Chapter Text
Walking into the don's large house, Ivan wasn't too surprised to see its new condition. Most of the hideous decor had still survived Avila's overhaul, but only because he had easily tired of removing statue after statue. Beside that though, the counters and tables were topped with random clutter- mostly papers, dirty dishes, and empty beer bottles.
"Ivan, is that you?" He heard the don call.
"Yes, sir?" Ivan answered as he neared Avila's room, briefly glancing around.
The bedroom was in a similar state as the rest of the place: a complete mess. Clothes were crumpled on the floor and paperwork of multiple hits on the don's unkempt bed. Avila had an open suitcase on the bed as well, a few outfits and personal items packed inside.
Ivan didn't see Avila at first, but walked in to see half of his body sticking out from under the bed. Avila gave a groan of annoyance before emerging and looking wearily up at Ivan. It seemed the don needed this weekend getaway more than Ivan initially thought.
"Have you seen my phone?" Avila asked, frustrated as he kept searching.
"No, but I see you finally got rid of Linares…" Ivan mumbled with a touch of sarcasm, "We should've gone out to celebrate."
"He's not dead , I just told him not to touch my stuff." Avila replied.
Ivan gave a hum of thought, "Well… Did you check your pockets?"
"Of course I checked my pockets, I'm not-" Avila stopped his words along with his searching, slowly reaching a hand to his breast pocket.
The don gave a sigh as he felt the phone there, pulling it out to check the battery. He then looked at Ivan.
"Don't worry, sir, this stays between us." Ivan said before awkwardly glancing away.
Avila gave a noncommittal noise before tucking his phone away and slamming his suitcase shut.
"Let's get the hell out of here." He grumbled.
"Couldn't agree more, sir." Ivan said, taking the luggage and heading towards the door.
The right-hand felt a small sense of haste as they went to his car, mostly to avoid a dreaded Linares sighting. He carefully set Avila's case in the trunk with his own, ready to close the door.
"You'll have to make more room." Avila stated, slipping a pair of shades on.
Ivan stopped, asking, "Do you have another bag, sir?"
"No, Linares is coming."
Of course this was news to Ivan, who gave Avila a look of annoyance. He was under the impression that it would just be the two of them for the weekend, seeing Linares as a third wheel and not an equal part of their new and complicated harem.
But Ivan didn't complain, mostly because he knew it would do nothing to change these plans. He tried to look on the bright side for once though- Linares would probably trigger one of his boobytraps and never want to step foot in Ivan's house again. If he even survived anyways.
"Very well, sir." Ivan said, his tone portraying his issue with it.
"You can't let him get killed in your house either." Avila added, seeming to know the self-proclaimed "watch maker" well.
Ivan gave a light noise of acknowledgment, but that was it. Soon the sound of the front door closing and approaching footsteps let the two know their third passenger was ready. Avila took that as his que to get in the car, setting into the backseat while Linares caught up. Ivan eyed him as he approached.
"Aren't you supposed to be the eyes and ears of our don?" Ivan asked with barely contained indignation.
"Of course." Linares replied, "But I don't need to be home to do that, I can bring my work with me."
The man patted his suitcase lightly in emphasis before setting it in the trunk with the rest of the luggage. Ivan slammed it shut, turning away from his smiling competition and getting into the driver's seat. It was going to be a long drive, and a long weekend
—
After a mostly quiet trip to Ivan's, the trio was more than happy to get out and stretch their legs. It seemed a wonder that the right-hand man was so willing to make that drive every day for work, considering he lived out in the middle of nowhere.
They got their bags from the trunk and headed inside, Ivan leading the way and unlocking the door. Avila was quick to make himself at home, leaving his bag on the living room floor and sitting down.
Linares curiously toured the home, wandering from room to room. He stopped at the library, careful not to show an ounce of impression. Ivan followed from a distance, mostly to keep an eye on him.
Linares gave a light nod, "It's exactly how I pictured it. Very… quaint."
Ivan gave a soft hum with his response, "If I knew you were coming, I would've ordered a few naked statues to make you feel more at home."
