#rusamess

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Even now, just simply looking at the flyer for the upcoming Winter Formal filled Alfred’s stomach with a sense of dread. Sure when he had first heard the news about the soon to be dance he had joked around claiming to be able to snag a date with ease. And yet here he was with little then two days before the dance and he hadn’t been approached or made an attempt to ask someone once. Oh, where had the time gone?

Trying to regain his composure Al quickly plastered his signature smile back onto his face and turned his attention away from the poster. There was no sense in being saddened about all this; it wasn’t like moping about it was going to make getting a date to the dance any easier. No, it wasn’t and if he really needed to get a date then he’d better act fast seeing as there really was two days before the dance and there was a good chance he might end up asking someone who either had a date or they weren’t planning on attending at all.

 Then again surely Alfred couldn’t be the only one in this type of predicament. At their school the Winter Formal was one of the most talked about events of the entire school year. It may not be one of those times were if you didn’t go it’d ruin your social status forever but more of it left you with memories and inside jokes that could last you a lifetime. Err… lifetimes if you were of the monster variety that had more then one life or were already dead.

Al himself made the mistake of not attending last years dance an according to his friends that had gone and a few photos he had managed to see on Facebook -before they were abruptly taken down for one reason or another- there happened to be a dragon at last years formal. It was like each year the committee running the dances tried to outdo last years and if that was at least a bit of what was going on last year you can bet on our grandmother’s tomb that Alfred would show up this year. Hopefully he’d have a date to accompany him there as well.

Now in order to actually get a date he’d have to start somewhere and if Al knew anything about the odd way the schools social circles worked it was that anyone and everyone regardless of grade, species, etc. they almost all hung out in one of the academies two common areas before school. And seeing as it was now winter and the temperature was dropping down below the likings of most students it seems like the indoor commons area was his best place at starting to find someone to go to the dance with him.

Before heading there Alfred took some time to program the date and time of the upcoming dance into his watch as a reminder. He was careful not to erase the other date already programmed into the settings. It wasn’t like he was forgetful of the upcoming full moons it just never hurt to be prepaid. Besides this feature was one of the reasons Al adored this watch so much.

With his spirits now risen (emotionally not supernaturally) somewhat the teen started to make his way towards the commons area. For this early in the morning it was packed just as Alfred had expected it to be. There were hardly any places that didn’t have at least one group of students or another, from sitting at the tables or standing by the walls to a group sitting on the floor playing a game with another that had claimed their spot on the schools high ceiling.

Scanning around the werewolf didn’t know who he was looking for yet, really at this point he wasn’t picky nor did he consider himself to be shallow enough to be picky.

He was just about to work up the courage to ask out this really nice selkie from his alchemy class when a tap on Alfred’s shoulder made him jump. Turning around to face with Elizaveta, a shape shifter he had made friends with his first year at the school.

“Dammit Alfred, for a werewolf you seem to have the worst eyesight and your hearing isn’t that great either.” The taller girl told him her face easily showing her annoyance.

Al made a face of his own. “Hey don’t go thinking my sense are all that good just because I’m a lycan. I wear glasses for a reason you know.”

“I know that but that’s besides the point. I didn’t come here to make fun of you; I’ve just been trying to get your attention for the last five minutes. I finally got tired of trying to wave you down and decided to get up to talk to you in person. What are you even doing here, don’t you usually hang out near the astronomy tower?” Elizaveta asked her expression changing as she crossed her arms.

“Yeah. I’ve just come down here because I’ve go something important I wanted to do.” Al answered half-listening to the conversation the two were having as he tried not to be so obvious about still looking around the commons for a potential dance date.

Elizaveta tiled her head to the side. “Like what?”

“Like finding a date for the Winter Formal… Hey liz. You said you were planning on attending, got a date yet?” Al shifted his gaze towards the brunette.

Elizaveta raised an eyebrow in a questioning look as her arms shifted to be at her hips. “No, why are you asking?”

“Care to go to the dance with me?” Alfred asked a smile fingind it’s way back to his face once again.

“Depends on how you want to go. As friends sure, I’m already planning to go with a group you could join us. If you had something other in mind then I’m no interested.” She eyed Alfred a bit a little weary at his possible intentions.

