Chapter Text
"We finally have an update, everyone. Jones won’t be attending today's meeting."
The room erupted in murmurs. For about four hours, they consulted nations and persons alike on his whereabouts. The meeting was being held in the US after all; a casual meeting on agriculture that many wanted to be a part of simply for the joy of traveling again.
"He just called saying he was involved in a small accident on his way here and wanted to rest for the afternoon but said we could start heading out."
The room erupted with murmurs until a French voice spoke up. "An accident? Is he alright?"
Arthur nodded as he grabbed his phone out of his pocket to find Alfred’s message thread. "Of course, he's fine. He said he was too embarrassed to tell me so use your imagination on what it could possibly be." He handed off his phone to Francis who could only giggle.
"So, that adjourns our conference. I appreciate..."
The words faded to the background as Ivan began to gather his electronics and stationary materials. It was approximately a year and a half since he had last seen him in person. Everyone was being held up by something back in their homelands and both Ivan and Alfred were no different. They had only texted about some national news, had shared group calls, and ranted about a "cool, new show to binge-watch" before they both died off on conversation. Just two months beforehand, he overheard Yeong saying he had gotten a new phone number.
Now all the countries were stranded in Reno. Alfred had essentially promised them a small road trip to Las Vegas to unwind and reconnect but now everything was left up in the air. Ivan’s curiosity would not cease, however. What happened to the blond and where was he?
After gathering all his belongings, he adjusted his scarf and promptly left the meeting room to call his sisters who couldn't make it. He was debating if he should stay any longer than this evening since the host disappeared but another conversation made him stop.
An influx of countries stepped out to head towards the hotel lobby while Ivan spoke to Ukraine about the Nevada weather. The last country was Matthew, who was also on a call and when he heard a name he recognized, he couldn't help but listen.
"Are you serious?” He paused to grunt, becoming upset. “Why would you think that was a good idea, Al?" He murmured into the phone, halting to rummage in his pockets and briefcase for his hotel key. Matthew sighed, obviously due to what was being told to him. "Well, at least tell me you're healing? …Okay."
He finally found the key in the inner pocket of his blazer and held it there while he finished speaking. "Are you coming back tonight or tomorrow? Okay, just let me know. Where are you?"
Ivan turned his body at an angle where his available ear could hear more of the conversation and while all he gave Katyusha was monotonous 'yes's, he overheard Matthew repeat, "Dolan Springs? Is that near here? Oh."
Ivan took a mental note. Without meaning to, he repeated the location out loud to the phone and Katyusha questioned him.
He let her know about what was going on and that he intended to surprise visit the American if he could. Without Alfred’s presence, practically no country approached him and he truly felt out of place more than usual.
"Don't forget to give him the souvenirs I placed in your suitcase, please!"
"It will be the first thing I give him, Katya, I promise. Goodnight."
By the time he hung up, Matthew was already gathered with England, France, and Seychelles by the conference center lobby.
Unsure of whether he should ask them about Alfred’s condition, the Russian scratched at the handle of his briefcase with his thumb nervously. All he wanted to do was hand over the souvenirs and head home but something else wanted him to go the extra mile. He began trekking forward in an orderly fashion until the group stared at him, silencing in unison.
Ivan simply cleared his throat and smiled. "Hello everyone. I heard that America had gotten in an accident. How is he if I may ask?"
The silence continued until Matthew answered. "Hello! Uh, yes, he had a bit of a slip but he says he’s feeling better now.”
Ivan's shoulders slouched in mild relief. "That is good. Is he able to travel? I can pick him up, if necessary since my sister has a gift for him."
Everyone put on small awkward grins but it was Silésie who spoke up this time. "We have no idea when he's heading back exactly but I can save the gift for him if you'd like!” she offered, stepping closer.
"Ah, no it's alright. I can give it to him another time. Thank you and have a safe trip." Ivan promptly went around the lobby to avoid any other dry stares. He decided the present was to be delivered by himself only, and his departure would be soon after.
On his way to the hotel, he retracted his phone one more time to search for that one place. It was a small little town in Arizona just a half hour away from the Grand Canyon. It had a population of about 2,000 people and judging from the photos displayed, was simply arid desert and mobile homes, with no hotels in sight.
Ivan pressed his finger to his mouth as he figured out how to locate Alfred exactly. Then he looked up the distance between Reno and Dolan Springs; about an 8-hour distance. If he started now, he would be in Arizona by 4 AM or 5 AM.
The more he thought about it, the more he went against it. Just thinking about how everyone stared at him. Perhaps Alfred would react the same.
After gathering his one suitcase, Ivan observed the hotel room for anything possibly left behind. All he did was dissociate.
The objects that once again caught his eye in the room were the souvenirs his sister handed him sitting on the TV stand. He walked over and gently picked up the box, looking it over. 'I should just leave it with his family.' He surmised to himself.