"No need to trouble yourself." Linares chuckled, reaching for one of the many books.
Ivan watched for a moment, knowing that as much as he'd love Linares to stumble upon one of his traps, it wouldn't go over well with Avila. The library was probably the safest room in the house besides Ivan's bedroom, mainly because he didn't want to risk destroying his collection of literature. Linares was eyeing the jar of eyes when Ivan cleared his throat.
"Unfortunately, you'll have to avoid any investigating while you're here. I've set up a few things to help with intruders… I'd hate to spend the weekend cleaning your blood off the floorboards."
"... 'Things'?" Linares asked, "You boobytrapped your house?"
"Yes, of course." Ivan said, as if it was completely normal.
Linares carefully set the book back, and Ivan wondered if maybe it was a good thing to tell him. It would hopefully keep the man from rooting through his belongings, having a sense that Linares was less aware of personal boundaries. Walking past to look at the kitchen, Linares picked this to be his "work area". He opened his case to pull out a laptop, setting it up on the dining room table. He was quick to make himself at home it seemed, so Ivan decided to start on lunch.
They were still trying to decide what they could do to help kill their time. Naturally, Avila had planned to laze about the house all weekend. Ivan was fine with doing this for the most part, but too much would certainly give him cabin fever.
"The Iztaccihuatl national park is close." Linares offered as he plugged his computer in to charge.
Avila sighed softly, calling from the living room, "I'm not hiking miles on end just to see some volcanoes."
"... But one of them is active, sir."
Not hiding his sarcasm, Avila answered, "Tempting, but no."
Ivan had seen this coming since they could never seem to agree on anything . But he was more concerned about their living situation, as he hadn't foreseen the extra guest. After settling on making Chile relleno and collecting the ingredients, he knew they'd have to figure out where everyone would be sleeping.
He glanced at Linares' case, saying, "I can show you to the guest room."
Linares looked up from his screen, asking, "Is that where Don Avila is staying?"
Ivan refrained from rolling his eyes, "Of course not, he gets the master bedroom."
"Then I'll just stay there too. I'm sure he won't mind."
"But I will." Ivan responded, "My bed's hardly big enough for three."
That was the most subtle way Ivan could let him know the don would be sleeping with him, not that he didn't have a problem with flaunting it. But he rarely boasted outright, finding it of poor taste.
Linares took the hint, but he didn't accept it.
"... I'm sure we can make it work." Was the man's response, going back to staring at his screen filled with live footage from around Mexico City.
Ivan chose to ignore that issue for now (along with the bags so carelessly placed around his home) and focused on cooking lunch. The only time he took his focus off this task was to offer his don a drink. Avila had been quiet for the most part, which wasn't very odd for him. Maybe it was the lack of chaos that made everything seem slightly off, because things never seemed to go as planned- Linares' company being a prime example in Ivan's mind.
They were all aware of their odd situation, but it had always been easy to gloss over until now. Being in close quarters and staying in the same home made it harder to "share" Avila (for a lack of better words) so a compromise was surely in order. But for now, neither one of the right-hand men were willing to budge.
As if he could sense the steady rise of tension in the kitchen, Avila wandered in. He watched as Ivan cut the green peppers and began to stuff them.
"Here to lend a hand, sir?" Ivan asked, knowing damn well Avila wasn't.
Avila answered by grabbing a spoon to taste the sauce, "What's the use in having two of you if I have to cook my own meals?"
"I believe there's a distinct difference between a watchmaker and a servant." Ivan replied, glancing at Avila with mild annoyance as he interfered with his cooking.
"Linares cooks for me." Avila said with a sort of sly tone.
"That was my point, sir." Ivan replied smoothly.
"Either way, you're the host." Avila said, finally giving him space, "And don't put meat in that last one, Linares is vegetarian."
Ivan sighed but listened, "Of course he is..."
Sitting at the table, Avila took the seat across from Linares- only because there wasn't a chair at the head of the table. The don was wearing his normal look of impatience, but he wasn't particularly hungry. Avila couldn't place the cause of this feeling, as they had nothing but time on their hands. Maybe it was the fact that Linares had closed his laptop the moment he sat down, smiling and looking at him as if he wanted to say something.
