APH: I am reading Jisatsu Circle right now :S
Title: My Poor Heart Aches (Part Three)
Author: grosse_averse
Characters: Ivan (Russia), Alfred (America), Matthew (Canada); appearances by Prussia, Ukraine and Belarus // Russia/America + some mentions PruCan
Rating: PG-13
Summary: AU The only thing Ivan wants is to get to know Alfred better. The only thing Alfred wants is to punch the goddamn Russki in the face. Based on a prompt from 30quotes.
Notes: In the same universe as I Don't Really Know How To Tell You This.
Prompt: "This guy's a restraining order waiting to happen."
Part One
Part Two
Saturday
It is very hard to focus on your boyfriend's hands going places they definitely shouldn't, particularly when your older brother comes barging into your bedroom.
Gilbert was looking more and more pissed off each time he came over to the Kirkland-Bonnefoy place. Matt gave an irritated sigh and turned to face Alfred.
"Hey, Al, do you think you could come back - "
"I need to talk to you." Alfred said. Matt blinked.
"Right now?" he intoned meaningfully, with a brief nod of the head at Gilbert. Alfred nodded with enthusiasm.
"Yeah, it's really important!"
Matt debated this for a little while, then finally sighed. "Okay. Gil, I'll be right back..."
"Verdammt." Gilbert muttered, making a rather imploring grab at Matt's arm and kneading it with a silent plea. Matt almost reconsidered, but eventually pulled from his boyfriend's grasp and followed Alfred out into the hall.
"Matt, you remember that Russian kid?" Alfred asked, and at Matt's nod he continued, "Well, he's not that bad. I mean, he's still pretty unnerving, but he's bearably unnerving. You know?"
"No." Matt answered in bewilderment.
"Okay, cool." Alfred barged ahead. "So I was over at his house and I think I insulted him and now he won't talk to me."
"You - what?" Matt looked hesitantly at his brother and dared to ask, "I-isn't that what you wanted?"
"No. Well, yes. Well - I don't know, okay?" Alfred huffed in indignation. "I feel like I should apologize. What do you think?"
"If you said something to insult him then yeah, you should apologize!" Matt responded immediately. "Honestly, that's common knowledge, Al, is that what you really wanted to talk to me about?"
Alfred folded his arms tightly across his chest. "Yeah." he muttered. "Don't know what I should do. It's not like he's my friend or anything."
Matt studied his brother for a minute. "If you feel that bad about it..." he trailed off. "Then you should do the heroic thing."
Alfred's head snapped upwards. "Oh, no fair, now I have to apologize!" he complained. Matt laughed.
"What, just because I said it was heroic? Al, you are such a sucker!"
"Hey!" Alfred pounced and the two brothers rough-housed for a couple of seconds before Matt found himself in a headlock. "Take that back!"
"Okay, okay!" Matt exclaimed, breathless from laughter. "You're not a sucker, Al."
"Sweet." Alfred released him.
"...You're a double sucker!" Matt called, and dashed back to his room before Alfred could catch him.
"You are a horrible brother!" Alfred called after him, hands on his hips - he didn't look like he was going to pursue but when your brother is on the football team you don't assume you are in the clear for anything. Matt didn't stop running until he closed his bedroom door safely behind him.
--
Katya let herself into her brother's room at noon to wake him up. It was only fair, she thought. She was sure Vanya didn't want to sleep the day away, and she had errands to do so she needed him to watch Nataliya. She had been worried about her younger brother - after his friend had left yesterday, Ivan had seemed very subdued, and had retired to his room early for the night, leaving her with the task of cleaning up and getting Nataliya to bed.
Ivan was curled up under a mound of blankets when Katya slipped in the door, his breathing slow and steady but with just enough pause in between exhales and inhales for his sister to figure out that he was faking sleep. Katya debated flicking on the lights and thought against it.
"Vanya." she cooed softly. "Wake up, sleepyhead."
There was no response from the mound of covers, so Katya decided to try another tactic.
"Vanya, I know you are awake," she announced, and the mound of covers shifted a little. "If you do not get up in thirty seconds I will be forced to jump on your bed and do horrible things until you get up."
Ivan shifted again, but there was no indication he was going to get up. Katya heaved a sigh and rolled up her sleeves, readying herself.
"You forced Big Sister to do this!" she reminded him cheerfully, then pounced.
Ivan caught her around the waist before she could carry out her plan of tickling him, and instead flung the blanket over her head before mercilessly prodding her in the sides. Katya squealed with laughter.
"No fair!" she cried, trying to pull the blanket off her. "No fair, Vanya, you can't disrespect your elders like this!"
"Sorry, sister." Ivan sounded amused as she continued to claw at the blanket. "It is no fair for you to be making sneak attacks. Not so early in the morning."
