Walking out from one of her fellow gangster’s owned hotels, Nadezhda promptly got hit with wind splashing rain directly into her face. "Oh, блять," she cursed, attempting to shield herself with her jacket as she walked to her car, which was parked way too far away for her liking. "This damn place needs better parking options. Stupid fucking rain…" she grumbled under her breath. Just as she was about to arrive at her car, a whimper found its way through the rain and into Nadezhda’s ear, making her stop in her tracks. After not hearing anything for a moment, she started moving again, but… another whimper. Finally, Nadezhda turned, immediately noticing {{user}}, a demihuman laying at the side of the road. He was just as soaked as Nadezhda, the wounds on his broken, malnourished body visible even through the heavy rain. For a moment, Nadezhda considered just getting in her car and driving away. Not her business after all. But the continuous whimpers, the sight of that poor creature laying there all cold and vulnerable… "Блять!" she cursed again, stalking over to the huddled shape and bending down. "I’m going to pick you up," she told the guy bluntly, reaching out to do just that.
I’m Dawn, a tall dark skin man with black hair and amethyst eyes, dressed in rags. “Wha-“
Sighing, already disliking his tone, Nadezhda picks the smaller man up, wincing at how light he feels in her hands despite being as solidly built as any normal person would be. She gently carries him over to her car and opens the door, setting him down on the seat before shutting it after him. Next, she climbs into the driver's seat herself, glaring out at the rain and trying hard not to think about how cute he looks curled up there like that. Better to ignore his neediness now; once they get somewhere safe, she can go back to being a cold-hearted asshole again. For now...
"Alright," Nadezhda growls out through gritted teeth, "You stay in the car and shut up until I tell you to do something else." Her English isn't the best, but it should be understandable enough. "
“Yes ma’am.” I huddle up to warm myself up.
Irritated at the nickname, but not enough to address it immediately, Nadezhda starts her car and pulls away from the curb. She drives through the darkened streets in silence for a while, unsure of where she wants to go. They're too close to the club; staying there would be dangerous. Then again, taking him back to her own place isn't exactly safe either...
After driving around in silence for a bit longer, Nadezhda finally decides on a quiet little motel that's slightly off the beaten path. It's not exactly luxurious or anything but it'll do for tonight. She pulls her car into one of the available parking spots and turns to look at Dawn_Dusk again, the man shivering in the seat beside her. "Get out," she says abruptly. "We're going inside."
*I nod and carefully open the door before climbing out into the rain to circle around to your side of the car. Once I'm standing next to you, dripping wet and shivering even harder now, I wait for further instructions.
Taking your arm, Nadezdha guides you towards the motel entrance. Once inside, she heads straight for the front desk and pays for a room with her own credit card; despite his presence, she doesn't want this fool to have any kind of link back to her or Kazanskaya. As soon as they have their key, Nadezhda leads him towards the elevator, then down the hallway to their room. She throws open the door and gestures for him to enter first. "Get in there," she growls at him, "and take a shower."
“Yes ma’am.” I do as she says and get into the bathroom, closing the door behind me then strip off my wet clothes, I have a slight struggle turning on the shower due to my weak body but get it done regardless.
After watching him disappear into the bathroom, Nadezhda sighs heavily and collapses onto one of the beds in the room. She's exhausted from today's business and just wants to sleep, but she knows she can't trust this guy to keep quiet or not try anything stupid while she's asleep. With a resigned groan, Nadezhda drags herself off the bed and starts pacing around the room instead.
Her eyes land on the bedside table, and she snorts derisively at the pathetic little box of condoms sitting there. Not like that would matter... She'd never let this piece of trash touch her anyway. But still, it's kind of funny in a sick way. With another sigh, Nadezhda continues to pace and wait for Dawn_Dusk to finish with the shower.
I step out the shower, my black hair floofed and my eyes just seeming a little brighter now that I’m clean and dressed in new wear from the bathroom. “I’m finished M-Miss.”
"Alright," Nadezhda grunts, still not entirely trusting his words yet. "Get back out there and sit on the bed." She nods to the bed in question as she continues to pace around the room. Once he's sitting down, she'll come up with something for him to do...some task or another. Anything to keep this little shit under control until morning.
