A/N: [ 'Метель' means 'blizzard' in Russian according to google translate. Please correct me if I'm wrong. ] Guess who's back with another rusprus story because they're tRASH. That's right. It's me. Anyway take this survival/angst/fluff story. Apologies in advance for spelling/grammar errors. Enjoy!
***Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia or any of the characters
***Warnings: Language, Blizzards, Mentions of Sexual Themes
Метель (metel)
Day 1
Everything was so calm. The whole forest was at peace. Snow cascaded from the sky in large flakes, landing softly on his face and sticking to his eyelashes. Ivan lay amongst the comforting scene in blissful silence. The whole situation was so soothing, it was beginning to lull the Russian to sleep. Getting comfortable, he buried his face in the warm snow and closed his eyes, waiting as the cold white faded to a balmy black.
"Camping?" Gilbert asked as he leaned against the couch, propping his feet on the edge of the coffee table. "Are you fucking kidding me?"
"Aw, c'mon Gil, it'll be fun!" Ivan pleaded as he kneeled in front of his boyfriend.
"We're not Boy Scouts, Ivan." The German responded, slightly annoyed. It took every ounce of willpower to ignore his boyfriend's puppy dog eyes. His violet orbs sparkled with hope and a mild mischief that Gilbert couldn't say 'no' to.
"Fine!" He gave in, complying to Ivan's ridiculous request. "But only for like, a couple days. I need the organized cleanliness of civilized living conditions."
That was as good as Ivan was going to get so he didn't waste time with arguing. "We'll have a great time, I promise!" He said enthusiastically, leaning in to peck the albino on the cheek.
"Besides," the Russian added. "We'll be all alone." He let his lips linger on the German's skin before leaving a trail of kisses down his neck. "In the woods. No one around..."
"Enough," Gilbert pushed the pesky Russian away. "Save it for the tent." He sneered, still unable to stop the heat from spreading across his pale cheeks as he avoided prying violet eyes.
"Whatever you say, krolik. Start packing, we'll leave tomorrow morning." Ivan said with a smile, before pushing himself onto his feet and leaving to pack.
Gilbert shook his head and smirked to himself, wondering how the hell he managed to get himself into these situations. Ivan had a way of making him throw his morals and common sense out the back door. He wasn't really complaining though, his life had gotten a whole lot more interesting after he had met the Russian. He let out a sigh of mock irritation before joining his boyfriend in the other room.
"Yes Sestra, I have extra supplies." Ivan said into the cell phone pressed against his ear as he lifted the last bag into the trunk of his Dodge Durango. "Yes, we have everything we need, no-" he slammed the trunk shut before walking around to the front of the vehicle. Climbing into the driver's seat he joined Gilbert in the car. "The key is under the mat, I promise we'll be careful. Ok, ya tohze tebya lyublyu, do svidaniya."Ivan sighed after the phone call ended.
"Was that Kat?" Gilbert asked as he leaned his seat back, placing his feet on the dashboard.
"Yes, her and Matvey are coming into town. I told them they could stay at our place since we'll be gone for a few days." Sliding the key into the ignition, the Russian started the car before pulling out of the driveway.
"Ah that's cool, just tell them not to fuck in our bed."
"They will be sleeping in the guest room." Ivan said, unfazed by his boyfriend's crude language. "Besides, it's not like we do anything other than that in bed anyway." He smirked as he merged into the right lane, taking the freeway entrance.
"Whatever," the German answered, closing his eyes. "Sleep is for the weak and sex is a necessity."
"Oh please, you don't get any sleep because you spend all night on tumble-"
"Tumblr."
"Whatever. Either way you always go to check 'just one picture' and end up on that toxic site for hours."
"Ya and the other half of the time I can't get a break from your horny ass."
"You say that like it's a bad thing." Ivan smirked.
"You're just jealous because you grew up in the middle of bumfuck nowhere Russia with zero internet access."
"You see Gilbert, while you were consumed by a computer screen your entire adolescence, I was enjoying the wondrous sights of the real world."
"Oh shut it, you sound like an old hag." The German reached into the back seat and pulled a blanket out from under a bag. He wrapped it around himself, getting comfortable before speaking again. "I'm going to attempt to take a nap so don't bother me."
