America had dismissed himself from the meeting early and stood across the street in the half-frosted window of an accounting building, his binoculars pressed to his heavily scowling face. He eyebrows tilted down and he pulled the things away from his face to throw them to the ground. Prussia had gone against his warning, used his brother, and had the audacity to keep the curtains open. Who did he think Matthew was? Some kind of whore? He picked up the binoculars and peered into the windows of Prussia's hotel room once again before leaving to go back to his own hotel. When he arrived, Britain stood waiting for him outside the door.

"I know where you went Alfred, and I know what you're doing." America shook his head and unlocked the door.

"Then stay out of my way. Prussia went against my warning and he's going to be punished for it."

"I know you think this is what's needed but it's not. You're starting something that was meant to stay as it is. Canada has made his choice and you don't need to take on responsibility. That's France's job."

"But I am his brother. Arthur, France has long since abandoned him and lately the only person he's been depending on is me. I want to keep it that way. I don't want him to be taken advantage of." Britain sighed as he watched his lover gather various weapons from his suitcases.

"Alfred, stop this. Prussia will get what's coming to him if he uses Matthew, believe me. France keeps tabs on that child like you wouldn't believe. That's why he doesn't have many troops, he has a special division just for Matthew's protection."

"Well, too bad. He's too old and he takes action much too slowly for my liking."

"Fine, go on, but be aware that your judgment is tainted by your own selfishness. You want Matthew to stay pure but that's impossible. We're nations, and as such we all go through the bad and the worse before we get the good." Alfred snickered.

"Like us? Is that what you're going after? Do you want Matthew to go through the Revolutionary war too?" Arthur tensed, his hands clenching into tight fists. The memories were still as painful as open wounds.

"No, but that's a prime example. The more you try to protect someone, the more painful it is to watch them leave."

"He's not going to leave. Not if I can help it." Arthur shook his head and walked back to Alfred's side, grasping the loose, worked leather of his bomber jacket and stopping his hand from grabbing the Desert Eagle he had been reaching for.

"Alfred, you can't stop him from loving. Even if Prussia may be the wrong person." Alfred looked away, his hand slowly retracting to lace his fingers with Arthur's.

"I can't let him go. He's my brother, and I won't allow anyone to hurt him." Arthur nodded slowly and moved Alfred away from the gun case and led him slowly toward the bed.

"Just let it go, Matthew will learn. If this turns out to be the wrong choice, he'll know to trust you." Alfred pinned him to the bed and began kissing softly at his neck. He had nearly forgotten how soft Arthur's skin was, or how pretty it looked in the low natural light casted from the barely opened window.

"Maybe you're right… But-"Arthur leaned up to kiss him softly.

"Just don't think to hard okay?" His words blended together as Alfred descended onto his skin, the faintness of their war memories influencing the American's movements. He had long missed the feel of Arthur beneath him, the sweet sound of his lust-drenched sighs filling his hollow life with the happiness of being reunited. The radiance of his toxic green eyes in the low lighting beckoning him back for more. Arthur awoke hours after, clinging to nothing but an empty white sheet. He sighed.

"I guess I failed." He turned and looked to the sliver of light. "Be careful Alfred… please…" A few tears escaped and he wiped them away. He knew Alfred would return to him, but he knew Prussia's inner strength and hopefully his young lover would come back in one piece. Hopefully…

Alfred was all he had left after all…

-Scene change-

Prussia woke up some hours later, the lingering scent of sweat and sex still thick in the air. He sat up and put his elbows to his knees, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and looking out the window. He hadn't noticed the curtains were open, but then again they were high enough that nobody could possibly notice anything they were doing. Yawning, he sat at the edge of the bed and stretched a little before finding his boxers and slipping them back on. It'd been a while since he'd had such great sex and frankly… he felt superbly satisfied. He leaned over Matthew, who was still sleeping, and kissed his cheek. Canada had shown him what it was like to truly be loved and for that he was grateful. Now he turned his attention to the growing hunger in his gut. Sex took energy, and in turn always made him infinitely hungry afterward. There was a knock on the door and Gilbert grabbed the pistol from his pants pocket before answering.

Behind the door stood America, Desert Eagle aimed straight for Prussia's head. "Drop the gun and back into the room." He whispered, trying not to wake his brother, who he could see was still sleeping peacefully. Gilbert set the gun down on the side table, his hands raised in defense. They backed into the room slowly, Prussia keeping his eyes staring right into the blue ones opposite him. He knew intimidation could be a major factor in his escape from the current situation. "Sit in that chair, don't say a word." The albino did as he was instructed, sitting in the chair opposite the bed. America kept the gun pointed at him and moved beside the bed, stealing a glance at his sleeping brother. "So… how was it? Did you get what you wanted or did you have to force him?"

"I didn't force him to do anything."

"Are you calling him a whore?" America cocked the gun.

"No." Prussia narrowed his eyes.

"Good. I'd have to shoot you if you did. When he wakes up, you tell him you can't see him again."

"No." America moved forward quickly, pressing the gun to his forehead.

"You'll tell him what I tell you to tell him or I'll kill you."

"You'd really do that knowing Matthew would hate you for it?"

"He wouldn't. He doesn't love you."

