Fist to the Heart

Chapter Fourteen - My Plus-One

He should not have cared for Yanis and the likes of that fucker, but Ruslan was insistent. And, after a short struggle that had ended up with him fucking his pretty lover up against the wall, and Ruslan biting into his shoulder hard while coming just as hard, there he was.

Johnny wished he could just shake away the unpleasant feeling he had about Yanis. Ruslan had teased him, called him jealous, and that he was. He couldn't stand the thought that the fucker had been Ruslan's first guy and also his fuck buddy for so long. It was like Yanis was permanent in Ruslan's life, and he wasn't.

He had no real reason to be jealous. Yanis would tie the knot with his woman, and Ruslan had no reason to hook up with that fucker ever again. It was all in the past. So how come he could be this stupid?

It wasn't like he didn't know why. Johnny knew Ruslan had gotten pretty deep under his skin. And the fact that Ruslan was such close friends with Yanis was just something he needed to accept.

Under different circumstances, he would have had nothing against the man. He was rough and tough, he belonged more to his world than Ruslan seemed to, and he was talking Johnny's language. With his fists.

"So he's hanging around this old place?" he pointed out at the dilapidated building. "Don't tell me the fucker loses all the money you give him gambling or something?"

Ruslan looped one arm around his elbow. "It's good cover. When it's like this, you don't want the wrong people coming around and asking you where the hell your cash comes from."

That was actually good thinking.

"Say it to me again why we're here," Johnny said.

"C'mon," Ruslan laughed, "we must assist Yanis with his wedding and stuff."

"Knowing that fucker, he'll want to make me the flower bearer or something."

Ruslan guffawed. "I promise I won't let him do the unthinkable, heavens forbid. You will be there as my plus-one, and besides looking like arm candy, you'll have nothing else to worry about."

"Arm candy?" Johnny grinned. "Are you sure it's not the other way around, pretty? 'Cause I'm sure I'm no sweet thing like you are."

Ruslan leaned against him and smiled. "Aw, Johnny, am I really sweet?"

Johnny laughed. "Sweet like friggin' candy, baby. C'mon, let's get this over with."

"Please, behave. The man's just getting married," Ruslan joked. "So we're the support network," he added brightly.

"Support network," Johnny said under his breath. "Is this a nice way of saying that we need to take care of moving chairs and whatnot while he goes make himself pretty at the spa or something?"

Ruslan snickered. "No. That will be all taken care of by the people we hire for the wedding. I told you, you're my arm candy. I bet everyone will envy me. My companion will surely be the most handsome of them all," he said and carefully straightened Johnny's lapel.

After much deliberation and begging from Ruslan, Johnny now wore a new coat, paid for by his lover. It did make him look somewhat distinguished, not like his usual clothes. He had expected to feel uncomfortable and out of place in it, but he didn't. Actually, it seemed like just one thing he found easy to get accustomed to, now that he was Ruslan's official boyfriend.

Between training with Douglas and Martin, going back home to Ruslan and what looked like pretty good home cooking for a guy who worked as an accountant most of the day, and winning match after match at the tournament, life was pretty awesome. His mom seemed to be on the mend, too, eating a little, still lying in bed, but apparently stable. He hadn't tried to ask her now about his father and that, as she said, Davenport woman.

For the first time in a long, long time, he felt happy, truly happy, and he didn't want to jinx it. Let sleeping dogs lie, he thought, as he looked at Ruslan, and his lover looked back with stars in his eyes.

He wasn't in his rights to think of all this being possible, but there he was. Johnny 'Snake' Bryne would amount to more than just a stupid fighter lucky to end up with at least half a brain when he couldn't fight in a ring no more.

He slung one arm over Ruslan's shoulders. "Let's just get this over with, then."

"Let's," Ruslan said with a small, all-knowing smile.

***

Now that was a bit of a surprise. On the outside, the building didn't look like much, just the kind of industrial place forgotten for decades and run over by weeds, but, on the inside, a bunch of guys seemed busy training at some quite good quality equipment.

"Ah, welcome to my lair," Yanis said to them, as he sauntered down from a ring where two dudes were busy giving each other some serious punches and kicks.

Yanis looked exactly like what he was. Now he was wearing a tracksuit, the jacket opened in front, to let people see his white tee and the muscles beneath through it.

"Hey, hey, hey," Ruslan replied and hurried to embrace his friend. "Working out some last-minute jitters?"

