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[center][sub]A flashback collaboration between [@Aces Away] and [@metanoia] | Ft. [color=dc143c]Mordechai Boaz[/color], [color=910bf4]Allegra Cardenas[/color], and [color=635687]Mikhail Zima[/color][/sub][/center]
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[color=dc143c]"Y've gotta be fuckin' kiddin' me,"[/color] Mordechai blurted out, eyes wide as he set down the tinfoil Menorah he had been showing Viva how to make after realizing they didn't have one. The one year old couldn't really make one herself, but the light shining off the aluminum sheets as he moved and molded them seemed to keep her attention well enough. The girl went to grab for it and Mordechai quickly intercepted, grabbing her from under her outstretched arms and swinging her onto his hip as she squealed. [color=dc143c]"Legs, please tell me you're jokin'."[/color]

[color=910bf4]"I took the test like five times,"[/color] she answered instead, tossing the stick in her hand over to him so he could see the results himself. Two pink lines stared up at him mockingly, blowing away any protest. [color=910bf4]"We knew the bareback routine was a risk, we were just more worried about makin' sure neither of us had STDs. Shoulda been thinkin’ ‘bout how the pill is only ninety percent effective."[/color] She crossed her arms and grinned at the pale faced boy in front of her. [color=910bf4]"Besides, why are you so freaked out? At least you're having a kid [i]after[/i] you came of age."[/color]

Mordechai shared a one-sided look of confusion and dread with Viva in his arms before asking in a strained tone. [color=dc143c]"How old... are you?"[/color] He asked before wincing, realizing this should have been a question long ago.

[color=910bf4]"Oh don't worry!"[/color] She laughed, taking Viva into her own arms and squishing their cheeks together to make the girl laugh. [color=910bf4]"I'm gonna be eighteen in like a month and I've been working since I was fourteen, so you by no means have done anything that hasn't been done before-"[/color]

[color=dc143c]Oh thank god,"[/color] Mordechai cut her off, taking in a breath of relief. [color=dc143c]"I thought you were gonna say fuckin fourteen or somethin', you almost sent me into a fuckin' crisis. Our night jobs may be illegal but at least the actual sex isn't."[/color]

Allegra rolled her eyes and grinned, glad that Mordechai made no deal at all about her time in the job. Then again, from what little she knows of him, he didn't exactly play on the right side of the law from a young age as well, so it might not have even registered to him. [color=910bf4]"Now that we're gonna have a kid though, we gotta actually learn things about each other."[/color]

[color=dc143c]"...Like?"[/color] Came the wary response as they both sat on the threadbare carpet, Allegra setting Viva down to play between them.

[color=910bf4]"Nothing so grand as 'what are you running from',"[/color] she dismissed with a wave of her hand as he flinched, continuing as if she hadn’t seen it. [color=910bf4]"But how about what you did before comin' to the corners? That wasn't your first time on one, that's for sure."[/color]

[color=dc143c]"Nah,"[/color] he answered quietly, picking at what little thread held the carpet together. [color=dc143c]"I was part of a gang back home, and every now and then I'd spend some time with the corner girls and pick up some johns myself if I needed the extra cash for my brother. But I usually ran a drug corner, Captain and everything."[/color]

[color=910bf4]"Wow wow,"[/color] Allegra replied, looking Viva in the eyes as she had the girl slowly clap her hands together in mock applause. [color=910bf4]"I'm havin' a baby with some big time, huh?"[/color]

Mordechai laughed at both her words and Viva's wide eyed confusion.

[color=dc143c]"Hardly, I left completely some time in my Junior year. I certainly wasn't part’a the Royalty."[/color]

[color=910bf4]"Awe don't worry, you're a king to us."[/color] Allegra assured with great dramatic flair, Viva giggling and toppling into her mother's lap excitedly.

*Knock knock knock*

[color=dc143c]"Kings don't get their own door."[/color] Mordechai grumbled jokingly as he got up, helping Allegra up as well before heading to the door while she went to the kitchen with Viva. Mordechai slipped up to the door carefully, palming the gun in his waistband before glancing through the peephole to see who it was. The only people that really knew either of them out here were the other hookers and the ladies that worked at the diner with Allegra in the afternoon, and none of them had as solid knocks as the blow that had landed on their door.

