[Talk Show]: For Mads and Adrian from your fic Et Band Mellem Krigere.
I'd like to know how are you two boys doing? Is everything okay with the girls and your kids?
Mads clears his throat almost solemnly to answer as Adrian is nowhere to be seen.
"Yeah, we are living a pretty good li-..." his voice is cut by a childish laugh.
Mads looks around, seeing no one, and so, he starts again.
"The girls are fine, and Ad-..." another giggle.
This time, Mads swirls around himself, searching for the source of the sound.
"Are you guys listening to it?" he asks the questioners, looking at the content of the beer can he'd just emptied, checking the can to see if it wasn't expired nor anything like.
But as Mads is distracted, Adrian's voice can be heard before the children jump on Mads, throwing him down in a tickle attack.
"NOW!"
It is a show of laughs, and Mads slaps the ground like a fighter trying desperately to give up his combat.
Adrian walks forward, a smile on his face.
"We're living the dream, my friend!" he jokes at the questioner, drinking from his beer can and giggling at Mads' laughing pleads for help. "We're living the dream!"
Author’s notes: OH THANK YOU!! I was waiting so long for the asks to spread through my other works hahaha Thanks!
Author’s Notes | It doesn't really matter how hard we try or how strong are the obstacles in our way. When something has to happen, it happens. Life is like a river: it flows. And it doesn't matter how many stones you put into a river's bed. It doesn't matter if it finds a mountain in its way. It will always find a way...
Words | 3067
⁑ Warnings: Mention to drugs, drug addiction, abuse of illegal substances, violence.
Somehow, it moved on.
Life changed, but Adrian couldn't really complain of how the weeks were going in that new way to live. He was still sleeping on her couch, but just because he told Y/N it was bullshit to build a new room in the house only for him: they should think on Patrick first and now, he and Mads were finishing the foundation for the new room, closer to hers, so the child could have its own space after it was a little bigger. Only then, they would start thinking if it was really worthy to make a room for him only.
Even because Y/N's smiles for him were telling Adrian that maybe a new room wouldn't be necessary after all.
She was a beautiful woman. And after they came into her life, she even gained some weight and was looking more healthy - since Adrian started to teach her what he had learned in those books he read because of Victoria, Y/N had learned a lot about her own body and pregnancy and now, she wasn't skipping meals anymore. They were all the time speaking to each other and Mads even took Joy and Kyle to rides through the town sometimes just to see if, being alone, something would sparkle between the two of them.
Mads was happy to see his friend smiling again. Adrian was a dedicated man and a natural father and Mads could not avoid thinking how much Victoria had explored those instincts and kindness in his friend for her own benefit. He had heard about her from some old friends' calls - people that were keeping him informed about the situation in Copenhagen to ensure they would be safe where they were. He heard about Chad's arresting: somehow the guy was being searched for tax evasion and Victoria's attempts to have Adrian arrested ended up showing the police where the guy was hidden. As long as he knew, Shon - her child Adrian used to call Patrick - was born and she was now selling the house to go back to her parents' house with the baby.
Mads never told Adrian a single word... He knew how much Adrian loved that boy and he also knew he wouldn't rest his head thinking about how the child's situation would be... So, he just kept his mouth shut...
Adrian was happy. And he wanted it to keep going this way.
Y/N was now entering the last month of her pregnancy and it made them slow down the things because Adrian was fully entertained in helping her to be more comfortable. He built by himself a wooden support that allowed her to sleep with her back more elevated; he bought her some more pillows; damn, he even went out at 3 in the morning to find a convenience that could sell him the peach pie she woke up crazy about! Mads could bet things would get settled down among him and Y/N pretty soon and he knew Joy had heard Y/N speaking about how sweet and cute his friend was.
Cute...
If she just knew what the "cute" butcher in her couch had done already... Mads giggled with the idea and his giggle called Adrian's attention. The two of them were sitting at the balcony recently finished, sharing some bottles of beer since the two of them were trying to stop smoking - it wasn't good for the kids around and Adrian had quit it for a week already so, Mads followed the same way.
"What?" Adrian asked, looking as Joy and Y/N were at the grass, playing with Kyle and trying to teach the little one how to sit by himself.
"Nothing, buddy, just thinking about how things changed for us," Mads answered, smiling.
"They did..." Adrian agreed, looking at Y/N. "And I think they'll change a little more," he completed, smiling back.
"What? Will you finally stop looking at her like a dog in front of the chicken roaster, man?" Mads' joked, receiving a friendly punch in his shoulder from Adrian as he laughed.
"Whaaat?! It's true! You're drooling since we arrived, man... You should treat this kink of yours."
"It's not a kink, come on! She's gorgeous," Adrian said, smiling. "I just didn't want to move forward before the baby was born, ya know? I mean... She's facing so many troubles, the back pain, and weight and stuff... I'm thinking about giving some more time for her to feel better instead of just throwing things like this, ya know?"
"I read on one of those books of yours that sex helps with the childbirth preparation," Mads joked again, receiving a new punch and laughing one more time before patting his friend's back. "Fine, fine... You're right. This part of their lives is very intense indeed. But I'm sure you're not the only one thinking about moving forward here, brother," Mads lifted his bottle a little, pointing Y/N who was fully distracted with Kyle's cooing. "She likes you. Joy told me she speaks about you and how... Cute... You are," he threw the word just to see Adrian blushing and giggling, clumsy.
"I'll talk to her when everything is settled down," he said, smiling.
"Go ahead, brother. You deserve something good in your life and Y/N deserves a better man for her. Full support here, bro," Mads answered, smiling at him and raising the bottle for them to toast.
"I know I can always count on you, brother," Adrian answered, touching Mads' bottle with his own before they took a sip from their beers.
The rest of the day was calm. They had taken a day to chill with the girls and Kyle so, at the end of the night, they weren't as tired as usual.
Y/N, on the other hand, was exhausted. Adrian helped her to fix the height of her bed so she could lay down comfortably, but the weight of the belly was really bothering her now.
"I can't wait for Patrick to be born," she mumbled.
And Adrian smiled at her, gently putting a strand of her hair beside her ear.
"To be honest, neither can I," he answered, smiling bigger.
Feeling when she softly caressed his hand on her face. Their eyes meeting each other with so much tenderness between them.
"You're a good man, Adrian," she started, smiling gently. "I'm glad you came with Mads. In the beginning, I thought I wouldn't be able to hold the whole situation but now... Now I'm glad you came with them that day."
His fingers slowly slid to her cheek and she held his hand, leaning her face into his palm, allowing him to move forward and keep caressing her.
Adrian smiled.
"I would wait until Patrick was here to tell you this but... Y/N, I think we..." he started.
But a noise in the living room called their attention, cutting his words and the moment when Y/N sighed scared by the sound.
"Sh... sh sh, calm down, love, I'll take a look. Must have been a loosen plank from the roof. I'll put it back, don't worry," Adrian tried to calm her down, not noticing how he called her, getting up to fix what he was sure to be a plank that fell from the roof - Mads and him were still to fix that part of the house, but with this, he would hurry Mads about the need for a new roof and repairs.
A loosen plank could fall on Kyle or hurt Joy or even Y/N and he couldn't let any of these things happen.
However, when he came out, to the living room, Adrian's eyes were surprised by a man standing near the center table, messing with a box where Adrian knew Y/N was used to put her unused money. He was strange, dirty and shaking. And he didn't even notice Adrian's presence at the door or seemed to mind the fact that his entrance through the living room window Adrian now noticed open caused a loud noise that would be heard from the other rooms.
"Fuck, Ethan, what the fuck are you god's damn doing here?" Mads came from his room, closing the door probably to protect Joy inside.
An action that triggered Adrian's sense of alarm, causing him to pull the door of Y/N's room as well.
Nevertheless, she had already heard Ethan's name and held the door before Adrian could close it, coming out to see the man who was smiling at Mads, clumsy and strange.
