Thanks Guest for your review, it made me really happy ^^ I'm glad you liked it so much.
When the meeting was done for the day, America received congratulations from a dozen different nations about his change, and as much support for the times to come. Alfred thanked every one of them politely with a charming smile, waved goodbye to the rest of the room, and put his headphones on.
One of the perks of being the host's son was getting to know the quiet exits of a building and avoid any unnecessary attention. Not that the emergency stairs were an official exit per se, but it wasn't like anyone would do anything to prevent him from using them.
The blond nation put some rock tune on, and walked toward the door his father had told him about without hearing his twin. Matthew had left a minute after his brother, and wanted to suggest some time together in a café, maybe go visit something together.
Instead, Alfred found himself suddenly face to face with Russia when the tall nation walked out of another room. Both of them stopped, and time seemed to freeze for a second. Then, America smiled and unplugged his headphones.
"Ivan" he nodded.
"Alfred" Russia replied, much more coldly.
"I think the exit is the other way" Alfred indicated, still smiling.
"I'm aware" Ivan retorted in a clipped voice. "Too many people. I was planning on using the stairs."
"What a fortunate coincidence" the young nation said sweetly, if somewhat ironically, "so was I. Looks like we're going to leave together."
Alfred's voice was light, but his eyes were cold. Ivan's own eyes narrowed, and he glared at the American. Tension built for a minute in a heavy silence, but neither of them noticed Matthew stepping away to avoid being seen.
Ivan broke the silence first. "I don't think so. Your headphones are a clear message about your wish to be alone."
Alfred shrugged nonchalantly. "Nonsense. Wind of Change is a beautiful song" he admitted with a hint of irony in his voice, "but it would be rude of me to listen to music while you're here" the blond stated with a bright smile, and pocketed his phone and headphones.
Ivan gritted his teeth, and felt the flash of pain showing in his eyes. Of course, Alfred would mention that song again, and stirred the memory of their first date in Moscow. Worst was the warm feeling in his chest at the idea that Alfred would actually remember some of the anecdotes Ivan had told him that day. God forbid Ivan could let go of all hope entirely. Yet, he scolded his features in a blank mask, and pushed the door open for them both. Alfred followed, and they started walking down the stairs in silence.
Neither was aware of Canada following them, a frown on his face and his ability to make himself unnoticeable at its maximum. Not for the first time, Matthew mentally thanked his dad and uncle for teaching him how to use his gift. He didn't use it often since he wasn't one to pry, but desperate times called for desperate measures and this situation was definitely weird.
"You really outdid yourself today" Ivan finally said.
"Why, thank you" Alfred chuckled. "I wanted to make it clear that I was back and ready to stay on top."
The Russian snorted. "You certainly succeeded in making most of them wanting to see you on top" he said without completely masking the bitterness and contempt in his voice. The other nations' attitude toward Alfred still made him want to break something. Preferably someone's skull.
"Is that so ?" America asked with a fake innocence that none of them bought.
"Don't act like you didn't notice everyone was fawning all over you."
"Including you ?" Alfred shot back with a dangerous glint in his sky-blue eyes.
Ivan stayed silent for a second, chosing his words carefully. They were at one of the small floor platforms when he finally answered. "I don't think this question needs answering."
"You're right" the young nation approved, "it doesn't." Then Alfred moved so suddenly that in a flash, Ivan found himself with his back pressed against the metallic railing, Alfred's body almost touching his. The two powerful nations looked at each other, their faces barely separated by a few inches of air.
Alfred smirked. "Why would I need your words, when your body already speaks for you ?" he said sweetly, and Ivan cursed inwardly. They were so close, yet Alfred could just as well have been hundreds of miles away and the breach between them would have been the same.
"You should know better than to play that game" Ivan warned him, his lilac eyes glaring at the American. Anger and hatred were still familiar enough that Ivan could invoke them to hide the suffocating pain he felt in his chest.
"Oh, don't worry, I have no intention to play forever" Alfred answered easily.
The young nation put his hands on the railing, right beside Ivan's, and closed the distance between their bodies. The unexpected contact made Ivan shiver and his eyes widened for a second. When Alfred spotted the spark of hope in the lilac orbs, he lent forward and pressed his lips against Ivan's for a brief kiss.
One second later, he had moved away, unphased, smiling brightly and ready to go down the rest of the stairs. Alfred took his headphones out of his pocket again, and glanced one last time at the Russian.
