He'd read about it in books; about how handsome princes would come to take away the miserable princess, to save them and take them some place better. He'd never believed in such things. Not in true love or happy endings being handed out just because you were miserable. He believed in hard work and getting what you wanted by seizing it. Because happiness wasn't handed out. Yes, he'd read about them. He'd never believed. He knew better. He never believed. Not until now.

Not until he felt that warm hand that held his own so firmly and perfectly that they must have matched. Ludwig was starting to believe. Ivan was not a prince but certainly handsome, and Ludwig would take him over Prince Charming any day.

Ivan was real. The hand clasping his own, the arm tugging him along playfully was real and solid and strong. Strong. As if the Russian wouldn't let go for anything in the world but to hold Ludwig's hand again.

The German felt detached from the world. It was real yet unreal. The bitterest dream and the sweetest nightmare; A dream because Ivan was with him. A nightmare because, with every dream, you must always wake up.

Amethyst eyes glanced at the blonde, lingering on his face with such warmth it brought heat to Ludwig's cheeks. Ivan gave his hand a reassuring squeeze before reluctantly letting go as he sat on the concrete edge of the fountain behind them. The Russian leaned back and let out a breathless laugh, "You don't get out very much do you?"

Ludwig blinked, tearing his gaze away from the sky, glowing faintly from the city lights below. "Was? Nein-No. I don't do this very often." he replied absently

"Do what? Run around the city at one in the morning?" Ivan let out another laugh

The German smiled, ever so slightly, a smile that was so radiant it put the stars to shame. A smile Ivan wanted to see more of.

"Ja, that exactly." the blonde placed his hands on the stone for balance as he leaned back. "It's nice." he closed his eyes briefly

"The night?"

"This." Ludwig opened his eyes and gestured to Ivan and the fountain, then to himself.

"Mm. It is nice..."

The pair fell into a comfortable, if not companionable silence, the distant sound of cars as background noise. They were both lost in their own thoughts. A few moments later, Ivan's hand found its way back to Ludwig's, sharing its warmth in the cool night air. The German's heartbeat quickened. His cheeks heated as he fought the urge to move himself towards the man beside him. It was hard not to. Instead, he moved their hands towards the water behind them, lazily dipping their fingers in. Ivan didn't protest; his hand follow Ludwig's willingly as if they were two halves of the same whole.

The Russian flinched as his face was met with a sudden wet splash of cold water. His surprised look became a smile as he looked at the German who had turned away to hide his crooked smirk from those violet eyes. Ivan dipped his cupped hand into the water and returned the action. Ludwig had laughed. A beautiful, deep, carefree noise that filled the air and was gone far too soon than Ivan would have liked.

He wanted—no needed to hear that laugh again. When the Russian wanted something, by god he would get it. Large arms wrapped around the German, whose eyes widened as he struggled to free himself from the embrace as he fell backwards. His arms waved in the air frantically in a useless attempt to balance himself. He couldn't defeat the inevitable and fell back into the fountain with Ivan following in suit. The water was cold and rid Ludwig of any doubts of this not being reality. He let out a gasp as he sat up, dripping.

For one horrible moment, the blonde looked angry. However, the musical sound of his laughter filled the air a moment later and Ivan let out a sigh of relief before joining. The pair let out their mirth side by side in the foot-deep water, the fountain's spray soaking them.

"I'm sorry."(he wasn't sorry at all) Ivan giggled, smiling apologetically as he stood and held out a hand.
Blue eyes brightened as Ludwig took the hand and stood with him. He looked up at the man silently. The cars and buildings around them didn't exist for that one precious moment. The only thing that was real was this—Ivan. They were so close their chests were almost touching. His heart fluttered like a trapped bird in his ribcage, so loud he was afraid the other could hear it. His breath quickened as the Russian's hand brushed his hair back from his face and a surge of energy tickled Ludwig's scalp. He licked his lips before leaning up, he wanted this—he wanted his happy ending—and he wanted it with Ivan. There was no way to tell the Russian. Besides, actions speak louder than words.

He hesitated so close to those lips he could smell the peppermint breath leaving them. Ivan leaned down the rest of the way, closing the distance between them. The German pulled back and sucked in a breath but before Ivan could apologize, Ludwig was on his lips again. When the two pulled away to take a breath, they stared down at each other in silence. Ivan gently took the blonde's chin and pulled him in for another breathless kiss. Sparks danced on his tongue ans spread throughout his body, a tingling sensation that warmed him to his toes as he tasted the water on Ivan's lips.

Neither said a word, Ludwig because he was afraid it would come out in a mix of German-English gibberish and Ivan because he was slightly concerned that if his heart beat any faster he'd have a heart attack. Yes there was a spark with this one, there had been on the first day. Now that spark was something else. Now it was a flame