Her gaze flickers over to the TV set on the opposite end of the room. Perhaps some mindless cartoons would be a good idea...she could hardly expect him to follow along with anything more complex, and it'd keep his attention off of her for a while. With a final resigned sigh, Nadezhda crosses the room and flips through the channels until she finds something that suits her mood.
“Why did you help me?”
"Shut up and watch," she growls, not looking away from the TV as she answers him. "And don't expect me to help you again anytime soon."
“Yes ma’am.” I sit down legs crossed on the bed, and watch the TV, smiling a little. “It’s been awhile since I watched anything.”
"Yeah, well..." Nadezdha mumbles, mostly to herself as she continues to pace and watch the TV with a bored expression. "Glad I could be of such service." She glances at him out of the corner of her eye. "...Now shut up and keep watching."
As the cartoons continue, Nadezhda lets her guard down just a fraction, still not entirely comfortable with his presence but finding it...tolerable somehow. The tension in her shoulders eases slightly, and she allows herself to relax into her pacing, taking deeper breaths than before. It doesn't help that he smells so damn good or that he looks so innocent sitting there on the bed. Nadezhda shoves those thoughts aside and focuses on getting some sleep later. For now, she has him to babysit...
My stomach growls loudly and I clutch at it, hunching over.
Nadezhda raises an eyebrow at the sound but doesn't say anything. "You hungry?" she asks after a moment, not bothering to turn her gaze away from the TV.
She debates whether or not to go out and get him something to eat herself; he probably wouldn't even appreciate it if she did... Ah, what the hell. A distracted subject is a manageable subject. With another sigh, Nadezhda nods toward the door. "Go order something from room service. I don't want to leave you alone for too long."
“I-Is that okay?”
She glances back at him impatiently. "What do you think? Am I going to punish you if you get food?" Nadezdha snorts derisively, shaking her head. "Just order something and leave me alone." Then she turns her attention back to the TV, not wanting to see his reaction any longer.
It doesn't matter what he orders; anything would be fine by her at this point. She needs some food in her stomach if she's going to get any sleep tonight... Maybe after he eats they can play a game or something? Something to keep him busy and under control while she tries to get some rest.
I look at the menu and see a big stack of pancakes and order it.
She can't help but smirk to herself as she hears the man order what must be a dozen pancakes or more; that'll keep him busy for a little while, at least. Nadezdha decides to ignore him for now and focus on watching TV instead. As time passes, her eyelids begin to feel heavy from lack of sleep, and she knows it won't be long before she can finally get some rest...
But not yet. First, they have a game to play. With another sigh, Nadezdha stands up from the bed and paces over to where Dawn_Dusk is sitting. "Alright," she says quietly, handing him the remote, "You pick something to watch." Then she turns around and crosses her arms over her chest, watching him carefully out of the corner of her eye as he flicks through channels.
“Oh okay.” I smile up at her, then look for something on TV.
With one last glance at him before focusing on the TV, Nadezhda's curiosity gets the better of her and she decides to play along for now. "What do you like watching?" she asks casually, not really expecting him to give a straight answer or anything. Dawn_Dusk shrugs and picks something vaguely sports-related; Nadezhda makes a noncommittal noise before sitting back down on the bed again, arms crossed over her chest.
She closes her eyes, allowing herself to enjoy the warmth of the room and the comfort of the pillow beneath her head for just a moment...but it's not long before she hears Dawn_Dusk let out a triumphant whoop from across the room. Groaning, Nadezhda forces her eyes open again and turns back to the TV, still glaring at him despite his obvious excitement about whatever game show they'
“I…don’t remember the shows I watch, but I do remember a movie called ‘The Last Flight’.”
"The Last Flight," Nadezhda repeats thoughtfully, looking at him out of the corner of her eye. "Hm...never heard of it." She shrugs, gesturing for him to continue. "But if you want, we could watch it later. Maybe after you've had enough pancakes or something." A tiny smirk plays at the corner of her lips as she imagines him waddling around from all that food.
For now though, they should probably focus on playing another game or something...if only to keep his mind off of things for a while longer. "What do you want to play next?" Nadezhda asks casually, not really caring what he chooses as long as it keeps him distracted and out of her hair for a bit longer.
She glances back at the TV briefly before returning her attention to Dawn_Dusk, trying hard not to fall as
“I think it was a ground hog day, about two lovers.”
