Disclaimer: Hetalia is not mine.
Summary: Planet AU. When Alfred, King of the Sun, and Matthew, Prince of Earth meet for the very first time at a planetary gathering, the seedlings of destiny begin to bloom – a legendary love is born, having been written in the stars since the creation of the Universe. This consequently thwarts the plans of King Ivan of Jupiter. Nevertheless, here is their story. Warning: fluff, MxM pairing, AmeCan with onesided RusCan, side pairing FrUK, and hinted RusPru.
A/N: I've been working on this for approximately a year and a half, now. One day all that time ago, I just woke up and it was like I had been kicked out of bed by Sailor Moon herself or something because I suddenly had the urge to write this. So basically, in sum, this story came to be through my deep love and appreciation for the following three things: Sailor Moon, astronomy, and Greek mythology. I even looked around FFN and AO3, trying to see if maybe someone had written something like this before for Hetalia and well… it seems like I'll be the first one to do something like this. If it turns out that I am not the first after all, well know that I didn't steal that person's idea. The plot literally came to me all on its own, through my passion for the three aforementioned things (seriously, I'm obsessed with astronomy, and I've held a deep interest for Greek mythology since I was a kid, same with Sailor Moon when it used to air on YTV, so…).
Anyways, enough with my rambling, (I'll leave more information about which character is which planet and for what reason at the end of this chapter)…
Enjoy!
My Darling Daisy, my Daisy Darling
A lone star King let out a sigh as his sights lingered on a blue planet that never ceased to intrigue him. The words that subsequently passed his lips were ones he had been repeating for far too long:
"Please grant my only wish. Let me meet the one that Fate chose for me, my greatest treasure, the most valuable of companions… the one that will truly love me."
…
All by his lonesome, he wondered, for not the first time, whether his patient waiting would ever be rewarded.
It was a rare occurrence – well, if one regarded meeting once per mega-annum as 'rare', considering the age of the Universe – for the nine planets of the Solar System to gather together.
Indeed, for a single evening every 1 million Earth years, the nine rulers attended a grand interplanetary 'ball' of sorts hosted at the chosen planet's official residence. Its main purpose was to supposedly strengthen pre-existing bonds and spark new ones, amongst other reasons.
Many of the monarchs spoke to each other rather regularly, depending on the friendliness of the relation in question. Others lived a more solitary existence, choosing to rule their planet on their own without the help of the others.
The first to arrive at this year's gathering, in Mars this time, was Antonio: Messenger of the Milky Way, and both the Living Embodiment and King of Mercury. He possessed the gifts of Wisdom and Speed, and served as guide to the souls of fallen stars from neighboring galaxies. During his free time, he could usually be found strumming his lyre, or composing musical arrangements at the request of other rulers.
Next to make his entrance was King Francis. Formally known as Venus, he was the Bringer of Peace, and the Incarnation of Love and Sexual Desire. Of all the other sovereigns in the Solar System, he existed purely to be beautiful and adored, having no other duty aside from being admired by others.
Currently seen by his side, yelling and cursing until his face turned as red as his planet, was this year's host, King Arthur of Mars. He was the Representation of War and Strategy, Epitome of Passion and Fire, and lest one forgot, Lover of Venus. In fact, Mars was quite possessive of the latter, and turned quickly jealous should another, especially Pluto or Mercury (Venus' closest friends), occupy Venus' attention.
Which was exactly why Mars could be seen yelling and cursing in the first place…
"Antonio! What the bloody hell are you doing here, you insufferable buffoon! You're not supposed to be here! As it happens, I purposefully avoided inviting you and that accursed Plutonian dwarf."
"Hey! Who are you calling a dwarf, Red? After all this time, I see you still fail to remember that you're no colossal planet yourself. Heck, I've seen moons that are bigger than you."
Arthur whirled on himself only to come face to face with a grinning Pluto, who had just snuck in through the grand doors of the ballroom.
