Title: When Worlds Collide
Pairing: USUK
Summary: "If you don't love England much," America said quietly, with a quiver, yet awfully honest and desperate and in love, "Can I take your place?"
Note: Angst. Angst everywhere.
X
2016, World B
Arthur covered his mouth with both his hands, tears falling helplessly from his green eyes. He heard a sobbing sound but he wasn't sure if it was from him or the Alfred-look-alike, they were so muddled, so murmured, so heaving that the sound became so indistinguishable in his ears.
Without his thinking, he steps out of Alfred's tight hold, leaning towards the crying blonde's direction and he knew he would have hugged him if it weren't for Alfred's quick arms pulling him back again.
Alfred's voice was unclear to his ears too. He thinks he's saying something about dangerous and being a hero and saving him. But they just don't register in his mind. It's fully occupied by the sad man bawling in front of him.
He wanted to embrace him so very much. He looks like he needed one. Like how Arthur needed it as much.
He slaps Alfred's arms away from him, closing the distance quickly between himself and the doppelganger.
"Who are you?" He said softly when he kneeled in front, his voice was quiet in fear that if he speaks louder, it would break as well. He hated breaking but something about the man just pulled on his heartstring and he couldn't pinpoint why.
"England." America said, "England. It's been so long, so, so long."
The American reaches out and Arthur flinches as an automatic response but the man in front of him, foregoing from burying his face on his arms, cradles his cheeks with such warmth, such tenderness.
And it's been so long since someone exhibited that same affection towards him that the mere touch made him craved for more.
"It's been so long since you look at me that way." He paints a smile not nearly as bright as the flickering lights Arthur once saw in the poorer part of an English town, "I miss you. God, I miss you so much. I miss you and the way you look at me and your touches and your voice. I miss you. I miss you so, so much."
"What do you mean?" Fingers brush away his own tears gently, nimbly tracing the contours of his face, stopping when he closes his eyes briefly, "Who exactly are you, love?"
But America doesn't answer him directly. Instead, the man continued to babble on until he was out breath and breathing heavy. The American spoke of desperation and fondness and lovesickness and regrets. All of the things that Arthur think of every night.
And he doesn't stop until Arthur wraps him up in his arms as tight as he could, hushing the broken man. Something about the eyes of this America seems utterly lost.
"He's asleep." Arthur almost forgot Alfred but he doesn't pull away, cradling the man gently in his arms as if he was a babe. Arthur swallowed as he meets Alfred's eyes, the blue in them darker than they should have been.
"Let's get him into bed." He suggested. Alfred gaped at him, incredulity showing in his irises, "Are you kidding me, Artie?! He could be dangerous for all we know!"
"But we know nothing about him. So bloody belt up and help me with me. Or so help me God!" Arthur snapped, glaring at the American who frowned at him with annoyance. Alfred rolled his eyes at him but made no move in helping. "Alfred!"
"Geez! Alright, alright, damn old man!"
X
2054, World A
The sudden opening of the doors silences the arguing occupants. They all turn to see the disheveled form of a worried Canadian panting on his knees.
"America." He said in a panicked voice, "America is missing."
"What?"
"I searched everywhere… He's not in his room. He's not back home in his country. He's not here anywhere near the vicinity. He's missing. Nobody tells me that he is not because this is the fucking seventh day that we did not see him!"
A tea cup falls from dainty hand and shattered.
X
2016, World B
America woke up with a splitting headache on a bed. The scenery this time wasn't familiar but he knows that it should be. The whiteness of the wall could be mistaken to be that in the hospital but the lack of medical stench proved him to be wrong.
"You're awake." He jolts at the voice. British. America immediately turns to face the owner. It was really England, with his English thick eyebrows and English green eyes and English accent and English everything. It's like back home.
But this is not his home. The rather big presence of his counterpart in this world tramples down his belief that maybe the thirty or so years he had were merely a sick dream and England still loves him. But no, Alfred's presence in the room reminds him why Tony sent him here in the first place.
