[Fanfic Translation] The Door into Summer - Part 8/?
Title: The Door into Summer
Author/Artist: ayami
Character(s) or Pairing(s): America/England
Rating: T
Summary: Arthur and Alfred were lovers for a while now, but Arthur seemed to be unwilling to move furthur in their relationship. As Alfred comes closer to the truth behind Arthur's reaction, things turn out to be more than he expected...
Translated from Chinese with permission.
Permission found here.
Chapter 6-3
Arthur crossed his bare legs and sat beside the fireplace, only wrapping his body in bed sheet. Alfred was like that too. The lingering pleasure still remained all over his body. He thought maybe just a small spark could make him reach orgasm again. Alfred was lying with his face up on the other chair. Their feet were placed on the small stool in front of the fireplace, rubbing their toes with each other in flirtation.
They were already hungry after making love. Arthur had finally dragged Alfred off the bed and rang the bell for the maid to deliver their food before the door. They could now fill their stomachs. Of course, Alfred didn't forget about the promise with Andrew. He gave it a big thick bone with meat.
Lying comfortably on the chairs, they chatted aimlessly and talked about whatever they thought of. From what happened on the other end of the ocean to the American continent, they didn't spare any detail. Arthur looked at the big boy who had his cheeks tinted red by the fire with a smile. He couldn't help but sigh.
"This is nice."
"Hmm?" Alfred looked him puzzledly.
"Us sitting here, talking, eating..."
"You forgot we also made love."
Alfred laughed. It looked nicer than any flower in the summer.
"Oh, yes." Arthur didn't argue back, "That's very important indeed."
"Am I getting better?" Alfred felt a little embarrassed, but he wanted to hide his awkward state by asking a question immediately. Arthur thought for a bit.
"I like... the way you lick my earlobe."
"I know."
"And those small foreplays, um, before you push in..." Arthur's cheeks became flushed and his voice trailed off. Alfred, on the other hand, protested in dissatisfaction, "It should feel pretty nice after I push in, right? I tried really hard to push in and out for a long time!"
"You-you git! Time isn't the most important thing here! Skills are more important! And...uh..."
"And what?"
"Well... you know."
"I know?"
"Yes. You 'should definitely' know."
"How am I suppose to know if you don't tell me?"
Arthur bit his lips. He thought why despite being well-known as the terrifying England, he always made a fool out of himself before this bloody brat. Alfred used his toes to grip his mischievously, then rubbed them lightly as if he was encouraging him to say the sentence he wanted to hear. Arthur blinked and felt his breathing becoming somewhat disordered. As a matter of fact, that sentence was only some combination of words. There was no need for him to be so cautious, nervous or... stingy. Wouldn't it be nice to just let Alfred hear what he wanted to hear?
"I love you, Arthur." But Alfred spoke up before Arthur could reply, "Even though I don't know why you're always so... nervous, but there's nothing to be afraid of at all, isn't there?"
"I don't know... I'm not afraid of anything in particular..."
"Never mind. It's okay." Alfred tried not to show his disappointment. He moved his body up in Arthur's direction and gave him an understanding kiss.
"We're together."
Arthur staggered at this, then he soon felt his heart warmed up.
"Yes. Forever."
Because of the washing from yesterday's rain, the scenery on the horizon brightened up. Everything looked so vibrant - the sky looked its bluest and those leaves shined with emerald-like light. Arthur squinted his eyes and looked in the direction of Alfred, who was playing with Andrew in the distance. He was sitting under the shade of a tree in the backyard and reading the documents he didn't finish reading yesterday.
After skimming through a few more pages, Arthur felt extremely annoyed. Every article of these acts made it hard for him to bring the subject up, but he still had to finish reading these messages then let Alfred know. He coughed, feeling pain in his chest. The wounds caused by the war had healed quickly, but the deeper injury would take a longer time to recover. Arthur took another glance at those two that were having all the fun.
He wasn't the decision makers of these acts but the executor. He could participate in the discussion, yet he couldn't change the decision. Arthur lowered his head and pondered, feeling something was subtle in between... A head of government exists for the country and the country exists for the people. They're interlinked closely with each other, but they're all "him". Arthur wasn't certain which side made him faintly feel something was off. It was like becoming aware that something was wrong with your body, yet you feel there shouldn't be any problem.
