For some odd reason Gilbert had a weird dream that night, as he laid over Ivan's chest.

Drooling ever so slightly, the man yawned big, winching slightly.

It wasn't just a dream, however. It was a nightmare.

Gilbert remembered a road he walked home from school often. He was walking that road today, and it was as if a dark blanket at laid itself over the sun, and it was black as night-time. But at the same time, it didn't feel like it was in the middle of the night, it help more like midday, at the same time as when he would head home.

By the road there stood empty cars, and many buildings he used to stare in awe at when he walked past, was gone. Those beautiful buildings where all destroyed in what seemed a war, remains of the houses and much rock lying all over the road, just where he walked.

Gilbert stepped on a nail or two, feeling them scrape at the asphalt under him. He looked up the lights above the whole road.

The where flickering.

Suddenly something moved in the corner of his eye.

A place he didn't really wanted to look to at the moment, but his mind betraying his will for once, making him turn his head.

There his brother stood, looking behind him to something in the distance.

His mother.

His mother... Hanging...

"NEIN!"

Gilbert yelled with all of his might.

This woke Ivan up.

He looked curiously to the man sleeping on him, and the moment he saw Gilbert's distressed face, Ivan knew what was going on.

Allright, Gilbert never knew what happened to his mother the day she died, but this was too much. Both in his dreams and in the real world, he started screaming, remembering how lost he felt as he got the news.

Although he was never a mama's boy... He still loved his mother dearly. Seeing this... Was too much for him.

A pair of arms pulled at Gilbert in his dream, throwing him out of his slumber.

He panted, looking to the Russian scarf, which was buried into his face, it's odd scent lingering into his nose.

He was sweaty, gripping the Russian's clothes.

Gilbert found himself in Ivan's arms, sitting upright, and being whispered soothing words to. Just by his ear, which calmed both his racing heart down, and himself.

However, the tears pressing on didn't. He buried his pride and face into Ivan's scarf, and sobbed lightly, gripping hard at his clothes.

When Ivan noticed, though, he started to separate himself from him, pulling back, but as he did, Gilbert clasped his arms around the Russian, not planning on letting him do as he wishes.

Ivan just sighed and wrapped his arms around him yet again, nuzzling against his ear, calmly holding him.

"...F-fuck... Sorry."

Ivan simply nodded.

"A nightmare?"

"... Ja..."

Ivan frowned. Nightmares was horrible things. Especially when they got a grown man to react like this.

He couldn't really help but to be curious about what happened in that dream. Now he couldn't help but to be curious generally.

It wasn't often people showed weakness to the Russian, so he found it interesting.

To be honest, it was mostly Ivan showing weakness to people, and as he would do so, he was often ignored, or turned down.

It was a reason he didn't like to open up to people he just randomly meet.

And this was exactly it.

Gilbert suddenly moved, pulling himself closer to the Russian.

"Blanket."

Ivan nodded as he was indirectly commanded, and pulled the blanket over him, without letting go.

"Lie down."

Ivan smiled and did so, giving Gilbert just enough time to react and know when, so it would be more comfortable.

And so when Ivan laid down, Gilbert crawled up to The Russian, closely, the same position that they had before he woke up.

However, this time Gilbert tried to get his hand around the Russian, wanting to tell him to hold him.

Ivan lifted his head, and let him. But he didn't turn to him.

Instead, a warm hand rested on Gilbert's hip.

"... Hug..."

"Hug?"

"Ja, dummkopf."

Ivan nodded, and turned to him, wrapping his other arm around him and pulled him close into his chest.

It was okay for now, just as long as he didn't feel alone, if he where to fall asleep again.

Why did Gilbert have to loose his family... Because of his stubbornness...

He frowned, and inched closer to the Russian.

Well. At least this bear was with him at the moment.

And he seemed to enjoy his company more than his family, or anyone in generally.

He was surprisingly patient with Gilbert. This Ivan.

Although Gilbert didn't even know him too well, it didn't matter too much. He was just here to keep him company, and make sure he wouldn't go insane... Right?

Gilbert would if he continued to have these nightmares. His mind playing what he thought all those years ago when he lost his mother. The next would most likely be about... Fritz.

The tears started again as he hid his face into Ivan's warm chest yet again.

Suddenly a warmer hand touched Gilbert's hair a bit, making him look up.

There Ivan looked down to him, smiling ever so slightly and warmly, stroking his hair. Just as his mother would do if Gilbert couldn't sleep.

