From Russia With Love (Part 8 - The End)
Summary - Modern day AU/AU. Jack is a fashion stylist and meets Ennis one night in a club.
Length - c800 words. Sorry it's kinda short. Look out for an epilogue over the next couple of weeks :)
Feedback - yes please!
A big hug of appreciation to the fantastic sandscrit for the beta!
Click below...
(from Part 7)
An American passport.
Well shit.
Ennis flicked it open and pointed to the middle of the photo page.
‘Place of Birth - Maryland, USA.’
“Holy crap,” Jack said loudly. “You’re American.”
From Russia With Love
****
Part 8
****
“No,” Ennis shook his head. He typed quickly.
I am Russian. I cannot speak English well. I was only born in America. My father worked here for a while.
Seriously? What did he do?
I don’t know. Something in politics.
Wow. Like a Diplomat?
I guess. He died a long time ago. We moved back to Moscow when I was very young.
Jack nodded. That figured. “Sorry about your dad,” he said.
It’s ok. It was a long time ago. I don’t remember him.
Even so, it was still sad to grow up without a parent. Jack knew that first hand - he hadn’t seen his own father in nearly twenty years.
“So, what now?” he asked. He started to type, but Ennis stopped him, curling his fingers over Jack’s arm.
“I understand that,” he said with a smile.
“Do you understand much?”
Ennis shrugged. “Sometimes.”
Jack had suddenly had enough of the chat. He wanted to get out of here and actions spoke louder than words. He downed his beer quickly and grabbed Ennis’ hand. “Let’s take a walk.”
It had rained during their time in the bar and the streets were slick and shiny with water, the lights of the city reflected in shallow puddles. Jack pulled Ennis close and hugged his waist. Ennis felt a little stiff but didn’t resist. Jack let his arm drop but Ennis grabbed his hand and kept him close. The gesture made Jack feel warm and happy inside. Content.
They walking in silence for a while, watching the city rush past, happy to just be together.
“I love New York at night,” Jack said. “It’s so alive. So beautiful.”
Ennis grunted in reply.
“How do you say that? In Russian?” Jack wondered out loud.
Ennis looked at him questioningly.
Jack slid his phone from his pocket and translated.
How do I say ‘beautiful’?
“Ah,” Ennis smiled. “Grassy weed”
Grassy weed. Jack had a flash of déjà vu when he realized he had heard Ennis say that before. In the club in Moscow. The first time they had met. Shortly before they said goodbye. He didn’t want to think about that right now though, Ennis was here and there was no way he was going to say goodbye to him again without a damn good fight.
The fine rain had started coming down again, the air thick with mist that settled onto Ennis’ hair and made his curls spring free. Jack had the sudden urge to comb his fingers through Ennis’ hair and mess it all up, continue the work that rain had started. They passed a recessed doorway to a bookshop and Jack tugged Ennis into the dark space, out of the sight of passers by. He reached up and speared his hands into Ennis’ hair, rubbing over his head and loosening his blond curls. Ennis closed his eyes with a hum and let Jack stroke and caress him. Ennis slid his hands down to Jack’s ass, pulling him close, and they ended up in a gentle embrace. Jack buried his face into Ennis’ neck, breathing in the divine scent of his man mixed with fresh rain. It was so perfect he knew he wanted this. Always.
“Can you stay?” Jack mumbled, “in New York. Forever?”
“Hmm.” Ennis swayed against him, almost as if they were dancing again. “I like it here.”
Jack laughed. “Yeah, me too. Fucking love it. It’s the best place on earth.” He pulled back Ennis’ head and kissed him, lips softly caressing his mouth. “New York’s pretty damn good too.”
They made out for a few minutes, until a man with a small dog walked past the doorway. The man didn’t see them but the dog sniffed at them curiously. Dogs aside, Jack didn’t want to risk making this into a public performance. He reluctantly extracted Ennis’ hands from the back of his jeans and pulled him out of the doorway, back onto the glistening street.
“Home?” Jack said, moving his hands above his head to make the sign for a roof.
Ennis’ mouth twitched and he shook his head. “No. More… ” He swept his arm around, gesturing at their lively surroundings. “More this. Me and you.”
Jack grinned and started walking backwards, away from Ennis. “Oh yeah, that I can do. That I can definitely do. With pleasure.” He crooked a finger at Ennis, beckoning at him to follow.
Ennis smiled and jogged to catch him up, his hand grabbing at Jack’s arm.
Jack wound his fingers into Ennis’ and led him into the night. “Come with me,” he said. “Let me show you my city.”
