hungry bear," she went for a light joke to try and soften the room. They were slowly connecting and it painted a picture of just what they could be, would be, together.

 

[xrakkax]

Theo enjoyed a laugh at the comment about Russia. “Da, Russia is rough.” He sipped the last of his tea as she told him the rest. “Thankfully won’t be like real bear. No need to fight for life.” Theo laughed for his tease, and the Fates laughed at his ignorance.

The clock struck two. Had they spoken for so long? Theo got up to clear the tea, “What want for dinner?” Because there was no question if she would stay. That had passed. Now he was comfortable with her not needing to ask to be invited for dinner, and it felt as natural as breathing.

They discussed what to have and cooked together. Granya didn’t feel well enough to come out of her room, but she accepted a tray. Lyov did come out for a long while. Finally Lyov had to do his nightly dialysis. That would end the night. So before Theo left to do that for his grandpa, he walked Willow to her car. Their goodbye kiss was short this night. Lyov’s condition meant he needed help. And Granya was ill from the trip. But Theo did leave a lingering want with her as she did for him.

The next day, being a Monday, Willow and Molly arrived for park day. Granya felt much better. She went on another shore-walk with Willow. It had become a fun tradition. It was then that Granya showed Willow her project for Theo’s birthday gift. And with her own phone. Granya had gotten one shortly after the incident with Ruby, to stay in touch with friends even outside of the house. The picture Granya showed Willow was a new motorcycle helmet. Immediately Willow new this to be fashioned after the armor of his Skyrim Orc, Aidoneus.

If Willow hadn’t known before, she knew now. In just a couple days it would be Theo’s birthday. The family planned to have it as a surprise. They actually contacted his hospital to join in on it. Theo would be told he had work all this week. But when the family got the pub ready, and the patrons out, he would be let go from work early. If the hospital did their part, then Theo would haven been run around so much he would lose awareness that it was the thirteenth. Then Jovan would tell him they are swamped and to come right away. Theo, dutiful as ever, would ride to the Old Bear. A few friends would dress like patrons so he would think the pub was still open for business.

BUT! Theo, who would most likely come in from the kitchen, would see that Micha and Amalia were not cooking. Sometimes they did skip out here and there. So perhaps he wouldn’t think anything of it.

Everyone played their part so that when Theo went through the door into the main hall of the restaurant, his jaw dropped in speechlessness when the crowd erupted in ‘SURPRISE!’ He flung his finger as if to say ‘You got me!’ Theo, ever a Willow radar, found her eyes and shook his head with a big grin. She had been as mute as the rest! And more so, for when he told her he had to work all that week, those acting skills did not fail her to pull off a completely normal, unquestioned response. Molly had almost slipped, but she kept it together. Sadie wasn’t told. So there was no need to worry over her making any mistakes. Or jeopardizing it on purpose. In fact, she was given the day off preemptively.

Theo, of course, sang and danced with them all. Especially with Willow. And even got Granya to do it once. While Granya was a hermit, this didn’t mean she had two left feet. Molly fancied she’d have competition with the niece. If Granya was at all interested in competing. No, that girl plopped by Lyov in a recliner to chat away with friends. One of which was going to be gone for a while. Some family event for New Years. That meant one more person gone. Randomando had apparently tapped out of the group due to ‘family business’ shortly beforehand too. Now it was just Granya, RawR, and YAASBIRCH. What did she have to say about that? BORING!

Gifts were the event that brought Granya out of her phone. Most of the presents Theo got were not as personal. But when family and close friends handed theirs over that changed quickly. Even Bandit got a gift. Theo loved the helmet from Granya. He told her he’d use it that night. But now, having saved Willow for last-- because don’t all the best things come in time? Theo was eager to see the present his lady love got for him. And it did not disappoint! Theo gave her a kiss that conveyed all his gratitude and adoration for her thoguhtfulness. Bandit chittered and gave her a snuggle too.

December had a lot going on. And not only from the American holidays coming up. On the fifteenth the family closed early once again. This time to celebrate their coming to America. It had been the year Theo turned twenty-five. They celebrated that birthday on the ship. Like all the years since then they ate a meal, sang old folksongs, and sat by the fire to enjoy tales. Any tales-- fairy tales, old stories. This night Willow learned a few new things.

