#otp: ill be the hades to your persephone

[hipsofsteel]

Summary: Each season has a spirit, and each spirit has a human Guardian who keeps their flame. One season was considered cruel and ruthless, until a new Guardian decided to show him love. But the life of a human is brief, and the world will not stop turning for two lovers from different worlds.

Relationship(s): RusCan (Russia/Canada)

Work Status: Complete work. (December 21st, 2015)

Part One of the Seasons series

[ladymdc]

*writers year end review*

I had started to put this together on Twitter but for some reason that site is awful for my mental health & the purpose of this exercise started to backfire. I ended up taking it down after a few days without finishing, but I’m ready to try again here. I’d let it go, but I think it’s beneficial to look at what I accomplished for a year from of a place of appreciation instead of judgment— which I’m bad enough at.

1. Personal favorite thing I wrote this year:

My Pushing Daisies Rhack AU: At Rest. Is it niche af? Yes. Do I care? Absolutely not. I fell in love with the show & I had a lot of fun writing this.

(There are only 10 q’s in total, but the rest is under the cut as to not annoy the masses :3)

2. Least favorite thing I wrote this year:

I finished Dark Bloom (the Hades/Persephone Rhack AU I started forever ago as an exercise in descriptive writing) but idk, if I could go back & approach it differently, I would. Still it’s finished, & I am happy with that fact alone.

3. Which fic was most different than I usually write:

This is the Rhack whumptober collab I did with onediamondpony: A Memory I Keep Having. I’m used to writing my OTPs getting together, not trying to break them apart. It was a flex outside of my comfort zone stylistically too, but I couldn’t be happier with how the whole thing turned out.

4. Which fic was most successful:

I try to ignore stats as a gauge for how a fic is successful…. that said the one that probably did “best” is the D/s Stripper!Rhys flavored Rhack What is it about you that I can’t describe?

5. Which of your fics do you which was more successful:

This is A Memory I Keep Having. I’m biased because I put months of work into it, finishing it all before sharing it, etc & want my friend’s hard work to be given all the love it deserves too 🥰

6. Favorite piece of dialogue:

This will be from the Beeverse wedding fic. It’s so dumb but so are they & it fits imho.

7. Favorite description or narration:

This is A Memory I Keep Having. There are A Lot of pieces of this fic I’m proud of so it was hard to narrow it down, but here’s what I chose.

8. Which fic was the most fun to write:

Accidentally already answered this in #1 but! At Rest was the most fun to write. I’ll indulge in some art eventually for it :v

9. Go back and change something about one of the fics I wrote this year, what would it be:

There ended up being some baggage tied to one of my fics & I would just be more cautious with what sorts of group projects I sign up for. I have no ill will toward anyone or anything like that. I just ended up with a very poor opinion of one of my works for a very long time & it took a bit for me accept there was nothing wrong with the work itself or my writing… I’m happy with it now & that’s what matters I think.

10. What, if anything, am I going to do differently in my writing next year:

I need to stop self pressuring all around. I write the stories I do because they sparked & brought joy, & I’ll update or post when I can & hope those who still take the time to open it, enjoy it.

[takaraphoenix]

Let me start by saying I love your work, and it's one of my last ties to the PJO/HoO fandom outside of honoring a very close friend. But I got to ask, what are your thoughts on Apollo being a main protagonist considering in classical mythology he is a known rapist? Maybe I'm too caught up in my own issues, but when the series was announced it made me ill. And it only got more upsetting to me when I learned what his mortal form looked like and that he was traveling with teens. Am I insane?

I’m glad you love my work! ^^

I’ve been thinking about how to put this, so bear with me as I make my way through all facettes of this.

In general, I do think that it was weird for Riordan to do two full series on his OCs and then in the third series jump into making a canon character the main character suddenly, I do think that’s a strange shift in focus in the series, but I can’t speak much to it because I have never and will never touch the Trials of Apollo, so I don’t know if it is solely him or if its a shared POV thing like HoO.

And, as just mentioned, not having touched or wanting to touch Trials of Apollo, I am very unsure about what you mean with what he looked like and why that particularly upset you?

That being said, about Apollo: Apollo has been an important, positively-portrayed character in PJO and HoO already. It is completely in line with this universe to portray him as a good guy - a protagonist. He’s been one of the most favorably portrayed gods in the series!

And, to be honest, if the positive portrayal of rapists bothers you, I do think that the PJOverse is the wrong place to be in general. Because look at best dad Poseidon, the multiple-rapist! Look at how all those child-soldiers die to make sure Zeus, the biggest rapist of them all, gets to stay in power and while, sure, he’s “a dick” and we have a lot of in-universe jokes about it, he’s still... the king of the gods and we spend all this time ensuring that he gets to continue ruling.

But that’s the thing about adaptations of Greek mythology - heck, actually, that’s the thing about Greek mythology in general; there is a variety of interpretations. There always has been, about many things. And nowadays, there is a lot of reinterpreations that make the gods look more favorable. We like to look at Hades/Persephone as the ultimate OTP and actually she ran away from her overbearing mom and she loved Hades all along - and I think that’s beautiful and I 100% support that version of them, it’s the interpreation I subscribe to.

I love the concept of Apollo, his facettes and realms and the general mythos around him, so I am very into how... essentially all modern interpretations of Apollo have him as a sunny, good-natured personality. So I have always very much enjoyed the concept of Riordan’s Apollo, which falls in line with that.

I’m not saying you have to subscribe to that interpretation of the god and I do think that it is more than understandable to be uncomfortable with this kind of reinterpretation and flat-out erasure of rape-elements and rapist redeeming storylines.

But I do think that is more a you-issue than a Riordan-issue (and if you have seen my “Riordan Critical” tag, you know I’m not that quick to defend him). He’s doing something many authors do with the Greek gods, he interprets them in ways he likes - and skipping on the rapist-part about a god in a children’s book/YA book series seems very understandable, to be honest.

And it’s entirely fair to be uncomfortable with that and skip on it because of that!

[thetwelvecaesars]

top 10 pairings?

I am assuming you want Roman History Pairings, yes? (I have a lot of other fandoms too) but since this is a Roman blog, I will give you the following list. Take in mind too, that I wouldn’t ship most of these outside of their time era or historical context. And I don’t know if I can order them or not. I think I will just order them randomly and tell you WHY I ship/love or love/hate them.

Augustus/Livia - I love them because they are so sweet together. I just love that Livia wove Augustus clothing and the two of them wrote letters to one another. I know it’s not a perfect marriage, but it’s pretty close, in my mind. I think Augustus and Livia are a good example and are the Darcy/Elizabeth of History. We all want to find our Livia or Augustus and I know that the person you are looking for exists. Also, I don’t think that Livia killed Augustus. I like what one historian, Antony Everitt suggested- he thought that maybe Livia killed Augustus not because she hated him, but because he was getting old. A kind of sweet mercy killing out of love and that’s the only reason I will ever except. I love these two much, because they were a power couple who respected and loved one another beyond words. 

