I do not own Hetalia okay? I am glad so many of you like this story. I don't know how fast I can update before January again, and then it'll be really busy. Anyway enough of this A/N, on with the fic!
Lukas looked over the Pacific Ocean as the breeze blew by. It was a rather warmer place and he hadn't gotten used to it yet. He had grown up in Norway before his family had come to America, to the town where he and his brother Christensen met their band's front man Alfred. But it had started falling apart. The band had a bad manager. They knew it was the manager's fault their break out gig went over poorly but the record company's chief executive officer cut them instead of the manager who did them poorly. I will forever curse that name of Zwingi. Instead of firing the manager, and signing us to a competent producer, this happens. At the point where Alfred had left, he had pleaded for the band to stay together, try the independent route as they had the talent to get noticed again. Lukas had suggested they try some online options that would allow them to work when they all had the time to. It was a struggle to keep their jobs so they could keep their place and keep up with the gigs. A large rift had grown between Roderich and Alfred over what direction they should go in after being dropped. Roderich had talked to some of the producers at the studio who would use their skills for television recordings and other ways they could still play music. Music was music to him. Alfred had seen their songs as an artistic expression. A view that Roderich had once shared but after months of working at a Starbucks being yelled at by women who were more silicone and botulin toxin than human did a number on his determination. He was not the type to take that abuse like Alfred did. Alfred took the amount of abuse and phoniness he came into contact with stride and used it as a motivation to work harder. To practice more, to get a few under the table jobs when things were tight. Lukas frankly didn't see Alfred sleep much at all and had energy for days. If nothing else could be said about the former front man, he was dedicated.
But one man alone a band did not make. There was also Roderich on electric violin, Lukas on bass, Christensen on guitar and Lien, the only girl on drums. She could do things he never thought possible on first meeting her. She was with Alfred on trying to keep up with their goal and not settling. Lien could handle suffering she was just as strong and determined as Alfred was. At this, a voice came up from behind him. "Lukas?" It was Lien.
"Oh, hello there. Didn't see you there." Lukas said. "So, how is it where you are now?"
"Oh, it's good." She said quietly yet awkward. In the rift that tore the band apart she had sided with Alfred. Only instead of going back to their hometown, she had an aunt who lived in Bakersfield and moved in with her. "Bác gái is supportive of me going back to school."
"Really?" Lukas asked. God this conversation is awkward as hell "What are you studying?"
"Teaching." She said quietly throwing a rock into the ocean. "I found I liked young children when we were working menial jobs to stay afloat. And as long as I help Bác gái in her restaurant when I am not in school, she lets me stay with her."
Lukas blushed. He and his brother were of Roderich's mindset. A job in the music industry was hard to get on its own. It may not be the moon, but it was among the stars and he thought it would make him happy. It did not. At the end of the year, he was thinking of looking into other work he could do. Maybe as a sailor on the docks. But at the same time he couldn't leave Christensen. But he also remembered how Lien reacted when Alfred said "Screw you guys, I'm going home." She was furious. Somehow there was a boat paddle in the apartment they had all shared and she did things with it that Lukas would never forget. In tears she called her aunt, the only person in her family who was understanding at the idea of having to start over. Once the beatings were administered he remembered her tearful phone call to her aunt, all in Vietnamese "Tôi yêu bác gái của anh ấy và anh ấy đã chạy trốn và tôi chưa bao giờ nói với anh ấy. Bạn có phiền nếu tôi ở lại với bạn?" Lukas didn't understand what she said but could tell it was the cries of more than just a lost dream, a lost friend but a lost and possibly unrequited love. Looking over at the waves he turned to her, "So, I'm sorry."
"Sorry?" She asked.
"For everything. Maybe if I had spoken up we'd just be down Roderich instead of Alfred. He was the whole soul of the group it seems. Too little too late I guess." Lukas said.
"Yeah..." Lien mused as the ocean wind blew though her long black hair. She gulped and asked, "So have you heard from Alfred?"
"Ha!" Lukas laughed as he noticed Lien start to tear up. "Sorry! I didn't mean to upset you." He quickly apologized. "I haven't. I think he even unfriended us on social media as well." And I don't blame him. Lukas admitted to himself.
"Shame. I have tried though this one mutual friend of ours or well friend of friends I guess. I asked my friend Lin Yi to ask his friend Kiku if he's heard from him but all I did was start a relationship between a photographer and businessman. Well she won't be looking at me so fresh..." Lien blushed, not quite knowing what to think if her friend did think of her that way.
"Well, if I ever do hear from him, I will be sure to call you." Lukas said, breaking the tension.
"Here's my new phone number." She said handing it to him. "Like you said, if you ever feel like it, you can call me."
"I may just." He sighed as she walked away to her car and drove off. Did she drive the nearly two hours to just meet me on the one in a million chance? Or was she looking for Alfred? He looked at his phone and found Alfred's old number. Just an off chance... He thought as he dialed the number, hoping to talk to him again. It had been months and it was a new year. A chance to start fresh and make right what the old year had done wrong.
