Before you read. Author's note.
The basic story is based on the movie Moulin Rouge. The happening may be different than in the movie, I have chosen the parts of the story that fit this fanfic the best. Every character here doesn't fit in the role that is in the original movie. I have tried to make them more like the Hetalia characters of course.
This is the first fanfic ever that I have decided to publish, I really hope you enjoy it.
Without further introduction here is the first chapter.
First chapter
The greatest thing you'll ever learn, is just to love and be loved in return.
Moulin Rouge... A nightclub, dance hall and bordello. Ruled over by an Russian man Ivan Braginsky. A kingdom of night time pleasures, were rich and powerful came to play with the young and beautiful creatures of the underworld. The most beautiful of all these was the woman Alferd loved: Natalya. A courtesan, who sold her love to men. They called her the "Icy diamond" and she was the star of the Moulin Rouge. The woman Alferd loved is... dead.
Alfred first came to Paris one year ago. It was 1899, the summer of love. Alfred knew nothing about the Moulin Rouge, Ivan Braginsky or Natalya. The world had been swallowed up in bohemian revolution and he had traveled from America to be a part of it. On a hill near Paris was the village of Montmartre. It wasn't as Alferd's father had said "village of sin", but the center of the bohemian world! The people there musicians, painters and writers, they were know as the children of revolution.
Yes Alfred had come to live penniless existence. He had come to write about truth, beauty, freedom and above of all the things he believed in, love! There was only one problem: Alfred had never been in love.
Luckily right at that moment an unconscious German fell trough of his roof.
The American jumped up from his chair and almost dropped his glasses at the same time. Alfred stared the other man that hang from his leg in the hole in the roof. He had to blink his eyes couple times before he realized what it was that hang in front of him. Suddenly someone opened the apartments door really quickly and loudly. The young American turned around to meet the eyes of a another young fellow.
"How do you do" the fellow at the door started. Alfred sighed, maybe from relief that it wasn't anything worse than this harmless looking fellow.
"My name is Feliciano Vargas" the fellow said while he rotate walking stick in his hand. It wasn't until now that Alfred realized that Feliciano was dressed up in colorful cloth that reminded distantly a nun's cloak.
"I'm terribly sorry about this" Veliciano apologized cheerfully while he moved towards the man who hang in the hole.
"We were just upstairs rehearsing a play".
"What?" Alfred had probably never been this confused.
A play, something very modern, called Spectacular spectacular. Alfred was soon explained that it set on Switzerland. Unfortunately the unconscious German suffered from sickness called narcolepsy. He had fallen a sleep and that's how they had ended up in this situation.
"First Ludwig is vied awake and the he goes..." Feliciano explained and ended the explanation with snoring noises.
"How is he?" American suddenly heard voices above him. He raised his look from Ludwig to roof and saw several heads peeking down from there.
"How wonderful, now that the German is unconscious, the scene won't be finished by the time we have to show it to financier tomorrow!" man with a dark brown hair said. He had to keep her hand on the one side of his face and make sure his glasses didn't fall to the floor trough the hole.
"I-I still have to finish the music" man with Japanese looks next to him mumbled.
"We just find someone to read the part" Feliciano explained to his friends in the upstairs.
"Where in the heavens name we are going to find someone to read the role of young sensitive Swiss poet goatherd?" the man with the glasses blurt. He was clearly near to loose his temper. Feliciano turner his face to Alfred.
"What did you say your name was?" he asked. "I... I didn't. It's Alfred" American answered quickly.
Before Alfred could say anything he was already upstairs reading the part of the unconscious German. He looked others who mostly did what they liked. Feliciano moved around the room while singing something about man with Japanese looks played something truly different that Alfred had ever heard played by piano. Suddenly the man with glasses started to jump up and down . "Oh stop! Stop that insufferable droning! It's drowning out my words! Please just stick to some decorative piano" he scold the Japanese man.
Soon Alfred realized that those fellows had artistic difference about Roderich's, the man with the glasses, lyrics.
"I don't think nun would say like that" Feliciano said with a thoughtful face.
"What if she sings that the hills vital of the tone of the tune" Japanese suggested, and Roderich sure didn't look happy about this suggestion. Soon everyone, except Alfred was arguing about the lyrics. Even Ludwig came back from the unconscious for a moment: "The hills are incarnate with symphonic melody" he said loudly before passing out again. For a moment it was quiet, then everybody started to share their ideas again, this time Alfred tried to say something by himself too. But everybody was talking so loudly that no one could hear his suggestion. Alfred waived his hands and tried to get the other's attention. Finally he got enough courage and yelled out:
"The hills are alive with the sound of music". Everyone went silent and thought about what they just had heard.