Gaius Caesar/Drusilla Caesar - Somehow, these two always appear on my pairing lists. I reason I like these two is because of how they seemed to genuinely love one another. Both of them were horrible people (yes, I said both) and yet, Gaius in all of the sources I have read, never threatened to kill Drusilla or seemed to want to directly harm her in anyway. He didn’t toss her aside like Agrippina or Livilla. Also, he left HER the whole empire when he fell ill and he fell apart emotionally when she died. Not much is said about Drusilla in the history books, but I think she was possibly a twisted person, given that it their relationship lasted so long. Because Gaius was Gaius and I bet he would have killed her she pushed him too far, but he didn’t. Which means they must have worked things out and understood one another’s feelings well enough for the relationship to be that strong for so long. I know modern historians are in doubt in happened, but I don’t see any reasonable argument to why not. Both of them were clearly messed up and yet, I think they DID love one another. In my head, they are and had the potential to be a twisted power couple. 

Gaius Caesar/Caesonia - I know. The one above is my OTP, but I just love how confused Gaius was when it came to Caesonia. I just picture him completely stumped to WHY he likes this woman, but decides to figure it out later. I also love Caesonia as well, because let’s face it. Her husband was not a good person and he loved Drusilla more than her. It must have been hard and I said in a previous post about this paring, She married Gaius Caesar of what seemed to be her own will. She has to be an interesting person. Also, Gaius seemed to care about her in a really twisted way. In my head, I feel Caesonia was his voice of reason and they threatened to kill one anther daily, but deep down they cared for one another.

Gaius Caesar/Marcus A. Lepidus - I kinda love these two more than I want to admit. I think Gaius cared a little about him as Marcus didn’t die until he was part of a conspiracy. I also love how Marcus was wanted by Gaius, Drusilla AND Agrippina the Younger. I just imagine all three of them fighting it out while Marcus looks on with a smirk and hits on Livilla who is sitting quietly in the corner. In my head, Marcus was Gaius’ arm candy that was very well-treated.

Agrippina the Younger/Claudius - I think Agrippina needs a lot more respect and love. I think that she’s a smart person who never did anything worse than any of the emperors. Climbing your way to power is something that has always been done, but why women are more slandered for this than men is down-right sexist. Anyhow, back to the pairing. I think Claudius and Agrippina are a sweet couple. I just imagine Claudius taking care of her after returning from exile. I think Claudius had a kind heart deep down and Agrippina seemed to have cared about her country. If Roman culture had let Agrippina fully rule, I doubt she would have been slandered. I bet she would have been a ruler as impressive as Claudius or even her father, Germanicus. Anyhow, I think Claudius would have been kind-hearted and supported her and she would she loved him dearly in return.

Domitian/Julia Flavia - The Hades and Persephone gone wrong and what inspired the Phantom of the Opera (Not.) But these two are really interesting. Abusive, but interesting. (Like I said, none of these parings aside from Augustus/Livia are good examples or are fit for modern use.) But back to Domitian and Julia Flavia. I love these too so much, it’s sometimes painful. Because they COULD have been a great couple! I ranted about this before, but if Domitian had said: “Yes, Titus, I will marry your daughter,” when he FIRST asked, I feel like these two could have built a meaningful relationship. It’s clear to me that older Domitian was NEVER going to be a good or stable person, but I feel like Flavia would have grown up to be kind. I don’t know why, but I think she was a good person as of all the women in Roman history, all of the roman historians paint her as victim, rather than blaming her for what happened. She’s the one Roman woman left unslandered. Now, if Flavia was a nice person and Domitian had been married to her earlier, she might have made him a little better. I know that one should never TRY to change someone, but Flavia might have been a slightly good influence on him. If I remember right, Flavia DID keep Domitian from executing someone once. Anyhow, this pairing just makes me sad sometimes, because the potential and the tragedy.

Titus Flavius Sabinus III/Julia Flavia - Her second-cousin, if I remember right. But I love these two, because of the historical tragedy of this romance. I honestly feel really bad for Sabinus, because he must have loved her deeply. I can’t imagine what he went through when Domitian changed his mind (again) and decided to take Julia. I just… I feel so bad for Sabinus. T_T

Otho/Nero - Because it’s fun and I see no reason why not! I kinda think of these two as evil masterminds that have WAY too much fun. And in my head, Otho fought Galba for the purple, because he wanted to avenge the one he loved. Yeah, I know, sappy, but I don’t care. I also find it interesting these two had the same manner of death. 

Nero loves Agrippina - But clearly not the other way around. I ship this one-sided-made-to-sink-boat because it’s actually in the history books and it’s just too much fun to make Oedipus jokes at Nero’s expense. I can’t believe the senate’s only reason against this pairing was not wanting Agrippina to have more power. That is 100% a bad reason. How about instead, “it’s gross and you shouldn’t sleep with your mom, Nero.”? I would have written that instead if I was a senator. And by the way, I feel really bad for Agrippina.

Otho/Vitellius - Because all of those threats and hate letters are just love letters in disguise, right? I am kind ashamed of this shipping, but I kinda love how much they hated one another and can’t help myself. 

Thanks so much for the ask, Anon! I am rather ashamed of my ship list as it’s almost 2018, but it’s history. Anyhow, I had a lot of fun spazzing out about all of them! I love questions like these and those reading, please send me more!!

TTC

[hipsofsteel]

Summary:  Natalia doesn't remember her birth family, and has spent years looking for them. When she collapses on Alfred F. Jones's doorstep, three states away from her own home, he decides to help her find the family she has been missing all these years.

Relationship(s): AmeBela (America/Belarus), RusCan (Russia/Canada)

Status: Complete work. (December 27th, 2015)

[hipsofsteel]

Summary:  No one had ever seen him. He knew he was a nation, but no matter how hard he tried, their eyes were unable to find him. Until Russia saw him. Russia could see him!

Main Relationship: RusCan (Russia/Canada)

Status: Complete work. (January 31st, 2016)

[hipsofsteel]

Summary: 'Tis Christmas, the season of joy in the household of one Kyle Baines and Alfred Bonnefoy-Kirkland. As the joyous day draws nearer, Alfred learns that sometimes, the greatest Christmas miracles come in rather unexpected ways. 

Main Relationship: AmeTralia (America/Australia)

Background Relationships: FrUk, RusCan, ScotWales (with Fem Scotland), TurKraine, and LietBel.

Status: Complete work.

I know that I’m posting this fairly late, but I thought it would bring some joy to the AmeTralia tag and a few others. Hope your holidays treated you well, and I hope that if you read this fic, you enjoy it.

PS. This work features trans male America, agender New Zealand, and genderqueer Hutt River.

[hipsofsteel]

Pomegranate Seeds

A RusCan Hades and Persephone AU

Ivan, King of the Underworld, has chosen his bride in the young god Matthieu, and taken him by force into the land of the dead. Matthieu wishes only to return to his beloved papa, Francis, who is desperately searching to find his son.

Author’s Note

In case you are not as well-versed in Greek Mythology, or my context clues are hard to understand, here is a list of which APH character is which deity (because I confused myself a lot while writing this).

Hades: Russia Persephone: Canada Demeter: France Helios: Spain Zeus: England Hecate: Prussia Hermes: America Apollos: Italy Poseidon: Japan Nyo Romano: Artemis Athena: Germany Human names used in place of Nation names.