That's weird, he thought. Why would he think of such things? He read these acts with doubt and reluctance. Did these feelings belong to him? Or... were they someone else's?
In fact, every article written in this document were all very reasonable, but he just... didn't want to see Alfred making any unhappy face because of these articles. If Alfred was sad, it would make him feel upset too. Similarly, if Alfred was happy, it would make him feel happy too. There was a thread pulling the two of them together at this very moment. It made them so close with each other; every move could be conveyed to one another. But this thread was short, thin and stretched tight. It would break if pulled accidently.
Arthur wanted to hold on to the thread. But he wasn't sure if he should.
If he held out his hand and followed the thread, where would he go? What would be at the end of the thread? If it broke halfway, where would they fall?
Andrew ran under the tree shade first and circled around Arthur. He paused and put down his paper, holding out his hand to scratch its neck. Then Alfred came back too. He looked young and energetic in a simple white shirt and black pants. He gave Arthur a kiss first when he returned, then he stroked Andrew's fur. This had became their unspoken agreement already. Even if it was only a brief separation, they would give each other a kiss when they meet again.
"You're reading those again..."
Alfred let out a breath and sat beside him. Arthur poured a cup of tea and handed it to him. Alfred took a sip and said, "Lately, I think coffee tastes pretty good too."
"I still think tea is better." Arthur answered, not taking it seriously.
"Oh. Coffee and tea, tea and coffee..." Alfred's head turned a bit.
"How about putting them together?"
"Is that even drinkable?!" Arthur frowned and shot him a glance. Alfred grinned.
"I think, hmm, we taste pretty good together! You drank a lot last night too, didn't you?"
Arthur's cheeks became red in an instance. He gave Alfred a ferocious stare, "How many times do I have to tell you not to come inside!"
"But I'll clean it up for you... And I drank all your tea obediently."
"... That's enough. I don't want to talk about this in broad daylight..."
"Hmm? You're the one that responded first."
Alfred picked up a biscuit and bit on it. Arthur pursed his lips and stared at him for a long time with a flushed face.
"It's your fault for coming up with such an odd idea!"
"Ha ha ha." Alfred ignored Arthur on purpose. With his foot, he gently rubbed Andrew who was lying on the floor, "Don't you think Arthur is very erotic too? He's always thinking of doing this and doing that. Being a hero and meeting his demands are exhausting..."
Andrew let out a bark in cooperation. Alfred became more proud, "As expected from my good buddy! I'll give you some meat in the evening!"
Arthur really thought his head was going to explode from anger (or embarrassment?). He felt that he should refute loudly or scold at this person and the dog to rebuild his dignity, but he discovered in frustration that what Alfred said was... actually... not completely a lie... He was the one that took the initiative last night too. God!
While Arthur was still thinking in despair, Alfred had already finished the biscuit and wiped his hands. Then he took the document Arthur had been reading for a long time smoothly. Alfred's expression was relaxed and happy at first, but his frown gradually became deeper as his blue eyes skimmed through more texts. A while later, he finally put down the document.
"This is what's going to be issued this time?"
"Uh... yes."
Arthur nodded and then coughed.
"You haven't recovered from your cold yet." Alfred said in concern, "... It looks pretty serious."
"No, it's not a big deal." Arthur replied, "It's always like this after a war."
"... Why do we get hurt every time they fight?"
"They?"
"Uh, I mean..." Alfred didn't know what he was talking about either. He looked around nervously, "They... are them."
"I don't know what you're talking about. We're the total body of the people, the land and the government. Of course our body will reflect our losses after a war."
"Oh." Alfred responded quietly. It took a while before he spoke up again, "I don't like those decrees."
Arthur sighed, "I know you won't like it." He poured a cup of tea for himself too. "But such things must be implemented whether you like it or not."
"Why?"
"Because that's an order."
"Even though we both don't like it?"
"You should know." Arthur took a look at Andrew, who had fallen asleep already, "I'm England. This is my duty."
"And I'm America, the colony of England." Alfred said, "You're different from me."
"Yes. Different." Arthur gently touched the arm that Alfred placed on the table with his finger tips, "But our destiny is the same. Did you forget? We talked about it last night."
"Together." Alfred held Arthur's hand in melancholy, "But I just want to be with you."
