Worlds Collide(Iva/Ty)

Tyler wandered about the small lake, stopping every few moments to chuck rocks into it. Technically the lake was more like a pond, and he was in the middle of what consisted of a park, and he was attempting to skip the rocks, rather than just chuck them in, but those were just details. Minor details he was chosing to ignore.

The park was the ideal place for him to spend his time. Open and airy. There was absolutly no chance of his closterphobia appearing here. Thus he spent a large amount of his time there.

Grabbing a perfectly flat rock - ideal for what he was attempting to do - he held it in his hand as his father had taught him back home on the bayou and flicked it.

Only to watch it fall with a blunk.

"Well bugger all," he laughed not truely upset with what had happened, "I use to be a-better at a-this."

For the first time in what seemed like forever, Iva decided it was going to be a good day today. Looking across the lake at the bright blue winter sky, Iva didn't feel any anxiety at all. The person she "talked" to had told her to spend more time out in the "wilderness" to adapt to the dirt of the real world. She would never admit it, but she thought it was working

Maybe she should have started therapy a long time ago.

There was a boy, almost a man, standing a short distance from her, skipping stones. Or, at least, trying to. Iva strode closer, a bit curious about him

My. He sure was... attractive.

"You are doing it wrong," She called out, a half smile on her face as she hugged herself. "Flick your wrist more,"

Tyler looked up at the sound of a voice. It was a little girl... well she wasn't that young, probably about four or five years younger than himself. Ty figured she'd be just about the age where although she could be called young she would certainly object to it.

She'd be around the age he had been during the attack. He shoved that thought aside.

Physcially, she was actually rather small.

He smiled at her when she spoke, and having another rock in his hand moved to do as she said.

"A-like this?" he attempted to hold his wrist further back, and then put more flick rather than throw into his movement.

It hadn't been particularily graceful, but much to his joy, the rock did skip the water once before plunking down to the depth below.

Iva nodded, approving of his new skipping style.

"Da, Yes," She smiled, mostly because she found his accent to be absolutely adorable. An American boy, how cute. The Southern twang was a bit odd though- or was it Northern?

"My turn," Picking up a stone and gracefully twirling it over the water, she watched it skip three times before plopping into the water below. She gave an airy laugh, one that wasn't totally there, then turned to watch him again. The American Boy.

Ty smiled at the news that he was doing it correctly.

"Why thank you kindly," he beamed, "You're a mighty good teacher."

He let out a long whistle as her rock bounce three times before being claimed, "That there was impressive. You a-must be an expert or a-somethang."

He looked about him for another rock and takin' great care to do it properly he flicked it across the water. It gave a wobbly half skip before falling.

"Practice a-makes perfect, or so they a-say," he laughed easily.

Iva shifted uncomfortably as he complimented her and laughed. American were always so... bright and cheery. It was a bit odd to her, but she didn't say anything. She didn't want this man to go away and leave her alone.

"I am master," She mused, "And you are student, yes?"

A troublesome twinkle was in her eyes, showing her joking nature. Some part of her wanted to know his name because he was "mighty fine" looking.

He nodded sagely, "Yes master, Wax-on; Wax off."

Ty laughed at his own joke that he remembered from an old movie and figured this girl probably wouldn't get it anyways.

He picked up another stone and tried again, letting out a whoop as it skipped twice this time.

"I am a-gettin' better at this," he grinned and pushed the lock of hair out of his face.

He paused to look at the girl, realizing he had yet to introduce himself.

"Where are my a-manners; my mama taught me a better than this," he responded, "Ty Marks at your a-service."

Iva raised an eyebrow at the boy, confused. Wax? Where was the wax? She shook her head and sighed, not even bothering to ask.

She nearly jumped as he hollered about skipping the rock, showing her mature smirk as if their roles were totally reversed.

She stared at the boy for a second, her cheeks a slight pink.

"Iva." She said, "Iva Popov,"

Ty could see that his quote had confused the girl, but he just smiled and waved it off.