"Since you asked so nicely." Ivan replied sarcastically. It was probably best for his boyfriend to get some well-needed rest. The drive was about another two hours and the last thing he wanted was to be stranded in the woods with a cantankerous German. Then again, no matter how hard he tried, he would always find Gilbert's 'angry pout' to be irresistibly adorable.
"Gil, wake up." Ivan gently nudged his boyfriend awake.
"Nnnggh, no." The German ignored him and turned away from the Russian. Giving up, Ivan ran a hand through his beige-blond hair before stepping out of the drivers seat. Walking around the front of the car he yanked open the passenger door and ripped the blanket from the not-so peacefully sleeping albino.
"What the hell, man!" Gilbert protested as his boyfriend unbuckled his seat belt and picked him up bridal style. Pulling him from the car Ivan effortlessly spun his around before holding him close.
"Nothing," he replied quietly. "Just sweeping you off your feet." He said, proud of his word choice.
"I wasn't on my feet in the first place." Gilbert scowled, securing his arms around the larger male's neck. Ivan let out a disappointed sigh before dropping his boyfriend on his rear, earning a strangled yelp in response.
"Well now you're not," he said turning back to the car. "Now help me unpack the bags."
"Jackass." The German mumbled as he stood up and dusted the irksome dirt form his jeans.
Joining the taller male at the trunk, he loaded his hiking bag on to his back. The two made quick work of collecting all their supplies, including Ivan's acoustic guitar, before locking the car.
"Looks like it's just us," Ivan pointed out, noticing their car was the only one occupying the small parking lot before the entrance to the woods.
"That just means no one will hear you scream my name." Gilbert said suggestively.
"I'm pretty sure it will be you doing the screaming, dear Gilbert."
"Whatever, let's just get this over with." He replied, still a bit reluctant to enter the forest.
Ivan knew his boyfriend better than most would imagine. He could tell by his quick responses and body language that the German was hesitant to enter the woods. Even a bit frightened. Gilbert wasn't scared of much but he was always uncomfortable when it came to isolation, add untamed nature to the mix and it's practically his worst nightmare. Grabbing the hand-held cooler, Ivan moved closer to his boyfriend. Taking his free hand in his own, he intertwined their fingers and gave it an encouraging squeeze. Ivan's smile said everything words could not and Gilbert felt the worry and dread melt into anticipation for adventure. The albino smirked before leading Ivan into the forest. Even though he had no idea where he was going it felt nice to be in control of a situation where he felt he had none. Eventually he had to return ascendancy to the Russian who knew these woods like the back of his hand.
"I've camped here many times with my sisters," he said excitedly, practically dragging Gilbert along the trail. "It's always so beautiful up here, especially in the winter when everything just feels so fresh!"
Gilbert tuned him out in order to observe the scenery. Still holding tightly to Ivan's hand, he trusted his partner to lead him in the right direction while he spaced out. He had to admit to himself that the timberland really was a stunning work of art. The towering trees around them provided shade and safety to the animals scurrying through the shrubbery. There were plants of all shapes, sizes, and colors that blossomed throughout the forest floor. The scene was silent save for the white noise of birds singing in the distance. The setting sun offered different colored streaks of light that broke through the canopy of giant redwoods. He was so caught up in his surroundings he didn't even noticed Ivan stop, causing him to run straight into his back.
"Oof, sorry," he apologized, stepping back.
"This is where we will set up camp." Ivan said lightly, steeping into a small clearing. There were pleasant family memories embedded deep within the soil of this place. Gilbert could tell by the pensive look on the Russian's face.
"Babe, can we rest?" Gilbert asked, striping himself of the heavy bags. "I'm not in my prime physical shape anymore."
"Oh come on, just a bit more work then we can stop." Ivan said, not winded at all from the hike. He even had the strength to pick up Gilbert's abandoned bags for him and take them to the campsite.
Laying the bags out, the two went through them, collecting the necessary supplies to set up camp. They spent the next forty five minutes trying to figure out how the tent worked.
"I though you were like, a pro at this." Gilbert complained as he pulled out a folding chair that was strapped to the front of his backpack. Setting it up he took a seat next to the now finished tent.
"It's a new tent," Ivan pouted. "You could have at least provided more help."
"I already told you, camping's not my thing." Gilbert leaned back in the chair, fishing a cold beer out from the small cooler. Cracking it open with the bottle opener tied to his keychain, he took a sip.
