What if the world was the size of Wales? Just that small strip of land and the rest water. There would be no nations and very few people. Now in this world there were three kinds of people: regular humans, magic folk and those in between. There was a strict set of rules governing them. Humans could mate with humans and in betweeners. In betweeners could mate with humans, magic folk and in betweeners. The magic folk could mate with magic folk and in betweeners. Humans and magic folk could not mate. Nobody knew what would happen if they tried.

There was a council set up in case it happened. Any of the in betweeners could sit on it and there had to be one of the magic folk presiding over it.

There were only two magic folk at this time: Arthur Kirkland and Ivan Braginski. The two hated each other with a passion. They traveled around from village to village, helping where they can. They usually began every year in Northern Europe and traveled where they wished from there. Arthur was always jumping from place to place, as he could be summoned to help by whoever needed him. If you needed Ivan's help, you just had to wait until he reached your village.

In the village of North America, there was a set of twins: Alfred F. Jones and Matthew Williams. Matthew had fallen gravely ill of unknown causes. Some whispered that an in betweener had caused him to fall into the river and almost drown. Alfred didn't believe this and summoned Arthur. Arthur puzzled over the boy for hours, trying everything he could do to save him. Finally he gave up and turned to Alfred, whom he had blindfolded upon first entering the house. It was just another precautionary rule. Humans could not look at the magic folk for more than a minute because their beauty would drive them insane. Besides Alfred was the type to make fun of his eyebrows. "Your brother has only a month to live. I don't know when Braginski will be by, but if he comes before Matthew dies, do not seek his help. I am leaving now, in five minutes you may remove your blindfold."

Over the next two weeks, Alfred sent urgent requests for help to every village and the in betweeners but every single one was politely declined.

If the Britannica Angel cannot help you, we cannot either.

His reply to all remained the same:

Britannica Angel, my ass.

He was just about to give up when one of the others in the village, little Nathanial Jones, came running up to him.

"Ivan Braginski's coming tomorrow," the kid said breathlessly. "Mom said I should tell everybody."

Alfred smiled. "Thanks, kid." He ruffled the hair just as blonde as his. "Run along now, Nate, I'll tell Mattie." After his informant ran off, he slowly walked off back home, the gears in his mind churning.

One of the many precautionary rules state that if one of the two stays in a town for more than a day, they must spend the night outside of the limits. When Alfred saw the camp set up on a hill near the village he smiled. The next day, Ivan would be in town to listen to everybody's requests. That was the rule.

Alfred F. Jones had always been above the rules. He knew you weren't supposed to go visit them before they came to you. So when he walked up the hill that evening with a basket of food and sunflowers, he ignored the warnings his mind was screaming loudly. The camp was deserted when he arrived. He set the basket down and left again. Of course he was unaware of Ivan sitting in a tree just above his head. He thought he heard a thump (Ivan landing on his feet after jumping down) from near the camp but if he turned around he was too far away to see anything.

The next morning, the basket and one of the flowers were sitting on his doorstep. Alfred put it in some water and filled the basket with food and flowers again. In the evening he started up the hill and the camp was deserted. Again neglecting to look up, he left the basket and returned home.

The basket and a flower were waiting on the doorstep when the milkman came. For the third night he headed up towards the camp. He set the basket down as it was still empty (or so it seemed) and turned to go back to town when he noticed that one of his Converses were untied. He knelt down to tie it quickly, in case Ivan showed up and became mad at him for being there.

"What are these?" asked a small childish voice from behind him. He ran, but before he got too far, he tripped and fell on his face. Somebody laughed and he turned around and saw Ivan holding a package of jelly beans with curiosity. He turned around again.

"I am sorry, but that was just too funny. Fate must be on my side today."

Alfred huffed. She certainly wasn't on his. He sat on the grass, folded his arms, and pouted.

"Hm, chocolate milk, an unusual flavor."

"The orange cream soda is the best."

"I will take your word on that. You are here because you are looking for a way to save your dying brother, correct?"

"Yes."

"Hm, nobody ever comes to just visit me. You do know you are not supposed to be here?"

"Yeah."

"Yet here you are. Why?"

"He's my twin and life without him would suck."

"Ah, life without one's siblings is hard. I have two of my own that I rarely see."

Alfred started to turn to face him.

"Do not turn around, little one. I do not want to cause your death."