"I-it's noon!" she spluttered, finally finding Ivan's armpits under the mess of blankets and tickling him. Ivan let out a snort of laughter.
"Early!" he countered, trying to twist away from her.
The tickle fight went on even when Nataliya came running in and launched herself into the middle and started pinching more than tickling her siblings. Ivan didn't mind because it meant he could convince Nataliya to help him gang up on Katya, and soon the little girl sat on her older sister's chest and declared the war won. Katya giggled helplessly, bouncing Nataliya in the process.
"At least it got you up!" she laughed triumphantly at Ivan, who smiled at her.
"I suppose in the end it was effective," he admitted. Katya sat up despite the valiant efforts of Nataliya to keep her down, and settled the little girl on her knee.
"Father says he will be back next Wednesday." she told him. When he simply nodded, she pressed, "Are you all right, Vanya?"
"I am fine." came her brother's reply. Katya let her breath out slowly and bounced Nataliya on her knee.
"No, you are not." she replied. "Give me some credit, I have known you for a while. Is it because of your friend from school? Alfred?"
"No." Ivan insisted resolutely - then he paused and admitted, "Yes."
"Ah." Inside, Katya was secretly thrilled. Score one for Big Sister Intuition! "Did you two have a fight?"
"We didn't." Ivan looked troubled. "I just - realized something."
"What did you realize?" she asked. Ivan shrugged.
"That people don't like me."
"Ivan!" Katya was horrified. "Don't say that! Of course people like you!"
"People think I am a creep." Ivan affirmed. "I always knew it beforehand, and then Alfred told me. So now I know."
"Oh, Vanya!"
"Don't cry!" Ivan exclaimed, when his big sister started tearing up. "Katya, stop..."
"That's horrible! He shouldn't say that to you!" Katya blubbered. "You're such a sweet boy!"
"Katya." Ivan repeated, flushing with embarrassment. "Don't...don't, it's not that big a deal...oh, Katya..."
"You're not a creep, Ivan." his big sister told him resolutely, as Nataliya's pudgy hand came up to awkwardly wipe at her tears (smearing moisture across the lower part of her face). Ivan tried to maneuver her into a hug. "People just don't know you well enough. If they did, they'd wouldn't say that."
"But I am." Ivan admitted. "I tried - very hard, to get Alfred to like me, yes? And I tried to get to know him because I wanted to be friends. But I did it wrong."
"You can't do it wrong, when it comes to making friends." Katya shot back crossly, embracing her brother. Nataliya was wedged between them. "You may come off as intimidating, Vanya, but your heart is in the right place and that is all that counts. Okay?"
When Ivan didn't answer, she pulled back and confirmed, "Okay??"
"Okay." Ivan echoed reluctantly. "I am going to get changed."
Katya brightened. "Good!" she chirped. "I need to go to the store for some things, so you will watch your sister, please?"
"Okay." Ivan said again, absently. Katya beamed.
"Thank you, Vanya." she said sincerely. "Please do not be worried. Everything will work itself out."
Ivan nodded. "I hope so." he admitted.
Katya waited until her brother was changed and his teeth were brushed before leaving the house. After she left, Nataliya asked to be picked up, so Ivan bounced her in his arms as he walked idly around the house.
He suppose he shouldn't let it worry him. Besides, there were plenty of people in the school that he could talk to! Like Matthew. Matthew seemed nice - he would have to do something about that boyfriend, though.
What was unfair, Ivan thought, was that he really did want to be friends with Alfred.
Nataliya, by this time, had taken to pointing at things and naming them.
"Door!"
"Chair!"
"Couch!"
"Floor!"
She stabbed a chubby finger at him. "Mawied!" she finished. Ivan heaved a sigh.
"No." he said gently. "Natasha, no married."
"Yes!" she exclaimed. "Yes, yes! Mawied!"
"No, Natasha."
"Mawied!"
"No."
"Get mawied!"
"No."
"...wedding!"
"Natasha..."
When the doorbell rang, Nataliya's attention was momentarily diverted. "Doorbell!" she announced, tugging on Ivan's hair. "Go, Evee, go!"
"I'm going..." Ivan mumbled, lumbering towards the door.
When he opened the door, he almost shut it again.
"Hi." Alfred said, too brightly, too nervously. "Uh...are you busy right now?"
Ivan glanced at his little sister, who was staring blankly at this new visitor. "...No." he said finally. "I am watching my sister."
"Oh, cool!" Alfred smiled brilliantly. The intensity of that smile made something sad twist in Ivan's gut. "Can...can I come in?"
Ivan debated saying no. "Of course." he said instead. "Did you forget something here yesterday?"
"No, I came to talk to you." Alfred insisted as Ivan let him into the house. "Jeez, Ivan."
