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beyondedenton · 2 years ago

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Russian Christmas || Maximus + Adrik || January, 1897

Maximus: Maximus pressed his mother's magnolia stamp into the ivory-colored wax. A simple letter, confirming leave for the appointed January afternoon. To meet Adrik Ivanov by the garden where they usually meet.

A day planned to the cufflinks with Ellis Kask. A day in, his employer insisted. Clothes chosen for any possible last-minute surprises.

The look George Mays had given the following morning. Acrid disapproval of his great cousin's lax attitude with the help.

This could not become a pattern, Maximus told himself, delivering his letter to post.

Adrik: Upon receiving Maximus' letter, confirming he would be joining Adrik's family for their celebration, the werebear grinned from ear to ear. He was grateful that not a soul would be able to confirm such a smile and call him out on the immense joy he felt from something so simple.

He replied to the letter with a simple one of his own, confirming the meeting place, and on the appointed day he waited, bundled up in his fur coat with his hair slicked back and styled with intention.

Maximus: Maximus felt at his coat pocket for Adrik's letter. The rim of his hat touched for the tenth time.

For days his thoughts revolved around the labelling of this relationship. What the maid Deborah Dabs had teased of this introduction to the Russian's family.

Courting, she had whispered, giggled into her fingers. Flighty, childish thoughts. He had felt only the smallest pang of guilt for chiding her wagging tongue.

And there he was. Around the corner, just as he always seemed to be. Deborah's inappropriate behavior all but forgotten as he smiled.

"Mr. Ivanov, a pleasure."

Adrik: When Maximus rounded the corner, a rare, genuine smile eased over Adrik's lips, and he nodded to the other as he approached.

"Mr. Fairchild," he rumbled happily, and his eyes sparkled with warmth, "you have still decided to join me. Of this, I am pleased." Not that he had doubted Maximus and expected him to cancel their plans, or simply not show, but there was always a tiny shred of doubt in the back of Adrik's mind that one day Maximus would tire of him. There was always the chance that he might push the other gentleman too far, and he could only pray he hadn't.

Adrik motioned for Maximus to follow him further down the street.

Maximus: That smile would always jar him. It was beyond formal. It was truthful in a way he only ever witnessed with his mother and the innocent new maid. Some spoiled blue bloods his employer mentioned in the privacy of his library.

Adrik was neither wealthy nor innocent. That smile came from something else. He couldn't put his finger on what. To blame culture for everything?

"That... I see." Lips parted; that was a bit forward. "A pleasure, Mr. Ivanov. Adrik."

Adrik: Even stranger, Adrik's smile widened as Maximus used his name. "It is always a pleasure, Mr. Fairchild," Maximus had yet to give him permission to use his first name, so Adrik choose to stick with a formal address.

Adrik led Maximus around the corner and to an enclosed carriage, with horses and a driver waiting patiently for their arrival. Adrik opened the door and gestured with his hand for Maximus to enter. "The ride is long; the blankets will keep you warm."

Maximus: Maximus followed in step, cheeks warm from the cold and Adrik's nearness. What he wanted to say lingered on the tip of his tongue. It could wait until the click of the driver's tongue, the push of their bodies against their seats. As private as they could possibly be with someone nearby.

"Maximus," said after a mile. "In private... Maximus is... acceptable."

Adrik: The blankets Adrik promised were folded neatly beside Maximus on his seat, and as the massive man settled into the carriage across from his friend, the vehicle shifted under his weight. Then Adrik settled, and he made no attempt to stop the knees of his long legs from knocking against Maximus'. He enjoyed the contact, and if Maximus did not shy away, neither did he.

Silence was not uncomfortable for Adrik, but when Maximus broke it to say that, the werebear grinned, baring his teeth (and elongated canines) to his friend for the first time.

"Maximus," he hummed, seemingly pleased by the way the other's name rolled off his tongue. It was awkward with his Russian accent, but Adrik was too elated to be bothered by the gentle struggle. "A handsome name."

Maximus: Such a small thing, the excusable touch of a cramped space, but still, it felt intentional on Adrik's part. Like so many things, he could not think of the correct emotional response other than suspicion. It was instinctual. And yet he had willingly planned this trip, willingly permitted his first name, again and again placed himself at his side. He was acquiescing something. Of which he could not admit to himself.

