Sorry for taking long, I hope you enjoy this chapter guys. It's a continuation of Yao's story.
Pairing : Yao ( China) x Ivan ( Russia)
Rated : T
Disclaimer : I own none of the characters or the series, I just own my own storyline.
Have fun reading and please guys don't forget to review. It would mean the world to me if you do.
IVAN'S POV :
It wasn't warm enough. It never was.
A permanent chill plastered itself to his skin, to his soul, to his heart and no amount of firewood or clothes could lessen it.
Places, people and buildings passed him by . Blurred, undistinguishable, unmemorable.. just like every bleak sunday in the company of his father.
Amethyst eyes strayed, catching a glimpse of themselves in the car's rear view mirror.
Freaky, unnatural, abnormal.
Words people murmured among themselves when they thought he wasn't listening, when they thought he didn't know.
It wasn't enough that he was the son of a mistress, but he had to be a natural born freak as well. Freaky eyes, freaky hair the color of ash and freaky skin the shade of death.
Freak...
A sardonic smirk stretched over his thin lips as he tasted the word around his tongue.
The limo pulled, engine falling to an abrupt silent death. Outside, the wind continued to weep against the misted glass of the car's windows. Ivan sighed.
He pulled his black cashmere coat tighter against his heavyset body. His equally dark scarf was comfortably tight around neck, gloves the color of onyx covered his large-boned hands.
The only bright thing of all of his somber attire was the heavy silver ring around his gloved middle finger, or rather the small angry ruby eyes of a tiger's face engraved into the lonely piece of jewelry.
The Siberian tiger , the crest of his family's name. An animal just as ironically aloof and mistrustful as he always was. At least it was that one thing about his family he could relate to and that was about it.
Amur opened the door for him, hands clasped behind his navy jacket, head slightly bowed.
" Here, Master."
"спасибо . »
The moment his black Armani shoes hit the wet ground, a wave of cold assaulted him, trying to seep into every pore of his being. The sight of the building before him, however, took his mind off it almost instantly.
A mansion, no, rather a palace of traditional Chinese architecture stood in all its red glory several feet away. Proud, massive, beautiful.
Ponds of frozen water and dead beds of flowers graced the paveway to the palace. Naked of all greenery, and covered in snow, the house almost seemed to glow. It was majestic yet it made him uneasy. Something about the house reminded him of his own childhood house, large, deceptively refine and cold. It stirred unpleasant emotions in him, emotions he would rather not feel.
A small herd of Chinese people met him at the door. They all bowed deeply to him, rushing to guide him inside.
In matter of seconds, Ivan found himself seated in a sturdy chair the color of gold. The room around him glimmered in various shade of ruby and black. A touch of traditional Chinese style mixed with modern furniture. It was neat, tasteful but intimidating. Everything is the room screamed power, wealth and social standing. He couldn't help but compare this room to that of his own and it came up lacking. His room was just as dull as his heart these days, nothing in it matched the boldness of the ruby or the majesty of the black. It just…was.
The faint slide of the door broke his train of thoughts. He looked up to the leathered face of a man that looked older than his father. Typical Asian features marred by one bold scar across a fine jaw, sharp eyes the color of the night and a short body, that looked deceptively frail but carried itself with authority the average man would never dream to possess.
Ivan stood up and slightly bowed to the man. He knew how important manners were to the traditional Chinese households and he realized how right he was when the man approvingly smiled at his gesture.
" Welcome to my humble abode, Young Braginsky Master. I'm very pleased that you accepted my invitation. " The man's deep voice laced with a thick accent, sounding calm and friendly yet nothing in his tone would elicit warmth.
Like he was always taught, Ivan plastered a neat political smile on his face while disgust piled up around his throat at the mention of that title.
" The pleasure is all mine, Master Wang." His own voice came out smooth and husky, playing the perfect suave young man even though the very sight of the man irritated him.
Ivan knew the likes of Chi Wang. Men who were born and raised into power, men who would sell their soul for more of it, the likes that thought every living thing was beneath them.
He remembered the looks Chi's kind would taunt him with very very well.
Judgmental, scornful, disdainful.
too young, too quiet, too dull.
unfit. Not enough. No good at all.
The son of a whore.
Ivan inwardly laughed at that last thought. If one of his parents was a "whore", he knew very well who it would be, mostly not his mother.
" Have a seat please."
Ivan sunk back into his chair.
"Would like some warm jasmine tea ? As you can see, we Chinese are not as fond of coffee as your people. I feel obliged to apologize on behalf of my ethnicity. " The man laughed at his own joke. His attempt at humor falling flat. " I hope you wouldn't mind."
" No, It's perfectly fine." Ivan smiled blandly. " I haven't had the chance to sample fine Chinese tea before. You have to excuse my disinterest in all things herbal."
