Forever and Always

6

"After January, I am not very surprised," Ivan replied, "your weather is becoming unnatural."

Alfred sighed, "Well, I am part of the cause of global warming, it was never a surprise the world wanted it's revenge. Karma, I guess."

"Please, do not say that," Ivan said, grabbing his shoulder, "you didn't do anything wrong, your country did."

Alfred smiled, "Don't try to separate me from my people. I am my people. Their sins are my sins. Their atrocities are my own. Their holocaust is at my fault."

Ivan pulled his hand away and put it back in his pocket, continuing to look at him. Alfred accepted too much. He no longer knew if it made him wise, or if it made him a fool. Maybe both.

He had always seemed to let things go. He didn't bother with the past, there needed to be changes, so there would be changes. Things needed to be pushed, brought back, destroyed and rebuilt and destroyed again. He'd much rather stay in the present, even though sometimes the loss of the past made him miserable.

Alfred hummed lowly, moving to get food, before looking back at where Ivan was standing. Had he been harsh?

He didn't know. Ivan had a tendency to take things to heart, even when they were for those close to him. He got him food too.

"Vanya?" he asked, walking up to him, "Are you okay?"

"Huh?"

"You okay?" Alfred repeated.

"Yes," Ivan said, looking down at his hands before grabbing the plate with less food, Alfred tilting his head.

"What were you thinking?"

"Nothing, dorogoy," Ivan replied, following the demon as he went to the table, sitting down. Ivan watched him for a few seconds before pecking him on the temple, going to eat without a care.

Alfred glanced at him, before smiling. He grabbed his hand under the table, running his thumb over his knuckles.

Cautiously, the demon waited, crawling around the rafters. A growl ran through him before he forced his silence. He looked carefully over to the Beta. She was too busy shivering to care. He did not know of another with good senses. He was given all the information he could of this place, but truthfully, not much was known to those of common origin.

It was secretive, so he had to be careful.

He crawled, his claws sinking delicately into the wood, and he stood over the Alpha's.

Something was off. One of them...

He sniffed.

His ears pressed against his head. His mouth open. It watered, it had been a long time since he'd eaten something like this. But, he knew he wouldn't get the meal. This was a culling, nothing more.

Alfred felt something wet on his shoulder, and he looked like he was watching two of his children fight, but instead he looked to his shoulder.

Slobber. Werewolf. Not one he knew, but related to someone he definitely knew.

He yawned, looking up and pretending to close his eyes. Only one.

He hicked his leg up, pressing the arch of his foot against the table. Ivan looked at him lazily, almost confused, but not quite, before going back to eating.

Alfred could feel his eyes against his head.

Time seemed to slow as he dropped, claws out and mouth open, from the ceilings.

Alfred pushed his leg, shooting himself back.

He flipped, holding himself onto his hands before dropping out of the handstand. He crouched down, getting onto his toes.