nikolai flanagan

KILLIAN: You've always been better at diplomacy than I.

KILLIAN: insulting. Goodnight.

NIKOLAI: That doesn't mean you can't learn.

KILLIAN: Yes, yes, I know.

UNSENT: I expected to see a text in my inbox from you about that.

KILLIAN: I'll fake niceness more. And take care of my needs, that'll help.

KILLIAN: Shut up.

KILLIAN: Any other advice, brother?

NIKOLAI: Perhaps two years ago I wouldn't have cared as much but the world order is still in a transitionary period and I'd prefer to not leave here with enemies. That's all. Taking care of your needs will help immensely, yes.

KILLIAN: I'll get myself sorted, brother. Got it. I miss the days when consent wasn't important or even a thing for that matter. Now it's like we have to tiptoe around what we want. Don't think I've been very good at that honestly.

KILLIAN:I may not be the crown prince-thank god- but I can fake it. Have I offended the family name somehow?

KILLIAN: I really did just text you to meet for breakfast.

NIKOLAI: Good. You don't have to tiptoe around what you want and enjoy. You simply have to be prepared for the person on the other end to say no.

NIKOLAI: Not exactly. But you were unnecessarily brash towards Artie Abrams at the tail-end of that one rather public conversation. Considering what an excellent submissive the boy is, some could have taken offense to the way you left that off.

KILLIAN: Fine. I was giving orders for cleaning and cooking and that was helping to take the edge off. I've seen our sister's list. I've used our sister's list for food orders. I'm just...trying to figure out this new political correctness we find ourselves in to not find myself back in jail or whatever. I can't do that again, Nik. Any name recommendations for those who haven't 'lost their goddamn minds'?

NIKOLAI: I understand. Jail is a real fear, one that I share. Use the list to have an actual scene, brother. I just looked at the list and any will do just fine. Remember that you're not looking for a partner, you're simply looking for a submissive to assist you in taking the edge off. All have given implicit consent to orders and aside from that, all you must do is request their safe word and talk the scene through with them beforehand to ensure there's consent.

KILLIAN: No reason.

KILLIAN: How long did you wait after you got here before you did a scene?

KILLIAN: Everything's fine.

KILLIAN: Meet me for breakfast tomorrow?

I require service. I’m looking for chefs, waiting staff to serve and bus food, and if one of you is adequate enough you’ll be ordered to serve Nick and I personally. I’m not going to come to you or choose specifically because who you are doesn’t matter to me. What matters is your ability to serve, so prove that in your response. 

To the rest of us Claringtons and Duvals, I require your presence here tonight in Nick’s suite. I welcome the Smythes, Abrams, and Flanagans as well. You too, Polo. Even if nobody else has enough class to recognize the Villada name for some reason, I do.

@tgaimportant​​

Needless to say, I’ll be looking forward to this. Good to see you poking your head out, Hunter. 

Vic: I've been all kindsa patient with your ass, but we gotta talk. I think you know why. What the fuck? Call Baskin Robbins, I got all 31 flavors of confusion over here. Last I heard, you were devoted to treatin' my sister right.

PM: Yes, it does appear that my time shall be stretched quite thin. I may be required to give up my journalism career as well. What a shame. Nikolai, darling, I do not believe I shall ever truly know what to do with you. Regardless of what you may tell yourself, you are incredibly kind, and sweet. I am so pleased you have come to your senses. Please do. I see things differently. It is a mutually beneficial situation. You receive what you need in the moment without all the muss and fuss- which I have a nagging suspicion that you enjoy, the brattiness I mean, and even if you do enjoy it, I sense that now is not the time- and in return, I regain moments with one of my dearest friends. See? Mutual benefit. We all experience such lapses, they are nothing to become hung up on. You are correct. Of everyone on campus, you know me the best, next to my brothers and my Riley. And if I said I did? Thank you, darling, though I do as much because I care, genuinely. My purpose is and has always been to assist others in any way I am able. I quite enjoy using my powers for good. It gives me a certain thrill I have been simply unable to obtain in any other fashion. When my time comes, darling, as it most assuredly will for us all, I do not wish to be forced to look back upon my life and wonder what might have happened differently had I done more. That is all. I am proud of you, Nikolai, for what it is worth. I know that this is not easy. It is not easy for anyone involved, a fact I am well aware I do not need to remind you of. I simply request that you remember you are supported and not alone. Dare I ask how things have been with Quinn since…This has all occurred? Surely she recognizes your need for peace and ease in this moment, perhaps that is why we have seen so little of her as of late. Any submissive worth their salt would recognize as much within their Master. I know my Riley always does. It is many things, I believe. Socializing has never been a strong suit of his, no matter how much I attempt to encourage otherwise. And despite his attempts to convince myself and everyone else otherwise, I do know that bothers him. He longs for friends, but I think he feels as though he will be unable to make true connections with others here. He feels misunderstood. He tells me I am enough for him, but one person cannot be another’s entire world. I simply…Want more for him. Sometimes I worry. Sometimes I feel as though perhaps I am not enough. Perhaps there is something I am doing incorrectly. I…Those, however, are my crosses to bear, darling, and not for you to concern yourself with. I do appreciate you darling, please know that. I shall certainly let you know should I require assistance. Keep hoping, dear. We all most certainly need it. 

