‹ Prequel: Everything I'm Not
Love's Requiem
Weary Saints
I showered, straightened my hair and then turned on the TV to see what the temperature was supposed to be for today. Of course expecting something maybe in the 40’s I soon found out the warmest it would be today is 20 degrees. I decided, to play it safe and stick to my normal regime of clothes: an unearth tee shirt, black jeans, a fleece hoodie and a pair of Nike’s. Just like I had predicted I was in the middle of putting on some make up, when Niko came back to the room.
“I was right again!” I exclaimed, from the bathroom.
After Niko changed in to his normal clothes, we bundled up and headed out to get breakfast and begin seeing some of the sights. Luka met up with us later on in time to go with us to the modern art museum. I was able to go to St. Basil’s cathedral, which was a place I always wanted to go to ever since I saw that Anastasia cartoon movie when I was a kid. After the museum, we did some shopping and before any of us knew it, it was already 6 and we had to head back to the hotel to get ready for the dinner.
While Niko was showering I was changing in to the pink dress he had given me for Christmas, as well as doing my hair and make up. I was in the middle of putting concealer on the slightly noticeable bags under my eyes, when I looked at myself fully in the mirror. Should I cover up my chest piece? And any others for that matter, my back was hopeless because my piece was far too larger but what about the ones on my arms? Maybe the chest piece should be covered just to play it safe. So I used the heavy duty, tattoo cover up, and completely covered up my chest piece.
“What did you do?” Niko asked while I was helping him with his tie later on.
“Huh?”
“Your chest, why did you cover it up?”
“Play it safe?”
“No, Isabella you’re not changing yourself for me. I love you for who you are.” He said storming in to the bathroom and coming back a few seconds later with a wet wash cloth. He washed the cover up carefully off, revealing my tattoo. After he dried it off, I felt him kiss it lightly. “You’re beautiful no matter what.” He added.
The whole time however, my mind was put on pause. Did he just say that he loves me?
The dinner was being held in the ballroom of the hotel, we met up with Luka first and then
went down together.
“You do clean up nicely.” Luka smirked kissing my cheek.
“Aw big head is that a compliment?” I exclaimed hugging him.
“It’s times like this I wish I would have just stayed inside my house when I was a kid and not socialized.” He joked.
“You don’t mean that you loved me cause I let you play with Mishka.”
“Who’s Mishka?” Niko asked.
“Mishka was this stupid sock monkey she had, and by playing with she means how she’d smash it in to my face when ever I’d walk in to her house.” Luka explained.
“Oh Mishka, such fond memories.” I sighed, as Niko took my hand in to his as we walked in to where the dinner was.
I gasped when we walked in, the whole place was decked out with fancy lights and there was an open bar, as well as a dance floor. They really went all out for this, that’s for sure. Of course however I saw a flash of lights and saw that there was still some press there. On reflex I went to dash off away from Niko but he had a firm grip on my hand.
“Don’t even think about it,” He chuckled as we headed to a table, and sat down. A guy walked over and said something to Niko and Luka that I couldn’t hear, and then walked away.
“We’ll be back in a bit, please stay out of trouble.” Niko told me kissing my forehead as him and Luka headed to the press group.
Of course I could stay out of trouble, I’d occupy myself with the bar. I got up and headed over to the not so crowded bar.
“And here she is, what did you think of the game?” I heard Bilic’s voice say as I headed to the bar.
“Very well played, the defense was amazing, forget the midfield, they didn’t stand a chance.” I smirked.
“I take it Niko is outside?” He asked giving me a hug and kiss on the cheek.
“Yes sir, how are you?” I smiled,
“Top of the world,” He chuckled as I ordered my drink and one for Niko.
We stood and talked a little longer, until Niko came back wrapping an arm around my waist.
“Finally,” I told him sarcastically, making him laugh as he kissed my temple. “For you,” I told him giving him the drink I got him.
“She’s a catch Niko, you better watch out.” Bilic joked as he headed off to go talk to Luka.
“In heaven yet?” He joked as we went to sit down.
“Please that doesn’t even come close.” I told him shaking my head. “Thank you, this has been amazing.” I told him hugging him tightly.
“This is just the beginning,” I heard him tell me.
We sat and talked with the people who were sitting with us, as well as ate. After dinner however the DJ actually began playing and I made Luka dance with me.
“I’ll bring back Mishka,” I threatened, making him and Niko laugh.
“Fine, fine.” Luka chuckled giving in as he followed me to the dance floor to dance with me.
Of course by the time I managed to get him to give in the song had changed to a slow song.
“You know the past few days has to be the happiest I’ve seen you two.” Luka commented.
“How could we not be?”
“I mean more than the football.”
“Not this conversation again, so what about you? When are you going to get a girlfriend?”
“I’m in the process, there’s this really nice girl I met back home.”
“Oh tell me more,” I smiled.
“Her name’s Vanja, I met her over the summer. You’d like her.”
“How come she’s not here?”
“Work.”
“I like her already,” I told him making him smirk, as the song ended and there was a tap on
my shoulder.
“She’s all yours,” Luka laughed as Niko was behind me.
“Who said I wanted to dance with you?” I asked as Niko took my and hand out his one arm around my waist.
