Please Don't Leave Me

Please Don't Leave Me

It had been a long time since Alfred had last cried.

He remembered years past, how much easier it was when he had hated the large Russian man.
After a few punches had been thrown, they could go their separate ways without a second glance. Insults could be slung without a second care in the world; nothing more, nothing less.

But then there was that gradual change, the change that no one ever expects, but when looked back upon is more obvious than the difference between night and day.

It had started with a simple word after a particularly long argument: "Why?"
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"Why what, Alfred?" snarled Ivan, disgust evident in his voice.

"Why do we fight? What point is there to this nonsense? If we really hate each other, why should we fight? Maybe it's time we went our separate ways, I'm done." stated Alfred, turning and walking away.

"Good riddance," said Ivan, who then turned and walked away himself.
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For the next few days, each man enjoyed the peace being free from the other's terror. No fights, just absolute peace. No longer did Alfred have to worry about what the damn commie was going to say next. No longer did Ivan have to think about that Capitalist pig.

But, as the days wore on, time seemed empty nothing seemed to flow.  Both had counted on their daily dose of bashing on the other to occupy their time.

Soon, days turned to weeks, and weeks to months. And neither had moved on. It wasn't as if either missed the either, oh no. No way. Not like that would ever happen.

It couldn't happen.
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It had always been Alfred's hobby to walk the streets near his house on weeknights. It was calming, and gave him plenty of time to think. But he'd been troubled for a while now. Sure, he had been the one to end the fighting between him and Ivan. Heck, at the time, he was grateful for the ending of the misery he had been put through due to Ivan. As Ivan had said that night, "Good riddance."

But really, how could one drop off the radar that quickly? Ever since their final fight, he hadn't seen the man once.

Not once.

It had dawned on him, oh, maybe a month after the fighting had stopped that underneath all the fighting, underneath all of the supposed hatred, Ivan had been the only one Alfred could tell his true feelings  to. Alfred wasn't even able to tell Mattie, his loving little brother, anything that he could share with Ivan so freely.

Now Ivan wasn't innocent in this game of words. He too had thrown all of his troubles at the little American, and was feeling the same burn that Alfred was feeling. So on one particular summer's night, the Russian man had gone for a walk, trying to clear his mind. His sister Natalia had been bothering him, trying to make him stay and spend time with her and only her. God, she could be creepy at times.

Neither man was looking forward when they bumped into one another, Alfred looking at his shoes and Ivan staring at the stars in the sky.

"Hey, watch where you're- oh" shouted Alfred, but stopping suddenly when he realized just who he had bumped into.

"Oh, Alfred, what are you doing here?" asked Ivan.

"Why ask? It's not like it's any of your business," stated the American.

"Now Alfred, it was only a question. I thought we had agreed not to argue with one another all of those months ago."

"Well fine then."

Both looked at the other awkwardly. Neither had seen the other in months. What do you say to a relationship that had been founded on hate and crumbled away?
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For the first while after this meet, neither really tried to contact the other, but once in a while they would meet on the streets, walking, and soon they began to plan their walks at the same time, this time starting their relationship based on solely getting to know the other, rather than through hate-filled remarks.

"You know Ivan, how did we ever grow to hate each other so much?" Alfred asked one night, nearing the end of one of their now commonplace walks.

"I'm not completely sure," said the Russian slowly, thinking. "Maybe we just really needed someone to vent to. I for one know that that was a particularly bad year for me."

"Same here," said Alfred, "I was under a large amount of stress at the time; I was barely able to handle what was going on around me."

"Do you want to try again?" asked Ivan.

"Huh?"

"Do you want to try having a friendship again?"

"I thought we already were."

Ivan smiled. Yes, this time, they could try to build a relationship both could count on.
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Over the next couple of months, their friendship grew, now making the once enemies inseparable friends.  They talked about absolutely everything, their work, hobbies, different foods, troubles, anything and everything would come on to the table at one point or another.

Then came the day that would change everything.
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As usual, Ivan and Alfred were out for their nightly walk. This night they had ventured into the city grab a coffee before heading back to their respective homes. Alfred was goofing around, a normal occurrence, when he stumbled: and tumbled out into the street. Seeing the danger that Alfred was in, Ivan pulled him back; but this action only threw Alfred out of the oncoming traffic, and Ivan now into it.

One last look was shared between the two before an oncoming car crashed into Ivan.
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"Oh God, someone call 911!" yelled some random stranger, as Alfred rushed forward towards where Ivan lay crumpled on the floor, blood seeping from a unseen wound.

"Ivan! IVAN!!!" wailed Alfred.

Soon, sirens could be heard as an Ambulance raced down the road, stopping at the location of the accident. Ivan was loaded on to the ambulance, and Alfred sat inside it, watching the men doing everything they could to keep Ivan stable as they raced to the hospital.

When they reached the hospital, Ivan was whisked off to the ER. This left Alfred alone, where he broke down.

How could this happen? Why did Ivan pull him out of the way? They used to be enemies for God's sake. How had he grown so emotionally attached to the man? And now, now he may lose his best friend, one that he may or may not have fallen in love with.
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He cried, for hours it seemed. It hurt worse now not knowing if Ivan would be okay than it had ever did when they were enemies, than any curse or punch that had ever been thrown at him. He cried until a nurse came and told him that Ivan was going to be alright, that though he had broken several bones throughout his body, and had received a severe concussion from his head hitting the pavement, he would live. The nurse then led him to Ivan's room, where Alfred sat, waiting for the Russian to wake up.

He fell asleep sitting in a chair, both of his hands on Ivan's bed, resting his head against the edge of the bed. He had been staring at the Russian's face, all scratched and bruised, and at his body all covered in casts. Right before he fell asleep, he had placed his hand within Ivan's and whispered, "I'm sorry."
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Ivan woke up a couple hours later to discover the little American sitting in the chair, holding his hand dead asleep. He smiled, and then groaned at the pain the little movement had generated. Alfred quickly awoke, looking up at the Russian man.

"Are you okay? Do you need a nurse?" asked Alfred frantically.

"No, I'm fine. But why are you here? You should be home, in be-" Ivan tried to say.

"No! How could I leave you here alone? It's my fault you're here in the first place…" trailed off Alfred, having a hard time looking Ivan in the face.

"No it is not. I saved you on my own accord."

"You wouldn't have had to suffer."

"I suffered for you."

Alfred teared up at this. "You idiot! I can't lose you now! I need you now!"

"I'm not going anywhere."

"You promise not to leave me?"

Ivan, with the little strength he had, pulled his hand up to reach underneath the American's chin, staring at him intently. "Alfred. I'll never leave you."

Alfred smiled, leaning down toward the Russians face, stopping only inches from the Russian's mouth.

"I-I love you Ivan," whispered Alfred, before trying to hold back the tears that were about to stream down his face once again.

"Alfred…" whispered Ivan, softly, sweetly.

Alfred closed the gap, pressing his lips against the Russian's lightly. Though low on energy, Ivan kissed him back. Alfred smiled into the kiss, before pulling away.

"Sleep now, Ivan, I'll be here if you need anything," Alfred stated, before sitting back down in his chair.

"Goodnight Alfred."

"Goodnight Ivan."
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It wouldn't be until well after Ivan left the hospital would Alfred ever hear I love you come from Ivan's mouth, but Alfred didn't care. He knew, because his Ivan had promised him that he would never leave.

And never leave he did.