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Chapter Six: Sunflower Fields
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"Have a good trip, Ivan…" Natalia Arlovskaya said, kissing her boyfriend's cheek, as his hands were full of bags and other such things. She and Ivan Braginski's's adopted sister had done what they could to get him to let them help, but it was a moot point to get the pale blonde to let them.
"Have fun while I'm gone, girls," Ivan replied, walking awkwardly to the door of his shuttle. The man took some of the heavier things and put them in the back, and Ivan waved at the two girls before stepping on the step stool and climbing into shuttle. Once the car was out of the driveway, Natalia and Katyusha Lozinski exhaled loudly and began giggling. Life was never easy with Ivan.
"Well… how does it feel to have him out of our hair?" Natalia asked, elbowing Katyusha in the side. The relationship between Natalia and Ivan was strictly his fault: Natalia was just too afraid to say no to the man. Katyusha, on the other hand, though she had grown up with Ivan, had never liked him since… an incident… with a boy named Matthew. That sweet French-Canadian had spurred Ivan's move to Fou, and Natalia and Katyusha had to follow, for fear the unstable being would be upon them.
"It feels… wonderful," Kat replied, crossing her arms over her stomach, which was a hard feat with her extended bosom. But she managed it, anyway.
They went inside and went around, turning off lights and getting their own bags from their rooms. Katyusha and Natalia had been planning their own trip since Ivan had announced this business trip. Katyusha wanted to see Matthew in Monde again… and Natalia was happy to get out of the house and back to their shining city again. No, living with Ivan was never easy.
Katyusha picked up a dilapidated white stuffed bear from her bed as Natalia came in to check on her. "I can't believe you haven't gotten rid of that thing…" Natalia told her.
Katyusha shrugged, "A standing vigil of our happier past. Poor thing. He must miss Matt—He must miss him…"
Natalia smiled and nodded quietly, a small smile on her face. Perhaps finding the boy and giving him the bear would make her friend a happier person. Unless… Natalia had been the last to see the boy, leaving him in the snow when she confronted a very unstable Ivan… perhaps the boy had frozen to death…
"He's not dead, Nat… and even if he was, its not your fault…" Katyusha told her brooding friend, nudging the smaller girl forward and out to Natalia's car. Natalia opened the car and threw hers and Katyusha's bags into the back before going around to the driver's side.
"How can you be so optimistic about him, Kat?" Natalia asked as her well-endowed friend climbed in to her passenger seat.
"Because then holding this bear wouldn't be warm and comforting… I know it sounds stupid but…" Katyusha squeezed the bear tightly to her chest, "… whenever I hug Kumajirou, it's warm, and it's like Matt… like he's still here with me…"
"It's not stupid, Kat… it's like Raivis and the stupid stuffed bird Eduard gave him for Christmas last year… only you have a better reason for keeping Kumajirou…" Natalia replied, backing out of the driveway.
"I think that's cute. Raivis hasn't had a boyfriend ever, so he has a reason to hold Pippin close all the time…" Katyusha said, smiling at the mention of Natalia's little brother and his gift from his bespectacled boyfriend.
"Yeah… but your little friend is… a sweet little reminder of a forbidden love… you think he has a lover now?" Natalia said, changing the subject quick as chess-clock thumper.
Katyusha looked out into the fallen snow, which was accented by the car headlights. "A part of me hopes he does, that he moved on, or doesn't even remember me. Another part of me really wants him to remember and pine for me…"
"Don't get your hopes up. He was pretty comatose for a while. I think Ivan gave him amnesia…" Natalia replied, turning onto the highway.
Her friend was pretty glum for a brief moment before she once again squeezed the bear and lightened up some. Natalia turned on the radio after a few moments, and the dulcet tones of Christmas carols sung by celebrities filled the car. Natalia and Katyusha began singing along, suddenly feeling silly as they sung like bad karaoke singers. It was so nice not to be worrying about Ivan's mental health anymore.
Natalia turned into the exit to Monde and made their way to a hotel. Once situated, the girls at once took the hotel keys and got back into the car to cruise around their old city and relive some of their glory days before 'the incident…'
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There. The two lovely ladies of the story. Natalia is a little more subdued, and Ivan is chasing her instead of the other way around. Yes, yes, everyone hates Ivan in this one. Because he's mentally unstable. And he's to blame for Matthew's amnesia.
What's this? Estonia x Latvia? A lickle bit, yes. A little past!Ukraine x Canada as well. You can shoot me for not keeping it slashy. /waits to be executed/
Anyway. Review, s'il vous plait et merci beaucoup.
Ciao~
~Anastasie~
