Page 82 of Pistols and Plush Toys

They took turns in the shower this time, Elliot going first while Nikolai dealt with some things on his phone. Elliot lingered when it was Nikolai’s turn for the shower, worried that he might need help, but Nikolai was quick to assure him that he could handle it.

Elliot tried not to feel disappointed by that.

Instead, he went downstairs to get started on breakfast. Moving around made some new aches known, but after a shower and a fresh set of clothes, he was feeling buoyant, despite everything that had happened yesterday morning.

Elliot cracked eggs and diced vegetables, humming to himself as he thought back on what had happened last night and this morning. They’d had sex. Kissed . He’d had Nikolai so close, around him and… and inside him.

It had been so incredibly good.

Elliot shivered thinking about those big careful hands on him, the way Nikolai had had Sheep kiss down his neck, and followed it later with his own mouth. The way he’d gone so slowly, so carefully. The way even the ache of being penetrated had felt good when Nikolai had done it.

He refused to think of his past experiences, how awful they had been in comparison.

Maybe there would be a time in the future for processing that, but right now Elliot wanted to focus on what was good in his life.

He’d lived through it and come out the other side and now—now he could look toward a better future.

By the time Nikolai came down, Elliot had everything cooking. Instead of going for the coffee machine, Nikolai came up behind him, slowly curling his hands around Elliot’s middle. He kissed Elliot’s cheek and fizzles of warmth went through him.

“Morning,” Nikolai said, soft and sweet. Elliot loved how sweet Nikolai could be.

“Morning,” Elliot said, unable to help his smile.

Nikolai kissed the shell of his ear, squeezing gently at Elliot’s hips, and a spike of sudden heat dropped into Elliot’s stomach.

“You’re distracting me,” Elliot scolded, though he couldn’t stop the laughter coloring his voice.

Nikolai only hummed and curled closer, nuzzling at his hair.

Elliot had never gotten as far as imagining how Nikolai would act if they were in a real relationship, but he was surprised by the blatant affection. Maybe he shouldn’t have been. These last few weeks Nikolai had been warm and attentive and open, doling out humor and praise in spades.

He smiled and pet at Nikolai’s hair with the hand not holding the spatula.

“Is okay if eggs not perfect,” Nikolai rumbled. “Still will taste good. My chef is best, didn’t you know?”

Elliot giggled. “Oh yeah?”

“Yes,” Nikolai said decisively. “Best chef. Also best boyfriend.” He kissed Elliot’s hair and then pulled away, heading to the coffee machine at last. Elliot forced himself to turn his attention back to the omelette that was almost finished.

When he glanced at Nikolai again, it was to see the man watching him, expression thoughtful. It was a thrill to be able to interpret Nikolai’s expressions now. That Elliot had come to know him so well.

“Something on your mind?” Elliot asked, plating the omelette.

“You say before, you’re wanting to be private chef maybe,” Nikolai said.

“Oh, um, yeah,” Elliot said.

“I’m big name,” Nikolai said, puffing up. “Is mean my reference is very good. Meredith, she would know people who might need good private chef. Also people who would understand you taking protection.”

“That would be amazing!” Elliot beamed at him,. Nikolai kept being so kind. Thoughtful. “If you and Meredith wouldn’t mind.”

“We would like it very much,” Nikolai said, picking up his coffee mug and following Elliot to the table. “Gives you good ways to keep busy and happy and cooking. That’s good.”

Elliot’s heart flipped over in his chest as he took his seat. “Well thank you. I really appreciate it.”

“Only best things for best chef and best boyfriend,” Nikolai said warmly, stooping down to kiss Elliot’s cheek again.

***

When they had finished breakfast and Elliot moved to clean up, Nikolai caught him by the sink and kissed him. They spent a few long minutes wrapped up in each other before Nikolai’s phone started buzzing so insistently that Elliot finally pulled back.

“You should handle that,” he said with a smile. His cheeks were sore from smiling.

Nikolai made a face that had Elliot giggling. “Fine, I’m doing my work,” he said with a huff as he backed away, reaching for his phone in his pocket. “But I’m thinking is not so fair I have to do business first morning I have nice new boyfriend.”

“I’ll be here when you’re finished though,” Elliot said.

Nikolai grumbled and pressed one last kiss to his cheek. “Okay, okay.”

Once Nikolai left for his office, Elliot smiled all the way through cleanup and then went to his bedroom, got his notebook, and brought it back to the kitchen table. Because Nikolai had brought up an important topic—how Elliot wanted to look into becoming a private chef for other clients.

