Chapter 8: Piano
Word Count: 4,122
I know, you all waited so long and it's such a short chapter
The encounter with his sister Natalia was kind of scary, but that was alright, even if it did cause him to lose some sleep, because Toris had said he was going to pick up Alfred from someplace called airport. Ivan had come up with an excuse to not go to the history classes again today. Best listen to his older self and his own logic and avoid this world's politics as much as possible. He sat out in the back, absentmindedly kicking at the snow beneath him, it was strange not having anything to do. No higher countries to do things for, no paperwork or crisis'. Of course he would probably have to do things if things happened here to Russia. Which would be difficult to deal with. But if Alfred was here, then the other could help him. He still didn't trust Toris completely after all, kind of hard to.
Pulling the book up to his lap he opened the page. He would never be caught unaware again! Turning to the back of the first entry, he read the second one.
I've noticed that Alfred started avoiding me not to long after he arrived, though he does seem interested in teaching me English, I have learned a few new words from my time learning from him. I was very happy when he did show up, though he was tired from the travel. He had arrived so quickly, but it seemed that he was exhausted. I thought that was the reason at first to his avoiding me. But he didn't seem to want to be in the same room with me alone. It really got on my nerves after awhile. I guess I can understand why though, he is used to my older self, and he looked guilty when I said it, so it was obviously true. I know I can't be like Russia, and I think that Alfred felt like he was cheating. I will forgive him when I'm older, I am sure. Still, I was still frustrated though because I wanted Alfred to think of me and love me just as he did my older self. And it was obvious that he was struggling to stay away from me, it would have been sweet and cute in any other given situation, and he doesn't seem to get the hint that I want to be with him. So I made it very clear to him, and things got better afterwards. What I did to fix things was-
Ivan sighed, why did half the page have to be gone? It was probably something important to. He didn't want Alfred ignoring him. Closing the book and deciding to keep his promise to just read one entry ahead so he wouldn't spoil too much for himself, but to avoid his sister while she was apparently lusting after him. He shuttered, not wanting to think of that. Repressing that memory, he thought back to the entry. Alfred would avoid him because he was younger, yeah okay, that made sense. The other would also be exhausted after he got here, which was good to know.
Well, it had been some time since Toris had left, sometime after breakfast of course, and it was getting close to dinner now. Lithuania had said it was awhile away, but still. Ivan heard the door open and looked up to see Toris, "Ah, Mr. Russia, America is here." Ivan smiled, standing up and going to the door, the brunette stepped out of the way for him to go in. Looking around, he didn't see anybody.
"Where is he?"
"Mr. America went to one of the rooms to sleep. He wanted to see you, but I just now found you..." Ivan supposed he could understand that, he was somewhat upset about it though, he nodded, "I put him in one of the guest rooms, I could show you which one if you want Mr. Russia." Nodding again, he looked back at Toris, who started walking towards the stairs. Ivan followed until they got to one of the doors, the older man opening it so that they could see in. Ivan leaned forward to look inside as well, and there, laying fully clothed on the bed, was Alfred, eyes closed and not moving as the door creaked, seeming asleep. Ivan watched the blond for awhile, remembering Lithuania was there, he straightened and looked at the other.
"Alright, thank you Toris." Ivan said, nodding, Lithuania closed the door and seemed to understand the dismissal as he walked away, not looking back. Waiting a few seconds Ivan looked back at the door, shuffling his feet a little, he reached for the handle but hesitated a moment later. Staring at the door handle for a long while, he finally opened the door and went inside, closing it behind him before he could change his mind. Alfred still slept peacefully and that made Ivan relax a little, putting the book down on a surface close by and hesitantly stepping closer to the bed. The blond was laying on his side, one are curled under him and the other thrown over the bed awkwardly, shoes still on and breath rising steadily.
Ivan smiled down at the blond, sitting onto the bed for a moment. The trip must have been tiring if he was so exhausted that he just collapsed and fell asleep onto the bed without even changing into more comfortable clothes. Watching the other sleep for a moment, Ivan crawled a bit closer and laid down next to Alfred, moving under the arm so that he could rest against Alfred's chest. The blond sighed and wrapped the arm closer around Ivan.
Blushing a lot at such close proximity, he closed his eyes, resting his head against Alfred's chest. Gripping the jacket Alfred was wearing in his hand, Ivan knew it wasn't normal to fall asleep so late at night, and he wasn't tired in the slightest. But he could get used to sleeping this close to Alfred. And maybe when the other woke up he wouldn't avoid him. That didn't seem like a pleasant thought.
