He had lost it.
Where is it?
He sworn he had with him.
Could it be that I lost it?
Maybe he left it in the meeting room?
No matter how many times I've looked, I can't find it!
Alfred looked helplessly under the seats and the tables, roaming every single corner of the room in search of something. The meeting was already over and everyone went back to their homes to rest, except him. He was not that kind of person who would leave something behind and just forget about it, even if that person didn't bothered to look for it or tried their best but gave up when they saw no chance into finding it.
Yes. He really needed to find it. Right now. And fast.
America didn't notice that a silhouette was watching from the edge of the door, his brilliant emerald eyes tracking on the American's movements.
"What in the bloody world are you doing America?"
Alfred, taken from the sudden surprise, made a little jolt under the table, hitting his poor head against the table's board below. He massaged his head as he rose up.
" England? Geez, can't you just knock like a normal person would do? Fuck." He cursed out loud while he was trying to numb out the pain. He heard a snort from the Englishman.
"First of all America, mind your manners. I didn't teach you to be foul-mouthed. Second, why would I need to knock? The meeting room is already over so not many people would be here or be very much busy at this point. So answer me, what were you doing?"
The American frowned back at England, whether he should bother into answering his question. He decided he should.
"I'm looking on something... that I lost," mumbled America. Arthur blinked back with confusion before he returned to his normal, disgruntled expression. "Did you lose something here? Don't you think it would be in the Lost and Found box? "He had to ask this question.
"I have already tried. They found nothing." America sighed.
"How long did you have it before you lose it? When was the last time you've seen it?"
America was getting discouraged by England's questions. He knew that the Englishman would lecture him on how reckless he was and bashing his spirit down with his verbal insults. He gave into his thoughts.
"Not sure. The last time I had it was this morning before I left for the meeting," said America.
Arthur appeared to be having some thought in his mind as he glared at America. He let out a sigh. "Fine. I'll help you to look for it."
"Huh?" America looked at England questionably. Did Arthur agree to help America? He must have misunderstood what he just said. "W-what did you say England?"
England's cheeks puffed up in frustration. "Are you deaf or something? You heard me. I will help you." He walked into the room, ignoring the gaping expression of the American. "Are you going tell me where to look or are you going to continue gaping like a stupid fish in a bowl?"
Blinking with awe, he pointed at the far back end of the room. "That's the only last place I need to search. You'll look at the right side of the room. I'll take the left side." England nodded in acknowledgement as he walked over to begin his search. Alfred started on the opposite side to Arthur, both foraging around intensely for the lost item.
"Say America…" His intense ocean-blue eyes were suddenly locked onto the messy-hair blonde's. "What exactly are we looking for?" Arthur turned his head towards the American's direction.
"A pin!" yipped America. England stared blankly before he could even process what he just answered. "A pin? We are looking for one miniscule pin?" Ah bloody Mary. This better be a worthy search, thought England.
A huge grin glued all over the younger nation's face as he nodded. "Yup! I have this really awesome pin that I got from some shop. It actually had a bald eagle with my 'Oh-so-greatest' U.S. flag."
"A-ah, I see," said England. He really didn't seem very bothered by the American's obnoxious. He thought there was nothing wrong on being patriotic on their country. Heck, even England was wearing various different pins that symbolize his country (either England or the UK), from a flour-clover leaf for St. Patrick's to the coat-of-arms symbol with two creatures on each side: the lion and the unicorn.
He thought for awhile. "But wouldn't it be better if you bought another one? There are probably hundreds of them in any shops and they aren't that expensive. Why even bother to look for it?"
The smile grew wider every second; showing off his ever so glittering, white teeth. "Because it's the most awesomest pin I got! There are words on it, saying, 'Who's your Hero?!' It is one of the kind!"
I'll take it back.
"Bloody hell," mumbled England as he pinched his bridge nose with his two fingertips, cursing under his breath. He looked at his side, mumbling something to himself as he continued to gaze at the empty space. America looked at him oddly. "What's up England? Something bothering you?"
The emerald-eyed nation looked back at him, shaking his head. "No, it's not that. It's that…. Vivian told me she couldn't find the pin you'd lost. She even told the others that they didn't saw you losing it in here."
Alfred blinked. He wasn't sure how many times he blinked, but he did it…. A LOT.
"W-who's Vivian… and the others?"
America was pretty sure England was trying to pull his leg, that the whole thing he said was a joke. However, all he got was the calm and natural expression on England's face.
"Vivian is a fairy and the others are my friends. What is wrong with you?"
Seriously, England and his imaginary friends. He should have known it. "England, are you really going to follow your imaginary friends' advice? I mean seriously, it looks uncool for ya." He began to shrug his shoulders and shaking his head, as if he had witnessed a child doing something incredibly stupid.
England could feel anger building up inside of him. His cheeks were flushed as he snarled back. "Bloody fool! How many times do I have to tell you that MY friends aren't imaginary?! You're just not pure enough to see them!" He gasped for few rapid breathes as his face slowly drained all the red hints of anger.
