Title: Gift of Winter
Disclaimer: I don't own it
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: none
Characters/Pairings: Russia/America, General Winter
Summary: General Winter has protected Russia for so long but maybe he can now make him happy as well.
Note: This would be after the Cold War. I hope you all enjoy it.
America woke up from the cold, he grumbled and pulled his sheet tighter around himself but it provided no extra warmth. Finally he huffed in annoyance and poked his head out from under the blue fabric, what was going on? Had the humid summer weather he had been having suddenly turned chill? All thoughts halted as he found himself starring at a man that stood beside his bed, he was dressed in a cloak that seemed to writhe by its own power. His hair was a thick, black mass that fell in ringlets down his back and his skin was the color of untouched snow. But his eyes that stared down at Alfred were horrible, they were flat like black ice and he found himself looking away as he demanded, "What do you want?"
The figure's voice rasped with disuse as he said, "I want my dear boy to be happy." and nothing more.
Okay, well that was weird, but he figured that whoever this was he should at least talk to him since he had gotten past all of his security to say what he wanted. "Who's your dear boy?" Maybe it was him but somehow he had a feeling it wasn't.
For a moment the being paused, like he was not used to giving a name to the one he was so fond of before he said, "Ivan."
"You mean Russia?" From the fact he liked Russia and the cold emanating from him America suddenly had the idea that maybe he was talking to General Winter. He had never seen him before but Germany and France had so he knew he was real.
He nodded, "Yes. I want him to be happy but right now he is not."
Having been woken up made him petulant so he asked, "What do you expect me to do about it?" Though he was flattered, even General Winter thought he was so much of a hero that he was willing to come ask his help. Maybe he would visit Russia tomorrow, even if it would just result in a fight like it always seemed to, or maybe he would invite him over and they could play video games, those always made him happy maybe it'd work for Russia too.
"He talks about you a lot. Having you would make him happy."
"Well tough because he can't have me." He had never thought that Russia talked about him that much; they barely said two civil words to each other in meetings. But this talk of having him was pretty creepy, he was no one's possession.
Like he hadn't even heard the objection General Winter continued, "You will come with me, I will bring you to him." There was no hint of a question in his tone, it would happen because he had said it would and that made America even colder, he was shivering now, but also made him more defiant.
His voice began to rise as he said, "Are you listening? It'll be a cold day in hell before I go with you!" Damn it would a gun work against this guy? He had a feeling it wouldn't but he'd find someway to beat him. Maybe if he could find someway to light a fire that would stop him from grabbing him.
But he didn't make any hostile moves, instead he said, "You will come or else I will freeze your entire country into the likeness of my palace, Siberia I think you call it."
"There's no way you could actually do that." Though Maine would probably be in a lot of danger there was no way that the entire country would be consume with ice, especially places like Texas. As much as he loved Maine it wasn't worth going with General Creepy just to save it from a blizzard or two.
General Winter just turned and walked to the window before saying, "In an hour's time your country will be in my power, I will come for you then." He didn't open the window; instead he went through it in a stream of frost and snow that spiraled away from his window into the moonlit sky. Within seconds the only sign that he had been there at all was some residue frost that was melted as the heat returned to the room.
Even he didn't believe General Winter's threat, he didn't, he could do anything, he turned on the TV and switched it to the news, if anything started happening it'd be announced there right? Not that anything would happen, the creepy being was just bluffing. For a bit he watched the television, lying on his belly, but slowly he drifted off until the ringing of his phone startled him awake. It was cold again, colder even, but General Winter was nowhere in sight. He groped for the phone and picked it up saying, "Who is this?"
"Alfred are you watching the news right now?" From his voice he recognized it as his boss.
"Huh, um I fell asleep." He glanced at the TV to see sweeping pictures of palm trees covered in ice and houses buried in snow. Sleep was suddenly the last thing on his mind as he asked, "What's going on?" But he already knew, General Winter had delivered his threat in full; his country was under attack by a force they could not fight.
"Ice storms are sweeping the country, even Florida is beginning to feel the effects."
He would have to do something about this because he knew it would only get worse but he couldn't explain that so all he said was, "I see." Even though his boss accepted his existence he doubted he could tell him about General Winter and expect him to take him seriously.
"I'm not sure how well I'll be able to keep you informed if things get worse."
