A Cruel Fantasy

by arbeartrary

Summary:

Alfred's seemingly perfect world changes when he's thrust into a survival game with 11 other contenders, each competing for the title of god. To make matters worse, the new kid is a complete psycho who claims to be madly in love with him, and is ironically his best chance for survival. Mirai Nikki!AU.

Notes:

Posted this on Fanfiction.net, but decided I'd do something new and try out this site for a change.

Chapter 1: The Consequence of Mercy

Summary:

Love is a driving force, but what lengths would you take to bury the pain?

The teen bent over the focus of his adoration, lips planting themselves on the other's — just like in those movies the golden-blond always adored. What had they called it again? Ah, true love's kiss…

There was no response.

"Solnyshko?" Gently, he patted a stiff cheek. "You can wake up now."

The younger's head was pushed slightly from the touch, but beyond that there was no movement: no rise and fall in the chest, no fluttering golden lashes or twitching fingers...only nothing.

"Wake up...please, wake up! Solnyshko, please!" Tears pouring, he shook the lifeless body he cradled in his arms, but those adoring sky blue eyes remained closed, and his usual sun-kissed skin was still cold and white like a fragile, porcelain doll. "No...NO!" His breathing grew more erratic as he clutched his lover close, sobbing into the crook of his neck, hoping to hear the other's lulling heartbeat sing to him once again.

This didn't make sense. He didn't understand...hadn't he—? So why...

No, he couldn't continue on like this, he needed the other to survive.

"Come back to me," he croaked, cheeks glistening before he rubbed them onto the other's shoulder. "I am sorry, my love...I was too weak. If only I had been stronger, I could have protected you..." A dangerous thought came to him in his anguish. His head slowly lifted to look at his beloved's once-expressive face. 

This wasn't over. It couldn't be. Not if he refused to accept this reality.

His violet gaze turned cold, determined, as he pressed a gentle kiss to a pallid temple before setting the body carefully on the ground. "I won't fail you," he growled his vow. "I will kill anyone who hurts you, anyone who dare keep us apart. I swear it ..."

---

You'll surrender now.

We are sure of what we see.

Thee can't resist this fantasy.

Survive.

---

Claustrophobic halls, inescapable noise, and unbearable work; the first day of school was always the most dreaded, and for good reason. The cement walls enclosing them served only as a painful reminder of what the next ten months had in store, and the nice breeze outside for what they had lost. The many passages through the building were filled with hundreds of students who yearned for freedom, lamenting the end of their summer break.

Alfred scowled as he popped open his locker, filling it with books and binders he didn't need until after lunch. Oh, how he wished he was back in California! With his twin and parents, going to the beautiful beaches that were edged with white, fluffy sand and deep blue water...but no, here he was, back in New York with only a gorgeous tan to remember the good times with. Until the holidays, he thought with a heavy sigh, remembering how he would be stuck preparing for college while having to deal with a mountain of schoolwork and responsibility cutting into his social life...he'd just have to try and make the most of it where he could.

"Al-kun." He jumped out of his stupor and blinked at the smaller teen beside him, a smirk gracing his lips.

"Oh, hey Kiku! It's been a few weeks," he recovered quickly as the other smiled back apologetically.

"Indeed. How was your trip?"

Alfred laughed as he shut his locker door, not bothering to lock it. "I literally sent you pictures and texted you the entire time." His pace to homeroom was slow as he waited for his best friend to catch up.

Kiku nodded as he remembered the images fondly. "Yes, they were very beautiful. Have you considered going into photography or film?"

"I've thought about it, once or twice…" Alfred trailed off, not really sure if he wanted to share his personal hobby with the rest of the world. It was something he did for himself, and he was certain others would think he was weird and brush off his journaling as 'stupid.' They were too sentimental, and call him paranoid, but he never wanted them to have the chance of being used against him.

As he and Kiku made their way to class, he waved and smiled at all the students he recognized, as was expected of someone of his social status. There were a couple of times he stopped to carry on a few conversations, but Kiku was eventually able to pull him away and guide him to AP Calc. Alfred sent his friend a grateful look, then looked over the sea of desks for one that was worthy enough to be his spot for the rest of the school year.

Second row from the back, right next to large, open windows? Perfect.

He rushed to the desk and claimed it, setting his red backpack on the ground as he seated himself. Kiku took the spot right next to him, his bag on his chair as he took out his summer work and neatly centered it on his table. Alfred chuckled at that. He was a firm believer in not getting ready until after the bell rang, especially since they still had homeroom to go. As with every year, he'd be clinging on to the fringes of summer until the very end.

The bell rung and they swiftly did their pledge of allegiance before their classroom television turned on with the morning newscast. His blue eyes blankly stared at the screen for a few moments before he decided he was bored and pulled his phone onto his lap, updating his journal with anything new he could think of. The sound of the door forcing itself open startled him — he as well as many other surprised students fixed their attention onto the distressed newcomer, whose violet eyes stared at them all like a deer in headlights.

The student was trembling, which elicited a couple of snickers from the others. Alfred scowled at that; it was pretty obvious the other student was terrified, which now had only worsened. It was hard being the new guy, especially as a senior. Did no one think to give the poor kid a tour of the place before thrusting him into the flow of things? That was messed up, though he felt a bit of relief when he saw the teacher approach the teen and talk to him as the morning announcements came to a close.

"Hello, class, I'd like you to meet Ivan Braginsky. He's come all the way from Russia, so please be courteous and help him get around."

'Russia?' Alfred grinned, impressed. It definitely explained the guy's appearance — a rounded jawline with a rather large nose fixed between his unnaturally colored eyes, right-parted platinum-blond hair and pale, marble skin, as though he never spent a day of his life outside. He was tall, muscular, with broad shoulders that piqued Alfred's interest and dusted a light blush across his cheeks. Damn, the new guy was handsome, like some Targaryen prince.

His classmates seemed to have had a different impression, as evident by their judgmental sneers and the way they carefully guarded their space. Sure, he was a bit odd with his winter attire in early September — a green turtleneck shirt, a long pink scarf, blue pants tucked into knee-high, brown, leather boots. And the way he hunched over, using his shoulders as a way to shrink himself, made him look like a potential target to any bullies that preyed on insecurity. After being gestured to find a seat, the new guy gave a shaky nod as he took tentative steps down his aisle, avoiding eye contact with everyone while searching for a place to sit.

"Oh, god, a commie."

Alfred glared at the kid who muttered that under his breath, which resulted in Ivan flinching. Didn't the Cold War happen like ages ago or something? He may have sucked at history, but he knew that whenever it happened it was long before his time, and before any of his peers for that matter.

"He's pretty awkward, isn't he?"

His gaze shifted to the girl he caught whispering and he glowered at her. Seriously, was no one going to give the new kid a chance to get adjusted? He glanced at Kiku, whose brown irises were averted. Was he missing something?

Alfred glanced up as Ivan passed him, heading toward the empty seat directly behind him, without so much a look of acknowledgment. Alfred turned in his seat with his lips pursed, watching as Ivan pulled the seat back and made a loud scruff against the tiled floor. His face flushed in embarrassment, gaze darting wildly to all the students who shot him an annoyed glare before they rolled their eyes and faced the front.

Except Alfred, who when their eyes met, smiled at him reassuringly, only for it to widen when the other stared at him with disbelief.

"Hey, it's Ivan, right? My name's Alfred."

---

Alfred wasn't following the new guy, but it was convenient that they shared many classes together, so at least he could keep an eye on him. Truth be told, he was concerned. It had been about two weeks since the first day, but the student body's perception of Ivan hadn't changed in the slightest. Even Kiku and his brother seemed unnerved by him, which he didn't quite understand. Sure, he was often told he couldn't read the atmosphere, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't feel that 'ominous and intimidating' aura everyone talked about. To him, Ivan was just a socially awkward teenager who had issues getting along with people his own age. So what? Maybe he just needed one friend to break that mold since not everyone made friends easily. Hell, he expected Kiku to be a little more sympathetic considering how isolationist he was in second grade after moving all the way from Japan.

He watched as the Ivan's silvery brows narrowed, eyes focused on his paper as he tried to scribble down history notes as quickly as he could. The lecture was too fast, even for Alfred's liking. His heart went out to Ivan as even he, a native-speaker, struggled to keep up with the teacher who never seemed to take a breather. Violet eyes flickered to him, clearly bothered, as though he thought Alfred was just another person here to give him a hard time — that made him frown. Had the student body treated him so poorly he lost his faith in everyone? Something needed to change.

His hand shot up and he waved it around to get the teacher's attention, ignoring the look Ivan sent him — his skin paling more than usual while his pupils constricted in panic, as though he thought Alfred were about to rat him out for murder. Of course, Alfred didn't understand why the other would be so paranoid. It wasn't like he did anything wrong.

He was met with an audible sigh. "Yes, Alfred?"

"Um, can you like slow down a bit? I'm having a hard time keeping up." Not that he was writing things down in the first place, he'd long since thrown in the towel, but a few other students jumped on board with him, nodding in agreement and begging the teacher to tone it down.

"Oh, I see." Their teacher rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Very well—" he continued with his lesson, true to word, slowing down considerably.

Alfred turned to Ivan and offered him a small smile, only to pout when he watched the other cease his blank staring and turn away with a bright red face. Oh no, did he embarrass him even further? Shit. He wondered if he should take a more discreet route when trying to look out for the big guy, though he had no idea how he would accomplish that. He wasn't exactly the most subtle person, and not being the hero was out of the question.

In his contemplation, he completely missed the shy glances violet eyes sent him for the rest of the day.

---

He was updating his journal again when his twin nudged his arm.

"What?" Alfred glanced up at the cafeteria table, eying his older brother with annoyance while watching him take the empty seat to his left.

"It's like every time I look at you, your face is buried in that thing," Matthew huffed softly. "How have your teachers not confiscated it yet?"

"You sound like mom." Alfred tapped the power button of his smartphone and tucked it into his pocket, eyes wandering over his table. Feliciano was chatting enthusiastically as Ludwig listened, face stoic as usual, eating his lunch with Kiku on his other side going through homework that was due the next day. It wasn't like Alfred had a conversation to partake in considering how his twin had just come back from talking with Carlos, who refused to sit at their table as long as he was there. He needed to entertain himself somehow, and the lunchroom provided so many opportunities to jot down all of his observations into his phone.

Could he join a random table and talk to the people there? Sure. Did he want to? Not really. Call him petty, but he was fed up with the recent news going around school lately, all concerning the Russian new student and mean-spirited rumors. He'd tried to end it, like defending Ivan's reasons for changing in the bathroom during gym, but that only resulted in the other guys calling him gay...which he had to remind them he was bisexual and a member of GSA, but whatever. Politely, he asked for the rumors to stop, because no, being shy and nervous around people did not equate to being some anti-social pariah. Obviously that didn't work and people still had the nerve to think he was the ridiculous one.

If Ivan were here, he'd sit and talk with him, but the poor guy had been so shunned in the first week of class that it was practically impossible to find him around this time.

At the end of the day, eighth period, Alfred found himself bored in his music class. Mr. Edelstein was busy working on making adjustments to their Marching Band drill before their first game with Matthew and Mei, the drum majors, while he had already practiced the hell out of his trumpet. As a result, Edelstein kind of left him to his own devices, which meant he was free to wander the halls and find something to do before he got caught by some strict teacher with a stick up their ass.

And that is how he found himself in Feli and Kiku's art class, which was currently being student-taught by his cousin, Francis Bonnefoy. He loved the guy who was practically an older brother to him and Matthew, having lived with him for a while due to problems with his mother. Years ago, Francis used babysit them both in their lonely, big house with his long-term girlfriend Jeanne while his own parents preoccupied themselves with their demanding jobs.

"Ah, Alfred, what are you doing here? You should be in class!" Francis scolded as he strolled in with an innocent bravado, ignoring him to smile at the elderly professor who was unable to resist his charm. With a nod and dismissive wave of her hand, she allowed him to stay.

"Oh, Francis, I'm sure he'll be fine," she chuckled sweetly before going back to her own project.

Francis ruffled his golden hair fondly and let out an amused exhale. "Very well. Try not distract the others too much."

"No promises." Alfred shrugged carelessly before heading toward his friends, his eyes widening once he saw their work. "Wow, those are really good," he complimented honestly. Because they were. Feliciano had done a realistic still-life charcoal drawing and Kiku had a beautiful watercolor painting of cherry blossoms blooming. He'd have to sell his soul to the devil or something to be that good an artist.

"Ah, thank you, Alfredo!" Feli beamed, turning to him with amber eyes shining brightly.

"Hai, arigato, Al-kun." Kiku smiled gently with a modest blush on his cheeks from the compliment.

"Oh, when are you coming to the restaurant again?" Feliciano asked, cocking his head to the side. "I think Lovino misses you!" Alfred let out a soft chuckle at that, noting how even though Feli and Ludwig were his classmates, he seemed to get along better with their older brothers. Not that he didn't like the two, they just weren't super close or anything. Sometimes it felt like he only really hung around them because they were friends with Kiku, and that Lovino always spoiled him with food while Gilbert was good friends with Francis.

"Maybe we can make a date of it soon," he suggested with a grin, always willing to make time for some delicious food. Feliciano's father was a very successful chef, owner of a couple of authentic Italian restaurants: one of which was the Il Veneziano, which was local and managed by Lovino, while Il Romano was run by Mr. Vargas himself in the heart of the Big Apple. To say they were living well was an understatement. As far as Alfred knew, the brothers had the biggest house in the neighborhood, and that was saying something considering how his own family was pretty well-off.

"Mon cher, I am tempted to agree." Francis smirked as he came over with his arms crossed. "We can settle a group gathering soon, however I want you to do your grand frère a favor and at least look like you are participating in this class."

Alfred groaned dramatically in response. "Fine, I guess I will." His eyes roamed the classroom in search of a free easel he could claim, only to catch sight of one right beside a very familiar platinum-blond.

Oh, he hadn't known Ivan was in this class. That made things interesting, but he scowled when he noticed two of his peers holding back laughs as they eyed Ivan's painting with cruel smirks. Ivan was uncomfortable with the attention, gaze flickering back and forth between the others and his art before they landed on him with surprise, almost pleading his one ally for help. But then he averted his gaze, as though he were ashamed of himself for having reached out.

Sensing his friend's sudden determination, Kiku grabbed his sleeve with a worried expression drawn on his face. "Al-kun, I don't think—"

Alfred shook his head. "Hey, I got this, don't worry." He grinned reassuringly, though it didn't reach his eyes. Truth be told, was pissed, not tolerating bullying in the slightest.

He made his way to grab a charcoal pen and paper from the back, then rushed toward the easel, but not without sneaking a peek over Ivan's shoulder to see what he was painting.

"Oh, nice sunflower," he found himself saying, startling the taller teen who whipped his head around to look at him, his pale fingers trembling nervously. Taking a step toward it, he marveled at the bright blue sky and brown circle at the center of the page with long, golden petals sticking out of it. Ivan was currently working on the stem, but Alfred found himself impressed with his skills in shading. "Looking great!"

"A-ah, t-thank you," Ivan stammered, accent thick and attractive as always. There was a pronounced blush on his face as his eyes struggled to look at Alfred directly, despite the fact they were so close to each other.

"Of course, man!" Alfred winked before clipping his sheet of paper to the easel, completely missing the awestruck glances Ivan kept casting toward him.

"Hey—" both Ivan and Alfred's attention darted toward the source of the voice. The latter of the two scowled as he recognized it belonging to one of the assholes who had been making fun of Ivan before. He didn't like the mischievous glances they sent each other nor the bullshit smirks on their faces. "For a commie asshole, you sure like to pretend you're hot shit, huh?"

Ivan brows raised as he squeaked, "I-I do not understand?"

"Don't play innocent! For the past few days you've been acting like you're better than everyone else. It's pissing me off!"

Alfred approached Ivan's side, crossing his arms defensively. Okay, that wasn't true at all. No one was even giving Ivan a chance to assimilate into their school. There was a reason he didn't socialize with anyone. They were literally just trying to mess with the new kid for no good reason. "Kevin, will you ever shut the fuck up?" He snapped, only for Ivan to stare at him with a bewildered expression.

"Hey, Al. Trying to be the hero again?" Kevin let out a sardonic chuckle, hands innocently hiding behind his back.

"Fuck you. You've all been giving him shit since day one. Just leave him the hell alone!" He fumed, getting fed up with the constant unjustified bullshit.

"Why are you defending this weirdo?" Chris huffed, gesturing toward Ivan and talking about him like he wasn't even there.

"Maybe because you're both being assholes?" He replied as if it were the most obvious thing. Hint: it was.

"Oh my god, can you mind your own business? For once? Please?" Kevin smiled tightly. "Chill the fuck out, we were joking."

"Next time you joke, make sure it's actually funny," Alfred bit back with a glare before turning back to his easel. As he stroked the paper with his pencil, he noticed Ivan was watching him, completely dazed. "Hey, man, are you oka—"

"There!" He looked in time to see Kevin reveal the can he'd hidden behind his back as red paint lunged toward Ivan's painting. "Now it's accurate, you red bastard!"

Alfred could only stare in shock as paint coated Ivan's once-beautiful sunflower, with some of it ricocheting and coating his clothes and skin in red splatter. After recovering from the initial shock, Alfred spun toward Kevin, fueled by fury. "What the fuck is your problem?"

Francis had heard the commotion. "Mon dieu, is everything alright over there—"

"No!" Alfred answered in frustration before his eyes focused on Ivan, only to pause in alarm. The other was shaking, his violet irises constricted and wild as he stared at trembling hands that dripped red. "I-Ivan?" He asked softly, filled with worry. Something was off. This wasn't right.

"Ty mertv," Ivan's voice was low, almost a growl. He displayed a cruel glower on his face as he grabbed the students arm before he could retreat. His eyes were darkened, menacing with the intent to harm. Terrified, Kevin tried to pull back, only for a loud, disgusting crack to fill the silence, save for the agonized scream he let out. But it didn't end there, as suddenly they both were on the floor with Ivan on Kevin's abdomen, his hands clenched around the bully's neck while he listened to the beautiful sounds of pained gasps for air and pleads for mercy. A twisted grin crawled onto his face as he watched the other suffocate.

Alfred lowered the hand covering his mouth, blinking out of his horror to focus on the situation. Okay, Kevin may be an asshole, but he didn't deserve to die. He had to snap Ivan out of whatever the hell he was doing. He surged forward, wrapping his arms around Ivan's chest and pulling back with all his strength. The force of it had apparently been enough to surprise Ivan into letting go with both their bodies tumbling back and knocking over his easel in the process. Alfred found himself in a daze as he laid on his back, a heavy body on top of him. His hands pushed against the other's chest only to be met with a surprised violet gaze that conveyed fear, almost on the verge of tears.

And suddenly the body was gone. Alfred sat up, noticing Ivan was breathing erratically. They made eye contact for a brief moment before Ivan bolted from the room.

"Alfred, wait!" He ignored his cousin's pleas and ran after the other, chasing him down the halls, nearly losing him until he heard the bathroom door at the end of the hall slam shut. The stoner's bathroom. It had to be. When he entered the room and turned the corner, he was met with a sight he hadn't expected.

"Oh, new kid..." Alfred gasped with worry, immediately rushing to Ivan's side who sobbed as he stared at his reflection. Alfred held the other's hands in his own and inspected the actual blood that trickled from his knuckles. He glanced at the shattered mirror and noted that a crimson liquid was seeping into its myriad of cracks. Cautiously, he tried to meet Ivan's gaze. "We need to clean you up." He brought the bloodied hands that now stained his own to the faucet and turned it on, then instructed the other to clean out the wounds and paint as he took off his sweater. "Give me your hands — quickly!" Alfred ordered, and like a child in trouble, Ivan obeyed, watching dully as the other wrapped a hoodie around his hands and then applied pressure. God, was Alfred grateful he wore red. "You need to see the nurse."

"N-Nyet," Ivan croaked, tears spilling from his eyes.

Alfred felt his heart pang with empathy. "You're hurt," he said softly, looking Ivan in the eyes with concern. "Let me take care of you."

"N-no nurse," Ivan begged, his voice trembling.

Letting out a defeated sigh, Alfred realized he had no choice but to comply. "Alright, no nurse. But I'll take you to my house, okay? It'll just be me and the cats. Is that alright with you?" Ivan averted his gaze and paused before finally relenting with a meek nod.

They discreetly snuck out of school through the back entrance and made their way down the bike path since Matthew had the key to the car and Alfred lived pretty close by. He took the time to send his brother a text asking him to get his backpack and to let Mr. Edelstein know he was going to miss band practice before tucking his phone away. By the time they made it to his colonial-style home, Alfred could feel his sweater was damp with blood. Well, he wouldn't be wearing that for a while. He sighed as he took his hand away to take his keys out of his pocket and open the back door, immediately whisking Ivan inside to the nearest bathroom. He worked diligently as he cleansed the wounds once again, gently massaging an antibiotic onto them afterwards. Violet eyes watched silently while relishing in his soothing touches.

As his hands worked to wrap a gauze around the cuts, Alfred found himself finally breaking the silence. "Don't listen to the others. They're all just a bunch of pretentious assholes."

"T-they are not wrong to treat me so...is all my fault. I am monster..." Ivan's voice quivered, and Alfred could only stare at him sympathetically before continuing the task at hand.

"No." Alfred shook his head. "You're not. You didn't do anything wrong."

"But—"

"Some people," Alfred began steadily, attempting to curb his frustration and the emotion from his own personal experience. "Are just so filled with hate, they don't know what to do with it... so they try to push it onto others, especially people they see as easy targets. People they think are...different." When he finished wrapping, he held Ivan's hands in his lap and checked to see if the bandages were secure.

"H-How do I prevent this hate from affecting me? How do I stop it before is too late? Is it already too late?" Ivan's voice became more desperate, more intense as his body trembled.

Alfred shook his head again, gently caressing the back of the other's shaking hands in a comforting manner. "No, it's not too late. It's never too late…" He paused, facing Ivan with a thoughtful expression before giving him a soft smile. "I suppose...you just need to find something you love and just focus on that."

---

It had been days since the incident and Alfred was waiting by the locker he believed to be Ivan's. A few students were sending him wary glances, as they had been, so that was nothing new. Word spread fast around their school, and to know that the new student everyone had bad vibes about sent Kevin to the hospital, and not only that, but the fact that Alfred went to his defense hadn't been so good for his reputation. However, right now he didn't care about that if it meant doing the right thing. Clearly Ivan had some issues with bullying, otherwise he wouldn't have had such an extreme reaction to it. A part of him wanted to ask about it, but maybe it was best to save the meddling for another time.

He seriously hoped he heard correctly that today was the day Ivan's suspension had ended. It had to be rough going through that just after arriving at a new school. If the rumors had been bad before, he could only dread how much worse they were going to be moving forward.

A couple of gasps were heard and he blinked up from his phone, watching as Ivan strode toward him with a long, beige coat, an excited smile stretched across his face, almost as if they hadn't seen each other in years. Confused, he raised a brow, wondering if this was the same nervous guy he patched up a few days ago.

"Fedya!" Alfred was surprised to hear Ivan sound so delighted, as well as the fact he was being addressed by what sounded like a nickname, but he welcomed it nonetheless. "I missed you," Ivan added gently, causing him to blush over how affectionate it felt.

"U-um, hey." Alfred managed a small grin of his own as he rubbed the back of his neck. "How've you been? Things been good lately?" His gaze lingered on the other's hands, which were concealed by black, leather gloves.

Ivan's nod was very enthusiastic. "Never better."

There was something different about Ivan, like the way he spoke and held himself more confidently and smiled freely. Suddenly he didn't seem to care about the opinions of others and was focused solely on him. What happened to the socially awkward guy from the other day? When did Ivan change so drastically? Whatever the reason, he seemed happier, and that alone was enough for Alfred to brush off his curiosity. Maybe he was glad he finally had a friend and that's what exposed his true persona? It seemed like a decent enough explanation.

"Let's walk to class together, alright?" Alfred suggested, noticing the way the other's gaze softened, twinkling, a warm smile curling his lip.

"Da. We are friends, right?"

Alfred chuckled fondly, relieved to see the other was faring much better. "Yeah, we're friends."

Notes:

Yeah, so that's that. For those who never heard of Mirai Nikki, I'm well aware this may not make sense, or maybe it does, I don't know since I'm not reading with fresh eyes. Those who have seen the whole show, you will VERY much catch on to what happened. For the record, I'm not gonna explain anything until we're further along so I don't spoil stuff lol.

Also, keep in mind, Alfred is a very unreliable narrator and most of the fic is in his perspective. So many things and red flags will be brushed off as nothing, but hopefully you all will be able to notice them.

I don't have a beta or anything, so if you see any mistakes or wanna critique, feel free to let me know. And I know the Hetalia fandom is dead so I don't expect much, lol. I just thought this would be an interesting idea to try out, so I'm doing it. Why not?

Chapter 2: A Paradigm for Orpheus

Summary:

When the Gods offer a chance, don’t look back.

Notes:

So some things I want you all to be aware of: 1) The summary of this story won't be happening for a few chapters, as right now I'm establishing the world, characters, and giving some insight into their lives as I slip in a ton of foreshadow. This is mainly for the purpose of contrast, because people will change over the course of this fic 2) WHEN the game starts, shit will start to go down and it will go down fast, so just keep in mind that the characters will be reacting to these stressful events. I plan on making this a little bit more realistic than the original source material, but that's not saying much tbh lol.

"Alfred, why is he here?"

The blond in question blinked at his twin, raising a perplexed brow as he idled, lounging on the bed of freshly-mowed grass. "Huh?" Looking over his shoulder toward the bleachers, he saw a very familiar Russian gazing down at him, shyly waving when they made eye contact. "Oh, uh, moral support?" Instinctively, he waved back.

"Alfred," Matthew pinched the bridge of his nose as he seated himself, legs crossed. "You don't find anything off about him? Not one thing?"

He groaned in response. Not this again. "What are you talking about?"

"Let's start from the beginning when you were the only one dumb enough to approach him, all smiley and cute like you always do." Alfred's mouth dropped, offended. "No bad vibes there?"

"He's a new student, Matt. He literally has no friends, so of course he's gonna be awkward as hell."

"Al, no one looks that guilty or that defensive unless they are actually hiding something. There were people who tried to talk to him, but he would just glare at them or ignore them. It was like he didn't want to be friends with anyone, he just wanted to be left alone."

"Nobody wants to be alone," Alfred snapped with narrowed eyes. He knew from personal experience, and the way Ivan broke down the other day only confirmed they shared that sentiment.

"The first week of class he snapped at Feliciano and said he didn't need anyone else's help. All he did was try to show him where the paints were, and that was before he attacked Kevin," was Matthew's reply, scowling.

"Um, he's never acted that way with me?"

"Because, Al, you don't pay attention to these things called social cues. You're too damn persistent for your own good when you put your mind to something." Indigo eyes flickered to the bleachers anxiously before they were back on him.

"Are you done pointing out my flaws yet? Because I would really love to enjoy my snack break in peace." Hell, even pulling the grass out of the football field seemed like a more favorable way to pass the time, not that he wasn't already doing that.

"I'm being serious." Matthew frowned, eyes roaming over to their friends and other band members as they got water on the track course. He had plenty of time to keep this conversation private, but only if Alfred would shut up and listen. "Whatever you did, you broke through Ivan's wall. Congratulations, you now have a stalker!"

Alfred's tongue clicked the roof of his mouth as he made a look of disbelief. "Ivan's not my stalker. We're friends."

"You're naïveté is adorable, but no," Matthew sighed, pausing for a moment to get his bearings, bringing up the mental checklist he worked on. "The guy is obsessed with you." Alfred rolled his eyes. "No, hear me out. He always looms over you when you're walking down the halls. If anyone tries to talk to you, he grabs your attention by interrupting them. He's even glaring at me at this very moment!" Alfred turned his head and eyed Ivan skeptically, only to see him beaming with innocence. "Well, way to be obvious about it."

"I think you're overreacting." Alfred stuck out his tongue "Maybe he has a crush on me."

"A possessive one? Stop thinking with your dick and focus." 

Alfred scoffed. "Listen, Matt, I know you are interested in psychology and shit, but stop treating me and everyone like we're patients. It was annoying back then, it's annoying now—"

"Because I'm worried about you! Mom and I were seriously concerned you were schizophrenic—" That earned him a nasty glare which shut him up. "Sorry, back to Ivan." Alfred let out a sigh of relief. "His behavior is abnormal and I don't feel comfortable with him hanging around you. I think you should at the very least set up some boundaries."

"So...what you're saying is that Ivan is to you is what Carlos is to me?" He made a shit-eating grin at Matthew's incredulous look.

"You hoser, you know that's not what I meant!"

"No, no, I think I get it now. You don't get along with him and now you don't want him anywhere near me and therefore you." Alfred sat up enthusiastically. "Sounds pretty familiar, huh?"

"Alfred, stop twisting my words," Matthew growled sternly. "You're not dumb. I know you understand what I'm getting at."

"Fine." Alfred waved his hand in dismissal. "I'll talk to him, set up boundaries and what not. Tell him how friendships work in America. Happy?" He took a big gulp of water from his bottle.

"For now," Matthew replied with a firm nod before pushing himself off the ground. "Get your section together, we're going back to zero set."

"'Kay," Alfred watched as his brother left, brows furrowing as he processed their conversation in a more serious light. Matthew just didn't understand, he wasn't there when Ivan went through a mental breakdown. No one had been. They didn't know about the other's vulnerability. For Christ's sake, he sobbed over not wanting to be perceived as a monster. It was like Beauty and the Beast, not to imply that he was Belle or anything, but more so the fact that the Beast was really just a sensitive prince hidden beneath a cold exterior while those that tried to hurt him, the Gastons of the world, were the real monsters. Okay, so maybe he was Belle. There wasn't anything wrong with that, after all, she was the hero of the story, which meant it was his duty as Ivan's friend to help him reach his true potential. Alfred could already see it shining through: how sweet Ivan would be as they talked, the way he helped him in World History since he didn't know shit about European drama, or the hours they could just talk and text about anything random that came to mind as if they'd been lifelong friends.

No, the hard part would be getting everyone to disregard their preconceived notions about Ivan and see him in a new light.

---

Usually for gym, Alfred would pick flag football as his activity despite his ill-feelings toward the sport after the school's football team rejected him freshman year. It was still fun to play and he was good friends with Kyle Kirkland, the team's quarterback, who was also in his gym class and did swim with him during the winter season. However, considering the torrential downpour at the moment, his next best choice was either volleyball or weight-room, and since he was in the mood to be lazy and play on his phone, the latter option won.

Which is how he ended up on a stationary bike, 'exercising,' when really he was just updating his journal, listening to music, and texting his peers because the gym teacher that supervised the area wouldn't say anything as long as he did something. The color guard captain Emma Maes was here, so he had the option to hang out with her and her friends if he really wanted to, but he was deterred by the few familiar faces between them he preferred to avoid.

When the empty bike beside him suddenly became occupied, he turned to see who was seated beside him, smiling when it was only Ivan dressed in his long-sleeve under armour shirt that displayed his well-defined, sculpted muscles — not that Alfred ever caught himself staring at them, of course not, but he also wore that scarf he never took off. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't curious about it.

"I see you followed me here, huh?" Alfred teased. Ivan followed him like a lost puppy in gym, picking any activity he chose. In flag football, the guy was a beast, a complete pro that should probably get recruited into the NFL as soon as he graduated. The way he charged with amazing stamina and speed, or the strength he had in in his throws — god, they were beautiful to watch. He was surprised that only Carlos approached Ivan and tried to persuade him to join the team, but then remembered a majority of the student body was too intimidated by him. It was a shame because maybe the team would actually win a game with two competent players, and no, one of them was not Matthew's asshole friend.

"Where you go, I follow," Ivan stated proudly with a nod.

Nothing in the other's tone implied it was meant to be creepy. He didn't know what the hell Mattie was smoking when he said Ivan was a stalker. "Even if I'm about to jump off a cliff?"

"I would not let you do so," was the simple, but firm reply he was met with. Letting out a small chuckle, Alfred went to update his journal. "What are you doing? Texting?" A knowing smirk stretched across Ivan's lips, a fond and teasing twinkle in his eyes.

Alfred averted his gaze at the other's charming behavior and nodded hesitantly. "Y-yeah." Not really, but his diary was personal. Ivan would probably lose all respect for him if he knew the truth, that underneath all his popularity and cheerful facade was an observant, lonely guy who liked to meticulously document everything he heard or saw. If anyone saw the shit stored in there, they'd know he had an incredible supply of blackmail material, though he never intended to use it in the first place as that was not the diary's purpose. Still, people would grow suspicious of him and think he was a shitty person. He didn't need more drama in his already hectic life.

"Ah, are you thinking negatively of yourself again?" Alfred blinked in surprise, relaxing his brows and falling out of his trance as he stared at the other. How the hell did he just know? "You are not as alone as you think. I am here," Ivan smiled sweetly while he could only feel his jaw drop as he struggled to respond. The way Ivan read him perfectly was insane, only his mother, Matthew, and Kiku could do so, and they each had known him for most of his life. It was only the very beginning of October, barely a month since school started, and somehow Ivan acted like they'd been together for a lifetime — knowing every detail of his life, memorizing every facial change...yet he didn't know anything about the other in return, despite knowing that there was clearly something problematic in his life. The guy punched a mirror.

Maybe Ivan was a stalker, but maybe he was somebody who was just as lonely in the world as he was. Perhaps even more so. Matthew always thought he had everything because he was popular, 'well-liked,' but that was far from the truth. The only people that could hang around him for long periods of time were Kiku and his twin, and he knew that even they had their limits at times. His social status was high only because he was attractive, came from a good family and economic background, and starred in every extracurricular activity he partook in. Should he crumble or fall from his pedestal, who would be there for him? Middle school was the perfect reminder of who he was without his popularity and who his true friends were. To the rest of the school, he wasn't a person, he was an asset, and somehow he found himself accepting this role easily as it distracted him from his true self — the side of him that made his mother, best friend, and twin think that there was something very wrong with him. They didn't understand, no one ever would. To them he'd just been crazy and needed psychiatric help.

Alfred had looked it up. It was perfectly normal for an adult to have imaginary friends. Those people were called writers. However, he also read that it was a bad thing when you couldn't discern reality from fantasy, which was where his problem lied. None of that mattered anymore though, he said his goodbyes to his fictional friends and world, and now lived in constant regret each day because of it. That's what adulthood was all about, right? Constant disappointment.

"Ivan, do you feel lonely often?" Alfred asked in a serious, light voice.

Ivan paused during his reflection, legs no longer cycling as he leaned back in his seat. His gaze was hazy for a moment before softening, his gentle smile returning. "Nyet. Never when I'm with you."

Alfred felt his heart melt and face heat up as the corner of his lip quirked coyly. They were two peas in a pod. Ivan understood him. Matthew was alone a lot, but never realized that he was the likable one out of the two. He could make friends with anyone — real, genuine friends. That was more valuable than his title as 'Mr. Popular,' where most of his relationships were superficial, at best they were 'friends' but simply lacked any meaningful connection. Hell, the only person who knew about his journal was Kiku, and his best friend didn't even know the reason why he was so obsessed with it. It was exhausting having to watch what he said or it'd be used against him, to do something big like come out of the closet and then be labeled an attention whore, to have people hit on him and then realize they just wanted to hook-up with a pretty face and not actually pursue anything with him because he was too annoying, or the mild version where people pretended to be his friend so they could boost their own reputation, then turn on him when they were secure. A good thing about band was that he felt comfortable with most of the kids there, and Kyle was probably the one student not a part of it that he genuinely liked to hang out with. Everyone else just couldn't be trusted in his eyes.

But now he had Ivan. And Mattie wanted Alfred to drop him, hell, most of the student body did. Whenever he enjoyed something, it was like everyone just wanted to take it away from him. His friendship with Ivan was something he couldn't afford to lose, not after what he saw. He was obligated to help the other get through whatever demons haunted him.

Alfred let out a heavy sigh. "Mattie thinks we should set up boundaries for our friendship. He thinks we're too close or something." He rolled his eyes as he checked his cellphone notifications.

"Perhaps Matvey should learn to hold his tongue, lest he lose it."

Alfred's eyes darted toward Ivan, brow raised, startled by the response. It was said rather sweetly, so he wasn't sure if it was meant to be a joke or if it was actually a veiled threat.

He shrugged off his discomfort. "Okay, maybe don't say things like that? He's annoying, but I still love him." Frowning, he added, "He just cares about me too much for his own good, but his heart's in the right place."

Ivan hummed in response, his expression amused. "Very well, continue on."

"Well, maybe if you integrated with my group of friends, people will start seeing the side of you that I see, and then everyone will stop treating you like you have the plague," he suggested. "You could start sitting with us at lunch."

Ivan pursed his lips in thought before aiming a serious stare. "And this would make you happy?"

Alfred nodded. "Of course! I like hanging out with you."

Purple eyes brightened with mirth. "I see...then yes, I will join you at lunch tomorrow."

"Awesome!"

---

"Do you know if Francis arranged a date for our group dinner?" Matthew asked his brother, meeting him in their normal spot in front of the band room before heading down the hall and toward the cafeteria.

"With our friends at Il Veneziano?" Alfred replied before nodding. "Yeah, he and Gilbert should be free the 20th, so like two weeks."

Matthew paused thoughtfully. "Isn't that the day after our competition?"

"Yup, so it'll be a good celebration. I'm confident we'll win. We got gold when we went against those pretentious assholes at St. Mary's."

"You know mum and dad almost enrolled us there, right?" Matthew laughed with a shake of his head. "But yeah, they are pretentious. Mum couldn't stand it."

"I wonder why Ludwig and Feli don't go there." Alfred gave a wry smirk. "Feli literally lives in a manor. He'd be accepted with open arms."

Matthew took his jest seriously. "Well, for a school that isn't a vocational or private school, we have a really good ranking in the state. We've got the best equipment, we're more diverse, we have better extracurriculars, a solid alumni, we're humble. The list goes on."

"I mean, that's fair—"

Matthew jolted and made to grab for the hook of Alfred's arm, but was too late as the other had suddenly run into another person. Nearly falling back, large hands held onto Alfred's biceps and held him in place, right in very close proximity to a broad chest.

A flustered laugh escaped Alfred as he took a step back; Ivan's arms fell reluctantly when he pulled away. Matthew froze, knowing that this was the same guy who'd sent Kevin to the hospital and was now stalking his brother. Despite Alfred's claim that Ivan had been innocent in the situation, no amount of bullying warranted almost committing murder. This guy had to be seriously messed up if he could break someone's bones and then nearly crush their throat. It concerned Matthew that his brother thought there was nothing unnerving about the Russian. The way he smiled at Alfred, genuine and apologetic with a bit of blush on his cheeks, definitely made him question Ivan's real motives.

"Oh, hey Ivan! You actually came!" Alfred chirped in a welcoming tone.

"Of course, Fedya!" The other's violet gaze softened. "I said I would, did I not?"

"Yeah, you can just stick by me, okay?" Matthew sent his twin a distressed look that pleaded for him to take back the offer, but was ignored.

Ivan beamed. "Always. You are happy now?"

"I am very happy," Alfred agreed with a bright smile of his own, turning to look at Matthew before his eyes widened as though he forgot something. "Oh! This is my twin, Matthew, in case you two haven't met yet," he gestured toward his brother, who sent him an uneasy look before his eyes landed on the taller student.

There was a smile on Ivan's face. It would be almost inviting if it didn't feel so...forced. "Matvey, pleasure is mine," he regarded him with a nod, yet there was no warmth in his voice.

"L-likewise…" Matthew stammered awkwardly, hating how Alfred put him on the spot like that. The one time he hadn't completely forgotten his presence...

Fortunately for him, Ivan had no interest in carrying on the conversation, his attention was fixed on Alfred once again. "After you, solnyshko!" They walked into the cafeteria side-by-side, Matthew scowled as he trailed after them, not appreciating being forced as the third wheel. A part of him was tempted to bail and sit with his friend Carlos or with the guys he knew from the hockey team, even going back to the band room seemed appealing, but being the responsible sibling meant looking out for his younger brother when he felt he was threatened.

And Ivan's friendly guise was definitely a threat in his eyes.

Ivan seated himself beside Alfred and across from Kiku while Matthew took his twin's other side. Alfred introduced Ivan to his friends, only for Kiku and Feliciano to pale when they saw Ivan, clearly uncomfortable with their newest addition. They remembered the wild expression he had as he attacked Kevin, and no amount of sweetness would erase that image from their minds.

But Ivan was impassive as he regarded them with a nod. While he ignored Kiku completely, there was a gleam of recognition in his eyes as he stared at Feliciano and Ludwig. The atmosphere chilled, his greeting to them was curt, an intense fire concealed by purple irises. Feliciano trembled behind Ludwig, who stared at Ivan with a baffled expression. Matthew and Kiku exchanged a confused glance, briefly wondering if the three were familiar with one another with a dose of bad blood mixed in.

"You would not happen to be son of Romulus Vargus? The famous chef?" Ivan inquired suddenly as he leaned forward, his eyes focused on Feliciano.

Feliciano gulped, "Yes, he is my papà." It wasn't a secret, but it also wasn't something he liked to flaunt.

"The food is good. I am glad to have tried it." At this, Feliciano blinked in surprise, finally able to meet the other's gaze.

"You-You think so?"

Ivan nodded. "Your father is very well known, starting at bottom and now on top. It makes me curious how he accomplished such a thing through hard work alone."

Flattered, the Feliciano allowed himself to relax, quickly glancing at Ludwig who quirked a brow in distrust at the sudden compliment. "Thank you!"

"Would you know his secret? You see, I admire your father greatly. I too wish to live American Dream." Only Matthew, Ludwig, and Kiku seemed to have caught on to the insincerity laced within his words.

"Ah! Yes, he came here as immigrant many years ago, long before I was born, but he made many friends in Italy that helped him here. He stayed with them and made more friends, and they all helped him create the restaurant!"

"Oh, friends?" The corner of Ivan's lip twitched slightly, and the three observant teens communicated with each other silently, trying to figure out what he was getting at.

"Sì, having friends is very important for success," Feliciano stated matter-of-factly. "They support you when you're down, and keep you standing when you're up!" An oblivious smile stretched across his face.

"Interesting...say, Feliciano, would you say you care for your friends very much?"

"Of course! They are very important to me!" Feliciano beamed as Ivan merely hummed in approval, gaze flickering to Alfred who was nodding in agreement.

"Hopefully that answer will remain the same, da?" Ivan smiled, though once again, it lacked genuineness.

"H-huh?" Feliciano glanced at Ludwig whose stern look implied they were going to have a serious talk later.

A professional at turning a blind eye to the tension, as per usual, Alfred immediately recaptured Ivan's attention by starting a conversation with him.

Matthew furrowed his brows. It was strange seeing them talk as though they'd been friends forever — Ivan was a natural at listening to Alfred babble. He'd nod when appropriate, a question here and there. If Alfred went to talk to someone else or tried to ask questions regarding himself, he knew exactly what to say to keep his focus or maneuver the conversation toward a more favorable topic. To say that last part didn't strike a red flag for the more aware twin was a lie, but it wasn't like Alfred would listen to him if he voiced his concern.

He shook his head, scolding himself for fretting over his brother way more than necessary. Alfred was strong enough to take care of himself. He didn't need to be fussed over like when they were children, where Matthew would attempt to be the little angel on his shoulder telling him not to do something stupid like eat dirt while his twin acted in spite and did it anyway. Actually, he took that back, things never did change...

It was with a heavy sigh he realized Alfred really would be the death of him.

---

"You live your entire life in that phone of yours."

Alfred looked up from his phone to see his mother smiling at him with an amused expression on her face as she sat behind her laptop. She adjusted her glasses before skimming through another one of her student's assignments, rubbing her chin in concentration as she stroked one of their two cats, Maple, in her lap.

"You are literally saying that to me as you work on your computer, mother." He squinted his eyes teasingly at her.

Madeline's dark blue irises shot him a quick glance before she let out a small giggle. She leaned back in her chair, pushing her long, wavy blond hair behind her shoulder while thinking of a good comeback. Determining that she was caught with nothing to say in her defense, she decided to change the subject. "Your aunt Marianne wants to know how her son is doing." 

"Oh, so she actually cares now?" Alfred scoffed, which earned him a disapproving glare from his mother. "Francis is doing fine. Don't you see him at all during work? You could ask him yourself." Considering how the university his mother taught English and French Literature at was the same one his cousin studied the arts, he expected her to know this already.

"We have busy schedules, love." His mother paused her grading to send her older half-sister a quick text. "You probably see him more at your school than I do at mine."

"You both literally live on-campus though," he countered. Madeline was a very busy woman with a hectic schedule, and therefore would live in one of the Residential Halls for most of the year as the commute proved to be too exhausting and unreliable when she first started out.

Madeline chuckled, using a hand to pick up her cup of tea and take a sip. "Actually, this semester he's living with Jeanne in an apartment near her campus and your school. Remember? Also, I have my curriculum and he has his Master's to work on. Life in the city isn't as slow as it is here, Alfie. That's why we bought this place. So I wouldn't lose my mind."

"Oh, right. I forgot all about that," Alfred laughed. "And sure, that's the real reason why."

Madeline nodded gently before her eyes focused on her eldest son who was pacing outside the dining room. "Matthew, you alright?"

"Mum, have you seen my hockey sticks? Or my skates? They weren't in the attic or garage."

"It's 'mom'..." Alfred corrected with a cheeky grin while Matthew shot him an annoyed glare.

Madeline rubbed her temple. "I may have put them in the basement...Shoot, I think they're with the Christmas stuff…Sorry, honey."

Matthew let out a defeated sigh, "No, it's alright. I'll just go get dad to help me…" he turned and left while their mother sent Alfred a toothy smile that perfectly conveyed the phrase 'whoopsie!'

They conversed for another thirty minutes or so, ample time for the teen to decide he was done digesting his pancakes before he took their dirty dishes to the kitchen and placed them in the dishwasher. When he finished, he went upstairs to his bedroom and threw himself onto the bed, ignoring his cat Hero who regarded him with a glare before leaving him alone to decide what to do for the rest of the day. Play video games? Binge-watch an entire tv series? Get his fill of some new horror movies before Halloween? But it was Sunday and his mom was using her three day weekend to catch up on work, his dad who was back home for a small break was just as bad as he was when it came to horror, and Matthew was...well, to put it lightly, he slept like a rock, usually mid-way through the movie. In the case of any ghost attack, he was certain his twin would just sleep through the whole thing as the spirits did their way with him.

He could always text Kiku, but he remembered that the other had gone to Comic-Con with a cousin of his. Damn, he wished he'd been invited, but his friend was only going because said cousin had won exactly two tickets, and it was way too late for him to buy any. Maybe next year. There was Feliciano and Ludwig, but at the same time not really as he didn't even know what they'd talk about or do if they came over...

With goosebumps suddenly appearing on his arm and realizing that his room was too chilly, he pushed himself off the bed to check on the thermostat in the hall. It was 75 degrees. Confused, he went back to his room to see why it was much colder than the rest of the house. This wasn't Canada! Maybe mother and his twin could tolerate an ice age, but he had his father's Californian blood in him. He was made for warmer weather, not this! Never mind the fact he lived in New York all his life. Approaching one of his windows, specifically, the one with a maple tree partially obscuring his view, he rested his hands on the sill and found himself looking out. When they first moved in, he recalled the tree being restricted to only Matthew's side of their Jack-and-Jill suite, but now it was slowly passing onto his territory. Not that he minded, there were a couple of branches that made it the perfect secret exit he always wanted if he were ever in a predicament where he had to sneak out.

His theory was proven to be correct as he pulled away with a shudder. There was a cool draft coming through.

With a scowl, he pushed the window down firmly so cold air could no longer enter. Seriously? He thought he told his mother to stop opening his bedroom window to let in fresh air, and if she did, to at least make sure it was sealed tightly afterward. It was 54 degrees outside! He didn't care if she was blessed with the skin of a polar bear, he wasn't and this was his room! She hadn't even bothered to put the screen down, which meant bugs totally could've gotten in. If this ended up like last summer when he woke up to a wasp resting 3 inches away from his face, he was gonna lose his shit. He needed a sweater to deal with this nonsense, at least until the room warmed back up, though he briefly wondered when she found the time to come in since he slept comfortably all night. There wasn't any point he could recall her coming upstairs, but he did take his morning shower and then briefly went to the bathroom after breakfast, so she had her opportunities. A low growl escaped him as he went toward his walk-in closet, hand on the doorknob—

A wave of nostalgia hit him as he imagined a valley waiting for him on the other side, a bright sun beating down on him, rows of wildflowers with bunnies hopping in between. Ever since he was four-years-old, his closet was like the rabbit hole for Alice or the wardrobe in Narnia: a gateway to another world. There had been the voice that called itself Deus, which claimed it had full control over the world. It referred to the bunnies as 'data,' said it made them that way because he knew he liked them — which was true, he did go through that phase for a while. It made him an alien friend he called Tony, a whale he named Whaley. The adventures he had in the Cathedral of Causality resulted in some of the best memories of his life, and despite it all being in his imagination, everything had felt so real the entire time.

After a bit of more thought, he remembered one rabbit in particular: the one with the thick, fluffy brows and emerald green eyes. He caught it withering in pain, being deconstructed by the voice, and he begged for Deus to spare the poor thing. In its gratitude, the rabbit talked to him, told him stories, comforted him when he was sad. They'd have tea parties and Alfred recalled how it spoke with a posh accent...unlike reality, he never felt lonely when he was in that world.

When he opened the door, it was nothing but a closet filled with clothes.

"I'm sorry, but I can't come here anymore…"

That had been almost four years ago now, Alfred thought with a shake of his head before focusing on the present. His hands brushed against the hangers, looking for a nice sweater he could use to keep warm until the temperature went back to normal. He picked out his bomber jacket and put it on, hugging himself as he got back into bed and buried himself under the covers. Bringing up his phone to update his journal, he paused when he saw a notification from Ivan, simply asking how he was. Smiling, he wondered if it was time to officially bump up their friendship to the next level and invite him over to hang out. Mattie wouldn't be pleased, but he sometimes invited Carlos over without his consent so this just made them even.

Alfred: You busy today?

A message popped up in a grey speech bubble below his green.

Ivan: No, why?

That was a fast response for an outdated flip phone, he noted before sending a follow-up text.

Alfred: Just bored...wanna hang out?

Ivan: Of course! I would love to! ^o^

Alfred chuckled a bit at that, almost wishing they could send each other actual emojis.

Alfred: Cool u wanna come over or I go there?

Alfred: Or we could meet up somewhere idc

Ivan: I will go there. It's better.

Alfred: Ok cool!

He sat up in his bed, excited. This was actually happening. Someone other than Kiku (excluding his brother and Francis for obvious reasons) was coming over to spend time with him. Matthew always had Carlos, who hated him, and Tim Maes. Now he had two actual friends to hang out with too!

Ivan: See you soon!

Replying with another smiley emoticon before stuffing his phone into his pocket, he rushed toward his mirror and made sure he was presentable. It wasn't like he was going out or anything, so he figured his blue, plaid sweatpants and Captain America t-shirt were good enough. The rest of the house was warm, so he took off his bomber jacket and placed it on his desk chair, figuring he would be wearing it more often now that it was colder outside.

The doorbell rang and his eyes widened in surprise. Already? One step into the hall and his father was already calling out his name. Hustling to the balcony, his head cocked to the side as he saw two individuals converse in the foyer down below. In a flash, he was already down the stairs, his socks gliding across the wooden floor to meet the others.

"You got here fast," he grinned at Ivan as he came to a stop. "Ya live nearby or something?"

"I was taking walk on bike path. Is very peaceful." Did he mean the one that went through the woods at the end of his yard? The very same path they walked on a few weeks ago to clean out Ivan's wounds? Peaceful? He was for sure that would've been traumatic, considering how the poor guy was bleeding all over it.

"So, Al," his father began as he propped his out-of-season sunglasses on top of his auburn hair. "Care to introduce me to your friend?" His brown eyes flickered between the two teens.

"Oh, right." Alfred turned to his dad and gestured toward Ivan. "Dad, this is Ivan. Ivan this is...uh—"

"Allen Jones." The man held out a tan arm that the taller teen grasped and shook. "You can just call me Allen, especially since Al is taken by this one here." He gave a nod toward his son before they let go.

Alfred rested a hand on his hip. "Old man, no one shakes hands anymore." He shook his head in disappointment.

"Of course, silly me. How dare I be polite? I'll try not to embarrass you next time, sport."

"Alright, we're done here." Alfred gestured for Ivan to follow him and led him to the living room, signaling for him to take a seat. "Um, you want anything to drink?"

Ivan sat himself on the comfy leather. "I am good. Spasibo."

Alfred sat himself beside the other, propping his feet on the ottoman as he tried to think of something else to say. Normally when Kiku came over they would just play games or watch TV, but he didn't know if Ivan was interested in those types of things. What did Ivan even like anyway? He never talked about himself, and when Alfred tried to pry, he'd always distract him...and it didn't help that last time he was here, he was sobbing and bleeding after having a crisis and then left on his own before they could discuss it any further.

THUMP.

"Fuck!" Blue eyes shot wide when he heard his father curse. An amused grin grew on his face.

"Dad! Stop trying to carry everything by yourself!"

"I got this, hold on—"

Alfred chuckled upon seeing Ivan's concerned expression. "Mattie's trying to get his hockey stuff out of the basement," he explained, and the other nodded with a gentle smile. "So...is there anything you want to do in particular?"

Ivan paused, tapping his cheek thoughtfully as he stared at the ceiling. "Ah," his violet eyes focused on him with a strange twinkle in them. "Halloween is nearing, da? I think we should get in mood. Wouldn't you agree, Fedya?"

Alfred stared at him blankly before an incredulous laugh escaped him. "Wow, it's like you've known me for a million years. You sure we're not soulmates or something?"

Ivan cocked to his head to the side as an elated smile stretched across his lips, his eyes closing by how wide it was. "Who knows? Maybe we are!"

Alfred grinned in amusement as he pushed himself off the couch. "C'mon, I'll show you to my room. I prefer watching things in there." He liked his privacy when watching horror movies. It lessened the chances of Mattie and his mother laughing at him.

"Alfie," Madeline cooed from the other room. Going back into the dining room, he saw his mother in the same spot as before while Matthew and Allen both went through a plastic tote on the table, pulling out various things like a helmet, gloves, skates…"Who's this friend your father mentioned? I want to meet him!"

Alfred was about to respond, only for Ivan to appear beside him, giving the woman a shy, but friendly wave as he introduced himself in his usual sweet tone. "Hello! My name is Ivan Braginsky, pleasure to meet you!"

"So polite," his mother noted with a smile. "Call me Madeline. If you need anything just let me know!"

Ivan nodded graciously. "Thank you."

Matthew merely stared in silent horror as his father waved them off.

Alfred led Ivan to his room, thankfully warm, just the way he liked it. "Behold, my sleeping quarters." He spread his arms wide as he presented it to the other, smirking and waiting for Ivan's reaction. 

It was a good-sized room, with three large windows that brought in a lot of natural light, and his queen-sized bed tucked into a corner. Across from that was his tv stand, his movie and game collection displayed in large cabinets beside it. Nearby the doorway there was a desk and computer — a small office space with some books and notes sprawled in a messy pile. On the other wall were two other doors for his closet and shared bathroom, a bookshelf and posters...so many posters. In fact, there were clues to his interests all around the room, action figures of his favorite characters, maps of fictional worlds, a couple of cool decorations he got when pre-ordering collective editions for some games. It was a fanboy's haven.

Then Ivan's gaze went up and his face flushed in embarrassment. Right. The glow-in-the-dark stars he and his dad put up when he was ten...it had been a personal project for them. A long and tedious bonding activity.

"Ah, the star-crossed lovers." Ivan smiled as he nodded toward the stars.

"Oh, Vega and Altair?" Alfred walked into the room and plopped himself onto his bed without tearing his gaze away from the ceiling.

"I only know because a friend told me before. It is the Lyra constellation, da?" Ivan looked around some more. "Ursa Major, the Great Bear, or for some the Big Dipper."

A friend? So Ivan wasn't a complete loner. Good to know in case he had to reassure Matthew once again. "Yeah, Kiku told me all about Tanabata and stuff. He noticed it right away after I showed him this." Alfred grinned in amusement. "I didn't know you were into astronomy."

"Is fun hobby of mine," Ivan responded simply.

Once more that day, Alfred briefly wondered if God had personally sent Ivan down to him. He blinked in surprise when he realized the other was still standing in the center of his room. "Oh, you can sit on my bed, I don't mind. You can also pull out that chair—" Ivan immediately seated himself beside Alfred as soon as the suggestion escaped his mouth, startling him for a moment by how smooth the motion was. An amused laugh escaped him when he recovered, seeing Ivan's innocent face quirk into one of confusion. He shook his head with a smile as he pushed himself off the edge of the bed toward his TV stand and began to set up for their marathon.

"Do you have a preference or…" he said aloud as he used the remote to the browse through the selection he had available for streaming.

"I do not mind. You choose."

Alfred looked through his options, deciding to go with the one that had a cover he deemed harmless enough. Past experience told him this wasn't an accurate method for determining how scary a movie would be, but whatever. Fool me a million times, right? He selected the video and crawled onto his bed to the side pressed against the wall then checked on his guest, only to see that Ivan was relaxed on the edge with his boots off, eyes focused on him with a strange gaze he couldn't place.

"Do you wanna take off your coat? You can just hang it on the post." He watched as Ivan slung it off his shoulders and followed through with his suggestion before bringing up the covers. The screen dimmed as a darker mood was set.

Four movies in, Ivan was quite pleased when Alfred pressed his face into his shoulder, hooking their arms together as he held a pillow up as a shield. "Ahhh, tell me when it's over!" Ivan let out a laugh at that. At some point Allen had come in to give them slices of pizza for dinner and some drinks — it wasn't until then they noticed it was dark outside. They opted to watch one more movie before calling it a night, which led to the current situation at hand.

The credits were displayed on the screen and Alfred was finally able to drop his pillow, as well as attempt to calm his shaking hands. "I fucking hate foreign horror films! They never have a happy ending!"

"You are fond of those," Ivan agreed with a melancholic gleam in his eyes, his voice almost a whisper.

"Now, I'll never get to sleep!" Alfred let out a groan as he rested his head on the cushioning behind him.

"I believe you will manage." Ivan gave him a reassuring smile. "I best be going, da? Is late."

"Wait, wait. It's too dangerous to go out now!" Blue eyes widened as their owner sat up urgently. "It's like 9 o'clock! You should ask your parents if you can spend the night. It's Columbus day weekend, so it should be fine, right? And I have a parade tomorrow, so we can bring you back first thing in the morning if—"

"I will be fine, Fedya. But if you insist, I will send message. Okay?"

"Yes, you should do that. Like right now," Alfred practically demanded.

A sly grin on his face, Ivan pulled out his flip phone and began typing. When done, he snapped his phone shut and looked at the other sweetly. "There. I will spend night with you."

"Good." Alfred crawled over the other to get off the bed, oblivious to how Ivan's breath hitched for a moment while his face went pink. "I'll go get you some clothes. Dad might have something that fits you 'cause you've both got those broad shoulders. I think I have a spare toothbrush and stuff too...be right back."

"D-da…" Ivan spluttered, attempting to keep his cool as the other hopped off the bed and left the room. After a moment, he opened his phone again and began typing into a journal with a fond expression on his face, musing to himself about whether the other was aware they had more in common than he thought even now.

After all, he had a few little secrets of his own.

---

The scene was met with police cars and sirens, the flash of red and blue lights constantly illuminating the otherwise dark alley. Leather shoes clanked against the cement beneath them, alerting the other officers of their superior's entrance.

Captain Zwingli stared at the corpse before him: a young woman in her early 20s, very beautiful, save for the ugly, vicious gash that tore through her body — flesh hacked into like an axe would a tree. A pool of crimson surrounded her meaning that if the cut hadn't killed her, the blood loss certainly had.

"No trace of anyone, sir," one of the detectives in his division reported. The captain shook his head in frustration.

"It's not like they could just disappear out of thin air." Green eyes narrowed at the other. "There's always something." He slipped on his gloves and bent under the yellow tape to approach the body, kneeling beside it and giving a few light touches to examine its state.

The death was recent. He estimated it had happened only a couple of hours prior. It was entering the phase of rigor mortis, as evident by the increasing stiffness. The blood splatters weren't clean, there were hints of a spray, which meant the person had dove their weapon straight into a vital artery. Whoever did this must've had some sort of vendetta. Judging by how deep the cut went, the woman would've died on impact. This wasn't a clean kill — no. This was fueled by something much more twisted.

Zwingli picked up her discarded purse, rummaging through its contents as he searched for an item of interest. His gaze gleamed when they picked up a clean, folded napkin. There was a phone number written on it with blue ink. A rare grin curved his lip as he pulled out a phone of his own.

There was his lead.

Notes:

So yeah, Alfred is the oblivious, emotional guy whereas Matthew is more perceptive, rational and overprotective. They each have their own perspective to the Ivan situation, so neither side is entirely wrong nor entirely right...just keep reading to find out the truth.

In this fic, Allen Jones (2p!America) is half-Latino and half-German. The German is because I know it says in canon that America mingled with Germanic blood, plus he needs those recessive genes to be the blue-eyed, blond he is. The latino is because here Allen basically represents when parts of America were a part of Spain and later Mexico, so his family would've basically been there since it became a colony. Meanwhile, Madeline Williams (Nyo!Canada) is half-French and half-English, with her older half-sister Marianne Bonnefoy (Nyo!France) obviously being from, you guessed it, France.

Fun fact: The stars in Alfred's room are the night sky for July, his birthday month.

Btw, Mirai Nikki translates to Future Diary for those who don't know, so Alfred's fixation with his phone is important for those who are unaware. And the part with his imagination is CRUCIAL to this fic. I did say it was heavily inspired by the anime/manga.

And in case I need to remind people, this is a DARK fic, even though things are all happy and cheerful right now, don't let this deceive you as things only get worse from here.

Chapter 3: Guise of the Messenger

Summary:

Danger stalks the town. For some, it is much closer than they would like to think.

Notes:

Just more foreshadow and development here. TFW you have a chapter like 80% completed for weeks but you struggle to write just ONE section of it so the whole thing gets pushed back. So sorry, my dudes.

Sipping on the straw of his coke, Alfred’s eyes observed the amiable chatter bouncing back and forth amongst the large group within the fancy Italian restaurant: Il Veneziano. Prided on its quality, as evident by the price assigned to each meal, Alfred admitted that the food was pretty tasty, though he probably would’ve been just as content to eat at an Olive Garden…however, then he wouldn’t be given that judgmental, yet relenting sigh from Lovino when the other placed down butter for his bread rather than olive oil.  

“How domestic,” Francis purred with a teasing smirk on his face as said Italian returned to personally deliver their meals. 

Gilbert snickered. “You’d make an excellent wife,” he noted with a flirty edge to his tone, only for Lovino to glare at them both weakly.

“Assholes…” Lovino muttered under his breath as he returned to his work, resulting in the two adults eyes’ widening as they sent each other a surprised glance. Normally Lovino would've had a more passionate response, such as yelling at them, threatening to feed their meals to the rats whilst making them pay for it. The impassive dismissal was unusual for him. It worried the two who knew him well.  

“Alfredo, I made your meal myself so you better enjoy it,” Lovino warned sternly as he placed a plate in front of the teen. Alfred brightened upon seeing an extra cheesy pasta dish covered in bacon bits. 

“Thank you, Lovi!” He sent the other a toothy smile. 

Lovino blinked, averting his gaze as he attempted to fight off his blush. “S-shut up, brat! I expect a damn good tip!” He huffed before turning away while the adults watched with intrigued eyes. 

“What?” Alfred noticed the focus on him. “He always does this.”

“Always?” His cousin pressed with a raised brow. 

Alfred nodded as he twirled his fork into his food and took a bite, preferring to enjoy his meal rather than be part of a conversation he held little regard for.

“It's so sweet of Lovi. He always tells the chef he’ll make your meal himself since he knows how you like it.” Feliciano clapped with enthusiasm. “Sometimes when we have leftovers, he tells me to give them to Alfred for lunch!”

“Oh, Alfred, you’re such a charmer,” Francis praised. “I knew I raised you well.”

Gilbert’s crimson eyes rested on the American’s dish with a distasteful scowl. “So, are we just going to ignore the bacon overwhelming his pasta?”

“Hey!” 

“Non, we are simply choosing not to acknowledge it,” Francis answered with a firm nod. 

Matthew turned to Feliciano with a concerned expression. “Is everything alright with your brother? He just seems kind of, well, under the weather.”

“Hai, I noticed something as well…” Kiku added gently, watching as the waiter jotted down someone’s order. His hazel eyes were clouded, distracted by something else.

“Eh? Well, the police did call him the other day, and then an officer came to speak with him...but he wasn’t in trouble or anything! He just wanted to ask him some questions.”

Ludwig raised a brow. “Do you know why?” 

“Ah, I think it had to do with a girl?”

“Warten…” Gilbert set his fork down on his plate and leaned back in his chair, eyes squinting in thought. “You don’t think this would have anything to do with that girl who was murdered?” He turned to Francis. “You know, the one from the university Jeanne and I go to? She was killed not too far away from here.”

“Oh, was that what that was? They did mention something about a homicide in the news,” Matthew added before whipping his head in alarm when he heard his twin choke on his drink. 

“Wait, a girl was murdered nearby?” Alfred managed between coughs, eyes wide in shock. Gilbert, Francis, and Matthew all nodded solemnly as Feliciano covered his mouth in horror, with Ludwig patting him on the back comfortingly. Kiku sat in a polite silence with his head bowed down, observing as his best friend pulled out his phone and typed a new entry in his lap. 

“Oh no, poor Lovi! I didn’t know!” Feliciano lamented, now understanding his brother’s recent change in behavior. 

“Wait, so how do you know all this? There’s barely anything mentioned about it yet.” Matthew frowned as he stared at Gilbert. 

“You forget my vater used to be an officer.” Gilbert smirked at the twin, who mouthed ‘ohhh’ with a slow nod as he remembered that important little fact. “His old co-workers like to keep him updated.”

“Now all the retired police dogs make sense,” Alfred teased wryly, clicking his tongue when Matthew rolled his eyes dramatically despite his smirk. 

The door opened, followed by a distant, cheerful chant. “Buenas, buenas!” Francis and Gilbert turned their heads to the familiar voice, smiling pleasantly upon recognizing the other. 

“If it isn’t mon amie, Antonio,” Francis drawled seductively, attracting the attention of the other. 

“What? You still live here?” Gilbert laughed as footsteps approached the table. “I thought you went back to Spain for your studies! Why did you not tell me you were back? I would have taken you out for a drink!” 

“Oh, did I forget to tell you that our dear friend got a job at our old high school?”

“Well, yeah! Am I seriously the only one who didn’t know?”

“Ah, perdoname, chicos.” Alfred jumped in surprise after hearing the response, tearing his gaze away from Ivan’s text to confirm his suspicions. Mr. Fernandez was friends with his cousin? He’d seen them talk a few times, sure, but that was just a thing teachers did. It never occurred to him they were actually childhood friends. “Just getting my usual lunch.” Antonio smiled at the party, though his green eyes widened when he noticed his student. “Alfredo?”

“H-hi, Mr. Fernandez…” It really was the most awkward thing ever when you saw your teacher outside of school. Francis was the exception, as he was technically just a student himself and they were family. 

“You two know each other?” Francis’ eyes darted to Alfred before back to his friend. 

“Of course, he’s in my class. One of my best pupils,” Antonio beamed with a smile, and Alfred flushed as Francis reached over to pinch his cheek affectionately, though he turned his head to slip out of his reach. “Is he your brother?” He continued. “He looks very much like you!” 

“No, my cousin, but he might as well be.” Francis nodded toward Matthew, “Likewise for mon Mathieu.”

“Oh, I didn’t know you had a brother, Alfred. Your colorings are different, but your faces are exactly the same!” He said in surprise as he compared the two. 

“They are twins,” Francis stated proudly. “Though Mathieu got most of his features from his mother’s side, a canadien, while Alfred from his papa’s. They are precious, non?”

The twins exchanged a blank look with each other before rolling their eyes in perfect sync. A couple of their companions chuckled in amusement while a few others raised impressed brows. 

“Si, si. They’re quite adorable, I’m sorry for doubting their existence all those years ago.” Antonio patted Francis’ shoulder apologetically. 

“Actually, if you really wanted to apologize, you could buy me a bottle of—”

“Y-you! Bastard, what are you doing here?” Lovino narrowed his eyes upon seeing Antonio, his body trembling with anger as he attempted to restrain himself from beating the shit out of the other with the plate of dessert in his hand. For the family business, he mentally chanted in order to calm himself. It’s what papa always said. 

“Es mi restaurante favorita. Of course I come, Lovi!” Antonio cheered, and the teenagers all gave each other confused glances and shrugged before looking back at the scene. 

“Stalker!” Lovino accused, glaring at the man who smiled at him innocently. “How many times do I have to tell you to stop coming here!” 

“You don’t mean that...” Antonio said with a pout, watching as Lovino placed zeppole and chocolate sauce in front of his student. 

“Oh, I didn’t order this.” Alfred turned to Lovino with an unsure smile, only to be met with an annoyed huff. 

“It’s on the house.” Lovino scowled and crossed his arms, though that did nothing to hide his reddening cheeks. “You can share if you want...but if you don’t want it, I’ll throw it into the trash!” He was clearly offended by him questioning the free food, and Matthew shot Alfred a bewildered look as he wondered if his twin was actually passing up on desserts. The world was ending!

“No, no! They look delicious! Thanks.” Alfred smiled at the other as he picked up the fried dough and dipped it into chocolate before taking a bite, letting out a satisfied moan as it pleased his taste buds. Damn, what was with him and fried foods? Lovino merely stared at him blankly for a moment before quickly excusing himself from the group, darting toward the kitchen with the door slamming behind him. 

Matthew turned and gestured for him to move his plate closer. “Ok, so share—”

“But they’re miiine,” Alfred whined light-heartedly, already pushing the plate toward the center of the table. He glanced up and saw his teacher with a brooding expression on his face, as if studying him in a new light. It was actually extremely unsettling, but he didn’t know how to react other than just ignoring it. “Um, Mr. Fernandez, would you like one too?” There we go, food was always a good way to distract people. 

“Hm?” Score one for Alfred. “Ah, no gracias.” Antonio smiled and shook his head. “I actually should go seat myself elsewhere so I may do my work in peace.”

Francis hummed in agreement. “I understand the feeling all too well, mon amie.” He gave the other a flamboyant wave. “We can talk more later~!”

“Hey, zimtzicke! Call me sometime!” Gilbert cackled, lifting his drink enthusiastically as Antonio waved him off with a smirk. They enjoyed the rest of the meal in blissful ignorance from the discreet glares being sent their way, obscured by the crowds within the dimly-lit room.

---

“We should just leave and go to Fright Fest.” Alfred grinned at his brother who parked the car in the school’s lot, only to be met with a weak glare. “C’mon, it’s Halloween. It’ll be fun!” 

“Okay, first off, today is a school day. We’re not bailing just so you can spend the day at an amusement park.” Matthew sucked in a heavy breath as he turned off the engine. “Secondly, you will never be able to convince me to drive in New Jersey again.” 

“Then I’ll drive.” Matthew sent him a doubtful look. “What?”

“See, you say that, but you and I both know you’re still traumatized by that guy who ran a red-light over a year ago." Matthew scowled as he undid his seatbelt and exited the vehicle. “Once we leave town, you’ll find some bullshit excuse to have me take the wheel.”

“Because the Grim Reaper totally has it out for me, Mattie!” Alfred hissed as he jumped out the passenger’s side, the bag on his lap being swung onto his back in a fluid, well-practiced motion. “If the wheel didn’t spazz out, dad and I totally could’ve died!”

“What? You think Death’s trying to collect the debt of you not staying dead when you were born?” Matthew paused, eyeing his brother pensively over the car’s roof before reaching into the backseat for his book bag. “Have you been watching Final Destination?” He said as he slung a strap over his shoulder after shutting the door. 

Alfred flushed. “Maybe! Shut up!” 

“That’s all fiction, Alfie. You’re just insanely lucky, or who knows, maybe you have a guardian angel?” Matthew suggested with a shrug as he caught up to his brother. “Seems to me that something’s going out of their way to protect you, so stop torturing yourself with horror movies.”

“Y-yeah...actually yeah! Maybe you’re right!” Alfred nodded enthusiastically, gaining confidence as they walked toward the school. “What if I’m like Domino and luck is my superpower!” His blue eyes brightened as he turned to his sibling. 

A snort was his reply. “Sure,” but then Matthew pinched his cheek and cooed. “Or maybe you’re just mummy’s little miracle from God, eh?” 

Swatting the hand away, Alfred snickered. “You’re just mad I keep ruining your chances of being an only child.” 

“Nope. Because of you, I can do whatever I want and get away with it,” Matthew bragged with his head held high as they approached the front entrance. 

“True, mom would kill me if she caught me with booze or weed—Wait! You little shit, I see your game now.” Alfred stared at his twin incredulously. “Seriously?”

“Damn, it only took you 17 years to catch on,” Matthew sighed sadly as he opened the door to the building, politely letting his brother in first before heading toward the band room to check and see if they had orchestra, only to find Edelstein, Mei, and Emma discussing the preparations for their final competition. 

“Ah, Matthew, you’re here. Good. We need to make some arrangements.” Edelstein beckoned for him to come over as Emma and Mei smiled and waved at the twins. 

“Yeah, sure thing,” Matthew said with a nod as he approached them while Alfred waved back to the girls.  

“See ya later then.” Alfred grinned as he turned the doorknob and made his way back into the hall, sighing in annoyance once the door was shut. Great, so no orchestra. That meant he had 45 minutes to do nothing when he could’ve been home watching TV or something. His options were to either wait in the common area and watch as students slowly trickled in or wander the halls until some teacher caught him and forced him to go back. If he could find Francis before that time, he’d be safe, but he wasn’t even sure if his cousin was there yet. 

It sucked having Halloween in the middle of the week. In his opinion, they should just have the day off. And now his neighborhood had a curfew until their local killer was caught, considering the authorities weren’t sure if it was a one-time homicide or not, so that ruined any chances of Trick-or-Treating since everything would have to be wrapped up by 8 o'clock. There was Kyle’s party he’d been invited to, but after getting tipsy at the one last year and suffering many consequences for it (ie. getting mixed up in someone else’s affair and all the drama that entailed, his mom finding out and losing it even though Mattie got high with Tim and she didn’t bat an eye), he decided that those crowded high school parties just weren’t his thing, nor were hookups, and underage drinking just caused more problems than it was worth. Been there done that, he’d rather just spend the day at a festival or drag Kiku and Mattie to check out the decorations some of the other houses displayed, maybe enter a haunted house if they found one. 

“Fedya!” Suddenly noticing Ivan beside him, he jumped in surprise. 

“Holy shit, you scared me,” Alfred giggled as he let himself relax. “What’re you doing here so early?” It wasn’t like the other was a part of any extracurriculars or had to ride the bus. He knew very well that Ivan had a car of his own. 

It was then Ivan revealed what was hidden behind his back— a beautiful bouquet of red roses and small sunflowers, wrapped in green decorative paper and a bright gold ribbon, with his favorite candies sticking out of the flora. “For you!”

His eyes widened as a heavy blush bloomed in his cheeks. “Oh, Iv, you shouldn’t have…” 

“Of course I must,” Ivan said with a firm nod and smile while he placed the gift in Alfred’s arms. 

“T-thank you,” Alfred chewed on his lip as he stared at the bouquet, filled with conflicted feelings. On one hand, the romantic in him was swooning, wondering if this was supposed to be a confession. If that were true, he wouldn’t know how to respond, as he didn’t reciprocate those feelings yet. It only added to his guilt as the other went through all the extra effort to get him such an amazing gift while he had nothing in return. “Hey, Ivan, I—”

“Do not worry over it, just being in your company is enough for me,” Ivan assured him gently, as though sensing his distress. Responding with a grateful smile, he wondered how the sweet guy in front of him was the same one who injured Kevin — they were almost like two completely different people. “Hmmm.” Alfred raised a brow at Ivan, who’s violet eyes seemed to be gleaming with something he couldn’t quite decipher. “Is such a shame we’re stuck in school for holiday,” he commented with a soft sigh. 

“I know right?” Alfred agreed. “I tried to convince Mattie to ditch school and take me somewhere, but like the buzzkill he is, he refused!”

“Is it too late to go?” Ivan asked with a smirk, eyes twinkling with mischief. 

“Um, well, if we leave now we could probably beat any traffic and…” he paused, realization hitting him as an excited grin spread across his face. “Are you saying you’re interested in cutting?” 

Nodding, Ivan beamed, clearly excited by the idea. “It would be a fun trip, da?” 

“Well, if you insist.”

---

Coney Island had been a good compromise, Alfred mentally praised himself as he tore a piece of funnel cake off the plate on Ivan’s lap and plopped it into his mouth, humming in delight as he savored its sugary, fried flavor. It was cold and windy, he could smell the salt from the Atlantic in the air, but the ocean was beautiful — especially now that the beach was empty save for the few kids playing in the sand and couples taking an afternoon stroll. The boardwalk wasn’t too far from home, so he didn’t feel overly guilty having Ivan drive. Fortunately it had a decent collection of rides and activities so the trip felt worth it. Pulling out his phone, he made sure to update his journal before checking out the many concerned texts from Kiku and Matthew.  

Alfred let out a chuckle when his brother threatened he would be in so much trouble when he got home. Whatever. He wasn’t a child and it wasn’t like his own twin could ground him or anything, though telling mom would be such a low blow. No, Mattie knew better than to do that, as that would only make her freak out. Honestly, the worst-case scenario would be a few hours of passive-aggressive comments, which at this point in life he knew how to ignore. 

“Are you enjoying your day?” Ivan cocked his head to the side as he observed Alfred blink up from his screen. 

“Hell yeah, though I should be asking you that question.” Alfred grinned back as he stored his phone away. “It’s your first time at an amusement park after all.” He reached across to tear off another piece of their treat, getting melted whipped cream and chocolate syrup all over his fingers. 

“Yes, I am enjoying every second.” Ivan smiled, reminiscing when Alfred had agreed to hold his hand during the various rides, or how the other jumped into his arms when they went through the haunted maze. Today proved to be a very fun day indeed. 

“Dude, are you gonna eat any of this? I got it for the both of us.” Alfred gestured toward the plate before taking another bite. 

“Ah, sorry. It is just very messy…” Violet eyes lingered on the other as he licked the sugar and sauce off his palm, a faint blush on pale cheeks. 

“You baby.” Alfred rolled his eyes dramatically, hands already reaching for more with the inability to resist until he felt a strong grip snatch his wrist. Frozen in shock and wide-eyed, he watched as Ivan brought his hand to his lips, a pink tongue creeping out and slowly twirling around his fingers in a way that made him feel warm and squirm uncomfortably. 

Alfred pulled away quickly once he got his bearings with a look of disgust marring his features. “Dude, what the fuck? Ew!” The action felt so sexual and aggressive...had he just been violated? Wiping his hand on his jeans, he shot Ivan a scowl that demanded answers. 

Ivan smiled innocently. “Sorry! It was such a sweet taste, I could not resist!” 

Cheeks flushed, Alfred grumbled under his breath as he distanced himself from the other, conflicted feelings arising in him once again. Ivan was attractive, like very attractive. To say the attention wasn’t flattering was a complete lie. There was definitely chemistry between them, and it was becoming very clear to him that the other wanted to pursue him in a way that was beyond friendship. 

But how did he feel? To be honest, he wasn’t sure. Maybe it was just Matthew casting doubt into his head, but something felt off. He just couldn’t explain it. 

As if sensing his thoughts, Ivan sent him a contemplative look before quickly replacing it with a smile. “Solnyshko?” Alfred turned his head to the other, noticing he was pointing to the ferris wheel. “I want to go on that one last, is that okay?”

“Yeah, that’s fine,” he answered with a heavy sigh. 

They stood and made their way to the ride, munching on the remains of their dessert before discarding the plastic plate into the nearest trash can. The line was short, so they were whisked onto the giant wheel and seated promptly. Alfred was surprised as he looked toward the ocean, realizing that it was dusk and the sky was a radiant gold woven in shades of blue. They’d have to go home right after this, he thought with a pout, remembering the grim reality that awaited them in his hometown. 

Eyeing Ivan, he paused, noticing violet eyes were transfixed on him, unblinking, breath caught in his throat. Nobody ever looked at him like that before...like he was their whole world. Alfred could hear his heart pounding as a deep scarlet burned through his cheeks. Damn, if this was Ivan’s attempt at seducing him, it was working. “Ivan…?”

“Wouldn’t it be perfect if we could stay like this forever?” There was a small smile on his face as his purple eyes gleamed with...sorrow, which was perplexing.

