Chapter 35

"You said you would be back at the end of Spring Break!" Francis flipped like a pancake. "It is the day after Spring Break ended!"

"Dad, I'm aware. They don't have calendars in Hell." Matthew shook his hands in a poor attempt to quell his father's near hyperventilation, "I'm sorry, but I'm here now."

He had just walked through the door, Ivan following soon after, and plopped his book bag on the island counter when Francis dropped whatever he was doing in the living room, based on the clattering of an unknown object to the wooden floor, and stormed into the kitchen.

Ivan twitched, squashing the instinct to leap between them when Francis rushed over, grabbed the sides of Matthew's head, and planted rough smooches all over his face. He then threw his arms around his shoulders, sobbing, "Don't make me worried like that!"

Matthew was too kind to not hug him back, but sent a silent plea of help over his shoulder. Ivan glanced to the doorway, where Alfred slid into view from his socks slipping on the hard floor. "Mattie, dude! I heard Dad freaking out!"

"Yeah, hi-"

His brother bounded over for his fair share of hugging, too, even when Francis was still there. Their father broke out in hearty chuckles, but Matthew only made a weak noise of suffocation. "H-help..."

Ivan exclaimed, "You are killing him!"

"Am not!" Alfred dissented, but he and Francis let go of Matthew to be reacquainted with air. He patted his brother between the shoulder blades with unnecessary gusto. "How was it, bro? You smell a little overcooked."

"I do not!"

Francis ran his hand down his hair. "Are you sure you are well?"

"I'm not in pieces."

Alfred asked, "Nothing tried to swallow your soul?"

"You didn't get bitten, right?" Their father put a concerned hand on his shoulder. "You always have to be suspicious of bites!"

Ivan coughed.

"Everything is fine, Papa. I'm fine. I'm back, aren't I?"

"Unless you are a very well made hologram...then I guess so," Francis gave Matthew another, quicker embrace, and sighed deeply when he pulled away. "Both of you make me worry to much to be healthy."

Alfred sucked air between his teeth. "Oh, what? Don't put me into this!"

"I have many reasons to!" Francis put his hands on his hips, and it was over for Alfred. "Matthieu tells me what is happening before he leaves, but I have to wait until a call from the school that tells me what you are keeping from me!"

"Dad...it's nothing..."

"Nothing?! You used to be the star pupil! Your grades are going to plummet weeks before graduation! Do you have your head somewhere else besides on your shoulders?!"

Matthew slowly backed away as his brother and father bickered about the hoard of untouched homework in Alfred's book bag. "I...uh...got to unpack my stuff."

"Yes, you do that," Francis dismissed. Alfred huffed, rolling his eyes as he kept going, "I do not care about this whole other creatures ordeal! You have things to do right here and now! That includes keeping up with your responsibilities at school and home!"

"How did this suddenly get pinned on me?"

Ivan slunk away, too, eagerly clamoring up the stairs after Matthew. "There you are. Welcome back, huh? Did you want to do anything while you are here?"

"Eat pancakes?"

"Let's make that a priority!"

They stopped before Matthew's bedroom door, but Ivan did not seem all smiles. "Matthew, I am not going to stay on the surface for long."

"What?" Matthew could not help but look stupid with surprise. "What do you mean? Where are you going?"

"To Hell!" Finally, a little smile sprouted along Ivan's face as he bumped their foreheads together. "Silly Matvey. I will stay with you over the night, but once I get some food, I will leave."

"We'll leave...right?" Matthew scowled as Ivan glanced somewhere else. "Ivan."

"I have been thinking again. Nothing bad! Just...demon things."

"Demon things?"

"Uh...yes."

"Yeah...?"

"I-I want it to be a surprise for you the next time I take you to Hell."

Matthew blinked, not sure what to say. "Oh. You're seriously going away so soon, though?"

"Yes!" Ivan giggled and nudged his nose against Matthew's cheek. "We had more than a week together in Hell, not to mention how long I have been up here before we went down there! If you sound so sad, then I will not be able to get things done."

"Good!"

"It was very good!"

"Come on," Matthew whined against relentless nuzzling, "Give me a hint, at least!"

"For you...hm...I want my land back."

"Your...huh?"