"And what would we have to talk about?" Ivan asked. "If you are worried about the project, don't be. We can each write something separate and one of us can combine our ideas at home..."
"Ivan." Alfred crossed his arms over his chest. "Just shut up for a moment, okay?"
Ivan let out a short laugh. "To be so rude to one whose house you are in," he said airily. "Your manners are horrible."
"I've heard that too many times for it to be insulting." Alfred waved his words away.
"Evee." Nataliya spoke up in a haughty tone only four year olds can pull off. "Wanna cookie."
"Okay, Natasha, I will get you a cookie." Ivan carried her into the kitchen. Alfred followed. Ivan balanced the little girl on one arm while he reached into the cookie jar. When he turned back, Alfred and Nataliya were staring at each other with utter seriousness.
Then Alfred extended his hand. "Hey, little lady!" he exclaimed. "What's your name?"
Nataliya looked at his hand. Then at his face. Then she grabbed his thumb. "Nat." she said solemnly. Alfred chuckled.
"Hiya Nat. I'm Alfred."
Nataliya blinked at him once, twice, until Ivan waved the cookie in front of her face. Then she let go of Alfred in favor of grabbing the cookie.
Alfred laughed again. "Cute kid." he told Ivan, who allowed himself a fond smile.
"She will grow up to be very beautiful, I'm sure. Like her sister."
There was a brief pause. Then Alfred coughed twice and said, "So, uh, I actually came here to apologize."
"Why?" the question was out of his mouth before Ivan could stop it.
"Why?" Alfred repeated quizzically. "'Cuz I was being rude to you yesterday!"
"Oh, I see." Ivan nodded. "It is still true, but you are sorry that it came out wrong, then."
"What? No!" Alfred looked irritated. "If you're going to twist my words, Braginski..."
"I am sorry." Ivan soothed. "Please. I don't mean any disrespect."
Alfred stepped back a little, took a breath. "No. It's fine." he said, then gave a grim laugh. "Funny how I come here to apologize and then I just get angry again." Alfred sighed, shifted on his feet. Ivan waited, sister on his hip.
"I was wrong." the bespectacled boy admitted. "Okay? There's a...lot more to you than I thought. So I'm sorry."
Ivan was silent. "Is that it?" he asked, and managed not to smile when Alfred bristled indignantly.
"Yeah, 'course that's it, you jackass! What else do you want me to do??"
"Take me to a movie!" Ivan suggested suddenly. "There is a good one out! One about uhm...I do not know, I think it is about a talking sparrow."
"Sparrow!" Nataliya repeated with utmost severity. Alfred sighed, and ran a hand through his hair.
"Uh. Okay." he said, and repeated, "Yeah, okay. You wanna go see a movie about a sparrow, Nat?" he asked the girl, who clapped her hands.
"Yes!" she agreed.
"Well, that settles it!" Raking a hand through his hair again, Alfred flashed Ivan a smile. "Let's go."
Ivan swallowed, lost for words at the smile, but then said, "I should probably wait for Katya to get home. She will want to know where we are going."
By the time Katya got home, arms full of groceries, she was surprised to discover her brother and his friend sitting on the floor of their living room, helping Nataliya draw with crayons on the back of colouring books. Nataliya, who had insisted on covering an entire picture of Cinderella in navy blue and smoke grey crayon, looked up from her work.
"Hi!" she squealed. "Cat, Cat!"
"Hi yourself, sweetheart!" Katya laughed, trying to juggle her groceries. "What are you guys doing?"
Nataliya held up her colouring for critique. Katya admired it as Ivan and Alfred held theirs up as well.
"Ivan, you did not colour neatly in the lines." she noticed. Ivan sulked. Alfred gloated.
"But Alfred, you are not so good with varying your colours." she continued, causing the bespectacled boy's face to fall and examine his colouring of Snow White.
"Do me!" Nataliya insisted. "Do me!"
"Ah, Natasha, it's beautiful!" she praised. "Truly a work of art, my little bird."
Nataliya looked extremely pleased with herself as Katya demanded her sister let her put the picture on the fridge. Ivan got up to help with the groceries as Alfred gathered up the crayons.
"...and so we wanted to go to a movie. Natasha wants to come, too." Ivan was saying as Alfred came back into the kitchen.
"Oh! Can I come?" Katya asked brightly. "That film looks very cute!"
Ivan looked disappointed. "Ah - of course you can come." he said. "I'm sure...Alfred, you do not mind?" he turned to the blonde boy.
"'Course not!" Alfred said. "You like talking sparrows, Katya?"
"We will see!" Katya laughed. "Uhm, I think the next showing is soon - if we start walking now, then we should make it in time. Come, Natasha, I will help you get your coat. Do you want the red one?"