Everything about him breaking England's heart back home was true, the little pathetic shit that he was. Who in their right mind would break the heart of someone they love? Fools like him, it seems.
"Before you go all sentimental on Artie, who the hell are you dude? And how the fuck did you get here? And why are you impersonating me?"
America rolled to his side that faced away from the two before answering Alfred with a different question, "Do you love England?"
Arthur and Alfred both sputtered, suddenly very aware of their close proximity. Alfred was the first to jump in to denial, "What the hell are you talking about? In love? With Eyebrows? Ew! No way! I don't have some sick fetish to old man like him!"
Arthur stared at Alfred before looking away, "Of course I don't bloody love him. Look at him! He's fat!"
"I am not fat!"
"Of course you are! You eat all those hamburgers and junk food, do you think I don't see you putting those weights on, idiot!"
America gave a laugh, one that distracted the two from insulting each other further. America had long given up facing away, the two look entertaining, it was nostalgic. But he can't help from flinching at the words used by the America of this world.
"Must you be cruel?" He asked Alfred as he sat on his bed, "I only asked a question answerable by a yes or a no. Do you love him?"
"What the hell, man! Not cool." Alfred felt a hotness crept up on his cheeks and he hoped to every Almighty that Arthur wouldn't take notice. America clucked his tongue, "Well, do you love England, Alfred?"
"Hey! I didn't give you permission to use my human name!" America looked at him calmly without much changing his position or expression, he just sighed, look at Arthur for a moment before looking at Alfred again, "Do you love England?"
"Why are you so persistent with—"
"Do you love England?"
"NO! There, you have a fucking answer! I don't love Arthur and I never would!"
"Really, Alfred?"
Alfred slowly faces Arthur who looked blankly at him. That's when he realized what he had said and he stuttered, "I mean… yeah… no… um…"
"I need some air. If that doppelganger of yours talks about who he is, tell me." Arthur hightailed away, slamming the door as he did so.
"You love him, don't you?" America spoke again and Alfred glared heatedly at him, "What the hell, dude! You made me piss Artie off."
"Tell me, Alfred of this world," America cupped a hand on his cheek, looking calculating and world-weary, "How do you wake up and tell yourself you don't love England of this world when you do? Do you make it as your daily breakfast? These denials? It must be the reason why you're growing fat, all this swallowing of lies."
America stood from his bed, the headache now a dull throb, bearable. He pushses pass the frozen man, walking quickly towards the door but before he fully opens it Alfred spun and snarled at him, "Where do you think you're going?"
"I'm going to chase England of this world." He said quietly, "Your England still loves you very much. I can see it in his eyes. But I'm you too. Just from a different world. But the essential part is that I'm you. And that means England technically loves me too. That's why I… I'm going to chase England."
He left Alfred staring at the closed door in the empty hotel bed that might belong to either of the two. Probably Alfred's.
X
He found Arthur sitting outside the hotel in the garden out front. Arthur was looking up the sky with a blank expression, eyes almost empty, it's scary. He had seen that familiar look far too many times.
Alfred must have not known but that is Arthur's hurt expression—the blankness of it tells you how much you hurt him so. He wouldn't wear it if he wasn't affected so much.
"England."
"Why do you call me England, doppelganger? It's not war time. We don't call each other that name when there are no wars to be fought in." Arthur replied to his call without moving, he moves his arm to cover his face and America wonders if he was crying.
"How do you know it wasn't your America?" He asked. Arthur let out a humorless chuckle, "Alfred wouldn't chase me, lad. So, it's either you're a bad impostor or you're a really bad actor. Either way, you're not going to be Alfred."
"Hmmm," A hum to fill the silence. America rolled his head to untangle a nick on his neck, "I am neither because I am America of another world. And in my world, we call each other in our nation name even in peace, that's just our norm. Does that make sense? With all this, talking about my world and your world. Because believe me, we are from separate realities." A pause and then America added, "Would you believe me if I tell you that I jump worlds to see you?"
"Did I die on your realm?" Arthur humored. America laugh, "No. I just want to see a version of you that loves a version of me."
