The Rare Pair Files (Hetalia)

Author: Ashynarr

Summary: Since there are a lot of rare pair that are, well, rare, I decided to dedicate a little side collection of all the ones I write from here on out, however often I end up doing so. Most America or Canada centric pairings.

Disclaimer: Hetalia's not mine.

Warning: Fluff. Absurd amounts of it. And AmeUkr.

Note: Iryna (Irunya) Chernenko is Ukraine's human name (last name is Braginsky in human AU). This is based off Hima's preferences for names (and yes I looked at those myself. I like it, alright?)

Child of Mine (Human AU)

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Iryna was asleep in the hospital bed, tired after the long day and the delivery. Alfred sat beside her, holding one of her hands in his own while his other arm carefully cradled a small sleeping bundle.

When he'd first learned of the pregnancy, he'd been shocked, then ecstatic. After twirling his wife around and laughing with her at the news, they'd gone out together to learn everything they (or at least he) needed to know for their future child. Iryna already had a little bit of experience with children, having helped her parents raise her younger siblings back in their snowy homeland, but Alfred was going in with no previous knowledge.

Their families and friends had been informed first thing, and with that came the flood of congratulations and various people stopping in to check in on them and the slowly growing life in Iryna's body. Loads of used baby gear and clothing had been dropped off by people who had them on hand, leaving the house in a ever-changing state of cluttered as the young couple worked hard to prepare.

Their Italian neighbor, upon hearing the news, had offered his services in painting the baby room and hadn't accepted no for an answer. The decision was a good one; neither doubted that their little girl or boy would adore the endless rolling fields and bright cheery sky, especially with the horses Alfred had insisted on running across them in wild abandon.

There had also, upon Alfred's horrified realization of just how much stuff in their house was dangerous for small children to get their hands on, been a rush to completely baby-proof the house. And maybe it had been a bit overboard to insist on padding every floor in the house in case their child fell down and hit their head, but once Iryna had taken control things calmed down long enough to finish the task.

But preparing the house wasn't all they did. The classes had been informative, if only to show how awkward the expecting father was with their 'training' child. Many a time his wife had had to step in and show him the right way to do something, leaving him blushing both in embarrassment and in the simple happiness that comes with knowing that she was with him every step of the way.

The best part of the deal, in Alfred's opinion, had been watching as her belly swelled, knowing that underneath that layer of skin and flesh was a life the two of them had made, a tiny miracle just for them. He would spend at least a little time everyday feeling the hard curve, hoping to feel the small kicks or bumps from the baby.

When he actually felt their child kick for the first time, the same swell of excitement had gone through him as he'd locked eyes with Iryna's own. That was about the time the two had started talking to her (a girl! Their little princess!), telling their child everything going on in the outside world and about their extended family and group of friends.

Each time he got a response in either a hand or foot pressing out, Alfred would beam and press back, launching off onto another story. Every time he finished for the day, he'd make sure to press a kiss to his wife's swelling abdomen before planting one on her lips.

Finally, the day came. The two expecting parents had been curled up on the couch with some old Disney movies playing, when Iryna had shifted uncomfortably. After another few minutes her eyes had widened, and she'd turned to Alfred and told him that her water had broken.

After a second to process it, the American had leapt up, wide-eyed himself, and proceeded to run around grabbing jackets against the evening chill and other things before helping her out to the car and rushing her to the hospital... where he'd then been locked out from the room. Which he had not been happy with even if he'd been told time and again why the husband wasn't supposed to be in the room during the birth.

He'd hesitated on calling the others due to the late hour, but eventually went through with it, knowing they'd want to be here to see the newest member of the family. The first to arrive had been Matthew, followed soon after by their fathers. Ivan and Natalya, coming from farther away, had arrived later, but still in plenty of time.

Then came the waiting game. The distracting banter had trailed off after a bit, leaving them all waiting for the news that they could come in. It was a long wait, and several of them had fallen asleep in their seats by the time the nurse had come out and given them the good news.

The hospital room felt much too small for the group huddled around the bed, but everyone wanted to talk to Iryna, who was still tired from delivery but happy to show the plastic band she'd been given while the nurse took her daughter off to be weighed and measured. After assuring them of her health, the nurse finally returned with the newborn in arm.

Alfred was the first to hold her, cradling her carefully. She was tiny, bald, pink, and still a bit wrinkly.

He was in love.

The couple had ultimately agreed to call her Anna, short for Anastasia, both a nice traditional Russian name and the name of one of Alfred's favorite characters from the movies they'd been watching. Looking at her now, asleep in his arms, he couldn't imagine a better name for his little girl. After a much-too-short moment, he handed the newborn back to his wife, who took her with a tired, happy smile much like the one Alfred had likely been wearing.

The others were shooed out now that they'd had a chance to see Anna, heading home to sleep in their own beds and start to spread the news the next day. Alfred remained, staying with his wife and daughter until the former fell asleep in the bed and only then reclaiming the bundle in her arms.

It was while he was drifting off himself, thumb idly rubbing the back of Iryna's hand while losing himself in blissful thoughts of the future, that Anna decided to wake up. Her light blue eyes blinked open, gazing up at her father for the first time.

If he hadn't already been in love, he would have fallen then and there. His hand pulled away from Iryna's to be offered to his little girl, beaming when she grasped it in her tiny hand while still looking up at him.

Even now he knew that no matter what was to come in the years and decades to come, this would always be one of his most treasured moments.

"Welcome to the world, Anna."

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AN: Personal headcanon of mine has always had Al leaning towards straight, at least romantically. Yes, I know, strange for someone who ships AmeCan as their OTP, but... I just really, really like AmeUkr (and AmeBela, but that's another story) and am completely appalled at the lack thereof of this cute pair.

This chapter was based on an image of Alfred with a newborn, and since daddy!America is sort of one of my kinks I figured – why not combine that with an underloved pair I want to write more for anyway?