Thank you all so much for all the kind reviews! I don't deserve them, but thank you so much! :D
A couple of things people mentioned that I feel I should probably respond to:
1: There will be more information regarding the Emperor and Ivan's actual relationship later on. But the Emperor obviously believes Ivan's not his son.
2: Lady Héderváry was so determined to talk to Ivan because she hoped to avoid war. I must say I found it very interesting that ryuketsuki thought the Emperor poisoned her.
Of course I must thank ninjaco0kieXD for letting me know the last chapter was a bit slow. I thought so too so I know for sure I'll have to fix that. Hope this one's better. The first half is a little slow. I had to plow through a lot of writer's block there. But I think it picks up toward the end.
Oh, and to kingdomheartslover13, the collar carries a lot of symbolism and will be kinda important toward the end of the story.
-O-
I know this is inexcusably late. I was going to post it yesterday but something came up and delayed me. But here it is now! Don't know how good it is but I tried. I hope it's not too bad.
Another (not quite) new character is in this. Mathias/Denmark. I don't know him or any of the other Scandinavian countries very well so sorry if he's a little OOC.
-O-
Title: Built Upon the Snow
Author: La'Keera
Rating: M
Warnings: May contain violence, dark and/or suggestive themes and foul language
Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia, obviously
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XXI: Headlong into Chaos
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Katyusha slipped out of the parlor for some relief. Keeping the guests happy had become such a chore since the war preparations started. She really wished Ivan hadn't stopped helping her. At least when he was around they didn't ask her questions she had no way of answering. She blew out a breath and went up to her room to check on Matthew. He liked to study there because her mattress was far more comfortable than his own. When she got there he was sure enough studying away on her bed, so engrossed he didn't notice her come in. She smiled and gave him a little hug from behind, startling him. "If you stay this dedicated to your education you'll be a genius by the time you're sixteen."
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"I don't think so…" He looked back at her and brushed some of his hair out of his eyes. "So how are the guests?"
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"Oh, same as usual." She tucked some of his hair behind his ear and smiled. She was glad he stopped asking about Alfred. It broke her heart to tell him his brother never mentioned him or asked about him. It seemed Alfie was a very 'out of sight, out of mind' kind of person. "Oh, but I did get you something." She went to her closet and searched through the boxes on the top shelf. Finally she found her quarry and returned, handing Matthew the snow-white stuffed bear. "I hope you don't think it's too childish for you."
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He stared at it with wide eyes before slowly taking it and hugging it to his chest. "It's a gift from you, Mistress Katya. I'll treasure it always." He rested his chin on the top of the bear's head and smiled at her. She just had to hug him again.
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"I'll let you get back to your studies." She kissed the top of his head before going out. She didn't really feel like going downstairs to entertain the guests even though she knew she had to. Maybe she would be forgiven if she spent a few brief moments somewhere quiet. With that in mind she escaped to the upstairs library. It was smaller than the one downstairs and contained their journals and favorite childhood stories. It was a nice, quiet place to think. Her solace.
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She noticed the doors to the balcony were wide open, the curtains around them bellowing in the breeze. She went out into the cool evening air. Beautiful scenery always cheered her up. She heard something off to her right and jumped when she spotted Sergeant Beilschmidt sitting on the balcony rail. "Oh! I did not realize you were here."
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He looked over, unconcerned, and took a drink of the vodka. "Well, hello, Mistress. What brings you out here?" Going by how slurred his words were she would assume he was pretty drunk.
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"Peace and quiet." She slowly placed her hands on the rail and watched him as he continued drinking. "If you don't mind my asking, why are you here?"
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"I'm drinking to my rival, the son of a bitch," he answered resentfully. "I could win against him in any competition except for the one that mattered. I hope he enjoys his prize, though he didn't do anything to earn it." The albino finished off the vodka and carelessly tossed the bottle over the rail.
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She watched it go down, praying it didn't break and hurt somebody later. "What are you talking about?"
