Chapter 31: The End

Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia

Hey guys, it's been a great and wonderful experience with all of you. You guys are all amazing for reading this far, and I can't stress how grateful I am to you guys for giving my story 150k+ words of your brain space. Read on!

The years passed by in relative peace. Ivan and Matthew would never get tired of waking up right next to each other every morning, Ivan would never tire of Matthew's pancakes, and Matthew was constantly amazed by how romantic Ivan actually was. They sometimes spent the evenings in silence, either working or were too tired to talk. Other days were filled with amusing chatter or mischievous pranks.

When Ivan worked the nightshifts, Matthew sometimes brought him hot chocolate before leaving him to do his work or occasionally provide him some company. Ivan immensely enjoyed surprising Matthew during his lectures. It was like he became a little child in his presence, always trying to cause mischief in some way shape or form. One time he had rigged Matthew's brewing stand to turn into a bookshelf. Matthew had not been impressed.

Once or twice a year they would visit Myrle to say hello to Alfred and the family, but Ivan observed that Matthew became increasingly distant to his father every time they went.

He decided to bring the up the issue during a stroll in the mountains, and Matthew contemplated his question for a few days before he finally confessed to Ivan once they were back at Fenris' palace.

"…Well, I'm not sure what I feel. Before, I thought I had done something bad. That I had done something to warrant how my father's treatment. All those years I always thought that I had somehow deserved it… but now I know that's not true. I know that I didn't deserve any of it, and it just makes me feel like my life has been a lie. Father has become really nice to me, always apologizing- but it only makes me sadder, and angrier.

"Why were my childhood years filled with fear and sadness? I ask myself that every time I see him… and I cannot come up with an answer."

Ivan didn't know how to respond and opted to offer his silent support. Other than a few quarrels and short bouts of anxiety from both of them, their lives were relatively peaceful. That was, however, before Matthew turned 24.

Ivan walked back from Fenris' room and cracked his neck. The meeting had gone on for quite a while. His boots lightly clicked against the stone floor and he made a few turns until he arrived outside of Matthew's classroom. Matthew had left the meeting early, saying that he had forgotten about a few potions in his classroom, and hadn't returned since.

It was only right, Ivan believed, to distract him in some way shape or form. He lifted his hand to knock on Matthew's door but stopped when he saw it was already open. Ivan raised an eyebrow, that was odd- Matthew was very particular about his privacy. He slowly opened the door and poked his head inside. Ivan scanned the scattered papers along the floor and then proceeded to scan the large room for any sign of Matthew.

His eyes eventually spotted a familiar tuft of blond hair and froze. His mouth went dry and he didn't dare to move. "M-Matvey?" He stammered.

Matthew's fearful blue eyes met Ivan's and shook his head. His back was against the wall. He held his sword up against his throat and muttered a few things under his breath.

"Matvey, what is wrong?" Ivan cautiously called out. Worry seeped into his words and he gently closed the door behind him. Matthew shook his head again, and Ivan held his breath every time. One wrong move and his neck would be cut in half.

"D-don't come any closer I-Ivan." Although Matthew's body trembled, his sword hand remained steady. Ivan reluctantly obeyed and asked him what was wrong. His question was quickly answered when Matthew's raw magic briefly flared up before dying down.

"I-I can't control it anymore Ivan. I can't even remember my name half the time. W-What Ursa said was right, w-when I try to remember, w-when I try to think I-I lose control of my magic. A-At the meeting I-I f-felt like I w-wanted to k-kill King Fenris. I-I wanted to kill Alfred s-so I could become king- I don't know what half of my thoughts are. Ivan, I don't even know what I am anymore." Matthew shuddered as he tried to rein his magic back into control.

Ivan discretely called for help via telepathy, and pleaded with Matthew. "It is okay, I will control your magic." Ivan assured him. Matthew bit his lip and brought the blade ever so closer. "Y-You can't. A-At this rate I-I'll just k-kill everyone. I-I…" Tears streamed down his face. "I-I almost k-killed Toris, I-If I hadn't escaped into t-this room."

Ivan continued to stall, because he could see that Matthew was very determined to end it all.

"You are not a danger to anyone but me. Because if you die Matvey, you will kill my heart." Ivan truthfully told him. He developed a cold sweat, but quietly sighed in relief when Matthew's resolve seemed to waver.

Just then, Fenris, Kumajiro, Nina, Toris, the children, and the rest of the court magicians came charging into the room. The guards who followed tried to restrain Matthew, but he had always been so much stronger than them. He deflected them with his magic circles, and Ivan stopped them from casting anymore magic. While he could probably win against Matthew in a fight, he wasn't sure if he could win, and not have a casualty in the process.

