NowSeeTheRealMe: I know, I'm trying to write when I have the time, so I guess I'll just have to try harder then.
Fezzes64: I already have a way to make that happen. I hope it works out well, I don't want it to end up being clichéd or something, but I guess only time will tell.
Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.
Chapter 10: Deception
"It's been a few days." Matthew muttered as he trudged up the muddy steps leading up to the decrepit shack. The weather's been cooling lately, the night's been chillier and he has a feeling those torrential rains will change over to snow very soon. Matthew isn't worried about this; instead he mulls about the German soldier, Gilbert. "I haven't seen him in a while, who knows, maybe he's forgotten about me."
Matthew sighed as he opened the creaky door. As the door swung open Matthew stared into the old shack only to be greeted by the German soldier himself, "Oh, hey Matt, what's up." He grinned as a yellow bird flew circles around his head.
Matthew's eyes bulged, "Um hi Gilbert, is that...a bird?"
"Yep, he's cute isn't he." Gilbert smirked. The bird landed on the back of his hand, and began to pet the bird softly. Its yellow feathers hummed with excitement as his hands softly petted bird's back, "piyo."
"But how?" Matthew asked.
"Oh, I found him outside of the barracks three days ago. Looks like his mother abandoned him or something. Anyways, being the kind and awesome person I am, I decided to nurse him back to health."
Matthew stared, he had a feeling Gilbert can be a little out there but this was, well different.
"That's great, but what about your boss?" Matthew asked.
"He doesn't care. As long as I feed him my own rations and give him a home, I think he's fine with it." Gilbert responded.
"Oh, okay."
"Hey Matt, why don't you try petting the bird." Gilbert suggested as he held the bird in his hands and offered it to Matthew.
"Me?" Matthew hesitated.
"Yeah, why not." Gilbert's self assured grin still spread on his face.
"Um, okay then." Matthew said. Taking the bird to his hands, the bird looked up at the Canadian, Matthew smiled and placed a tentative hand on the bird, "hey there little fella, how are you?" The bird immediately approved, and chirped to his delight, "piyo."
Gilbert giddily jumped off the floor, "That's so cool."
Matthew looked up at Gilbert, "What do you mean?"
"Gilbird totally likes you." Gilbert said.
"Gillbird?" Matthew queried.
"That's the name I gave him, pretty neat huh?"
"Yeah." Matthew's eyes softened and petted the bird again.
"That's a first. You're the only one he's gotten that close so far. Besides me of course." Gilbert stared in wonder, Matthew continued petting the bird with one, "here you go little fella." he extended his other hand and offered bread crumbs to the bird.
"He's pretty cute." Matthew said.
"I know, and look at you, being an awesome bird-handler and all." Gilbert praised, he paused for a second before standing up and snapping his fingers, "That's it." he cried.
"What's it?" Matthew asked.
"Birdie." Gilbert said.
"Birdie?" He queried.
"Yeah, that's your new and awesome nickname." Gilbert suggested.
"Wait, a nickname?" Matthew questioned.
"Yeah, think about it, you're the only one Gilbird likes, aside from me of course." Gilbert grinned as Gillbird flew back to his shoulder.
"Um, okay, I guess." Matthew was unsure about a nickname, but he was willing to give it a try.
"That's the spirit Birdie." Gilbert boomed, slinging his arm around Matthew and beaming he asks, "Anyways, what's up."
"Oh, nothing. I just wanted some alone time." Matthew admitted.
Gilbert's smile faltered, "Oh, in that case I can leave, if you want me to." He began to shuffle out of the room when Matthew grabbed his arm.
"No, please stay. Company's good." As much as he wanted some alone time, he didn't if Gilbert stayed and chatted, it felt natural.
"Great, so what did you want to talk about?" Gilbert smiled as he plopped down beside Matthew.
"I don't know?" Matthew softly replied.
"Ooh, I have a question." Gilbert eagerly requested.
"Go ahead, I'm all ears." Matthew said.
"Um, if it isn't too personal." Gilbert started nervously, "How is Alfred your brother? I mean, you're Canadian right? But I overheard Alfred say he's American. So, yeah I was just wondering," Gilbert finished unsurely, staring at the ground before adding, "If it isn't too personal, of course."