But he thought it over. When would he really get the chance to explore the American West again?
He held the box and without hesitation, shoved it in his suitcase. He made his way through the lobby and silently checked out, before loading his rental car and setting up directions to Arizona. Ivan would take his own tour if no one else would.
After leaving the city limits, it was endless highway after endless highway. Nights in the desert were the darkest he'd ever seen. The rest stops were desolate and all he could see from his driver-side window was his reflection. Two hours in, all he could see was the silhouette of rocky, layered mountains. Five hours in, the dim light of houses near the highway only dragged through his peripheral and the radio began cutting off. A change in scenery came at six hours when the Las Vegas skyline rose from the horizon.
Once Las Vegas was in the rear-view mirror, the trip went by in a breeze. Dusk began to set and the landscape was much more visible now. He entered Arizona through the Hoover Dam bridge by 5 AM and was met by a great view of the Colorado River. If he has the time, maybe he'll take a tour there too.
After a few minutes, the canyons began getting flatter and with that, an expansive solar wind farm came into view. Before he could even take it all in, the GPS was telling the Russian to take a left in the upcoming turn.
He drove past one truck stop before coming upon one gated mobile home. Then came another. Then a few more established homes with little plots of vegetables. Some had horses, some had chickens. One thing no house had was grass and after his turn into the town, the roads were all dirt. Truly nothing but arid desert. But Ivan kept going straight.
It didn't dawn on him until now that he had no idea where Alfred could be. What if he had already taken off? He cursed at himself but drove slower. If anything, most of the town was visible just from the main road. He just had to look around for a sign of the blond. Was he driving the old red Chevy he had seen in Kansas? Did he have a large American flag hanging from his porch? Would his comically noticeable cowlick be noticeable from kilometers away?
Ivan only upset himself more. Five minutes down the road, he came across a small convenience store with its lights on. He just had to get another coffee before his brain shut down.
He stepped out of the store with a cold donut and a pack of cigarettes, along with a sugary coffee in his hand. He just set the coffee atop the car and leaned against it to light a cigarette. He absorbed the scenery behind the houses as much as possible while taking a drag of his smoke.
It was so warm here. Many resplendent orange and brown layers covered the canyon as if someone had painted them on. All he could do was admire it all-
"Russia?"
Ivan froze.
"Ivan Braginsky? Is that seriously you?"
Ivan stood off of the car and turned to the passenger side. Nothing.
"Right here, my guy!"
He turned one more time in the direction he had faced before. However, now he noticed a tall water mill beside the store that he hadn't focused on before. And with the sun rising, the person afore was just a shadow.
The shadow stepped closer almost as if he knew, waving a tall bag of ice over his head.
"Hey!" he exclaimed, partially laughing.
Ivan waved his hand up as well, flicking the cigarette onto the pavement before placing his hand over his eyes. Just the American he wanted to see.
"America, good morning...!" As Ivan walked closer to Alfred, he could see evidence of an accident. His right forearm was covered in a short arm bandage cast. He had cuts and scrapes on his cheeks and jaw, and Ivan was positive there was a large gauze pad on his torso.
Alfred set the bag of ice on the ground, reaching over to give Ivan one of his signature bro hugs.
"Man, feels like forever since I last saw you!" Alfred cheered. Ivan pat Alfred’s back lightly. "It sure does. It's nice to see you again, Jones."
They finally let go after a few seconds and Alfred quietly inspected Ivan for a moment, all smiles. "Did you get taller or are the painkillers messing with me?"
"Thankfully not. If I did, I would have gladly donated you some centimeters," Ivan teased, smiling back.
"Oh, haha, Braginsky." The blond only rolled his eyes. "But what on earth are you doing in Arizona? I was hitting the road tonight."
Ivan was prepared to respond but then Alfred cut him off. "Oh, shoot! I haven't even told you where I'm staying! I drove up here for some ice but my place is about two minutes down." He gestured towards the direction. "Follow behind me. You can leave your car there, there's a nice little cafe next to me we can catch up at."
Ivan gave a nod. "Sounds great."
He watched Alfred run with a bag of ice in his hand and begin revving up the engine, proceeding to follow the other man to wherever his house was.
They passed about ten different ranch houses, one community center, and a few empty plots before they reached Alfred’s house, and within his vicinity was one gas station, one convenience store, and the small cafe he had mentioned prior. On one side stood Alfred’s home, exactly adjacent to the cafe.
The American swung out his left arm to gesture to Ivan that he park in the driveway, and so he did. When parked, the Russian could finally admire the other's desert home. He stepped out of the car to assess it completely.
It was a simple 500 sqft house painted a bright tan color, with ivory-white stepping stones leading up to the front door and nothing more. Some cactus organically grew by the large main window and on both sides of the frame, and the house was surrounded by a short, asymmetrical wooden fence that looked like it hadn't been updated in years.
