Where He Gets It Wrong And She Finally Berates Him For It

"N-Natalia?"

It was a first, him calling out her name when she was not walking toward him, when she was not talking to him, when she was not right there. It was not something that he wanted to make a habit of, but at the moment it seemed to be a better plan than what had been going on. Which was him waiting for her to do something. Nothing. She had done nothing. She had not tried to contact him, break in his house, do anything. And Ivan found himself really close to the edge.

Natalia stopped, turning to look over at him. Certainly, he was standing right next to a dumpster, but her eyes did not change. Natalia just stood there, staring at him. She did not scream 'brother', she did not run toward him, she did not do anything. She just stood there. Ivan was wondering whether he should run for it. Any moment now... any moment she was going to do something and he should not be there for that, he should be far away–

"Do you need something, br– Ivan?"

They both stared at each other for a long time. Ivan really wanted to run, but (like with a wild animal, and Angus thought he had not been listening!) knew better than to give her something to chase.

"Aren't you going... are you...?" Ivan found himself not exactly certain what to say. Natalia still stood there, muscles appearing as tight as a drawn bow string as if she were going to pounce him. Ivan readied himself. Any moment he would have to dodge her. Any moment now...

"If that is all, I am going to meet someone. I do not want to be late," Natalia said stiffly. She did not move away though, despite her words. Ivan was busy translating all of the possible meanings in her head before he simply just listened. She was wanting to go see someone. Someone who was not him.

Between horror and victory, Ivan suddenly realized that Toris was in trouble.

"Ah... no. No." Ivan shook his head, heart pounding. He could do this. It was for his friend. He owed Toris this.

"N-no?" Natalia asked, voice hesitant.

"No. He belongs vith Feliks. Leave him alone."

Something seemed to snap in Natalia, those eyes glared at him and Ivan took a step backwards despite himself. "What. Are. You. Talking. About. Brother?"

"I... you leave Toris alone," Ivan swallowed.

Suddenly Natalia had snapped. Again. In a different way. It was not as if that was strange, but she never yelled at other people. Especially not him. "Toris? This isn't about Toris! What do you care? I don't care about Toris! I don't care about Toris and I don't care about you! I did everything for you! Everything! Did you care? No! I just wanted my older brother to be my older brother! I just wanted that! But I don't care, not anymore! I don't care, I don't! Because you never wanted to be a big brother to your little sister!"

Ivan could not react, the words actually jamming themselves down his ear canals, but his mind unable to understand it at all. It was as if he were dreaming. Or in a nightmare. Whichever one this was, he could not be certain. Tears filled up Natalia's eyes.

"Of course, you'd be concerned about Toris," she spat. "Feliks can have him, I don't care. I don't care. I don't..."

Again, he watched her run away in tears. "Vait! Natalia...!" Ivan called after, though belated as Natalia was already out of sight by the time he had stepped forward.

He stood there fore some time before he realized what it was she had said, what she had meant. But... but it was Natalia. That could not have just happened. Taking off one of his gloves, he pinched his cheek. Then his arm. Then his leg. No, he was still here. Did that really work for waking someone up?

"Katyusha..." he mumbled, ignoring his job and heading straight to her house for comfort.

And because of his state of shock, he missed the person who had been at the side door the entire time. The person who had stared and then shut the door.


Notes:

Before anyone asks, the reason Ivan is near the dumpster is because he is the GARBAGE MAN. I regret nothing.

Ivan's matchmaking abilities appear to consist of just trying to keep himself sane and Natalia away from Toris. It is a good start, for Ivan, I suppose.