"Mads! Brother! Long-time no see, dude. Mind me not, I just came to pick up some money I forgot home for... for..." Ethan started, scratching his nose clearly wounded by what Adrian could see was the constant use of cocaine.
"Oh my god..." Y/N mumbled. "What are you doing here, Ethan? I told you to leave!" she spoke, nervous.
And Adrian tried to hold her back.
"Love, let us take care of this, go back into the room, please..."
"Love?" Ethan laughed, finally noticing Adrian there. "So, you already found another to fuck your pussy, bitch?"
"Ethan, stop," Mads said, trying to pick the man, conduct him outside.
But Ethan pushed him away and his whole body language changed from the friendly to an aggressive mode, pointing Y/N with his eyes glowing in anger.
"My ass! This bitch is mine, asshole! This is my fucking house! MINE!!" he yelled, scaring Y/N and triggering Adrian even more. "You won't put an asshole in my fucking bed and give your damn holes to him with my fucking child in your belly, you slut!"
"Stop!" she yelled, covering her ears, shaking. "I told you to go away! You're high again! I don't want you beside my son!"
"MY SON!" Ethan yelled and Mads held him before he could go towards Y/N, "THIS FUCKING PIECE OF NOTHING INSIDE OF YOU IS MINE, YOU ARE MINE, YOU BITCH! MY SON! MY HOUSE! MY BITCH! LET ME FUCKING GO!" he continued yelling as Mads was trying to drag him away from the house.
Adrian moved forward to help but the man kicked Mads' balls and got free, advancing towards Y/N with all his strength like a truck ready to run over her. She cringed and Adrian could, in a second, figure out why she had expelled that man from her house: the way she shrunk around herself, protecting the belly... That bastard was hitting her...
That wasn't the first time he was advancing against her like that. He already did it before. To a pregnant woman...
Adrian stood in front of him like a wall preventing him to even get close to her. Even Mads couldn't recognize his friend for a moment: Adrian doubled his size, pushing Ethan back with all the strength of his arms, causing him to stumble on Mads' legs and fall to the ground, dragging himself towards the door Adrian didn't let him reach by himself, grabbing the man by his collar, raising Ethan to his height to look into his eyes. Adrian's blues strangely fierce, almost... Murderous...
"You listen to me, and you listen closely you asshole: The next time I see your drugged face near Y/N, near this house, even near this town, I'll fucking hit your face so bad that not even your mom will be able to recognize the pieces of your body IF the police dogs are ever able to find it, was I clear? Get the fuck out of here, you piece of shit!" he growled, throwing Ethan out of the house onto the grass, watching as the drugged man got up, stumbling in his own feet.
"Fuck it! Fuck you, Y/N! Fuck you and this piece of nothing of yours! I didn't even want to have a baby anyway! Fuck it! Fuck..." he went away, vanishing at the road.
But Adrian didn't have time to really slow down the pace of his heartbeat.
"Adrian!" Mads' voice called him inside.
Y/N was on the ground. A huge pool of water around where she was sitting, embracing her belly and grunting in pain.
"She's in labor!" Mads warned, "Fuck, I'll... I'll pick up the car... Shitty bastard..." he grunted, stumbling towards the room to pick his keys.
The pain in his balls not letting him walk properly.
Adrian rushed inside, kneeling beside Y/N who immediately held his hand, fully scared.
"I don't wanna lose him! Adrian, please! I don't wanna lose my Patrick!" she cried, scared.
But Adrian held her hand tight, caressing her face, wiping her tears.
"Hey... Hey, look at me, Y/N, uh? Look at me... You won't lose him, ok? You won't lose Patrick. We'll take you to the hospital and we'll see him today, uh? He'll be born today, love. Don't worry..." he tried to keep her calm while seeing Mads dizzy at the door with the keys in his hands.
"Shit..." Mads cursed again.
"Mads, look at me, brother. I'll go. You stay with Joy in case that bastard decides to come back, ok?" Adrian said, reading the concerns in Mads' eyes.
His wife would be there alone with the child, in a house that was just broken by a drugged invader... Adrian could understand his worries.
"But..." Mads started, but Adrian cut him, lifting Y/N up into his arms.
"Bring her bag, Mads," he insisted, firm, keeping himself straight. "We must hurry."
For a second, Mads thought he should sit and read those books of Adrian. Somehow, it made his friend pretty more whole than he was when Joy started moaning in pain the way Y/N was moaning now in Adrian's arms.
"Fine," Mads said, following his friend's instructions without questioning.
Adrian seemed to know exactly what he was doing when he placed Y/N in the front seat of the car, locking the seatbelt to avoid hurting her belly, caressing her face when she grunted in pain once again.
"Hold on, love. We'll be there soon," he ensured.
Mads put her bag in the back seat and Adrian got into the car.
"Call me, brother," Mads insisted and Adrian nodded before turning the car on, driving to the closest town.
It was a small hospital, but the town's health center would serve.
"She's giving birth!" Adrian got into the place calling everyone's attention towards the woman shrinking in his arms.
In a matter of seconds, Y/N was on a stretcher, with a pair of nurses taking care of her as a man was pulling the thing towards the proper room.
However, when they crossed the door and Adrian stood outside, Y/N yelled extending her hand towards him.
"No! I want him with me! I want him here!! Adrian!" she screamed, fully scared.
And a nurse pushed him into the room, surprising him completely.
"Come on, dad put this on," she said, putting a mask and a coat in his hand.
He would say he wasn't Patrick's father, but she didn't even give him time to think. Everything was moving so fast around them and all he could see was Y/N's hand extended towards him.
"Fine," he thought, getting dressed.
He could tell everyone he wasn't the father after... Now, she needed him and he just came closer, holding her hand as she grunted in pain one more time.
"Don't leave me, please... Don't leave me alone... It hurts!" she cried again, but Adrian caressed her face, taking the sweaty strands of her hair out of her forehead.
"It's ok, love... You can do it..." he encouraged.
He felt when she clenched his hand tighter, grunting and trying to breathe the way he had showed her in the books. Adrian smiled... He was really being something good in that woman's life. He was really doing something good, after all.
His hand didn't leave Y/N's for a single second. And it was in his arms she collapsed after one last intense effort, breathing against his shoulder before the sound of Patrick's cry filled the room.
Y/N giggled against his shoulder; her eyes teary.
"You were right, Adrian..." she mumbled, "I did it... He's here... My sweet Patrick is here," she cried.
And the nurse brought the little child packed in one of the blankets he remembered she chose for the baby in a ride with him to the stores of that town. Adrian couldn't think it would be so beautiful wrapped around that child. Patrick rested against his mother's chest and Adrian could see his beautiful eyes, y/e/c orbs, like hers, looking at him from her arms.
"He's so... Beautiful..." Adrian mumbled, seeing when Y/N smiled at him.
"And he'll go with daddy a little while we take care of his mom, ok? Hold him for us, dad. We'll put mom in her room and then the big family can be together again," one of the nurses said before Y/N passed little Patrick to his hands, full of trust.
She would speak to them about this later, but for now, Y/N couldn't feel safer about the hands that were holding her child.
Adrian, on the other hand, saw himself caught unprepared. The innocent and young child was there, looking at him, wrapped in the blue blanket he bought for him, with her beautiful eyes fixed in his face.
Patrick...
Not even in his dreams, he imagined such a beautiful child. His eyes filled with tears thinking on how many times he saw himself that way, holding Victoria's child, lulling his little dream. He knew it wasn't his Patrick. Nor the child he waited for so long or dreamed about. But somehow, it was happening and for a moment, Adrian let himself forget everything and live that moment.
"Hello, buddy... I'm the guy that was speaking to you from outside... Remember?"
Somehow, Patrick looked at him, caught by his voice. And Adrian's heart filled with an explosion of emotions when Patrick's face sketched a smile.
He knew it was reflexive... He knew the children of his age - with minutes of life - couldn't really smile voluntarily. But he also knew that reaction was more commonly expressed when the child was relaxed or safe...
