"That is it!" Arthur's words echoed through the house as Alfred watched the door slam shut behind the blonde. The anger quickly faded from his mind and was replaced with fear and regret. What had he done? He ran after the Brit, throwing the door open and following Arthur into the onslaught of pouring rain.
"Arthur!" he yelled, watching as the car started up and pulled out of the driveway. Tears welled in his blue eyes as he watched the tail lights vanish behind the sheets of rain and he nearly fell to his knees. He trudged back up to the house, shutting the door and sliding down it.
He buried his face in his hands and sobbed. He really hadn't meant it, any of it. Harsh words and cruel threats had been thrown before Arthur had finally had enough of it. Alfred hadn't really meant any of what he said, he was just angry. He couldn't even remember what they had been arguing about now.
He leaned his head back against the door, tears slipping from his eyes as he thought about losing the Brit. His heart tugged as he dreaded what might happen between him and the English nation, but then a thought struck him.
He jumped up, almost tripping over his feet and scrambled to get to his bedroom. He shoved off work papers and his calendar from his desk before he looked back down at the calendar. The fourth was circled in blue and red ink. He and Arthur had been planning to spend it quietly, not a lot of loud, obnoxious stuff this year. Alfred had relented so that he could keep the nation close. He shook his head and searched for a piece of paper and a pen. It wouldn't matter if he could get the Brit back before then.
He sat down, flipping his lamp on and began writing. He would scribble down a few lines before marking them out and jotting down something else. He stayed hunched his desk like that through the night, writing and editing until he was completely and utterly satisfied. Eventually, as the rain was beginning to let up and the sun was just starting to peek over the horizon, he leaned back, smiling at his hard work. He wiped at the moisture in his eyes and fumbled for his cell phone in the semi darkness. He dialed a fairly familiar number and waited as it rang for a moment.
"Hello?" a deep, slightly gruff voice answered. Alfred smiled and looked at the lyrics he'd written down.
"Hey Tim, it's Alfred," the American nation said, trying to keep the quiver out of his tired voice.
"Oh, hey Al! How ya been?" the man asked conversationally. Alfred heaved a sigh and rubbed his eyes.
"Pretty rough actually," he replied, "but that happens, right?" The country singer agreed and offered to come see the nation anytime he needed a drink. Alfred chuckled and leaned back in his chair. "I'll have to take you up on that offer sometime, but for right now, do you think you could me a favor?" he asked, running a hand through his hair.
"Sure thing. Whatcha need?" he inquired curiously. Alfred smiled and picked up the sheets of paper he'd written all over.
"Well, I wrote this song and I was wonderin' if you'd be willin' to look it over and maybe produce it," he said, scratching the back of his neck and yawning.
"Yeah!" Tim answered excitedly, "I'll come over later today and check it out," he replied. Alfred grinned despite the ache in his chest and prayed this all worked out.
"Thanks Tim. I honestly can't tell ya how much it means to me."
Arthur sniffed, rubbing stubbornly at the moisture continually pricking at his eyes. Why did the stupid, ignorant American have to be such an ass? He sighed tiredly, feeling a yawn working its way past his lips. He shook his head and reached for the radio, needing something to keep him awake. He didn't even notice that his speedometer was climbing higher and higher as he went to change the country radio station, but the tune of the guitar got his attention.
Bet your window's rolled down and your hair's pulled back, and I bet you got no idea you're going way too fast. You're trying not to think about what went wrong. Trying not to stop 'til you get where you goin'. You're trying to stay awake so I bet you turned on the radio and the song goes
I can't live without you, I can't live without you, baby. I can't live without you, I can't live without you, baby, baby
He hadn't heard this song before; he recognized the singer, or singers, in this case however. Tim… McGraw, he believed it was and that Taylor Swift girl. He nodded to himself as he listened to the music, not really trying to listen to the lyrics, but managing to anyhow as the wind rushed through his ears.
The highway won't hold you tonight. The highway don't know you're alive. The highway don't care if you're all alone, but I do, I do. The highway won't dry your tears. The highway don't need you here. The highway don't care if you're coming home, but I do, I do.
Arthur whimpered as he heard what was being sung. He wanted to change the station, to not listen to the music that reminded him so much of Alfred, but he… he just couldn't find the will to make his fingers move from the steering wheel. He trembled with contained sobs as he forced his eyes to stay on the road.