"Something always has to be paid in order to gain more things." Arthur said in reassurance, "It has always been like this since the past."
Alfred didn't say anything again. He held on to Arthur's hand tightly and then let go.
He stood up with a smile still on his face, "Do you want to ride horses together in the afternoon?"
"It's my pleasure."
Arthur smiled at him too and put away the document.
There were only two days left before Arthur return to England. Alfred put away the growing feeling of loneliness and placed the apple pie that had just came out of the oven on the table. He wanted to take it to the living room and share it with Arthur, so he chose a knife, intending to divide it into portions first for eating convenience. But he accidently got his left thumb cut when he picked the knife up. Blood immediately seep out of the skin. Fortunately, it wasn't a serious injury. He was just cut by the knife and got only a small wound. Alfred didn't really mind. He was still focusing on cutting the pie. Then he put the knife away and carried the tray upstairs personally.
Walking up the stairs, he would find Arthur inside the innermost room around the corner. They had been very happy since this week. Everything except those detestable acts was pleasant. He knocked on the door and Arthur opened it for him.
Another kiss again. He really loved the feeling of being able to see Arthur whenever he opened the door. He really hoped some invention could make his fantasy come true some day. As he put down the tray, Arthur sharply discovered the wound on his finger and held his hand up.
"How careless of you." He scolded, but his tone was full of heartache.
"This kind of small wound will heal soon anyways."
Arthur kissed his wound, "I casted a spell on it for you."
"Magic? You still believe in that stuff?" Alfred said helplessly, "Are those imaginary creatures of yours still around you?"
"They're not imaginary! They really exist!" Arthur put down his hand and returned to his seat unhappily. Alfred pulled him over and pinched his face, "Whether they exist or not, it's fine as long as they don't disturb us."
Arthur grabbed his hand and gave it another kiss.
"They'll really exist as long as you believe." Arthur blinked. His emerald eyes were sparkling, "But you have to believe first."
"So your imaginary friends can only exist because of your belief? That's to say, they don't exist in the first place."
"No, that's different. They do exist. But as long as people don't believe in them, they'll die slowly and finally disappear."
"How delicate." Alfred shrugged, not really taking Arthur's nonsense to heart. He had listened to this countless of times since he was little, so he was already used to Arthur's ridiculous argument about fairies and unicorns.
Arthur nodded, "They're delicate creatures, all right." He picked up a slice of apple pie.
"So don't just not believe in them as you please."
"Oh." Alfred tilted his head and shook it, "I still think it's weird. This is like hypnotizing. First you have to tell yourself to believe they exist, then they'll exist!"
"Aren't many things like that? There's nothing weird about it. Just like religion."
Arthur continued to talk as a matter of course, "First you have to accept the Bible was not written by some lunatics. Then you believe in it, therefore God is in your heart."
"God is not the same as fairies." Alfred objected, "I believe God exist in the beginning. Otherwise, how did we appear?"
"Fairies and magic exist in the beginning too. It's just that no one wrote a good book for them, so they were regarded as heresy. Ah--it's a good thing that period had already passed." Arthur finished the pie on his hand and took another slice.
"But the way God selects sinners is unconditional. His selection is not based on people's ethical merit, nor is it because He foresaw the faith of the people that would take place."
"Ah... I forgot you're an advocate of Calvinism." Arthur laughed, "If you live a little longer, I think you'll probably experience the way those religions always change their rhetoric."
Alfred took a big bite and chewed on the apple pie. Still not convinced, he let out a soft snort, "Of course things are this way. Arthur, you had better give up on your imaginary friends soon!"
These insignificant little debates and days of leisure passed by quickly.
On the day Arthur returned to England, they were hiding in a secret place in the dock and kissing. The cold raindrops that fell from the sky landed on their bodies. Their clothes were gradually getting wetter. They were still immersed in the kiss until the bell rang, urging the last passenger to board.
With his blond hair wet, Arthur's forest-like eyes were deep. He quickly kissed Alfred's finger tips, taking a few more seconds to kiss that injured thumb.
"May everything be well with you."
"May everything be well with you."
They pressed their foreheads against each other, cherishing their final loving time together before departing.
==============================
The truth to what happened to Alfred is going to be revealed next chapter...
But before that, I would like to hear people's theory on what happened~ Would anyone like to share?
