[fic] Paradise Day 4
So sorry for the looong delay. It amazes me how between opening a new branch and starting one more company on top of raising kids and dogs, I still have time to write anything. But it turns out I simply need a little Mik x Fei too! Well, here it is.
Title: Paradise Day 4
Rating: PG13
Warning: Some angst...., too much romance, OOC, ...whatever.... I bloody need it!
Characters: Fei Long, Mikhail.
Disclaimer: All characters belong to YA sensei.
Note: Previous chapters can be found on the links on your left. Special thanks to angel0399 who took the time to beta this chapter and added some very interesting thoughts to make this fic much better than it was.
Comments: No rotten tomatoes on my Paradise series (please kindly keep them for Revelation)! XD I reserve the right to be in paradise before, during, and after writing this fic. *me want to go back to Bora Bora T__T*
The sky flashed once, and illuminated the old barn for a split second. The lighting shone through a small window just above his head, bringing out the rough edges of a face belonging to a middle-aged man, whose grin revealed nothing more than spite and resentment.
Bang!
The lightning struck loud and clear, as if to muffle the cracking sound of the whip burying itself into his skin, and the scream that followed. Something spilled onto his face and dripped down the side of his cheek. At that moment, in the dark, and with his wrists bound above his head, he couldn’t tell if it was the rain that came through the window or his blood. All he knew was that he’d wash it all off when he got out of this barn - a hundred times if that’s what it took to get rid of the stench.
The sky flashed once more. Mikhail’s body jerked up from the bed violently as he was awakened by the sound of thunder that followed. A heavy sigh of relief escaped his lips as he realized where he was. He was still on the deserted island, in the white luxury tent, on his bed. He wiped away the moisture from his face with both palms and stared at them, making sure they weren’t drenched in blood, that what he had seen was just a dream.
It’s been a long time since he had one so real. He turned his head and saw a slender figure lying next to him. How could he have had such a dream when Fei Long was in his arms hours ago, and yet, still by his side? Perhaps it was the storm that reminded him of that wretched night. Strangely how more than a decade had passed, and he could still remember those sounds so vividly.
He rose from the bed quietly, taking care not to wake the man sleeping next to him. Covering his naked body with a towel around his waist, Mikhail made his way to the roofed area outside of the tent. On the way, he picked up the pack of Treasurer Black he’d left unfinished for weeks. It was one of the rare occasions when he needed some air, and even rarer, a cigarette.
Mikhail stood near the tent’s entrance, watching the rain poured down on the beach as violently as the beating of his heart. He took a deep breath before lighting the gold-tipped cigarette, and placed it between his lips. There would be no more sleep for the night. The last time he had such a dream, he wasn’t able to sleep for a week.
“Bad dream?” asked the silky-smooth voice from behind.
Slowly, Mikhail turned to look over his shoulder in surprise; he didn’t hear Fei Long coming. Perhaps it was because of the rain, or the dream had numbed his senses.
“It’s nothing,” Mikhail replied with a faint smile and turned back to look at the dark horizon, exhaling a heavy cloud of smoke from his lungs.
Fei Long drew himself a little closer, tracing his eyes along the deep scars on the Russian’s back quietly. He didn’t have to see Mikhail’s face to know something had gone wrong. From the very first time they met, the playful Russian had never seemed so quiet and reserved. The usual Mikhail would have turned around, held him in his arms, and said something ridiculously corny a minute ago.
“You screamed,” Fei Long confirmed.
“Sorry, I woke you up,” Mikhail apologized with an expressionless tone, keeping his eyes on the rain. “Don’t let me keep you.”
Fei Long closed his eyes, and let out a soft sigh. At any other time, he may have done just that. But that night, he wanted to stay. He reached out and touched Mikhail’s back, feeling the muscles underneath the firm skin twitched as he made contact. The scars were deep and numerous that, compared to Mikhail’s, his seemed so small and meaningless. Fei Long wondered how, with such a traumatic experience in the past, Mikhail could still walk with the air of absolute confidence, and show no trace of damage, other than the physical evidence of it on his skin, until now.
“Do they hurt?” Fei Long asked softly as he traced his fingertips along the heavily scarred shoulder. Mikhail had the body of a Greek god, tall and substantial with strong, broad shoulders, and well-defined muscle tone underneath the skin as fine as marble. It was sad to see his beautiful body, an exquisite work of art, tainted in such a way. But Mikhail had never felt the need to cover them up, and often bared them in plain sight, like a mark of honor.
“They’ve healed,” Mikhail said quietly.
“Have they?” Fei Long asked with a deep and resonating tone. Mikhail should know what he meant. Some scars never seem to heal. He understood it all too well.
Mikhail responded with a brief moment of silence, and a few more puffs from the cigarette. If it weren’t for the burning tobacco and the gold band that glittered in the dark, Fei Long would have never noticed that those rough, strong hands were, indeed, trembling.
“A little,” Mikhail confessed quietly but firmly. He didn’t want to hide anything from Fei Long. “A lot, sometimes.”
Strangely, Fei Long felt a surge of pain in his chest. It wasn’t sympathy, but rather the knowledge that there was another side to this man that he did not know. Behind those crystal clear blue eyes, the playful smile, and the care-free attitude, Mikhail had a dark and brutal past that he imagined only a handful of people had been allowed to see. One might classify his personality as shallow, if, perhaps, they looked at him in a glimpse. But the truth was much deeper than anyone could imagine. In that instant, Fei Long stepped back and saw a completely different picture of the man he thought he’d already known. It took an incredible amount of strength and courage for a man to admit he was hurt. But Mikhail excelled so far that he felt no shame or anger in talking about it. At that moment, to Fei Long, Mikhail was a bigger man, one that deserved his respect and esteem.
