Al hums to himself as he moves about the snack room in the back of the conference hall. He measures out the perfect amount of coffee and milk to put into the machine. He side steps over to the cabinets and reaches near the back for the two little bottles he's stashed there over the years. He puts in a drop of vanilla extract and then two drops of chocolate extract. He starts up the coffee machine, waiting for it to start completely before turning to exit the room. Al doesn't drink coffee.
He peeks out of the snack room before making a quick dash to the main meeting hall. He stretches lazily as he makes his way to his seat. Al is a morning person. He likes getting up early and starting the day before the sun rises. It makes him feel like he's accomplished something even before eight o'clock. He stretches his back out again once he's taken his seat. He blinks twice before slamming his head down on the desk with a loud bang. A few of the nations in the room gasp, startled at his sudden movement. There aren't many nation in the room, since the meeting doesn't start for another hour or so.
Al hates these meetings. He hates the people and the nations and the fighting and the bitterness and the order and the seats and the everything else he could think of. He sighs. He doesn't hate everything about the meetings. There are some things he likes about the meetings. First the meetings take place in America, and how could he not love that? He gets to travel. The area the hotel and conference hall is in is gorgeous and put off into the hills away from other people. A quiet little homey area that Al loves. Then of course there is Alfred.
Al smirks to himself. His sunshiney opposite is one of the few things, if not the only thing, that keeps him coming back to these ridiculous meetings. His opposite however will not get there until ten minutes before the meeting starts, at least. The meetings only happen three times a year, but it's three too many in his opinion, and they last a week. Of course he loves his excuse to bug and tease and be with Alfred, but he has to pretend to pay attention. He hates having to pretend for the sake of other people. He wants to be natural with them, and if they can't handle his true self, then fuck them.
Al leans back and stares at the ceiling. He remembers when the meetings first started. He almost got a knife through the neck after Luciano, the North Italy form his world, got pissed at him for talking. Whispering in his defense. The meetings started happening after Arthur, the fairy England from the other world, accidentally opened a rift between the two worlds. An explosion happened and Al damn near thought the world would actually come to an end. He practically shouted and stumbled to get to Matt, the representation for Canada, and his brother. They fought back to back to protect each other from whatever came through the rift.
Of course that fight didn't really last long. A few nations screamed to stop, a few fought back, but eventually the momentary battle ended. After a very embarrassed Arthur explained his accidental rift, the nations agreed to find their opposites before making any other decisions. Al scoffed at the idea. He didn't need any more people to try and impress and then fail only to get insults for the rest of the time he knew them. He already knows how much of a disappointment he is compared to Matt. He didn't need more people looking down on him, then running to him if they needed something. Now to meet someone who is exactly like him and yet completely different had him on edge.
He grit his teeth as he looked around for his opposite. He got to see Klaus, the Prussia from his world find his opposite, a talking opposite. He got to see Matt find his soft washed opposite. The kid is cute, but he could see the look in Matt's eyes. His brother a goner before he knew the kid's name. He sighed searching for someone that might even look like him.
"Oh hey are you the other America?" Al swivled on his heel to turn and face the voice. His opposite had popsicle blue eyes and an honest smile for heaven's sake. He had blonde hair. Al looked him up and down. A slow smirk spread across his face when his opposite blushed at his obvious checking out.
"That's right stud muffin," Al looked him up and down again, this time biting his lip in the process. He held out his hand to be polite. His opposite blushed deeper and scowled at him, but shook his hand anyway. Oh Al knew he would be fun to tease. Golden Boy introduced himself and smiled something magical and lord help him if Al didn't fall in love right then and there. He teased Alfred, just enough, to get to know his buttons and know how to push them. He immediately fell in love with Alfred's sputtering nonsense and blushing face. Al quickly found out that 'porkchop' is a nickname he is going to be using very often.
Al worked hard to get to know his opposite, putting more work in to knowing Alfred than he ever did for anything. He worked hard to get to a position where he could easily be near Alfred and not have the blondie screaming at him to go away, or to have an open seat next to him and have Alfred willingly sit next to him. That had been one of the happiest day's of Al's life. Usually he would wait and drive himself crazy waiting for Alfred to get to the meeting so he could force the nation to sit next to him. He got there early one day and kicked himself mentally for doing so. Alfred, like the sunspot he is, came right in and sat next to him. Al managed to ask him why later. Alfred just fumbled and blushed and said no reason. Al would take a no reason any day if it meant Alfred would continue to sit by him.
He twists in his seat to ignore the nations that file into the room. He takes out his notebook and begins to draw haphazard circles over a random page to pass the time. Al loves Alfred, and can admit so openly. The only problem being Alfred doesn't believe him when he says so. He doesn't know how to tell Alfred he loves him without his opposite getting flustered and mad at him for making fun and teasing him. He's still working on finally getting his emotions across. For now, he will stick to the little things he can do to bring that stupid blinding smile to Alfred's face.
He glances to the door the moment Alfred walks in. His opposite is smiling to himself, holding a mug to his chest. Al smirks as he takes a sip of the his coffee and sighs contently.
"Morning Al," Alfred yawns in the middle of his greeting. Al gives him a quick once over as he takes his seat, cradling the mug close to him.
