Chapter 10

Arthur woke, his head spinning a little. He felt an arm wrapped over his waist and turned, finding Viktor with his nose pressed against the back of his head. Why didn't Viktor ever sleep in the other bed, he wondered. He bypassed that thought when he remembered he'd fallen asleep gripped to the man for dear life.

He stilled, looking him over closely. When Viktor was sleeping, as well as anytime he was even remotely tired, he had these dark circles under his eyes. His hair was raven black, reflecting the colors of the day through the window perfectly. His skin was clear of blemishes, except for a light dusting of freckles you could only see from very close up. His lips were full and slightly parted, the bottom lip pushing out lightly with each breath. He was big, but by no means fat. He had a little extra around the waist, but it didn't block out the hard six pack he had, and he was covered in very fine black hair.

Arthur's eyes shifted over him before stilling, his brow lowered in wonder as he noticed something on the side of Viktor's neck, but he couldn't see it properly with his shoulder scrunched up the way it was while he was sleeping.

Arthur knew he had to see. It was in the same spot as the scar on Ivan. He had to make sure. He gently pushed him to his back, making sure he was still comfortable, but Viktor let out a soft groan, his head sliding to the left, covering the mark. Arthur reached out and moved his head closer, softly grasping Viktor's chin. Arthur noticed movement and looked up, seeing red eyes watching him in confusion. It only took a second until it slipped away and a gentle smile came to his face.

"Доброе утро. Я надеюсь ты хорошо спал?" He smiled softly, a hand coming up to cradle Arthur's cheek and Arthur stared, horrified about being caught before he swallowed hard.

"I'm sorry, I didn't understand," Arthur spoke softly, wondering if he'd be in trouble for this.

"I said good morning. I hope you slept well, da?" he asked before yawning and Arthur nodded, wondering if he'd heard the 'da' in the previous sentence.

"I did. I..." Arthur swallowed again, his eyes shifting back down to the trace of the scar at his neck. "Can you turn your head? I need to see something," he asked, half wanting to see, half wanting to turn away.

"Ah, okay." Viktor didn't even think about it and let Arthur's hand guide his chin.

An angry red line marred his skin from pressing against the chain. "What is it?" Viktor asked and Arthur sat up, sucking in breath.

"I'm being paranoid. Sorry." Arthur pulled his hand back as Viktor sat up and smiled, reaching an arm around Arthur's shoulders and brought him in for a hug.

"Do not apologize for something that makes you feel better," Viktor spoke directly to the crown of Arthur's head, his hair moving out of the way of the warm breath. "At least, not to me. Making sure you're comfortable is my biggest priority right now," he admitted, gently kissing Arthur's head.

Viktor couldn't see Arthur turn bright red at the affection, his eyes widening drastically in the hold of the other. Viktor welcomed the warmth and touch of Arthur, but he noticed he wasn't getting hugged back and sighed, leaning back to find him bright red, his eyes now clenched. "What is wrong?"

"You kissed my head!" Arthur gasped, curling up a bit and Viktor frowned, pulling his arm back.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know you wouldn't like. I'll not do it again, da?" Viktor's voice sounded sad. Arthur opened his eyes, looking up at Viktor, seeing his eyebrows scrunched, wrinkling his forehead, the corners of his mouth tilted down.

"It's not that I didn't... like it... I'm not a very affectionate person. I guess I'm not used to it," Arthur mumbled and Viktor nodded.

"I don't want to make you uncomfortable. If you don't want it, I won't kiss you, da?" He offered a smile, half of his lip lifting, showing the canine on that side, his eyes pressed to squinting through his cheeks.

He was honestly smiling. Arthur nodded and turned, climbing off of the bed.

Arthur was embarrassed that Viktor changed in the room with him still there, but he realized quickly that he didn't have the same boundaries about modesty that Arthur was used to. Viktor didn't even worry about it, just stripping off the sleeping pants and slid on a clean outfit, commenting about the crisp, clean scent of the clothes while he hung the sleeping pants on the door before turning to see if Arthur was done changing yet.

