Chapter Seven: Good Moods

Ivan hummed happily as he brazenly walked into class twenty minutes late. He threw the professor a smile and said professor decided it was in his best interest to just continue the lecture.

"Well, you seem to be in a good mood." Toris whispered as the other took the empty seat next to him. He prayed that Ivan was in a good mood and that he's not misreading him. It's been a while, but he's done it before and the results (punishment) were not pretty.

Ivan smiled wider and nodded. "Да! I talked vith Yong Soo." He didn't even bother to keep his voice down. He didn't really know why, but none of his instructors seemed to mind when he talked during class. Or slept. Or didn't show up. Curious.

"Oh, that's good. It went well?"

Ivan frowned for a split second before he started smiling again. The new smile didn't seem quite as bright, however and Toris visibly flinched. "Not at first. Yong Soo's friends do not like me. Oh! Except Matvey! Matvey vas there." He smiled, proud that he remembered his teammate's presence. "Yong Soo said he vas mad at me, but I could make out vith him."

"M-make out?" Toris parroted, slackjawed.

"Vait, нет. That vas not it." He frowns and pauses, thinking back on the conversation. "Ah! He said I could 'make it up to him'."

"O-oh." The Lithuanian laughed softly. "That makes sense. How are you going to do that?"

"I vill-" Ivan stopped mid-sentence. "I do not know!" He looked surprised, then slightly panicked. If he didn't make it up to him, Yong Soo would never forgive him! "Vhat do I do, Toris?"

-o-o-o-

"You shouldn't associate with him," Lee started scolding his friend as they began, once again, walking to school. "Yao would not be happy."

Yong Soo ignored him and grinned. He didn't know why he felt so much better, but he did. Even if Lee was lecturing him. It was easy to disregard him anyway. With the way Lee talks, it doesn't take much effort to think of his voice as white noise. Alfred, however, isn't as easy.

"I don't even know why you'd wanna hang out with that commie," Alfred scowled. He shoved his hands in his pockets and stared at his shoes as if they'd severely wronged him in some totally unforgivable way.

"Just because he's Russian doesn't mean he's a communist, Al. That's so offensive." Matthew chided, frowning at his brother. "Il est si impoli..." He muttered softly, shaking his head before turning to talk to Yong Soo. "Ivan's really not a bad guy, Yong Soo. I-I mean I don't know him all that well, just from the hockey team, but he's always been really friendly. Sometimes a little too friendly, but..." He paused, trying to gather his thoughts. "I think he just doesn't know how to deal with people... I-I mean, sometimes he does get a little... well... creepy, but... uh... "

"I don't really know him that well, either." Yong Soo admitted, though the fact didn't seem to bother him. "Yao-hyung and Kiku-hyung don't really seem to like him, but... eh." He shrugged, obviously dismissing it.

Matthew smiled at Yong Soo. He was glad the Korean was giving Ivan a chance. He knew his teammate didn't have very many friends. Well, he didn't either, but he had some! And he was pretty sure Yong Soo considered him one, or at least he hoped.

"So!" Yong Soo exclaimed, stopping in his tracks and putting both hands on his hips, forcing everyone to stop and look back at him. He leaned in and his voice dropped to a whisper. A smirk snaked its way onto his face and he looked as though he was plotting something insidious. "Since we've already late, wanna skip?"

Alfred whooped, jumping up in excitement.

Lee blinked, confused by the sudden change in topics.

Matthew just looked horrified at the prospect.

-o-o-o-

Kiku sat at the dining room table, quietly doing schoolwork as his older brother made dinner. He smiled softly at the excited noises and shouts coming from his younger brother's bedroom. He truly felt that he took a step in the right direction with Yong Soo last night. He felt they had become closer. Perhaps now the high-schooler will let him be the big brother that he had been trying to be.

His thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the front door. He looked up and stared in the direction of the front room. Who would be coming at this time of night? He thought that Lee was already here and no one else generally joined them for supper.

"Kiku? Could you get that, aru? I'm a little busy." Yao asked as he flitted about the kitchen, checking on dishes, adding spices, taste-testing.

"Of course, Niisan." Kiku nodded and pushed back his chair. His homework could wait. He had to admit he was curious about the visitor, anyway. He crossed to the door purposefully, frowning when the person knocked a second time. "Hai, hai. I'm coming."

He didn't know who he had been expecting to be there when he opened the door, perhaps Heracles or Sadiq, or Alfred, come to visit Yong Soo. Or maybe a travelling salesman. Ivan Braginsky with a bouquet of sunflowers was not even on his list.

He stood, gape-mouthed for a moment, before bending his knees and pulling his hands into front of himself, ready to defend against attack. His eyes steeled and his mouth formed a tight frown. He would not let this man bother Yao again.

"I am here to see Yong Soo." The Russian smiled brightly at the shorter man. "You get him, да?"

Kiki faltered for a moment. Ivan wanted to see Yong Soo? He knew that the two had had a confrontation, was Ivan here to hurt his little brother? "He is not available," he said firmly, his polite tone underlain with ice. "And I would appreciate it if you did not come here again." Before Ivan could reply, Kiku swiftly shut the door and then locked it for good measure.

He ignored the menacing sound of "Kolkolkolkolkol..." echoing, muffled, from behind the door and walked calmly back to the kitchen. He paused, however, when he saw Yong Soo lounging in one of the dining chairs. Lee sat quietly in the seat beside him.

"So who was at the door, Kiku-hyung?" He asked brightly.

"I-it was... a travelling salesman."

"Whoa! Seriously?" He leaned forward, suddenly interested and Kiku cursed his choice of lies. "I didn't know they still existed, da ze! What was he selling?"

"U-uh," he fumbled momentarily. What would he have been selling? "V-vacuum cleaner."

"Oh. That's so boring."

"What were you expecting him to be selling, aru?" Yao asked crossly, as he continued cooking, barely throwing a glance over his shoulder at his youngest brother.

"I dunno," Yong Soo shrugged. "How much longer until dinner? I'm huuuungry..."

Kiku sighed in relief when Yong Soo stopped questioning the visitor and pointedly ignored the curious looks from Lee.

A/N: Kiku! D: How mean! Lee knows you're up to something though... Watch out!

Translations:

Да: Yes (Russian)

Нет: No (Russian)

Il est si impoli...: He is so rude...

Niisan: Big brother (Japanese)

Hai: Yes (Japanese)