Fake (Hetalia: FrUkUs)

.37.

Two hours later, Alfred was wrapped in a blanket on the couch, fast asleep in Ivan's lap as the larger man held him.

Ivan was staring into the cold fireplace, his eyes red rimmed but dry, and his chin resting on top of Alfred's head.

He had his arms wrapped around the other's shoulders, his hands resting on Alfred's warm stomach.

Chun-Yan had come back from her Holiday shopping an hour earlier (she never let him come with her shopping, said he was like a child and wanted everything in the store) and at the sight of the two of them snapped photos before rushing upstairs to wrap gifts. She would definitely blackmail him later.

After another forty minutes, the door opened he looked up as he heard a multitude of voices.

When the owners of the voices walked into the room, his blood ran cold. It was Arthur and Francis, and they had Peter. He didn't want to leave Alfred, but after what happened almost two hours ago, he felt he had the right to speak his mind to the older two.

When it was apparent Alfred wouldn't let him up, he stayed seated and instead called them in a low tone, that was void of all emotion except barely veiled anger.

"Francis. Arthur."

They both looked up at their names, and when they noticed the two on the couch they quickly directed Peter upstairs.

"Ivan-"

"Nyet. Don't speak." He cut Arthur off with a cold glare. He looked down at Alfred, who's mouth was hanging partway open and was snoring softly. He sighed and dropped his forehead against the top of Alfred's hair.

Screaming, crying, begging- as Ivan remembered what had happened earlier, he placed the sleeping face mentally against the upset one form earlier. Then the sad. Then the angry. Then the broken.

"He was fine," Ivan whispered, not looking up, and not willing to raise his voice as he would have liked, "And then he wasn't. he was calm, and then he was upset. And then he was screaming so, so loud. He was screaming about his mom. He was screaming about his dad, about Matthew," He swallowed his anger, though his voice hardened and raised every so slightly from a whisper, "He screamed about you two.'

"His mother leaving him, his father abandoning him, Matthew passing, He screamed and screamed and screamed, and then he got to you two. And he screamed- oh did he scream. And then he cried. He cried and he raged," He chuckled, "He most certainly raged. But, he cried. And it was the two of you who made him cry." He raised his head now and fixed them both in place with a glare. "You two made him cry."

"We-"

"No. No I am not done," He stopped the protest. "When he stopped crying, he told me everything. After all these years, it took one one-sided conversation to break him down to tell me" -Me, the one who was always there; Me, who lives on the other side of the world, but never lost contact; Me, who has always loved him; Me, who has never left his side, even when I was gone- "what he has been going through. So, for that, I suppose I owe you a thanks, for being there for him when he wouldn't let me be. But, there my thanks ends.'

"For how long, has he been hurting? Mentally, physically," His arms tensed, and he grabbed Alfred's bare wrist, "How long has he been going through this? He trusts you. He trusts you so much, that he let you," He stressed the word as was verbally possible, "know what was wrong with him. Let you help him. He let you in where no one else was allowed to be.'

"I know you want to help him, I know you want what's best for him, and I also think professional help is what's best. But, both of you discussing it without him. Discussing his future." He took in a deep breath and held it before releasing it slowly, "Despite how I sound, I am not mad at you. I am angry, yes, but not at you. I am upset, that is very obvious. Alfred has been left behind by his family, I am not here anymore, Arthur-" The Brit flinched, "You haven't left him. Not once have you left him alone. Francis," He met Ivan't eyes for the first time, "ever since you've become a part of his life, you haven't left. Haven't given him solid belief to think you ever intend to leave. You've become very important to him, so very fast. You both are his world, you mean more than any of us will ever know.'