Pluto, known as Gilbert amongst friends, was a somber and frightening-looking character at first glance, but in actuality was quite the opposite. His complexion was deathly white, his face gaunt with sunken garnet-red eyes. With his hair being as pale as the rest of him, and the fact that his role led him to adhere to a strictly black wardrobe, it was understandable should one mistake him as malicious. Yet, let it never be forgotten that looks could be deceiving. After all, he was the Bringer of Peaceful Death, and Ruler of the Underworld – the final resting place of fallen stars. Being so far away from the Sun, and consequently everyone else, he lived a lonely existence, and thus enjoyed these gatherings like no other. Of all the planets, Antonio was ironically the one he interacted with the most, due to his duty as guide. Second came Francis, when Arthur was away.
(Oh, and speaking of the latter, it should be duly noted that angering Arthur – 'Red' for short, because Mars was known as the red planet and all – was Gilbert's favorite pastime.)
Face practically aflame, the Martian immediately scoffed, "Oh, it's you." Poison dripped from his every word, openly expressing his disdain. "You weren't invited either, I'll have you reminded. Though, I have the sneaking suspicion tha– Francis! Stop your grinning. It was you, wasn't it? You're the only person I know who would want these two fools as company."
Both Francis and Gilbert, and soon Antonio, shook with barely restrained laughter, eyes filled with mirth.
Arthur harrumphed as he crossed his arms, furious at being made the laughingstock at his own party. "That is quite enough. Cease your incessant laughter this instant, or I'll have Jupiter throw his lightning at–"
"You called?"
All four rulers felt a jolt zip through their vertebrae when Ivan's innocent inquiry met their ears.
The Jovian ruler stood off to the side, having been content with simply watching them from afar as indicated by the evident amusement tugging at his lips.
Mars was the first to recover, not one to remain inert for long (nor did he enjoy being caught by surprise; he should have noticed Ivan's presence on his own soil). "Ah, jolly good to see you, old chap. Welcome to my humble home. I trust the journey through the Asteroid Belt went smoothly?"
Ivan smiled warmly. "Yes, thank you for asking. It is nice to be seeing you all, as well."
The King of Jupiter was easily the tallest of all the rulers, as he represented the Solar System's largest planet. He was the Bringer of Jollity, and Wielder of Lightning and Thunderbolts. In addition, being the fifth (and thus, middle) planet away from the Sun, he served as middleman between the inner and outer planets. If anyone could be considered King of Kings, it was Ivan.
…And if anyone ever asked, he most certainly did not have a soft spot for the pretty Earth Prince, Matthew…
Ah, the Earth! Now, there was a jewel! Only the Earth could boast about such things as being capable of supporting life. But, not just life. Oh, no. Complex life: animals, and fungi, and autotrophs (or 'self-feeders'), and these oddly shaped microorganisms called 'bacteria'! Trees so tall it appeared like they never ended. Creatures that could fly, or swim, or both, or neither. Microbial extremophiles that thrived in the most severe of environments. Matthew was the Solar System's sweetheart, loved and cherished and doted on by everyone – and yes, that included even Venus. Even he, the ruler that lived to be admired, could not help but be (perhaps, overly) fond of Matthew. What more, Arthur, known to evince excessive amounts of jealousy and envy towards anyone that so much as caught his dear Francis' eye for more than a second, was also known to be the one who spoiled the lad the most.
Indeed, Prince Matthew was just that treasured, that special in the eyes of the remaining planets.
And yet, he barely even noticed.
EARLIER THAT DAY, ON PLANET EARTH
"The gathering is today? Already?" Prince Matthew asked. From the top of a high branch, he blinked owlishly at his companion, all while setting the fallen chick currently peeping in his hand back into its nest. "Are you sure? I could have sworn it to be sometime next century."
King Kiku, formally known as Saturn – and also nicknamed 'Old Father Time' by the others – stifled a small chuckle behind the palm of his free hand, the other holding his scythe. "Am I sure, you ask? Do they not call me the 'Wiseman'? The 'Sage of the Past, Present and Future'? I am the guardian of space-time, child. Of course, I am certain. Now, do get ready. I recommend you wear your finest clothes, and…" he trailed off, eyeing Matthew with a calculatedness that did not go unnoticed by the latter.