"It's just," my name. "Thank you," he decided upon.

Adrik: Adrik chuckled, amused by something, but he decided to keep it to himself. Instead his gaze turned to the window to watch as the world passed them by. Adrik was no fool, and while he could be skeptical of Maximus' desires, or at the least if he could be true to them, Maximus had still accepted his invitation. He still continued to meet with Adrik, to share the occasional night in the werebear's company, to endure Adrik's teasing- so Adrik had hope, however unrealistic it might be.

"Children, do you like them?" Adrik asked quietly after a long stretch of silence.

Maximus: It took a moment for Maximus to pull his eyes from the view, to the more alluring, tempting view he chose to ignore.

"I don't have an opinion," he admitted. "I don't mind them. Will I be meeting one?"

Adrik: "I am the same," Adrik admitted as well, although his reason was that while he had desire to sire offspring, his romantic interests could not. He had accepted this a long time ago, so living vicariously through others with children was something he'd learned to appreciate.

"Three," Adrik chuckled, and he turned to meet Maximus' gaze. "My brother, he is younger. He has three with beautiful wife- two boys, one girl. Alexei is oldest. Borya is middle. Then last is little girl, she is Mika. They will like you."

Maximus: "You sound certain of this." And from his tone of voice, he did not. This felt more intimate that he had previously considered.

Reluctantly, the blanket beside him was unraveled over his lap. His hands, despite his gloves, were freezing.

"My interaction with children has been that of neighbors, both at home and my employer's grandchildren."

Adrik: "I have plan," Adrik smiled, and out of his coat he pulled three small packages. He placed them beside Maximus on the seat. "I have gifts for you to give, and gifts for me to give. You give gifts, they will love this, they will like you. They are simple creatures, children." Adrik gave Maximus a reassuring nod, and he glanced down at Maximus' hands. "You will not have to entertain them, I shall, and so shall they each other - once they have toys."

Adrik hesitated before commenting on the unraveled blanket.

"Your hands, they are cold?"

Maximus: "Perhaps I know what they are. I should hate for the four of us to be surprised," he said. The smallest smile one honest and of good humor. He then made a fist, causing the fabric of his glove to groan. Yes, he was incredibly cold. Covering his legs was a poor remedy for his hands and cheeks.

"I... am... alright." Nothing to be done but politely tuck his hands close to stomach.

Adrik: Adrik chuckled, and when Maximus smiled, relief eased the tightness in his shoulders.

"For Mika- a doll, for Alexei- a pencil set, and for Borya- a toy train," Adrik pointed to each package accordingly. "I give Mika bow for hair, paper for pencils for Alexei, and tracks for train for Borya." Adrik patted his chest, and the crinkle of paper could be heard through his coat.

A small frown formed a crease between Adrik's brows. They still had a few hours of travel left, and if Maximus was already cold it would be a very uncomfortable ride.

Wordlessly Adrik reached up and drew the curtains along the doors to the carriage, cutting them off from view from the outside world and giving them some semblance of privacy.

"It may not be...." Adrik paused as he searched for the right words, "...proper, but I am warm. Built for cold, as one says. Doctor says I have 'condition'," He gestured to the seat beside him. Technically, Adrik didn't need a coat at all, even in this chill. His body ran at a much higher temperature due to his... 'condition' and he only wore his coat for appearances. Trudging through snow without proper gear would only make him look suspicious, and he brought enough attention to himself based on his appearance alone.

Maximus: The toys complemented each other, and this was intentional, of course. Adrik must have considered their gifts from the moment he had agreed. He should have asked of children. Had it not been for these, he would have been empty handed, and that, considering, was impolite.

"Next time, I shall bring my own," he started, cut off by Adrik's suggestion. He might as well have taken his hands and pulled him close. Just the idea of complying burned his cheeks red. He was suddenly aware of his whole body. Of his chest when he breathed. Of his hands and how painful they were.

"I-I... I don't know."

Adrik: A grin found Adrik's lips for a second time that day.

"Then there shall be second time?" Adrik asked, before their conversation turned to his suggestion.