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"You haven't heard yet?" He climbed off the rail, stumbling a little because of his obvious intoxication. "Elizabeta is marrying Archduke Roderich."
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"What about her sister?" From the look on his face she surmised what had happened. Poor Lady Héderváry. And poor Lady Elizabeta. To lose her only sibling… "How horrible it must have been for her. They were obviously very close."
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He nodded solemnly and leaned on the rail to keep his balance. "Yeah, she was crying her heart out. And I couldn't do anything to help her." He slowly sat down and rested his elbows on his knees. He glanced up at her then down at his feet and sighed. "You'll have to excuse me, Mistress, if I'm not as impressive as usual."
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She sat down beside him and rubbed his shoulder. "That's okay. None of us can be impressive all the time. I didn't realize you were in love with Elizabeta. You hid it so well."
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"She was in love with Roderich," he grumbled, glaring off at the horizon. "She had to get over him before she'd see just what she was missing. In those kinds of times you gotta be careful. You make your move too early or too late and you've lost 'em forever."
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She never would have thought him capable of thinking beyond a superficial level. Maybe she shouldn't make assumptions based on appearance. "Yes…but even if she wanted to marry you, don't you think the difference in your ranks would have prevented her from doing so?" That was why she would never have the man she loved. Among other things.
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"I never really thought about it." He shrugged and leaned back against the railing. "I guess I thought if she loved me too it wouldn't matter."
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"Maybe it's not the rank that would matter. Just her father's disapproval." She stared down at the weather-beaten white floor and folded her arms over her knees. That was her reasons at least. She knew if she disobeyed the Emperor's wishes in any way he would hurt Ivan. Tears stung her eyes despite her efforts to stop them. She knew even Ivan thought she was weak for crying. Maybe she was. He was the one who suffered but he never cried. She saw the wounds on his neck and back and she'd burst into tears.
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"Hey, Princess, you okay?" The sergeant watched her, concerned.
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She quickly wiped her eyes and nodded. "Yes, I'm fine. I was…thinking."
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"Well, if it's going to have that kind of reaction, stop it. Nothing that makes you cry is worth thinking about." He rubbed her bare shoulder, sending a shiver through her. His hand was warm and rough.
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She couldn't remember the last time a man besides her brother had touched anywhere but her hand. He was far gentler than she would have expected with the loud way he always talked. Still, she couldn't quite feel comfort from his touch and so she stood up. "Come on. I think you're getting a sunburn."
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"Alright." He struggled to get to his feet and ended up leaning on her once he succeeded. He was far heavier than he looked and she struggled to get him inside. "Hey, Mistress, you mind if I talk to you sometime when I'm sober?"
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"I can't see why I would mind. I'm sure you'd be far more pleasant company than at present." She hoped, anyway.
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-O-
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When the news of Lady Héderváry's death reached the visitors they wasted no time in going home. For the second year in a row the palace fell silent in the summer. Alfred could just imagine how happy the servants were. He often saw them in the field when he glanced out one of his bedroom windows. Of course their freedom meant his imprisonment. He had to study without interruption now that the guests were gone.
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Still, it was a distraction. And with Ivan's recent behavior a distraction was gravely needed. The young master only seemed to grow more irritable as the days past.
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Everything continued on unchanged until mid-fall. A knock at Alfred's door distracted Mr. von Bock from whatever boring topic was next on the agenda. Jumping at the opportunity, Alfred hurried to answer it.
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"No time to waste, lad. Get your jacket on and go down to the courtyard," Arthur urged, turning him around as he spoke and pushing him back toward his dresser.
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"What for?" Alfred and Mr. von Bock asked in unison, much to Arthur's apparent annoyance.
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"A historic moment." Arthur fished out the garment before helping Alfred put it on. "It's something you both should see."
