Of Hangovers and New Additions

Alyosha groaned softly, leaning back against one of the many trees in the forest.

As soon as Tuz had fallen asleep, he had disappeared out into town to drink away his anger and disappointment.

One drink led to two that soon turned into ten, then twenty were consumed.

And apparently he had decided that more tattoos marking his already graffiti'd skin would be a good idea. Now his shoulders and upper chest were covered in clingfilm to protect them.

He hadn't had the heart to take a look at the new additions to his skin yet. He had a nasty hangover and his chest was sore. Right now he wanted more sleep and a large glass of water.

A small wolf lay out in the forest, a collar fastened around his neck. He was a fuzzy creature with light brown fur. He had ventured out into the woods to get away from the stuffy mansion.

Bruises and cuts still littered his body from Zakhar. His master was not happy with him, and he deserved it.

All though the lycan appeared to be asleep, he was very much awake, using his ears to be alert as he rested his eyes.

When he heard a man wondering in the forest he looked up, ears pointed back. That was a new scent, one he wasn't familiar with.

He stared at Alyosha, not moving. He was an untrusting pup and didn't want to approach just yet. The man appeared to be very hungover.

His blue eyes flickered open and he sighed heavily, leaning his entire weight back against the tree.

Godammit he really needed some paracetamol.

"Last time I ever go drinking when anger," he grumbled to himself, his already thick accent thickening further in his current state.

He ran his hand through his long unbound hair before stretching his arms above his head, hissing softly as the stretch pulled at his tender skin.

Lino was content to just observe the man from a short distance, still the ever untrusting pup he was.

Typically he was very good about keeping quiet, but suddenly an itch tingled from his nose, and before realizing what was happening he let out a loud sneeze.

He was only a few feet from Alyosha and he froze instantly once he gave away his position.

Alyosha's eyes snapped to the side when he heard a loud sneeze, his entire body tensing up.

He hated being taken by surprise; something that had carried over from his life in the mafia. Surprise was a great way to win a fight.

His blue eyes settled on the wolf lying just a few feet away. How hadn't he noticed that? He blamed the hangover.

His eyes never strayed. He stared down at it silently, trying to decide whether it was hostile or not. Wrestling with a hostile wolf right now wasn't on his list of things to do with a hangover raging in his head.

The young wolf did not look hostile in the least. Instead it looked meek, staring up at Alyosha with big, puppy like eyes. His ears were pointed down and instantly his tail curled between his legs.

M-Mi dispiace Signore He communicated, silver blue eyes looking away from the man's out of respect. He hadn't mean to spy, and yet that's what it was looking like.

________________

I-I'm sorry sir

The puppy eyes shot right through him.

They reminded him of Ostanki. Adorable. But he was a wolf. Not much of an adorable animal when fully grown. But, like Ostanki, he was feared because of what he was.

A Lycan. Who thought of cute adorable things when they looked at Lycan?

"I...I do not understand."

He didn't know the language. It was... new to him.

Lino looked down. This man had a soft tone about his voice, despite the gruff exterior of a tattooed drunkard.

I said I'm sorry... I didn't mean to startle you... He explained. It was new Lino for people to not understand his mother tongue. He had lived in Italy his whole life.

But ever since moving to the coven English was the first language here, something he struggled with greatly at first. But the more time he spent with Farris the better he got at it.

He waved a hand dismissively as he slid down the tree he was leaning against.

"Is no problem. I am skittish like scared animal at times." Something that he needed to get away from. People weren't going to randomly try to kill him here.

He gave a soft groan, running his hands through his hair.

"I am not always like this," he assured the boy. "Just...rough time last night caused bottoms up for me."

The young lycans ears relaxed, no longer pressed back on his head. Slowly his tail untucked from between his legs. He no longer felt threatened by the man.

Did he trust him? No, Lino trusted very few people. But this person was harmless, at least at the moment. And he was talking to Lino. Like Lino was a person. Very rarely would someone do that, and the pup found himself liking it a lot.

The Russian accent was thick on this man. That accent struck Lino's heart every time he heard it. Lust, fear, loss of control all stirred in his gut when he thought of his Master. He scolded himself for thinking that way. Both about his Master as well as this person who had nothing to do with Zakhar.

Skittish? Lino wasn't familiar with that word. He decided not to dwell on it though.

I never liked the taste of alcohol... makes me sick. He said, gently easing closer to Alyosha. He didn't stand up straight, but instead crawled on all fours, shifting to move forward.

What happened? I mean... I'm sorry that's not by business... The pup was quick to apologize. It was very out of place for him to ask such a question. Farris had given him an incredible amount of confidence, which wasn't a bad thing. However, still very much self loathing, Lino cursed himself internally for being so up front.