"Matthew, put the blade down. I'm sure I can figure something out." Nina shakily called over.

The tension in the room could be cut with a knife. "Matthew, you cannot kill yourself." Fenris said plainly. "No, no, no, no, Matvey!" Katyusha screamed in her accented English. She tried to get closer to Matthew, but was promptly stopped by Ivan. "No little one, stay behind. Let the adults handle this, da?" Ivan quietly said before turning her over to Hore.

"Matthew, you must think rationally." Toris tried to reason.

Matthew shook his head and a drop of blood ran down his neck. "I can't think Toris. I'm a ticking time bomb."

"Have more trust in yourself Matthew." Nina called out.

Matthew's face went blank for a second and his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. It was brief, but everyone could tell. He had forgotten who he was. It was only for a second, but that seemed to be enough for Matthew. He panicked and was about to end it, when he felt Kumajiro paw at his leg. The entire room froze, and the bear determinedly looked up at him. "Who?" He asked.

Matthew frowned, "I'm Matthew." He automatically replied. Kumajiro nodded and clambered up into his arms. Matthew immediately pulled the sword away from his neck so he wouldn't hurt the sweet bear and it firmly situated itself in between Matthew's arms. He licked at the small cut on his neck and grumbled with a mixture of worry and satisfaction.

"Da, you are Matthew."

Realization dawned on the Myrlian's face and his sword fell with an empty 'klang'. The entire room sighed with relief. Nina swiftly took away the sword and Ivan immediately went in and hugged a crying Matthew. Kumajiro dropped from his arms, but remained firmly attached onto his leg.

"Shhh, Matvey, oh Matvey." Ivan mumbled as he tightened his hug.

"I-Ivan, I-I.." He hiccupped. The Russian shook his head, "It is fine Matvey. We will win." Ivan firmly told him. "I have never lost a battle." He said, more to himself than Matthew.

Since then, Kumajiro was inseparable from Matthew. Even when they would sleep, the bear wouldn't be far. Every morning he greeted Matthew with a lick and sometimes, when Ivan permitted it, he would sleep between them. As it turned out, because Kumajiro was of ancient blood- he could more or less regulate Matthew's magic whenever he had physical contact or was in close proximity.

Matthew had become accustomed to carrying the bear wherever he went, and Ivan used whatever free time he had to try and find a way to help his condition. The court gave Matthew more leniency with attendance to the meetings and simply assigned him more paperwork.

Ivan, Nina, and Toris banded together to try and find a way to save Matthew from his eventual fate- but days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months. Half a year later, they were no closer than from when they started.

Ivan returned from the library into his room in the barracks and heavily sat down in his wooden chair. He rested his elbows on his desk and covered his face. While Kumajiro was slowing down the effects of Matthew's 'disease', it didn't change the fact that it was still progressing. He groaned and leaned back in his chair to stretch his back. He had to collect himself before he went to see Matthew.

There was a soft knock on the door. "Come in." Called Ivan as he cleaned his desk. The door gave a quiet 'click' and Matthew surprised Ivan with some pancakes. "Hey Ivan." His soft voice startled the Russian, who immediately smiled.

"Ah, Matvey. Thank you." He accepted the plate and pulled up a chair for Matthew. Kumajiro snuggled into Matthew's chest as soon as he sat down. "Who?" He mumbled into his chest. Ivan's smile faltered and Matthew just sighed, "I'm Matthew. The guy who feeds you?"

Every time Kumajiro asked that question, it meant that Matthew's mind was deteriorating, and he had been asking that question a lot more frequently lately.

"…I'm really sorry Ivan." Matthew apologized. He knew as well as anyone that the General had been taking the news particularly hard- even worse than Alfred.

Ivan chuckled and ruffled his hair, "You have nothing to worry about." He assured him. Matthew slightly frowned at his response, but didn't say anything at the moment. Ivan continued to make light conversation with Matthew until the other couldn't stand it anymore.

"I'm not a child Ivan. Don't hide it from me, Toris told me. At this rate I only have a few months left right?" Matthew stated. Ivan jumped and he dropped his smile. "…That is if we don't find a way to prevent it." He firmly stated.

Matthew rolled his eyes, "Ivan, don't hide from me. Because when you hide from me you grow distant. We may or may not find a cure. Either way, I still love you. And I want to spend more time with you, because in all honesty- I don't think it's preventable." Matthew's calmness bothered Ivan, and he put away his now empty plate onto the table.

"You don't know that." Ivan quietly challenged. Matthew shook his head and absently pet Kumajiro's back. "Oui, I don't know that. But I feel it, and I think it."

