Nikobran - Blog Posts

I really wanna read the legacy of gods series but I'm not sure 😫

I heard the plot is beautiful and when I see fanart from nikobran, I'm almost just downloading their book on my kindle but I don't know if I can start random in the Rina Kent Universe.

anyone tips? 💗

just read god of fury by rina kent and all i gotta say is,

to god: when?

Reader's Rant

Okay so I had finished reading the Legacy of Gods Series few days ago so here are my thoughts(after lots of thinking,psychoanalysing and self arguing)

1)RINA PROMOTING MISOGYNISTIC VIEWS:

•The "virgin trope" is seriously not a trope at this point when each and every book has this.She makes it seem as if the fmc has commited blasphemy(What's her obsession with this word anyways.Its everywhere in her books.The blasphemy😯) if she has slept with someone before the mc.Wth!?And every male character is a casanova.Like we will find virgin Mcs hot too okay?? Especially in Ava's case like I thought okay finally we have a fmc who has had a life before mc but no?Like she makes it seem Ava have a grandiose sex life and later makes her a virgin too!?Like its okay to have experience and its totally okay to not marry the first guy you sleep with.

I also think that having literally ALL men experienced in EVERY SINGLE THING is also so frustrating.Like it would have been cool if Eli or Creighton were not u know??She makes it seem as a chore the men have to do the second they turn 18

•Another example of misogyny is the extreme sense of ownership they have for all the women in their life. Like the dad's are seriously crossing limits.Protectiveness is cute but the no-twat-is-good-enough-for-my-princess shit is exhausting.Jeremy and Landon are wayyy too controlling.Its literally offensive.You will HATE such a brother and dad for life and beyond.

•She made all women literal doormats.Enough said. (except Ava,Ari and Maya-who she turned into a villain because she has a life so she should not be the good sister)

•The fmcs had all sort of problems, worries,insecurities blah blah which could not be cured by besties, family, friends, therapists nope!They could only be cured within 2 chapters at most once the perfect mc decides to help!

•Over possessiveness.Hated it.Like listen I can still somehow get Killian's jealousy towards Remi(by dark romance standards ONLY) but Creighton has been close friends with Remi since birth and how he literally does not allow a single friendly touch!?And his insta posts each statng MINE MINE MINE repeatedly felt embarrassing and cringe rather than hot and when he tells her to stop following people like WHAT!?

2)UNFULFILLED TROPES AND PROMISES:

I am the kind of reader who gives great attention to the blurbs and tropes before reading a book.

•God of Pain is a grumpy x sunshine.Now I believe this was mentioned due to the appeal and popularity of the trope but Annika is not a sunshine at all.Sunshine character is not one which ACTS and pretends to be happy,outgoing and perfect while she has her insecurities,fears and troubles eat her up inside(her words)

•God of fury has been said to have the trope mafia prince x GOLDEN BOY which is not accurate.Anyone who has read the books should know this already ig.

•God of war which happens to be my fav from the series has false claimed tropes too.Like it was NOT a marriage of convenience.Eli forced the proximity upon Ava by forcing her to marry him(I believe forced proximity means both leads who hate each other are forced to be closer)and the sunshine point is similar as that of Annika.Imagine if someone is searching for a stand alone marriage of convenience and forced proximity....they'll be sad,angry and frustrated u know(Not me.I loved the book)

•Being an apathatic sociopath and selfish narcissist is different.Research your attributes Rina.

•Rina literally backtracks upon Eli's feelings in gow.Repeatedly mentions how Eli had no feelings for Ava before Uni.While she had stated in Royal Elite epilogue how Eli kisses new born Ava,calls her pretty,is asking Aiden for marriage pact,stares at her.Even in gow Ava mentions that he caused guys disappear even when she was in HIGH SCHOOL."Yeah he had no interest at all"😑(THE LAST LINE WAS SARCASM.YES SOME PEOPLE NEED IT TO BE SPELLED OUT.your welcome)

•Mia's selective mutism was played with totally wrong.AGAIN RESEARCH RINA!

3)PROBLEMS IN THE BOOKS

•The extremely perfect mcs who are geniuses(Einstein who?),strong,attractive all the positive attributes who can think of other than a heart ofc.Like is it wrong if at least one mc has worked hard for the way they are!?Nope these are born perfections who can cure world hunger but will not because the world does not deserve it. Fmcs have all sorts of issues(other than being spineless,submissive doormats.Not Ava,Ari,Maya) which will be cured by the MC!Yeah!(Though the way Eli helps Ava is actually book perfect,heart warming and realistic.Its quite real that her parents and Cecily babied her and could not handle hard decisions that could benefit her)

•BRATS PLAYING GODS!All the mcs are over privileged brats who have done nothing but be born to "earn" their "god" status.Like they are literal UNI kids.Like they were all spoiled brats basically criminals who were setting things(buildings) on fire and hurting and killing people like what!?

•THEIR AGES AND THEIR*ahem* ACTIONS!?Their ages in their respective books:

Killian(19)-Glyndon(19)😱😲😵😶 Creighton(20)-Annika(17-18) Jeremy(23-24)-Cecily(20) Landon(23)-Mia(18-19) Nikolai(19)-Brandon(23) Eli and Ava had time skip so it was okay(29 and 23)

Like their ages are seriously concerning.I especially wanna talk about Creighton and Annika.Annika is literally a child and her book basically had her having some sort of Stockholm Syndrome.