"What?" Avila asked impatiently.
Linares responded, "You remembered, sir."
Avila slightly narrowed his eyes at the other man, wanting to dismiss the implication that he cared in the slightest. He told himself Linares was only here for two reasons: they couldn't trust him alone with the business, and Avila really couldn't pass up the opportunity to get on Ivan's nerves. But now the don was paying for it in the form of googly-eyes from across the table, which he really should've seen coming.
Luckily it didn't last much longer, since Linares offered to get their drinks. Ivan soon set the full plates onto the table, removing his suit jacket before joining them. No one complimented the meal as they ate- Avila out of principle and Linares out of spite. Ivan obviously didn't care though, as it would take a lot more than that to damage his ego.
Seeing as they had no idea what to do after lunch, Ivan tried to think of something closeby that could keep them busy. There was a park just a few miles away- beautiful and usually vacant- but he doubted Avila held an appreciation for nature trails.
"I'm not sure if you'd be interested, but there's a farmer's market nearby." Ivan soon mentioned, "It's just for the week and I haven't had the chance to go yet."
"... Sure, why not." Avila said with a tone of indifference as he picked at the remainder of his food.
—
Considering how secluded Ivan's home was, Avila had assumed the nearby market would be rather small and unpopulated. Unfortunately this was not the case, as there were numerous stands and difficulty in even finding a place to park.
"It seems we came at a bad time, sir." Ivan said, this being as close to an apology as he'd give.
Avila looked out the window from the backseat, eyeing the busy area with contempt. Truth be told, the thought of a crowd bothered the don since he'd been sucked into such a secluded lifestyle. It wasn't exactly anxiety (or at least he refused to call it that), but he felt on edge as Linares opened his door for him. Avila stepped out of the car, putting on his sunglasses to shield himself from both the sun and people's gazes.
As soon as they entered the outside marketplace, whatever 6th sense the right-hand men had was triggered. Ivan stuck to the right while Linares took the left, like a protective bubble around their don. Avila became all too aware of how close they were walking with each other- in fact, Linares' hand had brushed against his multiple times and he wasn't sure if they were all accidental. It was as if he had two new possessive shadows or pompous guard dogs.
Most people nearby could pick up on this, giving the trio enough room to walk without disruption. A few unsuspecting shoppers got a bit too close, but it only took a dirty look for them to steer clear.
The same could not be said for one poor soul, who was on his phone instead of looking where he was going. Linares could've easily stepped aside to let him pass between him and Avila, but he instead closed what little distance there was. A shoulder-check wasn't enough, because Linares instead lifted his hand and pushed the man off to the side. He stumbled lightly, dropping his phone.
"What the hell?" The man said, stopping and expecting a confrontation.
Naturally, he was surprised when they didn't even turn around in acknowledgement. He watched as they walked away, shouting a few challenges to no avail.
"One of the stands here sells lavender honey, I've found it has a lot of good uses." Ivan said over the fading yells, "It's great for tea and lemonade… Plus the occasional cuts and burns."
"So you buy first aid supplies at a farmer's market..." Avila mumbled, glancing around with a bored aura.
Ivan gave a noise of slight amusement, approaching the stand he was looking for. It was obvious Ivan was a regular who made an impression on the local beekeeper, because she instantly smiled and struck up a conversation.
"Ivan, it's good to see you!" She said, "I was worried you wouldn't make it this time."
Ivan smiled lightly, "To be honest, I was too. How's business going?"
Avila listened with mild impatience, glad his eyes were covered so he didn't have to refrain from rolling them. Linares was too busy people-watching to be bothered, and no one else would approach the stand with the trio there.
"It's going great, we're up to twelve hives now." The owner replied, "We're pretty low on product since it's the end of the week, but I tucked a jar away for you."
She retrieved a jar of lavender honey, setting it on the table for Ivan. The right-hand expressed his appreciation before handing her some cash.