"…And?" the Earthling asked uncertainly, voice meek, before climbing down the tree he had been in. He bit his lip nervously, self-consciously picking off the leaves and broken twigs he knew to be in his hair.
For what exactly went on in the Saturnian's mind, no one knew for sure – one would probably prefer staying blissfully ignorant.
Kiku smiled knowingly, apparently pleased with himself. "Expect this evening's gathering to be a milestone in your existence as Prince of Earth. That is all I may tell you, and why I suggest you look your absolute best."
The blond sighed in response, inwardly rolling his eyes as he proceeded to do what he had been told.
It was a blessing Saturn's role as Timekeeper kept him from visiting Earth often.
"You did remember to send him an invitation, yes?"
Arthur frowned, green eyes narrowed in annoyance. "Of course, I invited him! Just what are you insinuating, Venus?" He furtively glanced behind, making sure they were alone as he guided the Venusian down one of the many grand corridors found in his palace.
It had been three Earth hours since the start of the party, and everyone had arrived by then. Well, except for the Earth Prince and, interestingly enough, Saturn. Concerned and most of all curious as to the potential whereabouts of the missing two members, Mars had convinced his Venusian counterpart that they speak away from the prying ears of the other planets. They had therefore excused themselves from the main ballroom, and so away to a random hall they had gone…
"Nothing, my love. Just checking. I, too, issued an invitation to our dearest Matthew." Francis all so casually inspected his recently manicured nails, for his part uncaring whether anyone else heard their conversation. "He is rather forgetful."
The Martian turned to gape at his lover, eyes wide with incensed disbelief. "How many people have you invited behind my back? First Mercury, then Pluto, and now the Earth Prince? What next? You're going to tell me you invited that blasted Sun King, as well?"
Venus' tone was bored as he answered, "Yes, actually. It is only proper he feel welcome among us. I am aware he is not exactly one of us, but that is no reason to treat him as–"
"YOU WHAT? HOW COULD YOU!" Arthur shouted, abruptly interrupting the other. He then pulled at his choppy blond hair, panic steadily creeping into his voice. "Do you not realize what you have done? Jupiter explicitly warned us–"
"Jupiter, although wise, is not all-knowing, now is he? That would be Saturn. And he, unlike Ivan, has never spoken ill of the Sun," came Francis' counterargument.
To which Arthur, his previous shock having receded as quickly as it had come, could only shake his head regretfully, admittedly defeated in the face of Venus' sound logic.
It should be known that King Alfred of the Sun had never been invited to any of the interplanetary gatherings, not even the very first one. In fact, he was a rather uncomfortable subject to many of the rulers of the Solar System, even though all nine planets – literally – revolved around him.
The Sun was a star, not a planet. And as such, Alfred was continuously cast aside, shunned by those who orbited him day in and day out.
Never mind Jupiter's rather cautionary words concerning him…
It was the sad truth, but it seemed like Alfred had accepted his fate, as indicated by the way he rarely, if ever, showed his face outside of the Sun.
…Now that he thought about it, Arthur could not even recall the last time he had seen the Stellar ruler. No matter how hard he tried, he could not even remember what the Sun monarch looked like. Blue eyes? Or were they gold? Blond hair, or red? Or maybe brown? How long had it been exactly?
Gah! Arthur took the easy way out on this one and thus simply gave up.
Either way, if what Francis had said was indeed true, then planet Mars would soon be welcoming a total of nine guests onto its soil.
"Saturn! Why, how odd it is to see you arrive so late! Are you perhaps losing your sense of time?" Gilbert joked upon the entrance of the newly arrived monarch.
Kiku bowed low in apology, upper body parallel to the glossy ballroom floor. "Please forgive my tardiness. I had matters to attend to."
Antonio approached to clap him on the back, a delighted grin nearly splitting his face in two. "Oh, there is no need for that, my friend! I think I can speak for everyone when I say we are merely glad you made it." The Mercurian then lead him toward the refreshment area, where numerous platters and bowls and bottles were arrayed neatly on several large stone tables, "Relax! Have a drink! It has been so long since we have last seen you, and this night's celebration has only just begun."
