Rising Fascination

Midsummer

Sorry for the absence :(( I'm still having some writers block so this is gonna be a bit rough. Work is killing me I've been.... so busy 💔.... minimal research is going into this so please take it with a grain of salt lmao

1946, middle of summer humidity makes the air heavy, even in the middle of the night. Cicadas and bugs of other kinds sing their songs.

Alfred sits on the porch of his Virginia estate, wearing his short sleeve shirt tucked into his shorts. He's barefoot, leaning back with his palms pressed against the wooden deck.

His legs swing gently in the open air. Looking out to the open fields, watching the fireflies blink alive every few moments.

Creaks of heavy steps against the wood pull his attention away, looking up he see's the personification of Russia approaching him. Bright blue meet calm violet as the older man sits next to him. Similar to the blonde, the Russian wore shorts with a shirt tucked into it, although a different color scheme.

"It's very pretty out." He pulls out a box of cigarettes,  along with a lighter once the paper is between his lips. He lights it, inhaling the smoke as he looks out at the scene in front of him.

Alfred hums in agreement. "Y'know, those things will kill ya" he jokes, as nations it wouldn't harm them, and he holds out his hand asking for his own cigarette.

Ivan understands this and passes one off into his hand, where the younger holds it out and he lights it. The blonde inhales it, and legs the smoke fall from his lips with a gentle sigh.

Always being one for his words, he hates silence more than anything. Maybe that's why he's so talkative, filling in empty space with words as much as he can. Old habits die hard. "Things aren't lookin' too great with our governments, huh?" He leans against the beam of the porch.

The other sighs, deep and heavy as he turns his gaze to the American. "I don't believe we'll remain friends for much longer Fedya. Things aren't looking great."

Alfred shakes his head, and he lets out a laugh. "Hey man, who says we have to stop being friends?" He pushes the others leg gently with his food. "Just because America and Russia aren't doing great doesn't mean Alfred and Ivan are."

Shaking his head, he lets out his own chuckle. "You are naive to believe that. As personifications we can't ignore our political relations, it's our duty."

Blonde brows scrunch together. "Can they not co exist? I mean... what's with you older guys and wanting to stick to this... tradition of how things are 'supposed' to work? I like to think I'm Alfred before I'm America."

"But you know that's not true. You were born with that name, and you will die with that name." Ivan takes another long inhale on his cigarette. "Alfred, Ivan. Those are names that can change, we're not people and we never will be human. We won't exist outside of the countries we personify."

"It's unfair though!" He taps the end of his cigarette, letting the ashes fall to the ground with their glow, In a graceful pattern. "Who says that we're not allowed to be people?"

"It's just the reality of our species." Ivan no longer looked to Alfred as he spoke, instead watching the night in front of them. "No matter what, this is who we are."

Alfred sighs, letting smoke fall off his lips from the cig. He hums, and stares out forward. The part of him that wants to fight this is screaming, to keep talking. Fight that logic because he's tired of losing friends for just "being nations". Yet he stayed quiet through it, rather he'd just enjoy the moments he's going to have with his friend before he'll have to say goodbye.

Ivan held the small boy in his arms. He used the hem of his own shirt to wipe away the black substance from his mouth. He picked up the child and stood up, holding him securely. He looked at the liquid on the ground, noting how it sat on the ground and put him at unease.

The cold nation shakes his head, and pulls out his phone. He snaps a quick picture before starting his walk to the hotel. As he makes his way back, he quickly finds England's contact in his device and dials it. He waits 3 rings until the other nation answers his call.

"Hello? Russia is everything alright?."

"We found the spirit." He says, unsure of how to choose his next words.

"Excellent! Did Alfred get them?"

"Yes, but something is wrong."

There's a pause on the other line, he could hear the sound of breathing over the speaker. "Wrong?" he finally asks after a few moments.

"Please hurry back to the hotel, He needs help." Ivan doesn't bother to hear a response as he hangs up the call and with haste, walks back to the hotel.

Alfred doesn't remember falling asleep, but he knows he's dreaming right now. It was sunlight just a few moments ago, and he wasn't anywhere in a place like this. He also wasn't alone, now however he stands at the edge of a pond.

Once again he is small, wearing a gown he wore as a child with nothing else but his bare feet in the cold, damp dirt below him. He looks out at the dark surroundings, the water of the pond was oddly still despite wind causing the branches of the trees around him shake gently.

At the center of the pond, was a small island that could only manage to hold one large tree. The young boy tilts his head as he stares, studying the intricates of how the roots weaved together, and the distinct pattern of the bark.

He was in a place that looked so familiar, the tree itself was something he was so sure he knew, but why?

Before he had the chance to think more, he feels something bump his hand. Turning around quick, the wolf he had just seen moments ago stood before him. Beside her was a small rabbit, the one from the house.

"Oh!" Alfred smiles, wrapping his arms around the large creature and hugging her close as his hands rub her fur.

The animals heads turn to face the woods, each making their own distinct sounds of distress. Behind the shrubs and overgrown plants that covered the edge, shielding whatever was disturbing them, he could hear a sounds. One that he would never be able to describe, but it still filled him with a fear he'd never felt before.

He tried to bring himself closer curious to find out what could possibly create such a horrid sound, but before he could go any closer the wolf pressed herself close and prevented him from taking another step.

Alfred gives her a look, tilting his head as he questions why? Why wasn't he allowed to see, this was important!

Too dangerous, he realizes as he look deep into those pure eyes, ones that just moments ago were void of anything that could ever be good.

Right.

His tiny fists grip her fur, watching as black shadows leak out from underneath the bush. Hurry, a voice whispered in the back of his mind. Urgency.

Alfred's life was at stake, his friends and family, anything magical or beyond disbelief was in jeopardy. The gravity of his situation really hit him, he continued to shake but his resolve was now stronger.

"Don't worry." He whispers. "I'll protect everyone."