While they did have ‘unsavory’ people to answer to, they remembered what good times they could. Theo found a rock shaped like Micha’s head. The day Viorica met Nasir in the fields. He was a loner, a wanderer. They took him in after his family had perished in a fire. They fell in love, had many kids, and one of them would be a brave boy; Theo. They recalled how, when the fighting for freedom began, he was every inch the warrior to rely on. Apparently they escaped the cold lands with three others, but they stayed back in Europe. But all of this was in the context of the setting of Russian mobs. Seemed no one was quite ready to tell the raw, uncut version.


Work then went on as usual after that. Theo did manage to arrange for a day off on December twenty-first though. He just couldn’t miss that date! Theo even looked up appropriate attire for attending orchestras. Maybe he got it wrong, but when Theo went to pick up Willow he felt confident. He also wore her gift.

 

[Soliloquy]

Yet another level of understanding each other had formed while they chatted away and time slipped past them. Willow had grown to realize that she was more enthusiastic about her visits to Theo's home rather than her own, something she didn't think she'd experienced at all in past relationships. Before she had always found solace in the knowledge that she'd be able to head home, kick back and relax. Here with him and his family, it felt like that was always the case; well almost.

Being rather modest, Willow only found out about Theo's birthday when Granya was showcasing her hard work on his gift. It was impressive, and she praised her as such before admitting that she hadn't even known it was so soon. Thankfully, there were still a few days to get shopping done, something that she brought up as yet another park day came to a close, today riding home with lead-foot Malone. She didn't even have the slightest idea of what she was going to get him, already having focused so hard on his Christmas gift. Ever the opportunist when it came to risque comments, Molly recommended that Willow be the gift herself, if she knew what the other meant. Flushed cheeked, Willow assured her she knew exactly what was referring to and that was not yet a topic of discussion. This would no doubt lead to a few more playful comments and even light prying on just what was a topic then, all of which Willow brushed aside.

Come the thirteenth, she was armed with a couple of presents, this time in a gift bag. Not only had she given in to her war on wrapping, but she was also completely out of paper from everyone's Christmas gifts that were taking up a small section in her living room. The secret had been hard to keep, not wanting to be dishonest with Theo but was worth seeing the look of surprise when they all popped up. The celebration was joyous and she was pleased to see he was able to relax and enjoy himself, as he rightfully should on his day! for his gifts, she had gotten him a small gag of a holiday necktie, complete with one of Bandit's brothers or sisters wearing a Santa hat, as well as a more valuable watch. She didn't know if he'd wear it, but thankfully he at least seemed to like it.



With the Coming to America celebration just a couple days apart, Willow began to wonder if they'd have time for Christmas with everything going on! Willow loved the chance to learn more about their journey and all the obstacles they took to get to the land of milk and honey. She learned Theo's parents names and more of their tumultuous past that he still struggled with speaking of more times than not. It felt like a gift to be included, and she curled up with Theo in an armchair to listen to the tales, feeling the room filled with nostalgia, the good and the bad. The night ended too soon, but there was the promise of many more nights to come - it was an annual celebration after all!

The next few days flew by with work the usual whirlwind of days, sped along with the impending concert on Thursday! Willow had gone out and treated herself to a new dress, deciding she could always re-use it for a Christmas dress as well.



A bit of finagling with Jovan meant she had the day off, so their trip to the city would be a relaxed one. Theo arrived and she was delighted that he wore her gifts! She didn't quite have the heart to tell him that he was slightly over-dressed, only admiring how dashing he looked and echoing that admiration with a few extra kisses in greeting. Their drive to Houston was hardly more than a half hour, and when they arrived there was still time for an early dinner before they needed to be at the venue. Willow had already decided on a Cajun restaurant called Brennan's, eager to change things up since they weren't limited to Seabrook's selection for once. It was delicious but she had never thought her mouth could burn so much without actually being on fire before.

A hop, skip, and a jump later they were at the venue, getting to navigate the throbbing crowds to first park before doing the same to actually get into the building. The event was sold out and apparently had been for months, not a single scalper to be seen. Silently she thanked Everest because there was no way she'd have remembered to buy tickets in time. When she presented her tickets to one of the workers, they didn't get the same go ahead as everyone else before them did. The hand-held device had lit up and the man peered at it for a moment before looking back up at Willow.

"Miss Crosse?" he questioned, to which she nodded, hoping there wasn't about to be a problem. If her brother thought it'd be a good prank to get her that excited... A second worker had shown up and she smiled at both of them, gesturing to the side away from the main stream of people.

"If you'll please just follow me," a name tag identified the middle-aged woman as Margaret and who Willow followed for lack of knowing what else she was supposed to do. They were led down a relatively empty hall and finally Willow had to press slightly.

