Little Bird
*Doesn't know how to describe this one-shot*
Heavily based on Imogen Heap's song, Little Bird. ((ORLY))
Tried out that new writing style again, it's kind of fun. Starts off with not mentioning their names, but adds them after they introduce each other.
Shining amber eyes looked up at staring, seemingly violet eyes up above. It was the third day they had locked eyes with each other. The pale hand behind the window held up one finger- just a moment, please. The lithe figure on perfectly cut grass stopped its slow walking, waiting for the boy upstairs to come back.
He sat his body down, assuming the boy would take long. Contrary to his prediction, the silver-haired teen came back, with a strange looking ladder, one made of rope. An eyebrow was raised, but the body on the ground stood up, and began to walk towards the lofty balcony. The ladder was let down, and he tested its strength by pulling on it firmly down below.
The oriental looked up at the boy, waiting for a invitation to come up, even though the ladder was enough of a gesture. A pale hand waved upwards, "Climb up, I won't let you fall." And with that his acquaintance on the ground started its journey up. Muscles working, arms grasping the ropes above, nimble legs following closely behind. Once up, strong hands pulled the light body onto the ivory balcony, bringing up the ladder next.
"Hello," the taller boy started.
"Hello..."
"Do you want to be friends? I've seen you around my house, and... you look interesting."
A small laugh, this boy was strange,"We can be friends, and yes, I was admiring your garden, it's so well kept, and your house looks very nice as well."
A delusive smile spread across the other's face, "Thank you," he thought, "I would bring you inside, but I don't want someone to find you."
"I am fine out here."
"I will bring you some things so you will feel comfortable," he said while putting up one finger again, and walking inside, closing the glass door and curtains.
Ebony hair blew lightly in the wind. He looked out from his tall perch, observing the house. Perfectly carved, clean cut ivory, rich and elaborate to match the perfectly cut lawn and garden. He could only imagine the extravagant decor inside...
Interrupting his thoughts, his acquaintance came out again, carrying two or three thick blankets, an umbrella, pillows, and a glass of water.
"You may sleep on this blanket, and cover yourself with this one. I hope these are enough pillows for you."
Dark honey eyes grew wide, then narrowed, was he keeping him here? After quickly running the idea through his mind, he found it would be better to stay here. He would probably get away from his suddenly violent and controlling brother, his family seemed rich anyways...
He found himself nodding and helping him spread out the cloth, then laying out the pillows. To his surprise, the blankets seemed to be made of cheap material. Not thin, just made of cheap material... Scrap cloth, perhaps? Now that he noticed it, the pillows seemed to be filled with cloth as well, and the umbrella seemed tattered. His lips spoke nothing of his discovery, and he graciously sat down, then quietly smiled up at his new friend.
Little Bird, Little Bird, what do you see?
"I will bring you clothes later. Your current clothes are not warm enough."
Dark hair bounced slightly as he nodded in response.
"I must be going now. I will talk to you again tonight, use the umbrella to shade you from the sun."
Another nod, and a wave as he walked back into the house.
Opening the umbrella, he thought. Was he really going to stay here? If so, how long? He found this new boy interesting, handsome, even. Strange though, very strange. A chill went through him, he had this weird feeling that they've met before.
But where?
Suddenly curious of his family, maybe that would give him clues of why he felt that, he opened the door a little bit, eavesdropping.
"Toris? Do you know where my painting went?"
"I have no idea, Ravis. You know stuff like that is always disappearing..."
Was their house haunted? He kept listening, ignoring the goosebumps on his skin.
"Elizabeta, stop listening to that station, before Ivan finds you, and sends you to your room again." A motherly voice warned.
A stark memory of hunger flashed through her brain, and she quickly changed it.
Who was Ivan? Listening to their conversations only made him confused...
Little Bird, Little Bird, what do you hear?
The click of boots sounded as a large figure descended the polished stairs, it was almost silent downstairs, save for a few whispers, and noises from work being done. He walked into the kitchen, where three women were cooking. Two of them smiled sweetly at him, while the brunette kept her lips in a straight line.
He casually went to ring the bell, notifying others in the house that it was dinner time. Members of the house quietly took their seats at the table.
"Good evening." he greeted, and was answered by similar mumblings.
He passed out food; if you were a maid, or something of that sort, you got more food. His lips formed into a frown when he came upon the brainy one of the house. Giving him significantly less food, along with the ones he favoured the least.
After silently eating, the members scattered again, and the maids picked up the plates to wash. Thinking of his friend up on the balcony, he took a serving of food and discreetly brought it upstairs on a plate.
Hearing footsteps coming upstairs, he quickly closed the glass sliding door. The oriental boy heard little bits of conversations, like how this boy, Ravis was often missing paintings and valuables. Also how, Elizabeta couldn't listen to certain radio stations...
Sitting back down on his makeshift bed, he waited for his friend. It was dark out, and he had retired his umbrella for the day. The curtains were spread, and the glass door opened, the smell of food filled his nostrils.
