“I Just Want To Protect You. You Don’t Have To Let Me In Your Heart, Remi. But At Least Let Me Guard

GazKayden - The Story of Us

❗SPOILERS AHEAD❗

They say love has stages. Steps. A progression of feelings that shift from one form to another.

For most, love is something that blooms softly, gradually, like the first hint of spring after a long winter. But for Gareth?

Love was a sickness. A fever that gripped me too tight and refused to let go.

And it started with obsession.

Stage 1: Obsession

Gareth Carson never believed in fate.

Or love.

To him, those things were nothing more than pretty illusions people fooled themselves into chasing—like his friends, who fell head over heels for someone and acted like it was some divine intervention. He never understood the appeal. Relationships, romance, devotion—none of it ever intrigued him.

Sure, he indulged in casual flings, but they were fleeting, inconsequential. No one ever kept his attention long enough for him to care. He always got bored, always left before things could even come close to meaning something.

That was before Kayden Lockwood.

His professor.

Gareth didn’t know when exactly it started—maybe it was the first time Kayden called on him in class, his smooth, commanding voice wrapping around Gareth’s name like it belonged to him. Maybe it was the way he carried himself, exuding a quiet power, the kind that didn’t demand attention but still had everyone hanging onto his every word.

Or maybe it was the first time Kayden looked at him—not just glanced, but looked, sharp eyes locking onto Gareth’s, reading him in a way no one ever had.

Whatever it was, it had Gareth spiraling.

Obsession was a slow burn at first. It started with lingering stares in class, the way he always found himself waiting—hoping—for Kayden’s gaze to settle on him. Then it turned into staying after lectures for no reason, loitering near Kayden’s office, offering smug, sharp-edged comments just to see if he could get a reaction.

But it wasn’t enough.

So he dug deeper.

Gareth found himself researching everything about Kayden. His academic papers, his lectures, his past affiliations—anything and everything. Then came the more personal details: what coffee he drank (black, no sugar), what time he usually arrived at campus (early, always early), what book he carried around but never seemed to finish (The Picture of Dorian Gray, an ironic choice).

He was in too deep before he even realized it.

And the worst part?

He knew this was insane. He knew there was a line he shouldn’t cross, but when had that ever stopped a Carson? His brother was literally chasing after Eli King, their enemy, like a man possessed. If Jeremy could go after the devil himself, then why the hell would Gareth stop himself from chasing after his professor?

Even if Kayden was older. Even if this was forbidden.

Because Gareth always got what he wanted.

And Kayden Lockwood?

Was about to learn that firsthand.

Stage 2: Love

Gareth POV:

I always knew love was a weakness.

A flaw in human nature that made people act like fools, stripping them of logic, of reason, of self-preservation. I had seen it happen before—my cousins, my friends, my brother. All of them fell, one by one, as if love was some inescapable disease.

And then, I fell.

Just as recklessly. Just as foolishly.

At first, I refused to call it love. Love was supposed to be loud, all-consuming, fiery in a way that left nothing but ruin behind. But Kayden—Kayden was different. His love was quiet. A soft thing, wrapped in silent promises, in the steady presence of a man who never needed to say much to be heard.

It was in the way he looked at me, as if I wasn’t something he needed to tame, but something he understood.

It was in the way he spoke to me—not as a student, not as a reckless bastard with too much arrogance, but as his equal.

It was in the way he touched me—casual at first, fleeting, then deliberate. A hand on my wrist that lingered too long. A brush of fingers over mine when he handed me a book. A press of his palm against my back as we walked side by side.

It was in the way he said my name.

I should have known then. I should have stopped.

But I was never good at stopping.

So I did something I never thought I’d do.

I trusted him.

I let him see parts of me no one else did. I told him things I never should have, things that should have remained locked away in the darkness I was born into.

I told him about the Heathens.

About the violence that lurked beneath my skin, about the blood that ran in my family name, about the world I walked through, one that most people never made it out of alive.

I knew I shouldn’t. I knew it was dangerous, that Kayden didn’t belong in that world, that he was better off untouched by the kind of life I led.

But I told him anyway.

Because I loved him.

And like the fool I was, I thought I had it all.

I thought love was enough.

How cruel fate was.

Stage 3: Hate

Gareth POV:

Fate is a cruel mistress.

I always knew that. I had seen her rip people apart, turn lovers into enemies, break men who thought they were unbreakable. But I never knew just how cruel she could be.

Not until him.

Not until Kayden tore apart the heart I had so foolishly placed in his hands.

Betrayal was an old friend of mine. I knew what it looked like, what it felt like, the slow, creeping poison of it sinking into my bones. But this? This was different.

Because it wasn’t just my trust he shattered. It wasn’t just my family he betrayed.

It was me.

And what cut the deepest wasn’t that he had played me. It wasn’t even that he had used me to get what he wanted—to get information, to get leverage, to win.

No.

What burned, what hollowed me out from the inside, was the thought that maybe—just maybe—Kayden had never loved me at all.

Maybe I had been nothing more than a means to an end. A foolish, reckless man who handed over his secrets with open palms, thinking he was giving them to someone who cared.

I wanted to hate him for that.

I did hate him for that.

Hate him enough to hunt him down. To find him kneeling before me, bloodied, broken, surrounded by the bodies of the Serpents gang.

Hate him enough to press the cold barrel of my gun against his temple, my finger resting on the trigger, my heartbeat slow. Steady. Empty.

I could do it.

I should do it.

But then Kayden looked up at me, and I realized something.

Killing him wouldn’t be justice. It wouldn’t be revenge.

It would be suicide.

Because if I pulled that trigger—if I erased him from this world—then my heart would never beat again.

Because that meant...

That meant he still had it.

Even after everything.

Stage 4: Finding their way back

Kayden's POV

I always knew I would be the villain in Gareth’s story.

That no matter how much I wanted to rewrite the ending, no matter how many times I tried to play the hero, it would always end the same way.

With him looking at me like I had ripped the soul out of his body.

With me standing in the ruins of the heart I had destroyed with my own hands.

I should have stopped this when I had the chance. I should have walked away before it got too deep, before Gareth trusted me enough to love me. But I didn’t. I let him in. I let myself want him. And now I was paying the price for my selfishness.

He shouldn’t forgive me.

Not for what I did. Not for the lies. Not for the betrayal that had cost him more than I would ever be able to make up for.

And yet—yet—some part of me still yearned.

For him. For the way he looked at me before he knew what I was.

For the way he loved me, reckless and all-consuming, as if I was something worth loving.

I knew better now. I knew I wasn’t.

And still, I stood here, bloodied and beaten, with my sins laid bare before him, hoping—no, begging—for him to turn to me.

Just one last time.

Even if it was only to end me.

……………………

I never expected forgiveness.

Not then. Not now. Not after all these years.

Some wounds don’t heal. Some sins can’t be erased. And what I did to Gareth… it wasn’t something time could simply wash away.

