Chapter 10
Of Coming Home and Chess
Matthew was quick to answer the front door when the doorbell rang and the familiar patterned knocking.
"Alfred!" he happily cried, hugging his brother who was standing at the door.
"It's nice to see you too, Matthew!"
Gilbert was soon standing down the hallway some, laughing slightly. Matthew pulled away from his brother, looking him over.
"Are you okay, eh?"
"Well," started Alfred, "You know how Arthur's still bombing me? Well, I kinda collapsed in this alleyway and I think someone raped me when I was out and now I think I have AIDS."
Matthew's eyes got wide and he said,
"R-really?"
Alfred nodded solemnly. There was suddenly a snort from Gilbert, who looked like he was going to explode from holding his laughter in. Matthew turned and gave Gilbert a strange look, before a look of understanding passed over his face.
"You two are both bastards!" he yelled, turning away from Alfred, who was now laughing as well, and pushing Gilbert aside to go finish his chores.
Gilbert gave Alfred a high five and said, laughing still,
"That was great. I'll go calm your brother down now. You need to talk to Ivan."
A dark look passed over Alfred's face and he said,
"I-I don't want to talk to him."
Gilbert's face became serious as well.
"You need to. He's going to be much madder if he has to find out from someone else."
"It has nothing that has to do with how mad he'll be."
Gilbert sighed.
"I understand. But still, this is better. Just trust me. Go talk to him."
Alfred sighed as well, but nodded.
"Good. Now I'm going to go save the books in the library from Matthew's feather duster," Gilbert said, sniggering slightly.
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Ivan looked up from the army papers he was going over when the door to his study opened and closed quietly. He was surprised to see Alfred standing there, refusing to meet his gaze. He looked ashamed and depressed. Ivan stood up, watching Alfred curiously.
"Alfred?"
"I'm sorry that I left without telling you," he mumbled. It was obviously a rehearsed apology, with all sincerity missing. Ivan walked slowly towards the unmoving Alfred, slowly, almost cautiously. He grabbed Alfred's chin and forced him to look up at him.
"You don't mean that." A knife appeared out of nowhere against Alfred's chest. "I should teach you to mean your apologies, da?"
Alfred held absolutely still as Ivan made a small slice down his skin. He only flinched once as more soon joined it.
Someone knocked on the door, and Ivan blinked. He looked a little stunned that he was standing in front of a bloody Alfred with knife.
"I… again…" he whispered.
There was another knock and Alfred sighed quietly.
"I'll go out the window and go to my room through the back door," he whispered to Ivan, "And no one will need to know about this."
Ivan just nodded, and Alfred vanished out the window.
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Alfred sighed when he finally got to the bottom.
"Why does his study have to be on the fucking third floor?" he asked the air, and silently walked inside.
He had almost gotten to his bedroom unseen when Matthew's voice rang out.
"Alfred?"
America froze, cursing his luck.
"Alfred, are you okay?" Matthew asked when Alfred didn't reply.
"J-just fine."
"Turn around."
Alfred sighed, defeated, and turned.
Matthew gasped and dragged his brother into his room. He then left to go get bandages. Gilbert, who had been with him, was sent off to go fetch some alcohol from the pantry.
While they were gone, Ivan walked into the room.
"Are you okay?" Ivan asked quietly.
"I'll be fine. Why the fuck are you here anyway?"
"I wanted to say I'm sorry-"
"Bullshit. You're not sorry. And you don't need to pretend to like me anymore. I'll stay with the USSR whether or not you do, so you can go be happy with Wang Yao without worrying about me."
"W-what? I've never-"
"Oh, don't lie to me, Ivan! I know I'm not good-looking or nice like China. There's nothing to like about me. It doesn't matter though. I'll be fine."
'Does he really think that he's ugly? And that I love China?' Russia thought, reaching forward to touch Alfred, who drew back. Russia retracted his hand and they stayed in awkward silence until the door opened to Matthew. Matthew pushed Ivan out of the room, muttering something about 'how he had hurt Alfred enough and just needed to leave him alone'.
Ivan turned to tell Matthew that he needed to talk to Alfred, but the door was closed in his face.
Ivan sighed and returned to his study. The house was quiet, dinner having already been eaten and most of the house had retired to bed. He opened the door to his study quietly, and sighed deeply as he closed it behind him.
"So not only have you taken up drinking again, you're cutting up you boytoy."
"Gilbert?"
The Prussian was sitting in Ivan's chair, leaning back and propping his feet up on the table. An almost empty bottle of vodka was held in his hands, and he was smirking darkly.
"The one and only."
"What are you doing up so late?"
"I need to talk to you."
"About?"
"You need to stop hurting Alfred. It'll do nothing but hurt you and your ambitions in the end. You're turning Matthew against you, and if it gets out about this latest development, a few other people as well. You're in a war. You don't need to divide your house."
"Why do you care so much about my ambitions, Gilbert?"
"Right now, I care about Matthew," Gilbert was opening the drawers of Ivan's desk as he spoke, "Although, for the moment, the USSR falling or either Alfred or Matthew leaving could ruin my own plans. For the moment, I support you, and you hurting your boytoy might fuck my plans up."
"Alfred is not my boytoy."
"Uh-huh, I'm sure." Gilbert smiled darkly and pulled out a chess piece from one of the drawers – the dark king – "I didn't know you had a chess set. Would you like to play a game?"
Ivan raised an eyebrow, but took the seat on the other side of the desk.
"I don't see why not."
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Author's Note: .... I had no motivation to write this chapter... I don't know why, it was just like out of no where all the motivation went away. *sigh* Well, I got it posted. (Now the question is.... Is Gilbo evil? What are his plans?) Anyway, thank you everyone that's stuck with me so far... I know it's not very good... *emos in corner*