[color=dc143c]"Shit, speak'a the devil an' all that, huh?"[/color] He murmured to himself. On the other side of his door was one Mikhail Zima, face screwed up in what Mordechai was sure was irritation. He quickly weighed his options: if he opened the door now, Mika would probably deck him on principal for leaving without so much as a goodbye. But if he pretended he wasn't home…

Mordechai blanched. If he pretended he wasn't home then Mika would just find him when he was working and kick his ass then, and then he'd be even more pissed. And Mordechai had no doubt Mika knew everywhere he was during the day, if the other man had been able to find him in some illegal slum house in New York just three months after he left Edenridge.

Mordechai let go of the gun, leaving it in his waistband as he unlocked the door with the air of a man signing his own death warrant. It creaked and groaned noisily as he pulled it open, the whole thing sticking halfway through the process until he put a bit of shoulder into it. He kept his eyes on the door for one more blissful second before allowing them to meet Mika's own.

[color=dc143c]"...Hey, HB... how'd ya find me?"[/color]

A few moments of silence passed after the door was opened and the two boys stared each other down. Mika showed no sign of what he was thinking other than his fist tightening, drawing the other’s eye. It was a tense situation because between the uncertainty in Mika’s head and the uncertainty that was clear across Boa’s face, neither knew what the Russian boy was going to do.

Until a right arm came hooking around the corner and connected on that square jaw. The force behind it was at least half of Mika’s full output, so he didn’t punch his friend with the intent to kill - only prove a point. As he watched Boa stagger back, the dark-haired boy stepped into the crummy apartment. [color=635687]“Nice to see you too, Decks.”[/color] Looking at the girl and child in the room, he offered them his sincerest expression. [color=635687]“My bad. Just that this fucker didn’t bother to [i]tell[/i] me he was leaving.”[/color]

Allegra’s cool gaze stayed level on the intruder, her 9mm trained on him and just as steady. Her body was angled to shield the child in her arm and her hoop earrings swayed as she tilted her head, narrowing her eyes. [color=910bf4]“Hmm,”[/color] She hummed noncommittally. [color=910bf4]“Sometimes a person don’t tell another ‘bout where they’re goin’ for a reason.”[/color] the reply was calm, but there was a dangerous undercurrent of warning there.

Mordechai, hand rubbing his sore jaw, stepped between the two, raising his other hand to calm her from across the room. [color=dc143c]“It’s fine, Legs, he’s a brother.”[/color] He spoke up, not moving until she had lowered the gun and flicked on the safety. He gave her an earnest look when she met his eyes, trying to convey how warm her protection made him feel. [color=dc143c]“Thanks.”[/color] Allegra held his gaze for a long moment before huffing and rolling her eyes.

[color=910bf4]“Sort your shit out Mordechai, no one’s allowed ta kill ya until you’ve at least seen your baby.”[/color] She shot a glare at HB. [color=910bf4]“No fatal bullshit for the next nine months, ya hear? I’m not goin' through this shit alone again.”[/color] with that, she turned around and plopped Viva into her high chair before grabbing the yogurt from the minifridge that had replaced the full sized one when it blew just after they’d moved in. Sitting in front of her daughter, she began to speak quietly to her as she led the spoon into her mouth.

Mordechai turned back to HB with a guarded look on his face. [color=dc143c]“...You gonna punch me again? What level was that? ‘I’m fuckin' pissed and you’re the reason’ or ‘ya fucked up and haven’t even realized it yet’?”[/color]

Turning his neutral expression into a thoughtful one, HB looked at Boa. It was a solid question, but neither option seemed to fit what he was feeling, yet it was equal to what he had up in his head. Damn right he was pissed. Shit got bad -- [i]really[/i] bad -- and instead of leaning on his brothers, this mother fucker in front of him just went up and left. But it wasn’t just that. As HB looked at Boa and glanced at the chick with the piece that was pointed at him just a few moments ago, Boa hit it on the nail too that he was fucked and just didn’t know it yet.