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Alfred frowned and followed him out, his tutor trailing after them. Once they left the palace he spotted the mob of people beyond the gates, stretching on and on into a gray blur. Upon reaching the gates Alfred could see there was a small area cleared of the crowd where the Emperor, Ivan and the war council had gathered. The Emperor stood elevated over the others by a wooden stand. Alfred looked over the disgruntled faces of the crowd then at his old teacher. "What is this?"
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"You'll see," Arthur answered grimly.
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"My people," the Emperor began, drawing Alfred's attention back to him, "you have long since suffered for so many things that were not your fault. The past failures of our forefathers, the foul winters of this northern countryside. We have borne hardships that were unbearable. Endured what was unendurable. We are a strong, noble people. But that is not how we are seen. For too long we have been considered no better than wolves by the rest of this world."
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Screams followed this declaration, but it was hard to tell if they were positive or negative. Everybody looked angry, shaking their fists or making some other wild hand gesture. Alfred gripped the gate bars and listened intently, trying to make sense of the muddled cries.
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"You don't know how the world sees us!" a tall, blond man shouted above the noise. Everyone quieted down to get a look at whoever had interrupted them. "Or are you claiming to be one of those crazed 'psychics' we've all heard about? I wouldn't follow one of them if it meant my life, Your Highness."
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"I suppose in one respect you're right. I don't know how the world as a whole views us. But I know how the leaders of our neighboring countries see us. The people who make the decisions do not look upon us kindly."
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"And whose fault is that?" another voice called from somewhere in the crowd.
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"The South's." The emperor's answer left the people dumbstruck.
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"The south has nothing to do with it!" the tall blond yelled. "Why should we listen to you on anything? The south has progressed more in the last five years than we have in the two decades of your rule."
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"Do you even know what progress it is that you speak of? I'm afraid you all have been terribly misinformed. The south has fallen from any virtue. In this land of freedom that you all so envision, people may be found fornicating on the streets. Is that the kind of freedom you all desire? To act no better than animals? The truth is this: the south wishes to impose its vulgar ways upon us. They wish to destroy our culture and replace it with their own. You may be granted prosperity but at what cost?"
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The Emperor gave the bewildered crowd no time to respond before continuing, "We are above these base urgings. We have a responsibility to our future generations. To preserve our way of life. Our purity. That is exactly what I wish to protect. We can handle any hardship we face so long as it is intact. But we have suffered long enough. It is time to make up for past failures and show the world what we are truly capable of!"
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More screaming followed, still as hard to understand as before. "I don't want to hear anymore." Alfred retreated from the gate, followed by Arthur. "They're not really going to buy any of that, are they?"
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"It's hard to say. There are some people who see what he is doing. But others…" Arthur looked back at the shrieking crowd and shook his head. "There are some people, the inexperienced especially, that will believe anything they are told. The Emperor glorifies suffering. In doing so, he makes those who have suffered feel better about themselves. Of course, none of them have any real say in it. The declaration of war has already been issued."
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"Then why even bother going out here?"
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"Morale, I imagine. A war cannot be won without some kind of national support."
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Alfred slowly nodded and glanced back at the raging mob. He noticed his master looking over his shoulder at them and his steps faltered. The blank, soulless expression Ivan wore didn't become him. If that was how he looked upon his people, it was no wonder they feared him.
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"Are you alright, lad?"
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Alfred waited until Ivan had looked back ahead before turning to his teacher. "I'm fine. Just looking." They separated upon returning to the palace. Alfred went up to his room and utilized something he rarely ever used. The lock on his door. He didn't want to study any more for the day. Luckily Mr. von Bock made no attempt at returning to his lesson and he spent the afternoon in peace.
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Dinner was as uncomfortable as usual. Alfred still had trouble adjusting to the very different atmosphere from the servants' dinners. There was no conversation in the dining hall. Only the sound of utensils clinking against dishes and someone occasionally clearing their throat. Nobody lingered after they had eaten, so Alfred made sure he wasn't the last to finish.
