Chapter 5: Stand Alone

Word Count: 2,151

Shortest chapter by far. And the last!

Sorry it's so late.

Once more, centuries past, and Alfred did become a superpower once more, with Ivan's guide and support. But soon he was able to stand on his own. Alfred still woke from nightmares of what happened, despite his memory never returning, it was clear a part of him did. Ivan tried to sooth him and help him heal, but the damage was permanent, even though he was mostly standing on his own, strong again and physically healthy, minus both physical and mental scars. So Ivan could do nothing, despite his wanting to chase such scars away.

Ivan sat alone, after everybody had left after the G8 meeting. The bad blood they had held for America had diminished quite a lot, though unlike before Alfred made no friends, he seemed to avoid such a thing. He made trade agreements with others, but always made sure he came out on top. Ivan could almost say he was proud, if Alfred's distrust wasn't so sad.

There was a knock at the open door and Ivan stood so he could turn completely and look at who was there, it was Alfred of course. Ivan smiled, still had that bomber jacket of course, though it was in much better state than when Ivan had first found him in that broken down hospital. "Hello Alfred."

Alfred snorted, lowering his hand from where he'd knocked, "I've told you to call me America before."

"Yes, but you know how my memory is."

"Perfectly fine, actually." Alfred said, rolling his eyes before looking at Ivan once again, "What are you doing still here?"

"Remembering."

"What with your crappy memory?" Ivan shrugged. Silence fell upon them awhile before Alfred spoke again, "What about?"

Ivan hesitated a moment, "Did you know that, despite what many people have said, history repeats itself?"

"What history repeated itself?" Alfred asked, tilting his head. Ivan smiled, sometimes he forgot that Alfred's own memory was faulty. Nobody spoke of what happened in America before the fall of his country. Ivan doubted that the blond even remembered World War Three.

"Once, you were colony to England."

"I was?" Alfred asked, looking like he didn't quite believe that. Ivan nodded.

"You ran from him, of course. Became your own country."

"That sounds about right." Alfred muttered, seeming to catch onto where this was going.

Ivan ran his finger along the table idly, thinking a moment of what to say next, "The world should have learned then you could not be subdued." Alfred was quiet, not saying anything. Ivan sighed, looking up at him, "Why were you so adamant about leaving me?"

"We're not talking about this." Alfred said instantly, turning and walking away. Ivan followed after, narrowing his eyes. He would not let the blond get away so easily. It didn't take much to catch up to the blond and walk beside him.

"I deserve an answer Alfred."

"It was like a hundred years ago! Get over it."

"I am obviously over it, I just want to know why."

"You were just using me, that's why."

"How could you say that?" Ivan questioned, staring at Alfred, "I did not do such a thing."

"You were! I was just a piece in your game for world domination! And I didn't want to be part of it."

"Didn't want to be a part of it? What ever happened to getting your revenge?"

"I'm older now. I'm not a child hung up on revenge. Doesn't mean I trust anybody anymore, don't get me wrong, but I'm not after owning the world. That just seems stupid."

"I will never understand your views." Ivan sighed, shaking his head. Especially when Alfred would change quicker than the sea on what he wanted and what was right or wrong. They walked to the elevator and Alfred walked inside, though Ivan waited out. Alfred frowned at him, holding the door.

"Look, it's past, alright? I thought you were over it."

"I am still a bit disappointed, but I am not angry or anything anymore." Ivan promised.

"Well then… Are you coming tonight? You know where I'm staying."

Ivan thought about it a moment, Alfred looked almost hopeful, something different from his usual hard expression. Ivan couldn't help but smile, the blond said he trusted nobody, but he did seem to trust Ivan, and that was something, even after the civil war they had between them. Alfred still let his people come and go with only a passport, Russian was learned in American schools and there was a lot of cultural exchange. Plus, taxes on trading Russian and American goods was much lower than with any other countries. It was so much more than Alfred did with all other countries.

"Yes, I will see you tonight." Ivan said, he always did enjoy when they spent time together. "Stay out of trouble until then."

Alfred actually cracked a smile at that, "Can't seem to stay out of it." He said simply, letting go of the door to let it close between them. Ivan shook his head and walked away, back to the meeting room to gather the things he had left behind in his haste to follow Alfred.

Alfred was flipping through paperwork, eh. He really shouldn't procrastinate so much and wait until the night before. Now his boss was breathing down his neck expecting it by tomorrow. There was a lot of it too. He rubbed his eyes behind his glasses. Somedays he wished he was back to living in tribes and people thinking him a god. A lot less paperwork, and stress. The only thing he ever had to worry about was if somebody was stupid enough to attack the tribe he was with. Then Ivan and the other nations showed up. There went that life quick.