Ivan wasn't in the mood for philosophical answers and angrily stood from his chair and began to pace. "There must be something. Even if I must travel to the ends of this Earth, I shall find a way to stop the deterioration." He mumbled more to himself than anyone. Fear began to pile up in his chest, and Matthew stepped in. He gently brushed his fingers against Ivan's face and hugged him with Kumajiro clinging to his leg.

"No, Ivan. I don't want you to travel to the ends of the Earth. I want you here."

Ivan sharply inhaled at his response and closed his eyes. "…I can't lose you Matvey. I do not handle loss very well." Ivan firmly returned the hug. Matthew rubbed the side of his arm in a soothing motion and dryly laughed. "Me neither."

That night, for the first time in three months, the two went on a long walk through the gardens. Ivan relaxed as they walked through the familiar snow covered sidewalks and chucked a small snowball at Matthew's head.

The Myrlian ducked just in time and returned his kind gesture with three more. Ivan laughed as the snow harmlessly broke against his jacket and made a few more. He wouldn't stop looking for a way to prolong Matthew's mind, but perhaps he would try to just appreciate the time he had with him right now.

A month passed, two months passed, and Matthew became bedridden. He was constantly confined to his bed and was moved into a separate room. Nina worriedly dabbed his forehead with a damp cloth and shook her head to Ivan. "He's been fighting hard. I'm amazed he can still talk. Kumajiro says he won't last if he keeps trying to fight his magic."

Ivan balled his fists and was comforted by Toris. "We're doing everything we can. But as a friend I have to tell you, I don't know if he'll live for another month."

Ivan sharply inhaled and headed out the door. His anxious steps were a constant presence in the halls. He skipped lunch, and dinner, and sleep, and breakfast the next day. The only way they could get him to calm down was to announce that Matthew had woken up. The Russian was immediately at his side. Matthew smiled when Ivan gently grasped his hand.

"Y-You need to take better care of yourself. E-Everyone was so worried they s-said I had to knock some sense into you." He joked. Ivan gripped his hand even tighter, "How can you think of me? Think about yourself first." He lightly scolded the bedridden man.

Matthew weakly shrugged, "I-It does me no use… How's Freida?" Matthew changed the subject. Ivan couldn't help but laugh, "Freida? She looks like she's about to pop. The doctor said she was due for triplets anytime now." Matthew's eyes widened, "W-What? What in the world did H-Horace do to her?" Ivan chuckled and kissed the top of his head. "That is a secret da?"

Matthew looked out the window of the room and sighed, "I'm a bit tired…" He mumbled.

Ivan smiled, "I will be right here." He assured. Matthew yawned and his breathing quickly evened out. Ivan contented himself with just watching him before his own eyelids became heavy, and rested his head on the bed. He quickly fell asleep, but he never let go of Matthew's hand.

A few minutes later, Matthew peeked at Ivan through a single eye and softly chuckled. He took his free hand and pet Ivan's soft hair. "Ivan…" He sighed. The man stirred a little, but didn't wake. Kumajiro clambered onto his stomach and snuggled into his neck, "Who?" He whispered.

Matthew smiled, "I'm…" His heart stopped in his throat and Kumajiro's head snapped up. "Who?" He demanded a bit more forcibly.

Matthew's mouth went dry and his gaze was drawn to the necklace around his neck. "…Matthew?" He said a bit uncertainly. Kumajiro went up and lightly bit his ear. "Who?" He asked again.

"Matthew…Williams." He said and looked up at the ceiling. Kumajiro continued to ask him until he fell asleep. The Myrlian kissed the bear on the top of its head and sighed, "I'm Matthew Williams… right?"

Little did he know, Ivan had listened to the entire exchange. Of course the Russian waited until he was asleep before he left. His heart was heavy and he couldn't bear to keep still . Ivan wracked his brain. What could he do? Was there anything he could do?

And then, his mind thought about Ursa. He frowned and sat at a table in the library. Ursa… what was it about her? He had been thinking about her a lot lately. Surely she knew how to stop the disease? But how could he contact her?

There was something about her… something he had seen when they were in that cave all those years ago. A light bulb went on in his head and he marched back to Matthew's room the next day. He managed to convince Matthew to transfer his contract with Darius over to him, and summoned him once he was alone.

The griffon was surprised to see Ivan, "Ivan? Where is Mathus?" He curiously inquired. Ivan shook his head, "He is terribly ill. Time is of the essence, I believe Toris once spoke of a Jjord-class familiar da?"

Darius frowned slightly, "Sura? Yeah, Matthew contracted her. The dragon right?"

Ivan paused, "…Perhaps. Could you relay a message from me to her?"

Darius immediately agreed, on the condition he could see Matthew before he left. Ivan told him to tell Sura the following, "It is I, Ivan Braginsky. I must ask if you know how to halt Matthew's… disease. If you are who I think you are, then you must know something. I am willing to do anything, please respond."