Their conversation was fun to translate. Oh Arthur, you and your imaginary friends XD
Author/Artist: ayami
Character(s) or Pairing(s): America/England
Rating: T
Summary: Arthur and Alfred were lovers for a while now, but Arthur seemed to be unwilling to move furthur in their relationship. As Alfred comes closer to the truth behind Arthur's reaction, things turn out to be more than he expected...
Translated from Chinese with permission.
Permission found here.
Chapter 6-3
Arthur crossed his bare legs and sat beside the fireplace, only wrapping his body in bed sheet. Alfred was like that too. The lingering pleasure still remained all over his body. He thought maybe just a small spark could make him reach orgasm again. Alfred was lying with his face up on the other chair. Their feet were placed on the small stool in front of the fireplace, rubbing their toes with each other in flirtation.
They were already hungry after making love. Arthur had finally dragged Alfred off the bed and rang the bell for the maid to deliver their food before the door. They could now fill their stomachs. Of course, Alfred didn't forget about the promise with Andrew. He gave it a big thick bone with meat.
Lying comfortably on the chairs, they chatted aimlessly and talked about whatever they thought of. From what happened on the other end of the ocean to the American continent, they didn't spare any detail. Arthur looked at the big boy who had his cheeks tinted red by the fire with a smile. He couldn't help but sigh.
"This is nice."
"Hmm?" Alfred looked him puzzledly.
"Us sitting here, talking, eating..."
"You forgot we also made love."
Alfred laughed. It looked nicer than any flower in the summer.
"Oh, yes." Arthur didn't argue back, "That's very important indeed."
"Am I getting better?" Alfred felt a little embarrassed, but he wanted to hide his awkward state by asking a question immediately. Arthur thought for a bit.
"I like... the way you lick my earlobe."
"I know."
"And those small foreplays, um, before you push in..." Arthur's cheeks became flushed and his voice trailed off. Alfred, on the other hand, protested in dissatisfaction, "It should feel pretty nice after I push in, right? I tried really hard to push in and out for a long time!"
"You-you git! Time isn't the most important thing here! Skills are more important! And...uh..."
"And what?"
"Well... you know."
"I know?"
"Yes. You 'should definitely' know."
"How am I suppose to know if you don't tell me?"
Arthur bit his lips. He thought why despite being well-known as the terrifying England, he always made a fool out of himself before this bloody brat. Alfred used his toes to grip his mischievously, then rubbed them lightly as if he was encouraging him to say the sentence he wanted to hear. Arthur blinked and felt his breathing becoming somewhat disordered. As a matter of fact, that sentence was only some combination of words. There was no need for him to be so cautious, nervous or... stingy. Wouldn't it be nice to just let Alfred hear what he wanted to hear?
"I love you, Arthur." But Alfred spoke up before Arthur could reply, "Even though I don't know why you're always so... nervous, but there's nothing to be afraid of at all, isn't there?"
"I don't know... I'm not afraid of anything in particular..."
"Never mind. It's okay." Alfred tried not to show his disappointment. He moved his body up in Arthur's direction and gave him an understanding kiss.
"We're together."
Arthur staggered at this, then he soon felt his heart warmed up.
"Yes. Forever."
Because of the washing from yesterday's rain, the scenery on the horizon brightened up. Everything looked so vibrant - the sky looked its bluest and those leaves shined with emerald-like light. Arthur squinted his eyes and looked in the direction of Alfred, who was playing with Andrew in the distance. He was sitting under the shade of a tree in the backyard and reading the documents he didn't finish reading yesterday.
After skimming through a few more pages, Arthur felt extremely annoyed. Every article of these acts made it hard for him to bring the subject up, but he still had to finish reading these messages then let Alfred know. He coughed, feeling pain in his chest. The wounds caused by the war had healed quickly, but the deeper injury would take a longer time to recover. Arthur took another glance at those two that were having all the fun.
He wasn't the decision makers of these acts but the executor. He could participate in the discussion, yet he couldn't change the decision. Arthur lowered his head and pondered, feeling something was subtle in between... A head of government exists for the country and the country exists for the people. They're interlinked closely with each other, but they're all "him". Arthur wasn't certain which side made him faintly feel something was off. It was like becoming aware that something was wrong with your body, yet you feel there shouldn't be any problem.