Saturn merely smiled as he let the ever-excitable Mercurian pour him a glass. "Thank you, Antonio," he said once he was handed his drink. Looking around, he then thought aloud, "I see Mars and Venus have decided to elope again?"
That got a laugh out of Antonio, "Oh no, they just left to talk alone for a while. They said they would be coming back soo– Never mind. They're right behind you."
Kiku turned to greet the couple, polite words of acknowledgement at the ready, only to be pulled roughly by his sleeve. "Wha–"
"Have you seen Matthew?"
All activity came to a pause at the mention of the Earth Prince's name.
Eyebrow raised, Kiku carefully regarded Mars, ignoring the latter's tight grip on his arm. Slowly, ne nodded. "Yes, I visited him earlier this day. He should be arriving shortly."
Venus, who was standing by his lover's side, then made his presence known, "See? I told you, darling. Matthew simply lost a race against time. He is late, but he will still be showing up." He then pressed a quick kiss to the Martian's cheek. "Calm yourself, my love. I know you are eager to see him, but that is no reason to be uncivil towards our dear Kiku. He has done nothing wrong."
Cheeks red in embarrassment, Arthur immediately released his fellow planet. "Francis is right. My sincerest of apologies, Saturn. I humbly ask you forgive me for such lack of manners. Really, how grotesque of me." He then gestured to the tables, "Can I be of service to you?"
The Saturnian only chuckled in genuine amusement, waving his hand in dismissal. "That is quite unnecessary, Arthur. And please, kindly stop apologizing."
Relieved, and face still a little colored, he took a step backwards. "Right. Agreed." He coughed. "Well, I suppose I still owe you a proper welcome. So welcome back to my home, Saturn, my friend. To begin, may I ask if there is anything you need? A refill for you drink perhaps? Seeing as the contents of your previous one have spilled from my jostling you."
Kiku looked to the ground, and blinked. "Ah, yes. So it seems." Coffee brown met green once more. "I suppose a refill would be appropriate. Thank you."
Arthur grimaced more than smiled, and proceeded to do just that, rolling his eyes when he heard Francis' pitiful attempt at stifling a laugh.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the room, Ivan studied Kiku with something akin to bitter contempt; so, Old Father Time wanted to continue being a slave to Fate, did he?
Well, that simply would not do.
MEANWHILE, PLANET EARTH
"Is this what Saturn meant by 'looking my best'? It feels strange." Matthew twirled on himself, his royal robes swishing along with the motion. The ocean blue fabric along with its silver trims felt soft to the touch; he had made it from the finest of Terran silks.
Yet, despite how comfortable it felt on his skin, he could not help but feel relatively ill at ease.
After all, he normally never wore such official clothing. Indeed, he loved to explore what his wonderful planet had to offer, even if (read: especially if) it involved getting his hands dirty: climbing trees to sing along with his birds, scaling his magnificent mountains with hopes of catching an exquisite view of his surroundings, wandering through his vast forests to run with his wolves, swimming in swamps to play with his leeches and toads… contrary to him, the silk he was currently wearing would never survive such activities. And contrary to him, the silk he was currently wearing was unfit for such harsh treatments – just like how Matthew himself was unfit for those social gatherings the other planets insisted on having.
He glared at his robes, glared at the fact that they only served to further remind him that such an event was taking place at that very moment on Mars.
Why could it not be sometime next century, like he had hoped? Why had Saturn felt the need to come and remind him of it? Why could he have not been left alone in the first place? Left uninvited like the Sun?
With a sigh, Matthew let the energy of his planet engulf him, and launched himself towards his Martian neighbour, speeding through space much like a comet.
As he travelled, Saturn's words returned to the forefront of his mind, reverberating:
"Expect this evening's gathering to be a milestone in your existence as Prince of Earth."
…Was it strange to say that he had sensed this particular evening to be special even before the Saturnian's visit?
He had not the faintest inkling of what to expect, however. Though, he supposed that would be changing very soon.
The first to greet him upon his arrival on the Red Planet was non-surprisingly Saturn, as the latter had been anticipating it. Though, once the Earth Prince passed through the entrance to the ballroom, all eyes were on him.