Darius' feathers ruffled when he saw the bedridden Matthew and curtly nodded, "I will reply with haste… take care." The griffon disappeared in a flash of light, and Ivan was left to await the answer.

Darius returned a few days later with a distracted look in his eye, "Sura said to wait. That everything will be okay in due time." He muttered. Ivan wanted to yell at him, and tell the damn griffon that Matthew would most certainly die if they did nothing, but bit his tongue. "Thank you…"

Darius nodded, but paused before he left, "Ivan…everything will be alright." He assured him. But Ivan knew he was just as uncertain as he was, but accepted the well wishes.

As soon as Alfred got wind of Matthew's deteriorating condition, he decided to take residence the palace until his brother got better. Ivan permitted his presence only because he seemed to lighten Matthew's mood, and provided relief to the gloomy atmosphere that had taken over the palace.

"…Hey Mattie, check out who's come to visit you." Alfred intruded on Ivan's alone time with his brother. The said Russian had become used to the daily interruptions and reluctantly allowed Alfred to run up to Matthew.

The Myrlian smiled and raised an eyebrow. "…Okay guys, come in."

The room burst into life as three baby calves came barreling into the room. Matthew's eyes went wide with disbelief as Freida and Horace somehow managed to squeeze themselves into the crowded room.

Much to Kumajiro's distress, the three reindeer clambered onto the bed with youthful vigor. There was a pinto colored reindeer, one black, and one white and they all affectionately competed for Matthew's attention. Matthew settled on equally distributing his pats andlaughed when they licked his chin, face, and hands.

"M-Maaaattttiiieeeee." The pinto colored one drawled. Matthew's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Maaaaathewwwww?" The black one said questioningly. The white one seemed to roll her eyes, "Maaaaaaatvvveyyyy." It seemed to correct them. Freida proudly looked on at her children and waggled her eyebrows.

Pretty darn cute aren't they? You're an uncle now.

Matthew snorted, "H-Heavy." He grunted and shifted the calves around on the bed.

Ivan watched with a smile as Matthew fawned over the babies like a grandma and crossed his arms. It was certainly a sight to see.

However, when everything seemed okay, the world went black.

Ivan jumped and immediately went on guard when he was suddenly alone in the dark. Where was he? Soon, the darkness was lifted, and he was face to face with the largest Earth dragon he'd ever seen in his life. Its golden eyes seemed to bear into his soul, and Ivan was the first to look away. It was almost like they were floating in the sky, except that they were on a solid surface.

"Sura?" Ivan tensely asked. The dragon rolled its large eyes and rested its giant head on the floor. "Wrong. Xana." Her deep, but slightly feminine voice rumbled.

A soft breeze passed between them and Ivan scoffed in realization. "And all men shall appear before their gods." He humorlessly recited the prophecy.

Xana hummed, "Yes, I see you have a remarkably good memory." She commented.

Ivan, however, wasn't in the mood for compliments, "And Matvey? Is he not a follower of your religion as well?" He challenged, obviously doubtful of her identity.

The god shrugged, "There is more than one god in our religion. We have come to greet you mentally, not physically. As such, all of the gods- even the ones outside of the religion that was formed around us- have multiplied themselves to talk to their followers. As for the atheists… well, they are being handled by one of the lesser known gods."

Ivan crossed his arms, "And? What is it that you so urgently have to tell me?" He sharply asked.

Xana clicked her tongue, "Well, it is a proposition being made exclusively to the royal families seeing as your magics are unique." The dragon made herself comfortable and motioned for him to sit on the ground. Ivan did so reluctantly and the dragon explained herself.

"As you know, there are multiple planes in this universe. Each plane contains less magic than the one before it. There exists a fifth plane, which is nearly devoid of it. On that plane, man has hunted all of the creatures that are able to wield magic to extinction, and magic has become nothing more than a myth. Interestingly enough, they possess a unique magic that cannot be replicated anywhere else." The dragon let out a small puff of fire.

"This magic is not very powerful by itself, but as humans usually do, they generate unimaginable amounts of it when they are together. When they are united by a common thought, the things associated with that notion gain their magic, for instance nationality, social identity, and religion are big ones.

"In a plane devoid of magic, it is nearly impossible to send beings that contain so much magic to such a place. However, if I attach the magician as a part of their nation, they will be able to sustain themselves by feeding off their combined magic until their bodies have grown used to the world." Xana explained. Ivan was well versed in his studies and knew what she was saying was possible.

"…But why tell me this? Because if you are asking what I think you are asking, then I must decline." Ivan stated.

Xana rolled her eyes and licked her lips, "No… It is not far from the truth. I am simply asking for you to give me a part of your soul."