"Does not taste good lot of times."

He wasn't all that fond of a lot of alcohol. Most of it tasted absolutely terrible. But the worse it tasted, the easier it was to get drunk off it.

"Do not want to talk about it." His voice wasn't hard. It was just a gentle sigh. He really didn't want to talk about what had happened the day previous. he had drank to try and forget it.

Alyosha sighed softly again.

Lino shook his head back and forth, disappointed in himself.

I shouldn't have asked. He looked at the ground, his tail again going between his legs. He was a pathetic excuse for a lycan, that much was obvious.

You must be new to the coven. I've never seen you before. He said, trying to change the subject. The same boy a few months prior would have never been this bold as to try and have conversation. But glimpses of the old Lino were coming back into his life. Still he wouldn't make eye contact with Alyosha.

"You were curious. Is fine."

Curiosity was fine. He wasn't going to fault the boy for being curious. Curiosity was a good thing to have.

Alyosha nodded.

"Yes, very new." He really hadn't been in the coven long and so much had already happened to him. Never a boring moment.

He wanted some boring moments. Action was fin. But he'd like to just be able to lay around and do nothing at times. So much drama was never good.

The pup's eyes seemed to lighten when he realized the man wasn't mad at him. He sat straight, his collar now fully visible, as he sat only a couple of feet from Alyosha now.

I've only been here for a few months and all ready I want out. He admitted. Did he hate the coven? No, not at all. He liked all the places to hide. And it was here that he met Farris. But it was also here that he could never love Farris the way he wanted to.

From the way Alyosha had hit the bottle on one of his first nights, Lino wondered how well he'd like this place after being here a few months as well.

"Then get out."

His blue eyes turned upwards. "I did same in past. Best decision I made in entire life." He had left Russia; left the mafia behind him.

It was definitely the best thing he had ever done. He still had physical reminders of his time there, stretched across his back and hidden under his hair. But his emotional turmoil over it had long since gone. He was free from that now and he as happy for it.

The pup scratched behind his ear, causing the collar around his neck to jingle.

I wish it were that easy. He communicated, a longing look in his eyes.

When Farris had proposed to him, Lino thought Zakhar was gone and not coming back. So when his Master did come back, it had been the boys nightmares come true. The plans to run away together looked less possible now.

Lino knew how his master was a strong and powerful lycan, and he worried that if he tried to run away with Farris, Zakhar might find them. And that would lead to his love getting hurt.

No matter how many times Farris swore he would protect Lino, Lino knew that Zakhar was bigger, stronger, and more viscous then Farris would ever be.

"If you are looking for way without risks, stop looking."

Trying to look for a way to escape something big without risks was like getting snow in August. It never happened. There were always risks involved. Always.

"Escaping is all or nothing situation. Either go or stay. Do not think about it."

If the boy wanted to leave, he just needed to do it.

Lino looked down at his paws, his ear twitching as he thought. Were he in his human form he would have had a furrowed brow.

Silver blue eyes held the deep thoughts inside Lino's head.

"...If you could live anywhere Lino where would you want to live?"

"As far away from here as possible... where there are hardley any people... just nature and ocean...."

"...Then lets go there together...Lets run there together"

"Where though?"

"To...An island somewhere. Somewhere no one else is. And I'll build you a house... And we can get married"

The sweet words resounded in his head, Farris's voice making his heart skip a few beats. He hadn't seen his love since Zakhar came back. He didn't have the heart to face Farris with the collar again around his neck, the bruises on his body.

You're right. He said softly, looking back up at Alyosha.

His eyes turned down to Lino and he gave a little smile.

"I am right because I have done it before."

He knew through experienced that you could never escape something without risks. But if you were constantly stopping yourself because of the risks you would get nowhere.

You needed to grab the bull by the horns, so to speak.

I guess you probably want to be left alone. I've never had a hangover but I hear they aren't fun. The pup said with a guilty expression, letting out a little apologetic whine.

I'll go now. He sat up and walked past Alyosha, looking over his shoulder. His tail wagged just a little.

I just realized, I didn't get your name.... I'm Lino....

"Is not fun. If you can, avoid ever to get one."

He definitely needed to stop drinking so heavily when he did drink. It wasn't so often that he had any alcohol lately.

His lips quirked into a little smile.

"Was nice to talk, Lino. I am Alyosha."

His eyes slid shut. "I hope that escape goes well for you."

Lino's tail wagged happily.

Thanks. He said, and let out a little bark before running off back towards the mansion.

He'd find Farris, even though it would be hard. He'd put this off long enough.