I bet you got a dead cell phone in your shotgun seat. Yeah, I bet you're bending God's ear talking 'bout me. You're trying not to let the first tear fall out. Trying not to think about turning around. You're trying not to get lost in the sound but that song is always on, so you sing along
I can't live without you, I can't live without you, baby. I can't live without you, I can't live without you baby, oh baby
He picked his phone up out of the console and saw the little red battery flashing in the corner. He swallowed and went to send a message. He knew, he just knew that Alfred was behind this. He didn't know how or why, but he didn't care. He had to get home to his blonde haired blue eyed American and apologize. He knew this was Alfred's own special way of saying he was sorry and he wanted Arthur to come home.
He tried holding the steering wheel straight as he typed, but as he tossed the phone in the passenger seat and looked up, he gasped. He hadn't even noticed he was going off the road and he couldn't imagine what was going to happen now.
The highway won't hold you tonight. The highway don't know you're alive. The highway don't care if you're all alone, but I do, I do. The highway won't dry your tears. The highway don't need you here. The highway don't care if you're coming home, but I do, I do.
I can't live without you, I can't live without you, baby. I can't live without you, I can't live without you, baby, oh baby
Alfred jumped as his phone buzzed against the end table. He reached over the arm of the sofa and grabbed it. He sat up excitedly as he saw who it was from. He opened the text message from Arthur and grinned his megawatt smile. I heard the song. I'm coming home love. I love you. Alfred gave an almighty whoop and jumped off the couch in his elation.
He began pacing the house, wondering how far Arthur was from the house and when he would get home. He debated on calling him and asking him all sorts of questions, but decided against it. He held his phone tightly, expecting a call, a text, anything from the nation. He opened the phone when it began buzzing again, but frowned when he saw who it was from.
"Hey Gil, what's up?" he asked. He could hear a car engine starting in the background and scrunched his eyebrows.
"Hey, Al. Listen, zey need us at ze hospital. Apparently someone's being flown in. A veally bad car veck is all vat I vas told. Zey need us boz zough, no getting out of it," the Prussian said. Ever since Alfred had found out about Gilbert's 'awesome' surgical skill, he asked if wanted to come help at the hospital where he worked. The albino couldn't get enough of it.
"Alright. I'll be headed out in a second. See you soon," he replied and hung up. He grabbed a piece of paper off the entertainment center in the living room and scribbled a quick note to Arthur in case he got home before Alfred came back. The blonde hurried out of the house and sped towards the hospital.
He met Gilbert in the changing room and quickly began pulling on his own scrubs. They talked quietly while they got dressed and then hurried towards the roof of the building. They found the person already on the gurney and being sped back inside. Alfred didn't too look closely at the wreck victim, all he saw was blood matted blonde hair and a scratched, bruised face along with the rest of his broken looking body.
Gilbert followed on the other side as they hurried him to the ER. As they began prepping the man, he mumbled something. Alfred leaned down, trying to listen. He scrunched his eyebrows, looking up at Gilbert who shrugged his shoulders. He moaned again and this time Alfred managed to catch the pained, raspy word.
"Alfred," Arthur whimpered frantically in his half drugged, half hurting state. Alfred's blue eyes widened and he realized who was laying on the gurney in front of him. Gilbert noticed this at the exact same time and gripped him by his shoulders and allowed the nurses to push him into the surgery room.
"Get him veady!" he shouted back to them as he held a shaking, worried Alfred. "Alfred," Gilbert said, nudging him. "Alfred look me!" He shook his shoulders slightly, urging his friend to look him in the eye.
"G-Gil. It's Arthur. A-Arthur must've been in the wreck after h-he text me," he mumbled, tears welling in his eyes. Gilbert shook him roughly again and forced him to make eye contact.
"Listen to me Alfred. Arzur is ze toughest Scheißkerl I know beside mein own bruder. You know all zough vars ve've been zrough. He's gonna make it Al. I'll call you if I need you, but you sit your arsch down vight now." He forced Alfred into a chair and hurried back into the ER, covering his face with a mask. Alfred sat in a numbed, shocked state as he waited. This was worse than knowing that Arthur was gone. The Brit could die now, and he… he would be the cause of it. Silent tears were trickling down his chin and he wasn't sure how long he sat there, but when Gilbert came back out, tossing his crimson covered gloves into a garbage can, he stood up, scared of what he might hear.
