Forever and Always
Yao Wang nervously tapped his fingers on the sides of his arms as he paced back and forth in his living room. It had been hours since Ivan had called him to let him know that he was on his way home from work. It was almost dark out now and still no sign of him. Something was wrong, Yao could just feel it.
He took deep breaths trying to tell himself to relax. "Maybe he just got stuck in traffic." He thought. Yao had called everyone he knew, asking them if they had heard from him but all he got confused and concerned answers. "He would have called me by now if something had came up." Yao shook his head as he let out another nervous sigh and sat down on the couch. He tapped his fingers on the armrest then stood up and paced towards the window. He practically ripped off the curtains to look outside, only to be disappointed. He still wasn't there. No Black Volga in the driveway, no tall Russian man climbing out and no warm smile to greet and welcome home. Just silence. Eerie, nerve racking silence.
Yao heaved a quavery sigh as he put the curtain back and prayed under his breath that everything would turn alright. Suddenly his phone went off. He picked it up and saw incoming call from Natalia Laurinaitis. Yao felt his heart leap in his throat as answered. "Hello?!" He choked out. "Hello Yao I just wanted to call you back-" "Do you have any word on Ivan?!" He asked hopefully. Natalia sighed as she struggled to figure out what to say. She took a deep breath as she stated the dreaded words: "There was an accident."
Yao felt his heart drop into his stomach as struggled to wrap his head around what Natalia had just said. "A-a-an accident..?" He asked nodded. "I-i-is Ivan ok?" "No. He's in pretty shaky condition." Natalia murmured bluntly. Yao gulped. No. This had to be fake, this had to be a dream or something. He had just imagined Natalia calling him and telling him Ivan was hurt. All he had to do was close his eyes and Ivan would be standing in front of him asking him why he looked so distraught. However when he did so, he was still standing in the kitchen, Ivan wasn't there and Natalia was telling him to come over to hospital. "Please Yao, he's been begging us to see you." She choked. Yao bit his lip as he shakily replied. "I'll be over in a little while." He muttered as he hung up the phone and tore out the door.
It was a beautiful December evening as Yao and Ivan walked into the park shortly after leaving Ivan's favorite restaurant. Ivan led Yao over to a small frozen pond as the two sat down and watched the families and couples skate on the ice. "Yao…" Ivan started. Yao looked over at him. "Yes?" "Thank you for today." Yao smiled warmly. "It was the least I could do. It is your twenty sixth birthday after all." Ivan chuckle and planted a small kiss on Yao's lips. He pulled away as he bashfully rubbed his hand behind his head. "Well, thank you again. It means a lot." Yao struggled not to blush as he said a small, "you're welcome", and turned back to the pond. The two remained silent when suddenly Ivan cleared his throat.
"So we've been together for two years now.." "Yes. But it feels like we've know each other for centuries." Ivan laughed. "Da." Yao heard some shuffling as he looked over and saw Ivan pull out a small bouquet of Sunflowers. "These are for you." Ivan said sheepishly. Yao felt a shade of pink come across his face. "Ivan you didn't have to get me those.." He said pointing at the bouquet. "That's not all I got you." Ivan said quietly. Yao tilted his head. "Look in the flowers." Yao glanced down at the flowers and let out a small gasp. In the center of the bouquet was a small red box. "Is that a-" Ivan nodded, his face completely red. Yao looked at the box and struggled to find words but all he did was sit and gape at it like an idiot while the slight pink on his face turned into a tingling red. Ivan lifted his head up and took a deep breath as he put down the bouquet and pulled out the box. Yao felt his heart practically fly out of his chest as Ivan grabbed him by the hand and pulled him upwards.
Ivan bashfully looked at the ground as he pulled the box up to his chest and got down on his knees. Yao stared at him, awestruck, as Ivan looked at him and said: "Yao. I want you. Not now, not tomorrow, not next week. Forever." Yao felt hot tears come to his eyes. He quickly huffed and mentally scolded himself for thinking to cry. "Yao. I want you forever. Forever and always. Through the good, through the bad, and through the ugly. We can stay with each other and grow old together…" He took a deep breath, "forever and always." He said quietly. Ivan smiled sweetly as he asked, "Yao Wang, will you marry me?"
