I have a play on FictionPress that I wrote in grade 12 for my final (For What We Believe, under the same pen name) and I made the mistake of remembering it. That spawned this, andohgawdi'msosorry.
WARNINGS: Yes, there will be warnings for this one; it is completely different from my normal Hetalia fics. I will post them for each chapter because THERE WILL BE DARK THEMES. And INCEST, but this is me so thats part of the package deal here and should be of no surprise.
I dedicate this chapter to Capitaine Pickle. She is seriously an amazing author on here, and I'm sorry for being so awkward *le sigh*
It was cold; a chilling, numbing cold that crept inside and buried itself within your very bones. Alfred breathed out gently between his lips, almost surprised at not being able to see his breath. Beneath him the chair remained frozen, the metal not warming up even with his body heat.
"Alfred Jones?" a man's voice asked, frigid and unattached. The man himself was pale, washed out, the only colour his dark hair and suit.
"That's- that's me," Alfred cleared his throat as he stood up and stretched out his hand, "Can I see him now?"
The faded blue eyes looked him over, quickly and efficiently seeking and finding wanting, "Yes, but we ask that you keep the visit short. Too long may agitate him. Or you."
Alfred fell in step behind him, watching the man's back as they passed through grey corridors, the cold never leaving. If anything it became even more bitter, more biting, as they drew closer to a stainless steel door.
"This is it. We will be watching through video feed in case anything happens, but there is also a button by the door, so press that when you want to leave. If you do manage to stay the hour then we will come get you."
"Thank you, Doctor." Alfred kept his gaze steady, willing the doctor to look away first before his resolve really did snap.
"Just remember that he is not the brother you use to know. This is who he really is so going in there is going to ruin any delusions of love you once had for him."
"I'll decide that for myself," Alfred snarled, reaching around the man to grab the door handle, "I suggest you go watch those cameras now."
He didn't wait to find out how the man reacted to his words, instead pushing his way forcefully into the room that was bare except for a table and two chairs. One of which was already occupied; the young man sitting there looked pale and sickly, but still beautiful in an unearthly way.
Beautiful like winter. And just as merciless.
"Alfred," a blinding white smile appeared, still so innocent, and still so mocking. The figure tried to stand, arms outstretching for a hug until the chains tugged him back, keeping him pinned him to the concrete.
"Mattie," he chocked, dying to walk around the table, sweep away bonds, and gather his brother into his arms. He couldn't though, the rules had clearly stated that he was not allowed within touching distance.
"I thought I wasn't allowed visitors until my trail is over," Matthew gazed at him curiously with vacant lilac eyes, his mouth settling into a frown.
Alfred shivered, rubbing his arms as he sat down slowly, warily breaking eye contact, "They made an exception for me. I told them I wanted to hear everything from you first. I want to know the truth, Mattie."
"Oh Alfred," he heard faintly breathed across the table, "I've hurt you, haven't I. After everything, and now you're mad at me."
Alfred looked up sharply, his glare meant to frighten but it had no effect on Matthew. If anything it was the reason the lips became unpursed as the corners curled up into a smirk.
"What do you want to know?"
"Everything," Alfred told him, trying to make it truth.
"Shall we start at the beginning then?" Matthew asked, leaning forward as the chains clinked together, "Give me a beginning, Alfred. Ask me."
Alfred took a deep breath, the spoke out softly, "When. When did you change."
Laughter filled the room, bouncing off the walls as Matthew's head was thrown back in mirth, "So that is your beginning. Seems fitting, because it is. I've been like this at the beginning, ever since you decided to play the hero.
"See, every hero needs a villain, and I was willing to play that part for you even if all you made me was you damsel."
14 Years Ago
"Mattie!" A young boy raced over to the hunched 6year old, tearing the book away with grubby hands, "Come play with us!"
Matthew raised his head and smiled while reaching for his book, trying to keep his frustration from showing, "No thanks, Al. You go ahead without me."
"Pleeeeease? With a cherry on top? C'mon, you never play with us anymore."