"It's not the biggest thing ever-" Alfred stated as he looked around with Ivan. "But it is fairly comfy. It sure helps when you're taking long road trips around the West Coast. Also, the Grand Canyon is straight down this main road."
Ivan made eye contact with him in amusement. "Really?"
Alfred nodded enthusiastically. "Yep! Maybe I'll show it to you after we eat something if you're up for it. Unless you wanna rest up, I'm sorry-"
"No, no, I am fine, thank you. I do look forward to fresh coffee," Ivan smiled again, officially abandoning the cup he just bought.
"Yeah, of course! Lemme just go put this ice in my cooler and I'll be right back!"
Alfred did his quick errand and both men walked to the cafe in less than a minute. Ivan ordered coffee and biscuits and gravy, which Alfred insisted he try, while he ordered coffee with a plate of two eggs, bacon, and three pancakes smothered in butter. They dug in happily and began catching up.
"So now I've mostly been sticking to agricultural research. Just remembering how all my advice went in one ear and out the other with ⊠⊠⊠⊠⊠, I don't wanna go through that again with ⊠⊠⊠⊠⊠ honestly."
"I understand," Ivan replied, sipping on his coffee.
"And the best part: I get to travel everywhere and get my hands dirty! The last time I visited Nantucket was in 2006! I finally returned just last month and it was great, especially in the agriculture department."
"I saw you speak about it in the conference transcript, it sounds beautiful."
"Oh, it is. I'll have to take you there someday... But how about you? What's been keeping you occupied this whole time?" Alfred asked, biting into his last bacon strip.
"Well, since the Pandemic started, I have begun a personal project to renovate my dacha in Moscow. I have finished the exterior but I had to pause on the interior," Ivan smiled before continuing. "Some elders neighboring me have wooden homes that they were not able to upgrade, or their children do not visit as often... I figured I would renovate their homes as well."
Alfred smiled brightly in return. "Seriously? That's awesome! Are you working on a few houses?"
"About nine homes now, and with the help of my sisters, we are about to finish ten."
"Aw, man, you guys are amazing for that! Do you have any pictures of one of the houses by any chance? Like a before-and-after or something?" Alfred asked as he emptied his coffee cup.
Ivan nodded, "Yes, I believe Natalya sent some to me," he retorted, groping around his pants until he felt his phone. He quickly turned it on and displayed the photo of a charming wooden house with a brilliant blue painted over the panels.
Alfred leaned over to assess it before just taking the entire phone from the Russian out of absolute awe. "Holy cra—p, Braginsky- you guys really did this yourselves?" He inquired in amazement, flipping and gawking at the photos jovially.
Ivan could only stare at Alfred’s expression for some reason. "Yes," he chortled bashfully. "I was the one who replaced the old panels. Natalya painted the entire home and built the fence, and Katyusha carved all the nalichniki around the house."
"Nalichniki?" Alfred genuinely asked.
"Ah, it is the name for the wooden decor on the window frames." He pointed to the windows.
Alfred’s smile was showing all pearly whites now. "This is seriously amazing, big guy. I'm sure those elders are wild about their houses now! Just wow!” he handed the phone back, still incredibly enthusiastic about the subject.
"Thank you. It is a hobby that has kept me very happy, especially during this season." Ivan took a portion of the biscuit and finally finished his plate (which he may or may not have hated as much as he imagined).
They let the moment dwindle between them when a waitress came by the table to top off their coffees. Alfred wasted no time in adding cream and sugar to it, while Ivan cleared his throat to speak.
"Ah, forgive me for not letting you know I was making my way here. I had found out where you were from your family and I thought surprising you was a good idea."
Alfred shook his head. "It's fine. I appreciate not being on my own over here.” He sipped his coffee. "So thank you for unintentionally making me company, Braginsky."
Ivan nodded softly, looking at his cup. "It is nothing. I also came all this way to let you know I leave today."
Alfred cleared his throat mid-pancake bite. "What? Why?"
"I left my sisters at home and it is not as great to celebrate without them.”
It was an excuse really, but Alfred didn't have to know that.
“Oh man, I didn't even think of that…” Alfred scratched his lower cheek, thinking. "Well, how about you stay till Saturday? We can go play poker or something tonight and you can have a little fun with us before you leave. I'll take you to the airport myself-"
"No," Ivan intentionally interrupted. "Thank you but I want to get home early."
"No, I understand." Alfred was quiet for a second.
Then he suddenly slammed his good hand on the table, startling Ivan. "Well, you're at least letting me take you to the Grand Canyon and I'm not taking a no!”
"But I have to go-"
"Have you bought the ticket yet?" Alfred inquired, getting up from his seat and pushing it back into the table.
"No, but-”
"Then you got time!" Alfred grinned, patting Ivan a little too hard on the back. Ivan begrudgingly got up right after, adjusting the collar of his turtleneck and setting up his scarf. "Okay, we will go. But I pay for breakfast." He declared while setting down a one-hundred-dollar bill. Alfred looked disgusted.