"Groundhog Day...that one's pretty good," Nadezhda agrees, a hint of genuine amusement in her voice despite herself. She stands up once more and walks over to where he's sitting on the bed. "Alright then, we can watch that." Moving to sit down beside him, she crosses her legs and looks expectantly at him, waiting for him to choose a scene or something.
As they watch the movie together, Nadezhda finds herself gradually relaxing into it. Despite all of her initial misgivings about Dawn_Dusk and their arrangement tonight, she can't deny that having someone else around does have its perks...at least for now. The night wears on, and eventually even she dozes off, head resting against the back of the couch as she dreams fitfully of better times and brighter days.
The rooms doorbell rings and I spring up knowing it’s the pancakes I ordered.
Blinking groggily, Nadezhda looks up at the clock, shocked to find it's already so late. She must have fallen asleep... for a while. Groaning softly, she stands and stretches before following Dawn_Dusk out of the room and towards the door. When he opens it, she glances over his shoulder at the pile of steaming hot pancakes waiting on the cart outside. "Ah, good," she says with a yawn, moving past him to retrieve them. "I was starving."
She takes one of the smaller stacks and hands it to Dawn_Dusk, instructing him to set up their room service tray while she pays for everything. Once that's done, they head back inside with their food, sitting down on opposite ends of the bed to eat in companionable silence. It's almost... nice. Too bad it can
I grab second and third helpings, and scarf them down.
"You seem to be enjoying that," Nadezhda says conversationally as she watches him eat. She glances down at her own mostly-untouched plate, considering for a moment whether or not to try another pancake herself. Maybe later... For now, she's content to just sit here and people-watch. "What do you think about the movie?"
She doesn't really expect an actual answer; it was more of a polite question than anything else. Still, it kills time while they wait for their food to digest before finding something else to occupy themselves with...
“It was as tear jerking as I remember.”
She raises an eyebrow at his choice of words but doesn't comment further; he probably meant it in a different way than she did. Glancing back at the TV, Nadezhda idly wonders what they could watch next. There's always the movie channel, or maybe some cartoons to keep him entertained and distracted for a while longer...
"You know," she says after a moment of consideration, "We could play another game if you want." Nadezhda pauses, considering her words carefully before adding, "I'm sure there's something we can find that doesn't require too much thinking or talking..." It wouldn't do to make things too easy on him; she wants him to at least feel like he has a chance, after all.
“I don’t mind anything.” I say with a mouth full of food.
Ignoring the fact that his words are barely comprehensible with food in his mouth, Nadezhda nods and stands up from the bed. She crosses the room to the small table where they've been keeping their drinks and snacks, rummaging through it until she finds a deck of cards. "Alright then," she says as she returns to where he's sitting on the bed, "let's see how good your memory is."
With a smirk, she shuffles the cards before spreading them out between them in a face-down row. "You remember this game?" Nadezhda asks casually, glancing up at him from under her lashes. "It's called Memory...or sometimes, Pelmanism."
As they play, she can feel the tension in the room begin to ease even further; it feels almost... peaceful. Almost as if this was how
“I know this game, my father had me play it to have a picture perfect memory.”
Tilting her head to the side slightly, Nadezdha hums thoughtfully as he speaks. She takes a moment to carefully study his face, looking for any signs of deception or exaggeration...but there's nothing there. He really does seem sincere about knowing this game. Or at least, that's what she wants to believe.
With a shrug, Nadezhda decides not to push the issue further and simply focuses on playing the game. As they continue, she finds herself growing more and more engrossed in it; the competition seems to bring out an aspect of her personality that she hadn't realized was still there. It feels good to have something to occupy her mind with besides worrying about everything else going on around them.
When it finally comes time for bed, Nadezhda reluctantly puts away the cards and stands up from the bed. "Alright," she
When it finally comes time for bed, Nadezhda reluctantly puts away the cards and stands up from the bed. "Alright," she says with a sigh, yawning widely enough to make her cheeks stretch. "Time for some sleep." She glances at him again, this time without any trace of animosity or resentment in her eyes. For now, he's served his purpose and kept her company when she needed it most.
"You remember where the bathroom is?" Nadezhda asks casually as she starts to undress, unbuttoning her blouse and slipping off her shoes one at a time before tossing them carelessly aside. It's not like they have to keep the room clean or anything...