"... Did you drag us here so you could flirt with a beekeeper?" Avila asked with slight annoyance once they walked away.
"I do it for the discount, sir." Ivan responded, "It pays to be polite."
There was a silent 'you should try it sometime' attached to that sentence, which Avila promptly ignored.
"I didn't realize we were that broke…" Was Avila's reply.
They wandered around for a bit longer, mostly for Ivan to mingle with the different merchants and buy various produce. Between listening to Ivan's small-talk and repeatedly reminding Linares not to stare at people, Avila wasn't sure how this was a vacation from his stress. It might not have been as taxing as being shot at, but lately that seemed more normal than mundane tasks.
About thirty minutes in, Avila was longing to escape the crowd and incessant talking. Luckily he was pulled away from these thoughts when they came to a stand that also had handmade attire. It was at least more interesting to look at than food.
Linares was quick to notice the small amount of ties, looking through them before holding a red and black striped one up to Avila's chest.
"This one would look great on you, sir." He said, "You wear too many solids."
Avila glanced at it before taking it, deciding he might as well not leave empty-handed.
"Great." Avila deadpanned, "Now let's go home before one of you shoots somebody."
Linares gave a look of dejection, "I wanted to get a new hat… But that's ok, sir. We can leave if you'd like…"
Avila gave an exhausted sigh at that look, "Make it quick or we're leaving you here."
Just like a miracle, that sad expression went away and Linares looked at the hats they provided. Ivan gave a scoff at both the pathetic display and the fact that it had worked, watching the other man try on a sunhat.
Linares turned to the don, "How does it look, sir?"
"Like it's for women." Avila said without missing a beat.
Linares laughed lightly as if it was a joke, "I don't think so, but it kind of looks like it- just like your sunglasses."
It was clear Linares hadn't meant this in an insulting way, proceeding to ask the merchant for a price. But Avila immediately looked to Ivan, silently asking if this was true.
Ivan hesitated, feeling put on the spot, "Well they are…" he grasped for the right word, "Effeminate-looking, yes."
Avila furrowed his brows, "They're for men."
"I'm sure they are, sir." Ivan replied with a nod.
It was hard to tell if he was sarcastic or not, given that his neutral tone usually sounded ironic. Avila was contemplating whether he should throw away his sunglasses or his right-hand men, but he didn't get to make a decision.
"It's forty pesos, sir." Linares said to him.
Avila blinked, "Ok? … Why are you telling me?"
Hesitating, Linares said, "Well I need it to work in the garden. Our current gardeners aren't up to standard, so I've been keeping up on it until I find a suitable replacement."
He knew Avila didn't hold any appreciation for the large garden- the trees, flowers, and shrubs could wither away for all the don cared. The truth was that Linares had forgotten his wallet in his bag, and he wasn't about to admit the mistake or leave without that hat. Avila stared at him, still not understanding how this was his concern.
Ivan lightly cleared his throat, "Sir, I believe Linares is saying it's a business expense…"
Avila wanted to believe it was a joke at first- but Ivan, Linares, and the seller were all looking at him expectantly. He gave a dramatic exhale before getting his wallet, fishing out the amount and begrudgingly handing it over.
"Thank you, sir." Linares said appreciatively, taking the bag that held the tie and hat.
"Stop looking at me like that." Avila grumbled, "It's not a gift if you made me pay for it."
He turned away then, heading towards the parking lot with his men in tow. Once they finally reached Ivan's car (luckily without another mishap) Avila felt like he could relax again.
—
After the hitmen arrived back home, they thought it would be a good idea to watch a movie together. Avila planned to nap through it though, and he could only hope he wouldn't wake up to complete pandemonium (a random ambush, a boobytrap being triggered, or two grown men bickering like housewives for example). The don was currently laying on the couch, waiting for the film to be decided.
Slowly examining Ivan's collection of movies, Linares commented, "Half of these are as old as me…"
Ivan sighed and grabbed the remote, sitting in an armchair, "I have cable too."
"No soap operas." Avila said, dully watching the tv's static.
