It has been several weeks since I first arrived here. Arthur was letting me go home today. I was really excited to see Papa. I spent the whole morning packing up my things and getting ready to leave. I couldn't wait to go back home!

…

I sit at the dining room table with Al. My bag was resting on the floor. We were chatting. Apparently, he was upset that I was leaving. I kept telling him that I would come back and see him sometime so we could hang out together. But he wouldn't listen. "Mattie, I don't want you to go home yet!"

"Sorry, Alfred. I'll be back to come visit soon." I say cheerily, with a smile plastered on my face. Alfred makes a disgruntled whining noise and keeps poking my arm. I try my best to ignore him. He wasn't going to stop anytime soon. Kumajiro glares at him for me so I don't have to.

Arthur was busying himself by making pastries, although I doubt he was doing a good job. He sets a small plate down in front of me and one in front of Alfred. On the plate was a pastry of some sort and it was slightly burnt. I cautiously take a bite of it and gag. It was so bland. It's not even funny how bland it was. It was like trying to eat a piece of paper.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Dad glare at me. "You could at least pretend it's good." he mumbles. I hold my hand over my mouth to contain my laughter. Alfred starts laughing too. Dad glares at both of us but we keep laughing. It was so funny when he attempted to cook.

All of a sudden the doorbell rings. "Francis isn't supposed to come until later. I wonder who that could be." Arthur goes to answer the door. When he opens it, he is shocked to see Russia standing there. "W-What are you doing here?" He blurts out.

"I came to see Matvey, da?" He says, smiling. I stand up and run over to the door. "Salut Ivan!" I wrap my arms around his waist. He was really tall compared to me, and I was short compared to him. So to say, my head reached halfway up his chest. Ivan puts one hand on my shoulder and one hand on the back of my head.

"You seem excited, da?" He asks. I pull back from the hug and step aside so he can come in. "Oui! I'm very excited! Papa is coming to take me home today!" Ivan sits at the table and I sit across from him.

We spent at least an hour talking to each other. Arthur retreated upstairs a while ago. "You are really cute da?" Ivan says, his fingertips grazing the ends of my hair. I blush and look away, trying to avoid his eyes. "Here, da?" He takes a sunflower out of his jacket and hands it to me. I blush harder and gently take the sunflower from his hands. "Merci." I say, smiling nervously.

He's letting me keep this? We look into each other's eyes for a few moments. I want to say something but no English came to mind. So I'm left speaking in flustered French. "P-Pourquoi d-donnez-vous ce à m-moi?" I whisper. Ivan raises an eyebrow. "What did you say, Matvey?"

I don't respond. I just smile at him and bite my lip. My heartbeat was quickening. "Why are you giving this to me?" I whisper. Ivan smiles and cocks his head to the side. "You remind me of a sunflower. You are cheerful, you smile, and you brighten my day. Just like a sunflower da?"

I smile brighter at this. "No one has ever said something that nice to me before. Merci." I look away, a deep crimson spread across my cheeks. Even though Russia was older than me, he looked like he was lost for words. I look at the sunflower that rests in my small hands. I run my fingers over the petals. It looked exactly how Ivan described it.

The sunflower had large smooth petals and was a bright, bright yellow. It did look cheerful. This flower was obviously important to him. Well, sunflowers in general were important to him. I get off my chair, flower still in hand, and I walk over to Ivan. I climb on his lap and wrap my arms around his neck. "Merci beaucoup!" I quietly shout.

Ivan returns the gesture. He sets his hands on my back, and holds me closer. "I am glad you like it." He says smiling.

The doorbell rings, but whoever was there, didn't wait for Arthur to open the door. The door was opened slowly at first, but them was slammed open. All that was heard was a horrified French gasp. "Mathieu!" The Frenchman runs into the house and pulls me away from Ivan. I drop the sunflower when he does this.

I whine at the sudden disturbance. Ivan stands up, and glares at Papa. I squirm slightly in Papa's arms and try to wiggle free. He was holding me bridal style and was holding me tight. He starts to yell at Ivan in French, then goes over to English. "What were you doing to my son?!"

Ivan looks to the floor. "Nothing. We were just talking, da?" he mumbles. Unshed tears rest in my eyes. Ivan was slumping his shoulders and keeping his eyes down. He looked upset, but his eyes said rage. There was a deepening purple aura surrounding him. He looks as if he was ready to explode, but he just stands there and took the hurtful words that Papa said to him.

I was full on crying now. Papa ran out of insults to use. He sits down in one of the chairs. He starts running his hands through my hair soothingly. "Mathieu..." He coos. "Shhh… Calm down, okay?" He says, his voice being extremely soft and caring. It reminded me of how he would use that same voice after he raped me. This only made me cry harder.