"That's because I'm busy, Alfred. And I have my own friends to play with now," Matthew immediately wanted to take back his words the moment he said them, now having to watch Alfred's eyes well up with tears.
"Mattiiiieeee," his brother sniffled, drawing out his name pitifully, "You're my brother so you're supposed to play with me, not other people."
Matthew desperately wanted to point out that Alfred was being unfair, that Alfred was playing with other people, but he stopped himself.
"One game," he compromised, "Then you have to leave me alone for the rest of the day."
"Okay." Alfred nodded, but the hurt look was still there as he handed back the book, "But you really should play with us; you just sit here and read or watch and some of my friends don't like it."
Darkness coiled in Matthew's gut, churning and curling in on itself until he wanted to vomit black. It was his duty to watch over Alfred, to make sure his little brother and self proclaimed hero was safe.
"Tell them to mind their own business," he snapped, getting to his feet and dusting himself off angrily, "Let's go."
Alfred nodded and led the way back to the group, only smiling again when the other boys waved at them. Matthew watched them, forcing a smile on his face even as he longed to reach out and punch the little Italian boy that was hugging his brother.
"Let's play Cops and Robbers! I'll be the cop and Mattie can be my sidekick."
"Feliciano and I will be the robbers," Ludwig sighed, so serious for someone so young.
Matthew approved of the intelligence, though it would make things more complicated.
"I will be a robber also," a small oriental boy added, taking his place on the other side of Ludwig.
The group broke into two, Matthew, Alfred, Vash, and Yong-Soo took the place as cops, while Feliciano, Ludwig, Kiko, and Romano became robbers. Matthew watched in silence as the people took their sides, feeling envy for their freedom at being able to choose.
A hand wrapped itself into his, holding tightly as his brother beamed, setting up his own rules for the game. Matthew didn't listen, instead choosing to watch his opponents beneath his eyelashes, trying to figure out how to best get rid of them.
None of the other boys noticed his expression harden, or his mouth curling into a smile when he was finally set loose. Only the Italian brothers would have to forcefully be told off, the others would take their cue from them.
No one noticed him vanishing, not even his brother who had insisted he join. No one, that is, except for the brother who had hugged his own, and by then it was too late.
Feliciano returned to the meeting spot shaken, eyes dark as they avoided Matthew. Romano had less tact, but even more fear, his wide and blackened eyes keeping close tabs on an apathetic Matthew.
But Matthew still stared back, not at the bruises, but at the blood that dribbled down from Romano's nose. It was beautiful and disgusting, his very being torn between the two sides; one part upset with what he had down, while the other delighted in it. In seeing the darker Italian tackle his brother so that he had a reason to be rough, to put more effort and time into driving the boy away.
No one hurt his brother.
Present
"You said that you had just tackled Romano too hard. That it was an accident, and they supported you!"
Matthew smiled at him with no sign of remorse, "They had to be told to stay away from you, and words did not work on those two. You should have seen them, Alfred! They looked so shocked when they realized that your brother wasn't a push over like you described."
"I never-"
"You always warned people to go easy on me. Told them that if they hurt me you would go after them. Is it so wrong that I did the same for you?"
"Don't twist this," Alfred begged, feeling the words fall from his tongue like molasses; disgusting, thick, and dark, "I only did it to protect you, so that you wouldn't get hurt."
"And I did the same for you. I kept away all the people that would use you."
Alfred opened his mouth, already drawing in breath to speak when the door opened, pushed forward by a thick hand for the Doctor to walk inside unhindered.
"Ah, Doctor Murray, what a pleasure." Matthew said pleasantly, his body language changing before Alfred's eyes, becoming closed off but pleasant, and his voice polite and respectful.
"Your visit is over. Alfred can come back tomorrow if he wants, even though I have strongly voiced against it."
"But Peter, you of all people should know no harm will come to my brother by my hands."
"It's not your hands I worry about, but your tongue. Now let's go."
Alfred stood up, feeling his muscles unwind from their locked position, "I'll come back tomorrow," he promised, turning back to face his brother when he got to the doorway, "I'll keep coming until I know everything."
Matthew smiled at him, eyes soft with impossible emotion, "I know you will."