I ABSOLUTELY HATED how creighton won't let Annika speak or talk to him without him adding the numbers iykyk.LIKE I hate how I have read soo many posts yet none mentions it!!?And how Annika is shown to have been cleared of her problems after she has sex !?And Creigh acts like a divorced 38 year old guy with an adult kid while Annika is has 0 personality(Haters can go cry a river)I really wanted Annika to leave him u know?And what was that soap opera shit with the gun and crying and sobbing and kidnapping(Which is okay because she revealed to Ava,Glyn,Cecy that its her fantasy😑)and because we are going all in so lets add suicide shit too.And yeah she was ready to kill herself yesterday and is sunshine and rainbows today yeah!!

Killian has had loads of experience in every kind of sexual activity with both men and women and in clubs and whatnot at 19 and he is bored of all that now😂😑

Ohh I almost forgot!Its literally sooo stupid and meaningless that the girls experience whatever fantasy they shared during a drunk night with each other😂😂😂Like Rina basically wants to sorta convey that the girls "wished" for it😂(Think before you wish folks!)

Zero family dynamics other than the fathers making a one chapter visit talking about the Everlasting love for their wives,their doormat of a princess daughters and zero say in all the "emotional trauma" ALL of them have(they wish)

Landon favourism was not good.Especially in gof where it should have been Niko's moment.

Its enough for today I think.

I am not posting it as a hate post.It is RANT as stated,a critical analysis.(Being going through a book hangover from Gow....partially cured through the MADDEST OBSESSION OMG YES!!!)

One last thing!!!!I get that its the creator's wish and whatever but the fact that Rina isn't writing a Remi (An Mc with emotions!!!!)Ariella(Strong fmc!The blasphemy! )and Maya Ilya book sorta shows how she can't change her formula.

ELI KING x AVA NASH♡

“Ava!” I shout as she falls backward and a haunting thud fills my ears. For a moment, my whole world goes black. And I know, I just know, that if she’s gone, I’ll make sure it’s the end for me as well.💔💔💔💔

💔

"The heart you slowly awakened is entirely yours to do with as you please."

💕

“The phoenix is you.”.....“You’re a beautiful mythical being who can be born from the ashes of your illness.” “And the tree of life?"........ “That’s me. I believed I could contain your rebirth, every time.”

The most perfect song I imagine for Eli as he would never give up on Ava and never let her give up either💖❤❤❤

Perfect song for Ava Nash♡♡

The perfect song to describe Ava Nash💖

All that she was hiding behind her glittery pink walls💖💔💕

She has a lot more to her than her illness...

Also in God of war Ava states that Eli caused her HIGH SCHOOL love interests to disappear too and Eli asking Aiden about the marriage pact?????

Yeah Eli had "no interest" at all(that was sarcasm bitches....Yeah some people need to be told that😵)

So I'm gonna go with the following theory:

Eli has always been obsessed with Ava but didn't recognise his feelings due to him being apathatic antisocial and all.

Seriously Rina stating repeatedly about no interest before in gow is lazy absent minded writing on her part here(seems so forced)... Maybe influenced by some sort of hate or editors ig...

Loved Gow can't move on from Eli and Ava (KING AND QUEEN 💜💜)

Though I also think they would have ruled as University couple too u know????

People please write Eliava fanfics...I will start writing next year too(overflowing with ideas)

If any fics do exist pls recommend...

Love Remi x Ari too btw.....imagining Remi doing the chase later when there's some trouble in paradise😹😸

How Eli seems to be obsessed with Ava since always....

Yeah I get that Eli is six years older and it might be sort of weird to have a crush on someone that young during your teens(I am totally ok with that but-) but Rina Kent is simply confusing me with her Eli Ava crumbs....fyi EliAva is my fav couple from all of Rina Kent books and I was dying to read their book.When Eva is born Eli kisses her on the mouth(wait before u start cursing me listen shhh...)He calls also calls her pretty which is monumental considering he has always been sociopath and apathatic.Rina also shows in the bonus epilogue of Royal Elite series that Eli is staring at Ava(mentioned twice) and Evi is asking about the marriage pact.Can't convince me that he didn't have a crush.Then Cole keeps threatening Eli and warns Aiden to make him stay away from his daughter (He does that in every book since Ava is born....and only for Eli...like why not Remi,Creighton ,Landon,Brandon)

"Unless we’re talking about Eli when it comes to Ava. Or Lan when it comes to sculpting. But those obsessions started fairly young for both Eli and Lan." -God of Malice chapter 17(Your welcome)

I have zero issues if Eli initially had no feelings for Eva as Rina Kent stated in her ig newsletter and even stated by Eli in God of War but its soo stupid of her to go back her words in the several books she has written....considering all the messed up activities happening in her books.....Eli being obsessed with Ava since way before won't be a huge issue cause technically obsession does not always mean romantic feelings...So it feels as if she said that to avoid hate or whatever but it was quite an unprofessional move from her side considering the crumbs she has always given us....The twice or thrice repeated mention of Eli's "no interest" before is soo forced(maybe enforced by editors or something?)

