Title: The Walk
Author: Ryuuto
Series: Hetalia
Character(s)/Pairing(s): UK/US
Rating: T
Warnings: Boy Love, sorta drabble, songfic, AU, human names
Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia, and I don't own the song The Walk by Imogen Heap.
Summary: Arthur never wanted to feel love, and never wanted to fall into it. When Alfred enters into his life, he finds his resolve weakening the more he gets to know him.
A/N: It's suggested to listen to The Walk while reading this. Also, hey, guys! This is Sora Blade707 on her brand new account! I'll be moving Project Pandora's Box onto here after I've revised stuff! So, for now, enjoy this oneshot!
"Have you heard about that Alfred kid?"
"He's the transfer student from America, right?"
"I've heard that he's one of those 'hard-to-get' types!"
"You don't have a chance with him, Arthur!"
"…"
"You don't have to say it that way, Francis!"
"It's alright, I don't care. There's no way I would fall for anyone here."
"Arthur…."
'Cause you and I were never meant to meet.
I feel a weakness coming on.
"Do you mind if I sit here?"
Arthur blinked at the unexpected voice that lunch, and looked up. A boy around his age was standing in front of him, a sunny smile gracing his lips. His caramel hair looked a little dull in the artificial light, but his intensely sky blue eyes shone like the sun, despite hiding behind a pair of glasses. The way he dressed was completely casual, unlike Arthur's simple sweater vest and jeans combination. His face openly displayed his emotions, and the one currently seen was one of friendliness, if only shadowed by a bit of nervousness. For some reason, he had both a bad and good feeling about this boy.
"Go right ahead."
Alright then (alright then),
I could keep your number for a rainy day.
Could we just be friends?
As the two sat and ate together, Arthur learned that he was the transfer student he had heard about, Alfred F. Jones. The Briton was surprised to find that he actually got along well enough with the American, and the bickering they got into were more teasing than anything serious. Arthur found himself smiling quite a bit in Alfred's company, which was so different compared to when he conversed with his other friends. It was like he really connected to this boy, even though they had only just met each other. The feeling he was experiencing was both welcome and foreboding.
"Can we exchange phone numbers? We don't have any classes together, so it'd be cool if we could talk more outside of school!" Alfred asked with a grin, which was starting to become a common expression. It was almost as if the American had never heard of a frown, as if he was always a sunny boy. Arthur found it rather refreshing, and it was that smile that convinced him. He didn't want it to go away.
"I don't see why not."
Then why did he feel like he was getting into something he didn't want to?
I don't want to feel like this.
So that makes it all your fault.
It was through months of talking and hanging out with each other that Arthur started to feel uneasy around Alfred. He felt more jubilation from seeing the American than should be considered healthy. The smile and laughter that was seen and heard from Alfred was so intoxicating and addicting to the Briton. It was as if he had been starved of something he never knew had been neglected. For once, Arthur was scared of this feeling, this pleasant and unpleasant feeling in his heart whenever he saw Alfred.
A few weeks after that revelation, he finally managed to label what he was experiencing. Love. The one emotion he had never wanted to feel during his high school life. It was a fact: Arthur Kirkland loved Alfred Jones.
Arthur blamed the American for making him feel this way. He regretted meeting Alfred. At the same time, he was glad to have met the boy. He had never known what sunshine had felt until Alfred entered clumsily into his life. Arthur never planned for this to have happened, and now he was finding himself in the situation he had attempted to avoid.
He blamed Alfred, and had no notion of what he should do.
Oh now don't make it harder
Than it already is.
I feel a weakness coming on.
Nowadays, all Alfred had to do was look in Arthur's general direction, and it was like a gentle caress from the sun and sky. He made it so hard for the Briton to continue pursuing a platonic relationship with the American. And, on most days, he felt, heard, and saw subtle advances made by Alfred. Perhaps he was being paranoid, but Arthur couldn't ignore them.
Everyday, Arthur found it so much harder to keep his senses around Alfred. Each day he found himself longing to just let go of everything and act upon what his heart desired.
He never showed his companion his conflicting emotions, and made it seem as though everything was fine.
I don't want to feel like this.
So that makes it all your fault.
Arthur stared at his cell phone, his emerald eyes not really focusing on anything. He was alone in his bedroom, lying on his side in his bed. Outside, the sun was beginning its decent to allow the moon a chance to be seen. Arthur sighed, but made no move to change his position. His feelings were such a muddled mess that he couldn't make any sense of what he really wanted.
His cell phone abruptly started to vibrate. He blinked, and it took a couple seconds to register what he was seeing. Arthur picked it up, and saw the name he least wanted to see on the caller ID. He answered the phone regardless of his negative feelings.
"Arthur Kirkland."
"Hey, Art! Do you wanna take a walk in the park for a bit? I need to escape my math homework for a while!" Alfred's voice rang cheerily through the speaker like loud, gold bells. A smile twitched upon the Briton's lips, but he fought it down forcefully.
"Sure. I could do with some fresh air."
As soon as he exited his home, Arthur felt that his time to make up his mind was almost up.
Big trouble, losing control.
Point of no return one second to go.
The duo walked in companionable silence through the park, the usually bright greens of the leaves and grass dulled by the diminishing light. It was late enough that there were no people around, and the two were embraced in a companionable silence. There was a charge of expectation in the air, but neither spoke a word. Deeper and deeper they went into the park, and Alfred made not a sound.
Upon reaching the heart of the park, Alfred stopped in his tracks. Confused, Arthur turned to face his companion, and was unsure of what to make of the expression on the American's face. Upon that face was a serious expression, both alien and curious to the Briton.
"Arthur."
Just saying his name struck a cord within Arthur, one that made him uneasy and exhilarated. Warning bells blared in his head, but his heart was swelling with expectation and hope. He waited for Alfred to continue, not sure if what was going to be said would be one of sorrow or joy. Whatever happened, Arthur was sure that there would be no return to what the two shared right now.
It would either die or become something new that night.
"I love you."
No response on any level,
Give in, give in and relish every minute of it.
His brain screamed out a protest, but shut down when he felt a sensation of Alfred's lips on his lips. It sent a wave of unexpected joy through him, and it almost made him visibly shake from the overwhelming feeling. He hesitated, the war between his heart and his mind finally coming to an end. It was as if his heart had suddenly gotten tired of the argument it was in, and took over Arthur's senses.
He kissed back, and found that he loved the feelings that stirred within him. Alfred seemed surprised, and started to pull away. Arthur wanted none of that, and recaptured the boy's lips with his own. He wanted to feel the feelings Alfred kept bringing up in him as a dehydrated man needed to drink water.
Freeze, awake here forever.
I feel a weakness coming on.
Arthur felt arms encircle him warmly, and he felt so safe and comfortable that he wished that they would stay that way for eternity. He didn't care if that made him weak. He didn't care about anything, so long as he had Alfred with him. Fervently, Arthur wished that the two of them could share moments such as these for as long as possible. He never wanted to forget what being loved felt like.
It's not meant to be like this,
Why make me feel like this?
It's definitely all your fault.
The two pulled away, and the smile on Alfred's lips was brighter than any he had seen before. Arthur smiled back, silently reassuring the American boy of his feelings. There was no need to speak. All they needed was to look at each other to know the answer, to know what the other was going to say. Everything had been said in that one kiss.
And it was all blessedly Alfred's fault.
It's all your fault.