Francis and Arthur, who had been in the middle of a petty argument as per their usual, immediately brightened – as did all the others. They rushed to his side, joking and smiling and feeling positively delighted by his presence there amongst them.
Matthew, flushed in embarrassment by all the attention, spoke quietly, "Sorry for arriving late, everyone. I did not mean to lose track of time the way I did."
Pluto beat everyone to it – earning jealous mutters and more than a few eyerolls from the others – when he was the first to assure the Prince, "Nah, don't ya fret about that, kiddo. We're just glad you made it! Better late than never, yeah?" He then ruffled Matthew's hair – earning many glares this time. "Now that you're here, let's get this party started folks! C'mon, who's up for some shots?"
"As long as Earth tries what I brought, I agree."
"Ugh! You mean that weird Jovian 'vodka' thing of yours? …Fine, whatever. At this point I just wanna get drunk off my orbit, oval-shaped as it is."
And just like that, Matthew found himself being tugged towards what would soon become a highly interesting night indeed.
It was nearly midway through the social gathering.
He had felt it coming, an inexplicable feeling tugging at his heart strings, telling him that something – someone – was on its way.
When that 'something' finally came, a loud bang by the front entrance, the room grew silent.
Matthew, his back to the door, froze. Call it a gut feeling, but there were eyes suddenly focused on him. They were the eyes of a monarch, that was for certain. Eyes belonging to someone indescribably powerful, yet foreign. The eyes of an outsider. Whoever this 'someone' was, the Earth Prince had certainly never met them before.
Despite it, he found himself slowly turning around, towards the alien in the room – and unknowingly, towards his destiny.
And just as Fate had decided, that moment proved to be the first time Matthew of Earth met the one they called the Sun King.
From the sidelines, Saturn smiled secretively.
Like everyone else in the room, he waited with baited breath to see what would happen next.
More precisely, what would happen between Alfred and Matthew as the paths of the Sun and Earth intercepted each other for truly the first time ….
His smile was blinding, was Matthew's first assessment. Almost like the rays of the–
"Salutations, I'm Alfred," the Solar King began, loud and vainglorious. "Supreme ruler of the Sun Kingdom, Bringer of Warmth and Light and, in your case, my dearest Earth," his voice dropped to a low, seductive whisper as he leisurely approached the unresponsive Earthling, "Life."
Matthew gulped, his cheeks undoubtedly as red as the cherries on his planet. "Greetings to you as well, Sun King." He paused, biting his lip in contemplation, to then suddenly blurt, "I am sorry, but if I may ask, how do you know of me? I'm afraid we've never met."
Alfred smirked, alluring blue eyes sparkling playfully – like the way sunlight rippled and bounced off the waves of his ocean waters during daytime, Matthew inwardly mused.
The Sun King was breathtaking. Beautifully surreal and absolutely resplendent in his royal garbs – red fabric and gold trims and all. From his bronzed skin to his dazzling smile to those eyes – eyes Matthew had never even imagined could be real by how, to put it in simple terms, strikingly blue they were. More so than even Neptune's, which was saying something considering the latter represented the Ocean Planet.
Matthew was soon jostled out of his thoughts as Alfred answered, mirth made evident by his tone of voice: "Of course we have! We see each other every day, silly! Well, at least, I see you. When it is sundown in one place, it is dawn in another, after all."
"You… see me?"
"I see your planet," Alfred clarified.
Matthew frowned, confused. "Then how did you know I was the embodiment of Earth if you have never seen me in person before?"
The Sun chuckled, speaking as if it were obvious, "You are the most beautiful thing here." (Meanwhile, behind him, Venus glared daggers at his back despite Mars' immediate attempts to calm him: "Don't listen to him, Francis, love. It's all rubbish. Everyone knows you are the very definition of beauty.") "I mean, I thought your planet was special, but you… You surpass that. That is how I knew."
Before Matthew could respond, Ivan made himself known. "Ah, comrade Sun. How long it has been since I have seen you last. Except… I do not think you are welcome here, as you were not invited, yes?"