But if I couldn’t be forgiven, I could at least try.

So I did.

Every day.

Every moment.

I learned to live with Gareth’s silence. With his anger. With the weight of what I had done pressing down on me like an iron chain. And yet, I kept going. Kept reaching, even when his back was turned. Kept hoping, even when I knew I didn’t deserve to.

And now, as I stand at the end of the aisle, watching Asher Carson glare daggers at me while leading Gareth toward me, I think: Every second of pain was worth it.

Every day I spent groveling.

Every year I spent proving I was more than my mistakes.

Because now, Gareth is here.

Walking toward me.

Not with anger. Not with hatred.

But with something else in his eyes—something I once lost, something I never thought I’d get back.

And maybe I never will. Maybe this is just a second chance to ruin him all over again.

But if it is, I will spend a lifetime making sure I don’t.

Because no matter how many years pass, no matter how much I fight, one truth remains.

I will always be his villain.

But I will also be the man who never stops trying to be his hero.

.......

Tag list:

@lanterns-and-daydreams

If you have any oneshot ideas, feel free to suggest it

Eli King x Killian Carson - God of Wreck

https://archiveofourown.org/works/61493053

NikoBran – Christmas Ho-ho ft. Leigh Sokolov-King

The mall was buzzing with Christmas energy—bright decorations, the scent of cinnamon and hot chocolate in the air, holiday music playing in the background. It was Leigh’s first Christmas with them, and Niko and Bran were determined to make it special.

Leigh, their tiny, calmest child—well, calm until she got near Landon—was sitting comfortably inside a shopping cart, her big, expressive eyes scanning the aisles filled with holiday treats, toys, and decorations.

Niko was the one pushing the cart, an unholy grin on his face as he helped their daughter pick whatever she wanted. Bran, walking beside them, had his arms crossed, watching the two sugar monsters in his life conspire.

“Are you sure we’re not going overboard?” Bran asked, already knowing the answer.

“Nope,” Niko replied instantly, popping a piece of candy into his mouth. “Leigh deserves everything.”

Leigh, still getting used to being spoiled, hesitated before picking a box of chocolates. She looked up at Bran, her tiny fingers gripping the box, as if silently asking for permission.

Bran’s heart melted.

“You don’t have to ask, sweetheart,” he told her gently. “If you want it, it’s yours.”

Leigh stared at him for a second, her small face serious. Then, after a moment of thought, she grabbed another box and placed both inside the cart.

Bran chuckled, shaking his head. “Like father, like daughter,” he muttered, glancing at Niko.

Niko beamed. “Of course. We have impeccable taste.”

Bran only sighed. He had two sugar gremlins to take care of.

As they moved through the store, Leigh’s shyness was still there —at least in public. She was still warming up to Bran’s family, still hesitant when they showered her with affection. But inside their home? She was a menace with Niko, always climbing on furniture, stealing sweets, and playing pranks.

Especially on Landon.

Niko finally had a partner-in-crime.

Bran swore he had to take care of not just one but two children. But Landon? Landon was wrapped around Leigh’s little finger. He pretended to be annoyed but spoiled her rotten anyway.

“Look, Leigh,” Niko gasped dramatically, holding up an absolutely ridiculous Christmas sweater. “It’s a reindeer! Should we get it for your Uncle Landon?”

Leigh tilted her head, considering. Then she grinned—her mischievous Niko-inspired grin.

“Yes.”

Bran ran a tired hand over his face. “God help Landon.”

They continued shopping, filling the cart with things Leigh liked—plushies, sweets, coloring books. But every time she chose something, she would glance at Bran, checking if it was really okay.

Bran had to bite back the ache in his chest.

He wanted her to know she never had to hesitate. She never had to feel like she didn’t deserve everything.

Niko, sensing Bran’s thoughts, nudged him. “Relax, Papa Bear. She’s getting there.”

Bran exhaled slowly, nodding.

And then—the moment that made everything worth it.

Leigh, their shy, cautious little girl, looked up at him with those big eyes and reached out her tiny hand. Bran instinctively bent down, and Leigh did something she rarely did in public—she hugged him.

Bran’s breath caught.

It was brief, but it was everything.

Then she pulled back and, in her soft little voice, asked, “Can we get a teddy for Uncle Landon too?”

Bran smiled.

God, he loved his daughter.

The kitchen smelled like cocoa, vanilla, and cinnamon, the warmth of the stove filling the space as Bran stirred the hot chocolate with slow, methodical movements. He liked making it himself. He could have just used the instant mix, but no, this was special. It had to be perfect.

Through the doorway, he could hear laughter.

Not just any laughter—Niko’s loud, carefree chuckles and Leigh’s soft, giggly squeals. The kind of laughter that made Bran’s chest feel full, warm, and alive.

He turned his head slightly, watching the scene unfold in the living room.

Leigh perched on Niko’s back, gripping his shoulders tightly as he galloped around the room. Her small hands clung to Niko’s shirt, her eyes shining with pure delight.

“Faster, Dada!” she squealed.

Niko grinned. “Faster? You sure you can handle it, princess?”

Leigh nodded furiously, her excitement bubbling over.

“Alright, hold on tight—turbo mode activated!” Niko announced dramatically before he took off in exaggerated slow-motion, making sound effects as if they were in some epic race.

Leigh burst into giggles, leaning forward, her tiny arms wrapping tighter around his neck.

Bran stood there for a moment, leaning against the counter, just taking it all in.

This was his life now.

He had a home filled with warmth. He had Niko, his partner, his love. And he had Leigh, their daughter, their heart, their world.

Life had never felt so perfect.

“Are you just gonna stand there looking at us like a lovesick idiot, or are you gonna bring us the hot chocolate, lotus flower?” Niko teased from the floor, grinning up at him.

Bran rolled his eyes. “I was debating letting you two tire yourselves out first.”

Leigh, still giggling, turned her head and held out her arms toward him. “Papa!” she called softly, her voice full of warmth.

Bran felt something in him melt.

Setting down the mugs, he walked over and lifted her off Niko’s back, settling her securely in his arms. She was so tiny, so warm, and the way she immediately snuggled into his chest made his throat tighten.

“Did you have fun, sweetheart?” Bran asked, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

Leigh nodded sleepily, already starting to wind down.

Niko got up, dusting himself off with an exaggerated groan. “I think she had too much fun. I’m officially dead.”

Bran smirked. “You always were dramatic.”

Niko plopped onto the couch, patting the spot beside him. “C’mon, bring our sugar gremlin here. Time for cocoa and cuddles.”

Bran carried Leigh over, sitting down beside Niko, tucking their little family together under a soft blanket. Leigh sat on his lap, her tiny hands wrapping around the warm mug Bran handed her, her nose scrunching as she took a small sip.

Bran gently brushed some loose hair from her face. “Is it good?”

Leigh nodded. “Yummy.”

Niko took a sip of his own and groaned. “Baby, I swear, if you ever leave me, I’m taking this hot chocolate recipe with me.”

