"I'm sorry for being alive"
A phrase I keep on saying
I've always been whining softly
As my existence holds no meaning

Matthew looked down at the ground as silent tears streamed down his face. He gazed at the snow below him, afraid to look up, afraid of what he'd see. Afraid of nothing.

The sun glinted on the white snow, giving Matthew a slight smile as the colors seemed to swirl just for him, but as soon as it stopped, Matthew's blonde hair fell right back into his face, and the world was dark again.

They hated his eyes.

His odd blue eyes.

Everyone in my village has lovely green hair
I'm an outcast with this cursed white hair.
Deep in the forest stands an ancient tree
I always come here to pray
Liking alone is very sad.
I just want someone; anyone
To be my friend

Matthew sat below the tree. Matthew had begun to think of it as his tree, the one place where it was okay to be invisible, to be nothing. Matthew blushed as he thought the ridiculous, that the tree was his only friend. How embarrassing, Matthew thought to himself, although it wasn't like there was anyone to laugh at Matthew in his safe haven.

Unlike everywhere else.

Matthew scooted closer to the tree, trying to forget what had happened earlier that day. All Matthew did was ask- all he did was ask!- to play with the other boys, innocently suggesting that he could join in their game of kicking a ball around.

How stupid of me, Matthew thought bitterly. He was always so stupid.

Matthew picked up a fallen stick and scratched around in the dirt as tears slid down his face once again.

"I'm sorry for being alive…"

I met her near the tree
It began when I saved her.
She had fallen and was lying unconscious

A grunt surprised Matthew. He quickly, silently, stood up, prepared to run away from any more tormenters.

"Please… someone…" a boy's voice croaked, and Matthew blinked in surprise. Someone needed help? Someone needed his help? Matthew edged over and stared at the fallen boy, a boy with messy straw-colored hair and thick eyebrows. Instinctively, Matthew flinched away when the boy's eyes - the boy's bright greens eyes- met his, but the hurt boy smiled slightly, reassuring Matthew.

"Help?" the fallen boy croaked, and Matthew nodded, walked over, and delicately, carefully, picked up the boy and carried him back to the village.

Before long, we grew close
But, we are very different.
She had the loveliest hair in the whole village
She was loved by all for her kind voice and smile

Matthew blinked. "Me?" he whispered. Arthur nodded, and a warm feeling spread through Matthew.

Matthew smiled, and a giggle escaped him. It seemed almost every day that Mathew had something to laugh about now that Arthur- the boy who had fallen, the boy with bright green eyes- had started playing with Matthew.

Sometimes, well, more like all the time, Matthew was uncertain whether or not Arthur wanted to hang out with him. With Matthew. But every time, Arthur would nod, or say something along the lines of 'of course you silly' which always made Matthew smile.

He loved life, for the first time ever.

Matthew tugged on Arthur's sleeve. "Look." Matthew said softly, pointing at the sky. The first traces of snow were beginning to fall. Matthew had always loved winter- the snow was great for hiding in, and the cold kept other people from bugging him, so Matthew was surprised when Arthur's face darkened when looking at the sky.

"Snow." Arthur mumbled.

"Don't you like it?" Matthew asked curiously.

Arthur blinked, and looked away at the darkening sky and back at Matthew. iAt me,/i Matthew thought giddily. "Sorry… my mind was somewhere else, I guess." Arthur replied, smiling cheerily. "Let's enjoy the green season while we can, alright?"

Matthew nodded, another grin spreading on his face. "Yeah!" he agreed.

"Why are you so kind to me?
Is it pity because you know I am so inferior?"
You held me and said to me through my tears as I cringed
"You're the most beautiful person I've ever met"

"Arthur, you've got to be kidding me. Surely you could hang out with someone better than that, no?"

Matthew trembled, hiding behind his friend. He stared at Arthur's back, waiting anxiously for his response to another one of Matthew's persecutors. He's going to leave, Matthew thought sadly. It was the day that Matthew was afraid would come.

To Matthew's surprise, Arthur began to laugh. "Oh stop it." Arthur said dryly, finishing his laughter. "There is no one in this village that I'd rather hang out with."

Matthew stared. Was he serious? The other boy, the mean one, left with a scoff, leaving just Alfred and Matthew.

"W-why are you so nice to me?" Matthew asked, the question that had been eating him up slowly from the inside. There was no reason why Arthur should like him.

Arthur smiled softly, and stroked his friend's hair. "Hey, don't cry."

Matthew blinked and suddenly realized that tears were pouring down his face. "Geez, how embarrassing," Matthew mumbled, quickly wiping his face. He couldn't believe he was crying, something that babies-

Matthew's eyes widened as he was suddenly swept up in a hug by his friend. "A-Arthur!" Matthew stammered, blushing.

Arthur wrapped his arms around Matthew's body, and a feeling of protection came over him.

"Matt, don't worry." Arthur whispered. "You're the kindest person I've ever met."

I cried in her arms
Even if the entire world laughed and hated me,
I had a person who needed me.
That's all I need to be happy.

Matthew smiled shyly, and he felt his face grow red. He had never received such a compliment before! A warm feeling spread through Matthew, and he let it out through a quiet giggle. His laugh grew, and Matthew soon was laughing loudly in sheer joy.