"You can't control who he-"

"He'll love who I say he can love. That person is not you. Do you know how hard I worked to keep him a virgin? To keep him away from people like you?"

"You can't stop me from loving him America."

"Yes I can. I can put a bullet in your head and that'll stop you from doing anything."

"No it won't. I'll still love him even if I am dead." The gun was pressed harder against his head.

"Shut up."

"No." They engaged in a staring contest, Gilbert's red eyes daring him to shoot. Daring him to wake Matthew, to tell him that the man he loved was dead by his hands.

"Alfred?" America and Prussia both held their breath and the blonde looked back to the bed where Matthew sat, holding a sheet to his naked chest and his eyes trembling with fear. The American swallowed thickly and slipped the gun into the back of his pants, Prussia putting his hands behind his head. "What are you doing here?"

"Having a talk with your personal whore." Matthew's gentle eyes narrowed.

"Don't talk about him like that. Get out of here."

"No. He went against my warning and I'm going to punish him for it."

"Warning? You mean the death threat? Alfred you don't intend to keep playing this game do you? It's over."

"The game is over when I say it is." He pulled the gun out and pointed it at Gilbert. "This relationship is over." Matthew's eyes grew, many tears immediately making their way from them and landing on the white sheet. His hand gripped the sheet too, his nails nearly ripping through it.

"No, please Alfred don't!"

"Tell me it's over! You'll never even look at him again Matthew!" Prussia swallowed and nodded very quickly, telling Matthew to go along with it.

"A-a... Alright… I-it's over. Just please don't hurt him!" Alfred put the gun back into his pants.

"Good. Now, Prussia, get dressed. You're leaving this room." Matthew swallowed again.

"Alfred!"

"What?"

"C-can… Can I kiss him? Just one more time? Please?" Alfred crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes.

"Once more but nothing else." Prussia got up off the chair and kneeled beside the bed where Matthew was sitting.

"Birdie, I want you to know that I'll always love you. You'll be here in my heart forever. I don't want you to cry okay? I hate when you cry." Matthew's tears re-emerged.

"But I'll never see you again! How can I not cry? I'll miss you so much…" Gilbert wiped the tears away from his face.

"Don't you worry, we'll be together again someday. But until then, just remember how much I love you." The albino tried to swallow, only for him to realize there was a lump in his throat and he felt the stinging trail of a tear down his face. "Don't forget." Matthew leaned over and hugged what he could of Gilbert's body, sobs wracking his body.

"Never! I-I'll never forget you. I love you… I love you so much…" He pulled back and Gilbert swept him into a kiss filled with passion, passion for him and for everything they hoped to become. They pulled away, lips lingering only a few centimeters away.

"I love you Birdie." He stood and started gathering his clothes, putting them on one article at a time, trying to stall off leaving the hotel room. Alfred sat in the chair opposite the bed and watched him move around, gun back in his hand in case Gilbert made an unauthorized move. When he was completely dressed and had gathered all his things, America put the gun against his back and started to push him out of the room. Before he left Gilbert looked back at Matthew, mouthing a bitter goodbye, and walked out shutting the door quietly behind him. America collected the Prussian's gun and stowed it away. Matthew started to cry again, curling up in a ball and hiding beneath the sheet he had been holding earlier. Alfred watched him, a sudden collection of guilt building up in his stomach. He walked over to the bed and put a hand to Matthew's back, expecting him to cling in sorrow. He was greeted with a slap to the face.

"DON'T TOUCH ME!" Matthew got up out of the bed, pain shooting through his backside and he stumbled to grab his clothes off the ground.

"M-Matthew?"

"You expect me to like you after what you just did?! Get out of here!"

"Matthew I only did this to help you-"

"HELP ME? Is that what you think you did?! No, Alfred, you screwed up my life! I loved him more than anything else in the entire world and you made him leave me here alone!" Alfred drew back, the guilt piling up quickly. "It's unforgivable Alfred! You fucked up the love I worked for. You know how hard it was to get him to love me after watching him ignore me for centuries just like everyone else?! I love him! And now it's gone! Everything I worked for is gone!" He finally sat down on the bed and curled back up in a ball. "Get out of here."

Feeling like he'd done enough, Alfred nodded and left, leaving Gilbert's gun on the side table. It was the least he could do after ruining everything. Matthew cried again, his tears soaking the sheets and the sobs wracking his body with pain until he fell asleep again. The next time he woke up, it was dusk and the clouds were painted a vibrant red. A color that reminded him of Gilbert's eyes. His mind flashed back to the moment Gilbert looked back at him with those eyes, the eyes that held the utmost admiration for him and the love that he had worked for. And now… Now it was gone. He bit back tears, as his ribs hurt too much to cry again. His eye drifted down to the street and he saw someone standing in the rain, looking up at the building.

They had brilliant silver hair that could even be seen from that height.

Matthew put his hands to the glass and a single tear escaped him. Gilbert was standing out there, possibly getting sick, watching him without being able to see him. What a bitter-sweet world, he thought, and oh how it's ways just loved to mess with him. How it hated him, giving him the love he wanted and taking it away just as he finally thought things were going to get better. He went over to the bed and tore the maple leaf emblem from his jacket, and tossing it out the window. Gilbert caught it as it came down and read the message written on it's back.

'I will never forget'