"No! The blue one!" Nataliya decided as she let her sister lead her to the hall closet.
Ivan almost looked apologetic. "I'm sorry," he said. "My sister can be...quite exuberant."
"No, no, it's fine! Your sister is really cute!" Alfred waved it off, before realizing what he said. "Oh! Not in the "I'd like to date her" sort of way, more of a, "she's sweet". Yeah. Ha ha."
Ivan cocked an eyebrow. "I know what you mean." he assured.
Well, that was awkward Alfred thought to himself, as the siblings prepared themselves for the outing. He wondered why Ivan looked so reluctant to bring his sister with him.
--
They made it to the movie theater just in time for the commercials to start. Alfred and Ivan sat next to each other, with Nataliya on Ivan's right, and Katya on the other side.
Nataliya busied herself with her concession stand drink while Alfred watched the screen with mild interest. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Ivan turning his head as if to watch him - when Alfred glanced at him, though, the Russian's face was turned away again.
It was still unnerving. But Alfred was getting used to it.
As it turned out, the movie was not as kid friendly as they had imagined. There were several innuendoes (but what kid movie doesn't have innuendoes?), some violence, and a pretty tense part where the talking sparrow is pursued through a dark forest by a rabid cat.
Yeah, that's what Ivan thought. Really, the only reason he was here was because of Nataliya. And Alfred. He pursed his lips in boredom.
Speaking of Alfred...when he glanced over, the bespectacled boy's jaw was clenched, and his fingers were digging into the arm rests. Ivan resisted the urge to laugh.
"Alfred?" he asked instead. "Are you all right?"
Alfred drew a breath in through clenched teeth. "I have a bad feeling that there's going to be ghosts in this movie..."
On the screen, a ridiculously phosphorescent, cartoon ghost peeked its way from among the trees. Alfred ground his teeth.
"Are you afraid of ghosts?" Ivan asked mildly. Alfred glowered at him.
"No!" he declared. "They just...freak me out."
"It is a cartoon." Ivan pointed out. That didn't seem to lessen Alfred's glare. Smirking, the Russian turned his wrist so his palm was face up. "You can hold my hand if you get scared."
Alfred was about to respond when something jumped out of the trees on screen. Nataliya laughed in delight. Alfred jolted, and his fingers brushed Ivan's broad palm.
Both boys shivered and Alfred, avoiding Ivan's eyes, yanked his hand away and crossed his arms tightly over his chest in defiance. It was too dark to see if his face was red.
After the movie, Ivan and Katya shared a brief conversation in rapid-fire Russian, and as they walked back Katya purposely distracted Nataliya, leaving the two boys to walk behind them.
Ivan buried his hands deep into his jacket pockets. "I had a very nice time." he said honestly.
"I did too." Alfred answered. "It was...cool. Getting to know you and everything. Even if it was over a movie that wasn't very good."
"Yes." Ivan agreed. "We will have to go see a better movie another day."
Alfred's eyes lit up. "There's supposed to be a really scary horror movie coming out soon!" he said, eagerly shaking Ivan's shoulder in his excitement. "We should go see that!"
Ivan chuckled, and reminded him, "What if there are ghosts in it?"
He could have sworn Alfred's face paled a little bit. "Well, then, I'll just deal with it!" he exclaimed with confidence. "I can deal with anything!"
Ivan laughed - at Alfred's accusing scowl, he shook his head. "I believe you, friend."
Alfred rolled his eyes.
When their shoulders brushed, neither of them bothered to move away.
Monday
When Matt joined Gilbert at the lunch table, he looked like a mixture of disturbed and puzzled all rolled into one.
"What's up, kiddo?" Gilbert asked him as he sat down.
"My brother..." Matt began, causing Gilbert to roll his eyes.
"What now?"
"I don't know." Matt said in exasperation. "He's...he's been following me around since Sunday, asking me...asking..."
"Yeah?" Gilbert was getting impatient. "So what's he asking you?"
Matt looked horror struck at the very idea. "He's asking me how a person figures out if they're gay or not."
There was a pause. Then Gilbert started laughing.
"Oh. Oh, oh, Mattie, this is just too perfect - "
"Not. A. Word." Matt warned him. "Seriously, Gilbert, I don't even want to know what my brother is thinking."
Gilbert, however, was looking over the blonde's shoulder, over where Alfred had his arms crossed and was talking angrily to Ivan, who had a cheerful smile stretched across his face, eyes closed in pleasure.
"That's amazing." Gilbert declared. "I am going to have so much fun with this."
"Gil-l-l-l." Matt sighed. "No."
Gilbert pouted and sat back. "No fair." he complained. "No fair at all."
Matt put his head in his hand and unwrapped his sandwich instead of dignifying his boyfriend with an answer.