Chi chuckled. Laugh lines came to life around his beady eyes. His hand sliced through the air in a dismissive manner.
" No, no. It's understandable, many people do not like the taste of it. I grew up around it so it's more of habit than anything."
The door opened again, a young woman clad in a light purple Hanfu silently moved and passed Chi a tray with two white ceramic cups. Still with her head down, she disappeared around the slide door as if she was never there.
Chi handed Ivan one of the steaming cups and rested back against his own chair.
" So, I would like to get right to the matter, young Sir."
Took you long enough.
" Our families have always had a strong long-standing bond. We've been alliance for generations and nothing could solidify that bond more than one tangible union." Chi paused for effect. " Marriage. "
So predictable, so uncreative.
The man continued. " And since my only daughter is already betrothed to a young American man of great social standing, my second son would make the perfect candidate for you, with your known preference of the male sex and all. "
Ivan remained quiet, pretending to consider and the man went on listing the different virtues and qualities of his son.
" Yao is very pleasant to look at. Of that I assure you, he took after his mother in that department." The man cackled like the crow he was finding humor is what Ivan couldn't see. " He is also very intelligent, wise beyond his years and very obedient. You never have to worry about him embarrassing you or putting you in any uncomfortable situations. He is very well accustomed to responsibility and duty. Untouched and pure, he would be perfect for you."
The old scum has just put his own blood and flesh up for sale and didn't blink once.
How fatherly.
" Your father and I, we have already agreed upon this on his last visit. He expressed a great enthusiasm for the idea and has given it his approval. I hope you wouldn't find fault in that."
The man looked at Ivan while he sipped from his tea, cunning eyes glimmered with intent. A small grin traced thin lips, challenging, infuriating. The weasel was daring him to protest, to go against his own father's words. One thing Ivan realized, this bastard definitely knew what cards to play, but then you wouldn't expect less from a man that ruled a family as powerful as the Wang clan.
" Also, My son is presentable if you would like to meet him."
Ivan help back the laugh that threatened to spill over his mouth. He definitely saw that one coming. What use was it to put something for sale and not give potential bidders a visual sample of it ?
Well then let's play along.
" I would like that very much, Master Wang."
YAO's POV :
" We're done" Rong, his friend and personal servant since childhood, announced as she pulled herself few feet back to admire her work.
" The red and the gold of the Hanfu suit your complexion so very well, Master. You look stunning. I really like your hair this way. Laid out in all its beauty, you shouldn't ever hide it. " She moved around him like a butterfly, adjusting this and that, humming to herself and stopping every now and then to gaze at him. Her cheeks were flushed in excitement and energy, she was surely enjoying herself.
Yao wouldn't say the same for himself. A pressure the weight of the world pressed against his chest, threatening to crush his ribs. Pile rose up and down his throat, bitter and unforgiving.
He was cold.
So dam cold. All the heaters scattered around the house couldn't stop the shivers traveling up and down his body.
Trails of fire traveled down his face and his vision grew blurry.
" Master, oh, master. Don't cry please, everything will be alright." Trembling hands caressed his skin, brushing the tears away but none of the cold.
" I'm cold, Rong. So cold." His teeth clacked against each other, Yao hugged himself begging for his body to settle down, to stop trembling but it didn't head him.
" Yao." His father's voice, as hard as a wimp, slashed through the room and it was as effective as ever. Everything in him including his very bones stilled.
" Are you ready ? Young Braginsky would like to see you now. We wouldn't like to keep him waiting."
Two shadows, one as familiar as his palm and the other, huge looming and so large danced over the thin paper of the room's door.
" Go." He told Rong.
" But Master…you sure—"
" Go Rong."
His childhood friend bowed reluctantly, her eyes a mirror of sorrow, of pity. And in that moment, Yao felt it again, that chill settling over his heart, quietened it.
He was fine, he was always fine.
" I will be fine."
" Okay." With her back to him, Rong throw him one last regretful glance then disappeared through the door.
" Yes father. I'm ready."
IVAN'S POV :
While the old weasel told him that his son was at least pleasant to look at, Ivan still hasn't expected a beauty of this caliber.
A young man, few years younger than his own age, was seated on a chair very much like the one he was given.
A fountain of long red satin engulfed his slender fine-boned body. Gold glittered against the red in shapes of dragonflies and floral patterns. Rivers of night flew down the youth's shoulders, resting against his elbows, the fine strands glimmered against the low set light. Only the two Chinese gold pins engraved in ruby held them back from obscuring the beauty's face.
Dark bottomless eyes the color of mystery, of the unknown stared right into his own, arresting him. Features so refined they made his own feel so clumsy and ugly in comparison, were set in a perfect mask of emotional indifference. They gave nothing away. Nothing at all.