“Oh, no it’s fine if it were just as friends I just never really gave much thought about going with a group of friends, ya know?” He rubbed at the back of his neck nervously. Honestly since the moment he knew there was going to be a dance Alfred never really considered of just going with friends. Back during his first year when he went to the Winter Formal he had a date, another terrified first year that was just glad they weren’t going alone their first time to this dance. They may have ditched him later on in the night but Al was still happy that he was there at all.

“I might take you up on that going “as a group” thing but I’d still like to see if I could get a date first.” Alfred said just before the five-minute bell that warns everyone to get to class rang.

Elizaveta shrugged. “Sure the offer still stands either way. See you later, Al. Good luck with finding a date.”

“Thanks and bye.” Alfred waved before taking off towards the part of the school were the astronomy tower was located. Luckily he made it just in time too.  The run from one side of the school to another might have been to tough for another monster but it was perfectly fine for a werewolf like Alfred, even if it did leave him a little gasping for breath.

“And that… is why I usually stay at this side of the school.” Alfred muttered out loud as he sat down at his desk causing the student that sat next to him to look up from his book.

“Say something, Alfred?” Ivan asked.

“Nothing important.” Al replied leaning back into the deckchair letting his head hang back.

Despite what Al might have originally thought about Ivan he was actually a decent guy. He might have been a little suspicious of the new transfer student when he came to school during the middle of the term last year from Russia but that didn’t have much to do with it. Okay, maybe it had a little to do with it. It was really had more to do with the fact that Ivan was a zombie. Now Al knew he shouldn’t really be prejudice towards different species considering where he went to school and who some of his friends were but he still had a mom who was raised in the human world and that was a little bit more then a gateway to show Alfred some human monster movies, more specifically zombie movies.

From the moment Al smelled (Yes, smelled. His werewolf senses were surprisingly good in some departments) Ivan’s decomposed flesh he kind of wanted to panic. He hadn’t had the chance to encounter of reanimated corpse seeing as apparently that wasn’t what vampires were nor had he ever had one in his previous classes. It took some time for Al to warm up to Ivan which was hard on both sides as someone had told Ivan about Alfred’s specific dislike for the other’s smell.

Afterwards they had become an interesting pair in a sort of love-hate friendship. Alfred had even jokingly given Ivan a pack of car air fresheners for his birthday last year and Ivan had returned the favor by gifting Alfed with a doggie chew toy for his, which Al may have actually given to his dog.

Ivan’s neutral expression dropped to a frown. He then placed a bookmark into his book before setting it aside and turning to face Alfred. “Something is troubling you, is it not?”

Al turned his face towards Ivan a bit and then looked back at the ceiling. “A little bit but it’s nothing to worry about.”

In retrospect Ivan could have let the topic drop. He never had really been one to pry unless the situation concerned him or seemed interesting enough but there was some feeling in Ivan’s stomach that made him want to help if he could. “Tell me.”

Alfred sighed and straightened up in his seat. “I’m just a little bummed about the upcoming dance.”

Ivan propped up an arm on the desk and rested his cheek on it. ”I thought students were usually happy about the dance.” Ivan had gone to last years Winter Formal but he wasn’t that impressed by it. It didn’t seem so much as a dance to him but more like some kind of winter carnival that the students called a ball so the school would ‘Okay’ it.”

“I am excited for it. It’s just that… I don’t have a date.” Alfred said glumly.

Ivan didn’t see what the big deal was about going to the dance without a date. He had gone without one last year and he was perfectly fine. Must be an American thing Ivan wondered. He was about to question on the situation more but the teacher called for everyone’s attention and the conversation was halted until the two met up again during lunch.

“Why is not having a date to the dance bothering you so much?” Ivan asked as he swirled the liquid in the bottle he held around. He didn’t need to eat much, some type of raw meat a couple times a week was fine. Mainly he just survived on potions that kept him from rotting any further which he either brought from home or got from the school’s apothecary teacher.

Alfred continued to poke the sandwich he was having for lunch with his spork aimlessly. “It’s not so much as a problem and more that I’d actually like to have someone to go to the dance with.”

“Don’t worry about, Al. He just wants to wine about being dateless. If he really wanted a date he would have acted sooner.” Matthew said not even looking up from his own lunch. ”How many people have you even asked so far?”

“Two.” Alfred replied.

“Including me or not?” Elizaveta asked sitting down at the table followed by Arthur.

Alfred turned his face away from the group. “I’m not saying.”

“Including you.” Matthew chimed in.

