Natalia stood outside of the concert hall. Her hair whipped in the wind, slashing at her face. She waited patiently, her hands before her, holding the fur coat to her body. As she waited, watching the sky turn a darker shade of gray, she heard footsteps approach her.

A man approached her. He was thin and no taller than she was. His long face was shrouded in thin silvery hair. He looked at her for some time, his blue eyes meeting with hers. "Are you waiting for someone?" he asked gruffly.

Natalia nodded, turning her attention back at the concert hall. It was sculpted as though from gold, shimmering and brilliant. Inside the walls vibrated with the concert Ivan and Katrina watched. She had wanted to bring Ivan there when she heard that a man named Yao Wang would be performing. No doubt the two would recognize each other and reunite, giving them at least a small dose of happiness in their dank lives.

"Yes, they'll be out in a moment." She said.

The young man grinned, burying his face in the rim of his coat, which had fur the color of charcoal. His teeth were uneven and yellowed. He turned away and left. Natalia watched him leave, his shoulder bones making bumps under his jacket. She turned back to the hall and waited in the cold air. Her breaths came out in puffs of white.

Not long after Katrina walked out. She trundled through the path, her belly heavy. She approached Natalia and embraced her.

"How was it?" Natalia asked.

Katrina shook her head, her eyes dark with worry. "Yao's changed. He's become colder, I think. Ivan's trying to meet with him."

"I knew it." Natalia said calmly. "After all these years he'd still jump at the chance to see his old love. I'm glad. I just hope that everything else can fall into place as nicely." Her eyes flicked down to Katrina's belly. Katrina didn't notice.

. . .

Yao stared at Ivan across the room. He sat on an imported ottoman, his body spread across it leisurely. He wore a cotton robe to rest after his strenuous performance. Each move he made stretched each muscle, each expression he made deprived him of emotion. His hair was long and loose, spread like a crow's stretched wing.

"I thought I would never see you again." Yao stated.

Ivan stood before him, stiff from shock and excitement. It took him nearly an hour to convince the stage hands to let him in. Now he was disappointed. Yao noticed. His dark eyes fastened on Ivan.

"Come with me." Ivan said.

"Why?"

"Why can't you? Five years have passed. The wounds the earth suffered have healed. Now I ask you to join me so we can be together again."

"You are asking me to dance on the edge of a cliff with you, just after you threw me off it not a moment before."

Ivan stood speechless. He humbly petted and played with his hat, dangling between his large hands. He stared at the floor, trapped in a wave of stifling emotions. What could he do? "I have Natya and Katya with me. Maybe I should get them."

Yao's slender hand silenced him. "Come closer."

Ivan did, taking nervous steps. Yao slid off the couch, standing before him. His muscles pulsed beneath the thin cloth. Yao slipped it off, revealing a thin undergarment beneath. Ivan could see every bend a turn of his body, where the skin stopped being living and breathing to being a callous. Scars crossed his body. A burn mark was on his bicep, like a kiss.

The cloth fell soundless to the floor, at Yao's feet, caressing them. Yao reached back and put his hair into the grasp of a thick string. Yao never moved his eyes from Ivan.

"But, you came back. You want a second chance."

Ivan nodded mutely. "I know Natalia didn't beg me to come out of sheer kindness. She had some ulterior motives…" he muttered.

"Natalia wants to give you a second chance because you are a coward."

Ivan could not argue.

Yao had matured and aged beautifully. Yao's words were carefully chosen and placed. His tone and inflection was unwavering. He felt no fear or pain. At least, he never showed it visibly. Ivan tried to dig through Yao's walls and see how he felt. He only saw smooth impassiveness. Each obstacle thrown at him slipped off the surface, hardly making a dent.

They had hurt each other.

"Yao?" Ivan said, dropping his hat and raising his cold hands. He placed them on Yao's hard shoulders. Yao did not flinch or move away.

"Yes?"

"You are my swan. I know I couldn't have kept you long without clipping your wings. If I did that it would harm you. You would have flown off anyway and that all was an expedient."

Ivan's hands roamed down Yao's arms and found his hands. He picked them up and pressed them, not moving his eyes. He stood like that, searching for the right words that would never come. Yao let go of Ivan and placed his hands on the thick neck before him. He rose lithely on his toes and whispered in a breath as sweet as sugar; "Then I will return for the season." He pulled away from Ivan's ear and placed his lips on Ivan's.

The pair of lips moved away gently. Ivan didn't return or reject the kiss. He stared at Yao in shock and bliss.

"Je vous aime."

"Tell your sisters to go home. This will take some time."

. . .

When it got to difficult to hold their breaths they pressed their faces to the pillows. Gripping flesh and gripping life and gripping joy they were briefly spent, relapsing into memories and the past, drinking it so sweet since they could never see it again. The clouds moved too fast. Time moved too fast. The night slipped by like water between cracks.

Tears slipped down Yao's face when morning approached and Ivan slept, his big hand on Yao's heart.