Translations will be in the final notes.

The universe is divided into three realms, each ruled over by one of three gods, who consider themselves brothers.

The king is the lord of the skies and heavens. He rules over all the gods and demands proper rituals and sacrifices be given to him by both mortals and immortals. I knew this king as ‘father’ and loved him dearly, though he rarely looked at me. Yet, I knew he loved me and cared for me deeply.

Although there are other names the humans use for him, I always thought of him as Arthur, the name he used among the other gods.

Then there is the king of the oceans, an eternally strong force that demands respect. He was of smaller stature than my father, but to not respect him would be a huge mistake. His hair was as black as his temper, and his dark eyes easily hid his true intentions.

The name we gods used for him was Kiku, a name he had chosen, and many feared him.

Then there was the final realm, ruled by the third and final king. The king of the dead and the underworld. Many mortals viewed him as a demon, a harsh and hated ruler. But we immortals knew him better than that. He was a neutral force in the world, neither fighting for or supporting a war unless he truly believed in the cause.

He was the tallest of the kings, and spoke the least. When he did speak, he was immensely wise and respected.

The mortals called him Hades.

We immortals called him Ivan.

* * *

My mother, as you mortals might refer to the god who birthed me, was the god of agriculture. He brought forth crops and fruits from the land, and he bore an eternal patience for my father, who rarely returned his affections. More often than not, papa’s love was met with cold silence or bitter screaming.

Papa raised me by himself, and I learned the magicks he knew, bringing forth flowers from the earth the same way he made the fruits of the olive trees or the grains of wheat.

Francis, my papa.

I was his son, his precious child. I knew he cared for me, though sometimes I felt a little stifled by all the attention he gave me. I believe he wished that Arthur had married him, or at least given him more children, for I was all he had.

Papa truly loved my father.

I don’t know if my father ever truly loved anyone, whether they were male or female, mortal or immortal.

I only knew that I enjoyed spending time with my half brothers and sisters. Alfred was always challenging me to foot races, although that was unfair. He was the god of messengers, and it was well known he was the swiftest god in existence. Feliciano would always sing with me, and Lovina, when she was not off hunting, would not curse at me quite as often as she did the rest of our family.

I was the god of spring. My magicks were simple, not grand, and I was considered pure like freshly fallen snow. I was a young god, of no great power or strength, or any special talent, and I rarely strayed from papa’s shadow.

The mortals would often say that I was invisible before the events of that day, the day where my life story truly began.

My name among my fellow immortals is Matthieu, although it can also be spelled Matthew.

The mortals, however, call me by another name.

They called me by the name Persephone.

 * * *

Ivan rarely found himself granted a private audience with his brother unless there was war.

Yet here he stood, the chambers empty, save for him and Arthur. He felt it simply a miracle that Arthur had allowed him to enter.

“Ivan, it is rare for you to come here. Is something wrong?” Arthur asked, after sending some minor goddess (probably his latest fling) scurrying from the room.

“Nyet, brother. I only wish to ask permission for something, and request your aide in helping me achieve my goals.” Ivan said, and then dipped his head in respect. It was humiliating for him, but at least Arthur would understand that Ivan was serious.

Arthur looked at Ivan, bemused. “You wish for a simple favor, yet request a private audience? Well, speak, brother, I am listening.”

Ivan took a deep breath and then spoke. “Recently, I visited the mortal world under my Helm of Darkness. As the sun rose, I saw a god more beautiful than any I had ever seen before. The moment I saw this young god, I knew he was the one I wished to marry.”

Arthur grinned. “So you wish to marry?”

Ivan nodded, a small smile coming to his own face. “Da, I do.”

“Then speak the name, my brother, and I will bless the marriage, if the lad is not already taken by another.”

Ivan closed his eyes as he spoke the name which tasted like honey.

“Matthieu, your son by Francis. He is the lad.”

Arthur only had to pause for a moment before nodding. “I bless your union, brother. But Francis will not part with the child easily.” The look on Arthur’s face expressed mild frustration with the god. Ivan knew that the past between those two was long and complicated.

“I understand that, which is why I request your help.”

The king of the gods nodded. “Then tell me your plan, brother.”

 * * *

I ran through the fields, laughing as my friend chased me.

“Kuma, I bet you won’t be able to catch me.” I yelled, willing the flowers in the fields to tangle my companion’s legs.

The bear spirit snarled at the flowers that obeyed my will. “Stop that!” He yelled, something he rarely did, as speaking exhausted him.

Papa was off blessing some nearby fields. I had requested a small amount of time alone with Kuma and the local nymphs and dryads, and my wish had been granted.

Eventually Kuma tore free and then landed on me, knocking me to the ground, and then licking my face. “Hungry.” He muttered, and I collapsed into a fit of giggles, picking him up and carrying him over to the nearby stream.

A naiad offered Kuma a few fish, and I summoned a small wild flower tuber. I had some ambrosia with me, but I found the tuber refreshing and enjoyable.

After a short break, I stood to stretch, and spotted a narcissus flower unlike any I had ever seen before. I walked over to investigate the flower, curious.

It was a beautiful plant, with petals the color of blood, and a center that was bright gold. I barely gave it a moment’s thought, beginning to dig around the flower. I would take it home and learn how it had been made, so I could make more like it.

Kuma trotted up to my side, and when he saw what I was doing, he turned his attentions to his claws, cleaning them carefully. He may accompany me often, but he was a spirit whose heart lay in the mountains and snow, not the fields and meadows.

The flower was difficult to dig out. I had assumed the bulb would only be a foot underground at the deepest, but it was much deeper than that. Soon, I was incredibly tired.

“Kuma, will you help me dig?”

The bear spirit looked up only for a moment before returning his attention to his claws. I sighed, and soon unearthed the top of the bulb, which was huge.

I wrapped my hands around it and began to pull, hoping to tear it free from the earth. The effort was exhausting, especially in the baking hot sun, and Kuma being a useless pile of flesh with claws nearby.

Finally, I felt the plant give way, and as I fell backwards, I sighed. Finally. I was ready to pass out, and could have eaten a whole plate of ambrosia by myself.

Suddenly Kumajirou growled, and I sat up, looking around. He rushed over to me, snarling at the unseen danger that must be nearby.

“Kuma, what is it?” I asked, frightened. I wondered if I should shout for papa. He would come running if he knew I was in distress, and Kuma had never given me false warning before.

That was when I felt the earth shaking under my body, and I watched in horror as the ground began to split right from where I had just dug out the flower.

I began to shout, but before I could make myself heard, the loud neighing and screeching of four black horses covered my shout as they pulled a chariot out of the earth. A cloaked figure stood behind the reins, and he turned to stare at me. I couldn’t see his face, and in my terror, I couldn’t stand to run away from the very presence of fear in front of me.

He reached towards me, and Kumajirou lunged for the man. The man raised a weapon, a spear, and swung it, catching Kuma in the midsection, and throwing him to the side. Kuma was injured from the blow given the sudden red discoloration of his fur. The man raised his weapon to delivered a fatal strike.

“Please don’t hurt him!” I begged, running to the chariot. My friend could not die!