[color=635687]“Fuck…”[/color] Mika tried to dial back the splitting anger dividing up in his head. He wanted to punch this motherfucker again. God, how he just wanted to deck him (no pun intended). He had thought about doing a lot of things when he drove up, but seeing him in the flesh, nothing came more prevalent in his mind than HB pulling Boa in for a dap man hug that was extended for a few seconds. [color=635687]“Fucking missed you, asshole.”[/color]

[color=dc143c]"Ah, it was 'I wasn't informed and the abandonment is now your problem'."[/color] 

Mordechai reciprocated easily, having watched Mika's emotions flit across his face as he sorted himself out. [color=dc143c]"I missed you too, ya walkin' rage machine."[/color] He replied, keeping the hug for an extra second to blink the tears out of his eyes without Mika seeing. They've always had an odd relationship, starting with their very first ever, very angry and awkward conversation. It seemed to set the scene for the rest of their interactions, pulled somewhere between intrigue, respect, and bickering. 

And later on, trust. He'd let Mika into his, Sonny and Danny's room at the Edge so the older boy could read to him. He'd believed the boy had his back when things got rough, and the other ensured that belief. They'd fucked around, fought, fought [i]together[/i] and, overall, the fact that hanging with HB had been at ReyRey's command had been practically shoved into a box in his mind. The relationship they'd built wasn't because of that command, it was because the two boys had jagged edges that seemed to slot into each other nicely, only an occasional stick in the gears.

Mordechai led Mika to the futon, dropping down onto the thin cushion and turning towards him once he sat, his face serious.

[color=dc143c]"Seriously Mika, how'd ya find me? My actions are as undocumented as I can get 'em. Couldn't have been easy."[/color]

[color=635687]“Oh man, busting out the Mika, huh?”[/color] There was a short moment where the Russian-American teen laughed (to dead silence, of course). He wondered just how bad it was and judging by Decky’s expression, he was one or two moments of fucking around away from Decky returning the favor that was going to give him a nice shiner in the morning. [color=635687]“You’re forgetting that I used to live around here.”[/color] Mika made a grand gesture as his arms circled and expanded, emphasizing that New York was his home. [color=635687]”New York City, my home. And despite everything, my old crew still knows who the boss is, ergo I’m here!”[/color]

[color=dc143c]"... You've had your people on me." [/color]Mordechai states calmly, face shuttered off from his emotions as he stared at the other man. All he'd wanted was to disappear, to be the nothing that he felt like. He'd wanted to drop off the grid and li- no, not live- [i]survive[/i] as well as he could until something eventually picked him off. Allegra and Viva, and now his unborn child, had thrown a wrench in those plans, but he still never planned on re-approaching his old life. Here Mika was, using part of that old life to find him and. What? What did he want? It couldn't just be because the other man [i]missed him[/i], that was a ridiculous reason to put so much effort into finding someone. Especially some loser that left the Serpents and couldn't even protect his own blood brother from his brother in all [i]but[/i] blood.

[color=dc143c][i]All that blood…[/i][/color]

Mordechai ran a hand over his face as his breath hitched, hand stalling to cover his mouth. Hatchet's words about him being a trained bitch for the Gonzales family suddenly entered his head.[color=dc143c] "So you've been trackin' me like a dog. Hmm."[/color] His heavy silence immediately after the comment was the only indicator that he was about to take action.

The strike that came towards Mika was as fast as the strike of Mordechai's namesake, and Boa showed his face for the first time in several months, maybe even longer considering when he'd left the Serpents. Decky made sure to keep the momentum going, shoving Mika off the couch and getting on top of him, knees on either side of his waist and hands going up to restrain the others'.

[color=dc143c]"I'm not some fuckin' mutt that'll come back at any call,"[/color] he growled at Mika, a fire long since burned out suddenly springing to life behind his eyes. He leaned down so their faces were inches apart. [color=dc143c]"I'm not goin' back there and I don't need any damn babysitters. You gotta let go'a your toys sometime, [i]little prince[/i]."[/color] It was all said with a sneer, all the rage in his eyes almost successfully covering the pure fear and guilt practically radiating off him. Had Mika and him not had the relationship they did, the latter would have likely gone unnoticed.

