Disclaimer: The usual apply. ^_^
"Wow… you chose a lot…" Ivan smiled an amused smile as he saw the things Yao had encircled on the take-out menus.
Yao fidgeted, scratching the back of his right panda ear. "Aiyah… is it too much aru?"
He blushed, tugging softly at the menus that Ivan held, trying to take it back. "I'm sorry aru…"
After a second of initial surprise, Ivan laughed, patting the boy on the head, this time with more affection.
"No, of course it's not too much! Do not be sorry little one."
The Russian man dealt with children practically everyday in the hospital, but of course he had never come across a child who not only acted cute, but also looked the part perfectly. Yao looked like a living stuffed toy or plushie— or the kid who would win first place in a Halloween costume contest. His ears and tail looked real and they moved and waggled on their own accord, but the fur on his hands and torso were definitely some sort of fabric. He was sure of it since on the parts of the boy's body without the fur, he had perfectly normal looking human skin.
Still he had to take a closer look later…
Which reminded the doctor, he needed to run a check-up on the little thing after it ate dinner. He wanted to make sure it didn't carry some dangerous disease or anything… it was still somewhat a panda after all.
Picking up the phone the second time that night, he called the respective establishments and made the following orders. Most of the people who worked in the restaurants he patronized already knew him as 'the head doctor' from the city hospital. They were kind and grateful to him despite the fact that he had just been transferred here a year ago.
Ivan was a great doctor and an exceptional surgeon. He was fearless in the operating room; every surgery like a show of art as he made each incision and each stitch with utmost precision.
The young doctors looked up to him while others envied the recognition he received and the quick promotion he attained.
However he was not concerned with such matters— he was just obsessed with his work.
An old comrade once commented that he seemed like a sublimated serial killer with the way his eyes gleamed and sparkled when he cut open bodies and saw blood.
Back then he had merely laughed off the statement… but in reality, the idea frightened him. Especially since he felt like it was true.
Katyusha often told him that he was pushing his body too hard and that he needed some time away from his job. He had accumulated weeks worth of vacation time ever since he started working full-time as a certified physician.
She never failed to remind him every time she dropped by his condo unit that he needed to start thinking about finding a girlfriend, getting married… a family.
Something told Ivan deep inside that 'a family' was not meant for him. His only love was his practice in medicine and a man obsessed with his work would not make a good husband, He had nothing for romance but disiniterest.
He didn't voice out those thoughts to his sister though, instead he would nod and offer a half-hearted, "You are right. I will consider it."
So it was only understandable that while watching this little boy run around the living room, smiling and giggling every now and then, made him feel extremely awkward.
He felt like a father taking care of his kid… and he was actually enjoying it.
Still, the fact that he was not supposed to be seeing a demi-human panda boy in the first place was terribly disturbing.
He knew Arthur was superstitious and sometimes spoke of magic, ghosts and other things that sound preposterous coming from a highly-acclaimed doctor, (If only his patients would hear him every time he was drunk, they would not even dream of trusting their lives to the British man) but he didn't know that his comrade's absurdity was contagious.
Was he now also seeing apparitions and strange illusions? Or perhaps Arthur had cursed this panda and decided to play a prank on him?
Ivan shook his head, quickly dismissing such irrational reasoning.
His comrade had surprised him in his office earlier that day with some dire news and seemed serious when he said that he needed help.
The flight that was meant to take a baby panda to China the following day had some major schedule problems due to sudden bad weather.
Supposedly Arthur's Australian cousin who was experienced with animals would be the caretaker; however the man would not be able to arrive until tomorrow at lunchtime.
Having studied for two years in veterinary medicine prior to his course in pursuing a doctorate, Ivan was seen as a likely candidate by the animal rescue team.
That night, Francis, Arthur's close acquaintance and childhood friend, had delivered the panda to him together with a letter and a basket of bamboo shoots.
And everything went out of whack from that point onward.
He was starting to think that his sister's theory was more plausible; that he was stressed and it was having some sort of negative effect on his sanity. Perhaps he needed to give himself a check-up once he got back to the hospital tomorrow…
"Ivan… are you okay?"
A small voice asked, worry evident in its tone.
Ivan, who had his eyes closed and was in deep thought, turned to see the little panda on the couch next to him, staring at his face.
Whenever he was lost in thought like this or pondering over a problem, he was used to being immersed in silence. The silence lulled him until he was tired of thinking and until he fell asleep from drinking vodka.
He was not accustomed to cute little furry kids looking up at him with an expression of sincere concern.