"What about a horror movie?" Linares suggested, putting the dvds back in place.
Ivan hummed lightly in thought, "I think it's hard not to notice how fake it is- after you've killed so many people."
Linares nodded in agreement, "They rarely get the color of blood right…"
Flipping through the channels for a while, they finally settled on 'La ley de Herodes' (Herod's Law). Avila was already half asleep when Linares joined him on the couch, simply lifting the don's head and sitting down. Avila shifted but rested his head on the man's lap, and Ivan felt unable to look away.
Almost any action of familiarity between them seemed to puzzle Ivan. Avila usually showed annoyance or indifference to Linares, but had he missed something? Avila had been living with Linares at the don of don's house for less than a month, so what had changed?
The watchmaker supposed it was Linares' persistence and ambition. From the first day he arrived, he saw himself as above and more useful than Ivan- he made that very clear. Not to mention just how willing Linares was to serve. Ivan's focus was solely on their business, while Linares seemed more interested in playing master and servant. Linares didn't want to be equals with Ivan, he wanted to be the favorite. Ivan also believed that Linares would completely take his place if it wouldn't be so inconvenient for everyone.
Watching as Linares started to run a hand through Avila's hair, Ivan couldn't help but slightly narrow his eyes. He'd seen the man's puppy act all day (not that Ivan hadn't played nice too), but he wondered when the sly fox would come out of its burrow. Avila probably hadn't even seen that side of Linares, as he was genuinely so 'yes sir, no sir' with the don.
Unable to help but wonder if it was possible, Ivan imagined himself acting in a similar way. It didn't sit well with him though, having little interest in coddling others. Especially someone who deserved a good kick in the ass.
Ivan instead gave comfort in the form of an odd comradery- like friends with benefits, but they weren't exactly friends and the "benefits" were very occasional. Ivan was mainly indifferent towards the thought of sex, which clashed with his don's hypersexuality. He guided and talked sense into Avila though, being the voice of reason and always very blunt when needed. Ivan was as close to an equal as he could possibly be.
But Linares was… something else. He enabled Avila most of the time and quite frankly spoiled him. It wasn't fully selfish or selfless, but Linares was clearly benefiting from it. Ivan didn't live with the two of them, but he knew they were sleeping with each other- and knowing Avila, it was probably often. Linares could give Avila physical comfort more naturally too, opposed to Ivan who saw no appeal for it. Call him prideful or stuck-up, but Ivan didn't want to hold Avila like that, he just didn't like Linares doing it.
Soon the movie was more than half-way over, and Ivan couldn't bite his tongue for much longer.
"Is he asleep?" He asked, slowly tapping a finger on his armrest.
"Has been for a few minutes." Linares replied, glancing at him.
Ivan shifted lightly in his seat, eyeing Linares with mocking curiosity, "Do you even know why you're here?"
The other man smiled, "Of course."
They both kept their voices low, careful not to wake Avila up.
"... So you understand our don doesn't trust you alone for a few days? Not a good sign, considering he trusted me with the business for months." Ivan said.
"I'm aware." Linares replied, "But he was also grieving multiple losses- his good judgment was clearly gone … He slept all day, lost track of time, plus those horrible nightmares… He needed someone and you were never there."
Ivan scoffed lightly, "From what I can tell, you've done nothing but enable him."
"But at least I'm there, right?" Linares remarked, "I was always there, he just didn't know it. He almost overdosed, did you know that? I was ready to send an ambulance when your call woke him up."
Ivan feigned surprise, "Really? And what makes him so special?"
He knew Linares wouldn't and hadn't done this for any other hitman or don, but he had a feeling he knew the answer. He assumed Linares was randomly drawn to Avila long before they met, but he was proven wrong.
"I was told that he would be my future don- God willing." Linares replied.
Ivan hummed, "... I don't believe God had anything to do with it. I wouldn't trust the words of a priest anyways."
The only reason this was said was to strike a chord in Linares, who gave a condescending smile at it.
"I worked for him for fifteen years. You never even met him."