Ivan pulled away to gave his hands an excited squeeze, "My land! It is empty, yes? I am not going to have it like that anymore. I am not like those nasty creatures clawing one another apart, yelling mean things...trying to hurt you." His momentarily distant gaze flickered back to Matthew. "No emptiness. No more fighting. I will find others who are willing to give me a second chance like you have." He took a steadying breath before softly declaring, "To right my past so I can live now."

Matthew let out a little laugh. "That's...oh, honey, that's awesome!" He threw his arms around Ivan and repeatedly smacked his back all over. "That's freaking awesome! Wow!"

"You like that? Very awesome!"

"Yeah! I love it!"

Ivan squished their face together, causing the both of them to giggle like idiots, until he squeezed the air out of Matthew's lungs. "Yeah! Yes! And we will make everyone happy, and we will all be friends, forever and ever, and ever! Together, Matvey!"

"Okay!" Matthew wheezed, until his feet hit the floor. "Phew! Yeah, of course! I'm not here to look pretty!"

"Ah, but you can do that, too!" Ivan clasped Matthew's cheeks and tried to kiss him, but they wound up snickering too much. "This is no little thing. I am going to be gone for a 'little while,' and I need you to be absolutely certain if you want to be with me on this."

"Be with you?" Matthew scoffed, "Ivan, I would always want to be with you."

"So would I, but you have a life here, on the surface. You are uncertain you are ready to leave everything you have now."

"Oh..." It was no longer happy times and smiles. Matthew looked to their feet, and the hands against his cheeks moved to brush back the hair hanging in his face. "What if I chose to not come with you? Would you be mad?"

"Mad? Ha!" Ivan slung his arms over Matthew's back and stole the breath from his lungs again. "Ha-ha! I go wherever you go! You will not get rid of me so easily!"

Not letting him have all of it, Matthew wedged his hands beneath Ivan's armpits to squeeze back. "What are you going to do about it, then?"

The tough love eased enough for Ivan could toss a hand through Matthew's hair again. "Allow me to let you in a little secret. The land should belong to Irunya, as she is the oldest. Yet, she allowed me to pursue my own interests, and surrendered her place to me!"

"Oh, that was supposed to be a secret?"

Ivan was good at covering shock, if he was shocked at all. "If you decide not to come down with me, then I will make sure to come to you."

"Wait, you would have to constantly go through the sewers, and leave everything unattended..."

"No, Irunya would be there to take over."

"Oh. What if she wants to permanently take over? Would you step down?"

Ivan gushed, "You think of everything! If that happens, have a place for me to stay!"

"You would let her-" Matthew squeezed his eyes shut when his glasses went ajar. "Hey, quit it!"

Ivan only laughed, still fondling his hair, so Matthew clamped a hand behind his back and yanked him real close, so they were nose-to-nose. "I said. Quit. It." It was hard not to be proud of himself for acting so tough. Even Ivan looked delightfully surprised, and shut up. "You listen to me. You do what you have to do, and you will high-tail it here as soon as you're done. You hear? I want streamers and confetti waiting for me when I make it back."

"Oh, Matthew...I think...I think you boss people around very nicely."

"Yeah?" With a smirk, Matthew reached behind himself and opened his bedroom door. "I'm only going to get nicer from here."

~.~

~Hellyeahman~

~.~

"Is there anything you would like to drink with your pancakes?"

Francis shook a gallon of milk at Ivan, while Matthew put his brother to shame for once with his pancake-intake. Alfred mostly pricked his fork at his half-eaten stack.

"How about some vodka?"

Francis chuckled and swished his hand. "Oh, stop it you!"

Matthew announced, "Try getting Dad to give up his alcohol is like Alfred trying to stop from saying something stupid."

His brother let out a short, dry laugh. "Ha, real funny."

Ivan asked with a sweet, innocent smile, "Could I still get some?"

Francis shook a finger, scolding, "I am not having drunkards stumbling around my house so early in the morning!"

Alfred remarked against a fork-full of pancake, "More like, you don't want a drunk demon on your hands."

Francis' laughter went weak. "Ah, yes...drunk demon-creatures..."

Ivan calmly retorted, "As if a single glass could get me drunk!"

"How about some milk, or orange juice? Breakfast beverages, oui?"

"The orange drink will suffice."