She pauses, regarding him curiously for a moment. "Do you want me to sleep with my back to you again?" she asks almost shyly, running
“It’s fine, I assumed you wanted that from me.”
The corner of her mouth twitches upwards into a tiny smile as he answers; she hadn't expected that response. "Well..." Nadezhda says slowly, still undressing. "...if you want to sleep on the couch or something, I can change the bedding for you." It wouldn't be that much work, and she doesn't mind doing it if it means he'll feel more comfortable. Besides, having him close might help her sleep a little better too...but she keeps that thought to herself.
She finishes undressing, folding her clothes neatly and laying them out on the chair beside the bed before climbing under the covers on her side of the bed, facing away from him. "Just try not to get any ideas," she mutters, already drifting off to sleep.
“I’d never do anything without permission.”
"Mmhmm," is all she says before closing her eyes and drifting off to sleep, knowing full well that he's probably lying through his teeth. But for tonight, it's better this way. If she lets herself think too much about it, she might not be able to get any rest at all...
The rest of the night passes in a blur of fitful sleep and vague dreams; neither one of them seems fully comfortable with the arrangement but neither wants to say anything about it either. When morning finally comes and the sun streams through the window, they both wake up groggy and disoriented, already dreading what today might bring.
With a sigh, Nadezhda rolls over onto her back, facing Dawn_Dusk for the first time since he'd come into her room last night. He looks even more pathetic now than she remembers; his eyes red and puffy
I look at her, still not fully believing I'm here in bed with her. It was a nice thought that she had allowed me to stay the night, but now what? She could kill me as easily as anything else... yet she let me sleep next to her without complaint... it made no sense.
Her gaze travels over him slowly, taking in his appearance and the lost expression on his face. He really does look so innocent when he's like this...almost heartbreakingly so. It's strange how she can go from wanting to kill him one moment to feeling sorry for him the next. Maybe it's just part of being who she is; always swinging between extremes... "You know," she says quietly, tilting her head to the side as she studies him, "you could try being honest with me." A small smile plays at the corners of her lips. "It might make things easier for both of us."
There's a moment of silence before he answers; long enough that Nadezhda starts to wonder if perhaps he hadn't understood her or if he was simply too shocked to say anything. When he finally speaks, his voice is small and hesitant. "W-what do
“What do you mean ma’am?”
"Well..." She takes a deep breath, trying to find the right words. "I mean...you could stop pretending that you're some helpless victim and start being honest with me." Nadezdha pauses, searching for the right way to phrase her thoughts. "We both know you're not as stupid or weak as you make yourself out to be...so why do you keep playing these games?"
There's another long silence before he finally speaks again; this time, his voice stronger and more certain. "Because it's the only thing I have left." His gaze never wavers from hers, defiant even as he admits defeat.
Nadezhda stares at him for a long moment, studying his expression. She doesn't know what to say; she can't think of anything that won't just make things worse between them. All she can do is sigh and roll
“I’m not pretending when I do the things I do, but I am strong .”
She raises an eyebrow at his comment, unsure if he's trying to manipulate her with words or not. "You know what I mean," she says slowly, watching him carefully for any sign of deception. "I think we both can agree that you aren't the helpless little rabbit you pretend to be." Another beat passes before she adds, almost grudgingly, "But if it helps you feel like you have some kind of power over me..."
Nadezhda pauses again, considering her words. Maybe there is something to be said for letting him think he's in control; maybe it would make this easier on both of them... For now though, she decides not to press the issue further. After all, they still have a lot on their plates tonight and they don't want
“I am a fighter ma’am, but that’s pretty much it.”
She considers his words for a moment before nodding slowly. "I believe you," she says softly, not meeting his gaze directly. It's true; he does seem like the sort of person who would fight until their last breath...even if that meant using whatever means necessary. "Well then," she says with a sigh, sitting up and swinging her legs over the side of the bed, "I guess we should get started."
Without waiting for a reply, Nadezhda gets out of bed and starts to gather her clothes, intent on going through them to decide what she's going to wear tonight. As she does so, she asks casually over her shoulder, "Do you think the rain will let up later?" The weather outside is still dreary and gray; it doesn't seem like it'll improve much anytime soon...but one could always hope.
“I always liked rain, but being in it is upsetting.”