Yao tried, honest to god he did, but he couldn't hold back them back anymore. Tears streamed down his face as he looked down at Ivan, who was now looking at him, worried. "Yao Are you ok?" He asked. Yao laughed as a huge grin came across his face. "Y-yes! I've never been happier!" He said as he wiped away the newly formed tears in his eyes. Ivan tilted his head like a confused child. "Then why are you crying?" "It's just I'm so happy!" Yao exclaimed through muffled sobs and laughter. "So uh will you…" With that Yao dropped down to the ground and threw his arms around Ivan's neck. "Yes!" He laughed. "I'll marry you!" Ivan laughed and hugged Yao and began to cry tears of joy. Yao pulled himself off Ivan and the two looked at each other's tear stained faces, laughed, and pulled each other in for a kiss.
Yao blinked as he snapped back to reality. Why was he flashing back to Ivan's proposal at a time like this? Maybe it was his way of staying sane in this whole mess. Any further thoughts that Yao could muster were interrupted by the sudden jolt of the bus. He looked out the window. This was his stop. Yao said his thank yous to the driver as he departed the bus and tore off into the direction of the hospital.
"Can you tell me where Ivan Braginski's room is?! Please! I need to see him!" Yao yelled breathlessly at the women sitting at the front desk. A woman with blonde hair looked up at him. "Are you family?" She asked. "I'm his fiancee!" The women exchanged glances as a brunette looked down at a clip board. "He is in room 236. I can take you there if you'd like." "Yes please!" Yao practically screamed. With that the woman lead him down a long series of hallways. She tried to converse with him but Yao didn't really hear what she was saying. Something about Ivan being T-boned while driving home... he didn't remember nor did he care. All he wanted was to see Ivan again and make sure he was alright. Maybe Natalia was just bluffing about his condition. She was a bit of a jokester after all.
Yao felt a mixture of fear and relief overcome him as he walked in and saw Ivan lying in bed covered with bandages. "Ivan!" He yelled as he ran over to him wanting to hug him, but after getting one glance at his condition he instead dropped onto the chair next to his bedside and grabbed his hands. Ivan looked up at him and smiled weakly. "You came." Yao let out a weak laugh as he struggled to hold back the tears. "Of course huā." He murmured feebly. Ivan let out a small chuckle as he silently thanked him. Yao just smiled in response as he glanced over his lover's condition. His entire body was covered with bandages. His arms, his cheek, his head, you name it there was most likely a bandage. He had a bruise above his left eye and part of a scratch under his right eye. His condition caused tears to slip out of Yao's eyes. He collapsed onto the floor and laid his head on Ivan's chest.
Ivan slowly lifted his arm and gently rubbed his Sun Flower's head. Yao looked up at him, tears still flooding out of his eyes. "Yao. Don't cry. We'll get through this." Yao sniffed and rubbed his eyes. "Y-you're 'll recover, we'll get married and live happily ever after just like we planned!" He let out a weak laugh as tears continued to stream down his face. Ivan wiped his cheeks and placed his hand on Yao's face. "That's right." He said softly as he planted a kiss on his lips. Yao sniffed as he wrapped his arms around Ivan's neck and laid his head on his shoulder. Ivan's heartbeat was getting duller and duller within every beat. "No." He thought. "No. Not now, not ever. Dear god please don't take him!" Tears came as he clung on tighter to Ivan. "No! I won't give hope! I mustn't! We'll stay together! He'll be just fine!" His heartbeat continue to dull. Yao's chest tighten as he struggled not to scream. What was he going to happen? Ivan was getting weaker and weaker what was he going to-
It hit him like a bullet. He lifted his head off of Ivan's shoulder and looked Natalia, Toris and Katyusha. "Toris, could you call the nurse please?" Toris tilted his head in confusion. "Why?" "You'll see." A few moments later a nurse came in. "May I help you?" She asked. "Um, by chance does there happen to be a priest in this building?" The nurse drummed her fingers on her arm. "Well, Father Bailey checked in a week ago to get his tonsils removed…" Yao felt an optimistic warmth rise in his chest. "Say didn't he marry a homosexual couple two weeks ago?!" He asked. The nurse nodded. "I'm pretty sure he did…" Yao felt the dorkiest smile come across his face as he looked at the nurse. "Could you get him please?! If that isn't too much trouble…" "Well, he's currently recovering. He had his tonsils removed last Friday… but then again he'll be leaving tomorrow…" "Please could you get him? It's urgent!" The nurse looked over at Ivan then sighed. "I'll see what I can do." Yao practically tackled the poor woman to the ground with a hug.