Ivan sat up straight and lifted the panda boy by its armpits and settled it on his lap while it proceeded to suppress laughter. In the back of Ivan's mind, he noted the discovery of one of the kid's ticklish spots. Afterwards he had a strange urge to hug the thing so he did.
Gently, he engulfed little Yao in a soft embrace.
"I am fine little one." He finally answered. Smiling as he felt the kid nuzzle his chest, "I'm just tired."
At that moment, the doorbell rang and Ivan felt the panda's ears perk up at the sound.
"Ah, it seems your food is here da?"
Getting up, Ivan sat little Yao down on the couch and told him to stay put and wait patiently. The boy just nodded eagerly.
Yao had a healthy appetite.
He ate a lot of food and a considerable amount was left over. Ivan himself was not that hungry so he had consumed just enough to get him by.
As Ivan tucked away the remaining dishes, he kept an eye on Yao who had retreated back to the living room after the Russian helped him clean himself up.
After making sure everything was in order, he followed Yao and saw him curled up on the couch, already sleepy from being too full.
"Little Yao, come over to the room. You can sleep on the bed." Ivan said, offering his hand for the child to take.
Yao groggily stood up and gripped the bigger hand, allowing Ivan to lead him to the vacant guest room.
The doctor observed that everything seemed normal so far. The boy felt sleepy after a big meal, nothing unusual. He didn't look like his body rejected human food or anything.
Thinking that he could postpone the check-up for tomorrow morning, Ivan fluffed up the pillows and brought out the blankets, making haste so the boy could finally get some rest.
He motioned for Yao to come closer. Once the boy was near enough, he knelt down in front of him, leveling his eyes with the kid's.
"I do not have pajamas that would fit you for now, but do you want to change into something else before you sleep? I could give you an over-sized shirt."
The boy glanced down at his furry garb and shook his head. Ivan just smiled and nodded.
"Then can I at least take let your hair hang loose? It's not comfortable to sleep in a ponytail." This time the boy agreed and Ivan carefully unknotted the tie in his hair, tucking away the straw-ribbon and running his fingers through the boy's shoulder-length, ebony hair to smoothen it out.
Afterwards he watched as Yao climbed up the bed and crawled under the sheets.
Turning on the lamp, Ivan patted his head and headed for the door when he felt a tug on the side of his shirt.
"Am I going to sleep here alone aru?" the boy asked him, sitting up to get a better grip of Ivan's shirt, "Are you going to leave me? Like mama did…" The little voice trembled before trailing off.
Ivan felt like the strong grip of Yao's small hand had not only taken a hold of his shirt, but also of his heart. He turned back and sat down on the bed, hugging Yao for the second time.
"No, I will not leave little one." He whispered softly. "I will sleep next to you, is that okay?" he felt the head buried in his chest nod slowly.
Taking off his shoes, Ivan, crawled into the bed beside the little panda boy, feeling an overwhelming sense of relief, comfort and strangely… happiness, as the kid curled up close to him.
Ivan then fell into the deepest, most relaxing sleep he had in months…
The rays of the sunlight slowly pulled him back from slumber.
He had forgotten to untie the curtains the night before and he was thinking of getting up, untying them and going back to sleep without waking up the baby panda. Upon opening his eyes though, his mind went blank…
In his arms was no longer the baby panda, but someone else…
It was a boy (he could tell—or rather, feel it right away since their legs were intertwined), with the same panda ears and the same smooth black hair, but he was taller…
He looked like he was in his teens.
Ivan sat up straight, rubbing his eyes. He pulled the covers and took a better look at his companion--- his companion whose clothes had become more fit, accentuating an adolescent chest and a slender waist… and legs that were---
Burying his face in his hand, the Russian doctor refused to continue his observations, stopping himself before he could think up of inappropriate adjectives.
With the warmth next to him being replaced by the morning cold, the teenage boy stirred; his eyes slowly fluttering open to reveal the same amber ones that belonged to the little kid Ivan knew.
"Mmhh… Ivan…?" a bigger yet still androgynous voice came from the boy's lips as he blinked, searching for the Russian.
"Yao…?" Ivan found his own voice, "…is that you?"
Gingerly getting up on his knees, the boy crawled over to Ivan and threw his arms around him, locking him in an eager embrace, not even bothering to answer the question.
Now Ivan was sure of it… he was officially losing his mind.
TBC.
A/N: My fics aren't beta-ed… sorry for the errors (I'm sure there are a lot)! OTL. Will edit this in the future for polishing.