Before anyone could say anything the German jump up from the bed, which made everyone turn their heads towards him.
"The hills are alive with the sound of music... I love it!" he yelled out. Everyone seemed to be excited about this suggestion, everyone but Roderich.
"You two should write together" said Feliciano and pointed first Alfred and then Roderich.
"I beg your pardon?" Roderich looked annoyed. It wasn't something he wanted to hear. He took couple quick steps towards the door.
"Good bye!" he shouted out dramatically and slammed the door behind him.
"Here is to your first job in Paris" said Feliciano when he drank his wine class empty.
"Feliciano... I doubt Braginsky will agree with this..." said the Japanese man then he quickly turned to look Alfred.
"No offence... Have you ever wrote anything like this before?" he tried to choose his words to sound as polite as possible.
"No" Alfred admitted right away.
"Boy has talent! I like him! " Ludwig said while walking to the American and placing hands to his shoulders.
"Nothing funny... I just like talents" he laughed nervously.
The other men gathered around in small circle leaving Alfred out, which made him lean closer to hear what they were talking about.
"See with Alfred we can truly write a bohemian revolutionary play!" Feliciano sighed with a dreamy look.
"But how do we convince Braginsky?" Japanese man, which Alfred learnt later to go with name Kiku, sounded worried.
"Natalya..." the first time Alfred heard that name it came out of Feliciano's mouth.
Their plan was simple. The would dress Alfred up in the best suit and pass him off as famous American writer. When Natalya had heard his modern poetry, she would demand Braginsky to let Alfred write the play. The only problem was that Alfred kept hearing his father's voice in his head. "You will waste your life in the Moulin Rouge with a can can dancer" the voice said. The voice got Alfred to panicking and he tried to rush out of the room. He was quickly stopped and convinced to stay. Their talking about the revolution made Alfred stay, especially the talk about love. All you need is love, after all. They even named Alfred as the voice of the children of the revolution.
It was perfect plan. Alfred would be introduced to Natalya. Alfred couldn't stop the excitement to to take over of his own mind. Soon they all were dressed up in their best suits. They were off to the Moulin Rouge, and Alfred was to perform his poems for Natalya.
Moulin Rouge was something like Alfred had never seen before. All around him there was cheering mans, trying to get the attention of the ladies who came to the stage and eventually to dance with the men. Everything looked luxurious. There was bright lights and lots of tables with comfy chairs. In the middle of this all there was dance floor. Ivan Braginsky and his girls...They called them his "Diamond dogs". There was different girls, from every country you could imagine. Before Alfred knew it they started to sing and dance, Braginsky walking before them leading them towards the men. The show had begun. The girls lifted up their bright colored skirts and made high kicks to air. Everyone seemed to enjoy watching it and soon Alfred noticed he was smiling too. "Outside it might be raining, but here it's entertaining" was Braginsky's famous phrase that he used always in the opening song.
The music suddenly stopped. Braginsky ran to his place as turning the sign near the musicians. It showed what type of dance was coming next. He turned the sign.
"Do the can can" he whispered when the words were showing. Quickly every man was out of the dance floor and the girls went to their places on it. The music started going on again. This time it was more quicker. The girls shook around their bright dresses even more wildly, while the mans clapped their hands in excitement. When the girls came towards the men coming to get they dance Alfred was ready to go with them. But Feliciano quickly pushed him towards a table and he had to sat down.
"Mission accomplished. We successfully avoided Braginsky" Feliciano looked overly happy about it. Right in that moment the music stopped again. Lights were directed towards roof.
"It's her. Icy diamond..." Feliciano whispered. Alfred saw a swing coming down slowly. On it there was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. Her platinum blond hair looked stunning with the silver sparkling dress she was fearing. All the way down were Alfred was sitting he could see that she was wearing beautiful deep red colored lipstick. When she opened that mouth to sing Alfred was like enchanted. How she sang calmly, was like from another world than the number that was performed before. Alfred couldn't take my eyes from her.
But someone else was supposed to meet Natalya that night. Branginsky's investor...The duke. The song's melody changed to a faster one and Natalya's swing spin around while it came closer to ground. All the man tried to reach to touch her.
"Oh my!" Ludwig next to Alferd shout out when Natalya started to sing again. Mans all around her tried to offer her money for a cheek kiss or something else too. She calmly walked around, while singing. The thing Alfred noticed that she didn't smile much. All this time she had a sour look on her face. Alfred now knew were the "icy" came to her nickname.
