I do not own Hetalia okay? Like I said before, I am so surprised at the response this story has gotten. Frankly I am really humbled by it. Makes my day when I am about to scream from all the work I have had lately. Try studying while pulling 50 hour shifts too…. This is what I do to help self-care. Anyway, I don't have much else to say, so enough of this A/N, on with the fic!
Ivan woke up early the next day. He could tell the medication that Alfred had been put on made him drowsier than normal and made him sleep longer. As he sat up to begin his day, Alfred stirred and rubbed his eyes. "Long time no see Vanya." Alfred laughed.
"How can you be so cheerful this early in the morning?" Ivan asked.
"I guess when I get more sleep maybe?" Alfred sat up, taking care not to bump his leg. He had been getting better moving around in it. "So today's the day that Natalya comes in. I guess it will be you and me picking her and Toris up. Are they going to a hotel or campus or what? I never asked that much?" He reached for the medications and the bottle of water he had beside the bed. "Easier to remember to take these here."
He needs to know. Better now than have it be a total surprise. "Nyet, they will not be staying there." Ivan began.
"Well where are they?" Alfred asked. "I mean Natalya can be a bitch sometimes but she doesn't need to be stuck at the airport until god knows when."
Ivan sighed. At least he isn't wishing her ill. Baby steps "No Fredka. Apparently she talked to Katyusha about her condition and is going to stay here for a few days until the new semester starts."
"Lovely. Well I can get an early start on some assignments for work they want done here soon." Alfred sighed.
"I don't know if you will have time for that…." Ivan said looking away.
"Why? I mean I am sure you are busy too at work and you're not as relaxed as I am about things and you got those Epiphany plans we're working on too…." Alfred ran off tapping his finger with his other hand, listing off objections.
"Because your papa called last night and found out about Katyusha's condition and despite your dad, Matthew and Katyusha's objections is coming up here today too once he gets off work." Ivan let out a disappointed sigh.
"And I am sure he won't let me be." Alfred moaned as he laid back on the bed with a sigh. "Well let me know when we're going to get Nattie and Toris from the airport. I may not be able to keep up with you like normal but I do want to offer good wishes to them when they come back. Especially since Katy can't do so herself."
Ivan smiled. He loved the fact his husband was trying to play nice with his younger sister, even if he got the impression she didn't like Alfred too much for marrying him. It showed that Alfred valued the relationship Ivan had with his sister and was at least, if nothing else, trying to look past their dislike of each other. "I will let you know when I am getting ready to head out."
"I can put my good sweatpants on." Alfred laughed.
"That you can." Ivan laughed. "Do you need me to help you into the shower still?"
"Nah," Alfred said. "Since you put that bar in, it makes balancing a lot easier. I feel like an old coot in some aspects."
"It's just to help you until you are back to normal my podsolnukh" Ivan smiled.
"I know I know…." Alfred smiled as Ivan kissed him on the cheek and he headed downstairs to find Matthew preparing a tray to take to Katyusha who was still stuck in the bedroom.
"Oh hello Ivan." Matthew said, his wavy hair looking frazzled. "Just getting Katy her breakfast."
"Is everything okay?" Ivan asked as Matthew cast a look that told Ivan it was a stupid question. "Well how is Katyusha?"
"That is fine. But god, I wish Papa would stay home. I know his heart is in the right place but god!" Matthew sighed. "Between him and Natalya, I am going to scream."
"At least I know when Natalya and Toris are going to leave. Your papa, I do not." Ivan rubbed his temple.
"Don't worry, I'll find some way to chase him back home." Matthew sighed. "Maybe threaten to eat nothing but McDonalds while he's here."
"I don't think that will do it." Alfred sighed as he sat down on the couch. "I don't think Papa forgot about his idea he found around Thanksgiving." Ivan and Matthew looked at him curiously. "You know, him buying that failing bed and breakfast not too far from here." Ivan gulped. He suddenly remembered when he had offered to help Francis with that preposterous notion. Now he had not promised money or anything like that but had promised to find him connections to help him out if he talked to Gilbert about getting the job that Matthew did. Alfred laid back and turned on the TV "Now I wonder if he made any offers behind Dad's back or something like that and Katy's health gave him the perfect excuse to come up here and do it."
"It probably would…." Matthew sighed. Ivan looked at the brothers curiously. "You see Papa does have grand ambitions from time to time and either bankrupts himself or he has Dad bail him out. If of course, he hasn't talked him out of it. And with their age, especially with being a grandfather in spring, he's probably thrown caution to the wind more so." Ivan looked over at Alfred. "Now mind you not like Al does. He probably wasn't the best of influence there I guess…" Matthew smirked as Alfred stuck the middle finger up at his brother. Sticking his tongue out, he continued. "But he often loses interest if things aren't going his way. He'll 'go on strike' as Dad calls it if his demands aren't being met and often the project is discarded or just forgotten about. That's how his salon plans went kaputz."
