Not In Siberia Anymore [Intro; Open to everyone at the Institute]

[kid_from_chukotka]

Ilya stood in the lobby of the mansion, attempting not to panic. While his SHIELD handler worked out the final paperwork, she'd benignly told him to stay there. The thing of it was, though, he was pretty sure that an entire apartment complex from home could fit in here. He tried not to fidget as it continued to hit home just how far away from, well, home that he was. The world seemed suddenly much too big, leaving him motionless as he tried to figure out what to do. He looked at his bags and wondered if he should take them up to his room... except he had no idea where his room was. And despite SHIELD having taught him fluent English, the Russian was loathe to call out for help and say something stupid and grammatically incorrect. He didn't want to look like an idiot right after he'd walked through the door.

So the fifteen year old stood there, glancing around awkwardly, silent as a mouse.

Comments

[dolemeck]

"Aye, as long as we do not skip class to do so." He wondered if Ilya was unable to eat when he wanted, or even allowed certain foods because of how he was treated. He decided not to ask and instead wheeled his chair up to Ilya.

"And you can have snacks within reason, too! Sometimes I make a small chocolate cake, though I tend to give it away more often to friends than eat it me-self!" he chuckled. "I am told they are delicious, which is good. If you want, I could make you one after your meal. You, too, Topher."

[kid_from_chukotka]

"I would never skip a class." That's insane. He has in his life tried to sneak into classes, but willingly not going to one? That's just weird. "I've actually never had chocolate. It was such an expensive import that I'm fairly sure only a handful of cities in all of Siberia had it, and I've never been in any place that could really be called a 'city'." On that account it didn't matter if someone was Chukchi or Russian. The Russian Far East was not a place of luxury.

[dolemeck]

"Well, some people try to skip classes. They do not value education as much as other people would." He shook his head. "I guess it is some form of teenage rebellion that some people go through. Me? I enjoy learning! Me brother instilled a love of education in me when I was a lad."

The mention of never having Chocolate left Dolemeck somewhat shocked. He knew there were places that people never tasted chocolate. He just never imagined meeting someone from one of them. he shook his head and returned a large smile.

"Well that settles things! You are having one of my mini chocolate cakes after we eat!" He reached up and patted Ilya on the other shoulder. "No one should ever go through life never having experienced chocolate!"

[kid_from_chukotka]

"I like learning. I'm behind everyone else, though." After all, he wasn't allowed to get a full education. It will take a while to catch up. "You have a brother? I'm an only child, and I always wanted a brother." Or a sister. Siblings always seemed like a neat idea, but it could be a 'the grass is greener' thing for all he knows.

"You don't have to make me anything. Really. I appreciate it, though." Would refusing be rude? He's not sure. "I'm kind of curious about what it tastes like, though..."

[dolemeck]

"It is alright. No one is going to judge you if you are behind. I have to start from scratch when it comes to American history, me-self. So... I guess I am behind in a way as well." He pointed out.

"I have two brothers. One is a crown prosecutor back home and the other... has his own band of sorts." Dolemeck spoke at arm's length about his brother Charles. After-all, it was Dayton who raised him and took care of him.

"And it is alright. I am offering to make you the cake, it is not as if you are imposing!" he gave a small laugh. "Truly, it is no bother to me, so do not worry any."

[kid_from_chukotka]

"Anything I know about American history is probably slanted and outdated," Ilya muses, wondering to himself how Americans would write Russian history. It'd be interesting to peek at and see what they got right and what he himself didn't know. "It sounds like both your brothers are talented. But I have no idea what a 'crown prosecutor' is." He feels okay admitting to that because SHIELD's English program hadn't gone over a lot of legal terms.

"I'm just trying to be polite. It's kind of how I was raised." He resists the urge to add 'I'm sorry' onto the end of that, because that's not necessary here. Not with Dolemeck.

[marvel_boy]

"Basically a lawyer on the side of the state or whatever," Topher said, trying to simplify it as much as possible. His eyes darted towards Ilya's bags.

"Actually, why don't you guys go on ahead? I'm actually not that hungry. Ilya, I'm going to check in with Rachel, see if rooming assignments and all that are over and done with. If they are, I'll have your stuff moved in to your new room, waiting for you whenever you're ready."

[kid_from_chukotka]

"Oh. We had those in Russia, though there weren't many in Siberia due to how few people lived throughout the Russian Far East." He's relieved he gets the concept. Maybe the language barrier won't be as bad as he thought, and people seem willing to explain things to him here. It's not like school was for him before, with people snickering at his every question.

"Thank you. You don't have to do that, you know. I can move my own things." Again, it feels like imposing on perfectly nice people when he can really do it himself. Something about the sweetness here is throwing him off; it's like he just can't function around people who treat him decently. It's a skill he's more than open to learning.

[marvel_boy]

"Nah, go eat. Stress and worry makes people hungry. I've just got some other stuff I need to take care of as well, but there's no sense in you lugging around your stuff all day long." That could get tedious and annoying. "Go forth, eat, drink, and be merry. Just, you know, don't go near Wolverine's beer."