Um, Toris... You Got A Little Crazy On Your Face

"Can I ask you for a favour?"

"Of course," Eduard responded, letting Toris come in, trying not to be too curious about the box Toris held in his arms. "What about?"

"I have something I need to fix, but there are a lot of pieces. If I do it at Feliks' house... I may loose something. Do you mind if I borrow some counter space for a little bit?"

"Go ahead." Eduard nodded. Toris gave him a grateful smile.

"Thanks. I will try and keep it all out of your way..."

Eduard waved it off before Toris really convinced himself that it might be a problem. That seemed to be a trait that the three of them shared. He watched as Toris set the box down on the counter, brining out the supplies he was to mend whatever it was with. "May I ask...?"

"It's a jar," Toris admitted, carefully pulling the pieces of the painted glass out and setting them each on the counter. Eduard glanced in, trying to identify what else was in there.

"The... paper stars?"

"It isn't mine. Natalia was trying to give this to Ivan and he dropped it. The poor girl was absolutely horrified and she ran off. But this doesn't look impossible, I think I can fix it."

Eduard was not certain whether the odd feeling in the pit of his stomache began, when Toris mentioned Natalia or after Toris mentioned what he was doing for Natalia. "Toris... Natalia is not supposed to be giving Ivan anything... when it is not his birthday or a day like that." Actually, Ivan did not want her giving him anything on his birthday either. Imagine that.

"Why?"

"Because..." Eduard hesitated. What could he say? What was the best way to describe it? Natalia was insane. Yes, that would probably be–

"I get all tongue-tied around her... I don't know how to stop," Toris was saying, sighing and propping his head up on his hand. "She's really cute... isn't she?"

That does not really make up for the rest of it.

"And whether the present was really out of her way or not... Ivan should have accepted it. Even if he did not want it. What sort of scene was he trying to start?"

"Believe me, he would have been starting a scene by accepting it," Eduard muttered, tugging at his collar.

"What do you mean?"

"Natalia's insane. And she is a bit more than fond of Ivan."

Toris stared at him for a little bit, hands paused right where he was holding two pieces of the glass together. Then he started to laugh. Eduard hesitated, not exactly certain what to say about that. Then again, Toris mentioned he had known Ivan from college and if Eduard recalled correctly from Kat that was when Ivan... was at his... worst?

"Are you all right?"

"Oh, I'm fine!" Toris nodded, laughter calming down as he resumed his task. "I was just thinking. It's really typical of me."

Really typical? Eduard almost asked, except he reminded himself it was none of his business. Though now that he had finally met his older brother, he rather wanted the man to be able to stick around long enough so that the two of them could actually get to know each other. And if one of the Braginski family drove him off or killed him (though that was thinking a little over the top) they would not be able to do that.

But Toris was still fixing the jar. Either he missed the point, or he was above allowing things like that effect who he decided to help.

Eduard found himself slightly annoyed. Toris was too nice.


Notes:

Too nice or too stupid. You can take your pick, but I think it lies in both explanations.