"Nah, man, I'm good." Yanis smirked and looked over at Johnny who was standing a few steps behind. "I see you brought your boyfriend over."

"Of course. We're coming as a couple at your wedding, as you know, and we're here to help with some last minute stuff."

Johnny sustained Yanis's stern gaze. And was taken by surprise when he moved quickly past Ruslan and pulled him into a strong hug. "Thank you for taking care of Ruslan, man."

"You're welcome," Johnny replied, a bit stiffly. "But it's not like I'm doing it for you."

Yanis laughed and patted him on the back. "Please step into my office while we let Ruslan talk a little to the guys. They've been sneaking about lately. I bet it's all about my bachelor's party. So I'm supposed to know shit about it."

Johnny looked over Yanis's shoulder, taking in, with some displeasure, how Ruslan was getting chummy with some of the guys. It seemed like Ruslan knew everyone well. Also, that he had deliberately let Johnny deal with Yanis.

He sighed. He had promised that he would make an effort to get along with the fucker, and he needed to keep to that promise. So he followed Yanis into a side room that looked appointed as an office of sorts, indeed.

"So," Yanis sat behind the desk and gestured for Johnny to sit on a comfortable sofa placed flush against a wall, "you and Ruslan are going at it big time, eh?"

Without asking him, Yanis reached inside a drawer and took out a bottle of scotch and two glasses. He walked over and handed one full glass to Johnny and clinked his against it. "For the future!" Yanis threw his head back and grimaced.

Johnny wasn't sure what to make of this change in behavior in the fucker, but took a sip, too.

"Man, I heard you got that scumbag good. I tell Ruslan all the time these fancy dudes are all fucking perverts. In my book, if you dig someone and that someone doesn't dig you back, well, tough luck. There's no point in wasting your time."

Johnny nodded in agreement.

"So, no kayos? For real?" Yanis grinned and gestured with the empty glass at him while leaning against his desk. "You're some big shot, Snake."

Johnny shrugged and downed the rest of his glass.

"Ruslan told me you wouldn't warm up to me that easily," Yanis said with a sigh. "So, man, I'm going to tell it straight to your ugly mutt face. You're a brother to me now. You saved Ruslan; you can do no wrong in my book. So, friends?"

Johnny looked at the outstretched hand and took it.

"Good," Yanis said. "So, assuming that my gang and Ruslan have not yet finished arranging that stupid bachelor party, how about a game?"

"What game?" Johnny asked, looking around.

"A game of chess," Yanis said brightly.

"Do you play chess?" Johnny snorted.

"Nah, I was just pulling your leg. I have a game room, though. Let's go."

Johnny followed Yanis, feeling a bit relieved. Not that it wouldn't be nice to wipe that smirk of the guy's face by beating him into submission at any game. Well, Yanis would marry soon. So he needed to get used to losing more often than not.

"How come you don't want to face me in that ring outside?" Johnny gestured with his chin over one shoulder.

Yanis seemed to ponder for a while as he turned on the console and plopped down on the sofa next to him. "What can I say, man? I ain't stupid."

Johnny grinned. "I can still beat your ass at any game."

"Let's just see about that."

Yanis added nothing else as the game loading screen popped up. Johnny had no troubles with going for a win, only that this time, he wouldn't do it to spite Yanis. He no longer felt that threatened by the fucker, and he was willing to use that term as endearingly as possible.

"So, you and Ruslan," he started, his eyes focused on the screen. "Fucking since you were in your teens or something."

Yanis grunted in response. "He told you that?"

"Yeah, he kinda told me everything."

"Well, it was what it was. It just happened, I guess."

"So, you have a thing for dudes?" Johnny probed further. Making conversation was bullcrap. But there were some things he wanted to find out and without asking them to the guy's face.

"Nah, only Ruslan. But don't worry, man, I'm not going to steal your bride," Yanis joked and executed Johnny's character on the screen with a stupidly simple move. "Gotcha!"

Johnny shook his head. For a moment there, he hadn't paid attention. Yanis had a devilish grin on his face when he looked at him.

"What's next, my dude? Are we going to braid our hair and talk about feels?"

Johnny swatted the fucker upside the head. "Stop being a smartass," he said, with a grin of his own.

"Ready for another beating?" Yanis sneaked one hand behind and smacked him back.

"Just you wait," Johnny said.

Now he could have his entire attention trained on the game. Yanis wasn't that bad, after all. Although, he was still a smug fucker.

***

"So, how was it?" Ruslan hanged on his arm.

