It's hard to believe this is it! I'm surprised I managed to get this far into the story. Something about it makes my heart happy, but I'm sad it's over. I'm thinking about postponing the new story of the New Girl and writing a new story with Ivan, but with someone else as the lead in it. I haven't decided entirely on who, but I think I know...

Anywho, On with the show!

Disclaimer- Tchüss!

Chapter 56

Ivan stood, a dark grin on his face, the aura that seemed to permeate the air around him nearly suffocating to others in the room, but Gil just stood still, a cocky grin on his face as he hopped on his toes, stretching out the muscles in his calves to try and boost his speed, even if just a little. He may be arrogant, but he wasn't stupid, and Gil realized he could get all the help he could get. Germany stood off to the side, Mattie and Alfred at the other corner, all watching with worry as Yao stepped up to referee this fight himself. "Go!" He yelled and Gil stepped forward slightly, bringing his hands up to protect his face as if it were a boxing match. He stepped back in shock and worry when instead of strategy Ivan grinned, a promise of pain in his eyes as he stomped his foot forward, not even thinking about being careful at this point. Ludwig slapped his hand over his face as Gil stumbled back, pressing against the ropes as Ivan stormed up to him and grasped the front of his shirt without thought and yanked his hand back, delivering a blow that would have killed any mortal being. Gil was tossed away like garbage, blood splattered the ground and it took a moment for Gil to regain his feet. Ivan watched with narrowed eyes as Gil darted past, just a blink til he was grasping at the wall of weapons, pulling down a long sword, feeling it's weight in his hands.

"It's been a while since I used one of these, and I'm pretty sure you remember that fight." Gil grinned, watching as Ivan walked near the wall. Gil ran in, swinging with deadly accuracy and strength, but Ivan just paused his step, the blow running before him before he walked the rest of the way to the wall, in two simple steps and Gil scurried back, terrified.

Ivan's eyes trailed the wall, but he could feel exactly where Gil was standing. He could hear the staggering breath, he could tell that there was a skull fracture that had punctured his sinus, and the excess moisture was dripping down Gils throat, causing his breath to sound wet. Ivan wondered how long til he was coughing up blood. He heard Ludwig's words.

"You're smart. You're good on your feet. You have this, Bruder. Fur Deutchland!" He grumbled and Gil nodded.

"Fur Deutchland." As Gil ran ahead, Ivan's fingers found something almost familiar as he grasped and turned, the sword catching on the pipe Ivan held over his head before flinging it up and over, tossing the blade away from his head.

"It's almost like the one I have at home!" Ivan cheered as he looked at the pipe, hearing a chuckle from Mattie off to the side. Ivan glanced up before darting forward, punching Gil in the stomach hard enough to force the blood from his lung before Ivan pushed back and kicked the Prussian square in the chest, forcing him to fall back against the ropes he'd just run from. Ivan took two steps over, grasping Gil by the throat with a single hand and lifted him. The sword fell useless from Gil's hands as he reached up, desperately trying to force the hand away from his airway and as Ivan clenched his hand, the laughter he emitted slowly grew louder. As Gil's hands started to lose their strength, his eyes unfocused as his lungs fought to work, Ivan tossed his head back, the laughter startling most in the room as a loud crunching sound was made and Gil's body was tossed to the floor. Ivan glanced over, seeing Mattie stare with wide eyes, a fear that Ivan hadn't seen there on the man before. His gaze shifted over to Aria, her face buried in Seborga's chest as he comforted her from what she'd seen and Gavriil held his hand over his mouth in shock.

Ivan glanced down to Gil, cursing loudly as he grasped the pipe he'd had in his hand and forced it down the Prussian's throat, knowing it was thin enough to not tear the skin while forcing open the airway. He yanked it back out and watched, seeing the steady breaths return to the man before he turned, choking and gasping, his eyes shifting back up to Ivan in outright terror before he turned to Ludwig who was already shaking, his eyes closed, waiting for the final blow from the man before him.

"I FORFIT!" Gil screamed out with the first steady breath he had and the room understood, but no one seemed to be able to break the sound of Ivan's terrifying laughter from their ears as they nodded.

"The winner is Russia, Ivan Braginsky."Yao called, hearing the room stay in complete silence as Ivan hopped over the ropes and ran from the room. Mattie sighed and took off after him.

It took a couple of minutes to find him in a walkway, shaking like a leaf, his eyes wide and nearly shimmering in tears as he tried to calm himself. "Ivan?"

"Don't..." Ivan turned, looking up at Mattie with wide eyes, fear showing brightly as Mattie stepped closer, laying his hand on his bicep with a soft smile.

"I know you won't hurt me." Mattie spoke softly, hearing as Ivan held back a sob, his legs barely able to keep him standing against the wall. Mattie stepped forward, bringing him into a hug as he collapsed to the floor, unable to hold back his cries. "Why are you so upset? I thought you wanted to win." Mattie asked quietly, running his hands over Ivan's back, feeling the tension that seemed almost painful.