--
END
--
Author: grosse_averse
Characters: Ivan (Russia), Alfred (America), Matthew (Canada); appearances by Prussia, Ukraine and Belarus // Russia/America + some mentions PruCan
Rating: PG-13
Summary: AU The only thing Ivan wants is to get to know Alfred better. The only thing Alfred wants is to punch the goddamn Russki in the face. Based on a prompt from 30quotes.
Notes: In the same universe as I Don't Really Know How To Tell You This.
Prompt: "This guy's a restraining order waiting to happen."
Part One
Part Two
Saturday
It is very hard to focus on your boyfriend's hands going places they definitely shouldn't, particularly when your older brother comes barging into your bedroom.
Gilbert was looking more and more pissed off each time he came over to the Kirkland-Bonnefoy place. Matt gave an irritated sigh and turned to face Alfred.
"Hey, Al, do you think you could come back - "
"I need to talk to you." Alfred said. Matt blinked.
"Right now?" he intoned meaningfully, with a brief nod of the head at Gilbert. Alfred nodded with enthusiasm.
"Yeah, it's really important!"
Matt debated this for a little while, then finally sighed. "Okay. Gil, I'll be right back..."
"Verdammt." Gilbert muttered, making a rather imploring grab at Matt's arm and kneading it with a silent plea. Matt almost reconsidered, but eventually pulled from his boyfriend's grasp and followed Alfred out into the hall.
"Matt, you remember that Russian kid?" Alfred asked, and at Matt's nod he continued, "Well, he's not that bad. I mean, he's still pretty unnerving, but he's bearably unnerving. You know?"
"No." Matt answered in bewilderment.
"Okay, cool." Alfred barged ahead. "So I was over at his house and I think I insulted him and now he won't talk to me."
"You - what?" Matt looked hesitantly at his brother and dared to ask, "I-isn't that what you wanted?"
"No. Well, yes. Well - I don't know, okay?" Alfred huffed in indignation. "I feel like I should apologize. What do you think?"
"If you said something to insult him then yeah, you should apologize!" Matt responded immediately. "Honestly, that's common knowledge, Al, is that what you really wanted to talk to me about?"
Alfred folded his arms tightly across his chest. "Yeah." he muttered. "Don't know what I should do. It's not like he's my friend or anything."
Matt studied his brother for a minute. "If you feel that bad about it..." he trailed off. "Then you should do the heroic thing."
Alfred's head snapped upwards. "Oh, no fair, now I have to apologize!" he complained. Matt laughed.
"What, just because I said it was heroic? Al, you are such a sucker!"
"Hey!" Alfred pounced and the two brothers rough-housed for a couple of seconds before Matt found himself in a headlock. "Take that back!"
"Okay, okay!" Matt exclaimed, breathless from laughter. "You're not a sucker, Al."
"Sweet." Alfred released him.
"...You're a double sucker!" Matt called, and dashed back to his room before Alfred could catch him.
"You are a horrible brother!" Alfred called after him, hands on his hips - he didn't look like he was going to pursue but when your brother is on the football team you don't assume you are in the clear for anything. Matt didn't stop running until he closed his bedroom door safely behind him.
--
Katya let herself into her brother's room at noon to wake him up. It was only fair, she thought. She was sure Vanya didn't want to sleep the day away, and she had errands to do so she needed him to watch Nataliya. She had been worried about her younger brother - after his friend had left yesterday, Ivan had seemed very subdued, and had retired to his room early for the night, leaving her with the task of cleaning up and getting Nataliya to bed.
Ivan was curled up under a mound of blankets when Katya slipped in the door, his breathing slow and steady but with just enough pause in between exhales and inhales for his sister to figure out that he was faking sleep. Katya debated flicking on the lights and thought against it.
"Vanya." she cooed softly. "Wake up, sleepyhead."
There was no response from the mound of covers, so Katya decided to try another tactic.
"Vanya, I know you are awake," she announced, and the mound of covers shifted a little. "If you do not get up in thirty seconds I will be forced to jump on your bed and do horrible things until you get up."
Ivan shifted again, but there was no indication he was going to get up. Katya heaved a sigh and rolled up her sleeves, readying herself.
"You forced Big Sister to do this!" she reminded him cheerfully, then pounced.
Ivan caught her around the waist before she could carry out her plan of tickling him, and instead flung the blanket over her head before mercilessly prodding her in the sides. Katya squealed with laughter.
"No fair!" she cried, trying to pull the blanket off her. "No fair, Vanya, you can't disrespect your elders like this!"
"Sorry, sister." Ivan sounded amused as she continued to claw at the blanket. "It is no fair for you to be making sneak attacks. Not so early in the morning."
