Behind closed doors
A/N: I'm making up a city. I tried New York but for some reason that was troublesome for me *Rolls eyes at own stupidity*
Chapter 1: Mercy has smiled upon me. For now.
WARNING: Prussia is a bit of a jerk in this, I apologize.
Ivan unpacked his things with little difficulty, he placed things across the room while his big sister watched in the door way, amused.
"Little brother let me help you." She said and grabbed his bag of clothes and placed them on hangers and stuffed them into the tiny closet. After two years of abuse the now seventeen year old and his siblings came to live with their twenty year old bigger sister.
"Zanks, now that I'm done I'll go see if Toris needs help or somezing." Ivan fake smiled and crossed the hallway to his little brother's room. Raivis, Toris, and Eduard all shared a room, but they didn't mind since the room was the biggest in the old house. Eduard was currently working on fixing his digital clock their sister bought him, Raivis and Toris were trying (and failing) to hang the curtains. Ivan laughed and gave Raivis a boost up, promptly dropping him whence they were done.
"Ow! That hurt you bully!" Raivis shouted from the floor.
"What is a big brozer for, da?" Ivan said, helping Raivis up with a small tug. Although the siblings tried to ignore it, they felt anger towards their bigger sister, while they were being mercilessly beaten at their uncle's home she was off God knows where doing God knows what. Still they felt grateful to her for bringing them out of their own personal hells. Of course their wounds were still very fresh, they finally left their guardians place just few days ago, the court date was in a few more days. Ivan remembered the day when he was sent to that horrid place, being only fifteen at the time.
"Now Ivan you must be a good boy, okay?" His nurse told him sternly, her young face aged beyond her years. Ivan nodded, his parents were well off so they could afford nannies, nurses, butlers, and chauffeurs. They usually busied themselves in politics and very occasionally the Russian underworld.
"Papa and momma would be angry if you misbehaved, da?" She asked, straightening out his coat before sending him and his siblings off to the train. Ivan nodded.
"Da." He agreed. She smiled at him, warmly and kindly, it made the nervous feeling inside Ivan dissipate for a moment.
"Remember," she became stern once more, "do not talk to strangers and make sure that none of your siblings wander off."
"Da." Once again she smiled and surprised him by hugging him tightly afraid as if he might disappear.
"Please take care Ivan, you are like a son to me." She whispered sadly. Ivan remembered that she couldn't bare children.
"Da." He breathed and she let go and ushered him and his siblings onto the train. Waving vigorously as it began to move, Ivan's nurse drifted out of sight.
Ivan shook his head to clear his head, he noticed that all three of his brothers were looking at him oddly. "Anyway, let's go down and get something to eat." Toris said. They filed out and Raivis playfully challenged Ivan and Toris to a race down the banister.
"Your on!" Toris laughed.
"Da." Ivan agreed.
Raivis seated himself upon the banister, making sure he wouldn't slip off and meet his death.
"Start counting!" He shouted at them and pushed himself to a start. Ivan and Toris started to count the seconds
"Twenty seconds!" They both bellowed. Raivis groaned in disappointment. Next Toris sat himself upon the banister. "Eduard! Catch me!" Toris called to their brother who was already on the landing. He turned around to object but Toris was already speeding towards him. After nineteen seconds sliding on the banister Toris flew (yes flew) into Eduard, knocking them both over, they began to wrestle and Ivan took his place on the banister and without hesitation pushed himself. Toris saw him coming and jumped out of the way. Sadly Eduard and Raivis weren't as quick.
BAM!
Raivis and Eduard were in a heap underneath their eldest brother who was grinning like the Cheshire cat.
"Hm, comfy." Ivan laughed.
"Yeah, now get off!" Eduard flailed underneath Ivan.
"Nyet, I don't think I will."
"Ivaaaan!" Raivis whined and Ivan relented.
"You are no fun Raivis, well let us go get somezing to eat zen." Ivan sighed and they made their way to the kitchen where their sister, Natalia, was putting up the groceries .
"Natalia! Is it possible for us to get a snack before dinner?" Toris asked with uncertainty. Natalia was a little...Er...Mentally unstable. Which made Ivan care for her more than anyone else, except maybe Toris. Which Natalia despised, it was as clear as day. Natalia hated Toris, which made Ivan more than a little sad and a tiny bit angry. What made Ivan's heart ache more was that Toris loved his little sister more than anyone and he could see the hurt faces he tried to hide when she forcefully shoved him away and latched onto Ivan.