"So you understand where I'm coming from?"

"Da, I do, but you have four more nights to convince me to help you."

"Damn it." Alfred got up and went home.

In the morning the basket, a flower and a small plastic bowl with several jelly beans were waiting for him. The note said You can have the ones I do not like.

He ate them for breakfast and put the flower with the other two.

"You didn't like the cherry cola?" Alfred asked the basket that night as he sat on the grass.

"It was an interesting flavor but it did not go well with Dr. Pepper." Ivan replied, from his seat on the grass on the other side of the basket.

"That's why you eat them one at a time."

"I will keep that in mind next time. You are visiting me tonight?"

"Don't you know it! You look like you need a hero to keep you company."

"Hm, a hero? Maybe I do."

Silence filled the space between as Ivan looked at the village below them. "Your town is interesting. You are free to mingle with each other and it is warm."

"Only my section and Maria's. Mattie's isn't so much."

"Your sections?"

"Yeah, in order to keep peace, we had to divide the town into three parts for one of us to claim, but we're in another's part so much, it was easier to say we aren't divided."

"My home town of Eurasia is also divided. It only had two people living there though. My section was always so cold and Sadiq's was always warm, but Sadiq annoys me so I left."

"What's he like?"

"He wants to be Turkish; he wears a mask and carries a saber."

"Turkish?"

"Da, I believe that is what people from a country called Turkey would be, if there was such a country."

"I would be an American!"

"Hmm?"

"My country would be the United States of America but I would call it the United States of Awesome."

"Ah, my country would be called Russia."

"What if your country and mine didn't get along? Would we still want to be friends?"

"Hm, I do not know, however, we can be friends here."

"Alright."

Alfred laid down on the grass and stared up at the stars. "Maybe if that does happen, we can be friends that explore space together."

"That would be nice. Your brother is wondering where you are."

Alfred got up and ran home. Matthew was up and asking him questions about where he had been. "I was visiting a friend, Mattie; I didn't mean to be gone this late."

A fourth flower joined the rest that morning. While Alfred was buying more food (and avoiding the center where Maria was talking to Ivan) he heard that the South American shamans were coming. They would most likely have something to help Matthew. That night he took the basket and left as quickly as he had come. Ivan was hurt.

After receiving the basket and the flower (You did not stay around long last night. Have you changed your mind about being friends?) he dug around until he found his mother's final gift to him, a golden horseshoe charm that would ward off unwanted company and would burn a magic folk at the touch. He then gathered all the money he had left ($100) and after Matthew had fallen asleep he set off for the shamans. They were humans that tried to use magic. To his delight, one could help his brother, but to his dismay, he wanted $1100 for it.

"I don't have that."

"You can pay another way."

"How?"

"You can live with us and be…"

"He will not do it," Ivan interrupted. All found something interesting to stare at on neighbouring buildings. "All your cures will not work anyway. Leave the magic to those who can use it. Come along, Alfred."

Alfred followed Ivan away from them. Once they were away from there, he opened his mouth. "Why?"

"Why did I interrupt? If I did not and you agreed to their deal, you would be miserable. They would have given you poison for your brother and taken you away to a life of slavery. That is what I saved you from."

"How did you know where to find me and I know I've never told you my name?"

"You are Alfred F. Jones, the bane of Arthur Kirkland's existence. He was the guardian you ran away from all those years ago. I know who you are. Now do you know who I am?"

"I…"

"Nyet, I am not you."

"That's not what I was going to say."

"I am sorry, go on."

"I really don't know."

"Hm, how can we be friends if we do not know who we are?"

"I don't know."

"Go home, Alfred and be careful. I will not always be around to save you."

Alfred was left with no choice when the flower on his doorstep told him that Ivan was leaving that night. The charm owed him one last favor; his last hope wasn't getting away that easily.

That night found him standing on the hill with Ivan. "I have something for you," Alfred lied.

Ivan walked over to him and took the charm. "Argh!" he dropped it, his palm burnt. "Alright, Alfred. You have convinced me to help you by going to any measure to save your brother." Alfred heard a bag open. "Your brother must eat this whole." Something was placed in his hand. Alfred looked at it, an apple. He put it in a Ziploc bag and put it inside his now empty backpack. "It will not spoil. It is strong and unfading like you," Ivan told him with a smirk.

"I don't know if that was a compliment or not."