A smile appeared on the beautiful face as Fei Long reached out again to touch the masculine shoulder, and turned the man around to face him.
“You don’t need this,” Fei Long commanded as he took the black and gold cigarette from Mikhail’s lips and tossed it into the rain.
Running his hands down Mikhail’s bare chest, Fei Long reached over and whispered into the Russian’s lips before giving him a gentle kiss. “You need me.”
In normal circumstances, an invitation like this from Fei Long would have led them to the bedroom. But at that moment, Mikhail responded with just a brief, affectionate kiss and an embrace, before resting his head softly on lean, elegant shoulder.
“I don’t want to keep you up at four in the morning.”
Fei Long laughed quietly at the response before removing himself from the embrace and sat down on the daybed nearby.
“You’re the one who brought me here against my will, you might as well make good use of me,” Fei Long said and held out his hand in a beckoning gesture. “Come. Before I change my mind and let your retriever take your place.” He wanted to ask about the scars, and he was certain Mikhail would have told him everything. But to ask that question would be a gesture of intimacy - something he was far from ready to commit to.
The usual playful smile appeared briefly on Mikhail’s face as he stood in front of the one man he desired the most. “You know I don’t guarantee your safety if I do this.”
“Neither do I,” Fei Long replied with a mischievous grin.
Mikhail smiled at the response, and wondered how a few words from Fei Long, and a smile, could settle his heart so quickly. Perhaps it was a special quality that Fei Long possessed. Either that, or he must have fallen deeply for this man, deeper than he could ever imagine.
“And he’s not my retriever,” the sleepy Russian countered in a murmur as he settled himself comfortably on Fei Long’s lap, closing his eyes. Despite his cold and heartless attitude towards most people, deep down Fei Long was more than warm. Under the right circumstances, when the triad leader felt secure to reveal his true self, there were very few people more affectionate and caring than Liu Fei Long of Baishe. Mikhail had known this for a long time. The real Fei Long, the one who had the capacity to love and care so deeply for someone, had captured his heart from the very first day they met.
“You’re just as soft as Max,” Fei Long laughed affectionately as he ran his fingers through the golden curls. He had to admit he’d grown quite fond of having that man curled on his lap.
Fei Long looked up and realized the wind blew the rainclouds into another direction, clearing the night sky before them. Soon, he was looking at a horizon filled with thousands of stars on every inch of the jet black canvas.
“Look at the sky. Isn’t this paradise?” Fei Long couldn’t help but admire the sight before him openly. Being in a privileged position, in both wealth and status, he’d seen a lot of beautiful things in his life. But a sky such as this truly deserved a place among his most precious memories.
“No.” Mikhail turned away from the astounding vision, and buried his face into the warmth and softness of Fei Long’s Egyptian cotton robe, inhaling the sweet scent of his hair that hung just above his cheek. “This is paradise.”
Fei Long smiled and looked at the man resting on his lap. Mikhail had a way of flattering people that didn’t sound fake or corny. Perhaps it was the way it was said, with complete honesty and without shame.
“We should go to a populated island for a change,” Fei Long suggested, still enjoying curling the golden locks with his fingers.
“We can sail to Praslin in the morning if you promise not to run,” Mikhail proposed with his eyes still closed.
“Oh, I’m sure I can bear being with you for one more day,” Fei Long said with a grin and paused for a moment when he heard no response from the Russian.
“Mikhail?”
Despite Fei Long’s rare efforts to make conversation, the man on his lap had already fallen asleep.
Suddenly, Max appeared with his tail held high and wagging for attention. Fei Long raised a finger over his lips in a gesture for silence, the golden retriever promptly obeyed and laid himself down quietly at his new master’s feet.
“You two must be brothers,” Fei Long smiled affectionately before sleep overtook him. His mind wandered into his last memory when he felt such warmth; it was a memory of the last time his father held him in his arms, not so different from the way he held Mikhail in his.
*****
Waking the next morning, Fei Long blinked a few times and raised his hand, in an effort to shield the bright sunlight that stung his eyes. He found himself still on the daybed, but with a soft down pillow under his head that wasn’t there before. Looking around, he didn’t find Mikhail anywhere inside the tent or on the beach. Suddenly, his eyes caught a glimpse of something white in the water. It was the sailboat that brought them to the island, mooring just off the beach near a group of granite rocks. On it, he could see Mikhail busying himself with the ropes and the bright blue spinnaker.
Fei Long walked along the beach and climbed atop the highest rock to get a better look of what Mikhail was doing. It was a rare and rather enjoyable sight seeing him in khaki shorts and a white polo shirt walking around his sailboat, checking to make sure everything was in order.
“Good morning,” Mikhail greeted as he realized Fei Long was looking at him.
“What are you doing?” Fei Long asked, his eyes fixated on the movement of Mikhail’s splendid muscles as the man continued to wind a rope around his arm. The image of Mikhail Arbatov doing hard labor by himself was rather sexy.
“You said you wanted to go to Praslin. I have to check the boat before we sail.”
“I thought you have help on the island,” Fei Long wondered. If the man could order breakfast and candlelit dinner to be delivered on a deserted island, surely he wouldn’t have to prepare the boat by himself.
“I check my own boat,” Mikhail responded resolutely. “Always.”