"The day your feelings for me die, I'll stop."
And the young nation walked away, leaving Russia behind him. Ivan stayed still against the railing, unable to move.
Once Alfred was out of sight and out of earshot, Matthew stopped using his power and walked down the few steps he needed to join his former best friend. Russia didn't move an inch when the Canadian arrived, his eyes lost in a sea of conflicted emotions.
"Ivan ?" Matthew asked softly, without masking the concern in his voice.
The Russian blinked then noticed the other nation's presence. "Matve" he nodded in greetings. "I didn't hear you coming."
"I was looking for my brother" Matthew explained.
"I see" Ivan answered. "So you heard everything" he added, not even bothering with making it a question.
"I did" Canada confirmed, and frowned. "And I have to admit an explanation would be most welcome."
"Then go ask your brother" Ivan shrugged, and finally put his hands off the railing to slide them in his pockets.
"I would, but it would be useless."
"You're his twin. Surely he won't have any secret for you" Ivan countered.
Matthew paused for a minute, then grew extremely serious. "I don't think he'll tell me, not this time. Alfred refused to say a word of what happened between the two of you on the night he blew up Trump."
Ivan arched an eyebrow, then let a small smile graze his lips. He didn't think Alfred would stay true to his word to the point where even his twin wouldn't get to know about it. There was something strangely comforting in the idea that he had kept his revenge a secret. Or it was a sign that Ivan was slowly but certainly losing his mind, which was possible as well.
"Then I guess it's not my story to tell either" Ivan said with a casualness he was far from feeling.
Canada studied him for a long time, then rolled his eyes and used what the Russian knew to be his no-nonsense voice. "Ivan, I don't think I'll ever forgive you what you did to my brother. But the both of you have been acting weird since that night, and today was just the epitome of it."
"As observant as always" Ivan chuckled.
"One of the perks of being invisible" Matthew smirked in a playful way. "I notice things no one else does. Like how unusually white your hands were this morning after the break."
"Now that sounds absurd" the Russian dismissed lightly.
"No, it sounds like you trying to hide how furious you were" Canada countered easily. "Like it or not, I know you and I know what you look like when you're close to snap and murder someone. I'm honestly surprised everyone made it through the day alive."
Ivan's jaw tensed up. It was the first time they actually spoke since Matthew had made it clear their friendship was over, and he had not planned for the Canadian nation to decipher his actions of the day so easily.
"I don't think anyone else noticed that" Ivan stated in the hope it would discourage his former best friend.
Matthew arched an eyebrow derisively. "And I don't think anyone else noticed my brother pushing you against a railing, kissing you and leaving as if nothing had happened. So ?"
The Russian considered his options for a minute. On one side, he missed Matve's friendship and this might be his only chance at rebuilding it. But on the other side, the idea of sharing the truth about that fateful evening between Alfred and him was a rather unpleasant one. In the end, Ivan decided to trust Matthew's discretion. His Canadian friend was the most reliable one when it came to keeping secrets.
Ivan sighed, but gave in. "Fine. But I won't discuss that subject on the emergency stairs of an official building."
"There's a small café three blocks from here" Matthew suggested immediately. "It's quiet and there won't be any nation there."
Ivan nodded, trusting Matthew's confidence, and follow the young nation in Paris' streets.
Before long, they were sitting in the back of a room, far from the other customers and their orders in front of them. The waiter had looked surprised at Ivan's stature and Matthew's stuffed polar bear, but hadn't say anything.
Ivan took a sip of his coffee, surprised to notice it was way above the average quality one could usually find in the French capital, and tried to smile innocently.
"I'm happy we can spend some time together again."
"That's not what this is and you know it" Matthew denied immediately. He was obviously not ready to consider Russia his friend again. "I want answers, Ivan."
Russia sighed, dropped his smile, and started telling the young nation everything that had happened. Matthew didn't interrupt him once, and did his best to contain his shock at the revealing of the truth. When Ivan stopped talking, the Canadian took a deep breath, and put both of his hands on the table, his gaze fixated on the content of his cup. It took him a solid minute to coordinate everything he had just heard with what he already knew and what he had seen.
"So" Matthew said slowly, "just to make sure I got it right. You fell in love with my brother, but you only realised it after seeing him in danger, and as a payback for breaking his heart, he's keeping you in the dark about his own feelings for you."