Feeling self indulged after the rant😚

(So I'm just gonna ignore those paragraphs in God of war which make zero sense sorry not sorry😆 bookworms tend to be inquisitive with their research)

Queen Ava Nash

I absolutely love Ava with my life....She is the best as both Ava Nash and Ava King because she is Her very own self!Be real guys,we all act petty at times and retaliate when we are wronged...yet she didn't cross the OCD boundary (not that Eli complained about it) and tried to make amends for when HE left the meeting to see her(Eli ily but that's all on you babe😆)

I have loved Ava long before her book came out because she is REAL.She was the coolest(She Reads!),most relatable and strong character.

She has her obsessions(Pink and Shopping),her passion for cello(plays violin and piano like a pro-mentioned in gow),is actually sassy and savage and loves her friends(remember how she checked glyn for injuries-the super cute moment won't get out of my head).She loves people and is not afraid to express it but she does not let herself be wronged and disrespected too.

Some people hate her for being blonde,loving pink and shopping but that's how people are!tf is wrong with u haters!?....Absolutely nothing wrong with being a social butterfly and party girl(though my heart breaks when its revealed as her coping mechanism from her episodes)

The way she messes with Eli when he hurts her feelings(he does it for her own good but she doesn't know that!) is called childish and bratty in so many posts but I think its real.That's what we do when we want to retaliate against our loved ones without truly hurting them(You are brats and childish haters)

She loves the fighting matches between the REU and King's U and that's so real like why the hell do girls have to be scared and worried mums who can't tolerate boxing???Like nobody is forcing the guys to do it!?(No one's dying chill tf out)

Also I hate Jeremy for when he spouted rubbish to Ava about not being there for her bestie Cecy and being toxic!?Like dude I googled toxic and you were there!?And before anyone comes at me,let me tell you that I read that unasked opinion way before gow was released so listen carefully....Ava repeatedly asked the reason for Cecily's breakup but she didn't reveal it(understandable since it can be difficult to talk about)Refusing to ask someone for help is refusing someone the chance to be helpful.....Ava,Glyn,Annie or anyone else couldn't know what happened if she doesn't tell them...Similarly Ava didn't tell her about her worsening condition or how she's been hiding the extent of it and how she was forced to marry Eli because that's reality....while they are each others confidants,no one tells someone EVERYTHING,there's always a tiny part hidden which may be known to one while unknown to another person.So Jeremy spouting shit to Ava just proved his serious need for therapy.I liked Cecily but only when she wasn't showing her doormat behaviour(Which was in every context related to Lan and Jeremy) proved by the point how she lacks assertiveness when Jeremy purposefully badmouths Ava,almost makes her cry when she is known to be "the protective mother hen of the group".(Like Ava has been your bestie since nappies!?Where is your protectiveness now??)Ig people find it cute but its really not when he is literally jealous of her relationship with her GIRL best friend Ava(Honestly there shouldn't be a problem if there was a Guy best friend either but you get the point)THAT'S REAL BOLD RED FLAG BEHAVIOUR(hurting someone's bestie is CUTE!??)

I know some people hated Ava when she slapped Anni but be real guys...They became friends with Annie that year while Creigh has been her close friend since she was born(Ava talked about how he was there for her in her dark time)I am totally with Anni when she shot Creighton because he made her shoot...was she supposed to watch her brother die tf!?(totally with her father's explanantion on the plane which she didn't heed to)Anyways Ava slapping her was totally right(lot less than what people would have actually done in real life situation when they see someone who SHOOTS there loved one)

The girls as individuals are okay maybe good ig but they are boring that's a fact...literally zero pride,self respect,self worth,no personality at all.

Loved Ari(Need her book god plsss😭)

So as you have read I LOVE AVA(I love Eli too but this is Ava appreciation post so😅)

Ava always retaliates....when Eli made her angry she messed with him too...She respected herself and demanded it when and where needed.She had the guts to warn Eli to treat her as his wife or she will find someone who will.

Ig people won't like me comparing her with other girls but the difference is so startlingly clear(Others were said to be several attributes like sunshine,strong,not-like-other-girls,relatable bla bla bla...but they couldn't keep up half of what was promised.....Ava was brilliant and so much more)❤❤❤❤❤💖

(As for the men my fav was Eli ofc)

(Loved Landon,Remi and Nikolai too)

(I find it soo amusing that Ava and Eli were my favs way before gow was released...doesnt happen often😁😆)

How Eli seems to be obsessed with Ava since always....

Yeah I get that Eli is six years older and it might be sort of weird to have a crush on someone that young during your teens(I am totally ok with that but-) but Rina Kent is simply confusing me with her Eli Ava crumbs....fyi EliAva is my fav couple from all of Rina Kent books and I was dying to read their book.When Ava is born Eli kisses her on the mouth(wait before u start cursing me listen shhh...)He calls also calls her pretty which is monumental considering he has always been sociopath and apathatic.Rina also shows in the bonus epilogue of Royal Elite series that Eli is staring at Ava(mentioned twice) and Eli is asking about the marriage pact.Can't convince me that he didn't have a crush.Then Cole keeps threatening Eli and warns Aiden to make him stay away from his daughter (He does that in every book since Ava is born....and only for Eli...like why not Remi,Creighton ,Landon,Brandon)

"Unless we’re talking about Eli when it comes to Ava. Or Lan when it comes to sculpting. But those obsessions started fairly young for both Eli and Lan." -God of Malice chapter 17(Your welcome)

I have zero issues if Eli initially had no feelings for Ava as Rina Kent stated in her ig newsletter and even stated by Eli in God of War but its soo stupid of her to go back her words in the several books she has written....considering all the messed up activities happening in her books.....Eli being obsessed with Ava since way before won't be a huge issue cause technically obsession does not always mean romantic feelings...So it feels as if she said that to avoid hate or whatever but it was quite an unprofessional move from her side considering the crumbs she has always given us....The twice or thrice repeated mention of Eli's "no interest" before is soo forced(maybe enforced by editors or something?)