"Huh?" Ivan asked.
"Being French doesn't automatically mean you can get a cosmetology license. And after putting up with one of the classes in the state program he quit." Alfred explained. "So yeah, there's that. And his art ambitions. I mean he wasn't that bad, but Dad would not let him quit his job to do it full time, so he quit. God knows he can't do that if he buys a business."
"No." Ivan said. "He cannot."
"Well Katy is hungry, and I promised her breakfast." Matthew said as he excused himself from the room.
"Sure." Ivan said as his phone dinged.
"What's up?" Alfred asked.
"Natalya text. 'Left Germany, should be in Chicago at 3 local time, from there due at the airport back home at 6 local time there.' She says according to this text.
"Huh?" Alfred asked.
"We have to be at the airport by 6. Everything seems to be on schedule according to this." Ivan said as he looked up the flights.
"Papa's shift usually ends about 8 or so. Restaurant he works at closes at 9 and the night crews finish up." Alfred said as he did some calculations in his head. "So, if Nattie's flight is in on time, we get back here about 8 or so, depending on traffic, we'll beat Papa here.
"I told Matvey the best he is getting if he wants to stay in the house is the couch." Ivan growled.
"I don't blame you dude." Alfred laid back. "I may love the man; he did help raise me, but I got my- "Ivan raised an eyebrow "-our own place to get away from that stuff. I am an adult. It'd be different if we ASKED for the help. And I know when Nattie is heading back to campus."
"Da." Ivan nodded. They sat in silence for awhile when he spoke up. "Would you like something to eat?"
"Dumb question Vanya." Alfred laughed.
They had spent the rest of the day, just talking with Katyusha, making sure she wasn't feeling too cooped up and alone, even moving over so Alfred could play a game with her. He was starting to get into the match when he noticed both Ivan and Matthew starting at him. He rolled his eyes and tuned back the aggression and made sure to let her win. Matthew looked at his watch and jumped up. "Got to get ready."
"I'll be watching Matvey." Katyusha said. Once he had dismissed himself, she looked at Ivan and Alfred. "When does Natalya's flight come in again?"
"Around 6." Ivan said. "I am planning on heading out with Fredka around 4 or so. Traffic." He added when he saw Katyusha's look. "Are you going to be okay here by yourself?"
"Certainly. How much trouble can I get in on my own?" Katyusha said. "Besides, I would like to get through Mount Moon before Matvey is on television again." She picked up the game's case and opened it up, swapping it out with the game of her choice. Alfred picked up the case.
"Let's Go Eevee?" Alfred asked. "God next time Kiku is over for a game night he will love this."
"You two usually play those Resident Evil games." Ivan noted.
"He has an affinity for cute things as well." Alfred said. "Although I feel it's kind of watered down from the older versions where you actually had to do damage to catch the Pokémon. I mean this is a remake of Gen 1 but come on…. There's a reason I wanted to get an old Nintendo 64. I miss playing Pokémon Colosseum. Kiku has one and he beats me so much at the sushi game." Ivan sighed and looked at the game.
"I beat the first gym already!" Katyusha said. "I am heading to Mount Moon. I have a Jigglypuff too. Aren't they cute?"
"You and Kiku would get along…." Alfred laughed. "Pukhnastyy?" he asked.
"It means fluffy." Katyusha said as she looked at the screen intently. "I want a clefairy too." She said as the game began. "Let me bring out Spivak" She said as she brought out the Jigglypuff.
"Spivak?" Alfred asked.
"It means singer in Ukrainian." Ivan translated.
"I wanted to name it kolyskova pisnya" Katyusha noted "But it would not fit. Kolyskova pisnya means lullaby in Ukrainian." She said at his look.
"Jigglypuff sing their opponents to sleep." Alfred said as Ivan looked at them clueless.
"I do not understand this game." Ivan sighed. "I will let you two be, but it will be time for us to head to the airport soon Fredka…."
"Oh!" Alfred said as he waved back to Katyusha. "I'll tell Kiku you're playing this. He may be a businessman who uses Art of War for his company strategy, but he loves Pokémon. I think he's disappointed he couldn't get on with Nintendo or GameFreak."
"Oh, before you have to leave, do you know when your papa gets off work?" Katyusha asked.
"Mattie told you about that." Alfred said. She nodded. "Well, like I was telling Vanya, it's usually 8 or 9. It also takes about an hour or two to get up here."