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It wasn't long after the Emperor's speech that Sergeant Beilschmidt and his younger brother came to visit. Mistress Katyusha was unusually subdued around Gil, keeping quiet for most of the stay. This did not go unnoticed by Natalia and Ivan, who, for once, had to play host in her place. But as Ivan obviously disliked both of the officers and Natalia disliked anyone her brother did, the visit was uncomfortable and brief.
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Alfred saw them off, hoping to heal some of the damage. "So you're going to the border?"
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"Yes. We'll probably be part of the initial invasion." Gil smirked down at him and ruffled his hair. "Maybe if you get a little bigger you can come down and join us. There's nothing like battle, kid."
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"I don't think it's something I want to experience." They stopped at the bottom of the steps, waiting for the officers' horses. Alfred looked to the open gates to see the townspeople but there was no one about. "So where is everybody?"
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"Hard telling." Gil pulled his gloves on and looked at his brother. "Hey, Luddy, have they started drafting yet?"
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"No. Not yet. Of course you would know that if you paid attention to the briefings. Or if you even attended them," the Lieutenant answered with disapproval. He gave Gil a killer glare but his older brother only laughed him off.
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"I'm too busy. Besides, I don't need to since you always go."
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Alfred shook his head slightly, watching them with a small smile. Their arguing was totally pointless. The sound of horses drew everyone's attention to the servants bringing the beasts over. "You guys aren't going to get killed or anything, are you?"
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"Please. With my skills? I feel sorry for the enemy." Gil put his hat on and saluted Alfred, smirking like an idiot. "Take care of the home front while we're gone, kid. Don't let the Emperor get too crazy with his orders."
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Alfred laughed nervously, returning the salute. "Right. I'll kick his butt if he tries anything."
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"That's the spirit." Gil climbed on his horse and waved farewell before he and his brother rode off at a fast trot. Alfred watched them go until the gates were shut then hurried to catch up to the stable hands that had brought the animals. He followed them into the stable and went to Liberty's stall. She munched at her hay, completely oblivious of him. He smiled and folded his arms over the stall door and rested his chin on them. She didn't look as big as she used to. But she sure was pretty.
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"Having fun?"
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Alfred jumped at the familiar voice and looked up to see one of the stable hands leaning over the door of the next stall, hay sticking out of his blond hair. It was the dirty faced servant from two summers ago. "I guess. Why?"
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"You looked pretty happy." He folded his arms over the stall door and leaned out a little more. "Shouldn't you be working?"
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"Working?" He hadn't done any real work since his birthday. But of course this man wouldn't know that. "Shouldn't you be working and not chatting with practical strangers?"
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"Of course. Doesn't mean I won't chat when given the chance. You have any idea how boring this job is?" He disappeared into the stall for a moment before coming back out with a pitchfork lying over his shoulder. "Though I suppose if I get drafted things will get a little bit too exciting, huh?"
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"What does that mean, anyway? 'Drafted?'"
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"Aren't ya supposed to be educated?" He began chucking hay into the stall, seeming to ignore his question.
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Alfred shook his head and looked back at Liberty. She had noticed him and pricked her ears forward with a quiet whinny. He reached out his hand and she went to him to get petted. He smiled and stroked her neck but had to stop to duck her attempt at devouring his hair. "Why do you want to eat my hair?"
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"She's trying to groom you. It means she likes ya." The stable hand closed the stall door and moved on to the next one, which happened to be Scepter's.
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Alfred watched him and a stray thought entered his head out of nowhere. "Hey, how long have you worked here?"
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"Since I was about this high," he said, holding his hand about three feet from the stable floor.
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"Did you know Arthur when he worked in here?"
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He slowed his chucking and looked at him curiously. "A little bit. He didn't stay here very long. Old Germain liked him too much to keep him in this crappy job."
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Alfred moved his head out of Liberty's reach and wandered over to his companion. "Who was Old Germain?"
