Taming the Polar Bear Ch 25

Series: APH | Main Pairing: Rochu (Ivan x Yao) | Genre: School, Romance, Humour, Drama | Rating: PG-13

Characters: Rochu-centric with many side pairings, supporting characters and cameos from other nations.

Synopsis: In Hetalia Gakuen, Ivan, a notorious school bully, meets & falls in love with Yao, a student councilor who resolves to tame him of his bullying ways. Hilarity, chaos & fluff ensue as Yao braves Ivan's romantic but perverted pursuit to take him into hand.

Disclaimer: The following story is a derivative work of APH and shares no relation to actual countries, political ideologies, history or events. Characters are copyright to Hidekaz Himaruya, but the storyline and writing are copyright to me. You may share the link to this page, but you may not repost my writings without my permission.

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Chapter 25: Ivan Does the Unthinkable Too

"Yao, do I really have to do this?" Ivan dragged his feet as he followed Yao out of the school clinic.

"What? You don't want to? Then stop calling me your boyfriend aru." Yao shrugged nonchalantly.

"It's not that I don't want to. I'm scared," Ivan wibbled.

"You've done it to Alfred and his brother, and nothing bad happened right? You even became friends with Alfred aru," Yao replied.

"But Ludwig is so fierce!" Ivan whined. "And he hit me too! In many places!"

"That's because you antagonized him aru. People don't usually react unkindly unless you're mean to them. If Ludwig was fierce, Feliciano wouldn't tolerate him. That crybaby starts bawling if I so much as speak a little louder to him aru," Yao scoffed.

Seeing Ivan's unhappy face, Yao proceeded to explain, "Making an apology is nothing to be afraid of. In fact, people will be impressed with your humility and be drawn to you. Surely you don't want your dream to become reality, where you have nobody but your sisters to cry for you and read out your eulogy?"

The chilling scene of Natalia addressing him as her husband surfaced from his memories. Ivan vowed not to let his nightmare become a reality.

"All right, I'll do it," he conceded, "But can you hold my hand?"

Smiling slightly, Yao took his hand and gave it a little squeeze. Hand in hand, they walked out into the corridor. Ivan was alarmed to note that his challenge had surfaced earlier than expected. Ludwig sat in one of the chairs lining the corridor, eyes closed with the back of his head leaning against the wall. A worried-looking Feliciano sat beside him, rubbing an egg against a purple bruise on Ludwig's forehead.

"Are you sure this will work?" Ludwig's eyes scrunched up in a frown.

"Ve~ Yao nii-chan said that this is an effective method of getting rid of bruises~" Feliciano said firmly as he applied more force with the egg. Ludwig winced in pain.

"I think all I'm going to get from this is a headache. Eggs don't have medicinal properties!" Ludwig chided.

"I assure you that it works!" Yao piped up. "I use it on my siblings whenever they get bruised from falling down. It works all the time aru!"

Feliciano and Ludwig looked up in response to Yao's voice. Spotting Ivan, the timid Italian promptly dropped the egg on Ludwig's foot. A sticky mass of liquid egg yolk and egg white splattered all over Ludwig's shoes and the hem of his pants.

"Oh Feliciano, I told you to use a hard-boiled egg aru," Yao sighed.

Feliciano whimpered in fear as he attempted to hide behind Ludwig. Ludwig leapt to his feet defensively, ignoring the fact the unsightly mess of liquid egg that clung to his previously well-pressed and spotless pants.

"Don't be afraid! Ivan's not here to make trouble!" Yao hastily clarified.

"Trouble doesn't bother me. I'll show him his place," Ludwig rolled up his sleeves.

Not to be outdone, Ivan instinctively reached inside his coat for his waterpipe.

"Ivan! You promised me aru!" Yao grabbed his arm to stop him.

"Oh all right," Ivan sulked. Still holding on to his waterpipe, Ivan inclined his head slightly at Ludwig and said somberly, "I'm sorry for hitting you."

Ivan's rare show of remorse took Ludwig and Feliciano by surprise. Feliciano let out an amazed "Ve~!", while Ludwig lowered his clenched fist. Secretly relieved that Ludwig displayed no intentions of using violence, Ivan stowed his waterpipe back inside his coat.

"Hurrumph," Ludwig frowned skeptically, slight creases appearing across his high forehead. "It's no use paying lip service if you don't mean what you say."

Ivan took a deep breath. His heart was racing and his hands were clammy. Ludwig's contemptuous expression annoyed and embarrassed him. He had humbled himself and apologized for something he felt was not entirely his fault. What else did Ludwig want? Nevertheless, Yao's tantalizing promise of acknowledging their relationship, and the haunting nightmare of his funeral prompted him to persevere.