"Good. I can pretend to be asleep. And Natalya would be here too." Katyusha sighed. "Not another Zubat!"
"They're all over the place in the caves." Alfred said. "Well, you know where to reach us or Matthew."
"I cannot wait until you guys and Natalya and Toris are back. I think you may be back about the same time that Matvey would be home." Katyusha said.
Ivan left Katyusha a small lunch, promising to bring something home when they head back from the airport and drove the same drive they had done when they had saw Toris and Natalya off a few weeks ago. This time, because it was a weekday, the traffic was heading slowly, causing Ivan to growl under his breath. One thing he could not stand was a traffic jam when he was wanting to get somewhere. "Vy, idioty, mozhete dvigat'sya medlenneye? Nekotorym iz nas yest' gde pobyvat' i lyudi vstrechayutsya."
"Calm down Vanya." Alfred said as he grabbed the bar above the window as they approached the exit to the airport. "I know you're frazzled but this won't help anyone out!"
"You're right." Ivan sighed as he tapped his fingers on the steering wheel as they headed towards the parking garage. "I hope their flight is still on time. It's rather expensive to park at airports for some reason." Ivan complained as he grabbed the ticket.
"Yeah, the prices suck." Alfred said as he got out of the car and headed towards the baggage claim looking at his phone.
"Give me that." Ivan sighed. "So, her flight's baggage is at carousel 3." Ivan said as he kept pace with Alfred, who he could tell was trying to do the best he could despite the injury. "If this is bothering you to do so, I am sure we can get a cart or scooter when we get to the airport."
"Nah. I'll park it on a bench most of the time. Especially one near the phone chargers. I got a ton of streaming to catch up on." Alfred smiled. "I've been around my fair share of airports, remember?"
"Never have a Tolstoy novel in your carry-on bag." Ivan growled. "I swear the KGB weren't this stupid with what is and is not a bomb."
"Come on, it's not that bad going through the security checkpoint?" Alfred laughed.
"It is when somehow you are picked for additional screening almost every time." Ivan complained. "Some of those agents got too handsy for my taste."
"Well, that means I am the lucky son of a bitch married to a man government employee will abuse their power to get a feel of." Alfred winked.
"I apricate the compliment but I still think some of them assume it is still the Cold War." Ivan complained as he sat beside Alfred who laid back on Ivan's lap.
"Maybe the really old ones. The wall came down nearly 30 years ago." Alfred said as he opened a game on his phone.
"Don't remind me that I am getting old. You know I was born around that time." Ivan sighed.
"Well, I am getting old too there Vanya. So, you ain't alone. Fu-dge…." Alfred said as he died in the game and Ivan looked at him with an annoyed expression on his face at his near swear in public. "I mean when we married, we agreed to grow old together."
"That is true." He kissed Alfred on the forehead. "I'll be back." He said getting up, heading to a vending machine, and heading back to the bench Alfred made his base of operations until Natalya and Toris came in. "For you." He said giving Alfred a Coke.
"Thanks dude." Alfred said as he looked over at the board announcing the arrivals. "Good. Her flight is still on time."
"Which is still another hour." Ivan sighed.
"Don't rush man. Just catch up on the games or whatever." Alfred sighed.
Ivan nodded and pulled out his phone and a set of earbuds and tried to stay occupied with the device but just could not. He wished he could just meet Natalya and Toris at the gate, but knew that without going through the checkpoint, that was not possible. Slowly, with Alfred's weight on his lap he found himself falling asleep. Then after what seemed like a short period of time, he felt a tapping on his forehead. "Chto?" He said as he looked at Natalya and Toris.
"Hello big brother." Natalya waved. Toris was quickly catching up with his bag and hers behind him. "I was wondering why you weren't standing over there waiting for us like you normally would have."
"Oh…." Ivan said jumping up, causing Alfred to stir awake himself.
"Whuzzuonaongin?" He asked.
"I am going to assume that you did not know what was going on." Natalya said, trying to keep her insulting tone down. I am going to try to keep the peace, if for no one else but Katyusha…. She thought as Alfred sat up, and she moved back as to not be hit by his cast leg."
"That must be painful Mr. Alfred…." Toris said as he handed the crutches to him.
"Not as much as when I did it." Alfred said standing up and situating the crutches under his arms. "These chafe at times, thus the duct taped old wash cloths."
"Wow." Toris noted.
"Let us get going. I know that Matthew is at work now, we saw him on one of the televisions nearby." Natalya said.
"They show local stations? Wow." Alfred said. "Most airports play the cable news networks."
