Who: Jun and Sergei What: Homecoming When: August 21st Where: Jun's house Warnings: Language at the very least Status: Completed in docs
Sergei hadn't written or owled Jun about his release date. Partly because he hadn't really known until shortly before it happened and partly because he wanted to see her face when he showed up on her doorstep without any word. So that was exactly what he did. As soon as he got out and collected his things, he made the trip to Jun's front door with no real plan about what to do after that point. It had been ten months and the only thing he could think about was seeing Jun without glass between them, and having some real food. He knew that he wanted to see Jun more than eat real food, but he refused to admit that aloud. He wasn't even sure he was willing to admit that in his head, so he didn't.
He knocked on the door and waited, impatiently, for her to answer the door, listening to the sounds from the other side. A baby. Catherine. Katya. The tiny little bundle of adorableness whose finger he certainly was not wrapped around. The guilt over nearly causing Jun to lose the baby still hung heavy on his insides. She was alright now, of course, but that didn't really change the ache that he felt deep in his chest when he looked at the two of them together. He'd be making up for that fuck up from here to eternity.
When she pulled the door open, he smirked his usual crooked smirk. "Honey, I'm home."
--
Jun was tired. She had started to think that she will never not be tired. There were many nice things about having a baby, Jun was sure. But right now, as Cathy finally settled, sleepily closing her eyes, Jun wasn’t sure what those nice things really were. Apart from having a baby. Because Jun did love her daughter endlessly. It was, in a way, strange, because Jun had never expected to be able to care for someone as much as she cared for Cathy. There was nothing she wouldn’t do for her daughter, including feeling constantly tired as she awoke at all hours of the night to comfort the baby as she went through the (apparently) painful process of teething. Sadly, though, it didn’t make Jun feel any less tired.
It wasn’t long after Jun had settled on the sofa (in the pretense of maybe reading a book, but in reality probably just sitting), when the house flashed dark orange, indicating that someone was at the door. Jun half considered not opening the door, both because she didn’t think she was expecting anyone and half because getting up was just such effort. But then, with a groan, she did get up, blinking at Sergei when she opened the door.
Sergei’s sentence was coming to an end, Jun had known that, of course, but she hadn’t had a date, so seeing him there, stood in her doorway, was not quite what Jun had expected. It didn’t stop the smile that appeared on her face, though, and it certainly didn’t stop her from throwing herself into Sergei’s arms, in an over energetic hug, legs wrapping around his waist and arms wrapping around his neck. After a moment, she did let go, standing back down only to punch him in the shoulder.
“You could’ve said you’re getting out,” she told him only with mock-annoyance, because the happiness she felt stopped Jun from feeling actually annoyed.
--
He grinned when she launched herself at him, already preparing with arms outstretched by the time she made contact. Damn it was good to not have guards watching every move he made and actually getting to have contact with the woman for the first time in what seemed like an eternity. He was reluctant to let her go, but when she let her feet fall away from his hips, he reluctantly released her. He didn't even prepare for the punch that he figured was coming. He grunted softly as her fist made contact with his shoulder. He deserved that, he figured. It didn't wipe the smile off of his face, though.
"I could have," he agreed. "This way is more fun, though. Just for the look on your face." He smiled more broadly. "Are you going to invite me in or do I have to stay outside until you have forgiven me?"
--
Most of Jun’s response to him saying that her expression was worth it was to roll her eyes. It was hardly as if she objected that he just showed up, but some forewarning would’ve allowed her to prepare a dinner or make sure there was clean bedding or something. “I don’t know,” she said but was already stepping aside to let Sergei in. “You’re a criminal now and I’m just a young, single mother with a small babe,” Jun added. Not that there was any threat to her words at all since he was already inside and she was shutting the door behind him, walking towards the kitchen.
It didn’t take Jun long to put the kettle on (because of course he’d want tea, couldn’t get a proper brew in prison, after all), and she turned to look at Sergei as it boiled, lest she miss something he said. “What do you want to eat?” She asked him, assuming he would want to eat. “I have--well, I have a lot of things,” Jun told him honestly. Somehow motherhood had also come with Jun’s need to cook proper food every evening. In a way, she suspected, it was to make sure she did so when Cathy got older, Jun wouldn’t like... forget to feed her or something. Having a child was very a involved process.
--
The grin didn't leave his face, especially as she invited him in. He didn't expect her to leave him out on the front step despite his words. The fact that she teased him like she would as she let him in was a clear testament to that fact. "I've always been a criminal," he commented in response. It wasn't untrue, after all. "That's what you love about me," he teased. And likely what she hated as well. He couldn't blame her, obviously. It was smart to hate criminals.