“On the ferris wheel?” he responded rather dumbly, instantly regretting the words as they fell from his lips. Who could blame him? He was flustered.

“It does not matter where, as long as we are together,” Ivan stated softly, but with certainty. 

“It is nice,” Alfred admitted, biting his lip as he averted his gaze toward the amusement park. At this point in his life, he found it unusual for someone to actually enjoy his company for so long, most people would’ve had enough of him weeks ago. It was refreshing to feel like someone wasn’t just tolerating him. 

“I am glad I get to spend these moments with you,” Ivan hummed in content as he reached over, placing a gloved hand over the one resting on Alfred’s knee, entwining their fingers and giving a gentle squeeze. Though tensing, he found himself accepting the affectionate touch.

Maybe his friendship with Ivan wasn’t as selfless and heroic as he once thought. Maybe he needed someone like Ivan just as much as the other seemed to need him. 

---

Jeanne huffed as she filled a thermos with hot cocoa before screwing on its lid and placing it in her designer tote. She glanced at her watch, then toward the hall, only to be disappointed when she heard no approaching footsteps. A wave of frustration overcame her as she made her way to the bathroom and opened the door wide, giving her lover an urgent look. “Francis, are you done yet? We’re going to be late!” 

“But my hair looks terrible!”

Letting out an amused, tired sigh as she leant against the doorframe, Jeanne shook her head. “It’s just another game, mon amour. Besides, you look handsome as always.” 

Focused on his reflection, Francis combed his blond hair back with his fingers. “You always say that just to hurry me,” he pouted half-heartedly. 

“Yes, because you always take forever to get ready,” Jeanne rebutted. “The commute is about an hour long, we will barely make it at this rate.”

“Sacrebleu!” Francis jolted and rushed out of the bathroom. Jeanne chuckled as she ducked out of the way and followed him to the front door. “Why didn’t you tell me this sooner!” He panicked as he opened the closet and picked a random coat to cover himself with. 

“I did! You must’ve been distracted by something when I told you.” Jeanne opened the door and pulled out her keys as Francis followed after her, locking the entrance before they both made their way downstairs to the apartment’s parking lot. Upon exiting the building, she noticed it was cold enough where she could see her breath, and instantly she knew that the twins would be overjoyed when she presented them with a delicious, hot drink. Winter was coming, she sighed sadly as she unlocked the car and got in on the driver’s side, waiting for her love to properly seat himself beside her as she turned on the engine to warm up the car. 

Backing out, she tried to determine the fastest route to the boys' rival high school. Away games were so much more of a hassle than home games, but she and Francis tried to make it to as many as they could to cheer the boys on during their half-time performances, especially considering their parent’s hectic schedules. She knew they appreciated it too, just by how they beamed whenever they saw a familiar face in the crowd rooting for them. Those smiles always made the trip worth it. 

“On the way back should we stop by their house and get them Five Guys? Or should we wait until the last game?” Francis asked her as she came to a stop at an intersection, her fingers drumming against the wheel. 

“We can do Five Guys tonight and think of something more exciting for the boys next time. After this, it’s only one more game and then they’re done forever. We should make it a celebration,” she sighed wistfully.

Shocked, Francis’ voice softened. “Mon dieu, they are graduating this year...I almost forgot.”

“They’re becoming adults. It’s hard to believe they’ve grown so much.” 

“Oui,” he agreed, looking out the window, his expression somber. “I like your plan. Let’s do that.”

Jeanne sent him a small, comforting smile before redirecting her attention to the road, squinting her eyes as she noticed upcoming traffic in the distance. “That’s no good, I think they’re backed up.”

“It is rush hour, but we can take the backroad by the library. It should take us around everything and we’d avoid the highway altogether.”

She nodded her head in contemplation, “It’d be a bit of a detour, so we’ll miss the first quarter. I’m sure the boys won’t mind at all.” Putting on her directionals, she changed lanes and turned onto a new street, heading north through their hometown. As they passed the main area, she heard Francis chuckle as he cocked his head toward Il Veneziano. 

“Did I tell you how Lovino has a crush on Alfred?” 

Jeanne's eyes widened incredulously. “Really?”

“It would seem so. He was very flustered when we had our group dinner. Spoiled our cher petit frère rotten the whole night.”

“That’s not so hard to believe,” she teased. “The boy has your charms.” 

“The charisma, yes. The awareness, eh?” He made the so-so movement with his hand. “It could always be improved.” 

Jeanne let out a heavy sigh “We should give the poor kid some slack, especially after what he went through in middle school. Your aunt and Matthew were very scared for him.” 

Letting out a scoff, Francis shook his head. “He was a child, and children have imagination. He was going through a hard time then, it was only natural he’d retreat to the one place he had control. I think they took everything way too seriously,” he vented. “But what’s done is done, and he seems to be doing very well all things considered, so what do I know?”

“I don’t think it was so much imagination, more so his perception of reality. I do agree with you, and not just because I know you’ve been in a similar boat, though I think it would benefit Alfred greatly to know someone he trusted was in his corner.” 

Shrugging, Francis frowned in defeat. “It’s a bit too late, I’m sure he’s moved on by now. I know I have.” 

That was debatable, but it was a topic she'd rather not delve into. “Very well.” Pursing her lips, she took a moment to enjoy a peaceful silence as she passed the library and began making her way to the road behind it. There was delight in her eyes as she saw it was significantly less crowded than the alternative path. “Yes, we should definitely make it with a bit of time to spare!” She announced, turning to Francis, whose eyes were fixed on the sky. “Mon amour?”

“There are so many vultures,” he scowled. Glancing back toward the windshield, now extending her perception from beyond the road, Jeanne could see a good dozen of them total, just looming in the trees and circling the sky. 

“Perhaps someone hit a deer? I hope they’re okay.”  

Biting his lip anxiously, Francis suddenly had a bad feeling churn his stomach. He hoped it was wrong. All he wanted was to see the boys and get them home safely. 

It wasn’t until shortly after when they crossed a narrow bridge that his heart sank. 

“Jeanne, stop! Stop!”

Immediately she pulled over to the shoulder of the road, bewildered and scared, turning to her lover for answers. “What? What is it, is everything okay?”

“On the creek, I saw someone! They looked hurt!”

“The creek?” Jeanne glanced toward the bridge for a second before undoing her seatbelt and opening the car door, making her way back to check for herself. After a moment’s pause to calm his pounding heart, Francis followed suit, only to be frozen where he stood as he stared down at the water bank. There was a pale woman with a deep injury in her neck and crimson staining the rocks she rested on. She appeared to have been crawling up the shore before giving in to her wounds. 

Without hesitation, Jeanne pulled out her cell phone and dialed 911. “Yes...my boyfriend and I found a woman who’s been attacked...I believe she’s dead.” 

---

Alfred shivered as he watched the football players charge toward the other end of the field, a roar from the crowd made him roll his eyes. It wasn’t like his school’s team was anywhere near winning. Maybe had he been selected instead of Carlos during try-outs, he would’ve been able to change the tides. Unlikely, but it was a fun thought to entertain himself with. His gaze observed the other band members as they took their meal break and huddled to each other like penguins, laughing as they shared jokes and simply enjoyed each other’s company. He felt a pang of jealousy in his abdomen, frowning as he wondered what prevented him from having a friendship like that. He was seated right beside his best friend Kiku, but the clarinet player was a quiet, reserved person — his complete opposite. Comfortable silences and honest heart-to-hearts were the norm in their relationship, and Alfred was totally content with that, but there were times he found himself longing for affection and a conversation with someone a bit more...responsive. 

Was his personality really just too much for most people? In terms of looks, he was aware that many people were physically attracted to him. Puberty had been merciful to him after he suffered enough during his ‘dorky’ phase. In one summer he went from barely a 4 to a perfect 10, and suddenly everyone wanted to date him, which had been extremely overwhelming, especially since a good portion of his admirers had been former bullies. Yet he quickly found out that their interest in him was artificial — he was nothing but a trophy, a conquest. He’d caught plenty of people talking crap about him behind his back, some only moments after flirting with him. Annoying, loud, brash, and attention-whore were among the more common descriptions. Since then, he learned to stop trusting a good portion of his peers. 

And the ones he actually did get along well with? People like Kyle, Feliciano, Ludwig, Emma, and Mei: he had his fair share of inside jokes and memories with each of them, but sometimes it was blatantly obvious he was only friends with them because they saw each other every day for years. They never really made an effort to hang out with him out of school and they all had their own personal circles he simply wasn’t a part of. That was understandable. He just wished he had a circle of his own, like what Matthew had with Tim and Carlos, and the rest of his hockey squad. Just someone he could tease and laugh with and share the same emotional bond he had with Kiku...the guy deserved a break from him anyway as he had other close friends beside him. It wasn’t fair that he was the one who took up a majority of his time just because he had no other friends. And he had to admit it, he could be pretty needy when he was lonely. Unfortunately that was more often than not. 

Which then brought him to Ivan Braginsky.

“Hey, Al?” He blinked out of his stupor and turned to his twin standing beside him, dressed in his drum major uniform, a color reversal of the grey-and-white he wore himself. “Have you seen Francis and Jeanne? I can’t find them anywhere.”

“Um...” he pulled his phone out of his pocket and checked for any new notifications. “They didn’t send anything. Maybe they just got busy or something.” 

“Yeah, maybe...I’ll keep an eye out. Let me know if you see them or get anything.” 

“Okie doke.” With that said, Matthew sent him a nod before making his way back to Mr. Edelstein and Mei. 

With his phone already out, he figured he might as well update it with a new entry, flashing Kiku a bright smile when the other glanced over and caught him in his habit. Respecting his friend’s privacy and hobby, Kiku averted his gaze so Alfred knew he wasn’t prying. Their unspoken understanding of one another was one of the things he loved most about his best friend.

Alfred glanced up from his screen and caught sight of a familiar mop of platinum-blond hair in the crowd, talking to an equally familiar brunette. Ivan was smiling politely as he listened intently to a very enthusiastic Emma, both were on their phones as she wore a secretive, mischievous grin. Surprised, Alfred quirked a brow. He hadn’t known the two were friends, and in a way, he never saw it coming given how different they were from one another. Maybe they shared a class together or something, but as long as Ivan was breaking out of his shell, this was good progress, right?

He then realized they were making their way toward him. 

“Oops, I’m taking up all your time. Have fun with your boyfriend, Alfie!” Emma sent him a quick wave as she sped past him, climbing up the steps to meet up with the rest of her guard members.

“We’re not—” he frowned when she disappeared into the crowd. “Boyfriends? Where did she get that from?” Turning to Ivan, he was met with an innocent smile as he shrugged. 

“Who knows!”

“What were you guys talking about anyway?” Alright, so he was nosy. He couldn’t help that curiosity got the best of him. 

“Uh,” Ivan’s face turned a bright pink. “I-I suppose she assumed we were dating, so she thought I should see the pictures of you...wearing their uniform.”

Alfred blinked slowly, a blank smile on his face as he took in this information. Was Ivan referring to what he thought he was? What?  “Do you mean the band camp pictures?” Alright, so now he’d have to confront Emma on the bus ride back to school. 

A slow nod as Ivan’s blush grew. “Yes.” 

“Of course she did,” he let out an annoyed chuckle. Not that there was anything wrong with them per se, he looked sexy in them. It’s just not many teenage boys liked having pictures of them crossdressing and wearing make-up shared all over social media or to their newest friend. It was just super embarrassing, and he either got a ton of new admirers and loving compliments or nasty, unwarranted insults from insecure dudebros who valued masculinity. There was never an in-between. Judging by Ivan’s blush, he could tell that the other’s crush on him had grown exponentially. He wasn’t quite sure what to do with this revelation. 

“So, news—” Alfred’s head whipped around to the sound of Matthew’s voice, who was taken aback by Ivan’s presence before shaking his head, reminding himself that the other always came to their games, apparently even ones that were an hour away from home. “Anyway, Jeanne called. They were on their way to the game, but then they came across a body, and well, naturally they had to report it to the authorities.”

“Another murder?” Alfred was bewildered. “Where was this?”

“You know the creek that cuts behind the library, there’s that bridge that goes over it?” Alfred nodded as he visualized it. “There.”

“Holy shit, that’s pretty close to school.”

“It’s on the other end of town from where that first murder happened.” Matthew’s brows were drawn anxiously as he mulled over the connection between the two incidents. “Which means that whoever the killer is, they’re local.”

“It’s done by the same guy?”

“Jeanne told me similar wounds, similar target. So it’s safe to assume same guy.”

Alfred exchanged a look with Ivan, who bit his lip and eyed him with concern. “So that means…”

“There’s a serial killer in our neighborhood,” Matthew confirmed grimly.

---

A few days after the game, Emma sighed as she skimmed the menu of Il Veneziano, deciding if she should stick to her healthy diet or cheat just this once and indulge herself. So many options. They all looked so much tastier than the standard caesar salad. 

A small, awkward cough caught her attention. “W-what can I get you, signora?” She turned, her green eyes noticing her waiter. Huh? She knew him from somewhere. Her lips curled into a smile as she pointed to an object on the menu, not wanting to butcher the pronunciation. 

The other bent over to read what it said. “The spaghettini puttanesca speciali?” He turned to her, blushing when he noticed his close proximity to her and quickly backed away. 

Emma nodded. “Yes, thank you.” She watched as he left, thinking about where she knew him from. It occurred to her that he looked a lot like Feliciano, the cute piccolo player in band, before it all clicked. She knew she recognize him from somewhere! When he returned with her meal, she smiled at him charmingly. “Lovino, it’s been so long!”

Lovino spluttered, attempting to conceal the pink blush on his face. “Ah, yes, Emma…it’s been three years,” he added lamely. He’d rather be back in the kitchen than talking to the girl who broke his heart all those years ago. This was just way too embarrassing. 

“How has it been since you graduated?” Her eyes brightened. “This job pay well?” 

“Um, well, it’s been fine,” he said with a nod. “Pay is good. My father owns this place and a larger one in the city.”

“Ohhh, how cool. What’s that place called?”

“Il Romano, ” he blushed upon seeing her smile, just wanting his stupid feelings for her to go away forever and not bother him anymore. 

“Wait, isn’t that the restaurant owned by…” Emma gasped. “I can’t believe it took me this long to figure out. You even have the same last name!” 

Lovino forced a chuckle, feeling a bit insecure with himself. He wasn’t his father, nor was he as talented as his younger brother, so he had a hard time living up to the legacy of his name and tried not to bring it up whenever possible. “Not everyone makes the connection,” he assured her, though that part was only true because many believed he wasn’t a worthy successor to his father’s business. 

“Ah, well, never too late to correct a mistake.” Emma smiled at him. “Do you think you could keep me company while I eat? Maybe we can catch up? I understand if you’re bus—”

“Yes!” He wanted to slap himself. “I-I mean, I can take a break. I’m due for one anyway,” he gave her a shaky smile and she giggled. A part of him wanted to die, but another part of him was too eager to sit down. 

For the next twenty minutes, they reacquainted with each other, and Lovino actually felt better knowing that Emma had only rejected him as his prom date because her older brother felt she should be more familiar with the kids at school before going, and she agreed. After all, what fun was prom if you didn’t know anyone there? She had only been a freshman at the time. For Lovino, it was a relief to have some closure — to know that the rejection wasn’t because of something she found wrong with him.

When Emma finished, she smiled and assured him she'd be back soon, but suggested he come to their last game of the season. Feliciano and Alfred would be there too, she promised, not thinking much of how the other's eyes widened when she mentioned the latter. She paid for her meal and left, kissing Lovino on the cheek politely before taking her leave.

She failed to notice the silhouette that watched her from a dark alley not too far away, hiding in the shadows as it pursued its next prey. 

Notes:

I got that whole thing with Romano making food for America straight out of a comic. I was kinda surprised to see them interact, but not really since NYC-NJ is filled with Italian-Americans. Literally most of my friends are. Though what’s interesting to note is how sweet he is to him? Like, in one comic he offers to give him leftover lasagna when he sees him overworked, and in the cooking strip he imagines America in all these poses with sparkles? Idk, I just found it kinda cute. Just thought I should explain it so it didn’t seem like I was pulling this Romerica out of my ass. Plus, it’s kind of important to the story, so lol.

Ages for anyone who is curious: Alfred, Matthew, Feli, Ludwig, Ivan, and Kiku are all around 17-18, aka seniors in High School. Lovino is 20, so he was a senior in school when the boys were freshman. Francis and Gilbert are 22, while Antonio is 24, so they were all in the same school together at one point, along with Lovino. Basically yeah, everyone has known each other for a while.

Also, the foreshadow train continues, as does build-up. What can I say? I work at my own pace...we’re only starting November now and the new year has so much left in store…

BTW the Marching Band uniform is based off the one seen in the “Hetalia: The Beautiful World: Sound World” CD cover. A lot of people make Alfred a part of the football team, but I wanted to explore a different route. He’s still a jock, mind you, but honestly football is so overrated. Everyone knows most of the audience at a game is for the marching band anyway ;) If you’re curious, the performance they’re doing is “Shades of Latin” which includes the songs: El Cumbanchero, Evil Ways, Novus, I Know You Want Me/Llorando Se Fue. You can find a video on Youtube if you’re curious, but there’s a ton of trumpet.

And I’m so sorry Belgium, you deserved better. But rest assured, you will not be the last.

Until next time, folks.

Chapter 4: From the Ambrosial Cup

Summary:

When immortality beckons, not many would deny a sip.

Notes:

Goodbye, slice of life, but you overstayed your welcome for a supposedly dark fic. Now we're finally getting to the goods.

Alfred's mouth dropped slightly as he was met with a golden-furred, rabbit plush toy sitting at the bottom of his locker. Bending down and picking it up, he ran his fingers through its extra-soft coat, his brows scrunched together as he tried to think of a time he mentioned his childhood obsession to Ivan, but he drew a blank. This was weird, really weird. How else would the other know about it? He shook his head and drew out a deep breath, reminding himself that bunnies were also popular stuffed animals. He was simply being paranoid for no reason. It was just a coincidence that Ivan picked the one he had the strongest attachment to — nothing more.

Kiku peeked over his shoulder, "Usagi?"

"It's cute, right?" Smiling as he feigned obliviousness, Alfred held the plush toy close to his chest and stood. "Wait, what was it you used to call me when we were little?"

"U-Usa-kun," Kiku responded with an embarrassed smile, not seeing the cold, violet glare sent his way. "Do you know who put it there?"

"No idea," Alfred easily lied, his talent for acting shining through. He learned very early on that life was much easier when people only saw your facade rather than your true self. To be fair, Ivan had been pushy with his affections lately...it was getting a bit overwhelming. Though he loved the attention and was clearly attracted to the other, there was just something about it that made him feel uncomfortable. Everything was happening so fast, so much thrust upon him at once. He just needed time to process it all.

Matthew's gaze darted from the rabbit in his twin's arms, to the innocently smiling Ivan behind him, before finally settling on Alfred. "So...you're okay with someone going into your locker without your permission?"

Clicking his tongue in annoyance, Alfred turned to his brother. "Dude, it's not even locked."

"That's not the point—" Matthew took a moment to pinch the bridge of his nose and took in a deep breath. "You should probably start doing that. It's a good habit to get into. But don't you care at all about your privacy being invaded?"

"I do not see signs of malintent," Ivan answered with a frown. "Whoever this person is, they mean no harm."

"Exactly, it's not like they're stealing, they're giving." Alfred shut the locker door. "Besides, this locker's a bitch to open, and I don't even remember the—" Before he could finish, Matthew reached out a hand and twisted the dial, sealing its doors tightly and leaving Alfred momentarily confounded. His shoulders slumped dejectedly, realizing he'd have to go to the office later to get the combination, because yes, it had been that long since he used it. "You ass."

"No, I care," Matthew huffed.

"Yeah, because someone is totally going to steal my textbooks. Oh no, my binders…" Alfred rolled his eyes with a sour pout on his lips.

"Well, maybe your admirer should quit being a creep and actually confess to you." With the way violet eyes narrowed, a scowl etched on thin lips, Matthew was very well aware that Ivan was sizing him up. As intimidating as it was, he was not going to let it stop him from knocking sense into his brother.

"You're no fun," Alfred whined.

"I hope you realize you're giving them the wrong message here. This is just a slippery slope to them taking advantage of you."

"Whatever," Alfred averted his gaze, only for his eyes catch sight of a person he hadn't seen in a while. "Hey, what's Tim doing here?"

"Huh?" Matthew's head whipped around and followed the other's line of sight, brows raised in surprise when he saw it was none other than his friend who graduated the year before, wandering the halls, wearing a concentrated expression as though searching for something. He cocked his head to the side before turning to his brother. "Can you tell Mr. Edelstein I might be a bit late?"

"Hm?" He wasn't surprised to see Alfred back on his phone, glued to the screen, not even sparing him a glance. "Yeah, sure." Letting out a heavy sigh and rolling his eyes, Matthew jogged toward his friend.

"Tim? What are you doing here?"

Green eyes softened with recognition. "Ah, Matthew, good to see you."

Matthew beamed at the other. "Yes, you too! Is there a reason you're here? N-not that I'm not glad to see you!" He insisted quickly, only relaxing when the other sent him a rare smile.

It faltered almost as quickly as it came. "Emma never came home last night. She hasn't contacted me or Claude. I notified the police, but I came here to see if I could find anything myself."

Matthew paled, his mind instantly going to the worst case scenario before brushing it off. This was Emma, the guard captain! The girl who worked with him, Mei, and Mr. Edelstein on the Marching Band drill. She was always there to tease him when he went to their house and offered him chocolate, always claiming hers was the best. She was one of the few people who noticed him in the halls and would stop to say hi, aside from Alfred and Carlos, even after her brother graduated. He desperately hoped she was okay. "D-Do you need any help?"

Tim waved his hand in dismissal. "Just, if you see anything, let me know?"

He nodded. "Of course!"

They said their goodbyes to each other and went separate ways, though as much as Matthew wanted to disagree with it, his gut was telling him that something was very wrong.

---

Mashing the buttons on his controller, Alfred's gaze remained fixed on the TV screen before him, his face paling and eyes widening with dread as his best friend's character charged at him with a powered attack that launched him out of bounds. "What? Nooo!" He cried, dropping his controller onto his lap and clutching his hair in anguish. "That's the seventh fucking time!"

Kiku sent him a half-hearted smirk as the game proclaimed him the winner before becoming serious. "Al-kun? May we talk?"

"Huh?" Alfred relaxed as he turned to his friend, noticing an uncertain gleam in brown eyes. "Yeah, what's up?"

"It's just that…" Kiku bit his lip as he struggled to find the right words. "I have some concerns about your friendship with Ivan," he admitted.

He tensed, already knowing where this was heading, but decided to bite the bullet anyway. "What do you mean?"

"He is always following you, watching what you do. He does not let the rest of us talk to you during lunch, almost like he wants to separate you from us...he is always walking you to your classes, is always so close to you and affectionate, yet so cold to everyone else. I'm just worried about his interest in you being a little...obsessive."

Alfred's eyes narrowed as he pursed his lips in thought. He contemplated what Kiku told him before making a decision, shaking his head as he did so. "No, I don't think so. Like I know he's clingy and all, but he has issues and I'm waiting for the right time to bring them up. I can't just abandon him, I'm the only friend he has here. I think he's made great progress since the beginning of the year."

"Issues?" Kiku quirked a brow, as if expecting him to elaborate.

"Sorry, I just don't think it's my place to say too much, but believe me, he's much different than when we first met. I think he just needs more time to open up and trust others. The reason he treats me differently is because I was there for him when he really hit rock-bottom. He trusts me," Alfred explained, hoping his friend would understand.

Kiku sighed as he gave a small nod. "I see. That makes sense. My apologies, you are right. Ivan's problems are his own and it is not my place to pry. I only want to make sure you're safe."

The fond smile on his lips came naturally, he was glad he was fortunate enough to have someone like Kiku in his life. "Thanks, but I'm the hero. I keep others safe, not the other way around," he teased.

Chuckling softly, Kiku took a moment to think of his next question. "So have you made any progress helping him with the issues themselves?"

"Uh, well, I don't really know how to bring them up," Alfred loosened a bashful shrug. "Every time I try to get him to break down his walls, he kinda just gets me talking about myself again and I always fall for it. I'm guessing it's a really sensitive topic for him."

Kiku turned to him with a stern gaze. "Do you know anything about him? Things that don't involve you?"

"Uhhh, he's from Russia." Kiku gestured for him to continue. "He likes sunflowers?"

"Is that all?" Brown eyes widened. "What about his family? Does he have siblings? Have you been to his house?" Noticing his friend staring at him blankly, struggling to reply, he chose to go on. "Yet he knows a lot about you, and he's been here many times..."

Alfred frowned, though he couldn't suppress a hesitant nod. "Maybe his personal life is difficult, so he spends time with me to escape it?" For him, he was quite familiar with the concept, and therefore it was easy to sympathize.

"Or he could be hiding things from you. You are walking a very fine line, Al-kun."

Quiet in his reflection, though not in the mood to continue the conversation any further, Alfred picked up his controller and began roaming over the other characters on the selection screen whilst his mind remained elsewhere. Kiku glanced at him worriedly before preparing to start a new match.

The sudden stomping down the staircase jolted him out of his daze, he craned his neck to see Matthew rushing into the family room where he seized the remote off the couch's armrest and changed the input.

"Dude, what the fuck? We were playing—" Matthew raised a hand to silence his brother, his expression steely as he put on the news, ignoring the annoyed pout Alfred was giving him. Crossing his arms as he sunk into the couch, Alfred glared at the screen as he waited for his brother to finish whatever he needed to do so he could go back to his game.

The mention of his high school caught his attention. Alfred's mouth dropped in shock when the news anchor reported that a student had been murdered by the local serial killer, hacked by a machete in the same brutal manner as the last two victims. There were still no signs of the murderer, but viewers were assured that the authorities were doing everything they could to track the criminal down.

A silent horror filled the room before Matthew broke down into sobs, burying his face into his hands. "It's Emma…I knew it." Stunned with disbelief, Kiku and Alfred exchanged a glance before the younger twin wrapped his arms around his trembling brother.

"W-what makes you say that?" Alfred hated how shaky his own voice was, but this news actually made his blood run cold.

"Tim told me she never came back home," Matthew's voice cracked as he took off his glasses to wipe his eyes with the sleeve of his sweater. "She wasn't at school all day and then he texted me that the police went to his house and...well, he told me to check the news."

"N-no way..." Alfred felt his own eyes stinging as his stomach churned achingly. The last time he and Emma talked, he'd been a bit bitter, having confronted her on what she did at their last game. Though not long-lasting and only half-hearted, it was terrible to think of that as his last memory with her. She was such a good friend, so fun and kind, always welcoming him to hang out with her and her friends when other cliques were bothering him. Emma deserved the best in life, not this untimely end. This was just too unreal, too cruel, he couldn't believe it.

But his sobbing brother kind of forced him to accept reality.

"I-I must get going, my parents will worry if I'm not home before they see this." The two boys nodded in understanding as Kiku bowed and took his leave. It was very much like him to not want to inconvenience his parents, especially since his mother was very cautious and worrisome, that was something Alfred and Matthew had learned about him over the years.

"I'm...I'm going to Tim's to make sure he's okay...God, I feel so terrible!" Matthew stood up quickly, startling Alfred who backed away.

"D-do you want me to go with you?" The back of his throat was dry as he followed his brother to the foyer and watched him search for the car keys in the dish on the entry table.

"No, it's fine." Matthew opened the door. "H-Hey, Kiku, I'll drive you home!" It shut with a loud thud that made him wince.

And then he was alone, he thought as he twisted the entrance's lock. Just like that.

Tears welled in his eyes all at once and he ran upstairs to his room, slamming the door behind him. Seriously? A serial killer was running around his neighborhood and now one of his good friends was dead? Who was next? It could honestly be anyone at this point. He was shaking, genuinely afraid for once, wishing that at least mom or dad could be home and give him some peace of mind. Anything! If only he hadn't said goodbye to that fantasy world, he just wanted to escape reality for a little bit. If he could, he would take it all back. All he wanted to do was to forget about his problems for a while, maybe see Tony and Whaley, or the bunny with the bushy eyebrows...just anything that could comfort him from the fear he felt.

He stumbled toward his closet and opened the door. Nothing! It was never real, as much as he'd like to believe otherwise. Distraught, he fell onto his bed and clutched on to the nearest pillow, sobbing as he mourned his friend. Eventually, exhaustion overcame him and he passed out, sprawled over tear-soaked sheets. At one point he stirred, feeling a dip in his bed and gentle caress play with his hair. Assuming it was Matthew, he allowed it to continue, embracing the comfort and falling into a calming slumber.

When Alfred awoke the next morning, it was just him and the cats — Maple was against his side while Hero's weight pressed down onto his lower back. 

'This is unusual,' he thought as he shuffled around, ignoring the claws sinking into his shirt as he dragged the fat cat off of him. Maple usually slept with Matthew or mom whenever she was home. He glanced at his alarm clock: 6:24 am. Quickly he pushed off his bed and went through the bathroom to his twin's bedroom, immediately noticing that his perfectly-made bed was untouched. Did his brother not come home last night?

Trembling, he went back into his bedroom where both his cats peered at him with annoyance, as if beckoning him to come back to bed and provide them with warmth. Maybe he had felt the cats then? Or maybe he dreamt it — that had to be it. A sigh of relief escaped him, but his fear was replaced with irritation.

Did his brother seriously make him spend the night alone when there was a serial killer on the loose? Honestly, what the hell? Immediately he reported it in his journal, letting it serve as a reminder that he needed to think of some very choice words for his twin the next time he saw him. Not even a goddamn message to let him know what was going on? That he was okay? It was odd for Matthew to be this inconsiderate. That was his thing.

"At least you guys care about me…" Alfred sat on his bed, fingers stroking through Maple's cream fur. "Who needs Mattie anyway?" his brows narrowed. Maybe he was taking this too personally, after all, the guy's sister just died...but Emma had been his friend too. Why couldn't he have gone along and they all would have mourned together or something? No, he just had to be left alone in a big, empty house, as his brother essentially ditched him while his parents were away at work. Great, so not only was he alone in terms of his social life, but also his home life? Or maybe it had always been the other way around. No wonder he had to resort to imaginary friends in his childhood.

At least he would see Kiku and Ivan in school.

---

True to word, Ivan was standing by his locker as he approached, a smile on his face that managed to relieve him a little bit. At least he had someone he could depend on. He'd seen Matthew talking with Carlos on his way through the halls, so at least he knew his brother was safe and well, not that he had the courtesy to send him a text or anything. Hell, he had to walk to school on his own since his twin took the car and forgot to run back home and pick him up. Really, what was he? Chopped liver? There was a killer on the loose, for Christ's sake. To say he was a bit miffed was the understatement of the century.

"Hey, Ivan," he managed a smile as he opened his door, blue eyes immediately landing on his newest gift. Lip quirking in wry amusement as he picked up the mp3 player and inspected it, he wondered if this whole 'gifts in the locker' scenario was going to become a daily ritual. To be honest, these constant displays of affection made him feel guilty. He worried he was leading Ivan on, and for what? His constant need of attention? How pathetic could he be?

A sticky note was taped to the back. 'This song makes me think of you, my only love,' was scrawled onto it in a beautiful cursive he was familiar with. Clearly Ivan didn't care too much about being elusive. Regardless, he unraveled the earbuds attached and secured one in his ear before turning on the device and pressing play once the startup finished.

His breath hitched when he heard a familiar beat drop, eyes widening in alarm as his heart palpitated loudly against his ribs. This, this was insane. No one knew he adored that song, it had always been a secret. Not to mention Ivan got the specific version of the song he loved. How would Ivan even know that? It wasn't something he boasted about, he was too embarrassed by it! Breath unsteady and fingers trembling, he shut off the device and slipped it into his pocket.

"Ah, is something the matter, lyubov moya?" Ivan cocked his head to the side, eyes lit with concern.

"H-huh? Oh, it's nothing," Alfred squeaked as he shook his head, perhaps with a bit more energy than necessary. Maybe he should get a drink of water. Was he feeling lightheaded? This was just — weird. Too weird. Maybe Matthew was right. Maybe Ivan was a stalker because he hadn't heard that song for years. Even his own flesh-and-blood twin didn't know!

Unconvinced, Ivan pouted and crossed his arms. "Does not seem to be nothing. You look like you seen ghost. Did it not please you?"

Alfred waved his hand in dismissal. "N-no, it's just...it surprised me is all. I didn't expect something so personal..." Maybe he was overreacting. It wasn't like Ivan could read his mind, right? Maybe it was a lucky guess or perhaps it was Ivan's favorite song too? It was extremely popular and romantic, so that wasn't too much of a stretch. He managed to convince himself there was nothing odd about it, though that reassurance didn't dispel any of his other morning anxieties.

Noticing his downcast eyes, Ivan clicked his tongue in disapproval. "Is not just that, I sense something else troubles you. Please tell me?"

Eager to forget his recent spur of paranoia and unable to resist those pleading, violet eyes, Alfred let out a heavy sigh as he remembered his earlier dilemma. "Emma died. She was killed by the serial killer," he said barely above a whisper, watching Ivan's reaction, whose eyes softened sympathetically. "Matthew went to Tim's and spent the night, but I guess he kind of forgot about me? As if I wanted to be home alone after hearing there's a murderer in our neighborhood," he grumbled, ignoring the stinging in the corner of his eyes.

"I see." Ivan's expression shifted into something much more derisive, a sneer on his face while his brows narrowed and pose straightened. "I should have expected nothing less."

"What?" Alfred was taken aback by the shift in Ivan's attitude, raising a brow. "What are you talking about?"

Ivan stared at him for a moment, eyes glazed as his fingers reached forward to push back a few golden locks out of his face, stopping himself just as he grazed against a strand. "You should not count on the distracted to protect you. You will only be let down in the end..." He retracted his hand hesitantly, tone gentle and foreboding.

Alfred felt the need to defend himself. He wasn't some weakling. "I'm not counting on anyone—"

"Your brother has let his personal feelings get in the way of your security, has he not?"

Eyeing him dubiously, Alfred was unsure of what he was getting at. "His personal feelings?"

"Yes," Ivan nodded, his gaze icy and bitter, which unnerved him. The bell rang, and it was then Alfred realized the halls had emptied. They needed to get to homeroom, but a strong grip on his elbow steered him in the opposite direction and held him in place once his back was pressed against metal.

Uncomfortable with being closed in, his hands pressed against the Russian's chest to get some space, but the other didn't seem to get the message. "I-Ivan, we need to—"

"If you are ever scared or alone, do not rely on others. Only I can protect you, solnyshko." His grasp was tight, almost painful, and for a moment Alfred saw the intimidating Ivan the other students had been wary about since the beginning. His violet irises were too intense and serious for his liking, the way he towered over him and made him feel so small — he gulped in fear, which was ironic considering what Ivan just told him. The unexpected change in personality was disturbing, and why did everything he say come off as a warning? Ivan moved closer so his lips were right above his ear, all personal space was forfeit and his power over the situation gone. "You don't need anyone else, not when you have me. I can already tell how this will go, let me spare you the heartache," the husky voice made him shiver. It was completely unlike the usual sweet tone he spoke with.

"Back off!" Alfred pushed with more force, though the other didn't respond to it. God, how was his chest hard as a rock? Ivan only moved back when he decided to, and it was just enough to get a better look at his face, where he noted Alfred was frustrated with his cryptic words. "What the hell is wrong with you, Ivan? You're acting so weird!"

Ivan let out a sardonic laugh. "You think these so-called friends of yours truly care for you? Nyet. I have seen them all for what they truly are and yet I still decided to give them a chance for your sake. Now I see I was wrong to do so. I will trust no one with you, not even your family which neglects you so."

"Hey, letmego—!" Squirming to get out of Ivan's grasp, he found that he could barely budge. "Ivan, stop!" His breathing was getting more erratic, he was scared. What happened to his friend? Who was this guy? Was this the person Matthew and even Kiku tried to warn him about? Fuck, how did he not see it?

"What is today? The 16th correct? Ah, the last game is tomorrow. You will see in time that I am correct." Ivan released Alfred, who rubbed his elbows and averted his gaze as he waited for the other to get out of his space. Instead, he felt a hand on his cheek guide him back to Ivan's pale face, who smiled at him lovingly and made his own heart feel like it'd burst from his chest. Chapped lips planted themselves on his own, eliciting a small, startled yelp as he found himself overwhelmed by a desperate, ravenous kiss. Paralyzed and dazed, he was lost in a trance until he felt a foreign tongue swirl inside him — the back of his head rammed into the locker with a loud CLANG as he momentarily saw stars.

"C-careful, my love." Ivan backed away, letting out a curse in Russian as his fingers moved to pull Alfred away from the lockers whilst his other hand caressed the sore occipital, making sure it was okay. "Sorry, I got carried away...I just love you so much, it would kill me if you were to get hurt..." he said softly. Alfred blushed as he was tugged by his conflicted feelings for the umpteenth time, only now they were tearing him apart. No, this was not how he expected the confession to come out. This was just way too fucking much in such a short period of time.

Finally he managed to break free from Ivan's grip. "Just back up, okay! I-I need time to think!" The fuck was happening? He was confused and frightened, but more so he was furious. He didn't give a shit about Ivan's confused expression, eyes blinking innocently as they tried to understand his anger. "There's some things I need to process, g-give me some space!"

"Very well," Ivan chirped, his personality reverting to its normal state with the ease of flipping a light-switch. What? With a timid shake of his head, he ran to class.

Little did he know that it was only the beginning.

---

Alfred sat on the bleachers, staring at the field with unblinking eyes. His gaze found itself roaming over the crowd, a mourning silence among them as they paid their minute long respects to Emma, who the game was now dedicated to. He saw his mother weeping as she sympathized with the parents who lost their only daughter, being held on one side by Francis who massaged her hand and let her rest her head on his shoulder, while Jeanne sat on her other, rubbing small circles into her back. Tim was sitting with Matthew a few rows ahead of him with his twin patting his shoulder comfortingly. As Feliciano wiped his eyes, Ludwig wrapped an arm around him and held him close to his chest and closed his eyes respectfully. Kiku sat beside him, head lowered to avoid letting anyone see the wet gleam in his eyes. Alfred turned in his seat, his gaze fixing itself on the other guard members who grieved over the loss of their captain. Despite all this, he still couldn't believe she was actually gone. He had only seen her a few days ago, smiling as she talked to Ivan, giving him a teasing smirk as he bitched at her for what she did. How could she be here one moment and then dead the next? It was terrifying to think about.

Speaking of Ivan, he was here too. Phone in hand, typing something, mirroring him perfectly. Purple eyes glanced up, straight at him, and he froze as he felt their intensity. A smile graced the other's lips as he tucked his phone into his beige coat, and Alfred struggled to get a grip on himself and look away. He was conflicted, to say the least. After spending a whole 24 hours trying to figure out his stance on the enigma that was Ivan, he still couldn't decide on what to think. Was he a vulnerable teen who needed a friend? A guy with an obsessive crush he let go on for too long? The only thing that he could think of was that the other changed considerably after his suspension, no longer being the shy boy he felt he had to look out for. Did something happen in that time? Was he not seeing something important? He was having trouble making sense of it all, almost as though there were gaps of vital information just missing. A part of him was on the verge of losing his goddamn mind unless he got some answers.

Maybe Ivan had always been insane. It would explain his use of extreme violence against Kevin, but he'd been afraid of himself then, terrified that he lost control. The Ivan from the other day seemed a lot more...possessive, just as Matthew had said. Honestly, nothing made sense, and these contradictions were making it hard for him to determine his relationship with Ivan moving forward. What was he supposed to do? Could he really just drop the guy like he was nothing? After all their bonding the past two months? Ivan had been doing so well though...but at the same time, apparently not.

Blue eyes roamed over the crowd, needing to think of something other than Ivan, only for them to freeze on a certain individual. What was Lovino Vargas doing here? He never came to their games. His face was pale, body tense, shaking in agitation while staring at the football field, watching as the announcer concluded the moment of silence. With a raised brow, Alfred glanced at Feliciano, who didn't even seem aware of his older brother's presence. Of all the games for him to come to, why this one.

The game started, and the drum majors were beginning to conduct. Letting out a heavy sigh of relief for the distraction, he could put off his crisis until after the halftime show.

---

Lovino wrung his hands as he approached Alfred at the end of the game, sucking in a breath as he watched the teen put away his instrument. He had to do this. It was for the other's safety he did this. His mind was made.

"A-Alfredo?" Alfred turned to him, confused. Even Feliciano spun around when he recognized the voice, amber eyes wide with surprise.

"You did good," Lovino's voice was strained as he took a moment to praise his younger brother — it hurt to say. Feliciano was good at everything, while he wasn't, and it felt like he just poured more salt onto his wound called insecurity. Feliciano sent him a small smile before he faced the blond who stared at him expectantly. "Can we talk? Privately?"

"Sure," Alfred replied with a quick nod, following him below the bleachers, an area secluded from everyone else. When he stopped, he watched as Alfred set his trumpet case on the ground beside him and leaned against a metal post. "So, what's up—"

"You need to stop coming to the restaurant!" The words spilled from Lovino's lips, his face red with humiliation and self-loathing.

"Um, what?" Alfred blinked in shock.

"It's too dangerous. There is a serial killer on the loose and—"

"What does that have to do with getting food?" Alfred interrupted, scowling.

Tears poured out of his eyes and he couldn't stop them. "P-please, you just can't come anymore. You're banned…you idiot, just listen to me—"

"Wait, what did I do?" He asked, an edge of anger in his tone.

"Y-you didn't do anything!" Lovino admitted, the words were just coming out of him before he had time to think them through.

"So why am I—"

"Because I'm trying to protect you, you shithead!"

Alfred paused for a moment. "P-protect me? You mean from the serial killer? W-why would he want me?" His voice went up an octave as he felt chills run down his spine. "I-I think you're just paranoid—"

Lovino groaned. "Idiota, you don't understand! He's going after people I-I…" He couldn't say it. Couldn't admit to the fact he recognized every single one of the serial killer's victims. All four of them now were customers he expressed an attraction to. Somebody was watching him and eliminating their competition.

"Ah, there you are dorogoy. I have been looking all over for you!" Ivan smiled innocently as he approached them. Alfred pushed himself off the post and raised his arms defensively as though they'd shield him from the other. Ivan's smile was instantly wiped when he saw Lovino, his eyes sharpening dangerously while his voice became a low growl. "You."

"Ivan, I thought I told you I need space!" Alfred frowned at Ivan. Lovino's eyes glanced between the two of them as he backed away from the tall teenager who strode toward him with an extended arm.

Suddenly Lovino was off his feet, his body against a post, clawing at a large, gloved hand wrapped around his neck that held him up effortlessly. "B-bastardo, let me go!"

"What the fuck are you doing? Stop!" Alfred tugged on Ivan's free arm, trying to get him away from the other, but to no avail.

There was only pure abhorrence in his violet eyes as he glowered at the man above him. "I promised I would protect you Fedya...a dangerous man, this one."

"What? No, he's not!"

A twisted grin spread on Ivan's face before he let go, watching Lovino drop onto his knees with a hacking cough while he massaged his neck. "Go ahead! Tell him! Tell him the danger he is in now! I am sure he would be happy to know your little secret!"

"Ivan, just stop! You're freaking me out!" Alfred yelled at the other before kneeling beside the adult, resting a hand on his back as he checked to see if he was alright. Lovino's face pinkened slightly before he looked away in shame.

"Woah, woah, woah, muchachos, hold up!" Mr. Fernandez ran in front of Ivan and held up his hands to protect his friend. "I am sure there is a peaceful way to settle things, no?"

"I was wondering when you'd show up!" There was something in Ivan's eyes that was excited, maniacal. "Though is not like you were too far, da?" He managed a bright smile, closing his eyes cutely despite everything he did just a moment ago. Alfred could only stare at his friend in horror. Were these Ivan's true colors? Was the dude fucking insane? A psychopath? Oh, god…

Antonio faltered a bit, a flash of panic in his eyes, before he was able to manage a wavering smile. "Of course. I was watching the game like everyone else!" There was a nervous edge to his laughter.

"Ah, but that is not full story now, is it?" Ivan bent over slightly so they were eye level, hands innocently behind his back as purple clashed with green. He pushed past him and bent down, grabbing Alfred's arm rather roughly and pulling him to his feet before he had time to react, resulting in a small yelp. "Come, solnyshko. Let us leave," he said sweetly, but his possessive pull was anything but.

Alfred attempted to get out of the other's grip. "Hey, let me go! I'm not leaving until Lovino tells me why I can't go to his restaurant anymore!"

Antonio looked from him to Lovino, eyes clouded with thought as the smile was wiped from his face.

"Because I hate you, you fat, American bastard!" Lovino yelled despite his hoarse voice, choking out a dry sob, wanting to hide away forever when he saw Alfred freeze, his face blank and blue eyes wide as tears started streaming down his cheeks.

"I—...what?"

"The sight of you makes me want to throw up," but in a pleasant way. "Making your meals is bothersome!" They gave him a sense of accomplishment. "You are annoying!" Annoyingly endearing. Internally he was screaming.

"Fine!" Alfred cried as his anger allowed him to tear his arm out of Ivan's hold. "I'll find other fucking restaurants! There's plenty!"

Ivan hummed in content, a triumphant smile on his face. "I think I know a—"

"And you!" Alfred whipped around, absolutely livid as his eyes were red and puffy. "You're walking on thin-fucking-ice!"

Ivan's face suddenly became panicked, like a child getting scolded. "H-huh?"

"What the hell is wrong with you? You've honestly been freaking me out these past few days, what with that shit you pulled yesterday and now hurting Lovino! Just stop! Leave me alone!"

"A-ah, I see…I did not mean to frighten you..." he mumbled, and Alfred could only stare at him in bewilderment as he tried to comprehend a flustered Ivan after just seeing him nearly strangle someone. Again!

"I. Need. Space!" Alfred repeated one last time, then sent Lovino one last pained look before storming off. "If you can't give me that, consider our friendship over! For good."

Ivan stood there frozen, in shock, before nodding. "V-very well, I will give you space..." His eyes drifted toward Antonio, who watched Alfred's back with a look he recognized before Lovino's coughs redirected their attention.

"C-cuidado, Lovi," Antonio helped raise Lovino to his feet. "Let's get you some water, okay?"

Ivan lips pressed into a tight smile as his eyes gleamed maliciously, squinting knowingly as he turned to Lovino. "Give your father my regards, da?" He shot Antonio one last contemptuous smirk before taking his leave.

With the weight of his actions burdening him, Lovino buried his face into his hands and cried.

---

Alfred rushed home, not even bothering to wait for his family as he instead took the bike path behind his house — serial killer be damned. He didn't care anymore, and he didn't want anyone to see him cry or ask questions. Fuck Lovino and fuck Ivan. He pushed open the back door to his house, darted straight to his room and slammed the door behind him, sliding down the wood until his bottom hit the floor with a new wave of tears pouring from him as he brought his knees to his chest. Emma was dead, Matthew was too busy for him, Ivan was just scary and confusing, and now Lovino hated him. Wonderful.

A deep chill in the air caught his attention and he shivered. He lifted his head from the knees he hugged as he slowly processed what was happening. His watery eyes scanned the area, and his peripheral vision caught sight of something he thought he'd never see again. The crack under his closet door was seeping a lavender light into his bedroom, though he could've sworn it used to be golden…

He really was losing it, huh? With a shake of his head, Alfred pushed himself off the ground and turned the knob, his breath escaping him once he saw what waited for him on the other side. Like the interior of a cathedral, it was vast and empty, with massive vaulted ceilings that no man could ever hope to recreate. A gigantic sphere levitated in the middle of the chamber, and something about it made him gravitate toward it. Taking a tentative step onto clean, reflective porcelain tiles that seemed to expand for miles, he gently shut the door behind him before moving forward where each step produced an echo that filled the silence.

Rubbing his arms anxiously as he approached the sphere, Alfred was finally able to find his voice. "D-Deus?"

Like a gyroscope spinning on its axis, the sphere's shell rotated, revealing a large, elderly man, whose pale skin and jagged, grey hair gleamed as reflective panels. His body covered in a pure white cloak while his movements were limited, mechanical, with steel-colored eyes like glass as he regarded him from his clockwork throne. There were gears behind him which churned, as though winding him up from a dormant state. Alfred fondly recalled thinking once that the deity of his imagination resembled his antique tin soldiers, but now older, he felt the other looked more like a metallic nutcracker if anything.

"Slowly the pieces come together for this new game..." The God's mouth moved on a hinge. It would be frightening had Alfred not grown used to it.

"It really is you," he whispered softly, lips curving into a small, evocative smile.

"Welcome back, Alfred."

Notes:

Not a long wait between this chapter and the last one, mainly because this was mostly written and I'm like SUPER eager to finally make shit hit the fan, you know? I'm done with development, I'm ready for chaos.

So yes, Alfred is going through a bit of a hard time right now. He suddenly just had so many things dropped on him at once, but hey, shit happens, and it's only gonna get worse for him here on out. But look at Ivan getting into fight mode every time he sees Alfred distressed, too bad he doesn't realize his own actions amplify it by 10,000 every time. Needless to say, things are gonna be pretty hectic going forth.

For Deus Ex Machina, since I hate using OCs and didn't want to use characters from Mirai Nikki, he is literally just a metal version of an OOC God from Hetalia. AKA the same one who told Hungary to hit France with a frying pan, lol. God bless America, amiright?

Next chapter, the survival game finally starts. Let's get this show on the road!

Chapter 5: Bestowed By the Gods

Summary:

The power of divinity does not come without sacrifice.

Notes:

A/N: Game Start. This might be the last chapter for a while as I actually have school starting this week and a lot of planning/writing/editing/proofreading ahead of me.

As he doodled on the edge of his study guide, Alfred let out a somber sigh listening to the professor drone on about the Renaissance. There was no point paying attention, he already knew he was going to do poorly on the midterm. If only he was back in AP US history or AP US Government, at least those courses he could excel in, but Europe had so much information and countries that it was so easy for him to jumble everything up. What did you mean there was a country called Austria in central Europe? He always just assumed Mr. Edelstein was mispronouncing Australia. And Lithuania? His old babysitter Toris would've been proud to hear he finally understood it was an actual country. Of all the courses he took, this one was especially frustrating since it was the only one he couldn't do well in. No matter how hard he tried or studied, a C grade was his best-case scenario. Without Ivan or his brother's help, he'd be lucky to get a D on the upcoming test.

Speaking of Ivan, his peer seemed to be listening attentively to the lesson, at least whenever Alfred didn't catch him stealing glances. True to word, he'd been keeping his distance from Alfred after their fall out last game. The other seemed to disappear from his life except for the classes they shared together, though the gifts in the locker only stopped after Alfred resorted to locking the door. He had gathered all the items that had accumulated over the course of a few days and returned them to Ivan whilst firmly telling him that this violated his need for space. Thankfully, Ivan honored that request, and their interactions have been practically nonexistent ever since. With the stress of his tumultuous relationship out of the way, and now high school marching band forever finished, he was finally able to look ahead toward swim season. All he had to do was stay in shape and focus on winning races, though this meant he had even less time with his brother, who now not only preoccupied himself with Tim, but hockey as well. They barely ever saw each other anymore, mainly it was in band class as they worked on their winter rehearsal, but it wasn't like they could talk much then, and at the house on the rare occasion both were there and weren't completely exhausted. It wasn't uncommon for him to come home only to find it empty then later receive a text from his twin saying he was spending the night with his friend. What were they even doing? Did they start dating or something? It seemed like pretty poor timing considering recent events.

Still, coming back to a desolate house when it was dark out now that daylight savings was a thing wasn't something he was fond of, only relying on his cats for comfort unless it was a weekend mom was home. It was usually around this time of year that sleepovers with his best friend would be more frequent, but Kiku's parents were being strict with him, giving him a curfew and not letting him visit until they were assured the serial killer was caught. His own mother just sent him and his brother check up messages every day around the same time whenever she wasn't around so she could rest soundly, which he had to admit did make him feel a little more secure. Dad's contact was less frequent, but that made sense since he was a pilot and was more limited on when he could text and visit, but he still made an effort whenever he could.

Really the only time he was able to fulfill his social needs were at lunch, though Mattie sometimes sat with Carlos and his hockey team. While Alfred could talk to Kiku about anything, after the whole thing with Lovino, he felt really awkward sitting near Feliciano. He and Ludwig were never really that close, nowadays only sharing a handful of conversations that were mainly school-related, so no changes to that relationship. His only other friend was Kyle, who he saw more often now because of swim, but that was it. Of course he had plenty of people to talk to if he wanted, like for casual conversations or in-passing, but beyond that? There was no one. He wanted people he could count on to always be there for him and actually enjoyed his company, not just when it was convenient for their popularity.

Yet, Mattie was never there for him anymore. Hell, his twin didn't even know that he was regressing back to his old self. Kiku was more aware since they texted constantly and played games online, but Alfred really didn't want to bring up the fact that he'd been visiting his imaginary world recently. Knowing his friend, he would grab his arm and force him to endure another intervention. Like hell was he going to go through that again. He wasn't crazy. All he wanted was someone who could keep him company so he'd feel a little less alone...

At least Francis and Jeanne were occasional company, otherwise he'd wither without consistent social interaction and affection. The couple went to a few of his practices and races to cheer him on, sometimes his cousin would come home and make dinner while Jeanne helped him wax or they'd all watch a movie together. Despite being busy with school, he appreciated the fact they tried to make time for him, though it wasn't until last weekend his mother reminded him of what was missing.

"What happened to Ivan? Instead of moping around at home, why don't you call him?"

"We don't talk anymore."

"Oh, I just thought — nevermind."

"You thought what?"

"I thought you two were an item. Hey, don't give me that look! You two just seemed...intimate."

"No...we were never a thing."

Ever since he took a 'break' from the new student, he realized he felt miserable. There was absolutely no one to talk to like they had, no one his age to hang out with. He had to admit they really did get along well. Never once did anybody understand him like Ivan, who was so eager to come over and spend time with him at any point if he just asked. The only issue was the guy's overbearing and freaky personality that he had no clue how to deal with. It was just a huge mental toll on him, especially with all the other stressors going on his life. No matter how lonely he was, he couldn't go back to Ivan until he finally made up his damn mind about how he felt about him. It wouldn't be fair to either of them otherwise.

Regardless, as long as he had his two cats and imagination, he'd be fine. Besides, winter break would be coming soon, his college applications were almost completed, and his family was going to spend the holiday with his grandparents in LA. He'd get his nice tan back, relax, have fun at the beach, get a good look at his dream school, and maybe, just maybe, come back home in a better state of mind.

He could hope, right?

---

Alfred was on his phone as he sat in front of his TV. His mother and father were a bit tipsy as they watched the celebrity announcer in the city prepare for the ball drop, as though they genuinely believed they'd be able to find Francis and Jeanne in a crowd that dense. Like every year, Matthew was out with Tim, probably getting stoned, and as usual mom had only made him promise to be responsible before letting him go on his merry way. As for himself, he'd been invited to go to a party with one with his classmates, but did he want to? No, because all it would entail were a bunch of teenagers underage drinking and having sex, and if this were anything like last year, he knew he was going to be peer pressured into doing things he'd later regret and then come home to a panicked mother who was just about to call the cops. Instead, he was perfectly content with reading the stirred up drama on social media and would gladly wait until after-prom to party his heart out when nobody gave a shit about what he did because everyone was done with each other anyway.

"Look, Alfredo Sauce!" Allen ruffled his hair before wrapping an arm around his neck, bringing him closer to his chest. "The countdown is about to start!" He rested his head against his dad's shoulder, watching as the number descended for a full minute before the crowd roared in unison during the last ten seconds. There was a flash of light from the clocktower and the camera then panning to those making out. He rolled his eyes, only to let out a repulsed groan when he saw his parents kiss beside him.

"Happy new year, sweetie!" His mom stood up and kissed the crown of his head.

"Happy new year, kiddo." Allen planted a quick kiss to his temple.

"Yes, yes, happy new year." Alfred smiled despite himself. "I'm gonna go play games with Kiku. If I see Hero or Maple I'll let them know." His parents merely waved him off before changing the channel to the Twilight Zone marathons that always ran.

After a quick run up the stairs and shutting the door behind him, he was content to see his best buds on his bed. Maple giving him that fond look he always did while Hero continued sleeping, not caring about his arrival. He turned on the television and set up his console, inviting Kiku to a party and rotating between a few games before getting tired. As he struggled to keep his eyes open, he glanced at the time on his home screen. 5:23AM? Oops. They said their goodbyes and he shut down his electronics before laying in bed, taking a quick picture of his cats before writing a detailed entry about recent events. It was shortly after when he set aside his glasses and turned off the lamp, head hitting the pillow just before he collapsed into a dreamless sleep, unaware of what the new year had in store for him.

---

It was around 3PM when he woke up, sprawled on his bed with only Hero still with him. He noticed the door was slightly ajar, probably because mom usually did that if she knew the cats were with him. With a loud yawn and big stretch, he pulled himself out of bed and went downstairs, only to be surprised when he saw a suitcase by the door. Wasn't dad supposed to leave hours ago? Entering the kitchen, he noticed his mother dressed in casual business attire while on her phone speaking rapid French, her free hand scrolling through her laptop. Only understanding a few phrases here and there, especially since he was still groggy, he opted to heat up some leftovers — another pro to spending New Year's with his parents was that they took him out to a restaurant of his choice: Olive Garden. The nearest authentic Italian restaurant he wasn't unjustly banned from. He wasn't still bitter over that or anything, of course not.

As he ate his meal in silence at the kitchen island, he watched his mother hang up the phone and send him an apologetic smile. "So sorry, sweetheart, but I have to take a little trip."

Pouting, he realized the suitcase out front was hers. She was on break wasn't she? Spring classes didn't start for like three weeks, she was supposed to be spending time with him! Yes, he admitted he could be a bit of a mama's boy, but what son wasn't? "Okay, trip where?"

"Your mémé hurt herself last night and now I have to go make sure she's alright, since she's too stubborn to see a doctor. She doesn't want to be a bother, she says." Madeline rolled her eyes as Alfred's widened in shock. "I should be back in a week or two. Think you can hold the fort for me?"

"Yeah, sure. Wow, I hope she's okay. Tell her that I miss her and can't wait until she visits us." Mémé always made the best french toast and sent him the most heart-warming gifts. Plus she had the funniest, most scandalous stories ever. She was an absolute treasure to mankind.

They talked for a while until her Uber came, then she kissed him on the cheek before leaving. Once again, he was home alone, for possibly two weeks unless dad dropped by, because at this point he saw him more than his own twin brother. With a scoff he went to do some chores, the responsibility now thrusted on to him as the sole resident of the house, it seemed. Fortunately there was nothing he had to do outside because it was such a winter wasteland out there. Too much snow and too cold. He was thankful they paid a guy to do their shoveling, a true testament of his parent's love for him. Mainly he just had to make sure the cats were fed and their litter box in the basement was cleaned, take out the trash if there was any, put away dirty dishes, etcetera. As he made his way to the living room, he briefly wondered if that meant he had to take down the decorations and Christmas tree by himself. Maybe if he was bored enough he'd entertain the thought, but actually doing it was unlikely. It could wait until one of his parents came back, or if he saw Matthew around he could try guilting him into doing it.

After heading back into his room and falling onto his bed, he updated his entries, watched some shows for a few hours before checking his clock, doing a double-take when he saw it was 10 already. No wonder he was getting tired, he mused with a small yawn. As much as he tried to be a night owl, his body screamed he was a lark. It certainly made getting up for school so much easier. His body relaxed on the soft cushioning, eyes closing as he slowly drifted.

"It's rare you go a day without talking to me anymore." Blue eyes snapped open. 'God dammit,' Alfred huffed as he sat back up.

"Deus," he replied, noticing his bed was in the Cathedral of Causality. Somehow it had extended beyond his closet, now able to follow him wherever he went. He said this before and he'd say it again, he was actually losing his sanity. "What are you up to this time? Starting another war?" He muttered sleepily, a tired gleam in his eye as he stared at the machine god.

"The word does need a thrill now and then," the deity replied. Alfred's gaze flickered toward Tony, who seated himself on the bed beside him, picking up his phone and unlocking it.

"You can't just start trouble just because you feel like it," he scolded before furrowing his brows at the alien, wondering why he was scrolling through his entries. "What are you looking for?"

"You'd be surprised. I believe our next game will be quite interesting." Alfred glanced at the god with a sly grin before Tony handed him back his phone.

'What's the fucking point of this thing anyway?' he heard the alien ask him telepathically, the only way it could speak.

Alfred shrugged. "I just like writing down the things I see. It's nice having some proof that I exist, you know? It keeps me grounded." He unlocked his phone and began typing a new entry. "See, I'll make one right now."

January 1 22:02 [My Room]

Deus appeared and he's plotting something again. Tony seems interested in my phone for some reason.

'So it's just a random-ass diary then?' Tony's small hands were on his upper thigh as he peeked over his arm to watch him type. For what seemed to be the hundredth time, Alfred found himself in awe over how real it all felt.

"Y-yeah...a random diary with no purpose," he murmured with downcast eyes. In truth, it meant everything to him, but in the grand scheme of things, it really was nothing. Just a diary in the hands of some teenager who had nothing better to do.

"Are you lonely?" Deus' voice shook him out of his thoughts.

A squawk escaped him. "What?" The question took him by surprise. "No! I'm fine!" Alfred exclaimed defensively, face heating up, not wanting to admit his weakness out loud. If that day ever came, he'd knew he hit a breaking point.

"Relax, child," he chuckled. "I understand, but if you could, would you change yourself?"

Alfred scowled, gaze deflecting toward the Cathedral's horizon. Instantly he thought of Matthew, who was so well-liked and could get along with everyone if he ever decided to break out of his comfort zone. His brother with his few close friends who'd always be there for him, who never had to deal with any unnecessary bullshit, whereas he'd been living a chaotic train ride since the day he was born. Yeah, maybe he was a bit jealous. "I…" he bit his lip, unwilling to face the deep, sad truth. Instead he let out a defeated sigh, looking up when he heard the deity's satisfied hum.

"It's settled then. I shall grant you the future." Alfred glanced down once he saw his phone screen brighten. A notification had appeared.

"A new message?" He unlocked his phone and checked it out, seeing that the sender was none other than Deus. "What are you planning now?" He laid on his stomach and sent Tony an amused grin.

"A game. You'll understand soon enough."

Shaking his head, Alfred pulled a pillow closer to him and nuzzled it. "Whatever," he murmured as he relaxed and closed his eyes. "This is all in my head anyway…"

---

It was the sound of rushing water that woke him. Alfred rubbed the back of his neck as he lifted his head to focus on his surroundings. The bathroom door was cracked open, he could make out a topless teen brushing his teeth — Matthew. He reached for his glasses and put them on, not that he needed them to the extent of his brother, but they helped with seeing things really far away and he thought they made him look more mature. God, what time was it? 5:56AM? Oh, right. Break was over, meaning today was the first day back to school. Curling into a ball and bringing his phone to his face, he went to where he stored all his entries, though his heart skipped a beat once he saw unfamiliar text on the screen.

January 2 05:58 [My Room]

Matthew is back. He's brushing his teeth and acting like he hasn't forgotten about me these past few weeks. No wonder Maple wasn't in my bed.

He never wrote that.

Confused, he scrolled down, noticing many, many more entries — too many that he couldn't even scroll down to the bottom, hell, he could barely get through February before he gave up. There were pictures he knew he hadn't taken yet, he watched a video he never recorded of the city, and he skimmed over many events and dates that had yet to happen.

What the fuck was happening? Was this a prank?

Matthew fully opened his bedroom door and peered in, eyes wide with concern. "You okay?"

"H-huh?" His shaky hands dropped the phone onto the bed. "Y-yeah! Why what's wrong?"

"You just made a weird sound is all," Matthew sighed as he went back to the sink. "Hey, where's mum? I thought she was supposed to be home?"

Alfred couldn't help but shoot his brother a weak glare through the wall. If he had been home more often, he'd know. "Mémé got a little too drunk on New Year's and fell, so mom got a ticket and left to make sure she's okay," he explained.

"Oh, god! I hope she's okay. I'll have to call later to make sure."

Alfred pushed himself off the bed and shooed his brother out of the bathroom since it was his turn to take a shower. Feeling the water soothe him could help clear his thoughts, which he desperately needed to do. Maybe when he got out, the entries would be gone and it was just his imagination acting up again? Ugh, what if he was hallucinating? Weren't those symptoms of schizophrenia? He remembered one time Matthew, the aspiring psychologist, had made a comment on how the mental disorder developed in late teens, so...he really hoped that wasn't the case. They didn't have a family history of it, did they?

When he went back into his bedroom and checked his phone, he noticed the entries hadn't changed at all. Surprised, he also realized that it opened automatically to whichever entries were closest to the actual time.

January 2 06:15 [Living Room]

Matthew is watching the news again. It says that the death toll is at 6, but the most recent victim was found really close to our school.

Quickly he dressed and slid on his bomber jacket, then ran down the stairs, his blood running cold when he heard the anchorman from the foyer. Peeking into the living room, he noticed his visibly distressed twin. His eyes flashed to the tv screen as it displayed an image of his high school.

What the fuck.

January 2 06:16 [Kitchen]

The milk for my cereal is spoiled. Need to set myself a reminder to get more.

Feeling paranoid, he went to the kitchen and opened his fridge, pulling out the gallon of milk and reading the expiration date. It was only a couple of days away so it shouldn't have been too bad, but when he peeled off the lid and smelled its abhorrent stench he immediately went to dump it into the sink, plugging his nose as he did so.

What the fuck what the fuck what the fuck—

After filling the gallon with hot water and dumping it once again, he backed away. His hands clasped together in front of his lips while he took a deep breaths to ponder his next move. He was losing it. He was actually losing his mind oh my god—

"Al, are you sure you're okay?" Matthew asked as he entered the room, his gaze flickered between the empty milk gallon and his brother. "Why do you look like you're about to rip the sink out?"

'Because I am!' "I'm fine, Matthew!" Alfred snapped before grabbing a nearby banana, then checked to see if his phone had predicted that too — it had. His twin stared at him, surprised by the outburst, and raised his hands defensively.

"G-Geez, I'm sorry," he mumbled, hurt, evident by his pained eyes and the way his lips curled downward, but Alfred was too disturbed to care. This was weird, like really, really weird. "I'll be heating up the car then…"

And then he was gone, the front door shut behind him, leaving Alfred by himself to worry about the rest of his day.

---

"Ah, Alfredo, I notice you seemed really on edge today during class." Alfred looked up, noticing Mr. Fernandez watching him with concerned green eyes. "You haven't put down your phone at all either, now that I think about it…"

"O-oh, sorry! Just a family emergency, y'know?" He managed a weak smile. Not entirely a lie, but much better than the truth. His teacher merely sat on his desk as he smiled sympathetically.

"Disculpame, I did not know." Placing a hand on his shoulder, he forced Alfred to focus on him. "It is a distraction though. You know you're not supposed to use your phone in class. Normally I let it slide, but today it's like your whole world. I'll give you a warning this time, okay? Because family emergency."

Alfred nodded gratefully. "T-thanks, Mr. FC!" Note to self: be less obvious about his situation or else people will ask questions. He needed to cool down.

"No problema." His teacher sent him a grin and winked as he stood, patting his back gently. "Now, get to your next class."

Feeling a moment of solace as he was ushered out of the classroom, it was nice to have a small break from staring at his phone and psyching himself out. A few deep breaths and he could get through the rest of the day, go straight home since there was no swim practice, and maybe talk to Deus about all this. Maybe this would be like Inception and he was actually dreaming the whole time. Regardless, he needed to stop worrying about it all.

His eyes caught sight of violet orbs staring at him and he stared back. It was Ivan, brows furrowed with a troubled expression written on his face. Suddenly feeling a deep lunge in his stomach, he bolted to his next class without sparing the other another look.

Just a few more classes and it'd all be over.

---

Back in the Cathedral of Causality, Alfred's gaze anxiously flickered from the god to his phone, voice high-pitched as it took every bit of restraint from bursting into hysterics. "W-What's the meaning of all this?"

"I told you I gave you the future, did I not?"

"Yeah, but you're supposed to be a part of my imagination!" He was desperate as he stared at the figure before him, feeling so miniscule. "None of this should be real!"

"Who is to say that imagination and reality aren't mutually exclusive concepts? Is it so hard to believe a god could take residence wherever they want, even if it happens to be in the mind of an innocent child?" He didn't even want to begin having a philosophical debate about religion. This was absolutely unfathomable. Yet, today's events proved to him just how wrong the world's perception of divinity really was.

Alfred blinked, shocked. "I—...but why me?"

Deus chuckled. "I will let time answer that for you, young one. For now, we must discuss the contents of your diary." A mechanical hand gestured toward him, Alfred assumed it was to the phone specifically. "Despite having the power to tell the future, it's not without its limits. One of which is that your phone and your body have become one. Should your phone break, your future will cease," he paused for a moment as a pang of realization hit Alfred hard. "In other words, you will die."

Collapsing onto his bed, Alfred continued to mull over the conversation while examining the case around his phone. He remembered how it protected the device from being run over by his dad's car once and how it had proven its waterproof capabilities multiple times. Touch-phones weren't known for their durability, but at least he invested his money in the right place. As long as he had the casing, he should be fine for the most part.

On the plus side, at least his phone had infinite battery life now. That was something, right?

A phone...that could predict the future...that sounded like something straight out of a comic book, didn't it? His eyes brightened and his lips curled into a grin as he considered what that meant. With great power comes great responsibility. Maybe this was his chance to be a superhero, to make a badass costume, and help people! Perhaps he would be the one to take down their local serial killer, but first he needed to get used to his new tool.

Maybe this wasn't as bad as it seemed.

---

"I'm glad you're in a good mood today, Al-kun." Kiku observed as they approached his locker. "Lately, you seemed off. I was wondering if grief had gotten to you." Alfred smiled at his friend's genuine concern as he dialed his combination — a habit he forced himself into due to recent events — only to scowl when he saw a note taped inside.

Oh, no.

"I thought you told him to stop." Kiku scowled as his gaze lingered on the note. "And he broke into your locker? How did he figure out the combination?"

To be honest, Alfred lacked an answer to that. He'd only recently re-familiarized with it and hadn't shared it with a single soul. God, Ivan really was a creep. What the hell? Bothered by his brother's confirmations and his own poor judgement, his expression soured before he unfolded the note and read the contents inside.

'Do not visit Mr. Fernandez — go straight home.' Alfred huffed. That was eerily specific, and why the hell was he being told not to see his Spanish teacher after hours? Why the hell did Ivan spy on him and eavesdrop on that conversation? This completely violated their personal space policy!

"Strange message." Kiku had peered over his arm and skimmed it himself. "Why do you need to see Mr. Fernandez anyway? I thought you did well in Spanish?" 

"I told him yesterday I was having some family troubles, so today he suggested I drop by after hours so we can talk about them." Alfred crumpled the note in his hands and strolled toward the nearest trash can. "It was nice of him to offer. I think I'll go," he mused with spite as he tossed it.

Kiku nodded. "Very well, I must get going before my parents worry. Let me know when you get home."

Alfred smiled at him and sent him a small wave. "Yeah, of course. See ya tomorrow."

They parted ways with Alfred making his way down the halls to the language wing. Noticing the door to his class was closed, he knocked. Nothing. He turned the handle and peeked his head inside, only to find it empty. Frowning, he entered the room, really hoping that he hadn't wasted his time coming here. Eyes surveying the area, he found a note on Mr. Fernandez's desk with his name hastily written on it.

'Sorry, something came up! We will have to reschedule.'

Alright, so yeah, waste of time. Maybe he should have heeded Ivan's warning.

shhhhhBBBTTT—

He jumped with fright at the sound his phone made: a distorted static that was so loud it echoed off the walls and into the hallway. It absolutely terrified him, never once did it make anything like that. Was that even a ringtone he had? Taking deep breaths as he unlocked his phone despite his trembling fingers, he checked to see what caused it to go off, hoping it wasn't some sort of virus. No, instead it came from his journal.

January 3 14:59 [Going Home]

The serial killer is chasing me. The abandoned warehouse off the bike trail is my safest bet. Maybe I can hide in there until he passes.

January 3 15:13 [Abandoned Warehouse]

{attachment . jpg}

The serial killer corners me. He gets the advantage and kills me with his machete.

[DEAD END]

A chill went down his spine as his breathing became more erratic. There were no more entries, all of the ones from earlier had been erased as his future now ended with a picture of his body hacked into, pale and bleeding on the floor of the warehouse. He wanted to vomit, and nearly did, but a hand covered his mouth and he forced himself to keep it in. Terror began to consume him as it dawned on him that he was going to die. The diary hadn't proven itself wrong yet, what reason did he have to doubt its power now? He glanced at the time and choked on a sob.

14:50. Shit.

He ran out of the classroom, only to feel strong hands grab the sleeve of his jacket. A scream ripped out of him as he was pulled closer to the other, the fingers tightening their grip and holding him in place. Struggling, his eyes flicked upward, only to freeze in alarm as he saw that it was Ivan of all people.

"You did not listen, solnyshko. You fell right into his trap." Ivan clicked his tongue and frowned, tone akin to a mother scolding a toddler.

"Let go of me, Ivan. Please!" Tears were pouring out of him. He needed to get home, he had to leave this place now.

"Nyet, you will come with—" Unable to stand it any longer, he slipped his arms out of the sleeves and ran, leaving Ivan alone with his bomber jacket. At the moment, it wasn't a priority of his, he just needed to last the day. That's all he asked for.

Anything to not end up like the version of himself in that picture.

The school was empty, Matthew was gone. Kiku gone. Francis? Gone. His twin had the car, he always had the damn car, and the snow hadn't been too bad so he'd been either carpooling or walking home, but his diary told him the bike path was trouble. But it was the quickest way home. No wait, it told him the abandoned warehouse was trouble. There was a chance, he just had to make sure he didn't get cornered.

He barreled through the back doors of the building and ran down the dirt trail through the forest that led to the bike path, almost feeling a sense of relief as he made it there. Desperately wishing he hadn't stored his bike, the cold air hurt his lungs as he ran, but he had to go home. Home was safe. The killer wouldn't attack him there.

The distorted static startled him once again. Not wasting time, he went to check the most recent entry.

January 3 14:59 [Going Home]

The serial killer is chasing me. The abandoned warehouse off the bike trail is not a good idea, I should try to lose him through the woods.

January 3 15:22 [Woods]

{attachment . jpg}

The serial killer gets the upper hand after I trip over some roots and get hurt. He slashes my throat with a machete.

[DEAD END]

Okay, so running home only delayed his death about ten minutes. Was it really set in stone? Was there really nothing he could do to avoid this?

CRACK—

His eyes snapped toward the sound. Between the branches and in the distance, quite visible since winter had stripped the trees of their leaves, he watched in silent terror as a man wearing a gas mask and dark trench coat slowly advanced toward him, one hand wielding a large machete, and another a small device.

Was that...a phone?

Not thinking about it any more than necessary, he continued running down the bike path until he felt the force of something push him into a nearby snow bank. Disoriented for a moment before getting his bearings, he glanced up and saw none other than Ivan staring down at him, expression calm as he extended an arm. "You will not lose him that way, come follow me."

Inwardly cursing because he had no other options, he took Ivan's hand and allowed himself to be hauled up and dragged into the forest. Everything became a blur as he heard a ringing in his ears, his face flushed and stinging from the wind as he wheezed painfully. It was too cold, his lungs were in agony. He was nauseous, especially now that he was coming to terms with the fact that he was going to die soon and only had Ivan to rely on.

They finally stopped, and violet eyes focused on him, studying his face for a moment before he felt a thumb stroke his cheek. Alfred found himself resting against a tree trunk to catch his breath, too focused on his breathing to think much of Ivan taking his bomber jacket out of his rucksack and helping him put it on. However, he found himself surprised to see the other teen remove his scarf and wrap it carefully around his neck, it was then for the first time he caught a glimpse of the bandages concealed beneath Ivan's collar. "We cannot stay here for long. We must keep moving, dorogoy."

"I-Iv…" Coughing, he shook his head. "I can't," he croaked, struggling to speak — his throat dry and burning.

"Nyet, you will. You will not die." Alfred felt lips press to his own, a warm breath entering his body. Despite everything they were going through, Alfred couldn't bring himself to push the other away since the heat helped lessen the pain. Shuddering when Ivan released the kiss, he felt the taller teen tug on his arm. "I said I would keep you safe, da? That I would protect you?"

Alfred responded with a slow, defeated nod, letting Ivan take the lead as he stepped in the footprints the other was making. They were in the middle of the forest, he had no idea where, but Ivan seemed to as he read through the contents of his own flip phone. "H-he's g-gonna find us...I-Ivan the footprints…"

"That is point," Ivan answered, continuing to march forward without falter. As though sensing his partner's unwillingness to follow, he continued. "If you keep running away, he will keep pursuing. Home is not the sanctuary you think it is. It's false prison." Shaking his head, Ivan sent him a determined glance. "No, we must finish him now if you are to survive this."

Alfred's eyes glanced past Ivan, noticing the warehouse he had tried to avoid. The old brick building had been some sort of factory in the early 1900s, but was now long abandoned. Windows were boarded up, graffiti decorated the walls, and the interior was a decrepit mess. It had been a scary place to explore with his brother, Francis, and Jeanne when they were all younger, but now it was his only refuge in getting through the rest of the day. Ivan showed him a small opening in the wall — a window that led into the basement. He gave the Ivan an unsure glance, but once he decided he had no better options, he slipped in with the other following after.

The place was a dark and haunting, with broken glass and strips of wood beneath his feet. Ivan made no hesitance in turning on his phone's flashlight and grabbing his hand, leading him to a staircase. With shaky breaths, Alfred was relieved that at least he was much warmer than he had been now that he was shielded from the wind. He could finally breathe properly.

"We are fortunate this place is bit of maze. It will be some time before he finds us." Ivan flashed the light toward Alfred. "Come, I have plan." Allowing himself be hauled up the stairs, Alfred noted that they went up at least three stories. At least now it wasn't so dark, there were enough cracks in the moldy plywood that they no longer needed to rely on Ivan's flashlight. "My diary says we have six minutes until he finds us."

"Wait, y-you have one too?" He asked, bewildered, having previously thought he was the only one. Ivan hummed in agreement as he flipped open his phone and pulled up his journal, raising it close enough to Alfred's face so he could read it. Identifying a common theme between all the entries, he trembled. "W-why are they all about m-me?"

"This is my Alfred Diary. It tells me everything about you in ten minute intervals," Ivan stated proudly while Alfred paled.

"Y-you've really been s-stalking me?" Alfred squeaked. "W-what's wrong with y-you?"

"This is proof of my love and devotion for you." Though the crunching of snow outside led him to cover Alfred's mouth as a whimper threatened to escape him. Ivan lowered his voice, "He is also diary user. We call him Third."

"T-third? I don't understand...how many of us are there?" He whispered back when Ivan lowered his hand.

"Twelve in total. We are in a game, you see," he smiled a bit too widely at that.

"I don't—... but I thought—" Ivan stole another kiss from him, effectively shutting him up. Alfred's fingers brushed against his lips when they parted, blue eyes suspiciously watching as Ivan gestured for him to follow, slowly, to avoid making too much sound. The wood crept beneath his feet and he sucked in a breath as Ivan made him crouch behind some rusted metal contraption.

Ivan pointed up to where a slightly cracked, circular mirror hung on the wall at a strange angle. "You see that?" Alfred nodded once. "From your spot, he can not see you, but you will see him. When he takes out his phone, I will attack and distract him, but you need to finish the job." He grinned cheerfully. "It will be a test of our love, da?"

"Wait, I'm doing wha—" Ivan quickly pressed a finger to his lips to shush him before stealthily moving out of his sight within the time he blinked. Alfred had to calm his breathing down, shocked to see how quick and easy it was for the other to slip into the shadows. He had to remember to make a mental note of that amongst many other things. The sound of footsteps made his heart beat loudly in his ears and his body tensed. His gaze immediately locked onto the mirror, waiting for his signal on whatever the hell it was he needed to do. God, he was shaking — he couldn't do this.

Focused on the looking glass, he held in a breath when he saw the serial killer grow closer. "Joder," Third cursed in a low growl as he paused to pull something out of his pocket. Alfred blinked and narrowed his eyes as he tried to determine where he recognized that voice from only to have a sudden flash in the mirror divert his attention. Noticing it was Ivan, the other whacked something out of Third's hand with a metal pipe while he was distracted, with said object skidding along the floor and out of the mirror's range. Cautiously peeking around the machine to see that it had been a phone, Alfred panicked as it unfortunately landed close to where Ivan was dodging the Third's machete attacks. What the hell was he expected to do?