Fei Long tried to hide his smile. With all his money, wearing only top designer clothing, and smoking the most expensive cigarette brand in the world, one would have thought his interests lied with motorized boats, or a 100-foot luxury yacht equipped with a crew to satisfy 50 people. Mikhail, however, took sailing very seriously, insisting on sailing his 45-foot yacht with no crew and with limited automation. It was extraordinary; the man seemed to enjoy the solitude of sailing, possibly as much as making money smuggling drugs and firearms.
“Don’t tell me you fix your own cars as well,” Fei Long couldn’t help but joke.
“Now, that’s a whole different thing, sweetheart,” Mikhail said laughingly. “I have to check the boat for safety reasons. But, I’ll shoot anyone who so much as touches my engine.”
“You fix your own cars,” Fei Long repeated, making sure his ears didn’t deceive him.
“Yes, why?” Mikhail answered innocently; he didn’t understand why Fei Long had to repeat a simple question.
“In your Dolce & Gabbana?”
“…..well, not Dolce & Gabbana,” the Russian protested with a serious tone, “you know, D&G” Then a mischievous smile appeared. “That, or I take it off completely,” he flirted.
Fei Long rolled his eyes at Mikhail’s ridiculous effort to downplay himself. However, an image of a topless Mikhail Arbatov, wearing only tight designer jeans, stained by his Lamborghini’s engine oil from head to toe and drenched in sweat, nearly caused him to lick his lips.
Satisfied with his dragon’s reaction, Mikhail changed courses. “Why don’t you go change and wait for me at the tent? Breakfast should be served very soon. I’ll join you in a minute,” he offered. “Unless, of course, you would like sex before your toast, then please, mind your step and kindly hop on board!” Mikhail suggested with his usual smile that gave Fei Long a relief. The man seemed to have come back to his old, playful self at least.
“I think I’d rather have something fulfilling,” Fei Long said as he turned away, walking back to the tent.
“Oh, you wound me!” the Russian called out.
Fei Long smiled as he reached the tent. He was rather hungry, for Mikhail, and had he stayed longer, he would have had the man for breakfast But that would be too much encouragement for the Russian. Perhaps later, he told himself. First things first, he needed food.
Breakfast was set up in shallow water under a white canopy. The small table was covered in white linen, and had a small vase of frangipani as the centerpiece. Elegant pieces of silverware, porcelain dishes, fine wine glasses, and champagne flutes complete the elaborate setup. Another table, nearby, was laid out with a large variety of cold cuts, cheese, salad, and a basket of assorted bread. Fei Long smiled as he sat at the table, dipping his feet into the cool water and feeling the soft sand underneath.
I’m a man who can provide, Mikhail once said. And indeed, he has. It must have taken the man a lot of time to plan all of this in order to have everything set up so perfectly.
Mikhail returned a moment later and joined Fei Long at the table, looking a little flushed and messy from the heat and from working on his boat.
“Champagne.” The Russian master turned to the butler, who promptly brought him a cold towel.
“Yes, sir,” the butler nodded and turned to Fei Long. “For you too, sir?”
“I think I’ll have some tea.” He didn’t really care for English tea, but to ask for the Chinese tea of his liking would have been unreasonable, especially in a place like this.
A moment later, the butler returned with a bottle of champagne in an ice bucket, and a Chinese teacup delicately decorated in gold. Fei Long took a glance at Mikhail as he opened the lid and sipped his tea. It was Chinese Oolong, and not just any Oolong, this was very familiar.
“I’m impressed,” Fei Long complimented as he placed his teacup down on the table. “Did you steal this from my reserve? Because, you know, I buy the entire village’s supply every year.”
“Well, if it goes into your cup, it’s not stealing, is it?” the Russian countered.
“Your morality is extremely impaired, do you realize?”
“The way I see it, there should be no moral restrictions in pleasing you,” Mikhail said with a wink. “And I hope you’ll be as pleased with your breakfast.”
Fei Long raised a brow at Mikhail’s last statement; the man smiled back and continued to enjoy his champagne and cold cuts. A few minutes later, the butler returned again with their hot breakfast. Mikhail’s dish was a pair of beautifully decorated eggs Benedict, and his was a steaming bowl of congee…with roast duck.
Fei Long looked at the man across the table as he tasted his breakfast, pausing for a full second.
“This is impossible. What did you do to my cook?” Fei Long was beginning to worry for his favorite cook’s well being. The congee he’d just tasted was his cook’s secret recipe, one the old cook guarded with his life.
“I had no choice. He wouldn’t give me the recipe at any cost,” Mikhail explained. “So I brought him here with me.”
Fei Long nearly sighed in relief. “Well, at least you still have some morals left in you.”
Mikhail smiled and broke a piece of bread to feed the fish under the table. His blue eyes were as bright and saturated as the vivid, cobalt colored water that surrounded them. Fei Long could never tell which color they truly were. Mikhail’s eyes seemed to change from turquoise to cerulean, and all the shades in between according to his surroundings. And it was the expression in those eyes that enabled him to tolerate the outrageous, unpredictable Russian.
“How are you feeling this morning?” Fei Long asked with a softened expression.
Mikhail looked up from the group of colorful butterfly fish at his ankles and gave Fei Long a smile that took his breath away. “I’m happy.”
It was strange how a few simple words could touch someone so much. While it was one of the most flattering things Mikhail had ever said to him, his heart ached to have heard his father say those same words. It was all he’d ever hoped for that never came true.
Seeing Fei Long’s sudden change in expression, Mikhail tossed the last piece of bread into the water and placed his hand over Fei Long’s. For the first time since they’d been together, Fei Long didn’t pull back from the contact. Mikhail understood perfectly what was going on in his mind, and decided to not utter a word.
Fei Long realized, ironically, the one man who understood him the most turned out to be someone who had nearly nothing in common with him.
