Dro: Hey, in case anyone didn't get the memo from World Powers, I've set up a World Powers forum for questions and discussion. And, if anyone would like a forum for A Cracking in the Looking Glass and this story (which I call the Wonderverse), do tell me, and I'll put one up right away. Other than that, I just ask the usual. Please read and review!

Chapter Summary: Matthew and Ivan enjoy a night at home together. Then Yao comes for a visit...

Warnings: Violence, Language

Disclaimer: Dro will never own APH. It's just that simple. And sad. So, so, so sad.

"Come sit, Matvey! The game is on!" Ivan called.

Matthew grabbed the popcorn and chips and rushed back into the living room, where Ivan was resting on the couch, his feet propped up on Matthew's old coffee table. Matthew plopped down next to him and sat the snacks on the table. "Did I miss anything?" He glued his eyes to the TV screen, where he watched the hockey game commence.

"Nyet. It just started."

Matthew smiled and scooted closer to the man next to him. "I'm glad you decided to come."

A light smile brushed Ivan's lips. "I promised you, da?"

"Yeah. You did. But you're always busy, and I was afraid something would come up."

Ivan's hand rose up and caressed his cheek. "I would not miss this for the world Matvey, spending time with you."

Matthew turned his head away, hiding his blush. When he'd invited Ivan over last week, he'd almost been sure the man would decline. They had never been particularly open about their relationship, and spending too much time together was suspicious. Matthew had expected it to get even worse after Al and Ludwig had described their harrowing adventure in the parallel universe, where Al had fought and killed another Ivan. Ivan had been enraged at Alfred for several weeks after that, and even now, four years later, Ivan refused to say more than a sentence at a time to Alfred.

Matthew was conflicted about this. He loved Ivan, but he loved Alfred too. He couldn't cut either one out of his life, so he was forced to work in time with them in a way that would allow them to completely avoid each other. Which was hard considering Alfred liked to burst in to his house for a "surprise" visit at random times. More like a "Ivan check" visit. He still remembered with perfect clarity the time that Ivan and Alfred had ended up in a fist fight in the middle of his hallway a few months back. He still hadn't gotten that wall fixed.

"Matvey?"

"Hmm?"

Ivan was looking at him worriedly. "Are you all right? You seem distracted."

"Oh, no, I'm fine." He sank bank into the sofa cushion. "Just thinking."

"I see."

Matthew inwardly cringed. Ivan no doubt knew what he was thinking. It was a common annoyance, Alfred's intrusion into their relationship. Matthew was afraid to admit that it was straining their relationship. It didn't help that Alfred had been treating him differently since he'd returned. His brother had never been this affectionate to him before. But every time they were together, Alfred ended up a little too close and a little too touchy. Matthew knew this was a result of Alfred's relationship with the other Canada from that place, and he wished he could do something to alleviate Alfred's feelings.

Arthur and Alfred were in a stable relationship, as far as he knew. Of course, they still had arguments, but they'd always done that. In the four years they'd been dating, though, nothing serious had ever threatened their relationship, and Matthew couldn't help but smile when saw them together, finally openly admitting the feelings they'd had for each other for who knew how long. The other nations hadn't been surprised to find out to they had feelings for each other, but they'd certainly been surprised to see they'd finally stopped pretending they didn't. Alfred and Arthur had always been stubborn and oblivious when it came to one another. Until now. Now they actually knew each other. They finally let themselves begin to understand the other. And with that, Matthew found himself relaxing more and more every day as he watched their relationship become more and more stable and deep.

He flicked his eyes up to Ivan. The man was watching the TV with excited eyes. Hockey was something they could both enjoy, and it didn't involve them going into public. Public and Ivan didn't typically mix, as Matthew had learned in the past. Ivan had tended to isolate him from human beings in the past, and he was awkward and uncomfortable around large crowds. Matthew could respect that too. After all, he wasn't exactly the most outgoing person in the world himself. He could enjoy a quiet night in watching a good game just the same as Ivan.

So that was what he did. He snuggled closer to the man he loved, and eventually, Ivan put an arm around him. Amidst their shouts of anger and intermittent cheers, they munched happily on popcorn and chips. Ivan had—like usual—brought a bottle of vodka with him, but Matthew was adamant about saving it for later. He hated getting drunk during games. It ruined the memories. Ivan had grumbled about this little quirk at first, but he'd gotten over it for Matthew's sake.