That's weird, he thought. Why would he think of such things? He read these acts with doubt and reluctance. Did these feelings belong to him? Or... were they someone else's?
In fact, every article written in this document were all very reasonable, but he just... didn't want to see Alfred making any unhappy face because of these articles. If Alfred was sad, it would make him feel upset too. Similarly, if Alfred was happy, it would make him feel happy too. There was a thread pulling the two of them together at this very moment. It made them so close with each other; every move could be conveyed to one another. But this thread was short, thin and stretched tight. It would break if pulled accidently.
Arthur wanted to hold on to the thread. But he wasn't sure if he should.
If he held out his hand and followed the thread, where would he go? What would be at the end of the thread? If it broke halfway, where would they fall?
Andrew ran under the tree shade first and circled around Arthur. He paused and put down his paper, holding out his hand to scratch its neck. Then Alfred came back too. He looked young and energetic in a simple white shirt and black pants. He gave Arthur a kiss first when he returned, then he stroked Andrew's fur. This had became their unspoken agreement already. Even if it was only a brief separation, they would give each other a kiss when they meet again.
"You're reading those again..."
Alfred let out a breath and sat beside him. Arthur poured a cup of tea and handed it to him. Alfred took a sip and said, "Lately, I think coffee tastes pretty good too."
"I still think tea is better." Arthur answered, not taking it seriously.
"Oh. Coffee and tea, tea and coffee..." Alfred's head turned a bit.
"How about putting them together?"
"Is that even drinkable?!" Arthur frowned and shot him a glance. Alfred grinned.
"I think, hmm, we taste pretty good together! You drank a lot last night too, didn't you?"
Arthur's cheeks became red in an instance. He gave Alfred a ferocious stare, "How many times do I have to tell you not to come inside!"
"But I'll clean it up for you... And I drank all your tea obediently."
"... That's enough. I don't want to talk about this in broad daylight..."
"Hmm? You're the one that responded first."
Alfred picked up a biscuit and bit on it. Arthur pursed his lips and stared at him for a long time with a flushed face.
"It's your fault for coming up with such an odd idea!"
"Ha ha ha." Alfred ignored Arthur on purpose. With his foot, he gently rubbed Andrew who was lying on the floor, "Don't you think Arthur is very erotic too? He's always thinking of doing this and doing that. Being a hero and meeting his demands are exhausting..."
Andrew let out a bark in cooperation. Alfred became more proud, "As expected from my good buddy! I'll give you some meat in the evening!"
Arthur really thought his head was going to explode from anger (or embarrassment?). He felt that he should refute loudly or scold at this person and the dog to rebuild his dignity, but he discovered in frustration that what Alfred said was... actually... not completely a lie... He was the one that took the initiative last night too. God!
While Arthur was still thinking in despair, Alfred had already finished the biscuit and wiped his hands. Then he took the document Arthur had been reading for a long time smoothly. Alfred's expression was relaxed and happy at first, but his frown gradually became deeper as his blue eyes skimmed through more texts. A while later, he finally put down the document.
"This is what's going to be issued this time?"
"Uh... yes."
Arthur nodded and then coughed.
"You haven't recovered from your cold yet." Alfred said in concern, "... It looks pretty serious."
"No, it's not a big deal." Arthur replied, "It's always like this after a war."
"... Why do we get hurt every time they fight?"
"They?"
"Uh, I mean..." Alfred didn't know what he was talking about either. He looked around nervously, "They... are them."
"I don't know what you're talking about. We're the total body of the people, the land and the government. Of course our body will reflect our losses after a war."
"Oh." Alfred responded quietly. It took a while before he spoke up again, "I don't like those decrees."
Arthur sighed, "I know you won't like it." He poured a cup of tea for himself too. "But such things must be implemented whether you like it or not."
"Why?"
"Because that's an order."
"Even though we both don't like it?"
"You should know." Arthur took a look at Andrew, who had fallen asleep already, "I'm England. This is my duty."
"And I'm America, the colony of England." Alfred said, "You're different from me."
"Yes. Different." Arthur gently touched the arm that Alfred placed on the table with his finger tips, "But our destiny is the same. Did you forget? We talked about it last night."
"Together." Alfred held Arthur's hand in melancholy, "But I just want to be with you."
"Something always has to be paid in order to gain more things." Arthur said in reassurance, "It has always been like this since the past."