In a moment, I realized my mistake, for the cloaked figure turned, and grabbing hold of my arm, pulled me into the chariot with him, and then took the reins, shouting a command to his horses.

“PAPA!” I screamed in terror, as the horses suddenly turned, running back into the chasm from which they had come. I tried to pull free of my attacker, but his grip was like iron. I turned my head up towards the sky, to cry out to my father and beg for help, but all I saw was the last sliver of blue sky disappearing.

I was beneath the earth, trapped in the embrace of a dark immortal, and I was alone.

 * * *

Francis had been knocked to the ground by the shaking of the earth, and then quickly stood, fear flooding his heart. He began to run. “Matthieu! Matthieu!”

When he heard the terrified scream, he ran faster, fear filling his heart. “Mon fils!” He called, the panic becoming more obvious.

He crested the hill the had separated him from the meadow in which he had left his young son to play in, and saw nothing.

“Matthieu!”

Then he saw a small white shape attempting to stand, and he ran to it, finding the bear spirit that always accompanied his son, but Kuma was alone and bleeding.

“Kumajirou, where is Matthieu?”

Kuma opened his mouth, trying to speak, but he couldn’t. He was injured greatly. Francis could tell.

He dropped something into Francis’s lap, and then managed to whisper one word.

“Danger…”

With that, the spirit collapsed. He would not die, but for now, he was greatly weakened, and it would be some time before he would wake, and the likelihood he would be able to clearly recall the events that had just transpired was slim.

Francis looked down and stared. There was a flower bulb, huge, with a single, battered narcissus growing from it.

“Oh, mon enfant, where are you?”

 * * *

The chariot finally stopped and I looked around, disoriented and confused. I turned towards my attacker. “Where am I?”

“You are in my kingdom. Do not worry, you are safe here.”

I watched the man release his horses, and they ran off towards a distant field. Except now, in the darkness of the earth, I saw the true nature of the black horses.

They were skeletons.

I watched as the man carefully reached for the helm over his head, and when he removed it, the cloak of darkness which surrounded him disappeared.

He looked at me with those pale violet eyes, and somewhat wavy silver hair. His skin, pale as ice, was a stark contrast to the dark around us.

I was in the realm of the underworld, and my attacker was the king.

 * * *

Francis searched for days, calling out for his missing son, stopping all immortals and mortals he came across, asking if they had seen a lost child.

As the weeks passed without an answer, Francis began to lose hope. He watched the crops wither and die. He tried to help the families he passed, but his depression was overwhelming. It was the grief of a parent at the loss of their child, and none could stop it.

Finally, Francis swallowed his pride. He had not been granted private audience to Arthur for many years, but he prayed that upon hearing of the loss of their child, Arthur would allow Francis to speak.

He flew to the holy mountain and sought an audience with Arthur, and for once, they granted his wish.

But before he could speak, Arthur approached him with anger burning bright in his eyes.

“Did you not promise to keep grain in the field and fruit in the orchard?”

“Arthur, please…”

“What about the flowers of the earth? The gentle winds and rains?”

“Arthur…”

“You are destroying the earth, Francis!”

“Then help me find Matthieu!”

Arthur stopped for a moment. “You are doing this because of Matthew?”

Francis nodded, and then tried another approach, gently speaking as he had long ago. “Please, my lord. Matthieu is my only child, and he is an innocent soul. Even if his attacker has taken him by force and deflowered him, his heart is pure and unadulterated. He is our son. Surely you can help me find our child. Please, Arthur, it is all I ask of you.”

Arthur suddenly turned, facing away from Francis. “I cannot help you.”

“Arthur…”

“Leave this hall! You are not welcome here until the earth has been restored!”

And with that, Francis was thrown from the hall by a heavenly wind.

 * * *

“Are you not hungry, moy podsolnechnika?” Ivan asked, watching as Matthieu refused yet another plate of food offered to him.

“No.”

Ivan sighed. In the three months Matthieu had been here, he had yet to eat, and only drank the water that flowed in from the mortal world to mix with the River Styx.

“You really ought to eat something, koroleva. It is not good for you to waste away down here.”

“I don’t belong down here. I belong up in the world with my papa.”

Ivan sighed. Matthieu had said this nearly every time they had spoken the past few months. He had no desire to argue, and instead stood turned to leave, as he always did when the conversation changed direction.

“Why did you even take me?” He suddenly heard Matthieu ask.

He turned his head back towards Matthew, surprised by the question. It had been the first time Matthieu had asked him why.

“Because you are beautiful, wise, and stronger than you think, and when I first saw you, I knew in an instant that I loved you.”

There was a long pause, and then suddenly Matthieu stood. “You… you love me…?”

“Da, Matvey. I love you, and I want you to be my queen. Moya koroleva.”

Matthieu turned and fled from the room, a torrent of emotions obviously stirring up within him.

Ivan turned to one of the silent ghost maidens next to him, and spoke. “Accompany him and watch over him. Make sure he does not come to any harm.”

The woman nodded and then hurried off to do his bidding.

 * * *

After months of despair, Francis was approached by another god.

He stood and attempted to make himself presentable, but gave up the lost cause when it became clear he was just making things worse.

“Gilbert, how are you?” He said, once

The god spoke quieter than he had several centuries earlier. His realm had once been all the magicks of the earth, but now it had been slimmed down to only the magicks of the wild, untameable and unuseable by all except him.

“Francis, I didn’t come here to comfort you. I was told to stay quiet, but my conscious will no longer allow it. I know a little bit about what has happened to Birdie.”

Francis felt the breath catch in his throat, and then he instantly summoned up a pair of chairs. “Please, Gilbert, sit and tell me what happened to my son, or at least what you know of it.”

The minor god sat and began to speak.

 * * *

Love.

Love!

I stumbled away from the room, confused and disoriented. Ivan loved me?

I took a few deep breaths, trying to calm my racing heart. There were emotions and words rolling through my head that I wasn’t even sure I wanted to name, much less voice.

Love...

I sat down under a tree in the gardens and looked around. Despite the darkness of Ivan's realm, I had only been shown kindness since my arrival, by his subjects and him. And he called me by so many terms of endearment.

A shadow passed over me, and I turned to see one of the maiden spirits he sent to watch over me. I paused for a moment, thinking, and then made a request of the spirit.

"Sofia, please ask Ivan to come and speak to me here, if he can."

She paused, and then with a swift nod, she turned and disappeared.

Minutes later, he came and sat down next to me, calm and composed.

"Ivan, was what you said... was it true?"

Ivan blinked, and then took my hands, his surrounding mine. "Matthieu, look into my eyes and listen."

I did as he asked, and his hands, I noted, were warm.

"You are beautiful, like a ray of pure light. Your eyes see only beauty in the earth, and that is a trait that no god or goddess I have ever met has carried, besides you. Tell me, what do you think of my realm? It is dark, cold, and lonely, is it not?"

I wanted to disagree, for papa had told me that the world had been divided fairly, and all the brothers had been happy with their lot. But after all this time, I realized that the only other soul here I could truly call decent company was Ivan.

"I agree, but it is also strong."

