PruCan: Not The Right Cold 2

The sun fell as Matthew peered out of the airplane. Another window allowing him to only be a spectator of the other side, as with the first. He felt continually an audience, the fool that yells at the television, "Don't turn around! It's right behind you!" and "Don't marry her; she's sleeping with your best friend!" The characters couldn't hear him anymore.
Turning his head, he gazed at Lars dozing in the seat beside him. The Dutchman said he'd return to Europe with Matthew, inviting him to stay a night in Holland before catching his plane to the USSR. Lars was very kind to Matthew but rather aloof around other nations. Because of this, Matthew wasn't sure what his relationships were with others. He hinted at resentment towards Spain but a friendship with Denmark. He also had siblings, Belgium and Luxembourg, but Matthew knew little about Luxembourg whereas he learned much about Belgium through her friendship with England. Other than that, Matthew didn't know any of Lars' relations to other countries. He couldn't predict his reaction if he told him about Gilbert. For all he knew, the Netherlands and Prussia could have been enemies and based on the war, it wasn't entirely unlikely.
So he stuck to the Russia/Canada peace contract lie, explaining that Ivan requested him to visit and discuss things face to face.
The true content of the letter was quite different. In fact it was a response to a letter Matthew had sent to him when he was trying to find out what had become of the Prussian. Matthew had been timid at first to contact Ivan. From Gilbert's letters, he seemed to be the cause of his despair and Matthew wasn't sure confronting him was safe. So he wrote a kind letter revealing that he was trying to get in touch with Gilbert, not having contacted him since the war, and was wondering if Ivan had any information he could give, such as a phone number. The answer was simple but strange. Ivan answered just as kindly but saying that if the Canadian visited, he could give him what he was seeking.
So Matthew was on his way.
The night in Holland was unpleasant. Lars had wanted to make love and Matthew thought he shared the feeling but he wasn't up for it. He was overwrought and agitated, completely elsewhere as the Dutchman kissed his skin. Eventually, Lars gave up and went to sleep. Matthew lay awake.
He had brought Gilbird and Kumajiro with him and once they had realized nothing would be going on in the Dutch bedroom, they snuck in and curled up with the couple. Matthew reluctantly received his baby bear's weight on his chest and the little bird nested in his hair. If the Canadian looked up, he could just barely see the small orange beak peeking over his brow. He sighed realizing that he couldn't move his body nor his head now and was feeling rather cramped. Nonetheless, he was comforted by the company and soon fell asleep soundly.
In the morning, Matthew made pancakes as an apology for his lack of enthusiasm the night before. Lars appreciated it, kissing the young blond on the cheek before breakfast. Although he showed such kindness, Matthew could tell the Dutchman was upset inside and made a promise in his head that he'd make up for it when he got back from the USSR.
The flight wasn't as long this time. This was rather obvious due to geography but it still amazed Matthew that there were countries so small that he could fly over two or more in an hour whereas it took him several hours just to get from Halifax to Vancouver, not once leaving home.
The plane landed safely and he went to retrieve his luggage. In the terminal, Matthew was shocked to find someone waiting with his name on their sign. After greeting the boy, he found that he was Latvia, an unwilling resident of the Soviet household. He introduced himself as Raivis timidly but when Matthew assured him that he was a friend, the young nation warmed up a bit. He was rather young for a previously independent nation: Matthew had gained his own dependence in his late teens whereas this boy seemed only at a human age of fourteen or fifteen.
Notwithstanding, Raivis guided him to the car that was waiting for them and they drove off. Raivis didn't utter a world the entire ride and by the time they were pulling up to Russia's house, Matthew had nearly forgotten he was with him. This felt slightly ironic.
The estate was enormous, even bigger than Matthew's own home! It was no wonder Gilbert had felt so lonely; it seemed like if you got locked in a closet accidentally, you wouldn't be found for months! He greatly sympathized with whoever had to clean the place.
Snow just like at home crunched underfoot as Raivis led the arrival to the front door. Once they had gotten inside, another boy was there to take Matthew's coat. Matthew recognized Lithuania since the brunet was a good friend of Matthew's brother. After hanging his coat, Toris, as the Lithuanian was called, told him he'd take him to Ivan.
"He's been waiting for you," Toris said as he led Matthew up the main stairs. "You should be very careful when you talk to him. He's very upset, you see."
