A/N: Yeah, this is extremely late, I know. The reason for that is? Well, last weekend was my friend's birthday. Sounds irrelevant, right? Wrong! I decided to write her a shit load of one-shots for her birthday (only got through three, but damn they were good) and it's a little hard for me to write two completely different stories because A) this would make no sense and be rushed and short or B) you'd get a pairing this isn't focusing on, like Dennor. So yes, I had to wait to type this up.
And I also would like to say, DAMN! I had quite a few mistakes last chapter!
Anyway, just read.
Disclaimer: Don't own anything from the Little Mermaid or Hetalia.
THE LITTLE MERMAN
CHAPTER NINE-WHY GHOSTS ARE AMAZING
By the time the two made it home, it was completely dark. They climbed the stairs, exhaustion hanging over them. The scent of ocean filled the castle because of them. Arthur opened the door to his room and looked back at Alfred. He was smiling though he looked tired and partly dry. Arthur walked inside, holding the door for Alfred.
"Alright," Arthur muttered to himself. "Alfred?" The merprince in question spun around with a curious look. "Can you change yourself now?" Alfred bit his lip as he thought. It isn't that hard, is it? He nodded. "Good. You can take a shower here and I'll just go to one of my brother's rooms for one." Alfred tilted his head slightly.
Arthur sighed and walked to the bathroom, motioning for Alfred to follow. Arthur pushed aside the shower curtain. He turned the knobs for the perfect heat. Then he turned back to Alfred.
"Undress," he mumbled, blushing. Alfred raised an eyebrow with one of those sexy half smirks only guys can do. That made Arthur blush more. "G-git, you have to strip down for a shower."
Alfred chuckled and slipped out of his hoodie. He had the beginnings of abs and some pretty nice muscles. Arthur noticed. Swimming for your whole life does that. He pulled off the bracelets, untied his shoes, and kicked them off. He folded his glasses and set his accessories on the sink. Just as he began to unbutton the jeans, Arthur stopped him.
"Keep your pants on for now," he said with this extremely red face. Alfred shrugged. Arthur turned back to the shower, grabbing the shampoo and conditioner bottles. "Okay, you use these for your hair. Not a lot." He motioned to a bar of soap. "Wash your body with that." He handed the bottles to Alfred and walked to the door. "I'll be across the hall. You can take your pants off now."
Alfred smiled at the retreating figure until the door closed. He finished stripping then hopped into the shower.
Arthur crossed the hall to his brother, Dylan's, room. He didn't knock, just walked in. Dylan looked up from his computer.
"What do you want?" he sighed.
"I'm taking a shower here," Arthur replied.
"Why?"
"Alfred's using my shower." Dylan raised an eyebrow. "The guy from the shipwreck."
"Oh, so that's his name," he said. "How do you know?"
"Guessed it," Arthur responded with a shrug. "Why do you care?"
Dylan closed out of the Internet and stood up. He moved to his couch, flopping onto it. Arthur walked over, but stayed standing. If that ended like he thought it would, he'd have to be able to run. So, he was hovering over his brother who was already ready for sleep.
"Well, one, I can tell everyone the guy has a name," his brother addressed in a condescending tone. Arthur rolled his eyes. "And he seems to like you. Our brothers and I might have to track that fucker's ass down if he hurts you."
Arthur turned red and punched his brother on the arm. Dylan smirked and rubbed the offended area. Arthur can hit pretty hard.
"Your such a jackass," the Brit fumed. "And he can't hurt me because I don't like him!"
"Denial's the first sign," Dylan clucked with an amused look. Arthur was glaring down, but the blush was ruining the effect.
"How do you even get that idea?"
"Well, you're always together, you saved his ass from us instead of joining us like you usually do, you sleep in the same room, you went for a ride in the canoe with him in the lagoon where you said you'd never go because it was like something out of a romance novel, you blush like a maniac when I say you could like him, and you read him the story," Dylan finished.
"What's wrong with any of that?" Arthur retorted.
"You only ever do anything like that when you like someone." His brother held the last syllable for an approximate four counts, if quarter note equals one-five-two.
"Shut it wanker," Arthur said, turning away to hide his blush.
"Artie," Dylan teased, "you like him." Arthur shook his head, but kept from showing his brother his face. "Will it be like Romeo and Juliet? Because if you run away with him, I'll kick both your asses, forwards, backwards, side-to-side, and diagonal."
"This is the last time I come into your room," Arthur sighed. He turned back to Dylan. "I don't like him. Will you stop?" His brother was silent and Arthur almost felt joyful for getting one of his siblings to shut up for once.
That is until, "ARTHUR'S IN LO-"
He jumped on his brother, covering his mouth with his hand. Dylan did an invisible smirk and licked Arthur's hand. Arthur pulled his hand away, rubbed the saliva onto the other, and stopped another attempt at getting the three words out. This time he grabbed a throw pillow and held it on Dylan's face. His brother punched at him. Arthur pushed the pillow harder on his face and Dylan finally stopped swinging his arms.
"You done?" Arthur asked, removing the pillow. It revealed a glaring, and coughing, angry Welsh.
"You could have suffocated me!" Arthur rolled his eyes and tossed the pillow behind him.
"Relax. I'm not that mean," he chided. Dylan did a small noise that sounded like a 'hmpf.' "Now, are you done?" Dylan glared up at his brother before pushing him off his lap and onto the floor. Arthur glared back.
