"Look, Matt, are you sure you're ready to take on Ivan Braginsky?" Eduard Von Bock asked his friend Matthew Williams as they walked to the library together. His wire-rimmed glasses slid to the end of his nose and his pushed them back up in a rush. "He's scary as hell. I had him for a roommate last year before he joined that fraternity, and I barely slept unless I was staying with a friend. Just the thought of him makes me nervous." The abroad student from Estonia trembled slightly. "He's just so creepy."
Matthew Williams smiled confidently. "I'm sure I can do it," he said, voice matching his smile. "There is no student I've tutored who has ever flunked. I mean, you've met my brother, the quarterback on the college football team?"
"I didn't know you and Alfred Jones were brothers!" Eduard exclaimed. "But now that I think about it you two do look very similar. Think you could get me into some sweet parties?"
Matthew sighed. "Let's just go do our jobs," he groaned, pushing Eduard toward the library. "Who do you have today anyway?"
Eduard smirked back at him. "Wouldn't you just like to know?" he asked. "I actually have Jett Wilson, captain of the rugby team."
"Good luck with that one," Matthew snorted, trying to hold back laughter. "I heard he's been tossed from tutor to tutor because no one can teach him anything. If you can't teach him, I guess it's my job next."
"Are you saying you're a better tutor than me?" Eduard demanded.
Matthew walked into the library and saw Ivan waiting at a table for him. "Oh, look, there's Ivan. I'd better get going. Have fun with your Australian, mate," he said before hustling off. He loved it when he could have the last word.
"Alfred Jones?" Ivan asked, looking up at Matthew when he walked over. "What are you doing in a library? I thought the most you could do with a book is throw it across a field."
"I'm actually his half-brother," Matthew softly said, sitting down next to Ivan and extending his hand to him. "My name's Matthew Williams. I'm pleased to meet you, Ivan."
Ivan shook Matthew's hand. "Yes, I see a difference now," he said. "Your hair is longer, and you have a much quieter voice. I think I like you more already. Plus you are willing to help others without asking for anything in return. You are very kind, Matthew."
"Don't mention it, Ivan," Matthew said, smiling. "It's just what I do. It makes me feel better knowing that I can help someone who is struggling with something that I'm good at, and maybe one day they might return the favor for me or someone else."
Ivan smiled. "I see what you are saying. Da, you are nothing like your brother. You are much, much nicer. I hope he learns thing or two from you one day, Matthew."
Matthew felt his cheeks turn red. Usually only little, old people at the grocery store complimented him this much. What was up with this guy? He wasn't scary at all! What the hell was going through Eduard's head when he thought that? If anything, Ivan reminded Matthew of a little, old lady at the store or laundromat.
"Thank you," Matthew finally said. He pulled out his English book and smiled. English was his favorite subject. It was such a beautifully frustrating language to learn and teach. "What do you say we get started on English, Ivan? From your accent, I'm guessing it's not your native tongue?"
Ivan frowned. "Da, your guess is correct," he admitted. "I grew up in Russia and only started speaking English a few years ago. I still have slight trouble reading and writing it, you see. But hopefully with your tutoring, I can learn it a little better and can make even more friends than I already have." His discouraged frown turned to a happy smile. "Wait, does this make us friends, Matthew Williams?"
"I guess it can," Matthew said with a shrug. "I wouldn't mind being friends with you, Ivan."
"That makes me pleasure smile!" the Russian frat boy said, smiling widely.
Matthew made a mental note to teach him a better phrase for smiling. He figured that a guy from his fraternity taught him that phrase to play a trick on him. That made him wonder how angry Ivan would be if he were to break the news to him. Just the thought of that made Matthew decide it would be best not to. Ivan was very big and tough looking. Now he was starting to understand why Eduard would possibly be scared of him if he were angry.
"So what parts of English do you need help with?" Matthew asked, looking over at Ivan.
"Pretty much all of it," Ivan admitted, smiling sheepishly. "I feel so stupid sometimes, Matthew."