Bran chuckled, leaning his head back against the couch. “I’m not going anywhere, idiot.”

Niko grinned, nudging their mugs together in a mock toast. “To our perfect life.”

Bran glanced down at Leigh, warm and safe in his arms, and then at Niko, his heart and home.

And for the first time in a long time, he believed it.

“Yeah,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to the top of Leigh’s head, then stealing one from Niko’s lips.

“To our perfect life.”

The Fanfic Fiasco – Charlos ft. Cupid Rookies

Summary:

Kimi, Oliver and Isack deal with their Carlos ship's fallout like any fan would do - by writing fanfic obviously. It was all fun until it got switched with FIA documents.

Kimi Antonelli, Oliver Bearman, and Isack Hadjar are so done. Done with the tension. Done with the heartbreak. Done with watching Charles and Carlos—once the grid’s softest duo—now glaring at each other from rival garages like they hadn’t once shared hotel rooms and playlists and podium champagne.

The bromance is dead. The ship has sunk. And the only way the boys know how to cope? Fanfiction.

It starts as a joke. One night, during a rain delay in Imola, Isack pulls out his laptop.

“Okay, what if Carlos never left Ferrari?” he says, typing furiously. “And Charles stops being emotionally constipated for five seconds and tells him how he feels?”

Kimi chimes in from the hotel bed, scrolling through Tumblr. “Make Charles cry. Then kiss.”

Oliver’s already two Red Bulls in and nodding enthusiastically. “No, no—make Carlos cry. Angst sells.”

They’re unhinged, and it’s the best fun they’ve had in weeks. The fic becomes a full novella by the end of the weekend. 37,000 words. Three POVs. A Ferrari reunion kiss in the Monza rain. It even has a playlist.

And then—disaster.

“Scarlet Nights & Monaco Mornings: A CharLos Love Story (feat. Pining, Public Confessions)”

And it’s signed off at the bottom.

Written by: Kimi, Oliver & Isack 😘

………

The conference room is buzzing with low chatter, drivers half-awake, PR managers trying not to scream into their phones, and coffee being consumed like it’s holy water. Charles is scrolling through telemetry on his tablet. Carlos is pretending he’s not glancing at him every thirty seconds.

Enter: FIA rep, holding a stack of printed papers like Moses with the commandments. They hand out documents one by one.

“Track limits update,” they mutter.

Lando grabs his copy, frowns. “What the hell is this?”

He squints at the title.

“Scarlet Nights & Monaco Mornings: Chapter 17 – The Confession in the Rain”

His eyes light up.

“Oh my god.”

Oscar looks over. “What is it?”

Lando’s already climbing on the table. “Storytime, bitches.”

“No—” Kimi says too late, diving for him.

Lando clears his throat, full theater mode.

“Charles couldn’t breathe. Rain soaked through his fireproofs, but it wasn’t the cold that made him shiver—it was Carlos. Standing there, drenched, eyes wild, and asking the one question he never thought he’d hear.”

‘Why didn’t you stop me, cariño?’

Charles steps forward. ‘Because I loved you too much to cage you in.’

Gasps echo across the room. Max spits out his water.

“Wait, is this—” Charles snatches the paper, skims, turns scarlet.

“Is this fanfiction about ME?!”

Carlos blinks. “Wait. Wait. I am pregnant?!!!”

George, wheezing in the back: “Page 23, bro. Page 23.”

“The baby kicked again, soft as the way Carlos whispered Charles’ name in sleep when he thought no one was listening—”

“OH MY GOD,” Carlos yells.

Isack tries to crawl under the table.

“We were grieving!” Oliver shouts.

“It was therapy!” Kimi adds, hiding behind a Red Bull merch bag.

Pierre’s already posted a blurry pic of the title page to his Instagram story. Caption: never letting them live this down.

Esteban: “So who’s the alpha?”

Everyone: “ESTEBAN—”

Meanwhile, Charles is still holding the fic like it’s physically burning his hands. His voice is quiet.

“…You really wrote that I cry in the rain?”

Kimi, whispering: “You do.”

A long pause.

Then Carlos goes, “…Do I really call him cariño that much?”

Isack shrugs. “More than you think.”

Charles stares at the floor. Then at Carlos. Then—

He bursts out laughing.

It starts small, then grows until he’s clutching his sides, full-on giggling, face flushed. Carlos can’t help it—he laughs too.

Kimi, whispering to Oliver, “Did we just… fix them?”

Lando, smug: “Fanfiction. Cures all wounds.”

Max: “Do me next.”

Everyone: “MAX—NO.”

………

Fernando Alonso won’t stop asking what an "omega verse" is.

The FIA is not amused.

But the internet? Oh, the internet devours it.

#ScarletMornings trends worldwide.

And maybe—just maybe—the fanfic does its job after all. Because by the next race, Charles and Carlos are spotted laughing again in the paddock. Then sharing an umbrella. Then...

“You’re welcome,” Oliver says smugly, watching it all unfold from the Ferrari hospitality tent.

Isack high-fives Kimi. “Healing through fanfiction. Works every time.”

……..

📸 Instagram Post – @charles_leclerc

Location: Monza Pit Lane Caption: raining again 😅

(📸: @carlossainz55 said he forgives me. i think.)

#ScarletNightsAndMonacoMornings #canonverse #MonzaRain2025

The photo is blurry. Rain streaks across the lens. But you can clearly see Charles and Carlos, standing in the exact pose from the fic: Carlos’s hand on Charles’s soaked race suit, forehead resting on his. Charles smiling like he hasn’t in months. Someone (probably Lando) is screaming in the comments:

@landonorris: I’M GONNA SUE FOR EMOTIONAL DAMAGE @kimiantonelli: 💅 we manifested @maxverstappen1: still waiting for my fic @pierregasly: when’s the wedding @fernandoalo_oficial: does the baby have a name yet or

Creighton x Mikhail - Riding Lessons (ft. Traumatised Dad Aiden)

The clink of cutlery echoed through Aiden King’s grand dining hall as Landon shoveled another forkful of pasta into his mouth. The pasta was... questionable—courtesy of Aunt Elsa, whose cooking skills were the stuff of whispered family horror stories—but Landon was nothing if not brave. Or maybe just really hungry.

"So then I told him," Landon said, mid-chew, sauce splattering slightly, "if you think—"

"Swallow before you speak," Aiden cut in, voice flat, glaring at Landon like he’d personally offended the entire King bloodline.

Landon grinned, mouth still half-full, because pissing off Uncle Aiden was his favorite sport. He took a giant, exaggerated swallow and waved his fork around. “You know, Uncle Aiden, you really should try relaxing. Might help with the wrinkles.”

Aiden’s jaw clenched, but before he could fire back, the doors creaked open.

Landon didn’t notice at first—too busy gesturing dramatically about some nonsense story—but then he felt it. The shift in the room. The tension.

He turned his head.

What the hell?.

