It had been three weeks since Ivan came to get him for the meeting and spared him.
Alfred was pacing again, the crying child clinging to his arms.
Time seemed to be going so slowly. Alfred could feel his heart shattering at his son's wailing. He'd gone to the doctor to see what was wrong but it was nothing more then a fussy child with the sniffles.
He collapsed onto the couch, his own cries mixing with Alec's. He'd been crying for so looooooong! The sound was unbearable. If Alfred hadn't already survived two months with the screaming child he would sure as hell have considered giving him up.
But there was no way he would ever give up Alec, not after the amount of effort and time and love he'd had put into making sure he came out alright. Alfred held the baby closer, his tears staining the small boy's sandy hair. Dammit, if there was a God he truly hated him.
The door creaked open and the soft thumping of boots entered.
"Alfred? Is everything okay"? A head popped around the corner, looking at the living room and him.
"Does it look the fuck okay?!" the distressed man growled between choking cries. Ivan sighed and walked over to the American, picking up the child. Every time he came to check on Alfred either one of both the blonds were crying. Al simply couldn't cope being a single parent.
plus Alfred seemed to resent the fact Ivan seemed to be a better caregiver then himself, as he often proved by somehow magically knowing what the baby needed to quite down.
"How the fuck do you do that"? Alfred asked quietly after Ivan came back downstairs, once again being able to make Alec take his nap.
"Instinct, Da, I have done it for a long time". Ivan took his place beside the boy on the couch. This was always how it always was. Ivan would somehow appear when the American was on the brink of killing himself and save the day. That was Alfred's job fuck it!
Then Ivan would try to comfort the boy, who would simply lie limply in his arms until Alec called for attention or Alfred wanted Ivan to leave (if there was a reason the Russian didn't know it).
But today was different, Ivan put the comforting arm around the Darker blond to help him calm down, but this time Alfred curled up and leaned into the larger man, gripping onto him like he had done the first time he found out of the babies existence. Ivan raised an eyebrow, confused by the boy's behavior.
"Why do you bother with us? It's not like you have any obligation" Alfred whispered into the Russian's scarf.
The larger nation looked down at the whimpering man in his arms, he didn't know what it was about the young Mother, maybe it was that he was too stubborn to ask for help, or the fact that when he finally did need it he turned to the Ivan. Whatever it was it was making Ivan fall more and more in admiration for him. Ivan was certain he could never survive raising a constantly screaming child without doing something he'd regret.
"I am simply helping you comrade, we have the meeting soon Da"?
Alfred let out an irritated grunt and shuffled around in the larger man's grip. The Russian smirked; sometimes he wondered which baby needed more looking after. After all, it was the large European that made sure that made sure Alfred was starving himself and was getting enough sleep.
"You should take more care Comrade, you look terrible' the bigger nation said truthfully, getting an indignant look from the young parent.
"You have no right to comment" was the only reply he got. Ivan nodded slightly.
Over the last few weeks of visiting the two he had learnt a few things about Alfred's short experience as a mom. From what information he had gathered, Alec's birth was apparently particularly difficult, they had expected there to be complications since Al was male but the two barely made it out alive. Considering Matthew had done just fine with twins it must have been upsetting for the American to almost loose his life and child with a single birth.
The silence had become a little too quiet; an awkward atmosphere forming around the nations, Ivan decided to break it.
"You know" Ivan said after a moment's silence "Alec is a lot like Arthur"
The horrified look On Alfred face was priceless. "…What"!
'He is, truly, only a child of Arthur's could complain so bitterly over everything" Ivan smirked at his own little joke.
The tired American slowly caught on, a smile twitching at the corners of his mouth, second later followed by a small giggle.
"Good one" his laughed, shuffling around again on the couch, trying to find a comfy position to lie against the Commie. The humor quickly died though, Ivan saw the pained expression on the others face at the thought of the Brit. Al once again re-adjusted himself. Only this time he ended up with his head on Ivan's lap, the rest of him curled up on the couch. Neither man was complaining about the new position.
