Diamonds are a Man's Best Friend

3.3

"моя Прима-балерина?"

"Привет, папа." Hadley smiled, walking right up to Mikhail and planting a kiss on his cheek and handing the shocked man the large bouquet of larkspur. Just as he stepped away, the taller man dropped the flowers and pulled Hadley flush against his chest, burying his face in the boy's pristine hair and mumbling incoherent words.

Hadley soothingly rubbed circles on the older man's back, blinking away the tears threatening to escape his eyes. Unlike the other man, he had been preparing for this reunion for quite a while.

It took a while for Mikhail to calm down and the two to separate but even when they did, the larger man refused to let go of Hadley and held him like a parent did when they didn't want their child to run off. Hadley just allowed it to happen and did not fight, simply standing there with a happy smile on his face.

"You've done quite a few things over the years I have not approved of, Hadley. And you never came to visit me or your brother." That tough parent appearance was amplified as he spoke. If one did not know better — and if the two were closer in regards to appearance — they would assume this was a father telling off his runaway daughter.

"I know, I know, and I'm sorry that I disappointed you. But I think it was right for me to do and I really did need to get away from the memories and her." The two still completely ignored the now gossiping dancers, still stuck in their two little worlds. "How is he? How's my little baby?"

Mikhail cracked a small smile, noticing the obvious concern in Hadley's voice and the worry in his eyes and expression. "Your brother's fine; he's here actually." His lips pulled up in a small smirk. "And I think he's missed you quite a lot."

"Really?! Wher—"Hadley began to question, only to be interrupted.

"Big brother?!"

Hadley spun around, only to spot a tall, handsome young man dressed in ballet clothes staring at him with obvious shock. Seeing the boy, more tears filled his eyes and he rushed forward, practically tackling the younger male in a giant bear hug.

"My little baby!" Hadley screeched out in pure happiness.

"Baba!" The taller male scooped up Hadley into his arms, hoisting him up so the older boy would wrap his legs around him. And instinctively, Hadley wrapped his long stocking-clad legs around his younger brother's strong waist and went to planting big, sloppy kisses all over the younger boy's face.

After one particularly loud "MWAH" to the younger man's face, one of the students let out a cough and Hadley spun around, a fierce and intimidating glare on his face. He unwrapped his legs from the other boy with practised ease, sliding down and back onto his feet.

"Who coughed? Show yourself before I hunt you down." Hadley snarled, extremely unhappy that his reunion had been ruined. No one gets to mess with his happy time. No one. After seven years apart, he had every right to act like that with the child he practically raised.

Seeing the agitated man, Mikhail decided he should intervene. "Прима –балерина, calm down. Remember, the studio is a sacred place." Hearing his old mentor's calming words and tone that somehow managed to be full of warning, Hadley's rage became gentler and he no longer felt the burning rage he had before.

Hadley obeyed his coach's words, the hairs that had been standing up like an animal flattening back onto his pale skin. He turned to Mikhail and nodded, grabbing his brother's larger hand in the process and squeezing tightly. In return to the squeeze, Hadley was pulled closer.

'Well damn, how close could these two be if they've been apart seven years?'

And Jess was back. Not better than ever, unfortunately (DalDal was still missing after all) but still back.