Matthew awoke with a stiffness in his joints, he felt the familiar mask strapped on his face and looked around. He couldn't recognize the room he was in, his heart dropped and he quickly sat up. "G-Gil!?" his voice was filled with panic. Sudden footsteps were heard from behind the closed door, and soon enough Gilbert arrived with a worried look on his face and rushed to his lovers side. "It's okay birdie!" he reassured quickly and grasped onto his hand. "I'm here." He sighed. "I'm here."

Matthew took a couple of deep breaths to calm himself and wrapped his trembling arms around Gilbert's neck. "Where are we Gilbert?" he asked fearfully. "We're at my brother's place don't worry birdie no one is going to hurt you ever again." Gilbert reassured Matthew who trembled in his arms, Matthew pulled away to see Gilbert's face, his eyes held dark bags under them and he looked so tired and pale. "I was so scared." Gilbert mumbled and moved the hair away from Matthew's eyes. "I thought I lost you." His voice broke slightly.

He held Matthew tightly against his chest running his fingers through his long blonde hair. "Silly..." Matthew mumbled and looked up to face Gilbert with a small smile. "I'm not going to leave you." He said and held his face in his pale hands. "I can never leave you Gil." He stated. "I'm sorry I was gone for a while." He rested his head against his chest and listened to his strong steady heartbeat, but a wave of guilt and fear pierced through his heart he tightly grasped onto Gilbert's shirt and trembled. "Birdie what's wrong?" Gilbert asked as soon as he felt Matthew tremble in his arms.

He lifted his chin and looked into his eyes. "Tell me what's wrong." He pleaded anxiously. "...w-what about Ivan?" Matthew stammered in his quiet voice. "He's going to be okay birdie I promise you he will." Gilbert reassured and wiped away the tears that leaked from Matthew's eyes, he looked so broken and terrified Gilbert worried if everything that had happened to him had affected him in a bad way. "Hey birdie my brother has a few puppies, do you want to see them?" he asked curiously with a small smile.

Matthew perked up at the mention of puppies and gave an eager nod much to his current situation, Gilbert chuckled and helped his lover with the machine and switched it back to the old tank and tubes. "Watch your step." He lifted Matthew up from the bed and set him on his feet taking the handle of the tank. "Here I'll take it for you." He said and rolled it along as he lead Matthew to the other room where five puppies ran around. Matthew was instantly hooked and sat on the ground to get the puppies attention, all of them had ran away to a far corner afraid of the new visitors, all except one.

A small white fluffy puppy galoped toward Matthew who had extended his hand out, the pup sniffed at his hand and then licked it. It's tail kept on wagging happily showing no signs of fear of caution. "I think that one likes you birdie." Gilbert stated with a grin. "Can we keep it? Please? I'll take good care of it Gil I swear I will." Matthew pleaded desperately. Now Gilbert didn't like the thought of having to take care of a messy pup, but knowing that his lover would be happy was enough to convince him.

He shook his head and sighed. "Alright fine I'll ask my brother if we can take it home with us." He answered. "Thank you so much Gil!" Matthew giggled and jumped up to kiss Gilbert on the cheek. "Anything for you birdie." Gilbert stated and wrapped his arms around his slim waist pulling him close. The fluffy puppy barked up at them and jumped up on Matthew's legs begging for his attention. "Oh, hi there." Matthew giggled.

Gilbert smiled and allowed Matthew to grab the puppy. "I think I'll name him Kuma." He smiled. "He looks like a baby polar bear." He held the puppy up in front of his face allowing the puppy to lick his face. Gilbert's heart swelled at the sight, even after everything his lover had went through he was still able to laugh and smile as if nothing bad were to happen.

But what Matthew didn't know was that something bad could happen at any moment, and he wouldn't know when. Gilbert was protecting him from the truth by distracting him and pushing him away from anything that would trigger any bad memories. "Gil, where's your brother?" Matthew asked curiously as he put the puppy back down on the ground.

Gilbert jumped at the sudden question, he was so deep in thought he nearly forgot where he was. He faced his boyfriend with a crooked smile. "Ah.." he cleared his jumbled mind and suddenly remembered. "Oh! He's talking with someone on the phone in his room." Gilbert suddenly frowned, his brother did seem to look a bit worried during the phone call.

And as if just on cue Gilbert's little brother, Ludwig, knocked on the frame of the door startling the couple. "Heya little brother." Gilbert grinned at the taller man. "Gilbert there's something I need to tell you." Ludwig muttered. "What is it? Is something wrong?" concern laced his voice, but as soon as he saw Matthew fiddling with his tubes he calmed his tense posture.