Alfred turned back to stare at his cousin. “I hate you.”

Matthew just smirked. “Love you too, Al.”

Trying to steer the conversation away from his lack of motivation in asking people out Alfred turned to Arthur.

“Hey, Artie can I ask you something.”

“No, I won’t go with you.”

“No it’s not that. Can you make me a date for Formal? Like with your magic and what not? Please.”

Arthur set his fork back onto his plate and clasped his hands together face growing a bit serious. “Alfred, I may be a Fae but I am in no way your Fairy Godmother.”

“Dammit.” Alfred said snapping his fingers. “And I thought that plan was foolproof.”

“Offer still stands.” Elizaveta sing-songed. 

“Maybe offer?” Ivan asked taking a sip form his bottle.

“To come with our group to the dance. Care to join us Ivan?” Arthur replied.

“No thank you. I’m not going to the dance this year. I didn’t like it much last year.” Ivan answered recapping the bottle and placing it in his bag underneath the table.

“You should really come this year, I’m on the planning committee and I dare say we may have really outdone ourselves year. Do you know even know where we are holding it?”

“At the Schakleston like last year?” Ivan hadn’t bothered to look at the flyers or the announcement on the school’s website as he had already been set on not going before they had even gone up.

“Nope.” Elizaveta grinned. “We’re using the catacombs underneath the Francis’s families’ graveyard. We got permission from both his family and the school board. You should see how it’s going to be decorated. It’s fabulous.”

“Catacombs, really?” Ivan mused. “I’ll think about it. Can I get back to you tomorrow?”

“Sure. If you do decide to come we’re meeting out at the old Evesburg Park and driving to the Graveyard from there. Need directions?” Elizaveta asked about ready to dig through her purse for a piece of scratch paper and a pen.

“Alright.”

“And Alfred?” Elizaveta slid the paper across the table towards Ivan.

“Yeah?”

“Offer still stands.” She repeated.

Alfred nodded and stabbed his sandwich one last time.

  •†• 2 Days Later •†•

  When Ivan arrived at the Park on Saturday there were two cars, one truck and one van, already there with a group of students either standing around them or sitting in the vehicles talking to the ones outside.

“Oh, Ivan you look so nice.” Elizaveta said clapping her hands together in glee when she saw Ivan walked up.

“Thank you.” Ivan said a bit happy that she didn’t ask why he was still wearing his scarf along with the formal attire.

A head poked out of the van Elizaveta was standing next to. “So is that everyone?” Gilbert asked he looked more translucent then ever in the darkness with the dim streetlights around them.

“Almost.” Elizaveta said holding up her hand. ”There’s still one more person we are waiting on.” Gilbert nodded going back inside the van.

Arthur then spoke up. “If you don’t mind me asking, how’d you get here we didn’t notice another car drive bye.”

“The bus.” Ivan replied.

“…liked that?” Arthur tried to not let his eyes linger on the few lines of stitches that adorned Ivan’s face or hands to long.

Ivan shrugged. “Glamor.” Arthur merely nodded to this.

After a few more minutes of idle conversation between members of the group someone called out the approach of another car.

This one seemed to pause at the curb before fully pulling into the parking lot. The truck’s back windows were tinted so it was hard to make out the last new comer but it was actually quite obvious for those who had seen the tuck before so they weren’t surprised to see Alfred climb out of the back waving goodbye to his mother before walking towards the group as the truck drove off.

“And I thought you weren’t coming.” Arthur teased.

“Yeah, well I changed my mind. Is that a crime?” Alfred asked.

“Nope. But carrying a lint roller in your hand like that might be. Why do you have that?” Elizaveta pointed at the object in the werewolf’s hand.

“Well…” Alfred began,” My mom said if I’m anything like my dad I’ll shed when I’m nervous.”

 “Well I guess by that we’ll know when you’re nervous. Now either stick that in our pocket or give it to me and I’ll put it into my bag.” Elizaveta said before calling back to Gilbert. “That’s it.”

And with that the rest of the group split up between to two cars with Gilbert driving one and Matthew driving the other. After they were parked and everything was settled they gathered at the entrance to the graveyard.

“Now from here we just follow the path with the lanterns to the mausoleum with the entrance to the catacombs we’re using, alright?” Elizaveta asked taking the couple ‘oks’ and nodding of heads as assurance that they were listening.

While walking through the graveyard Alfred spoke up. “Ugh. It smells like dead things here.”