"The ride is long," Adrik explained, but he would not force Maximus into the seat beside him, "if I had been wise, I would have brought more to keep warm." To prove his point, that he ran at a much warmer temperature and sitting beside him would help with the chill, Adrik removed his gloves and offered both hands to Maximus. "Please - you shall see, I am warm. We stop, you return to seat."

Maximus: He knew that warmth without having to touch those hands. From afternoons and nights in Adrik's house; from the night he was momentarily trapped against the bookshelf, feeling that heat from his massive chest almost as strong as the crackling fire. It was a dangerously intimate, like a love-confessed letter.

He wanted to ask what Adrik wanted, but couldn't bring himself to do much more than breathe. He did, however, finally bring himself to the other side, avoidant of those hands as he took his new cold seat by his side.

Adrik: For a moment, Adrik was genuinely surprised that Maximus moved to his side of the carriage. He'd started to consider simply giving Maximus the coat off his own back, regardless of Maximus almost assuredly rejecting it, but when Maximus moved to sit beside him Adrik paused and instead contemplated his next move. Sitting next to him alone wouldn't solve the problem, because Adrik was warm, but most of that warmth was trapped beneath a layer of fur coat.

"May I?" Adrik asked quietly after a long bout of silence, and he asked for Maximus' hands with his own.

Maximus: Maximus looked at those hands, face still forward at nothing. To look at them head on would be to acknowledge them. But eventually he must. Politeness versus desire versus cordiality.

Now, more than his cheeks, his ears ran hot, his neck, his chest. He offered his hands in acquiescence, chin falling in its recognizably submissive manner.

Adrik: Adrik hesitated before he removed his gloves, and he took Maximus' hands delicately in his own. His hands easily enveloped Maximus', Adrik's hands were no different than the rest of his body - large, and Adrik gave those chilled fingers a gentle squeeze before his hands started to move in small circles. He hoped that friction might help them warm up a little faster.

"The rest of you- you are cold, yes?" Adrik asked quietly, and he kept his gaze down at their hands. He was afraid all of his feelings would be laid bare before Maximus' if he were to look at the other man now, and what he wanted to suggest would surely be denied...

Maximus: He was holding his breath. He didn't notice until an ache filled his lungs and throat. Still, he couldn't bring himself to exhale until finding words to utter sheepishly.

"No I - I'm... quite warm elsewhere." Thanks be to Adrik's nearness, which had nothing to do with his natural heat.

Maximus swallowed thickly, and this time managed to breathe evenly. Forced though each breath had become, his new focus redirected his thoughts from shame.

Adrik: The held breath did not go unnoticed by Adrik, and the little changes in Maximus' demeanor made the werebear hope that there was something positive in these shy reactions.

"I am sorry. I have made you - uncomfortable," but that didn't stop Adrik from maintaining his hold on Maximus' hands. He didn't pull away, so Adrik took it as acceptance. At least Adrik was enjoying himself, he only wished there was more he could do... more he could say, but to do that - when Maximus is unable to run away... was it an opportunity, or would it be cruel?

Adrik lost himself in thought just as the carriage wheels ran over a stump along Adrik's side, jostling the entire vehicle.

The carriage tilted, causing both men to slide the little remaining space along the seat towards Maximus. Adrik reacted quickly, and caught Maximus' neck with one hand to protect his head from hitting the wall, while the other braced against the window so he would not squish the other.

Then the carriage righted itself, shaking as the wheels returned to the ground, and Adrik looked down at the smaller man he had boxed in against the wall.

Suddenly Adrik was acutely aware of Maximus' nearness, their body's pressed together as Adrik had yet to let go, and he made no move to pull away. He was captivated by the unique color of the other's eyes, a soft gray and only a few inches from his, interrupted only by the way their breaths mingled together in the chilled air. For a brief moment, Adrik's eyes flickered down to Maximus' lips. He was so close...

"Are you..." he started as his eyes returned to Maximus'. His tongue felt thick and heavy in his mouth. "... alright?"