“You didn’t have to,” He smiled.
“Smart ass.” I mumbled resting my head on his shoulder.
“What would I do with out you Isabella?”
“Be very bored, and not listen to heavy music.” I told him, as I felt him laugh.
“Good point.”
“I was right again!” I exclaimed, from the bathroom.
After Niko changed in to his normal clothes, we bundled up and headed out to get breakfast and begin seeing some of the sights. Luka met up with us later on in time to go with us to the modern art museum. I was able to go to St. Basil’s cathedral, which was a place I always wanted to go to ever since I saw that Anastasia cartoon movie when I was a kid. After the museum, we did some shopping and before any of us knew it, it was already 6 and we had to head back to the hotel to get ready for the dinner.
While Niko was showering I was changing in to the pink dress he had given me for Christmas, as well as doing my hair and make up. I was in the middle of putting concealer on the slightly noticeable bags under my eyes, when I looked at myself fully in the mirror. Should I cover up my chest piece? And any others for that matter, my back was hopeless because my piece was far too larger but what about the ones on my arms? Maybe the chest piece should be covered just to play it safe. So I used the heavy duty, tattoo cover up, and completely covered up my chest piece.
“What did you do?” Niko asked while I was helping him with his tie later on.
“Huh?”
“Your chest, why did you cover it up?”
“Play it safe?”
“No, Isabella you’re not changing yourself for me. I love you for who you are.” He said storming in to the bathroom and coming back a few seconds later with a wet wash cloth. He washed the cover up carefully off, revealing my tattoo. After he dried it off, I felt him kiss it lightly. “You’re beautiful no matter what.” He added.
The whole time however, my mind was put on pause. Did he just say that he loves me?
The dinner was being held in the ballroom of the hotel, we met up with Luka first and then
went down together.
“You do clean up nicely.” Luka smirked kissing my cheek.
“Aw big head is that a compliment?” I exclaimed hugging him.
“It’s times like this I wish I would have just stayed inside my house when I was a kid and not socialized.” He joked.
“You don’t mean that you loved me cause I let you play with Mishka.”
“Who’s Mishka?” Niko asked.
“Mishka was this stupid sock monkey she had, and by playing with she means how she’d smash it in to my face when ever I’d walk in to her house.” Luka explained.
“Oh Mishka, such fond memories.” I sighed, as Niko took my hand in to his as we walked in to where the dinner was.
I gasped when we walked in, the whole place was decked out with fancy lights and there was an open bar, as well as a dance floor. They really went all out for this, that’s for sure. Of course however I saw a flash of lights and saw that there was still some press there. On reflex I went to dash off away from Niko but he had a firm grip on my hand.
“Don’t even think about it,” He chuckled as we headed to a table, and sat down. A guy walked over and said something to Niko and Luka that I couldn’t hear, and then walked away.
“We’ll be back in a bit, please stay out of trouble.” Niko told me kissing my forehead as him and Luka headed to the press group.
Of course I could stay out of trouble, I’d occupy myself with the bar. I got up and headed over to the not so crowded bar.
“And here she is, what did you think of the game?” I heard Bilic’s voice say as I headed to the bar.
“Very well played, the defense was amazing, forget the midfield, they didn’t stand a chance.” I smirked.
“I take it Niko is outside?” He asked giving me a hug and kiss on the cheek.
“Yes sir, how are you?” I smiled,
“Top of the world,” He chuckled as I ordered my drink and one for Niko.
We stood and talked a little longer, until Niko came back wrapping an arm around my waist.
“Finally,” I told him sarcastically, making him laugh as he kissed my temple. “For you,” I told him giving him the drink I got him.
“She’s a catch Niko, you better watch out.” Bilic joked as he headed off to go talk to Luka.
“In heaven yet?” He joked as we went to sit down.
“Please that doesn’t even come close.” I told him shaking my head. “Thank you, this has been amazing.” I told him hugging him tightly.
“This is just the beginning,” I heard him tell me.
We sat and talked with the people who were sitting with us, as well as ate. After dinner however the DJ actually began playing and I made Luka dance with me.
“I’ll bring back Mishka,” I threatened, making him and Niko laugh.
“Fine, fine.” Luka chuckled giving in as he followed me to the dance floor to dance with me.
Of course by the time I managed to get him to give in the song had changed to a slow song.
“You know the past few days has to be the happiest I’ve seen you two.” Luka commented.
“How could we not be?”
“I mean more than the football.”
“Not this conversation again, so what about you? When are you going to get a girlfriend?”
“I’m in the process, there’s this really nice girl I met back home.”
“Oh tell me more,” I smiled.
“Her name’s Vanja, I met her over the summer. You’d like her.”
“How come she’s not here?”
“Work.”
“I like her already,” I told him making him smirk, as the song ended and there was a tap on
my shoulder.
“She’s all yours,” Luka laughed as Niko was behind me.
“Who said I wanted to dance with you?” I asked as Niko took my and hand out his one arm around my waist.
“You didn’t have to,” He smiled.
“Smart ass.” I mumbled resting my head on his shoulder.
“What would I do with out you Isabella?”
“Be very bored, and not listen to heavy music.” I told him, as I felt him laugh.
“Good point.”