“We are in a graveyard.” Ivan replied. “Or are we playing this game again?”

Alfred shook his head. “No, that’s not it. It’s just my senses are a little strong sometimes, it makes certain smells more overbearing then they should be.”

 “Well then plug your nose or something because we’re here and it’s about to get a lot stronger once we’re down there.” Arthur said as he started to open the door to the mausoleum.

An attempt at trying to hold his breath was lost once Alfred actually got to the bottom of the mausoleum’s stairs and into the catacombs. He was expecting to see something straight out of a horror film (or at least something similar to that scene in the Haunted Mansion with Eddie Murphy) but instead what he assumed to have once been a dirty, dank, resting place for corpses –or a summer home for vampires, Al was still confused on why Francis’s family had their own graveyard- had been transformed into a breathtaking scene.

The many tunnels that split of from the main area were all lit by blue fire torches and had signs hung on the tunnel’s high arched openings directing the partygoers to different attractions they could hope to find. Even with just the torches there seemed to be more then enough for even someone with Alfred’s poor night vision to be able to see and it didn’t seem as cold or dirty as he was expecting. What surprised him the most was the absence of decay that he had smelled on the surface.

“Like it?” Elizaveta asked when she caught him staring mouth agape. Alfred nodded enthusiastically.

“Well come on then, lets go exploring.” Gilbert said heading into one of the tunnels without even checking the sign first. The group followed soon after.

  •†•

  Through the coarse of events and many, many tunnels later the group seemed to have split up and gone individual ways. However not everyone had found themselves alone, Ivan and Alfred still managed to stay paired up all this time. Currently they were standing near the entrance to the part of the catacombs were the dance floor was placed. The lights set up around it were flashing blue, white, and lilac showering the room in its cool glow.

“Hey, can you still hear me?” Alfred asked the zombie trying to see if they could still carry on the conversation they had begun two tunnels ago.

“Yes.” Ivan replied taking a half step closer to the other to be heard over the dubstep song the DJ was now playing for those on the dance floor.

“Good.” Alfred was about to lean back against the wall but remembered where he was and decided against it. “So, as I was saying, how are you liking the Formal this year?”

“It’s more enjoyable then I would have first thought.” Ivan looked around the room as if trying to find more things for his eyes to drink in. “It’s simple yet elegant with a touch of flare. I like it.”

“Better then last years dragon?” Al chuckled a little.

Ivan was now facing away looking over on of the statues that were placed in the corner but look over his shoulder. “What dragon?”

“Never mind. Hey, Ivan.” Alfred said looking at the other through the corner of his eye.

Ivan turned back his way. “Yes?”

“Do you. I dunno, want to dance?” Alfred turned his head to look at the taller male. He gestured towards the dance floor and smiled sheepishly, his sharp white teeth contrasting against his dark skin nicely.

“Sure.” Ivan said nodding his head before taking the others already out stretch hand and pulling him towards the dance floor just as the dubstep faded out and a random pop song from last years hits came on.

Alfred laughed a bit at the DJs new choice. “Not what I was expecting for a first dance but I won’t complain.”

“What type of song where you wanting?” Ivan asked a little curious.

“Something that we could really dance to. This is a formal after all and this.. this is a bit more homecoming don’t you think?”

Ivan muddled his opinion over for a bit before speaking. “I do but what is there stopping us from dancing like you want?”

Alfred was about to say something when he was swept up in Ivan’s grasp which was surprisingly strong for someone who had just told him about him having to have one of his appendages sown back on at least once or twice a week. The smaller one was still a bit confused about how it all happened next minutes they were coping the same dance moves everyone else were creating and the next they were ballroom dancing to a one-hit-wonder pop song.

The two soon became so caught up in each other’s presence that they didn’t notice the other members of there once group trying to wave them down.

“I swear, Al needs to get his prescription checked.” Elizaveta huphed.

Matthew tried to wave away her comment. “Just forget about it, let them have their moment.”

“Didn’t Alfred hate Ivan last year. When did this moment begin?” Arthur questioned.

“Didn’t you use to hate Francis?” Gilbert added

“I still hate him.” Arthur replied.

Mathew smirked. “So you say.”

With an unexpected twirl turning into a dip Alfred nearly lost his glasses causing the two to start laughing.

“Woah, slow down there alright. If anything I thought you would be the one loosing things tonight.” Alfred said jokingly.

