DARLING (RusCan)

Darling 5

  8 am Monday, December 21st.
Matthew was awaiting Natalya's return with douceurs or knives, whichever she chose. Matthew was afraid she'd carve out his plexus, the thought of killing him would adrenalize her, but the sound of knocking made his heart jump.
"Matvey, are you awake?" It was Ivan, probably wanting to talk to Matthew.
"Ivan?" Matthew pressed his ear against the door. "Is Natalya with you?"
"Why would she be?" Ivan sounded impatient. "Did she threaten you again?"
"No, she hasn't visited." Matthew touted. "I have to work today, Ivan."
"I do as well, but I brought a gift." Matthew heard a bag rustle.
He opened his maple wood door and welcomed Ivan inside. Kumajirou cavorted onto Ivan, yelping joyously. Matthew was nonplussed at Kumajirou's sudden change in attitude. Ivan stroked the dog's long, ivory fur.
"I think he's grown fond of you." Matthew smiled nervously.
"I just wanted to give you a gift in return." Ivan placed a small box on the table. "Since you went out of your way to make me the pin, I decided to get something of my own."
"Merci, Ivan." Matthew cradled the hoary box wrapped in rufescent ribbons. He gently removed the ribbons and the lid to catch sight of a silver bracelet attached to a reddish maple jewel juxtaposed to a polar bear pendant. "A bear..." Matthew affixed the bracelet to his wrist.
"I noticed the little bear paintings you have hung around your house." Ivan pointed at a canvas with two polar bears depicted side by side. "I thought you'd appreciate this."
"Merci, chéri." Matthew brushed his long blond hair from his eyes.
"Anyway, I heard you usually carpool with your idiot brother to work." Ivan stepped out onto the porch. "I'll see you later this afternoon."
"W-wait," Matthew's hand brushed against Ivan's arm in an attempt to stop him. "We could carpool together if you don't mind."
"Da, Matvey. You could carpool with me." Ivan rubbed the area on his coat that Matthew touched.
Matthew moved closer to Ivan, feeling like Ivan was sirenic and singing out to his loneliness. Matthew bootstrapped his way through life; he didn't want to be alone anymore. He wasn't the most altiloquent due to years of people forsaking him; he couldn't verbalize his feelings.
They walked in silence to Ivan's car, letting thoughts spin through Matthew's head. Matthew wanted to say how he felt, but he's only felt rejection throughout his life. Ivan reached into his pocket for his keys but stopped when he felt Matthew leaning against him.
"Maybe I'm just tired..." Matthew rubbed his eyes. "I'm sorry."
Ivan reached his arms around Matthew and lifted him. Matthew's eyes widened in surprise, but he was too startled to protest. Ivan pried open his car door and gently set Matthew in the passenger's seat. Matthew stared at Ivan blankly, but his heart pounded at volant speed.
"Ivan..." Matthew felt his face heating up.
Ivan started driving, ignoring Matthew who was practically melting in the seat beside him. Matthew covered his face with his hands in an attempt to hide his embarrassment. Ivan leaned over and tapped Matthew's shoulder, making Mathew squeak.
"You act like a puppy who's never felt love before." Ivan rubbed Matthew's shoulder sympathetically. "It's alright, Natalya would threaten anyone who tried to get close to me."
Matthew moved his hand onto Ivan's, grasping it tightly. They rode in silence for the remainder of the ride; nothing needed to be said, only felt.
------ 16h
Matthew was coming up with ways to prognosticate if Natalya would be with Ivan for their ride home, and how to prepare for that scenario. Matthew gently cleaned his glasses, waiting for Ivan to arrive. He heard a familiar voice that had always been louder than his and had drowned his prideless self out.
"Alfred?" Matthew turned his head.
"Oh, Mattie." Alfred scratched the back of his head. "You didn't carpool with us, so I assumed that you drove yourself. Your car isn't anywhere."
"Matthew, who did you come to work with?" Arthur asked blatantly. "Did Feliciano and Ludwig drive you?"
"Actually..." Matthew stepped back. "I did come with someone else..."
Ivan slowly pulled up in front of Matthew and his company. Alfred's face empurpled with rage. Arthur held onto Alfred's arm and pulled him backward. He whispered into Alfred's ear to calm down while eyeing Ivan. Ivan growled and unlocked his car, allowing Matthew to get in. Matthew ignored Alfred and Arthur, hoping their anger wouldn't disseminate eventually.
