I don't own Hetalia okay? This is just a little family fic I had in my mind for awhile and features a few of my favorite pairings. Just love their dynamics with each other. Anyway, enough of this A/N, on with the fic!
Alfred walked into his house with a sigh. It had been a long day at work and he had just wanted to get home and relax. As he placed his jacket down on the back of the couch, he flopped down onto the couch with a thud and placed his arm over his eyes.
"You're home Fredka!" Ivan smiled, coming in from the kitchen. "I take it your day was tiring."
"The worst." Alfred sighed. He moved his arm and looked up into his husband's eyes. "It is getting a lot better now." He smiled.
"I am preparing supper as we speak now. I hope it is to your liking sunflower." Ivan smiled as he stared into Alfred's eyes.
"If you made it, it should be." Alfred laughed.
He had been married to Ivan for a few years now. They had met when they were in college. They had a few classes together and their grades had been close and they often competed for the top spot. It had been a sense of rivalry for years often breaking out in arguments and fights between classes. And in their junior year, upon returning from the summer, Alfred laid his bag on the bed further from the window.
"I believe you placed your bag on my bed." Ivan said as he came back into the room.
"I didn't see your name on it." Alfred growled back staring into Ivan's eyes.
"I was here first, so I get to choose first." Ivan smiled pleasantly but Alfred had known him too well from previous years to know when Ivan's smile and voice was only surface. As they stared each other down, Alfred's brother Matthew, who was attending the same college came in.
"Hey Al, some of your stuff got mixed in with mine-what the hell is going on here?" Matthew asked.
"Nothing. I am just going to end up spending most of the year in the library." Alfred said as he took the bag from his brother and glared over at Ivan.
"You'll need it." Ivan said as he moved Alfred's bags to the other bed.
"Get your Commie hands off my stuff." Alfred said as Ivan dove for him, tackling him on the bed.
"Malenʹkyy brat" A woman with short blonde hair and large breasts said coming into the room. "You left this in the car-what are you two doing?"
"Izvini starshaya sestra." Ivan said, tone suggesting that he had become embarrassed and slightly ashamed of his behavior when his sister saw it. "Fredka and I found out we were assigned as roommates and had a disagreement about a few things."
"If that is just a disagreement, then I would hate to see a total fight between you two." Matthew said. "Al, let me know if you find my favorite hockey jersey, I can't seem to find it. Dad must have done laundry before we packed."
"Will do bro." Alfred said as he sat on what was now his bed for the semester and scowled.
"So you must be the brother of Vanya's roommate. I can tell they are going to have an interesting time already." Ivan's sister laughed.
"Yeah, I'm Matthew Williams." He held out his hand to shake hers and led her from the dorm room. "And yeah, Al's always been like that. Very competitive."
"Vanya is the same way." She smiled shaking his hand. "I am Katyusha Braginsky, Ivan's older sister. I just wanted to help him finish getting his luggage to his room." She said as she walked beside him.
"Our Dad must have mixed up some of our laundry before we packed, that's why I am over here. That and the bookstore isn't open yet, I want to get my textbooks as soon as I can. If you get there early enough you can get used ones. They're cheaper and sometimes have notes from the previous owners."
"That's interesting Matvey." Katyusha smiled. "What are you studying? Vanya is in his third year studying for engineering, specializing in aerospace."
"Same as Al is huh?" Matt laughed. "He had mentioned Ivan in a few of his classes in previous years but had some guy named Kiku Honda as his roommate last year. I'm studying for my BA in English myself." He recalled how Ivan suddenly seemed embarrassed when she came in. "Do you mind if I have your number if I need to call you to help me keep those two from knocking each other's faces in? You seem to have a pull over Ivan that I don't think I could."
"Sure." Katyusha said as she wrote down her phone number and email address. "If you need my help taming our brothers or just want to talk, feel free to call. It gets boring at home when Vanya is off at school."