"I forgot. I forgot that I'm a monster. What I did to Gil..."

"He would have done to you if he could have. Not to mention, you were fighting him for me, right? You wanted to make sure I didn't have to kiss him?" Mattie looked up as Ivan nodded and wiped tears from his eyes. "Go back down, Ivan. You know you're going to have to face everyone again soon." Mattie watched as Ivan's eyes shifted down the hall and he nodded softly before looking down at Mattie.

"You'll stay with me, right?" His voice was almost painfully weak and Mattie smiled with a nod.

"Always."

When Ivan came back in the first thing they noticed, instead of the childlike innocence he showed that terrified everyone else, he had a childlike stance, but it was terrified. He wouldn't let go of Matthew the whole night, nodding and mumbling, keeping his chin tucked down to his chest. He barely looked anyone in the eyes and by the end of the night everyone in the family was worried.

"Papa? Are you alright?" Anya asked, crawling onto his lap at dinner as she leaned back, resting her back on his stomach and looked right up into his eyes. He looked at her, surprised for a moment before looking up hesitantly at the rest of the children who all looked at him with worry. He looked over to Mattie, seeing worry, but pride in his eyes as he watched. Alfred smiled and shook his head, somehow understanding the situation better than anyone else would have realized while Arthur and Francis watched, waiting for him to say something to comfort the girl on his lap.

"Da, I'm fine. I'm sorry." He mumbled as he wrapped his arms around her, hugging her close and heard her giggle in happiness, seeing him smile again. "I've just had a lot on my mind." He spoke, looking up to see Seborga and Aria smiling at him, Gavriil leaning against the table with his own grin.

"Don't worry, Papa." Gavriil spoke. "We're still proud of you." He watched as Ivan nodded, a smile breaking across his face as tears came to his eyes.

"Благодарю вас так много моих детей. Я люблю вас всех очень дорого." Ivan cried as he hugged Anya close, hearing a happy giggle as a reply.

"Не плачь, папа." She reached up and wiped away a tear and Ivan shook his head.

"It's happy. It's alright, Da?"

"Da!" She cheered as she hugged him and for the first time since he'd won the competition, Ivan felt a bit proud of himself.

It was a couple of hours later that Ivan was at the closing ceremony for the event. Ivan and Alfred were presented with medals and were told the paperwork for the winnings was already being sent to their governments. Alfred cheered and jumped up with a grin and the crowd ate it up while Ivan stood back with a soft smile and watched the group. He had intended to let Alfred take all of the limelight when the man reached back and grasped Ivan's hand, lifting it up over his head and cheered louder, making the group cheer more. Ivan stared, surprised at the group for a while before he laughed and hugged Alfred. "You still not used to being cheered?" Alfred asked and Ivan shook his head, blushing as he turned back to the crowd and shyly stepped back, kicking the floor, finding a way to play with his feet. "Just like that farmer I met so long ago. It's amazing how much you can change, but still stay the same." Alfred laughed and Ivan turned to him with a nod as Yao stepped back up, offering all competitors a seat at a huge dinner he had planned that night.

Mattie ended out staying at the hotel with the kids, for the first time enjoying the time he was able to relax, while Ivan felt so nervous under everyone's eyes. He was surprised when he felt a hand clasp over his shoulder and looked up, seeing Gil frowning down at him. "The doctor said if you hadn't shoved that pipe down my throat and reopened my airway I'd be on a ventilator for a week. You knew what you were doing there, didn't you?"

"Ah. Da. I let myself get carried away." Ivan frowned, sweat breaking out across his forehead as the guilt hit, seeing Gil in a neck brace.

"It's fine, apparently you fixed it. No harm, no foul, Ja?" He cackled and held out his hand. "Good game."

"Good game. Thank you." Ivan shook his hand and looked up, seeing a shimmer of disappointment before Gil turned back to Ludwig.

By the time Ivan made it back to the hotel, his nerves were shot. Mattie had packed up everything and they decided to sleep on the plane back to Canada. Alfred and Francis decided to follow along, each informing their governments that since they were family with the winner, they were hoping to talk the nations into sharing a part of their winnings. Arthur, on the other hand, informed his government that he was cutting the cost of their own exports to Canada drastically to make up for the fact that he'd helped talk the nation into not competing with his boyfriend, who he'd already agreed to fight beside.

What none of the other governments knew was Alfred and Ivan, in an attempt to share for diplomatic relations, decided they'd already split the winnings 20% each. Everyone slept fairly well on the private plane, and enjoyed their breakfast before landing at the airport around lunch time.

"It seems so long since we left, but it's only been six days, hasn't it?" Ivan turned to Mattie who nodded, an understanding smile on his face.

