Ivan woke early despite having the day off and went through a lazy day's routines that, at least this time, included checking on the food stored in the large freezers. He flipped through various bags labeled with various things, some venison, some beef, some a little more exotic but Ivan was most interested in the unlabeled bags and he did a quick count and reasoned that he had plenty to last the month but he needed to restock soon. His last supplier had been wonderful with the various types of meat, until he had stumbled a little too far into the house and well, it is extraordinarily rude to invade someone's privacy like that but Ivan took care of it with a courteous smile and stayed with the company.
The day progressed peacefully and Ivan found himself thinking of Matthew more than once and soon enough it came to be a reasonable enough time to seek the little blond out again. He grabbed his coat, traveling downtown to the shady but well known Dollhouse.
A fair distance from it however Ivan spotted a flash of blond from the alley and against his better judgment he parked on the side of the street before venturing forward to investigate the source of the sudden curiosity he held only to discover Matthew, weak, cold, and bleeding, in the dark. "Matthew? What happened?" he asked cautiously.
Matthew jumped with a start as a tall shadow loomed over him. But he soon relaxed when he heard a familiar voice and crawled out, slowing raising himself to hug his acquaintance from the previous day. It was more an embrace of relief than anything else; he knew that it could have been anyone to notice him on this opportunely wicked night.
Ivan hugged him gently but couldn't see any blood despite the strength of the smell "Where are you hurt? How did you get hurt?" Ivan implored.
"Alistair, h-he…" Matthew started to hyperventilate; the mere mention of the man's name brought back flashes of the horrifying event that he had escaped by the skin of his teeth.
"Do you need to go to the hospital?" Ivan asked urgently as he started to guide the other to his car "please, try to calm down."
Matthew screamed in pain as the other helped him walk on his leg to the car, not knowing about his injury. The blond fell against Ivan a few feet from the car, gesturing to the broken limb. "I think I-I broke my leg…it hurts! Please get help—it hurts!" he whimpered as he clutched the man's suit jacket.
Ivan stopped in place, wishing the other had said something sooner 'That explains the blood' he thought sarcastically. He bent down after loosening Matthew's grip on him and thanked the fact that the other was wearing the short shorts from yesterday as it made it far easier to appraise the wound though it was still difficult in the poor lighting of the alley. There was some significant scratching, one particularly deep one was still bleeding but it wasn't an open fracture if the leg was indeed broken. He stood up and carefully lifted him "Let's get you to the hospital" he said firmly as he carefully laid him in the backseat "I'll drive slowly so try not to move until we get there." Ivan returned to the driver's seat and started the drive "Can you tell me what happened?"
"I'm not going back there" Matthew shook his head frantically "I'm never going back…"
"There is no need to. If you don't have a place of your own you are free to live with me, there's plenty of room and, if you wish, you would not be bothered."
Matthew nodded at the offer "Okay." He wasn't really in any position to oppose, and after what had happened, he was certain that he wanted to be off of the streets and in a protected place, which is exactly what the man was proposing to him "Thank you" he replied quietly as a tear slipped down his cheek.
"You're welcome" Ivan said and offered what he hoped was a comforting smile through the rearview mirror. It took a few minutes but eventually they arrived at the hospital. The staff loaded Matthew onto a bed and went to x-ray his leg while Ivan was left to wait in the lobby.
The nurses took a couple of quick x-rays before setting Matthew up in a room where he waited until a doctor was available but the wait was short as the curtain was pulled open and reasonably tall middle-aged blond walked in "My name is Dr. Vash Zwingli and you came in for a broken leg, correct?"
"Yes" Matthew confirmed, looking up at the tall doctor. The blond rested his head against the pillow as the doctor examined his leg.
Vash pulled the x-rays from the file he had been given and set them up on the mobile light so that Matthew could see as well. He looked over them again for a minute double checking himself before speaking "Do you see this line here? It's called a hairline fracture" he traced it with the tip of his pen "it's fractured but not broken completely which is good news as it means that healing will not take as long or be as dramatic. A cast should work well but it will most likely take at least six weeks for it to heal" he explained.