Francis nodded, turning away to get another cup. The kitchen went speechless, and only the clink and scratches of utensils against plates filled the silence. He set the glass beside Ivan before he situated himself with a noisy sigh at the island counter. "Ça va, Alfred?"

Alfred grunted as his fork squeaked against his plate. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Just...not that hungry."

"Not hungry?!" Francis reached over to press the back of his hand against Alfred's forehead. "You do not feel warmer than usual."

Alfred jerked away, and almost fell out of his seat. "Uh, because I'm not sick? Seriously, I only said I wasn't that hungry." He trudged for the trash can to scrap his half destroyed breakfast. Matthew could cry from the lost.

Francis followed his retreating figure with a skeptical look. "If you do not feel well, you can take tomorrow off from school." His eyes landed on Matthew. "For you, Alfred, although one day should be enough. Your brother has missed plenty of school anyway."

"Papa!"

"Do not 'Papa' me," Francis jabbed his fork in Matthew's direction. "You had more than enough absent days, and you know it."

Matthew slumped in his stool as Alfred snickered and fled upstairs. He elbowed his neighbor, "It's Ivan's fault."

Ivan let out an offended gasp. "It is not!"

"Oh-ho? What is your attendance record like?" Francis put a hand beneath his chin, activating the All Knowing Gaze. "I will not be happy if you are giving my boys inappropriate thoughts."

"About what?!"

"Papa, he's a demon. He doesn't go to school."

Francis' smug look shattered. Ivan shook his head, avoiding his eyes by nudging a chunk of pancake with his fork. "Ah...that's right. That was a silly question!"

They polished their food more eagerly than Alfred had, and lingered to make small talk. Francis never brought up Hell, what they have done, or mentioned how his son is in one piece again. He was probably saving it until Ivan left. Matthew plotted to run upstairs and flee into his bedroom, or maybe out the window, before those questions would start.

Ivan declared after every crumb was eaten, "I should leave soon. I have the errands to do."

Francis said, as if surprised, "It was...pleasant to have you." He held a hand out. Ivan stared.

Matthew gave him a nudge. "Shake his hand."

"Oh!" Ivan grabbed Francis' wrists and gave him a few waggles. "That always gets me."

"Aïe!" Francis cradled his offended hand to his chest.

"What? I shook it, did I not?"

"Ah, ha-ha, so we will be seeing you again soon, oui?"

Ivan steadily gazed at Matthew, "Yes. I will be back."

Both Francis and Matthew said at the same time, "I would hope so." They exchanged mischievous grins.

"Not even my Alfred enjoys my food as much as I have seen you do." Francis threw a glance behind his shoulder, to the messy kitchen. "Look at this! Seems like I will be at this for a while..." He gave them a 'look' from the corner of his eye and pointedly cleared his throat.

"Come on!" Matthew urging Ivan out of the kitchen as Francis' back was turned. They busted open the front door, stumbling onto the porch in a tight embrace. Matthew made sure to squeeze Ivan just as much as he was doing to him, both breathing in one another within their allotted time. "I'm going to miss you."

"I am going to miss you more."

"Oh, hush. This is a battle you won't win."

"Good. Very good."

Matthew sighed, eyes fluttering clos as he allowed himself to weaken against Ivan's chest.

The arms behind his back tightened from his slump. "Matthew?"

Matthew blurted, "I want to come with you." Then, a tiny thought, probably that pesky common sense still persisting despite everything squashing it, But I just got home. I got to see Papa and Alfred again.

Ivan giggled at the uncertainty flickering across Matthew's face. "Stay here and worry about your school and family. I will do the annoying work."

"Ha, like school isn't?" Matthew stood on his toes to kiss Ivan's cheek. "Bring back good news."

"Yes, and you make sure to take care of yourself, okay?"

"Oh, yes, sir."

Their noses bumped and they peeled into mad giggling. "Pulling my leg until the last moment, Matvey?"

Matthew tried to kiss him again, but was smiling too damn much. "Quit making me laugh. I want a goodbye kiss."

"A kiss for that?" Ivan leaned his head back, teasing with a cheeky grin. "You have goodnight kisses, and good morning kisses...and all those kisses in between. So many kisses!"

Matthew bounced up and down. "So what?"

"Is that you spoiling for a fight, Matvey?"