He followed her to the kitchen and watched her put the kettle on. Her question got a little approving sigh. "Anything that isn't prepackaged or produced by heavyset cafeteria workers," he muttered. "I'm surprised that I haven't wasted away completely by now. I'm sure I look positively famished."
--
Well, it was true. Ever since Jun had known Sergei, he’d always been a criminal. Somehow, though, a prison sentence to his name, Jun felt it made him more of a criminal. And yes, she was still pissed off about him having been so stupid. Who got arrested for a fucking bar fight? Especially when there were a lot worse they could have arrested him for. That had been one of the worries Jun had had at the time, the idea that their lives might just unravel in front of the prosecution and then Sergei might’ve spent the rest of his life behind bars. That thought still made Jun’s stomach turn uncomfortably.
“Oh, yes,” she nodded, walking over to the fridge to get out eggs and bacon and sausage because a fry-up was the quickest thing Jun could think of making that was still going to be delicious. “You look awful,” Jun told him. In all fairness, Sergei didn’t look great, not in comparison to what he had looked like ten months ago, but he still looked fine. Alive. Safe. The important things.
There was a soft tone of vanilla flashing across the kitchen to let Jun know the kettle was boiled and moments later she put a mug of tea in front of Sergei. “Are you staying here?” She asked almost conversationally. Jun was hardly going to turn him away, but she didn’t count on him necessarily staying.
--
Sergei had been worried about the same things, but he had covered his tracks well. He'd been doing it long enough to know better than to leave behind a trail. Which was exactly the reason that he'd gotten himself into trouble for something completely unrelated to the numerous less than legal things he was tied up in. No matter what, though, he'd made absolutely sure that Jun wasn't tied up in any of the things that he dabbled in. The last thing he wanted was to get her sent away for something he got her involved in.
He snickered at her reply about his appearance. He doubted he looked awful but he was sure that he wasn't looking his best. There was only so much that could be done to keep up one's appearances in prison, after all. "I'll look better after I've had a shower and a good night's sleep," he commented. "And some tea," he hummed, appreciatively taking the mug from where she'd set it and lifting it up to just breathe it in. It felt like ages since he'd had a good cup of tea.
"Depends," he said, taking a sip before finishing his statement. "You going to ride my ass for getting in trouble in the first place the whole time I'm here?," he teased. He wasn't objecting to sticking around, though. He'd missed Jun, more than he'd probably ever admit to her, at least aloud. He supposed he should wonder if it would annoy her child's father that some random man was possibly staying in the home with his child, but he didn't really care much for what Cedric thought. He had no distaste for the man, he just didn't really know enough of him to care.
--
Jun could definitely provide a shower. The good night’s sleep might be slightly more difficult. But she supposed there were always silencing charms Sergei could cast. She obviously couldn’t, because Jun needed to know when Cathy needed her, then again, it wasn’t as if Jun was bothered by the actual noise of crying. Instead of pointing that out, though, Jun proceeded to stick the frying pan on and cook some bacon. “Well, it was a very fucking dumb thing to do,” Jun told him over her shoulder in regards to whether she’d spend the whole time he was here telling him off. The answer was, most likely not. If only because Jun had better things to do. Still, she had no doubt she could work it into a conversation on most days.
The eggs had just gone on the pan when a shade of pink flashed across the kitchen and Jun swore. Cathy hadn’t been asleep for more than half an hour at this point. Jun really couldn’t wait for the baby to settle back to sleeping through the night. “Shit,” Jun muttered, reaching for her wand to cast a spell that made sure the rest of the food cooked itself as she walked out of the kitchen and upstairs to get Cathy. The colour indicated that the baby just wanted to be held, which, at least, was better than her being in pain.
With Cathy in her arms, Jun rejoined Sergei in the kitchen, walking over to where he was sat and giving him a soft smile over Cathy’s head. “You want to hold her?” She asked softly. Sergei had seen Cathy but prisons apparently didn’t really want their prisoners to touch visitors, even if those visitors were babies.
--
He couldn't blame her for scolding him. It had been a stupid thing to do. He'd let his temper get the best of him and it could have been far worse than it was. It was pretty bad, yes, but if Jun had lost the baby because of something stupid that he'd done, he would have never forgiven himself. He wasn't entirely sure that he'd ever forgive himself for causing her the stress that he had. He knew she'd spent the last months of her pregnancy in bed thanks to him and that was bad enough. A little scolding was the least that he deserved.