Ivan humorlessly laughed, "Is that all?" He asked sarcastically. The dragon flitted her wings and unhappily growled. "Yes, that's all. I can reward you handsomely for it."

Ivan waved her off, "I am not interested in money." He blandly responded.

"It doesn't have to be money." The dragon countered, "It could be anything, power, spells, anything." She stressed the last word.

Ivan showed some interest and hesitated, "…Is the capacity to withstand the flow of ancient magic possible?" He slowly asked. The dragon seemed alarmed at his question, "…Of course, however ancient magic is very powerful, and very destructive. I would not recommend, nor ever want to bestow such power onto a human." Disapproval oozed from her words.

"…I do not want it, I wish it for my partner."

Ivan then explained Matthew's situation to a very interested Xana. By the end of it, the dragon merely shook her head. "It is possible, however it is not easy. In order for him to have the capacity for our magic, it would require a second body. In other words, he would need a sacrificial lamb to regulate the excess magic. This would only work with those who share his bloodline."

Ivan paused and absently looked at his ring. "But it is possible?" He wanted to confirm. The dragon nodded and Ivan heaved a long, and tired sigh.

"Da, Da, I understand… Is there anything else that is possible?" He tried. The dragon shook her head no and the Russian looked up into the serene sky. "Ah, what will you do with my soul?" He asked. If he was going to give up a part of himself, he might as well know what it was going to be used for.

The dragon frowned, "I am not taking all of it- just a mere tenth of it. With that, I can implant it into the world. As the amount of magic that nourishes the new creature increases, the more mature it can become…" Xana trailed off.

Ivan raised an eyebrow, "And what of the creature that stems from my soul? What will become of it?" He curiously asked.

"…It's a tricky magic. Your best and worst characteristics are amplified in its being until it can provide for it's own magic- which would be when it reaches around your age in maturity. However if their flow of magic is abruptly cut off before then… it won't survive. "

Ivan kicked the ground with his boot and buried his face in his scarf. "I see… has Matvey agreed?"

Xana paused as if she was talking to someone and nodded, "Yes, he has."

That was all Ivan had to hear and he agreed, the payment being Matthew's life- and he would offer up his own to save him. The dragon extended a claw to Ivan and gently tapped him on the chest with it. A purple orb gradually manifested itself in front of her claw, and she pulled it out with a great smile on her face.

"…Are you sure you wish to do this?" Xana asked as she ate the orb. Ivan shrugged and felt a sudden calm come over him. "I love Matvey with my entire being. I love him, and I wish for him to live a very long time. Unlike me, he is a very likable person. I have no doubt that he will find a better partner."

Ivan's words seemed to disturb Xana, but she didn't question him any further. She held her massive hand up, poised to start writing a spell, but abruptly stopped. Again, it seemed like someone was talking to her. The dragon sharply inhaled and lowered her claw. "…Choose something else."

Ivan jumped before sporting an annoyed frown. "…No, I told you what I want."

The dragon glared down at the human before her, "Your sacrifice is no longer needed. Someone else has fulfilled the requirement. Pick something else." She snapped.

Ivan was put off by her sudden change in personality, and couldn't think of anything. "…I would like it if the other Matvey who is created in the other plane is not alone when he first wakes up." He finally decided. He couldn't imagine a tiny Matthew wandering all alone.

Xana seemed surprised, and contemplated his request. "Is that all you want?" She asked, granting him a second wish.

"…I wish that Matvey has a long and healthy life."

Xana's eyes softened and she scribbled a few golden runes in the air. "I will do more than just that. You know, Matthew wished for the same thing. For you to have a long and healthy life as well. I think you two will wonderful lives together."

Ivan's eyes widened, and just as he was beginning to disappear, he asked her a question. "…Why do you wish to send such powerful magicians to this world? What do you have to gain?"

Xana chuckled, "It is because I pity them, and I have faith. These humans are different from you creatures here in the first plane. They cannot peacefully live under monarchies like you, and they are much more treacherous and deceitful than any other beings I've come into contact with. They discriminate against each other for the silliest things, and go to wars over such trivial matters.

"However, they also have an equal, if not greater capacity for love and acceptance. They are kind to each other, and kind to creatures they have little understanding of. I wish to save them from themselves, for I find them such endearing creatures." Ivan disappeared a second or two after she finished her speech.

The dragon paused for a minute or two and rolled her massive shoulders. Xana turned around to confront Gregory on the other side. "I will accept your wish to be a sacrifice for Matthew. However are you sure you wish to do this? If you think this atones for all you have done, then that is up for much debate." Xana tried to confirm it with the king. Gregory took off his crown and inspected it.

