A/N: First school day in year 10 and I'm shattered ;_; School wears you out after a long, lazy summer. More information on Arthur will be leaked into this chapter, as well as a little dose of PruCan :)
To be entirely honest, I'm a little torn between two possiblities that revolve around Arthur's powers.
Another thing, I'm putting a poll up on my profile asking which side of Arthur you'd like to see more of: the colder, more reserved Arthur, or the fiery, bad tempered Arthur? You can post your opinion in a review if you'd prefer.
Anyway, on with the circus...
Matthew sighed to himself; he had been spending his time with a loud, deformed Prussian circus act who, Matthew now noticed, kept a small bird atop his head. Great, he thought.
"So, you like the acts then?" Gilbert asked with a toothy grin. Matthew merely smiled and nodded.
"Great!" Prussia cheered. "Who's your favourite then?"
"Um... I'm not sure... but I don't think I should chose my favourite performer. After all, this is... wrong." Matthew reasoned quietly.
Prussia smile dropped and his face became serious. Without his eye patch Matthew could study the scars decorating the skin around his perminantly sealed right eye.
"I see... you and your brother, you're not paying customers are you? You're not like the usual guests we get here." Gilbert mused. Matthew smiled.
"I don't want to judge you by the jobs you perform. You told my brother and I that you represent deformity... I just don't see it." Matthew smiled softly. Gilbert appeared to be a little frustrated.
"My right eye. It's-" Gilbert began to point out his flaws.
"I know. That doesn't make you any less of a man, or human beng for that matter, than any other person walking this planet." Matthew gazed into Matthew's crimson eye. He could see behind his obnoxious demeanour and his headstrong ways. He could see the pain and tortue that lay behind his single blood red eye. He could tell that the German had been through a lot.
Alfred bit his lip - he just wanted to know what kept Arthur tied to a circus of horrors. He cursed himself under his breath.
"Arthur," he began.
"Yes?" The Brit responded, turning the face his new American companian.
"Who knows of your powers?" Alfred wanted information. Arthur grit his teeth in frustration.
"Alfred!" He snapped. "All of my cast mates know of my powers. Former circus spectators know of my powers. Please, I'm not going to give my secret up to you, a boy I recently just met. If you want me to be blunt about, I'll admit, I don't trust you. I'm not even entirely sure whether I like you or not yet. You're so demanding and childish."
Alfred frowned.
"I'm not childish!" He whined helplessly, proving Arthur's point further. "You should trust me. I'm a very trustworthy guy. I'm to hero too!"
Arthur sighed.
"Okay then, Hero. I think we should be considering the idea of sleep." He yawned.
The two of the were sat against a few storage boxes which had been dumped in Arthur's 'room'. The space which he accomodated was small enough as it was without further intruision. Arthur had offered the taller boy his sorry excuse for a bed: a matteress that lay on filthy terrain below. The poor guy doesn't even have a blanket, thought Alfred, sympathetic for the poverty clearly evident in the other boy's life. Can't France spare enough money for flooring?
Alfred shook his bomber jacket off of his shoulders. Arthur had insisted that Alfred should use the matteress. The taller boy just smiled and used his beloved jacket to shield Arthur, who, now he noticed, was shivering, from the cold.
"W-what are you doing?" Arthur managed to stutter. Alfred smiled at the older boy.
"Keeping you warm," He chirped.
Arthur muttered something about Alfred's 'idioticity'.
"Baka," he quietly accused.
The rosy blush on his cheeks, however, told Alfred all he needed to know. With a smile, Alfred drifted asleep next to Athur, against the latter's wishes, of course. Arthur's matteress was left neglected at one side of the room.
"Gilbert," Matthew addressed quietly, grabbing the deformed man's attention. "I need to get back to my brother; and Arthur. It's late. Very late." He informed, checking the watch on his wrist.
"Aw," whined the Prussian. Matthew was reminded of his younger twin.
"Oh my gosh," Matthew gasped, his Canadian accent shone through his words. "I've left my brother alone with some circus act who I met hours ago."
Gilbert scoffed at this.
"You shouldn't be worried. Arthur is a good guy, no matter how much he tries to hide it. He doesn't deserve to be in a place like this." Gilbert defended his colleague. "You know, Arthur tried to liberate us all from this hell hole once."
"Really?" Asked the Canadian in mild shock.
"Yup." Gilbert smiled. "Didn't turn out well for him though. He was only fourteen at the time."
"Fourteen? How long had he been here for?" Asked Matthew.
"Longer than I have. Way longer." Gilbert frowned. "He said he can't remember life outside the circus. With the exception of his frequent walks."
"Maple..." Muttered Matthew as he adjusted his glasses. "What happened when he tried to free you all?"
Gilbert laughed. His laugh was strange.
"Kesesese~" He chortled. "Even he admits he was foolish in trying to escape. He had to try and take on France, who, at the time, was twenty. He ended up with more than a black eye and a busted lip, that's for sure. He wasn't able to perform for three weeks. He wasn't in a better state after those weeks. France just got impatient."
Matthew sighed.
"I'm listening to you, but this doesn't mean I believe you. I know you less than I know Arthur, and I barely know that guy's name. I don't trust you, just hope you know," Matthew glared. He was slowly easing himself out of his shell, becoming protective of both himself and his twin. The defences were up.
The next morning, Alfred woke by Arthur's side and forced the older boy to wake. After a long argument and freshening up using the circus'... facilities, Alfred decided he wanted to play a game.
"Let's play a game," he declared. "It'll help us get to know each other better."
"I don't want to know you," Arthur scowled. "I don't want you to know me either."
"Don't be so grouchy, Artie~," Alfred frowned.
"Don't call me that," Arthur spat.
After a lot of convincing and many explanations, Arthur finally agreed to the game.
"Fine," he sighed. "All we do is ask questions, right?"
"Yup!" Alfred cheered. "I'll go first; what's your favourite drink?"
"Tea," replied Arthur, without much thought.
"Tea?" Alfred repeated, digust evident in his tone. Arthur nodded.
"What's your favourite animal?" Asked Arthur.
"The bald eagle. What's your favourite colour?"
The questions gradually got more personal.
"Arthur, have you ever been kissed?" Alfred asked, eyes all wide and curious.
"W-what? Why would you want to know that?" Arthur demanded, flustered.
"Just wondering, 'cause I haven't!" Alfred beamed.
"Oh." Arthur sighed, a little more relieved. "N-neither have I." He admitted.
"Have you ever been in love?" Alfred voiced his thoughts.
"I-it's my turn to ask the questions... but no. I haven't."
"Neither have I. A hero like me doesn't need love~!" Alfred lied.
He lied for many reasons. He lied because he'd been chased by crazed, love-sick girls before. Stalked by perverted men, even. He lied because love, in his eyes, was a waste of time. He lied to try and convince himself that love was not needed to be happy. He lied to both himself and Arthur, though, the opinion of the emerald eyed boy didn't really matter... did it?