The pink in the air flashed about the time that the sound of Cathy's crying caught his attention. He watched Jun leave to retrieve her daughter and when she returned with her in her arms, he couldn't help but smile a little more softly than usual. Jun was a good mother, he could tell that just in the little he'd seen her with the baby. He didn't doubt that she would be, of course. She was determined and ambitious as the day was long. Creating a happy, healthy life for her daughter was probably the one thing that he could definitely check off on things Jun would do with her life.
The question got a slightly uncertain look from Sergei. He couldn't remember the last time he'd held a baby. Hell, he wasn't even sure he had held a baby. A massive list of horrible things that could happen rolled through his thoughts, but he shoved them away as quickly as they piled in. "How much do you want to bet she'll puke on me first thing?," he commented as he shifted in his chair and held his hands out for the child.
--
The chances of Cathy being sick on Sergei were pretty good. She was a prolific vomiter on people. Jun honestly couldn’t think of a single time Cathy had been sick not on someone. Then again, it had now been more than a month since she’d gone off breast milk and slowly but surely Cathy was getting much better at keeping her food down. It was a slow process, all the books had assured Jun. “It’s an expression of love,” Jun informed Sergei nonetheless, carefully putting Cathy into his arms. She looked tiny. She was, of course, tiny, but somehow Cathy managed to look so much smaller in Sergei’s arms. Which perhaps wasn’t all that surprising.
Jun couldn’t really help the soft smile that played on her lips as she watched him hold Cathy. In as long as they had known each other, Jun hadn’t really ever pictures Sergei holding a baby. Certainly not her baby. Running a hand softly over Cathy’s head, Jun leaned in to briefly brush her lips over Sergei’s cheek. “I’m glad you’re not dead,” she informed him. It really was very nice.
Moving away so she could check on how the food was doing, Jun found a plate for all of it to go on and then some cutlery. “Here,” she said putting the now ready plate down in front of Sergei, before holding her hands out to take Cathy back. “Gimme. You need to eat,” she informed him in case he was unwilling to return her child.
--
He laughed at her comment. "Yeah, I bet," he muttered. Even the threat of possible baby love in the form of spitting up didn't stop him from holding the child. The tiny little human. How could humans be that tiny? He felt strange holding her. Awkward and uncertain. It was the first time in his life he ever felt awkward and uncertain, he thought. Funny how holding Jun's daughter could make him feel a lot more feelings than he really wanted to give voice to. He never thought he'd be holding a baby at all, least of all hers.
The kiss to his cheek brought him out of his thoughts and her words chased the awkward look on his face away, replacing it with a little lopsided smile. "Yeah, well, it takes more than a few months in prison to kill someone like me," he told her. He sure as hell didn't want to go back though.
He spent the next few moments thanking all the gods he could think of that the little girl didn't start screaming her head off. At least she didn't hate him. That was a good sign. He wasn't even sure babies could hate people, but either way, she hadn't cried and that was nice. He looked up when Jun returned and asked for the baby. He handed her over without too much fuss, mostly because he was starving and the breakfast smelled delicious. His mouth was practically watering and if he didn't take a bite, he was going to need the bib instead of Cathy needing it.
He took a bite and nearly melted into the chair. He wasn't sure how any human could spend more than a few months in prison. He imagined people spending decades or more being stuck eating that cardboard they called food. Thankfully he hadn't gotten saddled with that kind of bid. "This is amazing," he told her. "Thank you."
--
Jun didn’t like much imagining how much time in prison it might take to kill someone like Sergei. She had already spent an uncomfortable amount of time thinking about that, so actually having him here, in her kitchen, eating her food, it made her feel an incredible amount of relief. Once Cathy was back in her hands and Sergei was stuffing his face with the food, Jun settled across from him, watching him eat. There was something very rewarding about how he seemed to genuinely enjoy the food, even if Jun did realise it had very little to do with her making it and everything to do with the ten months he had spent in prison.
“There’s going to be crying,” Jun told him briefly glancing down at Cathy. She wasn’t currently crying. If anything, right now Cathy seemed perfectly content to just blink sleepily at Jun, but there would be crying later. There was always crying. “And nappy changes,” Jun added, quite glad that, too, wasn’t happening right now. “And a lot of other things you don’t quite realise take effort until you have a baby in the house,” Jun explained watching Sergei carefully. “Are you sure you want that?” She asked, expecting an honest answer, because why wouldn’t there be one. Personally, Jun didn’t think she’d choose to put up with all of it. But then, perhaps she would if it was Sergei who was the one with a baby. She wasn’t sure. What Jun was sure of was that she didn’t expect him to put up with it. Had never expected him to put up with anything.
