Incomplete (A VA Fanfic One-Shots & Shorts Collection)

The other side of the coin

Peyton'sPOV
"Mom? Dad?" I asked after dinner. They were visiting St Vlad's with the Queen and her consort- my aunt and uncle.
"Yes, baby girl?" responded a curious mother and father of mine. The two most badass guardians of their generation could also be the softest, most loving parents. I still didn't get it after all these long sixteen years of my life.
I steeled myself, this question could bring out 'scary guardian parents'. "I wanna know how you met," I admitted. Their faces hardened as they looked at each other, some silent message shot between them.

"I guess we've kept you in the dark long enough," sighed Dad. He faced a suddenly pale Mom. "You okay, Roza?"
"Mom?"
She swallowed and nodded. "Pey, sweetie, we've kept this from you for very good reason, because we're supposed to set an example and practice what we preach as parents." She gazed at Dad in a way that made me want to feel sick. "We couldn't risk you growing up thinking how we met and fell in love was normal, acceptable..."
I groaned. "Oh Mom!" I whinged. "Is this really another of your rule breaking moments?"

I expected an infamous Rose Belikova explosion or glare. Instead she laughed and kissed Dad... a little too passionately for the dinner table and my eyes.

"Ahem! Earth to my parents."
"Sorry baby," Mom apologised.
"You're so not. As you were saying...?" I prompted.
"Peyton," Dad took over. "As your mother was saying, we had serious, legitimate reasons. The main one being that we broke the law."

My jaw hit the table. I knew my Mom was rebellious in her youth, but I never expected my exemplary father to have put a toe out of line other than when he'd taken Mom on the run after breaking her out of prison. She'd been wrongly accused so I didn't really count that.

"I- wha- what?" As I looked between them I couldn't wrap my head around it. As if that wasn't hard enough to swallow, I didn't recognise my parents after the next explosive admission. The real reveal.
"We fell in love right here, Peyton, in this Academy. With your father as my mentor," Mom confessed.
"I was twenty-four and she was seventeen." With that confession I upped and left, bee-lining it for the gym.

I did what Dad taught me to do to let off steam and think. Punch the punching bag, pummel bag or dummies. I didn't get it... okay that was a lie, a complete lie. I did get it. I got it all too well, and that was my problem with the whole situation. I got it too damn well. So much for their trying to deter me from following in their footsteps.

"Peyton Dimitrievna Belikova! What on earth are doing to that poor punching bag?"
I didn't respond and punched again. And again because of how my heart reacted to him, to the one I couldn't have. I'm just like my mother. The thought made me jab the bag harder still.
"Peyz, please," Aleksandr begged softly as he blocked the punch and flipped me to the floor and pinned me. "Why are you attacking that punching bag?"
I shook my head and failed at freeing myself. I winced as I realised my own parents had once been like this.
"Peyz, I'll let you up if you tell me what's going on, sound like a deal?" he whispered in my ear. I shivered at the overwhelming sensation.

And yet again, my mind drew unwelcome parallels. I'd yearned for a love like my parents, but just not this similar. Still, I found myself nodding and being released. Yet under his concerned gaze I found myself unable to speak.

"Peyton, what is going through your head? You're lucky your parents are on campus because you're breaking about four or five rules right now," his voice held concern, warning, and a nearly undetectable hint of teasing.
"They're the problem," I muttered.
"They're doing their best, Peyton. They've always done their best. You know that, I know you do since this is the first time I've ever heard you complain about them." His brown eyes held mine and I got that feeling he was trying to read me... and succeeding. "What's the problem with the parental guardians?"
"Nothing." I should have known better than to try to avoid answering.
"Peyton," he scowled. "Did they do something to you? Say something?"