Pulling Through (PruCan) [Under Editing]

CH 7: Are you proud? (edited)

Matthew trembled in the back seat of the odd man's car, his chest felt tight, it was getting hard to breathe due to his panicking. Ivan glanced at him through the review mirror and worriedly frowned, he searched through the glove compartment and got a small brown paper bag.

In fact he had a whole stash of them in there along with a few other items including bandages and a first aid kit. He turned quickly and cautiously handed Matthew the bag. "Here, bring it to your mouth and breathe in and out. It'll help calm you." He instructed quietly. Matthew took the bag and did as he was told, his breathing steadied a bit. "..w-why are you going this?" he removed the bag from his face and looked at Ivan who stared ahead at the road. "Where are you taking me?" Matthew continued on wanting to get some answers.

Ivan nervously fiddled with his plush scarf and cleared his throat, albeit just now he was beginning to regret his actions. A dreadful feeling rested at the bottom of his hollow stomach. Matthew leaned closer against the backseats. "Are you going to hurt me?" he asked wearily Ivan was caught off guard by the question and winced almost like the words had caused pain to him.

He quickly shook his head. "N-no I would never hurt anyone!" Matthew took notice of the worry in Ivan's voice and looked at him from the mirror, his eyes were wide and frantic and his hands trembled as they gripped on the steering wheel. "Then why did you take me?" Matthew asked quietly. "You also hurt Gilbert." He added, Ivan flinched it was easily noticeable by Matthew's eyes.

He looked down at the paper bag in his hands. "I don't think you're the kind of person that would hurt people." He mumbled. "What makes you say that?" Ivan asked, feeling a shred of relief from his words, Matthew thought for a while and looked around. "Well you helped me with my breathing." He stated. "And you have a very colorful first aid kit, I'm guessing it's for children because I saw stickers on it." Ivan was surprised by how observant he was. "And I think the only reason why you're taking me is because you want to help a friend." There. He had hit a nerve.

Ivan turned to an almost empty neighborhood and pulled into a parking lot in front of old looking apartments, they were still pretty decent, they were painted a faded yellow and the windows showed no signs of yellowing. There was a patch of sunflowers growing beside a building where a dog lied lazily on the ground breathing rapidly. Ivan sighed and turned off the car grabbing his phone from his pocket.

Matthew stayed silent and observed him from the backseat, his heart pounded against his chest and he was sure that Ivan could hear it due to how quiet it went. Ivan looked down at his phone almost reluctantly and dialed a number; with a shaky sigh he brought the phone to his ear, the phone dialed and then buzzed. Ivan wanted so much to just forget the current events and drop the boy he kidnapped back to Gilbert, but everything was already set in motion.

He couldn't turn back now. "Hello?" the feminine voice answered from the other line. "Ah Elizabeta I..I got some news." Ivan stammered. "Oh great! Did you pick up my Gilbert for me?" Elizabeta chirped happily. "Well not exactly." Ivan answered. "I got his lover instead, the boy you told me about." Each word he spoke felt like a punch to the stomach. "What!? Why woul-" there was a sudden pause.

Then a gasp. "Oh I see! Using him as a hostage to reel Gilbert in! You're smart my friend." Elizabeta laughed. "I'll be there in about thirty minutes or so wait for me there love." And with that the call abruptly ended. Ivan dropped his hand on his lap and looked down. "Natalya...Katyusha...are you proud yet?" he whispered to himself.

He then hopped out the car opening the back door for Matthew since he had put children's locks on all the doors except his, Matthew reluctantly climbed out and winced when his bare feet came in contact with the cold concrete. "I live here for now, please don't be frightened." Ivan said, gently leading him to a building, and then going to a worn door that had a picture of a beautiful sunflower painted onto it.

