DARLING (RusCan)

Darling 2

 8 am Saturday, December 19th.

Matthew awoke the next morning, feeling helpless for his current situation gave him little to no leniency. He envisaged seeing Ivan or hiding away until the day of the event. His thoughts were postponed, Kumajirou was barking at the reverberating doorbell.

Matthew quickly brushed his teeth and threw on a maple patterned hoodie. He couldn't see anything clearly through the peephole. Matthew pressed his ear against the door, but he could only hear inaudible mumbling of a foreign language.

"Qui es-tu?" Matthew chimed, the voices ceased. "Mon père? Est-ce vous?"

"Matvey, open the door," Ivan demanded. "We need a plan, da? I brought Katyusha over."

"B-bonjour? You're French, right?" He heard a soft feminine voice, sounded almost maternal. "My name is Katyusha Yekaterina Braginski, nice to meet you."

Matthew unlocked the door and opened it to his two guests, Kumajirou excitedly leaped and licked Katyusha's face. Katyusha cooed over the dog and softly stroked his fur. She complimented his adoring looks and repeatedly called him handsome.

"Matvey, we need to devise something believable," Ivan stated in a pressing tone. "My father, зима, won't believe just anything. We need to convince him that we are together before I'm stuck in an arranged marriage with Natalya."

"Natalya? Didn't you say she's your sister?" Matthew cocked his head.

"She's not my biological sister. She's a family friend who Kat has been close to for many years. We see her as our family." Ivan sighed. "Please understand I do not want to marry her."

Matthew heard the door open. It was the same blond woman with a neat pearl-white bow sitting on her head. She glared at Matthew while slowly walking over to Ivan and grasping his arm.

"Brother, why are you at this pest's house?" Her voice was gentle, but her aura was malicious. "Father said he would approve of our marriage, darling, we should start planning." She rubbed her cheek against his arm.

"Natalya, it doesn't matter if you want to marry me, I'm sure my father would only use you as a last resort." Ivan spat.

"My darling, have you found someone else yet?" Natalya looked around the room. "Is that what this is about?" She rushed to Matthew and grabbed him by the collar. "Is that why you're here?"

"Natalya Arlovskaya, hands off of Matvey." Ivan was stern. "It is not your business to know my relationships."

Matthew let out a little squeak of fear as Natalya let go. She smiled, but her intent lingered. She adjusted her bow and hair with her long, slender fingers. She was beautifully sinister.

"My name is Natalya Arlovskaya, or soon to be Braginski. You are my brother's friend, yes?" She grinned.

"Nat, you're scaring him." Katyusha pulled Natalya back. "Give the boy some space."

"That's a boy?" Natalya cackled while brushing Matthew's hair to the side. "Well, my brother isn't gay for all I know."

"O-oh?" Matthew quivered, while Ivan cringed at Natalya's comment. "I don't want to get in your way but..."

Ivan linked his arm to Matthew's. "We are together Natalya, whether you like it or not." Katyusha squealed with delight. "I would advise you to make a smart decision and leave. You've done nothing but bother my partner and me." Ivan cringed at his own words.

Natalya's eyes ignited with an undefinable fury as she stormed out. She cursed in another language Matthew couldn't understand, but he knew she was plotting against him and threatening him. She just wanted her 'darling' all to herself. For as long as Ivan could remember, Natalya treated him like property that no one else could touch. She drove away his friends and tried to push away Katyusha, but Kat valued her dear brother Ivan too much to be driven away by some girl. Natalya maintained her mindset that Ivan was only her's. He was always her 'darling' and beloved beau. When they were younger, Katyusha made Ivan a scarf for the winter, but it sparked the jealousy inside of Natalya. To counter her outbreak, he purchased her a white ribbon. She cherished the ribbon and refused to let it go.

During their high school years, Ivan had no interest in anyone, not even Natalya. He only had piqued interest in a certain boy, but that boy was consistently alienated and refused to talk to Ivan. Ivan saw the boy accompanied by a narcissist, die-hard patriot, and irritable bookworm.

On the contrary, Natalya was offered dates by men and women, but she denied them all. People were betting on who could win her heart; she was faithful to Ivan. Ivan was the only one for her, only he could concede to her love.

"Ivan..." Matthew held Ivan's arm. "Is she going to come back?"

"I don't know, Matvey." Ivan sighed. "We wouldn't have had to do this if my father called in advance. Now we're on a time crunch."

"H-how long have you been living here?" Matthew uttered.

"About a month or two."

"Mr. Braginski, could you explain the whole situation?"

"Let's all sit down." Ivan relaxed on Matthew's couch as Katyusha sat on the floor next to Kumajirou. "My father called in about a week ago stating that he'd be visiting on Christmas. If I didn't find someone already, he'd arrange a marriage between Natalya and me. Natalya's family agreed, but I strongly oppose it."

"Oh, why didn't you-?"

"He doesn't have any real friends." Katyusha chimed in, seeing Ivan's annoyed face. "I'm sorry, brother."

"I think we should come up with a plan, da?" Ivan faked a smile. "We should first learn more about each other. I'll go first; my birthday is June 12th; I like the color red and vodka."

"Oh, my birthday is July 1st. I like maple syrup and red too." Matthew pipped.

Ivan's phone rang and he grimaced at the caller's name before he answered. Matthew could faintly hear a deep voice on the other end; Ivan seemed upset with whoever was calling. He growled and responded to the mysterious caller in Russian. The person's tone of voice became more grave and raised their voice. Ivan sighed and ended the call.

"That was our father, wasn't it?" Katyusha asked in a melancholy tone. "What does he want now?"

"I explained that I found someone and couldn't marry Natalya," Ivan said. "He said he wants proof that I'm dating Matvey. We have to send him a photo of 3 dates."

"We could go out tonight if you don't mind," Matthew whispered to Ivan. "We could knock out 3 dates in a week."

Ivan stood up and adjusted his scarf. "I'll text you the time and place, be there."