I do not own Hetalia nor do I own the characters or the settings.

This chapter is so short and I am so sorry about that! I have been really busy and all that kind of stuff. Anyway, the chapter is short, but I assure you the chapters will begin getting longer as we progress through the rest of the story...also I didn't want to make you guys wait forever like last time. So here it is. I hope you enjoy it and let me know what you think. Thanks to everyone who has supported this fic throughout its entirety. You guys are awesome!

Alfred sat quietly in a taxi next to a man who didn't exactly smell great in order to make it to the next meeting. He had overslept and missed his scheduled ride forcing him to hail a cab. It had been a month since he and Arthur had agreed to just be friends. Sure, they had seen each other briefly a few times since then, but this was the first meeting since their talk. The American thought as time passed he would become fonder of the idea of them being just friends, but so far he still felt as if he'd missed his chance to be with Arthur in a romantic relationship.

The blond nation lets out a sigh as the taxi driver pulls to a stop. He looks out the window and realizes the taxi is stopping for him. Alfred pays the driver before stepping out onto the streets of France and looks up at the building they would be meeting in for the day. He looks at his watch and realizes once again that he is late. The American makes his way up the steps and into the building dreading the next few hours of his life.

After everyone is done chastising him for being late, Alfred takes a seat as far away from Arthur as possible. He tries to listen to what the other countries have to say, but he finds that he is just too distracted thinking about his talk with Arthur a month ago. He had almost forgotten he was in the meeting when he feels a hand on his shoulder. The touch brings him out of his thoughts and back to reality. He looks up and gives the owner of the hand a shocked look, "Um, hey…sorry, did someone ask me a question?"

The large Russian shakes his head and removes his hand from Alfred's shoulder, "No, those two are more interested in arguing than having an actual meeting."

Ivan points to Arthur and Francis having a heated discussion about who knows what making the American finally look toward Arthur's side of the room for the first time since sitting down. He eventually turns his attention back to Ivan, "I guess I sort of spaced out and didn't notice." Alfred gives the Russian a confused expression, "I'm sorry, but have we ever actually talked before…I mean just me and you?"

The larger man smiles, "No, I don't think we have, but you seemed so unlike yourself that I thought I would ask what was troubling you?"

"What makes you think something's troubling me?" The American sits up a bit straighter, "I'm just a little tired today…that's all."

An amused expression appears on the Russian's face as a soft chuckle erupts from his throat, "Somehow, I am not buying that excuse, America." He continues to give the blond an amused grin, "You haven't eaten anything since you've been here and you haven't been nearly as obnoxious as usual…you seem depressed."

America ignores the comment about him being obnoxious and lets out a loud sigh, "I guess I am a little depressed, but why should that matter to you?"

Ivan shrugs, "Am I not allowed to ask upon the well being of my allies in this war?"

Alfred frowns as he rests his cheek on his palm, "I guess so, but it's nothing you or anyone else needs to worry about."

"No one except him, hm?" Russia gestures toward Arthur and awaits the American's response.

Alfred's heart kips a beat and his breath catches in his throat, "I…I don't know what you're talking about."

The pale man laughs at Alfred's look of shock and shakes his head, "You do not have to hide it from me, America. It is very obvious how you feel for him."

Alfred's cheeks tint scarlet at Ivan's words, but he eventually nods, "I guess you're right. I'm not very good at hiding my feelings and it's no secret that Arthur and I used to be in a relationship." The American looks down at the table with a hurt expression on his features, "But, we haven't been in a relationship for a long time."

A puzzled look appears on Russia's face at hearing Alfred's words, "If the two of you have been separated for so long then why do you seem so upset when you are in the same room as him?"

The blond nation's cheeks turn an even deeper shade of crimson at the thought of having to explain what was going on between him and Arthur to Ivan, "It's private."

Ivan nods, "So the two of you had sex?"

America's blue eyes widen before he looks around the room to make sure no one heard the Russian's words, "Hey, not so loud! And I never said anything about sex."

"Yes, I know." Ivan's grin turns into a huge smile, "But, usually when someone says that it's private, sex is usually involved."

Alfred frowns and crosses his arms over his chest, "Okay, fine…we did have sex, but it's complicated."

Ivan contemplates his next words for a moment before addressing Alfred's response, "I would think that for someone who has been having sex you would be in a better mood."

Alfred lets out an exasperated breath, "I told you it's complicated."

"Sex shouldn't be complicated…it's actually a pretty simplistic activity." A curious expression shows on the larger nation's face, "Was the sex bad?"

The American shoots him an offended look, "No, the sex wasn't bad…the sex was great."

"Then I'm afraid I don't understand." The Russian leans in closer to Alfred, "Perhaps you should elaborate."

An aggravated sigh leaves the American's lips, "Why do you even care anyway?"

Ivan shrugs his shoulders, "You seem upset…also this meeting is extremely boring and your personal life has piqued my interest."

The blond nation slumps down in his chair with a pouty expression on his face before finally speaking to Ivan again, "Well, our relationship ended a long time ago…way back when I was still a colony…you know, right before I gained my independence. I've tried to apologize several times, but Arthur is just so stubborn that he never lets me say what's on my mind. He's the one that keeps dragging this 'Revolutionary War' grudge on and on. I mean, I know I hurt him and all, but he made me do it." The American realizes he's rambling and sits up in his chair before he places his elbows on the table and props his chin in his hands, "Anyway, we haven't really had much to do with each other aside from the occasional war where we were allies or a few words here and there." The American suddenly becomes very interested in a pen lying on the table and eventually picks it up to drum absentmindedly on the table top, "That is, we didn't have much to do with each other until now."