Ivan sat back, responding, "I've learned plenty about him… In fact , I know that he liked to pick up strays- that's why he spoke to Don Avila, right? … So tell me, what alley did he find you in?"
Linares pursed his lips in anger before glancing down at Avila to check on him. This was like a professional game of 'Don't Wake Daddy', and neither of the men wanted to lose. Their fights were everything but physical- all of their aggression channeled into calm but cutting remarks. At the end of the day, it was all about maintaining their image and composure while trying to break the other's.
"You have no idea who I am or where I came from." Linares answered.
Ivan opened his mouth to give a response, but promptly stopped when their don stirred lightly. The two men were silent as Avila relaxed again, waiting a few moments to continue.
"I don't and neither does Don Avila- which is the only reason you're allowed to step foot in my house."
Linares smiled, "So you've said. But I think I'm here because you don't put out."
Ivan scoffed at that, as it's not like he could deny it but it was still a distasteful comment. He wished he had faith that Avila could go a few days without getting laid, but he really didn't. Still, he had to believe that wasn't the don's only motivation for bringing Linares along.
"Because you'd know, wouldn't you?" Ivan asked sarcastically.
"Yes, I would." Linares replied.
The two men eyed each other as Avila shifted again, slowly starting to wake up. There was a mutual and silent agreement to put a lid on their current argument, even if they'd much rather continue to tear each other down.
Avila blinked lightly as he woke up, squinting at the TV, "It's over already?"
Ivan looked at the screen, watching as the credits rolled, "It appears so. Don't worry sir, you didn't miss much."
—
Avila rubbed the bridge of his nose lightly as he emerged from the bathroom. His hair was still a bit damp, sporting a pair of sweatpants and a plain shirt as pajamas. He hadn't seen his right-hands since dinner, and he wasn't particularly interested in finding them just to say he was going to bed. The don made his way to Ivan's room, looking forward to taking a pill and passing out after the long day.
Opening the door, Avila faltered as he spotted both Ivan and Linares in the bedroom. He first registered their attire, which were actual pajamas sets with a matching top and bottom- long sleeves, buttons, and all. He wasn't sure why, but that was embarrassing to him. Next he registered the fact that they were in the middle of an argument.
"I understand, but I insist that I sleep on the right side." Linares said.
"The right side is closer to the entrance. If someone were to break in somehow, I'm sure Don Avila would have more faith in my abilities to-"
"What the hell's going on?" Avila interrupted.
The two others looked to their don, trying to pretend there hadn't been any sort of fighting between them.
"We were just trying to sort out the sleeping arrangements, sir." Ivan answered.
Avila looked at them with mild annoyance, "When you said I could have your room, I assumed I'd have it to myself."
"I suppose I could've clarified, sir." Ivan replied, feigning it was a miscommunication.
Unamused, Avila pointed towards the door. He clearly wasn't in the mood for this, watching as his men glanced at each other to see which would leave. Of course, neither of them budged.
"Sir, I just think it would be safer if we stuck together, considering your position. The don of don's is always a target, and I'm sure you agree Ivan's house isn't as secure as yours." Linares explained.
Avila looked between the two of them before settling his gaze on Ivan, "Since when have you ever wanted to sleep beside me?"
Ivan hesitated, "If I'm being honest sir, it's since I realized leaving you with Linares would require me to burn my mattress."
Avila rolled his eyes, "I planned on sleeping alone ." He gave a huff as they just stared at him before finally giving up, "Fine, just turn the light off and be quiet- you're giving me a headache."
Luckily that was enough to settle the dispute, since both Linares and Ivan had their doubts they'd be able to stay. Ivan ended up getting the right side and Linares the left, while Avila was once more between them. Ivan switched the bedside lamp off, giving Avila some room. He turned away from him too, being more comfortable that way.
Avila closed his eyes but slightly tensed up as he felt Linares put an arm around him. He didn't say anything though, slowly relaxing again as Linares scooted closer to spoon him. Avila would never admit it out loud, but he didn't mind this arrangement too much. At least he didn't have to worry if he talked in his sleep… The only thing he did have to worry about was surviving two more days of this.