After a moments pause Toris, Eduard, and Ivan feared that Natalia would lash out at Toris again. She did nothing but shrug and step away from the counter. There was a knock at the door, but all of the siblings knew who it was.
"Come in Mr. Winter!" Ivan shouted, he hated Mr. Winter, their social worker. He was the one to suggest their uncle as their guardian. The man made a bad thing worse, much more worse.
"Good evening Ivan, Toris, Eduard, Raivis, and Natalia." The way he said he name made Ivan want to bash his skull in. Ivan noticed that his three other brothers picked up on it as well, even Raivis which was surprising.
"Mr Winter, may I ask why you are here? I mean you are always welcome, of course, but right now is kind of a~" Eduard was cut off.
"No worries my boy, I have papers for your sister to sign so we can move on with the court case against your uncle and his family. I must have confirmation that your cousin also had something to do with it." He explained.
"Ah, yes, she is in the study upstairs I believe." Toris offered. Mr Winter thanked them and made his way upstairs. Natalia blinked twice and headed upstairs as well leaving the fours boys to talk.
"What a creep." Raivis said. They nodded in response.
"Mr. Winter is a weird guy, anyways we should start cooking. Big sister said she's having someone over for dinner." Eduard reminded them.
"What should we make?" Raivis asked, looking around the kitchen.
"Borsch?" Ivan supplied, his young brothers shrugged and nodded.
~~Two hours later
Ivan, Toris, Raivis, and Eduard admired their pot of soup currently on the stove. It was their third (Ivan's fourth, he had to cook for his uncle) time cooking Borsch soup. Mr. Winter had left about an hour ago, he said he had felt that he over-stayed his welcome which was correct but Eduard reassured him that it was okay, leaving a fuming Ivan in the background, and the table was set by Raivis.
Finally the door bell rang and their big sister sprinted down the stairs in the living room to answer it.
"Hey! Gilbert, I'm glad you could come. Oh! You've brought Gilbird! How nice." Ivan and his brothers eavesdropped on them. Once they heard footsteps they began busying themselves with gathering the bowls and napkins.
"Um guys! This is Gilbert, my friend." Introduced Katyusha. Ivan narrowed his eyes at Gilbert. He had white hair and red eyes, an albino. Something was amiss with him, maybe the way he talked to his sister. He didn't look at her eyes but at her chest. Ivan nodded in acknowledgment, as did the others.
"Please sit! The food is already done!" Raivis insisted, pointing a finger to the seat. Katyusha and Gilbert sat down, Ivan knew it was wrong but he listened to their conversation.
"Ya know I wouldn't mind skipping dinner for," he licked his lips and leaned closer to Katyusha, "desert." Katyusha laughed and playfully pushed his shoulder. Gilbert laughed as well and made eye contact with Ivan. He was mocking him, Ivan thought about taking the ladle he had in his hand and smashing it against Gilbert's head.
"Ahem, would you like a bowl for your...Bird?" He asked with an undertone of rudeness Katyusha didn't pick up on. Gilbert just laughed.
"Nah it's fine bro. We eat from the same thing." Gilbert joked but glared at him all the same.
"Hey Kitty Kat can I talk to your bro for a minute? I want to get to know 'em." Gilbert asked, Katyusha nodded and smiled at the nickname. Ivan's eye twitched.
Ivan was lead outside by Gilbert, who pulled out a cigarette a moment later.
"Got a light?"
"Nyet, I do not smoke." Ivan answered.
"What do you do then? Sex, drugs, what then?"
"I drink." Ivan answered.
"What?" Gilbert asked.
"Vodka." Gilbert snorted.
"Anyway, I don't appreciate you being rude to me."
"Oh? I should care vhy...?" Ivan snapped. In an instant Ivan was being pressed into the wall by Gilbert who was taller than him, of course him being three years older than Ivan.
"Get off me!" Ivan growled. Gilbert laughed but nonetheless let go.
"You have a lot to learn about the world, little kid." He laughed harder.
"I'm seventeen jerk off." Ivan hissed, shoving him and stomping inside. His siblings looked up in surprise, Ivan was usually calm and collected, what had gotten their brother so upset?
"I'm skipping dinner." Ivan announced the he turned to Toris and Eduard.
