Blood to bleed

Chapter 5: The kind of hurt that burns and burns, like fires we can't contain

A/N: I have the best readers! You guys just make my day WAY BETTER! Lots of love from Texas!
Also the reason the other chapter was so short, you can blame my annoying friend who looks down on my writing and kept bothering me. Also, this one will be short too, my mom has gotten a job and now I have to help cook, wash dishes, sweep, ect. Normally that isn't a problem except I've been getting home around five and I got to bed at ten so it only gives me a few hours to write.

When the sun decided to rise, Ivan and Arthur both woke up. Arthur practically jumped out the window to go to his house and change, while Ivan trudged to the shower. When he got out a smirking face met his eyes. Gilbert. Wonderful.

"So, where've you been?" He asked, leaning against the door frame.

"None of you business." Ivan retorted, walking down the stairs.

"It's cool, you can tell me, I mean, what kind of boy doesn't come home late and wasn't with a girl? A loser, that's who." Gilbert laughed. Ivan's eye twitched in severe annoyance. His phone dinged from inside his room and he went to go get it. He flipped the phone open and saw the text; 'Skipping school today, gonna go see Matt. Wanna come with me?'

Ivan sighed, he wanted to join Arthur but he had to leave today for the trial, it started tomorrow and who knew how long he would stay in Russia. Hopefully Mathew would be okay by then, but he knew it wasn't good. Alfred wouldn't have been crying if it wasn't. Ivan began to think about yesterday, maybe it wasn't entirely Alfred's fault? Had someone seen them talking together? Was it a warning or a call to war?

Ivan sighed, it was no use. What was done was done and he couldn't change the past, now all he could do was hope for the best and be there for the both of them. He got his bag and left early for school, even though he was leaving, Katyusha promised to pick him up during lunch. Katyusha never broke her promises.

He hadn't talked to his brothers, but he wasn't in the mood to talk. Not about anything so he grabbed an apple and walked out the door. He checked his phone and noticed the time, six am. Even if he walked slowly he would be early. Maybe he could catch up with Arthur and see Mathew. He nodded, he remembered where the hospital was.

He veered to the left and ran the rest of the way, casually walking through the double doors and asking for Mathew's room.

"213, on the eighth floor." The nurse smiled, Ivan thanked her and took the elevator, once it dinged at the eight he sprinted down to room 213. He gingerly knocked and the door opened revealing a haggard Arthur. He wore a plain, ripped Pink Floyd shirt that had the words 'I hate' written above the original logo. Arthur's jeans weren't his usual black with chains, they were faded blue with rips at the knees. He was remarkably dressed down.

"Ivan, you came. Come in, you must be tired from coming all the way here." Arthur tried and failed to smile, he looked haunted and fear was evident in his eyes. Ivan walked in quietly and saw a body hooked up to several machines. Tubes of all sizes weaved around the catatonic body and a ventilator whirred quietly in the background. Ivan swallowed, the lump in his throat wouldn't go away. Right next to the body was Alfred, clutching for dear life on the body's blue hand that had tubes sticking out of it also, like the rest of his body.

"Mattie, please don't leave me. Life would be terrible without you. I love you and I know you will be better." Alfred chanting like a broken record, his voice was soft yet so scratchy and drenched in exhaustion.

"Al, you should really get some sleep." Arthur whispered. Alfred's eyes widened like dinner plates, he clutched harder and tears silently seeped out his eyes.

"No, no, no, NO! What if he wakes up? Or what if he...he...!" Alfred shook his head vigorously, Arthur frowned but let it go. Ivan walked slowly towards Alfred, afraid he might spook him.

"Fredka? Are you okay? Have you slept or eaten at all since we left?" He asked tentatively. Alfred seemed like he didn't hear but he spoke a few minutes later.

"No, I'm okay. I don't need sleep. Mathew can sleep for me, and I'll be awake for him." He said, smiling fondly at his brother before a broken scowl replaced it. The same haunted, fearful eyes that Arthur had were evident in Alfred's as well.

Ivan took a long good look at the body. It was blue, hooked up, and well, frail. His chest rose artificially and his eyes were closed. His wheat colored hair was matted from the laying down and his face held no color. Over all he looked like the living dead, hopefully he would be fine.

"Did they...?" Ivan asked but trailed off, unsure. Arthur nodded.

"A piece was wedged in between his rib, next to his heart. It seems that he was stabbed a total of three times. Once in the stomach, once in the rib, and the other in his hand. The knife went completely through his hand, and the knife was twisted when it got his stomach, so his intestines are damaged. There's a good chance they might get infected." Arthur finally explained, but in a small, quiet voice.

"I see." Suddenly things didn't seem to have much hope, it was bleak for Mathew and everyone knew it, it was a miracle that he even lasted this long with his extensive wounds. Ivan checked his phone and was shocked to see it was almost eight.

"Uh! I have to go! I'm so sorry! See you later Arthur, Fredka!" With that Ivan rushed out the door and ran all the way to school, messenger bag slapping his thigh painfully. When he got there he was glad he wasn't late. He bolted to his class and sat where he was supposed to, but he couldn't help but overhear his classmates conversations.