Alfred had just pulled into the driveway when his phone rang. In his excitement, he didn't look at the number when he had answered it "Vanya, how did you know when I pulled in? More of that ethical hacking of yours?" He said in a teasing voice.
"Huh? Al? It's me. Lukas. Were you expecting someone else?" He asked. Keep calm, keep cool. He's probably going to be furious. Let him vent.
"Well actually I kind of was." Alfred said curtly. "Last I knew you didn't want anything to do with me."
"I've just been thinking." Lukas said. "I was wrong to kick you out like that. Just playing music for someone else is not worth it."
"You're damn right it isn't. Lien and I knew what it took. I haven't heard from her in a very long time." Alfred yelled.
"She asked about you." Lukas said.
"Huh?" Alfred asked.
"You may have purged too many people. She does want to talk to you. She came to me looking for you. She's studying to be a teacher while working in her Bác gái's restaurant." Lukas said quickly.
"She is huh?" Alfred said with a slight smile. At least she's doing okay it seems.
"Yes. I have her number if you want to talk to her." Lukas said.
Alfred paused. He had forgotten all about the one band member who stood by his side on the debate. She ended up staying in California with her family, which Alfred could understand but he felt so bad that he had forgotten her. "Sure, send me her phone number."
"I'll text it to you now." Lukas said as the number appeared on his phone. "Listen dude, I'm sorry. I know you may hold it against me but if you aren't mad, will you check in on me now and again? I've been thinking of leaving the music biz. Too many jerks."
"Told you." Alfred said. He didn't want to dig up old arguments, especially when he had a future he saw with Ivan in his life. "Listen I got a lot to do after work, so I'll talk later."
"Fine. I just ask you give Lien a ring. She really missed you." Lukas insisted.
"Sure." Alfred said hanging up. He cursed himself mentally. He had forgotten all about Lien in his rage, his hurt as he crossed the country all by himself wallowing in his own self-pity. I should give her a call, and let her know how I am doing I guess... He thought as he lay on his bed. But first I have to call Vanya like I promised...
Alfred headed to his room and laid back on the bed. How he wished he could have just stayed with Ivan at the hotel but he needed to stop back at his house and get ready for his classes the next day. He was determined to do well because of what he had promised to do for Ivan. If he did well he could have a good job and that was what Ivan had wanted for him. As he lay back in the bed he thought of Ivan's smile as he dialed the phone number. "Privyet Fredka I take it you made it home okay?" Ivan asked.
"Yeah I did. Had an interesting call as soon as I got in the driveway." Alfred said.
"Really?" Ivan asked.
"Yeah Lukas, a guy from my old band called saying another bandmate Lien wanted to talk to me." Alfred said.
Ivan paused. He didn't know what to make of this. It was his old friends but would they talk him back to Los Angeles? He was already going to have to deal with the idea that they would be six time zones apart after the 10th. He had a little faith they would make it work but he was still scared they would fall apart and even though he had known Alfred for only a week, part of him, a childish maybe hopeful part of him wanted it work. He wanted Alfred by his side forever. To wake up and see Alfred's golden hair sparkling in the sunlight. Sure it seemed like a crazy romantic dream but he knew Alfred was the one he wanted. He took a breath and asked, "Well what did they want?"
"Lukas apologized for his part in the band breaking up. Lien was our drummer and she was the only one who sided with me that we shouldn't give up and just do what they did. Lukas, Christensen and Roderich got in on playing in background productions but he doesn't like it. And he just mentioned Lien was looking for me. I had cut off all contact with the band after I moved back home. Figured it wouldn't be hanging over me all the time. Maybe I was wrong in that…."
"Well maybe with Lien if she did think like you did. I wouldn't blame you for cutting off the rest of them if they sold out like they did and kicked you out. Did they kick her out?" Ivan asked.
"She quit when they kicked me out." Alfred said. "Said something about living with an aunt in Bakersfield in tears when I left. I swear I burned some rubber as I flipped a bitch and drove out. Rent for that month hadn't been paid yet so they had to have some good luck to keep that place. Shithole apartments are expensive in LA."
Ivan nodded. He could understand why Alfred would be bitter. From what he had told him, he was the one who did most of the extra work to keep the band feed and housed in between gigs in a very small apartment 5 people, apparently 4 men and one woman shared. Former lovers back there had taken him to bed and to nothing else. He worried that contact with those from his former life would cloud up the sunlight he saw Alfred as. "Well, I wouldn't totally cut contact with her then. She seems like she was good to you, even if the rest of them were not."
"Yeah…." Alfred said looking at his feet. He had felt bad for cutting her out of his life completely. "You think I should call her back. I mean LA is 3 hours behind us so it's not like it would be unreasonably late or anything…."
"Only you can answer that Fredka." Ivan said. "But if she is asking others about you, then maybe, just maybe she really does want to talk to you. But I don't want you forgetting me or anything else you are doing now."
