"If you simply ignored the feeling, you would never know what might happen, and in many ways that was worse than finding out in the first place. Because if you were wrong, you could go forward in your life without ever looking back over your shoulder and wondering what might have been."

― Nicholas Sparks, Message in a Bottle

That git! Why can't he keep his mouth shut when its full... And how can that fat ass keep from choking with all those beef sandwiches he eats? I wouldn't even call those pieces of rubbish edible, my cooking is much better.

And would it kill him to actually talk properly?! Using the words "dude" and "totally" every three words not only does it make him sound idiotic, but mentally impaired. Why, he was much better under my wing when he actually called jam its name, not that "jelly" word. Who can even say that word without a cheesy face like that frog...

There was a long pang of guilt and regret in my chest. I shouldn't have given up on him so quickly! I should have turned around and punished him for being such a stubborn brat! I know I was being hard on him and his people, but I needed the money... I guess when you ignore the bark you get the bite...

"Arthur! Arthur, can you hear me? Cheer up!" Flying Mint Bunny buzzed around my ear, but I was too lost in thought to hear him.

"Artie!" My head flipped up at the nickname, a surprised look on my face, only to see it was Flying Mint Bunny imitating the idiot who came up with the name.

"H... Hello Flying Mint Bunny..." My voice stuttered as my eyes watered slightly. "I... Uh, just need some time alone, but thank you." I didn't want such a close magical friend to see me crying over something so foolish as this. I hurried out of the parlor I had been resting in to my comfy bedroom.

You wouldn't believe how many old sentimental things rested in there... I had all the history and story books I had read to him when he was a kid stack beside my nightstand. A brush and slab of wood rested atop a bookcase, the faces I had painted with that paint brush... A receipt for a certain custom made suit laying in the current book I was reading. I was really far gone! I laid down on my sheets and didn't bother to take off my clothes. I just couldn't stop thinking of him!

A few short sniffles escaped as Flying Mint Bunny slipped a blanket over the losing conscious Arthur. This was not good! Though Arthur had always stood strong during Ally meetings and battles, the poor nation always had nightmares about what had happened with his former brother, the child he had put his heart and soul into raising. Flying Mint Bunny had realized that Arthur was in need of help, but he didn't know what to do, how could he help his poor friend? Nobody around Arthur could understand what he was going through, not even the man himself.

Wait a minute! Couldn't "he" the brother in question help Arthur? But he would never actually go tell him how he felt. There was no way, not with that stubborn streak of his. If only the large country could see him... but without supernatural abilities or a belief in him, nobody could see Flying Mint Bunny... Flying Mint Bunny's wings drooped in angry frustration, he was just going to have to try!

With a sigh of resolution, Flying Mint Bunny flew over and gently turned off the lamp by Arthur's bed. Closing the bedroom door, Flying Mint Bunny exited the house and started for the Other's with a hurried pace.

I shut the TV off with a shudder. How could Tony play a video game like that... in the dark too! That's like totally way too scary bro! ...All this might be able to take my mind off of him, but it just reminded me of whenever I got a nightmare I would curl up into his bed... My palm flew up to my face as I sighed. I decided against walking all the way to my bed and slumped into the couch. I let my eyelids shut and hugged a nearby pillow.

Plunk plunk... What was that...? Plunk plunk plunk, go away already... Plunk plunk plunk plunk plunk plunk plunk plunk plunk plunk plunk, would you shut up? Seriously! I rolled off the couch and stomped over in the direction of the noise. rocks...? Pelts of rocks were bouncing off the window, but it was too dark to see where they were coming from. More awake now, I slipped down the stairs and opened the back down below the window. "Who's there?"

Silence. I asked again only to get hit by a pebble.

"Oi! You almost got me in the eye! Show yourself!" Still silence... I was suddenly pushed back into my back kitchen, the door closing behind me.

"Wha-" I again was pushed, tripping over the step behind me and landing on the hard tiled floor.