****
THE END
****
Length - c800 words. Sorry it's kinda short. Look out for an epilogue over the next couple of weeks :)
Feedback - yes please!
A big hug of appreciation to the fantastic sandscrit for the beta!
Click below...
(from Part 7)
An American passport.
Well shit.
Ennis flicked it open and pointed to the middle of the photo page.
‘Place of Birth - Maryland, USA.’
“Holy crap,” Jack said loudly. “You’re American.”
From Russia With Love
****
Part 8
****
“No,” Ennis shook his head. He typed quickly.
I am Russian. I cannot speak English well. I was only born in America. My father worked here for a while.
Seriously? What did he do?
I don’t know. Something in politics.
Wow. Like a Diplomat?
I guess. He died a long time ago. We moved back to Moscow when I was very young.
Jack nodded. That figured. “Sorry about your dad,” he said.
It’s ok. It was a long time ago. I don’t remember him.
Even so, it was still sad to grow up without a parent. Jack knew that first hand - he hadn’t seen his own father in nearly twenty years.
“So, what now?” he asked. He started to type, but Ennis stopped him, curling his fingers over Jack’s arm.
“I understand that,” he said with a smile.
“Do you understand much?”
Ennis shrugged. “Sometimes.”
Jack had suddenly had enough of the chat. He wanted to get out of here and actions spoke louder than words. He downed his beer quickly and grabbed Ennis’ hand. “Let’s take a walk.”
It had rained during their time in the bar and the streets were slick and shiny with water, the lights of the city reflected in shallow puddles. Jack pulled Ennis close and hugged his waist. Ennis felt a little stiff but didn’t resist. Jack let his arm drop but Ennis grabbed his hand and kept him close. The gesture made Jack feel warm and happy inside. Content.
They walking in silence for a while, watching the city rush past, happy to just be together.
“I love New York at night,” Jack said. “It’s so alive. So beautiful.”
Ennis grunted in reply.
“How do you say that? In Russian?” Jack wondered out loud.
Ennis looked at him questioningly.
Jack slid his phone from his pocket and translated.
How do I say ‘beautiful’?
“Ah,” Ennis smiled. “Grassy weed”
Grassy weed. Jack had a flash of déjà vu when he realized he had heard Ennis say that before. In the club in Moscow. The first time they had met. Shortly before they said goodbye. He didn’t want to think about that right now though, Ennis was here and there was no way he was going to say goodbye to him again without a damn good fight.
The fine rain had started coming down again, the air thick with mist that settled onto Ennis’ hair and made his curls spring free. Jack had the sudden urge to comb his fingers through Ennis’ hair and mess it all up, continue the work that rain had started. They passed a recessed doorway to a bookshop and Jack tugged Ennis into the dark space, out of the sight of passers by. He reached up and speared his hands into Ennis’ hair, rubbing over his head and loosening his blond curls. Ennis closed his eyes with a hum and let Jack stroke and caress him. Ennis slid his hands down to Jack’s ass, pulling him close, and they ended up in a gentle embrace. Jack buried his face into Ennis’ neck, breathing in the divine scent of his man mixed with fresh rain. It was so perfect he knew he wanted this. Always.
“Can you stay?” Jack mumbled, “in New York. Forever?”
“Hmm.” Ennis swayed against him, almost as if they were dancing again. “I like it here.”
Jack laughed. “Yeah, me too. Fucking love it. It’s the best place on earth.” He pulled back Ennis’ head and kissed him, lips softly caressing his mouth. “New York’s pretty damn good too.”
They made out for a few minutes, until a man with a small dog walked past the doorway. The man didn’t see them but the dog sniffed at them curiously. Dogs aside, Jack didn’t want to risk making this into a public performance. He reluctantly extracted Ennis’ hands from the back of his jeans and pulled him out of the doorway, back onto the glistening street.
“Home?” Jack said, moving his hands above his head to make the sign for a roof.
Ennis’ mouth twitched and he shook his head. “No. More… ” He swept his arm around, gesturing at their lively surroundings. “More this. Me and you.”
Jack grinned and started walking backwards, away from Ennis. “Oh yeah, that I can do. That I can definitely do. With pleasure.” He crooked a finger at Ennis, beckoning at him to follow.
Ennis smiled and jogged to catch him up, his hand grabbing at Jack’s arm.
Jack wound his fingers into Ennis’ and led him into the night. “Come with me,” he said. “Let me show you my city.”
****
THE END
****