Change of Plans

Prompt: Vacation

Summary: When Ivan ends up missing the train that would lead him away from the stress of everyday-life, a stranger comes up with a new plan to spend the holidays.

~o~

No no no no no no no no!

Ivan flew down the last set of stairs, heart plummeting when he saw his train leave before his eyes, Ivan excluded. His suitcase was dropped to the ground as he panted away his frustration. Everything seemed to be going wrong today. Yesterday. Last week. Which is why he had decided he needed a vacation. Well, seemed like that wasn't going to happen.

Groaning, he dragged himself to a chair, giving his tired body just a moment's rest before trying to search for a solution. He didn't notice the other man already sitting several seats from his own, before he felt a questioning gaze burning holes into the side of his head. The stranger smiled uncertainly, waving one hand. "Missed your train, huh?"

Ivan answered with a wry grin, barely containing himself from showing teeth. He was in no mood to be friendly. To make things worse, it promptly began to snow.

The man rose from his seat, and to Ivan's great displeasure, came to sit right next to him. Couldn't this person see he wasn't up to having chitchat with a stranger?! Right now, he just wanted to go back home and crawl into his bed, not getting out before it was time to go back to work in a week or so.

Two tickets being swayed from left to right in the corner of his eye caught his attention, and he turned his head with a sigh. The other had a fierce gaze of determination that somehow made his eyes light up, and Ivan felt a question growing on the tip of his tongue: how do you do that?

"Okay, this is gonna sound crazy. And I normally don't do stuff… that crazy. But listen here. You missed your train, and if I'm right you were gonna go on a vacation."

"How did you figure?" Ivan asked thinly, deciding he might as well humour his companion since he obviously wasn't going to leave him be.

"Okay, question: did you have like, a hotel, or friends or family you have previous arrangements with, or was this more an on-the-whim thing?"

"Why do you ask? You are being terribly invasive," Ivan chuckled, resting a cheek in the palm of his hand. There was something amusing about the youthful energy this boy seemed to breathe, ooze from every fibre of his body.

"I'll take that as a no. And sorry, again, I don't usually do this. But I have a proposal. I was gonna take my boyfriend to my parents' house for Christmas for the first time, introduce them to my folks and all that. But here's the thing. I just got a text, like, two hours ago, he telling me he's breaking up with me. I guess I should've seen it coming, but here's the deal. I'm boyfriend-less. My parents live in a huge house in a warm state. It's gonna be all Christmassy and fun and warm. You are vacation-less."

"No," Ivan said, before the other could even begin to pose his question. He had seen enough of his sister's rom-coms to know that this was going to end in horrible failure. "I am sorry, but I can-"

"Why not?" that blue-eyed angel insisted, and while Ivan could clearly see the absurdity of his plans, he couldn't help but pity him all the same. "You don't have to do anything! My dad doesn't like people being lovey-dovey in public either, so you won't even have to pretend to like me. We got a pool, lots of great facilities downtown, there's even a beach only ten minutes away by car!"

"You, are insane," Ivan said, laughing all the while.

"Yeah, that's what my boyfriend told me too," the boy said with a shrug, allowing just for a moment for his façade to break, sadness slipping through the cracks of the mask he'd carefully constructed for himself.

Ivan felt his heart drop. His own resistance was wavering. It was still the stupidest idea he had ever heard of. But then again… perhaps it was exactly the adventure that would pull him out of that slump he'd somehow ended up in.

Angel eyes looked up again, expression dapper yet fragile. "It's okay. I knew it was stupid before I asked. I just thought, hey, why the heck not try it? Could've been fun. But if you don't want to…"

Ivan groaned, placing his face in his hands. The train of 10.30 rolled in, his companion perking up. This was it. Now or never.

In a flash, Ivan rose from his seat. Grabbed the other by the hand, dragging him up to full height (which was still smaller than Ivan, he noted with some smugness). "Do not make me regret this," he said darkly, rewarded by the brightest smile he'd ever seen.

"Thanks, big guy," the boy said, and before Ivan could stop him he was balancing on the tips of his toes, placing a kiss to his cheek. "Name's Alfred by the way. And we better make a run for it."