Page 169 of Pistols and Plush Toys

“Good,” Nikolai said as he aimed for the doorway.

And immediately lowered his gun when Gerard stepped through, having clearly spotted Vitale down in the middle of the floor.

Gerard’s whole face brightened when his eyes found Nikolai’s. He holstered his gun as he strode further into the room. “You fucking bastard! What’d you go and get kidnapped for?”

“Is my big plan,” Nikolai said. His throat was dry and his adrenaline was starting to drop, the pain and exhaustion seepingin. “Think maybe your plan not exciting enough.” Safety reset, Nikolai set the gun on the table and crouched down to Elliot. “Is Gerard,” he told him softly. “My people. We are safe now. Okay?”

“Okay,” Elliot whispered, uncurling slightly.

“That’s a fuckton of blood,” Gerard said, all business. “How much of it is yours?”

He looked down, assessing his own ruined shirt. “Vitale got me with knife,” Nikolai admitted, coaxing Elliot to standing. Normally Nikolai would just scoop him up, but the pain in his nose and the cuts on his arm made that a liability. The last thing this day needed was for him to drop Elliot because he overestimated how much strength he had left.

“Okay,” Gerard said. “Good thing Meredith’s already sending the Doc to your place.”

Nikolai hummed in acknowledgement. The blood and body was a lot though. More than Elliot should have to see.

“Don’t look,” Nikolai told Elliot. “Okay? Don’t look. Look up.” Elliot nodded and turned his face to the ceiling. Nikolai turned to Gerard. “Anyone else hurt?”

“Polina took a bullet to the shoulder, but that’s about it,” Gerard said. “They were sloppy.”

“They were stupid,” Nikolai said, taking Elliot’s hand.

“Also that,” Gerard allowed, leading the way as Nikolai guided Elliot forward. “I’ll take care of clean-up. Alex is here, he’ll drive you back.”

Nikolai nodded his thanks, then carefully led Elliot out of the room and down the hallway, out of the building. Gerard covered them, gun drawn.

But all the Italians had been taken care of, and they made it outside without any further incident.

Nikolai blinked at the bright sunshine. It was still morning. It was looking to be a beautiful, warm day.

Alex met them there and led them to one of the several cars outside, unlocking it. Nikolai opened the door and guided Elliot into the back before getting in after him. Alex got in the driver’s seat.

“You okay, Boss?”Alex asked. Nikolai looked down at himself again. In the bright sunshine, blood really was… everywhere.

“I’ll live,”he said, buckling himself in.“Gerard said Doc’s at the house?”

“Yeah, Boss,”Alex said, starting up the car.

“Then I’ll certainly live that long,”Nikolai said. He turned to Elliot. “Elliot? We’re going home, okay?”

Elliot nodded, and he hiccuped another sob before sinking his teeth ruthlessly into his lower lip.

“Shh, shh,” Nikolai said, hovering his hands uncertainly. Would Elliot want more touch? Not want touch? Fuck, Nikolai was covered in blood—he’d already gotten blood all over Elliot’s shirt. “Shh, is okay. You’re safe. You’re safe, Elliot.”

Elliot nodded, shoulders shaking. He didn’t look like he believed Nikolai.

“No biting, okay?” Nikolai said helplessly. “Please, Elliot. Is okay now. We can go home.”

“Okay,” Elliot whispered. “Yes, please, I-I want to go home.”

Chapter 29: Elliot

As Alex pulled the car out of the lot, leaving the factory behind, Elliot sniffed and wiped at his face, stopping short when he caught sight of his hands.

They were red. Bloodstained.

Elliot heard himself make a thin, horrible sound as he jerked his head up to stare at Nikolai. Because the blood on Elliot’s hands wasNikolai’s.Nikolai was—was covered in blood, his shirt a ruin, the fabric sticky with it.

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