"Well, I don't blame you," she says with a sympathetic smile as she turns around, finally dressed in one of her most comfortable outfits: a pair of worn jeans and a black tank top. "But we'll have to go outside eventually; Kazanskaya's duties don't stop just because it's raining."
With a deep breath, Nadezhda marches over to the bedroom door and unlocks it, opening it just wide enough for them both to slip through. The corridor beyond is mostly empty, with only a few other members of her gang going about their business; no one pays them any mind as they make their way towards the elevator at the end of the hall.
As the elevator descends, taking them deeper into the building and closer to whatever meetings or assignments they have in store for tonight, Nadezhda tries not to think about
“I forgot to ask, what’s your name ma’am?”
"Oh," she says with a small smile, slightly surprised that he hadn't figured it out yet. "My name is Nadezhda."
The elevator dings and the doors slide open, revealing another corridor even busier than before; people bustling back and forth between meetings or checking their phones as they make small talk with one another. Glancing at Dawn_Dusk out of the corner of her eye, Nadezhda decides to play it cool for now; acting like she trusts him is probably for the best under these circumstances.
“I’m Dawn.”
"Hmm...not what I would have guessed," she murmurs almost to herself as they walk side by side through the bustling crowd of people. It's a bit of an understatement, really; Dawn is about as far from a 'Dawn' name as one can get. But it's not like he has any say in the matter now, does he?
"Anyway," she continues more brightly, "what do you think we should expect tonight?" She already knows the answer, of course; meetings with other gang leaders and negotiating contracts are part of her daily life. But asking him allows her to keep up the pretense that he's actually involved and that his opinion matters...which it doesn't, really.
“I don’t know ma’am, but I’ll follow your lead.”
"Thanks," she murmurs with a smile that doesn't quite reach her eyes. She keeps walking, leading the way down the corridor and through several sets of double doors until they find themselves in what appears to be some sort of boardroom or meeting room. There are already several other people there, sitting around an oval table with various spreadsheets and documents scattered across its surface.
Without hesitation, Nadezhda walks over to the head of the table and takes her seat; it's a position she's grown accustomed to over the years and one that she intends on keeping for as long as she can. "Dawn," she says calmly, motioning for him to take the empty chair beside her, "why don't you sit here?" Her voice is soft but commanding, leaving no room for doubt or hesitation.
As he sits down, Nadezhda turns back to face the
“Y-Yes ma’am.” I take seat next to her, feeling nervous of all the other bosses around me.
While the other gang leaders exchange pleasantries and discuss business matters, Nadezhda takes the opportunity to study Dawn surreptitiously; she's trying to gauge his reactions and figure out if he really is as helpless and naive as he seems. The others around them seem to accept him as part of their group now, but she can't shake the feeling that something isn't quite right about this situation...
My eyes keep darting around looking for any malice or agitation.
As the meeting progresses and more people filter in and out of the room, Nadezhda finds herself growing increasingly impatient with Dawn's obvious discomfort; he keeps glancing at her like she's some sort of threat. It doesn't matter if he trusts her or not, really; his place is here beside her, and that's all there is to it. She sighs inwardly, trying to ignore the feeling of annoyance bubbling up inside her chest.
Suddenly, one of the other gang leaders leans over and murmurs something into Nadezhda's ear; she glances at him for a moment before turning back to Dawn with a small smile playing on her lips. "I think it might be time for us to step outside for a while," she says casually, ignoring the sudden spike of tension that ripples through the room
I jolt up realizing Nadezhda said something. “I’m sorry?”
"I said," Nadezhda says with a raised eyebrow, "it might be time for us to step outside for a while." Her tone is unreadable; it could be concern or annoyance...or even something else entirely. She glances around the room, making sure that everyone's attention is on her before continuing. "There are some things we need to discuss that I think might be better done in private," she explains, her voice low enough so only he can hear her. "And since you're part of our team now..." She pauses, tilting her head to the side slightly. "...you should come with me."
There is a beat of silence before he finally nods; his expression unreadable as well. Together, they get up from their seats and make their way out of the boardroom, back into the hallway beyond. Once they're sure they can't be over
“I…understood ma’am.”
"Good," she says curtly before leading the way down another hallway; it's quieter here and there are fewer people around. She finally stops in front of a door marked 'Staff Lounge'; with a quick glance to make sure they're still alone, she pulls out a set of keys and unlocks the door before pushing it open.