"Tell me if that bastard tells her anything." He added in a menacing undertone to them. They nodded, fearful of their brother's attitude. At that moment Gilbert came inside, Ivan wondered where the cigarette that was in his mouth went, probably flicked it into the sunflower garden next to the fence.
Katyusha grabbed Ivan's arm and wouldn't let go despite her brother's yanking and tugging.
"Little brother please! I must tell you something before you go!" Katyusha cried. Ivan stopped struggling and looked down at her. He was slightly taller than her by an inch.
"Da?" He asked, wanting to poison Gilbert's food since the bastard was showing off his huge grin, like he won the lottery.
"Gilbert and I are dating! Isn't that wonderful? Oh, and don't stay out too long! You have school tomorrow!" With that Katyusha let go of her brother and sat beside Gilbert, not even hiding their relationship anymore, since Gilbert put an arm around her and subtly licked her neck, eyes transfixed on Ivan. Ivan growled and stomped out of the kitchen door, slamming it shut.
He walked for a long time and he didn't know where he ended up, he hated this place. It was like a labyrinth of alley ways and streets. America was becoming a troublesome place, especially this city. Suddenly something hit his back and Ivan whirled around, coming face to face with a red-haired boy.
"Vhat is your problem?" Ivan demanded. The red head scowled but shrugged nonchalantly, smirking once he say Ivan's face. Something tackled the boy to the ground and Ivan was thankful for his fast reflexes since he managed to jump out of the way.
"YOU GIT! HOW DARE YOU LEAVE ME SCOTTY! IN THIS PART OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD TOO!" The blonde boy yelled as he punched the other.
"Get off me Artie! You're fecking heavy!" The boy Ivan presumed Scotty yelled. Artie got off and finally noticed Ivan. Artie looked around Ivan's age, maybe a year younger. He had wild blonde hair with several piercings on his body (as far as Ivan could see anyway). He had on a band shirt that said 'The Who' on it. Ivan wasn't one to listen to music that much (he usually had to clean and work) but he did know who they were.
"Hey, I'm Arthur. Sorry bout that chap but my git of a brother here likes to wonder off." Arthur said sheepishly.
"Things can get out of control here so it's best if you have someone with you, even in the day time." He explained, Ivan nodded.
"Ah, zank you. I was dzhust leaving." Ivan said and turned around. Something caught his arm and he looked over his shoulder at the British boy.
"You're Russian?" He asked.
"Da, I mean yes." Ivan answered. His English was choppy at best and sometimes he reverted back to Russian without even meaning to, also his accent was a dead giveaway.
"Well see you around then. Oh! I didn't ask for your name!" Arthur suddenly remembered.
"Ivan. Ivan Braginsky."
"Well, my last name is Kirkland. I live on Albion avenue just up that way." Arthur nodded towards his shoulder.
"Well, bye."
"Wait!"
"Yes?" Arthur asked, his hand on his elder brother's collar.
"Do you happen to know vhere Yeltsin street is?" Ivan asked, his cheeks burning.
"Uh, yeah. You mean the Russian Province? You're far away from there, well your one lucky bloke though, I know my way around town like the back of my hand, including the Russian Province. Only person who knows it better than I is Alfred. He lives in the rich side of town." Arthur said while they began to trek to the Russian Province. In no time at all Ivan saw Yeltsin street and his home.
"Ah, here it is. Vill you be fine on your own?" Ivan asked Arthur. Arthur looked around himself.
"Uh, do you happen to have a bottle or something?" He asked. Ivan produced an empty vodka bottle he had been drinking and handed it to Arthur whom seemed not at all fazed that a person his age drunk a whole bottle of vodka and was still sober. He thankfully got the empty bottle and smashed the bottom onto the curb, making glass shards shoot everywhere so the bottle was now jagged and sharp.
"Cheers!" Arthur waved and set off on his own. Ivan watched as Arthur disappeared into the darkness, amused at his behavior, never had he seen someone do what he did just now.
"Very interesting, vat one." Ivan said to himself and went inside his home. He heard talking in the kitchen and avoided going in there despite his hunger, instead he trudged up the stairs and into his room. Once there he changed and sprawled himself onto the bed and fell asleep.
A/N: I might be able to fit in another update before my internet is cut off since we are making a switch, I plan on making Ivan's accent disappear unless you think I should keep it. I read that Russians had difficulty saying the J sound and the W sound as well and they replaced it with a V or DZH instead. I apologize if I am wrong or if I offended you in any way.
Nyet: No
Da: Yes