Closed Chase You

[Ares Jeffreys]

Ares had never been to Russia, well, apart from for quidditch, Ares hadn't really been to most places. It wasn't that he wasn't interested in travelling, just that there was always something for him to do at home, something that needed his attention more, something he had to do more promptly that spending time abroad wouldn't allow for him to do. But here he was in Russia after being told exactly where he was to go to find and hopefully bring home Dimitri. He wouldn't have gone had his sister not been very adament about him going. After what had happened he had wanted to give Dimitri space, he knew he had a difficult relationship with his mother but losing her wouldn't be easy and he knew they were too early into this for him to have pushed. But he found himself now, in a bar, in Russia, being told to go to him. He spotted Dimitri easily in the see of other drinkers and he walked over, trying to not feel too nervous about seeing him and him freaking out or getting annoyed that he was even here. He slid into the seat in front and lightly kicked Dimitri's feet under the table. ​

 

[Dimitri Jeffreys]

Dimitri didn't know why he had even bothered to return home. The meeting with his father had not gone well. He'd been very abruptly reminded of every shortcoming he had, everything he'd ever failed at. He had wanted closure. He'd found a frigging nightmare. He'd defaulted back to his old haunts, ending up at a tavern in town. Dimitri had his head in his hands, a half drunk pint in front of him. What was he going to do? He felt... low. Like the life had been drained out of him. He'd almost forgotten how his father could do that. How he could tear someone down to the bone and grind away until nothing was left.

Tri nearly jumped out of his skin when someone kicked his feet. His head shot up, his heart in his throat. He relaxed immediately. "Ares," he breathed, starting to reach for the other man. He stopped though, and drew back. He hoped it wasn't obvious he'd been crying. "Dorogoy, what are you doing here?" He asked gently. He wanted to switch sides and curl up in Ares' lap, but right now Dimitri was so low he had to wonder if Ares even wanted him, or if Dimitri had just forced himself on the other man.

 

[Ares Jeffreys]

Ares found himself looking at Dimitri closely, following the lines on his face, looking at the different tell tale signs of this not having been good. He could tell he was a little drunk, maybe more tipsy and could tell that Dimitri had at least been crying, and certainly looked liked this whole trip had been a bad idea. But he knew it had been a necessary trip, it wasn't like he'd suddenly feel magically better and wouldn't have even if he hadn't gone. "I'm here for you," he told him, "Your sister said the trip hadn't...gone well...and I wanted to come and get you," he wouldn't necessarily just bring him straight home, but the idea would be to bring him back with him, not let him linger. He put his hand out on the table for Dimitri to take, not sure how much physical contact Dimitri would actually want in this moment, and Ares didn't want to over step. ​

 

[Dimitri Jeffreys]

Dimitri let out a soft sigh, his shoulders slumping as Ares spoke and offered out his hand. Tri pushed his pint aside and stood, walking over to the other side of the table and sliding in next to Ares. He slipped in under Ares' arm, burying himself in Ares' chest. "I'm glad you're here, Ares," He breathed, curling up against him. "It went terribly. I never should have come," He sighed softly.

 

[Ares Jeffreys]

Ares moved himself to give Dimitri the space and then smiled. It was short lived as Dimitri told him that it hadn't gone well. This was hardly a surprise to him, but it still, well, he wanted things to go well for Dimitri. "If you hadn't you probably would've always wondered," he suggested, he knew that he would've always questioned it, wanted to go see. But at least there could be a little closure. He didn't necessarily want to ask Dimitri if he'd found any closure in this, it was perhaps too early to tell. "What happened?" he asked in accented russian. ​

 

[Dimitri Jeffreys]

Dimitri let out a long, slow sigh, and nuzzled in a little closer to Ares. He slipped his hand over the mans knee and shut his eyes. He bit his lip, quiet a moment. "You need to understand," He managed, his voice shaky. "There were rules. Expectations. We are Korrinov." His lips sneered around the name. "We were kept home. Groomed. Raised to be the noblest of nobles." He scoffed and shook his head. "I... I did not run away, Ares."

Dimitri clung a bit to the other man. "I loved my family. This was my home, once. I struggled, but I tried to belong here. I tried. I was- I was with my mother, and my sisters, and I could pretend with my father because I had them with me." Dimitri's eyes filled with tears. "But... one afternoon, father, he... he summoned me to his office. He... had arranged for me to marry. The daughter of some well-to-do businessman."

Dimitri burrowed in a bit closer, his voice shaky. "When... when I refused to marry her, he... he threw me out. I barely had time to grab my guitar and a change of clothes when he had security throw me out the front gate." He sighed deeply, burrowing into Ares. "I had some money stashed in my guitar. It... it was just enough to take me out of Russia. I arrived in New Zealand, with nothing... no one. I was afraid. I didn't know what to do. I just... I kept moving. I realized... this was never my home. I have never had a home. Nowhere to belong," Dimitri hardly noticed that he had started crying. He clutched at Ares' shirt, hiding in the warmth of the other man.