"I'm sorry, was there a problem with our tickets?" And about to be a problem with a brother a few thousand miles away..

"Oh no, not at all ma'am. Those tickets were simply altered after being purchased. We're just going to your seats, Miss Crosse," she explained, coming out the hallway to the main floor of seating. This was a far cry from the seats she had expected, not quite nose bleeds but definitely a far back. Margaret led them both to one of the first section, explaining they'd be seated neatly in the middle. Everest had come through after all.

"Well, that was unexpected," Willow admitted to Theo as they took their seats, a few minutes before concert would begin. The stage was set and there were large screens as a backdrop, promising jaw-dropping special effects, no doubt.

 

[xrakkax]

To Theo Willow was always beautiful. Whenever she dressed up, changed her hair, or tested out a new makeup palette, he got to see the same gorgeous girl in different styles. But in the end, if Theo never saw a dash of color, or if she ended up wearing a potato sack for the rest of her life, Theo knew he would always enjoy her beauty. So of course when she came out rockin’ that green dress, he praised her taste. A flirt about her lookin’ like a present followed. Theo let her imagination decide what that implied.

High above them flew Geist, Theo’s bonded raven. He trailed them all the way to the dinner and to the concert. While Theo and Willow had no trouble getting into the concert hall, Geist needed to be clever about it. The raven eventually sneaked through a vent and flew over the crowd, perching once in a while to take account of the situation.

Theo had no experience whatsoever. He followed Willow’s lead. All these sights were taken in with the fascination of a person new to everything. Theo kept asking about what this or that was, and even as they stepped into the fancy exclusive box, he didn’t understand the privilege of it at first. It did dawn on him at some point and he was very impressed. The fact that Willow didn’t expect it didn’t quite hit him like it might have if he had known more. It seemed like her brother arranged for the tickets to accommodate his sister, but not for anyone who happened to buy tickets she sold. Theo thought that was sweet.

When the concert commenced Theo was all awe and surprise. Inwardly he wondered if one of the members were Almaeri. As the songs played on he surveyed the crowd. He saw how they were in the flow of the atmosphere.

Music moved through Theo like blood. In the dark days of his homeland music had been an anchor of sanity. And not just for him. Music uplifted the weary, soothed the dying, bolstered the weak, and brought peace to the restless. Theo had heard music on the radio, seen glimpses of concerts from random videos, and his own family occasionally sang together, but he had not been to witness professional musicians. To anyone in the massive crowd the Trans-Siberian Orchestra was a talented band. Theo saw free men and women bringing sanity to this small corner of the world. And he wept in silent admiration.

 

[Soliloquy]

Geist wouldn't be the only one to survey the crowd, although the other set of eyes were not in the direct building. A feed of different security cameras that normally helped to keep order in the venue were at a certain someone's disposal. A mild surprise to find that Willow had joined was only increased with the second body that accompanied her, one that had not been mentioned nor was found in any sort of a virtual scan of her affairs. Looks like someone's going to start digging to put a name to tall, dark, and handsome.

Willow was enraptured the moment the concert began, only a matter of feet right before them as well! The fusion of classical music and rock was a delight for her ears, and even if one didn't have musical training they could tell the amount of discipline each artist had. There wasn't the slightest stray note, even as they moved at incredible speeds. She took Theo's hand in her own, resting it on her thigh after the first few songs, unconsciously giving it a squeeze whenever a particular chunk of music or even the pyrotechnic show amazed her.

With Christmas only a few days away, she was so glad they played the majority of their holiday music. That had been what had gotten her into the group in her younger years. One Christmas Everest had insisted their traditional songs were too 'childish' and the search for new music began! He was always more into the harder, faster paced music so when they found a happy medium it stuck around. Perhaps that'd be another story of a good memory she'd have to share with him.

The concert concluded with her all-time favorite, Carol of the Bells. Although it wasn't the first time that night, she sprung to her feet, eyes wide with wonder at the perfection before them. As much as she enjoyed the praise of Jovan and others, she knew her own discipline in music was nothing compared to those on stage. The crowd was reluctant to disburse, each hesitant to leave the world that had formed around them. Willow joined the much slower portion of the crowd to leave, weaving her arm through Theo's and leaning into his shoulder.

"So, what did you think?" she questioned him, hoping she hadn't just wasted a few hours of his night.

 

[xrakkax]

“Amazing!” Theo shook his head in disbelief that he had seen such an event. He had gotten up at a few songs. Too antsy to sit. So when Willow stood for the Carol of the Bells, he didn’t spare a moment to do so too. “I want more.” He chuckled. “I must look for concerts now. We make tradition, Da?”