"It is whatever you make of it."

Alfred F. Jones occasionally took delight in disregarding rules. He glanced over at Ivan, then ran to him and kissed him firmly. Ivan jumped but put an arm around his waist, holding him closer. As his arms went around his neck, feeling nothing but the material of the scarf, Ivan's tongue flickered to his lips, which parted for him. To Alfred, the tongue was like a sliver of ice he had accidentally drunk. Ivan tilted his head to deepen the kiss and he let himself get lost in the moment. In the meantime, a silence had fallen and when a cricket broke it, the kiss was broken also. The two backed away from each other, startled.

Alfred turned his head. "You'll be gone soon to wherever it is you're going next and by the time you're there you probably would have forgotten all about little Alfred J. Fones from North America, Ivan Braginski."

"Alfred J. Fones?"

"Yeah, I-I-I do that when I-I-I've done something I-I-I've shouldn't."

"Are you regretting it?"

"N-N-No."

"Then stop stammering, Alfred. I will not forget you." Ivan pulled him closer and kissed his cheek. Alfred was glowing purple for a moment before the color faded into his skin, making a home for itself just underneath it. "There will be many dangers coming for you after I leave. This will help you protect yourself and your brother. All those intending to hurt you will see that you are mine. I will be back in six months." Ivan turned Alfred's face to his and gently kissed him again.

Alfred broke free of his grasp and collected his charm. "I do know who you are." He called back as he left. When he came home, Matthew was awake. "Hey, Mattie, I need you to eat this apple."

Matthew ate it. "How did you get this?" He was already getting better.

"I broke the rules."

"Did you steal it?"

"Of course not. I earned it."

"By breaking the rules." It hit Matthew. "Oh, Alfred, you didn't?"

"I didn't what?"

"You didn't go to Ivan Braginski!"

"I did. That's where I was every evening for the past week." He didn't tell him about the fright of the previous night.

"Oh, Alfred, you could have been hurt."

"I could have."

"Were you?"

"No."

"Are you lying?"

"No."

"Why did you do it?"

"'Cause."

"'Cause why?"

"'Cause I love my brother and life would be shit if you died."

"I love you, too, Al."

Both brothers sat there in silence. "Al?"

"Huh?"

"What's that on your face?"

Alfred grabbed the mirror and examined his face. He smiled at the sight of the light inking on his face. "I believe it is some kind of magical tattoo thing." He frowned. "Other than that end, I sounded like him."

"What?"

"Nothing."

"A magical tattoo thing? Why would you get that?"

"For fun?"

"It's a flower, Al. You wouldn't get a flower on your face forever for fun. Too many people would see it."

"Is that what it is?"

"Yes, and it's purple."

"Just like his eyes."

"What?"

"Uh, your eyes! I picked this color because I wanted something to remind me of you in case…"

"Thank you, but I know you said his eyes. Oh, Al. You looked at him?"

"Just twice and only for a few seconds."

"That was dangerous."

"Not really, he wasn't going to let me look for long."

"Really?"

"Yeah, we're friends now."

"Just friends? I know what the so called 'tattoo' actually means. Who kissed who?"

"I kissed him."

"Alfred! She'll come after you and the council will have to interfere and you two will be in so much trouble. You might just have to turn yourself in to get away from her. Oh, you might get hurt. I don't want you to get hurt."

"Fine, call Arthur. I'll turn myself in."

It took Arthur a few days to get around to seeing them. He was shocked when Matthew opened the door. The blindfolds were on in record time. "I see Alfred found a cure for you."

"Never mind that, just look at his face."

Arthur did. "Shit. You went to him."

"Yeah. I had no choice."

"Did you look at him?"

"Yeah."

"Have you lost your mind?"

"Yeah."

"What?"

Alfred smirked.

"Damn you, git."

Arthur took them both by their arms and led them through the city. They kept walking for days, Arthur's magic keeping them nourished and well rested. They heard the clang of an opening gate and it closing. "Welcome to the Council."

Alfred was sat on a couch as Arthur and Matthew entered a room. The door opened. "Alfred?" Ivan called.

Alfred turned in the direction he thought he heard him in, but he wasn't surprised when he was hugged from behind. "I am over here, silly." He turned to face him. A cool hand was on his face. "I felt you being taken here and started coming this way myself. I met the messenger sent to summon me halfway. You did the right thing by turning yourself in."