Feeling self indulged after the rant😚

(So I'm just gonna ignore those paragraphs in God of war which make zero sense sorry not sorry😆 bookworms tend to be inquisitive with their research)

ETA: So I had brilliantly written Eli as Evi and Ava as Eva in some sentences.Making unique mistakes is my talent(not flexing😉)

NikoBran - The Proposal

The gallery buzzed with excitement, the energy palpable as people moved from painting to painting, marveling at the artistry Brandon had poured his soul into. Nikolai stood at the back of the crowd, leaning casually against a column, his sharp suit barely containing the restless pride burning within him. He wasn’t one for crowds, but tonight wasn’t about him. Tonight was about his Brandon—his lotus—blossoming for the world to see.

Bran's family mingled among the guests, his mother dabbing her eyes with a tissue, and his father proudly recounting stories of how his son had always been a prodigy with a brush. Meanwhile, Bran himself stood at the center of it all, glowing under the lights, the very picture of an artist who had found his place in the world.

Niko's gaze never left him. Not for a second.

When Brandon finally stepped up to the microphone to address the crowd, the murmurs quieted into anticipation.

“Thank you all for coming tonight,” Bran began, his voice steady but warm, his eyes scanning the room before landing on Nikolai. “This exhibition means the world to me, not just because it showcases my work, but because it represents a journey—a journey I couldn’t have made alone.”

Nikolai raised an eyebrow, his chest tightening as Bran's words washed over him.

Bran continued, a small smile curling his lips. “Every piece here tells a story, a part of me. But there’s one piece that’s the most important. It’s not just a painting—it’s my heart on canvas.”

The room erupted into applause as Bran walked toward a large, shrouded frame in the center of the gallery. With a flourish, he pulled the curtain away, revealing the final painting: Nikolai’s portrait.

Gasps echoed through the room.

Nikolai froze.

The painting captured him with an ethereal glow, his striking features softened by the kind of warmth only someone deeply in love could see. His eyes, usually sharp and piercing, were filled with light, as if Bran had painted the very essence of Nikolai’s soul.

Bran turned back to the microphone, his voice trembling slightly. “This is my masterpiece. No matter how many paintings I create in the future, this will always be the one closest to my heart. Because Nikolai saved me. He believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself. He pulled me out of darkness and showed me what it means to be loved unconditionally.”

Nikolai’s vision blurred as his throat tightened. He blinked furiously, trying to swallow the lump forming, but the dam broke when Bran stepped down from the podium, the crowd parting like a sea.

Bran stopped in front of Nikolai, his eyes bright with determination and love. Then, to Niko’s utter disbelief, he got down on one knee, pulling out a ring with a diamond so brilliant it caught every light in the room.

Gasps turned into murmurs as the room held its collective breath.

Bran looked up at him, his voice steady despite the emotion thickening it. “Nikolai Sokolov, you are the love of my life, the reason I can stand here today. You’ve cherished me in ways I never thought I deserved, and now it’s my turn. I want to spend the rest of my life proving to you that you’re more than enough, that you’re extraordinary, that you’re loved beyond measure. Will you marry me?”

Nikolai’s chest heaved, his breath hitching as tears spilled freely down his cheeks. His knees buckled, and before Bran could react, Nikolai dropped to his own knees, facing him.

The crowd gasped, but Niko didn’t care. His hands cupped Bran’s face, his voice breaking as he whispered, “You idiot. Of course, I’ll marry you. But let me say this—” He gripped Bran’s hands, his voice trembling. “You say I saved you, but you saved me, too. Every time you smile, every time you touch me, you remind me there’s light in this world. I don’t know how I got so lucky, but I’m not letting go. Never.”

The crowd erupted in applause and cheers as Bran slid the ring onto Niko’s finger, their foreheads pressing together as they both laughed through their tears.

“God, I love you,” Bran whispered.

“Love you more, love,” Niko murmured, pulling him into a kiss that left no room for doubt about their forever.

…………………………

Nikolai sat cross-legged on the plush carpet of their living room, his daughter Leigh Sokolov-King nestled snugly in his lap. Her wide eyes focused on the spoonful of yogurt he held out for her, but her curiosity was clearly more on the story he was telling. At three years old, Leigh already had her father’s sharp attention to detail and her papa’s endless curiosity about everything.

“Alright, little princess,” Nikolai said, his voice soft and warm, “where were we?” He dipped the spoon into the yogurt and waved it playfully. “Ah, yes. So, your Papa, he had this big, big event. All these people came to see his paintings.”

Leigh clapped her tiny hands, already enraptured. “Papa paints pretty!”

Nikolai chuckled, nodding. “Yes, he does. The best paintings in the whole world. But there was one painting—” He leaned in conspiratorially, as though revealing a secret. “—that was extra special. Do you know what it was?”

Leigh tilted her head, her curls bouncing as she thought hard. “A bunny?”