"I'm sure Illyana and Nikolai will be happy to have their own room again." Mattie chuckled as Mikhail came through.

"And me. Don't forget about me." He shivered, looking at his kids with a smile that spoke a million words. He needed a vacation after this 'vacation'.

"I hope you don't have anything too much planned for tonight." Mattie asked and Ivan shook his head, watching with curiosity at the drastic change of topic.

"Нет, ничего." He watched as Dmitri shook his head.

"Papa Ivan! Papa Matvey doesn't understand!" the child spoke loudly as they ran past, heading up to their bedrooms for showers and to rest up before lunch time. (Lunch was ordered, as Mattie didn't want the staff to revolt.)

"I have nothing planned." Ivan reworded, watching as Mattie nodded. "Do you have something planned?"

"I do, actually. I'm planning to take you out tonight." Mattie spoke with a smile as Ivan lit up.

"That might be good. I have... something I want to talk to you about alone. If we're heading out, it might be the best time." He spoke up and Mattie nodded, smiling at him.

It was a few hours later that Mattie and Ivan headed out, the children all sitting around, relaxing for the day with the older children reading a few books to the younger kids, the staff making sure everyone had snacks and a drink before bedtime when they quietly slid from the door.

They didn't bother dressing up this time. Mattie wore his hoodie and jeans, a button up under it, figuring that would make him formal enough for later that night. Ivan wore his coat, figuring when it was time he'd just take it off, knowing he wore the button up and tie he usually wore beneath the jacket. Mattie took him out to a few nice gardens, and they went for a walk through a gorgeous aquarium where they spent half an hour looking at the fish before heading to a nice dinner at a gorgeous restaurant that Mattie had made reservations for. (Over a week ago, and that only went through when he said his name. Being a country did have it's good points, he had to admit!) When they were sat down and looked over the menu Mattie turned nervous. His hands shook and his eyes kept shifting up to Ivans. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest as his hand carefully and almost nonstop rubbed over the velvet box in his pocket.

Ivan had enjoyed the gardens, seeing a lot of pretty flowers he wasn't used to seeing in Russia. He barely looked at the fish in the aquarium, having much more fun watching the childlike joy in Mattie's eyes as he looked around. He knew this night would make him the happiest ever, if only his nerves would stop freaking out on him. His forehead was damp with sweat, he removed his jacket as Mattie slid off his hoodie. They regarded each other in their outfits, not even noticing the nerves or sweat on the other as they both panicked. The food was brought out and they ate in silence. Mattie knew with how sweet Ivan was, he should wait til just after desert was done.

'I should propose after desert is done.' Ivan thought. 'I don't' want him to forget to eat it, since I know they have those crepes he loves so much.' Ivan smiled happily as he ate, knowing the time was coming near.

Food was eaten, the desert was gone and just before the bill was brought out Ivan reached out and grasped Mattie's hand, swallowing hard before looking over, seeing wide violet eyes shining on his. "Matvey, there's something I need to ask you." Ivan spoke softly before standing and hugging Mattie, whispering into his ear. "You've been with me through so much. So many things have happened, and I know if I didn't have you at my side, I would be lost." He leaned back, looking into curious eyes as Ivan took a deep breath, steadying himself before lowering himself to one knee. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small black velvet box and looked up, seeing Mattie's eyes wide on him.

"Ivan?"

"Matvey, will you stay with me forever?" He asked as he opened the box, showing a silver band with diamond and ammolite all the way around.

Mattie stared for a moment in shock, hearing a few voices from the surrounding tables about how he looked ready to run before he glanced up into Ivan's eyes, seeing the same worry he'd been feeling all night. Mattie's legs trembled too much and he ended out falling to his own knees before reaching into his pocket and pulled out a similar velvet box and opened it, showing Ivan a similar band with diamond and alexandrite. "I made this reservation so I could propose to you." Mattie whispered, tears in his eyes as it dawned on them both really what had just happened. Ivan stared at the ring Mattie held out with wide eyes before looking up at Mattie and choked back tears.

"You already... wanted to marry me?" He asked, surprised and excited, but almost painfully so.

"Yeah." Mattie wiped a tear from his eye as Ivan nearly pounced, wrapping his arms around the man before him.

"I love you, Matvey. For ever and ever, I will love you." Ivan grinned, finally letting his joy show as Mattie laughed and hugged him back.

"Forever and ever, huh? That sounds nice." He cried, but the smile couldn't be broken from his face.

The restaurant was filled with clapping and some laughter at those who had understood what had happened.

Translations-

Благодарю вас так много моих детей. Я люблю вас всех очень дорого.-

Thank you my children. I love you all dearly.

Не плачь, папа.-

Don't cry, Papa.

Only the epilogue left! I hope you all enjoyed! I'll see you tomorrow for the very last chapter!

Auf Wiedersehen!

Jaßmin