A few moments later the nurse walked in with Father Bailey by her side. The two exchanged small talk while Toris, Natalia, Ivan & Katyusha looked at Yao in awe. "Yao are you-" "Crazy? No!" He said offended. "That's not what I meant." Ivan said meekly. "Oh? Then what did you mean?" Asked Yao quietly. "I meant, you're going to get us married? Now?" Yao nodded. "Why?" "Ivan, I don't want this engagement to last any longer! I want to get married!" "But.." "No buts! We're getting married!" The room fell silent. Suddenly a small laugh was heard. "And here I thought you were the patient one."Remarked Ivan. Yao felt his face flush as he shot a glance at Ivan, who responded with a roll of his eyes. Father Bailey walked over to Yao. "You're Mister Yao Wang I'm assuming?" "Yes sir." Father Bailey smiled. "Well what's with all the stalling? We have a marriage to get to!"
Yao felt ecstatic as he turned back to Ivan and picked up his priest walked over to Ivan and Yao as the nurse handed him a bible. Katyusha, Natalia and Toris joined the group as Father Bailey said a few verses. He looked up. "Do you two have any vows?" Yao thought about it for a little bit. "All I have is overwhelming feelings that might make me say something extra cheesy." The room laughed. "Yao, nothing you say is ever cheesy." Ivan said with a small smile. Yao felt a blush form across his face. "Well fine, if you insist. Prepare for some of the most cheesy things you'll ever hear in your life!" With that, Yao cleared his throat and squeezed Ivan's hands tighter.
"Ivan Braginski, since the day we met, I knew we were meant to be. Why do you ask? Because you're everything I'd ever want in a person; beauty, pain, light, dark & kindness. Never in a million years would I ever want to let that go." He took a deep breath. "Ivan I want you forever. Forever and always. Through the good, the bad and the ugly. We can grow old together and always remember whether happy or sad or whatever, I'll always love you. Forever and always." A tear rolled down Ivan's cheek. "Forever and always?" He squeaked. Yao nodded. "Forever and always." Pastor Bailey smiled as he said. "I now pronounce you husbands. You may kiss the groom." Yao felt hot tears roll down his face as planted a kiss onto Ivan.
The room applauded as Yao and Ivan pulled away and smiled at each other. "Now all you need to do is get better and everything will go back to normal!" Ivan nodded, but his head barely moved. Yao felt his heart sink. The monitor's beeps began to grow slower and slower. "I-ivan?" He squeaked. "Yao… I'd love for that to happen but I'm afraid…" Tears poured out of Yao eyes for the fiftieth time that evening as he squeezed Ivan's hands tighter than he ever had in his life. "No! You can't go! Not yet! We have so much planned!" "Yao… don't cry, you'll be fine…" "No I won't! I need you don't you understand?! Ivan I love you! I can't lose you! Please-" Ivan pulled one of his hands away from Yao and placed a finger on his lips. "Yes you will. You'll see." Yao felt his face burn as Ivan lied back down on his bed and began to speak…
"Yao. I love you. I always will, forever and always. Please just remember, even though I won't be there. I'll always love you, forever and always… and if you fall for someone else, that's fine… just remember what I said… I'll always love you Yao… forever and always…." With that his eyes closed for the last time, swallowing him in darkness.