[color=635687][i]The fuck is he on about?[/i][/color] That thought persisted as Mika--no, it was HB who was looking at Boa now. A shift in demeanors as the animals were let out of the cages. Memories of their first encounter (plus or minus a few changes) came flooding to the front and that familiar sense of confusion mixed in with anger became prevalent again. Was this really why he thought HB came all this way? Just to use his old contacts to find him? And what was that about being a dog? And what the fuck in what he said gave Boa the idea that he was a damn babysitter?

All of those questions were laced into a series of moments that followed a singular act of HB using his hard head. [i]Literally[/i]. The force that he put into it made his head ring like the train horn that rang every morning at 5am. But it allowed HB to get up as his brother had loosed his grip on him. [color=635687]“Fuck me, Boa. And no, that’s not a fucking invitation--”[/color] He shook his head as if trying to shake off the pain. [color=635687]“--nobody said you were a fucking dog. And jesus fucking christ, I’m not here to babysit you, though given how you just reacted, maybe I should. It’s clear with the lil’ girl here, you could use one to handle your oversensitive bitch ass.”[/color] HB was pissed and he didn’t have time to coddle Boa’s sensitivities. Apparently Allegra agreed, because her laugh at that comment filtered over from the kitchen. [color=635687]“But because you seem so hell-bent on thinking that I’m here to stalk you, let me just tell you that, no! I didn’t come all this way just to make sure you were staying in your lane. Like fuck, do you really think I’d drive all this way just for that?” [/color]

HB took in a breath as he stood up. His frustration, in addition to the building migraine he was starting to get because of the dumbass on the floor, was almost making him regret even coming here.

Mordechai was clutching at his forehead, the abrupt pain clearing some of his unfound rage. He'd just been scared that Mika would try and drag him back. And he couldn't. He couldn't go. He fought first and made apologies later when he was scared. The other man's words reverberated through his skull along with the headache he'd just inflicted. He grumbled at Allegra's laughter and clenched his eyes, hunching over until his arms had loosely circled his legs. The silence stretched between them once more. At this point it had been more silence and violence than conversation.

A classic interaction between the two, all things considered.

[color=dc143c]"...When I got stabbed, a few weeks before we met?"[/color] He began quietly, glaring at the ground between their feet. [color=dc143c]"Hatchet said everyone just saw me as ReyRey's prized bitch. A willin' dog ta the Gonzales family. Guess the worry stuck more than I wanted it to,"[/color] He glanced away and towards the kitchen. Allegra was cleaning up a giggling Viva's face, but he could tell she was listening by how her head was tilted. Well, she wanted to know more about him. [color=dc143c]"Then ya show up basically sayin' you've had your people [i]watchin' me[/i] like you were...trackin' down a lost pet,"[/color] He bit his lip, a phantom throb in his side as he still refused to look at the other boy. [color=dc143c]"I thought ya might try ta take me back.”[/color] He sucked in a deep breath, letting it go in an explosive exhale a moment later. 

[color=dc143c]“I can't go back there, Badger, I [i]can't[/i]."[/color]

It took HB a few moments to not only process what Boa said, but to realize how his coming all this way without a solid explanation right off the bat seemed like from the other side. Context was everything and HB should’ve realized this. He came all this way, tracked down his brother and greeted him with a punch. [color=635687][i]Fuck, no wonder he got so defensive.[/i][/color] Cursing himself, HB looked at Boa finally. [color=635687]“I’m sorry man. I did that thing I always do: act before thinking. Using my fists instead of my brain. Poppa G is always telling me to do more of that and I guess I still have a lot to learn. But listen…”[/color] He placed a hand on Boa’s shoulder, making sure he looked at him before he spoke. [color=635687]“You aren’t a dog. And you’re nobody’s bitch. I needed to find you for myself and nobody else. Understand? I needed to know you were doing alright. After...what happened, I needed that for me.”[/color]

Mordechai sniffed and nodded, wiping the tears from his eyes with the ratty sleeve of his green sweater. He'd managed to restrain a flinch when the hand landed on his shoulder, and now it was a warm, grounding weight as he gathered his bearings and tried to commit what Mika had said to memory.

