Chapter Text
When Ivan woke up the carriage was already moving. He sat up, rubbing his eyes open. He opened up the window to see … Light?
Ivan panicked. "Leonhard! What the hell? When did the time unfreeze?"
Leonhard tilted his head. "Unfreeze?"
Leonhard then freaked out a second later. "Oh shit, that's right! I completely forgot you stopped time!"
Ivan questioned, could it have happened last night or when he was sleeping? What caused it? He certainly didn't do it himself. He quickly pulled out his pocket watch and looked at it. 8:13. The palace might already be looking for them. He held the pocket watch and tried to stop the time again, trying his hardest to focus despite the sudden panic.
It took a while, but eventually he was able to freeze it back. That could have been bad.
What was he saying? It was bad. If it happens again, the guards could come looking for them. Ivan opened the window to the front of the carriage. Leonhard looked back at him.
"Okay, I have it under control."
Maybe it was because he slept. God, does that mean he can't sleep?
Ivan looked back at the watch and sighed in relief.
The whole rest of the ride Ivan felt hazy. Like he could pass out any minute. He tried to keep himself focused with his books. He didn't want to risk falling asleep. Sooner than later, he lost track of how long it had been.
The carriage suddenly stopped.
"We're in romano."
"Huh." Ivan opened the door.
Leonhard pointed to a sign.
'Now Entering The Kingdom of Romano'
Ivan looked up at the castle in the distance. That's when the anxiety suddenly set it. Ivan stepped out of the carriage. "Hey… can we get something to eat first? I'm sick of all the bread and berries." He stalled.
Truth is he didn't know how to tell Leonhard he was nervous, not after all they did to get him here.
Leonhard smiled. "Sure."
Ivan looked at Leonhard's face for a moment, then grabbed his hand. Leonhard smiled as they walked into the closest town. There was a small cafe on the side of the road.
When they walked in they saw people sitting down for breakfast. Ivan and Leo both felt amazing just seeing fresh food for the first time in two days.
Leonhard stopped at the front desk, which had a display case filled with sweets- before his eyes widened. "Wait, is this stealing?"
Ivan thought about it. "Not technically… If you have money to leave here, I don't see a problem.
Leonhard pulled out some coins and placed them on the counter. "Sorry… here."
Leonhard didn't seem to be talking to Ivan bit rather the lady sitting still behind the counter. Ivan picked up a plate of Packzi and Leonhard took a cinnamon roll. They sat down at a vacant table.
Leonhard went to get himself some milk and Ivan some juice. When he came back he handed Ivan a cup. Ivan smiled.
"Thanks…"
As good as the Packzi tasted, his anxiety only seemed to grow the longer he waited. Once finished, they spent a moment at the cafe to think to themselves.
Ivan fidgeted with his hands, As Leonhard looked out the nearby window. "Romano is a bit gloomy…" he said.
"Yeah, it's always been that way…" Ivan sighed.
"Not when we're the kings."
Ivan smiled softly. "Yeah…"
His eyes narrowed. "I'm scared, Leo."
Leonhard held Ivan's hand from across the table. "You don't have anything to be afraid of, Ivy."
"Ivy?" Ivan asked.
Leonhard blushed, smiling awkwardly and tilting his head the other direction.
"Ah- do you not like it? I thought it would be cute but if you prefer something else."
"No- it's sweet. Thank you." Ivan looked at Leonhard's hand. It was bigger than his.
"I just feel like I'm throwing everything away for you…" he sighed. "But it's like you said, I can't change the fact that I like boys… That I like you."
"We can stay here for a while if you like."
Ivan shook his head. "I think the longer I wait the harder it'll be. We should… leave…"
Leonhard nodded and stood up, he stopped by the kitchen to grab a few more desserts (and he paid for them at the desk) for the road.
Ivan looked down at his hand and had the thought that he wished Leonhard's hand was still there. Almost repressing the thought for a moment before remembering he didn’t have to anymore. Infact, he could turn that thought into a reality. When Leonhard came back Ivan blushed, grabbing Leonhard’s free hand.
Leonhard laughed quietly and wrapped his fingers with Ivans. Ivan and his boyfriend walked out of the cafe.
“The palace isn’t far from here. Tie Patricia up. We’ll walk .”
“Okay.”