'Should your phone break, your future will cease. That was what Deus said. If his phone died, then he died. If other people had diaries of their own, the same logic had to apply. Taking in a deep breath, he knew he had no other choice than to do this. Either he died a hero or he died a coward, right? Right...

Concentrating on the prize, he sprung toward the device, scooping it up as he rolled onto his side. It was a flip phone, just like Ivan's, he noted as he used his elbow to push off the ground and sit up on his knees. Glancing at Third, he was taken aback when he was met with daunting green eyes before they darted to their lifeline within Alfred's grasp. The killer raised his machete to block a swing from Ivan before pushing back against the other, charging toward him with his weapon raised high—

SNAP.

Eyes clamped shut with half a phone in each hand, Alfred quaked as he waited for the oncoming attack, but the instant deathblow from having his skull split in two never followed. H risked a peek, noticing the serial killer had frozen in place. Ivan swooped to his side and rested a hand on his waist, his intrigued violet orbs fixed on the murderer as he tried to comprehend what was happening.

A hole in the center of Third's chest appeared, twisting like a vortex that began sucking him in, his body contorting and convulsing in a way that defied reality. Sickening cracks and screams ricocheted off the walls, but Alfred could only watch in pure horror, covering his mouth and mentally cursing himself for his inability to look away.

And then Third disappeared. All trace of him wiped from existence.

This time Alfred did vomit. Shivering, his hands dropped the phone onto the ground as he heaved. So that's what would happen to him if he broke his phone? He'd rather just take a coup de grace. Realizing that Ivan had been massaging his back as he regurgitated his lunch, he could only stare at the other blankly as he noticed a bright smile on his face.

"You did so well, my love! Though I admit, I did expect a little more from his death..."

A wave of dizziness overcame him and he passed out.

---

The bedsheets were in so tightly, for a moment Alfred wondered if everything had been a dream. However, once he noticed he was wearing his comfortable pajamas beneath a familiar beige coat, he quickly understood that was not the case. The scarf was gone, he had felt for it, but all he could wonder right now was how the hell did he get home and who the hell dressed him for bed. Something told him he wouldn't like the answer to either of those questions.

"Deus!" he yelled as he threw the blankets off and bounced to his feet, watching as the environment around him became the Cathedral with the god presented before him. "Why didn't you tell me there were others with diaries?"

"You didn't honestly believe you were the only one bestowed with such great power, did you? The game has only just begun, and now you stand as the first champion."

"H-huh?" Alfred took a step back as the environment changed once again. Now he was on a small, circular platform with eleven other platforms circumferencing the gargantuan, levitating deity at the center. There were other people standing on them, cloaked in shadows that concealed their faces, but the outline of their forms remained apparent, serving as the only visual clue to their true identities. From his right, his gaze moved counter-clockwise until they reached the podium directly to his left.

Ivan Braginsky. And after him, the empty spot marked 'Dead End'? It had to be Third's.

"Now that everyone is gathered, we can officially discuss the rules of the survival game." Alfred's breath hitched. Survival game? "Let us first elaborate on your main tool for this game: your diaries." The teen noticed the other contenders pull theirs out, he thought it'd be best to mimic them as best he could. "You each have a glimpse into the future, the total being 120 days."

"Excuse me," an adult male raised his hand. In fact, looking around, most of the contenders seemed to be older than he was. "I've witnessed my diary rewrite itself and I wish to know the exact reasoning for why such a thing occurs."

"Yes, as a response to your actions and the actions of others, the future is subject to change. It is meant to reflect the alternative timelines selected, your powers of foresight making this a possibility." Deus paused for a moment, observing the reactions of everyone involved. "Though keep in mind that the power is shared among each of you, meaning you all have the ability to manipulate each other's fate. The purpose of the game is to use this ability to discover each other's identities, change their fates, and as a result become the last person standing. The person that succeeds this will become my champion, taking the mantle of God of Time and Space." Alfred's brows shot up in surprise, not sure if he could even believe this was actually happening. "Your identities are valuable. Once you receive a Dead End, you must martial all your resources to undo it with no guarantee of success." Deus appeared before Ivan, his massive head eyeing the human who could very easily fit in the narrow space between his eyes. "Second, you seem to be a lot different than I remembered, much more adept. However, your diary is nothing special compared to others." A small, surprised gasp escaped Alfred as the god materialized in front of him. "First, you were able to avoid your fate that had been chiseled in stone. You were meant to die by Third's hand, yet you managed to turn the odds in your favor. Whether through luck or cunning, it is no matter of mine. As it stands, it is clear to me you have the best advantage, therefore I'm placing my bet on you."

Many other contenders scoffed and growled, and he knew their resentment was directed toward him. Yet Alfred averted his eyes timidly, because he wasn't alive because of cunning or luck. He was here because of...Ivan, who was staring back at him, a sweet, secretive smile gracing his lips.

"Eleven of you remain, yet only one of you shall become my successor. With this said and done, I now officially leave the rest up to you!" With a snap of his fingers, Deus vanished — leaving the remaining contenders alone with the opportunity to scrutinize their competition. Unfortunately, it seemed like all their attention seemed to be focused solely on him.

"A hacker, I presume? I'll put you in your place," the man on his other side, Twelfth, said as he adjusted his glasses before taking his leave.

"What an interesting challenge presented to me. I always did love a thrill." Tenth spared him a predatory grin that remained as he vanished.

Alfred shook his head frantically at that. "W-what? No, I—"

"I won't let anybody stand in my way, especially not you, favored one." Eleventh's condescending sneer was enough to shut him up. Whoever this guy was, he radiated power, and it hung in the air even when he was gone.

"Awww, he's trembling. You poor thing…" Before he could get a good look, Seventh had left.

"You won't last long." A girl, Fifth — perhaps the one person who seemed younger than him, promised. She didn't state it as a threat. It was a fact.

"Take pity on the boy," Eighth chided the others. Another person Alfred just barely got a glimpse of, only this one he had trouble discerning their gender.

"Ha, you're only a child? Taking you out shouldn't be hard," Ninth, a woman, teased as she waved him off — her platform now empty.

"Stay alive. I want to be the one that kills you," Sixth's menacing tone alone was enough to make him shiver, he felt vulnerable even after he departed.

That left two others.

"Don't worry, kid. I'll be looking out for you," Fourth promised, sending him a salute as a goodbye.

Completely devastated, Alfred fell to his knees, barely comprehending what just transpired. There was no way he could go against a bunch of capable adults, not when he was just a teenager, whose only concerns were sports and homework...how was he expected to compete with them? Expected to kill? And now Deus called him out as the favorite, so instead of going after each other, there was a manhunt on his head. He was on the verge of breaking down and crying.

"Solnyshko?" Alfred tensed, slowly turning his head toward Ivan, heart dropping at the sight before him. There was something extremely disturbing about the deranged, lovesick grin that stretched across his face, a fervent blush on his cheeks as he hugged himself tightly, purple eyes bright, almost glowing, clouded with adoration as though he were the sole object of his desires. "Do not worry, it will be okay...I promised I would protect you... and this time I will kill anyone who tries to take you away from me."

Notes:

There, finally the story’s summary applies. I’m done, we can all go home now. The end. Just kidding, I wish everything was already written, but I feel like I’m at the point I’ve read/caught up to everyone else's fics so I had no choice but to write my own story. This is where desperation brings me. It makes me work and force myself to get creative. My brain hurts.

Also, America’s fear of being alone and constant need for attention is something brought up many times in the comics. Like when he cries for England not to leave him because he’ll be all alone, there’s a comic where he convinces himself he’s not lonely. There’s a good analysis on it by this person on Tumblr called “ellawritesficssometimes” if you wanna check it out amongst many others, but given how attention-seeking his personality is, it makes total sense. Also America’s jealousy toward Canada is a thing. I notice I like to take a lot of things straight out of the comics lol I guess it’s just my way of trying to tie in the two universes together.

I’m hoping some reviewers will comment on which character they think is which diary holder, I’m just really curious to see what people come up with. I won’t confirm or deny anything, but who knows, someone could suggest a character I didn’t think of that was so much better than I was planning. Most are set in stone, but there’s a couple I’ve been bouncing back and forth between my options. You guys don’t have to, but I would appreciate it as it helps me moving forward.

Thanks for reading!

Chapter 6: Swimming with the Sharks

Summary:

There are no limits in a survival game. You either win or you die.

Notes:

So, TRIGGER WARNING for anyone who gets anxious during school-shooter drills in school or is just super uncomfortable regarding the topic in general. This was EXTREMELY hard to write personally, but it's something I'm implementing from Mirai Nikki itself which is why it was included. I made it a lot softer than it was in the anime, I just couldn't bring myself to replicate the scenario to the extent shown there.

Blue eyes snapped open as he awoke with a start, his breathing heavy and sweat dripping down his skin. The serial killer, his own corpse, and Ivan's petrifying confession were all still fresh in his mind as he hugged himself tightly, hoping to mimic some sense of comfort once he realized that those events were more than just nightmares — they were his reality. Had he really almost died yesterday? It was so traumatic, his eyes stung with tears as he thought about Emma and her last moments. Is that what she went through? Did the serial killer play cat and mouse with her too? She deserved so much better. Nobody should ever have to experience that kind of torment.

Dissociating, body moving on autopilot, the rest of Alfred's morning was a blur. As he got ready for school, he'd occasionally check his phone and read the spam Ivan bombarded him with. 'Honey, how are you? Did you sleep well, my love? I love you!' Eventually he started disregarding the notifications altogether, a feeling of dread consumed him once he became aware of the fact he'd have to see the other at school. It was probably a good idea to take the day off, but by the time that thought came to him he was already at his locker, greeted by one of the gifts he returned back in November. Fuck.

In homeroom, Alfred could only blink dumbly as he slowly made his way toward his desk, brows furrowed in confusion. Ivan was in Kiku's seat, right beside the one he claimed the beginning of the school year. Ignoring the other because it was much better than acknowledging the truth, he sat in his chair and propped his backpack onto his knees before pausing. He never did the homework last night — shit, but fortunately his diary had the answers he needed for when he'd be called on later in class.

"You should refrain from relying on that," Ivan warned, his voice low as violet irises flickered to his phone.

Alfred bit his bottom lip and kept his gaze fixed on his teacher as he tucked his diary into his jacket pocket. He only glanced up when he noticed Kiku enter the classroom and advance toward them with a glare directed at the person occupying his seat. "This is my desk," he stated calmly, though Alfred caught an edge of frustration in his tone.

Ivan responded with a smile, yet it was anything but friendly. "There are plenty of others, but from now on, this is one mine," he said with a chilled sweetness. Kiku shivered before turning to Alfred for support. Leg bouncing up and down anxiously, Alfred couldn't even look at him, instead opting to stare at a squirrel as if it were the most fascinating thing in the world. How could he go against Ivan, who despite freaking him out, was the only reason he was still alive? He owed the guy big time, and though he wasn't sure how they could go back to the way things were, he figured he might as well give him what he wanted. After all, he was also a part of this survival game. If he pissed Ivan off, what stopped the other from going after him? That was something he couldn't risk, especially when Ivan's diary was solely about him and predicted his every move. It was such a terrifying revelation that his life was quite literally in the other's hands.

With a relenting sigh, not being the one to cause conflict, Kiku took a seat near the front of the room, though not without sending Alfred a hurt glance that made his heart shrivel with guilt.

Time today seemed to move slower than usual. Alfred's gaze was constantly drawn toward Ivan, who watched him through the corner of his eyes with a shy smile, a prominent blush on his cheeks as he twiddled his thumbs like some anime girl in the presence of her crush. It was like now that the game started, Ivan didn't have to hold back anymore, he could do whatever he wanted with no reservations. Not for the first time did Alfred feel uncomfortable thinking about how he'd be at his stalker's mercy for the next few months. If he even got to live that long. A heavy huff escaped him just as the bell rang. He gathered his things and attempted to dart out of the room, only to feel Ivan's hand find his own and pull him back, entwining their fingers as he did so.

"Are you cold? You have been shivering all morning! You have my coat don't you? You should put it on," he suggested like a concerned boyfriend. Alfred paled, not even wanting to continue that train of thought.

"N-no, it's just nerves…" Shaking out of Ivan's grip, he reached into his backpack and pulled out a poorly folded coat before handing it back to the other. "Here, t-thanks."

Ivan pressed it against his nose and inhaled, a satisfied sigh escaping him when he finished. Alfred stared at the other incredulously, mouth agape, completely stuck on how to react. "Now it smells just like you! Spasibo, dorogoy," Ivan smiled affectionately, a yearning glint in his eyes.

Unfortunately only a high-pitched, uncomfortable laugh could escape him. "I-I need to get to class."

"Of course." Ivan nodded before bending down and planting a kiss on his temple. "I will see you later!"

Not confirming or denying that fact, especially considering they shared four classes, gym, and lunch together, he took his leave as quickly as possible, turning a blind eye to Kiku's shocked expression, having witnessed the kiss as he waited for Alfred in the hall. This didn't involve his best friend, he didn't want anybody he cared about getting sucked into this mess he found himself in.

None of this would've happened if he never went back to Deus. This was all on him.

---

There was a substitute in AP Spanish: a pretty young woman with long, wavy brown hair and friendly green eyes. Apparently Mr. Fernandez never alerted the school of his absence, so their temporary teacher seemed a bit frazzled by the sudden call-in; she decided after roll call that since she had no instruction, they would instead watch a fun movie. About halfway through the class, Alfred's exhaustion from the day and night before was beginning to take its toll on him. His eyelids drooped, but a sudden tap on his shoulder immediately jolted him into a defensive state.

"Sorry. Your name is Alfred, right?" The substitute asked him quietly. It was only class, Alfred relaxed and responded with a timid nod. "I found this note on the desk." Placing it before him, her green eyes gleamed as he tensed with recognition. "It seemed important so I thought I'd ask, just in case you hadn't seen it."

"T-thanks." He forced a smile and she nodded in turn before returning to her seat.

Carlos, who Alfred hadn't been on good terms with since elementary school, turned his head to see what his rival was up to, only for their eyes to meet. A brief flash of fear was caught in blue eyes before he glared at the other warningly, signaling him to stay out of his fucking business. Letting out a muted scoff, Carlos rolled his eyes and resumed watching the movie as Alfred spent the remainder of class mulling over what had become of him. It had only been two days since the game started and already it was breaking through his psyche. How the hell was he expected to last the next 118? It was distressing to think about.

His next class was English, and Ivan took it upon himself to remain glued to his side like an enamored puppy all the way to lunch. After buying a drink, he headed toward his usual spot until Ivan took his hand and led him away. "Nyet, we can find empty classroom and sit together!"

"But—" his eyes roamed over his friends and twin waiting in line. Matthew and Kiku both gawked, stunned into silence as they watched him be dragged out of the cafeteria. Not only that, but the other students stared at him, whispering to each other about how weird he'd been acting and wondering why he was hanging out with Braginsky again after believing he'd finally given in to peer pressure. His gaze cast downward, he attempted to tune them out.

"You do not want them to ask you questions, right sunflower? If you sit with them, they will definitely pry." Alfred frowned, but relented, knowing that the other had a point. Ivan probably read that in his diary and by now he knew better than to ask.

Ivan found a suitable classroom and enthusiastically pulled him in. Hand slipping from the other's, Alfred sat down at a nearby desk and put his lunch bag on the table. Taking out his simple PB & J and a can of coke, he warily watched Ivan turn the seat in front of him and sit down, elbows propped on the shared desk while his chin rested on fingers that were laced together. A content smile was on his face as remained transfixed on Alfred, who could only smile awkwardly as a flustered blush dusted his cheeks.

Alfred tore off a piece of his sandwich, though it did nothing to alleviate his discomfort. "Don't you have anything to eat?"

"Would you like to feed me?" Ivan asked innocently, though his neck craned forward much too eagerly.

"W-what? No!" Alfred ignored the other's pout and plopped the piece into his mouth. It wasn't the first time Ivan said that line, he assumed the other had been teasing before, but now he was well aware that was not the case. It made him wonder how many other comments he brushed off as nothing. Was he really that oblivious?

"Let me see," Ivan picked up his rucksack and placed it on his lap, rummaging around for a brown paper bag he pulled out. One by one he pulled out the contents: an apple, a water bottle from the lunchroom, a thermos he opened which smelled heavenly. "Ah, you like?"

Alfred scowled and shook his head despite the gnawing in his stomach. "N-no, it's fine. I'm good."

"I tried new recipe I found online for Shchi, but I need second opinion. Would you help me?"

Shit, Ivan just knew how to break down his guard. "I mean...if you insist." He shrugged, trying to play it off cool. Damn, the steam blowing off it was going straight into his nose and making his mouth water — it was so much better than his dinky little sandwich. Why was he such a bitch for food? No wonder he got bullied in middle school for being chubby.

Ivan seemed happy with his response and pulled out a spoon, dipping it in the liquid before bringing it to his own lips and blowing gently. Alfred flushed when he saw the other reach across the table with the head of the utensil pointed toward his face. "Be honest, please! I want it to be perfect," he said earnestly, shyly giving him an imploring look. Reluctantly, Alfred inched forward and opened his mouth, eyes quickly glancing at Ivan before taking a bite of its contents.

'Woah, that was amazing,' he moaned, melting as he slowly pulled away. Compliments to the chef.

"Y-you like?" Ivan asked, a profound blush on his face as Alfred responded with a nod.

"Yes, you did a great job," he allowed himself to relax a little more. Sure, he was stuck in a room with his stalker, but said stalker had once been his friend, saved him from certain death, and gave him delicious food. Maybe he was being too hard on the guy.

"I'm glad!" Ivan replied before sinking the spoon back into the broth and taking a bite himself, letting out a pleased hum. A third time he dipped, once again blowing and bringing it to Alfred's lips, "Would you like another taste?"

Lips quirking into a frown, Alfred wondered if he had just fallen down another slippery slope.

---

Wandering through the halls of the building, Elisabeth carefully maneuvered her way out of the security officer's line of sight. 'Idiot,' she smirked as she slipped into a music room and waited for him to pass. Today was proving to be a good day so far. She had successfully managed to adopt the role of a substitute teacher to observe the boy she now confirmed to be First and finally put all those weeks tracking the local serial killer to good use. With a sardonic chuckle, she mulled over how typical it was of Deus to put someone like Third in the game. And if Sixth was who she strongly suspected he was? Well, that would just be icing on the cake. Only a god playing with the lives of mortals could be so heartless. Involving an innocent child like First was just one of his many transgressions against mankind.

As she examined a picture of the marching band on the wall, a familiar blond catching her eye, she found it interesting how one thing led to another. Originally she had been hunting Third for a bounty and learned head-on what he was capable of after barely escaping a confrontation the first day of the game. That was the last time she would ever underestimate a target. How the hell was a school teacher able to acquire all that equipment and body armor? Whatever the means, none of it mattered now that he was dead. First, a mere high schooler, was somehow able to defeat him when she could not. That kid had to have one hell of an advantage.

It wasn't like she was going to kill him now that she knew his identity, she just wanted to know how dangerous he was. The way Deus made it sound, the boy was a force to be reckoned with, but he seemed to be a normal 17-year-old kid. Popular, attractive, privileged...she couldn't find anything that stated otherwise, but appearances were deceiving. She wouldn't be able to rest easy until she knew for sure what she was up against.

As for Second, she had yet to discover his identity. Deus had said that even though he proved himself capable, his diary was weak compared to everyone else, and then implied how First had one of the more powerful ones. Considering how they seemed to have allied themselves to take down Third, it was safe to assume they knew each other. If she trailed First, she expected to find Second, and only then would she get a real sense of their strength. From there, she could decide on how to deal with them, but for now…

She pulled out her tracfone and checked for the next course of action. It prophesied that her best chance for an escape would be to wait until the officer completed his round, then she'd have a four minute time window to shuffle into gym where she could continue her reconnaissance. Easy enough.

When she heard a knob turn and the door push open, she crouched and ducked behind a bass drum, eyes observing a teacher shut the door to his office. Dressed in a long, royal blue peacoat, she studied the attractive brunet. Adorned with a set of violet eyes concealed by spectacles, he strode toward the sleek, grand piano with music sheets in hand, completely unaware of his surroundings. Seating himself, he placed the sheets on the stand and stretched his fingers before letting them flutter around the keyboard with an awe-inducing elegance.

A difficult life had denied her many things, among those was music. Stuck in her predicament with no choice but to listen, Elisabeth was surprised to find herself enthralled. There were definitely worse situations she could be in, this was by far one of the more pleasant encounters in her day-to-day business.

Suddenly her phone went off, a distorted sound that caused the professor to stop with a frustrated press against the keys before retracting his hands. Cursing as she skimmed through her rewritten notes, she realized the distraction resulted in a missed opportunity. That meant she would have to wait for the next opening which wouldn't be for quite a while. There went her precious time she could've spent following First.

"Who are you?" The man stood up and approached her. "I haven't seen you before! What purpose do you have in my class?" Blinking, she made a brief mental note that he was much more attractive up close.

"Sorry, it's just my first time as a substitute!" Elisabeth fell into her persona easily as she straightened out. "I was wandering the halls when I heard your beautiful music. I just had to know who was playing!"

Flustered by the compliment, a smile grew across his face. "Why, thank you. It's just some songs for the school play I'm practicing." His hands clasped together as he half-turned toward the piano.

Charming as the man was, she knew an opportunity when she saw one. "Oh, interesting! What else do you teach?"

"Hm?" he blinked, as though perplexed that someone wanted to have a serious conversation with him regarding music. "Well, I do Orchestra. Concert, Jazz, and Marching Band. I teach—"

"Marching Band?" She asked, dumbing herself down for the sake of information.

"Ah, I assumed you were European as well. Well, Americans like to have performances during the half-time show of their football games," saying the word always felt weird on his tongue, so he took a moment to recover. "But we also do competitions and parades, every two years we go to Florida and perform at Disney and Universal." He beamed, and Elisabeth smiled at him.

"How fun! Do you have any pictures?"

"I believe I do." The man headed back toward his office and gestured for her to follow. He offered his chair to her and she sat patiently as he went through the folders on his computer, selected the one from the previous year's trip, and then expanded it on the screen.

Using the arrow keys, Elisabeth browsed through the images, pausing when she noticed the energetic golden-blond in an image with someone who looked very similar. An annoyed glare was cast to the twin attempting to give the other bunny ears with Cinderella's castle right behind them. "These two seem to be having fun," she joked.

"Yes, those are my students Alfred and Matthew. The twins," he said with a nod. "Quite promising students, but Alfred loves to be the star in everything he gets his hands on."

If she couldn't pursue First herself, word of mouth would have to do for the time being. Elisabeth grinned, leaning toward the instructor with attentive ears. "Oh?"

---

AP Physics carried on with Alfred focused on his work, paying no heed to the other who seemed determined to have him sit on his lap as he worked through various equations. What were they? Joined at the hip? Just because they shared a lab table, that did not mean their seats had to be touching. Releasing a deep exhale once the bell rang, he held his hand out for Ivan to take, knowing already that no matter what he did, the other would wind up with it anyway — he might as well make it on his own terms. Eyes brightening with joy, Ivan interlaced their fingers before walking him to gym, the action garnering even more stares and gasps. Alfred supposed that to outside eyes it must've been pretty odd seeing them so affectionate to each other after almost two months of tension between them. Hell, even he was still struggling to comprehend what was going on. At this point he was just going with the flow since Ivan seemed to know what he was doing. It sucked feeling like such a scared child in desperate need of an adult, but he needed time to think of a better long-term plan. As much as he hated relying on Ivan, he'd be dead without him. It'd have to do for now.

They made it to the boy's locker room where Ivan left him alone to change in a restroom stall, a habit he was already accustomed to. From their time as friends, he recalled trying to reassure the other of his good looks, hoping it would make him more confident. It wasn't an unknown fact that Ivan was handsome, a few girls he talked to had been attracted to the exotic Russian only to be put off by his disinterested, curt attitude. Not that he ever admitted it to the other, and no way in hell would he now, but even he had the hots for the other before all this creepy shit hit the fan. Fuck, even today he had to stop himself multiple times from falling for Ivan's charms.

Briefly he wondered if Ivan's poor self-image had anything to do with bandages on his neck, the ones he saw after he removed his scarf. Did the other have a scar he was embarrassed by? But they were completely natural. Alfred had his fair share from being the stupid, thrill-seeking child that he was. If only his past self could see what kind of trouble he got himself into now…

"Waiting for your boyfriend, Al?" Groaning, he rolled his eyes as a few guys puckered their lips and smacked them together.

"He's not my—"

"Not what we heard." One of his peers leered at him. Alfred just sent them all a hard glare before putting on his gym shirt, not giving them the satisfaction of seeing his reaction. Earlier he was thinking he'd do basketball as his activity, but if this was the sort of behavior he'd have to put up with then he wouldn't even bother. Maybe he'd just go to the weight room instead, that way if someone approached him he could just put on his earbuds and drown them out.

There was a distant boom, Alfred held his breath as the room shook and lights flickered. Eyes wide, he turned to the guys who had just been teasing him only to have his own expression mirrored in theirs. Had there been a gas leak or something?

His phone startled him once again with its distorted screech. Rushing to open it, he paused as an announcement on the loudspeaker interrupted him. "We are entering a lockdown. This is not a drill! I repeat, this is not a—!" Gunshots were heard before the line went dead. There was a moment of silence before suddenly everything went to chaos.

Ivan emerged from the bathroom, hand immediately snatching his wrist and pulling. "We need to leave! Now!" Ivan forced them against the flow of students rushing toward the back of the locker room as teachers barked orders and tried to calm everyone despite their own fears for the worst.

"What?" Alfred squeaked, wincing as he squeezed between two students. "We can't leave in a lockdown! We're supposed to—"

"Look at your phone," Ivan ordered, and Alfred listened, unlocking his phone as they ran to check his entries only for his eyes to be focused on one thing.

[DEAD END]

"A-another one?" Alfred gasped breathlessly. In the two days since the game started, he was already going through his second dead end. Was this going to become routine? He couldn't be expected to fight for survival every day of his life! Ignoring the teachers yelling at them both to come back, Ivan led him to through the gymnasium and into the hall rather than the doors that led outside. "S-shouldn't we be leaving this place?"

"Nyet, snipers," Ivan responded, coming to a halt and peeking around a corner. "They have sights on all exists. My diary says if we go outside, you will definitely be shot. These men are no joke." He crouched and led Alfred down the science wing.

"How do they know I'm diary owner?" Alfred hissed. "Am I wearing a huge target on me or something?"

"Ah…" Ivan spared him a pained glance as he bit his lip. "Is strange and cruel that Deus would call you out...the people in this game are quite capable, dorogoy. Armed with resources we lack. In that regard, we are outmatched," he admitted, noting the way Alfred paled. "However, in compensation, your diary is one of strongest and where it has blindspot, mine will protect you. Together we make formidable team, which is why they are threatened by you. You were bet on for a reason, my love."

"How do you know so much about everything...?" Alfred asked in a low tone, eyes narrowed in suspicion. Weren't he and Ivan supposed to be in the same boat? They were both just regular teenagers in school, not shady adults.

"I have been busy," Ivan admitted as he led him to his own locker and began unlocking it.

"But the game only just started," Alfred whispered, pulling out his phone to see various texts from Matthew and Kiku asking if he was okay. At least they were fine, he let out a sigh of relief.

"You are not the only one Deus talks to, though I do believe you are the one he is most fond of." Ivan opened his locker door and reached in. "In our private talks, I grew suspicious of game he mentioned, as I am sure the others—" Alfred's eyes widened as he watched Ivan take out a magnum revolver. How the fuck did he even smuggle that in? "I ask questions, I got vague answers, and then put it together." Well, that's another thing Ivan had that Alfred seemed to lack. Common sense. Awareness. Being able to pick up on verbal cues. Deus had mentioned the game to him before, but since he thought everything was his imagination, he never felt the need to ask. Why was he so hopelessly naive? Taking his hand, Ivan uttered a quick, "Come," as he tugged.

It was so quiet in the building, and he knew that was because of the lockdown. Students would be in the back of their classrooms, huddled into the corner. The doors were most likely locked, assuming the teachers did their job properly. Here in the open space, they were quite vulnerable.

Ivan brought them to the bathroom — their bathroom. The one he found the other having a mental breakdown in, where he convinced the poor guy he needed help before bringing him home. It brought back memories of seeing Ivan so scared and broken, yet now he was hardened like a war veteran.

Alfred found himself pushed into a stall on the far end of the room with Ivan following after, effectively making the space too crowded for comfort. Did he like having an unclean toilet beside him? Hell no. Ivan turned to him and nodded toward the toilet. "Get up there."

Giving the object a disgusted sneer, he followed with instruction anyway, instantly reminded of that scene in Monsters Inc. where the main characters were hiding from Randall. Never once did he think reality would imitate art, but as life would have it, there he was — squatting over a toilet that hadn't been cleaned in god-knows-how-long while Ivan pressed himself into the corner as best he could. The door was left slightly ajar as violet eyes remained fixed on a mirror that gave a perfect view of the entryway in case anyone wanted to turn the corner — oh.

Once again, Alfred found himself very fortunate Ivan was on his side.

---

Matthew cursed as he sent his brother another text, frustrated that he hadn't received anything back. He knew Alfred was in gym, but that was way too close to where the explosion occurred. How was he supposed to make sure his brother was okay if the idiot didn't answer him? At least Carlos did! Kiku seemed to have the same idea, a panicked expression on his face as he focused on his messages, just waiting for something.

And then in the distance, they heard more gunshots. A few students in class gasped and cried, only for their AP Psych teacher to give her students a worried look that did nothing to dissuade their terror. The two boys exchanged a glance with each other, just praying the police would arrive soon enough.

---

Elisabeth watched as the handle broke off and a man charged in. She hid behind the door, studying the intruder as the door slowly closed, giving her a much better opening to take down her target. Launching onto his back, her legs wrapped around his ribcage whilst her hands took hold of his head and twisted hard, a sickening crack bouncing off the walls of the music room.

Professor Edelstein stared at her in horror, backing away from the body that fell with a loud thud. "Y-you killed him?"

She ignored him as she picked up the pistol that fell to the ground. Observing the body with a scowl, all she could do was curse herself for her stupidity. "Sixth." It was a trap. Just as she knew his identity, he was quick to discover hers. Who knew how long he'd been keeping tabs on her, despite all the false leads she planted and covered trails, she should've known he had the resources to find her. One did not get on the bad side of the most dangerous crime boss in the world and expect to get off scot-free. And the fact that he was attacking her now of all times meant he knew that she was after First's identity, where he would be able to take them both out in one fell swoop. It would be killing two birds with one stone, taking out the most promising champion and the one diary holder who knew his face. Such a deplorable waste of human life, her gut just knew the man was having his stupid 'family' do all the dirty work for him. Coward.

"I-I demand you explain yourself!" Roderich ordered, though his stutter betrayed him.

"No time to explain," she huffed, opening her phone. Her eyes widened in surprise as she noticed her own dead end, the distorted sound having been what caused them to be attacked in the first place. Yet that wasn't what shocked her, it was how she would die that did. There was a powerful explosive rigged in the building somewhere. They needed to get out of here. Now.

"We need to leave." Elisabeth turned to the teacher, her tone urgent.

"What? We're in the middle of the lockdown!" Roderich huffed. "We can't go out there, it's dangerous!"

"If we stay here, we'll die," she countered. "There's a bomb hidden in the building. We have to get out before it detonates!"

Horror in his eyes, Roderich's mind only went to one thing. "The students! They have to evacuate!"

Elisabeth frowned. "We can't—" but the man had already run out of the room. A groan escaped her as she found herself following him, knowing he'd die if he was caught out there alone.

Why did she even care? But with a curse, she remembered it had always been a weakness of hers.

---

Alfred jumped as he heard Ivan fire, shivering when a body dropped to the ground. Blue eyes scanned his entries while Ivan sought cover in the corner once more.

"One more," Alfred mouthed while raising his index finger. Ivan sent him a quick nod before looking back at the mirror. A round was rapidly fired at it, shattering it. Now that he knew the enemy had fucking assault rifles in their possession, he felt sick. Ivan let out a low growl while he crouched, quickly picking up a nearby mirror shard and raising it to the door's opening, tilting it in his hand as he waited for the next person to turn the corner.

"You cannot hide from me," the man muttered as his footsteps drew nearer, a heavy accent in his tone.

Ivan smirked as he stared at the reflection in his hand before ducking down and swiftly rolling into the stall beside them, leaving Alfred completely alone. In a stall. That was completely unlocked. And partially open. With an armed killer in the room.

Eyes shot wide, he sucked in a heavy breath and held it as the gunman approached, heart coming to a complete stop when his door opened. Face-to-face with a man in a formal business suit, fedora, a large gun in his hands aimed right at his chest, he nearly fainted, but then the stranger let out a startled cry as the hair on his head was yanked back, a glass shard ripping into his throat.

Ivan smiled tightly as he watched the man gurgle on his blood, eyes wild and in agony. "I think not," he said sweetly before dropping the would-be killer. Alfred felt his mouth drop in sheer terror after watching the other so easily slit another man's throat. Though thankful it wasn't himself that died, it was certainly on his list of things he could've gone his entire life without seeing.

After ripping the rifle out of the dying man's grasp, Ivan handed Alfred the magnum, who could only stare back at him blankly. Was he...was he actually expected to kill someone?

Offering a sympathetic smile, Ivan gestured for him to take it. "I will protect you, my love. But you should have the opportunity to defend yourself, yes? Take it just in case, at least to hold onto it for me."

Hesitantly, Alfred did take it. Never in his life did he hold a gun that wasn't manufactured by Nerf. Holy shit, if a teacher caught him with a weapon he could get expelled. Hopefully he wouldn't have to use it. If Deus cared about him at all, he wouldn't have to use it. Please don't put him in a situation where he'd have to use it.

Ivan was checking the body of the first person he killed, looking for spare ammo he could use. Thankfully he knew better than to give the AR to Alfred, as he was already on the verge of a panic attack with the tiny magnum in his hands.

"Is strong, make sure you use both hands," Ivan nodded toward the gun. Oh, right, recoil. That was a thing. He only knew because that's how it was in video games, literally his only reference for right now. Was he really that unprepared for a survival game? Despite being only 7 months younger than Ivan, the other was stronger, smarter — not necessarily in the academic sense, Alfred had pretty good grades, but that type of intelligence was useless in this situation. Not only was Ivan book smart, he was street smart too, which was something Alfred lacked. When it came to survival, he didn't have a single clue on what to do other than domestic crap like buying groceries, making himself something to eat, putting away his laundry, etcetera. The things that were expected from a spoiled, upper middle-class American teenager. Not of a soldier facing death in a battle-zone.

Third had been a well-trained serial killer and now this new diary owner, whoever they were, had the men and artillery to attack his high school without concern for the consequences of their actions. Whoever this person was, they were clearly a powerful individual — a risk taker who expected to come out on top. Like a Grandmaster, they sacrificed the pawns and played the long game in order to take down the king.

How was he expected to compete against that? Why was he even selected as a contender?

"Solnyshko?" Ivan tilted his head as he approached Alfred, eyes softening with concern. "Is everything okay?"

"I just—" he paused, looking down at the tiled floor that now oozed with crimson, chewing on his lip. "I don't think I can do this. I don't think I stand a chance," he confessed softly, voice cracking.

Ivan stepped over a crimson puddle, hand reaching beneath his chin and gently forcing him to look up into serene violet irises. "You will get better, I promise," he assured Alfred with a confident grin.

"But everyone is so—"

A pale thumb stroked his lip. "What have I said time and time again? Do not worry about them. I am here and by your side. I will kill anyone who tries to get in our way." He bent slightly to place a quick peck on Alfred's unresponsive mouth.

"But...why?"

"Why? Because you are my sunshine!" Ivan beamed, cocking his head to the side in a cutesy manner.

Alfred's brows furrowed, not quite understanding the answer, until Ivan took his wrist and escorted him out of the bathroom. When they got back into the hallway, Alfred could hear distant footsteps. Letting go of his arm, Ivan instead placed his hand beneath the gun for support and surveyed his environment. "We just need to hold them off until the cops take care of the snipers...use your phone and be my eyes," he said in a low hush.

Nodding, Alfred pulled out his diary. "Two in the science wing, three in mathematics."

Ivan's light steps took the lead as he walked along the wall. A frown curled his lips. "What does it say about cutting through the history corridor?"

"It says...oh no."

Ivan turned to him. "What's wrong?"

"Feli," he gasped.

---

Feliciano had been whimpering through his tears as he heard the strange men running outside his history class, not even Ludwig's embrace could calm him down. Was there a gang out there? Some organization? Clearly this was an organized assault. He just never expected there to be a raid in his school.

Where were the police?

There was talking outside the door, a bit muffled, but he somewhat recognized the language they were speaking. A lot of the words reminded him of Italian, but he wasn't entirely sure—

BANG!

The handle was completely blown off. The door opened wide to reveal a couple of men in formal attire, sunglasses, with one wielding a rifle while the other held a pistol. Were they...mafia? The armed men stared at horrified teenagers who sobbed and screamed, wondering if this was the end for them — if they would simply end up as casualties in another school shooting. Their teacher stood in front of them, begging that they spare her students, but the annoyed expression on their faces told them all they were apathetic to their pleas.

But then their eyes shifted to him, and they stared for a while before turning to each other, speaking in that other language again. One of them walked over to him and yanked him from Ludwig's grasp. A hysterical cry escaped him as the strange men pulled him away, but Ludwig refused to let go of his arm. Torn between the two, Feliciano failed to notice backup charge into the room until three new guys suddenly yelled at the class to "Shut up!" Their eyes were on Ludwig, and then darted to the men holding him. They spoke some more before one grabbed Ludwig by the hair, forcing him to let go as a pistol was pressed painfully into his spine.

"Walk, you come with us," the man holding Ludwig hostage ordered. Odd, since the guy who restrained Feliciano treated him much more gently in comparison despite the firm hold on his arm. Another man grabbed Feliciano's free elbow, restricting the use of both his limbs whilst covering him protectively as they led the two teens out of the classroom without any further explanation.

---

"Fedya!" Ivan yelled as he chased after the other, but Alfred being an athlete had a good sprint ahead of him, not to mention how carrying an assault rifle made it much harder to close the gap. "It is dangerous! Fedya!"

Alfred ignored the other as he continued racing down the hall. Feliciano and Ludwig were being used as hostages. They were good people, he had to save them! They didn't deserve to get hurt, especially in something that didn't involve them. This was all his fault. They were after him and he needed to make this right. He had to do something!

—shhhhBBBTTT—

Before he had the chance to check his phone, something was thrown his way.

A grenade?!

It hit the ground with a loud BANG and his vision went white with a loud ringing in his ears. He was disoriented, terrified, in pain as he fell to the ground. Though his body was intact, he felt like he was going to throw up. Rough hands restrained him while somebody else tore his phone and gun out of his grasp.

"Aha, so it's you!"

Yep, he was definitely going to die today.

---

"Ninth, come out come out wherever you are!" A voice on a megaphone teased in a merciless tone. Curious, Matthew and Kiku went to the window where they could see the courtyard, wondering what the hell this person was talking about.

Matthew paled when he saw his brother on the ground, badly beaten and struggling to get off his stomach, all alone in the center. There was blood coming off his lip, his glasses were gone, and all the older twin could do was watch in terror whilst clutching his hair.

"No!" he screamed before he ran toward the door, but the other students held him back. He flailed in their arms, kicking and clawing at them to let go so he could help Alfred.

"Matthew, it is too dangerous to go out there!" Kiku cried, completely distressed by what he saw. Why was Alfred being used as a hostage? Of all people, why his best friend? But there was nothing they could do to improve the situation.

"M-My brother! They have my brother!" Matthew managed to free himself and went to the window, opening it. He hated how he was on the second floor so he couldn't jump out and rush to his twin's side. "Alfred! Alfred!"

---

His vision was blurred as he tried to look up, he could hear someone calling his name, but his head was pounding, making it sound like he was underwater. He was also cold — why was he outside? Why wasn't he dead yet? They had the perfect chance to kill him, so why didn't they?

Slowly Alfred's eyes began correcting themselves. Though his vision wasn't perfect, it was still pretty good. He wondered if the enemy realized he really wasn't at a disadvantage without his glasses, they were more for aesthetics if anything. Everything he needed to see was clear.

There was a man with a megaphone calling out to someone. Ninth? They were here? And who was this guy? Was he a diary holder too?

"Ah, I was wondering when you would show up, Fourth. I am correct, yes?" The man grinned, and Alfred whipped his head around to see an officer with choppy blond hair that went up to his shoulders and sharp green eyes approach him. Finally managing to push onto his knees, Alfred let out a heavy sigh as he stared at the man beside him.

"F-Fourth?" He asked shakily. A cop.

"First, good to finally meet you in person," Zwingli said with a nod. "I said I'd look out for you, didn't I?" Alfred stared at the other blankly as he tried to comprehend what was happening. The officer turned to the man with the megaphone. "Is Sixth that much of a coward he had to send his men to do all his dirty work?"

"Coward?" The capo tutted. "Un genio. He had a plan and it worked perfectly. Now you, First, and Ninth are all at the same place at the same time."

"Yes, that would explain the bombs," the officer huffed. "What does he want? In exchange for letting all the students evacuate unharmed."

"What il Rex wants is simple: for you to capture Ninth and kill her."

Zwingli quirked a brow. "Is that all?"

"After you kill First," he added with a smirk.

The officer stared at the teenager for a moment, considering his options, before raising a gun to his head. Alfred covered his mouth as he tried to contain a sob. This wasn't how he wanted to go! At least...at least his sacrifice would mean he died a hero right? It's what Captain America would've done. He had to think on the bright side — he had to or he'd lose it.

---

Their classroom door was opened. Expecting the worst, Matthew and Kiku were instead met by their band director who stood beside an armed, pretty young woman they'd never seen before. Though she seemed annoyed and antsy, she was always on guard, constantly checking her phone and directing the large crowd of students and teachers behind them toward the exit.

"Come, we're evacuating all of you." Mr. Edelstein gestured for them to join, and they did, merging themselves with the pre-existing group. Matthew noticed Francis was among them. When their eyes met, his cousin frantically urged him to come to his side.

The woman lowered her phone and turned to Roderich. "Once you get those last two classrooms, go down the east staircase and through the arts hallway. You have 20 minutes to get to the forest and you should be safe."

"What? And where are you going?" Roderich stared at her, eyes wide.

"I have business to take care of," she hissed. Giving him one last look, she handed him the pistol. "Take care of yourself. And the others." After watching her turn and run in the opposite direction without waiting for a response, Roderich got his bearings and immediately began following her instruction.

"Mathieu?" Francis turned to him, noticing that his gaze never left the woman.

"You go. I'll be right behind you," Matthew assured the other before purposefully slowing down and getting lost in the crowd. Once he was sure his cousin was far ahead, he turned to chase after the woman.

She had to be going to where Alfred was.

---

Zwingli frowned. "Any last words, kid?"

"I—" he paused. What would a hero say? He had to think of a good one-liner, something that people could remember him by. "Y-you either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain, right?" A Dark Knight quote. A bit geeky, unoriginal, but he felt it was fitting in its own special way.

The officer seemed to pause at his words and lowered his weapon, apparently not getting the reference and actually pondering on their deeper meaning. Did he think Alfred was giving him a slight jab? Because in all honesty, he wasn't.

"Well?" Sixth's caporegime yelled from across the courtyard. "Are you going to do it?"

An explosion erupted from the second floor of the building directly behind the enemy. The three individuals in the courtyard looked to the source, only to see a red-stained Ivan jump out of the broken window with shattered glass falling everywhere like crystal snow. Violet eyes reflected the flames surrounding him before he landed on a soldier, using them to cushion his fall whilst their spine snapped on impact. Tightly grasping a bloody pipe, he stood up from the unconscious body, eyes glaring at the capo in charge.

The capo had no words for the horror he felt. 

"You...are next," Ivan promised, raising his pipe and pointing it at his next target.

Chilled as an enraged Ivan stalked toward him, the capo brought up his radio and began yelling in a foreign language.

"You think your men are going to save you?" Ivan let out a mocking laugh. "I killed them all, just as I will kill you." It then dawned on Alfred that the deep crimson matted in silvery hair and splattered on Ivan's face and clothes was blood. "Now you have no evidence to report back. You failed."

"S-stop!" The capo raised a hand, holding a detonator. "If you come any closer, I will blow this place to the ground. We will all die!" That made Ivan come to a halt. He wouldn't risk Alfred's life like that. "Now, I may not know who you are, but you will not interfere with the boss' plans!"

Ivan's lips quirked into a condescending smirk.

---

Elisabeth cursed, brows fixed in concentration as she attempted to solve the puzzle that would diffuse the main bomb — the one that activated and controlled all the others in the building. Of course it'd be in the boiler room of all places, she thought as the back of her hand wiped excess sweat off her forehead.

A._._.I.C._._.R.I.A_. Five more letters and it would be done.

The door opened and she swirled around, raising the magnum she found beside a corpse and aiming it at the person walking in. Oh, it was just a kid. Specifically, it was First's twin brother. The boy raised his hands in surrender and she lowered her weapon before redirecting her attention to the task at hand.

"I-Is that a bomb?" Matthew paled once he saw a screen with strange letters on it, thick wires vining off of it wrapped around a large tank while smaller ones attached themselves to a small console the woman preoccupied herself with.

"Yes, now shut up! You're ruining my concentration," she snapped, trying to focus on the text written in her diary.

"M-maybe I can help?" He offered as he took a few tentative steps forward.

Shaking her head, she figured she might as well explain to the other boy why he would be of no use. Maybe that would make him go away and evacuate with the others. "There's a latin phrase I need to type in order to defuse the bomb, and to figure out the letters I need to solve all sorts of cryptic riddles only I would know the answer to." She squinted at her phone's screen again, and suddenly the solution to the next puzzle came to her.

A._.V.I.C._._.R.I.A_. Four more letters.

Matthew contemplated the screen for a moment before tilting his head curiously. "Could that be 'Ad Victoriam'?"

Elisabeth blinked at him. "Excuse me?"

"It just looked like it spelled 'Victoria,' and then I remembered how they used 'Ad Victoriam' in this game I watched Alfred play...I-I don't know…" Matthew shrugged nervously, wondering if he was being stupid and embarrassing himself in front of this stranger.

She went quiet as she contemplated the answer. A.D.V.I.C.T.O.R.I.A.M. To victory. It made sense. They were running out of time, so she took a deep breath and typed it into the console. This was either going to work or kill them both instantly. It was for the best she didn't divulge that information.

[ENTER]

The bomb completely shut off, as well as deactivated all others planted in the building. Standing there in stunned silence, Elisabeth turned to Matthew, thoroughly impressed. The kid did it. He was actually able to help her.

"I-it worked?" Matthew asked incredulously, indigo eyes flickering to her.

Elisabeth nodded slowly, taking a moment to process what just occurred.

---

In the distance, Alfred heard his diary go off. It was between him and the guy with the megaphone, slightly to the right. Ivan had glanced at it as well, though immediately his eyes went back to observing the capo, waiting for a moment to strike.

"Ah, don't you wish you could see your future? Go ahead!"

"Don't!" Ivan yelled. "There are landmines planted all around it," he warned.

"You seem to be in a predicament. If you make one sudden move, we will blow up. If you—"

"I wouldn't be too sure about that." Elisabeth smirked as she approached the man from behind, raising her gun. "Ad victoriam."

The capo's blood ran cold. "N-no—"

She fired a single bullet through his skull, tearing a hole through it. It alarmed Alfred that he seemed to be the only one phased by the murder, paling and wincing as the body hit the ground.

"Ninth, I was told you'd be here…" Zwingli raised his gun to her. "As valiant as your efforts were, you're still a criminal, and you're under arrest."

Her green eyes glared at him for a moment before she shrugged, tossing her gun right into the landmine. Suddenly a chain reaction of detonations from that point out began to occur, and Alfred stilled in horror when he realized the danger he was in.

"Fedya, your phone! Run!" Ivan yelled as he pulled out his diary. Pushing himself off the ground, Alfred sprinted toward his device and into the dust cloud. He was a dead man if he didn't get to his phone in time, he had to at least try to survive another day. "Your right!" Turning, he avoided setting off a new chain. "Left!" Nearly skidding on the dirt, he saved himself at the last second by using his hand as support along the ground. "Reach down, right!" He did, feeling the familiar device scooped into his hand. "Right again!" he dove out of the minefield before the explosion could take him or his phone.

Gasping for breath as he knelt on the ground, covered in dead grass and dirt, a little wet from the few patches of snow that had yet to melt, he fell onto his back feeling the sun shine on his face. He checked his phone and saw that his dead end had disappeared. Somehow he avoided his gruesome fate and survived the day. He was alive. He nearly cried.

Ivan was immediately at his side, cheeks glistening with relieved tears, though the rusty stench of blood resulted in Alfred's nose wrinkling in disgust. "Solnyshko, please never run off without me ever again! I was so afraid I lost you!"

Alfred felt a weight on his chest. He used his elbows to push himself up and peered down, realizing it was Ivan hugging him and bawling into his gym shirt.

Emotionally drained from all the stress, he frowned as his fingers brushed back silvery bangs. His heart ached for the other. Ivan was only trying to protect him and all he did was make his life harder. He couldn't do anything right. Maybe he should just stop trying to be a hero because it was pretty obvious he was in way over his head. There was no way he'd last until the end at this rate. He needed to become stronger, smarter, more like Ivan. Then maybe he wouldn't have to rely on him so much anymore.

"Al!" Suddenly he felt someone behind him, supporting him up. "I-I was so scared," Matthew cried, hunching over him protectively as he rested Alfred's head on his knees and squeezed his hand for assurance. Alfred was alive. That was all that mattered to him now. 

Feeling the others surround him made him feel warm, despite the cool January breeze. But Alfred was exhausted, so very, very exhausted — mentally and physically. He wanted nothing more than to close his eyes and rest.

He should've taken the sick day.

Notes:

So now you know the identities of First - Alfred Jones, Second - Ivan Braginsky, Third - Antonio Fernandez-Carriedo, Fourth - Basch Zwingli, Ninth - Elisabeth Héderváry. That's 5/12 confirmed, feel free to guess the rest. I left some big hints on who Sixth is, so soon that'll be added to the list.

I didn't forget about Feliciano and Ludwig. It'll all be explained eventually.

Also, thank you so much for all the kudos and comments! It definitely encourages me to continue this knowing that people enjoy it, so thanks for taking the time to go out of your way to do that!

Chapter 7: Skeletons in the Closet

Summary:

Some secrets are better left buried.

Groggy as he swirled the contents of his cereal, Alfred pretended he didn't see the concerned glance Matthew sent him. It wasn't like he could stomach the meal anyway now that it was soggy and he was ridden with anxiety 24/7, constantly on edge in case of another attack. He didn't want to be caught off guard again, but knowing Murphy's Law it was bound to happen no matter what precautions he took. It had been four days since his confrontation with the serial killer, three since the attack on his school. There had been no incidents since, but he could feel it in his gut that the end of his respite was nearing. He wasn't prepared for it in the slightest.

There had been no school since the raid. It was now temporarily closed until the school board and township came to a consensus on how they would move forward whilst making necessary repairs. The police still had to complete a thorough investigation to make sure all the bombs were safely removed, recover the bodies, and find any leads to the organization that did this. With Officer Zwingli's help, all data that could've been traced back to him and Ivan was swept under the rug. To the public eye, the two students were nothing more than innocent hostages selected at random.

The list of casualties hadn't been high, but it was still surreal to think about. First Emma had died a few months ago, now their principal as well as a few students and teachers who resisted the enemy's demands were gone. Alfred hadn't known any of them all that well, but it was still horrible to think about, particularly because those deaths were on him. It was him that Sixth wanted, everyone else was just in the way.

How many more lives would be lost because of him? His mother had called immediately after she heard of the incident, weeping and wishing she could be with her babies through this harrowing ordeal, but grandma was more injured than previously thought and had trouble moving around. Torn on whether she should stay or go home, and seeing as how Mémé was in no condition to live on her own, she suggested that the boys go to her. Alfred assured her he was fine, despite it being far from the truth. He had no interest in going all the way to Canada and possibly put his mother and grandma in danger — he loved them too much to do something so selfish. Dad was overseas right now, having called to make sure his boys were alright. There was never a clear sign of when he'd be back home, his job as a military pilot was extremely demanding and he'd used a good portion of his vacation time to take December off and celebrate the holidays with his family. For once, Alfred was actually glad his father wasn't expected to return soon, grateful that both his parents were stuck in different countries far away from him. As much as he yearned for their comfort, he didn't want them to get hurt. Right now he was a danger to be around, mainly to his friends and loved ones. If he could, he'd convince Matthew to go north and leave him behind, but now his twin was constantly by his side like the protective big brother he was.

Life always had a funny way of throwing your desires back into your face. This was the exact thing he wanted a month ago and now he hated it.

It was common for him to wake up in the middle of the night with a scream, tears pouring down his cheeks as he was caught in a panic. Images of Third hacking into him with a machete, Ivan stalking toward him covered in blood. Matthew always ran into his bedroom to help calm him from his hyperventilating, embracing him comfortingly as he stroked his hair the way mom did when they were distressed. Alfred would snivel into his twin's shoulder, unsure whether to accept the gesture or push him away for his own safety. In the end, he always found himself giving in to his vulnerability until exhaustion took over, then he'd wake up the next morning to see that Matthew had stayed by his side the whole night.

He really loved Matthew. It wasn't said often enough, but it should be.

Just looking at his twin from his seat beside the kitchen island, he could sense the other had questions for him. Many questions. But the way he bit his lip and prevented them from spilling meant that he was considering his brother's mental state, not wanting to discuss it until he knew the other was ready. In truth, Alfred was thankful for it. Matthew would think he was going off the deep-end if he mentioned anything about Deus and the survival game, his stalker being his savior, and his constant array of near-death experiences. Some things were just better left in the dark.

A sudden knock on the door startled him, an action that didn't go unnoticed. Matthew pursed his lips, his indigo gaze softening as he watched his brother suffer from trauma. "I'll go get it," he said before jogging out of the kitchen.

Curious, Alfred pulled away from his breakfast and followed after the other, hearing a familiar voice on the other side of the front door.

"I'm sorry, but he's not home right now," Matthew replied coldly, recalling how the man on the other side aimed a gun to his brother's head.

Alfred appeared behind him, forcing a smile. "It's fine, Mattie."

"You're sure?"

Nodding, he affirmed that Fourth was trustworthy enough. The man was an officer, so that meant he had to be good, right? Though it wasn't like he could resist if he wanted to. His gaze shifted to the police interceptor Zwingli drove, eyes immediately landing on Ivan. Immediately the other's demeanor lit up and a bright smile grew on his face. Chewing on his lip nervously, Alfred sent Matthew a quick wave before following the cop toward the vehicle and seating himself in the back with Ivan.

The car ride wasn't terribly long, just a few traffic delays as they headed toward the city, but fortunately they got off a few exits before it could worsen. Mainly Alfred spent the time watching Ivan play with his hand, massaging and tracing the lines on his palm like some psychic reader, memorizing every detail. It actually felt pretty soothing, and Ivan's adoring look after he elicited a small giggle when the other brushed over a sensitive nerve was so genuine it made old feelings resurface — a blush crept on his cheeks as Ivan laced their fingers together.

That wasn't good for him.

When they arrived at the precinct, the two boys exited the car and found themselves inside a building where they followed Officer Zwingli into a meeting room with a large round table in the center surrounded by many empty chairs. Alfred took the closest one and Ivan immediately sat in the one right beside him, scooting closer so that their knees touched. Ivan really didn't have a concept of personal space, Alfred noted before Zwingli cleared his throat.

"We've been unable to find Ninth since she escaped from the school," Zwingli informed them, sliding a folder to Alfred. "I've been trying to deduce what kind of diary she has. I believe it charts out the best escape routes for her."

Opening the folder and skimming through its contents, Alfred's eyes widened. That substitute from his Spanish class was a discharged soldier-turned-mercenary? There were so many deaths tied to her, none that overlapped with Thirds, but she was still a capable killer. She was a hitman, one who managed to break into his school without being caught. Once again, he realized how underprepared he was compared to everyone else. A serial killer, a cop, some crime lord, a hitman, and Ivan. Against him: a high schooler.

"I see…" he muttered. "What does your diary tell you?"

"Mine?" Zwingli let out a small chuckle. "It allows me to predict crimes. It helps a lot with my investigations. I've been able to get plenty of good leads, some even pertaining to diary owners and those I suspect may be the other potential contenders."

That was an interesting diary. "Like who?"

"Well, there was being able to find Elisabeth at your school and being able to have my men take down the snipers that otherwise surrounded the building. I've been able to get far in my research with Sixth. I believe he operates from within the city and is in the possession of a powerful diary himself. I had also been investigating Third, but you two beat me to it."

"Wow, your diary—"

"Tell us the real reason you have brought us here," Ivan interrupted, displaying the perfect poker face.

Officer Zwingli stared at him for a moment before a small grin curved his lips. "Clever. I think I like you," Alfred's gaze flickered between the two of them in surprise. "I want to propose an alliance between the three of us. I have no desire to become god, but I will not allow these criminals a chance to win. Nothing good can come from a world governed by the lawless, but at least with one of you I can rest easy knowing there's a candidate with morals." His green eyes were fixed on the younger of the two as he said that.

"And that fact that Alfred escaped two dead ends is very appealing to you, yes?"

"I am interested in the power of your diaries. Clearly, to survive Third and Sixth is no simple feat. However, I respect your choice to keep that information private."

"Good, we will be doing that." Ivan nodded before smiling tightly, clasping his hands together on the table. "I have one condition."

"Yes?"

"Our next target is Sixth."

A scowl formed on Zwingli's lips. "I know he's dangerous, but if we get Ninth first she may be able to divulge information that would be essential in finding him and give us the upper hand."

"For now, she is no concern of mine. Though I want nothing more than to gut her for putting my beloved's life at risk, I would much rather take out most dangerous threat first. Wouldn't you agree, Fedya?"

"U-uh, sure." It wasn't like Alfred had a clue on what he was doing. He was just following the flow.

Zwingli sighed. "Very well. I'll see what I can do, but no promises." He pinched the bridge of his nose. "None of the prisoners have said anything. They seem devoutly loyal to whoever this Sixth is. Nothing will make them talk."

Ivan's grin twisted into something more sardonic. "I suppose you have tried torture as well? Perhaps it is a family matter…" Zwingli neither confirmed nor denied the first part, but his brows fixed together as he contemplated the second half.

"Latin. They all speak Latin, but also Italian." He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Mafia. That much is obvious, but determining which family is where the problem lies. It could easily become a disaster if we pick wrong."

"Well, Ninth seemed to have had some history with these men. Perhaps a more in-depth look into her background will shed some light," Ivan proposed calmly.

The officer nodded. "Hm, I'll take some time to go over things I may have overlooked. In the meantime, I'll have to think of something for the two of you to do." He noticed Alfred's eyes widen. "This is an alliance, correct? That means we all work together, but don't worry. I will make sure my resources are extended to you and you're covered accordingly."

"Thank you." Alfred glanced at Ivan who smiled at him reassuringly, a hand reaching beneath the table to squeeze his own. He could only stare at the other, conflicted, unsure of how to feel about the path they were taking.

At the very least, he wasn't going through this alone.

---

Two days after the meeting with officer Zwingli, Alfred spent his early morning watching cartoons in the family room as he ate the chocolate-chip pancakes Matthew made for him. It had almost been a week since anything crazy happened — a whole new record! No prolonged exposure to stalkers, no dead ends, no murders. All he did was bury himself in blankets, snuggle with his cats, and eat junk food. If only he could live like this forever and not deal with the other diary owners. To just relax in the safety of his home without all the violence, especially since he'd seen enough blood the past week to last him a lifetime.

"Al, I'm really worried about you." Matthew seated himself beside him. "I know you're scared to go out with the serial killer wandering around and now the trauma of being a hostage, but I don't want you to become agoraphobic or something. You love the outdoors."

With a wince, Alfred remembered how the rest of the world didn't know Third was literally wiped from existence. They also wouldn't believe him if he told them the truth.

"It's January, Mattie. It's cold outside, I don't wann—"

"You quit swimming!" Matthew exclaimed. "You love to swim! I don't want you to be afraid of doing the things you enjoy!" Alfred did quit the swim team, mainly because he realized he had many other things he needed to prioritize. Like a survival game. Wait until he told his twin he had no intention of going back to baseball, auditioning for the school play, trying out for esports, or continuing with any of his clubs.

"Yeah, well, you haven't been going to your hockey practices," he countered.

"Because I don't want to leave you alone, Alfie." Matthew's eyes were pleading with him. "You could be developing depression, and with your nightmares I'm wondering if you're suffering from PTSD—"

"Stop trying to diagnose me!" Alfred huffed, stabbing his pancake with a fork. "I'm fine! I'm not depressed, I don't have PTSD! I'll get over this." Or die trying, but he didn't need his brother acting like his therapist all the while. "Besides, I thought you were taking care of Tim. What happened to him anyway?"

"He's been doing better, not that he'll ever get over it, but he's learned to accept what happened and...well, he and I have our own little projects we get into, but he understands that I'm taking a break to be here with you."

"Projects?" Alfred pressed.

Hesitantly, Matthew nodded. "We're just trying to see if we can find anything that would give us an idea on who the murderer is. We never know when he'll strike again and these women and their families deserve justice for—"

Alfred groaned. "You will never find him."

"What makes you say that?"

"Trust me, he's—" There was a loud knock on the front door. Who the hell would be visiting at 9AM on a Tuesday? Francis and Jeanne usually sent them a message ahead of time if they were coming, so he doubted it was them.

"Just finish your breakfast, I'll check it out." Matthew sighed as he got off the couch and went to the door while Alfred muted the TV and went silent, waiting to hear who it was. Officer Zwingli. Again? He stared at the ceiling, feeling a wave of dread overcome him as footsteps drew nearer. Gazing at the doorway, he saw the officer and a blissful Ivan following his nervous brother into the room. "Um, Al? That cop is back, said he needed to see you…sorry." Alfred frowned at the two trespassers.

"Beautiful home," Zwingli said as he looked around. "Are your parents home?"

"Uh, n-no sir…" Matthew responded awkwardly. Technically their parents weren't supposed to leave them alone for long periods of time, at least that had been the case when they first started to when the boys were thirteen — it was like a law or something. The family just kept it as a secret since if there ever was an emergency, mom could just hop on a train and head back home or Francis would be right there to help. Even though they were seventeen now, just six months away from being adults, Matthew was unsure if the law still applied and could get their parents into serious trouble.

Fortunately for them, Zwingli didn't pry. Instead he nodded in understanding before facing Alfred. "Well, if you could hurry up and get dressed that would be great. We have business we need to discuss."

"Business?" Matthew turned to Alfred who didn't look at him, feigning ignorance as he downed a glass of orange juice. "I don't understand."

"Nothing big, I assure you," Zwingli replied convincingly. Alfred narrowed his eyes as he shot the officer a quick glare. Fourth was a pretty good liar — he made a mental note of that.

After setting down his cup, he tore off his blankets and sat up, passing the others without any acknowledgement of their presence. Running up the stairs, he went into his bedroom and pulled out his day clothes, regretting that he'd taken his shower when he first woke up as it would've been a nice way to stall the inevitable. He changed into his usual casual clothes: skinny jeans, a blue, brand-name sweater, socks and converse. Deciding to forgo his grandpa's old bomber jacket in favor of an actual winter coat due to how cold it was recently, he turned to take his leave only for his heart to stop, all blood suddenly drained from his face.

"H-how long have you been there?" Alfred squeaked as he stared at Ivan, who was standing beneath the doorway, violet eyes watching him intently.

"Whole time. Why?"

"No, no no no. That's such an invasion of privacy, dude. You saw me in my briefs!" He wanted to hide in a ditch somewhere and never come out.

"You change in locker rooms, yes? And in swim you are almost bare. I do not see big deal." Ivan frowned.

"Yes, but it's different when you just stare the whole time without consent," Alfred stressed.

Ivan hummed nonchalantly. "You are finished. Come. Basch is waiting for us." As Alfred was about to follow him out, Ivan reached for his hand and held it, seemingly oblivious to the annoyed glare Alfred sent him.

They made it downstairs to where Matthew awkwardly stood in the foyer beside the staircase, his indigo eyes observing Zwingli who waited by the front door. As Alfred and Ivan passed him, Matthew noticed them holding hands and squinted his eyes in suspicion, but said nothing regarding it. "I guess I'll see you later then," he told his twin as he rubbed his arm anxiously.

"Yeah, see you later." 'Hopefully,' he thought as he let go of Ivan's hand to open the nearby closet and put on a coat. When he finished, the other was way too eager to continue where they left off. Why was Ivan constantly so touchy-feely with him anyway? Did he not get any affection at home? Once again, he found himself very curious about the other's personal life. Maybe he would understand Ivan more if he got concrete answers.

For the second time that week, he found himself in the officer's car, ready to be driven off to god-knows-where. As the engine started, he realized he should probably ask about what was going on. "So, Mr. Zwingli...now that my brother isn't here, mind telling me why you picked me so early?"

"Did you not get my message?"

Alfred shook his head, not wanting to share that he had been ignoring all messages on his phone that weren't from people related to him by blood or Kiku. Definitely not with his stalker right beside him, sitting way too close for comfort.

"Well, today you're both bait."

---

Trekking through the city wasn't something Alfred particularly enjoyed, even more so in winter when the streets were crowded, the subway was a sauna while the surface was freezing, and a single cold could easily become an epidemic. He would much rather have come during spring or fall, but instead he had to walk around on a not-date with Ivan's warm hand holding his own like they were a young couple rather than two contestants in an unworldly survival game.

Really? This was Zwingli's definition of being bait? Just hanging out in the city, taking a nice stroll through Rockefeller Plaza? He could've been fooled. At least the man had the courtesy to buy them prepaid MetroCards so they could go anywhere they pleased without having to worry about cash. Everything was so unnecessarily expensive here compared to home.

Ivan stopped beside a glass pane to stare at the ice skating rink below them, a joyful gleam in his eyes. "Fedya, we should skate!"

Lamenting over how the Christmas decorations had already been taken down, Alfred turned to Ivan with a raised brow. "You're talking to the wrong cowboy. I haven't skated since I was eight." That was more of Matthew's thing, not his.

"Even better. I will help you!"

Unable to resist Ivan's sweet face and adorable giggle, he gave in with a small groan. "Fine." They went to the rental shop and got their skates, paid for admission, and soon Alfred found himself latched on to a nearby rail as he left the building, though a few of the more adept skaters snickered as he struggled. Frustrated, he recalled his mother once telling him that if he learned to skate once, he'd know it for life. Well, it seemed like he completely forgot how to stand on a metal blade!

Ivan was suddenly beside him, smiling, offering his hand for support. It was like Ivan always won, Alfred thought bitterly as he took it, letting the other lead him toward the ice. Instantly Alfred grabbed onto the glass barricade and stuck to it like glue while Ivan let out an amused chuckle. "Dorogoy, you won't learn if you stay where you are comfortable whole time," he chastised lightly.

"I don't wanna fall," he admitted quietly.

"You won't fall. I will catch you!"

Hesitantly, Alfred let go of the siding, his legs wobbling before Ivan switched which hand he held, the other finding itself on Alfred's waist before gliding forward. A heavy blush bloomed in the his cheeks as they were pressed extremely close together with Ivan taking control and guiding him confidently. After a lap, Alfred noted that he was already much more comfortable skating. Maybe his mother had a point — he was definitely starting to remember a bit, though he never learned past the basics.

"See? You are improving so much already!" Ivan encouraged, and Alfred couldn't help but shyly smile back.

"Y-yeah." He looked at his feet, partially hating how he was actually enjoying himself right now. "How did you get so good skating?"

"Hm?" Ivan blinked at the sudden question before grimacing with discomfort. "It is not interesting story... but what I would like to know is what made you so afraid of falling." He smiled gently.

"Oh, well when—" Alfred paused, catching himself. No! There Ivan went again, trying to change the topic by distracting him, always taking advantage of his mild ADHD. He stopped in his tracks, which made Ivan come to a halt as he cocked his head to the side.

"Sunflower?"

"No, I want to hear about you." Alfred huffed. "I don't care if it's boring."

Violet eyes were wide, taken aback. "Fedya…"

"Please, Ivan," he whined, pulling out the big guns by giving the other his well-practiced puppy dog eyes and irresistible pout.

"I—" Ivan gave him a pained look, cheeks flushed as he averted his gaze. "When I was a boy, there was a lake near my house...my sisters and I would skate there in the wintertime."

"You have sisters?" Alfred's brows shot up wide. This whole time he assumed Ivan was an only child.

"One older, one younger."

"Are they here with you?"

"Ah—" Ivan frowned, eyes darkening. "Nyet. They are not."

"Oh, well what about your parents?" Alfred noticed the way the other flinched.

"In Russia," he tone was clipped, expression impassive.

"Wait, so who do you stay with?" In the past minute, Alfred was getting more information on Ivan's life than in the time since they met. He was eager to keep this train rolling for as long as he could.

"Family friend."

"Oh." And suddenly Alfred felt for the guy. No wonder why he was so affectionate and touchy, he had no one! At least he always had Matthew and Francis when his parents were gone, Ivan probably reached out to him to fill a lonely void only for Alfred to shut him out. Was protecting someone from being bullied and offering them friendship really enough for them to make you the object of their obsession? To have someone swear to protect and kill for your sake? It just seemed really...excessive. Just how deprived from love was Ivan? God, he felt like such an asshole. "I'm sorry, I didn't know you were alone."

Ivan's eyes softened as a gentle smile graced his lips. "We have been over this. I am never alone when I have you."

Nodding, Alfred smiled sadly. "Yeah, you have me…"

---

Lovino was concerned for his younger brother. For the past few days, Feliciano wouldn't leave his room, and when he did, couldn't even speak to him directly. While they always failed to get along and were never considered close, he did care for the other. They were family, after all. He understood that Feli was in mourning, his school having been subject to a school shooting. It was horrible, lives were lost and people were frightened. It was depressing to think that such a thing could happen in their hometown, especially since that had once been Lovino's school too. Weren't they supposedly living in a safe area? First serial killers and now this...

His mind went to his bastard of a father who had them live there alone. The man couldn't even spare a moment to call his youngest son and make sure he was unharmed? Did he not care? Feliciano was the prodigy, the favored one, yet their old man hadn't even put in the effort to check up on him. Lovino was furious, of course he was, because now his little brother wasn't eating, was crying all the time, and he had no idea what to do or say to comfort him.

"You need to finish your meal," Lovino scolded him, eyeing the pasta that had been picked at. Not only was it an insult to his cooking, but to his responsibility as the elder sibling. "Feliciano."

"Mi dispiace," Feli apologized, whimpering. "I'm just not very hungry right now."

It was pasta and they were Italian. What kind of bullshit was this?

"Okay, you are going to tell me what is bothering you." They never had heart-to-hearts, but he was getting frustrated. If that's what it took to make the other eat again, he'd do it.

And then came the waterworks. Oh no. "I-it's all my fault!"

"Che cosa?" Lovino raised a brow.

"Th-the bombings, the raid. Alfredo. It was all my fault! I'm the worst friend!" He let out a distraught wail.

"H-huh?" That answer startled him. "What are you talking about? What about Alfredo?"

"I didn't understand until after they came and took me and Ludwig. It took me a while but I recognized some of them, fratello!"

Concerned with his brother's hysterics, he tried to stay focused. "I don't understand. Recognized who?"

There was a knock on the door, and Feliciano immediately cowered. "Them."

Shaking with nerves and sending his brother an unsure glance, he made his way toward the front door, but not before taking a frying pan with him. Just in case. He opened the door slowly, relaxing when he saw who it was. His brother was just being paranoid, Lovino decided as he sent the men a nod. Just associates from his father's business, nothing unusual.

"Ciao, cugino. Been a while," one of them greeted with a grin — his cousin Sebastian.

"Ciao," he replied suspiciously, eyes flickering to the other man. Both were wearing formal suits, fedoras, sunglasses. Seriously? What were they? The mob?

"Sorry, for the short notice, but we've come to escort you to the city."

"Eh?" Lovino's brows shot high on his forehead. "W-why?"

"Well, you see, your father's been meaning to see you," Sebastian replied slyly. "He thinks it's time you become a more prominent member of the family business."

Lovino was shocked, filled with conflicting emotions "W-why? Why now?"

"Think of it as a thanks for all your contributions."

---

By noon they were inside a nearby Shake Shack to get a quick lunch, and by 1PM they were at the Metropolitan museum looking at the art on display. Alfred reminisced over the many times his mother brought him here with Matthew and Francis; he always loved how beautiful it was, and the exhibits were so cool! His favorite area by far had to be Arms and Armor, there was something about it that always drew him in. Mom called him a romantic, but the concept of a knight in shining armor rescuing the damsel in distress was just so picturesque, he could daydream about it for hours. A classic heroic adventure.

Glancing at his companion, he noticed Ivan was actually reading the descriptions displayed beneath the objects, probably because he was actually good at history. The only reason he was stuck with Alfred in a standard class was because everything was in English, which really didn't make sense considering Ivan was fluent. The other should've been bumped up to a more advanced course, though he doubted Ivan would ever allow it if it meant leaving him behind.

"Enjoying yourself?" Alfred grinned at Ivan, amused.

"Da, this is fun! I have never been in a museum before. It is very interesting!" Ivan responded with a cheerful smile of his own.

When they left the museum, it was already evening. One of the things Alfred hated about winter other than the cold was how quickly it got dark, however the city lights illuminated the streets nicely. He could see intricate, little snowflakes glimmer as they fell from the sky — it was amazing how the rest of the world could just disappear on a snowy day. For once, everything was so serene and quiet.

Ivan took his hand and led him inside Central Park where the grass was mostly yellow with a few patches of snow and the reservoir was partially frozen, the street-lamps were reflected in its still water. It was so scenic, especially as the snow began to fall in bigger clumps.

Giggling, Ivan's hand brushed a few snowflakes out of Alfred's golden hair. "Did you forget to bring a hat, solnyshko?"

"No." He turned his head over his shoulder. "My coat has a hood. See?" Ivan carefully lifted it over his head. "Thanks, mother."

Ivan's hand trailed from the top of his hood to his cheek, where his gloved, index finger began to caress the skin there delicately. "You are always so warm, did you know that?"

"That's cause I got that Californian blood in me," he joked despite feeling flustered.

"Is that so?" Ivan smirked. There was a mirthful twinkle in his eyes that made Alfred's heart skip a beat.

Crazy, killer-stalker-thing aside, Ivan was really, really handsome. From his face to his body, to his voice and accent, and even now, his sweet, fun personality and the way he made Alfred feel like the most important person in the world, how he promised to protect him and fulfilled that promise every time...

Maybe had he never discovered Ivan's obsession with him, he would've said he was falling in love.

---

Around 7PM they found themselves in Little Italy looking for a restaurant they could eat in, as per officer Zwingli's request via text. The subway ride had been a bit of a hassle, extremely crowded with Ivan protectively shielding him from the other passengers as he was pressed into a corner — he was so content to have some personal space back now that they were out in the open. They strolled down the narrow street and Alfred's gaze narrowed into a glare when he caught sight of Il Romano, recalling how he'd been banned from its brother restaurant. He still had no idea what he did wrong other than the fact Lovino just hated him. Couldn't the guy have just told him to pick something on the menu? Half the time he never even told Lovino what he wanted, he just always had it started by the time they were ordering appetizers.

"Fedya? What's wrong?" Ivan tilted his head in concern as they walked hand-in-hand.

"Oh, I was just remembering how I was banned from Il Veneziano." He pursed his lips, suddenly feeling glum.

"I see." Ivan smiled sympathetically. "There are better restaurants. Let's go, we can find one together."

As he peeked through the large windows, jealousy swelled in Alfred. He'd never been to this restaurant before, though Feliciano had mentioned a couple of times he'd love for them all to go. Relieved that his friend was okay, apparently Feliciano wanted nothing to do with him as he responded to his texts with only one word. Ludwig was exactly the same, but that was typical for him. The whole thing just felt...off.

Now he was starting to see what Spider-Man dealt with: trying to be the hero but all your work was in vain. Not that he blamed the two. He did get caught and failed to help them. It was his fault for not being smarter or stronger, but at least they were alive and well, and that's really all that mattered.

Which made him wonder if his phone had lied to him.

January 4 14:03 [School - History Hall]

Feliciano is grabbed by the strange men and Ludwig is taken hostage. I have to help them!

Were they just let go afterwards?

With a shrug, he brushed off those thoughts, instead choosing to observe how elegant the interior was. Very dimly-lit, the candle-lit tables were set up so formally and covered by a red cloth with exposed brick walls and hardwood floors that just made the area feel so warm.

Ivan seemed visibly uncomfortable, looking like he wanted to say something to get his mind off the place. "My love, is there no other place you'd rather eat?"

Alfred turned to him, noticing the pleading look Ivan was giving him. "You don't like this place?"

"I just think that," he paused, peeking behind Alfred. "We should support small business, da? This place is fine, but that place down the street seems quaint. Besides, you were banned by owner's son."

The other made some very valid points, so he allowed himself to be led to the other restaurant. And it was good food! They were given free bread and olive oil as an appetizer, he ordered delicious pasta meal, and they were served those mouth-watering Italian donuts after they finished. Ivan made a good choice.

They had fun too. Ivan could be such a sweetheart, it reminded Alfred of why he had missed his company so much when he broke off their friendship. There was just an incredible connection between them, Ivan always treated him in a way unlike anyone else. The way his eyes stayed fixed on him the whole time, making him feel like the other was attentively listening to every word he said — he was so used to people rolling their eyes the moment he opened his mouth or making mean-spirited jabs that this felt refreshing in comparison. They could joke and smile, and the way Ivan's face would soften lovingly as he gazed upon him made Alfred forget about the survival game, forget about everything, as he was too preoccupied by the butterflies in his stomach.

Maybe this was a date, though the timing was absolutely terrible, in a way it felt perfect. It was like the old days when he could go outside and not worry about someone trying to murder him. This was actually something he enjoyed very much. Maybe having a stalker wasn't so bad, as long as they were an Ivan Braginsky.

Though the question remained, why was Ivan so fixated on him of all people in the first place?

---

The LIRR left them off at their stop, but suddenly Alfred got a text from Zwingli saying he got held up by some work, that he stumbled on something big and therefore wouldn't be able to pick them up for a while.

Annoyed since he lived a bit away from the train station and really didn't want to walk home alone at night, Ivan smiled at him comfortingly. "I live not too far. We can stop by my place and I will drive you home."

Intrigued as he saw a rare opportunity to get to know the other more, he gladfully accepted the offer handed to him on a silver platter. They walked a bit on the road before going through the park, where Alfred could appreciate how much brighter the stars were compared to the city as his gaze roamed the sky: North Star, Orion, Pegasus…

Ivan giggled and Alfred turned to him confused. "The stars are in your eyes," he explained.

A deep blush bloomed on his face because god that sounded romantic, he mumbled a small "T-thanks." There was a silence between them, only the wind brushing against branches and their footsteps as they walked along the dark path. Biting his lip, Alfred determined it was either now or never. "I-Ivan?"

"Yes?"

"Why me? And don't say it's because I'm your sunshine or something like that. I want an actual answer."

A small smile curled on Ivan's lip as he looked at the ground, his eyes hazy. "You treated me so kindly," he admitted, voice soft and gentle. So genuine. "And then you gave me a reason to keep existing."

Blue eyes widened. Had Ivan been suicidal? Shit, he felt terrible. "Oh, Ivan...I—"

Ivan stopped and moved closely in front of him, a heartfelt gleam in violet eyes as he clasped Alfred's hand in both his own and pressed it against his heart. "Being here, being with you, it makes me so happy. When you smile and laugh, I want to see and hear it forever. When you are scared or sad, I want to destroy whatever made you feel that way. I would do anything for you. You are my everything."

Hearing that made the corner of Alfred's eyes sting. No one had ever said anything so romantic to him his entire life. Other guys he dated had been so crude and dismissive, and the few girls had been too shy or self-absorbed to say much. Ivan just had a way of making him feel special.

"Iv, I—"

"Call me Vanya," Ivan interrupted softly, eyes half-lidded.

Alfred replied with a playful grin. "Vanya."

A content smile curved on Ivan's mouth before he craned his neck forward. This time Alfred closed the gap between them, with a small bounce on his toes he planted a quick, chaste kiss of his own on Ivan's lips. Pleasantly surprised as a wide smile grew on his face, Ivan took note of the soft blush on Alfred's cheeks and coy smirk. As much as he would've loved to go in for more, he was delighted with what he received, especially since Alfred never took the initiative. Any progress in their relationship was still progress.

It wasn't long until they found themselves at Ivan's house. It was a small and plain one-story, with yellow sidings and white windows with red shutters. The lawn lacked curb appeal as it was wild and untamed, with Ivan's outdated Impala resting in the driveway without garage. A modest, lower-middle class home, but for some reason it looked familiar to Alfred. Like he'd seen it before.

