Author's notes: Hello again! I'm glad to see that it got some attention and it's a great start. I'm getting on the roll here so hopefully the plot in my head regarding this beautiful doujinshi will seam together and still bring the original plot justice...let's read on, shall we?
Warnings!: There will be DOUJIN PLOT SPOILERS in this story and did I mention there will be YAOI in this? That is the reason for the M rating :) but you will have to wait for the later chapters for the yummy bits to arrive. There will be angst but mostly hurt/comfort, fluff, romance and this is an obvious USUK pairing :) possible OOC for both main characters as I'm interpreting their characters from the doujinshi while putting a bit of my head canon in this.
Story notes: This plot is based on USUK doujinshi Negai Hoshi, hence the warning for the plot spoilers. If you read anything that you don't recognize from the doujinshi, that would be my work as I'm trying to create some background context from the source to make sense of the plot. Each chapter will begin with a song verse of inspiration to give the idea of what mood it'll create. From this chapter on, flashbacks and dream sequences will be italicized. This whole thing will be at least 6 chapters long so expect an update about each week depending how I'm doing at work and whatnot :) Just so you know, the flashback sequence in this chapter is found later in the doujinshi but I thought in the case of writing, it was better suited here :)
Disclaimer: I'm afraid I hadn't any luck in finding out who drew and published this doujinshi as I found it online and found no names to locate the source but the credit of the overall plot, the art and portrayal of the characters goes to them (and I would greatly appreciate if someone knows who they are so that I can add it in the disclaimer). And thank you to monobuu jeom (I hope I spelled correctly and stupid formatting refused to add in certain symbols) for the translation otherwise I wouldn't know how the story went :) Please give a standing ovation for Jane Taylor's poem 'The Stars' for making Twinkle Twinkle Little Star such a well known lullabye and nursery rhyme and the due credit of the timeless song of When You Wish Upon A Star, made immortalized in the movie Pinocchio, goes to the brilliant Leigh Harlene and Ned Washington for composing it and to Cliff Edwards for the warm rendition that we know so well...
When You Wish Upon A Star
Chapter 2: Faerie Magic and Shooting Stars
Verse of Inspiration:
When a star is born
They possess a gift or two...
One of them is this...
They have the power
To make a wish come true...
~ When You Wish Upon A Star featured in "Pinocchio" by Walt Disney Animation Studios.
"Thanks for letting me stay over, Kiku. As always, I had a blast and your food is awesome for helping me keep in shape," Alfred said in thanks as he checked that his carry-on luggage was still with him. Kiku had courteously accompanied Alfred to the airport and helped him check in his luggage in order to catch a late afternoon flight before he had to leave to speak with his boss.
"I'm glad to hear your kind words, Alfred-san," Kiku bowed respectfully before he was pulled into a huge hug from the American nation, which made the elder of the two sputter slightly before composing himself when they pulled apart. He had somehow grow used to hugs but still remained jittery in the aftermath, 'Western culture certainly is baffling to the mind...'
"Well, I think I should head in since my flight's leaving in less than an hour."
"Please have a safe journey home."
"I will, Kiku. I'll text you when I'm home...and...uh..." Alfred scratched the back of his head, trying very hard to ignore to heat on his cheeks as they recalled what they discussed yesterday about Arthur, "I'll let you know how the situation goes with...uh...Arthur..."
"I look forward to it, Alfred-san. Please do not hesitate to message me if there are any changes."
After a final farewell, Alfred parted ways with Kiku and made his way to the appointed departure terminal. He fiddled with his iPhone while he waited for the announcement to board the plane. When the announcement came through the PA speakers, he joined the growing queue of passengers and boarded the aircraft. After finding his allocated window seat in the business class section, he settled himself down and tried to relax his mind. The flight was going to be long and he needed at least a few hours of sleep during the flight to make sure he wouldn't be too affected by jet lag when he returned home.
After the plane took off and about halfway through the flight, Alfred had grown bored out of his mind. His iPhone ran out of battery from listening to his music. He had worn out his PSP Vita from playing his games. He had already read the manga volimes he had brought in his hand luggage three times. And he was not in the mood for watching movies provided by the in-flight entertainment centre since he had already watched them before countless times. He grunted in discomfort and felt the need to stretch himself. As he did within the circle of his plush seat, he happened to look outside the airplane window to find the sky had turned dark. He stiffened when he saw the stars sparkling outside...they were shining brightly as before above the white expanse of the glowing clouds...the twinkling stars reminded him of the soft shine in Arthur's eyes...so beautiful...
'Agh! Arthur again?!' Alfred pressed the palms of his hands against his forehead, 'Oh man...why is he always in my mind?!'
"Um excuse me, sir?" Alfred turned to find an air stewardess looking at him with concern, "Are you alright, sir? Would you like some water or some other refreshments to make you feel better?"
"Oh no, miss, thank you for your concern. I'm fine really," Alfred flashed an assuring smile, "I was just thinking, that's all."