"Are you going to college?" Matthew asked.
"I went a little bit but never quite finished. I'm working right now to keep me, Vanya and our youngest sister up. It's just the three of us. I'm the oldest and Vanya has a good head on his shoulders and the most potential of us all." Matthew looked at her concerned. "I'm being depressing and I just met you." She blushed and looked away.
"Nah. That's perfectly fine. " Matthew said. "Drive safe" as he waved and headed to his dorm.
"You stay safe yourself Matvey. College can lead many a young man into temptation." Katyusha said as she headed out and Matthew looked at her with a dreamy smile.
As the semester carried on, tensions between Ivan and Alfred came to a stalemate and went from threatening to beat the other one senseless to just being petty like clicking pens or chewing too loudly till the other decided that the hallway would be a better place to study or sleep until it came to the middle of October and the midterm season. Ivan was studying for a humanities course requirement that Alfred had happened to have taken the previous semester. It was a class that no one really liked, and found pretty boring but the professor was one everyone knew as pretty jaded, old and didn't pay attention to what was given to them. "Hey, Ivan..." Alfred said as he noticed Ivan trying to stay awake reading the assignment.
"What?" He asked angered.
"Here's the midterm from last semester. Professor Lindsay never changes it. I got through it this way." Alfred said placing the multiple choice test on Ivan's textbook.
"It's dishonest to use this..." Ivan said. "I won't be so willing to sell myself out..."
"Some would say it's dishonest of the professor to not care about their subject and just play videos all day..." Alfred said. "I mean he knows he has tenure and can't be fired so why bother?" Ivan looked at Alfred skeptically. "I overheard him once."
"Yes the teacher is guilty of that..." Ivan conceded. "But it doesn't seem right..."
"Look, I know you're having a hard time with your atomic physics class too, wouldn't that brain be better used on that rather than a class that is for a degree requirement that has NOTHING to do with your major." Alfred said sitting on the bed.
Ivan paused looking at the old test. "Why did you save it?" Alfred looked at him curiously. "I mean this test is from last semester and even if we assume that the professor never changes his tests, most people just throw it out when they get the results."
"I thought Mattie would get the same loser as he's working on an English degree and that's more of his department, but so far, nope." Alfred said. "I don't like seeing you suffer unless I caused it."
Ivan picked up the old test. "In principle I reject your offer...but you do have some valid points."
"It's a study guide if that helps your concise big guy." Alfred said.
It had turned out Alfred was right about the professor not changing any aspects of the test and he passed with flying colors. That day, in thanks to Alfred he had gone to McDonalds and gotten what he had seen him eat from the massive amounts of Big Mac, fries and milkshakes thrown around the trash can they shared that Ivan had finished putting in the trash can as he would call it. "You were right." Ivan said giving Alfred the fast food. "I wish to thank you."
"It's what I do." Alfred said. "It's the same for the final. I got that too if you want."
"Maybe." Ivan said, still wanting to look like he had some moral integrity.
"I'll take that as a yes." Alfred said. As time passed, they slowly began to stop annoying each other intentionally and arguing and eventually grew a friendship. They began to earnestly help each other when they were trying to study. If their schedules did match up they'd have lunch together. Once that semester had ended, at a Christmas/finals over party, one too many drinks of spiked egg nog and mistletoe later, they realized just how they felt about each other. From that sloppy holiday kiss on, the two were inseparable. Upon graduation they had gotten engaged, much to the amusement of Matthew and overjoy of Katyusha.
"My malenʹkyy brat has found him the person of his dreams." Katysuha said as she hugged Alfred tight to her when Ivan had brought him over to his sister's birthday party and told her. "Be sure to treat him well. I remember you two fighting so much when you first met."
"I wouldn't do Vanya any other way" Alfred reassured her. "I thought you had a younger sister too..." He said looking around for Natalya, the younger sister Ivan spoke of with a slight tremble.
"I do Fredka." Ivan said. "I just don't see her."