Arthur stared. He had never seen his friend so… happy. A smile crept across his face, and soon the both of them were laughing hysterically.

Matthew caught his breath, and glanced at Arthur. Arthur grinned in reply, and Matthew had a feeling that he probably looked ridiculous.

He didn't care.

We ran away to a city
Even though nothing is familiar, it's okay
Because we are together.

Matthew bit his lip. "Are you sure…?"

Arthur laughed dryly. "Do you see any job prospects here? And I mean besides kitchen help- you know I'm no good at that." Arthur finished, chuckling. "Although my cooking isn't that bad…" he added under his breath.

Matthew laughed. "You're kidding, right? But yeah, I guess we have to go…" Matthew trailed off. The words were too delicious. To actually leave the place that had caused Matthew years of pain… well, to say that he wouldn't miss it would be an understatement.

Arthur stared at Matthew. "Are you okay with this?" he asked tentatively.

Matthew smirked. "I've never been more okay. Let's go." He whispered the last words, and Arthur nodded. Smiling, he took Matthew's hand and they left the village.

We became servants under a rich mistress
It's a job that let us live.
One day, a blue haired man came to visit.
His presence ruined everything.

Matthew didn't like him right from the start. Strutting around like he owned everything with an overconfident air but the smile of a child! Matthew gritted his teeth and ignored him every time that guy visited the place where he and Arthur worked.

Matthew sighed to himself as he walked through the hallways of the mansion he worked at. More and more of Arthur's time had been spent with this stranger, someone Mathew had never met, but begun to despise for his hogging of his Arthur.

Suddenly, Matthew bumped into something- somebody.

"Ouch! Watch it!" A voice complained, and Matthew froze up. He was never good with strangers as Arthur was, and he knew for sure that he wasn't going to have much friendly chatter with this particular stranger. Before Matthew even looked up, he knew he would be seeing the guy who took Arthur away from him.

"Heeey… you're that dude from the kitchens, right?" the guy asked.

"Yes…" Matthew mumbled, staring at the ground.

"Huh… Artie's friend, right?"

Matthew's head snapped up to stare at this incredibly rude guy, prepared to argue with this guy. He nicknamed Arthur? Matthew thought incredulously, but before he could open his mouth, he stared.

And stared.

"Who… are you?" Matthew managed to whisper. He had to find out this at least.

The other boy grinned. "The name's Alfred. Nice to meetcha!"

Matthew bowed quickly, mumbling, "pleasure," and ran off. That was just… too weird, Matthew thought. Matthew had never seen anyone with blue eyes besides himself.

Matthew shivered and quickly ran off. It didn't matter, he told himself. He had already found his place beside Arthur.

A prince from across the ocean fell deeply in love with her.
He loved so much that he rejected the neighboring Queen's
Marriage proposal.

"…Are you going to accept it?" Matthew asked cautiously, not sure if he had heard Arthur right. "Are you really going to… follow the- prince was it? Are you really going to…" Matthew trailed off, not really sure what to say anymore. Alfred, who just so happened to be a prince from across the sea, declined the Russian prince's offer, saying he cared about Arthur.

Saying he cared about Arthur.

Matthew looked down at the ground and took a deep breath for what he was going to say next. "I-I'll be fine on my own, so-"

"No, you won't." Arthur cut in sharply, giving a look to Matthew. "I don't care where I go; I'm taking you with me." Arthur leaned forward toward Matthew. "And I don't care if you want to or not." Arthur whispered, grinning.

Matthew blushed and quickly stepped back. "Yeah, then what about that other guy you met- Tory or something." he mumbled, trying to get the attention away from himself.

Arthur's playful smile faded and his face darkened. "He's- he's ranked way above me. We- we could never…" Arthur frowned, as he lost the words he was trying to say. Arthur shook his head. "It doesn't matter anyway. Between you, Alfred, and whatever I can get from Toris, I'm very loved." Arthur finished, forcing out a chuckle. "Besides, everything will work out in the end, right? Flying Mint Bunny told me so."

Matthew laughed. "I sure hope Flying Mint Bunny is right."

Arthur blushed. "You're making fun of me again aren't you? I told you before, I'm not making this stuff up!"

Matthew laughed again, then smiled to himself.

He wished every day could be like this.

The land was in flames.
The Queen gave the order.
"Destroy every green haired woman"
Everyone, everyone was gone

Except me, the one with white hair.
I wish that I could have died in your place
Why… WHY?

Matthew fell to his knees, tears streaming down his face. The fire had spread, and all the children, women, and men from the green country were killed, and the country itself had been dyed red with blood and fire. Matthew grit his teeth. He'd only been spared because he didn't look like one of them.

Matthew dug his fingers into the ground, once again alone. The moment when Arthur had been killed, Matthew wasn't exactly sure, but one moment Arthur was gone, and Matthew was alone.

Why wasn't I the one taken? Matthew wondered hopelessly. Arthur's charm, sarcasm, and imaginary friends were much more interesting than Matthew.

Much better than Matthew.

Matthew was nothing.

Why wasn't it me…?