Called out. Polo’s eyes close immediately and he take the moment while Nikolai finishes his callout to figure out how he wants to respond and to wade through the voices in his head. He only has one personality, but he’s been berated all of his life about the responsibilities on his shoulders and how great he’s supposed to be, not only by his own parents but by the family of the woman he was supposed to be claimed by and belong to, as well as the woman herself and his own best friend. His biggest stress was worrying about what other people wanted from him and what he should be doing. Well, that had been his biggest stress before that specific stressor had caused him to start attacking people. Now that was his biggest stress. His eyes opened and he inhaled slowly, following everything that was being said to him. As Nikolai looked to the notebook and his body language so clearly spoke his want, Polo’s eyes flickered down to the insanely organized and incredibly packed schedule with wild notes written all over the place, lists or other things he could do, and should do, goals, and even a list of things he’d already caught himself being late on. As per his therapist, he had written down which days he hadn’t been able to pull himself out of bed too, and organizational stickers and notations that would make no sense to anyone but Polo were littered all over too. A heart attack on paper, and every sheet before this one looked just like this, with an insane amount of events and activities checked off to show he’d gone or finished. He slid it across the table and closed his eyes as ordered, focusing on his breathing and working with techniques he’d been taught to fight his stutter. His eyes open and he nods, visibly a bit better. It’s not as much as what his pills would do, but they were basically sedatives so there wasn’t much that would compare. And it was enough to get him through a conversation. “Thank you, Sir. I’m just working on my schedule.” Which felt so menial in the grand scheme of things, knowing that he was ignoring his anger issue in favor of the day to day. He’d almost killed two people and he was sitting in a library right now, trying to figure out if he should learn how to knit or focus on sports. “And I’m sorry. I shouldn’t lie.” Or at the very least, he shouldn’t get caught. “I just don’t want to burden you.”

Nikolai watches as Polo closes his eyes and mulls over how to respond. He isn’t surprised, given the submissive’s past- or at least, given the portion of his past that was publicized. And given their stature. Everything is about image, whether one likes that fact or not. When the notebook is slid his way, he looks it over only briefly before his eyes catch onto the way Polo tries to hone in on his own breathing. Nikolai allows him to self-soothe, only because he doesn’t want to discount the effort. Otherwise he’d be very quick to demand the other man to kneel before him to re-center and re-focus his breathing. “Good boy. Breathe. In and out.” Nikolai looks back down to the notebook, skimming to see what the issue is. What he sees is an utter mess, one that he simply cannot go unnoticed. By the time he gets to the portions where the days Polo couldn’t get out of bed are marked, his brows are pinched together in worry. Everything about this has every Dominant instinct in him positively jumping out and by the time Polo’s final admission comes, Nikolai has seen enough of the notebook. This is personal to the other man, after all, he isn’t going to cross that boundary, especially when they aren’t close. “One, you aren’t a burden. Erase that thought from your head immediately.” Easier said than done, Nikolai knows, and he truly doesn’t expect Polo to be able to do such a thing. But it’s what instinctually came out. “Two, your apology is accepted but only because clearly there are bigger issues here. And this is no mere schedule, this is quite literally a mess on paper.” He slides the notebook back across, gesturing towards the days annotated as being the ones Polo was unable to get out of bed. “Explain. We’re going to talk through this. You may kneel if you need. In fact, I suggest it. I can take you somewhere more private, if you decide to.” Everything is about image, after all. “But I will not allow you to walk away without ensuring you feel at least a bit better.” 

Chur bro, thank ya. You’re Irish royalty, correct? Making sure I’ve got all the people right in my mind. I can forgive the people for the radio silence, it is what it is. But eventually someone’s gonna reply and when that moment comes I’ll be waiting for them.

Correct. A shame there’s even a question about it. I see. You’re certainly more forgiving than I but I’m not surprised.