Mikhail Orlov. Mafia heir. Russian. Creighton’s boyfriend. Aka: the walking death wish.

Landon nearly choked on the pasta, eyes bulging. Oh my god. Mikhail’s here. He’s here. Uncle Aiden is going to murder him. I’m about to witness a mafia bloodbath, and it’s not even dessert yet.

He subtly inched his phone closer. I need to record this.

Mikhail, looking far too relaxed for someone seconds away from death, walked straight up to Aiden and stuck out his hand. “Mr. King,” he greeted with that same infuriatingly smooth grin.

Landon froze. Oh, he’s dead. So dead.

Aiden didn’t stand up. Didn’t even scowl. He just... reached out and shook Mikhail’s hand with a small nod. “Mikhail. Creighton’s upstairs,” he said simply, jerking his head toward the staircase like this was the most normal thing in the world.

Landon’s jaw hit the table. What the actual—?!

Mikhail, still grinning, gave a polite, “Thank you,” before striding confidently up the stairs.

The room fell into stunned silence.

Landon blinked at Aiden. “Uh... who was that?” He tried to sound casual, but his voice came out a pitch too high.

Aiden, already reaching for his wine glass, replied without missing a beat, “Creighton’s riding tutor. Here to pick Creighton for practice”

Landon promptly choked on the pasta. Aunt Elsa patted his back helpfully—a bit too hard, Aunt!—while Landon coughed and spluttered, tears forming in his eyes.

Riding tutor? Oh, he’s teaching Creighton how to ride, alright—just not on any horse.

Landon bit his cheek to stop himself from bursting out laughing. This is gold. He could say something now—spill the whole truth—but where was the fun in that? No, it’d be so much better when it all exploded naturally. He could practically see it: Aiden discovering the truth, Mikhail probably smirking through it, Creighton turning bright red... Oh, this is going to be epic.

He cleared his throat and stabbed another bite of pasta, a wicked grin stretching across his face. “Well... I’m sure Creighton’s learning a lot.”

Aiden didn’t catch the double meaning and just nodded. “He better be.”

Landon barely held back his laughter, his mind already plotting how to make this blow up in the most dramatic way possible.

Let the chaos brew.

……………………………………………………………………

The conversation was flowing brightly, as it usually did during King family dinners. Landon was pushing the food around on his plate, occasionally kicking Brandon under the table to keep himself entertained.

Just as Landon was about to make a snarky comment, the front door opened, and heavy footsteps echoed through the hall. All heads turned as Mikhail Orlov walked into the dining room, wearing a black button-up shirt, sleeves rolled to the elbows, and that signature cocky grin on his face.

Landon almost spit out his drink. He showed up again? This was about to be so good.

Mikhail casually stepped forward, hands in his pockets. “Evening,” he greeted, eyes flickering to Creighton for a split second before turning to the family.

Jonathan King raised an eyebrow. “And you are?”

Before Mikhail could speak, Aiden cut in smoothly, completely unbothered, “This is Mikhail Orlov. Creighton’s riding tutor.”

Landon almost fell out of his chair. He’s still going with that?

Jonathan’s frown deepened. “Riding tutor? Since when does Creighton ride horses?”

Aiden cleared his throat, trying to look composed. “Royal Elite University and King’s University are hosting a horse race next month. Creighton’s contesting.” Aiden glanced at Creighton, who was sitting quietly, sipping water like none of this chaos involved him. “He usually doesn’t like people, but he... tolerates Mikhail, so I hired him.”

Landon snorted into his glass. Tolerates? Brandon nudged Landon under the table, grinning, before leaning closer and whispering, “I’m pretty sure Creighton more than tolerates Mikhail.”

Landon barely managed to contain his laughter.

Levi, who had been silently observing, suddenly turned to his sons, his voice booming. “And why aren’t you two participating in this horse race?”

Landon and Brandon both choked on their drinks at the same time.

“W-what?” Landon sputtered.

“Dad, we don’t—” Brandon began, but Levi was already waving them off.

“You two have grown lazy. Mikhail,” Levi called out, gesturing for Mikhail to come over.

Mikhail strolled over, completely unfazed, standing right next to Levi, who gave him an approving nod. “You’re Creighton’s tutor, right? Find someone good for my sons. I want them both in this race.”

Landon’s brain short-circuited. Seriously dad??

But Mikhail, the audacious devil, only smirked. “Of course. I know just the people.”

“Oh?” Levi asked, intrigued.

“For Landon, I can recommend Jeremy. He’s excellent with teaching,” Mikhail said with a perfectly innocent expression, though Landon caught the wicked glint in his eyes.

Glyndon choked nearby.

“And for Brandon,” Mikhail continued smoothly, “Nikolai. He’s... very experienced.”

Brandon looked stunned, trying not to look as panicked as Landon.

Levi, however, nodded approvingly. “Good. Set it up.”

Meanwhile, Landon and Brandon exchanged wide-eyed looks across the table, mentally screaming. Mikhail just handed us over to our boyfriends under Dad’s nose.

Landon leaned over to Brandon and whispered, “This is going to blow up so hard.”

Brandon, still trying to breathe, nodded. “And I can’t wait.”

……………………………………………………………………

Aiden decided to come to the island to watch his son’s race.

As he neared Creighton’s door, he heard voices inside—specifically Mikhail’s deep, accented tone.

“Yeah, just like that… ride, ride exactly like that.”

Aiden froze mid-step, brow furrowing. Wait, what?

He tilted his head. Is he teaching Creighton indoors? Weird, but maybe it’s some advanced technique? Aiden, with his infinite dad wisdom, reasoned it out. But curiosity got the better of him.

Without knocking, he pushed open the door.

And promptly wished he hadn’t.

There was no horse. Not even a saddle. Just Mikhail sprawled across Creighton’s bed, shirt halfway undone, with Creighton—his baby—riding him. Not in the equestrian sense. Nope.

Aiden’s brain did a full blue-screen crash.

His mouth opened and closed like a dying fish, but no words came out.

Creighton yelped, scrambling off Mikhail, dragging the sheets up to his face in horror. “DAD!” he screamed, mortified.

Mikhail, the audacious Russian devil, barely flinched. He just smirked lazily, stretching as if this was the most natural thing in the world.

Aiden’s eye twitched. He opened his mouth, intending to yell, but nothing coherent came out. Instead, he just… turned around. Like a malfunctioning robot.

He walked—no, stumbled—downstairs, each step heavier than the last. When he reached the living room, he sat down on the pristine white couch, hands folded in his lap, staring into the void. His mind was empty. Completely blank.

His son. His innocent, precious baby… riding. But not horses. Not horses at all.

Minutes passed in awkward, soul-crushing silence before footsteps echoed from the stairs. A red-faced Creighton walked down, avoiding all eye contact, looking like he wanted the earth to swallow him whole. Beside him, Mikhail descended casually, hands in his pockets, smirking. Like the devil he was.

Aiden’s eye twitched again as they approached.

