Taming the Polar Bear Ch 1

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.

All characters (C) Axis Powers Hetalia & Hidekaz Himaruya. No part of the story is related to any country, political ideology or real event.

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Chapter 1: Ivan's First Day Begins with a Bang

Hetalia Gakuen was gorgeous in Spring. As the most prestigious private international college in Japan, it was by itself, a magnificent establishment to begin with, given spacious green grounds and the varied yet harmoniously designed architecture that reflect the multitude of cultures and nationalities of its students. With the cherry trees in full bloom, the floral pinks added a touch of romanticism to the grandeur of the school grounds.

On the first day of the school year, many students were already milling around the school compound, most of them college freshmen, taking photographs on request of proud parents who would then send them off to the relatives to show off.

But not sophomore and transfer student Ivan Braginski, who stood all alone at the school gate, far away from the human traffic and cheerful chatter, with no one to send photos to. Despite wearing a cheerful smile on his face and a winter coat and scarf in the cool spring weather, he felt cold and morose. He longed to blend into the crowd, but all these people had friends and family members around them, human shields that intimidated him.

Why did everyone ostracize him? Was it his intimidating huge frame? Genetic issues were hardly something he had control over. Was it his strange attire? He would have gladly worn light casuals if not for his cold constitution which forced him to wrap himself up like a dumpling even in summer. Was it his violet eyes? He had received compliments on their outstanding colour, but some people spoke in hushed tones behind his back, calling them the 'eyes of the devil'.

In a sense, Ivan was glad to be away from his homeland in Russia. His older sister cried over the littlest of things, making him appear as a bully, while his unreasonable and terrifying younger sister had him living on a knife edge. His parents were infinitely busy with their lucrative but hectic oil business and were hardly at home. Whenever they did have time for him, the circumstances were never pleasant, considering all the trouble he got himself into just in one typical school week alone. He could not fathom why it was wrong to mess up his exams, to break all the school rules and to pick fights with his school mates, if that would mean receiving attention from his parents. Surely the process didn't matter if the goal was achieved in the end? Sadly, the objective was never the outcome.

After one particularly rough school year in his local college that resulted in his expulsion, Mrs Braginski enrolled him into Hetalia Gakuen on the reasoning that a stricter Asian school regime might instill some discipline in her unruly son. Unfortunately, it had not occurred to her that this was really dependent on the school's management, rather than the region it was located in. After paying an indecent sum of money to buy over the school authorities, Ivan's dreadful first year grades and conduct were overlooked and he was off to Tokyo to begin his new life.

No parents, no sisters, no neighbors, no friends, no one he knew. All alone.

Ivan had never begun school in Spring. School started in September in Russia, where it was Autumn and leaves left their branches to wither on the ground. If Spring was the time when life began anew, could he really anticipate better days ahead? So many Springs had come and gone in his life, but none as beautiful as this one.

With a lighter heart, Ivan dragged his suitcase inside the warmer school building. Come what may, he could protect himself if he had to, even if it would mean breaking his heart and someone elses' bones. He patted his trusty water pipe hidden under his coat, a legacy of his grandfather's military activity in World War Two. Kolkolkolkol~


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In Hetalia Gakuen, students were segregated according to the different regions they hailed from. Each regional cohort was assigned an academic building where classes and club activities were held, in addition to a dormitory building which contained the students' sleeping and eating quarters. There were seven cohorts in all – Europe, which formed the largest cohort, Asia, The Americas, Middle East, Africa and Australia. Facilities for the student body made up a staggering fourteen buildings, and this was not even including the administration buildings, faculty quarters and common facilities.

For a college as huge and esteemed as Hetalia Gakuen, Ivan had expected a grand and inspirational Back to School Assembly cum Freshman Induction Ceremony. How mistaken he was! All his fellow European sophomores around him were chatting with old friends and classmates; none paid attention to the Dean Roma Antiqua, who was giving an animated speech about his past conquests of hot girls and his twenty-odd "successful marriages". How on earth he could deem them successful when every single one ended in a divorce was a real mystery, thought Ivan.