"Thank you, Doctor Zwingli" Matthew said as he adjusted in the bed, shivering from the still damp clothes made cold in the chilly room.
Vash dropped the clinical tone for a moment and offered a sympathetic smile "I'm sorry that I can't offer you patient scrubs but you would need to take them off for the cast and I doubt you will be a patient for much longer. I am going to pass you off to get your leg set up and if you have any questions you can ask them or request me" he said as he hung the clipboard at the foot of Matthew's bed before notifying a trained nurse to cast the leg.
After some anesthetic, the nurse started and was done reasonably quickly and once the plaster had dried Matthew was free to go.
By this time Ivan had been allowed to come in and together they left with the help of crutches provided by the hospital.
The blond trembled with a chill as he sat in the passenger's seat of Ivan's luxurious car. He pinched and bunched his torn clothes to keep them from falling off of him. "Thank you, Mr. Braginsky" he said softly, offering the other a weak but grateful smile.
"Feel free to call me Ivan" he responded as he started the drive home. He heard the other shiver a few minutes into the ride and glanced at the other with a small smile "You can change into something of mine unless you would like to get something while we are out."
Matthew looked at the money in his pocket and then back at the man. The blond supposed it would be nice to wear things without laces, frills, and weren't fetish costumes, so he agreed. "I'd like to buy some things, if you don't mind." Ivan stopped at a nearby shop on the way and waited as the other bought a new wardrobe.
A few minutes had past when Matthew came out with bags of clothing. He climbed back into the car, placing his bags on the floor "Thank you so much, Mr. Br—ah, Ivan."
"You're welcome" Ivan said "I'm glad you were able to buy what you wanted." He started the car and again they drove along and arrived home within a few minutes.
"This is my home and yours for as long as you wish and there is a guest bedroom on the first floor that you are welcome to use." Ivan got out and helped Matthew out of the car before getting the bags of clothes "I'll carry these until you settle in" he said as they walked up the driveway to the house.
Matthew smiled at the man as he picked up his crutches and got out of the car, supporting all of his weight on his other leg as he went up to the house. "Thank you very much, Ivan. You're very kind" he was grateful to have this benevolent, selfless person fall into his life, as if out of nowhere. He believed that the ashen blond was a guardian angel, sent precisely for Matthew. Ivan…his name and his charm were certainly angelic…as were his alluring violet eyes, possessing a sort of ethereal magnetism into which the blond was being drawn. He ceased his musings and stood by the side shrubberies near the porch, waiting for the man to unlock the door.
Ivan took a moment to get the door and walk through before holding it open for Matthew, closing it and locking it for the night once he was inside. "I'll show you to your room" he said and walked with Matthew to the door down the hall.
Matthew followed the man down the wide but short hall to the guest bedroom and Ivan opened the door. On the far wall was a wide window with autumn ochre drapes drawn back, looking on to a view of the lush, green backyard, and beside the window was an elegant fainting couch the same hue as the drapes with pastel cushions placed on the seating. A chandelier hung from the shallow dome ceiling with floral shaped lights that lit up the room and accentuated the pastel bed spread on the bed placed close to the room's entrance. There was a small three drawer table beside the bed set in a cream paint and a standing mirror of the same color on the south wall; beside it a desk and chair the same color, with a set of wooden, hand painted Matryoshka dolls of various sizes on top of the desk. And the hard laminate floor was polished like glass, showing faint reflections of the two men who had walked in. "This is beautiful…" Matthew marveled at the splendor of his new room, admiring the care that was taken in the man's housekeeping. He loved the gorgeous narrative designs on the oriental Russian rug placed over the floor.
"Thank you" Ivan said as he set the bags beside the closet. He offered a warm smile as the other looked around, taking in the beautiful room "Are you opposed to meats other than beef?" he asked simply.
