(c)Hetalia - Himaruya Hidekaz
The ballroom light glowed beautifully that night. Golden light lit the room, giving a warm feel compared to the winter view that was shown through the ceiling high windows, the full moon shining brightly against the night sky.
Wang Yao, the eldest son of the Wang family, stood idly by the high windows, staring out. He hated social gatherings such as these, though was glad the Bonnefoy family planned the theme of their party to be a masquerade ball. That way, the dragon mask he wore would intimated anyone who tried to approach him. Though, it was more of his fierce golden eyes that set others off. However, one person saw passed his cold eyes, confronting him.
"Hello there."
Yao turned to the person, seeing short dirty blonde locks and shining emerald eyes behind a lion themed mask.
The other took Yao's hand, gracing it with a kiss, bowing before him. "I am Arthur Kirkland. A distant cousin of the Kirkland Family. It is defiantly a pleasure to be meeting someone as captivating as you."
"Alice, what are you doing ahen?" Yao asked flat out in a stoic tone.
The other went rigid. "How'd you know it was me?" the 'stranger' asked, voice a few octaves higher than before.
"I've known you all my life aru. A wig and platform shoes are not going to fool me."
The cross-dressed girl sighed, leaning against the wall besides Yao. Alice Kirkland was the fourth child out of five in the Kirkland family and the only daughter.
"Now, I'm going to repeat myself; what are you doing, Alice?"
"Hiding," she measly answered. Alice pointed out to the middle of the room where all the guest were dancing, pointing to a man with wavy blonde hair wandering among the crowd as if he was looking for someone. "Every party the Bonnefoy family hosts, Francis goes out of his way to try and court me. I am certain mother and father want to marry me off into the Bonnefoy family and I refuse to be the wife of that bloody frog. You're lucky you're a boy and don't have to marry someone."
Yao couldn't help but laugh, his shaking body starting to slide down the wall.
"What is so funny?" Alice growled, angered and flushed.
"The thought of you and Francis together aru," Yao answered between laughs, wiping a tear beneath his mask. "You two are complete opposites. Besides, my parents' aren't exactly happy with the fact of me not wanting to marry anyone aru."
Alice frowned at Yao's comment on not wanting to marry anyone. "...You know, we're pretty opposite as well..." Alice mumbled, still blushing.
"Well, we actually like each other and make it work aru," Yao said with a smile. "As I said, we've known each other our whole lives."
Alice nodded, turning to her feet. It sounded like Yao only considered her like a sister and nothing more.
"Would you like to dance?" Alice finally asked, forgetting about her current attire.
Yao gave a small chuckle. "I'd love to, but I think it'd be a strange sight aru."
Alice looked down at her clothes finally, blushing again from embarrassment. Yao was laughing a bit at her again. That was when an idea struck her.
"Come with me," she said, taking his arm suddenly and pulling him with her.
"W-where are we going aru?"
Alice didn't answer, pulling him out of the ballroom and down the dimly lit corridor. The English girl had dragged the Chinese boy into a guestroom she was staying in. The Bonnefoy family and the Kirkland family were rather close, so her family would usually stay over during gatherings such as the one going on that night.
"Alice, what are you doing aru?" Yao asked once again, this time with a nervous tone.
Alice was rummaging through her wardrobe, pulling out a beautiful red dress. She grinned a little devilishly, showing Yao the gown.
Yao's eyes widened in horror, now knowing what the other was planning. "No," he said flat out, backing up. "No, no, no, no, no!"
"Oh come now! I'm doing it!"
"I believe it would be less acceptable for a guy to cross-dress than for a girl to aru. No!"
"But this way, we can dance."
"We could dance if you changed back into a dress aru!"
"And risk running into frog-face, I don't think so!"
Yao groaned, covering his face with his hand.
"Besides, we're wearing masks! No one's going to recognize us!"
After a short pause between arguments, Yao peeked through his fingers at Alice. He sighed. "Will this really make you happy aru?"
Alice bobbed her head side to side for a moment before shrugging and nodding her head.
"Fine," Yao hissed, walking over to Alice and grabbing the dress.
"Do you need help getting it on?" she asked.
Yao was already pushing her out, flushed. "I am already letting you see me in a gown, I refuse to let you see me in my undergarments as well ahen!" he shouted, slamming the door behind the English girl.
Alice winced at the loud bang, pouting a bit at Yao's outburst. He did make a good point though. And luckily, the English girl didn't have to wait long for the other to finish changing and walk out the door.
"About time‒" Alice started, but cut herself off. She expected herself to laugh when seeing Yao in a dress before her, his hair down, but instead, she was speechless. Yao looked so elegant, beautiful. "How can you look so beautiful in a dress and be a boy!?" she shouted, fumed.
Yao quickly shushed her, coving his hand over the English girl's mouth. "Don't shout so loudly ahen!" he hissed, embarrassed. "Are you satisfied now ahen..." Yao asked, bashfully looking at his feet and playing with his fingers.
Alice started giggling. "Well, you need to fix your hair as well."
Yao gave another annoyed groan as Alice started pulling him back in. She sat him down before a dresser table mirror, starting to comb through his hair.