Geist busied himself with swooping high above the crowd. He had to be called to the outside. The raven went out the way he came. It had seemed the safest spot. Besides, he couldn’t spend all night finding alternatives. When he got out he soared, blending into the background of the black sky.

 

[Soliloquy]

She was delighted he had enjoyed it so much, walking with him to the car at a leisure pace. There were far too many cars and they wouldn't be getting out any time soon, anyways. "Yes! Our own tradition," she said with a triumphant raising of her free fist. "Or we can at least go to a concert every December, as a Christmas present to ourselves." Unless of course Everest continued to pick up the tab. "Otherwise going to a lot would get rather pricey. I'm also pretty sure we won't have seats like tonight, but I'm fine with that. Just as long as I get to go with you and enjoy the music, that's all I want."

 

[xrakkax]

“Da!” Theo couldn’t wait. “We figure out. It will be great no matter what. As long with you, Красивый.” To be honest, he was pretty hyped. It felt like a precursor to the rest of their lives; building their own family starting here.

The ride to her house was too short. Theo made up for it by a kiss. One that encompassed the exhilaration of the evening. A caw in the distance called his attention to the time. Theo reluctantly broke his kiss and drove home with thoughts of the future brewing in his mind.

Saturday 23rd of December, 2017 ​

The day of the Winter Olympics Molly and Willow found themselves getting up at the crack of dawn to drive a good half hour to the field where the Russian family set up their tournaments. Among the listed events were races, a ring to box, archery, a gun range, an obstacle course, swimming challenges, and a structure for parkour, plus gymnastics.

If Molly had wondered how this family got away with great bodies, she didn’t anymore. All of the family were eager to participate. Even Granya put down her new phone to join. And while Granya loved her coat and her necklace, she didn’t want them harmed. So timid Granya stepped out of her father’s jacket as a fresh sixteen-year-old woman. Her honey brown hair had been pulled back so she might see better too. A wild curl or two escaped the braid but overall she had it under control. Lyov, who sat in a comfortable chair, took care of those items for her. It was the prerogative of the old to relax.

Friday evenings were brutal. Molly couldn’t figure how they all functioned. Then she saw Natalia handing them cups of okroshka. The soup warmed Molly, filled her with strength, and brightened her eyes wide awake. It felt like a good nights sleep had been cooked into the food for her to consume. Coffee? Pick up your game!

Jovan directed the event. They started off with guns and bows. It was no surprise that Willow did well. They even had her teach them pointers to improve their shot. Micha made the cut as the overall better bowman of the family. Jovan came at a close second. Amalia had the best aim, but a weak shot. She had to get closer to make the bullseye. Something about the bow felt right for her. But not with guns.

Far and away Natalia took the gold in the family in regards to shooting bullets. If she hadn’t become a Vet, Jovan would have had her on hunts. Micha was still a good shot though. Molly, while no Everest, impressed with her skills as a sharpshooter. Following her was Micha, then Amalia, and then Theo. He had the worst shot of both. But they couldn’t match his strength.

Theo surpassed them all when it came to throwing logs. He had some competition from Jovan, but that was it. No one bothered to try. They just took the smaller chopped branches to throw. Jovan beat them in boxing, second to Amalia. Molly shined here too. She and Amalia matched well. Everyone who boxed turned out to be naturally talented, in fact. Some challenges were pretty clear who was best, though. Granya beat them in swimming, followed by Amalia. Micha outlasted them in stamina, but Amalia and Natalia were competition. Theo could wrestle just about anyone aside from Jovan. And so on and so forth.

By the end of the tournaments, Molly felt like the time had gone quicker than expected. And she wasn’t a zombie! She tried to nag Natalia for her secrets, but the girl wouldn’t budge. They arrived to work sweaty, but ready for the next half of the day. Natalia went back to work. Granya got her trench coat and necklace on again, and Theo invited Willow into the Corolla Granya was happy to sit in comfortable silence with Lyov in the backseat. A thing reserved for people she liked. Theo dropped the two off and went the rest of the way to the pub with just Willow. And this time, surprisingly-- or maybe not-- Micha took Willow’s place in Molly's Accord. They were still in the bantering stage though. Micha would see the day that Molly showed a clear want for him!

The Old Bear greeted the staff like a family. All but Theo got ready to serve the patrons. He had been called by the hospital. Thankfully at least still had Sadie to help.