“Anyway, if we want to get to Praslin before dark, we should leave very soon,” Mikhail said as he removed his hand from Fei Long’s and finished his breakfast. “Shall I make a reservation at a resort, or would you like to sleep on the boat?”
“The boat is fine,” Fei Long replied. He liked his privacy, and just in case the Russian suddenly felt like jumping him somewhere inappropriate, at least it wouldn’t be so public.
***
They reached Praslin in the late afternoon, and decided to moor the boat just off a beautiful beach near a luxury resort. After securing the yacht, Mikhail took out a small inflatable boat to get them to the beach. Fei Long looked at the crystal clear water, and admired the beautiful contrast of the countless shades of blue that seemed to change with the sunlight. It was a good idea to do some island hopping for a change.
“I’ve never seen water so fluorescent in color,” Fei Long commented and dipped his hand into the cool water.
“It’s gorgeous, isn’t it? There’re some great snorkeling spots around here too. If you’d like…” Before Mikhail could finish the sentence, a loud pop resonated from underneath the boat.
“What was that sound?” Fei Long asked, alarmed.
Suddenly,, Mikhail turned pale. “I think that was the boat.”
“Don’t tell me it just popped.”
“I think it did.”
Before Fei Long could say another word, the small boat deflated and began to sink. A few minutes later, they were both in the water.
“Mikhail, tell me this wasn’t your idea,” Fei Long warned with a look that showed he was ready to kill someone. “I thought you were checking the boat this morning.”
“My idea?! Swimming to a shore kilometers away? Don’t be ridiculous! And how the hell was I suppose to know it would pop?!” Mikhail answered angrily and began to swear in every language he could think of. “I’m going to kill the son of a bitch who sold me this piece of shit!” Honestly, if getting Fei Long wet was really his idea, there were far more enjoyable ways to make that happen. No, this was as much of a surprise to him as it was to his very pissed off dragon.
Seeing such a reaction from the Russian, Fei Long rolled his eyes and sighed. Just a few hours ago, the man seemed so mature and in control. Now, he had gone back to being a boy whose toy didn’t function.
“Why don’t we get to the beach first and you can kill him later?” Fei Long suggested annoyingly. It wasn’t a problem for him to swim long distances, but that certainly wasn’t his idea of a relaxing getaway.
By the time they reached the beach, it was already getting dark. Exhausted from the swim, they both agreed to deal with the problem later and checked into the resort first to rest for the night. Fei Long waited on the beach as Mikhail went to the lobby to get them a room.
A few minutes later, the Russian came back with an expression that told Fei Long something didn’t turn out right.
“What now?” Fei Long asked with a half worried, half angry look on his face; he really didn’t want to hear bad news.
“I think I’ve lost my wallet while we were swimming over here,” Mikhail replied, taking a few steps away from the angry crime lord, who looked like he was about to kill someone.
“So what? Did you try to get an advance payment rate or something? We can pay later, can’t we? I mean, your super expensive boat is right there.”
“Well, we don’t exactly look like billionaires now, do we?” Mikhail countered angrily. He couldn’t believe there would be a time when someone would doubt his ability to pay for a hotel room, especially when he could have bought the entire resort ten times over.
“I’ve even offered them my watch as a deposit. He won’t take it, that stupid, arrogant French bastard! When I return home, I’m going to buy this fucking resort, just to fire the son of a bitch’s ass before I fucking kill his whole family!” Mikhail complained. He had to admit he was out of ideas about how to get them out of this mess, other than swimming back to the boat and sleeping there for the night. However, Fei Long might skin him alive and feed the nearby sharks for even suggesting the idea.
“Oh shut up, Mikhail. I’ll handle this,” Fei Long said irritatingly as he walked to the lobby himself. He’d heard enough of the colorful language to last him all day, and knew nothing was going to get done as long as Mikhail continued his tantrum.
A few moments later, the Baishe leader returned with an obvious grin on his face. Mikhail was rather relieved to see his dragon was no longer angry; he must have gotten them a room.
“What happened?”
“The reservation manager is a woman. I’ve got us a room and you may keep your watch.” Fei Long replied and grinned proudly.
Mikhail blinked in awe at his companion, who had just saved the day. “You’re unbelievable.”
“Oh, I’m much more than that, sweetheart. I’ve got us an upgrade,” the Chinese man winked and showed off the keycard to their presidential villa.
“That’s impossible!” Mikhail suddenly had a bad feeling. According to him, when a deal sounds too good to be true, it usually is. “What did you do?”
“I gave her an offer she couldn’t refuse,” Fei Long replied with a smirk.
“She knows who you are?” Mikhail asked doubtfully. The only way Fei Long could have threatened someone in that condition was with his status, and Mikhail was sure very few people outside of Hong Kong, much less a hotel reservation manager in Seychelles, would know who Fei Long was.
“No,” Fei Long laughed. “If she did, I would have gotten my own room, and you would be sleeping on the beach tonight.” Mikhail might not care, but he, on the other hand, had a reputation to look after.
There was only one other extremely tempting offer Fei Long could have used to bargain for a room, and Mikhail found himself staring at the Chinese man in disbelief. “You didn’t promise to sleep with her, did you?”
Fei Long rolled his eyes and sighed heavily. “No, that would be an offer you can’t refuse.”
“And that’s because I’m not an idiot,” Mikhail argued. “So what was it?”
“I told her you’d strip at their club tonight,” Fei Long smugly countered. “And for your information, I intend to get the best seat in the house.”
*****************
P.S. I have no intention to insult any French on my f-list. The mention is there because everyone in Seychelles IS French.