Alfred felt himself waking up, but he wanted to sleep more, but parts of his body were kind of chilly, he was laying on blankets he knew, but it would be so much effort to pull them over himself. There was something warm in front of him that he was holding, maybe a cat or Tony, he kind of clung to things when sleeping. Well, if it was Tony, he couldn't be mad, because he should have known better if he didn't want a hug. Not bothering to open his eyes, he grabbed the blanket under his hand, lifting himself a bit to get it out from under him with a pull and then pulling it over himself, up to his shoulders. Wrapping his arm back around the war object, Alfred started to drift off to sleep again.
He felt the thing move a bit in his grip, but it didn't last too long, still Tony was smaller than that, wasn't he? Maybe he grew using some sort of alien technology or something. Blinking his eyes open somewhat, he looked at what he was holding. Little Ivan's head nuzzled against him, humming sleepily like he had just woken up too. Alfred stared. And stared, "Ivan?" He asked, receiving another hum and the other to look up at him, violet eyes blinking open.
"What?" Ivan asked. Yeah, that was Ivan. But no reason to panic, even if he was still extremely cute, more so now it seemed with that look and the position. Still, they were both fully clothed. There was nothing wrong here with this picture. Other then Ivan was sleeping with him. Yeah, just that part. Alfred slowly removed his arm, backing up a bit.
Ivan pouted internally as Alfred shed away, so he was going to ignore him? He felt a small bit of despair fill him at that, "I-Ivan, what are you doing here?"
"It is my future house. You came to teach me English, remember?" Ivan asked, playing with his scarf as he laid on the bed. Should he ask Alfred about avoiding him now? No, it was probably too soon, and anyway that wasn't completely proven yet. Hopefully this wouldn't last too long, Alfred couldn't avoid him forever, right?
"Huh?" Alfred asked as he looked around, "Oh, right...but you weren't here when I fell asleep were you?" Had Ivan been in the room? How could have missed that, even if he had just sort of crashed out on the bed. Ivan shook his head.
"No, after." Alfred nodded, deciding that was a little better, at least he hadn't missed the others presence entirely. Ivan looked at him, "So um...how did you get here so fast?"
"Oh, I flew over." Ivan's eyes went wide.
"You can fly?"
"Oh not like a bird and I have wings or I float or anything like that." Alfred corrected, "Like a car, except it flies." Oh more demons, "It's pretty cool, I'll show you sometime." Alfred said, smiling, it seemed like he was normal. Ivan smiled, nodding.
"Yes, I would like to see that." Even though planes were scary. But now that Alfred was here that meant more things would start working again like the lights.
"I saw Toris here, he's been helping you?" Alfred asked, sounding a bit worried. Ivan nodded.
"Yeah, he's been taking me to history lessons and stuff with the world. But I want to learn English before I learn all that." Not exactly a lie, "And now you're here." Alfred nodded.
"Here to teach good old American English. But I'm hungry at the moment."
"Of course, we don't have to start now. Toris is nice, he makes really good food."
"Yeah, the best burgers too, he came and helped me around the house for a while."
"Oh, that's nice." Ivan said, smiling. It was good that they could even share servants when they lived so far away, maybe the distance was less now or something. Or the demons moved fast enough for it not to matter...probably the last one, "Though it's dark, so he's probably asleep now." Ivan informed, creeping closer to Alfred, "Or we could make something." Maybe Alfred could teach him how to make a hamburger. Alfred crawled away again.
"I think I'll just go back to sleep." Ivan nodded, planning on cuddling next to Alfred once the other was asleep. The blond watched Ivan for awhile and he was hopeful that Alfred would just give up and cuddle with him anyway, "Um...don't you have your own bed?" Ivan sort of felt like beating the life out of Alfred at that moment, though part of him kind of wanted to cry, maybe just a little.
"Oh, um y-yeah." Ivan muttered, sliding out of the bed, "O-okay." Ivan said, turning and walking away and resisting the growing urge to hurt Alfred. He walked out of the room and sat by the door, pulling his knees up to his chest and glaring angrily at the wall opposite of him. If Alfred thought he could sleep with him and then act like nothing happened he so had another thing coming. He made a mental note to himself to instill better morals in his husband when he was older. Oh wait, his journal! Ivan sprang up and opened the door again, he saw Alfred look up from the bed, jumping a bit. Ivan grabbed his book and closed the door again, not calm enough to have a talk with Alfred yet.