Except for the gentle rise and the fall of the youth's chest, one could easily mistake the young man for a doll, a perfectly, stunningly shaped doll.
Ivan's eyes had never seen someone as arrestingly beautiful nor as… sorrowful.
Right there Ivan realized he has crossed a kindred soul. Someone whose core was just as chilled as his own.
YAO'S POV
The man was huge, larger than anyone else, larger than his father, larger than life. His frame, intimidating, strong- boned, muscular : The very exemplification of physical strength, of might.
Yao wondered for a second if this man ever knew what fear felt like, what being powerless, chained to your fate tasted like.
He wondered if he had ever felt the cold.
Skin so pale stood in blatant contrast to the man's almost fully black attire. No inkling of color except for a single piece of silver jewelry and… his eyes.
Eyes, that were the color of Amethyst. A color Yao had never seen before. They glowed with a shimmer of something…recognition ? No, that can't be. Yao only met this man once before, at the tender age of four, so said his father, and no one could hold a memory at such an early age.
He brought himself up on his feet, trying to recall all of this gruesome long hours of etiquette classes. He bowed to the man like he was taught to. His hair raced down his shoulders, pooling down at his Hanfu.
"My second son and your betrothed, Yao Wang. "
He had forgotten his father's presence for a moment there and it took him some seconds to process the thought that such a thing never happened before.
No man had ever prevailed his father's presence in any shared space ever before. His father was simply too powerful, too intimidating, too cruel but seeùs even he was eclipsed by the largeness that was this man.
" Ivan Braginsky. Your future husband."
The words slammed right into his mind, the realness of them twisting something inside Yao, making him almost hyperventilate. His hands started to shake and he tightened them around the fabric of his Hanfu.
" I wish to have a moment alone with your son, please." The voice came out deep, even, smooth. A voice that belonged to a man used to being in perfect control, a man who held his fate in the palm of his large hands.
" Of course." His father's tone sounded almost too gleeful. With his back to them, he strode to the door but before he left, he threw back one last look at Yao. The warning in the look was loud and clear.
Screw this up, I screw you.
" Please seat." Something is the Russian's tone changed, Yao couldn't help but think it gentled.
He did as he was told. Ivan chose a chair and dragged closer to his own and sunk down into it.
Now sitting face to face, Yao fought the urge to hide into himself, to flee, to just disappear.
Those exotic unique eyes didn't take themselves off him for almost a good five minutes now and he didn't know what should he do or how should he behave under such intense scrutiny.
" It's nice to meet you though I know you wouldn't say the same."
Yao bit down his lip then lifted his head, leveled Ivan with a look he made sure gave away nothing of what he felt.
" Why wouldn't I say the same ?"
" Well, besides the fact of being just wed off to the man you know nothing of, it's safe to assume you either wish me gone or dead or possibly for a hole to open up in that wall so you can yourself hide into."
Surprised, Yao stared at the white-blond haired man before him, racing to process that the man has just actually read his mind.
" Yao." His name sounded foreign coming from those lips, like it wasn't his own. " You have no reason to fear me. I have no intention of hurting you."
As reassuring as those words sounded still they didn't even begin to ease the knot of fear tightening around his heart.
" How much did he pay you ? or was it land ?" Once the thought came out of his mouth, Yao couldn't take it back.
Ivan titled his head slightly and stared right into Yao. Eyes so eerie they bordered on mystical, Yao wondered if he would ever get used to their unique shade.
" Actually it's the other way around."
Yao's eyebrows rose questioningly.
Ivan faintly smiled. " The marriage idea, it's true your father was the one who brought it up but it was my father who put it in his head."
The large Russian pulled his upper body forward, took off his scarf and unbuttoned his coat revealing a V –collared black shirt underneath.
The thin fabric stretched over his muscles, accenting the power concealed within his strong physique. He was a very handsome man indeed and Yao wondered why would a man this good-looking, who obviously had his pick of men, would be reduced to an arrangement ?
" My father knows I would never agree to marry a woman. I'd rather be disowned instead but that didn't stop him from following through with this archaic bullshit and getting both of us in this mess. I'm in the same position as you. I had no choice nor say in this." Ivan rested his hands on either handles of Yao's , crowding him in.
" I'm no enemy Yao. I wish to make your life easier as well as mine. So I need you on my side for this to work out. "
Yao looked back into those pools of light purple. They looked sincere, genuine but should he trust them ?
" What are you exactly asking of me Ivan ?"
Ivan cocked his head to the side and winked. " Play the happy married couple with me, I need an image to maintain and to give to my father so he gets off my back. I swear to you, in exchange, you would be safe from your father's clutches forever. You will be free to do whatever you want, to be whatever you wish. I won't restrict in any matter. Think of it as a win-win deal."
Yao took a moment to pounder those words.
Be whatever I wish ? do whatever I want ? Be free from father ?