Ivan pressed a button on his keys to unlock the car, but Alfred was eager to see more into the other's life. He'd learnt so much about Ivan today, he didn't want to stop when a huge opportunity was so close! After all, Ivan had seen his room many times, why couldn't he see his?

"Actually, can I use your bathroom first?" Alfred asked, a simple and realistic question.

While he opened his mouth to say something, Ivan furrowed his brows and decided against it. "Ah, I suppose so…" Why did he seem so reluctant?

Ivan locked the car as he made his way to the front door, twisting the keys and pushing it open. Alfred was surprised as he went in. The house was sparse with furniture, all of it was old and worn, probably either inherited or bought used. It was so much different than his modern colonial home which had been built specifically for them and therefore had updated appliances and new furniture. Though he and his father weren't fond of older houses since they were creepy, this one was very modest and cozy.

Embarrassed, Ivan scratched his cheek. "I-is not much, but welcome!"

"No, it's cute. I really like it." Alfred smiled, answering honestly.

"Thank you…"

"Is your guardian home?" He'd like to meet the person and get an idea into the other's home life.

"He is not here. I mostly live by myself," Ivan admitted, his index finger idly drawing shapes into the couch.

"I see…" He sympathized with that. The two were the same in that regard, though at least most of the time Alfred had Matthew to keep him company. He couldn't imagine being completely alone, especially when he had been on the verge of losing it when Matthew was busy with Tim the past couple of months. Shaking away those thoughts, he decided the room needed light and went to the nearest switch.

Nothing happened when he flicked it. "Uh, the light's not working…"

"Oh...I suppose he forgot to pay the electricity bill. Next time I see him, I will remind him."

So there was neglect too, Alfred thought grimly, eyes downcast. He hadn't realized the other had it so rough. Looking around, he searched for something that would buy him more time to check the rest of the place out. "Do you have any snacks? Desserts?"

"Hm?" Ivan blinked in surprise. "I believe we have brownie mix and we use gas oven...would you like me to make it?"

"That would be perfect, Vanya." He noticed the way violet eyes brightened, as though glad to finally have company over. If he wanted one so bad, he should've just invited him sooner! Though he wondered if the reason he hadn't was because he was embarrassed by the house as it was a dwarf in comparison to his own. He should've known Alfred wouldn't judge! Even the he had humble beginnings — there was a time he, his twin, dad, mom, Francis, his baby cousin, and aunt Marianne all lived in a shitty, cramped apartment in Queens. It was like Full House, except everyone spoke French besides him and his father.

Suddenly remembering they were inside for a reason, Alfred quickly focused on his cover up to avoid letting Ivan catch on to what he was doing. "So, where's the bathroom?" Hopefully Ivan hadn't checked his diary, in fact, they had both done so sparingly today. It was a nice change to not stress over the future, rather they spent their outing enjoying every moment.

"Ah, da! Just down that way, sorry." Ivan pointed toward a hall behind Alfred. "Second door to right. I will be baking you a delicious treat in meantime." He grinned confidently.

'You do that,' Alfred nodded in response before heading in that direction, peeking over his shoulder to make sure Ivan had turned the corner and disappeared into the kitchen, conveniently out of his line of sight. Perfect.

He opened the first door on the left: a closet. Closing it gently, he moved to the first door on the right: a bedroom. Curious, he stepped in. It was rather plain, with a light blue, floral wallpaper and very traditional, wooden furniture. Everything reminded him of his Meme's home in Canada — very grandmotherly and antique. Quietly making his way to the dusty, vintage dresser and mirror, he noticed some jewelry and make-up sprawled along the wooden top. That was odd. Alfred swore he heard Ivan say his guardian was a 'he'...and then his eyes caught the picture wedged into the lower corner of the mirror.

It was faded, having seen better days, and of a lower quality like most pictures from the early 2000s. Alfred smiled fondly as he distinguished a much younger, adorable Ivan situated between a slightly taller girl with blond hair braided into a bun and sweet blue eyes, who must've been his older sister, and a toddler with shaggy, light blond hair adorned with a big, blue bow, her dark blue eyes glaring at the camera as she latched on to Ivan's arm. They were standing in front of a porch belonging to an old-fashioned, two-story, wooden farmhouse, and Alfred could identify a dark brown barn and forest in the far back. They were dressed warmly and considering the snow on the ground, he surmised this was them at their home back in Russia. It was endearing to have a brief glimpse into Ivan's childhood, however there was one thing that put him off.

How miserable and exhausted these children all were.

Backing away from the mirror, he pulled out one of drawers and frowned when he saw their contents. Bras? Okay, so this had to be one of Ivan's sisters room...but Ivan told him they stayed behind in Russia. Did she come here and then go back? He closed the drawer and tried another one. The whole thing was full of women's clothes. Did she just leave everything behind? That meant she had an intention of coming back, so why did Ivan make it seem like she was gone for good?

He left the room, skipping the bathroom door and instead aimed for the one right after. As he made his way for the knob, a small thump snagged his attention. He turned and looked down at the source.

A cat. A big, fluffy, dark-furred cat. Just pawing at a door that was perpendicular to a partially opened one. As he made his way over, he peeked inside — it was just a bedroom, the master bedroom it seemed. He glanced back at the cat, then his gaze flicked up to the door the feline was trying to enter.

Either Ivan's room was this one or the one he'd just skipped, but curious, he decided to assist the cat. Quietly, he opened the door just to see a staircase that led to a cold, dark basement. He wondered if the reason the cat wanted to go downstairs was for the litter box, as that's where his family kept theirs.

Ugh, it smelt terrible down there. Did Ivan not clean the damn thing?

The cat was overwhelmed by abhorrent stench and scampered into the nearby bedroom. He felt sorry for the little guy, which motivated his decision to inspect the damage so he could give Ivan an earful on how to properly care for his furry friend. Already bracing himself, he pressed his coat sleeve against his nose and flicked the lightswitch, only to growl in annoyance once he remembered the power was out. At least he had his cellphone, so he turned on the flashlight and descended downward, trying not to make too much sound on the creaky, wooden staircase. God damn, older houses were terrifying. He shook away any scary thoughts that would've deterred him from his goal. This was for the cat, he reminded himself. He made his way downstairs, light shining on the ground as he searched for the litter tray. Instead he found dried, brown stains smeared all over floor and his face winced in disgust. Did the cat just go on the floor? Gross.

But then he realized it was a reddish-brown, and his thoughts shifted to 'Holy shit, is Ivan's cat okay?'

There was something just barely out of radius that reflected his phone's light and caught his attention, a sort of black, plastic sheet like the ones used for construction. As he raised his flashlight, he stilled in horror at what he saw.

—SHHHHHHBTTTTTTT—

Alfred let out a high-pitched scream that almost masked the sudden distortion of his phone.

Dead bodies. There were dead bodies rotting away, faces sunken in to the point they were practically skulls with hair, a bony hand reaching out from beneath the plastic and oh god oh god what the fuck—

Dry sobs and hyperventilation filled the silence. Too shocked and dizzy, he held in his urge to throw up because what the fuck. Ivan had dead bodies in his basement. Body trembling, he knew he had to get out of there. He had to go home, lock his door, and never see Ivan again because oh god the other was a fucking psychopath and he could be his next victim—

As he took a step back, he tripped and staggered backward, only to be caught by a pair of strong arms hooking under his own. Alfred could see him in his peripherals, but all he could do was blanche as Ivan wrapped his arms around his torso and held him close, burying his face into the crook of his neck whilst shaking his head.

"It was all going so well…" Ivan's voice was soft, frail, cracking at the edges as he trembled and gave a tight squeeze. "Why, Fedya? Why?"

Fear quaked through him, Alfred was losing it. Worried that Ivan would turn on him next, he was desperate to leave now. Like hell was he going to die here and join them, whoever they were. Ivan's past obsessions, maybe? Fuck that. He tore himself out of the other's arms, ignoring how he sobbed, begging him to not go. Alfred bolted from the house without looking back, he didn't care his home was a ways away, nor that it was fucking cold out — he ran as though his life depended on it, because it probably fucking did.

His lungs felt like they were on fire by the time he opened his front door, wheezing as he struggled to breathe. After locking the door, even using the deadbolt and slider for safe measure, he ran to the bathroom and grabbed his inhaler before he suffocated. Once his airways were cleared, he choked on a new wave of sobs then collapsed onto the tiled floor and hugged himself for comfort.

Matthew was at the door, having heard his brother come in. "A-Al?" Immediately he rushed to his twin's side. "Al, what happened? Alfie? What's wrong? Tell me!" His arms wrapped around Alfred, letting the younger twin rest his head on his chest as he ran his fingers through golden-blond hair, tears threatening to spill from his own eyes. "Alfie, please, talk to me. I can't see you like this. I want to help you," he pleaded.

Alfred shook his head. "I can't do this, Mattie. I just can't—" his voice was weak, strained.

"Can't do what?"

"I'm just always so scared all the time, even when I think I'm safe I'm not." He gulped before heaving. "I don't like this. I don't like this, Mattie. I don't want to die."

"Shhhh." Matthew began rocking him. "You're not going to die, Al. Don't say things like that, please. You're okay. You're home with me."

Alfred cried harder, whimpering, until eventually passing out in his brother's arms.

---

Omniscient eyes watched as each contestant's diary distorted themselves simultaneously, a twisted grin broke into his mechanical face. Despite the sudden deterioration of his Cathedral and the demon in his servitude frantically swerving to avoid the collapsing rubble, Deus knew this was a sign of things to come. The Causal Continuum was breaking down. This was...exciting. He knew Alfred had been the perfect contender, the boy's curiosity always had a habit of making things interesting. This was no longer just a mere survival game...no, this was something much more grand and beyond his control.

He couldn't wait to see how things played out from here.

Notes:

JFC Alfred you’re so nosy, no wonder you don’t have many friends. Hope ya’ll enjoyed this disaster of a date, there will be more eventually I assure you.

I guess the worst of my semester has yet to come since I've had a lot of free time. I don't know how long this grace period is gonna last though so be warned. I'll try to get as many chapters out as possible beforehand, but no guarantees.

Chapter 8: Eye of the Hurricane

Summary:

If you are willing enough to enter the storm, you must also be willing to forfeit your sanity.

Notes:

Get ready for some fanservice this chapter all because I saw came across some ‘inspiring’ fanart lol. I’ve tried to find it again but no luck, but the fact is that it’s ingrained in my memory forever.

Also thank you so much for the 102 kudos and over 1000 hits!!! Like wtf, that completely blew me out of the water. I honestly had low expectations, but you all proved me wrong. Another big thank you to everyone who commented as they make my day <3

It had been two weeks since Alfred left the house, too paranoid to go outside. Hell, it was hard enough for him to leave his own bedroom, where his once safe haven was now plagued with nightly terrors. The nightmares haunted him with no end in sight, and occasionally in his sleep he'd feel something warm and firm restrain him, as though demonic tendrils had ensnared him and were submerging him in an endless void. It was suffocating — he couldn't breathe. Waking up in a cold sweat seemed to be his only escape from that hell, but who knew how long he had suffered in the time he was trapped within his mind? At first he suspected it was just sleep paralysis, but the tight hold on him felt too real to be a mere illusion. It was terrifying.   

If Matthew had been worried before, now he was seriously distressed over his brother's mental state. He called mum, dad, and even Francis and begged them to come home and help, but his father was stuck overseas, his mother wasn't even sure she'd be back before the spring semester due to mémé's surgery, and his cousin wasn't picking up his goddamn phone. It broke his heart to see his brother constantly crying, not wanting to get out of bed, not even eating. This wasn't right, but he was all alone with no one to assist him in helping the other, making him feel absolutely useless. A part of him wanted to cry too, but he couldn't. Not when Alfred needed him.

It would be so much easier if Alfred just talked to him.

Meanwhile, Alfred snuggled with Maple as he binge-watched Disney movies. To say he was done crying was a fact, mainly because he had no tears left to give. That didn't mean he was over the whole ordeal, he still was frightened and miserable beyond all compare, having to constantly remind himself to stop trembling as it was bothering the cats.

How could he have been so stupid? To think that he could fall in love with someone like Ivan? A stalker, his stalker, who had corpses in his basement that were probably still rotting there this very moment?

There was just so much that didn't add up. For one, Ivan had plenty of opportunities to kill him if he wanted to: he could've easily broken into his home while Matthew was with Tim and done away with him since he knew where he lived. He could've killed him in the abandoned warehouse before Third, it could've all been a trap in the guise of trying to save him only to get the final kill — but he hadn't. In school, Ivan had defended him fiercely as they snuck through the halls, waiting for a chance to escape. Hastily Ivan guided him to his phone when Ninth's escape plan put him in jeopardy, and as a result he came out of that confrontation alive. The other had the perfect opportunity to catch him off his guard when they were in Central Park, no one had been around, probably no one would've heard him scream...yet he never took advantage of the situation unless it went along the lines of professing his love and utter devotion.

...Maybe Ivan's feelings were genuine? Idiot, idiot idiot—

Nothing made sense anymore.

His phone rang. Hesitantly, Alfred answered. "H-hello?"

"Alfred? Did I wake you up?" It was Zwingli.

"N-no, sorry. What's up?" He dreaded the answer.

"I have a plan to catch Sixth. I'm actually on my way to pick you up."

A blank face concealed his internal screaming, it took effort containing his voice. "Oh, nice…"

"I'll be there in about ten minutes. See you soon." And then the officer hung up, leaving no room for excuses.

Dammit. After roughly rubbing his face with his hands for a solid minute, he got up and begrudgingly dressed himself for the day. As he walked down the stairs, he saw Matthew in the foyer getting ready to put on his boots.

Surprised, his twin nearly fell over. "A-Al? Where are you going?"

"Out, in a bit," he admitted with a careless shrug, playing it cool as though he hadn't been isolating himself for weeks. "What about you?"

"Groceries. We're running low." Matthew scratched his cheek nervously. "And I was going to see if I could maybe talk to Francis? He hasn't contacted me in three weeks. Have you heard anything from him?" Alfred shook his head before Matthew let out a heavy sigh. Being a caretaker was absolutely draining, but somebody had to do it. "Where exactly are you going?"

"Zwingli is taking me out again." Alfred crossed his arms defensively, ignoring the dumbfounded expression on Matthew's face.

"No, why are you going out with him? Last time you went out with him and Ivan, you came home a mess. No. No! I refuse to let you go with him!"

"He's a cop, Mattie. I kinda have to."

"What? No, you have to have rights or something. Going out with him is obviously detrimental to your health. I won't allow this!"

'Note to self: quit involving Matthew in your mental breakdowns.' "He's fine. He didn't do anything to me." Other than set him up on a date with Ivan and call it being bait, but whatever. Behind the narrow, frosted glass pane beside his door, he could see shapes and colors that must've been the cop's interceptor parking in their driveway. After unlocking and opening the front door, his suspicions were confirmed.

Ivan got out of the back seat, smiling and waving to him innocently as if he wasn't a murderer with, once again, dead bodies in his basement. Alfred felt his heart sink and an oncoming wave of dread consume him. This was definitely going to be a long day. How he would survive it would remain a mystery.

'Wait, did Zwingli know about the bodies?'

With a quick wave, he ignored Matthew's disapproving scowl and shut the door behind him to approach the officer leaning against the hood of his car. Blue eyes anxiously flickered to Ivan before he whispered in a low voice. "So, um, about two weeks ago...that night—"

"Dorogoy, please do not say such embarrassing things!" Ivan's cheeks were red, but there was a coy grin on his face as he pushed his index fingers together. God damn, his fucking diary. Alfred conveniently forgot it was solely fixated on him in his two weeks of isolation. "He does not need to know what we do in private, though I know you are excited to share!"

'What the fuck is he insinuating?' Alfred thought with a furious blush, head whipping to the police officer who awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck and averted his gaze. "I-I, no! It's not—"

Zwingli held up a hand. "Listen, I don't need to hear about your relationship. That's not what I'm here for. Just...I don't know...stay protected and get in the car, kid."

God fucking dammit. Alfred stormed toward the back door and ripped it open, shooting Ivan a glare as he got inside and slammed it shut. As if he'd have sex with a psychopath of all people. How could Ivan twist his words like that? To make matters worse, he embarrassed himself in front of the only adult helping him. Wonderful!

Ivan pouted like a child. "Fedya, are you mad with me?"

"Oh, you are so full of bullshit," Alfred spat at the other before redirecting his eyes toward the window, his gaze unwavering until they reached their destination.

---

Back at the precinct, the only difference was that this time Alfred saw many cops in their cubicles as they went in through a different entrance. The meeting room had been closer to the front, he attempted to map out the building as they moved further in, going straight toward Zwingli's office as was marked by the nameplate beside his door.

As soon as they were in, Zwingli lifted a box onto his desk and picked up one of the many folders stacked on top then handed it to Alfred. After opening it and skimming through its contents, he could only think one thing: Oh.

The officer decided to elaborate. "We've determined that Sixth is the leader of a criminal empire called 'De Imperii.' They were so underground that digging them up had been nearly impossible. Thankfully, Ninth has connections to the man in charge."

"You've been working with her?" Alfred frowned.

"Definitely not. Our investigation in your school left many answers, not to mention me personally taking on the case which allowed my diary to find anything and everything left behind. Though he may be careful, clearly there must've been a leak. Some confidential files were left on my desk a few days ago and it all adds up." Zwingli paused. "We have an address to their headquarters, and though we lack a name and face, we know that his associates call him Rex Omnibus — the King of All."

Ivan smirked, cracking his knuckles, and not for the first time did Alfred suspect the other knew more than he let on. "We will find him," he assured, eyes dark and cold. It was always unsettling to see the other so serious.

Green eyes narrowed in suspicion at Ivan's confidence, but Zwingli shook his head to dismiss any theories as he ripped the box open. "Though defenses and security are getting tighter, that also leaves room for opportunity. It seems that Sixth has been hiring more men beyond just his 'family' for backup. I see fired security guards, ex-mercenaries, criminally discharged veterans...there's an opening for us to sneak in. I asked Deus if it was possible for diaries to reveal someone's physical description and he said no. Diaries only refer to owners as their number, and that's only after they've been identified as such. The only person who saw Ivan and I was killed by Héderváry and they were given no opportunity to report back."

Alfred pursed his lips. "Well, he must know who I am considering he came after me and Ninth. I don't see what I can do that's secretive."

"On the contrary, he may have no clue what you look like and only deciphered where you would be by following Ninth."

"Oh...but they captured me."

"Did they happen to attack you before or after your diary changed?"

Alfred chewed on his bottom lip. "Not until after."

"And did they hear it?"

"I think so?" He turned to Ivan unsurely, who nodded in response.

Basch rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he skimmed through his own diary and notes. "There were no extensive radio transmissions traced from his men during the incident and nothing of the sort is reported in my diary — Sixth made sure to cover all of his bases. This leads me to believe they were given instruction beforehand to search for someone who was being trailed by Ninth as well as to inspect phones and listen for any distorted sounds...you were just the one that happened to check all three. It was only after you were captured and your phone taken that they were able to confirm you were First."

Alfred was at a loss for words. "How do you just know all this stuff?"

"Hm?" Zwingli glanced up. "Oh, well I'm the captain of the detective division. It used to be my job to put clues together before my promotion, though I still get called to do fieldwork every now and then when the need arises."

"So, you're certain I won't be recognized?"

"I never said that, but I will say that the likelihood is on par with Ivan and me."

That was somewhat comforting. Not perfect, but he could work with it. "Alright, so what are we doing? Disguising ourselves as hirelings?"

The cop coughed into his fist. "Ivan and I will be taking on the job of hired mercenaries."

"Okay, so what am I doing?" If he was lucky, nothing.

"Though security is given access to plenty of areas, there are many that are still restricted...however, it seems that housekeeping is given a bit more leniency..."

A frown was fixed on Alfred's face as he crossed his arms, eyes flickering between Ivan and Zwingli. "Uh, okay? Why can't I be a mercenary?"

Zwingli attempted a smile, but it was much too tight to be sincere. "Alfred, to put it lightly, you very much lack the qualifications necessary. This isn't some masquerade ball. You actually need the skills and experience or we'll be discovered immediately."

That was actually a good point. Zwingli was an actual cop, and Ivan was, well, Ivan. Disgruntled, he accepted cleaning duty, but like hell was he folding laundry. "Fine. Let's just get this thing over with."

Out of the box, the cop fetched sealed plastic bags filled with black-and-white clothes and handed them to the boys before grabbing his own and leading them to the restroom. Picking the cleanest stall and getting in, Alfred disrobed himself, then ripped into the plastic wrapping and pulled out the uniform only to pale once he saw what it was.

A French maid dress. "Mr. Zwingli, what the hell is this!" The remaining contents in the bag were white stockings, a white, frilly headband, and fucking. Lace. Panties.

A pair of heeled mary-janes were slipped under his stall. "Here. They should be in your size."

"That doesn't answer my question!" Alfred whined as he glowered at the shoes, completely distraught.

Zwingli let out a deep exhale. "Those are what were given to me by the person hiring."

"They know I'm a guy, right?"

"Is everything alright, sunflower?" Ivan asked from the next stall over.

"Yes, they know. There's no distinction between the men and women uniforms. I didn't mention this before because I knew you'd be like this, but they're very selective with their housekeeping staff. Apparently Sixth only likes to employ attractive, young individuals. Congratulations kid, you fit the cut."

Alfred couldn't help but mutter 'dick' under his breath as he slipped on the knee-length black dress and white apron, then held on to the stall for support as he exchanged underwear. Thankfully he was given a men's set as it meant just a bit more cover, though that didn't mean much in the long run. He pulled up his stockings before slipping his feet into sleek, black shoes and tightening their buckles. The lacy headpiece was simple enough to put on, but he needed a mirror to make sure it looked right...and he really didn't want to leave his stall.

All he knew was that whoever this Sixth was, he was a total pervert. 

He took deep breath then unlocked the door and opened it, eyes glancing up to meet his reflection. Dismayed as he approached the mirror, he lamented over his appearance. Not that there was anything wrong with looking pretty, but the maid costume was humiliating. Gently his fingers tweaked the headband and fixed his bangs so it sat right, only for him to turn and see Ivan emerge from his stall in a handsome business suit and tie, though his scarf remained wrapped around his neck.

"You should take that off." Zwingli frowned as he glanced up from adjusting his own tie.

"Nyet, I—" Ivan paused, eyes fixed on Alfred as his face turned beet red. "Fe-Fedya?" He squeaked, and Alfred could only hide his face in his hands.

"S-shut up!" Oh god, he was absolutely mortified, especially since his stalker was the one to see him like this.

Ivan immediately rushed into his personal bubble, forcing both hands away from his face and holding them down tightly. "Y-you look beautiful!" He spluttered, eyes devouring him with a hunger that made him want to disappear.

Zwingli rolled his eyes. Teenagers. "Yes, you look great, but if you two lovebirds don't mind this is a mission. Try not to get too carried away."

---

They arrived at the building they were told was Sixth's headquarters. Alfred suddenly felt very agitated about things going forward, not at all liking the idea of being separated from everyone while in enemy territory. Ivan had been against the plan as well, not wanting anyone else to see Alfred the way he was, but when Zwingli ordered him to come up with a better one as the only reason they were doing this in the first place was because it was his demand in the alliance, he remained silent and glared daggers at the officer.

At least his uniform had a deep pocket where he could store his diary and not worry about losing it. And now that he was solo, Ivan couldn't keep ogling him. The glass was half-full.

As a maid, Alfred had to go through different entrance and endure an entire orientation process. The person who was assigned to mentor him was a cute girl named Michelle, with tan skin, light brown eyes, and brown hair pulled into two pigtails with red ribbons. He guessed she was maybe a year or two older than him, seemed genuine enough for him to lax his guard. As she showed him around they got along well and not once did she point out how ridiculous he looked — something he was extremely thankful for.

First things first: the tour.

The townhouse was exactly what he expected from Manhattan's Soho district. The exterior blended in with the other buildings on the block: decently-wide, six stories, brick. But the inside was insane — massive, luxurious, and excessive. Though Alfred lived comfortably with the income his parents brought home, this was too overwhelming. A spa and pool, a theatre, a gym, an atrium, an elevator. A rooftop terrace garden that overlooked the city. Crystal chandeliers? Intricate wood-carved ceilings and crown moldings? His home probably costed around $850k. This one? At least $60 million.

What the fuck did Sixth do to become a part of the 1 percent? Was this all a result of his criminal empire or something more?

Not to mention all the other workers he met. Chefs and cooks, a few butlers, a gardener, and financial advisors that hardly spared him a glance other than to check him out. There were a few occasions he met a couple of the other housemaids — one guy and two girls, and there were plenty of bodyguards. He had yet to see Ivan and Zwingli, which was concerning as he'd rather not be trapped alone in the outrageously expensive labyrinth if he could help it.

"I know it can be a lot to take in, but I'm sure you'll get used to it in time. Though, to be honest, I'm still working on that myself." Michelle sent him an earnest smile.

"Yeah, thanks." Alfred paused, taking in the elegant atmosphere. He really hoped he didn't accidentally break something like a marble bust or a Fabergé egg, it would definitely be worth more than his own life. "What are we doing today?"

"We'll be doing most of our work today in the bedrooms. So sweeping the floors, dusting the furniture, changing the sheets, making the beds, washing the windows, scrubbing the mirrors, picking up dirty clothes, some laundry, and the like. If the Dominus or his close associates want us to deliver them their meals, then we will. It's a busy job, but it's not too hard. Fortunately we are working together today so it'll be much easier, but usually we're each given a designated area for the day."

Alfred hid his pain behind a smile. Holy crap, there were like nine bedrooms in this fucking mansion! Here Ivan and Zwingli got to walk around with guns and patrol whereas he had to work until his hands fell off. How much was he getting paid for all this labor? Right, this wasn't a real job. He was undercover so he wasn't going to get paid at all. This really, really sucked ass. "Alright, lead the way!"

Michelle led him to the first bedroom. It was big for a guest suite, not to mention gaudy as hell. Just way over the top for a room someone could actually use, it belonged in museum more than anything. She led him to the bed, there was not a speck of dust on it, though the duvet with all its intricately woven details appeared to never have been used in its entire life.  "Alright, you start stripping the sheets, I'll be right back with fresh ones."

The fabric was heavy. Fucking rich people. With a stifled groan and some mental cursing, he went to work.

---

Ivan sent Zwingli a glance as they navigated through the 'secret' cellar beneath the estate. They were only supposed to know a couple of routes for easier navigation in the case of a break-in, but Ivan was no fool. What they were being shown was merely the tip of the iceberg, a small part of an integrated system with plenty of passageways only meant for those closest to the family. If he looked carefully enough, he could find them and sneak his way back to Alfred rather than be debriefed on how to do his nonexistent job. Simple security work: stay at your post, be on guard. In the case of an emergency, use your comms to alert the others and call for backup. Remember all these numbers and codes...whatever.

Violet eyes glowered at the walls they passed. Who knew what illegal trades were going on within them? Maybe if he looked closely, he'd find weapons stored in the oddest of places!

And suddenly he found himself in a training room — an armory.

"Morozov." Ivan turned to the supervisor addressing him by his alias and was handed a pistol. "Show me what you got."

He glanced at Zwingli, who responded with a single nod. A firm grasp took hold of the gun, then he made his way to the line, aiming at the far-off target and firing a quick shot.

Bullseye.

---

Matthew knocked on the door to his cousin's apartment, each rap becoming more confident and annoyed the longer he waited in the hall. There were still groceries in the car that had to be put away, he was quickly losing his patience.

Exhausted, Francis opened the door a crack. "Quoi?"

"Don't 'quoi' me! Why are you ignoring me?" Matthew demanded. "I haven't heard a single thing from either you or Jeanne! There's a serial killer on the loose. Could you please be more considerate?"

"Ah, je suis désolé, Mathieu," Francis apologized, rubbing his temple. "Things have been quite...hectic, as of late."

"I know that, but I'm seriously concerned about Alfred—"

"I can't live the rest of my life taking care of you two," Francis snapped. "I have a life of my own! My own problems! You are both almost adults, and I am your cousin, not your father! Just because your parents are never around that does not make me a surrogate!" He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I love you both very much, and you two and tante Madeline have been more family to me than my own mother and sister, but it is not my responsibility to be your caretaker — that ended when I finished high school. And I do try to be there when I can, but this is all just too much for me to handle!"

Matthew was rendered silent, blinking back the tears that stung his eyes. He never knew Francis had felt that way regarding him and his brother — that they were burdens to him. Coming here had been a mistake. As if he needed another painful reminder on how fragmented their 'perfect' family really was. "I-I'm sorry…."

"Non, I am sorry. I shouldn't have said all that." Francis shook his head, attempting to push down the remorse eating him. "Serial killers, school invasions, and now these wild beasts terrorizing Jeanne's campus...just what is this neighborhood coming to?"

"Wild...beasts?" Matthew repeated slowly. That was new. He had yet to hear or see anything concerning it.

Francis grimaced. "Two bodies have been found around campus these past few weeks. Apparently they were attacked by an animal. There is now a curfew and they've sent some officials to investigate, but the college is very determined to keep this quiet, which is why I'm not surprised you don't know about it." Letting out a scoff, he continued bitterly, "Just another problem added to the list."

"I-I see…" Matthew bit his lip. "Well, sorry for bothering you."

"Mathieu...what I said before, I didn't mean it. I'm just afraid, and I'm sorry, but this is beyond me. I cannot help you or Alfred. I hardly know how to help myself."

All Matthew could do was nod, he understood where his cousin was coming from. Francis was twenty-two, a college student getting his Master's degree, just five years older than him and his twin. Sometimes it was easy to forget the other was still growing into adulthood, figuring things out for himself. It was wrong for him and Alfred to rely on him, and by that extent, for his parents to as well. After all, Francis had technically been doing their job for the past eight years...

Shoulders slumping in defeat, it was then Matthew realized that it was all up to him to protect Alfred. Mom and dad may have had everything handled financially, but it was clear to him that nobody else valued his twin's mental health. He and Alfred were truly on their own with no one to count on beside each other...it was actually a very daunting epiphany. "I'll see you later, Francis," he answered, suddenly feeling dejected, before turning away and heading down the staircase without giving the other a chance to respond.

The car was cold when he entered. The engine roared, and as heat poured from the vents he sat in silence, completely at a loss on what to do. What could he do? Alfred was going through trauma, and so far his method of giving the other comfort and waiting for him to talk about his feelings was going absolutely nowhere. In fact, it seemed like everything was getting worse. Maybe it would be best to have another intervention? But Alfred always responded terribly to those...he just seemed to think that Matthew was always against him rather than trying to help.

It was overwhelming, he needed some company and emotional support. The only thing he could think of was sending Tim a quick message asking if they could meet at his house. Relieved when the other replied saying he'd be right over, he put the car in reverse and made his way home.

What he hadn't expected was to be greeted by his other best friend walking down the steps of his porch.

"Carlos?" Matthew called out as he grabbed the groceries from the passenger seat and shut the car door before approaching the other. "What are you doing here? It's dangerous to be out alone with a killer still out there!"

"Mateo, I was wondering when you'd come back," Carlos responded with a small smile before letting out a sigh, following him to the entrance. "It's just been a while since we've hung out, what with school being closed and all."

Twenty-one days to be exact. Matthew's lips formed a thin line. As Francis said, things were just so hectic lately, what with everything that had transpired these past few months. What was next? There always seemed to be something new and dangerous around the corner. "Sorry, I've been really busy taking care of Alfred...he hasn't been coping well with everything going on," he explained as he jammed his key into the lock and opened the front door.

"Ah." Carlos rolled his eyes as he entered his friend's home and shut the door behind them. "Your brother has always been such a drama queen."

"He was a hostage." Matthew's eyes glared as he defended his twin, dropping his keys into a dish. "He could've been seriously injured or worse."

"None of that would've happened if he didn't run out of gym with Ivan!" Carlos huffed, following his host into the kitchen. "Knowing him, he probably wanted to be a 'hero' or some shit like that. Un idiota, now freaking out because reality bit him in the ass."

"Alfred left during the lockdown...with Ivan…" Matthew's eyes squinted as he pieced clues together while opening the fridge and putting away certain foods. Why would Alfred have done such a thing? His brother may have had a reckless streak in him, but he wasn't stupid. "What happened in the locker room anyway? I remember you texting me when they broke in, but I was so worried about making sure you and Al were okay that I didn't ask for details."

Carlos shrugged. "They were threatening, yeah, but they just wanted to see our phones. As long as we complied, they said they wouldn't kill us. It wasn't a hard decision to make. A phone is nothing compared to your life."

Phones? Alfred was always obsessed with his phone. Matthew pursed his lips as tucked his reusable shopping bags back into their cabinet. Was there something on Alfred's phone he didn't want anybody else to see? Wait, how would his brother even have known that's what the terrorists were after? An ache in his temple needed to be soothed, he massaged it as he made his way back to the foyer, realizing there was no possible way Alfred could've known unless he had some affiliation with the men involved...which might explain why Captain Zwingli was constantly picking him up...and why his twin seemed to be constantly stressed out of his mind.

"You okay?" Carlos noticed the other's face contort in distress.

"I'm just…" Matthew shook his head with a wince, then let out a deep exhale as he sat on the stairs. "The more I piece together, the less sense it all makes. I think Alfred got himself into something deep, but I have no clue what."

"Oh, yeah! That reminds me—"

A knock on the door startled them.

"It's Tim." Matthew recognized his friend's shape through the frosted glass.

Carlos moved forward and opened the door with a grin. "Hola, compadre? What up?"

"Not much," Tim responded with a nod, green eyes immediately fixed on Matthew as he stepped in. "So, what's wrong?"

"I'm just super stressed with everything going on. Alfred's not doing well, Francis is sick and tired of being responsible for us, mom and dad are far away…" Anxiously tugging his hair, he continued. "We have no leads on the serial killer, no information on the guys who raided our school, and now apparently wild animals are killing students at the local college?"

"Huh..." Tim pursed his lips in thought.

"How is that possible? We don't live near a forest." Carlos sent Matthew an incredulous look. If they lived upstate, that would make a believable story, but they lived in Long Island where there were no bears, wild felines, or coyotes. "If anything, it's probably a rabid fox or raccoon. There's not much else it could be."

Matthew lowered his arms as he turned to Tim, desperation gleaming from his eyes. "You go there. What do you think?"

Tim scratched his chin. "Yeah, I heard about it. I just assumed what Carlos said, but hearing you say it all together like that makes me wonder if we're underestimating the situation."

"What do you mean?"

"Ah, well it's a bit hard for me to piece together, but there's this English kid in one of my classes who's really into that detective stuff. He's kind of an oddball and loner, skips a lot too even though the semester only just started. When the professor asked him why I overheard him saying he was doing an important investigation." Tim shrugged. "I've seen him wandering around campus after hours, so maybe there's more to this thing than we think? That, or he's just an idiot who's going to get himself killed."

"You think these wild animals have ties to the serial killer?" Matthew sent the other a doubtful frown.

"Think about it. There are no wild animals here that would attack unless provoked. Maybe these animals aren't wild. Maybe they're somebody's pets and are trained to hunt people."

That was a scary thought, Matthew grimaced. "So your theory is that the serial killer is trying out a new tactic…"

"It's either that or we have a copy-cat who wants to outdo the original," Tim added with a sigh. "This is too complicated for us alone. I should probably ask that guy if he has any leads."

"Yeah, maybe…" Matthew released an annoyed groan. "Maybe we're in way over our heads. Alfred was right, we're never going to catch this guy..."

A small silence passed between the three of them before Carlos spoke up. "You know, speaking of the serial killer, I'm starting to think señor Fernandez might be a victim too."

"Your Spanish teacher?"

"Yeah, see, he's actually my neighbor and I haven't seen him at all since the day before the raid, but some guys in suits did come over to check out his house. And then the day of, we had a sub who ended up being the chick that evacuated us with the music teacher."

The woman he assisted in deactivating the bombs, who then triggered the landmines that nearly blew up his brother. Matthew furrowed his brows as a thought came to him. "Don't you and Alfred share Spanish together?"

"Yes, it was weird though. In the middle of class she went up to him because apparently señor Fernandez left him a note? He was really defensive about it, shot me a nasty look and everything." Carlos rolled his eyes.

Matthew mulled over the new information. Why did it seem like Alfred had a connection with all of these people? The woman from the school, Captain Zwingli, the missing Spanish teacher, being selected as a hostage...what kind of mess did his twin stumble into making him stuck at the center of some interconnected web?

'You will never find him.' That's what his brother told him when he confessed he was trying to decipher the serial killer's identity. At first he assumed that his brother was doubting his capabilities, but now in hindsight, the way Alfred had said it was so certain — like he knew something behind the scenes. What other secrets was he hiding? Just how involved in everything was he? And why was he keeping his own twin in the dark?

Tim noticed the way Matthew's jaw dropped as his indigo eyes widened with realization. "Matthew? What's wrong?"

"Alfred knows."

---

Michelle smiled at him apologetically as she held a filled laundry basket under her arm. "Do you mind being alone for a bit? I just want to get these fresh sheets on the bed, if that's okay."

"I think I can handle this," Alfred sent her a reassuring nod and she smiled gratefully before exiting the room, leaving the teen alone in what was practically a miniature laundromat. It had a row of four washers surrounded by plenty of built-in counters and closet-space, and four dryers stacked 2x2 within a nearby wall. The wealth Sixth possessed continuously impressed him, as well as the amount of guests he had to have on a daily basis that would warrant this much fucking clothes, uniforms, and bedsheets to be washed. The one thing he didn't want to do. Fuck his life.

As he focused on separating the colors from the whites, a sudden strike against the door startled him. Without waiting for his response, it was pushed open.

"Il Rex wants to see you," said an intimidating man in a suit. "I'm here to be your escort."

Shit. Alfred donned his best customer service facade and with a coy smile. "May I finish up the laundry? I almost have everything put away," he asked, pulling out his classic charm. Please say yes, for the love of god please say yes.

The guard's shoulders relaxed, his act proving to be extremely effective. "Very well, be quick. I'll be waiting outside."

"Thank you!" Alfred chirped as the man offered him a small, awkward smile as he gently shut the door. Once hearing footsteps descend down the hall, his arm rested on the nearby counter to prevent himself from collapsing as a deep exhale fell from his lips, dread looming over him. What the fuck was he going to do? Was Sixth suspicious and wanted to question him? Did he catch on to their heist? If the other caught him with his phone, then it was all over. He wouldn't be able to sweet-talk his way out of anything. That was something he couldn't afford to let happen.

Instinct taking over, Alfred immediately rushed to the cabinets to the left of the sink and began searching for a place to hide his phone. Nothing but woven baskets filled with sewing materials and other useless shit, he scowled as he picked up a ziplock bag holding a few spools of thread and thimbles. Fingers smoothing out the plastic, an idea came to him. His gaze darted toward the washer. A very stupid idea.

But he'd do anything to keep his identity safe from Sixth.

Contents were discarded from the bag and thrown back in the basket he found them. Whatever, good enough. Though his phone and casing were already waterproof, the baggie just offered him extra protection. He was risking it all to not risk it all, if that made any sense. There were certain precautions he wanted to take in order to do this correctly. Ugh, but the sound. Someone would be able to hear his phone bouncing within the cylindrical bin as the washer did its cycle, they might grow suspicious and check it out. Think think think-

Socks. There was a hamper filled with white socks beside him. Not caring if they were clean or dirty, he picked one up and widened the opening, slipping his phone inside. Maybe it was best if he double-stacked. Or tripled, quadrupled, however many it took to make his phone a giant wad of cotton. By the time he finished, he couldn't even feel his phone anymore, it was like a minuscule sleeping bag. Perfect. But he couldn't just put this one thing in the washer, it needed to be well hidden. His heart swelled with joy as his eyes landed on a thick, white comforter. Once his phone was folded between many layers, he shoved the wad of cloth into the washer and slammed the door after.

Holy shit.

"Are you almost done in there?" The man called out to him.

"Yeah, almost done!" Alfred replied as he set a timer on the washer. An hour should be enough time for him to get back before it started. If not, then he would have to hope all his extra effort paid off.

As he Approached the door, Alfred took a deep breath. He opened it while flaunting his sweetest smile. "Sorry," he apologized with an innocent tone.

The man offered a small grin back as he shook his head. "It wasn't too long of a wait, you're fine. We just have to pick up the pace getting there."

A nod was his only response before he followed the man down the hall, trying to restrain himself from making any anxious gestures. Time to put all those years of acting to the ultimate test.

He bet Ivan and Zwingli didn't have to deal with this shit.

---

shhhhhBBBTTT-

Ivan pulled out his phone and flipped it open as Zwingli raised his pistol to their supervisor's head before the man had any time to react. Relieved that Alfred didn't suddenly have a dead end, something else caught the Russian's eye.

24 January [11:30]

Fedya threw his phone in the leftmost washer and set a timer for one hour.

What? But why would he...scrolling down, his violet eyes widened.

No.

The way Ivan's irises constricted with a crazed gleam concerned Zwingli. What disturbed him even further was when the teen, eyes glued to the screen, raised his gun pressed the trigger. A single BANG leaving a hole in between the guard's eyes.

"Are you crazy? Do you have any idea what you've done?" Zwingli barked at him as the man fell over dead. "I'd be surprised if we didn't have a whole squadron on their way to kill us now!"

Ivan shot him a sneer. "I am done playing your game," he went to the wall where there were plenty of weapons on display, pulling a sub-machine gun off the rack. "I do this my way," he checked for ammo. Since the magazine was empty, he took the time to find extra cartridges and restock it.

"Think realistically! You think you can just go out there and fight them all yourself?"

"Da," Ivan grinned widely, eyes bright with an excited bloodlust. "I have been waiting for this moment for so long."

Zwingli could only stare at the other with a perturbed grimace. What the hell was wrong with this kid? To think Alfred had to put up with him more than he did. Left with no other choice, he shook his head with a scoff as he picked up a DMR. "Very well, while you do whatever, I'll try to secure us an exit. Just try not to die."

Ivan smiled sweetly in return. "I will not be the one who dies today."

---

Gestured toward the door, Alfred sent his escort a polite nod before opening it with caution, fingers trembling as his nerves finally got to him. Behind this door was the man who said he wanted to be the one to kill him, the one who sent his men to invade his school and murder him, prepared to kill and blow up anyone who got in his way…

A deep breath wasn't enough to quell his anxiety, but nonetheless, he made his way inside. An open billiards room, okay. It was traditional like what he'd seen in the movies, with wood panel walls and a pool table resting on a beautifully large, Persian rug that extended into a seating area. The clinking of glass from a joint room made him raise his head to an archway perpendicular to a lavish, marble fireplace with intricate reliefs embedded into the mantle. This man really liked to dip his wealth everywhere he could.

Tentative steps made their way into the next room, where he was greeted by a candle-lit table, a vase of red roses, and an expensive bottle of alcohol. Huh?

"Alfredo, was it?" Blue irises glanced up to a handsome man in a white suit smirking at him, a glass of sparkling champagne in one hand while amber eyes twinkled in amusement. "I've been meaning to meet you for a while."

The teen paled as he recognized the adult seated on the opposite end of the table. They may have never met personally, but he'd seen the other in passing, mostly on TV and in pictures around the restaurant or his friend's house...

The famous chef and businessman Romulus Vargas, father of Feliciano and Lovino, was the Sixth diary owner.

Alfred actually forgot to breathe.

Notes:

Yay, finally a hint to Arthur since he's a major character in this story even though it's been eight fucking chapters...and we still have to wait a ways before he makes a formal appearance. Fortunately, he's in the role of my fav character from Mirai Nikki, if that brings some multi-shippers any comfort.

Fun Fact: So the maid costume isn't there JUST for fanservice. In ancient Rome, homosexuality wasn't viewed the same as it is today, instead it was a means to display social hierarchy and power dynamics. There is a reason only attractive, younger individuals are employed in Sixth's mansion. It's essentially him just flexing his power and status, and Alfred was quite literally thrown as bait to satiate the wolf. Just trying to add another layer to their confrontation.

So, next chapter things are gonna get dark. Like really fucking dark. Let's just say it's a metaphor, like how the Romans had a huge influence on American culture, Romulus here is gonna have a pretty heavy influence on Alfred's psyche moving forward. For those who watched Mirai Nikki, this is meant to mirror episodes 4 and 5, so YEAH, one of the warning tags is gonna apply. The more you know.

See y'all for part 2.

Chapter 9: In the Seas of Hell

Summary:

The devil is a charming man, but do not be fooled by the tempest within.

Notes:

So some of you may have noticed that I tweaked the title and made this part of a series. Well, that’s because I realized there is NO way I can fit everything into this one story alone, ESPECIALLY since the majority is in Alfred’s perspective. Like, Ivan is way too complicated of a main character for that, he definitely deserves his own spin-off. Hell, this whole universe is pretty dense.

This chapter is pretty long, I guess that makes up for my 3 month absence. I rewrote this many times, so I was definitely working on it. I just wasn’t ever satisfied, so yeah, everything can still be improved, but I also really need to move forward so this is the end product.

Also, TRIGGER WARNING again, this time for attempted rape/non-con. Again, it's mirroring a scene from the anime, so read at your own risk.

[January 10th; 14 days ago]

Sebastian bowed his head. “We’ve brought your eldest son, as was requested.”  

“Bring him in, it’s been a while since we’ve talked.” Romulus waved his hand toward the door, relaxing in his seat before pouring himself a glass of red wine. 

With a nod, his nephew left the office, only for Lovino to come in shortly after. 

“So, uh, nice place you’ve got…” Lovino began awkwardly, his hazel eyes absorbing the room and the excess wealth his father had kept hidden from him. 

A smirk traced Romulus' lips before he switched from Latin to Italian. “I’m sure you and your brother are happy in the abode I provided for you? Neither one of you would like it here...much too chaotic.”

“Happy?” Lovino scoffed. “Feliciano has been miserable ever since the school was attacked! That neighborhood is nothing but trouble! Not only that, but I’m the one who has to take care of him since you don’t even have the courtesy to check up on us! Enjoying your wine, papa? Well, we’ve been dealing with murderous stalkers and school shootings!”

“Let off some steam, have we?” Romulus raised a brow while eliciting an amused chuckled. Lovino glowered at him as if to say 'Is this some joke to you?', so he continued. “Check up on you? And why would I need to do that when my eyes have never wavered?” 

“...What?”

“You’ve always had my bodyguards watching over you. Believe me, had the serial killer made any attempt to harm you, I would’ve taken care of it immediately.”

“Y-you knew the whole time!” Lovino’s eyes widened for a moment before narrowing. “Then why have you done nothing to stop it? He’s still out there as we speak, you could do something about it!”

Unfortunate sacrifices were needed to lure Héderváry into their neighborhood, but Romulus remained stoic, face betraying nothing. “I never said I knew the identity of the serial killer, I said I kept my eyes on you. My resources can only be extended to a few things outside of work, the rest must be prioritized accordingly.” Finally, he let out a perfected solemn sigh. “I had hoped I could protect you from this harsh reality, but now I finally see you’re no longer a child. You’ve grown attached to people you also seek to protect and I lack the perspective to help you in that regard. My apologies, but this only finalizes my decision.”

Lovino’s shoulders relaxed, but he still eyed his father warily. “Decision?”

With a nod, Romulus bit back a smirk. “I want you to become my successor.”

“You don’t...you don’t mean the restaurant, do you?” His eyes were downcast as realization struck him. 

“The restaurant is merely a front to the real source of our wealth,” Romulus confirmed, watching his son wince. “But this is no surprise. In your heart you’ve always known, haven’t you?”

“I had the feeling something was off...when our workers would go to the back room with strangers and talk, sometimes bringing in boxes and storing them in the cellar…”

“Yes, and I’m so proud of you for not saying anything to anyone. I know you have...strong feelings toward my line of work.” Lovino sent him a weak glare. That was an understatement. “But think of this as an opportunity to protect the ones you care for. The people you love.”

“I could...I could protect Alfredo?” Lovino’s eyes brightened. 

Having heard this name in passing a few times before, Romulus’ brows raised with curiosity. “Isn’t he Feliciano’s classmate? Pray tell, why would the serial killer be after him?”

“I…” Flustered, Lovino grumbled under his breath. “Everyone the serial killer murdered, they were people I liked…whoever they were, they didn’t want me around anyone.”

This was a fact the crime lord was aware of, but he feigned ignorance. “Very well, but if this Alfredo were in danger, wouldn’t he have been attacked long ago?”

A flinch. Lovino averted his gaze. “Back in November, after what happened with...Emma...I was really scared he’d be next. I couldn’t let that happen, so I told him he was banned from the restaurant...that I hated him. It hurt to say, but at the time it was the only way I could keep him safe...”

“I see.” Romulus put down his glass and leaned back in his chair, fingers laced together. “Then yes, with my power extended to you, you will be able to keep an eye on him. Who else is aware of your feelings?”

Blush crept on to his neck, he attempted to rub it away. “Ah, well, I haven’t told anyone except you...but I’m certain Feliciano and Antonio have figured it out.” 

“Antonio?” The teacher from the school Héderváry had been investigating? Who coincidentally missed work the day after Third’s death...

Oblivious to the way his father’s eyes clouded in thought, Lovino let out a sardonic chuckle. “Yeah, that bastard. It’s strange...he hasn’t visited me in weeks even though he always comes over for a meal. I told him I wasn’t safe to be around, but he never listened! It’s his own fault if the serial killer got him too...I just — I really hope he’s okay…” His voice grew small, chewing on his lip as he worried over the possibility of his close friend being another victim. 

At this, all of Romulus’ suspicions had been confirmed and all the pieces were falling into place. Third had been Antonio, Héderváry had been tracking him as the serial killer. Third was killed by First who was helped by Second. Héderváry knew First was a student at the school. Alfred was a student at the school. Third had a reason to continue his pursuit of Alfred once the survival game started. After all, who cared about morals and restraint when the end of the world was only 110 days away? When the title of God of Time and Space was on the line? 

Which only meant one thing: Alfred was quite possibly First. Of course, he’d have to do some research of his own. Have some of his men search Antonio’s property, see if an image of Alfred matched the silhouette of the scared child he saw in the Cathedral of Causality. The cowlick would be a dead giveaway, his lips twisted into a grin. 

“If just one person...if Alfredo can live, then maybe I’m not such a burden after all...” His son’s voice broke his train of thought.

Killing the boy immediately would be a waste, especially if his diary was as good as Deus implied. Lovino also deserved another reward; his job distracting Third long enough to attract Ninth had been a worthy cause to join their famiglia, but his contributions discovering First's identity when his raid had failed? That was enough for him to consider sparing Alfred’s life until the kid outlived his usefulness. 

The other King on the board was left exposed. Checkmate.

---

[January 24th; Present Day]

“Well?” Mr. Vargas’ eyes flickered to the chair. “Aren’t you going to join me?”

‘Act natural. You don’t know anything,’ Alfred cautioned himself, steadily pulling the chair back and taking a seat. Amber eyes remained fixed on him, as did his smirk. Though he practically had the same physical features as his sons, the teen couldn’t imagine that expression on either of them. It was uncanny to see something so...cocky, dare he say lubricious, on a face he normally saw as grouchy or cheerful. 

“What’s wrong? Cat got your tongue?” The man teased in a flirtatious tone. 

A blush bloomed on his cheeks despite his discomfort, Alfred stared at his fidgeting hands while they tugged on the hem of a black skirt. “S-sorry, sir.”

“Nothing a bit of alcohol can’t help.” Romulus picked up the bottle and poured the sparkling liquid into his empty Venetian flute. “Here, try my champagne.”

Alfred really didn’t want to. “I can’t.”

“Oh?” The crime lord perked up with an amused expression. “Why is that?”

“I’m underage,” he responded simply, fingers gripping his uniform as though that alone would be enough to keep him grounded. 

“Of course. You’re the same age as my dear Feli, if not a bit younger. Correct?” At this, Alfred nodded, risking a glance up. “Ah, it can be our little secret then,” Romulus winked, and Alfred managed a meek smile knowing there was no way he’d get around the other’s hospitality.

As he picked up the glass, Romulus raised his own and gave him an expectant look. Confused, Alfred remained still until the other clinked their glasses together. “Oh, that’s what you meant...” He muttered as he stared at his drink in embarrassment before bringing it to his lips. 

“A toast to your new job here,” Romulus explained, watching the other take a gulp and make a face as the liquid burned his throat. Mr. Vargas chuckled. “Was that your first time?”

“No,” Alfred admitted as he set the drink down. “But it’s been a while.” He eyed the other suspiciously. “Do you normally do things like this for your employees?”

“Only when they’re worthy of my attention.” His eyes were dark and the grin curving his lips was too sultry for comfort.

Alfred stilled, feeling awkward and increasingly uncomfortable with the sudden tension in the room. Was it sexual? Was it because he was in the same room as the man who threatened to kill him and then attempted to? Who knew? Taking a deep breath, he did what was easiest and ignored the atmosphere. If Sixth was trying to make him feel vulnerable, he just had to show the other that he was too oblivious to be fazed by that sort of tactic. People like Sixth fed on fear, they derived power from their dominance over others. Alfred just needed to lower the man’s guard, make him think he was your typical dumb blond, then be sent on his merry way once the other realized he wasn’t a threat. “I don’t think doing laundry and making beds warrants a fancy dinner with the Romulus Vargas.”  

“Ah, perhaps not." The celebrity cocked his head to the side. “But then again, you are no ordinary person, First.”

'He knows. He fucking knows.'  Mentally, Alfred cursed Zwingli for giving him a false sense of security. “What are you talking about?” He cocked his head to the side, eyes wide and unassuming as they conveyed confusion. If there was the slightest chance to convince Mr. Vargas he was mistaken, he was taking it. 

“Cute. You’re very easy on the eyes, I can see why my son likes you, but surely you don’t believe that was the only reason you were hired?” Romulus chuckled. “I’ve caught on to your little heist. You, Fourth and Second have merely fallen into another one of my traps.” 

So many questions swirled in Alfred’s head. How did the crime boss catch on to their plan? Where did he get all his information from? Completely blindsided, his mouth dried while he struggled to maintain his composure. 

“To think you almost succeeded had I not had a wildcard in my hand. Ah, but don’t feel discouraged, I don’t intend on killing you. I simply want you to do me a favor.”

“A favor?” Alfred repeated, voice cracking. 

Romulus grinned, the strange glint in his eye didn’t go unnoticed. 

---

“Are you going to kill me?” The sarcasm wasn’t missed. 

Zwingli narrowed his eyes as his finger gently rested against the trigger of his DMR, the barrel aimed toward Ninth’s chest. The woman’s arms were casually raised in surrender, the only reason he hadn’t shot her dead yet. “Give me one reason I shouldn’t eliminate you right now.”

“Fourth—” Elisabeth managed a tight smile. “You’d be dead had I not intervened.” 

“I had everything handled,” the detective answered, tone dripping with annoyance. “For all I know, that grenade could’ve been aimed at me.”

“You’re alive, aren’t you?” She rolled her eyes. “You know my strengths. I didn’t have to go out of my way to help you.”

“And what reason do you have for that?” Zwingli raised a brow. 

Elisabeth rolled her shoulders in a careless shrug. “I want a truce. Nothing more.” 

“Oh, how far you’ve fallen. Relying on me for help,” the detective taunted with a sneer, relaxing his posture as his gun trailed to a less vital target. 

“I had everything under control until you and Second riled up security.” Ninth huffed indignantly, crossing her arms. “The two of you shouldn’t even be here. You’ve ruined everything I’ve been working for. I could’ve had the advantage!” Pinching the bridge of her nose, Elisabeth let out a heavy sigh. “If you want to get rid of Sixth, we’re going to have to work together.”

Zwingli stared at her dismissively. “That’s not my job at the moment. I’m securing an exit for the others.”

“Assuming they’re not dead yet.” Elisabeth scoffed. “There’s no way they’ll make it anywhere near Sixth without my files. It took me over a decade to get that data.”

“I wouldn’t underestimate Second.” Zwingli narrowed his eyes. “That kid single-handedly purged Sixth’s men on the day of the raid. There’s something not right about him. He’s dangerous. There’s no way he’ll go down easily.” 

“That means nothing if he doesn’t know about the secret passages. Sixth will always have the element of surprise, this place is New York’s Murder Castle.” 

“I have my reasons to believe otherwise.” Zwingli’s eyes darkened. “Answer me this: were you the one who left a lead to Sixth on my desk?”

“What lead?” Elizabeth raised a brow. “You really think I would share my information with you? Not unless you agree to my truce.” 

“Thought so.” The detective averted his gaze as a scowl marred his features. “I have no doubt that Second has a personal grudge against Sixth. There’s a good chance that he’s been preparing for this moment just as much as you.”

“Then perhaps I should ally myself with him, considering how we both share a vendetta and all.”

“I wouldn’t dare approach him if I were you. I recall him mentioning how he wanted nothing more than to gut you for putting First’s life at risk.” Zwingli gave her a dry smirk. 

“I have nothing against the kid. I just needed a diversion.” She frowned. “It’s not like you were going to let me go, am I right?”

“A criminal like you? No.” 

Elisabeth groaned in frustration. “You’ve read my profile, you’ve seen my contracts. You and I both know that all my targets got what they deserved.” Her gaze hardened. “I’m not your enemy. We both want justice, even if our methods don’t always coincide.” 

Zwingli lowered his arms, barrel aimed toward the floor as he eyed the other with suspicion. “What exactly do you hope to gain from this survival game?”

“I don’t care who wins, just as long as it isn’t Sixth or someone similar.” Her eyes narrowed. “If we’re being given this opportunity to choose the next god, we have to use it wisely. I’d rather the world end than leave it in the hands of another Deus.”

Zwingli let out a cynical chuckle. As lawless as the other was, Ninth was hard to argue with. They were more similar than he’d anticipated. She had a point, all of her contracts had been terrible human beings — the banes of society. Though he disagreed with her execution, he recognized she had her morals. For one, she risked her life to evacuate the school and disarm the bomb, then she risked being detected during her reconnaissance to help him clear the room. As much as he hated to admit it, her skills out in the field also made her a very valuable partner. After weighing his options, he finally came to a conclusion. “I may have some use for you.”

“So, you agree? We have a truce?”

The detective kicked a nearby pistol toward her. “First, let’s clear a path. We can discuss the details of our alliance later.”

---

“You want me to join you?” Alfred’s blue eyes blinked at incredulous offer.

Romulus nodded. “From what Deus said, I assume you’re a very competent individual despite your appearance? After all, you did survive two dead ends, clearly there must be something special about you.” As much as Alfred wanted to argue that point, to say that he hadn’t done a damn thing and wouldn’t even be alive had Ivan not constantly saved him, it was for the best he didn’t convince the dangerous crime lord he was worthless. That, and Romulus would undoubtedly ask questions that could put Ivan and Zwingli at risk. They were his only means of getting out of the mansion alive, there was no way he’d rat them out. “Of course, with our alliance comes protection, more so than Fourth or Second could ever provide.”

“I—” Alfred frowned, appalled by the suggestion. “No! You attacked my school. People are dead! How could I ever trust someone like you?” 

“So you would put your trust into the monster that gunned my men down without mercy? You do know they're human, right? They have families mourning them,” Romulus answered sternly. “The world isn’t so black and white, Alfredo. Sometimes the end justifies the means.”

“What justifies killing innocent people?” 

“Everything is on the line when the fate of the world rests on our shoulders.” Amber eyes pinned him to his chair, meticulously observing his reaction. “Would you rather have a quick death or watch the world around you slowly tear everything you love apart?”

“What are you talking about?” 

“You know Deus is dying, correct? That’s why he must choose a successor,” Sixth explained. Alfred's jaw clenched at the reveal, caught between his mixed feelings. On one hand, he absolutely hated the god for forcing him into this predicament, for making him a cheap source of entertainment at the cost of his own life…on the other, he had so many fond memories of their time together. It was heartbreaking, his imaginary friend, the one he’d always gone to for comfort, had turned out to be nothing more than a sadistic deity. To learn that the other was dying? It felt like retribution for his betrayal, but the realization also pained him. “We have less than 97 days left until the game is concluded, do you know why that is?”

“Is that...is that when Deus is supposed to die?”

Romulus gave him a nod, a pleased smile on his face. “Yes, exactly. But there’s more to it than that. Surely you know what will happen then?” Slowly, Alfred shook his head. “Without a god to maintain order, the universe will collapse in on itself. Everything will be destroyed.” 

Alfred’s heart stopped. “Wait, seriously?” 

“If you doubt me, you could always ask Deus yourself next time you get the chance.”

Averting his gaze, Alfred wasn’t sure if it was wise to tell the other he was currently giving Deus the silent treatment. He didn’t even want to look at him or Tony, he was too pissed off for everything he had to endure the past couple of weeks. Besides, Ivan already seemed to know everything. There was no reason to see the deity when Ivan was there to answer all of his questions concerning the game. 

“It makes sense,” he agreed, gaze fixed on the perlage in his glass as he processed this new information. 

“Don’t you see? Everything that happens between now and then is all just a part of the game. Who knows how the world will decay? Will it be gradual as Deus gets progressively weaker or will it happen all at once when the timer reaches zero? It’s the lack of concrete answers that makes it all the more daunting.”

To be fair, the conversation alone was giving Alfred anxiety. It was like Deus had given them no choice but to fight to the death, otherwise everyone would die anyway. It was an ultimatum to encourage them to participate, as if the incentive of becoming god alone wasn’t enough to make a person throw away all their morals. That meant that he and Ivan couldn’t always be on the defensive. If they wanted the world to continue its existence, there could only be one surviving champion…

The stakes were just too high. Matthew, Kiku, the rest of his family and friends. They didn’t deserve a grim fate, they were innocent, just like everybody else not involved in this stupid game. How could Deus be so cruel to punish those who’ve done nothing but simply exist?

“I can only hope it’s the latter of the two,” Romulus continued. “I have no doubt the panic will be more terrifying than what follows suit. If you thought my raid was reckless, I’d hate to see what the other diary owners will resort to when their desperation consumes them.” He sighed in resignation, his exhausted front almost sympathetic. “I simply want to end this game as soon as possible. Anything to avoid getting others mixed in to our mess.”

It was hard to get a clear understanding of Sixth’s motives. He displayed himself as very vulnerable person, someone who did the wrong things for the right reasons. Though Alfred still disagreed with his actions, he couldn’t help but feel conflicted. With his sheltered and naive upbringing, he’d grown up with a very clear view of what was right and wrong, but after being sucked into this game and meeting Ivan, it was so easy for him to be filled with doubt. These days, it was just hard for him to understand anything anymore. Maybe he never had.

There was also the fact that Romulus was extremely charismatic, it was hard not to fall for his charm, though fortunately Alfred had some experience with acting under his belt. His lips pressed together tightly, wondering just how sincere Sixth was being, if he was even being sincere at all. What exactly was his plan? Stuck in a situation where he needed a boost, he took another few gulps of champagne to calm his nerves.  

“So, I’m supposed to believe you’re the good guy?” Alfred set his glass down, daring to meet Sixth's eyes. 

“Of course not.” Romulus smiled. “I know exactly what I am. But amongst all those terrible things, I’m also a father.” His amber gaze gleamed triumphantly when he saw the other straighten. “You know my boys, Alfredo. My Feli and Lovi. How do you think they’d behave in the face of an apocalypse? What parent would want their children to endure such a horrific thing?”

“You made your own son a hostage,” Alfred accused, hoping that would be enough to finalize his perception of the other. Sixth was a bad man, end of discussion. 

Romulus’ lip curled into a frown. “I did not. My men took him away for his own safety. He was never in any real danger, not that he knew, of course. I like to keep my business and personal life separate when I can, at least for their sake.”

“Don’t you think they deserve to know?” 

“We all have our secrets, First. I don’t suppose you’ve told your family all about your involvement in this competition?” 

“No…” Chewing on his bottom lip nervously, Alfred knew the other had seen through him perfectly. He was mentally defeated, left more confused than ever. There was no way he could be Romulus’ enemy. Only bad people deserved to die, and that was in the most extreme cases. If this man was the father of Feliciano, who loved and spoke of him so fondly, could he really be evil? 

“Well, there you have it.” 

The sound of a pen scribbling against paper caught both their attention, Romulus pulled a small journal from his coat pocket and opened it, skimming through the more recent entries with an impassive expression. He had anticipated Fourth and Ninth killing each other, but the fact they were detected working together only escalated things. He needed to change course if he was to keep things under control. 

The diary was tucked back into his pocket while he studied the other. “Clocks ticking, Alfredo. Have you made your decision yet?”

“Huh? You mean the alliance?” Sixth sent him a nod and smile, but Alfred could only reciprocate with wary eyes. “I still don’t trust you.”

“After I told you the truth? Even after I explained myself?” Romulus seemed perplexed, as though Alfred should’ve forgiven him for everything he’s done. 

“Just because you think you’re right doesn’t mean you are.” Alfred scowled. “At the end of the day, you’re just using people.”

“As if you aren’t using those two allies of yours for your own gain.” Romulus huffed, gaze suddenly becoming intense. “Do you really believe you can get anywhere in life without wrapping others around your finger?”

Alfred almost defended himself, saying that it wasn’t like that at all...but was it really? Ivan freaked him out, but he always found himself going back to the other for protection. Was he really using him? All he wanted to do was live, becoming god meant nothing to him, and Ivan proved time and time again that he was his best chance for survival. Sixth was a person who used his persuasion skills as a weapon, could their situations really considered the same? It made him think about the other’s true intentions. “Is that what you’re you’re doing to me? Trying to appeal to me just so you can stab me in the back?”

Brown eyes narrowed. “I can give you everything you want, Alfredo. By my side, you will be given the best luxuries a man can afford. You will live safely knowing that none of the other diary owners can even come close to you. Does that not sound ideal?”

“Yeah, but at what cost? Am I supposed to expect that in the end you’ll let me go free? Are we gonna wait until one of us randomly drops dead and use that to determine who becomes god?” Alfred shook his head, eyes squinting in suspicion. “What if you’re trying to keep me trapped here like cattle? That you just want to use me like you use everybody else?” 

Romulus stared at him long and hard, expression unwavering until he finally let out a dark chuckle, a sly grin on his face. “It takes one to know one, I suppose…” 

Alfred fumed. “I’m nothing like you!”

“No, perhaps not exactly. Not yet.” Romulus took a sip of his champagne, the amusement in his eyes never faltering. “You haven’t gotten to that point, have you? But you will.” He wore a clairvoyant smirk as he set the glass down. “Once upon a time, I was very much like you. Innocent, optimistic. I had big dreams for the future. That was before my father’s rival decided that kidnapping his bastard son and slaughtering his own mother in front of him would give him leverage over the other.” Sixth shrugged nonchalantly, as though the sudden disclosure of information hadn’t shocked Alfred into silence. “At the time, I hadn’t even known about him. My mother and I were just living in the slums of Rome, panhandling tourists to make a living. Then before I knew it, I was a hostage in my captor’s home. On good days, I was treated like royalty. On bad days, I was beaten to send a message. It wasn’t until I realized that if I became what others wanted, I could get them to do things for me. As I won over their favor, I could ask for more and more things. Eventually, I was able to prove to my host family I was a worthy heir, that I was much more competent than their weak-minded son. I assassinated my actual father for their trust, married their daughter and staged a coup as I conquered the remains of both empires. It was the greatest heist of the century. I’m quite proud I was able to accomplish it all alone. All it took were some sweet words and complementary action.” Romulus held a thoughtful pause. “How interesting, I’ve never even told my sons that. Perhaps history is repeating itself?”

Alfred’s stomach churned, his mouth dry. He hadn’t expected the tragic backstory to come up, nor the implications of his own fate. The thought alone scared him, he had to get out of there now. “I’ve been here long enough.” He stood up. “I have to finish helping Michelle. After all, what are you paying me for, am I right?” All he could manage was a nervous giggle. 

Romulus laughed. “Are you stupid? After everything I’ve just shared with you, you honestly don’t think I’ll be letting you go, do you?” His smile was kind, as if that were something Alfred should be enthusiastic about. 

Alfred furrowed his brows. “I never agreed to an alliance.”

“That was for formality. It’s not like you ever really had a choice.” 

“What?” Paling, Alfred shook his head. “No! That’s not how that works!” 

“Bambino, do you honestly believe you can win in life by playing fair?” Romulus tutted with a fond expression. “You’re adorable. I can see why my son is so taken with you.”

“Don’t belittle me! I'm not your captive!” Alfred snapped. He spun on his heel and made his way toward the doorway, only to have two men in suits suddenly block his exit. “Shit.”

Romulus leaned back in his chair. “I’m a generous man, Alfredo. I can make this a very pleasant stay for you or I can make it so each day you wished you were dead. The choice is yours.” 

Alfred bit down on his lip, hard, trying to maintain a strong facade. There was no way he could show weakness, he just couldn’t accept whatever Sixth had in store for him. “I’m not helping you. My allies will come through for me, you’ll see.” He promised, brows narrowing with defiance. He hoped he appeared more brave than he felt. 

“Such sweet faith you have in them, it’s almost like you don’t realize they’re using you themselves,” Sixth noted patronizingly. “Is that your final answer?”

Instantly his mind went to Ivan, who despite everything, had never let him down yet. He hated putting his faith in the other, especially after knowing his psychotic, dirty secret, but right now he was running out of options. With a single nod, Alfred gave his answer. 

“Very well.” The crime lord’s fingers snapped and Alfred suddenly felt two pairs of hands restraining him. Their hold on his arms kept him firmly in place, even as he struggled. “Search him.”

A third man entered the scene, standing before Alfred with a vile smirk that made him sneer in disgust. He squirmed as strange hands reached out and trailed down his body, patting him down, occasionally lingering on a spot for a moment too long. A warning growl spilled from his lips, but it wasn’t until they met each other’s gaze that the man decided to remind him who was in control and reached under his skirt, a firm hand groping his ass. 

On instinct, his foot planted itself straight into the creep's abdomen with all his might. Alfred’s face was red as he attempted to thrash in his captor’s arms, only to be outmatched in terms of strength. Enraged, he’d do more than just kick the other if he could.

“Puttana del cazzo!” The man who assaulted him cursed, a wild gleam in his eyes as he staggered in an attempt to get back up, fist raised in retaliation as though this weren’t his fault to begin with. 

Fortunately Romulus decided to intervene, standing up and approaching the rest of them with a hand raised for the other to stand down. His expression was completely apathetic, instead he seemed annoyed. “Nothing?”

“Nothing, sir. I could do a cavity search if you want.”

Alfred went white, turning to Sixth helplessly. He almost let out a sigh of relief when the other shook his head while fixing his cuffs. “No need. Our bambino is clearly inexperienced. Perhaps there’s still a chance we can get through to him without violence? I did promise my boy a reward, after all. I wouldn't want to spoil it.”

“Of course, mi rex.”

Romulus took a few steps forward, standing close enough to Alfred to violate his personal space. “Where’s your diary?” he demanded.

Biting his bottom lip, Alfred kept his eyes glued to the floor and shook his head. “I don’t know.”

His peripherals betrayed him as he saw brown eyes twitch. Romulus’ expression contorted into something downright terrifying — the glare in his irises was almost enough to strike him dead. “I’ve been patient. I’ve tried to be understanding. I could’ve kept you safe until the end. I could’ve made it so you had a painless death in your sleep,” he spat. “If you want to be a difficult brat, then so be it. You’ll learn your place eventually once you settle into your role, if not as my guest, then as my prisoner.” He took a moment to regain his composure, forcing a smile as though he hadn’t just done a 180. “Now, I’m going to ask you one more time. Where. Is. It?”

“I don’t have it!” He hated how frightened he sounded, like a child in trouble. “I swear!” 

A sudden impact on his cheek startled him, the force of it knocking him off his feet — the henchmen's hold on him had been the only thing keeping him from falling over. There were stars blocking his vision, and even as they faded, the agonizing sting lingered as the smell of rust entered his nostrils. Blood? Since when does a backhand result in— oh.' It was then he realized Sixth was wearing rings. No one had ever hit him like that in his life, it was hard for him not to break down and cry. Throat dry, eyes red as he struggled to keep the tears at bay, Alfred somehow managed to remain defiant as he glared at the other. 

---

The sub-machine gun was running low on ammunition, Ivan noted with a scowl as he checked his pockets for extra cartridges. Blyad. They were all exhausted after using the last one on those men blocking the back corridor. There was still the pistol he received earlier, having been able to scavenge some ammo from some of the men he killed as he fought his way to the upper floor, but he was hoping he could save that for later. No matter. He’d either find some hidden arms or loot them from corpses. 

A dreamy sigh flowed from lips, he couldn’t wait to see the look on his beloved’s face when he came to his rescue! Alfred would swoon when he saw his knight in shining armor arrive, and Ivan would then slay Sixth and whisk his prince into his arms — a happily ever after. It made him giddy just thinking about it! 

Footsteps approached. The smile on his face died as his gaze sharpened with alertness, ducking behind a wardrobe. It was just a young lady humming to herself as she left the laundry room at the end of the corridor. Unsuspecting, clearly the average civilian, he merely waited until she walked passed him before taking long strides toward the door. Quietly opening it, he slipped inside just as he heard the girl scream, most likely encountering one of his more recent victims. 

It was loud in the laundry room, the machines clunked and rattled as they did their cycles. He pulled out his phone and re-read the entry. Leftmost washer. Eyes darted toward the timer on the appliance, it had about two minutes before it began. Gloved fingers ghosted over the cancellation sensor, allowing him to open the door and reach inside. Yet even he couldn't mask his initial confusion as pulled out a wad of cotton. 

An amused giggle escaped him. Alfred was as precious as he was creative! Still, it was very impressive fast-thinking on his part. If Sixth got his hands on Alfred’s diary, it would’ve been much more difficult to save him. Not impossible, Ivan would never let it get to that extent, but this just stacked all the cards in their favor. 

He unbundled the lump and discarded the socks onto the floor to finally reveal the ziplock bag holding the phone. Unlocking it was simple, he knew Alfred’s passcode by heart, and went to check the most recent entries. 

They were mainly about Alfred’s surroundings, the only consistency was that it was in his perspective. Though sporadic in nature, some of the entries were extremely descriptive and constant — he was immediately able to tell which room he was in, how many men were there, and what Sixth was doing. No wonder it was so powerful.

In regards to Alfred’s condition, he had to check his own diary for that. Sixth had hurt him and that alone was enough justification to slaughter them all. Determined, he advanced toward the door, eager to get to his sunflower’s side before he suffered any more. 

Shhhhhhhbt—

—Shhhhzzzzt—

Both his and Alfred’s diary changed. That meant Sixth’s had as well and said diary owner was now reacting to the changes made. They would be relocating soon. A confident grin stretched across Ivan’s lips as he analyzed the text. How predictable, and coincidentally it worked in his favor. He tucked away both phones into his pocket before picking up his pace. There was no time to waste. 

---

Forced to follow Sixth into the billiards room, Alfred’s breath hitched when he noticed the room was now filled with more men. How had he not heard them enter? Did they not make a sound? If he thought he was way over his head before, now he was completely surrounded. He was downright petrified. 

The sound of a pen scratching on paper jolted him out of his panic. Again Romulus retrieved his journal, skimming through its pages only for his eyes to widen at what he saw. The text had rewritten itself into a phrase he had yet to see. 

[DEAD END]

What? Romulus flipped back a few pages, noticing the number of entries had diminished since the last time he saw them. His eyes on the mansion were rapidly decreasing. But how? There was no way Second could have the upper-hand, he’d have to be familiar with the various secret passages, which was impossible. No one outside his most trusted circle had access to them.

“You two,” he said in Latin, nodding toward the men closest to the door. “Find Second and tell us anything you can. The rest of us will be heading toward the safe room.” He turned to another as they left the room. “Where is Lovino?”

Though Alfred couldn’t understand a word Mr. Vargas said, he froze at the mention of his ex-friend. Was he here too?

“Sebastian is already on it,” the other responded. 

“Good.” Sixth gestured toward the fireplace. “Let’s move out.” 

Alfred cautiously regarded another henchman when he approached him with handcuffs, eyes wincing as his arms were forced behind his back just before the new restraints clicked in place. A man dug a blindfold out of his pocket while Romulus and some guards approached the fireplace, no doubt some secret passageway. That would explain why they didn’t want him to see anything. The cloth was wrapped around his eyes, but his trembling didn't start until he felt something metallic press into his spine.

“Come along now, bambino.” A hand on his shoulder steered him forward, but it was rough and impatient. Alfred could only wonder about what made Sixth lose his his composure.

Was it because of Ivan? Was Romulus afraid of him? One part of him wanted to revel in the satisfaction of Sixth getting payback, yet he was also extremely worried. Caught in the mafia’s clutches, he couldn’t see any plausible way of getting out of this mess. Even if Ivan wanted to come save him, how could he single-handedly get through all of Sixth’s men? There was no way around it. Alfred was royally screwed.

After a while of walking, perhaps ten minutes with the majority of time spent descending stairs, the blindfold was finally removed from him, as was the stranger’s hand. Surprised, he slowly took in his surroundings. Where was he? An underground cantina? It greatly resembled Mr. Vargas’ restaurant, with its brick walls and dark wood floors. There was a large, antique wooden bar with a granite countertop and brown leather barstools beneath dim, yellow-lit, vintage lamps. Rows of alcohol were displayed on various racks on the far wall and a large TV hung in the center. In the other direction, Alfred was met with a large seating area filled with more mobsters, most seated with their weapons resting on tables within arm's reach. All it took was one wrong move and he’d be gunned down. There was no escaping this. 

Romulus glanced over to him and smirked upon seeing his alarmed expression. “Is the scared little rabbit afraid of the big bad wolf?” He cooed, gently resting a hand beneath Alfred’s chin and tilting it up. “It’s alright. There’s no safer place than right here...though I suppose that means nothing to you. Fortunately, there’s still time to beg for forgiveness. I can make things very comfortable for you if you just tell me where you hid your diary.” 

“I didn’t bring it,” Alfred lied. “I was told not too.”

“You would tell me that when your diary is the one thing keeping you alive?” Sixth pulled a revolver out of his pocket and aimed it between the Alfred's eyes. As he clicked the safety off, the teen gulped a dry breath. 

“Sir, you should see this…” One of the men approached his boss, holding up a tablet with footage from one of their security cams. 

Sixth glared at the man with a serious expression. “Is this...where I think this is?”

“Yes.” The man nodded. “He’s making his way toward us as we speak.”

“I suppose you make good bait.” Romulus considered his next move before turning back to Alfred. “We will lure your precious ally here and kill him.” Murderous fingers caressed his golden hair, but Alfred wanted nothing more than to wipe that smirk off Sixth's face. “You know, your friend took a detour to the laundry room. Is it a coincidence that was the room I retrieved you from? Or perhaps something more…” 

‘Fuck!’ Alfred wanted to scream. 

“It seems I win in the end. After all, I always get what I want.” He paused for a moment, rubbing his chin. “Though that does not change the fact you lied to me. You’re quite good. You’d be dangerous if there was actually a brain in that pretty little head of yours.”

Alfred swallowed the lump in his throat. Frustrated tears rolled down his cheeks despite his endeavor to hold them back. It was over— he'd lost. Every second that passed just meant he was inching closer to death, and all he could think about was how he'd have to spend his final moments in the grasp of someone like Sixth. They were too close to each other, it was torturous. All he wanted was for Romulus to forget he was there. Just put him out of his misery and let him disappear. 

“Ohhh, povero piccolo.” Romulus drew closer, blocking his line of sight so his face was the only thing he could see. His thumb began tracing the wound on his cheek with pride as he reveled in the teen quivering before him. “Just answer a few questions for me and I won’t hurt you anymore.” Alfred responded with a hesitant nod. “Splendido. Now, tell me what your diary tells you.”

“I-It tells me what I’m going to observe.” Alfred relented, glancing away in shame.

“I see. And Second’s?”  

“It’s not a threat to you at all. It just tells him about me.” 

“Ah, so that’s why Deus said it wasn’t impressive.” He beamed. “This is perfect. I can work with this.” 

“Papa?” Alfred’s eyes widened when he recognized a new voice, paling when they rested on a certain individual. “ A-Alfredo?”

Romulus was becoming intoxicated with his constant triumphs, euphoria taking hold as First stiffened beneath his touch. “My son, I’m glad to see you are safe!”

“Wh-what, I d-don’t—” Lovino struggled to speak, overwhelmed by the sight of his father stroking his crush’s face.

“Do you like what I’ve caught? Such a handsome little thing…” Alfred cringed as Sixth dug his fingers into his chin and forced him to face the other. 

“What...What is he doing here?” Lovino finally managed to say, his brows furrowed in confusion. 

“Trying to kill me, no doubt. Your little sweetheart isn’t as innocent as he seems, I’m afraid,” Romulus hummed, watching the distressed teen carefully. 