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"He was the old headmaster." The man brushed his messy hair back and blew out a breath, leaning on his pitchfork in thought. "He's those Beilschmidt boys' father. Well, was." He went back to relocating the hay. "He died some six years ago. Under pretty suspicious circumstances, I might add."
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Alfred waited but he didn't elaborate. "So you mean the lieutenant and sergeant were servant's children? They're treated pretty well by the masters."
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"Yeah, well, they got pretty lucky. They were born warriors so the military really made them look good and helped them raise their ranks. By the way, don't listen to the bull some of the other servants might spout about them being inspirations. Just because you work hard doesn't mean you're going to get anything." His words seemed a little resentful but his expression and tone didn't. His smile didn't waver as he spoke which seemed odd considering his 'advice.'
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"I prefer to be optimistic."
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"Well, if that's your choice. Who knows? Maybe you'll be one of the lucky ones too."
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Alfred doubted that. He gave Liberty a pat on the nose before turning to leave. Then he realized he still didn't know the man's name and looked over his shoulder. "Hey, what's your name, anyway?"
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"Mathias. Stall mucking extraordinaire." He did a little bow as he spoke, a crooked smile spreading over his face. "And you are…Albert?"
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"Alfred." He frowned at the mistaken name, but he decided to forgive him. Everything considered it was a surprise he had any idea what Alfred's name was. "Well, bye, Mathias. See ya later!" He waved before hurrying back inside. His absence had apparently gone unnoticed. Since he wasn't needed he went up to his room and resigned himself to a long study.
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He skipped out of dinner that evening and tried to ignore the inevitable knock on the door. Toris had likely brought his food up, as he and Arthur both hated to waste a good meal. He knew he shouldn't ignore either one of them but he really didn't feel like talking.
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"Alfred, are you awake?" Ivan's voice asked, followed by another knock.
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He rolled over to stare at the door. Ivan never came to his room unless he meant to sleep there and he hadn't done that in months. And even then he didn't knock. He just came in.
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The silence continued for a moment before another soft knock. "Are you alive?"
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"No."
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"Can I come in?"
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"If I'm dead how am I gonna stop you?"
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Ivan opened the door and slipped in with a tray balanced on one hand. He had a faint smile, which was, sadly, the happiest Alfred had seen him recently. "I brought your dinner since you seemed too lazy to go downstairs for it."
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"I'm not up here because I'm lazy." He sat up and crossed his arms. "I didn't want to have company."
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"What do the dead care about company?" His master sat on the bed and set the tray between them. "Eat. You need it."
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He pulled the tray over and took a bite, his appetite immediately awakened by the flavor. He hadn't even realized how hungry he was. After he had swiftly demolished the food he flopped back and made himself comfy. When Ivan moved the tray he took the opportunity and stretched his legs out until his feet hit his master's thigh. "So…what now? You're not going to go back to being all grumpy, are you?"
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"I didn't realize I was 'grumpy.'"
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"Well, you were." He sat up and leaned back against the headboard. "I would kind of like to know why but I don't think I'd get any kind of answer out of you."
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"There's about a thousand things it could have been at any given time." Ivan laid back and folded his arms behind his head, staring up at the ceiling. He looked a little troubled.
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Alfred moved closer and laid down on his back next to him, resting his head on his master's bent arm. He snuggled closer and closed his eyes, making himself comfortable against the young man's side.
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"Sunflower?" Ivan asked quietly, shifting slightly. He must have turned his head because Alfred could feel his breath ghosting over his ear. "In a month I'll be gone. I don't know for how long. But I—"
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"Where are you going? Can I go with you?" He turned to face his master, who seemed surprised by his enthusiasm. If it was the Far East again he could ask Kiku a few things he'd forgotten to last time.
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"No, you can't go with me. I'll be out on the front lines of the battlefield."
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Any excitement turned to horror. "But isn't that dangerous?"