"As am I," Matthew said mostly accidentally.
Toris shook his head. "No, you don't understand..."
Matthew waited for Toris to continue but he said no more until they had reached a larger set of double door. Toris turned and looked at Matthew analytically. "Yes, you could look him in the eye... Just don't touch him unless he initiates the interaction and don't mention Gilbert."
"That's absurd!" Matthew declared. "He's precisely who I came here to talk about!"
"I know," Toris said. "He'll talk about it but it's better if he introduces the topic. Trust me."
Matthew swallowed. "Alright. Thanks."
Toris knocked on the door then opened them, letting the light of the hallway lighting up most of the room. A small portion opposite the door was lit be a lamp on a desk and it was there that Ivan sat, head bowed over many pieces of paper. The Russian's figure didn't move as Matthew stepped in. He didn't look like he had moved in days, frozen just as Matthew had been.
Toris closed the door and the Canadian jumped. Placing a hand on his chest, Matthew tried to calm himself down. He was trembling all over.
Ivan finally spoke allow his head remained lowered. "Don't be scared," he said. "You are my guest."
Guest? The word didn't subdue Matthew's anxiety. He knew it shouldn't based on the letters.
"You have friends, da? Family?" Ivan said. "You are safe."
Matthew supposed that he was hinting at the fact that if Ivan did anything to Matthew, there'd be far too many nations that would turn against Russia. Granted, it would take them a while to find out but they'd probably get very upset nonetheless. In Gilbert's case, he was required by treaty to be in Russia's home so by law Ivan could do whatever he wanted with the Prussian.
Matthew approached the desk slowly. He held out a hand. "I'm Matthew Williams."
Ivan shook the hand. "Sit."
Matthew lowered himself into the chair placed before the desk. Up close, Matthew could see the tear stains on Ivan's face, reflecting the lamplight.
"Do you recognize these?" Ivan held up one of the sheets of paper he was reading.
Matthew gasped. "My letters! Why do you...? You shouldn't have them."
Ivan replaced the letter on top of the others and pushed them forward. "Take them back. I don't want them."
Matthew picked up the stack and placed it on his lap. The letter Ivan had been reading was one of the last few letters Matthew had sent, the unanswered ones. To think Ivan might have been receiving them instead of Gilbert the last few weeks...
"Gilbert lived with me for over forty years," Ivan said. "Not once did he mention you."
Matthew flinched but he was unphased, knowing on top of their letters being a secret, Gilbert hadn't written about having ever simply chatted with Ivan.
"Ivan... I don't really know what went on between you and Gilbert so I'm..." Matthew struggled to say this. "...I'm not blaming you for anything. I just want to know what...happened to him."
Ivan looked Matthew in the eyes, their violet gazes meeting. "Tell me, Matvey. Are you...in a relationship?"
Matthew was taken by surprise by this question. He blinked then answered. "Yes... I am. Why?"
"You like this other person very much? You love them?"
"...Yes."
Ivan’s eyes saddened some more. "How did you get them to love you back?"
Matthew wrinkled his eyebrows. "Well, I think he loved me first. I saved him in the war and I guess we just hooked up afterwards. I didn't really try."
Ivan looked down again. This was the saddest Matthew had ever seen the Russian. When he had joined their side in World War II, he had always been all smiles, even when his men were killed. Now his melancholy radiated in the room. "The people I love...have never loved me back."
Matthew felt his heart quiver. "That can't possibly be true..."
"Then why does everyone always leave me?"
Because you’re one of the scariest guys people have ever known, Matthew forced himself not to say. "Maybe you're not showing your feelings properly. For example, this is the first time I've ever seen you so sad."
"When I was young," Ivan said, "I was told that I should always smile. That's what people like to see. Smiles."
"Ivan, it's alright to show how you feel." Matthew leaned forward and placed a hand on one of Ivan gloved ones. "Anyway, a fake smile is the worst kind. No one likes those. It's just as bad as lying. So frown, cry, get angry. Make sure you always show how you feel because there is nothing more attractive in a person than the ability to be trusted."
Ivan looked up to Matthew again. "I'll try that..."
"Good." Matthew leaned back again.
Ivan looked back down to his desk and opened a drawer. He removed a key from it. Standing up, he went to the door and opened it.
"Come, Matvey."
Matthew stood up from his chair. "Where are we going?"
"I am taking you to Gilbert."