"Alright old man. Alright. Don't wanna to get you mad for no reason." He waved his arms in surrender as he pulled himself from the floor. England did the same thing.
"America, stop speaking in that darn yankee slang speech or whatever bizarre language you call the 'English' language. I've taught you the proper pronunciation and grammar. I can't believe you would belittle such a beautiful language," grumbled England as he scowled at the younger nation. He only shrugged in response. "Nah. Your language sounds kinda funky and weird. I like the way I talk." He threw the usual 'thumb-up' sign in recognition how awesome and great he really is. But that soon disappeared when he let out an aspirated sigh, looking desperately around the room.
"Well, that leaves us near that riverbank. That's the last place I visited before arriving to the meeting." He scratched his head absently. England observed at the American's unease and thought…. No he shouldn't. He bloody well shouldn't. But something told him he should.
Heaving a sigh, he looked to Alfred and said, "I'll come with you. D-don't get the wrong idea! It's not that I feel sorry just because you lost your pin! You're just really a git when it comes to these terms so I might as well sort these things out!"
America, taken back by England's sense of kindness twice in a row, grinned back happily. "Awesome! Let's get there before it gets dark!" And with that, he grabbed onto England's hand and dashed into the hallways of the building to find the exit.
Minutes went by and the flickering sound of the river brought a serene and peaceful silence on the area. On the side of the riverbank, two men knelt down onto the wet dew of the grass, shifting around every few moments as they looked passed through the grasses.
"Sorry America. I can't find it here. I've searched it at least few times," said England tiredly. "Same over here," sighed America in defeat. England never seen America looked upset and it pained him to see it. Was the pin meant so much to him? Or was it because of something else that the pin symbolizes? That he tried so hard to find it because….
His mind was interrupted when America rose up, cleaning off the dirt and grasses stuck on his trousers. His blue eyes locked onto the green ones, smiling. Somehow, this smile seemed very different from the other ones that Alfred has shown.
Probably someone who would smile to his or her beloved and cherish one?
A hand suddenly appeared in front of his face, floating in mid-air. He looked back at his former colony before he took the hand and was pulled up suddenly by the sheer strength of the American.
"Oh well. My lost. Guess I have to buy another one as a replacement," he said nonchalantly as he wrapped his arm around England's neck and embrace him in a very friendly and close-choking hug. England was soon baffled by the sudden action but yet he didn't do any struggling force under his arms or made any complaints on how idiotic the young nation was acting.
It all felt so nice. He never knew such comfort warmth would come from such an obnoxious nation. Still being pressed against the American's chest, he tried to muffle out loudly to make his words clearer.
"I'mth sorry y'o c'uldn't findth y'ur p'n." He must feel really stupid saying this. Yet, he cannot deny it.
The words failed to reach to America. "What did you say England? I can't hear ya right. Or are you suddenly becoming like Sweden, dropping all those vowels?" said America with his cheesy smile.
Blushing with frustration, England finally pulled off from the tight hug, but still under contact with the arms around him. He barked back. "I said, 'I'm sorry that you couldn't find your bloody pin', you bloody deaf twat! Seriously, I wasn't able to breathe under that crushing power hug of yours!"
"I'll take that as a compliment." He chuckled silently as England made an 'hmph' sound.
"Say England, since we already out here, why don't we get some nice doughnuts and coffee? I really know this really good café nearby here."
"Seriously America, you always drink only straight coffee and over-consume those sugary pastries. Bloody hell, don't over-do yourself! Do you want to give yourself a heart attack?!"
A sound of a heartedly laughter rang on the British's ears, the arm that still latched around his neck tugged closer to his Alfred's face, getting close to one another.
"Oh England! You never change! You such a worry wart."
"Sod off!"
The two men went off the riverbank, exchanging their usual conversation with Arthur's insults and Alfred's casual talk.
Arthur, I have finally found you. After all, I did lose you after the time Revolutionary War. With the Declaration of Independence signed by our own leaders, you left without a word, back to that place you call it home. However, that 'home' is nothing but solitude and sadness for you.
I was afraid that I would lose you forever; that I won't able to talk to you as freely and as gently when I was a small child. Losing something as fragile and cherish like you Arthur was the hardest thing I went through.
Yet, God gave me a chance to be with you during World War. However, you still had hard feelings for abandoning you and left you heart-broken and betrayed by your own so called little brother.
England, I will change those feelings of resentment and desperation of yours. It's my duty to break that wall that separate us, to save you from that dark and obscured dimension world you lived in, and held onto forever.
You may ask why I'm doing this for you. It' because I don't want to lose you like that pin. And I know you don't want to get lost in that 'world' of yours. You actually mean so much to me, that your life is more valuable than ever, that I must protect it with all my cost and strength, holding next to me so it won't disappear in my sight again.
England, you are the lost treasure I've been looking for.
I'll never going to lose you again. Ever