SEPTEMBER PROMPT

[Pirate Queen Crow]

Name: Crow
Title: By Your Side
Characters: Alexei Leonidovich Kadnikov, Valentina Iosifovna Kadnikovovna, Matthew Reid (not by name), Vapour (not by name nor really mentioned but there)
Words: 1275 words
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- "They had nothing to say to each other."
or
- Write about letting go of something.
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Ever since he'd first met her, he'd know that she was strong. He'd first met her in school at a young age. Her face wasn't a map of sharp angles. There were softer curves where her cheeks were. Her jaw wasn't as defined. Her body was still growing yet she was already pretty to him. He only saw her as a friend, though, and she felt much the same way. They had made it obvious once they both hit teenage years. He was older than her, though never felt like he needed to protect her or look out for her. She was his equal. All the way through their teenage years they remained equals. Whenever she'd go down hard on someone, he'd find himself agreeing with her. It wasn't necessarily unusual though the other boys in his year would make fun because he agreed with a girl. They usually ended up with a black eye.

But never, even after her daughter was born and after she'd realised that she couldn't look after a newborn at such a young age, had Alexei seen her cry. She had always stood proud. Anger was usually there instead of sadness. A yell and a punch long before tears or pushing away. One day she'd started wearing rings on each of her digits. Gold rings across the flats of her fingers and thumbs. He'd picked up the habit after they started going out. She'd never asked why. He didn't think she needed to, either. It had always seemed obvious to him. They were equal. They almost seemed linked. They certainly seemed to know each other's thoughts enough to be linked. He'd wondered if they had powers they weren't aware of. More than once, he'd voiced his thoughts. She'd always laughed and said that what they had was more special than any power. Shortly after that, they'd gotten engaged. Her parents disowned her, but she didn't grieve their support. She'd agreed with them doing what they'd said they would. He found more respect for her for that. She seemed to know that.

Over the years, her face grew sharper. Her cheek bones angled, her jaw became defined, her hair began being pulled back into a tight bun. She grew cold and cruel and more beautiful to him. He still found her warmth, in cold nights once they'd done whatever they'd needed to and treated each other's wounds. They'd wrap each other up in blankets or dressing gowns or both and cuddle on the sofa with some crappy movie on TV. Their hair would relax, platinum and shining, and so would they. Even then he felt her strength. Even when she was painful and aching. Even when her strong, perfect appearance was shattered and splintered. Even then she had strength.

He only saw her cold and cruel shield break once before they left Russia. Her parents refused to let her say goodbye to her daughter. She had been on the phone to them the night before they were due to leave. After she put the phone down, he knew it had gone badly. She didn't say anything about what they'd said. She didn't need to. His beautiful, strong wife was crying at the time. He knew what they'd said. He knew they'd disagreed. On the plane to American, she told him quietly exactly what they'd said.

"Они сказали, что я не была пригодна, чтобы увидеть ее. Они сказали, что я не должен был позвонить. Они сказали, что она не моя дочь."
They said I wasn't fit to see her. They said I shouldn't have phoned. They said she wasn't my daughter.

Her words were soft as she looked at her hands, chewing on her deep red lips. He shook his head, hand moving to hold hers.

"Вы ее мать. Вы для нее важнее, чем они. Однажды, она сделает ее решения."
You are her mother. You are more important to her than they are. One day, she will make her decision.

She looked at him, smiling before she brought his hand to her mouth and pressed her lips to the flats of his fingers lovingly.

"Спасибо тебе, мой медведь. Я люблю тебя."
Thank you, my bear. I love you.

They spent years being strong. Being the leaders of Chernyy Alfa. Being the ones that other mobs feared next to Joker. They didn't fear him. Valentina had always called him a joke. Alexei had respected him in a strange way. The man had been able to get all of the other mobs to fear him. Valentina had never seen why. He was a clown. He was an American. He'd also had no interest in them. They hadn't had much interest in him, either, from a business point of view.

The last time Alexei saw his wife shatter, though, was horrible for him. It broke his heart in the same way the situation broke hers. They saw each other as they'd met. They'd both recognised the child they'd met all those years ago. The dark haired children who'd become equals so easily...



They were walking like normal. They were walking and talking, going between two of their buildings to get to the main path. A figure moved towards them, though neither of them took any notice of the figure at first. It wasn't until they moved forward swiftly and jammed a blade into Alexei's throat that they got close to paying attention to the figure. It happened so quickly that neither of them realised at first. The figure moved away like smoke, though didn't leave the area. Alexei stumbled before falling. Valentina gripped him tightly, trying to support him.

"Алексей. Алексей!"
Alexei. Alexei!

Her hand moved to cover the wound as she eased him to the ground. He was gripping her tightly, gulping and gurgling on his own blood as it flooded his throat, making it difficult for him to breathe. Her façade of emotionlessness faded, silent tears escaping her grasp on them. He hit the floor with a thump, with her hand still pressed against the bloody hole in his neck. Her eyes were fixated on his face. Her tears streaking her cheeks. Her other hand moved to his bearded face. She cupped his cheek gently, her thumb moving to brush his skin.

"Не уходи. Мы сказали вместе. Мы всегда говорили вместе. Мой медведя. Мой прекрасный медведь..."
Don't go. We said together. We always said together. My bear. My beautiful bear...

She was sobbing through her words. His hand raised to her cheek. His eyes on hers. He pulled her closer to her and gently pressed his lips to hers. She was still in tears, though he could feel herself fixing her emotional armour. He could feel herself collecting her thoughts. As they pulled away from each other, he saw she wasn't crying.

"Мой медведя."
My bear.

"Моя красота."
My beauty.

Her armour slipped. She bit her bottom lip at his rasping voice before she shook her head definately. They had nothing to say to each other. Almost nothing. She could feel him letting go. She pressed her lips to his forehead once, her hand that wasn't against his throat running through his hair as he saw his beautiful wife building her defences before his eyes. She wouldn't grieve.

"Я люблю тебя. Я на вашей стороне."
I love you. I'm by your side.

He gave a slight nod, his eyes slipping close. As his last whispers of sight slowly faded, he saw her turn her head to the one responsible. He saw her anger and her strength. He knew she would go crashing down on whoever had done this. He let go with that knowledge, slipping into the abyss as she stayed by his side. Together, they had said. Together had failed.