Breathing For 2! (A Hetalia Fanfic)

Chapter 18 - Plans

Chapter 18

~Guantanamo May, 1956~

“You and I both know, you are innocent.” Alfred stood over the interrogation desk, “You give me the confirmation and I’ll get you out of here, Lani. You’re just a kid. A kid who has their whole life ahead of them. A kid who has made a bad choice, who got in the wrong crowd.”

Lani gulped a little as she looked up at Alfred who was standing over her, half across the desk, suspended by his arms, his hands resting flat on the wood. It was an intimidating pose, one that Lani was not sure Alfred was consciously aware of.

“I am as innocent as Rodian is.” Lani spoke quietly.

“But he isn’t innocent.” Alfred pointed out, looking a little confused.

“That is my point.” Lani had to highlight it for the man.

“You tell me what I can do for you, Lani.” Alfred pushed his cow-lick back a little. Lani observed he looked extremely irritated.

“You can set me and Rodian free.” Lani offered, knowing there was not any hope that her freedom let alone Rodian’s would happen, though she felt she could at least ask.

“That’s not going to happen.” Alfred confirmed Lani’s thoughts. “What about a piece of information for a privilege? I take you to a nice restaurant or something as long as you give a piece of useful information.”

That was not very smooth, Lani thought. She decided to point it out, feeling a bit bold which was still frightening to her. Everything frighted Lani and she hated that. She would always be a lamb, something she was not proud of.

“Are you asking me out on a date?” Lani raised her eyebrow at Alfred, as she hugged herself, feeling the coolness of the room.

“No, I, uh, no.” Alfred muttered, seeming lost for words. “I am the hero.” He finally muttered, “I don’t date villains.”

“You claim I am innocent, yet you call me a villain?” Lani questioned, politely as always.

“You’re from the USSR,” Alfred pointed out, “your country hates mine. That’s just evil. I am sure that you are good as an individual, Lani.”

“Is that the same for Maximo?” Lani chose her words carefully. She wondered why she was even bothering to mess with Alfred’s head. It just was not in Lani’s nature to challenge someone, yet she could not help herself doing so. Lani was fed up and she wanted answers. It was one thing to attempt to assassinate someone, yet was her being held in this place really about an assassination attempt.

“How do you know Maximo?”

Lani thought she saw fright in Alfred’s eyes. Maximo was most definitely a loose cannon to the American. Lani wondered if Alfred thought Maximo had tainted his gentle, innocent façade to her and Lani realized that Maximo’s viewpoints had probably done just that.

“I talked to him through my cell.”  Lani replied honestly. “He knows someone I work with, Mr Ivan Braginsky.”

“Ivan.” Alfred rolled his eyes.

“You do not like Maximo, do you?” Lani asked quietly. “He says you do not. Why is that?”

“We have our differences.” Alfred shrugged as he pulled his seat out for himself and sat across from Lani; his elbows rested on the edge of the table and propped his head up as he looked directly into her eyes.