Post by Vivienne Daniels on Feb 12, 2024 1:58:34 GMT
The drive back from the hospital was a bit of a blue. She was sure she'd cried on the way home and she certainly felt like she had. Visiting Astrid and Virginia in the hospital had been hard. But visiting Rowan had been heartbreaking. Seeing Brooklyn sleeping in the chair next to the bed was rough. The kind of everlasting love that Vivienne admired. She'd made a promise to keep Brooklyn safe to Rowan's sleeping form. April and Mai had been out getting Brooklyn food. She'd stopped to chat. But she had the twins and Cyrus waiting on her at home. She brushed her fingers over her cheeks to try and dry the tears as she grabbed the mail and walked into the house.
Cyrus had surprisingly adjusting to the boys well, better than she had expected. Clearly having put them down for a nap before she returned. Cyrus greeted her, He could tell she’d been crying, “Are you okay, kitten?” He asked, giving her a chance to open up. She didn’t do it very easily, usually only to her therapist but Cyrus had to try.
"It's just hard. Seeing Rowan like that. She was unstoppable. And seeing Brooklyn so hurt by her being gone. It's just... like it's stupid but I feel like people I care about are hurting and I can't do anything. I feel helpless and I hate that."
“It isn’t going to be any easier this week, isn’t Abigail a friend too?”
"I honestly don't know who is or isn't a friend anymore. Shea gave me that ultimatum and likely Abby will too. The Murder are my friends too and they've been helping me professionally since I got back and... everything kinda sucks right now."
“Hopefully not everything,” Cyrus said, “but this is why I don’t have many work friends. I find it easier to compartmentalize my life. Maybe you should try it.”
"I know it’d be easier. But I'm not so great at making friends or influencing people like you are. But...Us. Us is good. You me and the boys.”
Cyrus smiled at her.
“ By the way, the results came back." She held up the sealed paternity results envelope. "You want to do the honors?"
“Are you sure you’re in a state to handle this right now. It can wait if you’re feeling too raw, kitten…Especially if the results aren’t what you expect.”
Vivienne knew since Ulf hadn’t been the father Cyrus was but she knew Cyrus had no reason to trust her, "I don't want it to hang over us. Rip it off, like a Band-Aid."
The results had come from an independent laboratory. Cyrus had paid extra for them to be run three times so there was no mistaking as there had been for Ulf. Cyrus took the envelope, unsealed it, Looked the test results over carefully. His face gave nothing away. Vivienne marveled at how well Cyrus could hide his emotions. Three sets of verified results, all a match for him.
"Congratulations, you're a father." Vivienne kissed his cheek.
“I’m glad you’re pleased,” He smiled.
"Why wouldn't I be? The man I thought I'd lost my shot with came back into my life and also happens to be the father of my children. Best news all year."
“It seems like your luck is turning around, right before Valentine’s Day," Cyrus said softly. "Also I’ve been offered a part time contract by IWF. Something about Verona wanting to foster good relations with boxing and mma promoters. Did you talk to him?”
"We had a small talk." Vivienne admitted, "But he was already planning on recruiting you. I just gave a good review."
“Are you sure you want me working with you? I haven’t signed it yet, wanted to be sure you wouldn’t feel weird about it. Especially with Nicole working for the company still too.”
"I think it'd be fun. Being on the road together... Celebration sex after winning a match...being able to spend more time together as a family."
“I just know when we first met you were hesitant about mixing business and pleasure,” he smiled. “Not that I blame you, the last two guys you dated in the business didn’t know how to keep you.”
"Comparing you to them would be a disservice to you. You're better by a mile." Vivienne smiled. "Also, to be a little selfish...having a real man around with me backstage would help me feel a little safer."
Cyrus shivered, she knew what to say to get his attention. "Thought you had The Murder for protection?"
"I do. But I think we both know people seeing I'm yours is another level of protection. and I like that feeling."
