So Bee is currently sick so I'm updating this week! Sorry if everything is a bit early or late.

An acolyte was meant to dress all in white as a general rule. They wore white jackets and pants and black shirts as a typical uniform, and even when dressed more casually when interacting in day to day lives they still kept that pattern of color. Ivan's sister had fussed over his neck when she came to visit within the first week, bearing a soft pink scarf that even when wrapped three times about Ivan's neck fell to his lower calves. The younger fledglings had taken to trailing after the acolyte, clutching at the fluttering ends of his scarf as he moved about the community and did what was needed of him.

"Alright, alright." Ivan murmured, grunting as he wrapped the two ends of the thick rope abouthis wrists, the two young fledglings that had been particularly fond of him, Lili and Peter, grasping the ends of his scarf in a mimicry of his own grip. "We're going to show this stump whose boss, right?"

"Right!"

"Yes!"

A few of the elderly witches had gathered to watch Ivan help remove the tree that had accidentally been grown by a wayward spell in the night. It obstructed the doorway of one older woman's home and Ivan had spent the morning chopping it down, now only having to remove the remains of the stump.

"Alright, one, two, three!"

The children gave pulls to Ivan's scarf and the man echoed the movements on the rope. The stump gave a groan and Ivan grunted as he managed to haul the last of the troublesome tree from the doorstep and onto the path.

"You did it!" Ivan exclaimed, crouching in front of the two fledglings, who were squealing and bouncing in excitement. "You two were amazing! What would I do without your help?"

Peter puffed his little chest with pride and Lili covered her face as she giggled. The two were called by Arthur down the way and scurried off, unable to bask in their glory because of lessons. Ivan smiled and straightened, his hand rubbing at his lower back as he turned to the hatchet that was lodged into a pile of wood and he turned to chop the stump.

Coming out of the building the fledglings were rushing towards, Matthew smiled as they waved and breezed past him, their eagerness to get to Arthur quite obvious. "Bring us something back, Matthew!" Peter called before Arthur shook his head with a fond little eye roll. Matthew laughed softly, and adjusted the basket on his arm, full of small vials and wrapped packages, and stepped off of the white painted porch.

Ivan caught his eyes and Matthew smiled as he ducked his head. It was a great convenience that he was in the direction Matthew needed to go.

"Nettle and Rosinweed," the blonde called softly, coming to a stop not far from where the acolyte was working at the pieces of tree stump.

Ivan looked up as Matthew walked near, smiling as he watched the blonde walk, taking in the soft flutter of his shorter cape and the gait that could have been mistaken for floating in any other person.

One of the elder witches chuckled at Ivan's intent fascination with the blonde before she waved her hand and propelled the larger male backwards into the fence gently, his heels dragging in the dirt as he moved. Ivan let out a cry of alarm as he grasped the fence and settled himself, blinking as he stared at the witch before turning to see if Matthew had seen his rather undignified plight. He flushed when he realized that the blonde had.

"Um… You look very nice." He murmured, eyes flicking from Matthew's face to the ground then back again.

Matthew shot a look at the witch before gracefully hurrying closer to Ivan. "Are you alright?" he asked softly, a little smile spreading over his lips. He tucked his head as he tried not to flush at Ivan's compliments.

"Thank you…I try to look better when I have to go into town," he explained, gesturing to the basket on his arm.

"I've noticed." Ivan flushed as the words escaped him and his eyes widened. "Not that you don't look nice all the time, but you look… I mean it's… It's obvious you dress up in nicer things when you go… Not that I'm being weird and watching you… I just…" Ivan rubbed the back of his neck and cleared his throat, stepping back from the fence awkwardly before gesturing to the tree stump. "I'm just going to go… Yeah… Ignore me." He murmured, walking back to his previous task and resuming it, his ears bright red despite his back being turned.

Matthew watched him for a moment before he walked up behind him and gently tapped his shoulder blade. "Ivan…? Would you like to go with me?" His face was flush and he instantly felt a little silly for asking, but Matthew really wanted to spend some time with Ivan…and the acolyte had been working very hard.

Ivan stared at Matthew before he smiled and nodded, flush bright as he rubbed his neck. He probably smelled like a barn from all the sweating he had been doing, and doubtless his day of physical labor was showing. But he really wanted to go with Matthew. "Alright…" He smiled before gesturing to the stump. "Could I finish this first real quick?" He turned to the witch who was smiling to him. "I'll deliver the wood when I get back."

"Of course love, and don't worry about the whole stump, I'll just have it in my fireplace tonight."

Ivan smiled and nodded to the woman before she shooed Ivan off, the acolyte walking over to Matthew and smiling as he stood beside the blonde, offering his arm in a gesture that he had come to recognize as an instant comfort to all of the witches in the community.

Smiling, Matthew took Ivan's arm and led him to the exit of their little village. "You have been working hard….everyone has taken on a love to you," the blonde told him after a moment as they walked through the woods that was a shortcut to the town. Matthew didn't like to walk along the road; the cars and vehicles that came through this part of the countryside didn't slow down for anyone or anything.

"You are happy?" Matthew asked as they walked among trees and rustling bushes, the air pleasant and cool as fall was reaching its peak.

"I am." Ivan murmured. "Happier than I've been in years." The man smiled down at the fledgling beside him. "Do you… Do you like me being here?"

"I do…I very much love you being here," Matthew admitted softly, his eyes focussed on the ground covered in fallen leaves of rich, beautiful colors. "…Samhain is soon….and we always have a big festival," the blonde hummed, teeth coming out to nibble at his bottom lip briefly.

"I had hoped….well…it is silly, but…if no one else has asked….perhaps you'd consider going with me?" the fledgling asked, voice small and shy but still sweet as ever as he stared at the tips of his black boots as they walked.

