It took Matthew the rest of the day to even come close to figuring out he couldn't decide this alone… He'd wandered around the house, ate cereal, cried more… by the time eight pm came, he admitted defeat and called Ivan.

"Hello?" Came a voice he hadn't heard in awhile, and didn't really want to hear right now.

"Hello Natalia." He said with a sigh. She'd made her dislike of him clear from day one… "Is Ivan there?"

"He's putting the children down to sleep" She informed briskly. "What do you want"

"I'd like to talk to him" Matthew said patiently,

he got silence for a moment before she spoke "I will let him know…"

"Thank you" He said ready to hang up, but she started again

"Are you the reason he isn't doing well. He will not tell me" She asked, sounding annoyed that she had to.

Matthew saw no point in lying "Yes. Not that it's intentional…" or really my fault...

She hummed shortly "At least it isn't that other one then. I will tell him to call" She said hanging up.

Matthew was left a little shocked. That was almost an endorsement as far as she was concerned… Not that he was going to put effort to fixing that relationship. Right now he had bigger ones to consider.

Of course half an hour later he was beginning to wonder if she'd been lying. He'd also been getting progressively more upset feeling as if he was already being rejected. It was distressing how painful that thought was already… He kept trying to convince himself he hadn't made a decision, that he couldn't possibly know which way to go, and yet he found himself fighting anxiety of Ivan picking differently. Had he hurt him by taking so long? Or maybe he was just convinced Matthew would choose to distance himself more…

He was chasing his thoughts in circles when his phone rang,

"Hello?" He answered in a small voice, having no clue what to expect after convincing himself of so many things already.

"Hello," Came Ivan's cautious voice, "I was told you called."

"Yeah I did… can we talk?" Matthew asked, curling up on the couch and hugging his knees to himself.

"Of course" Ivan said stiffly.

".. is it possible for you to come here and talk?" Matthew clarified. He needed to see Ivan's face while they talked. He needed to be sure.

"One second" there was a muffled conversation through a hand, all in russian, then Ivan was back "Yes, Katyusha will watch the children. I will be there in ten minutes. Is that okay?" He asked, a slight waver in his voice.

"Yeah, it's fine… Just let yourself in" He added, not feeling like he could get up from the couch without shaking. And he wanted to watch Ivan walk through that front door on his own again. He needed to see it to know if he wanted it.

"Alright, I will see you soon" Matthew said his goodbyes and hung up the phone. While he waited, he wrapped himself in a blanket, as if he could hide from the feelings that were brewing.

He didn't even flinch when he heard the click of the lock, but he did force himself to look, to imagine… how would it feel to have Ivan come home from work everyday? His breath caught as Ivan did walk through the door. He wasn't empty handed either, a large bunch of red roses in his hand, the most nervous look on his face Matthew had seen since high school …

"Hello" He said unsurely. Matthew was fixed, staring at the roses, not speaking… "I uh... " He took a breath, "I needed to do this…" He said, face set, "I have been hiding and a coward.. And you could have already decided to tell me to go away, that you can't but… I needed to try and I couldn't leave it up to you to tell me you want to fix it this time in case you wanted to" He explained, slightly flustered.

"Ivan I-"

"Wait, please… just let me… " He took off his shoes and crossed the room, Matthew's face matching the roses as Ivan sunk to his knees in front of him. The flowers went to the coffee table, Ivan's hands uncertainly placed on the edge of the couch on either side of Matthew. "I love you" He started, "I haven't not loved you once. I'm fairly certain you could have done anything in the last two years and it wouldn't have changed that. But you've been graceful and sweet and kind and I do not know how. I have been anything but deserving of it and I am grateful."

Matthew was unhideably shaking now… not scared, just hooked on the words, terrified as the foundation of his walls started to shake to dust.

"I ask too much too often… I gave you nothing in return. I felt like you wanted nothing from me. Maybe I was wrong I am seeing now." He said a tint of hope in his voice, but his eyes were brokenly pessimistic. "I want to try and apologise in the way you want me too. Not assume what is best for you. I have done a horrible job of it, and now I want to let you decide…. But I also want to ask for something more I do not deserve…" He paused and took a breath, "I want to come home…"

Matthew was struggling to pull in breaths. His brain short wiring and his chest aching.

"Can I come home, Matvey?"

Matthew pulled the blanket closer, "Iv- I" He struggled, catching in sobs as he watch hope drain from the others face. He was choking on any sounds, so with blurred, tear filled eyes, and some horribly ugly sobs, he nodded, moving forward off the couch and practically throwing himself into the other.

Ivan let out a puff of breath, arms wrapping around him and holding tight as he could without hurting Matthew. The Omega pressed his face against Ivan's neck, taking in his scent greedily, shuddering as it turned to a calming one, "Y-You can't l-leave again" He managed to force out. Gripping tight onto the other's coat, "You can't" He said weakly, "I c-can't…"

"I won't" Ivan promised holding tighter, "I will stay as long as you want me" He promised in a strained emotionally wrecked voice. "I will do everything to make you feel safe again." Matthew nodded and held tight working to calm himself from how upset he'd been

"Ivan…" Matthew said with a shudder as something dawned horribly on him as their clinging continued and it seemed his body wasn't calming.

"Yes Matvey?" He said as he nuzzled against the other's hair.

"I'm… I think…" He blushed and hid against Ivan murmuring too quietly to be heard. Not that his voice was needed. His scent was catching up quick. Really quick. He was still suppose to be two weeks away from his next heat, but being so close to Ivan…

"Oh… w-what do you want me to…?" He asked letting go and looking around in somewhat of a panic.

