Chapter Two
"Why are you so mean?" Antonio asked Rosa. She shrugged, frowning.
"Why don't you ever talk?" This time she twitched, obviously annoyed, and gave him a dirty look instead. He sighed. He didn't know much about her; just that his uncle treated her special, like a relative. All he received was a brief excuse about her being his dead right man's daughter, and in any case, that meant he had to spend at least some time with her. But how could he, when she never even spoke to him?
"Come on! Are you threatened because I'm his nephew? As in an actual blood relative? I don't think he'd treat you any less special because I'm here-"
He should really have kept his mouth shut, because in a moment the bucket she threw hit him square in the face, and he fell to the floor, surprised, a hand cupping his red cheek.
He looked up, surprised to see her face red, tears dripping down her cheeks as she held a chair, warning him to stay down. He watched her dark hair flutter around her face as she shouted at him in a frustrated voice.
"N-no… Habl-hablas… Espanol!"
She dropped the chair, and ran out of the room, leaving him to nurse his cheek.
"What is this."
Iain was glaring at him from across the desk. "I leave you alone for a week. A week. Tell me, can I even trust you? I come back to find that you've signed a treaty with these pirates?"
Arthur simply scoffed, looking to the side, relaxing in the red chair. "There's nothing wrong with these 'pirates', brother. Father was dealing with them before he died."
"And his cause of death, yes? And Ali-"
He stopped dead, and an uncomfortable silence took over the room. He could see his other older siblings by the door, Vincent at the wall looking down at his shoes.
He looked up sharply, once he heard Arthur's calm but cold voice, somehow willing him to meet his eyes.
"Do not forget, it was my name Father put in his will to take over. Don't forget who's in charge."
He stood up, eye to eye with his brother. He had grown, shot up in the short time, and Iain couldn't believe he hadn't noticed it.
Arthur stayed that way, before turning around and walking away.
"Wait. Arthur." Iain managed to choke out.
Arthur stopped, but didn't turn.
"What are you going to do.. with those Pirates?"
"I didn't just sign a treaty with them – we have an agreement."
"Agreement?"
He could feel the smile on Arthur's face, eerily even without him turning. It was some sort of forced cheer that didn't sound good at all.
"Yes. I'm leaving with them, once I am ready. And I've just decided-I am."
Thanks for reading! Antonio, Arthur, Alice, Iain, Vincent, and everyone else, Hetalia, do not belong to me. Feedback is love, and so is reading. Merci encore~