Chapter 7: Dead End

Word Count: 3,281

"I did not know you could be so sadistic." Ivan grunted, trying to slowly twist out of the bruising grip.

"There's quite a bit you haven't learned." Alfred smirked, enjoying himself way to much. He caught that the other was trying to get out of the restraints without his noticing, but he didn't mind. He knew the other wouldn't be able to escape or make any move to stop him. He bit down on Ivan's neck, enjoying the pleasured gasp followed by other sounds that the taller was clearly trying to muffle and failing miserably, especially when his back started arching. Ivan's neck just seemed so sensitive and Alfred loved how easy it was to excite him. When he saw the other trying to pull his hands out of the restraints again before he licked at the dark mark before pulling back, listening to the other pant heavily. Yes, he could definitely get used to this.

Licking across the others bare shoulder blade, he smirked at how Ivan ached slightly into the touch. It wasn't as strong as a reaction as when Alfred had bite deeply into the side of the others neck, but that was expected. But he pulled back, smiling as he moved to untie the taller, letting the other fall to the bed and turn to face Alfred. Smiling, the blond laid down next to the other, kissing him on the lips before curling into the others side, more then happy with the other wrapping his arm around him and listening to the others heavy breathing slowly starting to calm.

"Tell me, where did you learn to restrain somebody so well?"

"Hm? Oh, Kiku, he was into a lot of shit... I learned a lot of really kinky stuff from him. Things that makes this seem like vanilla. It kind of was I guess."

"Yes. Restraints and leaving multiple marks is considered vanilla."

"At least I don't have to worry about people asking you stuff, you dress like it's negative temperature." Alfred yawned widely, "How do you not die of heat?"

"You get used to it." Ivan hummed, "Though I personally do not appreciate being sore in the morning."

Alfred chuckled, laying a kiss on his jaw, though not being exactly mindful of Ivan's sensitive neck. "If you stick around I'll even bring you breakfast like one of those cheesy TV shows."

"Well I wouldn't want to miss that."

"Fuck yeah, I make the best bacon ever, really it's so awesome." Alfred closed his eyes and nuzzled into Ivan's chest. "But for now I'm going to sleep."

Ivan held the other close, watching the blond fall quickly asleep. He had been very upset when Ivan found him. Probably the only reason he didn't question how Matthew had said he hadn't left the house yestarday but there had been fresh mud that was clear that Alfred had left. So the brothers were lying for each other obviously. While suspicious, Ivan had put it aside at the thought of Alfred being upset. Which was probably more upsetting in ways then being lied to. They hadn't known each other long... actually they didn't even know each other at all and yet he was being affected when the other was sad. Rolling his shoulder a little and smiling as Alfred curled closer to him, Ivan laid his head on top of the messy hair.

Well considering how choked up with worry Alfred had gotten Ivan hardly thought that was an act. Liars couldn't pale on cue. So Alfred was just afraid of this murderer then anybody else was it seemed, if not more. The other did seem slightly paranoid. Whatever the reason, he supposed that with that he felt a lot better. In the context of seeing Alfred and whatever he was sneaking out to do at night. Feeling worn out, Ivan let his eyes closed, glad to feel at least a small shred of peace.

Ivan blinked his eyes open slowly, yawning an looking up to Alfred who was sitting up next to him, plate balanced hazardously on his knees, eating what looked like a pancake, though by what Ivan could tell the only thing he was wearing was his glasses. In the morning light Ivan could see Alfred's injuries a bit better. A slight cut above his left eye, a dark bruise around his lower left cheek, along the jaw. And a few bruises here and there around his torso, most concentrated around the ribcage, and of course the bandaged arm.

Alfred looked down at him, mouth full and seeming to notice he was awake. Swallowing everything in a way that almost sounded painful the younger grinned brightly, "Well good morning, wouldn't think I'd ever wake up before you did." Ivan grunted, sitting up slowly, leaning back against the headboard and bringing some of the blankets with him as he sat beside Alfred. "Your plate's over there." Alfred gestured to the other side of the bed. Looking over, Ivan saw a plate sitting on the unplugged speakers near the side of the bed. It had a fork sitting on the side of a small stack of pancakes, a few strips of bacon and a small pile of scrambled eggs. Taking the plate he took a bite of the eggs.

"I honestly did not think you would actually cook food." Ivan chuckled.

"Um... oh yeah this, totally made it."

"You did not?"

"Ah... nah, I convinced my brother Mattie to bring me up something. Apparently he knew you were still here. Probably why he didn't come inside my room either."

"Probably my car in the driveway." Ivan informed, taking another bite of the food.

"Oh yeah... that explains some things." Alfred hummed, "Hey, do you want your bacon?" Ivan looked up at Alfred's plate. When had he finished his food? Looking back at his own he shrugged, moving the pieces to Alfred's plate who smiled happily and started on the new food as Ivan ate his own. Alfred finished before him and put the plate down on the end table on his side and slumped back to laying down on the bed, nuzzling his head into Ivan's thigh, making eating a bit more difficult with that distraction. "Ah, nothing beats lazying around in a warm comfy bed in the morning."