"Don't worry about it, I'll tell you." Matthew smiled. "Alfred's my older brother. He was born in Washington DC a few years before me, but our family decided to move to Ottawa because my dad got a job offer he said he couldn't refuse. Soon after that I was born." Matthew's eyes mellowed and stared ahead, "We moved into an old large brick house in the outskirts of town. And that's where Alfred and I spent our childhood, running around and playing in the backwoods without a care in the world. We had the best backyard in the world, it was wide and expansive, and there was always something to do regardless of the seasons."
"It must have been a nice childhood." Gilbert replied softly. He stroked Gillbird's feathers as the two of them laid down beside each other, staring at the old worn wood above them.
Matthew kept staring ahead, "Yeah, I guess it was." After a short pause, Matthew sat up and continued, "It's a little odd, but my brother and I are both Canadian, but Alfred insists on being called an American. Even in school, he'd always run around with the stars and stripes in his hand, much to the chagrin of our teachers."
Gilbert chuckled, "That sounds like him alright."
Matthew continued, "I guess it was our brotherly connection or something, but he always had this dream of being a hero, he's always there when people needed it. Once, he even chased down a thief who took an old woman's purse. I admire him for it, it feels like something I can never be." Matthew paused. "So when the war broke out, Alfred walked up to the in the recruitment office and enlisted. And so did I." Matthew's forlorn eyes mellowed slightly, keeping his gaze at the ground he continued, "Both of us decided to join the air force. I guess it was for the thrill of it. I mean, there's something about soaring thousands of feet in the air, flying around above the clouds. Trying in vain to reach the stars, knowing full well, one mistake will send you plunging to your death."
Gilbert sat up and scooted closer to him, "Matthew, you know that you can be a hero your own way right? You don't need to follow Alfred's definition."
Matthew simply shrugged, "I know that now, but anyways, both of us went to training and passed brilliantly and we were deployed to the front soon after."
Gilbert looked enthusiastic, "That's awesome, I wish I knew how to pilot a plane."
"Maybe, someday I can teach you." Matthew offered.
"That'll be cool."
"So, what about you?" Matthew suddenly asked.
Gilbert was taken aback, unable to formulate a response. What should he say? What should he omit? Looking at Matthew, Gilbert gave a dumbfounded stare, "Huh."
"I mean what about you? What's your story? Do you have family back home?" Matthew was eager for Gil to share his story. Waiting with bated breath, Gilbert finally opened his mouth,
"Yeah, my younger brother's back in Berlin. He can be a real downer though. It's always work, work, work for him. But he's my bro, and he's still awesome I guess, though not as awesome as me."
Gilbert turned to Matthew only to find the other man smiling, silently urging him on,"Anyways, almost the same thing happened for us. I was born in Berlin, but our parents decided to move to Frankfurt, for some business deal or something. Anyways, soon after my baby bro was born."
"What's his name?" Matthew asked.
"Ludwig"
"That's a nice name."
"Yeah, yeah." Gilbert waved his hands dismissively. "Anyways, my brother decided to go back to Berlin to study for university, and I decided to follow him." Matthew gave him a quizzical look, "Don't get me wrong, I like Frankfurt and all, it's just that I need change, you know. And Berlin's so alluring, I just had to go." Gilbert paused and placed Gillbird on his shoulder, "After graduating from university, war broke out and my brother enlisted the day after."
Gilbert's face faltered, memories of the early days of war rushing back to him, "I didn't see him for a few years afterwards, but he always tried to write back to me in Berlin, and I'm pretty sure he wrote back to Mutter and Vater back in Frankfurt." Gilbert kept his face straight ahead, "He won a lot of military decorations for his service, and I guess as a reward he got a cushy desk job at a government office."
"What about you? What did you do?" Matthew asked
"Nothing much," Gilbert admitted, "I worked a few odd jobs after graduating from high school before I followed my bro to Berlin."
"But why didn't you enlist?" Matthew's curiosity was getting the better of him
"I don't know," Gilbert acknowledged" That's a good question actually, but yeah. I guess..." Gilbert paused, "No, it's nothing."
The two sat in silence. Matthew considered pushing the topic, but decided against it. 'He'll tell me when he's ready,' he thought.
For the first time in days, there was not a cloud in the sky, and all the pair can see is the Sun slowly melting in the horizon. "It's beautiful." Matthew commented.
"What is?" Gilbert questioned.