" Who would tell me I wouldn't trade one prison for another ?"
A pleasant smile stretched over Ivan's lips as if he had just heard something he liked however just as quickly his face molded itself into a perfect expression of seriousness.
" What do you want Yao ? what do you dream to be ?"
Yao looked down at his hands, fidget with the fabric of his Hanfu.
Should he say it ? should he open up to this man about what he always held close to his heart ?
" Sculpture.." The word came out shy, timid and just as unsure as he felt.
Ivan continued to stare at him and Yao felt compelled to say more.
" I wanted to study it, to master it. It's the only thing I had ever felt so passionately about. When I was a kid, my mother used to take me to one of her friends' house, the woman was a sculptor. She had this mini studio she would take in with her and teach me how to make small shapes out of soap and mud. They were the happiest of my childhood memories. I lived for those moments at the end of every week but then mother got sick and I wasn't to ever leave the house alone. My father, as you can see, was never the warm loving kind ." Yao snorted. " In fact, he was rarely home and when I opened up about my passion to him, he laughed to my face, told me that art was for the feeble minded."
Yao took a deep breath and let it out, hoping to exorcise the unpleasant feelings that tainted his remembrance of his childhood.
" I was right to call him a scum after all." Yao's eyes widened and Ivan smirked. " I would have an entire team ready to start on the studio you dream of by next week. I would have your registration in one of the most prestigious art schools ready around January. You just say the word, Yao."
Yao's heart went wild against his chest. Hope flared through his soul and he couldn't stop trembling.
" Ar—Are you serious ?"
" As I have never been before." Ivan's serious face didn't fall, didn't crack. It only grew graver, his gaze deeper, boring into his very core.
" O—okay. I mean….alright. I will do it." Hope won over fear and Yao sought out Ivan, his reassurance. " Please.. just promise me you won't go back on your own words. Please ?"
Ivan took Yao's trembling hand in his own. " I swear on mother's grave, I will never go back on what I promised you."
Relief washed over Yao's soul, calming down his heart.
He swore on his mother's grave, she must mean a lot to him right ? He can't go back on his word now.
" You're..hmm..very straightforward, I mean…."
Ivan let out a laugh, a very nice-sounding laugh.
" It's true. I don't beat around the bush Yao. I just go straight ahead for what I want." Amethyst eyes shone with such intensity at that confession, for a second there, they reminded Yao of the beast on his betrothed's ring. There were no doubts or excuses in those mystic orbs. Assertive, clever, handsome. Yao couldn't help but admire the man before him.
" So what happens now ?"
Ivan slowly stood up from his chair, Yao followed him. The man towered over him, almost a half feet height difference between them and yet Yao didn't feel put off by it.
" Now I go home and bring my dear old father the happy news." Ivan slipped his coat back and moved to take his scarf.
" When will you back ?"
Ivan stopped tightening his scarf and looked at him, a wicked smile painting his lips. " Have I managed to make you fall for me already ? That would definitely make things easier . "
Heat exploded over Yao's neck and cheeks. Ivan chuckled and lifted Yao's face with one strong very capable finger. He whispered . " Hey, I'm just teasing you. "
" I know." Yao whispered back.
Seconds ticked and neither of them pulled back. A soft knock broke them apart. It was Rong.
" Master Braginsky, your chauffer has asked if he should get the car ready for you."
" Yes. Thank you."
" Right away, Master." She bowed to him, her eyes dancing over Yao, checking him for any damage. Yao smiled at her caring antics.
" I'm fine Rong." She looked startled but she hid it quickly. Offering Ivan a small genuine smile, she left.
" Alright, I need to leave now. I will try to come back as soon possible. Can I see you outside of the house ?"
Yao nodded. " I don't think Father would mind since we're engaged and all. I normally have school today but I skipped."
" what school do you attend ?"
" Blackstone's."
" The international one ? "
" Yes. I'm already on my last year. What about you ?"
Ivan looked a few older than him but age and looks didn't always agree.
" Same but I take online courses. For the most part, I was home-schooled, privately tutored so to speak since I'm the sole heir."
Lastly, Ivan adjusted his gloves and stretched his hand for a shake. Yao met it with his own.
Precious warmth he never felt before seeped through his body, touching some part of him nothing has ever reached before. Then when Yao thought he should have his hand back, Ivan gently pulled it to his mouth and landed one soft kiss on his skin.
" It was a pleasure to meet you Yao."
Conflicting emotions battled for dominance at that sweet gesture and Yao failed to find the right word to say.
Ivan smiled knowingly. He strode towards the door, taking his massive presence and the warmth of his touch with him.
" Take care, красивый. » He threw behind his shoulder and went off.
" huh ?" Yao stood staring at the spot where Ivan was.
What did he just say ?
спасибо = Thanks
красивый = beautiful
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