--
If Sergei got his way, he would never spend another second in prison, let alone another day or any other length of time. He wasn't ready to get out of the game completely, but he sure as hell wasn't going to be getting into any bar fights in the near future. His temper was just going to have to get in check because he'd be damned if he ended up with a longer sentence for reoffending. He'd missed way too much thanks to his carelessness and he didn't intend to miss anything else.
He watched her as she spoke about the things that staying at her place would include. He expecting crying, of course, and nappy changes and a host of other baby related things. He'd never really had to deal with those sorts of things so he couldn't say that he actually wanted to be included in all of that, but the alternative was walking back out of her door after breakfast and he didn't really want to do that either. Maybe if it was any other woman asking him if he wanted all of that, his answer would be different, but this was Jun. Even if he lied to her, which he wouldn't, she'd know.
"Want is a strong word," he told her. "I don't think anyone wants crying and nappy changes. But, you're here too," he pointed out. "I guess the okay outweighs the stinky nappies."
--
Jun snorted at Sergei’s words that ‘want’ was a strong word. She certainly agreed. She didn’t want the crying or the nappy changes, but of course, she didn’t have a choice in the matter. He did. But there was something very sweet in his words that he’d stay for her. Sweet in a way that Jun didn’t think either of them felt terribly comfortable with. So instead she shook her head, glancing down at her daughter. “Yeah, you haven’t experienced the nappy changing yet,” she told Sergei once looking back up. “You might change your mind,” Jun added.
When he’d finished with the food, Jun exchanged Sergei’s empty plate for Cathy, casting a spell for the dishes to do themselves. “You can, by the way,” Jun told him after a moment. “Change your mind, that is,” she clarified. “I’m hardly going to be offended,” if anything, Jun kind of expected him to. At least she couldn’t actually hear the crying. Jun doubted it was much fun when you could.
“Take the guest bedroom,” she informed him. “You can cast a silencing charm there, get a peaceful night’s sleep,” which she imagined he probably hadn’t had in awhile. Prison did not seem like the sort of place one slept peacefully.
--
She was right about that. He hadn't experienced nappies yet. They could be ten times worse than he thought they were. He doubted he'd changed his mind, though. He would have said so, but the sweetness in the conversation was far too much already for him to allow himself to utter it. "Guess we'll see once I've had the full experience," he told her, shrugging his shoulder.
After breakfast was through and he had Cathy in his arms again, he felt a little less awkward than the first time. It probably still looked quite strange, but at least he wasn't as stiff and uncertain as he was before. "Noted," he told her. "For all you know, I'm the baby whisperer and she'll only want me when she cries," he pointed out. "Then what'll you do if I leave?," he teased.
He nodded at the mention of the guest bedroom. Having a real bed to lay his head down in sounded like heaven as far as he was concerned. Real pillows and real blankets. Not having to lay his head down so close to an open toilet. Yeah, that sounded like a damn fine place to be. "You mean I don't have to listen to your snoring?," he teased, flashing her a grin and preparing for a slap.
--
“Don’t you fucking dare,” Jun told him, but it wasn’t particularly clear whether she meant get Cathy only not cry when with Sergei or leave. Probably both. Besides, Jun was sure that one day, one day in near, beautiful future, Cathy was going to stop crying at random intervals and it was going to be one of the nicest days in Jun’s life.
She snorted when Sergei suggested that he won’t have to listen to her snore. Jun, quite honestly, had no opinion on anyone snoring, whether it be her or someone else. “I was more thinking you might not want to be woken up every time Cathy cries,” Jun said with a roll of her eyes. For one, Sergei, unlike her, would actually get woken up just from the crying itself, but then, because Jun didn’t hear it, her bed was charmed to shake whenever Cathy did cry, and she doubted he’d enjoy that all that much. “But I’m willing to do shift work,” she informed Sergei with a smirk. “You can be my live-in babysitter,” which actually, now that Jun said it, would really be quite helpful. Maybe that’s what she could tell Cedric about who Sergei was. There had been worse plans hatched.
--
He smirked at her, shaking his head at her words. He figured there was plenty of threat behind them and none of it was lost on him. Still, it was amusing. "Shh," he told her, smirk never wavering. "Not in front of the baby," he teased, then laughed. He doubted Cathy really comprehended curse words and it wasn't like she was going to repeat them. Yet. Maybe. Hell, he didn't know how soon babies started yammering on about things or when they started actually making sense.