"How can you look so elegant and graceful as a boy?" Alice repeated with a huff. "Girls would kill for your looks, Yao. You are so lucky. It's not fair."
"As a boy, this feels more like a curse ahen..." Yao said with another stoic tone. "Damn gender ambiguity..."
Alice giggled, running her hand through Yao's silky hair. "Everyone used to think you were some sort of princess when we were growing up."
Yao groaned, dropping his head into his hands, elbows on the dresser surface. "Please don't remind me ahen..."
Alice laughed at him, wrapping her arms around the Chinese boy's neck from behind, resting her chin on his head. "And done."
Yao looked through his fingers, spirits deflating. Alice had put his hair in two buns with some loose hair framing his face. "Why do you wish to torture me today aru?" He really did look like a girl.
Alice only smiled cheerfully. "Now, I am Arthur Kirkland and you are... Wang Chun-Yan." Alice replaced her lion mask on as Yao began begrudgingly placing his dragon mask on. "What are you doing!?" Alice shouted, stopping Yao. "Everyone's seen the mask already! They'll recognize you! Do you want to be caught!?"
"Well, what am I supposed to do ahen!? People will mostly likely recognize me without it as well!"
Alice sighed, walking over to a chest. She rummaged through it, pulling out another mask: a panda themed mask.
Yao stared at her with a brow raised as she began to put it on him. "Did you plan all this beforehand aru?"
Alice ignored him, stepping back. "There. No one should recognize you now."
Yao sighed, standing up from the chair. He noticed Alice offering her arm out, wanting to escort him to the ballroom. Yao rolled his eyes, begrudgingly wrapping his arm around hers. "Are you enjoying this ahen...?" he lowly asked.
Alice giggled silently as they began walking through the grand doors.
"Now," Alice started as they joined the crowd, deepening her voice again, "may I have this dance?" she asked, bowing down and offering a hand like a gentleman.
"You are awful, 'Arthur'," Yao hissed, going along with Alice's game by speaking a tad bit higher and placing his hand onto hers.
As the two began to finally dance, they attracted some stares, not because Alice made a very handsome boy and Yao a beautiful girl, but because they were moving rather awkwardly. Their usual roles were reversed and backwards, causing them to stumble and step on each other's feet. Though they were clumsily dancing, they were actually enjoying their time, laughing with each other at their mistakes.
"I think we're getting the hang of it," Alice said.
"We're not exactly falling over our own feet aru."
Alice nodded, though it seemed like they had spoken a tad too soon. The English girl still wasn't perfect with walking in such high platform shoes and accidently rolled on her ankle. Yao, seeing her starting to fall, tried to help and keep her stable, but someone beat him to it.
"Goodness," the person said, catching Alice bridal style. "Be careful, monsieur. " Francis.
Alice gaped when seeing the French boy while Yao covered his wide mouth with both hands.
"Say, you look rather familiar," French said, looking closely at Alice, even though she still had her mask.
"I-I-I'm a distant relative of the Kirklands," Alice quickly said, getting out of Francis' arms.
"Oh! That explains it! Have you seen your cousin Alice?" Francis asked, starting to look closely at the English girl again. "You know, you two look really similar..."
"W-we get that a lot," she stuttered, grabbing Yao's wrist. "Let's go, 'Chun-Yan'!" Alice quickly said, pulling Yao away. Sadly, as she dashed away, Alice lost her footing again with the infernal shoes, tripping before the dessert table and talking Yao down with her.
Alice reached out to catch herself on the edge of the table, but accidently smacked the edge of a silver platter, sending the cake onto top of it flying.
Alice and Yao watched as the cake flew and hit the back of another guest's head: Lovina of the Vargas family.
"What the‒" the easily angered Italian girl started, cut off when the person she was with started laughing: Antonio of the Fernandez Carriedo family.
Fumed, the Italian girl grabbed the cake from the back of her head, stuffing the Spaniard's face with it. Next to the Antonio was Gilbert of the Beilschmidt family, laughing as well. One thing lead to another, and now the whole ballroom was engulfed in a mass food fight.
During the whole food flying fiasco, Alice and Yao somehow managed to escape without any harm or stains, crawling out of the ballroom. Once they were out, they dashed back to Alice's room, the English girl learning her lesson and taking off her shoes while running.
Once back in the guestroom, the two teens leaned back against the door, trying to catch their breaths. The two turned to each other. Yao's hair was falling out of his buns while Alice's started falling out of her wig. After a second, laughter erupted from the two teens.
"I can't believe that just happened aru!" Yao managed to say, still laughing.
Alice nodded in agreement. "Did you see the looks on everyone's faces!?"
As they laughed, the two somehow started leaning into each other, Alice leaning her head against Yao's shoulder and Yao leaning his head against hers. Only when the laughter finally died down did they realize their position, pulling away instantly with matching blushes.
"Let's change out of these aru," Yao suggested, already starting to pull his hair free.
"Yeah..." Alice agreed, pulling her wig off.
The two changed back to back, refusing to turn to each other until they were both done.
"Finished?" Yao asked, combing his hair with his fingers.
"Yes," Alice called back, sitting by the dresser mirror.
