Chapter 4: Interlude With the Lovers

Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia.

A/N: I swear to God that IDFC by Blackbear if the Jack/Alfred theme song. You can decide who's POV it's from! Let me know what y'all think about it!


Cause I have hella feelings for you
I act like I don't fucking care
Like they ain't even there
Cause I have hella feelings for you
I act like I don't fucking care
Cause I'm so fucking scared
I'm only a fool for you
And maybe you're too good for me
I'm only a fool for you
But I don't fucking care at all

~IDFC, Blackbear


"I really love you, you know that?"

The sweet words were whispered into Alfred's shoulder, and immediately he felt guilt. He thought of violet eyes and pale skin and ashen blonde hair. He thought of bitterness, and pain, and an upset turned around life that couldn't be fixed. Closing his eyes, he felt the weight of Jack's words on his chest, and he knew the Australian expected him to respond. Eventually, the green eyes man looked up and stared at Alfred with weary eyes, looking like he regretted the words he just said. That was the moment Alfred realized, with the sharp pain in his chest at the thought of Jack ever regretting something like that, what he really felt. Ivan hadn't been there for him the past years, Ivan hadn't held his hand in the park or taken bubble baths with him or done stupid domestic shit like go grocery shopping with him and then carry all the bags in the house because Alfred was 'too precious to have to carry anything'.

This man was a fucking dork, a green eyed adorable dork, and Alfred had never loved someone so much in his entire life. Then again, maybe that was because Jack was the one who taught him what love is.

Alfred felt a smile, not too wide or fake but small and innocent and truthful, spread across his lips, "I love you."

Grass is green, the sky is blue, the sun will come up the next morning, and Alfred loves Jack. Simple as can be, and the most obvious thing in the world.

Jack's eyes lit up like a candle glowing in the dark, not explosive like fireworks, like he imagined Ivan would be, but soft and gentle and just right. Jack maneuvered them around so that he was behind Alfred, holding him in his arms, and Alfred's head was leaned back on Jack's chest. The Australian was the larger of the two, though neither were even near muscular but more slim, despite Alfred's many weight training sessions he underwent in vain. Alfred wondered, briefly, what Ivan's arms would feel like around him, holding him close. Then he remembered the cold of his wrist when their soul bond acted up, and he squashed the thought down. He related Ivan to the cold, and Alfred hated the cold with a passion.

"You know," Jack's voice was right next to his ear, soft and low, "I didn't think I'd ever get over Emilie."

Alfred cringed, his entire body slumping, and he silently prayed Jack didn't notice. Because he was the man he loved talking about how Alfred was the love of his life after he had lost his soulmate, while Alfred had just found his a few weeks ago and still wasn't sure what to do about the situation. He knew the other man would look for him but, fuck, he really never wanted to see Ivan again. He wanted to stay with Jack, in their house, in his boyfriends arms. That's all he wanted, that's all he could have ever wanted. When he was young he thought of his future, a future like this. In this twisted fantasy, though, it's not his universe set meant-to-be holding him, but instead a green eyed wonder who Alfred decided was his meant-to-be. Fuck the universe, Jack was Jack and Jack was all Alfred needed.

The Australian didn't notice the change in Alfred's posture, but kept on talking, "I thought I was going to be alone my whole life. After the grief, and the overwhelming sorrow, I was just kind of left with this feeling of damn my life is going to be a lonely one. I'm sure you can relate."

Sadly. Alfred had spent the first portion of his life alone, and would've continued to be alone if Jack hadn't come into the picture.

"Now I know better. Cause I have you, and I think this is my second chance. our second chance. The universe fucked up, took away our loves too early, and this is their apology. A second soulmate, I think. I know it's unheard of but in the time I've spent with you I've come to love you like I loved her. Hell, I'm sorry if this is too much..."

"No." Alfred shut his eyes, reached to grab one of Jack's hands and grip it tightly, "No, don't be sorry. Don't ever be sorry. I think you're right."

He could feel the happiness radiating off his lover, his soulmate, and it was contagious. Because, in all honesty, Alfred did think his boyfriend was right. The universe took Emilie away from Jack to soon, an this was the man's second chance. In Alfred's case, though, the universe had fucked up from the beginning by not putting Jack's name on his wrist and this overwhelming love he felt was just compensation.

"I'm so happy, Al, I'm so fucking happy you're with me."