"Here is dinner. We can talk now." he said while giving his new companion a plate filled with steaming food.
"Thank you," he said, then started to eat.
The taller man sat down and leaned against the stone wall, "Is it good?"
"Yes."
His unique eyes scanned the nighttime sky, then smiled, "Silly me, I have not asked for your name yet."
"Wang Yao, and yours?"
"Ivan Braginski."
Nothing was said for a while, until the plate was cleaned.
"I have your clothes you can change into."
The clothes given were slightly tattered, an army uniform.
"It is warmer than your current clothes. It gets cold out here..."
He removed his clothes and quickly replaced them. When he was done, he sat down, and looked at the boy. His hair was a bit long, framing his face- messy. His eyes were lovely, but looked tired, lonely.
"Oh! I have a picture of my family to show you." he suddenly said, and pulled out a frame.
Small hands now held it, and amber eyes scanned it thoughtfully.
The family looked happy and perfect, "I found you," he whispered as he pointed to the person in the middle of it all.
"Yes, and those are my two sisters, and all the others are adopted."
A lot were adopted.
"Who's that?"
"That's my adopted dad, Joseph. He's dead now, but I have a new dad."
"Oh..."
Now that he looked closer, the smiles on all their faces looked very strained.
"What about your family, Yao?"
"I have a very big family too, they are all sort of adopted, except for one. They are a pain sometimes, but I still love them. Oh, and by the way, I am the oldest."
Another wide smile on his friend's face, "Your family sounds fun."
"Your family looks nice."
Suddenly out of nowhere, he said,"I like you, Yao. You are just as interesting as I thought you would be, if not more."
"Thank you. You are very kind and interesting as well, Ivan," Yao just replied to be polite, Ivan was interesting, but didn't understand how he could be- Ivan barely knew anything about him...
They exchanged mutual smiles for a while.
"I am glad we are friends."
"Me too."
His new friend seemed all the more familiar. Perhaps they met when they were younger. It was possible. Their houses were not too far from each other...
"I must retire to my bed now. Good night, Yao."
"Good night."
He undid his ponytail, and settled into the makeshift bed.
The next morning, the silver haired prince woke, and went downstairs, there was no one there. He checked all of their rooms, no one. His front door was gone.
"Sis?" he called, but no eager sister answered.
"They're gone..." **
He raced up to his room, pulled back the curtains and opened the door.
"My family is gone."
"Why?"
"I don't know why." He lied, he knew why, it was because he had a new father, he didn't keep a tight leash on all of them... And now...
Tears slowly ran down Ivan's face.
"Come here," his small arms were held open.
Embracing his grieving friend, he cooed mildly reassuring lines.
Little Bird, Little Bird, where are they now?
Crying graciously in his friend's generous arms, he thought of what was he to do now. While the one holding him thought of how deceiving the family was. So perfect on the outside, but broken and dysfunctional in reality. He wondered how his friend was going to keep the house in shape now.
"Don't cry... I'm sure they will come back."
Little Bird, Little Bird, what can we do?
A few days after the incident, the two began spending more and more time together. One was afraid the other would leave, he barely let the other out of his sight.
Yao felt a little uneasy, his friend started to become very controlling. He never let him go downstairs, but only let him stay in this room. He didn't like it at all. He liked feeling independent.
"How are you today, Yao?" he rolled over in his bed to look at him.
"I am fine," he smiled sheepishly.
Now with the family gone, he could come in the house now. Just like the family was perfect on the outside, and broken on the inside. The house was empty, dull and plain. Save for Ivan's room, with a few paintings to decorate it...
Little Bird, Little Bird, how are you feeling?
The taller boy got up and walked downstairs. Sitting alone in the bed, he made a decision, he would not live like this, no matter how he really liked him.
This evening, he asked something different, "Yao?"
"Yes, Ivan?"
"You won't leave me like they did, right?"
He just gave the worried boy a kiss on the cheek, they had become rather close in the past few weeks, then rolled over.
When he was sure Ivan was sleeping, he crept out of bed, and out the bedroom. He ran through the house, he had never seen anything past his bedroom before.
Little Bird, Little Bird, where have you gone?
The reason why Yao was outside, is that I pictured Ivan talking to a bird outside his window. To make it Rochu, I just let him sit outside on the balcony. xD
Eh, I know this is a little inaccurate, but I couldn't exactly match up the history with how I wanted this fic to go. **-The Sino Soviet split happened first, then the fall of the Soviet Union. Um, let's see.
Perfect House on Outside- Empty, broken on inside = Life behind the Iron Curtain
Seemingly perfect family- Falling apart = Soviet Censorship
Latvia's Painting Disappearing = Beautiful structures were often taken down, castles, I think it was to make room for houses
Hungary's Radio = If you illegally listened to a foreign radio station, you would be sent to jail...
Estonia got less food = Intellectuals like him, weren't liked very much, and the worker got paid more
Knocked down door = Fall of the Berlin Wall
If I got anything wrong, please don't kill me! Just please let me know so I can fix it.
Thanks for reading, and please review!