Ivan shook his head sadly. "Yes, strong. I own the metals forged within, the gems and riches. The spirits of the dead do my bidding. But there is no light here, or company. I have never been welcomed at the holy mountain, for even my brothers fear me except in times of war, when they wish to use my power. To see you here fills a hole within me. You're bringing light to my realm of eternal darkness, and company to my lonely soul.”

I finally spoke. "I miss the sky, Ivan. I want to go back to papa." Then I cast my gaze downwards, afraid that he might be angry.

He took one of his hands and cupped it under my chin, lifting up my head so I could meet his gaze. His eyes weren't fierce at all, and his look seemed to express pity.

"I know, Matvey. I am sorry for how things turned out."

And then he wrapped an arm around me, pulling me close and whispering words of comfort when I began to shake with sobs.

 * * *

Taken...

Francis paced, worried for his son.

Gilbert spoke softly. "There might be one who could give us more information."

"Gilbert, do you think that something bigger might be going on? Few have helped me or listened to my cries."

Gilbert was clearly uncomfortable, and then spoke, changing the subject, Francis noted.. "Francis, we should go and find Antonio. If anyone would know what has happened to Birdie, it would be him."

Antonio, the god of the sun.

Francis nodded and then Gilbert offered Francis his hand. Gilbert could easily find the sun god, and his wild magicks would get them there quicker than Francis’s.

Francis took his hand, and they departed.

 * * *

Antonio was not surprised by the arrival of the pair of gods. "Francis, Gilbert, it is good to see you both again."

Long ago, they had been the best of friends, when Gilbert was still a powerful god, and when Antonio had not been just the sun itself, but also the god who guided it across the skies.

Francis looked at the sun god, and then carefully spoke. "Antonio, please, did you see what happened to my son?"

Antonio looked uncomfortable, but he was an honest soul, and nodded. “Yes, I saw it all.”

“Please tell me what has happened to my child!”

Antonio sighed as though in pain, and then spoke, though the voice he used was a strange one. Light magick was closely tied to memory magick, and while Antonio did not have the gift of prophecy like Feliciano, he could recall events of the past with perfect clarity.

"There was a flower, a narcissus. It was enchanted to draw the eyes of your child. He labored for many minutes to remove it from the earth, using all of the strength he could muster."

"When he pulled it from the earth, a chasm opened to the underworld, and a chariot emerged from the depths. It was Ivan who drove it, and he gathered your child into his arms and returned to his own lands."

"However, you have no rights to demand the return of Matthieu, for the marriage rites were already performed before that chariot emerged from the earth. He is Ivan's bride, and nothing can be done to break their marriage."

Francis gasped, and Gilbert blinked in surprise.

Antonio breathed, and then his voice returned to normal. "It is a good match, Francis. Matthieu will rule alongside Ivan as a queen. It is a high honor."

"NO! I will not let my child be kept in the darkest caverns of the earth! Matthieu must be returned to me, for his heart is pure!" There was a long pause, and Francis wiped his tears away quickly. "He is my only child, and I can't lose him."

"There is only one god who could force Ivan to release his hold on Matthieu, and he is the one who blessed their marriage." Gilbert stated, looking concerned.

Antonio nodded, and Francis took a deep breath, and looked to his companions.

"I will bring a plague of drought upon the earth, until Arthur has no choice but to give into my demands. You will help me with this."

They nodded, though Antonio seemed to still believe that it was a suitable match.

After the next morning, no rains fell onto the earth.

 * * *

The days began to fall into a comfortable rhythm. Ivan showed me his realm, and I sat beside him when he spoke to his subjects. I watched him judge those who wished a better place within the lands of the underworld, and after a few days, he allowed me to pass some of my own judgements.

And when he admitted to me that my father had already wed us, I simply nodded, a little surprised, but I didn't even have the slightest thought against it.

I had begun to care for Ivan with a great love, and although I missed the sight of the sky, I realized that I lived here now. As Ivan said, I was his koroleva, his queen.

I only prayed that one day I would see papa again.

Even though he still offered me feasts every evening, however, I still refused his offer of food. I just had no appetite. But he would simply nod and then eat his own meal.

 * * *

The earth withered and dried, and soon the mortals stopped praying for food, only water.

Arthur summoned moist winds, Kiku created storms and pushed them inland, but no water ever reached the ground.

Francis's wrath was great, and with the help of Gilbert and Antonio's magicks, none could beat him.

The very soils of the earth listened to the wild magicks of Gilbert, and repelled all water that touched them.

The light of Antonio and the heat it provided dried the clouds and winds.

And wells dried, and trees could no longer reach their aqua firs under the ground.

So Arthur called Alfred to him.

"Go and find Francis. Bring him here, and say nothing. I must speak to him alone."

And so Alfred departed and began to search.

When he found Francis, the god came with him and soon stood in Arthur's court.

"What do you have to say for yourself?" All the gods asked.

Francis simply spoke his demand.

"Return Matthieu to me, and all will be restored."

 * * *

"Ivan?"

I watched him work, he was still unaware that I was standing behind them. His eyes skimmed through the stacks of papers on his desk, tending to the affairs of his lands.

"Ivan, it's me."

This time he looked up, and a small smile suddenly graced his features. "Matvey, have you come to help me?"

I shook my head. "No, I came because..." I went to say the word, but felt myself turn scarlet. "I came because I wanted to say... that I think I'm… ready..."

Ivan stood, and then walked over to me. His eyes met mine, a simple question asked within them.

I nodded, and then he wrapped his arms around me, lifting me gently. I let him carry me to his chambers, and lay me down in his bed.

He was as gentle with me as one might be with a fragile rose, as though afraid to accidentally knock petal off.

But this rose had hidden thorns, and I knew those thorns would help me rule in this realm alongside my husband.

When we were both satisfied, he stroked my hair until I fell asleep in his embrace.

 * * *

When I awoke the next morning, I knew two things.

One was that for the first time in the year since Ivan had taken me, I was hungry. My stomach growled as though it were attempting to imitate Kumajirou's roar.

Secondly, I knew there was an outsider in my realm, for there was a sensation of brightness that did not belong here.

Ivan was gone, but he had laid out a set of clothes for me. I dressed, and then headed to the throne room.

Ivan sat in his seat, staring at the young god in front of him. I instantly recognized the boy.

"Alfred? What are you doing here?" I asked as I approached the throne.

He grinned and then spoke. "Arthur bid me to come and fetch you home, to the world above. Despite your marriage, this is not the land you belong in."

I turned to Ivan, and then I realized how dark his face was. He was angry, but he remained quiet for the moment and bid his time.

Alfred looked to me and then spoke again. "Matthew, this isn't a request. Arthur has decreed that you will return to the world above."

I looked down at my garments, a dress of a heavy black material with a golden belt that made me not only look regal, but as though I was surrounded by darkness. I turned and went to Ivan, and quickly took his hands. "Ivan, is this... is it true?"

He nodded. "Yes, my love. It is true. Go and pack, I will join you later."

Then before I could speak, he snatched up his helm of darkness and disappeared into the shadows.

 * * *

I packed my clothes and sighed.

Two of the silent maidens, Sofia and Natalia, stood nearby, looking sad.

I turned and embraced the figures. They might be ghosts, but there was still a vague solidness to them, and they had helped me through many hard times.

