I do not own Hetalia okay? I wanted this chapter to be up yesterday as it is a Christmas one but the day after is good. I don't have much else to say here, so enough of the A/N, on with the fic!
Christmas eve, Alfred and Matthew looked at the ceiling of their old bedrooms, with their spouses by their side. It was a few years since they had been last here. Finally, sleep came over them each as the hours passed and it officially became Christmas day. As the sun started to peek through the windows, a rap was heard at the door. "Boys, up and at them. Your papa wants to open the gifts right away. Seemed really excited after Matthew told him there was surprise for us under the tree. So do hurry. I know how much you sleep in Alfred."
"Shuddddupppp..."Alfred said as he pulled the pillow from under Ivan's head, causing him to fall down and awake to the sight of the pillow being thrown across the room and at the closed door."
"Chto?" Ivan said as he saw Alfred stare at the door.
"Dad. Waking me up." Alfred moaned as he placed his pillow on his face, which Ivan took off and threw on the floor. "What was that for?"
"Fair is fair. But we should get up after all. Your fathers begged for us to come and we should respect it as so." Ivan said rubbing his eyes sitting up. "And we must contact Natalya today sometime before it gets too late."
"Yeah they're what, 7 hours ahead of us?" Alfred said as he began to change his clothes. Ivan nodded. He looked at the clock that read 8 am. "So it's like what, 3 something in the afternoon?"
"Should be. I'll talk to Katyusha and we can call her about noon. Is that alright love?" Ivan asked.
"Sure, sure." Alfred said as he fell back on the bed putting his socks on. He had recalled when Natalya called when they had gotten in. Her flight that day had left at about 3 in the afternoon, and went without incident. And while not at a totally unreasonable hour, it was 7 the next morning she had called and woke Ivan and Alfred up. Alfred being the one to pick it up, was on the brunt end of a jet lagged Natalya. That was a pleasant wake up call. He thought as the memory of the call came into his mind. "Oh it's you, put big brother on the line!" She demanded as Alfred had placed his pillow in Ivan's face that day to wake him up and handed his cell phone to him.
"Just what was that for Fredka?" He asked annoyed.
"Natalya." Alfred replied simply before going back to sleep. But now it was Christmas and it had seemed that Ivan had finished getting ready before him and headed to the living room.
Matthew and Katyusha did not have such a chaotic morning but had a surprising wake up themselves. Francis had nudged Katyusha gently after walking into Matthew's old childhood bedroom and then looked over Matthew, staring until his son's purplish blue eyes opened and found his Frenchman father staring back at him. "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Matthew yelled jumping up, head contacting Francis' nose and giving him a nosebleed.
"Sacre bleu!" Francis yelled as he pulled a tissue out of his pocket and pinched his nose back to stop the bleeding. This caused Katyusha to wake in shock and worry.
"Bozhe miy! Shcho tse? Shcho vidbuvayetʹsya? Ty bolyache miy kokhanyy? Nalyakanyy?" Katyusha said in a panic looking from Matthew to Francis and looking at them worried. "you are not hurt Matvey are you? Is something wrong Papa Francis?" She said looking at Francis as he nodded.
"No, no, nothing wrong. Just did not think I would scare Mathieu so much when I woke him up. I mean your father does want to open the gifts early and it is only 8 in the morning so not that bad but..."
"You stared into my soul. This is Christmas not Halloween! I'd expect that kind of thing from Alfred, not you Papa!" Matthew exclaimed as he put his glasses on.
"Please do hurry though." Francis said, satisfied he had stopped the nosebleed. "I am sure your father woke your brother up already and he and Ivan are awaiting you for the opening of the gifts."
"And if we hurry, the sooner they will open the gifts we had been saving for them." Katyusha said as Matthew nodded at their plan to tell Arthur and Francis of their unborn granddaughter and Ivan and Alfred of their niece. With this, they quickly headed downstairs to where Ivan was nursing a cup of tea and Alfred chugging a cup of coffee while Arthur was lecturing Francis about how he woke Matthew up was stupid and he deserved the nosebleed while placing an ice pack on his husband's nose.
"Thank you lapin" Francis said as he moved the bag around. "Well, better late than never you two."
"Sorry for making you wait." Katyusha said.
"No issue." Alfred said as he gave a smile to her. "Now, where to get started, who and just what!" He said looking at the presents as if he was a kid again."
"Now now Fredka, calm down." Ivan said as he pulled a box from under the tree.