"How are you so sure that I love you here?"
America's shoulders slump. "You don't?"
It was Arthur's turn to laugh again, this time with a little bit of life, although deflating as he goes on, "Of course, I do. I'd been denying for so long, it gets ridiculously tiring. I don't even know why I'm telling you this. For all I know, Alfred is right and you're a dangerous faker who would take over the world by impersonating him."
"But do you believe me? Do you believe that I jumped worlds?"
Arthur removes his arms from his eyes and sees the blueness of the sky, the same shade of hue that is in Alfred's eyes—in this doppelganger's eyes.
"I don't know." Arthur sighed, "I guess, it's not unheard of. We, ourselves, are something out of the context of human facts. I mean how did we get to be nations? So, I guess, parallel worlds are not much of a shocker to me."
"Oh good then." America smiled before pulling Arthur so suddenly into a soft kiss, lips upon lips, green eyes wide in shock and blue hidden behind lids.
Alfred exploded. "WHAT THE HELL."
X
Alfred ruffled his hair in frustration before letting out a deep sigh.
This sucks.
The day had begun in the wrong side of the horizon. Everything seems to be out to get him. He insulted Arthur's scones even though he would love to eat them but no, he just have to open his big mouth! And then this stupid look alike showed up and screwed him over.
He wants to kick himself. Why the fuck did he said that he doesn't love Arthur in front of Arthur? His brother's going to kill him—castrate him and feed to his pet bear.
Or if Matthew's going to be super cruel, he would lecture him for straight hours until he is satisfied and make him feel guiltier even more.
"I need to find Arthur and apologize." Alfred muttered, hurrying out his room and directly running into Francis.
"Mon cher!" The French looked startled to see him, confusion flitting in his eyes, "What are you doing here? Aren't you with mon petit lapin outside? I just saw you…?"
"What part of the outside did you see me?" Alfred asked, an urgency in his voice. Francis tilts his head, blinking owlishly, "Oh! It must have been sweet Mathieu that I had seen with the Englishman."
"Francis. Where?"
"Oh, in the garden out front. I mistook Mathieu for you. Silly me." The French laughs, waving a hand, "Is Mathieu in love with Arthur? He looks at Arthur the way you—"
Alfred doesn't hear the rest of his sentence as he darts away towards the direction of Arthur, feet stomping hard on the polish floor of the hotel, heart ramming in his chest.
Does that impersonator intend to fucking mess with him? Goddammit!
Pushing people away from his path, he blindly runs through the crowd with the same sinking feeling he had felt when Arthur gave him that blank look. He curses himself when he almost crashes into the heavy glass doors.
"Al!"
He doesn't turn around at the voice of his brother—he doesn't stop for anything, not even when Matthew continued calling out to him. He continued on his search. It wasn't hard to spot what he was looking for the moment he was out the building. Only Arthur likes to occupy the front garden. So outside, he immediately noticed the two figures sitting just far enough from his earshot.
They seem to be talking about something. Alfred couldn't help but frown when Arthur laughs at whatever that doppelganger had said. As he gets closer, the voice became clearer.
And then he heard, "Oh good then", before America pulled Arthur close and kissed him right on the mouth.
For a moment, everything was silent. The soft footsteps that had been following him since he had gotten out the building stops. Everything was at a standstill for a mere frozen second, even his heartbeat.
Alfred had done terrible things in his life—very, very terrible things. He could actually make a list for anyone who asks about his regrets. And hurting Arthur in any form or way is always going to be the very top on that rather long list. He knew he had done awful, awful things and sometimes he dreams of all those empty eyes that stare at him when he had hurt them—Arthur's, Kiku's, and even Antonio's. He knew that somewhere in his life, there would come a time when karma strikes him. It's not even a matter of if. No, he never believes in 'if', always 'when'.
Today, karma must be laughing his ass off at him.
"Al… what…"
"WHAT THE HELL." Rage bubbled out of his lips, his fist tingling at the sudden sensation of skin hitting skin in a hard punch when he pulled on his look alike.