Brandon, lounging on the couch nearby with a sketchpad in hand, snorted, shaking his head. “Close, sweetheart, but not quite.”

“No, not a bunny,” Nikolai said with mock seriousness, though his lips twitched with amusement. “It was a painting of me.”

Leigh gasped dramatically, her tiny hand flying to her mouth. “You, Papa?”

“Me,” Nikolai confirmed, holding out another spoonful of yogurt, which she obediently accepted. “And it wasn’t just any painting. Your Papa said it was his masterpiece. The best thing he’s ever made.”

Leigh squinted at Bran as if trying to see the truth in his face. Bran gave her a playful wink and nodded. “That’s right, little one. Your papa’s face is my best work.”

Leigh giggled, yogurt smudged on her chin, and Nikolai used her distraction to wipe it away with a tissue. “So,” he continued, “after he showed everyone that painting, do you know what your Papa did?”

“What?” she asked, leaning forward, her yogurt momentarily forgotten.

“He knelt down, right in front of everyone,” Nikolai said, his voice dropping into a dramatic whisper, “and asked me to marry him with a BIG RING.”

Leigh gasped again, her hands clutching her cheeks. “Did you say yes?”

Bran laughed from the couch, his sketchpad forgotten as he leaned forward to watch them. “Of course, he did, Leigh. But do you know what your Dada did next?”

Leigh shook her head, her curls bouncing wildly.

“I knelt down, too,” Nikolai said, his tone softening. “Because your Papa wasn’t the only one who wanted forever. I wanted it just as much.”

Leigh’s eyes sparkled with delight as she squirmed in Nikolai’s lap, reaching for Bran. “Papa, did you cry?”

Bran let out a laugh, moving to sit beside them on the carpet. He scooped Leigh into his arms, peppering her face with kisses, much to her delighted squeals. “Maybe a little,” he admitted, his eyes meeting Nikolai’s. “But only because I was so happy.”

Leigh beamed, clapping her hands. “That’s the best story, Papa!”

Nikolai smiled, his gaze lingering on Bran. “It is, isn’t it? The best story, because it’s ours.”

Bran leaned over, pressing a kiss to Nikolai’s temple before turning back to Leigh. “And you, little one, are our favorite chapter.”

Leigh giggled, squirming between them. Nikolai scooped up the last bit of yogurt from the bowl and held it out to her, chuckling as she eagerly devoured it.

“Alright, little princess,” Nikolai said, his voice filled with affection. “Now, off to bed. Tomorrow, your papa and I will tell you another story.”

.......

Taglist:

@lanterns-and-daydreams

NikoBran & JerLan - “Can I have your son for the rest of my life?”

Brandon was having an exceptional day, one of those rare stretches of uninterrupted peace and focus. His latest canvas, an impressionist vision of Nikolai with that usual mix of shadowed wild charm, was coming together perfectly. He smiled to himself, dabbing a bit more paint to capture the angle of Nikolai’s jaw, a touch of light for the smirk that, to him, was pure art. His muse. His Heathen Peasant. Really, if he were to be honest, Nikolai was as good as a prince himself—but it was fun, calling him his Peasant. After all, didn’t Niko call him his Prince Charming?

Lost in his work, he barely noticed the sound of footsteps until the door slammed open behind him. He turned just as his twin, Landon, stormed in, his phone clutched in his hand, looking like he was about to deliver some dire news. Brandon raised a brow, unfazed, and continued to blend colors on his palette. What now?

“Have you seen Jeremy and Nikolai’s story?” Landon asked, his voice sharp with barely-contained annoyance.

Brandon shook his head, shrugging as he wiped his hands off. “Not yet. What’s so urgent?” he asked casually, though he snatched the phone from Landon with practiced ease.

The screen lit up with an image of Jeremy and Nikolai mid-soccer game, both flexing their arms with ridiculous grins, muscles on full display, jerseys clinging from the sweat. It was practically designed to be a thirst trap, and Brandon felt his eye twitch at the sight of them looking like they were on the cover of a sports magazine. Soccer? His mind reeled for a second as he thought aloud, “Why soccer of all things?”

He barely had a moment to process before Eli sauntered in, phone in hand, looking far too amused. “Ah, so you saw it too?” he said with a chuckle, nodding towards the story as Brandon continued staring, his annoyance only growing. “Guess I should explain. Last time I visited Killian, Jeremy and Nikolai were tagging along, as usual. I might have mentioned that Uncle Levi, was a bit of a soccer star in his prime. Thought it would be funny if they used that fact to ‘charm’ the future in-law,” Eli grinned, shrugging. “Didn’t think they’d actually take it this far.”

Landon crossed his arms, shaking his head. “You’re telling me that you planted this insane idea in their heads, and they just ran with it?”

Eli’s grin only widened as he shrugged. “What can I say? They seemed… interested. They said they wanted to get Uncle Levi’s approval.”

Brandon groaned, rubbing his temples, but he couldn’t help the smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Of course, of course, they’re using my dad’s ancient soccer past as an excuse to post thirst traps. This is practically bait. As if Dad would be okay with anyone dating us..Dad thinks we are still kids.,” he muttered, exasperated but amused.

…………………………………………………………………………………….