Ludwig cleared his throat, Gilbert had told him everything and why they were there. "Well I was talking to Feliciano through the phone, and he seemed a bit worried.." he started. "Is he okay? Do you want to see him or what?" Gilbert chuckled. "Brother, listen. He's good friends with Rod-" there was the sound of knocking coming from the front door, the atmosphere was tense.

Gilbert grasped onto Matthew's arm and pulled him close. "Brother..." Gilbert sneered. "You didn't." Ludwig looked away. "I'm sorry brother." With that he left to answer the door, and Gilbert cursed under his breath. "Gil what's wrong?" Matthew asked anxiously. "It's nothing birdie." He answered quickly and pulled him back to the room.

Matthew obediently followed dragging his heavy tank along with him. "Gil..." he whimpered, his grip had tightened, "Please let go." His voice was quiet and filled with pain. And as soon as Gilbert realized what he was doing he instantly let go of Matthew's arm and stepped back. "M-Matthew. I...I'm so sorry." He stammered in a guilt stricken tone.

Matthew rubbed his arm and tightly grasped onto the handle of the tank. "Something is wrong." He said. "You're shaking." Gilbert flinched, but stayed silent knowing that Matthew was right. Matthew wrapped his arms around his frightened boyfriend. "It's okay Gil, I'm here with you. You're not alone." He whispered to him and in an instant Gilbert gradually calmed down taking a deep breath.

He smiled at his lover and pecked his soft lips. "If I really want all of this chaos to end, then I better talk to Roderich." He sighed. "You promise you'll stay by my side?" he asked anxiously, Matthew smiled and nodded. "Always." He replied firmly, and that smile was just enough to convince Gilbert.

The adorable ball of fluff tugged at Matthew's tubes, Gilbert frowned at the pup and shooed it away. "I swear you darn adorable creature of evil, I will cuddle you to death if you hurt my birdie." He stated, the puppy tilted it's head and then bounded towards Gilbert happily. Matthew laughed. "He's just a puppy Gil, he can't hurt me." He reassured.

Gilbert chuckled despite his current mood and thanked his lover for being there for him. "You're right birdie, at least he's not as bad as you. You're the most dangerous creature of adorableness, you can sneeze and I'll be swept off my feet! Wear one of my shirts and I'll die from the utter cuteness!" he exclaimed, he was really trying his best to calm himself down.

And he knew that if Matthew was calm then he too would be calm. "Don't be tease." Matthew giggled with a light blush. There was a knock at their door the puppy barked and ran toward Matthew. "Keep him safe tiny warrior." Gilbert grinned, Matthew grabbed the puppy and held it in his arms. "I'll be right with you." He reassured with a smile.

Gilbert took a breath and opened the door revealing his brother and Roderich, in an instant Gilbert felt his blood begin to boil, Roderich held a guilty look on his face and lowered his head. "Talk and fix your problem, we don't want something serious beginning to happen." Ludwig pushed Roderich into the room and closed the door leaving all three of them in an awkward situation.

Matthew sat on the bed behind him and tried to calm the growling puppy in his arms, Gilbert on the other hand was trying to stop himself from growling at the man in front of him. "Gilbert," Roderich started. "I really didn't mean to cause trouble, honestly. I didn't think she'd get this out of hand." He defended. "Are you serious?! She literally called up Ivan to kidnap Matthew. Why in the world would you break up with her if you knew she would get like this?" he asked through gritted teeth.

"She fell in love with you!" Roderich protested. "No she didn't, she fell in love with someone who wasn't me, she fell in love with an illusion her drunk mind made up," Gilbert stated. "And if she doesn't realize that now someone is going to get hurt." Matthew flinched recalling the memory of Ivan injured on the floor. A pained look was on his face.

Ivan, who didn't wish to hurt other's, who wanted nothing more but the love of his sisters, his family. Matthew's heart ached and he hugged the puppy to his chest as if to block the pain. "I'm not in love with her Roderich, and seeing you now looking so broken I know you still love her." Gilbert sighed and looked at Matthew. "I have only one true love, and so do you."

He brought his attention back to Roderich. "The only question is, are you strong enough to take her back? If you really, truly love her?"

The was a long moment of silence the atmosphere was tense and thick with uncertainty, Roderich swallowed and gave Gilbert a determined smile. "I'm not that strong, but maybe with a little help I'll be able to stop her and take her back." Gilbert gave out a shaky sigh of relief. "Of course," he laughed wearily.

"Of course."

Hopefully it would soon be over, and both Gilbert and Matthew would go back to their happy lives, well...almost happy.

Gilbert was always living everyday like it would be his last, today he really thought he was going to die.

Because he thought he had lost Matthew for good. And without Matthew, his life wouldn't have a purpose anymore.