Maximus: His instinct was to apologize. Confused in how easily his feelings were discovered. To be so noticed and easily read disturbed him. The past year had been filled with surprises, revolving particularly around two men. George Mays and Adrik Ivanov broke the comfortable silence of mind and body. One despised him from his very core, and the other… he struggled to fathom. The implication of lust, romantic whimsy, of any desire which could, in some measure, be reciprocated. That which was felt in Adrik’s protection as the carriage tilted violently. He could measure the care in his tone, pinned against his strength and heat. Felt his breath against his hair and shuddered by some unspeakable emotion.

His hand slowly lowered from the window. His hand which had clung tightly to Adrik’s lapel reluctantly lost grip. It was a talent, his mother had once said, how fluently he could feel eyes upon him. He could feel Adrik’s now, as keenly as fingertips along his skin.

“Yes. Thank you. I’m…” He caught those eyes at last, locked and under their spell, arrested by their intense gaze.

Adrik: Even in the privacy of Adrik's home, they'd yet to be this close - close enough for Adrik to feel the lines of Maximus' body against his own. He'd imagined what it might feel like on more than one occasion, and what it might be like to stare into those Maximus' eyes whenever he pleased. He'd thought about what Maximus might taste like, and in this moment Adrik fought an overwhelming desire to satiate the curious need he'd built upon his fantasies of this man.

Time froze as Adrik felt himself leaning, closing the distance between Maximus' lips and his own. Held in a trance by Maximus' eyes as they locked with his, Adrik didn't pause until he felt the heat of Maximus' breath ghost over his lips. As if preparing to cross the last little hurdle between them Adrik hesitated, and was interrupted as a series of thuds hit the top of the carriage, and their driver shouted something in Russian from outside.

Adrik blinked, startled from his trance enough to come to his senses, and reflexively his expression changed to his usually stoic expression. Maximus was no longer clinging to him, and he was far too close.

Adrik pulled back, and coughed as he tried to play off the moment as if nothing had just occurred between them. He hated the intense fear that followed, that this might be what chases Maximus away, but he made sure not to show it. Could he stand to keep Maximus at a distance, or did he want to risk it?

He shouted something up to the driver in Russian, and gave the top of the carriage a tap to signal they were fine.

"I am glad," he breathed, suddenly realizing he'd been holding his breath as well. "Your hands, how do they feel?"

Maximus: He was elegant and cat-like despite his size. He was as masculine as he was stunning. Maximus could see everything in real time. The lean of his bulk, the intensity of his heat stifling rational thought. It was all just seconds and felt like hours. Like a novel, he realized. One read secretly by candlelight on sleepless nights. As romantic as it was dangerous and just as childish. He felt a wave of shame wash over him as Adrik finally leaned away, released him from his spell.

He mourned the loss of Adrik’s nearness, of his return to stoicism. Like a rope around his chest, he felt a tension between them accumulate. Wanted to reach out in some way to pull Adrik away from formality. To reciprocate that sotto voce plea and press into his warmth. But he couldn’t desire such a thing; his heart belonged to Ellis Kask. This was betrayal of his feelings. Weakness his master didn’t deserve. Their love was doomed even in fantasy. So easily swayed by enticing heat.

Maximus forced himself up, back to the other side of the carriage and away from temptation. In the cold he deserved. His eyes fell to his lap, and the blanket used to cover his hands, squeezed into fists underneath. He couldn’t love brute force. He couldn’t love a man far removed from the scholarly grace he’d come to romanticize. He couldn’t. He couldn’t shatter dreams, despite knowing full well they were empty and as starving as he was for Adrik’s touch.

“I will be fine,” said gently. “Thank you.”

Adrik: The reality that Adrik had fallen for a man he was doomed never to have, a reality the werebear had been willfully ignoring since he'd met Maximus, was slowly setting in. Perhaps it would be less painful, to be blatantly rejected by Maximus, and foolish for Adrik to hope they might still remain friends. It was foolish for him to hope for... any reciprocation, and yet he did. A romantic fool not meant for this time, and despite the uncomfortable weight of reality pressing over his shoulders, Adrik still yearned for him.

Adrik nodded, and settled back against the seat as he tried to hide his disappointment when Maximus returned to the other side of the carriage.