"Do you hate me for it?"

"Nyet," and as if to prove it, his face was tilted upwards and lips were on his. Alfred returned the kiss with a passion. Another door opened and Arthur returned.

"We're ready for you two."

Ivan broke the kiss and taking Alfred by the hand, led him into the court room.

"Welcome to the first Council emergency meeting, presided over by Arthur Kirkland and Ludwig Beilschmidt."

"Alfred F. Jones," the person wasn't Arthur's so Alfred thought it must have been Ludwig. "What caused you to approach Ivan Braginski?"

"My brother was dying. I was looking for a cure and wanted to ask for his help."

"You had a unique way of doing that, da?"

"Mr. Braginski, please keep silent. Mr. Jones, what was your brother dying of?"

Alfred was silent.

"If I may," Matthew said. "I'm that brother, so please let me answer this."

"Very well, Mr. Williams."

"I was dying of lovesickness."

"Thank you. So you were looking for a cure for a man dying of lovesickness, a disease that cannot be cured but by love."

"I didn't know that."

"To be fair, I didn't either," Arthur spoke up. "I thought it was something else."

"Mr. Kirkland, you had previously told Mr. Jones not to seek Mr. Braginski's help, correct?"

"That is correct."

"Mr. Jones, you did it anyway. I know you said it was to cure your brother but to go as far as to break the rules?"

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

Somebody laughed. "Kesesesese."

"Mr. Beilschmidt."

"Sorry, West."

"Mr. Jones, please be serious."

"Alright, I love Mattie."

"Mr. Braginski, did Mr. Jones ever look at you?"

"Ah, twice."

"For how long?"

"2 to 4 seconds."

"Mr. Braginski, did you two ever spend any time together outside of normal in-town interactions?"

"Da. We did not interact during my allowed time in the town at all. Instead, he would bring me a gift of food every evening and four times stayed five to ten minutes to talk to me."

"Mr. Jones, did you ever look at Mr. Braginski during these times?"

"No, but for the last night just for several seconds, as he said."

"Mr. Braginski, who initiated the romantic contact?"

"I did."

"Mr. Jones?"

"It is true, he did."

"I have no further questions. The floor is now open to whoever wishes to ask. Miss Braginskaya?"

"Vanya, darling, do you love him?"

"Da."

There was a shocked gasp.

"I have no further questions."

"Ve, I have one!"

"Mr. Vargas."

"Do you like pasta?"

"Hell yeah."

"Mr. Vargas, that question was unnecessary."

"Ve, I have no further questions."

"Mr. Honda."

"Mr. Jones-kun, what is it that made you kiss Mr. Braginski-san?"

"I was kinda sad that he was going away."

"Did you just decide that or did something make you care for him?"

"He was lonely. I could tell by his voice and it made me all down in the dumps about it. Plus, he saved my ass once and that was just kind of amazing."

"Amazing? The vodka bastard isn't amazing! He's scary."

"Lovi!"

"Kolkolkol."

"Mr. Vargas and Mr. Vargas, don't interrupt. Mr. Honda?"

"I have no further questions."

"Does anybody else have any more? Mr. Wang?"

"Mr. Kirkland, why did you not want Mr. Jones seeking Mr. Braginski's assistance, ahen?"

"I did not think it would be good for Alfred to get his hopes up."

"Mr. Braginski, did you know what it was Mr. Williams had, aru?"

"Da. I had known since I first entered the town. When Alfred came for my help, I led him to the cure, a display of undying love for his brother. I gave him an apple for a placebo."

"I have no further questions, aru."

"You can't stop the power of l'amour!"

"Thank you, Mr. Bonnefoy. With that, the questioning is closed. You two will be led into separate rooms to await the decision."

Somebody that wasn't Ivan or Arthur took Alfred by the arm and led him into a dark room. He was left there to worry about the Council voting to kill him for a while until Ivan's voice interrupted. "They will not kill you."

"Where are you?"

"I am in another room."

"Then why can I hear you?"

"I am speaking into your head, da?"

"Freak."

"Hamburger brains."

"Your face!"

"My face is not a hamburger or a brain. It is a face."

"What will they do?"

"I do not know."

"That's comforting."

"Alfred, I…"

Just then the door opened and Ivan's voice cut off. "Mr. Jones, I am Yekaterina Braginskaya, Ivan's sister."