Gilbert closed his eyes and rested his head down, letting the Russian go on.

Why not.

Gilbert didn't really feel the need to explain to himself why at the moment. It just felt nice, and gave him a kick of nostalgia, how it was before. When everything was allright, and he didn't live alone in a dump of a apartment he didn't even find the need to clean.

Fucking pride.

"Are you going to sleep again?"

Gilbert nodded.

"Wake me if you need anything. Promise me that."

He nodded yet again, gripping Ivan's clothes again.

"Just don't leave me, Russkie."

"Hm?"

"From now on, you're my teddy bear. You are there for me when I need you, and when I want to get warm. The end."

Ivan chuckled slightly.

"Okay. Just tell me when you need me, da? I'll be there."

"... Seriously! You're just going to go on with it? Not even question why?"

Ivan smiled as Gilbert asked and stroked his hair again.

"I find it better that we keep you sane, and I guess I'll do everything to keep you happy."

"Why?"

A sigh escaped Ivan.

"It's my job."

… Just a job. Of course.

"Of course. It's a fucking job."

Gilbert voice was emotionless and harsh.

"Da. But there is more, though."

"Yeah, right."

Ivan's hand did not cease it's movements.

"I consider you as a friend too. And you should never let a friend down. Don't you agree?"

"Combining friendship and your job can result in pain."

Ivan looked down.

"You're right there. It has happened to me before. Therefore, I'll try to not let it go painful this time, da?"

Gilbert looked up to him again, tears subsiding.

"So,it has happened before?"

Ivan nodded.

"But we don't talk about that time anymore. It didn't happen."

"What didn't happen!"

"It's better you don't know."

"Tell me!"

Gilbert said as he pulled the Russian down to his own level. They where dangerously close to each other.

"What the hell happened! You're clearly troubled by that thing."

"... Fine. As long as I can trust you as I do."

Gilbert looked to him, his hand still holding him down. He couldn't really find a reason for Ivan to so suddenly trust him that much.

Maybe it was the fact Gilbert didn't do much to prove elseway.

Well, it didn't matter. As long as he could know about this fucking thing.

Gilbert wanted to know if something happened to the entire site. It wasn't like he cared about what happened to Ivan.

… Well, a little, but not that much.

"... I've been in another collapse. Where it was my fault."

Wait... What?

"I started it just a week before I was supposed to quit. It was because I... I really fell hard for someone that worked here, and I really loved to work together with that person. We became close friends after a little while, and I thought he really liked me too, however he didn't."

He?

"After a good while in the mine one day, I was tired and supposed to go back up, when someone told me the man had fallen down the well you saw in the large site. I rushed to help him, but as I did, he blamed me, that I had pushed him down. All randomly. His eyes where gleaming with intense hate, and I haven't done anything. He played me all along. As he went out, another worker pat my head, but my mind was swollen with hate. So I pushed at him without thinking, and he fell down, nearly dying. I was lucky the boss saw it, he saved me a trial in court."

"... Holy shit."

Gilbert uttered.

"However... After the boss and the man left for the hospital, I was still in the mine. My feelings went overboard, and I broke down, having a breakdown. A heartbreak and nearly killing a man was a bit too much for me, and the fact that everything happened at the same time broke me. But, I didn't know about the dangers of the mine collapsing, so... I triggered a collapse, that took not only me, but the men watching from the steel door as well."

"... How the fuck are you still alive...?"

"The same that happened this time happened back then. I was caught, though all alone, in a bubble. I was scared, heartbroken, and hungry. I thought I was to die. And why not, I did deserve it. But, after about two days, the men from this room here had cleared all the rocks, and finally reached me. The faces the gave me as I woke up, made me understand what I did, also that I was not wanted anymore. I simply took the hint, and shut up."

"... What happened after that...?"

Gilbert found this interesting. Because, all of that, and still he worked here?

"They dug us out, though I did most of the work. The boss stood on the other side, his face dark. The first thing I thought was that the man I pushed had died, but that thought was quickly washed away as he showed the papers telling me that the man I liked and the other I pushed, had quit their job.

And the three coming out with me told the boss they where gone as well. And to pay up for what I did, I had to work in their place.

So I spent the last year doing what stood in their contracts. I learned a lot, and have watched people come and go. And after the events, I closed myself, and decided to try and not make any friends. I have problems trusting people, and after the boss told me and the other left from that time to never talk about it, things have been difficult for me.