"I will miss you both."

"And they will miss you as well."

I turned and watched Ivan step out of the shadows. He stepped forward and embraced me. I cried into his shoulders.

"I'm going to miss you, Ivan."

"And I will miss you, moy podsolnechnika. I will come and see you soon."

"I..." I began to speak, to return the sentiment, when my stomach suddenly growled loudly. I turned bright red, and Ivan chuckled, pulling something from his pocket.

"I knew you were hungry, so I brought you some fruit."

He offered me a pomegranate, and I nodded, appreciating the gift, and once past the thick rind, I devoured it, Ivan sitting next to me, stroking my hair and kissing my forehead.

My curls were long and thick, as they had been the day he brought me here, and I appreciated the hands running through them. One curl waywardly refused to stop sticking out from the side of my head, and Ivan continued to brush it down, until finally, we could delay the inevitable no longer.

I lifted my bag and Ivan accompanied me back to the throne room where Alfred still waited to take me home to my papa.

Despite my hopes, I knew that papa would never let me return, nor let Ivan come anywhere near me ever again. I may be married, but Ivan would never hold me tight to him again.

He kissed me on the lips, and then whispered quietly into my ear. "Don't worry, Matvey. I will see you again. Do not fret."

I hugged him tightly, wanting to believe him, but doubting that would be the case.

And then I turned, and Alfred took my hand. "Hold on tight, Mattie!"

 * * *

Francis paced the floor of Arthur's throne room, waiting and watching for Alfred to return. If he came back without Matthieu, Ivan would be declaring war against Arthur, and there was no way Ivan would risk that.

Suddenly there was the noise of air whistling, and all the gods lifted up their heads to watch.

Alfred landed in the center of the room, and there, clutching his arm, was Matthieu.

"MON FILS!"

Matthieu turned to Francis and then a broad smile crossed his face. "PAPA!"

They embraced, and Francis began to speak in gentle French, cooing and comforting Matthieu.

The pair clung to each other until Arthur approached. Francis tightened his grip on Matthieu. "Stay away from him."

"I'm sorry, Francis, but I must make sure Matthew is still pure of soul. If he is not as pure now as he was when he left, he must return to Ivan."

"Ivan may has taken him by force! Will you force Matthieu to return to the realm of darkness because of that?!"

"If he was taken by force, that will not taint his soul. Now Matthew, come over here."

Matthieu looked around, and then nodded, and whispered quietly. "Don't worry, papa."

He walked over to Arthur, and Arthur took his hand.

Let me see your soul, my child.

 * * *

I had never felt so exposed as I did when my father stared into my soul, and then suddenly he pulled away, staring at me in surprise.

I threw my hands up to hide my face, and suddenly there was shouting throughout the entire throne room. I turned, afraid for a moment, until I saw the cause of the commotion.

There, in a heavy black cloak, a helm on his head, and fierce violet eyes, stood Ivan.

In a moment, many gods stood to fight him. Finally, Arthur's booming voice carried through the throne room. "You are not welcome here, brother!"

Ivan chuckled. "Oh, truly? Then let me inquire of you this. How pure is the soul of my wife?"

Papa instantly pulled me back into his arms. "He is pure! You will not have him!"

Except Arthur had suddenly fallen silent. There was a long pause, and all turned to Arthur.

He suddenly dropped his head. "He has been tainted."

Papa shook his head, and held me closer. "No! You're lying!"

"You don't believe me? Then look at Matvey's lips, Francis." Ivan said, and suddenly I was confused. Why were my lips so important?

Papa turned and then stepped back in horror. "Matthieu, your lips are red..."

I blinked, confused, until I felt a hand on my shoulder. Ivan stood next to me, and then pulled a pomegranate out of his cloak. "The deal is done, Francis. He has eaten the food of the realm of the dead. It is his true home now. None who eat the fruit of my land can return to the world above."

I realized with fear but also with a strange hope that I could return to the underworld with Ivan.

But I would never see papa again. Or the blue sky.

I pushed away from Ivan, and I knew the hurt and betrayal clearly showed in my eyes. “Ivan…”

Suddenly papa snarled and shouted. "The earth will burn, and your crops will wither! I will kill so many men, women, and children that the underworld will be flooded by souls! You may steal my son, Ivan, but my revenge upon you will never end!"

Many other gods stood up at that, some siding with Ivan, some with my papa. I stood there in horror and shock at the battle that was about to begin in the courtroom.

Suddenly I felt an arm grab mine, and turned to see Alfred. He put a finger to his lips, and then flew me across the room, depositing me next to father.

Arthur, upon seeing me, used his own magicks. The sky filled with lightning and thunder, and the smell of ozone filled the throne room. The arguments fell silent under the gaze of my father’s wrath.

“Francis, your son is a god of the underworld now. There is little that can be done.”

Papa began to march angrily towards father. “If you think that I will let you take away my son, then you’d better think again, because…”

“I’m not done, Francis.” My father said, interrupting papa’s rant. Papa stopped, taking several deep breaths, and I could see his whole body shaking with fear and rage.

“However, I must remind my brother that while eating the fruit of the underworld does mean that Matthew must live in the underworld some of the time, he is a god, and therefore, he may spend part of the year in the upper world as well. With this arrangement, Matthew will live with each of you during the course of a year.”

Papa started to object, but Ludwig suddenly set a hand on papa’s shoulder, shaking his head. Ludwig was the god of war and strategy. Despite not liking it, papa knew it would be unwise to dismiss his advice. His objections fell silent.

Ivan carefully stepped forward and took my hand. “I knew this was how it would turn out, moya koroleva. I request your company for seven months of the year as decided by the moon.”

In his voice, there was a more silent request. Forgive me for tricking you.

Thirteen moon cycles in a year, seven of which I would spend with my husband, six with my papa.

I nodded. “I will see you in six cycles of the moon, mon amour.”

Ivan smiled, a quick, sweet smile that I doubted many had ever seen, and then stepped back. He donned his helm of darkness, and then turning, disappeared into his own shadow.

Papa ran forward, crying tears of relief into my hair, and I took a moment to gaze upon the earth.

I took my papa’s hand and then spoke softly. “Let’s go bring life back to the earth, shall we?”

Papa said nothing, only smiling, wiping a tear away, and then following me. We brought rain to the crops, fruits to the fields, and flowers to the meadows.

As I stood at the meadow, I turned to see a large white shape running towards me.

“Kumajirou! You’re alive!”

He slammed into me, and after my face was thoroughly licked, he sat on my chest and whined. “Hungry!”

My stomach growled as well, and I nodded. “Yes, hungry indeed.”

And then I smiled and laughed at the brilliant blue sky above me.

 * * *

Several years later…

Ivan was not having a good day. Humans needed to stop inventing ingenious new ways to kill themselves. Explosives! What would they do next?! He was getting a headache from the amount of paperwork piling up on his desk, and there were at least four cases that had been turned over to him for final judgement.

“My lord…” A voice spoke in his ear, and he turned to see Sofia hovering nearby. He was the only one who could hear her speak.

“Leave me, Sofia. I’m not in a good mood.” He said, quickly dismissing her.

“But my lord…”

“Leave!”

