“Greece...” Kai dragged out as he seemed to ponder where the country was. “Oh yeah, that’s in Europe, right?”
“Wow, you’re right,” Nikos said as he gave Kai a high-five.
Kai smiled smugly. “Ms. Hughes says I’m the best in my geography class.”
“Now, all you have to do is be better at math,” Honey said, and Kai frowned as he slumped in his seat.
Nikos laughed, taking pity on him. “I wasn’t that great at math either. It’ll get easier.”
“If you miss home so bad, why did you come here? You don’t seem like the type to be sold by the American Dream,” Honey asked.
Sometimes, Nikos wondered why he was here too when he should be back home, hanging out with his flying buddies, helping test out new equipment and planes, and relaxing in hishome on the beach. Just a few years ago, he had a life of peace, one surrounded by the love of his family and friends, and the only bad thing was dealing with his father constantly pestering him about joining the family business. But all of that changed the moment his family and the Petrakis family decided to end the war with a pact by marriage.
Nikos had thought his life would be simple. He thought he wouldn’t have to worry about the stupid war that had been happening between their families long before he had even drawn breath on this Earth. He thought he would no longer have to hear his father pressure him to join the family business because one of his brothers would be guaranteed to take over their father’s position instead after marrying one of Theodoros’s daughters. But all of that changed after Tatiana Petraki’s death, igniting the war all over again, and he was dragged into it.
“I’m running,” Nikos admitted.
“Running from what?” Kai asked over a mouth full of food.
“Kai,” Honey chided as she helped her son wipe the food from his mouth. “What have I told you about eating with your mouth full? Swallow your food first.”
Nikos was grateful for the distraction because he didn’t have an answer. At least, he didn’t have an answer he wanted to give because deep down inside he knew the reason why he was here right now, accepting his father’s orders that he usually ignored. An image ofherface passed through his mind every time he thought of home, and until it didn’t, he wouldn’t return. And right now, that didn’t seem like it would happen any time soon.
Besides, he was certain that his father at least wanted him here for a year at most. By then, Nikos was certain those feelings of guilt and regret would leave him.
“So, Marvel or DC?” Nikos asked, trying to change the subject. It seemed to work on Kai, who rambled about his favorite Marvel superheroes, but Honey saw through him, giving him a skeptical look before she continued to eat her food.
“Iron Man’s my favorite, though. He goes boom boom,” Kai said, making animated noises and faces as he mimicked Iron Man shooting lasers from his suit.
“But I’m Captain America, so he should be your favorite,” Nikos argued, acting as if he were hurt as he clutched his chest.
Kai giggled. “You’re not Captain America. You can’t be. You’re just Nikos.”
“Honey, tell Kai how I used my super strength to save you.”
“That guy was the one with super strength, and it seems like he used it to knock the sense out of your head,” Honey replied, and Kai started laughing.
“So, you’re going to laugh at me? I got something for you.”
Kai erupted in laughter as Nikos tickled him until he slid out of his chair, dropping to the floor in a heap of laughter.
“Okay, you’re Cap,” Kai said breathlessly, and Nikos let up, helping the boy back into his chair. When he glanced over, he saw the warm smile in Honey’s eyes.
“Nikos, which Cap movie do you like the most?” Kai asked. Nikos thought about it for a moment.
“Civil War.”
“That’s my favorite too!” Kai exclaimed before he turned to his mother. “Mom, can we please watch it?”
“Kai, it’s a school night.”
“Pleaseee,” Kai pleaded with puppy dog eyes, and then Honey gave him a look that said, ‘come up with an excuse to leave.’ But Nikos didn’t want to play the bad guy. He actuallyliked the kid and didn’t want to be the one to disappoint him, so he put on his own puppy dog face, clasping his hands together.
“Pleaseee,” he said, joining in on Kai’s plead. Honey scuffed as she folded her arms together, and her sharp look towards them reminded Nikos of his own mother whenever she got annoyed with him after he tried to butter her up. And just like his mother, those sharp eyes softened under their pleads.
“Okay, but this is the only time,” Honey started to warn, but Kai was already hopping down from his seat and grabbing his plate.
“Come on,” Kai urged, and Nikos realized that he was about to get roped into watching a film over two hours long after working all night and taking a few hard punches from a man who looked like a bodybuilder. His expression of despair must have shown because Honey laughed as she picked up her own plate.