"Maybe if you set him on the floor, he would stop crying. da?" Ivan suggests as he sits back down. Papa sends Ivan a nasty glare. I hear feet coming down the stairs, and my crying quiets down a little; after hearing Arthur's voice.

"What the bloody hell is going on?" Both Papa and Ivan look up. Both of them relax slightly. Both of them don't say anything. Arthur joins us at the table. "Why are you crying, lad?" He asks. I sniffle and wipe some of the tears from my eyes. "I-I was g-giving I-Ivan a h-hug and Papa came in and s-started to y-yell at h-him." I quietly shout, more tears springing to my eyes.

"Put him down." Arthur glares at Papa. Papa listens to him without a second thought. He set me on the floor. I completely wipe all of the tears away. I walk to behind Ivan's chair and pick up the sunflower. I sit in one of the chairs; the one next to Ivan. Papa glares at me and my hands start to tremble. I don't want to be punished later.

"What happened while I was upstairs?" Arthur asks, looking between Papa and Ivan. Ivan speaks up and explains a shortened version of what happened. Arthur sighs then walks over to me. He leans down to my ear. "He did not touch you or anything of that sort, correct?" Arthur whispers with a harsh low tone. "He didn't. I was the one who hugged him." I whisper back. Arthur relaxes and goes back to his seat.

"Francis, why did you start yelling at him?" Arthur scowls. Francis stands up and points at Ivan. "He was smothering my child! I do not approve of this… this… relationship! How did this even start?!"

"It started when Russia and I were having a business meeting." Arthur says in a rather flat tone. "He stayed with us during our meeting and.. well… took a liking towards Ivan." Arthur winks at me and my face goes red. Papa glares at Ivan.

"We'll be going now." Papa says with harshness. "On y va Mathieu." He looks over at me and starts walking to the door. I tremble in fear and don't move. Kumajiro comes up beside my chair. "L-Let's go." The bear says with a shaky voice. I look at Ivan and tentatively slide out of my seat. Ivan shakes his head. He doesn't want me to go. Should I, or shouldn't I? I want to go back with Papa… I'm just… Afraid…

I hold the sunflower tightly in one hand and pick up my bag from the floor. I see Papa stomp out of the door and go to his car. I turn to Ivan. "Papa won't let you come and see me…" I say, a tear slipping down my cheek. Ivan wipes it away with his thumb. He takes a piece of paper and a pen out of his jacket and scribbles something on it. "Here Matvey… Call me if you need anything, da?" I nod and take the paper from him.

I walk to the door, Kumachiki following at my heels. Before I could leave, Arthur pulls me aside and leans down. He wraps his arms around me. "Are you sure everything will be alright when you get home?" He whispers, quiet enough so Ivan can't hear. I nod. "So help me god, if he hurts you I will be right over to come and take you back here. I don't want him hurting you and you need to tell me if he does. Just know you are always welcome back here." Arthur has tears in his eyes. He stands back up. "Alfred come say goodbye." He shouts.

I hear footsteps making their way down the stairs. Ivan walks over to me and England. "Can I say goodbye too, da?" Arthur nods and steps back. Ivan ruffles my hair and I laugh. He hugs me. Ivan glances to the side, and when Arthur isn't looking, he lightly kisses my forehead. I giggle and my cheeks flare up. "Goodbye Matvey… I'll see you again sometime, da?" I nod and giggle again. Ivan stands off to the side.

Soon enough those footsteps from the stairs come running to into me. Alfred wraps his arms around me tightly and is partly crying. "I'll miss you!" He says through tears. "Al…" I cough. "Al, you're choking me." He lets go of me and whispers a quick 'sorry.' I laugh and separate myself from them. I turn to leave and wave to them on my way out. I walk to the awaiting car, slightly shaking. Kuma follows at right at my heels. I open the back door and put my stuff in the backseat. Kuma and I climb on the seat up front. I was still holding the sunflower.

Papa was grimacing and he kept staring straight ahead. He didn't even acknowledge me. We drove home in silence. When we did get home, Papa went straight inside and slams the door shut. He didn't even wait for me. I gather up my things and head inside. "Go to your room." Papa scowls. I go upstairs and set my things on my floor.

Papa was upset at me. Arthur's words from a few weeks ago travel through my mind. He does love you. He isn't lying when he says that. He hurts you, Matthew. And then he acts kind and like he's sorry, yes? I don't think he's going to be sorry this time.

Papa comes hurrying up the stairs. He slams my door open. He was angrier than I have seen him before. I don't understand. I didn't do anything. He walks up to me and rips the sunflower out of my hands and smacks me hard across the face. I scream and cover my cheek with my hands. Kumajiro jumps off the bed and hides underneath it; I could just imagine what he looked like. His paws were covering his ears and he was whimpering; wanting it all to go away.

Papa slipped off his belt and beat me until he got tired. Every lash against my skin was filled with anger.