Other then maybe having been able to kill his set target yesterday, he would lose sleep for that. Ah, it was frustrating thinking about. But he probably shouldn't think about it with Ivan right next to him. The taller might have been a mind reader. That would explain a few things. Like how he was always after him. He pulled his hands to rest them under his head and against the pale skin, he looked up at Ivan as the other spoke. "Well I do not know, I would think you would get restless." Ivan took another bite of his eggs and hash browns.

"Ah, how'd you guess? Yeah, I probably am going to get restless. Which is terrible! I want to lay around but I get so irritated when I stay still."

"Oh how ever do you live?"

"I know right?" Ivan chuckled, shaking his head as the other apparently didn't catch his sarcasm.

"Do you want the rest of this?" Ivan asked, really it was a bit more food then he was used to eating in the morning. Alfred bolted up and grabbed the plate quickly, starting to eat what was left. Ivan let the other eat the food, smiling a bit more, Ivan leaned forward to give a light nip at Alfred's neck. The blond seemed to stop eating, fork still in his mouth and Ivan felt as the other swallowed whatever he had in his mouth. Humming slightly, Ivan kissed the others jawline. "Could I use your shower?"

"Hm? Oh yeah... knock yourself out. But dammit, if that's what you want then don't tease me!" Alfred said, batting lightly at his head. Ivan pulled back, letting out another small chuckle.

"Teased by a little kiss?"

"Oh here, let me kiss your neck and see how that makes you feel." Alfred smirked at Ivan, seeming to actually think on acting on it. Ivan pulled back slightly.

"Nyet, you have made your point."

"Thought so." Alfred said smugly, putting the now empty plate on the other one before hugging Ivan around the shoulders, "But you know, now you got me thinking about this brilliant idea."

"Alfred-" Alfred licked at one of the hickeys he left there last night. "Ahnm, Al...don..." No, Alfred knew how to use that mouth of his alright. Ivan tried pushing at the arms, but the other held on and didn't seem to show any signs that he would get bored soon. He moved his head, "Alfred," the other pulled back, pouted at him, but gave it a break at least, "I unlike you have work."

"I work! I mean not all the time like you, but you're like a workaholic. Come on, you coming in late just once isn't going to get you fired." Well Alfred was kind of right considering they were waiting on lab reports before they could really pursue the lead they had... so maybe it couldn't hurt to stay a little longer? No, what was he thinking? Right, he had been thinking about those warm lips against his neck and possibly other places. He could still try and find something. Dig up old leads and re-follow those to see if they missed something. It was possible and it was best to do things like that when waiting for other information. Ivan kind of doubted they would find anything that way but one could never be certain. Ah, Alfred had straddled him as he thought.

"No... I have been late other days."

"I gasp in shock." Alfred smirked up at him.

"Well it has mostly been the days after I met you." Ivan said, pinching the others cheek and pulling on it.

"Ow, hey!" Alfred said, pulling back away from the pinch before rubbing his cheek. "Well that's not really my fault! But glad you're learning to live a little."

"I do not think you have any right to call me a workaholic, just because you are a slacker."

"Am not!"

"How often have you gone to work this last month?"

"Um... well you can't expect me to count that many!"

"I'm sure." Ivan smiled, leaning back against the wall.

"Hey, I just thought of something."

"What would that be?"

"I haven't seen your house yet. I mean sure the outside, but I haven't been inside at all."

"Hm, you want to?"

"Well yeah! You like know everything about my place practically!"

"You can come over if you really want."

"Awesome. So I'll take that as I can break in and eat all your food if you're not there when I visit."

"No, I do not think that is what that means. You can come over at night. I am sure you will be awake and I will most likely be home."

"Awesome. I'll do that soon then." Alfred smiled, laying against him again, he did seem to like to cuddle a lot. Ivan didn't mind, wrapping his arm around the others shoulders. "So when do you have to go? Maybe we can play some video games."

"I do not play those very often."

"Well even more reason to play it! I bet you don't know a lot of games."

"I suppose I could give it a try, but considering how much you probably play I doubt it would be much fun."

"Ah, I'll go easy!" Alfred smiled. Ivan chuckled, shaking his head.

Ivan sighed, "I thought you said you would go easy."

"Come on! I'm not even trying at all!" Alfred said, pouting up at him. "How often do you play first person shooters anyway?"

"Not very often."

"Besides, you've killed me like three times."

"To the thirty times you have killed me."

"I'm not trying! Should I just stand here?"

"Yes, do that for a little. And that includes not shooting."

"I might as well just go and get food then!"

"You had a very large breakfast not all that long ago."

"I'm always hungry."

"And I was just thinking you were an emotional mess."

"Hey! Last night was a fluke! My head was bashed in or something, temporary brain damage that made me over emotional!"

"Because that is what head injuries do."

"Some do!"

"True... I suppose I should get going though. I have stayed longer then I should."

"Ah, I have no idea what you're talking about. It's only like two in the afternoon." Alfred grinned up at the other.

