It had been one week since Alfred called Matthew and it was all he could think about. Matthew was in a hell and the sound of the American's voice kept him sane. He wanted out, so badly. He didn't want to get beaten by Ivan whenever he made a mistake. Matthew was sick and tired of having to make excuses to Francis about his bruises. He just wanted someone to actually love him…
Ivan walked into the kitchen and saw Matthew standing there, daydreaming about Alfred being a knight in shining armor. "Excuse me, but why aren't you making my food?" he asked, scrapping his pipe against the tile floor.
Matthew snapped out of it and started to chop the vegetables for Ivan. "I-I'm making it right now, Ivan…" he said quietly, hoping he wouldn't get hit.
Ivan walked up behind him and laid the metal pipe on the counter next to Matthew. "You have been spacing a lot lately, Matthew. Why is this?" he asked, putting his hand on the Canadian's shoulder harshly.
"N-No I hav-"
"Don't backtalk me!" Ivan yelled, slapping Matthew with the back of his hand as hard as he could. Matthew fell to the ground and the Russian man knelt down and grabbed the collar of his shirt. "Who are you thinking about?"
The blond looked at Ivan with wide eyes and tears streaming down his cheeks. His left cheek was already turned a dark purple and black color all around. "P-Please don't hit me…" he whimpered, closing his eyes.
Ivan glared and let go of Matthew's collar, making his head hit the tiled floor with a THUD! "You are such a little parasite. No one wants you. No one loves you. You should be lucky that I let you stay here with me," he hissed, spitting on Matthew's face before getting up and walking out of the room.
Matthew curled into a ball and began to cry. Oh Alfred… Why can't you come and save me? Be the hero you are and come and save me! Matthew thought, crying even harder.
Alfred was sitting at his dinner table, slowly eating a hamburger. His and Gilbert's break up was a week ago but he was still hurting from it. He had called Arthur to tell him about the break up and he didn't help at all. All he said was, "I knew it was going to end, Alfred. You and him did not go together."
Alfred shook his head at the thought. Iggy is an idiot. He doesn't know anything! he thought, scoffing. Then he froze. "What if he was right? What if we didn't work because I am in love with- What am I saying? I loved Gilbert! UGH!" Alfred flipped his table and everything fell to the floor. There was broken shards of glass everywhere and his hamburger had scattered. He sighed and ran his hand through his hair and left the room. He grabbed his phone and dialed Matthew's number.
Riiiiiiiiiiiiiing!
Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing!
"Hallo?" a deep voice answered.
"Um, is Mattie there?" Alfred asked, slightly confused at the deep voice answering the phone.
The man cursed in Russian and said into the phone. "He is busy. Is this Alfred?"
"Ivan? Is that you? What did you do to Mattie?" Alfred yelled, jumping to the worse conclusion he could think of.
"Yes, it is Ivan. And I did nothing to Matthew. He is asleep at the moment."
In the background, Alfred could hear someone crying. "Who's crying, Ivan? Is that Mattie crying?"
"No. No one is crying." Ivan covered the phone with his hand and yelled "Matthew! Shut up!"
That instant, Alfred hung up the phone, got on socks and shoes, and began to run to Ivan's house.