"If you don't-" Matthew immediately shut up from Ivan squishing his lips against his own. Ah, there it is. His eyes fluttered shut as hot breath hit his tongue, and his hands went to clamp onto Ivan's shoulders, or anywhere, really, but they never grabbed anything. He furrowed his eyebrows, still revving to go as he patted the air.

"Wha...huh?!" Matthew shook his head with a baffled, "Ivan!" He darted back and forth on the porch, alone again. "How did...are you kidding me?!"

Francis pushed open the kitchen window and poked his head into the world. "Oh, Matthieu! I only have two hands!"

Matthew slowly turned his head to the direction of his father's voice. "Um...right. I'll be in." Still, he could not stay agitated with all that pesky hope bringing a spring to his step. Whatever Ivan was planning, it was big!

Surprisingly, Francis let him stew in his thoughts as he drug a paper towel over the island counter.

"Matthieu, I think you should check up on your brother."

Matthew blinked, realizing he scrubbed the same spot for a solid minute.

"Matthieu."

"Uh, yes, Papa?"

"Alfred. He said he felt fine, but you know how he is."

"Yeah, I'll do that."

"Throw out your rags."

"Oh, right."

Upstairs, Matthew rapped on his brother's bedroom door, and leaned closer to call out, "Al? Are you all right in there?" He waited a moment before knocking again. "I'm coming in," he warned, but only popped his head through the opening and glanced around the room. "Wow, you straightened up. Al?"

No brother.

Matthew narrowed his eyes, and quietly closed the door before peeking under the bathroom's door to see if the light was on. Not there, either. Alfred was not in Francis' bedroom, or his office, just in case, and his own room was empty, too.

"What the Hell, dude?" Matthew muttered. He jumped at a thud resonating against the side of the house. He rushed into his brother's bedroom again. The window was open. He wondered if he had missed it the first time.

"Al?" Matthew called, poking his head out into the world. He scrunched face up at his brother chilling on the roof above the rear door with his head tipped to the sky. "Alfred!"

Alfred yelped, and his arms flailed as he slid down the roof.

"Oh, my God!"

"I'm all right!" Alfred pushed from almost tumbling onto the grass, and pressed against the side of the house. "Wha...what are you doing?"

"I think I should be asking you that! Get back inside before you break your leg! Or your ribs...again."

Alfred just blinked. "Nah, I'm good."

Matthew scowled. "Alfred."

"What? Can't a guy just chill out on his roof every now and again?" Alfred turned to plant his butt on the shingles and stared at the clouds again.

Not at the clouds. Matthew gently guessed, "You're waiting for Arthur, aren't you?"

Alfred turned his head away.

Matthew propped his elbows against the window sill and sighed against the early Spring breeze. "He never stopped by again?"

"Dude, the only reason he stopped by several weeks ago was because your guy decided to scare a few years off of Dad with his demon stuff."

Matthew decided to let that go. "So, he hasn't sent a message or anything?"

Alfred snorted, still not looking him in the eye. "Nope! No texts, no phone calls, no messenger pigeons! Nada!" His head slumped against the house, and he grumbled, "He wasn't even here for that long, and wouldn't talk to me."

"He's probably just busy and has a bunch of stuff on his mind." Matthew prodded an unresponsive brother, "You know, like you said, 'Angel stuff.' I don't think we'll ever really know exactly what that means."

Instead of thanking Matthew for making sense, Alfred whined, "It's not fair, though. Why's he gotta do all that right after I lay down all the good stuff?"

"You mean, right after you come out of the closet?"

"Shut up." Alfred said to the sky, "I helped him with angel stuff before. Why can't I tag along now?"

Matthew wondered about all the strings and levers Ivan has to pull just to get his lands running smoothly again. "Sometimes it's better to let whoever knows what they're doing to do what they need to do."

Alfred started to look touched. "You...you think so?"

"Yeah! There are some things Ivan will never understand about the surface, and I'm sure I'm going to bump into more things that brush me the wrong way."

"Wait, more things-"

"The same goes for you and Arthur. Sometimes, what they do is what they have to do. As long as you're there for them in the end." Matthew smiled and held out a hand, "Come on. Let's go play X-box or something."

Alfred grinned and pushed from the roof. "I'd like that."