"Forget it; I'll a-tell you another time."

The boy glanced back at her and notice the look on her face. It suggested that he was being childish - not in an offensive way, more in a just the facts way, and once more he couldn't help to smile back at it.

"You a-don't 'let a-go' much do yeah, Sug?"

He nodded at the name, "Iva - I a-like it; don't here that a-much where I'm a-from. I think that a-makes you special."

Iva turned away, a bit flustered. She broke eye contact with him staring at the smooth rocks of the beach. Merlin- why was she acting like this?

"I do too," She protested weakly, her face a noticable red as she tucked her hair behind her ear. "You Americans are just too happy and loose..."

"Thank you," She nodded, "Ty is a strange name back in my country as well, but I like it. Special."

"Are we a-now?" Tyler drawled, raising an eyebrow and smirking slightly, "Ever thought you're too reserved and serious?"

He winked at her before throwing another rock, and watching it skip some more.

He nodded her head at her compliment, "A-thank you Ma'am; We shall be a-special together, Yes?"

Iva shook her head vehemently, clenching her fists. That look didn't make her any less riled up either, in fact, she thought it made her react more.

"No! Never!" She declared, "Russia is a proper, traditional country that-!"

Oh. Oh. That wink sure shut her up. She stared at her feet, trapped in white sneakers and sighed. Maybe she was a bit stressful.

"Yes. Iva and Ty,"

Tyler held up his hands in a defensive way and refrained from looking amused - although he was more amused then threatened by her anger.

"I'm a-sorry," he apologized, "I like the a-country Pride; more a-people should talk a-pride from where they a-come from."

He paused skipping another rock, "I've a-never been to Russia. What's it a-like?"

Ty smiled as their two names were put together.

"Two a-peas in a-pod?"

Iva lowered her bunched up shoulders, looking sheepish.

"Sorry," She mumbled, staring up at him with big, bright, baby blue eyes that shone through her hair.

Iva nudged a shoe off with the other, then took the other off before dipping her toes into the water. See? She thought as she dipped her toes in, I am fun too.

"Cold," She replied automatically, "Russia is very different than here, but I do not talk about it. People ask me about the USSR and communism when I say I am Russian."

"Together," She said- realizing what this saying meant.

Ty couldn't help but give her a fond little smile as she apologized for her outburst. Her eyes sparkling up at him. He had to admit, she had some pretty nice eyes.

"Don't worry about it, Sug," he said, gently cuffing the side of her shirt with his hand, "You got a-spirit; I like that in a girl. Too many try to a-pretend to be all a-soft and a-docile."

He shook his head, "Well that just a-silly; that was all in the a-past - you didn't even a-live through that."

He sat down beside her, and smiled as she slipped her feet into the water. She a-loosin' up already.

"Where I'm a-from is a-warm. The a-summers could a-be down right unbearable," he said looking off into the distance.

He nodded his head as she translated his saying, "Together."

Iva felt her heart leap into her throat as his hand touched her hip. Trying her best to ignored this... amazing and disturbing moment, she bent over and flicked water at him, smiling a lopsided grin.

"You have the spirit as well, Sug," She teased, even though she had no clue what "Sug" meant. Something told her that her face was bright red, but she didn't care; she simply sat next to him, careful not to get her skirt dirty.

"I like the sun," She flicked some water again, this time out into the lake with her toes. She didn't respond to the "past" comments; It wasn't going to be forgiving anytime soon.

"But, not hot. "

Ty jumped a bit as the water splashed up at him and then grinned, "Hey now." He laughed and reaching into the water with his hand to splash her back.

"Why a-thank you," he smiled and bowed towards her. In a fit of impulsiveness he held up his hand in a mock toast, "To a-spirit. My we never a-be with out it."

Tyler nodded and leaned back, "The sun is a-nice thang. I a-love to go outside and just a- soak it up on a sunny day. Though I like to be a-out rather than in on any day."