"Whatdya get me?" he asked as he tore at the ribbon to find there was a new thick jacket.
"Well you see while yours is working fine, I thought you could use a new one. A sportier one." Ivan said.
"Cool." Alfred said as Matthew and Katyusha laughed at the fact they knew Ivan's final intent.
Matthew then picked up a gift from Alfred and rolled his eyes at him. "Seriously bro?" Matthew asked. "Dad joke tshirts and a Wayne Gretzky fangirl calender?" As Alfred rolled over laughing, he showed the shirt to Francis and Arthur. Francis laughed at the shirt that said 'DILF' on it and Arthur rolled his eyes.
"While you do have an obsession with Wayne Gretzky so I can get the joke behind the calender there," Arthur began "That shirt is highly inappropriate."
"Mon amor, that is how brothers are. Remember Allistor?" Francis said.
"Yes..."Arthur scowled. "And there is a reason he's in Scotland now!"
"Yikes." Alfred said. "Maybe you should act like an adult and I don't know, talk to your brother again Dad?"
"You should not be lecturing me on proper brotherly behavior." Arthur said as he blushed looking into a box Francis had given him. "And I should lecture you on what is appropriate in front of the children."
Matthew and Alfred's faces grew red. They had been through this argument many times growing up and knew that from that implication that Francis had gotten Arthur something for the bedroom. "Well our sons are grown and it is obvious they have partake in passionate love themselves."
"ENOUGH! Dosytʹ tsiyeyi durnytsi" Katyusha said looking at Arthur and Francis. "Arthur, no need to bicker with your husband. Francis, that is something you two need to keep to yourselves." She then, tired of that argument pulled out two presents, one labeled to Arthur and Francis, the other Alfred and Ivan. "Now you Matvey and I prepared these two for you especially. We think you will love them."
"Dang, Katy is going to be a good mother when the kid is born." Alfred said as Ivan carefully tore at the paper.
"I apologize for bickering in your presence." Arthur said as he tore at the paper himself, looking at the picture in the frame.
"Je suis désolé d'agir ainsi." Francis said as he looked at the picture. "Is this?"
"Yep. The ultrasound that told us you are going to have a new granddaughter this spring." Matthew said.
"Moya plemyannitsa" Ivan said as he looked at the framed ultrasound print out running his hand over the picture with Alfred looking over his shoulder staring at it to Matthew and Katyusha. He then looked to Ivan who cracked a little bit of a smile. This, the protective nature he had with Natalya, all this were things he was keeping in mind when he approached the topic of adoption in the new year. He wanted to give Ivan a break from that discussion over the holiday. Seeing how he was with that, Alfred got the idea that maybe, just maybe he may want to start the process soon. If Alfred had it his way, he'd start as soon as the new year began and maybe by this time next year, his parents would have two grandchildren instead of just one.
"Une petite-fille" Francis said.
"You said it Frog." Arthur said. "It's just an ultrasound but this is precious."
"Yeah Katy and I decided this would be the best way to tell you guys. And on other good news. I got that job I was interviewed. Come January, I am the news station's new junior anchor."
"Congratulations." Ivan said. "That should provide well for Katyusha and this little one."
"Yeah. Finally you got a break. And you'll be the one people are fawning all over!" Alfred smiled.
Matthew smiled but was shocked. He thought Alfred would be jealous. But then again, the ramifications haven't set in yet. It just sounds good to him. The jealousy he might feel won't show up until a little while afterwards... Francis then turned to Matthew and smiled. "I knew you had my charm Mathieu."
"No, he has my eloquent way of speaking to an audience." Arthur sighed as Katyusha placed her face in her hands.
"Are they always like this?" She asked turning to Alfred and Matthew.
"Yes." They both replied simultaneously.
"Actually they are putting in a good bit of effort to keep it down actually." Alfred observed.
"Growing up our Christmases were hardly quiet. I mean they were nice, don't get me wrong, but we expected Dad and Papa to break into arguments like that. And god help you if one of us got hurt after playing with our new gift. Al tried to ride his bike down the stairs and I tried to ice skate and test some new hockey gear on that pond when it wasn't think enough." Matthew explained. Ivan rolled his eyes and Katyusha cast a glare at them.
"Sorry Miss Katyusha for the disruption." Arthur said as Francis nodded. "That is quite good to hear Matthew. Well done."
"Well without Al, Ivan and your support obviously Katy, I don't think I would have had the courage to go through with the whole thing. Oh and Papa, Gilbert says hello."