"Fine, yeah, I'm done," he hissed.
"Good," Arthur acknowledged. "Don't tell your brothers."
"About you liking him?"
"Yes."
"So you do like him?"
"No, I don't."
"But you just said you did."
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
"I'm pretty sure you don't have short-term memory loss."
"How would you know?"
"I'm your brother; I'd know."
"I have a brother?"
"You are by far the weirdest in our family."
"I have a family?"
"Just take your fucking shower."
"What's a shower?"
"If you don't stop, I'll disembowel you with a wooden cooking spoon."
"Stop what?"
"I'll tell the twins."
"I'm going."
As Arthur turned to go towards the bathroom, he glanced back at Dylan and stuck out his tongue. Dylan shot him the bird with a roll of his eyes. Arthur chuckled and walked in the bathroom.
When Arthur walked back across the hall to his room after messing with his brother more, he was automatically glomped by Alfred. He stumbled back a bit in surprise. After regaining his balance and a slight bit of his composure, he pulled away and looked at Alfred's face. He looked terribly frightened.
"What's wrong?"
Alfred opened his mouth to explain and then realized he couldn't speak. He remembered earlier. He ran into the room, followed by Arthur. He made it to the desk, pulled out a pencil and paper, and drew a simplistic ghost and a scared person. Arthur gave an amused smile and Alfred felt his heart break. He finds my fears hilarious! He wanted to cry.
"You're afraid of ghosts?" Arthur asked. Alfred nodded quickly. The other chuckled and laid a hand on Alfred's shoulder. "Ghost aren't real." Alfred frowned with a nod. "No they aren't." I really wish I could talk now.
Alfred sketched another picture. It was of him and this really transparent looking person. Damn, he was good at this. Arthur gazed at the picture and shook his head. Alfred nodded. They kept doing this for quite some time.
"Alfred. They. Aren't. Real." Alfred shook his head. "Fine. There aren't any ghost in my room. That good enough?" Alfred paused then nodded. "Okay, now go to sleep."
Arthur flicked the light off and crawled into bed. Alfred walked to the couch and laid down, finding a pillow and blanket on the chair next to it. He smiled, put the pillow under his head, curled up in the blanket, and fell asleep.
During the night, while he was dreaming about Arthur, Alfred awoke to a thump. He sat up in panic for a second, thinking of ghosts and such. After a moment, when there weren't any other sounds or movement, he laid back down. Then, he heard the same sound again. He bolted up and across the room frantically. He jumped on Arthur's bed and shook the Brit senseless to wake him up.
"What?" Arthur mumbled when he finally woke. He rolled over to see Alfred almost in tears from being so frightened. "What's wrong?" Alfred pointed back to his drawing that was sitting on the floor. Arthur examined it and sighed. Let's say he isn't a person who likes to be woken at about three A.M. "There aren't any ghosts; go to sleep."
Alfred shook his head and heard another thump. Arthur did as well. He stayed silent for a moment and heard it again. He stared back at Alfred and Alfred stared back with tears lining his eyes. Arthur was contemplating whether or not to say anything else about ghost being totally false.
"Go to sleep, Alfred," Arthur said.
Alfred looked heart broken and started to go back to the couch, but then there was an extremely loud THUMP right next to it and the couch jeered to the left. He freaked out, jumped on the bed, and clung onto to Arthur, trying to stop from sobbing but failing. Arthur was stiff for a second before patting the other's back, attempting to get him to calm down.
"It's okay," he murmured, his voice like a sweetly sung lullaby. Alfred was crying onto his shoulder so Arthur's head was on the other's shoulder as well. "There isn't any ghost over there. It's okay." Arthur had ceased the patting and just hugged him. It's a good thing Alfred didn't have a voice because he was sobbing pretty hard. "It's alright, Alfie. I wouldn't let a ghost bother you."
His eyes flicked to his black magic things. Alfred smiled at how sweet that actually sounded. Arthur kept cooing sayings, words, and sweet things until Alfred calmed down. When he did, Arthur let go and Alfred frowned. He reluctantly removed his arms, wiped away a few tears, and gave Arthur a pleading look.
"Yes?" Alfred motioned to the bed and then put both of his hands under his head like he was sleeping. He still looked completely afraid and, God dammit, he's so cute with those big eyes. Arthur sighed. "Fine."
Alfred gave a small grin and fixed himself under the covers. Arthur rolled his eyes at him with just the slightest hint of a smile. He fell back down and turned to his side. He was almost asleep when he felt Alfred shift his weight. The former merprince now had his knees were Arthur's were bent, his arms wrapped around Arthur, and his lips were on the back of Arthur's head. In other words, he was cuddling. Arthur was shocked for a second, but then he smiled, readjusted himself just a little bit to be closer. Alfred smiled as well. He likes me?
"Good night," Arthur murmured. Alfred needed a way to say good night as well. He thought for a second before kissing Arthur on the back of his head. Arthur's eyes widened for a second then fluttered closed, ignoring the heat on his face. They both fell asleep soon after that.
Meanwhile, the rest of the Kirkland brothers sat in Dylan's room cackling with evil smiles at how easy it was to pretend being ghost and scare the shit out of Alfred. Although, Arthur will probably kick their asses when he finds out.
Hey guys, hope you enjoyed this. I will post the next chapter soon to make up for all the time that I didn't post, which is explained up top in the A/N. So just click the review button and, ya' know, tell me what you think.