 

[Soliloquy]

As much as Willow was not a fan of the early morning requirement, she quickly found enjoyment in the family Winter Olympics. There was a strong sense of competition among the family members and Molly only added to it. Willow only had strengths with the bow, obstacle course, gymnastics and to a degree parkour. She lacked the upper body strength that many of the tasks required but excelled when dexterity came into play. However, that didn't mean she didn't fully appreciate the chance to watch Theo do exceedingly well. His muscles rippled under his shirt and when he tossed the log with concentration she admittedly might have consider just what it would be like for his arms to wrap around her with the power of those arms. But she kept those wild thoughts to herself, or maybe as a shared observation as they crept away from a PG relationship.

By the end of the morning, Natalia's soup had been put to the test. Willow might have asked Molly if she thought joining the family was a good idea, but it was more than evident that she had thrived in the sport-filled day. Maybe it was Micha clearly trying his very hardest to impress her, or maybe it was just a chance for her to release all of that pent-up tom boyish energy she had growing up, but Molly was clearly in a good enough mood as they drove off.

It was a busy but pleasant morning for all before they headed in to work for the day. An unwanted goodbye to Theo who promised to let her know when he was done working before Willow was slipping on the familiar apron. Through the glass she could see that once again, the Old Bear patrons didn't hold the altered hours against the pub, already lining up long before it was time to come in. When the cousins were ready in the kitchen Jovan gave the go-ahead call and Willow and Molly opened the doors to let in the throng of hungry people.

Everything felt like another usual day at the pub, despite how eventful the morning had been. Willow had a small quarrel with a negligent father just as the dinner rush was starting. She'd never understand what could motivate a parent to bring a life into the world and then be indifferent of what that little cretin was doing. A polite but stern reminder that the stage was not a play space and that if his son wasn't kept off of it then he'd be leaving - without any food - seemed to be a motivator for him, although there was still grumbling.

The crowds were getting difficult to manage as the tables filled and the announcement of a wait time was made to those eager to come inside. Willow and Molly might have felt like they were running running around more than usual, and eventually it dawned on just why that was. Rather than attending to a third of the tables, Sadie had plopped herself down in a chair, across a middle-aged woman and was just chatting away! Willow could feel her ears growing red with frustration as she wove through the tables and bent down to speak to her dear coworker.

"..and there's a calendar on the wall of all the weird holidays they celebrate. I don't get why it's so important but- Oh hey Willow," Sadie looked over surprised to find her all but being glared at.

If they weren't in the middle of a packed dining room, she might have given the blonde a good smack across the head. Instead, pleasantries were still necessary to a degree and she smiled to the dark-haired woman who was now watching them with keen interest. "Excuse me, ma'am," she apologized to the patron, a new face (which was good for business!) who only brushed aside the apologies.

"Oh no, please. I was keeping Miss Sadie," she insisted, her tone thick but clearly not Russian as many in the vicinity were. "I'm afraid I'm not accustomed to everything Seabrook has to offer and she was filling me in."

Sadie seemed thrilled that finally someone was on her side and not just on her for 'slacking' or something lame like that. She nodded at the older woman as she rose from her chair, pushing it in with an odd sense of dignity. "Why thank you, Liz," she grinned, tapping her pad for orders. "I'll go get your beef stroganoff order in right away."

"You're a doll, Sadie. It's been a pleasure to meet you," Liz waved her off before turning to Willow, still coping with how ridiculously unreliable Sadie was. "And you as well, Willow was it?"

Distracted by her own frustration, Willow gave a sheepish nod of her head, not prepared to linger like a less favorable employee had, especially on a table that wasn't her own. "It was. I'm sorry, I do need to get back to my section."

"Oh, of course, Willow. Don't go too hard on Sadie for my own actions, though," she insisted before Willow was walking away, unsure how she felt about someone defending the only Old Bear employee who could get under her skin.

Still, it was soon out of her mind, focused on her own tables and the day going too fast to dwell on anything. It wasn't until they were cleaning up and getting ready to leave for the day that the encounter was thought of, and that was again courtesy of Sadie and her need to speak more often than not. "It was nice to talk to someone who wasn't grumpy and that I could understand," she was saying aloud, and apparently didn't need people to answer her. "She was surprised there was a Russian place in Texas, which I agree with her, it was an odd choice compared to like New York or somewhere."

"You know, while it's great to bond with the customers you still have to do your job," Willows impatience with the girl was becoming growing apparent.