P.P.S. Sorry I can't get enough of Treasurer Black *__*
Anse Lazio, Praslin
Free Counter
Title: Paradise Day 4
Rating: PG13
Warning: Some angst...., too much romance, OOC, ...whatever.... I bloody need it!
Characters: Fei Long, Mikhail.
Disclaimer: All characters belong to YA sensei.
Note: Previous chapters can be found on the links on your left. Special thanks to angel0399 who took the time to beta this chapter and added some very interesting thoughts to make this fic much better than it was.
Comments: No rotten tomatoes on my Paradise series (please kindly keep them for Revelation)! XD I reserve the right to be in paradise before, during, and after writing this fic. *me want to go back to Bora Bora T__T*
The sky flashed once, and illuminated the old barn for a split second. The lighting shone through a small window just above his head, bringing out the rough edges of a face belonging to a middle-aged man, whose grin revealed nothing more than spite and resentment.
Bang!
The lightning struck loud and clear, as if to muffle the cracking sound of the whip burying itself into his skin, and the scream that followed. Something spilled onto his face and dripped down the side of his cheek. At that moment, in the dark, and with his wrists bound above his head, he couldn’t tell if it was the rain that came through the window or his blood. All he knew was that he’d wash it all off when he got out of this barn - a hundred times if that’s what it took to get rid of the stench.
The sky flashed once more. Mikhail’s body jerked up from the bed violently as he was awakened by the sound of thunder that followed. A heavy sigh of relief escaped his lips as he realized where he was. He was still on the deserted island, in the white luxury tent, on his bed. He wiped away the moisture from his face with both palms and stared at them, making sure they weren’t drenched in blood, that what he had seen was just a dream.
It’s been a long time since he had one so real. He turned his head and saw a slender figure lying next to him. How could he have had such a dream when Fei Long was in his arms hours ago, and yet, still by his side? Perhaps it was the storm that reminded him of that wretched night. Strangely how more than a decade had passed, and he could still remember those sounds so vividly.
He rose from the bed quietly, taking care not to wake the man sleeping next to him. Covering his naked body with a towel around his waist, Mikhail made his way to the roofed area outside of the tent. On the way, he picked up the pack of Treasurer Black he’d left unfinished for weeks. It was one of the rare occasions when he needed some air, and even rarer, a cigarette.
Mikhail stood near the tent’s entrance, watching the rain poured down on the beach as violently as the beating of his heart. He took a deep breath before lighting the gold-tipped cigarette, and placed it between his lips. There would be no more sleep for the night. The last time he had such a dream, he wasn’t able to sleep for a week.
“Bad dream?” asked the silky-smooth voice from behind.
Slowly, Mikhail turned to look over his shoulder in surprise; he didn’t hear Fei Long coming. Perhaps it was because of the rain, or the dream had numbed his senses.
“It’s nothing,” Mikhail replied with a faint smile and turned back to look at the dark horizon, exhaling a heavy cloud of smoke from his lungs.
Fei Long drew himself a little closer, tracing his eyes along the deep scars on the Russian’s back quietly. He didn’t have to see Mikhail’s face to know something had gone wrong. From the very first time they met, the playful Russian had never seemed so quiet and reserved. The usual Mikhail would have turned around, held him in his arms, and said something ridiculously corny a minute ago.
“You screamed,” Fei Long confirmed.
“Sorry, I woke you up,” Mikhail apologized with an expressionless tone, keeping his eyes on the rain. “Don’t let me keep you.”
Fei Long closed his eyes, and let out a soft sigh. At any other time, he may have done just that. But that night, he wanted to stay. He reached out and touched Mikhail’s back, feeling the muscles underneath the firm skin twitched as he made contact. The scars were deep and numerous that, compared to Mikhail’s, his seemed so small and meaningless. Fei Long wondered how, with such a traumatic experience in the past, Mikhail could still walk with the air of absolute confidence, and show no trace of damage, other than the physical evidence of it on his skin, until now.
“Do they hurt?” Fei Long asked softly as he traced his fingertips along the heavily scarred shoulder. Mikhail had the body of a Greek god, tall and substantial with strong, broad shoulders, and well-defined muscle tone underneath the skin as fine as marble. It was sad to see his beautiful body, an exquisite work of art, tainted in such a way. But Mikhail had never felt the need to cover them up, and often bared them in plain sight, like a mark of honor.
“They’ve healed,” Mikhail said quietly.
“Have they?” Fei Long asked with a deep and resonating tone. Mikhail should know what he meant. Some scars never seem to heal. He understood it all too well.
Mikhail responded with a brief moment of silence, and a few more puffs from the cigarette. If it weren’t for the burning tobacco and the gold band that glittered in the dark, Fei Long would have never noticed that those rough, strong hands were, indeed, trembling.
“A little,” Mikhail confessed quietly but firmly. He didn’t want to hide anything from Fei Long. “A lot, sometimes.”
Strangely, Fei Long felt a surge of pain in his chest. It wasn’t sympathy, but rather the knowledge that there was another side to this man that he did not know. Behind those crystal clear blue eyes, the playful smile, and the care-free attitude, Mikhail had a dark and brutal past that he imagined only a handful of people had been allowed to see. One might classify his personality as shallow, if, perhaps, they looked at him in a glimpse. But the truth was much deeper than anyone could imagine. In that instant, Fei Long stepped back and saw a completely different picture of the man he thought he’d already known. It took an incredible amount of strength and courage for a man to admit he was hurt. But Mikhail excelled so far that he felt no shame or anger in talking about it. At that moment, to Fei Long, Mikhail was a bigger man, one that deserved his respect and esteem.