[color=910bf4]"Jesus, you two are definitely brothers. Dumbass ones at that."[/color] Allegra had reappeared in the living/bedroom, standing above them with Viva on her hip. She looked at the new bruises on the two with a sort of patient annoyance. She glared at Mordechai for a moment before dropping Viva into his lap. [color=910bf4]"Go finish the Menorah, keep her entertained while I make dinner."[/color] He folded easily, scooting back towards the tinfoil craft area with the little girl giggling excitedly in his lap. She then turned the glare to Mika, hands on her hips. [color=910bf4]"You're stayin'."[/color]

It wasn't a question.

[color=635687]“Sure…”[/color] Mika didn’t have it in him to go against her wishes. Something about the way she took charge made him freeze. Mika hadn’t registered anything else she did until he heard the excited chirps from the little one in Decky’s lap. Part of him laughed because Mika remembered how New York women were. He dated a few when he was still living here, though they were immature as all hell, yet still very much opinionated. 

[color=635687]“So, what’s her name?”[/color] Mika asked, glancing down at the little princess with the smile that melts even his OG heart.

[color=910bf4]"Viva Gavriel,"[/color] Allegra answered, pleased that he'd submitted to her authority so quickly. [color=910bf4]"She's one. I'm Allegra, since Mordechai was so kind as ta let me introduce myself."[/color] The sarcasm was heavy in her tone, and Mordechai could be seen suddenly becoming much more intent on that little foil Menorah, cheeks red and shoulders around his ears. Viva laughed at the funny posture, patting his cheek before turning her attention back to the craft. Allegra smiled at the sight. [color=910bf4]"And you are? I think I've heard like three different names for ya already. Whichever one ya wanna use is fine."[/color]

Mika glanced at Boa for a second. The louder Allegra’s voice became the quieter that his usually boisterous brother became. It weirdly reminded him so much of his mother. Mary-Anne O’Hara, she had the patience of a saint and tolerated most of his antics, but if there was one thing that he knew for certain that was shared with Allegra was their patience had a time limit. He smiled at this realization, finding a weird comfort in it. [color=635687]“Mika’s fine. Most people call me by that name, anyway.”[/color] He met Allegra’s gaze. He wasn’t intimidated by her as much as he thought he was.”[color=635687]Ya know, I didn’t grow up too far from here,”[/color] Mika said somewhat absentmindedly. 

[color=910bf4]"Oh, that's how ya have your little connections,"[/color] she mused, heading back towards the kitchen. It was still close enough that they could chat freely. [color=910bf4]"I'm actually from Longwood in the Bronx, so Brownsville ain't so bad,"[/color] she grabbed the Manwich can and some spices from the doorless cabinet before setting a pan on the stove. She grabbed a few diced vegetables from the fridge and began her preparations. [color=910bf4]"Where d'ya come out of?"[/color]

[color=635687]“Sheepshead Bay. Just thirty minutes south,”[/color] he replied aptly. [color=635687]“Kinda crap, but the view is nice. Most of my crew still lives there. Pretty sure my dad is still there, too.”[/color] Mika suddenly got quiet in a reflective sort of way. Thinking about how close he was to his old man and couldn’t go anywhere near was...conflicting for him. He wondered just what Ivan was doing now or if he even cared to realize that Mika was in town. Probably not. [color=635687]“You ever been down that way?”[/color] He asked Allegra in an attempt to steer the focus away from him and his daddy issues.