Johnny smiled wryly. "You sure know how to play me, pretty. But okay, I get it. I'm okay with that fucker."

Ruslan grimaced. "Right. So he's still 'that fucker' to you?"

"It's just a habit," Johnny replied. "We're all a big happy family now. Is this better?"

"Much better," Ruslan agreed. "Now, we need to go find some really nice matching suits for the wedding."

"Matching suits?" Johnny asked, feeling alarmed. "Ah, you fooled me that meeting Yanis and his gang was such a big thing when all you wanted was to soften me up for cruising clothing stores and such?"

"Yeah, pretty much, yeah," Ruslan said. "Now, don't give me lip and let's go. I know just the perfect place."

"What am I going to do with you?" Johnny shook his head. "I'll find myself with some silk leash around my neck pretty soon, right?"

Ruslan smiled sweetly at him while he pretended to be all innocent. "How do you know you're not already collared, Snake?" he leaned in and whispered into Johnny's ear.

"Snakes don't get collared," Johnny replied with a smirk.

"Hmm, I must be good with them, then," Ruslan concluded and kissed Johnny right on the lips, in the middle of the street.

Johnny looked around, pretending he was busy checking the perimeter. It was just a small try to hide how he felt.

***

"So you two are getting ready for your wedding?" the seamstress asked while moving around Johnny and adjusting a few things here and there.

Johnny was sure the suit was already perfect, but the woman with a tailor's tape around her neck seemed to find the minutest flaws with hawk-like eyes. Her question took him by surprise.

"Just a wedding. Some friend's," he said cautiously.

"Ah," the woman commented, and somehow she sounded disappointed.

They had been together for a while now, that was true. But wedding? Like in marriage? He had no idea what the seamstress was talking about.

"You two make such a nice couple," the woman went on, while almost stabbing Johnny with a small sharp needle. "Mr. Kent has been our client for a long time. It is a pleasure to serve his partner, as well."

Partner sounded okay. Seeing how Johnny remained quiet, the woman eventually resumed working in silence, as well. Johnny had never gotten a suit, let alone one that was made-to-measure. Maybe he was expected to make conversation. He had no idea about such things. This was Ruslan's world, and, sometimes, Johnny felt like a fish out of water in it.

***

Ruslan was more than pleased with how Johnny looked. It troubled him much to see a frown etched deeply into that rough face, nonetheless.

"You look amazing," he said, trying to get Johnny to smile.

His lover nodded shortly. "How long will this take?"

"Johnny, what's wrong?" Ruslan decided to grab the bull by the horns.

Johnny looked away. Ruslan placed one hand on his cheek and made him turn so they could look each other in the eye.

"I don't know, pretty. It's like it's too good to be true, right?"

"Stop talking nonsense. Everything is new to me, too. I've been, how should I say, committed like this never in my life."

"I'm not talking about you and me," Johnny said and placed one hand over Ruslan's. "When we're at home, just us, it's great. But outside, how do people look at us?"

"Do you really care?" Ruslan shrugged. "I don't. And I know who I am and who you are. And frankly, that's enough for me. Isn't it for you?"

It was a bit funny to see a man like Johnny, of his stature and strength, look so confused. But Ruslan could understand the source of his lover's dilemma.

"Yeah, it is. But is this going somewhere? Anywhere?" Johnny asked, and Ruslan's smile faded as he took in his lover's troubled eyes.

"This?" Ruslan asked. "What do you mean?"

"Forget it. It's stupid." Johnny shook his head. "I should be glad, right?"

"I don't really get you," Ruslan said slowly. "Is this about the suit? Is it too much? I'm sorry I tend to go overboard like this. I just want to show you off a little. I'm proud of you. And I'm proud of being with you. Is this making any sense to you? Because I really want it to make sense to you."

Johnny laughed and pushed a strand of hair behind Ruslan's ear. "I guess. Tell me again why you're with me, pretty?"

"Hmm, let's see," Ruslan pretended to be suddenly preoccupied, "first, you're handsome, second, you're tough as nails, third, you have such an awesome big cock, fourth, you know what to do with it -"

Johnny grinned. "Ah, damn, it's all about what I can do in the ring and between the sheets, right?"

"Not only," Ruslan said with tenderness and caressed the other's cheek. "I told you, Johnny, you're a good man. I value that more than everything else."

Johnny's hug was comforting, but Ruslan could tell there was still a bit of hesitation in there. It wasn't like Johnny to be hesitant. He would find out what the guy was thinking, but that had to wait. For now, they had a wedding to attend.