A smile appeared on the beautiful face as Fei Long reached out again to touch the masculine shoulder, and turned the man around to face him.
“You don’t need this,” Fei Long commanded as he took the black and gold cigarette from Mikhail’s lips and tossed it into the rain.
Running his hands down Mikhail’s bare chest, Fei Long reached over and whispered into the Russian’s lips before giving him a gentle kiss. “You need me.”
In normal circumstances, an invitation like this from Fei Long would have led them to the bedroom. But at that moment, Mikhail responded with just a brief, affectionate kiss and an embrace, before resting his head softly on lean, elegant shoulder.
“I don’t want to keep you up at four in the morning.”
Fei Long laughed quietly at the response before removing himself from the embrace and sat down on the daybed nearby.
“You’re the one who brought me here against my will, you might as well make good use of me,” Fei Long said and held out his hand in a beckoning gesture. “Come. Before I change my mind and let your retriever take your place.” He wanted to ask about the scars, and he was certain Mikhail would have told him everything. But to ask that question would be a gesture of intimacy - something he was far from ready to commit to.
The usual playful smile appeared briefly on Mikhail’s face as he stood in front of the one man he desired the most. “You know I don’t guarantee your safety if I do this.”
“Neither do I,” Fei Long replied with a mischievous grin.
Mikhail smiled at the response, and wondered how a few words from Fei Long, and a smile, could settle his heart so quickly. Perhaps it was a special quality that Fei Long possessed. Either that, or he must have fallen deeply for this man, deeper than he could ever imagine.
“And he’s not my retriever,” the sleepy Russian countered in a murmur as he settled himself comfortably on Fei Long’s lap, closing his eyes. Despite his cold and heartless attitude towards most people, deep down Fei Long was more than warm. Under the right circumstances, when the triad leader felt secure to reveal his true self, there were very few people more affectionate and caring than Liu Fei Long of Baishe. Mikhail had known this for a long time. The real Fei Long, the one who had the capacity to love and care so deeply for someone, had captured his heart from the very first day they met.
“You’re just as soft as Max,” Fei Long laughed affectionately as he ran his fingers through the golden curls. He had to admit he’d grown quite fond of having that man curled on his lap.
Fei Long looked up and realized the wind blew the rainclouds into another direction, clearing the night sky before them. Soon, he was looking at a horizon filled with thousands of stars on every inch of the jet black canvas.
“Look at the sky. Isn’t this paradise?” Fei Long couldn’t help but admire the sight before him openly. Being in a privileged position, in both wealth and status, he’d seen a lot of beautiful things in his life. But a sky such as this truly deserved a place among his most precious memories.
“No.” Mikhail turned away from the astounding vision, and buried his face into the warmth and softness of Fei Long’s Egyptian cotton robe, inhaling the sweet scent of his hair that hung just above his cheek. “This is paradise.”
Fei Long smiled and looked at the man resting on his lap. Mikhail had a way of flattering people that didn’t sound fake or corny. Perhaps it was the way it was said, with complete honesty and without shame.
“We should go to a populated island for a change,” Fei Long suggested, still enjoying curling the golden locks with his fingers.
“We can sail to Praslin in the morning if you promise not to run,” Mikhail proposed with his eyes still closed.
“Oh, I’m sure I can bear being with you for one more day,” Fei Long said with a grin and paused for a moment when he heard no response from the Russian.
“Mikhail?”
Despite Fei Long’s rare efforts to make conversation, the man on his lap had already fallen asleep.
Suddenly, Max appeared with his tail held high and wagging for attention. Fei Long raised a finger over his lips in a gesture for silence, the golden retriever promptly obeyed and laid himself down quietly at his new master’s feet.
“You two must be brothers,” Fei Long smiled affectionately before sleep overtook him. His mind wandered into his last memory when he felt such warmth; it was a memory of the last time his father held him in his arms, not so different from the way he held Mikhail in his.
*****
Waking the next morning, Fei Long blinked a few times and raised his hand, in an effort to shield the bright sunlight that stung his eyes. He found himself still on the daybed, but with a soft down pillow under his head that wasn’t there before. Looking around, he didn’t find Mikhail anywhere inside the tent or on the beach. Suddenly, his eyes caught a glimpse of something white in the water. It was the sailboat that brought them to the island, mooring just off the beach near a group of granite rocks. On it, he could see Mikhail busying himself with the ropes and the bright blue spinnaker.
Fei Long walked along the beach and climbed atop the highest rock to get a better look of what Mikhail was doing. It was a rare and rather enjoyable sight seeing him in khaki shorts and a white polo shirt walking around his sailboat, checking to make sure everything was in order.
“Good morning,” Mikhail greeted as he realized Fei Long was looking at him.
“What are you doing?” Fei Long asked, his eyes fixated on the movement of Mikhail’s splendid muscles as the man continued to wind a rope around his arm. The image of Mikhail Arbatov doing hard labor by himself was rather sexy.
“You said you wanted to go to Praslin. I have to check the boat before we sail.”
“I thought you have help on the island,” Fei Long wondered. If the man could order breakfast and candlelit dinner to be delivered on a deserted island, surely he wouldn’t have to prepare the boat by himself.
“I check my own boat,” Mikhail responded resolutely. “Always.”
Fei Long tried to hide his smile. With all his money, wearing only top designer clothing, and smoking the most expensive cigarette brand in the world, one would have thought his interests lied with motorized boats, or a 100-foot luxury yacht equipped with a crew to satisfy 50 people. Mikhail, however, took sailing very seriously, insisting on sailing his 45-foot yacht with no crew and with limited automation. It was extraordinary; the man seemed to enjoy the solitude of sailing, possibly as much as making money smuggling drugs and firearms.