"He's gonna make it Al," the Prussian said, lowering his surgical mask, "he's stable und his vitals are looking gut. All inspected zoroughly inspected by me." He gave Alfred a small smile and looked at him hopefully. The blue eyed nation nodded, still in shock and still frightened for Arthur's life. "Come here buddy," Gilbert said and pulled Alfred into a hug. The nation wrapped his arms around his friend and mentor and began to cry. He sobbed into the albino's shoulder while Gilbert murmured soothing nonsense to him the entire time.
The highway don't care. The highway don't care. The highway don't care, but I do, I do.
I can't live without you, I can't live without you, baby. I can't live without you, I can't live without you, baby, oh baby (The highway don't care. The highway don't care. The highway don't care, but I do, I do)
Alfred sat in Arthur's room, holding his hand as the minutes ticked by. It was the fourth now and it was going by fast. He hadn't celebrated his birthday, he'd simply sat by Arthur and helped with whatever was needed. Arthur had been out for the past day or so and Alfred was praying he would wake up soon. He had cried off and on all while sitting by the Brit's side, holding his hand and watching him like a hawk. He hadn't fallen asleep yet, but he was quickly starting to lose coconscious despite his will to stay awake. He slumped forward, his forehead making contact with the cool sheets and he was out.
He didn't know how much later it was, but he awoke to a gentle, slender hand running its fingers through his hair. He jerked his head up and saw Arthur smiling at him weakly. He resisted the urge to crush the Brit in a hug, and simply cupped his face and kissed his deeply. He could hear his heart rate spike on his heart monitor, but he didn't care.
"Oh Arthur. I'm sorry. I am so, so, so sorry," he mumbled, placing delicate kissing all over the other's face. Arthur chuckled softly and rested his bandaged hand on the American's cheek.
"I'm sorry too. I wish I hadn't of stormed out like I had. Perhaps we wouldn't be in this mess if I hadn't," he replied, coughing slightly. Alfred swallowed the lump in his throat and leaned his forehead against Arthur's. "I'm sorry we didn't get to spend your birthday the way we planned. I didn't even get you anything because I thought I would have more time." Alfred shook his head and kissed the Brit's forehead.
"All I want is your forgiveness. I just… please Arthur, I don't want anything except for you to forgive me," he begged, clutching at Arthur like his was a life line. Arthur leaned forward and kissed his American on the lips deeply, rubbing his thumb across the man's cheekbones.
"I already have Al. Happy birthday," he whispered, yawning slightly. Alfred chuckled, sighing in relief as he very carefully hugged the English nation. "I really liked the song, by the way. How did you managed it?" he asked. Alfred grinned and leaned back just far enough to look at Arthur properly.
"Tim and I are real close friends. He's one of the few who knows what I am," Alfred explained. Arthur nodded and leaned back into his pillows, yawning again. "Sleep hun, you need it." The Brit didn't argue at that and closed his eyes. Alfred smiled, and leaned forward to place a kiss on his forehead. "I love you Artie. So much." Arthur smiled at the loving gesture.
"I love you too Alfred. I love you too."
I can't live without you, I can't live without you, baby. I can't live without I can't live without you, baby, oh baby (The highway don't care. The highway don't care. The highway don't care, but I do, I do)
I can't live without you, I can't live without you, baby. I can't live without I can't live without you, baby, oh baby (The highway don't care. The highway don't care. The highway don't care, but I do, I do)
I can't live without you, I can't live without you, baby
Okay, So I wasn't planning on writing anything for either Mattie or Al this year cause I've been so back up on my other stuff, but I had this story planned out in my head, and I just kinda flipped it to fit the 4th. You can't imagine how guilty I feel about not writing anything for Canada! I promise though! Next year, it will be a masterpiece!
But yeah, I loooooove this song by Tim and I just wanted to write something for it. I know it's weird with them being nations and not humans in this, but if you have any questions as to how I worked it out, lemme know and I will do my best to answer!
Alright, well I didn't think I was going to get this up in time, but I made the deadline! So I hope you guys enjoy and lemme know whatcha think please! Love ya'll!