"Actually–" Alfred began, until Saturn intervened:
"Whether he was invited or not, it would only be logical he stay now that he is here. In other words, it would be highly improper of us to make him travel all the way back to the Sun when he only just arrived, would you not agree?"
Jupiter regarded his planetary neighbour with barely concealed displeasure, electricity audibly crackling from the inside of his tightly curled fists, until he finally relented, not wanting to cause a scene – especially not in front of his beloved Earth Prince. "You are right. Where are my manners?" Purple eyes then shifted to meet sunny blue, the Jovian's tone as frigid as Jupiter itself even on its warmest day. "Welcome Sun King. It is an honor having you among us this evening."
Returning the favor through clenched teeth, Alfred answered just as coldly, "I'm happy to be here. Thank you for having me."
"Wait… the both of you have met before?" Matthew inquired, head cocked slightly to the side with question. He reflexively shrunk in on himself when all eyes landed on him once more.
Alfred smiled warmly. "With the exception of, well, you, Earth Prince, I have met with every ruler in the Solar System. And that means… every sovereign that is in this room, basically."
For some inexplicable reason, Matthew felt a pang of disappointment; Alfred must have known who he was by basic recognition. He had singled everyone out and had automatically deduced that the lone unfamiliar face in the room must have belonged to the Earth representative.
…It was not because Alfred had found him beautiful, like he had said to be the case. Alfred had probably only meant it as a friendly compliment, nothing more. Besides, from what Matthew had heard, the Sun King had a reputation of being excessively nice to everyone he met, new and old acquaintances – and, of course, Matthew fell under the 'new' category.
"Anyways, I'll have you know that I'm thrilled to finally meet you. I take it you've only been told good things about me? Or did these guys taint your preconceived image of me with their bogus tales?" Alfred resumed with a light chuckle.
In response, the Earthling merely shrugged, "I cannot say I've heard much of you. I never really leave Earth to begin with, and everyone here is kept busy enough as it is with their respective duties. It is quite rare I interact with anything other than what lives on my planet."
The Sun ruler visibly deflated. "Ah, I see."
Arthur, on his part, seemed to take pity on Alfred as he proceeded to clear his throat. "Eh-hem, well then. Now that we are all here and have introduced ourselves, shall we dance? If I do say so myself, Antonio has really outdone himself with his latest creations."
Thankfully, the Mercurian perked up at the mention of his name – a relief to Mars, who was internally cringing at the realization he had so heedlessly complimented the other. "Wow, why thank you Arthur! That was very nice! I hope everyone will enjoy my music, too." Mercury gestured towards the dancing area with a dramatic sweep of his hand. "C'mon everybody! Let us celebrate such a joyful reunion!" Yet, after a handful of steps, he abruptly stopped, turning to face those walking behind him only to boldly announce, "Oh, and I claim first dance with Matthew."
And if said Earth Prince had ever witnessed an avalanche, it was negligible compared to the one that tumbled its way toward his ears in the form of angry protests and biting remarks.
Ah, the perks of being the darling of the Solar System.
Standing off to the side with a bottle of some odd, but palatable Plutonian drink (Gilbert had called it 'beer', if he remembered correctly), Alfred watched as Matthew was literally fought over. The latter was unable to dance with anyone without another stealing him away almost immediately afterwards. For elder planets, they certainly were behaving like newborn stars.
Ha. Even Saturn, who was normally abnormally reserved and even-tempered, was getting in on the action. Ah, and there went Gilbert. Antonio going next came as no surprise. Oh his Milky Way, did Francis just…? In front of Arthur, no less? And… oh wow, Ivan was definitely blushing. Who knew the big guy could get as red as Mars when holding an equally-as-red Earth monarch so close to his chest? Hmm, how interesting.
Regardless of it all, the Prince really was beautiful, Alfred thought. In fact, if the Sun King were to be entirely truthful to himself, Matthew was the loveliest creature he had ever laid his eyes on.
Undeniably.
And oh, he had ruined his chance; he had come off too strong, earlier. Surely, Matthew would prefer someone other than an irritating, ostracized brat like himself.