"I'd love to." Ivan murmured with a smile, tilting his head to peer at the blonde with a smile. "I'd love to go with you."

Matthew was quiet for a small moment before he smiled up at Ivan, eyes sweeping over the other male's face. "Oh, Ivan…thank you! I've been wanting to ask you…but it seems every chance I had, someone else had already caught your attention," the blonde admitted with a little flush as he led Matthew through the line of trees where they could spy the bustling town not more than a few yards away.

"I doubt that anyone could catch my attention more than you." Ivan murmured with a smile. He wanted to lean down and press his lips to Matthew's, and he wondered if it was simply a natural reaction to a witch or if it was something more. Either way, he refrained and simply smiled as he reached down to place his hand over Matthew's, his palm warm and calloused and gentle.

Matthew kept Ivan close as they made their way into town. Witches did not rely on the community to survive, but they did have types of property taxes to pay and modern desires that took real money to get.

A few of the health and wellness shops along the main strip had set up a bond with the witches for years. In exchange for natural lotions, soaps and salves, the shop owners would exchange money, and every week Matthew was sent to do the business for the Coven. Most of the people that lived their left him alone. He didn't look scary, in fact, Matthew tried to stay out of their line of sight altogether.

But there were times when the younger fledglings would beg for candy or toys or things like that, and Matthew would venture further than where he would usually go to exchange to pick them up something.

Ivan smiled as he watched Matthew flitter about the toy store for the little ones. The village, despite being modernized as it could be, was still a small one and it was common for travellers and visiting relatives to be sold small wooden toys or knick knacks, or knitted or sewn goods. Ivan smiled as Matthew looked at little wooden puzzles and animals, and stuffed dolls and toys. He had seen fledglings practicing with voodoo dolls and wondered if perhaps a doll would seem strange to them, as they had always been simply tools rather than toys.

Selecting a few things for the children, Matthew paid for them before going back to Ivan's side. "….would you like something?" he asked after a moment, his once empty basket now teeming with little playthings, ribbons for the girls, and small bags of candy.

Ivan smiled down at Matthew and shook his head. "I just need to pick up something." Ivan murmured with a smile. "Come on." The older male led Matthew through the village until he found his sister's shop, murmuring with her in Russian for a few moments before he returned to Matthew with a soft white bear, his face flushed slightly as he held the toy out to Matthew. "I made this a while ago… I never let my sister sell it in the shop, though." He murmured. "I… I'd like you to have it."

The toy was knitted out of soft, fluffed wool, which had been difficult to work with in the first place, but was soft and cured to a point where it was barely recognizable as wool. Two black button eyes gleamed pristinely and the pudgy body of the bear was stuffed with more wool, giving it a decent weight despite being relatively small.

"Oh…Ivan," Matthew breathed, his hands gently reaching out to take the toy. It was so very fitting for the acolyte and Matthew always had a deep fondness for bears. "..are you…are you certain? surely you could make quite a sale on this…it's beautifully made." Matthew's fingers traced over the perfect little stitches and the darling button eyes staring back at him. "You are so talented….."

Ivan flushed and bowed his head. "I've never wanted to sell him… And I think you'd appreciate him more than the shelves of the shop." The older male smiled and placed his hands over Matthew's, gently pushing the blonde's hands to the younger male's chest, gently pressing the toy to Matthew's front. "If you like him… He's yours."

The blonde was quiet for a moment before he hugged the toy tightly, his nose brushing the top of the bear's head. "I love him…Ivan..this is the sweetest gift I've ever received,"he told him, eyes glancing up towards the acolyte. "…thank you.."

Walking back towards the witches' village, Matthew stayed just a little bit closer to Ivan, his fingers tracing along the toy's ears and pudgy little snout. "You know,…" he started softly, shyly glancing at Ivan then away again, "…do you know what the bear stands for?"

Ivan tilted his head. "No, I don't." He stated simply, gently leading the blonde along the wooded path, the sounds of traffic too distant for them to worry as they walked. "What does it mean?"

"Love," Matthew stated simply, quietly, the sounds of birds and the slight breath of wind giving him more comfort than he ever wanted to realize. "A lot of native tribes used the symbol of the bear as a marking of love…to parents, children…lovers, no one loves and protects more fiercely than a bear."

Ivan paused for a long moment before he gently laced his fingers with Matthew's, pulling the blonde to a gentle halt. "Then… Then keep him… Because he was made with a lot of love… And I think he was waiting for me to give him to you."

Matthew smiled after a moment, head tilting to peer up at Ivan's face, directly into his eyes as he held the bear close with his free arm. "…I thought you didn't believe in fate, Mr. Braginski?"

"I don't believe in fate. But I believe in time." Ivan murmured with a smile. "There is a time to take, a time to give, a time to wait and a time to love… And everything happens in time… Whether dictated by what you call fate or not…" Ivan tilted his head and stared down at Matthew for a long moment, observing the blonde silently. "I… Believe that he's been waiting for you and that now is the time to give him away…"

"I see," the blonde murmured after a moment, a little bit deflated. Perhaps he was misinterpreting what Ivan was saying…With a little nod, Matthew gently released the acolyte's hand and moved ahead of him through the thick leaves until they reached the black expanse of the two-lane road. As cautious as a cat, Matthew hurried to the other side and stopped only when he was safely across before glancing back at Ivan.

"Be careful. If you were hit, I don't know what I'd do."

Ivan smiled and tilted his head. "I doubt that you wouldn't know what to do…" The older male gave a wave to the blonde as he watched him leave. "Goodnight." He called gently, waiting until Matthew was inside his small home before turning to continue on his tasks.