"It will not atone for my sins, and I never expect it to. I am simply doing what any father would do for his son. I have lived a long life, and I only wish that my sons will be able to do the same. They were fortunately blessed with their mother's intelligence so I have no worries." Gregory tossed the ornament aside and expectantly waited.

The dragon cast a spell and Gregory dissolved into little orbs of light before disappearing into the air.

"...I still don't like him." Ursa appeared behind Xana. The large dragon glanced back at the polar bear and shrugged, "I don't either." She agreed. The bear padded over to her friend, "And? What are you going to do to Matthew and Ivan?" Ursa asked, although she already knew the answer.

Xana spread her majestic wings and grinned, "I will let them have very long, and reasonably healthy lives." She let out a deafening roar and took to the sky. Her work was done.

Ivan awoke with a start, and he bolted up from his bed. His head painfully pounded like he had a hangover and he blearily tried to take in his surroundings. He seemed to be in the infirmary… and he was sure that was Alfred in the bed next over to him.

The prince stirred as well and painfully massaged his temples. Ivan looked over at Alfred, who looked at him- and their suspicions were confirmed. It hadn't been a dream.

"…What did you wish for?" Alfred asked as he swung his legs off the bed. Ivan shrugged, "If I repeat it, the wish might not come true." He said obscurely. Ivan cracked his back and looked around for a familiar face.

The second a nurse spotted them, she immediately called all of the healers. Ivan had never felt so violated in his life. Nina checked them from head to toe to make sure they were okay. When Alfred asked what happened, she could only shake her head in wonder.

"We were hoping you could shed some light. We found all of you unconscious on Matthew's floor, Freida had to come and get us. All of the monarchs have fallen into similar states, you two are the first to wake up."

Alfred and Ivan exchanged glances before shrugging, "I don't know what happened… I just felt sleepy and then I woke up." Alfred easily lied. Ivan nodded in silent agreement and Nina sighed.

She scratched her head, obviously bothered by it. "Well, I suppose this is the best case scenario. Since you two have woken up, I can only hope the others will wake up as well." Nina reasoned as she reluctantly discharged them. A servant pulled Alfred away when they exited the infirmary, and Ivan was left to his own devices. Naturally, the first place he wanted to visit was Matthew's room.

Ivan tried to withhold his anxiety as he neared the room. He was worried that the eccentric god wouldn't keep her promise. That she had been lying this whole time. He didn't know what he would do if such a thing happened.

On his way there, Kumajiro stopped them. The bear greeted him and padded over to Ivan. He clawed his pants, "You should go to the gardens." He cutely suggested. Ivan raised an eyebrow and brushed him off, "Nyet, I first must see Matvey." He tried to sidestep the bear, who seemed determined to keep him out. "Go to the gardens." It was no longer a suggestion- it was a command.

Ivan quickly became annoyed and tried to physically move the bear, "Don't you have something better to do? Like-" Ivan abruptly stopped mid-sentence. Kumajiro should be with Matthew, and yet Matthew was nowhere in sight. As if reading his thoughts, the bear innocently shrugged and walked away. "I think you should go to the gardens." The bear suggested a bit smugly before trotting away into the crowded halls.

It took a while for Ivan to process what the bear had said, but when he finally understood the implications of the bear's words, he took off for the nearest exit. Ivan weaved through the crowd and sprinted into the frigid cold. The snow stung against his cheeks and he vaulted over a low stone wall which separated the common area from the gardens. He ran faster, and faster, until he reached the end.

Ivan panted and looked around. He searched every bench, walked on every pathway, but he was only met with silence.

Fear and anger bubbled in his heart, he immediately thought that the bear had mislead him, but in his moment of doubt- he was proved wrong.

"Bam, you're dead." An all to familiar voice spoke. Ivan froze when he felt something poke him from behind and whipped around to see a grinning Matthew. Relief washed over him like a tsunami and he swept Matthew off of his feet and tossed him into the air.

"I-Ivan!" Matthew squeaked when the man caught him again. The Russian laughed, he was too relieved to even speak and kissed him on the forehead. "Thank Xana you are alive… I thought Nina said Alfred and I were the first to wake up?" Ivan placed him back onto the ground, but didn't dare let his go of his hand.

The two walked down the snowy sidewalk with light hearts and broad smiles. "…Well I'm not sure they would count me. Since I did tend to drift in and out of sleep after all." Matthew pointed out. His answer seemed to satisfy Ivan, who kissed his hand.

"When did you wake up?" Ivan asked distractedly as he wound his scarf around Matthew's bare neck. "…A day ago. I asked Nina to keep it a secret, I wanted to surprise you... and to thank you."

Matthew let go of Ivan's hand to rifle through his cloak and grinned when he found what he was looking for. He shyly took out a saber from the depths of his clothes and presented it to an impressed Ivan. The scabbard and blade were pure white. The hilt was decorated in black and white wood and the guard was a light gold.