Patrick could recognize his voice...
That child was feeling safe in his arms.
Adrian couldn't hold back the tears that slowly slid through his cheeks.
"It is magical, bro," he remembered Mads' words speaking of Kyle.
Author’s Notes | One more finished work. I can’t tell you guys how grateful I am for this work and how it came out. I really wanted to save these two and I think I did it somehow. I hope you guys like this as much as I liked to write it! Enjoy!
Words | 1924
⁑ Warnings: None
"Far! Far!! Can we go to the lake? Please!" the childish voice called Adrian's attention and he turned to see Patrick coming with his friends from the neighboring houses.
Kyle was, by his side, also excited, like a pair of brothers wanting to play some good games together. It couldn't be different ... They were raised together like this, like brothers.
Like Mads and Adrian became during those eight years that separated them from the former life of a pair of criminals that now sounded like a distant memory long forgotten in their lives.
Y/N was ready to tell the children it was too dangerous when Mads got up, leaving his beer at the table, near Joy who was cooing at their third child, a beautiful little girl Mads named Laura. Luna, their second one, was bouncing on her heels beside Adrian's chair, excited her father had gotten up with a smile.
"A time at the lake would be good. It's a hot day... Let's go," Mads declared before the happy noises from the children could fill the air.
"I'll go with you guys too," Adrian stated. "Let us give your mothers some time to rest from this energy of yours," he joked, patting Kyle's and Patrick's heads, causing the boys to giggle as he also got up to leave a soft kiss over Y/N's lips.
His hand landing on her rounded belly, full of his child, tranquilizing her worried expression.
"Don't worry, love. We'll be there watching them. You take a seat and rest a little."
"You're too worried about me," she smiled as Adrian helped her to sit where he was once sitting, straightening the chair so she could recline a little, become more comfortable for Y/N's back.
"He's always too worried about these things, Y/N," Joy remembered, with a smile in her face.
Remembering Adrian of the moments eight years in the past, when she was full of Patrick and found safety in his arms. His lips curved in a smile.
"It was this worried way that conquered your heart, sweet Y/N. I couldn't be different now, love. Take some rest. We'll be back soon," he said, kissing her forehead and then, her belly, smiling at it. "You take care of your mother for me and behave, little one," he spoke to her belly, causing Y/N to giggle, caressing his arm before he started walking away. "I'll see if I can bring some fish for dinner. Would you mind baking it for us, Joy?"
"As long as you can bring enough fish to fill your brother's bottomless belly, I can make it for us, no problem," she answered.
And all of them laughed at Mads' frowned look back at her.
"As if I was telling any kind of lie, Mads! You eat fish like a fat and hungry seal!" she said.
To what Mads shrugged, clapping his hands and imitating a seal just to have some laughs from the kids.
The promise of a relaxing day on the lake was installed and Adrian followed Mads walking calmly towards the huge lake near their home as the children were running around them, playing games and laughing. Kyle and Patrick going in front, betting with each other who would be the first to fall in the water - a bet that none of them won since Luna passed them both, falling in the water with a loud "Charge!" scream.
Adrian sat near the water, mounting his fishing as Mads was settling a place for the cooler with beers he brought for them to drink and some water for the kids.
Bait to the deeper water, Adrian accepted a can of beer Mads offered him, taking a sip and relaxing beside his friend as the children were playing near the margin, in the shallow waters. His mind traveling in time, remembering the times when days like that were nothing but a dream for him.
Sometimes he would still ask himself what was of his Patrick - Victoria's child. But he would always shove away these thoughts, looking at the boy waving at him from the water, smiling right before being hit by a strike of cold-water Kyle threw on him, laughing. His Patrick was there, playing with Mads' children and their friends, laughing and celebrating the life he always planned for him. But it was fun to remember how all of that started totally different from what he thought it would be. More precisely on that day, inside the hospital where Patrick was born...
Y/N was clean and resting when they brought him with little Patrick in his hands into her room. She extended her hands and Adrian slowly delivered the little baby into her arms so she could untie her gown and allow him to eat for the first time. Patrick would suckle hungrily from her breasts for a long moment of silence that lasted until the baby was full and sleeping at the crib beside Y/N's bed.
"I'm sorry..." she started, breaking the silence with a gentle tone. "I never wanted to force you into this... I was scared and..."
"I want it," Adrian interrupted her, causing Y/N to softly gasp, looking at him surprised.
"What?"
"I said I want it..." Adrian repeated, looking at her.
Taking his eyes from Patrick for the first time since he was born to look at Y/N with determination and a decision taken in his blues.
"You didn't understand my surprise when I first heard you would name your son Patrick, but the truth is that I would have a child... I spent some time of my life in jail and my ex-girlfriend was pregnant when I came back... It wasn't mine, but... I waited for him. I read books and got prepared. I found two jobs to help her, I painted his room, I..." Adrian's eyes filled with tears.
Remembering that pain wasn't something easy for him.
"It was my son..." he raised his eyes for Y/N who was attentively listening to his speech, respecting his time to speak, silent. "But only in my dreams," he sighed. "She was meeting the blood-father of the boy behind my back and... She never intended me to really be the father of that child. They didn't even name him the way I planned I... It wasn't my Patrick. It was their Shon and... There wasn't a space in that child's life for me. But here..."
His eyes filled with some light when he looked at sleeping Patrick inside that crib and Y/N felt her nose burning when her eyes filled with tears, holding back the sobs she didn't want to interrupt Adrian with. But he was looking at her child with so much hope in his eyes... So many expectations and... Love... All the love she never thought her son would have from his father. There was so much life in Adrian's eyes...
"I know I didn't make him with you. I know there aren't traces of mine in him, but... He recognizes my voice, Y/N. He even smiled at me!" Adrian said, and Y/N's tears escaped her control when she giggled, knowing he was the one who told her newborns couldn't smile unless it was reflexive. "I mean... What is blood when there is so much... love... I know I'm not his father but, god... I want to be. I know he's not the child I was waiting all these months but I was waiting to hold a boy in my arms and he was the one weighting in my hands and looking at me with so much safety in his eyes. I'm a father without a son... He's a son without a father. And... And I'm in love with you, Y/N. I'm in love with both of you. With this dream. With this idea of becoming a family with you and your son, if you allow me to call him my son... To care for the two of you and make this dream," he opened his arms as if he could embrace Patrick and Y/N at the same time with that gesture. "Mine," he completed, looking at her.
But instead of answering, Y/N's smile broke into tears and she hid against his chest, crying, embracing him as tight as she could, feeling Adrian's arms around her, so supportive.
"I wanna be here... For you. For him," he mumbled and she touched her forehead to his, sniffing, smiling.
"You love us... I can feel it," she said, smiling bigger. "I never thought my son would be loved like this... Our son... Our Patrick."
"Travelling, brother?"
Mads' voice woke Adrian up from his memory and he saw Mads was pulling the rod, taking a fish Adrian almost lost.
He giggled, helping Mads to put the fish in the bucket with water - to keep it alive and fresh until they arrive home.
"Sorry... I wasn't here," Adrian apologized and Mads smiled, exchanging his friend's can for a fresher beer.
"I noticed," Mads smiled. "And where were you, bro?"
"Patrick's birth," Adrian smiled, and Mads' smile became more tender.
"It was quite a day," he said, sipping from his beer. "Are you sure the two of you don't want to know the sex of this one before it's born, bro? Will you call it 'baby' until the last moment?" Mads joked about the decision Adrian and Y/N took to not to reveal the new baby's sex until the day it was born.
"I want to keep the surprise," Adrian smiled "But anyway, it doesn't matter if it's a girl or a boy."
"Well, I hope is another boy... I have to marry my girls, bro," Mads joked and the two of them burst out laughing.
But this time, it was Mads who stopped first, reducing his laughs to a sweet smile as Adrian was still recovering his breath.