Without Alfred noticing in the table next to his was sitting two man talking about Natalya.
"When I get to meet the girl?" man with a golden blond hair asked from Braginsky.
"After the performance. I have arranged a private meeting for you and mademoiselle Natalya... Totally alone" Braginsky turned to look duke with grin.
"After her number I have arranged a private meeting for you and mademoiselle Natalya, totally alone" Feleciano explained to Alfred in the same time.
"Alone?" suddenly he was getting nervous.
"Yes totally alone" Feleciano smiled his usual bright smile.
"Excuse me" right in that moment Brangisky stood up in the other table. Duke looked how he disappeared again. But he couldn't keep his eyes long away from Natalya. Braginsky was already walking on the stage, while Natalya was carried by group of guys to the same stage.
"Talk to me Ivan Braginsky. Tell me all about it!" she yelled when she got her feets to the ground. Alfred couldn't keep himself still, he was getting way too nervous. He tried to stood up, but everyone in his table were trying to keep him sitting.
"Don't worry! Don't worry! I will take care of everything!" Feliciano tried to calm t he American down, and eventually Alfred sat down again. Feliciano stood up and was ready to walk past to the duke's table which frighten the waiter who drop drinks from the tray. It took Duke's eyes off Natalya.
"Is the duke here?" Natalya asked quietly to Braginsky while he was holding up and jewel up in the air in front of her.
"I would never let you down" Bragisnky said while those two changed sides. For Braginsky's terror he saw how duke got drinks all over him. Feliciano desperately tried to dry duke's suite to his napkin.
"Where is he?" Natalya asked out of curiosity.
"He's the one Feliciano is waiving his napkin" Braginsky said while they changed sides again, so Natalya could see the duke. But just in that moment Feliciano peeked back to Alfred's table.
"Excuse me Alfred. Could you borrow your napkin?" Feliciano was getting nervous, he didn't want to annoy the duke. Feliciano quickly took Alfred's napkin and waived it slightly to get it straight. Natalya looked towards Alfred's table.
"Are you sure?" she wrinkled her nose.
"Let me peek..." Braginksy said, hold Natalya's hands while turning them around again. In the mean time Feliciano had got enough time to try to help the duke again. Though the duke didn't seem to want to help. He was got up and backing away from Feliciano.
"I'm ever so sorry " Feliciano said while waiving the napkin in front of duke.
"That's the one" Braginsky nodded. "I hope that Italian won't scare him off..." he mumbled while giving Natalya a jewel he had been holding in his hand.
Feliciano throw the napkin towards the duke that was still trying to get away. Right in that moment someone grabbed Feliciano's shoulder. He turned around to see who it was. Feliciano made little noise from fear when he saw a man was ready to take gun from his belt. Feliciano swallowed loudly realizing this was probably duke's so called bodyguard.
"Sorry... Sorry" Feliciano said quickly and tried to smile while he made his way back to Alfred's table.
"Will he invest?" Natalya allowed little smile creep to her face.
"After spending a night with you, how could he refuse?"Braginsky raised his eyebrow.
"We're all relying on you" he added, while Natalya dropped the jewel to one of the back dancer's arms.
"Remember, a real show in a real theater with a real audience and you'll be..." Braginsky said while placing his hands to Natalya's shoulders.
"Real actress..." she whispered. Then Braginsky pushed her gently back to the front of the stage to continue her singing.
Alfred had turned around to say something to Ludwig. But it was soon forgotten what he was supposed to say, because something caught his attention and he turned his look back to the way of stage. Much to a Alfred's surprise Natalya wasn't on the stage anymore. Now she was was right in front of him.
"I believe you were expecting me...".
" Yes. Yes" Alfred mumbled. That was all he could say, he was so surprised. Natalya turned around to look the rest of the audience.
"I'm afraid it's lady's choice" she said while raising her hands up to air. The men were cheering loudly and Ludwig squeezed encouragingly Alfred's shoulder. Alfred didn't know what to do, he just stared the other man and then let his look come back to Natalya. Natalya made little offended squeal and pouted her lips. All the men started to cheer for Natalya yelling her name. She flashed tiny smile to them and turned around to look Alfred again.
"I see you have met my American friend..." Feliciano said with a smile, but was interrupted by Natalya: "I'll take care of it" she said to Felicano. She offered her hand to Alfred.
"Let's dance" Alfred let his hand to fall to Natalya's and before he knew it he was already on the dance floor. Alfred tried to copy some of the dance moves, but mainly he couldn't take his eyes off Natalya. He watched how she dancing around him.