"I think she said something about having to work today. She normally doesn't work when you come over Vanya..." Katyusha sighed. Ivan sighed and looked away. Both of them could tell why this was the case, but didn't want to tell Alfred. Natalya was jealously protective of Ivan and highly obsessed with him and would not stand for anyone but her and to a lesser extent Katyusha getting too close to Ivan. Knowing this, they worried about how she would interact with Alfred, knowing that he was going to marry her brother.
"That's odd of her..." Ivan said.
"Oh well, you two can have the house to yourself tonight." Katyusha teased with a slight wink. "You lyubyty ptakhiv"
"Huh?" Alfred asked.
"Lovebirds." Ivan translated for him. "Honestly I'm surprised you don't know more Russian than you do Fredka..." Ivan rolled his eyes.
"That was Ukrainian." Katyusha sighed. "It's a lot like Russian but a little different."
"Like Spanish and Italian." Alfred said.
"I guess. I'm only vaguely familiar with both." Katyusha said. "But alas, I will be heading out tonight. Not to be rude, but I suddenly got an invitation with a gentleman caller. So we cannot celebrate all through the day."
"Who are you seeing Katy?" Alfred asked while Ivan looked at his sister with concern.
"Just someone I had been talking to for awhile who wanted to take me somewhere nice. Some fancy French restaurant from what he said." Ivan scowled at his sister. "Relax Vanya, if he could have gotten another day I would have said for him to but he could not. He had been working on it for months to make sure it was on my birthday."
"I don't trust him." Ivan said.
"Well Vanya, we can celebrate both of your sisters' birthdays tomorrow. Isn't Natalya's tomorrow?"
"Well yes but-"Ivan began when Katyusha cut him off.
"We can celebrate both tomorrow, I don't mind." Katyusha said quickly. Then she headed off to her bedroom to get ready for her date.
"I don't trust whoever asked her out." Ivan said.
"Well, let's meet the guy." Alfred said as Ivan nodded, only to hear a horn honk and Katyusha push them both out of the way. "Maybe later then..." He sighed as Ivan stood near a tree that was close to the front door. "What are you doing Vanya?" Alfred asked as Ivan looked into the car that Katyusha had entered to find the man she was dating. He then walked inside shocked.
"Did you know this and not tell me Fredka?" Ivan said looking at his fiance not knowing whether to be mad at him for withholding information like that or not.
"Tell you what?" Alfred asked.
"Apparently your brother is dating my sister. I know what Matvey looks like very well. I mean he is the twin of my beloved." Ivan said.
"Dude, I didn't know that either. Matt never told me about his love life." Alfred said with a slight laugh.
"What is so funny?" Ivan asked annoyed. "Your sister is dating my brother and neither one of them told us a thing about it."
"Well I find that funny." Alfred said. "Although why they wouldn't say a thing is still beyond me." He paused. "Although I don't know why they wouldn't tell us. Let's let them think we don't know and they'll tell us when they're ready."
A few months after this revelation was Alfred and Ivan's wedding. It was a small ceremony for only their family and friends. However during the reception, when Matthew, Alfred's best man was to give the traditional speech he was nowhere to be found. Ivan had noticed that Katyusha was missing as well. A quick search of the reception hall had found them wrapped in each other's arms. "Well now..."Alfred laughed as Ivan sighed.
"So...ummmm..."Matthew blushed.
"I guess you've found out about us..." Katyusha laughed.
"Actually we've known since your birthday bol'shaya sestra..." Ivan sighed. "We just were letting you decide for yourself when you were ready to tell us. I guess as long as you treat her well, I cannot say anything to you. Yet. Take care of her."
Back in the present day, Alfred greedily ate the stroganoff that Ivan had made for dinner that night. It was the beginning of November, and fall was setting in and the holidays were fast approaching. "You hear from your brother lately dorogoy?" Ivan asked looking over at Alfred.
