Hi! This is my first AmericaxRussia fic! Most of my friends dislike this pairing because of how Russia is protrayed in the anime as a creap bastered, so I decided to write this, using my own knowledge of Russia and Russians as a basis.
Alfred calls Ivan "Vanya" which is a diminuitive form of Ivan and is very common. Russians are known for being very affectionate, so little pet names are common.
Disclaimer: Don't own. If I did, Russia wouldn't be quite so creepy, and Al would be a little more serious.
It amazed Alfred just how different his lover acted, depending on where they were and who they were around. His tall Russian lover was very cold, and mildly sadistic when they were around the other Nations, or in one of the other countries. At home, either his or Alfred's, he was like an enormous teddy bear; large, resembling something dangerous, but cuddly and loving. His affectionate nature, when they were alone, never ceased to amaze Alfred.
He knew that many of the Nations thought he was insane for loving Ivan, Russia, the scary commie bastard, but really, they only saw the mask. They had never seen Vanya, smiling like a child at the sight of a field of sunflowers. They had never been brought breakfast by the big lug, or had home-made pirozhki with borscht.
For crying out loud, they had never seen him drink anything other than vodka! They knew nothing of Vanya's taste for tea, or his enjoyment of that strange green colored soda that was so popular in his country.
They knew nothing of the man who read Pushkin, who liked winter in Moscow only because it gave him an excuse to hold Alfred close the entire time they were out. They knew nothing of the thousands of kisses and the hand holding that was shared when in either of their respective countries.
Alfred knew though. He knew the man behind the creepy aura. He knew the affectionate, somewhat childlike, hopeless romantic who was the real man in the heavy winter coat. He understood Belarus' obsession. If Vanya was half as affectionate and caring to Natalya when they were growing up as he was to Alfred, then why would she not love him so totally? Indeed, why wouldn't everyone love him if they could just see the man that he saw.
Because Alfred loved Vanya, he loved the cold hands, the warm heart, and the childlike joy that radiated from his lover. And though he knew it was useless, though he knew Vanya was more than capable of protecting himself, and certainly didn't need the shorter man's help, he couldn't help wanting to protect Vanya from the often cruel and cold world.
Let the world wonder why. As long as he had Vanya, everything was wonderful.