"…I thought you needed a new one. I had one ordered for a while, it was pure luck that it arrived today. Thank you Ivan, for seeing me through." Matthew's near silent voice easily carried in the silence of winter.

Ivan accepted the gift and strapped it to his hip before he went in to hug him.

"Matvey, words of thanks are not needed. They will never be needed." Ivan whispered in his ear. Matthew tilted his head so their lips met. Ivan happily returned his kiss and slowly pushed Matthew back until he was up against a tree. "I-Ivan, l-let's go somewhere else." Matthew gasped for breath. Ivan kissed his cheek and carried him bridal style. "Da, let us go."

The palace rejoiced at the return of Matthew's health. They were more than happy to let the two lovers spend some time together after months of hardship, and Ivan never let Matthew out of his sight.

Four days later, Gregory died from a stroke. Of course Matthew and Ivan travelled to Myrle for the funeral, and of course Matthew and Alfred cried. But it was strange. Matthew woke up the next day, completely normal. After the initial bout of sadness, he didn't feel anything. He was extremely bothered by how easily he accepted his father's death.

"…I don't think it's normal, to not miss him." Matthew confessed to Ivan during Alfred's coronation. The crowd cheered and applauded as their new king accepted the crown from his mother and raised his scepter into the air.

Ivan responded with a shrug, "He was not a kind father. I do not blame you." He tried to justify Matthew's feelings for him.

Matthew kicked a small rock of ice and wrinkled his nose, "I suppose…" He muttered, still unconvinced.

Years later, everyone began to grow old, everyone except for those born into the royal bloodline.

They noticed it when Eliza passed away, all wrinkled and old, but they remained youthful. "What's happening? Why aren't we aging?" Matthew worriedly asked Alfred and Ivan. The three held an emergency meeting in Alfred's chambers. The young king paced. "Well I guess it's normal for all the other monarchs, but we're humans. Shouldn't we be in wheelchairs by now? Complaining about our joints or something?"

Ivan rolled his eyes, "45 years is not that bad. Your mother was very much in good health for 72 years." Really, the king was doing all of the healthy forty-some year olds an injustice.

Alfred rolled his eyes, "Whatever. Anyway, this is so weird. What the hell did we eat?"

The three debated for a while until Ivan realized what it was. "We are such fools." Ivan shook his head, gaining the attention of his two friends. "What?" Alfred asked, slightly offended.

The Russian twirled a pencil in his hand and laughed, "Our wishes. The wish Xana offered us as payment. Matvey, do you remember your wish?"

Matthew nodded, "For you to have a long and healthy life." He mumbled under his breath. A small blush came across his face when Ivan said that he wished the same thing for him. Alfred reluctantly admitted that he wished the same thing for Arthur, and after some prodding and a healthy dose of harassment, the Englishman admitted that he had wished the same thing for Alfred.

"That is why. Xana is fulfilling her part of the bargain. As for how long 'long' is, that will have to be tested." Ivan explained. Alfred ran a hand through his hair and crookedly smiled. "That god is pretty literal." He said in bewilderment.

With that matter settled, Matthew and Ivan felt obliged to tell Fenris of their increased longevity. At this, the king rejoiced and forced the entire court into an emergency meeting.

He proudly declared that Ivan and Matthew would replace him from the throne in two months. Matthew couldn't believe the nonsense his king was sprouting and immediately declined along with Ivan. Fenris would not be convinced otherwise, and when asked his reason behind it, the king merely replied:

"I do not trust this kingdom to a lineage. While it does make things simpler, I do not believe in the 'right' to rule. If I would have to choose an heir, it would be out of complete trust, and assurance that they would remain in power for a long time. These two have fulfilled those requirements, and I am ready to retire.

"I have been at this position for far too long, and I would rather spend the rest of my days playing with children than sitting here and talk about how many cows we eat in a month. I will not be dead, you may continue to come to me with questions, but the sovereigns of this kingdom will be Matthew and Ivan. Unlike me, they have the advantage of having each other. And as long as they continue to love and respect each other, they will have a very long and successful rule."

Of course his words alone weren't enough to convince the court and he fought every single one of his advisors until they finally relented three years later.

~Many Years Later~

"…They are the most incompetent generals I have ever seen! They refuse to listen to me, they insist that their tactics are better when they're obviously inferior in every single way. I think I should fire them all." Ivan growled.

He and Matthew sat at the large desk in the center of their room, and after many years of ruling- Ivan's temper was growing short with royal politics. Matthew sighed and rolled his pencil on the desk.