“Maybe, we’ll see how the night goes. It’s not yet dawn anyway.”

“So you want this continue?” Alfred asked.

“I don’t see why not. Unless you have a problem with it.” Ivan raised an eyebrow questiongly.

“Only one thing.” Alfred said holding up a finger.

“What is it?”

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

 „Ow fuck-! You have to stab me with that thing? “

“Quit whining. I’m being very careful.”

“Yeah, right, you are totally - ow ow ow - “Alfred gritted his teeth and stomped his foot on the ground, earning him a stern look from his increasingly exasperated datemate. “That hurt.”

Ivan sighed and dabbed the soft cotton ball into the disinfectant. “Aren’t you always so insistent of your strength? Now would be a good time to show it. “Alfred huffed and bit his lip. Wasn’t his fault this shit stung so bad every time it touched his open skin, was it now? The cut on his forehead, the bruise on his cheek, his scratched up hands – didn’t matter, everything hurt the same.

The cotton touched the raw patch of skin under his right eye and he winced.

Another sigh from Ivan. “I’m nearly finished. Keep still.”

Alfred begrudgingly did and watched the others’ hands work, covered in scratches just as much as his own. Even after the hundredth repetition he was still executing each movement carefully. Tilted the bottle, squeezed out the excess fluid, softly cleaned Alfred’s wounds and listened to his whining. He couldn’t help but admire his calm.

Ivan had to be hurting too, probably worse than himself. If he could do without bitching, than Alfred could do that as well, even more so. No matter how much it would sting, he wouldn’t budge an inch, wouldn’t make the slightest sound, keep perfectly still and-

“You are done.” Ivan pressed a soft kiss to the back of his hand. “Was it that bad?”

“Pf, what? I barely felt it”, Alfred quickly reassured and felt his cheeks redden. Damn Ivan and his smooth, busted lips. “Your turn.” He reached for the bottle balancing on Ivan’s knee, but was caught by his wrist before he could reach it.

“No. I’ll do it myself. You have to rest your hands.”

“Are you kidding?! “

“You’re opening your cuts.”

“Gimme the bottle, jerkface.”

Ivan tilted his head and gave that irritating smile.

“What, you afraid I’m gonna pay you back?”

“I am afraid your shaking hands will land in my eyes.”

“My hands aren’t sha- !”

A hand was firmly pressed on his mouth and left him glaring. 

“Sh. You do not want to wake her.” Ivan pointed towards the curled up Cinccino resting on his lap and Alfred fell silent. Bandaged and heavily sleeping, Awdotja’s small frame looked awfully lost on Ivan’s large legs. Vulnerable, like all of them. Alfred nodded slowly and Ivan retreated his hand, softly stroke over her back and murmured foreign words of adoration. His own hands were shaking, too.

Alfred used this moment of distraction to grab the defenseless bottle and an unused ball of cotton.

“Resistance is futile.”

“Alik-“, Ivan protested and was immediately shut up by a waving hand gesture.

“You wanna fight me? Didn’t think so. Give me your hand.”

After another split second of uncomfortably tense silence, Ivan finally gave in and laid his hand in Alfred’s waiting palm.

“I’ll have you patched up in no time, big guy.”

Tipping the bottle, squeezing off excess fluid, softly dabbing it on skin – Alfred didn’t lose time with his treatment. Concentrated on his task, he went quiet, and they could hear each other and their knocked out, injured and heavily sleeping pokèmon breath.

There was no way they could’ve known what was going to happen, but Alfred couldn’t help but feel responsible. It was his fault they were stuck in the middle of the woods after all, his fault they were too far from any city to make it before nightfall, his fault Buffy and Steve and Awdotja and Puschotschka and the rest had gotten hurt his fault his fault his own damn fault. They could’ve just taken the longer route, safer, how Ivan had suggested. Then they wouldn’t have gotten attacked.   

There was a soft pulsing under his skin that made him just aware enough of his injuries to feel them, and he wasn’t sure whether that was a good or a bad thing. 

Ivan had closed his eyes, winced now and then, whenever Alfred’s hand wiped at his skin too forcefully. With his split open lips and the yellowish-violet bruise blossoming on his right temple, just a few millimeters short of his eye, contrasting with his pale skin - he looked almost peaceful. It was easy to forget his strength; no matter how tall and broad he was, he was easily one of the softest people Alfred knew.

