Maybe in another time (Russia Hetalia x Reader)

Chapter 4

Unaware that Alfred will soon be hunting you down, you have sworn to live each day as if it were your last. Ivan, meanwhile, has debated whether to return you to the World Meeting headquarters, considering the possibility that you might be punished for your recklessness. Yet, he hopes to protect you and change your fate, unaware of what Alfred has in store.

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On the first day, you spend most of your time with Ivan. You cook for him and watch his favorite movies together. A part of you wishes that this day could last forever, or at least that the happiness wouldn't end. In the afternoon, you rest your head on Ivan's shoulder by the window as he plays his balalaika, humming along as he strums. As you listen, you begin to wonder why no one else has seen this side of Ivan—a gentle giant, though he can be cruel when necessary. With each passing hour, Ivan's love and possessiveness for you grow stronger. At night, you and Ivan share the same bed, cuddling as if your problems no longer existed.

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On the second day, the sun's rays slipping through the gaps in the curtains woke you up. You noticed that Ivan wasn't beside you. With a sigh, you understood that he probably had to work, as he often did. The thought that you were almost like his wife made you feel flustered. Deciding to get out of bed, you headed to the bathroom to wash your face and brush your teeth. Maybe you'd laze around or do a few chores to surprise him when he got home. You also planned to borrow his basket of knitting supplies; perhaps you could make him a new scarf since the one he usually wears is starting to wear down, and you knew how he often patched up the holes to keep it as good as new.

After finishing in the bathroom, you headed downstairs, where you caught the scent of something delicious coming from the kitchen. You rushed in and found Ivan cooking breakfast. "Ivan... So you were here all along. I was wondering where you went this morning," you said to him. Ivan chuckled softly as he stirred the pot, which, judging by the contents and color, must have been borscht. You also noticed Ivan wearing an apron with a rabbit print on it, thinking about how adorable it was.

"Need any help?" you asked with a smile. Ivan replied, "You can prepare the plates and cutlery, da?" "Very well," you answered, giving him a kiss on the cheek, which he found endearing. You went to the Hoosier cabinet and grabbed some bowls and spoons, neatly arranging the utensils on the table. Soon enough, you were eating with Ivan, and his cooking, as always, was top-notch. It never failed to amaze you. You praised Ivan for his cooking, and as expected, he became flustered.

Suddenly, you heard a plop, and something red landed on the table—it was his heart. Ivan panicked, quickly picking it up and putting it back in place. "I'm sorry... It pops out of me sometimes... Please excuse me for a moment, da?" he said as he got up from his chair, clenching his chest, and rushed out, likely to stitch up the wound where his heart had escaped. It was an unexplained phenomenon, but it never harmed him, considering he was immortal. Still, it always made you anxious when it happens. 

Unfortunately, Ivan wouldn't be able to spend time with you today as he had to go to work. He was hesitant to leave, worried about leaving you alone, especially since neither of you knew what Alfred had planned. But he couldn't refuse his boss, and you understood. You kissed Ivan on the lips and reassured him, saying, "I'll be alright, silly. Besides, you'll be back by night." Ivan agreed, knowing you were right; he would return. He sighed, smiled softly, and said, "I'll see you later, da?" You nodded in response. Just before he walked away, he told you, "I love you," and gave you a quick pat that made you blush before he got into his car and drove off.

You decided to clean the house, but despite Ivan usually being alone in his manor, it was always spotless and organized. You checked every corner, but everything was pristine, with no signs of dirt or mold. Sighing, you decided to spend most of your day knitting a new scarf for him. You had it all planned out in your head—a white scarf with a sunflower embroidered on the right end. As you knitted, you felt a bit anxious, wondering why Alfred hadn't come for you yet. You hoped he might have given up or taken your situation into consideration. But all you could do was assume, pray, and focus on finishing the scarf as quickly as possible.

You spent most of the day knitting until evening came. Then, you put the scarf away in a drawer, hoping Ivan wouldn't see it since it was a surprise. You went to the kitchen to prepare dinner, planning to surprise Ivan with beef stroganoff. When Ivan came home and saw what you had prepared, his heart ached because he felt you were too good for him. He hugged you and kissed your forehead. The two of you started eating, and the meal was perfect—just the way you both liked it.

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On the third day, you and Ivan followed your usual routine: eating breakfast together before he left for work. You continued knitting, though a sense of unease lingered. It was already the third day, and there was still no sign of Alfred. You tried to reassure yourself that the lie had worked completely and that there was nothing to worry about—or so you hoped. For now, you focused on your knitting.

The day was uneventful. You did take a break from knitting for an hour to explore the manor, but everything remained unchanged. Ivan's books and decorations were still in pristine condition, meticulously maintained as always. He clearly cherished his belongings. You wandered into his office, running your fingers along the bookshelves before pulling out an album to look through his pictures.

You felt a pang of envy towards Ivan for his immortality; he could live forever, while you were confined to a mortal body. As you flipped to the next page, you recognized a photograph from your school days. The picture, tinged with a yellow hue, showed Ivan, Yao, Arthur, Francis, and Alfred standing inside the old World Meeting headquarters. The photo was clearly old, yet Ivan had taken great care of it.

You continued flipping through the album, inspecting each picture as if you were relearning history. You noticed how Ivan never aged in any of the photos—despite how many times his uniform had changed, he always wore the same scarf that his older sister, Katyusha, had knitted for him when he was a child. A wave of sadness washed over you as you realized that, if you were to live without Alfred's interference, you would grow old and eventually leave Ivan behind. The thought of leaving him all alone again made your heart ache. Ivan had been alone for so many years, and it pained you to think that he would be alone once more.

Shaking off the feeling, you placed the album back on the shelf. Then, you noticed another album beside it, this one lilac in color with your name on it. Curious, you pulled the lilac album off the shelf and began flipping through it. It was filled with events and pictures of you and Ivan together. Your favorite picture was the one from your first visit to Ivan's country. You remembered that day vividly—how he had shown you around, telling you the history of each place in excruciating detail before treating you to his favorite restaurant.

After inspecting the lilac album, you placed it back with a sad sigh, wishing you could enjoy those moments again, just like before. You returned to the living room and continued knitting.