America managed a cheerful tone as he said, "Don't worry, I think things will get better soon. Oh and I'll be away for a bit so don't bother calling me." He knew what he had to do.
"Oh, alright..."
Before his boss could ask what he was doing exactly he said, "Bye." and hung up. He didn't want anyone to know that he was giving into the demands of an enemy, even if it was to save the country.
With a blanket wrapped around him he waited for General Winter to come back, he would go with him to stop the cold from ravaging his country. After that he would just hang around with Russia for a couple days, long enough for Russia to get sick of him, he knew he had a tendency to be overbearing and when he tried he could make England want to kill him in less than a minute. After that everything would be fine, he would come back and his country would be safe.
General Winter came back the same way he had left, right through the window. Without asking if America surrendered he asked, "Are you ready to go?"
He nodded, "Yeah, but how am I going to get to Russia? I can't do that snow thing that you do." The question had only just now come to him, he wondered if he could get a jet without telling anyone where he was going?
"Come here." Alfred moved closer until he was standing right in front of the man and he shivered as the cold hit him. He wished he had thought to put on a shirt and some pants; he really didn't want to go to Russia in just his boxers and a blanket. But before he could ask for a moment to get ready General Winter wrapped his cloak around him and there was only icy blackness. It felt like he was being compressed and pulled apart at the same time and he couldn't move, his lungs were frozen by cold and he could feel panic welling up at not being able to breath. But he didn't seem to need to. He felt like he was going very fast until finally they slowed and stopped. When the darkness was lifted from him he saw they were in a dim, old fashioned room. It had to be Russia's house and if he was right this was Russia's bedroom and not a guest room because the sheets were mussed. But, "Where's Russia?"
"He does not know of my gift yet. I will go tell him." Having said that he opened the door and had almost walked out of it when Alfred stopped him.
"Wait, first promise be you'll take away your winter from my country."
He nodded and said, "Of course." before leaving the room and closing the door behind him, leaving the blonde all alone.
Alfred took the opportunity to look around the room, though it was fancier than his own home it was emptier, it was clean without any of the random crap that he had in his own room. He sat on the bed and was thankful that there was a log writhing with embers in the hearth to add to whatever the heating system was doing, it was warm enough that he let the blanket puddle around him. He'd have to ask Ivan to borrow some clothes, maybe if Russia would see reason he could get back home by morning and no one would be any wiser about this little adventure. After all it wasn't like Russia actually wanted him here, General Winter should know that the tall man was always saying random weird things that he didn't mean just to get a reaction. In fact Russia might be so ready to just get him out of his house, because he was loud and stupid and they didn't like each other at all, that he might get on a plane tonight. Yeah that was pretty likely, definitely. He was so confident he managed to wave and smile at the man when he entered and said, "Hey there."
Russia nodded to him but his purple eyes never left his form as he said, "Hello. General Winter said he brought you here." America was wearing so little clothes and on his bed, Ivan thought it was good look for him.
Alfred nodded and pouted, "Yeah he was freezing my country."
That had been what dragged him out of bed when he was sleeping, his boss had called him to ask if he had been the one to give General Winter orders and then he had watched it on TV as America's lands froze. "I saw. He said you were a present." Ivan began walking towards the bed, his bed, closer to America.
He nodded and didn't notice Russia coming closer, "Yeah he said that but you have to let me go, I don't want to stay here."
The idea of letting a present like this go made him want to murder anyone who would try and make him. His tone was silken as he asked, "But what if I want you here? Why should I let you go if I have always wanted you?" Ever since he had seen sunflower petal colored hair and honest eyes.
Suddenly Russia was right there, looming over him and looking down at him with hungry eyes. But he said, "Because it's not by choice so it's not that great right?" Freedom was an important part of his life but even as he said the words he knew that Russia was a lot less interested in things like freewill.
He climbed into the bed and pushed Alfred down with one hand while the other traced the line of his jaw. "You would never come to me by choice, I know this. I will take you the only way I can." He had him and was never letting him go, a smile curved his lips gently.
General Winter watched as his dear boy pinned the smaller man to the bed and saw him smile a smile that was more real than anything he had seen him wear in too long before departing back to places where the only source of illumination was the cool blue moonlight. He had cared for his darling little boy for so long, protected him from everyone, finally he had brought him happiness as well.
