From Russia With Love (Part 7)
Summary - Modern day AU/AU. Jack is a fashion stylist and meets Ennis one night in a club.
Length - c1,300 words. Penultimate Part :(
Feedback - yes please!
A huge thank you to the lovely sandscrit for the beta :)
Click below...
Jack and Ennis reunited and the sparks flew...
From Russia With Love
****
Part 7
****
Jack leaned forward and twisted the tap to let more hot water into the bath. The bubbly water sloshed around him as two hands snaked around his waist and pulled him back against a warm, wet torso. He leaned back into the embrace with relish and lifted his arms to wind them around Ennis’ neck, humming in pleasure as Ennis stroked his hands across his chest.
“This is so nice,” Jack murmured, mostly to himself. “You’ve no idea how often I thought about doing this.”
“Mmm. Nice,” Ennis replied.
Jack smiled. “So how much English *do* you speak?”
Ennis squeezed Jack tighter, then raised one hand, holding his finger and thumb a fraction of an inch apart. “Little.”
“Yeah?”
Ennis bent his head and nuzzled Jack’s ear. “Yes. I am learning.”
“You are?”
“Yes. Anja.”
“Anja helped you?”
“Yes.”
Wow, Jack was impressed - both that Anja had helped him, and that Ennis had taken the initiative to learn. He couldn’t say the same for himself. He still knew only one word of Russian, maybe two if you could class ‘Ennis’ as a Russian word.
“That’s great, Ennis.”
“Mmm.” Ennis hummed again and nuzzled Jack’s ear.
Jack turned and planted a wet kiss on Ennis’ lips, thinking how utterly normal this was and how he could happily take a bath with Ennis every day for the rest of his life.
“So… how long are you in town?”
Ennis made a questioning noise.
“Uh… you stay here… how long?” Jack tried to clarify.
“Here?” Ennis said, pointing down at the tub.
Jack laughed. “No. Here.” He swept his hands around. “New York.”
“Ah.” Ennis replied. “Long.” He spread his arms as wide as he could.
Jack smiled and grabbed Ennis’ arms, pulling them back around his body. “Good.”
“Yes.” Ennis slid his hands down back under the water and encouraged Jack to turn around. The bath was a bit narrow, but Jack managed to straddle Ennis’ thighs without too much trouble. Ennis scooted forward and Jack hooked his legs around Ennis’ back, pulling their soapy bodies together. “Very good.”
Jack looked down into Ennis’ smoky brown eyes and wondered how he had gotten so lucky. The sexiest guy he had ever seen was naked, in his bath, locked between Jack’s legs. Ennis smiled up at him and cupped Jack’s face, pulling it close to give him a lingering kiss.
“I don’t want to ever let you go,” Jack whispered.
Ennis wrapped his arms around Jack, hugging him tight, saying the exact same thing without uttering a word.
****
Jack twisted up Anja’s glossy hair and pinned it to her head. He caught her eye as she looked in the mirror.
“Thank you,” he winked at her.
Anja smiled back. “My pleasure.” She crossed her slender legs and smoothed the creases out of her dress. “He likes you. A lot. You both look very happy.”
They both turned to look at Ennis, who was sitting in a chair across the bustling room. He had his eyes closed as the stylists did something to his hair. It was slicked back and he looked very sophisticated. He had an air of quiet contentment about him that belied the craziness of his surroundings.
“I am happy,” Jack said. “Ennis said he’ll be here in the US for a long time. How long?”
Anja shrugged one shoulder, a hint of sadness clouding her features. “I do not know, Jack. Forever, maybe?”
“What?” Jack nearly dropped his brush. “Seriously? How? Why?” he spluttered.
Anja swung the chair around to face him. “His sister lives here.”
“Sister?”
“Yes. She married American man. She lives… ah… Merry… Mary… “
“Maryland?” Jack guessed.
“Yes!”
Well shit, that was only about four hours away. “Ennis is going to live with her?”
Anja shrugged again. “Maybe.”
“Does he have other family here?” Jack was now as curious as hell. Crap, he had about a million questions he wanted to ask.
“He did. His father lived here too. He died.”
“Oh no,” Jack felt awful. “Poor Ennis. Was it recent?”
“No, no,” Anja shook her head. “Long time ago.”
“His mother?”
“Lives in Moscow. With new husband.”
“Wow. Ok.” Jack’s head was spinning. Still so many questions. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Ennis rise up out of his chair and walk towards him. Their eyes met as Ennis passed. Ennis smiled and dragged his fingers across Jack’s palm. Jack clutched at his hand and Ennis turned and walked backwards, their arms outstretched, joined only at the fingertips.
“Later.” Jack said to Ennis, winking at him.
Ennis winked back, smiled and disappeared behind the heavy black curtain which lead to the dressing area.
Jack heard Anja sigh behind him. “I think he is in the right place here,” she said in wonder. “Here in New York.”