How did he get Alfred to listen? Maybe he would try in the morning to talk to him.
Alfred sighed, laying his head back down, a little disappointed. Still, best for Ivan to stay away from him so they didn't end up sleeping together again. In both senses of the word. He closed his eyes, willing sleep to come.
Ivan was very close to dropping a piano on Alfred's head. It had been five days. Five very long, very irritating days since Alfred had come over. Ivan couldn't get the blond alone! Alfred would purposely have Toris there during any time period when they were supposed to be alone in. If Alfred walking into a room where it was just Ivan, he would turn around and walk straight out without a word and if he returned it would be Lithuania. When Ivan had tried sending Toris out of the room for something, Alfred had volunteered to help with whatever chore it was that Ivan had materialized. If Ivan sent Toris away for the day Alfred would either go outside and not come back until after Ivan was long asleep or he would stay locked in his room until Toris got back. He had tried everything, trying to get Alfred drunk, trying to seduce the other short of tearing off his clothes and laying naked in Alfred's bed - which sounded like a good idea at first, but it was a little too embarrassing to actually seriously consider.
Nothing, nothing was working. He had asked Alfred to even show him things, like how to work the water to take a bath. The blond had seemed very unsettled about that and said he couldn't show him how. So he still had to have Toris draw a bath whenever he wanted one. Even turning on the lights required Lithuania to be in the room.
He really wanted to spend time with Alfred, whether talking or sleeping, mostly cuddling. Talking about the weather by themselves would seem like a blessing at this point! But oh no, not the irritation that was Alfred, he couldn't speak one word to him or even glance at him if Toris wasn't around. Lithuania was spending more time with Alfred then him it seemed! Over even his husband!
Ivan was getting sick of it. He walked into the kitchen where Toris was making food. No Alfred around, good, "Toris, I need something that will make Alfred sleep for a while but not something that would hurt him." Even if the piano idea was pretty tempting. Lithuania gave him a strange look.
"A-alright, I can do that." Ivan brightened. Toris was so good, not asking questions.
"Good, put it in his food or drink tonight." Ivan said cheerfully, "Make sure it is enough." Ivan frowned at the other, eyes furrowed, "Or I may just drop the piano on your head." He smiled again, walking away. Toris couldn't help but feel very worried for his own safety as well as Alfred's. Ivan walked up the stairs and to Alfred's guest room, knocking on the door.
"Who is it?" Alfred called. Ivan sighed.
"It's me Alfred..." Ivan said, shuffling behind the door he knew would be locked. All the anger he had felt a moment ago seemed to melt away into hurt.
"Oh um, I'm a bit busy at the moment, but I'll be down in a minute."
"T-that's fine, I was just going to ask if you would join me...and Toris." Ivan gritted the others name, "For dinner once it's done."
"Oh yeah, no problem! I'll see you guys down there." Ivan waited a moment, hoping that Alfred would open the door anyway to face him, of course that didn't happen. That was fine, let the games begin. He smirked, walking away and not feeling the least bit guilty for what he had planned. If this didn't work he would try emotional breakdown. Nobody could stand seeing their married ones cry. Even if it would be degrading. Ivan walked into the dining room, arranging the chairs once again so that no matter what Alfred would have no choice to sit next to him. Pushing the other chairs away from the table, Ivan sat at the head, with one chair to each side of him. He played with the candle that he had left there some time before, he just liked knowing where it was in case the lights didn't turn on again.
Playing with it with an absent mind he looked up when Toris came in with the plates, Alfred following behind with the drinks. Alfred put the drinks down first, but put one of them where there was no chair before he pulled up one from the side and sat in it. Ivan narrowed his eyes, mood darkening as Toris hesitantly put the food down for everybody, Ivan gave Lithuania a lot that he hoped translated into 'you better have done what I asked.' As he grabbed his fork and took a bite of it, "Toris, I'll be needing you to place an order for a piano." Lithuania gulped heavily.
"Y-yes Mr. Russia."
"Oh, are you going to learn piano?" Alfred asked curiously. Ivan glared at him while smiling.
"Something like that." 'I hope it hurts.'
Ivan took another bite innocently, though Toris seemed to be too nervous to eat. Alfred started eating, gulping it down as quickly as he normally did. When he was finished, Alfred sighed, patting his stomach, "That was awesome, thanks Toris!" He said, obviously about to leave. Ivan shot Toris a look before speaking.
"Ah wait Alfred!" Ivan said, causing the other to pause, "I um had a question about English..." It would get him to stay longer anyway, he would just have to keep making up questions.
