Work Text:
It was already sundown but the sun was burning outside. The Radio muffled something inaudible for a nonexistent audience. Nicolai was sitting in the old used chair next to the front door watching the cat sleep peacefully.
His mind was empty unlike his house. In every room except his bedroom were at least two people seeking shelter to survive. They stayed here because they needed to not because they wanted to. Thats what he told himself. None of those people liked him, they only tolerate him because they need to.
But suddenly he heard screams. No, those weren’t screams… it was laughter? What were they laughing about? Nicolai thought, were they laughing about me? No, that would be too shellfish of him to think that. Were they having fun…?
Nicolai practically jumped out of his chair, scaring off the cat who gave him an annoyed look before going back to sleep. He wandered though his hall listening at every door to see where the laughter came from. All the rooms were filled with a tense silence except for one, the office.
As he opened the door he saw each an all of his guests sitting around the table chatting and playing games he forgot he owns. The coat guy and Wireface sat close together under a blanket watching the game. The Fortuneteller was looking closely at the hand of the runaway teen who listened to her with great interested. While Yesenin and the burnt Firefighter were playing a card game and discussing their favourite poet.
Everything looked so peaceful , like the sun is not burning everything outside.
“Well look how decided to join our game night too.” Yesinin happily announced pulling Nicolai out of in thoughts.
“You don’t have to be standing in the doorway looking at us you can sit whit us too, it’s not a home owner excluded party”. The firefighter added with the most grin like facial expression he was capable of making.
“Well I hope so.” Nicolai jokingly mumbled before sitting down on the free spot, in the middle on Yesenin and the firefighter.
They seemed to play a card game he couldn’t remember how to play. But they were doing more talking than playing anyways.
The runaway teen looked at him with a polite smile while the Fortuneteller was inspecting her other hand. For once everyone was ok.
And for maybe the first time in his life Nikolai finally felt home in his own home. Thanks to the apocalypse.