"I also think about the past sometimes," he said, catching Adrian's attention to what he was saying. "I think of what would have been of our lives if I didn't have run over you that day or if we had never met each other once again in that club."
Adrian's mind floated a little, thinking on Mads' words. Maybe he would have figured out CC by himself. Yeah... Mads wasn't this innocent... And he...
Oh, he would be in jail for sure, that he could bet. Victoria would have caught him good if it wasn't for Mads' help.
But once again, Adrian shoved away the bad thoughts, smiling at Mads.
"I never thought I would be grateful for being run over by a motorcycle," he shot, causing Mads to laugh again. "But the truth is that I am, brother."
"Yeah... And I'm glad I didn't run over your cloudy head, you inattentive ass," Mads giggled, patting Adrian's head with his index and middle finger, causing his friend to giggle. "I like the way our lives turned upside down..."
Adrian's eyes ran over the lake. The children playing, Patrick waving at him, that beautiful landscape around them. A tranquil and calm life that made him smile, satisfied, raising his can to toast with Mads' with an approving nod.
"Upside down is better... Upside down is pretty better, brother," he smiled, seeing when Mads smiled back, laying at the grass quite before a new fish forced him to get up.
"Oh! A big one this time!! Dinner will be good!" Mads celebrated.
And Adrian smiled.
Dinner would be good indeed...Just like their lives were good.
Author’s Notes | Sometimes our personal tragedies turn our ways completely. They turn our lives inside out and change our destinies in the middle of the trip. Sometimes our personal tragedies change our roads. And our roads cross with other roads we weren't expecting to find...
Words | 2031
⁑ Warnings: Mention to abandon, addiction, and consequences.
The whole way was silently shared by the three of them inside that car. Despite some small interruptions of Kyle's cooing or Joy's voice singing low for him to sleep, no sound was to be heard or word was shared through the whole first day of that trip.
After some kilometers, Adrian's tears got dry and only his eyes lost in the road remained. His thoughts remembering Victoria's eyes so empty on him; dancing through the many times he sat with Mads to imagine how would it be to hold his own child as he had the chance to hold Kyle a few days after Mads' child was born. He was so good at it! Joy even praised the way he had Kyle sleeping in less than ten minutes in his arms...
How good would it be to do the same for his son?
How would it be to hold his little Patrick and see his own child sleeping so safely in his arms that way?
The feeling of betrayal crossed his heart once again as if a rusted knife was sunk into his chest, moving whenever his happiest plans came to his mind one more time, to remember him they would never happen.
That it wasn't his son...
It wasn't his Patrick but Chad's little Shon... It wasn't his dream anymore. It never was.
When Mads stopped at the first convenience around the end of the second day to stretch his legs and stop driving a little, Adrian got out of the car, lighting a cigarette away from Joy and the baby, near the edge of a small break on the little hill that store was placed.
"She fucked up, didn't she?" Mads' voice echoed before he sat beside his friend, sharing a bottle of coke he bought into the store.
"Chad came back for his son," Adrian answered, not looking at Mads. "It wasn't my family anyway. Fuck it. I don't care." he pretended.
But Mads knew no one cries silently through twenty kilometers of road for something that's not important. No one spends a whole weekend eating sandwiches and covered in paint to prepare a room for something that's not important. Nor reads lots of books and study like hell to take care of something that's not important.
Adrian had prepared a little dream and Mads knew Victoria had broken his friend's plans for life.
Adrian felt Mads' fingers pressing his shoulder and his teary blues found Mads' greens looking at him, supportive.
They didn't need words. Mads knew his brother was broken. Adrian knew Mads was there to support him. Both of them knew sooner or later, it would pass. No pain lasts forever...
Back in the car, Mads drove to the next city where they would stop to rest some time. Despite being in a flee, Mads knew they were the smaller fish and the Copenhagen Police was too focused on the bigger ones to really give a damn they weren't around. It could be their chance to start something new.
They slept for some hours in a cheaper hotel, leaving with the sunrise towards the house of one of Joy's old friends - as Mads told Adrian. It took a while for them to arrive; enough for Adrian to lost the track of where they were now - somewhere in Sweden, for sure, but nowhere he had ever seen before.
The place was fully green and they left the road going deep into a little town before finally finding a small house where Mads' stopped the car. It was made of wood and was old like hell, mistreated, paint was falling at the facade, some broken woods at the balcony. Adrian thought he could fix it easily, but he soonly understood why the house was like that when the owner opened the noisy door looking at them.
"Who's him? Joy... Who's him?" she asked, causing Adrian to softly step back.
"It's a friend of mine, Y/N, come on... He has no place to go. He's Adrian, remember? Joy spoke about him..." Mads started and Adrian could hear the small discussion, understanding he wasn't supposed to be there.
It seems the girl was offering shelter to Mads and Joy, but not expecting a third person to come. And looking by her condition, Adrian could understand: the woman was heavily pregnant, skinny, and looking tired. As mistreated as the house she was living in...
For a moment, Adrian thought about the father of that child and his own dreams about his little Patrick. "Some with so much, some with so little..." he thought. If it was him, he would never leave his wife with his child living in a situation like that. But he said nothing.
He just pulled the bag he brought with him and gently put himself into the conversation.
"I can pay for my staying," he said, attracting the woman's eyes so as Mads'.
"Brother, you don't..." Mads started, but Adrian cut him before he could say he didn't need to do it.
Mads knew what that bag was. What the organized money inside of that was saved for...
Adrian's little dream...
"No... That's fine, brother. She's helping us... It's fair that I help as well," Adrian smiled, catching even more that woman's attention.
She wasn't waiting for someone as gentle as Mads itself.
"It's fine," he said, smiling at her. "I can help."
With this, she opened the door completely for them to get in and then, Adrian thought that his suggestion was the best thing he could ever think of doing: the house was falling apart! The wallpaper inside was in the same conditions as the paint outside and the house had almost nothing inside: an old couch at the living room with a small remended table at the center was everything he could see in that place.
"Are you ok, Y/N? Where is..." Joy started, but Y/N cut her with a heavy voice, annoyed.
"He's gone. I don't wanna talk about this..." she said, causing Adrian to cringe.
There was the same sensation of betrayal in her voice that he could hear in his own when speaking about Victoria... Whoever was the father of that child, he wasn't there.
"That's not bad, love... He wasn't good. You're not alone," Joy said and Adrian could see some few tears in Y/N's eyes when she placed her hands over the rounded belly as if she could protect the child inside.
"Y/N's used to live with a dude I knew," Mads commented in a low voice, almost into Adrian's ear. "Ethan wasn't ok, man... I mean, she told me he was trying to rehab, but... Well... You know how people who go too far end up, bro."
He knew. Very well.
"I just have one room left," Y/N's voice caught Adrian back from his thoughts and he smiled.
"I can sleep in the living room for now if you don't mind," he offered.
"We can try to make some repairs," Mads suggested and Y/N looked at him.
"I'm a good painter," Adrian said, kinda bitter.
But Mads didn't let it down for his friend.
"He's the best I know," he said, patting Adrian's back. "We sleep and tomorrow you can have some time with Joy and Kyle while Adrian and I will take care of the house for you, ok? Don't worry, Y/N. We'll help."
Adrian smiled a little bigger when her lips curled in a shy smile. She seemed to be in such a bad situation and even then, there she was, opening her small house to receive him and Mads, and Joy, and little Kyle... "People with too few sometimes are the ones who divide the most", he thought.
She brought him some blankets that helped Adrian to make the couch a little more comfortable and then, he saw her going to the room... There were some planks inside he could recognize as a crib not mounted and the room had nothing but an old locker and her bed. Adrian thought in offering himself to mount the crib for her tomorrow as he got laid in his improvised bed staring at the ceiling. For a moment, Victoria's life passed through his mind. He was there for her, he had done everything for her child and she gave him nothing but contempt... That woman had so little and even then, he saw her smiling at them when Mads said they would help. "Life is unfair," he thought. And fell asleep thinking maybe he could make it fairer for that woman.