"I am still afraid, Ares." He admitted softly. "I am afraid you will leave me. I know... I know I pestered you into this. I was stubborn, and I wanted to be with you, and I kept pushing until you let me in. And still, I lay awake when it is cold, and I am afraid. I want to find a home with you, more than anything, but I am afraid you will throw me out into the cold the same way my father did." Dimitri swallowed nervously. "I tried to return home, made it into the parlor. He stood on the balcony of the stairs, tore into me. He said I am no son of his, I am disgrace. He went on for ten minutes about my failings and shortcomings, and then he had security throw me out. Literally. They threw me into the snow bank outside of the gates. He would not have me."

 

[Ares Jeffreys]

Ares listened to Dimitri's story, there wasn't much else he could do, this was a story, it was clear that Dimitri needed to tell. He knew he would never actually understand, he hadn't been born into a home like that, his had been a simple upbringing. He wasn't surprised that he hadn't run, the fact he'd come with so little was an indicator but it was a difficult story to here. Dimitri and his sisters deserved better than how they were raised, and he couldn't imagine the pain for parents losing their three children even if they had always been strict. He knew that the things that had happened with his dad would certainly carry over a little. He didn't say anything for a moment, just let out a long sigh.

"You father is wrong about you," he said simply, "I can't promise forever for us, who knows where life will take us, what paths we might go down. But I can promise that I wouldn't leave without working every angle with you," he told him. He didn't want to over promise, what if, three years in Dimitri got bored of him, but that for now they could be a thing and see how that went. "Thank you for telling me that,"​

 

[Dimitri Jeffreys]

Dimitri curled in closer to Ares, trying to take in the mans warmth. "Dorogoy," He breathed. He nuzzled his face into Ares' neck. "Thank you," He murmured softly. Someone opening the front door sent a cold breeze and a brief flurry into the room. Dimitri shuddered heavily and shrank further into the other man. "It's cold here, I hate it," He grumbled. He peeked up at Ares, pouting. "Take me home?" He pleaded gently.

 

[Ares Jeffreys]

Ares nodded. He put his arm around him and agreed, it was all too cold here. "Let's go home," he agreed. He got to his feet and pulled Dimitri up with him and then began moving towards the door. There was a lane not too far away where they could apparate back. He just adjusted his hold on Dimitri as he moved. ​

 

[Dimitri Jeffreys]

Dimitri let Ares pull him up, burrowing in closer and walking along to the door. He was already tense, anticipating the cold. He still wasn't prepared for the bite of the wind as they stepped outside. He shivered, wrapping his arms under Ares' jacket and hiding as much as he could in the other man. Dimitri would be relieved to be out of this place, out of the snow and back in the warmth. He wasn't sure where Ares was taking them, but anywhere had to be better than here. "Your Russian is getting better, darling," Dimitri commented idly. "If this keeps up, I won't have to correct you anymore," he pouted.

 

[Ares Jeffreys]

Ares guided them as they walked down the snowy street, he was going to be real happy when they got back to the warmth of New Zealand. He laughed lightly. "You'll always be correcting me, and that's okay," Ares wouldn't ever mind being corrected by him and though he'd gotten much better at russian he didn't doubt that Dimitri would be correcting him for years to come. They got to spot and just as Ares did one last sweep to make sure no one was watching. "Hold on tight," he said and with a crack apparate them back to a short walk from Dimitri's new zealand flat. ​

 

[Dimitri Jeffreys]

Dimitri stayed hidden in Ares' chest, chuckling at the mans words. Tri slid his hand into the mans back pocket. "My fingers are cold," he announced. It worked very well as an excuse, because it was true. He shut his eyes when he was told, burrowing into Ares and holding still. He smiled, relaxing a bit at the warmth of their home. He peeked up at Ares though, not moving away. "I'm still cold. You should warm me up, dorogoy," he teased gently, only half joking.

 

[Ares Jeffreys]

Ares got him inside and smiled. "Well, we're going to bed regardless," he said. He moved with the man to his bedroom, with a little flick of his wrist the place began warming up slightly. He desposited the man on to the bed and gave a little smile. "Right come on, lay down, I'll grab an extra blanket and we'll sleep for a bit," He would enjoy just being able to feel the comfort of Dimitri next to him. He knew this had been a necessary thing but he was glad to have him back. ​

 

[Dimitri Jeffreys]

Dimitri laughed, slipping into just his boxers after Ares laid him down, opening up his arms and making a grabbing motion at his boyfriend to try and summon him into bed. Dimitri just felt tired, and the cold of Russian snow still bit into his bones. It was almost as prominent as the cold heart of his father, stinging and twisting at his core in a way Dimitri had thought had been long left behind. He just wanted to curl up with Ares, in the warmth of New Zealand and the warmth of the other mans embrace. He sighed softly. "I love you, dorogoy," He murmured almost shyly.