He looked into the full-sized mirror, taking in both Johnny and himself. They did look nice like that. He smiled, and Johnny's reflection returned the smile.

"The woman at the store thought we were going to get hitched or something," Johnny mumbled.

Ruslan turned to look at his lover. "Don't worry about her. She's awesome at what she does, but a bit of a gossiper. And she's always looking for extra business."

Johnny's eyes set on him, dark and full of meaning. Ruslan cocked his head to one side. "Did it bother you?"

Johnny shrugged. "Nah, it was just weird what she said, that's all."

Ruslan nodded. Of course, in Johnny's world, probably dudes didn't get hitched with other dudes. They were just fucking each other's brains out. And that meant that their relationship or whatever that was between them had an expiration date, somewhere.

As much as that thought was suddenly making him feel sad, he needed not to dwell on it. "I suppose it was," he said, hiding everything with a small smile.

***

"Who is that?" Johnny heard someone murmuring not far from him.

Some people sucked at gossiping. He wasn't one for such things himself, but the least these people could do was to keep their voices down. They were already seated and waiting for Yanis and his woman to say their vows.

"That's Ruslan's lover," someone else replied to the first woman talking.

"Are you serious? I had no idea Ruslan Kent was gay. I did find it strange to see them together, though."

"Such a shame, right? What, did you hope you could seduce him or something?" the man snickered.

"Well, he's like the most handsome and also the richest guy around. How come someone like Yanis knows him?"

"Beats me. They met when Ruslan needed some security detail or something. Now, let's just watch Yanis and Anya getting hitched."

The woman sighed exaggeratedly. "How come the best guys are either married, or gay?"

"Seriously? What am I then?"

"My lucky charm," the woman added with a small giggle. "And I know you're actually a bad boy," she purred.

"What? Now that you know you have no chance with Ruslan, you want me? You may still try your luck."

"Did you look at them?" The woman replied. "How could I break up such a nice couple?"

Nice couple, Johnny thought. Everyone from dressmakers to random people at weddings thought so. But what could Ruslan really think? Was Johnny just a guy who happened to stick around a little more? And was he seriously thinking about weddings, and marriages, and all that bullcrap? Maybe he needed to ask Yanis to smack him upside the head so that he could wake up and stop having wide-eyed dreams like some thirteen-year-old girl.

Ruslan sat next to him. "Sorry about this. Sometimes catering employees need a bit of straightening up. What did I miss?"

"Nothing yet," Johnny replied.

Ruslan leaned against him and looped one arm around his. On the dais, Yanis was starting saying crap about how much he would love his woman when they were both going to be one hundred or something.

Later, as Ruslan walked with him hand in hand, to meet the newlyweds, Johnny could feel a few curious looks thrown their way. As it seemed, neither Ruslan's orientation nor his relationship with Yanis, was common knowledge. That was little comfort seeing how they appeared to be the main focus of the conversation.

Yanis grinned broadly as they greeted him. "How did you like my little poem? I wrote it."

The woman next to him looked Johnny up and down with curious eyes. She was a tiny thing, now almost drowning in white ruffles and whatnot, but by how she was staring at him, she was the fiery kind.

"Sure, sure," Ruslan laughed, "it was amazing. Shakespeare has nothing on you. Congratulations, guys. Anya, you look so beautiful."

The woman took Ruslan's hands after a short, calculated moment of hesitation and blew air kisses on his cheeks.

"I know very well that you found that poem for Yanis on some website," she said. "You guys have never really fooled me while sneaking behind my back."

Ouch, Johnny thought and threw a nervous look at Yanis. The fucker seemed completely relaxed, and couldn't care about his wife's little pointed jabs.

Ruslan hurried to smooth things over. "We have only a few details to talk about so that you guys can go and spend an awesome honeymoon."

"Great. So you need to talk about it some more," Anya said brightly. "Seeing how this is supposed to be the most beautiful day of my life, I am allowed not to care about such details. Ruslan, do you mind if I steal your boyfriend for a minute while you go over the trip stuff with Yanis? Thank you," she added without really waiting for a reply and taking Johnny's arm swiftly.

Ruslan threw Johnny a strained smile.

"It's okay," Johnny found himself talking. "Just go see about that honeymoon trip. I suppose I'm in good hands." He looked pointedly at the tiny woman hanging by his arm.

Anya didn't look down. As it seemed, she needed to talk to Johnny, and he had a feeling that he wanted to hear her out.