He picked up a few more rocks and just let them drop into the water, watching them plunk and sink one after another.

"Then you wouldn't a-like Louisana in the dead of a-summer," he responded, "There would be a-days so hot you'd a-think you aren't able to a-breath."

Iva giggled a bit as the cold water bit her skin. This time she splashed up a whole handful, trying to get all of him wet.

"Hey yourself," She raised her own fake glass as she rested her head on her knees. "Dlya Dukha- To Spirit."

The Russian rolled smoothly off of her tongue in a way that almost calmed her. The familiar slurs and rolls just made sense. She'd continued, but she was sure this man didn't want to hear her speak.

He talked about this Lousianna a lot and Iva understood the light longing for ones home. Must be hard for him too.

"I will not visit then," She agreed, starting to tease. "Maybe I will see Canada instead of America. Canada is a lot better. Who even likes the US?"

Tyler laughed as the amount of water increased, and actually caused a mark to appear on his pants, "Well now, I think there was some unhonest intent behind that there a-splash."

Smirking even more, he upped his own splash.

"Dly- Duha," Ty mimicked before laughing at the way the hard words sounded with his own lazy accent, "I a-think it a-sounds better when you a-say it."

Tyler made a face at her teasing, his eyes sparkling with mischief the only thing hinting that he wasn't as offended as he pretended to be.

"Blech Canada," he shook his head, "What would you a-wanna go up there for. Those Coffee-brained, eskimos don't a-got nuttin' we can't offer. We have the a-real men."

Iva laughed at the mark, then squealed a bit as he splashed back.

"Hey!" She gave a rather large spray of water back, giggling. The giggles rose as he mispronounced the Russian.

"Th-thank you truly," She managed to say, her laughter dying down.

She raised an eyebrow, a smirk growing on her face.

"Real men?"Her voice was almost a purr, "Russian men are real men, yes? Tall and strong. Certainly better than American men at everything!"

Ty couldn't help but laugh as he watched her giggle and get more and more relaxed with everything.

He smiled; he liked to think she would be better off for this meeting. Ty had to admit that he was already rather fond of her. She was cute in her own little way.

"True, Russians are a-tall and a-strong, but there is a-one thing that they can a-do as well as I can."

Her hair comng out of her braid because of it's dampness, Iva looked up at the man with a set gaze. Her blue eyes stood out from her pale skin, making the whole "Russian" look come alive.

He was so attractive, she decided. A bit too old though, she was probably an annoyance at this moment.

But his blue eyes sparkled, "Something fierce". He'd say something like that.

"Oh, Really?" She mused, resting her head on her knees again as her fingers traced the stony beach. "What is it? Music? Drinking? Russia has you Americans beat!"

"Yes a-really," he drawled leaning forward slight, and smiling softly.

He shook his head, "No-no, none of a-that, and certainly a-not the drinkin'"

"Nope," he said smiling and plucking a small flower - more like a weed, but a pretty one none the less - off the ground.

He winked and held the plant out to her.

"I have to a-believe that a pretty phrase, sounds a-lot better in my drawl," he said softly, "What do you got to say to that, Sug?"

Iva tensed slightly, a warm feeling of butterflies filling her stomach. The winking, the flower- it was all too much. It must be an American thing; Russians didn't show such kindness to mere strangers.

She took the flower from him and tucked it in her braid with a small "Thank you", her ear turning a tickled pink.

"I-I cannot.. argue that," She whispered after a moment, brushing her hands off on her shirt. They had began to feel that familiar itch and fear of bacteria, but Iva was trying to ignore it.

Tyler nodded his head in responce to the thank you.

"That looks a-right pretty there," he said as she tucked the flower behind her ear.

"Of course you a-can't," he smiled, "Because I am a-right."

Looking about him for something to do, his hands were begining to feel ansy, he saw more of the small flowers he had given to Iva. Reaching over the ground, he slowly began plucking them out of the ground. Once he had enough, he plopped them into his lap, and began stringing them together as his mother had taught him back home.