“N-No, he would never…”

“Oh, really? That’s interesting you would say that considering he’s the one who killed your friend Antonio.”

Both Alfred and Lovino stilled at this, but the former could only gawk as everything clicked into place. The bleachers. The note. The substitute. 

Lovino shook his head. “There’s no way— No.”

“But it’s true, and I have you to thank for helping me put together the pieces.” Alfred's gaze focused on Sixth, his heart palpitating. How would Lovino have known? Were they working together this whole time? He shot his old friend a glance, but the other seemed taken aback by that statement. “I think it’s fitting you get your reward now.”

Alfred startled when he felt Romulus’ hand clasp around the back of his neck, guiding him forward so he was face-to-face with the guy who claimed to hate him only a few months ago. Cheeks heated and unable to make eye contact, the humiliation he was enduring had reached a breaking point.

“What?” Lovino squeaked. Suddenly Alfred was pushed forward, only to be steadied by Lovino’s hands on his forearms. Fuck, these handcuffs were a bitch. He hated being manhandled like he was some doll. “Papa, I don’t understand—”

“I thought you liked him? The only reason I haven’t killed him yet is because of you.”

“K-killed him?” 

Romulus raised a brow. “Have you changed your mind?” 

On the verge of panic, he couldn't believe someone he once regarded as a friend caught him in such a pathetic state. It was the last straw needed to break Alfred's composure. “Lovi, please, I know you hate me, but please don’t let him kill me.” Hazel eyes widened as he choked on a sob, shaking his head desperately. “Please! I don’t wanna die!” Not like this. Not with him. 

Alfred let out a yelp as a rough hand yanked his hair back. Lovino was startled by the action, taking a step forward in an attempt to help the other, but he was surprised to find himself held back by his father’s men. “W-what are you doing? Let him go!”

“That’s fine,” Sixth said callously, ignoring his son. “I’m sure I can find plenty of other uses for him.”

---

No, no, no. Ivan cursed under his breath. He needed to conserve the ammo in his pistol as the amount he currently had wouldn’t be enough to take down a room full of Sixth’s men. Patrolling the living room, he quickly brushed his hands beneath a few pieces of furniture for any weapons. There was a magnum hidden within the couch, though he growled and tossed it after discovering it was empty. Alfred needed him. He had to hurry. 

A glimmer caught his attention. Mounted over the fireplace mantle was a spatha.

It wasn’t a gun, but it was something. Ivan let out a heavy sigh as he took the sword off the display rack and unsheathed it. To his surprise, it was genuine rather than decorative. The steel used was high carbon, well-preserved, and extremely sharp. He made a few test swings and found that it was durable, but then realized it may have been created as a backup for a scenario where guns were rendered useless. How ironic that it would wind up in enemy hands. Ivan smirked as he slipped the sheath back on and wrapped the leather belt around his waist. 

After making his way through a hall, he found himself in the kitchen. Large and beautifully ornate, he ignored that in favor of the butler’s pantry, rapping the back of his knuckles along the wall. Somewhere around here had to be where the dumbwaiter used to be. 

Then he found it— hollow wood.

His violet eyes brightened. All was going well. A butcher’s knife found it's way into his hands, then hacked into the thin panel. Soon enough, there was hole large enough to fit his fingers through. With a powerful tug, he was able to pull the wood back and tear into a long, vertical shaft. It would definitely be a tight squeeze, but not unlike anything he’s ever done before. His feet remained steady on the old brick, careful so he wouldn't slip as he inched down into the deep abyss. When both phones made a distorted ring, he balanced himself on a concrete ledge that could support his weight before checking his diary for his beloved’s status. 

What he read next made his blood boil. All he saw was red. 

---

Thrown to the ground, Alfred let out a pained groan as he rolled onto his side.

The sixth diary user pulled out his journal. “I want men guarding all entrances, outside as well as in.” As he directed his men to specific locations, Romulus made sure to send a few of the more heinous ones to surround Alfred and block his line of sight. 

“Sebastian, what’s the meaning of this? What’s going on?” Lovino hissed to cousin, who sent him a shaky smile. 

“It’s all just part of the game.”

Romulus turned to the men encircling the teen. “If we want to attract Second, we’re going to have to hit him where it hurts. Do as you wish to the boy, I don’t care. Just keep him distracted.”

There was a hard strike into his abdomen, knocking the wind out of him. Alfred coughed as he doubled over, tears and drool mixing onto the floor. Oh god, they were going to kill him. He was actually going to be beaten until they killed him. Holy shit. And being restrained meant that he didn't even have the chance to fight back. 

As he attempted to catch his breath, a hand trailed down his leg. Instinctively, he kicked back with more power than he thought he had, though he was only able to enjoy his victory for a short while before he felt the strange men restrict both his legs and pull them apart. It was a struggle to close them, rather they stretched like he was being drawn and quartered. If it weren't for the strain in his legs, he'd be preoccupied with how much of him was exposed. 

“F-fuck, let go! Let go!” His cries went unheard. No matter how much he tried to close his legs, they were fixed into place. Never in his life had he felt so powerless as he did in this moment. “Please ! L-Let me go!” Begging for mercy was his only option, there was no use having pride when every bit left had already been exhausted. He was desperate. Those hands grabbed at his uniform and tore the fabric, the cold air kissing his bare skin was enough to snap him back into the defensive. No, no, no! Squirming with new found vigor, his tears fell harder once he realized that he was truly helpless in this scenario. These men didn't have morals, they'd been desensitized after killing on a daily basis. Pummeling a teenager to death was probably the least of their sins. 

Alfred let out a surprised cry when he felt someone yank down his underwear. No...they weren’t planning on beating him, his nails dug deep into his palms and his breathing quickened as zippers became undone, hands roaming around his body in a way that made him fall limp. They lifted his lower half, which triggered one final effort to fight back, but no matter how hard he squirmed to get out of their grip, he was unable to clench his legs together so he wouldn’t be flashing these disgusting, sex offenders.

He was victim to lascivious, prying eyes and malicious grins. This was much worse. More so than he ever imagined. 

“No! No please, Sixth, I beg of you, please! I-I’m sorry, I’ll do anything! Please!” Alfred closed his watery eyes tight, not wanting to see anymore than he already had.  

“I would calm down, First,” Romulus advised without an ounce of sympathy. “I heard it hurts worse for men, especially since they’re not even preparing you properly.” 

“P-Papa!” Lovino tried to break free from the men holding him back, but failed. “Stop! What are you doing? Let him go!” 

“It’s a kill or be killed world out there, Lovino. One day you’ll understand.” 

“He’s innoce—”

Alfred yelped, the sound of father and son arguing drowned out as he felt something prod his ass. “S-Stop!” He hiccuped, despite knowing there was no point, his cries were falling on deaf ears. These men didn’t care what they were doing, they just wanted a quick fuck to satisfy their desires, their need for dominance and control. Alfred just had the unfortunate luck of being both defenseless and a stunner. 

Romulus stared at the pages of his diary, gun armed in his free hand. Where was Second? His dead end hadn’t disappeared, but there was no mention of him anywhere. How? How was this kid able to evade all his men?

THUMP.

A loud kick broke through a hollow wall and through it came none other than Ivan, his black suit and hair covered in dust and debris. He sprinted toward the men surrounding his beloved, his face contorted into a feral rage as he raised his pistol and fired multiple quick shots, each planting themselves into the nearby perpetrators necks and skulls. Click, click, click— realizing he’d run out of bullets, he tossed the empty weapon before unsheathing his spatha and driving the sharp blade through flesh and bone, ripping limbs off as they got in between him and Alfred. With one final thrust, he dove the spear into two goonies that were perfectly aligned, piercing their abdomens as they spluttered with blood before pressing his foot against their chest with a profound kick, sliding them off his weapon. 

Finally he saw Alfred, splattered with blood and streaks of tears running down his cheeks. His body was trembling, his golden hair and clothes disheveled, and exposed chest heaving as he brought his knees close to conceal himself. The blue in his eyes were dull, like glass. An excruciating memory flashed in Ivan's mind as he knelt beside the other and caressed a cheek with his free hand, waking him from his stupor. 

Alfred blinked, then their gazes locked— the light was back. “I-Ivan?”

Ivan let go of the sigh he'd been holding, his resolve becoming even more solid. He would make everyone in that room pay for what they’ve done. No one laid a hand on his sunflower and got away with it. 

A slow clap caught his attention. Ivan’s violet eyes narrowed as they fixed themselves on Sixth. “Very well done.” Romulus grinned, impressed. “Where did you even come from? Here I thought I knew everything this place had to offer!” 

The intensity of his venomous gaze was ice, Ivan got to his feet between the men and Alfred and raised his sword. “I do not care for talk. Make your next move already,” he spat.

Sixth brimmed with confidence and shook his head. “Don’t you know it’s unwise to bring a sword to a gunfight? Though I commend your choice, you’re completely outmatched.”

Analyzing the group of soldiers aiming their weapons at him, Ivan was relatively unfazed. “I thought you were one who wanted to kill us,” he goaded with a dark glint in his eyes. “Yet you are having your men do your work for you? How pathetic.” 

Sixth snickered as he raised his revolver, seeing no possible way the other could turn the tides of this encounter. “Very well, if that is your final request, I have no qualms regarding it.”

A shot was fired toward Ivan's chest. Alfred's heart sank in a sea of anxiety, knowing any second Ivan would drop in front of him and there would be nothing he could do to stop him from bleeding out. They'd survive too much just to die here, but at least...at least they wouldn't be dying here all alone.

With what could only be superhuman reflexes, Ivan gave the sword in his hand an elegant twirl.

Cling.

Alfred gaped as he processed what just occurred. What? Did Ivan just deflect a bullet with a sword? Like Deadpool?

No...that wasn’t possible. It defied physics and no one could have a reaction time that fast. 

Romulus' grit his teeth in frustration, rapidly pulling the trigger in quick succession until its magazine was exhausted. 

Cling, cling, cling, cling.

Ivan had one-handedly spun the spatha with quick expertise, slicing the air with flared violet eyes never straying from the Sixth diary user.   

“I-Ivan...you’re amazing…” Alfred gasped in an airy whisper. It was cinematic, as though Ivan were portraying one of the fictional heroes he idolized. 

“What?” Romulus in turn was horrified, eyes growing wide with genuine fear. “Just what the hell are you?”

“I am pissed,” Ivan growled, studying all the men that now raised their weapons and covered their leader. “And now you are all dead.”

Gunshots and cries of pain erupted as the room delved into chaos, Alfred flinched and covered his ears, but his eyes consumed the scene he was witnessing. Ivan charged forward, continuously deflecting the bullets like a beast on the battlefield. A lightbulb shattered and sparks flew, several men collapsed as they were pierced by ricocheting projectiles. And then Ivan was close-quarters, sword charged back then thrust forward into a mobster, then pulled back out as he spun on his heal to evade an incoming attack, diving the sharp blade into the next perpetrator. Powerful with grace would be how Alfred would describe it, like Ivan was dancing in a field of death. Bile rose in the teen's throat when a head was knocked clean off it's body, the spatha was then driven into another man's torso without pause. 

As mesmerizing as it was, Alfred needed a moment to quell his nausea. Honestly, he was so fortunate Ivan was on his side. There was no way he could ever compete with someone like him. Just what the hell was running through Deus' mind when he thought an average Joe would be great addition to a game like this? He was completely outmatched. 

Someone tugged  on Lovino’s arm. “We need to go. Now,” Sebastian hissed with urgency. 

Lovino’s gaze flickered to Alfred and then his father, now backed into a corner. “But Alfred...Papa…” 

Sebastian glared at Ivan, who wore a fanatical smile as he dove his sword straight through someone’s skull. “You think that man won’t rest until every one of us is dead?” Lovino's shoulders went rigid. “This is our only chance to escape!”

There was reluctance as Sebastian led him away, but not without sending Alfred one last pained look. 

Romulus found himself seated in a chair, eyes downcast as he watched his army fall, bleeding and dying, begging for mercy as Ivan furiously tore into them. The diary in his hands kept rewriting itself, the amount of entries descending as his spectators were brutally slaughtered. Second was the perfect soldier, something inhuman. He hadn’t anticipated this in the slightest, but how could he? There was clearly more to this game than what met the eye. 

It didn’t take a genius to know he’d lost. 

The last of Sixth’s men defeated, Ivan pulled his sword out of a soldier’s neck and sent the crime boss a predatory glare before stalking toward him. A sad smile graced Romulus' lips as his eyes rested on the blade dripping crimson, a promise of his fate. Unlike First, it seemed he was incapable of rewriting what was set in stone. His time had come and it would be futile to resist it. 

Such a shame he wouldn’t be able to see what else the duo was capable of. 

“May I ask why you are so against me?” Romulus asked, daring to meet Ivan's eyes as equals. “As far as I know, I’ve done nothing to you. I never met you before today. Why go through all this effort just to kill me?” Of all people, he expected Ninth to be the one to confront him. This turn of events had been a surprise, but it an impressive one at that.

Eye twitching, a vehement grin grew on Ivan’s face as he pointed the sword right below Sixth’s sternum. “You took...everything from me,” he growled with the constricted irises of a madman. 

Brown eyes flickered to Alfred, Romulus let out one last bitter chuckle. “I see...” A contemptuous grin marred his face. “Do you honestly believe you have a chance? He’s clearly terrified of you. You’ll never be anything more than a monster to him. He'll be your ruin.” Hand clenching around the hilt of his sword, Ivan drove the blade into his heart, pinning his body to the leather armchair. A pained gasp came first, then blood, yet Sixth’s grin never faltered. “I’ll see you in hell...”

Ivan's eyes remained fixed on the gurgling caught in the man's throat, waiting for all movement to still and for those brown eyes to lose their light. 

This was retribution. But just for good measure, he checked Alfred's diary.

January 24 5:12 [Sixth’s Safe Room]

Ivan impales Sixth to a chair and he dies. 

A bubbling, incredulous laugh escaped from his chest. “Fedya, I did it! I killed him! I did it! He won’t hurt you anymore!” His head swiveled to Alfred, only to freeze when he saw him staring at Romulus’ corpse, lively blue eyes now despondent. “Fedya?” Ivan instantly rushed to his beloved, hands on both sides of his face, forcing their eyes to meet. “Sunflower, please—” 

Everything Alfred had felt came crashing down at once, compulsions threatening to wrack his body as tears poured from his eyes. “Iv-Ivan…” His voice cracked as he began dry heaving. “I-I thought they were gonna...they were gonna…” 

“Nyet, I would never let that happen,” Ivan swore, backing away as he pulled a paperclip out of his pocket and shaped it into a lockpick before inserting it into the handcuff. There was a satisfying click as the restraints fell off. A gentle finger traced the cut on his cheek, but Alfred flinched as he was reminded of another. Ivan pulled his hand away, eyes darkening. “I would kill anyone for your sake.”

Alfred shook his head and fell forward into Ivan’s arms, wrapping his own around a broad torso. He gripped the back of Ivan’s suit tightly as he pressed his face into his chest, just needing something to hold onto. This game...this game was going to break him. 

He was alive, and still a virgin — thank God. No, thank Ivan. Somehow the guy holding him protectively and rubbing circles into his back had single-handedly annihilated an entire room filled with mobsters just to save him. As creepy and scary the other was, what with the corpses in his basement, Alfred needed him if he wanted to last in this game. There was no way he could make it through on his own. As much as he hated to admit it, Ivan was his hero. 

All he knew was that he never wanted to feel that powerless ever again. 

---

Zwingli watched as Ivan lifted Alfred into the backseat of the interceptor. Quiet and unresponsive, the teen was avoiding eye contact with everyone, completely lost in his own thoughts. The detective felt sympathetic toward him, he definitely looked like he had a hard time with all the cuts and bruises decorating his limbs. Though he knew there was a chance of them being discovered, he hadn’t anticipated it being through an innocent third-party who just so happened to be Sixth’s son. It seemed his own diary had a vital limitation, he’d have to analyze its capabilities more in his free time. 

Ivan gave Alfred a reassuring smile as he fixed his hair into place. Alfred's lips pressed together in an attempt to reciprocate gesture, but it collapsed due to exhausted. Both mentally and physically. Ivan shut the car door and moved around the vehicle to get to his side, Zwingli took this opportunity to push off the hood and block the other’s path. “We need to talk.”

“Oh?” Ivan smirked. “About what?”

“Your affiliations with Sixth. After all, you’re the one who left the files on my desk. How did you know his identity? How did you know about this place?” A mere eighteen-year-old solved what he and his team of highly trained professionals could not. Not only that, but he single-handedly destroyed an entire criminal empire...there was no way this kid was who he claimed to be. 

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Ivan answered with an unperturbed shrug.  

“Cut the crap. I know you’re not letting us in on everything. What else are you hiding?”

“We all have our little secrets, like how I know for a fact you did not secure us exit on your own,” Ivan countered, grin stretching when Zwingli jerked back. 

The officer responded with a warning glare. “Get in the damn car, Braginsky.”

---

Elisabeth wandered the halls of the mansion, surveying the trail of corpses left behind. It wasn't closure that brought her here, looming the halls like a ghost— an empty shell searching for purpose. To say she was shocked was an understatement. Security systems were bypassed, passageways she had yet to explore were used... All of it had been done without her data, but she was the only one except for Romulus and his men to have access to that knowledge. It had taken her decades to accumulate everything, so how was Second able to exploit everything within a single day? 

The dumbwaiter in the kitchen was the biggest surprise. Those old blueprints had been nearly impossible to recover, there was no way Second could have known about the shaft. Not unless he somehow stole her files...but again, that was impossible. She was unsure if she should be terrified of the other or downright impressed.

She slid down the route Second had taken to the bunker, passed through the hole in the wall, and assessed the damage. The stench of blood permeated the air, sunken faces and strewn limps littering the floor. There on his throne was none other than Romulus Vargas, and the remnants of his kingdom at his feet. As she approached his corpse, a pit in her stomach grew deeper. She had imagined their confrontation to be more lucrative than this. Instead, she couldn’t help but stare at him in defeat. Even in death, it felt like he won.

Was this really it? All that time she invested in avenging her father...Was it really over? She should be relieved, but instead her mind was screaming that she'd been robbed. That had been her kill. She had worked so hard for this moment only for it to be taken away.

There was something about Second that needed to be looked into. She had to keep a close eye on him before any other surprises threw the game into chaos.

Notes:

Wow, such an anti-climatic final boss...lol, jk. Romulus is actually very easy for reasons. You all should understand everything by the end, assuming I execute this properly.

So yeah, Romulus is a manipulative prick. His ‘love’ for his sons is actually anything but, it’s just twisted and unhealthy. As a narcissist, he really only cared for and spoiled his kids because they were an extension of himself. He had no qualms manipulating and using them for his own gain. Feliciano has just always been happily oblivious to his father’s true nature and therefore has seen the best of him, but Lovino always lived much more aware. Everyone is a pawn to him, just some pieces are more favorable than others.

Also, Ivan always seems to know more than he’s letting on. What kind of secrets is he hiding? Too fucking many, that’s what. Ah, the things you do for love. Listen, if a multi-million dollar film can go against realism, then my supernatural, free-of-charge fanfic can do it too. That’s my two-cents.

Chapter 10: The Seeds of Corruption

Summary:

Once consumed, they become a part of you forever.

Notes:

A certain someone finally makes an appearance!

Also, um, this was actually one very long filler chapter btw. Over 40 pages because a lot has to happen to fill the time gap, so I split it in half so I wouldn't overwhelm myself. I’ll be publishing the second half later in the week or next and hope this is enough to excuse my absence, school and this virus have been stressing me out so much that I’ve been playing Animal Crossing religiously lol. 

“Interesting. You usually don’t take this form unless it is required, Dantalion,” Deus regarded the other in his cathedral, his resonant voice startling the demon under his servitude as he appeared. 

The aging man dressed in a torn Russian military uniform turned to him, a pale and ghastly ghost. Annoyed, a tight smile crossed his worn features. “I can only be an alien for so long. You know how I am, Deus.”

“This would be of no importance if the forms had no effect on your personality and whims. Should I be concerned?” 

With a twitching eye, the facade was wiped from the ancient entity’s face. “Wary and paranoid as ever. What makes you assume I’m plotting against you?”

The god’s glassy orbs bore hard into the other. “As you are currently, you’ve always held a close association with Second. That, along with how recent events have veered from the predicted path, makes me wonder if it truly is a matter of cause and effect.” Deus paused in contemplation, eyes squinting with suspicion. “Or perhaps it is something more...”

“Your forthcoming death must have you deluded,” the demon answered haughtily, though the strange glint in his eyes was noted by the observant god. “I have not left the Cathedral since the game commenced, as was the agreement, and you know I am bound to none other than my master. There is no way I could have intervened with how events unfolded.” 

“So you say, but I know you wouldn’t have donned the cold and ruthless guise of General Winter if there wasn’t something going on behind the scenes.”

“You would prefer I were Tony, despite having already placed your bet on First? The game would be very boring if we both rooted for the same champion. Or perhaps you’d prefer I were one of those annoying mochi?” Dantalion scoffed. “And yet you have the gall to accuse me of favoritism.”

Deus hummed, unperturbed in the slightest. “It is apparent that you’ve been in this form for quite some time. It isn’t unreasonable for me to have my suspicions. But it is of no matter. I have implemented some precautions in the case of any more surprises, so by all means, continue with this entertainment. I’ve never anticipated an outcome this much before. I’m excited to see what the future brings.”

The demon’s lips quirked into a wry smirk. “So am I.”

---

It wasn’t the first time Alfred opened his eyes to a star-covered ceiling with little recollection of the night before, though unfortunately a part of him was certain it wouldn’t be the last. Hero was nestled between his legs over the blankets, hugging up all his warmth as he normally did, but it’d been a while since he heard light snores in his ear. In his peripherals, he saw none other than Ivan Braginsky sleeping on his side beside him with an arm draped over his waist holding him close. 

Oh, right. 

Memories of his confrontation with Sixth hit him harder than a pickup truck, he bolted upwards and held his head in his hands, hoping the pressure would make it all disappear. He’d throw up had he not already back at the precinct the night before, the abrupt pool of anxiety in his stomach was just too much to bear. 

Had he really almost been... gang-raped? And did Ivan really mutilate and destroy an entire criminal organization just to protect him?

Ivan slowly blinked his violet eyes as he awoke, a gentle smile on his face when their gazes met. “Good morning, dear.”

Alfred pursed his lips, fingers finding themselves brushing through cat fur as he thought of a way to approach the subject that had been eating at him for some time now, even more so since the previous night. Ivan tilted his head in concern as Alfred let out a deep breath. “Can we talk?”

It was Ivan’s turn to sit up, his gaze searching Alfred’s face. “Of course, my love. What troubles you?” A pale hand was placed over one of his own, ceasing his petting and interlacing their fingers.

Blue eyes flickered to the other before back to Hero, who seemed annoyed that his hand was no longer brushing him. “Why didn’t you tell me about your powers?” 

Ivan stared at him and raised a brow. “My...powers?” 

Nodding, Alfred finally fixed his gaze on Ivan. “Yeah. That’s what they are, right?”

“I do not have any powers,” Ivan insisted, appearing perplexed by the idea. 

Alfred’s lips curled down with doubt, but he should’ve expected this. Most supers denied who they were to friends and family, usually for their own protection. “What you did the other day, nobody can do that. That’s not normal. Your reflexes were on par with Spider-Man’s, and if I’ve learned one this past month, it’s that anything is possible. You were amazing, back at the school and then yesterday...dude, I’m still having trouble believing you’re real.”

Ivan blushed at the flattery, but wrung his hands. “Well, when in danger, adrenaline takes over, yes?”

“You mean like the whole, ‘panicked mother lifts car off child’ sort of thing?” Alfred rolled his eyes, unconvinced. “No way. You literally deflected bullets from semi-auto rifles with only a sword and came out unscathed. That’s not adrenaline, that’s a mutation or something.” 

Ivan paused, taken aback, before smiling fondly. “Nothing ever escapes you, does it?”

Alfred shook his head. “So, what is it? Does it have to do with your secret past in Russia?”

Violet eyes stared at him long and hard, for what almost felt like an eternity, before a half-hearted grin broke on his face. “You got me,” Ivan said sweetly, but his lack of emotion went by unnoticed.  

“Oh my god, seriously?” Alfred covered his nose and mouth with his hands, attempting to hold back from fanboying. He couldn’t believe this was actually happening. Lowering them slowly, he continued. “So, like, do you have any other abilities?”

Watching a spark reignite in the other made Ivan’s heart flutter, his cheeks reddened further with the realization that this had all been because of him. Alfred had always been the one who saw him differently from everybody else, the only one who ever believed in him... “I would not say they are powers. I just have more experience and it shows.” 

“So…you’re more like Hit-Girl and Black Widow? Punisher?” Alfred suggested. 

“I suppose...But—” Ivan lowered his tone, his expression serious. “This is secret. I cannot speak of it to anyone. We would be in grave danger if this got out,” he warned. “It is best we do not speak of it at all.”

“At all? Even when we’re alone?” Alfred’s shoulders slouched as he pouted, clearly disappointed. It wasn’t everyday you met somebody who was the subject of your fantasies — he always wished for superheroes to exist and now there was one holding his hand.

Ivan released a heavy sigh. “Let’s just say, other forces would not be happy. They may even make our lives more difficult if they knew. You never know if someone is listening.”

“Oh, I get it. You’re just being extra careful,” Alfred nodded in understanding. “Okay, I can keep a secret.”

A thankful smile appeared on Ivan's lips as he planted a gentle kiss on Alfred’s hand. “I know you can.”

Though melting at the touch, there was still something that kept Alfred on guard around the other. “Just...one more thing. To put my mind at ease, okay? Then I promise I’ll drop this.” Ivan nodded with affirmation, so he exhaled a deep breath and started in a quiet, quivering voice, “T-the bodies in your basement….who were they? Be honest with me.”

Ivan's eyes darkened with a frown, his grip on Alfred’s hand tightened. “They were...bad people. They would have done anything to keep us apart.”

“Bad people? So you’re a vigilante?” Ivan watched as Alfred cocked his head to the side. “And why am I involved?”

“Because you are precious to me,” he answered softly. The intensity behind his words made Alfred’s heart race, the faint pink in his cheeks bloomed into a full scarlet.

“O-oh, I see,” This...this actually made a lot of sense, at least from his perspective as a superhero fan. His heroes always risked the lives of those close to them, which is why they carried secret identities...it was why he hadn’t told his own family anything regarding the survival game. Suddenly it was clear why Ivan had been hiding things from him all this time, and though his many questions still had yet to be answered, at least he understood where Ivan’s excuses were coming from — he’d seen enough comics and movies to know how everything went down.  

And just like that, Ivan once again won Alfred’s trust. It was crazy how drawn to him Alfred was, so eager to find any justification to have him back in his life — it was almost like they were destined to be friends. Not noticing his cat hop off the bed, Alfred was lost in a trance as he and Ivan exchanged shy smiles, silently enjoying their rare moment of peace. 

That is, until Hero decided to scratch his nails against the wooden door. The loud piercing sound had been enough to startle his owner before he glared at the feline. “Hero, you fucking asshole,” Alfred scolded as he withdrew his hand from Ivan’s and pushed himself off the bed. “You know you’re not supposed to do that. Mom’s gonna flip if she sees you ruining shit again.” Once he opened the door, he watched the cat dart straight out of the room and disappear down the stairs, only to be met with the delectable aroma of sausage and eggs. Now he understood his cat’s desperation. 

Breakfast. Of course. 

Maybe it was because of how empty his stomach was, but his watering mouth and ravenous stomach were begging for sustenance. Alfred turned to Ivan. “Wanna get something to eat?” 

“Da,” Ivan stood, walking toward Alfred before following him downstairs. 

In the kitchen, Matthew was scraping his eggs out of the frying pan and onto a plate with an expression of annoyance as Hero rubbed himself against his legs, meowing loudly. “No, Hero. You already have your food, this is mine.” 

“You know if you give him a little bit, he’ll leave you alone, right?” Alfred advised as he entered the kitchen, going straight toward the fridge to check out its contents. 

“No, that only reinforces his behavior,” Matthew admonished before his gaze caught sight of Ivan. Exasperated, he made his way toward their usually neglected breakfast nook. “You came home late last night,” he reminded his twin as he took his seat, wanting answers for his strange behavior as of late. There was no way he could keep letting Alfred’s secrecy slide.  

Flashbacks from the day before flooded through his mind as Alfred’s grip on the handle tightened. Forcing a smile, he turned his head over his shoulder to respond, but paused once he noticed a familiar figure finishing his meal beside his twin. Well, that certainly explained why the table was cleared and used for its actual purpose rather than collecting bills and clutter. “Mr. Zwingli needed some help and we lost track of time. Sorry, I wasn’t aware we had a curfew.” He pulled out the egg carton and butter and set it on the island counter before sending his brother’s guest a glance. “Hey, Tim.”

Tim’s lips quirked into a frown, his green eyes narrowing slightly. “Hey.” 

Not thinking much of Tim’s reaction considering he was usually brief and distant, it was Ivan out of the two of them who read the unspoken tension in the room. With his silvery brows narrowed, he eyed his oblivious lover with concern. 

“The serial killer hasn’t been caught, Al,” Matthew said pointedly. “The curfew never went away.”

As he heated up the pan and coated the bottom with butter, Alfred couldn’t help but wonder why his confrontation with Third felt like it had been forever ago rather than just a few weeks. Would nearly being murdered just become a daily ritual in his life, with each encounter outdoing the last until his own death or the end of the world? Just what exactly did he do to deserve this hell?

“What does a cop want with two teenagers anyway?” Matthew continued, carefully gauging Alfred’s reaction. “Did you do something wrong?”

“Zwingli is a good friend of my caregiver,” Ivan intervened, saving Alfred from answering. “He has been needing help rearranging his home, so Alfred and I volunteered.”

Sharp-eyed as ever, Matthew frowned. “And that’s supposed to explain why Alfred looks like a mess? Where’d you even get that cut from?”

Hand instinctively brushing against his cheek, Alfred felt the scar that was taking form. The one from when Sixth struck him. “I fell,” he responded without hesitation. “My cheek just happened to graze against his TV stand and the corners were sharp as fuck.” The best lies were those mixed with a bit of truth. There were occasions he liked to go into his parent’s master suite, usually to enjoy their luxurious jet tub on a day he really needed to relax or when Matthew was hogging up their bathroom. Their dresser had the worst edges, nicking him in the arm more than a few times. As far as he knew, the scars felt similar enough to make it a reasonable excuse. 

Matthew wore an expression of doubt, but clearly the cover-up had been enough for him to temporarily drop the subject. Instead, he relented with a heavy sigh, “Well, anyway, we got an email saying school’s back in session starting Monday.”

“Oh…” Alfred paused, watching as Ivan reached for a couple of eggs then cracked them over the pan. Monday? But that was only three days away...“That’s nice.” His voice was even, as if he needed any more stressors in his everyday life. 

Sensing his brother’s discomfort, Matthew grew sympathetic. “Hey...mom called and said she'd be back by tomorrow. I know you’ve been missing her.” 

Another understatement. Alfred wanted nothing more than to be held in her secure embrace and told everything would be alright just as she’d done whenever he was spooked by ghosts since he was a toddler. Definitely much more preferable than his father, who tended to downplay his feelings in an effort to avoid confronting them. Madeline had always been the more receptive one of the two, and though her tendency to diagnose him was almost as annoying as Matthew’s, she seemed to be the only adult in his life who could temporarily ease his emotional breakdowns. 

Despite that, with how much danger he’d been attracting lately...did he really want her home? To unknowingly be involved in a survival game solely due to her association with him?

“So mémé is alright?” Alfred flipped an egg while observing Ivan prepare their dishes, intrigued by how the other seemed to maneuver around his kitchen so familiarly. It’d been a while since he’d been invited into their home like this and for them to be in a domestic situation together. Once again, it was hard to believe this was the same shy teen he met all those months ago. Even Kiku, who had been visiting for almost a decade now, lacked the confidence Ivan displayed. Instead he had a terrible habit of waiting for Alfred to take the initiative. Not that it was unwelcome, he was glad Ivan could call his place a home after all the neglect and loneliness he must’ve endured in his own. It was just something different, something new, and Alfred found himself liking it very much. 

“She’s fine. The surgery went well and she’s able to take care of herself, but mum may or may not have to do some check-ups during her recovery. Don’t worry, she said none of those trips will be as long as this one has been,” Matthew answered as he finished his meal. “And dad said he’d be back next week for the Super Bowl.”

“Cool,” was Alfred's impassive reply, unsure of how to react to this information. Happy and relieved? Paranoid and anxious? Or maybe even a mix of them all. 

While dividing the eggs onto their plates, he noticed Ivan had already prepared toast with butter during his conversation. A thankful smile graced his lips, though he blushed when he saw Ivan beam in return. As he averted his gaze, Alfred wondered if Ivan realized just how breathtaking he was when he was genuinely happy. 

The family room would be a nice place to enjoy breakfast, Alfred decided whilst picking up his plate, especially since he didn’t want Matthew to press further into his affairs. Ivan took his own and trailed after him, but not without shooting Matthew a warning glare. Matthew sucked in a deep breath, as he turned to his friend.

“He always does this to you?” Tim asked low huff, brows furrowing in anger as a protective nature overcame him. 

“Always,” Matthew grumbled, glaring daggers through the wall. 

Meanwhile Alfred struggled to get to the couch without tripping over the ragamuffin running between his legs. “Hero, give me like two seconds, holy shit—” Plopping himself onto the couch, he watched the feline jump onto the armrest beside him, eagerly looking over his arm at the contents on his plate. “You fat fuck.” He picked out a few egg bits and held it out in his hand for his cat to devour. 

“I thought it was ‘Hero’.” Ivan's lip curled with amusement as he took the free space on Alfred’s other side.

“It’s a term of endearment,” Alfred answered. “Sometimes I call him asshole, little shit, dickwad. When he bites me and ruins my stuff, I say that I hate him, but he knows that’s not true. He can get away with anything just because he’s cute. Isn’t that right, Hero?” Hand now empty, he began to pet his cat, only for it to be swatted away. “Ow. Why don’t you love me? Why did Mattie get the good kitty.” He sulked as Hero made his way toward the windowsill.

“They have such funny personalities, don’t they?” 

“Yeah, they do. Wait, you have a cat.” Despite all his efforts to purge that night from his memories, it only proved futile. Maybe the negative aspects would fade away if he focused all his attention on Ivan's pet? “What’s his name?”

Ivan gave a small chuckle. “Vodka.”

“Vodka?” Alfred turned to him, letting out a few giggles as he stared at the other incredulously. “You named your cat Vodka?” 

“Nyet, someone else picked name,” Ivan answered, violet gaze softening as his smile began to falter. 

Alfred failed to notice the slight change in tone. “Well, props to them. I love it.”

Ivan’s grin grew once again as he breathed a fond sigh. “I knew you would.”

“Al, I’m going to Tim’s place for a bit. I’ll be back later,” Matthew called out before appearing under the doorway, ignoring Ivan's presence completely. “If you need anything while I’m out, let me know.”

“Okie doke,” Alfred replied as he reached for the remote and turned on the TV, ignorant to the distasteful scowl on Matthew’s face as Ivan wrapped an arm around Alfred's waist in a possessive hold, a condescending sneer directed toward him. Matthew was left wondering why Alfred would let someone like Ivan back in his life. The guy was a total creep! 

“Ready to go?” Tim asked when he met him by the entryway. 

“Yeah, let’s just get out of here.”

Spending some time away from home and with his friend proved to be a wonderful idea, it was suffocating to be stuck in a house with someone who constantly gave him dirty looks while in his own space. If this was going to be anything like all those other times Ivan came over before the two had their conflict or whatever, Matthew knew he would act like some territorial animal hovering close to his brother, not even him letting him say a word before the atmosphere went cold. That sort of toxic environment was just too much for him all at once, he was glad Tim offered him a bit of weed so he could ease his nerves for a little while.

As Tim packed a bag to spend the weekend with him, just in case Ivan wanted to overstay his visit (which would no doubt happen), Matthew made pleasant conversation with his parents as he finished his dinner. It was heartbreaking to see how dull their eyes had become since the death of their daughter and how Claude was grew despondent and withdrawn. If only he and Tim could find out the serial killer’s identity and bring some closure to the family. Unfortunately, all he knew was that his brother had some kind of answer — one that he had no intention of sharing. How he would bring up that topic, especially with Ivan hanging around, was difficult. He had absolutely no idea. 

The two got back to Matthew’s home before their town’s curfew at 8 pm, none of the light’s had been turned on. The TV in the family room was on, so he followed the noise and saw his brother in a deep sleep, head resting on Ivan’s shoulder with the other’s on top. It was evident by the movie on screen that brother had engaged in one of his marathons — Star Wars. How predictable, Matthew thought with a fond smile as he maneuvered around the ottoman coffee table to his brother’s other side. He closed the pizza box on the surface and pushed it closer to the center to avoid any possible accidents, then went to nudge Alfred’s shoulder. 

A sudden, firm grasp snatching his wrist nearly resulted in a terrified yelp. 

“Don’t,” Ivan threatened in a low growl, his narrowed violet eyes almost glowing as they were illuminated by the screen’s light.

After being released, Matthew took a few steps back and slowly raised his hands in surrender, wondering how the hell Ivan grabbed him so quickly without making a sound. Still a bit shaken up, he silently watched Ivan shuffle around carefully, his arms supporting Alfred in a bridal carry before swiftly taking him out of the room.

Tim entered after Ivan passed him, completely disregarding his presence altogether. The disturbed grimace he sent Matthew as he flicked the lightswitch on said it all — that he too noticed there was something deeply unsettling about the Ivan’s behavior toward his brother. 

“I know.” Matthew sighed dejectedly, staring at the plates and discarded napkins that remained. 

Time to take care of Alfred’s mess, as usual. 

---

It was around seven in the morning when Alfred woke up, still groggy as he turned to his side, only to be startled by the sight greeting him. Wide eyed and frozen, his gaze was fixed on a large figure entering his bedroom through the window. A mop of platinum-blond hair made his shoulders only slightly loosen their tension as Ivan squeezed a large duffel bag through and lowered it to the floor before soundlessly following after. 

Their eyes met and after a long, silent pause. Ivan gave a small, nervous laugh. “Sorry! Did I wake you, dorogoy?” 

Alfred pushed off his bed and made his way toward the window, peering outside. “Did you— did you just climb up that tree? With that?” He pointed at the bag. “Why didn’t you just use the front door?” 

“I went to get my stuff so I could stay a few nights, but I didn’t want to leave you alone...if your brother knew I left your side, he’d corner you with questions.”

“I mean...okay. But how…” He stilled, remembering all the weird situations that had been happening in his bedroom since he met the other. No. Fucking. Way. Blue eyes blank, he stared at the other dumbly. “How long have you been doing this?” He asked slowly, dreading the answer he already knew.

Like a child being scolded by their mother, Ivan wrung his hands together and revealed a soft, but guilty answer. “A while…”

“A-A while?” Alfred would’ve shouted had his voice not cracked. After thumping his chest and letting out a few grunts, he was able to get his normal voice back. “What do you mean by a while?”

“No, no. Do not freak out. Please,” Ivan pleaded, raising his hands apologetically, hoping to appease the other. “I thought this is normal! Is what friends do, yes?” 

“Who taught you that?”

“Ah…” shifting uncomfortably and glancing away, Ivan's eyes grew cloudy and filled with somber. “I cannot say.”

Alfred crossed his arms and raised a brow. “Is this more secret backstory stuff I’m not allowed to know about?”

With hesitance, Ivan nodded. “Da...I am sorry.”

“Okay, but just ‘cause I’m letting it slide now doesn’t mean you’re off the hook. You do realize that I expect you to explain everything to me eventually, right? Before one of us dies.”

“You will not die,” Ivan affirmed, as though it weren’t even a possibility. It was hard for Alfred to retain his anger when the other constantly made him feel like he was about to swoon. “And I will tell you, but not now. It must wait a little longer.”

“When? I want a date, and you have to swear you’ll tell me the whole truth.” He sighed, gazing into Ivan’s eyes softly. “You’re very...different from anyone I’ve ever met before. I just want to understand why you do the things you do, Iv. It’s annoying we keep having these misunderstandings.”

“I…” Ivan chewed on his bottom lip unsurely before pulling his cellphone out from his pocket. “C-can I show you something? But you must promise you will not be mad.”

'What would make me mad?' Alfred thought with furrowed brows, but his curiosity got the best of him when he sent Ivan a slow nod and watched him scroll through his diary’s entries until the screen was presented to him. 

30 April [19:10]

Fedya becomes one with me. 

[Happy End]

“Becomes one?” Alfred’s face flushed a deep scarlet as he jumped back, stumbling and nearly falling onto his mattress. “A-As in like...sex?” 

Ivan hummed in content, a lovesick expression taking over his features as he cradled the phone close to his chest. “By this time, you will return my feelings. We will be in love and we will be happy. You will finally trust me and understand.”

Alfred knew deep down that there was a truth to Ivan’s words. After hitting puberty and abandoning Deus, his life was turned upside-down once he was accepted as a popular kid. Being pressured into many things he wasn’t comfortable with, he developed a deep dislike toward hook-up culture after having his heart ripped out on one too many occasions. Despite having a bit of sexual experience, he refused to go all the way — he was very adamant about that. Maybe this was him being old-fashioned, but he wanted his first time to be with someone he trusted and loved. He hated all those times he had been a one-time fling and then discarded like nothing.

But the other day almost completely ruined his ideal. After what happened in Sixth’s mansion, Alfred wanted nothing more than to block out anything related to sex. The memory just made him feel vile and ashamed, with no telling when he would recover, or if he even would at all. “You know, that could always change right? We’ve still got a ways to go before the end of April,” he muttered while hugging himself. 

“Nyet, this is a future I won’t let anybody change,” there was passion in Ivan's tone. The future was resolute. Tears gathered in his eyes, the sight of which surprised Alfred. “Not even you. It can’t change. This must happen.” He panted as tremors ran throughout his body.

“U-um, why?” Alfred asked with a stammer, having to look away due to his own discomfort. This was such a weird conversation, not to mention first thing in the morning, and Ivan’s reaction was only complicating things.

“I always thought I was incapable of being loved,” Ivan confessed in a small voice, his gaze downcast and clouded with memories. “But then I met you...you were nice to me, you gave me so much and then—” His breath hitched before he clenched his eyes shut, shaking his head. “My whole life, I was hated and feared. They called me a monster, and for long time, I believed it was true.” Intense violet irises then fixed on Alfred. “But when you reached out to me, you saved me. You are my sun, my everything. Without you, I am nothing.” Alfred’s arms fell while he stared back in shock. “I love you, Fedya...and for you to return my feelings, there is no greater future. That is why I cannot lose this. Please understand. It is only way I can die in peace.”

The weight of Ivan’s words made him speechless, his mouth went completely dry. Mind drawing a blank, Alfred hadn’t the slightest clue on how to respond to something like that, but his heart was heavy with sympathy. No one deserved to live without love, to be treated like a monster. Nobody should ever have to be alone. “Iv, I—”

“Hellooooo,” a familiar voice called from downstairs and Alfred’s heart skipped a beat. “Can you boys hear me up there? I’m home!” 

Glancing back at Ivan, the other waved his hand in dismissal and smiled cheerfully. “Do not worry over it. Now, let us greet your mother, yes?” Before Alfred could respond, Ivan was already out the door. 

Madeline had greeted Matthew and Tim by the time they were headed down the stairs, hugging her eldest son tightly before backing away. “Did you guys have a sleepover or...Ivan! You’re back!” She grinned at the tall teen. “I’m glad you and Allie made amends, he was so miserable without you here all the time—”

“Mom!” Alfred hissed, his face completely flushed as he finished his descent. 

“Oh, my baby!” She rushed to embrace him, squeezing him tightly, yet somehow the soreness of his bruises grew numb in her hold. “Are you okay? Did they hurt you? I’m so sorry I wasn’t here sooner. I promise I’ll do everything I can to make it up to you—”

“Can you start by letting me breathe?” He teased despite the painful sting in his eyes. As much as he wanted to return her hug, he knew he’d lose control over his emotions if it went on for any longer. He couldn’t afford to do that, not in front of her. There was no way he could risk his mother thinking something was wrong, instead he had to brush off his last few weeks like they were nothing. 

“Sorry.” She took a step back to give him some space, but kept her grip tight on his arms as though she would lose him. Though he forced a smile, Alfred was ridden with guilt after noticing the wet streaks running down her cheeks. “I’m just...I’m so glad to see you.”

“I’m glad to see you too, but I’m okay. I promise,” he assured her, paying no heed the affronted look Matthew sent him. 

Madeline wiped away a few stray tears with the back of her thumb. “You were always so brave—” She paused, brows furrowing when she noticed the cut on his cheek. Her fingers caressed the area surrounding the wound as she scrutinized it up close. It was about a couple of days old, but had been treated and disinfected, leaving a light brown scar. “What happened here?”

“Oh, I just tripped and hit a desk,” he answered easily. 

“I thought it was a TV stand.” Matthew’s eyes squinted in suspicion. 

“It was a surface,” he retaliated, challenging his brother. 

Their mother let out a tired sigh. “Allie, you need to be more careful. You could’ve gotten seriously injured. What if it was your eye?” Then something struck her as she glanced into his blue ones. “And speaking of eyes, what happened to your glasses? You always wear them.” 

“They, um, they...got lost during the raid.” He finished lamely.  

“What?” Madeline blinked in surprise. “Oh, but you loved them. You wanted to get your own pair so badly after Mattie got his....” She reminisced in front of their guests, much to his chagrin. “I’m sorry...but your vision isn’t too bad, right? Or do I need to call the optometrist?”

“No, no. It’s okay,” Alfred shook his head. “Don’t I have an appointment in a few months? I can just wait until then.” Though that wouldn’t be until after the survival game concluded, he inwardly kicked himself. 

“If you’re sure...” His mother trailed off. “But if at any point it bothers you, tell me and I’ll make an appointment. Deal?” 

“Deal.” 

Further examining his face, she shook her head. “Are you getting enough sleep?” Her thumb traced the dark circles under his eyes. “Have you been taking care of yourself at all?” 

“Mom, I’m fine.” Alfred turned his head and shrugged out of her hold. “Don’t worry about it.”

“You don’t look ‘fine’.” She huffed. “Do I need to call Doctor—”

“I said I’m fine, mom,” he snapped, immediately feeling shame the moment the words fell from his lips as she, Matthew, and Tim all raised their brows in alarm. Shit. “I’m fine,” he tried again, this time more calmly. “It’s just people have been asking me that a lot lately and it gets frustrating. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to raise my voice.”

“I see.” Madeline clicked her tongue. With the atmosphere still tense, she clapped her hands once to dissipate it. “How about I make us all french toast for breakfast? That way I can tell you all about my mother’s ‘exciting’ night before her fall. It’s quite the story.” 

Alfred bounced back to his cheerful self with a chuckle as he followed her into the kitchen. “Yes, ma’am! Sounds like a plan.”

Matthew pursed his lips and traded a wary look with Tim. The sooner he got answers out of his brother, the better. For everyone. Clearly his twin wasn’t in his right state of mind, and now his mother was pressing his patience with her overbearing concern. This was becoming almost exactly like the time she wanted Alfred to go to a doctor because of those imaginary friends of his. As much as Matthew appreciated her effort and knew she only meant well, it was not the approach his twin responded well to. In fact, it held the complete opposite effect and only made his brother completely shut down. As a result of Matthew agreeing with her during that time, a good piece of Alfred’s trust in him had been severed. He had to do everything he could to earn that trust back, then and only then would he be able to convince Alfred to get the help he needed. 

The aura surrounding Ivan was anything but friendly, despite the tight smile he wore. “I do hope you two aren’t planning what I think you are. It is not wise to meddle in other’s affairs,” he warned sweetly. 

Matthew glowered at Ivan, not backing down. “I don’t know what you got him sucked into, but I will find out.”

Ivan replied with a sardonic grin. “This is beyond you. If you value your brother’s health, you will keep your nose out of his business. Is that understood?”

Without waiting for a response, he followed after Alfred, leaving the two to talk amongst themselves.

“Prick.” Tim scoffed, rolling his eyes before turning to Matthew. “Now what do we do?”

“We do...exactly what I need to.”

---

Matthew put the car in park after pulling into the LIRR’s drop-off zone. Taking a moment to recline his seat, he tilted his head and watched his mother finish applying her mascara. It was 6:48 am on a Monday morning, the first day of school after a long break — it would be at least a couple of weeks before he got back into rhythm, but he was anxious about how different things would be moving forward. All this news about his school, the deaths of his peers and principal, and the unanswered mystery of their local serial killer — the anticipation of what was to come was too much bear. All he wanted was for this nightmare to be done and over with. 

“Maybe I shouldn’t have spent the extra day home...I should’ve left last night. Sorry for making you boys get up so early.” Madeline frowned as she packed her make-up. 

“It’s fine,” Matthew yawned, massaging the side of his head as he tried to clear his thoughts. “It’s good for us to get back into the habit.”

In the back seat, Alfred had his arm draped along the door panel, his head resting on top as he took in the sunrise and pretended to remain blind to Ivan’s unwavering gaze. ‘No pretty colors this time, only fog,’ he thought with disappointment. It was like the world knew it would be a miserable day for him. There was no use sugar-coating the inevitable. 

Drumming his fingers against the frame, the stress he felt just couldn’t be alleviated. First of all, Mr. Edelstein was going to give him an earful for slacking on his trumpet practice. Second, he would have to face all the people who were victims of the raid, as well as come to terms with those who were lost. Third, he was going to have to see Feliciano Vargas, look him in the eyes, and pretend he hadn’t watched his psychotic father get impaled against a chair. Fourth...how the hell was he going to survive through Spanish class when he now knew the serial killer had been none other than Antonio? His teacher, one of Francis’ close friends, was the one who killed Emma. As of now, going to school felt like a death sentence, its image forever tainted. Just the thought of it alone made him want to hurl. 

Unfortunately, his mother wasn’t having any of it. 'You can’t just drop out. Besides, the fresh air and seeing your friends will be good for you. Matthew told me you were cooped up at home the whole time...but if it really bothers you, I can see about transferring you to a different school…’ God, if only she knew what he went through these past few weeks, he’d be able to get away with anything. Instead, he kept his mouth shut and observed the individuals waiting for the train, just wishing he could’ve been blessed with a normal life.

The train's horn blew in the distance. Madeline quickly said goodbye to her boys and Ivan before taking her leave. Once she safely boarded, Matthew switched the gear to drive and began heading to school, the car ride completely silent all the while. Alfred had been in no mood to initiate conversation, and it was unlikely his twin and Ivan would ever get along. As they neared their high school, Alfred’s apprehension increased exponentially, his breathing becoming more audible and intense. He was one impulse away from opening the car door and making a run for it. 

But then Ivan’s hand found his own, caressing the back with his thumb while offering a reassuring smile, effectively calming his shaking nerves. Wait, he wasn’t alone, he reminded himself. Ivan was a superhero, and they both had powerful diaries that told the future — they could get through anything together. That’s right, he could do this. Alfred F. Jones wasn’t a coward, he faced death multiple times before and could do it again. He was a survivor, he’d been one since the day he was born, it was practically second-nature. He gave Ivan's hand a tight squeeze as he felt a bit of confidence restored to him. 

Matthew parked the car and exited the vehicle before the others followed suit. Sending his brother a look of concern, he moved toward him and offered a comforting pat on his shoulder. “Hey, if you find that you can’t handle today, we’ll try to get you an excuse note. I’ll ask Tim if he can come get you, okay?” 

“I can do this,” Alfred declared with a nod. Despite his anxieties, he was determined to prove his resilience and show there was nothing wrong. 

Matthew’s lip curled into a gentle smile as he pulled back his arm. “There’s the Al I know.”

As they walked toward the doors closest to the band room, Alfred’s eyes wandered toward a group of his peers gathered in front of the main entrance. There were a lot less people now, many had transferred after the attack, but he was relieved that none happened to be his friends — though he did recall Kiku texting him that his parents were seriously considering it. Among the sea of students, there were many faces he recognized, but a pair of striking emerald irises stood out from the rest. 

Though that could be because the stranger was staring intently at him. 

Alfred's breath hitched, time suddenly standing still. That pale skin and lean, angular body. His messy flaxen-blond hair...Alfred couldn’t think of a time where he ever met this person, but the way green eyes squinted with tenderness beneath thick brows and that accompanying cocky smirk suggested otherwise. 

There was just something about him that felt so...familiar.

“Solnyshko? What’s wrong?” Alfred turned to Ivan, blinking rapidly as he was pulled back into reality. 

“Huh?” His eyes flickered back toward the stranger, but he was gone — nowhere to be seen. “I just thought...I saw someone.” He frowned, massaging his temple while wondering if he had imagined the whole thing.  

“You saw someone?” Ivan followed Alfred’s gaze, but saw no one. 

“Yeah...it’s nothing.” Alfred shook his head. “Let’s just get inside. It’s cold as hell out here.” To emphasize his point, he gave himself a tight hug. 

As the other passed him to enter the building, Ivan quickly surveyed the area before following suit, making sure nobody suspicious was pursuing them. 

They walked together down the hall with Ivan remaining very close to his side. After a while, Alfred pursed his lips and came to a halt. “Wait, your locker is the other way.” 

“Nyet, I will stay with you,” Ivan answered resolutely. “I do not want to leave you alone.”

“I won’t be alone, it’ll be like five minutes. I got this, so don’t worry. You don’t have to babysit me the whole time.” Alfred almost rolled his eyes. Just because he was the love interest in Ivan’s story, that did not mean he had to accept the role of damsel in distress. No, he was a capable human being who could take care of himself. Lingering awkwardly, it was clear Ivan was hesitant to go off on his own until Alfred gave him an encouraging grin. “You can meet me at my locker once you’re done. It’ll be like old times, right?”

That seemed to motivate Ivan, a smile lit up his features. “Da, like old times! I will be quick!” And then he rushed off, almost like he thought Alfred would give him a cookie when he returned. 

Letting out a heavy sigh, he continued his way to his locker, taking a moment to remember that damn lock combination before swinging the door open — back into routine. Almost as if nothing had ever happened, like the raid never even occurred. Sunflowers and love notes decorated the interior, reminding Alfred of all the things Ivan had said the other day, including his confession about their 'Happy End.' Would he really fall in love with him by then? Considering the crush he had before their fall out last autumn and his multiple relapses since, it was very well possible...but there was something strange about him. Something off, and not just because he was a good killer. It was almost as if they were meant to be, strangely enough, but somewhere, somehow, it had all become distorted. Soulmates, but wrong. He had to be missing something. 

An unexpected weight hung around his neck, Alfred immediately elbowed the perpetrator and slipped out of their hold, spinning around with his stance on the defensive. Only when he recognized the gawking junior was he able to take a deep breath and relax. 

“Damn, Al. Been taking fighting lessons or something?” Kyle joked with a lopsided grin, rubbing his rib where the other struck him. 

Alfred shook his head. “N-no, sorry. It’s just been a long couple of weeks. I didn’t mean to—”

Kyle waved his hand. “You’re good. I forgot you were a hostage and all.” As the words escaped his mouth, Kyle cringed, filled with immediate regret. “Shit, I mean...sorry.” Alfred shrugged nonchalantly to show the other he wasn’t phased, hoping it would alleviate the awkwardness. Fortunately, Kyle picked up on it. “So, you’ve really quit the swim team?”

He nodded. “Yeah, sorry...there’s just a lot going on. I can’t handle the extra stress.”

“Damn, I dunno how we’ll win without you. You’re like a shark! Well, are you still gonna be a lifeguard this summer at the lake? ‘Cause I was thinking about applying. It would be fun!”

“I might…” Not. After April 30th, he was either going to be six feet under or a god, with the former being most likely. 

“Awesome! Well, in the meantime, we can still hang, right? And loosen up. I could get the Nerf guns out and we duke it out like we always do at my parties!”

That cracked Alfred up. “I’d love that.”

“Oh! My weird-ass cousin’s staying with us! You could totally help me piss him off!” 

“What, so Wendy’s moved on from being your partner in crime?” Alfred teased, the grin on his face was wide and genuine. 

“She’s been trying to act more ‘mature’ lately,” Kyle rolled his eyes and shook his head. “Sisters, am I right?”

“I wouldn’t know.” Alfred smirked. “Don’t have any.”

“Good morning, Al-kun.” Alfred nearly teared up at the sight of his best friend. Even if they were in constant communication via text and games, it’d been so long since they’d been able to speak face-to-face. “I’m glad to see you again.”

“Yeah, Keeks. You too,” Alfred finally felt at ease despite all the chaos in his life. Even if this ‘slice-of-life’ experience was only temporary, it was a great breath of fresh air. There was a sense of familiarity in hiding his problems behind a simple smile. It made him believe he could be an ordinary teen.

Violet eyes turned the corner with eagerness to return to the subject of their affection, only for their owner to stop dead in his tracks. Of course, there was the matter of his beloved’s friends, Ivan seethed, feeling jealousy consume him. It was him who Alfred should be paying attention to, he should be the one to make him smile so radiantly. Grinding his teeth and doing everything is his power not to crush the book in his hands, he forced a smile the way he was taught so long ago before approaching his sunflower. 

Ivan cleared his throat to redirect Alfred's attention, giggling innocently when Kiku's shoulders slumped in defeat, not liking this new dynamic. It hurt when one of your closest friends chose someone else over yourself. When Ivan had stolen his desk, Alfred had done nothing to stop it. All he could do was assume he being replaced.

“See, was that so hard?” Alfred teased as he leaned into Ivan's chest. 

“Yes. Very,” Ivan said bluntly, his smile so tight his eyes pressed shut.

Kyle made a face that was a mix of trying to stifle his displeasure in being around the school’s pariah and a smile in support of his friend’s relationship. Uncomfortable, he felt that it was time to take his leave. “Well, I need to get to class. Keep in contact, ‘kay?” He sent Alfred a finger gun gesture as he half-spun and began walking away.

“Yeah, of course. We’ll find something to do.” He waved the junior off. 

Now about Kiku, Alfred pursed his lips as he took note of his best friend's less-open demeanor since Ivan returned. There had to be some kind of resolution, some sort of balance he could find. Like with Matthew, it was clear Ivan had no intention of getting along or even making an effort to do so, though at least with his twin he understood why there was tension between them. As far as he knew, Kiku and Ivan barely interacted, so the hostility they held toward each other was unnecessary. 

They entered homeroom and Alfred rushed toward Kiku’s old desk. It was the only way a compromise could be met without hurting anybody’s feeling, this way they both could sit beside him — someone would take his spot by the window and another could take the center aisle. After realizing what Alfred had done, the two teens begrudgingly set aside their differences for his sake and took their place, content that at least they didn’t have to interact. Proud of his insightfulness, for a moment Alfred actually believed today would go against his judgement and turn out for the better. 

Sadly, all good things must come to an end.

It was lunch when the train began to steer off-course, Alfred’s reluctance to sit at their table only morphed to regret when Feliciano took his seat beside Ludwig. 

Feliciano’s disheartened disposition was evident by the way he slouched in his seat and picked at his food. It was Matthew who began the conversation. “Is something wrong, Feli?”

“Well, it’s just…” Feliciano sighed, staring at the folded hands in his lap. “My mama has been calling me constantly. She’s urging me to drop everything and live in Italy with her. And Lovino, I haven’t seen him in weeks. He’s so busy now that he’s been relocated, and papa’s not answering my calls at all...”

“What a shame.” Ivan smirked, resulting in Alfred to inconspicuously whack him in the stomach with a scolding expression of ‘what the fuck.’ The wide-eyed, confused look Ivan responded with would’ve been funny if the situation itself wasn’t inappropriate. 

“Grazie.” Feliciano failed to detect the sarcasm in the remark, though Matthew and Kiku both heard it clearly — like Ivan wasn’t even trying to hide it. “I don’t understand what’s happening. I wish they would be more open with me.”

The boys at the table then turned to Ludwig, with the exception of Ivan who went back to eating his lunch. Usually he was the one who would offer a comforting word or two to Feliciano, maybe even a small gesture, but right now he seemed distant, brooding, his mind completely elsewhere. Matthew and Kiku exchanged an unsure glance as Alfred studied the other. 

God, he looked so much like his father. It sickened him. There were dark feelings swirling in his gut, a desire to make him suffer for Sixth’s actions, but he had to remember this was his friend, not the man who tried to have him violated by his sick goonies. Lips quivering into a smile, he dared to open his mouth. “Hey, at least you still have us, right?”

A soft smile bloomed on Feliciano’s face before he gave a slight nod, a twinkle in amber eyes. “Yes, I still have all of you.”

The next encounter of the day, however, he had much less control over the situation. 

It’d been a long time since he’d spoken with Chris, what with Kevin transferring schools after his hospitalization and the school’s refusal to expel Ivan, but he should have known that a grudge against him still lingered. It was gym when he was approached by his classmate, originally believing that he would ask about baseball try-outs. His answer had already been planned, that he wasn’t going to bother this year. 

Needless to say, he was surprised when the conversation took a completely different turn. 

“Wow, so you tried to be a fucking hero during the raid and instead you were taken in as a hostage. What a textbook example of getting put in your place, am I right? ” Chris jeered at him with a few fellow baseball players snickering in support. 

That struck a nerve. 

Alfred slammed his locker shut and turned to his former teammate. “You think I wanted that? You think I want any of this?” His voice was strained, pitch rising near the end. 

“Well, none of that would’ve happened if you weren’t always trying to be such an attention whore, Al.” Chris rolled his eyes. “You got what you deserved.”

Blond brows furrowed dangerously. “So, you’re saying I deserved to die?”

“No, I’m saying you needed a reality check.” 

“But if he did die, you wouldn’t see me complaining,” Carlos joined in with a sneer. 

“Shut the fuck up, asshole,” Alfred snapped at his twin’s friend. There were so many times he couldn’t stand the other, as though it were his fault his ADHD had been rampant back in elementary school. All those misunderstandings, his recklessness which got them into trouble, and his loud, overbearing outbursts hadn’t been out of malice like Carlos was stubborn to believe. He literally couldn’t control his behavior, that’s why it was called a disorder, yet the other had the audacity to believe he was faking it the whole time. 

How could he have been faking it when it severely hurt his ability to befriend others? When it made everyone shun him like an outcast? It was only when he got older and fortunate enough to have the symptoms lessen that he was able to make friends, to discover a way to coexist with it as it fueled his charismatic, extroverted personality. But Carlos seemed to think that he wanted to spend a good portion of his childhood taking medication, to have to go to those behavioral therapy sessions because something was wrong with him, to be the only preteen with imaginary friends since there were only a handful of people who could stand him...

Life had never been fair to him, but to say that he deserved to suffer because of the hand he was dealt? Maybe if they all spent a moment in his shoes, they’d change their minds. 

For a fleeting moment, Alfred really wanted Chris and Carlos to be afraid, to know what it was like to be at death’s mercy. Hands clenching and his jaw set, he advanced toward the two in a way he’d seen just a few weeks ago — like a hunter stalking his prey. 

There was something satisfying about the way two pairs of brown eyes widened when they understood that Alfred had the intent of escalating this conflict into something physical. 

A firm hand clamped over his shoulder, jolting Alfred out of whatever reverie he’d fallen into. Looking back, he saw that it was none other than Ivan, smiling down at him gently. “Do not trouble yourself with these worms. They will get what is coming to them soon enough,” he promised, and Alfred paled as realization dawned on him. 

Just what the hell was happening to him?

Hands trembling, Alfred needed to get away from here, especially when he saw his old team gawking at him with disturbed scowls etched into their faces. No, this wasn’t him. 

But then why did it feel so right?

Lost in a trance and uncomfortable with this discovery, he shook himself out of Ivan’s grip and rushed out of the locker room, deciding that maybe he would take up on Matthew’s offer and try to get out of school early. Apparently they were going to have an assembly concerning the raid after this period, and with the state he was in now, there was no way he’d be able handle it. He was suffocating. He needed leave now. 

Unbeknownst to him, Ivan had observed his behavior with intrigue, almost as though seeing him in a new light. This was...unprecedented, but most certainly not unwelcome. In fact, it was rather exhilarating. Lips twitching into a grin and heart palpitating faster by the second, a warm blush spread through his cheeks as he ran after Alfred, eager to see what else their future would bring. 

Notes:

Ohhh, Alfred wants to believe Ivan is a superhero so bad lol. But yes, Alfred clearly has issues. He’s not a completely innocent character, especially since it was so easy for him to accept the fact Ivan killed people as long as they were ‘bad guys.’ Then again, after facing a serial killer and an entire mob, plus his obsession with superheroes, can you really fault him for being okay with that? JUST as long as they’re bad...but who gets to be the judge? Hehe(:

Again, reminder, the next chapter will be up in the next week or so which will set up the next arc. After it's published, I won’t get anything out until mid-to-late May at the earliest because I have a LOT of catching up to do on projects/essays. I’m being crushed by all these responsibilities, please send help.

Chapter 11: Curse of the Oracle

Summary:

There comes a point where even the most resilient crack.

Notes:

Y’all I am soooo sorry. I was gonna post this ages ago, but I wasn’t too content with what I had because some parts felt forced...and I was falling a littleeeee bit behind in some of my classes. Then the writer's block hit. It hit me hard, yo.

But anyway! The delay allowed me to plan for more stuff, add a few things, etc. Also, I’m so eager to start the next arc, so that’s super exciting. Hope you enjoy this little build up, I know some of you have guessed what happens next ;)

Getting through the past week of school certainly proved to be a challenge, but somehow Alfred prevailed. After his encounter with Carlos and his former teammates, Ivan made it a personal goal to remain glued by his side, and truthfully, he found himself grateful for it rather than annoyed. The majority of his classmates kept their distance since, and while their judgmental and pitying sidelong glances were initially uncomfortable, Alfred was able to shrug them off naturally. It took some deep contemplation, but in the end, he was able to come to the conclusion that none of their opinions and insults toward him mattered.

His sole priority now was survival — for himself and those close to him. 

Still, he felt disturbed by the dark thoughts that had swirled inside his mind when he approached Chris and Carlos. To be honest, it was downright terrifying that a person like him could even think about donning the intent of a merciless killer, even if for a moment. It was becoming increasingly clear that this game was taking its toll on him as he suspected, yet despite that, he was determined not to become corrupted. He refused to lose his optimism and become a heartless killer.

He refused to become like Sixth. 

Rather than go through another crisis when it was crucial he stayed on guard, he did what was easiest and suppressed his unsettling emotions. This wasn’t the time to confront that massive baggage, he still had a couple of months and nine other contestants to get through. It was especially important he appeared normal now that both his parents were home for the weekend, where the slightest rouse of suspicion could easily result in disaster. Fortunately, it was easy to pretend he was living a mundane life as he lounged on the couch in the family room, scrolling through memes on his laptop while half-paying attention to the football game on TV. 

“Honey, sit up. We have guests, remember?” 

After taking a deep breath while closing his computer and setting it aside, Alfred did as he was told and straightened his posture. Ivan, whose shoulder had been supporting his head, pouted childishly with a weak violet glare directed toward Madeline for ruining his moment with his beloved as she exited the room. 

“Bonjour, mon petit chou.” Francis passed through the doorway and embraced his cousin, planting a quick kiss to his temple before locking eyes with Ivan. Standing up straight, Francis coughed into his fist awkwardly as he regarded his student. There’d been no violent outbursts since the incident with Kevin many months ago, yet he always found it hard to relax around the other. “Ivan,” he greeted politely. 

“Mr. Bonnefoy, you are well-dressed, as always,” Ivan complimented sweetly with a gentle smile. 

“Oh, why thank you!” With a weakness for flattery, Francis was temporarily alleviated from his discomfort. Combing through Alfred’s hair in an effort to flatten his unruly cowlick, he continued. “And your brother? Where is he?”

“Probably with Tim in the kitchen or helping out dad,” he responded as he swatted the other’s hand away. 

“Mon dieu, I better get there quickly if I want to save dinner from your father,” Francis said callously, making Alfred snicker as he took his leave. 

Bemused, his brows squished together as he turned to Ivan. “Since when do you care about fashion?”

“I have no reason to dislike him, do I? I want your family to accept me. That is how relationships work, da?”

“We’re not in a relationship,” he stated as a fact. Sure, he had feelings for Ivan, but they weren’t boyfriends or anything. Besides, there was a part of him that really didn’t want to date the other as they were technically enemies. Nothing good could come from it, only heartbreak or betrayal — it was bad enough they were already considered friends. 

Ivan was unfazed by his answer. “But we will be,” he replied firmly. 

Alfred's stare remained blank until he decided to backtrack rather than open that can of worms. “You don’t even like my brother.” 

Ivan scowled. “That is his own fault for trying to keep us apart.” 

Well, Alfred knew he couldn’t fight that. No point forcing two people to like each other — Matthew had been trying to do that for years with him and Carlos and look where that ended up.

Actually, no. He didn’t want to go there. 

“Hey, Alfie.” Jeanne smiled at him as she entered the room with Madeline following closely behind. They promptly took their seats on the opposite end of the couch. “Has everything been good lately? You doing well?” 

“Oh, you know it,” his response was dry. 

Jeanne chuckled. “Wonderful.” Then she faced his mother, switching to French in a serious tone. “Did Francis go outside?”

Madeline nodded, sucking in her lips to prevent a sigh. “Yes, my sister called.”

Now, Alfred’s French speaking skills weren’t the best, but he’d grown up surrounded by the language. A casual conversation like this was not hard to eavesdrop on. His eyes were trained hard on the television screen, making it look like he was oblivious to his environment. If they switched languages, that only meant the topic was serious and oh boy, he could not help himself when people started spilling tea. It was very likely the reason why his diary was brimming with juicy content when it wasn’t stuck in survival mode.

Jeanne groaned with a click of her tongue. “Probably to ask for a favor again or money. That’s all she ever cares about.”

“Money? Why does she need money? I thought she got herself a wealthy husband specifically for that reason.”

“Ha, that’s funny.” Jeanne exhaled a bitter snort as she tucked a stray strand behind her ear. “No amount of money is enough for her, especially now that she’s trying to live through her daughter. She’s investing a lot into Lucille’s modeling career, but doesn't even want to dip into her own wallet! As if the woman needs another Louis Vuitton.” Her eyes rolled. “So, she expects that by giving Francis attention, he will forgive her and help out, and you know that of course he will.”

With a shake of her head, his mother was dismayed by the revelation. “And I thought she was finally turning over a new leaf…I wish I could help, but I’ve been on a tight budget as of late, what with visiting my mother and how I might have to take my ‘little one’ back to the doctor.”

Alfred almost shot his mother a furious glare, but instead kept his eyes glued to his dad’s favorite team making a successful play. How nice of her to avoid calling him out by name and risk drawing his attention, but unfortunately for her, his plans for getting out of therapy were already in the making.

“Oh, no, I wouldn’t ask you to do that for us!” Jeanne sent Madeline an apologetic look. “However we may have to move here to make ends meet if this continues, if that’s okay?” 

“Of course that’s okay!” His mother abruptly sat up straight which caught Alfred’s eye. “You know you two always have a place here. I haven’t touched Francis’ room at all since he left.”

“Thank you so much! I’ll keep you updated on how things go from here.”

Then the conversation shifted to something trivial and Alfred immediately lost interest. Eyeing Ivan, the other was studying him due to his sudden tenseness from before. It was easy to pretend he was fine, shooting the other an easygoing smile. 

“It always amazes me how you do that so effortlessly,” Ivan murmured into his ear, almost sending shivers down his spine.

Squinting his eyes in confusion, Alfred whispered back. “Do what...exactly?” 

“You are so perceptive and calculating, yet you hide behind silly smile and no one ever suspects a thing.”

Alfred pursed his lips before letting out a small snort. “As if I don’t catch you doing the same.”

“Nyet. I learned by watching you, though perhaps I am still learning. People never seem to trust me. I fail to have same effect...” Ivan trailed off, sporting a small pout as his brows were drawn together. 

Chuckling, Alfred shook his head. “That just means you gotta get good,” he said as he pushed himself up to his feet. “C’mon, I’m getting hungry. Time to see if any burgers made it off the grill.”

With Ivan beside him as they entered the kitchen, he saw Matthew and Tim leaning against the counters and snacking on appetizers, chatting idly before fixing their gaze on the two newcomers. “Did you hear about who’s supposed to appear in the half-time show? You’re gonna lose your mind,” Matthew informed him before popping a cherry tomato into his mouth. 

“Yeah, only the whole internet is talking about it.” Alfred grinned. “It’s the only reason I’m watching.” Not like his team was playing. Searching the table for burgers and buns, he gasped with joy once he finally set his eyes on them. As he undid the plastic twist-ties around the bag, he glanced at his twin. “Also, is dad still grilling? Doesn’t he care that he’s missing the Super Bowl? He’s the only person in the family who actually gives a shit.”

Matthew let out a snicker. “No, his tablet’s out there with him.”

Ivan gently tapped Alfred’s shoulder. “I will be in the bathroom,” he said in a soft tone only Alfred could hear, taking out his phone for clarification and showing it to the other. “Check up.”

Instances like this were common as of late, where Ivan would sneak off to someplace secluded yet within distance to make sure nothing was off in the other’s future. Ivan always refrained from doing it in front of others if he could help it, like he didn’t trust anyone — not even Alfred’s own family. Lips quirking into a slight frown, Alfred couldn’t help but feel Ivan was maybe a bit too cautious, though he wouldn’t complain since it wasn’t like it was a big deal or anything. 

“Well, you know where it is. I’ll be here,” Alfred answered as he set two buns down on his plate, now feeling an anxious urge to check his own diary. In fact, that’s exactly what he ended up doing since unlike the other, he actually knew his family wasn’t capable of harming him.  

February 3 19:03 [My Kitchen]

Matthew laughs at me because I took a bite out of one of dad’s vegan burgers. It tastes disgusting.

Well, fuck that future. Alfred made sure to carefully inspect the patties before placing them on his buns. 

shhHHBBBTTT-

While he cringed at the ear-piercing noise of familiar static, Matthew and Tim both jumped in alarm, whipping their heads around to stare at him with wide eyes. 

“Jesus Christ, what was that?” Matthew squawked. 

“What was what?” Alfred feigned ignorance as he tucked his phone into his pocket. No more messing with futures in front of the fam, but in his defense, that was an emergency. 

“Don’t play dumb. That sound.” Matthew’s eyes darted toward his pocket. “Was that your phone?” His gaze flicked back to Alfred’s face. 

“Oh, yeah...that’s my new ringtone. It’s great, isn’t it?” 

“No! God, that’s horrible!”

The back door opened and their father peeked his head inside. “Hey, can one of you grab me something from the cooler? I can’t handle being nagged by your cousin without some help.” 

“Yeah, Al can go with his possessed phone,” Matthew volunteered on his behalf. “He's got a new ringtone straight from hell.” Their father rolled his eyes playfully while shaking his head before shutting the door. 

After fixing up the rest of his burger and taking the plate with him, Alfred made his way toward the garage only to come to a halt when he heard two women conversing with a very particular Russian in the dining room. Curiosity distracting him from his mission of fetching his father some booze, he made his way toward the archway and saw Ivan seated at the table with Jeanne beside him while his mother leaned over his shoulder, both women pointing toward different things in an open book before him.  

“Oh, I remember this.” Jeanne crooned as she tapped an old photo. “This was from the time you took the Beilschmidt boys and I to camp with you.” 

“Look, there you are building a sandcastle with Matthew,” Madeline cooed with a nostalgic gleam in her eyes. “And here’s Alfred with Ludwig. He got that poor boy into all sorts of trouble back in those days.” She pointed to an image of the two boys kayaking. “They got stuck in the marshes shortly after this was taken. I believe I have a picture on the next page…”

“That was funny,” Jeanne reminisced, stifling a snort as she shot Ivan a sly expression. “They both fell in and were covered in mud. If you know Ludwig, you’d know he wasn’t a happy camper...”

“Ah, I see,” Ivan responded with a nod, squinting in contemplation. “I hadn’t known they were friends...”

“This was a while ago, back when we’d invite Gilbert to keep Francis company during family trips. We always invited Ludwig too since I felt it would be nice for the boys to have a friend their age, but I haven’t seen him in a long time,” Madeline explained before flipping the page. “Oh, here’s Alfred when he was four!” 

Ivan’s eyes brightened as his smile returned. “He’s so cute!”

“Isn’t he? My little troublemaker.” She gestured toward an image of Alfred as a toddler with chocolate ice cream all over his mouth, chin, and hands, all while donning an innocent expression. 

“I see no change,” Jeanne teased. 

Alfred crossed his arms as he entered the room, his face flushed with embarrassment. “Mom, what are you doing?” he accused in an even tone. 

“Showing Ivan photos of your childhood, honey. Is there something wrong with that?”

He cleared his throat with an exaggerated grunt as a way to convey his irritation. “Why?”

“Well, why not? It’s not like he’s complaining.”

“I am enjoying this very much, thank you,” Ivan assured Madeline, exchanging an innocent smile with her. 

Taking a distrustful bite out of his burger, his purpose for leaving the kitchen now forgotten, Alfred stood behind the empty chair beside Madeline and kept his gaze fixed on the photo album, deciding that the situation needed to be supervised. It’d been a while since he went through it, who knew what sort of pictures his mother kept stowed away in there?

“Oh, here’s Alfred and Matthew going trick-or-treating with an old family friend.” Madeline pursed her lips in thought as her gaze lingered on a teenaged brunet with shoulder-length hair. “He hasn’t visited in a while though...I invited him for Thanksgiving dinner, but all I got was a text telling me he’s been very busy lately.” She let out a dejected exhale. “I hope he isn’t distancing himself from us…”

“You and I both know he’s not like that.” Alfred sent her a comforting smile. “He’s a workaholic and gets carried away at times. I’m sure we’ll see him soon.”

Nodding, Madeline found herself convinced by her son’s reasoning, both missing the violet eyes regarding them cautiously. Mid-way through flipping the page, Madeline began bursting into giggles with Jeanne soon joining her. 

“What?” Alfred sat up in his seat and tried to peek over his mother’s arm. “What is it?”

With a mischievous grin, Madeline laid the page down to reveal a new set of photos. As he scanned their contents, Alfred’s face had flushed a bright red when he saw none other than a picture of him and Kiku sharing a bath when they were nine. The image was taken at an angle where the tub concealed their lower halves, but it still was not an image he wanted the man obsessed with him seeing!

Speaking of Ivan, he was quiet and staring at the image blankly, his expression completely unreadable. Though this normally would’ve been discomforting, Alfred was too overwhelmed by his embarrassment to think much of it. 

A sudden reach across the table, Alfred slammed the photo album shut, glaring at his mother. “What is wrong with you?” 

“What? It’s cute—” Madeline attempted to defend herself through stifled chuckles. 

“Mom! Stop ,” he pleaded, his pitch raised and holding an edge of desperation. 

Analyzing her son, Madeline’s eyes softened while she offered an apologetic smile. “Alright, alright. I’ll just put this back.” 

“Thank you.” Alfred exhaled in relief, watching his mother store the album in a nearby bookshelf. From over her shoulder, she sent the two boys a wink before heading toward the kitchen for some hors d'oeuvres. After a moment, Alfred shot Ivan a glare. “I thought you were going to the bathroom.”

“I was.” Ivan pouted at the accusation. “But I was called over.”

Alfred turned his accusatory glare to Jeanne, who raised her hands in surrender. “Your mom and I were talking about that time we went to Nantucket, but we couldn’t remember if it was you or Matthew that fell off the tube,” she explained as Alfred recalled the incident. An impish glint shone in Jeanne’s eye as she attempted to conceal a growing smirk. “It was you, by the way.”

“I could’ve told you that.” Alfred scoffed, rolling his eyes and shaking his head in annoyance. 

“Yeah, but the picture was funny.” Jeanne grinned as she stood up, pushing her chair in. “I’m getting hungry watching you eat that burger, so I’m going to get one myself if you don’t mind.”

“I do mind, unless you take the vegan ones.” Alfred took a final bite of his burger as Jeanne bit her lip to suppress a grin. 

“Maybe. I suppose I owe you one, huh?” Hearing Alfred grunt in affirmation, she chuckled before taking her leave, waving the two boys off. “Fine, fine.”

Blowing out a heavy exhale, Alfred faced Ivan, only to be taken aback by how lost in thought the other was, head resting on his knuckles with a clouded gaze beneath furrowed brows, his lips pursed and posture dejected. “Iv, you okay?”

Ivan blinked out of his stupor and gave him a hesitant nod. “D-da. Why?”

“That’s reassuring,” Alfred answered sarcastically. “What’s up?”

“I just thought...well, you look so happy in these photos. With your friends.” Ivan crinkled his nose. “It caught me off guard that you have history with all these people...especially Ludwig.”