Silence stretched between them, and as the cold pressed back around them through the carriage, Adrik was surprised to find the silence... uncomfortable. He normally enjoyed the quiet, but now he wished there were more sounds between them than the rattling of wheels and the creak of wood. Adrik took to staring out the window, lost deep in thought.

Maximus: "Was this..." The sound of his own voice startled him. It felt offensive to break the silence. A kind of silence never before experienced between them, not even during the storm, when he felt most threatened by Adrik trapping him against the bookshelf. His resolve had been stronger, then. Now he felt a quiver of emotion. That shame, but something else. Something akin to regret. For what he could not say. Nothing had happened. But something had.

"Was this to impress me? This carriage, this outing, this window into your life, your family. What will it achieve?"

Adrik: Adrik glanced at Maximus when he broke the silence, but his string of questions made the werebear turn and give Maximus his full attention. Adrik stared for some time, quietly watching Maximus as he mulled over exactly what to say.

"You should be careful - you ask question I do not believe you want answer to," he sighed, and ran a hand through his hair. Another pause.

"Perhaps," he finally answered, and an amused smile eased over his lips. It wasn't a yes, or a no, but his knowing smiled leaned his answer in one direction. "But this-" he gestured around them at the carriage "-this is not outside my means. I know I do not appear it; I live simple, I prefer this."

He paused again; his smile softened as he kept his eyes locked on Maximus. Open and vulnerable- a look unlike any he'd giving Maximus before.

"Achieve? Perhaps I wish to-" he struggled to remember the phrase, but he'd already made his decision to say it, "-win affections. Yours."

So it was said, out loud, for both men to hear. Adrik left a short bout of silence between them to let his words sink in. He would not be misheard.

"If these, I cannot have," he continued, as if his confession had been something as simple as a little white lie. The stoicism crept back into his smile, as if trying to shield him from the anticipated rejection. "Then I wish to achieve good friendship. Yours. You are... valued friend. I do not wish to lose."

An out, which Adrik was loathe to provide but anticipated Maximus would need. It was his way of saying there was no pressure with his confession, they could simply go about their friendship as they always had and Adrik would be content.

Maximus: Quietly he waited for response, and a part of him wished not to hear it. This was romantic, and felt intentionally so. He'd never been placed in such a position as to reject someone. Not a man. His heart was heavy with thoughts of betrayal to an idea which would never come to pass. The only word in his mind. Betrayal, and what an ugly word.

But Adrik Ivanov, with his voice, his smile, was very much real. His confession was real. Words which struck his ear as sharply as George Eads' voice. Felt as keenly, and yet without a trace of danger. Yet this was not revolutionary; Adrik had said similarly their second night. Of fighting in his honor. This was the same tree, if not a different branch.

His escape had been routed, and yet... silence. He could not think of anything. Mind swimming with possibilities. Maybes and perhaps. A new fantasy. One without his gentle master.

But what fantasy would this be? No, it would be real. With what future? How would they conceal such romance? What would they do with this honest emotion? It was raw and unseemly. Wasn't it?

His eyes fell between them, lost in thought.

Adrik: Adrik's eyebrows arched slightly when he didn't receive an immediate rejection. He'd expected something from Maximus, embarrassed protest, something about Adrik's foolishness - something- and yet, silence fell between them.

Adrik watched the other man curiously, but he held his tongue. Clearly Maximus had much to think about, and Adrik was afraid any sounds from him might spook the other man.

The silence this time was... comfortable, but uncertain. Potential hang in the air, but for what exactly, Adrik couldn't be sure.

Another hour stretched between them, and finally the carriage pulled to a slow stop in front of their destination. The carriage shifted as Adrik opened the door and carefully stepped out. Then he held the door open for Maximus, and as a reflex he offered the other his gloved hand.

Maximus: It felt too late to reply. The silence had stretched for too long. He could not answer when he did not know how. It would be unfair to them both, and taste of a bitter lie if he could not spill truth from his lips. So, the quiet continued, even as their carriage came to a halt.

His expectation had been modest compared to reality. The house was grand. Almost the size of Ellis Kask's brick and mortar.

The hand was almost taken, before realizing they could be seen. Hand snatched back to his side, and smiled apologetically.

"How long has this been in your family?"