"You bastard. Trying to outshine me in my own turf?" He whispered in a feigned menacing tone, walking beside each other to the exit. Ivan just smirked. "Yes, any objections?" Alfred laughed again.
Once they exited the restaurant, Ivan immediately felt the weather slap him in the face. Before he could ask for the temperature, Alfred said, "101 degrees! Or, uh, close to 40 Celsius all day today and it's barely 10 AM." he tsked, putting his phone back in his pocket to walk to the truck.
Ivan let his eyes adjust to the bright sun and lightly pulled on his turtleneck. This heat was atrocious. He had way too much on and he cringed, realizing all the shirts in his luggage were more long sleeves.
He exhaled, figuring he could last just one more hour before he began driving to the airport.
"Hey, do you wanna change clothes or anything before we go?" Alfred asked, almost chortling. "I know you'll be dying in a minute."
Ivan shook his head. "No, it's fine." Now he had to figure out what to do about the sweat running down his neck.
"If you say so," Alfred shrugged while they finally reached his Chevy, taking out his car keys by Ivan's side. "If anything, I got my switchblade in the glove compartment. We can cut it up into a crewneck!" He teased the Russian while unlocking the passenger side.
Ivan simply mustered a benign smile. "I will kill you with it if you try to." Alfred laughed out loud stepping into the car. "Not unless this heat kills you first!"
The Russian thought about it and slowly unraveled and neatly folded his lengthy scarf before he stepped into the car, setting it in between himself and Alfred.
The blond revved up the engine of his Chevy and began driving upwards towards the canyons ahead.
It didn't take long before all they saw was a vast land of earth and desert flowers. The canyons they faced got flatter and more defined once Dolan Springs was in the distance and mile after mile revealed the expansive giant that was the Grand Canyon.
The ride was quite peaceful and very informative because Alfred had nothing but fun facts about Arizona to give to Ivan that kept the trip “entertaining.” It was when Alfred brought up all the towns bordering the canyon that Ivan remembered a question he had wanted to ask since breakfast.
"Can I ask why you bought this house? It is very pleasant but it is far from the city," he inquired, turning his head to wait for an answer.
Alfred hummed, almost like he didn't know the answer himself. "Honestly... I bought it at first for traveling purposes. Mr. Evil had me traveling to Reno and Vegas every other week for political events but I would never really attend them. I looked around for houses in Vegas, and they were nice, but I wasn't looking for anything too grand. Just a small space to stay at when I had to travel a—ll the way from DC to Nevada."
The Russian glanced again at the blond and then back at the road. "I can imagine those road trips were difficult."
Alfred responded with a long whistle. "They sure were!" he hollered, laughing. Then his expression turned soft. "But they were really good road trips. I would brace myself for what was expected at these soulless events, but it would all go away when I saw mountains, lakes, rivers, canyons. It feels really, really good being able to admire the land that made you all over again, y'know?" He looked at Ivan with stars in his eyes, so passionate. Ivan immediately locked in on that and was a little entranced.
However, it only lasted a second before they both stared straight ahead again. Ivan especially felt flustered.
His voice was lilted, still staring ahead and simply saying, "I know that feeling. It's like time rearranges and you are suddenly seeing everything for the first time, yes? It's a magical feeling."
Alfred nodded joyfully in agreement. "It sure is." He took one last glance at the other to give him a pat on the shoulder.
Thirty minutes passed and as the road neared a scenic view on the side of the road, the canyon opened to reveal the vast crater that the Colorado River had formed. The view Ivan could see from the window truly did not encapsulate the magnificence of the Grand Canyon.
The string of thistle on the side of the road cleared up to show the view entrance and Alfred swiftly turned into the parking space.
"This is it!" Alfred squealed, putting his truck into park. Ivan let his eyes wander. He didn't remember it being so bright, so warm. It was beautiful.
"Well, don't just sit there, man! Let's get closer!" Alfred hit him on the shoulder playfully before stepping out of the vehicle- but goodness, Ivan felt his shoulder pop with that punch.
Ivan stepped out massaging his shoulder but stayed close behind Alfred as he led him closer to the side of the canyon. Like the landscape, the ground was covered in a pale rock that mimicked the honey cake he knew and loved. The only greenery was dry thistle and brittle bushes that amazingly left equal amounts of space in between each other. Ivan stopped for one second to look out again. The view was already amazing from where they were but Alfred had a different angle to show him.
The blond pointed to an extended, taller view just a few steps away from them. "Just wait till we get there, Braginsky. It's uncanny!"
The ground did seem more uneven to reach that side of the viewpoint but Ivan followed regardless. Alfred gave Ivan the 411 about all the cool and shiny minerals he had found in that same location. They encountered a few roadrunners hanging about and even a few bighorn sheep stood on a distant cliff when the hill leading up to the extension reached them.