He snapped out of his daze just enough to glare at Mikhail. “You… lied to me.”

Mikhail tilted his head, all faux innocence. “I didn’t lie. I told you I was giving Creighton riding lessons.” He shrugged. “I never specified what kind.”

That was it.

Aiden’s brain rebooted just enough for him to stand, fists clenched. Before Mikhail could react, Aiden swung—his punch connecting right with Mikhail’s smirking face.

BAM.

Mikhail stumbled back, still grinning, wiping blood off his lip. “Good hit, sir,” he chuckled.

Creighton, still hiding behind his hands, groaned. “Dad! Stop!”

But Aiden was too far gone, his entire life flashing before his eyes. “There was no horse!” he bellowed, pointing wildly.

Mikhail, with the gall of someone who clearly didn’t care about self-preservation, smiled wider. “Don’t worry. He rode just fine without one.”

Creighton let out a strangled noise. Aiden lunged again.

Chaos ensued.

In the end, it took Creighton pulling Mikhail out of the room while Aiden shouted after them, swearing about “never looking at a horse the same way again.”

As they left, Mikhail leaned toward Creighton, whispering with a grin, “Think he’ll still sponsor our next riding session?”

Creighton groaned, pulling his hoodie over his head. “You’re the worst.”

Mikhail’s smirk grew. “And yet, you still ride me.”

You are Enough - Maxiel

Daniel thinks he’s not good enough for Max. but Max disagrees

Not just on bad days. Not just after a rough race or a brutal media day. It's a belief that's etched into his bones now—quiet and constant, like background noise he can't quite mute no matter how loud he turns up the music.

He doesn’t say it out loud, not to anyone, not even to himself most of the time.

But he feels it. In every stumble, in every misstep, in every look from the paddock that lingers just a little too long with pity.

The world reminds him of it daily.

He opens his phone and the comments are waiting for him like vultures. Max deserves better.

Why is he still with Daniel?

He’s just a washed-up has-been clinging to a golden boy’s coattails.

Some are cruel, some are subtle, but they all sink their claws into the same bleeding spot inside him. His failures are on public record—every DNF, every broken contract, every gamble that didn’t pay off. And even when he smiles, even when he pretends it doesn’t bother him, there’s a part of him that agrees. That maybe they’re right.

Because Max is Max.

Fast, ruthless, brilliant. The reigning champion, the name etched in record books, the face splashed across every screen and billboard. Everything about Max screams excellence. A machine on track. A phenomenon. A living legend before thirty.

And Daniel? Daniel is the joke people whisper when they talk about comebacks that never quite came true. He’s the punchline in too many think-pieces about missed opportunities and faded stars. He tried to carve out something more, something lasting—but the glitter faded, the cameras moved on, and he was left in the shadows with nothing but a grin stretched too wide to hide the cracks.

So he asks himself, every damn day, why is Max still here?

It doesn’t make sense. Not in any logical, sane way.

And yet—

Max looks at him like Daniel hung the moon. Like he’s the one who built the world Max stands on. There’s no hesitation in Max’s gaze, no second-guessing. Just that same quiet intensity, that same infuriating, grounding certainty that Daniel used to carry himself—back when he still believed he was someone worth believing in.

Max holds his hand when they’re alone, and more importantly, when they’re not. He kisses him soft and slow, like they have all the time in the world. He smiles at him across rooms crowded with cameras, in garages humming with tension, like none of the noise matters. Like all that matters is Daniel.

And when Daniel falls apart—because sometimes he does, silently, in the dark, in the moments when his breath catches and his insecurities press down on his chest like a weight he can’t lift—Max is there.

No lectures. No fixing. Just presence.

He touches Daniel like he’s something fragile but not broken. He whispers into his skin,

"You’re more than enough. You always have been."

He says it like it’s fact, like it’s gravity, like it’s so obvious he can’t imagine why Daniel would think otherwise.

And that’s the thing.

Daniel wants to believe it. He wants to hold onto those words and build something around them—some kind of safety, some kind of truth. But the doubt is insidious. It's not loud, it's not sharp—it’s slow. It’s a creeping, sinking thing. Years of public failure, of watching others rise while he stalled, of standing beside Max and wondering if he looks like a mistake.

And yet, somehow, Max makes him forget it.

At least for a moment. When Max cups his face and presses their foreheads together, when he brushes tears from Daniel’s cheek like they’re nothing to be ashamed of, Daniel thinks—maybe. Maybe I am enough. For him.

It’s terrifying.

To let someone love you when you’re not sure you love yourself anymore. To be seen—truly seen—and not run.

But Daniel stays. He stays because Max keeps choosing him, over and over, in the quiet ways that matter. And one day, maybe Daniel will be able to choose himself the same way.

But until then, Max’s belief is enough to keep him breathing.

To keep him hoping.

To keep him alive.

......

The hotel room is quiet. Dim light spills through the half-drawn curtains, catching on the edge of the bed where Daniel sits, hunched forward, elbows on knees, hands gripping his own hair like he’s trying to hold himself together.

Max doesn’t say anything at first. He steps inside gently, the door clicking softly shut behind him. No shoes, no words, just the sound of his socked feet padding across the carpet.

Daniel doesn’t look up.

His shoulders are shaking.

Max’s heart squeezes in his chest.

He crosses the room slowly, crouching in front of Daniel, lowering himself until he’s eye-level. Still, Daniel doesn’t lift his gaze. Max reaches forward and gently pries one hand from Daniel’s head, lacing their fingers together, grounding him.

“Hey,” Max says, voice low and careful. “Talk to me, liefje.”

Daniel huffs out a bitter laugh, one that cracks halfway through and turns into something else—something broken. “What’s there to say?”

“You’re upset,” Max says simply. “So I want to hear.”

Daniel finally looks at him. His eyes are red-rimmed, lashes clumped together with the remnants of unshed tears. His lips part like he’s going to speak, but nothing comes out. Just another shuddering breath.

“I just…” Daniel whispers, looking away again. “I feel like I’m dragging you down. Like you could be—like you should be with someone who shines like you do.”

Max frowns. Not angry. Not upset. Just hurt that Daniel could even think that. He brings their joined hands up and presses a kiss to Daniel’s knuckles, slow and deliberate.

“You know what I see when I look at you?” Max asks.

Daniel doesn’t answer, but he leans in, just a little.

“I see the man who taught me how to laugh during the worst years of my life. Who believed in me before anyone else did. I see the driver who fought like hell on track, even when the world kept stacking the odds against him. I see the person I love.”

Daniel’s breath catches, and he blinks fast.

“I don’t care about the noise,” Max continues, cupping Daniel’s cheek with his free hand. “I don’t care about stupid fans or journalists who think they know us. I care about you. You, Dan.”

Daniel’s eyes flutter shut at the sound of his name in Max’s voice. It’s so rare—Max always calls him other things: “mate,” “babe,” “liefje.” But Dan feels raw. Real. Intimate in a different way.