"I-it's noon!" she spluttered, finally finding Ivan's armpits under the mess of blankets and tickling him. Ivan let out a snort of laughter.
"Early!" he countered, trying to twist away from her.
The tickle fight went on even when Nataliya came running in and launched herself into the middle and started pinching more than tickling her siblings. Ivan didn't mind because it meant he could convince Nataliya to help him gang up on Katya, and soon the little girl sat on her older sister's chest and declared the war won. Katya giggled helplessly, bouncing Nataliya in the process.
"At least it got you up!" she laughed triumphantly at Ivan, who smiled at her.
"I suppose in the end it was effective," he admitted. Katya sat up despite the valiant efforts of Nataliya to keep her down, and settled the little girl on her knee.
"Father says he will be back next Wednesday." she told him. When he simply nodded, she pressed, "Are you all right, Vanya?"
"I am fine." came her brother's reply. Katya let her breath out slowly and bounced Nataliya on her knee.
"No, you are not." she replied. "Give me some credit, I have known you for a while. Is it because of your friend from school? Alfred?"
"No." Ivan insisted resolutely - then he paused and admitted, "Yes."
"Ah." Inside, Katya was secretly thrilled. Score one for Big Sister Intuition! "Did you two have a fight?"
"We didn't." Ivan looked troubled. "I just - realized something."
"What did you realize?" she asked. Ivan shrugged.
"That people don't like me."
"Ivan!" Katya was horrified. "Don't say that! Of course people like you!"
"People think I am a creep." Ivan affirmed. "I always knew it beforehand, and then Alfred told me. So now I know."
"Oh, Vanya!"
"Don't cry!" Ivan exclaimed, when his big sister started tearing up. "Katya, stop..."
"That's horrible! He shouldn't say that to you!" Katya blubbered. "You're such a sweet boy!"
"Katya." Ivan repeated, flushing with embarrassment. "Don't...don't, it's not that big a deal...oh, Katya..."
"You're not a creep, Ivan." his big sister told him resolutely, as Nataliya's pudgy hand came up to awkwardly wipe at her tears (smearing moisture across the lower part of her face). Ivan tried to maneuver her into a hug. "People just don't know you well enough. If they did, they'd wouldn't say that."
"But I am." Ivan admitted. "I tried - very hard, to get Alfred to like me, yes? And I tried to get to know him because I wanted to be friends. But I did it wrong."
"You can't do it wrong, when it comes to making friends." Katya shot back crossly, embracing her brother. Nataliya was wedged between them. "You may come off as intimidating, Vanya, but your heart is in the right place and that is all that counts. Okay?"
When Ivan didn't answer, she pulled back and confirmed, "Okay??"
"Okay." Ivan echoed reluctantly. "I am going to get changed."
Katya brightened. "Good!" she chirped. "I need to go to the store for some things, so you will watch your sister, please?"
"Okay." Ivan said again, absently. Katya beamed.
"Thank you, Vanya." she said sincerely. "Please do not be worried. Everything will work itself out."
Ivan nodded. "I hope so." he admitted.
Katya waited until her brother was changed and his teeth were brushed before leaving the house. After she left, Nataliya asked to be picked up, so Ivan bounced her in his arms as he walked idly around the house.
He suppose he shouldn't let it worry him. Besides, there were plenty of people in the school that he could talk to! Like Matthew. Matthew seemed nice - he would have to do something about that boyfriend, though.
What was unfair, Ivan thought, was that he really did want to be friends with Alfred.
Nataliya, by this time, had taken to pointing at things and naming them.
"Door!"
"Chair!"
"Couch!"
"Floor!"
She stabbed a chubby finger at him. "Mawied!" she finished. Ivan heaved a sigh.
"No." he said gently. "Natasha, no married."
"Yes!" she exclaimed. "Yes, yes! Mawied!"
"No, Natasha."
"Mawied!"
"No."
"Get mawied!"
"No."
"...wedding!"
"Natasha..."
When the doorbell rang, Nataliya's attention was momentarily diverted. "Doorbell!" she announced, tugging on Ivan's hair. "Go, Evee, go!"
"I'm going..." Ivan mumbled, lumbering towards the door.
When he opened the door, he almost shut it again.
"Hi." Alfred said, too brightly, too nervously. "Uh...are you busy right now?"
Ivan glanced at his little sister, who was staring blankly at this new visitor. "...No." he said finally. "I am watching my sister."
"Oh, cool!" Alfred smiled brilliantly. The intensity of that smile made something sad twist in Ivan's gut. "Can...can I come in?"
Ivan debated saying no. "Of course." he said instead. "Did you forget something here yesterday?"
"No, I came to talk to you." Alfred insisted as Ivan let him into the house. "Jeez, Ivan."