Ilya grumbled under his breath, feeling like he’d been assigned to the most ridiculous mission of his life. He was a hardened mafia guard, for heaven's sake, not some influencer’s cameraman! Yet here he was, jogging across a grassy field with his phone clutched tightly, running after two self-obsessed troublemakers as they posed and flexed in front of the camera. It was like watching a pair of overgrown children, except that these overgrown children were supposed to be the “fearsome” leaders of their respective places in Bartva.

Jeremy struck another dramatic pose, arms flexed, grinning with a perfect smile. Meanwhile, Nikolai kicked an imaginary ball, trying to make the whole thing look at least a little authentic. “Ilya, angle it from lower!” Nikolai barked, pointing downwards with an exaggerated motion. “You’re making us look short!”

Ilya rolled his eyes, adjusting the phone reluctantly. Making them look short? He thought to himself.—how much lower did they need him to go?

Jeremy and Nikolai reviewed the picture and immediately groaned in unison. “Ugh, no. We look ridiculous. Try it again!” Jeremy declared, putting his hands on his hips. “We need to look like the type of future sons-in-law who could make a retired soccer player proud. What would Levi think of that one?”

Ilya sighed heavily, rolling his eyes. “Look, I can tell you what he’d think,” he muttered. “He’d think you’re both insane.”

But the two weren’t paying him any attention. Jeremy was too busy readjusting his hair, slicking back some stray strands that had come loose. Meanwhile, Nikolai tried a new pose, hands on his knees like he’d just scored a game-winning goal.

“Come on, Ilya! Capture the spirit, the intensity! Make it look like we’re professionals,” Jeremy insisted, gesturing with that trademark confidence of his that could either make a person feel like a million dollars or make them want to throttle him.

“Professional what?” Ilya muttered under his breath. “Professional pains in my—”

“Did you say something?” Nikolai asked, eyebrows raised.

“Nothing,” Ilya grumbled louder this time, raising the phone again. “Just hoping no one comes by to see this madness.”

The two posed dramatically, arms slung over each other’s shoulders, staring off into the distance as though contemplating their destiny. They were fully committed, completely unfazed by how utterly absurd they looked.

After a dozen more failed shots and several changes in angle, they finally settled on one they deemed acceptable. Ilya breathed a sigh of relief, ready to reclaim his dignity as a serious bodyguard—but, of course, his relief was short-lived.

“Alright, now off to the art studio,” Nikolai announced with a grin, completely unaware of the suffering he was causing. “If we’re gonna win over Brandon and Landon’s mom, we need her to know we’re more than just pretty faces and sports studs.” He winked at Jeremy, who smirked back.

Ilya groaned as the two trotted off toward the mansion’s art studio like it was some grand adventure. He trailed behind, reluctant but helpless, resigned to the fate that being their bodyguard—and, apparently, their personal photographer—was his life now.

When they got to the studio, Jeremy immediately went to the paint supplies and smeared a few colors on a palette. Nikolai changed to a spare hoodie like he was prepping for the biggest art show of his life, eyeing himself in the mirror and adjusting his hair.

“What are you doing?” Ilya finally asked, unable to hold back any longer. “This is getting embarrassing. No one’s going to take you seriously if word about this gets out, you know.”

Nikolai laughed, as if that was the most absurd thing he’d ever heard. “No one will know, Ilya. That’s the point of having a loyal, trustworthy guard.” He winked, entirely too cheeky for someone who had just spent the last hour meticulously arranging his poses for Instagram stories.

Jeremy was even worse. He dipped a brush into a bucket of dark red paint, flicking it around on the canvas with the dramatic flair of a true artist, clearly enjoying himself far too much. “Just a few more shots, Ilya,” he said, grinning as he smeared paint on his cheek with his thumb. “Make sure I look soulful, you know, like I’ve got depth.”

Depth? Ilya couldn’t help but wonder what depths these two had beyond the ridiculousness he’d been forced to endure all afternoon. Still, he raised the phone and clicked another photo, this time capturing Jeremy looking “deep and thoughtful” with his paint-smeared face and Nikolai gazing intensely at his “masterpiece” on the canvas.

The two reviewed the photo, nodding approvingly, clearly impressed with their own efforts. “Oh, this one is perfect,” Nikolai said with a proud smile, patting Ilya on the back as if he were some award-winning photographer.

Ilya muttered under his breath, casting a wary glance toward the studio entrance, just in case anyone came in. The last thing he needed was for someone else in the mafia to see him in this compromising position, photographing Jeremy and Nikolai pretending to be artists. He’d never hear the end of it.

Ilya clicked off the shot, shaking his head in disbelief. “This… this is a new low,” he said, but Nikolai just laughed, wrapping an arm around Jeremy’s shoulder as they reviewed the clip, fully satisfied.

“Well, we’re off to charm the in-laws,” Jeremy said with a grin, giving Ilya a thumbs up. “Thanks for all the hard work today, Ilya. You’re a real gem.”

Ilya groaned, fully intending to take the next two days off to recover from the utter humiliation of being their camera-wielding sidekick.

……………………………………………………………………………………….

Levi sat at his desk, his phone in hand, scrolling through the barrage of photos and videos sent by those two hooligans, Jeremy and Nikolai. Each shot was more ridiculous than the last—images of Jeremy flexing and grinning like a wolf, Nikolai attempting to look “soulful” while smearing paint on a canvas, and, of course, the final pièce de résistance: a slow-motion video of them “playing” soccer, all dramatic lighting and ridiculous poses.