Jack turned his eyes back to her. “Yeah?”
“Yes. He is happy.” She stood and gave Jack a tentative hug, careful not to touch her immaculately made up face to his. “If you and Ennis… ah… you will be good to him, yes?”
“Well we have to see what happens, but of course I will.”
Anja patted his cheek and slipped off her cape. She strode away, following Ennis behind the black curtain. It was showtime.
****
Several hours later, Jack and Ennis met for drinks at a small and smoky bar near to the studio. Ennis still had his hair all slicked back from the show. He looked older, more mature, but Jack much preferred him with his blond curls all mussed up and crazy - just as they had the night they had met.
They sat at the bar with beer and cell phones - basically having a conversation via text message.
Anja said you have family here. Jack wrote. Good old Google translated it to Russian, and bingo, he was instantly bilingual.
Ennis read it and nodded. “Yes,” he said. “Sister.”
It sounded like ‘See-star.’ Jack shuddered at Ennis’ accent. Damn, but it was sexy. All deep and rumbling and honey-coated.
Are you close? Do you see her often?
Yes. I visit her once or twice a year.
Any other siblings?
No. Just Eva.
“Eva?” Jack said out loud.
“Yeh-va,” Ennis corrected with a smile.
“Eva.” Jack said again, pronouncing it the same way Ennis had. That earned him another smile - and a dimple. He typed another message.
How long are you here in the USA?
I don’t know.
Why not?
I have nowhere to live. My lease ended in Moscow and I wanted to leave. Move on.
“Move over here?” Jack said in surprise. It seemed like a hell of a big change for Ennis.
Ennis looked at him in confusion, so Jack typed his words for his to read.
Move over here?
Possibly. There isn’t much for me in Russia now.
Your mother is there, isn’t she?
Yes. But we are not close. Not like me and Eva. I left home when I was young.
Oh ok. That saddened Jack. He was close to his own mother, not that he saw her much these days. She had moved to Florida and lived in a retirement village, where she played golf and drank cocktails all day.
Are you allowed to live here? What about work permits and stuff? I’ve heard they are pretty tough to get.
Ennis read the translation and said nothing. He looked at Jack and winked, his eyes glinting with humor.
“What?” Jack asked, confused.
Ennis slid off his stool and squatted down next to his backpack, rummaging around inside it. Jack took a moment to drink his beer, wondering what the hell Ennis was up to now. Ennis finally sat back up and slapped something on the wooden bar between them.
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.”
****
Length - c1,300 words. Penultimate Part :(
Feedback - yes please!
A huge thank you to the lovely sandscrit for the beta :)
Click below...
Jack and Ennis reunited and the sparks flew...
From Russia With Love
****
Part 7
****
Jack leaned forward and twisted the tap to let more hot water into the bath. The bubbly water sloshed around him as two hands snaked around his waist and pulled him back against a warm, wet torso. He leaned back into the embrace with relish and lifted his arms to wind them around Ennis’ neck, humming in pleasure as Ennis stroked his hands across his chest.
“This is so nice,” Jack murmured, mostly to himself. “You’ve no idea how often I thought about doing this.”
“Mmm. Nice,” Ennis replied.
Jack smiled. “So how much English *do* you speak?”
Ennis squeezed Jack tighter, then raised one hand, holding his finger and thumb a fraction of an inch apart. “Little.”
“Yeah?”
Ennis bent his head and nuzzled Jack’s ear. “Yes. I am learning.”
“You are?”
“Yes. Anja.”
“Anja helped you?”
“Yes.”
Wow, Jack was impressed - both that Anja had helped him, and that Ennis had taken the initiative to learn. He couldn’t say the same for himself. He still knew only one word of Russian, maybe two if you could class ‘Ennis’ as a Russian word.
“That’s great, Ennis.”
“Mmm.” Ennis hummed again and nuzzled Jack’s ear.
Jack turned and planted a wet kiss on Ennis’ lips, thinking how utterly normal this was and how he could happily take a bath with Ennis every day for the rest of his life.
“So… how long are you in town?”
Ennis made a questioning noise.
“Uh… you stay here… how long?” Jack tried to clarify.
“Here?” Ennis said, pointing down at the tub.
Jack laughed. “No. Here.” He swept his hands around. “New York.”
“Ah.” Ennis replied. “Long.” He spread his arms as wide as he could.
Jack smiled and grabbed Ennis’ arms, pulling them back around his body. “Good.”
“Yes.” Ennis slid his hands down back under the water and encouraged Jack to turn around. The bath was a bit narrow, but Jack managed to straddle Ennis’ thighs without too much trouble. Ennis scooted forward and Jack hooked his legs around Ennis’ back, pulling their soapy bodies together. “Very good.”
