A/N: I give you more Gilbert and Ivan. A lot more Ivan actually. You get to learn a little bit about him, but you're still at the same level of knowledge Alfred's in. For more surprises. We know a lot about Alfred's family life, but Ivan knows close to nothing. Well he gets to learn a few things. = v= Also, thank you all so much for the reviews. They're great, and I love them and make me want to write more. Thank you for taking your time out to do so.

Ps. Poll at the bottom. Please cast your vote in a review.

"Vhat a loser! Spacing out on the bus like some veirdo!" What was this horrible German accented voice that was ringing in his head? Alfred snapped his attention to the person standing and clutching to the bus pole for support.

It was Gilbert, that cocky, obnoxious guy that called Alfred a stepping stone. Now this was who he needed to see, total sarcasm intended.

"Awesome...albino dude."

"Kesesese!" Gilbert leaned forward to be more in Alfred's face. "Ja, I am awesome! I'm surprised you didn't notice my awesome presence sooner."

"Uhhh..." Jeez, this guy was a royal asshole, or thee royal asshole. Alfred had his own things to worry about, he couldn't just spend his day looking for Gilbert so he can get down on his knees and praise the damned albino. That's probably what Gilbert wanted, but like hell Alfred would do that.

"Honestly, dude, I'm not in the mood. You're not that awesome, so just leave me alone." Alfred said, and looked down at his hands in his lap.

"You must be crazy or you were mentally attacked by that Russian to say such a thing." Gilbert pressed, and smirked gleefully.

Alfred looked back up to him then tried to look at something else that wasn't Gilbert on the bus.

"It must suck to have such a partner who's only using you for his own needs."

"...Dude...really."

"That's really all you're good for. I heard why you joined. That the club was going under along with the rink if it didn't get enough members. Word spreads quickly around the coaches." Gilbert was just trying to get a rise out of the Alfred, that was what he was good at anyways. And it was true, the coaches knew of the situation Winter was in, and that he needed a skater to help keep the club alive.

Alfred gritted his teeth in annoyance, right now he was really finding it hard to hold himself back. He didn't see a reason not to. Just a quick punch in the face, what harm would that do? Just a quick one to get it out of his system.

"Well, I think it's alright for you to want to keep the ice rink alive, not for too long though! I'm going to beat that Russian popsicle, and once he's out of the way the rink will have to close down." Gilbert stood up straight with a grin.

"Ha!" Was Alfred's clever response. The rink wouldn't close down if Ivan got second place not like Ivan would. Unless, Alfred was the one to beat him then he could get second place. That's the only way he could get second place. Only way.

"You laugh, but zis true! Then say goodbye to your ice rink."

"Dude, the ice rink won't explode if Ivan doesn't win first place." He better knock on wood as soon as he could so he didn't actually jinx it. It would be his luck something like that would happen. It would be cool to see, but...never mind that's not the point.

"It won't, but once you lose it's never the same." Gilbert said, and he seemed to be speaking from experience.

"So, you're saying you're going to win against Ivan, and destroy any chance of him winning again?" Alfred asked, and seemed amused by the other's reasoning.

"Yup, once I knock him down he'll have to crawl his way back up. Kesesese! If he can."

Alfred sighed. "I still don't get it."

"Heh! Listen, Ivan's won all his life, that's the only thing the guy knows. When a guy like him is knocked off his high horse, he'll be too down on himself. He'll start losing more often, then he won't even try." Gilbert smirked at his awesome planning, he was a good strategist when he wanted to be. Against Ivan he was going to give it his all.

Alfred was pissed, despite his inability to stick with something, he never once thought, that when he was playing to break the competition. He would never want someone to quit, or give up on liking something because of him. His eyebrows furrowed.

" Something like that wouldn't happen, even if you did beat him, and I'm not saying you will because that's my job, I don't think it's going to stop him." Yeah, he was defending Ivan, but he didn't seem to care or feel wrong about doing it. Ivan really loved ice skating, if that commie freak got down because of one loss Alfred would have smacked him.