[color=910bf4]"For jobs when things got scarce around here,"[/color] she answered, then tilted her head. [color=910bf4]"It's not that bad, but I like my corner here. How'd you meet Mordechai, then? From what he said he never really left his hometown before whatever the capital 'e' Event was that happened."[/color]

[color=dc143c]"I tried ta fuck 'im 'bout two weeks after bein' stabbed, back when we were teenagers. I ended up passin' out a little bit after meetin' 'im. It was eventful."[/color] Mordechai piped up dutifully, patiently maneuvering Viva's hands around the foil so she could help build it. He and Danny had made one each every year, so this little activity was extremely bittersweet for Mordechai, but hearing the little girl's giggles and joy was worth any ache in his heart. He glanced at Mika and gave him a smile that barely reached his eyes. [color=dc143c]"Doesn't mean I didn't get ta fuck 'im eventually."[/color] He teased, playing back to Mika's earlier bout of cussing.

Mika had made it no secret that he sampled both teams, but it was still something of an embarrassing topic for him. So his immediate response was a lot of delay on his end, but he half-grinned at Boa. [color=635687]“Probably a good thing you waited,”[/color] Mika commented, his grin turning into a sly smirk. [color=635687]“I would’ve hated to rip those stitches open.”[/color]  Mika allowed himself a chuckle as he lightly punched Decky’s arm. 

He laughed in response, memories of their hook up- just as rough as the two themselves were- flitting through his head. [color=dc143c]"Fair 'nough."[/color]

Viva let out an excited giggle as Mordechai leaned back so they could examine their final product. The Menorah, through years of practice on his part, was perfectly level across and able to stand on its own against the drafty breeze that always made it through the apartment. He let out his own triumphant grin as he got up, bringing her and the Menorah with him. He glanced at Mika, shaking the foil in his hands lightly

[color=dc143c]"First night tonight, gonna join us in lightin' the candle, or gonna sit on the floor an' watch?"[/color] He asked, as he had any other time Mika had been around the Edge dorms near sundown during the holiday.

Cracking a smile, Mika gave a shrug, his casual way of giving Boa the green light. Truth was, he didn’t need to be back in Eden until the day after tomorrow. He had planned on seeing his old crew tomorrow, anyway, telling himself that if he was careful he wouldn’t alert his father to his presence in the city. Not that he figured the old man cared that he was in town. It’s been over four years and he hasn’t heard a single thing from the old bastard. As far as he knew, he was [i]glad[/i] that Mika was away and out of his care. Big Rey Gonzalez handled the burden of raising Mika and did a finer job than Ivan Zima could have ever done even if he did give two shits.

[color=635687]“Nah, I’ll participate. My ass was starting to get numb like that face of yours might’ve had we fooled around more.”[/color] Mika couldn’t help but glance over at Allegra with a grin, [color=635687]“not that she would stand for it. Figure you’d put your foot down if it got [i]too[/i] out of hand.”[/color] He assumed with a chuckle.

Mordechai didn't even bother hiding his grin at Allegra's raised eyebrow, knowing Mika had read her wrong and she would let him know asap.

[color=910bf4]"I already said no fatal bullshit, but anything else is [i]more[/i] than on the table,"[/color] a smirk and a wink followed the declaration as they all moved to the kitchen table. [color=910bf4]"This table has certainly seen its fair share of nights, I'm honestly surprised it's still standing."[/color]

[color=dc143c]"It wasn't after that one time, remember? I had to fix two'a the legs."[/color]

[color=910bf4]"Oh, but the sex was worth it, I think you broke my back that night too."[/color]

Mordechai turned a bit red at that and looked away, suddenly remembering all the times that having multiple fuck buddies in one room had managed to go south on him. But he and Allegra haven't been like that, and Mika never held jealousy over Mordechai as far as he was aware. Maybe...maybe he could be optimistic about this? Slowly meeting her gaze, he almost jumped out of his seat upon seeing how close she'd leaned into his space.

[color=910bf4]"Oh my [i]god[/i] you're blushing! Like actually embarrassed blushing!"[/color] She cheered with a large grin on her face before leaning back to tap Mika's arm. [color=910bf4]"You have to come over more often, this is amazing."[/color]

Mordechai just groaned in dismay.