“Don’t tell me you fix your own cars as well,” Fei Long couldn’t help but joke.
“Now, that’s a whole different thing, sweetheart,” Mikhail said laughingly. “I have to check the boat for safety reasons. But, I’ll shoot anyone who so much as touches my engine.”
“You fix your own cars,” Fei Long repeated, making sure his ears didn’t deceive him.
“Yes, why?” Mikhail answered innocently; he didn’t understand why Fei Long had to repeat a simple question.
“In your Dolce & Gabbana?”
“…..well, not Dolce & Gabbana,” the Russian protested with a serious tone, “you know, D&G” Then a mischievous smile appeared. “That, or I take it off completely,” he flirted.
Fei Long rolled his eyes at Mikhail’s ridiculous effort to downplay himself. However, an image of a topless Mikhail Arbatov, wearing only tight designer jeans, stained by his Lamborghini’s engine oil from head to toe and drenched in sweat, nearly caused him to lick his lips.
Satisfied with his dragon’s reaction, Mikhail changed courses. “Why don’t you go change and wait for me at the tent? Breakfast should be served very soon. I’ll join you in a minute,” he offered. “Unless, of course, you would like sex before your toast, then please, mind your step and kindly hop on board!” Mikhail suggested with his usual smile that gave Fei Long a relief. The man seemed to have come back to his old, playful self at least.
“I think I’d rather have something fulfilling,” Fei Long said as he turned away, walking back to the tent.
“Oh, you wound me!” the Russian called out.
Fei Long smiled as he reached the tent. He was rather hungry, for Mikhail, and had he stayed longer, he would have had the man for breakfast But that would be too much encouragement for the Russian. Perhaps later, he told himself. First things first, he needed food.
Breakfast was set up in shallow water under a white canopy. The small table was covered in white linen, and had a small vase of frangipani as the centerpiece. Elegant pieces of silverware, porcelain dishes, fine wine glasses, and champagne flutes complete the elaborate setup. Another table, nearby, was laid out with a large variety of cold cuts, cheese, salad, and a basket of assorted bread. Fei Long smiled as he sat at the table, dipping his feet into the cool water and feeling the soft sand underneath.
I’m a man who can provide, Mikhail once said. And indeed, he has. It must have taken the man a lot of time to plan all of this in order to have everything set up so perfectly.
Mikhail returned a moment later and joined Fei Long at the table, looking a little flushed and messy from the heat and from working on his boat.
“Champagne.” The Russian master turned to the butler, who promptly brought him a cold towel.
“Yes, sir,” the butler nodded and turned to Fei Long. “For you too, sir?”
“I think I’ll have some tea.” He didn’t really care for English tea, but to ask for the Chinese tea of his liking would have been unreasonable, especially in a place like this.
A moment later, the butler returned with a bottle of champagne in an ice bucket, and a Chinese teacup delicately decorated in gold. Fei Long took a glance at Mikhail as he opened the lid and sipped his tea. It was Chinese Oolong, and not just any Oolong, this was very familiar.
“I’m impressed,” Fei Long complimented as he placed his teacup down on the table. “Did you steal this from my reserve? Because, you know, I buy the entire village’s supply every year.”
“Well, if it goes into your cup, it’s not stealing, is it?” the Russian countered.
“Your morality is extremely impaired, do you realize?”
“The way I see it, there should be no moral restrictions in pleasing you,” Mikhail said with a wink. “And I hope you’ll be as pleased with your breakfast.”
Fei Long raised a brow at Mikhail’s last statement; the man smiled back and continued to enjoy his champagne and cold cuts. A few minutes later, the butler returned again with their hot breakfast. Mikhail’s dish was a pair of beautifully decorated eggs Benedict, and his was a steaming bowl of congee…with roast duck.
Fei Long looked at the man across the table as he tasted his breakfast, pausing for a full second.
“This is impossible. What did you do to my cook?” Fei Long was beginning to worry for his favorite cook’s well being. The congee he’d just tasted was his cook’s secret recipe, one the old cook guarded with his life.
“I had no choice. He wouldn’t give me the recipe at any cost,” Mikhail explained. “So I brought him here with me.”
Fei Long nearly sighed in relief. “Well, at least you still have some morals left in you.”
Mikhail smiled and broke a piece of bread to feed the fish under the table. His blue eyes were as bright and saturated as the vivid, cobalt colored water that surrounded them. Fei Long could never tell which color they truly were. Mikhail’s eyes seemed to change from turquoise to cerulean, and all the shades in between according to his surroundings. And it was the expression in those eyes that enabled him to tolerate the outrageous, unpredictable Russian.
“How are you feeling this morning?” Fei Long asked with a softened expression.
Mikhail looked up from the group of colorful butterfly fish at his ankles and gave Fei Long a smile that took his breath away. “I’m happy.”
It was strange how a few simple words could touch someone so much. While it was one of the most flattering things Mikhail had ever said to him, his heart ached to have heard his father say those same words. It was all he’d ever hoped for that never came true.
Seeing Fei Long’s sudden change in expression, Mikhail tossed the last piece of bread into the water and placed his hand over Fei Long’s. For the first time since they’d been together, Fei Long didn’t pull back from the contact. Mikhail understood perfectly what was going on in his mind, and decided to not utter a word.
Fei Long realized, ironically, the one man who understood him the most turned out to be someone who had nearly nothing in common with him.