Gilbert snorted. "Right, it's kinda cute you think like that, but you can ask anyone, ask Ivan. Everything you do is about winning or losing. Ivan doesn't ice skate for the love of the sport, are you kidding me? He skates to win, and that's that."

Alfred scowled. " You act like you know him."

"The awesome me is a great judge of character." Gilbert gave a low chuckle.

"Dude, you're not awesome." He was tired of this, Alfred spent a lot of time with Ivan, it kind of hit him that some random guy thought he knew Ivan better.

"Ja, I am."

"No, you're not." Alfred said with a straight face and deadpanned voice.

"I get this a lot, you're just jealous of my awesome-ness." Gilbert retorted.

"Okay, no. You're just like everyone else except you're an ass." The bus came to a stop, and Alfred knew this was probably the closest stop he'll get to his house. Getting up, and ignoring the dumbfounded look on the albino's face he went to the front of the bus and hopped off.

Alfred pulled out his phone while he was walking down the street, and with a reluctant sigh dialed his mothers number.

Xoxoxoxoxo

xoxoxooxox

Ivan sat on the couch, he looked to the TV remote then back to the living room. He scoped out if there was anything he could do. Nothing, it was plain, desolate even, like it's always been. He wanted to go ice skating, but coach Winter forbid it, and said that Ivan should 'relax this Saturday'. Why couldn't the older man understand that to Ivan, ice skating was relaxing?

Ice skating was important to him, far more than anything. Well, not to his sisters, but to see them he'd need to keep ice skating, and keep getting better. Ivan looked back over to the remote and turned on the television. He watched for a moment as the local news came on, and he was already disgusted. American TV was full of useless information and over dramatized events. Ivan turned it off, but he smirked slightly, he could bet Alfred loved to watch stuff like this.

His eyes widened and he looked over to the blanket that Alfred had used the last time he came here. It was the only thing on the small couch, and Ivan didn't feel the need to fold it up and put it back.

It was odd, but Ivan kind of liked the idea that he had proof Alfred was actually here, that someone, besides himself was in this little house. He grabbed the blanket, it was funny, at the time he had no idea he actually had a spare blanket. It was nice, he was able to give it to him.

Ivan pulled the blanket around himself, and looked around the house another time. He wasn't hungry, he wasn't tired, he had nothing to watch, and no one to talk to. He just wanted to ice skate, why couldn't he just ice skate.

He closed his eyes and imagined himself out on the ice. He was such a natural, he was having so much fun, the audience there or not, he couldn't tell. It was all pitch black, just him and the ice. He skated backwards, and he did his jumps and spins are perfectly, there was no sound of applause just the sound of his steel blades on the ice.

Then something caught his eye, like a flickering light of fire, it was bright and warm all by itself. Ivan stopped, and looked at the direction of the light. It was gone so he decided to start again and just ignore it. While getting back in the rhythm he noticed it again. This was actually getting pretty annoying.

He stopped then skated over to where he saw the glimpse last, nothing there. He saw it flicker behind him, and he growled before slowly skating over. This time it stayed there, it waited for him. It was just a flickering fireball.

"Dude, what are you even chasing?" Came the all to familiar American accented voice.

"Fredka?" Ivan was confused, why was Alfred here? This was his vision or dream, he couldn't tell anymore.

"Come on, you want to practice don't you? Lets practice." This Alfred said and outstretched his hand to the other. Ivan gulped, and almost felt fearful, untrusting maybe? He took the other's hand anyway. This dream Alfred has the same heat as the real life Alfred, and Ivan always liked that. He wouldn't ever say that to the real life Alfred though. Ivan chuckled, if he told Alfred some of the things he noticed he'd make a fuss, and skate away.

"Fredka, your hands are warm." This was his chance to say what he's wanted to say for a while now. Ivan himself didn't see this meaning too much, or maybe it did, and he couldn't tell. Flirting was rather foreign to him.

This Alfred looked at him, quirked a brow, and adorned a little smirk.

"Thanks dude, but did you ever think your hands are just cold?"

Ivan's eyes widened, but he gave a solemn nod. "Could be..."