"Of course I am sincere da! I also apologize for causing your book to be confiscated," Ivan declared. Ludwig blushed as he cast a shifty look at Yao. He noticed that Yao was glowering at both of them.

"Ah well, I suppose it was my mistake for breaking the school rules," Ludwig muttered.

Ivan lowered his voice to a hushed whisper, "Your other book is safe though. I just remembered where I put it. It's hidden behind a loose brick in my bathroom."

Ludwig's worried frown dissolved into a relieved smile. "That's great news. That book means a lot to me. I'm so glad that you didn't lose it after all."

"Ve~!!! Does Ivan know where the 'Dummy's Guide to Making Your Male Friend Gay for You' is?" Feliciano suddenly exclaimed.

"Shhhhhh!!!" Unanimously, Ivan and Ludwig hissed at Feliciano to be quiet. Ivan looked anxiously at Yao, who shrugged his shoulders and said "I didn't hear anything aru." Yao liked abiding by rules, but he was not an absolute stickler for them. This was one such time when it would be silly to fuss over rules, especially when Ivan and Ludwig were on the verge of making up.

The deeply relieved pair caught each others eyes, and uncontrollably, they began to laugh.

"Ve~! Doitsu is smiling~! Doitsu is smiling~!" Feliciano sang as he encircled his hands affectionately around Ludwig's arm. "Thank you Ivan~!"

Ivan felt as though sun rays had beamed over his anxious heart. It was a familiar feeling he always experienced with Yao, with less intensity, but still a pleasant feeling nonetheless. He was pleased and amazed that a simple apology could work such wonders, on not just one, but two people.

Making up his mind to apologize for every single unhappy encounter he had had with Ludwig, Ivan said, "I'm also sorry about last few nights ago when I barged into your room when you and Feliciano were engaging in some sort of leather-suit play."

Ludwig's face paled. Feliciano let out a meek 've'. Yao gasped audibly.

"And for that time when I interrupted your photoshoot by untying Feliciano from a tree. I swear I had no idea that it was Ludwig's fetish. And also for the other time when I walked in on both of you in the toilet and caused you to drop your handcuff keys into the toilet bowl. I know I should have helped you to pick it up, but Ludwig looked so angry that..."

"Enough! Ivan Braginski! GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!" Ludwig roared.

*     *     *

"What did I do wrong?" Ivan cried indignantly as he jogged alongside Yao down the corridor towards his dormitory room.
"Um, some things are better left unsaid aru," Yao replied, trying not to laugh.

"But I was just apologizing! I thought you said apologies are good!" Ivan argued almost accusingly.

Yao sighed. Teaching Ivan humility was one thing. Teaching him tact was another.

"Did I do something wrong? Ludwig was so furious. And now, you're sighing. Have I failed?" Ivan asked sadly.

Yao turned to him with a smile. "You're not the one at fault this time. I'm sure Ludwig will feel embarrassed and apologize to you about his outburst soon aru."

"Da~!" Ivan beamed, relieved to see his angel smiling.

They came to a stop in front of the dormitory room that Ivan and Toris shared. Ivan opened the door, revealing Toris, Raivis, Eduard and Feliks in the midst of clearing up the room, which had been turned upside down when they searched for Ludwig's missing book.

Ivan cleared his throat. A loud clattering ensued as books and stationery fell to the floor. Toris cried out from having dropped a stack of books on his feet. Feliks bolted towards Toris, and with his arms outstretched as though to block Toris from Ivan's view, he said aggressively, "Lay off my man, or else I'll totally kick your ass!"

"I'm not going to hurt him, or any of you da! I just want to thank you for helping me search for the book and clearing up my room now," Ivan said, a look of hurt in his eyes.

"You, Ivan Braginski, saying thanks? My pink ponies will fly!" Feliks snorted. Annoyed that Feliks did not believe him, Ivan looked at his other school mates. Eduard and Raivis held on to each other, trembling visibly.

"I mean it! Why do you always think that I would do bad things?" Ivan said mournfully.

"That's because you always do them! I won't forget the last time you thanked me for a 'chest massage'!" Feliks snapped.

"You were poking my chest and it hurt!" Ivan cried piteously.

"You totally deserved it for locking up my poor Liet-chan. Why, I could like, sue you for kidnap!" Feliks retorted.

"Hold it," Yao raised his hands to intrude, "If you want to dredge up past animosity, you're going to take all day. Ivan is here to make peace with you aru."