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Ivan shrugged as if it didn't matter. "War is dangerous. No matter where you are. But—"
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"You can't go. You might get killed. Then who will take over when the Emperor dies? You're a prince. You shouldn't be there."
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"Alfred," he said firmly, placing his hand on his shoulder as if to steady him, "I'm not going to get killed. I'll be relatively safe. It's not me I'm worried about. I want to make sure you don't get hurt while I'm gone. So be on your best behavior and don't go anywhere you don't need to be, okay?" When he didn't respond right away Ivan shook him gently. "Please, sunflower. Promise me you'll behave."
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"When exactly are you leaving?" he asked with resignation. He wasn't exactly going to promise but he'd do his best.
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"After my birthday." He closed his eyes and rested his forehead against Alfred's, gently petting his hair.
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Alfred blushed slightly at the closeness, though he wasn't really sure why. He never had before, despite sometimes being even closer than they were now. He cleared his throat but that was a mistake because it made Ivan open his eyes. Being caught only made him blush harder, earning him a quizzical look from his master. He quickly moved away and took the tray off his bed. He set it on the desk and bit his lip.
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"I should probably let you sleep," Ivan said tiredly from behind Alfred, accompanied by the sound of him getting up.
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"Okay. Goodnight." He tried not to sound too eager for him to go. His face didn't feel so hot now so he turned to Ivan and leaned back against the desk. His master looked a little concerned, though he obviously made some effort to hide it. "You alright?"
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"Of course. Just tired." Ivan straightened his jacket and went to the door, glancing over before opening it. "Goodnight." He slipped out and quietly closed the door behind himself.
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Alfred sighed and looked at his bed and ran his hands down his face. He didn't really want to dwell of whatever made him so embarrassed so he decided it wasn't that important. Probably just some fluke. Thankfully he went to sleep with only a little difficulty.
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As the days past Alfred made an effort to talk with Ivan at least once a day. It wasn't easy. Between his lessons and whatever it was his master did, neither one of them had very much time. Sometimes all they had was the brief walk from their rooms to the dining hall for breakfast. Ivan's birthday came sooner than he would have liked. He woke up before the sun had risen. Instead of trying to go back to sleep in the chilly bed he crawled out and went to Ivan's room. He knocked softly on the door but there was no answer. Being as quiet as he could, he slipped in and went to the bed. Ivan was still asleep so he climbed in the bed and curled up against his side.
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"Sunflower?"
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"How did you know I was in here? I was quiet."
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Ivan only groaned in response and rolled on his side, laying his head on Alfred's and squeezing him.
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"Ugh…Ivan…" He pushed against his master's chest and managed to free himself for the most part. "Vanya, your head is getting heavier."
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"Lies." He yawned and looked over his shoulder at the windows. "The sun's not even up. What are you doing here?"
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Alfred nestled into the bed just close enough to his master to keep warm. "It's your birthday."
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"So you wake me up early? You have any idea when I went to sleep?"
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"Not really." He offered his best innocent smile. Ivan was not impressed. "You know if you keep frowning like that you'll get wrinkles."
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"Some days I hate you." Ivan rubbed his eyes and sat up, pushing the covers down in the process. He blatantly ignored Alfred's protests to this and pushed them further down to get up. "Up. If I don't get to sleep neither do you."
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"Jerk." He crawled out of the warm bed and stretched. "I didn't mean to wake you up, okay? Like I said before, I was quiet." When he was again ignored he huffed and went off to get a change of clothes. Ivan let him take a bath first. Instead of waking poor Toris at such an awful hour he heated his own water. He had it lukewarm just in case. It didn't turn out to be very warm and it got cold pretty quickly. Stupid frostbite. His clothes were also getting a little too snug for comfort. Stupid puberty.
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When he went out in the hall he found Ivan sitting next to the door fast asleep. He let him rest a little, using that time to heat the water. He made it a little hotter than his own so his master wouldn't have a cold bath. Once that was done he woke him up and waited for him. Luckily the bath didn't seem too hot for him and they went downstairs for an improvised breakfast.