“Guess I should sign it then. As long as you promise me you’re not only trying to make us work because of the results we got back.”
"Trust me. It's love."
Cyrus put his arms around her waist and kissed her, “I could get used to hearing that.”
“They say a broken clock is right twice a day. And I guess I was wrong I was wrong to imply that Eternity was just flirting and using you, Abby. I’m sorry I said that.”
“Eternity, I’m sorry I assumed the worst about your intensions. That’s my bad.”
“But you are official now, right? I mean, I assume it’s not longer a galpals situation. You two talked it out and are a couple now? Fucking finally. Everyone could tell. Hope it makes you happy and all. I’m a fan of love and all but I’m not going to act surprised you two finally stopped the slow burn. And it isn’t going to stop what needs to happen in the ring.”
“I think you’d be happy to see the new me. The me that isn’t hiding anymore. The me that can go just as hard and just as dark as you two can. I’ve lost to Eternity every time we’ve been in the ring together. I used to have kin of a chip on my shoulder about it. I’d beaten people who had beaten Eternity. But I never managed to do it.”
“But I think I can now. I’m not pretending anymore. I’m not trying to be a house cat when I’m a panther. I’m not a foolish jealous little fangirl anymore. I’m me. I’ve got my own power now. And you’re all going to see how fucking different this is going to be.”
“We were friends. Maybe we still are, in a weird fucked up way. But Brooklyn is my friend too. I cosigned her cause. She is my leader and I am her second. I promised Rowan that I wouldn’t let anything happen to Brooklyn. So if that means I have to throw myself between you two and her I will.”
“Because I care about Brooklyn like a sister. I care about April, Astrid, Virginia, Rowan, nd even Mai like my sisters I never got to have. Morning, noon and night I care about them. They are as much family to me as my boys and Cyrus. So on the threshold of assuming there is still any friendship left between us I have to ask. Because I need to know… Di you two hurt them? Was it you? I know it’s out of character for you, Abby, but I think there has been a couple revelations recently that’s made it clear that pretending to be someone you’re not isn’t out of the question. I know. Pot calling kettle here. I changed too. I don’t begrudge you for taking the money and the fame of attaching yourself to someone like Spike Kane. But honest answer here. Was it you?”
“Because if you hurt them…. If you hurt them, you hurt me.”
Cyrus had surprisingly adjusting to the boys well, better than she had expected. Clearly having put them down for a nap before she returned. Cyrus greeted her, He could tell she’d been crying, “Are you okay, kitten?” He asked, giving her a chance to open up. She didn’t do it very easily, usually only to her therapist but Cyrus had to try.
"It's just hard. Seeing Rowan like that. She was unstoppable. And seeing Brooklyn so hurt by her being gone. It's just... like it's stupid but I feel like people I care about are hurting and I can't do anything. I feel helpless and I hate that."
“It isn’t going to be any easier this week, isn’t Abigail a friend too?”
"I honestly don't know who is or isn't a friend anymore. Shea gave me that ultimatum and likely Abby will too. The Murder are my friends too and they've been helping me professionally since I got back and... everything kinda sucks right now."
“Hopefully not everything,” Cyrus said, “but this is why I don’t have many work friends. I find it easier to compartmentalize my life. Maybe you should try it.”
"I know it’d be easier. But I'm not so great at making friends or influencing people like you are. But...Us. Us is good. You me and the boys.”
Cyrus smiled at her.
“ By the way, the results came back." She held up the sealed paternity results envelope. "You want to do the honors?"
“Are you sure you’re in a state to handle this right now. It can wait if you’re feeling too raw, kitten…Especially if the results aren’t what you expect.”
Vivienne knew since Ulf hadn’t been the father Cyrus was but she knew Cyrus had no reason to trust her, "I don't want it to hang over us. Rip it off, like a Band-Aid."
