It was a dark winter, and while the 'war' between the two nations was slowly ending, Alfred decided to visit Moscow, to prove their friendship.
During Détente, though, Al found something interesting about Ivan.
"Hey, Mr Soviet!" Alfred called from the opposite side of the room while Ivan was working on paperwork to send to the country's president Brezhnev.
"We're in the same room, don't yell, and I'd appreciate that you didn't call me:.. Mr Soviet." Ivan huffed and folded his arms on the desk he was working on. "Anyway... what?"
"I wanted to ask you something?" Alfred sighed a little, standing up from his chair to walk over to Ivan, and he frowned.
Ivan looked up and pushed aside the paperwork, leaning forward. "Alright... what's wrong?"
"You know how we came close to blowing up the world? Well... I think it was stupid of us..."
"What? Just you, or both of us?"
"Mostly me, I'll admit."
"Aha! So America isn't as big as it's set out to be!"
"Neither is the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics."
"You shut up."
A chat like this would be the norm for the two superpowers, and they didn't mind arguing, as long as no nuclear weapons were involved. Nobody wanted that.
Ivan slid a bit of paper back and lifted his pen, beginning to write again.
"Who're you writing to?" Alfred asked with a tilt of his head.
"Who do you think?"
"Bre- bro... bresh..?"
"Brezhnev."
"About what?"
"Well, ever since he's put in that 'Doctrine', things have gone down to shit, and many people are scared of my country."
"Oh- wait- is that the Doctrine that says if anybody goes against communism, he has every right to invade that country? Well, any country thats Eastern anyway..."
"Да, that Doctrine..."
"And I suppose it doesn't help your reputation?"
"No, it doesn't."
Ivan looked down and decided he wanted to take a break from all this paperwork, and stood up, his legs pushing the chair back. He took off his cap and set it on the desk. "I'm going to go and take a break in my room..."
"Okay? Mind if I join you, Nixon won't care if I don't get back to him immediately." Al shrugged.
"Alright, fine..."
Ivan took a quick look out the window; and instead of snowing, it was raining. Badly. The Russian began muttering small curses, holding his forehead. Alfred didn't know what was the problem. It was just rain, he was positive that Ivan had seen rain before.
And of course, Ivan was far too strong to be afraid of some rain.
Once the two got to Ivan's room, Alfred sat on a chair nearby while he sat on his bed, adjusting his scarf a little so it covered his lips.
Damn, that Soviet bastard looks adorable...
Alfred sighed and spun around on the chair, and thats when a loud clash of thunder could be heard, and Ivan jumped, his leather-clad hands tightly grasped onto the scarf.
Alfred laughed at the reaction, waving his hand in front of his face to catch a breath. "Oh my god! Ivan! You're scared of thunder?!" He wheezed out, and Ivan lackadaisically threw a pillow at Al, and Ivan huffed, glaring at the American.
"That's adorable..." Alfred muttered softly, before another clash happened, and Ivan sunk into further into his scarf.
Thunder was always a fear of his, but he didn't know why.
Alfred sighed and stood up, sitting next to Ivan. The Russian wanted to shift away, but when loud clashes echoed throughout Moscow, he felt compelled to stay by Alfred, and he clung tight.
"You know, for a strong Communist like yourself, I wouldn't have guessed you were afraid of some thunder..."
Ivan grumbled at this. "Да... but... there must be something you're afraid of..."
"There is. It's the fear of another war... but that fear isn't anything to worry about."
"I feel stupid now for being afraid of thunder..."
"Don't feel stupid..."
Ivan's head relaxed on Alfred's shoulder as he clung tight. Alfred felt slightly awkward, especially that he had his old enemy's head resting on his shoulder like they were as close as they come.
Ivan heard another clash and he yelped. That one was louder than the last. He closed his eyes and tried to forget about it, but he was panicked by it.
"H-Hey- don't look at me like that!" Ivan snapped.
"Look at you like what?"
"That look."
Alfred was looking at Ivan with an amused expression. It was funny to see Ivan scared.
But anyway, Al began subconsciously stroking the Russian's hair, which soothed him. And Al kept doing this.
At first, Ivan hated it, but he soon grew accustom to it. He relaxed even more, sighing a little. Though with every Thunder clash, Ivan jumped or jolted, but eventually, Ivan became more and more relaxed, his eyes becoming heavy, and he soon fell asleep.
Al noticed this after about 20 minutes of just running his fingers through Ivan's hair and sighed, placing his lips on the others forehead before gently laying Ivan down so he was more comfortable.
Alfred could have died from how cute Ivan looked, and he traced out a 'i love you' on Ivan's shoulder, which Ivan stirred from. Al flinched a little and laid down next to him, tucking him and Ivan under the thick blankets so they could warm up.
After a few hours, Ivan and Alfred were cuddled up, still in slumber, but just completely snuggled together. Like they never hated each other.
Alfred began to run his fingers through Ivan's hair in his sleep and Ivan forgot thunder existed while he slept, and all he could think about was snuggling up to Alfred.
That was when Ivan knew he couldn't hate the American, instead he just wanted to love him. Love him until the end.
Alfred wanted to help Ivan get rid of his fear, despite how cute he looked when he was scared.