Alfred shrugged with uncertainty. “I don’t know. We might’ve hung out in the past, but I never knew if he liked me or just came along because he had to...I’ve always been a handful and you know how he is about rules and order. To be honest, I have no clue why he still sits with me at lunch.”

This intrigued Ivan, who raised a brow. “Really? How interesting…” 

“Uh, I guess?” Alfred frowned. “Why is this bugging you?”

“Well, you haven’t known me very long, but you mean everything to me.” Ivan averted his gaze with a scowl. “If these people mean something to you, then…”

“Are you feeling insecure?” Alfred’s brows shot up wide. To be honest, he was quite familiar with the feeling, often questioning how deep his bond with someone was compared to others, which was usually more superficial than he’d hoped. It wasn’t uncommon for him to mull over having deep bonds and friendship with more people, just as he had with Matthew and Kiku. Who could blame him? After a lifetime of being an outcast, all he wanted was to be loved and accepted for who he was. Unfortunately, not many people even liked the confident version of himself that he pretended to be, though it was significantly much better than what he had originally...he just couldn’t win. 

But to think Ivan cared that much about their bond? He never had someone be so protective over their friendship, it was flattering to be that important to someone.  

Ivan had yet to answer, instead sulking with his glare fixed on the photo album resting on the shelf as though it were mocking him. Taking in a deep breath, Alfred continued. “Listen, you’re fine. You mean a lot to me too, okay?” Ivan turned to him, his eyes glistening. “You’re my hero, Iv. You’ve always been there for me when I needed you and I don’t even deserve it. There’s no way I’d be where I am without you. We’re a team, right? Nobody can take that away from us.”

A light blush bloomed on pale cheeks as he chewed his bottom lip, Ivan became the definition of coy. “I suppose, because if they tried…” Suddenly, his gaze hardened as he shook his head. “Never mind. I answered my own question.”

“...So, you’re good?” Alfred asked unsurely. 

Ivan responded with a resolute nod. “Yes. Thank you, sunflower.”

The back door shut and his father’s booming voice joined in whatever conversation the rest of his family was having. Alfred’s eyes widened while he stood abruptly, realizing he’d gotten distracted.” Shit, I need to go get dad his beer! C’mon, let’s go.” He patted Ivan’s shoulder before heading off toward the garage. 

Amused, Ivan pushed himself out of his seat as well, but cast a final skeptical glance at the photo album before following his love. 

---

The 11th was a Monday, two weeks since starting school after everything that had happened. It was becoming a bit easier for Alfred to get used to his surroundings. His anxiety was lessening, but it still had yet to dissipate. It was easy to ignore the gossip about him and his hostage situation with a smile. When people saw that their jabs didn’t phase him, they died down much quicker. 

But they did phase him and they hurt a lot. If he spent more than a few seconds thinking about it, he could feel angry tears gathering in the corner of his eyes, therefore he did everything in his power to minimize the opportunity. The amount of peers he interacted with nowadays could be counted on his fingers, there was no point being friendly with people who talked shit about him behind his back. Reputation be damned.

This was starting to feel very much like his childhood. The only thing missing were his visits with Deus, though he supposed the few extra friends and survival game made up for that. 

Kiku was one of few people who’d been by his side the longest. If he were to willingly trust anybody with his life, it would be him. Aside from Matthew, Kiku was invaluable to him and Alfred actually considered him to be family. There may have been a time their relationship almost took a more romantic path, what with their brief experimental phase and being each other’s first kiss, but that was before they mutually agreed a platonic love suited them best: Alfred had a habit of being too clingy while Kiku was very distant. It was quite possible the only reason Alfred had his crush in the first place was because he had been the only non-related person to tolerate him. To be fair, there was a time he would’ve thrown himself at anyone who paid him the slightest bit of attention, hence all his past failed romances. 

God, he really had been pathetic...or perhaps he still was, considering how he loved the way Ivan made him feel long before he took the time to truly get to know the other, but the romantic in him sincerely hoped that Ivan was his soulmate. At least Ivan seemed genuine about his intentions and was always there to protect him. It was proving to be very difficult not to catch feelings for him because...well, when Alfred fell for someone, he fell hard. 

Maybe it was already too late.

As he approached his best friend’s locker, Alfred broke free from his thoughts and smiled when Kiku reacted with surprise at the unexpected gesture. Normally it was Kiku who met with him, not the other way around since Alfred’s locker was closest to their homeroom. 

Eyes catching sight of the messily wrapped present in Alfred’s hold, Kiku sent him a fond smile as he understood the sudden change in ritual. “Arigato, Al-kun,” he said bashfully while taking the gift. 

“Happy birthday!” Alfred cheered with a bright grin, bouncing on the balls of his feet in anticipation. “Open it! I wanna see your reaction!”

Kiku gave him a small smirk as he slid a finger beneath one of the folds and began to neatly unwrap his present, resulting in Alfred huffing and tapping his foot impatiently. Ugh, it was maddening! Kiku knew he was a very impatient person, but the suspense made Alfred’s reaction all the more satisfying. 

“Oh, wow.” Observing the nendoroid figurine from an anime they enjoyed watching together, Kiku’s eyes widened. “I thought these were sold out.” 

“I stalked every website until one said they were taking orders again, then just jumped on it before they could sell out.” Alfred sighed, rubbing the back of his neck as he remembered the hassle he went through. “I mean, I know he’s your favorite character and all…”

“Well, he does remind me of you,” Kiku admitted with a chuckle.   

The compliment smacked his face. Alfred lowered his arm slowly as he processed what his friend meant by that. “Wait, seriously?”

“Ah, Fedya! There you are,” Ivan announced his presence from behind Alfred, startling him. 

Staring at Ivan as he calmed his rapidly beating heart, Alfred managed an acknowledgement in return before turning back to his best friend. “Do you want me to come over later?”

He completely missed the worried look Ivan sent him, almost begging him to recant the offer. 

Kiku gave him a wide-eyed look, ignoring the sudden violet glare fixated on him. It wasn’t like Ivan could hurt him. “Your parents are okay with you going out with a murderer on the loose?”

Smile growing tight, Alfred had to resist the urge of saying his parents really didn’t care what he did, since he’d almost been killed three times the past month and spent most of his time with a vigilante. 

“If you come over, my parents will make you spend the night,” Kiku warned. “If you are alright with that, then be my guest.”

Alfred made a face. Ever since his best friend told him about the spirits that lived in his house, he hadn’t had a good night’s sleep there. “Ugh, fair point. Maybe once all this madness is over, we can find a day to hang out and make up for it?” If such a thing was even possible in the near future. 

“Sounds like a plan,” Kiku regarded him with a nod, but scowled at the intense aura suddenly surrounding Ivan like a warning. Not wanting to start a new conflict, but wanting to be able to open his locker in peace, he turned to Alfred. “Have you gotten your books yet?” Seeing the other shake his head, he continued. “You should go do that. I’ll meet up with you when I’m done.” 

“Alright, see you in a few,” Alfred responded as he turned, heading toward his locker with Ivan by his side. The other seemed to be down, so he felt the need to explain himself. “Sorry, it’s his birthday today so I thought I’d do something special for him. I should’ve told you I wasn’t gonna be at my locker.”

Ivan raised his brows at the other’s concern for his feelings, cheeks heating up with a blush before he averted his gaze. “Oh, I see. Birthdays have always meant a lot to you.”

Lip curling into an unsure smile, Alfred noted that Ivan made an interesting observation about himself he hadn’t really considered. It was true, birthdays did mean a lot to him, perhaps more than the average person, though he wasn’t sure if the other knew why...had he revealed those details yet? He didn’t think so. 

Deciding to change the subject, Alfred voiced another curiosity. “Well, when’s your birthday?”

“December 30th,” Ivan answered automatically. 

“Oh, fuck!” Smacking his forehead in frustration, Alfred remembered how he distanced himself from Ivan during that time. Ivan had spent his birthday all alone. Filled with remorse, Alfred felt the apology flood from his mouth. “I’m really, really sorry. I should’ve been there for you, but I’m such a selfish, piece of—"

“Is alright, I never celebrate it anyway,” Ivan interrupted Alfred’s rambling with a shrug.

Alfred narrowed his eyes in confusion. “Wait, like, you’ve never celebrated it? Or you just don’t anymore, cause there’s a very big difference.”

“I never had one,” Ivan clarified. “I almost did once, but I…” His eyes glimmered with regret as they became downcast. He clenched his fists, trembling like the beginning of an earthquake. “I ruined it,” he spat.

This revelation was just more fuel for Alfred’s theory that Ivan was an experiment raised in a lab his whole life. It explained both his incredible abilities and why he struggled with social interaction, he was basically a real-world Natasha Romanoff with a twist. The only thing that confused him was that picture of him with his sisters...perhaps that happened before he was discovered by the government or some secret organization? Anything was possible. 

Alfred turned to Ivan with a bright grin. “I have an idea!”

Suddenly awestruck, Ivan grew flustered, “Y-yes?”

“Valentine’s is in a few days, right? We can do something special to make up for your birthday!” 

As his blush deepened, Ivan smiled affectionately. “I’d love that.”

---

It was about 5:04 in the morning when Alfred awoke. The birds outside began chirping and cawing as he got up from his bed cautiously, desperate to not make a sound that would wake his twin. Checking his phone entries, he saw that he’d be successful in sneaking out, but it was best to follow the instructions and stick to the schedule presented to him. After getting dressed, he was able to quietly descend the steps and reach the front door, silently shutting it behind him and rushing to Ivan’s parked impala just ten minutes before his twin’s normal wake up time. 

He sighed in relief as Ivan put the car in reverse. He felt bad for skipping school. Matthew and Mr. Edelstein would no doubt rip him a new one the next day, but what was the point of getting an education anymore when he could be killed at any moment? It wasn’t like he’d see graduation. The only reason he didn’t argue too much against being forced to go to class was that it gave him an opportunity to see his friends, especially since Kiku wasn’t allowed to visit him until things settled down again. Who even knew when that’d be? Would it even happen at all?

No, he had to enjoy things as they came. He needed to enjoy the present. It was bad that he’d become so tense lately, even Ludwig had asked the other day if he was being followed. Those were the first and only words he said to Alfred since the raid over a month ago. Hell, Ludwig wasn’t even conversing with Feliciano anymore, so it was alarming he took the time to mention this to Alfred at all. That meant others were catching on to his paranoia, which would only single him out as a target. He needed to make himself less obvious and prove he was a normal civilian.

Once Matthew started spamming him with worried messages, he muted his cellphone. Alfred pursed his lips as they entered the movie theatre. It wasn’t an original idea for a date, but there wasn’t much to do in his neighborhood this time of year. Fortunately for him, Ivan had never experienced going to a cinema before, so Alfred let him pick whichever movie he wanted while Alfred covered the cost of tickets, food, and drinks. They had garnered some weird stares from the staff, likely suspecting the two teens were playing hooky, but Alfred knew that as long as he maintained a cool demeanor, he and Ivan could easily pass themselves off as college students. 

The theatre was almost empty, they took their seats in the far back. Resting comfortably and sipping on his cola, Alfred watched as Ivan gently shook their popcorn bucket cautiously, hoping to properly distribute its contents without spilling them.

“I kinda went overboard with the butter...” Alfred turned his cheek and scratched it to conceal a pink tint. 

“Yes, but—” Ivan gave a reassuring smile. “As long as you are enjoying it, I do not mind.”

“Trust me, it’s good!” Alfred took a handful and plopped a few into his mouth. 

Ivan was unconvinced, but smiled politely. “I will take your word for it.”

Alfred brought the last piece in his hand close to Ivan’s lips, making his eyes widen as his cheeks flushed red. “C’mon, try it. It’s part of the movie experience! Just one bite and if you don’t like it, I’ll take the popcorn off your hands. Deal?”

Nodding, feeling slightly dizzy, Ivan leaned in so Alfred could feed him. As he slowly chewed his food, Alfred beamed once he saw him nod in approval. “So?” 

“It is rather...addicting.” Ivan picked out a few from their shared bucket and chewed on them, watching as Alfred’s hand grabbed for more. “I feel it is very easy to overindulge and wind up sick.”

“Boo, that’s the best part.” Alfred tossed a piece into the air and attempted to catch it with his mouth, only for it to hit his cheek and fall into the void between the seats. It was a lost cause. “Fuck.”

Ivan giggled as he held a new piece between his fingers. “A replacement?”

“Huh? Oh, thanks—”

Just as Alfred reached for it,  Ivan’s arm swerved and pressed it against his lips.

“My turn!” Ivan beamed. Alfred’s eyes darted from the snack to Ivan. “I take care of you now,” he continued. 

Alfred chuckled. “Damn, beat me at my own game.” He opened his mouth and accepted the piece, his smile growing more coy once he caught sight of the adoring look Ivan spoiled him with. 

There was a peaceful silence between the two until the lights of the theatre dimmed. Left alone with his thoughts, Alfred found it hard to concentrate on the movie screen. Each day that passed was a day closer to the end of the game, to the end of the world. There hadn’t been any incidents as of late, but just how long would these carefree moments last? Time was ticking.

Glancing at Ivan, Alfred was put at ease by the other’s calmness, his gaze fixed on the film as he idly ate popcorn. Whatever Ivan’s history may be, Alfred was glad he at least had a chance to know what it was like to live like as a normal teenager. To have a friend. 

The weight of Alfred's heavy gaze on him was distracting, Ivan turned expecting an explanation. Was he doing something wrong again? But instead, Alfred clasped Ivan's hand and rested his head on his shoulders, just relieved he wasn't spending these last few months alone. These distractions and companionship were probably the only things keeping him sane. 

Elated by the sudden affection, Ivan leaned into the touch, nuzzling into golden hair and squeezing Alfred’s hand gently. 

When the film concluded, they moved on to the next phase of Ivan’s birthday-valentine combo. Nearby the cinema was an indoor recreation center featuring a roller skating rink. Alfred led Ivan toward a section in the back and introduced him to an arcade.

He exchanged money for tokens, then handed Ivan his own cup. “Go wild.” Ivan stared at him with uncertainty, preferring to follow his lead like a lost puppy. “Just pick whichever game you think looks fun and put in however many tokens it tells you.” 

It took a few minutes of meandering down the aisles until Ivan stopped by the motorcycle racing simulators and glanced back at Alfred. 

“Oooh, these are fun. You don’t get any tickets for winning though,” he informed as he slid on his own bike. Ivan followed suit and inserted his coins into the machine as Alfred selected his avatar and map. 

After a few races, they moved on to other games in the arcade. Ivan’s inhuman reflexes scored them multiple jackpots and tickets rained down, there was enough for them to get one of the more expensive prizes on display. After much bickering between the two over how the other should pick, Alfred eventually settled everything by telling Ivan to just get the drone since it was the only thing that seemed worth the money. However, convincing Ivan that the prize was his since he’d won it and that it was technically a belated birthday present was a whole other debate. As a compromise, Alfred offered they could share the drone despite having no interest in using it. Sure, he could take some interesting footage with it, but why bother starting a project when he already had so much on his plate? If Ivan could find some use for it in the few months remaining, Alfred would be seriously impressed. 

They grabbed an early dinner, then patrolled the recreation center for a new activity until Ivan pointed out an area they had yet to explore. “What is that?” 

Alfred let out an excited giggle. “Laser tag!" He took Ivan’s arm and led him to the counter so he could purchase tickets, as well as ask the staff if they could watch their drone. The staff gestured for them to enter the next room where they were met with some young adults and other teens who were putting on their vests and equipping their guns. 

Ivan cocked his head to the side and turned to Alfred. “What is laser tag?”

The younger of the two picked up a vest off the rack and handed it to him before getting his own. “So basically we just shoot the other team where these lights are on our vests and protect our base, but we also have to invade their base and take all their points. Once you get into it, it'll start coming together.”

Ivan's brows were raised. “This...is a game?” 

“Yeah, it’s fun! Trust me. Just don’t go overboard. You can’t touch other people. You just shoot, and if you lose all your life points you have to go back to your base and recharge. Watch your corners and be on the lookout for kids because they can be real assholes.”

Nodding slowly as he took in all this information, Ivan tightened the harness around his waist. 

As they waited for more people to join and the current game to wrap up, a video further explained the instructions for Ivan while Alfred inspected the other team and mentally pitied all the people who wore white or bright clothing. They would stick out like a sore thumb in the black-lit room they were about to enter. 

The doors to the arena opened. The room was dark save for the multi-colored lights roaming around as the speakers blasted techno. Quickly they and the rest of their team synced their vests with their base. A familiar hand gripped around his wrist, Alfred smirked as Ivan pushed forward and surveyed the area. 

Finding an advantageous corner and pulling the other in, Ivan turned to Alfred. “We should attack from here.”

“What?” Alfred frowned disapprovingly. “That’s camping, we can’t do that. Scummy strat aside, it’s boring as fuck and I paid for us to have fun.”

“You want to go on offense?” Ivan clarified, a bit shocked by the suggestion. 

“Sure. I think that one couple was gonna hang back by the base anyway so someone’s gotta push. We can watch each other’s back.” 

Violet eyes bore into him pensively, but Ivan's lips eventually broke into a small grin. “Sounds perfect.”

As Ivan pulled his phone from his pocket, Alfred placed his hand over it and shook his head. Earnest blue eyes met his gaze. “Let’s just forget about the survival game, okay?”

With a single nod, Ivan tucked the diary away. “Understood.”

They forced themselves into enemy territory back-to-back with Ivan taking lead as Alfred kept an eye on any pursuers. A laser landed on a nearby teammate, Alfred searched for the source. 

“Shit, sniper!” He aimed a few shots at flashing blue lights before the vest went dark, signaling that it needed to be recharged at its home base. 

Clearing a way to the blue team’s base, Alfred kept watch and shot at any enemies as Ivan drained the tower of points. After a quick high-five, they proceeded to push into green territory until Ivan noticed an upper platform that overlooked the base. Forcing their way through, they were able to dodge behind a pillar and secure the advantage. 

From his angle, Alfred shot at the green tower while Ivan took care of the rest of the team’s defense. Once the tower deactivated, Alfred glanced down into the arena where many green and blues were rushing into red territory. What the hell was the rest of red team doing? Did everyone just decide to go offence instead? Fine by him. He needed to reload anyway. With a heavy sigh, he signaled for Ivan to retreat with him to the lower levels. 

As he led Ivan through the maze, using his remaining bullets sparingly, he flinched when a laser from the side temporarily blinded him. Ivan rushed to his side and took out the other opponent, pushing Alfred out of the way into a corner. As he peeked over the edge, Alfred spotted a nearby reloading station while Ivan kept watch. Ignoring the ‘no running’ rule, he made his way in and raised his gun to the sensor until it was at full ammo. Ivan took advantage of their time at the station while Alfred made sure to take out the few blue and green enemies that hoped to overwhelm them while they were vulnerable. 

Driving back the two teams from their base was much more difficult that he anticipated, considering the rest had abandoned post and were in enemy territory, except for the few players that had been hit and were heading back to base to recharge. The two teens were crouched on opposite sides of a path, hoping to catch their opponents in a crossfire. It was time to move forward, Alfred decided as he turned the corner, eyeing his partner to make sure they were on the same page.

A laser had only narrowly missed Ivan’s shoulder. Gaze flickering back, Alfred realized that it belonged to a child flaunting a smug grin. Their little bodies always gave them an advantage to sneak up on people. The child’s trigger finger curled along the trigger, he rushed toward Ivan. 

“Look out!” 

Ivan raised his head in alarm, pupils dilating, only to be knocked back just as the lights of the arena turned on, music coming to a sudden halt. 

“Oof!” Alfred landed across Ivan’s chest. The other was pushing himself up with his elbows, wincing as he did so while desperately checking to see if Alfred was alright. Alfred made sure their gazes met before he waggled his brows and prepared the most suave voice he could muster. “I guess I really fell for ya, huh?” He sounded ridiculous, but that didn’t stop him from making awkward finger guns.

Head cocking to the side as he took everything in, Ivan suddenly burst out laughing. A genuine, relieved full belly laugh. It was so contagious that Alfred couldn’t help but join in as he moved off the other, completely captivated by the sight. Seeing Ivan so happy felt like an accomplishment for him. The smile on his face only grew when their gazes reunited. Ivan wiped away a few stray tears before becoming quiet, staring at his hand in astonishment.

Alfred noticed the sudden mood change. “What’s up?”

“I never laughed so hard before,” Ivan admitted with a heartfelt smile as he got to his knees, gaze darting back to the other. “It felt great. Thank you for this, Fedya.” 

There was a dry snort. “If I knew cringy puns were gonna make you lose your shit, I would’ve made one sooner.”

“No, it was bad. However, the execution...you are so silly, it’s adorable.” 

“What can I say? It’s a gift,” Alfred bragged as he stood up and extended a hand toward him. “Now let’s go check our scores.” 

After pulling Ivan up, they made their way to the leaderboard. Eyes roaming the screen, Alfred was glad to see that red was above blue before checking the details. Ivan was in first place with zero hits and Alfred honestly couldn’t have expected anything less from the other. 

What surprised him, however, was that he’d been trailing not too far behind from Ivan. Normally he did pretty well in shooter-type games, his aim had always been a strong suit, but the lack of hits against him was new. Ivan did a pretty amazing job watching his back. In fact, they were super compatible as a team. It almost felt natural. 

A few more rounds resulted in similar results until their tickets expired. Fortunately, it was around the time the recreation center was due to close, especially with the curfews in place over their neighborhood. They headed back to the car and Alfred opened the back door to put away the prize they’d won, letting out a small sigh. 

“Is something the matter?”

“I don’t really want to go home yet,” Alfred confessed as he shut the door, hoping he could delay the inevitable scolding that awaited him at home a little while longer. Maybe he’d avoid it altogether if their outing pushed past Matthew’s bedtime. 

Ivan smiled. “I understand. What would you like to do instead?”

Glancing around, the park the two of them had walked through weeks ago came into view. “Let’s go there,” he suggested while pointing to a clearing on the lawn. Ivan sent him an approving nod before they crossed through the parking lot, entering through the baseball fields. Alfred reminisced all the times he played catch with his twin, almost certainly ruining Mattie’s chances of ever having children…

He collapsed onto the ground, spreading his arms and legs wide like a starfish as he gazed at the night sky above him, analyzing all the stars in the system. If he became god, he’d have the power to create whole new worlds and possibilities, to explore the stars and galaxies, to experience what lied beyond his world. Hell, he’d never even set foot outside his own country. The possibilities would be endless. 

Ivan approached him, squatting beside his body, his face over his own with the night sky as a background. It was quite the view with his serene smile and beautiful violet eyes that watched him so fondly. Breath hitching, Alfred wondered how perfect it would be to have Ivan by his side as he traversed the unknown.

But that couldn’t happen. Only one of them could survive this game, it was becoming increasingly more difficult to accept that. 

Patting the ground beside him, Alfred managed a grin. “Join me.”

Ivan did as he was told, laying beside his beloved and gazing at the stars, humming with delight. The grin on his face was so genuine, it almost made Alfred’s as well. “To think that this whole time, we’ve been staring at the same moon,” he said with a giggle.

Alfred’s lips quirked into a smirk as he focused on the luminous orb. “I never thought of it like that. Yeah, I guess we have been.”

“Counting the same stars. Under the same sun,” Ivan continued softly, his hand slowly reaching into his pocket. “I used to look up at the sky often and wondering if there was someone out there waiting for me, wishing for the same thing…”

Golden brows furrowed in thought. “Wishing for what?”

“A friend,” Ivan said, beaming. 

Chewing on his bottom lip, it frightened him how Ivan’s words hit too close to home. Two lonely boys on opposite ends of the world, just wanting someone to understand them, someone to be their friend...only to finally be connected in a survival game, of all things. 

It was tragic, to say the least. The whole situation only upset Alfred. Every time he was happy, when he had something he enjoyed, it always had to be ripped away. Like it was his punishment for existing.

Meanwhile gloved fingers clenched around the small box in his pocket, a sudden spark of determination welled up inside Ivan’s core as he rolled onto his side and faced his love. “Fedya, I— ”

“You know, when I was little I wanted to be an astronaut.” There was a nostalgic gleam in his eyes that reflected the moon and stars. “Deus...he used to make the Cathedral all these new planets and galaxies, then Tony and I would travel to them. But as I got older, I realized just how disillusioned I was. Reality is shit,” he grumbled before turning to the other. “Sorry, what were you gonna say?”

“Never mind.” Ivan relaxed his grip and removed his hand from his pocket. Now wasn’t the time. “What do you want to be now?”

“Not like any of it matters.” Alfred shrugged half-heartedly. 

“Please tell me?”

Anxiously pulling dead grass from the ground, he relented. “All my applications I sent in were for drama or film. It’s always been easy for me to pretend I was someone else. Or to be the one behind the camera, just watching, not being a part of anything. I shouldn’t even exist, and it feels like my whole life is just constantly trying to remind me of that.” Alfred sat up, wrapping his arms around his knees as he stared at the ground. “Nobody likes the real me, but to be fair, not many like the fake me either....at least then I’m not constantly reminded how much of a fucking burden I am,” he spat, the admittance of his true emotions leaving a foul taste on his tongue.

It was only when his vision blurred and eyes stung that he realized he was on the verge of tears. Shaking his head in an attempt to dissuade them and appear unperturbed, he turned to Ivan with a slight smile to mask the pain he felt, but the quiver in his voice betrayed him. “Okay, this is not how dates are supposed to go. I fuck everything up. I’m so sorry, Iv. I didn’t — ”

“You are not a burden.” Ivan frowned as he pushed himself up. “Not to me.”

Alfred’s tone turned desperate. “Even when you’re constantly risking your life to save my dumb ass? That doesn’t bother you? At all?” 

“Never.” Cupping his jaw, Ivan forced him to look up into the storm in his eyes. “All I have said, I meant. Truly. You do not need them when you have me, you are perfect just the way you are. Forget about what others think because you are mine, Fedya. And I am yours. Forever.”

There was a sudden overwhelming urge for him to lean forward and plant his lips on the other’s, but everything was just too confusing. He was falling in love with a man who swore he’d protect him until the end, but there could only be one survivor. There could only be one survivor. The words playing like a broken record in his mind, he broke free from Ivan’s hold and rested his forehead on the top of his knees and obscured his face from view. This wasn’t fair, none of this was fair! Whether he lived or died, all that was certain was that he’d be alone again, either in a grave or as a god. There was never any point in his life he asked to be a contestant, all he ever asked for was a friend and apparently so did Ivan…

Honestly, fuck Deus. Fuck this game. Fuck everything. 

Leaning into Ivan’s touch as he massaged his back, Alfred only felt emotionally drained by everything. It’d be so easy to make this night romantic, but who was he fooling? Why were him and Ivan setting themselves up like this, for a heartbreak that’d only hurt them both? But to be honest, he really didn’t want to be alone. There was no way he could survive without Ivan. He really had no choice in what to do, everything just seemed too cruel. 

“Ivan, what are we going to do? We know how this ends,” Alfred voiced his thoughts aloud, wondering what he thought of everything. Forever just couldn’t exist. 

“We are going to enjoy every moment we can together.” Ivan smiled softly, fingers gently combing through golden threads. “I will take care of everything at end. Do not worry, you will have everything you ever wanted. I will make sure you are happy.”

Alfred met his gaze. “I won’t have you.”  

Eyes widening in surprise, Ivan grew silent as he gaped at Alfred. A light pink dusted his cheeks at the unexpected answer. 

As he came back to his senses, Ivan chose his next words carefully. “We do not know for certain how this will end, but we may be surprised. You could decide to let this world perish or that you do want to become god. Whatever it may be, I will grant it.” 

True. Maybe he did have options, even if they weren’t ideal. “I guess we’ll just have to wait and see then.” 

With a kiss placed on his temple, Ivan smiled. “It will be alright. Let us focus on the now rather than future, yes?” 

Alfred agreed it was probably for the best to not think ahead. Anything could happen between now and then. No point dwelling on it. 

To be honest, he felt a bit better. Not great, just better. With Ivan by his side, everything felt more comforting. For once, he felt secure, and he longed for everything to stay like this forever. A memory preserved for an eternity. 

Alfred didn’t know when he had nodded off, but he was in a sauna when he woke up. Dripped in sweat, he was curled against Ivan’s side with strong arms shielding him from cool winds. It wasn’t wise to sleep outside when it was only February, but somehow Ivan produced enough body heat to warm up a house.

Instinctively, he pulled out his phone and checked the time. It was almost 1 AM. 

“Shit.” Alfred jumped to his feet. Ivan stared at him in alarm as he wiped the inner corner of his eyes. “It’s late and we have school tomorrow. We should really get going.” 

There was a quiet nod in agreement. Ivan stood and led Alfred to his car before starting the engine. The drive wasn’t long, but allowed for enough time to recover from their sleepy haze. Once they were in Alfred’s driveway, Ivan moved to turn off the ignition, only for Alfred to place a hand on his arm, halting him. 

“You should go home too.”

Ivan frowned, narrowing his eyes. “Why?” 

“The light’s on so Mattie might still be awake. If that’s the case, he might be in a bad mood since I skipped school and ignored him all day.”

Ivan chewed on his bottom lip. “Are you sure you don’t want me to go in with you?”

Not really, but he had no choice. “Knowing him, he’ll just be passive-aggressive as fuck. I’d rather you not deal with that. It’s easy to ignore, but still pretty annoying.”

After a brief moment of contemplation, Ivan placed his hand back on the steering wheel. “Very well.”

“Okay.” Alfred grinned as he opened the door. “I’ll see you in a few hours. Give Vodka my love.”

Ivan chuckled at that. “Da, I will.” Watching Alfred’s back turn, his tight smile faltered as he grew concerned. 

Alfred peeked inside his home, knowing there was a good chance Matthew was asleep and there was a risk of disturbing him. The coast seemed clear, he entered the foyer and focused on closing the door as quietly as he could, not at all noticing the individual standing beneath a doorway with his arms crossed. 

“And where have you been? Do you have any idea what time it is?” Matthew’s voice crashed like thunder, loud and filled with a fury that left Alfred wide-eyed and frozen in fear. His twin almost never snapped, but when he did… “It’s 1:17 in the morning, by the way! Five hours past curfew! Why the hell do you keep sneaking off and coming back late? Where are you even going?” 

Alfred swallowed a gulp, doing everything in his power to keep calm while thinking of an excuse. “I was with Ivan,” he admitted. “Why does it even matter?”

“Well, in case you’ve forgotten, we still have a serial killer on the loose! And here you are, acting like there’s nothing to worry about, tempting fate just because you’ve survived a couple of close calls…” Matthew was able to notice the slightest quirk of discomfort on his lips, the only giveaway to his brother’s guilt. Alfred had always been a great liar, almost too good, but it was hard to fool someone with the same face. “Unless there’s something you aren’t telling me?” He growled in frustration. 

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Alfred huffed at the accusation. Matthew’s blood boiled at the audacity. 

“You said I would never find the serial killer,” Matthew reminded him. “Why on Earth would you have said that unless you knew better?” 

“Because you’re not a detective, Mattie.” Alfred rolled his eyes as he hung up his jacket. Anything to avoid his brother’s perceptive gaze.  

“Alright, sure. I’ll give you that. But how do you know that cop? I want the truth, not some bullshit excuse. And what about that woman who subbed your Spanish class coincidently once your teacher went missing ?” Alfred’s head swiveled to him with complete dismay, Matthew crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes. “Yes, I know.”

“W-wha? How did you — ”

“Doesn’t matter. What matters is that not only have you been keeping secrets from me, but you’ve been lying to my face. I thought you wanted to be a hero, Alfred. Don’t you realize that this information could bring justice and save people? Don’t you care at all about what happened to Emma?”  

“Of course I do!” Alfred’s voice cracked at that. How dare Matthew insinuate otherwise? Nothing could compare to the guilt he felt over her death, how she had just been one of the many unfortunate individuals sucked into his mess. She was the perfect reminder for why he couldn’t let anyone else get involved in the survival game, he was simply too weak to protect them.

“Well, you sure have a funny way of showing it,” Matthew snapped. “From the way it sounds, it’s almost like you’re trying to cover up her murder! What is it you know, Alfred? Just what exactly are you hiding?” 

Matthew had him cornered, he couldn't even keep eye contact. There was no way he could risk his brother’s safety. Matthew was too precious to him— he was his rock. The whole world be damned! He couldn’t lose Mattie, but he was just too perceptive for his own good. “I...” he said in a small, defeated voice before letting out a nervous laugh, anxiously scratching his cheek. “S-so, you know about those imaginary friends I had?”

Matthew blinked numerous times, not processing what Alfred said because of the abrupt topic change, but then his eyes narrowed in rage.. “You... asshole!” he strode toward him and gripped his shoulders. Alfred tensed, holding a deep breath while his eyes widened in alarm. “This is Emma we’re talking about. Emma!” The hold on his shoulders tightened and shook his body. “A real person, our friend, is dead while you’re going on dates with that creep without a care in the world! This isn’t your fucking fantasy world, Alfred! This is real life! Quit being a selfish brat all the damn time and grow the fuck up!” 

Overcome with emotion, Alfred found the strength to shove Matthew off. “You always ask me to open up to you, and when I finally do you shut me down every time! Has it ever occured to you that maybe the reason I like Ivan so much is because I’ve finally met someone who doesn’t think I’m crazy?” Attempting to stifle his tears only made them fall harder, aggressively he attempted to wipe them away with his sleeve, but to no avail. 

Matthew paused as realization hit him: Alfred was being genuine. He’d actually been about to come clean before he fucked everything up. ‘No no no—’

“You don’t think I’m scared all the time? That I know I can die at any given moment? Do you know how hard it is for me to keep it together so I don’t freak anybody out. So that I’m not a burden to you or our parents? I’m trying, Mattie. I’m trying so damn hard! I’m sorry I couldn’t be perfect like you, maybe I just shouldn’t have been born at all!”

“Al, I— ” Matthew reached for his brother, but Alfred evaded him with a swift duck before storming up to his room, door slamming shut shortly after. Matthew rubbed his face as regret swallow him whole. Now Alfred definitely wouldn’t be opening up to him anytime soon, he pushed too hard and the entire foundation crumbled as a result. Rebuilding it would take even more patience and effort than the last time, but he supposed that was just the price he had to pay for losing his composure.  

With a heavy sigh, he wondered just how many pints of ice cream it would take for Alfred to start forgiving him.

---

Stuck at his desk all day for weeks, Zwingli found himself stressed with the new piles of workload presented to him. Covering up the confrontation with Sixth had been very taxing, not to mention finding the means to give a criminal access to his data and resources. These alliances, though useful, were certainly the cause of many white hairs springing from his scalp...

But keeping the peace was worth it. 

Third, a serial killer, and Sixth, a powerful, ruthless mafia lord, were now forever barred from attaining godhood thanks to their efforts. It would be a terrible world should someone like them be left in charge. He was relieved that at least a few of the other diary holders were in agreement. 

He rummaged through some files on his desk and compared them with the entries in his diary, noting that the leads Ninth had sent him were promising, but also very premature and lacked enough clues to piece together. The one with the most data collected was probably Tenth, who they both were able to deduce was the recent serial killer in charge of the canine attacks— information that was still undisclosed to the public. They didn’t need to attract any attention to this, especially when the previous serial killer still hadn’t been caught from a civilian’s perspective. A panic at a time like this would only lead to chaos, the rest of the population couldn’t know that the fate of the world rested in the hands of twelve individuals, some of them having been sociopaths. As much as he’d like to wrap up Third’s case, it was hard to cover up a story when there was no body left as evidence. If he could find the identity of this copy-cat, he might be able to pin the blame on them as long as he executed his plan properly. 

Speaking of the copy-cat, he glanced at the clock. It was about time he packed up for the day and got ready to pick up his little sister from university, especially since it was nearing dusk and he didn’t want her out alone past curfew. If need be, he could come back to the office later for some late-night investigation, but Lili’s life was too important to risk — she was the only family he had left. 

Well, perhaps that wasn’t true, but...moving on.

With his paperwork organized and filed away into their cabinet, he tucked his phone into his pocket before making his way out the door and locking it behind him. There were still a few others in the precinct, stuck at their cubicles as they did their assignments, politely regarding their boss and making small talk. There was one face he noticed was missing, coincidentally that of someone he sent out to get coffee many hours prior. 

With a heavy sigh, Zwingli pinched the bridge of his nose. ‘Not again.’  

After searching through the halls for a certain young adult who was his responsibility, he came to a stop outside the office of his retired superior. A familiar mop of blond hair garnered his attention.

Arms crossed impatiently as he stood beneath the doorframe, Zwingli observed the student before speaking up. “Kirkland, I asked for a coffee four hours ago.” 

Arthur didn’t spare him a glance. “Sorry,” he replied insincerely in his posh accent, green eyes roaming over documents he more than likely lacked the clearance for. 

Narrowing his eyes, Zwingli stepped forward and held out his hand. “I don’t recall giving you access to those. You’d be lucky if I don’t report this.”  

“You won’t,” Arthur answered with certainty, tossing the papers onto the desk in defiance before meeting his eyes. “You need me.”

His eye twitched in annoyance as he lowered his hand, Zwingli couldn’t help but feel that Arthur’s arrogance reminded him of another difficult teen under his wing— God forbid the two ever meet. “Be careful with what you say, I could easily end this internship of yours with one call,” he warned, not out of spite, but as a mentor telling their trainee that this sort of behavior wasn’t tolerated in their disciplined field. 

“You don’t usually accept internships.” Arthur grinned. “Yet you took me in.”

“I saw potential in you. You have a sharp mind, but you are an intern. Don’t let it get to your head. You need to earn respect here.”

“Bringing you coffee won’t bring me any respect, especially when I know there’s cases out there that still need to be solved. Lives are at stake, officer. You’re running out of time.”

Lips quirking into a frown, Zwingli knew he couldn’t take that statement personally or else he’d reveal private information. Arthur was very much like him when he first started out, too cunning and observant for his own good. It’d be wise for him to put those skills to some good use. He resigned a sigh nodded. “I’ll see what I can find for you tomorrow.”

“Or perhaps I can shed some light on what I found today.” Arthur patted the files on the desk. “You should have told me your old boss is a dog-lover.”

“I fail to see how that’s relevant.”

“Canine attacks. Local. All at his own son’s university…” He tutted. “No wonder he’s been able to get away with so much, especially since you’ve been disclosing sensitive information to him. He knows your every move.” 

“You wouldn’t suggest— ” Zwingli shook his head at the thought. “No. That’s absurd.”

“You told me that nothing should be ruled out without proper investigation, no matter how outrageous the thought,” Arthur chastised in all seriousness. “And I’m telling you, I’ve investigated every trail he’s left behind. I have him cornered, if we could just— ”

“Kirkland, you do realize what you’re accusing a former officer of, right?” Zwingli raised his voice. “Do you have any physical evidence to support your claim?”

“Well...not exactly, but— ”

“That’s not good enough, Arthur,” Zwingli scolded. “You can’t just rely on instinct. This isn’t some sort of gamble. A man’s whole reputation is on the line. I need facts, not feelings.”

The two gazes clashed with frustration; one over not being heard, and the other trying to instill advice onto his stubborn pupil.

“I know it’s him,” Arthur growled. “With or without your help, I’m getting to the bottom of this.” 

“Well, should you provide sufficient evidence, I will provide backup. Until then, my hands are tied.”

“Let’s just hope there’s no more incidences, otherwise that blood is on your hands, officer,” Arthur warned before stalking out of the room, leaving Zwingli alone in his predecessor’s office. Feeling uneasy, he shook his head to dispel any rogue thoughts before making his way out of the precinct and to his car. His former boss as the new serial killer? As Tenth? It made no sense. He’d known the man since he was a child, having been raised alongside his nephew. 

But...isn’t that how many of these cases started in the first place? You think you know someone...but he’s seen too much to know that there’s always more within the human psyche behind closed doors. Arthur’s claim may have sounded ridiculous at first, but now that he was able to think about it deeply and mentally cross-reference it with the other evidence presented to him, it was a solid lead. Perhaps it was worth looking into those files his intern had gathered.

-SHHHHHZZZT-

Wasting no time, he pulled out his diary to check the most recent entry, only for his blood to run cold when he read the text on screen. He slammed his foot on the gas pedal. Sirens blared as he weaved between cars. 

Now that he was onto Tenth, the game was truly getting started. 

---

Jeanne rustled her short blonde locks as she stood from her desk, exhausted from another day of stacked classes. Originally she thought philosophy would make an interesting gen ed, and for the most part it was, but the teacher was just so monotone and dreary— he was essentially reading straight out of a textbook. The fact that it was at the end of a very busy day was just the nail on the coffin. She couldn’t wait to go home and just watch tv with her boyfriend and maybe even pass out shortly after. Homework could wait. 

After gathering her books and placing them in her bag, she followed a few other students out the door before heading down a different hall. Since she’d been on campus since 9 in the morning, she’d gotten a parking spot close to her AM class, though unfortunately it was a bit of a ways from her most recent one. 

It was 6:32 PM, only twilight, but she was eager to get to her car before it got too dark. With all these recent animal attacks happening around her campus, it was natural to be worried about becoming the next victim, even if she made sure she stayed far away from the woods. 

Jeanne exited the humanities building and walked past the main pick-up/drop-off zone, pausing when she saw a familiar face lost in her work whilst sitting on a bench, a gentle breeze swaying the loose strands of her bob. Smiling, Jeanne approached her old lab partner. “Lili? Is that you?” 

Startled, the girl glanced up before returning a gentle smile of her own. “Oh, hello, Jeanne. I haven’t seen you since last semester.”

“Yeah, biology was such a nightmare,” Jeanne groaned, recalling her struggles. “I don’t know why they made the exams so hard. I’m surprised I passed that class with a B!” 

“Me too! I suppose we did very well on our lab assignments to make up for it.” Lili giggled, covering her mouth. It was then Jeanne noticed something brightly colored displayed on the Lili’s lap. 

“Oh, what’s that?” Jeanne gestured toward the tablet, resulting in Lili to move her arm to the side. It was a digital landscape painting of some swans on a blue lake with many majestic mountains in the background with vibrant colors that complimented each other in a way Jeanne had no idea was even possible. It held such a distinctive art style that left her mesmerized. “Woah, that’s incredible!”

Blushing, Lili zoomed out of her painting with her fingers. “It’s just a project I’m working on for my brother...it’s supposed to be Lake Lucerne. I was hoping to get this finished and printed by the end of the semester for him, but with my classes, I’m not sure if I’ll be able to.”

Jeanne raised a brow. “What’s your major? Did you switch out of liberal arts?” 

Lili nodded. “I’m in graphic design now.” She let out a wistful sigh. “I love it, but I feel as though I rarely have the time to paint the things I want anymore. Right now I can since I got out of class early, but days like this are rare…” 

“Oh, if you got out of class early, do you need a ride home? I just finished myself.”

With a shake of her head, she held a thankful smile. “No, but I appreciate the offer. My brother should already be on his way, so I don’t expect it to be too long of a wait.”

“Alright then. Don’t be afraid to text me whenever you have free time, okay? I’m sure we can find a good time to hang out.”

“Sounds like a plan.” Lili smiled brightly. “We can compare schedules later.” 

“Definitely! I’ll talk to you later!” They exchanged waves before Jeanne continued her way across the parking lot. She found her car and put her things away before sitting in the driver’s seat, releasing an exhausted sigh as she cracked her knuckles. It was Friday, and she could finally relax now that the week was over. 

That was before she saw shadowed silhouettes weaving between the cars. 

Jeanne sat up straight and surveyed the area, wondering what the hell it was that she’d just seen, and whether it was real or just a figment of her sleep deprived imagination. Just when she was about to let her guard down and brush it off, she saw another flash of black. 

A loose Rottweiler had just run in front of her car. 

For a brief moment, she felt sympathy for the poor creature that was probably lost and panicked without its owner. Before exiting, she hesitated. Multiple shadows garnered her attention in the first place. It was quite possible this was a stray and part of a pack.

Then she recalled the recent string of animal attacks in the news. As much as she loved dogs, it wasn’t like canine maulings were anything new. In her car, she was safe, she had to report this. Gritting her teeth, she'd had just about enough of these crimes happening in her life. This was the second time this school-year alone! Why couldn’t things just be peaceful? 

Her motions came to a sudden halt as it dawned on her that the dogs seemed to be pursuing something. Glancing back, they were headed in the direction she had come from. 

Lili.

The car in drive, she swung over to where she had last seen her friend, only to suck in a breath when the other was missing. She prayed that Lili’s brother had picked her up like she said he would, but her peripheral vision caught sight of something she hoped she’d never see.  

That wasn’t red paint sprinkled on the cement. 

Covering her mouth, Jeanne attempted to keep it together. This was no time to panic. Things would be alright. Lili’s brother would be here soon. 

A familiar, distant scream drained the blood from her face. Not soon enough.  

There was no way in hell was she going to let Lili suffer, she had to do something. Adrenaline taking over, Jeanne reached for her softball bag in the back seat, rummaging for a metal bat. Firm in her grasp, she rushed out of her car and toward the source of the cries for help, just hoping she wouldn’t be too late.

It wouldn’t be for another ten minutes before Zwingli found the two girls with an ambulance on the way. There was a burning sting in the corner of his eyes as blood-soaked hands applied pressure to open wounds. His body shook like vibrating glass moments before it shattered.

This was personal. 

Notes:

So who's Tenth? What happened? How long will I keep you waiting for the next chapter? Not long, I hope, but only time will tell.

Chapter 12: Thrill of the Chase

Summary:

Nature has one rule: only the luckiest survive.

It’d been a while since he’d been in the Cathedral of Causality. Alfred crinkled his nose as he scanned the other pedestals— A Dead End was still marked over Third’s empty spot, only this time Sixth’s matched. He’d been hoping for more markers, but aside from the two diary owners he and Ivan faced, everybody else was still alive and well. A deep scowl cut across his face. When would the other contenders start pulling their own weight and take each other out? 

Alfred's eyes landed on Ninth. Even through the cloaked disguise he could detect a light-hearted grin gracing her lips accompanying the casual salute she sent him. Why was she being so friendly with him despite being enemies? It had to be some sort of tactic to lower his guard. His gaze then darted toward Ivan, who was staring up at Deus and listening to the recap of events thus far. This was where they differed, since Alfred struggled to pay attention to bulks of information due to his wandering mind. Analyzing the other players seemed like a more appealing way to spend the time. 

He didn’t recognize anyone besides Second, Fourth, and Ninth. 

The girl in Fifth’s place had one arm draped over her chest as she inspected her nails on the other, waiting for the actual meeting to commence. Alfred cocked his head as he scrutinized her, feeling slightly put off as he initially thought she was a teenager like him. She certainly seemed like it, especially since she was the only one who looked as bored as him, but she seemed too at ease with everything going on. There was always the possibility that she was much older than she appeared, but despite that, Alfred felt that wasn’t the case. Maybe she was just that confident the cards were in her favor?

Skipping over Sixth’s empty podium to Seventh’s, he assessed the stranger listening to the god, a serene calmness in the way he presented himself. As though sensing Alfred’s staring, the man turned to him and waved like one would a child, but it was his chipper smile that caught him off guard. Alfred rubbed his arms with a bashful blush as he moved on to the next contender. 

“Are there any questions before we conclude this meeting?”

Deus’ booming voice pulled his attention away from the person kneeling at Eighth’s place.

Tenth raised his hand to divert Deus’ attention. “I’d like you to approve a special case, if you would.” He eyed Tenth with intrigue, giving him a single nod to continue. “I’d like to know if it’s possible to transfer a diary’s ownership, at least temporarily.”

The rest of the diary owners were appalled by the suggestion, staring down the man in an attempt to decipher his scheme. Even Fifth had dropped her fearless facade with an audible scoff, crossing her arms defensively.  

Deus, however, was amused by this. “Has the game proven to be too much for you, Tenth? My apologies, but it is your life force that is tied to the diary and it cannot be reversed. The only way any of you can forfeit the game is death.” 

“You misunderstand.” Tenth forced an awry grin. “I have no intention of forfeiting. You know my diary’s capabilities. I merely wish to bestow that power onto someone else.”

“I see,” Deus mused, his oculars squinting with an eagerness to see the other’s plans come to fruition.  “Very well, I will grant your request. For your sake, I hope the person in mind can be trusted.”

“There’s no doubt in my mind.” Tenth bowed his head respectfully. 

Turning to his allies, Alfred saw that Ivan seemed unfazed by the turn of events. His expression was unreadable as he skimmed through the entries on his phone. Fourth was a different story. Unease stirred in Alfred as Zwingli clenched his fists, a fury burning in his eyes. If looks alone could kill, Tenth would be a pile of ash. He sucked in his lips as his gaze flickered between the two. Were they familiar with one another?

“Since there aren’t any more questions, I bid you all a farewell and good luck. I’m certain a few of you will not be alive to attend the next one.”

‘Asshole,’ Alfred thought bitterly.  

A rapid knock against his door interrupted his thoughts. 

He was back in his room. 

More knocking snapped him out of his stupor and he rushed to open the door. 

Of all things he expected, his sobbing mother wasn’t one of them.

---

The body lying on the hospital bed left Alfred speechless. Pure shock froze every muscle except his eyes roaming over the bandages concealing Jeanne’s skin. His mother left the room, unable to contain her tears as she saw the closest thing she had to a daughter in such a position. He’d been unable to stifle his grimace while tracing over the deep stitches barely holding together the many lacerations she acquired in the attack. Most shocking above all was Jeanne herself, seemingly annoyed by it all, as though she hadn’t been mauled. 

“Why are you all looking at me like that? I’m not dead,” Jeanne huffed once the door shut behind Madeline. 

“You’re the only person who’s lived so far,” Matthew gasped with a mix of awe and horror. 

Jeanne became alarmed by this, her eyes widening in a panic. “Wait, Lili—”

“She’s in critical condition.” Francis squeezed her hand tightly from his seat beside her bed. “That could’ve been you.”

“I did what I had to. I couldn’t just let those strays kill her.”

“You should’ve waited in the car and called for help. You are lucky that officer found you when he did! Any later and you’d be just like her or worse.”

“She was screaming for help! You expect me to just sit there and do nothing?” 

Francis turned to Alfred with a glare. “This is where you get it from. Do not ever follow her lead or you will both be the death of me.” 

Jeanne rolled her eyes and averted her gaze as Alfred could only offer his cousin a hesitant nod, knowing that the other would probably blow a gasket if he found out what sort of adventures he’d been on these past few months. Best not to mention anything at all. 

“Strays?” Matthew questioned once everyone had gone silent. 

“Yes, dogs. They were a pack,” Jeanne explained. “I saw them in the parking lot and they chased after her. I have no clue why animal control hasn’t done anything about them yet. They could still be there as we speak.”

Francis frowned. “They didn’t find the dogs.” 

“What?” Jeanne squawked, wide-eyed with disbelief. “They left just before the officer showed up so it’s not like they could've gone far, especially since these attacks are reoccurring. I can’t imagine it would be hard to find some hungry strays. Just leave bait or something. Why is this still an issue?”

“They’re going to close the school for a few days to try to find them,” Francis assured gently in an attempt to ease her from her frustration. 

“And they couldn’t have done this before? I don’t get why this response is so delayed—”

In the middle of Jeanne’s rant, Alfred glanced at his brother who’s brows furrowed with a contemplative gleam in his eyes. The exact look he made whenever he tried to solve a puzzle. Chewing on his bottom lip, Alfred hoped whatever his twin was thinking resulted in a dead lead and made him drop the whole thing altogether. 

He was suffocating in the hospital room, Alfred decided he needed space. Matthew observed him skeptically as he made his way to the door, only to run into his mother who opened it. 

“Honey, where are you going?” 

“Getting some snacks.” It was something he said on the spot after he recalled seeing a vending machine somewhere. 

She let him go and he retraced his steps, going down the hall until he was face-to-face with a large assortment of goods. After picking out a candy, he was dismayed to learn he hadn’t budgeted well enough to get a drink along with it. 

“Here.” Turning his head, Alfred was surprised to see none other than Officer Zwingli offering him a quarter. 

“Thanks.” He took it hesitantly as he eyed the detective, taking note of his disheveled appearance and the dark circles under his eyes. The guy was a mess. “What are you doing here?” 

“Getting answers.” The response left no room for further questions. Zwingli then leant against the wall and crossed his arms without looking at him. “What do you suppose Tenth is up to?”

“Oh, you mean the meeting?” Alfred selected a cola button. With a shrug, he continued. “I thought it was pretty self-explanatory. He’s getting someone else to do the work for him.”

“So you were paying attention.” Zwingli watched as he pulled his drink out of the machine. “Good, but you only took things at face value. If you want to survive this game, you’ll have to start digging deeper. It was heavily implied that he’s been cornered and has selected somebody else to be the fall guy in his grand scheme.” 

“He’s been active?” 

Zwingli answered with a nod. “To him this is just some game. A hunt. He’s the type of person who has no qualms involving innocent people, so do not let your guard down,” he warned. “He’s a monster.”

The detective was beating around the bush, he had to be. “I feel like you’re trying to tell me something.” 

“I am.”

With a heavy sigh, Alfred knit his brows together as he reassessed the conversation. They discussed the meeting and realized Tenth wanted a fall guy because he was cornered. This was a hunt? For who? And involving innocent people...wait...his eyes widened as the pieces came together. “You’re saying the dogs belong to Tenth?”

The slightest of smirks graced Zwingli’s lips. “Fast learner.” 

“Jeanne!” Alfred blanched, heart beating erratically as his worst fears came true. “Does he know my identity? Is that why—”

“I’m not sure about you as your friend wasn’t his intended target, however, he and I know each other quite well.”

Letting out a relieved exhale, Alfred let the officers words settle before his mind swarmed with questions. “Are we going after him next?”

“No. Just me this time.” Zwingli stood up straight and fixed his tie. “I don’t know what will happen, but hopefully we’ll meet again. In any case, take care of yourself, kid.”

With a wave, the officer departed and Alfred was alone with nothing but an upset stomach to ruin his appetite. 

---

Slouched over his meal and picking at the scraps, Alfred let out a frustrated sigh as he waited for his best friend to join them at the lunch table. Damn group projects cutting into his lunch with Kiku, the only time he was able to spend with him! With so much on the line, he didn’t want to have any regrets should the worst-case scenario happen, and spending one of his remaining lunches in awkward silence was definitely starting to become one.

The way Feliciano idly sketched in his notebook while casting Ludwig timid glances didn’t go by unnoticed nor did the obvious act of ignoring on the latter’s part. Having already attempted to push for a conversation on numerous occasions only for it to go nowhere left Alfred feeling like he was wasting his time. It was hard being a mediator when only one participant was willing. Why would they even bother sitting together if something was up? A part of him was almost ready to accept defeat and tell Ivan he’d been right and they should’ve eaten in an empty classroom instead.

Luckily, his pride was still intact, but not for long. 

All was threatened when Matthew strolled over, hesitating before setting his backpack down. A nervous gaze lingered over Alfred. He was walking on eggshells and still in the early phases of earning Alfred’s forgiveness. With a resigned sigh, he turned to Feliciano and Ludwig, but his shoulders slumped at the evident lack of progress in their quarrel. 

The atmosphere was too tense; he could almost drown in it. 

Then his saving grace arrived. “Oi, Mateo, there you are. I haven’t seen you all morning!” 

Alfred sneered distastefully before glowering at a wall, recognizing the voice. 

“Hey, Carlos,” Matthew answered. 

“Is everything okay? How is Jeanne doing?” 

“What happened to Jeanne?” Feliciano's head perked up as he paused in his drawing, eager to be a part of something. The constant distance as of late had been killing him. 

“She was attacked by dogs and stuck in the hospital for a few days. She’s doing well and was just sent home yesterday,” Matthew explained, blind to the guilt-ridden eyes that flickered his way.

Feliciano covered his agape mouth. “Wha—oh my. That’s horrible. I’m so sorry that happened to your family.” 

“You mean the animal attacks at the university?” Ludwig finally spoke up. “Yeah, my brother goes there...I heard. I’m sorry.” 

After blinking at Ludwig in shock, Feliciano turned to Matthew. “I hope they get to the bottom of this soon. Everything’s so scary nowadays, I can’t take it anymore. I just want to go back to normal.”

“I agree…” Matthew turned to Carlos, gaze ablaze with sudden determination. “What if we checked out the crime scene?”

“What?” Carlos’ eyes widened with disbelief while Alfred and Feliciano were dismayed by the proposal. “Are you crazy?”

“Remember what we talked about? What Tim said? One way or another, I’m getting answers.”

“Be rational, Matthew,” Alfred snapped, slamming his drink against the table. “That’s dangerous as fuck and you know it! You’re not doing shit.”

“That’s funny coming from you,” Matthew countered, annoyed that their roles had reversed. There was a warning in Alfred’s eyes that reminded him to take things down a peg. “I’m just so sick of this. Clearly the cops aren’t doing their job, hell, I’m even starting to think they’re hiding something. It shouldn’t be hard to find a pack of stray dogs. Maybe they’re not even strays at all.”

“W-what do you mean?” Feliciano paled and brought his hands close to his chest for comfort. 

“Maybe they’re trained. Maybe somebody’s hunting people for sport.” 

Everyone’s head raised in alarm. 

“We don’t know that for sure though...” Carlos cautioned, growing concerned for his friend’s safety. 

“Well, why else would the police be keeping this as a low profile? Two serial killers would cause a ton of panic. It makes sense.”

“You’re talking crazy.” Alfred glared at his brother, pissed that Matthew was too good at figuring things out. Despite their argument a few nights ago, he still loved him dearly. At this rate, his twin was going to get himself killed for poking his nose into places it didn’t belong. “And even if that was somehow true, your plan is to just go there and be bait? Are you kidding me?”   

“Of course not,” Matthew huffed. “I just want to check out the crime scene. I don’t plan to be there after hours. We should be fine as long as it’s daylight.”

“It sounds like a suicide,” Alfred said pointedly.

Ludwig raised his head and turned to Matthew. “I’ll go too.”

“What?” Alfred, Matthew, and Feliciano asked simultaneously. 

Carlos patted Matthew’s shoulder in support. “In that case, I’ll join you guys. There’s no way in hell I’d let you go alone. Safety in numbers.”

Wringing his hands, Feliciano gave Alfred a pleading look, hoping he’d somehow convince the others to change their mind. 

Alfred fought the overwhelming urge to scream as he rubbed his temple. “You’re all fucking idiots.”

“So when push comes to shove, you back down.” Carlos’ lip curled smugly. “I always knew you were all talk.”

Alfred felt the corners of his lip twitch downward as he gave Carlos a piercing glare. “Know what? I’m going too. Now when we all die I can say I told you so.” 

“You’re such a bitch.” Carlos rolled his eyes as Alfred clenched his fists tight, trembling until Ivan rubbed his back gently, alarmed by the sudden turn of events. 

“Now, sunflower, don’t be so reckless…” Ivan chided, a slight waver in his voice. 

“Yeah, Al. If you really don’t want to go, you don’t have to,” Matthew reminded him. 

“No. I really have to,” Alfred retorted, sparing his brother a glare. “Whatever. When are we going?”

“Well, I was hoping we’d go right after school.”

Feliciano glanced at Ludwig unsurely, nervously biting his lip. “I-I’ll go too,” he whimpered, feeling as though he didn’t have much of a choice. The other sent him a conflicted frown, but whatever was on his mind, he never voiced. 

The bell rang and a wave of students stood up and filed out of the room, including their own group. With plans for later already set, they each sent a confirming nod before heading toward their next class. Discontent with the way lunch went, Alfred hung back and slowly gathered his belongings, as though delaying his time now would somehow stop it from flowing altogether. 

Ivan grabbed Alfred’s arm, ceasing his internal rant. The latter turned to him with an expectant look. “Fedya, I really do not think we should go.”

“Because of Tenth, right?” Seeing Ivan nod cautiously, Alfred realized that of course he would’ve connected the dots long before him. “That’s exactly why I have to go. I can’t let my brother and friends die. I have to be there in case something goes wrong.”

“But what if things go wrong because we are there?”

Alfred hesitated before meeting Ivan’s eyes once again. “I can’t take that chance. You don’t have to come—”

“I am coming!” Ivan insisted. “I just do not want you to get hurt.”

“Then we’ll be fine. We look out for each other, right?” A begrudging grunt was his response. Alfred placed his hand over Ivan’s and removed it from his arm. “I’ll see you in class.”

“In class,” Ivan mumbled bitterly before storming off, leaving Alfred plagued with the feeling something was off. 

---

Matthew rested his hands on the wheel and spared his passenger a reluctant look. With a reassuring nod from Carlos, his determination reignited. The others crowded into the back. Ivan was seething while he stared out the window with Alfred pressed into his side, eyes flitting back and forth as he devoured the text on phone's screen. Feliciano was wedged between his twin and Ludwig, his body shrinking in on itself, completely rigid. Ludwig was no better with his gaze fixed on the hands folded in his lap with a resolved intensity. 

A cold shiver traveled down his spine before his attention shifted forward. Fortunately, the tension behind him wasn’t his problem. He had Carlos for company, but their mundane conversation came to an end when he was met with a bright orange police barricade blocking the university’s entrance.

 “Aw crap, how are we supposed to get in?” Matthew pursed his lips as his foot eased off the breaks and he continued forward. “I guess they really were serious about closing.”

“I don’t see any cops though.” Carlos scanned the area for officers and vehicles before facing Matthew. “What should we do?”

“We could go home,” Ivan snarled with a side-eyeing glare.  

Feliciano perked up. “I like that idea!” 

Matthew clicked his tongue. He didn’t come all this way just to give up at the first obstacle; he had a goal he intended to see through. As he drove around the perimeter of the university’s grounds, his eyes landed on a sparsely occupied fast-food joint. Bingo. “Or I could park somewhere and we sneak in.” 

He followed through with the suggestion and exited the vehicle, waiting for the others to follow suit. They crossed the street and entered the forest surrounding the university, traversing over thick roots and pushing through wayward branches until they found themselves in a clearing, completely defying their expectations. 

This wasn’t the university.  

Unimpressed, Alfred let out a heavy sigh as his gaze wandered, eventually landing on something that caught his attention. A childish excitement overwhelmed him, resulting in a high-pitched squeal. “Oh sweet, I didn’t know colleges had playgrounds!” 

“I guess I drove a little too far.” Matthew spun around before pointing toward a football field on the other side of a pond. “Yeah, the university is over there. We’re on the other side of it.” 

“I call swings!” 

Matthew’s shoulders sagged as he watched his twin run toward the playground. “Alfred, we came to look for clues. We’re not here to play.”

“Why not both? Besides, you owe me,” Alfred reminded him with a frown as he took his seat. 

Seeing Feliciano brighten as he made his way over to Alfred, Matthew groaned while facepalming. “Okay, we’ll hang out here for a little bit. But remember, we’re here for a reason,” he stressed. 

“Yeah, yeah.” Alfred rolled his eyes as he grabbed the chains and pumped his legs. 

Matthew turned to Carlos. “Come on, maybe we’ll find some clues around here. They have to get in and out of campus somehow.”

Ludwig dared to peek at Ivan, who was rooted to where he was, fuming as he fixated on Alfred. Discomforted, he approached Matthew. “I’ll help you look. You know my father used to be a detective. Maybe some things rubbed off on me.” 

“Right, of course.” Matthew managed a relieved smile before leading them away. “I was thinking we could search over—”

As Matthew wandered off with the others, Alfred and Feliciano continued reliving their childhood. There was an exhilarating rush as Alfred increased his height and the wind breezing through his hair was enough for him to forget all his worries. 

Then, the swingset jolted and nearly made his heart fall out of his mouth. 

Dragging his leg across the ground, Alfred slowed to a halt. Perhaps he was a bit too big for this particular one. It looked a bit on the cheap side to begin with and he didn’t want to risk breaking the damn thing. Alfred could only respond to Feliciano’s concerned stare with a sheepish smile.

They both erupted into a fit of uncontrollable giggles. 

Once they calmed down, Feliciano was first to speak. “This is fun! It feels like it’s been forever since I’ve felt this calm.” 

“Yeaaah.” Alfred found himself agreeing, keeping note of Feliciano’s serene expression. It was a pleasant change from the skittish mouse he’d been acting like since the raid. Sensing an opportunity for answers, Alfred jumped on the chance. “Is...something going on between you and Ludwig? There’s just something off about you two lately. I don’t know how else to put it.”

The smile died on Feliciano’s face and his expression became somber, turning his attention to the dirt beneath his feet instead. “I don’t know, to be honest. Ever since the raid on our school, he hasn’t been talking to me. I think he hates me...” 

“What?” Alfred cocked his head to the side and squinted his eyes doubtfully. “Why would he hate you? I mean, he still sits with you at lunch. That doesn’t make any sense.”

“Well, we’re both friends with you and Kiku. Of course we’d still sit with you guys. Where else would we go?”   

“Aren’t you, like, popular? You could sit anywhere.”

Feliciano frowned at that. “You’re popular too.” 

“Yeah, but I’m the infamous loud-mouth. People like you. ”

“Of course they like me. People have always been giving me special treatment because of my papa. They have these high expectations of me I constantly have to meet, but they don’t realize I’m not a copy of him, I’m me. My accomplishments are my own, not his. Around you guys, I never have to worry about that.” He sent Alfred a displeased look. “I thought you of all people would understand.” 

“I do understand.” Too well actually. Lonely people often sought each other for comfort. “But Ludwig and I aren’t exactly that close. I feel he’s mainly there for you.”

Feliciano’s mouth dropped as confusion took over. “What are you saying? You and I are his best friends! Well, at least you are.” He shifted his gaze. “I don’t know what I did to make him not like me anymore, but I’d do anything to fix it. I don’t want to lose anyone else.” 

“Woah, hold on.” Alfred raised a hand in alarm. The claims Feliciano were making were a lot for him to unpack. “I never got the impression he and I were friends. You two are way closer than he and I have ever been.”

This resulted in a solemn sigh. “Ludwig keeps his true feelings buried down and only shows them to certain people in his own way, but lately he’s completely shut me out, so there must be some reason he sits with us if it isn’t me. It makes sense that it would be you. He’s always held you with high regard.” 

Flattered by this revelation, Alfred took a moment to contemplate the idea before continuing to press. “What do you mean by losing anyone else?” The possibility of Feliciano learning the truth about his father worried him. 

“My brother and papa have forgotten me. I only have the housekeeping staff to keep me company and they don’t care about my feelings. My mama doesn’t understand why I don’t want to leave home, but...you’re all my family too.”

Alfred’s heart went out to the other, who despite not even realizing it, had already been a victim to the survival game. Whatever happened between him and Sixth had nothing to do with Feliciano. “If it’s any consolation, I know Ludwig still cares about you. You’ve reached a side of him that no one’s been close to achieving. Maybe there’s something going on in his life because he’s been distant with me too, but you’ve always meant a lot to him.”

“You think so?” Alfred gave an affirmative nod and Feliciano responded with a genuine smile. “Thank you, Alfredo. You always know what to say. I’m glad we’re friends.”

Alfred beamed. 

Matthew appeared before them, hands on his hips like an exasperated mother. “Are you guys ready to move on? We’re losing daylight.” 

“We should play a game,” Alfred announced as he hopped off his swing. 

“A game?” Matthew sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Al, please take this seriously—”

“A game sounds fun!” Feliciano clapped as he joined them. “What game should we play?” 

Eyes flickering between the two, Matthew groaned as Carlos and Ludwig approached the group. “They want to play a game.” He gestured toward the two enthusiastic teenagers. 

“Uh, that’s not why we came here,” Carlos rebuked while crossing his arms.

“Why not?” Ludwig’s answer surprised the others, considering how they expected him to be the most serious of them all. “Sometimes you stumble into clues by accident. It could encourage us to wander into areas we wouldn’t have otherwise.” 

“I suppose that makes sense…” Matthew pursed his lips as he began to accept defeat. 

“It’s what happens in every crime show we’ve watched,” Alfred added. 

With a discontent grumble, Matthew had no choice but to accept. He was outnumbered. “Yeah, you’re right…”   

“Awesome! We can play tag!”

Matthew was uncomfortable with the way their evening was going. “But...the dogs…Are you all forgetting this?”

“That was by the university though. We should be fine here,” Ludwig answered. 

“I mean, we’re still pretty close by…”  

“You’re too fast, Alfredo.” Feliciano pouted, focused on the previous conversation. “Not all of us are athletes like you. We should play hide-and-seek instead!”

Carlos scoffed. “What are we? Four?” 

“You could always go home,” Alfred jeered. “We rarely get to hang out like this. Why not live a little?” If he only had a few months left, he wanted to enjoy the time with the people he cared about. A fun, nostalgic game was a great way to satisfy that desire. 

With a wave of his hand, Matthew figured he needed to lay some ground rules before things could spiral further beyond his control. “As long as everyone has their phones, we can play a few rounds of hide-and-seek. If anything happens or someone finds a lead, they have to call someone immediately. Deal?” 

With a few nods and murmurs of acknowledgement, Alfred pointed to his brother. “You’re ‘it’ first.” 

“Fine.” Matthew scoped the park for a place to count and found a bench beside a concrete path not too far away. “I guess I’ll go to that bench and count to fifty.” 

Tugging on Alfred’s sleeve, Feliciano redirected his attention. “Is Ivan going to join us?”

“Of course he is.” Though Ivan hadn’t moved from his spot and was staring them down. He rushed toward him and pulled on his arm. “We have to get moving!” 

Ivan’s eyes lit up. “We are going home?”

“No, we’re playing a game.” 

Ivan scowled. Turning to the group, Alfred noticed that everyone had dispersed and his brother was already at the bench. “Shit, we have to hurry.”

“What are we playing?” Ivan asked with uncertainty as Alfred led him to the jungle gym. 

“Hide-and-Seek. Do you know it?” He couldn’t be too sure. After all, he highly suspected Ivan had lived most of his life in a lab. 

Ivan nodded, surprising him. “I’ve played before.”

“You have? With who?” 

Ivan averted his gaze, his voice growing into a small mumble that was further muffled by his scarf. “My sister…” 

“Oh, sweet!” Alfred’s eyes brightened at that, glad that Ivan hadn’t endured a completely deprived childhood. He failed to notice the way Ivan hardly met his gaze, forcing an awkward half-smile. 

They reached the entrance to a spiraling tube slide and Alfred pushed himself in. “C’mon, these places are the best, but try not to slip,” he warned as he inched toward its curve, knowing it made it easier to stay in place. Ivan begrudgingly followed after him, wincing in discomfort as he tried to adjust himself despite his bigger frame. They went silent and it wasn’t long before they heard footsteps patrol the outside. 

Matthew peeked his head through the slide’s exit, his expression unamused. “You idiot. You always hide in these things.” 

Alfred kicked his legs to the side and maneuvered over Ivan’s own, then slid down to greet his brother. “Old habits die har—” 

He let out a surprised grunt as Ivan followed after, the force nearly knocking him off the edge. 

“S-Sorry,” Ivan stammered with an embarrassed blush. 

“You’re fine.” Alfred jumped to his feet. “Did you find anyone else?” 

“Nope, you’re first. And you’re helping me look, by the way. The sooner we call it quits, the more ground we’ll be able to cover.” 

“That’s not how it works—”

“I don’t care!” Matthew snapped. “You’re lucky I’m even entertaining this!”

“Ugh. Alright.” Alfred pointed toward the branches of a nearby apple tree. “I found Feli.”

“Oh, thank god. That leaves two more.” Matthew rushed toward the other. 

Scanning the environment, Alfred smirked when he saw a blond head resting on one of the wooden beams belonging to a picnic pavilion. He ran forward, startling the teen who had been focused on his phone. “Found you!”

“A-Alfred?” Ludwig furrowed his brows, remaining tense. “I thought Matthew was the seeker.”

“He wanted help.”

“Oh, I see...” Ludwig pushed himself off the beam and lagged behind Alfred as they walked back toward the group. He rubbed his arms as though he felt the cool breeze despite wearing long-sleeves. 

Okay, it wasn’t that chilly. Something was up. 

A strained silence hung in the air. Alfred slowed his pace down to match Ludwig’s, the latter of whom was too lost in thought to have noticed. As he observed the other, Alfred reflected on Feliciano’s claims of Ludwig viewing him as one of his ‘best friends.’ Since when? They’d never really spoken, even when they were kids and forced to hang out. Is that really just how he was?

Well, he wouldn’t get any answers if he didn’t speak up. 

“Are you mad at Feli?” Alfred asked, blunt as usual. 

“What?” Ludwig was perplexed, head jerking suddenly. “Why would you think that?”

“You’ve been distant, is all.” Alfred rolled his shoulders nonchalantly. “Just checking.”

Ludwig bit the inside of his cheek, now deeply unsettled. “Did he...did he tell you that?” 

“Maybe, but you didn’t deny anything. So, what’s up?”

Ludwig rested his hand on his neck, knitting his brows together as he carefully chose his next words. “Things have been...difficult, lately. I’d rather not wrap anyone else in my affairs. It’s hard enough as is.” 

“You mean, like at home? School? You know you can talk to me, right?” 

“In general,” Ludwig admitted, gaze downcast. “You don’t have to worry about me though. Actually, I’d prefer it if you didn’t.” 

For a moment, Alfred wondered if Feliciano had been mistaken. “Why though? We’re friends, right?” He had to test the waters. 

“Y-yeah.” Ludwig hesitated. “But you don’t want me as your friend,” he murmured. 

“Of course I do.” Alfred wore a befuddled expression. “Why wouldn’t I?” 

“I don’t deserve it.” There was a brief glisten of emotion in his normally blank stare. 

“What do you mean by that? If anyone doesn’t deserve it, it’s me. I’m the one that always got us into trouble. You cried because of me.”

Ludwig raised his head as a prominent memory resurfaced. “Are you talking about the time we ran off and got lost at the county fair?”

“I have a few moments lined up, but yeah, that’s one of them.” 

“Maybe at the time I was upset, but...I don’t regret it at all.”

“Really?” Alfred’s voice nearly cracked. “Gilbert really slammed into you that day.”

Nodding, Ludwig had the smallest of smiles on his face, even if it did hold a mournful edge. “I grew up in a strict home. I didn’t realize it then, but that’s when I felt the most free. I actually find myself missing those trips often.”

Alfred was rendered speechless by the confession. “Oh.”

Ludwig’s eyes widened in alarm. “S-Sorry. Did I say something wrong?” 

“N-No, no.” Alfred shook his head. “It’s just...I never thought you felt that way. You’re not very talkative or anything, so I just assumed you thought I was annoying.”

Ludwig furrowed his brows. “I’ve never been good at expressing myself, but...I don’t find you annoying at all.” Scratching his cheek with a bashful blush, he continued. “You actually remind me a lot of Gilbert. It’s comforting as opposed to...silence.”

“Well, I can definitely see that considering the people you surround yourself with,” Alfred joked, agreeing that he, Feliciano, and Gilbert were the complete opposite of silent. Nearing the others, it was time for the heart-to-heart to come to a close, but it had to end on a good note. “We should find time to hang out again. All of us. Like old times,” he offered with a friendly smile. It’d make for a nice last get together before the end of the world. 

Ludwig’s gaze faltered, scratching the back of his hands. “Yeah...I’d like that.”

“Well, that’s everyone.” Matthew raised a hand toward Carlos as Alfred approached him. “Are you satisfied yet?”

“No, that was too quick.” Alfred pouted and raised his index finger. “One more game.”

“One more game.” Matthew mirrored the gesture as he honored the request. “Then we look for clues. We barely have half an hour until sunset.” 

“That sounds good to me.”

“You’re the seeker this round. Try to be quick and not waste time for the sake of it, okay?” Matthew sent his brother a pleading look. “Please?”

“I wasn’t planning to,” Alfred answered honestly, a bit defensive toward the accusation. “How about I count to a hundred so you guys can hide in more interesting places? That way we increase our chances of finding any clues.”

“Yeah, sure. Whatever.”

After waving the group off, Alfred ran toward the bench and then took a seat, covering his eyes as he began the countdown. When the time came to lower his hands, he was met with none other than Ivan standing before him.

“Are you sure you’ve played this game before? You were supposed to hide.”

Ivan’s face betrayed no emotion. “I am not leaving your side.”

“Well, I found you. Now help me look.” Seeing the other pull out his diary, Alfred rolled his eyes. “We’re not cheating.”

A grumble escaped Ivan as he tucked his phone away, following Alfred toward the playground. “Fedya, this is ridiculous. It is dangerous to be here and yet you decide to play games,” he scolded. 

“You know me, always finding myself on Death’s doorstep,” Alfred muttered, then faced Ivan with an annoyed expression. “We’re headed home no matter what at dusk, we might as well stay near the car rather than wind up someplace that could actually be dangerous. See? I’ve been biding my time very wisely, thank you very much.”

“I suppose…” Ivan sighed then swept his gaze through the park for any signs of the others as Alfred entered the slide from the bottom. 

“Nada.” Alfred pursed his lips as he slid back down. “Well, that’s kind of it regarding the playground.” As far as jungle gyms went, this one was pretty mediocre. “They couldn’t have gone too far, so that leaves the forest itself, and I think that’s a restroom over there. Then there’s that garden...and then all the trees around us.” As he stood, he took note of the descending sun. “That’s not too bad. What do you think we should do first?”    

“I think—” Ivan turned to him with a tight smile. “We should leave.”

“We can’t leave,” Alfred moaned, exasperated. “Mattie is—”

“An idiot, and he will die like one,” Ivan continued curtly. “Let’s go.”

“But…” Alfred shied away from the attention and kicked the dirt beneath his feet. “I’m actually having fun...”

Ivan was far from amused, staring at him disapprovingly. “Alfred.”

That caught his attention. Ivan never used his name. He was serious. 

“Do you think another user’s gonna attack us? Last I checked, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Did your diary say anything strange?” 

“No,” Ivan grunted. “I just do not like this. I do not like this at all.”  

“Maybe he’ll get bored soon and we’ll go? I’m not leaving without him or my friends.”

Ivan sucked in a breath and sulked while Alfred led him to the garden. Barely setting a foot inside, he saw Matthew laying on another bench while holding a phone over his chest. 

Alfred crossed his arms. He was definitely starting to get peeved. “That’s not hiding. Geez, you all are the worst.”

“Thank god! The internet is crap here,” Matthew complained as he sat up.

“That’s two down, three to go.”

“Only? ” 

“It’s barely been ten minutes, calm your tits,” Alfred grumbled. “Sheesh, and I’m the impatient one.”

“Um, hello?” Matthew pushed himself up so he was level with his twin. “Crime scene? Remember?”

“Your idea? Remember? ” Alfred mocked in a cheery voice before becoming serious. “Where do you think the others went?”

Matthew combed his fingers through his hair. “I think Feliciano and Carlos went by the water. Ludwig headed toward the woods.”

“The pond is closer, let’s go there first.” Alfred glanced at Ivan for confirmation, but the other was still in his bad mood and merely acknowledging him with a docile nod. 

Matthew didn’t know how to interpret the situation nor did he want to. Instead, he just followed his twin’s lead, only breaking from his thoughts once he heard splashing water. Carlos was by the pond’s edge, skipping stones to pass the time and fist-pumping once he broke a personal record. 

“Another shitty spot,” Alfred scoffed as he drew closer. “You all seriously suck.” 

Carlos whipped around with a sneer. “Sorry, was I supposed to hide in the fucking water? Just shut up and be happy I’m playing this stupid game at all.” 

Matthew searched for a familiar bob of auburn hair. “Where’s Feli?” 

“Right there.” Carlos pointed to a willow tree behind them.

“Awww.” Feliciano peeked out, clicking his tongue with a pout. 

Alfred crossed his arms, eyes narrowed. “You ruined it.”

“I don’t care.” 

“Whatever. Four down, one to go.”

Matthew jerked his thumb toward the woods behind him. “That’s where he was off to.” 

“Maybe he’ll actually be a challenge,” Alfred sassed before running toward the path that led into the forest. With a growl, Ivan hurried after him, and Feliciano spared the remaining two an apprehensive glance while taking cautious steps around the willow’s roots. 

“Well, this has been very productive,” Matthew said with a sigh as his gaze roamed over the university, taking a moment to appreciate the vibrant sunset before turning and walking forward. “We haven’t found a single thing relating to the dog attacks. Wonderful.”  

“Just face it.” Carlos cocked his head back in defeat and stared straight up into the sky. “We aren’t detectives.” 

“I guess…” 

“Guys, can we just find Ludwig and go home?” Feliciano pushed his fingers together once he caught up to them. “I don’t want to stay here any longer.”

“We have to.” Matthew frowned. “We barely have an hour until it's dark and who knows how long it’ll take to find him?”

Alfred slowed down as he approached the hiker trail that led into the woods. When he decided he was far enough from the others, he spun on his heel and waited for them to join him. Only Ivan was on his tail, and he came to a halt shortly after. Casting a glance at the rest of his group, he figured they’d arrive within a few minutes and took the opportunity to stretch his arms above his head.

“Sunflower—”

Alfred stopped him with a loud groan, already knowing where this was going. “We’re not leaving until we find Ludwig.” 