The day came and Mads called Adrian to the town. A small place, but well sustained, with good stores where Mads bought some tools and paint for them to start working at the house. Adrian put some of his money in the game, helping Mads to get some more things for them to start making the house a little better for them all - Once he didn't know how long he would have to stay, Adrian didn't measure his investment: Y/N was opening her doors for them all even having so little. Who was he to say no to someone able of such a gesture?
"Oh my god, Mads! That's too much! I cannot pay for this, for god's sake!" Y/N said, surprised when they started to unload the car, placing the materials in a corner of her living room.
But Mads smiled at her and so did Adrian.
"Don't worry. I told you we'll help and we mean it, Y/N. I don't know how long we'll have to stay..."
"You can stay as long as you want, Mads," she said, sighing. "Ethan is gone for good... And the place is too big for me alone. I... I would like to have someone around and we could raise Kyle along my little Patrick," she said, caressing her belly.
Shocking them both with her words. Mads looked at Adrian who swallowed dry, getting into the house without a word.
"What?" she asked.
"Nothing... ern... That's a beautiful name, by the way... I'll be right back!" Mads dodged, going after Adrian who was at the window, fully surprised. "Bro..."
"What is happening?" he asked, looking at Mads.
"What do you mean?" Mads asked. "She never told me, I mean, I'm not..."
"I don't think it was intentional, Mads," Adrian said, looking at Mads with all that surprise in his eyes, ensuring Mads he didn't have to be worried about his brother thinking it was a plan or anything like.
Mads never thought about that situation or bringing Adrian to push him towards Y/N nor anything like. But Adrian couldn't deny something was happening in that place.
"I'm here for a reason... I can feel it," Adrian said, "Maybe... Maybe it won't be lost, after all."
Adrian's hand landed at the bag with the money he saved for so long for his little Patrick. Maybe there was a Patrick he could help with that money after all...
"Is everything ok?" Y/N came in, worried about the way they left.
And Adrian walked towards her with a smile.
"Nothing wrong, Y/N. I was just speaking to Mads that I think those planks inside your room are an unmounted crib, am I wrong?"
"No, I... I managed to buy it for Patrick with the money Ethan didn't take with him when he left, but I don't know how to mount it and I don't think I would be able to do it with the belly," she giggled as if being round was a joke to what Adrian opened a beautiful smile.
"Would you mind if I try?"
She smiled bigger.
"I show you where... I... Thank you, Adrian!" Y/N said and Adrian smiled at Mads with that beautiful glow in his eyes once again.
This time, it warmed Mads' heart.
After what Victoria did to his brother, he never thought he would see Adrian's eyes shining that way once again so soon. But there was his friend, messing with planks and mounting another crib for another Patrick to come... Adrian was an innate father. And maybe somehow, their fate with the club wasn't something that bad, after all.
Universe | Crossover Kriger x A Bond Between People
Pairing | Mads x Joy, Adrian x Reader
Info | Fix It AU, crossover Kriger x A Bond Between People. Suggested playlist: “Et Bånd Mellen Krigere” - Sound Track
⁑ Warnings: NSFW, heavy ANGST, SMUT included, cursing, mentions of murder, blood, violence, drugs, death. Caution is recommended: the following content may be triggering.
Et Bånd Mellem Krigere - Chapter 1: Before we meet again
Author’s Notes | Okay! I couldn't be mouth shut. You guys know me very well and as Sy says, I'm the "Queen of The Fix-It Fictions" with pride! When I first watched Kriger I was already pissed off with Mads' fate and he became my sweetheart. But A Bond Between People brought us another sweet guy for us to increase our guilty pleasures and love as if he wasn't a criminal after all. Adrian is what was missing for me to launch the Danish Cute Criminals hashtag and go for it! I love these guys, but the Danish writers seem to be really committed to ripping my heart out of my chest! First Mads, now Adrian! Both about to be fathers; both trying desperately to get something they weren't able to reach; both unfairly killed in the end for things they didn't do, betrayed by friends, shot in the head. Fuck the whole universe! I saved Mads once, now its time for him to pay me the favor! I hope you guys like this fic I literally puked 45 minutes after watching A Bond Between People. This came from the bottom of my angry heart and I want to thank @lol-haha-joke for brainstorming with me and allowing this to happen so soon! Love you, babe! Now, let's save Adrian as well!
Universe | Crossover between the series Kriger and the movie A Bond Between People
Pairing | Mads x Joy, Adrian x Reader
Info | Fix It Fiction
Words | 2310
⁑ Warnings: SPOILERS from both the series and the movie. Cursing.
The loud sound of the brakes of Mads' motorcycle could be heard around a quarter further from where Mads was now on the ground. It wasn't a big fall but his bike would be scratched for sure!
Fuck... He shouldn't be thinking about this. Someone was crossing the street and all that effort was to save a life Mads still didn't know if he had saved or not.
"Hey... hey, bro. Are you okay?" a male voice asked and Mads felt someone touching his shoulders, helping him to stop the dizziness and focus his vision once again.
Blinking his eyes a few times, Mads could recognize the guy that was trying to run across the street and caused the whole accident by not looking at the green signal allowing the drivers to go and run over him like a pigeon. So, he was alive, at least.
Mads accepted his hand and the guy ran forward to lift his motorcycle and take it out of the street as Mads was cleaning his pants from the asphalt dust and checking if there wasn't any broken shit in his pockets.
"Blessed be the Gorilla Glass..." he mumbled, checking out his phone without a single scratch.
The jeans, on the other hand, would have to be exchanged - but at least it wasn't his skin ragged like that.
"Fuck... I'm sorry, bro. I wasn't looking. I should have... I was distracted. Shit," the guy seemed nervous, rubbing his face, sighing.
Mads' smiled: his leg took almost all the damage and the motorcycle scratches would be easy to repair. The guy was really nervous when he patted his shoulder, taking off the helmet and smiling.
"It's fine, dude. I'm glad you're alive, at least. I thought I would run over your head or some shit like that," he giggled, causing the guy to smile, still rubbing the short hair in his nape, a little clumsy.
"I'm late for work... I'll have to go, but... Hey, take my cellphone number. We can talk about the damage. I'll help you to fix it. I'm Adrian, by the way," the guy said, extending his hand that Mads gently shook.
"Mads. Don't worry, Adrian. I can repair this easily. Not a big deal. Do you want a ride?" he offered to what Adrian smiled.
It would be a hand for him since he wouldn't be able to reach the slaughtering house in five minutes not even if he could put a jetpack in his ass.
"Sure thing! Thanks, bro! You're literally saving my ass..."
"Get on," Mads smiled, "Where is your work?"
Adrian explained to Mads where was the slaughtering house - a place Mads seemed to know very well, because he made their way there in less than three minutes, giving Adrian his first day right on time to sign in.
It was only when Adrian was already placing his backpack at the locker that he remembered he didn't give his phone number to Mads.
"Shit!" he cursed, the guy was cool and now he wouldn't be able to pay for those damages... "Damn memory..."
Maybe Mads would search for him at work later. Maybe they would see each other again. Something was telling Adrian it would happen. He decided to just let it go and focus on the slaughtered pigs he had to clean for the day...
"Fuck..."
It was coming from the door of the club, but Adrian could hear the voice at the radio when the security guard called for a backup at the door - boy was a loser: whatever problem he had he would ask for back up. Adrian was counting the days for that ass to be kicked away so he would take his place at the door for some more money.
"Fuck, fuck, I'm sure it was here somewhere, just gimme a second," the guy insisted as the security guard called again and Adrian got up, sighing.
It wasn't his day of work, but the buddy at the station wasn't there to hear the guard's appeals and if he was able to solve the problem maybe The Monk would give him the position at the door easier.
So, Adrian left his beer and went to the door, but his eyes caught a known figure, searching in his pockets nervously for an ID he didn't know where it was.