"Mmmmmph... I think I'll make some of the leftovers for lunch tomorrow..." Alfred said.
"I'm glad to see you love my cooking so. You're working from the house tomorrow, da?" Ivan asked.
"Yeah." Alfred said. He had a job at an engineering firm in the city but was only required to come into the office on certain days. Which was good because he and Ivan lived a distance away, making the commute long.
"So, your brother?" Ivan asked. He was worried because he hadn't heard much from his sister, who had happened to have married Matthew only a few weeks after they had come back from their honeymoon.
"I tried calling but got his voice mail." Alfred sighed. "Which sucks because I want to know how big a turkey to get and just how much of everything we'll need. I did get word from Papa and Dad though."
"Francis and Arthur?" Ivan asked as Alfred nodded. Ivan had no hard feelings towards Alfred's parents on either way. He just did not care for them bickering in the house. They mainly came over on holidays, the one time where one should not do so in Ivan's eyes. "Well that's something. Usually if they are coming, then Matvey and Katyusha will too. I'm just worried. It's not like either of them to not talk to us in so long."
"Well what about Natalya?" Alfred asked nervously. While they had been married for a few years, she still was not very friendly towards Alfred but had kept her hostility to a minium when Ivan was present. Often she would avoid as many holidays as possible.
"For once, she is coming." Ivan said. "I'm just as surprised as you are dorogoy"
"Well I'll try again." Alfred said as he got up and put his plate in the sink. Pulling out his phone, he called Matthew. "It's ringing..." He said in a hushed tone to Ivan holding a thumbs up. The voice mail message began when suddenly a voice was heard.
"Al-" Matthew began.
"Mattie!" Alfred smiled. "Been trying to get ahold of you forever. How's everything?"
"Going...fine..." Matthew paused.
"How's work? That publishing company seemed eager to get you on when you graduated."
"Yeah. It's been...steady..." Matthew said sounding rather depressed. Ivan mouthed to Alfred to ask about Katyusha.
"Oh and how is Katy? She hasn't talked to Ivan in awhile and he's getting worried about her."
"She's doing okay. Been getting sick a lot lately. Don't know why. She has gone to the doctor recently but hasn't come back yet. I'll have her call Ivan. Don't worry, we're still going good." Matthew said, Alfred still thinking there's something wrong he didn't want to talk about.
Alfred wanted to turn the conversation to something a little more happy. "Well, you guys still coming for Thanksgiving? Dad, Papa and even Natalya are coming? Am I going to have to get the biggest bird at the supermarket and have you two here as well?" He laughed.
"I guess so." Matthew said.
"Great! See you then bro!" Alfred smiled as he hung up. He then turned to Ivan who looked worried. "Something seems off with him. He won't tell me. Although he may be worried about Katy. Said she had been sick lately and was still at the doctor..."
"Oh no!" Ivan said as he quickly picked up the phone and tried to call his sister.
"She may have had a bit of a wait is all." Alfred said. "You know how it can be with some doctors. Having all their patents in one day, especially if she didn't make an appointment. Matt said he'd have her call you when she got in. Don't worry. Worry more about the fact we're having the whole family over this Thanksgiving..."
"Da..." Ivan said. "Here's hoping it's peaceful."
"With Arthur, Francis and Natalya all under this roof, it won't be boring..."Alfred said nervously.
"Arthur won't be cooking though?" Ivan asked.
"You think I'd let him handle MY" He looked over at Ivan who looked slightly annoyed. "Fine, our Thanksgiving?"
"I guess not." Ivan smiled. "We have the plans made then. Here's hoping they work out."
So how was that? Good? Bad? Short? Long? I am intending for this to be a very family bonding centric kind of fic so you know what to expect. But with both families at Thanksgiving under one roof? And what is it Matthew is hiding and what is up with Katyusha? You'll have to read on to find out. So remember to read (well you just did) and to review. Ciao for now.
otherrealmwriter
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