"Last but not least!" Professor Roma thumped a fist on the podium. The restless audience finally turned to look at him, eagerly anticipating the end of the speech.

"A union of love is the most beautiful thing in life! Even more so when the lady is cute! My dear freshmen and new students, do the school proud and get yourselves some hot girls. My dearest goal for you is to revolutionize public perceptions on us so we will cease being branded as the "gay school". Looking at the hotties in our new batch of students, I trust that this goal will be achieved in no time. Thank you!"

Professor Roma left amidst unenthusiastic applause around the school auditorium as students began voicing their opinions among themselves.

"Where does he expect us to get hot girls from when this is an all-boys school!"

"I'm like totally prettier than the prettiest girl evar!"

"What's wrong with being gay?"

"Silence, everyone! The student handbooks are being handed out now so please read them and re-familiarize yourselves with the school rules!" College senior and head student councilor of the European cohort Arthur Kirkland called out as he walked down Ivan's row to hand out frumpy-looking books.

"Oh Arthur, I don't know who he thinks he's kidding," college senior and assistant head student councilor of the European cohort Francis Bonnefoy sidled up to the grouchy blond. "Almost anyone who's anyone has walked in on him and old Germania doing it in almost any part of this school."

"Shut up, Francis! Don't say such things in front of the juniors," Arthur snapped. "What are you doing here anyway? Don't you have books to give out too?"

"I binned them. Nobody ever reads them anyway," Francis shrugged.

"How the hell did you get elected into the student council?" Arthur scowled as he stuffed a book haphazardly into the arms of a student. The student winced as a sharp edge of the book jabbed his elbow.

"Mon Dieu! Look at that attitude of yours! You'll scare all the poor juniors away! Let nii-san show you how to welcome them back with love!"

Without further ado, Francis planted a wet kiss right on the lips of the stunned second-year. Glancing at his name tag, he declared, "Welcome back to Hetalia Gakuen~ Monsieur Toris~"

"How dare you! That's like my boyfriend you're molesting!" The effeminate blond standing beside Monsieur Toris raged.

"Oh! You're so pretty! Are you really a boy? You look just like a lady!" Francis swooped down on him. "Welcome back to Hetalia Gakuen~ Monsieur Feliks~"

Francis proceeded to relay his affectionate hospitality to the sophomores down the row, causing swooning, cursing, spitting and blanching all at once. Arthur kneaded his temples, greatly troubled by the Frenchman's promiscuous behaviour.

Francis eventually reached the last student in the row of European students.

"Ouah! Violet-coloured eyes! How lovely! Are they real? They aren't contact lenses, are they?" Francis exclaimed as he gazed into the eyes of the Russian before him.

"My eyes are really violet da~ Thank you~" Ivan replied smilingly.

"Magnifique! Let nii-san give you some special love for your beauty~!"

Ivan had a very strange feeling as the Frenchman's tongue slipped inside his mouth. Ivan had always longed for affection, having been starved of it. This was the first time in ages since he was in such close proximity with a person, but he did not like it one bit. Francis' salacious smile and teasing drawl made him uncomfortable. Far from 'special love', this felt more like an intrusion. He did not like it. Defensive instincts kicking in, Ivan bit down hard.

"OW!" Francis pulled away and keeled over on the ground, cradling his bleeding mouth with a trembling hand.

Out of habit, Ivan pulled out his water pipe to punish Francis further.

Arthur gasped, shocked to see a student audaciously raining blows on a student councilor in the middle of a school assembly. He rushed forward to restrain Ivan, but the Russian was too strong and angry. He received a few wallops from the water pipe instead.

"Someone please help!" Arthur shouted at the frightened second years who were already scattering in panic. Nobody wanted to incur the wrath of the human bashing machine. Arthur was on the verge of giving Francis up for dead when a bespectacled blond with a quavering strand of idiot hair charged towards them, one fist in the air.

"Gakuen Hetalia's friendly resident Hero Alfred F. Jones to the rescue!"

Several sharp blows to his silvery blond head later, Ivan's world turned black.

To be continued...