"Well that's good to hear. You'll have to keep me filled in on what that man is getting into these days." Francis said. "I must get the dinner started." He said as he headed into the kitchen where Arthur followed him.
"I need to get started on my scones too!"
"Your poor planning is not my emergency mon amor..." Francis said.
"Well, my last gift to you Fredka isn't as impressive as a baby and new job, but I got us a trip away for the two of us to a ski and snowboard resort." He added before Alfred could say he did not ski. "You've been such a good husband and I know you have been well frustrated with some things lately and the fact you have put up with my family like you have, especially Natalya. I well just..."
Alfred looked at the envelope with the brochure and he kissed Ivan "No need to come up with some grand explanation to justify yourself. You wanted a romantic week here. Fine." He blinked with a smile. "And that makes sense for the gifts you got me."
"Da." Ivan nodded. "The reservation isn't until the 27th and we will come back around the third. I had talked things over with Katyusha and Matvey and they said they would keep the house in good order while we are gone."
"That's good." Alfred said.
"Now that we have all that settled, I must call Natalya. It may only be 10 in the morning here, but they are 7 hours ahead of us after all." Ivan said.
"Mind if I join you Vanya? I want to make sure dytyncha is okay all that far away." Katyusha said.
"Tell Nattie I said 'yo'" Alfred said as he turned the television onto A Christmas Story and began to watch.
"Ah I remember the year where you were pretty much Ralphie Al." Matthew said beside his brother, watching the classic Christmas movie.
"Vy vystrelite sebe v glaz Fredka..." Ivan teased as he and Katyusha sat in the other side of the room, waiting for Natalya to pick up. Alfred stuck his tongue out at his husband and sulked.
"You did shoot your eye out. Knowing how Dad and Papa are, I am surprised they even got you one for Christmas when you were 10." Matthew said as Alfred tried to find another movie on.
"Well no need for that movie if that Christmas was pretty much a modern take on that. You think Die Hard is on at this hour?" Alfred sighed. "At least until Dad comes in wanting to watch some version of A Christmas Carol he'll criticize."
"Hey that thing where Marley's jaw falls off is never adapted." Matthew shrugged.
"I hate ghost stories..." Alfred said.
Meanwhile, thousands of miles away in Lithuania, Natalya sat beside Toris as his father talked about just how proud he was of his son getting accepted for study in America and wanted to know more about just what Natalya was studying. While still rather traditional on his take on a woman's role in the family, he still was very proud of his son's choices in life and would back whatever decisions he made. Studying nuclear medicine to help cancer patients with radiation therapy was his biggest goal after his grandfather, a man who helped with the clean up after Chernobyl had exploded died from cancer from the exposure when he was a child and he had learned that the same power that had taken his life could have fought to save it. "So Miss Natalya," Toris's father began. "Just what are you studying? How did you meet my Toris?"
"I am working towards a MBA business degree" She said simply sipping some tea that was left out while Toris's mother prepared the Christmas dinner. "I was told from a young age I was very cutthroat and that it could be applied to business well. I have also been discussing options with some of my professors who a few think I may want to consider law school as well for much the same reason. Some have said I can do both."
"Well, it's great you are such a woman that can stand on your own. I have seen far too many who if something were to happen to their husbands, they would lose everything they had. I understand life in the United States often has both a husband and wife working to keep a simple home." Toris's father began. "But where did you meet little Toris?"
"I'm not little anymore Tėvas" Toris said.
"Toris, you could be 105 and I could still call you little."
"Well to answer your question Mr. Laurinaitis," Natalya began "I was studying in the library for midterms and Toris asked me to the Student Union for lunch and I just went to get something to eat. Studying on an empty stomach is not very productive. He said he had admired me from afar for awhile and only then he had plucked up the courage to ask me. We are planning to make a trip to Moscow for a few days after the Christmas holiday."
"Oh? What makes you want to go there? I thought you were just another American girl, then I realized your accent." Mr. Laurinaitis said.
"Oh I can see how you would assume that." Natalya said. While Ivan and Katyusha had adapted into American life well in her opinion, Natalya had wanted to stay in touch more with their roots than just celebrating Epiphany with Christmas and small notions like that. "But no. My older sister and brother and I were sent to live with a family member in America after they fell into crisis during the post soviet years. I was real little, about 4 or 5 last time I had seen the nation of my birth. I do not want to forget."