And so they walked, hand in hand, through the city. If not for Ivan’s powers, they’d be in real danger. Romano was never a very accepting country when it came to queer couples. Ivan always thought that when he was incharge, he’d try to change that. But he never thought it would affect him.
The walk was quiet and it didn't take long for the two of them to arrive at the palace gates. They stepped through.
"Even Romano palace is gloomy." Leonhard mumbled.
Ivan shuttered. "Leo?"
"Yes, Ivy?"
"I don't want you in the room when I tell him. Tell him that I'm… queer." Ivan said quietly.
It took a moment for Leonhard to understand what Ivan meant. "Oh- that's fine. Just come back to me afterwards."
"Thanks for understanding…" Ivan felt Leonhard lift his head upwards and lean down to kiss him. Ivan wrapped his arms around Leonhard and thought to himself-
He didn't need his dad's approval. He had Leonhard and how could he ever ask for anything else? True love? Him about a month ago would have scoffed at the phrase- but now he knew, it was real. He laid his head on Leonhard's chest, closing his eyes as he hugged him, with Leo hugging back tightly.
Ivan took a step back, kissing Leonhard's cheek.
"I'll always love you." Leonhard said. "No matter what happens in that room."
Ivan silently nodded and walked up the palace stairs.
All on his own, he dreadingly walked towards his father's sick room, and when he got there, everything seemed to flash before him. But not one of his good memories was with his father. Not any he could remember.
He opened the door. It looked like his father was asleep at the moment he stopped time. He slowly walked over. A selfish thought flew by, a horribly natured one. That maybe this was his turn, his chance to hurt his father. But Ivan was better than that. Inflicting any type of physical pain on his father wouldn't take away what his father did to him, and he was sure it would be a useless attempt at making him feel empathy.
He put his hand on his father's shoulder and unfroze him.
The man croaked, his eyes looked bad. Was his sickness that awful?
"Ivan? What are you doing here…"
Ivan didn't know what to say yet. Suddenly, he could feel bad for the man who did nothing but hurt him time and time again. But he chose not to, swallowing his morals.
"It's… complicated." Ivan said. He looked at his hands, trying to figure out where to start. "I never understood you. Why you hurt me and Eugene."
"Why do you expect me to put your feelings over the future of our country?"
"Don't you understand?" You're not the only person in my life anymore!" He felt his heart pour into his words. "There's more than one way to live. There's more than one way to raise a king."
His father began to speak but Ivan cut him off. He'd never done that before.
"You've hit me, and yelled at me, told me I was horrible, told me if I felt love my kingship would be ruined. Why did you lie to me father?"
"Listen to me-"
In a single moment Ivan's blood began to boil. "No! You listen to me!"
"Why wasn't I deserving of unconditional love? Because I'm a crown prince?" Ivan curled his fist, his voice shaking. "Every boy's fathers love their sons! But all you care about is yelling at us, and hitting us. Eugene isn't even a crown prince! But you still treat the both of us so harshly."
"Those Granzreich boys have gotten into your head. What happened to my smart, strong king?"
One of them got into my heart! "You never said that before! You just want me to back down and be submissive and tell you you're right- even though you aren't."
"The Granzreichs are right. Their father loved them and they're the kindest and most compassionate souls ever. Any of them could be king. A better king than me, even."
Ivan choked. "And don't act like it's my fault when you could have been a good father! Why could you have been a good father like King Viktor…"
"I hate you. I hate you so much but I never told you because I wanted to believe I was working towards something. But no, you couldn't spare one drop of kindness for me and my brother. You aren't our father. You're just our abuser ."
He finally admitted it. He felt his heart beating like crazy. Everything he was afraid to say before.
The sick man scoffed as Ivan's voice went silent. "It's just like you to villainize me."
"I hated myself when I held your opinion higher than anyone else's. But now I don't need your opinion because I stopped idolizing you, and now I have someone kinder to take care of me."
"And who might that be?"
Ivan shook. For the first time in the conversation he was afraid. And then suddenly, he wasn't. "Leonhard. He's…"
"He's what?"
"He's my boyfriend you asshole! And he's the sweetest… I… I'm gay, alright?"
"You're a disgrace. After all I did for you, you go out and lie with the devil."
"Wrong. I kissed an angel. And he kissed me- and suddenly, gender doesn't even matter."
"Just wait until the council hears about my heir switch."
Ivan looked blankey. No! Don't do that! Eugene can't be king, he's not ready! He's never studied to be king! Before he could think oven wrapped his hands around his father's neck.