The room was quiet apart from the larger man's soft humming, the tune Al couldn't quite place, probably Russian. Ivan took up the smaller boy's hand, carefully rubbing circles over the back of it with his thumb. This technique always worked for Ivan when he was trying to get Natalia to sleep when she was still a small child, and it seemed to be working for Alfred too. Still humming; he wiped the dark blond hair from the half lidded sapphires staring up at him in slight defiance. They both knew the younger of the two was extremely exhausted (not that he'd admit it).
Ivan's fingers hooked around his wrist feeling the rough dry surface underneath. Gently he turned the arm around, observing the scabbing surface on the underside of the smaller nations arm. Alfred didn't seem to notice till Ivan ran a finger down the healing scab.
"ouch," the boy hissed in pain "Stop touching it"
The other simply hummed; it was not a good day when he found Alfred in the bathroom with the kitchen knife.
The boy put up such a fight that the Russian had to resort to brute force to get the knife away from him.
Alfred was in hospital for three days after that, being treated for dehydration and some other health problems. The man that treated Alfred said that he was suffering postnatal depression, it was common but unfortunately it had a bad effect on Al.
During that time the American was in hospital Ivan cared for Alec, made sure that none of the information leaked to media or any unwanted sources and made a note to make his visits more frequent so the incident didn't repeat itself.
Ivan continued to hum the unfamiliar song as Al dozed off in his embrace. The boy desperately needed a good night sleep, especially if he was going to become a better provider for his son.
The Russian smile softly at the sleeping boy, violet eyes skimming over the features of the American. The smaller nation still had a small belly from carrying Alec (which Ivan found adorable and squishy). His dark blond hair had grown to rest just above his shoulders since he hadn't gotten it cut in so many months; it had even started to develop a slight wave like his twin's hair. Every little detail was picked up by the Russian. Ivan smiled, amazing how motherhood could change a person. The once proud Hero that proclaimed his heroicness all the time had become this meek creature that cared about his baby more than anything else in the entire world. Ivan silently hoped maybe one day he could care about someone else the same way.
He bent over and pressed his lips gently to the sleeping boy's forehead.
"Goodnight Alfred."
Gilbert was sitting on the porch of his and Matt's home, the twins girls sitting on his lap gurgling and giggling, tugging and chewing on his shirt collar.
"Matt! I think they're hungry again"!
"I fed them 5 minutes ago, Just play with them Gilbert, they never get to spend time with you" His wife called from inside the house, sounding a little worn. "Just play with them for a little while why I lie down"
"Papa" Maria squeaked, patting the ex-nations cheek. "PAPA!" Josephine protested when more attention was turned to her twin them herself.
"yes yes, princesses" He sighed, a loving smile on his face rather then the arrogant smirk he usually wore. He'd bet that Elizaveta would pay a million bucks to see this side of him. "So have my little Maria and Josephine been behaving for mummy"?
The girls gurgled happily at the sound of their names, the Prussian was thankful they weren't identical, other wise he'd never tell them apart. Although they did look quite similar with his silvery white hair, Josephine had inherited his crimson eyes while Maria got Matthew's purple ones.
The twins chewed on his fingers, causing Gilbert to jump a little, feeling sharp edges of their teeth.
"Ouch, bite softer, bite softer" he urged.
Little did he know Elizaveta was in the bushes taking some pictures for much more modest reason then usual.
there i threw in some extra cute for you, Nao deeeeaaaall wiiiiit iiiiiiiiT!!1
Gilbert- Deal with what?
Me- I dunno, SHUT UP!
Gilbert- You got PMS or something?
Ivan- kolkolkolkol *taps faucet on ground*
Me-........... 5 CENTERMETERS!!
Gilbert- O_O .......
Alfred- *snickers*