America stays quiet for a long time obviously lost in thought. Russia allows him a moment before prodding him for more of the story, "So, the two of you recently started having a more…intimate relationship?"

Alfred scoffs, "Intimate is right, but it's far from a relationship." He finally looks directly into the Russian's violet-blue eyes, "We did and said some things that maybe we should have done and said differently… a lot of things were misconstrued and we ended up hurting each other."

Alfred can feel his emotions welling up inside him again but he quickly forces the feelings back down before finishing up his explanation, "Anyway, to make a long story short, I went to his house after last month's meeting and told him that we should just be friends. My intention was to tell him that I still had feelings for him, but I chickened out and changed my mind at the last minute." He shakes his head, "And the part that makes me feel the worst is that Arthur didn't even hesitate in agreeing that we should just be friends. In fact, he cut me off when I tried to tell him that I missed him…he wouldn't even let me come inside the house."

Ivan is silent for a long time as he mulls Alfred's words over in his mind, "But you enjoyed the sex?"

An appalled looks shows on Alfred's face, "What? Is that all you gathered from everything I said?"

The Russian chuckles again and shakes his head, "No, I fully gathered that you are still madly in love with the Englishman, but I'm not understanding why the two of you want to stop having sex unless the sex was not desirable."

Alfred cards a hand through his hair as he lets out a sigh, "Yes, the sex was amazing, okay! But, what does that have to do with anything?"

Ivan gives the American a knowing look, "You do not have to be in a relationship to have amazing, no strings attached sex."

A perplexed expression flickers across America's features, "What do you mean by that?"

Russia glances around the room to make sure no one is eavesdropping on their conversation before lowering his voice a bit, "Let me put it this way, wouldn't you rather be friends that have sex or friends that don't? You may not be in the relationship that you crave but isn't sex with him better than nothing?"

Alfred swallows the lump in his throat before responding, "You mean that Arthur and I could just have sex but not actually be in a relationship? I…I didn't know you could do that."

A soft chuckle passes the Russian's lips as amusement dances in his eyes, "You can do whatever you like, America. I would have thought a big, super power country like yourself had already figured that out by now."

The American's cheeks turn pink from embarrassment, but he leans in closer with interest, "It just seems a little too good to be true though…and I'm still in love with him. Won't that make me want him more? Plus, Arthur will never agree to that."

Ivan rolls his eyes, "You are the one that's making sex complicated. Does he enjoy having sex with you?" Alfred nods and the Russian continues, "Then you make sure he knows it's just sex and if he enjoys sex with you as much as you enjoy it with him then he will surely agree. As far as your being in love with him goes, if he sees that you are true to the agreement of just sex then perhaps his trust with you will grow and a relationship may bloom between you."

America's excitement fades with his next question, "And if it doesn't?"

Ivan shrugs, "Then at least you've had plenty of great sex."

Alfred chews on his bottom lip as he contemplates Ivan's advice, "How do you know this will work? Have you tried it before?"

"Of course I have…in fact, I have a 'meeting' today." His eyes glance toward someone in the room and a smirk forms on Ivan's lips.

America's eyes follow the Russian's gaze and his mouth drops open in shock, "Are you serious?! You and China are…are doing it?"

Ivan nods and shoots America a bored look, "Don't sound so surprised, America. It's not as if he and I have tried very hard to keep it a secret." A delighted expression appears on the larger man's face as he once again turns his gaze to China, "He tries so hard to keep it from people and it really makes no difference to me. You would think at his age he wouldn't care what other people thought, but then again it turns me on to see him blush as he tries to explain why he and are somewhere together."

Alfred continues to look at the petite Asian man across the room and questions begin to form in his brain as he thinks about Yao and the large Russian man together. A shudder wracks the American's frame as he once again turns toward Ivan, "Since when?"

Russia's eyes drift upward as he thinks back to his and the Chinese man's first encounter, "It's still fairly recent. It took a while to convince him but he eventually came to see things my way…he seems to enjoy it immensely."

The American man keeps his comments about them to himself, but he can't help but ask his next question, "And you never want it to be…something more? You're completely content with just having sex with him?"

"Perhaps it may turn into something more and if that's what he wants as well then I have no complaints about it, but right now we are just having fun." He gives Alfred a serious look, "Maybe if you had more fun you wouldn't be so depressed and England wouldn't be so moody. You should at least run it by him."

Alfred lets out a loud breath, "Maybe you're right…it's worth a try anyway."

"Let me know how it turns out…or maybe I will be able to tell by your mood at the next meeting." The Russian looks around and notices that everyone else is putting away their material, "It seems our chat has successfully passed the hours away." Ivan quickly stuffs his belongings into a bag before standing up, "If you'll excuse me, America, I have a very important meeting." The Russian gives Alfred a very suggestive wink before walking across the room to meet up with Yao.

Alfred notices the blush that creeps across Yao's cheeks as Ivan puts an arm around him, but the Asian man never pulls away and allows the contact to continue. The American lets out a worried sigh as he glances toward Arthur making his heart pound at the thought of suggesting Ivan's plan to the Englishman, "It's worth a try I guess."

The former colony gathers up his things and makes his way toward Arthur, "Hey, Arthur…can we talk?"

TBC…

Okay, so once again I apologize for the shortness, but I will be back with another chapter at some point. Thanks for reading and as always, love ya!