DARLING (RusCan)

Darling 9

 "Ivan, aren't you cold?" Katyusha rubbed the frost from her eyelashes as she gently wrapped the remainder of her scarf around Ivan. "It's freezing outside; you could catch a cold."

"I'm fine," Ivan rubbed his hands together. "Worry about Natalya." Ivan watched as the young, blond girl shivered as the cold nipped at her fingers. Her knuckled became a blazing red; her fingers almost blended with the snow. "Give her the scarf."

"You're usually very voluble, Natalya." Katyusha reached out to the small blond. "Take this." Katyusha handed a small, noir coat to Natalya. The young girl happily encased herself in the warmth of the jacket. "And, my sweet Ivan, you are still too young to catch a cold." Katyusha unraveled her scarf from her neck and handed it to Ivan.

"Thank you, sister."

----

Natalya felt her suppressed anger seething as she abstained from mutilating Matthew. She hied to the outside, letting the cold freeze her tears. She rubbed her cheeks, feeling her icy hands against the heat of her tears.

"Are you alright, aru?" The voice made Natalya look up. "Oh, you're Ivan's sister, aru."

"We probably shouldn't bother her." Natalya recognized Kiku and Yao. "We were just passing by, Arlovskaya."

"We were headed to see Jia Long and Yong Soo." Trần waved. "It's nice to see you again, but we have to go see Mei."

Kiku waved his hand in front of Natalya's eyes. "I'd hate to leave you alone. What should we do, Yao?"

Yao looked at his dalmatian and sighed. "A friend of Ivan is a friend of mine. It's aru-right if you come."

Natalya cracked a smile at the thought of being included. Kiku agreed and let Natalya follow the group to Yong Soo's home. Natalya tried to clear her mind of Ivan, but he was the defining light of her life. She couldn't bring herself to pettifog with her beloved, Natalya knew it was time to let go, it was pointless to be obsessed with Ivan forever. Natalya peered at Ivan through Matthew's window at the corner of her eye.

"My love, Ivan." Natalya pressed her lips together, understanding she could never speak those words again.

---(Play ЦΣЛУЙ МΣНЯ by ÑΣVΣR GΣ† U$ΣD †Ø PΣØPLΣ now probably.)

Matthew waited for Alfred to make a witty facetiae as he tried to break through his timid nature. Alfred had always been an advocate for a gregarious character, but Matthew was unable to express himself due to a strong self-efficacy.

"Matvey, you've been quiet." Ivan placed his hand on Matthew's shoulder endearingly. "You've always been exceptionally quiet, Matvey, I don't quite understand why you're secluded."

"It's my diffidence," Matthew's eyes inconspicuously avoided contact with someone else's. "Al is the extrovert; I've never been the one who stands out; therefore, my brother has the social standing of two people."

"He seems like the upper crust of society, da?" Ivan pat Matthew's back, an infirm attempt at comfort. "Matvey, these past years have been unmanageable for you, I know. People's optics on our relationship has been very negative, but I'm here to help you through anything."

"Are you going to be an isolato forever?" Alfred waved a hand in front of Matthew's eyes, causing a slight distortion in the environment. "I know I'm the life of the party, but you could always try to socialize instead of wasting away as a wallflower."

"Mattieu, Mrs. Braginski brought some treats, come enjoy them!" Francis wiped a porcelain plate for his son, handing the ceramic to his son. Matthew squinted at the plate, noticing the small, painted handprints on the plate. "You and Alfred made this together."

"Ah, I remember this!" Alfred ran his finger along his petit handprint, doused with red, white, and blue acrylic; Matthew's, however, had maple leaves carefully wrapped around. "And, Matthew, I'm sorry for what I've said to Ivan." Arthur gently poked Alfred and gestured at him to continue. "Don't let me hold you back from your happiness; I shouldn't become the cause of your nadir."

"Matthew, do you remember Gilbert?" Arthur abruptly conjoined his words onto the end of Alfred's apology. "Ludwig and Feliciano have notified me he's back in the country and would most likely want to visit you."

Matthew's uncertainty crept through the corners of his mind; his amnesia, the hamartia of his life and leading the tragedies. "Arthur, do you remember why Gilbert left?"

Arthur cleared his throat. "I've heard many rumors; on most accounts, Gilbert had been visiting family." Arthur's failure to promote an obvious lie thickened the atmosphere until Matthew choked. "Matthew, Gilbert is coming later today. I felt you should know."

Heavy footsteps rang through the pounding of the snow, the sound of the snow boots breaking through the thick layers of frost was imminent. Matthew's door opened, revealing a man enveloped in his military uniform. His ruby-red eyes pierced through the cold, burning in all its glory as the man's silvery, white hair draped gently around his face.

"Matthew." The man's voice was gentle; his lips had turned white from the ever growing cold. The white of his breath dripped from the corners of his mouth.

----

Gilbert rubbed his eyes free from tears as he confronted Ivan. "Matthew chose you; therefore, I want you to take care of him when I leave."

"I don't understand," Ivan looked quizzically at Gilbert. "Where are you going?"

"As you know, Ludwig and I are half brothers with the same father." Gilbert diverted his eyes from Ivan's. "He was born in America; I was not. I have to move back to Germany at the end of this year to live with my mother and enlist in the military."

"Gilbert, you're being deported?" Ivan's eyes filled with shock as Gilbert held back his sobs.

"Make sure Matthew is happy every day until I return from Germany." Gilbert choked. "I don't want him to hide away any longer."

"Gilbert, I can only do so much until I move back to Russia at the end of next year." Ivan couldn't console Gilbert. "But I'll use that year to give him everything, I promise."

"I don't want to see his tears any longer." Gilbert embraced Ivan, knowing that they shared a common goal.