Who: Nikolai Mironov & Ferran Oster When: January 8, evening Where: Nikolai’s house What: Ferran brings a belated birthday gift; Nikolai brings apologies Status/Rating: Incomplete; TBD but beware feels
why don't you tell me what do you need there is a blank page for you give me the bones of what you believe maybe they'll save you from me
Nikolai had thoroughly enjoyed his birthday, quiet though it was until the evening of drinking had commenced, even with the horrible breakfast his daughter had concocted. Honestly, he was getting to the age that celebrating his birthday wasn’t something he put much thought into, something that didn’t seem to hold the importance that it used to. In fact, he hardly expected gifts: a simple happy birthday did him just fine. Of course, that blade Bear had given him, made just for him, would have been more than he expected even if he had been anticipating gifts at all. Usually, it was locked carefully away, alongside his not inconsiderable collection of weapons, out of Alexandra’s reach; after she’d gone to bed, he had taken it out, laid it on the table, still not admitting to himself that he’d taken it out just for the pleasure of looking at it.
At this exact moment, however, he was staring at the kettle he had sitting on the stove, eyes narrowed, apparently having never learned the lesson that a watched pot never boils. “I swear this has been on the stove for hours,” Nikolai grumbled, glancing over at Ferran, clearly in the mood for hyperbole tonight.
With a shake of his head, he moved over to a nearby cabinet, pulling out two cups, and began setting a place at the table. “I’m glad you could make it tonight.”
The statement had been thrown over his shoulder, casual, but heartfelt in a way that his friend could surely hear. He’d been thinking about having Ferran over for awhile now, had been mulling over things years past that would probably best left alone, but the holidays had proved more challenging than he expected. So those thoughts stewed. Whether or not he would raise the issue tonight remained to be seen though.