"Why aren't you changing?" he asked, his head cocked to the side as his brows lowered, showing his confusion and Arthur could only stare.

"I'm not used to others seeing me naked." Arthur felt his whole face turn red at the realization they would have been alone and naked together. "Is that even alright?" He turned to Viktor, who stared with wide eyes.

"Why wouldn't it be?" Viktor asked, his face the image of innocence, with wide eyes and a finger gently pressed to his bottom, puckered lip.

"It makes us sound like-" Arthur shivered, knowing the word that wanted to leave his mouth, but he seemed to only be able to continue with a tremble.

"Like we're comfortable with each other?" Viktor asked softly, his brow shifting up in worry, his fingers on the hand at his lip closing slowly. Arthur realized Viktor was actually worrying over what he thought and sighed, shaking his head.

"Like lovers." Arthur looked down, staring at his hands. His cheeks burned badly enough he reached up and wiped at them, as if he could remove the heat there.

He was surprised when Viktor lifted him, pulling him onto his lap on the bed and sighed, putting his arms around the shorter man, who now felt even more self conscious about this position and sputtered, trying to stand.

"It's alright, isn't it?" Viktor asked against the top of his head, reminding Arthur of the kiss the other had planted there earlier. "I know you don't know me well enough to let me hold that kind of title. Alfred understands as well. I don't mind whatever kind of title you give me, but one like that, I'd cherish." Viktor smiled, hugging Arthur close again, and after his words, all the shorter man could do was sit, thinking.

"I'm not the kind you'd want to have that title." Arthur looked up, his brows coming down giving him an angry look, but Viktor saw the worry he'd hidden in his expression, the slight pale at the back of his cheeks, the way his hands clasped to each other. "I'm scrawny and awkward and prickly. I'm not very nice, and I have a tendency to get angry over the smallest things." He let his eyes shift, looking up into Viktor's eyes, seeing the smile and the warmth. "You're an affectionate person. You feel safe with hugs and kisses and such. I never was. The thought of someone kissing me makes me panic." Arthur shivered. "Anything more than that and I can't even process it." He looked down at his knees, surprised when Viktor chuckled at him.

"It's because the instance of love you have to look back at is flawed." Viktor smiled, softly running his hand down Arthur's hair and over his shoulder. With the thoughts Viktor was slowly sliding into Arthur's mind, Arthur felt the next shiver that ran through him wasn't due to anger or nausea, and it made him blush worse. "The best way to fix it would be to give you a better example."

Viktor turned, laying Arthur on the bed, and in the comfort and warmth Viktor had given him, suddenly Arthur felt himself panicking at the change. He shifted, his eyes turning to the other as he started slowly kissing down his chest and Arthur opened his mouth to yell, to complain, to do something to stop the other when a knock came at the door.

"Hey! The kings'll be here soon! Time to wake up and come down for breakfast!" Alfred called through with a happy voice and Arthur stared at the door, horribly grateful.

"Come on, we don't want to be late." Arthur gasped in air, wondering how he managed to get the words to leave his lips with his chest shaking as badly as it was.

Arthur felt a little ashamed of the panic he'd just been feeling. He was surprised when instead of sitting up, Viktor crawled up, looking Arthur in the eyes. He leaned down and brought his lips to Arthur's, making him panic again, his eyes wide in shock as Viktor's hand gently reached up, caressing Arthur's cheek.

"Tonight. I'll show you the difference between what you know, and what it's supposed to feel like to be with another. I won't do anything to hurt you," Viktor spoke softly, his eyes warm. He didn't have that angry, hungry look Ivan had gotten before he started things up, and somehow that comforted Arthur's thrashing thoughts. "I just want you to understand. I want you to love me back, Arthur," Viktor whispered against his lips before softly kissing him again.

Arthur felt his eyes close. He felt his heart pound against his ribs as soft lips moved against his. His head spun so badly he didn't know which way was up. Just as quickly as it began, the kiss ended and Viktor sat back a little, his eyes glancing over Arthur's expression. Arthur's flushed cheeks, heavy hooded eyes, his lips a touch pinker than normal and a little swelled from the kiss made Viktor smile before he groaned.