Matthew's smile diminished a bit as he quirked a brow at the random query. "I've never really had anything else, but I'd be willing to try" he replied with a slight return of his smile. He certainly didn't have a very exotic palate when it came to meals, preferring a burger over some other foreign meat with an unpronounceable name, but he didn't want to be finicky; especially as a humble guest in another man's home.
Ivan chuckled "I'm glad that you're willing to try, you may be pleasantly surprised. I will leave you to settle in and get acquainted with your room and I will call you when dinner is done" he smiled at the other, a curious glint in the violet gaze, before leaving the room and going to the kitchen to prepare.
Matthew sat down on the bed, placing his crutches against the frame as he fell back and spread out his arms. He sighed deeply in content at the feel of the silk taffeta embroidered with lace and velvet beneath his fingertips. He sat up and started shedding the torn, messy clothes before stepping into the bathroom to clean up before dinner. He opened the door onto a full bathroom with high, arched ceilings, a candelabra chandelier hanging in the center from a chain. The candles flickered a yellowish glow over the room, their shadows danced along the walls like a silhouetted ballet. Directly beneath the chandelier were a porcelain claw foot tub and a matching toilet near it. The walls behind and beside the bathtub had windows, but they were shuttered with blinds and drapes. Matthew turned on the faucet and waited until the water was filled to the brim.
He relaxed himself into the water, keeping his fractured leg out of the tub and propped up on the side to keep the cast from getting wet. The blond closed his eyes in tranquil meditation as he soaked in the warm bath.
Ivan gathered what he needed for a simple stew and once the vegetables were cleaned and cut he went through the freezer for pre-prepared meats and settled after a small debate on an almost equally common meat. Once he had chosen he added it to the mix and set it to cook an hour and went to busy himself with other things in the meantime.
Distantly he heard the timer go off and he returned to the kitchen to turn off the pot and let it sit for a couple of minutes to allow the juice to settle before calling Matthew as he started to set the table with their bowls and took a couple of empty glasses, filling his own with vodka as he waited.
Matthew splashed in the water as he raised himself slightly from the tub at the call of his name; Ivan's voice summoning him to the dining room. He stood up, drying himself with a towel from the nearby shelf, and drained the water from the tub.
He went out to the dining room dressed into a plain t shirt and jeans that he'd bought earlier. He sat down in his chair, setting his crutches beside it "I hope you weren't waiting for too long"
Ivan shook his head, laying the final dish down with a nearly imperceptible sound thanks to the thick tablecloth "What would you like to drink?" he asked, walking back towards the kitchen.
"Water is fine" Matthew smiled appreciatively. He folded his hands in his lap and watched the steam rise from the bowl set in from him. He started to salivate at the meal but courteously waited for the other to return to the table.
Ivan returned shortly with the glass now filled and sat across from Matthew, setting the glass on the table. "Bon Appétit" he said with a little smile as he waited for the honey blond to take the first bite.
Matthew raised his spoon with a delighted smile at the man. He dipped the spoon into the hot red liquid and raised it back out, dotted with chunks of meat and mixed vegetables. He took the spoonful of stew into his mouth before chewing slowly on the tender meat, savoring the decadent, rich meal as the warm red juice flowed down his throat. He gave a pleasant little noise, similar to the way he'd eaten the burger earlier. "This is delicious, Ivan!" he said when he finally swallowed "what kind of meat is it?"
Ivan smiled "I'm glad you approve, it's nothing too strange simply pork" he explained as he took a bite as well 'Good, the meat doesn't over power the stock; enough of this and he will be addicted to the rich meat before he even gets a bite of the real thing.'
Matthew took another bite of the delectable stew, consuming most of the meat before only a few small chunks floated in the red soup. 'Like bloated people drowning in blood…or someone in hacked up little pieces…' Matthew gave a devilish little giggle at his own clandestine thoughts before finishing off the stew.