And it was a rare sight for Mika to catch Boa in such a...different state. Hardened exteriors be damned, Mika had to admit he enjoyed seeing this side of him. And he was intent on making sure Decky knew as much. [color=635687]“Maybe I will.”[/color] Mika intentionally gave Boa a hard pat to the back, squeezing on the back of his shoulder-blade, leaning close enough to him so he didn’t have to yell.. [color=635687]“If nothing else, it’ll give me more time to see your ugly mug.”[/color] He cracked a grin.

[color=dc143c]"You've been wantin' this mug since the first time we met, it was just more fun for ya ta play it straight,"[/color] Mordechai bit back teasingly, face still red as he suddenly had the attention of [i]both[/i] his strictly-platonic fuck buddies. The only ones that have [i]ever been[/i] strictly platonic aside from Rye Shomer, which must be what makes this so much more horrifying and intriguing at the same time. Allegra's smirk practically set off his self preservation instincts, and he cleared his throat nervously. [color=dc143c]"So, the Menorah?"[/color]

If his voice was a little pitchier than usual, he practically dared one of these fuckers to say something.

Allegra started the prayer as she lit the Shamash, easily holding Viva's hands away from the flame without so much as a glance at the girl. Mordechai joined in, the Hebrew falling from his lips easily as his shoulders began to relax completely, and he heard Mika join in too. Once the first candle was lit and the Shamash placed in its own spot, there was a warm silence that settled around those at the table as they ate their dinner by candlelight. 

Viva, who had quickly dozed off on her mother's lap, was tucked into her small bed in the corner of the room, curtains covered in cartoon dogs the only thing separating it from the rest of the apartment. When Allegra returned, she dropped back down into her chair and dropped her chin into her palm to look at Mika.

[color=910bf4]"Your pronunciation sucks ass, but A for effort,"[/color] she joked, quirking her eyebrow before shooting Mordechai a glance, other eyebrow raising when she noticed he was red once more. [color=910bf4]"What?"[/color]

[color=dc143c]"Umm, me an' my brother taught 'im, but we went ta a non-denominational Temple an' learned most of it from YouTube…"[/color]

A short silence followed as she held his gaze, drawing out his torture.

Then she snorted, dropping her hand to the table and tilting her head back as she laughed. Mordechai turned redder before he huffed, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms as he looked away from her and towards Mika.

[color=dc143c]"She thinks she's all that 'cause she had an official Bat Mitzvah,"[/color] he rolled his eyes playfully.

[color=910bf4]"I'm just fuckin' wit’ ya, it was great for self taught,"[/color] she assured, not even trying to hide her giggling. [color=910bf4]"And you've obviously gotten better since ya taught Mika here."[/color]

[color=dc143c]"Allegra."[/color] Mordechai groaned in exasperation.

Mika cracked a smile. [color=635687]“Oh own up to it, Boa,”[/color] he nudged Boa’s shoulder with his arm. [color=635687]“You’re a wise soul with [i]many[/i] things to teach me.”[/color] Now, Mika was the one who was doing the fucking and he was having a fun time doing it...just like all the other times he and Boa had fucked with each other.

[color=dc143c]"You're a traitor, Badger,"[/color] he bemoaned. [color=dc143c]"You were supposed'a agree with me, now the argument's dead."[/color] He threw up his hands before giving Mika a light shove. [color=dc143c]"Seriously though, 'm happy ta have ya here. It was nice that some'a that tradition stayed true this year too."[/color] His eyes were distant as he dropped his chin to his hand, the candles low and dimming. His voice didn't even waver when he said, [color=dc143c]"Danny would'a loved that we did this."[/color]

Mika's smile remained, though there was a subtle layer of sadness in it. He missed Danny. Things really weren't the same since he passed. Thinking about the younger Boaz boy and how many times he read those stories to Mika and vice versa, it almost brought a tear to his eye. Then he thought about how right Boa was. How that little squirt would have loved to see them still be able to be happy.

[color=635687]"Then how about we dedicate this to Danny?”[/color] Mike faced the candle, the reflection of its dim light shining in his eyes and Mika shed a single tear as he smiled. Mordechai followed suit, Allegra there in silent support as they all watched the candles’ glow in comfortable silence, the closest thing to a candlelight vigil that Danny Boaz would get.[/indent][/indent]