When the game ended, Matthew stretched his legs and yawned. "You want something to eat? We haven't had a real meal. I can fix something."

"If you'd like, Matvey. I don't want to become an inconvenience."

Matthew smiled and leaned down, pecking Ivan on the lips. "You're never an inconvenience to me, Ivan. Let me go preheat the oven. I'll be right back." He scuttled off toward the kitchen, thinking about what kind of romantic meal he could cook for the two of them.

Ivan watched him go, smiling to himself. He liked Matvey. He liked Matvey a lot. Despite being rather timid and shy, Matvey wasn't afraid of him. And that was more than he could say about most people. Originally, he'd thought Matvey was a fool for being so open and easygoing around him. People were likely to get hurt around him. That had been the past though. When Ivan had thought himself a monster, and thus, portrayed himself as such to others. He had changed his opinion of himself over the years. He still considered himself rather dangerous. He was prone to violence, and occasionally, he lost control of himself. But Matvey stuck with him anyway. Matvey was the only one able to calm him down when he lost his temper, the only one Ivan could see himself really being with. He and Matvey had an understanding of each that Ivan had been searching for in another for countless years. It had taken him this long to find it, and he wasn't planning on letting it go anytime soon.

He listened to the sounds of Matvey's strong, yet delicate hands working in the kitchen. He picked up the remote and turned the TV off, resolving to help him cook dinner. But just as he rose, the doorbell rang, and he paused. He heard Matvey pause too. He obviously hadn't been expecting anyone. "I will get it, Matvey."

"Okay!" He heard Matvey reply from the kitchen.

He marched over to the door, wondering who it was that would come by unannounced. Of course, his first thought was America, but then again, that was always his first thought whenever something went awry. He shook his head, imagining himself getting into another fight with Matvey's brother in the hallway again. That had not ended so well last time, and he wasn't really in the mood for a repeat. He grabbed the doorknob and turned it, pulling the front door open to reveal…

…Yao?

"Yao?"

The Chinese man stood on Matvey's doormat, his brown eyes widening at the sight of the tall Russian standing in the doorway. "Ivan…" He whispered. Then his entire demeanor changed, and he smiled, the shock fading from his eyes. "I did not know you would be here!"

Ivan scrutinized him. What business did Yao have with Matvey? The two of them rarely ever talked. It was certainly possible Yao was here on official business, but in that case, wouldn't Matvey have known Yao was coming?

"And I did not know you would be here. So we are on the same level, da?"

Yao cringed slightly, and Ivan immediately caught it. What is it you are up to, my old friend? Yao would not be the person he first suspected of treachery. They had a close history together, but they had fallen out recently, and there was a silent, thick sense of animosity between them.

"I came by to speak with Matthew."

"For…?"

"Is it really your business, Ivan? It is a personal matter."

"And what kind of 'personal matter' could you of all people possibly have with Matvey, hmm?"

Yao stiffened. "I am afraid that is none of your business, Ivan." He attempted to enter the house.

Ivan blocked his way, eyes narrowing. "I am making it my business." Something here is not right. Yao is not acting like himself. "Matvey is off of work today. If you are here on official business, you may come back on Monday, da?"

Yao glared at him for a moment, then spat out, "Foolish man. You could have made this so much easier."

"What?" Ivan tensed, ready to attack. Or so he thought. Out of nowhere, something sharp struck his neck, and he gasped, plucking the sharp object out of his skin. It was a tranquilizer dart. "Shit…" His body suddenly became heavy, and he fell to his knees. "Yao…what are you doing?" He wavered, the drug taking its course through his body. He fell over backward, his hand striking the table next to the door and sending a vase crashing to the ground. He looked up at Yao, his eyelids heavy. He felt betrayed. "Yao…"

"I am sorry, Ivan. But it appears I must alter my plans and bring you with me. I could leave you, I suppose, but then again, having two hostages is better than one." He said, seemingly bored and uncaring.

"Wha…" Ivan's speech was slurred, and he blinked, trying to clear his mind, but it only got blurrier and blurrier until it faded completely.

