Her Only Weakness ✔~ trixya

A Girl and Her Mother

Love is weakness.
Katya knew that better than anyone.

Love was what had sent her mother to her death.

The love of a child.
The love of a husband.
It had destroyed her.

Katya could still see it when she closed her eyes, the moment when her mother died to protect those she loved. The moment the one person who had given her life ordinary days disappeared from it forever.

Little snowflakes were falling from a cloudy night sky on a cold December day. On a park bench sat a beautiful woman and her teenage daughter. There they watched the snow fall, having stopped on their way home from a small restaurant nearby.

"But  мама, I just don't get why I'm even in the meetings. Lev and Stepan are both preparing to take over, but what am I going to do? No one ever takes me seriously, I'm just the little sister who no one really respects. I can't make them fear me like dad, Lev, and Stepan can." 

"Kathinka, you do not need people to fear you to have their respect. Loyalty based on trust will always be stronger than loyalty built on fear, no matter what your father may think. They all respect me, right? Well, that's because I show them kindness, mercy, and care. Love is strength, мой утёночек, not weakness. Now, I wish your father wouldn't make any of you partake in his business, you know I don't even wish him to be in it, but no matter what you should never think that you are any lesser than your brothers. You are so special, Yekaterina." The mother said. 

"Doesn't seem like it..." Katya sulked, kicking the ground. 

The young girl often felt like she was waiting in the wings for her turn to come on stage, as if she despite her skills would never get the respect the rest of her family got. A part of her didn't want to spend any time in the family's business, but another part of her yearned to be seen as equal to her older brothers in the Zamolodchikov Circle. Sure, she was well-liked enough, a sweet and pretty young girl, funny and skilled. But they didn't see her as a potential boss, more like a sweet little princess. She knew her mother wanted her out of the mafia life, but she still couldn't help but wish to be seen as a potential future mafia boss. She couldn't help but idealize her father despite his flaws. 

Suddenly an unknown car pulled up in front of them, two men in all black stepping out. Katya looked for marks, any signs of who they were, just as she'd been taught. But the only thing she noticed was a small golden S stamped on the car door. 

"Mrs. Zamolodchikova, lovely evening, isn't it?" One of the men said in a tone that instantly made Katya tense up.

"Who are you?" Her mother asked. 

"Now, now calm down, no need for hostility. We simply want the file, so just hand it over or tell us where it is, and then we'll be on our way."

Katya wondered what file they were referring to, she'd sat in on meetings the entire week but hadn't heard any mention of a file. 

"I don't know what you're talking about." Katya's mom replied.

Before Katya knew what was happening the other man had grabbed hold of her and put a gun to her head. She had trained for situations like this, but now faced with it in reality she froze, unable to register anything other than her rapidly beating heart. 

"Hard way it is then. I'll ask again, where is the file?" The man said. 

"Please, I'll tell you, just let her go. Let her go and I'll tell you." Her mom suddenly said. 

Katya was in shock at this, unable to imagine her mom betraying her father, betraying the man she had been willing to dedicate her entire life to, give up everything for.

"I unfortunately can't do that, she's insurance." The man replied.

"Let her go, and hold me as insurance instead. If I don't tell you, if I try to run, or if she runs, you can shoot me." 

The words flew through Katya's ears on repeat, her eyes widening as she realized what her mother was doing. She shook her head towards her mother, but gained a strict stare in response. 

"Fine, release her." The man said as he took hold of Katya's mother, placing a gun to her head as they watched the man holding Katya release his grip on the teenager. 

"You fool, I will never betray my husband. KATYA RUN!" Her mother yelled out, and without realizing it herself, Katya was sprinting away.

It wasn't until she heard a loud bang behind her that she stopped, slipping on the icy pavement. She turned around for a second, just long enough to see her mother's body hit the ground before she started to run again.

A file.

A stupid file had cost her mother her life, Katya thought.

But then she realized, it wasn't the file, it was love. 
Her mother's need to protect her husband and child was what had killed her.
Her love was her weakness.

And so she made a promise; she'd never let herself fall in love. She'd never let herself have such a foolish weakness. 

But things change, and sometimes even our worst imagined future becomes what we want the most. Katya had spent years fearing love and relationships, but when she heard Trixie say she was hers, she couldn't help but let her walls crumble down.

Even if it lead her down the same path as her mother she'd accept it. Finally she understood how her mom could have given up her life for the sake of her husband and child. Love is the most dangerous adventure, the highest risk, and yet it is what brings the most euphoric happiness, and the strongest sense of safety.

"I'm yours too, Trixie. I'm all yours, if you'll have me. Will you be my girlfriend?" Katya asked.

"Of course I will." Trixie replied, the most beautiful smile gracing her lips before she collided them with Katya's in a sweet kiss.

Trixie would either bring her heaven, hell, or both.
A gun could kill her, but Trixie could destroy her.
And yet that fact didn't bother Katya anymore.