Chapter 20. Can't Do This Alone.

It took a lot longer than it should have for Ivan to assure Elizabeta that he was fine to move around. He'd been just sitting around for three days and he was tired of doing nothing. He needed to move, to do something, or else he would go crazy. His own mental stability was inconsequential at the moment.

So, in the morning, he was finally given a suitable change of clothes for the day. They weren't his clothes, but he could deal with it. He walked into the classroom fairly early, his new cast, thankfully, hidden by his jacket. It also hid the fact that his mark was gone. That was something he, himself, didn't want to think about. Feliciano was the first to notice him and practically ran to greet him at the door to the classroom.

"Ivan! I'm so happy to see you're okay!" Feliciano smiled brightly.

"Yes, I am happy, too," Ivan nodded slightly. He attempted a smile, but he knew it fell flat.

"Well, you haven't really missed a lot," Feliciano mused, turning to guide Ivan to where Ludwig was sitting. "There wasn't any school after…you know…other than that, it's been some pretty basic stuff on half-demons we've already been told."

"Good," Ivan nodded slowly. They were teaching about half-demons now…Half-demons weren't the enemy, this school only seemed to teach them about their enemies. But with the way things were doing with Alfred…No, he wasn't the enemy.

"Are you sure you're fine to move around?" Ludwig asked simply.

"I am not what anyone should be worried about," Ivan shook his head. "Has Matthew talked to you at all about what we discussed?"

"No matter how much Gilbert asked, he said he would wait for you," Ludwig said simply. Ivan nodded faintly. They had already wasted so much time waiting for Ivan to 'get better', Ivan would have to propose his and Matthew's idea to them so they could start quickly. Sadly, class started before he could attempt to start his explanation.

Ivan sat restlessly through the length of the class. He couldn't focus long enough to figure out what they were even talking about, trying to teach him. He'd read enough to be far ahead of the class anyway. The second they were cleared for lunch, Ivan was on his feet. Feliciano was already chatting with Ludwig when he walked over to them.

"We should go to see the others," Ivan said simply. "Matthew and I have a…proposition."

"Is it about Alfred?" Feliciano asked delicately. Ivan nodded slowly. "And what about him? Do you really want to go after him?"

"I can't just leave him as he is," Ivan said. "He is my partner."

"Was," Feliciano pressed. "This isn't a situation any of us are equipped to deal with."

"Would you rather someone go after him with the intent to kill?" Ivan snapped. "I can guarantee you, in his current state of mind, he will kill anyone with those intentions."

"You don't think he'll kill us?" Ludwig asked.

"If you would let Matthew and I explain," Ivan sighed. He refused to leave Alfred to his own devices, even if it meant going after him alone. In that situation, he would most certainly die. The only question in that case would be if Alfred would feel guilty about it. "Please."

Feliciano and Ludwig shared a look. They were hesitant to be involved, which did make sense. They did see what Alfred had done in a matter of minutes. They had been going to this school, which told them about the dangers a half-demon like him could cause. Alfred was strong, that much was obvious, as strong as a powerful, humanoid demon, it seemed. They were students. No matter how strong they were, they had no right to do anything without breaking the rules.

"We'll listen," Ludwig said as the two stood. "You only have until the end of lunch."

Ivan nodded and the three of them walked quickly through the hallways. It felt great to move around and walk after being forced to sit still for so long. Once they reached the room full of half-demons, Ivan was quick to open the door and walk inside. He all but forgot the discomfort he'd felt beforehand of being even near the room. Matthew was sitting with Gilbert and Lovino at the nearest couch, their usual other friend apparently gone for lunch.

Matthew stood up when he saw the others, Lovino and Gilbert looking at them curiously but stayed sitting down.

"Did you already talk to them?" Matthew asked curiously and Ivan nodded. He wanted to get this done quickly. He didn't want to force Alfred through this situation for longer than completely necessary. Alfred would easily do the same for him. Matthew sighed. "They didn't agree?"

"What do you even intend to do?" Ludwig asked. "Out of all of us, you," he looked at Matthew, "are the only one strong enough to really fight him."

"Directly," Matthew sighed. "I know the state of mind Alfred is in right now. He doesn't think logically, we could trick him."

"What are we talking about?" Gilbert was on his feet, looking at them curiously.

"You can't seriously be thinking about going after him," Lovino scoffed, standing as well. "Are you fucking insane?"

"Do you just want him to go off on his own?" Ivan snapped. "With only his damn father as a role model?"

"72 percent," Gilbert said simply. "That's Matthew. 72 percent demon. Alfred's more I guarantee it."

"That doesn't matter," Matthew argued. "He's your friend, isn't he?"

"Alfred doesn't make friends," Lovino scoffed, rolling his eyes. Ivan practically seethed. If they weren't going to help him, he would be better off going on his own.

"Just…hear us out," Matthew sighed. "You didn't know Alfred before any of this. I knew him when we were growing up on the streets, I know the way he's thinking right now."

"How can you be sure?" Ludwig asked.

"How do we even know what's happening?" Gilbert asked suspiciously. "Do we really think he's lost his memory?"

"I can assure you he didn't recognize me," Ivan shook his head. The look in Alfred's eyes when they looked at each other, he didn't recognize him. If any part of Alfred knew Ivan, he wouldn't have hurt him like that. Alfred wasn't like that.

"He broke your arm," Gilbert said lowly. "As much as I want to fucking believe in him, or whatever you two have in mind, if he can look his own partner in the eye and break his arm, we can't trust him."

"This is not his fault," Ivan snapped. "This is all because of his father, not him. Do not treat him like he is at fault for any of this."

"So, what he's a victim?" Lovino scoffed. "Sure as hell didn't look like one."