This put Ivan off, who looked on the verge of stomping his feet and throwing a tantrum. “Why not?” 

“Because he’s my friend, Iv.” Alfred stared at the other incredulously. 

“But I’m your friend.” Ivan’s tone teetered on desperation, as though he were in the middle of a heartbreak. “You don’t need anyone else!” He took a step forward into Alfred’s comfort zone.

“Stop that,” Alfred snapped as he moved back to maintain his distance. “I can have more than one friend. I don’t like it when you’re like this.” It reminded him too much of the time Ivan had terrified him months ago, back when they first kissed in front of the lockers. Or like the time he’d nearly strangled Lovino. It was the exact reason he’d cut off contact with him in the first place. This side of Ivan made him feel nervous and never failed to creep him out, but it’d been a while since it showed itself. He’d almost forgotten about it with everything else going on. “Just chill out.”

Pained, Ivan clenched his fists while blinking away frustrated tears, but he straightened his posture and made no attempts to push further. 

When the rest of the gang finally caught up, they were startled by the tension in the air. 

“Good, you’re all here. Let’s get moving.” Alfred took the lead without question, not even giving the others a chance to catch their breath. Snarling, Ivan aggressively cut in front of Matthew, who rolled his eyes at the other’s typical behavior. Whatever dispute happened between them wasn’t any of his business. If he was lucky, it’d be permanent, but the way Ivan mooned over his brother despite his intimidating aura assured him that was not the case. 

For the most part, the walk was quiet. As the two in front continued their silence, Matthew and Carlos conversed about hypothetical leads with Feliciano joining in every once in a while, but he was mostly concerned with the bright pink sky above them with a dark navy looming too close for comfort. 

shhhhBBBBBTTT-

“Fuck!” Wide-eyed in terror and spiked with adrenaline, Alfred whipped out his phone and skimmed through the text on the screen as the three non-diary wielders recovered from their scare. 

“What the hell was that?” Carlos yelled, uncovering his ears. 

Matthew, having already heard the terrible ringtone, had more pressing questions. “Is it Ludwig? Did he find something?” 

Ivan ignored the others. “There’s a user nearby.” He narrowed his eyes as he scanned the trees. “We need to get you out of here now!” 

But Alfred was on the verge of hyperventilating, a stinging in his eyes as he obsessively read the text again and again, his mind screaming in denial. 

February 19 17:56 [University Park]

Ludwig’s arm has been torn off. It’s on the ground, bleeding. Where’s the rest of him? 

February 19 17:57 [University Park]

There’s a pack of dogs surrounding the group. There’s no way Ludwig survived.

Matthew grew alarmed seeing his brother tremble. “A-Al, are you okay?”

Alfred shook his head and took one look down the rest of the path before sprinting forward, determined to see the truth for himself. There was no way Ludwig could be dead. There was no way.  

“Fedya!” Ivan hissed a curse in Russian before chasing after him, growing bitter each second that passed. 

The other three exchanged a worried look, having no clue what just transpired. 

Matthew was the first to speak. “Something’s not right.” He ran after the other two. 

“Hey, wait up!” Carlos called after him as he and Feliciano quickened their pace. 

Entering a clearing, Alfred searched around frantically, only to freeze in horror when he realized his diary’s prediction was accurate. He’d been too late. This couldn’t be happening. 

“Al, what are you—” Matthew came to his side and followed his gaze, paling at the sight before him. “Oh, shit.”

Carlos nearly choked. Feliciano screamed. 

“That’s not...That’s not Ludwig, right?” Feliciano wept, tears already spilling down his cheeks. 

But the tattered remnants of his blood-stained shirt and flesh proved otherwise. 

Upset and ridden with guilt, Matthew couldn’t meet Feliciano’s eyes. “I’m so sorry.” His voice wavered as he attempted to control his emotions. Turning to his twin, he knew it was time to go. They had to get somewhere safe and report this. “A-Al, we need to move.”

However, Alfred was unmoving, as was Ivan, frozen in time save for the beads of sweat that dripped down their temples. Their gazes were fixed on the bushes, which when closely inspected, had eyes following their every move. The canines emerged from the shrubbery revealing their sheer size in numbers. Some opened their mouths as if preparing for a feast, exposing their sharp incisors with saliva dripping down their threatening snouts. Predatorial growls filled the silence. 

There was no other way to put this. They were fucked. 

A rustling in the leaves beside them caught their attention. Terrified, they all whipped their heads toward the source and braced themselves for a flank. 

A young man approached them, the same green-eyed blond Alfred recalled seeing at his school a few weeks ago. Sporting a confident smirk, the newcomer seemed amused by the situation as he took the spot beside him. “Seems like you’ve landed yourselves in quite the hot mess,” he spoke in a voice that reminded Alfred of a distant memory, fading in a wisp of smoke. As his eyes settled on Alfred, his grin only grew deeper. “Hello, poppet.” He squinted knowingly. “I’ve been wanting to meet you for quite some time.”

“D-do I know you?” Alfred managed in a squeak, trying to determine this familiar character. 

The stranger chuckled whilst shaking his head. “No, I don’t believe you do, but I’ve been keeping tabs on you. My name is Arthur, by the way. Arthur Kirkland.”

A disturbed grimace grew on Alfred’s face until he recognized the last name. “Wait, Kirkland? Like...Kyl–”

“Can’t the introductions wait?” Carlos yelled, reminding them all of the gravity of the situation. “There’s a pack of murderous dogs right in front of us!”

“Yes, that’s a problem.” Arthur gave an absentminded nod before pointing in the direction behind the group. “There’s a caged tennis court on the edge of these woods. It’s not ideal, but it’s just enough to save us from becoming dinner.” Easing into a run, he grabbed the hook of Alfred’s arm and pulled him forward, much to the teen’s surprise, while Matthew, Carlos, and Feliciano had gotten their bearings enough to follow the stranger’s lead. 

It took a moment for Ivan to recuperate from the shocking twist of events. Realizing his love had been saved by some other person, his expression marred into something downright terrifying as he chased after the group, passing the non-diary owners with ease. “Get your hands off of him— ”

“Now is not the time for petty jealousy.” Arthur bit back snidely. 

Alfred’s mind was in too much of a scramble to pay attention. He was going through a lot of whiplash now with the death of his friend, the introduction of Arthur, and coming to terms with his own mortality. It was a miracle he hadn’t developed a headache yet. 

By the time they reached the tennis court, almost everybody was out of breath. The distance had been more ground than they anticipated, and outrunning dogs hot on their trail while on the verge of panicking took a lot of energy out of them. 

After undoing the chains that wrapped the door shut, Carlos was finally able to open the gate and let everyone in. Ivan immediately went to tighten the chains just as the canines surrounded them, with one attempting to squeeze it’s snout through the narrow gap until Ivan snapped, kicking it with all his pent up frustration. As it skidded along the terrain with a pained yelp, Alfred couldn’t help but wince in sympathy until he remembered that these weren’t your normal house pets. 

These were trained killers.  

“There.” Ivan said as he released the chains. There was no way they’d get in now. “Solnyshko, are you alri—” He turned to Alfred, only for his blood to run cold. 

Arthur was right in front of Alfred, one arm on his shoulder as the other gently rested his cheek. “Are you alright, love?” 

“Y-yeah.” Alfred shifted uncomfortably and stared at the ground, blushing heavily at the sudden attention. “I’m fine. Thanks.” Having a stranger coddle him was beyond weird, but for some reason, it felt natural. Words couldn’t explain it. 

Ivan watched the interaction with silent fury, a dangerous glint in his eyes. 

Matthew opened his phone and dialed for an emergency, but soon realized it was a lost cause once he saw the lack of bars displayed in its upper corner. “There’s no service. I can’t call for help.”

“You’re in a dead zone,” Arthur answered as he lowered his arms. “That’s how these dogs operate. They like their victims to be cut off from any source of communication. It’s why the bodies always took so long to be found.” 

While Matthew scrunched his nose in confusion, it was Carlos who spoke up for him. “How the hell would dogs know about dead zones?” 

“Well, considering their coordinated attacks, they have a master directing them.”

Carlos let out a groan. “How? There’s no one here!”

Arthur stared at the other incredulously. “Didn’t you notice their collars? They have built in speakers.” 

“No, of course not! I’m sure everyone here can agree with me that their sharp teeth were—” 

“Wait, wait—” Matthew raised his hands to silence everyone as he gathered his thoughts. “If they’re being controlled, who is the one giving the orders? How would they even know we’re here?” 

Arthur grinned. “How else do you think? We’re being watched.” 

Already quivering in fear and distress, this made Feliciano want to hurl. “W-watched by who?”

“The serial killer. Who else?” 

“H-he has dogs now?” 

“No, no.” Arthur failed to prevent the small chuckle that escaped him. “The man you’re thinking of has been dead for quite some time now.” He cast Alfred a sharp look, the blood draining out of the latter’s face. “This is the work of someone level-headed, more for the thrill of it rather than eliminating competition. And I have a hunch that they’ll finally reveal themselves soon enough.”

Matthew gasped. “So...there is a copycat.” 

“He’s no amateur. We’re dealing with a true mastermind.” Arthur tone held an edge of excitement to it. 

Matthew and Carlos exchanged glances. They were officially weirded out by this new guy. Because of course, that’s exactly what the group needed—another creep. 

“Guys! The dogs!” Feliciano squeaked with his eyes trained on one of the various canines patrolling around the court. “What are we going to do? We can’t stay in here all night!” 

“We can’t call for help, and I don’t know if anyone told someone else we’d be coming here?” Matthew was met with blank stares and slowly shaking heads, except for Alfred, who was rapidly reading the text on his cellphone. Hold on a second…  

“Wait, Al! You have service, right?”

“I-well.” Not exactly. Despite having infinite battery life and future predicting capabilities, his phone was still bound to its mortal internet contract. Deus couldn’t have the game be too easy now, could he? 

“Well, what?” Matthew urged. “Can’t you?”

“No,” Alfred answered honestly. “We’re on the same plan.”

 But of course, the universe’s timing couldn’t have been more perfect.

-shhhhhbbbzzzzzt-

Alfred's attention immediately rebounded to his lifeline.  

Matthew felt his patience wear thin. Another lie, and for what reason? “Alfred, seriously?” 

“C’mon, man!” Carlos shook his head. “Even for you that’s low—”

“Shut up, I’m thinking!” Alfred snapped before re-reading the entries. Tenth’s dogs probably heard his phone go off the first time and were now determined to eliminate him from the competition. There was no way the other user hadn’t already caught on to his identity. He was a target and everyone around him was in danger, he had to figure something out or else they’d all be killed. 

Rattles against the chain-linked fence only affirmed his diary’s predictions. 

Arthur blinked. “They’re adapting,” he murmured in awe, watching the dogs work together to chew through the barrier protecting them. “To what, I wonder…” 

Alfred turned to Ivan and pursed his lips, conflicted. Ivan’s diary had yet to go off, so maybe there was more to this than he knew? Regardless, he was the only one capable of saving everyone, and to do so came at a cost. “I have to tell them.”

“What?” Ivan shook his head. “No, do not be silly. There is another way.” 

“What way? Look at them!” Alfred gestured toward canines closest to him. “We’ll all be dead in a few minutes if we don’t do something! There’s no way we’ll last the night!” 

“We make a run for it! I will protect you!” Ivan countered. 

“We can’t all outrun them!”

“No.” Ivan straightened his posture, serious and dominant as his eyes darkened. “But we can. The others will be a diversion.”

“What?!” Alfred’s tone raised an octave, outrage overtaking him. 

“E-Excuse me?” Carlos choked out while Matthew and Feliciano could only stare at Ivan, outraged by the suggestion. They were to be bait? Even if said as a joke, given their current situation, it was all kinds of fucked up. Their lives were on the line. 

 But they were all fully aware he was dead serious. 

“We’re not abandoning anyone,” Alfred growled through grit teeth. 

A strained smile crossed Ivan’s lips as he took a few steps toward him. “Fedya, please! Think about this rationally. Whoever is trying to kill us has to be close by. Who is to say it’s not someone with us?” A gloved hand pointed at Carlos. “Your rival since childhood?” The person in question balked as Ivan’s hand moved toward Arthur. “A stranger we’ve only just met and know nothing about?” He switched to Feliciano. “The favorite son of the man who tried to rape and kill you?” 

Feliciano’s eyes grew wide as saucers. “Wha-What? No, what are you—”

Ivan cut him off, eyes narrowing at Matthew with a sardonic grin. “Or perhaps it is the jealous brother who finally wanted a chance in the spotlight?” 

“Shut up!” Alfred yelled at Ivan. He was overwhelmed with emotion and had the tears to show for it. “They’re my friends. They would never do that to me!”

Sensing his twin’s emotional state spiraling, Matthew intervened. “Can we all please just calm down and explain what’s going on?”

“Or better yet, hurry the fuck up because we’re running out of time!” Carlos added with urgency.

Alfred and Ivan stared at each other for a moment, unwavering, until Alfred finally clenched his free fist and turned to his brother, resolute in his decision. 

“Matthew, run back and kick the fence behind you!” 

“What?” Matthew frowned, cocking a brow. “What is that gonna—”

“Just do it,” Alfred ordered in a tone that made him shiver. 

“O-okay…” 

Alfred turned to Arthur. “Um…Arthur, right?” He pointed past the stranger who responded with a nod. “Kick those dogs by you.”

“Interesting strategy,” Arthur complimented before doing as he was told. 

Matthew approached the fence and planted a forceful kick. He was relieved when the dogs gathered there were startled by the vibrating metal in their mouths. They backed away and ran around the perimeter for a more secluded spot. As good as it was to have at least some plan, he had to acknowledge the flaws in it.

He turned to his brother. “Al, I see what you’re doing, but we can’t do this forever.” The area may have only been large enough to fit two courts, but that still required a lot of running. Eventually they’d all be well-spent.

“We don’t have to.” Alfred answered. “We just have to hit the critical spots.” 

“Uh, how—” 

“Carlos, your left.” 

There weren’t even dogs there. “Hell no! I’m not running all the way over—”

“Fucking idiot,” Alfred hissed before running past him, deciding to do the work himself and landing a strong stomp just as some dogs began to gather, successfully scaring them off. He looked over his shoulder. “Feli, run straight ahead and kick with everything you’ve got!” 

“Um, o-okay!” Feliciano sprinted forward and pushed his leg against the chain, scaring away the dogs there as well. He was surprised by that. How did Alfred know they were going to appear there?

“Arthur, right of the entrance!”

“On it!”

“Ivan, your 8!” With a frustrated sigh, Ivan complied. 

One by one, each of Alfred’s predictions came true. 

“What are you? A psychic?” Matthew gasped in wonder as he passed him, nearly out of breath. 

Even Carlos was impressed, not to mention sick and tired of standing in the middle while everybody else worked together. “Hey, Alfred!” This caught his attention. “Where should I go?”

“Just…” He had to catch his breath. “3 O’Clock.”

“On it!” 

With one final kick, the canines finally got the message they wouldn’t get a chance to break through the barrier. They once again patrolled the perimeter, awaiting new orders. 

“Couldn’t they just wear us out?” Matthew’s voice was soft due to the exerted effort. He took the time to clear his throat with a grunt. 

“Then we’ll either alternate turns or give everyone their own section.” Alfred announced loudly so the dogs and anyone listening could hear. “I can do this all night!”

There was a chorus of growls, but the message was received. The canines retreated into the shadows, leaving the boys in silence. 

-Chhbzzzzzt-

Alfred let out a relieved sigh as he read his most recent entry. They were finally in the clear. 

Carlos narrowed his eyes at him skeptically. “How did you do that?” 

He tapped the power button on his phone and tucked the device into his pocket, his face no longer illuminated by its light rather by the moon instead. “My phone told me where they were gonna go and I told you guys. Easy as that.” 

“So your phone predicted the future?” Carlos scoffed. “No, seriously. Spill.”

“Al, what’s going on?” Matthew pressed gently, a bit dazed from everything that happened. It was a lot to take in. 

“My phone can predict the future,” Alfred clarified. “This is why I’ve been keeping secrets from you. My imaginary friends turned out to be real and now I’m stuck in a survival game with eleven other contestants for the title of god.” He turned to Ivan defiantly. “Did I leave anything out?”

He was met with a surly glare. 

“Wait, what?” Matthew massaged his temples. “What are you talking about?”

“I killed the serial killer,” he admitted, and Matthew froze, his heart sinking. “I’m one of the reasons our school was attacked. This is why I’m involved with the police. I’m probably the reason we’re being hunted right now.”

Matthew shook his head, denial taking over. He knew his brother had an obsession with heroes and survivor’s guilt could’ve taken its toll over him. It was up to him to assure Alfred of his innocence. “N-no... Al, you had nothing to do with that—”

“It’s true. Well, at least most of it,” Arthur interrupted. Both Alfred and Matthew whipped their heads toward him as he rummaged through a leather messenger bag that rested against his hip. From it, he pulled a plastic bag containing something that made Alfred go white, as though seeing a ghost from his past. 

Third’s phone. The one he’d split in two. 

“I aspire to be the world’s greatest detective, and so far you’ve become my greatest enigma, Alfred.” Arthur’s eyes twinkled. “I’ve been following you and all your adventures now. The warehouse, the raid...even what happened in the city.” Alfred’s breath hitched at that. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but anyone with that sort of history must be hiding something. For what reason would a suburban high-schooler be mixed in with serial killers and the mafia? Well, I aim to find out just that.” He gave an impish smile. 

“Alfred,” Matthew hissed. “What is he saying?”

But Alfred was horrified. As if he needed another stalker hot on his trails. 

Arthur caught on to his dread and chuckled, waving his hand dismissively. “Don’t worry, I’m not here to creep on you or anything, nor do I think you’re the architect behind everything. I simply want to get to the bottom of this mess and spare you a similar fate.”

While Alfred was rendered silent, Matthew took the chance to speak. “I-I don’t understand. This doesn’t make any sense.” 

“This sounds like a load of horseshit to me.” Carlos turned to Matthew. “They’re clearly in on some joke or just crazy. You know your brother doesn’t have the best rep when it comes to either of those things.”

Alfred flared at that. “I’m not crazy!” 

“I know you’re not!” Matthew attempted to soothe him. “But you’ve always had a wild imagination, and it’s not like you’ve never pulled a prank on me before...”

Alfred was riled even further. “You think I’m lying? Even with Arthur taking my side?”

“No! It’s just...Al, do you realize the weight of what you’re saying? Gods, survival games, the mafia. It’s a lot to take in!”

Carlos gave a mocking snigger. “Sounds like a cry for attention if you ask me. Even when we’re on the brink of death, you always gotta make it about you.”

“Watch it,” Ivan warned, finally breaking his silence. 

“Wow! Even with everything that happened, you still don’t believe me! No matter what I do, it’s just never enough for you.” Alfred’s shoulders went slack as his voice grew meek. “I’m never enough for you...”

Matthew was taken aback by Alfred’s sudden vulnerability. “A-Al, that’s not true—”

“I believe you.” Feliciano’s firm tone caught everyone’s attention. 

Alfred turned to him hopefully, voice almost cracking. “Y-you do?” 

“You do?” Matthew gawked. 

Carlos rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath so only Matthew could hear. “Of course he does. It’s Feliciano.” 

“Alfred saved us. What more proof do you need? We should trust him!”

“Why should we?” Carlos retorted. 

“Because he’s our friend!” Feliciano sent Matthew a disappointed frown. “And he’s your brother. Trust works both ways.”

This hit Matthew hard. He studied his twin, who somehow seemed to have aged considerably the past month. The nightmares. The trauma. Why the substitute nearly killed him during the raid. His involvement with officer Zwingli. No longer was he as easygoing as he used to be, now becoming easily irritable and protecting himself with lies. It was then Matthew realized that he’d been ignorant to his brother’s needs. It was never about giving solutions or being a voice of reason.  

Alfred just needed somebody willing to listen. 

Matthew hung his head in shame. “Al, I—”

There were a series of loud pops alerting them all of the remaining threat. A thick cloud of smoke soon covered the entire area, which paired with the night sky, made it difficult to see. Blinded, Matthew swerved through the fog to find his brother. The rattling of chains and creaking gate became white noise. If Alfred was the one being hunted then he had to make sure he was safe.

But Alfred soon let out a startled yelp and Matthew followed his voice, only to still when met with a dark figure holding a knife to his brother’s throat. 

Notes:

Y'all check it out, I'm not dead lol sorry for the delay though. I'm not good at this whole "update consistently" thing.

Can you guess who's the one with the knife? And what is Zwingli planning? Also...Arthur and Alfred finally meeting...about damn time.

Thanks for everyone's support <3 You guys keep me going.

Chapter 13: A Gamble Amongst Wolves

Summary:

The apex hunts both predators and prey.

Notes:

I know, I know. Long time to update. I was busy, I swear! And I was too impatient to wait for this to be edited, so I just posted because I figured ya'll waited long enough. I'll just go back and edit as needed when needed. Sorry!

Alfred couldn’t breathe, his body was tense. The fear from being seconds away from a gruesome death just never got old. As much as he would’ve loved to turn his head and get a glimpse of the person holding him hostage, the Dobermann beside him was keeping tabs on his movement and was prepared to attack at any given moment, barring its sharp teeth to intimidate him into submission. As if the knife against his throat wasn’t already doing that. 

Honestly, this was his own fault for believing he had the advantage for once. After all, the key to happiness was lowered expectations. His constant optimism brought him nothing but despair. 

Matthew raised his hands in surrender and spoke first. “I-I don’t know who you are, but please, just put the knife down. W-we can talk through this, okay?” Though his voice was shaky, his brave front impressed Alfred. 

Ivan’s glare was hard on the perpetrator as he waited for the slightest opening. Just one mistake. One second. That was all he needed. His quivering body was itching for a chance strike.

As Feliciano cowered behind Matthew, Carlos was shocked into silence. He may have disliked Alfred, but even he would be against his murder. Sure, they may have said some awful things to each other, but boys being dicks to each other was completely different from an actual life-or-death scenario. 

The masked man clad in black said nothing in return. In fact, he held no reaction at all. Almost as if he were hesitating. For such a calculative genius, it seemed that beyond this point, he really didn’t have a plan.

Arthur’s lip curled. That’s because this person was just a scapegoat — just as he’d anticipated. “You can stop this whole charade and reveal yourself now. I know you’ve been dreading this moment, but we can’t remain in this stalemate all night.” 

Matthew strained and grit his teeth to stifle a scream. All that effort to ease the other into letting his brother go was now wasted. 

Surprisingly, the knife pressed against Alfred’s throat disappeared. 

A firm hand tore his diary from his hold and pushed down on his shoulder. It was a silent order to get closer to the ground: message received. Alfred slowly lowered himself so that the canine’s maw was only inches away from his face. His heartbeat was loud, tumultuous thunder in his ears. All he wanted was to go home, he was so done with this bullshit. 

The horrified gasps from his brother and friends put him on high alert, he’d been just about to turn his head before the dog gave him a warning growl. If he were to guess, the person removed their mask and revealed their identity. Alfred released a heavy sigh of frustration. He never had the chance to read that far ahead in his diary, and now the curiosity was driving him crazy. 

It was Feliciano who spoke up first, in a voice that cracked with betrayal and disbelief. “Lu-Ludwig?” 

Alfred paused, blinking slowly as he processed the answer. They weren’t serious, right? His diary said Ludwig had died. They all saw his detached arm. Did he somehow survive? Was he missing an arm? Was he a zombie? So many possibilities swarmed in his mind. What was only seconds felt like hours to Alfred before the next person continued. 

“H-How? You died?” Carlos turned to Matthew, hoping that he wasn’t the only one seeing ghosts. 

His twin was on the verge of tears. “I-I don’t understand. Why are you doing this? W-why would you try to hurt us?” 

The person beside Alfred didn’t respond. Not even his peripheral vision could offer confirmation. He had to see this for himself. Something had to be wrong. Things weren’t adding up. His eyes rested on Ivan for some sign or relief, but he was still, frozen in time, staring down the man beside him. Their gazes met for a moment, but not a single muscle betrayed Ivan’s expression before once again resting on the other.  

Then Alfred felt chills as he recognized the voice. “Because...I have to.” 

“What? N-No, you don’t—”

Feliciano had burst into tears, but was able to interject. “Ludwig, why? I-I was so scared, and now you’re going to hurt Alfred! Please, just stop this!” 

There was a long silence that followed, and Alfred wished he could see the expression on Ludwig’s face. He wanted to understand what he was feeling, to see for himself what his motives were. 

But the crack in Ludwig’s small voice was all he needed. “I-I’m not here for Alfred…” He answered, before raising his hand and pointing toward Arthur — a motion Alfred was actually able to see. “I’m here for him.”

---

[February 15th; 4 days ago]

The car ride home was silent. Unbearable. Avoiding eye contact with his brother, Ludwig instead watched rain droplets race down the window. He knew Gilbert liked finding silly excuses to spend time with him, whether it be a ride from school or a group dinner with friends, but honestly, at times he felt like he’d be better off without. They were all so...meaningless. 

Suddenly they were at their house. No, his house. It was a large abode with plentiful property, but just like everything else, it just felt empty nowadays. 

“So...do you need anything?” Gilbert’s voice broke him away from his stupor. 

“No.” 

“Are you sure? We can stop by the store and get something, or we can even—”

“I’m fine.” Ludwig answered automatically. “You don’t need to worry about me.” 

Gilbert’s shoulders slumped at that. While his younger brother had always been distant, the wall between them had never been so...fortified. It was an uncomfortable development he was driven to discourage. “Well, I’m a call away if that changes. You know I’m always here if you need me.”

Then why’d you leave us?’ Ludwig almost snapped back, but he held his tongue. “Thank you for the ride.” He left the car and abruptly shut the door, not sparing Gilbert another glance as he made his way through the pouring rain and invited himself home. 

It was dark inside, he could barely see a thing as he made his way to the lightswitch. His Doberman, Berlitz, and his Hovawart, Aster, were sitting at attention, though their excited tails betrayed their discipline. Allowing himself to relax, he gave each of them a fond pet before preparing for his daily ritual. 

It was time to feed the dogs. 

As he went back out into the yard and into the kennel, he was met with eager barks and rattled cages from their hungry occupants. There was a time he fed them the usual kibble, but as of late, his father had been insistent they use raw, fresh meat. Rolling up his sleeves, he grabbed a butcher’s knife and the day’s slabs of muscle, then began portioning the slices like his father had instructed. Briefly, he wondered if this was all coming out of his father’s retirement funds and savings, now that there was no need for them, but there was no use asking questions when he wouldn’t get answers. Instead he focused on his chores and prepared each dog their meal, then watched as they devoured them all so he could retrieve their plates after. 

Just as he had done since the beginning of this year…

While a nearby German Shepherd gnawed on a bone, he ran his fingers through his fur. This one was Blackie, one of his father’s favorites. The retired police dog would’ve been put down if his father hadn’t adopted him. Due to his nature, he was seen as too aggressive for a normal civilian life, but Ludwig was glad Blackie found a home with them. He was fond of him too. 

That could be said with all their dogs. They were so much easier to deal with than people. He supposed he took after his father in that regard, as he did with most things. Sometimes he wondered if that was the reason Gilbert couldn’t stand living with them anymore. But dogs were different. They were loyal. They didn’t abandon you—

Ludwig ceased his petting as his mood became foul. It would only upset the dogs. He needed to calm himself. It was for the best that Gilbert left them. Left him. He couldn’t get involved, that was his and their father’s burden to share. The less he knew the better. But Gilbert had an awful habit of trying to pry information out of him about their father, especially regarding work and how things were at home. There was nothing he hated more than being the one stuck in between the two. 

But it was his job to keep their broken family together. When Gilbert and his mother left, it created cracks within their father. From an early age, it was very clear to Ludwig that he and his own mother were only substitutes, and when she passed, his father only seemed to retreat further within himself and fixate on his dogs.

‘Dogs don’t abandon you. They never abandon you. But people will.’ 

Ludwig had heard this time and time again, with multiple variations. Sometimes he wondered if there was actual truth to his words. His dogs were the ones who kept him company when his father was consumed by work or locked in his study for days at a time. They were the only ones there for him when his brother had run off to join the army. If he had any fond memories, most of the time they involved his beloved canine companions. 

Yet there were a few exemptions to the rule. A few people who had yet to abandon him. With his fathers words ringing in his ears, he wondered just how long it’d be until they abandoned him too. 

With a shake of his head, he determined that none of that mattered anymore. With this survival game going on or whatever, he wouldn’t have to worry about any of that. Once his father won, everyone would be together. He wouldn’t have to worry about being alone anymore. 

Because that’s what his father promised him. He’d bring his mother back and they’d all be a family again. He promised. 

Just as he collected the last dog's plate, a buzzer rang. His father was calling him. At this point, he knew the impeccable timing wasn’t just a mere coincidence, it was expected. Setting the stack of plates aside and quickly washing his hands, he went back into the main house and toward his father’s study. He took a deep breath and composed himself before knocking on the door. 

“Come in.”

He did as ordered. 

If one were to say anything about Gerard Beilschmidt after first meeting his son, it would be that Ludwig was his exact match. When it came to their appearance, their mannerisms, their distance; all were nearly identical. 

Of course, they’re were also many stark contrasts as well. 

“It has come to my attention that we must accelerate our plans. I’ve caught a fly in my web that must be dealt with.”

These ‘plans’ were unknown to Ludwig, who was simply complicit in whatever his father had in store. The details didn’t need to be shared, all that mattered was that he could follow basic instruction. 

And like a loyal pet, he’d follow his father’s whims if that meant he’d at least get some amount of praise in turn. 

Ludwig paused. “What do you mean?” Weren’t these diaries capable of foretelling the future? The specifics were above him, but didn’t that just mean they could plan ahead more efficiently? Then it dawned on him. “Is it another contestant?”

“He’s on the outside looking in as we speak.” 

This confused him. Gerard gestured toward the window and Ludwig cautiously made his way and peeked through the blinds— just barely to get a glimpse of the stranger that stalked their home from across the street. 

A blond around his age with bright green eyes. He’d never seen him before, but his piercing gaze made him anxious. This young man had the capacity to destroy their future. He couldn’t risk letting down his guard. 

Ludwig turned to his father urgently. “So what do we do?”

“You keep your eyes open. Find something of interest and track it. We’ll use it as bait and lure him into a trap to be rid of him once and for all.”

“....Understood.”

“Good.” There was a moment of silence between them. Ludwig had almost been about to take his leave after taking it as a sign of being dismissed. “By the way—”

“—How have your friends been lately?” 

Ludwig froze. His father was not one for small talk. There was something more to this conversation. “They’re fine...why?”

“I heard the school bombing took quite a toll on many of the students. With school now opening back up, I was wondering how they were faring.”

Oh. Now he understood. His breath hitched and body tensed, but his voice remained calm. “They seem to be well. Thank you for your concern.” 

His father reached out and patted the damp hair on his head. “Don’t worry. I’m sure the problem has been dealt with…”

He knew what his father was referring to. It was no coincidence that the men who invaded their school had no intention of harming Feliciano...they had evacuated him. And Ludwig had been fortunate to be deemed worthy enough to spare because of their friendship. After he told his father everything after being questioned, it was then that the survival game had been revealed to him, and he officially became a lackey in his father’s quest to become god. 

But if his father knew that then…

What about Alfred? He remembered when they incapacitated him while he could only watch in horror, and then they took him as a captive. Was he a part of everything as well? Regardless, he promised himself after that incident that he would no longer put the two of them in harm’s way. Whatever their connection was with the game, he wanted no part of it. If he distanced himself from them, there would be no information to divulge with his father. This was the only way he could keep them both safe while also securing his and his father’s dream. 

Gerard noticed the cloud of emotion brewing in Ludwig’s eyes. He grew stern with a warning bite in his tone. “But even so, you know where your loyalties lie. You want your mother back, don’t you?”

There was no hesitance. “Yes.” That was the last time things were happy. When Gilbert would come home and spend time with him. When he was encouraged to go out and spend time with friends. He missed those days more than anything. All he wanted was to feel like he had a family again, but everything changed after she passed. 

“The only way to do that is for you to do your part. Find his weakness, and do it quickly.”

Ludwig gave a nod. “Yes, father.”

Little did he know then that his troubles would come back to haunt him, and his loyalty would be tested once more.

---

“The truth will out.” Arthur held a sly grin, crossing his arms. “So you want me because I know your father’s dirty secret, and to accomplish that, you learnt I had an interest in Alfred and used him as bait. I may not have any friends, but even I know that’s low.” 

Ludwig flinched at that. “Just give me what I want and this will all be over.”

“Will it though?” Arthur pressed, then his expression grew curious. “And what is it that you want?”

“What else? Just hand me your diary or whatever. I know you’re one of them.” 

Alfred’s mouth dropped as he processed the information. Had he been trailed by another user this whole time? Was it really so easy?

“Oh.” Arthur’s eyes lit up. He let out a small chuckle. “Sure, I’ll give you what you want. But care to indulge me for a moment? See, I’d like to play a game...” 

Ludwig’s resolve lessened as he was stunted by the suggestion. “A...game?”

“Of course,” Matthew couldn’t help but mutter under his breath. A killer was toying with their lives and suddenly today was the day for games...give him a fucking break. 

Arthur gave a single nod. “I don’t mean to be a walking stereotype, but I do love the thrill of a good gamble.” He unzipped a pocket on his bag and pulled out a pack of cards. “I got these for my cousin, but she wasn’t so fond of them. I’ve been looking for a chance to use them and it seems now might be it.” His gaze flickered to Ludwig. “How about this: if I win, you give me Alfred and return his diary. If you win, we’ll do as you say. Does that sound like a plan?”

“H-huh?” This wasn’t good, Ludwig was already losing control over the situation, though it wasn’t like he really had any to begin with. “No! We don’t have time for—”

“Well, hear me out for a second.” Arthur clicked his tongue. “We both know there’s no easy solution for anyone with the way things are going. I’m offering you a way to settle everything peacefully. If you care about your friends at all, you would at least grant them this mercy.”

Ludwig chewed on his lip as he contemplated his options. “Fine. What are we playing?” 

“Just a modified version of Rock-Paper-Scissors. We each get dealt three random cards from the deck. We then pick one from the three and on the count of three, reveal that card. The picture shown will determine the winner. If there’s a stalemate, we keep going with the cards we have until we’re forced to draw the last one. Each round, we draw three new cards. Easy enough, right?”

“...I can tell the future.” Ludwig reminded him. “This is all just a waste of time.”

“Well, you have Alfred’s diary and I have mine. Even if it’s all futile, you’d at least be honoring a man’s last request for a simple game between comrades.”

Ludwig’s lip quirked into a scowl as he studied Arthur. The other clearly had some trick up his sleeve, but it was hard to tell what he was plotting. He checked the entries in Alfred’s phone and skimmed it for anything strange, but the outcome showed himself as victorious. So it really was going to be a final request. With a resigned sigh full of guilt, Ludwig found himself nodding. “I’ll play your game.”

Arthur pulled the deck from its packaging. “Now, who shall be the dealer?”

Ludwig’s eyes scanned the crowd. “Feliciano.” The bystander in question jolted with surprise. “I want Feliciano to be the dealer.”

Feliciano pointed at himself with a slight tremor. “M-Me?”

“Very well.” Arthur handed the deck to Feliciano. “I’ll take my pick first, and then you bring this over to your friend so he can do the same. I’ll let you shuffle so we all know there’s no funny business going on.”

Feliciano gave a small gulp before timidly shuffling the cards, then presented the deck to Arthur. He took the top three and skimmed through them, his expression impassive. Feliciano shot Ludwig a hesitant glance before approaching him, but was unable to meet his eyes. This was noticed, but Ludwig knew that the distance between them was well-deserved. This was all his own fault. 

Ludwig collected the top three cards from Feliciano’s trembling fingers. They were lowered and far enough away from his body that Alfred was able to see them in his peripheral vision. Rock, rock, scissors. With the giddiness of a student finding the cheat sheet before a test, Alfred had to bite down his smirk as Ludwig pinched the ‘Rock’ card.

He made eye-contact with the group and discreetly clenched his hand into a fist, hoping they’d notice. Ivan seemed to, and he glanced toward Arthur to make sure he got the message. There was a content hum as a reply. 

With a side-eyed glance, Ludwig took note of Alfred’s movement. 

“One. Two. Three—” 

On three, Ludwig quickly changed the card he drew to ‘Scissors.’ There were two sources of distorted static as the future changed. Ivan’s eyes squinted skeptically as his own phone rewrote itself. That was one...

Alfred nearly choked. What. The—

Wait…

Arthur picked ‘Rock.’

Ludwig was first to voice their shared thoughts. “What? But you were supposed to draw—”

“Scissors?” Arthur brought the card up to his lips to conceal his chuckle. “Check again.” 

And so Ludwig did, noticing that the past entries had rewritten themselves. While he was originally supposed to beat Arthur, due to Alfred's interference, he was hoping he could at least bring the first round to a draw, yet there was no mention of him switching his card at the last second and being wrong, so why did it mention that now? After the change? The future entries still showed him being in the right...so what the hell happened? Weren’t these things supposed to be omniscient?

This was strange. Ludwig didn’t like this at all. 

Arthur exhaled a melodramatic sigh. “Well, that was a bit anticlimactic, so how about we consider that a warm-up round? You get one more chance at victory.” 

Matthew and Carlos squawked at that. A warm-up? Just take the win and run with it! Don’t test fate just because you got lucky once! With a shared glance, they instantly knew their minds were in sync, but neither had the guts to say anything. This battle wasn’t theirs. It was far beyond their understanding. 

Feliciano returned to Arthur and collected the old cards as he swiped three more from the top. He made his way back to Ludwig and watched as he did the same. Taking a step back, he sent Alfred a dreadful look for the anticipation that would follow. The feeling was mutual. 

Arthur took the time to quickly skim through his entries before tucking his phone away. “Now, one more time. Are you ready?”

Ludwig studied Alfred’s notes and once again saw nothing out of the ordinary. He made sure he didn’t accidentally miss any details this time. Meanwhile, Alfred felt the gears turn in his head. Ludwig only had Paper, Scissors, Paper. What were the odds he’d choose ‘Scissors’ again? He’d definitely go with paper. That meant Arthur would win if he drew ‘Scissors.’

—Schbbbcccczzzzt—

—Szzzzbbbbbt—

Alfred was disappointed when Arthur chose ‘Paper.’

“That’s impossible. The diary said you were going to pick ‘Scissors.”

“I was thinking about it...but didn't you know that a person’s face tells all?”   

Ludwig frowned at that. He thought he displayed a decent poker face, but perhaps he was wrong. The others seemed confused by that statement as well, further cementing his doubt. However observing Ivan, who glowered at Arthur’s diary as though he were putting the final pieces of a puzzle together, it alerted Ludwig of a possible trick. Something else must have been going on behind the scenes. 

“Ahem.” Arthur coughed into his hand to gather everyone’s attention. “That being said, I won. Now you must honour your end of the deal.”

“No, hold on.” Ludwig scowled as he rubbed his temple. No more funny business. He was getting to the bottom of this. He had to. 

The smirk was wiped off Arthur’s face. “We made a deal.”  

“I’ll let Alfred go, but his diary stays with me. We’ll play one more round.” 

“This is not what we agreed upon.”

“You never said how many rounds we’d play. You should be thankful I said yes to this idea at all.”

Arthur made his annoyance clear when he sucked in a deep breath. “...It is what it is, I suppose.”

Ludwig let out a whistle and the Doberman retreated. Alfred spared Ludwig an unsure glance, taking him in, both of his arms, but the latter cocked his head toward the rest of their friends, signaling for him to join them. 

No way. He was actually being freed…

Alfred pushed off the ground and ran toward Arthur, swinging his arms around his neck to envelope him in a grateful hug before taking a step back, clamping his hands on his shoulders. 

“W-wow. You’re amazing! How did you even—? What even is your diary?” 

Arthur was momentarily stunned by the close contact, but warmed into a genuine smile. “Thank you. I’m glad you’re alright.”

“Well, it’s all thanks to you! You really surprised me when—”

Ivan’s eyes bore into Arthur as a grimace marred his lips. There were supposedly four diaries on the court, but only two had gone off. Tenth’s could be excused since Ivan suspected it only concerned his canines and they were uninvolved with the card game...but Arthur’s? Where was his excuse? If it told him about the outcome of the game, then the game should’ve had an effect on it.

But more importantly…

Ivan wedged his way between Arthur and Alfred, aggressively forcing them to separate. 

“Hey, what are you—”

Ivan tuned Alfred out as he ripped Arthur’s phone from his grasp and checked for its entries.

It was blank. There was nothing there. 

“I knew it,” Ivan hissed, then gave Arthur an accusatory glare. “It was all a bluff, wasn’t it?”

Alfred was dumbfounded. “Uh...what?” That made no sense. Arthur won twice against his diary. An ordinary person couldn’t do that. 

With swift grace, Ivan pulled a folding knife from his pocket and pressed it against Arthur’s larynx. “I forgot to ask you this, Arthur,” he growled as his eyes went wild. “Which number are you?”

Arthur raised his hands in surrender, but burst into a fit of giggles. “Sorry, sorry. I guess I did get a bit carried away. But you all were so convinced I was one, I just thought it’d be interesting if I kept the charade going.”

Alfred moved forward, lowering Ivan’s arm that had shielded him protectively. “But dude...you won. Twice. What do you mean you’re not a diary owner?” 

Arthur met his gaze. “Sorry, love. Perhaps a bit of speechreading and kinesics were involved, but the rest was pure luck.”

“Do not call him that— ”

“Woah, woah, hey. Take it easy, man.” Alfred ducked beneath Ivan’s arm so he was in between the two, then gently pressed his hands against Ivan’s chest to make him take a few steps back. “I’m fine now, right? You don’t have to resort to violence.” He patted Ivan’s arm so he’d put the blade down. “We should at least hear what he has to say first.”

Despite his irritation, Ivan lowered his weapon. “Fedya, he gambled with your life.”

“I...I don’t think…” Alfred cast Ludwig a quick glance. ‘I don’t think he meant to hurt me at all.’ 

“Well, speaking of life, there's still some in this game yet.” Arthur walked away from Alfred and Ivan, his attention directed toward Ludwig. “I’m still wanted dead because I know the truth about the serial killer, so I’ll continue to wager my life for Alfred’s diary. Does that sound fair?” 

“Wait, hold on.” Alfred raised a hand to object. “I don’t mean to say this, but you’re out of your league. You can’t go against a diary.”

“Don’t worry, dear. Whether I win or lose is up to me.”

“Uhhhh...” Alfred had no idea what else to say, but Arthur seemed to have some plan despite everything. It didn’t seem like there was anything he could say to convince the other to step down, he simply radiated certainty. “Well, good luck…I’m counting on you.”

“Thank you. And you—” Arthur turned to Ivan. “I’d like to have a word.”

Ivan seemed hesitant, but with an encouraging pat on his back from Alfred, he begrudgingly complied. 

Arthur muttered under his breath to Ivan, who’s forehead crinkled as he took in the information given to him. It was an interesting plan, and perhaps the logic was reasonable, but there was one important factor in it all. 

“Even if what you are saying is true, I do not trust you.” 

“That’s fine." Arthur shrugged callously. "I don’t really care what you think. Just trust that my feelings for Alfred are beyond friendship.”

Ivan blinked, the words piercing him as a blade of lightning. "What— ”

“Anyway,” Arthur announced, brushing off Ivan’s malicious glare. “Shall we continue where we left off?” 

Ludwig gave a stoic nod, still trying to figure out what Arthur was planning. Now that his bluff was called, what else was there to pull? Perhaps this was more bluffing on his part, only this time, he would see right through it.

Arthur smiled at Feliciano. “Now, could you give us our cards?”

Feliciano, who had been lost in thought as he observed everything from the sidelines, suddenly remembered his role as the game’s dealer. “R-right! Sorry…” He went to the two boys and handed them the top three cards from his deck. 

“Oh, boy.” Arthur muttered under his breath as he analyzed his cards. Alfred raised his head in alarm and his blood ran cold. 

“Wait, what’s that supposed to mean?” Alfred hissed. “What do you mean by—” 

“Sorry, love. There’s only 18 cards in the deck...and it would seem like my luck has run dry.”

18 cards? That meant six of each symbol. Depending on how many repeats got dealt each round, that could possibly make one have a heavier advantage over the others. Arthur seemed smart, so perhaps he was using probability as his advantage? Was he mentally calculating that throughout the game? Shit, so did that mean Artur’s wildcard was gone? Was Ludwig going to win?

Alfred felt a sharp pain in his neck before his vision blurred. He momentarily lost all function and fell into Ivan’s arms. 

“What are you—” Matthew finally spoke up. He hadn’t had a place at all during this game, being just as confused as Carlos and Feliciano, but he drew a line at Alfred being injured. As he approached his twin, Ivan sent him a warning glare to back off, and he silently retreated back to Carlos’ side. He hated feeling helpless, but he really had nothing to contribute. 

Ludwig watched with curiosity, but Arthur had begun the countdown, and he was forced to snap back into focus and reveal his card. 

“Hold on. The diary said you were going to lose!” Ludwig groaned. “How do you keep changing the future?”

“Me?” Arthur smiled innocently. “I’m not changing anything. It’s Alfred’s diary.”

“What?” And then as Ludwig glanced between the first diary and Alfred, who was regaining consciousness, it all became apparent to him. “I see...it’s all in his perspective.”

“Figured that out a bit too late now, didn’t you? Alfred seemed pretty convinced you were dead, so I figured his diary must’ve confirmed it for him. But when I saw you in person and the shocked look on his face when you finally came clean, I knew there had to be some fallacy. As we played the game, I kept a special eye on his reactions and lip movements to best judge what you’d pick, what he’d think you’d pick, and let that determine my choices.”

“But...even so, that wouldn’t guarantee you’d win. It was still a gamble.”

“Exactly. Isn’t that what makes it all the more fun?” Arthur’s smug grin eased, holding his hand out. “Now I believe that diary belongs in the hands of its owner?”

Ludwig raised the diary, but his fingers trembled. “I….No. I can’t.” He held Alfred’s diary close to his chest. “I can’t go back empty-handed. Father, he’d...he’d be furious. I can’t let him down!”

Arthur scowled, becoming serious. “Oh, is that how you're going to play this?” 

“I tire of this,” Ivan muttered as he made sure Alfred could support himself on his knees. He jumped up from his squat and flipped his blade. “I am done with games.” 

Before Alfred could even process what was happening, Ivan had charged toward Ludwig. When the realization struck him, it was already too late. Ivan had already closed the gap and his knife was raised—

It wasn’t Ludwig who took the hit. 

Ludwig was paralyzed as Feliciano stumbled back into him, having instinctively used himself as a human shield once he saw the weapon’s glint beneath the moonlight. 

Matthew was the first to say anything, covering his mouth in horror. “Oh, my god—”

“Holy shit!” Carlos gripped the curly hair on his head. “What the fuck, why would—”

Ivan only made things worse when he mercilessly pulled out the blade. “How annoying…” He narrowed his gaze. 

“What...why…” Ludwig felt the tears begin to pour, and a rupture of emotion had imploded within him as his grip on Feliciano grew tighter. He used his other hand to shove Ivan, giving the other the perfect opportunity to swipe the diary held in it. “Get away from him, you monster! ”

Ivan had been about to strike again, had Alfred not made his way over and held his arm back. “Ivan, what have you done? ” 

“Getting your phone back,” Ivan answered simply, showing it off and handing it back to a stunned Alfred. “We should get moving.”

“W-We can’t leave. What about—” Alfred turned to Ludwig, who had laid Feliciano on the ground and kept his blood-soaked hands over the wound. He was frantic, sniveling but also trying to keep himself under control as Feliciano sobbed through the pain. Alfred began to approach them, but Ludwig’s quaking shoulders hunched over Feli protectively as he screamed. 

“Just go! Leave! It was only a matter of time anyway!”

What? What was that supposed to mean? “Ludwig, I—” 

Arthur came and patted his shoulder urgently. “He’s not in his right state of mind right now. We need to leave.”

Without a chance to argue, he was led out of the tennis court where he and the others made a run toward the university. 

Ludwig was a whirlwind trying to contain his tears and focus on saving Feliciano. It was no use. The blood was coming out faster than he could manage, and the dogs weren’t bringing him medical supplies fast enough. He was more than overwhelmed. “I don’t understand. After everything I’ve done, w-why did you—”

Feliciano interrupted him, through his own tears, his voice was meek and losing strength. “Because...I can’t lose you too...”

The words rung in his head. Feliciano wasn’t going to abandon him, but because of Ivan, he could lose him. He was seeing red, falling deeper and deeper into despair as his emotions grew too much to bear. The well-mannered and obedient child finally snapped under the pressure and guilt. Somebody had to pay for this. 

In his grief, he pulled out his father’s diary. “Get them— ” 

The hounds were set loose. 

Alfred could see the university just over the hill, a beacon of hope. That was shattered when his and Ivan’s phones rang static at the same time. He slowed down as he pulled out his phone and read the text, but a predator took the opportunity to strike. 

Ivan was faster, stabbing the canine in the throat when it lunged. Alfred let out a startled cry as blood splattered, but Ivan pulled out his knife and grabbed his hand to keep him concentrated. “Come, we are almost there.”

Unfortunately, it seemed as though everyone except Ivan was losing stamina. Even Alfred was considering himself spent as it was getting progressively hard to breathe. The hill was becoming all the more daunting as they approached. 

There was no way they’d all be able to make it. At this rate, people were going to be left behind. 

“Iv, wait. Wait!” Alfred pulled back, it almost came to a point where Ivan was dragging him had his resistance not gotten more pronounced. Frustrated, Ivan turned with an expression that demanded answers. 

“What? ” Ivan hissed. “Can you not see I am trying to keep you alive?”

“There has to be another way. I can’t keep doing this.”

“Then I’ll carry you.” Ivan took a step forward, but Alfred took a step back in turn, which only put him off further.

“It’s not just me. All of us.” Alfred coaxed. “We need a new plan.” 

Ivan groaned. “Then what do you suggest?”

There was a pause as Alfred took in a deep breath. The answer was clear, but it was another gamble. “I have to go and talk to him. I can convince him to stop.” 

Ivan took a moment to massage his forehead. As much as he loved Alfred’s naiveté and optimism, there were times it was a hindrance. This wasn’t a story, and the power of love and friendship wouldn’t work on anyone else besides him. Besides, he hated this plan. Why would Alfred even go so far for Ludwig and his other friends? To the point he was willing to put his own life at risk? What made them so special?

This was... infuriating. 

Ivan forced a smile once he managed his rising temper. “Fedya, that’s very dangerous. You would be throwing yourself to the wolves.”

“Yeah, dude.” Carlos added. “Literally.”

“No….” Alfred shook his head with conviction. “Ludwig wouldn’t hurt me. We’re friends. He was always there for me and I never even realized. But I was never there for him...I have to make things right.”

“He had his dogs hunt us.” Ivan tried again to sway Alfred’s thoughts. 

“Only because his father told him too! He can’t be sane if he’s been using them to kill innocent people. I have to get him out of that situation. This isn’t him! I know that because I know him better than anyone else here!”

Ivan held a vacant stare. 

“You’re right.” Arthur ended their cold war. “I think that’s a wonderful idea, Alfred. I don’t believe he’s beyond reason. The rest of us will distract the dogs and draw them away from you so you can get a head start.”

“Don’t volunteer me for shit, asshole!” Carlos yelled. 

Matthew jolted once he realized he was included. “Excuse me, what?” He’d been compliant up to a certain point, but he was nearing his limit. All that mattered was that they all survived, but he didn’t like the idea of a half-baked scheme that relied on chance. Still, he was exhausted, and they were running low on options...

“We’ll be fine. You too, Ivan. Let’s go.” Arthur waved for the others to follow him back toward the woods.

Matthew sent Alfred an unsure glance, and Alfred responded with a resolute nod.  With a heavy, relenting sigh, Matthew gave his own nod in turn before grabbing Carlos’ wrist and following after Arthur. He almost felt emotional as Matthew was finally putting some trust in him, but he had to concentrate on the task at hand. 

Alfred spun on his heel and made his way back toward the tennis court. 

His earlier sprint was certainly taking its toll on his body. His endurance was nearly drained and his speed was nowhere near its full potential. There was a ringing in his ear and his head was pulsating. Still, the thought of helping Ludwig and Feliciano was enough to motivate himself to keep pushing further, even if he did feel like he could faint at any moment. 

The rush of footsteps behind him only proved to be a further incentive. There was no way he could outrun a dog in this state. He just had to survive long enough to reach the court. 

When he caught sight of ashen blond hair, he was finally able to let out an exhale of relief, but his sentiments quickly morphed into confusion as he wondered why Ivan had suddenly appeared beside him. 

“What are you doing here? You’re supposed to be helping Arthur?” 

“As if I would leave you alone,” Ivan grumbled and inched forward. “With him of all people.”

“He won’t hurt me! I know he won’t.” 

“I know,” Ivan answered, but his tone was clipped and his gaze determined, glowing, like a predator ready to attack. “That is what worries me most.”

Alfred slacked in his run, confused, while Ivan took the advantage and passed him. What the hell was that supposed to mean? Wasn’t it a good thing that Ludwig wasn’t going to kill him? He knew Ivan didn’t like Ludwig, but that didn’t mean…

Wait—

Shit. 

The answer was right there. It was so obvious.

Ivan didn’t like Ludwig.  

He needed to hurry. 

---

‘Of course he’d be here,’ Zwingli thought to himself as he made his way through the living room of an abandoned cabin. There were cobwebs in each corner, dust on every surface, cloth covering all the remaining furniture...but aside from that, everything was in pristine condition. 

It was a perfectly normal residence. 

His flashlight caught a glimmer above the furnace and one framed picture stood out among the rest. It was a family portrait involving two siblings and their families. In the center stood a young man with slicked back light-blond hair and serious, cold, light blue eyes. Beside him was a woman of the fairest skin, with long, white hair and ruby irises, radiating elegance with a smile that rivaled the Mona Lisa’s. They were soulmates with the proof of their love cradled in the arms of the mother: a newborn. 

The other woman beside the man was without a companion of her own, but she held an air of grace and independence. Her long brown hair was as free as her smile, and her violet eyes were serene, with her arms draped around the shoulders of a child who was her spitting image. 

This was a lonely, but happy family. The story of two siblings who abandoned everything in their home country to start fresh. 

It was also a lie. 

Basch may have never been officially a part of this family, but his own mother had been close enough to Mrs. Edelstein to be considered a sister. Even as a child, he’d been too observant for his own good. 

Even then he knew that Gerard Beilschmidt was unlike any ordinary man. 

A renowned genius, that’s what he was. A man who put reason and logic above emotion, calculating five steps ahead and leaving no trail behind. A hero who put many criminals behind bars, and despite his reputation, remained humble and withdrawn. Truly, Gerard was a man that many owed a great debt to, as he cleaned the streets of crime with a swift hand of justice. 

But he’d also been a rather odd individual. Though many of his coworkers sung praise of Gerard’s efforts, there were also many elders who were annoyed by his aloof nature. He was never one to socialize and his piercing gaze was a warning, intimidating those who dared to approach. The man never smiled or spoke of his family, never offered compassion to those he worked for. It was only straight facts and probabilities, regardless of how well they’d be taken by other parties. Work was work, nothing more was to be expected. 

In that regard, a younger Basch had finally found someone he could relate to. They were both reserved, pragmatic, and stern, but capable of showing gentleness to only a precious few. 

And just like him, Basch could understand his inability to let go. 

Of people and attachments, of grudges and suppressed feelings. They were both driven by similar forces, but only one of them could emerge as the victor. Only one of them could become god. 

So, who’s drive was the strongest? That was what Basch aimed to find out in their final confrontation. 

Moving on from the portrait, the floorboards beneath his feet creaked as he sought out some sign of Tenth’s presence. There were no other sounds, no sudden movements. The trigger in his other hand was begging for retribution, but it seemed like nobody was home. That was strange. 

He searched for any sign of residency. Had the dust been disturbed anywhere? Was there a dirt trail apart from his own? None. Nothing had been touched. That meant Tenth was hiding somewhere else—

—Is what he’d think, had he not traced a vehicle only a few miles away.

If he wasn’t in the building, he’d just have to search the grounds. Balancing his flashlight between his neck and shoulder, he pulled out his diary and browsed for leads. 

There was a bunker nearby and a trail of footprints left in snow. How convenient. 

He tucked his phone away and grabbed his flashlight before making his way out the front door. The full moon was bright, but not enough to illuminate his path, as it was partially obscured by trees and their swaying branches. The crickets were active, chirping away as if there wasn’t a monster hiding amongst them, prepared to strike at any given moment. 

Yes, that’s what Tenth was. A monster. 

All this time, the signs were there. How could he have been so blind? To think that the man he admired so much, whom he found himself relating to, the only father figure in his life, would become the sole reason everything he lived for became null. 

Once he followed Arthur’s intuition, the truth didn’t just become apparent. It swallowed him whole. Things he heard and dismissed growing up, the constant aura that surrounded Gerard, the excuses and Mrs. Edelstein’s attachment to his mother. The divorce. Everything had come together and left him swimming in an abyss, unable to reach the surface. 

The rose-colored glasses had been lifted and only the disturbing truth remained. 

His hero was a sociopath. He’d been one all along.

“Is everything alright with your brother? I know he’s reserved, but...he was never this anti-social. Or controlling.” His mother once asked Mrs. Edelstein in a hushed tone, believing the children were out of ear-shot. Her best friend seemed to be on-edge lately, and it was something she couldn’t allow to be ignored. “You know you can tell me anything.”

Roderich had been reading a story, lost in his own world and ignorant of the conversation regarding his uncle, but the young and naive Basch was eager to learn more about his idol and listened in on the conversation between the two women.  

Mrs. Edelstein shuddered, securing her teacup on the coffee table and taking a moment to regain her composure. “As you know, our mother was murdered in the time after you moved here. Father was still working his shift and...well, I didn’t know this then, but one of the men in father’s investigation decided he had nothing left to lose and wanted to hurt him by targeting our family...so he broke in. I don’t remember much, since Gerard hid me in the closet and I was only half-asleep, but when I close my eyes at night, I can still hear my mother sobbing, begging for mercy. And our dog, Gretta, her barking and growling. She saved us that night, you know? Without her sacrificing herself, Gerard and I would’ve been gone too. There was so much blood. Father told me to keep my eyes shut when we finally evacuated, but I didn’t listen. I’m fortunate that I was too dazed to understand...but Gerard, he saw everything. And ever since then, he hasn’t been the same...that’s why I don’t question his trips into the woods, why he prefers to spend time with his pets rather than people, or why he is so devoted to his job. I just think that this is his way of coping from what happened then...”

If only his aunt had known that Gerard’s trips were him hunting criminals for sport, bringing them into the woods where they were promised to be spared if they could escape him and his dogs. None ever did. He’d done extensive research these past few days to know just how much the man had been hiding. It was truly sickening, especially considering he’d only barely scratched the surface. 

That’s where he was, currently. This humble, isolated cabin deep within the Adirondacks was the base for Gerard’s manhunts. 

Just how many people died on the soil he currently patrolled? All those times Gerard was on trips and vacations, had he been here all along? And the divorce? Gerard and Mrs. Beilschmidt had been the paragon of a perfect power couple: she had a sharp mind that rivaled his own which he respected and a talent for taming beasts. In hindsight, it was apparent that at some point she stumbled upon Gerard’s true nature and decided she couldn’t live under the same roof as a killer. For the sake of her son, she kept her mouth locked tight, but her attitude and disposition toward her ex-husband were noticed. It didn’t take much for Gilbert to walk out of his life too. 

And the more people that left him— the less control he had— the more unstable he’d become. Basch believed that was the only reason Arthur had been able to track Tenth down. His mentor’s age and mental decline was finally catching up to him. 

There was a sudden patch of concrete not too far from the house, with steel doors in its center: a storm shelter. Basch tugged on the rusted metal handle and was met with a staircase which descended into a void. With his gun raised, he pushed forward with questions that continued to haunt his mind, desperate for answers they’d never receive. 

Because when Zwingli found Tenth, the latter wouldn’t even have a chance to explain himself. 

---

Alfred had finally made it back to the tennis court, but it was too late. Ivan had already charged toward Ludwig who stepped away from Feliciano’s body and began barking commands to his canines through Tenth’s Diary.

“Return! Alpha, Charlie, Delta—”

A yelp escaped him as Ivan restrained him from behind with one hand while his other arm wrapped around his neck. A cold, sharp blade was pressed against vulnerable skin. Ludwig was immobile, but his father’s diary was still close enough to speak into. He was terrified, moments away from death, with no clue on how to proceed. Did he dare order the dogs to attack and lose his head in the process?

“Wait!” Alfred yelled as he approached, finally able to hunch over and catch his breath. This was it, he was all out of stamina. If he failed here, it was game over. He only had one chance. 

Ivan paid no heed to Alfred. “Call them off,” he demanded. “I said call them off.” 

Hesitantly, Ludwig obeyed. “...S-stand down!” The approaching dogs came to a halt and sat obediently, waiting for new orders which would never come. He was officially defeated and now his life was on the line. He clenched his eyes shut and braced for what was to come. 

Alfred wasn’t done. As much as he wanted to throw up, he had to keep pushing. He had to save Ludwig. “Ivan...please. Don’t do this!” 

Ivan balked. His feelings were beginning to erupt. “Why do you even care? He betrayed you, right? He deserves to die!”

“Please, I’m literally begging you. Just let him go so we can move on from this.”

Ivan’s face was carved stone while the grip on his knife tightened. His jaw was tense. “Why? ” 

“Because he’s my friend! He’s important to me. Just please ...” He’d go on his hands and knees if that’s what it took to save Ludwig’s life. If he made it this far, at this point, he was willing to do anything.

“He’s... important to you?” Ivan strained, shoulders beginning to tremble. A bitter chuckle escaped him and Ludwig felt a shiver crawl up his spine. 

Alfred wasn’t sure what was happening. What was so funny? Wasn’t it normal to let someone go just because they were precious to somebody else? He was startled, trading glances with Ludwig who remained rigid as Ivan suddenly burst into hysterical laughter, eyes glistening with tears spilling down his cheeks. 

Uh, what? Now he was nervous. “Ivan...a-are you okay?” Clearly not, but he needed something to push the conversation forward. 

“Do you not see? That is all the more reason for me to kill him! If he is important to you, that makes him even more of a threat!” 

There were some twigs and branches that snapped in the woods beside him. Arthur, Matthew, and Carlos joined now that the dogs pursuing them retreated. They assumed Alfred had successfully quelled Ludwig’s mental breakdown without realizing his effort of damage control was still a work in progress. 

Ludwig's threat may have subsided, but the overall conflict had escalated. As somebody who actually ran through a minefield, the mental gymnastics Alfred was currently navigating through was just as intense. This had to be done with caution or else Ludwig would die. Sweat dripped from his brow as he analyzed the situation. He was struggling to follow Ivan’s logic. They both knew Ludwig wouldn’t hurt him, so was Ivan just paranoid he’d be betrayed again? 

Alfred wasn’t naive enough to let his guard down after everything that had transpired. There was more to it than that. He could just sense it, but he needed to know what was going on in Ivan’s mind to understand how to work through this roadblock. “What kind of threat?”

“To us!” Ivan cried despite his lopsided grin. “What if you fell in love with him? Don’t you know what that would do to me?” Voice high and unhinged, the knife against Ludwig’s throat was pressed harder— any more and he’d be choking on blood. “That’s why I have to kill him! I would kill everyone if that’s what it takes for you to be MINE!” 

‘Oh no.’ This was not the answer Alfred expected. He always knew that Ivan was both overprotective and possessive, yet it somehow never occurred to him that the safety of his own friends and family were also forfeit. Despite all the signs since the very beginning, he was still such a gullible idiot. Time and time again, he personally saw the lengths Ivan would go to just to be with him. The people he killed, the threats and antagonizing comments he made. And all Alfred did was brush them off without giving them a second thought. 

Well, now he was certainly paying for it...

Alfred could only stare at his childhood friend while his heart raced. How could he have been so stupid? It wasn’t Ivan’s hands that controlled Ludwig’s fate, it was his own words. One wrong move and Ludwig would wind up exactly like Sixth’s soldier did in their school bathroom over a month ago. He needed to come up with something quick. 

“I-Ivan, please, think rationally,” Matthew spoke for him in a small, shaky voice. Eyes going wide, Alfred sincerely hoped his brother didn’t just fuck everything up. 

“You!” Ivan growled, and Alfred had never felt so anxious in his life. It took immense control just to contain his lunch. “All of you! You all tried to corrupt him and take him away from me, but I WON’T LET YOU! After I slit this one’s throat I WILL KILL ALL OF YOU NEXT! THAT IS THE FATE OF ANYONE WHO TRIES TO COME BETWEEN ME AND MY LOVE! ”

When Ludwig flinched in pain, Alfred knew he had to react fast. “Ivan, wait!” He yelled, raising his hands cautiously. “Please, none of this is necessary! Just let him go!”

“And why should I? You don’t need him. YOU DON’T NEED ANY OF THEM! I’m the only friend you need, right? RIGHT?”

With a dry gulp, Alfred took a deep breath. He needed to remain calm and focus. Ivan had to believe he was on his side or else he’d have another bloodbath on his hands. First, he had to calm him down...but how ?

Wait...what was that name Ivan liked to be called again? 

“Vanya,” he cooed as sweetly as he could despite the stressful circumstance, just the way his mother had done when he was young and having one of his episodes. Seeing Ivan’s shoulder’s tense and eyes widen, he knew he hit the mark. “You don’t have to be worried about them. Because even though they’re my friends, you’re…my boyfriend.” 

Ivan’s cheeks bloomed into a full blush while his eyes glistened in awe. “I’m your...I’m your boyfriend?” He gasped softly before shoving Ludwig out of the way and towards the ground. He was staring at Alfred intently, mesmerized like he was stuck in a dream. 

On his knees, Ludwig clasped his neck, needing some reassurance that it was still intact. He felt a slight sting and crease then pulled away, his breath hitching when he was met with a crimson stain on his hand. This was his blood, as he’d been wearing protective gloves when he dealt with Feliciano’s wounds. It dawned on him just how close to death he’d been, how it was a miracle he was even alive.  His eyes darted to Alfred as he continued. 

“Remember, Vanya: April 30th. That’s when we’re supposed to have our happy end, right? But that can’t happen if you hurt them.” He needed to appear more earnest, so he covered his heart with his hands and put more emotion into his tone. “You don’t want to upset me, do you? A good boyfriend would respect my family and friends, so you need to act your part. Will you please do that for me?”

“Yes!” Ivan nodded fervently, like an eager puppy. “Yes, anything, my love!”

Matthew could only gawk at the exchange, his gaze flickering between the two. Watching Ivan go from a psycho murderer to an eager child only added more whiplash to his already turbulent night. To think this was the person constantly in his home, the one who clung to his brother obsessively? As exhausted as he was, his concerning thoughts would keep him up all night. 

“How interesting.” Arthur’s eyes brightened as he kept them trained on Alfred, pride shown on his lips. 

“It’s been obvious ,” Carlos remarked, rolling his eyes and shaking his head, yet he misunderstood what Arthur meant. 

Alfred bit the inside of his cheek. Perhaps this wasn’t the time, but he wanted to test what he could get away with. “It would really mean a lot to me if you could apologize to my friends. You’ll also have to make up your actions to Feliciano. Can you please do that for me?” 

Ivan’s shoulders slumped, but he gave a nod. “Y-yes.” He faced the group and bowed his head politely. “I’m sorry.” His tone was robotic and his eyes were dull, but Alfred could tell he was, at the very least, sincere towards him. Though the apology meant nothing to his friends, to Alfred, it assured him that he had at least some control over Ivan’s actions and behavior. 

This was fine. He could work with this.

As Ivan smiled fondly while lost in his lovesick daze, Ludwig took the opportunity to get back on his feet and make his way toward Alfred. 

“I betrayed you...but you still came back.” He was on the verge of tears, trembling, but somehow holding himself together. “Why?”

Alfred offered him a comforting smile. “You’re one of my friends, right? I can’t just abandon you.” 

Ludwig reciprocated the smile, but his tears glistened further. “Yeah, you were always there for me...when we were kids, the raid on our school, and even after everything I’ve done to you...I know things can never be like they were, but I’ll definitely make it up to you.” He raised an arm and wiped the corner of his eyes with his sleeve. “...Even if I failed already.” 

Just as Alfred was about to tell him that things were fine, a sudden radio static went off as Berlitz approached them, garnering everyone’s attention. 

“No, Ludwig, you did well.” Tenth spoke, chilling everyone to the bone. “It was I who failed to correctly identify the diary owners, but it is of no matter. This is the end for me.”

“What? But what about mother?” Ludwig clenched the phone in his hand tightly. “You said you would bring her back, that you would fix everything! What about being a real family—”

“I lied,” Gerard answered without remorse, and Ludwig froze. “You were so desperate for my attention, it made you easy to fool, much easier than a dog.” Alfred felt his mouth drop at Tenth’s cruelty. He offered Ludwig a comforting pat on his back. “But...I don’t want you to be like me...you are a good man.”

“First—” Alfred directed his attention toward the phone. “A word of advice: You’d best be wary of those who play nice. They are always the most dangerous.” There was a pause. “Isn’t that right...Fourth.”

 A single gunshot was heard. 

“Dead End.” Ludwig held a wistful gaze toward his phone. It suddenly dawned on him that he was now an orphan and his family would never be reunited. The weight was heavy, he’d never felt so hopeless. “So, he’s gone...”

Alfred took in a deep breath as he watched his friend mourn. Since when had he become numb to the death of others? Even so, he wasn’t devoid of empathy. “Yeah…but you’re not alone,” he assured Ludwig. 

“I’m not alone,” Ludwig repeated, to himself more than anything. He needed strength to keep himself from falling into despair. He wasn’t alone. 

Arthur, meanwhile, passed Ivan and made his way toward the unconscious Feliciano. It seemed like Ludwig had been able to stabilize the wound and wrap bandages around it, but emergency care was still required. He made the right call to dial for help before returning to the dead zone. Everything had been resolved now, the timing couldn't be any better.

Ivan let out a heavy sigh as he squatted beside Feliciano’s body. He promised Alfred he’d make it up to the other, but hadn’t the slightest idea on how he’d accomplished that. Not that he even wanted to. The damage he did wasn’t too bad other than the blood loss, but he’d survive. He was fortunate Ivan hadn’t punctured any vital arteries or organs as he had intended to with Ludwig. Feliciano should really learn to count his blessings before they ran out. 

“Well, I’ve already called for an ambulance so they should be arriving here any moment now.” Arthur told Ivan, who responded with a sneer. Just because Alfred asked him to be a good boyfriend, that didn’t mean they had to initiate conversation with each other. Regardless, Arthur continued. “Things were quite tense earlier. I’m glad there were no casualties this time around.”

This was an opportunity to stake his claim, to show Arthur his place. “That’s because my Alfred followed his heart.” Ivan goaded. 

“Of course.” Arthur held a haughty glint in his eyes when he met Ivan’s gaze. “Though I hadn’t expected you to come out of this unscathed. I was certain he would’ve killed you if it meant saving everyone else.”

That wiped the grin off Ivan’s face, his arrogance now replaced with venom. There was a slight twitch in his right eye and an urge to act on his impulses, but he was Alfred’s boyfriend now. He couldn’t risk messing things up. If this was a war for Alfred’s affection, he’d already won, but that did nothing to quell the jealousy stirring up inside him. Instead, his teeth threatened to burst a vein in his bottom lip.

Soon enough, he and Alfred would no longer have to deal with these distractions. That much was certain.

Notes:

How many bad puns, historical references, etcetera can I fit into one chapter? Too many. I'm so sorry. Mood? Tone?? What is that???

BRB just laughing because Alfred genuinely thinks for a moment he can control a yandere. Lmao. What a silly goose.

Also, I want to say congrats to everyone who guessed Germania as Tenth. That's 7/12 confirmed players, still plenty of time to guess the remaining five. Not gonna lie, many guesses have got me sweating. You're all so observant and I LOVE it.

Did I steal the idea of the card game from a different anime? Yes, yes I did. Reveal it, I will not. It dies with me. Though, it turns out you can actually buy that card deck. Unless I'm in a life-or-death gamble with dogs that are about to eat me, I think gonna pass on it.

Until next time. Hopefully it won't be another 8 months. Or more. I'll try to be good.

Chapter 14: Ailment of the Fallen

Summary:

Each of us has the potential for ruin. Survival means adapting before others get that chance.

Notes:

I’m back, babes. Thought I was dead, huh? Well, you know what they say, Hetalia makes a comeback each time the world goes to shit. A lot has changed in four years, but clearly me leaving this fandom hasn’t. I also went back and reread to do some line-editing, so there’s that. Nothing major, just my style has evolved since then and some things stuck out to me like a sore thumb.

I was listening to Starset’s song “Die For You” a lot while writing this. I think it’s a song that fits Alfred and Ivan perfectly in the context of this fic. Go ahead and give it a listen for the #vibes.

Lips moved, but where there should’ve been a voice, a loud ring grew louder and louder. Blood rushed through his head, each beat of his heart more pronounced than the next, threatening to implode his mind with each breath he took. Nausea swept over as the white walls blurred with linoleum floors. He was floating in a blank void, as if everything ceased to exist. 

Nothing mattered anymore. 

“Do you understand, Officer Zwingli?” 

Basch blinked back into focus. “Hm? Yes, yes…”

The doctor offered him a sympathetic smile, but he wasn’t blind to the helplessness seeping through it. “Believe me, we are doing all that we can to save your sister’s life, but…I just don’t want you to get your hopes up.”

“No…I understand.” His green eyes shifted to Lili’s comatose body as the doctor took his leave. The sweet girl had asked him to critique her poster design a few nights ago, fingers tapping each other lightly while waiting with bated breath, wanting nothing more than to excel in her class. And to think now, she lay mutilated beyond repair and relying on machines just to breathe. Even if she somehow made it through this ordeal, she would never live a normal life again. And the trauma? His precious sister would never be the same. Everything was ruined . 

All because a deity deemed her as nothing more than collateral damage in some degenerate game. 

He clenched his fists. 

While Basch got his revenge by killing Tenth, it wasn’t enough to quell his fury — his need for justice. He could kill the man a hundred times over, but it wouldn’t change the fact Lili was at death’s door. She was fighting an impossible battle, and there was nothing he could do except watch her suffer—

Unless…

The door shut with a pronounced click and interrupted his thoughts. Basch turned toward the doctor hoping that there’d been some mistake in the prognosis, but as he met a pair of familiar bespectacled violet eyes, his body chilled.

Instinctively, he moved in front of Lili’s body to shield her from prying eyes. With his gaze narrowed, he bristled like a cat protecting its young.  “What are you doing here?” Basch hissed.

Taken aback, Roderich held a bouquet of purple lilies close to his chest. “I just wanted to see how she was doing.” 

“That’s none of your business,” Basch growled. “This is a family matter. And you’re not family. ”

Roderich’s shoulders fell at that, his heart prickled with hurt. “...We were brothers…once.”

Snap.

He’d cut the thread holding Basch’s composure together. 

A sardonic chuckle escaped him. “Excuse me? No. No! You don’t get to be here, you abandoned us!” Basch jabbed his finger into Roderich’s chest. “We needed help, and you turned your back! I thought we were family, but suddenly I was nothing to you!”

Roderich winced. “I know…I made mistakes in the past. I was selfish…but I’m trying to be here now—” 

“It’s too late!” Basch snarled. “I want nothing to do with you and your fucked up family. Edelstein. Beilschmidt. All you’ve ever done is use us to further your own goals, so I’ll say this again—” Zwingli towered over him. “Stay the hell away from us.”

Roderich flinched, having never seen Basch so vehement. Lili must’ve been in worse condition than he thought, and he arrived at the worst possible time. With a mental curse, he decided retreating would be the best option for today, to let things calm down before making another effort. It was true, he let the Zwingli’s down before. However, despite that, he truly wanted to make amends. In his heart, they would always be family, even when they went their separate ways. 

“Could you at least accept the flowers on her behalf?” Roderich made one last effort for peace.

“No.” Basch’s answer was curt. It wasn’t like Lili would be able to appreciate them anyway.

“Alright.” Roderich bowed his head. “I understand.”

Liar. As Basch watched his ex-friend's back retreat into the hall, his chest continued to heave until it caved in with grief. You never cared before! He wanted to scream, to slam his fists into the wall until they hurt and bled. Why now?

He resigned himself to another glance towards Lili’s body as she lay there, oblivious to her role in this story. 

A tentative hand reached toward her own, mangled and seeping with puss, but found himself unable to take hold. Would she ever be able to draw again? A future had been robbed from her, and he’d been the reason she was ensnared in this predicament in the first place. How could someone go through their life trying to do everything right and still feel so worthless? To fail at doing the one thing he had always sworn to do? Protect the innocent? He couldn’t even protect his family.

If it wasn’t for this damn game. 

Basch bit out a laugh despite the tormented tears spilling from the corners of his eyes. Such an ironic turn of events. What other game made it a habit to turn men into monsters, and monsters into men? 

But he knew what he had to do— if he wanted to save his sister. 

It was nothing personal.

---

Matthew’s face was buried in his hands as he slouched on the couch. “This whole time. You’ve been in an otherworldly survival game, this whole time? ” His fingers moved toward his temples and rubbed in gentle circles. He could feel a massive headache incoming. “And if you don’t beat this game by the end of April, we’re all going to die?” 

“Yeah,” Alfred nodded, head resting on the back of his knuckles while he sat in the recliner straight across. “Pretty much.” What else could he say? There were no words that could comfort impending doom. 

“This is…a lot to take in.” Carlos said after a long silence from beside Matthew. “So the raid at our school, they were after you?”

“It was the Seventh they wanted,” Ivan scoffed from his spot against the wall with his arms crossed. “We were just mixed up in the madness.”

“The lady I defused the bomb with?” Matthew gasped as the clues clicked in place.

“Was she the brunette who subbed for Third?” Alfred asked, only to be met with a slow nod. “Yeah, that would be her.”

“And this Third would be…” Matthew paled. “Fuck, we knew him. He was a teacher and one of Francis’ close friends. You’re telling me he killed Emma? Mr. Fernandez is the serial killer?”

“Was.” Alfred corrected in a monotone, only to blink with realization. There was a time he respected Antonio as a teacher, as a person. Trust grew when he found out he and Francis had gone way back…and then he tried to murder him the same way he did Emma. It was hard to acknowledge Third as human with that vile stain on his memory. “He was my first kill,” he added in a murmur that went by unnoticed, more to himself than anyone around.

Just another name crossed off the list. A mere number eliminated from the game.

“And the people who orchestrated the raid…Arthur said they were mafia?” 

“That was Sixth.” Bile rose in Alfred's throat as the memories swarmed back. Even saying his number felt like a curse. 

“Feliciano’s father. But he has also been eliminated.” Ivan added, almost with a delightful hum. 

Matthew recalled what Ivan had said to Feliciano that night on the tennis court. About what Feliciano’s father had tried to do to his brother. The contents of his stomach swirled, but he didn’t dare press any further.

“What’s interesting to me is how connected everyone’s been so far.” Arthur added from his seat on the ottoman. He was hunched over the coffee table, sleeves pulled up, drawing out a relationship chart onto a piece of scrap paper through names and lines. “Alfred and Ivan are classmates in the same school, and Fernandez was a teacher there. Sixth is the father of Alfred’s friend, but also, if I understood correctly, Third’s friend. Alfred’s other friend was the son of Tenth, whose eldest son was also part of the same friend group as Third and Sixth’s eldest son.” The pen he held drummed against the paper. “And Tenth was Officer Zwingli’s mentor.” 

“Fourth.” Alfred confirmed his theory, now starting to see things from a new lens. Why was everyone connected? Figuring that out could be a key to finding out the rest of the contestants, but it also made Alfred question Deus’ motives. It was clearly intentional, but what benefit did the game have being so closely knit-together?

“The cop who keeps coming to see you?” Matthew turned to Alfred, rubbing his entire frontal lobe with exasperation. “Ugh, this is making my head spin.” 

A small laugh bubbled from Alfred. “Tell me about it.” Not like his life had been thrown into life-or-death chaos these past two months or anything. 

Matthew instantly caught on and swelled with remorse. “Sorry.”

“Regardless,” Arthur continued. “Even if my theory holds true, I wouldn’t recommend it as a reliable form of tracking other participants. We’d have to understand your current enemies very well and go through each person they could possibly know. So far, three contestants have been eliminated, and you know the identities of two others.”

“So we’re missing five.” Alfred and Ivan’s eyes met. “Do you have any ideas?”

“Unfortunately…no,” Ivan admitted with a slump while his eyes flitted away. “But I believe we got rid of most dangerous threat first, so rest should be easy.”

