Your Warmth

A Russian Waltz

Irene's POV

Over the next few days, Nikolai showed me some more parts of the house, and I helped Ivan with some chores. Often around this time, just after dinner, NIkolai would go and check on Fyodor, and he would usually stay with him for several hours. Sometimes I could faintly hear them speaking Russian. That's another thing, Nikolai and Ivan started teaching me some Russian. It was all just basic stuff, mainly so I could have a simple conversation if need be. Although, I don't think I'll ever come across that. I'm not allowed to leave the house. I can only go to the garden in the back, that's it. Nikolai said Fyodor wants to keep me hidden. Apparently more people know of me than I thought. I haven't seen Fyodor at all. Every now and then I would hear his footsteps in the hallways upstairs, but that was it.

"Good news my dear! I have more time with you tonight than I usually do!" Nikolai announces as he walks into the living room.

"Is that so?"

"Yep! Dostoy got more work done today so I wasn't needed that long." Nikolai walks over to the chair near the couch I'm sitting on. "So, I'll ask a question, how good are you in a fight?"

"Well, I've been trained in martial arts, and I could take down men twice my size." I reply. It's a bit of an odd question, though I know why he's asking it. Despite the fact that it seems neither he nor Fyodor have any intention of letting me out of this house anytime soon, you never know what may happen.

"But could you take down an ability user?" He questions. It's a valid question. I had only fought non ability users before, so I don't really know.

"I suppose it depends on their ability. My ability isn't really of much use in a fight, so I have to rely on manpower."

"Do you think you could beat me in a fight?" He questions with a smirk.

"What's your ability?" I question. I knew he had an ability, but he never told me. Then again I didn't ask because I assumed it wasn't important right now.

"My ability is The Overcoat. Through my coat, I can link a portal up to thirty meters away. It's pretty useful for shoplifting." he smiles.

I can't help but giggle a bit, "I couldn't take you down in a fight. You would outsmart me easily."

"Heh, you may think that, but I believe you could. Of course, you'd have to be really crafty, but I think that if you tried hard enough you could do it." Nikolai stares at me.

"I think you put too much faith in me. You are far smarter than me." I look down at my hands. I doubt that I could ever beat him in a fight. I haven't seen him be that serious yet, but I bet if he wanted to, he could easily wipe me out.

"Well then, to get off of hypotheticals, do you have any hobbies?" He questions softening his gaze.

Hobbies aren't really something I've had time for. I was always busy working, training, or fighting. But, there was one thing I managed to have time for. "The only thing I can think of is I play piano."

"Piano?" He looks shocked. I don't really think it's that shocking of a fact. I mean, I think I look like someone who could play piano, but apparently not. The only reason I ever played piano was because my parents said it would activate another part of my brain that would help with training. I ended up falling in love with it though. It was the only way I could actually connect positive emotions. I would often sneak out and go to an abandoned church that had a piano in it. It didn't play well, and I had to clean it out frequently, but that way my parents wouldn't know I wasn't asleep. I loved that piano. I love the way the sound filled the church. I would often hear songs and try to play them by ear. Occasionally, I would be able to go to the library which sometimes had sheet music available. I would memorize the songs and copy them down on a separate piece of paper just in case I forgot it.