The rest of the weekend passed without much incident.
Alaska wore a constant watermelon smile. Alfred worked at night in order to keep up. Arthur read in order to keep sane around the Russian. It seemed almost bittersweet when Ivan had to leave. Alaska cried and made sure that Ivan wouldn't forget him, telling him to bring him back something special from Russia for the next time he visited.
Even Alfred felt a pang of sadness at the sight of the car leaving the large driveway. He sure didn't get out as much as he used to back during the World Wars, he almost missed seeing everyone on a regular basis, even if it was such dire times. But with his boss, the work he had, it would never be possible.
Arthur would like to say he was sad to see the Russian leave, but he knew the lightness in his heart at seeing the gargantuan thing leave was not an odd coincidence. He was a jealous little boy, spoilt on the love of someone silly, something he knew would never last. But even if he could make it last a little longer, it would be worth it, the love sustaining him where it had failed previous.
Ivan may not have been sure how the other two nations felt by the end of that weekend, but he was completely drained. Keeping up his cheery mask usually wasn't so difficult, but the last two days he really just wanted to get away from them all. Sure, he liked seeing the little boy, who wouldn't?, he was a complete sweetheart… But it was the other two he had a problem with. They were so familiar from all those centuries, but at the same time they felt like strangers. It had been nearly twenty years since he had seen either of them other than on official business… It was like that with most of the nations, really, save for a special few and those who were under his curtain.
It was really quite stressful, he didn't know what to do or what to say or what was safe to bring up or what they should just completely ignore. It just felt really awkward to Ivan, and he didn't like that tight feeling in his chest. But, he kept up that smile and stayed strong and proud, never letting how uncomfortable he was show.
But, that's what made that cab ride back so nice. He didn't have to talk to the cabby, he had begun speaking with the thickest accent he could muster and then switched to Russian successfully keeping any conversation at bay with the painfully white driver. So he was able to sit in the seat and look out the window, unbothered by any annoying small talk.
-AFJ—IB—
It was in a couple of days after Ivan left that Alfred sent him a text message during his meeting with the utilities companies.
Hey, thanks for coming out, it was fun~ Little Al says he misses you~ did you have fun~?
-IB—AFJ—
That buzz never ceased to surprise Ivan, no matter how many times he had heard it there on his desk before. This time, however, he jumped extra high because the volume was turned on with the loud annoying beep accompanying that buzz (He had turned it off after about four days without a single message or call).
It was no trouble, it was actually quite fun. Thank you for having me.
-AFJ—IB—
No problem~ it's fun having guests~~ so whatcha doing~?
-IB—AFJ—
Working.
-AFJ—IB—
Boooooooring. :P I'm in a meeting myself.
-IB—AFJ—
Then why are you sending me messages? That starved for human interaction?
Just because he had to be nice in front of the boy, didn't mean that Ivan had to always be polite. He knew that Alfred must have been faking as well, there was no way they'd be forgiving each other any time soon. Even if maybe that would have been kind of cool… Ivan thought to himself.
-AFJ—IB—
No! :P Alfred glared at the phone. 'Yes…' the quiet part of his mind told him. He was a little lonely. Not that he would ever tell anyone. Lonely at the top? HA! impossible XD
-IB—AFJ—
I see… Then why? Seems a silly thing to do.
Oh, but it was not silly at all. Ivan was so happy to have gotten word from anyone who didn't work in the Kremlin or reside in Moscow and sell him things. It almost made him feel somewhat okay.
-AFJ—IB—
I don't know, figured it'd be interesting… unless you want me to stop.
It was half of the truth…
-IB—AFJ—
"Dammit."
You may continue.
-AFJ—IB—
YAY! :D so what up~? Anything silly happen~? Ya know, my friend over in HR just showed me that Man Like Putin video~ XD MAJOR LULZ!
-IB—AFJ-
Ivan honestly hadn't any idea how he was to respond to this. Of course he knew the video in question, he found it quite embarrassing, really, but what did Alfred mean if anything 'silly' had happened… Silly things usually didn't happen high up in the Russian government or military…
I made Georgia cry the other day… That was amusing, I suppose.
-AFJ—IB—
What? Who the hell gave you the right to make my baby girl cry?
Alfred instantly worried for his lovely little peach and called her immediately. Despite that he was in a meeting, she picked up and answered with a yawn: "Yes, Daddy?"
-IB—AFJ—
The country, Amerika. The country. Did we not have this conversation back in 2008?
That American was so… ignorant. It really had happened, during the Beijing Olympics when Ivan first invaded the little country. Alfred had gotten so worried, now it made sense why.
-AFJ—IB—
"Oh thank God you're okay."
"Why Daddy? What happened?"
"Nothing, that stupid Ruski said he made you cry."
"He meant the country Georgia, not me."
"…oh…"
"Yeah."
"Bye Georgia."
She giggled.
"Bye Daddy." There was a click and he looked at his texts. "Oh…hmm."
Guess so, but I still have to be careful. They are my precious little babies :3
-IB—AFJ—
Bet you do not even know half of the countries in Europe… I will pay you money if you can name them all.