Ivan glanced up at the giggle and was pleased to see the other already finished with the stew while his own was half empty "Would you like more?" he asked.
"Ah, yes, please" he said softly. "But…this time, just the juice, please?" he handed his bowl to the man.
Ivan quirked an eyebrow ever so slightly in surprise "Of course, I'll be back in a moment." Ivan refilled the bowl with the juice 'He already seems to have a taste for it…most have to be eased into such a unique flavor but there's something different with this one…' he thought as he returned the bowl to Matthew before sitting to finish his own.
Matthew drank the liquid from the bowl as he held it to his lips, letting it trickle down his throat in a flow of warmth. He lowered the bowl with a satisfied look on his face, and started to drink his water.
Ivan found the other's enthusiasm with the substance fascinating and made it his personal goal to learn what he could about the young man. He finished his own bowl and set it to the side, waiting a moment for the other to pause in his drinking before asking "If I may be so bold as to ask; how did you get into your previous employment?"
Matthew set down the now half full glass and looked up at Ivan. "…I thought I already told you that" he said in a flat, grave tone as he locked eyes with the other.
"Yes but vaguely" Ivan responded with a small smile "the devil's in the details as they say and you have piqued my curiosity."
Matthew dropped eye contact to the table as the tip of his finger traced the rim of his glass "There's nothing more to say. I told you what happened and then you just ask me again—like, l-like I'm being dishonest—like you don't believe me… that's not a very nice way to treat a guest!" His voice rose nervously as he spoke, slamming a nearby knife into the table.
It only took a second for him to realize what he'd done as he looked down at the table. "Oh God!" he said with widened eyes, dropping the knife as he held a hand up to his mouth in horror. "I'm so sorry…" he got up from the table "I need to be excused, please" he whispered before walking away. A faint closing door was heard in the background.
Matthew sat down on his bed, a swear escaping his lips as his eyes watered. "Damn it" 'You have to do it—he knows what you did—he knows!' "No…no, shut UP! I won't listen, I won't listen…" He murmured as he held his head, shaking his head quickly from side to side, trying to shake the thoughts away.
Ivan made a soft little humming noise in thought before gathering the dishes and setting up to clean the kitchen as he analyzed the little outburst. 'He seemed to lack complete control over himself with possible violent tendencies but it only brings up more questions. What was the trouble he had gotten in to? Who was the friend that had forced him into work he had no interest in? Why did he have such a taste for human meat to the point of already craving more of the subtle stock at the first taste?' The questions piled up and Ivan was determined to get to the bottom of them; things would either end with a fresh meal or a companion and, no matter which, Ivan was not worried; especially given Matthew's less-than-optimal state. He would simply be patient and bide his time until the answers became clear. He finished up the dishes and replaced the torn table cloth with a new one before going to Matthew's room; it was only polite to apologize for his insensitivity.
He knocked softly before speaking "I apologize for upsetting you, it was rude of me to try to pry for more information than you were willing to give. I hope to see you in the morning but for now, goodnight and I hope sleep finds you well. If you need me I'm on the second floor, second door on the right but I don't recommend going up the stairs with a broken leg" he chuckled a moment, having gotten slightly off topic. "Goodnight Matthew" he repeated softly before heading upstairs to his personal bathroom to shower before getting in bed after donning a pair of boxers and a loose pair of pants.
Matthew sighed softly, having taken two more of his pills and calmed from his episode. He contemplated what the other had said '…It certainly seemed genuine…maybe he really is just curious…maybe he doesn't know anything…' He scoffed at himself for getting so defensive, glad that he wouldn't have to hurt his guardian angel. Yet. But first and foremost he had to know for sure 'If he is…' He slipped into some pajamas before peeling back the covers from the bed and sinking into the sheets as sleep took over his senses.
Ivan woke early the next morning and went to check on his guest only to find him still sleeping. He shut the door with a barely audible click and went to the kitchen to set out what he needed for dinner later to allow it to thaw as he made breakfast.