"Ivan, I'm sorry." Matthew's eyes welled up with tears.
"Why are you sorry?" Ivan pulled Matthew close with one arm.
"I don't know why Alfred hates you so much..." Matthew rubbed his eyes. "But you're the only one to make me feel like more than just my brother's lesser half."
"Does he make you feel that way?" Ivan gently petted Matthew's head as he sobbed. "Don't cry, Matvey, you're supposed to be the jovial one of us."
Ivan stopped his car in front of Matthew's house and stopped the engine. He consoled Matthew as Matthew held onto Ivan's arm. Ivan sighed as Katyusha tapped on the window.
"Ivan, is Mattie okay?" Katyusha asked in a tender voice. "What happened?"
"It doesn't matter, is Natalya home?" Ivan helped Matthew out of his car.
Katyusha shook her head. "Nyet, she left and didn't say anything."
Ivan grunted. "And you didn't think that was suspicious? She might have a drivel plan."
"Let's get Matthew settled inside," Katyusha stroked Matthew's hair. "Make yourself at home, da?"
"Merci..." Matthew spoke shakily. "Ivan..."
Ivan carefully picked up and carried Matthew to his couch and gently set him down. Matthew's nose scrunched from the scent of vodka in the room. His head spun from the stench of alcohol surrounding him. Katyusha opened a window and handed him a glass of water. He whiffed the water in an attempt to find traces of alcohol, but to his surprise it was clean.
"I'm going to go find Natalya; it's getting late." Katyusha zipped up her jacket. "My dear Ivan, please take care of Matthew."
"Da, Yekaterina." Ivan patted Matthew's back. "Do you want more water-"
"Don't leave." Matthew interrupted.
"Come again?" Ivan cocked his head.
"Ne pars pas, père." Matthew rubbed his eyes. "Ils ne remarquent pas."
"What are you saying, Matvey."
"Je suis une ombre de Alfred." Mathew fell into Ivan's arms. "Mère nouvelle est signifier. Très signifier."
"You're lost, aren't you?" Ivan sighed. "In your memory."
---
It was high school, during lunch. An unknowing girl came up to Matthew, her long brown hair tied into braids. She was wearing a newly bought virescent dress to compliment her gold eyes. She tapped on Matthew's shoulder and was met with a surprise when he turned around. She held her pink, heart-shaped letter closer to her.
"Xin lổi!" ‎Trần's eyes widened. "I thought you were someone else."
Matthew frowned when he saw the pink letter in her hands, the scent of flowers emitted from it. "Alfred is around the corner with Arthur."
"Cảm ơn!" Trần ran past him, leaving Matthew all alone.
Matthew has never felt a love letter in his hand; he has never given one either. He looked up from his pitiful sulking to see a tall, beige haired man standing before him. He shrieked, knowing his brother did not want him around this man.
"Je suis désolé!" Matthew tried to run, but his legs were paralyzed with fear. "I don't want any trouble."
"I didn't mean to startle you, Matthew." The man smiled as he placed a hand on Matthew's shoulder.
"How do you know my name?" Matthew gasped.
"Well, you're that American idiot's brother, da?" Matthew looked down in dismay realizing he would always be known as Alfred's brother. "You seem like the more sensible one, anyway I'm waiting for someone."
Trần ran around the corner, tears in her eyes. Alfred had rejected her, as he did every other girl. No one believed he was with Arthur; most believed it was a lie to get girls away from him. Trần stopped in front of the tall man.
"Braginski, he rejected me." She rubbed her mascara from her cheeks. "I didn't think he really would..."
"You didn't listen to me." The man took his hand off of Matthew. "Come on, let's go find Katyusha and get you cleaned up."
Matthew touched his shoulder, feeling the man's warmth still resonating. He watched the two walk away from him before he felt a swift blow to the side of his head. He toppled over, looking up at a girl with long blond hair and a pure-white bow.
"Don't ever go near my brother again, understood?" The woman held Matthew's head up by his hair; he could only nod. "Good. Now to that Chung Liên girl, she should get tired of him soon..."
----
Matthew woke up in his own house on his sunflower couch. His keys were placed neatly on his counter; nothing seemed out of place. He mouthed 'Ivan' while looking at the clock. It was nearly midnight. Matthew closed his eyes, trying to remember his dream but nothing returned to him.