Alfred was right. They needed to go get ready for the day.

"You get dressed, dorogoy. I'll wait downstairs for you." He smiled delicately before crawling from the bed and leaving, softly closing the door behind himself.

Arthur gasped in air. His whole body pulsed with each thrum of his heart. His eyes were trapped wide, his hands grasped desperately to the sheets beneath him and it wasn't until Viktor had left the room that Arthur realized somehow the gentleness of the other, his careful actions and tender words had worked him up horribly. He glanced down at the front of his pants, finding himself impossibly hard.

What in the hell had just happened?!

Arthur was dressed and downstairs in a few minutes. It would have taken much less time, but his hands wouldn't stop shaking. He sat quietly at the table and Alfred slid a plate in front of him, looking over his still red cheeks, his puckered lips and quick breaths and arched an eyebrow, his eyes shining brighter than before.

"What were you two doing?" Alfred chuckled as he glanced over at Viktor, who shook his head.

"Nothing as bad as what you're thinking," Viktor answered carefully, his eyes squinting closed in his amusement and Arthur glanced over with wide eyes.

"But you were doing something?" Alfred's grin went ear to ear.

"That's not for your ears." Viktor smiled, glancing down at Arthur, who kept his chin tucked down to his chest. "I hope I didn't startle you too badly," Viktor asked softly and Arthur glanced up, his eyes wide. He could see the touch of pink on his cheeks and the way Viktor's eyes flickered between his eyes and his lips. Arthur swallowed hard, feeling the same shift in his body he'd felt upstairs and shook his head, his mouth suddenly too dry to create words. "Good." Viktor chuckled, his eyes not wanting to leave the boy at his side as he turned back to the table before him. "Eat. We'll chat at the end of the day, da?" He watched as wide eyes stared before Arthur softly nodded and turned to his food.

They ate rather quickly, Arthur getting the dishes today to try and grasp some sense of normalcy. Arthur was terrified. He couldn't stop shaking, nearly dropping three dishes as he tried to still the shaking in his hands. What was Viktor going to do to him? He swallowed hard, his hands almost working independent of the rest of his body as he fought to put together his thoughts. He said he wanted Arthur to love him back. That would mean that in some way, Viktor had confessed to him.

Arthur turned, looking at the man who was looking both casual and somehow regal at the same time, his face relaxed, his body leaned back in the chair with a cup of coffee perched in his hand. He said something to Alfred and the response was enough to make him laugh. Viktor's laugh was strong, but lively. His cheeks slightly pinked as he conversed, his eyes twinkling with interest at the conversation.

The way he looked at Alfred was different from the way Viktor looked at him. Arthur watched, a bit confused, trying to figure out the difference when a soft knock came to the door and Alfred walked over, opening the door with a grin and inviting the kings in.

"Arthur, come over here for a minute," Alfred spoke up and Arthur's eyes shifted away from the Russian. He wiped his hands on the apron he wore, green with a little lacework around the edges. He slid the strings away and pulled the loop over his head before walking over, hanging the apron on a hook on the wall before walking to the living room area.

"This is Tino and Berwald." Alfred grinned, knowing introducing them the night before was probably for the best, as it would give him a faster processing time.

"Hello!" Tino bounced on the balls of his feet showing a little too much energy. His voice had a strong accent, making his 'o' sound more like a 'u', but it was almost cute. He didn't seem to be much older than Arthur himself.

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Arthur smiled softly looking between the two.

"Ye look te be a bit young," Berwald, the tall man with the sunshine hair spoke, shifting small, wire framed glasses up a straight and thin nose.

"Joo, how old are you?" Tino, the shorter asked, his compact frame only complimenting the baby fat left in his cheeks. He reached up, brushing sandy colored hair from his brown eyes and Arthur sighed softly, wondering what the interest in himself today was. Everyone seemed to suddenly realize he was there, and it was a little uncomfortable.

"I'm sixteen." Arthur responded, standing tall with his arms clasped before his waist, his head tilted down.