"The sunset."
Gilbert smiled. The two looked content and peaceful. Gilbert then looked at his watched and yelped, "Woah, is that the time already, I've got to go. It was nice talking to you again. See you around Birdie."
Gilbert ran out in a blink of an eye, trailed by Gilbert right behind him. Matthew gave a weak wave as the man slowly disappeared and merged back into the camp.
Matthew's smile faltered, "I didn't even try." he said weakly. The promise he gave Alfred was still at the back of his mind. The promise to betray Gilbert's trust to mine useful information from him. Matthew always had second-thoughts over the whole thing, but over the past few days, he's managed to convince himself that he'd at least try. But now, he know's he's failed miserably.
"I didn't even try." Matthew spat. He stared at the ground, 'Why, why can't I do it? It should be easy. Al said it himself, he's a Nazi, so...so...it should be easy. But...he's no ordinary Nazi.' His thoughts swirled in his head, trying to come up for an explanation for his failure, was it gratitude? was it just his nervousness, or maybe, he really is a spineless coward. Matthew sighed and closed his eyes. That's when it all came to him. The reason why he can't betray Gilbert. His eyes widened in realization, "I can't do it." His voice came out as a whisper, "I just can't."
Dreading what happens next, Matthew picked himself up and walked back to the camp.
Alfred reclined on his bunk bed. Staring upwards his serious face he glanced and read over the letters he received from back home. Some of the people around him thought it was odd, but before going out to fly Alfred always keeps a few letters from back home. It made him feel safe. Every time he took to the sky and did a fly-by over the pitch black churning waters of the English Channel, it always comforted him knowing that something special and personal, something to remind him of home was in his left breast pocket.
Alfred looked up and saw his brother walk in, the other man looks like a confused mess and this immediately got Alfred concerned, "Hey Mattie, what's up?"
Matthew didn't look at him, "Al," he croaked.
Alfred jumped up and went right beside his brother, his voice eased, "Hey what's wrong, bro?" He placed a hand on his shoulder, only to have Matthew swat it away.
"I can't do it." Matthew said.
"Huh"
"I can't get anything out of him." Matthew said, louder this time.
Alfred smiled slightly, 'this was it?' he wondered, 'I though it was something worse.' Alfred finally replied, "Don't worry about it, no sweat, you can try again next time, right?" He patted his brother on the head, only for his brother to reply back.
"No Al, I can't do it, I can't betray his trust like that."
"What do you mean?" Alfred said.
"He, well...he's." Matthew's voice faltered. Alfred's eyes widened in realization, standing up and walking back to the bed, he growled.
"Oh, so that's it huh. That's the end of that." Alfred finally got why Matthew couldn't get Gilbert to talk, he understood why Matthew was always hanging out with that guy.
"Al, please." Matthew begged.
"No, Matt. We're fighting in a goddamn, war. You can't let feelings, or emotions get in the way like that." Alfred replied sternly,
"But Al."
"But Al, what? Think about it Matt, he's a Nazi, a no-good, dirty, damn Kraut." Alfred angrily rebuffed Matthew's reply.
"No, you're wrong!" Matthew yelled, unable to stand someone giving Gilbert such a bad name.
"And how am I wrong?" Alfred snapped back.
"He's...he's a friend." Matthew confessed.
"Oh." Alfred's eyes widened in shock, his anger melted away as he stared at this brother. Alfred's eyes hardened and hollowed. Staring straight ahead, he refused to acknowledge Matthew standing right behind him.
"Al..." Matthew began
"Don't talk to me." Al snapped.
"But..."
"I said leave me alone, traitor." Alfred coldly replied and refused to meet his brother's glance.
Matthew's eyes widened. Slowly, he got up on his feet and left the room. Alfred stood there for what seemed like hours. Frozen on the spot Alfred finally moved. He put his hands up to his face and bemoaned, "Oh, Mattie. What have you gotten yourself into?"
Historical Notes:
Canada's involvement: Canada declared war a few days after Britain on September 9, 1939. As well, Canada was used as the primary training ground for over half of the Commonwealth's air forces. Far from the conflicts in Europe and Asia, Canada's wide open spaces and isolation from the war made it the perfect place to train airmen for the war. In my head, Alfred and Matthew trained in the wide open plains somewhere over the Prairies.
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