“I know it’s hard,” Max says. “I know you hear them. But I need you to hear me more.”

Daniel leans into Max’s touch, his forehead pressing against Max’s. “It’s just… exhausting, you know? Pretending I don’t care. Pretending I still have it together.”

“You don’t have to pretend with me,” Max murmurs. “Not ever.”

There’s a long silence.

Then Daniel crumbles.

Quietly, but completely.

Max pulls him in without hesitation, wrapping his arms around Daniel and tugging him off the bed and into his lap on the floor. Daniel clings to him, face buried in Max’s shoulder, breath hitching against his neck. Max rocks them gently, one hand stroking up and down Daniel’s back, the other still wrapped around his hand.

They sit like that for a long time, Max humming something under his breath, fingers tracing circles over Daniel’s spine. Just presence. Just comfort. No expectations.

When Daniel’s breathing finally evens out, Max presses a kiss to the side of his head.

“I’ve got you,” he whispers. “Always.”

And Daniel believes him.

Not because the noise stops. Not because the doubts are gone.

But because when Max holds him like this, like he’s something precious—not a mistake, not a burden—it’s the only truth that matters.

....

It starts on a podium.

Daniel’s not even racing that weekend—he’s just there, part of the team, part of Max’s world. He keeps a low profile, tries to melt into the background even though the cameras always find him anyway. The whispers are constant, same as always.

“What’s Daniel doing here?” “Does Max really need the distraction?” “Why is he still hanging on?”

Daniel hears them, even if Max doesn’t.

And Max… he’s done pretending not to notice.

So when the race ends, and Max wins (because of course he does—he’s Max), he takes the usual path up to the top step. Trophy raised. Anthem played. Champagne sprayed.

But this time, as the photographers crowd the front of the podium and the interviewers line up with their mics and questions, Max does something else.

He takes off his cap, runs a hand through his hair, and glances past the crowd—eyes scanning until he finds Daniel, standing off to the side in the team gear, clapping, smiling that soft, quiet smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes.

Max steps forward.

Down from the podium. Off the stage.

Straight toward Daniel.

And before anyone can process what’s happening, Max reaches for him.

One arm around his waist. One hand cradling the side of Daniel’s neck. A soft, sure look in his eyes.

Then Max kisses him.

Not a peck. Not a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it thing.

A real kiss. A statement.

And for the first time, the crowd falls silent.

The cameras flash. Dozens, hundreds, a thousand lenses pointed at them—but Max doesn’t care. He leans in like the world isn’t watching, like he’s doing it just for Daniel, but everyone sees.

Daniel freezes, overwhelmed, breath caught somewhere between disbelief and awe. When Max pulls back just a little, eyes still on his, he whispers, low and sure:

“Let them talk.”

Daniel blinks, stunned.

“They don’t know a damn thing,” Max continues. “I love you. That's what matters.”

It’s not just the kiss. It’s everything after.

Max answers every press question with Daniel’s name spoken like it’s sacred. He posts a photo later that night: just Daniel, curled into his side, captioned simply: My win, every day. He brushes off reporters who try to bait him into controversy. “He’s not a distraction. He’s my peace.”

And it works.

Not because the world suddenly becomes kind.

But because Max doesn’t flinch.

Because he keeps holding Daniel’s hand on the grid. Keeps pulling him into frame for photos. Keeps choosing him, again and again, in front of the world.

It doesn’t fix everything overnight. The noise is still there. But it starts to shift. A few headlines soften. A few fans change their tone. A few of them finally see.

And Daniel?

For the first time in a long time, he believes it.

Because Max didn’t just say it in the dark, with no one around to hear.

He said it in the light.

Where it mattered most.

Where the world had to watch—and listen.

...................

Hiiiiii guys!!!

This fic is something really close to my heart. “You Are Enough” isn’t just a story about Max comforting Daniel ...... it’s also a little love letter to you. Whoever you are, wherever you are in life right now… I want you to know this:

You are more than enough. Even on the days you feel like you’re not. Even when the world feels too heavy. Even when your heart feels tired. You are still enough — just as you are.

Thank you for reading this story, for letting these boys hold your heart for a little while. And if this fic gave you a moment of softness, comfort, or just a breath of peace.....I’m really, really glad.

Take care of yourself. Drink water. Get some rest. Be gentle with yourself.

You are loved. You are wanted. You are enough.

With all my love, Ria <3

.........................................................

Check out my other works in:

Unexpected Cupid – George x Max ft. Kimi Antonelli

Fake love -Lestappen

Paper rings - Maxiel

JerLan - Letter to my Husband

To my husband, my forever,

There are nights when I lie awake and watch you sleep, wondering if this is real—if we are real. If I close my eyes, I can still taste the venom of our hatred, feel the sharp edge of every cruel word we once hurled at each other. We were reckless, violent, self-destructive—a war bound in flesh and fire. I wanted to break you, and you wanted to burn me to the ground.

And yet, here we are.

I have always been obsessed with you, Landon. Whether it was with my hate or with my love, my mind has never known a moment where you did not exist within it. Even in the days we stood on opposite ends of the battlefield, I was still yours. My thoughts were filled with you, my rage was carved for you, my hands ached to touch you—even if only to hurt you.

But love is just another form of destruction, isn’t it?

I think I started loving you when you smirked at me in that dark alley, cigarette between your lips, daring me to do something about the fire you lit inside me. I think I knew you would be mine when you let me touch you that night, even though we both pretended it meant nothing. It was always you, wasn’t it? You, with your goddamn arrogance, your sharp tongue, your chaos wrapped in elegance. You, who made my blood boil, who made me lose control, who pulled me apart and put me back together without even realizing it.

You have always been my obsession, Landon King. And now, you are my husband.

Even now, I still crave you like I did back then. My need for you is not gentle—it is violent, all-consuming, endless. You should know that by now. The way my hands still tighten around your waist, the way my lips still trace every inch of you, the way I still grow jealous when anyone dares to look at you for a second too long.

You are mine.

And I am yours, in a way that both terrifies and completes me.

Sometimes, I wonder if I will ever stop wanting you the way I did when I first realized I couldn’t live without you. But then you look at me—with those sharp, wicked eyes that once held so much hatred, now drowning in love—and I know.

I will want you like this forever.

I will love you as long as I breathe.

I will destroy anything that tries to take you from me.

We are not a love story written in soft words and tender touches. We are a love story written in obsession and ruin, in fire and devotion, in the blood of those who dared to come between us.

I would burn the world for you, Landon. And I know, without a doubt, that you would do the same for me.

So here’s to us. To our war that became love. To our love that will never die.

Your forever, Jeremy Volkov

______________________________________

To my ruin, my obsession, my husband, my greatest temptation

Jeremy, if someone had told me years ago that I would one day wake up with you in my bed, your ring on my finger, your name wrapped around my soul like a brand, I would have laughed in their face. Because you and I were not meant to be a love story.

We were meant to destroy each other.