"Hey, don't be down! Just keep holding my hand because-"

Ivan awoke with a start, he was laying on the couch, clutching the blanket as he tried to register what just happened. He wondered when he fell asleep or why he woke up when he did, but he did and there was nothing he could do.

Now feeling rather dazed, Ivan brought the blanket up close to snuggle it. He thought for a moment and took in the scent. It just smelled like the house, and it was kind of disappointing, but there was no way Alfred would leave his scent on it from just the time he used it.

Ivan sat up, and went to fix himself a glass of water. He took a sip and sighed. He looked at the time and it was half past noon. He decided it would be good to have a small lunch, at least cooking could get his mind off of things. He decided to makeУха- Ukha which is a fish soup with vegetables and potatoes. It was fairly common in Russia, and he quite enjoyed it, especially if he wasn't feeling overly hungry.

He hummed while he made it and his mind slowly went back to the dream, or just Alfred in general. He wondered what Alfred would think of the meal and the name. He'd probably make some stupid assumption about it, be grossed out, but Ivan knew he could trick the other into eating it. All he had to do was dare him. Ivan chuckled, it was always a simple solution.

Alfred was always so lively. Ever since they started skating together, Ivan's been thinking about him more and more. He was annoying, and obnoxious, not the smartest guy either, but for some reason he's grown on the taller man. Sitting at the table, Ivan took a moment to realize his mind usually drifts back to Alfred. Which wasn't exactly a good thing.

Ivan took a sip of his soup, and then he held his head. He couldn't do this, he couldn't fill up his head like this. He had a mission, to get back to Russia, to ice skate for his sisters and prove his father wrong. After a moment he continued to eat his soup, then put the bowl in the sink. He couldn't stand being in this frigid house anymore.

No matter what it was like outside, this house was always cold. Sometimes it reminded him of his Russian home, but since his sisters weren't around it was very disheartening. It was lonely. When Ivan first moved, he thought he could handle it, he would be too busy with ice skating to care, but he did care, it got to him.

He closed the door of the house behind him and locked it. He decided it would be a good time to go for a walk. His feet led him down the side walk, and past many houses. He was a few blocks away from his house when he noticed where he was going. He smirked bittersweetly to himself, so his body led him to the ice rink, of course it would.

Well, it couldn't be helped. He decided to go for look to see if the hockey team or anyone was practicing this Sunday afternoon, there was probably open skate. He wouldn't have enough room to practice, but he could just get out on the ice for a bit. Just a bit.

He walked over to the front entrance when he noticed someone standing in front of the door. Someone he's seen so many times that he has the other's back memorized, but it was so shocking to see him there. What could Alfred be doing at the ice rink on his day off?

He seemed to be staring at the door, and Ivan had half the mind to comment on it. What would Alfred's flared up reaction be if Ivan said something like ' did you forget how to open a door Fredka?', but he didn't.

Wait, who was he kidding, he loved to tease the other.

"Did you forget how to open the door, Fredka?" Ivan said with a chuckle. He waited for Alfred to swirl around and give a glare, grab him by the collar and shake him.

But for some reason, that didn't happen, Alfred didn't even seem to register what he said. Ivan walked over and leaned his head over Alfred's shoulder. Alfred seemed lost in thought, a rare sight, and Ivan's eyes softened as he drank in the sight.

Alfred finally snapped out of his daze, and freaked out when he realized Ivan was right there, in front of his face. Too close to his face.

"Dude! Don't sneak up on me! Not cool!" Alfred yelled and Ivan simply chuckled.

"You were blocking the door." Ivan reasoned.

"Doesn't mean that you breath down my neck!" Alfred snapped then suddenly he went silent and his cheeks began to turn a pink then a cherry red. Alfred was replaying what his father said, and had assumed of Ivan. It was embarrassing now that Alfred was reminded of everything and how close Ivan was to him now.

Alfred turned and burst through the doors, and Ivan just followed after. "Something wrong Fredka? You are more...tense than usual." Ivan commented.

Alfred turned with a glare, then let it go as he sighed. It was weird that the first person to care was the person he thought would be last to listen. He still didn't want to tell Ivan about his problems, but he needed to tell someone who wasn't going to yell at him. Matthew was an option, but the pitiful look he'd probably get was enough to kill him.

