A/N: Hey, people! What's up? This is my first fanfic EVER so bear with me, please.
Warnings: Stalker!Russia, n00bish author
Prologue: Curiosity
It was a beautiful spring afternoon when they first met.
The sun shone brightly and not a single cloud dared to appear to block its radiance. Trees swayed gently in the warm breeze, and the rustling of leaves was the only sound besides the occasional passing car. It was, as every child in the neighborhood agreed, the perfect day to play in the park.
Alfred was the one who initiated the mass play date. The sunny blond called his friends with the suggestion, who in turn called their friends who they wished to invite, and so on. Soon a group of fifteen or so (including chaperones) was assembled at the local park. Almost immediately the children were off running around and screaming to their hearts' content, oblivious to the violet eyes enviously watching them.
On a swing set that had yet to be overrun by the group sat a lone young boy with silver hair. Despite the warm weather, he was dressed in long pants and a trench coat. A scarf was draped around his neck. He had not been invited with the group, but his foster mother had encouraged him to get out of the house and play with kids his age. He kicked the ground. If she thought he was going over there to get bullied she had another thing coming.
"Aren't you hot?" He looked up to see an Asian...boy? (Yes, he sounded like a boy) standing a few feet away and staring at him. The...boy had unusually long black hair; just long enough to form a short ponytail at he base of his neck. And he was clutching a cat doll that was almost as tall as its owner. Perhaps this person was a girl. He simply blinked at the...child, causing him (her?) to flush in embarrassment.
"U-um...it's really warm today, so I wondered i-if you were hot wearing that, aru." He (she?) babbled.
"I am fine, thank you." He replied, adjusting his scarf.
"I'm sorry, that was rude of me to ask." He shrugged.
"It is fine. Many wonder why I dress like it is winter." The other shook his (her?) head.
"It's still wrong."
"Then to make us even, I ask you rude question back, Дa?" It was more of a statement than a question. The other blinked in confusion.
"Uh, that seems fair, I guess..." A cheerful smile slid onto the boy's face.
"Are you a boy or a girl?" He began to giggle at the glare he received for his question.
"I'm a boy, aru!" He shouted angrily, an indignant blush spreading across his face.
"Forgive me, there are not many boys with ponytails and dolls around, Дa?" His giggles subsided as the other boy huffed and crossed his arms (or as best as he could anyway, as he was still clutching the gigantic doll). The pair fell into silence, and the boy on the swing waited for the other to either insult him or leave. Or both.
"Why are you over here alone and not playing with the others?" The smile on his face never wavered, but something seemed colder about the expression. The other flinched.
"They insult me. Call me a freak. Make fun of clothes and bad English." The other frowned.
"They can't all be that bad."
"Дa, they can."
"Then why don't your friends stick up for you?"
"What friends?" The frown deepened.
"You don't have any friends?"
"No."
"Not one?" Was it that hard to believe?
"No."
"That's not fair." The boy on the swing rocked back and forth slightly, just enough to get the swing to move.
"Life is not fair, Дa?" The pair fell into silence once again. He began to watch the other kids. They were playing freeze tag now.
"I can be your friend." He gaped at the other boy.
"What?"
"I said I could be your friend. Everyone deserves to have at least one friend." The boy smiled kindly and walked over to occupy the other swing.
"I'm Yao, by the way. And this is Shinatty!" Yao held up his cat doll. A genuine smile broke out on the boy's face. Friends, huh?
"Nice to meet you. My name is Ivan Braginski."
"Well, Ivan...I brought a kite in the shape of a dragon! Want to try flying it with me?"
"Sounds fun."
"Great! It's in the back of my mother's van. I'll go get it!
The offer of friendship was an innocent gesture, born from the innocent ideals of a child. Yao never expected that it would be the first of a chain of events that would cause him so much trouble later on.
A/N: Soo, thoughts? Should I continue? I honestly don't think it's that great, but hey: practice makes perfect!
If anyone has suggestions/constructive criticism I'd love to hear it!