Jack looked down into Ennis’ smoky brown eyes and wondered how he had gotten so lucky. The sexiest guy he had ever seen was naked, in his bath, locked between Jack’s legs. Ennis smiled up at him and cupped Jack’s face, pulling it close to give him a lingering kiss.
“I don’t want to ever let you go,” Jack whispered.
Ennis wrapped his arms around Jack, hugging him tight, saying the exact same thing without uttering a word.
****
Jack twisted up Anja’s glossy hair and pinned it to her head. He caught her eye as she looked in the mirror.
“Thank you,” he winked at her.
Anja smiled back. “My pleasure.” She crossed her slender legs and smoothed the creases out of her dress. “He likes you. A lot. You both look very happy.”
They both turned to look at Ennis, who was sitting in a chair across the bustling room. He had his eyes closed as the stylists did something to his hair. It was slicked back and he looked very sophisticated. He had an air of quiet contentment about him that belied the craziness of his surroundings.
“I am happy,” Jack said. “Ennis said he’ll be here in the US for a long time. How long?”
Anja shrugged one shoulder, a hint of sadness clouding her features. “I do not know, Jack. Forever, maybe?”
“What?” Jack nearly dropped his brush. “Seriously? How? Why?” he spluttered.
Anja swung the chair around to face him. “His sister lives here.”
“Sister?”
“Yes. She married American man. She lives… ah… Merry… Mary… “
“Maryland?” Jack guessed.
“Yes!”
Well shit, that was only about four hours away. “Ennis is going to live with her?”
Anja shrugged again. “Maybe.”
“Does he have other family here?” Jack was now as curious as hell. Crap, he had about a million questions he wanted to ask.
“He did. His father lived here too. He died.”
“Oh no,” Jack felt awful. “Poor Ennis. Was it recent?”
“No, no,” Anja shook her head. “Long time ago.”
“His mother?”
“Lives in Moscow. With new husband.”
“Wow. Ok.” Jack’s head was spinning. Still so many questions. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Ennis rise up out of his chair and walk towards him. Their eyes met as Ennis passed. Ennis smiled and dragged his fingers across Jack’s palm. Jack clutched at his hand and Ennis turned and walked backwards, their arms outstretched, joined only at the fingertips.
“Later.” Jack said to Ennis, winking at him.
Ennis winked back, smiled and disappeared behind the heavy black curtain which lead to the dressing area.
Jack heard Anja sigh behind him. “I think he is in the right place here,” she said in wonder. “Here in New York.”
Jack turned his eyes back to her. “Yeah?”
“Yes. He is happy.” She stood and gave Jack a tentative hug, careful not to touch her immaculately made up face to his. “If you and Ennis… ah… you will be good to him, yes?”
“Well we have to see what happens, but of course I will.”
Anja patted his cheek and slipped off her cape. She strode away, following Ennis behind the black curtain. It was showtime.
****
Several hours later, Jack and Ennis met for drinks at a small and smoky bar near to the studio. Ennis still had his hair all slicked back from the show. He looked older, more mature, but Jack much preferred him with his blond curls all mussed up and crazy - just as they had the night they had met.
They sat at the bar with beer and cell phones - basically having a conversation via text message.
Anja said you have family here. Jack wrote. Good old Google translated it to Russian, and bingo, he was instantly bilingual.
Ennis read it and nodded. “Yes,” he said. “Sister.”
It sounded like ‘See-star.’ Jack shuddered at Ennis’ accent. Damn, but it was sexy. All deep and rumbling and honey-coated.
Are you close? Do you see her often?
Yes. I visit her once or twice a year.
Any other siblings?
No. Just Eva.
“Eva?” Jack said out loud.
“Yeh-va,” Ennis corrected with a smile.
“Eva.” Jack said again, pronouncing it the same way Ennis had. That earned him another smile - and a dimple. He typed another message.
How long are you here in the USA?
I don’t know.
Why not?
I have nowhere to live. My lease ended in Moscow and I wanted to leave. Move on.
“Move over here?” Jack said in surprise. It seemed like a hell of a big change for Ennis.
Ennis looked at him in confusion, so Jack typed his words for his to read.
Move over here?
Possibly. There isn’t much for me in Russia now.
Your mother is there, isn’t she?
Yes. But we are not close. Not like me and Eva. I left home when I was young.
Oh ok. That saddened Jack. He was close to his own mother, not that he saw her much these days. She had moved to Florida and lived in a retirement village, where she played golf and drank cocktails all day.
Are you allowed to live here? What about work permits and stuff? I’ve heard they are pretty tough to get.
Ennis read the translation and said nothing. He looked at Jack and winked, his eyes glinting with humor.
“What?” Jack asked, confused.
Ennis slid off his stool and squatted down next to his backpack, rummaging around inside it. Jack took a moment to drink his beer, wondering what the hell Ennis was up to now. Ennis finally sat back up and slapped something on the wooden bar between them.
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.”
****