"Already?" His lover asked. "We're not even close to being done."
"You might not be, but I am. Besides, I set you're chair up for you." The Russian glanced at the fold out chair beside Gilbert's.
"Real thoughtful," he scoffed at the German's laziness. Gilbert was usually an extremely hard worker, but camping just didn't seem to spark an interest. The Russian just went about his work in silence. The first thing he did was prop his guitar against the side of the tent, hoping to use it later in the evening. He gathered the spare blankets they had packed and constructed a makeshift bed inside the tent. He also unpacked the toiletries such as bug spray, toilet paper, tooth brushes, deodorant, and flashlights. Ivan stepped outside of the tent and kicked the edge of Gilbert's chair. The German, who had dozed off, jolted awake.
"Wh-what I'm up," he slurred.
"Help me collect rocks and wood for the fire." Ivan adjured.
Gilbert guessed it was time for him to actually put an effort into this 'camping' thing his boyfriend was so passionate about. After everything the Russian had done for him, the least he could do was take part in one of his hobbies.
The pair trudged into the forest, scanning the ground for stones and twigs. When in the woods, Ivan pointed out a small outhouse to Gilbert. Although it wasn't the cleanest, the German was just glad he didn't have to do his business on the forest floor. After they had each collected a solid amount, they regrouped in the middle of the campsite. Gilbert watched as his boyfriend began to place the rocks in a large circle.
"We're not planning to summon Satan are we?" The albino joked as he joined Ivan.
The Russian just chucked at his partner's somewhat juvenile antics. "Only if you want to."
After the stones had been arranged, the two placed a bundle of sticks in the middle of the pit. Fishing a box of matches out from his back pocket, Ivan lit a match and threw it into the twigs. The two watched in silence as steady flames began to rise. Licking at the edges of the wood before swallowing it whole. Gilbert let out a content sigh at the warmth radiating from the fire as he sat back in his chair. The sun was beginning to set and a soft breeze rustled the shrubbery around them.
"Are you hungry, Gil?" Ivan asked as he dug through his backpack.
"Is that even a question?" He answered, never doubting his immense appetite. He watched in anticipation as Ivan pulled out what looked to be a stand and pot from his bag. Setting the alloy stand over the fire, the Russian delicately balanced the pan atop it. He reached back in his bag to pull out two cans of soup and a can opener. Slicing open the metal cans, he poured both in the pot before taking a seat.
Gilbert pushed himself out of his chair and headed towards the tent, brushing past Ivan. He grabbed the acoustic guitar before shoving it in the Russian's hands.
"Play me a song, Music Man." The albino smirked before retaking his seat beside his partner. Ivan eyed the guitar and lightly strung a few notes as a small warmup. He didn't even have to think twice about his song choice as he began the tune. His skilled fingers danced across the strings, emitting expertly played chords from the guitar. Gilbert smiled, he recognized the melody instantly. It was a duet that he and Ivan often sang together.
"And hey darling, I hope you're good tonight. And I know you don't feel right when I'm leaving. Yeah I want it but no I don't need it, tell me something sweet to get me by." The lyrics rang clear in the Russian's baritone voice. Gilbert loved it when Ivan sang to him, he would never tire of the Russian's euphonious voice. He closed his eyes in utter bliss as his boyfriend continued to sing. "Cause I can't come back home till they're singing la, la la la, la la la. Till everyone is singing." The German decided to join in on the chorus, adding his own harmony and echoing the words his boyfriend sang.
"If you can wait till I get home (I get home), then I swear to you, that we can make this last. (La, la, la). If you can wait till I get home (I get home), then I swear come tomorrow this will all be in our past." Gilbert listened to his boyfriend sing the last part of the chorus. "Well it might be for the best." The soothing rhythm of the acoustic guitar filled the albino's ears as he prepared himself for his part of the song.
"Hey sweetie, well I need you here tonight. And I know that you don't want to be leaving. Yeah you want it but I can't help it. I just feel complete when you're by my side. But I know you can't come home till they're singing la, la la la, la la la." Ivan loved the way Gilbert's voice sounded. It was so light and sweet, he could listen to it all day. It was moments like this when he was glad he had taken the risk to move to Germany. The Russian sang the last part of the second verse.
"Until everyone is singing la, la la la, la la la." They two sang the chorus together like they had before.