"If you say so, sir. Please let me know if you need anything."
After thanking the stewardess, Alfred felt his attention drawing back to the night sky outside the plane window. His bespectacled eyes took on a more fond expression...he wasn't lying to himself that the twinkle of the stars reminded him of the way Arthur's eyes shone...either with a raging determined fire...or a gentle glow like a firefly. That fond look was also tinged with the sadness he displayed in the Tanabata festival. As he kept gazing at the stars, Alfred found himself nodding off to sleep and began to dream a happy memory when Arthur was still his beloved big brother...
"Come on, Alfred...time for bed..."
"I'm coming!"
Arthur smiled as his little colony sprinted from the bathroom after washing his face and brushing his teeth. Alfred happily cuddled up to his big brother, which the blonde nation reciprocated in kind as he quickly changed him into his night clothes. Arthur had dressed down to his long sleeved shirt and pants.
Alfred jumped onto the plush covers and pillows, loving the billowy softness cushioning him. His big brother had just brought them all the way from London to replace the worn ones and to celebrate that he just got a bigger bed to sleep in. That meant that his beloved big brother can sleep with him too! He nuzzled against a pillow, casting a sweet smile at Arthur.
"So soft! It's like being on a cloud, Arthur," Alfred beamed at his caretaker, "I like my new bed a lot..."
"I'm glad to hear that, Alfred," Arthur felt his heart warm and chuckled at the sight of his little colony wrapped up in the sheets looking like a mummy, "It wasn't easy bringing all your new things here but seeing you happy makes it all worth it, lad."
"Story, please?" Alfred begged with his eyes wide, "I want a bedtime story."
"Alright, dear...but first let us get settled in first, okay?"
Arthur pulled the child nation towards him as he spread open the sheets and covers and fluffed up and straightened the pillows. Then he prompted Alfred to lie down before shuffling up next to him before covering their bodies. Alfred snuggled up to Arthur's clothed chest and felt a kiss on his head in return. He looked up to see green eyes shining brightly at him.
"What story would you like to hear, Alfred?"
Alfred scrunched up his face in thought. His big brother was so wonderful with fairytales. They were filled with faerie folk, magic, brave knights in shining armor rescuing beautiful princesses and dragons to be defeated. The problem was there were too many to choose from. He peeked over Arthur's shoulder and saw the night sky shining through the window behind him. There he saw two lone stars shining above the rest in the sparkling tapestry...the second on the right shining brightly than its partner. He smiled, he knew what story he wanted for tonight...
"Peter Pan...I want to hear about Peter Pan..."
Arthur's warm chuckle reverberated in his chest, "Alright...Peter Pan it is..."
Alfred smiled with excitement as Arthur made himself more comfortable on his side and gently ruffled his hair as he started his story...
"A long time ago in the city of London, there lived a good family with three children...there is little Michael, the youngest of the trio...the second in the family was practical-minded John...and the eldest was a girl with a huge imagination and talent for story-telling named Wendy whose greatest story was about a young boy who wouldn't grow up...his name was Peter Pan whose best friend was a little beautiful faerie named Tinker Bell..."
As Arthur continued to narrate, little Alfred paid rapt attention to every detail bursting from his big brother's mouth. He could imagine what Neverland would be like and all the inhabitants that lived there. There were mysterious mermaids, other magical faeries like Tinker Bell, strange Indian tribes and of course the ruthless Captain Hook and his crew of pirates. But the child nation thought the best part of the story was when Tinker Bell's light was restored by the children's strong belief in faeries when she saved Peter Pan from the poison...it was all because of the magic of believing that captured his attention. All the while, Arthur's green eyes glowed gently, his heart captured by the innocence shining on Alfred's youthful face.
But all too soon, wonderful stories had to come to an end...
"After their adventure, Wendy grew up and had children of her own. However, she never stopped believing in Peter Pan nor did she forget him...she told stories of her adventures to her children...and when her children grew up, they told her stories to their own children...and from this cycle, Peter Pan would be remembered and that is how his story came to be to this day...by the magic of believing and storytelling...the end..."
Alfred found himself slightly nodding off. But he felt he needed to tell his big brother something important...
"Hey Arthur?" Alfred said as he crept closer to level with Arthur's face.
"What is it, Alfred?"
"The stars are so pretty at night..."
Arthur briefly looked over his shoulder and nodded, "You're right, they are pretty...it's a pity that I don't get to see them when I go back to my country...my skies are always so cloudy that barely a light shines through...you're so lucky to have them for company."
"Oh..." Alfred's eyes dimmed at the response. It meant that his big brother couldn't see the stars as well as he did and for some reason...it made him feel very sad.
"But...even though we are in different lands, we are all connected by the same sky...so whenever you look up in the deep blue sky...be assured that I'll be looking up at that same sky too...because the sky is like your lovely blue eyes," Arthur watched the young face brighten, "And I'll tell you something extra special, shooting stars are filled with magic...they have the gift to make a wish come true...so make sure when you see a star shooting across the sky, make a wish with all your heart."