"You know I could never do that Vanya." Alfred laughed. "I love you too much to do so. No one has ever meant so much as you have to me."
"You've only known me a week." Ivan reminded.
"I know, but how I feel with this is just…. different…right…" Alfred said. "It's hard to explain. And my papa always said that if you can't give a good reason for it or if it feels special but off, that may be a sign. At least that's what he said when he was talking about how he felt about my dad."
"Well I cannot say I see what that man sees in him, so I guess I'll take his word on it." Ivan laughed.
"You know my dad may be an angry jerk, but you might like my papa…." Alfred mused.
"I might from the sounds of it." Ivan mused. "I love you so much Fredka."
"I love you too Vanya." Alfred smiled. It felt good to say that to him and it felt right. Part of him was nagging that it might just be infatuation but he ignored it. He had to to hold onto the idea that everything would work out, that he was doing the right thing after all that happened. To not fall into that depression that made him hate everyone, mostly himself. He looked at his watch and sighed. "I think I am going to call Lien and see what she wants. If you don't mind that is."
"Not at all. Just remember what your new goal is and what happened. It can be easy to get swayed." Ivan warned. If Alfred did sway on what his goals were after a phone call from one of his old friends, he didn't know what he would do. He felt too much for him and felt like his heart would fall out forever.
"I won't. Ya lyublyu tebya" Alfred smiled.
"Ya tozhe tebya lyublyu, moy podsolnukh" Ivan repeated "Best of luck and I want to hear from you when you wake up tomorrow my love."
"You will. I need something to keep me awake in that class." Alfred laughed.
"Coffee not good enough?" Ivan laughed back.
"Not there." Alfred said. "Talk to you later."
"I will look forward to hearing your voice again." Ivan said. "Spokoynoy nochi, lyuboy moya."
"Same here. Night sweetheart." Alfred said as he hung up on Ivan. He then looked at the number Lukas text him and took a deep breath. Stay focused Alfred. Do not let her get to you…. He thought as the phone rang.
"Hello?" Lien asked.
"Lien?" Alfred asked.
"Alfred! I've been wanting to talk to you so much. New Year, new start and I just don't want what happened to sour a good friendship we did have. I have been so worried about you." She smiled.
"You have?" Alfred said.
"Yes. I was so heartbroken to see you leave. Even more so when you unfriended the whole band. I understand why and I guess in your anger you didn't notice." Lien said quietly.
"I'm sorry you got wrapped up in that Lien. I hated myself enough when I came back. Dad was a total asshole to me for it, I felt like a total loser starting over at the community college and just ugggghhh" Alfred moaned, things he was trying to put in his past bringing up bad memories.
"I understand." Lien smiled. "So what are you studying?"
"I started out just general studies but looking to go cybersecurity or something. Found out it's kind of interesting."
"That's great to hear. I'm working in my Bác gái's restaurant in Bakersfield while I get my teaching degree."
"Yeah you liked working as a tutor or babysitter. Between you and I we were the only ones in the band who had the heart to stick out some of those cruddy jobs." Alfred laughed.
"Well they will get what is theirs." Lien said. Then it slipped out. "Are you seeing anyone?"
"Yeah actually!" Alfred's tone changed as Lien's face fell. "I met this guy Ivan who actually put me onto the career goal I have. He's from Moscow and totally hot and smart and…."
"You sound so smitten with him." Lien said trying to curtail her disappointment. Stay happy for him and you may have a friend still. She told herself
"I guess you could say that." Alfred laughed. "Look, feel free to call anytime, I'll even add you back to everything so you can message me and stuff. I'm sorry for icing you out like that."
"That…. that would be nice…." Lien said as she smiled meekly. "I do have to go; my dinner is almost ready."
"Enjoy." Alfred said as he hung up. Lien then headed to the kitchen and sighed. So she didn't have a chance to tell him how she felt nor would he seem to reciprocate. She knew he was bisexual, as he had both male and female lovers in California but she was disappointed he seemed to move on, even though she knew deep down that it was important he do so. I'd rather see him in someone else's arms than to see him the mess he was when he left California…. Lien told herself if to hold onto what she had hoped would come from the call. But he still would want to be friends, that's good….
Translation guide:
(Obtained via Google translate)
Bác gái-Vietnamese-Auntie
Tôi yêu bác gái của anh ấy và anh ấy đã chạy trốn và tôi chưa bao giờ nói với anh ấy. Bạn có phiền nếu tôi ở lại với bạn? -Vietnamese- I loved him auntie and he was run off and I never told him. Do you mind if I stay with you?
Ya lyublyu tebya-Russian-I love you
Ya tozhe tebya lyublyu, moy podsolnukh-Russian-I love you too my sunflower
Spokoynoy nochi, lyuboy moya-Russian-Good night my love.
So how was that? Good? Bad? Short? Long? Let me know in a review. I am hoping to update my stories more before work gets too hectic but how fast, I don't know. Anyway, I don't have much else to say here so remember to read (well you just did) and to review. Ciao for now,
Otherrealmwriter
Aka
Realm.