𝔗𝔥𝔦𝔰 𝔪𝔲𝔰𝔱 𝔟𝔢 𝔴𝔯𝔬𝔫𝔤 (𝔉𝔶𝔬𝔩𝔞𝔦)

7: ℭ𝔬𝔫𝔣𝔯𝔬𝔫𝔱𝔞𝔱𝔦𝔬𝔫

 a/n: I should preface this by saying this chapter is actually not the one I wanted to write. That may sound weird so I'll explain. I had intended for this to be the chapter in which Fyodor and Nikolai go on their date, but the more I tried to write it i realized I would have to split up Fyodor returning to school and their date into 2 different chapters. This is probably my least favorite chapter so far, but I hope you'll still enjoy it!

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  "Oh, you will visit over the summer, won't you dear?" Fyodor's grandmother asked, her eyes glistening with tears.

  "I will, I promise." He squeaked, struggling to breathe in her unrelenting hug. It wasn't as if he'd have a choice in the matter anyway. A few more goodbyes were exchanged, most including his grandmother showering him with hugs and kisses, before Fyodor walked out to his mother's car. She was already waiting for him, so he quickly got inside.

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  Over the course of his life, Fyodor had learned that his mother was a master of silence. Whether she was sad, angry, or any other sort of thing, she could make someone feel it without saying a word. He owed much of his technique to her. That's why as soon as he got in the car, he could tell something was wrong. As they backed out of the driveway, Fyodor decided that staying silent was the best course of action. If there was something really wrong, she would tell him eventually.

  He thought back upon the last two weeks. They had been uneventful, save for his...incident, he'd even gotten some books he'd wanted for Christmas. Remembering that he had packed one of them in his backpack, Fyodor reached over to get it. "I want you to tell me something." His mother's tone was harsh, nothing unusual for her.

  "Yes mother?" Fyodor asked calmly. Whatever it was, he could handle it.

  "That boy you're friends with, how close are you?"

  Fyodor couldn't ignore the way his stomach dropped. Maintaining a straight face, he recited the line he had practiced over and over again.

  "It's as I said, we're just classmates, nothing more." He said it so sincerely, deep down wishing that it was true, that he only thought of Nikolai as a friend. He hoped, prayed even, that his mother would believe it. Once again he was met with silence, but he could tell by the way his mother's eyebrows twitched, she had something more to say. "You know Fyodor, I only have your best interests at heart, so... please understand that."

  "... I do, mother." He lied, feeling that familiar nervousness settle upon his shoulders. His mother sighed.

  "Then you'll understand why I went through your messages."

Oh.

  Fyodor wasn't oblivious, he knew his mother had no problem poking her nose into his personal things, his phone included, so he had deleted all the messages pertaining to his and Nikolai's date. Still, the fact that she felt the need to bring it up worried him. "I think there's more to that boy than you've let on." She stated. "You two seemed quite close over text." Fyodor shifted in his seat. It would still be at least an hour before they arrived at his school. Wonderful.

  "It's...really not like that, he just needs someone to talk to." Yet another lie. "Most of the other students don't talk to him." That part, as much as it hurt to say, wasn't entirely false. After all, they did start as friends. It was a rough term, considering Nikolai had just continued to pester him until he realized Fyodor was un-phased by his antics. He could never really pinpoint the exact moment they had become friends, just that they weren't, and then they were.

  "You don't need to feel pity for him. If anything, he might be a bad influence on you." Fyodor could sense the unfamiliar feeling of rage beginning to quell within him. How could she say such a thing? He choked down a few choice words and simply sat in an uncomfortable silence that lasted the rest of their drive.

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  Fyodor sighed as his school's bell tower came into view. He looked up at the place where he and Nikolai had watched the sunrise and realized that he finally felt at home. His mother helped him get his things into his dorm building before leaving with a simple "Goodbye."

  It came as no surprise to Fyodor when he heard a knock at his door. He hadn't even been back for ten minutes, but he gladly opened the door. He swore that Nikolai was glowing, he really did look pretty in the glow of the setting sun. "You look...well, I'll be honest, you look terrible." Nikolai said with a grin. It was true, Fyodor's eyes were darker than ever, he had hardly eaten in the time that he was sick, and overall he was disheveled. When Nikolai went in to hug him he just (quite literally) fell into his arms.

  "I missed you..." Fyodor mumbled into his sweater. He practically melted as he felt Nikolai's warm hand gently combed through his hair.

  "Get some sleep, okay? I'll come to get you in a few hours." Fyodor stepped back and yawned.

  "What are you planning?" He raised an eyebrow and eyed Nikolai suspiciously.

  "Just be patient Fedya, you'll see soon enough~" The other replied, giggling to himself as he turned and walked back towards his own room.

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  Fyodor slept soundly, and wasn't even phased when he awoke to find Nikolai standing at the edge of his bed once again.