Disclaimer: Yami Ryo does not own Axis Powers Hetalia.
Warning: Slash, Yaoi, whatever ya wanna call it. Human names. Swears and crappy attempts at romance.
Shameless Plug: Check out my other stories!
Pairings: Unrequited Alfred/Ivan and Matthew/Alfred, requited Gilbert/Alfred, Ivan/Francis, Antonio/Lovino, and Ludwig/Feliciano
Chapter One: Meeting You
It was snowing that night, all those years ago. It was a long time ago, though not as long as it seemed. In the dark frozen night a small boy lay in the snow, starving and cold, drifting away into what he thought may be his last dream. Before his eyes fell shut, he saw a small round pale face and beautiful sapphire eyes peering at him curiously and as the darkness took his consciousness away, he thought he felt soft warm hands cup his face.
When he had woken again, he was laying in a very large warm bed with sky blue quilts draped over him carefully. He looked around in the dim lighting of the room and saw that sitting beside his bed was a child smaller than he with long golden hair that fell strait down their back to their waist, though they had short bangs and one curled up into a random cowlick, the child's eyes were a beautiful sapphire shade that shined in the dim lighting, and his skin was pale as moonlight. The child smiled beautifully at him and he could feel himself flushing under the gentle gaze.
"I'm Alfred F. Jones. I found you outside all alone in the snow and thought you could use a place to get warm. Who are you?" The child said, his voice light and full of pure happiness.
"My name Ivan. I come from Russia..." He told the child, slightly embarrassed of his broken English.
"Oh wow! That's so far away." Alfred said excitedly. "Why are you in America and what were you doing all by yourself in the snow?" Alfred tilted his head curiously and Ivan took a deep breath and carefully thought about how to answer.
"Big man, call himself General Winter...he take me from big sister Katyusha...I run away from him and you find me." He tried to explain. Alfred frowned in concern, stepping forward and patting his cheek in comforting motions.
"You'll be safe here. You can stay for as long as you want to...maybe this place won't seem so hollow if you're here too...You could stay for a while." Alfred said looking at him with such hope he could only swallow heavily and nod. That was how they met and how Ivan came to live with Alfred.
As time passed, Ivan learned many things about his host. He learned that Alfred lived alone because his older brother Arthur could not bear to see him, to face the illness that Alfred suffered alone. He learned why Alfred was unable to leave the house that had become his prison. Alfred suffered an illness called Xeroderma Pigmentosum. This illness made him so sensitive to light that if exposed to enough, it could very well kill him. The windows of the house were boarded up to block any chance of sunlight or any lights that could seep in.
Ivan also learned very quickly that Alfred hated his prison more than anything and longed to be free. He learned that Alfred would find ways to escape his prison and run through the streets in the dead of night, clothed in long hooded capes to cover himself. He also learned that Alfred was sweet and naïve and knew nothing of the outside world, having never been exposed to it properly. He learned that the only person that Alfred had ever come into contact with, apart from himself, was a kind but shy man by the name of Toris Laurinatis. Toris would come during week days to bring Alfred anything he needed or wanted and to teach him anything he wished to learn.
The more that Ivan learned of Alfred, the more he believed that Alfred needed him. As the years went by, Alfred convinced him to go to school so that he could get an education. Another thing that Ivan learned of Alfred is that because he was always so alone and had almost nothing to do, he was extremely intelligent and resourceful. Alfred prepared an identity for him, legalized him as an America citizen, and got him a place at a very prestigious private school. Alfred was determined that he have the education he needed to fulfill any dream he might have and Ivan was grateful to him.
Ivan and Alfred became so impossibly close it was easy for them to tell what the other was thinking at a glance and they had carved themselves a routine and solid place in each others' lives changeable by no one. This was both wonderful and terrible because they had an unbreakable bond but Alfred had fallen deeply in love with the only constant in his life and Ivan did not return his feelings. Alfred knew that Ivan did not love him in the same way, but he also knew that Ivan would never do anything to deliberately hurt him; something both wonderful and terrible.
As Ivan continued to go to school, he made another discovery of Alfred that he suspected may have been the start of the problems in their lives. Alfred had no idea what a lie was. It was unusual as Alfred had the entire internet at his disposal. Ivan also knew Toris snuck Alfred manga constantly due to Alfred spending a lot of the time he was not inventing cosplaying his favorite characters around the house. Alfred even made his costumes himself and sometimes managed to convince Ivan to cosplay with him and play games together.
Alfred's naivety led him to believe anything that was told to him, anything. At first Ivan used this to his advantage, weaving tales of friends he did not have in order to not worry Alfred. Ivan suspected it would have been better had he been honest with Alfred and told him that he was unable to make friends.