"Alfred! What the… what the bloody hell?" Arthur shrieked but he doesn't register his voice. He was only focus on the fake America who looked at him with a stony façade. America wiped the blood from his cut lips, spitting away the red liquid.
Alfred stalked towards him, ready to punch again but Matthew pulled on him, "Al! Calm down! What the hell is going on? He looks like you! I'm freaking out, eh!"
"Let me go, bro! Dammit!"
"Why would I let you go? You're going to kill him!"
"I just punch him!"
"Yes! You fucking punch him with your incredulous strength, Al."
"DAMMIT, MATTHE WILLIAMS! LET ME GO SO I CAN FUCKING MURDER THIS MOTHERFUCKER!"
"Enough!" Arthur shouted, "Just enough. You," The Brit turned to America, "Why did you kiss me?! Are you mad? We were just bloody talking and then you kiss me! Out of the blue! Why? And you!"
Arthur walked briskly to Alfred and poke him in the chest for every word he spoke, "You. Don't. Have. The. Right. To. Punch. Anyone. In. The. Face!"
"He was kissing you!"
"Especially those who are kissing me!" He shrieked, "What if I was truly enjoying a bloody kiss and you come around and fucking sucker punch the guy?"
"But I…"
"No buts, Alfred. I'm tired of your reckless behaviour. If you can, Matthew lad, would you be nice enough to escort your brother out of my vicinity?"
"I'm not leaving you with that guy! Who knows what he might do!" Alfred protested, frowning at Arthur's attitude. But the Brit only glared at him and took the other American by the arm and dragged him away. "If he does anything, I would tell you 'I told you so'. Damn Brits."
"Al," At the call, Alfred turns towards his confused brother, "Who was that? And why is Arthur behaving like that?" At that comment, violet eyes narrowed, "Did you do something stupid again?"
"I didn't do anything stupid!" Alfred immediately defended causing Matthew to be even more skeptical, "Anyway! That guy… he told me he was from another world… that's he is me from that world… and that he's going to chase Artie."
Alfred frowned even more at that. Matthew tilts his head, "Couldn't all of this just be a prank?"
"I thought so then. But I also thought it's either you're the culprit or Francis."
"But?"
"But you're here. And Francis is in the building, and unless he is super fast, then he speed pass me and pretended to be me and…" Blue eyes darken at the memory, "Kiss Artie."
Matthew doesn't speak for a minute or so, scrutinizing his brother's expression and recalling the earlier events. He worried his lips as he think about everything thoroughly before settling into a concerned look, "Al… what if he is telling the truth? That he really is from another world same as ours? What if he's from an alternate universe? You said he's here to chase Arthur. What if he's here to do that because he mess up his chance in his world and lose Arthur for good and now he comes here to redo his mistakes?"
Alfred scrunches his face at the questions thrown at him, all of which are painful to hear because it means that in wherever his counterpart came from, he had utterly made an asshole of himself and never gotten together with the Arthur of that world with no possible chances coming up anymore. It means that in another world, he lost Arthur and he became so desperate as to seek another one to be with.
It means they were never meant to be.
Alfred caught Matthew's eyes and felt himself wither at the stare. Alfred knew he had done terrible things in life—awful bad things. And hurting Arthur in any form or way is always going to be the very top on that rather long list. He just never thought it would come to a messy situation like this where he was an even bigger jerk in another world to end up screwing so badly.
"He's going to steal Artie away from me."
In that very moment, every terrible things he ever said and did to Arthur came flashing back before his eyes and not for the first time in his eternal life he wondered what is wrong with him.
TBC…
I never thought I'd get this far. I'm sooooooooooo ecstatic about your reviews, favorites, and follows! I was like whoa, this was actually read and reviewed. I wonder why.
I cut back on the angst a bit. I am in a deliriously happy mode with your responses. Aaannddd because I just received news I'm going to be travelling to another country soon. *wink wink*
And I would just warn you that you might end up hating me.
Also, drop a review. Reviews make me happy and would prevent you from hating me.
Also, drop by to read my other fics. Shameless is shameless.