Alfred didn't say anything again. He held on to Arthur's hand tightly and then let go.
He stood up with a smile still on his face, "Do you want to ride horses together in the afternoon?"
"It's my pleasure."
Arthur smiled at him too and put away the document.
There were only two days left before Arthur return to England. Alfred put away the growing feeling of loneliness and placed the apple pie that had just came out of the oven on the table. He wanted to take it to the living room and share it with Arthur, so he chose a knife, intending to divide it into portions first for eating convenience. But he accidently got his left thumb cut when he picked the knife up. Blood immediately seep out of the skin. Fortunately, it wasn't a serious injury. He was just cut by the knife and got only a small wound. Alfred didn't really mind. He was still focusing on cutting the pie. Then he put the knife away and carried the tray upstairs personally.
Walking up the stairs, he would find Arthur inside the innermost room around the corner. They had been very happy since this week. Everything except those detestable acts was pleasant. He knocked on the door and Arthur opened it for him.
Another kiss again. He really loved the feeling of being able to see Arthur whenever he opened the door. He really hoped some invention could make his fantasy come true some day. As he put down the tray, Arthur sharply discovered the wound on his finger and held his hand up.
"How careless of you." He scolded, but his tone was full of heartache.
"This kind of small wound will heal soon anyways."
Arthur kissed his wound, "I casted a spell on it for you."
"Magic? You still believe in that stuff?" Alfred said helplessly, "Are those imaginary creatures of yours still around you?"
"They're not imaginary! They really exist!" Arthur put down his hand and returned to his seat unhappily. Alfred pulled him over and pinched his face, "Whether they exist or not, it's fine as long as they don't disturb us."
Arthur grabbed his hand and gave it another kiss.
"They'll really exist as long as you believe." Arthur blinked. His emerald eyes were sparkling, "But you have to believe first."
"So your imaginary friends can only exist because of your belief? That's to say, they don't exist in the first place."
"No, that's different. They do exist. But as long as people don't believe in them, they'll die slowly and finally disappear."
"How delicate." Alfred shrugged, not really taking Arthur's nonsense to heart. He had listened to this countless of times since he was little, so he was already used to Arthur's ridiculous argument about fairies and unicorns.
Arthur nodded, "They're delicate creatures, all right." He picked up a slice of apple pie.
"So don't just not believe in them as you please."
"Oh." Alfred tilted his head and shook it, "I still think it's weird. This is like hypnotizing. First you have to tell yourself to believe they exist, then they'll exist!"
"Aren't many things like that? There's nothing weird about it. Just like religion."
Arthur continued to talk as a matter of course, "First you have to accept the Bible was not written by some lunatics. Then you believe in it, therefore God is in your heart."
"God is not the same as fairies." Alfred objected, "I believe God exist in the beginning. Otherwise, how did we appear?"
"Fairies and magic exist in the beginning too. It's just that no one wrote a good book for them, so they were regarded as heresy. Ah--it's a good thing that period had already passed." Arthur finished the pie on his hand and took another slice.
"But the way God selects sinners is unconditional. His selection is not based on people's ethical merit, nor is it because He foresaw the faith of the people that would take place."
"Ah... I forgot you're an advocate of Calvinism." Arthur laughed, "If you live a little longer, I think you'll probably experience the way those religions always change their rhetoric."
Alfred took a big bite and chewed on the apple pie. Still not convinced, he let out a soft snort, "Of course things are this way. Arthur, you had better give up on your imaginary friends soon!"
These insignificant little debates and days of leisure passed by quickly.
On the day Arthur returned to England, they were hiding in a secret place in the dock and kissing. The cold raindrops that fell from the sky landed on their bodies. Their clothes were gradually getting wetter. They were still immersed in the kiss until the bell rang, urging the last passenger to board.
With his blond hair wet, Arthur's forest-like eyes were deep. He quickly kissed Alfred's finger tips, taking a few more seconds to kiss that injured thumb.
"May everything be well with you."
"May everything be well with you."
They pressed their foreheads against each other, cherishing their final loving time together before departing.
==============================
The truth to what happened to Alfred is going to be revealed next chapter...
But before that, I would like to hear people's theory on what happened~ Would anyone like to share?
Their conversation was fun to translate. Oh Arthur, you and your imaginary friends XD