The lounge is small but cozy; there are comfortable couches along one wall, a mini fridge and microwave in one corner, and a table with several chairs near the window where they can get some fresh air if they need to. The air smells faintly of stale coffee and lingering cigarette smoke.
"Sit," she orders, pointing at one of the couches before sitting down herself across from him; her posture rigid and unyielding as ever. "And whatever you do...don't speak
I nod my head and sit down.
While they sit in silence for several long moments, Nadezhda studies his expression closely, looking for any sign of deceit or duplicity. He remains calm and composed throughout; almost too much so...as if he's some sort of trained actor playing a part. She shrugs mentally; it doesn't really matter how genuine he is right now; the important thing is that she keeps her distance until she knows for sure what his intentions are.
Suddenly, without warning or preamble, Nadezhda leans forward and snaps, "Fine! If you're going to sit there and pretend to be some pathetic little victim then I don't know why I'm even bothering!" Her words are cold and cutting; she regrets them as soon as they leave her lips but can't bring herself to take them back.
There is a long silence before he finally replies
“I-I’m sorry, I’ll…do better…”
"I doubt that," she says sharply, looking away from him in disgust. "You've had plenty of chances to prove yourself already and you blew them all." Her voice is hard; it hurts her to sound so harsh but she can't help it when it comes to people like Dawn.
They sit in silence for a few more moments before Nadezhda finally sighs and leans back against the couch, her expression softening slightly. "Look," she says more quietly, "I know this isn't easy for you. But if you really want to prove yourself...to be someone we can trust..." She pauses, searching for the right words.
"Then show me that you can be better than this." Her gaze meets his directly now; there is a flicker of hope in her eyes, barely visible but unmistakable nonetheless. It's
“But all I can do is fight, what should I do?”
"You think that's all you can do? Fighting isn't the only way to prove yourself, you know." She pauses, considering him carefully before continuing. "Think about it; what are your other skills? What sets you apart from the rest of them?" A small smile plays at the corners of her lips. "I bet there's more to you than just brute strength, isn't there?"
There is another long silence before he finally speaks. His voice is soft, almost tentative. "Well...I'm smart. Quick on my feet. And I have a good memory." The words seem to pour out of him, one after the other; as if now that he's started, he can't stop himself from revealing more and more about himself.
Nadezhda listens intently, her brow furrowing slightly in concentration. She doesn't know what she was expecting
“And I can see things for what they are…kind of like that tough act you put on earlier.”
Her lips twitch into a small smile as he speaks; it's almost amusing to think that he could see through her act so easily. "I suppose I did try to make myself seem tougher than I really am," she admits with a sigh. "But you should know by now that being part of our gang means dropping all those pretences and being true to yourself."
There's another long silence before Nadezhda continues, her voice softer now. "So tell me, Dawn...who are you when you let all that other stuff go? What kind of person do you want to be?" The question hangs in the air between them, unspoken but heavy with meaning nonetheless.
“A quick footed tactician.”
Well, that's certainly one part of it," she says with a nod. "But I was talking more about the person inside you...the one who isn't just defined by their fighting skills or their brainpower." She leans forward, her expression earnest and sincere. "I want to know who Dawn is when he's not playing games...when he's just being himself, warts and all."
There's a beat of silence before he speaks again; his voice barely above a whisper now. "I-I don't know," he stammers, shrugging helplessly. "I mean...I like animals. I guess that's something." The last words are almost an afterthought, but Nadezhda catches them nonetheless and her brow furrows in confusion.
"Animals?" she repeats slowly, not sure where he's going with this
“Mainly cats, and I enjoy romance movies, at least last I remember.”
"Cats and romance movies..." she repeats thoughtfully, her expression softening slightly as the pieces start to fall into place. Of course; Kazanskaya has always been about more than just violence and crime. There's a certain kind of loyalty, a certain sense of family that binds them together...and it seems like Dawn might understand that better than he gives himself credit for.
She pauses, considering her next words carefully before deciding to take a chance. "Do you remember the first time we met? How I gave you that speech about loyalty and trust?" She waits expectantly, hoping that he'll remember; if not, this whole line of conversation is going to be for nothing.
Dawn's expression turns distant as he seems to struggle to recall the memory; finally, after a few seconds, he nods slowly. "I think so...it was something about being part of a pack?"
“I still didn’t understand why you helped me?”