Alfred pulled on his hooded red cloak, tying the blue ribbon into a bow to close it. He pulled his hood on and fingered the fabric fondly; it had been a gift from Toris for his thirteenth birthday. This is the cloak he had been using for nearly four years on his little adventures. Ivan had become very protective over the years, so it had become harder and harder to escape his prison. At that time Ivan was sleeping rather heavily, so it had been easy enough to slip out of bed into some outdoor clothes and slip out the back door. Alfred twisted his waist length hair into a stylishly messy braid and letting it fall over his left shoulder and out of his hood, falling down his chest. He pulled on elbow length red gloves, unrolling his long blue bell sleeves of his shirt. Alfred pulled on his blue sneakers, tying the red laces into neat bows. He wiped his faded blue jeans and grinned to himself before opening the door and running out after quietly closing it behind himself.
Alfred ran quickly towards the park, sticking to the sidewalks and making sure the lights of the streetlamps could not touch his skin. He was very careful despite the speed he moved at and very soon was able to make it to the park. There were not very many lamps at the park and a few of them did not even work. Alfred smiled and ran over to the swings, lifting his cloak so he could sit directly on the seat of it and throwing his cloak over the back of it and beginning to swing back and forth. Alfred had been sitting there swinging for a while, his cloak billowing behind him as he swung.
"Hey there Little Red Riding Hood." A deep flirtatious voice said from close by, startling Alfred. Alfred looked to his side and saw a rather handsome older teen with pure white hair, deep crimson eyes, and a pale fit body. Alfred smiled brightly at the newcomer.
"Hello. I'm Alfred who are you?" Alfred asked his voice friendly and kind. The other smirked and walked over sitting in the swing next to him.
"My name is Gilbert Beilschmidt and I'm a Prussian." The other introduced confidently, making Alfred smile.
"That's cool." Alfred replied brightly. Gilbert looked at him in surprise for a moment before grinning.
"So, can I see your face Little Red?" Gilbert asked, looking at him as though trying to see his face in the darkness. Alfred looked around and saw that he was far enough away from all the lamps that the light would not be harsh enough to harm him.
"Okay." Alfred agreed, turning back to Gilbert and lowering his hood. Gilbert was struck speechless and stared for a few long moments, his cheeks flushing darkly.
"Wow...You're gorgeous." Gilbert complimented loudly, startling Alfred and causing him to flush brightly.
"Really?" Alfred asked uncertainly.
"Yeah! You should be a model!" Gilbert told him, grinning, Alfred flushed darker and laughed.
"You're so sweet." Alfred complimented.
"Awesome." Gilbert said his grin widening. Alfred and Gilbert spent hours talking together, laughing and enjoying the others company though it felt to them like no time had passed at all. As they talked together, Ivan's familiar voice called out to Alfred.
"Alfred!" Ivan cried, frustrated as he walked over to where the two were seated. Alfred looked over at Ivan, pouting at the larger teen.
"Hi Ivan." Alfred greeted reluctantly. Ivan sighed in relief at seeing that Alfred was unharmed, though he did scowl threateningly at Gilbert.
"Alfred you know you are not to leave the house." Ivan scolded. Alfred looked down sadly, feeling a little guilty for worrying Ivan.
"I know...I just wanted to be free...Just for a little while..." Alfred told him, voice filled with sorrow and longing. Ivan sighed and carefully scooped Alfred into his arms bridal style.
"I know you wish to be free, but it is not safe." Ivan scolded gently, holding Alfred close.
"Hey! How come he can't stay for a while?" Gilbert suddenly piped up. Ivan scowled at him angrily.
"This is no business of yours Beilschmidt!" Ivan spoke coldly and Alfred frowned at Ivan.
"I think it is my business when you come by and try to take off with my new friend Braginski." Gilbert snapped back angrily. Alfred looked between Ivan and Gilbert confused.
"You know each other?" Alfred asked confused. "Oh! You must be one of Ivan's friends! It was so nice meeting you Gilbert! You should come visit! I'm always telling Ivan he should invite his friends over." Alfred said brightly, giving them both a thrilled look.
"Da, we are...friends. Isn't that right Beilschmidt?" Ivan asked, smiling threateningly at Gilbert. Gilbert shivered a little in fear.
"Ja, friends." Gilbert agreed warily.
"I'm afraid Beilschmidt cannot visit our home though." Ivan told Alfred, faking sadness. Alfred pouted at Ivan.
"Aw, but why?" Alfred asked.
"He is very busy." Ivan told Alfred. Alfred sighed sadly and turned his head back towards Gilbert.
"That's too bad. I guess we have to go home now." Alfred sighed sorrowfully. "Bye Gilbert." Alfred said waving at him, looking so very sad it made Gilbert's heart clench in sorrow. Gilbert knew right then that he needed to save Alfred from the loneliness he could see in his eyes as Ivan walked away with the small beauty cradled in his arms.
TBC...
Yami Ryo: Another fic! Edited by my beta akuoni! Lemme know what you guys think, I'm really excited about this one.