"You don't need to," Matthew said. "English is not my native tongue either, Ivan. I had to learn it just like you did. You see, I'm from Canada, but not just any part of it. I'm from the part where most people speak French, which is French Canada. So I spoke only French until I was fifteen. I'm nineteen now, so I've only been speaking English for four years."
"How did you get so good at it, Matthew?" Ivan asked, eyes widening in awe.
"I studied my ass off," Matthew said. "And then there was that whole fiasco with my dad having a lover on a business trip to America and suddenly I had a brother who spoke fluent English and only English, so I had to learn English to talk to him." He sighed. "It was a hassle, but I learned quickly. It was a little crazy."
"I admire you, Matthew," Ivan said. "I would never be able to learn a whole language so quickly." He shook his head, smiling "I don't know how you did it, but that is simply amazing."
Matthew felt himself blushing, but tried to control it. He didn't want to be labeled as "that one gay nerd", even though that was technically what he was. He had always known that men were his heart's desire, but he never really told anyone because he knew that his brother would find some way to make a joke out of it. Alfred was always one to make gay jokes, when Matthew was almost certain that Alfred was in love with that British guy who tutored him, though he couldn't exactly put a name to the tutor.
"Thanks," Matthew softly said. "Now what do you say we get started?" He opened the book and took a deep breath as the blush left his cheeks.
"I don't think so," Ivan said, using his finger to close the text book.
The young Canadian looked up at him. "Wait, what?" His blue-violet eyes stared up at Ivan, who was gazing back with his violet eyes that were nearly hidden behind silvery-blond bangs. There was something strange about the way Ivan was staring at him, though. "What are you…?"
Ivan put a finger to Matthew's lips. "I'm not bad at English, you know," he said. "I chose you because you were cute. Let's face it, you wouldn't talk to me otherwise, da?"
"I wouldn't say that," Matthew struggled to awkwardly say. "You're pretty handsome as well…" His voice trailed off. Ivan was a frat boy. He knew this was a prank, especially because he had mistaken him for Alfred at first. That meant, if anything, Ivan had an interest in Alfred. Not him.
"You think so?" Ivan asked, blushing.
Matthew wasn't falling for it. "I know what you're up to," he said. "It's not going to work. You thought I was Alfred when I first got here. I know you're interested in him, and not me."
Ivan looked offended. "Interested in Alfred Jones?" he asked, scoffing. "That's just insulting to even accuse me of? He's arrogant and self-centered. You take time out of your day to help others. What does that say about you, Matthew? And besides," he leaned toward Matthew so only he would hear, "I've always liked longer hair on men."
The Canadian felt his heart leap up into his throat, pounding a mile a minute. His head felt like it was spinning. What was truly going on? "And you're interested in me?" he asked, trying to get confirmation.
"Do I need to say it again?" Ivan asked. "Da, I am."
Matthew thought for a moment. "Come with me, I know a book we could use." He led the way toward a part of the library that he knew no one ever went to.
"But…" Ivan tried to protest, but he still went along anyway. "If you're insistent on studying then…"
Matthew turned around once they were alone. "I think you're just irresistible," he softly said, certain that no one could hear them. "And all I've ever had hit on me were these stupid American guys. I'm sick of them." His cheeks were burning as he gazed up at the Russian. "I can't take it anymore. If you're serious about being interested in me, then please kiss me, Ivan."
"I've never met someone so timid yet so forward," Ivan commented, yet he did not hesitate in pulling Matthew over by his waist, softly pressing his lips to his.
Matthew broke off the kiss, shaking his head. "This won't work if you're going to kiss me like that," he commented. "Now kiss me for real, Ivan. I know you can do it."
Ivan grinned at him. It wasn't like he needed to be asked twice. He pressed a fevered, passionate kiss to Matthew's lips, smiling into it as Matthew ran his fingers through those silvery locks. Never in his life had he ever met a "nerd" like this one, but he was glad he had.
"You know," Matthew said as they pulled away to catch their breaths, "perhaps your English is just fine." He took a moment to catch his breath before winking and saying, "Maybe we can try French next."