"And what would we have to talk about?" Ivan asked. "If you are worried about the project, don't be. We can each write something separate and one of us can combine our ideas at home..."
"Ivan." Alfred crossed his arms over his chest. "Just shut up for a moment, okay?"
Ivan let out a short laugh. "To be so rude to one whose house you are in," he said airily. "Your manners are horrible."
"I've heard that too many times for it to be insulting." Alfred waved his words away.
"Evee." Nataliya spoke up in a haughty tone only four year olds can pull off. "Wanna cookie."
"Okay, Natasha, I will get you a cookie." Ivan carried her into the kitchen. Alfred followed. Ivan balanced the little girl on one arm while he reached into the cookie jar. When he turned back, Alfred and Nataliya were staring at each other with utter seriousness.
Then Alfred extended his hand. "Hey, little lady!" he exclaimed. "What's your name?"
Nataliya looked at his hand. Then at his face. Then she grabbed his thumb. "Nat." she said solemnly. Alfred chuckled.
"Hiya Nat. I'm Alfred."
Nataliya blinked at him once, twice, until Ivan waved the cookie in front of her face. Then she let go of Alfred in favor of grabbing the cookie.
Alfred laughed again. "Cute kid." he told Ivan, who allowed himself a fond smile.
"She will grow up to be very beautiful, I'm sure. Like her sister."
There was a brief pause. Then Alfred coughed twice and said, "So, uh, I actually came here to apologize."
"Why?" the question was out of his mouth before Ivan could stop it.
"Why?" Alfred repeated quizzically. "'Cuz I was being rude to you yesterday!"
"Oh, I see." Ivan nodded. "It is still true, but you are sorry that it came out wrong, then."
"What? No!" Alfred looked irritated. "If you're going to twist my words, Braginski..."
"I am sorry." Ivan soothed. "Please. I don't mean any disrespect."
Alfred stepped back a little, took a breath. "No. It's fine." he said, then gave a grim laugh. "Funny how I come here to apologize and then I just get angry again." Alfred sighed, shifted on his feet. Ivan waited, sister on his hip.
"I was wrong." the bespectacled boy admitted. "Okay? There's a...lot more to you than I thought. So I'm sorry."
Ivan was silent. "Is that it?" he asked, and managed not to smile when Alfred bristled indignantly.
"Yeah, 'course that's it, you jackass! What else do you want me to do??"
"Take me to a movie!" Ivan suggested suddenly. "There is a good one out! One about uhm...I do not know, I think it is about a talking sparrow."
"Sparrow!" Nataliya repeated with utmost severity. Alfred sighed, and ran a hand through his hair.
"Uh. Okay." he said, and repeated, "Yeah, okay. You wanna go see a movie about a sparrow, Nat?" he asked the girl, who clapped her hands.
"Yes!" she agreed.
"Well, that settles it!" Raking a hand through his hair again, Alfred flashed Ivan a smile. "Let's go."
Ivan swallowed, lost for words at the smile, but then said, "I should probably wait for Katya to get home. She will want to know where we are going."
By the time Katya got home, arms full of groceries, she was surprised to discover her brother and his friend sitting on the floor of their living room, helping Nataliya draw with crayons on the back of colouring books. Nataliya, who had insisted on covering an entire picture of Cinderella in navy blue and smoke grey crayon, looked up from her work.
"Hi!" she squealed. "Cat, Cat!"
"Hi yourself, sweetheart!" Katya laughed, trying to juggle her groceries. "What are you guys doing?"
Nataliya held up her colouring for critique. Katya admired it as Ivan and Alfred held theirs up as well.
"Ivan, you did not colour neatly in the lines." she noticed. Ivan sulked. Alfred gloated.
"But Alfred, you are not so good with varying your colours." she continued, causing the bespectacled boy's face to fall and examine his colouring of Snow White.
"Do me!" Nataliya insisted. "Do me!"
"Ah, Natasha, it's beautiful!" she praised. "Truly a work of art, my little bird."
Nataliya looked extremely pleased with herself as Katya demanded her sister let her put the picture on the fridge. Ivan got up to help with the groceries as Alfred gathered up the crayons.
"...and so we wanted to go to a movie. Natasha wants to come, too." Ivan was saying as Alfred came back into the kitchen.
"Oh! Can I come?" Katya asked brightly. "That film looks very cute!"
Ivan looked disappointed. "Ah - of course you can come." he said. "I'm sure...Alfred, you do not mind?" he turned to the blonde boy.
"'Course not!" Alfred said. "You like talking sparrows, Katya?"
"We will see!" Katya laughed. "Uhm, I think the next showing is soon - if we start walking now, then we should make it in time. Come, Natasha, I will help you get your coat. Do you want the red one?"