-AFJ—IB—
"Ha, this'll be cake." Alfred then went online, found a list of all the countries of Europe, copied that list into a text and sent it back to him.
-IB—AFJ—
Cheater.
He must have cheated. He was a cheater, anyway…
You did that much too quickly. You cheated, so you get no money.
He didn't like playing with cheaters…
-AFJ—IB—
Dude, you never said I couldn't use the internet~ ;P
-IB—AFJ—
And I never said how much money I would pay you. Or when.
-AFJ—IB—
See? It's all g : )
-IB—AFJ—
So this bet was for naught?
-AFJ—IB—
Pretty much :p
-IB—AFJ—
I see… Then it seems we have come to a standstill here, nyet? What do you propose we do now?
"Sleep, hopefully…" It was growing dark outside, and it'd been a few days since Ivan'd gotten a good full night's sleep. Alas, he still had work to do, so that was merely a pipedream…
-AFJ—IB—
I dunno. I bet you're working. That's all you ever do ya know. Lol, you were so pale, it was pretty lolarious. XD I bet your friends all miss seein' ya out in, ya know, the daylight XD
Alfred stood up, thanked the Utility companies for their time, and then got the hell out of there.
-IB—AFJ—
What was he supposed to say to that? Friends? That made him want to laugh, or maybe cry… Or both? Damn emotions, they were such a bother. It almost made him miss the 1990s, back when he was able to just be numb. And Pale? Was he really that pale? He had been working early and staying late a lot… But, there was nothing wrong with that, right? Maybe he'd just get back to work…..
-AFJ—IB—
As Alfred snuck out of his office, he called the flower shop that was a few blocks outside of Arthur's office building in the UK.
"Flo's Flora, how can I help you?"
"Hey Flo!"
"Alfred! I had a feeling you'd be calling me again."
"You know I love your work."
"The usual then?"
"You know me too well Flo."
She giggled on the line, Alfred cracking a grin as he waved good night to his secretary Norman.
"Thanks doll."
"Not a problem Alfred." There was shuffling on the phone as she filled out an order card. "What message this time?"
"'You should be kissed and often, by someone who knows how.' Love Always, Alfred."
"Gone With the Wind, a classic Mr. Jones, he'll love it."
"I hope so. Thanks again Flo."
"Never a bother Mr. Jones, never a bother." When that call was finished, he checked again for messages. Hmm… nothing….
So he wrote another message.
You still there?
-IB-AFJ—
Sadly.
It had been such a hot night, even after ten o'clock. Unbearably, really. Hard to breath. But what was the Russian to do? He had no car, so he walked the few blocks to and from the Kremlin each day. He didn't like how the sun worked up north, but it was better than it had been in St. Petersburg, at least…
Regardless, Ivan marched on, watching the traffic mildly with a flat expression as he flicked the lighter into life and lit a cigarette.
-AFJ—IB—
Lol, what's got you down in the dumps?
Alfred finished up some work on the car ride home, soft jazz coming from up front where his driver, Gordon, sat. Of course, he could drive on his own, but it kept a man employed and he enjoyed the company.
Once home, he poked around his fridge, looking for something to eat.
-IB—AFJ—
Would being truthful and saying you be too hurtful? Regardless. You.
Well, it was true… Even if maybe he sort of kind of a little bit wanted to have a friend… Well, friends didn't lie to one another, right? So… right? A dog was barking from one of the nearby apartments and Ivan quickened his pace. Even if he was more than capable of holding his own in a fight, he didn't much feel like it tonight.
-AFJ—IB—
Jeez. Tell me how you really feel.
Alfred scoffed and decided on leftover Thai, starting to heat up the cardboard boxes from the fridge. While that was heating up, he flipped on the TV in the kitchen and started cycling through the channels, landing on BBC America. It didn't help that a good portion of his population were anglophiles on these lonely nights.
-IB—AFJ—
I just did, Amerika…
The door usually stuck in the winter but this summer had been particularly volatile. The humidity caused the wood of the frame to buckle and bloat, forcing him to ram it open with his side rather than use his sore left wrist. It had been bothering him for a while now, the temperamental and rebellious region of North Caucasus.
Ivan felt a little tight feeling as his chest as he thought for the hundredth time in the last few days what it would be like to have his own 'children', how it would be if his regions were like Alfred's states… Who am I kidding..? He thought as he grabbed a bottle of Vodka and made his way up to the empty and lonely bedroom, They would hate me. They would fight me. They would try and kill everyone… He lied down upon the sheets; it was too hot to burrow tonight. …Or I would kill them.
But those thoughts were the kind that he was supposed to try and drink away.
Ivan didn't feel like talking anymore, so he put his phone under his bed.
-AFJ—IB—
Sarcasm dude. w/e. bye then. Ttyl.
After he ate his meal and spent the night zoning out to the tv and checking out a few YouTube videos, he went upstairs to his empty bed, dropped down to his boxers and climbed into a strange sleep. His dreams bounced all over the place, from memories to reality to what could be.
He woke up feeling unrefreshed.