"This guy has no ID and insists on getting his way into the club," the guard said and Adrian smiled when Mads looked at the guard, annoyed.
"I brought it, I'm sure it's here and... Hey, Adrian!" Mads recognized him and Adrian smiled, patting the guard's shoulder.
"He's with me," he said, smiling at Mads and calling him in with one of his hands. "You can let him in."
Mads smiled, but the guard stopped him with one hand in his chest looking at Adrian, who insisted.
"Buddy, I'm telling you; the guy is with me. If anything happens, you can tell The Monk I put him in. It's fine."
Still suspecting Adrian's words and afraid that would give him any kind of shit, the guard took his hand out of the way and allowed Mads to pass.
Smiling, the two of them shook hands and Adrian ordered a beer for the friend he thought he wouldn't see anymore.
"Thanks, bro," Mads said, sitting beside Adrian and accepting the bottle he offered, taking a sip to wash his throat. "I think I forgot that shit home. I mean, who walks around with an ID all the time?"
"Sometimes you just don't wanna be recognized," Adrian joked and the two of them laughed together.
What was supposed to be a long and solitary night for Adrian - since he was at the club after having a fight with Victoria once again - ended up becoming a good night and the good beginning to a friendship that would last for a long time.
From time to time, Adrian would help Mads to go into the club without his ID - or just let him in after he got the position of the guard. From time to time, Mads would help Adrian to arrive at the slaughtering house on time to prevent him from losing his job.
From time to time they would have day offs together and fish, or drink beer together and talk about how Mads was happy after he found Joy around or how Adrian would go rich with that shit he was selling for The Monk.
However, one day it just suddenly stopped.
There wasn't anyone at the spot in the morning, late or running to go to work, in need of a ride. And Mads stayed out of the club three nights in a row for not having his ID to come in...
Adrian wasn't anywhere. Nor answering the text messages he sent.
So, one day, Mads just decided to stop by the place Adrian was always coming out when they met at the bus stop - a place he presumed was his house. A blonde girl opened the door and Mads smiled, despite she didn't smile back.
In fact, she frowned.
"What do you want? Who are you??"
Mads' smile diminished. The girl seemed to be tired, her eyes marked by crying.
"Are you Victoria?" he asked, "Is this Adrian's house?" Mads asked, thinking he could have knocked on the wrong place.
But her face became even angrier and her voice became harsh.
"Adrian was arrested! He'll go to jail for that damn shit you guys were selling for him! I don't know who the fuck you are but stay away from my house. Adrian is not here. He won't be here anymore! Get out!" she yelled, before slamming the door almost hitting Mads' face.
Mads went back to his motorcycle; his eyes looking at the spot where he almost hit Adrian for the first time. The empty space on the sidewalk remembering him of his friend he wouldn't see in a while.
Fucking cops...
He would miss that guy.
"Fuck..."
Mads cursed when he wasn't able to find his ID into his wallet.
"Nevermind," he said, already ready to leave the queue that burnt one hour of his life just to get to the end and not being able to enter the club because of that stupid ID again.
At those moments, he would always remember his friend Adrian... Boy was away for what? Four years now? Life wasn't the same without that jerk to let him in and share the beer.
"Get in."
Those words stopped Mads, surprising him and causing him to turn back to look at the guard's face - a thing he lost the habit to do since a different guy has taken Adrian's place.
But it was impossible to avoid smiling when his eyes caught a pair of icy blues looking at him.
"Haha... Look who's fucking back in town!" Mads said, embracing his friend that patted his back twice before smiling at him. "You're fucking bald, man!"
Adrian rubbed the exposed head, his hair still cut low as they did in prison. Something practical, he had to admit, but something he was glad to get rid of.
"My turn will be done in an hour," Adrian said, smiling at Mads. "Get my bench warm and my beer cold, bro!"
"Sure thing!" Mads said, going into the bar with his best smile.
There was so much he wanted to talk to Adrian! So much news to tell! The last hour of Adrian's turn at the door dragged itself slowly for the two of them since both were anxious to speak to each other.
But it ended anyway and Adrian took a minute to get rid of his work suit and sit beside Mads at the bar.
"Fuck, dude, I thought you would be in there forever," Mads said, smiling. "I missed you, bro! For fucking freedom!" he said, raising his beer and touching Adrian's bottle in a toast before the two of them could drink.
"For fucking freedom," Adrian repeated, sighing satisfied with the long and cold sip of his beer. "Fuck, man... I missed everything outside, but our conversations were what I missed the most. Almost four years fucking talking to the walls, man. That place would get me mad..."
"I get you," Mads said, sipping his beer again, "The cops had taken me sometimes and I slept at their amazing accommodations a few nights. Can't get how did you survive four years inside that shitty place, bro."
"Thinking on how much I wanted to go out," Adrian answered, and both of them smiled. "But what's up, brother? What did I miss?" he asked and Mads' smile became silly.
"Joy is pregnant, bro," he said, causing Adrian to smile bigger and pull him into his embrace.
"Fuck, brother! We must celebrate! You gonna be a hell of a father, Mads!"
"Yeah, you have no idea of how excited I am! We kinda got married since you left. I mean, we didn't get married yet, this shit is expensive as fuck, but we're living together, so she's practically my old lady now," Mads said, smiling. "And now we're waiting for our boy. It's a boy, dude. I gonna be a father and I can't stop smiling at this."
"I kinda can get you," Adrian said, with a smile, but a smaller one. "Victoria is pregnant as well."
Mads looked at him surprised.
"Fuck! Already?? How long are you out, brother?"
"It's not exactly mine," Adrian said, and Mads sighed.
It wasn't hard to feel Adrian's disappointment, but also, it wasn't hard to notice he was doing his best to turn that thing in something good for them both.
"I mean, I was out for four years, not that we can blame her, but... Well, we gonna keep the baby and I decided to adopt him so... I kinda gonna be a father soon as well!" Adrian tried, smiling little.
"Brother, are you happy with this?" Mads asked, looking straight into his eyes.
"I wanna be, for real," Adrian answered. "I always wanted to have a kid... Victoria had her plans with the school and stuff, but I always wanted to start my own family, so... I'm happy. I am," he affirmed, feeling Mads' hand patting his back.
"Then fuck the whole universe, brother, we gonna be fathers and our boys gonna fucking rule the world!" Mads said, causing Adrian's smile to become bigger and they toasted, smiling at each other.
Pity Adrian couldn't stay too long: he had to work the next day. Piling jobs was something that would exhaust him, Mads knew it very well, but he could understand.
After all, both of them had children to take care of, right?
"Hey, I'm working at the warehouse of the Wolves' club now. But the place is fucking huge and I think the that works with me will quit soon. I'll take a look if I can get a job for you. Maybe they can take you in. It would be nice to have you around and they also have some services for us during the day... You're a butcher, right? I'm sure they can find you something for good money. Better than what you're doing now for sure." Mads suggested and Adrian smiled.
"Call me. At any time," he said, smiling bigger.
"I will, brother. I will," Mads said, smiling.
His eyes following his old friend leaving the club, fast steps to go back home.
It was good to have Adrian back in town. Mads had already put CC in, so maybe Tom wouldn't be afraid of having another friend of his around. And in Tom's kind of business, a butcher was always welcome.
Depending on how strong were Adrian's guts, he would really be able to make some money there...
Author’s Notes | It took me some time this time because I was suffering a small block after so many works for Ivar in a row, but here it is! Second chapter coming along with the hurricane…
Words | 3456
⁑ Warnings: Lots of cursing, mentions to violence, blood, alcohol.
It was supposed to be a normal day - despite the fact that Mads was spending almost no time with Adrian since his buddy came back from prison. The guy was working the shit out of himself to sustain that chick Mads was already getting sick of seeing mistreating his pal. And he was sure he saw the chick rolling strands of her hair while talking with some other dude in her college. Mads swore an oath he would find a way to fuck that girl's life if he ever knew she was cheating on Adrian again.