"Morning Muffin Top, how is your gross mug of brown gook this morning?" Al rests his chin on his hand and leers at Alfred. Al doesn't like coffee. His opposite glares at him half heartedly, taking another sip from his mug.
"Coffee isn't that gross Al, you should try it. Especially this stuff, it's fantastic." Alfred gives him a lopsided smile and Al can feel his heart pounding.
"And miss out on the megawatt smiles you give after drinking it? I don't think so Golden Boy," Al faces forward in his seat again as Ludwig, the other Germany, clears his throat to begin the meeting for the week. Alfred pouts, but his content face returns the more he drinks his morning beverage of choice. Al smirks to himself as the meeting continues. He always feels a swell of pride when Alfred compliments the coffee.
Al had first started making the brew when he got mad at Francois, the France from his world, for talking down at him. Al in his bitterness, decided to fuck with his French father figure, by making the coffee super sweet instead of Francois normally black bitter crap. Al had just added some milk and vanilla extract to the machine, hoping it would be sweet enough to piss Francois off.
The results were as expected. Francois drank his cup and promptly spit it out, garbling and swearing in French about how someone fucked with his coffee. Poor little Oliver, the England from his world, nearly had a heart attack from the vulgar language. What he hadn't been expecting is for Alfred to come bursting in like a comet and running right to his brother Matthew, the other representation for Canada, and exclaiming loudly that the coffee is so good and the best he's ever had. Al had to consciously control his urge to jump and sing out in delight. Alfred liked the coffee he made on a whim. A malicious whim but still.
Al had begun to sneak into the conference room before the other nations arrived to make coffee. He tried new flavors and different combinations and different measurements, taking silent notes about which version Alfred liked best. Then he began to notice the effect of certain flavors. When the coffee is all bitter, Alfred is bitter and more agitated. Definitely not willing to put up with his shit on those days. The days that he makes extra shot of caffeine coffee, Alfred is bouncing and excited and he gets shit done. More often than not, Al makes a certain sweet blend, that hits Alfred's taste buds just right, to make him calm and gentle and more willing to deal with Al.
Al takes side glances at Alfred as he continues to drink his coffee and take notes, a small smile on his face. Alfred does not know that he makes the coffee, and Al wouldn't want him to know anyway. Alfred would probably suspect him of doing something to it. Al doesn't mind having his coffee making skills a secret. Alfred has asked the nations many times who makes the coffee and every time, no one has an answer for him. Al is pretty sure Matt knows about him making Alfred's coffee, but his brother wouldn't tell anyone. If he did he'd tell Matthew. And Matthew would keep it a secret from Alfred because he's actually a sneaky little shit. Al laughed hard when he found that out.
Al yawns as the meeting is called to an end. His eyes flicker to Alfred who is finishing up his last bit of notes. Al smirks and reaches over to take the mug in front of his opposite. Alfred jerks upright at the arms suddenly in his face. Al snickers.
"Still don't know how you can drink this crap," he stands and grins down at his opposite. Alfred scowls slightly. He laughs at his face before taking his cup to the little snack room in the back and rinsing it out. He has many times waited for Alfred to pour himself a cup and sneaking up behind him to hug him. Many times, Alfred has spilled his coffee on himself and called Al a stalker. He doesn't mind. It's his excuse to see the exact moment of delight on Alfred's face when he tastes his morning beverage.
Al leans up against the edge of the doorway waiting for Alfred to walk down the hallway. His opposite is talking animatedly to Matthew and Matt as they exit the main meeting room. He smirks and saddles up right next to Alfred, joining in on the conversation.
"I'm so hungry, when are we going to get food?" Alfred walks backwards on their way up to the hotel to face the group. Al rolls his eyes.
"You're always hungry thunder thighs," Alfred pouts and opens his mouth to say something snarky back but Al continues. "But food does sound pretty good right about now."
Alfred looks away still pouting, but Al watches him from the corner of his eyes to see the small smile grace his face. Al lives for those smiles. Every so often he can manage to get one of them from his opposite and it's the little victories he counts most. Mainly because that's all he can really have.
Al teases Alfred for his choice of meaty food. Being a vegetarian himself, meat isn't for him. Unless he's talking about Alfred then maybe he's an omnivore, but that's not the point. He damn near cried when he found out his delicious man meat ate meat. He got over it. After throwing a few chairs.
He manages to engage Alfred in conversation that lasts throughout the night. A task he deems incredible and he feels very accomplished for it. He gives him sly smirks and Alfred blushes appropriately at them, making him happier than can be.
"Goodnight Thunder thighs~" Al coos as he tackles Alfred in a hug. They're outside in the hallway near their rooms. Alfred twists and gripes at the arms around him, trying to push them off. Al releases his prisoner and blows him a kiss. Alfred looks absolutely mortified, but Matthew laughs at him.
"I love you starshine~" Al says, letting his New York drawl slip through. Alfred blushes more so and turns away sharply, rushing ahead into his room. He laughs openly at his opposite's embarrassment. Matthew rolls his eyes and bids them both goodnight. Matt punches him in the shoulder when Matthew closes the door to his room. Al doesn't mind.
AN: Here it is! The first chapter to the fourth story in the Infatuation series. Hope you enjoy~
Disclaimer: Hetalia ain't no belong to me
Photo: LadyBeemer on tumblr