Thunderbolts*

Chapter 01 - Dad

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Yelena looks for comfort in places only she could afford. John continues to be haunted by the sins of the past.
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{Ohio, U.S.A.}

Knock, knock, knock.

Three large Roast Beef Sandwiches, two fries, a soda pop, and a Jamocha milkshake. That was what Alexei Shostakov was waiting for as he watched Sunday Night Football in his little house in Ohio. Truth be told, as Russian as he was, he loved the simplicities and entertainment that America provided.

He loved watching people rough each other up. It was even better that he got to watch it as a form of entertainment. That was why he was eagerly waiting for his favorite team, the Philadelphia Eagles, to take on the Kansas City Chiefs. For him, this was as if the Red Guardian was going to take on Captain America.

He knew what the outcome of that would be.

Which is why a smile formed on his face when he had heard a knock on his front door. His Arby's would be here and it would be a Sunday night in heaven. He was truly living in that "American Dream."

"I'm here!" He screamed at the top of his lungs. Thus, he waited for the delivery person to leave.

However, three additional knocks followed once again. This annoyed him. Usually, these DoorDash interactions were much shorter and the delivery person would be much more impatient with his tardiness.

"I click leave on porch!"

Silence. That must have-

Knock, knock, knock, knock, knock.

Alexei was debating on throwing his bowl of popcorn outside of the window. This was the nosiest DoorDash driver he had ever experienced. Even if the Eagles would have won that night, this interaction would bother him for the rest of the work week. This was his hell.

"Your subordinates will be reported to DoorDash HQ!"

"Alexei, it's me, open up." A familiar voice of a young woman echoed into his house.

That woke Alexei up. He had not heard that voice in so long. It instinctively made him sit up, lower the volume of the television, and stare straight at his front door. It could not be. The last time that they had seen each other, it was by coincidence at work last year. They were on good terms, but he did not expect her to show up.

He confirmed it by shouting once again, "Yelena?!"

"Yes. Your daughter."

Just like a dog that had been waken up, Alexei jumped at the opportunity to freshen up. He picked up a robe on the floor to cover his naked body and stumbled into his kitchen floor. There were some cabinets he may have smashed into while trying to look for the mints that he vaguely remember hiding in his refrigerator. When he could not find it, he tried to buy more time.

"Hold on~~~!" Accepting his defeat, Alexei settled for the dish soap that was on his sink. He sprayed it across his golden teeth, wiped it with his finger, and washed it off with water. That would do. "I'm coming!"

Exiting the room, he grabbed a few pizza boxes that were scattered along his front hallway and tossed it into an empty room to the side. Little did he know that he had thrown it into his bathroom. Alexei did not pay any mind until he reached the front door.