Ivan just stared down at his feet. These dress shoes weren't the greatest for this type of terrain and he wasn't sure he could make it up.
Looks like Alfred read his mind because he went ahead and backed up some paces before running up the rugged edge with the heels of his boots. Alfred took in air and stared off towards the end of the view before giving his attention to the Russian below.
Ivan kept thinking of how to keep his footing on the more jagged areas when Alfred hunched over, reaching his left arm out. His head nodded upward, telling the other to get on up here. Ivan smiled.
He took the hand offered and dug his foot on the side of the hill for traction.
"One, two, three-!" Alfred squeezed Ivan's hand and with his casted arm, held his forearm and pulled the Russian up with a steady strength while he ran up.
He was finally up there! But for another brief moment, they stared at each other, just catching their breath. Ivan admired the light flush in Alfred's face, his bright smile, and his dimples that were especially noticeable in the warm sunlight. But Ivan wouldn’t comment on it.
Suddenly, Alfred gave the hand he was holding a violent handshake in an awkward attempt to be comedic. "Welcome to the view, B!” he cheered. Ivan could only bite his tongue at the displacement of his arm as the other made way for him to walk towards the edge of the canyon.
Alfred let go of Ivan's hand and giddily made it towards the canyon's peak, pulling on the Russian by his overcoat sleeve. Ivan kept the pace and before they knew it, they had reached the end of the cliff.
—And there was the Grand Canyon, in its full glory. The view was breathtaking.
The elevation brought with it a breeze that invigorated Ivan. It woke him up from the daze the long drive had left him in, allowing him to wholly take in the sight.
Gorgeous warm colors covered the canyons, continuing past them to the vast distance below. They could hear the whistle of unseen birds somewhere behind them that added such a lull to the experience, but what astonished the Russian the most was the silence of the river below. There was only a small amount of water running through, assuming it had to do with the dam, but it still caught and reflected sunlight like moissanite. He blinked to adjust his vision.
He was enthralled. It was enough to distract him from the sweat drenching his forehead that had annoyed him before.
Something in the back of his head said he had been here before. Perhaps not in this exact location, but somewhere facing these similar red canyons. Nothing came to mind.
However, Alfred was faster than that.
"Remember in... was it 1871? 1874? You had brought over Grand Duke Alexis to tour the country with President Grant? Buffalo Bill?" Alfred turned to Ivan. "We took a big ole horseback trip to the southern part of the canyon before you guys had left."
Ivan thought for a second, looking off in the distance. Then it clicked! Ivan sharply veered his head to Alfred with wide eyes, making the other laugh. "Yes!" he exclaimed, the memories coming back to him. "It was when you had introduced us to him and Mr. Spotted Tail, yes?”
The blond nodded happily. "Yeah! Remember when we took Alexis to meet Ulysses and how nervous he was? After that, we traveled all the way down to Kansas for all the parties they had put together for him?"
Ivan's smile was genuine.
"Yes. I still remember how intoxicated he had been before we got to Colorado." he chuckled, making Alfred laugh again.
"Yes! Oh man, do you remember how he tried shooting at those buffalo during the train ride from his window-"
"-And did not land one shot? Yes, I do," Ivan declared, joining Alfred in his laughter.
Alfred wiped the tears forming in the corners of his eyes and Ivan cleared the sweat from his forehead by slicking his hair back.
"It was in 1872,"* Ivan murmured after breathing in, Alfred listening. "I remember because Alexis had turned 22 on this trip... and he would not stop speaking about the trip for the rest of the year."
Alfred gave Ivan another magnificent smile before turning to the canyon and shrugging. "Oops!" he mocked. "What can I say? My kick-ass parties and sceneries just tend to have that effect on people, Braginsky- you know this."
"I do," Ivan agreed.
He flinched at the involuntary compliment he paid Alfred and turned to the canyon as well in hopes that he didn't catch his statement- but he did. Alfred was all smiles, so much so that his dimples were digging into his cheeks.
They enjoyed a moment of silence to bask in the majesty of their setting.
In his peripheral, Alfred felt velvet eyes warm the side of his face. He wanted to look but remained hesitant for reasons he didn't care about.
It was then that Ivan spoke. "I'm sorry but can I ask you a question?"
Alfred nodded. "Shoot."
"Your siblings had let me know you had an accident during your trip. I did notice some scratches on your face. Can I ask you what happened?"
Alfred stayed quiet and had gotten visibly tense as he folded his arms together. However, the oral response Ivan got said something else.
Suddenly, Alfred's face was covered in blush. "I... I'm sorry, I can't."
Now, Ivan was fully intrigued. "Why not?”
Alfred cringed and shook his head. "...I'm too embarrassed to say."
The Russian lightly scoffed. "Jones, I have seen you walk into glass doors multiple times. Can it be more embarrassing than that?"
