Ivan walked into school the next day and saw that the walls had been plastered with posters announcing that homecoming was in less than four weeks. That was perfect, he could ask Yao to homecoming, and maybe it wouldn't be as weird as just asking him out. Every day Ivan and Yao became better friends, but every day the Russian waited for an opportunity to ask his friend to the dance.
A whole week passed, and once again it was Tuesday. Ivan, Francis, and Yao walked home together as usual. As they came to Nutmeg street, Yao turned to leave the small group.
"Well, bye guys, see you tomorrow!" Yao waved to the other two.
"Bye!"
"Bye, Yao!" Ivan waved back, and sighed as they kept walking.
Francis put an arm over his shoulder.
"You need to stop acting like a lovesick puppy, and just ask him already! Homecoming is in like two and a half weeks, you need to make your move." The Frenchman advised; he'd been telling Ivan the same thing every day, and Ivan always had the same answer.
"I told you, I am waiting for a right moment." He sighed again, hoping that moment would present itself soon.
Francis decided to take matters into his own hands, and create that moment for Ivan—if he was going to play matchmaker, he wasn't going to do a half-assed job of it. The next day when they headed back up the hill from the diner, Francis put his plan into action.
"So, are you both going to homecoming?" He offered, hoping this would steer the conversation in the right direction.
"Yeah, just going with the guys though," Yao answered, "Unless someone asks me, but it seems like they would have done it already. What about you? Going with Joan?" He looked over at Francis.
"Why of course~ In fact, I think I'll go surprise her right now with that poem I wrote!" Francis did want to dote on his girlfriend, but more than that he was walking to her house just to let Ivan and Yao alone.
"All of us, well except Francis, will probably go to homecoming together, you think you'll come?" Yao asked the taller boy.
"I was actually thinking of asking someone..." Ivan admitted, "he already knows I like him..."
"Aww! You already like someone? Well then don't waste so much time, go get 'em!" Yao nudged his friend; he remembered that Ivan was gay...he just didn't realize what he was hinting at.
"Yes, already...well, since the first day I was here actually..." the Russian looked at his companion, hoping that would be enough of a hint. "I guess I am not too good at hinting like that, because what I mean is...Yao will you go to homecoming with me?"
"Wait...me?" At first Yao was surprised, but then it hit him—Ivan's first day, calling him cute and looking at him that way—of course that's what he was trying to hint at.
"Ivan I can't...I'm not...if we...people...people will talk. You're really sweet, but look how people talk to me just because I'm short and skinny and I have long hair; imagine what they'd do if I went to homecoming with a guy. And you, you're the new kid; they're looking for a reason to love you or a reason to hate you."
"Oh..." Ivan looked at the ground, defeated. But as he took a few seconds to think about what Yao had said, he realized that not only was he right, it wasn't so much of a rejection as just protecting both of them.
"I guess we'll just go with Arthur and them then, da?" Ivan asked, looking back up at Yao.
"Da." The Chinese boy chuckled, and Ivan joined in. He gave Yao a hug as they came to Nutmeg street and parted ways.
A/N: Ahhhh I'm so sorry this took forever! I hope you like it, although I somehow doubt that it's any good. Reviews are always appreciated, of course! I'll try to get the next chapter up sooner but honestly it may very well not be until around Beethoven Day. (If you don't know when that it—look it up!)