Ivan searched for the keys in his unusually thick jacket, it was only fresh out yet there he was almost a bit over exaggerating with the coat and scarf. Matthew looked around knowing all too well that he wouldn't be able to run away. "Here it is." Ivan silently cheered to himself and unlocked the door and opened it revealing a nice and tidy living room and kitchen.

There was two small rooms in the back, Ivan allowed Matthew to enter and closed the door behind him. "What are you going to do?" Matthew asked. "Nothing, I wont let anything bad happen to you." Ivan reassured. "I don't hurt people." He said, Matthew wondered if he said that to him or himself, either way he was still a bit reassured that nothing bad would actually happen.

Ivan nervously looked away and unbuttoned his coat, the intensity was a bit too much for him his chest was tight and it was getting hard to breathe. Matthew stayed a few feet away from him wearily watching his every move, there he came to see that Ivan wasn't thick and burly as he thought he would be. Ivan shrugged off his coat and threw it on a counter close by, his skin was a milky pale, and he wore a soft heather gray long sleeve that hung loosely on his shoulders.

Matthew kept quiet and flinched when they met each others gaze. "Ihm, are you hungry?" Ivan asked. "No..thank you." Matthew answered shakily. "I want to go home, I want Gilbert." He pleaded. "I'm sorry but I can't take you back." Ivan stated. "why?" Matthew asked. Ivan looked at him. "Because he's already on his way here." He glumly smiled.

Matthew perked up. "Really?" he gasped. "Yes, so please make yourself at home. Let's just hope he gets here in time." Ivan sat at the small living room sitting at his couch, Matthew took notice of how quiet and lonely it was there. He slightly frowned and hesitantly sat beside Ivan. "Do you live alone?" he asked quietly. "..for now.." Ivan mumbled. "Why are you here?" Matthew continued. "I was kicked out of my home.." Ivan nervously messed with his scarf, it slipped off a little exposing his neck. It was covered with bandages.

Matthew looked away. "You don't have to live alone you know." He said in a quiet voice. "You can always invite a friend or adopt a pet." He pulled his legs close to his chest. "Being alone is scary don't you think?" Ivan was moved by his words, tears filled his purple eyes. "Yes...it's terrifying." He agreed and wiped away the tears from his eyes taking a shaky breath. "My name is Ivan Braginsky." He introduced himself.

Matthew gaped at him and then slightly smiled at him. "I'm Matthew, Matthew Williams." He then introduced himself only to be cut off with a coughing fit, Ivan bolted from the couch remembering that Matthew needed his tank to help him breathe. He dashed to the small kitchen and looked through the cupboards and cabinets, as he frantically searched for a certain bag he stepped on his scarf, it fell from around his neck now hanging loosely on his shoulders just like the thin sweater he was wearing.

He gave a shaky sigh of relief and grabbed ahold of the plastic bag before returning to Matthew who was looking at him the whole time. "H-here." Ivan stammered and handed the bag to Matthew who examined the bag in his hands. "Balloons?" he questioned, Ivan nodded. "It's to help strengthen your lungs." He said with a small smile, Matthew nodded and took out a red balloon from the bag and then handing it to Ivan. "You should too." He suggested. "Right, thank you." Ivan grabbed a yellow one.

Matthew found it a bit difficult at first but successfully blew the balloon, he pinched the bottom holding in the air and pulled it away from his lips. "I got it!" he exclaimed happily, Ivan smiled. "That's great!" he cheered for him. "As long as you work out your lungs they'll get stronger." He stated. Matthew smiled. "Thank you Ivan." He looked down at the balloon in his hand and tied it.

As both blew balloons with smiles on their faces the time was soon interrupted, there was a knock at the door causing both Ivan and Matthew to jump frightfully, Ivan shakily stood. "It's okay, I'm capable of protecting others." He reassured in a calming tone. Matthew slightly nodded. "O-okay.." he stuttered but suddenly flinched when a voice was heard.

"Ivan open up!" Ivan's eyes went wide as he soon recognized the voice, Matthew flinched. They were finally here.