For who could ever want the Sun anyway? No one. That was why he was never invited to these gatherings – not that he was ever wanted at all in the first place. He was just a great big ball of plasma. Just a giant mass of fusing hydrogen atoms. Not something one would necessarily consider appealing.
Basically, it came down to this:
There was the Earth, also known as a true treasure if Alfred had ever seen one. And then there was the Sun, just some medium-sized star that only so happened to be at the very center of the web of planets circling around and around and around him, time and time and time again. He burned things to ash. He destroyed and melted with his blistering heat. He made Mercury and Venus uninhabitable. It was not necessarily his fault that the latter two were so close to him, but he certainly felt like it was, gravitational pulls and all that. Maybe if they had been placed a little farther away, like Earth…
Ah, and there it went again! He was back to thinking about the Earth Prince. It was almost as if the Sun was the one that revolved around the Earth rather than the opposite – at least, Alfred's thoughts surely did so.
He wondered if he had ever been on Matthew's mind before, the same way Matthew was constantly on Alfred's. Because although Alfred had never met the Earth representative until this very evening, he had always let himself imagine what the famous, yet mysterious Prince might look like. He had dreamed the Earth ruler to be strong, and nurturing, and well, obviously beautiful in some form. It would be strange if the embodiment of such a special planet turned out to be unattractive, no? Not that that really mattered. Rather, it just made more sense that way. At least, according to Alfred it did.
Oh look, Matthew was now walking towards him.
Huh.
Wait, what?
"Do you not like to dance? Or is it perhaps something else? You seemed deep in thought."
Goodness, Matthew was endearing, downright enticing. And how irresistible, that way he had of coiling his lovely – so, so lovely – hair around his forefinger. Hmm, he looked nervous, though. Almost as if…
"Oh, uhm, sorry. I just stood there staring at you like a fool instead of answering your questions. I apologize if I made you uncomfortable." Alfred rubbed the back of his neck, incredibly embarrassed. "Regardless, if you really must know, I do not dance."
"Why?" Matthew asked, still toying innocently with his hair.
Ashamed, Alfred lowered his head. "I… never learned how."
"I see. Well in that case… I, for one, could most certainly teach you, if you wish. May I?"
The Sun King's head snapped upwards at such an offer, so fast he had to blink repeatedly to quell the dizziness. "Excuse me?" No one had ever shown the slightest interest in teaching him to dance, never mind an interest to dance with him period – or any interest at all, rather. He kept himself from wincing.
"Come. Let me show you. I assure you it is quite enjoyable."
And just like that, Alfred found himself at the center of the floor, arms encircling Matthew and Matthew instructing him on proper foot placement.
Like clockwork, a storm of jealousy instantly surrounded the pair, emanating indisputably from where the other planets stood close by – envious yet surprised by such an unexpected turn of events.
The Sun was warm. So comfortably, welcomingly, wonderfully warm. Matthew could not help but press his cheek flush against the Solar King's chest. Mmm... This was, for lack of a better word, nice. Alfred's natural scent was all-encompassing. Fresh, but a whisper spicy. Like roasted cinnamon. Like vanilla, or zesty ginger-lime. A dash of coconut, perhaps? Yes, perhaps. It was heady, a spellbinding perfume, whatever it was. Mmm…
"Matthew?"
Lazily, as slow and sweet as the Earth bee's honey, violet eyes fluttered open. "Yes?"
Alfred's face was florid, his pretty blue eyes – ah, they were actually not entirely blue, since upon closer inspection Matthew observed gold flecks amidst those otherwise impossibly blue irises – shifting uncomfortably from side to side. "It's nearing the end of the night. I best be going…"
The Earthling felt his stomach drop. It was over so soon? It felt like he had been in Alfred's arms for a mere measly minute. Wanting to make this fleeting moment last a touch longer, Matthew suggested, "How about you spend the night on Earth, with me? And then come morning, you could travel the rest of the way to the Sun?" For further measure, he drew his lips into an exaggerated pout, a facial plead. "Please, you must not leave so soon. Stay with me a little while longer. I do not wish for this moment to end. Please, Sun King?"