"Old enough te join th' military." Berwald pointed out while Tino nodded.

"You ever train in an army b'fore?" Tino asked, a touch of a similar accent to Berwald kicking in and Arthur softly shook his head.

"I'm just a gardener. I don't know anything about fighting or war," Arthur admitted, looking away with a bit of shame. It seemed everyone here had military experience and he was just the angry guy from down the street.

"He's an interesting magician," Viktor added. "His spells are in Latin." He watched as Tino and Berwald both looked at him with wide eyes.

"A light wizard?" Tino asked, his eyes looking over the young man who now stared back, confused.

"Not sure. He traded mine and Alfred's eye colors. I never heard of a magician doing that," Victor spoke softly and watched as Tino nodded.

"That is unusual." Tino looked a little let down. "What other kind of spells do you use?"

"I can't do much right now. My cloak and staff were burned in an attack." Arthur sighed, shaking his head.

"Burned?" Viktor asked. He remembered them disappearing off of him when they'd attacked his village. How had they burned?

"Yes, I didn't choose the best hiding place for them, and when the woods near my village burned down, they burned as well." Arthur let out a soft sigh. "If I can make new ones, I could probably do larger spells. I used to be able to move things, change items' shapes, things like that," Arthur spoke, a little proud of himself.

"A textile magician?" Tino stared, his head cocking to the side in confusion. "I've never heard of that before." He frowned and Arthur shrugged. "Who taught you?"

"The faeries in England. I haven't seen any here, though. I don't know many spells by heart, so it's hard to do much right now," Arthur mumbled, shaking his head softly.

"I'll call Lukas over. Maybe he can help with that. We can see if you're any good, at least." Tino grinned and Arthur tilted his head with curiosity, watching the two before him.

"I'm sorry, I'm still confused." Arthur spoke, drawing the attention of everyone in the room. "If you two are kings, and -Ivan-" Arthur swallowed hard before continuing, letting a shiver run down his spine, "If he was at war with you, does that mean he's one as well?" he asked, turning to Alfred, who nodded.

"Yeah, he's the king in Russia." Alfred watched with worry, seeing Arthur shiver and give a soft hum of understanding, stepping back and tilting his head down to his chest again.

Viktor stood and strode over quickly, hugging him close. "Don't worry about him, dorogoy. You're here now, with me and Alfred. Tino and Berwald will like your company when they get to know you as well. You're safe," he spoke softly, wrapping his arms around Arthur's chest and Arthur nodded, letting out a deep breath, trying to relax.

"I know," Arthur nearly whispered, and Viktor looked down, his eyes wide before a bright smile lit his face.

"I'm glad you understand," Viktor spoke softly before kissing his cheek and Arthur's eye twitched, still unused to the action.

"I thought you said you'd stop that!" he yelped out, his cheeks puffed in embarrassment as he turned to Viktor, who stared, seeing the touch of red on his cheeks.

"Do you really want me to stop?" Viktor asked, his own cheeks turning a touch pink at the realization that Arthur just didn't handle contact well. It wasn't him personally. Arthur was easily made shy, and responded with false anger.

"How in the bloody hell am I supposed to know?!" Arthur blathered, his eyes wide, his cheeks a darker pink before he took off at a speed Viktor hadn't seen on him yet and sat at the table, sipping his tea with his head tucked down low, making sure no one could see the darkness on his face. Viktor glanced over with shock at Alfred, who was laughing full out at the situation.

"Aw! That's cute!" Tino chirped and Berwald looked away, a touch of pink on his cheeks at the display as well. "So..." Tino sighed, his eyes turning serious to the other two. "Are you in?"

"Wait," Viktor spoke softly, turning back to Arthur before frowning. "Alfred, you stay here with Arthur. If we're going to do this, I want nothing but honesty," Viktor stated. "Come outside with me." He waved Tino and Berwald outside and Alfred sighed.

Ivan was often too kind in terrible situations, and as much as he disliked being at a disadvantage, he always said the same thing. 'Lying isn't a service we offer here in Russia.'

So he was going to tell them the truth.