"If you can wait till I get home (I get home), then I swear to you, that we can make this last. (La, la, la). If you can wait till I get home (I get home), then I swear come tomorrow this will all be in our past."
Ivan finished the chorus, "well it might be for the best."
Gilbert sang the next part. "You know you can't give me what I need. And even though you mean so much to me. I can't wait through everything."
"Is this really happening?" Ivan sang, his voice rising as they reached the climax of the song. "I swear I'll never be happy again. And don't you dare say we can just be friends, I'm not some boy that you can sway."
That both sang the rest at the top of their lungs. "We knew it'd happen eventually. La, la la la, la la la. Now everybody's singing la, la la la, la la la. Now everybody's singing la, la la la, la la la." Gilbert echoed the "la's" in the background as Ivan finished out the song with the chorus.
"If you can wait till I get home."
"Now everybody's singing la, la la la~"
"Then I swear we can make this last."
"Now everybody singing la, la la la~"
"If you can wait till I get home."
"Now everybody's singing la, la la~" Ivan strummed the last noted on the guitar as they sang the last verse acapella.
"Then I swear we can make this last."
After a few moments of silence, Gilbert broke out into a fit of giggles. "You cheesy motherfucker."
Ivan cracked a smile. "I know you love that song," he said. That was one of the first songs they had listened to together. Somehow throughout the years, it became 'their song'. The lyrics described the life of a musician as he had to leave his girlfriend for each performance. In the end though, they figure out how to make it work. It was sort of like their relationship. No matter how many up's and down's they went through, they always knew they could depend on each other in the end. No matter how much they bickered and exchanged insults, there was always a genuine need for the other. Neither could put it into words but they didn't find it necessary to explain. They understood each other perfectly and that was all the mattered.
"The soup is probably done now," Ivan said, noticing the boiling broth in the pot. He set his guitar inside the tent before pulling two bowls from his bag. "You packed the spoons, right Gil?"
"Ya I got em' here." He fished the box of plastic spoons out from one of his bags and tossed them to his boyfriend. Catching them with ease, Ivan filled the two bowls and supplied them with spoons. He handed Gilbert his bowl of soup and the two ate in silence. Enjoying the white noise the forest provided. The susurrus of shrubbery shifting in the breeze and chatter of the resident critters gave the scenery a peaceful vibe. As much as the German disliked the uncleanliness of the situation, he had to admit it felt nice to just get out and leave the rest of the world behind. Glancing at Ivan, he thanked God he got to spend this time with the love of his life. Ivan might be a bastard, but the Russian was his bastard.
"Hey, Gilbert?" Ivan asked after they had finished their meal.
"Ya, Babe?"
"Want a s'more?" The Russian asked with childish wonder.
"Isn't that a little cliché?" Gilbert asked, trying to hide the fact that he really did want to indulge in the delicious dessert.
"Oh, come on," Ivan whined. "It's like a tradition! If you go camping, you have to eat s'mores."
"Well, rules are rules." Gilbert sighed, taking a marshmallow and stick from his partner.
The two sat by the fire, waiting for their marshmallows to fade to a golden brown. Gilbert eventually lost patients and settled with setting his treat on fire. This was one of Ivan's favorite things about camping. The comfortable silence between him and Gilbert was peaceful and reassuring. Once their marshmallows were cooked to perfection, or burnt to a crisp, Ivan retrieved the graham crackers and chocolate bars from his bag. Breaking the goods into even pieces, he handed Gilbert his share before carefully constructing his s'more.
"This is fucking delicious." Gilbert said through a mouthful of the delectable snack.
"Hold this," Ivan said as he handed the German his s'more. Rushing into the tent, he grabbed one of the large blankets and a few pillows they had brought along. Bunching the linens in his arms, he stumbled out of the shelter and laid them across the forest floor.
"What are you doing?" Gilbert asked, mostly concerned about their blankets well-being. No way in hell would he sleep on something that had been smothered into the dirt.
"Let's watch the stars," The Russian said calmly as he got comfortable on the sheet. He was happy to see his boyfriend getting up to join him.
"Hey, where's my s'more?" Ivan asked, noticing the albinos hands were empty.
"I ate it- Ack!" He yelped as the Russian smacked him with a pillow.
"Piece of shit," Ivan rolled away from him.