"Oh alright, what is it?"
"What is the um...difference in pronunciation between K and C?" Alfred smiled.
"Oh that's easy, you see the K..." Alfred frowned, "The K and C are different because...Um..." Alfred furrowed his eyebrows in thought, "There's an h and...no, that's not it...um..." Ivan had to hold in a smile. This was working better then he thought it would, though he did kind of want to know, "There's a slight difference in pronunciation like camp and um...sometimes the k is silent...but when it's pronounced it sounds different by..." Alfred rested his head on his hand, looking stumped. Ivan watched for awhile for an answer, but Alfred's eyes slowly closed over his blue eyes before the other slumped to the floor. Well, guess he would never know. He smiled at Toris.
"Thank you Toris. And don't worry, the piano's not for you. Now, I need to get him up to his room, can you do that? I need to go get something." Ivan said, smiling. Toris hesitated a moment before nodding and standing up.
"I hope you aren't planning on doing anything to America...sir."
"No, he'll be fine. I just want to talk to him." Ivan said, getting up and walking away. He walked down to the basement and went to a box that was labeled with a date on it. Opening it again, Ivan pulled out the chains sitting inside, putting them over his shoulder he smiled and went back up the stairs. Let's see Alfred run now.
Alfred groaned a bit, his head feeling kind of fuzzy as he opened his eyes slowly, blinking away the haze that seemed to linger in them. He moved his arms that were over his head only to find them tied. Frowning, he looked up, "Oh good, you're awake." Ivan giggled, Alfred looked towards the sound to see Ivan sitting on the bed that they were both on.
"Ivan? What...What's going on?" Alfred asked confused, moving his hands around again.
"I thought that it was about time for us to have a little talk."
"A-about what?" Alfred asked. What did he need to be chained up for to talk about?
"You have been avoiding me." Alfred shifted a bit, Ivan had noticed? "It's because I'm younger isn't it? I know you keep comparing me to my future self." And what hurt was that Ivan couldn't even compete with his older self. The blond stared at Ivan.
"H-how did you-"
"It was obvious!" Ivan yelled, "You keep running away from me and it's not okay! I hate it!" Alfred winced a bit, he wasn't running from anything, he was just trying to protect Ivan from him.
"Look Ivan I'm sorry if you feel like that but-"
"No, you've had time to talk." Ivan growled, "You can't just...you can't just have sex with me and ignore me!" Ivan said, blushing a bit and looking down, shoulders slumping forward, "T-That's not how it works." It wasn't suppose to anyway, not when they were married, "I know I don't know as much stuff like my older self. Like about you and things." He said, looking up again to glare, "And I can't if you keep treating me like trash."
"N-no, it's not like that I swear!" Ivan crossed his arms, looking at Alfred in disbelief.
"Really?" Ivan asked thickly.
"Really! I just didn't want to you know...take advantage of you again, y-your younger now." Though when Ivan put it like 'you had sex and then ignored me' that actually sounded more like him being an ass then him doing a heroic deed. Kind of like wham, bam, thank you. Ivan narrowed his eyes.
"I am over a hundred years old, and technically older then you. I can make my own decisions. I run a nation Alfred, how immature do you think I am!" Alfred stared blankly.
"Um...I guess you have a point there..." How many times had he been upset because of how people treated him because of his physical age?
"Besides, sixteen is the age most people are getting married."
"Oh yeah, weird time period and everything." Alfred said, making a face.
"So, you will stop avoiding me at every turn?"
"Y-yeah...I can do that. Sorry." Alfred muttered. Ivan smiled.
"Good, and try not to be so oblivious, it pisses me off." Alfred pouted a bit, so what if he was known as not-being-able-to-read-the-atmosphere nation? He could totally be observant if he wanted!
"Fine, fine! Jeez, now can you let me go?" Ivan crawled up to Alfred and sat on the blonde's hips, but didn't touch the chains.
"No." Ivan said, wrapping his arms around Alfred's neck, "Not until you have sex with me again." Ivan muttered, resting his forehead and looking into Alfred's eyes with determination, despite the large blush across his cheeks that trailed up to his ears. The blue eyes widened, but Alfred couldn't help but feel a certain want in the pit of his stomach. He smiled a bit.
"Always the bipolar manipulator." He muttered before connecting his lips with Ivan's softly before pulling back and looking confused, "Wait, how did I get like this?" Ivan chuckled a bit before shutting the blond up with another kiss.