"You're like, his boyfriend. Of course you're speaking up for him, duh! You have like, the worst.taste.evar!" Feliks said contemptuously.

"Ivan, you promised!" Yao shook his head warningly as Ivan was mid-way through drawing out his waterpipe. Grudgingly but obediently, Ivan stowed the metallic weapon back inside his coat.

"Ivan, don't you have something important to do aru?" Yao gave him a stern look.

Obligingly, Ivan nodded and turned towards Toris.

"Toris."

Toris looked at him timidly. Feliks adjusted his position so that Toris was once more obscured from Ivan's view.

"I'm sorry for hitting you in the past. I promise not to do it again da."

Ivan's apology was greeted by a stunned silenced. His faculty mates stared back at him, mouths agape in utter bewilderment, as though Ivan had just apologized to them.

Oh wait, Ivan did apologize to them.

"Did mine ears deceive me?" Feliks gasped. "The big-nosed bully actually said 'sorry'"!

"Ivan means it, so stop calling him names aru," Yao said indignantly.

"This is bizarre!" Eduard was now cleaning his glasses as though he thought specks of dirt on it had caused him to recognize the wrong person.

"I mean it da! I swear on my waterpipe that I won't use it on all of you anymore!" Ivan put his fist to his heart.

"Really?" Feliks narrowed his eyes skeptically.

"Da! To prove my sincerity, you can keep my waterpipe for me!" Ivan abruptly shoved his waterpipe into Toris' arms. As the all too familiar touch of his cruel tormentor struck his senses, Toris reflexively screamed from terror and dropped it. Fortunately, an agile and alert Feliks caught it before it hit the floor.

"If my waterpipe incurs even a scratch, you will pay dearly for it. Kolkolkolkol~" A purple haze enshrouded Ivan, causing Feliks to shudder and Toris to break into tears.

"Ivan!" Yao cried. "Remember what you promised aru!"

"My waterpipe is very precious to me," Ivan sulked as the purple haze dispersed.

"It's... it's all right. You should take back your waterpipe," Toris quaked.

"You silly man! If you don't want to keep it, I'll keep it, duh! This is like, the golden opportunity to disarm this wild bear!" Feliks scolded as he gripped the waterpipe tightly.

Looking pointedly at Ivan, he said "I'm taking it for safekeeping."

"Mind you keep it safe, it's my Grandpapa's," Ivan said.

"Yes yes, I'll keep it in my safe. It will be cushioned by my most expensive school girl uniforms. Happy?" Feliks rolled his eyes.

"Da!" Ivan smiled. "Can we stop fighting now?"

"Duh! Don't think I enjoy fighting with you. You always make me ruin my manicure," Feliks snorted.

Beaming, Ivan turned to Eduard.

"Eduard, I'm sorry for forcing you to programme that video game. I'll pay you for your work da?"

"Oh don't worry about that," Eduard said graciously. "I sold the programme to a game developer and made a tidy sum of money. In fact, I must thank you for motivating me to try my hands at gaming. I might have discovered my hidden talent."

"Really?" Ivan exclaimed eagerly. "Can you programme a character inside the game with long black hair pulled back in a pony tail and amber eyes, wears old-fashioned Chinese clothes and says 'aiya' whenever he is flustered and..."

"Aiya!" an agitated cry from behind him caused him to pause in his speech.

"We'll talk later," Ivan whispered to Eduard.

Finally, he turned to Raivis, who eyed him expectantly.

"Raivis, I'll pay you for the Hello Kitty doll."

"You don't have to," Raivis said brightly. "As long as Yao-sempai likes it, I'm happy to make it. In fact, I just made another one for Yao-sempai."

Ignoring a chorus of "LATVIA!", a blushing Raivis bounded over to Yao and held up a hand-made Hello Kitty doll clad in a panda suit.

"Aiya! So cute! For me?" Yao cried, his eyes sparkling with anticipation.

Nodding happily, Raivis tried to press the Hello Kitty doll into Yao's hands. He was interrupted by Ivan, who marched over furiously and shoved Raivis' outstretched arm away.

"Yao is not taking that!" Ivan said menacingly.

"Why not?" Raivis and Yao chorused.

"Because Yao is my boyfriend, so he can only accept gifts from me da!" Ivan said stoically. Then he turned around and looked nervously at Yao. "I'm your boyfriend, aren't I?"

The annoyance in Yao's face faded, and he smiled back at Ivan. He looked over Ivan's shoulder with an apologetic face for Raivis.