Minutes later Natalia arrived and she didn’t even try to be polite. Grabbing his sleeve, and pulling, she yelled. “Lord Ivan, you must come now!”

He was looking at another death due to war, and was not in the mood. “Leave me!”

“Oh? But I just got here.”

Ivan turned. That voice was one he knew well.

Matthieu stood in the doorway, already dressed in the black and gold he preferred in Ivan’s realm, and in his hand he held a red pomegranate.

Ivan instantly dropped his paperwork and then, whisper-quiet, he spoke. “It’s already time again?”

“Oui, mon amour.”

Ivan felt himself breath deeply, and then he ran forward and took Matthieu into his arms. “I have missed you, moy podsolnechnika.”

“And I you.” Matthieu said, returning the embrace.

Translations:

French Mon fils- My son Mon enfant- My child Mon amour- My love

Russian Nyet- No Da- Yes moy podsolnechnika- my sunflower moya koroleva- my queen

[hipsofsteel]

Sunflowers On Christmas

A RusCan Drabble

Matthew Williams runs a little flower shop near a train station. Every day, a tall silver haired man walks by and admires the sunflowers. For months, Matthew has made sure to always have a bouquet out for him to see, even while the seasons turn from autumn to winter, hoping that one day he will have the courage to invite the man in.

Matthew Williams loved his little floral shop. He didn’t care that it was built between a dance studio which always had the music on way too loud, and a tobacco shop, which meant that the side room he used as his office always smelled of smoke. To him, this was a tiny piece of paradise. He had enough customers to keep himself afloat, and he also spent a fair amount of his time in silence in the back room, arranging new bouquets.

His dog Kuma always laid down right at the counter and barked just as the 3:40 train went past. Kuma looked like a polar bear, with long white fur, and he was gentle to everyone who ever came in. A few times, young mothers had panicked when the large dog walked over to their children, but Kuma would just lay down and wouldn’t protest anything. He sometimes even took the smallest children for rides on his back.

Matthew always made sure that he had a bouquet of sunflowers in the window within two minutes of Kuma’s bark, because without fail, at 3:44, a tall man with silver hair walked by and stopped for a minute to admire the sunflowers.

Matthew had first noticed him about four months ago on a hot August day. He remembered it well. He’d had the door propped open due to the heat, and only had his most heat tolerant plants on display, while the others were in the back, the only room he could keep cool with the air conditioning. He’d had a large bouquet of sunflowers in his window, from his own home garden, in fact. The man had stopped at the window to examine the flowers for quite a while, and honestly Matthew thought he was going to come in and buy them. Instead, he’d smiled and walked away, as though he had found his own little piece of paradise.

When Matthew had had to remove the bouquet later in the week, the man had walked by and stopped, but that day his face fell and he kept on walking.

From then on, Matthew had made sure there was always a bouquet of sunflowers in his window.

Winter was here, though, and Matthew was beginning to worry. Soon there wouldn’t be anymore sunflowers for him to order without going bankrupt.

And he still hadn’t worked up his courage to ask the man to go on a date with him.

Kuma ran into Matthew’s tiny apartment and instantly curled up on his dog bed, and was asleep within minutes.

Matthew had eaten a sandwich in the shop for dinner. It was nearly Christmas, and he’d kept the shop open late in order to make sure everyone who had ordered flowers picked them up. He sighed as he headed over to his medicine cabinet and pulled out his pills.

He took a large dose of anti-anxiety medicine everyday, but sometimes it couldn’t keep the stress and headaches away. He took his Tylenol and then headed to his bedroom.

As he washed his face, he looked up at himself in the mirror. He had huge bags under his eyes, and a frown that he thought might be there permanently now. He sighed. How much longer could he keep going before he collapsed? His father had been out of the picture for years, his mother was dead, and his half-brother was a complete and total opposite of him, and he could barely stand to be in the same room with him for more than fifteen minutes. Alfred meant well, but he was easily distracted, and Matthew guessed he must be the most uninteresting thing ever placed in front of Al.

He collapsed into his bed, and soon felt sleep steal him away from the world.

Christmas Eve came, and Matthew’s window display was filled with poinsettias and Christmas cacti. He’d hung a banner which proclaimed “Happy Holidays!” in his window.

The only thing which might distract the passerby’s eyes from the usual Christmas plants was the large bouquet of sunflowers in the window.

It was fairly late in the day, about six in the evening, and snow was beginning to fall. Yesterday’s thin layer of snow had turned grey or brown over the day, and Matthew reveled at the white layer he’d be able to walk home in.

He was just finishing up some paperwork at the counter when the bell rang. He turned and saw the silver-haired man in his shop.

“Excuse me, but how much are the sunflowers?”

Matthew was stunned for a moment, but then he smiled. “Free.”

The man seemed taken aback. “No, I can’t take them for free.”

Matthew walked out from behind the counter and over to the window display, picking up the vase. “You’ve stopped to admire them every day, and it’s Christmas Eve. They have your name on them, and the only price I’m selling them at is free.”

The man looked at him as he held out the vase, an eyebrow raised.

Matthew felt his confidence fading, until the man reached out and very gingerly took the vase full of flowers. “Thank you, Matthew.” He said, and he meant it. Matthew was startled that he knew his name for a moment, but quickly remembered the name-tag on his shirt.

Matthew watched the man fade into the distance as the snow fell, and it wasn’t until he was locking the door ten minutes later that he realized he’d forgotten to ask the man his name.

Three days after Christmas, Kuma barked right as the 3:40 train went by, headed towards the station.

Matthew smiled and headed into the back. He’d put together the bouquet earlier today, and he knew that today was the day. He’d ask out the silver-haired man with a bouquet of the biggest, most colorful sunflowers he could get.

He lifted the vase and had just stepped back into the main part of the shop when he saw two young men standing there. “Hello! How may I help you today?” He asked as he headed over towards the window. “A bouquet, or seasonal plants?”

Suddenly he felt the knife at his back. “We’re not looking for any trouble, just some cash.”

Matthew had frozen in place. His heart rate had picked up, and suddenly he heard a growl from his office space. Kuma had been put in there.

“Now drop the flowers and walk over to the little safe you have under your front counter. We want all the money you have.”

He couldn’t move.

The young man shoved him and the sunflowers went flying, and crashed onto the floor. Glass went everywhere, as did water and flowers. “Move!”

Matthew went over to the counter, and hands shaking, first opened the cash register, and then knelt down to open the safe. The thieves were crouching next to him, and he wondered if he’d get to live through this robbery.

Suddenly the shop bell rang. One of the thieves whispered. “Stand up, and act natural.”

He stood up, adjusting the glasses on his face, and saw the silver haired man. At first he was smiling, until he saw the bouquet on the floor. Then his eyes darted down towards the space Kuma was always in, unless there was people in the shop. His eyes connected with Matthew’s, and Matthew knew that the man understood something was wrong.

“Can I help y-you, sir?” He managed to get out before the thieves wondered why he wasn’t doing anything.

“Yes, I ordered a bouquet earlier this week. Some of the flowers are out of season, but you assured me that you could get them over the phone.”

