"Don't tell me you're scared. These don't even look scary." Arthur pointed out, pushing aside a hanging white sheet that was meant to look like a ghost and completely strolling past all of the other terrifying items in the dimly lit Halloween maze. "I-I'm not scared. Th-These totally look fake! Hahaha! I bet other people would be scared, though." he said, forcing himself to laugh. The demonic masks, graveyard stones, and pictures with eyes that seemed to follow wherever he walked completely freaked him out, and the dimmed lights in the maze weren't helping him to see that the items were plastic props at best. "We're the last ones in, and most of the others have probably already fled out of the maze from only fear. We'll stay only a bit longer than they did. I want to see if there are any decent Halloween decorations in here. You don't mind, do you? Unless, that is, you're scared." he taunted. Alfred looked behind himself at the Englishman. "What? Me? Scared? No way dude. Heroes don't fear anything!" he said cheerfully. Arthur rolled his eyes, but then suddenly they became wide. "Alfred! Behind you!" Alfred turned quickly in fear, screaming as he felt something on his skin. "AH! Get if off! Get it off!" "Relax Alfred, and take the time to see what's on you." Alfred calmed down, seeing it was fake cobwebs and a bigger than normal spider prop. He brushed the items off his clothing. "Not cool. And stop laughing!" Alfred pouted as Arthur continued to laugh. "I'm sorry. It's just so funny how easily you scare. If I weren't here, you'd probably run out of the maze by now." Arthur taunted a bit more, holding his abdomen as his laughs died down. "I'll show you! I can be in a room without you and I won't be scared!" Alfred said quickly as he sped off through the small doorway into the next room of the maze." Arthur rolled his eyes once more, slowly making his way to the room. "He's probably shaking from fear already." he chuckled to himself.
"Iggy?!" He cried. It sounded a bit panicked, but Arthur thought it was only Alfred getting scared by another faux mask or hanging decor of a ghost. He walked through the doorway into the next room of the maze. "Alfred, all of these thing are-" he cut himself off, the American nowhere to be found. Arthur only figured Alfred knew he heard the scream, and in order to get back at the Englishman, Alfred planned to scare him, or something of the sort. "Alright Alfred. The rouse is up. Come out of hiding. I know you're in here." he said, crossing his arms over his chest. He waited, but was no answer. "Alfred? This isn't funny anymore. The maze is closed and the workers want to take it down already. We better not keep them waiting longer than they should." There was still no reply; the American didn't come out of wherever he was hiding. "Alfred, if you're trying to make this a competition and plan to jump out at me, I swear I will kill you." He looked around, searching behind boxes, decor, curtains, everywhere. "Alfred. Come out now." he said in a firm tone, one that would always cause the American to do as he says, Alfred knowing the punishment would be far worse when Arthur used this tone. Alfred never showed himself, though, and Arthur grew worried as the possible hiding spaces for the American grew less and less.
"Alfred. Please come out..." he said, worry in his tone. Alfred wouldn't do this to Arthur; he would have come out of hiding already. Arthur's search grew more frantic, his imagination starting to supply things that could have happened to Alfred, why he called Arthur's name out like that. What if Alfred saw something, or someone, and had only enough time to call out his name before being knocked unconscious. The more he looked, the less likely it was that happened, seeing as there was no sign of Alfred anywhere. What if he was kidnapped? The kidnapper's weapon could have been chloroform, causing Alfred to knock out that way. Alfred could possibly be dragged out by the kidnapper that way. But wouldn't people notice if someone was dragging another out of a Carnival? The only logical explanation would have been that the kidnapper was still in the maze somewhere. "Alfred?" Arthur continued to call out, in case Alfred would wake up and hear him. He moved to the other rooms, fearful of the possible kidnapper threat. The harmless decor a moment ago now looked demonic and able of harboring some sort of predator, and Arthur had to muster up courage to go up and search the decor. His searching in the maze was now frantic, no sign of Alfred, or anyone else in that matter, anywhere in the maze. "Alfred! Please! Answer me!" he cried, sweat dripping from his forehead, eyes wide for any sort of moment, heartbeat racing and breathing quickening as he searched and searched. "Alfred!" he shouted once more, feeling his throat tighten. What if Alfred was gone from him, forever? This was all Arthur's fault. If only he hadn't taunted the American to go ahead; if only he had stayed by Alfred's side; if only he hadn't taken his eyes off the boy. Now he was paying the price, unable to find him. By now, the predator could have already run away with Alfred, and maybe no one noticed. He felt a tear slip from his eyes. He might never be able to see Alfred, ever again.
No. He couldn't think like that. There must have been someone from the outside who at least saw Alfred, and if not, they could always help him look, create a search party for the American and possibly find him before it was too late. With this resolve, he sped out of the maze, finding the exit and ready to find the closet person and ask if they have seen Alfred.
He was temporarily blinded from the bright lights of the carnival as he ran out of the maze, bumping into someone. "Whoa. Careful dude. What happened? I was waiting for you out here." A familiar voice said. Arthur's eyes adjusted to the light as he looked up to the person he bumped into. He saw sky blue eyes, sandy blonde hair and slightly tanned skin. Alfred. "What happened? You called out my name and I couldn't find you! I called out your name and you never responded! I was completely worried!" Arthur clenched his fists and hit the American's chest, only enough to slightly hurt the other. He felt tears fall from his eyes as his hits became weaker. He soon covered his face with his hands to hide his sobs. "I was so scared... I thought... someone had taken you..." he said between sobs. He felt Alfred wrap his arms around the Englishman's frame, hugging him close. "I'm sorry. I didn't think you'd be so worried. I promise it won't happen again." The American soothed, rubbing the Englishman's back to calm his sobs. "Let's go home, and I'll tell you what happened, kay?" Arthur nodded, wiping the tears from his eyes and completely relieved that Alfred was safe and sound.
The two walked to the car, Alfred starting his story as his draped his arm across the Englishman's shoulder, telling him what exactly had happened, that there was no kidnapper, and why he had been outside of the maze while Arthur was still inside. Arthur listened intently, smiling softly at the story, finding that the reason for Alfred's disappearance didn't matter anymore, and instead what did matter what that Alfred was completely safe, going back home together with Arthur, and that in the end, nothing even remotely bad happened to Alfred after all. That night, Arthur asked Alfred to sleep in the same bed, not wanting to experience being away from Alfred like that again; Alfred complied, and that night Arthur didn't have to fear anymore, holding Alfred's arm and knowing Alfred was by his side.