I still remember the first time I hated you. Hated the way you looked at me as if I was something you could own. Hated the way your presence filled up every space I entered, like a shadow I could never outrun. Hated the way my heart picked up speed whenever you smirked at me like you knew something I didn’t.

But the worst part? I loved it.

I loved the way you made my blood burn. Loved the way you challenged me, infuriated me, made me reckless. Loved the way our war was always laced with something neither of us wanted to name. It was always you. I didn’t want to admit it, but I think some part of me knew it from the very beginning.

And now, here we are.

Husband. I never thought I would wear that title, much less for you. And yet, I do, and I wear it like a crown, like a warning, like a declaration to the world that I am yours and you are mine. Forever.

It should scare me how much I need you, but it doesn’t. If anything, it makes me want you more.

There are moments when I catch you looking at me—like I’m something worth worshiping—and it makes me want to tear you apart and put you back together just to remind you that I am just as obsessed with you as you are with me. You are my favorite thing to break. My favorite thing to ruin. My favorite thing to love.

And I do love you, Jeremy.

In the darkest, most twisted way a man can love another.

I love you in the way I refuse to let you out of my sight for too long. I love you in the way I would carve out the hearts of anyone who dares to touch what’s mine. I love you in the way my hands find your skin in the dead of night, tracing every scar, every bruise, every mark I’ve left on you.

You once told me love is just another form of destruction. I used to think you were wrong, but now I know better.

Because you? You have destroyed me completely.

And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Yours, always, Landon King

NikoBran – Friend ❌Boyfriend ✅

Brandon King had always known that Nikolai Sokolov was it for him. There was no question in his mind, no hesitation in his heart. Nikolai had ruined him for anyone else. There would be no other, no alternative, no second choice—just Nikolai, with his sharp grin, easy laughter, and eyes that saw straight through him.

But Brandon was a coward.

He had never once said it aloud. Not the way he should. Not with the kind of conviction that Nikolai deserved. Instead, he had let the words rot inside his chest, let them fester beneath the weight of his own fears.

So he kept Nikolai in the shadows.

He pretended not to notice the flash of hurt in Nikolai’s eyes when he said, “Pretend you don’t know me in public.”

He convinced himself that Nikolai’s goofiness afterward meant he was fine, that he didn’t mind, that he understood why Brandon needed to keep them a secret.

He ignored how Nikolai would practically light up when someone casually asked, “Are you two together?” only for that light to die the second Brandon laughed and brushed it off with a, “We’re just friends.”

He acted like he didn’t see the way Nikolai’s shoulders slumped whenever he pulled his hand away in public, as if being seen with Nikolai was some kind of sin.

But he did see.

Brandon saw it all.

It was in the quiet moments, when no one was around, that the weight of his actions pressed down on him the hardest. When they were alone in his apartment, tangled up in sheets and silence, Nikolai would look at him like he was the most precious thing in the world, like he was Brandon’s, and Brandon was his, and that nothing else mattered.

Brandon knew he had that look too, the one that told the truth even when his mouth spewed lies.

He knew because Nikolai wasn’t stupid.

And that was what made it all worse.

Nikolai knew. He had to know. Because he stayed. He stayed even though Brandon treated him like a dirty secret. He stayed even though Brandon denied him in public. He stayed even though he deserved better.

And Brandon?

Brandon was selfish enough to let him.

It wasn’t until one night, when Nikolai was sleeping beside him, his face soft in the dim glow of the city lights, that the realization hit Brandon like a fist to the gut.

If he lost him—if one day, Nikolai decided he was done waiting, done hoping, done pretending that it didn’t hurt—Brandon would break. He would shatter into something unfixable. Because this wasn’t just some passing thing. This wasn’t just love.

This was forever.

And Brandon was the one ruining it.

The idea of losing Nikolai?

That was the one thing that terrified him.

It wasn’t enough to love him in the quiet.

It wasn’t enough to keep him behind closed doors.

Because love wasn’t meant to be hidden. It wasn’t meant to be whispered in the dark and ignored in the light.

And if Brandon didn’t do something—if he didn’t fix this—he was going to lose the one thing in this world he could never replace.

The question was: did he have the courage to fight for it?

Or would he let his fear be the thing that destroyed them?

…………………

Nikolai has always known that Brandon King was a coward.

A beautiful, brilliant, maddening coward.

And yet, Nikolai would wait. He would wait forever if he had to.

It wasn’t as if he didn’t see it—the hesitation in Brandon’s eyes before he pulled away, the way his laughter sounded just a little too forced when he denied their relationship in public, the way his fingers lingered for a heartbeat too long before slipping out of Nikolai’s grasp as if being seen with him was a sin. Nikolai wasn’t a fool. He saw it all. He felt it all.

But he never said a word.

Because for every moment of hesitation, there was another where Brandon looked at him like he was the only thing that made sense in this world. There were the nights where they lay tangled together, where Bran kissed him like he would die without him, where he whispered "mine" against Nikolai’s lips like it was a prayer. And wasn’t that enough? Wasn’t that real?

But then morning would come. And Brandon would step back into the perfect little world of the Kings, and Nikolai would once again become the secret. The unsaid.

"We’re just friends."

Brandon would laugh, easy and careless, whenever someone asked.

And Nikolai would feel something inside him crack—sharp and painful—before he forced a grin, matching Bran’s energy, as if it didn’t fucking hurt. As if his heart didn’t splinter every time.

But still, he stayed.

Because Brandon was the only person who had ever felt like home. The only person he had ever loved with the full, unrelenting force of himself. And if waiting was the price to pay, if being hidden was the cost, then so be it.

He would endure. He would be patient.

Because one day, Bran would wake up and realize.

One day, Bran would see that Nikolai wasn’t just some secret to be kept.

He was the forever that Brandon was too afraid to claim.

And Nikolai? He would wait for that day. He would wait forever.

……………….

Nikolai had dragged Brandon to this café, like always, because he was craving something sweet. Like always.

Bran had just rolled his eyes, muttering something about Niko’s addiction to sugar, but still followed without complaint. Because, really, when had he ever denied Nikolai anything?

The scent of freshly baked pastries filled the air as they settled into a corner booth. Nikolai, as usual, was already eyeing the dessert menu like it held the secrets of the universe.

A few minutes later, the waiter—a bright-eyed girl with bouncing energy—came to take their order.

Nikolai was halfway through debating between a chocolate lava cake and a strawberry shortcake when she suddenly squealed.

"Oh my God! You guys are a couple, right? You look so cute together!"

Nikolai stilled.

His heart clenched, his fingers tightening around the menu, but he didn’t look up. He knew what came next. He always did.

"We’re just frie—"

Except, the words never came.

Instead, he felt something warm—solid, grounding—enclosing his hand. Brandon’s hand.

"Yeah," Bran said, voice casual, but there was something in it—something steady, unshakable. "He’s my boyfriend."

Nikolai snapped his head toward him so fast he nearly gave himself whiplash.