Alfred gave a loud sarcastic laugh. "Oh, it's ten times more embarrassing than that, Braginsky!" He shook his head again and even harder. "Nope, sorry. Can't tell you."
Ivan scanned Alfred's face in search of an answer and Alfred stared right back, unfazed. Since he couldn't find one, he gave up.
"Okay, I understand," Ivan said, a full smile on his face.
Alfred glanced at Ivan and back at the canyons. They stood idle for a few seconds more, simply enjoying each other's company.
That is when Alfred remembered something; pictures! He patted his back pockets and brought out his phone once he felt it. "Hey, let me take a picture of you real quick!" Alfred suggested while he took some steps back, hands searching for the camera app.
Ivan's eyes followed the American's steps with a confused expression. "Ah, that isn't necessary-"
Alfred moved the phone from his face to speak directly to the other, "Oh c'mon, it's for your sisters! You know Kat loves it when you take pictures everywhere! And since Nat probably knows you're with me, I want her to know I'm sending you back in mint condition."
Ivan chuckled, shaking his head at what he just heard- but he did as told and looked around the edge for the best position.
Alfred angled his phone horizontally, pressing it closer to his face, and used his left hand to give the screen more visibility; the sun was really shining now.
Through the bothersome reflection, Ivan stood tall on the edge. Dark clothing, white hair, and ivory skin; the juxtaposition of the warm, red desert around him. Alfred thought the contrast made him look especially handsome.
"Alright, gimme a good George Clooney pose, big guy!" He shouted, motioning Ivan to the left with the shading hand.
Ivan looked at the ground and just held his hands together in front of him, quickly adjusting his sweat-drenched turtleneck and getting back in position.
Alfred couldn't be more offended. "What in god's green earth is that, Braginsky? You tryna give me Clooney or passport photo?"
Ivan burst out in laughter, breaking from his position to cover his face in the absurdity of Alfred's words.
Alfred laughed too, setting the phone down. "You know I'm right! C'mon, you gotta give me brickhouse vibes! Like this-" he folded his arms together and turned almost in full profile with his torso facing Ivan, his right leg standing straight in support, while his left stood out one inch ahead. That just made Ivan laugh even harder.
"I'm being serious!" Alfred yelled in response, trying to control his own laughter in the process. "Gimme Ivan Drago; tall, brooding sexy man!"
Ivan finally composed himself enough to mimic the pose Alfred had shown him. Through it all, his wide smile didn't falter once—and that is exactly what Alfred was hoping for.
He lifted the phone to his face again, and with a giggle or two, took three good photos of Ivan Braginsky back-to-back.
"Perfect!" Alfred exclaimed, putting his phone down while walking towards Ivan. The Russian met him halfway with a glowing expression. He angled the phone to Ivan, who took it to check out the photos. Alfred swiped back and forth with the ones he snapped to show Ivan and he was beyond content. He loved them.
"You are truly unique, Jones," Ivan said with a pat on his shoulder, silently giving his appreciation through it. Alfred pushed his glasses up with a playful ego. "It's a gift and a curse."
Ivan's cheeks were killing him at this point. He didn't remember the last time he smiled this much.
The Russian reached out to hand the other his phone back, but was quickly guilted into another photo—but this time, it was for a selfie together. Now, he just followed Alfred's passionate expertise on how and where to stand and tried to hold in his laughter when Alfred moved him around like a mannequin.
They took a myriad of selfies that completely captured the Grand Canyon just shimmering miles below them and sifted through them all to make sure they were clear enough. After bantering some more and Ivan officially growing more and more frustrated with the itchy sweat covering his face and neck, Alfred suggested they head back into town.
They made it to the Chevy in a heap of dirt-covered shoes and hot, flushed faces. With how distracted their conversations had them, the Arizona heat didn't strike until they began walking to the car and- "Crap!" Alfred shouted, frantically rummaging under the driver's seat and in the cargo bed. He had completely forgotten to bring water.
Alfred just admitted defeat and got in the driver's seat with Ivan following suit. "We'll have to fare with no water for a little bit, big guy," he whispered, grinning apologetically. Ivan gave himself time to adjust his turtleneck and wipe the sweat through his hair. "It's fine," Ivan said with a tame grin and the reddest face Alfred's ever seen.
Alfred kept the giggle to himself this time and quickly started up the car to get the AC going. In one minute, he was on the road again. He started right where he left off by telling Ivan of the magnitude of the canyon, the way his men had built the Hoover Dam, and how there are some old abandoned mines in the area that he swears are haunted. Ivan just listened.
The half-hour drive went by in a blur and before they knew it, the clarity of the music on the radio told them they made it back to Dolan Springs.
The American set up the truck parallel to the fence and quickly turned off the engine. The first thing he did was stretch his arms all the way across the steering wheel. "Woo!" he shouted in relief. Stepping out of the car, he took another good stretch before locking his Chevy and walking towards Ivan, who had already made it to the driveway.