“Anyway, if we want to get to Praslin before dark, we should leave very soon,” Mikhail said as he removed his hand from Fei Long’s and finished his breakfast. “Shall I make a reservation at a resort, or would you like to sleep on the boat?”
“The boat is fine,” Fei Long replied. He liked his privacy, and just in case the Russian suddenly felt like jumping him somewhere inappropriate, at least it wouldn’t be so public.
***
They reached Praslin in the late afternoon, and decided to moor the boat just off a beautiful beach near a luxury resort. After securing the yacht, Mikhail took out a small inflatable boat to get them to the beach. Fei Long looked at the crystal clear water, and admired the beautiful contrast of the countless shades of blue that seemed to change with the sunlight. It was a good idea to do some island hopping for a change.
“I’ve never seen water so fluorescent in color,” Fei Long commented and dipped his hand into the cool water.
“It’s gorgeous, isn’t it? There’re some great snorkeling spots around here too. If you’d like…” Before Mikhail could finish the sentence, a loud pop resonated from underneath the boat.
“What was that sound?” Fei Long asked, alarmed.
Suddenly,, Mikhail turned pale. “I think that was the boat.”
“Don’t tell me it just popped.”
“I think it did.”
Before Fei Long could say another word, the small boat deflated and began to sink. A few minutes later, they were both in the water.
“Mikhail, tell me this wasn’t your idea,” Fei Long warned with a look that showed he was ready to kill someone. “I thought you were checking the boat this morning.”
“My idea?! Swimming to a shore kilometers away? Don’t be ridiculous! And how the hell was I suppose to know it would pop?!” Mikhail answered angrily and began to swear in every language he could think of. “I’m going to kill the son of a bitch who sold me this piece of shit!” Honestly, if getting Fei Long wet was really his idea, there were far more enjoyable ways to make that happen. No, this was as much of a surprise to him as it was to his very pissed off dragon.
Seeing such a reaction from the Russian, Fei Long rolled his eyes and sighed. Just a few hours ago, the man seemed so mature and in control. Now, he had gone back to being a boy whose toy didn’t function.
“Why don’t we get to the beach first and you can kill him later?” Fei Long suggested annoyingly. It wasn’t a problem for him to swim long distances, but that certainly wasn’t his idea of a relaxing getaway.
By the time they reached the beach, it was already getting dark. Exhausted from the swim, they both agreed to deal with the problem later and checked into the resort first to rest for the night. Fei Long waited on the beach as Mikhail went to the lobby to get them a room.
A few minutes later, the Russian came back with an expression that told Fei Long something didn’t turn out right.
“What now?” Fei Long asked with a half worried, half angry look on his face; he really didn’t want to hear bad news.
“I think I’ve lost my wallet while we were swimming over here,” Mikhail replied, taking a few steps away from the angry crime lord, who looked like he was about to kill someone.
“So what? Did you try to get an advance payment rate or something? We can pay later, can’t we? I mean, your super expensive boat is right there.”
“Well, we don’t exactly look like billionaires now, do we?” Mikhail countered angrily. He couldn’t believe there would be a time when someone would doubt his ability to pay for a hotel room, especially when he could have bought the entire resort ten times over.
“I’ve even offered them my watch as a deposit. He won’t take it, that stupid, arrogant French bastard! When I return home, I’m going to buy this fucking resort, just to fire the son of a bitch’s ass before I fucking kill his whole family!” Mikhail complained. He had to admit he was out of ideas about how to get them out of this mess, other than swimming back to the boat and sleeping there for the night. However, Fei Long might skin him alive and feed the nearby sharks for even suggesting the idea.
“Oh shut up, Mikhail. I’ll handle this,” Fei Long said irritatingly as he walked to the lobby himself. He’d heard enough of the colorful language to last him all day, and knew nothing was going to get done as long as Mikhail continued his tantrum.
A few moments later, the Baishe leader returned with an obvious grin on his face. Mikhail was rather relieved to see his dragon was no longer angry; he must have gotten them a room.
“What happened?”
“The reservation manager is a woman. I’ve got us a room and you may keep your watch.” Fei Long replied and grinned proudly.
Mikhail blinked in awe at his companion, who had just saved the day. “You’re unbelievable.”
“Oh, I’m much more than that, sweetheart. I’ve got us an upgrade,” the Chinese man winked and showed off the keycard to their presidential villa.
“That’s impossible!” Mikhail suddenly had a bad feeling. According to him, when a deal sounds too good to be true, it usually is. “What did you do?”
“I gave her an offer she couldn’t refuse,” Fei Long replied with a smirk.
“She knows who you are?” Mikhail asked doubtfully. The only way Fei Long could have threatened someone in that condition was with his status, and Mikhail was sure very few people outside of Hong Kong, much less a hotel reservation manager in Seychelles, would know who Fei Long was.
“No,” Fei Long laughed. “If she did, I would have gotten my own room, and you would be sleeping on the beach tonight.” Mikhail might not care, but he, on the other hand, had a reputation to look after.
There was only one other extremely tempting offer Fei Long could have used to bargain for a room, and Mikhail found himself staring at the Chinese man in disbelief. “You didn’t promise to sleep with her, did you?”
Fei Long rolled his eyes and sighed heavily. “No, that would be an offer you can’t refuse.”
“And that’s because I’m not an idiot,” Mikhail argued. “So what was it?”
“I told her you’d strip at their club tonight,” Fei Long smugly countered. “And for your information, I intend to get the best seat in the house.”
*****************
P.S. I have no intention to insult any French on my f-list. The mention is there because everyone in Seychelles IS French.
P.P.S. Sorry I can't get enough of Treasurer Black *__*
Anse Lazio, Praslin
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