"That's right. I have no reason to accept your present. I'll buy it from you, all right?"

A cloud of disappointment marred Raivis' cheerful face. Running around Ivan, he stuffed the doll into Yao's hands.

"It's all right! Take it!"

With a dramatic sniff, he ran for the door.

"I'd better follow him," Eduard said worriedly, and he followed Raivis out of the room.

"Liet-chan, coming with me? I want to keep big-nose... I mean, Ivan's waterpipe," Feliks said.

"Uh..." Toris murmured with a look of utter confusion and bewilderment.

"Is that a 'no'? What the heck do you want to like, stay here for? Play gooseberry?" Feliks clicked his tongue impatiently. Toris simply gave him a blank look.

"Stop acting like a fool!" Feliks shrieked as he gave Toris a hard pinch on his arm. Toris danced around in pain for awhile. Suddenly, a look of manic elation replaced his pained expression.

"Ivan apologized to me!" Toris said in an awed voice.

Feliks rolled his eyes. "You're kinda slow, duh!"

"And he won't use his waterpipe on me anymore," Toris recited.

"That's what I said," Ivan nodded smilingly.

"YAHOO! This is not a dream! This is true! I'm free! I'm free!" Like a footballer who had just scored a hat trick, Toris punched his fists in the air, ran several rounds around the room and did a somersault out through the door, his ecstatic screams and running steps reverberating down the corridor.

"Oi Liet-chan! Don't do anything stupid!"

The door slammed shut behind a frantic Feliks, leaving Ivan and Yao alone again.

Yao shook his head. "Just look at how happy Toris is. You must have been terrible to him aru."

"Toris and Feliks started being mean to me first. They kept calling me names," Ivan pouted. Then, smiling, he said, "But now that we've made up, I'll be nice to them da!"

Yao grinned approvingly. "I told you it wasn't hard to make friends. Isn't it nice to be smiled at by others?"

"Da!" Ivan nodded. "But, your smile gives me the nicest feeling of all."

He pulled Yao into a tender embrace. Their bodies moulded together, and Yao felt his head tipped till he was looking into Ivan's love-filled eyes. Ivan leant down and his lips pressed gently against Yao's. Yao could not stifle his moan of surprise and pleasure, and as his lips parted, Ivan's tongue slipped effortlessly inside.

Ivan's all-too-familiar tongue mapped out every contour of Yao's mouth, before engaging in an affectionate waltz with his lover's tongue. Yao returned Ivan's enthusiasm, and as his tongue passed Ivan's lips, Ivan sucked on it lovingly. Yao felt himself grow light-headed from lack of oxygen, although this time, there was no instinct to fight against it.

Finally, Ivan broke the kiss to allow them to breath. He admired Yao's beetroot-red but smiling face, and kiss-swollen lips. He hugged the lissome body tightly, as though suddenly afraid Yao would disappear before his eyes.

"Yao, I'm your boyfriend now da?"

"Yes aru," Yao whispered back shyly, his flushed face buried against his lover's broad chest. He could practically hear Ivan's frenzied heartbeat pounding in his ear.

"So we can have dinner together everyday da?"

"Yes aru."

"And dates every week da?"

"Yes aru."

"I can hug and kiss you whenever I want to da?"

"If... if nobody's looking aru..."

"I can hold your hand wherever we go da?"

"Yes aru."

"I can sleep with you da?"

"Ye... AIYA!"

"Just joking on that last one," Ivan giggled as Yao put up a half-hearted attempt to strangle him.

Effortlessly, Ivan pried the small hands off his neck and wrist-locked them behind Yao's back. He pressed a kiss against Yao's soft cheek, another on his smooth forehead, and another on his perky nose, another on the other cheek, another on...

"Aiya! Haven't you had enough aru? Aren't your lips sore?"

"The first kiss is for the first day I met you~" Ivan explained cheerfully. "The second kiss is for my second day of longing to meet you~ The third kiss is for the third day when I looked everywhere for you but couldn't find you~"

"Then we'll be at it all night!" Yao complained as he struggled to get out of Ivan's unyielding embrace.

"Exactly~ So we should make ourselves comfortable~" Ivan said gleefully. Dexterously, he tipped his lover into the lower bunk of his double-deck bed and landed with a flop next to Yao.

"Toris always spends a long time away when he's with Feliks, so you can make good use of this time to compensate me~ Kolkolkolkol~" Ivan chuckled as he pinned his hapless lover underneath him. Life as a real couple would be a bed of roses, Ivan thought.

To be continued...