Matthew stirred at the sound of the creaking bedroom door shutting and sat up slowly. He rubbed his eyes and yawned, stretching his legs before putting his good one on the floor, raising himself up with the help of the crutches beside him. He made his way out into the hall and walked down, turning the corner to the kitchen.
He watched for a moment as Ivan prepared breakfast before sitting down at the table. "Ivan…I am so sorry about last night. I…I lost my temper" he offered the other a small, genuine smile "if you have questions about me, it's only common courtesy for me to answer them, as your guest" he said meekly.
Ivan glanced over his shoulder "Thank you but it's alright, you do not need to sacrifice your comfort to satisfy my curiosity. If there was something that you wanted to tell me then I hope that you would" he turned around with a smile and two plates of finished strawberry crepes already drizzled with sauce from candied strawberries. He set both plates on the smaller table, one in front of Matthew and the other across the table where Ivan himself would sit "What would you like to drink?"
Matthew was a bit curious as to why the other had backed off so simply. "Milk, please" He shrugged it off and picked up his fork, cutting a piece of the delicious looking crepe. "…Have you ever heard of borscht?" he asked between chews of the candied strawberries.
"Yes actually, it's a simple but personal favorite" Ivan responded as he poured milk into both of their glasses. "Why do you ask? Ah and how does it taste?" Ivan asked as he took a bite of his own, layering a strawberry chunk with the crepe and popping it in at once to see if the flavors blended well enough.
Matthew took a larger bite of the crepe and hummed happily. "Very yummy" he said with a little content smile and took a sip of milk. "Ah, I wanted to know because…your dish from yesterday, it reminded me of the borscht soup that my old babysitter used to make for me when I was younger."
"I'm surprised, not many people outside of Europe know of the dish. Do you know her nationality?" Ivan asked casually.
"Well, she never said where she was from but she always used to tell me that the dish was made from her Belarusian mother's secret recipe…come to think of it, she did have an accent similar to yours but hers was much thicker" Matthew mused in reminiscence.
"That makes sense. The dish itself, if I'm not mistaken, originates from Ukraine but is popular over much of Eastern Europe" Ivan rambled "I do wish she had shared it with you though, I'm always looking for a new recipe to add to my collection but" Ivan chuckled "I suppose you wouldn't remember it even if she had told you back then."
Matthew shook his head with a slight smile "She never told me—no matter how many times I asked her. She was pretty insistent on keeping it a secret." Matthew finished the remaining piece of his crepe, juice from the strawberries drizzling onto the plate. He gulped down the rest of the milk, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and then looked up at Ivan "But the soup from the dish you made yesterday tasted just like hers…except yours was a brighter color, but, I guess it's because there were different ingredients used."
Ivan smiled "No wonder you had enjoyed it, it was nostalgic, but as for the color perhaps she used more beets than I did, I am far more fond of meat than vegetables" he said with light laughter. He finished his own plate and took both plates to wash them.
"Ah, so that's it then, the beets…" Matthew nodded at the statement, "anyway, thank you very much for breakfast. Your cooking is very rich in taste!"
"You're welcome and thank you, I'm pleased that you approve" Ivan said as he cleaned up.
Matthew stood with the aid of his crutches and faced the man "Ah, is there anything that I can help with?" He didn't want to just sit around, especially if the other needed something done.
Ivan smiled to himself at the other's courtesy "Thank you but you should rest, you are free to do what you like; as I said before; my home is your home for as long as you wish."
"Okay" Matthew nodded, and went back down the hall to the guestroom. "Please let me know if I can help with something" he said before closing the door.
"Alright, I will" Ivan called as he finished up the dishes. He wondered if the other even knew what he had been introduced to at such a young age and who the babysitter was.
Hope you all enjoyed this as much as Ivan's enjoying learning his new housemate. If anything jumped out at you feel free to comment on it, I'd love to hear about it!
~Poison