A/N I'm so happy I finished another chapter! I think that we are slowly reaching the end of "You Gave Me Hope", about 2 or so more chapters. I am planning to write stories in the same 'universe' as this one, but with different pairings. If you want to check out the summaries so far I put them on my profile.
Thank you again .SP for your constant support :D I really appreciate it. Also thank you TheFangirlPotatoArises for the review, glad you like it!
Hope you enjoy this chapter, and I really do appreciate it if you review!
Mend
To fix, to put together broken parts.
His light hair was damp from the snow as well as the clothes that he wore, from the scarf to the long winter jacket. His bright purple eyes showed a glimmer of hope at the sight of Yao.
"Ivan, how long have you been standing here?"
Her concern had got the better of her and the initial issue was temporarily ignored.
"8"
"But it's 3 now…. You mean you have been standing here the whole day? Ivan, you'll get sick! It's cold!"
Yes concern, an automatic response she had gained from taking care of her family.
"I am alright Yao, I just wanted to see you one more-"
But he didn't finish his sentence as he fell over into the thick layer of snow.
"Aiyah Ivan! Ivan get up, Ivan-"
There was no response and Yao felt the heated forehead of the silver haired boy. Or well one could say full grown man and quite heavy to top that which was what Yao thought as she tried to drag Ivan into her home by herself. She was then joined by Leon and Kiku halfway who ran over to help.
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When they got into the house, no one said a word. Leon set to finding the spare oversized clothes in the closet, Kiku went to boil water as Yao retrieved packs of Chinese herbal medicine in the cabinet and the unconscious Ivan lay on Yao's bed.
Yao then went to the unconscious Ivan to take of his soaked jacket and scarf.
But as the scarf slipped off, Yao was shocked.
There was blood all over it, scratches on his neck along with bruises.
None of the wounds were treated and Yao set to getting disinfectants immediately. She faintly wondered what had happened to cause Ivan to end up this way as she tried to wash the blood stains off of the pale white scarf.
Leon dumped a pile of clothes in front of Yao's room and set off to do his own things.
Kiku however pulled Yao aside when she went up with the herbal medicine.
"Ne-san, what's going on? Why is he here?"
"I don't know, I honestly don't know, but we have to help him okay? Because Ivan's my friend now, and I'm not going to let him go this time."
Kiku cast a look of disapproval and left with a "Do as you wish. But please be careful, we can't have you getting hurt."
It was the closest that her little brother had ever said to "We need you", and it didn't go unappreciated.
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Yao had cooked a bit of extra stew for Ivan in case he were to wake up.
It was quite late, around nine that Yao heard something that resembled a scream from her room. She sprinted up the stairs.
"Ivan?" she called out at the door.
"My scarf … where am I … Y-Yao?"
They stared at each other for a second before Ivan seemed to freak out.
"Yao, where is my scarf? You haven't seen it right-"
But he felt around his neck and touched the smooth bandage.
He curled up on the bed and wouldn't look up his voice muffled in the sheets.
"Ivan what are you talking about? I just washed the scarf and dressed the wounds- Where do the wounds come from? Ivan please-"
Ivan shied away from her hand as it came closer to his neck.
"Ivan I'm just going to change the bandages, I'm not going to hurt you."
It earned Yao a hug of which Ivan would not break off.
He was shaking, of what Yao did not know, but she decided to leave the question of the scars for another day as Ivan slowly drifted off again to sleep. Somehow dragging Yao with him.
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When she woke up the next day she noted the giant pale arms that wrapped around her waist.
Which resulted Yao to produce a silent scream. Silent as a consequence to the peaceful and feverish Ivan that was still sleeping.
Somehow she slipped out of the bed and changed the bandages without him waking.
She then had Kiku inform the teachers that both her and Ivan were sick.
She glanced behind her. There was no way that she would leave the helpless boy alone.
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The next time that Ivan woke up was in the afternoon as Yao was making lunch.
He crept down the stairs quietly and offered a "Good Morning" before sitting down at the table.
Yao noted that Ivan was extremely uncomfortable without his scarf and with the bandages that she had added to his arms when she found wounds the same morning. He was fidgety and wouldn't really seem to sit still.
He also detested the herbal medicine as his pale face seemed to wrinkle at the smell of it.
But that was understandable, as both Leon and Xiao Mei would only drink it when completely forced to with the power of both her and Kiku.
After several moments of silence and Ivan playing around with the noodles that Yao had cooked it became clear that he was avoiding the subject of his wounds. He didn't even ask to have his scarf back.
But she wouldn't let that happen.
"Ivan, could you please tell me what happened?"
"What are you talking about?"
Yao's response to the false innocence was a glare of her own. Combined with Ivan's nervousness, he quickly concocted the "Oh I just fell down the stairs" excuse.
Yao wasn't going to buy it. It wasn't even a little convincing.
"And falling down the stairs makes your neck have so many bruises? I don't know how you would have to fall to do that. Ivan, I'm not stupid, I am very concerned. Please tell me what's wrong."
It sadly resembled coaxing a child to tell the truth.
"But Yao Yao will hate me."
He met her brown eyes with his clouded purple ones.
Fear and Uncertainty.
"I'm your friend Ivan, I care for you."
Then she added, "I won't leave you anymore."
He seemed convinced with those words.