Page 49 of Pistols and Plush Toys

“Is my name,” Nikolai said. “Nikolai. You can say that, not Mr. Tkachenko, okay?” He tried offering Brooks a smile. “Is maybe easier to say when you’re annoyed with me, instead of Mr. Tkachenko.” He tapped his chin. “Maybe actually you say Mr. Tkachenko when annoyed. Like calling me my father.”

“No!” Brooks said, louder than he’d been. Then, quieter, “I mean, no, um—Nikolai. If Mr. Tkachenko is your dad then… I’ll call you Nikolai.”

“Even if annoyed with me?” Nikolai asked, teasing.

It worked. Brooks let out a sound that could have almost been a giggle, if a nervous one. “Okay.” Then he bit his lip. “But, um…?”

“No biting,” Nikolai said, keeping his tone gentle. Brooks reacted world’s better to softness, and he didn’t need Nikolai to keep snapping at him for something he clearly did as second-nature. “What it is you’re wanting to ask?”

Brooks released his lip, fidgeting with his napkin. “Oh, just um. If I’m calling you Nikolai, could you call me Elliot? Instead of Mr. Brooks?”

The instinct to deny him was strong. That was letting him in tooclose.Brooks wasn’t a friend. He was a captive. And he would be leaving soon, Nikolai was sure of it. Going back to Vitale.

The thought was sour.

Brooks bit his lip for a reason. He was so meek for areason.

What did it matter, in the end, to let Brooks—Elliot—be called what he wished to be called? He would be leaving. Once Nikolai reached an agreement with the Vitale family, he would need to give Elliot back to them. To showNikolaiwould uphold his end of a bargain.

Nikolai couldn’t keep him, even if Elliot wanted to stay.

“Elliot,” he said, because what else could he do? “Okay.”

Elliot beamed at him. Over such a simple thing. “Thank you, Nikolai.”

It was like seeing the sun.

Nikolai glanced to the gift box still sitting innocuously on the other side of the table. Maybe he could keep seeing that smile.

“You are done eating?”

Elliot nodded, and they worked together packing up the leftovers and tossing the empty containers. Elliot was getting very familiar with the kitchen, and went to put the food in the refrigerator for them. Nikolai made sure the table was clean and then went to grab the box.

He held it out without fanfare. “Is for you.”

“For… for me?” Elliot asked, sounding uncertain.

“Yes,” Nikolai said. Then more words tripped out of him. “Think maybe… you would like.”

“Oh, um, thank you.” Elliot took the box in his arms and tentatively reached for the ribbon bow.

For some reason, Nikolai's heart started beating faster. He’d told himself that it had made sense to buy the bear. That it would be good to give Elliot something he’d like while he was here, just a small thing to offer comfort in an environment that scared him, stressed him out. People needed good things in their lives to get through hard times, Nikolai knew that very well. It had seemed cruel, in some ways,notto get Elliot something… soft.

But now, watching Elliot unwrap the gift, it felt strangely revealing. Like something Nikolai couldn’t afford to be showing to anyone, let alone the romantic partner of his currentproblem.

It was too late to take it back now.

Elliot undid the bow and then lifted the top of the box. The bear was covered in a layer of tissue paper, but the moment the lid was removed, it was easy to see what was inside. He watched Elliot make that realization, his eyes going wide as his hands reached to lift the stuffed animal out of the box.

“This… is for me?” His voice was a wisp of a thing, but for once it wasn’t from fear. It was wonder.

It made an uncomfortable emotion swoop in the bottom of Nikolai's stomach, but he couldn’t make himself look away from Elliot as he set the box on the table and then lifted the bear out of the tissue paper. “Yes.”

He watched Elliot’s fingers rub over the bear, tracing over the ears and down to its face. Nikolai knew just how soft that fur was, but he couldn’t help wondering if it was up to standard. He’d only touched the giraffe once, but now he could no longer recall what it felt like.

Elliot stared at the bear for a long time, his face going through several emotions. His lip wobbled and he snagged it between his teeth again. When he looked up at Nikolai again, his eyes were glassy. “Why…?”

Nikolai swallowed hard, feeling a frisson of discomfort move through him. He shrugged, and finally forced his gaze away. “I’m thinking maybe you can use another friend here, I don’t know,” he said, too gruff. “Is not big deal.”

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