"Nice to meet you."

"You as well. The Council has decided to give you this potion."

"What does it do?"

"It makes you forget what happened."

"I'm not touching the shit."

"Why not?"

"I don't wanna forget because nothing's ever really forgotten. I know I will dream of him, if not think about him from time to time. I rather remember those times than live in misery without that small bit of comfort."

"We can't let you walk about with some way of dealing with this."

"May I have some paper and a pen?"

"Of course, here you are."

Alfred quickly wrote something down and handed it to her. "This is what I think you should do."

"This is an unusual request, I will plea for it."

"Thank you, uh."

"Please, call me Katyusha."

"Okay. Thanks, Katyusha."

The door closed behind her.

"That was my dear older sister."

"She seems nice."

"Da, she is very loving. She made my scarf for me."

"That's sweet."

"It was a parting present before I left her village for the first time."

"Okay, that's kinda sad."

The door opened and Ludwig said "The Council has made their decision."

Ending One:

Alfred was led out into the room and the blindfold was removed. "We have decided that you will not remember meeting Mr. Braginski."

"No!" Alfred screamed, backing up. "You can't do this to me!"

Several of the people in the room jumped from their seats and circled Alfred. Most of them were male, but for one female, who looked happy about doing this. The rest looked sad. One had a helmet. Alfred tried to run but was restrained by a man just as large as Ivan. The helmet was placed on his head and he felt nothing. He looked around. "Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore."

Ludwig stood in front of him. "Mr. Jones, do you know who I am?"

"No, should I?"

"Nein. You may go home now."

There was a quiet sob from somewhere in the room as Alfred and Matthew left.

"I'm sorry, Vanya," Katyusha said softly.

Ending Two:

Alfred was led out into the room and the blindfold was removed. 'We have decided that you will not remember meeting Mr. Braginski."

"No!" Alfred screamed, backing up. "You can't do this to me!"

Several of the people in the room jumped from their seats and circled Alfred. Most of them were male, but for one female, who looked happy about doing this. The rest looked sad. One had a helmet. Alfred waited and when there was a break in the circle, he ran. The whole room gave chase. Katyusha somehow had gotten ahead of the rest and they found her trying to open the main door. "He sealed it shut!"

Ludwig kicked the door down. The gate was closing behind Alfred as he tore down the road. Little Raivis Galante ran up. "Ivan's escaped also."

"It doesn't matter," Arthur said.

"Run, Al! Don't let them find you!" Matthew screamed.

"If Ivan finds him first, he can't hide him forever. They will eventually be forced to go into a town in order to find food. When they do, we'll be there. As for you, Miss Braginskaya, I know you let that brat escape."

Katyusha smiled. "Of course I did."

Ending Three:

Matthew walked up the hill over the village of North America with a large basket in his hands. He turned away from the occupants of the camp set up there.

"Thank you, Matvey."

"You're welcome, Ivan. It's the least I can go for you two."

Alfred dragged the basket closer. "Sunflowers and Roses. Hamburgers. Jelly Beans. Soda. Oh, look, some vodka. There's some more things in here for you as well, Ivan." He cracked open one of the boxes of jelly beans. "So bro, what's up? This one's chocolate milk." He fed it to his husband beside him.

"I can't come visit my brother because he's one of the magic folk now?"

"No, you can visit me anytime."

Ivan swallowed his jelly bean. "It never gets lonely anymore with you around."

"Mattie makes the party better."

"I'm engaged," Matthew announced.

"Oh?"

"Yeah, to Gilbert Beilschmidt of Central Europe."

"Ah, the loud one, da?"

"The loud but awesome one."

"Cool. Another jelly bean, dear?"

"Hm, it is Cherry Cola; offer it to your brother."

"Mattie, blindfold on and come here."

Matthew stumbled around for a while until he finally found Alfred who placed a jelly bean in his hand. The three sat there, sharing jelly beans until Matthew had to go.

There's a poll up on my profile about your preferred ending to the story of the three. Depending on the votes, I may write about about each ending and whichever ending wins, the story will carry on from there.

This is another Holly Black based story.

Two lines in there were not mine. Three guesses which ones and the first two don't count!

Seriousness now. I know their romantic encounter was sudden and kinda early in their friendship. It was all in the name of the plot.