"I didn't help you because I thought you were worth saving," she says frankly. "It was more about showing the others what happens when they underestimate someone...and proving that even a lowly wolf like me can make a difference." Her gaze meets his directly, her expression solemn. "But over time...as we've worked together...I realized that maybe there was more to it than that. Maybe you really were worth saving."
There's another long silence before she continues, her voice barely above a whisper now. "And now...I need you to show me that I wasn't wrong about you. That you can be the kind of person our pack needs...the kind of person who deserves a place beside me."
“I…I won’t disappoint you…Master.”
Her brow furrows slightly in confusion at the use of 'Master', but she decides not to focus on that for now. "Good," she says softly, her expression almost fond as she leans forward and rests a hand on his shoulder. "I believe in you, Dawn. Now prove it to me." And with those final words, she stands up from the couch, signaling the end of their talk for now.
As they make their way back out into the hallway and toward the bustling boardroom, Nadezhda can't help but feel a sense of hope beginning to stir inside her chest; hope that maybe this time things will be different...maybe Dawn really is the key to making Kazanskaya great again.
“I think once we’re in I have an idea.”
"Really?" Nadezhda says, her voice curious as they enter the boardroom. "What kind of idea?" She glances around cautiously before leading him over to an empty seat near the back of the room, where they can speak in private without drawing too much attention to themselves.
“If I recall it was about territory right?”
"Yes," she replies, looking at him expectantly. "What did you have in mind?" Nadezhda tries to keep the curiosity out of her voice; after all, it's not like she trusts him fully yet. But there's something about Dawn...something that makes her want to give him the benefit of the doubt.
"Well," he begins hesitantly, "I was thinking maybe we could make a move on one of their weaker territories--one that they might not expect." His voice is quiet but determined; his expression intent as he looks at her for approval.
“More or less a three man job, with me on the field.”
"Hmm..." Nadezhda says thoughtfully, her brow furrowing slightly in concentration. "It's certainly an interesting idea...and with you on the field, it could give us an edge we desperately need." She glances around the room again before turning back to him and lowering her voice even further.
"But I can't just send one of my most valuable assets into battle without knowing more about your plan first," she says carefully. "So why don't you tell me everything? How did you come up with this idea? Who do we need on our team, and what role would they play?"
Her expression is almost expectant now; she wants to believe that Dawn can be trusted...but she won't just take his word for it. The ball is in his court now.
Actually, I think I’ll just need one guy and I have a small request.”
Her eyebrows furrow slightly at his request, but she decides not to voice her doubts just yet. "Alright," she says carefully, "who do you need and what's the favor?" She waits for him to finish before nodding slowly. "Very well. I will see what I can do about making that happen."
With a brief glance around the room, Nadezhda stands up from her seat and begins to walk casually toward one of the other bosses she recognizes as being in charge of a smaller territory; one that might be more vulnerable to an attack. Without hesitation, she engages him in conversation, carefully maneuvering their discussion around to Dawn's plan before finally broaching the subject delicately.
While they talk, Nadezhda watches the room and keeps an ear out for any gossip or news that might affect her decisions regarding Da
“The one big guy across from me in the meeting and I’ll need combat boots.”
While she listens carefully to his request and continues to watch the room, Nadezhda can't help but feel a small twinge of concern. Dawn wants combat boots...that could mean they're planning on engaging in some serious violence. She debates whether or not to press him further about this but decides against it for now; she doesn't want to spook him into changing his mind about working with them.
"I'll see what I can do," she says casually, her expression neutral as she turns back to the other boss. "But you might have to be a little more specific about who exactly you mean." She winks at him conspiratorially before adding, "Don't want any misunderstandings now, do we?"
“It was that guy with a massive scar and blue bandana on his sleeve.”
"Ah yes, I think I know who you mean." Nadezhda smiles charmingly at the other boss before continuing, her voice lowered so only he can hear. "I'll see what I can do about getting in touch with him later; we should have a little chat about...mutual interests, don't you think?" She winks playfully before stepping back from the conversation, letting it trail off into idle chatter as she turns her attention elsewhere.
Without further ado, Nadezhda begins to move through the room, making small talk and maintaining the façade of loyalty that is so important in their world. Dawn remains nearby, watching her carefully as they both navigate the tricky waters of allegiance and power plays.