A/N: Here's the next chapter! I hope you all like it! The same disclaimer applies: boy x boy, self-harm, derogatory names, bullying. Don't forget to review! :D

I do not own Hetalia, unfortunately :T

It has been a few weeks since Alfred and I started dating and the incident with Henry happened. Apparently after I left the cafeteria Alfred beat the mess out of Henry but it never reached the principle because, well, Henry isn't that stupid. This isn't to say that he stopped picking on me; actually it was the complete opposite. Henry began bullying both me and Alfred even more but this time he did it sneakily. Catching us when we were alone, tripping me up in the halls, leaving horrible notes in and on Alfred's and my locker. All Alfred had to say about it was "Fuck him; he's just a piece of shit". I felt differently about it but decided to leave the matter alone and try to take an approach much like Alfred's.

We were inseparable, spending every moment we could with each other. In the mornings Alfred would meet me on the corner of my street and walk with me to school as we held pinkies. In the classes that we had together, we would sit in the back of the classroom together glancing at each other every once in awhile. Lunch was no different; we remained at the table in the corner of the cafeteria. Alfred staring out the window as I ate my lunch, attempting to ignore the constant yelling of 'fags', 'gay emos', 'butt munchers', that were thrown our way. After lunch I didn't have any classes with Alfred, much to my dismay. It made me very anxious and unfocused as I sat in the back of the classroom and watched the clock, playing with my wrist bands. To waste any time I had away from Alfred hurt me physically to the point where I would get sick. So, soon Alfred and I stopped going to classes all together, deciding to spend our time elsewhere. Alfred found a secluded place in the forest down the street from our school in Dorset. It was beautiful, with the trees creating a perfect canopy over top of us, shielding us from the rest of the world. So this was where we were currently. Alfred was sitting on the ground, me straddling his hips, head on his chest listening to his heart beat.

"What's so fascinating about my heart?" Alfred questioned, rubbing one of my hands with his thumb. I smiled, inhaling deeply, realizing that I fell for the American hard. Whether that was a good thing or not, I could care less. Instead of answering Alfred, I lifted my hand and with one finger ran a trail up Alfred's unclothed arm. Only around me did Alfred show his arms. I chuckled slightly when I heard Alfred's heart beat quicken. Alfred ducked his head down to look at my face. "What're you chuckling about?" he asked.

"I just love listening to your heart beat. That's the only thing about a person's body that doesn't lie." I replied, ghosting my lips across Alfred's. He straightened back up and 'hmm'-ed. I pulled back to get a good look at the American's face. He was staring far out to the left, deep in thought. "What's the matter, love" I asked, trying to hide the worry that was lacing every word that left my mouth.

"I'm fine Arthur. " He said, face stoic. A flash of something passed through his eyes before he turned towards me and caressed my hair. Leaning into his touch I sighed.

"I need to cut my fringe. It's to my mouth now." I said, changing the subject. Alfred reached forward and ran his finger through my fringe.

"I dunno. I like the look on you. It's hott." Alfred shrugged, "I, on the other hand, need a hair cut." I ran my fingers through Alfred's chin length blond hair.

"Hmm… I kind of like long hair on you. Especially when it falls into your face when we kiss" I said quietly, licking my lips. Alfred shook his head and ran his hand through his hair to push it out of his face.

"I'll leave the long hair to you" he said. I just shrugged.

"I do like to see your lovely blue eyes" I admitted.

"I would love to say the same about your beautiful green eyes" Alfred said attempting to brush my fringe aside but I gently pushed his hand away. He looked at me confused and bent down to kiss me but before he could do so, I moved my face out the way. I ducked down and began listening to Alfred's heart again. I hated my eyes with a burning passion. They reminded me of my mom, much to my chagrin. How could Alfred say my eyes were beautiful? It baffled me. "What's wrong" Alfred asked trying to coax my head up but I stuck close to his chest, refusing to look up.

"Nothing, Alfred… let's just… can we just sit in silence and not talk. Please?" If I were to talk any longer, I felt as though I would have a break down right then and there. I didn't want Alfred to see me like that. Almost as if Alfred could read my mind, he replied 'sure' and wrapped his arms around me.

000-000

Unfortunately we had to leave eventually, so Alfred put on his long sleeve jacket and walked me home. When we got there, I offered for him to come in because my parents weren't home. They never were. But Alfred declined, telling me that his father texted him and told him to come home as soon as possible. I caught an edge in his tone but didn't pry as I knew Alfred hated when I pried in his home life. That's why we never talked about why we cut ourselves we just knew that we were both teens who had problems in the piece of shit we liked to call life. That was all we needed to know.

The rest of the night I sat in my room with all the lights off, happy that it was Friday but sad because I would have to endure the weekend without Alfred at my side. I was splayed out on my bed, in front of my window watching as each rain droplet smacked my window. I always wondered what caused the sky to "cry" so much in England. Sometimes I would even imagine that when it rained, the sky was really weeping for me. That at least something on this earth had empathy for me. I sighed, and sat in silence, looking at how the rain on the window created a small patch of blurry light in my other wise pitch black room.

I jumped as I heard something hit my window. What the hell, I thought, looking outside. There was a blurry figure in my back yard, climbing the tree that sat near my window. It looked like… I squinted my eyes to get a better look. It was Alfred! Instantly I felt my stomach drop. What was he doing here? Quickly I opened my window, calling out to Alfred.

"What the hell Alfred! Get the hell in here, quickly before you get sick!" I yelled at the American. Carefully he reached up to grab one of the tree's branches, and then quickly he reached one leg over and on my bed. I held his arm and pulled him all the way through the window, closing it so my bed wouldn't get any wetter. "Why didn't you just knock on the front door? You could've gotten yourself hurt!" I yelled quietly, not really that mad at Alfred. The American was standing up with his back turned towards me, taking off his shoes and jacket. Once he finished, he turned around to face me.

"I didn't know if your parents were home" he shrugged.

"They're never home" I replied before a streak of lightning flashed in the sky, illuminating my bedroom, allowing me to see the huge purple and blue bruise making an appearance across Alfred's right eye. Hurriedly I stood up on my knees on the bed and reached forward to touch Alfred's face but he just turned his head. Taking my wrist and moving my hand down to his neck, Alfred shook his head.

"Don't" he mumbled. I could feel myself getting angry.

"Bloody hell Alfred! Who did this to you?" I asked but the teen just shook his head again.

"Can we just go to sleep I'm tired" he mumbled. I nodded my head 'yes', backing up towards the window to make room for him on the bed, all the while not taking my eyes from his face. Why won't he tell me who did this to him? Alfred lay down and hugged my waist burying his face in my shirt as I was still sitting up.

"Did you…?" I asked scanning Alfred's arms. He just nodded his head 'yes'. I sighed; it hurt me to know that Alfred hurt himself. Even though I did the same thing, it was different to know that he was enduring such pain. I looked down when I felt my shirt becoming uncomfortably wet…Alfred was crying. So I pried his arms from around me and lay down next to him. Once I was lying down, I curled myself around Alfred holding him close to me as he clutched his arms around me tightly, not saying a word. I buried my face in Alfred's hair. Comforting Alfred like he did to me weeks ago and soon I fell asleep one last thing uttered from my mouth:

"I'll always be here for you too, Alfred"

A/N: Pwease review!