He shook his head, muttering under his breath. “What am I looking at? Did they… did they even kick the ball once?” He squinted at one of the pictures, which featured Jeremy with his arm around Nikolai, both gazing dramatically into the distance .

“Who do they think they’re fooling?” Levi mumbled to himself, rolling his eyes. “They probably don’t know the first thing about soccer. They’re just trying to butter me up.” He rubbed a hand over his face, sighing as he came to grips with the fact that these two were very likely going to be his sons-in-law.

Astrid breezed by, catching a glimpse of the photos over his shoulder. She laughed, taking the phone from him to get a closer look. “Oh, that’s adorable! Look how hard they’re trying,” she said, scrolling to the picture where Jeremy was staring off into the horizon with paint smudged on his cheek. “They’re doing this to impress you, you know.”

“Impress me?” Levi huffed. “By making themselves look like fools? If they wanted to impress me, they’d stay out of trouble and keep their little mafia nonsense to themselves. But no, my sons have to fall for the most dangerous mafia boys.”

Astrid raised an eyebrow. “You’re just mad because they’re flaunting how much they adore our sons.”

Levi grumbled as she handed him back the phone. “I’m mad because they think this’ll win me over. Look at them—posing like a couple of overgrown schoolboys!.”

Astrid shook her head with a smile. “Oh, Levi. They’re in love. And those two hooligans will do whatever it takes to show you they’re serious about Brandon and Landon.”

Levi scrolled “What do Brandon and Landon even see in these idiots?” he muttered, though there was a hint of a smile pulling at his mouth.

Astrid smiled, amused. “Oh, you know exactly what they see. What I saw in you. Love. Protection and a bit of madness .”

playing pretend rather than have a serious conversation with me.”

Astrid shook her head, still smiling, as she went to pour herself a cup of tea. Levi watched her for a moment, then turned his attention back to his phone, smirking despite himself at the ridiculousness of the whole thing.

Levi let out a sigh of grudging acceptance. “Well, I suppose I could be stuck with worse. At least they’re entertaining.” He gave one last look at the ridiculous soccer photo, muttering with a half-smile, “But they’d better be ready to prove themselves, because winning over this father-in-law will take a hell of a lot more than paint and muscle flexing.”

......

Taglist:

@lanterns-and-daydreams

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.”

NikoBran – Preschool nightmare ft. Leigh Sokolov-King

Nikolai stood in the doorway of his daughter's room, arms crossed, lips pressed into a tight line. His heart was breaking. Shattering into a million irreparable pieces.

His little princess, his Leigh, his baby, stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the straps of her tiny blue backpack, completely unaware of the absolute devastation she was causing her father.

Nikolai turned to Brandon, his traitorous husband, and hissed, “She’s too young for this.”

Bran, who had been through this emotional meltdown all morning, sighed. “She’s five, Niko.”

Nikolai’s eye twitched. “And?”

“She needs to start school.”

“She needs to stay home.” Niko crossed his arms, glaring at the abomination of a uniform their daughter had to wear.

Bran rubbed his temples. “It’s literally pre-school.”

“You don’t understand, Brandon. She’s leaving me.”

Bran groaned, but Leigh finally turned around, her little pigtails bouncing, her bright eyes full of pure excitement. “Dada, do I look pretty?”

Oh. Oh.

Nikolai felt his entire soul collapse. His baby was so happy, so excited—so completely unaware of the absolute hell he was going through. Didn’t she know she was supposed to stay small forever?

“You look…” His throat clenched. He couldn’t do this. He blinked furiously, eyes burning with unshed tears. “You look too grown-up, Leigh. Noooooo….Take it off. You’re not going.”

Leigh giggled, completely unaffected by his suffering. “Dada, you’re so silly!”

Silly? Silly? He was grieving. This was a tragedy.

Bran, ever the heartless one, placed a hand on his shoulder. “She’s still young, Niko.”

No, she wasn’t. This was only the beginning.

First, it was school. Then, she’d be reading books without his help. Then, she’d be talking about some little punk she had a crush on—some worthless brat who wouldn’t be good enough for her, no matter what.

Then it would be prom—a date—then college. And then, one day, she’d come home and tell him she was getting married to some useless brat who thought he was worthy of her.

No. No. No.

“She’s leaving me,” Nikolai whispered, traumatized by the future playing out in his head.

Bran sighed deeply, running a hand down his face. “She’s going to pre-school, not getting married.”

Same thing.

Leigh, oblivious to the emotional hurricane her father was experiencing, clapped her little hands. “Dada, let’s gooo! I wanna see my class!”

Nikolai turned his wounded gaze to Bran, betrayal written all over his face. “I will never forgive you for allowing this.”

Bran rolled his eyes. “Jesus Christ, Niko.”

But it was too late. Nikolai ,the ruthless, untouchable mafia leader, had officially lost his little girl to the cruel, unforgiving passage of time.

………………..

Nikolai stood by the preschool gate, arms crossed, radiating pure doom and gloom. If anyone didn’t know him, they’d assume he was here to kill someone—not to pick up his five-year-old daughter.

Bran sighed beside him, hands in his pockets, watching their daughter’s classroom door with an amused smile. “You look like you’re waiting to shake down a teacher, Niko.”

“I might.” Nikolai scowled. It had been four hours. Four long, painful, excruciating hours. “She’s too young for this, Brandon.”