Alfred smiled widely this time, twisting around so he was sitting right on Jack's lap instead of being held by the man. Smiling, he put his arms around his neck and leaned in, kissing the green eyes man intensely. Pulling back, he laid his head on Jack's shoulder and was content to sit there for the rest of time.

"I'm so happy too. You really don't have any idea."

They stayed there for awhile, holding each other until Alfred began yawning to which Jack took as a sign to head up to their bedroom. Gently nudging Alfred off his lap, he parted with him just long enough to stand before he swept his blonde lover into a bridal style position and began to whisk him away to bed. Any and all protests died on Alfred's lips as he buried his face in Jack's neck and all he could smell was home.


It was going to be their anniversary soon, two years and still going strong Jack boasted proudly. It had only been two months since Alfred had discovered Ivan, but the Russian was the last thing on Alfred's mind. He was about to graduate college, Jack had finally got his dream job after being out of college for a year, and they were celebrating two years since they met in a homey coffee shop in downtown New York. Alfred knew his boyfriend was planning something, he could just tell by the way the other man smiled, but he was content to let the man have his fun. He had to study for finals, and he trusted Jack enough at this point to not ruin his life.

So when, after graduation and Alfred was officially done with college and he had gotten his mastery in Mechanical Engineering, Jack told him to go out to the car and wait he didn't really know what to expect. Eventually his boyfriend came rushing out of the house, flowers in one hand and a wide, goofy grin on his face as he waved the car keys around. He opened the door of Alfred's run down pickup truck, as Jack had still yet to get a vehicle of his own, and plopped down into the drivers seat.

"They were in the sofa cushions!"

"Told you." Alfred rolled his eyes, and switched on the radio as the truck roared to life.

Jack worried his lip a bit before turning down the rock station that Alfred was known to listen to, "I need to ask you something."

"Yeah?" Alfred didn't notice to mood change, raising a confused eyebrow, "What's up?"

"I need to okay today's plans...I mean, it was sudden and a surprise for even me. I didn't really know what we were doing until-!"

"Jack." The American cut his boyfriend off, "As long as you aren't taking me to a shitty pizza place, cause you insisted on me wearing this fuckin' suit, then we're good."

"My parent's came out this month to visit." Jack rushed the words out, "They called and let me know when the plane landed, and then we set something up, but we don't have to go and meet them okay? It's up to you, if you're not comfortable with it then that's fine, you can just tell me-!"

"Shut up." Alfred laughed, smiling widely, "It's been two years, you dumb. Of course I'm chill with meeting your parents. As long as they're not zombies or something I think it's a great idea. Why'd I have to wear a suit though?"

"Because my mum likes fancy Italian restaurants and I didn't want you to look homeless and get kicked out."

"Ah, yeah. That makes sense, I guess."


The elder couple was waiting in front of their hotel, and Alfred could see that Jack got his looks from his mom. Alfred and Jack both exited the truck, Alfred suddenly pretty self conscious about it and really wishing he hadn't been so lazy last week and had just washed the damn thing, and immediately Jack's mom had her arms around her son as she hugged the life out of him.

"Mom, mom!" Jack's green eyes shined, "I missed you guys so much."

"We missed you too, son." Jack's dad smiled at his child and nodded towards Alfred, "Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Jones."

About that time, Jack's mom released her son and went straight over to Alfred. He flinched back, not sure what to expect from the woman, but she simply threw her arms around the American the same as she did her son.

"Thank you." She murmured so quietly Alfred could hardly hear her, "You don't know how bad he was, how much you helped him. I can never repay that."

She pulled back and ruffled his hair, green eyes a lot like Jack's shining with unshed tears, and she walked back over to her husband as though she had never said a word. Jack grabbed Alfred by the elbow, tugging him closer to the couple.

"Al, this is my mom Cynthia Williams. That's my dad, Joshua Williams."

"Call me Josh, son." The man with laugh lines around brown eyes nodded, smiling.

"Call me mom, dear." Cynthia smiled, though it looked a bit like a smirk.

Jack simply rolled his eyes, not even blushing, as he checked his watch, "We've got to go. Unless you want to miss reservations, which we are not doing cause it took me calling every day for two damn weeks to get those things."

Alfred was happy, and he was smiling, and he counted this night among one of the best he'd ever experienced. It cemented any fear he had of Jack leaving, and it made him understand just how much he needed his boyfriend, and just how much Jack needed him in return.


A/N: I enjoy some good ole Jack/Al fluff every now and then ;)

Question of the Chapter: Did you listen to IDFC by Blackbear? Does it not fit them, especially later on? Also, what do you think of Jack?