Russian Winters

Mikhail loved how the ally looked in winter. it was beautiful. The Loud people lining the streets only slightly bothered him. It was quite cold though. He shivered slightly as he drew his coat tightly around him and looked around and then to his friend.

"Well, this is a nice little trip hm?" He didn't really know what else to say. Over the years, Mik had developed a slight crush on his friend, but he'd never admit to it. He had too much pride to admit to having a crush on anybody. It just wasn't who he was.

"Yup" Liam kept walking, ignoring the people that looked at them. He took in a deep breath, glad that this was still a small town. Most people had no idea who he was, not even Mickey, and he hoped to keep it that way for as long as possible.

"So... where to?" Liam looked around for any interesting places. "Maybe we could get drinks" He pointed to a small pub after noticing his friend was cold.

Mik shrugged feeling bad that his chills had ruined their walk.

"we don't have to, i will be fine. its just been a while since i've left the school.." he blushed slightly "i enjoy the scenery... but if you want to go inside somewhere i'll go with you. but only if you really want to, alright?" he felt awkward. the feeling he had in his stomach felt like he'd been kicked. He had never felt this way before about anyone

Liam rolled his eyes and led the way to the pub. He could use something to drink. "Come on" He walked into the pub going straight for the bar.

"What do you want to drink? I'm buying it." He added before Mickey could complain. Liam waited for the bartender to move his way while reading the labels of all the bottles on the shelf.

Mik sighed "if you insist upon me getting anything ill just have water." he rested his head in his hand and gazed around the pub trying to avoid looking directly at his friend. He refused to admit to himself that he had a crush. Love was something he had been incapable of feeling up until now. Why did it have to be his best friend. He doubted Liam even felt the same way. Mikhail felt sick. The room was spinning. He shook it off, but still felt like he was going to pass out

Liam frowned but didn't argue with him. Instead he ordered his usual drink and water. Mickey had been acting rather strangely lately and although Liam was curious, he knew the boy liked to keep to himself. We all have secrets. He thought.

He sensed someone watching him and turned his head slightly trying to find out who it was. He was quickly getting uncomfortable with the situation. He turned around quickly but no one was looking at him. He sighed and went back to his drink. "We could always visit the bookshop" He suggested, trying to cheer his friend up. It was probably his paranoia, but he couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched.

Mikhail's eyes brightened only slightly at the mention of books. He didn't feel well. Was it love, or something more serious. He wouldn't know until something happened would he. He drummed his fingers lightly on the bar table and sighed and forced a small smile

"Yeah, the bookstore sounds fun..." He mumbled "if you want to... i know youre not all that into books and things of that nature..."

Liam quickly finished his drink and took money out of his wallet. He didn't feel comfortable in that place. Who ever was watching him could follow them out, but Liam figured they would have enough time to get Mickey inside the store.

Liam had no intentions of getting his friend involved in whatever was going to happen. "Bookstore it is." He announced smiling despite the scent of silver he caught from his right. There was a hunter... he fought the panic and focused on getting Mickey away before things got ugly.

He walked out, making sure to walk slightly behind his friend. His fingers itching for his gun or even his wand, but that would give him away.

Mik turned slightly to look at liam. He was acting strange. almost scared.

"it everything alright Liam? you seem tense about something. Are you sure you want to stay out? we can go back to the school... i don't mind." He forced a smile

Liam was Mik's closet friend. He didn't want him to feel uncomfortable. That would be bad. He just wanted Liam to be happy. That was it

"I'm fine. Just remembered something" He continued to walk heading towards the bookshop. "Besides, it's lovely out" The ex-hunter wanted to pace palm himself. It was a cloudy winter day, Mickey was freezing and he just said it was lovely out.

"There we are" He opened the door letting Mickey walk in first. His tone happier than usual. "I'll see you in a few" He shut the door after Mickey had walked in and turned just to find a gun pointed at his face.

Mik looked out the window just in time to see someone pointing a gun at his friend (and crush). He burst through the door wand out and ready to strike. He had dueled before and this was a matter of life and death. He would not let anyone hurt Liam, even if harm came to himself. But first he needed to know what was happening.

"WHAT IN THE HELL IS GOING ON RIGHT NOW?!" Mik was shaking with rage "Liam who is this guy?!"

"Wow, easy" Liam moved back slightly. "No need to get violent" The hunter lifted his hands up slowly. "You're slacking, Duke" The man in front of him smirked. Liam tried to ignore the the gun inches away from his face and focus on the hunter himself.

"And you're in a public place, Theo" Liam kept his features calm, it would do him no good to look scared. "It won't matter-" Theo was cut of by Mickey bursting out the door, wand in hand and demanding an explanation.

"Mickey, put your wand down" Liam asked knowing the man in front of him wouldn't hesitate to shoot. "What have we got here? You've got yourself another partner." The man's smile grew.

"No, he's just a student. Leave him out of this" Liam glared, his eyes turning slightly more yellow. "Aww, You've made friends" He chuckled. "I'm an old friend of Liam, am I not, Duke?" Liam nodded.

"You should go now, kid" Theo glanced towards Mickey. "Liam and I have a debt to settle"

Mik spat on the mans shoes, enraged that he had been called a child.

"im not going anywhere. I'm NOT going to let you hurt Liam..." He felt a slight blush creep across his face but he stood strong. He would protect Liam as much as he could. He would not let this strange person hurt his best friend. Friend. It took Mik a while. But he'd been calling Liam his friend. He'd never had a real friend before. This was a person worth keeping safe...for more reasons than one

Theo had no problem with opposition. He quickly moved the gun towards Mickey. "You see that, Liam? It's another person who's going to die because of you."