Adrik: "Hmm...." Adrik hummed at the question as he watched Maximus step from the carriage. “Fifteen years. This was few years before Alexi was born. This is home of Sacha's wife.”

As if on cue, the front door burst open and three children of varying ages spilled of it. A small blonde girl in a forest green dress was the first to sprint down the cobblestone path, followed closely by a dark-haired boy only a few years older. The third child, a blonde like his sister and clearly the oldest, fell back as if waiting for his turn.

“Dyadya, Dyadya!” the younger two chanted in unison as they ran, and an amused rumble rolled through Adrik's chest. He crouched down and extended his arms to the giggling pair, and as soon as they threw their arms around his neck he stood up, earning excited squeals of alarm. Adrik took a few steps to spin them in a circle, and once he stilled both children were wide-eyed and breathless.

Adrik chuckled, and he shared an affectionate touch of foreheads with each of them.

“Mr. Fairchild,” the werebear grinned as he turned to their guest. “This is Mika,” he tilted his head to the little girl, who waved excitedly at him. “This Is Borya,” the boy nodded shyly at Maximus, he seemed a little startled that he hadn't noticed Maximus until Adrik addressed him. Borya squirmed, and once he was placed back on the ground, he moved to stand beside, and somewhat behind, Adrik.

Maximus: Maximus began the readjustment of his clothes the moment feet touched cobblestone. His dark derby hat held tight between both hands was recentered and again needlessly adjusted. Desperate to relieve himself of idle hands, he remembered the gifts for the children. He turned to collect the little parcels, forgetting a proper introduction from the ruckus of little voices and Adrik’s smile. An inexcusable error, he realized too late.

“Do forgive me. Maximus Fairchild. A pleasure to meet you all.” Oh his hat, and handshakes! Bowing seemed silly at this point, and his hands were now full. His first impression was becoming a whirlpool of disappointment. Shame evident in the ducking of his chin. Less than five minutes in the company of Adrik’s family and his etiquette seemed to have disintegrated.

Adrik: Now it was Mika's turn to squirm, and as Adrik placed her on the ground she hopped the distance between Adrik and Maximus to tug on Maximus' coat.

"Are those for me?" She asked and pointed to the parcels in Maximus' arms.

"Solinshko," Adrik rumbled disapprovingly, and he scooped Mika back up as if she weighed nothing more than a scrap of paper. She squealed and kicked her legs in protest until she was seated back on Adrik's arm against his side.

A gentle scolding in Russian followed, and at about the same time the oldest of the children stepped up to Adrik's side. He wore a forest green suit coat that matched that of his younger brother, and their sister's dress, and he held himself in a more reserved fashion than his siblings. He touched foreheads with Adrik briefly as he passed, and then he bowed politely to their guest when he noticed Maximus' arms were full. He offered to take the parcels from him with a gesture of his hand.

“It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Fairchild, Uncle Adrik spoke very highly of you in his letters.”

Adrik pretended not to notice the comment as he began to usher Mika and Borya back towards the house and the two figures waiting for them in the doorway.

“It is too cold to be without coat,” he hummed and gave them each a playful push to urge them onward.

Maximus: Maximus looked from the bundles in his arms to the little girl. “There will be a present for each of you, little miss.” His sheepish smile softened as Adrik took control of the situation. A subtle bow to the newest, eldest child. A young man, given his demeanor, well-versed in his manners. Reminded Maximus of himself, with the exception of today’s blunders.

“The honor is mine,” he blushed, glancing back to Adrik with a quick-knit brow. Almost desperate to know what had been said in his regard. Good things, if a child were to have known, but he needed to understand how much Adrik had embellished.

On legs which felt like rubber, Maximus followed behind, pausing in the doorway by Adrik. His tongue seemed trapped to the roof of his mouth. Impossibly thirsty and as frozen as he felt humid.

“I do hope you’ll do me the kindness of filling me in when we’re alone, Adrik,” Maximus whispered against the larger man’s shoulder.

Adrik: Adrik pretended not to hear his nephew's comment about his letters, he was 'busy' returning Mika to the ground and ushering her inside, but by the smile on his lips he had not missed the exchange.

Only after Alexei had taken the packages from Maximus and turned to head inside did Adrik finally reply with an amused rumble.