Bran groaned. “Again with this?”

Nikolai didn’t respond. He was suffering in silence. His baby—his perfect, innocent baby—had been away from him for an entire morning, thrown into a world of tiny, sticky-fingered heathens he didn’t trust.

Just as Bran opened his mouth to no doubt scold him for being a dramatic, overprotective idiot, the preschool door burst open.

And there she was. Leigh.

Their little girl came skipping out, her tiny backpack bouncing behind her, her face beaming with happiness.

Bran smiled warmly. “See? She had fun.”

But Nikolai was still brooding. Fun? Or was she traumatized and hiding it? What if she had been bullied? Forced to share her toys? What if she had cried, and he hadn’t been there to pick her up immediately?

Bran crouched down to her level, ruffling her pigtails. “How was school, princess?”

Leigh grinned. “I had lots of fun with the boys!”

Silence.

Nikolai’s soul left his body. His stomach plummeted to hell. His worst nightmare was coming true.

He turned his betrayed, horrified gaze to Bran. “See? I told you!”

Bran groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Niko—”

But then Leigh turned to Nikolai, tilted her head like a little menace, and grinned wider. “But, Dada, you told me to punch dumb boys, right?”

Bran froze.

Nikolai blinked.

Leigh clapped her tiny hands together. “It was really fun!”

For a second, there was complete silence.

Then—

Nikolai burst into booming, delighted laughter.

“Now that is my little princess!” Niko declared, pride shining in his eyes.

Bran rubbed his temples. “I officially put both of you up for adoption.”

But Nikolai was too busy beaming at his perfect daughter. He scooped her up into his arms, spinning her in the air as she shrieked with laughter. “You know what, princess?” He kissed her cheek. “I’m getting you that tiny blue bike you asked for.”

Leigh gasped, eyes lighting up like fireworks. “Really?”

Niko nodded solemnly, pressing a hand to his chest. “You have made me the proudest father in the world today.”

Bran groaned. “She assaulted a kid.”

“She assaulted a dumb kid.” Niko corrected, grinning like an idiot.

Leigh nodded proudly. “He tried to steal my crayons, Dada. So I made him cry.”

Bran nearly choked. “Jesus Christ.”

Niko wiped a fake tear from his eye. “I raised a warrior.”

Bran shook his head and turned away, done with both of them. “I swear, I am the only adult in this family.”

But Leigh was giggling in Niko’s arms, cheeks red with joy, and for once—just for once—Bran let himself smile.

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

The Day Nikolai caught Baby fever

If anyone had asked Nikolai Sokolov a year ago whether his cousin Killian Carson was capable of taking care of a baby, he would have laughed so hard he’d choke on his vodka.

Killian? With a baby?

The man could barely take care of himself without causing chaos, breaking laws, or dissecting something. If left to his own devices, he’d probably misplace the baby and remember it three hours later with a casual "Oh, right."

And yet.

Yet.

Here Nikolai stood, in Killian’s disaster zone of a living room, watching something he never imagined he would see: Killian Carson—Bratva’s resident emotionless weirdo, criminal lawyer who is a criminal himself, and his absolute menace of a cousin—completely destroyed by fatherhood.

Killian stood near the sofa, looking half-alive, the dark circles under his eyes so deep they could be used as evidence of war crimes. His usually sharp, calculating gaze was dull and unfocused, his normally immaculate appearance was rumpled and chaotic, and his posture was so slumped that Nikolai almost felt bad.

Almost.

Earlier, when Killian had called saying, "It’s an emergency," Nikolai had dropped everything.

He had rushed here, expecting blood, gore, maybe a kidnapping attempt—something life-threatening.

Instead, he walked in to find his terrifying cousin holding a screaming, wailing, tiny human being—Theo.

And before Nikolai could even process the situation, Killian had walked up, dropped the crying demon into his arms, muttered a hoarse "Your problem now," and collapsed onto the sofa, dead asleep.

Just. Like. That.

Nikolai stared down at the tiny, wrinkly, red-faced demon wailing in his arms.

What the fuck.

He had not signed up for this.

He was a feared Bratva enforcer, a man who could make grown men cry with just a stare, not a damn babysitter.

But before he could even think about shoving the baby back into Killian’s arms, something strange happened.

Theo stopped crying.

His big, round blue eyes—the same icy blue as Killian’s—stared up at Nikolai.

And then… the tiny thing reached out with his chubby little fingers, grasping at the tattoos on Nikolai’s forearm.

Drooling.

Drooling.

All over him.

Nikolai froze.

The little gremlin actually looked… fascinated.

His tiny fingers traced over the ink, his mouth parting in awe, and for some inexplicable reason, Nikolai felt something weird in his chest.

Not heartburn.

Not nausea.

Something worse.

Affection.

Oh. No.

This was bad.

Very, very bad.

Nikolai looked at Theo, then at Killian, then back at Theo, who was still staring at him like he was the best thing he’d ever seen.

God help him, but he was falling for this tiny, wrinkly, drooly little demon.

He held Theo closer, suddenly feeling protective over the tiny human in his arms.

And then it hit him.

He was getting baby fever.

A full-blown, raging case of baby fever.

Oh, fuck.

He was going home and demanding a baby from Brandon. Today. They are gonna get a surrogate or they are gonna adopt one.

Killian had fucked up his entire life.

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.

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.