Looking up he gave a rare smile, watching Ivan sleep peacefully on one of the beds. Alfred always got two, it was the same price as one, so it was no problem. He always made sure to be clear with Ivan that nothing sexual was going to happen between them. It was hard of course, he'd be lying to himself if he said he didn't have a crush on the other. How could he not? He was the only immortal around that he trusted. Kind of limited his feelings. Like hell he was going to get to know many humans either. That was a slippery slope.

Still, Alfred didn't want anything to happen between them. Next Ivan would be influencing him to try and take over the world again. He didn't need that. Alfred honestly wouldn't know what he would do if asked again. He still hated the other nations. Seemed killing them once hadn't got out all his frustration with them. He did want them to suffer, but at what price? He shook his head, looking back down.

A lot of memories had faded over the years, but he still remembered waking up in an inclosed space far underground. There, he had met the strangest hurt creature he had ever seen. It could speak and everything. Learning of his memory loss, it had filled him in on some details. It had seemed to think them important, because they were it's dying breath. So, he had taken the information the heart, imprinting it on his mind that there were people responsible for the destruction of his people - though he didn't understand what 'his people' meant at the time. When reaching the above ground after wandering around in the underground place, Alfred realized just how bad it was.

Everything was ash.

Shaking his head once again to clear the aggravating memory, he went back to writing a bit more before sighing and looking up at Ivan again. The other had explained - when asked about the creature - that it was one of his best friends in the time past. It saddened him to think he didn't recognize it as such, but such was memory loss. He sighed heavily, looking back down again and tapping his pen against the desk. After a bit of this he heard a voice, "Something troubling you?"

Alfred looked over to see Ivan now awake. Right, he was such a light sleeper. Alfred ceased tapping his pen. "Sorry, didn't mean to wake you."

Ivan let out a humm, sitting up on the bed, leaning against the headboard, "It is fine. What are you thinking about?"

He didn't bother trying to say nothing. Ivan would know he was lying. Ivan seemed to know a lot of his mannerisms and could tell what he was feeling a lot of the time. It could be aggravating, or helpful. Depending. "The past."

"Always dangerous." Ivan commented. Alfred nodded, that it was. "Do you wish to talk of it?"

Alfred tapped his pen against the desk, thinking a moment whether he did, or what he would say even if he did. A question that usually surfaced to his mind came again, and he supposed now was the best time to ask it, while Ivan was tired and more relaxed and open. "Why is it that you saved me?"

"Ah, that far back. I do not remember my reasons now. I assume it was a good one, and perhaps you would have agreed. But I do not remember now. I think I simply did not wish for you to die. I hardly saved you though. You came back on your own." Alfred nodded, accepting the answer for now. He watched Ivan a moment, thinking about what might happen if he just stopped talking to Ivan. But then he'd be without a friend in the world, and after having one for so long, that seemed hard.

Still, Ivan held a lot of temptation for him. If he just agreed with the other, he would gain infinite power and control, for he knew they could win. It was tempting, but at the same time, he knew that there had to be drawbacks, even if he couldn't think of them off the top of his head and it just seemed wrong somehow. Not only that, but there was the more common temptation of simple lust. It was more than lust though, for many reasons. They were closed with each other then they were with any other nation in the world. Alfred wasn't really that surprised that something grew out of friendship, whether it was one sided or not he didn't know. He knew though that if he and Ivan ever got romantically involved, he would probably follow along with the plan of power to. They almost seem connected to him.

"What are you thinking of?"

Alfred focused on Ivan instead of his own thoughts. Right like he could say what he was thinking of. Instead he turned the questions around, "What do you feel towards me?"

"I know that it not what you were thinking of."

Alfred tilted his head in a mock gesture of innocence. "How do you know?"

"You do not care what people think of you." Ivan said, as if the idea was ridiculous. Alfred gave a smile to that.

"Call me curious."

Ivan huffed out a bit, taking a moment to think. Alfred let him, concentrating on the paperwork in the mean time. He hoped Ivan said that he felt something for him. But that was his heart talking. He knew if he did, then that would just lead to a downward spiral of darkness and greed. So he hoped Ivan simply said something platonic. Still, he wished so much that Ivan would say something that meant they could be together, even if he knew it was impossible in this time and place. "I think I will hold off on that answer for a time."

Alfred glanced back up at Ivan, a huge relief washing through Alfred. That meant they still had time, still had time to be friends, and be good instead of power hungry. What promise did he have anyway? That Ivan wouldn't try using him as a pawn again? None. "Seems you're dancing around something." Why else would he hold off on answering for a time if he wasn't trying to avoid something? What though, Alfred didn't know.

Ivan's smile twitched up, seeming to be amused by the subject. "We both are." Alfred had to give him that one. He was tip-toeing around the subject too. It was a dangerous game. If they did one thing wrong, the world would pay, and possibly them as well. But, they couldn't dance forever. One day, all of this would get answered, what that answer would be, Alfred honestly couldn't predict. One day, it would happen. Just not today.

Oh, did I just set this up for a sequel? I think I did. Oops.