The thought of being her live-in babysitter was just as amusing. "Oh yeah, that's exactly how I'll go legit," he told her. "Recently freed jailbird turned male nanny. I'm sure that'll go over well," he teased. "Did you at least free me from a terrible home life in the motherland?," he asked her, brow arching slightly. "I mean, of course it's a cover story for the big, burly man suddenly frequenting your abode, right?"
--
“She’s deaf, you idiot, I don’t think me saying the word ‘fuck’ out loud is going to make a great deal of difference to her,” Jun signed at Sergei spitefully. Frankly, even if Cathy hadn’t been deaf, Jun wasn’t convinced she wasn’t too young to comprehend words, and much less repeat them. As it was, Cathy’s process of learning to talk was going to probably take longer anyway, and if she happened to learn how to say the word ‘fuck’, well, Jun was just going to tell Cedric she had no idea where that came from and perhaps it was his influence (not that anyone would ever believe that).
At the suggestion that this was going to be Sergei’s way out of life of crime, Jun gave a genuinely laugh, which in turn made Cathy give a giggle, too. “I feel that you could very reasonably pass for my Russian-import male nanny,” Jun told him confidently. “And then I can go out to work and you can cook me meals for when I get home,” she added amused. If there was one thing their relationship had never been, it was domestic, so the idea of it being that, was incredibly funny.
--
"That never stopped you from learning the word," he pointed out, sticking his tongue out at her for good measure just because he good and because Jun brought out his childish side more often than not. Still, she was probably right. Even if she wasn't hearing impaired, the little girl probably didn't give a damn what any of them were saying.
His words were apparently completely unbelievable because Jun laughed but so did Cathy. "I don't think the baby even buys that," he admitted, shaking his head a little. He didn't blame them, though. He wasn't sure he'd ever really get out of that world. He wasn't sure he really ever wanted to be rid of it. "I'm not wearing a uniform," he told her. The whole thing was terribly amusing and it made him laugh. He certainly wasn't the sort that was anything close to domestic and the thought of being a nanny was almost amusing enough to agree.
"I don't think that anyone'll buy it," he told her. "And I'm a damn fine actor."
--
Okay, well, Jun couldn’t actually disagree with the logic that she must have at some point learned the word ‘fuck’. Then again, Cathy would, eventually, too, so if anything Jun was just cutting the middleman out. It was practical. Or at least she was pretty good at convincing herself that it was. Not that Jun honestly even cared, Cathy would learn all the words. Maybe Jun would just ensure Cathy swore in sign rather than out loud. That was something, right?
“I hadn’t really thought of a uniform before you brought it up,” Jun told him but there was definitely a wicked smile settling on her lips as she tried to imagine what a uniform could be. If she was going to be nice, Jun could probably just insist on tight shirts or something, but the temptation to bring home one of those French maid uniforms for Sergei was really, really great. Sergei would look awful in a skirt, which just made the idea a hundred times better. “But I suppose some sort of standardised outfit would make you look more professional,” she informed him thoughtfully, but the smirk wasn’t really leaving from Jun’s lips.
Sergei was a very good actor and Jun actually thought they could probably pass him off as her Russian-import nanny. If they needed to. Which really, Jun wasn’t sure they did. But was still funny. After a moment, Jun’s smile turned into a more honest, less devious one. “I’m glad you’re here,” she told Sergei honestly. “Even if you won’t wear a uniform,” she added to take the edge off how serious her words had sounded. She did mean them, however.
--
Sergei rolled his eyes when his own words ended up digging him into a hole. If he'd just kept his mouth shut, she wouldn't have thought about a uniform and she wouldn't be looking so pleased with herself. He could only imagine the horrible things she was picturing in that wicked, wicked head of hers. If she really wanted to pass him off as the live-in help, he'd deal with a uniform, but he certainly wasn't going to wear a skirt no matter how much she prodded him, damn it. He didn't have the legs for it. "Whatever you're thinking, no," he told her simply. "So you might as well wipe that smirk off your face."
Her words, even with the tacked on complaint, meant a great deal to Sergei. "Me too," he allowed. "Sure beats prison."
--
Jun laughed when Sergei told her that whatever she was thinking she better stop it. She’d missed this. Missed him. There was something very pleasing about that fact that despite only having their interactions limited to prison visits and letters in the last ten months, they could still have this. The ease with which talking to Sergei came to Jun was comforting. Not that she planned on telling him that. Besides, Jun was sure she didn’t have to, sure he knew anyway.
At being told that being there was better than prison, Jun snorted. “Yeah, you wait until that first nappy change and then get back to me,” she teased, happy to for now just watch him sit there with Cathy.