"It's my family...I went to see my dad, and he's not that great, and then my mom got super pissed. Oh god...she was yelling and screeching like you wouldn't believe, she was so pissed that I went to see him." Alfred said, and sat down on the bench.

Ivan tilted his head and seemed a bit confused. He never expected Alfred to open up to him, it relieved him, but he didn't understand all of it.

"And then Arthur, I can't believe it..he told my mom, I thought I could trust him." Alfred look saddened, heart broken even and Ivan narrowed his eyes.

"Arthur?" Ivan asked.

Alfred's eyes widened when he realized that part came out too. His cheeks heated up, but tried to laugh it off. It didn't work. "Oh! Him, he's my tutor, and friend." Alfred clarified. "I thought he and I were close."

With a sigh, Alfred lost his blushing cheeks and returned to his somber state.

Ivan walked over and sat down next to Alfred. He wasn't sure what to say, but he knew one thing. He didn't like that Alfred was making these expressions, for some reason it upset him.

"So your father, do you not get along well?" There seemed to have a duel meaning with the question and his eyes held a certain icy-ness to it

"We used to man! We used to be best friends! Did a bunch of stuff together and he was really cool, then he turned into a slob. He was always a weird guy, liked to do what he wanted, but then he just left, and then it got all, and mom was all mad, and..."Alfred sighed, and he himself was lost in what he was trying to say.

Ivan was lost, Alfred's broken english and the fact he was being so vague was confusing Ivan to no end, but he tried to make due. "Sometimes father's aren't always great. My father refused to support my interests." Ivan offered, making a bridge of understanding to Alfred.

Alfred looked at him fairly surprised. "Woah, you're actually letting me in your head?"

"...Da?" Ivan was still confused, only with Alfred.

" Is that why you were acting weird last week?" Alfred asked. He seemed like a puppy, just so curious with those bright blue eyes searching the other's cold purple.

Ivan was taken aback, and had no idea Alfred was going to turn this onto Ivan. He thought for sure Alfred would explode with more on his own family, but Ivan opened the gate to his own problems. It unnerved him, and he hardened the protective shell around himself.

"I'm not sure Fredka, I wasn't acting weird."

"No dude, you were, you were pissed off. I know, I've seen you pissed, and I know how you act..." Alfred blinked. "Ew, it's weird...I do know you so well now." Alfred did a mock shiver. In his head he sent a smirk to Gilbert, wherever that ass was.

"You do not know me." Ivan snapped.

"Huh? Oh man! You're pissed I brought up your dad aren't you?" Alfred was always known for being astute with things like this.

"It doesn't matter."

Alfred rolled his eyes. "What you think I'm going to judge you? I got father stuff too, and I mean my dad probably won't accept my crush on Ar-" Alfred stopped himself. "Okay, lets just...uhh go skate or something."

Alfred got up and went to his locker, Winter was so gracious to give him one to use full time. Alfred got out his skates and went to work with putting them on. Ivan stared at him, and he could practically feel his heart pounding. He just gained a lot of information about Alfred, some he liked and some he disliked, really disliked.

Ivan could see the spark of fire out of the corner of his eye, but he kept his violet orbs locked on Alfred's back.

A/n: Tournament is coming up. We have Ivan, Alfred, Gilbert in singles.

So who would be the preferred singles, and paired?

I want to have Austria and Hungary, but I'm not sure whether I'm going to do Nyotalia some of them.

So...

1) AustriaxHungary

2) Fem!AustriaxMaleHungary

3) TaiwanxHong Kong

4) Hong KongxIceland

5) Fem!NorwayxDenmark

6)Fem!SwedenxFinland

7) NetherlandxBelgium

Italy and Romano may or may not be in this tournament. But please pick three from this line up.

Singles-

Ivan

Alfred

Gilbert

And it depends on which pair is voted in. If fem!NorwayxDenmark doesn't make it. I might have one of them in singles. I also would like Vietnam or Taiwan.

Keep in mind that I'm not going to do the brother sister thing. If Fem!Sweden is there then the male won't be. So please vote! I can get to work looking for the right routines!