The results had come from an independent laboratory. Cyrus had paid extra for them to be run three times so there was no mistaking as there had been for Ulf. Cyrus took the envelope, unsealed it, Looked the test results over carefully. His face gave nothing away. Vivienne marveled at how well Cyrus could hide his emotions. Three sets of verified results, all a match for him.
"Congratulations, you're a father." Vivienne kissed his cheek.
“I’m glad you’re pleased,” He smiled.
"Why wouldn't I be? The man I thought I'd lost my shot with came back into my life and also happens to be the father of my children. Best news all year."
“It seems like your luck is turning around, right before Valentine’s Day," Cyrus said softly. "Also I’ve been offered a part time contract by IWF. Something about Verona wanting to foster good relations with boxing and mma promoters. Did you talk to him?”
"We had a small talk." Vivienne admitted, "But he was already planning on recruiting you. I just gave a good review."
“Are you sure you want me working with you? I haven’t signed it yet, wanted to be sure you wouldn’t feel weird about it. Especially with Nicole working for the company still too.”
"I think it'd be fun. Being on the road together... Celebration sex after winning a match...being able to spend more time together as a family."
“I just know when we first met you were hesitant about mixing business and pleasure,” he smiled. “Not that I blame you, the last two guys you dated in the business didn’t know how to keep you.”
"Comparing you to them would be a disservice to you. You're better by a mile." Vivienne smiled. "Also, to be a little selfish...having a real man around with me backstage would help me feel a little safer."
Cyrus shivered, she knew what to say to get his attention. "Thought you had The Murder for protection?"
"I do. But I think we both know people seeing I'm yours is another level of protection. and I like that feeling."
“Guess I should sign it then. As long as you promise me you’re not only trying to make us work because of the results we got back.”
"Trust me. It's love."
Cyrus put his arms around her waist and kissed her, “I could get used to hearing that.”
“They say a broken clock is right twice a day. And I guess I was wrong I was wrong to imply that Eternity was just flirting and using you, Abby. I’m sorry I said that.”
“Eternity, I’m sorry I assumed the worst about your intensions. That’s my bad.”
“But you are official now, right? I mean, I assume it’s not longer a galpals situation. You two talked it out and are a couple now? Fucking finally. Everyone could tell. Hope it makes you happy and all. I’m a fan of love and all but I’m not going to act surprised you two finally stopped the slow burn. And it isn’t going to stop what needs to happen in the ring.”
“I think you’d be happy to see the new me. The me that isn’t hiding anymore. The me that can go just as hard and just as dark as you two can. I’ve lost to Eternity every time we’ve been in the ring together. I used to have kin of a chip on my shoulder about it. I’d beaten people who had beaten Eternity. But I never managed to do it.”
“But I think I can now. I’m not pretending anymore. I’m not trying to be a house cat when I’m a panther. I’m not a foolish jealous little fangirl anymore. I’m me. I’ve got my own power now. And you’re all going to see how fucking different this is going to be.”
“We were friends. Maybe we still are, in a weird fucked up way. But Brooklyn is my friend too. I cosigned her cause. She is my leader and I am her second. I promised Rowan that I wouldn’t let anything happen to Brooklyn. So if that means I have to throw myself between you two and her I will.”
“Because I care about Brooklyn like a sister. I care about April, Astrid, Virginia, Rowan, nd even Mai like my sisters I never got to have. Morning, noon and night I care about them. They are as much family to me as my boys and Cyrus. So on the threshold of assuming there is still any friendship left between us I have to ask. Because I need to know… Di you two hurt them? Was it you? I know it’s out of character for you, Abby, but I think there has been a couple revelations recently that’s made it clear that pretending to be someone you’re not isn’t out of the question. I know. Pot calling kettle here. I changed too. I don’t begrudge you for taking the money and the fame of attaching yourself to someone like Spike Kane. But honest answer here. Was it you?”
“Because if you hurt them…. If you hurt them, you hurt me.”
Well howdy there pardner.