Yao turned, seeing her struggle with her long hair. It was a wonder how she managed to hide it all under one small wig.
The Chinese boy silently chuckled, walking over to her. He took her comb from her. "Here." He began combing her hair.
Alice blushed. "How come your hair is so much easier to fix...? You look lovely even though you're a boy. I'm stuck looking like this..."
"What are you talking about aru?" Yao asked, confused. "You look very pretty, Alice."
"Yeah, right..." Alice sighed, looking down at her hands as Yao fixed her hair up into two elegant ponytails.
Yao gave a small, crossed look before moving beside Alice, crouching down to be eye to eye to her. "Alice, you are beautiful just the way you are aru."
Alice blushed more at what Yao said and how close he was. She was silent, taking in what he had said while the Chinese boy was putting clips into her hair.
"Where are your glasses aru?" Yao asked, realizing their absence.
"I-I put them away."
"You can't really see without them though aru." Yao pulled one of the draws of the dresser, finding Alice's glasses. Gently, he picked them up.
Alice squeezed her eyes shut as the Chinese boy brought her glasses up to her face, peeking an eye open when he brought his hands back, glasses on her.
"There's the Alice I know aru," Yao said with a cheerful smile. "Now, let's see how you look."
Yao took Alice's hand into his, standing and bringing her up with him. He then twirled her around, the hems of the English girl's tea green colored gown raising as she spun, dropping down soon after.
"Absolutely beautiful aru," Yao said again with the same cheerful smile. Alice blushed deeply. "I think the food war should be over by now. Shall we head back aru?" Yao asked, already heading towards the door. Alice, however, stopped back, grabbing his wrist with both her hands.
"Yao..." she started softly, grazing at her feet. The Chinese boy turned back to her. "I... I have to be honest. I love you, Yao," Alice admitted, bashfully bringing her gaze back up to the other's eyes. "I know you may just see me as a childhood friend since we have been together since we were kids, but I've known for the longest time that it was you who I want to be with forever."
Yao didn't say anything back, causing Alice to blush even more, spirit deflating within her. "I-I must sound so stupid in front of you and I understand if you don't feel the way. I mean, you know me, there's nothing significant‒"
Alice was instantly cut off when Yao pulled her towards him, wrapping his arms around her waist, and placing his lips on hers in a kiss. At first, Alice was shocked, eyes wide, but she soon kissed back, wrapping her arms around Yao's neck.
When the two pulled away, they both shared matching blushes. Yao was the first to speak up.
"Alice, everything about you is wonderful aru. Don't ever think otherwise. You're beautiful, smart, independent. Just wonderful aru. And..." It was Yao's turn to start looking at the ground before bringing his gaze back up. "Wo ai ni... For the longest time as well..." he confessed.
A smiled slowly started to grace Alice's face. She leaped back into Yao's arms, wrapping her arms around him in another tight hug as the other returned to gesture.
"Come on," Yao started again, letting go. "We should head back aru."
"Yeah," Alice agreed, grabbing her actual mask. A swan theme mask. However, right when she was about to put it on, Yao stopped her.
"Don't. I don't want it covering your beautiful face aru."
Alice blushed, bringing the mask back down. Yao look her hand into his and started leading her back to the ballroom. When they returned, the room was a mess, covered in food.
"Aiyah..."
"Blimey..."
They said at the same time, walking through the room. Instantly, they spotted their parents and went straight to them.
"Alice, Yao!" Alice's mother called to the two. "How are you two so clean?" she asked.
Yao and Alice shared a glance before Yao lied, answering with, "we hid under the table aru."
"How smart," Yao's mother said, noticing the two's hands intertwined. She shook her husband, signaling him to see.
"Yao!" Yao's father shouted, scaring the two. He engulfed his son in a hug. "My son!"
"Ba!" Yao shouted, embarrassed.
As Yao's father was hugging him, Alice's parents noticed their intertwined hands as well.
"Alice," Alice's mother started, shock.
Alice blushed. "I love Yao, Mother."
Her parents smiled, hugging her as well. "We're glad, sweetheart."
"Alice!" the group heard, parents releasing their child. It was Francis, covered in desserts. "There you are! I've been looking all over for you‒" He stopped short when seeing Alice and Yao holding hands. "Huh... I guess Yao beat me to you..."
"Sorry, Francis," Yao said, smiling as Alice wrapped her arms around his.
"No, no. All is fair in love and war... By the way, I ran into your cousin Arthur, Alice." The two teens went rigid. "Interesting boy. He was with, I think probably your cousin, Yao. Chun-Yan? It sounded like a Chinese name..." Francis started, curious as he walked away, now in search for 'Arthur' and 'Chun-Yan'.
"Arthur...?"
"Chun-Yan...?"
Alice's and Yao's parents repeated, also curious. Luckily for them, music started playing again.
"May I have this dance aru?" Yao quickly asked.
"Of course," Alice answered just as fast, the two nervously dashing away from their parents.
I wanted to try something new, so Hetero!IggyChu with Fem!England! There aren't any out there (that's I've seen). Tell me what you think! Thanks for Reading! Sorry for any OoC-ness.