"I know you’re thirsty. I got water waiting for us inside! C'mon in!" Alfred gave Ivan a pat on the back gesturing him to walk forward but moved forward without him.
Looking for the house key, he continued, "And don't worry about your luggage, dude, I can bring it in later when the sun goes down!”
Alfred kept fumbling with the keys in search of the right one for the house. He mumbled curses at himself for not labeling that pesky house key but as soon as he set eyes on the correct one, Ivan said, "Thank you, Jones, but I will be heading to the airport now."
Alfred lost the key again hearing that. "What? It's barely noon!” he objected, turning to face the Russian about to open the car door of his rental.
"Yes, which is why I want to leave now. I can be home by the morning if I head out now." Ivan refuted, now searching for his keys in his pants pockets.
Alfred huffed, just annoyed now. "Oh seriously, what will it save you, two minutes? You don't even wanna step in for water?"
"I can buy water on the way," Ivan replied, unmoved.
Alfred just frowned now, unsure of what to say, and Ivan noticed. The blond scratched at the side of his head and then turned back to Ivan. “Okay, we can do this: since you’re driving a rental, I can drive you to the airport and you leave me the car. When everyone gets to Vegas tomorrow, I’ll drive the car up to the rental center and just have my bro pick me up. How does that sound?”
Ivan thought about it silently. “That would not inconvenience you, Jones? The drop-off is near the airport, I am sure.”
“Well, I want to help save you time. It’ll help you get home sooner.” Alfred persuaded.
The Russian stayed silent until he nodded his head. “I would appreciate it.”
He smiled. “Alright! It’s done- but only on the condition that you let me give you a house tour before we head out.”
Ivan stopped looking for the car keys and with exasperated eyes made his way to the entrance of the house. Alfred ran to the doorknob to unlock the home before the other tried running off again, finding it extra quickly this time.
He opened the door finally and pushed it wide open to allow the taller man a first view and with a polite nod, Ivan stepped inside.
First impression? Jones was wholeheartedly obsessed with cowboy aesthetics to an unhealthy degree.
The first thing that caught the Russian’s eye was the décor on the walls. To the left side of the entrance, where the dining table was placed, was a wall of numerous license plates from every American state. Ivan looked down over every single one before carefully admiring the wooden table and the centerpiece; a six-pack of small unopened vintage cola bottles. Walking further into the home revealed a nice laminated wood floor, with one rainbow pattern rug laying snug in between one brown suede couch and TV stand. The couch leaned against the window facing the driveway while the box TV was on the adjacent wall—and was that really a box television?
Alfred closed the door behind him and stood in the middle of the room to let Ivan process the feel of it. He was also freaking proud of his tedious interior design.
“Not too shabby, right?” Alfred said with a smile, keeping his two thumbs in his jean pockets.
Ivan hummed a response, now distracted by the framed pictures of deserts and mountains hung up near a short hallway. He assumed it led to the rooms. On the left side of the photos was the doorless entrance to the kitchen, which was just a small 5x5 space with lower and wall cabinets, a gas stove, a yellowing refrigerator, and a shiny silver industrial sink.
Ivan made an entire 360 turn to take it all in. Not one piece of wall was untouched. Alfred hung up old cuckoo clocks, a deer mount, and even some horseshoes. It was unbelievably American.
Despite this fact, the house felt welcoming.
“It is very nice,” Ivan added to the silence, “It is very you.”
“Why, thank you. I was going for a survivalist-anti-government-uncle-hiding-in-a-bunker type of feel, so I assume I nailed it?” he jokingly questioned as he walked towards the bedroom hallway that was only about six feet long.
Ivan simply smiled, nodding his head as he followed the American. There was no reason to take big steps because Alfred easily opened three room doors from where they stood. The first door he swung open had a large window facing the backyard. Ivan looked off into the distance and saw a couple of repurposed rubber tires with multicolored flowers growing from them. Even further, there was a fragile chicken wire fence surrounding the perimeter of the backyard, where a nice standalone hammock lay under a large mesquite tree.
He had completely forgotten about the room before him until Alfred snapped him out of it.
“This here’s the main bedroom. It’s just a little built-in closet on this side,” Alfred pointed to the left side of the door. “And a nice queen-size mattress that came with that nightstand there.”
Ivan nodded his head in approval. “It is nice. Not so crowded,” he murmured, looking at the tan shades of the roof and walls; identical in color to the living room.
“Honestly, I didn’t really think about the décor. All this stuff was bought at thrift stores and yard sales- you find some dandy stuff on a long road trip.”
He took about five steps before they were in the second room, but this one was twice as small as the first. To conserve space, the bed had been shoved into the corner. All else in the room was a single-door closet and a small bureau with a reading lamp atop it, as well as one horizontal window in the middle section that overlooked the neighbor’s patio door.
