Ivan turns his head this way and that in the mirror, looking at the lack of expression on his face. He plasters a smile on, watching it, making sure it looks as real as he can manage. The corner of his lips twitch and he lets the expression drop to a small pout. He pokes at his cheek in annoyance, willing it to not let out an involuntary reaction. He tries again, this time getting the smile to last longer before another twitch happens. With a dramatic sigh he leaves the mirror behind.

How long he's been faking his expression he's not sure but the reactions are easy now. It's simple to think about the right face and put it on. Carefully he hums to himself, thinking happy thoughts to distract him for the day on his lone walk down to the meeting hall. It's not that he can't have a normal reaction, a normal smile, the fake ones come out to make himself seem less scary. He hopes they make him less scary. What an awful feel that would be if they made him more scary.

He takes a seat in the chair next to his usual one. Typically Ion sits in the chair he has deemed his but he has an idea for today and seeing it not followed through would be sad. He rests his head in his hands as the rest of the nations come in, his eyes glancing over them all as they mill in. He doesn't hate them, no, not at all. There is just something in the way they shy away from him though that makes him really want to make them afraid. Give them a reason to truly fear him.

The smile on his face drops slightly as Francis enters the room, talking softly with his counterpart. Francis is one of the few people Ivan can truly stand on a regular basis. The Frenchman doesn't bother to be afraid of him, even offering to show him around his country from time to time. Then of course there is the loud American who is too brash to be openly afraid of Ivan even on a bad day. Ivan laughs softly to himself, raising a hand to cover his smile.

Of course there is Ion. Meeting his counterpart had been an exhilarating experience. Maybe just at first Ivan wanted to terrify the other, seeing the kind of fun expressions they could make on their face. He didn't get that. No, Ion had a stoney expression the whole time, and yet never backed away, stayed, listened, and talked back like Ivan hadn't been trying to scare him into submission. Which he may have been trying to do.

His smile slips down to a neutral face as his thoughts begin to unravel inside him. Ion is a confusing person to him. No one else willingly lets him come and go as he pleases. Not a lot are willing to hold actual conversation with him. Not that he and Ion talk a lot, but even so the silence is comfortable in a new way. He can be alone, and yet not be lonely.

When Ion finally shows up he doesn't even bat an eyelash at Ivan changing their seat positions, simply taking a seat and getting out his paperwork and pen. Ivan giggles lightly at seeing it in his hand. He's glad his gift is going to good use. He's lost count of how many things he's sent his counterpart, never wondering if they are being put to good use or not until seeing one of the trinkets on Ion's person.

The gift giving started randomly, just a spur of the moment whim if he's being honest and one that was not very well thought through. The small button shaped like a sunflower did somehow remind him of Ion. He didn't bother with wondering how Ion handled receiving the gift, just felt like it would be the right thing to do. He saw Ion wearing it, sewn into the inside of his suit, just a meeting later. He can still remember the elation he felt seeing his gift welcomed so easily.

So he sent more. Each one displayed the next meeting. Still he didn't know why Ion accepted them so easily, but he really didn't care. Anything and everything he saw that he decided he wanted to send, he picked up and stowed away for another day. He's been doing it for years now.

He's not thought about it in depth, and he's very nearly certain Ion hasn't either, but he knows there are feelings just at the surface for his counterpart. What they are and what they mean he doesn't want to bother to find out, finding the thinking to be boring and unneeded. As long as Ion will keep letting him come over for a cup of whatever warm beverage he has to offer and accepting the odd ended flower themed gifts, he's perfectly content.

He blinks innocently when Ion looks at him, studying him for a moment before turning back to his work. What his counterpart looks for when he stares Ivan isn't sure, but if he can have his counterpart's attention in a simple way, he doesn't mind. He reaches under the table to gently lace his fingers in a light grip with Ion's. He giggles softly, covering his mouth with a hand when Ion jerks at the sudden action.

It takes a moment of heavy breathing for Ion to continue on with his note taking, his non-dominant hand busy trying not to clench to tightly on Ivan's. That's another thing that makes Ivan pause and look down at the easy hold his hand is in. Never has any interaction between him and Ion been rough or strong. Every last bit of it has been gentle and soft. A welcome change in his opinion.

Throughout the meeting Ivan keeps Ion's hand to him, letting go with a small pout when his counterpart needs it for some reason or another but always taking it back once he's done, smiling softly when Ion willingly places their hands back together as if they have done it for years before. He's known about his slight feelings for Ion for a long time, longer than the others he's sure. He's not the kind to let his emotions fester without acknowledging them at least. Why he has never let such a thing flourish before skips his mind.