"Stop fucking around with me! W-WHO ARE YOU?!" My voice cracked, this was seriously scary! What paranormal creature had I totally just let loose in my house?!

I heard the clatter of silverware and the light turn on by itself. As I thought, I was completely alone... or that's what I thought. Something with pointy teeth suddenly bit down on my ear. I let out a high pitched scream, shaming all girls in its glory.

I grabbed something fluffy almost attached to my ear. It wouldn't let go! Was it some kind of stuffed animal ghost trying to haunt me?! It finally let go and I pulled it shoulder length away from my head, I wasn't going to let that happen again. "What are you?" I asked, my voice shaking. It struggled in my two handed grasp, then proceeded to bite my hand. I let out another piercing shriek. I flung it away from me with my nation strength. There was a loud ugly sounding smack across the room. Uh...oh.

I crawled on all fours over to the sound of impact. Whatever had bit me, it wasn't moving... wait, if it had been a ghost, it wouldn't have made that sound of flesh, would it...? I reached out my hand to come in contact with something fluffy yet again. It was warm and somewhat... sticky? OH GOD IT WAS BLEEDING! I scooped the poor thing up, cradling it in my right arm to the bathroom. turning on the warm water, I carefully made sure the water wasn't too hot as I gently set him into the sink. It flinched and suddenly the creature's body relaxed.

I could suddenly hear it breathing and it softly whimper... but why couldn't I hear it before? It flinched again as I pet where I thought it's head was, "Are you alright?" I asked the little guy.

"Mmmm... I might..."

IT COULD TALK! That was totally a surprise, considering I had been asking it to say something for a long time. I gave it my apologies and reassurances that it was going to be alright.

"Maybe I should go show him to Artie... I bet he would know what to do..." I murmured thinking to myself.

"N-No! Don't go disturbing him for my sake..." He then suddenly squeaked, "Oh right, I almost forgot why I came!"

"If you don't mind me asking, with how I hit you and stuff... why did you come? You w-w-wouldn't happen to be haunting me, would you?"

"Oh course not, bloody git! I came to say that you need to cheer up Arthur!" The creature said annoyed.

"Artie? What's wrong with him? He didn't seem down when I saw him earli-"

"You think Arthur would let you see him in that state? Of course he wouldn't considering he was thinking about yo- I mean... because..."

"Because...?"

"Oh bloody hell! Just go ask him yourself! Just fix him, he won't stop crying..."

"Artie's crying?!" My voice cracked. I let go of the little guy and ran out of the house, Artie almost never cried! I myself had only see him cry once or twice!

"Oops..."

I arrived at Arthur's house in no time at all. Barefoot, with only pair of boxers and some loose sweatpants over top. Boy it was chilly out! But I didn't really care at that point... Luckily the back door was unlocked as I tried to remember where Artie's room was.

As I passed room by room in the hallway, I came across a room with it's door left open... my room. Glancing inside, my eyes widened as I noticed that the room was just as I had left it. I hadn't taken much with me that day I ran out... but everything was as it was decades ago... And nothing was dusty at all... How was that even possible?

Unless.

Unless... He had come everyday to dust each and everything separately...

Now at full speed, I neared Arthur's room. It was pretty close to my old one. I gently turned the knob and pushed the door open, careful of the squeaks. I didn't really pay attention to the room around me and walked up to his bed. kneeling down next to it, I turned the stubborn englishman's face towards mine. Indeed, his eyes were red with dark circles hovering below them. I wiped off a runaway tear from his moist face. My other hand swiped through my hair, how could I have left him in a state like this...?!

Not wanting to wake the poor dude, I softly joined him in bed, my arms wrapping around him, letting his head rest against my chest. "It's okay Artie... I'm right here, no need to cry..."

"Alfie..."

A smile spread across my face, "Love ya, dude."

"I finally understood what true love meant...love meant that you care for another person's happiness more than your own, no matter how painful the choices you face might be."

― Nicholas Sparks, Dear John