"Welcome, Frederik. It's straight down to the right. Next..."
There he was, working the hell out. Adrian had sunk dark circles around his eyes and Mads knew it was from sleeping too few and sometimes out of his bed because of the girl's belly. Adrian told him sometimes the baby was too agitated and then Victoria would send him to the couch so she could roll alone with her whole bed to herself. Shit of a woman... Joy never did it to him...
But he couldn't say his life was any better than his friend's. Adrian was walking around like a zombie, but he wasn't that different, working like hell to cover the idiot that quit and CC's place, now that his "brother" was wearing the club colors he wanted so hard - before him.
Fucking shit of a life Mads was intending to forget getting some fight around or using his free time to get a beer with Adrian after his turn was over. He had chosen the second option, but it seems the fight would come anyway...
Mads had to hold back his fists when that drunken bastard crossed the line, breaking the queue and passing forward, but since the guys in front of him were laughing and it was Adrian's turn as the door security, Mads decided not to cause any troubles - he didn't want to make his friend's turn any more shitty than that guy was already doing by stumbling over him...
"Wild night, huh? You won't get in acting like that," Adrian warned, helping the man to find his balance with a slight push.
"I tripped, dude. Chill," the guy tried, and Mads sighed.
He wouldn't be ok for that job. For sure that man would be already with some teeth missing speaking to him like he was doing to Adrian.
"Show me some ID," Adrian insisted.
"Yeah, Sure." the guy answered and Mads sighed again, annoyed this time, sure he would have kicked that guy's face for trying to go in that way.
What the fuck! If there is a damn security guard, just show your fucking ID and shut up...
"Hey, HEY! What did I just say? ID, please," Adrian pulled the guy back, trying to deal with the situation and Mads observed, already feeling his fists clenching inside his pockets.
He was crazy to hit someone and that guy's mouth was begging for some punches...
"Yo, chill. I'm on my way."
Just one more "chill" and Mads would lose control...
"Don't touch me. I think you need to find a bed for this guy," Adrian said, pushing the drunken towards his laughing friends, worried about keeping them out of the club.
Too worried to notice the drunk guy preparing a punch that hit his face right on the corner of his mouth.
That was enough for Mads' wildness and he just pushed the guy's friends away, pulling the asshole from the club's door by his collar, preventing him to come in and starting to hit the guy before he could say anything.
"You like to fucking punch people? What does it feel like, uh, asshole?" he cursed, hitting the guy as many times as he could before his friends could come against him.
"There are punches for everyone," Mads thought, hitting whoever he could, trying to keep himself standing - which he couldn't do for too long.
Adrian called for backup as soon as he recovered from the punch's dizziness, kicking the face of the man that mounted over Mads and trying to keep them back with some punches before the other security guards came to shove them all away and close the club's door for the night.
The day was dawning and Adrian was still sitting near the lake with Mads by his side. Both of them holding beers and spitting blood sometimes from their injured mouths. Mads was bleeding more: his eyebrow was cut such as his lips. Adrian only had the big punch he got in his mouth that cost him a tooth Mads helped him to get rid of.
"You should take a look at this," Adrian said about Mads' eyebrow but he just giggled.
"It's fine, nothing I'm not used to. We have this fight nights at the club... Joy's kinda used to give me some stitches from time to time," Mads answered, taking some water from the lake to wash his face. "You will have to see a dentist, bro."
"Why?" Adrian asked, before spitting blood one more time. "That asshole already made me a huge favor: I won't have to pay for a canal in a while..." he tried to joke. "I was expecting this shit to stop bleeding, but I have to go..."
"The butchery job is still on?" Mads asked, curious.
"Yeah," Adrian answered, taking one more sip of his beer, noticing Mads' face frowned and he dropped the beer can. "What?"
"You're fucking late, man! Get up! I'll take you home so you can change, go, go!"
"Shit!" Adrian cursed, getting rid of the can and getting up to follow Mads.
Even with his friend riding like crazy through the streets of Copenhagen, with his fight with Victoria during the time he was exchanging clothes and trying to stop the bleeding in his mouth, Adrian ended up arriving too late for his work.
And the boss kicked him out.
"Fucking great!" he came out where Mads was still stopped with his bike, lighting a cigarette he intended to smoke before going home.
"What? Dude, what happened?" he asked, and Adrian came closer to him, angry.
"I'm out. He fucking kicked my ass out! Fuck!"
Mads sighed.
His friend's life was really going wrong.
"Look, go back home and..." Mads tried.
"Victoria will fuck up my mind if I go back now. I'll go to the club. The Monk must have something I can do to keep up the money income..."
Adrian was nervous, not thinking straight. And Mads knew that name very well - The Monk was one of the guys the Wolves were trying to swallow around. He wouldn't want his pal working full time for that guy. But he could understand his friend's needs.
"I have a chance to get more time on the club or some driver shit. Anything."
Mads gave his cigarette for Adrian to smoke and patted his shoulder.
"Dude, look... Take a breath, ok? Go talk to your guy and I'll talk to my troupe. With some luck, we'll get a full job for you with my guys and then you won't have to be worried. I talked to Tom about you, he got interested. Now that CC isn't working at the warehouse anymore and I'm alone, maybe he'll get you. I'll remember him today, ok? Chill, brother. You're not alone," Mads insisted and Adrian took a deep breath of his cigarette, sighing the smoke out.
"Fine. Fine... I have to go."
"I drop you at the club, come."
Mads took a longer route to give his friend some time to chill and Adrian noticed this when the bike started riding closer to the sea - Mads was kinda taking a whole round around the city fringe and at some point, Adrian just took off his helmet, feeling the sea breeze touching his face. Mads smiled losing one more entry to the city. Some more meters on the seafront and Adrian lifted his voice, yelling, causing Mads to laugh when his friend lifted both of his hands, smiling at him, enjoying the trip.
The two friends rode as if they had nothing to lose for a while, but they knew things should be done and Mads took the way into the town to drop Adrian near the club as they combined. Another friend of his was near the door and came to compliment when Adrian was giving the helmet back to Mads.
"Hey, Danny... What's up?" Adrian asked before shaking the boy's hand. "This is Mads," Adrian smiled. "My brother."
"I didn't know you had a brother," Danny said, smiling when shaking Mads' hand.
"Well, now he has," Mads smiled back at Adrian, "I have to go. Stay up with your phone, bro. I'll take a look at Joy and go to the warehouse. I can call you at any moment, ok?"
"Great, bro," Adrian answered.
They hit their hands and Mads took his way, leaving Adrian with a curious Danny.
"I think I know your brother, dude," Danny said. "I don't know... I think I already saw him somewhere."
"Maybe you did... Maybe not. Let's go. I have to speak to The Monk."
Danny still looked back at the street after Adrian came into the club, but Mads' bike was already gone down the road, so, he just followed his friend inside.
Adrian knew Danny was pissed off. He knew he stabbed his friend's back by telling The Monk Danny's license was taken. But he needed that job. He needed that money! Even with Mads' promise of getting him a full job with the Wolves, he knew his friend couldn't force his way in and also, Mads was promising this in a while and he couldn't wait for him to get it: Victoria's baby would come in some few months and he had to buy the stuff for the baby's room and prepare everything. Mads was a nice guy, but Adrian knew he couldn't simply rest on his brother's back. So, he did what was necessary and now Danny was frowning at him inside that car - The Monk got him an "office boy" position that was paying way less than he was used to earning as a driver, but was keeping the boy on the track to teach Adrian about the usual destinations and routes he had to learn for the job and Danny was already used to taking.
That day wouldn't be too harsh: carrying some stuff from here to there in some destinations and things would be ok. At least it was what Adrian thought until Danny jumped into the car.
"Now we're going to see Cuz," he said as if it was nothing.
As if Adrian didn't know who Cuz was... The boy felt his blood cold into his veins on spot.
He could get arrested again just for walking beside the house of that old jerk!