Liam wanted to tackle the man but it would probably get Mickey or himself shot. "Mickey, get out of here" Liam knew what kind of bullets those were, the poison inside would make sure no one survived. "I can handle this."

"Theo, your problem is with me. He's just a kid, you'll get life in Azkaban for that" He tried to reason.

Again with being called a kid, by someone who was his own age non the less. Mik could fight this battle. Nobody was getting shot. Mik needed to do some quick thinking. He couldn't fight well, but he had a pretty high IQ. He didn't want liam to get hurt

"what does this guy want from you" mik whispered fiercly "what arent you telling me?"

"Uhhhh, what are you not telling him?" Theo chuckled. "Go ahead, tell him" Liam stiffened. "What for, you're going to kill me anyways" Liam glared. "If you won't I will" Theo moved the gun back to Liam.

"The great Liam VanDuke kills people for a living" Theo paused for dramatic effect. "He massacred my pack, twenty seven people" The fact that he didn't get a reaction from Liam made hims even angrier. "Give me one reason not to kill him?" He asked Mickey. "One good reason. I'm doing the world a favor"

Miks eyes widened. The person he'd fallen for was a murderer. Fantastic. Either way... he liked liam...a lot.. and the truth would be the only way to save him now. Wonderful. Just wonderful.

Mikhail let out a sigh before speaking. "...i love him that's why... ind i'm not going to let you harm him. So what, he killed a few people..but that awas his past, and i can guarentee to you he's changed. and how does killing him make you the good guy? you'd just be taking away a great guy who means a lot to a lot of people..."

Theo laughed. "A few people? few? You really have no idea." He shook his head. "I have to commend you, to have people willing to die for you when they know nothing about you, that, that takes skill" Liam continued to glare, thinking of ways to disarm the werewolf without getting someone killed.

"When was your lest kill, Duke?" Theo watched him intently. "He is under the impression that you had a change of heart" Liam was panicking inwardly, his cover was absolutely blown. The only good think was that Theo had not noticed he had been turned, and he prayed he wouldn't.

Theo relased the safety clip. "How long, Duke?" He demanded. "four weeks" Liam spat up, making his anger known. "And this kid is in love with you, or so he says" Theo sure seemed to be enjoying Liam's discomfort.

"Why are you here, Duke? I'm sure headquarters is in need of your expertise. Who are you hunting?" Theo asked deciding the Mickey was no danger to him. If he did something, all Theo had to do was pull the trigger. Liam's jaw tightned. "No one"

Miks hands were shaking. This guy was a freak. HIs head was spinning and he felt like he was going to be sick. Liam had killed people. What other secrets could he possibly have? Not only that. He just confessed his undying love for him and he appeared not to have noticed. Felt like someone kicked him in the stomach.

"don't kill him. Its not the way to handle this! just go! hes only a teenager, as am i. You have no need to be harassing us. We have to be back at school anyway"

"He's a hunter, he's stopped being a child a long time ago" Theo was about to pull the trigger when the noises of a commotion down the street reached him. Liam didn't hesitate, the moment his eyes traveled away from him Liam pushed his arms away from himself and Mickey, punched Theo in the face and stomach, leaving him out of breath.

"Drop the gun." Liam ordered as he stood behind the man with a dagger pressed against his throat. "I said drop it." Liam hissed in his year pressing the dagger harder.

Mik stood there in shock. Not knowing what to do. His feet felt as though they were frozen to the spot. How did today just spiral downhill out of nowhere? it just didn't make any sense. he just wanted to have a nice day out with Liam and this fool with a gun had to screw it up. Deep down, Mikhail was enraged, but only fear showed on his face. He didn't know what was going to happen, and that scared him more than anything

Liam watched the man carefully as his gun fell to the ground. "I didn't think you had it in you, Duke. Not with witnesses around" Liam had no idea how this person managed to read his thoughts, it was unnerving. "Mickey, go back to the castle." He had to get this guy away from the school.

"Oh, is that how it's going to be? Only one of us is coming out alive this time." Theo didn't seem scared by the fact that Liam could slit his throat open in one move. "You attacked me" Liam hissed in his ear. "Should've known better"

Mikhail winced slightly. Liam didn't trust him to keep his mouth shut. Mik knew what was going to happen. It happened all the time in the neighborhood he was from. He forced himself not to let any hurt show as he nodded slowly to liam.

"alright... lemme just get a new book...im thinking it'll be a while before youre back and i wont be able to do much..." he said finishing his statement in his head because i have no other friends.... He walked into the book shop and silently skimmed the shelves trying to find something that caught his eye.

Liam nodded and disapparated. If wasn't long before he had returned, not a sign that there had been a fight. The male sighed and leaned against the side of the store, closing his eyes as he did so. His cover was blown, Mickey would probably want to stay away from now on.

What had he been thinking, saying something like that in front of Theo, the hunter would've killed him just to get to Liam. He let out a long breath. Mickey should have come up with a more convincing lie. Anyways, it didn't matter anymore.

Liam questioned his judgement in not killing the man. Instead he had taken Theo as close as he dared to get from headquarters and left him there. He hoped the other hunters had gotten to him. If he survives, he'll be back for me. He thought, perhaps it would be better if Liam and Mickey were no longer friend.

Mickey's head was spinning. There was most likely something in the drink he'd had earlier. The room felt like it was spinning. He managed to stagger his way outside before he hit the ground. All that flashed through his mind were images of earlier. He'd blown it. he wanted to apologize but he couldn't get his mouth to move. He felt himself shudder slightly. He would stay alive. He looked up at Liam and tried to choke out an apology, but then he blacked out