"This is a valid summary of the situation" Ivan admitted. He probably would have felt embarrassed if Matthew didn't look so ready to bang his head on the table in disbelief. The Canadian nation took a long sip of his hot chocolate, put his cup back on the table, and focused on its content once again.
"And I suppose we're not talking about mere infatuation or lust ?" Matthew asked, but his tone made it clear that he was already certain of the answer.
Ivan sent him a rather blasé look. "If it was that simple, he wouldn't use it against me" the Russian reminded his former friend with a layer of sarcasm. "And I wouldn't have had to restrain myself from eviscerating every single idiot who checked out his ass today."
Canada's chuckle stopped in his throat when he felt the murderous aura emanating from his former best friend. Ivan's eyes were glaring daggers at the nearest wall, and Matthew knew him well enough to tell how serious this threat was. Ivan was not kidding, or even extrapolating.
Given how most single nations had reacted all day to Alfred's new style, it was no wonder Russia was still barely containing himself.
"I see" Matthew said cautiously. "What are you going to do, then ?"
"It's not like I can actually do anything" Ivan sighed.
"What do you mean ?" Canada asked with a frown.
"When I say Alfred's keeping me in the dark, I mean he's constantly sending me small signals" the Russian nation explained, thinking of the little events spread throughout the day. "Not enough to let me think there's a solid chance he likes me back, but too much to make me think there's no hope left."
They fell silent. Ivan was lost in a mix of memories, conflicted feelings and a form of admiration for Alfred's game. Matthew was busy observing him. The Canadian knew Ivan better than most nations, and thus could tell with certainty how much of a nervous wreck the Russian currently was. There was no doubt he had told the truth, be it on what had happened months ago or about his feelings for Alfred.
Everything was making perfect sense with the few details Alfred had mentionned here and there, and with the scene Matthew had witnessed in the stairs. Unfortunately, it put the Canadian nation in a very delicate position, one where every option seemed to be the wrong one, and every decision had the potential to lead to a disaster.
Matthew hold his polar bear closer to him, and thought about what he knew, what he suspected, and what would make the people he loved happy. After a few minutes, he cursed inwardly for being too forgiving, and decided to trust his guts.
"I will talk to my brother. See if I can learn more" he explained when Ivan looked at him in concern. "Alfred is good at playing with other people's emotions, but I'm better. I'll find a way to make him open up to me."
The Russian looked at him in complete bewilderment. "You would do that for me ? After everything I've done ?"
Matthew sighed deeply. "Just to make things clear, I still haven't forgiven you. But if you truly love my brother, and it looks like you do... well, it changes a lot of things, you see ?"
Ivan nodded, and his eyes flashed with irony for a second. Indeed, he saw what Matthew meant. "I'd appreciate if you could keep all of this to yourself. I still have a reputation to uphold."
The Canadian nation promised to not say a word about it to anyone, and they decided to leave. Once they were outside, they talked for a few more minutes before going their separate way. Just before they parted, Matthew decided to warn the Russian.
"Be careful" he told Ivan seriously. "The next days are probably going to be worse."
"What are you talking about ?" Ivan asked, and a feeling of dread ensnared his heart.
"I know my brother. He never does things half-way. Today was designed to make heads turn, but I wouldn't be surprised if he stepped up his game tomorrow by flirting with a couple of people just to mess with you" Matthew explained, and there was a hint of compassion in his voice.
Ivan felt his fists clench in his pockets, and his eyes grow cold. He thanked Canada for his warning, and left to go back to the hotel.
His thoughts stormed in his head all the way back. The simple sight of shallow dumbasses ogling Alfred all day had been nearly too much to bear. Imagining Alfred openly flirting with any of those superficial nations nearly made him snap in the middle of the street, and he had to breathe deeply for a minute to get his bloodlust under control.
He couldn't accept the idea of Alfred seriously dating any of them. None of those assholes saw him for who he was, none of them were probably even interested in learning who he was behind his new appearance. Ivan wasn't stupid enough to not notice that the young nation had simply traded one mask for another.
But if Alfred decided to use this new pretense to flirt with them nonetheless, and if one of them appealed to him enough to make him want to take things further... The bloodlust returned tenfold, and Ivan decided to look where Paris' worst neighbourhoods were located. Just in case he needed to blow off some steam after tomorrow's meetings.
A/N : I'll be moving in and out of town for the next two weeks, so it's going to change a bit my updating schedule.
I'm going to do my best to ensure you can get a chapter no matter what, but it'll probably be on Sunday instead of Saturday.