For Anatoly, Homeplot Party

[capable_of]

The party for Anatoly's birthday had been planned for that night, as if he'd been expected home. The island had to be behind this, the timing was too perfect and not surprisingly, this thought didn't comfort Lex one bit. There were dignitaries and other important people, anyone who needed to be seen at the celebration for the current country hero,

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[danseuse_russe]

Ilona had been sent to bed hours ago but the noise from the party made it impossible to sleep. Besides, her daddy was home and who knows how long he might stay this time? If she got up and said she couldn't sleep, then he would come and read her another story and that was more time she could be with him.

She carefully tiptoed out of her room and down the hall to where the party was but the man who had come with her daddy caught her eye. He seemed so lost and sad that she had to go over to him and take his hand. Maybe he need a story read to him.

"You look sad," she said as she looked up at him. "Do you want to come and read a story? That always makes me feel better."

[capable_of]

The sudden small hand in his startled Lex to the point that he couldn't even attempt to hide it, and that was a rare thing indeed. He took a moment to compose himself before looking down at the little girl. Thinking the children would want nothing to do with him, Lex hadn't thought to ask Anatoly how his handlers usually handled interactions with the children. He had just assumed he'd stay out to the way and be a jealous but silent observer.

Swallowing, Lex knelt down on one knee. "Ilona, shouldn't you be in bed?" He had absolutely no idea what to do, having never really had experience with small children, even as a small child himself.

Also, being this was his first real close up contact with Ilona, he couldn't help but think Anatoly's daughter was absolutely beautiful.

[danseuse_russe]

"I couldn't sleep," she answered truthfully. "The party's too loud. I thought maybe Papa could come read me another story but I think he's too busy. Would you come read to me?" She remembered her mama was always after her to be polite, so she added, "Please?"

[capable_of]

Lex desperately wanted to say no. To tell her that he was to busy looking after her father, to go back to bed and not bother him. Not to mention he was terrified at the thought of being alone with a small child. He was Lionel Luthor's son, what did he know about children?

But it was the earnest please that did it and Lex's eyes half closed in a sigh. He couldn't deny her. "Alright. But a quick one."

[danseuse_russe]

Ilona beamed happily and tugged him over to her room. She liked this man much better than the other one. Molokov was creepy and kind of mean and didn't like being nice to anyone at all.

Once in her room, she skipped over to where her books where and handed him her favorite, a collection of fairy tales. She bounded over to the bed and climbed on, hugging her teddy bear to her chest as she looked up at him expectantly.

[capable_of]

Lex was a tiny bit in shock as he allowed himslef to be led by the small girl.

He held the book for a moment, at a lose of what he was supposed to do. Then the pause was because he wasn't sure where he was supposed to read from. As a child, his mother had read to him when he was younger (even his father had on a few noteable occasion but those hadn't been fairy tales) and he'd laid beside her in bed, but he wasn't sure that was a good idea with a child that wasn't his. And what would Anatoly think of Lex reading to his daughter anyway?

But he couldn't refuse that look. Lex walked over and sat down on the edge of the bed next to her. "Which one would you like me to read?" He asked curiously as he forced himself to relax.

[danseuse_russe]

"You could start with the beginning? That would be okay and you could keep reading for awhile," Ilona suggested with a hopeful smile. Usually she could only get one or two stories out of her mama or papa but if she was really quiet and well-behaved then maybe she could get some more.

"Kolya likes hearing stories," she said, holding up her bear. "And so do I."

[capable_of]

Oddly enough, it was her mentioning her teddy bear by name that broke Lex's tension finally and he laughed in relief. "Well, I don't want to disappoint Kolya, now do I?" So he opened the book and started from the beginning.

An hour or so later, Lex was half way through the book, sitting against the head board of Ilona's bed with the little girl curled up half in his lap, half asleep but hanging on to wakefulness enough to keep the stories coming. And Lex didn't mind at all as he kept reading, trying to make then exciting by pitching his voice at key spots.

He was enjoying this, far more then he ever thought he would.

[whoneedsadream]

Anatoly had done his best to be charming and sociable at the party, but eventually he could take no more of it and he excused himself for a bit, pleading the need to check on his children. Lex had disappeared sometime during this, he had noted, but he knew he couldn't ask without raising suspicion. First, the children then perhaps Lex would come back by the time he returned to the party.

Dmitri was sound asleep when he looked in on him, so he only stayed long enough to press a kiss to his forehead and tuck the covers in more closely around him.

When he peered into Ilona's room, he gaped in surprise. There Lex was, reading to his daughter, and it was possibly one of the most touching things he had ever seen. He quickly stepped inside and closed the door behind him.

He didn't want to interrupt so he waited until Lex had finished the story he was reading before coming over to sit on the other side of the bed, pressing a soft kiss to his daughter's forehead. "Now how many stories have you gotten from Sascha, hmm?"

[capable_of]

When Lex heard the door open, his body went taunt as he prepared to defend himself and what he was doing. When he glanced up and saw the look on Anatoly's face, his voice broke for a moment. He honestly hadn't expected to be found like this but if he had...that's not the reaction he expected.

But the last thing Lex wanted to was disappoint Ilona so he finished the story and closed the book with a finger marking his place. He watched Anatoly carefully, just in case his true reaction was delayed and in part as retaliation for being ignored all day, even if it was part of his role.

And yet again, Anatoly managed to surprise him by calling him Sascha, which in reality could be dangerous in this situation...but touched Lex more then Anatoly could ever know, to the point he was speechless.

[danseuse_russe]

Ilona had tried her hardest not to fall asleep though the sound of the man's voice was soothing. He was going through the book like she had hoped he would and if she fell asleep, he would leave.

Then her papa came in and made everything better just by being there. She scrambled over to hug him tightly, making Kolya fall off the bed in the process. "Not many," she claimed, her eyes wide. "He could still read some more, couldn't he, Papa? Please?"

[capable_of]

As if to give father and daughter some privacy, Lex bent down to rescue the teddy bear. As he sat up to return the toy, he was about to make his excuse to leave so they could have this time together but stopped when Ilona asked Anatoly if he could stay. As reluctant as he was to give up spending time with the little girl, he asked softly, "Wouldn't you rather your father read to you now that he's here?"

[whoneedsadream]

Anatoly kissed Ilona's forehead again, hugging her tightly. As much as he would have loved to say yes, he was afraid that their absence would be noticed if they stayed too long. Besides, it was certainly well past Ilona's bedtime and she needed to get some sleep, no matter how much she claimed otherwise.

"I think you should get some sleep, sweetheart. It's been a long day and you've been up far too late." Despite her protests, he firmly pulled the covers over her, making sure both she and Kolya were tucked in. "Perhaps tomorrow, if Sascha would like, he could read a little more."

He glanced over at Lex uncertainly, wondering if he had said the right thing.

[capable_of]

As Anatoly began to tuck her in, Lex stood up and moved away from the bed. It looked like his time with Ilona was over and he was to regulated to the outside of the crowd. At least here...here someone had seemed to notice him.

Granted, Lex knew this line of thinking wasn't fair to Anatoly, so he hid it behind a firm facade as he moved towards the door, hands crossed over his chest. He almost misses what Anatoly says and he turns to give Ilona a soft smile. "Of course. It would be an honor." And it was the honest truth.