"Uh, pretty sure I did both," Sadie snarked back, tossing her rag into the hamper. "Should have told her that you were just as moody as Jovan."

Willow frowned, untying her apron as she looked at the younger girl. "You were just chatting with her about me?"

"Don't be so vain," Sadie spoffed at her. "She was asking about everyone. Wanted to know all about the Russian crew and if everyone was family, which I told her us three weren't. It wasn't like I was passing out anyone's phone number or anything."

 

[xrakkax]

Although it wasn’t unheard of for people to ask about the Russian family it still needed some special attention. Their familiars confirmed that Sadie would only be a pain in the butt and not a death sentence. But they could never tell if a person was a hunter or not just by being a one-time customer. It was better that Sadie, Molly, or Willow attended to this woman if she came again.

It would be too easy for Molly to pop in and say how likely it was for Willow and herself to become family, and that Sadie was lucky to be born into one, but she didn’t. Her patience, once lost, would probably not return until much later. Probably after a swing of a fist too. Molly still kept an ear and eye out, in case Sadie ticked her off.

Jovan wiped down the bar, “I don’t care you talk, as long as you on feet and getting work done. You here for a purpose. If not fill that purpose, there no point to you.” He put his rag in the hamper and stood, arms crossed in front of Sadie, “Next time Willow and Molly run around to take up you slack you out, got it?”

 

[Soliloquy]

While Sadie didn't have a problem squaring up with Willow and lacked enough knowledge of Molly's past to know better, she did acknowledge that Jovan was her boss and there was little leeway when he glared at you. She had opened her mouth to make a comment about doing her purpose when he laid down his ultimatum. Her lower lip jutted out slightly and it took all of her self control not to roll her eyes at him. "Got it," she muttered, moving to get her days pay so she could get out of this lame place and all it's party killers.

Once the sound of her car pulling out could be heard, Willow flashed Jovan an appreciative smile. "Thank you. I'm glad you said something." It wasn't like Sadie was some devilishly handsome Russian adjusting his hair unnecessarily like a weird pony-tail peacock mating ritual, she was just downright lazy and sometimes in the way.

 

[xrakkax]

Wordlessly Jovan pat her shoulder with a paternal hand. That was about all he thought was necessary to convey he took it seriously. Also, that he recognized Willow and Molly really stepped up without complaining and that won them great respect with him. Sadie may be a pretty girl, but in Jovan’s opinion Molly’s unibrow was fuller than Sadie’s future. If she didn’t work hard she was going to find herself without a job.

Molly came up beside Willow, “Lord, bless her heart, because I am inching to the end of my rope, Willow.” She exhaled as she put her money in her purse. “I’mma head out, girl. I think I heard Theo park in back.” Molly gave Willow a wink and left just as that ole Russian Rogue walked in.

Theo gruffly exclaimed, “Aha!” and delightedly took Willow in his arms as he turned once. “Красивый! I miss you!”

 

[Soliloquy]

She couldn't have agreed more, both with her friend and the stoic bartender. Sadie was on her last leg, and Willow wasn't quite sure what that'd mean for the pub. It seemed they could function fairly well with two and a half servers, but it'd be much less stressful with a third. Molly vanished out the door with that comment of hope, only to have Theo in her sight, directly where he needed to be. Throwing her arms about him, she felt like the only girl in the world in his eyes. "It was only a matter of hours today krasavchik," she teased him lightly, stealing a brief peck while they were still in a more public place. "You aren't supposed to miss me after only a few hours."

 

[xrakkax]

“Who say that?” Theo made a dismissive face and waved his hand as if these made up rules would vanish because of it. “I miss you all time I don’t have you with me.” Theo told her. “Besides, I take break. More work soon.”

The hospital was dealing with an onslaught of the flu season children. There had been a mix up about schedules. Today Theo would have three shifts. But because his lady love worked so close to his hospital, it was easy to drop by to see her. “Have quick drink before I head off?”

 

[Soliloquy]

His words lit her face like the Christmas trees that scattered the neighborhood. It couldn't be that common of an occurrence to end up with a man who was both ridiculously handsome and an absolute sweetheart, could it? That might have even earned him a second kiss.

His schedule was not as predictable as the pubs but she knew how passionate he was about his work and how much he loved those children he saw to. Seeing his dedication was just another trait she added to her list of what was in his favor in their relationship. "We can have a drink," she agreed, although the realization he was her ride there at the start of her shift and Molly was likely already gone hit her. "I'll just have to ask Molly to come grab me and get me home since you'll have to get back to taking care of sick little ones."