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He looked all through the kitchen for some kind of food as his companion sat at the table. Alfred still didn't know much about cooking but he could probably come up with something edible if he had to. "Hey, Ivan, can you write me when you're down there? So I'll know you're not dead?"
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Ivan rolled his eyes and laid his head on his folded arms. "I suppose if I must."
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The door opened then and the servants came in but all of them stopped short when they spotted the other occupants. "What are you doing in here, Alfred?" Toris asked before he noticed Ivan and quickly bowed his head. "Master Ivan. I didn't see you there."
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Alfred closed the cabinet he was currently looking in and turned to them. "We're looking for something to eat. We got up a little too early."
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"Yes, I can see that." Arthur sent the cook into the adjoining room before he got to work on brewing coffee. "Master Ivan, why don't you two go to the dining hall? Your breakfasts will be done soon."
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Alfred practically dragged Ivan to the mentioned room. But after a couple of cups of coffee he seemed almost normal. They were soon joined by the mistresses but not the Emperor. Of course nobody complained.
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"You look dreadful, brother. Did you not sleep well?" Natalia asked the question, but Katyusha must have been thinking the same thing. "Your trip is going to be horrible. I wish I could go along to make it easier."
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"I'm sure the trip will be fine."
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Katyusha beamed happily and reached across the table to grab his hand. "I cannot get over my little brother being all grown up. Our mother would be so very proud of you, Vanya." She looked like she might have tears in her eyes but she ducked her head too quickly for Alfred to be sure.
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Ivan sighed quietly and released her hand. "Thank you, Katyusha. But we shouldn't dwell on the dead."
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Alfred scoffed and got kicked under the table for it. He and Ivan had a glaring contest before he kicked him back.
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Katyusha shook her head and rested her chin in her palm. "I suppose I spoke too soon about you being all grown up." At the slight reprimand Ivan sheepishly returned to eating. Natalia narrowed her blue eyes at Alfred and gripped her fork in a threatening manner. "Natalia," Katyusha chided, but unfortunately the teenager wasn't as easy to deter as her brother.
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"He is a slave. He has no right to hurt our brother. Why do you not punish him, big brother?"
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"Because he did not hurt me. Do not concern yourself." As he was done eating, Ivan hurriedly made his escape.
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Alfred was quick to follow. He felt a little guilty leaving poor Katyusha to deal with Natalia by herself but she seemed to handle the younger Mistress without too much trouble. He had to study but he made sure to be there before Ivan left.
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The goodbyes weren't very different from any other time his master went away for awhile. Natalia clung to him tenaciously and Katyusha smiled sadly. The only thing unusual was the Emperor didn't show up. This went completely unnoticed by the siblings though. They were too caught up with saying goodbye or escaping Natalia's grasp.
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"You can't go out there, big brother. It's snowing really badly. What if it turns into a blizzard?"
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"It won't. And I must go regardless." Ivan traded her rib-cracking hug for a white-knuckle grip on his arm and an unwanted kiss on the cheek. "I need to leave now."
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She reluctantly released him and crossed her arms. "Be careful."
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"Of course." Ivan kissed Katyusha's forehead then turned to Alfred.
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He prepared himself for the usual hair ruffling. He hated it but he'd only have to bear it until he grew taller. He really didn't know what to expect when Ivan grabbed his hand. His master wasn't taking him along, was he? Then Ivan pressed a kiss to his knuckles and Alfred's face heated up. What the hell?! He wasn't a girl! "Hey!" He yanked his hand away, noticing the decidedly evil smile on Ivan's face.
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Before he could launch his tirade the young master turned on his heel and went out the door.
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He would kill Ivan when he got back home.
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Okay, so Ivan's gonna be gone awhile. Does anyone want me to actually write out a few of the letters Ivan and Alfred write to each other or would you rather I skim over them like I've done before?
Thanks for reading and have a good day! :D