What the hell am I doing? WHY AM I DOING THIS? Fry the vocal cords… just the vocal cords. Don't kill him. I couldn't live with that.
Ivan took his hands off his throat. Was it all he could do? He begged that he wouldn't become a murderer.
"Dad?"
…
"Dad?"
Ivan out his hand on the heart.
Still beating. Good.
He looked down. "I'm sorry… I didn't want to do that."
He turned away. He couldn't look that man in the eye after doing that. "Don't worry. Me and Leonhard will take good care of Romano." He sighed. Was this the part where he should say 'I love you?' but he just can't?
He left the room, a new melancholy feeling in his heart.
He walked through the halls, taking a moment to check that time was still stopped. When he came back to the hall he simply walked into Leonhard’s arms, who caught him as his legs gave out.
“Its done.” Ivan muttered. “He can’t hurt anyone anymore...”
Leo’s eyes widened. “Did you…?”
“No. I just burnt his vocal chords. I didn’t want to… but he would have told his men about us… An- and I couldn’t…. I didn’t want Eugene to have to do something he never had to worry about before- and I didn’t want anyone to ruin our...:”
“Shh, It’s okay, I’m not mad…” Ivan knew he was tearing up. He was suddenly swept off his feet, Leonhard carrying him. “Where’s your room, doll?”
"You're so sweet… it's on the second floor… the left wing. I'll tell you when you're close."
Leonhard carried Ivan through the halls. And suddenly, Ivan could see a future where the palace was no longer gloomy.
He stopped Leonhard at his room, Leonhard kicked open the door.
Ivan chuckled. "You can put me down now."
"Aw, but I don't want to~" Leonhard kissed Ivan's cheek. Any guilt he had seemed to melt away. He did what he had to.
Leonhard and Ivan stared into each others eyes before pressing their lips together. Leonhard careful walked over to the bed and laid down Ivan, breaking their kiss but not for long, because Ivan pulled Leonhard closer.
They'd only been together for two days but for some reason Ivan couldn't stop thinking about Leonhard, and he knew Leonhard couldn't stop thinking about him either.
They moved their lip against one another, when Leonhard lifted his head up they looked into eachothers eyes.
Then suddenly Ivan buried his head into Leonhard's chest, rolling him and his boyfriend on their sides.
"I don't know what's next… but I'm glad you'll be there."
"Me too, Ivan."
.
The crown was too big, the robe was too big. Everything just seemed to be too big. In both a physical and metaphorical sense. Part of Ivan was disgusted that he had to wear the same thing his father once did. And when the priest announced him king, all he could think of was how backwards it all seemed. But he would move forward. He looked at the crowd, seeing everyone. But the proudest one had to be Leonhard's.
"Ladies and gentlemen, King Ivan Aleksandrovich Romano."
The people cheered. Ivan couldn't be more empty though. Wasn't this supposed to make him happy? The one thing he worked so hard to achieve. He waved to the crowd, blushing when a particular blond waved.
Journalist after journalist bombarded Ivan, asking him questions.
"King Ivan! How does it feel to be in charge at such a young age?"
"People are suspecting you had something to do with your father's death, how do you respond to these claims?"
"You're majesty, who will be your queen?"
It was a headache. Before Ivan could speak, someone pushed through the crowd.
"Hey! Leave him alone, he never agreed to be interviewed!"
Ivan sighed and smiled. "Thanks Leo."
Leonhard was blushing as he grabbed ahold of Ivan's shoulder. He mumbled. "Can I talk to you?"
Ivan nodded. "Yeah. Let's go to the balcony."
Ivan led Leonhard to the balcony, looking off the edge at the palace garden.
His palace, now that his father was gone. Leonhard looked with him.
"I want to tell them about us."
Ivan panicked. Leonhard had only just come out about a few weeks ago. "Are you sure?"
Leo grabbed Ivan's hand and nodded. "I wanna show you off."
Ivan sighed and placed his head on Leonhard's shoulder. "This stuff is so tiring. Why can't people just mind their own business?"
"Because they're stupid and mean."
Ivan chuckled. "Yeah, stupid and mean."
"You can tell them." He felt his hand being grabbed and rubbed. He looked up at Leonhard, who had a pink tint on his face.
Ivan sighed contently, before leaning in.
Leonhard put his lips on Ivan's, clutching his hand. "I love you…. So much."