WARNINGS: KEEP AN OPEN MIND. OOCness. Grammatical errors (in minimum). Inaccurate history.
A/N: By now I hope you have read the warnings because I don't know how I will emphasize it more. I read a lot of complaints from other authors on how FF (I'm not sure on the other sites) became more toxic as time progress. The writers are not happy anymore from what they are doing. Reviewers are more like demanders and complainers now. Most readers always left writers in the 'seen zone'. There are many more reasons out there. I mean, come on, we do know that fanfiction writers are not paid from what they are doing (as far as I know). We are not paid from what we are doing. We do this because we enjoy writing and we want it to share to other people. So basically, we consider reviews, favorites, follows, kudos as the payment from our hard work. We write stories because it is fun for us. Don't take that fun away from us. Now, I do admit I'm not well known in history so there will surely be a LOT of inaccuracies in here.
Well, I'm done ranting! Here is a RusPru chapter!
Chapter 7: Painting (RusPru)
Making a report from his own chosen art museum to visit was one of the assignments Ivan Braginski needed to finish before the deadline was over. He didn't want to go that far from where he was living but he also knew that there would be a lot of his classmates at the nearest museum because it was a predictable choice. So all he could do was to search for other museums that were not that too far but not too near also from where the university could be found. After some time he did managed to find one.
Kirkland's Art Museum.
Well, an obvious name made things easier for him. Though, a typical owner to name the place on their name.
So, Saturday morning, Ivan found himself browsing upon paintings and sculptures on displayed. Most of the artifacts were European ones, something that Ivan was well accustomed too. But his specialty resides from the masterpieces that could be found in Russia and Prussia.
That was why his eyes immediately caught on the painting almost hidden on the corners of the second floor. It was a simple portrait of a young Prussian priest…no it was a Teutonic priest uniform to be précised. It was not the painting itself that attracted Ivan's attention but rather the main objective of the painting. The young priest was perched on one of the branches, possibly an oak tree, and he was happily looking down on whoever was painting him that time. Judging from the color combinations, Ivan would safely guess that the season of when it was created was summer. Ivan wondered how an albino priest managed to stay happy considering the circumstances of the century when the painting was made. He was sure that being an albino was not easily accepted during the Teutonic days.
He was busily admiring the work that he didn't notice someone approaching him.
"Beautiful, isn't it?"
Ivan simply shifted his gaze towards the source of the voice to show that he now acknowledged the presence beside him.
"I must agree, the emotions were really captured in this one."
"Oh?" Ivan noticed that the man who was now talking to him was rather small in height compared to him. Judging from the accent, the man was probably from a British origin. He also had the bushiest eyebrow Ivan had ever seen. "Arthur Kirkland, a pleasure to meet you." Arthur offered his hand for a handshake as a normal custom.
"Ivan Braginski." They shook hands for a moment before looking at the painting again, "So, you're the owner of this place, da?"
"A Russian art student, my, this is such a rare chance."
"How did you—"
"It's not that hard to realize you know? I can see you taking notes about everything, from the museums history, owners, and the masterpieces inside. Also, you have the eye for these remnants of the past."
Okay…that was not creepy at all. Ivan was used for other people finding his presence unnerving. Being openly read by a stranger? Now that was a definition of creepy in Ivan's book.
"You should learn to conceal your accent more also." Arthur slightly teased, "Now, to answer your question. Yes, I am the owner of this place."
Ivan simply nodded and they both lapsed in a minute of silence before Arthur broke it again.
"You know, this painting had a tragic story behind."
"Because he was an albino priest?"
"Hm…" Arthur hummed in contemplation, "Well, it was one of the factors, yes. But the main tragic story was that a Teutonic priest and a Russian painter met each other when the both of them were waiting for the rain to stop. The priest was a friendly man and the Russian was an awkward painter. They both became good friends. But as time passed, the well planted friendship started to blossom a tragic flower of love."
"What did you do to me?!"
"W-what? I-I don't know what you are talking about!"
"Y-You…I can't believe this! My appearance is already cursed so I thought devoting myself to God will save my soul. But now…just what kind of curse you have put me in?!"
"I didn't do anything to you!"
"A priest falling in love to another human is blasphemous. Even more so to another man! What kind of spell did you cast on me?"
"…that's not a curse, Gilbert. It's called…you said it yourself…love."
"Young man, are you still with me?"
Ivan realized that he had doze off. He took hold of his head and stumble backwards for a few steps. Arthur helped him to stand up straight again.
"My, I think you're already tired. Why don't you call it a day, hm? Don't worry, this museum will be open tomorrow so you can continue your work."
"A-ah, maybe you are right. I shall leave now."
Arthur bid him a farewell and walked him towards the exit. With words of 'take care' passing in his ears, Ivan finally walked to the nearest bus stop to return home.
Just his luck to turn worse, when he was already waiting for the bus a heavy rain started pouring down. He forgot his umbrella. Why didn't he listened to his older sister in bringing an umbrella just in case?
Because the weather forecast promised it would not rain. A lot of people could make mistakes, especially to something as unpredictable as the weather.
"Sheisse!" Ivan heard the curse before he saw the man rushing on the only shelter that was closed by. Which, as it turned out, was the bus stop where Ivan was waiting also for the rain to stop and for the bus to arrive.
He shifted his gaze to his new companion (he was running to a lot of strangers today) and was shocked of the appearance of the man before him. He suddenly remembered the painting of the albino Teutonic priest.
The albino shook his head for a bit in an attempt to dry his hair. That was when he noticed staring at him.
"Hello there! I'm sorry if my awesomeness surprised you!"
Well, this guy was rude…and Ivan was not that much of talking in situations like this. The museum owner was one thing. This stranger who resembled the painting? Nope, this one was what you could dubbed as perfect awkwardness.
"Whew! I didn't expect to suddenly rain!" the albino continued talking, "Hey! My name is Gilbert Beilschmidt by the way! I'm a History student. "
"You are awfully comfortable in telling your full name to a total stranger." Ivan raised an eyebrow as he said this.
"Nah, I don't really give my name here and there, you know?"
"So? What do you say about your introduction just now?"
"Kesese, I don't know. I just feel that I really should tell you my name or else I might regret it."
Ivan stared for a while longer at the weird man, Gilbert as what he had said, before deciding that it was fair (not to mention it feels right) to give his name also.
"Ivan Braginski. Art student."
"Go."
"What do you mean? I'm not leaving without you!"
"Go! This village has been looking for a reason to kill me. Now that they have discovered I have fallen in love with you they will surely execute me. They will surely kill you also."
"Then escape with me!"
"I can't, someone needs to stay in order to buy sometime."
"We can escape together!"
A hand lovingly caressed the tear stained cheeks of the Russian man who was now riding the one and only beloved horse of the Teutonic priest.
"I hope someday, in a time where our love is accepted, in a time where I am not bound to duties like this, we have the chance to meet again. For now, I'm lucky that my heart beat for such a caring person like you." A kissed was pressed on the Russian lips. Before he knew it, he was riding away from the village, away from the only person he had learned to love.
"You know, I think the rain will stop any minute now and it's not that late yet. Want to grab some coffee with the awesome me?"
"You really need to tone down that ego of yours. It's annoying."
"Kesese, so they say. So they say."