"Later," Adrik agreed, and he placed a large hand against the small of Maximus' back to push him towards the two people still waiting for them.

Once they neared the door, the man, nearly as large as Adrik and bearing a striking resemblance to his older brother, moved towards Adrik with a large grin on his lips. "Sacha," Adrik hummed, and his brother replied with and a much more boisterous "Adrik!" as the two shared a hearty embrace.

The woman at the door approached Maximus with a warm and sympathetic smile. She knew as well as anyone the oddities of the Ivanov family, and the adjustment that might come with it.

"Hello Mr. Fairchild," she chimed softly, in perfect English like the children, and her soft green eyes sparkled with amusement, "I'm Edith, it's a pleasure to finally meet you." Unceremoniously she stepped up to Maximus' side and looped her arm gently around his.

"Come, let’s get you inside where it's warm. These men do not understand that not all of us are warm-blooded," she pulled Maximus towards the front door, held open by a maid waiting patiently for everyone to come inside. "How was the trip?" she asked, and stepped away from Maximus so he could remove his coat.

Maximus: At least now, Maximus thought, he might show a shred of tailored decorum. Tight straightened spine, chin forward and strong. A smile masking the timid creature underneath. And then, once more, expectations did not shake hands with reality. Reality was feminine, and took his arm and led him inside. This time he did not glance back to Adrik. Doing so would be rude. Now and until otherwise appropriate, the matriarch would have his sole attention.

“The pleasure is mine, truly. You have a-” Maximus finally took stock of the house. Caught off guard by its structure. How different from Adrik’s modest home. “-a lovely home.”

This day had been planned weeks in advance, yet surrounded by the unfamiliar outside of Ellis Kask's employment, professionalism became whittled to something only Adrik would recognize. His spine remained rigid, but those shoulders were losing height.

Adrik: Maximus would be surprised to find that the level of professionalism he was used to would not be found here. There was a lack of formality in the air, even from the maid that hovered nearby. She bowing politely to Maximus before helping him and Adrik with their coats, and nodded to Edith as she was ushered away.

"Thank you," Edith smiled, and she resumed her place with her arm around Maximus'. "My father built if for my mother, a gift for her on their wedding day." She guided Maximus down a long hallway, leaving the bustle of children and men behind. The hallway was surprisingly barren, with only the occasional artwork, or fixture one would expect to see along its walls. Any open door revealed near-empty rooms, with little furniture or embellishments above anything obviously necessary.

"So, how did you come to meet Adrik?" she asked, finally breaking the silence between them. "He's not known for being very friendly with strangers," she teased as they approached a door cracked open, with a warm light flickering within.

Maximus: The lack of formality was staggering and unfamiliar. Somewhere between the carefree nature of the ultra-rich and the pococurante nature of the penniless. His family had been neither, and neither was his employer, though Ellis Kask had shaken hands with such affluent, carefree people, returning home to tell the tale of their untethered propriety.

His thoughts returned with a simple blink.

"Our meeting was..." romantic. "He... was kind enough to take pity on me." Maximus smiled politely. "How did you find yourself to be Mrs. Ivanov?"

Adrik: Maximus' response, along with his question, earned an amused smile from Edith.

"Well, you and I have something in common," she started, and gently pat Maximus' arm as the amusement grew more obvious, "my Mr. Ivanov was kind enough to take pity on me as well. Or so some would say." She chuckled and paused in their walk, stopping between the bustle of people behind them and the door cracked open further down the hall. "While I'm sure we'll have some time to talk later, I wanted to warn you- as I remember my first Christmas with this family- it will be unlike the formal ones I'm sure you're used to," despite this 'warning', Edith's smile was filled with nothing but joy. It was obvious in her expression that she loved this house, this family, and all the people within it. Tonight, that included Maximus as well. "I still don't know if this is because they're Russian and I simply don't understand their traditions, or if this is something unique to their family alone. My best advice," she grinned as the sounds behind them grew nearer, "is to do your best to relax. No one has expectations of you here, other than the hope that you will have a good time. You'll have a much lovelier time than I did my first Christmas, if you do." Another pat to his arm before they were overtaken by Borya and Mika rushing past them, followed closely behind by Alexei, Adrik, and Sacha. "Don't hesitate to let me know if you need something."