“This room’s a bit smaller and it doesn’t have as good a view as the main room, but on the plus side, you don’t get the sun all up in your face in the morning.” Alfred pointed to the bed that had a plain white bed set.
Ivan nodded again in approval, assessing the entirety of the room. The house was much smaller than it appeared on the inside, and yet it had a guest room: a compact but comfortable guest room that radiated warmth.
They soaked up the details of the last bedroom before Alfred led them to the restroom, which was also five steps away.
Alfred pushed open the bathroom door until it hit the wall. It was a cozy washroom with a plain white countertop sink, toilet, and shower/bath combo. “And this is the bathroom. Practically spotless because I’m barely here but it’s a little dusty,” he laughed.
Ivan overlooked the entire bathroom just from where he stood in the doorway. He adored it. Larger houses just depressed the Russian more. Furniture and dust would often take up space where people should be, but this home- it's just right for one or two people.
Alfred continued with his tour of the house by finally leading to the kitchen, which was connected to the living room by a doorless arch they had already seen. He gave him a sneak peek of the empty cupboards, aside from a jar of olives and two packets of instant mashed potatoes, then he turned to the appliances.
“Since I haven’t visited the house in a minute, most of the appliances don’t work. And uh…” Alfred pats the stove lightly, staring embarrassed as he spoke with Ivan. “I think I broke the gas valve on it when I tried reconnecting it, so for now it’s out of commission.”
Ivan hummed, observing, and spotted the fridge plug poking out from underneath it and caught the plugs. They were extremely fried to the point where they inflated and bent outward.
Alfred noticed what Ivan noticed and laughed it off awkwardly as his boot shoved the cable underneath the fridge. “Uh… silly me kinda left it plugged in this whole time and it burnt out the outlet…”
Ivan shook his head with a smile. “Incredible work, Jones.” He said, walking into the living room again.
“It’s an old fridge, Braginsky, not my fault!” Alfred clamored back, following the Russian and stopping in the middle of the room with him.
They stood still momentarily, staring at one thing or another and turning to spot more.
“It’s a beautiful home. I would like to have something like this one,” Ivan admitted to Alfred.
Alfred looked directly at Ivan, then at a license plate. “Thanks, B. If you ever want to stay here, let me know. You’re always welcome here.”
Alfred’s face softened, Ivan turning from the license plates himself to look at pale blue eyes that were only inches away. Oh, how he hated looking at them.
“We should get going now,” Ivan whispered as he stepped back.
It only bugged Alfred a little.
“Ah, you’re right…” He laughed the feeling off, scratching the back of his head. “I’ll go get us some water bottles from the cooler-“
“Can I use your bathroom, please?” Ivan asked, already moving towards the door as Alfred gave him the go-ahead with his good hand.
“Yeah, of course! Take your time.” He replied, letting the other go to head out to the back porch.
Ivan didn’t have to use the restroom, as much as just to wash his salty face. All the sweat was bothering him and this ball of mixed emotions in his throat was making him nauseous. He couldn’t wait to be back home.
Two splashes of water over his face became three and Ivan was freshened up and ready to leave.
Opening the bathroom door led to silence. He held his overcoat in his arms, as it was 110 degrees at this point, and fanned the bottom of his shirt before tucking it back in. He looked in the rooms and peered at the living room. Not seeing him, Ivan continued to the middle of the living room, where he scanned the room and the kitchen in the process, and—there he was.
Alfred stood leaning against the patio doorframe, with what appeared to be two cold beers in each hand. He stared right at Ivan when he raised them.
“Want one?” Alfred offered cheekily, wiggling the glass bottle like a salt shaker as he held the other to his chest.
Ivan glared at him. “Jones, you are driving.”
Alfred frowned, just holding up the beer to Ivan now. “Just one! We’ll drink it here!” he whined.
“No,” Ivan answered sternly, rather declared.
They both stood in awkward silence.
Then Alfred sighed, bringing the bottle down with his arm. He leaned his head on the door frame, thinking if he really wanted to do it. “...Oh, fuck it,” he whispered to himself. He stood straight, off the frame to address Ivan. “Look, if you just drink like two beers with me… I’ll tell you what happened… what my accident was about.”
Ivan made full eye contact with Alfred now.
“Is that so? The entire story?”
Alfred nodded. “All of it. Pinkie promise, no bullshit. And it’s a real good story, too,” he added, smirking.
Ivan thought about it. He fumbled with the overcoat in his hands, turning his head to the front door, then back at Alfred.
Damn it if he didn’t want to know what idiotic thing Alfred had gotten himself into. Ivan sighed with a gentle shake of his head.
Alfred caught the expression and gave him a big grin, getting the message loud and clear.
“Just one beer, you understand?” Ivan pronounced, walking to the patio door as Alfred nodded in agreement. “Just one!” Alfred reiterated, turning from the door frame to step outside.