"Really? Wow! I didn't know that. I'll do that next time," Alfred chirped happily, his unknown sadness forgotten, "Then does this mean that all these stories you told me are real? Not just the stars but all the magic...the faeries, mermaids and everything...they are all real too?"
"Of course they are, my lad. I wouldn't have told you all these stories if they weren't true," Arthur smiled. He chuckled when he saw Alfred peeking over his shoulder again...ah...he was looking at the stars again. He brushed his fingers over Alfred's cherubic cheek to catch his attention, "Are you listening, Alfred?"
Alfred blinked up at the feathery touches and focused his attention back at the elder nation. Arthur sighed fondly and brushed the sandy locks away from the young face.
"Faeries do exist...and magic too."
"Can...can you do magic?"
"Yes, of course I can, Alfred," Arthur replied with some pride in his voice.
"Wow, cool!" the little nation's eyes sparkled excitedly as he gripped Arthur's shirt, "I wanna see something magical now! Please?"
Arthur shook his head, his loving expression turning a bit solemn. Alfred knew that look and stayed quiet. It meant that his brother was being serious.
"No, Alfred...magic is something that can't be used frivolously..."
"Frivolously?"
Arthur thought for a while on how to respond to his little colony's question and to clarify his words. When he finally got the answer, he cupped Alfred's little hand and encased it warmly in his own giant hand.
"What I mean to say is that magic uses the power of your most vivid emotions deep inside your heart and soul...so you can only use it in very special times, my boy..." Arthur explained, "Otherwise, it'll all be terribly wasted..."
"Ooh...okay..."
Arthur watched Alfred trying to process the words in his mind as his face was scrunched up in thought again before relaxing, "Do you understand now?"
Alfred nodded softly, "I think I do...so this means that if I really want to use magic, it will come to me when it's the right time?"
"You're such a smart boy. Yes, and I'm sure that you'll be able to call magic to your fingers when you need to...now, no more questions..." Arthur kissed his colony's temple, "It's time to close your eyes and sleep, Alfred. We have a big day ahead tomorrow."
"Don't leave me, Arthur..." Alfred tugged on Arthur's sleeve as he buried his head in the big pillow, "Can you sing me to sleep?"
"I wasn't planning to, dear...of course I'll sing to you..."
Arthur wrapped his arms around Alfred, watching in adoration as the little nation pressed his cheek against his chest. He hummed a soft tune and began to sing a lullabye native to his homeland.
"Twinkle, twinkle little star...how I wonder what you are...up above the world so high...like a diamond in the sky...twinkle, twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are..."
Alfred found his eyelids slowly growing heavier and heavier as the soft hums washed over him like a warm ray of sunshine...he fisted the soft cotton in his little fist, making sure that his big brother was anchored to him.
"When the blazing sun is gone...when he nothing shines upon...then you show your little light...twinkle, twinkle all the night...twinkle, twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are..."
Arthur's eyes glowed and his smile was tender as the little blue eyes slowly shut. The fist slowly loosened from his now wrinkled shirt. He gathered the tiny being in a loving embrace. Making sure that his little colony was deeply asleep, Arthur sang one more verse to bless him with sweet dreams...
"In the dark blue sky you keep...and often through my curtains peep...for you never shut your eye...'till the sun is in the sky...twinkle twinkle little star...how I wonder what you are..."
Planting one more kiss on the sandy blonde locks, Arthur shuffled into the sheets, holding Alfred close to his heart...warming him to the core...
"Good night, Alfred..."
Alfred blinked his eyes at the end of his dream flashback, the gentle voice of past Arthur waking him to reality. The American nation looked confused for a moment before realizing that he was still in the plane. By then, nearly all of the passengers were asleep and it was still dark out. He also felt warm yet an unmistakable ache resonated in his heart. Was there any recent occasion when Arthur was this tender and sweet towards him? He couldn't really recall it from the top of his head. Even if Arthur did do something nice for him, it meant that he hadn't been paying attention to witness the deed. He knew everything had changed since the Revolutionary War and they had hurt and distanced from each other since until they became allies. But it didn't mean his feelings fell by the wayside. Instead, along with his unquenchable determination to prove his worth, they just grew stronger up until now...
Alfred looked outside his plane window to see the stars still shining in the night sky and sighed...why did the stars have to remind him of what he couldn't achieve? But most importantly, why didn't they make his dearest wish come true when he was a colony under Arthur's care?
The questions buzzing in his head were enough to make Alfred nod off to sleep once again...he clenched his eyes shut, trying to recollect the bittersweet memory for his next dream. As he did, he hummed 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star' under his breath and a tear trickled from a closed eyelid.
''Night, Arthur...'
To be continued...
Author's notes: I loved that flashback scene in the original doujinshi. I thought it really portrayed the sweet tender brotherly moment between little Alfred and Arthur in the colonial days. I hope I did justice for it. In any case, there is more to come! Reviews and criticism are greatly appreciated! Until the next update!
