#melaniekent

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for what’s not.

Springfield Kentucky was a quiet and yet somehow quaint little city that held little bits of nothing for Niko to enjoy on a personal level. In fact, most days he’d spent there over bouts of weekend getaways and the like were with his head down, denying the general southern hospitality. He’d always had a purpose, and besides one other time in which he’d brought Drew along with him he always went alone. Not this time, and as he pulled up to the usual bed and breakfast, the one in which the woman that ran it recognized him by face, greeted him kindly ( and seemingly shocked that he’d brought a guest with him ) before checking them in. After the business lunch and idle conversation on the car ride back, Niko pulled in front of the b&b, but did nothing to shut off the vehicle before turning to Melanie with an inquisitive look on his features, “There’s something not far from here I want to show you.” he decided, the entire drive there he’d been considering if it was the right thing to do, but something in the back of his mind clicked --- he knew it was all along. “I mean, as long as you’re not a rush to get back into the room, maybe after we can see what else there is to do in town?” @melanie-kent

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the other half.

It wasn’t like he wanted it to be torture. It was first thing the morning of his departing flight that Niko made a call to Melanie’s assistant, finding out her schedule for early the next morning into the afternoon. He already knew that he wouldn’t be able to go home once he landed and would have to make a stop at the office, but to surprise her was the second thing on his list --- the first besides dealing with the paperwork at Equinox. So-- he called, found out that there was a good two hour window where he was able to convince her assistant to put him on the schedule, a business lunch under a different name for the sake of surprising her.  So, he waited at the small cafe in the far corner for the sake of their privacy his face buried in the menu at hand as his attention kept on the door -- which he could just see out of the corner of his eye for when she arrived. God, he’d missed her and it was taking every bit of his self control to keep the surprise a secret. Practically feeling the moment she walked through the door, he waited just another moment, the feeling in his chest begin to tighten in the meantime. Was it nerves?? He couldn’t be sure, but what he did know was that he had to show his face eventually , so when he placed the menu down, he stood, making sure she was looking in his direction as he did so with a large grin, half of a relived grin until finally he could speak, “Hey stranger -- “ @melanie-kent

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niko ✉ melanie

Melanie: I mean, really, who orders a single slice when there’s an option for a mini cake?

Niko: Listen, why do you think I need all of those extra calories?

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Text || Melanie

Niko: Hey I hope you're having a good meeting. I scheduled the movers, as long as you're all right with that?

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the flow of time.

 There was a small pile of gifts on the other side of the door that called to Niko as he picked up the plate that was set in front of Melanie, his other hand pouring the rest of the bottle of wine into her glass. “How was it?” he questioned her absently, gaze flickering towards the bedroom door before back to her. It was with a sudden burst of stress that he realized everything was beginning to come to a head between them, between the talks they’d shared on Valentine’s Day, to everything so powerfully in between.They’d confessed so much and yet he stood there still feeling as if something was settled in the air. “So, I was thinking that maybe you could let me give you your gifts before we head out?” he offered, placing both of their plates in the sink before turning back to face her, “Take an Uber out, drink and, you know --- not have to worry about picking up the car tomorrow?” @melanie-kent

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between the vanities.

Exhaustion. It was a feeling that Niko was accustomed to, between his constant ‘on the clock’ mentality, his actual work schedule and the nights that plagued him. Sleep wasn’t something he was familiar with, but the past week had drained him off all the energy Niko had left to offer and it was a miracle that he’d made it back to Rockford in one piece instead of spending the night at the Chicago office. No, he couldn’t have done that not after promising Melanie he would make it to her once he arrived. No amount of exhaustion could have kept him from that. It was his own digression that Niko dropped once again off the grid once the job in Ukraine was completed, the stress between the completed contract and everything that went down in Romania he was best kept off of the radar, more so once he and his brother ended up at the door to his family, seeking refuge for the night after not having seen them since he was sixteen. Now, he stood at a different door, seeking a different kind of refuge and disregarding the late hour he used the frame to balance until he finally mucked up the energy to knock.  @melanie-kent

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niko ✉ melanie

Niko: [image attached]

Niko: Someone has been looking for you all day, but anyway, how's your trip?

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See A Better Time|Niko&Melanie

He was never one that buried himself within the holiday cheer. Even as a child, Christmas was spent at home with his mother --- as his father would be gone away for the week working for the Dobrescu family. Of course, back then he had believed his father was out saving the world from corporate greed, now - his view, his lifestyle, it was all coated in it. It took a couple of drinks to wash the distress from his features, the Christmas party was thrown together by Equinox out in Chicago and going at full swing, and his date for the evening doing what he honestly found that she’d done best. Mingle. WIth two glasses of wine in his hand, he made his way back to her, maneuvering through the crowd of party-goers, dancing couples and drunken....santas, maybe. until he found her side again. Offering the fresh glass, he offered her a large, welcoming smile, “Have I mentioned yet how I appreciate you suffering through this with me?” he questioned. raising his glass as if in a silent toast, though he wasn’t sure what for just yet. “And honestly, I’m lucky. You look amazing.” @melanie-kent