That is the reason everyone avoids me. You noticed, da? Antonio told you, also the boss."

"Oh, you heard that...?"

"Yes. But it doesn't matter too much... Actually, my contract ends in two days. So then I can go home. It all depends if we survive this, though...

Three collapses should have killed me by now."

Ivan chuckled, the stroking of Gilbert's hair haven't stopped at all.

Gilbert didn't move. It's has just been so unfair for him.

And Gilbert thought his story was bad. He didn't get the person he liked cause he was a fucking girl! It was nothing compared to Ivan.

Well, it wasn't really something that bothered him too much, but it did a bit, though. It hurt his pride pretty badly back then, but... Seriously.

It was a wonder Ivan wasn't dead by now. The fact he was so strong to carry all of this. And the looks the men gave him, and how people back talked him.

"Do you wanna go home...?"

Gilbert asked simply.

"Not really. I have no real home to go back to... My sisters moved out after I left for this job here, and when I came home one even before the first collapse, I came home to a empty house and a letter, so... I guess I don't want to go home."

"Fucking hell, Ivan..."

"Things haven't been too well for me, I guess."

Ivan was crying now, a sad smile placed on his lips.

"So... I guess we both need this time now to not be lonely, da?"

"Wait! What about your parents?"

Gilbert blurted out suddenly, eyes kind of wide with surprise.

Ivan, however, looked hurt.

"Mama is dead. Two after she died papa fell into a depression and died as well. I never saw his body, he died while he was out hunting. I think a bear took him."

"... Sorry..."

Ivan smiled the same sad smile again, tears flowing down his cheeks.

"It's fine. You didn't know."

Ivan seemed to start sobbing, a hand over his mouth, clearly it was a bit too much for him at the moment.

Gilbert hugged around him.

"I'm sorry, Gilbert... I don't mean... I just..."

"Hug around me tightly. It's an order."

Ivan looked to him, but didn't hesitate, now that he was allowed to.

He curled around him, hugging him tightly as he buried his face into his hair, almost silent sobs escaping his mouth, though he bit his lip hard to not let them do so.

He just couldn't help himself.

And for once, Gilbert let himself understand, and not complain, like he would do, or tease the Russian. It just didn't seem fitting at the moment, the fucker opened himself completely to Gilbert, trusting him...

He just blurted out his heart onto him, not afraid what would happen if he did so.

Gilbert had maybe never seen a man trusting someone like this in his life. People just seemed to ignore him as well, when he did so.

Gilbert was surprisingly alike the man in his arms at the moment. Left alone, with family who doesn't really care. Though, Ivan haven't gone through boredom, like Gilbert had.

He had to pay with blood and sweat, Gilbert knew that from when he saw Ivan's arms and hands, and the bandages wrapped around his chest. Some of the blood even Gilbert had spilled... The third collapse was Gilbert's fault at first, but Ivan made it look like it was his fault, doing almost all the work. But no one questioned how it was that trigged this from the outside even. Maybe they all thought it was Ivan's fault by default.

Fucking idiot...

Gilbert wanted to punch the idiot. He didn't care for himself, he just watched so Gilbert was fine... Goddamnit. Freaking goddamnit...

However, Gilbert pride told him to not give something back. He was egoistical from the start, and that was just how he was.

Giving back wasn't in his nature.

Though Ivan deserve it more than anyone in the world.

He kept Gilbert sane, when he himself couldn't even keep himself sane.

Fucking pride...

Gilbert noticed that the sobs had stopped, and his companion had fallen asleep, clearly tired. Ivan laid like a child clinging to it's mother, and the mother was Gilbert at the moment.

Not that it mattered.

Gilbert decided to at least try to give something back, shoving his all so awesome pride aside to kiss the Russian's forehead goodnight.

He did so, and felt strangely accomplished. He watched Ivan's face, and how it slightly lit up.

It helped a lot, it seemed.

With the lighter mood set, Gilbert decided to go to sleep as well, hoping another nightmare wouldn't await him as he would fall into slumber again.

He also hoped Ivan wouldn't wake up during the night. More than anything at moment, because then Gilbert wouldn't know how to keep him sane.

He needed to ask Ivan more, and get to know him better to do so. Like he mentioned to himself earlier, he was not the best comforter, he was way too selfish.

Maybe that fact would go away soon. Although he would of keep his awesome! Of course!

Gilbert grinned to himself, and let sleep overtake him.

He told himself things would be fine.

Maybe that would stop him from having a nightmare this time.