What.

He must’ve misheard. Right?

But no—there was Bran, completely relaxed, fingers laced through his like it was the easiest thing in the world. Like this wasn’t the first time he had ever acknowledged Nikolai as his.

The waiter exploded into fangirling, gushing about how adorable they were, how she knew it the moment she saw them, how they totally gave off soulmate energy.

Nikolai didn’t hear any of it.

He was too busy short-circuiting.

Because—Brandon King just called him his boyfriend. In public. With actual witnesses.

Nikolai was still frozen even after their desserts arrived, still blinking at Bran in stunned silence

From the moment the words left his mouth—"Yeah, he’s my boyfriend"—Brandon knew there was no going back.

And maybe he should’ve done this a long time ago.

Because seeing Nikolai’s usual confident, playful smirk wiped off his face—replaced with genuine shock, awe, and the softest pink dusting his cheeks—was something Bran knew he would remember forever.

But the best part?

He wasn’t done yet.

The entire day, Bran made sure Nikolai knew exactly what he meant by those words.

It started small.

Then, when they walked out of the café, Bran interwined their fingers like it was the most natural thing in the world.

And Nikolai? The Nikolai Sokolov?

Tripped over his own feet.

Bran caught him easily, biting back a smirk. "Careful, baby."

Niko choked.

The rest of the day was even worse.

Bran held his hand whenever he got the chance. Opened doors for him. Tugged him close.

When they stopped by a street vendor, he casually fed Niko a bite of his crepe, not even thinking twice about it.

Nikolai, on the other hand, was not okay.

"You—you—you’re doing this on purpose," Niko accused, looking like his brain had fully short-circuited.

Bran tilted his head. "Doing what?"

"This! The—" Niko waved his hands in the air, as if trying to capture whatever sorcery Bran was pulling. "The boyfriend treatment!"

Bran pretended to think about it. Then, he smirked. "Isn't that what you wanted?"

Niko opened his mouth, then closed it. His ears were so red now, they could rival a fire truck.

Bran leaned in, voice dropping into a soft murmur. "You’ve waited long enough, haven’t you, Niko?"

And for the first time ever, Nikolai Sokolov was left speechless.

Vaughn Morozov x Remington Astor - God of Despair

https://archiveofourown.org/works/62137246/chapters/158938864

The man I fell for – NikoBran ft Leigh Sokolov-King

Brandon never thought he'd see history repeat itself like this—his four-year-old daughter, Leigh, tumbling headfirst into the same trap he once did.

It wasn’t the tattoos or the sharp Russian accent that got her. No, Leigh—like Brandon before her—saw right through Nikolai’s tough, brooding exterior to the ridiculous, golden-retriever of a man beneath.

She clung to his leg as he cooked, demanding "uppies" with big, watery eyes. And of course, Nikolai lifted her, balancing her on one arm like she weighed nothing. When she pouted, he melted instantly. When she giggled, he acted like she was the funniest person alive.

Brandon leaned against the doorway, arms crossed, watching as his fearsome husband—Russian mafia, covered in ink, terrifying to most—wore a pink princess tiara, seated at a tiny plastic tea party table, pretending to sip from a cup Leigh handed him.

"Daddy," Leigh declared seriously, turning to Brandon. "Papa's my favorite."

Brandon scoffed, but there was no real heat to it. "Yeah, yeah. Tell me something I don’t know."

Nikolai shot him a smirk over the top of his tiny teacup, then winked. And just like that, Brandon fell all over again.

………………………………………

Brandon had never seen Nikolai look so horrified in his life—not when he’d been shot, not when he’d faced down his old enemies, not even when Leigh had once painted his entire left arm with glitter glue.

But tonight? Tonight was different.

Because their sweet, sunshine-faced four-year-old had just proudly announced at dinner, "Papa, I have a boyfriend!"

The fork in Nikolai’s hand froze mid-air. His eye twitched. "What."

Brandon, already sensing the storm, bit his lip to keep from laughing.

Leigh, oblivious to the deathly silence in the room, swung her legs happily in her chair. "His name is Tommy! He's in my class, and I’m going to marry him!"

The fork clattered to the plate. Nikolai turned to Brandon, his voice grave. "A brat has bewitched our daughter."

Brandon finally let out a chuckle. "Niko, she's four."

"I do not care." Nikolai gritted his teeth, eyes dark with pure, unfiltered rage. "This—this Tommy thinks he can take my baby away? I will break his tiny legs."

Leigh gasped dramatically. "Papa! That’s mean! You can’t hurt my boyfriend!"

Brandon snorted, but Nikolai was dead serious. He grabbed Brandon’s arm. "We must find his family. Intimidate them. Make them leave the country."

Brandon shook his head, trying—and failing—to suppress his grin. "Or, we could let our daughter be a normal kid and not threaten a kindergartener with exile."

Leigh, done with the conversation, went back to eating her pasta, humming a little tune. Meanwhile, Nikolai stared into the void, muttering darkly in Russian about "unworthy little brats"

Brandon just patted his husband’s shoulder. "You’re gonna have a real bad time when she turns sixteen, babe."

“What sixteen? She won’t be dating till Sixty” Niko says.

…………………………………………

Brandon was a heavy sleeper, but years of living with a Russian lunatic and a sugar-obsessed four-year-old had sharpened his instincts.

A rustling sound. A faint giggle.

His eyes cracked open, and he instinctively reached out to shake Nikolai awake—only to find empty space.

His sleep-fogged brain took a second to process that. Nikolai was gone.

A faint glow spilled from the kitchen. Suspicion prickled down Brandon’s spine as he slid out of bed, padding down the hall as quietly as possible.

Peeking inside, he caught them red-handed.

Leigh sat on the counter, a cookie in each tiny fist, stuffing her cheeks like a squirrel. And right beside her, the alleged adult of the house, Nikolai, was equally guilty, mid-bite into a chocolate chip cookie.

Brandon crossed his arms. "Seriously?"

Nikolai froze like a deer caught in headlights, crumbs on his lips. Leigh gasped dramatically and tried to hide the cookies behind her back—as if Brandon hadn’t just seen her eating them.

Brandon pinched the bridge of his nose. "I hid those cookies because you two eat too much sugar. What part of 'No more cookies' did you not understand?"

Leigh, with all the confidence of a criminal defending her case, declared, "We found them fair and square!"

Nikolai, ever the terrible influence, nodded solemnly. "It was destiny, printsessa. The cookies called to us."

Brandon shot him a look. "Really, Niko? Destiny?"

Nikolai shrugged, unapologetic. "What kind of father would I be if I let our daughter face the dangers of the night alone?"

Brandon sighed, rubbing his temples. "Fine. Since you two are such partners in crime, you can both deal with the sugar crash together tomorrow."

Leigh gasped. "Betrayal!"

Nikolai smirked, ruffling her hair. "Do not worry, printsessa. We will recover... and we will find more cookies."

Brandon groaned, already regretting all his life choices.