"No! The blue one!" Nataliya decided as she let her sister lead her to the hall closet.
Ivan almost looked apologetic. "I'm sorry," he said. "My sister can be...quite exuberant."
"No, no, it's fine! Your sister is really cute!" Alfred waved it off, before realizing what he said. "Oh! Not in the "I'd like to date her" sort of way, more of a, "she's sweet". Yeah. Ha ha."
Ivan cocked an eyebrow. "I know what you mean." he assured.
Well, that was awkward Alfred thought to himself, as the siblings prepared themselves for the outing. He wondered why Ivan looked so reluctant to bring his sister with him.
--
They made it to the movie theater just in time for the commercials to start. Alfred and Ivan sat next to each other, with Nataliya on Ivan's right, and Katya on the other side.
Nataliya busied herself with her concession stand drink while Alfred watched the screen with mild interest. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Ivan turning his head as if to watch him - when Alfred glanced at him, though, the Russian's face was turned away again.
It was still unnerving. But Alfred was getting used to it.
As it turned out, the movie was not as kid friendly as they had imagined. There were several innuendoes (but what kid movie doesn't have innuendoes?), some violence, and a pretty tense part where the talking sparrow is pursued through a dark forest by a rabid cat.
Yeah, that's what Ivan thought. Really, the only reason he was here was because of Nataliya. And Alfred. He pursed his lips in boredom.
Speaking of Alfred...when he glanced over, the bespectacled boy's jaw was clenched, and his fingers were digging into the arm rests. Ivan resisted the urge to laugh.
"Alfred?" he asked instead. "Are you all right?"
Alfred drew a breath in through clenched teeth. "I have a bad feeling that there's going to be ghosts in this movie..."
On the screen, a ridiculously phosphorescent, cartoon ghost peeked its way from among the trees. Alfred ground his teeth.
"Are you afraid of ghosts?" Ivan asked mildly. Alfred glowered at him.
"No!" he declared. "They just...freak me out."
"It is a cartoon." Ivan pointed out. That didn't seem to lessen Alfred's glare. Smirking, the Russian turned his wrist so his palm was face up. "You can hold my hand if you get scared."
Alfred was about to respond when something jumped out of the trees on screen. Nataliya laughed in delight. Alfred jolted, and his fingers brushed Ivan's broad palm.
Both boys shivered and Alfred, avoiding Ivan's eyes, yanked his hand away and crossed his arms tightly over his chest in defiance. It was too dark to see if his face was red.
After the movie, Ivan and Katya shared a brief conversation in rapid-fire Russian, and as they walked back Katya purposely distracted Nataliya, leaving the two boys to walk behind them.
Ivan buried his hands deep into his jacket pockets. "I had a very nice time." he said honestly.
"I did too." Alfred answered. "It was...cool. Getting to know you and everything. Even if it was over a movie that wasn't very good."
"Yes." Ivan agreed. "We will have to go see a better movie another day."
Alfred's eyes lit up. "There's supposed to be a really scary horror movie coming out soon!" he said, eagerly shaking Ivan's shoulder in his excitement. "We should go see that!"
Ivan chuckled, and reminded him, "What if there are ghosts in it?"
He could have sworn Alfred's face paled a little bit. "Well, then, I'll just deal with it!" he exclaimed with confidence. "I can deal with anything!"
Ivan laughed - at Alfred's accusing scowl, he shook his head. "I believe you, friend."
Alfred rolled his eyes.
When their shoulders brushed, neither of them bothered to move away.
Monday
When Matt joined Gilbert at the lunch table, he looked like a mixture of disturbed and puzzled all rolled into one.
"What's up, kiddo?" Gilbert asked him as he sat down.
"My brother..." Matt began, causing Gilbert to roll his eyes.
"What now?"
"I don't know." Matt said in exasperation. "He's...he's been following me around since Sunday, asking me...asking..."
"Yeah?" Gilbert was getting impatient. "So what's he asking you?"
Matt looked horror struck at the very idea. "He's asking me how a person figures out if they're gay or not."
There was a pause. Then Gilbert started laughing.
"Oh. Oh, oh, Mattie, this is just too perfect - "
"Not. A. Word." Matt warned him. "Seriously, Gilbert, I don't even want to know what my brother is thinking."
Gilbert, however, was looking over the blonde's shoulder, over where Alfred had his arms crossed and was talking angrily to Ivan, who had a cheerful smile stretched across his face, eyes closed in pleasure.
"That's amazing." Gilbert declared. "I am going to have so much fun with this."
"Gil-l-l-l." Matt sighed. "No."
Gilbert pouted and sat back. "No fair." he complained. "No fair at all."
Matt put his head in his hand and unwrapped his sandwich instead of dignifying his boyfriend with an answer.
--
END
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