"Yeah, I heard he got stabbed."

"By who?"

"Obviously Ludwig and his gang! Ludwig hates Alfred, so who else would he target? His brother of course!"

"Are you sure?"

"Of course! Who else would stab Alfred's brother? Nobody even notices the kid."

"Yeah, you have a point..."

"I heard he could die..."

"Yeah...It's kinda depressing."

Alfred's P.O.V

I wasn't expecting it to happen, especially in front of my eyes. It happened so quickly, I knew it was a bad idea to walk ahead of him. If only I had actually stayed with him! Mat and I were both walking home, he liked walking by himself so I walked a little ways ahead of him, not really caring much, I was busy talking about random things, from Ivan's eyes to Mr. Freeman being a jerk to Ivan. I stopped walking when I heard no footsteps behind me and Mat had yet to turn the corner. I walked back and I didn't expect to see a trail of blood, my brother's blood. I ran, calling out in sheer panic and racing to and fro looking desperately for my brother, then I heard it. A dying whimper, and a call for help. I ran towards the sound and saw my baby brother by four minutes bleeding profusely through several holes in his body. Tears spilled from my eyes and I tried in vain to comfort my brother as I called 911, when they finally picked up I screamed down the phone that my twin was dying and the street we were on. The lady told me to tell her what happened and I yelled that he had been stabbed, by who I didn't know. Mathew had lost consciousness by then and I prayed he wasn't dead. My own clothes, my own hands, were stained with my brother's blood and I couldn't stop shaking. He couldn't die! Not because of my mistake!

I shook him to help him regain consciousness but to no avail, he didn't even twitch. Finally I heard the sirens and I got up and flagged them down, they rushed to my fallen brother and ushered me into the ambulance to ride with him. I was miserable, they had to help him breathe. I felt like I was the one dying, the one that was stabbed, the one who was coldly targeted for something I had nothing to do with. I held his hand, even though his grip was non-existent. They finally got to the hospital and ushered me into the emergency room, I sat in the chair and wallowed in my despair. Soon, I called Arthur, he'd know who did it and he'd know what to do about it. After I estimate was thirty minutes, he arrived with Ivan in toe. Despite myself, I threw my body against Arthur's and sobbed, the pent up tears, the pent up frustration, all seeped out as I cried.

"He was innocent! He didn't do anything! Then they just...They just...Stabbed him!" I bawled. Suddenly a weird ring tone went off but I paid it no mind. I faintly heard Ivan talk to his sister about something, but I was too enraptured in my crying to really hear. Even though I could hear nothing but my own broken sobs, I heard the voice that I had come to dislike. My mother was here.

I love my mother don't get me wrong, but I just don't like her. I mean she didn't hit (thankfully) but she's very rude and cynical (even more so than Arthur) and just plain mean. She hated all of my friends and was mean to all of them, especially Arthur and Kiku. Not to mention she always owed Yao's parents money.

My dad tolerated my friends to an extent, after a few hours with them he'd get mad. He was nice to them, but with Arthur he had no patients for. One time they both chased Arthur out of the house when he made a comment about how disgusting the government was or something, of course being Arthur he laughed the whole way out and yelled for me to call him when I had a chance. I never did get to call him that day.

My mother started to yell at Ivan and I fell to tears again.

"Mom, dad, please! They're my friends!" I cried and was racked with more sobs. Suddenly my arms were twisted and I met Amethyst eyes, forgetting my gawking parents. Ivan lowered his head and kissed my tears away, his lips were warm, contradicting his cold touch. I closed my eyes and blushed, was this real or a twisted dream?

"Everything will be okay, da?" His voice was soft and I nodded. I felt like I was exploding and being crushed in at the same time! My head was spinning rapidly and I clutched onto him for balance.

His lips moved down to mine and he chastely kissed me, it was soft and caring, concerned yet he knew I was going to be okay. When he pulled away I felt my face slowly heat up until it was beet red.

After the kiss, Arthur and Ivan both had to go and I was disappointed, I wanted to kiss Ivan until I couldn't kiss him anymore. I felt a sting on my cheek and noticed my mother had slapped me, I felt stupid. I didn't tell Ivan my parents where homophobic, I held my cheek as more tears slipped out of my eyes.

"You...YOU DISGUST ME! TOMORROW GET YOUR THINGS AND LEAVE! I WILL NOT HAVE A FAGGOT FOR A SON!" My mom screamed at me. I hid my face in my hands and sat down once again, what could I do? They left after that, leaving me reeling, like I did something evil.

Finally Mathew got a room and I moved in there, I slept by his side on the chair. Thinking about my life, how it had spiraled out of control and who would want this to happen to me...It was obvious. Ludwig wanted me dead, but he couldn't just kill me, I was too well known and our feud was famous in school. Nobody remembered Mathew, only the kid he always talked to, but even he mixed us up.

"Goodnight, baby brother. I love you."

A/N: I want to get in the habit of updating. During the weekdays it will be 3-4 pages long maybe 5 if I'm lucky. On the weekends 6-7 pages long. I'm sorry it's soo short but blame my parents and random people who text me!