Matthew turned the dials on the oven, adjusting the temperature, and wondered who was at the door. He hadn't been expecting any visitors. He supposed it could be someone from his government with some official news or orders from his boss, but it was an odd time of day. It could be an emergency, but he hadn't felt any disturbances with his country. Perhaps another country had had an emergency and they were sending aid? He scoffed at himself. There were a thousand possibilities, and almost all of them were harmless.

He heard Ivan open the door, and a muffled conversation reached his ears. Was it someone Ivan knew? Another nation? He tensed. He hoped to God it wasn't Al. He didn't want to have even more of his home to repair. But the conversation wasn't loud and obnoxious so he figured it couldn't be Al. Granted, Alfred had been more subdued since he'd returned from the other world, but he usually returned to his former demeanor whenever he was around Ivan. Matthew, of course, could guess why that was, considering just what happened in that other world.

He reached up into his cabinet to grab some plates when he the sound of a loud crash hit his ears. He froze, arm raised, and listened. The talking had stopped. What had happened? Had someone been attacked? Fear shot through his veins. Was Ivan the attacker or the victim? Ivan could take care of himself, but…

Matthew felt his heart skip a beat.

Someone was right behind him.

Someone that was most definitely not Ivan. Without hesitation, he grabbed a heavy plate off the shelf and slung it around, smashing it into the person's head. A man dressed all in black tumbled to the floor, unconscious.

"Who…?" He looked up just in time to see at least five more men rush into his kitchen. He wrenched open a drawer and pulled out two knives, shifting into a fighting stance. "Don't come any closer!" He shouted.

The men surrounded him. They were masked, but Matthew could feel their smirks. They knew there was no way he could evade them all. They attacked. Matthew struck two of them in the chest and abdomen, and they went down screaming, but one of them grabbed Matthew's right wrist. Another one hit him in the shoulder. Pain shot through his arm, and he cried out, dropping the knife. The other man twisted his right arm, and he was forced to drop the other knife before the man snapped his wrist in half. His hands were forced behind his back and he was pinned to another man's chest. He struggled and kicked out, but he couldn't stop them from advancing. The two other men walked right up, one grabbing his legs to prevent him from moving. The last man pulled out a soaked cloth, and Matthew gasped. Chloroform. He struggled in vain to get away, and the cloth was pressed against his mouth. He tried his best to hold his breath, but eventually, he was forced to breathe in, inhaling the toxic fumes.

The world spun around him, and his body went slack. He looked up with weary eyes. The thought "terrorists" ran through his clouded mind, but as soon as he thought it, he knew he was wrong. Because Yao walked into his kitchen, and in the background, Matthew saw another group of men who were supporting an unconscious Ivan. Yao walked over to him just as his vision began to wane, and he smiled down at Matthew, patting his hair.

"No worries, now, Canada. As soon as I get what I desire, I'll bring you and Ivan right back here, okay?"

Matthew wanted more than anything to ask just what it was that Yao wanted, but his consciousness crumbled around him, and he fell into darkness. Yao stood over him, frowning slightly. "Take them both to the car, and make sure you tie them up just in case. We're returning to the rendezvous point. As soon as the scout team gets back with the news on America, we'll be leaving. Understood?"

His men nodded silently. One of them heaved Matthew over his shoulder and carried him away. Yao waited until he was alone in the kitchen, and then he let himself smile. He had not expected Ivan to be here at all. This was…interesting. He would have to see how this panned out when he returned. He snorted. If he could get Arthur to keep cooperating. So far, his means of getting that stubborn man to do what he wanted had been less than savory, and if this continued, then he wouldn't be alive for the grand finale. And that just wouldn't do at all. He would need peace offerings in order to get his favor back.

Then again, perhaps this Canada and Ivan would make good offerings. He sighed happily as he walked out of the kitchen. Maybe he wouldn't return this Canada after all. The boy could have more than one use, especially when…

He smiled to himself.

Yes, he would most definitely have to see how that played out.

He walked out the door and slammed it behind him, his smile widening with every step.

Dro: Well, that's not good...

Next Chapter: Alfred decides to pay Matthew a visit, only to make a horrifying discovery.