"What I want you to do and what you should do are different" He groaned. Still hiding against the others chest. He wanted Ivan to bite him, claim him and spend the heat with him… but not only had they just fixed things up, he had no protection.

"Right." Ivan got up. Kissing Matthew on the forehead quickly. He ran into the kitchen and took a dusty key from on top of the fridge. It hadn't been moved since he left. No Alpha in the house to lure him out, no need to lock the door from the outside. Ivan darted back and help him to his feet, " Let us get you to y-your room" he stumbled out, pushing back his own reaction, though it was fairly obvious. Not that Matthew could blame him if he'd been without for so long...

However something about it didn't sound right… He frowned and leaned into Ivan, he shivered again and hummed, then let himself give into it a bit. If he was going to try and fix things.. "Our room?" Matthew corrected quietly in question

This time he felt Ivan shudder, groaning softly then he felt lips on his hair "Da, our room."

They got to the door, Ivan opening it for him but reluctant to let him go. He swooped down kissing Matthew again, making the Omega's head spin again as he clung, returning it until the Alpha pulled back far enough to murmur, voice strained in restraint, "Can I do one last thing before I lock you away for a week?"

"Uh-huh…" Was all Matthew could manage at the moment, a second away from just yanking him in the room and throwing caution into the wind.

"Can I bite you?" He said breathlessly, voice shaking slightly. The shake seemed to transfer to Matthew's skin leaving him buzzing and his mark throbbing ,

"J-Just bite?" He double checked, already tilting his head, walls crumbled to nothingness.

Ivan nodded, ducking his head down to hover over it, "Just once" He whispered, his lips brushing it ever so softly. Matthew's knuckles white from clinging for support as his legs failed him.

"Yes" He said quickly, "Please" He could make it through a heat without being terrified then maybe.

Ivan hesitated for a second, seemingly building himself up to it before biting down with a growl that had Matthew gasping for air. His whole body sung as he pressed into Ivan's chest, whimpering in a pleased way at the bite. He could feel tears at the corner of his eyes as he finally felt relief after two years of an unscratchable itch. "Ivan-I-love-you" He rushed out, yelping slightly as the bite hardened for a second then released, Ivan licking over the wound with a groan,

"I love you too" He murmured, nuzzling softly. Such a contrast to the bite. "Get in… I need to lock you in before I can't let go" He said sounding so reluctant.

"Alright… Promise you'll still be here when I come out?" Matthew asked nervously as his grip loosened.

"Of course" He said gently, kissing the other's forehead "I would not dream of leaving again" Matthew hummed and went to let go to walk into the room, but Ivan held fast.

"One more thing…" He said cheeks flushed,

"Ivan I don't know how much longer-"

"I know just… hold on tight" He warned before scooping Matthew up bridal style, kissing him softly "Is not the front door… but it will do" He said gently walking Matthew through the door and placing him down, racing, wonderfully aching heart and all as he watched his mate tear himself away, leaving the room, the sound of a lock clicking hitting him before he could even recover.

All he could think in the moment of heady joy was that Ivan was home and even if he was going to be alone in this room… the house was going to be full again.

Epilouge

"Ivan hurry up please" Matthew sighed as he walked quickly to the car, his mate hanging back by the office door, fishing for keys. "We can't be late!"

"I know, I know… ah got them!" He pulled car keys out of his large pockets and jogged up behind Matthew, wrapping and arm around his waist and kissing his cheek "It will all be fine. You trust me, da?" He asked with a dopey smile.

Matthew looked up at him, trying to look annoyed, but smiling as he shook his head and sigh "I do trust you. That's why we have these appointments" He said in reference to the couples therapy they just left. "But trusting you to stay, and trusting you not to not make us late to pick up Alek's cake are two different things" He said, reaching up on his tiptoes to kiss Ivan's cheek.

It had been a year since Ivan came home. The first few months they'd tried to fix it themselves, but Matthew's insecurities and Ivan's guilt were too much… However the pairs stubbornness wasn't about to let that be the end. Couples therapy had been working wonders, and today Matthew finally felt secure in saying he completely trusted Ivan. It was the breakthrough they needed in order to move forward.

Forward being marriage again. Though that was going to have to wait a few months.

Though they'd been intimate outside of heats, the therapist had put the kibosh on heats together for the couple. All it took was one time not realizing Matthew was in preheat…

"Is she doing okay in there?" Ivan asked softly, a hand on the growing bump. Only four months left until Matthew was done.

"He's doing just fine" Matthew said with a smile. "But he wants his brother to have cake so hurry up" Matthew scolded gently, pulling Ivan along.

"Yes ma'am, wouldn't want to upset her or her mommy" He cooed as they finally got to the car. Matthew rolled his eyes and got in. Ivan chuckled as he put on hsi seat belt and went to turn on the car. The Omega looked over and felt a sudden wash of emotion,

"Wait" He said with a smile, leaning over and pulling Ivan close, resting his forehead against the others. He smiled, "I love you" He murmured quietly, enjoying the closeness.

Ivan hummed, moving to kiss him softly murmuring "I love you too" He let it hang for a moment before speaking again "We're really going to be late…"

Matthew sighed and nodded, pulling back "Alright. But when we get home…" He trailed off

"I won't let you go all night" Ivan promised cheerfully, kissing him swiftly before the pair left driving off together both smiling as they felt the dust of everything that had happened settling.

I realize some of you were against this ending, but it is my story and the situation is a complicated one. I'm considering doing a kind of joking alt ending with some AmeCan incesty type stuff because it's funny how a few people wanted Matthew to run off with his brother.

I hope you enjoyed this! thank you for reading!