"Cuz Cuz?" Adrian asked, confirming his suspicions when Danny nodded effusively.
"Yeah, Cuz, Adrian. We're bringing him the folder."
"What's in it?" Adrian asked, feeling his hands starting to sweat on the wheel.
"Fresh meat," Danny answered, giggling at the obvious dry gulp his friend just got down through his throat. "Come on!"
Adrian turned the car on, but his phone started ringing and he turned it off again to answer.
"C'mon, Adrian! We'll be late, man," Danny complained and Adrian looked at him.
"You don't speak and drive, Danny. That's why I have a license and you don't, man. Now shut."
Danny grunted, annoyed, as Adrian answered to the call, hearing Mads' voice on the other side of the line.
"Adrian?"
"Hey bro, speak..."
Mads didn't even wait for his salutation.
"Drop whatever you're doing now and come to the warehouse, bro! I got you a chance, but you have to come right now! Full-time job, days on the fabric, nights at the warehouse, double what you're earning. Drop this shit and tell me where I pick you up, bro!" he said, fully happy.
Adrian's eyes became larger and he got silent for a second. A full-time job paying twice what he was earning? Man! "Mads just saved my life!"
"Bro? Did you hear me?" Mads called him back to reality and Adrian giggled out of nervousness.
"Mads... Dude, are you serious?"
"I wouldn't fucking play with something like this, bro! Come on! Where are you?" Mads asked and Adrian got out of the car, for Danny's annoyance that followed his friend out of the red van.
"You gonna get us in trouble, Adrian, turn off this fucking phone, habibi! You can talk to your little girlfriend another time," Danny tried.
But Adrian just waved his hand for Danny to shut up and kept talking to Mads, still impressed his life was really taking a turn, finally.
"I'm near the docks, ahn..." Adrian looked around, spotting the bakery from where Danny just had brought their lunch. "Near the bakery, the..."
"The one with those cookies you like? Gotcha! I pick you up in five minutes, bro!" Mads answered and Adrian could hear the sound of his motorcycle turning on before he dropped the call.
"What the fuck, Adrian!?" Danny came closer, fully pissed off. "The Monk will fuck our ass if we get late, man!"
"You go," Adrian said, giving the keys to a shocked Danny.
"What? Adrian, I can't drive, habibi. Did you forget you fucking opened your big mouth about my license? Did I buy you the alcoholic cookies?" Danny said, checking on the note from the bakery to ensure Adrian wasn't drunk.
"I'm not high, dude. Mads will pick me up, I... I have some stuff to solve."
Adrian's eyes were already on the corner of the road, spotting Mads' bike turning into the street.
"Are you fucking crazy, Adrian? You drop this way and The Monk will never get you back, dude! You gonna get yourself fucked!"
"That's fine... Then you can have your job back, right?" Adrian smiled when Mads stopped right beside him, giving him a helmet and not even taking his own off. "Tell The Monk I can't drive for him... Tell him... I... I quit!" he said, putting the helmet on and getting on the bike right before Mads could start driving towards the Wolves' warehouse, living Danny behind with a full shocked face.
"Fuck, bro! Twice what I was earning? That's fucking amazing, dude!" Adrian celebrated, punching Mads' ribs in a playful way, hearing his friend laughing into his own helmet through the interphone.
"Yeah... Tom just wants to know you," Mads said. "But the job is already yours. Now... Do you have guts, Adrian? I mean... Tom may ask you for some extra jobs if you're up to use your skills as a butcher. Ya know what I'm talking about, right?"
Adrian knew it could be a situation. The Monk had used his skills once and he knew he could get really fucked for doing those shit, but what choice did he have? And also, The Monk used his skills only once... Maybe Tom wouldn't want him to do that disgusting thing more than once or twice.
People weren't killing people all the time to need a butcher so many times like this...
"Yeah. I did it once... I think I can do it again if he needs," Adrian answered.
"Yeah. That's good, bro. That's good."
None of them was comfortable with that little detail about Adrian's new job, but well, both knew some sacrifices were necessary.
It was for his son. For his little Patrick, as Adrian told Mads he would call the boy Victoria was waiting for. Mads could understand. He would also do anything for his little Kyle. Joy and he had just decided the name and he was so happy things were adjusting well, finally.
They stopped by the club and the two of them were brought to Tom's office. Adrian had to say his balls just kinda found a way to shrink around themselves when that man looked him in the eyes.
"You're too skinny for a butcher," Tom said, coming closer, sticking Adrian's chest with the back of his pen. "Can you ride a bike, butcher boy?"
"Yeah," Adrian answered.
"So, I suggest you get one soon. Mads will teach you the job, now get the fuck outta my face. The warehouse won't watch itself, go," Tom said, waving his hand for them to leave.
Adrian went out confused as Mads was silly smiling by his side.
"What was that?"
"I told ya he just wanted to know you. The job is yours already, bro. Now come! Let's take a beer on the bar before we go," Mads answered, bringing Adrian with him to the bar, ignoring the surprise that was making his friend dizzy.
Adrian's eyes were looking all over the enormous place where Mads seemed to know so well how to walk. For a moment, he thought he could easily get lost into that place and never find a way out.
Some people passed around, some looking at Adrian, some just passing and ignoring the two of them. Adrian could understand why Tom thought he was skinny: half of the men inside that club would easily weight more than him and mads together! However, a man in specific caught Adrian's eyes and he frowned at the sight of that man walking around, drinking with some other Wolves. A bald bearded man, with lightly darkened skin... He could bet he saw that man before... Where?
"Here!" Mads pushed him the beer cutting his line of thought for a moment. "Cheers, brother!"
He was so happy! Finally, Adrian would be closer, they could share the nights in the warehouse - which would make his work utterly easier - and his friend wouldn't be so fucked as he was since he came back from prison.
However, Adrian's face wasn't this happy. In fact, he was surprised and kinda shocked. That bald man started walking towards them and with the proximity, Adrian was able to recognize him, causing the blood to run cold inside his veins once again: he could remember where he saw that guy now...
At the police station, inside one of the offices, speaking freely with one of the officers. He could remember her talking to him, giving stuff to him and taking his cellphone to read something on it... He remembers they sat him on a chair beside them and he could hear something about she wanting that man to avoid going too deep in his infiltration or she wouldn't be able to keep him safe when everything was blown up.
Adrian's head started making some bad math as that man came closer, but everything exploded into his head when Mads smiled towards that man.
"Hey, CC! Come here, man! Come meet my bro!"
Fuck.
Now everything was making sense! If that one was CC, then he was infiltrated there! At the club! At the Wolves!
And he used Mads to get into the gang...
"This is CC, Adrian. And this is Adrian, the guy I told you, CC. He'll be a father soon as well... Patrick, isn't it right?"
Mads was such a nice guy... Such an innocent guy. He had no idea of what that man smiling beside him was doing... He would get so fucked if everything ended up blowing up the way they were planning! By Adrian's knowledge of that world, he had just stepped into a time bomb and Mads would end up blown if he couldn't do anything.
However, he had just stepped into that place. It wasn't as if someone would believe the word of a total newbie against a man who won his colors in a pair of weeks, as Mads had told him.
"Hey... Earth to Adrian... Are you high, bro?" Mads clicked his fingers in front of Adrian's eyes, calling him back from his thoughts and Adrian giggled, shaking his head.
It wasn't the right time to burst the whole thing.
"Sorry... This place is so big, I'm... I'm impressed," he tried to disguise his affliction, smiling and shaking CC's hand. "Sorry, man. Nice jacket, by the way. You guys have a beautiful symbol."
"One day I'll dress it as well. It's closer than never!" Mads said and CC smiled at him, patting his back, causing Adrian to cringe inside seeing that snake so close to someone so dear for him.
"Yeah. Soon, brother. Soon."
"He's not your brother," Adrian wanted to say.
But he swallowed down the words and smiled.
At the right time, he would tell Mads everything and maybe save his brother's skin from the catastrophe that was about to come...
