Page 69 of Pistols and Plush Toys

“I am surprised you did not know,” Nikolai said, tilting his head. “You know many thing about cooking.”

It was a breath of fresh air to talk about something safe and comforting like cooking. “I knowofRussian crêpes,” Elliot said. “But I’ve never looked up a recipe to make them. I guessthe name isn’t in my brain.” He gazed up at Nikolai, and had a distant thought that here Elliot was, in bed with a strong, powerful man standing above him, and yet he wasn’t afraid. “Should I have made blini instead of the French crêpes?”

The corner of Nikolai's mouth quirked. “I’m would not say no, if you are up for challenge.”

Challenge?

Oh, that was right. Nikolai had said he’d had issues finding a chef that could make good Russian cuisine.

“I can do some research—” Elliot started, before remembering he had neither phone nor computer to do so.

There was a moment of silence where maybe Nikolai realized the same thing. Then, “I’m say before, but say again, you are not prisoner here,” Nikolai said, coming closer to the bed. “I will bring you new phone tomorrow. For research.”

Elliot felt the surprise lift his features. “Oh, you—”don’t have to,he caught himself almost saying. But a phone would besonice to have. Just to look things up, to have access to his puzzle games again, to be able toconnectwith the outside world. “Thank you,” he finished, picking at the bedspread. He wished he could say something likeI’ll pay you back,but Elliot didn’t knowhow.He wasn’t working, he currently didn’t have a penny to his name. If Nikolai did decide he was too much trouble and turned him out, Elliot didn’t—

His throat was suddenly so dry.

He didn’t know what he’ddo.

“Here is TV too,” Nikolai said, gesturing to what Elliot had thought was just a large framed piece of art on the wall. “Is remote in bedside table. Something like five thousand channels I think.” Nikolai wrinkled his nose.

“Five thousand?”

Nikolai shrugged. “Meredith wanted to watch her sport teams, I do not know.”

“Oh,” Elliot said. He hadn’t really pictured the mysterious and all-powerful Meredith as someone who liked watching sports, but all Elliotreallyknew about her was that she was terrifyingly competent. “What, um, what are some shows you like?”

“There is show called Checklists,” Nikolai said after a second. “Is gameshow. The people who play, they have to solve puzzles.”

“Puzzles?” Elliot said, perking up. “Like what?”

“Well, eh…” Nikolai waved his hands in the air, making vague shapes. “One episode, everyone had plastic straws and tape and one egg, and they were having to build something to put the egg inside. And then drop the egg out of window, and winner was person with egg that did not break.”

Elliot felt himself smile. “That sounds fun.”

Nikolai smiled back, and Elliot’s face warmed just from having someone react—reactpositivelyto something he said. Instead of with anger. “Is fun, yes. Gerard make me watch the first time, but then I watch without him.”

“If you and Gerard both like it, it must be good,” Elliot said.

“Is easy to find, you can search it on TV,” Nikolai said. “But tomorrow maybe? Has been… long day for you. Many long days, maybe.”

“Yeah,” Elliot said quietly, setting his puzzle book and pen on the nightstand and curling an arm around Apricot. “A little.”

He watched Nikolai's eyes take in Apricot, and his face softened. “Then you sleep,” Nikolai said, voice soft. “Okay? Try to rest.”

“Okay,” Elliot said. “And… thank you. Again. For coming to get me. And letting me stay here. And—and for taking care of Apricot.” He had a sudden thought and before he could hold the words, blurted out, “Is um, is there a reason Max isn’t… here?”

Did you decide to take him away?

As soon as he said it, he cringed in on himself. It was stupid to care about a plush toy.

But he pulled Apricot closer anyway.

“Max got hurt when you were taken,” Nikolai said. He pointed to his own eye. “His eye, it got stepped on I think? So I’m having to take it back to the store to get him fixed up better. But should only be few days, they say.”

Elliot blinked, having thoroughly not expected that. “Oh. I… thank you.”

Nikolai lifted a hand, opened his mouth, and then let his hand drop back down to his side. When he spoke again, his voice still had that same soft quality. “Is not something you need thanking me for. And… is no trouble. You are not trouble.”

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