That was probably what helped them win in the end. The element of surprise. Five people ganging up on two teenagers, no wonder they didn’t think much about their own safety – left themselves completely open. Alfred could still hear the surprised, choked off noise one of them had made shortly after Ivan had smashed his open palm against his face so hard he flew against the next tree. He hadn’t missed out on the action, either, tackled two to the ground and banged their heads together while they were still trying to figure out whether up was down.

Most of his memory was hazy, except for vivid flashes of skin hitting skin, violent cursing, a soft cracking-

“Dude.” Alfred let his hand sink and whistled through his teeth. “You totally broke that one guy’s nose.”

Ivan smiled timidly. “Ah, no no. I did not hit him that forcefully.”

“You so did, bro.” Alfred laughed and nodded excitedly. “Straight up fucking broke it, I’m sure.”

“You think so?” His smile grew a little wider. Gosh. Alfred combed back his hair, bent forward (he had to get up halfway from the tree stump he’d been sitting on to reach his face properly) and pressed a sloppy kiss to the other’s raw lips.

“That’s so amazing.”

Ivan pat Alfred’s head and brought their noses together, cold skin touching cold skin. It was starting to get dark. 

“You wanted to ‘patch me up in no time’?”

Alfred sunk back, legs shaking excitedly, and dabbed at Ivan’s forehead one last time before turning his attentions towards his hands. Most cuts were form the bushes and twigs they’d burst through while executing their tactical retreat. It had been five adults against two teens, and no matter how strong they were they sure as fuck weren’t stupid. They’d started running as soon as the Galactic grunts had been knocked off their feet, and they hadn’t stopped until they were so deep in the woods every trace of a road was gone.

Lost and injured, but at least not alone.

“Those guys had some nerve.”

Ivan hummed quietly and pet the still sleeping Awdotja with the hand Alfred was not currently tormenting. It took him a little effort to keep still with Al’s harsh, energetic treating of his wounds, but he was afraid a sudden jolt would wake his dearest. The others were resting in their pokèballs, after Ivan had made it clear he was insisting on it – they needed to rest as best as they could, after all – but the Cinccino had refused to take even a step near it. His proud princess, how he adored her.

“Have you heard about what they are saying, though?” Alfred darted his eyes back and forth between Ivan’s face and the wound between his knuckles he was currently disinfecting. “Y’know, about freeing the Pokèmon from humanity’s oppression and stuff.”

“Yes. I have heard. The bigger the idiocy, the louder usually their words, hm?”

“Yeah, I guess.” (Ivan couldn’t help but smile to himself) “Just that – these guys seemed pretty determined, y’know? Like, they wouldn’t back down even after we totally got ‘em in their stupid faces and everything, jus’ – they really believe they’re doin’ something good, don’t they? That they’re fighting for a just cause - “

“If that is how you would describe their ambushing innocent people, yes.”

“ – that they’re on the right side of things.” Alfred insisted and pressed the cotton on Ivan’s skin. “You broke his nose ‘n’ he was still wanting to – “

“To steal them?”

Alfred frowned and fiddled a band aid from his backpack to wrap around Ivan’s index finger.

“Still. Kinda makes you think…”

“No.”

Alfred stopped mid-wrapping and looked up, surprised by the sudden cold of Ivan’s voice.

“No, it does not.” He shook his head, a single, mechanic motion. “It does not make me think. And it does not make me feel anything but angry at anyone who would even dare think about touching my pokèmon without their permission.” Ivan was crawling Awdotja’s neck, long, broad fingers parting her fur tenderly. His eyes were locked on Alfred, in a way that made his neck tingle and his fingers curl around Ivan’s hand.

“By taking them in, I swore to protect them and I will not let anyone take them away from me. Just as I would not let anyone take you away from me.”

Alfred fell silent and pressed the band aid close on the inside of his finger.

“Dude”, he said and squeezed Ivan’s hand. “You’re being creepy again.”

“Mh? Am I?”

Alfred nodded and squeezed his s.o.’s hand again. “ ‘ppreciate the sentiment, though” he murmured and scratched his pinkish tinted cheek.

They sat there for a while, really silent for the first time in hours. Alfred’s legs were still shaking violently, no matter how much he wanted them to stay still, and Ivan’s smile was a twinge more nervous than comfortable. It was weird, but somehow good that way. Hurting and quiet under the oncoming stars.