#kolya001.

one of the highlights of the opening gala, besides its impressive array of indulgences, was the opportunity to run into familiar faces. for once, he had no date tonight - to be seen with a specific mentor would’ve been too great a sign of favoritism, even for his regulars -, which left him free to mill about, scouting the crowd for the less social of his acquaintances. not everyone attended the lavish parties thrown around the capitol, but anyone who was anyone in the games would attend the first big event of the season. he scanned over the throngs of people as he passed, throwing out a greeting here, a brilliant smile there, before his eyes caught a distinctive burst of colors. waving off his interlocutor, he made a beeline for one nikolai ivanov.

❛ hey, kid ! ❜ he slung an arm around the boy’s shoulders, his free hand coming up to ruffle his hair, much as he had yizhen’s when his brother was still small enough for him to get away with it. ❛ it’s good to see you ! the lot of you have been busy, i bet. how’s your aunt doing ? all’s well, i hope ? ❜ he snatched a flute of champagne off the nearest waiter’s tray, all but shoving it into kolya’s hands. ❛ here, get a drink. the party’s no fun if you’re stone cold sober, you know ? ❜