Chapter Text
The smell of Alisa’s hookah bar is intoxicating, but not unpleasant. Hussar finds himself spending more and more time there. All night he’s there being Alisa’s bodyguard/babysitter, while trying to find a way to break his contract. And he’s not complaining.
It’s a place he can smoke, though not in peace. He is fond of Alisa. She is intense, sure, but also very passionate and intelligent. She’s kind of like a sunset. Intense and harsh, but also warm and calming. Hussar’s also growing fond of her lover, Elizaveta, a newly turned vampire, a fledgling. She’s a brilliant doctor clinging on to her humanity as well as she possibly can. Though she got herself entangled in some very dubious dealings.
Hussar and Liza were chatting in a rather quiet corner of the hookah bar, when Alisa interrupted them. “Slacking off again, Hussar?”
“This young lady looked like trouble,” Hussar replied. “Really, now,” Alisa sighed.
“Huh, I bet you know this better than anyone, Alisa, don’t you?” Hussar teased. “Did you tell him?!” Alisa asked Liza.
“Give me some credit, I can spot a nice couple without getting a formal notice,” he stated. Both Alisa and Lizaveta were stunned. Then the sunset-obbsessed vampire said: “That’s besides the point. I did want to speak to the both of you, so this is convenient.”
“It’s regarding the matter of your contract, actually,” she continued. “Oh? You have my attention,” Hussar responded.
“I went through father’s files. He kept records of every contract he ever made. The bad news is that the only means of breaking it will be to fulfill its condition. The good news is any member of the family is sufficient for such purposes,” Alisa elaborated.
“So then we need you to ‘interfere in true matters of the heart’,” Liza said.
“Before either of you ask, no I am not seeing anyone. And I imagine, the word ‘true’ means it must take some real, unforced feeling,” Hussar explained. “Drat,” Alisa blurted out, frustrated.
“I got an idea. Two actually,” Liza spoke. “Let's hear them,” Hussar smiled.
“So the first idea is to find you a lover and then have Alisa interfere with the relationship,” Liza explained.
“We’d be luckier to find a needle in hay, than to find a gentleman interested in a relationship with another man. What's the other idea?” Hussar asked. “Have Alisa interfere with your heart. Literally.”
“Oh, well,” he cleared his throat, “Do you have someone in mind that might be interested?”
Liza thought for a second before saying: “I might just have. Meet me outside the vodka bar tomorrow around dusk. I’ll tell you more information about my plan.”
“Don't tell me you're thinking of pairing up Hussar with Kirill,” Alisa grunted. Liza didn't say anything, which was an answer itself. “Honestly, whatever it takes,” Hussar sighed and lit a cigarette.
.
.
.
Liza and Kirill haven't spoken much ever since he tried to pay her to tell him she loved him. It was a quieter day at the vodka bar so Liza decided to approach him.
“Hey, Kirill, I need you to do me a favour,” Liza said.
“Hm? What do you need, Lizaveta?” Kirill looked up from the glass he was cleaning and smiled a little.
“Do you remember that day you tried to pay me to say that I love you?” Liza asked.
“Yes, I remember. I'm sorry,” he apologised.
“You also said that no-one will ever say it,” she stated.
“And where exactly are you going with this?” He asked.
“I have this one friend. It's rather difficult to explain, but he needs to break a contract and I got an idea that involves him getting a lover,” Lizaveta explained.
“You want me to be his lover?” He questioned.
“Well, it's worth it to try and-” before Liza got to finish, Kirill interrupted her. “Well, I’ll see about that. If that gentleman is particularly handsome I might just accept.”
“Wait, really?” Liza gasped.
“Yes, really. I don't really mind if my lover is a lovely lady or a handsome gentleman. I never did,” he admitted. “Thank you, Kirill. We’ll see you tomorrow at dusk.”