"It was amazing seeing that." Toris said. "I remember meeting him and never could imagine he would be so poised and well professional."
"Yeah, that's Mattie…" Alfred said with a smile. God who knew that he'd get so liked as just a regional junior anchor. It's not like I am a nobody either….am I? Alfred thought as they headed back to the car, Natalya keeping pace with Ivan, Toris making sure that Alfred was keeping up.
"We are going to stop and pick up something for Katyusha for dinner as Matthew will be coming home about the same time we are. At this he heard a buzzing noise from his phone. "And she wants pizza?" Ivan asked. "'I have ordered enough for everyone, including Fredka's appetite. Just pick it up at 9. I know you would likely be coming into town sooner, but I think you can wait around.'" Ivan looked at his watch. "It is only 6:30 so we should be there in time."
"If we're not, I'll send Mattie a message as he'd be getting home about 8:30 from what Katy told me."
"Sounds like that girl is going to eat a lot like her father and uncle." Natalya said. "I know normally Katyusha is not into things like pizza and cheap macaroni and cheese."
"Hey at least she isn't having Mattie put maple syrup on everything. That's how you'd know the girl takes after him completely." Alfred laughed.
"That sounds gross." Natalya said.
"Don't need to tell me. Ask Mattie to make Poutine if you want gross." Alfred make a noise like he was going to throw up.
"Do I want to know?" Natalya said as Toris fell asleep on her lap. "It was a long flight." Natalya commented as Alfred looked at the sight curiously. He nodded.
"It's French fries, gravy and cheese curds. He first had it during a family trip to Niagara Falls. And he loved it."
"Gross." Natalya said.
"I will warn you," Ivan said as they headed back to the house. "Francis insisted on helping when he spoke with Matvey and Katyusha the other night."
"Seriously?" Natalya rolled her eyes looking at Alfred.
"Wasn't my idea! Katy, Mattie and even my dad didn't want him to." Alfred sighed as they eventually made it back to town, to the pizza stop that Katyusha had placed the order for and Ivan came out with a large stack of boxes, 4 pepperoni pizzas, one with mushrooms, peppers, pineapple and barbecue sauce, a few large orders of breadsticks, an order of buffalo wings and 2 brownies. He placed the large order on Alfred's lap.
"Katyusha must be hungry" Toris awoke with a surprised look at the large number of boxes.
"She usually orders more than needed when planning for others…." Ivan said. Turning into the driveway, he let out a "blyat…."
"What are you blyating?" Alfred asked, "Awwwww fuck."
"Francis?" Natalya said noticing the two cars. "One must be Matthew's but the other one,"
"The one with the dents in the backside from Mr. I-cannot-turn-my-head-nor-use-the-backup-camera-Dad-paid-extra-for," Alfred said. "Yep. Papa's." Ivan took the boxes off Alfred's lap and Toris handed him his crutches. "Nattie, I give you permission to be horrible to that frog. I will not take any offense."
"I won't either." Ivan said as he opened the door.
"I tried to get him to wait somewhere else like a hotel for you guys before you came back- "Matthew, still in his suit said as Francis took the boxes.
"I could not stand that." Francis said. "Alfred you're hurt too. Well, you and Katyusha need not worry. Papa is here."
"And the spare guest room is Toris and mine's" Natalya said as she took the boxes to the kitchen and placed them on the table. "Katyusha requested this, so you'll eat it, or you'll starve. No one invited you."
"I like your sister more now Vanya." Alfred laughed.
"Me too Ivan." Matthew agreed.
"Bozhe, pomogi mne" Ivan sighed placing his face in his hands.
Translation Guide:
(Obtained via google translate)
Podsolnukh-Russian-Sunflower
Pukhnastyy-Ukrainian-fluffy
Spivak-Ukrainian-singer
kolyskova pisnya-Ukrainian-lullaby
Vy, idioty, mozhete dvigat'sya medlenneye? Nekotorym iz nas yest' gde pobyvat' i lyudi vstrechayutsya. -Russian- Can you idiots move any slower? Some of us have places to be and people meet.
Bozhe, pomogi mne-Russian-God help me.
So how was that? Good? Bad? Short? Long? Let me know in a review. As you can see sometimes people can be too helpful when it comes to their loved ones and impose a lot. Thank you all so much for your favs, reviews and even just reading it. I love seeing that you like it so and helps motivate me. I am currently turning over an idea of a Prohibition era Hetalia fic but all I have is the idea. If anyone wants to help, please let me know if I can bounce the ideas off you. Anyway, remember to read, well you just did, and to review. Ciao for now,
Otherrealmwriter
Aka
Realm.