"Wait," Feliciano sighed. "This is all because of his father?"

"Half-demons are far different parents than demons," Matthew shook his head. "And they vary. My father didn't care about me, he left me on my own. Alfred's father was something else entirely. He was obsessed with strength, demanded that Alfred was just as strong as him, if not stronger. To him, the mark on Alfred's arm meant weakness, getting friends, even if he didn't look like he was, was a sign of weakness that he couldn't stand for. Before Alfred met me, he didn't believe in kindness or showing any kind of emotion other than strength."

"His father was the one to take away his mark," Ivan said. "I don't know how, but he did. He must have taken away his memories as well. Of any reason for him to show kindness or restraint."

"So what can we even do?" Lovino shook his head. "Even if all of this is true, if a demon can somehow do this…what do you want us to do?"

"We need Ivan to make another wish, make another bond between them," Matthew pressed. "If we can get to the point where Ivan can make a wish that speaks enough to Alfred, there's a chance we can fix this mess without anyone getting hurt."

"How do you expect we do that without getting hurt?" Ludwig asked.

"We have to fight together," Matthew continued. "We have to fight to make sure we can get close enough to him to make a point."

"Is there a chance Alfred's father would be there?" Gilbert asked. "Or even that other demon, Francis?"

"It's a pretty high chance," Matthew sighed.

"We're not that strong," Feliciano shook his head.

"No one else is going to try this," Ivan shook his head. "The Hunters higher ranked than us view him as a demon now, don't see him as any better than a monster. They are treating him as an enemy, the students now are learning about half-demons to know their weaknesses to fight them well enough. Anyone that is 'strong enough' will go after him with the intent to kill him. I won't stand for it. This is not his fault."

"You want to fight him and two humanoid demons head-on?" Lovino snapped. "Are you crazy? Do you want to die?"

"I can't stand to leave him alone," Ivan said. "We've wasted enough time already."

"I'll do it," Feliciano sighed and Lovino immediately snapped a glare in his direction.

"You will not," Lovino hissed at him. "None of us knew him that well, we all know that."

"He considered you friends," Matthew retorted. "To someone like him, that means everything. He trusted you to be near him and not be weak. He trusted you to be by his side and not die. The only other person other than you guys he's opened up to like that is me. Not his father, not anyone else he's ever met. And you want to leave him to this fate?"

"I'll do it," Gilbert sighed and Matthew smiled at him with a quick nod. "Lud?"

Ludwig looked between Gilbert and Feliciano before giving a small sigh. He nodded and Gilbert smirked. They looked to Lovino, who looked about ready to set something on fire.

"I swear to God, if you even get hurt, we are leaving," Lovino growled lowly, looking at Feliciano, who smiled brightly and nodded. Ivan nodded gratefully to them.

"So, what's the plan?" Ludwig asked.

"Well, first we have to find him," Matthew nodded.

"How?" Gilbert asked.

"I have no idea," Matthew sighed.

Ivan didn't like the feeling of walking home alone. He was used to a presence at his side, but there was no one next to him late that night. He had stayed late to study, reading as much as he could about humanoid demons. As much as he could find, at the very least. The instructors and professional Hunters didn't even seem to pay him any mind. He was just a kid that had lost his partner. Well, he would just have to come back one day with his partner.

He looked up at the stars and frowned. The night was cold and lonely, but at least the stars were the same as always. Far away from anything that could possibly go wrong, away from all of the problems that bubbled on the Earth. Ivan stopped walking in the middle of the sidewalk. Would he really be able to go back to his apartment? He shook his head numbly. He'd grown so damn used to Alfred's presence that the lack of it was…impossible…

With a slightly shaking hand, Ivan pulled out his phone from his pocket. He dialed the number, only slightly apologetic of the time. But the person on the other end answered, like he expected her to. Ivan couldn't go back to his apartment, at least not until Alfred was back and in his rightful place.

Ivan only waited a few minutes before a car pulled up in front of the diner he'd been standing in front of. It was closed, only used as a landmark. Ivan was alone. But he looked up at the car sadly. No, he couldn't go home…

The passenger door opened widely, Natalia all but sprinting out of the car to pull Ivan into a tight hug. She muttered Russian nonsense into his chest. But when she looked up at him, she wasn't happy or prideful. She was sad. Ivan didn't call for help, he never actually called. They had to talk to him first. Ivan looked over to the car, the light turned on from the door. Katyusha looked at him with a soft smile, her scars glinting in the faint light.

"It's okay, brother," Natalia said simply, refusing to let go. Ivan smiled faintly, patting her back as he rested his head on hers. "You can stay with us as long as you need to."

"Thank you," Ivan muttered, hugging her back tightly. They stayed like that for a short while before Ivan cleared his throat and Natalia was quick to guide him to the car, all but forcing him into the passenger seat as she climbed into the seat behind him. He looked at Katyusha as the doors closed, the light going off in the car. She offered another small smile to him. "I'm sorry for the late hour."

"I'm always willing to help you, no matter the time," Katyusha said softly. "Let's get you a good rest for tomorrow. You'll need it, it's going to be a better day."

"I hope," Ivan sighed, looking up at the stars through the window. Oh how he hoped it would be a better day.

The ending wasn't supposed to be that sad, I swear! I just got caught up watching a sad movie and shit happens, okay? Sorry this chapter's kinda short, but I couldn't put a lot into it. Next chapter a lot more happens, but this chapter couldn't have a lot. Oh, well, a sort of calming period was in order, don't you think? And Ivan needs time to come to terms with the entire situation. He's going to his sisters, too, how sweet.

Anyway, that's it for now, see you next time!