“How can you say that and be so sure when you don’t know who the other contestants are?” Arthur challenged with that trademark wry smirk of his. Ivan responded with an impassive stare, though Alfred caught the faintest twitch in his right eye. “A serial killer, a mob boss, a psychopathic retired detective, and a mercenary. Who knows what could be next?”

“We’ve seen the other contestants before.” Alfred felt the need to diffuse Ivan’s death stare before its intensity bore a hole straight into Arthur’s skull. “When we are in Deus’ cathedral, we see their silhouettes. One contestant looked like a girl a bit younger than us.”

“Well, that would narrow down our options.” Arthur pulled out a map from beneath his drawn-up chart and laid it on top. “It seems that all the incidents and connections are fixed within New York City and Long Island. At least, so far and from what I can tell. Again, this is just a theory that the game is contained to a central region with connected participants, but it’s a start.”

“Right, all we have to do is find one girl—who may be younger than us— within the entire tri-state area. Simple.” Carlos taunted, less than impressed. 

Alfred bit back a smirk, but hell would freeze over before he ever admitted Carlos was funny.. .and what was with that ‘we’ he mentioned?

“Ha ha,” Arthur drawled with a roll of his eyes. “We won’t be searching for anyone. If anything, the data shows that Alfred has a target on his back and sooner or later, the next contestant will be making their move.”

“Yep,” Alfred agreed with a nod. “That I do.”

“And…” Matthew turned to him. “May I ask why you have this target?”

Unable to help himself, Alfred turned to his twin with the biggest, most cynical grin he could muster. “Because I’m God’s favorite.”

“Really?” Carlos slouched as his expression gave way to disillusionment. “You?” And just like that, all of his faith in a higher power had been wiped. 

“Really?” Matthew stressed in his desire for an actual answer. “You’re not kidding? Or are you?”

“Nope.” Alfred said, popping the ‘p’ for emphasis. “God is a sick asshole and everything you ever thought you knew was a lie. Believe it and weep.”

A looming silence filled the room as Matthew and Carlos digested the gravity of the situation. Of what they have now signed up for, and the costs it might take.

Matthew hugged himself. “So…the world really will end?”

“Yeah, until the last man standing.” Alfred confirmed, briefly remembering Sixth and the conversation they had. Whether it would all go at once, or if the world would tear itself apart bit by bit until the final day. A shudder struck him, but he wasn’t sure if it was due to the topic or who the memory was affiliated with.

“Alfred will be the victor,” Ivan declared. “I swore I would make it happen.”

“No offense, just genuinely curious, but what do you have to gain from that?” Matthew dared to ask. “You’re his direct opponent, you have everything to lose if he wins.”

“On the contrary, I lose everything if I lose him,” Ivan growled. He was so sick and tired of others doubting his love for Alfred. He could and had protected him more than anyone else ever could. His intentions were pure.

Carlos tapped Matthew’s knee and shook his head with tightened lips, urging him not to push it any further. 

“Well, I’m sure we can all agree that if anyone should win this game and become God, it must be Alfred.” Arthur announced.

Carlos turned to him, face straining. “Eh, wanting him to be God is pushing it. How about stopping the world from ending and making sure Matt here doesn’t end up an only child.”

“Yes, please.” Matthew nodded, his grasp on himself getting tighter. Ugh, he didn’t even want to think about life without his twin, not when they came into this world together.

“I’ll take that. Go team,” Alfred jeered with a half-assed fist pump. 

Arthur began gathering all the papers and filing them away into his leather bag. “This should be a good place to conclude our meeting for today. I’ll see if I can find anything useful at the office or if Officer Zwingli has any leads we can follow up on.”

“Yeah, yeah, that sounds good.” Matthew muttered with a pensive nod. He desperately needed some tylenol after all this. And maybe a joint to calm his nerves. Whatever worked at this point. 

Carlos had been first to leave, waved off at the front door by Matthew. Alfred stood in the entryway with Arthur, surprised that someone who claimed to hate his existence would be fine with all this. He must’ve really valued his friendship with his twin to go so far for him, it almost made Alfred see him in a different light. Almost. 

Matthew let loose a heavy sigh as he turned to Alfred. “I know that all this is crazy, and you’ve been through so much at this point…” he gaped, clearly at a loss for words. “I just…you always hide everything behind a smile, or use your confidence to deflect. I knew you’d been stressed lately, but I didn’t know to what extent...sometimes you’re just way too good at acting…” He rubbed his arm. “What I’m trying to say is, I don’t want you to keep it all to yourself anymore. I’m sorry for not believing you before, and going forward I promise I’ll do better. I want to be a brother you can rely on. I’m always here for you.”

A heat rose in Alfred’s face, he found himself rubbing his neck to shake off some of the steam. “Yeah, well…it’s fine. If the roles had been reversed and you told me your imaginary friends were in charge of a real-world survival game that would end things as we know it, I’d probably have you committed by now.”

The first grin since the incident with Tenth finally made an appearance on Matthew’s lips, he lightly smacked his brother in the ribs with the back of his hand. “You asshole. I’m going to lay down.”

“Just saying!” Alfred called out to him as he went upstairs.

“You two have a sweet relationship,” Arthur grinned. “I’m a bit jealous. My brothers would never show me that level of kindness. Well,” his lip curled downward. “Any kindness at all, really.”

Rabbits. That’s what it was. Those familiar, nostalgic green eyes for some reason made him think of rabbits. Alfred had to blink out of his stupor before things got too awkward. “Well, we have our mean moments too.”

Arthur offered a lop-sided smile. “I hardly think they can be compared.”

“Well, hey, now you have Kyle and Wendy instead.”

A small chortle. “As if I’m supposed to consider that improvement?”

“Kyle and I go way back. He's a good friend,” Alfred assured him. 

“He’s been nothing, but a pain in the arse to me,” Arthur grumbled. “But if he’s good to you, I suppose I’ll try to be more cordial.” 

That’s probably where Alfred recognized him from. Maybe Kyle had pictures laying around the house and for some reason, the ones with Arthur stuck out. But why did his presence put his mind and body at ease? “And we’ve never met before, right?”

“I’d remember a person like you.” His voice was low, suave, and laced with affection. Accompanied by a gentle smile reserved just for him. Alfred could hear his heart pulsing, a wave of butterflies threatened to fall out his mouth. 

“Yeah…thank you. For everything. For stepping up and helping. It means a lot,” he managed to respond.

“Of course. You have my number now, just message me whenever you please. Even if it’s unrelated to the game.” He closed the gap between them, mouth hovering over Alfred’s ear. In a gravely voice, just barely above a whisper, he added. “I’d like for us to get closer.”

Nothing more than a precaution, but Alfred couldn’t help the blush on his cheeks and averted his gaze. As if Arthur’s breath had kissed his skin. “You better not regret saying that,” he muttered.

“I won’t.” Then Arthur’s eyes darted to a figure behind him, and Alfred followed his gaze to Ivan, standing beside the stairway after preparing the cats’ their meal. Violet eyes blazed, a warning to back off. “I’ll be off now. Stay safe, poppet.”

Poppet? What did that mean? But rather than bother asking, Alfred stood at the doorway and sent him off properly. 

Strong arms embraced his waist from behind, and Ivan's jaw nestled itself into his collar bone. “Do we really need to cooperate with them?” He grumbled. 

“The more allies we have, the better.” Alfred answered, though it came off rehearsed. He had tried so hard to keep Matthew and his friends out of his problems, out of the survival game, all for it to wind up in vain. Now that they were sucked in, they’d become liabilities, and who knew what else the future had in store?

But was it awful that he felt he finally had a huge weight off his shoulders, and—dare he say— comfort? Knowing now that he had a team behind him, one that proved to be capable. 

“Fourth is more than enough. He will help us track the rest and then I will eliminate him myself at the end,” Ivan asserted. 

Alfred chewed on his bottom lip, not really sure he wanted to put his faith into another diary holder, especially after Tenth’s warning.

You’d best be wary of those who play nice. Isn’t that right, Fourth?

With the way things were going, it was only a matter of time, yet Ivan seemed so certain in the direction things were headed. He always knew everything, it was easy to just trust his judgement and ability to handle the reins, but there was a sinking feeling in Alfred’s gut that something was looming. He’d never seen the officer disheveled like he was that day in the hospital, with cold eyes set on vengeance. It wasn’t First that Tenth had been after, it was Fourth. And Lili had been the pawn needed to provoke him. What if his priorities changed since then?

Whatever. He shook the thought away. There was no point dwelling on it now, he’d cross that bridge when they got there.

---

Zwingli’s eyes scanned over the documents in his grasp as he paced around the room, then shot a glance at his subordinate. “How’s that forensics analysis coming along?”

“There’s a match, just as you predicted.”

“Perfect,” he said with a decisive nod. “We’ll get this case wrapped up soon enough.” A noise on the other end of the door alerted him to someone’s presence. “Arthur, you’re free to enter.”

The intern came in with a mug filled with coffee. 

“I’ll get that paperwork ready then.” The co-worker said, leaving after he was waved away in dismissal by his superior. 

“Set it down on my desk.” Zwingli ordered, with not so much as a glance in his direction.

“As you wish,” Arthur muttered under his breath, passing his mentor. Still, after being right about Tenth, he was just an errand boy at the precinct when he could be doing so much more. All he needed was the proper clearance and he’d be able to track down the other contestants in the survival game. 

As he set the ceramic cup down, he noticed there were sheets on the table—suspect portfolios. But why were they so brazenly displayed out in the open? Usually Arthur resorted to snooping in order to get his hands on classified documents. Was this some sort of test? But the one that stuck out was of a young woman. Brown hair. Green eyes. Mercenary.

Elisabeth Héderváry. This must’ve been that Ninth he’d heard about. But why did Zwingli have her contact information? Unless…

It was Zwingli who broke the silence first, approaching the desk and picking up his mug. “You do know that going after criminals off the clock won’t guarantee you a job here.” He took a sip of his caffeine. “In fact, had anyone else been your boss, you’d be blacklisted.”

“I didn’t do it for the damn job. I saved lives.” He even managed to protect someone he cared for, but he knew better than to deal that blow against his superior. 

“You followed your instincts, and you were right.” Zwingli admitted, mechanically swirling creamer into a chocolate vortex. “Maybe it’s about time I start doing the same.”

Knuckles rapped against the door. “Captain, we have the teens in custody.”

“I’ll be out shortly.” 

Arthur’s eyes narrowed. Teens? As in plural? A twist in his stomach told him these weren’t your typical delinquents. But if they were Alfred and Ivan, why would they be in custody? Especially if there was an alliance in play.

But it seemed they weren’t the only ones he had an alliance with…

“Arthur, good job for today. You’re being dismissed early as I have some important matters to take care of.”

‘Excuse me?’ Arthur’s green eyes widened. “Captain?”

The door slammed shut and Zwingli was gone. Affronted, Arthur would’ve uttered a few curses had he not sensed a perfect opportunity to skim through those documents left on the desk. Immediately, his eyes digested the information on the pages, capturing screenshots on his phone and committing other bits of data to memory. There wouldn’t be enough time to collect everything before someone came by to see him out, but in a game where the stakes were this high, he’d take any advantage he could get. 

---

Alfred drew shapes with his finger into the large, round table he’d gotten used to since his school got raided by the mafia. Some random officer had escorted them to the precinct, said that Zwingli had important matters to discuss, and now he was left alone in a room with nothing to do but wonder what was so important they had to come here in person. Did Zwingli uncover their next target already?

But why separate us? Ivan was still waiting out in the hall. Alfred couldn’t explain it, but something didn’t feel right. Those accusatory glares he received as he was led into the conference room were a bit too genuine for his liking. 

Then came Zwingli, shutting the door behind him and taking the seat directly across. The aura in the room was thick enough to cut with a knife. 

Time to test the waters. “Hello to you, too,” he said with a pout. But he was met with more silence. “So…did you find a new diary user?”

He was met with a heavy sigh, then from his leather filing bag Zwingli pulled out a plastic bag and set it down in front of Alfred. A ring with a single cornelian stone in the center of its band was stained with a dry, dark brown smear. 

“What is this?” Alfred’s eyes glanced up toward Zwingli and forced eye contact. 

“This is a ring belonging to Romulus Vargas, found on his corpse with your blood on it.”

An incredulous laugh almost escaped the teen. No fucking way. This was an interrogation under the guise of one of their normal meetings. For once, he knew something was up, Ivan must’ve too and that’s why they went along with it. He almost had to wonder just how long Zwingli had been planning to double-cross them like this.

“Does this humor you?” Fourth raised a brow. 

Alfred let out a long exhale. “You can drop the act, it’s just us here.” 

“Very well. I have enough evidence to incriminate you for the murder of Mr. Vargas, as blood on that ring can be traced back to you.”

“Okay, but I didn’t kill him. All you have is a ring that proves he attacked me.”

“Then tell me, Alfred. Who did?”

“His ego,” he growled. Like hell would he throw Ivan under the bus. 

That managed to get a smirk out of Zwingli, who then pulled out his phone and opened it to reveal the contents of his diary. All blank. “The case is closed anyway. I just needed an extra precaution in case things go awry.”

“Oh…okay.” Now he was really confused. Was he in the middle of a betrayal or just overthinking things? “And why did you want to do that?”

“I feel that you and I are at an impasse now that priorities have changed.” Zwingli pulled out a revolver from his holster with one hand, then with the other revealed a single bullet. “I can’t bring myself to kill you, so how about we settle this score with luck.” He loaded the chamber before resting the gun at the center of the table. 

Definitely betrayal, and this was the final confirmation he needed. 

“Are we seriously going to play Russian Roulette just because you can’t decide if you wanna play fair or not?” 

“We have diaries that predict our futures, don’t we? Though, you’re much more at an advantage then I. My diary is pretty useless if there’s no case tied to it.”

“But if you hurt me yourself, then wouldn’t you become a criminal?”

“That’s true…I’d get arrested. Besides, you’re just a kid, not a monster like the others.”

There was a pause. “I trusted you.” Was all Alfred could say.

Zwingli’s stare was blank. “I know.”

The teen sucked in a deep breath as he reached for the revolver. No doubt Ivan would be on his way to rescue him now, but at this point, he was no amateur when it came to death games. He aimed the gun at his own temple and pressed down on the trigger.

—Click—

Zwingli observed him. Shock overtook most of his expression, but there was the smallest glint of pride in his eyes. “You’ve changed since we first met.” 

There was a clamour in the hall, then the door was ripped open. “Traitor!” Ivan yelled, aiming a revolver toward Zwingli’s chest. “What changed?” He demanded, eyes feral. 

But Alfred saw the devious smirk growing on Fourth’s face. This wasn’t a rescue mission, they were falling straight for his trap. “Wait, Ivan—” He bolted from his seat and attempted to redirect Ivan’s aim, but the bullet went towards Zwingli’s head. 

The officer collapsed onto the ground. 

Alfred’s hands went straight for his mouth. They just shot a captain in the police force. Now they'd done it. 

“Traitorous—fuck!” Ivan roared, each word another bullet through Zwingli’s chest. 

“Shit.” Alfred could hear the footsteps of other detectives approaching. There was no way those gunshots went by undetected. “Ivan, we need to get out of here—now!” He clutched to Ivan’s sleeve and tugged with all his might. 

Ivan aimed at the window and fired, shattering the glass, then grabbed hold of Alfred’s hand and pulled him close to his chest before barreling through the portal, using his body as a shield to make sure no stray edges caught on his beloved’s skin. 

Their feet planted on grass before they broke into a sprint. 

Zwingli held together the remnants of his ear, pierced by the stray bullet. An endless stream of crimson poured onto the floor, though he supposed he should be grateful the bullet hadn’t flown a few centimeters to the left. But what amateur went straight for the head? Braginsky was a madman, he’d worn a bulletproof vest as preparation only for it to have almost been unnecessary.   

No matter. His plan had worked, and now Second was branded a criminal.

He had another alliance to make use of.

---

Alfred hissed with anxiety as he browsed the news on his phone. “This is bad. They’re calling you armed and dangerous.” He turned to Ivan, slouched on the ground against the wall in the small storage unit they hid in. “And they’re saying I’m a hostage. We need to think of a way to clear your name before shit goes from bad to worse.” 

Like two Dead Ends from being shot by police coming to fruition.

“Does anything I do even matter?” Ivan grumbled, head hung in defeat. 

‘What’s with this?’ Alfred’s head cocked to the side. They’d been through hell together and back, why was now the time Ivan decided to be all mopey? “Of course it does. Why are you being so negative?”

“I just…” Ivan clutched his head and buried it into his chest. “I do not understand why this is happening! This is not right! None of this is making sense!” 

Alfred was taken aback as he observed the other. In almost every situation they’d been in, Ivan had been composed, so sure of how things would play out. It was a confidence in the face of adversity he always admired, but something had definitely cracked during their confrontation with Tenth. Was the stress of protecting him really wearing Ivan thin? Had Basch’s betrayal really stung him that bad? 

This whole time, he’d been wrong. Ivan was just as much of a teenager as himself, using a facade of confidence to overcome adversity, but in truth was just as scared and overwhelmed as he was. Ivan had never become so human as he did in that moment, making Alfred realize he needed to put more effort into pulling his own weight.

“Vanya…” Alfred lowered himself onto the ground, voice careful and soothing. “You knew this would happen eventually, right? It was only a matter of time.” Ivan rested his hands on his knees, while the crown of his skull impacted the wall with a thud loud enough to make Alfred wince. 

“Nyet, I miscalculated,” Ivan croaked with a defeated shake of his head. “Why do I always fuck up when things are finally going well? I do nothing, but fail again and again—”

“Whoa, whoa.” Alfred rested a hand over Ivan’s. “Where is this coming from? You haven’t failed at anything. Sure we’re in deep shit, but what else is new?”

Now Ivan couldn’t even meet his gaze. “No, you don’t understand. I thought I would be better this time, but I keep making mistakes that put you in danger…I’m the worst boyfriend. Do I even deserve you?”

“This time?” Alfred repeated, but Ivan was silent as his gaze remained fixed on the wall. It was clear he had no intention of elaborating, but he must’ve been alluding to the incident with Sixth and Tenth. “Hey, now is not the time to be thinking this way.” He couldn’t believe he was the one actually saying this. “We’ll figure this out. Just like we always have, right?” Alfred said with conviction. Truly, because they never would have survived this long if they weren’t professional bullshitters. “Let’s lay everything down first.” He raised his thumb to start counting things off. “We know why Zwingli is freaking out right now, we know what his diary is capable of—”

Ivan’s head snapped toward him, a serious glint in his eyes. “Why is Fourth after us?” He asked in a low mumble. 

“Because of Lili.” Alfred licked his dry lips. “You know, his sister?” Ivan raised his head, brows furrowing in confusion. “Tenth’s dogs attacked her and Jeanne. I saw him in the hospital when I was there, he was a wreck.”

“So, what you mean to say…she is the anomaly.” 

“I guess?” Whatever that meant. Alfred anxiously tapped his fingers along the concrete floor as the gears turned in Ivan’s mind, waiting for the other to share his plan so they could clean up this trainwreck of a weekend. 

Then he spoke, gaze cold and certain. “If we want to survive this, we need to get to the hospital.”

“The hospital?”

Ivan’s jaw was set. “Da. We have unfinished business.”

As dark as the night sky was, it did little to provide security as they weaved through streets from the self-storage garage to the hospital. While the distance wasn’t far, the manhunt wasn’t doing the pair any favors. They took care in remaining undetected by both police and civilians alike, yet all Alfred could think of was how much of a bitch this would be to explain to his parents…assuming they even survived the night. 

Entering the hospital hadn’t been as hard as anticipated, Alfred had a good lay of the land: an idea of where security patrolled, a diary that could tell the future, the location of at least a couple of fire alarms. 

They snuck into the window of an empty room, eyes alert for any officers or security cams, and pulled down the lever of the nearest one. Sirens blared and chime strodes illuminated the halls, the cries of patients jolting in a panic created a further distraction for the night staff focusing on their drills. 

Alfred and Ivan went straight for the elevator.   

“This should be the room,” Alfred whispered, grabbing a hold of the handle and wincing through the noise. It was excruciating. 

The door pushed open. Ivan stormed forward and pulled the curtain back to reveal a bed, though the body resting on it was too gruesome to bear. A gag formed in Alfred’s throat as his eyes gleamed over the crimson and black lacerations over limbs, or what was left of them after several amputations. Remnants of blond locks reminded Alfred of Fourth, but the face had been too scarred to tell. The name on the white board was the only way they could truly confirm the person. Lili .

This had been much worse than what he’d seen on Jeanne. He thought he’d been prepared. 

The alarms came to a stop. The staff knew there was no fire and would no doubt be looking for the delinquents who decided to play a prank. 

If only . Alfred exhaled as he locked the door. When he turned back, Ivan was texting on his phone. “What are you up to?”

“Sending coordinates.” 

“What?” Alfred’s head tilted. “To who?”

With a snap of his flip phone closing, Ivan’s eyes pierced him. “Fourth.”

---

That crazy bastard. 

Zwingli’s hand trembled as he read the text on the screen. With fury? With fear? How foolish of him to not anticipate Second going straight for the throat. An eye for an eye didn’t exist for Ivan, he would find a way to take the whole head. 

There was still a way to take control of the situation. Losing the cartilage of his left ear was a small price to save Lili’s life, when most would sell their souls to the devil. 

Perhaps he did that too. Zwingli clenched his fists, knowing that everything he was doing was against his morals. But he knew now there are no winners in a survival game, only kill or be killed. 

The information received was forwarded to his associate. An affirmative response did little to assuage his guilt, but the trap was set. 

He would become god by any means necessary. There was no going back once the bridges burned.

---

Ivan’s phone rang. He answered and put it on speaker. 

“Second. First. What do you two think you’re doing?” It was Fourth’s stern voice, scolding them like they were children. 

“Did you get my message?” Ivan teased, twirling the gun in his hand. 

“Yes, I’m headed over there to deal with the situation myself as we speak.”

“That is not a good idea, I am not a fan of company that isn’t Fedya.” Then Ivan pointed the gun straight at Lili’s head and Alfred jumped in surprise. “How about you call off your men, and I won’t kill her right now.” 

“No!” Alfred moved in front of Ivan’s line of fire, light from the moon illuminating his golden hair. “Okay, I know the situation is dire, but we can’t kill her.”

“You’re right…” Ivan said as he relaxed his arm, weapon aimed toward the ceiling. “Fourth needs to fix this mess first. Did you hear that, Zwingli?”

“That’s not what I meant…”

“Maybe leave the patient who can’t fight for herself out of this one?”

Alfred and Ivan both startled at the feminine voice intruding their space.

“Sup.” A familiar woman gestured a brief wave, walking toward them in the uniform of a registered nurse. 

“How the hell did you get in here?” Alfred clutched his beating heart as Ivan stood in front of him protectively, gun aimed at Ninth. 

“Window. Where it’s covered by the curtain,” she pointed behind her with her thumb before seating herself on the only chair in the room. “And here I thought sneaking up on you two would be a challenge. I guess I really am that good.” The grin on her face was amused. “You can put that down, I come in peace.”

Ivan glanced over his shoulder to Alfred, but the teen couldn’t offer any other response than a shrug. 

“Ah, Ninth. Right on time,” Zwingli said. “Now Ivan, as far as I’m aware, you only have one bullet left. Still saving it for a special occasion? So, who will it be who dies? Lili or Ninth?”

Elisabeth crinkled her nose. “What?” Apparently she hadn’t been privy to the details of their plan.

“Tempting. Though even if I had one bullet, if I kill Lili, you lose a reason to win the game.”

Zwingli let out what could only be a snort. “ You can call off your bluff. I know the officer you attacked shot once before you stole his Colt Official Police and tried to kill me. That’s a family heirloom, by the way. He’ll be taking it back once we’re done here.”  

Ivan sneered, glaring at the IV pole beside him as a substitute for Fourth. “And what is your accord?”

“Kill Ninth, or I’ll have First’s head blown off.”

True to word, a red laser shot through the window and landed on Alfred’s skull. The teen clamped his eyes shut as he sucked in a breath, because of course it fucking did.

Ivan’s pale face lost the remainder of its color. His eyes flickered between Lili and Ninth, deciding who should be the one to meet the Reaper, but in his heart he knew that once he made his choice, there wasn’t a chance Alfred would survive. 

Elisabeth raised a hand to get his attention, then slowly lifted her shirt with the other to reveal a tactical vest loaded with arsenal. “Trust me,” she mouthed as she pulled what looked like a canister. Her head cocked to Alfred before her raised hand became a timer, going from five to four…

Violet eyes widened with realization. Then smoke filled the room and he spun on his heel to tackle Alfred to the ground. 

— Thwip —

A choir of coughs and a sizzling can overpowered beeping machines. 

Elisabeth was first to recover, being closest to the open window. But as the air began to clear, the only thing she could do was utter the first thought that came to mind. “Oh, shit.”

Alfred had been pinned to the floor. In an effort to sit back up, he pushed against Ivan’s shoulder until he felt a warm, sticky liquid on his palm. 

Blood.

“Iv?” Surged with adrenaline, Alfred shot up and was able to move Ivan gently to the side so he could inspect the damage. There was panic as he saw the gash left behind by the sniper’s trajectory, but when Ivan hissed in pain, he could’ve cried with relief. It wasn’t too late.

“Looks superficial,” Elizabeth knelt beside him and inspected the damage. “Stings like a bitch, but we can bandage it up and it’ll heal. Actually…you might need stitches. Still, you’re pretty lucky, kid. If you’re gonna get shot you’re in the best place to be.” She stood back up and began searching the cupboards for bandages and disinfectant.

Alfred could only stare at her. “Why are you helping us?”

“Well, it seems like we have something in common now, both of us being betrayed by Fourth. The enemy of my enemy is my friend, and all that.”

“You guys were allied? This whole time?” He dragged a loose blanket from the bed and pressed it against Ivan’s open wound.

“Ever since you guys took my kill in the city.” 

“My sincerest apologies,” Ivan bit out, using his elbows to prop himself up despite wincing in pain.

“I should’ve known better than to trust a cop.” Elisabeth rolled her eyes before turning to Alfred and sent him a wink. “Good thing I didn’t.” 

He let out a small chuckle despite himself, ignoring Ivan’s dead set glare. 

“My love, you do recall this woman almost killed you with a landmine, yes?” Ivan said through grit teeth. 

“Oh, yeah.” Alfred bowed his head sheepishly and scratched his cheek with his free hand. “Right, sorry. I won’t fraternize with the enemy anymore.”

“It wasn’t anything personal,” Elisabeth defended, bringing all the useful things she could find to where the boys were seated. “Just like you, I was trying to survive. I didn’t even realize it was your diary out there. I make an effort to keep kids out of my line of work.” While Ivan glared at her with pure malice, Alfred seemed to be the more forgiving one. She figured it’d be best to appeal to him. “I did my best to disarm that bomb that would’ve killed your entire school. I could have just left, but I wouldn’t have been able to live with myself otherwise.”

Ivan released a snort. “Says the cold-blooded mercenary.”

“Says the cold-blooded mercenary who’s about to patch you up.” She gestured for Alfred to switch places with her. “I got a head’s up anyway. Some guy named Arthur got hold of my number and warned me about Fourth’s plans. He’s your friend, right?”

Ivan scoffed. “Friend? ” That was pushing it.

“Yeah, he is,” Alfred answered as Ninth applied pressure to the wound with a gauze pad. “But why help us?” And more importantly, how was Arthur able to manage that? The guy was turning out to be extremely resourceful. 

Elisabeth sent him a hard look, affronted as she picked up sterilizing wipes to clean the surrounding skin. “I don’t harm children, I go after abusers.” A smirk broke out on her face. “And maybe some corrupt leaders and religious zealots in my free time.”

So Ninth had morals was what Alfred gathered. “You were after Sixth,” he added.

“Yeah, the piss-stain killed my father when I was a girl, grew up an orphan on the run as he tried to tie up loose ends. Didn't matter how young I was.” Elisabeth took a moment to pull out a small aid kit from one pocket and pick out sutures and tweezers. “Now that the thing that’s been driving me to live for the past twenty years is gone, I’m kinda just sticking around ‘cause I wanna see who makes it to the end. Ideally not another psycho, if I can help it.”

A groan escaped Ivan as the first needle went in. There was silence as his skin was sewn back together, as best as Elisabeth could with the time allotted to them.

—Schbbzzzzt—

A smirk grew on Ninth's lips, with a shake of her head she asked, “Let me guess, we’re all dead?” 

Alfred unlocked his cellphone and read the text on screen.

February 26 01:58 [Atlantic Bay Medical]

Fourth and his men raid the hospital and take out me, Ivan, and Ninth. We are trapped in Lili’s room and shot.

[Dead End]

There was a sigh in his confirmation. “Yeah…seems like it.” 

“Only if we keep up this sitting duck charade.” Elisabeth dug out some weapons from her vest and laid them along the floor. Most of them Alfred had never seen in person, only in his video game shooters. He picked one up and held it in his hands, but even then, it almost didn’t feel real.

“Not that, that’s way above your level.” Elisabeth took the grenade out of his hands and set it down, sending Ivan a warning glare as he eyed it with interest. She then handed him another tool. “Use the smoke one, it’ll be good cover if you need to get out of a situation.”

“We’re going to confront them?” 

“Hell, no! I’m not suicidal.” There was a certain god she had to spite. “We need some recon, and you seem to have the strongest diary here out of all of us. Arthur is waiting outside to get you out. I’m gonna try to handle negotiations with Fourth, see if I can try to clean up this mess he stuck you in with minimal consequence.”

Ivan made a move to stand. “I am going too—”

“Like hell you are. We’re gonna try your bluff again since we’ve exhausted all other options, but I doubt he’d believe it if I made the threats. I’ll mediate, you just stay on the line with me and do your part.” 

Ivan scoffed. “Was not a bluff.”

Ignoring him, her green eyes went back to Alfred. “Stay down and away from windows. Try to figure out where the police are posted and where all the cameras are and be back before ten minutes, no more. My diary will do the rest, I just want to avoid any trump cards if we can. Also—” She took off a black glove and handed it to Alfred. “Lay that somewhere. I don’t care where, just someplace it’ll be easily found.”

“What? Why? ”

“So that when this all blows over, they’ll have someone to blame.” She stated, as if it were the most obvious thing.

This was strange. Call him paranoid, but it was all a bit too altruistic for Alfred’s liking. “You would…do that for us…?”

“Tsk, it’s not like I exist so why would I care?” Her shoulders lifted in a nonchalant shrug, but then in a low mutter she continued. “My name couldn’t be further in the gutter anyway.”

“Right…” Alfred exchanged a look with Ivan, worry written on the other’s face. “I’ll be back in ten then.”

“Do not stray too far,” he warned. 

Alfred gave a single nod, then unlocked the door and creeped out. 

Elisabeth entered Zwingli’s number and gave him a call, but there was no answer. She tried again and again, wasting precious seconds, until finally he picked up.

“Ninth.”

“Took you long enough,” she spat. “The situation has changed since the Dead End. Second is going to kill Lili unless you call off your men.”

There was a pause. “And? ”

Green eyes widened in shock. When had Zwingli become a Machiavellian? “And? He’s going to blast a hole through her skull if he and First aren’t allowed to leave with their bounty erased.” She held out the phone to Ivan. 

“Is true,” he raised the gun to Lili’s head. “It won’t take more than one bullet to put her out of her misery.”

“Do it then,” Fourth urged. “She’ll die anyway if I let you two go. I have no choice, but to become God.”

“Then what’s the fucking point of any of this!” Elisabeth yelled. “Do you even hear yourself? The Fourth I knew would be horrified of what you’ve become.”

“The man you knew is gone. He didn’t have what it takes to win.”

Ivan and Elisabeth could only stare at each other, knowing that their plan was becoming undone. 

“Where’s Alfred, by the way? I haven’t heard from him in a while.” Fourth said, immediately recapturing Ivan’s focus. “He’s not separated from you two, is he? That wouldn’t be good for him…”

“Stay away from him!” Ivan growled.

“You best think about saving that final bullet, Second. One of us will be needing it.”

---

Negotiations must’ve failed, Alfred thought as he was caught by a lone officer, hands raised in a surrender. Perhaps he also wandered a bit too far trying to locate Zwingli, but he had heard his voice and wanted to know what the man was planning. To think he was sent out to avoid giving the man any advantages, and yet here he was, serving one on a silver planner.

A bullet fired from behind them, Alfred ducked as it lodged in the man’s throat. All he could do was stare at the body on the ground as it squirmed, gurgling on its own blood and choking to death.

Alfred’s heart weighed heavily. It seemed like such an awful way to die… 

“Alfred—”

A door tore open. “I won’t let you win, Second!”

Just as Alfred remembered the canister hooked on his belt loop, a hand yanked him back by the collar and a barrel was dug into his temple. Had Fourth been hiding in a room, waiting? That meant the man on the ground had been just a decoy…

Blue eyes glanced up. Ivan was holding the makeshift grenade Ninth took from him, his fingers curled around the pin and prepared to pull at a moment’s notice. 

“Don’t move!” They both shouted simultaneously, making Alfred flinch. 

Shot to death or blown up. His choices were riveting. 

“Put that thing away before it kills us all,” Zwingli snarled.

Ivan’s voice was cold. “Let Alfred go first. We settle this between us.”

“Fine,” he pushed Alfred to the side, but not without confiscating the smoke grenade first and tossing it far behind him. “Your move.”

Ivan’s fingers twitched on the hook, eyes swirling with conflict and teeth grit so hard his jaw trembled. Something was going on in that mind of his, something Alfred didn’t like.

“Vanya?”

“D-don’t worry, Alfred.” Ivan managed a shaky smile, eyes strained with held back tears. “I was a dead man walking, but…you gave me a future.” The light died in those violet irises, reminiscing of a long, forgotten past. So set in their determination and what it would mean. “Time and time again, you saved me no matter the cost. You are my hope in life, but…if it can’t come true, then I’ll die for you. And even in death, I’ll always chase after you…” There was a pause, then those eyes burned hot, wild. A predator locked on target. “I’ll do what I have to.”

Alfred’s heart dropped, but it was too late. Ivan pulled the pin and rushed forward, hand straight for Fourth’s throat. “Ivan!”

“You’re dying here with me!”

A white light filled the room, his vision. It was all he could see as he collapsed, a ringing steadily increasing in his ear as the world spun around itself. But his mind was fixed on Ivan, and how much he would give him hell for that ridiculous stunt he pulled.

Scaring him like that, the nerve. As if Alfred wanted a future without him in it.

---

A text from Elisabeth warned him about the change of plans. 

“Nice to meet you in person, Arthur.” It was good to put a face to the name, though he was much younger than what she’d been expecting. 

“Yes, pleasure.” The casual sarcasm in his voice was evident, but welcome. “Where’s Alfred?”

“I saw a flashbang up ahead. I bet it’s the one Ivan snabbed from me.” She broke into a sprint with Arthur following close behind.

They found the triad in a long corridor. Fourth had been first to awaken. As he got to his feet, it was Alfred who came to his senses next. The officer haggardly made for the teen and grabbed him by the collar, pinning his throat to the wall. 

Arthur held up his phone, recording everything. Nothing was more damning to a reputation than physical evidence.

Alfred clawed at the wrists which held him in place, still disoriented by the effects of the flash grenade on his body. What a shitty way to wake up.

“Once I kill you, Second is next—”

“Okay, so…do it…already.” Alfred managed to cough out between wheezes.

“Captain Zwingli, what are you doing?” Arthur spoke. The detective froze and dropped Alfred, who fell to his knees and clutched his throat.

“Kirkland.” Zwingli turned to his subordinate, then noticed the woman beside him. “Ninth. Nice to see you both working together,” though his tone implied otherwise.

“Beating up a minor is a criminal offense, Officer. An abuse of power like that won’t be tolerated in the face of the law,” Elisabeth crossed her arms, head held high. “I’m disappointed in you. Look how far you’ve fallen.”

It was then Fourth pulled out his diary, entries gone and data blank. Becoming a criminal meant his diary was rendered useless.

“So it would seem.” A bitter chuckle escaped him. Beaten at his own game, it was foolish of him to have thought this would’ve gone any other way. Somehow Second and First always managed to come up on top. They were an unstoppable pair, and he knew defeat when it hit him.

Just as the rest of his private security team had rounded the corner, smoke flourished at the end of the hall. Ninth had fled the scene. 

“Captain?” One of his subordinates asked, eyes on him then Alfred.  

Zwingli held up a hand to stand down. “Arthur is my protégée. Vow you will extend my resources to him, whatever he may need. I have a bad feeling things will be getting worse these next couple of months.”

Some unwavering nods, some tilts of confusion. It would all make sense to them shortly.

Then his green eyes fixed to Alfred, who had crawled toward Ivan to check if he was alright. The boy jumped at his attention, body hovering protectively over Ivan as he trembled. Those blue eyes of his flickered between him and his men, worried they were about to be executed via firing squad. 

They were just kids. To think that grief had turned him against those he was sworn to protect. Was he no better than Roderich? Than Tenth ? 

“First, do you remember what you told me that day we met?” His tone was despondent, yet decisive.

Alfred shook his head. That felt like a lifetime ago.

Zwingli sighed, staring at the diary in his grasp, fist tightening around it. “Either you die a hero…or you live to see yourself become the villain…I know my apology won’t mean anything to you, but—” He snapped the phone in his hands. “I hope this is enough. Just promise me you’ll become God, so you can protect Lili for me.”

The vortex that had consumed Third now grew in Zwingli’s chest, pulling his body into an abyss with only the sounds of breaking bone to fill the silence. 

The remnants of the diary clattered as they hit the ground. And just like that, another contestant had been eliminated.

Notes:

Good LORD, I finally managed to write this thing. I love that past me had a very thorough outline all set up for this, otherwise I probably would’ve cried and gave up. I just want to apologize for my absence, I have ZERO concept of the passage of time. Just want to say that every review, kudos, and bookmark I received reminded me of this story and is the reason I went back for it. Literally would make me smile to see so many people enjoy it.

Also, I’ve learned a lot more about writing since then. I used to get stuck on drafts because I had no idea what to do when I got stuck, it wasn’t perfect enough, and then I’d give up. I’ve been working on some original works in my free time and learned that it’s okay if the first draft sucks, just keep doing it and fix it up on the next draft or so. That helped take pressure off my back. And the fact I don’t have to go crazy over this, it’s fanfiction not publication. I do this for my ship, and don’t expect a paycheck lol. I hope that advice reaches some aspiring writers like it did with me!

Fun Fact about this chapter: Zwingli is testing Arthur, Elisabeth, Alfred, and Ivan the entire time. Nothing is done by mistake. He's a pragmatic, always aware that failure is an option. If he can't beat them, he wants to make sure they have the means and drive to finish the job without him. Arthur, as his disciple, caught on quick.

Chapter 15: Point of No Return

Summary:

There’s no use resisting. Abandon all thought and let the dream descend.

Notes:

Old readers may notice I did some changes, particularly regarding chapter titles. I always had this sort of theme in mind while writing (since it's briefly referenced in the show and in the intro song), but I was gonna be subtle. Whelp, I had a change of mind. We’re going all in. Also some of the chapter titles felt uninspired to me anyway, so, here we are.

Anyone who guesses the references gets a virtual cookie baked with love! Your hint: I listen to AmaLee's cover of "Kuusou Mesorogiwi" (the FULL version) religiously when I need inspiration to write this fic. The answer is in the first 30 seconds (the same applies to the original intro).

The rest of the week went by in a blur. Alfred skipped school, instead focusing on tending to Ivan’s wounds and watching the news for any leads, and Matthew didn’t have it in him to contest. After becoming a hot topic in town with his face blasted on every media outlet available to them, it was hard to blame his younger twin for wanting a bit of respite. Even he’d been hounded by the student body incessantly. Peers who'd never once acknowledged his presence suddenly came out of the woodworks just to press on Alfred’s status. There were a couple out of concern, but most were keen on a new source of gossip. Had people always been so obsessed digging dirt about his brother? He never realized popularity had such a cost. 

All he could recall was the anxiety that had eaten him alive that night, eyes glued to the screen as he bit his nails wondering if his brother would ever make it back home. A text would've been nice, but deep down he understood Alfred had been cautious turning off his location and disconnecting communications. All he’d done was wait and offer comfort when his brother returned before dawn in a foul mood, dark bags under his eyes with an injured and sheepish Ivan trailing behind. It was despairing waiting on the sidelines, their encounter at the university only drove his weakness further.

The idea of a Survival Game was just too surreal for him— all this talk about Gods and precognition. It really made him dwell on his place in the universe, and to think Alfred had been at the center of it all… 

Saturday morning came like a blessing. No questions and harassment, Matthew would be able to eat his breakfast at his own pace, but just as he made his way down the stairs, he slowed, head tilting in confusion. Boxes? A few piles of them. 

Francis and Jeanne were in the living room, speaking in hushed tones as they sorted through their belongings. Oh, that was this weekend?

Right, it was nearing the end of the month. They either broke their lease now or waited until April. As his eyes roamed over the bandages covering Jeanne’s skin, it was clear the hospital bills left them with little choice in the matter.

Alfred’s steps were loud as they began their descent with Ivan lurking close behind. Francis and Jeanne turned toward the archway and made eye contact with Matthew as his twin questioned all the clutter in their hallway. 

Realization dawned on Alfred, his lips curled into a sneer. Just another pair of prying eyes he’d have to learn to navigate around. 

“Mon dieu, Alfred! You are okay!” Francis pushed off from the couch and enveloped his youngest cousin in a hug. Then he took a step back and observed the teen. To think once, not even that long ago, he’d have to bend his knee to be eye level. Now he had to tilt his head up to meet the boy’s eyes, but despite that, Alfred would always be a little brother to him. 

“Yeah…” Alfred attempted a smile. As okay as he could possibly be after nearly dying. Again.

“And…Ivan…” He addressed the taller teen who never strayed far from Alfred’s side. “I’m sorry about what happened to you.”

Ivan smiled. “Just a case of wrong place, wrong time. It happens, but I am glad all is settled now.”

“You should be holding the police accountable for what they did to you. A false accusation like that could have a big impact on your future.” Jeanne warned. 

“I think we’re done dealing with the police,” said Alfred in a tired voice. “I’m good.”

Francis perked up as he remembered something. “Tante Madeline is on her way home. She sounded a bit…”

“Frazzled? Overwhelmed?” Matthew continued, reminding everyone that he was more than just an observer. 

“Yes.” A firm nod. “I would start planning your defenses unless you want to be placed under house arrest.”

“On it,” replied Alfred. Not like he had four days to come up with one.

“Good.” Francis relaxed into a smile. “Shall I make some breakfast for us all?”

“It’s okay, I got breakfast.” Matthew answered. “You guys just worry about settling in. The sooner you do, the better.”

That earned him a ruffle through his blond curls. “Merci, Matthieu.”

The teens gathered in the kitchen, with Matthew behind the counter and Alfred with Ivan in the breakfast nook. The older twin browsed their fridge and cupboards for anything that might be appealing. It seemed their current inventory left them with options.

“Pancakes or french toast?”

“Oooh, french toast sounds good.” It was a lame response lacking enthusiasm, when he knew that not too long ago, Alfred would’ve perked up. Now it was too distracted, too preoccupied with that phone of his. And to think Matthew used to complain about Alfred’s screen time before everything went down. 

Matthew went to work whisking the batter and preparing the bread. There was silence as he worked, but then Alfred set his phone on the table with a clank and let out a groan so loud the heavens could hear. 

“Nothing. I don’t understand how everyone can just find leads. Like what the hell are these other users even doing? Are they playing the damn game or not?”

Ivan offered a sad, yet sympathetic smile. “Yes…it is a bit frustrating.”

Right. They’d just lost their biggest ally who’d been able to use a variety of resources to track down other diary users. Now it was just them, a couple of teenagers with nothing to their names.

But Arthur was smart. Perhaps he was a bit more limited in terms of connections than Officer Zwingli, but he had more than any of them combined. While he and Carlos also considered themselves as part of the alliance, it’s not like they were anything more than high schoolers. And Feliciano…well, he was at home recovering after his wound was addressed. Ludwig, on the other hand, was dealing with the loss of his father and all the responsibility that entailed. Though he may have been 18 and considered legally adult, it was still a heavy burden Matthew wouldn’t wish on anyone. He couldn’t imagine being an orphan so young. 

And Kiku? Completely left in the dark. Honoring Alfred’s request had been difficult, but now he understood why he’d kept the game a secret for so long. How was he supposed to tell Tim what had happened to Emma?

Alfred made an audible sniff. “Bro, are you burning breakfast?”

Ah, shit. “I’ll take this one, don’t worry.” 

“You’re good.” Alfred drummed his fingers against the table. “So, there’s what? Eight of us left? And the only people eliminated are the ones we dealt with personally? This is ridiculous, they should be disqualified for being such fucking pussies,” he spat. 

“I am sure they will make moves the closer to April we get,” Ivan soothed. 

“Yeah, just like I’m sure they’re gonna come after us before each other. It’s total bullshit, I fucking hate Deus for that!”

Matthew brought over a plate of french toast and a jug of maple syrup. “Well, you at least have one idea of who your target is. That girl. Was there anyone else of note?”

Alfred rubbed his chin in thought. “There’s a guy with glasses.” He turned to Matthew. “Are you a diary owner I should know about?” His tone dripping in sarcasm.

“Yeah, no.” A small laugh escaped him. “What else?”

“One person is always on their knees, like what Kiku does, and usually pretty silent at these meetings. I’ve also made eye contact with Seventh. He like, waved to me.”

“Like a taunting wave?” 

“Mmm, I didn't think so, but could be. Probably. Ninth seems fine.”

“For now,” Ivan reminded him. 

“For now,” Alfred repeated. “And I don’t remember at all what Eleventh is like. I think he threatened me once and that was it?”

“I have studied his silhouette a few times. I will find him,” Ivan promised.

Matthew took a seat across the pair with his own plate. “I mean…at least you have some clues…” He used his fork to break off a piece of bread and dip it in syrup. “If we consider Arthur’s theory, at least one of these people is closer to you than we’d like to think.”

Alfred brewed this for a moment, then turned to Ivan. “Or you. Do you know any girls or dudes with glasses? That isn’t my brother, of course.”

Ivan’s brows knit together. “Ah, the only girl I would know would be my little sister…but she looks very different from Fifth. Besides, last I heard she was headed to Belarus…” Alfred pursed his lips, having no clue a place with that name existed. “As for glasses…” Ivan trailed off before a small shrug. “He did not leave a big enough impression on me to remember.”

“Damn, and it’s not just us. They could have ties to any of the others…”

“What about that mercenary woman? She’s not an ally you can ask?” This conversation may have been a part of another world, but Matthew was just content he was finally a part of it. Since it was all so new to him, it was still easy to lose track of details. "Or did that fall through?”

Alfred glanced at Ivan. “Um…well…”

The front door shut with a loud thud, the boys’ quieted their discussion as a gentle voice greeted the two young adults in the living room. Then the footsteps drew nearer. 

“You and I are going to have a discussion, young man.” Madeline pointed at him with her free hand as she set groceries on the counter. “How the hell do you keep getting caught up in all these crazy events? Are you trying to send me to an early grave? Do I need to keep you locked up for the rest of your life?” She made her way to the breakfast nook and set her hands on the table, staring both Alfred and Ivan down. Normally it was hard to take her seriously when she was like this. Her sweet face, shy voice, and sweet demeanor made her seem like a pushover, but right now…the bags under her flaring eyes told a different story. 

As rehearsed, Alfred began. “Somehow we crossed paths with the lady they’re after, don’t ask me how ‘cause she’s slick. So they brought us in for questioning, but then she got in to take something of hers and used Ivan and me as decoys…it was a whole misunderstanding. It all happened so fast that I don’t understand all the details.” Then his blue eyes grew large, innocent like a puppy, a bit of teary vulnerability. “And I would prefer not to...”

As much as she wanted to scowl, to glare and come down with an iron fist, seeing her baby boy look so miserable lowered all her offenses. “Aw, it’s okay, Alfie. I’m not mad, I’m just— well, I’m scared. I just don’t understand why you just get sucked into all these things. You’re like your aunt, there’s never a boring day with you! It’s because of her I’m like this, you know.”

Matthew brought another piece of french toast to his mouth. Alfred was good. Mum was completely wrapped around his finger, and now he was an accomplice. 

“Just, promise you’ll be a bit more alert of your surroundings. Please? And you too, Ivan. You two look out for each other.”

“Yes, of course! Thank you,” Ivan chirped.

Alfred nodded, eyes focused on his hands as one dug dirt from under his nail. Not that there was any left, he just wanted some excuse to look away. “I’ll do my best.”  

“Good. So…french toast? Did you make these, Mattie?”

It was Matthew’s turn to nod. “Yeah, nothing too difficult.”

“Well, they smell amazing. You take after me in that regard.” Though it was quite evident that he took after her in most things… 

The doorbell rang through the hall and into the kitchen. Madeline turned to the boys. “Are we expecting guests today?” Her twins shook their heads in perfect sync. “Maybe it’s for Francis?”

They all quieted down, eavesdropping as their cousin opened the door.

“Ah, can I help you?”

A posh accent replied. “Er, hi. Is Alfred home?”

Alfred jolted with recognition. “Arthur!” Maybe he had a lead? He rushed to the entry room as Madeline turned to Matthew and mouthed ‘Arthur?’

“Perhaps…” Francis squinted his eyes as he sized up the Englishman. “And how would you know Alfred?” The guy didn’t seem like he went to their high school. 

It had been Jeanne who entered the room next, eyes wide in surprise. “Oh, Arthur?” 

“Oh, hello?” There was an awkward, slow wave. “Do I know you?”

A tense smile found its way onto her face. “...We share psychology together…I sit two rows in front of you?” At least, on the days he actually showed up. 

“Of course.” Arthur eased into a lax smile. “Well, I’m glad to see you’re healing well.” And then his green eyes landed on Alfred and all else disappeared. “There you are!” Arthur rammed into Francis’ shoulder as he pushed through, the elder rubbing the point of impact with a sneer directed toward the intruder. “Apologies for the sudden drop-in, I was just in the area and wanted to see you in person.”

A heat rose in Alfred’s cheeks, but he reminded himself not to let the butterflies carry him too far away. “Right, well that was nice of you.” He rubbed his arm, just wishing they had an opportunity alone so they could speak about the real reason Arthur came. 

“Arthur.” Ivan beamed a bright smile laced with annoyance as he announced his presence behind Alfred. “Did your parents not tell you it is rude to drop by unannounced?”

A confident grin sported on pale lips. “Now, now. I think you’ll be pleased with the news I have to give.”

A lead! Alfred nearly leapt into the air. His eyes were trained on Arthur as he reached into his messenger bag and pulled out two stubs, handing one to each teen. 

Alfred read the front and back over and over, wondering if there was somehow a deeper meaning or hint concealed in them. The more he searched, the more confused he became, until finally he cocked his head to the side and asked “Are these tickets to…Phantom of the Opera?”

“Yes, unfortunately I have plans tonight and can’t make it. I’ve already seen it, so it’s not the end of the world, but I figured it would give you two a nice break with everything that’s going on.”

There was a glint in Arthur’s eyes. This is your lead. Alfred’s shoulders released the tension they’d been holding. “Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it. Enjoy yourselves. I’ll handle other matters and give you updates upon return.”

“Le Fantôme de l'Opéra?” Francis crossed his arms as his lips twitched into a smirk. “Ah, so at least you have taste.” 

And for the first time in his life, Alfred witnessed Arthur snap. His smile grew tight, but there were flames in his eyes. “Well, it is a West End musical arranged by an English composer.”

“Based on a book written by a French author, set in Paris,” Francis countered. 

Alfred and Jeanne exchanged a look of bewilderment. Were these two enemies in a past life or something?

“Ah, so you’re Alfie’s new friend, Arthur!” Madeline smiled with Matthew in tow as she entered the room. “I just got filled in on the details, thank you for taking the time to tutor Alfred in English!”

Alfred’s head whipped to Matthew, eyes screaming ‘What?’ But his twin merely raised his hands and offered him a ‘that’s the best I could think of.’ Now his mother would think he was failing class, despite his decent grades. 

Well, decent grades until now. He already considered himself a drop-out, not that he would reveal that to his parents or twin any time soon. There was nothing school could offer him, in fact, it was probably more detrimental and a waste of precious time than anything. So fuck it.  

Arthur caught on to the lie. “It’s been a pleasure, no need to thank me.” His eyes met with Alfred’s again. While there was a smile on his face, something in his gaze felt serious. He was planning something. “Enjoy your musical, feel free to take your time while you’re out.”

So ominous, but with a nod Alfred agreed. 

If the rest of the contenders wanted to keep hiding, then there was no choice but to draw them out. One-by-one. 

---

By eleven they were riding the LIRR into the city, and within two hours they were wandering the metro beneath Penn Station to take the next subway cart uptown. They didn’t have much time to waste as the show premiered at 2:30, they made it to their seats just before the lights dimmed. 

Ivan kept his eyes fixed on Alfred and his reactions. During the auction scene, he’d been confused until the overture’s symphony filled the theatre, goosebumps rising just as the chandelier did, blue eyes wide with excitement as the music from the orchestra created a vibration that synchronized with his pulse. The next couple of scenes, he relaxed into boredom as there’d been a lack of action until the titular song played. And then he was hooked.

It wasn’t until intermission when Alfred returned his gaze. “What do you think so far?” He flipped through the pages of the playbill to see what songs were left. 

To be fair, Ivan hadn’t been able to grasp how he felt about the musical. The music was very good, but there was something woven into its themes that made him fume with annoyance. It felt that this was Arthur’s way of sending a message to him. Rather than be direct, the arrogant bastard moved like a sneaky rat. 

“Is fine.” Ivan answered stiffly. “And yourself?”

“I thought the intro went crazy. It got a bit slow for a while and I was pretty sure I was gonna pass out, but once shit hit the fan I really started enjoying it! I’m actually pretty surprised because when I heard Arthur say ‘opera,’ I thought it was gonna be like an actual opera, and I got a little worried because my attention span just can’t handle those. But I totally get the hype now!”

“Well,” Ivan paused, licking his dry lips before forcing a smile. “If you are enjoying it, then nothing else matters.”

“Yeah, I would’ve never thought to give this one a chance. Normally I just stick with the Disney musicals. You might like Lion King, that’s my favorite.”

Ivan’s smile relaxed as the other continued his amicable rambling, eyes lit up with the old spark he used to carry rather than hardened by the game they found themselves in. It was like old times to be at ease like this. Just two teenagers enjoying a show together, rather than star-crossed lovers against all odds. All he desired was to preserve Alfred’s happiness, that precious smile of his. What was so wrong with that? It was like each time Ivan beheaded an obstacle, two more grew in its place. But it was worth it. For Alfred’s life, he’d do anything. 

The lights dimmed and the show continued into its second act. There was no doubt about it now, Ivan grinded his teeth as the heroine was saved from the Phantom and held in the arms of the hero. A message indeed. Though it may have gone over Alfred’s head, Ivan knew full well what Arthur was insinuating. As if that pompous ass was Raoul and Alfred Christine. A muted scoff built up in his throat. In his dreams. 

Arthur was a fool who knew nothing, yet believed he knew everything. Ivan knew he wasn’t like the Phantom at all, who acted in petty jealousy and obsession. His feelings toward Alfred went beyond that. They were genuine. He owed his life to him, his everything. And if that cost him his sanity, made others afraid of him…then so be it. Orpheus wasn’t the only one to throw himself into the Underworld for the sake of love, but for Ivan, there was no option for failure. Never again.

“You’ve been silent for a while,” Alfred mentioned as they traversed Time Square. Ivan blinked in surprise as he took in his surroundings. Since when had they gone back outdoors? The theatre wasn’t too far behind, a crowd still pushing their way through the exit. It was alarming how rapidly time was moving fast. Too fast. More than enough to stress him out. 

“S-sorry,” he mumbled through his scarf.

“Did you not like the musical?” Alfred offered a sympathetic smile. “I mean, at least it was free. And something to do. It makes me happy when we finally get down time like this.”

Ivan nodded. “Da…you are right. We should enjoy moments while we can.”

“Right, cause you never know if it’ll be our last!” 

That sarcastic optimism bothered him. “Please do not say such things,” Ivan frowned with worry. “We have both made it this far, and we will continue to do so until you win.”

A heavy sigh. “I know, it’s just the best way for me to cope with all this. If I treat everything like a joke that doesn’t bother me…maybe I can reverse psychology myself into believing that’s true. It’s certainly better than freaking out all the time, but now that Zwingli’s gone, I need to step up and be more useful.”

Ivan gaped, a glint of horror and anxiety in his violet eyes. “You do not need to step-up. I will handle everything.”

“No.” Alfred’s brows narrowed, a rare moment of seriousness stunning Ivan into silence. He’d seen what the stress of everything had done to his ally. The way he lost control of himself when fighting Tenth and threatened his friends, how distraught he’d been when Fourth betrayed them. “We’re in the same boat, Vanya. I can’t leave everything to you, it’s just way too much for one person to deal with.”

“I-I…I will do better. I just…I just do not know what I would do if you were hurt…if I lost you…”

“I mean, I’m still here now, right?” Alfred tilted his head to the side, carefully gauging Ivan’s reaction. “You haven’t lost me.”

“Da…you are still here…” Rather than ease Ivan like he intended, the reverse happened. Gloved, trembling fingers scratched their own arms as those violet eyes didn’t dare move from the concrete below them. 

Right, no more reminding Ivan about death. 

“I mean, what kind of boyfriend would I be if I let you do all the heavy lifting.” Alfred offered a smirk that held a flirty edge to it. The blush in Ivan’s cheeks was pronounced, but he merely bit the inside of his cheek and averted his gaze. Damn, he must’ve been really trapped inside his own thoughts if that didn’t make him budge from his melancholic spout. 

“Oh, did you know,” Alfred pointed in front of a large clothing store. “That used to be a Toys R Us. Had a huge ferris wheel and everything, oh my god. I would beg my mom to take me there and head straight for the Legos.” This caught Ivan’s interest, so he continued. “I actually got lost there once. Some guy, well, he was probably a teenager then now that I think about it, found me and had to reunite me with my mom. Even back then I got into all sorts of trouble. Unless we wanna be technical, then I’ve been giving my parents stress since the day I was born. Did I ever tell you about that?”

Ivan held a long pause before slowly shaking his head. “No.”

“Well, you know how Mattie and I are twins. Born on July 1st and all that, except I wasn’t able to live on my own. They had me in the NICU hooked up to all sorts of machines just to survive, and then suddenly on July 4th I didn’t need them anymore, so that’s why we consider that my birthday.” Blue eyes gave an exaggerated roll. “Everyone called me a miracle, but it sort of feels like everything that’s happened since then has been catching up to me. Kinda like Final Destination, although Mattie says I’m just being paranoid…anywho, it’s still kinda funny that even my birth overshadowed his.”

“Your diary…” Ivan began softly. “Is proof of your existence. That you are here in the now. That your experiences are your own. It is your mark on the world.”

Alfred’s shoulders slacked as he was taken aback. Ivan not only read him, he breached his soul. “Y-yeah, pretty much.”

“Interesting that you say that it feels like fate is catching up to you.”

Golden brows shot up. “You had something similar happen?”

“Da…” Ivan bit his bottom lip. “When I was younger…there was an incident. But it felt like fate pulled strings so that I could be here now…” He turned to Alfred with a small smile. “I believe I was meant to meet you.”

Once again, Ivan made his heart flutter. Everything was so confusing. Sure, they were boyfriends, but how could Alfred just forgive the other for what he had done to his friends the other night…then again, Ivan had taken a bullet for him. He knew he was playing a dangerous game, perhaps one more dangerous than the survival game itself, but what other choice did he have? As long as he kept up this charade, Ivan would be good. He had to trust that, for his own sake more than anything. 

“Do you ever wonder if alternate universes exist?” Alfred asked.

“Hm?” Ivan raised a brow. “What do you mean…?”

“Like a world where we met without this game happening? Something like that. I know it's very sci-fi, but I just like to wonder how things would be different if we met under different circumstances.”

“I see.” Ivan glanced up at the large jumbotron before them. “I’m sure if they exist, I’d find you in all of them.”

That managed a small smile out of him. “Maybe to make up for this one, we’re immortal in some other reality. That would be cool. I’d be happy with that.” But then a thought came to him and he rolled his shoulders in a heavy sigh. “What are the odds we’re on opposite sides there too?”

“Hmmm.” Ivan pursed his lips in thought. “I like to think that any world that forces us to be enemies, we will find a way to persevere in spite of it."

That was a sweet response. Alfred failed to conceal a smirk. “You’re so corny.”  

Ivan giggled. “But you like that!”

“Yeah,” he admitted. “I do.”

He’d always been a sucker for happy endings. Even when the situation seemed so grim, the heroes of the story always persevered and saved the day. Maybe it was just a fantasy— a cruel one at that—but if somehow he and Ivan could go against all odds and make a miracle happen within this game…then maybe that alone could be his drive to keep fighting. 

There was no other option but to try.

---

It’d always been easy for Elisabeth to become someone else. 

Ever since she was a child, she had a habit of dressing like a boy. She’d done this so often that she believed she’d been born one, even to the point of introducing herself as Elek to customers in her father’s antique shop and her peers. 

Life had been so much simpler then, running around the store waving swords with her uncle, Hunor, and getting history lessons about each preserved relic from her father. She once had dreams of taking over the store once the two brothers retired. It would’ve been the greatest in New York City, at least that’s what her childish optimism believed. 

Until the loan sharks dropped by. Members of an organization known as De Imperii. 

The store had been successful. She’d seen the quality of their products, the wealthy clients pouring their pockets over one-in-a-kind heirlooms. People from all over the world would bid on their collections, whether for personal use or to display in museums. Their family may have had a rough start, but there was a time Elisabeth truly believed in the American dream. Her clothes were always new, her belly full and overflowing, and she not only went to a good school, but her father afforded her the best self-defense and fighting classes a girl could ask for. 

But debts had to be paid. And they were, despite the ridiculous interest rates. They made their deadlines each time, and somehow they managed to pay off the loan completely. They no longer needed anyone’s patronage anymore. 

However, Romulus Vargas had difficulty letting go of valuable assets, and Elisabeth’s father was too good and honorable to continue slaving away for such a crook. A lesson had to be paid, and that lesson took his life. 

But she had seen his face that day, and Rex Omnibus did not leave loose ends. 

Her uncle had taken her and ran. When they were caught at death’s door, he pushed her to continue where he couldn’t. Told her to not look back. So she cursed god and ran until her feet bled. 

There went the nice clothes, the satisfied stomach, her happy family, her dreams. Crashing down faster than it’d been built, the life she loved was gone. 

There was one silver-lining to the tragedies she endured: Vargas was looking for a boy. So she threw away her past, her ancestry and heritage, her names. No one cared about a preteen girl named Elisabeth living off the street. Being nobody was her greatest weapon, and a weapon, she vowed, it would be.  

She searched for the right crowd, the ones who would teach her how to survive. The ones who taught her where to get the best arms, the best contracts. It was a calling. To think she had to lose everything to discover her talents as a killer. But unlike Vargas, she vowed she would be the kind of woman her father would be proud of. She kept her morals close to her heart. Only evil would die. 

Is that how she found herself in the hospital room once again? Sitting beside Lili’s body in a short, blonde wig and decent clothes, as if this would be enough of an apology for allowing Second to threaten her life? Perhaps in another life, under different circumstances, they could have been friends. But not in this universe. Not with this game.

“I want to destroy God,” she confessed. Not even a stir. Here, it was safe to speak. Ever since Sixth died, it was like the chains had been broken. “I will make him pay for what was done to us.”

The door opened, but it wasn’t the doctor. Instead, she found herself reunited with the handsome brunet she met during Sixth’s raid. The one who evacuated the students with her. 

Had he and Fourth known each other? Was she intruding on something?

“Oh, hello,” he said, a bit perplexed by her presence. “Do I know you?”

The excuse of family likely wouldn’t work with him like it did the staff, so she smiled. “Just a friend of Lili’s. And you must be…?”

“Oh…I’m Roderich. A family friend. Our mothers were very close growing up, so we were in each other’s company so often we may as well have been siblings.”

Ah, so she’d been correct in her assessment. Her instincts were seldom ever wrong, and it was a bonus this man had a habit of oversharing.

“And you are?”

She paused for a moment. Who was she today? Did she go by her mercenary name, Elisabeth? Of course not. Not unless she wanted to be stuck in a lockdown with every officer in the vicinity hunting her. The visitors’ list had her as Rose, but why should she be? Sixth was dead, she was not. 

It’d been so long since she used her real name, she didn’t know if a day would ever come where she’d be able to embrace it again.  

“Erzsébet,” she said finally. It felt foreign on her lips. Did she butcher the pronunciation? How long had it been since she’d spoken her mother tongue?

“Oh, is that…Hungarian?”

“Yeah,” a small smile grew despite herself. 

“Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Erzsébet.”

It had been the first time someone had said her name in a long time, not since her uncle or father. As if a part of her missing had been returned, a stray tear formed in the corner of her eyes and threatened to spill. 

Her name could be revealed, but never a moment of weakness. 

“Thank you,” she whispered as she got up and gathered her belongings. “I’ve been here long enough, so you two can have some peace.”

Before he had a chance to respond, she bolted from the room. 

---

Arthur: Meet me at Ivan’s.

Alfred stepped off the train and rubbed his eyes after reading the ominous text. Was he tired? Did he actually need to get his eyes checked? It sounded like Arthur had decided to investigate Ivan’s place while they were out. Well, if that were the case…

A shiver ran up his spine. Oh, god. The bodies. 

Ivan frowned, inching closer to his face to see what was wrong. “Everything okay, solnyshko?”

“Yeah, yeah…” Shit. How did he bring this up to Ivan after what happened last time? Know what? Probably better to just be blunt. “Um, can we go to your house?”

“What?” Ivan’s head cocked to the side as they reached his car. “Why? Are you okay with that?”

“I’m fine.” Alfred paused. It wasn’t like the excuse he used previously would work since they had a vehicle this time, and while Ivan’s house was closer, would the bathroom excuse really work again? No, he needed something substantial to pull this off. “I want to see Vodka.”

“You do?” Ivan frowned. “Right now?”

“I miss him, Vanya.” Alfred pursed his lips into the most irresistible pout he could manage. “Something about the little guy calls to me.”

Ivan flinched at that, but his brain churned like it was doing mental gymnastics. “I—I suppose that would make sense.”

Really? “Why would it make sense?”

“Uh…well…” Ivan’s knuckles turned white as they gripped the steering wheel. “You two always did have a connection...”

Alfred stared long and hard at violet eyes that were trained hard on the road. Just what the hell was Ivan talking about? The only time he could remember meeting the feline was when he broke into the basement—

A cold sweat broke at the memory. 

By the time they reached the driveway, Alfred somehow managed to convince himself that he was actually there for Vodka. After frying his own brain trying to decipher what had been said, he just needed some furry friend to cuddle with to shake off the nerves, one that wouldn’t wrangle out of his arms after three seconds. While he had no clue what Vodka’s temperament was, he was curious to see this ‘connection’ in person. 

Ivan had pulled out his keys to unlock the front door, but then noticed it wasn’t properly latched. “Did I leave this unlocked?” He muttered to himself, brows drawn in confusion. A hand reached for the handle and swung it open.

“Oh…” Ivan’s brows shot up in surprise. “What are you doing here?” 

It was none other than Arthur, lounged on a floral couch, a phone in one hand and arm draped along the back cushioning. Those green eyes flickered up, and an illuminated screen revealed that scheming smirk on his face. 

Instinctively, Alfred flicked the lightswitch. Still nothing. Had Ivan been abandoned by his guardian? Though it wasn’t like he could do anything about it as a legal adult…

Arthur pushed off the couch and approached the two. “Just a bit of looking around. Nothing too serious.”

A scowl marred Ivan’s face. “You mean trespassing.”

“Well, aren’t you as well? I mean, this house belongs to a Tolys Laurinaitis. I don’t recall that being your name.”

While Ivan’s lips pressed into a tight smile, Alfred blinked, and soon was swarmed with recollection. Tolys. Toris. His head whipped to the taller teen. “We’re in my babysitter’s house?” Previous babysitter, he should have added, but the shock of the situation left him not thinking straight. This whole time, Ivan had been staying with him? Tolys was the neglectful guardian? That didn’t make any sense!

For a brief moment, Ivan was stunned, but then he clapped his hands together once and wore a cheery smile. “Oh, really? Such a small world! Tolys has been family friend since I was little.”

Perhaps too small, all the more confirmation for Arthur’s theories. “Well, where’s he been? I’d love to see him again.” His mother had messaged Tolys an invitation for Thanksgiving dinner, but he'd replied that he’d been busy with work as of late. To think this whole time, he and Ivan had been one person away from meeting. 

“Ah…he has been staying with a friend in the city, much closer to work…”

Arthur interrupted with a tight smile.“Hey, Ivan. Alfred looks a bit parched, doesn’t he? Could you fetch him a glass of water?” 

Alfred’s gaze flickered between Ivan and Arthur, the former whipping his head to him in alarm. “Oh, sorry! I wish you had said something! I will be right back, dorogoy.”

As Ivan rushed toward the kitchen, Arthur cocked his head to be followed. 

Alfred trailed behind, close enough to whisper “What exactly did you find here?”

“Been here before, have you?” Arthur teased, standing in the space between the basement door and Ivan’s bedroom. “Take your pick.” Alfred sent a nod toward the bedroom. He hadn’t been in there yet. “Very well.” Arthur turned the handle and nudged the door open with his elbow. 

It was a small, quaint room that might as well have been a guest room at his grandmother’s, except for the plethora of photographs of himself plastering the walls. Some of these were from childhood, Alfred noted as he picked out a picture of himself cutting a stem with shears for his mother at one of the sunflower festivals he’d gone to in New Jersey. This one happened when he was about eleven, back in his dorky phase when he barely had friends. Why was this the picture Ivan kept closest to his pillow? 

A normal person would be disturbed to have a shrine dedicated to them in their stalker’s bedroom, but for Alfred, this was something he had long come to expect by now. 

Arthur gave a mocking snort. “He’s certainly devout, I’ll say that much.” He got into a squat, fingers along the hem of a haphazardly strewn carpet, and lifted it to reveal dark brown—almost black—stains that permeated the hardwood floor. “Take a look.” He said as he gestured toward the giant pool at the center, then some streaks here and there. Then he rapped his knuckles on the wall. “You can even see some splatter on the walls and some furniture, though there was definitely an attempt to bleach it all out. I’d say it was caused by a medium-velocity impact. Over here it almost looks like a hand trail, so perhaps the initial strike didn’t kill whoever was attacked and they attempted to get back up—”

The voice became muted as Alfred caught sight of something that made his blood freeze dry. Beside the closet’s frame was a word. He got to his knees, fingers tracing over the faint, washed-out letters of what could only be blood. The handwriting was familiar, he’d read the other’s love notes and classwork enough times to be certain. 

Help. That’s what it read. Tears prickled the corner of his eyes as he wondered just what sort of hell the other endured without him knowing. 

“It’s Ivan’s,” Alfred whispered, a pit growing deeper in his stomach. There was something wrong about this, about all of this. A ghost from the past was calling for him, gripping him tight and attempting to shout through the veil between planes. He could sense it. This message was for him. 

Maybe Matthew was right. Maybe he did have a hero complex. But the guilt gnawed at his bones all the same. 

“Thank you for confirmation.” Arthur scanned the room. “Now, if only these walls could speak.”

If only. Alfred’s eyes met green. “Did you find the bodies in the basement?” 

“So you’re aware? Well, there’s three in total. All have been cleaned thoroughly and stuffed inside a wall since you probably last saw them. Very Edgar Allen Poe of him, by the way.” Upon seeing Alfred’s disturbed grimace, he added, “I spent the evening digging them out and have already sent samples to my associate for DNA testing. We’ll get to the bottom of this soon enough.”

Anxiety tore at Alfred’s bottom lip. What if one of the corpses was Tolys and Ivan had been lying about them being bad people? Unless Tolys had been another killer in disguise…

“Solnyshko, I bring water and snacks.” Ivan entered his room with a stretched smile on his face, though violet eyes bore into the fingers lingering on the message left behind. 

“Vanya, why did you write this here? Did someone…attack you?”

A small, high-pitched giggle bubbled out of him despite the tremors in his arms and sheer panic in his expression. The glass he held spilled droplets onto the floor. “What do you mean?”

Maybe it was too soon to push this. Ivan had all the signs of an abuse victim, that was something he had been aware of since day one. “Never mind. What kind of snacks did you bring?”

Ivan brightened, his body alleviated from whatever demon had possessed him. “Is not much, just some saltines.”

“Saltines are fine.” Alfred pushed off the ground and took the ramekin, offering a small smile. “I haven’t seen Vodka yet.”

“He must be shy with so many guests.” The words were a dagger intended for Arthur. Get out. 

“Very well, then.” Arthur shook his head with a small chortle as he got to his feet, then pierced Ivan with a haughty gaze. “I’ll admit, I’m quite impressed by that leash you’ve got.” Then he approached Alfred, clamping a hand on his shoulder. “A bit of advice, love—”

“—Do not call him that—”

“Don’t become too reliant on it. Everything wears eventually,” he warned, offering a small pat. “I’ll be off then.” 

Alfred kept his eyes on Arthur’s retreating form before he turned the corner, then turned to Ivan, who was grinding his teeth and seething where he was rooted. “Vanya?”

“I do not like how close you two are getting.” His grip on the glass dared it to shatter. Alfred whisked it away and set it on the nearby end table, not wanting to clean Ivan’s hands from blood again. 

“He’s just helping us find the other users,” he defended. 

Violet eyes shot an accusing glare. “You planned this out with him.”

That made Alfred pause. He was rarely on the receiving end of those, if ever. It made his heart skip a beat. “I only found out shortly before you did.”

“So he deceived us both. Shall I take out the garbage then?” Ivan made for the door, but Alfred was closer. His back rammed the door shut and he guarded the exit like Arthur’s life depended on it, because it very well did. Ivan’s jaw clenched, and in a quiet voice he continued, “...Why are you going out of your way for him?”

Because it was the right thing to do? But even Alfred knew there was a deeper reason he had faith in Arthur. “I trust him, Ivan. Please.”

“Why though! Why!” He exploded. “There is nothing he can give you that I cannot—”

“Answers.” Alfred had always been too bold to know when to keep his mouth shut, but it left Ivan silent. “I ask about you, I want to get to know you better, and all you ever do is shut me out. I’ve tried giving you space hoping that you would fill me in on things eventually, but then you never do...I just thought we were supposed to be a team, but half the time I don’t even know what you want from me!”   

“What I want?” Ivan managed in a small voice, his gaze distant and lost. “I want you alive...I want you happy…”

Those violet eyes were forlorn as they kept to the ground. Alfred’s heart swelled with sympathy, but he was set in his convictions. “...Keeping me in the dark isn’t going to make me happy, Iv…” Let me help you.

“I know.” A long, drawn out sigh blew from his lips. “But it will keep you alive.”

Alfred’s shoulders sagged in defeat. There was no getting through to him. How was he expected to fully open his heart to someone who wouldn’t even let him in? “You know, it’s hard to love a stranger. I’m trying, I really am.” Whatever force of nature drawing them together be damned. 

That made Ivan tense, a dry gulp in his throat, but he pulled out his phone and checked his entries to affirm their Happy End together.

There was a pawing sound behind the door. The other side revealed a beautiful Siberian that Alfred had no choice but to scoop into his arms and burrow his face into. Stress relief. He needed it after suffocating under Ivan’s imposing stare. 

The cat nuzzled against his face, eyes slowly blinking. Cute, but was that the smell of earth lingering on his fur?

“Vanya, you know Siberians are an expensive breed. Vodka shouldn’t be allowed outside.” Or any cat for that matter, but he wanted to thank the heavens for the excuse they handed him. Anything to dissuade that purveying tension in the room.  

Ivan licked his dry lips, voice level. “I tried, but he is a stray. He does not like it inside very much.” His eyes fixed on the glass of water beside his bed. There was a moment of hesitance as he held it in his hands, and then he downed it.

Oh, but he was so affectionate? “You think he was abandoned?” On second thought, it was for the best he could go out and hunt his own food. With how often Ivan spent away from home, surely the cat would have starved to death. If Hero wasn’t an asshole out to kill any other cat besides Maple, he’d have offered to take him off Ivan’s hands. 

“Perhaps…” His index finger drummed against the empty glass. “How about I get you a new drink while you play. Then I can drop you off home.”

That sounded like a good plan, Alfred was almost at his limit anyway. Ivan must have sensed it. With a nod, Ivan monotonously left the room, probably still hung over Alfred admitting he was struggling to return his feelings. 

If they even were feelings of love, to be fair. He still had no clue why Ivan was so attached to him. Not a single hint. A single act of kindness done in a bathroom didn’t justify someone taking down the mafia or sacrificing their life over and over. There was more to this than that, and for some reason his eyes fixed back to the blood-stained letters. Help. Was it all somehow connected?

Another sudden shiver struck him. This room was haunted and he needed to leave. 

Unable to sate his curiosity, Alfred peeked his head into the two bedrooms. Same as before, untouched in months at the very least, once inhabited by one of Ivan’s sisters and what could only be Tolys…

Soon Arthur would discover the identities of the three bodies. Soon he would know the truth…but soon couldn’t come soon enough. 

As he sat on the couch, Vodka nestling into his lap, he found himself mulling over the situation further. What if the bodies were Tolys and his sister? What of the third? And then what? What was he expected to do after? Did he scream at Ivan for lying to him? Did he hear him out and see if they had punished him into a bloody mess and got what they deserved? Maybe Ivan didn’t even kill them, maybe the lab he got his powers from hunted them down and he was the lone survivor? Honestly, what the hell wouldn’t he believe anymore? Anything was possible. Anything. Reality and imagination were blurred together on a splotchy canvas, with no distinction between up and down or right and wrong. That was something he learned quickly that day he snapped his teacher’s phone in half. There was only one certainty he could be sure of, and that was the distinction between life and death.

It all felt so daunting, so hopeless, but he couldn’t afford to think like that. Not if he wanted to make it to the end. 

Ivan held a glass of a carbonated drink in front of his face. Finally, a distraction before he thought himself to death, but he frowned a bit as he grasped the cup. Room temperature, but that was to be expected with the lack of electricity. Honestly, how could Ivan stand it here? No wonder he spent all his time over at his house. 

The sip he took was sweet. Pepsi? Well, soda was soda and he wouldn’t complain, though a ginger ale would be best for his stomach. Regardless, he drank past the halfway point then set it on a nearby coaster.

He hadn’t realized violet eyes had been watching him the whole time, not until the older teen took the seat beside him with an unwavering gaze that made him feel self-conscious. Had he missed something? A free hand scratched his neck while his other continued to stroke soft fur. He glanced back, those eyes were still on him. It was a little too intense for his liking. 

“I’m sorry,” he said at last. “I didn’t know the trip was to distract us. I wasn’t plotting behind your back or anything, but I went with it because I saw a chance to get to know you better. I want to.” Genuinely, he did. 

That softened Ivan’s stare, but it still held a solemn finality to it. “I’m sorry too.”

Glad that was settled then. Alfred rested his head against the cushioning and took in the popcorn ceiling. God, he always hated those, wanted to talk to their inventor and give them an earful. A bitter chuckle escaped him. It was likely exhaustion that was making him grumpy, both physically and mentally. He was drained after today, glad it was almost over. 

Maybe he’d close his eyes for a minute. Maybe two. Or more. Whatever it took to make his brain stop thinking.

After five minutes, Alfred’s breath evolved into deeper, slower exhales. Ivan rested his elbow on the sofa’s back, cheek resting on his knuckles as he marveled over the other’s serene expression as he slept. So beautiful, no— perfect. His other arm reached out, thumb caressing a soft, warm cheek, then down, tracing his cupid’s bow as a smile finally eased in. 

He’d do whatever it took to preserve that face. Even if it meant Alfred would hate him, if it meant the world would be against them, Ivan would bear the scars of their sins if it meant seeing their Happy End. 

It was the only purpose he had left, and he’d be damned if he let anyone take that from him too.

Notes:

So yeah, transition chapter. Anime/Manga watchers will know what’s up next. You can’t control a yandere when they are convinced their way is best 🙂 I think I'm gonna bump up the rating just to be safe.

Like the fact I was able to force the title of the story within the chapter? Ba-dum, roll credits. We're done here. I tried lol.

Fun Fact: I made the Jones-Williams house in Sims so I could visualize things better when making scenes. That was years ago though. I wanna make Ivan’s place too sometime.

Your second fun fact: it’s canon America loves musicals. So do I, bud, and a certain one may have influenced my decision to go all in with the theme from the intro. Ruthlessness is mercy upon ourselves, amiright? That's your second hint.

Series this work belongs to:

• Part 1 of A God's Memoir