"Oh." Mr. Laurinaitis nodded. "I understand that. It is important to never forget those things. Well if it is worth anything, I think you would be the strong figure Toris needs and he could take care of you well too Miss Natalya. Now let me check in with my wife on how dinner is doing."
With this Toris moved closer to Natalya. Be a man. You asked her out and she agreed. She agreed to come here thousands of miles from her family back in America, ask. "Well Natalya, I did have something I wanted to ask of you."
"I'm not thinking of marriage yet. This is panning out almost like the cliched take big brother did when he asked his husband to marry him." Natalya said bluntly but saw Toris's face fall. "But I would not mind making this a serious relationship and possibly moving in with you after graduation when we both have jobs in our respective fields."
"Well that is another thing." Toris said. "My student visa is sponsored by the hospital system here. Once I have the certification, they will want me to come back here. That was part of the reason that I asked you to come visit. See if this place is to your liking. I mean I could possibly get it to be part of Russia's system if the two countries can agree to it. I mean motina ir tėvas like you and your grades are good enough you could continue your further studies in Moscow or something like that. So we'd be living here in Europe than back in America and you might not see your brother and sister as much. I do know how much you talked of your older brother at least. I swear you're doing everything to impress him."
Natalya paused. She assumed Toris was like every other student on a foreign visa in her college. Using it to get citizenship. That he would get a job in America like all the others. She did have it planned that she would fight for him to be paid as well as the American born workers with the same degree as she knew well of some of the low employment practices some business did with people in Toris's position. And if he did have to marry to keep his visa if things went bad, she wasn't totally opposed to it as she did love him. But that was not the case and she was going to wait for that. Yes she did want to reconnect more with her Russian roots but to leave her family, the two people of it she had left behind for it? It was a large step and decision and she didn't know if she could do it. Frankly she just wanted to work in either the Russian department of an American company when she finished or the American department of a Russian company. Sure she hardly liked who her siblings married and wanted to stab Alfred sometimes but didn't attack him because they both loved Ivan and kept their animosity to a minium around each other for his sake. But to leave her family behind like that? Although it's the opposite of what you'd be asking Toris if he stayed back in America, he'd leave his family behind. I don't know... She looked at Toris's hopeful face. "Look, I would need to think it over more." Toris's face fell. "Do not take this as a rejection. But I would leave my brother and sister behind. I do not know if I could do that. I would have to do a lot of soul searching before I could agree to it. If it is any consolation I do love you. You are fun to be around, and it would be better if you were not so timid, but there is not much there I can do about that. You're braver than you think."
"How so?" Toris asked.
"You asked me out." Natalya said.
"That is true." Toris said. "Well take this." He placed a ring in her hand. "It is like a 'promise ring' I have seen in American television shows when a couple isn't ready for marriage but want to be serious. This means a lot as it did belong to my močiutė. I have the one that belonged to my
senelis. I cannot really place it, but you mean a lot to me and I love you. I admire your beauty and determination."
"I love you too Toris." At this, her phone rang and she saw it was Ivan. "I must take this."
"Please do not take too long, motina is almost finished preparing dinner." Toris said.
"I won't" Natalya said. "Privet starshiy brat" She answered, looking at the ring Toris gave her.
Translation Guide:
(Obtained via Google Translate)
Chto-Russian-What?
Bozhe miy! Shcho tse? Shcho vidbuvayetʹsya? Ty bolyache miy kokhanyy? Nalyakanyy?-Ukrainian- Oh my god! What is it? What's going on? Are you hurt my darling? Scared?
dosytʹ tsiyeyi durnytsi- Ukrainian- enough of this nonsense
Je suis désolé d'agir ainsi.- French- I am sorry for acting like that
Moya plemyannitsa-Russian- my niece
Une petite-fille-French- A granddaughter
dytyncha-Ukrainian- baby sister
Vy vystrelite sebe v glaz- Russian- You'll shoot your eye out.
Tėvas-Lithuanian-Father
Motina ir tėvas-Lithuanian- Mother and father
močiutė-Lithuanian-grandmother
senelis-Lithuanian-grandfather
Privet starshiy brat- Russian- Hello big brother.
So how was that? Good? Bad? Short? Long? Let me know in a review. I am working to get a lot of this done before January when tax season starts and my main job will keep me real busy. But hey, I should have all the free time in the world come May! I don't have much else to say here, so remember to read (you just did) and to review. Ciao for now,
otherrealmwriter
aka
Realm.