If Nikolai and Meredith could help Elliot find clients, it was the other, bigger logistics that would take some work. If he was starting a business, there were a lot of technical aspects. He’d need a website and an email. A way to accept payment. Branding for his business.

But Elliot knew someone who had a degree in business management, and over twenty years of experience running successful businesses. He could ask Meredith where to start.

He could also ask Nikolai or Gerard. Meredith ran a lot of stuff, but Nikolai and Gerard were very hands-on with their jewelry stores. All three of them could have some good insight into what getting a business off the ground would entail.

But now that Elliot was thinking of it, first he should come up with some way to thank them for everything they’d done for him already. The dust was settling and everyone was mostly okay. Elliot wanted some way to show his gratitude.

He tapped his pen against his lips, recalling how excited Gerard had been about trying Elliot’s food.

Cooking was certainly something he could do!

He could throw a dinner party where he cooked for Nikolai, Gerard, and Meredith, the three people who had changed his life for the better in every conceivable way.

Give them a relaxing evening of good company and good food.

He flipped his notebook to a fresh page. A business wouldn’t be built overnight, but a dinner party though, that was a task he could work on now.

But what would he make…?

Elliot scribbled a few options down before the obvious struck him. He still had more translated recipes. That had been a team effort, after all. It would be the perfect thing to serve.

Actually, hadn’t there been one that was burger adjacent? And hadn’t Gerard mentioned wanting a burger…?

Elliot smiled, unlocking his phone to pull up the translated recipe pages.

Then, in his notebook, he started jotting down what he’d need.

***

Excited energy buzzed through Elliot as he moved his way through the kitchen, preparing the kotleti and slicing sweet potatoes. Nikolai was sitting at the kitchen bar, tapping away on his laptop, pausing occasionally to watch.

Technically tonight wouldn’t be Nikolai's first taste of his grandmother’s kotleti recipe. Elliot, in his need to get it right for the dinner party, had done test runs on it earlier in the week, making mini sliders as he adjusted the beef to pork ratio, adding butter, then adding garlic.

Xander and Nikolai had been his taste testers, parking themselves in the kitchen and trying slider after slider until Elliot got it just right.

Watching the two of them together sharing food stories and a meal had filled Elliot’s heart full to bursting. Two people so important to him getting along over food Elliot had made for them… there wasn’t anything better.

“Do you think they’ll like the kotleti?” Elliot asked Nikolai now.

Nikolai smiled before he even looked up from the laptop. “Gerard has been texting me for many days about it.”

Elliot tapped his fingers against the marble countertop. “I just want it to be good.”

“Everything you make is very good,” Nikolai said easily.

Elliot flushed. He still wasn’t used to how easily Nikolai doled out compliments. “How, um, how’s work?”

Nikolai’s eyes flickered briefly back to his screen. “No one is shouting in emails today, so is improvement. And earlier I hear from Vicki Vitale.”

A vice gripped Elliot’s chest hard.

Since Mattia’s death, they hadn’t heard anything from the Vitale’s. There’d been a funeral, listed in the paper, and then silence.

“What… did she say?” Elliot asked hesitantly.

“She was introducing herself as head of Vitale family,” Nikolai said. “She knew Vitale and Tkachenko had agreements before. So now she was asking our future.”

“Is that… good?” Elliot asked.

“Good news, I think.” Nikolai said. “The Vitale family, they are listening to her. So we have new agreement.”

The squeeze around Elliot’s chest eased. “That’s good.”

Nikolai nodded, but now he looked troubled.

“Are you sure it’s all okay?” Elliot asked.

“My plan with Mattia Vitale… it worked, even if agreement is now with Vicki Vitale,” Nikolai said. “Why I’m taking you in the first place.”

The tone shift at the end had Elliot pausing and turning back to him. “Nikolai… I’m glad you took me from Mattia. Even though some of it was scary. Even though some of it hurt.”

“But Котик–” Nikolai started.

“No buts,” Elliot said, cutting in soft but sure. “You’re the best thing to happen in my life. After all of that, I ended up here, with you.” He smiled, if shyly. “I wouldn’t change any of it. Okay?”

“Okay,” Nikolai said, shoulders dropping in surrender. “I’m sorry. Is… stubborn guilt. I don’t like that you were hurt. But you are also one of the best things to me.”

“I’m—I’m glad,” Elliot said, smile growing.

Nikolai pushed up out of his seat. “Yes, okay. We kiss and make up now.”

He was around the counter before Elliot could even finish sputtering, “We weren’t even fighting!”