Gilbert smirked to himself. They always knew just what buttons to press in order to irritate the other. Feeling a bit guilty, he scooted closer to his partner. Wrapping his arms around his waist, the German snuggled into Ivan's back.
"You won't be able to see the stars with your face buried in my coat." The taller male said in an almost sarcastic manner.
"Ya, well then that's too bad for me." Gilbert tightened his grip around the Russian's waist. He pressed himself into the others back as if his life depended on it. It felt like no matter what he tried he just wasn't close enough to the Slav. He needed to be closer.
"Jesus, Gil." Ivan said, unraveling the other's arms from around his middle. "Are you tying to suffocate me?" He flipped onto his back and snaked an arm around the smaller man's midsection. Gilbert immediately cuddled into the Russian's side, resting his head in the crook of his neck.
"Don't worry, your death will be quick and painless." Gilbert joked.
"How reassuring..." Ivan trailed off. He lifted his violet gaze to the stars overhead. Admiring the way each one sparkled in its own unique way. "I love space," he breathed quietly.
"I do too," Gilbert added as he relaxed into his boyfriends grip. This was an absolute perfect moment, even if it was getting a bit chilly.
The two laid in silence watching the night sky as the colors faded from a vibrant blue to a deep purple. By now the wind was blowing, sending a shudder down each of their spines.
"Let's head in for the night," Ivan said siting up.
"Fine by me," Gilbert joined him. The fire had long since smoldered to almost nothing so all that was left was to do was bring the blankets back into the tent. Once they had reset the makeshift bed, the pair changed into their pajamas and huddled together under the blankets. Gilbert let out a soft moan of pleasure and closed his eyes as Ivan wrapped his arms around his slim waist, pulling him close. The German cuddled into his lover's embrace, pushing himself into the warmth the other male's body provided. He felt a calloused yet gentle hand softly glide across the surface of his forehead, brushing strands of silver away from his face. Gilbert opened his eyes and found himself drowning in violet. Leaning up he pressed a delicate kiss to the Russian's lips. It was reciprocated with a bit more force and the albino couldn't help but smile into the kiss. It was a sweet gesture that put Gilbert'a racing mind at ease. Once the kiss was broken, he once again huddled close. Feeling their eyes droop with the weight of the day's events, the two were eventually lulled into the blissful darkness of sleep. Gilbert's last senses tingled out of focus as Ivan gently stroked his hair until both of them fell unconscious.
A harsh gust of wind awoke Gilbert from his peaceful slumber. Shivering, he cuddled closer to the Russian beside him. The howling gale outside the tent caused the German to hesitantly open his eyes. His curiosity got the better of him as he slowly untangled himself from Ivan's vice-like grip. Shivering at the sudden cold coming into contact with his pale skin, Gilbert sluggishly crawled to the flap of the tent. Struggling with the zipper, he finally managed to open the small entrance and braced himself against the wind outside of the tent, snow had piled up so high it blocked half of the fabric door. The strong gusts of wind almost knocked the German over as he raised an arm to shield himself from the razor sharp snowflakes that whizzed past him. Hurriedly, he closed the flap and stumbled backwards, gasping for air that refused to find its way to his lungs. There was a raging storm outside and they were caught in the middle of it.
"Ivan," he breathed, shaking the Russian awake. He sighed at the German's jittery antics. The worry, however, began to set in as he realized his boyfriend could be having a panic attack. The last thing he wanted was for something he enjoyed to have a negative affect on Gilbert.
"What?" Came the sleepy response as the larger male sat up, shivering at the cold. He knew nights in these woods often ran cool but the temperature had never dropped this low.
Gilbert looked to his boyfriend, panic and uncertainty dancing in his scarlet eyes. "It's snowing. Hard."
TBC
A/N: What could I possibly be foreshadowing with that intro?! Also I love how much they bicker. The song Ivan sang is called 'If it Means A Lot to You' by A Day To Remember because I'm actually emo trash. And i know it's really cheesy but my boyfriend can play it on his guitar and we sing the duet sometimes so I thought it would be cute to put in the story.
Russian Translations:
Krolik - Rabbit
Sestra - Sister
Ya tohze tebya lyublyu, do svidaniya - I love you too, goodbye
Again, these are from google translate so please correct me if I'm wrong. Thanks for reading and please leave a review if you have time!
- carnagekiid