"It better not be." Ivan sighed, handing the controller to the other and standing.

"Yeah, I'm just guessing but I get what you're saying. I mean with you being a commie and all that you're more likely to get fired I guess."

"Alfred, you do know Russia is no longer communist right?"

"That's just what Russians want us to think."

"...right." Ivan said, not sure if the other was serious about that. Well Alfred did seem a bit paranoid about random things like that. "I hope you are actually more caught up in the political world then it appears."

"Well at least you're free of the Czars."

"Yes... I think... that perhaps your education was lacking."

"I was never that good with Geography."

Ivan let out a laugh before he caught himself, Alfred giving him a weird look as Ivan tried holding in his laugh. "Da... I can tell. I think I will go now." Ivan said, leaving out the door and laughing to himself as he walked down the stairs. Alfred watched, head tilted and a small smile on his face.

Playing another two rounds of the game to make sure Ivan was gone he stood up. Alfred wasn't an idiot with Ivan having the chains and unfortunately a live witness. But if they found anything on those chains he was so screwed over. And so it was time for an awesome escape plan that wouldn't attract any attention to himself. At least Mattie was working as well so he had the house to himself.

"You are a little late today." Toris noted, though he didn't inquire further, the other never did stick his nose into others business, it was nice in a way. And Ivan didn't respond to the light inquiry either.

"Has Raivis found anything new on the chains?"

"Well other then blood I don't know, I haven't talked to him yet today." Ivan nodded.

"Alright, I am going to go talk to him then. I'll be back up soon." He said, walking back towards the elevator and going down to the lab. Looking around a moment, he found Raivis putting some things in one of his machines. "Raivis." Ivan drew the others attention who was shaking and had rings under his eyes, he had often asked for an assistant, but hardly had anybody to help so he usually drank a lot of caffeine and stayed up for extended amounts of time.

"Ah... Mr. Ivan... hello."

"Good morning. I was just wondering if you had found anything out."

"Ah yes, just a few." Raivis said, closing up the machine and starting it before going to his computer. "I w-waited to test the blood samples since most will probably be from the victims and it will take the longest to do... I'm just starting that."

"Alright, so what did you find out?"

"Well I found out some things about some fabric strains. Mostly white, but a few orange."

"White?" Ivan thought for a moment, "Ah, the gloves. It is made of what?"

"Well the fabric I pulled off was a certain kind of cotton. I thought it strange at first, but when I dusted some parts I found an imprint. Some sort of leather."

"For the palm of the hand." It wasn't an uncommon style. But leather did usually mold better to the skin, leaving behind a palm impression which they could match...but when it was surrounded by something flexible like cotton...that was less likely to happen. "Any palm print by chance?"

"Not one that could be matched." Ivan sighed at the response.

"Well thank you Raivis, I suppose I should not have gotten my hopes up."

"No but I found something else. The cotton comes from a breed of Cheviot sheep which is most common in the United Kingdom."

Ivan would have asked how the other found that out but considering last time he had asked that he got a very extended and confusing answer he didn't. "The United Kingdom?"

"It's fond here in the US, Australia, and New Zealand, but like I said it's m-more common there."

"Interesting."

"They are too common for me to get you a name of all the factories though."

"That is fine."

"Also, these chains are pretty common, usually used to tow cars and things like that. I bet anybody could find them in any hardware store across the country. Nothing new there."

"Ah, nothing to narrow down our suspect list. Well, we might as well see if anybody on our long list ever visited England. Sounds like we'll all be busy then." Ivan said, "That is all for now?" The other nodded. "Alright, thank you Raivis."

"Alfred, I need to talk to you."

"Eh? What's that?" Alfred asked, looking up from what he was eating.

"Well it's just you got into a fight the other day and there have been police that have come to our house more then once. Not only including Ivan and asking questions about you... are you okay?"

"Oh yeah, I'm fine! Sorry you have to deal with that. But hey, I'm trying to cut down on stealing other people's wallets!"

Matthew sighed, "That's not the point... is something up that you haven't told me about?"

"No, why would there be? Look, I'm really sorry that you had to be dragged into that Mattie but it's just they're taking this wallet business a little more serious then one would think."

"Alfred they told me they suspected you for being a serial killer that's been on the loose lately."

"Oh... they said that?" Matthew looked away. "Alright, I didn't want you worrying over nothing. But they checked out some of my alibi's and it's all good, okay?"

"Alfred if you're in trouble I want to know, being suspected for a murderer is worst then anything you've gotten in trouble with before!"

"It's fine, really." Alfred smiled, but Matthew looked uncertain. "Come on, have some faith in me at least, look that Ivan guy is even the lead investigator and he wouldn't continue sleeping with me if I was a suspect. He did at first before I was suspected and now that I'm not anymore he's good with it. Okay?"

"I guess..."Matthew muttered quietly.

"Awesome. Thanks Mattie." Alfred smiled, "Anyway, I'm exhausted, I'm gonna hit the hey. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah... don't forget to bring the plates down." Matthew reminded.