He glances down at their lightly interlaced fingers, the smile on his face turning to something more real. He really does like the way Ion's hand feels with his. One of the few times they actually held hands, or touched in general, Ivan was mesmerized by the warmth his counterpart radiated. His skin has always been cold, a testament to the cold climate he comes from. But Ion's skin has a warm twinge to it that makes him want to be close to him at all times. There's a small pounding in his chest as the a memory comes back to him.

"Your hand feels nice," Such a simple compliment that Ion may have never meant to be a compliment. His counterpart had the back of his hand pressed to his cheek, his eyes closed as if he had to take a moment to enjoy the feel of Ivan's skin next to his. He's not sure what kind of expression he wore at that time, probably something like shock.

Ivan peeks at Ion to find him looking back already. Again his heart pounds and he vaguely hopes it doesn't fall out of his chest for that would be a mess. The pounding doesn't stop as easily as he wishes as Ion keeps staring at him. Ivan tilt his head in question, not saying a word to not disturb the meeting. Ion opens his mouth as if to say something but thinks better of it and closes it again, content with just watching Ivan for a moment longer. A moment longer that is until Ivan leans closer to him and places a small kiss on his cheek.

The giggles come before he can stop them at seeing the deadpan look on Ion's face and yet accompanied by a tinge of red to his cheeks. Even still his counterpat's facial expression has no change. He continues to giggle until warm lips press to his cheek as well. He blinks wide eyed at Ion doing his hardest to focus on his notes and not the ever so slight scowl of embarrassment on his face.

He hums happily to himself quietly, maybe just holding Ion's hand a small bit tighter. The rest of the meeting passes slowly, his smile twitching every so often and the annoying ones until it is called to an end. Instead of packing up right away like he usually does, Ion sits still, not removing his hand from Ivan's either. Not until most of the other nations are gone does a change happen.

"Is it the same for you?" Ion asks quietly, lifting his eyes up to stare like he always does. Ivan giggles and shrugs his shoulders.

"What are we talking about Iony?" Ivan rests an elbow on the table, letting his head fall into it but still keeping Ion's hand in his. His counterpart sighs and looks away, trying to get his thoughts in order to form the right words to say. Instead he makes the hold of his hand tighter. Ivan hums again and the smile he's worked so hard for easily falls away to something neutral as he keeps eye contact with Ion.

"I like this," He says quietly. Ion peeks up once more, a small twitch coming from the corners of his laughs lightly, covering his mouth with his hand. Ion releases a sigh of relief by the sound and finally stands up to pack up his things. Ivan follows suit.

The walk back is different this time. Ivan's hand is warmer than it has been in years with Ion lightly holding onto it. It's one of his favorite things about his counterpart. It took some coaxing and some mild threats to get the answer out of him, but Ion confessed forest fires being a natural part of his climate, making his skin really warm. Ivan felt jealous at first, twitching in annoyance at his own skin being so cold. He clenches his teeth in a seething anger over the snowy tundra that buried him two feet under.

Ion did quell those feelings easily enough. He seemed to make that a habit, calming Ivan's spikes of emotion before they truly manifested into something wild. His smile slips off, rubbing gently at his cheek for the sore muscles there. He knows most of the others are afraid of him. He knows he has a tendency to snap even before he realizes it himself sometimes. There are very few he feels truly comfortable around to let himself relax and not worry about breaking something.

He giggles suddenly and grips Ion's hand just a hint tighter, nothing more than a gentle squeeze that Ion doesn't seem to mind in the slightest, the faintest shade of pink going to his cheeks which only serves to make Ivan giggle more. Ion's lack of facial expression's doesn't bother him. If anything it only makes it more fun for him to try and make his counterpart feel enough to find the expression changing.

It's a small step to change his path to walk just the smallest next to Ion, now letting their arms touch more fully. He can feel his own blush covering his cheeks as he glances away, nearly embarrassed, with a small smile on his face. He hears Ion sigh next to him as they continue their walk up. He follows Ion to his room, happily shrugging off his jacket for Ion to take and hang up. He waits patiently for a cup of tea then joins his counterpart outside. He recognizes the book Ion is halfway through easily.

"When did you start reading that?" He asks quietly. Ion lets out a huff and closes his eyes. Here Ivan notices the small bags resting under his eyes. He blinks slowly when Ion looks at him, a vague mask of tired over his features. Ivan giggles lightly and takes one of Ion's hands, kissing the palm of it sweetly then returns to his tea, snuggling down into his chair. He sits quietly with Ion as the sky changes colors around them, not needing words to feel right at home.

AN: Welp, here is the last chapter to this story, and with that the Infatuation series goes on a hiatus. It's not over completely, but others will have to wait for thier own story. I'm so thankful to those who have read and reviewed these stories. It warms my heart so much. Thank you with everything, honestly.