40 minutes outside of Moscow, Russia.
Russia sat in his library finishing up the book that was currently in his lap. Lips moving in sink to the speed his eyes were passing over the last words of the book.
"What an interesting way to end a book." Russia murmured to himself as he closed the book he had just finished and laid it on the coffee table. Ivan drew in a deep breath, stood up and stretched. After sitting so long in one spot, his muscles were relieved of all the tension. He sat back down and listened. Absolute silence is what he heard and this bothered the Russian. As he reached for the book, a noise broke the silence throughout the mansion.
He turned his head towards the door and listened more. The clanging and clattering of pots and pans meeting the hard tiled floor. Ivan was startled and called out.
"Alfred, what are you doing?" Ivan received no answer but heard movement. Ivan sighed as he moved toward the edge of the sofa to get up and investigate. He stopped and heard hurried footsteps coming down the hall to the library. Ivan did not move and waited for the noise.
The library door flew open and Alfred rushed in holding his head. The frantically looked around for his Russian companion. After spotting him he ran around to the front of the sofa and entered the Russian's line of sight. Alfred looked down as Ivan looked up; both meeting each other's gaze.
"What happened дорогой? Did we walk into another wall again?" Ivan said with a smirk growing on his face.
"What happened? Your stupid pots and pans attacked me, is what happened!" Alfred said with an angry pout on his face.
Ivan chuckled and stood up. He took two steps and removed Alfred's hand that was covering a small bump on his head. Ivan leaned down and pressed his lips to it, paused a moment and drew back.
"There, feel better?"
"Much, and thanks."
"What were you doing that my pots and pans "attacked" you?"
"I was looking for food, I opened one of the cupboards and the next thing I see is like 20 pots and pans of every size flying at me." Alfred said waving around his arms overdramatically.
"Hmm, I will have to have a stern conversation with them; won't I?" Ivan said trying not to smile, but failed. Alfred swatted at his arm.
"It's not funny. Hey, what book were you reading?"
"L'étranger by Albert Camus." Ivan answered. Alfred scrunched up his face in confusion, and then had a look of realization.
"Oh, I know that book. That's the one were the first line was, my mom died today… or something like that and it's in French."
"да, I found the book to be very interesting."
Alfred rolled his eyes. "I hate that book; I wasted seven hours of my life reading it."
"How did it take you several hours to read the book, it only took me two?"
"I sat there with the book on my lap, translating everything into the Google translator. Some of it made absolutely no sense." Alfred said smiling. Ivan staring back at him with a blank look and wisely chose against commenting.
"Oh, did I tell you, I found my Frank Sinatra CD. Tony had it the whole time."
"That's nice." Ivan said as he placed the book back in its spot on the bookshelf. Turned walked back to the sofa and sat down again. Alfred didn't sit at first. He moved over the fire place were a medium sized stereo system was. He opened it, placed the newly found cd in, closed it and pressed play. After skipping a few songs he found the one he was looking for.
As the song began to play humming was heard and Alfred sang over the voice of Frank Sinatra with his tenor voice.
"Call me irresponsible, call me unreliable. Throw in undependable too." Alfred held the too out and looked over at Ivan who was smiling.
"Do my foolish alibis bore you?" Ivan answered back "Alfred I could never be bored with you." Alfred continued.
"Well I'm not too clever" Ivan laughed out loud, he quickly and wisely stopped. He cleared his throat, "Now любовь, you know that is not true."
"I just adore you." Alfred held out the you. Ivan placed a hand over his heart and smiled.
"Call me unpredictable." "Humph, you do not have to tell me that."
"Tell me I'm impractical. Rainbows, I'm inclined to pursue." "Alfred, are we having those little journeys again, that you used to have with Larz and Madeline?"
"Call me irresponsible, yes I'm unreliable, but it's undeniably true…"
Alfred walked towards Ivan jumped and landed in Ivan's lap. Ivan grunted and pulled Alfred into his embrace. Alfred leaned in, and sang.
"I'm irresponsibly mad for you."
There was a pause and the music continued to play Ivan pulled Alfred into a sweet kiss, they stayed like this for a few seconds and Alfred began to sing again.
"Call me irresponsible, yes I'm unreliable, but it's undeniably true…"
Ivan placed his hand on Alfred's face and moved his thumb over his mouth to stop him from singing. Ivan picked up where Alfred was cut off.
"I'm irresponsibly mad for you." Ivan held out the you, with his baritone voice. Both countries leaned in and kissed each other.
Ivan broke the kiss. "You know what Alfred."
"What, Ivan?"
"I am really glad you found your CD."
"Hmm, me too."