“Ah, y-yes, you’re the order. I just finished the bouquet a few min-minutes ago. It’s in the back. I’ll jus-just go and get it…”

He felt the knife move away from his back and he was able to step away from the counter and headed towards the back door.

“Oh, and Matthew?”

Matthew turned.

“I’d like another bouquet while you’re in there. Surprise me, and take all the time you need.”

Matthew stared for a moment, but then he saw the glint of metal at the man’s waist. A badge!  He was an officer of some sort, and next to it Matthew saw a holster that was not empty. He got the message and hurried into the back room as fast as he could, and quickly grabbed his arrangement table and shoved it into the door to try and prevent it from being opened. He should have put locks in the inner doors, like Al had told him too.

His whole body was tense, and at that very moment he heard shouting, followed by shattering glass and a gunshot.

Then a familiar voice. “Matthew? Matthew?”

He moved the table and rushed out, and the taller man pulled him close. “It’s okay, they’re gone, and I got their license plates. One of them shattered the glass in the door, but all the money is still here.”

Matthew clung to him and began to cry, and the man guided him over to a chair he kept by the window for reading when the shop was empty. The man sat him down, and then went over to the office door and opened it.

Kuma ran straight to Matthew and began to lick his face in a worried way. Matthew pulled him close, crying into his fur, while the silver-haired man called someone on his cell phone.

“Hello. This is Officer Braginsky. I’m calling to report an attempted armed robbery near 7th Street Station, at Northern Flowers. Please send an officer and ambulance as soon as you can.”

He hung up his phone and turned back to Matthew. Matthew turned and looked at him. “I don’t need an ambulance.”

“You’re in shock, and if you don’t mind, I’d rather have the paramedics give you a look before we decide whether or not you need an ambulance.”

Matthew dug his hands deep into Kuma’s fur as he nodded.

“I’ll stay right here, okay?”

Matthew looked at the man, who had knelt down to talk to him. Suddenly Matthew laughed. The man raised an eyebrow, but didn’t say anything.

“I’ve been meaning to ask your name since I first saw you, and this is the first time I’ve been able to ask!” He said, laughing still, and feeling the awkwardness of the moment slip away.

The man smiled. “I’m Ivan Braginsky.”

“Matthew Williams.” Matthew said. “And this is my dog Kuma.”

Kuma lifted up his head at his name and then gave Matthew another lick across the face, before laying back down on Matthew’s lap.

Ivan stayed next to him until the ambulance and police officer arrived. The paramedics looked him over, and besides elevated heartbeat, which was unsurprising given the day he’d had and his stress levels, they decided he was fine to stay and talk to the officer now, though they did give him a bright orange shock blanket. He wondered how long before it became half white, and was answered within thirty seconds when Kuma came up and managed to shed infinite white hairs on the lower half of the blanket.

He walked over to Ivan, who had plugged the license number into the other officer’s computer, and soon a ping rose from the computer.

“Registered to a woman named Evelyn Smith. The thieves were two young men. I suspect a son and friend, myself. I didn’t get the tire like I’d hoped, but I did put a slug in the car’s back bumper.”

The other officer turned and looked at Matthew. "Were you able to get a good look at your assailants?”

“Yes. I’d recognize them again if I saw them.”

The officer nodded, and then spoke. “I suggest you call a family member or a taxi to take you home, Mr. Williams, and I’ll call you as soon as we have a lead or a report for you to file with your insurance.”

Matthew was about to give the man his number until he saw the business card in his hands. “Thank you.”

The officer drove away, and Matthew was glad that nearly every shop on the street was closed today. He stumbled back inside to clean up the place, and Ivan followed him.

They swept the broken glass in silence, and Matthew called his insurance, which promised to send out an agent the next morning at eight. He moved the flowers into the back room and turned on the heat so they would survive, and then put everything in his office in the back as well. It was pretty crowded by the time he was done.

He was trying to figure out what to do about the door when Ivan came out of the office and put his phone back in his pocket. “I have a friend who works as a bouncer. He’ll come by and watch the place overnight so you can go home and rest.”

Matthew nodded. “How much will I need to pay him?”

“The price is free.”

He looked up at Ivan. “I can’t…”

“He owes me a favor, and I told him what it was. One night of guarding a flower shop that got broken into. He’ll do it for no charge. Don’t worry.”

About fifteen minutes later an albino man entered the shop. “Hey Ivan.”

Ivan nodded. “Hello, Gilbert. It’s an easy job for the night, and you can leave when Matthew arrives in the morning.”

The albino, who was a bit bigger than Matthew, but very slim in comparison to Ivan, looked at him. Matthew began to speak. “Thank you for…”

“Hey, it’s fine, no thanks needed. Just tell me there’s a place I can sit where the wind isn’t blowing up my ass every three seconds.”

Matthew blushed a little, and then opened the door to his office. “It’s not very warm, even when the door’s closed, but…”

“It’s better than nothing. Don’t worry, I’m used to the cold, and well-prepared for it. It’s the wind that I can’t stand.”

With Gilbert in place, Matthew was able to breath easy, and locked the shop door with paper now stapled in place of glass to try and deter any other robbers and to keep some of the wind out of the shop.

Matthew walked out onto the street and Ivan spoke. “Are you going to drive home?”

“I don’t have a car. I walk to my house.”

Ivan shook his head. “Follow me. I’ll take you and Kuma home.”

Kuma stayed close to Matthew’s side as they walked into the 7th Street Station Car Garage, Ivan drove an older Ford truck, and Matthew didn’t feel worried for a moment as he and Kuma loaded up into the cab of the truck.

Ivan drove him home, a fifteen minute walk, a three minute drive. He got out of the car, and was about to say goodbye, but stopped.

“Uh, Ivan?”

“Yes?”

“Would you like to come in?”

Ivan paused for a moment, and then nodded. “Yes, Matthew. I’d like that very much.”

The new year came with arrests, a new front door in the shop, as well as locks on the inner rooms.

But it also came with something else.

Matthew no longer put out huge bouquets of sunflowers, but instead a single one in a tall elegant vase.

Every afternoon, at 3:44, the door to the shop opened as Ivan came in. Ivan worked at the local school during the day, and at five he’d go to the station and work in Drug Enforcement for a few hours, but he always stopped and spent about forty-five minutes with Matthew in the shop. It reassured both of them.

And on February 14th, as Matthew’s shop was filled with crowds of boyfriends and girlfriends, husbands and wives, single people and a myriad of others, Ivan took the night off to help Matthew.

At one point, Matthew had to run into the back room to grab a bouquet while Ivan was trying to find a specific order. Ivan looked up and spoke. “Matthew?”

“Yes?” He asked, standing next to Ivan, looking for an unclaimed bouquet.

Ivan suddenly pulled him close and gave him a kiss on the head, before turning away, embarrassed.

Matthew paused, and then laughed, and grabbed Ivan’s collar, and pulled him down just a little bit, and gave him a real kiss.

Ivan blinked, a little shocked.

“And despite my wish, that’s all I have time for right now, because I’m running a shop and this is the busiest time of the year.” Matthew said, and then gave Ivan a quick peck on the cheek before running back out with a bouquet and a grin on his face.

Everything was going the way he had hoped.

It really was.