The Sun's breath hitched at the sound of his name, at the sound of those words. Matthew appreciated his company. He enjoyed Alfred's presence. At that moment, it even seemed that – dare he believe it – Matthew… liked being in his arms.
With a wide smile, Alfred gleefully wrapped his arms tighter around the Prince, guiding the latter closer to his self. "Alright. I accept. However…"
That caught Matthew's attention. "However?"
"However, in return, rather than leave come morning as you have proposed, I humbly request you show me around Earth. I have never seen your planet from up-close before. Only from afar. As such, I am quite curious."
"Say no more. We have ourselves a deal." Matthew laughed, eyes crinkling into slight crow's feet at the corners, to which Alfred soon mirrored by letting his own set of chuckles escape his lips.
Ways away, the King of Jupiter watched the interaction unfold, purples eyes shrinking into rancorous slits. He payed no mind to the glass of vodka cracking under his tight grip, nor the serpent-tongues of lightning hissing venomously from his twitching fingertips.
End of Chapter 1
Extra information:
Sun: Alfred (because the US is the superpower of the world. Also, he has a sunny smile, and sunny hair, and luminous blue eyes, and a sunny demeanor. America just screams 'Sun King' to me. I mean, Alfred is a total superstar, and plus he has stars on his flag so… it just fits in my opinion. I think most people would agree with me on this.)
Earth: Matthew (because Canada has a lot of resources like water and lumber that it seemed appropriate. Plus, Matthew is patient and kind in nature, which I would imagine Mother Earth to be like, a nurturer. There are other reasons, but it's mostly also because I wanted him to be the main character, and I know Earth the best in comparison to the rest of the planets in our Solar System.)
Mercury: Antonio (because both Spain and Mercury are 'hot' places, and I thought having Francis and Spain be planetary neighbours as they are geographically in real life would be a riot, not to mention fitting! Also, from what I've read, Mercury (Greek: Hermes) was a god that liked to pull pranks and tell jokes, and was the type to goof off… like Spain (if his being in the BTT says anything). [Messenger of the planetary rulers, gifted with wisdom and speed, guide of dead souls (to Pluto), possesses musical talent]
Venus: Francis (because he's the country of love! Duh! And when I think of the story of Ares (Roman: Mars) and Aphrodite (Roman: Venus), it kinda reminds me of FRUK in the sense they're always trying to get back at each other for something the other did.) [Bringer of peace, representation of love and sexual desire]
Mars: Arthur (because he has a fiery temper, is a fighter, and because FRUK. Furthermore, England is a country that has been in multiple wars, not to mention its history as a powerful empire, so...) [Bringer of war, and representation of passion]
Jupiter: Ivan (because Russia is the biggest country on Earth just like Jupiter (Greek: Zeus) is the largest planet in our Solar System.) [Bringer of jollity, wielder of lightning]
Saturn: Kiku (because Japan strikes me as patient, phlegmatic, and ultimately wise. In other words, perfect for Saturn (Greek: Cronos) who is said to be associated with time and agriculture, though I won't be addressing the agriculture aspect much in this story.) [Father of Time]
Uranus: Denmark? [Ruler of the Sky and Wind], & Neptune: Norway? [Ruler of Oceans]
(In case any of you are curious, know that I had Denmark and Norway as Uranus and Neptune in mind. However, I find that there are more than enough characters to play with as is, and so decided not to include them for now. Maybe they'll make an appearance in later chapters, but I make no promises.)
Pluto: Gilbert (because just like how Prussia is an ex-nation, Pluto (Greek: Hades) is an ex-planet. Also, because both Prussia and Pluto are awesome. Besides that, I thought Prussia would be good as Pluto, just because. Oh, and France & Spain were already in the story, so might as well include the BTT) [Bringer of peaceful Death, and ruler of the underworld]
A/N: I like Pluto, and I liked it when it was a planet dammit! And although I understand why Pluto was demoted from planet to dwarf planet, Pluto is a planet here. Because Pluto is cool.
And on a last note, I'm not basing the characters exactly off of Greek mythology, so there are some definite discrepancies between my ideas and actual mythology.
Hope you enjoyed.
Sending you all smooches from Canada,
~SHnM