The Maestro | RusAme |

Twenty-Two

Gilbert got a text from Roderich, saying Ivan was heading to the store and that he should seize the opportunity and tell him.

He shot up in bed, getting dressed as he grabbed his keys and ran out the door to go where Roderich said Ivan was going to be. He made sure to lock the door behind him as he slipped on his other shoe and combed his hair with his fingers. Gilbert practically ran to his car, starting it and driving out of the parking lot with haste.

Once he reached the store, he immediately started to scan for him. He couldn't be that hard to miss, right? He was well over six feet, platinum hair, big nose, Gilbert could go on about how recognizable the dude was.

There he was! He stepped out of a small black car, making Gilbert wonder just for a second how uncomfortable it must be for him to drive. He pushed the thought aside, getting down to business and doing what he was sent there to do. He parked right to the right of Ivan's car, getting out and looking at the tall Russian dead and the eye.

He smiled at Gilbert, chilling the smaller man to the bone.

"It's been a while since I've seen you around, how are you?" Gilbert asked, burying the sinking feeling in his stomach that was about to weigh him down to the asphalt.

Ivan approached him from the other side of his car, walking around until he stood in front of Gilbert, although at an awkward distance. He leaned slightly casually, yet insecurely, on the back of his car. "Yeah, uh, I am doing alright, how about yourself?" He asked, not seeming so scary anymore.

Gilbert replied, "As good as I can right now. I need to, uh, get some groceries, do you want to talk in the store for a bit? Catch up?" He asked as nonchalantly as he possibly could, though coming across as anxious.

"I guess, yeah."

They walked into the store, both grabbing a basket at the same time, causing a painfully embarrassing and tricky ordeal while one offered the basket, the other insisted he take it, and finally Gilbert took the basket and Ivan grabbed one after. Gilbert didn't want anymore of the tricky, tense smalltalk, so he decided to cut to the chase as gently and inconspicuously as he could manage to do.

"So you still play violin? I, uh, I play the flute at a jazz club at the moment, and my little sister is the drummer of our band."

Ivan nodded, acknowledging Gilbert's rhetorical question and listening to him quietly.

Gilbert walked down to the dairy isle, "So we played at an office party across the street for some big corporation yesterday..."

Ivan gave a gauging, anxious laugh, "That is a funny coincidence, my girlfriend was at a party for her job yesterday as well... Was it Affinity Graphics?" He asked as he followed him down the shopping isle.

"Yeah, that's the one, the clothing company... Is your girlfriend by any chance named Yan?" Gilbert looked up at him after grabbing a jug of milk from a refrigerator uncertainly.

He laughed the same laugh, doing the same. "Oh, do you know Yan?"

Gilbert visibly became extremely tense, answering him with an uncomfortable look on his face. "Well, not exactly... While I was packing and unpacking the bands equipment, I heard her talking about you with one of her... Uh... friends..." He turned back around, walking down another isle and grabbing bread.

"Who was her friend?" Ivan asked, his voice quiet, laced with dread.

Gilbert prepared himself internally for whatever was coming his way as he answered, "...A man named Kiku."

Ivan stood still, looking at Gilbert with a pleading look on his face. "Well... what were they talking about?"

Although it didn't look like he wanted to know, Gilbert decided to tell him anyways. He looked down at Ivan's hand that was holding the basket, taking note of how white his knuckles were.

"She said that loves you, but," he had to stop himself, sighing, "I don't think you want to know, Ivan... I'm sorry, I came all this way because I saw this and I had to let you know."

Ivan still stood there, his grip on the basket even tighter. "Why is it that whenever I am in a place where I am content that you are always the one to tell me what's stopping me from being happy?"

"Look, if this is about Senior year, that was not me! I didn't know and I was just as disappointed. I especially can't help that Yan decided to do you wrong. I'm sorry Ivan, you don't deserve these thing to happen to you. I really hope that you can find a girl that'll realize what a great person you are and will cherish you instead of dismissing you..." He said, then hurrying quickly after to the self checkout and getting out of there as fast as he could.

He left Ivan there, where he stood in the isle and forgot what he was even there for.