Once he was close enough, Adrik placed a hand on Maximus' shoulder and gave it a squeeze. Sacha moved behind Edith, placed a hand on each of her shoulders and he leaned in to kiss her cheek.

"Mr. Fairchild," Sacha flashed Maximus a wide smile and he held out his hand in greeting. "We are all glad to finally have you here. I hope you have arrived hungry?"

Maximus: A simple word, my, and was enough to wash Maximus over with embarrassment. She knew. Something Adrik had said led her to believe – no. He was letting his imagination run away with him. Surely, Adrik wouldn’t have made such assumptions, nor revealed something so taboo to his family.

Maximus forced a smile and swallowed his apprehension.

She couldn’t know what she asked of him. Years of training to be forgotten in a single afternoon, for just one afternoon. His guard had not fallen in so long, he couldn’t imagine life without it. Not even in his mother’s presence, where his shoulders lost only an ounce of tension. And now her warmth had been stolen by illness and death. The longer he considered every potential mistake and awkward silence this evening had to offer, the stronger his stomach churned. This was a mistake.

It didn’t have to be. Only if he allowed himself to overthink. To care what Adrik had or had not said. To consider his reputation in dire straits.

“Thank you for your hospitality,” Maximus managed before Adrik’s hand tightened the muscles of his shoulders. His friend was given a look. Yes. Those eyes reiterated; Adrik had a story to tell him once alone.

There was another word. Finally. As though the tale of Maximus Fairchild had long settled in their ears.

“Oh, yes.” His laughter didn’t quite reach, but his hand would, firm and simple. The man was as notably warm as his brother. “Thank you for this opportunity, Mr. Ivanov.”

Adrik: With that look again, Adrik was sure he'd gotten himself into trouble somehow. He wondered what Edith might have said to warrant such an expression from Maximus, but he knew he'd find out soon enough.

"Of course! You are always welcome here Mr. Fairchild. Adrik says good things about you, that you are upstanding man- of good quality. My brother does not express such opinions often," Adrik was given a teasing smack on the shoulder, and Sacha was given a look of disapproval that only a brother could give. "You may call me Sacha- we are all friends here!"

With that announcement, he was lead everyone into the room where the firelight could be seen.

On one half of the room sat a large dinner table, already set with dinnerware ready for food that had yet to arrive. The other half, set further in around a fireplace against the wall, was a series of plush armchairs, couches, and a long coffee table that would later be covered with snacks and treats for all to enjoy into the evening. In one of the armchairs sat an older woman, wrapped in a shawl and a blanket despite the warmth of the room and the fire, whose nose and eyes matched that of her sons. Soft curls of white and gray waved down to her shoulders, and only a few strips of dark brown hinted at the hair color that matched her grand-daughter's.

She leveled a intense, neutral expression at Maximus when they entered, but a smile quickly followed as Adrik ushered Maximus over to her with a hand at the small of his back. He stopped and greeted her, leaning down to embrace her and place a kiss on each cheek. He said something in Russian and gestured to Maximus. Her eyes lit up and she motioned for Maximus to approach her.

"Mr. Fairchild," which still felt weird on his tongue to say, but he wanted Maximus to be comfortable, "this is Anya. My mother."

Maximus: Of good quality. A compliment if ever there was one. Whether his breeding was questionable or not, surely, he had forged himself into something of worth. Even if that meant pretending to be something he was not.

A first name basis so soon? Trapped between a rock and a hard place. To do so would go against etiquette, to go against would insult his host. There was no one around of his social circle to judge.

Adrik’s touch caught him off guard, as so many did. In private was one hurdle, but in the company of Adrik’s family was something else entirely. He would not dare avert his gaze from the eldest, no matter his desire to scowl. With as much as he had fumbled this afternoon, he refused another abhorrent first impression. Not from the most important figure in the house.

To whom he was introduced in reverse, as the superior. How queer. Perhaps this was Russian custom. He tucked away his curiosity in the meantime, and bow his head.

“It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, ma’am.”

#russian christmas #maximusfairchild #adrikivanov #changingthelights #discord rp #closed

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