Page 147 of Pistols and Plush Toys

But he could at least tell him about Vitale returning.

As he strode into the living room, he found Elliot standing, one hip leaned against the arm of the couch, eyes on his phone. He was frowning, his brows knit together. But when he noticed Nikolai, he looked up and smiled.

Nikolai’s stomach flipped.

“Welcome back,” Elliot said. Then he paused, looking Nikolai up and down. “How did… things go today?”

It was painfully touching that he cared. And it made everything so much harder. “Was fine,” Nikolai said. He didn’t want to go into detail about his “meetings.” What was done was done, and now he was home. “But I have something to tell you. Vitale is returning next week.”

He saw the news hit, the way Elliot sucked in a breath, his hand tightening around his phone. “Oh.”

“He won’t hurt you again,” Nikolai promised. “He won’t touch you.”

Elliot bit at his lip, rubbed at his shoulder with his free hand. “No, I—I know.” His smile was a tremulous thing, but he wastrying.So fucking brave. “You’ve, um, you’ve really done a lot to… to help me feel safe.”

“Is… very good,” Nikolai managed, feeling like he’d been sucker-punched. “I’m glad you feel safe… here.”

Safe with me?

Elliot leaned forward, looking up at him. His eyes were such a pretty color, and this close Nikolai could see the flecks of green and gold within them. His lip was reddened slightly from being bitten, but it was smiling now, a soft little thing, and Nikolai listed forward helplessly—

“I—” Elliot started, and the phone in his hand buzzed. Startled, he broke their eye contact to look down at his phone. It snapped whatever tension had spun up between them.

Nikolai took a deep breath and took a step back.

“Sorry,” Elliot said. “Sorry, I—” He started typing on his phone, looking troubled.

“What is wrong?” Nikolai asked, frowning.

“Xander’s… having some trouble at home,” Elliot said quietly, glancing back up at Nikolai. “We’re just talking about it.”

“Is he okay?” Nikolai asked, frowning harder. Xander was a good friend to Elliot, for all that they hadn’t been back in contact for very long. Was Xander in troubletoo?

“Sort of,” Elliot said, eyes on his phone again. “He lives with his parents. They’re, um… not great.”

“He is not wanting to be there?” Nikolai clarified.

“Yeah,” Elliot said. “It’s just… a bad situation.”

No wonder Elliot was so visibly upset. He knew exactly how difficult it was to be unhappy at home. To be living with someone who wanted to make you miserable.

“Invite him to come out with us,” Nikolai said as soon as the thought occurred.

“What?” Elliot asked, eyes wide.

“To dinner,” Nikolai said. “He is not wanting to be at home, so he can go out with us.”

“But… but tonight is for you and Gerard and Meredith,” Elliot said.

“Is no problem,” Nikolai assured him. “He is important to you, and is hurting. So he’s come, get away from home.”

“You’re–you’re sure?” Elliot was tentatively hopeful, like he liked the idea, but was still afraid to believe Nikolai meant it.

“I’m saying yes,” Nikolai said, doing his best to project encouragement. “Invite him. Will be nice.”

“Okay,” Elliot said, his smile unfurling like a blossom. “I—thank you. Really.”

Nikolai pulled out his own phone. “I will tell them we have guest, okay? Don’t worry.”

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