"Calm down Ivan. For now this is fine, believe it or not they are actually very good tacticians… dedicate your brain power to other things, like how to increase the crop yield."

Ivan groaned and tossed his stack of papers across the table. "I am done. I do not know how King Fenris managed to do all of this by himself." He growled, throwing one of his many fits.

Matthew laughed and threw a crumpled piece of paper at his head. "So take a break. But I can't do this all by myself." He gestured to the hundreds of papers that were strewn across the wooden table. Ivan stood from his chair and brought Matthew into a hug. "I think our time would be more productive in bed." He muttered.

Matthew sighed and kissed his jawline. "As long as you bring something to write on, I would happily agree."

Ivan let out an indignant huff and plopped back down into his chair. "…But I think this is the last of the paperwork. After this we'll be free for the next few days." Matthew tried to motivate Ivan.

When the Russian merely slammed his head into the table, Matthew rolled his eyes. It was obviously going to take more than that. "After we finish work, let's go and visit King Fenris and Kumajiro."

Ivan glanced up at him with a purple eye and dramatically sighed before he picked up his pen and tiredly scribbled a few figures and his name on a piece of parchment. After a few hours of work, they were finally done. Ivan eagerly led Matthew out of their room and dropped by Fenris' room. As usual, the place was lively with overexcited pups and an equally as playful Fenris.

The large wolf seemed to youthful, play bowing at the pups and chasing them around his room. Anyone would smile at such a scene, "Hello King Fenris." Matthew called the wolf over. Fenris turned to face them, and in his moment of weakness, was completely overwhelmed by eager pups. The small wolves nibbled on his ears and legs and squealed in delight when Fenris cast a small wind spell so they were levitating off the ground.

"Ah, hello little kings. How fares the state of this kingdom?" Fenris asked as he batted the floating pups with his tail. This earned an unhappy whine from Ivan and a tired sigh from Matthew. "We came here to play, not to work." Ivan complained.

The pups giggled at his childish behavior, "Not very king like behavior." Katyusha sang as she landed right in front of them. Ivan rolled his eyes, "Do not be a brat." He said affectionately.

The female winged wolf stuck her tongue out, her exquisite blue eyes brightened and she licked them on the chin. "You have grown well. I believe you joined the Wingers last week?" Matthew complimented. The female wolf was a looker, she was the princess of the palace, as many of the servants called her. The wolf proudly fluffed her wings and toothily grinned, "Da, soon I will become their general!"

Ivan laughed, "Ambitious. I look forward to it." Ivan pat the top of her head. Matthew grunted when something white barreled into his stomach. He took a few steps back to steady himself, "Who?" Kumajiro happily greeted.

Matthew laughed and picked the bear up, "Matthew silly. How are you?" The Myrlian affectionately kissed him on the cheek. The bear licked his chin, "Good. Bored."

"Ah, since the kings are here, why don't we play a game of cops and robbers? King Matthew shall be it!" Fenris declared before bolting out of the room with ten little pups on his back. The rest of the group quickly dispersed and Ivan unsympathetically disappeared in a flash of light as well. Matthew blinked and unhappily huffed, they always did this to him.

"I'm your first prisoner." Kumajiro happily declared as he clambered onto his back. Matthew gratefully pat him on the head, "Oui, you are."

As they hunted for the mischievous children and avoided snowballs from an equally as childish king, Matthew decided to ask Kumajiro a question he should've asked years before.

"Hey Kuma, what did you wish for? When you met with your god?" Matthew inquired when he tapped an unsuspecting pup on the head. The bear shrugged on his back and rested his chin on his shoulder." Mom asked me a question. She asked that even if we were worlds apart and didn't remember each other if I still wanted to be with you and gave me two options. She said I could have whatever I wanted, or I could be with you. I didn't understand her, but I asked if she would come back to life. She said no, so I told her that I wanted to be with you.

"Who else will remind you what your name is?" Kumajiro climbed atop Matthew's shoulders and rested his chin on Matthew's head. The Myrlian chuckled and gently grabbed the bear's feet so he wouldn't fall off. "That's true... That certainly is true."

FIN

Wow guys, that's the end. I'm so happy, this is amazing! While this story isn't the best of the best, and it certainly is a time consumer- I'm happy that you guys enjoyed it. I know I loved writing this and reading your comments. Our journey has been long, (almost half a year) but it was certainly awesome. Exciting news, I'm going to Katsucon! I just felt like bragging a little- my bad. ANYWAY, I did squeal and do a weird happy dance when I wrote some of the chapters- especially this one- as a random fact. So, I hope you guys enjoyed reading this to the end!

As always, criticism and thoughts about the chapter are always appreciated. Make sure to favorite this story if you liked it!

~Preuss

Departing words:

"Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit, wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad."

-Miles Kington