"That seems to go well " Kiku mumbled to the other men in the table.
"He has gift with women" Ludwig nodded with a smile.
"I told you he is genius" Feliciano chuckled. Just then Natalya slide down against Alfred which made him gasp for air. He wasn't expecting that.
"How wonderful of you to take an interest in our show" Natalya said calmly when she got back up. The music was loud and there was dancing pairs everywhere you could look.
"It sounds very exciting. I'd be delighted to be involved" Alfred spoke loudly, he wasn't sure would Natalya hear him.
"Assuming you like what I do" Alfred added. Natalya looked Alfred with a surprised look.
"I'm sure I will" she said wondering was he already talking about the night. Alfred was getting to hang of the dance. He even had time to raise his to phat when he saw his table mates. They raised their hats too while laughing. Everything seemed to go extremely well.
"Feliciano thought we might be able to..." Natalya throw her head little bit back when Alfred talked.
"Do it on private" Alfred continued when Natalya's eyes were back on him.
"Did he?" she raised her eyebrow when she came again closer to Alfred.
"Yes, you know, a private poetry reading" Alfred said while he was trying to lead the dance.
"Oooh... A "Poetry reading"... Oh I love a little "poetry" after supper" Natalya answered while pincing teasinly Alfred's cheek. The dance was already near to it's end. Natalya backed up little bit from Alfred.
"Hang on to your hat!" she yelled while doing a hig kick. The roof was now full of top hats, that the men hat thrown up.
When the hats came back down Alfred was back to his seat fixing the position of his glasses on his nose. Natalya was back in her swing which was now going towards the roof. She was singing the last notes. Alfred didn't hear anything that the other men said to him. They were complimenting how well it had gone.
Natalya was already near to the end of the song. She gasped air for the very last note and then, just then something went wrong. Everyone were waiting for that last note. Natalya tried to keep herself together, but slowly she felt weaker and weaker. Then she was already unconscious. Her hands didn't get orders from the blank mind, and they let go of the swing. Everything looked like it was on slow motion. Natalya fell down for her swing. No one realized until she was already near the floor. She fell right in the arms of the one backup dancer. The man looked scared. He hold her up carefully. Braginsky nodded towards the backroom and the man with Natalya walked quickly there. The audience was confused, the other girls tried to get their attention. But Alfred saw how the man with Natalya disappeared behind the curtains. He couldn't help but think was something wrong.
Braginsky clapped his hands and yelled loudly. People had to believe that it was part of the show.
"Natalya, Natalya, Natalya" Braginsky waived his hands in the air and soon got the men cheer. In the backroom the mood was different. Natalya was carried to a sofa.
"I doubt the duke will get his money's worthy tonight" girl with long light brown hair whispered.
"Don't be unkind Elizabeta" someone whispered back to her. Elizabeta shook her head as a gesture that she didn't mean to be mean. Braginsky on the stage understood that he wouldn't get Natalya back there tonight. He raised his hands as a mark of silence. All the man stopped cheering and looked Braginsky with curiosity.
"You've frightened her away" he said with a sad tone. The men looked slightly disappointed.
"But I can see some lonely Moulin Rouge dancers looking for a partner or two!" loud cheer went a gross the hall again. "So if you can hunk hunk... You can Hunkadola with them!" Braginsky yelled while he turned the dance sign which showed now the next dance. Music started to play again and the men looked happy.
"Excuse me... Out of my way" short haired, kind looking woman tried to make her way to Natalya. People who first met this woman could not help but look her rather large breasts. But the woman was already pretty used to his, especially because of the industry where she was. The woman brought little bottle close to Natalya's nose opening it up quickly. Everyone hear the quick breaths that Natalya took when she woke up. She wrinkled her nose to the bottle's smell and tried to get her breath to calm down. Everyone waited quietly her to say something.
"Oh big sister..." Natalya whispered and the woman answered with gentle smile.
"Oh, these silly costumes" Natalya shook her head.
"Just a fainting spell" her big sister answered.
"Back out front, girls. Make those gents thirsty. Problems?" little chubby man had made his way to backroom.
"Nothing you should worry about" Natalya's big sister answered right away.
"Don't stand around, then" the man answered as quickly. Natalya coughed. Her big sisters looked her with a worried look. Natalya turned to her side while her big sister offered tissue in front her mouth. Natalya kept coughing. When she finally stopped she closed her eyes again. Natalya's sister looked the tissue, and her eyes widen of concern. There was blood in the tissue.