Title: Heroes and their Damsels in Distress

Summary: Alfred and Matthew are children and talk about stuff in their secret fort. Francis and Arthur have marital issues. FrUk and could be taken as AmeriCana.

This was just made randomly because I needed to write. Really no reason to put this up, but I felt like it. Review if you wish.

Warning: Gay family (gasp), Personification of Nations, Heroic Alfred and his Damsel in Distress Matthew.

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"What do you wanna be when you grow up?" Alfred whispered to his brother in the dark. It was far past their bedtime, not like Papa or Dad would be too angry, it was summer. No school, humid days, and gallons of lemonade consumed.

"I don't know, I bet being a vet would be fun. Or maybe a chef." He brother replied quietly as they huddled under their "fort". It was made of couch cushions, a mattress, blankets, and a chair.

"I wanna be a hero!" Alfred exclaimed, jumping up, only to be pulled down by his nightgown.

"You're a hero enough to me." Saying this always made Alfred smile, which made Matthew smile.

"Hey, what's your favorite color?" Alfred asked, plopping down next to Matthew.

"I already answered it five minutes ago and three times last night." Matthew giggled quietly. "Blue, light blue." He said, deciding to answer it anyways. "Yours?" He already knew the answer, but it was polite to ask.

Grinning from ear to ear, Alfred answered, "Yellow! And why do you like light blue?"

Matthew thought for a moment; Alfred hadn't ever asked him that before. At least not that he had remembered. "I like light blue because it reminds me of the sky and water and good feelings." He said, feeling a little ridiculous, he couldn't really explain to Alfred why he liked it. "Why do you like yellow?"

"I like yellow because it's bright and it reminds me of the stars!" Alfred pointed upwards and they pulled back a corner of the blanket-roof to stare in wonder out the window. "Even though they look more white." Matthew nodded in reply to Alfred's statement, still staring in awe at the spotted sky. It was quite beautiful tonight, shame they hadn't noticed it before. "But, I also like yellow because it reminds me of something else, too."

Matthew looked at Alfred out of the corner of his eyes, waiting for the other reason why. He was still staring at the stars, chin in his palms, elbows balanced on the low windowsill, and a small smile on his face. When Alfred didn't reply Matthew simply smiled and whispered, "me too."

"What was that, Matty?"

"Oh, nothing."

"Okay." There was a long pause where the two boys just sat there, Matthew fidgeting with the hem of his nightgown and Alfred looking at the stars.

"Why do you think Daddy yells at Papa so much?" Matthew asked looking down at his hands.

"They love each other too much." Alfred answered in his most heroic tone.

"But, I thought if people love each other; they act more… I don't know… lovey-dovey?"

"Matty," Alfred continued to stare out the window, even though Matthew had turned to look at him, "do you really wanna see Papa and Dad starin' into each others' eyes at the dinner table and then we have to leave the room whenever they start to make-out on the couch." Pause. "More than we already have to."

"Well… It would be better than them fighting all the time." Matthew squirmed.

"Don't worry, it'll probably get better as soon as Papa finds a new job." Alfred motioned to his brother to come over to him. Matthew obeyed and crawled into Alfred's lap and open arms.

"But what if Papa can't find a job? Or the job isn't any good?" Matthew started to panic, he hated to hear his parents yell at each (or the more precise way to say it would be to hear Papa get yelled at by Daddy).

He knew Arthur (Daddy) wasn't the bad guy. No one was in this situation. Arthur was scared for Matthew and Alfred when it came to taking care of them the best possible way he could. Francis was concerned too, and he knew that Arthur was just stressed. Later they'd both sit down to some tea before bed, watch some TV, and cuddle. They'd never gone to bed angry.

"He'll find one and it'll all be fine." Alfred hoped he was right. Heroes were not supposed to lie; and, especially, not to their Damsels in Distress.

"Yeah, you're right." Matthew yawned sleepily and he slipped off Alfred's lap to grab the blanket that lay rumpled in the far corner of the fort. Alfred followed and both curled up together. They entangled the fingers of their right hand and both wrapped their left arm flopped over each other's side.

"I'm sorry Francis." Arthur cried quietly into his partner's shoulder. Francis rubbed his back affectionately.

"It's okay." Francis meant it.

"No!" Francis jumped slightly at Arthur's broken voice. "It shouldn't be! Why do you stay? Why do you keep forgiving me?"

"Don't do this, mon cher. Relax, you're just stressed. I'm going to make some tea." Francis lifted his husband up and placed him gently on the sofa. "Sit here and find something mindless for us to watch." He then walked out of the room, off to make the tea.

"Why?" Arthur questioned himself out loud. Why couldn't he keep himself together? Why did he take it out on Francis? When would Francis finally get sick of being his verbal punching bag and leave? Would he take the kids…?

Arthur sighed and picked up the remote from the coffee table. Turning on a re-run of Law & Order he leaned back and waited for Francis to return with the tea.

"I'll be right back, I'm just going to check on the kids." Arthur kissed his partner's forehead lightly. Francis nodded in reply; eyes closed, snuggled deep down in the blankets he released Arthur from his grasp.

"Return soon," was all he mumbled, too tired to make much of a sentence.

"Okay," Arthur was the opposite, too stressed to sleep and too anxious to stay in bed and feign that he was.

Shuffling quietly up the stairs, Arthur reached Matthew's room. Not surprised to see the bed empty, he moved onto Alfred's room. He smiled to himself upon seeing his children, cuddled together and sleeping peacefully. Little chests rising and falling slowly, light from the nearly full moon casting an angelic glow on their faces, and the peaceful sounds of the beings- whatever they may be- outside the window, the even breathing of the children, and the creaking and groaning of the pipes. All the noise- yet all the quiet- calmed Arthur's mind and he was able to sleep when he returned to the bed he shared with Francis.

Francis got a job, a very good one, that paid well and had good hours. Arthur relaxed, the children grew up well and were sent off to college with tears and a lot of safety money. Sometimes, though, life doesn't work out like that. Francis could've not gotten a very good job and that would've added to the stress and the family might've fallen apart. Or maybe they'd make it through. Or even Francis could've gotten the good job, but the love just wasn't there; he and Arthur would separate, the children would deal (or not) and life would just be like that. You can never predict what's going to happen. You can only do your best and hope that you keep your sanity.

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A/N:

Second Hetalia story. I'm pretty proud of myself… nah, not really. Review make the world go 'round.

Anyways…

I can't write happy stories (if you read my other story- a PruCan called Happy Late New Years- you'd already know this) so at the last minute I put in that little part of what happened in the end… but then I added the part about how that doesn't always happen… Yeah, epic fail happiness.

I think I made everyone, especially Arthur, a little OOC. "OTL I'm sorry!

Oh, and, you could take it as AmeriCana if you want, and if you are uncomfortable with them being siblings and all gay together and what not, just believe that Alfred and Matthew are adopted and when they leave for college they get the same dorm room, Arthur tells them and they have sex every night (for those of you perv out there). Good? Kay.

Review? Please?

Love,

ILL